Researchers show that the shape of dried paint or ink deposit is related to the concentration and size of particles in these colloids.

Ever wondered why we use only specific inks for the inkjet printer? Why not any random dye? The wrong ink may result in non-uniform and patchy printing. Printing inks are colloids—tiny solid particles suspended in a liquid. The size and the concentration of the solid particles in ink specified for printers are designed to deposit uniformly on paper.

A recent study by researchers from the Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Assam, and the Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat on the groundwater in the Brahmaputra floodplains has revealed some alarming information. The study has detected the presence of arsenic, uranium and fluorides (compounds of the element fluorine) that can affect the wellbeing of the people in this region.

With the increasing use of electrical and electronic devices, the amount of ‘electronic waste’ that we generate is quickly filling up our landfills. Recycling electronic waste or e-waste is a challenge due to the emission of poisonous gases in the process. Now, a new study has designed various adsorbents to be used in the process of recycling by burning the e-waste. By using these adsorbents, the researchers hope, could make the whole process less toxic for the air and for ourselves.