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…
Regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) are commonly used for controlling volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from a broad spectrum of industries. An RTO is basically a thermal oxidizer that uses ceramic media as the heat exchanger medium, providing high…
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…
With the aim to commercialize a new process for making solar-cell grade (SOG) silicon, Chisso Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6891-534) is negotiating the possibility of establishing a joint-venture company with Nippon Mining Holdings, Inc. (Tokyo) and Toho Titanium Co., Ltd. (Chigasaki,…
November 17 was the deadline for states to submit their plans for the control of mercury emissions from power plants to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, Washington D.C.; epa.gov), but mercury-control processes are already being commercialized. The…
Subsidiaries of Shell Oil Co. (Houston, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6891-547) and Codexis, Inc. (Redwood City, Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6891-548) are collaborating to enhance methods of converting biomass to biofuels. Shell, already one of, if not the leading, distributor of transportation biofuels, says it is…
BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-551) has commercialized specialty amino-acid salt formulations that are specially designed for the purification of highly aggressive gas streams at petroleum refineries. PuraTreat R formulations can be used to remove hydrogen sulfide and — if necessary…
At Glasstec 2006 (Düsseldorf, Germany; October 24–28), the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC; Würzburg, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-553) unveiled a prototype for a new vacuum-insulated window that promises to save energy. The window — consisting of two glass panes separated by…
When in 1997 a United Nations’ conference at Kyoto, Japan, called into being the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it seemed that greenhouse-gas emissions regulations were just around the corner. Not so fast, was the world’s answer.…