LCA application to chemical synthesis at laboratory scale

Abstract

Although a huge number of Green Chemistry metrics are available and more simply applicable with respect to LCA, their intrinsic less comprehensive nature could in some cases represent a limiting factor for a trustworthy evaluation of the environmental and human health impacts assessment associated to that specific chemical. Therefore, all of the chemical processes not specifically based on a chemical reaction (e.g., the extraction of a particular phytochemical compound from plant matrices) are far from being assessed by most of these metrics. LCA methodology-based evaluations for chemical processes are not limited by a mere chemical reaction equation, being also able to account for time and energy contributions together with all of the possible environmental loads associated to a particular process or product. This chapter will first overview the most widely employed Green Chemistry metrics. The possibility to integrate those metrics with the all-encompassing LCA methodology will be also accurately and critically discussed. This chapter will also furnish important recommendations and guidelines on when and at which extent the application of LCA should be highly suggested at a laboratory scale.