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Article: Carbon dioxide can help dissolve proteins. (paves way for new biotechnology applications)(Science News of the Week)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- February 3, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Take a deep breath, then sigh. That exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2), the ubiquitous gas enjoyed by plants and blamed for the greenhouse effect, has just proved helpful in laboratory biochemistry. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that heated, pressurized carbon dioxide can dissolve proteins.
Known for adding effervescence to mineral water and soft drinks, the gas also finds industrial use in processing beer, removing nicotine from tobacco, and pumping oil from wells. Under pressure, it serves as a powerful, environmentally friendly solvent, replacing many of the hazardous, toxic organic solvents used widely by industry.
Now, there's likely to be a ...