A complex biochemical system in a droplet
21 February, 2014In an effort to investigate the reactions taking place in a biological cell, scientists tried to replicate them in an artificial cell. Such experiments have so far worked with very simple reactions, but the team managed to establish a complex biochemical reaction in tiny droplets only a few micrometres in size.
Forming new compounds from sodium chloride challenges the rules of chemistry
20 December, 2013Researchers have discovered that by compressing sodium chloride (rock salt) under certain high-pressure conditions, they can trigger a process which was found to form new compounds - despite chemistry textbooks saying this is impossible.
Equip your lab for less - 3D print your equipment
22 November, 2013With a 3D printer, open-source software and free digital designs, cash-strapped scientists can now fabricate their own lab equipment at a fraction of the cost.
HYDAC Patch Test Kit
29 October, 2013The Patch Test Kit (or Portable Contamination Analysis Kit) is a tool for identifying and monitoring the types and levels of particulate contamination in all fluid power systems, including those offshore where water-based fluids are utilised.
Natural source of analgesic Tramadol found
27 September, 2013An African medicinal plant - Nauclea latifolia (also known as the pin cushion tree) - has been found to produce large quantities of molecules with analgesic properties. Even more surprising, analysis shows that the molecule is identical to the heretofor wholly synthetic painkiller Tramadol.
HYDAC WaterTest Kit
27 September, 2013The WaterTest Kit is used for the quantitative determination of water content in % of mineral and lubrication oils. The simple addition of two reagents to the contaminated oil causes an increase of pressure in the measuring cell. This pressure increase is read off via the digital display as water content in % or ppm.
Unprecedented chemical profiles found in whale earwax
25 September, 2013 by Lauren DavisProfessors Stephen Trumble and Sascha Usenko, of Baylor University, have developed a new method to determine the lifetime chemical profiles of blue whales. As revealed in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists found the answer in the whales’ earwax plugs.
$850,000 in funding for next-generation enzymes
13 September, 2013University of Waikato Biological Sciences Professor Vic Arcus and his research group have been awarded $850,000 for a two-year project to develop a new method for designing ‘next-generation enzymes’ for commercial use.
Found - the 37th type of chemical reaction and it's low-temp
09 September, 2013Until now, only 36 basic types of chemical reactions have been identified. But a 37th type has just been added to the list.
Alcohol chemistry in space
01 July, 2013Chemists have discovered that an ‘impossible’ reaction at cold temperatures actually occurs with vigour, which could change our understanding of how alcohols are formed and destroyed in space.
Hanby TPH Field Test Kit
28 June, 2013The Hanby TPH Field Test Kit system is a field-portable method providing rapid analyses down to ppb for aromatic compounds, including gasoline, diesel, PCBs and many others. The procedure extracts the aromatic compounds from the sample and provides immediate colorimetric identification of the concentration and type of contaminants present.
On-site analyses via autonomous energy-scavenging micro devices
14 June, 2013Sophisticated instruments small enough to fit in a shirt pocket will one day scavenge power from sunlight, body heat or other sources enabling analysis in the field rather than bringing samples and data back to the lab.
The body electric: researchers move closer to low-cost, implantable electronics
14 June, 2013New technology is paving the way for low-cost electronic devices that work in direct contact with living tissue inside the body.
Faster, greener pharma manufacturing using microwaves
31 May, 2013Microwave radiation could provide a faster, greener way to manufacture drugs.
Mechanism of Click chemistry reveals its secrets
08 April, 2013Click chemistry is not a specific reaction but rather chemistry tailored to generate substances quickly and reliably by joining small units together. It is meant to mimic nature which also generates substances by joining small modular units (eg, amino acids into proteins). But precisely how it works had been unclear since its invention at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) more than a decade ago.
