Metal oxide-containing glasses are already known for their antimicrobial potential. However, a new study demonstrates combinations of metal oxides that can boost antimicrobial performance by at least 100 times, compared with single oxide glasses (ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng., doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00876).
Chemical giant BASF reacted swiftly to the reports of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. First came the news that oil and gas subsidiary Wintershall Dea has stopped payments to Russia and written off its €1bn financing in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Secondly, by announcing that henceforth BASF ‘will only conduct business in Russia and Belarus to fulfil its existing commitments in line with applicable laws, regulations and international rules’.