Explore the vast range of titles available.

The global bio-based chemical market is growing in size and importance. Bio-based solvents such as glycerol and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran are often discussed as important introductions to the conventional repertoire of solvents. However adoption of new innovations by industry is typically slow. Therefore it might be anticipated that neoteric solvent systems (e.g., ionic liquids) will remain niche, while renewable routes to historically established solvents will continue to grow in importance. This review discusses bio-based solvents from the perspective of their production, identifying suitable feedstocks, platform molecules, and relevant product streams for the sustainable manufacturing of conventional solvents.

Antibody discovery is bottlenecked by the individual expression and evaluation of antigen-specific hits. Here, we address this bottleneck by developing a workflow combining cell-free DNA template generation, cell-free protein synthesis, and binding measurements of antibody fragments in a process that takes hours rather than weeks. We apply this workflow to evaluate 135 previously published antibodies targeting the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including all 8 antibodies previously granted emergency use authorization for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and demonstrate identification of the most potent antibodies. We also evaluate 119 anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies from a mouse immunized with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and identify neutralizing antibody candidates, including the antibody SC2-3, which binds the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein of all tested variants of concern. We expect that our cell-free workflow will accelerate the discovery and characterization of antibodies for future pandemics and for research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications more broadly. Antibody discovery is bottlenecked by the individual expression and evaluation of antigen specific hits. Here, the authors build an antibody screening workflow leveraging cell-free protein synthesis that enables expression and evaluation of hundreds of antibody fragments in less than 24 h.

Sustainable, sulfonated mesoporous SBA-16 catalysts were synthesized from sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), an abundant agro-industrial waste from bio-energy production. SBA-16 modification with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and subsequent oxidation to incorporate sulfonic acid groups, significantly enhanced the textural properties, achieving a surface area of 207 m 2 /g, while trace impurities from SCBA may enhance Lewis acidity. Such features improved catalytic efficiency and sustainability. A green assessment of catalyst synthesis from SCBA using the DOZN™ Green Chemistry Evaluator revealed that the SCBA-based methods are more sustainable than conventional TEOS-based methods. This study represents the first application of sulfonated SBA-16 for Biginelli reactions, yielding 99% for the reaction between benzaldehyde, methyl acetoacetate, and urea (at 105 °C, 7 h, 10 wt% catalyst, in ethanol). Catalysts demonstrated exceptional durability, with negligible loss of activity (~ 98%) over five consecutive cycles, highlighting its suitability for this application. SBA-16 catalysts exhibited broad substrate compatibility, particularly with electron-withdrawing groups across various aldehydes and β-diketones. The Biginelli reactions aligned with green chemistry principles, achieving favorable values for process mass intensity (PMI: 11.86–33.32 g/g), E-factor (10.86–32.32 g/g), solvent intensity (SI: 9.69–14.50 g/g), and water intensity (WI: 3.28–9.36 g/g). The Green Motion sustainability assessment tool score was 75/100. Sulfonated SBA-16 catalysts offer a sustainable alternative to commercial silica, with superior performance, reduced catalyst loading, and minimized environmental impact, underscoring its potential for use in industrial applications.

The heat exchange properties of aircrew clothing including a Constant Wear Immersion Suit (CWIS), and the environmental conditions in which heat strain would impair operational performance, were investigated. The maximum evaporative potential (im/clo) of six clothing ensembles (three with a flight suit (FLY) and three with a CWIS) of varying undergarment layers were measured with a heated sweating manikin. Biophysical modelling estimated the environmental conditions in which body core temperature would elevate above 38.0°C during routine flight. The im/clo was reduced with additional undergarment layers, and was more restricted in CWIS compared to FLY ensembles. A significant linear relationship (r2 = 0.98, P<0.001) was observed between im/clo and the highest wet-bulb globe temperature in which the flight scenario could be completed without body core temperature exceeding 38.0°C. These findings provide a valuable tool for clothing manufacturers and mission planners for the development and selection of CWIS's for aircrew.

A novel and facile electrochemical sensor for the quantification of uric acid has been fabricated through the strategic modification of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) using mesoporous carbon-zinc oxide (MC-ZnO) synthesized from rice straw waste. The MC-ZnO materials, generated via a controlled pyrolysis process, exhibit homogeneous dispersion and a substantial electroactive surface area of 0.1286 cm 2 . The electrochemical oxidation of uric acid exhibits a distinct peak at 0.18 V in differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), indicative of efficient charge transfer kinetics. A linear range spanning 20 to 225 µM was obtained with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.76 µM, signifying exceptional analytical sensitivity. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrates robust selectivity toward uric acid in the presence of typical interferents, underscoring its applicability for precise uric acid determination in complex biological matrices. The sensor’s analytical performance was validated by quantifying uric acid in spiked urine samples, yielding recovery rates between 97.9% and 114.8% and relative standard deviations (RSD) below 4.92%, affirming its accuracy and precision. This platform heralds a promising avenue for clinical diagnostics, leveraging sustainable materials for uric acid detection.

The metal accumulating ability of plants has previously been used to capture metal contaminants from the environment; however, the full potential of this process is yet to be realized. Herein, the first use of living plants to recover palladium and produce catalytically active palladium nanoparticles is reported. This process eliminates the necessity for nanoparticle extraction from the plant and reduces the number of production steps compared to traditional catalyst palladium on carbon. These heterogeneous plant catalysts have demonstrated high catalytic activity in Suzuki coupling reactions between phenylboronic acid and a range of aryl halides containing iodo-, bromo- and chloro- moieties.

Global heating is subjecting more of the planet to longer periods of higher heat stress categories commonly employed to determine safe work durations. This study compared predicted worker heat strain and labour capacity for a recent normal climate (1986–2005) and under commonly applied climate scenarios for the 2041–2080 period for selected Australian locations. Recently published heat indices for northern (Darwin, Townsville, and Tom Price) and south-eastern coastal and inland Australia locations (Griffith, Port Macquarie, and Clare) under four projected climate scenarios, comprising two representative concentration pathways (RCPs), RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, and two time periods, 2041–2060 and 2061–2080, were used. Safe work durations, before the threshold for core temperature (38.0 °C) or sweat loss (5% body mass) are attained, were then estimated for each scenario using the predicted heat strain model (ISO7933). The modelled time to threshold core temperature varied with location, climate scenario, and metabolic rate. Relative to the baseline (1986–2005), safe work durations (labour capacity) were reduced by >50% in Port Macquarie and Griffith and by 20–50% in northern Australia. Reaching the sweat loss limit restricted safe work durations in Clare and Griffith. Projected future climatic conditions will adversely impact the predicted heat strain and labour capacity of outdoor workers in Australia. Risk management strategies must adapt to warming conditions to protect outdoor workers from the deleterious effects of heat.

Dynamic control over protein function is a central challenge in synthetic biology. To address this challenge, we describe the development of an integrated computational and experimental workflow to incorporate a metal-responsive chemical switch into proteins. Pairs of bipyridinylalanine (BpyAla) residues are genetically encoded into two structurally distinct enzymes, a serine protease and firefly luciferase, so that metal coordination biases the conformations of these enzymes, leading to reversible control of activity. Computational analysis and molecular dynamics simulations are used to rationally guide BpyAla placement, significantly reducing experimental workload, and cell-free protein synthesis coupled with high-throughput experimentation enable rapid prototyping of variants. Ultimately, this strategy yields enzymes with a robust 20-fold dynamic range in response to divalent metal salts over 24 on/off switches, demonstrating the potential of this approach. We envision that this strategy of genetically encoding chemical switches into enzymes will complement other protein engineering and synthetic biology efforts, enabling new opportunities for applications where precise regulation of protein function is critical. Dynamic control over protein function is a central challenge in synthetic biology. Here the authors present an integrated computational and experimental workflow for engineering reversible protein switches; metal-chelating unnatural amino acids genetically encoded into two conformationally dynamic enzymes to yield robust switches.

The nitrogen cycle is one of the most important biogeochemical cycles on Earth because nitrogen is an essential nutrient for all life forms. To supplement natural nitrogen fixation, farmers add large amounts of nitrogen-containing fertilizer to their soils such that nitrogen never becomes a limiting nutrient for plant growth. However, of the nitrogen added to fields — most of which is in the form of NH 3 and NO 3 − — only 30–50% is taken up by plants, while the remainder is metabolized by soil microorganisms in processes with detrimental environmental impacts. The first of these processes, that is, nitrification, refers to the biological oxidation of NH 3 to NO 2 − and NO 3 − , which have low retention in soil and pollute waterways, leading to downstream eutrophication and ultimately ‘dead zones’ (low oxygen zones) in coastal waters, for example, the Gulf of Mexico. In a second process, namely, denitrification, NO 3 − and NO 2 − undergo stepwise reduction to N 2 O and N 2 . Substantial amounts of the N 2 O produced in this process escape into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and ozone destruction. Recent results suggest that nitrification also affords N 2 O. This Review describes the enzymes involved in NH 3 oxidation and N 2 O production and degradation in the nitrogen cycle. We pay particular attention to the active site structures, the associated coordination chemistry that enables the chemical transformations and the reaction mechanisms. Nitrification and denitrification are responsible for the processing of ammonia fertilizer, ultimately leading to the generation of environmental pollutants that accumulate in waterways and the atmosphere. This Review describes the enzymes involved in these processes, which fascinate with their unusual active sites and the surprising reactions that they catalyse.

To improve our understanding of hydrothermal activity on the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field, we collected and analyzed a large data set of δ2H, δ18O, and the 3H concentrations of circum‐neutral and alkaline waters. We find that (a) hot springs are fed by recharge throughout the volcanic plateau, likely focused through fractured, permeable tuff units. Previous work had stressed the need for light δ2H water recharge restricted to the northern part of the plateau or recharge during past cold periods. However, new data from the Y‐7 drill hole suggests that recharge is not restricted to a certain area or a cold period. (b) δ18O values of thermal waters in the geyser basins are shifted from the global meteoric water line by temperature‐dependent water‐rock reactions with higher subsurface temperatures resulting in a greater shift. (c) Large temporal variations in the isotopic composition of meteoric water recharge and small temporal variability in the isotopic composition of hot spring discharge implies that the volume of groundwater in, and around the Yellowstone caldera is substantially larger than the volume of annual water recharge. (d) Hot springs discharged through different rhyolitic units correlate with identifiable differences in δ2H and δ18O compositions, 3H concentrations, and water chemistry that imply equilibration at different temperatures and travel along different flow paths. (e) Based on measured 3H concentrations, we calculate that hot spring waters in the central part of the geyser basins mostly contain <2% post‐1950 meteoric water, whereas waters discharged at the basin margins contain larger fractions of post‐1950s meteoric water.