GCTLC Library

This resource provides a list of videos and written stories that can be used in career exploration with students in secondary and higher education. Resources highlight careers that make use of green chemistry and sustainable design principles.

The Careers in Green Chemistry and Sustainable Design video series highlights professionals in Washington whose careers impact products or chemicals used in Washington. Each of these videos highlights a career that connects to green chemistry and sustainable design. In each video, the professionals share their reflections in response to a series of interview questions. The videos are five to ten ...

To remain globally competitive, education in the United States must focus on retaining students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As laboratory courses have the potential to be powerful attractors or deterrents to a field, developing effective laboratory pedagogies is important to retain students in STEM. A course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is one ...

The Chemical Hazard Awareness Module is designed to be used in conjunction with a laboratory exercise that you currently use in your classroom or laboratory. We have outlined this exercise for use with Beyond Benign’s laboratory exercise “Reactions Lab” (found online here: http://www.beyondbenign.org/K12education/highschool.html). The Reactions Lab allows students to observe different types of ...

This lab replaces traditional reactions involving chemicals such as cupric chloride (copper (II) chloride), 6 M hydrochloric acid, potassium hydroxide, and copper (II) sulfate. Students will understand the difference between chemical and physical changes while using all greener materials.

This lab is designed for when for students have minimal lab experience. The goal is to use observations of ...

Chemists design, create and modify molecules to produce new and useful materials such as pharmaceuticals. Research and development of new medicines and vaccines against communicable and non-communicable diseases is vital in helping to achieve the UN’s sustainable development Goal 3: ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Chiral compounds can have unique properties and are becoming increasingly important in pharmaceutical, chemical, and agricultural industries. In this laboratory exercise, students compare and contrast chemical vs. enzyme-mediated procedures for introducing chirality into a molecule and gain experience with the principles and experimental techniques used to prepare and separate enantiomers. Over ...

We report a series of experiments based upon cinnamon oil that were developed to provide a practical integration of green and sustainable chemistry concepts for the organic chemistry laboratory. Five experiments centering around cinnamaldehyde as a green, plant-based chemical were performed by undergraduate students in a second-year organic chemistry class. Cinnamon oil was obtained through ...

This curriculum unit is focused on exploring the scientific concepts of climate change, specifically within the field of chemistry. The unit aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of the chemistry involved in climate change models, predictions, and policy. The focus is on removing political connotations associated with the term “greenhouse gases” and restoring its scientific ...

In this set of experiments, students will be introduced to condensation reactions, green chemistry, and cocrystal-controlled solid-state synthesis. This type of solid-state synthesis is performed by first making cocrystals of the two reactants (in this case an anhydride and an amine) which brings the reactive functional groups in close proximity to one another, allowing for a reaction to occur ...

This experiment demonstrates chemoselectivity in various reaction conditions. The mono or di-methylation of 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone can be controlled by either refluxing the reagents in tetraglyme or by simply heating without solvent. Also, this ether synthesis has been made greener by eliminating flammable THF and dangerous sodium hydride and by using a less toxic methylating agent. ...

In this published article (J. Chem. Educ., 2019, 96, 1, 93-99), we describe a green chemistry combined in-class and laboratory module for upper-year organic chemistry students. Through completing this combined module, students will compare and contrast the greenness of two industrially-relevant amination reactions to create the same target molecule. One of these amination reactions will be ...

In this activity, students explore how much Carbon Dioxide is produced from varying combinations of reactants. Students use stoichiometric calculations to determine the theoretical anticipated amount of CO2. Students record observations and measurements of mass of reactants before and after the reaction. Students use the recorded measurements to calculate the amount of Carbon Dioxide produced.In ...

The determination of the formula of a hydrate is an experiment that introduces students to many fundamental chemical concepts including stoichiometry, the notion of a mole, and nomenclature. In this experiment, the authors replaced the previously used calcium and barium salts because the latter is considered poisonous and tumorigenic, and both were considered waste after only one use. Instead ...

This lab teaches important basic chemistry skills in the context of utilizing renewable feedstocks. In a three-week series of experiments, students will synthesize biodiesel from peanut oil and determine the heat of combustion, density, and cloud point of their product. Students will then use this information to evaluate the viability of biodiesel when compared to petroleum diesel.

Physical ...

In order to instill an increased awareness of sustainability issues in future generations of scientists, the concepts and content of science courses must be changed. While important chemical concepts must be preserved, outdated, dangerous, and wasteful chemistry should be replaced by current, more sustainable alternatives. With these beliefs in mind, six German universities combined forces and ...

The experiment "Dissolved Substances in Tap Water and Seawater" involves students evaporating tap water, distilled water, and seawater to observe solid residues. They also witness an instructor-led demonstration where gases are released from boiling these waters, collected, and tested. This practical activity helps illustrate the different dissolved substances in various water types, showcasing ...

There is a growing need to investigate alternative energy resources due to the depletion of petroleum, a widely used energy source. Solar energy, or energy from the sun, is a free, readily available, plentiful resource that can be collected by solar cells to generate electricity.

Although solar cells have been around for a long time, their use for energy generation is not widespread. This is ...

The experiment was published in the Journal of Chemical Education @ https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00461 by co-authors Knutson, C. M.; Hilker, A.; Tolstyka, Z. P.; Wilbon, P. A.; Mathers, R. T.; Anderson, C. B.; Perkins, A. L.; Wissinger, J. E.

E-factor is a metric that measures the overall efficiency in terms of waste generation of a chemical reaction. E-factor stands for the "Environmental Impact Factor" and is the ratio of how much waste is produced per unit of product made:

E factor= (mass of waste produced (g))/(mass of isolated product (g))

As a result, the lower the E-factor, the more sustainable and less wasteful the reaction ...

This resource includes teacher notes and a student worksheet about E10 petrol, which became the standard 95-octane fuel in Great Britain in 2021 and Northern Ireland in 2022. Students read an extract from a news article and answer related questions. Sue Ali, from the Royal Society of Chemistry, is the author of this resource.

This study describes the effects of implementing a Course-Based Research Experience (CURE) module involving materials science research with a green chemistry synthetic method on student's scientific research, green chemistry, and research skills self-efficacy. The CURE was implemented in a second-semester general chemistry laboratory course.

Effects of a CURE Laboratory Module on General ...

Traditional labs used to teach the concept of empirical formula, such as the synthesis of magnesium oxide, reactions between sulfur and copper or iron, or the decomposition of silver oxide, require high energy and may result in the production of dangerous compounds. This alternative method uses greener reactants and produces rust at ambient temperatures. Student results may vary depending on the ...

Biocatalysis and biotransformations are important alternatives to consider when one is looking to substitute a conventional method with a greener one. One of the many advantages of using biotransformation as a synthetic method is that they are usually done in water and at ambient conditions. In addition, the reagents themselves are readily available, safe, and inexpensive to both buy and dispose ...

Consumption of products drives an array of extraction, manufacturing, processing, transportation, and disposal operations. An analysis of these operations, called life-cycle or cradle-to-grave analysis, documents the inputs (water, energy, raw materials) and outputs (products and wastes), for these various steps. The objective of this lesson is to have students become aware that the products they ...

Oxidations and reductions are among the most commonly performed reactions in organic chemistry. Consequently, it is vital that redox chemistry is taught in our undergraduate chemistry courses. Unfortunately, many oxidations are classically and currently performed with toxic, carcinogenic chromium (VI) metals and require time-consuming and wasteful aqueous work-up.

All of these abovementioned ...

This resource is part of the Royal Society for Chemistry's sustainability in chemistry series. It is for high school teachers to help them link their lessons about energy sources, water resources, nanochemistry, health, and climate change to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals of inclusive education and equality.

Green chemistry principles emphasize the importance of sustainability in chemical processes and aim to reduce the environmental impact of chemistry. One way to apply these principles is by using equilibrium experiments and Le Chatelier's Principle with environmentally friendly reagents that are minimally toxic. In the past, these principles have been demonstrated using chemicals that change color ...

Many fruits and vegetables contain essential oils, which are hydrophobic liquids responsible for their distinctive fragrance. These oils are commonly extracted for use in various industries such as perfume, cosmetics, food, medicine, and cleaning products. The traditional extraction involves steam distillation followed by liquid-liquid (solvent) extraction, which is energy-intensive and often ...

In this lab, we will explore the fundamental principles of chemical reactions that either absorb or release heat. However, this lab is not just about understanding the science behind these reactions, but it's also about applying green chemistry principles to minimize the environmental impact of chemical reactions. Many teachers use the calcium chloride and ammonium nitrate reaction to show ...

Hydrogen holds tremendous promise as a medium for storing energy generated by renewable sources such as wind and solar. However, storing hydrogen has traditionally involved very high pressures or very cold temperatures, methods that lead to cost and safety challenges.

In this episode of Green Chem Essential, with host James Rea, Dr. Tom Autrey and his fellow researchers at Pacific Northwest ...

The molar mass of an ideal gas is directly proportional to its density. This property has long been used in laboratory experiments in which a flask is filled with the vapor of a volatile liquid, and the mass, volume, temperature, and pressure of the vapor are used to find the molar mass of that vapor. In a related approach, the difference in the mass between a sample of carbon dioxide and a sample ...

Use this activity to connect students’ learning about energy and the carbon cycle to the UN’s Sustainable development goals and help them understand chemistry’s role in solving global issues.

Have you ever dreamed of a world where you could take the scraps from last night's dinner and toss them into your car's fuel tank and make gas? Well, we're not quite in "Back to the Future" yet, but in this energy science fair project, you'll discover that food scraps, dead plants, sawdust, and other decaying organic matter, called biomass are a rich source of energy. You can get energy out of ...

This article is to help teachers incorporate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 8 in teaching green chemistry. Students will apply concepts from the biofuel industry to understand developments in the production of biofuels and how they are linked to Goal 8. Students will discuss environmental and ethical issues and manufacturing processes. The fermentation experiment is used to help students ...

Tips and activties to help readers from all backgrounds learn about and address UN SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Mowing the lawn is hard work, especially on a warm day. Not only do you have to mow the grass, but you also have to dispose of the clippings. Some people add the clippings to a compost pile in their yard, which is a great idea. But did you know that some grasses can be used as a source of energy? In this energy science fair project, you will learn more about a type of energy called biomass energy ...

Learn the twelve principles of green chemistry taught during The Green Chemistry & Engineering Student Workshop on June 17, 2013 in Washington D.C. The course content was provided by ACS-GCI. These videos were produced by the Western States Pollution Prevention Network. Other sponsors included NPPR and Washington State Department of Ecology.

New York has been transitioning to updated New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS), based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). As members of the Green Chemistry Professional Learning Team (GC-PLT), we have been developing curricula for our own use that reflect the updated standards and elements of instructional best practice, such as storylines, driving questions, and ...

The impacts of chemicals on humans and the environment are a critical consideration for green chemistry practices. The three lessons in this chapter provide opportunities for students to consider the potential impacts of chemicals in the products they use and are exposed to in their lives. The objective of the lessons in this chapter is to make these considerations explicit for students. In doing ...

Typical chemistry instruction engages students with a variety of chemicals to understand the structure of atoms and molecules. Our goal in this chapter is to provide three example lessons that illustrate how to engage students with concepts of structure through design, modeling, and phenomena that use less toxic chemicals and limit student and teacher exposure. Several of these lessons are good ...

The core of green chemistry principles is understanding how to make informed choices when designing chemical reactions that account for atom economy, human and environmental safety, and the life cycle of products. To engage students in learning about chemical reactions with a green chemistry perspective, we present the three lessons in this chapter intended to:
• Show how to actively engage ...

This chapter is meant to illustrate what a unit-level learning experience can look like as students engage in concepts related to structure and chemical reactions. While the prior chapters provided a set of lessons around a specific topic at different grade spans, this middle school unit illustrates how students can engage in a variety of investigations and modeling to explore the molecular nature ...

This article describes a class/lab exercise that I have run several times with my students in a physical chemistry lab. I have found it works both in team or individual assignments. I allow students to choose their topic after introducing them to resources at Congress.gov to help them see current topics.

The new JV InvenTeam Green Chemistry Activity Guide will encourage students to use green chemistry principles to invent bioplastics. Students will learn how chemists can apply green chemistry principles to invent products and materials that reduce harmful impacts on humans and the environment. Educators and students will be led through a 7-part project to explore sustainable invention.

Topics ...

This laboratory exercise teaches students some of the principles of green chemistry while simultaneously introducing them to several traditional organic reactions. All the reagents used in the experiment are relatively safe and the avoidance of volatile organic solvents reduces cost, waste, and hazards. The ultimate pyridine product is reached in three steps. The first step is the solventless ...

This is an open-access article from the Journal of Chemical Education about a model for advancing professional development for green chemistry high school teachers in New York State.

Green Chemistry Teacher Professional Development in New York State High Schools: A Model for Advancing Green Chemistry
Amy S. Cannon, Kate R. Anderson, Mollie C. Enright, Donia G. Kleinsasser, Ann R. Klotz, Natalie ...

The Yale-UNIDO University Curriculum is a semester long course developed in collaboration with Beyond Benign. This free course is designed for undergraduate students and teaches (i) how the principles of green chemistry can help resolve global human health and environmental issues, (ii) how green chemistry functions and (iii) how it is implemented. The curriculum was developed as part of the ...