Articles by Sean
Flash Point, Autoignition and Fahrenheit 451
“That ethanol you spilled has a flash point of 57 °F; your clumsiness will set the room on fire!” An improbable scenario, actually. We often mistake flash points of substances for their autoignition temperature, the temperature at which they will catch fire spontaneously. Ethanol has an autoignition temperature of 689 °F, much hotter than any laboratory environment. What’s the difference between flash point and autoignition temperature? And which temperature is Ray Bradbury referring to in Fahrenheit 451? […]
The Billion-Dollar Counterfeit Drug Industry
In any industry where demand outstrips supply, there are bound to be impersonators and fakes. Not long after the Romans first started to discover and collect Greek statues, imitations quickly began to flood the market. Similarly, the pharmaceutical industry is a target for fraudsters hoping for a lucrative share of the sales. Unlike forged art, however, counterfeit medicines can lead to serious illness—even death—for consumers. […]
Aromatherapy is Probably Useless, Perhaps Even Dangerous
Essential oils for aromatherapy have become rather popular in recent times, where the ‘essence’ of all that is good in plants is captured and inhaled to relieve stress and even treat diseases. However, there is little evidence supporting aromatherapy as a form of medication. On the flip side, the dangers of highly concentrated chemicals in essential oils are rarely publicized. Don’t let plants (and crooked businesspeople) pull their leaves over your eyes. […]
Why Are Organic Compounds White?
Someone commented on one of our Instagram posts that the only reason they had studied chemistry was because of the ‘amazing colors’. While this is solid motivation for many of us, an organic chemist might find it harder to relate. Most small organic molecules are either a white powder or are colorless crystals. For a science that is known to be filled with color, we take a look at why some of these organic compounds refuse to conform. […]
Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) Enzymes: Meet the Family
Metabolism is described as the series of chemical reactions required to sustain life. When it comes to drug metabolism, no one processes these chemicals better than the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) family of enzymes. Understanding key enzymes within this superfamily—including CYP2D6, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4—is essential to drug design. Were you expecting The Incredibles? Sorry, not that superfamily, but cytochrome are super nonetheless! […]
Sean is a consultant for clients in the pharmaceutical industry and is a lecturer at a local university, where unfortunate undergrads are subject to his ramblings on chemistry and pharmacology.
