#pollutants

This is reported by the European Environment Agency, which has set a target of a 30% reduction in microplastic emissions by 2030 Tire wear releases 360,000-540,000 tonnes of microplastics each year in Europe, with passenger cars being the largest source of these emissions. That’s according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), which has set a target of a 30% reduction in microplastic…

Portable UV spectrometer can detect air pollutants across 2.5 km with high precision

Birgitta Schultze-Bernhardt and her team at the Institute of Experimental Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have developed a new type of UV dual-comb spectrometer that detects gaseous air pollutants with unrivaled accuracy and sensitivity. Using ultraviolet double laser light, the device measures the concentration of harmful gases such as formaldehyde within half a second. Thanks to its compact design and a measuring range of up to two and a half kilometers, the spectrometer is not only suitable for laboratory analyses, but also for mobile measurements in cities, industrial areas and agricultural regions. The work is published in the journal PhotoniX.

Electrified route to epoxides could cut costs and pollution with common catalyst

When you hear the word "epoxide," what do you think? If anything, likely "glue." But epoxides are quite common in our everyday lives. You might be sitting on a foam seat cushion made from epoxides. There is a good chance the synthetic textiles in your clothing involve epoxides in their production. The same is true of the paint on your car and the printed circuit boards in your electronic devices. "It's surprising how we think of epoxides as this really narrow category, but they're actually in so many things around us," says Karthish Manthiram, Bren Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at Caltech.

Mechanical method unlocks sunlight-driven wastewater cleanup

University of Birmingham researchers have demonstrated a new method to break down toxic pollutants in wastewater, using sunlight and molecular-thin catalysts created using an innovative "mechanical" approach. Non-degradable dyes originating from industries such as textiles, cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, and printing, are among the most prominent sources of industrial pollution. Left untreated, they disperse in both land and water, leading to contamination that poses serious risks to human health and the environment. Most industries use a combination of techniques to remove these chemicals from wastewater, but dye-polluted water persists. Textile dyes alone are the second-largest contributor to water pollution worldwide. As well as contaminating drinking water, they can disrupt ecosystems, reduce photosynthesis in freshwater and marine plants, and alter the life cycles of fish and other aquatic animals.

From air to tea: New sensor reveals invisible pollution in minutes

Fine particulate matter in the air or nanoparticles in water—a remarkable new technology developed at TU Wien makes it possible to detect tiny amounts of a wide range of substances in a very short time. Over many years, researchers at TU Wien have developed an unusual new measurement technique: Nanomembranes and infrared light are used to detect extremely small quantities of different substances. It has now been demonstrated that the technology is ready for practical use and outperforms existing methods by orders of magnitude in many respects. Environmental pollutants can be detected in the nano- or picogram range—results that previously required days or even weeks can now be obtained within minutes.

Five-minute test spots PFAS down to parts-per-trillion

When Sandia scientists Ryan Davis and Nathan Bays set out to find a better way to absorb and degrade PFAS in water sources, they kept running into the same issue: Detecting the chemicals in samples took too long. So, they came up with their own solution. They've developed a faster, cheaper way to test for PFAS. The research is published in the journal ACS Omega. The problem of PFAS and solving it PFAS, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are commonly called forever chemicals because they don't break down naturally in the environment. They can move through soil and water and build up in wildlife and humans. Davis, a chemist, has spent years developing technologies that can eliminate PFAS on both large and small scales. But that research has been time-consuming. Depending on the concentration, it can take hours to days to detect PFAS in a single sample.