USU chemistry club showcases greener, safer labs

High school and college chemistry labs might not be the places where energy will be captured from burning ice or where new medications based on artificial DNA are designed, but every student lab could make a green chemical-engineering breakthrough just by being smarter and safer.

That's the conclusion reached by a group of Utah State University chemistry students who have been selected as one of the country's best examples of how to bring green thinking into labs and school classes at any grade level.

The USU Chemclub doesn't have a green agenda, per se. Club members are just doing what they can to alert student chemistry labs and the public at large that the greener their approach, the safer and cheaper whatever they're doing becomes.

The group, cited this year by the American Chemical Society as one of the country's best student affiliate groups, has research data to back up its findings. Just purchasing readily available, safer, more environmentally friendly and cheaper materials can make the standard campus chemistry lab far less hazardous to the health of the occupants as well as reduce the less-than-rosy odor of the traditionally odd-smelling corner of the building.

"And it's really not that difficult, and not nearly as hard as people think it will be," said Sara Huefner, a USU chemistry and biochemistry graduate.

Because there are a lot of students who use basic chemistry to fulfill general-education requirements, "there are a lot of kids with no chemistry experience handling some pretty toxic and hazardous materials," Huefner said during the American Chemical Society's recent national conference at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Huefner and Utah State chemistry majors Bob McMahon, Christina Hansen and Brooks Marshall traveled south from the Logan campus to pre-sent their findings during the poster sessions of the conference.

The motivation behind the study was simple self-preservation, they said, having observed the sometimes reckless disregard students had for the chemicals they were handling. Some basic, widely used chemicals in the general-education labs can rank No. 4 on the hazard scale — meaning very short exposure could cause death or serious residual injury, even if prompt medical attention was given.

Nonfatal but seriously harmful chemicals, if mishandled, can cause serious temporary or residual injury, even with prompt medical attention.

"Even the most controlled situations aren't completely controlled," said Marshall, a junior. "Being gloved and goggled and careful is the protocol, but some students forget, no matter how many times they're reminded."