American Chemical Society: Environmental Science & Technology (Latest News)

Chemical & Engineering News: Environmental SCENE

• Clean Your Plate, Save Energy
  Conservation: The U.S. wastes as much energy in tossed-out food as Sweden consumes in a year. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010172900]
  
  
  
  
• Iron And Sunlight Zap Methylmercury
  Environmental Pollutants: Scientists uncover a mechanism for methylmercury's decomposition during the Arctic's long summer days. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010092911]
  
  
  
  
• To Track An Oxidant
  Indoor Air: Scientists measure hydroxyl radicals for the first time in an unperturbed indoor environment. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071910142058]
  
  
  
  
• Microbes To The Rescue?
  Oil Spill: The fate of spilled oil in the Gulf rests with the hydrocarbon-digesting microbes colonizing underwater plumes. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072210151156]
  
  
  
  
• Cool Roofs
  Government: Energy Secretary Mounts New Efficiency Program For Federal Buildings. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072210154606]
  
  
  
  
• NRC On Impacts Of Rising Temperatures
  A report from the National Research Council estimates how much change in precipitation and crop yields may occur for each degree of human-caused global warming. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071910100624]
  
  
  
  
• Deck Stains Seal In Contaminants
  A semitransparent penetrating stain might prevent the metal and other inorganic preservatives from escaping from treated wood. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010113039]
  
  
  
  
• Carbon Dioxide's Unsettled Future
  Technologies to reel in greenhouse gas emissions abound, but can't move forward without policy actions. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010104115]
  
  
  
  
• Fuel-Cell Catalysts Tolerate CO
  Nanoparticulate platinum catalyst that resists carbon monoxide poisoning could lead to longer-lasting fuel cells. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010151035]
  
  
  
  
• Sugar Derivative Solidifies Oil
  Materials Chemistry: Gelation process could turn spilled oil into skimmable fat for easy cleanup. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072210154037]
  
  
  
  
• Changes To Reporting Greenhouse Gases
  To settle lawsuits brought by industry groups, EPA has proposed to change its rule requiring industrial plants to report emissions of greenhouse gases. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810132204]
  
  
  
  
• Sud-Chemie Will Enter Cellulosic Ethanol
  Specialty chemical firm Sud-Chemie will build what it calls Germany's largest cellulosic ethanol plant. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072210114425]
  
  
  
  
• FDA Joins Chemical Screening Effort
  FDA has joined the Tox21 collaboration, a multiagency effort to better predict the effects of chemicals on human health and the environment. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010114057]
  
  
  
  
• Automakers Go HFO
  In Europe, new refrigerants will be fluorocarbons, not carbon dioxide. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072010092854]
  
  
  
  
• Bridgestone, Solutia Boost Solar Films
  Tire manufacturer Bridgestone will spend $94 million to expand capacity at a Japanese plant that makes adhesive films for solar modules. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071910173747]
  
  
  
  
• Better Sampling Needed In Wastewater Monitoring
  Water Pollutants: Researchers worry improper sewage sample collection will miss fluctuating contaminant levels. [DOI: 10.1021/cen072210141352]
  
  
  
  
• Plug-In Hybrids Curb Smog
  Air Pollution: In Denver, swapping plug-in electric hybrids for gas-powered cars might help cut ozone-causing pollutants. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071910161424]
  
  
  
  
• Researchers Model Personal Pollution Exposure
  Environmental Pollutants: People's diet, not their local environment, best determines their pollutant loads, study concludes. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071310113351]
  
  
  
  
• Making Better Trash Decisions
  Waste Management: New tool to assess environmental impacts highlights the benefits of producing electricity through waste incineration. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071510152100]
  
  
  
  
• Streams Of Noxiousness
  Water Pollutants: Scientists develop new way to proactively monitor groundwater contaminants in city streams. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070710105810]
  
  
  
  
• Battery Demand On The Rise
  Alternative Fuels: Lithium batteries and battery materials get a big boost from electric cars. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071510114916]
  
  
  
  
• Obama Continues Battery Push
  Some $2.4 billion in federal seed money for advanced batteries, provided through the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA), will lead to new jobs and spur a growing domestic battery and electric-vehicle industry, President Barack Obama said last week at Compact Power, a new battery plant under construction in Holland, Mich. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071310115937]
  
  
  
  
• FDA Petitioned Over Drugs In Water
  The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center and the Natural Resources Defense Council have petitioned FDA to close a loophole that exempts pharmaceutical companies from assessing the environmental impacts of new drugs. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071510132849]
  
  
  
  
• Final Round Of ARPA-E Grants
  Research: Energy Department issues $92 million in frontier grants. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071510135100]
  
  
  
  
• GE Loses Challenge To Superfund Law
  Appeals court rejects company's argument that part of law is unconstitutional. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071210142003]
  
  
  
  
• North American Pollution Tallied
  Chemical manufacturing was the fourth largest sector releasing or transferring pollutants in North America during 2006, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) says. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610163214]
  
  
  
  
• Fuels Firm LanzaTech Raises $18 Million
  New Zealand-based cleantech firm Lanza-Tech has raised $18 million in its second round of financing, led by China-focused venture capital firm Qiming Ventures. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070710102930]
  
  
  
  
• BP Will Acquire Verenium's Biofuels
  BP's North American biofuels business has agreed to acquire Verenium's cellulosic biofuels business for $98.3 million. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610124635]
  
  
  
  
• Moving Forward On Algal Biofuels
  Alternative Energy: Exxonmobil, Synthetic Genomics facility will help optimize algal fuel production. [DOI: 10.1021/cen071510135042]
  
  
  
  
• Downsizing The Gulf Of Mexico's Dead Zone
  Water Pollution: New model suggests larger cuts in nitrogen pollution needed to shrink the Gulf's dead zone. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610102656]
  
  
  
  
• Crude Structure
  Energy: Researchers observe liquid crystals in crude petroleum for the first time. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610145138]
  
  
  
  
• New Method Detects Particularly Toxic Arsenic Compound
  Water Pollution: Scientists measure chemical at levels one-million times greater than previously detected. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610152353]
  
  
  
  
• Finally, A Full Safety Panel
  Accidents: Senate confirms chair, member of chemical safety board as BP spill investigation begins. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810153243]
  
  
  
  
• Membrane Movers
  Water treatment businesses adapt their portfolios to meet new regulations and reduce costs. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610160352]
  
  
  
  
• GSK, Singapore Fund Green Production
  GlaxoSmithKline and Singapore?s Economic Development Board have started disbursing funds to academic researchers in green pharmaceutical manufacturing. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070110153728]
  
  
  
  
• Rising Cleantech
  Start-Ups: First half brought record funding for clean-technology firms. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810135930]
  
  
  
  
• Assessing Aerosols In The Air
  Researchers delve into the unknowns of ?airborne particulates that affect health and climate. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610160410]
  
  
  
  
• EPA Report Adds To Dispersant Toxicity Data
  Oil Spill: Dispersants show little endocrine disruption activity. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610171331]
  
  
  
  
• Ag Majors Form Development Pacts
  Crop Protection: BASF and Monsanto, Sumitomo and Nufarm link for new seeds and herbicides. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810153337]
  
  
  
  
• Air Pollution Action
  Emissions: EPA targets smog, particulate matter and agrees to review hazardous pollution limits. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810151258]
  
  
  
  
• Definition Needed For Nanomaterials
  An unambiguous definition of the term ?nanomaterial? is needed for regulatory purposes, a July 2 report from the European Commission?s Joint Research Center concludes. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810154359]
  
  
  
  
• Dioxin Science Wars
  EPA draft report on dioxin's health risks draws fire. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610165103]
  
  
  
  
• EU Plans To Control Eight Chemicals
  The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is asking for feedback on its intent to place strict controls on eight compounds under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization & Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH) program. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810132204]
  
  
  
  
• Thiols Drive Mercury Photodegradation
  Chloride outcompetes organic thiols in seawater, allowing methylmercury to bioaccumulate in seafood. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070810125226]
  
  
  
  
• Recalculating Water Treatment Plant's Nitrogen Impact
  Water Pollution: Bioavailable nitrogen levels may jump after wastewater leaves treatment plants and hits saltier rivers. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070610163234]
  
  
  
  
• U.K. Airborne Dioxin Levels Plummeted in the 1990s
  Environmental Pollutants: An almost 90% drop in the mutagenic pollutants in urban areas could be part of a longer 20th-century trend. [DOI: 10.1021/cen070710083016]
  
  
  
  
• Studying Pigsties
  Air Pollution: A new technique to measure stinky compounds will help fight pig farm odors. [DOI: 10.1021/cen063010103152]
  
  
  
  
• Paring Power Plant Pollution
  Emissions: EPA proposal targets smog, particulate matter, and acid rain. [DOI: 10.1021/cen062910120323]
  
  
  
  
• Expert Judgments On Climate
  Survey of climate scientists provides insights not readily revealed by climate models. [DOI: 10.1021/CEN062910180719]
  
  
  
  
• Doubtful Future For Energy Bill
  Politics: Senators meet with President, but show little interest in climate legislation. [DOI: 10.1021/CEN070110151457]