Using cover crops to support tea quality and battle pests
Tea is a key part of many people’s day – and a vital cash crop for many economies. But farmers have also been dealing with the effects of monoculture cropping, the challenges of resurgent pests and the use of chemical inputs. As a result, there has been increased interest in the use of cover crops to help deal with some of these issues.
Apple pomace: From waste to bioethanol production
Apple pomace, the waste in the form of peel, stem, seeds and stalks which can make up 25 to 30% of the processed fruit, is often discarded into landfill despite its high carbohydrate content and potential for bioconversion. Because apple pomace is rich in cellulose, pectin and hemicellulose, it can be enzymatically converted into sugar monomers and then into alcohol.
Exploring the use of waste rapeseed oil as fuel for compression ignition engines
Researchers in Poland have looked at the potential for blending waste rapeseed oil (WRO) with Jet Propellant-8 (JP-8) as a fuel for compression ignition engines, by looking at the performance of different blends of the two under various engine operating conditions.
Applied chemistry highlights: The 'blushing' t-shirt, turning CO2 into formate, and more
Nigel P. Freestone from the University of Northampton discusses selected research papers from recent journal issues for Issue 4 2026 of C&I magazine.
Organic chemistry: Drug resistance, electrochemically mediated depolymerisation and more
Expert scientists summarise some of their selected research papers from recent journal issues. Read the organic chemistry highlights from G. Richard Stephenson, University of East Anglia, UK in Issue 4 2026 of C&I magazine.