Citizen analytical chemistry: building a participatory and shared science through global data generation

Abstract

This work presents citizen analytical chemistry (ZAC) as a framework that unites analytical science with the participatory nature of citizen science, enabling professionals and especially non-professionals to collect, interpret, and share chemical data using simplified, low-cost, and portable tools. Through smartphones, open-source platforms, and do-it-yourself devices, ZAC democratizes access not only to chemical measurement but also to chemical information and knowledge, creating opportunities for environmental monitoring, public health protection, and food safety assessment on a global scale. It encourages large-scale data generation while promoting education, transparency, and scientific literacy. At the same time, it raises new challenges related to data quality, privacy, ethics, and public engagement that must be addressed to ensure reliability and trust. This article highlights ten pillars of ZAC, presents key enabling technologies, and explores future directions where community-driven sensor networks, mobile platforms, and AI-assisted analysis could transform analytical chemistry into a shared societal practice. ZAC proposes a more inclusive, participatory, and sustainable model of science, one in which analytical chemistry becomes a bridge connecting people, data, and the environment.