In Switzerland, the Universities of Applied Sciences have a specific role within the higher education system. Their primary purpose is to provide practice-oriented education and training that prepares students directly for careers in specific professional fields. Universities of Applied Sciences primarily attract students who are looking for a direct path into specific careers. Students may prefer practical training over purely academic or theoretical studies. This highlights the essential role of these universities in bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements, thereby preparing graduates for seamless integration into the industry.

The development of a curriculum for these institutions, particularly in specialized fields such as green analytical chemistry (GAC), requires careful consideration of both relevant literature and educational resources covering theoretical and practical aspects. In designing a GAC course for final-year bachelor’s students majoring in analytical chemistry, the Handbook of Green Analytical Chemistry by de la Guardia and Garrigues [11] was identified as an essential resource. This text was selected not only because it covers the fundamental concepts of GAC but also because it aligns well with the practical and application-focused principles of Universities of Applied Sciences. The curriculum topics were carefully selected to include a variety of analytical techniques, ensuring that students acquired knowledge directly applicable to their future professional careers. Particular emphasis was placed on the “greening” of existing analytical procedures, which students had already encountered and practiced in laboratory settings during the first 2 years of the bachelor’s study.

Table 1 provides an overview of the course structure, detailing the specific learning objectives, key activities, and corresponding assessment methods for each unit.

A total of 12 class hours were allocated for this course, with each instructional unit being covered over the span of 2 class hours. Detailed descriptions of each unit, including topics covered, learning objectives, and relevance to green analytical chemistry, are described below.

Unit 1: Concepts of green analytical chemistry introduces students to the foundational concepts of sustainability and the definition of green analytical chemistry (GAC) [8]. The 12 principles of GAC are presented, along with a detailed explanation of the differences between traditional analytical figures of merit and those specific to green analytical practices [16]. The concept of “greening” analytical chemistry is explored as a methodology to make analytical procedures more environmentally sustainable [2]. Additionally, the challenges associated with implementing green practices are discussed [17]. As a practical example, the significance of flow injection analysis within the context of GAC is explained [18].

To reinforce these concepts, students select one milestone from the Handbook of Green Analytical Chemistry (from Fig. 1.3 in the textbook [11]) and discuss how this milestone has contributed to advancing green practices in analytical chemistry and explain its practical use. The discussion and critical analysis of the material are facilitated using the jigsaw didactics technique [9]. The class of 12 students is divided into initial 3 groups of students where students discuss the significance of chosen GAC milestone. Following this discussion, in the second part of the class, the students are reorganized into three new groups. In the newly formed groups, students explain and share their initial discussions with their new group peers, explaining why they choose to discuss certain milestone and how it influenced the development of GAC.

Unit 2: Analytical method assessment introduces students to the concept of Analytical Method Volume Intensity (AMVI) as a starting point for evaluating analytical methods. Initial discussion compares two high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods described by Hartman et al. [19]. Various tools for assessing the greenness of analytical methods are introduced starting with the National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI) [20], followed by the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI) [21], and finally, the Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) tool [22]. The application of these three greenness assessment tools are discussed for stability-indicating assays [20]. Students are provided with practical guidance on using the GAPI spreadsheet and AGREE software. These tools are essential for evaluating the environmental impact of analytical methods, particularly in the context of sustainable chemistry. Students were introduced to the NEMI tool but did not practice using it in their method evaluations. Figure 1 illustrates the AGREE tool, which offers a holistic evaluation of the greenness of a method based on 12 distinct criteria. This comprehensive approach helps identify areas of improvement for developing more environmentally friendly analytical procedures.

The AGREE tool for greenness assessment

Figure 2 presents the GAPI tool, which is designed to assess the greenness of an analytical method using a color-coded system that is easy to interpret. The GAPI tool considers the entire life cycle of the method, from reagents and solvents used to waste management, providing a thorough greenness evaluation. The pictures are extracted from students presentation included in the supplementary material.

The GAPI tool for greenness evaluation

The second part of the unit is dedicated to a group exercise. The class is divided into three groups, each assigned one of three selected publications [12,13,14]. Students are tasked with assessing the greenness of one of the methods. The jigsaw technique is again utilized, allowing students to share and compare their assessments within newly formed groups. These publications were carefully chosen for their representation of relatively simple techniques, ensuring that the assessment tasks are manageable for students who had just been introduced to the greenness assessment tools. This structure allows the entire exercise to be completed within the two classes allotted for the unit, without requiring additional work outside of class.

Unit 3: The analytical process begins with a comprehensive introduction to the analytical process, emphasizing the integration of green techniques. The unit opens with the introduction of green solvents in the sampling process. Concepts such as Total Hazard Value (tHV) and Total Analytical Hazard Value (taHV) are explained to emphasize the importance of minimizing environmental impact during analysis [23]. tHV refers to a measure that combines the toxicity of chemicals along with their potential environmental exposure factors, such as biodegradability. It is used to quantify the overall risk posed by a chemical substance. taHV is an extended version of the tHV that includes an additional parameter for volatility, which accounts for the analyst’s exposure to chemicals. This makes it especially relevant for assessing the hazards during analytical procedures in laboratories. Novel green sampling approaches are introduced through literature examples of environmentally friendly methods, including flow-through solid phase spectrometry [24], microextractions in bioanalysis [25], and the use of nanoparticles in sampling [26]. The future prospects and possibilities for green sampling are also explored.

The lecture then transitions to the direct analysis of samples, covering techniques such as remote sensing, process monitoring, and at-line non-destructive measurements [11]. Next, students are introduced to green sample preparation techniques. Guidelines for solvent selection are presented [27], with solvents categorized as preferred, usable, or undesirable [28]. Techniques such as head-space separation and microdistillation are discussed in the context of sample preparation utilizing gas-phase. For liquid-phase extractions, the unit briefly covers solid–liquid, liquid–liquid, sub- or supercritical water extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, and extraction using ionic liquids. Solid-phase extraction and microextraction are also mentioned, highlighting their green advantages.

The unit continues with a discussion of the green advantages and disadvantages of various analytical techniques familiar to the students, including capillary electrophoresis, chromatography, liquid chromatography, spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Special attention is given to the benefits and green prospects of supercritical fluid chromatography.

In the second part of the unit, students are engaged in critical reading of a paper on a low-cost palmtop capillary electrophoresis bioanalyzer [29]. The class, guided by the instructor, discusses the purpose of such a device, its connection to green analytical practices, and the aspects of capillary electrophoresis that can be miniaturized, including sample introduction. Students also explore the environmental impact of dichloromethane [30], discussing how this solvent can be safely replaced without compromising analytical efficiency [31]. Lastly, the development of Direct Analysis in Real-Time (DART) mass spectrometry is discussed [28], with particular emphasis on its benefits and importance in the context of green analytical chemistry practices.

Unit 4: Greening strategies in analytical chemistry has students exploring various approaches to “greening” current analytical methods and practices, with a particular emphasis on energy conservation. The discussion is supported by Nowak et al.’s publication [32], which features the carbon footprint associated with common analytical techniques, providing students with a clearer understanding of electricity consumption in these methods.

To deepen this understanding, students also examine online resources detailing strategies for energy savings in laboratories [33]. The potential of alternative energy sources is explored, including the use of microwave heating instead of conventional thermal methods [34] and the application of ultrasound in sample preparation [35].

Additionally, the unit covers the use of alternative solvents [36]. The concept of miniaturization as a strategy for green chemistry is introduced, particularly through the discussion of microextraction techniques [37]. As a practical example of successful miniaturization, the lab-on-a-chip technology is presented, illustrating how compact, integrated systems can contribute to more sustainable analytical practices [38].

Unit 5 first part: Applications in green analytical chemistry introduces students to modern green analytical chemistry techniques, focusing on their practical applications across various fields. A key topic is green bioanalysis, where the discussion centered on analyte extraction techniques, achieved recoveries, and detection limits of selected environmentally friendly methods [39].

In this unit, students also explore the green aspects of infrared spectroscopy, particularly its application in biodiagnostics [40]. Further exploration of environmental and industrial applications is guided by sections from the Handbook of Green Analytical Chemistry [11], which provided comprehensive insights into sustainable practices in these sectors. At the conclusion of this section, students engaged in an in-class activity where they read and discussed a review on switchable solvents and their applications [15]. A description of this task is provided in Supplementary File 1.