Latest Chemical Stories
Generic clean-in-place phase class for biopharma: the cure for chronic softwareJanuary 9, 2018
Engineers at Pfizer’s Grange Castle facility have applied generic phases through shorter and simpler code configuration, in addition to streamlined commissioning and better utilisation of process commissioning engineers, writes Conor Boyle
New tool assesses a largely ignored risk in the pharmaceutical industryJanuary 9, 2018
A new method to test for the likelihood of racemisation, the process that occurs when a drug turns into a potentially harmful version of itself on entering the body, has been developed by researchers
Major initiative launched to increase number of female engineers in pharmaDecember 21, 2017
The Irish affiliate of the US-headquartered International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering has launched its 'Women in Pharma' initiative, aimed at boosting the presence of women in the rapidly-expanding industry
Catalyst handling – mitigating hazards relating to inert entryDecember 5, 2017
Peter Marsh looks at catalyst handling and provides an overview of controls used to mitigate the life-threatening hazards associated with confined space entry into oxygen-deficient reactors during catalyst un/loading operations
Chemical engineers could strip wine of sulphites for just a few cent per bottleDecember 5, 2017
A research drive is working toward the design and marketing of a low-cost, easy-to-use device that would filter up to 99 per cent of sulphites from wine when it is poured from the bottle, without affecting the quality of the wine
Print your own irrigation system with 3D-printed biodegradable pipe platformNovember 21, 2017
Vincent Farrelly outlines how Aquaroot uses a biodegradable polymer that can be extruded through 3D printing, becoming a low-cost method to irrigate crops in a more economical and efficient way
Making it easier to recycle: emerging technologies to reduce plastic wasteNovember 21, 2017
New approaches could dramatically increase the amount of recyclable plastic, including the development of biorenewable components for thermosets, replacing hydrocarbon-based polymers with those from plant-based materials
Bioburden control and process closure in bulk biopharmaceuticalsNovember 7, 2017
C.J.A. Davis outlines the importance of process closure in biopharmaceutical production and how to undertake a risk assessment, process-closure analysis, to support both a process design and operational procedures
Rapid mobile-phone charging is closer to becoming a realityNovember 7, 2017
Chemical engineers are using nanotechnology to significantly improve energy-storage devices known as supercapacitors, doubling the amount of electrical energy that the rapid-charging devices can hold
Could whiskey-powered cars make gasoline obsolete?October 24, 2017
Cork-born Prof Martin Tangney, president of Celtic Renewables, has developed a method of producing a biofuel from the by-products of whiskey making and the first test-drive for whiskey-powered cars has been completed, writes Christopher McFadden
Microfluidics probe ‘cholesterol’ of the oil industry to keep pipes openOctober 24, 2017
Chemical engineers have employed microfluidic devices to show how and why dispersants are able to break up deposits of asphaltene that hinder the flow of crude oil in wellheads and pipelines
Solving the enigma: Irish biotech company develops new drug-screening systemOctober 10, 2017
Dr Finola Cliffe, Anne O’Sullivan and Prof Mark Davies outline the development of Enigma, Hooke Bio’s microfluidic high-throughput drug analysis platform, and its benefits for the pharma industry
Novel microparticle means multiple doses of vaccine can be delivered with just one injectionOctober 10, 2017
A new 3-D fabrication method has been developed that can create a new type of drug-carrying particle that could allow several doses of a drug or vaccine to be delivered over an extended time period with just one injection
Engineers help develop dissolvable, easy-to-use milk capsules for your coffeeSeptember 26, 2017
Have your coffee without spilling the milk: researchers have developed a milk capsule that dissolves when placed in a hot drink. Not only does this reduce the consumption of packaging material, the capsules are easier to use than conventional plastic containers
Bio SNG – turning black bin-bag waste into biogas with gasification technologySeptember 26, 2017
Taking bio synthetic natural gas from concept to commercialisation has been the focus of two projects supported by Cadent. The next stage is to build a commercial demonstration plant with contracts for waste feedstock supply and gas offtake. James Harrington reports
Waste not, want not: engineering water, energy and food solutions from natureSeptember 12, 2017
Part of this year's RebelBio cohort in Cork, NuLeaf Tech uses biochemical and ecological biomimicry to turn wastewater into a resource, using engineered wetlands, microbial fuel cells and vertical farming. Rachel Major and Ari Ochoa report
Self-sufficient wastewater treatment: energy recovery from sewage sludgeAugust 29, 2017
Karla Dussan and Rory Monaghan describe the economic and environmental benefits of sludge management through integrated anaerobic digestion and thermal conversion, while acknowledging the technical challenges of its implementation
Why chemical engineers — not just economists — are key to a circular futureAugust 1, 2017
Amidst the growing interest in the ‘circular economy’ as a way to improve resource efficiency, Prof Roland Clift argues that we need a better understanding of the term - and chemical engineers might hold the answer
Engineers develop biodegradable microbeads from cellulose for cosmetics industryAugust 1, 2017
The biodegradable cellulose microbeads come from cellulose, a sustainable source that could potentially replace harmful plastic microbeads that contribute to ocean pollution
Heat transfer systems – thermal fluid maintenance to maximise productivityJuly 18, 2017
Clive Jones outlines three considerations for manufacturers operating thermal fluid heat transfer systems to minimise downtime and safeguard the system's future for the long term