A new compostable bioplastic for use in coffee pods represents another step forward in the production of truly green pods. The material for the new biodegradable pods was developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia. According to the researchers, pods made of the material also keep the coffee inside fresher than other compostable pods.
Read More >>When my ChemiSTEAM submission entitled ‘They grow up so fast!’ received an honorable mention and I was asked to write a short piece about it, I knew I was going to have to explain why the title relates to children. I became obsessed with crystals and crystallography during my undergraduate chemistry degree at Memorial University....
Read More >>The latest Can. J. Chem. Eng. virtual issue is now live: Nanotechnology in Chemical Engineering!
Read More >>A glimpse into the world of Feiyue Wang, this year’s winner of our Environment Division R&D Dima Award Feiyue Wang, MCIC vividly recalls the first time a Twin Otter airplane neatly deposited him on the Arctic sea ice next to the Amundsen, Canada’s research icebreaker. It was 2008 and Wang – an experienced aquatic...
Read More >>On 9 February 2021, diverse people from around the world came together to celebrate the third International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Global Women’s Breakfast (GWB). The purpose of these GWB events is to promote diversity in science by bringing people from various organizations together. As mentioned by IUPAC, the last two GWB have established that there is a need to build a network of both women and men who can work together to address the barriers and inequalities faced by women in science. Keeping this in mind, the theme of GWB 2021 was kept as “Empowering Diversity in Science”.
Read More >>The toll of pandemic-related plastic waste from discarded PPE is mounting at an alarming rate. Health Canada estimates that between June 2020 and June 2021, 63,000 tons of COVID-19 related PPE will end up as landfill waste. Researchers are investigating possibilities for disinfecting and reusing single-use PPE, including medical gloves and hospital gowns.
Read More >>The Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) is looking for a core leadership team to spearhead the potential organization of the upcoming CCCE/IUPAC conference in 2027. As a consequence of converting the 2021 CCCE/IUPAC conference to an online event due to COVID, IUPAC has afforded the CSC with an opportunity to bid for an in-person conference...
Read More >>In this synthesis, we attempted a sublimation of our crude product as an alternative to the usual purification of vanadyl acetylacetonate that involves the recrystallization from dichloromethane and ether. This was a conscious effort to change the synthesis towards methodology that incorporated principles of green chemistry. By making this switch, we tried to make a safer and more efficient synthesis that avoided using dangerous solvents and reduced the waste. I captured this close-up of the sublimed crystals in their vibrant blue and chaotic crystalline texture that showcases this attempt.
Read More >>The April issue of Can. J. Chem. Eng. is now available! Be sure to check out the two latest additions to the Established Leaders Special Series: “History of nitroxide mediated polymerization in Canada” by Milan Marić and “The role of inherently safer design in process safety” by Paul R. Amyotte, FCIC, and Faisal I. Khan,...
Read More >>Alison Flynn, MCIC is an associate professor in the department of chemistry and biomolecular sciences at the University of Ottawa. She leads the Flynn Research Group, focused on learning at the postsecondary level, in chemistry and across disciplines. Flynn is the 2021 winner of CIC’s Award for Chemistry Education. CIC News recently asked Flynn to...
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