Green Analytical Chemistry in Pharmaceuticals: Tools, Metrics, and Sustainable Practices

Every stage of the pharmaceutical lifecycle (from raw materials to the end product), requires
analytical chemistry for evaluation of safety, quality, and stability. Although, some of
solvents used for analysis have a environmental impact. Formulated by Paul Anastas in the
1990s, Green Chemistry, which focused on more sustainable synthesis pathways, renewable
resources, and developing safer solvents, more environmentally friendly practices broadened
the area of chemistry. In turns it gave rise to Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC), which
focuses on incorporating sustainability into the classical analytical techniques of
chromatography and spectroscopy, and stability studies (now including the use of water,
supercritical CO₂, ionic liquids, and bio-based solvents in place of the toxic solvents).
In relation to the 12 principles of GAC, NEMI, GSST, The Analytical Eco-Scale, HPLC-
EAT, AMVI, GAPI, AMGS, PMI-LCA, RGB Colour Model, AGREE, Complex GAPI,
AGREEprep, iGAL, NQS Index, HEXAGON, RGB 12 Algorithm, BAGI and RAPI are just
a few of the numerous green metric tools created are based on the principles of “Green”
thinking and to measure and enhance greenness. They include qualitative, semi-quantitative,
or quantitative methodologies with some parameters and limitations, The toxicity of the
solvents involved, waste production, the amount of energy consumed, the practicality of the
analytical method used, the carbon footprint, and the cost. The methods used to represent the
outputs are pictogram, colour coding, and scoring etc.
These ensure methods optimization and validation of the pharmaceutical processes, enable
resource conservation and regulatory compliance, and advocate sustainable innovation in the
pharmaceutical sector. These parameters are always evolving to keep pace with global
environmental concerns and innovations in the field of science.