Using microbes to get more out of mining waste
Researchers have developed a new mining technique which uses microbes to recover metals and store carbon in the waste produced by mining. Adopting this technique of reusing mining waste, called tailings, could transform the mining industry and create.....»»
Tesla agrees to pay $1.5 million to settle California hazardous waste lawsuit
Tesla agrees to pay $1.5 million to settle California hazardous waste lawsuit, filed by 25 California counties accused the electric vehicle maker of mishandling hazardous waste at its facilities across the state......»»
Over 2 percent of the US’s electricity generation now goes to bitcoin
US government tracking the energy implications of booming bitcoin mining in US. Enlarge / It takes a lot of energy to keep pumping out more bitcoins. (credit: Andriy Onufriyenko) What exactly is bitcoin mining doing to t.....»»
Engineers unmask nanoplastics in oceans, revealing their true shapes and chemistry
Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. The sun's ultraviolet light and ocean turbulence break down these plastics into invisible nanoparticles that threaten marine ecosystems......»»
Intensifying the production of high-value compounds from industrial waste
A study by the Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis (CiTOS) demonstrates how glycerol carbonate, a biosourced industrial additive, can be produced in record time using CO2 and a by-product of the cooking oil recycling industry......»»
How the microbes in wastewater can make our cities more sustainable
COVID-19 showed us how useful monitoring wastewater can be. But the genetic material in our wastewater, namely DNA and RNA, is a treasure trove of other useful information. It reveals the presence of thousands of different types of weird and wonderfu.....»»
The right bacteria turn farms into carbon sinks
A company works with farmers to treat fields with bacteria that sequester carbon. Some of the microbes that make carbon sequestration work. (credit: Andes Ag, Inc) In 2022, humans emitted a staggering 36 gigatons of carb.....»»
Tesla sued by California counties over hazardous waste
A group of 25 California counties have sued Elon Musk's Tesla, claiming the EV maker mishandled hazardous waste at its facilities across the state. The lawsuit from Los Angeles, Alameda, San Joaquin, San Francisco and other counties was filed on T.....»»
Fermentation revolution? Trash becomes treasure as bio-waste yields valuable acetone and isopropanol
In a major stride towards sustainable industrial fermentation, a team of researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in The Netherlands, has unveiled pioneering advancements in the purification of isopropanol and acetone from the ferment.....»»
Remanufactured headlamps cheaper for consumer, keep waste out of landfills, GM says
General Motors is working with Llink Technologies to produce and sell remanufactured headlamps, giving dealers and customers more choice when a damaged one needs to be replaced. The partnership allows GM to compete in the aftermarket space and is bet.....»»
On tropical coasts, hermit crabs are now making their homes in plastic waste
Terrestrial hermit crabs are soft-bodied crustaceans that live near water in the world's tropical areas. Without any natural protection of their own, these crabs normally find shelter in discarded mollusk shells. But a number of terrestrial hermit cr.....»»
Gotta go? We’ve finally found out what makes urine yellow
The yellow color comes from bacteria metabolizing waste from red blood cells. Enlarge (credit: Science Photo Library) There are many mysteries in life that we end up shrugging off. Why is urine yellow? It just is, right?.....»»
Peach-palm waste and Trichoderma stromaticum: The potential of cost-effective amylase production
Amylases are among the most important biotechnological and industrial enzymes that can be applied in various sectors, such as food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, chemicals, paper, and detergents......»»
Revolutionizing plastics: Upcycling agricultural waste boosts performance and sustainability
Researchers from Thailand have pioneered the conversion of waste HDPE milk bottles into high-stiffness composites, using PALF reinforcement for a 162% increase in flexural strength and 204% in modulus. This eco-friendly upcycling boosts mechanical pr.....»»
Why surface materials matter in health care settings
Health care facilities serve as havens for patients seeking treatment for disease and injury. However, they can also be home to a hidden world of microbes, lurking in places and devices that lead to life-threatening infections......»»
Here’s how Honda and GM are building production hydrogen fuel cells
Uses include mining equipment, class 8 trucks, and power generators. Enlarge / Anode and cathode "inks" are applied to carbon-fiber paper. (credit: GM/Honda) BROWNSTOWN, Mich.—Today, a joint venture between General Mot.....»»
Lagos styrofoam, plastics ban brings applause and concern
From trash-strewn pavements to street vendors packing meals in polystyrene containers, plastic waste is a constant menace in the urban landscape of Lagos, Nigeria's economic capital and the continent's most populous city......»»
Aluminum mining waste could be a source of green steel
After the extraction, the remaining waste is less harmful to the environment. Enlarge / A red mud retaining pond in Germany. (credit: Wikimedia Commons) The metals that form the foundation of modern society also cause a.....»»
A large percentage of European plastic sent to Vietnam ends up in nature, finds study
Despite strict EU regulations on plastic recycling, there is little oversight on plastic waste shipped from the EU to Vietnam. A large percentage of the exported European plastic cannot be recycled and gets dumped in nature. This is the finding of ne.....»»
Researchers engineer bacteria that eat plastic, make multipurpose spider silk
Move over Spider-Man: Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a strain of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a biodegradable spider silk with multiple uses......»»
New tool reveals gene behavior in bacteria
Bacterial infections cause millions of deaths each year, with the global threat made worse by the increasing resistance of the microbes to antibiotic treatments. This is due in part to the ability of bacteria to switch genes on and off as they sense.....»»