Detecting pesticide residues will soon be quick and safe
Chemicals, like pesticide residues for instance, are ubiquitous. So finding a simple and cheap technique to identify them is important.
Stay updated with breaking news from Ronald Hites. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Chemicals, like pesticide residues for instance, are ubiquitous. So finding a simple and cheap technique to identify them is important.
My journalist-as-guinea-pig experiment is taking a disturbing turn. A Swedish chemist is on the phone, talking about flame retardants, chemicals added for safety to just about any product that can burn. Found in mattresses, carpets, the plastic casing of televisions, electronic circuit boards, and automobiles, flame retardants save hundreds of lives a year in the United States alone. These, however, are where they should not be: inside my body. Åke Bergman of Stockholm University tells me he has received the results of a chemical analysis of my blood, which measured levels of flame-retarding...