Use of deicing agents may sometimes raise sodium levels in drinking water beyond healthy limits for people on salt-restricted diets.
EPA
Posted inENGAGE, Research Spotlights
ENGAGE article: Secondary blue bug
Use of deicing agents may sometimes raise sodium levels in drinking water beyond healthy limits for people on salt-restricted diets.
Posted inENGAGE, Research Spotlights
ENGAGE article: Blue bug
Use of deicing agents may sometimes raise sodium levels in drinking water beyond healthy limits for people on salt-restricted diets.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Doge bros up to no good
When snowstorms hit, deicing agents such as road salts and brine help keep streets and walkways open. However, some deicers release sodium and chloride into the surrounding environment. Links between elevated sodium intake and human health risks, such as high blood pressure, are well established. The effects of deicers on drinking water, however, have been less clear.
Now, evidence reported by Cruz et al. supports a link between deicers and elevated sodium levels in drinking water, with concentrations in the Philadelphia region sometimes surpassing recommended limits for people on sodium-restricted diets. The new study adds a public health perspective to research that has focused primarily on the harmful effects of deicers on freshwater aquatic animals, including amphibians and benthic macroinvertebrates.
Posted inENGAGE, News
Tracking Pollution in the Breeze, with Trees
New research outlines how pine needles offer a simple, low-cost means of assessing particulate matter pollution.
Posted inNews
Midwest Livestock Operations Linked to Rise in Ammonia Pollution
For the first time, scientists have linked high-density animal operations in the U.S. Midwest to rising air pollution from ammonia, suggesting need for increased regulation from the EPA.
Posted inNews
Community Input Drives Superfund Research
Researchers identified geochemical tracers for lead and investigated Oklahomans’ concerns at the Tar Creek Superfund site.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Cyanobacteria Blooms Exceed WHO Thresholds in Midwest Lakes
A study of 369 lakes across the Midwest finds that many of them, especially those close to agriculture, have high concentrations of harmful algal bloom-causing cyanobacteria.
Posted inNews
Below Aging U.S. Dams, a Potential Toxic Calamity
Documents suggest that in more than 80 U.S. locations, the failure of an aging dam could flood a major toxic waste site.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tracking Air Pollution from Ghana’s E-Waste Site
Researchers established a relatively low cost method that could help countries with limited monitoring capabilities measure particulate pollution in their skies.