Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Urban parks built on former waste incineration sites could be lead hotspots      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study finds that surface soil in parks and playgrounds built on former waste incineration and ash disposal sites may contain levels of lead exceeding EPA safety standards for areas where children play. The contamination, which can persist long after an incinerator is closed, stems from burning paint, pipes and other products that contained lead. Sites in hundreds of U.S. and Canadian cities could be contaminated. Increased monitoring is needed to pinpoint hotspots.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Researchers discover iron-targeting approaches to halt proliferation of cancer cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers discovered a new class of iron-targeting compounds that hamper the proliferation of cultured malignant cells in a laboratory setting.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Important connectivity of metal oxides with hydrogen      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A recent article proposes a new way to understand how materials interact with hydrogen.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New ionic materials boost hydrogen fuel cell efficiency!      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has made a groundbreaking advancement in improving the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells, which are gaining significant attention as eco-friendly next-generation energy sources.

Chemistry: General
Published

Improving transistor performance through perovskite-cation incorporation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team advances transistor performance through perovskite-cation incorporation.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

'Brainless' robot can navigate complex obstacles      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers who created a soft robot that could navigate simple mazes without human or computer direction have now built on that work, creating a 'brainless' soft robot that can navigate more complex and dynamic environments.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Energy: Technology
Published

Bacteria generate electricity from wastewater      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In a breakthrough for the field of bioelectronics, researchers have enhanced the ability of E. coli bacteria to generate electricity. The innovative approach only offers a sustainable solution for organic waste processing while outperforming previous state-of-the-art technologies, opening new horizons for versatile microbial electricity production.

Chemistry: General
Published

Benchtop NMR spectroscopy can accurately analyse pyrolysis oils      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team of researchers has demonstrated that benchtop spectrometers are capable of analyzing pyrolysis bio-oils just as well as far more expensive, high-field spectrometers.

Chemistry: General Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New study highlights feasibility and optimization of ammonia-based power generation for carbon neutrality      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has evaluated the feasibility of ammonia-based power generation through techno-economic and carbon footprint analyses.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New bio-based glues form adhesive bonds that grow stronger in water      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Patent-pending adhesive formulations developed from fully sustainable, bio-based components establish bonds that grow stronger when underwater or exposed to wet conditions.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Online AI-based test for Parkinson's disease severity shows promising results      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new artificial intelligence tool can help people with Parkinson's disease remotely assess the severity of their symptoms within minutes. While expert neurologists performed slightly better than the AI model, the AI model outperformed the primary care physicians with UPDRS certification.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Extending the playing field for organosulfurs: a new way to synthesize sulfinate esters      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Sulfinate esters, a type of organosulfur compounds, are typically synthesized using thiols. However, these substances are difficult to work with due to their unpleasant smell and oxidizability in air. Now, a research team has found a way to produce sulfinate esters through the direct oxidation of thioesters, which are easily accessible and stable. Their findings will help expand the field of organosulfur chemistry and hopefully lead to new applications in pharmaceuticals.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Chemists devise a method for C-H activation of alcohols      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Chemists have extended a powerful molecule-building method -- called C-H activation -- to the broad class of chemicals known as alcohols.

Chemistry: General Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Electrifying heavy-duty vehicles could reduce environmental inequalities      (via sciencedaily.com) 

If the region surrounding Chicago -- North America's largest freight hub -- shifted just 30% of its current on-road heavy-duty vehicles to electric versions, it would substantially reduce pollution and save hundreds of lives per year, with the benefits largely concentrated in disadvantaged communities, according to a new study. The study authors highlight that neighborhoods with predominantly Black, Hispanic and Latinx residents would benefit the most -- potentially reducing disproportionate pollution and health burdens in historically marginalized areas.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Bit by bit, microplastics from tires are polluting our waterways      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Urban stormwater particles from tire wear were the most prevalent microplastic a new study has found. The study showed that in stormwater runoff during rain approximately 19 out of every 20 microplastics collected were tire wear particles with anywhere from 2 to 59 particles per liter of water. Tire rubber contains up to 2500 chemicals with the contaminants that leach from tires considered more toxic to bacteria and microalgae than other plastic polymers.

Chemistry: General
Published

Novel titanium dioxide catalyst support for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Carbon dioxide can be electrocatalytically reduced to useful resources using conventional catalysts such as gold or lead supported on conductive carbon. However, the high pH environment near electrodes often degrades the catalyst support, rendering them ineffective. Now, researchers have developed novel in-liquid plasma-treated titanium dioxide electrode decorated with silver nanoparticles as an alternate catalyst support, facilitating enhanced conversion of carbon dioxide to useful products, such as syngas, a clean alternative to fossil fuels.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Engineering: Graphene Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Efficient and mild: Recycling of used lithium-ion batteries      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) provide our portable devices like tablets and mobiles -- and increasingly also vehicles -- with power. As the share of volatile renewable energy needing electricity storage increases, more and more LIBs are needed, lithium prices rise, resources dwindle, and the amount of depleted batteries that contain toxic substances increases. Researchers introduce a novel approach for the recovery of lithium from used LIBs.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

3D-printed 'living material' could clean up contaminated water      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A 'living material,' made of a natural polymer combined with genetically engineered bacteria, could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water. Researchers developed their living material using a seaweed-based polymer and bacteria that have been programmed to produce an enzyme that transforms various organic pollutants into harmless compounds. In tests, heir material decontaminated water solutions tainted with a pollutant from textile manufacturing: indigo carmine, a blue dye that is used to color denim.