2. Fine Chemicals:
Fine chemicals are single, pure and complex substances that
are only produced in small amounts by multipurpose plants
or biotechnological processes
3. • Most manufacturing firms produce chemicals in bulk
using standardized reactions. Fine chemicals, on the
other hand, are produced by a limited number of
companies.
• These chemicals are used for special applications by
manufacturing firms that make the following products:
Pharmaceuticals, paint, petrochemical, adhesives and
agricultural products.
4. Technologies:
• Several key technologies are used for the production of fine chemicals,
including
1. Chemical synthesis, either from petrochemical starting materials or from
natural products extracts
2. Biotechnology, for small molecules; biocatalysts (enzymatic methods),
biosynthesis (fermentation), and, for big molecules, cell culture technology.
Extraction from animals, microorganisms, or plants; isolation and
purification, used, for example, alkaloids, antibacterial (especially
penicillin), and steroids
Chemical synthesis and biotechnology are most frequently used;
sometimes also in combination
5. •fine chemicals are more expensive to produce.
•Being produced in small batches, the variety of
fine chemicals is very large due to which, the
chemistries of making them have to be flexible.
•The chemistry of these substances often changes
whenever a new drug is introduced to the market
6. Forms of fine chemicals:
• Fine chemicals produced can be differentiated into three
main forms,
1. Active pharmaceutical ingredients – They are then
produced in varying doses as medical drugs.
2. Biocides are chemicals used to kill weeds and pests. They
include pesticides and herbicides.
3. Specialty chemicals are used in various processes such as
making ceramics, additive in plastics, glass and disinfectants
or antioxidants.
7. • The end products of active pharmaceutical ingredients usually
have a different composition because fine chemicals are never
sold directly but are mixed with
1. various inert pigments,
2. solvents and
3. excipients (An inert or slightly active substance used in preparing
remedies as a vehicle or medium of administration for the
medicinal agents.) and are then produced in different doses as
medical drugs
8. Biocides
• A biocide is basically a formulation containing one or
more active substances that will –at very small doses
repel or control or destroys harmful organisms
• Over 3 mmt of biocides are used annually on Earth
Approximately 25% of the biocides used to rid houses,
gardens, lawns, parks, playing fields, swimming pools.
• There are two major types of biocides 1. Chemical
biocides 2. Natural biocides
9. • A biocide can be: A pesticide this includes
• Fungicides
• Herbicides
• Insecticides
• Algicides (A substance used to kill or inhibit the growth of algae)
• Molluscicides (pesticides against molluscs, which are usually
used in agriculture or gardening, in order to control gastropod
pests specifically slugs and snails which damage crops or other
valued plants by feeding on them.)
10. • Biocides increase food supplies and lower food costs.
• Biocides increase profits for farmers. 3. Pesticides work faster
and better than natural alternatives.
• Insignificant health risk as compared with their benefits.
• Pose significant risk to human health
• Significant adverse effects on the natural environment .
11. • Anti-fouling paints (is a specialized category of coatings applied
as the outer (outboard) layer to the hull of a ship or boat, to slow
the growth and/or facilitate detachment of subaquatic
organisms that attach to the hull and can affect a vessel's
performance and durability ), especially those utilizing organic tin
compounds such as TBT (TBT is a biocide which came into being
in the 1970s' because of its brilliant anti fouling properties over
ships hull as it prevents the growth of algae, barnacles and other
marine organisms. Severe and long-lasting impacts on marine
eco-systems
12. • Preservation of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products Preservatives
includes
• Benzalkonium chloride
• Benzyl alcohol
• Parabens ( used in cosmetics)
• Biocides used for the production of Acne products Mouth washes
Throat lozenges Sprays And number of tea tree oils
13. • Specialty chemicals on the other hand are used for
• technical applications like an additive in plastics,
• ceramics,
• glass
• or even as a disinfectant or
• an antioxidant while some like Sulphamic acid are used for
• producing dyes and
• pigments
14. • Biocides are essential in our everyday lives for the purposes of
prevention and protection.
• They are subject to their own set of regulations and should not
be confused with medicinal drugs , used to treat the human
body, or with plant protection products, used directly on crops.
• If possible, biocide use should be avoided. If there is a logical
reason to use biocides in a specific case, then care must be
taken to insure that the biocide will be effective and that
human exposure to the biocide will be minimized.
