Tomorrow (18th May) marks the date of birth of Thomas Midgley, who made significant contributions to something many of us make use of on a regular basis: petrol. Midgley was the research assistant to Charles Kettering, and the duo were responsible for the addition of the compound tetraethyl lead to petrol. This innovation would have a lasting legacy – although perhaps not in the manner that they may have originally envisioned.
You’ve likely heard of the terrible water crisis currently afflicting the city of Flint, Michigan, in the United States. The city’s water supply contains very high levels of lead, which is well-known to cause serious health issues. This lead is coming from the pipes that bring water to the city from the Flint River, but how is it getting into the water that the residents are drinking? Here’s a few quick explanations to some of the chemistry-related questions surrounding the story.
