Sustainable Approaches for Sample Preparation

Sample preparation is often the bottleneck in analytical processes. Traditional sample preparation techniques are significantly limited by their high consumption of hazardous organic solvents, considerable energy use, and substantial waste generation, all of which contribute to severe environmental impacts and pollution. To address these issues, various strategies have been developed to promote sustainable practices in sample preparation. These approaches include the development of microscale or miniaturized sample preparation techniques, the use of next-generation solvents, energy-saving methods, and eco-friendly, reusable sorbents. This chapter explores sustainable strategies that align with the principles of green chemistry, aiming to reduce environmental impact without compromising analytical performance. Additionally, green analytical metrics tools used to assess the greenness of analytical methods will also be discussed in this chapter.