Research


Asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and other types of serious lung disease in workers when inhaled.

NIOSH Issues Asbestos Roadmap, Recommends More Research

"The NIOSH roadmap outlines a strategic framework for designing, conducting, and applying the research that will best serve the need to address persistent scientific uncertainties about occupational health and elongate mineral particles," said Director Dr. John Howard.

New Artificial Leaf 10 Times More Efficient than Natural Leaf

MIT’s Daniel Nocera said he believes the future world will be powered by photosynthesis and his research has developed one that uses nickel and cobalt to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Researchers Transform Bone Meal Waste into Partly Biodegradable Plastic

Clemson University study used meat and bone meal, which has been discarded due to Mad Cow Disease concerns, to make petroleum-free bioplastics.

MillionTreesNYC Symposium Content Available Online

The Cities and the Environment website provides information on the latest research on urban ecology science.

Busch Award Provides $100,000 for Water Quality Research

The award is granted to an individual or team. Utilities, universities, environmental firms, and others conducting water quality research or engineering work are encouraged to apply.

radiation monitor

Monitors Confirm No Radiation Levels of Concern Have Reached U.S.

A national radiation lab is analyzing a sampling filter containing minuscule levels of an isotope from Hawaii consistent with the Japanese nuclear incident but still below levels of concern, EPA said.

Los Alamos, Alabama Discovery Regenerates Hydrogen Fuel

Using ammonia borane, researchers were able to reuse "spent fuel" for possible application in storing hydrogen on vehicles.

Water monitoring projects have been conducted all over the world this week.

World Monitoring Day Is Occasion for Water Announcements

Stephen R. Carpenter wins Stockholm Water Prize; WEF and IWA name water champions; WaterSense and American Water partner on PSAs.



Battelle researchers have found a way to reduce the heat needed to sweeten natural gas at rigs like this one in Euless, Texas. Steve Reisman photo.

Antisolvent Swing Generation Could Sweeten Natural Gas, Costs

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers have discovered a method that uses less energy to remove hydrogen sulfide from "sour" natural gas reserves.

Researchers Find Catalyst for Greener Lactic Acid Option

From paint to diapers, manufacturers use acrylic acid from petroleum but now researchers in Asia say they have found a catalyst that can convert lactic acid into acrylic acid more selectively at lower temperatures.

Waste Connections Supports Cal Poly Research

The Global Waste Research Institute addresses the challenges created by waste and industrial byproducts.

American kestrel

Raptors at Higher Risk of Poisoning from Diphacinone, Study Says

Restrictions on other rodenticides may increase the use of diphacinone, which researchers report will harm birds feeding on the poisoned pests.

Tox21 robot to speed up chemical screening.

Automation Meets Toxicity Testing with High-speed Robot

Federal agencies, having merged their resources under the umbrella of Tox21, expect the new robot to test 10,000 chemicals for toxicity in much less time than it would take humans to do the work.

Researchers say plants are reacting to different levels of carbon dioxide.

Plants Releasing Less Water Due to Rising CO2, Study Says

Researcher says that the increase in carbon dioxide by about 100 parts per million has had a profound effect on the number of stomata and, to a lesser extent, the size of the stomata.

Researchers have used minced banana peel to clean toxins from water. iStock image

Banana Peels Purify Water in Brazilian Study

Minced banana peel removed lead and copper from river water as well as many other materials, researchers said in their report.

EPA Awards $32M to Understand Health Impacts of Air Pollution

The research centers will explore the health impacts on children and older citizens to determine which health effects occur at different life stages.

swine houses

USDA Analyzes 8 Animal Waste Lagoons for Nitrogen

Despite a large amount of nitrogen cycling genes, researchers concluded that denitrifying and nitrifying organisms were not active.

A new technique measures methane gas emissions without disturbing the herd.

Researchers Use Open-path Lasers to Help Measure Methane from Herds

Technique said to be a "significant advancement" for determining greenhouse gas emissions from cattle.

TTI Study Finds Arsenic and Lead in Imported Glass Beads

The American Glass Bead Manufacturers' Association, which sponsored the study, is urging states and the U.S. government to limit heavy metal levels in glass beads used for highway markings.

Reefs at Risk Revisited

75% of Coral Reefs Threatened, Analysis Finds

The report's authors make multiple recommendations to better protect and manage reefs, including through marine protected areas.

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