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Salts with melting point below 100 degree Celsius and typically comprising of a heterocyclic nitrogen-containing organic cation and an inorganic anion and liquid at room temperatures are known as room-temperature ionic liquids. They are being used in several applications varying from nucleoside chemistry, biosensors, organic solvent nanofiltration, rocket propulsion, lubrication, mineralogy and the activities in the field are continuously growing.

The first-ever European Chemistry Congress, which took place at Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary, attracted 2,348 industrial, academic, and governmental chemists and molecular scientists from 57 countries. The Congress is the result of the growing need felt by the European chemists to enter into partnership with other science groups related to chemistry and the molecular sciences, and it aims provide a showcase for chemical sciences in Europe.

A new organization established by the British government, Chemistry Innovation Knowledge Transfer Network aims to improve innovation performance in the country's chemistry-using industry by using cutting edge technology and research. This would boost the competitiveness of UK's chemistry using industries in the global market and would help in development of new technologies and products.

ACHEMA 2006, the international trade fair for the chemical process industries held in May 2006 in Frankfurt, Germany substantiated the claims that nanomaterials is a rapidly growing big business. Man-made nanostructures are being specifically built to interact with biological systems for particular medical or biological applications, however there are increasing concerns about health, safety and environmental issues relating to nanoparticles.

ACHEMA, a German acronym for the chemical engineering exhibition and congress, held once in three years in G, provides a platform for presenting the latest developments in chemical industry, pharmaceutical and food industries, energy production, biotechnology, environmental technology, materials technology and laboratory techniques. The trade fair, organized by the Frankfurt-based German Society for Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology (DECHEMA), is a mega event in more ways than one.

The way polymer molecules organize on the nano scale in a solid has large influence on the macroscopic properties of the material as it determines if the solid is crystalline, semicrystalline, or amorphous while also influencing the mechanical, optical, electronic and other physical properties of the material. Thus controlling properties at the nano level and translating them into the macro level would enable to realize applications of these nanostructured materials.

Advanced organic and inorganic materials being developed for separations offer a number of advantages over other gas separation technologies such as improve gas and vapor selectivity, offer environmental energy and cost benefits. The gas separation membranes are currently used in industry for hydrogen separation, separating nitrogen from air, CO2 and water removal from natural gas and organic vapor removal from air or nitrogen streams.

The opportunities for the designing polymers and developing polymerization processes that are safe, prevent pollution and are more efficient in the use of materials and energy are presented. One of the major initiatives focuses on utilizing renewable and environmentally safe starting materials obtained form agricultural, animal, and microbial resources for the synthesis of a wide range of bioplastics.

Fluorous chemistry has reached beyond traditional organic chemistry into other realms such as supramolecular chemistry, biology and medicine. One of the key features of fluorous chemistry is the use of fluorous tags tethered to non-fluorinated domains of molecules.

The influenza vaccines that are available and provide protection is discussed where the inactivated flu vaccines are found to protect 70-90% of healthy adults from the flu but are less effective among the elders. New flu strains emerge, evolve, and replace old strains continuously making influenza a complex and dangerous disease.

Ionic liquids due to their unique physical and chemical properties are finding increasing application for performing organic reactions. Some of the advantages are that they are good solvents for organic, organometallic and inorganic compounds, product recovery is easier and the catalysts can be recycled.

John Brophy, former general manager of corporate research at BP Chemicals, England reported that chemical industries will adopt Microchannel reactors in plants that will benefit lower investment costs and more efficient energy use. Microchannel reactors consist of stacks of closely spaced thin plates designed to form microchannels with specific dimensions, regularity, and connectivity in the spaces between the plates.

The issues highlighting the supply of drinking water and the pollution of water resources were the focus of CHEMRAWN XV, the latest in the chemical Research Applied World Needs series of international conferences. The major objective of CHEMRAWNXV was to discuss the way in which chemistry and chemical engineering could help tackle problems relating to the distribution of water, its purification and analysis, waste treatment, and water pollution.

The Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI) was set up in 2000 to advance the country's technological and economic credentials by creating quality technology-based companies who would work with university researchers towards advancing scientific knowledge and an entrepreneur-friendly environment. Biotechnology and information and communications technology (ICT) research will be concentrated on initially to maintain and consolidate Ireland's current strong hold on these sectors.

Ionic liquids are not only employed as solvents for various types of polymerization, but are also used to dissolve polymers and to create new polymer composites. The liquids have generated increasing interest as potential designer solvents for clean technologies because they have no detectable vapor pressure and are thermally stable and nonflammable.

The report published by the London-based Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) declared that thinking 'green' should be integral to the teaching, research and practice of chemistry in academia and industry. The RSC project manager stated that green chemistry involves promoting the design of environmentally benign processes that minimize or eliminate the use of toxic substances and maximizes overall efficiency through the reduction of unwanted by-products, especially toxic materials.

At the recent joint meeting of the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry and the Canadian Society for Chemistry in Ottawa, Canada, papers were presented that show that metals containing organic materials offer potential applications in a wide variety of areas, including: molecular electronics, nanolithography, catalysis, photonics, and biosensing.

Louis Pasteur?s separation of tartrate enantiomers (1848) is believed by many chemists to be the most beautiful experiment. Second to this was Antoine Lavoisier?s research into the oxidation of metals. Eight other historic experiments are listed.

ACHEMA (acronym for chemical engineering exhibition and congress) is a trade show sponsored by the German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (DECHEMA). The 27th such show featured new developments within chemical engineering, environmental protection, and biotechnology. This article provides an overview of this Frankfurt trade show.

Researchers in the U.K. and the U.S. presented research papers at the recent ACS conference discussing recent discoveries in the field of polymerization techniques. A potentially important development was the creation of a new class of materials called polymer brushes that react to their environment.

Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, professor of natural sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, stated that controlled radical polymerization (also called living radical polymerization) is possibly the most dynamically developing area within polymer science, and possibly even chemistry. The field could generate $20 billion yearly. Beginning 10 years ago, almost 1,000 papers are published yearly on this topic.

The article discusses the 300th anniversary of Cambridge University's chair of chemistry, established in 1702. The chair can be traced back to its association with alchemy and pharmacy.

In this industry overview summarizing reports presented at the American Chemical Society meeting, new techniques for manufacturing and using polyelectrolyte multiplayers are evolving.

With decreasing funding from the federal government, some university chemistry departments have been forced to either cut back research or, in extreme cases, close the entire department. What funding that is received by the universities is allocated competitively across the university. Other pressures are also being put on these departments.

The article discusses the 38th biennial International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Congress in Brisbane, Australia. The agenda for the Congress focused on materials chemistry for the future, chemistry by computer, challenges for drug discovery and development in the 21st century, environmental chemistry, and modern synthetic chemistry.

Researchers are exploring the viability of heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenations.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh developed room-temperature, easily recyclable ionic liquids that can be used instead of organic solvents.

Scientists continue their research into finding methods of preventing further water pollution and building deterioration in the city of Venice.

The German Chemical Society and the American Chemical Society jointly sponsored a symposium for young chemists of both countries to share cutting-edge research.

This article discusses ACHEMA 2000, a chemical engineering exhibition and congress held in Frankfurt, Germany.

The national meeting of the American Chemical Society provided a symposium to discuss the past and future uses of polymers.

The Center for Nanoscience, located in Munich, Germany, promotes research in the field of nanotechnology by combining disciplines in physics, biophysics, biology, engineering, and chemistry.

A push to develop the possibility of chemical analysis on microchips is being looked at by several companies. Caliper Technologies and Hewlett-Packard have formed an alliancewhich will invest $20 milion in the first year to commercialize the technology. The pharmaceutical industry is also keenly aware of the benefits of the technology, which is being referred to as microfabrication. Benefits include a reduction in waste, disposability, and more specific results.

The concept embodied in artificial photosynthesis has drawn the attention of chemical experts around the world due to its potential benefits. By designing artificial chemical capable of generating reduction potential from the sun's energy, scientists may be able to exploit full benefits of the solar energy. Through artificial photosynthesis, experts may not only be able to develop alternative oil and gas products, but discover a new line of pharmaceutical products, as well.

Structural reforms are underway in China's academic research sector, hoping to position the country into technological preeminence by the year 2050. Leaders of the nation's academic research organizations believe that the government's response to the increase in student population, the need to increase research and development spending and the incentives for researchers are some of the key issues which will determine the success of the structural overhaul. The China Academy of Sciences plans on streamlining its 123 research institutes to only 80 by the beginning of the year 2000.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, otherwise known as Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich, draws chemists from various countries to conduct cutting-edge research. The institute houses some of the most prominent scientists worldwide and has adequate provision of research support. The institute allows the scientists to follow their own research interests.

British and French researchers working on low-melting point ionic systems maintain that these solutions can act as broad spectrum solvents that have significant environmental benefits. Belfast research team leader Kenneth Seddon maintains that these solvents are nonvolatile and that they have no measurable vapor pressure. Seddon maintains that their ionic system's liquid range of 300 degrees centigrade.

Recent advances in fluorescent-photoinduced electron-transfer sensors are projected to have a significant impact on how sensors are being employed in the everyday applications and is expected to bring down the costs of monitoring industrial, medical and environmental processes. The concept of fluorescent sensors are for these chemical compounds to emit light in the presence of a target substance and switch off the light emissions when the target leaves the monitoring site. The molecular basis of these sensors enable the tracing of small amounts of the target substances.

Scientists at the institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences have to contend with financial deficiencies which severely limit research activities. The Russian scientific community has had to struggle with the problem since the breakup of the Soviet Union which has left them with budgets some 10 time lesser than in the Communist era. In addition to meager salaries, scientists have to contend with inadequate funding for equipment, materials, and science journals.

Members of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry pledged to carry out a number of feasible projects and set up mission-oriented goals as the union undertake a major organizational restructuring. They are also pushing for high-quality activities relevant to current events and seeks to revise some of its old-fashioned standards. These improvements are initiated as a response to various criticisms.

The DECHEMA sponsored Achema 97, which was held in June in Frankfurt, Germany, represents the chemical industry's efforts to show the evolution of chemical technology. The trade congress holds advances in information technology that will enable the speedier production of innovations because of CD-ROM technology. Achema 97 also exhibits advances in production capacity and efficiency in the industry particularly in the fields of biotechnology and the biopharmaceutical sector. The exhibition had more participants compared with that of Achema 94.

A document issued by five prominent figures in German science urges the federal government to capitalize on investments in research and development programs. The notice also demands the state to increase the allocation of educational institutions, particularly those universities which are centers of research. Germany's economic crisis has greatly affected its research and development funding, falling from a budget of about $9.4 billion in 1996 to less than $8.9 billion in 1997.

European research in the fields of chemistry, physics and electro-optics is driving the improvement of liquid crystal display (LCD) performance. Currently, it is oriented towards enhancing the viewing angle, response time, brightness and manufacturing of LCDs. Besides Philips Research Laboratories, other researchers include Rolic Ltd. of Basel, Switzerland, which is working on deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystals, and the UK's Merck Ltd., which is developing new liquid crystal mixtures.

The art of brewing beer has existed as early as 3,000 years ago but researchers have not stopped to find ways to improve its quality and lower processing cost. Current research in the UK and elsewhere focuses on five factors, namely, cost, quality, health, safety and variety. There is a continuous search for better raw materials which could affect four characteristics that distinguish one beer from another, namely, color, clarity, foam and flavor.

The notorious reactivity of fluorine, which reacts explosively with water and other substances, was tamed by a team of British scientists. The prereactive complex between fluorine and water was studied by isolating a molecular complex formed by a molecule of water and a molecule of fluorine before they could react. The structure of the reagent pair was analyzed through the pulsed-nozzle Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy, an activity meant to stabilize potentially reactive chemical reagents in a low-temperature environment as provided by a rapidly expanding gas jet.

The Southampton Oceanography Centre at Empress Dock, UK, conducts ocean surface and depth research and is the country's biggest single investment in marine studies. The center, which was opened on Apr. 17, 1996, by Prince Philip, features a research aquarium, laboratories, temperature-controlled and pressure test facilities. It is also equipped with modern oceanographic devices such as the Towered Ocean Bottom Instrument seafloor survey system, sensors and a range of robotic vehicles.

A group of chemistry researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK is convinced that filled nanotubes will lead to the advent of highly advanced catalysts and biosensors for a variety of and commercial industrial applications. The researchers contend that recent advances in carbon nanotube technology will allow the accurate detection and measurement of a wide rannge of biological molecules. Some of the promising applications of this new technology include use in electronic devices and improved magnetic tapes.

The explosions that wrecked the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine on Apr. 26, 1986, created long-term health effects which are still being felt by people exposed to radiation caused by the accident. A dramatic increase in the incidence of cancer was observed in Ukraine and surrounding areas after the accident and authorities fear that this will continue for the offsprings of the accident victims. This situation underscores the need for humanitarian assistance that will enable the Chernobyl victims to cope with their predicament.