Research & science

Research & science Urban water affordability crisis exacerbated by climate change Nature Sustainability · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science From screening to generative design in nucleic acid delivery Nature Reviews Materials (Nature Portfolio) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Understanding and engineering electrocatalyst durability Nature Reviews Materials (Nature Portfolio) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Synergistic pyrolysis of decommissioned wind turbine blades and photovoltaic modules for resource recovery and lithium extraction from spent li-ion batteries The rapid growth of wind power, photovoltaics, and electric vehicles has led to the simultaneous accumulation of waste wind turbine blades (WTBs), retired photovoltaic modules (PVMs), and spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, existing recycling studies mainly focus on the separation and recovery of individual waste streams, while the potential reaction coupling among different new-energy… Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Toward a new integrated model for urban solid waste management: case study of Cajazeiras, Brazil This study examines the implementation and effectiveness of the Public-Non-Governmental (PNG) integrated waste management model in the municipality of Cajazeiras, Paraíba, Brazil. The research addresses a gap in literature by exploring the PNG model, which combines governmental entities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local waste picker cooperatives to enhance urban solid waste (USW… Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science A sustainable transportation model for refurbished e-waste retail supply chain: optimizing profit and carbon emission under uncertainty In the twenty-first century, electrical and electronic equipment are indispensable components of our daily lives. As a result, enormous quantities of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) are produced. e-waste management is crucial in mitigating environmental impacts and promoting human health. For this proper e-waste recovery, refurbishing, recycling, reuse, and disposal are essential. Est… Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Evaluating various conditions for the production of biochar from cocoa pod hull for Cd 2+ adsorption This study evaluates the influence of pyrolysis conditions and CO₂ physical activation on the Cd 2 ⁺ adsorption performance of biochars derived from cocoa pod hulls. Biochars were produced at 400, 650, and 900 °C, and a fraction of the biochar obtained at 900 °C was physically activated under CO₂ at 800 °C for 1 h. A commercial activated carbon (B-Pure® 10-NB, DESOTEC) was u… Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of holocellulosic biomass pyrolysis at intermediate heating rates using discrete distributed activation energy model Effective utilization of agricultural and woody residues is a cornerstone of Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green economic model and global carbon-neutrality strategies. This study presents a comparative kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of low- and high-holocellulose biomass feedstocks decomposed under intermediate heating rates (100–150 °C/min) relevant to fast pyrolysis. The discrete distribu… Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Recent environmental and renewable energy innovations for a sustainable future Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Effects of anthropogenic stress on river water quality during Mahakumbh (2025) at Sangam, Prayagraj, India: a multivariate approach and water quality index This study focused on the changes in the water quality parameters of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers due to the mass bathing events during Mahakumbh-2025 at Sangam in Prayagraj by using statistical analysis and water quality index (WQI) and water pollution index (WPI), and statistical analyses, and compared with standards prescribed by the WHO ( 2022 ), BIS ( 2012 ), and CPCB ( 2013 ). A total of 7… Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Fluoride exposure affects development, thyroid-related gene expression, and follicle histology in early life stages of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are attracting growing interest due to their effects on humans and on ecosystems. Among suspected EDCs, fluoride is a widespread pollutant in aquatic ecosystems, particularly as a result of fluoridation of drinking water. It has also been described to affect fish development. The aim of this study was to determine if chronic fluoride exposure could affect e… Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Real-time record of particulate matter along traffic roads and health risk assessment Air pollution from road traffic is a major environmental and public health concern in European cities. Many municipalities have introduced Clean Transport Zones (CTZs) to restrict high-emission vehicles and improve air quality. This study evaluated whether the planned CTZ in Warsaw, Poland, could reduce particulate matter (PM) concentrations and the associated respiratory exposure. A mobile mon… Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science BTEX exposure-driven human health risks: a comprehensive analysis during COVID-19 lockdown in metropolitan city, India Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene (BTEX) are released into the atmosphere from various sources and cause several long-term health problems, especially in metropolitan cities. This study used a C6-C12 analyzer with thermal desorption gas chromatography to measure ambient BTEX levels from January to May 2020, covering pre-lockdown (phase 0) and lockdown phases (I–IV) during… Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Environmental assessment of magnetic and elemental characteristics of coal and combustion ashes collected from the Cuddalore Thermal Power Plant, India This study investigates the magnetic properties, elemental composition, and surface morphology of coal, fly ash, and bottom ash samples collected from the Cuddalore Thermal Power Plant area. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that lignite coal exhibits paramagnetic to weak ferrimagnetic behavior, while fly ash samples show a combination of superparamagnetic and ferrimagnetic characteri… Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Boron-Modified Resorcinol–Furfural Aerogel Resins: Influence of Phenylboronic Acid Incorporation on Structure, Porosity, and Thermal Stability In this study, resorcinol–furfural aerogel resins were synthesized and the optimal crosslinking ratio was determined to obtain a stable three-dimensional porous network. Following optimization, the resorcinol–furfural resin was chemically modified with phenylboronic acid at different weight ratios to introduce boron-containing functionalities into the polymeric framework. The aim was to tailor … Journal of Polymers and the Environment (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science “A Comparative Study of Melt-Spun Polyhydroxybutyrate Yarns: Processing-Dependent Microbial Biodegradation under Simulated Environmental Conditions” Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a fully biodegradable polymer with increasing potential for sustainable textile applications; however, biodegradation studies focusing on fiber-level structures remain limited. In this study, melt-spun PHB yarns produced under different processing conditions were investigated to explore processing–structure–biodegradation relationships. Mechanical testing showed… Journal of Polymers and the Environment (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Effects of Thermal Annealing on the Structure–Properties Relationship of Plasticized Polylactic Acid with Citrates This study investigates the effect of annealing on neat polylactic acid (PLA) and PLA plasticized with 20 wt% triethyl citrate (TEC) and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), processed by twin-screw extrusion followed by injection molding. Two annealing treatments were applied at a lower temperature (T1-located at 10% above the onset of cold crystallization) and a higher temperature (T2- located at 1… Journal of Polymers and the Environment (Springer) · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Spatial patterns and nonlinear drivers of traditional villages: a grid-based machine learning analysis in Yunnan, China Traditional villages represent critical components of the historic built environment, reflecting long-term human–environment adaptation in complex mountainous systems. Understanding their spatial distribution is crucial for effective rural governance and the conservation of traditional village cultural heritage. Focusing on Yunnan Province, China, home to 777 nationally recognized traditional v… Frontiers in Environmental Science · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Changes in ecosystem carbon sequestration and their driving mechanisms in ethnic autonomous and non-autonomous areas of Western China Understanding ecosystem carbon sequestration change and its environmental drivers is fundamental for revealing regional carbon sink patterns and ecosystem response processes, yet differences in carbon sequestration dynamics between ethnic autonomous and non-autonomous areas in western China remain insufficiently explored. Here, these two regional types were regarded as socio-ecological units wi… Frontiers in Environmental Science · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Post-disaster resettlement and rural land use transformation: development and validation of a satisfaction scale from Türkiye Post-disaster resettlement processes in rural areas represent one of the most abrupt and consequential forms of forced land use change. By displacing households from their agricultural and livestock-based livelihoods, such interventions alter rural land use patterns, fragment spatial production networks, and accelerate rural depopulation ultimately reshaping urban-rural land dynamics. The purpo… Frontiers in Environmental Science · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science Pre-framework sustainability governance: a retrospective SDG mapping of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s governance record, 1946–2004 IntroductionSustainability historiography has been organised primarily around Western institutional milestones, from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and recognition within this narrative has accrued chiefly to the architects of policy vocabulary rather than to governance practitioners outside Euro-Atlantic institutions. This study asks a historiog… Frontiers in Environmental Science · 8 Jul 2026 Research & science From Centrality to Sustainability: How Connected Boards Shape Waste Management Outcomes Business Strategy and the Environment, EarlyView. Business Strategy and the Environment (Wiley) · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science ESG Disclosure Quality as Organizational Information Processing: Comparing Human Coding, Rule‐Based Automation, and LLM Semantic Scoring Business Strategy and the Environment, EarlyView. Business Strategy and the Environment (Wiley) · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Self‐Transcendence and Self‐Enhancement Values as Drivers of Eco‐Travel Behavior. Implications for Business Strategies for Eco‐Tourism Sector Business Strategy and the Environment, EarlyView. Business Strategy and the Environment (Wiley) · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Fishing for DNA: How a cup of river water can reveal secrets about human health, pollution and biodiversity The DNA in a single cup of water can track wildlife, monitor pollution and survey pathogens in waterways and their surroundings, all at the same time. Phys.org — 'waste' search feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Do natural alternatives to weight-loss drugs really work? - UCL | University College London UCL News · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Gene-edited babies are closer to becoming a reality - UCL | University College London UCL News · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science How the leasehold revolution could transform neighbourly relations - UCL | University College London UCL News · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science AI framework could speed battery, combustion and materials research by automating simulations Computers have made it easier than ever before to design the perfect material for a given problem: Scientists can create a virtual version and simulate how that material will behave. Building these atomically precise simulations, however, typically requires deep expertise in computational chemistry. At the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, researchers have developed… Phys.org — 'waste' search feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Scavenger animals are the missing link in Australia’s bird flu response. Three experts explain Animals that feed on infected carcasses could be accelerating the spread of the H5N1 strain. The Conversation Australia — Environment · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Pressure unlocks 3D superconductivity in tantalum disulfide at triple the temperature Superconductors have long been considered a promising technology for the energy systems of the future. They can conduct electricity without resistance, thus eliminating both conduction losses and waste heat. Up to now, however, superconductors have only been applied in special cases, as in the immensely powerful magnet coils of particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Th… Phys.org — 'waste' search feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science New spray-jet method recycles rare iridium from proton exchange membrane devices and preserves membranes The future hydrogen economy may hinge on iridium, a metal so rare that only about 8 tonnes are produced worldwide each year. To help stretch the limited supply, University of Delaware researchers have developed a recycling process that recovers precious metals and other materials from used hydrogen-energy devices without producing toxic waste. TechXplore — 'recycling' search feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Why Nigel Farage is resigning as an MP, only to stand again – expert analysis Nigel Farage is triggering a by-election, appearing to be pitting people against ‘the establishment’. University of Leeds — The Conversation institution feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Phaeocaulines H and I, Two New Sesquiterpenoids from Curcuma phaeocaulis with Unprecedented Skeletons and Antiangiogenic Activity - ACS Publications ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (ACS) · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Heatwaves are dangerous but they’re also a useful warning of what needs to change The hottest days show how poorly prepared our homes and energy systems are for the current climate – and the climate to come. The Conversation UK — Environment · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Machine learning to predict how fast biodegradable plastics break down in nature Testing how quickly a biodegradable plastic actually breaks down in the environment can take months, sometimes years, of lab work. A new study from the Agricultural University of Athens, offers a faster alternative: a machine-learning tool that predicts biodegradation outcomes for a widely used bioplastic almost instantly. Phys.org — 'waste' search feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Majority of Michigan’s local leaders see state moving in wrong direction, U-M survey finds A majority of local government officials in Michigan say the state is on the wrong track, according to a new University of Michigan survey that reverses a three-year trend in improving attitudes about the state's overall direction. University of Michigan News · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Advancing Sustainable Development Goal 8 in Africa: Does Ecological Stress Constrain the Digital Dividend? Sustainable Development, EarlyView. Sustainable Development (Wiley) · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Fordingbridge rape sentences increased: how does unduly lenient sentence review work? In England and Wales, members of the public can request a sentence review. University of Oxford — The Conversation institution feed · 7 Jul 2026 Research & science Largest study yet reveals which cancers have their own microbiomes Knowing which cancer tumours have their own microbiomes could lead to more personalised treatments. University of Leeds — The Conversation institution feed · 7 Jul 2026