Water Analysis – News and Features

A study finds 24% of freshwater species, including crabs, dragonflies and fishes, face extinction due to habitat loss, pollution and climate change. Wetland loss and underfunded research compound the crisis.

The hefty estimate comes from The Forever Pollution Project, a European research and journalism investigation.

A study links PFAS, persistent chemicals found in nearly half of US drinking water, to 6,800 annual cancer cases. Using nationwide data, researchers identified a 33% increased risk for cancers like thyroid and brain in areas with high PFAS levels.

Researchers developed a nanofiltration membrane to recover aluminum ions from cryolite waste in aluminum production. The membrane captures 99.5% of aluminum while allowing other ions to pass through, enabling upcycling and reducing hazardous waste.

Researchers have uncovered 11 genes that may hold the key to understanding how our brains respond to PFAS chemicals.

New research highlights how important testing is for disease preparedness and response, estimating that COVID-19 diagnostic tests saved 1.4 million lives in the US.

A 20-year study in Lake Mendota shows bacteria evolving seasonally, with genetic variations resetting annually. A 2012 extreme weather event caused lasting gene shifts, highlighting microbial responses to both gradual and abrupt climate changes.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology researchers have investigated how steroid hormones are degraded in an electrochemical membrane reactor with carbon nanotube membranes.

Researchers from South Korea developed a novel microbial source tracking method using CrAss-like phages, abundant viruses in the human gut. Their DNA-based approach accurately detects human fecal contamination in water.

Researchers are keen to understand how enamel changes with age, in order to develop methods to keep teeth healthy for longer.