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.....»»
Ambitious targets are needed to end ocean plastic pollution by 2100, analysis finds
A collaboration between researchers at Imperial College London and GNS Science, suggests that reducing plastic pollution by 5% per year would stabilize the level of microplastics—plastics less than 5 mm in length—in the surface oceans......»»
Study enhances plasticity of spontaneous coagulation cast oxide ceramic green bodies
Spontaneous coagulation casting (SCC), a new type of colloidal forming process, has garnered significant attention since 2011 due to various advantages of a high bulk density and non-toxicity, as well as the ability to achieve dispersion and coagulat.....»»
Many microplastics in the world"s oceans have likely escaped detection, researchers say
Chemicals within microplastics that are found in our world's oceans and waterways, and in drinking water sources, remain of concern to scientists and public health officials. A new study that investigated the presence of the smallest particles of mic.....»»
Machine learning accelerates discovery of high-performance metal oxide catalysts
Researchers have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to significantly advance the discovery and optimization of multicomponent metal oxide electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)......»»
Farm wastewater modeling shows footbaths are source of antimicrobial resistance
New research has mapped wastewater flows on farms and revealed where spikes in antibiotic resistant bacteria in slurry occur, showing that water from copper and zinc footbaths used by dairy animals can cause fluctuations......»»
Self-assembled Na-doped zinc oxide for the detection of lung cancer biomarker VOCs at low concentrations
Developing high-performance gas sensors for the detection of lung cancer markers at low concentrations is a crucial step towards achieving early lung cancer monitoring through breath tests. Metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) have long been sensitive to.....»»
What are nanoplastics? An engineer explains concerns about particles too small to see
It's become common to read that microplastics—little bits of plastic, smaller than a pencil eraser—are turning up everywhere and in everything, including the ocean, farmland, food and human bodies. Now a new term is gaining attention: nanoplastic.....»»
"Everywhere we looked, we found evidence": Microplastics expert on 20 years of pollution research
Thirty years ago, while counting barnacles, limpets and seaweeds along rocky shores, I started noticing a daily tide of litter, mostly plastic. As a marine biology Ph.D. student at Liverpool University, I kept removing it, but the next day, there'd b.....»»
Team evaluates agricultural management practices in new nitrous oxide accounting method
As greenhouse gases go, nitrous oxide (N2O) is a doozy. With a global warming potential 273 times that of carbon dioxide, mitigating N2O could make a big difference. But before mitigation can happen, it's important to understand where the compound is.....»»
Polystyrene microplastics shown to enhance invasion of exotic submerged macrophytes
Submerged macrophyte invasions and microplastic pollution are major challenges in the context of global change and pose a serious threat to aquatic environments. The presence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems alters plant function, sediment micr.....»»
Plugging the leak on laundry pollution
Joaquim Goes, an ocean biochemist at Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, had to look twice when he first saw the tiny strands of fiber floating in a water sample from the Hudson River. An expert in microplastics detection, he.....»»
Low-density polyethylene microplastics partially alleviate toxicological effects induced by Cd exposure in earthworms
Cadmium (Cd) can accumulate in the food chain, with serious impacts on human health and safety. Microplastics (MPs) such as low density polyethylene (LDPE) should be considered not only as a single pollutant but also as a carrier of other pollutants......»»
A novel machine learning model for the characterization of material surfaces
Machine learning (ML) enables the accurate and efficient computation of fundamental electronic properties of binary and ternary oxide surfaces, as shown by scientists from Tokyo Tech. Their ML-based model could be extended to other compounds and prop.....»»
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.....»»
Quantum entanglement in quasiparticles: A stealth mode against disorder
Physicists at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) have made a discovery that could boost the understanding of the role of entanglement in high-temperature copper oxide superconductors. The low-energy quasiparticles of these enigmatic quan.....»»
Utilizing palladium for addressing contact issues of buried oxide thin film transistors
A novel method that employs palladium to inject hydrogen into the deeply buried oxide-metal electrode contacts of amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOSs) storage devices, which reduces contact resistance, has been developed by scientists at Tokyo Tech......»»
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.....»»
Operando spectroscopy provides a window on water oxidation
Iridium oxide catalysts are effective for water oxidation making them very attractive for green technologies. A team including researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research) at Osaka University has therefore taken the c.....»»
Study describes zinc oxide nanoparticle strategy for inactivation of multidrug-resistant bacteria
An article published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering describes a possible strategy for promoting selective inhibition of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which are increasingly abundant owing to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.....»»
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......»»