In this study, Donnellan and colleagues investigated how environmental pollution may be affecting honey samples from Chicago apiaries. They found no significant correlation between heavy metal concentration in honey to distance from local industries, suggesting a minimal effect of proximity to industrial pollution on honey contamination.
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Behaviors and attitudes concerning disposable masks and the environment: A D.C. high school case study
The authors looked at student behaviors around disposal of face masks. The goal of the study was to bring awareness to improper mask disposal and how the resulting litter contributes to overall environmental pollution.
Read More...Risk factors contributing to Pennsylvania childhood asthma
Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the United States. But not all people experience asthma equally, with factors like healthcare access and environmental pollution impacting whether children are likely to be hospitalized for asthma's effects. Li, Li, and Ruffolo investigate what demographic and environmental factors are predictive of childhood asthma hospitalization rates across Pennsylvania.
Read More...Effects of urban traffic noise on the early growth and transcription of Arabidopsis thaliana
This article explores the largely unstudied impact of noise pollution on plant life. By exposing Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings to urban traffic noise, the study found a significant increase in seedling growth, alongside substantial changes in gene expression. This research reveals critical insights into how noise pollution affects plant physiology and contributes to a broader understanding of its ecological impacts, helping to guide future efforts in ecosystem conservation.
Read More...Negative Effects of Pollution on English Daisy (Bellis perennis) Height and Flower Number
Chemicals used in fertilizers and pesticides often end up in nearby bodies of water due to runoff and may have negative impacts on these important ecosystems. In this study, the authors use water containing different nitrogen levels to investigate the effect on the growth of the English daisy.
Read More...Optimal pH for indirect electrochemical oxidation of isopropyl alcohol with Ru-Ti anode and NaCl electrolyte
In this study, the authors determine optimal pH levels for maximizing isopropanol degradation in water. This has important applications for cleaning up polluted wastewater in the environment.
Read More...Contribution of environmental factors to genetic variation in the Pacific white-sided dolphin
Here the authors sought to understand the effects of different variables that may be tied to pollution and climate change on genetic variation of Pacific white-sided dolphins, a species that is currently threatened by water pollution. Based on environmental data collected alongside a genetic distance matrix, they found that ocean currents had the most significant impact on the genetic diversity of Pacific white-sided dolphins along the Japanese coast.
Read More...Flight paths over greenspace in major United States airports
Greenspaces (urban and wetland areas that contain vegetation) are beneficial to reducing pollution, while airplanes are a highly-polluting method of transportation. The authors examine the intersection of these two environmental factors by processing satellite images to reveal what percentage of flight paths go over greenspaces at major US airports.
Read More...A Taste of Sweetness in Bioplastics
Sweet potatoes are one of the most common starches in Taiwan, and sweet potato peels hold significant potential to make biodegradable plastics which can alleviate the environmental impact of conventional petroleum-based plastics. In this paper, Tsai et al created starch-based bioplastics derived from sweet potato peels and manipulated the amount of added glycerol to alter the plastic’s strength and flexibility properties. Their results indicated that higher concentrations of glycerol yield more malleable plastics, providing insights into how recycled agricultural waste material might be used to slow down the rate of pollution caused by widespread production of conventional plastics.
Read More...Using Graphene Oxide to Efficiently Filter Particulate Matter at High Concentrations
Air pollution has detrimental effects on both the environment and humans. Here, researchers use graphene oxide to filter particulate matter from the air. Graphene oxide filters performed better than commercially available filters, effectively removing particulate matter from the air.
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