Occupational dangers in the chemical process industries (CPI) are many, with falls, respiratory hazards, and explosion risks confronted daily. One hazard, however, causes no pain nor visible scars. Its effects accumulate with each overexposure and can go unnoticed,…
After nearly a decade of preparation and debate, the European Commission's REACH legislation - a system for the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals - was adopted by the Parliament last December, and enters into force on June…
Last month, Total S.A. (Paris, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6893-531) launched what is claimed to be the world's first integrated carbon-dioxide-capture and geological-sequestration project. From the end of 2008, up to 150,000 m.t. of CO2 will be injected into a depleted natural gas…
In a related story (see above), the EU and China are launching a project, initiated by Sintef (Trondheim, Norway; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6893-532), to cut global emissions of greenhouse gases. In the three-year, €3-million "Coach" project, Europe will receive emissions quota for CO2…
For developing a new technology that traps carbon dioxide and other pollutants so they can be removed, researchers from the University of Bath's Dept. of Chemical Engineering (edlinks.chemengonline.com/6893-551) have received the £185,000 Brian Mercer Award for Innovation from the Royal…
Why do governmental bodies regulate VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions? Because these compounds react with nitrogen oxides to produce ground-level ozone. VOC emissions have many names: hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), non-condensable gases (NCGs), or just plain “organic vapors.”…
Mascoma Corp. (Cambridge, Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-541) has received a $14.8-million award from the New York State Dept. of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build and operate a biomass-to-ethanol demonstration plant in Rochester,…
Akzo Nobel (Amsterdam; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-546) has commercialized a biodegradable chelating agent, Dissolvine GL, as a cost-effective, green alternative to the two most frequently used agents, ethylenediamineetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrotriacetic acid (NTA). The product contains L-glutamic acid (from sugar, molasses, corn…
Chemicals, plastics, pharmaceutical, food, agricultural chemicals, coal and bio-chemical industries have a wide array of processes where the raw materials, intermediates and products are in particulate form. Hazards associated with particulate solids are unique, and in most cases…
Security is on everyone’s mind. Heightened awareness and concerns have affected the way we live and the way we work. Those of us who are part of the chemical process industries (CPI) and have a great respect for…