"Millions of tons of waste cooked oil (WCO) are produced annually worldwide and they possess a contamination threat for terrestrial and aquatic life. Instead of thrown down the sink, WCO can be chemically converted into biodiesel and glycerin which can be used in several applications. Most important, biodiesel can be used as a fuel and on a life cycle basis, it has a low carbon footprint! In the first part of the video we demonstrate biodiesel preparation from WCO and its separation from glycerin. Biodiesel is prepared by reaction of WCO triglycerides with methanol (CH3OH) in the presence of potassium hydroxide (KOH) which acts as catalyst. Then we put our biodiesel in the test showing that its combustion heats water with (at least) the same efficiency as regular diesel. Specifically, a slightly smaller quantity of biodiesel (at least in our samples) was required to increase 20 degrees the temperature of a certain amount of water. Additionally, biodiesel produced less particles in the form of soot, which is in line with data in the literature. That’s why biodiesel is used, in mixtures with diesel, in home heating systems! On the other hand, biodiesel is more viscous than diesel when comparing the speed of plastic spheres moving through these liquids. High viscosity is a concern for using biodiesel in vehicles’ combustion engines. Finally, we used the glycerin as well! We mixed some of the crude glycerin we produced with pure glycerin along with some oils and prepared our liquid soap to wash the lab glassware. So, no contaminant substance gets down the sink! All experiments have been performed in N. Alikarnassos Senior High School Science Lab."

"This video is a thought-provoking reflection on the pressing concern of environmental degradation and the need for collaborative efforts towards sustainability. It highlights the diminishing state of our natural resources and the hidden environmental costs associated with our daily necessities. The passage also emphasizes the alarming increase in chemical waste production and calls for industries and consumers to come together for a sustainable future. It showcases examples of how industries are managing toxic waste and urges young chemists to catalyze change through eco-friendly manufacturing practices, education, and innovative research. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of the field of Chemistry in promoting the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and shaping a thriving future where sustainability and expertise go hand in hand."

"The world as we know today is facing several challenges that will affect our future if not dealt with appropriately. Therefore, at the UN Sustainable Development Summit of September 2015, all members of the United Nations agreed on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals provide a blueprint towards achieving a better and more sustainable future for everyone. As PhD students in Chemistry, the question of how our research contributes to sustainability is frequently posed. To our opinion, sustainability is more than the research projects we are working on, it is part of our scientific DNA, which resonates in our daily lives. Therefore, with this video we hope to answer that burning question by providing evidence straight from our daily lives. Because as it turns out, studying our daily lives indicates that we as scientists truly have the potential to contribute to all the sustainable development goals in one way or another. Finally, regarding the video, we would like to highlight that it was decided to mimic the video clip of the song Afterglow by the group Wilkinson in order to pay tribute to the Wilkinson Charitable Foundation for supporting this competition."

"We are Verena, Lukas and Valeria and we are PhD students at Fraunhofer ICT. In our video we show you how we encounter the sustainable development goals in our daily life as chemists. Thinking about chemistry, most people imagine chaotic labs with colorful reactions, fumes and small explosions. But in chemistry labs the opposite is usually the case. The protective gear of a chemist includes safety shoes, a lab coat, gloves and googles. Chemists work in a hood in consideration of all safety regulations. The health and well-being of us and our colleagues is important. (SDG 3) In addition, chemists manage their chemical waste properly to keep the environment and water clean. Water contamination has serious health and environmental consequences. With our membrane technology, we are able to purify liquid waste like manure and produce fertilizers from the recovered material. This is our contribution to ensure the availability of clean water and sanitation for all. (SDG 6) As a chemist we not only recover aqueous waste but also focus on various kinds of solid waste fractions. Plastic waste can be grinded into smaller particles. These can be either melted into new plastic compounds or can be chemically degraded into their constituent monomers to produce high-value products leading to a sustainable production. (SDG 12) In addition to reducing CO2 emissions through sustainable production, we also focus on processes in which CO2 emissions cannot be avoided. We develop solutions to utilize CO2 to synthesize valuable chemicals in order to encounter the climate change. (SDG 13) Chemistry is often known for its high energy consumption. At Fraunhofer ICT we investigate techniques for renewable energy with our wind turbine and solar power system which can be stored in an innovative redox flow battery system. (SDG 7) Together with partners from industry and research we develop technologies for a better future. (SDG 9 + 17) As chemists we encounter a lot of SDGs in our daily life and work for a development and implementation of safe and sustainable techniques to fulfil them."

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