Anti-bacterial spice that kills food germs on agenda for ACS meeting in New Orleans

Press registration is now open for members of the news media interested in attending the meeting. To sign up go to newsroom@acs.org and visit the ACS Web site at www.chemistry.org/meetings for information about hotel accommodations and other logistics.

ACS, the world's largest scientific society, expects an estimated 11,000 scientists to attend the meeting. More than 8,000 papers have been submitted for presentation at more than 600 technical sessions, which will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, 900 Convention Center Boulevard, and surrounding hotels.

In addition to individual scientific papers, features of the meeting include symposia on detecting and combating bio-terrorism, and food allergens. Special presidential events include symposia on the chemical science of everyday polymers like golf balls and tennis shoes and the role of the media in science communication and a public program: Celebrating Chemistry: Kids & Chemistry Live! This event will be held Sunday, March 23, at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, 1 Canal Street, New Orleans, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. ACS staff will conduct demonstrations and conduct hands-on activities for elementary school children that illustrate the importance of chemistry in everyday life.

Other symposia and research papers on the New Orleans program include:

Combating termites

Greenhouse gas control and use

The use of a rice milling byproduct as a healthful food product

Uncovering the mysteries of pigments in red wine

The use of coal-based jet fuel for high-speed aircraft

The use of electrical fields to clean up contaminated soils, sediments and groundwater

A look at the Gulf Coast environment

New treatments for diabetes, atherosclerosis and obesity

Nanotechnology and the environment

Alternative countermeasures for oil spills