A Unified Greenness Assessment Algorithm for Liquid Chromatography: Integrating Solvent Consumption, Energy Use and Life-Cycle Impacts

Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC) aims to reduce the environmental impact of analytical practices. Liquid chromatography is a central technique in this field, yet a systematic and quantitative framework to evaluate the sustainability of chromatographic methods is still lacking. To bridge this gap, we developed a unified assessment algorithm based on a comprehensive set of six criteria: Safety, Health, Environment, Regeneration, Disposal, and Power. The inclusion of R, D, and P extends the scope from intrinsic chemical hazards to the entire analytical lifecycle, establishing a sufficient metric framework that eliminates the need for auxiliary parameters. The approach introduces two major computational advances: an adaptive property-prediction model that eliminates dependency on fixed solvent databases, and a precise gradient integration tool for accurate consumption accounting. Case studies across different LC modalities confirm the robustness and discriminatory power of the algorithm. This work provides a practical and extensible tool for assessing and improving the greenness of liquid chromatography methods. The software for assessing greenness is freely available at https://github.com/xzggg2917/LC-GAUGE/releases/tag/v1.1.2.