Green Chemistry: What Is It (and What Is It Not)? And How Does It Apply to Gas Chromatography?

Abstract

Since the publication of the first tenets of green chemistry about 25 years ago, the conversation about sustainability and chemistry has slowly grown, and today seems at a fever pitch, as companies are adding sustainability officers, universities are adding curriculum, and chemistry-related processes being updated regularly. In this installment, we explore the impact of green chemistry on analytical chemistry and gas chromatography. We define green chemistry, and discuss what it is and what it is not. For example, it is not “chemistry lite.” We then briefly review relevant literature on green analytical chemistry, and begin a conversation on green gas chromatography and the many areas in which gas chromatography-based methods can be made “greener."