Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Remote sensing & direct measurement of untreated samples
Replacement of toxic reagents
Miniaturization of procedures & instrumentation
Automation
On-line treatment of analytical wastes
Green
Analytical Chemistry
strategies
Green Chemistry principles
1. Prevent waste
2. Maximize atom economy
3. Design less hazardous chemical synthesis
4. Design safer chemicals and products
5. Use safer solvents & reaction conditions
6. Increase energy efficiency
7. Use renewable feedstock
8. Avoid chemical derivatives
9. Use of catalyst
Design for degradation
Analysis in real time to prevent pollution
Minimize the potential accidents
10.
11.
12.
Figure 1.1
The Green Analytical Chemistry strategies in the frame of the Green Chemistry principles.
molecules which are apparently similar and thus there are many specificities of Green Analytical Chemistry
which must be evaluated in order to be able to provide a clear orientation for greening the analytical tasks.
As Paul Anastas has established in his abundant literature on Green Chemistry [15-21], the idea to replace
hazardous substances with less polluting ones or, if possible, innocuous products, and the prevention of waste
products in origin together with the restricted use of the prime matters and energy can be summarized in
12 principles (see Figure 1.1). These principles focus on prevention more than on remediation of pollution
effects of chemicals and provide guidelines for improving the synthesis methods through the use of renewable
raw materials, the maximization of the final product in terms of total mass, the reduction of energy consumption
and the search for the reduction of chemical toxicity of involved compounds, also improving the use of
catalytic reagents instead of stoichiometric ones. In the aforementioned principles there is a direct reference
to the analytical methodologies and the need that they must be improved to allow real time and in-process
monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.
However, the analytical work also involves the use of reagents and solvents, employs energy as well as data
and results, and it generates waste. So, some of the Anasta's principles can be easily translated to the analytical
field as those concerning the replacement of toxic reagents, energy saving, the reduction of reagents consumed
and waste generation. However, there are several specific strategies of the analytical work which are of
tremendous importance for greening our practices. As has been indicated in the scheme of Figure 1.1, remote
sensing and direct measurements of untreated samples are the greenest methodologies which we can imagine
and, because of that, the development of portable instruments and an instrumentation able to provide remote
sample measurements without the use of reagents and solvents, will be a primary task in the future.
Additionally, as is shown in Figure 1.2, all the developments in chemometrics will improve the multiparametric
capabilities of the aforementioned instruments in order to provide as much information as possible with a
reduced consumption of reagents and based on few measurements.
