Bioethanol producers raise concerns about trade deal
In the midst of all the positive comments about the UK-US trade deal, one sector of the chemical industry has serious concerns – what about bioethanol?
Tech investment is outpacing labour approaches
Chemical companies are on course to be affected by waves of retirement, with around 30% of employees in the industry being 50 years of age or over and are due to retire within the next decade or so. Despite the rate of technological change in the sector, the approaches to labour have remained largely unchanged. Chemical companies can sustain digitalisation efforts while addressing the growing skills gap with AI.
High-performance laser helps create liquid carbon breakthrough
A high-performance laser developed by the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council Central Laser Facility has enabled scientists to create liquid carbon for the first time. The international research collaboration was led by the University of Rostock and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf.
Why novel modes of action boost returns on pharma R&D
After over a decade of declining returns on pharmaceutical R&D, there appears to be an ongoing positive improvement, according to a survey by consultant Deloitte. The positive trend is driven by a surge in high-value products entering the late-stage drug pipeline in areas of unmet need, like obesity and diabetes.
Turning textile waste into useful products: SCI journal highlights
A team of researchers has demonstrated a method to convert textile industry wastes including fabric and textile wastewater sludge into valuable biochar. They did this through a process called pyrolysis, subsequently investigating the potential uses of the biochar as an energy source, soil improver, and adsorbent for wastewater treatment.
Why demand for plastic pipes in increasing
Distributors and manufacturers of plastic pipes are once again seeing a slight increase in demand. Market consultant Ceresana has analysed the global market for pipes, pipe components and fittings made of PVC, polyethylene and other polymers for the seventh time.
Chemicals supply chain: Why the outlook is mixed
The Chemical Business Association (CBA) has released results from its latest quarterly supply chain survey of manufacturers and distributors, as well as logistics companies from across the UK’s chemical supply chain. The Q1 2025 results indicate a slow start to the year in terms of growth, with less than a quarter (23%) of respondents reporting improvement in their order books.
Organic chemistry: Recent academic journal highlights
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 6 2025 of C&I magazine.
Exploring the use of snail mucus for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapy
A new study has looked at the therapeutic potential of mucus derived from snails fed different concentrations of carob. The research, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, suggests that snail mucus enriched with carob extract could serve as an innovative approach for managing ulcerative colitis (UC) and other inflammatory disorders.
Novel obesity and diabetes medicines drive increase in US prescription sales
Prescription drug sales in the US increased by 1.7% in 2024, reaching an equivalent of 215bn days of therapy, according to the latest report from IQVIA. The report, Understanding the use of medicines in the US 2025, shows novel obesity and diabetes treatments have been significant growth drivers, while other new medicines have seen uptakes by new patient populations.