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.....»»
Microplastics: Meant to last, just not forever and not in our bodies
Megan Hill is an assistant professor of chemistry and leader of the Hill Lab in Colorado State University's College of Natural Sciences. Her research leverages organic chemistry to design advanced polymeric materials for applications in sustainabilit.....»»
Vast France building project sunk by sea level rise fears
An ambitious housing project in the northwestern French city of Caen has run aground over worries that rising waters driven by climate change could make the area unlivable within the century......»»
Surface water sampling reveals large numbers of juvenile krill undetected by conventional monitoring methods
In 2018–2019, researchers of Wageningen Marine Research joined the Japanese research vessel Kaiyo-maru (Fisheries Agency Japan; FAJ) on an Antarctic expedition to sample the upper surface waters with the Surface and Under Ice Trawl. Results showed.....»»
Tiny robots and AI algorithms could help to craft material solutions for cleaner environments
Many human activities release pollutants into the air, water and soil. These harmful chemicals threaten the health of both people and the ecosystem. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes an estimated 4.2 million deaths annu.....»»
Over 3,600 food packaging chemicals found in human bodies
More than 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging or preparation have been detected in human bodies, some of which are hazardous to health, while little is known about others, a study said Tuesday......»»
Using sunlight to turn greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals
McGill University researchers have harnessed the power of sunlight to transform two of the most harmful greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals. The discovery could help combat climate change and provide a more sustainable way to produce certain ind.....»»
Exploring ternary metal sulfides as electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction reactions
One of the most promising avenues for actively reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere is recycling it into valuable chemicals via electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reactions. With a suitable electrocatalyst, this can be achieved under mild conditions and.....»»
New method to break down forever chemicals uses nanoparticles and ultrasound
What do firefighting foam, non-stick cookware, water-repellent textiles and pesticides all have in common? They all contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS—human-made chemicals that don't break down naturally. It's no wonder, then, tha.....»»
Vietnam farmers lose their blooms as floods claim crops
Vietnamese farmer Do Hong Yen estimates she lost tens of thousands of dollars when her valuable peach blossom crop was swamped by muddy waters in Hanoi's worst flooding in two decades......»»
Enzyme-inspired catalyst puts chemicals in right position to make ethers
Taking inspiration from enzymes, chemists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a catalyst to simplify the synthesis of ethers, key functional components of many drugs, foods, personal care items and other consumer goods. The catal.....»»
Researchers reveal presence of microplastics in large pelagic fish in the Mediterranean
A research study co-led by the University of Barcelona and the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM, CSIC), together with the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO, CSIC), has revealed the worrying presence of microplastics in the stomachs of swordfish.....»»
Catalyzing environmental cleanup: A highly active and selective molecular catalyst and electrified membrane
Some chemicals create environmental problems; others, fortunately, can help clean them up. Chemists from Yale University and their colleagues have developed an electrochemical catalyst and membrane that offers an efficient and sustainable way to trea.....»»
Why are sharks coming to Boston Harbor? Researchers believe it"s a nursery ground
Once unthinkable when the harbor was nasty and polluted, today's cleaner waters have actually become a desirable shark habitat as young sharks migrate here yearly......»»
Thanks to humans, Salish Sea waters are too noisy for resident orcas to hunt successfully
The Salish Sea—the inland coastal waters of Washington and British Columbia—is home to two unique populations of fish-eating orcas, the northern resident and the southern resident orcas. Human activity over much of the 20th century, including red.....»»
An Amazon river dries up, creating hellish crossing for villagers
Only the youngest and strongest villagers now brave the crossing of a vast, blistering stretch of sand where, in normal times, the waters of the mighty Madeira River flow in the Brazilian Amazon......»»
Shallow waters make the best carbon sinks, researchers find
Marine phytoplankton take up atmospheric carbon and carry it to the seafloor when they die and sink (a process known as organic carbon sedimentation). This biological carbon pump is a powerful part of Earth's carbon cycle, yet scientists don't have a.....»»
Zeolite catalyst method uses microwaves to convert waste cooking oil into useful chemicals
Researchers from Kyushu University have revealed that a zeolite material called Na-ZSM-5 is effective in improving the chemical conversion of biomass into olefins—a precursor chemical that makes everything from plastics to pharmaceuticals—using m.....»»
Zeolite catalyst method use microwaves to convert waste cooking oil into useful chemicals
Researchers from Kyushu University have revealed that a zeolite material called Na-ZSM-5 is effective in improving the chemical conversion of biomass into olefins—a precursor chemical that makes everything from plastics to pharmaceuticals—using m.....»»
Greenpeace sounds alarm on microplastics ingested by Hong Kong wildlife
Microplastic particles turned up in the vast majority of waste samples taken from Hong Kong wildlife in a Greenpeace study, the group said Monday, suggesting that animals still ingest plastics even if they are not feeding in urban areas......»»
Uncovering microplastic dynamics and patterns in coastal habitats
Microplastics have raised concerns among scientists and the public in recent years due to their widespread presence and associated health risks. They have been found in every corner of the planet, from mountain peaks to the deep sea, and in the diets.....»»