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Biosolvents - Design, properties and environmental aspects

Solvents, whether pure or in mixtures, are widely used in many sectors of the economy, where they play a variety of roles. They are liquids capable of dissolving, diluting or extracting other compounds without causing any chemical change. However, most traditional organic solvents are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are harmful to health and the environment. In fact, they contribute to the formation of tropospheric ozone and the contamination of water and soil. In France, industrial processes involving the use of solvents (base chemicals, fine chemicals, metal degreasing, application of paints, inks, glues, production of alcoholic beverages) were responsible for 34% of non-methane VOC (NMVOC) emissions in 2019, according to assessments by CITEPA (Centre interprofessionnel technique d'études de la pollution atmosphérique)