Utilisation of Analytical Method Greenness Score to drive sustainable chromatographic method development

Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry faces escalating pressure to adopt sustainable practices, driven by regulatory requirements, environmental concerns, and economic incentives. Green and sustainable analytical chemistry is pivotal in minimising the environmental footprint of pharmaceutical processes, ensuring safer and more efficient methods of drug development and production. Critical to this is the ability to measure the impact of chromatography on the environment. One advancement that facilitates this is the Analytical Method Greenness Score (AMGS), a comprehensive metric developed by the American Chemical Society’s Green Chemistry Institute, in collaboration with industry partners. This tool evaluates the environmental impact of chromatographic analytical methods across various dimensions, including the energy consumed in the production and disposal of solvents used, their safety/toxicity and more uniquely, instrument energy consumption. By integrating AMGS into routine analytical procedures, organisations can systematically improve their sustainability profiles, reduce hazardous waste, and promote the development of greener alternatives. This article underscores the critical role of AMGS in fostering more sustainable analytical test methods. It outlines how AstraZeneca have utilised this readily available tool to assess the current status, influence standard practices and create internal tools that trend data as a mode of continuous process verification. Through this work, we highlight the importance of adopting such metrics for long-term ecological and economic benefits.