News
New diesel trucks and buses cut soot and smog more than 90%
For decades, diesel trucks and buses have spewed large amounts of soot, smog-causing gases and carcinogens into the air. But new diesel engines are more than 90 percent cleaner than a few years ago, far exceeding the emission reductions required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a new independent study released Thursday. Data show new diesel technologies are working even better than expected.
Mohawk men: PCBs in native foods may be reducing testosterone
For two decades, the Mohawk Nation's Akwesasne territory has been turned into a human laboratory for studying the health effects of industrial chemicals. The latest finding? Low testosterone levels in men. Researchers say the contamination of the Mohawk has universal ramifications. The study provides the first human evidence that PCBs block male hormones.
High selenium linked to diabetes; Americans should stop taking selenium supplements, research team says
Most Americans have high selenium levels in their bodies, but diabetics have even more. A new study confirms a link between selenium and the disease, suggesting that "selenium supplements should not be used in the U.S. until there is a better understanding of their potential risks and benefits," the authors say.
Special Report: Thousands of kids exposed to dangerous liquid mercury in schools, homes. Contamination can last years, and cleanups are costly
When children encounter long-forgotten stashes of liquid mercury, schools have to shut down for days or weeks and the toxic trail left in classrooms, buses, homes and communities costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up. Found in many old science labs and used in some cultural ceremonies, mercury triggered more than 37,000 calls to U.S. poison control centers in a five-year period. One specialist found traces in 40% of schools tested.
DDT use should be curtailed, left only as 'last resort' in some malaria-plagued areas, scientists say
DDT should be used only 'with caution' in combating malaria, a panel of scientists reported today. People in Africa and Asia could be at risk of serious health effects from the pesticide sprayed inside their homes and authorized by the World Health Organization and U.S. aid program, they said.
Big increase in ocean mercury found; study predicts more human threat from fish
Mercury in ocean will rise by 50 percent as emissions from coal-fired power plants increase, study says. U.S. scientists document for first time how mercury from industry gets into seafood.
Sewage plants could be creating 'super' bacteria
Some bacteria at sewage treatment plants thrive, becoming extra-hardy and resistant to antibiotics, a new study shows. These "super" bugs remain in wastewater and wind up in the environment.
Scientists find 'baffling' link between autism and vinyl flooring
Children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit phthalates, are twice as likely to have autism, according to a new study by Swedish and U.S. researchers. Scientists call the discovery "intriguing and baffling." Experts suspect that genetic and environmental factors combine to cause autism, which has increased dramatically in children over the past 20 years.
Food may contain environmental estrogens
A discovery that two commonly used food additives are estrogenic has led scientists to suspect that other ingredients added to the food supply may be capable of altering hormones. The FDA, however, doesn't require testing.
Nanoparticles from sunscreens damage microbes
Nanoparticles in sunscreens, cosmetics and other consumer products may pose risks to the environment by damaging beneficial microbes, scientists reported Tuesday. Nano-titanium dioxide found in personal care products reduced biological roles of bacteria after less than an hour of exposure. The findings suggest that these particles, which easily end up at sewage treatment plants after being washed off in showers, could eliminate microbes that play vital roles in ecosystems and help treat wastewater.
A toxic home on the range?
Cattle in southeast Texas have high incidence of DNA damage. Scientists have found a link to large factories that emit toxic substances.
Schools to keep bugs at bay a safer way
A new EPA plan would cut school pesticide use by 70 percent or more, but some say children and teachers should be protected by mandates, not voluntary guidelines.
Great Lakes fishermen less contaminated than a decade ago
PCBs and DDT have declined substantially in Great Lakes anglers and boat captains over the past decade, largely because they switched the fish they eat.
New x-ray machines may kill food bacteria, prevent outbreaks
Zapping nuts, spinach, lettuce and other foods with x-rays could kill more pathogens that cause nationwide disease outbreaks. Drawbacks remain, however.
Chromium carcinogenic in water; new standard in the works
Hexavalent chromium, the controversial 'Erin Brockovich' chemical, is carcinogenic in drinking water, scientists have concluded. California will soon propose a new health guideline for water supplies.
Great Lakes cleanups hampered by economic woes, bureaucratic hurdles
The poor economy has complicated the already daunting cleanup of several dozen toxic hotspots around the Great Lakes. Removing contaminated sediments will cost billions.
A new window into hormone-altering chemicals
A new interactive database, including a timeline showing how human fetuses develop, displays scientific data about controversial chemicals in a graphic way.
Is recycling coal fly ash at farms environmentally safe?
Tons of coal fly ash--the same substance that caused a massive emergency in Tennessee--are recycled in soil, raising questions about buildup of arsenic and other toxic substances in food crops.
Europe leads effort to push for design of "green" drugs
European Union requires environmental review of new drugs. Sweden leads the way, creating database so doctors can check whether medications are "green" before prescribing them.
Salmon in near-shore Pacific contaminating killer whales
Killer whales, the planet's most contaminated wild creatures, are ingesting chemicals from Chinook salmon in polluted Puget Sound, Vancouver Island area. Contaminants in Pacific Ocean need more attention, scientists say.
