- My regular column in the UK newspaper The Independent was called 'Molecule of the Month' and it featured a particular chemical that had been in the news recently. In the column I tried to explain what the chemical was, what it did and why it was used. My column ran from October 1990 to November 1996 and covered 72 different chemicals. To date, about half of these can be accessed on The Independent website. My aim is to have all of them on these pages.
The molecules are listed in alphabetical order, with the date of publication also given. The links below are to the Independent's website.
The molecules
- Acetaldehyde (20 December 1994)
- Ammonium nitrate (22 March 1993)
- Argon (19 September 1994)
- Atropine (21 February 1995)
- Bleach (24 August 1992)
- Caffeine (19 July 1993)
- Carbon Monoxide (19 April 1993)
- Chocolate (20 December 1993)
- DDT (22 August 1994)
- Dioxins (21 June 1993)
- Ethyl Chloride (21 February 1994)
- Ethylene (21 March 1995)
- Fluoride (24 January 1995)
- Folic acid (17 January 1994)
- Hydrogen (21 September 1992)
- Lead (25 October 1994)
- Maleic anhydride (22 November 1993)
- Methyl mercaptan (15 February 1993)
- Mistletoe lectin (19 December 1995)
- Nitric Oxide (18 January 1993)
- Opiates (21 March 1994)
- Organophosphates (18 November 1996)
- Oxalic Acid (18 July 1995)
- Phosphates (18 April 1994)
- Plutonium (22 August 1995)
- Polyurethane (27 June 1995)
- Potassium Chloride (19 October 1992)
- Selenium (18 October 1993)
- Sweeteners (23 May 1994)
- Teflon (18 July 1994)
- Thallium sulphate (20 July 1992)
- Trehalose (22 April 1996)