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Category: sustainability – Page 131

Are you drinking toxic water? Study discovers new chemical that has been present in water for about a century

Is the chemical toxic?

While the scientists are unsure about the toxicity of the chemical, it is concerning since chloronitramide anion bears resemblance to other chemicals that are toxic in nature. David Wahman, one of the study’s authors and a research environmental engineer at the Environmental Protection Agency, said, “It has similarity to other toxic molecules. We looked for it in 40 samples in 10 US chlorinated drinking water systems located in seven states. We did find it in all the samples.”

Why clean air is a luxury that many can’t afford

Although almost everyone in the world now breathes air that is polluted in some way, the unfolding story of air pollution is one of environmental inequality.

Every time Mithilesh turns on her stove to cook, her eyes begin to burn. The small home the 29-year-old housewife shares with her husband, daughter, son and elderly in-laws in the slums of the Indian capital Delhi quickly fills up with smoke, making it hard for anyone to see.

Mithilesh has cooked over a traditional chulha – a metal coated combustor stove that uses firewood as fuel – since she was 13 years old. She often has difficulty breathing and experiences uncontrolled bouts of coughing.

Quantum-inspired design boosts efficiency of heat-to-electricity conversion

Researchers at Rice University have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Using an unconventional approach inspired by quantum physics, Rice engineer Gururaj Naik and his team have designed a thermal emitter that can deliver high efficiencies within practical design parameters.

The research could inform the development of thermal-energy electrical storage, which holds promise as an affordable, grid-scale alternative to batteries. More broadly, efficient TPV technologies could facilitate renewable energy growth—an essential component of the transition to a net-zero world. Another major benefit of better TPV systems is recouping from industrial processes, making them more sustainable. To put this in context, up to 20–50% of the heat used to transform raw materials into consumer goods ends up being wasted, costing the United States economy over $200 billion annually.

TPV systems involve two main components: photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert light into electricity and thermal emitters that turn heat into light. Both of these components have to work well in order for the system to be efficient, but efforts to optimize them have focused more on the PV cell.

Smarter city planning: Researchers use brain activity to predict visits to urban areas

Urbanization, the process by which cities and towns expand in size and population, is rapidly advancing globally, and the percentage of people living in urban environments has increased from 33% in 1960 to 57% in 2023.

Now, researchers from Michigan State University are the first to measure to make predictions that could help inform enhanced urban planning and design that addresses the well-being of residents and visitors.

Dar Meshi, an associate professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations and director of the Social Media and Neuroscience Lab at MSU, led the study, which was recently published in the journal Nature Cities and included collaborators from the University of Lisbon in Portugal. Together, they found that the brain’s reward system can shape within urban environments and aid in designing cities that promote sustainable living.

Durable supramolecular plastic is fully ocean-degradable and doesn’t generate microplastics

Researchers led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) have developed a new durable plastic that won’t pollute our oceans. The new material is as strong as conventional plastics and biodegradable, but what makes it special is that it breaks down in seawater. The new plastic is therefore expected to help reduce harmful microplastic pollution that accumulates in oceans and soil and eventually enters the food chain.

The experimental findings are published Nov 22 in Science.

Scientists have been trying to develop safe and sustainable materials that can replace traditional plastics, which are non-sustainable and harm the environment. While some recyclable and exist, one big problem remains. Current biodegradable plastics like PLA often find their way into the ocean where they cannot be degraded because they are water insoluble. As a result, microplastics—plastic bits smaller than 5 mm—are harming aquatic life and finding their way into the , including our own bodies.

“Mushroom leather” is the latest eco-friendly fashion trend

The fashion world is buzzing about a new material that’s changing the game: mushroom leather. Made from mycelium, this innovative textile is taking the industry by storm, offering a sustainable and stylish alternative to traditional leather.

But it’s not just about looking good — this fungal fashion movement is about embracing a more eco-conscious and cruelty-free approach to clothing production.

What makes mushroom leather so remarkable? It all starts with mycelium, the thread-like, dense cellular structure that forms the vegetative part of a fungus.

Novel crystals can harvest water from air without any energy input

A team of researchers from Jilin University, NYU Abu Dhabi’s Smart Materials Lab, and the Center for Smart Engineering Materials, led by Professor of Chemistry Pance Naumov, has developed a new crystalline material that can harvest water from fog without any energy input.

The design of the novel type of smart crystals, which the researchers named Janus crystals, is inspired by and animals, which can survive in . Desert beetles and lizards, for example, have evolved to develop that have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas and effectively capture moisture from the air. Water is attracted to the hydrophilic areas and droplets are accumulated and transported through the hydrophobic areas.

The findings are presented in the paper titled “Efficient Aerial Water Harvesting with Self-Sensing Dynamic Janus Crystals,” recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Scientists develop incredible gravity-powered system that could change the way we use solar panels: ‘It doesn’t consume any electricity’

Researchers in Saudi Arabia have developed a solution to overheating solar panels that requires zero electricity. This development can also double as a method for atmospheric water collection, an important practice in dry regions, as relayed by SciTechDaily.

The research, led by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology professor Qiaoqiang Gan, is important because it addresses the problem of overheating solar panels in particularly hot and sunny regions, such as Saudi Arabia.

Researchers discovered that moisture from atmospheric water could serve as a coolant for the overheating panels. “This water can be collected by atmospheric water harvesting technologies,” Gan stated.

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