Satellites View Southern California Oil Spill
Satellite imagers can make oil spills easier to detect in open water. When oil leaks or spills into the ocean, the water surface changes. That…
Pollution
Exposure to Road Traffic Noise and Air Pollution May Raise Heart Failure Risk
A study including more than 22,000 female nurses in Denmark evaluated exposure over 15-20 years to air pollution and road traffic noise to evaluate the…
The Mysterious Ocean Plastic Sink: Gone With the Rivers
Plastics are a growing problem for natural ecosystems around the globe, and in particular for our marine and freshwater environments. Rivers are the leading source…
AI-Driven Dynamic Face Mask Adapts To Exercise and Pollution Levels
During the coronavirus pandemic, many people have grown accustomed to wearing face masks to protect themselves and others, but that doesn’t mean the masks are…
Global Cancer Risk From Burning Organic Matter Comes From Unregulated Chemicals
The researchers hope scientists and regulators will consider a broader class of compounds in evaluating cancer risk due to PAH exposure. Whenever organic matter is…
Extremely Efficient New Method for Removing Heavy-Metal Contaminants From Drinking Water
Engineers have designed a relatively low-cost, energy-efficient approach to treating water contaminated with heavy metals. Engineers at MIT have developed a new approach to removing…
Seaweed Farms in River Estuaries Can Significantly Reduce Nitrogen Concentrations and Prevent Environmental Pollution
A new study by Tel Aviv University and University of California, Berkeley proposes a model according to which the establishment of seaweed farms in river…
Hundreds of Cape Fur Seals Entangled in Fishing Lines and Nets Every Year – Causing Horrific Injuries and Painful Deaths
High number of affected animals were pups and juveniles, which were mainly entangled around the neck by fishing line. Fishing line and nets are having…
Global Ocean Patterns of Mercury Pollution Revealed by Bluefin Tuna
Researchers studied mercury accumulation in the migratory species around the world. Bluefin tuna, a long-lived migratory species that accumulates mercury as it ages, can be…
Alternatives to Plastic Straws: Which Materials Are Best?
Drinking straws are single use plastic products which will be subjected to a Europe-wide sales ban from 2021 onwards. This is stated in EU Directive…
Hurricane Ida Leaves a Trail of Oil in the Gulf of Mexico
Federal and state agencies and private companies are working to find and contain oil leaks in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Ida left an extensive trail…
Office Air Quality Can Have Significant Impacts on Employees’ Cognition and Productivity
The air quality within an office can have significant impacts on employees’ cognitive function, including response times and ability to focus, and it may also…
More Than 47,000 Brazilians Hospitalized Every Year From Exposure to Wildfire Air Pollution
Largest and most comprehensive study to date of the health effects of wildfires in Brazil reveals the serious health consequences of this burning, linking exposure…
Water Coolers Can Release Potentially Harmful Compounds Into Drinking Water
Watercoolers have become a staple in homes, offices and schools, but their tanks and parts are made of materials that could release unwanted or potentially…
Leaky Sewers Contaminating Streams With Substantial Amounts of Medications
Pharmaceutical compounds can harm the environment. However, in waterways that don’t receive treated wastewater, these pollutants aren’t expected to be present. Now, researchers reporting in…
Toxic Carpet: We’re Breathing Harmful Forever Chemicals in Homes, Offices, and Classrooms
The air we breathe in our homes, schools, and workplaces can be polluted with harmful PFAS chemicals, according to a study published today (August 31,…
Global Distribution of Toxic Pollution and Climate Change Revealed in New Analysis
And provides top-ten list of countries at highest risk — and likely most equipped to immediately begin pollution risk reduction. A new analysis of global…
Credit-Card-Sized Badge Detects an Unprecedented Range of Harmful Airborne Compounds
Many of the products we encounter daily — from deodorant to pesticides to paint — release molecules that drift through the air. Breathing in enough…