A University of Surrey review concludes that Delhi needs help from its rural neighbors to clean up its killer smog problem. The study recommends identifying the wider area where a city's pollution is produced and working together with neighboring areas to tackle air pollution, with huge health implications for Indian cities.
Researchers at the University of Bath have invented a new form of high-performance air purifier that uses FOAM3R filter technology, promising zero harmful waste. The purifier features a unique, mouldable foam structure that captures contaminants and viruses with high efficiency.
Air pollution emissions have decreased substantially in the US over the last four decades, but racial and socioeconomic disparities remain. The study found that certain populations experienced relatively smaller reductions or even increases in air pollution emissions, highlighting the need for targeted policies to address inequities.
Researchers from the University of Surrey created a new way to monitor air quality in real-time, empowering communities to take action. The study found that large gatherings and outdoor pollution can worsen indoor air quality, but knowledge is power. Public awareness campaigns led to tips on improving ventilation in homes and workplaces.
A new European research project, SMARTS, aims to improve air travel efficiency by redesigning flexible airspace sectors using artificial intelligence. The €2million project will create accurate predictive models and develop innovative sector configuration plans to reduce passenger delays, increase productivity, and lower emissions.
A comprehensive approach has been developed to create Hainan's own ambient air quality standards, tailored to the province's specific conditions. The new standards aim to reduce common pollutants and improve health outcomes, with estimates suggesting thousands of premature deaths could be prevented annually.
Researchers from Fordham University partnered with Bronx schools to collect real-time air quality data through a citizen science project. The study highlighted the disproportionate impact of pollution on low-income communities and inspired students to develop an interest in science.
Researchers in Chile developed a prototype using microorganisms to remove VOCs and PAHs from indoor air, achieving efficiencies above 90%. The system can operate for 8 months without losing efficiency. This breakthrough offers a potentially low-cost solution to improve indoor air quality.
Researchers at NTU Singapore found that indoor air quality can affect creativity, with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from products like detergents and perfumes affecting participants' ability to build 3D models. By reducing TVOC levels by 72%, creative potential can be improved by 12%.
A new study reveals that wildfires have worsened air quality in the western US, mainly due to increased frequency and ferocity of fires, resulting in a significant increase in premature deaths. The study found black carbon concentrations rose 55% annually in fire-prone areas, contributing to a decline in air quality.
A new study estimates that air pollution from fossil fuels accounts for 61% of global ambient air pollution deaths, corresponding to 82% of preventable deaths. Phasing out fossil fuels could save up to 5.1 million extra lives annually, with the greatest impact in South and East Asia.
Research shows DFW air quality continues to exceed EPA safety levels, primarily due to auto emissions from Dallas County, affecting both counties. The study's findings highlight the need for improved transportation systems and stricter regulations to mitigate poor air quality.
A new study finds that the US Clean Air Act led to a 3.5% increase in lifetime earnings of $21,400 for the average US worker due to reduced airborne lead exposure. Improved air quality also resulted in increased employment and lower rates of disability and public assistance.
Plants capture more carbon on weekends when industrial production decreases and fewer people commute, finding similar patterns during COVID-19 lockdowns. This improvement in air quality could enhance natural carbon sequestration and mitigate climate change.
A systematic review of air filtration systems found little evidence to support their effectiveness in reducing the risk of viral infections. The study analyzed 32 studies and found no strong evidence that air treatment technologies can protect people from catching airborne respiratory or gastrointestinal infections.
A study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences found that record-setting Canadian wildfires had a significant impact on air quality across the Northern Hemisphere. The research used numerical air quality models to simulate the dispersal of pollutants from the fires, revealing widespread effects beyond Canada and the US.
Yu Yang's NSF-funded research aims to reduce vehicle emissions and promote the use of electric bikes and scooters by developing socially informed traffic signal control systems. The project involves a three-pronged method that uses low-cost mobile air-quality sensing, spatial-temporal graph diffusion learning, and reinforcement learnin...
A new report highlights Africa's deteriorating air quality, with particulate matter concentration levels five to ten times the World Health Organisation's recommended level. The researchers call for collective efforts, regionally tailored solutions, and global collaboration to tackle this issue.
Researchers have created a hierarchically porous bifunctional catalyst that enhances the transport of reactants and products in zinc-air batteries. The pyrolysis-free strategy allows for improved durability and efficiency, making it an important step towards commercializing this technology.
Researchers have developed a high-performance magnesium-air primary battery using nitrogen-doped nanoporous graphene as air electrodes, offering superior performance to platinum cathode-based batteries. The battery's porous electrode structure facilitates air transport and prevents rapid corrosion of the Mg electrode.
A study using Google Street View cars found hyper-local air pollution hotspots in the Salt Lake Valley, revealing spatial variability and environmental justice issues. The research identified pollution emission sources off-road from traffic and industrial areas.
Researchers at DESY have developed a method to deflect laser beams in air without contact, preserving the beam's quality. The technique uses acoustic density waves to create an invisible grating that changes the direction of the laser light.
A model has been developed to estimate the changes in air radiation dose rates caused by rainfall, enabling accurate quantification of long-term decreasing trend of air dose rates. The study found that increased soil moisture content provides enhanced radiation shielding effect, leading to post-rainfall decrease in air dose rates.
A new approach reduces computational demands by 84% and enables daily estimation of emissions for major pollutants in urban areas. This leads to a notable 7.1% reduction in root mean square errors in 7-day PM2.5 forecasts, contributing to healthier air for all.
Researchers developed a 'lab-on-a-drone' system to detect and analyze pollutants like hydrogen sulfide gas. The device was used to track air quality at a wastewater treatment plant, providing real-time monitoring of smelly H2S gas concentrations.
Replacing combustion engines with electric vehicles in Chicago would significantly reduce air pollution, especially in predominantly Black, Hispanic, and Latinx neighborhoods. The study found that electrification of all on-road vehicles could save over 1,000 lives and $10 billion annually.
A new study by University of Illinois economist David Molitor and colleagues found that air pollution via wildfire smoke increases suicide risk among rural populations in the US. Exposure to poor air quality leads to higher rates of suicide, particularly among rural white males and adults with no college education.
Researchers found a significant association between high particulate matter exposure and an 8% increase in breast cancer incidence among US women. The study, which considered historical air quality data, suggests that fine particulate matter may affect breast cancer through endocrine disruption.
A new study by Edith Cowan University has discovered zinc-air batteries as a superior alternative to lithium-ion, offering low costs, environmental benefits, and high theoretical energy density. The breakthrough redesigns the batteries using natural resources like zinc from Australia and air, enhancing their viability for sustainable e...
Researchers used AI and mobility data to enhance air pollution models, improving accuracy by an average of 17.5% and identifying hotspots with high PM2.5 levels. This integrated approach can inform targeted health alerts and safety measures for areas with poor air quality.
A study led by Prof. Yinchang Feng finds that China's recent changes in air quality were primarily driven by emission reduction efforts, particularly the control of coal-related combustion emissions. However, the pace of PM2.5 reduction slowed down in some cities, and ozone pollution worsened in others.
A study by the University of Surrey found that dual ventilation systems can cut harmful air pollution in half compared to normal ventilation. The research measured particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and thermal comfort across 30 London classrooms, revealing significant increases in pollutants during occupancy.
A Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study found that chronic exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) increases the risk of colorectal and prostate cancers in older adults. NO2 exposure was also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, while PM2.5 exposure had mixed results.
A new study suggests that controlling air pollution could reduce antibiotic resistance, which is responsible for 480,000 premature deaths annually. The analysis indicates a significant link between PM2.5 levels and antibiotic resistance globally.
A study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that chronic exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may increase non-lung cancer risk in older adults, with significant associations with colorectal and prostate cancers.
A study led by ISGlobal found that moving to areas with higher levels of air pollution was associated with a small increase in body mass index in young children. The effect was stronger in preschool- and primary school children, and independent of socioeconomic status.
Researchers assessed air quality after a freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, finding hazardous gases like acrolein reached dangerous levels. The study highlights the importance of complementary stationary and mobile air-quality assessment techniques to ensure public safety during cleanup activities.
A study finds that China's aerosol reductions under carbon neutrality will cause temperature increases of 0.2-0.5 K over eastern China in the near-term future, with annual mean precipitation enhanced over southern China. In the long-term future, air temperature is projected to increase by up to 0.5 K due to clean air actions.
Researchers in China have developed a new theoretical framework to understand and predict air pollution, highlighting the complexity of coal combustion and vehicle exhaust interactions. The Air Pollution Complex is a holistic approach that considers multiple emission sources and chemical processes.
Researchers found an astonishing record of biodiversity trapped on air quality filter samples in the UK, including over 180 plant and animal species. The study suggests that existing air quality monitoring networks could be used to track terrestrial biodiversity on a continental scale.
A new, energy-efficient approach to removing CO2 directly from air has been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and licensed to Holocene. The technology uses an aqueous solution containing receptors called Bis-iminoguanidine to absorb carbon dioxide, which can then be stored deep underground.
A study by University of Technology Sydney found that plants can remove 97% of toxic compounds, including cancer-causing pollutants, from indoor air in just eight hours. This breakthrough discovery highlights the critical role played by indoor plants and green walls in improving air quality.
Researchers propose integrating climate change mitigation and air pollution control for improved air quality in China. The study identifies significant synergies between reducing fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a zinc-air battery with an open circuit voltage of over 2V, overcoming the major bottleneck for metal-air batteries. By arranging acidic/alkaline electrolytes in tandem, they were able to generate a higher voltage and improve output power density.
A study found that air pollution, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, increases neuroinflammation and worsens movement disorders in mice with ischemic strokes. This suggests that air pollution may be a contributing factor to decreased prognosis in stroke patients.
A new study found that air pollution from the oil and gas sector has substantial adverse impacts on air quality and human health, resulting in 7,500 excess deaths, 410,000 asthma attacks, and $77 billion in annual health costs. The pollutants nitrogen oxide, fine particulate matter, and ozone from U.S. oil and gas production were respo...
A new study suggests that increased exposure to air pollution may be associated with first hospital admissions for acute kidney injury. The research found a link between PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposure and an increased risk of AKI, even at low annual exposures.
A large Chinese study found that acute air pollution exposure is associated with an increased risk of arrhythmia, with the strongest link seen in atrial flutter and supraventricular tachycardia. Exposure to pollutants like nitrogen dioxide was found to persist for up to 24 hours after initial exposure.
A new paper proposes solidifying air as a medium to reduce energy consumption and costs in transporting hydrogen by sea. The process, called Solid Air Hydrogen Liquefaction (SAHL), has the potential to lower energy consumption for liquefying hydrogen by 25-50%.
The Barcelona Supercomputing Center's new AI method combines CALIOPE-Urban predictions with urban data to provide accurate air quality maps and predict pollution limit exceedances. The study identifies the Eixample district as the worst-affected area in Barcelona, highlighting the need for effective policies to improve air quality.
A new study reveals an association between poor air quality in India and impaired cognition in infants under two. The study found that air quality was poorer in homes that used solid cooking materials like cow dung cake, and that reducing cooking emissions could have benefits to infants' emerging cognitive abilities.
A recent MIT study finds that shutting down nuclear power could significantly increase air pollution, with up to 5,200 premature deaths estimated. The study reveals that fossil fuel sources would fill the gap, leading to increased health risks, especially for Black or African American communities.
Research finds exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution is associated with a heightened risk of dementia, with a 4% increase in risk for every 2 micrograms per cubic metre increase in average annual PM2.5 concentration. Nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxide exposure also show a small increased risk.
The University of Liverpool has signed a 5-year agreement with the Mama Doing Good Foundation, Kenya Medical Research Institute, and other partners to reduce household air pollution in Kenya. The partnership aims to train 130,000 Kenyan community health workers to prevent household air pollution and improve community health.
A study published in Health Affairs found that German hospitals with high quality ratings were more likely to decrease their quality levels, while those with low ratings improved. The authors recommend increasing public access to hospital quality information and promoting its use among referring physicians to drive quality improvement.
A new high-resolution simulation shows different pollutants accumulate along highways and over Lake Michigan, affecting communities in distinct ways. The study provides a detailed, neighborhood-by-neighborhood estimate of air pollution, highlighting areas that need targeted solutions to address poor air quality.
A new study found that stronger air pollution rules would lower premature death risks for all Americans, but particularly those from marginalized communities. Lowering PM2.5 levels to 8 μg/m3 could reduce mortality rates by 4% for White higher-income adults and up to 7% for Black higher-income and low-income adults.
Researchers from USTC introduced a 'bubble diode' concept to address the issue of bubble precipitation in fast-charging Zn-air batteries. The design guides the development of bubble-free electrodes, leading to improved energy density, safety and environmental friendliness.
Researchers are using air flow modeling and simulations to understand how pathogens transport through spaces, shedding light on the impact of building design on human health. The study aims to develop interdisciplinary ventilation strategies to mitigate microbe spread and improve disease prevention.
A study found that self-reported sleep quality is significantly associated with quality of life for individuals over time and when comparing between people. High-quality sleep improves quality of life regardless of sleep duration or timing.