NEWS
NMR Imaging of Food Magnetic resonance imaging is a term that has become part of the public's common medical lexicon. However, the public is less familiar with nonmedical uses of NMR imaging, such as food processing. Nutritionists tell us that the less food is processed, the better it is for us; it generally tastes better, too. However, because of the gaps in our knowledge about how quickly food gets hot and how long it takes to kill bacteria, most food is overprocessed. Shelly Schmidt of the University of Illinois is using NMR imaging to understand what happens at certain temperatures as food is processed to kill bacteria and stop spoilage. If how fast food particles are getting hot and how long it takes to kill bacteria can be determined, time and temperature parameters can be adjusted to prevent overprocessing. Initially, food samples had to be taken during the actual processing and destroyed to determine the changes taking place. Because of refinements made by Paul Lauterbur of the University of Illinois, researchers can now produce and study microscopic 3D images of food as it is being processed. Schmidt and other researchers have used NMR imaging to study heat and mass transfer, composition, structure, and velocity profiles of liquids in food as well as fruit quality and abnormalities, and the percentage of edible oil in salad dressings.
A Washed Aquifer In the News in our April 1, 1992, issue, in "Washing an Aquifer," we reported on how John Fountain of SUNYUniversity at Buffalo planned to use surfactants (the active ingredient in laundry detergents) to remove dense nonaqueous-phase liquids (DNAPLs) from a contaminated groundwater aquifer in a procedure known as surfactant flooding. Once the DNAPLs are removed, standard pump-and-treat technology can clean the aquifer to return it to drinking-water-quality level in 10 years or less. From June 1991 to February 1993, a DuPont Co. chemical facility in Corpus Christi, TX, was used as a test site for this process. The problem DNAPL was carbon tetrachloride used in the production of plastics. The contaminated water was pumped to the surface, surfactants were added, and then the water was pumped back into the ground where the surfactants removed the carbon tetrachloride from the aquifer. "Chlorinated solvents used commonly in industry are denser than water, so they are particularly difficult to remediate," says Fountain. Although the procedure took 45 days to remove the DNAPL from one part of the aquifer, he notes that the speed of removal will depend on the hydrogeology of the specific area. Surfactant flooding allowed removal of DNAPLs at least 50 times faster than the rate that would have been
possible with the standard pump-and-treat procedure. The success of the DuPont site has led to additional pilot projects at facilities belonging to the Department of Energy, PPG Inc., and the U.S. Air Force. If successful, these projects should go full scale within two years.
Internet Reference Updated Edward Krol, assistant director of the Computing and Communications Services Office at the University of Illinois, is updating his book, The Whole Internet: User's Guide and Catalog. The book has been at the top of Publishers Weekly computer best sellers since June. An updated version, scheduled for publication early next year, is being prepared because of improvements made in facilities since the book was originally published and because some of the resources listed are outdated. The Whole Internet uses Unix, which is comparable to DOS, in all of its examples. The book is intended as a reference rather than as a tutorial, and even though it is written in a light, how-to style, it is designed for people who are serious about information retrieval. The updated version should be available early next year from O'Reilly & Associates, 103 Morris St., Suite A, Sebastopol, CA 95472 (707-829-0515).
MRS Database The Materials Research Society (MRS) and Synergistic Technologies, Inc., are compiling a database of materials scientists, their laboratories, and research topics that will be available in spring 1994. The Advanced Engineering Materials Research Profile (AEMRP) will focus primarily on the university and national laboratory communities. The goal of the project is to improve communication and cooperation between industry, academia, and government. Membership in the MRS is not required to be included in the database. To request a survey form, fax or send your name and address to AEMRP, c/o Synergistic Technologies, Inc., 6070-L Six Forks Rd., Raleigh, NC 27609 (919-676-0541; fax 919-676-0542).
For Your Information The ACS and the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) have agreed to become joint owners and publishers of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (J. Phartn. Sci.). William I. Higuchi, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Utah, has been appointed editor, effective January 1. Because of the copublishing agreement, the content of/. Phartn. Sci. will be modified and expanded to serve the needs of chemists and other scientists involved in pharmaceutical research. The APhA was founded in 1852 and has published the journal since 1912.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 65, NO. 24, DECEMBER 15, 1993 · 1067 A
