Analytical Life Cycle Assessment as a 10-Stage Framework for Evaluating and Improving the Sustainability of Analytical Workflows

Abstract

Analytical life cycle assessment (ALCA) extends traditional life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to the unique context of analytical chemistry, clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and forensic testing. Unlike conventional LCA, which focuses on physical products with linear supply chains, ALCA addresses the distinctive environmental, operational, and economic characteristics of analytical workflows. This tool presents a comprehensive 10-stage ALCA framework consisting of sampling, transportation, storage, pretreatment, sample preparation, premeasurement, measurement, waste disposal, assessment, and reporting/decision making. Each stage is defined, its types are described, and its potential impact on the overall analytical process is analyzed. A dual-threshold assessment rubric is introduced, combining absolute benchmarks (green, yellow, and red zones based on best practices) with relative hotspot identification (comparison to the average contribution per stage). Five hypothetical case studies demonstrate the application of ALCA to assess energy consumption, water consumption, carbon footprint, active analyst time, and cost. The case studies show how the dual rubric identifies critical hotspots, guides improvement decisions, and prevents the problem of all stages appearing green, while the total impact remains unacceptably high. ALCA provides a practical, actionable framework for laboratories seeking to balance analytical reliability, practicality, and environmental sustainability in accordance with the white analytical chemistry principle. The tool is freely available for end-users at bit.ly/ALCA2026.