Related topics: air pollution

Electronic noses sniff out volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals emitted as gases that can have adverse health effects. They are often found in paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants, among other common products, but they can also act ...

Summer haze has a cooling effect in southeastern United States

(PhysOrg.com) -- Global warming may include some periods of local cooling, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Results from satellite and ground-based sensor data show that sweltering ...

Minamata mercury treaty signed at UN conference (Update)

Delegates from some 140 countries and territories Thursday signed a United Nations treaty to control mercury near the site of Japan's worst industrial poisoning, after Tokyo pledged $2 billion to help poorer nations combat ...

Chemists tackle formation of natural aerosols

City dwellers have long had to contend with smog—that ugly haze that hangs over urban areas—as a result of emissions-producing human activities as diverse as manufacturing, mowing the lawn, driving cars, and even cooking.

COVID-19 lockdowns significantly impacting global air quality

Levels of two major air pollutants have been drastically reduced since lockdowns began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a secondary pollutant—ground-level ozone—has increased in China, according to new research.

Unsafe levels of toxic pollutants in heavily fracked Ohio county

Emissions from fracking operations may be exposing people to some toxic pollutants at levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for long-term exposure, according to scientists from Oregon ...

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