Latest News: Technologies
Chementator Briefs [January 2023]
BTX extraction A newly launched series of blended solvents for the extraction of benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) from a variety of feeds shows improved performance over single solvents, while avoiding environmentally problematic solvent components. The series, known as BTX…
Hydrogen-enabled recovery of raw materials from ‘red mud’ and other metallurgical waste
Bauxite residue (red mud) is a byproduct from the smelting of aluminum. Like other waste slags from the metallurgy industry, bauxite residue is traditionally put into hazardous-waste landfills, although it contains a mixture of valuable raw materials in low concentrations.…
Solvent-based regeneration of granular activated carbon
Granular activated carbon (GAC) can be used to remove polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater and drinking water, but current methods to regenerate spent GAC are costly and require high temperatures of greater than 1,000°C. A team of scientists at Battelle…
Wireless device detects coronavirus — no batteries required
A collaborative research group in Japan has engineered a self-sustaining device that can detect the presence of COVID-19 particles or droplets in air. The device, which requires no batteries, employs a magnetostrictive clad plate composed of iron, cobalt and nickel,…
New pressure-relief valves improve performance and reduce emissions
Spring-loaded pressure-relief valves (PRVs) often use bellows to ensure balanced operation. Data analysis from 30,000 PRV service records across different industries and valve brands shows a bellows failure rate between 2 to 6%, according to Emerson (St. Louis, Mo.; www.emerson.com).…
A new tool to capture ‘microbial dark matter’
Microorganisms populate nearly any habitat, no matter how hostile it is. Their great variety of survival strategies is of huge potential in biotechnology. However, most of these organisms are unknown, because they cannot be cultivated. To make better use of…
Converting waste paper into better battery anodes
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore; www.ntu.edu.sg) have developed a technique to convert waste paper, from single-use packaging, bags and cardboard boxes, into electrodes, which can be made into rechargeable batteries that power mobile phones, medical equipment and…
Quantitative microbial monitoring for corrosion-relevant organisms
LuminUltra Technologies Ltd. (Fredericton, N.B., Canada; www.luminultra.com) recently launched a suite of DNA-based monitoring tools specifically designed to address organisms linked to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). The collection enables industrial users to collect, prepare and test samples for a range…
A direct, biocatalytic route from CO2 to ethylene
LanzaTech Inc. (Chicago, Ill.; www.lanzatech.com) has developed a genetically engineered bacterium capable of converting carbon dioxide directly to ethylene, the most widely used chemical building block globally. The company has incorporated the engineered biocatalyst into a continuous process in a…
Chementator Briefs [December 2022]
Li extraction A new technology is going to be introduced at the Schlumberger NeoLith Energy direct lithium-extraction (DLE) project in Clayton Valley, Nev. Developed by Gradiant Ventures (Boston, Mass.; www.gradiant.com), the technology enables high levels of lithium concentration (while simultaneously…