CHIMIA
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Non-Oxidative Coupling of Methane: Interplay of Catalyst Interface and Gas Phase Mechanisms
Get PDFNon-oxidative coupling of methane (NOCM) is a sought-after reaction that has been studied for decades. Harsh reaction conditions (T >800°C) in the face of limited catalyst stability lead to rapid catalyst deactivation and strong coking, preventing application thus far. Recent reports have shown the significance of an interplay of catalyst nature and reaction conditions, whereas metal carbides have prevailed to play a crucial role which involves incorporation of carbidic carbon in C2Hx and aromatic products. This perspective gives an overview of proposed mechanistic pathways and considerations about experiment conditions in order to foster a rational catalyst design platform for NOCM
Nanoparticles Are Everywhere, Even Inside Trees: Highlights of Analytical Sciences in Switzerland
No full textMicrobial Biocatalysis within Us: The Underexplored Xenobiotic Biotransformation Potential of the Urinary Tract Microbiota
Get PDFEnzymatic biotransformation of xenobiotics by the human microbiota mediates diet-drug-microbe-host interactions and affects human health. Most research on xenobiotics has focused on the gut microbiota while neglecting other body sites, yet over two-thirds of pharmaceuticals are primarily excreted in urine. As a result, the urinary microbiota is exposed to many xenobiotics in much higher concentrations than in the gut. Microbial xenobiotic biocatalysis in the bladder has implications for urinary tract infections and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. However, we have limited knowledge of biotransformations catalyzed by the urinary microbiota. In this perspective, we investigated differences in physicochemical conditions and microbial community composition between the gut and urinary tract. We used a comparative enzyme class mining approach to profile the distribution of xenobiotic-transforming enzyme homologs in genomes of urinary bacteria. Our analysis revealed a discontinuous distribution of enzyme classes even among closely related organisms. We detected diverse amidase homologs involved in pharmaceutical and dietary additive biotransformation pathways, pinpointing microbial candidates to validate for their involvement in xenobiotic transformations in urine. Overall, we highlight the biocatalytic potential of urinary tract bacteria as a lens to study how the human microbiota may respond and adapt to xenobiotic inputs
The Role of AI in Driving the Sustainability of the Chemical Industry
Get PDFSustainability is here to stay. As businesses migrate away from fossil fuels and toward renewable sources, chemistry will play a crucial role in bringing the economy to a point of net-zero emissions. In fact, chemistry has always been at the forefront of developing new or enhanced materials to fulfill societal demands, resulting in goods with appropriate physical or chemical qualities. Today, the main focus is on developing goods and materials that have a less negative impact on the environment, which may include (but is not limited to) leaving behind smaller carbon footprints.Integrating data and AI can speed up the discovery of new eco-friendly materials, predict environmental impact factors for early assessment of new technological integration, enhance plant design and management, and optimize processes to reduce costs and improve efficiency, all of which contribute to a more rapid transition to a sustainable system. In this perspective, we hint at how AI technologies have been employed so far first, at estimating sustainability metrics and second, at designing more sustainable chemical processes