Applied chemistry
Expert scientists summarise some of their selected research papers from recent journal issues. Read the highlights from Nigel P Freestone, University of Northampton, UK in Issue 3 2025 of C&I.
Bridging the STEM skills gap
Bridging the STEM skills gap requires more than policy—it demands action from both government and industry to create hands-on opportunities for students.
Polypropylene patents booming
ResearchAndMarkets latest report, Polypropylene (PP) Patent Landscape Report, offers a comprehensive analysis of the patent landscape in Polypropylene (PP) technology, focusing on 27,337 patents filed from 2010 to 2024. The field of polypropylene has shown substantial growth, with an accelerating trend in patent filings, particularly in 2021, indicating an increasing commitment to innovation across sectors such as automotive, packaging and healthcare.
RNA pesticides as a new form of pest control
RNA pesticides, which can target individual species that attack crops, are an entirely new way to combat crop pests, delegates were told at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) in Boston, 13-15 February 2025.
REACH out and hope: The challenges for Europe's chemicals industry
Twenty years ago, when I first joined C&I as Editor, the main topic of conversation across the European chemical industry centred on the EU’s proposed Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, the so-called REACH regulations.
American Geophysical Union makes US climate call
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has urged the US Administration to immediately renew the federal commitment to climate science, including the restoration of data, personnel, grants and collaborations.
How gut bacteria can influence the brain
A new study shows that gut bacteria can bring about molecular changes in the brain. It is the first to show that they can influence how carbohydrates modify proteins in the brain during a process called glycosylation. The study was made possible by a new method which allows researchers to study glycosylation at a much higher scale and resolution than previously.
Artificial leaf reactor makes ethylene from CO2
An artificial leaf reactor powered by sunlight could ultimately convert CO2 into fuels for cars or planes, say researchers. For now, their lab-scale device made ethane and ethylene by combining a photo absorber with a special copper electrocatalyst. Ethylene (C2H4) is a crucial feedstock for industrial plastic production.
Food waste is bad – and it will probably get worse
More than a third of fruit and vegetables, equivalent to 2.4 Mt of produce, is lost or wasted between production and sale in the UK, with just four crops - apples, onions, carrots and potatoes – accounting for much of that waste. And it could get worse yet.