Citrus waste converted to biopolymers using cavitation
The citrus industry generates a substantial amount of waste, primarily peels and seeds, which are often underutilized despite their rich cellulose and pectin content. Conventional pectin and cellulose extraction methods are energy-intensive and gener.....»»
Gotta go? We’ve finally found out what makes urine yellow
The yellow color comes from bacteria metabolizing waste from red blood cells. Enlarge (credit: Science Photo Library) There are many mysteries in life that we end up shrugging off. Why is urine yellow? It just is, right?.....»»
Peach-palm waste and Trichoderma stromaticum: The potential of cost-effective amylase production
Amylases are among the most important biotechnological and industrial enzymes that can be applied in various sectors, such as food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, chemicals, paper, and detergents......»»
Revolutionizing plastics: Upcycling agricultural waste boosts performance and sustainability
Researchers from Thailand have pioneered the conversion of waste HDPE milk bottles into high-stiffness composites, using PALF reinforcement for a 162% increase in flexural strength and 204% in modulus. This eco-friendly upcycling boosts mechanical pr.....»»
Lagos styrofoam, plastics ban brings applause and concern
From trash-strewn pavements to street vendors packing meals in polystyrene containers, plastic waste is a constant menace in the urban landscape of Lagos, Nigeria's economic capital and the continent's most populous city......»»
Aluminum mining waste could be a source of green steel
After the extraction, the remaining waste is less harmful to the environment. Enlarge / A red mud retaining pond in Germany. (credit: Wikimedia Commons) The metals that form the foundation of modern society also cause a.....»»
A large percentage of European plastic sent to Vietnam ends up in nature, finds study
Despite strict EU regulations on plastic recycling, there is little oversight on plastic waste shipped from the EU to Vietnam. A large percentage of the exported European plastic cannot be recycled and gets dumped in nature. This is the finding of ne.....»»
Researchers engineer bacteria that eat plastic, make multipurpose spider silk
Move over Spider-Man: Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a strain of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a biodegradable spider silk with multiple uses......»»
Fixing the cormorant disaster on the Columbia: "How could this have come out any worse?"
White streaks of bird waste paint the steel trusses beneath the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River. Every flat surface and hidey-hole of this bridge is stuffed and stippled with nests. Black birds roost on the girders, evenly spaced as bea.....»»
Trash TV: Streaming giants are failing to educate youth about waste recycling. Why it matters
As a new parent, I've had the joy of watching animated cartoons with my two-year-old son. His favorite show is "Trash Truck," on Netflix, featuring a tight-knit ensemble of five characters: a trash truck, a young boy, a raccoon, a bear and a mouse. T.....»»
Study shows how adding impurities to thermoelectric materials impacts their mechanical properties
According to scientists, waste heat, which enters the environment and remains unused, accounts for more than 70% of global energy consumption losses. With the help of thermoelectric materials—special semiconductors—the dissipated heat can be conv.....»»
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra turned me into an AI believer
Samsung is pushing AI on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but there's so much hype around AI it's hard to get excited by it. Here's why the S24 Ultra converted me......»»
Translating nuclear waste site data into microbial ecosystem insights
A flagship seven-year study led by the University of Oklahoma that explores how environmental stresses influence different ecological processes shaping the composition and structure of microbial communities in groundwater, has been published in the j.....»»
Why Humans Are Putting a Bunch of ‘Coal’ and ‘Oil’ Back in the Ground
Startups are processing plant waste into concentrated carbon to be buried or injected underground. It’s like fossil fuels, but in reverse......»»
Study finds 90% of textile waste generated in Catalonia ends up in landfill or incinerators
A total of 90% of the municipal textile waste generated in Catalonia ends up in landfills or incinerators, according to a study by ICTA-UAB, which shows that only 10% of textile waste is collected separately. In the case of Catalonia, this percentage.....»»
Study show dry-cleaning fluid holds promise for sustainable organic synthesis
The widely used dry-cleaning and degreasing solvent perc can be converted to useful chemicals by a new, clean, safe, and inexpensive procedure. The Kobe University discovery using on-demand UV activation may open the path to upcycling perc and thus c.....»»
Hyundai aims for hydrogen systems, from production to vehicles
At CES 2024, Hyundai discusses AI and ‘software-defined everything' for future that includes hydrogen from plastics and animal waste......»»
WWII-era munitions found under water in survey of Southern California industrial waste dump site
Underwater dump sites off the Los Angeles coast contain World War II-era munitions including anti-submarine weapons and smoke devices, marine researchers announced Friday......»»
Research aims to convert greenhouse gas into valuable products with electricity
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University are developing ways to convert waste into fuels and other products, using processes that are energy efficient and powered by renewable sources......»»
New roles for autophagy genes in cellular waste management and aging
Autophagy, which declines with age, may hold more mysteries than researchers previously suspected. In the January 4th issue of Nature Aging, it was noted that scientists from the Buck Institute, Sanford Burnham Prebys and Rutgers University have unco.....»»
How archaeologists reconstructed the burning of Jerusalem in 586 BCE
Hebrew bible is only surviving account of siege that laid waste to Solomon's Temple. Enlarge (credit: Assaf Peretz/Israel Antiquities Authority) There's rarely time to write about every cool science-y story that comes.....»»