The GSK Solvent Selection Guide

In addition to GSK s Green Ghemistry and Technologies Guidance for pharmaceutical processes, they have also developed the GSK Solvent Selection Guide 

As an example, when determining a solvent s environmental waste score, data are obtained to first score the solvent based on its environmental performance or impacts when it is incinerated, recycled, or undergoes biotreatment. A fourth score is calculated based on the solvent s VOC emissions when handled or used in a process. Some of the data used to determine the basic impact scores include solvent physical property data, waste generation estimations, and ease of operability (in the case of treatment methods). The geometric mean of the four impact area scores yields the environmental waste score. The scores are calculated on a l-to-4 scale and subsequently normalized on a 1-to-lO scale. 10 represents the greenest score and 1 is the least green score for this method [9]. 

The SSG was created in this manner to give a broad overview of the EHS performance profile of solvents and highlight any areas that would have major issues to eliminate, mitigate, or manage. The most recent addition to the SSG was the LCA score. The LCA score is based on a life cycle inventory (LCI) of each solvent and includes the impact categories shown in Table 3.6. The unique aspect of the LCA score is that it is based on a very comprehensive list of factors which contribute to a solvent s environmental impact, which includes the waste generation from 

Solvent Environmental Environmental Health Safety LCA ranking 

The purpose of this guide is to provide chemists and engineers with a simple but not si mplislic tool that permits them to make decisions about using alternative solvents that have a better overall EH S performance profile. As is readily seen from Table 3.7, every solvent has a range of EHS performance that is, there is no perfect solvent and one or more issues will have to be managed if a solvent is used. In many cases it can be quite difficult to find replacement solvents, but every effort should be made to do so for solvents that have a poor EHS performance profile relative to other solvents in their class. The end result of the GSK SSG is to reduce the number of solvents used in a process, substitute or eliminate the use of highly hazardous solvents, and reduce the amount of each solvent used. 

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A variety of different solvent selection guides from GSK, Pfizer and Sanofi " have been published, which suggest greener alternatives to the traditional solvents for chemical process development. A compilation of... 

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