https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels—but only if they survive the manufacturing process. Researchers at the University of Surrey and the University of Warwick have developed a method that keeps bacteria submerged throughout coating formation, increasing the number of surviving cells by around 500 times compared to conventional approaches. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-permanently-coating-method-wastewater-treatment.html Biochemistry Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:05 EDT news698423065 Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals," are now found almost everywhere scientists look. They have been detected in rivers, oceans, wildlife, food and even human blood. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fish-pfas-safety-limits-chemical.html Ecology Tue, 19 May 2026 07:40:03 EDT news698393342 Researchers have developed a new framework that uses artificial intelligence to monitor wastewater treatment in real time, ensuring environmental safety while maximizing resource recovery. This "twin transition" approach allows facilities to predict system health and optimize energy use simultaneously. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-guardians-bridging-digital-sustainability.html Environment Sat, 16 May 2026 19:00:02 EDT news697991122 Seasonal influenza can spread rapidly, and timely information on rising cases is essential for public health decisions and health care resource planning. However, conventional surveillance based on reported patients can lag behind real-world infection trends because it depends on health care-seeking behavior, clinical testing, and reporting processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-flu-wastewater-early-community-outbreaks.html Environment Wed, 13 May 2026 11:33:04 EDT news697890494 A single scoop of water from an Irish river has revealed evidence not only of Ireland's only frog species—as expected—but also signs of the dreaded B. dendrobatidis fungus, marking the first time this devastating amphibian disease has been spotted in the country and exposing a previously unknown risk to Ireland's frog population. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-river-dna-track-fish-frogs.html Molecular & Computational biology Sat, 09 May 2026 17:00:01 EDT news697300018 University of Birmingham researchers have demonstrated a new method to break down toxic pollutants in wastewater, using sunlight and molecular-thin catalysts created using an innovative "mechanical" approach. Non-degradable dyes originating from industries such as textiles, cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, and printing, are among the most prominent sources of industrial pollution. Left untreated, they disperse in both land and water, leading to contamination that poses serious risks to human health and the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mechanical-method-sunlight-driven-wastewater.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 07 May 2026 18:30:02 EDT news697392421 More than two-thirds of Saudi Arabia's irrigation water and a third of the country's drinking water comes from groundwater, yet aquifers are being depleted faster than they recharge. At the same time, sewage treatment generates large volumes of treated wastewater: 1.6 billion cubic meters of treated wastewater is underutilized throughout the country each year, says Mohammed Benaafi, a research scientist at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-saudi-arabia-problem-solution-wastewater.html Earth Sciences Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:03 EDT news697097281 Scientists led by the University of Southampton have revealed that an imbalance of nutrients in seawater can cause coral disease—possibly to a greater extent than that from heat stress of warming oceans. New research conducted at Southampton's Coral Reef Laboratory, and with colleagues at the University of Derby, shows disruption of the delicate nutrient balance of the sea can destabilize microbial communities that live in harmony with corals, triggering disease. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nutrient-imbalance-coral-disease-stress.html Ecology Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:02 EDT news697105682 A team of scientists from Berlin analyzed water and sediment samples from six water bodies in Berlin and the adjacent federal states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as well as the inflow and outflow of a wastewater treatment plant in Berlin. The scientists analyzed bacteria found in these samples and detected a higher diversity and load of antibiotic resistance genes in urban samples. The inflow and effluent from the treatment plant were the most heavily contaminated, but resistant bacteria were also found in rural lakes far from urban areas. The study is published in the journal iScience. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-lakes-urban.html Ecology Mon, 04 May 2026 18:00:02 EDT news697125841 The prices of mineral fertilizers are rising. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is working on alternative production methods: Researchers have developed various processes and demonstrated them on a pilot scale to recover nutrients from locally available waste streams. Fertilizers ready for immediate use can be obtained from digestion residues, manure, and wastewater, as the institute will show at IFAT in Munich in early May. This circular approach strengthens supply security and protects water bodies and the climate. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-fertilizer-local-resources-fossil-fuels.html Biotechnology Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:20:01 EDT news696685141 Every time you go for a swim, some of your sunscreen gets left behind. An estimated 25% of applied sunscreen washes off during recreational water activities, releasing some 5,000 tons annually in reef areas alone, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives. That's equivalent to the weight of about 1,000 elephants, and many of those chemicals are toxic to corals. Some researchers argue that may be a low estimate, noting the experiment did not replicate the friction caused by swimming, which could cause more sunscreen to rub off. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-sunscreens-corals.html Ecology Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:20:01 EDT news696588304 Microplastics can be found everywhere in nature—from drinking water to clouds in the atmosphere—but scientists have yet to fully uncover how severely they impact the environment or the precise factors driving their buildup. A new study published by researchers at Penn State offers a fresh view of how microplastics traverse and influence watersheds, such as rivers and streams, across Pennsylvania and the world at large. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-microplastic-movement-rivers-streams-pennsylvania.html Environment Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:20:07 EDT news696079321 Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have discovered a new class of polymers as part of the work carried out within the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1357 Microplastics. These polymers are characterized by biodegradable and recyclable properties and can also be processed in a more sustainable way. The researchers report their findings in the journal Small. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-discovery-polymer-class-compostable-alternative.html Polymers Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:40:04 EDT news696075541 The telltale V-formations of migrating Canada geese each spring are usually welcome harbingers of warmer weather. They are also a visible warning that your chances of stepping on something unpleasant in a local park, sports field or greenspace have dramatically increased. The iconic migratory birds are big poopers, and their waste is not just off-putting, but can seriously damage local ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-goose-poop-fuel-circular-agriculture.html Ecology Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:00:09 EDT news695993942 An international study, led by researchers from Griffith University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the Zoological Society of London and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, is the first to demonstrate the effects of cocaine contamination on fish behavior in the wild rather than in laboratory conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cocaine-pollution-salmon-behavior-wild.html Plants & Animals Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:15 EDT news695633221 Fish living downstream of wastewater treatment plants are accumulating antidepressants, opioids and other drugs of abuse in their bodies, according to a new study. Using a new analytical method they developed, a team of researchers from the University of Waterloo discovered that several substances that affect the central nervous system, including fentanyl, methadone and venlafaxine, were detected in small fish living in rivers that receive urban wastewater. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-wild-canadian-freshwater-fish-reveal.html Plants & Animals Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:40:07 EDT news695560982 When 240 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., starting in mid-January 2026 and running through mid-March, it was estimated to be the largest sewage spill in U.S. history. But it wasn't the first, nor will it be the last. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-washington-dc-milliongallon-sewage-symptom.html Environment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:20:10 EDT news695560742 Fish living downstream of wastewater treatment plants are accumulating antidepressants, opioids and other drugs of abuse in their bodies, according to a new study. Using a new analytical method they developed, a team of researchers from the University of Waterloo discovered that several substances that affect the central nervous system, including fentanyl, methadone and venlafaxine, were detected in small fish living in rivers that receive urban wastewater. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-opioids-drugs-accumulating-freshwater-fish.html Ecology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:07 EDT news695560501 Red foxes and birds regularly cross between human-dominated and natural ecosystems. For this reason, they may be heralds of spreading antibiotic resistance into ecosystems unexposed to antibiotic pressures, a study done in Italy showed. Results indicated that the share of K. pneumoniae isolates resistant to third-generation cephalosporins—a key group of hospital antibiotics—was about five times higher in wildlife than in isolates from human hospital patients. This shows that studying wildlife resistance can be an effective tool to monitor antimicrobial resistance in natural environments, the researchers said, and called for improved wastewater management, a reduction of antibiotic pollution of water, and a restriction of clinically important antibiotics to human medicine. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-foxes-birds-early-survey-antibiotic.html Ecology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:01 EDT news695477064 Because methane has around 80 times the warming potential of CO2 over a 20-year period, it has been a major focus for climate action groups. The Global Methane Pledge, launched at COP26 in November 2021, aims to cut human-caused methane emissions by 30% by 2030. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-blended-satellite-reveal-drove-methane.html Earth Sciences Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:20:05 EDT news695476107 Microplastics and nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic products due to sunlight, waves, and other environmental conditions. In recent years, these particles have been increasingly detected in aquatic environments, raising concerns about their potential harmful effects on aquatic life and ecosystems. Even though awareness of this issue is growing, there is still no safe, practical, and established method to filter these particles from polluted water. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mushroom-slime-microplastics.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:20:04 EDT news695397961 Human urine—often flushed away without thought—could be key to making agriculture and wastewater treatment more sustainable and energy efficient, according to new research from the University of Surrey. Although urine only makes up around 1% of wastewater, it contains the majority of essential nutrients for plants, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-human-urine-tackle-global-fertilizer.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:40:02 EDT news695368561 Urban emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—are rising faster than bottom-up accounting estimates anticipated, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering. The discrepancy was found with satellite measurements of methane over 92 major cities around the world. For 72 of the cities, there were sufficient data to track changes in methane emissions between 2019 and 2023. Overall, global urban methane emissions in 2023 were 6% higher than 2019 levels and 10% higher than 2020 levels, although they tended to decrease in European cities. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-satellites-reveal-city-methane-emissions.html Earth Sciences Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:50:01 EDT news695320261 Every time we flush the toilet, wastewater containing more than tens of thousands of unknown substances, some of which may be toxic to animals and plants, runs into streams and the marine environment. In a study published in Science of The Total Environment, a team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen investigated what happens to antidepressant medication on its journey from our bodies into the wastewater system, and finally into the natural environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-antidepressants-winter-wastewater-fish.html Environment Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:40:06 EDT news694964582 After a successful trip around the moon, everything has been going smoothly on the Orion spacecraft's journey back to Earth—except for the $23 million toilet, which has gotten clogged. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-houston-problem-toilet.html Space Exploration Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:28:32 EDT news694927657 When a drought turns into an urban water crisis, a city's first step is often to limit lawn watering and launch a campaign to encourage everyone to conserve. It might raise water-use rates or offer incentives for installing low-flow devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-climate-outpacing-phoenix-denver-las.html Environment Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:20:01 EDT news694867502 The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Thursday to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants in drinking water for the first time, a step that could lead to new limits on those substances for water utilities. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-epa-microplastics-pharmaceuticals-contaminants.html Environment Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:50:02 EDT news694363134 Worldwide, billions of people rely on water sources whose hygienic quality is unclear or difficult to monitor. Conventional microbiological analysis methods take up to 24 hours, are costly, and require specialized laboratories for evaluation. These delays complicate the provision of safe drinking water, decision-making during flood events, or in regions with insufficient laboratory infrastructure. Researchers at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) have now developed a portable rapid test capable of detecting the molecule urobilin at extremely low concentrations. Their study is published in ACS Sensors. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-smartphone-rapid-microbiologically-contaminated-minute.html Biochemistry Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:40:03 EDT news694346643 A review finds that antibiotic resistance genes—capable of undermining modern medicine—can travel through the air across both cities and farmland, and argues that airborne spread represents an overlooked public health risk. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-air-surveillance-reveals-hidden-reservoirs.html Ecology Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:19:44 EDT news694253901 Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) could be contributing far more pollution to England's rivers than previously recognized, according to new research involving scientists from Imperial College London and Brunel University London. The study, published in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, was led by Professor Nick Voulvoulis from Imperial's Centre for Environmental Policy. Bringing together expertise in environmental policy and water systems, the research provides the first national assessment of the pollution loads released during sewage overflow events, and the risks they pose to England's waterbodies. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-sewage-pose-greater-threat-england.html Environment Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:20:04 EDT news693745050