Science in Action

Microplastics pose a problem for our environment, food supply and health. Yet it’s ingrained in our technology and the result of our waste habits.

Microplastics – tiny plastic particles smaller than 5 mm – from that shirt or car tires are seeping into our biosphere. We ingest, inhale and absorb these particles through our skin.

Vaidya and her team are developing methods of advanced water treatment that not only returns the wastewater to a healthy level, but raises the ground water level, and prevents land subsidence and seawater intrusion.

A common accessory - the plastic straw -  is contributing to a type of contaminant affecting our ecosystems, not to mention the human food chain.

Berezin turned his focus to imaging inflammation in the body – and how to locate it. That, he hoped, would eventually lead to the treatment of peripheral neuropathy and chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy in particular.

Alternative light sources are typically used in crime scene investigation and post mortem examinations to identify many forms of evidence.

This is the field of food science. Each food has its own unique food problem. And food scientists are responsible for designing ways to manufacture and preserve the quality and safety of those foods throughout its lifecycle.

“People strive to make devices faster and more energy efficient,” He said. “If we can study the fundamental properties and see if proposed materials would be suitable for these types of applications, it can help people design or make devices.”

A semiconductor manufacturer in the Silicon Valley faced a sizable setback. Something was contaminating its product, and the company halted production. That cost the manufacturer millions of dollars a day.

Large, land-based gas turbines are the worker bees behind energy production. These devices convert the heat from nuclear fuel, concentrated solar power and fossil fuels like coal and gas, into electricity.

Groups of researchers are taking a giant leap in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. They are applying an established technology ― Raman spectroscopy ― to biomedical research.

Aaron Celestian's research uses Raman and XRF Spectroscopy to discover which minerals to treat toxic waste with and heal our world.

Dave faced challenges managing the amount of dissolved organic material from its water source. Its main supply of raw water is the Delaware Raritan Canal. Rain events cause runoff, compounding the problem.

In less than two years, mankind will begin a journey that will open new doorways in its understanding of the universe.

Witkowski works for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He’s a chemist with the Trace Examination Section of the Forensic Chemistry Center. His job is to make sure the food, drugs and supplements you consume aren’t tainted or counterfeit, and he uses Raman spectroscopy to do that.

Watch the interview with Taylor Harvey, Ph.D., of Texas A&M University-Central Texas on Next Generation Photovoltaics

A Colorado group is tackling one of the largest issues facing us with some of the smallest materials known to mankind.

Scientists believe phenolic compounds, like those found in olive oil, can contribute to a lower rate of coronary heart disease and prostate and colon cancers.

Imagine reading a newspaper with an LED-like display that folds to fit in your pocket. 

Igor K. Lednev, Ph.D. is a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He has been developing the use of Raman spectroscopy for a variety of forensic applications.

A material unfamiliar to the masses may provide a huge leap in solar energy technology over the next few years.

The Indian River Sheriff’s Department in Vero Beach uses alternate forensic light sources for their investigations every day.

Gene Hall is a crusader. His mission is to find mislabeled food and dietary supplement products, and reveal them to the world.

Doctors can treat certain types of cancers with non-toxic light-emitting molecules, photosensitizers, and light. This is the essence of Photodynamic therapy, an up and coming treatment model for certain cancers.

Researchers have focused on the terrestrial system to identify the missing carbon, such as in rivers and glaciers. Baker’s group is focusing on groundwater.

How a team of nurses revolutionized the investigation of strangulation cases in the area of domestic assault.

Now, HORIBA Scientific has developed the perfect supplement for these highly capable research spectrofluorometers. 

Elemental Analysis is a process where a sample of a material is analyzed for its elemental and sometimes isotopic composition.