Petrochemicals – News and Features

Bio-based plastics can be hard to separate from conventional plastics, but a new "one-pot" process could be the answer to simple separation.

Researchers from Rutgers University have uncovered the potential impact of exposure to air pollution on prenatal hormone health and infant reproductive development.

An international group of 35 scientists, including IRES’s Gunilla Öberg, is calling out conflicts of interest plaguing global plastic treaty negotiations and that have interfered with timely action on other health and environmental issues.

Researchers posit that swapping out palm oil for synthetic fats could save the world millions of tons of carbon emissions per year.

Engineered enzymes that modify grass plants could make the conversion of plant sugars to biofuels more efficient by providing access to sugars usually locked within complex structures.

Biodegradable plastics may not be the solution to plastic pollution many hoped for, with a University of Otago study showing they are still harmful to fish.

The Ruki River, a tributary of the Congo, has water so dark that researchers couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. Despite its uniqueness, the river has never been scientifically studied.

A new kind of polymer membrane could reshape how refineries process crude oil, dramatically reducing the energy and water required while extracting even more useful materials.

Researchers reporting in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering show that cocoa pod husks could be a useful starting material for flame retardants.

Scientists deepen existing knowledge of an ancient life-form and how it continues unique ecological processes today. Methanogens are unique because they don’t use sunlight to power their metabolisms.