For many chemical companies, this may involve redeveloping a chemical product to come up with functional groups or compounds that are less noxious in the environment. For example, explains Leo Manzer, director of the corporate catalysis center at DuPont, his company used catalysts to develop a new production process for methylisocyanate, a highly flammable and hazardous material that is dangerous to transport. The new production process allows the chemical to be manufactured on the site where it is used, thus avoiding shipping and storing. Is a broad-based discipline Because our environment is so complex, environmental chemists always underscore the interdisciplinary nature of their field. Environmental chemists must be able to understand and use the terminology of a range of other disciplines including biology, geology, ecology, sedimentology, mineralogy, genetics, and soil and water chemistry.
Many opportunities exist for movement into different areas of expertise, often outside the lab.
Many chemists return to school to study public policy, law, or business using their interest in or aptitude for chemistry, but applying it in new ways. For example, knowledge of chemical processes is often vital for the individual working in the regulatory affairs department of a company who must ensure that the company complies with government regulations. Environmental management is becoming a popular career track. Also, students who hold degrees in environmental sciences are beginning to compete for jobs traditionally held by geologists, biologists, and chemists. Chemistry students interested in applying their training to an environmentally-oriented job are encouraged to take courses in environmental studies.