Ending Pollution with Technology!

A new NoMix toilet has been getting positive reviews in seven European countries. These toilets separate urine and feces before the sewer treatment plant. One benefit is that it reduces the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients which trigger algae blooms and can harm fish in the area. Separating the urine also allows its use as an agriculture fertilizer. This toilet has been used in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark and has been accepted and supported by most people, an 75-85% believed the design, hygiene, small and seating comfort of this toilet equaled that of a conventional toilet.

Read more at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100310134258.htm

Tel Aviv University has developed a bionic “nose” that can “sniff out” cancers, bombs, and impure water. This device magnifies the very small traces of these chemicals that normal technology cannot detect. Professor Doron Shabat, a bioorganic chemist, developed this technology to amplify these signals by millions and billions, and soon will be able to detect any of these chemicals that have a certain type of reactivity. This device can help to diagnose diseases such as prostate cancer.

Read more at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330154756.htm

A new invention can keep fruit, vegetables, and flowers fresher without using genetic engineering or pathogens. These microorganisms induce enzymes that extend the ripening time of fruits and vegetables, and are actually beneficial to them. The microorganism manipulates the organism’s diet so that it will express more of a certain enzyme and stay fresher for longer. This microorganism will help reduce the waste created by throwing away fruits and vegetables, will allow companies to ship easier, and will allow these fruits and vegetables to be stored in room temperature, thus reducing the energy.

Read more at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020111623.htm

BionicTile NOx from Martin Cox on Vimeo.

Household Pollutants

Two environmentalists from Canada decided to test everyday products for the pollutions they carried. The results were shocking.

Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith, both members of the Canadian environmental organization Environmental Defence, spent 12 hours indoor in shifts to track the pollutants in everyday products. Eating three meals containing tuna more than doubled Lourie’s blood mercury from 7.55µg/L. The US Environmental Protection Agency said that mercury levels above 5.8µg/L could be dangerous. Biphenol A, an endocrine disruptor, increased 7.5x after eating canned foods heated in a microwavable plastic container. This disruptor is linked to breast and prostate cancer. Toothpaste, soap, and deodorant contained an antibacterial called Triclosan. After use, levels of Triclosan increased by 2900x. Though there is debate on its’ effects on thyroid function, the SCCP believes that Triclosan is safe.

These chemicals were found in the urine of Lourie and Smith, which means that the body is able to flush out most of them. This experiment shows the how quickly these chemicals can rise in our bodies. The levels in this experiment have been deemed safe by the Canadian and US authorities, though there is a worry about the effects of these levels on babies and young children.

Another test, conducted in Illinois, showed the levels of phthalates, bisphenol A and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in 35 people from different states. These chemicals can be found in baby bottles, shower curtains, cosmetics, upholstered furniture, computers, toys and many other household items. These chemicals have been linked to birth defects, cancer, learning disabilities, infertility, asthma, obesity, and other heath issues.

http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/toxic-free-communities/stop-toxic-pollution/report-toxic-chemicals-from-everyday-products-found-in-illinoisans-bodies

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/May/20050903.asp

Check out this site for a video on a sponge that helps to clean up waste from household products: http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0104-cleaning_up_our_water.htm

Air Pollution Effecting Us.

Contrary to popular belief, a new study shows that early morning fog actually cleans air pollution. For years it was believed that it increased air pollution, because of the traffic it causes. A particular type of fog, called radiation fog, which occurs early in the morning. On clear nights, warm air rises from the ground leaving cool air. When the temperature drops, water-droplets form around the pollution particles, and then get evaporated when the sun comes up.

It has been found that classroom air is significantly more polluted than the air outside. Tiny particles, which can be toxic if inhaled deeply into the lungs, have mainly been researched on outdoors because of the amount that vehicle emissions produce. Three elementary school classrooms were studied in Australia and compared to outdoor pollution, and it in each study the pollutants where much higher in the classroom.

Living near the ocean should give clean air, right? It has recently been found that the smoke from ships burning high-sulfur fuel can be accounted for half of the fine particles hazardous to human health. The coast of California now has a law, starting in July, that requires any ship to switch to a cleaner burning fuel if they are to come within 24 miles of the coast. Other international laws requiring this will be in effect, hopefully, in 2015. Some estimates show that ship smoke can be accountable for as many as 60,000 deaths worldwide.

Pollution and Death.

According to ScienceDaily news, 40% of deaths worldwide are caused by water, air and soil pollution. 1.2 billion people do not have access to clean water, and since polluted water accounts for 80% of infectious diseases, they are more susceptible to these diseases. Water pollution provides a breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitos, which kill 1.2 million to 2.7 million people annually. Water pollution can cause: typhoid, hepatitis, cancer, hormonal problems, liver and kidney damage, DNA damage, amoebiasis, giardiasis, ascariasis, and many more. Air pollution kills 3 million people a year. The United States alone releases 3 million tons of toxic chemicals, which contribute to cancer, birth defects, immune system defects and other serious health issues. Air pollution also gives those with diseases such as diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis a higher risk of death. Air pollution can cause: reduced lung functioning, irritation of eyes, nose or mouth, coughing, wheezing, increased respiratory diseases, reduced energy levels, headaches, neurobehavioral disorders, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and premature death. Soil pollution causes various microbes to become drug-resistant, which has cause the reemergence of diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza. New diseases are also emerging from polluted soil- such as West Nile Virus and Lyme disease. Soil pollution causes: cancer, kidney damage, brain developmental damage in young children, and others. Soil pollution can also make its way into water, food, and can also be inhaled. These unsanitary conditions, filled with different pollutants, cause more than 5 million deaths a year, more than half of which are children. The British Journal, The Lancelot, will be featuring a series of six papers beginning November 25. In these papers, coauthored by Kirk R. Smith and Michael Jerret professors at University of California, a study shows the health implications in both high and low income countries. The paper shows the long term effects of black carbon, this being the first study of its' kind. Smith says that "combustion-related air pollution is estimated to be responsible for nearly 2.5 million premature deaths annually around the world and for a significant portion of greenhouse warming." Pollution causes serious health issues around the world. If we do not start to cut down on pollutants, these numbers will increase and continue to increase. New diseases will form, and continue to mutate so that we will no longer have cures.

From ScienceDaily news and

http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/pollution-effects.html

First Post.

This is my pollution blog. In it I will be discussing new information emerging about pollution and its effects on our health and habitat. I will be finding more and more news articles covering this sort of information, like this one: Air Pollution Increases Infants' Risk of Bronchiolitis. I found that when exposed to "NO, NO₂, SO₂ and CO increased bronchiolitis risk by 8, 12, 4 and 13 percent respectively." (ScienceDaily) Pollution has also been found to cause more cases of appendicitis, especially on "high ozone" days. (ScienceDaily) Pollution is a huge cause of many different medical issues. Take China, for example, their pollution has gotten so bad that it is causing more and more cancers, making cancer the leading cause of death. In China, 5oo million people do no have access to safe and clean drinking water. The pollution in China is spilling over to other countries, causing problems as far as Los Angeles. (The New York Times)

Pollution is a growing issue in our country, and it is a problem we all share. We are all contributing to the pollution of the Earth, and we all need to pitch in in order to save our home. I will continue to be posting updates on this growing issue.