Urban wildfires disrupt streams and their tiny inhabitants − losing these insects is a warning of bigger water problems

After wildfires in California and Colorado cities, levels of harmful metals in the water jumped. Nature sent up a red flag.

Lauren Magliozzi, Researcher in Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
Aug. 26, 2024 • ~10 min

Lead water pipes created a health disaster in Flint, but replacing them with cheaper plastic − as some cities are doing − carries hidden costs

Durability and the risk of chemicals being released when pipes heat up are just 2 concerns about plastic pipes.

Melissa Scanlan, Professor and Director of the Center for Water Policy, School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee • conversation
June 25, 2024 • ~9 min

What are nanoplastics? An engineer explains concerns about particles too small to see

Nanoplastics are the smallest microplastics, far narrower than a human hair. Very little is known about their composition, structure or how they break down in the environment.

Mohan Qin, Assistant Professor oif Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison • conversation
May 6, 2024 • ~7 min

Transporting hazardous materials across the country isn’t easy − that’s why there’s a host of regulations in place

Nobody wants to see an accident involving flammable, corrosive or radioactive material. But understanding the rules put in place to prevent these accidents isn’t easy.

Michael F. Gorman, Professor of Business Analytics and Operations Management, University of Dayton • conversation
April 22, 2024 • ~7 min

Chemical pollutants can change your skin bacteria and increase your eczema risk − new research explores how

From synthetic fabrics to car exhaust to wildfires, exposure to environmental pollutants push the skin microbiome to adapt in ways that reduce its ability to protect the skin.

Ian Myles, Chief, Epithelial Therapeutics Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases • conversation
April 22, 2024 • ~9 min

Removing PFAS from public water systems will cost billions and take time – here are ways you can filter out harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home

Filtering out PFAS is only the first step. These ‘forever chemicals’ still have to be destroyed, and there are many questions about how to do that safely.

Kyle Doudrick, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame • conversation
April 17, 2024 • ~9 min

Removing PFAS from public water systems will cost billions and take time – here are ways to filter out some harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home

Filtering out PFAS is only the first step. These ‘forever chemicals’ still have to be destroyed, and there are many questions about how to do that safely.

Kyle Doudrick, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame • conversation
April 17, 2024 • ~9 min

Removing PFAS from public water will cost billions and take time – here are ways to filter out some harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home

Filtering out PFAS is only the first step. These ‘forever chemicals’ still have to be destroyed, and there are many questions about how to do that safely.

Kyle Doudrick, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame • conversation
April 17, 2024 • ~9 min

PFAS ‘forever chemicals’: Why EPA set federal drinking water limits for these health-harming contaminants

These chemicals are now found on almost every part of the planet, including in the bodies of a large percentage of the American public. An environmental health scientist explains the risks.

Kathryn Crawford, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health, Middlebury • conversation
April 10, 2024 • ~9 min

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup, is showing up in pregnant women living near farm fields – that raises health concerns

New research provides evidence for the first time that the primary chemical in Roundup is reaching people in nearby homes, and it isn’t just from the food they eat.

Carly Hyland, Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension, University of California, Berkeley • conversation
Dec. 6, 2023 • ~6 min

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