Imagine living in a region where the air you breathe is not as clean as it should be. This is the reality for many Indigenous and rural communities in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Over the past 20 years, this area has seen a huge increase in unconventional natural gas production.
Imagine chemicals that can break down pollutants in water. That's where MXene and MOF come in. These are super tiny structures, designed specifically to tackle the tough task of activating periodate (PI). PI is a strong oxidizing agent, so it can break down harmful substances in the water. But
Water treatment is a big deal. It's even more challenging when dealing with waste from burning trash and sewage. These wastes produce a nasty mix of chemicals and pollutants. We are talking about stuff like chlorine and organic pollutants. This stuff is hard to get rid of. Researchers h
The deepest parts of the ocean are like the last frontier for humans to explore. It is very difficult to get to these places, as it needs special equipment, expertise and money. In 2020, scientists went to the bottom of the Mediterranean. The team used a vehicle called the Limiting Factor and went t
Bamako, a large city in Mali, relies heavily on the mighty Niger River. It is a lifeline that supplies water for economic activities and the daily needs of the city. But, there is a huge problem. It is becoming harder to predict just how much water will be available in the future. The gap between w
Recently, a study in Taiwan looked at how tiny bits of metal in the air might affect how many people visit the emergency room for stroke issues. Did you know that PM 2. 5 is a type of air pollution that is tiny and can get deep into your lungs? These small particles can be created by burning fuel
Hematite, a common mineral, isn't perfect. It has defects that can be created by using a chemical called sodium borohydride. These defects are like tiny holes in the mineral's structure. Scientists have found these defects can be very helpful in trapping harmful arsenic. Arsenic is a nasty poison th
Benzotriazole UV stabilizers, or BT-UVs, have been around since the 1960s, providing protection from UV light. Things like clothing, plastics, and even some cosmetics often have BT-UVs in them. But how much of these chemicals are floating around in the air? This is something scientists have been t
Have you ever wondered how the weather affects your health? In the vibrant city of Cuiabá, Brazil, a recent study uncovered a surprising connection between kids' health and the weather. Researchers dug through data from 2016 to 2018, using information from DATASUS, INMET, and a smart calculation met
Have you ever wondered how fish deal with chemicals in their environment? Scientists have been exploring this by studying fish cells in the lab. They looked at how well these cells can break down, or biotransform, harmful pollutants. They used two systems: small parts of cells from brown trout and r
