“Green Analytical Chemistry should not be treated as an optional extra or as something added to a method after it has been developed. Sustainability should be considered from the very beginning, alongside sensitivity, selectivity, and robustness.”
What does your research focus on, and what problem are you trying to solve?
My research focuses on developing more sustainable and efficient analytical workflows for food safety, following the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry. I combine more sustainable sample preparation with advanced techniques such as ion mobility spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry. My aim is to reduce solvent and reagent consumption while improving the detection and characterization of contaminants, contributing to more sustainable and innovative analytical approaches.
What aspect of your current research excites you most – and why is this an important moment for it?
What excites me most is the opportunity to bridge advanced analytical research and real-world laboratory applications. Analytical science is facing increasing pressure to analyze more contaminants, at lower levels and in more complex matrices, while also reducing its environmental footprint. I believe this is the right moment to move beyond simply developing greener methods and focus on making sustainability, analytical performance, and routine applicability work together.
Looking five to 10 years ahead, what emerging trend do you think will have the greatest impact on analytical science?
I believe the greatest impact will come from the combination of high-resolution analytical technologies, automation, and AI-driven data interpretation. Analytical instruments are generating increasingly complex datasets, and AI could transform how we identify unknowns, prioritize risks, and interpret this information.
At the same time, a stronger focus on sustainability will be essential. The use of greener solvents and more sustainable sample preparation will help reduce environmental impact, user exposure, and analytical costs while aligning analytical chemistry with emerging trends and regulatory recommendations.
What is the biggest challenge facing analytical science today?
One of the biggest challenges is the gap between technological innovation and routine implementation. We are developing increasingly powerful analytical platforms, but methods must ultimately be robust, transferable, cost-effective, and practical for routine laboratories.
At the same time, analytical science needs to address its own environmental impact. I think the future is not simply about achieving better sensitivity, but about achieving the right balance between analytical performance, sustainability, and practicality within the framework of White Analytical Chemistry.
Do you have any strong opinions with which the rest of the field tends to disagree?
I believe that Green Analytical Chemistry should not be treated as an optional extra or as something added to a method after it has been developed. Sustainability should be considered from the very beginning, alongside sensitivity, selectivity, and robustness. In my view, the most sophisticated analytical method is not necessarily the best one if it cannot also be sustainable, practical, and fit for purpose.
What decision, opportunity, or unexpected event has had the greatest influence on your career so far?
The greatest influence on my career has been the opportunity to work in different research environments and countries, and to see analytical method development from different perspectives. Moving between academia, international research institutions, and, more recently, an industrial R&D environment at Tentamus Iberia has shown me that scientific impact goes beyond publication. I now have the opportunity to help translate research into practical analytical solutions that can benefit laboratories, industry, and society.
Who has changed the way you think about science – or life more broadly – and how?
I have been fortunate to work with inspiring mentors and collaborators who have influenced the way I approach science. They taught me to look beyond obtaining results and to ask why a method is needed and what impact it can have in the food and environmental safety fields.
I have been particularly influenced by women who have shown me that there is no single path to a successful scientific career. Their example has taught me the importance of perseverance, collaboration, and supporting other women in science. They have also taught me to see career changes as opportunities to grow, learn, and explore new perspectives.
What interest or skill outside science has made you a better researcher?
Curiosity has probably been the most important one. I enjoy learning from areas outside my immediate expertise and talking to people with different backgrounds. This has helped me become more adaptable and open to interdisciplinary collaborations. I also think that traveling and working in different countries have allowed me to communicate ideas to people with very different scientific and cultural perspectives.
Laura Carbonell Rozas is R&D and Innovation Manager at Tentamus Iberia, part of the Tentamus Group, Spain.
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