Osmium, Osmium, Everywhere

I don’t use osmium much. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever used an osmium compound, although I’m fairly certain I once picked up a bottle of OsO4. The sum total of my osmium knowledge consists of knowing OsO4 (osmium tetroxide) is quite toxic. However, it now appears that if I ever do have need of osmium, I can just go outside and grab some. A group of researchers has studied the distribution of osmium across the globe and found that a surprising amount of the element is now present in rain, in snow, and in our rivers.

Osmium naturally occurs along with copper and nickel and is a by-product of their manufacture. But all this osmium in our water system comes from another source – during the production of platinum – much of which is used for the manufacture of automotive exhaust catalysts. During the process of refining platinum, the ore is subjected to high temperatures to burn out sulfur impurities. But volatile OsO4 is also produced and it has been spreading. According to the researchers, the levels of osmium are still small enough that this may not be a health concern, at least so far….

Russia and South Africa produce over 90% of the world’s supply of platinum and neither country regulates these osmium emissions. The demand for platinum may have dropped temporarily due to the worldwide plunge in car and truck sales, but it will return eventually. In addition, the current generation of hydrogen fuel cells also depend upon platinum for their electrodes, which means the rate of osmium release will probably only increase in the future.
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Since I did mention platinum, I’ll point out that this week’s Chemistry In Its Element podcast covers platinum and its chemistry. Podcasts for many other elements are also available, including osmium, so feel free to see if your favorite element has been discussed yet.

Biodiesel, the new weight loss program

I’m not quite sure why, but the vast majority of chemistry blogs I’ve discovered so far are being written by organic chemists. Perhaps they have too much time on their hands or maybe Inorganic chemists have nothing to say. In any case, since I am an Inorganic chemist, you will find most of my posts will deal with Inorganic chemistry. This post, however, is an exception.

Biodiesel has been in the news lately, billed both as a greener fuel and as a way of lessening our dependence on foreign oil. Unlike biofuel, which is a general catch-all term (ethanol, methanol, etc.), biodiesel is a very specific set of compounds. Biodiesel fuel is produced by the transesterification of various (usually vegetable) oils, typically with methanol.


After removing the glycerol, unreacted fatty acid, and left-over alcohol, the methyl ester is ready for use in a diesel engine, although some engine modification may be necessary for optimal operation. For practical reasons, pure biodiesel is rarely used in vehicles. Usually it is mixed with diesel fuel, with the most common blend being a 20% biodiesel – 80% diesel mixture, referred to as B20. Despite all the hype, not all is perfect in biodiesel land. Fail to remove some of the reaction byproducts and you’ll eventually clog your fuel lines. And depending upon the choice of crop grown and manufacturing methods used to generate the methyl esters, the carbon footprint of biodiesel may not be all that much better than fossil fuels. Anyway, our governor here in Michigan has declared that biodiesel fuel is our future and who am I to argue?

Why am I talking about biodiesel now? The Daily Mail has an article describing a biodiesel fueled boat to be used in an attempt to set a new world speed record. Apparently, the boat’s skipper underwent liposuction to remove some of his fat for conversion into biodiesel in order to help fuel his boat. Is this guy green or what?

Biodiesel, the new weight loss program

I’m not quite sure why, but the vast majority of chemistry blogs I’ve discovered so far are being written by organic chemists. Perhaps they have too much time on their hands or maybe Inorganic chemists have nothing to say. In any case, since I am an Inorganic chemist, you will find most of my posts will deal with Inorganic chemistry. This post, however, is an exception.

Biodiesel has been in the news lately, billed both as a greener fuel and as a way of lessening our dependence on foreign oil. Unlike biofuel, which is a general catch-all term (ethanol, methanol, etc.), biodiesel is a very specific set of compounds. Biodiesel fuel is produced by the transesterification of various (usually vegetable) oils, typically with methanol.


After removing the glycerol, unreacted fatty acid, and left-over alcohol, the methyl ester is ready for use in a diesel engine, although some engine modification may be necessary for optimal operation. For practical reasons, pure biodiesel is rarely used in vehicles. Usually it is mixed with diesel fuel, with the most common blend being a 20% biodiesel – 80% diesel mixture, referred to as B20. Despite all the hype, not all is perfect in biodiesel land. Fail to remove some of the reaction byproducts and you’ll eventually clog your fuel lines. And depending upon the choice of crop grown and manufacturing methods used to generate the methyl esters, the carbon footprint of biodiesel may not be all that much better than fossil fuels. Anyway, our governor here in Michigan has declared that biodiesel fuel is our future and who am I to argue?

Why am I talking about biodiesel now? The Daily Mail has an article describing a biodiesel fueled boat to be used in an attempt to set a new world speed record. Apparently, the boat’s skipper underwent liposuction to remove some of his fat for conversion into biodiesel in order to help fuel his boat. Is this guy green or what?