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.....»»
Study: Smoke particles from wildfires can erode the ozone layer
A wildfire can pump smoke up into the stratosphere, where the particles drift for over a year. A new MIT study has found that while suspended there these particles can trigger chemical reactions that erode the protective ozone layer shielding the Ear.....»»
Novel biomimetic polypeptides activate tumor-infiltrating macrophages, offering hope for cancer therapy
Macrophages are highly specialized cells of the immune system that help the body detect and fight deadly pathogens. In particular, M1-like macrophages detect and destroy tumor cells, and release protective chemokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and tu.....»»
Study finds silicon, gold and copper among new weapons against COVID-19
New Curtin research has found the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, a strain of coronaviruses that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, become trapped when they come into contact with silicon, gold and copper, and that electric fields can be used to destroy the.....»»
Detecting molecular vibration information faster and better by "stretching" time
Infrared spectroscopy is a noninvasive tool used to identify unknown samples and known chemical substances. It is based on how different molecules interact with infrared light. You may have seen this tool at airports, where they screen for illicit dr.....»»
One-pot conversion of engineered poplar into biochemicals and biofuels using biocompatible deep eutectic solvents
Biomass refers to biological organisms, including plants, that synthesize organic matter utilizing solar energy and animals that use these plants as food. Biomass also includes resources that can be converted into chemical energy. To achieve carbon n.....»»
Biopesticides should be preferred over chemical pesticides for fall armyworm control, study suggests
Safer-to-use and more environmentally-friendly biopesticides should be preferred to fight the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) pest instead of more harmful chemical pesticides, a new CABI-led study published in the Journal of Pest Science sugges.....»»
Experts demand fire safety policy change over health impact of widely used flame retardants
Leading environmental health experts have called for a comprehensive review of the UK's fire safety regulations, with a focus on the environmental and health risks of current chemical flame retardants......»»
Researchers discover new superacid
Researchers at Paderborn University have succeeded in producing very special catalysts, known as "Lewis superacids," which can be used to break strong chemical bonds and speed up reactions. The production of these substances has, until now, proven ex.....»»
Hidden AirTags crucial in Singapore recycling failure investigation
AirTags have been used to investigate whether a program by the Singapore government and chemical producer Dow really recycled sneakers, but instead found most were exported to another country.An AirTag on a keyringIn 2022, the government of Singapore.....»»
Hidden AirTags used to investigate Singapore recycling failures
AirTags have been used to investigate whether a program by the Singapore government and chemical producer Dow really recycled sneakers, but instead found most were exported to another country.An AirTag on a keyringIn 2022, the government of Singapore.....»»
Powering up: Research team develops strategy for better solid-state batteries
A team from Florida State University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed a new strategy to build solid-state batteries that are less dependent on specific chemical elements, particularly pricey metals with supply chain issues......»»
Nanofluidic devices offer solutions for studying single molecule chemical reactions
In a chemical reaction, molecules in different substances meet one another to form new molecules causing changes in the bonds of their atoms. The molecules collide at an extremely close distance—a nanometer or less—in an extremely short amount of.....»»
Nanomaterial boosts potency of coronavirus disinfectants
The use of peroxide-based disinfectants has grown with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the extensive use of chemical disinfectants to kill viruses and other pathogens can also threaten human health and ecosystems......»»
New strategy boosts performance of hydroisomerization
The n-paraffin hydroisomerization catalyzed by bifunctional catalysts is one of the most important reactions in the chemical industry......»»
Researchers reveal molecular mechanism of crown ether microsolvation effect on gas-phase native-like protein structure
A research group led by Prof. Wang Fangjun from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Prof. Shun Feng from Southwest Jiaotong University, has revealed the molecular mechanism o.....»»
Newly discovered form of salty ice could exist on surface of extraterrestrial moons
The red streaks crisscrossing the surface of Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, are striking. Scientists suspect it is a frozen mixture of water and salts, but its chemical signature is mysterious because it matches no known substance on Earth......»»
Researchers propose new mechanism for early chemical evolution
Scientists from The Ohio State University have a new theory about how the building blocks of life—the many proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids that compose every organism on Earth—may have evolved to favor a certain kind of molecula.....»»
How dangerous was the Ohio chemical train derailment? An environmental engineer assesses the long-term risks
Headaches and lingering chemical smells from a fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, have left residents worried about their air and water—and misinformation on social media hasn't helped......»»
An extremely lightweight fission rocket could reach the solar gravitational lens in 15 years
Novel propulsion ideas for moving around space seem like they're a dime a dozen recently. Besides the typical argument between solar sails and chemical propulsion lies a potential third way—a nuclear rocket engine. While we've discussed them here a.....»»
Researchers develop efficient process for chemical terpene synthesis
A team of scientists led by Professor Tanja Gulder at Leipzig University's Institute of Organic Chemistry, together with colleagues from the University of Regensburg, has developed a simplified and efficient method for the artificial production of te.....»»