environmental-chemistry

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental contaminants that cause adverse health effects. This study investigated the toxic effect of different molecular weight PAHs on eukaryote model organism (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) exploiting oxidative stress biomarkers as endpoint indicators. Yeast cells were treated with environmentally relevant concentrations of phenanthrene (PHE), fluora…

Sulfoxaflor (SXF), a novel sulfoximine insecticide, has been widely used as a substitute for traditional neonicotinoids (NEOs) to control piercing-sucking pests in agriculture. However, its environmental persistence, high mobility in water and soil, and potential toxicity to non-target organisms (e.g., honeybees, aquatic invertebrates) as well as the toxic risks of its long-lasting metabolites (e…

This study is the first to investigate the relationship between potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and soil fauna abundance across a chronosequence of minesoils in Moatize coal mine, Mozambique. Soil samples were collected (0.00−0.10 m layer) across a chronosequence of minesoils afforested for 0.5, 1.4, 5.3, and 10.6 years. One adjacent unmined soil was sampled as reference. The samples were analy…

Diclofenac (DCF) is a widely consumed anti-inflammatory drug, frequently detected in aquatic environments worldwide due to the limited removal efficiency of conventional wastewater treatment processes. This work investigates the valorisation of brewery waste into functionalized carbon-based materials to mitigate the entry of DCF into aquatic systems. Biochar (BC) was produced from spent brewery g…

Scientists in South Korea have discovered that a probiotic bacterium commonly found in kimchi may help the body remove tiny plastic particles known as nanoplastics. The findings suggest that microorganisms from traditional fermented foods could one day play a role in protecting human health from growing plastic pollution. The research was carried out by scientists […] The post This South Korean f…

Nature Communications, Published online: 24 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73548-5 A carboxyl-functionalized photocatalyst generates hydroxyl radicals via a catalytic peroxyacid cycle, enabling complete defluorination of industrial-strength perfluorophenol without external oxidants and with >500 h stability under sunlight.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 23 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-51191-w Eco-friendly activated carbon derived from pomegranate peel for amoxicillin removal: batch adsorption, kinetic modeling, and thermodynamics

Authorities in Orange county say tank holding methyl methacrylate ‘actively in crisis’ and urge residents to leave Authorities in Orange county, California have ordered the evacuation of 40,000 people over concerns about a chemical leak that threatened to spill or explode. The problem arose on Thursday at a facility owned by GKN Aerospace in the town of Garden Grove, where a storage tank holding …

Abstract This study benchmarks the predictive performance of commercial multiphase flow simulators for flow assurance in Brazilian pre-salt offshore production facilities (OPFs). A dataset of 350 field measurements from seven OPFs was used to compare ALFAsim and OLGA against the in-house mechanistic model Parque das Baleias (PB), under identical geometry, fluid property, and boundary condition in…

An “unprecedented” situation was taking hold in Orange County on Friday, as a chemical tank was at risk of spewing a highly toxic chemical that can cause severe respiratory distress and hospitalization, officials said.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 22 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-54455-7 Efficient catalytic degradation of crystal violet dye over FeVO 4 by spark plasma discharge: an eco-friendly approach for wastewater treatment

Researchers have discovered how to fine-tune a futuristic type of porous glass that can trap gases like CO2 and hydrogen. Inspired by centuries-old glassmaking techniques, the team added sodium and lithium compounds to make the material easier to process and shape. The breakthrough could accelerate the development of high-performance materials for clean energy, gas storage, and advanced manufactu…

A smartphone-based technology to detect bacteria contamination, developed by food scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, sets a new benchmark in efforts to quickly and reliably understand how clean a surface is in places such as food processing plants, hospitals, gyms and other publi...

In a study published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Analyst, chemistry Ph.D. student Yufan Hu, below, and Joji Sherman, a Ph.D. student in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, helped demonstrate that airborne PFAS can be identified within seconds. The post Scientists Unlock Faster, Safer Way to Track Toxic PFAS in the Atmosphere appeared first on Department of Chemistry .

A new study led by Dr Lin Su of Queen Mary University of London, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, describes a new integrated solar reactor in which engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) are grown directly inside the same liquid that converts CO₂ into a usable energy source ...

Researchers at Leipzig University have taken another important step forward in plastic recycling research: in a study recently published in the journal Nature Communications, they specifically optimised the naturally occurring enzyme PHL7 to enable the efficient and stable breakdown of polyethylene ...