Green Analytical Chemistry

Book excerpt: This book provides basic coverage of the fundamentals and principles of green chemistry as it applies to chemical analysis. The main goal of Green Analytical Chemistry is to avoid or reduce the undesirable environmental side effects of chemical analysis, while preserving the classic analytical parameters of accuracy, sensitivity, selectivity, and precision. The authors review the main strategies for greening analytical methods, concentrating on minimizing sample preparation and handling, reducing solvent and reagent consumption, reducing energy consumption, minimizing of waste, operator safety and the economic savings that this approach offers. Suggestions are made to educators and editors to standardize terminology in order to facilitate the identification of analytical studies on green alternatives in the literature because there is not a wide and generalized use of a common term that can group efforts to prevent waste, avoid the use of potentially toxic reagents or solvents and those involving the decontamination of wastes. - provides environmentally-friendly alternatives to established analytical practice - focuses on the cost-saving opportunities offered - emphasis on laboratory personnel safety