Latest news with #chemists
National Post
2 days ago
- Health
- National Post
E.coli can turn plastic into painkillers, chemists discover
Scientists have found a way to use the bacteria to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller, a study said Monday, though outside experts doubted the technique would make a dent in the fight against plastic pollution. Article content Paracetamol, which is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, is made from the derivatives of fossil fuels, often by Asia-based subcontractors using cheap, polluting methods that contribute to climate change. Article content The world is also facing an escalating crisis of plastic pollution, with countries set for another bruising round of negotiations in August in the hope of sealing an international treaty to reduce plastic waste. Article content Article content The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third — which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. Article content First the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic, which is used in bottles and many other plastic products the world over, to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of Article content This created a molecule they called PABA, according to the Nature Chemistry study, which was partly funded by drug firm AstraZeneca. Article content By genetically modifying the bacteria, the chemists were able to transform their molecule into acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. Article content Article content 'This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn't just waste or a material destined to become more plastic — it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease,' lead study Stephen Wallace said in a statement. Article content Article content Singaporean researchers not involved in the study praised how it combined synthetic and biological chemistry. Article content But 'several practical considerations remain' to take this idea beyond the proof-of-concept stage, they wrote in a linked commentary in the journal Nature Chemistry. Article content The chemical reaction produces only a limited amount of PABA molecules, which 'may be insufficient for industrial applications', they wrote. Article content Melissa Valliant, communications director of the Beyond Plastics project of Bennington College in the United States, expressed scepticism. Article content 'These discoveries never scale up to anything significant enough to tackle the massive plastic pollution problem.' Article content
Top Gear
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Can Huawei's next-gen EV battery really claim 1,800 miles of range?
Electric The solid-state chemists have been tinkering with nitrogen dope this time, but its claims of 2,000/3,000km might be a little... speculative Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading A Chinese company called Huawei has received patent approval for a solid-state battery chemistry that some media is claiming supports a range of around 3,000km and a charge time of five minutes. Wait, what? Those claims come from the fact the scientists have produced a Li-S solid-state battery, where the solid sulfide-based electrolyte – together with a lithium-metal anode – offers better ionic conductivity and decent energy density. Advertisement - Page continues below The chemistry is then doped (their word, not ours) with nitrogen from cyanide to reduce side reactions that result in pesky dendrite formation. That's like plaque build-up, which eventually causes all batteries to fail. These added elements clean up the contacts, meaning the main chemicals can continue reacting, aiding the charging cycle rate, and keeping temperatures lower than in conventional batteries. Those clever folk in lab coats are targeting an energy density upwards of 400Wh/kg, and might reasonably get a solid-state battery to 600Wh/kg. You might like And that, kids, is the figure being extrapolated to get to that magic 3,000km mark. Realistically speaking, 1,800 miles on one charge is not, well... realistic. The energy required to drive 1,800 miles would need a whopping 500kWh battery (on current consumption rates). If the Huawei scientists manage to reach an energy density of even 500Wh/kg, then that battery would weigh a literal tonne - roughly 1.5x the total weight of the 93kWh battery in the Porsche Taycan. For context, the Taycan battery's current energy density is 169Wh/kg, with a range of only 300 miles. Advertisement - Page continues below As for those five-minute 'blaze-charging' claims? That's a whole infrastructure conversation for another time. Whether these things will be possible in the future is yet to be seen, but for now, best to heed caution... Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
E.coli can turn plastic into painkillers, chemists discover
Scientists say they have found a way to use to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller. Scientists have found a way to use the bacteria to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller, a study said Monday, though outside experts doubted the technique would make a dent in the fight against plastic pollution. Paracetamol, which is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, is made from the derivatives of fossil fuels, often by Asia-based subcontractors using cheap, polluting methods that contribute to climate change. The world is also facing an escalating crisis of plastic pollution, with countries set for another bruising round of negotiations in August in the hope of sealing an international treaty to reduce plastic waste. The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. First the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic, which is used in bottles and many other plastic products the world over, to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of This created a molecule they called PABA, according to the Nature Chemistry study, which was partly funded by drug firm AstraZeneca. By genetically modifying the bacteria, the chemists were able to transform their molecule into acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. 'This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn't just waste or a material destined to become more plastic -- it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease,' lead study Stephen Wallace said in a statement. Singaporean researchers not involved in the study praised how it combined synthetic and biological chemistry. But 'several practical considerations remain' to take this idea beyond the proof-of-concept stage, they wrote in a linked commentary in the journal Nature Chemistry. The chemical reaction produces only a limited amount of PABA molecules, which 'may be insufficient for industrial applications', they wrote. Melissa Valliant, communications director of the Beyond Plastics project of Bennington College in the United States, expressed scepticism. 'A new 'plastic-eating bacteria' pops up in the news every few months and has been doing so for years,' she told AFP. 'These discoveries never scale up to anything significant enough to tackle the massive plastic pollution problem.' This 'crisis needs to be stopped at the source,' she added, which means 'companies and policymakers must reduce the amount of plastic being produced and used in the first place'.
Reuters
27-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Police bust gang that trafficked cocaine from Colombia to Belgium
BRUSSELS, May 27 (Reuters) - Police have dismantled a cocaine trafficking gang that shipped cocaine paste from Colombia to Belgium, the pan-European Europol police agency said on Tuesday. Europol said the operation resulted in 14 arrests, of which 11 were in Belgium, two in Germany and one in Italy. "The gang was led by an Italian family in contact with suppliers in Colombia and chemists in Belgium. They imported huge amounts of cocaine paste, shipped from Colombia to European ports," Europol said. It said the product was stored in warehouses in Belgium, which were used as laboratories. The arrests come as Belgium tries to deal with violent crimes often linked to battles between rival drug gangs, many of whom have turned Antwerp and Brussels into major drug trafficking hubs.
