A solvent loss study for the application of solvent extraction processes in the pharmaceutical industry

•Methanol and ethanol with volume fraction in aqueous phase ≤ 0.8 v/v are preferred for use as modifiers in pharmaceutical LLE processes.•MIBK and acetone are not suitable for pharmaceutical LLE processes in the presence of the modifiers.•Green solvents such as d-limonene can replace VOCs in LLE processes as they maintain low modifier and solvent losses.•Hanson’s solubility theory and COnductor-like Screening MOdel - Segment Activity Coefficient (COSMO-SAC) modelling are valuable tools for preliminary solvent screening for LLE processes.