On May 28-29, 2020, experts from all over the world attended the forum “Green Upgrading of Chemical Products for Anti-epidemic and Sterilization: Opportunities and Challenges” through online Chinese/English bilingual video conference. There were more than 550 researchers from more than 30 countries, including China, Pakistan, India, Egypt, etc. The forum was hosted by CAS-TWAS Green Technology Center of Excellence (CEGT), Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), co-organized by the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) and the Ionic Liquids Professional Committee of the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China.

Prof. Jinghua Cao, Executive Director of ANSO Secretariat, delivered a speech on behalf of ANSO. He pointed out that ANSO will built a guarantee and system platform to promote scientific and technological cooperation for countries and regions along the “The Belt and Road”, to cope common challenges, to closer people-to-people ties and to build a community with shared future for mankind. In the face of the severe situation of the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, ANSO will also provide communication channels for COVID-19 prevention to scientists from all over the world. ANSO hopes that all people will work together to conquer the epidemic soon.

Academician of CAS, Suojiang Zhang, Director of the Institute of Processes Engineering, CAS, delivered an opening speech for the forum. He introduced the development, market status, and future needs of the sterilization and disinfection industry. He hopes that researchers can make full use of this meeting to actively share and exchange the knowledge and experience related to the green upgrading of anti-epidemic sterilization chemicals, work together and rise up to challenges and make more contributions to overcome COVID-19. With the support of ANSO, the organizing committee presented a new type of cleaning gel which was developed by Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology to more than 10 countries including Thailand, Mongolia, Pakistan, Egypt, Denmark, and Malaysia, etc.

In the meeting, Ying Zhang, professor of the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, took "The Role of Chemical Industry in the Anti-Epidemic" as the topic, introduced the huge role which chemical industry played in the anti-epidemic, and put forward the new goal of adjusting product structure, promoting clean production and realizing sustainable development of chemical production. Wei Zhang, professor of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS, presented a new idea that cationic surface endows materials with antibacterial and biocompatibility under the title of “Antibacterial and Biosafety of Antibacterial Materials”. Yi Nie, professor of the Institute of Processes Engineering, CAS, made a keynote speech entitled “Development and Production of Green Antibacterial Disinfection Products”. She introduced a novel cleaning gel containing natural active components such as artemisia wax oil, aloin, Duzhong geniposide and gardenia essential oil developed by Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, which exhibited antibacterial, disinfectant, insect repellent, moisturizing and skincare effects. Shu Wang, professor of the Institute of Chemistry, CAS, illustrated the antibacterial mechanism and strategy of producing active oxygen to kill bacteria through the interaction between bactericide and cell membrane surface. With the topic of “Origin and Development of Disinfectants and Surfactants”, Zhiping Du, professor of China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, presented the synergistic strengthening effect of surfactants on the efficacy of disinfectants in detail. Dan Wang, associate professor of Chongqing University, reported about “Functional Application of Organic Natural Antibacterial Chemicals”, and proposed new ideas and methods for the design and preparation of novel natural organic antibacterial agents with chitosan as raw materials. Dr. Rana Ramadan from Egypt made a report entitled “Development in Antibacterial & Disinfectants Agents in Africa”, and talked about the development history and current situation of antibacterial disinfectants in Africa.

Audience asked and commented on the reported in the panel discussion. In this tough period that the COVID-19 spreads over the world, this forum took advantages of the internet to provide a learning and communication platform for global sterilization and disinfection researchers and help scholars to deliver knowledge, information and technology for the anti-epidemic.