New funding for sustainable chemistry project
Published: 27 May 2025
New funding will enable University of Glasgow researchers to investigate and improve the sustainability of one of chemistry's most widely used purification techniques.
New funding will enable University of Glasgow researchers to investigate and improve the sustainability of one of chemistry's most widely used purification techniques.
Dr Joseph Cameron and Dr Alex Loch will lead the first comprehensive life cycle assessment of flash chromatography purification, backed by a grant from the Royal Society of Chemistry's Sustainable Laboratories Grant programme.
(l-r) Dr Joseph Cameron and Dr Alex Loch
Their project aims to quantify the environmental impact of flash chromatography, a technique used across synthetic chemistry for purifying chemicals.
The outcomes of their research will form the foundation of new recommendations for more sustainable approaches which could be adopted by academics and industry.
Dr Cameron, a research associate in the James Watt School of Engineering, said: "Flash chromatography is the basis for how we purify our chemicals, but it is quite resource intensive in terms of the materials used. Despite being used extensively in labs around the world, there's surprisingly little information available about the sustainability impacts of different approaches to chromatography. The data we gather during this project could have significant implications for making the technique more environmentally friendly."
The researchers will focus particularly on the reusability of chromatography columns, comparing different types of columns and assessing how many times they can be effectively reused across various chemical applications.
The project will also examine the lifecycle of chromatography instruments themselves, including what happens to equipment at end-of-life and how valuable components including metals and critical materials could be reused or recycled.
The researchers hope their findings will provide the evidence base needed to change practices in both academic and industrial laboratories. They noted that industry has often led sustainability initiatives in chemical processes due to net-zero targets and environmental regulations.
Dr Loch, a a UK Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Chemistry, said: "Industry has pushed research in this area more than academia because chemical companies have large environmental impacts and their own net-zero targets to meet. However, this will be the first project to examine flash chromatography with this degree of broad focus. We hope this project will establish our model and reputation in this area, and that it will lead to industry partnerships to expand the work in the future."
The project will also be supported by an undergraduate student from the School of Chemistry. They will assist with the experimental work, gaining valuable research experience while contributing to sustainability efforts in chemistry.
The Glasgow project is one of 25 initiatives across seven countries to receive funding in the second round of the RSC's Sustainable Laboratories Grant programme, which has now provided more than £500,000 to researchers on three continents since launching in 2023.
Professor Helen Sneddon, Director of the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at the University of York and chair of the Sustainable Laboratories Grants Decision Panel, said: "The variety of innovative projects and the geographical range covered in this year's applications illustrates that sustainability remains a high priority for those working in laboratory settings and highlights how many ways there are to change the way we work."
First published: 27 May 2025