Sustainable Separations in the Chemical Engineering Curriculum

Separations are a very diverse area and has been recognized as a key area in Chemical Engineering since the birth of the subject. Despite this, there is only a limited range of separation techniques focused on during university degrees: distillation, absorption, extraction, and membranes, then often adding adsorption at a master's level. Also, over the last couple of decades, significant progress has been made in recognizing the issues in sustainability and its inclusion in the chemical engineering curriculum, with the majority of degrees containing some focus on environmental aspects.
With the locations of chemical engineering graduates changing with increasing focus on pharmaceutical, food, specialty, and consumer chemicals over the core petroleum and base chemicals, the profile of taught separations should also change to reflect this. Also, coupled with these separations, the need to deliver a sustainable chemical industry is a continuing driver of the future.
This does not imply an in-depth rebuilt of curriculums but key activities such as lab work and design projects can make sure that focus is given to sustainable constraints. However, it is vital to embed the content within the curriculum, rather than using “bolt-on” approaches.