X-ray Spectrometry / Ezine
X-rays on the other hand
Date: Jun 15, 2010
Author: David Bradley
US scientists have made a catalyst that triggers the creation of chemical structures exhibiting a difficult-to-make form of chirality, or handedness, known as atropisomerism, they report in the journal Science. Single-crystal, heavy-atom X-ray analysis of the major product allowed the team to assign an absolute configuration and so demonstrate efficacy.
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Analysing metals in bottle-grade poly(ethylene terephthalate) by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Date: Jun 14, 2010
Author:
X-ray fluorescence revealed that iron is an intrinsic contaminant in the recycling process of bottle-grade PET samples, furnishing a way to indicate class separation of bottle-grade PET from virgin bottle-grade PET.
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X-rays help improve therapeutic antibodies
Date: Jun 1, 2010
Author: David Bradley
X-ray crystallography has been used to determine the structure of a new, improved protein that could be employed in the purification of therapeutic antibodies and to reveal details of its complexes with antibodies. The work represents an improved molecular design based on greater stability and higher affinity of the protein for its antibody target and could cut costs in therapeutic antibody manufacture.
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What's wood worth?
Date: May 15, 2010
Author: David Bradley
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other techniques have been used to confirm the properties of catalysts used to make biofuels derived from a potentially sustainable woody source, lignocellulose.
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Investigation of historical documents for forensic purposes by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Date: May 10, 2010
Author:
The suitability of energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) in the field of forensic document examination was illustrated by the analysis of historic documents.
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X-ray fuel
Date: May 1, 2010
Author: David Bradley
X-ray absorption spectroscopy, XAS, has been used to probe the metal centre of an important enzyme that can oxidise methane, natural gas, to methanol. Turns out the metal is copper not iron as previously thought and the discovery could open up a route to novel catalysts for converting "waste" methane (either from landfill or oil well flare-off) into useful liquid methanol for proceesing into fuel or other more valuable products.
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Short, sharp outburst
Date: Apr 15, 2010
Author: David Bradley
A new approach to generating ultra-short, high-density electron pulses for the production of advanced X-ray sources has been developed.
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Comparisons of ancient mortars and hydraulic cements through in situ analyses by portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Date: Apr 12, 2010
Author:
A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used to collect elemental data on various mortars and hydraulic cements at an excavation site near Orvieto, Italy.
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Filling in the gaps in toxic dentistry
Date: Apr 1, 2010
Author: David Bradley
A new X-ray study on the chemistry of the common silver-coloured, mercury-based dental fillings suggests that the surface forms of mercury may be less toxic than previously thought.
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Feverish New World X-ray
Date: Mar 15, 2010
Author: David Bradley
X-ray crystallography has allowed US researchers to discover exactly how one type of New World haemorrhagic fever virus latches on to and infects human cells. The work offers a much-needed lead for new treatments.
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