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UrduCommon press release: Stockholm University, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
Tag: POLLUTION/REMEDIATION
New book highlights need for Chaco Canyon preservation
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 1, 2021 — Carrie Heitman can still remember the moment when — as an undergraduate visiting for the first time — Chaco Culture National Historic Park became the cornerstone of her academic career in anthropology. “You have…
Compost improves apple orchard sustainability
As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what’s the key to growing a quality apple? Apple trees need access to important nutrients, which come from the soil. However, soil is quite different from orchard…
Climate change makes arctic ozone loss worse
Results of the MOSAiC expedition show: the expected recovery of the ozone layer may fail to happen anytime soon, if global warming is not slowed down In spring 2020, the MOSAiC expedition documented an unparalleled loss of ozone in the…
Mapping methane sources in Paris
A potent greenhouse gas, methane is released by many sources, both human and natural. Large cities emit significant amounts of methane, but in many cases the exact emission sources are unknown. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology…
Addressing inequity in air quality
Air quality varies greatly within regions and cities around the world, and exposure to air pollution can have severe health impacts. In the U.S., people of color are disproportionately exposed to poor air quality. A cover story in Chemical &…
Blackologists and the Promise of Inclusive Sustainability
Historically, shared resources such as forests, fishery stocks, and pasture lands have often been managed with an aim toward averting “tragedies of the commons,” which are thought to result from selfish overuse. Writing in BioScience ( https:/ / academic. oup.…
Greenhouse gas data deep dive reaches new level of ‘reasonable and true’
URBANA, Ill. – For the most accurate accounting of a product’s environmental impact, scientists look at the product’s entire life cycle, from cradle to grave. It’s a grand calculation known as a life cycle assessment (LCA), and greenhouse gas emissions…
Glyphosate pesticides persist for years in wild plants and cause flower infertility
Researchers show for first time that commonly used herbicides can persist within wild forest plants for years, reducing fertility long-term and potentially also impacting pollinators
Measuring the elimination of plastic particles from the body in mice
Postdoctoral Researcher Outi Keinänen from the University of Helsinki developed a method to radiolabel plastic particles in order to observe their biodistribution on the basis of radioactivity with the help of positron emission tomography (PET). As a radiochemist, Keinänen has…
Can biodegradable polymers live up to the hype?
As consumers and corporations alike become more environmentally conscious, the chemical industry is working to find solutions to the plastic waste crisis. One idea is to use biodegradable polymers known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as replacements for traditional plastic packaging and…
Small streams in agricultural ecosystems are heavily polluted with pesticides
The environmental risks of pesticides need to be revised
Antidepressant pollution alters crayfish behavior, with impacts to stream ecosystems
Increased foraging and reduced aggression have the potential to alter stream functioning
Not acting like themselves: Antidepressants in environment alter crayfish behavior
Crayfish exposed to low levels of antidepressant medication behaved in ways that could make them more vulnerable to predators
Pollutant concentration increases in the franciscana dolphin
One of the smallest and most threatened dolphin species worldwide
Effects of ‘Fenton-like’ reactions of ferric oxalate on atmospheric oxidation processes and radiative forcing
The 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,…
‘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
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
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
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
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
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
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…
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…
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…
New ‘Swiss Army knife’ cleans up water pollution
First used to soak up oil in water, new sponge sequesters excess phosphate from water
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
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…
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…