Green metrics and green analytical applications: A comprehensive outlook from developing countries to advanced applications

In recent years, there has been a notable rise in the significance of green chemistry principles across diverse fields of chemical research, including that of analytical chemistry. This heightened focus is largely attributable to a growing awareness of environmental conditions and the detrimental impact that analytical procedures can have on the ecosystem. To address these concerns, a key approach has been developed in the form of Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC). The GAC represents an environmentally conscious methodology within the field of analytical chemistry. Its objective is to mitigate the detrimental effects of analytical techniques on the natural environment and human health. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the historical evolution of GAC and examines the tools currently available for assessing greenness metrics. The discussion included a thorough examination of various approaches for evaluating green profiles, including the National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI), the Eco-scale Assessment (ESA), the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), and the Analytical Greens (AGREE) index. The significance of these approaches in analytical methodology was also explored in depth. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on research articles pertaining to the applicability of the assessment mentioned above tools in the measurement of environmental sustainability. Furthermore, whiteness can be quantified by assessing the constituent principles, thus providing a practical parameter for comparing and selecting optimal methods. The Whiteness Assessment Criteria (WAC) are more closely aligned with sustainable development than other methods due to their holistic perspective. They seek to balance environmental impact with functionality, avoiding an unconditional increase in greenness at the expense of functionality. This review aims to provide researchers with a comprehensive overview of the various whiteness and greenness assessment tools and their latest applications of green metrics for analytical methods in developing countries.