Managing toxic effluents
The research findings reported in this book are conveyed in the form of 14 chapters, all of which have more than one author, making an overall number of 37 contributing authors. Each chapter adopts the formal style of an academic paper with a predilection for specialised terminology and copious references.
What went wrong?
We have to ask ourselves: What on Earth went wrong? In his book, economist Gary Smith lines up the three suspects he blames for the growing distrust in science: disinformation, data torturing and data mining. In a sad irony, all three are the product of the science and technology advances they are now putting at risk.
Business digest
The latest business digest for C&I Issue 10 2023 with all the latest mergers and acquisitions in the chemical industry.
Plants in peril, Kew warns
A report from the UK’s Royal Botanic Gardens Kew paints a bleak picture for the future of the world’s existing plant life, with an assessment that up to 45% of all known flowering plants could be under threat of extinction. The findings are shared in the State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023 report, which provides an assessment of the existing knowledge of the diversity of plants and fungi, the global threats they face and the policies to safeguard them. The report, which is based on the work of 200 international researchers from 100 institutions in 30 countries, is accompanied by a full volume of peer-reviewed scientific publications from Kew’s partner, the New Phytologist Foundation.
Rothamsted to explore green ammonia technologies
Rothamsted Research in the UK is putting its shoulder to the wheel with international partners to explore ‘green ammonia,’ aiming to mitigate climate change whilst supporting food production. The new centre ‘takes an international approach because nitrogen pollution is a truly global issue,’ says Adie Collins, Science Director for net zero and resilient farming at Rothamsted and its lead for the $61m Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and the Environment (NICCEE).
Net zero workforce
The perception that the chemical industry is not central to achieving net zero targets will affect companies’ ability to recruit skilled staff, according to the Cogent Skills report: A greenprint on skills for the low carbon industries. The extent of the challenge is shown by the 48% drop in new apprenticeships since 2015-16[1].
Sweeteners may increase depression risk
Health concerns around artificial sweeteners abound, but evidence remains patchy. Now, a study has suggested an increased risk of depression, following reports indicating associations with cardiovascular events and lowered immunity. In a long-term study investigating ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and depression, a team from Harvard Medical School, US, found that of all the food categories included, only artificial sweeteners were associated with an increased risk.
Fake fungal scent repels fruit flies without the need for insecticide
Blueberries growing fungus are typically destined for the compost bin, but for a team of researchers in the US, they could provide the key to tackling the unsustainable use of insecticides. In a new study, published in the SCI journal Pest Management Science, researchers explored how blueberries infected with the fungus Colletotrichum fioriniae emit odours that repel spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) – a fruit fly that is a destructive pest of berries and cherries. By recreating the aroma of the fungus, they were able to trick the flies into perceiving healthy fruit as infected.
CRISPR-Cas9 protocol could improve CAR T-cell therapy
CRISPR-Cas9 editing earned its discoverers, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, a Nobel prize in 2020, however, there have been concerns over sections of chromosomal loss, which has been shown to occur at a low rate across all potential genomic targets and chromosomes. The loss has been identified in human T cells and engineered CAR T cells for clinical use.