Feature Channels: Pollution

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Newswise: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California State University, Bakersfield and Livermore Lab Foundation sign MOU to advance clean energy
18-Sep-2023 2:05 PM EDT
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California State University, Bakersfield and Livermore Lab Foundation sign MOU to advance clean energy
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) and the Livermore Lab Foundation (LLF) have signed an agreement to collaborate on advanced and clean-energy technologies, research opportunities and community partnerships that have the potential to shape the future of energy in the state and bring high-quality jobs to the region.

Released: 19-Sep-2023 6:05 AM EDT
What is the carbon footprint of a hospital bed?
University of Waterloo

Researchers from the University of Waterloo completed the first-ever assessment of a Canadian hospital to reveal its total environmental footprint and specific carbon emission hotspots.

Released: 19-Sep-2023 4:05 AM EDT
Turning the tide: Ghana's innovative approach to tackle marine plastic pollution with citizen science
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

Working with IIASA researchers, Ghana has adopted a citizen science approach to addressing the problem of plastic pollution in marine environments.

Released: 18-Sep-2023 2:05 PM EDT
Cheaper, Abundant Recycled Plastics Can Be Sound Ingredients for Plastic Bottles, Food Packaging
Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences

Performance studies of recycled plastics with polypropylene yield strong findings, suggesting sustainable efficiencies for beverage bottles and food packaging.

Newswise: National Poll: 2 in 3 parents say kids have experienced poor or unhealthy air quality
13-Sep-2023 10:05 AM EDT
National Poll: 2 in 3 parents say kids have experienced poor or unhealthy air quality
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

As smoke from Canada's historic wildfires triggers poor air quality alerts across the country, many parents worry about the impact on their child’s health, a new national poll suggests.

Newswise: Reduced Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Industrial Vehicles Ahead
Released: 14-Sep-2023 4:05 PM EDT
Reduced Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Industrial Vehicles Ahead
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

A new discovery by PNNL researchers has illuminated a previously unknown key mechanism that could inform the development of new, more effective catalysts for abating NOx emissions from combustion-engines burning diesel or low carbon fuel.

Newswise: Modeling climate extremes
Released: 14-Sep-2023 3:15 PM EDT
Modeling climate extremes
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Northeastern University modeled how extreme conditions in a changing climate affect the land’s ability to absorb atmospheric carbon — a key process for mitigating human-caused emissions.

Newswise: Roadside hedges can reduce harmful ultrafine particle pollution around schools
Released: 13-Sep-2023 2:05 PM EDT
Roadside hedges can reduce harmful ultrafine particle pollution around schools
University of Cambridge

A new study led by Cambridge University confirms that planting hedges between roadsides and school playgrounds can dramatically reduce children’s exposure to traffic-related particle pollution.

Newswise: Some spiders can transfer mercury contamination to land animals, study shows
8-Sep-2023 8:00 AM EDT
Some spiders can transfer mercury contamination to land animals, study shows
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Aquatic insects can pass mercury in contaminated waterways along to the spiders that feed on them.

Newswise: To Cut Global Emissions, Replace Meat and Milk with Plant-Based Alternatives
8-Sep-2023 7:05 AM EDT
To Cut Global Emissions, Replace Meat and Milk with Plant-Based Alternatives
University of Vermont

Replacing 50% of meat and milk products with plant-based alternatives by 2050 can reduce agriculture and land use related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 31% and halt the degradation of forest and natural land, according to new research in Nature Communications journal.

Newswise: Light Pollution Threatens Coastal Marine Systems
Released: 12-Sep-2023 9:30 AM EDT
Light Pollution Threatens Coastal Marine Systems
Cornell University

Artificial light at night has a profound effect land-based life--from birds to fireflies to humans. But a new study suggests we need to widen our view to include light pollution's effect on coastal marine ecosystems, impacting everything from whales to fish, coral to plankton.

Released: 11-Sep-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Bees struggle to find flowers because of air pollution
University of Birmingham

A new study has found that air pollution is preventing pollinators finding flowers because it degrades the scent.

Newswise:Video Embedded making-batteries-for-electric-vehicles-more-sustainable
VIDEO
Released: 11-Sep-2023 11:00 AM EDT
Making Batteries for Electric Vehicles More Sustainable
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Researchers developed a new battery material called disordered rock salt (DRX) that could pave the way for replacing gasoline vehicles with electric vehicles at a faster rate. DRX cathodes could be ready to commercialize in just a few years.

Released: 8-Sep-2023 12:05 PM EDT
Beaver activity in the Arctic increases emission of methane greenhouse gas
University of Alaska Fairbanks

The climate-driven advance of beavers into the Arctic tundra is causing the release of more methane — a greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere.

Released: 8-Sep-2023 11:05 AM EDT
New study reveals the power of railroads to buffer coal plants from a carbon emissions tax
University of Maryland School of Public Health

A new study by University of Maryland Economist Louis Preonas provides empirical evidence that railroads are likely to cut transportation prices to prop up coal-fired plants if U.S. climate policies further disadvantage coal in favor of less carbon-intensive energy sources.

Newswise: Study suggests energy-efficient route to capturing and converting CO2
Released: 8-Sep-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Study suggests energy-efficient route to capturing and converting CO2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

In the race to draw down greenhouse gas emissions around the world, scientists at MIT are looking to carbon-capture technologies to decarbonize the most stubborn industrial emitters.

Released: 8-Sep-2023 9:30 AM EDT
MSU research shows table salt could be the secret ingredient for better chemical recycling
Michigan State University

Researchers at Michigan State University have shown that table salt outperforms other expensive catalysts being explored for the chemical recycling of polyolefin polymers, which account for 60% of plastic waste.

Newswise: WHOI Projects Awarded Funding by the National Oceanographic Partnerships Program to Support Research and Development of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal
Released: 7-Sep-2023 1:05 PM EDT
WHOI Projects Awarded Funding by the National Oceanographic Partnerships Program to Support Research and Development of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) researchers are among the 17 projects that have been awarded funding by NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program on behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP).

Released: 6-Sep-2023 3:05 PM EDT
Ag tech can cut billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions
Cornell University

As the Earth’s human population grows, greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s food system are on track to expand. A new study demonstrates that state-of-the-art agricultural technology and management can not only reduce that growth but eliminate it altogether by generating net negative emissions – reducing more greenhouse gas than food systems add.

Newswise: World can now breathe easier
Released: 6-Sep-2023 12:05 PM EDT
World can now breathe easier
Washington University in St. Louis

Global, population-weighted PM2.5 exposure -- related to both pollution levels and population size -- increased from 1998 to a peak in 2011, then decreased steadily from 2011 to 2019, largely driven by exposure reduction in China and slower growth in other regions, new research shows.

   
Newswise: Unveiling the Toll of Fossil Fuel Combustion on Children's Health and Subsequent Human Capital Loss
Released: 6-Sep-2023 9:45 AM EDT
Unveiling the Toll of Fossil Fuel Combustion on Children's Health and Subsequent Human Capital Loss
Chinese Academy of Sciences

This paper summarizes the health effects of fossil fuel-driven air pollution and climate change on children and the consequent effect on human capital stemming from these early health damages.

   
1-Sep-2023 8:00 AM EDT
Rubber plumbing seals can leak additives into drinking water, study says
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Rubber seals inside some plumbing devices contain additives that contribute to their flexibility and durability, but these potentially harmful compounds can leak into drinking water, according to a small-scale study in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

   
Newswise: Bit by bit, microplastics from tyres are polluting our waterways
Released: 5-Sep-2023 3:05 PM EDT
Bit by bit, microplastics from tyres are polluting our waterways
Griffith University

Urban stormwater particles from tyre wear were the most prevalent microplastic a new Griffith-led study has found.

Newswise: Taxpayers should foot the bill if EU demands efficient removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewaters
Released: 5-Sep-2023 3:05 PM EDT
Taxpayers should foot the bill if EU demands efficient removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewaters
University of Gothenburg

Public sector should pay if EU demands efficient removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewaters, according to researchers at the Centre for Antibiotic Research, CARe, at the University of Gothenburg.

Released: 1-Sep-2023 4:30 PM EDT
Study shows making cities greener doesn’t just capture carbon – it reduces it
Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH) [Royal Institute of Technology]

Dozens of European cities could reach net zero carbon emissions over the next 10 years by incorporating nature into their infrastructure, according to a new study.

25-Aug-2023 8:00 AM EDT
A new way to capture and recycle carbon dioxide from industrial emissions
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Carbon capture traps carbon dioxide before it escapes into the atmosphere, but the process requires a large amount of energy.

Released: 25-Aug-2023 1:50 PM EDT
Paper drinking straws may be harmful and may not be better for the environment than plastic versions, researchers warn
Taylor & Francis

“Eco-friendly” paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded.

Released: 25-Aug-2023 1:05 PM EDT
Paper cups are just as toxic as plastic cups
University of Gothenburg

Replacing single use plastic cups with paper ones is problematic.

22-Aug-2023 5:10 PM EDT
Mount Sinai Researchers Find Asian Americans to Have Significantly Higher Exposure to “Toxic Forever” Chemicals
Mount Sinai Health System

Asian Americans have significantly higher exposure than other ethnic or racial groups to PFAS, a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals also known as “toxic forever” chemicals, Mount Sinai-led researchers report.

Released: 23-Aug-2023 1:20 PM EDT
Hot chemistry quickly transforms aromatic molecules into harmful aerosols
Tampere University

Many aromatic molecules are carcinogenic and have negative impacts on health.

Newswise: As Tropical Forests Reach Critical High-Temperatures, the Time to Act Is Now
25-Jul-2023 4:00 PM EDT
As Tropical Forests Reach Critical High-Temperatures, the Time to Act Is Now
Northern Arizona University

A new study, which combines satellite thermal and in situ warming experiment data from across the world’s tropical forests, looks at the variation of leaf temperatures within forest canopies. The data collected revealed that a small percentage of tropical leaves are already reaching, and occasionally exceeding, the temperatures at which they can no longer function—suggesting that as climate change continues, entire canopies could die, eliminating a key regulator of Earth’s climate and putting the world’s biodiversity at risk.

Newswise: FAU Lands $4.2 Million NIH Grant for Air Quality and Alzheimer’s Risks Study
Released: 23-Aug-2023 8:30 AM EDT
FAU Lands $4.2 Million NIH Grant for Air Quality and Alzheimer’s Risks Study
Florida Atlantic University

Lake Okeechobee rural residents are subjected to repeated, intermittent exposures to air pollution during agricultural fires.

Released: 22-Aug-2023 11:35 PM EDT
Glitter impairs growth of organisms with key roles in aquatic ecosystems, study shows
Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

A study concluded that particles of glitter can hinder the growth of organisms at the base of aquatic ecosystems, such as cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), which play a key role in the biogeochemical cycles of water and soil, as well as being eaten by other organisms.

Released: 22-Aug-2023 1:35 PM EDT
Grow-your-own households eat more fruit and vegetables and waste less
University of Sheffield

UK households that grow their own fruits and vegetables can improve their diet, reduce waste, and help to increase national food self-sufficiency.

   
Released: 22-Aug-2023 12:30 PM EDT
New research shows link between climate and immune health
University of Bergen

In the study, conducted across five Nordic cities, researchers have delved into the intricate world of indoor microbial communities, shedding light on their connection to human health.

Newswise: Lung Disease Physicians and Researchers Disappointed by Environmental Protection Agency's  Slow-Motion Action to Curb Smog Ozone Air Pollution
Released: 22-Aug-2023 12:00 PM EDT
Lung Disease Physicians and Researchers Disappointed by Environmental Protection Agency's Slow-Motion Action to Curb Smog Ozone Air Pollution
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

In response to the Aug 21 announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the agency will delay action on lowering the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone pollution, American Thoracic Society President M. Patricia Rivera, MD, ATSF, issued the following statement

Newswise: Pacific coral reef shows historic increase in climate resistance
Released: 22-Aug-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Pacific coral reef shows historic increase in climate resistance
Newcastle University

Coral reefs in one part of the Pacific Ocean have likely adjusted to higher ocean temperatures which could reduce future bleaching impacts of climate change, new research reveals.

Released: 18-Aug-2023 3:05 PM EDT
US can cut building emissions by up to 91%, saving $100 billion per year in energy-related costs, modeling study shows
Cell Press

The US has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. To accomplish this goal, large cuts in emissions are necessary, especially in high-emission sectors like the building industry.

Released: 17-Aug-2023 4:25 PM EDT
America’s wealthiest 10% responsible for 40% of US greenhouse gas emissions
University of Massachusetts Amherst

A new study, led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, reveals that the wealthiest Americans, those whose income places them in the top 10% of earners, are responsible for 40% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

   
Newswise: The scale of emissions inequality in U.S. society
10-Aug-2023 1:35 PM EDT
The scale of emissions inequality in U.S. society
PLOS

Researchers have linked US household income data to greenhouse gas emissions generated in creating that income, and found that 40% of total emissions are associated with income for the highest 10% of households.

Released: 16-Aug-2023 11:05 AM EDT
UC Irvine scientists say deepening Arctic snowpack drives greenhouse gas emissions
University of California, Irvine

Human-caused climate change is shortening the snow cover period in the Arctic.

7-Aug-2023 11:45 PM EDT
Tubing and swimming change the chemistry and microbiome of streams
American Chemical Society (ACS)

As Labor Day approaches, many people will go tubing and swimming, but do these delightful summertime activities impact streams and rivers? Today, scientists report that recreation can alter the chemical and microbial fingerprint of waterways. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2023.

Newswise: Cleaning water with ‘smart rust’ and magnets (video)
7-Aug-2023 11:45 PM EDT
Cleaning water with ‘smart rust’ and magnets (video)
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Pouring flecks of rust into water usually makes it dirtier. Now, researchers have developed special iron oxide nanoparticles called “smart rust” to trap estrogen hormones that are potentially harmful to aquatic life. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2023.

Newswise: Clever coating turns lampshades into indoor air purifiers
7-Aug-2023 11:45 PM EDT
Clever coating turns lampshades into indoor air purifiers
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Indoor air pollution may have met its match. Scientists have designed lampshades that transform pollutants into harmless compounds. The catalyst-coated lampshades work with halogen and incandescent lamps, and LEDs will be next. The team will present their results at ACS Fall 2023.

7-Aug-2023 11:45 PM EDT
ACS Fall 2023 media briefing schedule
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Recordings of media briefings will be posted by 10 a.m. Eastern Time on each day. Watch recorded media briefings at: www.acs.org/ACSFall2023briefings.

   
Released: 15-Aug-2023 4:05 PM EDT
London classrooms need more support to improve air quality
University of Surrey

Classrooms using dual ventilation systems can cut harmful air pollution in half compared to those that use normal ventilation, according to findings by the University of Surrey's Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE).

   
Released: 15-Aug-2023 2:05 PM EDT
Benefits of Electric Stoves on Health and Environment in Ecuador
University of California San Diego

An international team of researchers led by UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science investigated the health and environmental impacts of a program in Ecuador that put induction stoves in 750,000 households.

   
Newswise: “Planting” rocks in farms, along with emissions reductions, could help meet key IPCC carbon removal goal
Released: 14-Aug-2023 5:35 PM EDT
“Planting” rocks in farms, along with emissions reductions, could help meet key IPCC carbon removal goal
American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Farmers around the world could help the planet reach a key carbon removal goal set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by mixing crushed volcanic rocks into their fields, a new study reports.



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