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Categories: Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Invasive species are animals, too: Considering a humane approach


Invasive alien species are animals that may pose a threat to biodiversity, but it's time to deal with that threat in a more ethical way.
Published The kitchen is key to improving indoor air quality



Reducing air pollution in kitchens could drastically improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable communities globally, say experts.
Published Wood modification boosts biomass conversion


By adding a naturally-occurring polymer that makes wood more porous, scientists have engineered trees easier to disassemble into simpler building blocks.
Published New ribozyme can make RNA molecules accessible for click chemistry in living cells


Important progress for RNA research: A team has discovered a new ribozyme that can label RNA molecules in living cells.
Published Bit by bit, microplastics from tires are polluting our waterways


Urban stormwater particles from tire wear were the most prevalent microplastic a new study has found. The study showed that in stormwater runoff during rain approximately 19 out of every 20 microplastics collected were tire wear particles with anywhere from 2 to 59 particles per liter of water. Tire rubber contains up to 2500 chemicals with the contaminants that leach from tires considered more toxic to bacteria and microalgae than other plastic polymers.
Published Efficient and mild: Recycling of used lithium-ion batteries


Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) provide our portable devices like tablets and mobiles -- and increasingly also vehicles -- with power. As the share of volatile renewable energy needing electricity storage increases, more and more LIBs are needed, lithium prices rise, resources dwindle, and the amount of depleted batteries that contain toxic substances increases. Researchers introduce a novel approach for the recovery of lithium from used LIBs.
Published 3D-printed 'living material' could clean up contaminated water


A 'living material,' made of a natural polymer combined with genetically engineered bacteria, could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water. Researchers developed their living material using a seaweed-based polymer and bacteria that have been programmed to produce an enzyme that transforms various organic pollutants into harmless compounds. In tests, heir material decontaminated water solutions tainted with a pollutant from textile manufacturing: indigo carmine, a blue dye that is used to color denim.
Published Blowing snow contributes to Arctic warming



Atmospheric scientists have discovered abundant fine sea salt aerosol production from wind-blown snow in the central Arctic, increasing seasonal surface warming.
Published Extreme El Niño weather saw South America's forest carbon sink switch off



Tropical forests in South America lose their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere when conditions become exceptionally hot and dry, according to new research. For a long time, tropical forests have acted as a carbon sink, taking more carbon out of the air than they release into it, a process that has moderated the impact of climate change. But new research found that in 2015 -- 2016, when an El Niño climate event resulted in drought and the hottest temperatures ever recorded, South American forests were unable to function as a carbon sink.
Published New research explains 'Atlantification' of the Arctic Ocean



New research by an international team of scientists explains what's behind a stalled trend in Arctic Ocean sea ice loss since 2007. The findings indicate that stronger declines in sea ice will occur when an atmospheric feature known as the Arctic dipole reverses itself in its recurring cycle. The many environmental responses to the Arctic dipole are described in a recent article. This analysis helps explain how North Atlantic water influences Arctic Ocean climate. Scientists call it Atlantification.
Published Antarctic ice shelves thinner than previously thought



As global ice dams begin to weaken due to warming temperatures, a new study suggests that prior attempts to evaluate the mass of the huge floating ice shelves that line the Antarctic ice sheet may have overestimated their thickness.
Published Toxic molds, fossil fuels, antibiotics linked to chemical intolerance



Toxic mold left behind by Hurricane Idalia could initiate chemical intolerance (CI) in some individuals, experts said. In a survey of thousands of Americans, mold exposure was the most frequently cited initiating cause of CI, according to a recently published study.
Published Air pollution has decreased across the US, but new research finds health burdens remain unequal among racial groups



Health benefits that have resulted from reductions in fine particulate air pollution aren't distributed equally among populations in the U.S., a new Yale-led study finds. Racial and ethnic minorities -- and Black people in particular -- still experience disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease-related deaths caused by exposure to fine particulate matter, according to the research.
Published Striking gold with molecular mystery solution for potential clean energy


Hydrogen spillover is exactly what it sounds like. Small metal nanoparticles anchored on a thermally stable oxide, like silica, comprise a major class of catalysts, which are substances used to accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed themselves. The catalytic reaction usually occurs on the reactive -- and expensive -- metal, but on some catalysts, hydrogen atom-like equivalents literally spill from the metal to the oxide. These hydrogen-on-oxide species are called 'hydrogen spillover.'
Published Growing triple-decker hybrid crystals for lasers


By controlling the arrangement of multiple inorganic and organic layers within crystals using a novel technique, researchers have shown they can control the energy levels of electrons and holes (positive charge carriers) within a class of materials called perovskites. This tuning influences the materials' optoelectronic properties and their ability to emit light of specific energies, demonstrated by their ability to function as a source of lasers.
Published Newly discovered fungus helps destroy a harmful food toxin



Patulin is a harmful mycotoxin produced by fungi typically found in damaged fruits, including apples, pears, and grapes. In a recent breakthrough, researchers identified a new filamentous fungal strain that can degrade patulin by transforming it into less toxic substances. Their findings provide important insights into the degradation mechanisms for patulin found in nature, and can lead to new ways of controlling patulin toxicity in our food supplies.
Published Burning candles and fumes from cooking is harmful for people with mild asthma



A new study shows that young individuals with even mild asthma should remember to turn ventilation all the way up when cooking or burning candles. The fumes can cause irritation and inflammation in the body.
Published A global observatory to monitor Earth's biodiversity



At a time of unparalleled rates of biodiversity loss, a new interconnected system to monitor biodiversity around the world is needed to guide action quickly enough to target conservation efforts to where they are most needed.
Published The search for the super potato



As climate change continues to pose severe challenges to ensuring sustainable food supplies around the world, scientists are looking for ways to improve the resilience and nutritional quality of potatoes. Scientists have assembled the genome sequences of nearly 300 varieties of potatoes and its wild relatives to develop more nutritious, disease-free, and weather-proof crop. A team has now created a potato super pangenome to identify genetic traits that can help produce the next super spud.
Published New blood test for noncoding RNA significantly improves cancer detection


A lab is developing more accurate and powerful liquid biopsy technologies that take advantage of signals from RNA 'dark matter,' an understudied area of the genome.