» July Latest News

July 31, 2007

Dow And Partners Advance Thai Plans

Hydrogen peroxide and propylene oxide plants are slated by Dow, Solvay, and BASF.

Akzo Nobel Sweetens Bid For ICI

Henkel would acquire ICI's adhesives business if Akzo's proposal is successful.

July 30, 2007

Agent Orange And High Blood Pressure

Report suggests connection between herbicide exposure and hypertension.

Key Step Found In Latex Allergy

Allergen dimerizes before allergic response is triggered.

Chirality From Counterions

Chiral anions lead to high enantioselectivities.

Solar Energy Advances

New technology should lead to increased supplies.

Burning Paint

Chrysler and partners test titanium dioxide as power plant mercury remover.

July 27, 2007

Chemical Firms Are Prospering

Most firms report double-digit growth in earnings in the second quarter.

Intellectual Property

U.S. patent office rejects four patents on Monsanto crops.

July 26, 2007

China Dominates Chemistry Olympiad

Russia and Poland place second and third, respectively; U.S. performs solidly.

Eight-Carbon Anion Found In Space

Linear anion is the third discovered in space in less than a year.

Daniel Koshland Dies At 87

Former Science editor and biology professor promoted biochemistry frontiers.

July 25, 2007

China Shuts Down Controversial Factories

Plants produced diethylene glycol and pet food ingredients.

Chemical Testing Program Lags

Report contends that many submissions are overdue.

July 24, 2007

Protein-Binding Domains Defy Pigeonholing

Model predicts binding partners of domains that mediate crucial protein-protein interactions.

House Bill Mandates Public Access To Research Results

Legislation would require free online access to NIH-funded research papers within 12 months.

PPG Offers To Buy Dutch Paint Maker For $3 Billion

Deal for SigmaKalon would significantly enlarge PPG’s presence in Europe.

July 23, 2007

PotashCorp Plans New Brunswick Project

New mine continues expansion program of industry leader.

DuPont Makes Deal On SO₂ Emissions

Company settles with EPA over releases at sulfuric acid facilities.

Basell To Buy Lyondell

Basell will emerge as one of the world's largest chemical companies.

Bee Brainwashing

Queen's pheromone quashes negative memory formation in young worker bees.

Halogens Hover In Antarctic

Iodine oxide and bromine oxide deplete atmospheric ozone.

Ethylene Plant Deals

Algeria signs $4 billion in downstream oil and gas deals.

Fullerenes In Vivo

In contrast with vitro studies, no adverse pulmonary effects are seen from C₆₀ instilled in rats.

July 20, 2007

China Pollution Report

Group finds country is harming environment as its economy grows.

FDA Lambasted For Lax Inspections

Checks of imports called totally inadequate.

July 19, 2007

Encysive For Sale

Action follows delays in launch of new drug.

Shenhua Selects Unipol For Coal-To-Plastics Plant

Polyethylene unit will be part of new integrated complex.

July 18, 2007

2006 National Medal Of Science

Three chemists are among those honored.

USDA Acts To Stop Honeybee Loss

Scientists will examine unexplained collapse of nation's honeybee colonies.

Mussels Meet Geckos

Bioinspired hybrid adhesive holds fast to wet and dry surfaces.

July 17, 2007

Record Fine For Security Breaches

DOE proposes $3.3 million penalty for Los Alamos violations.

July 16, 2007

Albania Destroys Its Arsenal

To date, one-third of world's more than 71,000 metric tons of declared chemical agents has been destroyed.

Workers Halt Lanxess Leather Chemical Production In Argentina

Company may ration supplies to South American customers until strike ends.

Chemical Society Presidents Pledge Support For Sustainable Development

Six leaders forge global pact at meeting in Paris.

Persistent Organic Pollutants

More chemicals may have to be flagged as risky.

Astrochemistry

Steam detected on extrasolar planet.

China executes Drug official

Former agency head was sentenced to death for corruption.

July 13, 2007

Methylmercury Detox

Hg complex provides clues to enzymatic breakdown of toxic compound.

Drug Regulation

House passes bill to empower FDA, renew industry user fees.

July 12, 2007

Dow Begins Dioxins Cleanup

Company plans to remove contaminated sediment from river near Michigan complex.

CVC To Buy Distributor Univar For $2.1 Billion

Private equity buyer promises to fund long-term growth strategy.

Synthetic Molecule Induces Neuron Growth In Human Muscle

Imidazole compound could provide way to bypass embryonic stem cells for treating degenerative diseases.

July 11, 2007

Chemical Safety Board Seeks More Authority

Federal agency says its lack of power hampers its investigations

July 11, 2007

Chemical Safety Board Seeks More Authority

Federal agency says its lack of power hampers its investigations.

ACS, Pharma Initiative Awards Additional Grant

Joint effort targets more efficient Suzuki C–C coupling reactions that partially avoid halogenated aromatics.

Shaping Particles The Easy Way

Simple method deforms polymeric spheres into varied shapes and sizes.

July 10, 2007

Apollo Ups Its Offer For Huntsman

Hexion's owner may take over Huntsman if Basell doesn't come in with a better deal.

July 9, 2007

Roche Joins RNAi Fray Via Deal With Alnylam

Drug discovery pact could be worth $1 billion for the RNAi specialist.

Low-Cost Catalysis

Inexpensive MoS₂ mimics precious-metal catalyst.

Lanxess readies Styrenics Sale

Joint venture will become wholly owned by Ineos after two years.

Boon For Biofuels

New projects seek to create energy from a range of renewable feedstocks.

July 6, 2007

Pharma-Biotech Deal

Novartis expands its vaccines portfolio through a sweeping $366 million deal with Intercell.

New Data On Old Climates

Antarctic ice core provides temperature record dating back 800,000 years.

July 5, 2007

Huntsman Receives New Takeover Bid

Specialty chemical maker Hexion bests Basell's offer by 8%.

July 3, 2007

Victor McCrary Takes The Helm At NOBCChE

New president wants to broaden the organization's reach.

U.S., South Korea Sign Free-Trade Pact

Chemical makers say agreement will boost U.S. exports to fast-growing Asian market.

July 2, 2007

Basell Wins Huntsman

Landmark deal: Acquisition will return chemical industry icon to private hands.

A Nanowire Microscope

Optical probe combines fluorescence and force techniques.

Single-Molecule Reaction Cycle

Method selectively interconverts CN surface species.

BP, DuPont Form Ethanol Venture

Facility could be converted to biobutanol once technology is available.