Microbiology
A blanket of oil: the role of bacteria in cleaning up after Deepwater Horizon
Nearly one million barrels of oil landed on the seafloor after the Deepwater Horizon spill - a feast if bacteria…
Tag: persistent organic pollutants
Chemistry
Out of sight, but not out of mind: human created chemicals persist deep in the Arctic Ocean
Human created chemicals can be "too good" at their job, remaining persistent and/or toxic in the environment, well beyond the…
Chemistry
Fireproofing the Arctic
Chemicals that are stable enough for our everyday use are often remarkably stable in the natural environment as well. This…
Biology deep sea Hazards Pollution Toxicology
Manmade Pollutants Plague Deep-sea Organsims
Scientists have found an alarming accumulation of certain persistent organic pollutants in an environment previously thought pristine and untouched by…
Book Review
Rachel Carson had the right idea: DDT persists in unexpected ways in dolphins
Rachel Carson was right to focus her novel on the effects of DDT; DDT persists to this day in dolphins…
Chemistry
Not better together: complex pollutant soup spells trouble for marine phytoplankton
A group of international researchers have found that marine phytoplankton communities are susceptible to impairment from complex mixtures of organic…
Human impacts
Go Green for Earth Day!
Do Mother Nature a solid with these helpful tips & tricks to go green today!
Chemistry
Spawning Under the Influence: Drugs and Toxins Found in Salmon
You may think you’re familiar with the side effects of most common medications, but there are other, hidden side effects…
Chemistry
Tiny ocean creatures play a big role in the global fate of toxic pollutants
Scientists on the “biggest ever expedition on global change” studied the tiniest creatures in the ocean to learn about their…
Chemistry
We Don’t Know the Half of It: Hundreds of Contaminants in Dolphin Blubber from Southern California
Dolphins and humans are continuously exposed to low levels of various halogenated, persistent manmade pollutants through their diets. In this…
Biology Chemistry Pollution
Why Do Sea Turtles Get Tumors?
Large numbers of green sea turtles are growing tumors that impede their swimming, block their sight, and prevent them from…
Biology Chemistry
Baby Beluga is at Heightened Risk: Pollutant Accumulation in Arctic Predators Affects Gene Expression
Analyzing changes in gene transcription is a way to detect adverse effects in organisms before they are observable on the…
Chemistry
From Your Sofa to the Sea
Oceanographers from Spain have measured several commonly used (and potentially harmful) organophosphate ester flame retardants in the air over the…
Biology Chemistry
Like Mother, Like Son: Stingrays Pass Toxic Pollutants on to Their Offspring
Animals in early stages of development are particularly susceptible to harmful effects of toxic pollutants. For this reason, the transfer…
Chemistry
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) Entering Deeper Ocean via Vertical Eddy Diffusion
The ocean is home to many creatures: plankton, fish, mammals, etc. But it is also ‘home’ to a number of…
Biology Chemistry
Disconcerting trends of pollutants in the Scandinavian Otter Population
Fluorinated compounds are an emerging class of persistent pollutants that have a global presence in the environment, biota, and humans,…
Biology Chemistry
Intense Weight Loss by Migratory Humpback Whales Could Increase Health Risks Posed by Pollutants
Australian and Norwegian researchers measured levels of pesticides and PCBs in southern hemisphere humpback whales to find out whether extreme…