air
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Environment
Qualitative study highlights community-led strategies to clean air
University of Southern California Environmental Justice Research Institute (EJRL) members Connie Valencia, Dr. Manuel Pastor, and former California Congresswoman Cristina Garcia. Credit: Wen Public Health In Boyle Heights, a predominantly Hispanic/Latino neighborhood, residents are disproportionately exposed to toxic air pollution, which is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases such as asthma and death. The Natural Park Air Pollution Solution…
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Science
Months after Marshall Fire, residents returning to Colorado struggle with health and air quality
Researchers test the air quality inside the surviving homes. Credit: University of Colorado Boulder Six months after the Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County, Colorado, more than half of the area’s surviving home residents are suffering from headaches, sore throats and a strange taste in their mouths. reported physical symptoms, which were attributed to poverty. A…
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Chemistry
Eco-friendly reactor mimics lightning to produce ammonia from air and water
A plasma electrochemical reactor developed by Chris Li’s team can convert nitrogen in the air into ammonia without producing carbon dioxide emissions. Credit: Douglas Levere/University at Buffalo There’s a good chance you owe your existence to the Haber-Bosch process. This industrial chemical reaction between hydrogen and nitrogen produces ammonia, a key ingredient in the synthetic fertilizers that provide much of…
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Environment
Transition to electric vehicles could create unwanted air pollution hotspots in China and India
Credit: Princeton University, Bumper DeJesus Electric vehicles are a cornerstone of the global energy transition, but a new Princeton University-led study finds that refining critical minerals needed for electric vehicle batteries could create pollution hotspots near manufacturing sites. It has been proven that there is. Researchers focused on China and India and found that if these countries fully domesticated their…
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Science
India’s air pollution is linked to millions of deaths
Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that long-term exposure to air pollution in India is contributing to millions of deaths. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, highlights the need for stronger air quality regulations in the country. Air pollution, which consists of particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, PM2.5, can enter the…
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Environment
Air pollution is linked to higher rates of depression
Graphical summary. Credit: Environmental Science and Ecotechnology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100515 A study published in the journal Environment Science and Ecotechnology found a strong link between long-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of depression. The study was led by Harbin Medical University and Cranfield University and analyzed data from more than 12,000 participants in the China Health and…
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Chemistry
New crystal can harvest water from the air without inputting energy
Preparation and structure of hybrid organic crystals for water harvesting. Credit: Journal of the American Chemical Society (2024). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c11689 A team of researchers from Jilin University, New York University Abu Dhabi’s Smart Materials Lab, and the Center for Smart Engineering Materials, led by chemistry professor Pans Naumov, has developed a new crystalline material that can harvest water from fog…
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Physics
Ytterbium thin disk laser paves the way for sensitive detection of air pollutants
Optical parametric oscillator pump with ytterbium thin plate laser. Credit: APL Photonics (2024). DOI: 10.1063/5.0230388 Along with carbon dioxide, methane is the main cause of global warming. To accurately detect and monitor climate pollutants in the atmosphere, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have developed advanced laser technology. A high-power ytterbium thin disk laser…
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Environment
Fighting air pollution could affect soil carbon stocks and contribute to climate change
Distribution of study sites across the geographic range of northern hardwood forests in Michigan, USA. These locations were selected because of their similar flora and inflorescence characteristics. Credit: Ecology (2024). DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4444 Decades-old policies aimed at improving air quality may also be accelerating global climate change, a recent study published in the journal Ecology warns. For generations, atmospheric nitrogen pollution…
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Environment
Kitchen renovations could reduce household air pollution and save lives in rural China
Correlation analysis between kitchen characteristics (mechanical ventilation and separate kitchen in this study) and several influencing factors, including socio-economic and physical geographical factors. The heatmap on the left shows the correlation between each factor, and the diagonal bar chart shows the distribution of each factor. The numbers on the right are the corresponding correlation coefficients between those factors. Credit: Environmental…
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