Integrating Toxicology, Life Cycle Assessment, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through a Soap-Based Green Chemistry Seminar

This activity presents an integrated approach to teaching green chemistry through toxicology, sustainability, and systems thinking. In a 14-week seminar, CHE-371, students compared commercial antimicrobial handwash soap (CAHS) and traditional bar soap, evaluating chemical hazards, applying the 12 Green Chemistry Principles (GCPs), and conducting qualitative and quantitative Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). Activities emphasized identifying safer alternatives, understanding risks such as antimicrobial resistance, and considering environmental and societal impacts. Students reflected on how chemical design choices affect consumer and environmental health, linking their analyses to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Hands-on experiments reinforced concepts and fostered ethical and systems-level thinking. Reflections demonstrated a shift from awareness of chemical hazards to informed decision-making, illustrating how experiential learning cultivates sustainability-minded chemists.