Rivers Are Drowning in Toxic Sludge
Harmful algal blooms are taking over as the world warms and grows richer in carbon dioxide—and there’s no easy fix......»»
Kenyan fishers face increased drowning risk from climate change
Fatal drownings are a big risk for small-scale fishers on Africa's largest lake, with many of those deaths attributed to bad weather—conditions that are likely to worsen with climate change, according to a new study......»»
Academic calls for upgrade to sewage systems to protect health
The risk to public health from human feces in our rivers and seas will increase without action to create a wastewater system fit for the future, according to a Leeds academic......»»
Tracking down toxic metals from tobacco smoke
Cigarette smoke has been studied for years, revealing a multitude of contaminants, including toxic metals. But exactly which of those metals can be traced to secondhand or thirdhand smoke?.....»»
Detecting odors on the edge: Researchers decipher how insects smell more with less
Whether it's the wafting aroma of our favorite meal or the dangerous fumes seeping from a toxic chemical, the human sense of smell has evolved into a sophisticated system that processes scents through several intricate stages. The brains of mammals h.....»»
A review of the applications of mercury stable isotopes for tracing volcanism in geologic events
Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that can exist stably as a gas, with high volatility and global distribution in the atmosphere. Volcanoes represent a primary natural source of Hg in the atmosphere, with significant effects on Hg cycles on both global.....»»
Researchers test ways to remove "forever chemicals" from the environment and replace them in commercial goods
An underground reservoir in Denmark is the location of a unique experiment: to test a technology for helping rid the environment of a widespread toxic pollution......»»
Alaska"s rusting waters: Pristine rivers and streams turning orange
Dozens of Alaska's most remote streams and rivers are turning from a crystal clear blue into a cloudy orange, and the staining could be the result of minerals exposed by thawing permafrost, finds new research in Communications Earth & Environment......»»
Colorado"s demand for water is slated to surpass supplies by 2050: Did lawmakers do enough to address the crisis?
As Colorado's rivers shrink and its soils dry out, state lawmakers this year passed a slew of water bills that advocates say will help reduce water use and protect the critical natural resource......»»
California bans salmon fishing for the season in Sacramento-area rivers and Klamath basin
The California Fish and Game Commission has voted to ban salmon fishing in the Sacramento, American, Feather and Mokelumne rivers......»»
Scientists develop new geochemical "fingerprint" to trace contaminants in fertilizer
An international team of scientists has uncovered toxic metals in mineral phosphate fertilizers worldwide by using a new tool to identify the spread and impact of such contaminants on soil, water resources, and food supply......»»
Researchers develop a detector for continuously monitoring toxic gases
Most systems used to detect toxic gases in industrial or domestic settings can be used only once, or at best a few times. Now, researchers at MIT have developed a detector that could provide continuous monitoring for the presence of these gases, at l.....»»
Brazil"s flooded south paralyzed as waters remain high
Brazil's flooded south remained paralyzed Monday, with schools and health centers shut and streets cut off as overflowing rivers showed no sign of receding after torrential rains in a disaster that has left 147 dead......»»
Rivers rise again as rain batters flood-hit south Brazil
River levels rose again Sunday as strong rains lashed waterlogged southern Brazil, where flooding has killed 145 people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes......»»
No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials say
Lead screening conducted on west Maui residents after last summer's devastating wildfires showed no widespread exposure to the toxic metal, Hawaii health officials said Thursday......»»
International SWOT mission can improve flood prediction
Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are like our planet's arteries, carrying life-sustaining water in interconnected networks. When Earth's water cycle runs too fast, flooding can result, threatening lives and property. That risk is increasing as climate c.....»»
DDT pollutants found in deep sea fish off LA coast raise questions about the pesticide"s continuing threat to wildlife
In the 1940s and 1950s, the ocean off the coast of Los Angeles was a dumping ground for the nation's largest manufacturer of the pesticide DDT—a chemical now known to harm humans and wildlife. Due to the stubborn chemistry of DDT and its toxic brea.....»»
Functionalized chitosan as a biobased flocculant for the treatment of complex wastewater
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have developed a biobased and functionalized flocculant to efficiently treat complex wastewaters. Furthermore, toxic phenols are removed from the water by the e.....»»
Human activity is causing toxic thallium to enter the Baltic Sea, finds new study
Human activities account for a substantial amount—anywhere from 20% to more than 60%—of toxic thallium that has entered the Baltic Sea over the past 80 years, according to new research by scientists affiliated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic In.....»»
A look at the past suggests atmospheric rivers inundating California could get worse
A team of paleoclimatologists with the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA Ames Research Park, has found that atmospheric rivers in the past have dumped far more rain on California than those that have occurred over the past two years......»»
Researchers detect toxic chemicals in aquatic organisms with new AI method
Swedish researchers at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg have developed an AI method that improves the identification of toxic chemicals—based solely on knowledge of the molecular structure......»»