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Chemistry

News and Updates

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Kathryn Beers Named Director of NIST’s Material Measurement Laboratory

May 6, 2024

Beers managed NIST’s Circular Economy Program, which supports the nation’s transition to an economy in which materials retain their value through repeated...

A researcher wearing a mask and gloves points at a computer screen showing graphs labeled "Mass Spectrometry Analysis Report."

New NIST Database of ‘Forever Chemicals’ Will Help Scientists Monitor Environmental Pollution

February 15, 2024

NIST has developed a first-of-its-kind database to help researchers identify and categorize unknown PFAS.

Historical photo shows Henry Moseley in a lab holding a glass globe on a stand.

Henry Moseley and the Periodic Table of the Elements

February 6, 2024

World War I, Gallipoli front, the allied forces consisting of the soldiers from Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand attacked and partly occupied the...

The graphic depicts a firefighter wearing protective turnout gear with a diagram of the three layers of the gear, which are the outer shell, the moisture barrier and thermal barrier.

Wear and Tear May Cause Firefighter Gear to Release More ‘Forever Chemicals’

January 16, 2024

Are firefighters at risk of increased exposure to cancer-causing chemicals in their protective clothing?

A researcher wearing a face mask gestures to a Christmas tree set up in a metallic box with a large spotlight shining on it.

Live Christmas Trees Affect Indoor Air Chemistry, NIST Researchers Find

December 22, 2023

Many families enjoy the fresh fragrance of a real tree. That smell comes from chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

A researcher leans close to an open boxlike device, handling small tubes and vials inside.

NIST Develops Human Urine Standard for More Accurate Diagnosis of Kidney Disease

December 7, 2023

The standard will improve clinical measurements and support decisions for diagnosing kidney disease.

New Frequency Comb Can Identify Molecules in 20-Nanosecond Snapshots

October 30, 2023

Laser-based system now has the ability to capture moment-to-moment details of high-speed processes such as hypersonic propulsion and protein folding.

A close-up of a virus particle shows spikes protruding from the particle's surface and blobby sugars that cling to the spikes.

New NIST Method Can Better Identify Sneaky Sugars on Viruses’ Spiky Weapons

September 28, 2023

A better picture of the sugars can increase our understanding of how humans get infected by the virus behind COVID-19 and other pathogens.

Woman in safety glasses stands next to an enclosed space with scientific equipment inside.

Spotlight: Postdoctoral Researcher Ana Morales and the Nanoscale Plastics Pervading Our World

September 21, 2023

Nanoplastics are shedding from places you might not expect, including single-use coffee cups and laundry.

Four small dark glass ampules stand on a lab table, market with skull and crossbones danger icons.

NIST Researchers Develop Standards to Help Eliminate ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Firefighting Foams

September 18, 2023

These foams contain chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have raised environmental and health concerns.

Pieces of salmon are being fed from a metal holder into the icy opening of a milling machine.

NIST’s Shrimp and Salmon Reference Materials Could Help Combat Seafood Fraud

September 8, 2023

Seafood fraud can happen when fish is incorrectly labeled for consumers as a more expensive variety.

Researchers Analyze THC in Breath of Cannabis Smokers

May 22, 2023

Distinguishing between recent use and past use remains an elusive goal.

Researchers Pin Down PFAS Prevalence in Firefighter Gear

May 1, 2023

The findings hint at potential solutions for safer equipment.

NIST’s NanoFab Reopens its Doors to Universities, Industry, and Research Institutions

April 3, 2023

In the Lilliputian world of nanofabrication, where billions of microscopic circuit elements are sculpted or imprinted on a fingernail-sized silicon chip...

A person in a baseball cap and face mask stands at a computer surrounded by scientific equipment, including a curving black plastic tube.

Animal Tranquilizer Floods Illicit Drug Markets in Maryland

March 16, 2023

NIST study shows alarming changes in the illegal drug supply.

NIST Director Laurie Locascio Elected to National Academy of Engineering

February 8, 2023

The recognition is one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

A graphical representation of a DNA biosensor device for clinical diagnostics that is the size and shape of a smartphone.

New DNA Biosensor Could Unlock Powerful, Low-Cost Clinical Diagnostics

January 24, 2023

The biosensor, developed by researchers at NIST, Brown University and the French research institute CEA-Leti, identifies biomarkers by measuring how binding...

Reliable Flow for Chip Makers

December 13, 2022

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have begun an ambitious project to attack a vexing problem in the semiconductor...

Molecules Have an Orientation, and Scientists Have a New Way to Measure It

December 8, 2022

Molecular orientation is key to designing better materials.

Research on the Rocks: Combining Neutrons and X-Ray Imaging, NIST Scientists Study Meteorites to Explore the Mystery of How Earth Acquired Its Water

November 3, 2022

Each year, hundreds of meteorites — rocky bodies left over from the formation of the solar system — bombard Earth, delivering minerals, metals and water to our...

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