Live Roundups Editor's Desk Insights Executive Ops Weather About 🔍
Home › Science › A sustainable flame retardant derived from corn steep liquor
Science

A sustainable flame retardant derived from corn steep liquor

A sustainable flame retardant derived from corn steep liquor
Phys.org Tuesday 01 September 2026, 21:20 UTC 1 min read
Key Points

Certain phosphorus compounds are highly effective at suppressing fires, which is why they are widely used in flame retardants. Phosphorus, however, is a finite resource. Estimates suggest it could be depleted within the next 50–300 years.

Certain phosphorus compounds are highly effective at suppressing fires, which is why they are widely used in flame retardants. Phosphorus, however, is a finite resource. Estimates suggest it could be depleted within the next 50–300 years. That is why, as part of the ScaleAmP project, a research team is working to extract phosphorus from corn steep liquor, a byproduct of starch production.
Originally published by Phys.org Read original →

Related Stories

Teen births at lowest in over 20 years; safe, judgment-free environment key to seeking help: Experts

Teen births at lowest in over 20 years; safe, judgment-free environment key to seeking help : Experts There were 140 teenage births in 2025, down by more than 40 per cent from 244 in 2024. SINGAPORE: When Ms Jannyce Lim gave birth at 19, some relatives frowned on her decision to become a mother so young.

Channel News Asia 25m ago

Canada's Labrador Shelf preserves climate records once thought erased by ice

The Labrador Shelf is a shallow marine area on the margin of the Labrador Sea in the North Atlantic off the east coast of Canada. During the last ice age, this region was covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet, one of the largest ice masses in Earth's history, which once covered vast parts of North America.

Phys.org 44m ago

A roadmap for animal-free chemical testing

For many years, the European Union has pursued a policy aimed at the replacement, reduction and refinement of animal testing (the 3Rs principle). To put the ethical principle of the 3Rs into practice, the European Commission has published a roadmap for the gradual phaseout of animal testing in the safety assessment of chemicals.

Phys.org 45m ago

Ocean heat waves linked with poorer health among children in coastal communities

Marine heat waves—periods of abnormally warm ocean temperatures—may have negative health effects on children who live in coastal communities in low- and middle-income countries, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Phys.org 1h ago