First the good about salt brine. The Michigan Department of Transportation found that 40 percent of rock salt spread on roads ends up on the shoulder. While salt brine, a mixture of 23% salt and 77% water, is applied wet and remains on the roadways. The efficiency of salt brine not only helps to keep... Read more »
Two 600-foot ships collided on Monday due to fog causing a leak of Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). This also caused a shut down of a portion of the Houston Ship Channel. MTBE is a gasoline additive that is not easy to clean up, according to the commander of the Houston-Galveston Coast Guard District. For more... Read more »
The chemical industry lobby is pushing congress to pass new legislation on the regulation of chemicals. The lobby feels the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) is outdated and leaves too much authority to the states when determining regulation. A new federal bill would help to create a more standard set of rules throughout... Read more »
“It’s arguably one of the most important interactions between molecules, because it occurs in water where biology and so much technology happens,” says UW-Madison chemical and biological engineering professor Nicholas Abbott. A group of UW-Madison researchers, including Abbott and UW-Madison chemistry professor Sam Gellman have provided new insights on hydrophobic interactions within complex systems. The... Read more »
Mainly used as a nontoxic plasticizer in PVC, cellulose resin and synthetic rubber, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate (ATBC) is also valued for its biodegradability in nail polishes and other cosmetics. ATBC provides many improvements over di-butyl phthalate in cellulose nitrate films due to its lower volatility, better resistance to yellowing and better adhesion to metals. It... Read more »
With OPEC estimating output to increase by 400,000 barrels per day this year and non-OPEC supplies likely to rise by twice that, the glut of world oil supply does not look to clear up any time soon. The fact that world oil storage is approaching capacity, rising by 265 million barrels last year, has only... Read more »
Whether you call it glycerin, glycerine or glycerol, odds are you have ingested or used it at some point today. Glycerin is a simple sugar alcohol compound used in a vast number of products and applications. It can be synthesized or derived from plants and animals and finds uses as diverse as toothpastes to precursors... Read more »
One of the biggest concerns in winter is the problem of how to deal with ice on the roads. Currently the most popular method for dealing with this problem is with the use of sodium chloride (table salt). Sodium chloride is used because it is very inexpensive, but it does have its downsides. Sodium chloride... Read more »
A tentative contract was reached last Friday evening between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association. The agreement comes after nine months of negotiations that heated up this past fall, crippling ports from San Diego to Seattle. A joint statement released by PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Bob McEllrath... Read more »
The 14-week long labor dispute between the operators of 29 West Coast ports from San Diego to Seattle and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is leaving ships and cargo containers stacking up. Shipping times have been reported to have doubled and even tripled though these locations, leaving thousands of U.S. businesses to deal with... Read more »
