Sustainability and systems thinking in the chemistry of aspirin manufacture for first-year engineering students

Key Points

• The aim is to incorporate sustainability principles into the chemistry curriculum for first-year engineering students.
• Designed an educational activity focused on green chemistry principles.
• Implemented life cycle inventories to assess the environmental impact.
• Applied systems thinking to link sustainability concepts in chemical processes.
• Students demonstrated improved understanding of sustainability concepts.
• The activity fostered critical thinking about chemical manufacturing processes.
• Positive feedback indicated increased engagement in sustainability topics.