What if checking medication levels were as simple as enjoying a lollipop? A candy-coated device, called Lollylab, could provide the answer. In ACS Sensors, researchers describe how the lollipop’s stem transfers saliva to a sensor that measures acetaminophen levels. In an initial test, a peach-flavored prototype reliably detected the pain reliever in six people’s saliva in less than two minutes. Participants also found it more comfortable and easier to use than traditional collection swabs.

What if the energy powering your home or office could be generated, stored, and used all in the same place? This is the hope for the next generation of buildings, powered by renewable sources storing the energy nearby — possibly even within the concrete used to construct the building itself. Reporting in ACS Nano, researchers have developed an efficient, energy-storing cement supercapacitor that holds up as well as commercial concrete in tests.

Garbage left outside starts smelling unpleasant very quickly, especially in warm, humid climates that accelerate food decay. In ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology, researchers report a solar-powered lid insert that fits onto standard wheeled trash bins and helps combat the stench. In tests with real food, the lid insert efficiently breaks down acetic acid, the main culprit released from rotting waste that’s responsible for its odors, and continues working for more than a month.