Evaluation of Reusable Monolithic Silica Columns for Sustainable Liquid Chromatography in Organic Synthesis
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Liquid chromatography (LC) is essential for compound purification in synthetic organic chemistry. However, single-use particle-packed columns using silica gel result in substantial solvent and solid waste. We herein evaluate reusable monolithic silica gel columns as a practical and sustainable alternative, based on 370 purification runs conducted by 14 researchers over one year under routine laboratory conditions. Compared to conventional particle-packed columns, the monolithic system was estimated to reduce annual LC solvent consumption by 74% and solid silica waste by 95%, while maintaining high separation performance even for challenging separations (e.g., ΔRf < 0.1). A modeled life cycle assessment (LCA) further indicated that total CO2 emissions and energy consumption per purification were reduced by over 80%, primarily due to reduced solvent use. A modeled workflow analysis indicated an approximately 40% reduction in purification time relative to manual purification using self-packed particle columns. Analysis of the recorded monolith data showed no clear relationship between user experience and solvent consumption. The plate efficiency of the monolithic columns was comparable to that of preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns packed with 10 μm particles, despite operating at a low gauge pressure of 0.1 bar. Requiring only standard laboratory equipment, this reusable system combines high separation performance with reduced solvent consumption, minimal solid waste, and improved operational efficiency. By substantially reducing the resources and labor required for routine purification without sacrificing separation performance, this technology has the potential to make synthetic organic chemistry more efficient and environmentally sustainable.
Source: ChemRxiv
Institution: Kyoto University
Language: English
Subfield: Analytical Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223051564