Mar 21, 2008
Soft Option for Hard Water
Well, after a week of sinning, today’s post is more straightforward science news. First up, a soft test for hard water. Researchers in Spain have developed an inexpensive, reusable, and portable hard water sensor based on a fluorescing strand of DNA that could preclude the need for time-consuming titration and or laboratory-bound atomic absorption spectroscopy methods and so be used in the field.
Also this week, aqueous nanovalves. Researchers in the US have developed a new type of molecular nanovalve that can control the flow of small molecules trapped within porous silica spheres. the device could be used as a novel drug-delivery agent as it operates in aqueous conditions and responds to changes in pH.
Finally, in my spectroscopynow column, I discussed the cloudiness of ouzo, pernod, pastis, and related beverages. Now, the mechanism of the cloud formation has been revealed but I am still curious as to why those who imbibe such aniseed-based drinks get a second hit the morning after the night before, when they have a drink water. Anyone who understands what that is all about should leave their thoughts in the comments below.
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OMG lol
you 2 are very smart do you go 2 a smart school?
anyway im going 2 b getting back 2 doing my assignment ayy
xx sammii
The formation of this kind of system is rare in chemistry is what I meant, but yes my experience of ouzo drinking in Greece is that it most certainly leads to cloudiness.
db
If the Ouzo Effect “is a rare occurrence” then why are Ouzo drinkers so familiar with it, and how many times did researchers have to try to make it happen?
However, if adding water makes Ouzo cloudy, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if adding water to an Ouzo drinker makes them cloudy. :-)