Pollution News and Research

Latest Pollution News and Research

New tool launched to track infectious disease spread through wastewater

The European Commission has just launched a new tool that supports the tracking of the spread of infectious diseases by analyzing wastewater: the European Wastewater Surveillance Dashboard. It displays data from across the EU by bringing together existing national and research-based dashboards.

29 Jan 2025

Study reveals racial and ethnic differences in children's sleep patterns

Researchers from Michigan State University's Department of Human Development and Family Studies revealed that sleep patterns may vary across different racial and ethnic groups - notably for non-white and multiracial children.

22 Jan 2025

Nearly one-third of Americans exposed to unregulated contaminants in drinking water

Researchers assess socioeconomic disparities in exposure to unregulated contaminants present in public water systems throughout the United States.

22 Jan 2025

Ozone exposure may contribute to reduced oxygen levels and arterial stiffness

Ozone (O3) exposure may reduce the availability of oxygen in the body, resulting in arterial stiffening due to the body's natural response to create more red blood cells and hemoglobin, according to a study published today in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.

22 Jan 2025

Climate change is fueling a neurological health crisis, experts warn

Research explores the profound impact of climate change on neurological health, focusing on how rising temperatures, extreme weather, and air pollution exacerbate conditions like epilepsy, stroke, and sleep disorders, while calling for urgent research and mitigation strategies to address these vulnerabilities.

21 Jan 2025

CDC report reveals COPD as the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Chronic lower respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

21 Jan 2025

Rethinking mental health research through AI-driven simulations

Recent research highlights generative agents' potential to model complex socio-environmental interactions, transforming mental health studies and interventions.

20 Jan 2025

Air pollution amplifies dementia risk in cardiometabolic disease patients - healthy habits can help

CMD patients face a 2x higher risk of dementia and MCI, but healthier lifestyles can counter air pollution's impact and reduce these risks.

16 Jan 2025

Extreme rainfall increases E. coli exposure for minority communities in Texas

Nobody wants to share a day on the water with E. coli. The bacteria is a sure sign of fecal contamination, which is washed into waterways from farm fields or sewage systems by rain.

16 Jan 2025

Environmental disparities found in drinking water contamination across the U.S.

Nearly a third of people in the U.S. have been exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water that could impact their health, according to a new analysis by scientists at Silent Spring Institute.

16 Jan 2025

Air pollution before conception may increase child BMI

In a study of more than 5,000 mothers and their children, exposure to air pollution during the three months before pregnancy predicted higher child body mass index (BMI) and related obesity risk factors up to two years of age.

15 Jan 2025

New push for stricter chemical laws to shield kids from harmful exposure

Research highlights the rising impact of synthetic chemicals on children's health, linking them to noncommunicable diseases and advocating for stringent global regulations.

13 Jan 2025

Aircraft noise pollution harms arteries, but heart drugs show promise in animal model research

Alpha- and beta-blockers reduce oxidative stress and inflammation caused by aircraft noise but fail to prevent hypertension, highlighting their potential to protect vascular health in noise-exposed individuals.

9 Jan 2025

Lung cancer deaths decrease globally but risk factors still persist

Even though lung and related cancer deaths decreased in the world's 10 most populous countries from 1990 to 2019, these positive statistics do not address trends in mortality linked to tobacco use, air pollution and asbestos exposure.

9 Jan 2025

Addressing COPD and metabolic syndrome requires comprehensive research efforts

Additional research addressing the connection between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and metabolic syndrome is needed to improve holistic patient care, according to a new editorial.

9 Jan 2025

Study reveals widespread microplastic contamination in U.S. West Coast fish and shellfish

Researchers measure the levels of anthropogenic particles present in various seafood caught along the West Coat of the United States.

9 Jan 2025

A new framework for assessing the impact of chemicals on child health

Nations must start testing and regulating chemicals and chemical products as closely as the current systems that safeguard prescription drugs or risk rising rates of chronic illnesses among children, according to a New England Journal of Medicine report by a group of experts writing as the Consortium for Children's Environmental Health.

9 Jan 2025

High aircraft noise increases risk of heart problems and stroke

People who live close to airports and are exposed to high aircraft noise levels could be at greater risk of poor heart function, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks, life-threatening heart rhythms and strokes, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

8 Jan 2025

Smoking before age 15 linked to higher COPD risk

Childhood smoking before age 15 increases a person's risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study.

7 Jan 2025

Structural brain differences in adolescents may play a role in early initiation of substance use

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not.

30 Dec 2024