Over the years, separation techniques have been increasingly highlighted for their central role in qualitative and quantitative analyses applied in various production fields (environmental, food, cosmetic, biological, clinical, and pharmacotoxicological), leading to an incredible increase in technologies, procedures, and instrumental configurations. In particular, there has also been an increase in new stationary phases for chiral compounds, formats, and, above all, analytical performances in terms of selectivity, efficiency, and resolution.

Furthermore, recently, with the introduction and acceptance by an ever-increasing portion of the scientific community of the importance of the green approach, the size of the separation system has also seen a notable reduction to the advantage of separation techniques that require smaller volumes and flows, as well as a decrease in the quantity of samples needed for analysis.

This session aims to highlight and discuss recent innovations related to the separation techniques applied to natural products and pharmaceuticals. The scientific committee that will select the contributions of this session is composed of international experts in the fields of quantitative analysis, separation techniques, and sample preparation, as well as the analysis of complex matrices. The invited speakers are international experts who will report on the issues related to the chiral separation of active ingredients and quantitative applications in complex matrices.

The significance of food (and beverages) in human society has recently moved from food intended only as a vital need to food that is approached with hedonic and healthy attitudes. The mantra “eat to live” is no longer predominant: the blooming of the culinary arts at all levels of society testifies to a reshaped interest toward food and a novel vision of nutrition. Therefore, the availability of food commodities, regardless of season and geography, has exponentially increased. This poses new challenges to regulatory and political bodies, hence also to researchers who have to encompass new frontiers of investigation. Furthermore, the severe environmental decay and the depletion of natural resources have set us on a pathway toward good green practices in both chemistry and biotechnology. Today, thousands of scientific reports focus on the recovery of bioactives or on the formulation of regenerative foods from waste. Also, the emergent diffusion of novel foods with well-established nutraceuticals represents a hot topic of investigation. Notably, the spread of “conscious” diet regimens, such as veganism, contributes to an urge for scientific activity. In this scenario, analytical chemistry is a mandatory and unique tool in synergy with other disciplines that can provide knowledge and support food safety. In this session, we aim to explore the latest advancements in the fields of elective techniques, such as chromatography, spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and sensors, applied to the analysis of food and beverages. Contributions based on the use of biotechnologies, microbiology, and fermentation chemistry will be highly welcome as well.

Separations can be achieved in various ways, either in batch or continuous mode, for analytical, preparative, or production purposes. Molecular interactions with stationary phases can be the driving force of the separation, but other principles, such as steric exclusion or more exotic (microfluidic) concepts like acoustic focusing and deterministic displacement, can also be exploited. In all these approaches, the substrate material properties (including stationary phase in the case of chromatography), both chemically as geometrically, play a key role in the separation principles and performance.

The session is devoted to the impact and/or the role of the substrate material in the separation method under discussion. New synthesis methods are welcomed for chromatographic columns or porous materials in general (employed in separations), as are new fabrication methods for microfluidic approaches. The impact of fabrication methods and, concurrently, of critical material characteristics on the separation performance of the employed separation method is also of high interest.

Compound separation is an essential step in target analysis to enhance sensitivity and sensibility. This aspect is crucial in the analysis of complex matrices to improve the reliability of analytical determinations.

Preliminary chromatography is widely applied in sample preparation to achieve effective analysis. This has spurred significant innovation in both stationary and mobile phases, including the development of new solid materials using nanomaterials or polymers, as well as novel liquids such as green solvents (i.e., ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, etc.). Apart from that, high-performance chromatography using liquid, gas, or supercritical fluids has garnered great attention due to the clear advantages prior to identification or quantification. In this area, not only phase investigation but also technical improvements are fundamental to achieve the desired reliability.

This session will provide insights into the latest novelties in chromatographic separations applied in different steps of the analytical procedure.

In the pursuit of industrial sustainability, separation engineering serves as a cornerstone discipline for achieving efficient resource recovery and pollution control, providing critical technological support for cleaner production. Within this framework, extraction, leaching, electrolysis, and ion exchange emerge as pivotal separation technologies, enabling efficient material separation and purification while reducing environmental footprints. Recent research focuses on green solvents, high-efficiency electrolytic processes, and selective ion-exchange materials. These innovations drive green industrialization by closing material loops, recovering metals from secondary resources, and treating industrial wastewater to mitigate pollution.

This session will explore cutting-edge advancements in extraction, leaching, electrolysis, and ion exchange, emphasizing their transformative applications in circular economy practices. Key topics include the development of eco-friendly solvents, scalable electrochemical processes, and intelligent ion-exchange materials tailored for resource recovery. Through industrial case studies, life cycle assessments, and techno-economic analyses, the session will unveil strategies to reduce energy consumption, minimize waste generation, and enhance process sustainability, charting a path toward harmonizing industrial productivity with ecological resilience.

As a result of anthropogenic activities, organic and inorganic molecules can be released into water and the air and can cause harm to the environment. Many researchers have worked to design new materials, technology, and processes to capture or eliminate these pollutants from liquid and gas matrices at the laboratory scale. Unfortunately, upscaling from the lab scale to an industrial scale can be difficult, and the complexity of soil and water matrices can also pose significant challenges to the removal of molecules with good selectivity.

This session will provide insights into the separation of toxic molecules in complex matrices and present some promising solutions for the transition to chemical engineering units.