Incorporation of Green Curriculum and Green Chemistry Concepts in Chemistry Lab Practice and Waste Treatment Soerjani Widyastuti, Nur Yusrina, Sasti Gona Fadhilah, Mohammad Misbah Khunur
Department of Chemistry, Brawijaya University, Malang.
Abstract
This study reports the incorporation of both green curriculum and green chemistry concepts in the design of educational chemistry practicum and in the in-situ laboratory waste treatment. Fundamental Chemistry Practicum subject at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Brawijaya University (2019-2020) was used as the research object. First, the existing practicum module was evaluated and modified, in term of use of chemicals and student learning outcomes. Next, the new module was implemented into the real practicum (two semesters). The collected liquid waste was then treated using left-over chemicals from the practicum by neutralisation-precipitation methods. Concentration of selected metal ions (Ca, Fe, Cu, Pb) before and after treatments was analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy, whereas solid waste precipitated out from the treatments was analysed by infrared spectroscopy. The result shows that those concepts can reduce the volume and toxicity of laboratory liquid waste significantly, maximise the use of chemicals, both for the practicum and the liquid waste treatment, which at the same time, maintain the student learning outcomes achievement. In particular, use of simple tools and chemicals, and plenty of choice of chemicals and experimental models in the Fundamental Chemistry Practicum subject are the main reasons for the high feasibility of applying this concept. However, each laboratory and practicum has its own requirement, thus application of this concept for other types of chemical laboratory or chemistry practicum may shows different results.
Keywords: green curriculum, green chemistry, liquid waste, waste treatment, laboratory practice.
