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01 / 05
Can We Take the “Forever” Out of Forever Chemicals?

BBC | Pollution

Can We Take the “Forever” Out of Forever Chemicals?

“Researchers are investigating more cost-effective and practical destruction technologies that break down PFAS without the need for high heat or intense pressure.

Electrochemical and photochemical techniques have been used by scientists at the University of British Columbia to ‘zap’ PFOA that’s been trapped onto a reusable silica-based material. While another team at the University of California, Riverside, are using ‘deep UV’ – extremely low wavelengths (below 220nm) of ultraviolet light – to break PFAS down under ambient conditions without producing secondary waste”

From BBC.

Dawn | Pollution

Delhi Wants Artificial Rain to Tackle Worsening Air Pollution

“India’s capital territory of Delhi is keen to use artificial rain to fight air pollution this year, its Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday, as deteriorating air quality in the region led to an increase in respiratory illnesses.

Large swathes of north India battle pollution each winter as cold air traps dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from farm fires in the breadbasket states of Punjab and Haryana, shrouding the national capital and its suburbs in a toxic haze.

Cloud-seeding — the method of triggering rain by seeding clouds with salts — was considered to curb pollution in 2023 too but the plan did not materialise due to unfavourable weather conditions.”

From Dawn.

Technology Networks | Pollution

Plants Are Absorbing More CO2 than Previously Thought

“The amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis from land plants is known as Terrestrial Gross Primary Production, or GPP. It represents the largest carbon exchange between land and atmosphere on the planet. GPP is typically cited in petagrams of carbon per year. One petagram equals 1 billion metric tons, which is roughly the amount of CO2 emitted each year from 238 million gas-powered passenger vehicles.

A team of scientists led by Cornell University, with support from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, used new models and measurements to assess GPP from the land at 157 petagrams of carbon per year, up from an estimate of 120 petagrams established 40 years ago.”

From Technology Networks.

New Atlas | Pollution

Crop-Spraying Robot Is Designed to Reduce Emissions

“The spraying of orchards and vineyards certainly isn’t an eco-friendly process, with tractors spewing exhaust as they douse crops in herbicides and pesticides. That’s one of the main reasons the electric, autonomous Prospr robot was created.

Manufactured by New Zealand agritech company Robotics Plus, the all-wheel-drive robotic vehicle was unveiled last September at the FIRA agricultural robotics show in California. It’s now in commercial use in New Zealand, Australia and the US.

Among other features, the robot sports a refillable spray tank, multiple spray fans, a diesel generator, a battery pack, and four knobby-tired wheels which are each independently driven by their own electric motor.

For relatively short spray jobs, Prospr can operate on battery power alone. The generator kicks in for longer jobs, producing electricity that reportedly allows the bot to work all day long without recharging or refueling. As a result, Prospr is claimed to use up to 72% less fuel than a traditional diesel tractor performing the same task.”

From New Atlas.

The Korea Times | Conservation & Biodiversity

Han River Shows Recovery After Seoul’s Restoration Initiatives

“Ongoing efforts to enhance the self-sustainability and biodiversity of the Han River ecosystem are yielding substantial results, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday…

Since 2007, the number of trees along the Han River has doubled, with the total now reaching 3.65 million. Additionally, the diversity of species in the area has surged by nearly 30 percent, reflecting a healthier ecosystem.”

From The Korea Times.