‘Plastitar’ Is the Unholy Spawn of Oil Spills and Microplastics
On the beautiful beaches of the Canary Islands, scientists discovered a noxious new pollutant: tar mixed with tiny bits of plastic......»»
Hitchhiking viruses can survive on microplastics in freshwater
Scientists have proven for the first time that viruses can survive and remain infectious by binding themselves to plastics in freshwater—raising concerns about the potential impact on human health......»»
Interaction between nanoplastics and pectin, a water-soluble polysaccharide
Microplastics are known to collect in ecosystems and nanoplastics occur from the breaking down of microplastics. Nanoplastics are plastic particles of sizes less than 100 nm and when they are in water, they are dispersed in a colloidal form. Nanoplas.....»»
Scientists Unveil Bionic Robo-fish To Remove Microplastics From Seas
Scientists have designed a tiny robot-fish that is programmed to remove microplastics from seas and oceans by swimming around and adsorbing them on its soft, flexible, self-healing body. From a report: Microplastics are the billions of tiny plastic p.....»»
UM study finds microplastic pollution in Flathead Lake
They're in our oceans and rivers. They're in the food we eat and the water we drink. They've even been detected inside the human body. They're called microplastics—particles of plastic so small they can't be seen by the naked eye. While researchers.....»»
Shedding light on the impact of microplastics on lentil seedling growth
Microplastic pollution is known to negatively impact seed germination and seedling growth. Although some studies have demonstrated the effects of microplastics on seed germination, the impact of microplastics on the internal biological activity of se.....»»
Self-Propelled Robo-Fish Can Grab Microplastics Out of the Ocean
A robotic fish the size of your pinky nail might soon help mitigate microplastic pollution. The post Self-Propelled Robo-Fish Can Grab Microplastics Out of the Ocean appeared first on ExtremeTech......»»
Tiny fish-shaped robot "swims" around picking up microplastics
Microplastics are found nearly everywhere on Earth and can be harmful to animals if they're ingested. But it's hard to remove such tiny particles from the environment, especially once they settle into nooks and crannies at the bottom of waterways. No.....»»
New, fully biodegradable cellulose membrane proves effective in oil-water separation
Oil spills and industrial pollution pose a huge threat to the ecological environment. Concerns over safety have seen an increased focus on improving the filtration of oily wastewater; for example, during the treatment of sewage. Membrane separation t.....»»
How to make an iron golem in Minecraft
There is a way to spawn an iron golem for yourself. If you want to have one of these gentle giants on your side, here's how to make an iron golem in Minecraft......»»
Microplastics Found In Freshly Fallen Antarctic Snow For First Time
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Microplastics have been found in freshly fallen snow in Antarctica for the first time, which could accelerate snow and ice melting and pose a threat to the health of the continent's unique ecosys.....»»
Examining the microplastics in the Indian Ocean
They may be tiny, but they pose a global problem for humans and the environment: microplastic particles. These are plastic particles with a diameter between one micron and five millimeters. Their accurate analysis is an enormous challenge due to high.....»»
First microplastics found in Antarctic snow
University of Canterbury researchers have published the world's first study confirming the discovery of microplastics in fresh snow in Antarctica......»»
‘Plastitar’ Is the Unholy Spawn of Oil Spills and Microplastics
On the beautiful beaches of the Canary Islands, scientists discovered a noxious new pollutant: tar mixed with tiny bits of plastic......»»
How do bacterial communities in black soils respond to conventional and biodegradable microplastics?
Plastic film mulching has been applied globally in various agricultural settings and inevitably disintegrates into microplastics (MPs, which are less than 5 mm in size) due to a series of natural and artificial forces. However, the effects of MPs on.....»»
Can a moss help clean up waterways?
Hydrocarbons from our cars, oil spills and industrial contamination can get into our waterways by many paths. Researchers recently studied if a common "willow moss" could work to soak up these hydrocarbons, and clean up waterways......»»
Catching microplastics with spider webs
Flies, mosquitoes, dust and even microplastics—spider webs capture whatever travels through the air. Researchers at the university have now for the first time tested if they can get an overview of plastic particles in the air by examining the eight.....»»
Research confirms effectiveness of oil dispersants
Marine oil spills are one of the most direct, and harmful, examples of the toll that the extraction of fossil fuels can take on the environment. One of the few tools to mitigate that damage are chemical dispersants that break down oil in the water. H.....»»
Monitoring the journey of microplastics through the intestine of a living organism
A UAB research team has managed to track the movement of microplastics during their journey through the intestinal tract of a living organism and illustrate what happens along the way. The study, carried out on Drosophila melanogaster using electron.....»»
Digging into soil biology recovery after petroleum contamination
Spills and leaks of petroleum products wreak havoc on the environment. They can contaminate soils and pose significant threats to humans, animals, plants, and soil microbes. Cleaning up petroleum contamination can be energy and time-consuming, howeve.....»»
Wildlife officials truck Chinook salmon to cooler waters in emergency move to help them spawn
In a stopgap measure to help struggling spring- and winter-run Chinook salmon spawn in the face of rising water temperatures and lower water levels due to climate change, state and federal wildlife officials in Northern California have begun trucking.....»»