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american chemical society

Neurotoxicity of insecticide yields clues to Parkinson's

Virginia Tech researchers have discovered that exposure to some insecticides may cause a cascade of chemical events in the brain that could lead to Parkinson?s Disease. “We found low-level exposures set in motion a process with an early onset that develops slowly and is persistent,” one of the lead researchers said. “More surprising is that high-level exposures resulted in few immediate effects that we could observe, but in the longer term there was a delayed effect.”

New water treatment process could help cities cut sludge disposal costs

An innovative technique has been proposed for treating and purifying wastewater, which could spare budget-strapped municipalities some of the expense of handling the sludge that remains after treatment. Researchers say it could reduce the amount of leftover sludge by up to five tons a day for a plant that serves 100,000 people. The new technique, called the activated magnetic sludge process, is the first to introduce magnetic separation, according to environmental engineer Yasuzo Sakai, Ph.D., of Utsunomiya University in Japan, who presented the research.

Catnip stops termites dead in their tracks

Cats may adore catnip, but termites hate it. That’s what two researchers found in a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, held this week in New Orleans. The oil derived from the catnip plant was found to repel and kill termites in a laboratory test. The researchers hope that eventually a commercial product derived from the oil might provide a less toxic alternative to pesticides used today. Termites cause damages estimated at more than $1 billion annually in the United States. In New Orleans, the aggressive Formosan subterranean termite ? now found in at least 11 states ? is believed to infest about 30 percent of the area’s live oak trees and costs home owners more than $300 million a year.

Motor oil of the future may come from veggies

Vegetable oil similar to the stuff you use to cook your food may one day fill your car?s engine. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have developed a chemically modified version of the edible oil that shows promise as a cleaner, renewable alternative to petroleum-based motor oil, while enhancing its protective properties. Veggie motor oil could eventually be produced cheaper than petroleum-based oil and may help reduce this country?s dependence on foreign oil, the researchers say.

Morphine-like painkiller appears to be less addictive

Move over, morphine: Researchers at the University of Arizona and the University of New England have developed a new narcotic based on a natural painkiller found in the body that appears in animal studies to be more potent but less addictive. Although researchers have developed many narcotic-type painkillers that rival morphine in strength, few have had the ability to avoid its potential side effects, until now. These side effects include severe constipation, reduced blood pressure and breathing, and addiction.

Boozing up your battery

From scientists at Saint Louis University comes a gadget fit for a James Bond movie. Imagine 007 sauntering up to the bar, ordering his trademark martini (shaken, not stirred) and, before taking a sip, topping off his cell phone with a few drops of alcohol to recharge the battery.

Researchers have developed a new type of biofuel cell ? a battery that runs off of alcohol and enzymes ? that could replace the rechargeable batteries in everything from laptops to Palm Pilots. Instead of plugging into a fixed power outlet and waiting, these new batteries can be charged instantly with a few milliliters of alcohol. The new findings were presented today at the 225th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world?s largest scientific society, in New Orleans.