How we are contaminating our waters with microplastics and a multitude of chemicals
A plastic sandwich wrapper bobs in the water where the Limmat River flows out of Lake Zurich. The current carries it downstream through Zurich's historic center before eventually depositing it on the bank of Werd island. Exposed to sunlight, it gradu.....»»
River restoration is encouraging Atlantic salmon to return to heart of the UK
For the first time in 100 years, Atlantic salmon are once again spawning in the upper waters of the River Derwent......»»
EPA’s PFAS rules: We’d prefer zero, but we’ll accept 4 parts per trillion
For two chemicals, any presence in water supplies is too much. Enlarge (credit: Layland Masuda) Today, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has finalized rules for handling water supplies that are contam.....»»
US announces tough tap water standards for "forever chemicals"
US President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday announced the first nationwide tap water standards to protect the public from toxic "forever chemicals" linked to serious health harms ranging from cancers to developmental damage in children......»»
Study finds microbes hitchhike on microplastics to reach the sea
The oceans contain large amounts of microplastics, particles that are less than 5 mm in size. In parts of the Baltic Sea, the concentration of microplastics can be as much as 3,300 particles per cubic meter. The microplastics end up in aquatic enviro.....»»
Searching for "Forever Chemicals" From an Endless Landfill Fire
Alabama residents are considering blood or urine tests to see if “forever chemicals” have resulted from a nearby landfill fire that has burned since 2022......»»
Coastal wetlands can"t keep pace with sea-level rise, and infrastructure is leaving them nowhere to go
Wetlands have flourished along the world's coastlines for thousands of years, playing valuable roles in the lives of people and wildlife. They protect the land from storm surge, stop seawater from contaminating drinking water supplies, and create hab.....»»
Jellyfish invade Venezuelan waters, worrying fishermen
A thick bloom of varying hues drifts in the turquoise waters of Aragua in Venezuela, a surreal vision attributed to climate change that has decimated fishing stocks......»»
New study suggests we"re likely underestimating the future impact of PFAS in the environment
Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances—commonly known as PFAS—are a group of over 14,000 human-made chemicals that have been popular since the 1950s for their diverse skills in resisting heat, water, grease and stains......»»
Tiny cracks in rocks may have concentrated chemicals needed for life
The gentle flow of warm fluids could have given pre-life chemistry a boost. Enlarge / Active geology could have helped purify key chemicals needed for life. (credit: Christof B. Mast) In some ways, the origin of life is.....»»
Textiles and food packaging biggest source of PFAS in Yangtze River
The first study of toxic "forever chemicals" along the full length of Asia's longest river, the Yangtze, has found 13 different types of PFAS, nearly half of them coming from textile treatments and food packaging......»»
What four decades of canned salmon reveal about marine food webs
Alaskan waters are a critical fishery for salmon. Complex marine food webs underlie and sustain this fishery, and scientists want to know how climate change is reshaping them. But finding samples from the past isn't easy......»»
The omnipresence of PFAS—and what we can do about them
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—also known as "forever chemicals"—are everywhere. Created in the 1940s, these synthetic compounds are an unseen ingredient in many items that we use in our daily lives, like cleaning products, food pack.....»»
New study flags alarmingly high levels of microplastics in Nigeria"s Osun River
The Osun River is one of the major rivers in southern Nigeria. It flows from its source in Ekiti State, through several states, before emptying into Lagos state's Lekki Lagoon. It is an important source of water for the communities that live around i.....»»
Water-based paints: Less stinky, but some still contain potentially hazardous chemicals
Choosing paint for your home brings a lot of options: What kind of paint, what type of finish and what color? Water-based paints have emerged as "greener" and less smelly than solvent-based options. And they are often advertised as containing little-.....»»
Engineers "symphonize" cleaner ammonia production
Among the many chemicals we use every day, ammonia is one of the worst for the atmosphere. The nitrogen-based chemical used in fertilizer, dyes, explosives and many other products ranks second only to cement in terms of carbon emissions, due to the h.....»»
Atmospheric scientists link Arctic sea loss ice to strong El Niño events
El Niño, a climate pattern where warm waters in the eastern Pacific fuel hotter weather, is finally beginning to wane after bringing a long stretch of record heat and heavy precipitation across the world since last summer......»»
Easily observing environmental pollution-causing harmful substances through a mobile phone camera
DGIST's Physics and Chemistry Professor Park Jin-hee and her research team have developed a technology that allows easy detection of hazardous chemicals. Allowing one to detect harmful substances by analyzing color changes using a mobile phone camera.....»»
Constructing "on-gel" alveolar organoids as a new screening platform
A study led by Professor Shimpei Gotoh (Department of Clinical Application), introduces a new culturing method to generate alveolar organoids suitable for medium- and high-throughput screening and identified several chemicals with synergistic effects.....»»
Sawfish are spinning, and dying, in Florida waters as rescue effort begins
Endangered smalltooth sawfish, marine creatures virtually unchanged for millions of years, are exhibiting erratic spinning behavior and dying in unusual numbers in Florida waters. Federal and state wildlife agencies are beginning an effort to rescue.....»»
Researchers demonstrate that forests trap airborne microplastics, acting as terrestrial sinks
A research group led by Japan Women's University finds that airborne microplastics adsorb to the epicuticular wax on the surface of forest canopy leaves, and that forests may act as terrestrial sinks for airborne microplastics......»»