Methane from waste should not be wasted: Exploring landfill ecosystems
Each year, humans across the globe produce billions of tons of solid waste. Roughly 70% of this refuse ends up deposited in landfills, where it slowly decays. Yet, what may seem an inert accumulation of useless debris, is in reality, a complex ecosys.....»»
Exxon Mobil says advanced recycling is the answer to plastic waste: But is it really?
When California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against Exxon Mobil and accused the oil giant of misleading the public about the effectiveness of plastic recycling, many of the allegations surrounded the company's marketing of a process called.....»»
Designing multifunctional framework materials for sustainable photocatalysis
The goal of sustainable chemistry has motivated chemists to use renewable energy in chemical reactions, minimizing hazardous waste, and maximizing atom economy. Nature provides a blueprint with photosynthesis, in which carbohydrates are produced from.....»»
Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain—new study
Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slo.....»»
Exploring the role of hydrogen sulfide in the expression of iron uptake genes in E. coli
Antibiotic resistance and oxidative stress response are important biological mechanisms that help bacteria thrive, especially pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a chemical messenger molecule, regulates several intracel.....»»
Return to sender: Waste stranded at sea stirs toxic dispute
Amid the scorching heat at the Albanian port of Durres, 102 containers set sail for Thailand in early July, sparking a high-seas drama that highlighted the perils of the global waste trade......»»
Some people insist the Tijuana River is poisoning them: Officials disagree
The Tijuana River should not be flowing this time of year. But throughout the dry season, it has—delivering millions of gallons a day of an unnatural mix of water, neon green sewage and industrial waste from Tijuana through the city of Imperial Bea.....»»
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.....»»
Transforming caragana waste into nutritious ruminant feed
In an advance for agricultural waste management, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have devised a method to convert Caragana korshinskii Kom. waste, a common forestry byproduct in China, into a potential ruminant feed. The research, pub.....»»
Advancing green chemistry: A tandem catalyst for efficient biomass conversion
The global demand for sustainable energy sources has intensified the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels. Biomass waste, a byproduct of various industrial processes, presents an untapped potential for the production of bi.....»»
Study offers new explanation for Siberia"s permafrost craters
Mysterious craters that first appeared in the Siberian permafrost a decade ago were caused by climate change-driven pressure changes that explosively released methane frozen underground, a new study reports. The research offers a fresh take on the or.....»»
Do you feel eco-guilt or eco-shame? Emotions reveal how much we care about the environment
Air travel, meat in the shopping cart, waste sorting, plastic toys—consumers are faced with a barrage of everyday decisions and priorities when navigating environmental concerns. But what drives these choices?.....»»
Citizen scientists help discover microplastics along the entire German coastline
The global production of plastics and the resulting plastic waste has increased to such an extent that plastics have become ubiquitous in our environment. Plastics of various sizes are also found along the German North Sea and Baltic coasts......»»
Sustainable metal-recycling method reduces cost and greenhouse gas emissions
A research team led by Rice University's James Tour has developed a method to recycle valuable metals from electronic waste more efficiently while significantly reducing the environmental impact typically associated with metal recycling......»»
Atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding, satellite data analysis finds
A new analysis of satellite data finds that the record surge in atmospheric methane emissions from 2020 to 2022 was driven by increased inundation and water storage in wetlands, combined with a slight decrease in atmospheric hydroxide (OH). The resul.....»»
Microchip can save millions of liters of milk from going down the drain
Large amounts of the food we produce do not end up in our stomachs, but in landfills, sewers, or elsewhere. According to the UN, in 2022, this was the fate of 1.05 billion tons of food, which ended up as food waste—corresponding to approximately 13.....»»
Studying fossil extraction on Native lands and exploring the depths of untold histories
In 2019, historian Lukas Rieppel published a book about the history of dinosaur fossils and their excavation in the late 1800s to create museum displays......»»
Researchers are commercializing technology to turn waste into plastic-free, biodegradable packaging
Seafood is a major industry in New England. It generates a lot of revenue for coastal communities, but with that productivity can come a lot of waste......»»
Navigating complex systems to preserve prairie wetlands
From grasslands to boreal forests, Saskatchewan has some of the most dynamic ecosystems in the country and is home to equally complex water systems. Researchers like Dr. Colin Whitfield (Ph.D.), associate professor in the School of Environment and Su.....»»
Our digital 3D models of huge coral reefs could help revive these precious ecosystems
As a team of marine biologists, assessing the health of thousands of square meters of coral reef can be a daunting prospect. Often, we have to monitor some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, and there's a strict time limit due to the sa.....»»
From pollution to power: Merging wastewater treatment and energy generation with capacitive MFC innovations
Imagine standing on the edge of a new frontier, where waste—something we often view as a problem—becomes the solution. We live in a world that needs innovation, where environmental challenges demand a sustainable approach, and where we need techn.....»»