July/Aug 2006: ACCN, the Canadian Chemical News

ACCN JULY/AUGUST | JUILLET/AOÛT • 2006 • Vol. 58, No./no 7

l�actualité chimique canadiennecanadian chemical news

Freedom to Conduct ResearchDetecting Chemical Warfare Agents

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Ar ticles

Fatty Acid Signatures in FishApplications of chemometrics and marine lipids in ecology and food science

Suzanne M. Budge

All in the BalanceCould further investigation into global and regional atmospheric water balances mitigate the effects of climate change?

Bruce Peachey, MCIC

No Trespassing�Part IIEvaluate your freedom to conduct research.

Carol Yip, MCIC

Detecting Chemical Warfare AgentsNew chemical sensing technology promises safety and portability.

Brian Cross

Guest Column Chroniqueur invité . . . . . . 2Crossing the Imaginary LinesCathy Cardy, MCIC

Letters Lettres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Personals Personnalités . . . . . . . . . . . 3

News Briefs Nouvelles en bref . . . . . . . 4

Chemfusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Joe Schwarcz, MCIC

And in Regulatory News … . . . . . . . . . 17

CIC Bulletin ICC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

NCW News Nouvelles de la SNC . . . . . . 20

Student News Nouvelles des étudiants . . . 21

Events Événements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Employment Wanted Demande d’emploi . . 25

ACCN JULY/AUGUST | JUILLET/AOÛT � 2006 � Vol. 58, No./no 7A publication of the CIC | Une publication de l�ICC

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s | T a b l e d e s m a t i è r e s

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Cover photo: Cox Bay, Vancouver Island, BC. Photo by Michelle Piquette

2 L�ACTUALITÉ CHIMIQUE CANADIENNE JUILLET/AOÛT 2006

Editor-in-Chief/Rédactrice en chefMichelle Piquette

Managing Editor/Directrice de la rédactionHeather Dana Munroe

Graphic Designer/InfographisteKrista Leroux

Editorial Board/Conseil de rédactionJoe Schwarcz, MCIC, chair/président

Cathleen Crudden, MCICJohn Margeson, MCICMilena Sejnoha, MCICSteve Thornton, MCICBernard West, MCIC

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Recommended by The Chemical Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, and the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the official position of the Institute, or of the societies that recommend the magazine.

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As the first female chair of the CIC, I would be remiss not to comment on diversity. Our 61-year history has

been built on strong leadership and commit-ted individuals. I look forward to meeting the challenge and providing a new footprint (although with a high heel). I would also like to provoke a discussion on the reality or perception of the role women play in the 21st century.

Sally Ride was the first female astronaut. Although retired, she continues to promote science awareness to young women through a program she created called, “Imaginary Lines.” The program’s goal is to teach science as a program of choice. Young women are given the opportunity to see what science is all about and to dispel some of the myths con-cerning women with careers in science. This successful program continues to grow strong as more young minds break easily through the barriers that we once encountered.

This encouraged me to reflect on my own experience. I believe concepts from the late 20th century such as the “glass ceiling” are gone. Perhaps memories of these imaginary lines are still with us. Are women in science focusing on the past? If the reality of a glass ceiling is gone, are we living under the shad-ows within our own career choices?

The CIC is a thriving institution. The chemical technology programs have, for many years, attracted women and the num-ber of female chemistry undergraduates is increasing. The number of women enrolled as chemical engineering undergraduates has grown in the later 20th century, but has stalled over the last five years.

As our education system seems to be roll-ing in the right direction, why is it that career paths seem to be stalled? Is it possible we, as women, are impeding ourselves? Are there obstacles we choose not to cross? Some per-ceived obstacles reveal worthwhile oppor-

tunities. When afforded the proper tools to meet the challenges, these opportunities can enable us to cross the imaginary line.1. Failure to prime. Do you ensure that you

are on top of the current issues? Do you promote your peers and ensure that your team is well-recognized and the pump well primed? Good leaders surround themselves with a strong team. Do you take advantage of our publication, ACCN?

2. Failure to prune. Do you take the oppor-tunity to ensure you are recognized for your contributions? Accentuate the posi-tive. Never apologize if you need to leave early to take a child to a doctor’s appoint-ment. State the report will be done by the next day, prior to any deadline. There is no need to emphasize leaving early today to tend to your child’s needs if everything is on schedule.

3. Develop talent for the present and future. Do you accept feedback with candor and consideration and take prompt action rather than procrastinating to take care of the issue? Do you develop yourself profession-ally by taking workshops? Do you maximize conference workshop opportunities?

4. Keep up to the flow. Top talent is owned by an organization, and businesses must encourage, promote, and provide individu-als opportunities to develop professionally. The better the development, the more likely the talent pool will be raided—and the more the upcoming talent wants to be part of your pool. A successful career can only be defined

by the individual. If you believe you are hit-ting a glass ceiling in your organization, ask yourself if this is reality or perception. Can you make a few adjustments and cross the imaginary line?

GUEST COLUMN CHRONIQUEUR INVITÉ

Crossing the Imaginary Lines

Cathy Cardy, MCIC, is chair of the CIC.

Cathy Cardy, MCIC

Perception vs. reality on the subject of diversity

JULY/AUGUST 2006 CANADIAN CHEMICAL NEWS 3

PERSONALS PERSONNALITÉS

des six facultés et de l’École des sciences de la gestion .

Adrian Brook, FCIC, has earned a world-wide reputat ion for his research in organosilicon chemistry. In recognition of his work, he was granted an honorary doc-tor of science degree from the University of Toronto on June 9, 2006.

David Wardlaw, MCIC has left Queen’s University as the chemistry department chair and taken on dean of science at The University of Western Ontario as of July 1, 2006.

GovernmentNSERC announced the official opening of its second regional office. Located in Winnipeg, MB, the office will serve the three Prairie provinces.

“This is the second of five regional offices that NSERC is establishing across Canada,” explained NSERC president, Suzanne Fortier , FCIC. “Through this new office, NSERC will be able to keep in closer touch with the research being conducted across the Prairies, building stronger ties with local communities and facili-tating access to NSERC programs.”

Ray Hoemsen heads the new office. “We want to promote science and engineering in this region and celebrate the successes achieved by researchers and innovators at universities, colleges, and private firms throughout the Prairies.”

DistinctionDaniel Motyka, Douglas Reeve, FCIC, Larry Seeley, MCIC, and James Smith, FCIC, joined the ranks of 20 new members recently appointed to the Canadian Academy of Engi-neering. The ceremony took place in Ottawa, ON, on June 16, 2006, in conjunction with the Academy’s Annual General Meeting 2006. Pres-ident Kathleen Sendall commented that “the Academy sets extremely high standards in con-sidering new nominees for membership. The appointees for 2006 represent a truly outstand-ing group, who have significantly enhanced the profession of engineering in Canada.”

IndustryNOVA Chemicals announced that A. Terence (Terry) Poole, executive vice-president of corporate strategy and development, elected to retire on June 30, 2006. Poole was with NOVA Chemicals and predecessor compa-nies since 1988. Larry MacDonald, CEO of NOVA Chemicals, will assume the additional responsibilities of corporate strategy and business development for the company.

Chemtura has appointed Robert S. Wedinger as vice-president and general manager of process chemicals and polymers. His respon-sibilities will include the Royalene EPDM and rubber chemicals portfolio.

University

Sept diplômés de l’UQAM ont reçu, lors d’un gala en leur honneur, les Prix Reconnaissance UQAM 2006. Ces prix visent à souligner leur contribution exceptionnelle au développe-ment et au rayonnement de leur secteur d’études, de leur sphère d’activité profession-nelle et de l’université, à l’échelle nationale ou internationale. Daniel Boismenu , respon-sable, Unité de recherche en spectrométrie de masse et protéomique, Centre d’innovation génome Québec et Université McGill (B.Sc. chimie 1979, M.Sc. chimie 1982), s’est vu décerné le prix de la Faculté des sciences pour son important apport dans le développe-ment de nouvelles techniques de recherche. Les Prix Reconnaissance UQAM 2006 ont été attribués aux lauréats par les doyens

Daniel Boismenu

LETTERS LETTRES

Chemists�Stand Stronger!

Many excellent points have been made in the ACCN May 2006 guest column. However, the CSC and chemists, working together, must take a stronger position. Chemists must take steps to professionalize (as in P. Chem.) with all the rights, privileges, and indeed, sanc-tions for unprofessional activity that come with such a designation.

The Nova Scotia Chemists’ Society is taking steps to professionalize chemistry in NS, fol-lowing other groups, often necessary as a means to rein in those who do not practise their profession responsibly.

Your columnist admonishes, “CSC members must take public positions on these issues and publish … unbiased, truly scien-tific information, etc.” Without professional designation and/or official affiliation and credentials, I see no reason for the public to believe a chemist over a journalist.

It is from TV crime dramas that the public gets the majority of its exposure to the so-called “science expert,” chemist, or otherwise. This has become so serious that the U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the effect of shows such as “CSI” on its abil-ity to obtain convictions.

Gordon Boyce, MCIC

Now�s Our Chance

The Globe and Mail, which refers to itself as Canada’s National Newspaper, recently ran a series of articles about the toxic chemicals to which we are exposed every day and the harm that results. I was somewhat less than satisfied with the information provided and have been checking every day since that series appeared, looking to see a response from the CIC on behalf of the members. A few years ago, the CIC contracted a consultant to survey the feelings of the members. The over-whelming response was that the members wanted the CIC to speak out on their behalf. Since the CIC represents the chemical profes-sion in Canada, this would be an excellent opportunity for the CIC executive to take an active role in ensuring that Canada ’s National Newspaper is provided with a balanced view about perceived chemical risks.

Marvin Silbert, MCIC

DID YOU KNOW? Copies of the ISO International Standards can be purchased on the StandardsStore.ca Web site at www.standardsstore.ca/eSpecs/index.jsp?language=en? The Web store is a joint initiative between the Standards Council of Canada and IHS Canada.


NEWS BRIEFS NOUVELLES EN BREF

AERI�s Fuel Cell Research ProgramThe Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI) will establish a fuel cell research program for the conversion of stranded industrial hydrogen to electricity. This initiative will support the systematic investigation, evaluation, and development of “impure” hydrogen fuel cell technology under the auspices of the Western Canada fuel cell initiative, a network of western Canadian universities work-ing on fuel cell and related technologies. Research will be carried out at the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, and the Alberta Research Council.

Western Economic Diversification Canada

Canada Aims High with Biofuel Strategy The federal government wants a nationwide biofuel strategy. The federal-provincial-territorial meeting on renewable fuels was recently held in Regina, SK, to announce the federal government’s strategy for biofuels. The meeting brought together three ministers

from the federal government, including Environment Minister Rona Ambrose , and provincial and territorial counterparts.

Ambrose used the meeting to launch the government’s five percent biofuels strategy for Canada, a commitment made during the election campaign . “This is a very ambitious timetable that we have set out, but we know it is reachable. It is achievable and we are making clear commitments in showing clear action to reach that target by 2010,” said Ambrose.

She said there is a will to move forward with a five percent target. Some provinces, including Saskatchewan, would like to see a higher tar-get. From a national framework perspective, it is important to recognize there are some regions in the country that don’t have the capacity to reach the five percent level, which in itself is ambitious. The U.S. is planning to reach four percent renewable fuel content by 2012, and the European Union hopes to be at a 5.75 percent renewable content by 2010.

One issue that arose during the meeting was the ability of the domestic biofuels industry to provide the ethanol, biodiesel, or other renewables required for the target. Some fear that there could be a flood of U.S. corn-based ethanol coming into Canada to meet the rising demand. Ambrose said the federal government has made a commitment to producer involve-ment in order to address this issue. There are also concerns about compet-ing with U.S. subsidies. The federal government is looking at incentives for the domestic industry. Ambrose also pointed out that the U.S. cur-rently does not have sufficient ethanol supply for its target. This could create opportunities for Canadian producers to export material.

There will be meetings of the federal, provincial, and territorial depart-ments of environment, agriculture, and energy over the next few months. The timetable calls for the development of a framework or template on the mandate near the end of this year.

The renewable fuels strategy is being developed primarily to address environmental issues. Renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, have the potential to improve air quality and reduce emissions of green-house gases (GHG).

According to the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, the new bio-fuel strategy would deliver a minimum 4,000 kt/yr reduction in GHG emissions and create 1,500 to 2,000 direct jobs in rural areas. It would also require $2 to $3 billion in private capital investment, develop a value-added market for at least 200 million bushels of grain, and create a hedge against rising petroleum prices.

Camford Chemical Report

Name ChangeFuel Cells Canada, the national industry association for Canada’s hydrogen and fuel cell sector, announced that it has changed its name to Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada. The new name more accurately reflects the interests of the association’s membership. Founded in 2000, the association is internationally recognized as the collective voice for Canada’s hydrogen and fuel cell industry. Its members are developing and commercializing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, components, systems supply and integration, fuelling systems, fuel storage, as well as engineering, business, and financial services required by the sector.

Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada



Prix Phénix de l�environnementLe Centre d’études des procédés chimiques du Québec (CÉPROCQ), un centre de transfert de technologie affilié au Collège de Maison-neuve, s’est vu décerné un prix Phénix de l’environnement dans la catégorie Recherche et développement, pour le projet : « Projet de développement d’un extracteur pour le traitement de contaminants organiques et inorganiques en solution dans l’eau ».

Le CÉPROCQ, dont le mandat est d’aider les petites et moyennes entreprises dans leurs projets de recherche et développement

dans les domaines des technologies de l’environnement, des procédés manufactu-riers, de la chimie et des biotechnologies , a créé un filtre extracteur qui permet le traite-ment de contaminants organiques et inorga-niques en solution dans l’eau. Le CÉPROCQ s’est ainsi attaqué au problème du traitement des eaux moyennement polluées ou qui con-tiennent des substances intéressantes à ex-traire, un créneau encore inoccupé. En effet, il existe déjà des techniques pour traiter les eaux faiblement ou fortement chargées mais, entre les deux aucun recours efficace et économique n’avait encore été développé.

Le filtre offre une technologie par-ticulièrement prometteuse puisqu’il peut servir à maints usages. Il est parfait pour

une clientèle ayant de petites quantités de liquides à traiter et dont les moyens finan-ciers sont limités.

Depuis deux ans, le filtre a passé avec succès une batterie de tests et il est prêt à entrer en phase d’essais industriels. Déjà, il a suscité un intérêt en Chine et ailleurs dans le monde. Fabienne Biasotto, chercheure, rappelle que le procédé sera très utile pour l’industrie de la fermentation, par exemple, pour filtrer les substances produites par les micro-organismes. De plus, le filtreur pourra servir à traiter les eaux usées dans l’industrie du placage ou celle des métaux précieux.

Collège de Maisonneuve

Photo by Ali Taylor



Entec to Distribute Dow PlasticsDow Chemical announced that Entec Poly-mers has become an authorized distributor of Dow’s broad thermoplastics portfolio in Canada and the U.S. This authorization expands Dow’s relationship with Entec, an operating unit of Ravago and one of Dow’s largest global distributors.

“Selecting the right distribution partner means providing our customers with greater supply flexibility and access to additional industry expertise,” said Mike Ginn, Dow’s

ICISsearch On-Line Buyer�s GuideKellysearch.com is the world’s largest B2B vertical search engine. Along with Interna-tional Chemical Information Services (ICIS), it has announced the launch of ICISsearch. Simplifying the sourcing process for the chemical industry, users can now search for more than 40,000 commercially available chemicals using a chemical abstracts services (CAS) number, the globally recognized num-ber for chemical classification. “The new CAS number search function reduces the ambiguity of search results for the global chemical industry,” said Julie Mason, general manager of Kellysearch.com. “Depending on where in the world you are, one chemical may have a different name or different spelling, creating the potential for a very dangerous situation. The only way to guarantee that the product you’ve located on-line is indeed the product you were searching for, is by using a universally accepted numbering taxonomy such as the CAS number system.”

The ICISsearch on-line buyer’s guide does not require companies to pay to register its

products and company information. Histori-cally, only advertisers were included in the chemical industry buyer’s guides, limiting access to many chemicals, products, and ser-vices. With ICISsearch, chemical purchasers can now source products from around the globe, from ammonium nitrate (6484-52-2) to zinc sulfate (7733-02-0), using a CAS number or a product, service, or company name. For more information about ICISsearch please visit www.icissearch.com.

Kellysearch

North America distribution and channels sales director for plastics. “With Entec’s unique combination of distribution, com-pounding, recycling, and reselling capabili-ties, we are very confident that it will de-liver a high level of customer service and expertise to injection molders, blowmolders, and extrusion processors across Canada and the U.S.”

The agreement expands the number of options that manufacturers currently have for accessing Dow’s resins portfolio through-out Canada and the U.S. It also strengthens Entec’s offerings in the region.

“Growing our relationship with Dow is another critical milestone in developing Entec to be a premier resin source for fabri-cators in Canada and the U.S.,” said David Der Hagopian, president and CEO of Entec. Entec Polymers is one of the largest resin distributors operating in North America, distributing more than 1.6 billion pounds of resin annually and employing 88 sales representatives. Entec operates under the Entec name in Canada and the U.S., and under GeoChem International in Mexico and Central and South America.

The Dow Chemical Company



Catalysis Celebrated at Ottawa UThe role of catalysis as a major driving force for the high standard of living enjoyed in Canada cannot be overstated. Catalysis is an enabling technology in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, both major drivers of the Canadian economy. Catalysis also plays a key role in clean energy (e.g. fuel cells) and environ-mental protection (e.g. catalytic converters). The value of catalysis to the North American economy is estimated to be US$1 trillion annu-ally. Catalysis is involved in some 90 percent of current chemical processes, cutting a broad swath across the fuels, polymers, materials, and pharmaceutical industries.

Based on its traditional strength in this research field, the University of Ottawa has selected catalysis as a strategic area of devel-opment, and created the Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation (CCRI) in 2000. Since its inception, this multidisciplinary centre has made tremendous strides toward achieving its vision of becoming a centre of excellence in catalysis on a global scale. The CCRI is

comprised of more than 130 researchers in-cluding 19 principal investigators from three faculties—science, engineering, and medi-cine. Current research within the CCRI encom-passes all of modern catalysis. The infrastruc-ture provided through CFI funding is allowing the CCRI to produce direct benefits to society through the catalytic synthesis of potential pharmaceuticals and drug intermediates, de-sign and fabrication of innovative catalysts for the synthesis of new polymers with controlled architecture and functionality, environmental catalysis, energy-related catalysis, and reactor engineering for catalysis and biocatalysis. The unique combination of researchers in the CCRI creates a climate of innovation and interdisci-plinary collaboration in catalysis, resulting in powerful synergies between organic, organo-metallic, inorganic and physical chemists, biochemists , and chemical engineers.

The successful 2003 ORDCF ($1.8M) and 2004 CFI/OIT ($15.5M) grants provided funds to build an 18,000 square foot modern facility that will house a leading edge instrumentation for rapid development of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts and catalytic processes . The official opening of the new

Grand opening of the new CCRI facility. Front row: Howard Alper, HFCIC, VP Research; Abdel Sayari, MCIC, director of the CCRI; Javier Giorgi, MCIC, member of the CCRI. Back row: Barry Sharpless, The Scripps Research Institute; Jacques Vedrine, ENSCP, Paris; Richard Schrock, MIT.

CCRI facility took place on May 11, 2006. This event was attended by more than 250 peo-ple. The technical program consisted of four lectures presented by world-leading catalysis researchers including two Nobel Laureates in Chemistry. These lectures are listed below and are available on the CCRI Web site at www.science.uottawa.ca/ccri/ccri.htm.• Richard R. Schrock (2005 Nobel Laureate ),

“Catalytic Reduction of Dinitrogen to Am-monia at Room Temperature and Pressure at a Sterically Protected Single Molybde-num Center.”

• Gabor Somorjai, “Frontiers of Catalysis Science in the 21st Century. The Science of Selectivity and the Merging of Het-erogeneous, Homogeneous and Enzyme Catalysis.”

• Jacques Védrine, “Nanoparticles in Heterogeneous Catalysis. Nano Oxides for Selective Oxidation of Light Alkanes. A High-Throughput Approach.”

• K. Barry Sharpless (2001 Nobel Laureate), “The Secret Life of Enzymes.”

Abdel Sayari, MCIC

Canada Research Chair, director of the CCRI


CHEMFUSION

Have you ever washed yourself with the remains of a primitive multi-celled animal? You probably have.

It’s called a sponge. It is, or I should say was an animal. But all that remains is the skeleton. Luckily, it’s soft. It’s made mostly of a substance called spongin—essentially a network of protein molecules that may har-bour small amounts of calcium carbonate and silica as well as trace amounts of vari-ous minerals. Of course, the most interesting property of spongin is that it can absorb large amounts of water.

This useful property of sponges was well known in ancient times. The Greeks and Romans scrubbed their houses and padded their armour with sponges. Babies sucked on honey-soaked sponges. Not a great thing for the teeth but it apparently kept the kids quiet. Roman soldiers commonly used sponges for drinking by dipping them into water, or into a common wine bowl, and squeezing the liq-uid into their mouths. In the Middle Ages, the soporific sponge became popular. A regular sea sponge was soaked in a sleep-inducing mixture that contained opium, hyoscyamus (better known as henbane), mulberry juice, lettuce seed, hemlock, mandrake, and ivy. Morphine found in opium, atropine in hen-bane, scopolamine in mandrake, and coniine

in hemlock can all induce sleep. In the wrong dose, they can induce sleep permanently. The sponge soaked in this mixture was allowed to dry, and water was added to reconstitute the sleep concoction when it was needed.

There was another fascinating medical use of sponges that was popular until the 1800s. Goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland was treated by giving the patient the ashes left over when sponges were burned. This un-doubtedly worked in cases where the goiter was due to iodine deficiency. Sponges contain iodine, which is required by the thyroid gland to make its hormones.

Throughout history, sponges have been harvested from the Mediterranean. Sponge div-ers were always a unique breed, first training themselves to hold their breath for fantastic lengths of time, later devising various sorts of diving gear. Some of the greatest archeological discoveries were made by sponge divers.

In America, sponge diving has centred in the little Florida community of Tarpon Springs. It was founded by Greek sponge divers and still retains its Greek flavour. The diving business unfortunately has had its ups and downs. In 1947, huge amounts of sponges were wiped out by the “red tide,” a natural disaster charac-terized by the blooming of microscopic algae that release potent poisons know as saxotox-ins. But the business did recover and today sponges can be purchased on every corner in Tarpon Springs. Commercial sponges are cleaned of all the animal cells until only the skeleton remains. Then they are bleached to make them yellow.

Modern science is the main problem now faced by sponge divers. Chemists have developed synthetic sponges, mostly made of cellulose or polyester, which far surpass natu-ral ones in performance. They can hold up to 25 times their weight in water—several times as much as a natural sponge. They are more uniform, they are stronger, and generally stand up to wear better. But the natural sponges are more resistant to bacteria. Indeed, some an-tibiotics have been extracted from sponges. Still, whether using a natural or synthetic sponge, care should be taken to prevent bacte-rial contamination . Although we cannot see them, numerous microbes lurk in the kitchen, ready to pounce and make us sick.

Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona has extensively studied microbes around the home. In one experiment, he examined 15 homes, swabbing for bacterial samples at 14 different sites in each house. Sinks, fau-cets, cutting boards, and refrigerator handles had all kinds of potentially disease-causing bacteria. But in terms of contamination, dish cloths and sponges were the worst! Incred-ibly, they harboured a million times as many bacteria as toilet seats. Gerba suggests this is because people commonly use disinfectants in the bathroom while in the kitchen they use mostly soap and water, which are less effective against viruses or bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. However, the toilet seats had fewer bacteria even when no dis-infectants were used, probably because they are generally dryer. What is Gerba’s solution? He advises using one part bleach to 16 parts of water to wipe anything that has contact with food on a daily basis. For dishcloths and sponges he recommends adding a cup of bleach to a sink full of water and soaking for ten minutes. Routinely putting sponges in the dishwasher also works and if you don’t like either of these ideas, you can always nuke’ em for about two minutes in the microwave. Just make sure they are moist to start.

The synthetic sponge industry has attacked this problem in a different way. An antisep-tic known as triclosan has been incorporated into sponges. While triclosan can reduce the numbers of bacteria in the sponge, some concerns have been raised about the use of this substance.

Scientists had assumed that biocides such as triclosan, unlike antibiotics, are non-spe-cific and are effective against all kinds of bacteria. Their mode of action, namely the destruction of bacterial cell membranes, was thought to be similar to that of alcohol or bleach. Since all bacteria were thought to be affected equally, the development of bac-terial resistance was not seen as a potential problem. But now it seems that resistance is a possibility. Researchers at Tufts Univer-sity in Boston, MA, have shown that triclo-san actually works by blocking the activity of an enzyme that bacteria use to make the fats they require. It seems the gene that codes for this enzyme can mutate after exposure to

Joe Schwarcz, MCIC

Consider the Sponge Continued on p. 17


FATTY ACID SIGNATURES IN FISHSuzanne M. BudgeApplications of chemometrics and marine lipids in ecology and food science

When you say “lipids and fats,” most people think of those few extra pounds they are carrying around. Some think of how much trans fat is in their food. But when I think

of lipids, what first comes to mind are the many ways they can be used in scientific research—particularly in marine applications.

Marine lipids have an incredibly diverse range of structures. Most are composed of constituent fatty acids (FA). These FA typically have between 14 and 24 carbon atoms and up to six double bonds at various positions throughout the chain. It is this variety of FA structures that forms the basis of a number of interesting research directions involv-ing marine fats. Three areas of FA research that particularly interest me involve food web structure, lipid oxidation, and food authenticity.

Food web elucidation

One common application of marine FA is in the elucidation of food webs. These types of studies are possible for two reasons: (1) micro-scopic algae produce a number of FA that animals are incapable of synthesizing; and (2) the structures of these FA, unlike those of simple sugars and amino acids, are usually conserved when passed through

the food web. Thus, we can identify FA at higher trophic levels and trace them back to their source in algae.

In the marine environment, algal species (such as diatoms and flagellates) form the base of the food web. Algae and the FA they synthesize are consumed by larger animals in a successive manner, so that small zooplankton that consume algae are then consumed by larger zooplankton that are then consumed by small fish that are then eaten by larger fish, etc. Since the 1960s, scientists have been using FA to determine the source of collected samples in these types of food webs. For instance, it is possible to examine the amounts of a specific FA in organic matter collected from the water column to determine if the material was originally derived from diatoms, rather than dinoflagellates. Many researchers have used this approach to study the cycling of carbon in the marine environment (i.e., deter-mining source and fates of either incorporation in higher organisms or removal in sediments on the sea floor).

More recently, rather than using individual FA, we have begun to use the entire suite of the 60 or more FA typically identified in the ma-rine environment to estimate predator diets. With this method, the en-tire FA composition is treated as a signature of its origin, much in the

Above: The author enjoys a break with a harbour seal pup.Photo by Greg Thiemann


same way that chromatograms of petroleum hydrocarbons are considered to be finger-prints of their source. These FA signatures of prey species are deposited largely unaltered into a predator’s fat stores. We employ che-mometrics to compare the FA composition of the predator with the prey FA signatures to determine the most likely combinations of prey FA signatures that would produce the FA profile found in the predator. As a simple example, consider a large Atlantic cod that only consumes capelin and shrimp, both with known FA signatures. Since cod store excess fat in their livers, we expect that the FA profile of the liver would resemble some mixture of the FA signatures of capelin and shrimp. After taking into account slight changes in the cod’s FA profile due to metabolism, it is possible to determine the combination of capelin and shrimp FA that made up the cod’s diet. Similar approaches are also being employed to study the diets of animals at higher trophic levels—such as seals, polar bears, and whales. These applications are particularly exciting because they combine analytical chemistry, biochem-istry, and chemometrics to generate answers to ecologically relevant questions.

Volatile oxidation products

At the higher trophic levels where humans are the consumers, the diversity of FA struc-tures has important implications for food flavour. Marine organisms usually have high levels of unsaturated FA that are easily oxi-dized. Such oxidation leads to the formation of a variety of volatile oxygenated com-pounds, including aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols, which contribute to the odours we associate with a particular food. In fish, the initial products of oxidation create the pleas-ant odours associated with fresh fish. But as oxidation continues, degradation products form, which lead to the rancid off-flavours associated with aged fish. Because these vol-atile compounds are derived from FA and the FA composition is, in turn, influenced by diet, changes in the FA composition of a fish’s diet can have profound effects on the odour of its tissues. These effects can lead to detrimen-tal sensory perceptions where consumers no longer consider the fish to be palatable.

Understanding this relationship between diet and volatile components is particularly impor-tant as the aquaculture industry begins to look for alternatives to fish meal-based feeds. A less

expensive alternative is vegetable-based feed. Such a diet represents a drastic change from that normally consumed by a marine fish and can be expected to lead to a noticeable effect on odour. Thus, it is important to understand how FA in diet relate to the final volatile com-ponent profile. This is, however, a daunting task, principally because these volatiles are usually present in the head space at levels < 1ppm. Before we can begin to predict the ways in which a change in diet might affect the vola-tile composition, we must optimize the analyti-cal techniques necessary for reproducible mea-surement at such low concentrations. Recent advances with solid phase micro-extraction for

collecting and concentrating these components have allowed for some progress to be made, but much remains to be done.

Food authenticity

The substitution of an expensive food product with a cheaper one has become a common and costly problem for the food industry. For instance, olive oils from Tus-cany command a much higher price than those from other regions, but because it is very difficult to establish the true origin or authenticity of the product, the temptation exists for producers and distributors to make substitutions. A similar problem was re-cently reported in several newspapers in the U.S. where reporters made the discovery that expensive fish fillets, such as red snapper, were often substituted with much cheaper ones. These species were identified using

DNA-based assays, but chemometrics of FA signatures may offer an alternative.

While FA signatures of fat stores in fish do vary with diet, the overall FA signature of a fish species is relatively constant compared to the signatures of other species. Thus, it is possible to statistically compare the FA signa-ture of unknown fish fillets with known fish signatures to identify the species. We are cur-rently concentrating on applications of this technique in the authenticity of cod.

These three applications represent some of my current research interests in the general field of marine lipids, but certainly do not encompass all studies of marine fats. I have

concentrated on applications that link ani-mal fats to their diets, but the study of lipids may include broader physiological applica-tions. For example, some unusual lipids may play a structural role in specific tissues, such as the blubber of whales. Other groups are studying the relationship between FA in ma-rine organisms and their health. Certainly, the study of marine lipids, combined with chemometric techniques, is an expanding field offering complex analytical challenges with relevant applications.

Suzanne M. Budge received her BSc in

chemistry from Acadia University, NS, in

1993 and her PhD in marine chemistry

from Memorial University of Newfoundland

in 1999. She is presently an assistant

professor in the Food Science Program at

Dalhousie University.

FA signatures can be used to identify whether substitutions are being made for expensive fish fillets, such as red snapper.

Photo by Heather Dana Munroe


Bruce Peachey, MCIC

Could further investigation into global and regional atmospheric water balances mitigate the effects of climate change?

While the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) believes that global warming is causing climate change, it admits that it has no proof that the two are

linked. The greenhouse gas (GHG) theory of global warming has theoretical merit, however, the magnitude of the climate changes (which warming alone can cause) are still based on models that can-not yet match atmospheric water vapour distributions, precipitation patterns, or clouds. Even features as large as hurricane Katrina are too small for global models to simulate or predict. Yet energy and water fluxes— rather than temperature—are the indicators of climate change. They drive the floods and storms, which are responsible for growing public concerns. There are other human activities, apart from hydrocarbon fuel use, that are large enough to impact the regional, water, and energy fluxes that drive weather events and climate.

The facts

The IPCC, in “Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis,” indicates that precipitation on land areas in the northern hemisphere has increased by 10 to 15 percent over the past few decades, while overall average land precipitation has increased by two percent over the last century. Low altitude atmospheric water vapour content over northern hemisphere land areas has increased by as much as one percent per year (S. J. Olt-mans and D. J. Hoffman, Nature, 374 (1995)). In northern areas, water flow to the ocean appears to be increasing in many rivers flowing to the Arctic Ocean, as a result of increased precipitation in cold regions. The

origin of the extra water entering the atmosphere, causing this increased precipitation, is still uncertain. But it has generally been assumed, and empirically modelled, to be due to increased evaporation from warming oceans. And the oceans are warming due to global warming caused by increasing CO2 and methane levels.

At the same time, the IPCC, in “Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation , and Vulnerability” and other studies, reports river water flow to the ocean has decreased by ten percent (or about 4,500 Gt/yr) in areas such as the southwestern U.S., China, Europe, and the Indian sub-continent. These decreases are not due to global warming, but are due to human water withdrawals, mainly for irrigation, thermal power generation, and industrial cooling. In the book, Global Warming —The Complete Briefing, by Sir John Houghton, co-chair of the Science Assessment Working Group of the IPCC, it is reported that the ten percent (or 4 Tt/yr) reduction in return flow to the ocean is based on the IPCC’s estimate of anthropogenic water withdrawals. These with-drawals are reducing ocean discharge flows in lower latitude rivers in the northern hemisphere. These rivers include the Nile, Colorado, Yellow, Rio Grande, and other rivers that are all heavily used for ir-rigation. Water demand on river systems as a percentage of potential supply can be very large. Houghton reports that “in the U.S., for the Missouri river basin it is 30 percent, for the Rio Grande it is 64 percent, and for the lower Colorado 96 percent. Almost none of the water in the Colorado River reaches the sea.” What isn’t covered in the book is an explanation of where the water goes, once it is withdrawn, to close the mass balance.

All in the Balance


Global water and energy balancesWhile the IPCC “Scientific Basis” report never refers to Human Enhanced Water Evapora-tion (HEWE) anywhere in its 800+ pages, and the 1,000+ page “Impacts” report never speculates where the evaporated water goes, or what impact it might have on climate or precipitation—these streams must be ad-dressed in a global water balance. Putting the data in the two reports into a Global Water Balance gives the results in Figures 1 and 2. This analysis appears to indicate that most of the increased precipitation observed could be due to HEWE rather than GHG warming, yet this is never addressed in the IPCC reports, and these emissions are not input to global climate models. Water is also one of the most

powerful GHGs, and most of the IPCC-pre-dicted warming is due to the impact of the assumed water “feedback loop.” So HEWE could also make a major change in surface temperatures in regions downwind of large water emission sources, which would aver-age out into general “global warming.”

Regional impacts of HEWE

Unlike other GHGs, water is not evenly dis-tributed in the atmosphere. This is a major problem for climate models. On average, a water molecule will spend about ten days in the atmosphere, and it could travel thou-sands of kilometres before it comes out as precipitation. Changes in atmospheric water distribution could produce large regional

changes in climate activity, and such changes have been observed:• Cerveny and Balling (1998) reported

weekly variations in rainfall on the east-ern coast of the U.S. with a 22 percent increase on Saturdays and the lowest days being Sunday to Tuesday;

• For the three days after 9/11, night-time temperatures across the U.S. dropped to near pre-modern levels, and water use also dropped for those days, as nuclear , industrial , and agricultural activity dropped to minimum levels—lower than what normally happens every weekend;

• Reducing river flows into the Gulf of Mexico or coastal regions of California reduces mass flow through those regions, and allows the surface waters to warm, even with no change in net solar input, and should reduce the mass flow in the Gulf Stream;

• The major ecological disaster of the Aral Sea drying up is due to increased irrigation not global warming impacts (http://enrin.grida.no/aral/aralsea/english/arsea/arsea.htm).

Conclusion

Greater efforts should be directed to studying water fluxes—both natural and anthropogenic—to allow a more complete assessment of this question. We have a lot to learn from what fluxes can tell us about global and regional climate changes. Meanwhile, engineers should honour the “precautionary principle,” for both theories. We should work towards sustainable reduc-tions in emissions of water vapour and other GHGs to mitigate the potentially disastrous effects of climate change.

Bruce Peachey, MCIC, is president of New

Paradigm Engineering Ltd. in Edmonton,

AB. To learn more, visit www.newparadigm.

ab.ca. Peachey has over 30 years’ experience

in the upstream oil and gas industry, mainly

on projects related to water conservation

energy efficiency and sustainable recovery

of hydrocarbons. He received his BSc in

chemical engineering from the University of

Saskatchewan and is a founding member of

the Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada.

He is a registered professional engineer

in the province of Alberta.

Figure 1. Global precipitation vs. human water withdrawal balance

Figure 2. Global water balance and incremental energy input for HEWE water fluxes shown in teratonnes (Tt) per year


Carol Yip, MCICEvaluate your freedom to conduct research.

The patent system is designed to provide a reward in the form of a limited monopoly to inventors for discovering an inven-tion in exchange for the public dissemination of scientific and

technical knowledge. In principle, patents are meant to spur innova-tion by providing an incentive for researchers to pursue new and useful discoveries that may later be developed for the marketplace.

However, recent litigation in the U.S. has raised concerns in some sectors as to whether patents, despite encouraging innovation, might also stifle basic research by making scientists susceptible to legal action . The issue of experimental activity creating liability for patent infringement was addressed in the 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision Merck KGaA v. Integra Lifesciences Ltd. When performing experiments in the lab, most scientists do not consider whether their work may be creating liability for patent infringement. Although some exemptions do exist, scientists should carefully consider their research activities and be aware of situations where they may be in danger of trespassing on patented inventions and thus be liable for patent infringement.

Safe harbour and experimental use exemptions

A number of countries, including Canada and the U.S., have statutory safe harbour exemptions from infringement for activities that are rea-sonably related to the development and submission of information for regulatory approval, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approval submissions.

Many countries also have experimental use exemptions often referred to as “common law” exemptions that dictate that using a pat-ented invention for certain limited experimental purposes will not be considered infringement.

Although both of these exemptions exist in Canadian law, their application remains difficult to predict at times. For example, how far upstream in the drug discovery process is research immunised from the threat of patent infringement? Are research tools used in activities related to obtaining regulatory approval also exempt from infringement ?

NO TRESPASSING�Part II

Photo by Kenn Kiser


Merck v. Integra and the scope of the safe harbour research exemptions

In the Merck decision, the U.S. Supreme Court created a broad exemption to patent infringe-ment for research using a patented compound. To briefly summarize, Integra owns five U.S. patents relating to a tripeptide sequence known as the RGD peptide. Merck utilized the RGD peptide in its research to develop a new drug. The RGD peptide provided a positive control against which Merck could measure the activity of its own compounds. This helped Merck discover a compound later sub-mitted to the FDA for approval. Integra sued for patent infringement, and Merck relied on the statutory safe harbour exemption to patent infringement for drugs (35 USC §271(e)(1)), which states:

“It shall not be an act of infringement to make, use, offer to sell, or sell … a patented invention … solely for uses reasonably related to the development and submission of information under a federal law …”The U.S. Supreme Court broadly inter-

preted the scope of the safe harbour pro-vision and found that Merck’s use of the patented RGD peptide was non-infringing. Provided that there is a reasonable basis for

believing that the compound tested could be the subject of an FDA submission and that the experiments will produce the types of information relevant to an application for drug approval, these activities will not be considered infringement. The exemption also applies to certain preclinical experiments re-lated to evaluating the safety of a potential drug candidate as well as to studies required by the FDA relating, for example, to a drug’s efficacy, mechanism of action, pharmacology, or pharmacokinetics.

Despite the freedom given to researchers in the Merck patented compound decision under the §271(e)(1) safe harbour exemption,

the court was careful not to rule generally on patents related to research tools. Integra did not argue that Merck had been using the RGD peptides as research tools. Whether the safe harbour exemption extends to research tools or kits has yet to be decided by the courts. It is recommended that legal advice be sought when it is unclear whether certain research activities would be within the scope of the safe harbour provision.

The situation in Canada

The outcome of the Merck decision in the U.S. created a significant amount of interest in the corresponding law in Canada with re-spect to when experimental activity with a patented compound might lead to liability for patent infringement.

In Canada, subsection 55.2(1) of the Patent Act provides that it is not an infringement of a patent for any person to make, construct, use, or sell the patented invention solely for uses reasonably related to the development and submission of information required under any law of Canada, a province, or any other country that regulates the manufacture, con-struction, use or sale of any product.

For experiments not related to developing data for a drug submission, common law ex-emptions are more likely to apply if the use of the invention does not proceed beyond the mere non-commercial experimental and test-ing phase. Experiments with the intention of using the invention for profits (such as selling and making a product made from the experi-ment) would not be within the scope of the experimental use exemptions. Accordingly, under Canadian patent practice, the purpose for which the experimental use is conducted is an important consideration.

A recent decision of the Canadian Fed-eral Court referred to the common law exemptions on the issue of not-for-profit uses of a patented compound. In the case, the Court found that the use of the patented com-pound in ongoing research and development of alternate formulae, or alternate techniques for tablet making fall within the exemptions. It is important to keep in mind that the law in Canada is not well developed on this issue.

In view of the uncertainty regarding ex-perimental use exemptions in Canada and in the U.S, it is important that researchers routinely create and maintain good records evidencing the purpose of the research when

their research activities are likely to be within the scope of the safe harbour provision. If research tool products or methods are to be used in the discoveries and identification of new drugs, it would be advisable to have a careful assessment of the patent landscape on the specific research tool performed before proceeding with the use. It is best to try to avoid the risk of infringement rather than tak-ing a chance that use of a patented invention will fall within an exception to patent infringe-ment. Willful infringement can lead to dam-ages being tripled in U.S. patent litigation. In this grey area of experimental use exemptions, it is prudent for researchers to err on the side of caution until the scope of the safe harbour provisions is better defined. Thus, if the re-search tool intended to be used is the subject of a patent, the most cautious approach would be to request a licence from the patent owner to avoid being accused of trespassing. Given the vast amount of time and money that must be invested in drug development, it is risky for researchers to make assumptions that their experimental activities will not attract liabity for patent infringement.

Carol Yip, MCIC, has an MSc in chemistry and

is a registered patent agent at the intellectual

property law firm of Bereskin & Parr, located

in Toronto, ON. She prepares and prosecutes

patent applications in chemical, biotechnology,

and pharmaceutical matters. She can be

contacted at [email protected].

experimental activity with

a patented compound

might lead to liability for

patent infringement


Do good things really come in small packages? University of Saskatchewan graduate student Mohammed Abdul Kader Khan thinks so, and he’s hoping to prove it with a chemi-

cal sensing system that could one day allow military personnel, peacekeepers, security experts, and civilians to detect minute con-centrations of deadly chemical agents that can be used as weapons of mass destruction.

The system is being developed in the department of chemistry by Khan and his research supervisor Bernie Kraatz, MCIC, associate pro-fessor of chemistry. It uses electro-chemical technology and is capable of detecting agents like nerve gas, mustard gas, liquid pesticides, and other invisible chemicals at concentrations as small as ten parts per billion . Current sensing devices use optical- and light-sensing tech-nology, but they are extremely expensive and portability is limited, said Kraatz. Existing systems can only detect chemical agents at concentrations of roughly ten parts per million.

Khan’s work recently earned him the 2005–2006 graduate research award from the Simons Centre for Disarmament and Non-Prolifera-tion Research at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at The University of British Columbia.

“As far as I know, there is no one else working with this kind of electro-chemical detection,” said Khan, who has been working on the project since January 2004. “I believe that we are the first.”

According to Kraatz, one of the major advantages of developing an electro-chemical detection system is portability. The synthesized chemical compounds that form the basis of Khan’s system can be applied to minuscule mediums such as electrodes the size of a human hair or gold-plated chips no larger than the head of a thumbtack. In theory, these media could then be incorporated into hand-held devices or remote sensors that detect gases and send a signal to a centralized alarm system.

Brian Cross New chemical sensing technology promises safety and portability.

Although the devices themselves have yet to be engineered, the en-abling technology developed by Khan and Kraatz has been lab-tested and functions well in the air and when immersed in water.

“Right now we’re at the proof of principle stage,” said Kraatz, who is also the Canada Research Chair in biomaterials. “We know the system works and we know what we can sense. The issue now is how to fabricate and engineer the device. The science is solid but the engineering might be a completely different issue.”

Kraatz is currently in the process of developing a contract with the Department of National Defence (DND), which has expressed an interest in the technology. In the near future, he hopes to have a prototype system developed and ready for testing by DND military experts at Canadian Forces Base Suffield in southern Alberta.When asked about the significance of his research, Khan listed en-hanced public safety, the protection of peacekeeping forces, the enforcement of international non-proliferation treaties, the controlled destruction of chemical warfare agents, the identification and reduction of terrorist activities, and the monitoring of hostile nations suspected of conducting illegal research and stockpiling toxic chemicals.

“The necessity of the project is very obvious,” he said before going on to praise Kraatz and fellow researchers for creating a positive en-vironment in the department. “I’ve always been interested in these types of things. Toxicity has always been at the centre of my research, so to study chemical warfare agents … that’s brilliant.”

Khan plans to discuss his research with other scholars, military experts , and practitioners in the field of non-proliferation and arms control. Details of his research will be published in the Simons Centre ’s monograph series later this year.

Brian Cross is a freelance writer from Saskatoon, SK. This article first

appeared in the University of Saskatchewan’s On Campus News.

Photo by Liam RichardsAbove: Chemistry graduate student Mohammed Abdul Kader Khan

DETECTING CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS


And in REGULATORY NEWS �

“Toxic Chemicals and Children’s Health in North America.” The report focuses on the releases of carcinogens, developmental and reproductive toxicants, and suspected neurotoxicants, as reported by the national pollutant release and transfer registers of Canada and the U.S. in 2002. It finds that lead, mercury, PCBs, dioxins and furans, phthalates, and manganese are substances of either significant or emerging concern. The report is available on the Commission for Evironmental Cooperation Web site at www.cec.org/news/details/index.cfm?varlan=english&ID=2704. The response from Canada’s Chemical Producers’ Association can be found at www.ccpa.ca/files/public_affairs/cec_childrens_health_report_17may06_response.doc.

Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association

Toxic Chemicals and Children’s Health Report Released

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), in partner-ship with concerned chemical producers, distributors, and retailers, has established ChemWatch. It is a 1-800-387-0020 hotline for companies to contact the RCMP regarding suspi-cious chemical activities. The mission of ChemWatch is to raise the level of awareness of the chemical diversion issue within companies and to educate and train company em-ployees to recognize the tell-tale signs of drug traffickers that are trying to obtain chemical precursors for illegal drugs. A ChemWatch brochure listing the indicators of suspicious activities is available.

For additional information, contact Cpl. Brent Hill at [email protected].

Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association

ChemWatch

triclosan, resulting in resistant bacteria. This may lead to a hardier bacterial population. While this is theoretically pos-sible, products like triclosan have been used since the turn of the century without obvious consequence.

You wouldn’t know that though, if your source of informa-tion on such matters came from the numerous scare-monger-ing sites on the Internet. Here you would “learn” that triclo-san is a terrible health hazard because it is akin to 2,4-D, the infamous Agent Orange used to defoliate trees in Vietnam. First of all, 2,4-D is a commonly used herbicide and is not Agent Orange. It was indeed an ingredient in the notori-ous product, but the danger of Agent Orange was due to a contaminant called dioxin. Triclosan bears a distant chemi-cal resemblance to 2,4-D, but is never contaminated with dioxin. What proof do the scare-mongers offer of the dan-gers? A story about how goldfish died just hours after their aquarium was washed with a pot-scrubbing sponge that contained “a dangerous derivative of Agent Orange.” That sounds pretty fishy to me, but I guess anyone concerned can just wash out their aquaria with a natural sponge. After all, we know they get along with fish pretty well.

Popular science writer, Joe Schwarcz, MCIC, is the director of

McGill University’s Office for Science and Society. He hosts

the Dr. Joe Show every Sunday from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. on

Montréal’s radio station CJAD. The broadcast is available on

the Web at www.CJAD.com. You can contact him at

[email protected].

CHEMFUSIONContinued from p. 8


CIC BULLETIN ICC

Annual Report of the CIC Chair 2005�2006This report summarizes some of what the CIC/Constituent Societies have accomplished since the 2005 AGM in Saskatoon, SK. The items are grouped around the main responsibilities of the CIC as expressed in its Mission Statement. I will focus on a few highlights:1. To establish a strategic direction and synergy between

the societies • The Visioning and Strategy session in Calgary was very

successful. The long-range plan (2006–2015) as well as the shorter term business plan will be reviewed and finalized at this 2006 AGM.

• The CIC bylaws subcommittee has not met because we are awaiting the federal government law update and the need to keep the bylaws consistent with the Strategy session output.

i. The new bylaws must reflect the interdisciplinary changes and the diversity in the science and the people.

ii. We need to pursue the review process. 2. To promote the common scientific and technical interests of the

Constituent Societies The activities of the Constituent Societies are covered in more de-

tail in their reports. It is important that these activities continue and receive strong support.Conferences

• CSChE conference in Toronto, ON, on October 15–18, 2005, was very successful.

Workshops • CSChE/AIChE LNG workshop in Vancouver, BC, on Septem-

ber 11–14, 2005, was relevant, international, and produced a precedent-setting white paper.

International meetings• 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering, Montréal,

August 23–27, 2009• 2005 Pacifichem Congress and preparations diplomatically

handled• IUPAC meeting in Beijing, China, August 2005• CERC3 annual meeting in Europe

3. To enhance the image of the chemical sciences and engineering with all sectors of the public Government relations

• The Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE) and the Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) submit-ted briefs to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance in September 2005.

• Roland Andersson, MCIC, is the new chair of the CCR. • We need to develop coordinated links with industry groups to

better meet the needs of industrial members.Canadian Chemical Landmarks Program

• The NRC Prairie laboratory where Ray Lemieux accomplished the first synthesis of sucrose.

• Neil Bartlett laboratory at UBC joint international landmark with the American Chemistry Society (ACS).

• Shawinigan Chemicals will be honoured at a suitable time.

4. To deliver common services to each Constituent SocietiesNational Office operations

• The CIC National Office provides continuity to the various boards, conference organizing committees, and other gover-nance-related groups.

• The AmSoft database software has been upgraded.• Work is progressing on new Web site software (PRISM). • Both the CSC and CSChE conferences run very well with

National Office enabling long-range planning and consistency in the logistics.

Membership and finances• 2005 had the best increase in membership. We are doing

many things right! • Societies cannot survive on membership dues alone. Products

and services are vital to the financial security of not-for-profit professional societies.

• I am very pleased that the CIC and all three Constituent Societies generated financial surpluses in 2005; the second straight year for all.

5. To deliver common services to the individual members Divisions and Local Sections

• Subject Divisions and Local Sections drive much of the activ-ity and programming of the Institute.

• Montréal CIC Section reawakened with a presentation by Stéphane Dion.

• Involvement in the area of green chemistry with the presen-tation of the Green Chemistry Award to Jean Bélanger. This award will now be sponsored by the CIC.

New initiatives• The CIC is reviving a formerly active Division, the Economics

and Business Management Division: i. at the chemical engineering conference on new business

development;ii. at the Halifax conference on intellectual property.

• We continue to develop a green chemistry initiative in Canada . Roland Andersson is on the Executive of the new national initiative (Canadian Green Chemistry Network (CGCN)).

Professional recognition• The CSC is continuing its pursuit to provide accreditation

services to chemistry departments in the international community .

• The CSC is embarking on a sustained effort to have chemists more widely recognized as professionals within Canada.

Once again, I thank you all for your volunteer work. The continued increase in membership is a clear sign that we are serving the needs of our members

Bernard West, MCIC

CIC chair

May 2006


CIC BULLETIN ICC

Neil Bartlett honoured by the ACS and the CSC

On May 23, 2006 in Vancouver, BC, a ceremony was held during which the American Chemical Society (ACS) designated Neil Bartlett’s discovery an International Historic Chemical Land-mark. In the presence of several dignitaries, Bartlett, his wife, the ACS, and the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) presented The University of British Columbia (UBC) with a plaque to commemorate the breakthrough.

The breakthrough was one of significance. In 1962, Bartlett, then professor of chemistry at UBC, concocted a simple experiment that confirmed his suspicion that inert gases were chem-ically able to react. He had vanquished the old “law” of the unreactivity of noble gases and had opened the door to the new field of noble gas chemistry. Numerous inert gas compounds have been created since and many have already made an impact on our daily lives. Some have contributed to the creation of anti-tumour agents and some have been used in Eximer lasers to perform eye surgery.

During his speech, CSC president, Dave Schwass, MCIC, mentioned that, “Neil Bartlett’s work is a great example of chemists’ dedication and their craving for new challenges. His achievement inspired many young scientists and even today, serves as an inspiration for a dynamic and world-class scientific community.” He also added “The new field of chemistry, noble gas chemistry, launched by a chemist here in Canada, is still very young and will no doubt produce many other tremendously useful compounds.”

Bartlett’s work at UBC, Princeton, and the University of California, Berkeley has been rec-ognized by 25 prizes and awards, including the Royal Society of London and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and honorary degrees from nine universities.

During the same ceremony, the minister of advanced education, Murray Coel, officially re-opened the renovated Chemistry North Building. The renovation project allowed for the upgrading of the facilities and the reconfiguration of the space. A small group comprised of UBC hosts and CSC representatives had a chance to tour the new wing. Bartlett joined the tour and shared his memories with the group.

During the evening, Joe Schwarcz, MCIC, gave a very lively presentation at the UBC Robson Square campus in honour of Bartlett. The evening was an initiative of the CIC Vancouver Local Section.

Lucie Frigon

Watch for more on the official re-opening of the North wing (E-Wing) of the UBC Chemistry

Complex in the September 2006 issue of ACCN.

International Historic Chemical Landmark Readers reach for ACCN for news on

who�s who and

what�s what in the Canadian chemical community

Next issue:Clean energyComing this fall:BiotechnologyForensic chemistry

w w w . a c c n . c a

CSC president, Dave Schwass, MCIC (left), joins Neil Bartlett (centre) and UBC�s Grant Ingram (right) at the unveiling of the Landmark commemorative plaque.


CIC BULLETIN ICC

After 25 years, the CIC Pestcon Scholarship has come to a close. This scholarship was cre-ated from surplus funds generated by the VIth International Congress of Pesticide Chemis-try held in Ottawa, ON, in August 1986. The scholarship was established in 1987 in support of postgraduate work in pesticide and contam-inant research.

Roy Greenhalgh, FCIC, explains how Canada first got involved:

“It stems from the time I was secretary to the IUPAC Commission on Pesticide Chemis-try and in 1981–1982 went to Japan to assist Dr. Miyamoto, the program chair of the 1982 Kyoto congress, who had taken ill. At that time, the pesticide congresses were gener-ally funded by the big pesticide companies like Sumitomo, Bayer, Ciba-Geigy, Hoechst, and ICI. In 1982, the IUPAC Pesticide Com-mission agreed to my proposal for holding the next Congress (1986) in Canada, but had reservations about our ability to raise suf-ficient funds.

In 1982, the organizing committee was es-tablished with Vic Morley as program chair and me as the vice-chair of the organizing committee. Following tradition, the Japanese ‘crowned’ Morley with the samurai helmet at the closing of the Kyoto congress. This helmet can still be seen on display at the CIC National Office. Although the big chemical companies did contribute financially to our congress, it was mainly due to the efforts of Vic Morley, Bill Cochrane, Claire Franklin, Jean Holelbone, and myself that we ended up with a surplus that became the Pestcon Scholarship Fund.

The Ottawa IUPAC Pesticide Congress was the first time this international congress was held on the American continent. The large-scale use of poster sessions was later emulated by following IUPAC pesticide congresses.”

Pestcon ’86 attracted 1,284 delegates plus 127 accompanying people from 46 countries from all continents. 563 abstracts were re-ceived. The congress included the scientific program, pre- and post-conference tours, receptions, a barbecue dinner, a city hall re-ception, embassy receptions, and regulatory reception and dinner, as well as a main theme organizers’ luncheon. The scientific program dealt with up-to-date knowledge and current problems and also looked at future trends in pesticide science.

Since the conference ended, the five mem-bers of the organizing committee took on the Pestcon Scholarship Committee duties, assess-ing the nominations annually. After 25 years, the four remaining members feel they have helped many students and encouraged others to follow in their path of pesticide chemistry. But as the number of nominations dwindles, they have decided to stop on this anniversary year. A special thank you to these dedicated committee members. The remaining funds have been turned over to the CNC/IUPAC Committee for use towards other student IUPAC awards.

Although the Pestcon Scholarship is no lon-ger, the Pestcon congress still continues. At the last IUPAC Congress of Pesticide Chemistry (2002) in SwitzerIand, the tradition of passing the hat was continued with the Swiss com-mittee giving the Japanese committee a Swiss mountain hat.

Pestcon Scholarship Ends

Canada presented a full Native Chief�s headdress to Germany at Pestcon in 1986.

The Japanese samurai helmet is proudly displayed at the CIC National Office.

In MemoriamThe CIC extends its condolences to the families of:Henri Eid, MCICRobert S. Shelley, MCIC

NCW NEWS NOUVELLES DE LA SNC

Public Understanding of Chemistry 2006

Thank you to the Sponsors Merci aux commanditaires(as of June 9, 2006)

GoldBASF Canada

CIC Chemical Education Fund

Merck Frosst Canada Ltd.

Silver Anachemia Science

H. L. Blachford Ltd.

NOVA Chemicals Corp.

Rechochem Inc.

Syncrude Canada Ltd.

BronzeBruker BioSpin Ltd.

Cognis Oleochemicals Canada Limited

Cognis Canada Corp.

NAEJA Pharmaceutical Inc.

Syngenta Crop Protection (Canada) Inc.


STUDENT NEWS NOUVELLES DES ÉTUDIANTS

The 2006 Western Canadian Undergraduate Chemistry Conference: Building Bridges�One Bond at a Time

WCUCC 2006 drew over 75 students and faculty, and around 20 honoured guests from industry.

The 2006 Western Canadian Undergraduate Chemistry Conference (WCUCC 2006) held from May 4 to 6 in Edmonton, AB, was a smashing success!

Drawing approximately 100 participants from all areas of chemistry, across Western Canada, WCUCC 2006 challenged those involved to develop new connections and friendships outside of their disciplines and institutions.

Beginning Thursday, May 4, conference participants were entertained at the historic Fort Edmonton Park in a “Chemistry of Beer” evening. Led by Ken Newman of The King’s University College, the evening high-lights included performances of traditional Irish drinking songs by singer Trent Worthington, a lecture on the chemistry behind the hops and head of beer by Dietmar Kennepohl, MCIC, of Athabasca University, and a presentation on the industry of brewing by Michael Korney, MCIC, of NAIT. Oh, and some beer tasting too. Conference participants learned the delicate nuances involved in differentiating between Coors Light and Guinness, and a variety of lagers and ales in between.

The academic portion of the conference started off with a bang on Friday, May 5, at The King’s University College with a plenary lecture from Eric Newell, chancellor of the University of Alberta (U of A) and former CEO of Syncrude Canada, entitled, “Building Bridges—Across Disciplines and to our Communities.” Newell commented on the bonds that chemists create through their work that have wide-sweeping im-pact on society.

From then on, the conference proceeded at a break-neck pace. Un-dergraduates gave oral presentations in topics ranging from “Metal Binding in Chicken Prion Protein Fragments” to “Alkyne Hydrothiola-tion Using Wilkinson’s Catalyst” to “Increasing Legibility of Faint Text with Multispectral Imaging,” presenting some of the top research going on in Western Canada.

Conference participants also had the opportunity to hear from four top researchers in Western Canadian universities: Jillian Buriak, MCIC, from the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT); Peter Kusalik, MCIC, from the University of Calgary; René Boeré, MCIC, from the University of Lethbridge; and Grace Greidanus-Strom, MCIC, from The King’s University College.

One of the highlights from Friday’s activities was the “industrial working lunch.” Honoured guests came from chemical companies and organizations, including Merck Frosst, NSERC, Varian, the CIC, NINT, ACPA, Syncrude Canada, Environment Canada, and Degussa Chemicals. The working lunch was an informal discussion between students and chemists at different points along their career paths. Students had the opportunity to ask questions about potential careers in chemistry, learn-ing about various opportunities that follow an undergraduate degree.

Friday’s activities concluded with an evening of hilarious entertain-ment starring an improv troupe from Edmonton’s RapidFire Theatre and a meal of Vietnamese-style vermicelli noodle bowls at a local pub. The improv troupe drew raucous applause for their incorporation of enthusiastic audience volunteers. These talented volunteers were highly tempted to abandon their chemical career aspirations for the alluring, high-paying world of comedy, but in the end chemistry won out.

Saturday’s conference festivities began with a morning of oral pre-sentations. Under the threat of a looming rain storm, the conference wrapped up its activities at The King’s University College in the early afternoon and made its way over to the U of A. There, participants were treated to a tour of the chemistry department by a number of U of A graduate students, including a popular demonstration of the glass-blowing facilities and the spectral-services facilities. From then, poster presentations were made in the graduate students’ lounge, while conference participants mingled over refreshments.

The conclusion of the conference was held over a delicious banquet at the Faculty Club of the U of A. Conference awards, supported with numerous and generous donations from divisions of the CSC, were doled out to 17 recipients across disciplines, with two extra awards, supported by Merck Frosst, given to the top oral presentations.

All in all, the conference was an exhausting, but deeply rewarding experience. As the culmination of a year’s worth of planning by the organizing committee, WCUCC 2006 help up to its lofty theme “Building Bridges—One Bond at a Time.”

Joel Kelly

Chair of the WCUCC 2006 organizing committee and recent graduate of

The King’s University College



WCUCC 2006 award winners

Oral presentations

Analytical/Materials Raymond Ortlieb The King’s University CollegeNazanin Mobrhan-Shafiee Simon Fraser University

Physical chemistryAndre Jastrzebski University of Winnipeg

Inorganic/Organometallic (tie)Rylan Lundgren University of Manitoba,Heather Buckley The University of British Columbia

BiochemistryLing Pan The University of British ColumbiaPeter Wojciechowski University of Winnipeg

OrganicCharles Yeung The University of British ColumbiaKristen Clary University of CalgaryThomas Tam University of Alberta

Best overall oral presentationsCharles Yeung Raymond Ortlieb

Poster presentations

Analytical/Materials chemistryNicole Dehm University of Saskatchewan

Physical chemistryMelissa Faichuk and Allison Mah University of Alberta

Inorganic/OrganometallicBenson Jelier Trinity Western University

(tied for second place) Emerson Genuis The King’s University CollegeKatrinna Yu University of Lethbridge

Biochemistry/BioorganicTravis Allen University of Northern British

Columbia

OrganicRobert Vendrmelli University of Winnipeg

The CIC National High School Chemistry Exam (NHSCE) is intended for the best students (first 10 percent) of secondary schools and for cégep students who have taken no more than two courses of chemistry . It is designed to promote interest in chemistry and to allow students to measure themselves against a national standard. Students writing the CIC examination must not have been registered at any time in a postsecondary level science course (other than cégep students as indicated above).

This exam is organized by the CIC Chemical Education Division , with the help of coordinators at universities across the country. Financial support was generously provided by the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, and Dow Chemical.

NHSCE 2006!

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NHSCE 2006 winners

National winner Dennis Huang (BC Region)

Atlantic RegionFirst place Lin Watt

Second place Sophie MacIntyre

Third place Joseph Phillips

Région du QuébecPremier prix Mathieu Viau

Deuxième prix Brigitte Desharnaise

Troisième prix David Giasson

Troisième prix Marc-André Lavallée

Ontario RegionFirst place Kent Huynh

Second place Megan Bagley

Third place He Huang

Manitoba/Saskatchewan/Nunavut RegionFirst place Scott Young

Second place Steven Kruger

Thrid place Xiang (Sean) Li

Alberta RegionFirst place C. P. Law

Second place Marc Lee

BC/Yukon/NWT RegionFirst place Dennis Huang

Second place Emily Chan

Third place Si Rim Kim

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International Chemistry

Peter Lu, a Grade 11 student from University of Toronto Schools, shows his dexterity with a pipette during the Canadian Chemistry Olympiad.

Photo by Pascal Paquette, courtesy of the University of Toronto Bulletin

Based on the results of the Canadian Chemistry and Physics Olympiad Finals held in Toronto, ON, May 28–June 4, 2006, the following students were chosen to represent Canada at the 38th International Chemistry Olympiad in Gyongsan, Korea, scheduled for July 2–11, 2006.

Student name School Location

Kent Huynh University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON

Peter Lu University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON

Dmitry Pichugin William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute Toronto, ON

Charlie Wang University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON

Team leaders at the 38th IchO will be Jean Bouffard, MIT, Boston, MA, and Jonathan Pellicelli, UBC, Vancouver, BC.

Congratulations to the team!

Olympiad 2006



Canada-Wide Science Fair

Saguenay, QC, hosted the Canada-Wide Science Fair on May 13–21, 2006. Students qualify for this fair through local and regional competitions. Approximately 25,000 students compete at the first level of fairs, sending 369 projects on to the national finals. The Canada-Wide Science Fair is administered by Youth Science Foundation Canada.

The CIC provides two prizes for the national competition, one for an intermedi-ate student and one for a senior student who present outstanding projects related to chem-istry. This year’s winners were Larent Fradet from Séminaire Salésien in Sherbrooke, QC, who won the intermediate prize, and Sean Bhalla from College School, Mississauga, ON, who won the senior prize.

Fradet’s project is entitled, “Nitrates/nitrites ? Non merci!” Nous avons voulu, par un procédé spectrophotométrique, trouver

les concentrations de nitrites et de nitrates dans des carottes biologiques, des carottes traditionnelles et de la purée de carottes pour bébé. Les composés sont retrouvés dans les engrais et peuvent se lier à des protéines pour créer des nitroso-amines, substances cancérigènes .

Bhalla looked at “Photodynamic Therapy: A Red Light for Cancer.” The objective of this project was to develop photosensitizers that target proteins that are known for their high expressions in tumour cells. Two drugs derived from chlorophyll-a were synthesized and compared in vitro. The result of this test-ing and a few other studies is outlined in this project.

Thank you to CIC judges, Denis Bussières, MCIC, and François-Xavier Garneau, FCIC, of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.

Intermediate prize winner, Laurent Fradet Senior prize winner, Sean Bhalla

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CanadaConferencesJuly 26–30, 2006. The Sixth Canadian Computational ChemistryConference (CCCC6), Vancouver, BC, www.chem.ubc.ca/CCCC6

August 9–13, 2006. Ltos-12, Twelfth Symposium on The LatestTrends in Organic Synthesis, St. Catharines, ON, www.brocku.ca/chemistry/faculty/hudlicky/ltos/intro.html

October 15–18, 2006. 56th Canadian Chemical EngineeringConference, Sherbrooke, QC, www.csche2006.ca

May 26–30, 2007. 90th Canadian Chemistry Conference andExhibition , Winnipeg, MB, www.chimiste.ca/conferences/csc_annual__e.htm

October 28–31, 2007. 57th Canadian Chemical EngineeringConference, Edmonton, AB, www.chemeng.ca/conferences/csche_annual__e.htm

October 19–22, 2008. 58th Canadian Chemical EngineeringConference, Ottawa, ON, www.chemeng.ca/conferences/csche_annual__e.htm

August 23–27, 2009. 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineeringand 59th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Montréal, QC, www.chemengcongress2009.com

U.S. and OverseasAugust 12–17, 2006. 19th International Conference on ChemicalEducation, Seoul, Korea, www.19icce.org

August 27–30, 2006. 11th APCChE Congress, Asian PacificConfederation of Chemical Engineering, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,www.apcche2006.org

August 27–31, 2006. CHISA 2006, Prague, Czech Republic,www.chisa.cz/2006

August 29–September 2, 2006. XIXth International Symposiumon Medicinal Chemistry, Istanbul, Turkey, www.ismc2006.org

September 2–9, 2006. International School “Bernardino Telesio,”Residential School in Applied Mass Spectrometry and Related Topics, University of Calabria, Italy, chimica.unical.it/workshop/

September 10–14, 2006. ACS Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA,www.acs.org

September 24–28, 2006. INTERACT 2006, Perth, Australia,www.promaco.com/au/conference/2006/raci

October 1–4, 2006. XXII InterAmerican Congress of ChemicalEngineering, Buenos Aires, Argentina, www.ciiq.org/argentina2006

September 16–21 2007. 6th European Congress of Chemical Engi-neering (ECCE-6) Copenhagen, Denmark, www.ecce6.kt.dtu.dk

November 12–17, 2006. AIChE Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA,www.aiche.org

EVENTS ÉVÉNEMENTS

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2006 AWARDS

Important ... Submission deadline is October 31, 2006

The Norman and Marion Bright Memorial Award is awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to the furtherance of chemical technology. The person so honoured may be either a chemical sciences technologist, or a person from outside the fi eld who has made a signifi cant and noteworthy contribution to it advancement.

The Canadian Society for Chemical Technology

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Brad Pavelich, MCIC, presents students from the winning Grade 4A class at Crestwood School in Medicine Hat, AB, with their own personal Fuzziums and a cheque for the school.

Anne Pidgeon’s Grade 1 class at École Océane in Nanaimo, BC, with their second prize-winning entry.

The winners of the Chemical Institute of Canada’s Public Understanding of Chemistry “Name the Mascot” Contest were announced in the May 2006 ACCN —here are their class photos:

Fuzziums

winners

July/Aug 2006: ACCN, the Canadian Chemical News

Documents

Transcript of July/Aug 2006: ACCN, the Canadian Chemical News