Feature Channels: Pollution

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Newswise: Fusion Q&A: The Path Forward
Released: 22-May-2023 11:15 AM EDT
Fusion Q&A: The Path Forward
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Fusion energy could address pollution, climate change, and high energy prices. Berkeley Lab’s Cameron Geddes and Reed Teyber explain how researchers are trying to make it a reality.

Released: 19-May-2023 1:05 PM EDT
Separations technology critical to converting biomass to low-carbon biofuel
Argonne National Laboratory

BETO Bioprocessing Separations Consortium spotlights projects from three-year work period.

Newswise: One-of-a-kind mobile respiratory system allows researchers to see airborne particle deposits in the lungs in new depths
Released: 19-May-2023 12:50 PM EDT
One-of-a-kind mobile respiratory system allows researchers to see airborne particle deposits in the lungs in new depths
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

A fully replicated human airway system is a new experimental tool that is overcoming limitations in studying aerosol deposition in lungs at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.The cutting-edge Mobile Aerosol Deposition Apparatus (MALDA), designed and 3D-printed by Wei-Chung Su, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology, human genetics, and environmental sciences, consists of a head airway, tracheobronchial airways, and a representative section of the alveoli, the tiny air sacs of the lungs that handle gaseous exchange.

Released: 19-May-2023 11:05 AM EDT
How good is the data for tracking countries' agricultural greenhouse gas emissions?
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)

Limited accuracy and transparency of national greenhouse gas emission inventories are curbing climate action, especially in the agriculture and land use sector.

Newswise: Novel tin-based metal–organic frameworks for reducing carbon dioxide to formate
Released: 19-May-2023 10:50 AM EDT
Novel tin-based metal–organic frameworks for reducing carbon dioxide to formate
Tokyo Institute of Technology

The never-ending demand for carbon-rich fuels to drive the economy keeps adding more and more carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere.

Released: 19-May-2023 10:30 AM EDT
World’s Militaries Increase Carbon Emissions: Study
American Sociological Association (ASA)

Sociologists delve into the question of how national military systems impact carbon emissions

Released: 18-May-2023 12:40 PM EDT
Toxic effects of pesticides on the marine microalga Skeletonema costatum and their biological degradation
Science China Press

Since in modern agricultural systems, large amounts of pesticides are applied to specific purposes such as weeding and insecticide, and most pesticides are eventually entering the ocean, however, the toxic effects of pesticides on marine microes are unlear.

Newswise: Perfect ‘Pathogen’ Storm: Vibrio Bacteria, Sargassum and Plastic Marine Debris
Released: 18-May-2023 8:30 AM EDT
Perfect ‘Pathogen’ Storm: Vibrio Bacteria, Sargassum and Plastic Marine Debris
Florida Atlantic University

Little is known about the ecological relationship of Vibrio bacteria with Sargassum. Evidence also is sparse as to whether vibrios colonizing plastic marine debris and Sargassum could potentially infect humans. As summer kicks off and efforts are underway to find solutions to repurpose Sargassum, could these substrates pose a triple threat to public health? Results of a study representing the first Vibrio spp. genome assembled from plastic finds Vibrio pathogens have the unique ability to “stick” to microplastics, harboring potent opportunistic pathogens.

Newswise: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant to Map Potential Path of Proposed Wastewater Release from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Released: 17-May-2023 10:05 AM EDT
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant to Map Potential Path of Proposed Wastewater Release from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Sea Grant has been recommended for rapid response funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Grant Program to study the pathways of circulation in Cape Cod Bay. This study is designed to shed light on the possible fate of 1.1 million gallons of radioactive wastewater from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, which the plant’s owner, Holtec, has proposed to release into Cape Cod Bay.

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Released: 16-May-2023 2:00 PM EDT
May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Keep up with the latest news on skin in the Dermatology channel
Newswise

Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in the United States, with over 5 million cases diagnosed annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that melanoma alone accounts for more than 8,000 deaths each year. Thankfully, skin cancer is highly preventable, making it crucial to prioritize protection. Below are some of the latest headlines in the Dermatology channel.

Released: 16-May-2023 1:40 PM EDT
Easier way to test for PFAS could help detect dangerous levels earlier
Michigan State University

Giving people at high risk of PFAS exposure the opportunity to easily self-test could improve access to testing for these “forever chemicals” and lead to the early detection of detrimental health conditions, according to a new Michigan State University study. The study tested an improved approach for people to collect their own blood samples to test for PFAS without being part of an academic research study.

   
Newswise: Coastal lights trick coral reefs into spawning earlier than they should
Released: 15-May-2023 1:15 PM EDT
Coastal lights trick coral reefs into spawning earlier than they should
University of Plymouth

The light pollution caused by coastal cities can trick coral reefs into spawning outside of the optimum times when they would normally reproduce, a new study has found.

Newswise: How old is that microplastic? A new way to estimate the age of microplastics in the upper ocean
Released: 15-May-2023 12:25 PM EDT
How old is that microplastic? A new way to estimate the age of microplastics in the upper ocean
Kyushu University

Researchers from Kyushu University and Asahi Kasei Corporation have developed a new way to estimate the age of microplastics found in the upper oceans.

Newswise: Novel sustainable electrochemical method converts carbon dioxide into carbonaceous materials
Released: 15-May-2023 12:15 PM EDT
Novel sustainable electrochemical method converts carbon dioxide into carbonaceous materials
Doshisha University

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas emitted through various types of human activities. In an effort to decrease humanity’s carbon footprint, scientists and policymakers across the globe are continuously trying to explore new methods for reducing atmospheric CO2 emissions and converting them into useful forms.

Released: 15-May-2023 11:55 AM EDT
Scientists call for chemical pollution monitoring in Antarctica to support global chemical policy
Griffith University

A horizon-scan of chemical pollution research needs in has Antarctica has called for Antarctic Treaty consultative parties to extend their national chemical monitoring programs to their Antarctic research stations and Territories.

Released: 12-May-2023 3:30 PM EDT
Immigration Nation: Research and Experts
Newswise

Title 42, the United States pandemic rule that had been used to immediately deport hundreds of thousands of migrants who crossed the border illegally over the last three years, has expired. Those migrants will have the opportunity to apply for asylum. President Biden's new rules to replace Title 42 are facing legal challenges. Border crossings have already risen sharply, as many migrants attempt to cross before the measure expires on Thursday night. Some have said they worry about tighter controls and uncertainty ahead. Immigration is once again a major focus of the media as we examine the humanitarian, political, and public health issues migrants must go through.

       
Newswise: SARS-CoV-2 seasonal behavior traced back to genetics and global change
Released: 11-May-2023 4:30 PM EDT
SARS-CoV-2 seasonal behavior traced back to genetics and global change
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

As the northern hemisphere heads into summer, we may be in for a COVID-19 reprieve. Not because the pandemic is over; the Omicron subvariant ‘Arcturus’ is still creeping upward and causing new symptoms. But two new studies from the University of Illinois add evidence supporting a seasonal pattern in the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Released: 11-May-2023 4:00 PM EDT
EPA Ruling on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Big Step in Improving Air Quality: American Thoracic Society
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

Today, the EPA announced its proposed rule to regulate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from power plants. Power plants, account for a quarter of all U.S. GHG emissions and is the largest stationary point source of such pollutants.

   
Released: 11-May-2023 3:10 PM EDT
UC Irvine study shows traffic-related air pollution in Irvine weakens brain function
University of California, Irvine

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have found that exposure to traffic-related air pollution in Irvine led to memory loss and cognitive decline and triggered neurological pathways associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Newswise: Metal-filtering sponge removes lead from water
Released: 11-May-2023 1:35 PM EDT
Metal-filtering sponge removes lead from water
Northwestern University

Northwestern University engineers have developed a new sponge that can remove metals — including toxic heavy metals like lead and critical metals like cobalt — from contaminated water, leaving safe, drinkable water behind.

Newswise: Songs of the Oceans Raise Environmental Awareness #ASA184
3-May-2023 12:55 PM EDT
Songs of the Oceans Raise Environmental Awareness #ASA184
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

At the 184th ASA Meeting, Colin Malloy of Ocean Network Canada will present his method to transform ocean data into captivating, solo percussion songs. He employs sound from hydrophones and introduces elements inspired by ocean-related data such as temperature, acidity, and oxygenation. For example, in his piece, Oil & Water, Malloy represents the impact of oil production on the oceans. He plays an eerily catchy melody on steel drums and inserts noise to represent oil production over the past 120 years.

Released: 10-May-2023 2:45 PM EDT
Air pollution worsens movement disorder after stroke
Hiroshima University

Air pollution has been shown to have a negative effect on the prognosis of ischemic stroke, or stroke caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, but the exact mechanism is unknown. A team of researchers recently conducted a study to determine whether or not increased inflammation of the brain, also known as neuroinflammation, is the main culprit.

   
Released: 10-May-2023 2:10 PM EDT
Dark clouds on the horizon
University of Tokyo

Our industrialized society releases many and various pollutants into the world. Combustion in particular produces aerosol mass including black carbon. Although this only accounts for a few percent of aerosol particles, black carbon is especially problematic due to its ability to absorb heat and impede the heat reflection capabilities of surfaces such as snow.

Released: 10-May-2023 1:45 PM EDT
Scientists discover microbes in the Alps and Arctic that can digest plastic at low temperatures
Frontiers

Finding, cultivating, and bioengineering organisms that can digest plastic not only aids in the removal of pollution, but is now also big business.

1-May-2023 4:15 PM EDT
Air Quality and Lung Cancer in Wayne County, Mich.—a Large Urban/Suburban Study
American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in North America. Although cigarette smoking remains the main risk factor for lung cancer development, the importance of environmental factors such as pollution and poor air quality is becoming increasingly recognized.

Newswise: Converging ocean currents bring floating life and garbage together
28-Apr-2023 2:10 PM EDT
Converging ocean currents bring floating life and garbage together
PLOS

The North Pacific “Garbage Patch” is home to an abundance of floating sea creatures, as well as the plastic waste it has become famous for, according to a study by Rebecca Helm from Georgetown University, US, and colleagues, publishing May 4th in the open access journal PLOS Biology.

Newswise: Conformer-Dependent Reactivity of Carbonyl Oxides Leads to Dramatically Different Atmospheric Fates
Released: 3-May-2023 3:00 PM EDT
Conformer-Dependent Reactivity of Carbonyl Oxides Leads to Dramatically Different Atmospheric Fates
Department of Energy, Office of Science

The air pollutant secondary organic aerosol (SOA) forms when ammonia and amines react with oxygenated species. When ammonia is present when alkenes react with ozone, SOA increases in size and numbers. This may be due to Criegee intermediates. New research found that a particular amine, dimethylamine, reacts 34,000 times faster with one version of the Criegee intermediate acetaldehyde oxide than with another version of the same compound.

Newswise: World tour for model boat inspiring citizen science against environmental pollution
Released: 2-May-2023 5:35 PM EDT
World tour for model boat inspiring citizen science against environmental pollution
Northumbria University

After capturing the world’s attention on expeditions around East Africa, the Flipflopi project continues to find ways to inspire communities, governments and businesses to take action against environmental pollution. Now, a model of the traditional ‘dhow’ style vessel has arrived in Lisbon in Portugal from Dundee in Scotland as part of a travelling exhibition.

Newswise: Air Pollution May Increase Risk of Dementia, Complicated by Genetics
Released: 2-May-2023 2:00 PM EDT
Air Pollution May Increase Risk of Dementia, Complicated by Genetics
University of California San Diego

UC San Diego researchers describe how exposure to ambient air pollution, such as car exhaust and power plant emissions — is associated with a measurably greater risk of developing dementia over time.

Released: 2-May-2023 12:55 PM EDT
More than 5,000 tons of toxic chemicals released from consumer products every year inside homes and workplaces
Silent Spring Institute

People often assume that the products they use every day are safe. Now a new study by Silent Spring Institute and University of California, Berkeley exposes how much people come into contact with toxic ingredients in products, used at home and at work, that could harm their health.

   
Newswise: Study Shows Oil and Gas Infrastructure Hurting Nesting Birds In Globally Important Breeding Area in Arctic Alaska
Released: 2-May-2023 12:35 PM EDT
Study Shows Oil and Gas Infrastructure Hurting Nesting Birds In Globally Important Breeding Area in Arctic Alaska
Wildlife Conservation Society

A new WCS-led study that analyzed 17 years of migratory bird-nesting data in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, revealed that nest survival decreased significantly near high-use oil and gas infrastructure and its related noise, dust, traffic, air pollution, and other disturbances.

Newswise: NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2023
Released: 2-May-2023 9:50 AM EDT
NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2023
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

The National Institutes of Health recognizes World Asthma Day and the innovative research that is helping to shed light on the disease, pave the way for effective treatments, and improve the lives of people who have asthma.

Released: 1-May-2023 7:30 PM EDT
Coal trains increase air pollution in San Francisco bay area
University of California, Davis

Coal trains and terminal operations add a significant amount of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution to urban areas, more so than other freight or passenger trains, according to a study conducted in Richmond, California, by the University of California, Davis.

Released: 1-May-2023 6:30 PM EDT
Exposure to airplane noise increases risk of sleeping fewer than 7 hours per night
Boston University School of Public Health

A new study has found that people who were exposed to even moderate levels of aircraft noise were less likely to receive the minimum recommended amount of sleep each night, and this risk increased among people living in the Western U.S., near a major cargo airport, or near a large water body, and among people with no hearing loss.

Released: 1-May-2023 1:30 PM EDT
Air pollution exposure associated with increased risk of irregular heartbeat: Large study
Canadian Medical Association Journal

Does air pollution affect your heart? Acute exposure to air pollution was found to be associated with an increased risk of arrythmia — irregular heartbeat — in a large study of 322 Chinese cities published in CMAJ

Newswise: Bioindicator for the occurrence of PFAS
Released: 26-Apr-2023 2:05 PM EDT
Bioindicator for the occurrence of PFAS
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ

The researchers focused on 66 PFAS compounds for their study. These can be grouped into three categories: 1) PFAS groups that have been regulated for some time; 2) new PFAS that industry uses as substitutes for regulated PFAS; and 3) precursors that can degrade to other, more persistent PFAS.

Released: 26-Apr-2023 3:05 AM EDT
Russian biologists selected biocides for mobile toilets and dump wells that are non-toxic to the environment
Scientific Project Lomonosov

Biocides can harm the environment and hinder the work of wastewater treatment facilities. Besides this, toxic biocides can make waste unsuitable for further use as biofertilizers and biofuel production. The Russian scientists proposed the solution to this problem

Released: 26-Apr-2023 1:10 AM EDT
Scientists develop pioneering artificial intelligence method to fight urban air pollution
Barcelona Supercomputing Center

99% of the world's population breathes air that exceeds the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). This scenario is exacerbated in urban areas where more than 50% of the world's population is concentrated.

Newswise: Michigan Ross Professor Aradhna Krishna Confronts Overpackaging and the Illusion of Sustainability
Released: 25-Apr-2023 5:05 PM EDT
Michigan Ross Professor Aradhna Krishna Confronts Overpackaging and the Illusion of Sustainability
University of Michigan Ross School of Business

While paper packaging is often seen as the sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to plastic, new research by Aradhna Krishna has revealed that excess paper packaging often creates the illusion of sustainability without actually reducing plastic waste.

Newswise: Treating Polluted Water with Nanofiber Membranes
20-Apr-2023 3:30 PM EDT
Treating Polluted Water with Nanofiber Membranes
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

In Biointerphases, researchers develop a fabrication method to increase the efficacy and longevity of membrane separation technology. The team created a nanofibrous membrane with electrospinning, in which a liquid polymer droplet is electrified and stretched to make fibers, and increased the roughness of the membrane surface by loading it with silver nanoparticles. In water, this rough surface promotes a stable layer of water, which acts as a barrier to prevent oil droplets from entering the membrane. The technology is greater than 99% effective at separating a petroleum ether-in-water emulsion.

Released: 24-Apr-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Winter cover crops could reduce nitrogen in Illinois drainage water by 30%
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

As Corn Belt states seek ways to curb nitrogen flow from farms into the Gulf of Mexico, new University of Illinois research adds evidence for winter cover crops as an important part of the solution. A simulation study published in Science of the Total Environment finds widespread planting of cereal rye in Illinois could reduce nitrate in the state’s tile drainage water by 30%.

Newswise:Video Embedded live-event-for-april-21-sleeping-pill-reduces-levels-of-alzheimer-s-proteins
VIDEO
Released: 21-Apr-2023 3:10 PM EDT
TRANSCRIPT AND VIDEO AVAILABLE Live Event for April 21: Sleeping pill reduces levels of Alzheimer’s proteins
Newswise

Researcher will discuss the study which involved a sleeping aid known as suvorexant that is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for insomnia, hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

       
Newswise: Arctic ice algae heavily contaminated with microplastics
Released: 21-Apr-2023 1:55 PM EDT
Arctic ice algae heavily contaminated with microplastics
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research

The alga Melosira arctica, which grows under Arctic sea ice, contains ten times as many microplastic particles as the surrounding seawater. This concentration at the base of the food web poses a threat to creatures that feed on the algae at the sea surface.

Released: 20-Apr-2023 4:05 PM EDT
Beaver ponds with deeper sediments store more nitrogen, simple mapping reveals
American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Beaver ponds contain nitrogen, an essential nutrient that can become a pollutant when too much is present. Land managers need to know if beaver ponds are storing or releasing nitrogen, but chemical testing can be expensive.

Released: 19-Apr-2023 9:00 PM EDT
Agricultural waste, converted into material that cleans air
University of Cordoba

Air pollution and its high concentration in cities is one of the problems facing society today, due to its harmful effects on the environment, but also on human health. One of the causes of this pollution is the increase in nitrogen oxide emissions, mainly due to the use of fossil fuels.

Newswise: Worries about Environmental Issues are Consistently Leading to Lost Sleep for Many Americans
Released: 19-Apr-2023 4:00 PM EDT
Worries about Environmental Issues are Consistently Leading to Lost Sleep for Many Americans
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)

A new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reveals that one-third of adults (32%) "always or often" lose sleep at night due to worries about environmental issues, and younger generations are more likely to lose sleep due to these worries.

   
Newswise: Q&A: Two ways UW researchers are studying marine microplastics
Released: 19-Apr-2023 2:45 PM EDT
Q&A: Two ways UW researchers are studying marine microplastics
University of Washington

Two University of Washington researchers are using very different methods to investigate the issue of marine microplastics. For Earth Day, UW News asked them to discuss their research.



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