The past is the future: from natural acid-base indicators to natural reagents in sustainable analytical chemistry

Abstract

This article reviews the use of natural resources in analytical chemistry throughout history. Plant extracts were employed as indicators in chemistry for identifying the acidity or alkalinity of liquids as early as the 1650s. Later, as the industrial revolution altered people’s lives, synthetic chemicals were used instead. Modern techniques of analysis have replaced conventional ones as a result of advancements in physics and technology. The industrial revolution was an era of excitement until the toxic pollutants released from industries severely damaged people and the environment. The concepts of green chemistry and green analytical chemistry were proposed as potential solutions to the problems. The use of natural extracts as chemical analysis reagents has been reconsidered recently as a sustainable alternative. While new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will influence future trends in analytical chemistry development, the primary goal is to move toward sustainable analytical chemistry, which includes using natural reagents and reducing the amount of chemicals consumed and waste produced.