The Importance of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry

Analytical chemistry is an important tool for analyzing various sample types and determining the composition and structure of the matter. Many fields of science rely on this technique. Here, we describe how it works, and in particular, we focus on the importance of employing sustainability in this field. We look at how it is used in life sciences, who are the main players, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the technique.

The Importance of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry

Image Credit: Khunnawut Leetang/Shutterstock.com

What Is Analytical Chemistry, and How Does It Work?

Analytical chemistry is a scientific field that identifies, characterizes, and quantifies substances and materials' physical and chemical properties. It encompasses techniques and methods used to determine substances' composition, structure, and behavior in both qualitative and quantitative terms.

Analytical chemists use a diverse range of tools, such as spectrometers, chromatographs, and electrochemical instruments, to perform measurements and interpret data.

The analytical chemistry method involves a series of steps to identify, quantify, and analyze the chemical components in a sample of interest. The first step is sample collection, followed by sample preparation to isolate the analytes of interest, which various techniques, including extraction, digestion, filtration, or separation, can do. Next, scientists select instrumentation appropriate for the analysis of the sample.

Techniques used in analytical chemistry include spectroscopy, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and electrochemistry, among others.

Calibration follows, where scientists calibrate the selected instrumentation to ensure accurate sample analysis. Once completed, the sample is analyzed using the selected instrumentation. The data collected via this analysis is then interpreted to determine the concentrations of the analytes in the sample. Finally, quality control checks are carried out to ensure the analytical results are accurate and reliable.

What Is Green Analytical Chemistry, and Why Is This Important?

Green analytical chemistry is a discipline that has evolved from traditional analytical chemistry that focuses on developing methods and techniques that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Green analytical chemistry aims to minimize the impact of analytical practices on the environment via several methods, such as reducing or eliminating hazardous chemicals, conserving energy and resources, and generating less waste. This field emphasizes the principles of green chemistry, which involves designing chemicals and processes that are safer, less toxic, and more efficient.

Applications of Green Analytical Chemistry in the Life Sciences

There are several applications of green analytical chemistry in life sciences. First, it is used in drug discovery and development, where green analytical techniques are used to identify and purify compounds for drug development. It is also used in environmental monitoring to monitor pollutants in the environment.

Food and beverage analysis also utilizes green analytical methods to analyze products for quality control and safety. Green analytical techniques are also popular in forensic science, where they are used to analyze evidence. Finally, the emerging field of personalized medicine utilizes green analytical methods to develop new personalized medicine approaches and targeted drug therapies.

Pros and Cons of Green Analytical Chemistry

A wealth of benefits are associated with green analytical chemistry due to the environmental considerations of the techniques used in this field. First, green analytical chemistry has a reduced environmental impact compared to other analytical methods. It focuses on reducing chemical processes' environmental impact, making them more sustainable and eco-friendly by using renewable resources and reducing waste.

Improved worker safety is also associated with green analytical chemistry processes as they reduce the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals.

Green analytical chemistry also promotes the use of simpler, more efficient, and cost-effective analytical methods, leading to reduced costs compared to other analytical methods. Analytical performance can also be enhanced by green analytical chemistry thanks to the use of high-performance analytical techniques that offer better sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. Finally, green analytical chemistry helps organizations comply with environmental and safety regulations by providing a framework for sustainable analytical practices. Therefore, it helps to enhance regulatory compliance.

The drawbacks of green analytical chemistry techniques are limited. The main disadvantage of using green analytical chemistry is its limited compatibility with certain types of samples. Some complex mixtures are unsuitable for analysis with green solvents, which somewhat limits the application of the technique.

Major Players in the Green Analytical Chemistry

Many companies are large and small in the current green analytical chemistry market. Some specialize in producing instruments, such as Metrohm, Shimadzu, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Waters. Others specialize in producing green chemicals, including Arkema Group, BASF SE, Evonik Industries AG, GFBiochemicals Ltd., Koninklijke DSM N.V., Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Plantic Technologies Limited, Toray Industries Inc., Total Corbion PLA, and Vertec BioSolvents Inc.

The Future of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry

The green analytical chemistry sector is growing, and research is widening its use across the life sciences and other sectors. In the future, we can expect future developments in this field to further reduce the environmental impact of analytical chemistry, making it more sustainable.

References and Further Reading

Analytical Chemistry [Online]. Analytical Chemistry Society. Available at: https://www.acs.org/careers/chemical-sciences/areas/analytical-chemistry.html

Benefits of Green Chemistry [Online]. Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/benefits-green-chemistry

Płotka-Wasylka, J. et al. (2021) Green Analytical Chemistry as an integral part of sustainable education development. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 31, p. 100508. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S245222362100064X

What are the Disadvantages of using Green Chemistry Solvents? [Online]. Chromatography Today. Available at: https://www.chromatographytoday.com/news/supercritical-fluid-sfcgreen-chromatography/45/international-labmate-ltd/what-are-the-disadvantages-of-using-green-chemistry-solvents/59827

Last Updated: Jun 7, 2023

Sarah Moore

Written by

Sarah Moore

After studying Psychology and then Neuroscience, Sarah quickly found her enjoyment for researching and writing research papers; turning to a passion to connect ideas with people through writing.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

  • APA

    Moore, Sarah. (2023, June 07). The Importance of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry. AZoLifeSciences. Retrieved on October 13, 2024 from https://www.azolifesciences.com/article/Investigating-the-Importance-of-Sustainability-in-Analytical-Chemistry.aspx.

  • MLA

    Moore, Sarah. "The Importance of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry". AZoLifeSciences. 13 October 2024. <https://www.azolifesciences.com/article/Investigating-the-Importance-of-Sustainability-in-Analytical-Chemistry.aspx>.

  • Chicago

    Moore, Sarah. "The Importance of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry". AZoLifeSciences. https://www.azolifesciences.com/article/Investigating-the-Importance-of-Sustainability-in-Analytical-Chemistry.aspx. (accessed October 13, 2024).

  • Harvard

    Moore, Sarah. 2023. The Importance of Sustainability in Analytical Chemistry. AZoLifeSciences, viewed 13 October 2024, https://www.azolifesciences.com/article/Investigating-the-Importance-of-Sustainability-in-Analytical-Chemistry.aspx.

Comments

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of AZoLifeSciences.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.