Urbanization and human-caused climate changes have led to increases in heat events around the world. For example, in July 2012, an extreme heat wave hit the Chicago area, causing temperatures to skyrocket to 40°C (104°F) and above. Chicago, like most cities, is affected by urban heat islands (UHIs), which occur when changes in land cover create spaces that are warmer than their surrounding area. Satellite measurements can be used to inform models to characterize the intensity of UHIs, yet satellite techniques have some limitations—expensive sensors and low temporal resolution, among other drawbacks. But quantifying the intensity of UHIs could help public health officials and city planners learn to mitigate the impacts of future heat waves.
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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 inResearch Spotlights
A Simple Model Predicts Household Lead Exposure Risk
Using both sample data and crowdsourced science, a new model effectively identified houses at risk for higher concentrations of lead.
Posted inNews
Innovators Tackle Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
New technologies seek to remove and destroy dangerous PFAS chemicals in contaminated water.
Posted inNews
Crowdsourced Science Helps Monitor Air Quality in Smoke-Damaged Homes
Researchers collaborate with residents to measure airborne chemicals in homes and evaluate how clean the air really is after remediation from Colorado’s Marshall Fire.
Posted inNews
Exposure to Low Levels of Air Pollution Increases COVID-19 Risk
Although causality has yet to be established, an Italian case study found that an increase in annual average exposure to PM2.5 was associated with a jump in the rate of COVID-19.
Posted inENGAGE, News
Coal Seam Fires Burn Beneath Communities in Zimbabwe
Underground fires threaten the health of people and livestock living near mines supporting the country’s growing coal industry.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Climate Change Could Reshape Pathogen Profile of Diarrheal Disease
An illness caused by rotavirus could recede as temperatures warm, whereas wetter conditions might favor some bacterial competitors.
Posted inENGAGE, News
Mining Threatens Isolated Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon
A bill in the Brazilian congress could grant a wide expansion for mining on Indigenous lands. New research shows how this could radically affect isolated peoples.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Field Kits Effectively Predict Arsenic Contamination
Field kits used in Bangladesh to test arsenic exposure from contaminated drinking water are effective in comparison to expensive laboratory arsenic tests.