The air-purifying hydrogen SUV with winter endurance record

From Hyundai 24/09/23 (Press release from Dec 2021) Offenbach, 22 December 2021 – Hyundai NEXO set its first Endurance Record in extreme conditions at the International Record Centre for Decarbonised Vehicles in Val Thorens. French professional race car driver Adrien Tambay drove a production NEXO at an altitude of 2,220 metres for six hours, covering […]

Bit by bit, microplastics from tyres are polluting our waterways

From Griffith University 07/09/23 Urban stormwater particles from tyre wear were the most prevalent microplastic a new Griffith-led study has found. Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the study showed that in stormwater runoff during rain approximately 19 out of every 20 microplastics collected were tyre wear particles with anywhere from 2 to 59 particles […]

Plastic peril: The chemical in your tupperware disrupts pregnancy in mice

From University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 05/09/23 We are constantly exposed to phthalates in our environment through plastic products such as storage containers, medical devices, packages, fabrics, and toys. Specifically, di-isononyl phthalate is inevitably becoming a part of our lives. Unfortunately, the impact of DiNP on the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy is largely unknown. […]

Microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, cause behavioral changes

From University of Rhode Island 29/08/23 Neuroscience, Pharmacy Professor Jaime Ross’ study finds potential for serious health consequence, including Alzheimer’s. Plastics—in particular, microplastics—are among the most pervasive pollutants on the planet, finding their way into the air, water systems and food chains around the world.  While the prevalence of microplastics in the environment is well […]

Oceans release microplastics into the atmosphere

From University of Oldenburg 21/08/23 Microplastic particles are present in the marine atmosphere even in remote parts of the world. These tiny particles come from land sources but are also re-emitted into the atmosphere from the sea, a study by a team of German and Norwegian researchers led by Dr Barbara Scholz-Böttcher of the University […]

Cleaning water with ‘smart rust’ and magnets

From American Chemical Society 20/08/23 Pouring flecks of rust into water usually makes it dirtier. But researchers have developed special iron oxide nanoparticles they call “smart rust” that actually makes it cleaner. Smart rust can attract many substances, including oil, nano- and microplastics, as well as the herbicide glyphosate, depending on the particles’ coating. And […]

Innovators turn dead flies into degradable bioplastics

From American Chemical Society 15/08/23 Imagine using insects as a source of chemicals to make plastics that can biodegrade later — with the help of that very same type of bug. That concept is closer to reality than you might expect. Today, researchers will describe their progress to date, including isolation and purification of insect-derived […]

Microalgae find: Breaks down toxic mercury pollution in waterways

From DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory 10/08/23 In the search for ways to fight methylmercury in global waterways, scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered that some forms of phytoplankton are good at degrading the potent neurotoxin. Phytoplankton, or microalgae, are known as accumulators of methylmercury. The plankton introduce methylmercury into the food chain, where it […]

Microplastics found in human heart tissues, both before and after surgery

From American Chemical Society 10/08/23 Everywhere scientists look for microplastics, they’ve found them — food, water, air and some parts of the human body. But examinations of our innermost organs that aren’t directly exposed to the environment are still limited. Now, in a pilot study of people who underwent heart surgery, researchers in ACS’ Environmental […]