ACS in the News

Weekly press highlights of the latest ACS journal articles and other coverage featured in high-profile news media outlets all around the globe. 

Newsweek (New York, NY: 29.77 million unique monthly visits)
“Mercury levels in tuna aren't decreasing”
March 4, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

The study, published in the ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found that levels of the chemical element haven't changed in the fish since 1971.

Seventeen outlets, including Utopia (Germany) and Il Post (Italy), covered the story this week.

 

New York Times (New York, NY: 143.41 million unique monthly visits)
“Microplastics Are a Big Problem, a New Film Warns”
March 9, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

A study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology in 2021 found that patients with inflammatory bowel disease had a significantly higher amount of microplastics in their feces than those without the disease.

Ten outlets covered the story this week.

CHIP (Munich, Germany: 21.94 million unique monthly visits)
“Durchbruch in der Elektroauto-Branche: Organische Batterien könnten Kobalt überflüssig machen” [Breakthrough in the electric car industry: Organic batteries could make cobalt obsolete]
March 5, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

In einer im Fachjournal ACS Central Science veröffentlichten Studie beschreiben sie Batterien für Elektroautos, die komplett ohne Kobalt auskommen. [In a study published in the journal ACS Central Science, they describe batteries for electric cars that do not contain any cobalt.]

 

ScienceAlert (Canberra, Australia: 15.42 million unique monthly visits)
“There's a Surprisingly Simple Way to Remove Microplastics From Your Drinking Water”
March 5, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

A team from Guangzhou Medical University and Jinan University in China ran tests on both soft water and hard tap water (which is richer in minerals), adding in nanoplastics and microplastics (NMPs) before boiling the liquid and then filtering out any precipitates... The research has been published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

The story was covered by 208 outlets this week, including IFL Science (United Kingdom) and Newsweek (United States).

 

MedIndia (Chennai, India: 1.89 million unique monthly visits)
“Artificial Tongue Helps Fight Dental Bacteria”
March 5, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Addressing dental health challenges, researchers unveil an artificial tongue, a chemical sensor array that offers a swift and cost-effective method to identify and deactivate dental bacteria, as published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

 

Business Insider (New York, NY: 51.20 million unique monthly visits)
“20 things you didn't know were invented by women”
March 8, 2024

According to the American Chemical Society, Elion and Hitchings developed a method known as "rational drug design" that helped revolutionize drug making. Their research allowed them to interfere successfully with cell growth, which led to the development of the first effective drugs for treating leukemia, along with several other illnesses.

 

Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom: 32.11 million unique monthly visits)
“Study reveals the scary impacts tattoos can have on your health”
March 6, 2024

Led by John Swierk and published in the journal Analytical Chemistry, the study analysed 54 popular ink brands used for commercial tattoos in the US. Of the inks examined, 45 were found to contain the presence of harmful additives and pigments.

Twenty-nine outlets, including Best Life (United States) and The Herald Sun (Australia), covered the story this week.

 

The Hill (Washington, DC: 18.66 million unique monthly visits)
“Plastic food packaging contains thousands of hormone-mimicking chemicals: Study”
March 5, 2024

Once there, these chemicals can mimic — or disrupt — the effects of the hormones estrogen and testosterone on the body, according to the study published Tuesday in Environmental Science & Technology.

Eighty-seven outlets, including Yahoo News (United States) and KTLA-TV (United States), covered the story this week.

 

Live Science (New York, NY: 14.08 million unique monthly visits)
“Scientists just discovered a massive reservoir of helium beneath Minnesota”
March 7, 2024

To be considered for commercial extraction, the concentration of helium in natural gas must be above 0.3%, according to the American Chemical Society.

Thirteen outlets covered the story this week.

Washington Post (Washington, DC: 56.28 million unique monthly visits)
“A simple way to get microplastics out of your water”
Feb. 28, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

In a new paper published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, Zhanjun Li and Eddy Y. Zeng report that boiling and filtering water helped remove up to nearly 90 percent of the tiny plastic particles, which they write can be found in 129 of 159 tap water samples from 14 countries worldwide.

The story was covered by 833 outlets this week, including The New York Post (United States) and Medical News Today (United Kingdom).

 

New York Times (New York, NY: 143.41 million unique monthly visits)
“Mercury pollution is falling, but not in tuna. This might be why”
Feb. 27, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

That’s most likely because “legacy” mercury that has accumulated deep in the ocean is circulating into shallower depths where tuna swim and feed, the researchers posit in a study published this month in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Fifty-four outlets, including Global News (Canada) and The Boston Globe (United States), covered the story this week.

 

The Guardian (United Kingdom: 88.24 million unique monthly visits)
“Forensic spray using jellyfish protein could speed up fingerprint detection”
March 3, 2023

Scientists have developed a forensic spray using a protein found in jellyfish that shows up fingerprints in just 10 seconds... Their study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Fifty-three outlets, including BBC News (United Kingdom) and Popular Science (United States), covered the story this week.

 

Interesting Engineering (San Francisco, CA: 3.39 million unique monthly visits)
“Artificial tongue: A new weapon to kill bacteria”
Feb. 27, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

In a step towards treating and managing dental diseases, researchers have developed an artificial tongue capable of detecting and differentiating between different types of dental bacteria... The study was published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Twenty-nine outlets, including Dentistry (United Kingdom), covered the story this week.

 

Tech Xplore (Isle of Man, United Kingdom: 7.59 million unique monthly visits)
“Lithium-ion batteries from drones might find second lives in less ‘stressful’ devices”
March 1, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Research in ACS Energy Letters shows the potential to improve batteries in aerial electric vehicles that take off and land vertically. The team developed a new electrolyte to address these challenges and said the “stressed out” batteries could also have second lives in less strenuous applications.

Eighteen outlets, including Mirage News (Australia), covered the story this week.

 

ScienceDaily (Rockville, MD: 2.59 million unique monthly visits)
“‘Bright idea’ salvages rare-earth phosphors from recycled lightbulbs”
March 3, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Now, researchers have found a simpler way to collect slightly magnetic particles that contain rare-earth metals from spent fluorescent bulbs. The team describes its proof-of-concept magnetized chromatography method in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

Twelve outlets, including Technology Networks (United Kingdom), covered the story this week.

 

New York Post (New York, NY: 66.00 million unique monthly visits)
“83% of tattoo inks contain hidden ingredients linked to cancer, organ damage: study”
Feb. 28, 2024

An analysis of 54 inks commonly used in tattoo parlors across the United States has uncovered that a whopping 45 of them contain unlisted additives or pigments, including chemicals known to pose serious health risks... The study, led by Jonn Swierk from the Department of Chemistry at Binghamton University, was published this month in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

Sixty-six outlets, including Daily Mail (United Kingdom) and People (United States), covered the story this week.

 

ABC News (Glendale, CA: 26.97 million unique monthly visits)
“Scientists may have found an alternative to blue jean dye”
Feb. 27, 2024

The blue jean industry uses approximately 50,000 tons of synthetic indigo annually and about 84,000 tons of the reducing agent, sodium hydrosulfite, according to [research published in ACS Omega].

Three outlets, including Yahoo UK (United Kingdom), covered the story this week.

 

New Atlas (Australia: 2.54 million unique monthly visits)
“Hair-loss breakthrough found in keratin microspheres”
March 4, 2024

A gel of tiny keratin spheres has been found to promote hair follicle growth... The study was published in the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials.

Nine outlets covered the story this week.

 

The Colorado Sun (Denver, CO: 1.06 million unique monthly visits)
“Soil safe for people looking to rebuild after the Marshall fire, Colorado study says”
March 1, 2024

The study... did find slightly elevated levels of some metals such as zinc, chromium and copper, but “well below the estimated thresholds of concern.” The study appeared in the February edition of the academic journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Two outlets covered the story this week.

BBC News (United Kingdom: 75.48 million unique monthly visits)
“Mercury mystery: Poisonous element persists in tuna”
Feb. 21, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

To see if these actions had had an impact on mercury levels in tuna, researchers examined data from nearly 3,000 tuna muscle samples, from fish captured in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans... The study has been published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

The story was covered by 270 outlets this week, including El Español (Spain) and HuffPost Spain (Spain).

 

The Hill (United States: 18.67 million unique monthly visits)
“Denver communities of color bear the brunt of city's air pollution: Study”
Feb. 21, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

The disparity in environmental conditions is due to historic tendencies for these populations to reside in both historically redlined neighbors and near highways, according to the study, published on Wednesday in Environmental Science and Technology.

Seventeen outlets, including The Denver Post and The Colorado Sun, covered the story this week.

 

News Medical (United Kingdom: 4.24 million unique monthly visits)
“Female ginseng compound holds promise as osteoporosis treatment”
Feb. 21, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

In the search for alternative drug candidates, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have discovered and fully replicated a compound from a botanical source, female ginseng, that had potent anti-osteoporotic activity in cellular tests.

Eighteen outlets, including Medical Xpress, covered the story this week.

 

Phys.org (Isle of Man, United Kingdom: 7.60 million unique monthly visits)
“A new vibrant blue pottery pigment with less cobalt”
Feb. 22, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

The cobalt-doped barium aluminosilicate colorant described in ACS Applied Optical Materials withstands the high temperatures found in a kiln and provides a bright color to glazed tiles.

Seven outlets, including Technology Networks (United Kingdom), covered the story.

 

Ars Technica (New York, NY: 7.73 million unique monthly visits)
“New compact facial-recognition system passes test on Michelangelo's David”
Feb. 19, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Scientists have now developed a new facial recognition system that employs flatter, simpler optics that also require less energy, according to a recent paper published in the journal Nano Letters.

Twenty-two outlets covered the story this week.

 

Notícias ao Minuto (Portugal: 3.76 million unique monthly visits)
“Médica conta razão por que jamais usa tábuas de cozinha de plástico” [Doctor explains why she never uses plastic kitchen cutting boards]
Feb. 20, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Segundo um estudo publicado, em 2023, pela revista científica Environmental Science and Technology, estima-se que a exposição anual de uma pessoa a microplásticos seja de sete a 50,7 gramas ao usar uma tábua de corte de polietileno e de 49,5 gramas ao usar uma tábua de corte de polipropileno. [According to a study published in 2023 by the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology, it is estimated that a person's annual exposure to microplastics is seven to 50.7 grams when using a polyethylene cutting board and 49.5 grams when using a polypropylene cutting board.]

Three outlets covered the story this week.

 

New York Post (New York, NY: 66.00 million unique monthly visits)
“Thousands of decaying barrels off Los Angeles coast may contain radioactive waste: report”
Feb. 22, 2024

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara initially thought the barrels contained the toxic pesticide Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane — but new findings suggest they could be carrying tritium and carbon-1, according to a study published Wednesday in Environmental Science & Technology.

Thirty-two outlets, including The Washington Times (United States) and The Orange County Register (United States), covered the story this week.

 

Fast Company (New York, NY: 4.62 million unique monthly visits)
“This new nanoparticle paint could make planes lighter, saving billions of dollars and tons of CO2
Feb. 22, 2024

These nanospheres are almost-invisible silicon crystals that, according to new research published in the peer-reviewed journal ACS Applied Nano Materials, reflect light in such a way that can cover a full spectrum of vibrant, lasting colors.

Five outlets covered the story this week.

 

Interesting Engineering (San Francisco, CA: 3.39 million unique monthly visits)
“Scientists arrange particles 100x thinner than human hair to perfection”
Feb. 21, 2024

A collaboration between researchers at various European universities has now succeeded in arranging very small particles in a layer up to 100 times thinner than human hair without using any solvents... The research findings were published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

 

New Atlas (Australia: 2.54 million unique monthly visits)
“Replacement brain cells, grown to order”
Feb. 21, 2024

Damaged brain tissue can be re-grown using a new method that lets researchers guide stem cells into exactly the type of brain cells they need for a particular spot... The study was published in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering.

KTBS-TV (Shreveport, LA: 1.24 million unique monthly visits)
“Pesticides used to protect seeds bad for health of earthworms”
Feb. 14, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

The authors say their study, published in the American Chemical Society's Environmental Science & Technology Letters journal, highlights the unexpected risks of using such pesticides in treating seeds.

Fifty-four outlets, including ScienceDaily (United States) and Technology Networks (United Kingdom), covered the story this week.

 

New York Post (New York, NY: 66.00 million unique monthly visits)
“This one kitchen item could be wreaking havoc on your health – and it's not a microwave”
Feb. 17, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Plastic cutting boards are likely releasing microplastics into your food, according to a recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology. In that academic article, scholars theorized that plastic cutting board users could be exposed to millions of plastic particles due to the repeated strike of the knife.

Nine outlets covered the story this week.

 

20 Minutos (Spain: 24.78 million unique monthly visits)
“¿Agua o papel higiénico? Así debes limpiarte tras ir al baño, según la ciencia” [Water or toilet paper? This is how you should clean yourself after going to the bathroom, according to science]
Feb. 16, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Y parece que el papel higiénico a menudo contiene los llamados 'químicos eternos tóxicos' (PFAS o sustancias per- y polifluoralquiladas), según se explica en el medio Environmental Science & Technology Letters. [And it seems that toilet paper often contains so-called “forever chemicals” (PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances), as explained in the Environmental Science & Technology Letters.]

Fourteen outlets, including Público (Portugal), covered the story this week.

 

Nguoi Lao Dong (Vietnam: 4.99 million unique monthly visits)
“Ăn bánh có chứa bã cà phê, kết quả bất ngờ” [Eating cake containing coffee grounds, surprising results]
Feb. 14, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

Bài công bố trên tạp chí khoa học ACS Omega kết luật các phát hiện mới cho thấy cà phê hoặc trà đã qua sử dụng có thể là một cách tự nhiên và bền vững để cải thiện thời hạn sử dụng và bổ sung dinh dưỡng cho các loại bánh nướng hoặc các món ăn khác. [The paper, published in the scientific journal ACS Omega, concludes that the new findings suggest that used coffee or tea may be a natural and sustainable way to improve shelf life and supplement nutrients in foods. baked goods or other dishes.]

 

Freethink (New York, NY: 1.09 million unique monthly visits)
“Cobalt-free batteries could power cars of the future”
Feb. 12, 2024
Publicized in: ACS PressPac

“I think this material could have a big impact because it works really well,” says Mircea Dincă, the W.M. Keck Professor of Energy at MIT... Dincă is the senior author of the study, which appears in the journal ACS Central Science.

Five outlets covered the story this week.

 

New Scientist (London, United Kingdom: 4.16 million unique monthly visits)
“Lasers smaller than a human hair emit doughnut-shaped light”
Feb. 15, 2024

Tiny, hollow wires can produce doughnut-shaped laser light that could be used to levitate small objects or transmit information. [Adapted from research published in ACS Photonics.]

Four outlets covered the story this week.

 

Times of India (India: 31.13 million unique monthly visits)
“New paper-based platform can rapidly detect antibiotic-resistant bacteria”
Feb. 15, 2024

The latest research, published in the journal ACS Sensors, addressed this challenge by developing a rapid diagnosis protocol that uses a luminescent paper-based platform to detect the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Twenty-five outlets, including The Hindu (India) and The Tribune (India), covered the story this week.

 

ScienceAlert (Canberra, Australia: 15.42 million unique monthly visits)
“This Common Food Preservative May Not Be as Harmless as We Thought”
Feb. 17, 2024

A common preservative used in food products from beer to sausages to cheese has the potential to interact with the human gut microbiome in unexpected and perhaps damaging ways... The research has been published in ACS Chemical Biology.

Twenty-four outlets, including Diabetes (United Kingdom), covered the story this week.

 

SciTechDaily (United Kingdom: 6.87 million unique monthly visits)
“Silicon Strikes Back: 96% Viral Reduction Without Chemicals”
Feb. 15, 2024

A team of researchers from the URV and RMIT University (Australia) has designed and manufactured a surface that uses mechanical means to mitigate the infectious potential of viruses. Made of silicon, the artificial surface consists of a series of tiny spikes that damage the structure of viruses when they come into contact with it. [Adapted from research published in ACS Nano.]

Four outlets covered the story this week.

 

Interesting Engineering (San Francisco, CA: 3.39 million unique monthly visits)
“Lightweight, compact wearable thermal device developed for clothes
Feb. 16, 2024

This upgraded wearable smart clothing aims to address the limitations of traditional wearable thermal control devices, such as bulkiness and noisy components, by developing a compact, stylish, and self-sensing device that can provide personal thermal comfort. [Adapted from research published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.]

Sixteen outlets, including Nico Nico (Japan), covered the story this week.

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