Wiley-VCH

In order to reduce the carbon dioxide output from coal power plants, CO₂ could be removed from their exhaust (post-combustion capture) and stored or, if possible, used as a carbon source for chemical syntheses. Previous approaches to this have suffered from the fact that they require too much energy. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Australian scientists have now introduced a new metal–organic framework compound that absorbs CO₂ and then releases it upon exposure to sunlight.

Infectious diseases such as malaria and syphilis can be diagnosed rapidly and reliably in the field by using a simple test developed by Canadian scientists. The test is based on the use of DNAzymes and gold nanoparticles. As the researchers report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, their test allows for the sensitive detection of bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Irradiation with light is an established method for initiating polymerization or crosslinking (curing) in the production of plastics. American researchers are now using light to retroactively increase the size of the pores within a polymer network. As reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie, this new approach allows for the production of polymer gels with tailored mechanical properties.

Carbon nanotubes resemble asbestos fibers in their form. Unfortunately, long, pure nanotubes also seem to have asbestos-like pathogenicity. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a European research team has now reported that chemical modifications, for example with tri(ethylene glycol), can alleviate this problem if the modification makes their surface more water-friendly and reduces the effective length of the tubes.

How can pharmaceuticals be safely carried through the acidic environment of the stomach and into the intestines? A team of Canadian and Australian researchers has developed a novel nanotransporter that consists of porous particles of silicon dioxide stabilized with a whey protein. In acidic environments the protein forms a gel that closes off the pores; at higher pH values, the pores are opened.

On the occasion of its 125th anniversary, the journal Angewandte Chemie is treating its readers to a special issue, which contains no less than 16 contributions from chemistry Nobel Laureates, and also a symposium that will take place in Berlin in March and will feature three Nobel Laureates. In its 125-year history, the journal has developed from a magazine for the chemical industry in German-speaking countries (that's where the name of the journal comes from: Angewandte Chemie means "applied chemistry") to a modern global medium for fundamental chemical research. Both the English and German editions are available electronically, a form that has long since overtaken the printed issues. The journal has always been owned by scientific societies, and since 1947 it has been in the hands of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh; German Chemical Society), in close cooperation with its scientific publisher Wiley-VCH.

Paper is one of the surfaces most commonly tested for fingerprints in forensics. Unfortunately, it is particularly difficult to make fingerprints on paper visible. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Israeli scientists have now introduced a new method developed specifically for use on paper. It produces a “negative” of the fingerprint and is, in contrast to conventional methods, independent of the composition of the sweat residue left behind.

“Blood is quite a peculiar kind of juice“—that is what Mephisto knew, according to Goethe’s “Faust“. But if blood really is very special, then erythropoietin (EPO) must be a very special molecule, as it triggers the production of our red blood cells. After ten years of intense research, American scientists have now succeeded in making a fully synthetic version of this special molecule. This achievement represents a landmark advance in the chemical synthesis of complex biological molecules from basic building blocks.

One of the largest challenges of chemotherapy lies in the fact that cancer cells must be killed while healthy tissue must be protected. French researchers have now introduced a new approach in the journal Angewandte Chemie: The enzyme β-galactosidase releases the active drug from an inactive precursor, known as a prodrug, which can only be taken up by tumor cells.

Carbon dioxide could be a useful alternative source of carbon for the chemical industry. It is inexpensive, is supplied in abundance by nature, and would help to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. In addition, it would significantly improve the carbon footprint of fuels and chemical products. The largest barrier to this process is the high stability of the carbon dioxide molecule. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Spanish researchers have now introduced a new process that traps carbon dioxide in the form of silyl formates, which are silicon-containing formic acid esters.

Electronic noses are used to sniff out exhaust fumes and assist with quality control of foods. Less well known is the fact that equivalent devices, electronic tongues, are capable of recognizing dissolved substances. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, French researchers have now presented a new and particularly simple approach to making an electronic tongue that can differentiate between proteins.

The most common form of strokes are caused by a sudden reduction in blood flow to the brain (ischemia) that leads to an inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. These so-called ischemic strokes are one of the leading causes of death and disability in industrialized nations. If they are not immediately remedied by medical intervention, areas of the brain may die off. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Korean researchers have now proposed a new approach for supplemental treatment: Ceria nanoparticles could trap the reactive oxygen compounds that result from ischemia and cause cells to die.