Microplastics are adsorbing zinc oxide from sunscreens and microbeads from cleansers
A new study by a research team from Diamond Light Source looks at how microplastics wastes may interact with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials in freshwater and seawater scenarios. It also evaluated, a ZnO-based sunscreen and an exfoliating cleanser wit.....»»
Coastal chemistry improves methane modeling
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using a new modeling framework in conjunction with data collected from marshes in the Mississippi Delta to improve predictions of climate-warming methane and nitrous oxide emissions from soils in coasta.....»»
Galápagos penguin is exposed to and may accumulate microplastics at high rate within its food web, modeling suggests
Modeling shows how microplastics may bioaccumulate in the Galápagos Islands' food web, with Galápagos penguins most affected, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by Karly McMullen from the University of British Columbia, Canada, under the su.....»»
Tiny water-walking bugs provide scientists with insights on how microplastics are pushed underwater
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can cause big problems when they enter the water supply. One way my fluid dynamics lab explores microplastic movement is by studying how tiny water-walking insects are pushed underwater by raindrops......»»
Manipulated hafnia paves the way for next-generation memory devices
Scientists and engineers have been pushing for the past decade to leverage an elusive ferroelectric material called hafnium oxide, or hafnia, to usher in the next generation of computing memory. A team of researchers including the University of Roche.....»»
Small-scale study finds microplastics from natural fertilizers are blowing in the wind more often than once thought
Though natural fertilizers made from treated sewage sludge are used to reintroduce nutrients onto agricultural fields, they bring along microplastic pollutants too. And according to a small-scale study published in Environmental Science & Technology.....»»
Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution—here"s how to clean your clothes more sustainably
Microplastics are turning up everywhere, from remote mountain tops to deep ocean trenches. They also are in many animals, including humans......»»
Researchers explore the impact of microplastics and toxin exposure on goldfish
The presence of plastics in our oceans and waterbodies is one of the most significant threats to marine ecosystems. In 2022, plastic production exceeded 400 million tons globally, which continues to rise. The presence of microplastics, ranging in siz.....»»
Plastic is everywhere, including in our food and bottled water
Microplastics in our steak and tofu are washed down with nanoplastics from bottled water. Enlarge (credit: RunPhoto via Getty) If we are what we eat, there’s growing evidence to help explain how nanoplastics and microp.....»»
Shape matters: Study finds microplastic fibers may travel as far as the stratosphere
How far microplastics travel in the atmosphere depends crucially on particle shape, according to a recent study by scientists at the University of Vienna and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen. Although spherica.....»»
Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted tiny plastic bits, study finds
In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits,.....»»
Unraveling the impact of edge cracks on superconducting REBCO tapes: A leap in material durability and efficiency
In the realm of superconductivity, the durability and efficiency of materials like REBCO (Rare Earth Barium Copper Oxide) tapes are crucial for application in various high-tech fields. However, these materials face challenges, particularly when it co.....»»
New strategy for high-performance cathodes in aqueous zinc ion batteries
A new strategy was proposed in the field of aqueous zinc-ion battery to help increase the capacity of the cathodes, making them more efficient, according to a recent study published in ACS Nano......»»
Novel strategy stabilizes zinc-ion batteries
According to a study published in Advanced Functional Materials, a research team led by Prof. Hu Linhua from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that adding disodium maleate (DMA) to the electrolyte of aq.....»»
AI predicts the influence of microplastics on soil properties
Plastic waste and its buildup in nature has become a major environmental concern in recent times. While plastic pollution in the oceans is undoubtedly a problem, the presence of plastics in soils around the world is also known to cause severe environ.....»»
Watch sand defy gravity and flow uphill thanks to “negative friction”
Applying magnetic forces to single iron oxide-coated particles spurs strange collective motion. There's rarely time to write about every cool science-y story that comes our way. So this year, we're once again running a special Twe.....»»
Greenhouse vegetable production emits high levels of nitrous oxide, study finds
A new study has found that greenhouse vegetable production (GVP) systems are major sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a potent greenhouse gas......»»
Microplastic-associated pathogens in aquatic environments: A hidden health risk
Microplastics, which are minute plastic particles under 5mm in size, are becoming ever more ubiquitous in marine and freshwater ecosystems around the globe. These particles, derived from primary and secondary sources, such as industrial raw material.....»»
3D material found to break down antidepressant that contaminates water bodies worldwide
An study published in the Chemical Engineering Journal describes a strategy to produce a material based on zinc oxide (ZnO) capable of degrading sertraline, an antidepressant that has been detected, like other drugs, in groundwater worldwide and is c.....»»
Hurricane Larry dumped 100,000 microplastics per sq. meter on Newfoundland each day
It's another sign of how plasticized our environment has become. Enlarge (credit: J Marshall/NASA/ESA/T. Pesquet/Alamy) As Hurricane Larry curved north in the Atlantic in 2021, sparing the eastern seaboard of the United.....»»
First discovery of carbon-based cave art in France"s Dordogne region could pave way for precise radiocarbon dating
The Dordogne region of southern France is home to over 200 caves decorated with colorful Paleolithic art, but little is known about how old it is. Due to its coloration with iron- or manganese-oxide-based material, radiocarbon dating of the art has n.....»»