How Click Chemistry is Like Playing with LEGOs

LEGO blocks may be one of the simplest but most genius toys ever created, as evidenced by their popularity. Taking such simple building blocks that are modular and being able to create nearly endless different combinations of structures is liberating. On the other hand, it’s also great that LEGO can create a set of instructions …

Ep 29. Green is the Color of Chemistry

Dr. Mary Kirchhoff is Executive Vice President of Scientific Advancement at the American Chemical Society and Director of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute. Her career has spanned a variety of experiences related to sustainability in chemistry, including working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's green chemistry program and co-editing a book on Greener Approaches to Undergraduate …

Recycling: A Strategy for Sustainable Nanotechnology?

These days we are all familiar with the concept of recycling, which for most of us involves the weekly ritual of placing waste materials such as bottles, cans, and cardboard into oversized, colored recycling bins and placing them outside the house. After pick up, these recyclables are transported to collection centers where they are sorted, …

The Green Nanotechnology Revolution

When we talk about sustainability in chemistry, one thing we have to think about is how the chemicals we use in our experiments may affect the environment. The traditional production of nanoparticles frequently involves the use of toxic materials such as harsh solvents and surfactants to synthesize a diverse array of nanoparticles that range from …

Fungus Amongus – the Nanoparticle Producers

Recent discoveries continue to highlight the many uses of that wonderful kingdom of life, fungus.  Penicillin, a group of antibiotics that changed medicine forever, is derived from the Penicillium fungi (taken from a moldy cantaloupe in an Illinois market). These antibiotics have saved countless lives since WWII and are still in use today. Yeast, perhaps …

Nanoparticles With Your Coffee? A Java-Infused Science Experiment!

Many of us couldn’t make it through a day without a cup or two of our favorite caffeinated beverage. I usually start my day with a warm cup of coffee or tea. In fact, more than 50% of adults in America drink coffee on a daily basis, averaging about 3 cups a day. In the US, …