https://phys.org/chemistry-news/analytical-chemistry/ en-us The latest science news on analytical chemistry Metabotropic glutamate receptors, which are important but difficult drug targets, interact in surprisingly varied ways with their principal regulatory proteins, according to two new studies led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings represent a major step forward in understanding these receptors and how they can be targeted effectively to potentially treat conditions such as epilepsy, depression and anxiety disorders. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-hidden-receptor-interactions-failures-brain.html Biochemistry Mon, 14 Sep 2026 18:20:01 EDT news708617761 The trifluoromethyl group, or CF₃, is widely used in pharmaceuticals. When added to organic molecules, it can improve metabolic stability and membrane permeability, making it highly valuable in drug development. One useful way to introduce a CF₃ group is through the use of highly reactive CF₃ radicals. However, existing methods for generating these radicals often rely on expensive, corrosive or potentially explosive reagents and can produce unwanted waste. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-potent-greenhouse-gas-valuable-pharmaceutical.html Biochemistry Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:20:01 EDT news708618904 Researchers at Uppsala University have analyzed the color pigments in a historical painting signed "L daVinci." Most of the pigments are consistent with materials used during the Renaissance, while a more recent pigment appears to be linked to later alterations. The study demonstrates how materials science can provide new pieces of the puzzle behind the history of a work of art. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-davinci-analysis-reveals-renaissance-pigments.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:20:10 EDT news708609613 A "mixing" phenomenon between plastic layers that had been predicted only in theory for 40 years has now been experimentally confirmed. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-year-plastics.html Polymers Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:20:01 EDT news708607682 Researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with researchers from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of CAS, have developed a coumarin-linked covalent organic framework (COF) that enables high-efficiency photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-longer-lifetime-catalyst-solar-hydrogen.html Analytical Chemistry Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:00:08 EDT news708353091 RhoBAST is a tiny RNA molecule that activates fluorescent dyes, enabling researchers to track RNA molecules in living cells with super-resolution. An international collaboration, which includes Ronald Micura and his team from the Institute of Organic Chemistry, has now shown that a small, local "nucleotide flip" within the RNA controls this fluorescence activation. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-rna-nucleotide-fluorescent-dyes.html Biochemistry Fri, 11 Sep 2026 20:00:04 EDT news708352516 While chemical bonds usually determine the structure and properties of a material, bonds between neighboring metal atoms can also change as temperature or other conditions change. These changes can lead to unusual electronic and magnetic behaviors. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-unusual-bonds-magnetism-vanadium-material.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:20:04 EDT news708344402 Fluorinated waste, like that found in firefighting aqueous film-forming foam, can act as a significant environmental pollutant. Recently, James Tour's lab at Rice University developed a method to capture fluoride from these waste streams and recycle it into a useful reagent, silver fluoride, that could be used in other manufacturing processes. This process is published in Nature Chemical Engineering. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-electrical-pulses-pfas-valuable-silver.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 11 Sep 2026 13:00:07 EDT news708340878 Your favorite pair of tennies, kicks or trainers may soon become a little more sustainable. In a study published Sept. 11 in the journal Chem Catalysis, researchers developed a new kind of enzyme based on a bacterium found in compost that can degrade the polyurethane material in shoe foams. The results could one day help recycle plastic waste from shoes, mattresses, kitchen sponges and more. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-foam-genetically-tweaking-microbe-compost.html Polymers Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:00:04 EDT news708271082 Life in the deep sea is under immense pressure—literally. Such extreme conditions can disrupt the delicate structures of proteins essential to life. Yet somehow, the proteins in deep-sea creatures remain functional. This raises an intriguing question: how? https://phys.org/news/2026-09-pressure-deep-sea-protein-extreme.html Biochemistry Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:40:01 EDT news708264001 Anna Sheinberg, Ph.D. candidate in chemistry, is working with fellow researchers in Trinity College's Chemistry Department and at the Nasher Museum of Art to uncover new information about some of the ancient dyed textiles in the Nasher's collection. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-small-insects-ancient-textiles.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:12:08 EDT news708275499 Just a few atomic layers at the surface can strongly influence how effectively a material binds pollutants from water or how efficiently a photocatalyst responds to light. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP use X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the chemical states and interactions at the surfaces and interfaces of bio-based carbon materials and organic-inorganic hybrid materials. Their insights can support the targeted development of functional materials for future industrial applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ray-photoelectron-spectroscopy-reveals-surface.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:00:01 EDT news708187302 From targeted cancer treatments to self-healing materials and microscopic robots, many emerging technologies depend on molecules that can be controlled with light. Researchers at Tohoku University have now developed a way to make these light-responsive molecules much more sensitive to visible light by using a molecular antenna. The breakthrough gives scientists better control over molecular photoswitches remotely and potentially expands their use in medicine and advanced materials. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-molecular-antennae-sensitive.html Biochemistry Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:40:01 EDT news708183301 Chemists in a new study led by the University of Iowa report they have isolated and described in detail an atypical state of the rare-earth metal terbium, an advance that could expand its use in quantum technologies, including computing and advanced sensors. The study, "Structural and spectroscopic characterization of a Tb(IV) polyoxometalate," is published in the journal Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-terbium-elusive-emerges-ordinary-lab.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:10:04 EDT news708191101 As a liquid that is easily stored and transported, ammonia (NH3) is an attractive carrier for hydrogen, which is used in fuel cells, semiconductor manufacturing, chemical processing and other applications. However, breaking ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen typically requires high temperatures, and the resulting gas mixture must undergo additional purification before the hydrogen can be used in many applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-electrochemical-pure-hydrogen-ammonia-substantially.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:00:12 EDT news708174962 Hydrogen-powered cars, power stations and portable chargers all rely on fuel cells. At the heart of each fuel cell is a catalyst that speeds up the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. These catalysts are typically made of platinum—which costs nearly as much as gold. Researchers from Southern Federal University, together with colleagues from Skoltech (part of the VEB.RF Group), the Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Bauman Moscow State Technical University, have found a way to make this key component both cheaper and better. They developed a catalyst from a five-metal alloy that retains its activity even after 10,000 operating cycles. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fivemetal-alloy-scientists-ultrastable-catalyst.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:00:06 EDT news708170137 In research published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, the electronic structures of organic molecules containing sp2-hybridized carbons in organic solvents were studied using C K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), termed "Soft-XAS-OS." https://phys.org/news/2026-09-soft-ray-absorption-spectroscopy-molecules.html Biochemistry Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:40:03 EDT news708155528 Cyclopropanes are organic chemistry's smallest rings. Three carbon atoms are joined in a triangle, creating a compact and unusually strained structure. Despite—or partly because of—this unusual geometry, cyclopropanes are found in many biologically active natural products and have important applications in medicines and drug discovery, from antidepressants to antibiotics and antiviral research. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-tiny-molecular-ways-medicines.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:20:04 EDT news708104401 Drug discovery has traditionally followed the "rule of 5," which identifies chemical properties generally associated with good absorption of orally administered drugs, including a molecular weight below 500 daltons (Da). However, some pharmaceutical compounds fall outside these guidelines. Known as beyond rule of 5 (bRo5) molecules, these compounds can have larger, more complex structures while still exhibiting strong therapeutic activity and favorable pharmacological properties. Their size and structural complexity, however, make it difficult to characterize them using conventional methods, particularly when very small quantities are available. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-crystalline-sponge-reveals-large-molecules.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:00:07 EDT news708097381 University of Missouri researchers have discovered a new way to harness one of the body's natural defenses: copper. While copper is essential for life and helps power important biological processes, having too much of it can be toxic. To keep copper levels in balance, cells rely on specialized proteins that regulate where it goes and how much is present. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-harness-copper-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:20:12 EDT news708081541 Packaged food usually sits in plastic-lined bags designed to keep air, moisture and contaminants out. That same protection can also increase the chances of chemicals from the packaging seeping into the food. When a chemical raises health concerns, industries often swap it for a molecular cousin, a substitution that may either be genuinely safer or simply be too understudied to know whether it is harmful. With thousands of chemicals in use, one-by-one regulation can't keep pace, so untested replacements can slide through unchecked. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-screening-flags-food-packaging-chemicals.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:00:09 EDT news707998019 Copper has been knocked off the top of a stability ranking it had dominated for decades. Without altering the atoms directly bonded to the metal, a KAIST research team reversed the longstanding trend in which copper generally forms the most stable complexes by tuning only the weak hydrogen bonds in its surrounding environment. The findings, which appear in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could open new avenues for selective metal separation and recognition, as well as catalyst design. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-weak-hydrogen-bonds-dethrone-copper.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:00:01 EDT news708004262 A common blue pigment could help turn carbon dioxide (CO₂) from an industrial waste product into a useful fuel. A joint research team led by Tohoku University's Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), in collaboration with Hokkaido University and startup AZUL Energy, has developed a catalyst that converts CO₂ directly into methane (CH₄) with high efficiency using copper phthalocyanine, an inexpensive and readily available blue pigment. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-inexpensive-blue-pigment-enables-efficient.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:40:02 EDT news708001141 University of California, Davis, researchers have stripped down LSD to the base features responsible for its hallucinogenic and therapeutic effects. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-lsd-reveals-features-linked-hallucinogenic.html Biochemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:00:10 EDT news707742302 Applying pressure to luminescent organic crystals usually brings molecules closer together and weakens their fluorescence. Materials that instead brighten and undergo a large color change are rare, and clear design principles for achieving both responses in simple, rigid aromatic hydrocarbons have been lacking. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-slender-crystal-blue-yellow-invisible.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 14:40:04 EDT news707999521 Certain chemical substances, broadly called luminogens, have an inherent ability to emit light. Most fluorescent molecules emit light in solution but lose their emission in the solid state, where the molecules aggregate. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-small-molecular-substitutions-reshape-energy.html Analytical Chemistry Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:30:01 EDT news707573895 The human body and its gut microbiome produce thousands of small molecules that shape how the body functions—influencing immunity, metabolism and more. Identifying what those molecules actually are has been one of the biomedical sciences' most persistent bottlenecks. More than 80% of compounds detected in a typical biological sample cannot be matched to any known structure using current methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-tool-hidden-universe-small.html Biochemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:00:01 EDT news707746802 Researchers from Kanazawa University, the University of Tokyo and HORIBA, Ltd. have shown that the initial state of platinum-on-carbon (Pt/C) catalyst particles before they are mixed with an ionomer strongly influences how a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) catalyst ink subsequently develops. The paper is published in the Chemical Engineering Journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-catalyst-fuel-cell-ink-dispersion.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:20:04 EDT news707747882 Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a fast, simple way to turn lignin, a plentiful plant-based byproduct of the papermaking industry, into potentially more valuable renewable chemicals. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-droplets-paper-higher-chemical-compound.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 14:40:06 EDT news707739841 Researchers have been elucidating the structures of complex molecules for more than 100 years using a variety of techniques. Some molecular structures, however, are more difficult to solve than others. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ultrafast-sample-protein-dizzying-proportions.html Biochemistry Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:40:01 EDT news707736781