The mechanochemical variant of the "Oxidation of anthracene to anthraquinone" is an easily performed experiment. The desired product is formed in high yield and with high selectivity. Additionally the end product is of high purity.

The mass efficiency is moderate in relation to the other experiments, therefore still considered adequately good . The energy efficiency of this mechanochemical experiment is lower that in the classical variant of the experiment.

(Eco)toxicological data are available for all used substances except for the co-product manganese dioxide. The acute toxicity of all substances use in the experiment is relatively low . While anthracene is not carcinogenic and mutagenic only if given in very high doses, the product anthraquinone is mutagenic according to recent results, and probably also carcinogenic and sensitizing. Also the solvent dichloromethane is a suspected carcinogen. Unfortunately this solvent is indispensable because of its selective solvation properties for the product (dissolves the product without concomitantly dissolving potassium permanganate ). All other solvents, inorganic reagents and auxiliary substances used in the experiment do not pose a risk of chronic toxicity.

The educt anthracene is biologically not easily degradable and exhibits high toxicity for aquatic organisms. In addition it may be bioaccumulated, thus it has to be considered as dangerous to the environment. The product anthraquinone is somewhat better biologically degradalbe and has a much lower toxicity to aquatic organisms. . Potassium permanganate also shows a relatively high aquatic toxicity.

Therefore we evaluate this experiment with a medium economical efficiency and quite high toxicological risks as well as a relatively high environmental persistence of the educt with the "yellow light".