Application of new green evaluation tools to assess the environmental impact of analytical procedures based on solid phase microextraction techniques

Abstract

In this comparative study, four green evaluation tools, blue applicability grade index (BAGI), Analytical GREEnness (AGREE), Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), and Analytical Eco-Scale were evaluated to assess 16 selected analytical methods including fiber-solid phase microextraction, stir bar sorptive extraction, and thin film microextraction joint to gas and liquid chromatographic as well as spectrofluorimetry techniques. The required parameters and data were extracted from the selected articles and calculations were performed based on the unique evaluation protocol of each tool. A uniform approach was applied in calculations and evaluations. A comparison of selected methods was done by determining the factors affecting greenness. High energy consumption, organic solvents, waste generation, analysis throughput, and the number of determined analytes, are among the crucial parameters that require improvement in the selected methods. The results show that using more than one evaluation tool in evaluating the greenness of analytical methods is very effective in obtaining synergistic results and increasing the understanding of the greenness of analytical methods.