chemistry Archives – Page 2 of 4

Every Breath You Take

The air we breathe is vital to our health. Researchers at the Department of Geosciences (University of Malta) are measuring how clean Malta’s air is. They are also optimising a model of the Mediterranean atmosphere to see how climate change will affect the Maltese Islands and their surrounding region. Words by Natasha Padfield. Photography by Jean Claude Vancell.

#science 2015 air atmosphere chemistry ciarlo climate change climate model desertification faculty of science Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations global warming HARMONIE hicklin Jean Claude Vancell malta natasha padfield noel aquilina physics Pollution RegCM4 respiratory disease Science 100 science100 secondary organic aerosols teleconnection The Science Issue university of malta VOC Volatile Organic Compounds weather prediction model

Magnets, Spinning Nuclei, and Light

An NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectrometer is a vital machine for the organic chemist. Using its powerful magnet the type, number of atoms, and how they are connected can be figured out. This is key for understanding the structure of organic chemicals such as drugs, pharmaceuticals, and those used in chemical computers.

#research 2015 chemistry david magri Environment Giovanna Boscia green chemistry nature nmr nuclear magnetic resonance organic chemistry Robert M. Borg toolkit UM university of malta UV light

Mecon

Mecon is an ongoing research project for the 2015 edition of the IASS EXPO, themed Future Visions which is to be held in Amsterdam between June and August 2015. The project is to design and build a structurally innovative, deployable pavilion in a bid to celebrate Future Visions in the field of engineering design and innovation. Mecon is the solution created by a team of five recently graduated architects.

#research #science Alex Torpiano chemistry Dion Buhagiar edward duca engineering Environment Future Visions IASS EXPO Joseph Grima Mecon SITC student technology think Think Magazine Think Website UM University university of malta

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have increased dramatically in the last few decades. Famous for causing global warming, CO2 is also resulting in the acidification of seas and oceans. This disturbs the rich life of the marine ecosystem, which affects human communities dependent on this environment for their livelihood. For islands like Malta and Gozo, this problem is particularly important. This ‘silent crisis’ has attracted the X-prize Competition organisers who have set a $2 million dollar prize to be awarded to anyone that can develop stable, inexpensive, and precise acidity (pH) sensors to help understand the acidification of marine environments. At the same time, a European COST initiative (Supramolecular Chemistry in Water) is encouraging the design of water-soluble molecules which can recognise analytes. Most chemical sensors do not perform well in water.Continue reading

2015 chemistry faculty of science malta maltese photochemistry RIDT SITC society STEPS Think Magazine Think Website UM university of malta

Connect the Dots

A new hallmark for graphene, the wonder material of the 21st century, has been found. It has a range of applications—from biomedical to new, smart materials. To gain a better understanding of this discovery, Claire Testa met metamaterials researcher Professor Joseph N. Grima and his team (Department of Chemistry, University of Malta). Photos by Elisa von Brockdorff.Continue reading

#research #science 2015 alumni Amazing chemistry Dr Attard faculty of science July Issue malta Prof Joseph N. Grima Research In Malta review think Think Magazine Think Website university of malta UoM

Chemistry for Medicine

Written by Kristina Farrugia

Kristina Farrugia, part of the research team. Photo by Jean Claude Vancell

In medicine a timely and accurate diagnosis can decide the chances of survival of a patient. Supramolecular Chemistry is a field that explores the design of intelligent molecules that can assist doctors when taking lifesaving decisions. These intelligent molecules can identify the type and amount of proteins in a patient’s blood or tissue that would indicate disease—in a similar method to blood glucose test strips.