Assessing the Environmental Sustainability of Gel Electromembrane Extraction Approaches: A Critical Evaluation of the Greenness.

Abstract

This review evaluates gel electromembrane extraction (G-EME) as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional extraction methods. By replacing hazardous organic solvents with biodegradable gels, such as agarose, agar, polyacrylamide, and chitosan, G-EME adheres to the core principles of green analytical chemistry, significantly reducing waste production. The review systematically compares various G-EME approaches-including conventional, miniaturized, additive-enhanced, and sensing modalities-using a suite of greenness assessment tools (NEMI, ESA, complexGAPI, AGREE, AGREEprep, and Hexagon-CALIFICAMET) to provide a comprehensive evaluation of their environmental impact. Key findings indicate that while traditional G-EME methods offer substantial improvements over older techniques, further advancements through miniaturization and incorporation of functional additives can lead to even greater sustainability and analytical performance. However, challenges such as limited extraction efficiency for certain analytes and the need for broader application scopes persist. This review not only highlights the current state of G-EME but also identifies critical research gaps and encourages the development of more versatile and sustainable G-EME strategies for diverse analytical applications.