A community-engaged learning experiment was developed for an introductory analytical chemistry course at the University of Toronto Scarborough in collaboration with Campus Farm. The experiment introduced students to the application of analytical techniques to studying environmental samples. More specifically, students investigated the potential of…

The concept of co-amorphous systems is introduced in an integrated laboratory experiment, designed for advanced chemistry students, using solvent-free, environmentally friendly mechanochemistry. The dual-drug naproxen-cimetidine co-amorphous system (NPX-CIM) is investigated as an example of the emergent field of medicinal mechanochemistry.…

Chemistry in water is an emerging field that fulfills the fifth principle of green chemistry: replacing toxic organic solvents with their benign counterparts. Although some pharmaceutical industries have developed and adopted chemistry in water, its implementation in teaching laboratories is still limited. Therefore, we have designed an experiment…

Socio-scientific issues-based science instruction addresses societal-related issues to promote contemporary science education. Societal-related issues almost always have to be considered in the cultural environment to which they are relevant. This means that the cultural aspects of socio-scientific issues need to be taken into account to develop…

As e-commerce increases, the demand for packaging materials and the potential for generating waste and negative environmental impacts also rise. Packing peanuts are a type of plastic packaging material that are used to protect goods during the shipping process. Petroleum-based plastics are common packaging materials due to their low cost, light…

The introduction of Green Chemistry (GC) into school science curriculum is considered an important step that encourages students to build connections between chemistry, other school subjects, and different aspects of their daily lives. The concepts associated with GC can be applied throughout the various levels of education with different degrees…

We report the design of a low-cost electrochemical workstation and open-source graphical user interface capable of performing a variety of electrochemical methods in an undergraduate teaching laboratory. The instrument--based on the popular Arduino microcontroller board--can be constructed from common components for $40 USD. The modular design of…

The general assembly meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015 adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at achieving a better and more sustainable world by 2030. Incorporating sustainable values through a series of pedagogical strategies into university curricula to help…

This paper addresses the fundamentals, structuring, and application of a Formative Dimensions for Green and Sustainable Chemical Education (Formative Dimensions -- GSCE) qualitative evaluation tool of experimental processes. This instrument was created considering the need to resignify laboratory practices in Chemical Education. Qualitative…

In addressing the need for safer and more accessible chemistry lab procedures, this work integrates green chemistry and small-scale chemistry concepts to serve as a laboratory model for both qualitative and quantitative analyses of iron(III). An aqueous extract of Indian gooseberry is utilized as a natural reagent to form a complex with iron(III),…

Green chemistry developed historically from twelve industrial principles for research chemists. Recently, interest has grown to begin introducing these principles in science classrooms even at the secondary and pre-secondary school levels. However, teachers must do significant work to adapt and translate green chemistry from the industrial or…

Sustainability has a molecular basis that suggests a central role for chemistry in addressing today's challenges to Earth and societal systems, and this role requires educators to see chemical reactions and processes as integral parts of dynamic and interconnected systems. Despite this prospect, few accessible resources are available for students…

As the most widely used manufactured material on the planet, concrete provides an excellent and underused context for chemistry practical activities. Although concrete's importance as a building material cannot be overstated, the traditional preparation of concrete is associated with enormous greenhouse gas emissions as well as unsustainable use…

The demand for sustainable synthetic methods has motivated the development of a myriad of strategies for substrate oxidation chemistry that reflect the goals of green chemistry. Here we present a two-part laboratory module that provides undergraduate chemistry students hands-on experience with the concepts of sustainable chemistry in the context…

A two-week summer camp for high school students focused on sustainable polymers was developed and implemented. Students took part in experiments and interactive lessons that demonstrate polymer chemistry fundamentals alongside associated sustainability challenges and opportunities. For example, polymer concepts related to chemical properties…