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Model Predicts Transition Paths of Marine Debris into Ocean Garbage Patches

Tons of plastic debris get released into the ocean every day, and most of it accumulates within the middle of garbage patches, which tend to float on the oceans' surface in the center of each of their regions. The most infamous one, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is in the North Pacific Ocean.

3 Mar 2021

Study Highlights the Unintended Beneficial Side Effect of Clean Air Act

Removal of pollutants from the air, or atmospheric deposition, is a natural cleaning mechanism. However, the removed toxic matters don't just disappear on the Earth. China's Soil Pollution Survey released in 2014 shows that 19.4% of the Chinese farmland soil was polluted and 82% of pollutant was toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, which can cause chronic health problems.

3 Mar 2021

OU Researchers Identify the Limits and Insufficiency of Major Greenhouse Emission Database

A University of Oklahoma-led study published in 2020 revealed that both area and plant growth of paddy rice is significantly related to the spatial-temporal dynamics of atmospheric methane concentration in monsoon Asia, where 87% of the world's paddy rice fields are situated.

26 Feb 2021

Sea Turtles are Sentinels and Victims of Plastic Pollution in the Adriatic Sea

Sea turtles are witnesses and victims of the high level of plastic pollution of the Adriatic Sea. A group of researchers at the University of Bologna analysed 45 turtles hospitalised at Fondazione Cetacea in Riccione and found plastic debris in their faeces.

26 Feb 2021

Shipping is Silently Adding Toxic Metals to the Oceans

According to a new study, ships are considered as the polluting “elephants in the room” and there has been no debate on this in spite of a worldwide drive to make oceans cleaner.

25 Feb 2021

Geochemists Provide an Overview of Microplastics Mass Distribution in the North Sea

Shipping traffic can be a major source of tiny plastic particles floating in the sea, especially out in the open ocean. In a paper published in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology, a team of German environmental geochemists based at the University of Oldenburg's Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment and led by Dr Barbara Scholz-Boettcher for the first time provides an overview of microplastics mass distribution in the North Sea.

24 Feb 2021

Study Shows How Air Pollution Affects Human Health and Climate

For the first time, scientists from the University of Helsinki have resolved how the ultrafine particles in the air have an impact on health and the climate.

24 Feb 2021

Scientists Find Unexpected Drop in Ammonia Emissions Due to COVID-19 Lockdowns

Most Chinese working in the cities return to work today after a 7-day public holiday of Spring Festival.

19 Feb 2021

Rare Earth Elements are Contaminating Consumer and Environmental Plastics

According to a new study, some of the rarest metals found on Earth - utilized in smartphones and other electrical equipment manufacturing - are increasingly being found in day-to-day consumer plastics.

18 Feb 2021

New Data Show Overuse of Reliever Medication in Asthma is Responsible for 250,000 Tonnes of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Every Year in the UK

New analysis of respiratory inhaler medicine use in the UK shows that 83% of all short-acting beta-2-agonist (SABA) relievers for asthma are prescribed to patients who are potentially overusing their reliever medication (prescribed =3 inhalers/year).

18 Feb 2021