Pollution

A new study has revealed the dangers plastic pollution poses to blue mussels, with researchers finding they may ingest three times as much plastic when clumped together in the reef structures commonly seen in nature.

A fuller picture is beginning to emerge of how the coronavirus shutdowns are clearing the air in major epicenters of the outbreak, with some measures of air pollution dropping by as much as 60 percent in parts of northern China.

Two new studies by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are shedding new light on plastic waste in the Antarctic. Using surveys of marine debris, researchers determined the source of plastics in the region and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts.

Scientists at Cardiff University have come up with a way of estimating the maximum size of plastic pieces different marine creatures can consume, which could help assess the risks different types of waste pose to species around the globe

A new study has shown how the world’s shipping is inadvertently serving up a live experiment, quantifying how the clouds modified by pollution they create can block solar energy, and measuring the effect this could be having on global temperatures.

Scientists at Japan's Nagoya University have come up with a new technology to treat contaminated water, using electrically charged nanocarbons to more effectively filter heavy metal ions from the mix.

Microplastic pollution is a growing problem, as tiny fragments of plastic enter the environment from sources like tires and synthetic fabrics. A new study now suggests that even activities such as opening plastic bags may be a contributing factor.

As it did in China, a lockdown in response to the coronavirus in Italy has led to a drop in air pollution over the country, in particular nitrogen dioxide, which scientists say is due to less traffic and industrial activity.

As sections of China's workforce grind to a halt to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus, it appears to be having a dramatic effect on the country's notorious pollution levels, satellite data has revealed.

Air pollution has long been associated with health problems such as respiratory diseases, and has more recently even been linked to psychotic experiences. New research now reinforces the theory that it may also cause osteoporosis.

Although we've seen several materials that are designed to remove oil from water, many of these become saturated, and have to be discarded. A new reusable membrane gets around this problem, however, by repelling oil instead of just soaking it up.

The world's oceans are under threat not only from plastic trash, but also from "microplastics" – many of which take the form of fibers shed by synthetic fabrics as they're being washed. A new system uses sound to capture those fibers at their source.