Category Environment/Geology

Low-cost, portable tool accurately measures plastic released from everyday sources like disposable cups and water bottles. Micro- and nanoplastics are in our food, water and the air we breathe. They are showing up in our bodies, from testicles to brain matter.

Now, University of British Columbia researchers have developed a low-cost, portable tool to accurately measure plastic released from everyday sources like disposable cups and water bottles.

The device, paired with an app, uses fluorescent labeling to detect plastic particles ranging from 50 nanometres to 10 microns in size — too small to be detected by the naked eye — and delivers results in minutes.

The method and findings are detailed in ...

A study of 17 commonly used synthetic ‘forever chemicals’ has shown that these toxic substances can readily be absorbed through human skin.

New research, published today in Environment International proves for the first time that a wide range of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) — chemicals which do not break down in nature – can permeate the skin barrier and reach the body’s bloodstream.

PFAS are used widely in industries and consumer products from school uniforms to personal care products because of their water and stain repellent properties. While some substances have been banned by government regulation, others are still widely used and their toxic effects have not yet been fully investigated.

PFAS are already known to enter the body through other routes, for example being...

A compact, lightweight sensor system with infrared imaging capabilities developed by an international team of engineers could be easily fitted to a drone for remote crop monitoring.

This flat-optics technology has the potential to replace traditional optical lens applications for environmental sensing in a range of industries.

This innovation could result in cheaper groceries as farmers would be able to pinpoint which crops require irriga...

In a new study, a team of researchers used research on fossilizing techniques to create a new method for sealing cracks and fractures in rocks and bedrock using a ‘concretion-forming resin’. This innovative technique has applications in a wide range of industries, from tunnel construction to long-term underground storage of hazardous materials.

Various forms of underground activity, such as deep wells or the disposal of hazardous materials, require the long-term sealing of rocks. A team of researchers has developed an innovative method based on fossilization processes to seal cracks and fractures in rock using a “concretion-forming resin...