But little is understood about the chemistry, movement, and evolution of plastic pollution over time—crucial details for chemists who want to untangle its environmental impact. The X-Press Pearl spill offers a chance for chemists to learn more about this common contamination. The Sri Lankan government has until June 2 of this year, 2 years after the ship sank, to file a claim in international court for damages against the ship’s insurance company.
by Katherine Bourzac | January 22, 2023
Working on the manganese cluster of oxygen evolution was my introduction to bioinorganic chemistry. Working on my PhD with Melvin Klein allowed such transitions to happen.” What Britt’s colleagues say: “Dave richly deserves major recognition for his groundbreaking research in biological inorganic chemistry, most especially for his work on photosystem II that shed new light on the structure and mechanism of the manganese-calcium cluster catalyst.”
by Nina Notman, special to C&EN | December 30, 2022
Narayan used directed evolution to create a cytochrome P450 enzyme that builds a biaryl molecule via oxidative coupling of aromatic carbon-hydrogen bonds. The enzyme weds aromatic molecules to create one stereoisomer around a bond with hindered rotation (shown). The researchers think this biocatalytic approach could become a bread-and-butter transformation for making biaryl bonds (Nature 2022, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04365-7).
by Bethany Halford | December 15, 2022
—Comment: Evolution of the ACS guidelines for program approval “” One of the ways in which the American Chemical Society promotes excellence in bachelor’s-level chemistry education is through its approval program, which currently includes 700 institutions. The Committee on Professional Training (CPT) maintains and leads excellence in education via the ACS Approval Program and by developing formal guidelines for program approval, which set standards for the training of chemistry professionals.
by Scott A. Reid, chair, ACS Committee on Professional Training | November 25, 2022
“There’s an evolution of the manufacturing process that comes along with the evolution of therapeutics,” he says. /biological-chemistry/rna/Startproposes-enzymatic-RNA-synthesis-oligonucleotides/100/i37 20221014 EnPlusOne says RNA makers need a new production process to meet rising demand Concentrates 100 37 /magazine/100/10037.html Start-up proposes enzymatic RNA synthesis for oligonucleotides RNA, pharmaceuticals, business con bus Matt Blois biological-chemistry rna pharmaceuticals EnPlusOne says that, unlike chemical RNA synthesis, its enzymatic process doesn't use hazardous chemicals, so the team doesn't need protective gear.
by Matt Blois | October 14, 2022
Her research centers on the evolution of the chemical sciences in the 19th century, the era when scientists took the first forays into organic synthesis and the 3D structures of molecules. “It’s through the agency of glassware that chemists first appreciate the molecular nature of matter,” Jackson tells Newscripts.
by Ariana Remmel | October 08, 2022
“The core composition is really important because it affects the evolution of the planet so much,” she says. Her studies have helped establish that pressure plays a previously unappreciated role in driving isotopic fractionation during planetary evolution. Shahar makes 5 mm wide miniature Earths. She mixes silicate and iron powders with light-element candidates inside a piston, applies pressure, and then checks which elements and isotopes of those elements fractionate into a core-like center and which go into a mantle-like outer layer in the lab-made planetoid.
by Katherine Bourzac | October 02, 2022
After all, the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for biocatalysts designed via directed evolution. A chemoenzymatic approach to organic synthesis has many advantages. Using both chemical reagents and enzymes in water can minimize reaction times, reduce the use of metals, and often lead to single- pot reactions.
by Bruce Lipshutz, special to C&EN | September 21, 2022