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    • Seán Ottewell

    Ottewell Headshot 6390d3082af6e
    Editor-at-Large

    Seán Crevan Ottewell is Chemical Processing's Editor-at-Large. Seán earned his bachelor's of science degree in biochemistry at the University of Warwick and his master's in radiation biochemistry at the University of London. He served as Science Officer with the UK Department of Environment’s Chernobyl Monitoring Unit’s Food Science Radiation Unit, London. His editorial background includes assistant editor, news editor and then editor of The Chemical Engineer, the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ twice monthly technical journal. Prior to joining Chemical Processing in 2012 he was editor of European Chemical Engineer, European Process Engineer, International Power Engineer, and European Laboratory Scientist, with Setform Limited, London.

    He is based in East Mayo, Republic of Ireland, where he and his wife Suzi (a maths, biology and chemistry teacher) host guests from all over the world at their holiday cottage in East Mayo. 

    Fertilizing Mrs. Newton’s Hedge and a World Cup Winner

    Seán Ottewell
    Nov. 13, 2024
    Nearly 60 years ago, England triumphed over Germany and a boy may have unknowingly fertilized a neighbor's shrub.

    Catalyzing the Circular Economy: Challenges and Opportunities

    Seán Ottewell
    Oct. 14, 2024
    As the chemical industry seeks sustainability, catalysts emerge as key drivers for biomass utilization, polymer recycling and pollution remediation.

    Leo Baekeland’s Aldehydes and the Toxic Smell of New Automobiles

    Seán Ottewell
    Oct. 11, 2024
    Explore Leo Baekeland’s impact on the auto industry and how that much-loved “new car smell” is actually a cocktail of volatile organic compounds . . . cue the headache now.

    Catalyst Boosts Conversion of Propane to Polypropylene

    Seán Ottewell
    Oct. 9, 2024
    New catalyst breakthrough could mean cheaper, greener polypropylene production.

    Chemical Industry Counters Terror Threats with Boundary Protection

    Seán Ottewell
    Sept. 24, 2024
    From AI-powered cameras to crash-proof gates, manufacturers deploy cutting-edge defenses as CFATS expires.

    Chemistry History Lesson: From Anti-Plague Elixirs to a Precious Nose That Wasn’t

    Seán Ottewell
    Sept. 6, 2024
    Danish scientist Tycho Brahe took many of his experiments to his grave. However, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have found clues that shed light on his mysterious...

    PFAS Battle Heats Up: Chemical Industry Races for Breakthrough Destruction Technologies

    Seán Ottewell
    Aug. 8, 2024
    As litigation mounts and regulations tighten, industry scrambles for PFAS alternatives and destruction technologies. New research reveals unexpected exposure risks, intensifying...

    Tandem Electrochemical Process Transforms CO2 into Acetate and Ethylene

    Seán Ottewell
    Aug. 6, 2024
    Two-step electrochemical process uses a kW scale electrolyzer to convert carbon dioxide into high-quality multi-carbon products.

    Ponder the Putrid History of Purple Dye

    Seán Ottewell
    Aug. 5, 2024
    The stinky process of making the royally sought-after purple dye involved mollusks subjected to biochemical, enzymatic and photochemical reactions — and possible sacrificial rituals...

    A Greener New Normal for Petrochemical Processes?

    Seán Ottewell
    July 9, 2024
    Electrically heated steam crackers, pyrolysis and biomass refineries are emerging as the innovative, sustainable processes poised to transform chemical process operations.

    Stable Molybdenum Carbide Catalyzes RWGS Reaction

    Seán Ottewell
    June 28, 2024
    Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a stable, inexpensive and scalable catalyst using household sugar for carbon dioxide reduction reactions.

    A Look Back: Reporting on the Chemical Industry in the 1990s

    Seán Ottewell
    June 26, 2024
    What does a rant from RAF, chicken droppings and adultery have to do with the chemical industry? Seán Ottewell shares some of the more interesting stories of his time as a chemical...

    Safety Lessons from the Great Molasses Flood of 1919

    Seán Ottewell
    June 7, 2024
    Discover the catastrophic events of the Great Molasses Flood, where engineering failures led to a deadly wave of syrup in Boston’s North End.

    Reworked Ammonia Process Meets Economic, Green Demands

    Seán Ottewell
    June 5, 2024
    University of Illinois Chicago researchers optimized the lithium-mediated ammonia synthesis process to improve its efficiency and selectivity.

    The High-Tech Battle Against Fugitive Emissions Takes Shape

    Seán Ottewell
    May 28, 2024
    How major players like Chevron, Wacker and Shell are using drones, robots and optimization systems to meet the challenge.

    Proton Exchange Membrane System Promotes Durable CO2 Conversion

    Seán Ottewell
    May 24, 2024
    A PEM electrolyzer optimizes conversion of hydrogen molecules into protons at the anode while directly converting CO2 to formic acid at the cathode.

    Benefits, Drawbacks of Single-Use Technologies In Biopharmaceuticals

    Seán Ottewell
    May 7, 2024
    Significant advantages in flexibility, cost-effectiveness and efficiency are attractive to the bioprocessing sector, but there are downsides.

    How Processors Turned Battlefield Bones into Raw Materials

    Seán Ottewell
    May 3, 2024
    Learn how bones from the Battle of Waterloo found their way into the burgeoning fertilizer and sugar industries, shaping agricultural and industrial innovations.

    ShadowBox KO’s Chemical Operator Skills Gaps

    Seán Ottewell
    March 27, 2024
    Harnessing the role of cognitive skills in training helps capture knowledge.

    In Process: Novel Method Speeds Glycerol Carbonate Production

    Seán Ottewell
    March 26, 2024
    New approach combines glycerol and carbon dioxide under mesofluidic conditions to generate a faster, more cost-effective alternative to current glycerol carbonate production methods...

    Discovery: Using Compound Adhesives, Neanderthals Were Smarter Than We Thought

    Seán Ottewell
    March 25, 2024
    Today's multi-billion-dollar adhesives industry can be traced back more than 50,000 years to Neanderthals first using multicomponent adhesives to make tools.

    Bioplastics Boom: Certifications Rise, Regulations Loom

    Seán Ottewell
    March 1, 2024
    How BASF, Lubrizol, NatureWorks and others navigate growth in the era of sustainable chemistry

    Benign, Solventless Process Depolymerizes Nylon-6

    Seán Ottewell
    Feb. 21, 2024
    Approach could play a part in environmental remediation and upcycling Nylon-6 wastes into higher-value products.

    From Face Masks to Hydrogen-Rich Syngas

    Seán Ottewell
    Feb. 14, 2024
    An excess of single-use PPE waste from COVID-19 has researchers trying to find ways to convert biomedical waste to useful material.

    Sustainability: Chemical Clusters Drive Green Hydrogen, Carbon Capture and Circular Economy Solutions

    Seán Ottewell
    Jan. 30, 2024
    BASF's Verbund concept integrates production, energy and logistics for sustainable growth. Similar initiatives emerge globally, enhancing collaboration for sustainability.

    Taking the Pain Out of Recycling Polyurethanes

    Seán Ottewell
    Jan. 26, 2024
    A new CO2-based method makes polyurethane-based plastics that are easy to recycle.

    Innovative Reactors Show Promise for Chemical Industry

    Seán Ottewell
    Jan. 23, 2024
    Already proven in drug manufacturing, new developments could improve efficiencies, performance for chemical applications.

    How Scientists Identify a Wine’s Chemical Signature

    Seán Ottewell
    Jan. 17, 2024
    A novel method of gas chromatography and machine learning pinpoints the exact region where a vintage originated, rivaling that of human wine tasters.

    Oscillations Govern Fischer-Tropsch Rate and Yield

    Seán Ottewell
    Jan. 2, 2024
    Researchers discovered the catalytic reaction at the heart of the more than 100-year-old process doesn’t have one steady state but rather undergoes self-sustained oscillations...

    “Polluter Pays Principle” Challenged in EU Study

    Seán Ottewell
    Jan. 2, 2024
    Authors of a European Union study suggest a hybrid approach to handling efficient removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater.