Recent advances in green chromatography techniques for natural product analysis
Şeyda Yayla, Ahmet Çetinkaya, Muhammed Mesud HÜRKUL, Síbel A. Özkan
Abstract
• New developments in green chromatography techniques. • Reducing solvent consumption and waste generation. • Using green approaches in natural products, providing high analytical performance. • Green alternatives offering degradability and low toxicity for sample preparation. New developments in green chromatography (GrCh) techniques have helped scientists to study natural products. These developments have done two important things. First, they have made it possible to align analytical methods with sustainability and environmental safety principles. At the same time, accurate and reliable traditional chromatography methods are often heavily reliant on toxic organic solvents and energy-intensive procedures, with ecological and health risks being posed as a result. To address these concerns, researchers have developed various environmentally friendly approaches that reduce solvent consumption, waste generation, and energy demand. One of the most significant advancements is Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC), which utilises carbon dioxide as a non-toxic and reusable mobile phase, greatly minimising the use of harmful solvents. The popularity of Micellar Liquid Chromatography (MLC) and High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) has grown thanks to their ability to minimise solvent use and provide miniaturised and efficient separations. Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) are emerging as green alternatives for extraction and sample preparation, offering biodegradability and low toxicity. Additionally, microextraction techniques are being used to reduce both solvent and sample volume requirements. Examples of microextraction techniques include Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) and Liquid Phase Microextraction (LPME). The combination of online extraction and real-time detection systems increases the amount of analysis done while protecting the environment. These GrCh strategies hold great promise. They are suitable for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant-derived compounds. Examples of these compounds include flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, and phenolics. These methods provide high analytical performance with a lower ecological footprint when used in conjunction with advanced detection systems such as LC-MS/MS and GC-MS under optimised, environmentally friendly conditions. Overall, the way is paved for more responsible and sustainable practices in natural product research by GrCh.