There is a huge and confusing literature about inorganic crystal structure prediction. The word "prediction" is used sometimes as meaning "structure determination" since the process described needs the knowledge of the chemical composition and of the cell parameters. Some clarifications are presented here together with a new software (GRINSP) and some of its predictions.

S. L. Clegg, M. J. Kleeman, R. J. Griffin, and J. H. Seinfeld School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, and Department of Earth Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA Department of Chemic...

Nitrogen constitutes 78.09% by volume of dry unpolluted air, but it is a minor element with respect to its abundance in the earthj:"crust. Atmospheric nitrogen forms an important raw material for the economical synthesis of bulk chemicals of industrial importance, viz. ammonia, urea, nitrate, nitrite etc. Therefore, estimation of ammonia and its derivatives assumes a great importance for chemic...

Mercury is a toxic and non-essential metal in the human body. Mercury is ubiquitously distributed in the environment, present in natural products, and exists extensively in items encountered in daily life. There are three forms of mercury, i.e., elemental (or metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds. This review examines the toxicity of elemental mercury and...

In the synthesis of organic phosphorus compounds by the plant and in their storage in the seed as reserve food the inorganic phosphates play an important part. The phosphorus used in this synthetic process is taken into the plant in inorganic form and used in the building up of complex organic phosphorus compounds such as lecithins, phosphoand nucleo-prot,eins and salts of phytic acid. It is be...

Arsenic is classified as a carcinogen for humans, but as a possible genotoxic agent. Thus, taking into account the controversial data about how arsenic compounds are able to induce genetic damage, we investigated the possible genotoxic activity of different arsenic compounds in the TK6 human lymphoblastoid cell line using the alkaline Comet assay. Eight different inorganic and organic arsenical...

A carcinogenic role of inorganic arsenic has been suspected for nearly a century. Exposure to inorganic arsenic compounds occurs in some occupational groups, e.g., among smelter workers and workers engaged in the production and use of arsenic containing pesticides. Substantial exposure can also result from drinking water in certain areas and the use of some drugs. Tobacco and wine have had high...