Role of chemistry in world problems

Nowadays, several problems are created day per day due to increasing population, pollution which has created environmental imbalance in the today's world. Some of the major problems that are facing by the human race in which chemist are doing their best for the contribution towards their solution are listed as under:

1. The Food and Population problem
It is the major problem existing nowadays in the present world. In parts of the world, where population is increasing in a very fast rate, exists the famine problems. The Green Revolution has partly relieved us of this problem. Chemists are developing synthetic plant hormones and growth regulators to increase plant yield. They are developing the acceptable controls of human fertility, pest controls and fertilizers.

2. Environmental pollution and protection
Due to rapidly increasing population human are facing the pollution problems. The use of fossil fuels has contributed to greenhouse effect and polluted the air. The exhaust gases from automobiles like carbon monoxide, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, unburnt hydrocarbon are more dangerous pollutant of air. Los Angels smog is caused by excessive emission of exhaust gases from automobiles. Chemists must find new fuels, new catalysts to reduce air pollution. Reuse and recycling of materials must be done. Many countries have developed garbage disposal procedures.

3. Excessive use of raw materials of ocean
Ocean is the source and storehouse of raw materials. We obtain food and minerals like magnesium, bromine, iodine e.t.c from oceans. But nowadays, human have started to exploit the vast resource in careless way. Chemists are involved in successful recovery of usable water and minerals from the oceans.

4. New sources of energy
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear energy are in limited amount. In the last few decades, more attention is focussed on wind energy, solar energy, tidal energy e.t.c. These newer sources of energy require materials and procedures for transferring energy from its source to the users. Chemists can help a lot in developing suitable materials needed in such sources of energy. Recently , a German Research group has developed a catalyst to split water into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of sunlight. Fuel cell technology is just ready to come out for common man's use.

5. New materials

Due to increasing population demand for new products is also increased. New materials such as super conductors, high field magnetic materials, high temperature plastics and structural polymers have been developed and put in to use with advance in technology. Conducting polymers , smart materials, materials based on nano-structures are at various stages of development which can be only prepared by the knowledge and experience in chemistry.

From all these described above, it is clear that chemistry as a science is very much with us today.