Unexplained increases in five atmospheric CFCs raise concerns
Emissions increased 2.6-fold between 2010 and 2020
RNA building block uracil recovered from near-Earth asteroid Ryugu
Japanese mission returns pristine sample to bolster idea that prebiotic chemicals could have been delivered by meteorites
Electrochemistry offers new way to tackle rising carbon dioxide – extract it from seawater
New method has advantages over existing direct air capture systems
‘Incredibly important advance’ reveals how wildfires could slow ozone layer recovery
Chlorine chemistry discovery shows how wildfire aerosols can reduce ozone in southern hemisphere by up to 5%
Loofah-structured hydrogel could help meet global clean water demands
Hydrogel water purification technology goes from a curiosity to a contender through a change in its structure
Metal–carbon catalysts made from plants can break down plastics
Soil remediation study sees researchers develop method for converting low-density polyethylene into liquid hydrocarbons
Exposure to high levels of TCE could increase risk of Parkinson’s disease by 70%
US marines working at base with contaminated drinking water in the 1970s and 80s have elevated risk for the disease
Cheaper method to capture carbon dioxide could shake up industry
Guanidinium sulfate-based clathrate salt can cage the gas cheaply and release it easily
Microbial degradation offers way to tackle chlorinated PFAS in wastewater
Findings shed light on the environmental fate of chlorinated PFAS compounds and how to design biodegradable, less toxic alternatives
Saturn’s rings found to be a youthful, recent addition to the planet
Nasa’s Cassini probe reveals dust and ice around the planet is only a few hundred million years old
Study says UK underestimated offshore methane emissions from oil and gas activity
Research adds to consensus that most countries don’t really know how much methane they are releasing into the atmosphere
Bacterium may help answer mystery of ‘missing’ plastic in the seas
Plastic-eating bacteria and sunlight may partly explain why there’s less plastic waste in the oceans than predicted
Air quality study highlights nitrogen dioxide pollution in rural India
Research addresses the common misconception that air pollution is limited to cities
Features
The race to build a base on the moon
The lithium rush
The complex chemistry of making paper
The long future of nuclear waste
Mission to Uranus
Are everyday chemicals contributing to global obesity?
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Nanoplastics disrupt ubiquitination in human cells
High-resolution study mapping nanoparticle–protein interactions builds understanding surrounding health implications of plastic contamination
Mixed plastic waste converted into useful materials in dual chemical–biological approach
Process can convert polystyrene, PET and polyethylene waste into chemical feedstocks
Waste plastics unzipped into useful pieces
Chemical recycling of polyethylene produces feedstock usually obtained from crude oil.
Labs’ carbon footprint under scrutiny as tool calculates impact of buildings and scientists
Software reveals environmental impact of over 500 French labs
Mineralisation makes chemical recycling of fluoropolymers a possibility
By using molten sodium hydroxide, researchers show they can produce fluorite from fluoropolymers in a two-step process
Split-cell design behind batteries that degrade and get absorbed by their environment
Batteries that breakdown on their own could help minimise electronic waste
Carbon-negative concrete blocks could be made using magnesium from seawater
Electrolyser route avoids need for calcination step
Carbon dots help sniff out nanoplastics in the air
Electronic sensor developed that can detect airborne nanoplastics, including their types, amounts, and sizes
Perseverance rover reveals rocks on Mars were repeatedly exposed to liquid water
Suite of analytical tools provides new insight into red planet’s geochemistry
Chemical decapitation renders PFAS harmless
An unexpected mechanism destroys persistent perfluorinated chemicals, though the method isn’t ready for the field yet
Rotting fish experiments reveal how organs fossilise
Most fossils are bones, but individual organs’ biochemistry determines whether they are preserved in rock