We want to know what you think was the most significant chemical moment of this past year! Vote in our poll, and we’ll report what you thought was most important on our Anniversary Episode, which will go live on Friday, 26 December.

Please click here to participate!

Monday, December 1, is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. In honor of this campaign, Distillations is considering global health. First, we take a look at how silver can be used as an antimicrobial agent, specifically in a low-cost water filtration system. Then we talk to Seema Shah, a bioethicist and lawyer affiliated with the National Institutes of Health, about the ethics of conducting clinical trials in developing countries. Finally, we learn about the Meningitis Vaccine Project and the quest for an affordable vaccine.  Element of the Week: Silver.

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:58 Element of the Week: Silver
02:59 A Conversation with Seema Shah
07:54 Mystery Solved! Affordable Vaccines
11:27 Closing Credits

Resources and References

To learn more about silver as an antimicrobial agent, check out this article from Medical News Today, published in 2005.
For more about the Meningitis Vaccine Project, look here.

Credits

Special thanks go to Dominique Tobbell for researching the show.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network. Additional music is “Malaika,” by Marimbas from Mother Africa, “Africanimba,” by Incidental Fusion, and “Moon Over Mohabi – African Chant,” by Al Phlipp and the Woo Team.

This week’s image is courtesy of the World AIDS Campaign.

Nothing is more important to parents than the health of their children, and advances in chemistry and pharmaceuticals have made it possible for children to receive the best care that science has to offer. However, chemical hazards in everyday life still pose hidden risks to children. On this week’s show, we’ll take a look at a common drug that may have latent side effects for children. Next, CHF’s Jody Roberts talks with ecologist and author Sandra Steingraber (pictured above) about the potential chemical hazards in our environment that can affect children’s health. And finally, Sarah Reisert will explain the danger that could be lurking in the plastic of your baby’s bottle in Chemistry in your Cupboard. Element of the Week: Lithium.

Listen now (streaming file)
Download (11.5 MB MP3 file)

Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
00:58 Element of the Week: Lithium
02:49 A Conversation with Sandra Steingraber
08:38 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Bisphenol A
11:18 Closing Credits

Resources and References

Visit Sandra Steingraber’s Web site to learn more about her and her work.
The EPA offers information about environmental hazards that could be putting your family at risk.
Check out the Complete Children’s Health Web site for ways to reduce BPA exposure.

Credits

Special thanks go to Jody Roberts for researching and to Eleanor Goldberg for writing the show.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network. Additional music is “The Cool Lullabye,” by Catya Maré, “Lullabye,” by Dr. Awkward, and “Duermete Nino Columbian Lullaby,” by LucyTunes Lullabies.

Photo of Sandra Steingraber copyright Frank DiMeo/Cornell University.

Mmm…tasty! Eating is one of life’s simple pleasures, but the chemical process behind it is actually quite complex.  Balancing the right minerals with good taste is no easy matter. This week Distillations snuggles in with a hot bowl of soup and an episode about the chemistry of eating. We follow Aries Keck on her search for the elusive “fifth taste”—umami. Then we read an 18th-century poem about the lush taste sensations in the West Indies. Element of the Week: Magnesium.

Listen now (streaming file)
Download (10.9 MB MP3 file)

Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:50 Element of the Week: Magnesium
02:56 Mystery Solved: Umami
07:14 Poetry Reading: “A General Description of the West-Indian Islands.”
11:17 Closing Credits

Resources and References

Read more about umami and MSG in “A Taste Sensation” from the Fall 2008 issue of Chemical Heritage magazine.
Get your full dose of magnesium at the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Healthlink web site.
Find out the recommended daily intake of all sorts of chemicals from the Institute of Medicine.

Credits

Special thanks go to Audra Wolfe for researching the show.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network.  Additional music is “Fridge Full of Food,” by the Nancy Drews, “Seinfeld Cure Talk Show Theme,” by Podcast Troubadour, and “Falling,” by Under Feather.

This week’s image was uploaded to stock.xchng by fueltank.