GCTLC Library

This paper presents a minimally hazardous, environmentally friendly, and energy-efficient reaction sequence for a sophomore-level Organic Chemistry lab, aimed at synthesizing N-phenylmaleimide precursors for a Diels–Alder reaction. The synthesis, which involves two steps from maleic anhydride and a substituted aniline, produces a valuable class of compounds with biological significance. The ...

This overview outlines the recent progress made in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through educators incorporating systems thinking approaches within green and sustainable chemistry education. A blend of programme-level and course-level approaches to embedding systems thinking into teaching is discussed together with more specific resources such as practical experiments ...

This article summarizes ideas of activities to help you energize your students to tackle poverty using their chemistry learning.

The significant role that chemistry plays in the battle to end global poverty is related to the potential to mediate the harmful effects of poverty. This resource highlights three key reasons we need to get comfortable talking about poverty in chemistry classrooms:

1 ...

The integration of green chemistry principles in academics reflects growing student interest in renewable resources and environmental sustainability, driven by increasing awareness of global climate change. Educators must continually expand their green chemistry pedagogy to align with current industry and research trends. In this article, the synthesis of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) was explored ...

Ingredients in nail polish and polish removers are the primary causes of occupational health problems manicurists frequently face. Several key concepts of green chemistry can be taught to an undergraduate audience using nail polish removers as a case study. Students generated green profiles of various nail polish removers available on the market based on the 12 principles of green chemistry. This ...

What should you NOT forget when going outside on a sunny day? To put sunscreen on! Sunscreen is important because it protects your skin from sunburn. But there are so many sunscreens to choose from: different methods of application (sprays and lotions), different Sun Protection Factors (SPFs), and different ingredients. Which one is best? In this science project, you will test the effectiveness of ...

This poster invites your class to learn how to design more sustainable products by thinking about a product's full life cycle using the 6 Rs of Sustainable Design. It was developed by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Copies of this poster are also available in Spanish, Marshallese, Farsi, Ukranian, and Russian.
You can order the poster for free by going to "request a copy" or download ...

Despite being responsible for many essential products in our daily lives, the chemical industries have not given proper attention to environmental issues for a long time. In the late 90’s, Green Chemistry (GC) emerged as a field of chemistry responsible for dealing with the relationship between the products used and their effects on human health and the environment. However, the employability of ...

What do you think are some of the most common stains on clothes? If you thought of grass, grease, ketchup, blood, or toothpaste stains, you are correct. Everyday activities like eating, playing outside, or doing sports can result in a lot of dirty laundry. Luckily, we have laundry detergents that can get our clothes clean again! Some of these detergents contain enzymes that are intended to boost ...

It is well known that epoxides can undergo rearrangement to yield carbonyl compounds in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. Classically these catalysts have included a wide variety of compounds some of which are hazardous and harmful. The impetus for this experiment came from a previous lab taught by the authors in which toxic, corrosive boron trifluoride etherate was used to catalyze the ...

Alice tries to use medication and home remedies, but nothing works on her itchy skin. Then she learns a very long word called "methylisothiazolinone". This resource is a 32-page picture book for 4-8 year-olds.

The Green Soap Girl and the Itchy Allergy is the story of a lovable girl named Alice who struggles with eczema until she discovers that she has methylisothiazolinone allergy. Loosely based ...

This article describes how the GCTLC Team and Leadership Committee used a framework of diversity, equity, belonging, and respect (DEBR) to design the GCTLC to be an inclusive community of practice for green chemistry educators. We show how we intentionally interweave DEBR across all parts of the site and our internal programming to better enable a strong sense of belonging for users who join the ...

This article explores the significant environmental impact of microplastics, tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size. These particles originate from larger plastic debris breaking down and microbeads from cosmetic products. Microplastics are pervasive in marine environments, posing threats to wildlife through ingestion and chemical contamination. The article highlights the urgent need for ...

The Olin Chemical Superfund Site case study module consists of four lesson units and a classroom follow-up activity, designed to introduce students to the U.S. EPA’s Superfund Program and the history of the chemical industry. It also delves into the toxicology of chemicals released into the environment, while helping students explore green chemistry innovations that aim to eliminate the use of ...

This resource delves into the concept of pH changes using ocean acidification as a context. It presents questions that help students establish the connection between pH changes and their impact on marine organisms in the context of ocean acidification.

The experiment uses exhaled breath to explore the reaction between carbon dioxide and water. Students blow into a flask containing water and an indicator, causing a color change as carbon dioxide dissolves and forms carbonic acid, a weak acid. The experiment illustrates concepts of gas-liquid reactions, pH indicators, and the impact of carbon dioxide on water chemistry.

Researchers across the planet play a key role in enhancing the energy-, feedstock- and material-transition necessary to allow for circularity and thus mitigation of the climate crisis. Their contribution, education and skills are necessary to develop a sustainable future by meeting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Scientific research is also vital for climate awareness and solutions ...

A green chemistry educational game was developed by the authors to engage undergraduate and advanced high school students in sustainability concerns while designing a hypothetical chemical product. This free game is suitable for any chemistry course that covers sustainability and the Principles of Green Chemistry, encouraging students to think like professional chemical designers. The computer ...

In this episode of Green Chem Essential, with host James Rea:

In 2003, Gordon College sophomore Laura Ouillette was assigned a research paper by her chemistry professor Irv Levy. Laura wanted her topic to reflect her interest in the environment, and so she chose to write her paper about research in Green Chemistry. Irv was highly skeptical... doubtful at the time that this was an area of "real" ...

This lab demonstrates a pericyclic reaction that is popular in undergraduate texts, the Diels-Alder reaction, and does so in the context of using water as a safe, alternative solvent. Adapted from work published by Larsen and Grieco in 1985, this experiment makes use of the synthesis of N-benzyl-2-azanorbornene to present green chemistry to students. Not only is this very atom-economical reaction ...

In this experiment, ZnCuInS2 quantum dots of differing sizes are prepared and analyzed by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The ZnCuInS quantum dot synthesis is inherently greener than common nanoparticle syntheses, e.g. CsPbX3 or CdSe, because the use of Pb and Cd is avoided. Due to their tunability and excellent optical properties, quantum dots have allowed for the development of QLED ...

Middle and and high school curricula is described based on the synthesis of biodegradable calcium alginate capsules prepared from food-safe chemicals. Green chemistry principles are shared through the use of renewable and degradable materials and the application to new innovations in the design of environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic water bottles.

Emma R. Corcoran, Cassandra Lydon ...

This resource provides activities and suggestions for incorporating UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 into the teaching of reaction kinetics, equilibrium, and catalysts.

This laboratory experiment uses tannins from acorns and iron from rusted metal to color cotton fabrics. It explores renewable dyes, oxidation and reduction reactions, and the creation of organometallic coordination polymers from waste resources. It's suited for introductory and non-major students but can be extended into upper-level undergraduate courses as well.

It's well suited for the fall ...

This review article overviews solvent selection guides and explains their role in helping to choose appropriate solvents as well as highlights their similarities and differences. Provides an overview of data from (and comparison between) solvent selection guides by GSK, Sanofi, Pfizer, ACS Green Chemistry Institute, and CHEM21.

Full citation: Byrne, F.P., Jin, S., Paggiola, G. et al. Tools and ...

This published article describes the development of a comprehensive solvent selection tool and framework at AstraZeneca, as well as the significant changes and improvements over original solvent selection efforts at the company. Through consideration of chemical functionality, physical properties, regulatory concerns, and safety/health/environmental (SHE) impact, the new and improved tool allows ...

A special topics course on "Towards the Greening of Our minds" is offered every other spring at Washington College. This course is designed for science majors who have taken general and organic chemistry and are interested in the future of the planet. The ultimate goal of the class is for students to use green chemistry as a way to critically evaluate environmental policy. Over the course of the ...

This module is part of a collection of nine green chemistry teaching modules developed in the early 2000s by a team of faculty (Donna Narsavage-Heald, Trudy Dickneider, David Marx, Timothy Foley, Joan Wasilewski) led by Michael Cann at the University of Scranton and has been migrated to the GCTLC. The subjects of the modules are based on winners of the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The modules ...

We provide essential guidelines for the proper disposal of laboratory waste at North Carolina State University (NCSU). By following the procedures outlined in this pamphlet, we can minimize the risk of contamination, reduce hazardous waste, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. At NCSU, this pamphlet will be distributed to all laboratory personnel and integrated into safety training ...

"Plastic made from milk" —that certainly sounds like something made up. If you agree, you may be surprised to learn that in the early 20th century, milk was used to make many different plastic ornaments —including jewelry for Queen Mary of England! In this chemistry science project, you can figure out the best recipe to make your own milk plastic (usually called casein plastic) and use it to make ...

Are biofuels the wave of the future? People often talk about these plant-derived fuels as a way to someday cut down on our dependency on non-renewable carbon-based fuels, like gasoline. Ethanol (a type of alcohol) is a common biofuel used today. In the United States, ethanol is a common biofuel additive to normal gasoline. In fact, some states mandate that when you fill up your gas tank, 10 ...

This resource connects human activities to the impact they have on the environment. This activity focuses on the topic of climate change by exploring the chemistry behind climate change and its impact on the environment using a flow diagram.

If we are to meet the demands of sustainability and climate change in the time needed, green chemistry advancements will have to happen faster than traditional methods of discovery can often make possible.

In this episode of Green Chem Essential, with host James Rea, Dr. Alexi Lapkin and his fellow researchers describe how they are trying to use the combined power of machine learning & ...

The medicines we rely on may look tiny when we hold them in our hands, but the manufacturing processes that create those medicines happen at a very large scale. Anything that makes those processes cleaner, safer, and more efficient can have a tremendous impact on efforts to fight climate change and create a more sustainable future.

Hear how green chemistry is helping to make those changes ...

The article discusses how chemistry fundamentals are taught using sustainable principles to address climate change. Green chemistry and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide educators in creating resources that connect these principles with sustainability. Systems thinking is used to design relevant lectures, activities, and assessments. A week-long stoichiometry module is ...

EmmaLee Pallai, Mikaila C. Hoffman, and Gabriela S. Schlau-Cohen (2024). "Values Are More Than Statements: Connecting Actions to Values to Build Inclusive Cultures in Chemistry Research Groups." Journal of Chemical Education Article ASAP DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00600

Abstract: A diverse scientific community is a strong scientific community. Innovation and progress require varied perspectives ...

This article presents the issues and barriers to retention of black talent in the field of chemistry and offers solutions and personal insights from black students, faculty, staff, and industry scientists in the chemistry space.

Voices of Black Talent in Chemistry: Retention Strategies and Personal Success Stories
Thais Scott, Davina Adderley, Yasmin Ali, Michael Amanuel, Alexis Blake, Makalya ...

This paper describes a four-hour experimental session focused on monitoring the degradation of an organic pollutant using a Fenton-like reaction. In this experiment, an aqueous solution of p-nitrophenol is treated with hydrogen peroxide and magnetite, with the reaction's progress tracked through UV–vis spectrophotometry and/or gas chromatography utilizing an internal standard. Undergraduate ...

Electrolysis of water is carried out using biobased/low hazard indicators to help illustrate the reaction.

Key Chemistry References for this activity:
1) Skinner, J. F. “Red Cabbage and the Electrolysis of Water.” J Chem. Educ., 1981, 58, 1017. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ed058p1017.1
2) Hugerat, M.; Abu-Much, R.; Basheer, A.; Basheer, S. “Using Inexpensive to Free Materials to do ...

Two-hour webinar that took place on Friday, September 27th, 2024 and explored the latest TSCA regulations in the U.S. and practical strategies for replacing methylene chloride (DCM) in labs. Experts discussed DCM’s use, challenges of substitution, and effective green alternatives. Learn how to approach DCM replacement with solvent-specific alternatives and safer lab practices. The webinar included ...

This resource offers activities and directions that emphasize the role of women in chemistry in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) focused on attaining gender equality and empowering women and girls.

Both green and sustainable chemistry and engineering can broadly reach and interconnect different aspects of our society. To promote peace and protect our planet by 2030, the systemic change enabled by the holistic and inclusive perspective of green and sustainable chemistry and engineering is essential. Within this context, women and girls occupy a unique position: (1) The consequences of climate ...

The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry guide us to use catalysts to improve the energy and atom efficiency of reactions. The principles also guide us to use renewable feedstocks. In this experiment, we can see how waste from one process can be used productively in another. Specifically, biodiesel can be made from waste vegetable oil, a renewable feedstock that was traditionally discarded by the food ...

Green chemistry focuses on developing sustainable and environmentally friendly practices within the field of chemistry. An effective approach to introducing this concept is through the exploration of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, which serve as a guiding framework for creating safer, more efficient, and environmentally conscious chemical processes. By incorporating these principles into ...

Whether you're new to the world of green chemistry education and research or a seasoned veteran, the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) offers a terrific chance to connect with others in the field and access a tremendous collection of valuable resources.

The mission of this online community portal is summed up by the four main content categories: Learn, Share, Connect, Grow ...