Mapping chemical footprints in European streams

Analysis shows a mix of chemicals that endanger invertebrate organisms in particular

11-Mar-2024 - It is well known that if chemicals from domestic sources enter water bodies via sewage treatment plants, agriculture, and industry, this can endanger freshwater ecosystems. In order to find out more about the pollution of European rivers, a research team from the Helmholtz Centre for ...

Intrepid early-career researchers who are fearlessly tackling difficult global problems

Talented 12: Chemical & Engineering News announces its 2023 rising stars in chemistry

23-May-2023 - Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), an independent news outlet of the American Chemical Society (ACS), has unveiled its annual “Talented 12” list. The list highlights early-career researchers in the chemical sciences who are fearlessly tackling difficult global problems. These intrepid innovators ...

Accurately tracking how plastic biodegrades

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an approach to accurately record and fully track the biodegradation of plastics in soils

14-Oct-2022 - Modern agriculture uses a lot of plastic, especially in the form of mulch film that farmers use to cover field soils. This keeps the soils moist for crops, suppresses weeds and promotes crop growth. However, it is usually very time-​consuming and costly for farmers to collect and dispose of ...

Perfluorinated Chemicals: Pollution is underestimated

Researchers discover overlooked contaminants in rivers

27-Apr-2022 - Per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFAS) can have harmful effects on human health and the environment. They are still used in numerous everyday products. Together with an international team of researchers, scientists at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon investigated water samples from German and ...

Microplastics: A Trojan Horse for Metals

Study shows that microplastics can serve as a transport vehicle for metals in the environment

11-Aug-2021 - The fact that microplastics can accumulate organic pollutants from the environment and transport them has been known for some time. What is new, however, is that metals can also be transported in this manner. In addition, the smaller the particles, the greater the metal accumulation on the ...

Molecular switch detects metals in the environment

Chemical sensor capable of detecting the presence of metals

17-Aug-2018 - An international team, led by researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, has designed a family of molecules capable of binding to metal ions present in its environment and providing an easily detectable light signal during binding. This new type of sensor forms a 3D structure ...

Soil bugs munch on plastics

27-Jul-2018 - Thin mulch films made of polyethylene are used in agriculture in numerous countries, where they cause extensive soil contamination. Researchers at ETH Zurich and Eawag have now identified an alternative: films made of the polymer PBAT biodegrade in soils. Our world is drowning in a flood of ...

New model makes us wiser on cocktail effects

15-Dec-2017 - The ability of chemical combinations to precipitate a cocktail effect is acknowledged. We can also calculate the impacts of various chemical products ranging from shampoos to pesticides. However, critical exceptions add uncertainty to these calculations. One group of chemicals, known as ...

Huge carbon sink in soil minerals

09-Nov-2017 - A Washington State University researcher has discovered that vast amounts of carbon can be stored by soil minerals more than a foot below the surface. The finding could help offset the rising greenhouse-gas emissions helping warm the Earth's climate. Marc Kramer, an assistant professor of ...

Research demonstrates millions of plastic particles exist in cosmetic products

28-Aug-2015 - Everyday cosmetic and cleaning products contain huge quantities of plastic particles, which are released to the environment and could be harmful to marine life, according to a new study. Research at Plymouth University has shown almost 100,000 tiny 'microbeads' - each a fraction of a millimetre ...