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Recordings of media briefings will be posted by 10 a.m. Eastern Time on each day. Watch recorded media briefings at: www.acs.org/ACSFall2023briefings.
Note to journalists: Please report that this research is being presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Posted Thursday, Aug. 10
Indicator of PFAS found in some — but not all —period products
Period products come in a variety of styles — liners, pads, tampons, cups and underwear — to help people feel comfortable during a menstrual bleed. But their labels don’t usually list the ingredients, so consumers don’t know what’s in their product of choice. Now, researchers have analyzed over 100 period products for fluorinated compounds, an indicator of potentially harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Their results show that while PFAS are absent from many products, they might be accidentally or intentionally added to others.
Graham Peaslee, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame
Monday, Aug. 14, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time
3D-printed vegan seafood could someday be what’s for dinner (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
In the refrigerated grocery store aisle, meat alternatives greatly outnumber plant-based seafoods. But more mock seafood options are needed because of unsustainable fishing and aquaculture practices, which can deplete the supply and harm the environment. Today, researchers present a new approach for creating desirable vegan seafood mimics that taste good, while maintaining the healthful profile of real fish. They 3D-printed an ink made from microalgae protein and mung bean protein, and their proof-of-concept calamari rings can even be air-fried for a quick, tasty snack. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/SeafoodMimics.
Dejian Huang, Ph.D.
National University of Singapore
Poornima Vijayan
National University of Singapore
Transforming flies into degradable plastics
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
Imagine using insects as a source of chemicals to make plastics that can biodegrade later — with the help of that very same type of bug. That concept is closer to reality than you might expect. Today, researchers will describe their progress to date, including isolation and purification of insect-derived chemicals and their conversion into functional bioplastics.
Karen Wooley, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University
Cassidy Tibbetts
Texas A&M University
Tuesday, Aug. 15, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Treating back-to-school ear infections without antibiotic resistance (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
“Back-to-school” season means buying pens and paper, figuring out the new bus route, and … earaches. Doctors typically treat these infections with antibiotics, but children don’t always complete the full course, accelerating resistance to these medications. Today, researchers report developing a single-use nanoscale system that’s unlikely to generate resistance. Using a compound similar to bleach in test animals, they show it can kill off one type of bacterium that causes ear infections, and it could someday be easily applied as a gel. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/Earaches.
Rong Yang, Ph.D.
Cornell University
Discarded aloe peels could be a sustainable, natural insecticide (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
Aloe barbadensis, commonly known as aloe vera, has been used for thousands of years to treat skin ailments, promote digestive health and heal wounds. But while aloe vera gel is in high demand, the peels are thrown away as agricultural waste. Today, scientists report that these peels, or rinds, can ward off bugs, acting as a natural insecticide. They have identified several bioactive compounds in extracts from the peels that deter insects from feasting on crops. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/AloePeel.
Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Microgreens and mature veggies differ in nutrients, but both might limit weight gain
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
Young vegetables known as microgreens are reputed to be particularly good for health. Now, researchers are trying to find out if microgreens — which can easily be grown at home — are the superfood they’re claimed to be, and how they compare to mature veggies. Results to date show their nutritional profiles differ, as do their effects on gut bacteria. Yet, tests in mice suggest that both microgreen and mature vegetables can limit weight gain.
Thomas T. Y. Wang, Ph.D.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Detecting risk of metastatic prostate cancer in Black men
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
To explore why prostate cancer disproportionately sickens and kills Black men, researchers are looking to another disorder, diabetes, which alters metabolism. They used this approach in a preliminary clinical trial and today report the identification of four metabolism-related biomarkers linked to an increased risk of metastatic prostate cancer in men of West African heritage. This discovery could lead to improved testing and treatments for these patients.
Sarah Shuck, Ph.D.
City of Hope
Wednesday, Aug. 16, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Sugars affect brain ‘plasticity,’ helping with learning, memory, recovery
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
Can you recognize someone you haven’t seen in years, but forget what you had for breakfast yesterday? Our brains constantly rearrange their circuitry to remember familiar faces or learn new skills, but the molecular basis of this process isn’t well understood. Today, scientists report that sulfate groups on complex sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) affect “plasticity” in the brains of mice. Determining how GAGs function could help us understand how memory and learning work in humans, and provide ways to repair neural connectivity after injuries.
Linda Hsieh-Wilson, Ph.D.
California Institute of Technology
Clever coating turns lampshades into indoor air purifiers
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
Indoor air pollution may have met its match. Today, scientists will report that they have designed catalyst-coated lampshades that transform indoor air pollutants into harmless compounds. The lampshades work with halogen and incandescent light bulbs, and the team is extending the technology so it will also be compatible with LEDs.
Hyoung-il Kim, Ph.D.
Yonsei University
What makes those pandemic-era sourdoughs so deliciously, uniquely, sour?
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
A few years ago, amid lockdown boredom, it seemed like everyone was perfecting their sourdoughs. A simple, fermented mixture of flour and water, the bread is powered by microbes that provide its one-of-a-kind tangy flavor. For over a hundred years, sourdough bread has been synonymous with San Francisco, where today, scientists will report that they’ve identified and quantified 21 key chemical compounds that make this bread taste and smell so unique. They’ve also compared the levels of the compounds in different breads.
Laura Sophie Eckrich
Technical University of Munich
Thomas Hofmann, Ph.D.
Technical University of Munich
Cleaning water with ‘smart rust’ and magnets (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
Pouring flecks of rust into water usually makes it dirtier. But researchers have developed special iron oxide nanoparticles they call “smart rust” that actually makes it cleaner. Smart rust can attract many substances, including oil, nano- and microplastics, as well as the herbicide glyphosate, depending on the particles’ coating. And because the nanoparticles are magnetic, they can easily be removed from water with a magnet along with the pollutants. Now, the team is reporting that they’ve tweaked the particles to trap estrogen hormones that are potentially harmful to aquatic life. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/SmartRust.
Marcus Halik, Ph.D.
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Lukas Müller
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Tubing and swimming change the chemistry and microbiome of streams
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time
With Labor Day approaching, many people are preparing to go tubing and swimming at local streams and rivers. These delightful summertime activities seem innocuous, but do they have an impact on these waterways? Today, scientists report preliminary results from the first holistic study of this question, which shows that recreation can alter the chemical and microbial fingerprint of streams, but the environmental and health ramifications are not yet known.
Carsten Prasse, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
James Ranville, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
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