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water health

09/14/2018 / By Zoey Sky

Surfers at higher risk of having antibiotic-resistant E. coli in their digestive tract from swallowing contaminated seawater

According to a new study, dangerous superbug E. coli is spreading among surfers and bodyboarders. Data from the report has revealed that since regular surfers often ingest contaminated seawater, they are more vulnerable than swimmers. The former can swallow as much as 10 times more seawater compared to the latter. Researchers share that surfers and bodyboarders are “three […]

09/12/2018 / By Rhonda Johansson

Can floating islands help threatened insects such as bees and butterflies?

Iowa State University (ISU)’s landmark lake floating islands research project is being re-established this year since its first run in 2015. The Lake LaVerne Floating Islands project was intended to measure the nutrient uptake from the water of the LaVerne lake and then to design, construct, and monitor the amount of carbon the plants could […]

08/21/2018 / By RJ Jhonson

Minnesotan farmers use 10-15% more fertilizer than they actually need for healthy crops

Minnesota’s farmers are using more fertilizer than needed, say the state’s agricultural officials. The state government’s response to regulate the use of nitrogen fertilizer – a bid to ensure clean drinking water at, according to detractors, the risk of impairing one of Minnesota’s biggest industries – is seemingly a question of which gets the higher […]

07/10/2018 / By RJ Jhonson

Study finds that water-filter pitchers are not equally effective

If you are concerned about microcystins in your drinking water, you can turn to commercially available water-filter pitchers to keep you safe. However, researchers from The Ohio State University (Ohio State) warn that not all pitchers on the market are created equally. While some do their job excellently, some may be letting more microcystins through […]

07/08/2018 / By Isabelle Z.

Geoscientist analyzes how contaminants, including bacteria and viruses, move through groundwater

It’s a topic that many of us don’t give much thought: How exactly do bacteria and viruses make their way through groundwater? Countless people can be sickened when this happens after flooding or heavy rains, for example, but what occurs on the microscopic level when this happens is largely a mystery. William Johnson, a geoscientist from […]

06/01/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Wetlands reduce nitrate pollution in rivers and streams five times more efficiently than land-based mitigation strategies

Nitrate pollution comes from the nitrate used in crop fertilizers that goes to rivers and streams through drainage systems and agricultural ditches. High concentrations of nitrate in rivers and streams can be toxic to ecosystems and human health, as they may contaminate drinking water. As a result, a team of researchers from the University of […]

04/19/2018 / By Jessica Dolores

Reduced oxygen levels in ocean water impact marine species’ development, could threaten our food supply

A recent study made by scientists from the University of Plymouth revealed that young marine creatures who grow in areas with a low oxygen supply do not develop as fully as they should. They can hardly control their oxygen uptake and are far smaller than other creatures who grew up in areas with adequate oxygen supply. Dr. Manuela […]

04/07/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Focus on microfibers: Microscopic pollution has been found to make up a majority of shoreline debris

Microfibers may be tiny, but their impact is nothing short of massive. A number of studies over the years have produced a wide array of facts and figures that demonstrate the extent of their impact. For instance, the researchers behind a 2011 study found that microfibers account for a considerable portion of man-made debris polluting […]

02/12/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Wild rice is the “canary in the coal mine” for lakes and streams – Researchers use it to track water quality

Determining the health of a lake or a stream could be done by looking for the presence of wild rice. According to a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota, wild rice is to these bodies of water as a canary is to a coal mine. Their sensitivity to their surroundings is an indicator of […]

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