Chemicals

Mosquito repellent is a key weapon to keep those biting bugs at bay, but it can be frustratingly fickle. Now researchers in Italy have developed new formulations that they say can last as long as eight hours, are odorless and boast other advantages.

Greenhouse gases and plastic waste are two of the biggest environmental problems the world faces today. A new reactor from Cambridge tackles both at once, converting CO2 and used plastic bottles into useful materials, powered entirely by sunlight.

New research is questioning the safety of certain chemicals used in dishwashing detergents after intestinal cell models revealed high doses of components in rinse aids can damage gut health.

PFAS are insidious pollutants thanks to their ubiquity, long life and a growing list of linked health concerns. But now researchers at UC Riverside have developed a new method to break them down more effectively, using hydrogen and UV light.

New research indicates exposure to low levels of a flavoring chemical called diacetyl in combination with a mild case of influenza can cause serious lung damage, so those with occupational exposure should be cautious of working while unwell.

Engineers at the University of Washington have designed a reactor that can completely destroy PFAS forever chemicals. The technology could help treat chemicals at manufacturing sites before they can leak out into the natural environment.

New research presented at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society, analyzing nearly 100 currently used tattoo inks, found many inks contained chemicals not declared on their ingredient list, and at nanoparticle sizes suspected to be harmful.

In a new study, chemists claim to have found an Achilles’ heel to the ultra-stable molecules of toxic PFAS "forever chemicals." Using a relatively simple chemical reaction, the team could “decapitate” some kinds of PFAS into benign end products.

New research has reported a link between elevated blood levels of perfluooctane sulfate (PFOS) and increased risk of liver cancer. The study is the first to directly associate exposure from this “forever chemical” to liver cancer in humans.

A striking new article argues the global spread of certain hazardous chemicals is so pervasive that unsafe levels of PFAS chemicals can be found in rainwater all over the world, including remote areas such as Antarctica and the Tibetan Plateau.

Researchers have found strong evidence exposure to a common group of household chemicals can be associated with 13 different health conditions. The related economic costs have been estimated at between US$5 billion and $60 billion annually in the US.

A new report has estimated more than 10 percent of all cancer cases in Europe are likely caused by environmental and occupational exposure to pollution. The report indicates most of these cases could be prevented by improving environmental protections.