https://phys.org/chemistry-news/analytical-chemistry/ en-us The latest science news on analytical chemistry Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from TU Wien and Soochow University in China has developed a novel catalyst that can convert nitrate from wastewater into ammonia much more efficiently than before—powered by sunlight and about 1.5 volts. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-gold-mxene-catalyst-nitrate-ammonia.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:00:08 EDT news704544061 Researchers at the University of Warwick and spinout company Verdel Instruments have successfully demonstrated two-dimensional mass spectrometry (2DMS) on a benchtop instrument, making this powerful technique practical and affordable for everyday laboratory use. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-advanced-mass-spectrometry-technique-free.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:20:02 EDT news704531582 A research team led by Dongwoo Lee, an associate professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), and Yanhui Liu of the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has developed a new electrical resistivity-based indicator for rapidly screening alloy compositions with high glass-forming ability. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-indicator-metallic-glass-discovery.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 28 Jul 2026 18:00:06 EDT news704457804 Nitrate contamination originating from agricultural runoff, industrial wastewater and municipal effluents is a growing global environmental problem. At the same time, ammonia has emerged as a key chemical feedstock and an attractive carbon-free energy carrier for a sustainable society. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-cuco-catalyst-nitrate-pollution-green.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:00:03 EDT news704467682 Seoul National University (SNU) College of Engineering announced that a research team led by Professor Jeong Woo Han of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has developed a new nanostructured catalyst with up to 14.4 times the greenhouse gas decomposition performance of conventional commercial catalysts. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-nanomace-catalyst-boosts-greenhouse-gas.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:40:04 EDT news704458089 Complex simulations—the most intricate of their kind to date—carried out by an international research team led by scientists at Heidelberg University's Institute for Physical Chemistry, have revealed how water governs the way protons move through it. Using their modeling, researchers from Cambridge (U.K.), Bochum, Dijon (France) and Heidelberg were able to trace, in full quantum detail, the movements of a proton shared among six water molecules. At its core, the work addresses how a proton moves through water: not as a single particle drifting along, but by "hopping" from one molecule to the next. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-local-asymmetry-proton-molecules-simulations.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:40:04 EDT news704385621 Biomolecular condensates are ubiquitous in living cells, including bacteria, viruses, plants and mammalian systems. These membraneless bodies, or molecular communities made up of DNA, RNA and proteins, are where molecules large and small within the cell come together to coordinate various biochemical reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-biomolecular-condensates-reveal-catalysts.html Biochemistry Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:40:05 EDT news704371561 Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have found that today's leading artificial intelligence tools for predicting protein structures routinely generate results that are physically and chemically impossible, exposing critical blind spots in how AI is being applied across scientific research. The work, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, serves as a cautionary reminder that AI still requires human oversight and physics-based verification to produce reliable results in the lab. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ai-tools-protein-chemically-impossible.html Biochemistry Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:20:03 EDT news704370361 Modern research on secondary metabolites from microbes, plants and marine organisms has revealed a remarkable diversity of chemical structures and bioactivities with broad applications in biotechnology, agriculture and medicine. Most natural products are composed of primary biogenic elements such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-explores-rare-atom-natural-products.html Biochemistry Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:00:04 EDT news703857232 Anticancer prodrugs have attracted significant attention from the medical and scientific communities in recent years because of their potential to improve treatment precision while reducing side effects. These drugs are engineered to remain inactive until they are activated at specific sites or under particular physiological conditions within the body, at which point they release their therapeutic effect. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-gold-catalyzed-chemical-reaction-advances.html Biochemistry Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:20:03 EDT news704118241 Chiral molecules can exist in left- and right-handed forms. Although these mirror-image forms may look almost identical, they can behave very differently in chemical reactions, biological systems and advanced materials. Preparing one mirror-image form in high purity is therefore an important goal in chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-recoverable-molecular-helper-synthesis-highly.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:20:01 EDT news704036822 An international collaborative research group led by Professor Bong June Sung of the Department of Chemistry at Sogang University and Professor Shinji Saito of the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), and the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, has elucidated, at the molecular level, how lithium ions move within organic ionic plastic crystals (OIPCs)—which are attracting attention as solid electrolytes for next-generation batteries. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-lithium-ions-sprint-faster-molecular.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:40:11 EDT news704031901 Chemists have demonstrated that neutral chalcogen-bond donors can induce asymmetry in chemical reactions, addressing a challenge that has limited the development of chalcogen-bonding catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-neutral-catalysts-chalcogen-bonding-asymmetry.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:40:05 EDT news704026561 As the world faces new and often untreatable viral threats, Simon Fraser University researchers have found a way to cut years off the time it takes to discover antiviral drugs. The new research enables scientists to quickly create large libraries of nucleoside analogs (NAs), compounds that mimic the building blocks of DNA and RNA and are widely used to treat cancer and viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-driven-chemistry-method-antiviral-compound.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:20:01 EDT news703948201 Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have become a standard in modern devices with incredible contrast and sleek designs. While initially an expensive luxury, OLEDs are gradually becoming more financially accessible as the technology improves. Now, researchers at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM) at Nagoya University and the Institute for Advanced Study at Kyushu University have combined quantum chemistry with machine learning to identify new materials for blue OLEDs for incorporation in next-generation ultra-high-definition displays. Their research was published in Angewandte Chemie on July 21, 2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ai-quantum-chemistry-combine-efficient.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:20:01 EDT news703945861 Semiconductor surfaces can generally be studied only with considerable experimental effort, for example, in an ultrahigh vacuum. To more easily gain new insights into their properties and the possibilities for targeted modification, scientists at Heidelberg University have developed a molecular model for the so-called "buckled dimer" using synthetic and computational chemistry methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-molecular-semiconductor-surfaces.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:00:06 EDT news703944422 Controlling how oxygen reacts is important for improving technologies such as batteries, fuel cells and environmentally sustainable chemical processes. A research team led by professor Seung Jun Hwang from KAIST's Department of Chemistry has developed a molecular system capable of directing oxygen activation along a selected electron-transfer pathway. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-chemists-molecular-platform-oxygen-reaction.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:40:07 EDT news703940761 Penn Engineers have developed PeptiVerse, an AI-powered platform that predicts key chemical and biological properties of peptides, strings of amino acids whose medical potential has been demonstrated by the success of GLP-1 drugs, widely used weight-loss treatments. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-source-ai-key-peptide-traits.html Biochemistry Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:30:01 EDT news703867621 Bacteria have spent decades evolving resistance to virtually every antibiotic we have thrown at them. To stay ahead, new drugs must hit targets that existing antibiotics have never touched. A research team at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) has now developed a series of synthetic drug candidates that do exactly that: By blocking an essential molecular supply system, these molecules cut off the bacteria's supply of essential vitamins and starve them to death. The team published its findings in two studies in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-antibiotic-candidates-starve-resistant-bacteria.html Biochemistry Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:00:05 EDT news703858081 Rare earth elements like lanthanum, neodymium and dysprosium are used to build the electric motor in your car, the LED lights in your house and the MRI machine at your doctor's office. But first, they have to be mined and separated from each other. Historically, that purification has been a difficult, costly process, relying on huge amounts of toxic chemicals. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-atomic-channels-rare-earth-elements.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:50:03 EDT news703866242 Controlling interactions between molecules and their functions from the molecular level to the macroscopic scale is challenging in supramolecular and materials chemistry. To this end, a research team led by associate professor Yosuke Tani from WPI-ITbM at Nagoya University and Keisuke Wada from Kyoto University designed a vapor-controlled, reversible host–guest chemistry system that controls the optical and physical properties of a functional molecular liquid (FML)—nonvolatile fluids that can feature optical, electronic and catalytic properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-vapor-supramolecules-phase.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:00:03 EDT news703855021 From ocean waves and flowing rivers to the systems used to transport and treat water, vibrations are everywhere. But can vibrations do more than just shake water? Can they split water or drive the production of useful chemicals from water? A research team led by Professor Sai Kishore Ravi from the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has successfully demonstrated how mechanical vibrations can be harnessed to drive the production of useful chemicals from water. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-vibrations-fuels-chemicals-piezosynthesis.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:20:01 EDT news703782601 Chemists use single-electron transfers to synthesize complex, ring-shaped molecular structures found in many drug candidates and advanced materials, but current techniques still have limitations. A new study, accepted for publication in Nature, describes a technique that could steer these chemical reactions in ways that were previously limited by the redox potentials of the involved molecules. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-driven-chemistry-electron-redox-limits.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:40:03 EDT news703772249 Advances in medical technology have improved health in part by bringing key aspects of care, once difficult to access, into the home. Tracking symptoms and even screening for certain types of illness outside of a laboratory or clinical setting puts more control into the hands of patients. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-airpods-sized-fluorescence-analytical-device.html Analytical Chemistry Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:00:03 EDT news703496954 In just one course, Georgia Tech student Diya Godavarti helped develop a tool that could improve workers' responses to chemical spills or open containers. Godavarti, then a second-year chemical and biomolecular engineering (ChBE) student, joined a course on chemical equity focused on reducing chemical exposure in vulnerable communities. The class, part of Georgia Tech's Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program, embeds students in long-term research teams that span disciplines and semesters. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-students-chemical-safety-everyday-exposures.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:00:01 EDT news703346280 Chemists from Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg have achieved an important research success in the fight against resistant bacteria. The team led by scientist Professor Dr. Dieter Schinzer from the Institute of Chemistry has succeeded in producing key building blocks of the naturally occurring substance Neosorangicin A in the laboratory for the first time. This means it is now possible to develop Neosorangicin A in a targeted manner as a promising reserve antibiotic candidate to combat antibiotic resistance in the future. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientists-relay-synthesis-key-blocks.html Biochemistry Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:00:03 EDT news703420167 When researchers screen potential tuberculosis drugs, they often end up with too many options. Some look promising but later prove to be costly dead ends. "We might get thousands of compounds from a screen and then have to decide which one are we going to work on?" said James Sacchettini, Ph.D., the Rodger J. Wolfe-Welch Foundation Chair in Science, Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist and professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and College of Arts and Sciences Department of Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-tuberculosis-drug-discovery-smarter-ai.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:40:03 EDT news703497108 Medicinal plants have long been a cornerstone of Philippine traditional medicine, dating back generations. Tawa-tawa, a low-growing herb that thrives in open grasslands, is a valued supplementary treatment for dengue; the gel of the succulent aloe vera can help soothe a scraped knee; boiled guava leaves help disinfect wounds; tea from yerba buena helps relieve minor aches and pains; and ampalaya helps manage diabetes. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-herbularyo-card-game-blends-filipino.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:40:03 EDT news703497139 A novel measurement cell allows, for the first time, soft and hard X-ray investigations under pressures of up to 20 bar and temperatures of up to 400°C. This provides new insights into thermocatalytic processes, such as Fischer–Tropsch synthesis for producing synthetic fuels. The development of the measurement cell is considered a significant achievement within the Care-O-Sene project. The findings are published in the journal Photon Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-bessy-ii-sample-environment-glimpse.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:20:07 EDT news703340361 As interest in clean hydrogen power grows, so does the need for safe storage and transportation materials. One such material, vanadium, is a leading candidate because it readily absorbs hydrogen and allows it to move through its crystal structure. However, hydrogen displays varying behavior in the presence of vanadium, with the underlying cause remaining unclear. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-secret-hydrogen-quantum-behavior-symmetry.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:03 EDT news703173465