Abstract Title: | 50 shades of Green SFC |
Abstract Type: | Seminar |
Session Choice: | Green Separations |
Presenter Name: | Dr Caroline West |
Company/Organisation: | University of Orleans |
Country: | France |
Abstract Information :
Green chemistry is defined as chemical processes that reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is usually presented as a "green" chromatography technique. How compelling is this supposed greenness of the method? Is it a reality or just green washing? Having practiced SFC for fifteen years, I am willing to question the point, based on a thorough discussion of the features that should pertain to green chromatography: not only the generation of waste and the use of toxic chemicals, but also energy consumption, extra chemical reactions (derivatization) for solubility, separation or detection reasons, possible choice of less toxic co-solvents, analysis time, method development time, and the risk of accidents. In this respect, modern SFC will be compared to current chromatography methods as gas chromatography (GC) and ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC), based on sustainability indicators and case studies.