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Navigating Process Development for Separation Operations
Designing new separation operations involves several key steps, including proper naming of the process steps, identifying suitable technologies and supporting studies needed for unit-operation selection Chemical engineers must be vigilant when reviewing first-of-its-kind chemical processes to ensure that processing steps…
Versalis establishes dedicated Oilfield Solutions business
Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, announces that, as of 1 July 2025, it will transfer its Oilfield Chemicals business unit into the newly established company Versalis Oilfield Solutions S.r.l. The operation aims to consolidate Versalis’ position in the oilfield services sector by…
Akzo Nobel to sell Akzo Nobel India to JSW Group
Akzo Nobel N.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) has signed an agreement to sell its shareholding in Akzo Nobel India Limited (ANIL) to the JSW Group, one of India’s leading diversified conglomerates. The transaction is based on a total enterprise value of…
Using water to break ultra-strong PFAS bonds
Water contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds is one of the most significant environmental and health issues globally. In particular, effectively breaking the carbon-fluorine bonds that are paramount to the stability and persistent nature of PFAS is extremely…
Microbial biohydrometallurgy boosts copper recovery from extremely challenging ores
A “plug-and-play” microbial technology enables the recovery of additional copper from low-grade ores when used alongside traditional sulfuric-acid heap-leach methods. Working synergistically within the existing heap-leach infrastructure, the unique microbial communities that have been cultivated by Endolith (Westminster, Colo.; www.endolithmining.com)…
This biosolids gasification technology also destroys PFAS
A new gasification process designed for the disposal of biosolids is also capable of destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminants, which are typically very resistant to conventional treatment processes. Aries Clean Technologies (Franklin, Tenn.; www.ariescleantech.com) recently validated its fluidized-bed…
Business News: July 2025
Plant Watch Tosoh to construct new chloroprene rubber plant in Japan June 13, 2025 — Tosoh Corp. (Tokyo; www.tosoh.com) plans to increase its production capacity for chloroprene rubber (CR) by adding a second CR production facility at its Nanyo Complex…
Managing Safety Across Development Stages
For novel process technologies, each development stage brings new safety obligations. This guide provides a practical framework for navigating safety responsibilities from early R&D to commercialization Developing new process technologies — especially those involving hazardous materials or operations at high…
A new demonstration plant expands the horizons of post-consumer recycling
Operations are planned to start up soon at a first-of-its-kind recycling demonstration plant in Monthey, Switzerland. Employing a proprietary reaction technology developed by DePoly S.A. (Sion, Switzerland; www.depoly.co), the plant is set to treat up to 500 tons/yr of polyethylene…
Adapting thin-film polymers for membrane separation of liquid hydrocarbons
Thin-film polymer membranes have been very effective for industrial-scale desalination of seawater, but have not been used for separation of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures because oil-separation membranes tend to absorb oil components and swell, which eliminates their size-sieving ability to separate…