How do you destroy a forever chemical?
3M offers $10.3 billion settlement over PFAS contamination in water systems. What's next? Enlarge (credit: Andrew Brookes) PFAS chemicals seemed like a good idea at first. As Teflon, they made pots easier to clean starti.....»»
New surfactant from cashew nut shell liquid boosts industrial reactions
Industries and chemical labs synthesize a wide variety of organic molecules every day. Most of these chemical reactions happen in the liquid phase to allow the substrates to interact easily. However, many substrates and catalysts are sensitive to wat.....»»
Scientists discover antlions" venom changed to adapt to their ecological niche
In a new study published in Communications Biology, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Giessen show that the adaptation of antlions to their ecological niche has also changed their venom......»»
Chemical cocktail from plastics: Pilot study describes degradation and leaching process of plastic consumer products
Plastic waste in rivers and oceans is constantly releasing chemicals into the water. Until now, it was unknown how large these quantities are and which substances are released particularly strongly. In the large-scale P-LEACH project, experts from fo.....»»
Developing a simple, cost-effective method to identify the targets of a crucial protein-modifying enzyme
Human proteins undergo a variety of chemical modifications following their synthesis. These modifications regulate their structure, function, and stability. Researchers from the Bhogaraju Group at EMBL Grenoble have developed a new method to study a.....»»
From fungi to pharmaceuticals: A milestone for the production of eutyscoparol A and violaceoid C
The natural world is rich in chemical compounds with remarkable medicinal properties. A notable example is penicillin, discovered by chance from the Penicillium mold. This discovery revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections and highlighted.....»»
Chemists develop new sustainable reaction for creating unique molecular building blocks
Polymers can be thought of like trains: Just as a train is composed of multiple cars, polymers are made up of multiple monomers, and the couplings between the train cars are similar to the chemical bonds that link monomers together. While polymers ha.....»»
All the possible ways to destroy Google’s monopoly in search
What the future of search could look like as DOJ seeks to end Google's monopoly. Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) After US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google has a monopoly in two markets—general search service.....»»
Chemical production gets a cleaner boost from a new electrochemical method
A new electrochemical method can make chemical production cleaner and more energy-efficient......»»
New 400-year temperature record shows Great Barrier Reef is facing catastrophic damage, researchers warn
The Great Barrier Reef is under critical pressure, with warming sea temperatures and mass coral bleaching events threatening to destroy the remarkable ecology, biodiversity, and beauty of the world's largest coral reef, according to new research......»»
Researchers reveal atomic-scale details of catalysts" active sites
The chemical and energy industries depend upon catalysts to drive the reactions used to create their products. Many important reactions use heterogeneous catalysts—meaning that the catalysts are in a different phase of matter than the substances th.....»»
Double whammy antibiotic makes antibiotic resistance much harder—new study
Most antibiotics are natural products of bacteria and other microorganisms from the environment. They are part of a silent chemical warfare among microorganisms in soils, rivers and seas right now. The fact that they are natural products that have be.....»»
Machine learning discovers "hidden-gem" materials for heat-free gas separation
Chemical separation, including gas separation, is a common process that is required for manufacturing and research. It accounts for a whopping 15% of U.S. energy consumption and produces millions of tons of carbon emissions......»»
More microbes found that break down the carbon-fluorine bonds found in some unsaturated PFAS
A team of chemical and environmental engineers at the University of California Riverside, working with colleagues from the University of California Los Angeles, has found a class of microbes that consume PFAS in the environment and sever some of the.....»»
Researchers develop a concept for efficiency-enhanced noble-metal catalysts
The production of more than 90% of all chemical products we use in our everyday lives relies on catalysts. Catalysts speed up chemical reactions, can reduce the energy required for these processes, and in some cases, reactions would not be possible a.....»»
Chemical and transportation industries could boost with new catalyst coating
Coupling electrochemical conversion of the greenhouse gas CO2 with renewable electricity sources—such as solar and wind—promises green production of high-demand chemicals and transportation fuels. Carbon dioxide coupling products such as ethylene.....»»
Metallic nanosheets curl into nanovesicles
Inspired by the cell membrane structure, researchers, led by Dr. Xiaoqing Huang (State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University) and Dr. Qi Shao (College of Chemistry and.....»»
Research team achieves faster and more efficient synthesis of high-density RNA microarrays
An international research team led by the University of Vienna has succeeded in developing a new version of RNA building blocks with higher chemical reactivity and photosensitivity. This can significantly reduce the production time of RNA chips used.....»»
Ammonia-free gallium nitride semiconductor production found to improve crystal quality, reduce environmental impact
Gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors can now be grown without ammonia, a toxic chemical that needs a sophisticated detoxifying system before it can be released into the atmosphere. The new technique is not only more environmentally friendly but also.....»»
Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine
Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materi.....»»
Ce-doped yttria transparent ceramic: A new ultraviolet-shielding material for extreme conditions
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can break most of the chemical bonds in organic matter, and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light can cause significant harm to humans and objects. In response, UV-shielding materials have been developed to fulfill variou.....»»