English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
UrduThe Fenton reaction is a chemical transition involving hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and the ferrous (iron) ion, which acts as a catalyst. This process is used to destroy hazardous contaminants in wastewater through oxidation. In the atmosphere,…
Tag: POLLUTION/REMEDIATION
‘Vegan spider silk’ provides sustainable alternative to single-use plastics
Researchers have created a plant-based, sustainable, scalable material that could replace single-use plastics in many consumer products. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, created a polymer film by mimicking the properties of spider silk, one of the strongest materials…
Noise and light pollution can change which birds visit our backyards
A new study reports that birds across the continental US tend to avoid backyard feeders in louder areas; when light and noise pollution were both present, even more species stayed away
Combating maritime litter
Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon categorizes innovative solutions for fighting pollution in the oceans
Soot from heaters and traffic is not just a local problem
Study from Thuringia shows: 50% of the soot that is harmful to health comes from local sources and 50% from long-distance transport
Bacteria serves tasty solution to global plastic crisis
Scientists have devised a novel way of tackling the mounting issue of plastic pollution — by using bacteria to transform plastic waste into vanilla flavoring
More sustainable mortars and concrete with optimal thermal and mechanical efficiency
The University of the Basque Country-UPV/EHU is researching mortars and concrete manufactured from industrial by-products, within the circular economy approach
Laptops, cell phones, e-games defied slump as COVID-19 dented 2020’s electronics sales: UN
Foreseen drop in 2020 sales-related e-waste: 4.9 million metric tonnes or ~6.4%; Pandemic intensified digital divide between high, middle and low income countries
Bacteria-sized robots take on microplastics and win by breaking them down
Small pieces of plastic are everywhere, stretching from urban environments to pristine wilderness. Left to their own devices, it can take hundreds of years for them to degrade completely. Catalysts activated by sunlight could speed up the process, but getting…
Using a mineral ‘sponge’ to catch uranium
Remediation technology reduces uranium levels ten-thousandfold at legacy site in Colorado
Drone improves odor management in water treatment plants
The bad odors produced by the Waste Water Treatment Plants, known as WWTPs, have become a growing concern in the cities and towns that host these facilities and are considered by citizens to be the main cause of the perception…
Absorbent aerogels show some muscle
Rice lab creates spongelike materials for environmental remediation and more
High blood lead levels found in indigenous peoples in Peruvian Amazonia
The study finds higher concentrations of lead in communities living where oil extraction has been most intense
CO2 sensors in two urban areas registered big drop in emissions during COVID-19 pandemic
Scientists show they can reliably track changes in urban emissions by directly measuring CO2 in the air above cities
Global youth draft ‘Blue New Deal’ to protect oceans: ‘Time to end generational injustice’
Seek public comment on global youth crowd-sourced ocean policy framework to balance ocean, human, climate, and economic health
Beyond synthetic biology, synthetic ecology boosts health by engineering the environment
BU scientists are investigating how environmental molecules can be used to engineer ‘designer’ microbiomes for combating disease, pollution, and more
Are wind farms slowing each other down?
If the offshore wind turbines are too numerous, they will produce less power; this should be considered when planning the farms
Mixed farming methods could reduce US emissions and increase productivity
Modeled nitrogen-sparing farms across the US exceeded demand for protein but produced 20% less beef
Life stage differences shield ecological communities from collapse
A new study by ecologist André de Roos* shows that differences between juveniles and adults of the same species are crucial for the stability of complex ecological communities. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , represents a major…
Current global environmental law and policy are failing, experts say
In a landmark special issue of Environmental Policy and Law, noted scholars lay out their vision for a complete overhaul of regulatory processes, approaches, and instruments for the protection of the global environment
Plastic waste in the sea mainly drifts near the coast
The pollution of the world’s oceans with plastic waste is one of the major environmental problems of our time. However, very little is known about how much plastic is distributed globally in the ocean. Models based on ocean currents have…
Greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs higher than previously expected
VANCOUVER, Wash. – A new study in Global Biogeochemical Cycles shows per-area greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s water reservoirs are around 29% higher than suggested by previous studies, but that practical measures could be taken to help reduce that…
How best to focus efforts on classifying new species to prevent their extinction?
The return-on-investment approach found 24 Australian lizard and snake species needing protection
If countries implement Paris pledges with cuts to aerosols, millions of lives can be saved
A strategic approach to reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution can reap major health and temperature benefits, according to new UC San Diego research
Seeking sustainable solutions for the global challenge of safe drinking water
Pitt’s Leanne Gilbertson will use a $500K CAREER award to address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal to ensure access to clean water
Air quality improved during India lockdown, study shows
Research by scientists from University of Southampton (UK) and the Central University of Jharkhand (India) and has shown the first COVID-19 lockdown in India led to an improvement in air quality and a reduction in land surface temperature in major…
New ‘Swiss Army knife’ cleans up water pollution
First used to soak up oil in water, new sponge sequesters excess phosphate from water
Research: Countries in violation of Baltic Sea Convention, polluting marine environment
The countries around the Baltic Sea do not respect their binding international agreement to reduce agricultural pollution of the marine environment.
Natural gas pipeline density higher overall in more vulnerable US counties
An analysis led by North Carolina State University researchers found counties with more socially vulnerable populations had a higher density of natural gas pipelines overall. The findings suggest counties that are more socially vulnerable are also at greater risk of…
Plastic in Galapagos seawater, beaches and animals
Plastic pollution has been found in seawater, on beaches and inside marine animals at the Galapagos Islands. A new study – by the University of Exeter, Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) and the Galapagos Science Center – found plastic in all…
Research shows potential new sunscreen is coral-safe and provides more UVB/UVA protection
Scientists find that Methylene Blue could be an effective alternative to sunscreens that cause coral damage
Scientists sound alarm about unprecedented mercury accumulation in Pacific Ocean trenches
Multi-national team of scientists discover amounts of mercury in the deepest trenches of the Pacific Ocean that exceed any value ever recorded in remote marine sediments – even higher than many areas directly contaminated by industrial releases.
Large amounts of mercury released under southwest Greenland ice sheet
Mercury pollution is an issue of global concern due to its toxic effects. High levels have already been measured in Arctic organisms – with worrying effects on ecosystems and the food chain. So far, the Greenland Ice Sheet has not…
Mitigating emissions in the livestock production sector
The farming of livestock to feed the global appetite for animal products greatly contributes to global warming. A new study however shows that emission intensity per unit of animal protein produced from the sector has decreased globally over the past…
Aquaculture turns biodiversity into uniformity along the coast of China
Fishery and aquaculture have given rise to an enormous uniformity in the diversity of bivalves along the more than 18,000 kilometer long Chinese coast, biologist He-Bo Peng and colleagues report in this month’s issue of Diversity and Distributions . Climate…
Stormwater could be a large source of microplastics and rubber fragments to waterways
In cities, heavy rains wash away the gunk collecting on sidewalks and roads, picking up all kinds of debris. However, the amount of microplastic pollution swept away by this runoff is currently unknown. Now, researchers in ACS ES&T Water report…
Keeping more ammonium in soil could decrease pollution, boost crops
Modern-day agriculture faces two major dilemmas: how to produce enough food to feed the growing human population and how to minimize environmental damage associated with intensive agriculture. Keeping more nitrogen in soil as ammonium may be one key way to…
UNH research: Journey of PFAS in wastewater facilities highlights regulation challenges
DURHAM, N.H.–Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have conducted two of the first studies in New England to collectively show that toxic man-made chemicals called PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), found in everything from rugs to product packaging, end up…
Scientists find solution to measure harmful plastic particles in human sewage
Scientists have got up close and personal with human sewage to determine how best to measure hidden and potentially dangerous plastics. As the way microplastics are measured and counted varies from place to place, there is no agreed understanding of…
Food scraps get a bold new life
Tokyo, Japan – Most people don’t think much about the food scraps they throw away; however, investigators from the Institute of Industrial Science at The University of Tokyo have developed a new method to reduce food waste by recycling discarded…
As water sources become scarce, understanding emerging subsurface contaminants is key
USC researchers modeled complex subsurface water flow to help assess the risk of contaminants appearing in high, unsafe concentrations in variable water sources.
Grass replaces plastic in take-away food packaging
Soon, packaging for take-away foods might be completely based on local, sustainable materials instead of fossil-based products. In a new research project, a packaging solution based on upcycled grass fibres is being developed.
Surge in nitrogen has turned sargassum into the world’s largest harmful algal bloom
FAU Harbor Branch unique historical baseline (1983-2019) reveals dramatic changes in composition of sargassum
‘Champagne’ technology to capture carbon dioxide via the oceans
A new method of capturing carbon from seawater could help us tackle climate change. The process – similar to capturing the CO2 bubbles in a fizzy drink – makes use of natural processes and renewable energy to remove carbon from…
Dual impacts of extreme heat, ozone disproportionately hurt poorer areas
A frequent combination on hot days, high temperatures and ozone disproportionately affect low-income ZIP codes, researchers find
Russian wildfires and tropospheric ozone pollution over Northern Tibetan Plateau
Atmospheric ozone, which can regulate the amount of incoming ultraviolet radiation on the Earth’s surface, is important for the atmospheric environment and ecosystems. Tropospheric ozone, primarily originating from photochemical reactions, is the third most prominent greenhouse gas causing climate warming.…
Epigenetic mechanism can explain how chemicals in plastic may cause lower IQ levels
The chemical bisphenol F (found in plastics) can induce changes in a gene that is vital for neurological development. This discovery was made by researchers at the universities of Uppsala and Karlstad, Sweden.
Recruiting participants to the first European Red list of insect taxonomists
Contributors will enable the EU to take action to plug in the essential scientific knowledge to address insect declines
Clearing the air: A reduction-based solution to nitrogen pollution with a novel catalyst
A new iron catalyst helps preferentially reduce nitric oxide to hydroxylamine, opening doors to pollution control and clean energy.
Solar geoengineering may be effective in alleviating impacts of global warming on crops
Research offers better understanding of solar geoengineering’s effect on agriculture