Green Analytical Chemistry
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
1:30 p.m., Room 271

Organizer:

Douglas E Raynie, South Dakota State University and Jennifer Young, ACS Green Chemistry Institute

Speakers:

1:30   Green Analytical Chemistry:  A Convergence of Thought Processes   DOUGLAS RAYNIE, South Dakota State University

1:50   Selection of Green Analytical Methods  JENNIFER L YOUNG, ACS Green Chemistry Institute, Lawrence H Keith

2:10   Innovations, Applications and Education in Green Analytical Chemistry  LIZ GRON, Hendrix College

2:30   Implementation of Green Analytical Chemistry in Quantitative Methods for Emerging Environmental Contaminants  MELISSA M SCHULTZ, The College of Wooster

2:50   Recess

3:05   The Greening Culture of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Laboratory  MERLE W SHOCKEY, U.S. Geological Survey

3:25   Green Chromatography and Reaction Monitoring by Micro-Scale HPLC  JUSTIN KITTELL, Eksigent Technologies

3:45   Using Capillary-Based Microreactor Screening System in Green Analytical Chemistry   LEI HONG, University of Pittsburgh, Stephen  Weber

4:05   PAT and Pharmaceutical Quality  D. CHRISTOPHER WATTS, FDA/CDER/OPS

Overview:

This session intends to deliver an overview of the current state of green analytical chemistry – how the green chemistry principles are being addressed in analytical methods, how green chemistry is being included in the analytical curriculum, what resources already exist, and how green analytical chemistry is being implemented in real world applications.  The speakers cover the gamut of academia, non-profit, government, and industry, to provide their perspectives on green analytical chemistry in education, research, government activities, and industry.

For fifteen years, the green chemistry movement has been promoting ways to reduce the risks of chemical use to humans and the environment.  However, historically analytical chemists have not often used the terminology green or clean until more recently, so a relatively under-examined area of green chemistry is analytical chemistry.  The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry, as developed by Dr. Paul Anastas and Dr. John Warner, provide a framework to use when designing new materials, products, processes and systems.  These principles focus thinking in terms of sustainable design criteria and have proven to be the source of innovative solutions to a wide range of problems.  Many, but not all, of these principles apply to green analytical chemistry. 

It is an unfortunate irony that analytical methods, including those that analyze environmental samples, often contribute to further environmental problems through the chemicals used in the analysis.  This is because many analytical procedures require hazardous chemicals as part of sample preservation, preparation, quality control, calibration, and equipment cleaning. These procedures effectively create wastes in larger quantities and with greater toxicity than that of the original analyzed sample. The goal of green analytical chemistry is to use analytical procedures that generate less hazardous waste and that are safer to use and more benign to the environment. 

A key driver for the greening of analysis is the economics.  In particular, preventing waste can significantly reduce the costs associated with waste treatment and disposal.  Other cost reductions can come from reduced energy usage and reduced chemical usage via greener methods. The real world examples covered in the session will demonstrate these economic drivers associated with green analytical technologies.