Pollution Science X - Solutions (Florida)

                              (Pollution Science 101 - Solutions (Florida)                                                                       

                                                                  Ross vs Florida


                                                         Author: Michael James Ross

 

                                                              PollutionScience.com

 

                                                          MonsantoInvestigation.com

                                                             Published: April 4th, 2024

 

                                                        Updated:  September 23rd, 2024

 

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Section 1: Michael James Ross vs Collier County, Florida 

 

Section 2: Corruption in Florida & Human Trafficking Rings (Collier County, Florida)

 

Section 3: Solutions 

 

 Section 4: Bioremediation Technology

 
Section 5: Ocean and Atmospheric Circulation


Section 6: The Bermuda Triangle


Section 7: Coral Reefs

 

Section 8: Red Tide & Algal Blooms

 

Section 9: Water Pollution & Problems

 

Section 10: Soil Erosion, Landfills & Karst

 

Section 11: Sinkholes, Karst, Caves & Groundwater

 

Section 12: Fracking

 

Section 13: Everglades

 

Section 14: Mangroves

 

Section 15: Endangered Animals & Invasive Animals

 

Section 16: Deforestation & Endangered Plants


Section 17: Pesticides, Insecticides & Agriculture

 

 

 


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The following article will document the current environmental issues in the State of Florida.


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Section 1: Michael James Ross vs Collier County, Florida


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Pollution Science X - Florida (Pollution Science 101 - Florida)

 

Ross vs Florida 


Author: Michael James Ross

 

Publication Date: April 4th, 2024

 

PollutionScience101Florida.Blogspot.com


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Michael James Ross Explains Why the Authorities Had to Drop the Illegal Arrest Charges Against Him & Why the Courts still are threatening to Stop the Research of Michael Ross with Tainted and Falsified Audio Evidence in a Mistrial.


September 16th, 2024

 

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Florida Kidnapping Rings Investigated (Collier County, Florida) 

 

August 28th, 2024

 

FloridaKidnappingRings.Blogspot.com


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Michael Ross - PollutionScience.com Lawsuits

 

September 23rd, 2024 

 

https://archive.org/details/michael-ross-lawsuits 

 

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Michael Ross vs Florida - Illegal Arrest - Document: Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Pages 1-109

 
July 1st, 2024


https://archive.org/details/evidence-a-7

 

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Michael Ross vs Florida - Illegal Arrest - Court Document: Evidence Exhibit A 4

 

July 1st, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-a-4

 

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Michael James Ross vs Collier County, Florida

PRIMARY DOCKET # 24CF95

Our Environmental Websites and Reports:


Website: Pollution Science - PollutionScience.com

 

Book: Pollution Science X - Florida - https://pollutionscience101Florida.blogspot.com

Michael Ross from PollutionScience.com was doing an environmental survey report while investigating illegal wastewater dumping from a beach storm drain off 2nd Avenue in Naples, Florida and was illegally detained at this location on January 14th, 2024 at 1:30 am.
Michael Ross was investigating the illegal stormwater dumping complaints when the police illegally raided his vehicle. The police illegally searched  the vehicle of Michael Ross by force and found an air rifle that was not a true firearm. The authorities lied at first and said it was an unidentified rifle instead of just saying it was an air rifle gun made by Gamo, this was done in order to illegally detain Ross longer. The authorities then lied right off the bat and said that Michael Ross had a felony, the authorities then stated that it was illegal to own the air rifle in the State of Florida because Ross had a previous felony. The fact is that Michael Ross was never convicted of a felony in his life, and it is legal for Michael Ross to own the air rifle. The authorities claimed that it was illegal for felons to own an air rifle in the State of Florida and that Ross was being detained for having an air rifle in his vehicle. Michael Ross was arrested for having an air rifle, Michael Ross will be filing a lawsuit against this illegal detainment.  Here is Ross's Driver's License number (Texas Driver's License number: 18785123) (California Driver's License: D8434672) (American Passport Id # 587031279) so that you can see for yourselves that Michael Ross does not have a felony. These officials lied to the public including other news agencies and claimed Ross had a felony when Ross did not have a previous felony.

The government of Collier County had to create a lie about Ross in order to stop his investigative journalism. The government lied to the press and this is why you see the headlines that were claiming Ross was a felon that had an air rifle in his vehicle. The truth is that Ross was never a convicted felon and it was legal for Ross to own the air rifle. The police also claimed Ross was sleeping, when Ross claims he was not sleeping and that he was just relaxing. There was a parking sign for the parking hours but the sign was torn off the post, there was no way to tell the parking hours, Ross was just enjoying the beach after visiting most of the amusement parks in Florida for over two weeks. Ross was planning on spending several months in Florida. For the records Ross checked the time on my cellphone just 10 minutes before the illegal arrest. Ross was planning on leaving the area at 2 am that night. We do not like how the police tell multiple lies in front of journalists in order to falsify more charges against people.

The problem is the Naples government assumed Michael Ross had a previous felony because Ross was found with 2 grams of hash in 2009 in Texas, Ross received a reduced punishment down to a misdemeanor instead of having a felony. The officials in Collier County, Florida assumed it was a felony to have hash in Texas, these officials in Florida lied and said Ross received a felony from having hash in Texas. The truth is the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and Ross never received a felony. This is why even the media was lied to and you can see in the headlines that the government misled the media, and why the news article claims Ross was a felon in possession of an air rifle when it turns out that Michael Ross was never a convicted felon in his entire life. This makes it difficult to get more support from others, this is because the public was lied to and thinks Ross was a felon with an air rifle. It even makes it more difficult if Ross wanted to find a job in the scientific community while the news headlines are inaccurate and claim falsely that Ross was a felon. We believe that an AI computer could have told the police by mistake that Ross had a felony. We also see that the police removed all audio evidence of stating that Ross was being arrested as being a felon with an air rifle.
You will notice that the police arrested Ross first for trying to say that Ross was a felon in possession of an air rifle, the police had no idea how much cannabis hemp that Ross had at the time. Ross was originally detained first because the police lied and said Ross was a felon in order to illegally arrest Ross.
The police had to dismiss the case of Ross being a felon with an air rifle, this is simply because Ross was never a felon and that Michael Ross was illegally arrested. We consider this as an illegal attempt to try to gain illegal access to his research van.

The Police refused to identify the Gamo pellet gun as an air rifle and said that the rifle was an unidentified rifle for multiple days. This was done in attempt to hold Ross in custody longer illegally. The police knew they made a mistake in arresting Ross for having a pellet gun that was legal. The police wanted to use the unidentified rifle as a distraction, this however kept Ross in jail longer illegally and we will be seeking damages for this illegal arrest.
We notice that the police did not even release the full audio recording of the arrest of Michael Ross on 1/14/2014 at 1:30:10 am. We do not even see that the police were able to identify the air rifle for a few days.

We also want to state that we believe why it took longer to hear the charges. The police knew they made a mistake and why it took longer for the police to figure out they illegally arrested Ross for falsely saying that Ross was a felon with an unidentified rifle, when Ross simply was not a felon with a rifle or an air rifle. A jury will see multiple counts of tampering with evidence and see that this evidence presented by these Collier County officials was falsified. No honorable person would try to harm a scientific researcher and medical researcher that has already had this much tainted evidence and illegal detainment. The authorities are greedy and want the money and silver, they don't care about our science research and medical research.


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The illegal arrest of Michael Ross - Background check to prove Michael Ross was never a felon.

July 16th,2024

https://archive.org/details/innocent-not-a-felon

 

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Evidence Court Document - Evidence Exhibit A-4 & A-7 - Judge Krier:

Twentieth District Court Judge Krier caused Libel, Slander and illegally signed court documents that stated that Michael Ross is to be punished as a previous felon, this was an illegal punishment and that Michael Ross was never a previous felon. This judge attempted to give Michael James Ross extra punishment from his illegal sentence and made the untrue statement that Michael Ross was a previous felon. The truth is that Michael Ross was never a felon. This Judge is trying to give Ross extra punishment and time, this judge states that Michael Ross is a felon which is wrong. We want this judge removed from office and to never be able to work as a judge again.
 
The Police illegally arrested Michael Ross and stated Ross was a previously convicted felon that was found with an air rifle in his vehicle, the truth is that Michael Ross was never a felon. Mrs. Gomes the District attorney lied and continued the extension of the illegal arrest of Ross by saying Ross was to be tried as a convicted felon with an air rifle, Mrs. Gomes also wanted to add additional punishments for falsely stating that Ross was a previous felon as well. Judge Elizabeth Krier (Respondeat superior) approved of Amira D. Fox and Nicole Santini of adding additional punishments for Michael Ross. Fox, Gomes & Santini falsely stated that Ross would receive more punishments for being a previous felon while being illegally arrested.



The police wrongfully stated that Ross was being arrested as a felon in possession of an air rifle in his vehicle. The truth is that the police did not tell the truth, Michael Ross was never a convicted felon. The police then lied and said that Ross's Gamo air rifle was an unidentified rifle to hold Ross in custody longer. Mrs. Gomes lied in court and told the Judge and public that Ross was being charged as a convicted felon with an air rifle. This statement was not true and that Michael Ross was never a felon. The arrest of Michael James Ross for having an air rifle was a form of either police error or intent to illegally arrest scientific and medical journalist Michael Ross, we consider this illegal arrest a form of police brutality. Judge Elizabeth Krier approved of the illegal arrest of Michael Ross and allowed Amira D. Fox and Nicole N. Santini to approve of additional punishments on Ross's punishment scoresheet. Additional points were added to Ross's 3.992(a) Criminal Punishment Code Scoresheet because Fox and Santini stated that Ross was being punished as a previous felon. This also added more punishments on all other charges. We accuse these authorities of illegally giving Michael James Ross more punishment charges in attempt to silence political journalist Michael Ross. This was done with malice, spite and with intent to illegally keep Michael Ross longer in custody, and this caused harm to Michael Ross of PollutionScience.com in different ways. We want Rhiannon Gomes, Amira Fox, Nicole Santini and Judge Elizabeth Krier to face arrest for tampering with evidence, this includes the libel, slander and contempt in court under oath. Rhiannon Gomes lied under oath and stated that Michael Ross was to be charged as a convicted felon with an air rifle. This created Judge Krier to increase the punishments of Michael Ross, simply because this made Judge Krier think that Ross's punishment should be more for being a previously convicted felon. Rhiannon Gomes tried to create malice to harm a member of the scientific community and the medical community.

Michael James Ross from pollution Science is seeking 5 million dollars in damages for being illegally arrested on January 14th, 2024 by Delia C. Luna and the Collier County Police. Michael Ross is seeking an additional 6 million dollars for being held longer illegally in custody by Police Chief Kevin Rambosk. The authorities should have let Ross go with this illegal arrest. The Young District Attorney Gomes did not properly check and also wrongfully assumed that Michael Ross was a felon when Michael Ross was not a felon. This mistake caused Michael Ross to spend multiple days illegally detained, and this caused a lot of stress when having to go to court to prove that Ross was never a felon. We want 7 million dollars in additional damages for being illegally detained longer by young District Attorney Rhiannon Gomes. May we remind the Jury what a Young District Attorney is, this attorney has only been working as a District Attorney since 2021. This Young attorney is not qualified to continue to give illegal punishments to journalist Michael Ross of Pollution Science. We want the Twentieth District Court Attorneys to stop issuing more illegal punishments from continuing to state that Ross is a felon. The authorities knew they made a mistake in illegally arresting Ross for having an air rifle, the authorities then stated the air rifle was unidentified for multiple days. The air rifle was in stock condition and any competent officer could clearly see that it was a Gamo pellet gun within one minute, the air rifle was unloaded and stored away out of public sight. The serial number and name of the air rifle was in no way obstructed and could be identified within one minute or less. Amira D. Fox and Nicole Santini also went along and took Young District Attorney Mrs. Gomes's word that Ross was a felon and trusted her judgment which was wrong. Fox and Santini tried to add additional punishment points on the punishment scoresheet of Michael Ross and stated that Ross was a previous felon, this was in attempt to give Ross more time on my charges because of this error. Judge Elizabeth Krier approved of these documents as well that stated Ross was a felon. Michael Ross is seeking Fourteen Million Dollars in damages from Amira D. Fox. We are seeking Eight Million Dollars in Damages from Nicole N. Santini, and we are seeking Twenty Million dollars in Damages from Judge Elizabeth Krier.

My 4th Amendment rights were violated, the police stated that I was being arrested as a felon with an air rifle to gain access to my vehicle, I was never a felon and this was an illegal arrest. My 2nd Amendment rights were violated, I was illegally arrested for owning an air rifle. My 8th Amendment rights were violated with cruel and unusual punishment, my punishments were increased because the authorities claimed falsely I was a felon. My 1st Amendment rights to peacefully gather were also violated. My 13th Amendment rights were violated,  the State of Florida is running a type of racketeering system in their prison systems to illegally extort money and wrongfully convict innocent citizens. These innocent citizens are then sent to private prison labor camps for profit.

Michael James Ross is also alleging libel, defamation, slander, defamation per se, business disparagement, business defamation, tortious interference with current and/or prospective business relations, civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress caused by the authorities of Collier County, Florida. We need to stop good researchers in the scientific community and medical community from facing wrongful arrest and ask the authorities to please stop this Vexatious litigation. These authorities have already lied and stated Ross was a felon and this was not true. The original reason why Ross was being arrested is because the authorities stated that Ross was a previous felon in possession of an air rifle. We consider this Vexatious litigation by the authorities of Collier County, Florida if they continue to break the law to illegally arrest reporters. The authorities have broken multiple laws and that if Michael Ross is illegally jailed for this, the public will know that Michael Ross from PollutionScience.com is being jailed illegally. We consider this gross negligence, Nonfeasance, Misfeasance, and acting with severe recklessness with disregard for the safety or well-being of another person by Collier County officials. This is happening while the authorities lie to the public and tell the public that Michael Ross was a felon in possession of an air-rifle, when the authorities made the mistake and lied to the public about Ross being a felon. Michael Ross was never a felon, and the Collier County Police officers made a mistake in arresting Michael Ross for having an air rifle that was legal for him to own. This was the first main cause for the authorities trying to detain Ross, we want the audio recording from the Collier County Police from 12 am to 3 am on the morning of the arrest on January 14th, 2024. We are asking the public to stop this illegal detainment of Michael Ross as a scientific journalist and medical journalist.

We accuse Collier County Courtroom authorities of acting with scienter and that these authorities were fully aware of what they were doing.

Scienter refers to a person’s mental state at the time they allegedly committed a crime. Specifically, scienter refers to whether the individual intentionally and knowingly acted with the intent to defraud or manipulate, or if the results of their actions were simply caused by a mistake or accident. Scienter is a Latin term, which translates to “knowledge.” Therefore, someone who acts with scienter is fully aware of what they are doing and the consequences that can result, yet they go ahead with it anyway.

This illegal arrest has caused me multiple forms of personal injury, emotional stress, physical stress, headaches, Libel and Slander. It is now more difficult to find work, this is a form of Libel, Slander and this harms my public reputation as a scientific journalist and medical journalist.
The police have stolen money I wanted to use on fixing my teeth, I have had to put off fixing my teeth until the authorities give me my stolen research funds back. I will now have to sell my 3.25 acre property in Austin because of this illegal arrest, I was going to turn this land into a storage rental property. I have lost millions of dollars I was going to earn from investing this money into my business. I have lost millions of dollars because the authorities refuse to give me back my laptops with priceless science, medical and COVID research. I have now lost millions in research and accuse the Collier County authorities of harming researchers in the scientific community and medical community. The authorities attempted to edit out the audio that stated I was being arrested as a previously convicted felon with an air rifle multiple times. This was done at the time of my arrest and when I was being questioned sitting in my vehicle. The authorities removed multiple audio clips that stated the original reason of why I was being arrested and attempted to shift blame to arrest me for cannabis that was not mine. The audio of Officer Delia C. Luna was not shown in the evidence we received. Officer Delia C. Luna stated that the first original reason why we were being arrested is that we were a convicted felon with an air rifle. The police asked me if I owned an air rifle while I was sitting in my vehicle, I stated that I did have an air rifle in the vehicle. The police then stated for me to step out of the vehicle, and within a minute the police stated that I was being arrested for being a previous convicted felon in possession of an air rifle. The authorities did not know how much cannabis or THC-A legal hash that we had at the time. The audio of Troy A. Menning stating that I was being arrested as a previous convicted felon with an air rifle was deleted when I was being interviewed at the police station. We see that the audio recording that the authorities gave my lawyer had the section of audio taken out where Troy A. Menning stated that I was being arrested as a felon with an air rifle. We accuse the Collier County Police Department of trying to tamper with multiple forms of evidence.

I bought the air rifle legally in Texas and did not break any laws. Florida claims to try and be one of the more conservative states, yet we see how they are trying to complain about American citizens trying to own an Air Rifle. I remember in the 1990s that any American could go into a store to buy an air rifle legally. I will state for the record that I was never a felon and that I bought the air rifle legally. I want the air rifle that was illegally confiscated and stolen from me by the Collier County, Florida police department back. I want all of my property back that was illegally confiscated.

The Police Lied and said that we had a felony and that we were a felon in possession of an air rifle. This was done to gain illegal access to search our research vehicle to plant false evidence. We were clearly not a felon and want all charges dismissed. I knew that I had an air rifle but I was unaware that there was 9mm ammo, the vehicle was used by multiple people and the van had not been cleaned. The air rifle was not in plain sight and was in a box.

You will notice that the authorities misspell the word paraphernalia in my charges and instead use the word parapherna. We think that this must have been an auto spell check error where the spell checker accidentally fills in the wrong word and not the word you typed. This is another reason why we think that an AI computer is behind some of these mistakes. I am starting to think that it is the AI computer that is getting some people in trouble.

I would like to know who has written this report, it appears that someone replaced the word Paraphernalia with the word Parapherna. This was a red flag because we believe an AI computer is doing a lot of this and that some of these clerks are mostly letting the AI computers try and write the report. Am I being charged with parapherna as a crime? I would like these charges of Parapherna dropped and do not think that I deserve the punishment for a crime that I did not commit.

May we remind the court what parapherna is.

Parapherna - Definition: The property of a woman that on her marriage is not made a part of her dower but remains her own and entirely free from the control of the husband

Does the Twentieth District Court really wish to give Michael James Ross a misdemeanor for the crime of parapherna?

We refuse these charges and that the Collier County officials have multiple errors in their reports.

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Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 4: The Police knew that Ross had an Air Rifle and the police stated that they found an air rifle within the first minutes of searching the vehicle. The Police knew they illegally arrested Michael Ross and this was a wrongful arrest. It turns out that Ross was never a convicted felon and that Ross was illegally arrested for a crime that he did not commit. The authorities then lied and stated that Ross was being arrested for an unknown rifle to make the charge sound worse, this was also done in an attempt to make it look as if Ross had a real rifle. The following document states that Ross was arrested for an unknown rifle.


Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 5: The following Court document states that Ross was being charged as a previous convicted felon in possession of ammunition. This statement was false and this was an illegal charge the authorities had to drop against Michael Ross.

You will notice that the authorities even state multiple times that Ross was being charged with a firearm as a convicted felon.

 

 


 

 





 


Court Document Evidence Exhibit Evidence A-7 - Page 73: 790.23(3) - POSSESSION OF A FIREARM OR CONCEALED WEAPON BY A CONVICTED FELON

Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 74: 790.23(3) - POSSESSION OF A FIREARM OR CONCEALED WEAPON BY A CONVICTED FELON


Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - page 13: The following states that Michael James Ross was illegally arrested for the following crime: 790.23(3) - POSSESSION OF A FIREARM OR CONCEALED WEAPON BY A CONVICTED FELON

You will notice that the other arresting police officers had to leave out that Ross was being illegally arrested for an air rifle. We believe the arresting police officers left out in their original reports that the first reason why Michael Ross was being detained was for being an accused felon in possession of an air rifle. Keep in mind that one of the first questions the authorities asked Ross is if he had an air rifle. Michael Ross replied truthfully to the officers and stated that he did own an air rifle and felt that there was nothing wrong with owning a pellet gun in America. Michael Ross told the truth to the authorities, we can see that the authorities were dishonorable and lied on multiple occasions to have journalist Michael James Ross illegally arrested. We want all of the arresting officers fired, we can clearly see that they lied to cover for each other in their reports. These officers are bad apples and we do not want them to continue to influence other officers to also be corrupt as the following officers. We no longer want the following officers to work as police officers. These officers failed to write in their reports that Michael Ross was being arrested as a previous convicted felon with an air rifle.


Delia C. Luna

 

Evan J. Scott


Anthony N. Iannuzzi

 

John Redhead

 

Yasmin M. Pachecho

 

Lynnze E. Bender

 

Leovijildo Rodriguez

 

Derrick Vazquez

 

Jake Crowther


We believe that most of the police officers understood and heard Officer Luna state that Michael Ross was being arrested in possession of an air rifle. It could be possible that the officers that were away from the van and standing on the beach may not have heard that Ross was being arrested for having an air rifle as a previously convicted felon. These were lies the Collier County Police Department made. We could like to prosecute the Collier County Police Department, Chief Rambosk and the officers that edited the video and audio footage of the illegal arrest of Michael Ross to faces charges of tampering with evidence. We also want an investigation into the corruption of many attorneys in Florida. Ross is seeking an additional 6 million dollars in damages from Police Chief Kevin Rambosk. Police Chief Rambosk acted illegally and decided to keep Ross illegally detained as a journalist. Ross is seeking an additional 30,000 Dollars for each day this illegal court trial goes on. We consider this a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Michael Ross was illegally arrested on January 14th, 2024, this illegal trial continues to go on even past August 2024.


The only way we will allow these officers back on the force is if they testify that Michael James Ross was illegally arrested. These officers must admit that Michael Ross was illegally arrested, and why they were told to not state that Ross was being arrested as a previous convicted felon with an air rifle.


 
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The following is in relation to the Document titled "Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 page 5" states the following.

The court again created another lie and continued to state that Michael Ross had a criminal history and was conducted to determine Ross was a convicted felon. This again added more libel and slander to the good name of Journalist Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com.

This report lied and stated that Ross had a criminal history of threatening a Judge in Texas, Ross was never charged with threatening anyone, this again is another lie that has now caused Michael Ross more harm, we consider this a form of libel and slander. No wonder Judge Cohen was so upset about this report, here is the following statement:

"A criminal history was conducted to determine Ross was a convicted felon. Due to Ross having an extensive criminal history, including threatening/ terrorizing a judge in Texas, officer Luna is request Ross's bond be set by the judge."

You will notice that officer Luna cannot even spell the sentence right and should have used the word requesting instead of request also. This statement also lied when it stated that Ross was a convicted felon, this increased Ross's bond more since Ross was now being treated as a past convicted felon instead of a non-felon.

Judge Kyle Cohen said that the prosecuting attorney had written a very poorly written report. We think Judge Kyle Cohen knew the authorities messed up with the illegal arrest. At first we thought Judge Cohen might be on our side, we now must question if Judge Kyle Cohen was being bribed for continuing the case, or if this was a simple error that Ross was being charged a previous felon with an air rifle that was overlooked. This evidence is already tainted and I was never a felon with an Air rifle, this is what I was originally being arrested for, this is what the News Articles claim. I want the audio recordings of all the times I was told I was being arrested as a felon with an rifle. It is not right that the Judge allows this proceeding to continue with multiple sources of tainted evidence. We wish for another District Court to hear this trial instead of the 20th District Court. The 20th District Court has tainted too much evidence and is not being honorable and honest with the evidence presented in this trial. The 20th District Court now has too much bias against Ross and has already broken too many laws to even hold a legal trial.

We now would like to file a complaint under the 28 U.S. Code § 144 - Bias or prejudice of a judge against Judge Kyle Cohen, Judge Elizabeth Krier and Judge John Mcgowan of the Twentieth District Court in Collier County, Florida. We no longer think that these judges are competent and want these judges to no longer have authority in any further court cases to harm others as well. We want to know who else in the 20th District Court that thinks this is acceptable to keep Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com in this illegal court trial still. We will be filing a lawsuit against the next Judge in Collier County for 30 million dollars if they wish to continue this illegal case and continue to state that Ross should be punished as a previous felon.

The Police have stolen over 8,000$ and 4 boxes of American Silver Eagle Coins (Over 50,000$ in silver coins). These funds were to be used to build a business to retire. I wanted to build a Storage Container business on my property that was on 3 acres of land in Austin, there would be over One Hundred Storage Sheds. I am now forced to sell my property because of this illegal arrest in Collier County, Florida. I have lost millions of dollars in profit I could have made with this money as an investment in my business.

Many companies now think that I am a felon and that I wanted to get hired by a science company even to do work. I have lost millions of dollars where I could have been making over 400,000$ a year working with my research.

I am unable to now work at these companies because they search my name and see that I am a felon in the news articles. I have already written some of these companies that the article stating that I am a felon is not true.

I want to be compensated for my illegal arrest, I will use these funds for medical research and science research.

This illegal arrest has cost me over 14,000$ in bail. This bail was set so high because the authorities illegally gave me the bail of a previously convicted felon, I want to be compensated for these financial losses.

I have spent over 1,000$ in towing fees, transportation and recovery to get my vehicle.

The Police Damaged and smashed my Ep-500 Battery bank that was over 5,000$ , the police smashed this battery on the ground, the police edited and removed this from the video.

We have spent over 10,000$ in legal fees and filing fees.

 

I am a Bronze Medalist in one of the 2019 National Sumo Wrestling tournaments, I will be filing a complaint with the Olympic committee and wrestling committee about my illegal arrest. The authorities have also cost me millions of dollars in contracts and endorsements I could have had with many wrestling and MMA organisations.

 


9/5/2019 - Mike Ross Wins a Sumo Wrestling Tournament Medal - 2019 New Orleans Sumo Tournament

https://archive.org/details/sumotournament2019neworleans

 

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I have spent thousands of dollars in travel fees to travel from Texas to Florida for each court hearing.

We have written a report on the environmental damage being caused by the officials in Collier County, Florida. We will be filing an environmental lawsuit against the State of Florida.  

If the authorities want to continue to illegally detain medical researchers in Florida, then we must question if other science researchers and medical researchers are having their medical research harmed in the state of Florida.

These authorities do not care about our science research, they just want to steal our science research funds and illegally detain journalists and researchers.

We would like to state for the court records of how many complaints Judge Krier has against her. This judge has one of the lowest approval ratings out of any Judge in Florida. Let us see what other complaints have been filed against judge Elizabeth Krier and State Attorney Amira Fox.

 

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Twentieth Circuit Judge Elizabeth V. Krier

TheRobingRoom.com - Where Judges are Judged


Collier County, FL

Attorney Average Rating:   2.1 out of 10.0 - 16 rating(s)
Non-Attorney Average Rating:   1.0 out of 10.0 - 31 rating(s)

 

 http://www.therobingroom.com/florida/Judge.aspx?id=19459

 


 


 

 

 


 

 


 

 



 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 



 



 


 

 







 





http://www.therobingroom.com/florida/Judge.aspx?id=19459

 

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We are calling for all Science researchers and medical researchers to leave America. Your research is no longer safe. We are ordering the Scientific Community and Medical Community to move your research out of America and the State of Florida, this is a direct order. The Biden government is trying to harm medical researchers and science researchers. Your research is not safe in America, tell the Biden government that you refuse to release research while Michael James Ross is being illegally detained. The Scientific community and medical community are now calling for a full boycott on the Biden government. The Biden government wants to harm America with unlawful Third World immigrants. The Biden Administration wants to harm First World researchers. The government of Florida is a disgrace and continues to let Judge Elizabeth Krier to harm journalist Michael James Ross. We want Judge Krier to lose her authority to harm more scientific journalists. The scientific community now calls for a full boycott on the Biden government until Michael James Ross is released from this illegal trial. The government of Florida has no honor and wishes to continue an illegal trial with Judge Krier attempting to give Michael Ross 5 years in prison for having an air rifle as a felon. Michael James Ross was never a convicted felon. Judge Krier is now obstructing justice by not arresting Officer Delia C. Luna. It is the law that Officer Delia C. Luna face arrest. By law, an officer that illegally arrests an American citizen needs to be detained. Office Delia C. Luna illegally arrested Michael James Ross. It has been over 6 months and the Judges refuse to arrest this officer. The reason is that this officer and the judges are behind a kidnapping cell with Jeffery Epstein. We are about to arrest members of this kidnapping cell, this starts with Collier County, Florida  Police Officer Delia C. Luna, Collier County Police Chief Kevin Rambosk, 20th District Court Judge Elizabeth Krier, 20th District Court Judge John Mcgowan, and 20th District Court District Attorney Rhiannon Gomes.








We are offering the Florida National Guard 100,000$ for the arrest of 20th District Court Judge Elizabeth Krier.
Status: This Judge remains at large and continues to harm scientific researchers and medical researchers.

Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com is now calling for the arrest of Judge Kyle Cohen of the 20th District Court in Collier County, Florida. We want a citizens arrest of this Judge. We want the Florida National Guard and Militia to arrest this corrupt Judge. Failure to stop this judge will result in consequences for ALL American citizens.










We are offering the Florida National Guard 100,000$ for the arrest of 20th District Court Judge Kyle Cohen
Status: This Judge remains at large and continues to harm scientific researchers and medical researchers.


Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com is now calling for the arrest of 20th District Court Judge Kyle Cohen of Naples, Florida. The scientific community is going to ask the public to decide. We want to ask the American people, was it really worth it to keep these corrupt judges in power, when the scientific community
knew all along that the public was behind a good portion of this corruption, and this is why these corrupt judges remain in power. We blame the corrupt people in Florida for allowing this. This is why the scientific community is now going to counter the corrupt people of Florida. Many of the corrupt people in Florida can join these judges, that is because the scientific community has now disowned the people of Florida.The people of Florida were a disgrace and let this corruption flourish. This Judge attempts to bring in illegal Mexicans while attempting to harm First World researchers. This judge is a traitor and we are now calling for the Florida national Guard to arrest judge Cohen. We are calling for the scientific community to arrest Judge Cohen. This judge is only a lawyer, having a law degree is one of the easiest degrees to get in college. This judge is a nuisance and a parasite to the scientific community and medical community. We now declare full martial law in the State of Florida until these Judge face arrest. Remember that these Judges could avoid arrest if they dropped this illegal trial of Michael James Ross. These Judges want to continue an illegal trial and refuse to arrest any police officer for a wrongful arrest. This Judge is a racist Lamanite Judge. This Judge does not like my views on my video series Solomon's Temple, this is why this racist judge attacked my ministry on Solomon's Temple.








We are offering the Florida National Guard 100,000$ for the arrest of 20th District Court Judge John Mcgowen
Status: This Judge remains at large and continues to harm scientific researchers and medical researchers.


Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com is now calling for the arrest of Judge John Mcgowan. The American people are to stop this judge. If the people
of Florida refuse this task, then the scientific community is to now disown the people of Florida. If anyone wants any reason to why the scientific community
has now disowned the people of America, and why we are now going to be calling for mass arrests of the public until we can stop this corruption in the State of Florida.
The citizens of the State of Florida have decided to ally with the corrupt politicians listed in our book Pollution Science - Florida. This is why the scientific community
is now going to disown the people of Florida and call for a 30% reduction in the population in the State of Florida, this is for refusing to cooperate with Michael Ross from PollutionScience.com. We are now going to request that the scientific community disown the people of Florida and to start mass population reduction in the State of Florida, we need to start by sterilizing or phasing out many of these unlawful low IQ Third world immigrants. Most of the public would have very little honor about this and just continue to attempt to hinder and cause problems for the scientific community. If anyone has any objections to this, you need to speak up now.

Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com is now calling for the arrest of

Naples, Florida 20th District Court Attorney Nicole N. Santini,  Florida State Attorney Amira D. Fox, 20th District Court Attorney Rhiannon Gomes, Naples, Florida, Police Chief Kevin Rambosk (100,000$ reward to the Florida National Guard for the arrest of Police Chief Kevin Rambosk), Naples, Florida Police Officer Delia C. Luna of Naples (100,000$ reward to the National Guard for the arrest of Collier County, Police Officer Delia C. Luna), Florida for the attempted murder of Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com. The public will have little honor about this, so the scientific community is now going to request the people of Florida join these judges in being arrested. We have already given people the orders to not allow more illegal immigrants in America, this is why we are going to now go door to door and arrest these unlawful Third World immigrants in America. The people of Florida are too corrupt and now the people of Florida will pay for their crimes against Michael James Ross from PollutionScience.com and for refusing to cooperate. These people of Florida would rather support these corrupt government officials, this is why the scientific community is now going to override these corrupt people in Florida, and to arrest all the people of Florida until the people of Florida stop with allowing these corrupt judges they put in place. The people of Florida have been dishonored, this is why many Americans face prison sentences for having an air rifle for being a convicted felon, then the people of Florida think this is acceptable as they destroy the right to bear arms. Florida has many retired New Yorkers, many of these people even voted for Obama and Biden, many of these groups are now a nuisance to the rest of America. This is why we are now calling for full martial law in the State of Florida. Remember that if these judges arrest the officers that illegally detained Michael James Ross, then we will stop calling for the arrest of these judges. We will soon decide if these judges will arrest these officers that illegally detained Michael Ross, or well these judges attempt to obstruct justice and continue an illegal trial.

 

 

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The Next Tier In Lee County, Florida Corruption: State Attorney Amira Fox

April 24, 2019

https://thewashingtonstandard.com/the-next-tier-in-lee-county-florida-corruption-state-attorney-amira-fox/

 

I’ve been covering a story in Lee County, Florida which has uncovered a host of corruption related to the case of Deanna Williams in the judicial system, attorneys and the sheriff’s office.  That has led to uncovering documents concerning the fraud the current sheriff, Carmine Marceno, has perpetrated on the people of the county and which the governor and attorney general are letting him get away with. There is still more to come on those both those stories as soon as I receive the documents I need to confirm several things.  The next tier in the corruption is the state attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit, Amira Fox.

According to Fox’s website:

 

Amira recognizes that the number one duty of a prosecutor is to keep the community safe. She and her husband Mike have raised four children in SW Florida and care deeply about the safety of our community. She understands that the worst criminals deserve the strongest sentences and believes that violent and habitual offenders must be severely punished. Recently, Amira worked to convict Mesac Damas, who murdered his wife and five children in Collier County and was successful in obtaining six death sentences. Amira has a long and distinguished record of convicting some of the most serious criminals in our five-county circuit since 1990.

Additionally, Amira has been instrumental in targeting those who commit crimes due to drug addiction and mental illness in order to hold them accountable while simultaneously seeking appropriate treatment so that they do not return to the criminal justice system. Thanks to the efforts of Amira, the Courts, local law enforcement, and local drug and mental health professionals, our area is a leader within Florida for its effective Drug Courts, Mental Health Courts and, Veteran’s Courts.

Finally, Amira believes that prosecutors must always look for new ways to attack crime and keep us safe. She has been instrumental over her last five years as Chief Assistant State Attorney in working with law enforcement to implement the gang and racketeering task force which has resulted in racketeering charges against gang members. She has also led the way in cooperating with law enforcement in conducting wiretap operations to catch and punish those who are selling and trafficking opioids and other illegal drugs in our community.

Now, a prosecutor’s number one duty is not to keep the community safe.  It is to prosecute criminals.  I grant that keeps the community safe, but when a woman like this is running around with a sheriff that has presented himself fraudulently, that is not keeping the community safe.  It’s aiding and abetting.

 

Furthermore, I’ll be revealing just how Fox’s husband, Mike, is tied into the sordid injustice that Deanna Williams has suffered in a later article.

 

For today, I want to deal with just one case of the corruption of Amira Fox.  The following two articles are posted in their entirety with permission from the author, along with links to the evidence of the complaint against her that she campaigned during working hours, which is a violation of law.  Notice how despite the evidence, it was swept under the rug.

 

Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira Fox – FL Dept. of Law Enforcement Criminal Complaint / Open Investigation – FL. Dept. of State/Division of Elections

(Blue links are live)
Violations of Florida Statute 104.31 and Florida Statute 110.233.
Current – Open investigation with the Department of State/Division of Elections requested by FDLE.  Complaints dated 9/11/2018 and 9/28/2018 were filed with FDLE who in turn, submitted the complaints by mail to Christie Willis at the Division of Elections on Nov 2, 2018 and Oct 17, 2018, for investigation.   FDLE EI Number 73-8648, IRR 759, IRR 851.   Dept. of State complaint #19-1 is being reviewed by Deputy General Counsel Ashley Davis.  (please see details below)

 

Edwards, Candice D. <Candice.Edwards@dos.myflorida.com>

Jan 30 at 11:24 AM

Good Afternoon,

Your case number for you complaint form is 19-1, please allow Deputy General Counsel Ashley Davis time to fully review your complaint. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank You,
Candice Edwards
Executive Assistant , Office of the General Counsel
_________________________________________________________________________________

The complaints #1, #2, and #3 (listed below) were sent to FDLE on the dates provided. 
After calling FDLE for an update in January 2019, I spoke with two different FDLE Investigators who stated my two complaints on Amira Fox campaigning during work hours were mailed to the Department of State/ Division of Elections for investigation on November 2, 2018 and October 17, 2018.
Upon calling the Division of Elections I was informed they had no records of my complaints; I then resubmitted complaint #1 in late January.
Complaints #2 and #3, regarding the Illegal Slaughter farms were not found at FDLE and were thought to have been included with complaint #1 and sent to the Division of Elections.  All documents appear to have been lost.
__________________________________________________________________________________
(click on the blue links for complaint details)

NBC2 News – Complaint alleges state attorney candidate Amira Fox campaigned during work hours

9/11/2018  FDLE Complaints

Criminal Complaint # 01:  Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira D. Fox, Bar Number 861316 –
A new complaint has been sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement requesting a criminal investigation into Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira D. Fox’s campaigning activities during work hours as a state employee to run for the position of State Attorney during 2018.

Quoted in the Fort Myers News-Press (August 11, 2018) that Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira D. Fox admitted refunding money to the state for campaigning while she was officially working.  According to Ms. Fox’s 2018 work calendar, it appears Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira D. Fox continued to campaign during work hours while running for Lee County State Attorney.
Violations of Florida Statute 104.31 and Florida Statute 110.233.
Supplemental  – 9.28.18 FDLE Supplemental Amira Fox year 2018

FDLE Criminal Complaints – Campaigning During Work Hours
FDLE Stephen B. Russell 
– State Attorney
FDLE_Larry Justham Complaint – Lee County Felony Division Chief – Assistant State Attorney Larry D. Justham
FDLE Complaint Abe Thornburg – Assistant State Attorney
SAO Policy

Complaint # 02:
State Attorney Stephen B. Russell, Bar Number 214299 , Lee County Felony Division Chief Larry D. Justham, Bar Number 303518, Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira D. Fox, Bar Number 861316, Assistant State Attorney Cameron J. Siggs, Bar Number 61207
Criminal investigation requested into
 Prosecution case State Attorney’s Office 18MM21891 CFS18-177672, conducted by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Lee County State Attorney’s Office.
Case evidence photos are referenced with the current case number CFS # 18-MM-021891 with arrest date of 4/17/2018 however, the photos are dated a year prior on 4/17/2017, a year earlier, and after the internal investigation between the Sheriff’s office and State Attorney’s office was referenced as closed by Sgt. Randy Hodges in the news on 4/12/2018. This case went to court and the paperwork has gone through the Sheriff’s office and the State Attorney’s office with inconsistent dates.  Pig – 828.13 Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals.
Goats – 828.073 Animals found in distress.
(Lethargic pig was diagnosed by Vet with broken leg and euthanized)

Complaint # 03:
Criminal investigation requested into complaints #1 and #2
State Attorney Stephen B. Russell, Bar Number 214299 , Lee County Felony Division Chief Larry D. Justham, Bar Number 303518, Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira D. Fox, Bar Number 861316, Assistant State Attorney Cameron J. Siggs, Bar Number 61207

1. According to Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira Fox, “Four illegal slaughterhouses were shut down in Lee County”.
Public records request reveal there is no documentation available at the Lee County State Attorney’s Office reflecting the slaughterhouses were shut down.  Evidence reveals the farms were still in operation.
2.  Two Felonies were committed on 8/11/2017 in front of a Lee County Sheriff’s Detective during an active investigation between Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County State Attorney’s Office.
While under the supervision of the State Attorney’s office in a joint investigation, the sworn Affidavit was notarized but unsigned and filed away, no arrest were made.

Here is the follow-up:

Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira Fox – FL Commission on Ethics Complaint /Investigation/Dismissed

(Blue links are live)
The Florida Commission on Ethics; with recommendation from Attorney General Advocate Elizabeth Miller dismissed all complaints regarding Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira Fox campaigning during work hours.
(The complaints are currently being investigated by the Florida Department of State/Division of Elections) (Click Link)

You may review a few of the Florida Commission on Ethics hearing documents here:
Complaint 17-164
17164 Correspondence from Complainant
17164 Order to Investigate
18148 Order to Investigate
17164 Advocate_s Recommendation
17164 Report of Investigation
17164 Public Report
Apr2019pres

(Written complaint # 18-148; July 1st is a noted date typo, the correct date, July 5th, is documented in the four paged detailed spreadsheet of political events attended during work hours.  It should be noted public records reveal Fox turned in a list of requested Leave dates from January 1, 2017 through July 31, 2018; however the details of the times for each request were not listed on the report, such as all day or half day, hours, etc.  According to Fox’s timesheets she attended political events during work hours then took annual leave or sick leave after the political events were attended.

18-148 Original Complaints can be viewed below

It is the duty of the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigation all facts parties materially related to the complaint at issue.  It appears the Florida Commission on Ethics did not fully investigate the overwhelming evidence presented in Complaint # 18-148 which revealed adequate reason to conduct an investigation beyond probable cause; nor were the direct witnesses provided to Investigator Travis Wade by both myself and complaint #17-164 contacted by Mr. Wade or Attorney General Advocate Elizabeth Miller.

(Opinion) It is concerning that Amira Fox, Russell’s Chief Assistant State Attorney cleared Pam Bondi in the Trump donation case without a proper investigation.  Complainant Attorney Larrabee stated the decision by State Attorney Stephan Russell was flawed for not contacting him to conduct an investigation.
Pam Bondi endorsed Amira Fox for State Attorney, Pam Bondi strongly supported Ashley Moody as her successor, now it appears we have an Attorney General Advocate (previous Bondi staffer) Elizabeth Miller dismissing Amira Fox’s alleged ethical violations without a proper investigation.  Ashley Moody owes the citizens of Florida an explanation why there was not a proper and full investigation.
#18-148:

 Original Complaints:
(click on the blue links to read the full complaint)

Florida Commission #18-148  Ethics Complaint – Campaigning During Work Hours – (March, April, May 2018)
Supplemental #18- 148 – Supplemental Ethics Complaint – (January, February, June, July, August 2018)
Florida Statute 104.31, Florida Statute 110.233 – Criminal Violations

Notice, she was not cleared in this matter, the state simply didn’t investigate.

Just like the FDLE failed to do their due diligence in investigating Sheriff Carmine Marceno for clear ethics violations that should have gotten him removed from office and left a woman pregnant and her grand theft complaint of $200,000 ignored, it seems that Fox has the same connections in the State of Florida among those who simply don’t believe they should investigate this level of corruption.

And keep in mind, these are Republicans we’re talking about here.

For previous articles in this ongoing series, see below:

 

 

https://thewashingtonstandard.com/the-next-tier-in-lee-county-florida-corruption-state-attorney-amira-fox/

 

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Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira Fox – FDLE / FL. Dept. of State/Division of Elections / Legally Insufficient

June 19, 2019

“You have alleged that Almira D. Fox violated sections 104.31 and 110.233, Florida Statutes, through her campaign activities while employed as a state employee and simultaneously running, or contemplating a run, as a candidate for the office of state attorney."

“Based upon the aforementioned rule’s requirements, your complaint is deemed legally insufficient.  We have no jurisdiction to inquire about candidate activities generally, but can only review “candidate petition activities.” Your complaint form indicates that a complaint was also filed with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Commission on Ethics, agencies that may have jurisdiction to investigate alleged violations of general law and matters involving officers and employees of Florida, respectively. We will not be taking any further action on your complaint."

1. According to Chief Assistant State Attorney Amira Fox, “Four illegal slaughterhouses were shut down in Lee County”.
Public records request reveal there is no documentation available at the Lee County State Attorney’s Office reflecting the slaughterhouses were shut down.  Evidence reveals the farms were still in operation.
2.  Two Felonies were committed on 8/11/2017 in front of a Lee County Sheriff’s Detective during an active investigation between Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County State Attorney’s Office.
While under the supervision of the State Attorney’s office in a joint investigation, the sworn Affidavit was notarized but unsigned and filed away, no arrest were made.

https://causes.worldpeacemeet.com/voiceforanimals/chief-assistant-state-attorney-amira-fox-fl-dept-of-law-enforcement-criminal-complaints-open-investigation-fl-dept-of-state-division-of-elections/

 

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Evidence Exhibit:  iHeartRadio News

Iheart.com is one of the largest radio broadcasting networks. It is a shame that iheart.com repeated the lie told by the officials Collier County, Florida. iheart.com published an article in their headlines that states "felon Found Asleep with 8,000$, Airsoft Rifle, and 98 Rounds of Ammunition." I was never a felon to begin with and these lies that were spread hurt me in many ways. This is why we are warning others in the media to not trust what the officials in Collier County, Florida have to say. We understand that it can be difficult for everyone in the media to fact check to see who is a felon or not, especially when the government of Collier County lies and announces to the press that Michael Ross was a felon in possession of an air rifle. The media agencies that repeat these lies being told will also be held accountable. We are seeking damages for the harm that was caused through libel and slander to Michael Ross from PollutionScience.com.

The Police have illegally confiscated over 60,000$ of mine, I should have gotten these funds back by now, instead the media has lied to the public and stated I was a convicted felon with an air rifle, many people in the public believed this lie. This lie that was spread is one of the reasons why I was illegally detained longer also, and I should have gotten back my money that was illegally confiscated by now. These funds were to be used to build a business in Austin, Texas to retire. I wanted to build a Storage business on my property that is over 3 acres of land near downtown Austin, Texas. I am now forced to sell my property because of this illegal arrest in Collier County, Florida. I have lost millions of dollars in profit I could have made with this money as an investment in my business.

It is now more difficult to find work if I wanted. I wanted to get hired by a research company for medical research or science research. It is difficult to find work at some of these companies because of the headlines from I Heart Media Inc. that stated I was a convicted felon with an air rifle in their headlines. Some companies now think that I am a felon, I have lost millions in work contracts from companies that would have hired me, these companies will not hire someone they see in the news headlines that states they are a felon being charged with crimes. I could have been making a lot of money working for a research company, now it is more difficult to find work because of the lies being spread by Collier County officials and the media.

We consider this article written by I heart radio to not be true, in fact this is a form of libel and slander. Michael Ross from pollution science wishes to be compensated for these compensatory damages, General Damages, Special Damages and Punitive Damages.

Michael Ross is seeking 15 Million Dollars in damages from I heart Radio. We are willing to settle out of court for less. We do not hate I heart Radio, we could sue for several times more money but we are not greedy. We do not want to hurt the trading stock of I Heart radio or any company for that matter. We see the damages that I heart Radio caused from having other media organisations repeat the lie that Michael Ross was a felon. We have a list of damages in the text provided below.


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Evidence Exhibit: iHeartradio News (Wrongful Arrest of Michael Ross)

July 5th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-exhibit-iheartradio

 

________________________________




Evidence Exhibit: MSN News Headline

The Microsoft Network did not tell the truth in their published article about researcher Michael Ross from PollutionScience.com. The article stated that Michael Ross was a felon and this was not true. Michael Ross was never a felon to begin with, MSN never properly checked to see if Michael Ross was a felon or not before writing an article trying to say that Michael Ross was a convicted felon. The article also stated that Michael Ross was being arrested as a felon for being in possession of an airsoft rifle in his vehicle. Michael Ross was never a convicted felon, MSN had to delete the article because the article was not true and caused a lot of harm to Michael Ross. We are seeking damages for the harm that was caused through libel and slander to Michael Ross from pollution Science.

We consider this gross negligence or recklessness reporting. These reporters did not even identify that I was the owner of the Pollution Science media agency.  

The Microsoft Article states that Michael Ross was a felon being arrested with an airsoft rifle.

The article assumed that I was a felon because it mirrored a report from iheart.com that said I was a felon. Both of these media agencies were just
repeating the lie that the authorities told them, we do not hate any media company for this. We tried to tell the authorities several times ourselves that we were not felons. The problem I believe is that an AI computer told the authorities I was a felon because I was found with hash in 2009 in Texas, but I was given a misdemeanor instead of a felony.

MSN caused Michael Ross harm, Libel and Slander, this also is endangering my life and why I am having to go to court over the police trying to illegally arrest me. Then these authorities with the media both do not tell the truth to the public and say I was a felon with an air-rifle. MSN helped continue the lie to hurt our chances of why the public might not even want to now show up to the courthouse to support us.

The Police lied and illegally confiscated over 60,000$ worth of money from Michael Ross. We believe that Michael Ross could have been released from this illegal arrest, but that the media repeated this lie that Ross was a felon, and this is why Ross could not gain enough public support to be let free on an illegal arrest.

I am unable to now work at these companies because they search my name and see that I am a felon. I have already written to some of these companies that the article stating that I am a felon is not true.

I want to be compensated for my illegal arrest, I will use these funds for medical research and science research.

We cannot allow mainstream media to support the lies told against scientific reporters to cause them this much harm. We need to stop these illegal arrests of people in the scientific community and medical community.

We can see here that there is clearly very little respect for people in the scientific community. We want the Authorities and the media to stop trying to tell the public that Michael Ross was a felon with an airsoft rifle, BB gun, pellet gun or firearm. The lies have gone too far now and have endangered our lives for being falsely thrown in jail. We want this to never happen again to others, and why it is unfortunate that we must take these authorities and media agencies to court. Keep in mind that I could have sued MSN and other media agencies for a lot more money than I am asking for. This is simply because I do not want to cause harm to any business or try and take away too much from the people that work for them. You must keep in mind the General Damages, Special Damages and Punitive Damages. With all of the time we have spent fighting this case, I could have made several more Pollution Science books. I have to drive or fly from Texas to Florida for each court case, this costs me thousands of dollars. I have had to pay over 10,000$ in attorney fees, and that I might not even be done with attorney fees with the different wrongful arrest lawsuits I am filing. It is going to cost me thousands to file these lawsuits, not to mention the time and stress. Michael Ross is asking for a judgment of 12 million dollars awarded to him from MSN.



______________________________

 

Evidence Exhibit: MSN News Headline (Wrongful Arrest of Michael Ross - Michael Ross was never a convicted felon)

July 5th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-exhibit-msn

 

______________________________




Evidence Exhibit: Wink News (CBS)

Wink News (CBS) wrote in their article the following statement:

"Convicted felon Michael Ross was arrested after he was found asleep in a van, allegedly in possession of narcotics, over 8,000$ in cash, an airsoft rifle and 98 rounds of ammunition."

 However, Wink News was just repeating this article and that this article did not say that I was a felon in the main front headlines such as I heart Radio or MSN stated in their news headlines.

This statement that Michael Ross is a convicted Felon is not true, Michael Ross was never a convicted felon. Wink News (CBS) did not do their full research. Wink News (CBS) should have done their full research instead of listening to the lies of the authorities in Collier County, Florida. Wink news circulated these harmful lies that caused harm and damages as well as MSN. We do not hate Wink News, I Heart Media or Microsoft News. We did not want these media agencies to repeat this lie and that they never even stated what scientific media organisation we are from. This media agency left out that Michael Ross is the author of different Pollution Science books and articles.

We consider this Libel and Slander.

I have lost millions of dollars in jobs I could have taken as a researcher. I will also have to now sell my home because of the money the Collier County authorities illegally confiscated, this money was to build a business. I was illegally arrested and detained even longer because the media refused to help, and instead the media would spread the lies told by the authorities in Collier County, Florida.

We are asking for 9 Million Dollars from Wink News (CBS) in compensatory damages, General damages, Special damages and Punitive damages.


______________

 

Evidence Exhibit: Wink News (CBS) - Untrue Statement that Michael Ross was a convicted felon - Michael Ross was never a convicted Felon)

July 5th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-exhibit-wink-news-cbs

 

______________

 

Evidence Exhibit: Recently Booked (Illegal Arrest - Michael James Ross was never a convicted felon and was illegally arrested)

July 5th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-exhibit-recently-booked

 

______________

 

Evidence Exhibit: Piowire News - (Michael Ross was illegally arrested and was never a previous convicted felon)

July 5th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-exhibit-piowire

 

______________

 

Evidence Exhibit: Brightgram News (Illegal arrest - Michael James Ross was never a Felon).

July 5th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/evidence-brightgram 


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We have stated that we will not be filing a lawsuit against NBC news, this is simply because NBC never stated that Michael Ross was a felon. It seems that NBC knew better that Ross was not a felon. NBC actually double checked to make sure they did not write false libel and slander.

______________


We bought our cannabis legally from the Greenhouse cannabis clinic in Florida. We have had a medical cannabis prescription in California since 2006. You can even go to the website ( https://www.thegreeenhouse.com ) and call them up to see that they can legally sell multiple ounces of cannabis. We would like to state that this is legal because of the Farm Bill in 2018.

I bought THC-A hash which was legal. We think that the authorities illegally gained access to our research quarters and planted hash that was not ours to try and frame us to get us in trouble.

I witnessed people smoking near the beach less than an hour from the incident of my illegal arrest, I was not the only one on the beach. Cannabis is also legal recreationally. I also had THC-A hemp concentrate which is legal to buy. Many courts want to decide if that just because someone has THC-A hemp cannabis that smells similar to real cannabis, would this give the police to have probable cause to search the vehicle that was parked. Some would say that just because an officer could smell alcohol around a car that is parked, would this give officers the right to search the vehicle. The officers never asked what type of cannabis that I had when I was sitting in my vehicle. Keep in mind that I have very important research and that this illegal search and seizure caused a lot of good scientific research and medical research that was destroyed on purpose by the Collier County Police Department. I accuse the authorities of trying to plant more cannabis than I had, this includes trying to plant hash that was not mine.

I had only around under 1 ounce of cannabis, I stated I had 20-22 grams or less. I thought at the most it could be around a little over an ounce but not over 2 ounces.  I stated that I knew the cannabis was real cannabis. It can be difficult to judge because most of it was leaf, I would say that maybe I had under one ounce of cannabis but was not sure, this is why some people have a scale to check the weight. I wanted to make sure that I also had a couple grams of THC-A hash that is legal to have. I was asked about what type of hash it was and I was told it was legal hash to have, I was told the hash was legal and that it was THC-A. I accuse the authorities of planting false evidence and the authorities added more cannabis than I originally had. I only had THC-A hash which is legal, we accuse the authorities of trying to claim that it was real hash and planted fake evidence to get me in trouble. The cannabis was in clear plastic containers with a medical label and  barcode, everything was in legal cannabis container or recreational containers.

Report Number: 24-0000468-002 lied and stated the following libel and slander. The report first stated that Michael Ross was found with 1.15898 pounds of cannabis (Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 5), then the report changed later and stated that Ross was found with 1.519 pounds of cannabis (Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 75). We see no record of the police stating they found extra cannabis after their search. Officer Luna stated that the police found 1.15898 pounds of cannabis when the police completed their search of the vehicle. The police then lied on Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 13 that states Ross was being charged with 1.519 pounds of cannabis.

Ross claimed he had around 1 ounce or less or cannabis and that it was no more than a quarter pound which is legal to carry in Florida. The police claimed I first had 1.15898 Pounds, and now the police claim it was 1.519 lbs. I refuse these charges and believe the police lied about the amount and type of cannabis in my vehicle. The Police gained access to my vehicle with an illegal arrest and stated I was being arrested for being a previous convicted felon in possession of an air rifle. The truth is that Michael Ross was never a convicted felon and that Michael Ross was wrongfully arrested by the Collier County Police on January 14th, 2024 at 1:30 am.

Court Document Evidence Exhibit Evidence A-7 - Page 10 of 109: Officer Luna states in her Report that Ross was arrested for 1.15898 lbs of cannabis. We believe that this statement was a lie and that Ross never had over 1 pound of cannabis. We see that in the evidence under Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 75 that states Ross was arrested for 1.519 Pounds of cannabis. We see that these are two conflicting statements and that the police first off lied and planted fake evidence to make it look like that Michael Ross had over a pound of cannabis. We notice the Police lie and said Ross was first found with 1.15898 pounds of cannabis, the police later tried to increase the amount and lied, the police then lied and said that Ross had 1.519 pounds of cannabis.

Page 49 states that Ross is being charged with 0.229 pounds (10.4 Grams) of THC oil and .01896 pounds (8.6 Grams) of THC wax.

Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 5 stated that Ross was found with 0.1746 pounds of cannabis oil and 0.0326 Pounds of cannabis wax, we can see these are two conflicting reports on the amount of weight that the Collier County Police claim they found.


Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 5: Officer Luna states that Ross was found with 1.15898 pounds of cannabis leaf.


 Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 75 states Ross was arrested for 1.519 Pounds of cannabis leaf, again we can see these are two different conflicting statements in the official police report.


 Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 Page 5 - The authorities do not give a clear amount of hash that I was caught with, the authorities either illegally planted hash in my car or created a falsified police report. The police also had to change the amount twice on the oil, wax and cannabis leaf. I never had oil or wax, I Had legal THC-A hemp hash that was only around 1 gram that I stated. We believe foul play was involved and that we see the police cannot get their story straight on how much cannabis Ross had. The police lied and even many years from now when this is said and done, I will have to tell the public that the authorities framed me illegally and planted hash there that was not mine.

The police state that I was found with 0.1746 Pounds of Cannabis Oil and 0.0326 pounds of cannabis wax. The police try to make it look like we had a lot of cannabis hash that was not ours. We would like for the Collier County Police Department to explain the confusing numbering system to make it clear how much hash that Ross was being charged with. Please explain what 0.0326 pounds is in grams to the Jury and public. Please explain how much is 0.1746 pounds in grams that you claim you found. We want to know why the officers lied about the weight of the hash that was illegally planted and why the officers are trying to claim that this is a fraction of a pound in hash. Ross claims to have legal THC-A hash and only to have around a gram. 


Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 48: The Police then state Ross had the following amount of Hash:  THC oil (approximate weight 10.4 grams (0.0229 pounds), and THC wax (approximate weight 8.6 grams (0.01896 pounds). We see a conflicting statement of Officer Luna on Court Document Evidence Exhibit A7 - Page 5. We would like to know how .00326 pounds of cannabis wax and 0.1746 pounds of cannabis oil was changed 3 different times total. Court Document Evidence Exhibit A7 - Page  48 states a completely different amount. Not only did Officer Luna lie that Ross that was a felon convicted of having an air rifle, it turns out that Ross was never a felon, look at how many times we have had to repeat the statement that Ross is not a felon to prove these lies were false.

We want to know why Officer Luna and the police have multiple conflicting reports about Ross being a convicted felon, this includes the air rifle the police refused to identify for multiple days. We also want to know why the police lied and framed Ross for being a convicted felon with an air rifle, the police continued to not tell the truth to the public about the amount of cannabis Ross had.

 We believe the Police framed Michael Ross in order to stop Ross with trying to publish more scientific journals and medical journals. The Collier County Police continue to attempt to get Ross in trouble, this was because Officer Luna knew she had already lied about Ross being a convicted felon with an air rifle. This is why Officer Luna attempted to lie even more, this was done with spite and to attempt to give Ross more time for being detained on the illegal arrest that officer Luna first created. This is why we clearly see that Officer Luna already lied in her police report and that the weight she claimed that was found was untrue, we can see that all of the police reports about the illegal arrest of Michael James Ross have been tainted. There is no way that Michael Ross ever had this much hash, these are the most absurd charges. There is no way that I am carrying around 18 grams of hash in my van. We are asking the public to please stop the Collier County Officials from trying to lie and frame Michael Ross for crimes that he did not commit. These are the same officials that also lied about Ross being a felon with an air rifle.

Court Document Evidence Exhibit A-7 - Page 108 states: ROSS admitted ownership of the marijuana found in his vehicle but was not certain of the exact quantity. ROSS claimed he has a medical marijuana card issued by the state of California and purchased the marijuana and THC products from a delivery service in Orlando, Florida called “Kovolo Cut-Off Collective”.

You will notice the error in the police report that stated I did not show a medical cannabis card and that I purchased from a delivery service in Orlando, Florida.

I showed the police my medical cannabis card, the cannabis card from Covelo cut-off Collective in California.

The Police got this statement wrong and stated that Covelo collective was a delivery service in Florida.

I bought the cannabis leaf and cannabis THC-A hash in Florida, it is legal to buy cannabis in Florida. My medical cannabis card was issued to me in the State of California, The Covelo Collective in the State of California issued me one of my cannabis licenses.

 You can see for the record our Medical Documents under the Archive video titled Evidence Exhibit: Medical Documents (Michael Ross).

We also have proof that Ross purchased the Silver Coins in 2019. The Archive video titled Financial Statements (Michael Ross) proves that Ross bought these silver coins, these coins belong to Michael James Ross.

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Evidence Exhibit: Medical Documents (Michael Ross)

July 11th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/medical-documents


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Evidence Exhibit: Financial Statements (Michael Ross)

July 11th, 2024

https://archive.org/details/financial-statements-Ross


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Ross bought cannabis from The Green House TheGreeenHouse.com, Be Me Natural www.bemenatural.com/ and also other dispensaries.
The Green House said that we can buy as much cannabis as we wanted. You can go in the store and buy a pound of cannabis legally, the problem is that another county such as Collier County tries to state that we had over 20 grams which does not make sense. The problem is one county will let you have multiple pounds of cannabis, while the next county over in Collier County acts almost like a different country and changes the law. Just because someone has a license to grow multiple pounds of cannabis in one state where it is legal, this does not mean those individuals are trying to sell that cannabis in other states illegally. Most people say that most other counties in Florida would not have detained me for such a small amount of cannabis. We want to file a class action lawsuit so that more people are not harmed by these draconian laws, we consider this a form of entrapment. It isn't fair that I can buy over a pound of medical cannabis legally in one county, while the next county over is trying to say it is a felony to have a pound of cannabis. I have a medical cannabis license in California. I had only around 1 ounce of cannabis. I stated that I had around 20 grams of cannabis. It was not over 2 ounces. I told the authorities I was for certain it was under 4 ounces, then the authorities claim it was 1.1 lbs, then the media claims it is 1.5 lbs. It isn't fair how I only had around less thanan ounce of cannabis, then the media says I had a pound and a half. I also had a couple grams of THC-A hash that is legal to have. I accuse the authorities of planting false evidence and added more cannabis than I originally had. I only had THC-A hash which is legal and accuse the authorities of trying to claim that it was real hash and planted fake evidence to get me in trouble. They stated why I had a scale and multiple bags, and that the State of California stated it is legal to have a scale or multiple bags, and that the State of Florida must also recognize this. The scale was to weigh silver and to weigh letters for the mail. So what if someone wants to keep a scale around to at least know how much cannabis they have. You can also use a scale to weigh how much cannabis to put in edible food. Keep in mind that you can also eat over 1-4 ounces of cannabis in food, and why a pound of cannabis might only last some people less than a couple months. I have thrown in an ounce of cannabis in my meals in the past. We bought cannabis in containers from the dispensary and that these containers do not preserve the cannabis well, we wanted to put the cannabis in older medical containers that were still in medical jars and had the QR code. The QR code was starting to get worn out on some of the clear plastic bags with the medical cannabis logo and QR code. These were not in hard plastic containers for the medical cannabis. The cannabis bag with the QR code could be reused to seal the cannabis. We noticed that the police took the cannabis out of their original containers and destroyed the medical containers. We consider this another form of tampering with evidence. The police then tampered with audio evidence to make it look like the cannabis was not medical cannabis. All of the cannabis we had were in medical cannabis containers or recreational containers. The Police asked if I had medical containers and I stated yes, but I was not sure if they were medical containers or recreational containers. I bought the cannabis legally from different dispensaries and these containers had the QR code on them. You can see in the news pictures that some of the cannabis we bought from the clinic was still in its original packaging, yet this does not look like the cannabis that we had. I am not sure if those were the same THC-A hash containers, we accuse the police of planting fake evidence to get us in trouble with hash that was not ours. This cannabis also had a lot of leaves and why it wasn't even that much cannabis to smoke. I would say that it could be less than 20 grams of smokable material. It is difficult to judge the amount of weight if the cannabis was mostly just leaf. I believe that I should not be punished for having medical cannabis, and that I have a medical cannabis prescription in California where it is even legal now to grow cannabis for recreational use. It is not right that the authorities threaten good researchers with so many years in prison for a crime that I did not commit. I would like to state that the authorities first lied and stated I was being charged as a previous felon in possession of an air rifle, and that I was illegally given so much time on my punishment scoresheet because the authorities are now trying to say that I was a previous convicted felon. The police want to now lie and state that I was a previous convicted felon to give me 15 years in prison for what I consider was around 1 ounce of cannabis and legal THC-A hash that I had around a gram of, but I did not have more than 2 grams of legal THC-A hash.  We want the nightmare to end right now and for the officials to finally stop this illegal detainment and punishment against journalist Michael James Ross. I do not think it is fair to be charged with this much punishment and time for under around an ounce of cannabis that I had, this would include the 2 grams of hash that were not mine. We consider 15 years cruel and unusual punishment for having such a small amount of cannabis. The authorities illegally have given Michael Ross 15 years of jail time for crimes he did not commit, this is why Michael Ross was forced into filing a multi-million dollar lawsuit, this is in order to stop this illegal arrest. We want the public to see that the authorities have lied and tainted multiple sources of evidence to harm Michael James Ross of PollutionScience.com. Any reasonable court would have dismissed this already as a highly illegal case. This is why I am confident that we will now be released from this illegal arrest. We are going to please ask the court to release Michael James Ross from this illegal arrest and these illegal court hearings.

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Hemp Production and the 2018 Farm Bill

July 25, 2019

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/congressional-testimony/hemp-production-and-2018-farm-bill-07252019

 

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Minnesota Law Bans Searches Based Solely On Marijuana Odor

Jun 20, 2024

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajherrington/2024/06/19/minnesota-laws-bans-searches-based-solely-on-marijuana-odor/

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Police who smell weed can’t search your car anymore. Here’s why.

Apr 21, 2024

The FOX 9 Investigators examine how the Minnesota Supreme Court recently ruled that the smell of marijuana alone is no longer enough to search someone's car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW8_EYCDkDA


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ARREST: NARCOTICS & POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION BY CONVICTED FELON

January 15th, 2024

https://piowire.com/naples-police-department/news/arrest-narcotics-possession-of-ammunition-by-convicted-felon

 

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Felon Found Asleep with $8,000, Airsoft Rifle, and 98 Rounds of Ammunition

Jan 16, 2024

https://991wqik.iheart.com/featured/florida-news/content/2024-01-15-felon-found-asleep-with-8000-airsoft-rifle-and-98-rounds-of-ammunition/


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 Man arrested in Naples after found with drugs and over $60K



A man was arrested in Naples after being found with Marijuana and $60,687 worth of cash and silver.

Jan 15, 2024

https://www.nbc-2.com/article/man-arrested-in-naples-after-found-with-drugs-and-over-dollar60k/46394360


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SWFL arrests involve convicted felon, parking spot rage and notorious shooter
    
Published: January 20, 2024

https://winknews.com/2024/01/20/swfl-arrests-involve-convicted-felon-parking-spot-rage-and-notorious-shooters/   

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Felon Found asleep with 8,000$, Airsoft Rifle and 98 Rounds of Ammunition

January 2024

https://brightgram.com/naples-fl/3888187/felon-found-asleep-with-8000-airsoft-rifle-and-98-rounds-of-ammunition/

 

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Recently Booked (Michael James Ross)

 

https://recentlybooked.com/FL/Collier/MICHAEL-ROSS~11_202400000399

 

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{You will notice that Brightgram had to remove the following article, because the article is not true. However, the media was just repeating a lie that the authorities told them. We never had a felony. It is sad how people claim Florida is a conservative state. One of my friends stated that Florida is just a trap for conservatives and that it is actually one of the most corrupt states, I now understand what my friend was saying. Florida is so corrupt that they tell some of their better journalists and researchers that I cannot even own a BB gun, then create lies to steal my science research funds. Then I have the authorities forcing me to spend thousands of dollars on lawyers that I shouldn't have to, this is a huge waste of my time. Keep in mind how we now see a record number of lawyer billboard advertisements. I accuse the Naples authorities of trying to ruin my science research, when you shouldn't be harassing your better science and medical researchers over something so petty. Would you harass other medical researchers such as Dr. Malone. I want this to stop right now or we are going to order the military and public to stop these corrupt officials abducting my media agency and abducting journalists, scientists and researchers similar to the Communist Pol Pot regime. We are now going to organize a writer's strike. We refuse to finish our research on the Arctic and Antarctic until the authorities give us back our property and money.  Do you understand how important this science research is. We do not like the attitudes of these corrupt officials in Collier County, Florida. I doubt most of them even read science publications. This is why the scientific community is organizing for the arrests of these corrupt government officials in Collier County, Florida until you stop trying to harass Michael James Ross from Pollution Science.


 These reports on the Arctic and Antarctic will be considered additional information for our report on the ocean and wind cycles of Florida stated in this article. We refuse to finish these scientific reports until the 20th District Court gives us our property, including our science and medical research funds back. We accuse the authorities in Collier County, Florida of trying to harm our media agency in order for us to stop our scientific reports and want the public to stop these corrupt government officials}.


Pollution Science 101 - Antarctic - PollutionScience101Antarctic.blogspot.com   

 

Pollution Science 101 - Arctic - PollutionScience101Arctic.Blogspot.com

 

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 Biden Push to Ease Marijuana Restrictions Sparks Tensions

March 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/biden-push-to-ease-marijuana-restrictions-sparks-tensions/ar-BB1jBIgR?cvid=b6539d706fde4c6ebf928c1188592820&ei=3

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Rhiannon Gomes, Judge Elizabeth Krier and Judge Kyle Cohen are a danger to the legal system, these Judges made a mistake and tried to give one of the best researchers in America 5 years in prison for claiming he was a felon with an air rifle. These judges are a danger to the scientific community and medical community. We want the Florida National Guard to shut-down Collier County, Florida under Martial Law.

We accuse these Judges of being in a similar type of Kids for Cash scandal. We clearly can see that these Judges were also helping pedophile rings such as Jeffery Epstein get away in Naples, Florida hotel rooms.

Bill Gates is connected to Jeffery Epstein in many ways. Why would Bill Gates want to spread some negative news article about Michael James Ross that was not true. We see that the mainstream media can decide who they choose to attack with untrue articles. Why is it that Bill Gates is connected with Epstein, then Microsoft News attempts to spread disinformation about a journalist attempting to stop many of these human trafficking rings that Bill Gates has ties to. This raises a giant red flag. Michael james Ross also has some of the top research in the county on COVID. We now must question if Microsoft news has bias against our COVID information. Is Microsoft News being used as a weapon to report disinformation about medical journalist and journalists from the scientific community?

 

 

Bill Gates Met With Jeffrey Epstein Many Times, Despite His Past

Oct. 12, 2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates.html

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Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein: A Timeline of Their Relationship

May 10, 2021

https://www.newsweek.com/bill-gates-jeffrey-epstein-timeline-friendship-relationship-1590004

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Bill Gates ‘Befriended Billionaire Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’ as He Was ‘Convinced He Could Land Him a Nobel Peace Prize’

8/13/2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/bill-gates-befriended-billionaire-pedophile-jeffrey-epstein-as-he-was-convinced-he-could-land-him-a-nobel-peace-prize/ar-AA1oJyhK

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Bill Gates says his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was ‘a huge mistake.’

Aug. 4, 2021

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/04/business/bill-gates-jeffrey-epstein-cnn.html

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Bill Gates says he shouldn’t have had dinners with Jeffrey Epstein

January 30, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/30/business/bill-gates-jeffrey-epstein-dinner-regrets/index.html

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Court documents reveal names of powerful men allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein

January 4, 2024

Court documents made public on Wednesday disclosed the names of dozens of powerful men with alleged connections to convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019.

Federal Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan unsealed the documents, revealing the names of numerous individuals described in a 2015 civil lawsuit as associates, affiliates or victims of Epstein.

The documents include references to former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, the magician David Copperfield, Prince Andrew, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, actor Kevin Spacey, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, the late New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former Vice President Al Gore, among others.

https://www.npr.org/2024/01/03/1222130537/jeffrey-epstein-court-records-reveal-men-clinton-prince-andrew

 

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'Arrest Bill Gates': Protesters Descend on Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation HQ

Jun 29, 2021

 

Protesters in London called for Bill Gates to be arrested on Saturday as they gathered outside the U.K. headquarters of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of a larger protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Videos circulating on social media on Tuesday appeared to show dozens of protesters outside the Gates Foundation's HQ in the British capital. They can be heard shouting "Arrest Bill Gates!" several times. Other social media users who were present at the protest also said demonstrators had been to the foundation's HQ on Saturday.

Gates, the founder of Microsoft and a multibillionaire, has been at the center of unfounded conspiracy theories involving the COVID-19 pandemic and the development of a vaccine.


https://www.newsweek.com/arrest-bill-gates-protesters-descend-bill-melinda-gates-foundation-hq-1605177

 

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We want Collier County, Florida Police Chief Kevin Rambosk to face arrest for tampering with audio and for human trafficking. We now see how the Collier County, Florida police tampered with audio evidence. The Police refused to release the audio and video footage of Michael Ross being told to step out of his car, and that the original reason why Michael James Ross was arrested was for the police claiming Ross was a convicted felon with an air rifle in his vehicle. This was a wrongful arrest. It is by law that an officer who arrests someone illegally needs to have their badge taken away and to also face arrest, this officer needs to now be arrested for the false arrest of a journalist. The Judges have failed to arrest any of these officers for an illegal arrest and for tampering with audio evidence. We clearly stated that all the cannabis was legal, we had under one ounce of cannabis, and for certain no more than a quarter pound. The Police changed their story multiple times about how much weight of cannabis that we had. The police also took the bag out of the containers we had the cannabis in and claimed they were not in medical containers. The Hash was legal THC-A hash that we bought from a cannabis dispensary in Florida.


The police tried to give Michael Ross 5 years in prison for claiming Ross was a convicted felon with an air rifle. These judges and District Attorneys of Collier County, Florida are a danger and we want these judges gavels taken away. We no longer believe that 20th District Court District Attorney Rhiannon Gomes is fit to continue to hand down illegal full 5 year prison sentences. How dare the 20th District Court of Collier County, Florida try to hand down these illegal sentences. We accuse the 20th District Court of Collier County, Florida of trying to terrorize their own researchers with illegal prison sentences and continue illegal trials of journalists. Judge Cohen is not fit to continue to hand down illegal prison sentences of 5 years in prison, then allow the District Attorney Rhiannon Gomes to continue an illegal trial to detain Michael Ross in jail longer for claiming he was a convicted felon with an air rifle. Michael Ross was thrown back in jail illegally, this happened the same hour when Rhiannon Gomes stated Ross was a felon with an air rifle and wanted to give Ross an illegal 5 year prison sentence. Ross was then illegally thrown back in jail while the police falsified audio and video evidence, then changed how much cannabis and hash Ross had multiple times. The police then planted bags of cannabis and hash that were not mine. Even the mainstream media lied about Michael Ross being a felon, including how the media claimed that Ross had 1.1 pounds of cannabis, to now 1.5 pounds of cannabis. The audio evidence was tampered with and I did not even state many of those these statements such as how all the cannabis was under one ounce and in medical containers, the police then stated it was over a quarter pound, to being over a pound. in the recording that my attorney was given. 




















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 Here is an email that Wink News sent in their response to our lawsuit. --


Dear Mr. Ross --

I represent WINK News and I write in connection with the lawsuit you filed against my client earlier this week.  I understand (based on your representations to the court in your filing papers) that you are representing yourself (that is, acting "pro se"), despite  your having included attorney Donald Day's name in the civil cover sheet.  He advised me he is not representing you in this matter but is handling your criminal case.

You should know that Florida law clearly prohibits the kind of claim you are attempting to bring against my client and thus I urge you to voluntarily dismiss your lawsuit against WINK immediately.  Pursuing this claim under these circumstances could be considered frivolous as a matter of law.  Under Florida law (which governs your case here) news organizations have a privilege – known as the "official reports" or "fair report" privilege –  to publish the contents of official records (such as the police report here) and cannot be held liable as a matter of law even if that record is erroneous in any way.  See, for example, Woodard v. Sunbeam Television Corporation, 616 So.2d 501, 502-03 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993) (finding no liability to rely on information provided by law enforcement) (affirming summary judgment for broadcasters), citing Ortega v. Post-Newsweek Stations, Florida, Inc., 510 So.2d 972, 975 - 77 (Fla. 3d DCA 1987) (finding no liability for reliance on information provided by government officials) (affirming summary judgment for broadcaster); Readon v. WPLG LLC, 317 So.3d 1229, 1236 (Fla. 3d DCA 2021) (finding no liability for, among other things, relying on court records for reporting) (affirming dismissal).  I have attached your booking sheet from the Naples Police Department about which my client reported. See the last two paragraphs in the arrest narrative on the last page describing you as a "felon."  Even if you believe the Naples Police falsely described you as a "felon," the law forbids my client from being held liable for reporting what was in the police report.

I and my colleagues have litigated these types of matters successfully many times – including, among others, some of the cases I've cited above – and the "official reports" or "fair report" privilege is well established. 

Accordingly, respectfully, your lawsuit against WINK is not well taken.  Now that you are on notice your case is legally without merit,  we urge you to voluntarily dismiss it immediately. 

We look forward to seeing the notice of dismissal.

Regards,
Karen Kammer
Counsel for WINK News 

 

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Michael James Ross -
 
You are CBS News, you are a very woke liberal news company that has done all it can to harm America. You are better off settling out of court instead of trying to fight this.
 
How dare CBS News attempt to write Michael James Ross of PollutionScience.com such an unrefined and feeble comment.

You need to apologize to the public, your news company is a disgrace and had to remove your article that lied and stated Michael James Ross was a felon. We archived your fake news article to showcase to the public how CBS news harms the scientific press and media journalists. CBS news is now also guilty of helping this child kidnapping ring, in Collier County Florida . CBS will refuse to report on this and instead attack journalists trying to stop this human trafficking ring. CBS News promotes illegal immigrants invading America, and to create fake news stories about News journalists. We want to see the article where CBS now apologizes to Michael James Ross for lying that Ross is a felon with an air rifle. CBS is guilty of trying to lie to the public about journalist Michael James Ross. Notice how CBS refuses to apologize and write a correction on their fake story. We dare CBS to write another article that states Michael Ross is a convicted felon with an air rifle. PollutionScience.com is calling for a full boycott on CBS. We want CBS to stop the lies in their news articles that harm scientific journalists. CBS News is no better than a media agency being controlled under the Pol Pot regime. Notice CBS news lies about journalist Michael James Ross, CBS lied and stated Michael Ross was a felon that was arrested with an air rifle. CBS refuses to correct their article or apologize to Michael Ross. CBS has done all it can to harm America and the Nations of Europe. CBS wants  for American culture and European culture to face cultural genocide from Third World refugees. CBS is guilty of attempting to bring down First World nations and First World scientific journalists. 


 

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Section 2: Corruption in Florida & Human Trafficking Rings (Collier County, Florida)

 

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We now would like to file a complaint under the 28 U.S. Code § 144 - Bias or prejudice of a judge against Judge Kyle Cohen, Judge Elizabeth Krier and Judge John Mcgowan of the Twentieth District Court in Collier County, Florida. We no longer think that these judges are competent. We want these judges to no longer have authority in any further court cases to harm others as well. We accuse these judges of being no better than the Judges in the "Kids for Cash Scandal," we are now requesting that these Judges either should be fired, or these judges need to step down. We request that these following judges now face prison time, just as Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella in the "Kids for Cash Scandal" received prison time. We wish to prosecute Judge Elizabeth Krier, Judge Kyle Cohen and Judge John Mcgowan similar to Michel Conahan and Mark Ciavarella in the "Kids for Cash Scandal," We want to know who else the 20th District Court in Collier County, Florida has illegally jailed, we want these citizens released. We are going to request that the 20th District Court be closed down on charges of mass corruption if these illegal arrests of citizens and journalists continue. We consider this a form of mass corruption from the 20th District Court if these charges are not dropped at once. We are going to start asking that the 20th District Court now face daily fines for keeping this illegal trial of Michael Ross still going. We are calling for the Florida National Guard and military to now arrest Judges Krier, Cohen and Mcgowan for tampering with evidence. We have disowned these judges, we will now disown the 20th District Court if the 20th District Court continues to harm scientific researchers and continues with the illegal arrest of Michael Ross.  These judges are no longer to work in the legal system. These Judges are guilty of tampering with evidence, we want these Judges from the 20th District Court stopped right now. We want all of these Courtroom officials tried for treason and given the fullest possible punishment for treason. We no longer want the 20th District Court to have any authority in this case, the 20th District Court has broken too many laws. These Judges are a nuisance to the scientific community and medical community. These Judges are a nuisance to the scientific community. These authorities have had their chance to arrest Delia C. Luna for the wrongful arrest of Michael Ross. We consider this an obstruction of justice. The law requires that if a police officer wrongfully arrests a citizen for any reason, that this officer behind the wrongful arrest is now to be detained by law. Michael Ross was wrongfully arrested in January of 2024, it is now past August and the judges attempt to continue an illegal trial. We consider this a form of inhumane torture of a journalist. We are calling the Florida National Guard to arrest Collier County Police Officer Delia C. Luna and Collier County Police Chief Officer Rambosk.

 


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Ethics complaint filed against Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann

2021

https://winknews.com/2021/05/19/ethics-complaint-filed-against-naples-mayor-teresa-heitmann/

An ethics complaint filed against the mayor of Naples is alleging corruption at City Hall, including a child prostitution ring, involving high-ranking leaders in Naples and Collier County.

The complaint was written by Brian Dye, the director of technology services for the City of Naples, to the Florida Commission on Ethics with a date of Monday, May 17.

The 7-page complaint alleges that Mayor Teresa Heitmann abused her position and office, directed Dye to break Sunshine Laws and destroy public records and used her position for personal gain...

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office referred it to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement because through the complaint Sheriff Kevin Rambosk learned Heitmann had accused Rambosk of running a child prostitution ring at the Naples Municipal Airport with former Naples Mayor Bill Barnett.

According to the complaint, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Heitmann’s actions “were not criminal enough to warrant their attention as the most they could prosecute her for was a second-degree misdemeanor.”

They told Dye to take his concerns to the Florida Commission on Ethics.

As for the allegations made against Rambosk, the sheriff said: “The allegations made by Mayor Heitmann against me are untrue, irresponsible, unethical and defamatory. These allegations made by a sitting elected leader are outrageous...”


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$100 million lawsuit: Over 20 Collier County hotels, motels accountable for sex trafficking

February 6, 2020

A new lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages for two victims claims the owners of nearly two dozen Collier County hotels and motels are responsible for sex trafficking on their premises.

Along some of the busiest and public roads in Collier County, a new 87-page lawsuit claims there is a dark side we need to shine a light on.

https://winknews.com/2020/02/06/100-million-lawsuit-over-20-collier-county-hotels-motels-accountable-for-sex-trafficking/

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Lawsuit claims sex trafficking took place in more than 20 Collier County hotels

2023

COLLIER COUNTY — A new lawsuit, just filed in Collier County, shows a sex trafficking ring was operating in more than 20 different hotels for years.

Now, the victims are suing the hotel chains for $100 million in damages for not doing something about it. The brands named in the lawsuit include Best Western, La Quinta, Fairfield Inn, and Gulf Coast Inn.

“Our position is, basically, the hotels turned a blind eye. They knew, or they should have known, but it was an economic factor for them. These hotel rooms were being rented out,” said attorney Sharon Hanlon, who is representing the victims.

She said the hotels are at fault because the signs were unmistakable.

“Male traffickers were paying for the room with cash, and they would do it day by day, because they never knew when they were going to be raided on by the cops or anything,” said Hanlon.

And the lawsuit shows, in some cases, staff at the hotels didn’t just allow abuse, they joined in.

https://naplesshelter.org/lawsuit-claims-sex-trafficking-took-place-in-more-than-20-collier-county-hotels/


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See the list of hotels and motels named in a Collier County sex trafficking lawsuit

Feb 6, 2020

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2020/02/06/list-collier-hotels-and-motels-named-sex-trafficking-lawsuit/4669494002/ 


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Lawsuit: Jeffrey Epstein raped woman in Naples hotel room and threatened to feed her to gators

March 31, 2021

https://winknews.com/2021/03/31/lawsuit-jeffrey-epstein-raped-woman-in-naples-hotel-room-and-threatened-to-feed-her-to-gators/

 

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Lawsuit alleges woman was raped at Naples hotel by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2008

March 31, 2021

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2021/03/31/lawsuit-florida-woman-raped-naples-hotel-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell/4826267001/

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Judge Tossed Right To Sue Rape Victim – Florida Attorneys Still Pursue Her, Threaten Arrest

March 23, 2019

https://thewashingtonstandard.com/judge-tossed-right-to-sue-rape-victim-florida-attorneys-still-pursue-her-threaten-arrest/ 


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Innocence Sold: Florida Hotels Have Stacked Up Thousands of Violations of a 2019 sex-trafficking law. But no one has been fined.

11/20/2022

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/11/20/innocence-sold-florida-hotels-have-stacked-up-thousands-of-violations-of-a-2019-sex-trafficking-law-but-not-one-has-been-fined/ 


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Human traffickers profit off Southwest Florida hotel rooms

July 4, 2023

https://winknews.com/2023/07/04/swfl-hotel-rooms-human-trafficking/


______________

 

Florida prosecutors knew Epstein raped teenage girls 2 years before cutting deal, transcript shows

July 1, 2024

https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury-transcript-florida-b5dce49bdd9bcbce2969107919ddc2d0

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Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to low security federal prison in Florida

July 25, 2022

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/25/us/ghislaine-maxwell-prison-transfer/index.html

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‘Rampant’ sexual abuse epidemic at Florida prison holding Ghislaine Maxwell, report says

25 April 2023

US Senate report found abuse at federal prisons and lack of accountability

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/ghislaine-maxwell-florida-prison-abuse-b2326698.html

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Florida's public list of sex buyers removed from state website after 3 years

Jan 10, 2024

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/i-team-investigates/floridas-public-list-of-sex-buyers-removed-from-state-website-after-3-years 


______________

 

The New York Times, Bill Gates Met With Jeffrey Epstein Many Times, Despite His Past, Oct. 12, 2019

January 4, 2024

The Guardian, Prince Andrew, Clinton, Hawking: what do the Epstein documents say about key people?, Jan. 5, 2024

CNN, Jeffrey Epstein documents unsealed, naming Prince Andrew and former President Clinton, Jan. 3, 2024

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/feb/01/instagram-posts/we-fact-checked-a-years-old-epstein-list-with-166/ 


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Innocence Sold: Florida's Foster System Provides dangerous Sex Traffickers With Easy Access to Vulnerable Children

11-27-2022

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/11/27/innocence-sold-floridas-foster-system-provides-dangerous-sex-traffickers-with-easy-access-to-vulnerable-children/

 

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Human trafficking bust: Teacher, coaches among 228 arrested in Polk County

March 5, 2024

https://www.fox13news.com/news/human-trafficking-bust-teacher-coaches-among-228-arrested-in-polk-county

 

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Human traffickers, smugglers use this Florida highway the most, according to FHP (I-75)

February 10, 2022

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/02/10/which-florida-highways-are-human-traffickers-smugglers-caught-using-the-most/ 


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Human trafficking in Florida continues to be a problem (includes multimedia content)

October 28, 2022

https://caplinnews.fiu.edu/human-trafficking-in-florida-continues-to-be-a-problem/ 


______________

 

Human Trafficking and Smuggling in Tampa Bay, Florida: Processes, Policies and Procedures

2015

https://commons.erau.edu/mcnair/vol2/iss1/5/

 

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SWFL group ran human trafficking ring up, authorities say

March 06, 2015

A routine traffic stop by a Collier County sheriff’s deputy unraveled one of the largest human trafficking rings in Southwest Florida, leading to the arrests of 15 men and women Friday.

During a 2013 traffic stop, a deputy identified a woman as a potential victim. Detectives began an investigation and eventually identified a half-dozen women who’d been trafficked across the state and pimped out to as many as 45 people per day.

Each of the six victims had been illegally smuggled into the country after being promised legal jobs and reunions with their families. Once in the U.S., however, the women — who were in their 20s and 30s — were forced to work as commercial sex slaves, according to officials.

https://archive.naplesnews.com/news/crime/swfl-group-ran-human-trafficking-ring-up-authorities-say-ep-974148610-335578971.html/

 

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WINK News: Collier County human trafficking victim tells her story to help others

https://naplesshelter.org/wink-news-collier-county-human-trafficking-victim-tells-her-story-to-help-others/

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Engaging the community, Collier Sheriff fights to end human trafficking

2019

https://winknews.com/2019/05/29/engaging-the-community-collier-sheriff-fights-to-end-human-trafficking/

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Lawsuit against Collier County Sheriff's Office alleges wrongful arrest, battery, retaliation

Aug 2020

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2020/08/05/wrongful-arrest-lawsuit-filed-against-collier-county-sheriffs-office/3298736001/

 

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25 arrested by task force for human trafficking involving 37 victims

September 21, 2023

The Southwest Florida Intercept Task Force arrested 25 people for children and human trafficking.

According to Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, there were 37 victims connected to the arrests and the youngest was only 2 years old.

“The most horrific was a 2-year-old toddler who was placed on a dating site, a dating app, advertising the toddler for sex,” said Rambosk. “There’s no real words to explain that. We just need to look. We rescued the victim, and we arrested the perpetrator. That’s what this whole program is about.”

https://winknews.com/2023/09/21/children-human-trafficking-25-arrests-37-victims/

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2 men arrested in Collier County human trafficking operation

2016

https://winknews.com/2016/01/11/2-men-arrested-in-collier-county-human-trafficking-operation/

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Human trafficking data has a home in St. Pete

June 6, 2023

She added that discerning those links would aid local and state law enforcement interventions. It would also provide a better understanding of trafficking rates, when people are most likely to become victims and how often they move to other locations or remain trapped in one spot.

Wagers noted that numerous state agencies work to combat human and sex trafficking and support victims. Those collect data alongside police departments and the state tip line.

She said the hotline is currently a primary information source. However, there are no follow-up investigations to ensure that someone is a trafficking victim or if multiple people reported the same person.

“So now, someone who wasn’t even a human trafficking victim gets counted twice,” Wagers explained. “Then there are other ones where no one ever calls, but they do come into the system and are appropriately labeled as a human trafficking survivor victim.”

She elaborated that the anonymous, national tip line information that places Florida as the third-worst state for trafficking is not “awful.” Wagers said it is just one data point and difficult to verify.

While there is no state ranking for the region, officials consider Tampa Bay a “hotbed.” Wagers said that is due to the area’s unique characteristics making it favorable for successful criminal or legitimate enterprises.

“If you had to quickly and efficiently move goods, you need access to certain things,” she added. “One is a port, and an international airport and freeways. Where you see these concentrations of human trafficking tips, they are in states – and then cities within the states – that have a couple of those features.

https://stpetecatalyst.com/human-trafficking-data-has-a-home-in-st-pete/

 

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Miami Is a Hot Spot for Human Trafficking

March 07, 2024

Florida ranks third in the country in human trafficking cases according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, with Miami-Dade County having the most reported cases in the state. As a result, local law enforcement authorities, including the state attorney's office, are focusing their efforts on addressing the crisis. Statistics are currently showing that Miami is the number 5 city for human trafficking in the United States. Miami International Airport is claimed to be a hub for human trafficking cases because of the heavy domestic and international travel.

https://www.dmtlaw.com/blog/miami-is-a-hot-spot-for-human-trafficking/


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Naples mayor says complaint against her meant to sabotage reputation

May 26, 2021

An ethics complaint by City IT Director Brian Dye against the mayor in the City of Naples has brought forward serious accusations. It brought up allegations of corruption and child prostitution involving high-ranking leaders in Naples and Collier County.

We sat down with Mayor Teresa Heitmann who told us the complaint doesn’t look like something the IT director would write.

Heitmann believes the IT director was put up to it and she says a seven-page complaint is meant to sabotage her reputation.

“It’s shocking and impurely accusations that have potentially now harmed important relationships with the city,” Heitmann said.

The complaint claims Heitmann accused the former mayor and Sheriff Kevin Rambosk of running a child sex ring out of Naples Airport.

https://winknews.com/2021/05/26/naples-mayor-says-complaint-against-her-meant-to-sabotage-reputation/

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Slavery in our midst: Luncheon at yacht club spotlights human trafficking

January 24, 2018

The amazing thing is, slavery is happening today, in 2018, and all around us in our own community.

We tend to think of slavery or human trafficking as something from long ago or taking place in faraway lands. But as a group at the Naples Sailing & Yacht Club found out on Jan. 19, though, it is happening in this century, right here in Collier County.

 

Naples Community Church hosted the presentation to boost awareness of human trafficking, in recognition that January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The approximately 110 attending the luncheon heard from two people who are intimately involved in dealing with the problem, Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk and Linda Oberhaus, CEO of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children.

 

Human trafficking can involve forced labor, often agricultural; domestic servitude in the trafficker’s or another home; and sex trafficking, Rambosk and Oberhaus told the gathering, taking turns and “tag-teaming” the presentation. Because such a high percentage of the human trafficking, especially that which ordinary citizens are likely to come across in our area, is sex trafficking, that was the focus of most of the discussion.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/communities/collier-citizen/2018/01/24/slavery-our-midst-luncheon-yacht-club-spotlights-human-trafficking/1061985001/ 


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Former Naples customs officer admits to stealing almost $19,000 cash from passengers

June 19, 2024

A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer who worked out of the Naples Airport admitted to stealing cash from passengers.

According to the plea agreement, 43-year-old William Timothy said he stole from at least 17 people totaling nearly $19,000.

https://winknews.com/2024/06/19/customs-officer-stealing/

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Police: Former Collier cop asked teenage girls for nude pictures

Dec. 11, 2019

https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/police-former-collier-cop-asked-teenage-girls-for-nude-pictures/


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Collier County KEVIN RAMBOSK Declares It's Good To Be KING!

2014

https://aquakiki.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/collier-county-kevin-rambosk-declares-its-good-to-be-king/

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Sheriff candidate files ethics complaint against Rambosk

June 27, 2008

For the second time in three months, a candidate for Collier County sheriff filed a complaint with a state commission accusing fellow candidate Kevin Rambosk of violating state statutes.

Collier County businessman Vinny Angiolillo, the owner of Class Act Limousine in North Naples, filed a complaint this week, this time with the Florida Elections Commission.

In the complaint, Angiolillo, who once compared the Sheriff's Office to a criminal gang, alleges that both Rambosk and the Sheriff's Office "wantonly disrupted" his political campaign and caused "irreversible damage" to his campaign and reputation.

Sheriff Don Hunter called the complaint "enormously misleading." Rambosk, an executive officer with the Sheriff's Office, called it "politically motivated, irresponsible and malicious."

Angiolillo said he mailed the complaint on Thursday and confirmed its receipt on Friday. However, Kevin Smith, an investigator with the commission, said he could neither confirm nor deny receipt of the document due to commission policies...

https://archive.naplesnews.com/news/politics/elections/sheriff-candidate-files-ethics-complaint-against-rambosk-ep-401493839-344468672.html


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Crash leads to human smuggling arrest in Naples

Apr 07, 2022

https://www.fox4now.com/collier-county/crash-leads-to-human-trafficking-arrest-in-naples

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Serenity Walk Park filled with sex offenders

February 23, 2024

A family-friendly place is filled with sex offenders, drugs and vandalism.

That’s the picture painted by public complaints, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
In a single two-day time period, CCSO has made five different indecent exposure arrests at Serenity Walk Park in Naples.

In one case, an undercover deputy said he was groped...

https://winknews.com/2024/02/23/serenity-walk-park-sex-offenders/

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Inside Miracle Village, Florida's Isolated Community of Sex Offenders

2015

In January of 2013, photographer Sofia Valiente took residency at Miracle Village, an isolated community that houses convicted sex offenders in Florida.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/jmbzz7/inside-miracle-village-379

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The village where half the population are sex offenders

July 2013

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23063492

 

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By the numbers: Florida had third-highest human trafficking rate in 2019

Sep 22, 2020

https://www.wfla.com/news/by-the-numbers/by-the-numbers-human-trafficking-in-florida/

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The Jeffrey Epstein case shows the problem with Florida’s grand jury secrecy

3-20-2024

Florida and other states should stop relying so heavily on grand jury secrecy in general — as secrecy is never good for public trust.

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2024/03/20/jeffrey-epstein-case-shows-problem-with-floridas-grand-jury-secrecy/

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A timeline of the Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell scandal

June 28, 2022

https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-timeline-b9f15710fabb72e8581c71e94acf513e

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 Feds’ raid on Diddy’s Miami Beach mansions goes into the night in sex-trafficking probe

March 26, 2024

The raid came weeks after a lawsuit alleged that Diddy was the leader of a “widespread and dangerous criminal sex trafficking organization.”

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article287081310.html

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Rays’ Wander Franco faces additional charge of human trafficking

July 10th, 2024

The star shortstop could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the latest charge. Wednesday, he was shifted to MLB’s restricted list and is no longer getting paid.

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2024/07/10/wander-franco-human-trafficking-sexual-abuse-exploitation-charges-dominican-prosecutors/ 


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Average human trafficking victims in SWFL, 15-year-old girls

February 1, 2024

https://winknews.com/2024/02/01/human-trafficking-victims-swfl-girls/

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Florida Sex Money Murder Gang Dismantled

Apr 13, 2022

https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/florida-sex-money-murder-gang-dismantled 


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WINK News: Human trafficking in Southwest Florida

https://naplesshelter.org/wink-trafficking/

______________

 

Human trafficking continues to be a growing problem in Florida

2020

https://www.wfla.com/news/human-trafficking-continues-to-be-a-growing-problem-in-florida/

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U.S. Marshals Find 200 Missing Children Across the Nation During Operation We Will Find You 2

Jul 08, 2024

https://www.redlakenationnews.com/story/2024/07/08/news/us-marshals-find-200-missing-children-across-the-nation-during-operation-we-will-find-you-2/123618.html 


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 Global Government Kidnapping Rings Investigated (Humboldt County, CA) 


January 2nd, 2017

 

Governmentkidnappingrings.blogspot.com

 

______________

 

{It is my job to inform the public if an organisation ever tried to bribe or intimidate my media agency in order to stop my news reports, we have stated that our media would tell the public if this ever happened. It is our duty to inform the people that the government officials in Naples, Florida (Collier County, Florida) are trying to silence our scientific reports. These officials in Collier County, Florida are behind one of the biggest human trafficking rings in the nation. The District Attorneys of the 20th District Court in Naples, Florida (Collier County, Florida) were behind covering up these human smuggling rings. We want Judge Elizabeth Krier, Judge Kyle Cohen Judge John Mcgowan, Amira D. Fox, Nicole Santini and Rhiannon Gomes of the 20th District Court to be arrested for tampering with evidence}.

 

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Feds bust ‘modern-day slavery’ ring amid new immigration enforcement effort

Dec. 9, 2021

At least 100 immigrant workers were freed from conditions in which at least two died, another was repeatedly raped, and others were kidnapped and threatened with death.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-bust-modern-day-slavery-ring-new-effort-immigration-enforcement-rcna8273

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Florida sheriff to Congress after illegal immigrants nabbed in human trafficking probe: 'Shame on all of them'

March 5, 2024

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said: 'The politicians are politicking while the victims are being victimized'

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-sheriff-congress-illegal-immigrants-nabbed-human-trafficking-probe-shame-all-them

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Indicted head of Haitian kidnapping ring freed

2015

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article18827622.html

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Increase in sextortion cases causes FBI to issue major warning

    January 18, 2024

The problem with sextortion is getting so bad that the FBI has issued a major warning.

Sextortion is a form of exploitation where victims, including children and teens, are coerced into sharing explicit photos or videos of themselves. The predator will use the images to blackmail the target with threats to publicly expose the material.

“Sextortion is something that we’ve seen blow up and double and triple in the last couple of years,” said Lt. Wade Williams with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office...

https://winknews.com/2024/01/18/increase-sextortion-cases-causes-fbi-issue-major-warning/

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DANGER – SEXtortion Scandal Rocks Florida

https://aquakiki.wordpress.com/tag/collier-county/

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 John Ring Jr., a Tampa politico with ties to the mayor and members of city council, pleads not guilty in sex offender case

Apr 11, 2023

The State Attorney filed a 'request to seal' Ring's warrant because of 'potential evidence suggesting public corruption within the City of Tampa...'

https://www.cltampa.com/news/john-ring-jr-a-tampa-politico-with-ties-to-the-mayor-and-members-of-city-council-pleads-not-guilty-in-sex-offender-case-15447849

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Opa-locka Police accused of massive corruption

2011

State authorities are probing what could be the most significant police corruption case in years in perpetually troubled Opa-locka.

According to city memos obtained by Miami New Times and confirmed by City Manager Clarance Patterson, officers have told internal investigators that city cops:

• had sex with arrested offenders "in lieu of moving forward to prosecution, eventually unarresting the individuals and discarding the police report";

• stole property from the station;

• ordered lower-ranking officers to release arrested suspects and discard the reports, which would violate state law;

• improperly transported liquor in police vehicles for private parties;

• horsed around with Tasers on the job;

• slept on duty.

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/opa-locka-police-accused-of-massive-corruption-6381216


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Florida police officers entangled in widespread sex scandal

2013

LAKELAND, Fla. – Authorities are investigating a widespread sex scandal involving nearly a dozen police officers in one Florida city after a civilian crime analyst detailed trysts with the men in police and fire stations, patrol cars, motels and even in a parking lot after a memorial service for a slain officer.

Sue Eberle, 37, has told officials that she had consensual and sometimes coerced sex with the officers and a firefighter, and that she once was propositioned by a city worker in Lakeland.

Eberle's accounts of the liaisons were largely corroborated by her sexual partners and others within the police department, and published in a graphic, 59-page report written in an incredulous tone by the county's top prosecutor. It said the department's problems investigating crimes might be caused by some high-ranking officers being more interested in having sex with Eberle than doing their jobs.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-police-officers-entangled-in-widespread-sex-scandal


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Top 10 Worst Prisons in Florida State

April 8, 2023

4. Lowell Correctional Institution (Ocala)

Lowell Correctional Institution is Florida’s largest women’s prison and has been the subject of numerous lawsuits and investigations. In 2015, an investigation found that guards were sexually abusing inmates and trading favors for sex. The prison has also been criticized for its overcrowding, poor medical care, and lack of educational programs.

https://theprisondirect.com/top-10-worst-prisons-in-florida-state/

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DOJ Launches Investigation into Abuse at Florida Women’s Prison

Loaded on Jan. 8, 2019

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2019/jan/8/doj-launches-investigation-abuse-florida-womens-prison/

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Florida's unsafe prisons

2-3-2015

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/opinion/2015/02/04/floridas-unsafe-prisons/29296705007/

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Rothstein Exposé Details Sex, Murder, and Corruption Behind Florida's Largest Ponzi Scheme

2013

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanmaglich/2013/01/21/rothstein-expose-details-sex-murder-and-corruption-behind-floridas-largest-ponzi-scheme/?sh=499e5f4f683e

______________


Seminole County judge absent from work amid misconduct allegations, chief judge says

2015

https://www.wesh.com/article/seminole-county-judge-absent-from-work-amid-misconduct-allegations-chief-judge-says-1/4442237

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Tallahassee corruption probe turns attention to judges: sources

2021

The public corruption investigation that has gripped Tallahassee for the last three years has expanded, according to law enforcement sources close to the investigation.

Now, it has wrapped its tendrils around state courts in North Central and Northwest Florida.

It isn’t clear which judges have caught investigators’ eyes, but there is certainly some overlap with the investigation that snared Scott Maddox, a former Tallahassee City Commissioner.

While judicial misconduct is typically investigated by Florida’s Judicial Qualifications Committee, the fact that federal investigators are now looking into cases in Tallahassee means the fallout from the ongoing public corruption investigation is far from over.

A hint on who may be in the crosshairs: one of the Leon County judges who was supposed to oversee Maddox’s disbarment was pulled from the case with no real explanation.

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/451536-tallahassee-corruption-probe-turns-attention-to-judges-sources-say/

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WESH 2 investigates 'bad judges' in Central Florida

2015

The misconduct allegations are of everything from election law violations to bad behavior on and off the bench

WESH 2 examined the best ways to weed out the “bad judges” in Florida.

Click here to watch this report

There are 62 disciplinary cases against Florida judges since 2001; 18 of those cases stem from Central Florida.

"I think I tried almost every kind of case that you can imagine." said retired judge OH "Bill" Eaton, who has 42 years of experience in law, including 24 years as a local circuit judge and two years as chief judge.

"There are some people on that list that I would have predicted would be on that list at one time or another… simply because of qualifications," Eaton said.

"I think Central Florida's relatively high numbers right now are an anomaly. I don't think that's the norm,” Gray Robinson attorney Mayanne Downs said.

Downs is also a former Florida Bar president and is currently on Florida’s Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates misconduct by state judges.

https://www.wesh.com/article/wesh-2-investigates-bad-judges-in-central-florida-1/4442238


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Indictments Shock Florida Town, Inured to Vice Reports

March 20, 1978

LAKE CITY, Fla.—Corruption was way of life for so long in Lake City that the community began to lose sight of the difference between fixing a speeding ticket and letting criminals escape justice for a once.

That is one view offered to explain why a Federal investigation of local racketeering has led to the indictment of several prominent citizens, including two of the four circuit judges in Florida's Third Judicial District, on charges that a conspiracy existed to operate gambling, prostitution and a drug ring, in addition to putting a price tag on justice in the courtroom.

This small city 25 miles south of the Georgia border was shocked by the indictments, but at least some of the surprise seemed to be not so much that vice and corruption flourished in Lake City but that the powerful had been brought to justice.

In fact, there was very little moral out. rage expressed.

https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/20/archives/indictments-shock-florida-town-inured-to-vice-reports-judge-invited.html

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Southern District Florida Courts; A Haven for Bribery, Corruption and Impeachment Proceedings against Sitting Federal Judges

November 19, 2020

It’s no surprise, Texas and Florida lead the way when it comes to the handful of impeachments against Federal Judges, as archived in the history of the United States of America.

https://lawsintexas.com/southern-district-florida-courts-a-haven-for-bribery-corruption-and-impeachment-proceedings-against-sitting-federal-judges/

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Corrupt Florida Justice and Judges

March 26, 2009

ATTENTION: COURT/POLITICAL EDITORS

COURT REFORMER ANDY MARTIN HAS LONG RECORD OF FILING SUCCESSFUL COMPLAINTS AGAINST FLORIDA JUDGES

(FORT LAUDERDALE)(March 25, 2007) Chicago-based Internet journalist, broadcaster and media critic Andy Martin has a long history of successfully filing judicial complaints and legal proceedings against Florida judges. Martin founded the Campaign Court Reform (CCR) in 1989 and has served as Founding Executive Director since then.

The CCR receives reports nationally and attempts to point the spotlight on judicial arrogance, corruption and abuse of power. Martin began his career as a judicial reformer while a law student at the University of Illinois, as a small part of a team that exposed bank stock bribes on the Illinois Supreme Court and led to the removal of two judges, Roy Solfisburg and Ray Klingbiel, see Illinois Supreme Court Docket No. 39798.

This week Martin filed judicial misconduct complaints against Broward County Chief Judge Dale Ross and Circuit Judge Larry Korda.

"We have been asked for a list of Florida judges against whom I successfully filed judicial misconduct complaints or legal proceedings," Martin noted. "We had to dig into our morgue because our computerized records do not go back that far. Nevertheless, we have assembled a pretty complete list. It may not be complete but it is awesome...

https://corruptfloridajusticeandjudges.blogspot.com/

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Book Release: People v Money- Corruption Scandal Rocks the Florida Court System

2019

https://www.kjnewswire.com/4536/book-release-people-v-money-corruption-scandal-rocks-florida-court-system

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Corrupt justice: what happens when judges' bias taints a case?

2015

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/18/judge-bias-corrupts-court-cases

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Fraud on the Court as a Basis for Dismissal with Prejudice or Default: An Old Remedy Has New Teeth

February 2004

https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/fraud-on-the-court-as-a-basis-for-dismissal-with-prejudice-or-default-an-old-remedy-has-new-teeth/

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FLORIDA JUDGES THAT CORRUPTLY UNDERMINE THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND THE RULE OF LAW


SADLY, FLORIDA JUDGES have been exempt from the same level of scrutiny as our politicians and the Media, but there are increasingly more pervasive attacks on judicial integrity. Abuses of power, corruption, lack of accountability, secrecy, and impunity from prosecution are eroding public trust and confidence in the judicial system.

As judges and public servants, the above individuals took an Oath of Office to uphold and protect the U.S. and Florida Constitutions; to honor the Code of Judicial Conduct, to uphold the Separation of Powers Doctrine, and to respect the constitutional rights and civil liberties of all Floridians. By ruling unconstitutional the Constitution and laws that are the source of their authority, these corrupt judges automatically deprived themselves of their own authority to rule.

For their corrupt, racist, unconstitutional misconduct, Broward Circuit Court Judge Dale Cohen, Monroe Circuit Court Judge Luis Garcia, Palm Beach Circuit Court Judge Diana Lewis, and Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Sarah I. Zabel, need to be removed from the bench by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) and disbarred by the Florida Bar. They have forever disgraced their office and will live in this ignominious Wall of Shame.

Don’t be afraid. PREPARE YOUR COMPLAINT AGAINST THESE CORRUPT JUDGES USING THIS OFFICIAL JQC COMPLAINT FORM here:

http://floridajqc.com/images/JQCComplaintForm.pdf

https://floridademocraticleague.com/wall-of-shame/unethical-judges/


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5 Florida Judges Reprimanded in $500 Million Child Welfare Agency Conflict

September 6, 2019

https://www.coreysdigs.com/law-order/5-florida-judges-reprimanded-in-500-million-child-welfare-agency-conflict/


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Florida court consolidation idea rejected by committee amid criticism move was power grab

Nov 2023

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2023/11/03/idea-to-consolidate-floridas-judicial-circuits-is-rejected/71441977007/

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Florida Corruption Investigation...

2009

https://disgustedwiththesystem.blogspot.com/2009/10/florida-corruption-investigation.html

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2 Judges Guilty in Florida Corruption Inquiry

1993

https://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/28/us/2-judges-guilty-in-florida-corruption-inquiry.html

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CORRUPT FLORIDA JUDGES


    CORRUPT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
        Corrupt Judge Art E. McNeil
        Corrupt Judge Catherine M. Catlin
        Corrupt Judge Cheryl K. Thomas
        Corrupt Judge Jennifer X. Gabbard
        Corrupt Judge Richard A. Weis
        Corrupt Judge William F. Jung

    CORRUPT PALM BEACH COUNTY
        Corrupt Judge Martin Colin

    CORRUPT TAMPA JUDGES
        Corrupt Judge Daryl M. Manning
        Corrupt Judge Jack St. Arnold


https://courtvictim.com/abusers/judges/florida/


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4 Florida Judges Are Indicted In Federal Corruption Inquiry

1991

https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/25/us/4-florida-judges-are-indicted-in-federal-corruption-inquiry.html

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Fight for Fair and Impartial Courts in Florida and the Right to Speak Out About Corruption

July 9, 2023

https://www.change.org/p/fight-for-fair-and-impartial-courts-in-florida-and-the-right-to-speak-out-about-corruption

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Corruption probe becomes issue in Osceola Clerk of Court race

2020

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/355583-corruption-probe-becomes-issue-in-osceola-clerk-of-court-race/

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Investigation Finds That Florida’s Court-Appointed Guardianship System Is Corrupt

2019

https://www.gierachlaw.com/investigation-finds-that-floridas-court-appointed-guardianship-system-is-corrupt/

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Florida Grand Jury - Stop the Corruption in the Florida Courts

https://floridagrandjury.blogspot.com/


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'A startling situation': Public Defender's Office struggling to keep attorneys

2023

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Southwest Florida is feeling the impact of a nationwide issue: an attorney shortage. The Public Defender's Office for the 20th Judicial District spoke with Fox 4 about the retention problems, and how this could impact you.

Every day, someone accused of a crime sits inside of a courtroom. If they cannot afford a lawyer, they can be appointed a public defender. However, finding the lawyers to do that is a problem in some areas.

The 20th Judicial District represents Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte and Glades counties with 60% of the cases starting in Lee County. The office is run by Kathy Smith, the public defender.

She manages 141 employees; 80 are attorneys. She says it's not hard to convince people to work in Florida, but there are still some roadblocks.

"My big issue is retention of those people," Smith said. "This is a tough job."

The retention issue is something we're seeing across the country. Smith says the reason behind the problem in her office comes back to money...

https://www.fox4now.com/news/local-news/lee-county/a-startling-situation-public-defenders-office-struggling-to-keep-attorneys

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Under the gun of a new discipline rule, Florida lawyers had better keep judges happy…or else

2021

Judges who want to punish lawyers for any reason now have a superpower that can derail careers, courtesy of the Florida Bar and the Florida Supreme Court.

A new rule effective in December grants judges far greater authority over lawyer discipline. The high court signed off on the recommendation from Bar leaders in an Oct. 21 opinion.

Florida lawyers who oppose the judicial oversight rule — privately, fearing retaliation — call it a power grab...

https://www.floridabulldog.org/2021/10/under-new-discipline-rule-florida-lawyers-better-keep-judges-happy-or-else/

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‘It’s really a mess’: Bexar County DA hampered by SAPD, BCSO mishandling of evidence and communication issues

December 15, 2021

DA blames volume of video evidence, technology and process issues for lapses

 

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/12/15/its-really-a-mess-bexar-county-da-hampered-by-sapd-bcso-mishandling-of-evidence-and-communication-issues/

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Trials for former Lynn Haven mayor, city attorney pushed to May

2021

Anderson and Albritton were indicted in August 2020 on more than 60 criminal counts linked to a scandal involving the theft of $5 million in Hurricane Michael debris removal funds. The counts include "conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest service fraud, substantive counts of wire fraud, honest service fraud and theft concerning federal programs," a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice said.

https://www.newsherald.com/story/news/2021/02/04/former-bay-county-florida-mayor-corruption-trial-moved-may/4392301001/


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Federal corruption trial of North Florida lawyer underway in Jacksonville

Jun. 6, 2022

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WCTV) - The federal corruption trial of North Florida lawyer Marion Michael O’Steen is now underway in Jacksonville.

O’Steen was arrested and accused of a bribery and extortion scheme with former Third Circuit State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister.

Siegmeister plead guilty in February and is listed as a witness in O’Steen’s trial by both the prosecution and defense, according to federal court records.

O’Steen is accused of making deals with Siegmeister to reduce the charges or sentences of his clients. The February 2021 indictment says in one case, O’Steen bought one of Siegmeister’s Braford bulls and in another case asked a client to pay tens of thousands of dollars to make a gambling charge “go away completely.”

https://www.wctv.tv/2022/06/06/federal-corruption-trial-north-florida-lawyer-underway-jacksonville/

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Miami attorneys bankrolled DEA bribery scheme, federal prosecutors say

Jan 23, 2024

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/miami-attorneys-bankrolled-dea-bribery-scheme-federal-prosecutors-say

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Jury Convicts Federal Agent of Witness Tampering and Obstructing Justice

August 29, 2023

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/jury-convicts-federal-agent-witness-tampering-and-obstructing-justice

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Sheriff's office did not investigate deputy whose statements did not match surveillance

Sep 2019

Public records show the Collier County Sheriff's Office failed to conduct a formal investigation into the actions and statements of a deputy at the heart of a federal lawsuit alleging unlawful arrest and excessive use of force...

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2019/09/20/collier-county-sheriffs-office-never-investigated-deputy-whose-statements-did-not-match-surveillance/2338818001/

 

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ALLEGATIONS OF SELECTIVE PROSECUTION: THE EROSION OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN OUR FEDERAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

2007

https://archive.org/details/gov.gpo.fdsys.CHRG-110hhrg38507

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Judge had ties to mob drug dealer

Jan. 28, 1992

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/01/28/judge-had-ties-to-mob-drug-dealer/

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Former City of Miami Police Officer Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Attempted Cocaine Trafficking and Attempted Hobbs Act Extortion

July 2, 2024

 

MIAMI – Frenel Cenat, a former police officer with the City of Miami Police Department (MPD) was sentenced today to 135 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, by Senior U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn in Fort Lauderdale. Cenat previously pled guilty to attempted Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charges arose from the use of his police position and authority, and his unmarked MPD-issued vehicle and equipment to conduct two illegal traffic stops to steal what he believed were drug proceeds and seven kilograms of cocaine from the drivers.


https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-city-miami-police-officer-sentenced-over-11-years-prison-attempted-cocaine

 

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Ex-deputy suspected in disappearances of two Collier men responds to lawsuit

Oct 3, 2018

The former deputy suspected in the disappearances of two Collier County men has responded to a wrongful-death lawsuit filed against him.

Steven Calkins, a former Collier County Sheriff's Office corporal, is thought to be the last person to see Felipe Santos and Terrance Williams alive before they disappeared in October 2003 and January 2004, respectively.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2018/10/03/former-deputy-suspected-disappearances-two-collier-men-responds-lawsuit/1507942002/

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Immokalee community wants Collier County Deputies held responsible for death of Nicolas Morales

February 21, 2021

https://winknews.com/2021/02/21/immokalee-community-wants-collier-county-deputies-held-responsible-for-death-of-nicolas-morales/

 

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Former LCSO deputies discuss corruption allegations with FBI

December 22, 2017

Former Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies are communicating with the FBI about corruption allegations.

Documents from the Freeh report titled “Appendix A” and “Appendix B” were first released to the News-Press in October.

The documents showed that members of the Fort Myers Police Department and at least one LCSO deputy were implicated with corruption, foul internal affairs investigations, and assisting alleged dealers in a drug trafficking ring, which was known to kill witnesses, all with near impunity.     

https://winknews.com/2017/12/22/former-lcso-deputies-discuss-corruption-allegations-fbi/

 

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Caught on bodycam: FBI agent chasing Florida corruption complaint ends up locked in patrol car

May 13, 2022

https://news.yahoo.com/caught-bodycam-fbi-agent-chasing-194814636.html

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FBI informant talks of his role in cracking Palm Bay corruption case

2019

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/07/26/fbi-informant-talks-his-role-cracking-palm-bay-corruption-case/1616077001/


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Report: Moonlighting ex-Collier official lobbied for county vendor in 'apparent' conflict of interest

July 17, 2023

Sean Callahan was quietly fired in January of 2022 after county staff discovered he was secretly working as a lobbyist for a powerful Washington D.C. lobbying firm — a moonlighting job that violated county policies, ethical guidelines, and anti-fraud measures.

Now a new report by the county’s Office of the Inspector General reveals that one of Callahan's undisclosed lobbyist clients, Jacobs Solutions, is a long-time vendor for Collier County.

The OIG report, which was exclusively obtained by the Florida Center for Government Accountability (FLCGA), found that Callahan was in “apparent” violation of the county's conflict of interest policy when Jacobs Engineering and CH2MHill, both subsidiaries of Jacob Solutions, became his clients. Notably, these companies were appearing before the Board of Collier County at the time with county purchase orders totaling $4.5 million.

https://news.wgcu.org/government-politics/2023-07-17/report-moonlighting-ex-collier-official-lobbied-for-county-vendor-in-apparent-conflict-of-interest

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Ethics, public corruption conference slated in Naples

2023

Forum of interest to attorneys, elected officials, journalists and the public

The motto of the City of Naples is “Ethics above all else.”  

In August 2020, voters in the City of Naples approved a referendum establishing a Commission on Ethics and Governmental Integrity. This independent commission is charged with, among other things, providing ethics education and training for city employees, elected officials and lobbyists and enforcing the city’s ethics code which includes “lobbyist registration, reporting and regulation.” The code extends to elected officials and employees and, in some instances, to third parties who transact business with the city.

Ethics in government? Who could possibly be against ethics in government? It may surprise you to learn that the road leading to the creation of the Naples Commission on Ethics and Governmental Integrity was a rocky one. Way back in 2016, a then-City Council member voted on a proposed development in the city.

Subsequently, it was discovered that this particular council person might have engaged in a conflict of interest. Because there was no local agency to enforce the then-existing ethics code in the city, a complaint was filed in Tallahassee with the State Ethics Commission. (Ultimately, no probable cause was found in the complaint). It was then that former City Councilwoman Linda Penniman proposed the formation of a local government ethics commission. The majority of the City Council at the time rejected the idea.

A group of concerned citizens formed a political action committee called Ethics Naples and began collecting signatures to place a charter amendment on the ballot. The city fought their efforts to get the referendum on the ballot. Who could be against ethics in government? The city lost in court at the trial level, appealed that decision and lost the appeal as well. By that time, it was 2020 and the composition of the Council had changed. Ray Christman, who was a member of Ethics Naples, was elected to Council and the four incumbents who opposed the ethics commission were swept out of office.

This led to the August referendum where 62% of the citizens of Naples voted to approve the creation of the ethics commission.

In November 2020, the first five volunteer members of the commission were appointed...

https://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/2023/03/12/ethics-public-corruption-conference-slated-in-naples/69987379007/


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Florida’s Path to Ethics Reform

2020

https://www.integrityflorida.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Floridas-Path-to-Ethics-Reform-final.pdf

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Naples leaders reject Collier ethics commission

2017

Naples leaders rejected a proposal Tuesday for an independent ethics watchdog to oversee conduct from city and county government officials.

“I’d say it’s dead in the water,” Collier County Commissioner Penny Taylor said about her suggested countywide commission on ethics.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2017/03/07/naples-council-rejects-ethics-collier-county-commission/98851246/

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Naples ethics commission to self-start investigations based on informal complaints

2021

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/government/2021/07/12/naples-ethics-commission-votes-self-start-investigations/7617285002/

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Naples officials: PAC declined way to resolve dispute over ethics panel

2018

A referendum aiming to establish a Naples ethics commission will not appear on the August ballot due to a legal battle between the city and the PAC behind the referendum, but court documents show city officials offered to expedite the process in May and the PAC declined.

The city's dispute with the PAC, called Ethics Naples, could cost taxpayers $40,000 if a special election is called for the referendum, a county official said.

“We've been bending over backwards to try to expedite the process,” Assistant City Manager Roger Reinke said. "Ethics Naples has refused the city's offer to mutually expedite the hearing on the matter."

In fact, Ethics Naples leaders "have done everything they can to avoid having the courts examine whether the petition is legal before having it placed on the ballot,” City Attorney Jim Fox wrote in a June 15 email to the City Council.

Councilors voted May 2 to let a judge decide whether the referendum, which would establish an ethics commission if approved, would appear before voters.

The next day, Fox recommended both parties agree to waive discovery and expedite the summary-judgment briefing, which would have put the case before a judge by the end of the month.

However, Ethics Naples did not agree and instead filed an emergency petition in the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal, which transferred the case back to the 20th Judicial Circuit.

Ethics Naples then filed another emergency petition with Collier Circuit Judge James Shenko, even though the city's original case already was pending in front of Collier Circuit Judge Hugh Hayes. When Shenko realized that, he dismissed the emergency petition.

    "This clear attempt to forum shop ... was frivolous and merely delayed resolving the dispute," the city wrote in response to the PAC's emergency motion.

    "If Ethics Naples truly believed that this dispute was an emergency, then it should have ... agreed to the expedited litigation.

    "Instead, Ethics Naples has spent almost a month shopping for a judge other than Judge Hayes and doing everything it can to delay and avoid the constitutional question."

Ray Christman, executive director of Ethics Naples, said the PAC thought the emergency petitions were the most appropriate action, given the city's approach to the case.

"The core issue as far as we're concerned is the ministerial duty of the council to put the issue on the ballot," Christman said.

"Had their (request for declaratory judgment) been focused on that issue and only that issue, we would have responded quickly and it's possible it would have been done in time for the August election," he said.

Instead, the city's complaint focuses on more than a dozen alleged flaws with the referendum's language.

Ethics Naples has described that as a "piecemeal attack," and the PAC filed a request Tuesday to dismiss the city's complaint.

"The city took an 'everything but the kitchen sink' approach in their filing, which we thought was simply trying to distract the court from what the issue really is," Christman said. "Those are matters to be dealt with after the referendum is on the ballot."

More:Naples Council votes to have judge decide legality of ethics referendum

More:Commentary: Let Naples residents vote on ethics reform

But that wouldn't be fair to voters, Reinke said. He compared the situation to someone trying to push a referendum to segregate the city's drinking fountains.

“Just because they got enough petition signatures, does that mean we should put it on the ballot, even though it’s patently illegal? Of course not,” he said. “This is the same idea, and if the voters pass an illegal law, they’ll have the expectation that it’ll somehow become legal.”

Although the council has until June 29 to submit the referendum question to the county to place it on the Aug. 28 primary election ballot, a judge won't hear the case in time to meet that deadline.

That means that if a judge decides the referendum is legal, the city would have to host a special election, costing $35,000 to $40,000, according to Trish Robertson, a spokeswoman for the Collier County supervisor of elections.

More:Proposal for Naples ethics panel draws enough signatures for ballot spot

More:PAC aims at August ballot for referendum on creating Naples ethics panel

According to City Attorney Bob Pritt, one of the more questionable aspects of the referendum is a requirement that any proposed amendment to the city's ethics code by the ethics commission would become law unless five or more City Council members vote against it.

The proposed referendum states two of the five ethics commission members would be appointed by the state attorney and the public defender for the 20th Judicial Circuit, which includes Collier County. Pritt has said they might have conflicts of interest if an ethics violation becomes a criminal case.

Either party has the right to appeal the judge's decision, Pritt said, so the case could end up back in the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal. It also could end up going before the Florida Supreme Court or even the U.S. Supreme Court, although that's unlikely, Pritt said.

Judge Hayes is scheduled to hear the case Aug. 21.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/government/2018/06/21/ethics-naples-pac-declined-expedite-ethics-referendum-naples/709720002/

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Judge won't look at Naples ethics panel question in time for ballot spot

2018

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/government/2018/06/15/naples-ethics-referendum-not-august-ballot/693868002/

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Ethics PAC fights back against Naples Council to get referendum on August ballot

2018

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/government/2018/05/18/ethics-pac-fights-naples-city-council-get-referendum-august-ballot/622440002/

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Commentary: Let Naples residents vote on ethics reform

2018

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/opinion/2018/05/13/naples-city-council-lawsuit-ethics-reform-petition-voters-ballot/599232002/

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Corrosive” Florida Senate bill will hide public corruption rather than expose it, ethics expert says

February 2, 2024

https://news.wgcu.org/government-politics/2024-02-02/corrosive-florida-senate-bill-will-hide-public-corruption-rather-than-expose-it-ethics-expert-says

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Florida ethics overhaul will leave corruption unchecked, watchdog groups warn

3-19-2024

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/19/florida-ethics-overhaul-will-leave-corruption-unchecked-watchdog-groups-warn/

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Florida Senate bill restricts ethics probes, opening the door to more public corruption

Feb 7, 2024

Bill moving through the Florida Legislature removes the reins on corruption and fraud. Reliable public information, including news media investigations, would now fall in the category of "hearsay."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/florida-senate-bill-restricts-ethics-probes-opening-the-door-to-more-public-corruption/ar-BB1hWcf6

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Collier growth had seamy side

2001

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/11/04/collier-growth-had-seamy-side/

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Collier County employee resigns amid fraud investigation

    June 19, 2015

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- WINK News has learned the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating allegations of fraud in Collier County Government.

New documents show supervisor, JR Gorentz admits to county leaders he modified back up documentation for the invoices. This has to do with a job involving the company, BQ Concrete...

https://winknews.com/2015/06/19/collier-county-employee-resigns-amid-fraud-investigation/

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Naples Vice Mayor Mike McCabe set to resign over new Florida financial disclosure rules

2023

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2023/12/20/naples-vice-mayor-resigning-after-new-state-financial-disclosure-rules/71987002007/

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What is Form 6? Here's why so many elected city officials are abruptly resigning across Florida

2023

You might be excused for wondering if a strange disease that only affects local government officials is suddenly sweeping across the state.

    Most of the North Palm Beach Village Council have resigned, including the mayor, and Eagle Lake barely avoided losing a quorum.


    The Naples vice mayor announced his resignation on Dec. 31.


    Dunnellon’s mayor and a council member stepped down.


    Four out of the five St. Pete Beach city council members resigned.


    The mayors in Cedar Key and Williston announced their departures.


    At least eight elected officials in Pinellas County have left office or plan to, according to the Tampa Bay Times.


    Two Daytona Beach Shores city commissioners bailed, as have one in Fort Myers Beach. one in Jacksonville Beach, one in Bradenton Beach and two in Bartow.


    Four of the five McIntosh Town Council members, two city council members in Orange City, one in Sanibel and a town commissioner in Longboat Key are gone.


    The Town of Reddick lost the entire town council and the mayor.

Why are so many small-town elected officials across Florida abruptly resigning?

Among the other new laws that took effect on Jan. 1, they had to reveal their finances in detail for the first time. A change to the Ethics Commission laws requires city and municipal elected officials to fill out something called Form 6, the same disclosure form that state and county elected officials have had to fill out for years. So would new candidates for office, which could frighten some people away from representing their communities.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/21/florida-elected-mayors-council-members-resigning-before-form-6-financial-disclosures/71982196007/

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We’re #1 {In Public Corruption}

June 21, 2012

https://naples.floridaweekly.com/articles/were-1-in-public-corruption/

NUMBER ONE.

In sports, it’s usually cause for celebration. In sales, in earnings, in awards or accolades, ditto.

But in public corruption, the number-one ranking serves both as cause for despair and as a wake-up call to people who elect or appoint public servants. Their question should become, “Why, and how can we fix it?”

Now Florida, once the pioneer and preeminent champion of open government, has taken the number-one ranking for government corruption in the United States, ahead of California, Texas and New York, each of which contains a larger population.

Florida’s middle district, which includes Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties and stretches from south of Naples northward to the Georgia line, has played a significant role in spawning government corruption. Here, Florida Weekly offers a glimpse of that history in Southwest Florida, and the men and women who shaped it, dating back about three decades.

Ironically, that’s roughly the lifespan of the Sunshine State’s pioneering openrecords laws — laws making public the actions of elected and appointed government officials.

“It’s been (45 years) since Florida put in place government in the sunshine, and we once held the leading position in the country and maybe the world for giving the public the tools to hold government accountable,” says Dan Krassner, executive director of the nonprofit watchdog group Integrity Florida. “But that’s changed. Since that law was enacted, the legislature has weakened it with more than 1,000 exemptions, which shows Florida is moving in the wrong direction.”

Convictions of corrupt public officials show the same thing, perhaps.

Using numbers from a U.S. Department of Justice report detailing a decade of wrongdoing from 2001 to 2010, mostly in local government, Integrity Florida reported that federal prosecutors convicted 781 men and women for corruption and fraud, most of them working in local government.

In the Middle District, according to the report, there were 220 federal convictions alone.

That’s not all. The Florida Commission on Ethics, a relatively toothless arm of state government that cannot undertake investigations of officials unless complaints are filed formally first, and can only levy fines of up to $10,000, has done business in the region as well, says Cary Stillman, a spokeswoman.

In the last five years, 30 complaints of ethics violations by government officials were filed in Lee, 13 in Collier and six in Charlotte County. Of those, there were four total violations and three probable cause rulings, in which the Ethics Commission took no further action.

Neither officials for the U.S. Attorney’s office in the middle district or the state’s Ethics Commission were able to provide names and descriptions of the federal convictions or ethics violations by press time. But a glimpse at the past and the present suggests that even if history doesn’t repeat itself, its patterns and the tendencies of men and women who create it anew, do.

Among other things, the numbers of convictions and violations likely demonstrate that the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Which is why history may prove the best teacher.

When corruption meant death, drugs

Within the lifetimes of the oldest men and women who live in the region, corruption could mean blood and an early 20th century version of slavery, not just financial misbehavior. Across the South, including in Southwest Florida, conscript labor camps created a widely accepted form of official corruption unequaled since.

In an era before open-government laws, black males and some poor whites were regularly arrested on trumped up charges and used as conscript labor in turpentine camps — lumber camps where pines were cut and processed for turpentine. They led brutal lives, too frequently dying in the camps and being buried in nameless graves from El Jobean to Babcock Ranch in Charlotte County, and points south, historians report.

The perpetrators were never charged with any crimes, and authorities were well paid to provide the conscripts.

Almost everything official was done differently in those days.

Travelers found dead along roads or trails, for example, were sometimes simply disposed of in unmarked roadside holes, a solution that required no inquests, no paperwork, and almost no trouble or public expense.

“It was a fairly common custom,” recalled Vernon Peeples, the Charlotte County historian and former state legislator, in a conversation with Florida Weekly last year.

“If somebody was found dead, they’d have a coroner’s jury, and men from the coroner’s jury would go out and find the body and ask themselves if anybody recognized it. If no one recognized the body, it was buried on the spot by the side of the road.”

For decades, officials also used the poll tax to control votes, effectively preventing many blacks and some poor whites who couldn’t afford to pay it from entering the voting booth.

But Bartow native and United States Sen. Spessard L. Holland brought that corrupt exercise to a halt by sponsoring the 24th Amendment to the Constitution in 1964, which prohibited the poll tax. By 1966 it had become law in all 50 states.

As Florida grew and the population of the region began to swell beginning in the 1960s, people began to pay more attention to official corruption.

Still, it wasn’t always white-collar crime. During the famous drug busts in Everglades City in 1983, for example, about 80 percent of the town’s male population found itself behind bars for helping transport “square grouper” — bales of marijuana. Nobody, including local officials, seemed to care that since the 1970s many residents had been illegally taking in hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in drug money until the arrests, which were part of President Ronald Reagan’s war on drugs.

Then everything changed except white-collar corruption in local government.


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Florida most corrupt? Not necessarily so, study says

6/17/2012

https://archive.naplesnews.com/news/state/florida-most-corrupt-not-necessarily-so-study-says-ep-388651567-342496342.html

Known more for its sunny beaches and magical theme parks, Florida is getting attention this month for a less flattering reason: corruption.

Florida leads the nation in federal corruption convictions, according to a report released in early June by the non-profit watchdog group Integrity Florida.

From 2000 to 2010, Florida had 781 such convictions, which include violations like misuse of public money, vote buying and conflict of interest crimes. But that number, which comes from Department of Justice data analyzed by Integrity Florida, doesn't tell the full story, some say.

When considering population, Florida ranked 19th in the country for corruption convictions, according to a University of Illinois in Chicago study released this year that crunched data from 1976 to 2010. And some say the high number of convictions could be the result of the state's Sunshine Law — one of the most expansive open records laws in the nation — or prosecutors who are aggressive in ethics violation cases.

The University of Illinois study found Florida had 0.94 public corruption convictions per 10,000 population between 1976 and 2010, good for 19th in the country. The District of Columbia led the nation with 16.70 convictions per 10,000 population, followed by Louisiana with 2.00 and Mississippi with 1.89.

Jim Nowlan, who co-authored the University of Illinois study, said there are limitations to any data set measuring corruption. For instance, his data accounts for factors like population and growth, but can't measure qualitative factors like the amount of resources the U.S. Attorney's Office had in pursuing the corruption cases.

"In one period of time, the U.S. Attorney for several districts in Florida might be very aggressive, or non-aggressive, for public corruption convictions," Nowlan said. "What I'm getting at is, you don't want to read too much into this or parse it too finely. ... None of it is perfect."

Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, said Florida's large population — it's the country's fourth most populous state — means it often is at the top of national statistics. And the state's open records laws could help expose corruption, thereby bumping up the ranking, he said.

"Florida's Sunshine Laws are leading the nation for transparency and public access," Richter said. "For example, I don't know of any other state that has a program like Sunburst where any citizen can read every email from their governor and his top staff."

Although public corruption cases typically are expensive and time-intensive, they remain "paramount as one of the priorities in a democratic society," said Robert O'Neill, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.

"Prosecutors here tend to be pretty vigilant," he said. "Law enforcement tends to work these types of cases, and I think the courts are tough on them when they're brought before them."

Dan Krassner, an author of Integrity Florida's analysis, said his organization accepts those factors as possible explanations for Florida's high ranking but he remains concerned about the gross number of convictions.

Imagine if Florida led the country in murder convictions, he said. Although that could indicate good sleuthing by law enforcement, "that would still be a problem for our state's reputation, and an issue policy makers would want to address."

The Middle District of Florida, which includes Collier and Lee counties, had 248 federal corruption convictions in the 11-year period analyzed by Integrity Florida. But getting numbers specific to Southwest Florida is difficult, in part because the Middle District includes large cities like Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

The most notable corruption scandal in recent Collier County history was the Stadium Naples case, in which 10 local public officials and businessmen were found guilty of swapping bribes to help get a proposed $100 million golf stadium built in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Since then, Collier amended its ethics code, which now requires officials to report all gifts, even though Florida law doesn't require disclosures for gifts less than $100. Collier County Judge Mike Carr, who helped draft the changes as a state ethics committeeman, said he believes corruption is cyclical and is far less rampant today than it has been historically.

"Ten years ago, Collier County was at the sipping cup of corruption; now, I think it's as honest as any place on earth," he said.

Around the same as the Stadium Naples scandal came to light, a two-year internal investigation by the Collier County Sheriff's Office found two deputies in the Immokalee district were abusing their badge. Jim Sanders pleaded guilty in 2001 to taking money from gambling tables at illegal Immokalee gaming houses in exchange for not making arrests or shutting the gambling businesses down.

A federal judge found his colleague, Glendell Edison, guilty of distributing $500,000 worth of cocaine and taking payouts from drug dealers in exchange for protecting them from arrest. Edison later pleaded guilty to state charges saying he once saw three children tied up behind a meat slicer at an Immokalee store, but took more than $4,000 from the boys' parents in exchange for not reporting the abuse.

The case built by internal affairs investigators helped secure the indictments against the men. Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said the role of the internal affairs bureau remains important today.

"Any complaint, no matter the level or severity, is intaken by the agency," he said. "We want people to know that we are open to both compliments and complaints, and that we'll follow it through to a resolution."

Carr, the Collier County judge, said new countywide regulations have birthed a "different climate" where officials are more aware of habits that could become corrupt.

"There's a saying that 'All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.' That saying is as true now as it was then," Carr said. "Corruption doesn't say, 'I'm corruption, and welcome me.' It sneaks up on you with good ol' boys, we're-just-trying-to-be-nice, we're friends.

"If people know that you've got someone looking over your shoulder, it makes it easier to stay honest."

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Collier commissioners rush deeply flawed ordinance

2023

https://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/2023/04/23/collier-commissioners-rush-deeply-flawed-ordinance/70131637007/


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Neil Clark, lobbyist named in $60 million Ohio bribery probe, found dead in Florida

March 16, 2021

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Editor's Note: The above video aired on February 22, 2021

A prominent Ohio lobbyist who had been charged in a federal corruption case has been found dead in Florida.

Authorities in Collier County, Florida confirmed to 3News' Columbus sister station 10TV News Tuesday that they are investigating the death of prominent Ohio lobbyist, Neil Clark.

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/ohio/neil-clark-lobbyist-named-60-million-ohio-bribery-probe-found-dead-florida/95-58fc40d3-6e4d-4049-8ee5-2bc72629c31e

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Lighthouse Project - History: Stadium Naples was biggest public corruption scandal in local history

4/2/2012

https://archive.naplesnews.com/special/lighthouse/lighthouse-project---history-stadium-naples-was-biggest-public-corruption-scandal-in-local-history-e-342577612.html

ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen unveiled plans for a first-of-its-kind golf stadium in 1996, an ambitious, $100 million project to be located northeast of the city of Naples. The facility, to include luxury skyboxes and 12,000 seats surrounding the course's 18th hole, would be called Stadium Naples. But the stadium was never built. Plans fell apart under controversy and public outrage when a Naples Daily News investigation revealed in 1997 that an elected official, then Collier County Commissioner John Norris, had negotiated for a stake in Stadium Naples estimated at $7.5 million before casting votes to benefit his developer partners and the stadium.

The controversy would only grow from there. Following the urging of residents and the local Republican Party, then Gov. Jeb Bush ordered a detailed investigation into the matter, as well as the assignment of a special prosecutor.

What resulted was the largest corruption case in Collier's history, netting charges against 10 people: four public officials, five business leaders and an attorney. For more than six years, investigations into the project, which was attempted a second time with now defunct Naples-based brokerage company A.S. Goldmen & Co., continued.

The case was sprawling and complicated. Eventually, the public would learn that A.S. Goldmen & Co. had manipulated a number of small company stocks, including Stadium Naples partner Millennium Sports Management, in what state and federal securities regulators dubbed one of the nation's most notorious boiler rooms. It would learn that David Mobley, the financier whose Maricopa Investments backed Stadium Naples and The Strand, was cheating investors of millions, pumping their money into his posh lifestyle and failed businesses and charities.

'People were closing their eyes; the whole society was rupturing with corruption,' Mike Carr, a Collier County judge who was then a Republican state committeeman and leading voice in calls for an outside investigation, said of the time.

'Roads weren't being built. Developments that shouldn't have been built were being built. Zoning decisions were not based on merit but who was being paid off; taxes weren't being collected on fancy golf clubs. The saying around here was, 'To get along, you go along.' It was a cesspool.'

'We've been amazed at the institutionalized corruption we've been seeing,' special prosecutor Michael Von Zamft said in October 2001, when prosecutors unveiled sweeping new corruption charges and the last five arrests.

Prosecutors charged the 10 Stadium Naples co-defendants with conspiring to deprive the citizens of Collier County of the honest services of public officials by swapping financial incentives for votes and influence favorable to their projects.

Although initially only Norris was in the spotlight for wrongful dealings with developers, it was later revealed that other county officials had also accepted gifts and favors from them.

'Crooks are like cockroaches and the sunlight makes them run,' Carr said. Once the first hints of corruption began coming out, he said, the rest followed.

Then Commissioner Tim Constantine, the public learned in 2000, received a discount on his wedding reception at a country club and a $100,000 business loan from the Stadium Naples developer. The loan wasn't repaid.

It learned Neil Dorrill handed out pay raises to key county employees days before leaving his job as county manager in 1997 to become president of the first Stadium Naples development partnership.

Tim Hancock, another county commissioner at the time, admitted to taking more than 40 free golf games from lobbyists while in office.

Several years would pass before the case ended in January 2004 with the last remaining defendant, Norris, striking a deal with prosecutors.

The defendants were dealt varying sentences, ranging from community service to house arrest and thousands of dollars in fines.

The case led to changes at the state and local level. Ethics ordinances were passed by both city and county government. And the Florida Legislature amended state law, stiffening penalties for public corruption.

Commissioner Fred Coyle, who was a city council member when the city's ordinance was adopted, said the new rules help sensitize elected officials to how the public perceives their interaction with developers. The ordinances closed the loopholes and prohibit officials from engaging in activities that could even be viewed as unethical.

'We probably overreact in some cases,' Coyle said. 'We are probably overly cautious and that's not bad.'

Carr said although 'there's more money here (and) you're going to get more crooks gravitating toward money,' he believes the area's elected officials to be honest and he is proud of that. The county, Carr said, has to continue to maintain integrity and take the stance that corruption is unacceptable.

'If we keep in mind what's happened before, we can make new mistakes,' he said. 'We don't have to make the old ones.'


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The History of the Florida Everglades Is a History of Crime and Mystery

2022

https://crimereads.com/the-history-of-the-florida-everglades-is-a-history-of-crime-and-mystery/

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Governor's call to investigate public corruption includes Lee, Collier counties

2009

The government corruption probe Gov. Charlie Crist asked the Florida Supreme Court for this week could pry into courthouses in Lee County and Collier counties.

Southwest Florida is familiar with public corruption. Investigations, indictments and prison terms have taken down county commissioners in both counties, though it's believed recent high-profile arrests in Broward and Palm Beach counties more likely spurred the governor's request.

Stadium Naples was the largest public corruption case in Collier history. It was rooted in ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen's plans for a $100 million golf stadium in North Naples, a scheme that involved three county commissioners, a former county manager, three developers, a convicted hedge fund manager and a real estate attorney.

https://archive.naplesnews.com/news/crime/governors-call-to-investigate-public-corruption-includes-lee-collier-counties-ep-396719078-343629412.html


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Ex-Collier commissioner gets probation

2003

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2003/06/22/ex-collier-commissioner-gets-probation/28754169007/

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Police chief among 160 people arrested in Florida sex sting

Polk County sheriff’s office say they dismantled a major human trafficking organisation

10 September 2022

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/florida-sex-sting-human-trafficking-b2164395.html

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More than 150 people arrested in Florida sex sting, Georgia cop resigns

Among those arrested in the sex sting were two Disney employees, a state corrections officer, several teachers and a deputy police chief from Georgia

September 10, 2022

https://www.foxnews.com/us/more-than-150-people-arrested-florida-sex-sting-georgia-cop-resigns

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3 Disney workers, school athletic director among 219 arrested in Florida human trafficking sting

 Sep. 28, 2023

https://nypost.com/2023/09/28/disney-workers-among-200-arrested-in-fl-human-trafficking-sting/

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Disney Employees, Judge Among 108 Arrested in Fla. Sting Operation Aiming to Catch Traffickers, Predators

March 16, 2022

https://people.com/crime/disney-employees-judge-among-108-arrested-in-florida-sting-operation-aiming-to-catch-traffickers-predators/

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How Bohemian Grove changed Disney History

https://www.reddit.com/r/bohemiangrove/comments/rnuner/how_bohemian_grove_changed_disney_history/

 

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Massive human trafficking operation busted in Florida with more than 120 arrests

2024

Undercover stings in Florida resulted in the arrest of more than 120 people - including a teacher, nurse, basketball coach, and even a person employed by a spiritual organization - as part of a sweeping operation targeting human trafficking.

Fox13 reported the investigations were part of Operation Renewed Hope, a 90-day human trafficking operation under which 123 individuals were arrested, and 28 victims were saved.

In a press conference aired on Fox13, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said investigators targeted this crime through a "multipronged approach" by conducting several undercover prostitution stings and hotel/motel operations.

The sheriff added that undercover investigators posed as minors available for sex via online chats, as well as posing as guardians selling children for sex.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/massive-human-trafficking-operation-busted-in-florida-with-more-than-120-arrests/ar-AA1mPbjY



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WATCH LIVE: Sheriff Grady Judd speaks about human-trafficking bust that netted 228 arrests

2024

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is giving an update after hundreds of people were arrested during a human trafficking investigation.

Officials said “Operations March Sadness 2024″ led to the arrest of 228 people, including 21 who are in the country illegally.

Deputies said the eight-day-long multi-agency undercover investigation was focused on human trafficking.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/watch-live-sheriff-grady-judd-speaks-about-human-trafficking-bust-that-netted-228-arrests/ar-BB1jmRjT


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Florida sting targeting child sex exploitation finds nearly 40% of arrestees in US illegally

August 2, 2023

Operation Cross County XIII was a nationwide operation and located 59 missing minors

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/florida-child-sex-trafficking-operation-finds-40-percent-arrestees-us-illegally


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Leader of Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison, Ordered to Pay Over $14 Million in Restitution

September 27, 2022

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/leader-sex-trafficking-ring-sentenced-60-years-federal-prison-ordered-pay-over-14

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2 Alachua County men among 9 accused of paying for sex with girl

2019

https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/crime/2019/05/17/2-alachua-county-men-accused-of-paying-for-sex-with-girl/5131062007/

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What's Going On with Child Trafficking and Why Doesn't It Get News Coverage?

Oct 15, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnFnyC3v0zU

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FBI charges Franklin County Sheriff's Office official in Florida child sexual abuse case

Jun 2, 2023

https://roanoke.com/news/local/crime-courts/fbi-charges-franklin-county-sheriffs-office-official-in-florida-child-sexual-abuse-case/article_9bb01d2c-01a1-11ee-8777-3356cf15bac1.html

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10/08 Rambosk's Deputy Forced ORAL SEX On YOUNG BOY in NAPLES MALL Restroom! Collier Malls NOTSO Safe For KIDS! Deputy Goes Unpunished In CORRUPT COLLIER COUNTY System

 

2014


https://aquakiki.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/new-1008-rambosks-deputy-forced-oral-sex-on-young-boy-in-naples-mall-restroom-collier-malls-notso-safe-for-kids-deputy-goes-unpunished-in-corrupt-collier-county-system/

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Charges filed after union corruption investigation at Port Tampa Bay

2018

https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/charges-filed-after-union-corruption-investigation-at-port-tampa-bay/


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Court documents hint at ‘public corruption’ within city of Tampa

2023

The documents relate to the arrest of John Ring, aka Gio Fucarino, friend to many.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2023/05/06/court-documents-hint-public-corruption-within-city-tampa/

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Tampa Indicts Six in Classic Waterfront Corruption Case

2021

https://maritime-executive.com/article/tampa-indicts-six-in-classic-waterfront-corruption-case

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North Florida U.S. attorney reports 19 corruption cases over past year

Sep. 16, 2020

https://www.wctv.tv/2020/09/16/north-florida-us-attorney-reports-19-corruption-cases-over-past-year/

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Northern Florida District Public Corruption Cases 2019 - 2020

https://www.scribd.com/document/476294986/Northern-Florida-District-Public-Corruption-Cases-2019-2020

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Public corruption dominates conversation among Miami commission candidates

2023

https://www.wlrn.org/government-politics/2023-10-04/miami-commission-election-corruption-candidates

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Miami-Dade advocates want legislators to pass laws going after corrupt associations

2023

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/03/03/miami-dade-state-attorney-wants-legislators-to-pass-laws-going-after-corrupt-associations/

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Federal Corruption Probe Leads To 29 Indicted In Panhandle

November 17, 2019

A federal grand jury has indicted more than two dozen people in the Panhandle accused of illegally pocketing drought assistance money.

The alleged co-conspirators listed in the indictment include:

• Jeremiah Joe Rolling, 43, of Westville, Florida; Investigator – Office of the State Public Defender

• Jordan Ryan Hicks, 36, of Ponce De Leon, Florida; Former Florida Department of Corrections Officer

• James Stacey Paul, 46, of Bonifay, Florida; Public Works - City of Bonifay, Florida

• Kyle Martin Hudson, 39, of Westville, Florida; Former Holmes County Clerk of Court

• Danyel Michelle Witt, 44, of Bonifay, Florida; Clerk – United States Postal Service

• Sheryl Day Gillman, 52, of Bonifay, Florida; Secretary - Florida Farm Bureau

• Shyloe Rose Sachse, 40, of Bonifay, Florida; Former Corrections Officer

• Tillman Douglas Mears, 30, of Bonifay, Florida; Public Works - City of Bonifay, Florida

• Dwayne Frazier White, 49, of Bonifay, Florida Former City of Bonifay Police Officer

https://news.wgcu.org/2019-11-17/federal-corruption-probe-leads-to-29-indicted-in-panhandle


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Ongoing corruption investigation in Bay County continues

Aug 5, 2021

https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/local-news/bay-county/ongoing-corruption-investigation-in-bay-county-continues/

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Florida's Worst Corruption Scandals, Ranked

10/28/2015

Nobody does corruption quite like Florida. Sure, places like Illinois and Detroit have had high-profile cases, but no state has public corruption to quite the extent that we do (seriously, Integrity Florida found that between 1976-2012 over 1,760 public officials in this state had been convicted of corruption), so narrowing it down to a top 12 is almost impossible. Almost. From a US attorney biting a stripper to dead people casting votes, here are the dozen weirdest, most egregious, and just flat-out only-in-Florida political scandals in our history.

5. Operation Court Broom

Ah, the 1980s in Miami. A time when a judge could sell his decisions, freebase cocaine, and dime out drug informants to cartels for a measly 50 grand. Or at least they could before Operation Court Broom. That’s the name of an FBI sting of Dade County judges, where fake cases were created and Manuel Noriega’s lawyer wore a wire to catch five judges, who took up to $50,000 to fix cases. Two of the most upstanding among them: Harvey Shenberg, who gave up the name of a confidential drug informant to a cartel for $50,000. And Phillip Davis, who when federal agents raided his home looking for marked cash used in the bribery sting, found Amanda Bynes-levels of cocaine along with all the tools used for freebasing.

2. Miami River Cops

The 1980s were not exactly a glorious time for the Miami Police Department, and bottomed out with the Miami River Cops. In summer 1985, a boat full of $12 million worth of cocaine docked on the Miami River, and somewhere along the line the offload went bad. A nearby night watchman called the police claiming gunfire during a “police raid," but somehow the raid mysteriously had no police report. Nor were the 400 kilos of cocaine on the boat ever heard from again. Though they may have been floating in the Miami River next to the three dead bodies that resulted from the “raid.” The missing drugs prompted an investigation that unearthed a network of crooked Little Havana cops who shook down drug dealers, stole their money and drugs, and profited from it all. In the end, 24 cops were convicted and 17 went to prison as a result of the investigation.

1. Miami mayoral recall

Why the world was even slightly surprised South Florida botched the 2000 presidential election is a mystery to anyone who was here in 1997. That was the year that, despite capturing nearly half the vote in the general election, Joe Carollo lost the mayoral runoff to Xavier Suarez. The big difference during the runoff? Some very important voting blocs turned out to pull the lever for Suarez, including the dead, convicted felons, non-residents of Miami, and homeless people Suarez staffers paid $10 apiece. Also credited for his win: a flood of absentee ballots coming in from City Commission District 3 represented by... Humberto Hernandez, who at the time was on suspension pending federal indictment. While the FDLE investigated and Suarez encouraged Miamians to keep their mouths shut, a federal trial began in February, and a month later the election was declared invalid. Joe Carollo ultimately took over as mayor, several Suarez staffers were indicted, and Humberto Hernandez still went to prison.

https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/miami/floridas-worst-corruption-scandals-including-xavier-suarez-hialeah-mayor-and-bob-allen


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‘Totes Legit’ tipster found 282 possible voter fraud cases in Florida; few prosecuted outside The Villages

2022

News 6 investigates how Florida officials handled double voting cases uncovered by a prolific tipster

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2022/09/06/totes-legit-tipster-alerted-florida-to-282-possible-voter-fraud-cases-few-have-been-prosecuted/

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Collier County tests voting machines amid widespread concerns of election fraud

2022

https://news.wgcu.org/news/2022-01-21/collier-county-tests-voting-machines-amid-widespread-concerns-of-election-fraud

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Collier voters concerned mysterious WiFi connection granted access to county election machines

Nov 10, 2022

https://www.wguf989.com/2022/11/10/collier-voters-concerned-mysterious-wifi-connection-granted-access-to-county-election-machines/

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Collier County voters seek answers to mysterious text about mail ballots

Feb 14, 2024

https://www.nbc-2.com/article/collier-county-voters-seek-answers-to-mysterious-text-about-mail-ballots/46792435

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Florida's election police investigating alleged election crime in Collier County

Feb 22, 2024

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. —

NBC2 has confirmed that Florida's election police are investigating whether an election crime was committed in Collier County.

The investigation comes after Collier County voters last week reported receiving misleading text messages claiming they requested a mail ballot when in fact they did not.

The matter has now caught the attention of Tallahassee. All of this is happening right in the middle of the presidential preference primary as voters are going out and already casting a vote. Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier reports she has turned all of the information she gathered over to the governor's election police.

Shortly after the misleading texts went out, Blazier posted on social media that the political PAC Win America was behind it.

The text made it seem like it came from Naples candidate for Mayor Gary Price, who said DC politics was showing its ugly face in Naples.

“Quite frankly this seems like election fraud,” Blazier told NBC2.

Today she confirmed she's asked the Office of Election Crimes and Security to investigate.

“I ended up packaging up the information and I spoke with the Office of Election Crimes and Security in Tallahassee who advised 'Yes, they would like to investigate,'" Blazier said.

She said the Win America PAC continues sending out misleading text messages about the Price campaign.

She’s concerned that if a local municipal race is creating this much controversy, a national presidential race could become even more contentious.

“I think that's why in the end I decided we should get involved because yes if you look at what is happening now in small municipal election I can only imagine what's going to happen in November,” Blazier said.

Price said the state’s election police have not contacted him but that he would cooperate if they reach out to him.

“I think voters have lost a lot of confidence and that is one of the things I think we need to preserve is that people feel comfortable with their election regardless of the outcome,” Price said.

https://www.nbc-2.com/article/floridas-election-police-investigating-alleged-election-crime-in-collier-county/46913330


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Collier County commissioner Hall caught in election deception -- cites Bible verse as defense

August 10, 2023

https://news.wgcu.org/government-politics/2023-08-10/collier-county-commissioner-hall-caught-in-election-deception-cites-bible-verse-as-defense

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Florida's effort to charge 20 people with voter fraud has hit some roadblocks

December 21, 2022

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/21/1144265521/florida-voter-fraud-cases-prosecution-update

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What Is Florida's 'Big Corruption Scandal'? Trump Tweets About 'Election Fraud' as Governor Rick Scott Files Suit

Nov 09, 2018

https://www.newsweek.com/what-floridas-big-corruption-scandal-trump-tweets-about-election-fraud-1208407

______________


2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_United_States_presidential_election_recount_in_Florida

______________

 

 Global Voter Fraud Investigated - (Author: Michael James Ross)


December 10th, 2016


Globalvoterfraud.blogspot.com

 
______________


Florida Passes Sweeping Bill to Keep Young People Off Social Media

February 23rd, 2024

https://www.allsides.com/news/2024-02-23-1650/business-florida-passes-sweeping-bill-keep-young-people-social-media


______________


Former Hillsborough school official files lawsuit alleging high-level corruption

2017

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/Former-Hillsborough-school-official-files-lawsuit-alleging-high-level-corruption_161814026/


______________


Corruption in Florida Public Schools: A Perverse Disparity of Justice

2014

https://drrichswier.com/2014/04/20/corruption-in-florida-public-schools-a-perverse-disparity-of-justice/

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Deputies today arrested a former Collier County Public Schools  employee after a CCSO investigation found she stole thousands of dollars from an elementary school.

Apr 14, 2023

https://twitter.com/CollierSheriff/status/1646975378202738690


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Congresswoman Corrine Brown And Chief Of Staff Charged With Fraud Scheme Involving Bogus Non-Profit Scholarship Entity

July 8, 2016

Jacksonville, FL – Congresswoman Corrine Brown and her chief of staff were indicted today for their roles in a conspiracy and fraud scheme involving a fraudulent education charity.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/congresswoman-corrine-brown-and-chief-staff-charged-fraud-scheme-involving-bogus-non

______________


Ethics complaint against Collier superintendent involves Mercedes and $18,000. How did it end?

2023

In May, a Naples citizen filed an ethics complaint against Collier County Public Schools Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli. The complaint claimed Ricciardelli violated Florida law by not declaring part of her personal finances. A hearing took place on Oct. 20.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ethics-complaint-against-collier-superintendent-involves-mercedes-and-18-000-how-did-it-end/ar-AA1iLSu8

______________


Detective testifies about evidence against Miami-Dade school board member’s son accused of shooting cop

September 13, 2023

Detective: Evidence includes videos, phone records, and a police officer who recognized the suspect

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/09/13/hearing-to-be-held-for-man-accused-of-shooting-miami-dade-detective/

______________


NBC Airs Two-Part Series on Corrupt Family Courts Putting Kids in Danger

May 14, 2021

https://pjmedia.com/megan-fox/2021/05/14/nbc-airs-two-part-series-on-family-court-corruption-that-puts-kids-in-danger-n1447007

______________


Separating Fact from Fiction on Florida’s Defamation Bills

February 27, 2024

https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/02/separating-fact-from-fiction-on-floridas-defamation-bills/

______________


Ron DeSantis Embodies the Republican Surrender to Antisemitism Once again, the “mainstream” Republican refuses to condemn Jew hatred.

Nov 2023

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/11/ron-desantis-elon-musk-antisemitism-white-nationalism-trump.html

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A Florida bill attacking ‘critical theory’ in higher education has the state’s Jewish academics worried

March 22, 2023

https://www.jta.org/2023/03/22/united-states/a-florida-bill-attacking-critical-theory-in-higher-education-has-the-states-jewish-academics-worried

______________


 Florida budget framework increases Jewish day school security funding 25%

February 8, 2023

Gov. Ron DeSantis has long been a ‘steadfast friend of the Jewish people’ and Israel defender, a spokesman told JNS.

https://www.jns.org/florida-budget-framework-increases-jewish-day-school-security-funding-25/

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DeSantis approves $25M for Florida Jewish day school security

January 30, 2024

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/656115-desantis-approves-25m-for-florida-jewish-day-school-security/

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$45M Appropriated By Legislature To Protect Jewish Institutions In FL

2023

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/dollar45m-appropriated-by-legislature-to-protect-jewish-institutions-in-fl/ar-AA1jCltD

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Florida Jewish leaders push local officials for approval to build Holocaust museum: 'This is your legacy'

January 27, 2024

Advocates demand answers, stress need to educate young people about antisemitism after Oct. 7 terror

https://www.foxnews.com/media/florida-jewish-leaders-push-local-officials-approval-build-holocaust-museum-legacy

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State, Cities Fight Back Against Growing Antisemitism In Florida

May 11, 2023

Florida now ranks fourth in the country for incidences of antisemitism, with 269 incidents in 2022.

https://patch.com/florida/southtampa/state-cities-fight-back-against-growing-antisemitism-florida

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs legislation against antisemitism into law

JUNE 4, 2019

The legislation defines as antisemitism calls for violence against Jews, advancing conspiracy theories about Jewish control and Holocaust denial.

https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/Florida-Gov-Ron-DeSantis-signs-legislation-against-antisemitism-into-law-591517

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Florida rejects Holocaust education textbooks in clampdown on ‘woke’ instruction

May 11, 2023

https://www.jta.org/2023/05/11/united-states/florida-rejects-holocaust-education-textbooks-in-clampdown-on-woke-instruction

______________


David Irving jailed for Holocaust denial

20 Feb 2006

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/feb/20/austria.thefarright

______________


British historian sentenced to 3 years for denying Holocaust

Feb 20, 2006

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/british-historian-sentenced-to-3-years-for-denying-holocaust-1.601100

______________


Holocaust Deniers Sent to Prison

July 01, 2007

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2007/holocaust-deniers-sent-prison

______________


Holocaust Investigation Marathon 1 - Michael Ross speaks

2019

https://archive.org/details/HolocaustInvestigationMarathon1

______________


Antisemitism in the Soviet Union

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism_in_the_Soviet_Union

______________


Category: Jewish communists

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Jewish_communists

______________


Jewish Bolshevism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Bolshevism

Jewish Bolshevism, also Judeo–Bolshevism, is an antisemitic conspiracy theory that claims that the Russian Revolution of 1917 was a Jewish plot and that Jews controlled the Soviet Union and international communist movements, often in furtherance of a plan to destroy Western civilization. It was one of the main Nazi beliefs that served as an ideological justification for the German invasion of the Soviet Union and the Holocaust.

After the Russian Revolution, the antisemitic canard was the title of the pamphlet The Jewish Bolshevism, which featured in the racist propaganda of the anti-communist White movement forces during the Russian Civil War (1918–1922). During the 1930s, the Nazi Party in Germany and the German American Bund in the United States propagated the antisemitic theory to their followers, sympathisers, and fellow travellers.

______________


DeSantis invites Jewish students fearing antisemitism to Florida universities

1-09-2024

The governor proposes waiving application deadlines and credit requirements and an emergency order is issued.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/01/09/desantis-invites-jewish-students-florida-universities/

______________


Antisemitism in Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism_in_Florida

______________


Major Jewish population centers worldwide saw hate crimes skyrocket in 2021

May 6, 2022

https://www.heritagefl.com/story/2022/05/06/news/major-jewish-population-centers-worldwide-saw-hate-crimes-skyrocket-in-2021/16597.html

______________


Florida Jewish leaders react to budget funding to combat antisemitism

Dec 5, 2023

https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-jewish-leaders-budget-funding-antisemitism/46045117

______________


Antisemitism rises among Hispanic Miami’s right wing

April 27, 2021

https://forward.com/news/468551/antisemitism-rises-among-hispanic-miamis-right-wing/

______________


Miami Is America's Second Most Jewish City, in Case You Needed Proof

December 2, 2010

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-is-americas-second-most-jewish-city-in-case-you-needed-proof-6539777

______________


JEWISH POPULATION GROWING STUDY FINDS 38% RISE IN PAST SEVEN YEARS

1987

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1987/10/08/jewish-population-growing-study-finds-38-rise-in-past-seven-years/

______________


The Florida-Israel connection: How the state cultivates its Jewish ties

Oct. 20, 2023

With booming trade and staunch political support, Gov. Ron DeSantis calls Florida “the most pro-Israel state.”

https://www.tampabay.com/news/2023/10/20/florida-israel-connection-how-state-cultivates-its-jewish-ties/

______________


This map shows the 20 congressional districts with the most Jews

September 10, 2020

https://www.jta.org/2020/09/10/united-states/this-map-shows-the-20-congressional-districts-with-the-most-jews

______________


History of the Jews in South Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_South_Florida

______________


Florida: It’s not just for old Jews anymore

By Uriel Heilman February 11, 2014

https://www.jta.org/2014/02/11/united-states/florida-its-not-just-for-old-jews-anymore

______________


From 'highly offensive' to 'he's not wrong,' GOP senators respond to Trump's remarks about Jewish voters

March 19, 2024

Trump invoked a dual loyalty trope this week when he said that "any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion" and "hates" Israel.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-respond-trumps-remarks-jewish-voters-rcna144181

______________


For Biden, Jewish voter turnout is key in Florida as race with Trump tightens

October 23, 2020

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article246648813.html

______________


A Florida Dem engaging with Cuba is a ‘communist,’ but a Republican doing same becomes Speaker | Opinion

September 19, 2023

https://news.yahoo.com/florida-dem-engaging-cuba-communist-195329020.html

______________


History of the Jews in Cuba

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Cuba

Jewish Cubans, Cuban Jews, or Cubans of Jewish heritage, have lived in the nation of Cuba for centuries. Some Cubans trace Jewish ancestry to Marranos (forced converts to Christianity) who came as colonists, though few of these practice Judaism today. The majority of Cuban Jews are descended from European Jews who immigrated in the early 20th century. More than 24,000 Jews lived in Cuba in 1924, and still more immigrated to the country in the 1930s. Following the 1959 communist revolution, 94% of the country's Jews emigrated, most of them to the United States. In 2007 an estimated 1,500 known Jewish Cubans remained in the country, overwhelmingly located in Havana. Several hundred have since immigrated to Israel. Considered one of the most important Latin American Jewish sites, Beth Shalom Temple is the epicenter for current Jewish life in Cuba and still conducts weekly Shabbat services.

In addition to the descendants of Cuban Jews living in the United States, there is also a significant population which claims descent from non-Cuban Jews and from Cuban gentiles.

______________


Fury as Miami reveal Africa themed police car for Black History Month

03 February 2023

The mayor said the cruiser was a ‘beautiful collaboration’ between the department and Black History Month, but others were not as receptive

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/miami-police-car-black-history-month-b2275551.html

______________


A Black History Month-themed police car in Miami draws criticism

February 4, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/04/1154266889/a-black-history-month-themed-police-car-in-miami-draws-criticism

______________

 

 
Collier County Sheriff’s Office claims undocumented felons are moving to the area

2021

https://www.nbc-2.com/article/collier-county-sheriffs-office-claims-undocumented-felons-are-moving-to-the-area/46739655

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4,100 immigrants in Lee & Collier counties have ICE court cases

2017

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/investigations/melanie-payne/2017/08/08/more-than-4-000-southwest-florida-immigrants-face-deportation/548823001/


______________


Profile of the Unauthorized Population: Collier County, FL

https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/county/12021

______________


Profile of the Unauthorized Population: Florida

Unauthorized Population: 772,000

https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/FL

______________


Florida's new immigration law creates 'panic' in agriculture community

May 12, 2023

Law could have wide-ranging impact on industries vital to state's economy

https://www.wptv.com/news/palm-beach-county/floridas-new-immigration-law-creates-panic-in-agriculture-community

______________


DeSantis signs bills that he says will keep immigrants living in the US illegally from Florida

March 15, 2024

https://wtop.com/national/2024/03/desantis-signs-bills-that-he-says-will-keep-immigrants-living-in-the-us-illegally-from-florida/

______________


Sales are way down at a Florida flea market. A new immigration law could be to blame.

AUGUST 2, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/02/1191297764/florida-immigration-law-desantis-economy-politics-civil-rights

______________


'Immigrants leaving Florida in fear': New immigration law sparks exodus of workers


Jun 30, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dfDioh9UFY

______________


Race and crime in the United States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_crime_in_the_United_States

Hispanics

According to a 2009 report by the Pew Hispanic Center, in 2007 Latinos "accounted for 40% of all sentenced federal offenders ‒ more than triple their share (13%) of the total U.S. adult population". This was an increase from 24% in 1991. Between 1991 and 2007, enforcement of federal immigration laws became a growing priority in response to undocumented immigration. By 2007, among Hispanic offenders sentenced in federal courts, 48% were immigration offenses, 37% drug offenses, and 15% for other offenses. One reason for the large increase in immigration offenses is that they exclusively fall under federal jurisdiction.

______________


Hispanics and Latinos in Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanics_and_Latinos_in_Florida

_______________


Historic wave of Cuban migrants will have a lasting impact on Florida

Dec. 16, 2022

An exodus of over 220,000 Cubans have come through the U.S.-Mexico border in the last fiscal year. Over 6,000 more were interdicted at sea in 2021.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/historic-wave-cuban-migrants-florida-impact-lasting-rcna61989

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Cuban migrants flow into Florida Keys, overwhelm officials

January 4, 2023

https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-cuba-florida-875b5ffd18563c479543ed77fffe77dd

_______________


Cuban Migration to Florida at Its Highest Since Obama Administration

Jun 21, 2021

https://www.newsweek.com/cuban-migration-florida-its-highest-since-obama-administration-1602788

_______________


Communist regime in Cuba is not ‘accidentally’ authoritarian; it is ‘intentionally totalitarian’ | Opinion

July 27, 2023

https://news.yahoo.com/communist-regime-cuba-not-accidentally-163153712.html

_______________


The Cuban Missile Crisis at 50: America and Cuba Still Frozen in 1962

Oct. 17, 2012

Raúl Castro's decision this week to let Cubans travel freely outside their communist island is a reminder of the jaded cold-war policies Washington and Havana adopted after the 1962 U.S.-Soviet standoff

https://world.time.com/2012/10/17/the-cuban-missile-crisis-at-50-america-and-cuba-still-frozen-in-1962/


_______________


Cuban missile crisis

international incident [1962]

https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-missile-crisis


_______________


Kennedy and Cuba: Operation Mongoose

https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/cuba/2019-10-03/kennedy-cuba-operation-mongoose

_______________


White House says it will not tolerate Cuba's efforts to influence US elections

2023

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/white-house-says-it-will-not-tolerate-cuba-s-efforts-to-influence-us-elections/ar-AA1lOCjk


_______________


How Fidel Castro’s revolution remade South Florida

2016

https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-castro-florida-20161127-story.html

______________


Chinese Communism is Alive and Well in Our Government

March 26, 2024

https://www.citizensjournal.net/chinese-communism-is-alive-and-well-in-our-government/

______________


How Cubans Transformed Florida Politics and Gained National Influence

December 2014

https://academic.oup.com/florida-scholarship-online/book/19578/chapter-abstract/178313632?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false

_______________


Florida bill that would require schools to teach history of communism spurs debate

Feb 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/florida-bill-that-would-require-schools-to-teach-history-of-communism-spurs-debate/ar-BB1iicMg

_______________


 Florida bill to teach kindergarteners about threats of communism gets Senate approval

Feb 21 2024

Bill sponsor Jay Collins, R-Tampa, and other supporters have warned that young people are increasingly viewing communism in a positive light

https://www.cltampa.com/news/florida-bill-to-teach-kindergarteners-about-threats-of-communism-gets-senate-approval-17304373

_______________


DeSantis Kicking China, Cuba and Others Out of Florida Universities

March 1, 2024

https://anticommunist.zone/desantis-kicking-china-cuba-and-others-out-of-florida-universities/

_______________


DeSantis' latest anti-communist campaign targets Florida schools linked to Chinese firms

2023

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/09/25/desantis-suspends-school-funds-chinese-communist-party-allegations/70960346007/

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DeSantis bans ‘Chinese agents’, citizens of other ‘countries of concern’ from buying real estate in Florida

2023

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/desantis-bans-chinese-agents-citizens-of-other-countries-of-concern-from-buying-real-estate-in-florida/ar-AA1aUOvb

_______________


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Blames COVID on Chinese Communist Party, Signs Bills Thwarting Chinese Influence in Schools

Jun 07, 2021

https://www.newsweek.com/florida-gov-ron-desantis-blames-covid-chinese-communist-party-signs-bills-thwarting-chinese-1598214

_______________


Governor Ron DeSantis Declares First Annual Victims of Communism Day

November 7, 2022

https://www.flgov.com/2022/11/07/governor-ron-desantis-declares-first-annual-victims-of-communism-day/

_______________


The United States' concerns over China's activities in Cuba

June 21, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/06/21/1183578300/the-united-states-concerns-over-chinas-activities-in-cuba

_______________


Chinese spies in Cuba? The problem runs deeper than that.

June 16, 2023

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/06/chinese-spies-in-cuba-problem-runs-deeper-than-that/

_______________


China, Russia, Iran and Cuba all tried to meddle in 2022 US congressional elections, intelligence assessment finds

December 18, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/18/politics/china-russia-iran-cuba-2022-midterm-election-meddling/index.html

_______________


Russian mob eclipses Italian Mafia in South Florida, FBI says

June 1, 2011

https://boulderweekly.com/news/russian-mob-eclipses-italian-mafia-in-south-florida-fbi-says/

______________


Russian mob influence growing in South Florida, FBI says

2011

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2011/06/01/russian-mob-influence-growing-in/7325405007/


______________


Inside Florida's 'Little Moscow,' where Russian money flows thanks to 'rich daddies' snapping up real estate

Mar 6, 2022

https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-little-moscow-sunny-isles-miami-russian-money-real-estate-2022-3?op=1

 

______________ 

 

Florida's worst spies: Espionage comes to the Sunshine State

June 16, 2017

https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/floridas-worst-spies-espionage-comes-to-the-sunshine-state/2327447/


______________



Local officials will no longer be able to investigate police misconduct under proposal

January 5, 2024

MIAMI - Civilians charged with investigating police misconduct could lose that power under a bill proposed in the Florida Legislature. If passed, the bill also bans municipalities from passing measures to handle officer conduct.

The proposal has critics that include Ursula Price, Director of the Miami-Dade Independent Civilian Panel, which oversees investigations of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/local-officials-will-no-longer-be-able-to-investigate-police-misconduct-under-proposal/


______________

 

Another record year for press-freedom violations in the US

January 12, 2022

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/2021-press-freedom-prior-restraint-arrests.php

_______________


A record number of journalists are in prison right now, according to press freedom report

December 16, 2021

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/09/media/journalists-imprisoned-cpj-census/index.html

______________

 

{We accuse the Biden Administration of this illegal arrest of Michael Ross from PollutionScience.com, this was in order to silence journalist Michael Ross}. 

 

______________

 

July 1st, 2020 - A Joe Biden Investigation 2020 -  (7-1-2020) - (Joe Biden, Barack Obama & Beto O'Rourke) - (Author: Michael Ross)

https://bidenreport.blogspot.com

______________


Hollywood officers charged in FBI sting

2007

FORT LAUDERDALE -- A two-year FBI sting operation into corruption in the Hollywood Police Department has resulted in federal charges against four veteran officers who allegedly protected what they thought were mob shipments of drugs as well as stolen art, diamonds and watches.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2007/02/24/hollywood-officers-charged-in-fbi-sting/28531010007/

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The Dirtiest Cops In America; Brevard County Sheriffs Take 1st Place

Brevard Counties Sheriffs Department... Police Corruption Is Not Just Accepted, It's Mandatory.

"Brevard County come on vacation, leave on probation..."

It's sad to say that these are police stationed in our great nation, the Brevard County Sheriffs Office is without a doubt a disgrace, not only to every other American police department but also to the United States of America entirely. Which is why I've decided to bring their unjustified, unconstitutional behavior to light. So that the rest of the country can be made aware of the mockery that they are making of upholding the law. Here the Sheriff is a celebrity, criminal justice is a game show, and even the pettiest of criminals are treated like they are enemy forces of a rival country instead of the American citizens they truly are. This county fuels its economy by ripping apart one family after another and destroying the lives of countless individuals. Too many lives to count in fact, all ruined by the most pathetic interpretation of criminal justice modern America has ever had to witness. It's time for this Sheriffs department to finally be held accountable for their actions, so that, maybe one day, they'll no longer be one of the most corrupt police departments in the country...

https://vocal.media/criminal/the-dirtiest-cops-in-america-brevard-county-sheriffs-take-1st-place


______________


Operation Florida: The Insanely Corrupt Police That Were Running the Drug Trade

May 20, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzl2bR03Nhk

______________


Drug Related Police Corruption: The Miami Experience (From Police Misconduct: A Reader for the 21st Century

Annotation

In the late 1980's, nearly 10 percent of the entire Miami Police Department (Florida) was suspended or fired after a drug-related scandal; this paper explores the events that led up to this corruption scandal, and lessons are drawn for other police agencies.

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/drug-related-police-corruption-miami-experience-police-misconduct


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Ranking Miami-Dade's Most Corrupt Cities

2018

Opa-locka

Opa-locka is so crooked its own residents tried to wipe it off the map. Last August, a few local activists were so tired of fighting graft that they actually started a petition to dissolve the town. "Once you're tapped out, you're tapped out," said Willis Howard, one of the locals who mounted the charge. "The city revenues are tapped out, there's no leadership, and in this case, you can't even file bankruptcy to restructure your assets, because there's nothing for you to restructure."

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-dades-most-corrupt-cities-ranked-10533469

______________



Undercover sting busts Miami cop shaking down suspects for money, drugs, feds say

November 17, 2023

MIAMI – Federal agents arrested an officer with the Miami Police Department after he was caught in a sting trying to extort suspects for cash and drugs, officials with the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday.

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/11/17/undercover-sting-busts-miami-cop-shaking-down-suspects-for-money-drugs-feds-say/

______________


Culture of corruption in Biscayne Park Police way worse than I imagined

2019

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article226890009.html


______________


The Mess Left Behind by Dirty Cops

https://www.biscaynetimes.com/news/the-mess-left-behind-by-dirty-cops/

______________


Florida’s new database on cops with bad records has holes, reform advocates say

2022

The new database doesn’t include citizen complaints, only goes back a decade, and for an officer to make the list, he or she must have a felony criminal conviction or have been found guilty of a moral character violation.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/07/28/florida-new-database-on-cops-with-bad-records-has-holes-reform-advocates-say/

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Florida police organization offers to hire cops who were fired or resigned over police misconduct

2020

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/08/us/brevard-county-florida-police-union-misconduct-trnd/index.html

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Problem police officers don't just go away, studies find. They get hired somewhere else.

2021

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2021/04/28/florida-disciplined-police-decertification-use-of-force-rehired/4876622001/

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Florida gave thousands of tarnished officers a second chance. Hundreds blew it again.

2021

https://www.naplesnews.com/in-depth/news/crime/2020/12/29/hundreds-florida-officers-given-second-chance-blew-again/3764571001/

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‘Florida’s Worst Cop’ Was Just Fired for Misconduct—for the Seventh Time

2021

https://news.yahoo.com/florida-worst-cop-just-fired-171631570.html


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Former Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo sues city, claiming he was fired for being whistleblower

January 20, 2022

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/20/us/art-acevedo-lawsuit-miami-whistleblower/index.html

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‘It never stops’: killings by US police reach record high in 2022

2023

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/06/us-police-killings-record-number-2022

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Shooting of Miami-Dade detective related to probe into corruption at jails, source says

March 13, 2023

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/03/13/shooting-of-miami-dade-detective-related-to-probe-into-corruption-at-jails-sourc-says/

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How Cops Who Use Force and Even Kill Can Hide Their Names From the Public

2020

https://www.propublica.org/article/how-cops-who-use-force-and-even-kill-can-hide-their-names-from-the-public

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Sheriff who can’t carry a gun? Felon runs to become Florida county’s top cop

2023

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/647246-sheriff-who-cant-carry-a-gun-felon-runs-to-become-florida-countys-top-cop/


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Former Tampa Police Corporal Pleads Guilty To Public Corruption Charges

2015

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/former-tampa-police-corporal-pleads-guilty-public-corruption-charges

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Editorial: Toughen Florida law to put kibosh on careers of bad cops

2021

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/editorials/2021/01/27/editorial-toughen-florida-law-prevent-bad-cops-being-rehired-elsewhere/4257403001/

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How Do Bad Cops Stay in Power? Just Look at Miami.

2021

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/10/22/javier-ortiz-florida-police-misconduct-protections-516231

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Rotten to the Core: Your One-Stop Shop for Hollywood Police Corruption

2009

https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/rotten-to-the-core-your-one-stop-shop-for-hollywood-police-corruption-6448495

______________


Report: Miami cops cleared their own

2002

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/03/18/report-miami-cops-cleared-their-own/

______________


Problem cops: State notes sharp rise in disciplined officers

2011

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/crime/2011/03/29/problem-cops-state-notes-sharp/7587825007/

______________


Florida Police Deputies Charged With Stealing Nearly A Half Million Dollars In Covid Funds

2023

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2023/10/16/florida-police-deputies-charged-with-stealing-nearly-a-half-million-dollars-in-covid-funds/?sh=23180dcb251c

______________


Ex-BSO lieutenant pleads guilty to fleecing hundreds of thousands from COVID loan program

March 2024

A former Broward Sheriff’s Office lieutenant on Wednesday joined a long list of BSO employees who have pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from a U.S. government-funded loan program meant to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ernest Bernard Gonder Jr. admitted in Miami federal court that he fleeced more than $167,000 from the federal Paycheck Protection Program — much more than 17 other BSO employees who were arrested in October on charges of stealing tens of thousands of dollars each from the same program.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/ex-bso-lieutenant-pleads-guilty-to-fleecing-hundreds-of-thousands-from-covid-loan-program/ar-BB1jselP

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Former Florida State Representative Sentenced To Federal Prison For Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, And Making False Statements In Connection With COVID-19 Relief Fraud

October 19, 2023

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/former-florida-state-representative-sentenced-federal-prison-wire-fraud-money

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’50 to 70′ BSO employees accused in PPP loan fraud case, Florida Bulldog reports

October 11, 2023

https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/50-to-70-bso-employees-accused-in-ppp-loan-fraud-case-florida-bulldog-reports/

______________


'We Hate Corrupt And Dirty Cops, Abusive Cops', Broward Police Chiefs Lay Out Action Plan

2020

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/broward-police-chiefs-lay-out-action-plan/

______________


Judges side with public corruption probe into cops at tony Florida town of Golden Beach

2019

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article226256050.html

______________


Dozens of South Florida Officers Charged in Past 5 Years Following Use of Force Allegations

September 12, 2022

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/dozens-of-south-florida-officers-charged-in-past-5-years-following-use-of-force-allegations/2856383/

______________


POLICE BRUTALITY. BLUELINE OF CORRUPTION IN FLORIDA

https://www.facebook.com/groups/586656768547265/

______________

 

Veterans, police officers fighting City of Naples for benefits they say they’re owed

December 6, 2021

https://winknews.com/2021/12/06/veterans-police-officers-suing-city-of-naples-for-benefits-they-say-theyre-owe/ 


______________


Former MDPD Police Officer, Former Public Service Aide, and Two Tow Truck Drivers Arrested in Illegal Bribery and Kickback Scheme


2015

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/miami/news/press-releases/former-mdpd-police-officer-former-public-service-aide-and-two-tow-truck-drivers-arrested-in-illegal-bribery-and-kickback-scheme

______________


Police officer Karl Waldon and a band of thugs terrorized, stole and killed for money; then they were brought to justice

2021

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2021/03/18/terror-blue-police-officer-karl-waldon-and-band-thugs-terrorized-stole-and-killed-money-then-they-we/4732730001/

______________


 The authors of an ugly story about cops-turned-robbers discuss why police seem to be at war with citizens

‘I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Corrupt Police Squad.’

2020

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/how-americas-most-corrupt-police-squad-27912687

______________


Local Police in Florida Acting Like They’re the CIA (But They’re Not)

2014

https://www.aclufl.org/en/news/local-police-florida-acting-theyre-cia-theyre-not

______________


BSO Employee Faces Fraud Charges, Including Buying Miami-Dade County Resident SSN For $200

2022

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/bso-tech-accused-of-fraud/

______________


Florida city manager charged in $3.4M corruption scheme

2021

TAMARAC, Fla. (AP) — The manager of a South Florida city has been charged in a corruption scheme involving the attempted extortion of $3.4 million from an investment company.

Tamarac City Manager Michael Cernech was charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering with two developers by allegedly trying to extort the money from 13th Floor Investments.

https://apnews.com/article/business-florida-f8734f0442d4b89c3a1ae9b51727ce7b

______________


Miami city commissioner charged with bribery and money laundering

2023

MIAMI (AP) — A city of Miami commissioner accused of bribery and money laundering was arrested Thursday on multiple corruption charges, officials said.

https://apnews.com/article/miami-commissioner-money-laundering-florida-04dc202faede26bf85fb8a4ac17544d0

______________


Florida official sentence to 5 years in corruption case

2021

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A former city commissioner who once ran the Florida Democratic Party was sentenced to five years in federal prison for taking money from Uber and undercover FBI agents in exchange for his influence.

Former Tallahassee Commissioner Scott Maddox pleaded guilty in 2019 to wire fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. The sentencing was delayed while Maddox and co-defendant Paige Carter-Smith cooperated with investigators in the prosecution of a local developer.

https://www.cbs17.com/news/florida-official-sentence-to-5-years-in-corruption-case/

______________


New indictment alleges Lynn Haven corruption began years before Hurricane Michael

2021

LYNN HAVEN, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - An indictment handed down this week by federal investigators is alleging years of fraud by the former Lynn Haven mayor and a local businessman. Past indictments detailed corruption charges that started after Hurricane Michael, but this week’s indictment shows a pattern of corruption that began in 2015.

https://www.wjhg.com/2021/11/19/new-indictment-alleges-lynn-haven-corruption-began-years-before-hurricane-michael/


______________


Longtime Florida Congresswoman Sentenced to 5-Year Prison Term for Corruption

December 4, 2017

In 1992, Corrine Brown of Jacksonville, Fla., was the first African American from that state to be elected to Congress since Reconstruction. She served 12 terms until this January, when she lost the 2016 Democratic primary because of both corruption charges and gerrymandering of her 5th Congressional District.

On Monday, a federal judge sentenced Brown to five years in federal prison after she was convicted in May on 18 corruption charges ranging from mail fraud to filing a false federal tax return in relation to her One Door for Education charity, which prosecutors allege she used as a personal “slush fund” for herself and her associates.

https://www.theroot.com/longtime-florida-congresswoman-sentenced-to-5-year-pris-1820990592

______________


Documents detailing FBI Investigation in alleged public corruption resealed

2022

https://www.wjhg.com/2022/08/17/documents-detailing-fbi-investigation-alleged-public-corruption-resealed/

______________


Arrests of 3 Mayors Reinforce Florida’s Notoriety as a Hothouse for Corruption

2013

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/us/arrests-of-3-mayors-reinforce-floridas-notoriety-as-a-hothouse-for-corruption.html

______________


Critics question proposed ban on Florida Bar investigating sitting constitutional officers

2021

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2021/10/16/critics-question-proposed-ban-on-florida-bar-investigating-sitting-constitutional-officers/

______________


Is the city of Tallahassee the most corrupt in Florida as President Trump said?

2018

https://www.politifact.com/article/2018/oct/31/city-tallahassee-most-corrupt-florida-president-tr/

______________


Prosecutor vows to go after corruption in Tallahassee and north Florida

2019

TALLAHASSEE — A federal prosecutor warned a long-running probe that resulted in criminal charges against the former head of the state Democratic Party and hung over the campaign of Andrew Gillum is just the start of a sustained effort to go after corruption in north Florida...

https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2019/08/06/prosecutor-vows-to-go-after-corruption-in-tallahassee-and-north-florida-1132144

______________


Florida Democrat removed from office, faces corruption charges following FBI sting

January 27, 2018

A Florida mayor was removed from office Friday after she was arrested and charged with three felony corruption charges.

Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order suspending Joy Cooper, the 57-year-old mayor of Hallandale Beach, a city just north of Miami, after she was accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions through former attorney Alan Koslow.

Cooper surrender to authorities on Thursday following an undercover FBI investigation. She was charged with money laundering, official misconduct and exceeding campaign contribution limits, the Sun Sentinel reported.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-democrat-removed-from-office-faces-corruption-charges-following-fbi-sting

______________


Florida’s former Democratic leader sentenced to 5 years in corruption case

2021

Former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox, who once ran the Florida Democratic Party, pleaded guilty in 2019 to wire fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/09/09/floridas-former-democratic-leader-sentenced-to-5-years-in-corruption-case/


______________


Ghost candidates, dark money and a 'winning formula': Florida corruption case linked to Republican insiders

2021

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/state/2021/07/30/florida-ghost-candidate-election-corruption-frank-artiles-republican-lawmakers-third-party/5391308001/

_____________


Public corruption investigation links prominent Republicans across Florida

2021

https://www.rawstory.com/florida-republican-corruption-spreads/


______________


Legacy of Corruption: GEO Buys Off the Florida Political Establishment

March 15, 2011

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s unsettling history of extremely close ties to private prison operator GEO Group and the possible federal investigation into Florida’s private prison giveaway of more than $120 million

Newly minted U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was sworn in on January 5, 2011 with unfinished business back home.

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2011/mar/15/legacy-of-corruption-geo-buys-off-the-florida-political-establishment/

______________


Florida prisons riddled with corruption, staffers tell senators – Miami Herald

Mar 17, 2024

https://corruptionbuzz.com/2024/03/17/florida-prisons-riddled-with-corruption-staffers-tell-senators-miami-herald/

______________


Justice Department watchdog finds alarming conditions inside Florida federal prison

November 9, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/09/1211823240/justice-department-watchdog-finds-alarming-conditions-inside-florida-federal-pri

______________


Florida prisons didn’t like ‘demanding’ watchdog. Now he’s gone.

Sept. 30, 2020

Inspector General Lester Fernandez, on the job since June 6, 2016, had rubbed people in high-ranking positions, like the head of Florida’s Department of Corrections, the wrong way. He was replaced Tuesday.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2020/09/30/florida-prisons-didnt-like-demanding-watchdog-now-hes-gone/

______________


Whistleblower correctional officer paid the price for reporting abuse

CO: “I knew once I did the right thing, and I stepped forward...my career would be over”

July 19, 2015

https://www.corrections1.com/corrections/articles/whistleblower-correctional-officer-paid-the-price-for-reporting-abuse-IPvbKfHs0ZnSAeXn/

______________


Prison death renews scrutiny on warden demoted after guard's slaying

2014

https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/prison-death-renews-scrutiny-on-warden-demoted-after-guards-slaying/2184581/

______________


Violence, Abuse, and Death at For-Profit Prisons: A GEO Group Rap Sheet

September 26, 2013

https://prwatch.org/news/2013/09/12255/violence-abuse-and-death-profit-prisons-geo-group-rap-sheet

______________


Florida prison chief disagrees with feds on abuse report

1-14-2021

For at least a decade, women at the prison have complained that officers tramp through their dorms and showers and grope, rape and threaten to beat and even kill them if they don’t comply with their sexual demands.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/01/14/florida-prison-chief-disagrees-with-feds-on-abuse-report/

______________


Ex-Florida prison boss: Drunken orgies tainted system

2008

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (CNN) -- Softball, drunken orgies and a prison system run like the mafia. That's what Florida's former prison secretary says he inherited when he took over one of the nation's largest prison systems two years ago.

https://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/02/11/prison.boss/index.html

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Florida lawmakers didn’t fix prisons. They may wish they had | Opinion

March 2024

It’s not easy to muster public sympathy or political support for a purpose linked to a group that includes murderers, rapists and child molesters. So the 2024 Legislature’s refusal to adequately address festering problems within the state’s massive prison system was not a total surprise.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/florida-lawmakers-didn-t-fix-prisons-they-may-wish-they-had-opinion/ar-BB1k00sw

______________


At Least 35 Florida DOC Employees and Contractors Arrested in Just Over a Year

April 28, 2022

An examination of Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) employee and contractor arrests from March 2021 to April 2022 revealed that 18 were charged with introducing contraband, and another 10 were charged with assaulting prisoners. Six more were charged with having illicit relationships with prisoners under their...

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2022/apr/28/least-35-florida-doc-employees-and-contractors-arrested-just-over-year/


______________


Bartered sex, corruption and cover-ups behind bars in nation’s largest women’s prison

2015

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article49175685.html#storylink=cpy

______________


Corruption, abuse and more inside the nation's largest women's prison (w/video)

Dec. 14, 2015

https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/corruption-abuse-and-more-inside-the-nations-largest-womens-prison-wvideo/2257644/

______________

 

 

Paging Ron DeSantis: Journalist Faces 20 Years in Prison for Investigating Corruption at Fla. Women's Shelter

May 05, 2021

https://pjmedia.com/megan-fox/2021/05/05/paging-ron-desantis-journalist-faces-20-years-in-prison-for-investigating-corruption-at-fla-womens-shelter-n1444723

 

______________


From retaliation to torture in a Florida prison unfit for habitation

February 28, 2018

https://sfbayview.com/2018/02/from-retaliation-to-torture-in-a-florida-prison-unfit-for-habitation/

______________


Florida's unsafe prisons


Adequate funding would protect inmates, officers and the public

2015

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/opinion/2015/02/04/floridas-unsafe-prisons/29296705007/

______________


Misconduct in Federal Prisons Is Tolerated or Ignored, Congressional Report Says

Jan. 4, 2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/04/us/prison-misconduct-congressional-study.html

______________


Senate launches group to examine reports of corruption and abuse in federal prisons

 Feb 17, 2022

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/senate-launches-group-to-examine-reports-of-corruption-and-abuse-in-federal-prisons

______________


After report outlines private prison problems, lawmakers demand fixes

Feb 17, 2023

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/17/florida-private-prisons-report-shows-pattern-of-failed-oversight-and-compliance/69910767007/


______________


A report spells out dire conditions in Florida's prison system

November 16, 2023

https://www.wlrn.org/law-justice/2023-11-16/a-report-spells-out-dire-conditions-in-floridas-prison-system

______________


The Florida prison system is a corrupt dysfunctional mess

November 20, 2014

https://www.sfltimes.com/opinion/the-florida-prison-system-is-a-corrupt-dysfunctional-mess

______________


Prison inspectors: Corruption rampant in Florida system

March 10, 2015

https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/prison-inspectors-corruption-rampant-in-florida-system/2220754/


______________


The 8 Worst Prisons in Florida

https://journeyz.co/worst-prisons-in-florida/

______________


What's Wrong With Florida's Prisons?

Oct. 17, 2007

https://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1672366,00.html

______________


Banned behind bars: 20,000 books can't be read by Florida inmates; the list may surprise you

2019

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/09/banned-behind-bars-20-000-books-cant-read-florida-inmates/1934468001/

______________


Statement on Florida DOC's banned books list and prison censorship

July 16, 2019.

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/in-the-news/2019/statement-florida-banned-books-list-and-prison-censorship/

______________


Lawsuit alleges Florida Department of Corrections impounded publications that inform inmates of their rights

Aug. 18, 2021

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/in-the-news/2021/lawsuit-alleges-florida-department-corrections-impounded-publications-inform-inmates-their-rights/

______________


Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Florida Department of Corrections For Unlawfully Confiscating Millions of Dollars of Digital Music and Books

February 19, 2019

https://fji.law/our-work/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against-florida-department-of-corrections-for-unlawfully-confiscating-millions-of-dollars-of-digital-music-and-books/


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Will Lawsuits and Exposés Lead to Reform of Florida’s Brutal Prisons?

Feb. 2, 2016

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2016/feb/2/will-lawsuits-and-exposes-lead-reform-floridas-brutal-prisons/

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Hundreds of Inmates Riot at Florida Prison

September 28, 2016

A nationwide prison strike planned Friday has Florida’s jails and state prisons on high alert through the weekend, bracing for possible upheavals by inmates protesting what they say is inhumane and violent treatment.

https://incarceratedworkers.org/news/hundreds-inmates-riot-florida-prison

______________


Frorida Prisons — all of them — on lockdown

2017

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article167756842.html

______________


Protestors Block Access to Private Prison Company's South Florida Headquarters

2019

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article237995029.html

______________


Senators told about corruption in Florida prison system

March 10, 2015

https://winknews.com/2015/03/10/senators-told-about-corruption-in-florida-prison-system/

______________


Florida lawmakers won't hear bills to improve state prison conditions this session

'What's really sad is that I follow these (bills) every year – and they always die,' one advocate said.

March 1, 2024

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/01/bills-to-improve-florida-prison-conditions-likely-dead-this-session/72595958007/

______________


How for-profit prisons have become the biggest lobby no one is talking about

April 28, 2015

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/28/how-for-profit-prisons-have-become-the-biggest-lobby-no-one-is-talking-about/

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As other states ban unpaid 'slave' prison labor, lawmakers drop plans to tackle issue in Florida

March 8, 2023

https://www.wuwf.org/florida-news/2023-03-08/as-other-states-ban-unpaid-slave-prison-labor-lawmakers-drop-plans-to-tackle-issue-in-florida

______________


Florida Provides Lesson in How Not to Privatize State Prisons


Feb. 15, 2012

When Florida lawmakers used a backdoor approach to try to privatize almost 30 state detention facilities in 2011, they likely did not anticipate the outcome. By the time the political dust had settled, the union representing prison employees had successfully sued to stop the privatization plan...

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2012/feb/15/florida-provides-lesson-in-how-not-to-privatize-state-prisons/


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Florida's Bloated Prison System Will Cost Billions To Maintain

    11.17.2023

Florida's mandatory minimum sentences created a large, elderly prison population. Now the bill is coming due.

https://reason.com/2023/11/17/floridas-bloated-prison-system-will-cost-billions-to-maintain/

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Lawmakers hear report that says path of Florida’s prison system is ‘unsustainable’

November 15, 2023

Urges $582 million for air-conditioning, a provision questioned by one GOP senator

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/11/15/lawmakers-hear-report-that-says-path-of-floridas-prison-system-is-unsustainable/

______________


The private prison industry in FL is now changing; the state is taking more control

October 18, 2023

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/10/18/the-private-prison-industry-in-fl-is-now-changing-the-state-is-taking-more-control/

______________


Director of Florida's Private Prison Commisssion Resigns, Fined $10,000 for Ethics Violations

Oct. 15, 2003

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2003/oct/15/director-of-floridas-private-prison-commisssion-resigns-fined-10000-for-ethics-violations/

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Private prisons aren’t the villain. The entire system needs reform | Opinion

2021

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2021/02/24/private-prisons-arent-the-villain-the-entire-system-needs-reform-opinion/

_____________


Florida prison privatization stalls in legislature

February 7, 2012

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-prisons-florida-idUKTRE8162A220120207/

______________


Private Prison Companies Bilk Florida Taxpayers Out of Millions

June 15, 2007

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2007/jun/15/private-prison-companies-bilk-florida-taxpayers-out-of-millions/

______________


Prison Privatization: Bad for Florida, Bad for Taxpayers

https://www.inthepublicinterest.org/wp-content/uploads/floridaprivateprisonsfactsheet42111.pdf

______________


Florida Prisons and Jails Retaliate Against Prisoners Who File Lawsuits by Countersuing for Costs of Incarceration

July 2, 2019

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2019/jul/2/florida-prisons-and-jails-retaliate-against-prisoners-who-file-lawsuits-countersuing-costs-incarceration/

______________


Arrests of Federal Prison Guards Soar 90% Over Past Decade; Misconduct Cases Double

Sept. 15, 2012

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2012/sep/15/arrests-of-federal-prison-guards-soar-90-over-past-decade-misconduct-cases-double/


______________


Florida Prison Boss Fires 32 Over Inmate Deaths

2014

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article2176191.html

______________


Florida Prisons Face Ongoing Staff Shortages Due to Low Pay And Long Hours

Aug. 1, 2021

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2021/aug/1/florida-prisons-face-ongoing-staff-shortages-due-low-pay-and-long-hours/

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‘System in crisis’: Florida struggles to retain prison guards

Feb. 22, 2021

Last year, 42 percent of new employees left the state corrections department in their first year, and 57 percent left by the end of the second year. That turnover is worse now.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/02/22/system-in-crisis-florida-struggles-to-retain-prison-guards/

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Facility closures continue as Florida prisons face ‘unprecedented’ staff shortage

2021

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2021/09/13/facility-closures-continue-as-florida-prisons-face-unprecedented-staff-shortage/


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Florida Prisons Fire Guards: Reports Of Abuse, Corruption Lead To Massive Clean-Up Effort

Sep 22, 2014

https://www.inquisitr.com/1491789/florida-prisons-fire-guards-reports-of-abuse-corruption-lead-to-massive-clean-up-effort

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Florida: Private Prison Company Allowed to Overcharge State, Mistreat Prisoners

Jan. 8, 2018

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2018/jan/8/florida-private-prison-company-allowed-overcharge-state-mistreat-prisoners/

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 Price Hikes at Florida Prisons Leave Residents Furious

October 8, 2023

There’s a new canteen supplier in town — and now the cost of regular staples are 16% to 400% higher than before.

https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2023/10/08/canteen-prices-soar-florida-prisons/

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Opinion: Florida jails serving as debtors' prison

Sep 2017

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2017/09/04/opinion-florida-jails-serving-debtors-prison/624478001/

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Private Prisons Lock Up Thousands Of Americans With Almost No Oversight

2017

America’s for-profit prison industry controls 126,000 Americans’ lives. It’s a $5 billion sector — one that encompasses the operation of 65% of the nation’s immigration detention beds. And at the same time, it is largely opaque, often unaccountable to the public or the government.

https://time.com/5013760/american-private-prisons-donald-trump/

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{We need to deport unlawful immigrants out of the country}.

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A Federal Judge Put Hundreds of Immigrants Behind Bars While Her Husband Invested in Private Prisons

August 24, 2017

https://www.motherjones.com/criminal-justice/2017/08/a-federal-judge-put-hundreds-of-immigrants-behind-bars-while-her-husband-invested-in-private-prisons/

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Investigators accuse Florida Department of Corrections of corruption

July 8, 2014

https://www.tampabay.com/investigators-accuse-florida-department-of-corrections-of-corruption/2187616/

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Florida's Private-Prison Population Spiked 211 Percent Since 2000

August 3, 2018

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-private-prison-inmates-spiked-from-2000-to-2016-sentencing-report-says-10589872

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 Study: Private prisons result in more inmates, longer sentences

September 18, 2020

The Labour Economics study suggests two potential reasons for the increase: corruption and increased capacity.

https://bigthink.com/the-present/private-prisons/

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Study Shows Private Prison Companies Use Influence to Increase Incarceration

Aug. 22, 2016

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2016/aug/22/study-shows-private-prison-companies-use-influence-increase-incarceration/

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Hidden corporate profits in the U.S. prison system: the unorthodox policy-making of the American Legislative Exchange Council

2015

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10282580.2016.1185949

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New contracts give private prison giant nearly 80 percent of Florida's private prison market

2013

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2013/12/16/new-contracts-give-private-prison-giant-nearly-80-percent-floridas-private/15805432007/

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Five Reasons South Florida's Pro-Trump Private-Prison Company Is Evil

January 7, 2018

You shouldn't be able to turn a profit from imprisoning people. That seems obvious. The basic goal of the American criminal-justice system should be to eradicate crime — but multibillion-dollar private-prison systems can't earn big profits if there's no crime.

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/five-reasons-boca-private-prison-company-geo-group-is-evil-9967258

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Former Florida prisons chief who took kickbacks released from federal prison

April 2013

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2013/04/16/former-florida-prisons-chief-who-took-kickbacks-released-federal-prison/15831804007/

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Seven Former GEO Employees Plead Guilty in Federal Texas Private Jail Bribery Scheme

Oct. 1, 2021

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2021/oct/1/seven-former-geo-employees-plead-guilty-federal-texas-private-jail-bribery-scheme/

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Private prison investors love the Florida Senate's budget

Feb 24, 2022

Senate leaders, who got $200,000 from private-prison contractor GEO Group just before session, want to build two big new prisons – one of which may be privatized.

https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/private-prison-investors-love-the

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Marco Rubio, Geo Group, and a Legacy of Corruption

August 29, 2012

https://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/08/11591/marco-rubio-geo-group-and-legacy-corruption

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Ron DeSantis just accepted $100K from the GEO Group, a controversial Florida-based private prison giant

Aug 17, 2018

A political action committee supporting Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis just got a $100,000 from the GEO Group, a Florida-based private prison giant known for numerous human rights investigations.

According to public records, on Aug. 15 the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC accepted $50,000 from GEO Group, Inc. and another $50,000 from the company's CEO, George C. Zoley.

The GEO Group, which is headquartered in Boca Raton and is the second largest private prison group in the country, was an early supporter of the DeSantis campaign. Records show they also gave the congressman another $50,000 back in March of 2017.

DeSantis isn't alone. The GEO Group has sprinkled cash all over Florida politicians, including Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics. In fact, it's hard to find someone who hasn't taken money from the group.

But it makes sense the GEO Group is heavily backing DeSantis, considering the congressman parrots everything the president says, and they directly profit from Trump's abysmal immigration policies.

According to the investigative website Sludge, the GEO Group currently holds almost a half billion dollars in ICE contracts. For some perspective, last year the Trump Administration spent a record $1.7 billion on private contracts, which means the GEO Group gets more direct cash from ICE than any other company. Plus, it doesn't hurt that former aides to Attorney General Jeff Sessions are now lobbyists for the GEO Group.

The company is a private prison behemoth and has immigration detention centers all over the country, including Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington, California, and of course, Florida.

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/ron-desantis-just-accepted-100k-from-the-geo-group-a-controversial-florida-based-private-prison-giant-17272961

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Kyle Cohen appointed as 20th Judicial Circuit Court Judge

May 29, 2020

He replaces retiring Judge Keith Cary.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Estero prosecutor Kyle Cohen as a 20th Judicial Circuit Court Judge.

Cohen previously served as assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida where he’s worked since 2008.

Florida’s 20th Judicial Circuit includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties.

Cohen has worked on a range of issues in federal court including tort, bankruptcy, employment discrimination, Administrative Procedures Act, Bivens, civil rights, contractual disputes, medical malpractice, summons enforcement, immigration, Touhy, eminent domain, FIRREA, qui tam, and False Claims Act litigation. 


https://floridapolitics.com/archives/336459-kyle-cohen-appointed-as-20th-judicial-circuit-court-judge/

 

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Broward Judge to Stand Trial on Ethics Charge

May 13, 2010

FORT LAUDERDALE | A Broward County judge has lost his bid to dismiss a misconduct charge against him.

Circuit Judge Dale Cohen is set to stand trial Sept. 13 for allegedly exploiting his position to further the interests of himself and his wife, who is running for election to the county bench.

The Judicial Qualifications Commission denied dismissing the ethics complaint today.

Cohen’s attorney says the allegations against the judge don’t correlate with the specifications of the Code of Judicial Conduct...

https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2010/05/13/broward-judge-to-stand-trial-on-ethics-charge/26270264007/

 

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Trial set for Philadelphia County Judge Cohen’s discipline over irresponsible Facebook posts

May 31, 2023

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Court of Judicial Discipline of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued an order setting the trial of the disciplinary matter concerning Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark B. Cohen of the 1st Judicial District.

The case is entitled  “In the Matter of  Judge Mark B. Cohen,” with case no. 1 JD 2023.

The Judicial Conduct Board filed formal charges against Cohen on February 23, 2023, accusing Cohen to have authored and made improper posts to his personal Facebook page. In summary, Judge Cohen’s Facebook posting consisted of the following: (1) his sympathetic, supportive, or positive views of political figures, living and dead, of the Democratic Party and, generally, of the political “left”; (2) his support for legislation instituted and embraced by the Democratic Party and, generally, the political “left”; (3) his support for policy initiatives or issues embraced by the Democratic Party and, generally, the political “left”; (4) his criticism of political figures of the Republican Party and the political “right”; and (5) his criticism of policy initiatives and legislation instituted and embraced by the Republican Party or the political “right”.

https://abusivediscretion.com/trial-set-for-philadelphia-county-judge-cohens-discipline-over-irresponsible-facebook-posts/

 

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{We see that we have three corrupt judges with the last name Cohen}.

 

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DeSantis Installs Corrupt Crony As Elections Supervisor In Orange Co.

March 2024

DeSantis seems to have dropped off the national radar screen since his humiliating performance in the Republican presidential primary. But at least in Orange County, Florida, DeSantis looks busy setting up what could well be a rigged election.

Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell did a deep dive into the dark facts behind the appointment of Glen Gilzean as Orange County elections supervisor. For starters, Maxwell reports that Gilzean brazenly flouted ethics rules when he failed to resign as chair of the state’s ethics commission when he got his $400,000-a-year gig running DeSantis’ anti-Disney government district...

https://crooksandliars.com/2024/03/desantis-installs-corrupt-crony-elections#google_vignette

 

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Ron DeSantis Accused of 'Public Corruption' by Former GOP Lawmaker

Apr 22, 2023

https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-accused-public-corruption-former-gop-lawmaker-1796077

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Possible Corruption at the Florida GOP Could Threaten DeSantis in 2022

August 17, 2021

https://floridianpress.com/2021/08/possible-corruption-at-the-florida-gop-could-threaten-desantis-in-2022/

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{Many assume that Desantis wants to stop illegal aliens and sanctuary cities. These unlawful immigrants go against the wishes of the scientific community with illegal immigration. Desantis wants to kick illegal immigrants out of Florida, but that these illegal immigrants might end up in other states and sent to private prisons in America. The problem is that these unlawful immigrants are released and set free in America still. It is good that Desantis has sent the Florida National Guard to the Texas border to stop illegal immigrants. The problem is that unlawful immigrants are being put in prison work camps for a few years to make profit for the private prison industries. These unlawful immigrants are then released back into America after their prison term in these prison work camps for unlawful immigrants. The Biden Administration wants to make these unlawful immigrants citizens of America.

Desantis was critical about the COVID vaccine which is also good. We support Ron Desantis and sending the National Guard to the border to protect America. We however were not in favor of how Desantis would just put unlawful immigrants in prison work camps, then these unlawful immigrants are released back into America once their prison sentence is up. Desantis was associated with a group that took money from the GEO Group private prison company. We think that we should not assimilate these illegal Third World immigrants to become American citizens. The country is already full and that we should not waste more natural resources on unlawful immigrants who refuse to cooperate with the scientific community and the population census. We can see the direct harm that these illegal immigrants have caused the environment. A lot of the groundwater in America is drying up, these unlawful immigrants just add more to the problem}.




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DeSantis recruiters eyed Catholic church for migrant flights that bishop calls ‘reprehensible’


June 8, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recruiters set their sights on Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the Texas border city of El Paso in search of asylum-seekers they could take from its bustling migrant shelter to California’s capital on taxpayer-funded private jets.

Intentionally or not, envoys for Florida’s Catholic governor and Republican presidential candidate infused an element of his own religion into his latest move on immigration, which has drawn sharp criticism from El Paso’s Catholic bishop.

“Without going into the details of the politics of it, it does seem clear that they were being used not out of concern for the migrants but in an effort to make a political point,” Bishop Mark Seitz told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Seitz said many migrants arriving in the U.S. don’t know the geography, including how far cities and states are from one another, and are just anxious to move on.

DeSantis has acknowledged that Florida paid to transport 36 mostly Venezuelan migrants from Republican-led Texas to Sacramento on charter flights last Friday and on Monday. The first group was dropped off in front of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Sacramento, also the headquarters of Catholic Charities, apparently without warning. Local advocates and officials met the second group at the airport after learning of their arrival.

The governor says they made the trip voluntarily — a claim that some migrant advocates challenge. He also says they signed waivers to that effect and that California effectively invited them with its welcoming policies.

“I think the border should be closed. I don’t think we should have any of this. But if there’s a policy to have an open border, then I think the sanctuary jurisdictions should be the ones that have to bear that,” DeSantis said Wednesday at an event for law enforcement officials in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Asked about the bishop’s criticism, DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said the governor’s previous comments “stand on their own.”

In May, DeSantis signed a law allocating up to $12 million for migrant flights, like two that Florida funded last year from San Antonio to the pricey Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard.

References to the Martha’s Vineyard flights have become a staple in DeSantis’ presidential stump speech and often draw hearty applause from Republican primary voters. The Sacramento flights are part of a broader effort by certain Republican-led states to send migrants to Democratic-leaning parts of the country, including New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

https://apnews.com/article/desantis-migrants-flights-border-california-catholic-aa274a39b65712ea2d70bd480a62928e

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Biden admin parole program sparks 550% increase of undocumented migrants pouring into Florida from just last year: data

Dec. 27, 2023

https://nypost.com/2023/12/27/news/more-undocumented-migrants-heading-to-florida-than-ever-with-550-increase-this-year/

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Florida Struggles to Accommodate Immigration-Fueled Population Growth as its Environmental Impacts Worsen

November 2021

https://www.fairus.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/fl-environ-case-study.pdf

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‘Been there before’: Haitian community leaders urge caution as Florida deploys troops to halt potential migrant surge

March 17, 2024

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/17/us/haiti-migrants-florida/index.html

 

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Marine Corps Sends Special Response Unit to Haiti After Partial US Embassy Evacuation

3-13-2024

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/13/marine-corps-sends-special-response-unit-haiti-after-partial-us-embassy-evacuation.html

 

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Challenge to Florida's 'sanctuary cities' law gets rejected


April 17, 2023

https://www.wlrn.org/immigration/2023-04-17/challenge-to-floridas-sanctuary-cities-law-gets-rejected

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Florida officers break up sex trafficking ring run by illegal migrants

October 24, 2022

Sheriff's Officers in Florida rescued eight women who were forced into sex trafficking by smugglers who illegally brought them into the U.S.

Officers with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office rescued eight women who were forced into sex trafficking in Florida by smugglers who illegally brought them into the U.S. through the southern border. They also arrested their alleged smuggler and trafficker, Rosalia Leonard Garcia, 29, and Amet Maqueira, 35.

Arrestees of Human Trafficking Case pic.twitter.com/o8vNUJB2Nn— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) October 24, 2022

Sheriff Chad Chronister made the announcement on Monday with Attorney General Ashley Moody and other officials. Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution charged Garcia and Maqueira with 47 counts of human trafficking and will be prosecuting them.

“These horrific acts of sex trafficking are among the most depraved crimes we have seen in a long time and highlight how criminals are taking advantage of [President Joe] Biden’s open border to advance their illicit trade,” Moody said. “I applaud the swift, courageous actions of Sheriff Chronister’s deputies and ensure my Statewide Prosecutors will hold the traffickers accountable in court for what they did to these eight women.”

https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/florida-officers-break-sex-trafficking-ring-stemming-illegal-border


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Venezuelan sex trafficking gang that brands young girls operating in US, linked to ex-cop’s murder: reports

Jan. 20, 2024

https://nypost.com/2024/01/20/news/venezuelan-sex-trafficking-gang-that-brands-young-girls-operating-in-us-linked-to-ex-cops-murder-reports/

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Local pharmacist charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor and child sex tourism

April 23, 2024

MIAMI – On April 19, a local pharmacist was charged by criminal complaint with attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

According to the criminal complaint and the underlying affidavit, law enforcement officers stopped Stefan Andres Correa, 42, of Miami, Florida, attempting to board a flight from Miami to Bogota, Colombia. It is alleged that, law enforcement officers discovered nine cellular phones in Correa’s possession containing videos of Correa engaging in intercourse with purported minor children, as well as a chat exchange with a suspected sex trafficker, where Correa allegedly paid for commercial sex with children aged between 10 to 12 years old in Colombia. According to the allegations, during the chat exchange, Correa agreed with the suspected sex trafficker to meet with the minor victims once he arrived in Colombia.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/local-pharmacist-charged-attempted-sex-trafficking-minor-and-child-sex-tourism


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A long corruption probe in Tallahassee whimpers to a close — The return of Rod Smith? — Gruters talks about allegations on internal GOP call

2021

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2021/07/28/a-long-corruption-probe-in-tallahassee-whimpers-to-a-close-the-return-of-rod-smith-gruters-talks-about-allegations-on-internal-gop-call-493753

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U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe to release details of 'massive' corruption probe in Panama City

2019

U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe will announce details of "a massive public corruption scheme" on Friday in Panama City.

The investigation, which seems to have flown beneath the radar, is not believed to be connected to Tallahassee's long-running public corruption probe, which led to guilty pleas from former City Commissioner Scott Maddox and former Downtown Improvement Authority Executive Director Paige Carter-Smith.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorney's Office said it would announce the outcome of what's being described as a "major long-term investigation into widespread public corruption" by its Public Trust Unit.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/2019/11/13/u-s-attorney-larry-keefe-to-release-details-of-major-corruption-probe-in-panama-city-florida/4178651002/

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Ex-commissioner in Florida city convicted of corruption

2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A former city commissioner in Florida is facing prison time after he was convicted of corruption charges arising from a tiki bar he operated in a strip mall.

Court records show a jury late Monday found 56-year-old David McLean guilty of bribery, official misconduct and theft charges. McLean was a commissioner in the South Florida city of Margate.

Trial evidence showed McLean used his influence to do city favors for the tiki bar’s landlord. In return, the landlord forgave about $8,000 in rent and made another $6,000 in cash payments.

https://apnews.com/general-news-7eda58207c5345718dba91b426f5e258


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Gainesville’s city audit controversy, explained

2022

https://www.alligator.org/article/2022/11/gainesvilles-city-audit-controversy-explained

After delayed financial reports to the state, the Gainesville city auditor’s resignation and planned international commission trips, some local residents are worried about their tax dollars.

Four successive issues led to local concern: a formal letter from the state about late city financial reports, three city commissioners traveling to Israel off public funds, the city auditor’s resignation and budget changes made Nov. 17.

Gainesville’s upcoming fiscal budget is around $445 million, with about $14 million of general fund debt made up of bonds and other obligations.  

Juli Aitch, Gainesville resident, said recent decisions were irresponsible given the situation.“They are robbing the citizens of Gainesville,” Aitch said.

However, Gainesville city officials say the series of financial controversies were both expected and planned for.

Commissioners’ trip to Israel

City Commissioners David Arreola and Adrian Hayes-Santos, as well as Mayor Lauren Poe will travel to Israel for MuniWorld, an international city government conference. The three will leave Dec. 2, just over a month before they all exit office after reaching their term limit.

MuniWorld is a three-day convention for cities across the globe. Participants will see Jerusalem’s tech startup projects, connect with other municipalities and watch lectures on local government practices.

The attendance fee is $200 per person and accommodations are $600, according to its website.

City Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut first expressed concern over the trip, calling it a waste of money given the city’s financial circumstances.

“This international trip taken by commissioners with expenses paid by public funds is disingenuous to all our constituents,” Chestnut wrote in an email to them.

For each fiscal year, commissioners receive a $5,000 stipend for travel. The 2023 fiscal year began Oct. 1. Chestnut also said the trip would take travel funding away from oncoming commissioners, though Arreola and Hayes-Santos said that was inaccurate.“When the new commission is sworn in, they will have their own budgets,” Arreola said.



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Joel Greenberg alleged far-reaching public corruption in Florida jailhouse interview

2022

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/554553-joel-greenberg-alleged-far-reaching-public-corruption-in-florida-jailhouse-interview/

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As Gaetz investigation ramps up, feds mount sweeping probe into Central Florida political scene: Sources

June 18, 2021

Since federal prosecutors obtained the cooperation of GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz's once close-ally in May, sources tell ABC News the ongoing investigation, which includes sex trafficking allegations involving Gaetz, has engulfed the tight-knit Central Florida political scene as prosecutors continue their investigation of the Florida congressman.

Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, who reached a plea deal last month, has been assisting federal agents in the sprawling probe that has recently revved up its focus on alleged corruption and fraud stemming from Greenberg's time in office and beyond, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The former tax collector pleaded guilty in May to a host of crimes including charges of stalking, identity theft, wire fraud and conspiracy to bribe a public official, as well as a sex trafficking charge. Greenberg is prepared to hand over evidence and testimony that could implicate Gaetz and others, sources told ABC News.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gaetz-investigation-ramps-feds-mount-sweeping-probe-central/story?id=78321551

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Fmr. Opa-Locka City Manager Turns Himself In

2016

OPA-LOCKA (CBSMiami) -- The former city manager of Opa-locka who is facing federal corruption charges turned himself into police Monday morning.

Former Opa-locka City Manager David Chiverton appeared before a Judge in federal court Monday afternoon...

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/fmr-opa-locka-city-manager-turns-himself-in-on-corruption-charges/

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Marco Island city manager responds to latest police scandal

March 23, 2023

https://winknews.com/2023/03/23/marco-island-city-manager-responds-to-latest-police-scandal/

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Corrupt politicians have free rein in Florida

2014

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/corrupt-politicians-have-free-rein-in-florida-2242139

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The most corrupt state(s) in America

2014

Florida: Between 1998 and 2007, 824 public officials in Florida were convicted on public corruption charges at the local, state and federal level. According to a tally compiled by the New York Times, that was more than any other state. New York came in second place, with 704 public officials locked up, while Texas, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio and Illinois all saw more than 500 officials convicted.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/01/22/the-most-corrupt-states-in-america/

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Florida Is the Most Corrupt State in the Union, According to a Federal Tally of Convictions

June 6, 2012

In 2010, a statewide grand jury slammed Florida laws for being too lax on corruption, and made a number of suggestions, most of which were never implemented. Then-Gov. Charlie Crist called for that grand jury investigation in 2009 following a string of high profile arrests of public officials and political figures. He noted at the time that he had been forced to remove 33 public officials from office in less than three years as governor because of varying instances of wrongdoing.

https://flaglerlive.com/florida-most-corrupt/#gsc.tab=0

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Harvard finds Florida among most politically corrupt states in U.S.

2015

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/191150-harvard-says-florida-one-of-americas-most-politically-corrupt-states/


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LIST: Florida among America's most corrupt states

Jun 11, 2014

https://www.wesh.com/article/list-florida-among-america-s-most-corrupt-states/4330300

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City too corrupt for Florida is spared

2014


Hampton, Florida CNN  —

This worn-down, one stoplight town found redemption Friday night in a Baptist church named Victory. Cheers broke out in the pews as two Florida lawmakers abandoned their quest to strip Hampton of its cityhood.

The battle for the 89-year-old city’s survival began in February with the release of a scathing audit that read like a textbook of municipal malfeasance – finding 31 violations of local, state and federal codes, along with allegations of nepotism, double-dipping and personal use of city property.

Surviving was a sweet win for this city of just 477 residents – 476 if you don’t count the former mayor, who’s sitting up the road in jail on a drug charge.

Already a notorious speed trap, the place gained even more infamy as a symbol of small-town corruption when the legislators threatened last month to yank its city charter. Late-night comedians mocked Hampton as “too Florida, even for Florida.”

https://www.cnn.com/2014/03/29/us/hampton-florida-corruption-survival/index.html

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Florida Is The Most Corrupt State In The Country, According To Integrity Florida Study

2012

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-most-corrupt-in-country_n_1577571

______________


Florida Corruption News Monitoring

https://uspolitics.einnews.com/news/florida-corruption

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A most disorderly court : scandal and reform in the Florida judiciary

2008

https://archive.org/details/mostdisorderlyco0000dyck/page/n9/mode/2up

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POLICE CORRUPTION PLAGUING FLORIDA

1986

https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/03/us/police-corruption-plaguing-florida.html


______________


Police Corruption is becoming a pandemic too

2020

https://www.transparency.org/en/news/police-corruption-is-becoming-a-pandemic-too

______________


Aquakiki News Investigative News Videos & Reports


6/18 Vid-CROOKED Top Florida Cop RIC BRADSHAW-Owns MILLION$ In Real Estate-Ties To MAFIA In Palm Beach Mansions

https://aquakiki.wordpress.com/

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Lee County Florida Corruption

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LeeCountyFloridaCorruption/

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'Corruption in the Courts' Comment Brings New Troubles for South Florida Attorney | Daily Business Review

https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracywhatever/comments/v7xbdc/corruption_in_the_courts_comment_brings_new/

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Widespread CORRUPTION In Entire FLORIDA Collier County Judicial System - CORRUPT and INCOMPETENT Judges and Deputies Go Unchecked By FEDS & Local Media

2014

https://aquakiki.wordpress.com/category/koh-chang-island/


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Miami Mafia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Mafia

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Trafficante crime family

The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida. The most notable boss was Santo Trafficante, Jr. who ruled Tampa and the crime family with an iron fist. Author Scott Deitche reported that Santo Jr. was involved with the CIA to plot assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. After the death of Santo Jr. in 1987, the Tampa Mafia family has been controlled by Vincent LoScalzo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafficante_crime_family

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DeCavalcante crime family

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeCavalcante_crime_family

 

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Bufalino crime family

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufalino_crime_family

The Bufalino crime family, also known as the Pittston crime family, the Scranton Wilkes-Barre crime family, the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Mafia, or the Scranton Mafia, was an Italian-American Mafia crime family active in Northeastern Pennsylvania, primarily in the cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Pittston.

D'Elia the last boss

William "Big Billy" D'Elia became the new boss of the Bufalino crime family after the death of boss Russell Bufalino in 1994. He started his criminal career in the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as Bufalino's driver, after his late sister married the only son of capo James David Osticco. According to the Pennsylvania Crime Commission, D'Elia was placed in the crew of Caporegime Phillip Medico. D'Elia advanced through the ranks of the organization rather quickly, due to the natural attrition of members and indictments in the 1980s and 1990s. He took over the crime family's solid waste rackets and oversaw the traditional Mafia rackets run by the members and associates of the family. D'Elia also attempted to replenish the aging ranks of the family, with limited success. As boss, D'Elia worked with the other crime families in New York City, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Southern Florida, and Los Angeles. In the 1990s, D'Elia was linked to a money laundering scheme involving numerous Northeastern Pennsylvania bookmakers, escort services, corrupt politicians, and associates of Russian organized crime. D'Elia was closely aligned with the Philadelphia crime family.[19] When Philadelphia crime family boss John Stanfa was imprisoned, D'Elia was one of Stanfa's choices as interim caretaker of the family.

 

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MAFIA LINK SEEN IN TRASH CARTING IN WEST FLORIDA

July 3, 1983

Florida has begun to crack down hard on racketeers from New York who, according to Federal and state prosecutors, are invading the garbage collection and disposal industry here on the state's west coast.

On Tuesday, the Florida Attorney General, Jim Smith, and the Pinellas County State Attorney, James T. Russell, jointly filed a civil antitrust suit against 20 individuals and 12 west Florida refuse hauling companies. At a news conference, the officials described the defendants as practitioners of ''mob-style control'' of the trash hauling industry in this booming retirement area. Threats and Beatings Cited

In January, the United States Justice Department's Organized Crime Strike Force in the Tampa area is to begin trying a major criminal racketeering case against 11 people, including five of those named in the state's civil antitrust suit. The five, identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as Mafia members or associates from New York, are accused of conspiring to seize control of garbage disposal here by ''getting tough.''

The indictment cites threats, extortion, beatings, pistol whippings and the burning of garbage trucks belonging to local trash haulers who resisted the mob takeover. One defendant is quoted in the indictment as saying these actions are ''operating as in New York.''

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/03/us/mafia-link-seen-in-trash-carting-in-west-florida.html

 

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Illegal waste disposal in the time of the mafia: a tale of enforcement and social well being (Italian Mafia)

2012

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09640568.2011.620324


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West Palm Beach Task Force Tackles Illegal Dumping, Over 255K lbs. of Waste Cleared and 14 Arrests Made

June 07, 2024

https://hoodline.com/2024/06/west-palm-beach-task-force-tackles-illegal-dumping-over-255k-lbs-of-waste-cleared-and-14-arrests-made/

 

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10 Businesses Supposedly Controlled by the Mafia

Dec 1, 2021

    Garbage Hauling/Waste Management
    Gambling
    Carpentry and Construction
    Wind Energy
    Real Estate
    Restaurants and Pizzerias
    Bars
    Pornography
    Music Recording
    Drugs

https://people.howstuffworks.com/10-businesses-supposedly-controlled-by-the-mafia.htm

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The Reason The Mob And The Garbage Industry Are So Connected

2021

https://www.grunge.com/632158/the-reason-the-mob-and-the-garbage-industry-are-so-connected/

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The Garbage Wars: Cracking the Cartel

1995

https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/30/business/the-garbage-wars-cracking-the-cartel.html


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Bergeron vs Waste Management trial nears; focus on legitimacy of $525-million recycling deal

2021

https://www.floridabulldog.org/2021/03/bergeron-vs-waste-management-trial-nears/


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Judge: Waste Management has rebutted crime-fraud allegations for now

January 2020

https://www.floridabulldog.org/2020/01/judge-waste-management-has-rebutted-crime-fraud-allegations-for-now/

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Tampa and the mob: From bolita to Trafficante

Nov. 16, 2022

TAMPA, Fla. - From the gangland days of the early 20th century to the 1960s and 70s gangsters, the mafia and Tampa have always been intertwined.

During its mid-century peak, organized crime controlled or had a hand in everything from gambling and prostitution to political corruption, election rigging, unions and more.

And Tampa was right in the middle of it.

On this episode of To The Point Already, anchors Rick Elmhorst and Roy De Jesus talk with organized crime writer Scott M. Deitche about Tampa's vivid mob backstory.

"The history of the mafia in Tampa is part of the history of Tampa," said Deitche, a Bay area-based writer who has written extensively about mafia history in Tampa. "(Mafia bosses) controlled politicians, elections and had hands in legitimate businesses."

The fabric of the Tampa's history is richly woven with stories of ruthless gangsters who first grabbed control of illegal bolita gambling and liquor distribution during Prohibition, executed rivals, controlled the narcotics trade and eventually broadened their influence across Florida and into pre-Castro Cuba.

Infamous in the city's lore is the "Era of Blood," when 25 gangsters were gunned down on the streets as Italian, Cuban and Anglo underworld factions battled for power from the 1920s to the '50s.

And a Godfather-like legend surrounds Tampa-born crime boss Santo Trafficante Jr., who took over the Sicilian Mafia in Florida from his father in 1954 and built a criminal empire that was the envy of mob families across the country.

Trafficante famously never spent a night in an American jail. Trafficante died in 1987 following a heart operation and the Tampa mob's heydey died with him.

Deitche's book "Cigar City Mafia" is a who's who of Tampa gangland activity. He followed that up with a book on Trafficante and also operates Mafia Tours in Ybor City.

He says it's the mafia characters that fascinate people to this day.

"It's part of the history of Tampa," he said. "I try to tell it as even-handed as I can. When I do the tour, when I talk to people and show them where this guy got whacked, they're eyes light up. People respond to that.

"I can talk about the minutiae of the political corruption but (people) are more interested in the big crime."

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2022/11/15/tampa-and-the-mob-from-bolita-to-trafficante


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Mafia has long history in South Florida but new ways and new rivals

March 21, 2010

Ever since the ruthless Chicago mobster Al Capone bought a mansion on Miami's Palm Island in 1928, South Florida has been a destination for organized crime figures who want to relax and do a little business.

The rackets have evolved over the years — loan-sharking, extortion and gambling have largely given way to stock scams, money laundering and white-collar fraud — and the Italians and Jews of yore have been joined by rival contingents from Russia, Israel and South America.

But the culture of greed and violence has remained a constant.

Mobsters generally prefer to keep a low profile here, but La Costa Nostra — "this thing of ours" — is once more in the headlines, this time connected with Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.

Upon his return from Morocco last November, Rothstein reportedly went to work for the FBI, even as agents were dismantling his $1.2 billion investment fraud.

Roberto Settineri, the alleged Sicilian mobster whom Rothstein is credited with bringing down this month, appears to have the same short fuse and propensity for violence, according to a Miami Beach police report, that has marked mob behavior for a century...

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/crime/2010/03/21/mafia-has-long-history-in/7152830007/

 

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New insight into the mob connections in Southwest Florida

November 1, 2018

Here in North Naples, the intersection of Orange Blossom Dr. and Bridgewater Bay Blvd. seems completely calm and quiet. But in April of 2017, the intersection is where law enforcement nabbed one of the men now accused of killing notorious gangster Whitey Bulger.

“He was protected by the FBI,” John Pollok said.

Pollok was the attorney for many of the mobs’ biggest names. These include Angelo the “Duck,” Johnny Dio Guardi and John Gotti. Pollok now lives in North Naples. He said, Whitey Bulger’s years as an informant made him vulnerable.

“His position apparently to inform on the mob,” Pollok said, “they didn’t appreciate it.”

“They,” as in organized crime. Freddy Geas, the man picked up by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office years ago and reputed Mafia hit man.

Pollok said the vicious attack on Bulger only a day after his transfer to the West Virginia prison is all part of the mob mentality.

“For may years the FBI protected him despite the fact — he was one bad dude,” Pollok said. “They don’t forget, but neither does the mob.”

But the mob did seem to remember Southwest Florida as a hiding ground, Pollok said.

“Oh yes!” he said. “They would. They like the weather like anyone else.”

But Pollok believes Bulger’s death signals a change.

“The Godfather,” Pollok said. “Those days we think of are over”

https://winknews.com/2018/11/01/new-insight-into-the-mob-connections-in-southwest-florida/

 

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Arrest of Gotti recalls Florida mob history

Sep 28, 2008

The ghosts of Tampa's old-time wiseguys awakened this summer when Mafia scion John "Junior" Gotti came to town in handcuffs.

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26928518 


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The Bum Farto Files: Married to the Mob

April 30, 2020

Key West Fire Chief Joseph “Bum” Farto disappeared on Feb. 16, 1976, while awaiting sentencing for a drug trafficking conviction stemming from Operation Conch – a sting operation that found Farto allegedly selling cocaine from the city’s fire station. Bum Farto became the Jimmy Hoffa of Key West, and the island has swirled with rumors of his fate since he disappeared. David Sloan and Quincy Perkins have launched an unparalleled investigation into Chief Farto’s life, legends and disappearance in an attempt to find the truth. Each week they will share elements of their research here in the Key West Weekly while working to solve one of the greatest mysteries in the history of Key West.

https://keysweekly.com/42/the-bum-farto-files-married-to-the-mob/

 

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The Rise and Fall of the Tampa Mafia

November 21, 2023

https://playeatlas.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-tampa-mafia/

 

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Sunshine State Mafia (Book)

A History of Florida’s Mobsters, Hit Men, and Wise Guys

Pub Date: 3/5/2024

Author: Doug Kelly

https://upf.com/book.asp?id=9780813080482


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Mobsters in Miami: Five Crime Bosses That Made the Magic City Home

January 15, 2011

Known as the "mob's accountant," Meyer Lansky was financier who worked with golden era gangsters like Charles "Lucky" Luciano and childhood friend "Bugsy" Siegel. Though  often portrayed as a secondary character in Hollywood mob hits, Lansky might have been the most influential crime boss of the entire Twentieth Century, helping...

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/mobsters-in-miami-five-crime-bosses-that-made-the-magic-city-home-6506671 


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Operation Gladio | How The Mob Financed The CIA's Secret Army

Jul 6, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k7YTFrmt84

 

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Florida Mobsters: From Prohibition to Prosecution

February 4, 2024

https://www.floridaman.media/florida-mobsters-from-prohibition-to-prosecution/

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Reputed mob captain gets prison in Fla. fraud case

Dec 16, 2008

https://www.indeonline.com/story/news/2008/12/17/reputed-mob-captain-gets-prison/42863460007/

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Who are Tampa's new mob leaders?

Published May 5, 1991

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/05/05/who-are-tampa-s-new-mob-leaders/


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Miami becomes 'Little Moscow': FBI says Russian mob eclipses Italian Mafia in South Florida

June 1, 2011

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1393246/Russian-mob-eclipses-Italian-Mafia-South-Florida-FBI-says.html 


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Florida's worst spies: Espionage comes to the Sunshine State

June 16, 2017

https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/floridas-worst-spies-espionage-comes-to-the-sunshine-state/2327447/


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Convicted hit man’s escape in Central Florida evokes mob’s ‘ruthless’ heyday in American city

April 9, 2022

https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/convicted-hit-mans-escape-in-central-florida-evokes-mobs-ruthless-heyday-in-american-city/

 

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Why Is the Mob Often Tied to the Garbage Industry?

May 23, 2012

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30738/why-mob-often-tied-garbage-industry

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Why the Mafia Loves Garbage

Jan 11, 2008

Hauling trash and organized crime.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/01/why-does-the-mafia-get-involved-in-hauling-garbage.html

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Poisoning for Profit - The Mafia and Toxic Waste in America

1985

Annotation

Information from undercover investigations, hearings, taped conversations, confessions, and suppressed official reports documents organized crime's involvement in illegal toxic waste dumping and the ineffectiveness of government agencies responsible for regulating toxic waste disposal.

Abstract

A historic review chronicles organized crime's domination of the solid waste disposal industry in the Northeast and the illegal tactics used to eliminate competition and fix prices. The expansion of organized crime into toxic waste disposal is then detailed, with particular attention to the practice of dumping such wastes in areas not legally designated as toxic waste dump sites. Case studies of the consequences of such dumping are presented. Also described are the efforts of a few law enforcement officials to counter illegal toxic waste disposal and expose the payoffs, bribes, political favors, and collusion between organized crime, industry, and the government that hindered a concerted effort to stop illegal toxic waste dumping. Although much of the book focuses on illegal toxic waste dumping in the New York-New Jersey region, evidence of the same pattern in other States is also presented. The halting and sometimes obstructionist efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Carter and Reagan administrations regarding the regulation of toxic waste dumping are discussed. 56 references and a subject index.

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/poisoning-profit-mafia-and-toxic-waste-america

 

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Toxic waste dumping by the 'Ndrangheta

The 'Ndrangheta, a criminal organization from Calabria, Italy, has been involved in radioactive waste dumping since the 1980s. Ships with toxic and radioactive waste were sunk off the Italian coast. In addition, vessels were allegedly sent to Somalia and other developing countries with toxic waste, including radioactive waste cargoes, which were either sunk with the ship or buried on land. The introduction of more rigorous environmental legislation in the 1980s made illegal waste dumping a lucrative business for organized crime groups in Italy. The phenomenon of widespread environmental crime perpetrated by criminal syndicates like the Camorra and 'Ndrangheta has given rise to the term "ecomafia".



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxic_waste_dumping_by_the_%27Ndrangheta 


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The Mob Is Secretly Dumping Nuclear Waste Across Italy and Africa

January 31, 2014

https://gizmodo.com/the-mob-is-secretly-dumping-nuclear-waste-across-italy-1513190243

 

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Mafia turncoat reveals sinking of ships with toxic waste in Med.

Malta implicated

September 16, 2009

https://timesofmalta.com/article/mafia-turncoat-reveals-sinking-of-ships-with-toxic-waste-in-med.273529 

 

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Italian mafia boss says pollution turned him into a police informant

Oct 30, 2013

He knew the mafia's toxic-waste dumping would doom people to die from cancer, and he eventually felt bad enough to do something about it.

https://grist.org/living/italian-mafia-boss-says-pollution-turned-him-into-a-police-informant/

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The Italian Mob's Toxic Waste Dumping Is Giving People Cancer

January 4, 2016

https://www.vice.com/en/article/53dpvq/the-italian-mobs-toxic-waste-dumping-is-giving-people-cancer

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A Mafia Legacy Taints the Earth in Southern Italy

Jan. 29, 2014

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/world/europe/beneath-southern-italy-a-deadly-mob-legacy.html

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Recycling And The Mob

August 1, 2019

https://www.npr.org/2019/08/01/747170708/recycling-and-the-mob

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Garbage hauling cartels: the dark matter of organized crime

2022

https://mafiagenealogy.com/2022/10/01/garbage-hauling-cartels-the-dark-matter-of-organized-crime/

 

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Scientists uncover 'missing' plastics deep in the ocean

2/2/2022 

 

FAU Scientists Uncover ‘Missing’ Plastics Deep in the Ocean


About 51 trillion microplastics are floating in the surface waters of oceans around the world. Originating from various types of plastics, these tiny fragments (less than 5 millimeters in length) pollute natural ecosystems. Hundreds of studies have surveyed plastic debris on the surface or near surface of the ocean. However, these studies only “scratch the surface,” and do not provide a complete inventory of what’s lurking beneath.  

 

A study led by Florida Atlantic University is the first to unveil the prevalence of plastics in the entire water column of an offshore plastic accumulation zone in the southern Atlantic Ocean and implicates the ocean interior as a crucial pool of ‘missing’ plastics. 

 

Results, published in the journal Global Change Biology , demonstrate that small microplastics are critical, underexplored and integral to the oceanic plastic inventory. In addition, findings show that weak ocean current systems contribute to the formation of small microplastics hotspots at depth, suggesting a higher encounter rate for subsurface particle feeders like zooplankton.

 

“Our study highlights the urgency for more quantification of the deep-ocean microplastics, especially the smaller size fraction, to better understand ecosystem exposure and to predict the fate and impacts of these microplastics,” said Tracy Mincer, Ph.D., senior author and an assistant professor of biology at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and FAU Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College.  

 

To gain a better mechanistic understanding of how plastics sink from the ocean surface beyond the mixed layer and ultimately to abyssal depths of the ocean, the researchers sampled plastic particles in the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre using in-situ high-volume filtration, Manta net and MultiNet sampling, combined with micro-Fourier-transform-infrared imaging.

 

They found that abundances and distribution patterns of small microplastics varied geographically and vertially due to the diverse and complex redistribution processes interacting with different plastic particles. They also observed large horizontal and vertical variations in the abundances of small microplastics, displaying inverse vertical trends in some cases. Small microplastics abundances in pump samples were more than two orders of magnitude higher than large microplastics concurrently collected in MultiNet samples.

 

“Small microplastics are different from large microplastics with respect to their high abundance, chemical nature, transport behavior, weathering stages, interactions with ambient environments, bioavailability and the release efficiency of plastic additives,” said Shiye Zhao, Ph.D., first author and a post-doctoral fellow at FAU Harbor Branch. “These distinct characteristics impact their environmental fate and potential impacts on marine ecosystems.” 


 https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/missing-microplastics-ocean.php

 

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Section 3: Solutions

 
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Toxic Cookware



According to risk assessments by the EPA, PFOA’s present significant developmental and reproductive risks in humans with the use of Teflon:

    An increased rate of birth defects has been found in mothers working at DuPont. The company’s response was to move female employees to other sections of the plant in an effort to reduce their exposure to PFOA’s. The chemical coating is also used in fire fighting foam and phone cables. Variants of FPOA’s are used to make the coating on stain resistant carpets and flame retardants for clothing and computers.Teflon can also be found in nail polish removers, eyeglasses, and as lining in pizza boxes.

PFOA’s do not break down in the environment anytime soon, causing forever pollution. According to Tim Kropp, a toxicologist with the Environmental Working Group, if all future exposure is cut off, it would take the body at least 20 years to detoxify Teflon chemicals. Finally, the EPA has recommended that PFOA be classified as a human carcinogen.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/LindaPosch/ToxicCookware.htm

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Makers of flame retardants cut ties with industry front group


2012 


Organization had long lobbied for products with toxic chemicals


http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-02/news/ct-met-citizens-for-fire-safety-20120902_1_flame-retardants-tobacco-and-chemical-industries-citizens-for-fire-safety


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Teflon Is Forever 

 http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2007/05/teflon-forever -


Teflon, it turns out, gets its nonstick properties from a toxic, nearly indestructible chemical called pfoa, or perfluorooctanoic acid. Used in thousands of products from cookware to kids' pajamas to takeout coffee cups, pfoa is a likely human carcinogen, according to a science panel commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency. It shows up in dolphins off the Florida coast and polar bears in the Arctic; it is present, according to a range of studies, in the bloodstream of almost every American—and even in newborns (where it may be associated with decreased birth weight and head circumference). The nonprofit watchdog organization Environmental Working Group (ewg) calls pfoa and its close chemical relatives "the most persistent synthetic chemicals known to man." And although DuPont, the nation's sole Teflon manufacturer, likes to chirp that its product makes "cleanup a breeze," it is now becoming apparent that cleansing ourselves of pfoa is nearly impossible. DuPont has always known more about Teflon than it let on. Two years ago the epa fined the company $16.5 million—the largest administrative fine in the agency's history—for covering up decades' worth of studies indicating that pfoa could cause health problems such as cancer, birth defects, and liver damage. The company has faced a barrage of lawsuits and embarrassing studies as well as an ongoing criminal probe from the Department of Justice over its failure to report health problems among Teflon workers. One lawsuit accuses DuPont of fouling drinking water systems and contaminating its employees with pfoa. Yet it is still manufacturing and using pfoa, and unless the epa chooses to ban the chemical, DuPont will keep making it, unhindered, until 2015.

The Teflon era began in 1938, when a DuPont chemist experimenting with refrigerants stumbled upon what would turn out to be, as the company later boasted, "one of the world's slipperiest substances." DuPont registered the Teflon trademark in 1944, and the coating was soon put to work in the Manhattan Project's A-bomb effort. But like other wartime innovations, such as nylon and pesticides, Teflon found its true calling on the home front. By the 1960s, DuPont was producing Teflon for cookware and advertising it as "a housewife's best friend." Today, DuPont's annual worldwide revenues from Teflon and other products made with pfoa as a processing agent account for a full $1 billion of the company's total revenues of $29 billion. Teflon is not actually the brand name of a pan; it's the name of the slippery stuff that DuPont sells to other companies. Marketers deploy the trademark as a near-mystic incantation, a mantra for warding off filth:

Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner With Teflon® Surface Protector, Dockers Stain Defender™ With Teflon®, Blue Dolphin Sleep 'N Play layette set "protected with Teflon fabric protector."

Breathing in dust from Teflon-treated rugs or upholstery as they wear down is one way we may be ingesting pfoa. Food is another: Pizza-slice paper, microwave-popcorn bags, ice cream cartons, and other food packages are often lined with Zonyl, another DuPont brand. Technically, Zonyl does not contain pfoa, but it is made with fluorotelomer chemicals that break down into pfoa. Regardless of how it gets into our bodies, once there, pfoa stays—quietly accumulating in our tissues, for a lifetime.

Teflon is not the only nonstick, non-stain brand that has turned out to be stickier than advertised. Scotchgard and Gore-Tex, to name just two, are also made with pfoa or other perfluorochemicals (pfcs). Last year the epa hit the 3M corporation, maker of Scotchgard, with a $1.5 million penalty for failing to report pfoa and pfc health data.

Chemicals similar to pfoa have recently turned up in water supplies of suburban Minneapolis and St. Paul, near 3M facilities.

Unlike DuPont, though, 3M no longer sells pfoa: In the late 1990s, when testing blood samples for a health study, the company found pfoa even in the "clean" samples from various U.S. blood banks that it had planned to use as controls. "They realized they were contaminating the entire population," says Richard Wiles, the Environmental

Working Group's executive director. In 2000, 3M announced that it was discontinuing pfoa production.

When 3M got out, DuPont, which until then had bought its pfoa from 3M, jumped in. Now the company's bottom line depends on whether its product's mythic reputation—Teflon's own Teflon—remains intact.

So far, it seems to be holding. Nonstick pots and pans account for 70 percent of all cookware sold. "Amazingly enough, all the publicity has had no impact on sales," says Hugh Rushing, executive vice president of the Cookware Manufacturers' Association.

"People read so much about the supposed dangers in the environment that they get a tin ear

In fact, nonstick pans are not a major source of exposure to pfoa, because almost all of the chemical is burned off during manufacture. Still, when overheated, Teflon cookware can release trace amounts of pfoa and 14 other gases and particles, including some proven toxins and carcinogens, according to the Environmental Working Group's review of 16 research studies over some 50 years. At 500 degrees, Teflon fumes can kill birds; at 660, they can cause the flu-like "polymer fume fever" in humans. Even at normal cooking temperatures, two of four brands of frying pans tested in a study cosponsored by DuPont gave off trace amounts of gaseous pfoa and other perfluorated chemicals.

A $5 billion multistate class-action lawsuit representing millions of Teflon cookware owners alleges that DuPont has known for years that its coatings could turn toxic at temperatures commonly reached on the stove, but failed to tell consumers. DuPont's website recommends not heating Teflon above 500 degrees (so it doesn't "discolor or lose its nonstick quality") and advises that when overheated, "nonstick cookware can emit fumes that may be harmful to birds, as can any type of cookware preheated with cooking oil, fats, margarine and butter." But who knows how hot a pan gets, and who looks out for birds before fixing dinner? Even while researching this story, I left a nonstick skillet on the stove. The fumes smelled like fried computer, and I vowed not to do it again. But I also decided to go with the hazardous-waste flow, figuring, "We're all toxic dumps anyway." (ewg studies have found a "body burden" of 455 industrial pollutants, pesticides, and other chemicals in the bodies of ordinary Americans.) With toxic substances unavoidable, or at least key


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EPA charges DuPont hid Teflon's risks

 

 2005
 
PARKERSBURG, W. Va. — More than 50 years after DuPont started producing Teflon near this Ohio River town, federal officials are accusing the company of hiding information suggesting that a chemical used to make the popular stick- and stain-resistant coating might cause cancer, birth defects and other ailments.

Environmental regulators are particularly alarmed because scientists are finding perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, in the blood of people worldwide, and it takes years for the chemical to leave the body. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported last week that exposure even to low levels of PFOA could be harmful.
 

 http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-01-18/news/0501180271_1_pfoa-teflon-plant-west-virginia-courtroom



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Chemical Used in Teflon & Non-Stick Cookware Linked to Heart Disease

September 16, 2012

https://naturalsociety.com/chemical-teflon-non-stick-linked-heart-disease/


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Study Finds Teflon Chemical In Newborns' Umbilical Cords


2006

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/02/teflon_umbilical.html


 
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DuPont's Teflon Cover-up

Mar. 22, 2006

https://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/environmental/200603tefloncoverup.html

EPA Steps In


EPA has been conducting studies on C-8 or PFOA and have found that this man-made chemical (that is not found in nature) is present in just about every living or previously living thing in the industrialized world. In August of 2005 an independent EPA scientific advisory board concluded that PFOA is a likely human carcinogen and recommended that the EPA conduct cancer risk assessments for a variety of tumors that have been observed in rats and mice that were exposed to the chemical.

In December 2005 the EPA stated that DuPont had violated both the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) for allegedly failing to file notification about the potential health and environmental risks posed by perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA (C-8). In the largest settlement ever made involving a civil administrative federal environmental statute in the history of EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that DuPont agreed to pay $10.25 million in fines and $6.25 million to fund environmental projects to settle allegations that the company withheld information about the dangers of the toxic chemical PFOA.

In addition, DuPont has already agreed to pay up to $343 million in settlement of a class action arising from the contamination of drinking water in Ohio and West Virginia from its plant near Parkersburg, West Virginia. DuPont will also set aside up to another $235 million for future medical monitoring if the studies find C-8 can make people sick.

Had it not been for the diligence of a "whistle blowing" employee at DuPont, the case might still have been unexposed. This makes one wonder it there are lots of other "C-8s" out there, different chemicals, created by companies other than DuPont, with dubious records, filed away in dusty research files marked "Personal and Confidential."

Compounds associated with Teflon 

 

Major Compounds associated with Teflon Production  

 

  • APFO: Ammonium perfluorooctanoate (C8)
  • PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid (also dubbed C8)- Associated with APFO (a synthesizing aid in synthesis of fluoropolymers) (3)
  • PTFE: Polytetrafluoroethylene - Original Teflon
  • FEP: Resin introduced in 1960
  • ETFE: Tefzel® introduced 1970  
  • PFA: Resin introduced in 1972 

 

Linked to Cancer

  • PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid Compound resulting from offgasing of Teflon compounds (has been shown to be transferred from mother to fetus) persistent in environment and found in blood
  • TFE: Compound resulting from offgasing of Teflon compounds

 

Linked to global warning

  • PFB likely never breaks down in environment
  • CF4: Carbontetrafluoride

 

Chemical warfare agents

  • PFIB: Perfluoroisobutene
  • MFA: Monofluoroacetic acid
  • COF2: Chemical analog of WWII nerve gas phosgene

 

Probably never break down in the environment

  • TFA: trifluoroacetetic acid
  • PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid 
  • CF4: Carbontetrafluoride
  • PFB: Perfluorobutane
  • Perfluorinated particulate alkanes

 

Highly Toxic relative to other industrial chemicals

  • PFIB: Perfluoroisobutene
  • MFA: Monofluoroacetic acid
  • COF2: carbonyl fluoride
  • HF: Hydrogen fluoride

 

Found in blood

  • PHOa: Perfluorooctanoic acid - used in processing Teflon 
  • PHOs: perfluorooctane sulfonate
  • PFOS: Perfluorooctanyl sulfonate - Active ingredient in Scotch Guard

 

Offgasses of heated Teflon

  • TFE: Tetrafluoroethylene
  • HFP: Hexafluoropropene
  • OFCB: Octafluorocyclobutane
  • PFIB: Perfluoroisobutane
  • COF2: Carbonyl fluoride
  • CF4: Carbon tetrafluoride
  • TFA: Trifluoroacetic acid
  • CF3COF: Trifluoroacetic acid fluoride
  • PFB: Perfluorobutane
  • SiF4: Silicon tetrafluoride
  • HF: Hydrofluoric acid

 

Temperature Versus Teflon offgas/breakdown and effects 

464°F - Lowest temperature that Teflon particles have been measured
500°F - Searing temperature for meat
536°F - Birds killed in DuPont lab experiments
554°F - Oxidized Teflon particles released
680°F - Toxic gases released
  • TFE - Animal carcinogen
  • HFP - Worker Toxicant
  • TFA - Poisonous to plants
  • DFA - Animal kidney toxicant
  • MFA - Lethal to humans at low doses
  • PFOA - Animal carcinogen
700°F - Preheated grill
750°F - Surface Temperature of PTFE coated pan after heating for 8 minutes on conventional stove
800°F - Electric coil on range top
878°F - Silica tetrafluoride released - Highly toxic by inhalation and ingestion
887°F - PFIB - Chemical warfare agent
932°F - Carbonyl fluoride - Fluorinated version of chemical warfare agent
1,000°F - Drip Pans in stove top burner gas flame on top
1112°F - Trifluoroacetic acid fluoride - degrades to HF and TFA, OFCB Linked to Heart palpations, PFB - Global warming gas
1,202°F Carbon tetrafluoride - contributes to global warming and affects heart, lungs, breathing
1,500°F - Broiling temperature for high end ovens
 




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{There remains some groups that claim Teflon is non-toxic}.

 
______________

 

 

        The Weinberg Group

 

The Weinberg Group is a Washington, DC-based consulting group, specializing in "international scientific and regulatory consulting" and "help[ing] companies protect their product at every stage of its life." Founded in 1983, the firm assists pharmaceutical, pesticide, and chemical companies in regulatory affairs, litigation, and media work.


In an article authored by Paul D. Thacker, Environmental Science & Technology reported that in April 2003, the Weinberg Group proposed a strategy to DuPont to help defuse the growing controversy over the health impacts of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a compound used to make Teflon. Weinberg's Vice-President of Product Defense, P.Terrence Gaffney, wrote, "DuPont must shape the debate at all levels." One of his suggested strategies was to facilitate the "publication of papers and articles dispelling the alleged nexus between PFOA and teratogenicity as well as other claimed harm."

Gaffney also proposed to "develop 'blue ribbon panels' of thought leaders on issues related to PFOA" and to "coordinate the publishing of white papers on PFOA, junk science and the limits of medical monitoring." DuPont confirmed that they had hired the Weinberg Group to help with "scientific third party experts." The five-page 2003 letter also states that the Weinberg Group "has helped numerous companies manage issues allegedly related to environmental exposures. Beginning with Agent Orange in 1983, we have successfully guided clients through myriad regulatory, litigation and public relations challenges posed by those whose agenda is to grossly over regulate, extract settlements from, or otherwise damage the chemical manufacturing industry."

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weinberg_Group
 
 
 

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Cyclohexane


http://toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Cyclohexane

Cyclohexane (C6H12) is a naturally occurring chemical that is also produced synthetically and used as a solvent in numerous industries. Acute exposure to large doses can affect the nervous system, and cyclohexane is a mild eye and skin irritant.


Uses

Cyclohexane is a "high volume chemical" and more than 1 million pounds is produced annually in the US. It is used to extrapolate vapor degreasing solvents and as a solvent in certain industries including laboratory chemicals, machinery manufacturing  and repair, rubber manufacturing, nylon production, and varnish and solvents.

In the past, it was used in certain pesticides.


Environmental Effects

Cyclohexane is released into the environment primarily as an air pollutant from industrial sources. It breaks down easily into its component chemicals and it does not bind well to soil, so it eventually enters the groundwater. Cyclohexane has been observed to contribute to the formation of photochemical smog when it reacts with certain other chemicals (#EPA).



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Fluorotelomer alcohol

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorotelomer_alcohol

 

  Fluorotelomer alcohols, or FTOHs, are fluorotelomers with an alcohol functional group. They are volatile precursors to perfluorinated carboxylic acids, such as PFOA and PFNA, and other compounds.

 

Environmental and health concerns


Fluorotelomer alcohols are volatile and widely detected in air. Fluorotelomer alcohols can biodegrade to perfluorinated carboxylic acids that persist in the environment and are found in the blood serum of populations and wildlife, such as the toxic PFOA and PFNA. The fluorotelomer alcohols 6:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOH have been found to be estrogenic.

 The atmospheric oxidation of fluorotelomer alcohols can also result in anthropogenic perfluorinated carboxylic acids. In addition to perfluorinated carboxylic acids, fluorotelomer alcohols can degrade to form unsaturated carboxylic acids which have been detected in bottlenose dolphins. Fluorotelomer alcohols such as 4:2 FTOH, 6:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOH, and 10:2 FTOH, have been identified as residuals in consumer products such as stain repellents, Zonyl FSE, and windshield wash, among others. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has asked eight chemical companies to reduce the amount of residuals, including fluorotelomer alcohols, from products.


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Fluoride and Teflon, Stainmaster, Scotchgard and Gore-Tex


Two items concerning the health concerns and scientific manipulations surrounding fluorine-based products, Teflon, Stainmaster, Scotchgard and Gore-Tex; "Results show Teflon chemicals found in babies' blood":




1) A good overview about PFCs, including contamination of water:

http://www.ewg.org/reports/pfcworld/

Introduction -- Consumers instantly recognize them as household miracles of modern chemistry, a family of substances that keeps food from sticking topots and pans, repels stains on furniture and rugs, and makes the rain roll off raincoats. Industry makes use of the slippery, heat-stable properties of these same chemicals to manufacture everything from airplanes and computers to cosmetics and household cleaners.

But in the past five years, the multi-billion dollar "perfluorochemical" (PFC)
industry, which underpins such world-famous brands as Teflon, Stainmaster, Scotchgard and Gore-Tex, has emerged as a regulatory priority for scientists and officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The PFC family is characterized by chains of carbon atoms of varying lengths, to which fluorine atoms are strongly bonded, yielding essentially indestructible chemicals that until recently were thought to be biologically inert. No one thinks so now.

A flood of disturbing scientific findings since

The U.S. EPA peremptorily forced one member of this family off the market in 2000: PFOS, the active ingredient used for decades in the original formulation of 3M's popular Scotchgard stain and water repellent. Shortly thereafter, 3M also stopped manufacture of a related perfluorochemical, called PFOA, that is now under intense regulatory pressure at EPA. 3M formerly sold PFOA to DuPont, which has used PFOA for half a century in the manufacture of Teflon. (DuPont now now makes the chemical itself at a new facility in North Carolina.) Alarmed by findings from toxicity studies and by the presence of PFOA in the blood of more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, EPA is expected to announce initial steps to regulate the chemical in early April (2003).

This report provides the first, comprehensive review ever published of the pollution and health risks posed by PFCs, with special reference to PFOA. It is based on a review of 50,000 pages of regulatory studies and government documents obtained from EPA;

internal documents from DuPont and 3M disclosed in ongoing litigation; and an
examination of a growing body of independent studies on the toxicity and environmental occurrence of PFCs.

This report also explains how major companies like 3M and DuPont, who endlessly boast about their scientific prowess, could get away with permanently contaminating the entire planet for decades amid assurance from the chemical industry that it practices "responsible care" with respect to public health and the environment.



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Gore-Tex: An Introduction to the Material and Treatments


( http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v11/bp11-33.html )


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Plastic Food and Drink Containers: Too Toxic to Reuse?

 
2011


One study shows that higher temperatures can cause the release of the heavy metal antimony from #1, PET.

http://sierraclub.typepad.com/mrgreen/2011/04/plastic-food-and-drink-containers-too-toxic-to-reuse.html

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 Contamination of Canadian and European bottled waters with antimony from PET containers.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16470261

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PET plastic 

 

( Polyethylene terephthalate )



 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PET_plastic

PET was patented in 1941 by John Rex Whinfield, James Tennant Dickson and their employer the Calico Printers' Association of Manchester. E. I. DuPont de Nemours in Delaware, USA, first used the trademark Mylar in June of 1951 and received registration of it in 1952. It is still the most well known name used for polyester film. The current owner of the trademark is Dupont Teijin Films US, a partnership with a Japanese company.


Degradation

PET is subjected to various types of degradations during processing. The main
degradations that can occur are hydrolytic, thermal and, probably most important,
thermal oxidation. When PET degrades, several things happen: discoloration, chain scissions resulting in reduced molecular weight, formation of acetaldehyde, and cross-links ("gel" or "fish-eye" formation). Discoloration is due to the formation of various chromophoric systems following prolonged thermal treatment at elevated temperatures.

This becomes a problem when the optical requirements of the polymer are very high, such as in packaging applications. The thermal and thermooxidative degradation results in poor processibility characteristics and performance of the material


Acetaldehyde

Acetaldehyde is a colorless, volatile substance with a fruity smell. Although it forms naturally in some fruit, it can cause an off-taste in bottled water. Acetaldehyde forms by degradation of PET through the mishandling of the material. High temperatures, (PET decomposes above 300 °C or 570 °F), high pressures, extruder speeds (excessive shear flow raises temperature), and long barrel residence times all contribute to the production of acetaldehyde. When acetaldehyde is produced, some of it remains dissolved in the walls of a container and then diffuses into the product stored inside, altering the taste and aroma. This is not such a problem for non-consumables (such as shampoo), for fruit juices (which already contain acetaldehyde), or for strong-tasting drinks like soft drinks. For bottled water, however, low acetaldehyde content is quite important, because, if nothing masks the aroma, even extremely low concentrations (10–20 parts per billion in the water) of acetaldehyde can produce an off-taste.




Safety

Commentary published in Environmental Health Perspectives in April 2010 suggested that PET might yield endocrine disruptors under conditions of common use and recommended research on this topic. Proposed mechanisms include leaching of phthalates as well as leaching of antimony. Article published in Journal of Environmental Monitoring in April 2012 concludes that antimony concentration in deionized water stored in PET bottles stays within



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Losing their health and homes to spray polyurethane foam

http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/losing-their-health-and-homes-spray-polyurthane-foam.html




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Artificial Leather

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_leather


Poromeric imitation leather

Sometimes referred to as poromerics, poromeric imitation leathers are a group of
synthetic "breathable" leather substitutes made from a plastic coating (usually a
polyurethane) on a fibrous base layer (typically a polyester).

The term poromeric was coined by DuPont as a derivative of the terms microporous and polymeric. The first poromeric material was DuPont's ill-fated Corfam introduced in 1963 at the Chicago Shoe Show.




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Top 25 Biggest Product Flops of All Time

No. 9: Corfam Fake Leather

http://www.dailyfinance.com/photos/top-25-biggest-product-flops-of-all-time/?photo=2#!slide=982936


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Many people in the military and the DMV were forced into wearing Corfam boots and shoes.

______________

 

BARBARA D. MEADOWS, Employee, Plaintiff v. N.C. DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION,


Plantiff claims the DMV force their employees to wear synthetic leather shoes with a material called Corfam. Some employees have complained about foot problems, including their feet swelling up in these types of shoes. However, the DMV employees were not permitted to wear any other shoes, except the Corfam issued shoes by the DMV.

http://www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/public/coa/opinions/2000/990801-1.htm

 
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Many plastic shoes toxic - study 

2009

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/09/15/09/many-plastic-shoes-toxic-study


______________

 

High level of toxins detected in shoes

Sep 22, 2009

 http://www.iol.co.za/business/business-news/high-level-of-toxins-detected-in-shoes-1.707500#.UeYfM23piSo

In a study released last week, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) found high levels of a toxic chemical known as diethyl-hexyl phthalate (DEHP) in 17 out of 27 pairs of shoes manufactured in various countries including India, Indonesia, Tanzania, The Philippines, Sweden and South Africa.

The chemical can cause cancer, severe damage to a developing fetus and the central nervous system.

______________

 
Toxic chemical found in school shoes 

2012

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/toxic-chemical-found-in-school-shoes-20120519-1yxik.html


______________

 
Toxins in leather shoes 

http://inspirationgreen.com/toxins-in-leather-shoes.html

 ______________


Occupational cancers in leather tanning industries: A short review 

http://www.ijoem.com/article.asp?issn=0019-5278;year=2007;volume=11;issue=1;spage=3;epage=5;aulast=Rastogi


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Be cautious of water resistant clothing with PFCs

What are PFCs - http://www.everydayexposures.com/toxins/pfcs

Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) are organofluorine compounds that have an ability to make products stain, grease, and water resistant, and are popular for their non-stick and stain-repellant uses. Due to these properties, PFCs are often used in paper food containers such as microwave popcorn bags and fast food wrappers. PFCs are considered persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and resist chemical, biological, and photolytic degradation in the environment. These chemicals biomagnify in the food chain and bioaccumulate in animal and human tissues.

______________

 

Toxic Chemicals in Pregnant Women?

http://www.nrdc.org/living/pregnancy/toxic-chemicals-pregnant-women.asp

In January 2010, a study by the University of California San Francisco confirmed that pregnant women carry multiple chemicals in their bodies that can be passed onto their fetus. Published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the study evaluated data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2003-2004. Overall, 43 banned as well as currently used chemicals -- including PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, PFCs, phenols, PBDE flame retardants, phthalates -- were detected in 99-100% of over 250 pregnant women.


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Are your child’s clothes TOXIC? 

2013

http://www.mygutsy.com/are-your-childs-clothes-toxic/

 

______________

 

Harmful Effects of Polyester Resin 

2017

http://www.ehow.com/list_6757223_harmful-effects-polyester-resin.html

 ______________

 

The Clothes that Kill You Slowly but Surely 

Nowadays, clothes also contain toxins like formaldehyde, brominated flame retardants, and perfluorinated chemicals (Teflon) to provide "non-iron" and "non-wrinkle" qualities. Insecticides are even applied in the name of good health!



http://cancerdefeated.com/newsletters/The-Clothes-that-Kill-You-Slowly-but-Surely.html

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Toxic chemicals in children's clothes, explained

2014

 

http://www.dw.de/toxic-chemicals-in-childrens-clothes-explained/a-17366181

 ______________

 Clothing Dermatitis and Clothing-Related Skin Conditions

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Dermatitis/files/clothing.pdf

 ______________

Synthetic Dyes: A look at Environmental & Human Risks

2008

http://greencotton.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/synthetic-dyes-a-look-at-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

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 The 6+ Synthetic Fabrics You Most Want to Avoid, and Why 

http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/12/21/the-6-synthetic-fabrics-you-most-want-to-avoid-and-why.htm  

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 Protect kids from toxins 

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehkids/pdf/toxicbro.pdf

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The Advantages of Organic Clothing 

http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/advantages-organic-clothing-2630.html


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SILK SCREEN PRINTING 

http://www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/harts1/HARTS_library/silkscrn.txt

 Silk screen printing is one of the most hazardous processes in the arts and crafts. 

Dermatitis, narcosis (dizziness, light-headedness, fatigue, nausea, lack of
coordination and headaches), eye irritation, adverse reproductive hazards including increased risk of miscarriage, and serious neurological problems can all result from the processes of screen printing.

 Traditionally, silk screen printing has been performed using organic solvent-based materials.  Water-based inks containing less hazardous ingredients provide a safer and increasingly popular alternative.

Many silk screen inks contain many hazardous chemicals and solvents. Poster inks can contain toluene and xylene, which are highly toxic aromatic hydrocarbons, and large amounts of mineral spirits. Other inks, e.g. vinyl inks, can contain large amounts of other highly toxic solvents, for example, isophorone


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Organic Screen Printing

 http://organic.lovetoknow.com/Organic_Screen_Printing


Organic screen printing is an important thing to consider when you are out shopping for organic clothing. Even though you may be purchasing an organic shirt, if it is printed with toxic inks you may not be doing as much for the environment as you think. The good news is there are earth-friendly screen printing methods that are a good choice over traditional screen printing methods.

Traditional printing ink poses a serious danger to the air we breathe, the water we
drink and the food we eat. This is because toxic chemicals that are produced during the manufacturing and disposal processes, as well as during the use of this ink, are released into the environment.

Plastisol, the traditionally used ink for screen printing, is manufactured by using a liquefied form of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. The chlorine-based chemicals that are formed when this product is manufactured react with other chemicals to create dioxins, PCBs and other toxic compounds. In addition, the plasticizers used to make this ink flexible are carcinogenic and continue to be released even after you have purchased the product. So even if you have purchased an organic hemp or cotton shirt, your purchase may not be as environmentally friendly as you think it is.


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How Green Are Your Jeans?


 Some 450 million pairs of jeans are sold in the United States each year -- 1.5 pairs for every man, woman, and child. The average woman has eight pairs in her closet. Chances are that to make those jeans, cotton crops were drenched in pesticides; fibers were stained with toxic dyes; and the resulting fabric was sandblasted, chemically softened, and ripped and scrunched to create the wrinkles and tears that make new jeans look perfectly broken in.

There is another option: the eco-minded can invest in a pair of jeans woven from organic cotton, dyed with natural indigo, and faded with nontoxic ozone.

 http://www.onearth.org/article/how-green-are-your-jeans

 ______________


The dirty secret behind jeans and bras

2010


 http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/news/stories/toxics/2010/textile-pollution-xintang-gurao/


______________


Indigo dye



In 1897, 19,000 tons of indigo were produced from plant sources. Largely due to advances in organic chemistry, production by natural sources dropped to 1,000 tons by 1914 and continued to contract. These advances can be traced to 1865 when the German chemist Adolf von Baeyer began working on the synthesis of indigo. He described his first synthesis of indigo in 1878 (from isatin) and a second synthesis in 1880 (from 2-nitrobenzaldehyde). The vinyl group can be oxidized in a number of different ways to yield 2-nitrobenzaldehyde.
 The synthesis of indigo remained impractical, so the search for alternative starting materials at BASF and Hoechst continued. The synthesis of N-(2-carboxyphenyl)glycine from the easy to obtain aniline provided a new and economically attractive route. BASF developed a commercially feasible manufacturing process that was in use by 1897. In 2002, 17,000 tons of synthetic indigo were produced worldwide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heumann_indigo_synthesis#Chemical_synthesis



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2-nitrobenzaldehyde

The vinyl group can be oxidized in a number of different ways to yield 2-nitrobenzaldehyde. 2-nitrobenzaldehyde also can also contain the chemical styrene.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-nitrobenzaldehyde

 

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Styrene


Styrene is regarded as a "hazardous chemical", especially in case of eye contact, but also in case of skin contact, of ingestion and of inhalation, according to several sources. Styrene is largely metabolized into styrene oxide in humans, resulting from oxidation by cytochrome P450. Styrene oxide is considered toxic, mutagenic, and possibly carcinogenic. Styrene oxide is subsequently hydrolyzed in vivo to styrene glycol by the enzyme epoxide hydrolase. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has described styrene to be "a suspected toxin to the gastrointestinal tract, kidney, and respiratory system, among others." On 10 June 2011, the U.S. National Toxicology Program has described styrene as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen". However, a STATS author describes a review that was done on scientific literature and concluded that "The available epidemiologic evidence does not support a causal relationship between styrene exposure and any type of human cancer". Despite this claim, work has been done by Danish researchers to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to styrene and cancer. They concluded, "The findings have to be interpreted with caution, due to the company based exposure assessment, but the possible association between exposures in the reinforced plastics industry, mainly styrene, and degenerative disorders of the nervous system and pancreatic cancer, deserves attention". The Danish EPA recently concluded that the styrene data do not support a cancer concern for styrene.


The U.S. EPA does not have a cancer classification for styrene, but currently is evaluating styrene's cancer-causing potential through its EPA|Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. The U.S. National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also currently is evaluating styrene's potential toxicity To date, no regulatory body anywhere in the world has classified styrene as a known human carcinogen, although several refer to it in various contexts as a possible or potential human carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers styrene to be "possibly carcinogenic to humans". Chronic exposure to styrene leads to tiredness/lethargy, memory deficits, headaches and vertigo.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrene

 

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STYROFOAM THE SILENT KILLER


 http://www.olivegreen.com.sg/pdf/Styrofoam%20Report%20-%20OliveGreen%20Marketing.pdf



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Are You or Your Family Eating Toxic Food Dyes?

 

2011


Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. While the European Union has recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to inform consumers of the health risks, the United States has no such requirement.
Here are some of the most common food dyes used today, according to the Food Freedom Network:


  • Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)
    An unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice. What it's in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products. 
  •  
  • Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)
    Causes a statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. What it's in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, & other food and drugs. 

  • Citrus Red #2
    It's toxic to rodents at modest levels and caused tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. What it's in: Skins of Florida oranges. 
  •  
  • Green #3 (Fast Green)
    Caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. What it's in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet, ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics. 
  •  
  • Red #3 (Erythrosine)
    Recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. What it's in: Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, and candies. 
  •  
  • Red #40 (Allura Red)
    This is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It may accelerate the appearance of immune system tumors in mice. It also causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. What it's in: Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics. 
  •  
  • Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)
    Yellow 5 causes sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. What it's in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. 
  •  
  • Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)
    Caused adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. What it's in: Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics, and drugs.


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/24/are-you-or-your-family-eating-toxic-food-dyes.aspx



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Blue Dye Is More Toxic To Our Health Than We Thought

 

2013

After evaluating the health consequences of using this blue dye, they found that it could be seeping into our bloodstream and destroying our gastrointestinal system. In addition, there are concerns that it could inhibit cell respiration, which could lead to ADHD, allergies and asthma. And, when Brilliant Blue was used in feeding tubes, a 2003 study proved that it had links to blue-tinged skin, urine, and feces, as well as hypotension and even death.
Why is this dye so harmful? The researchers say it can get into our bloodstream when the skin’s barrier is vulnerable (like after shaving) or when the dyes are put onto the mucous membrane of the tongue (like from a lollypop).
So why is it still legal to put in our food and cosmetics?
It shouldn’t be, say the researchers. They concluded that it should be banned at least from things like hard candies (which sit on the tongue and expose us to more dye absorption) and certain cosmetics. Will that happen? Probably not anytime soon because, of course, the Association of Color Manufacturers disagree with this study.


______________

 

Carcinogenic Chemical: Disperse Blue 1

 

2011


Disperse Blue 1 is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on evidence of malignant tumor formation in experimental animals to an unusual degree with regard to incidence, site, and type of tumor (NTP 1986), and because it is an anthraquinone and therefore, structurally related to other substances listed in a previous Annual Report on Carcinogens as either  known to be human carcinogens or reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens (NTP 1994).

"Over 3 million people in the United States use hair color preparations containing
Disperse Blue 1 in semipermanent hair color formulations at concentrations of less than 1%. Disperse Blue 1 has been used as a fabric dye for nylon, cellulose acetate and triacetate, and polyester. It has also been used for surface dyeing of thermoplastics and as a solvent dye in cellulose acetate plastics. Disperse Blue 1 is also used to dye fur, sheepskins, acetate, nylon, and other synthetic fibers (NTP 1986, IARC 1990, HSDB 2001)."



http://www.abloggmeration.com/2011/04/carcinogenic-chemical-disperse-blue-1.html

______________



Disperse Blue 1 - National Toxicology Program


Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition (2011)
National Toxicology Program, Department of Health and Human Services
Disperse Blue 1



http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/profiles/DisperseBlue1.pdf


______________

Toxicity of Food Drug and Cosmetic Blue No. 1 Dye
in Critically Ill Patients

The addition of dye, particularly Food Drug and Cosmetic Blue No. 1 (FD&C Blue No. 1), to enteral feedings is commonly employed for the detection of aspiration in the critical care setting. However, evidence suggests that this dye is potentially toxic under some clinical conditions. In contrast to early investigations demonstrating limited absorption of FD&C Blue No. 1 when administered to healthy animals, significant absorption of the dye has been reported in critically ill patients, presumably due to disruption of the integrity of the intestinal
barrier. This is a significant concern given the documented
cytotoxicity of the dye in vitro, and could account for adverse outcomes documented in association with blue dye absorption.


http://journal.publications.chestnet.org/pdfaccess.ashx?ResourceID=2110398&PDFSource=13

 

______________

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=FDisTRAhLRoC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=Indigo+carmine+dupont&source=bl&ots=PmAzLSCl-c&sig=2adTmkvujCSNfRjkjvIf8_hjYmg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TMjxUvHSEIPEyQGB7YDQAQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Indigo%20carmine%20dupont&f=false


CRC HANDBOOK of FOOD, DRUG, and COSMETIC EXCIPIENTS


Page 151



(FD&C Blue #2)

 Available formulations

A. Drugs

 Indigo carmine is a common color additive in oral tablets and capsules and is also used in some nylon sutures. An injectable preparation, containing 0.8% indigo carmine, is available in 5 ml ampules for diagnostic use.

TABLE OF COMMON DRUG PRODUCTS

Oral Drug Products

Trade name                                 Manufacturer

Coumadin                                     DuPont
Moban Tablet                               DuPont
Percocet demi tablet                     DuPont
Valpin 50 tablet                            DuPont



______________



Some people will debate the various outcomes of medical experiments used with many chemicals. This would include the toxicity of many synthetic dyes, including blue dyes such as  " Coomassie Brilliant Blue - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_G ."  

Coomassie Brilliant Blue is being used for medicinal purposes for spinal injuries.

Coomassie Brilliant Blue is not to be confused with Brilliant Blue FCF (Blue 1)  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_FCF




______________

 

Blue food dye reduces paralysis from spinal injuries - but turns you blue


I'll admit a personal interest in this story: two years ago, a friend of mine, Lenna, had a nasty motorcycle accident, and I was present at the scene. It was clear she had spinal injuries - her back was twisted fairly badly. But she was able to move her feet and wiggle her toes, so we held out hope that the injury wouldn't be too severe.

As it turned out, she became a paraplegic, with virtually no feeling or movement below her navel. The original injury, as it turns out, does a certain amount of damage to the spinal cord - but the major, unfixable damage is done over the next few hours and days.

Much of this is because of a chemical called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. ATP is used as a kind of cellular battery to deliver energy to cells around the body in normal life. But in the event of spinal trauma, the area around the injury is flooded with ATP, which causes otherwise healthy neurons to fire like crazy until they burn themselves out and die. It also increases the swelling around the wound. Swelling around an injury site is a positive healing factor in most parts of the body, but the spinal cord lives in a tightly enclosed column of bone, and the swelling, on top of the bleeding from the trauma, can cut off oxygen supply to the lower spinal cord.

In effect, a patient might receive a spinal injury of low or medium severity - but the actions of ATP in the hours and days after the trauma can completely destroy the function of the spinal cord, leaving patients paralyzed. This is exactly what happened to Lenna.

But a study published in July 28's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) seems to show that it's possible to block the actions of ATP and greatly reduce the severity and permanence of spinal injuries - using the same type of food dye that gives blue M&Ms their color, a food dye called Brilliant Blue G, or BBG.

BBG can be administered intravenously - so there's no need to inject directly into the injury site - and it has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, which gives it access to the spinal cord. It happens to bind to the same neuroreceptor (P2X7) as the ATP binds to - but it has a stronger affinity for the receptor than ATP has - so it effectively blocks the action of the ATP at the injury site.

http://www.gizmag.com/blue-food-dye-spinal-injury-trauma-bbm/12474/



______________


 

Insider Trading Trends in these Consumer Non-Cyclical Stocks


 Inter Parfums, Inc. (NASDAQ:IPAR): Over the past six months, insiders have bought 1,049,630 shares and have sold -1,706,900 shares, for a net of -657,270 shares. The shares recently traded at $19.89 and its market capitalization is $607,322,900. About the company: Inter Parfums, Inc. provides prestige and mass market perfumes and cosmetics on a worldwide basis. The Company owns or licenses various prestige brand names, including Burberry, S.T. Dupont, Paul Smith, Molyneux, Weil, and Christian Lacroix. Inter Parfums mass markets its products under the Jean Philippe brand name.

 http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/insider-trading-trends-in-these-consumer-non-cyclical-stocks.html/

 ______________

 Toxic Perfume Ingredients Linked to Cancer, Sperm Damage

 http://www.rodale.com/perfume-ingredients

______________

 
 Is Perfume A Brilliantly Marketed Toxin? 

 http://www.grownups.co.nz/read/health/health_wellbeing/is-perfume-a-brilliantly-marketed-toxin

 

______________

 

Cosmetics and Fragranced Products Pose High Risks for Breast Cancer and Other Illnesses


Makeup kits in department stores typically contain, in varying combinations, the following products: foaming cleanser, body mist, body lotion, eau de toilette or parfum spray, lipstick, body cream, facial cream, body and shower gel, powder blusher, perfume spray, skin cream, hand lotion, eyebrow pencil, moisturizers, lip gloss and brushes. The cosmetic give-away initiative is very popular among breast cancer survivors. I have read reports of some women driving over 100 miles one-way to attend the classes. Glorifying articles with testimony from the breast cancer survivors have appeared in the newspapers. On the surface, giving free cosmetics to breast cancer survivors may appear to the unsuspecting to be a grand and benevolent gesture.

http://www.breastcanceroptions.org/cosmetics_and_fragrances_pose_high_risks_0.aspx


______________

 
 Tests Find Cancer-Causing Chemical In 98 Personal Care Products -


2013 


 http://consumerist.com/2013/08/27/tests-find-cancer-causing-chemical-in-98-personal-care-products/

 
 ______________



Beneath The Skin



http://www.iehn.org/filesalt/IEHNCosmeticsReportFin.pdf

 

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A LIST OF KNOWN CARCINOGENS

 http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/Charts/Carcinogens.html

Known carcinogens are defined as "those substances for which the evidence from human studies indicates that there is a casual relationship between the exposure to the substance and human cancer."

In the following list I have noted some commercial uses for each of the carcinogens shown. As you would expect, this is a developing subject.
Be sure to use dual seals any time you have to pump these chemicals.

4-Aminobiphenyl...... No commercial use in the United States. Was used as a rubber antioxidant and as a reagent for detecting sulfates.

Analgesic mixtures containing Phenacetin...... Prescription and over the counter drugs.

Arsenic and certain Arsenic compounds...... Pesticides, wood preservatives, alloying additive, glass and nonferrous alloys.

Asbestos...... Insulation, gasketing, packing, coatings, plastics, textiles, friction materials.

Azathioprine...... Medical use.

Benzene ... Solvent, gasoline additive.

Benzidine ..... Dyes in textile and paper

Bis(chloromethyl)ether and technical grade Chloromethyl Methyl Ether ..... Synthesis of plastic and ion exchanger resins

1,4-Butanediol Dimethylsulfonate (Myleran) ..... Medical use.

Chlorambucil ..... Medical use. Chromium and certain Chromium compounds ..... Stainless steel, pigment, medical, plating, wood treatment, paint.

Conjugated Estrogens ..... Medical uses.

Cyclophosphamide ..... Medical uses.

Diethylstilbestrol ..... Medical uses.

Melphalan ..... Medical uses.

Methoxsalen with Ultra-violet A Therapy (PUVA) ..... Medical uses.

Mustard Gas ..... Biological studies, weapons.

2-Naphthylamine ..... Dyes, rubber, used only for research purposes.

Thorium Dioxide ..... Nuclear, flame spraying, welding electrodes, high temperature ceramics.

Vinyl Chloride ..... Plastics, wrapping film, phonograph records, credit cards, floor tiles.

In addition to the above chemicals there are substances which may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens. Defined as "those for which there is a limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans or sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals".

2-Acetylaminofluorene ..... Medical uses.

Acrylonitrile ..... Synthetic fibers resins, plastics, elastomers .

Adriamycin ..... Medical uses.

Aflatoxins ..... Research.

2-Aminoanthraquinone ..... Dyes, paints plastics, rubber, printing inks.

o-Aminoazotoluene ..... Pigments, coloring oils, wax polishes.

1-Amino-2-methyllanthraquinine ..... Dye for synthetic fibers as well as animal furs.

Amitrole ..... Herbicide, now limited to non-crop applications.

o-Anisidine Hydrochloride ..... Dyes.

Benzotrichloride ..... Plastics, dyes and pigments.

Beryllium and certain Beryllium compounds ..... Alloys for aerospace applications, ceramic additive to glass and plastic.

Bischloroethyl Nitrousourea ..... Medical uses

1,3-Butadiene ..... Synthetic rubber, tires, nylon carpet backing, latex adhesives.

Cadmium and certain Cadmium compounds ..... Coating and plating.

Carbon Tetrachloride ..... Production of Freon 11 & 12, degreasing, plastic and resin production.

Chlorendic Acid ... Flame retardant, foams.

Chlorinated Parraffins (C12, 60% Chlorine) ..... Lubricant additive, flame retardant, rubber production

1-(2-Chloroethy)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) ... Medical uses.

Chloroform ..... Production of fluorocarbon, refrigerant, heat transfer medium in fire extinguishers.

3-Chloro-2-methylpropene ..... Fumigant, textile additive, plastics.

4-Chloro-o-phenylenediamine ..... Hair dye, photographic chemicals.

C.I. Basic Red 9 Monohydrochloride ..... Dye for textiles, leather printing inks, china clay.

p-Cresidine ..... Dyes.

Cupferron ..... A reagent to separate tin from zinc and copper and iron from other metals.

Dacarbazine ... Medical uses.

DDT ..... Insecticide. In the US. it used only under Public Health Service supervision.

2,4-Diaminoanisole Sulfate ..... Fur, acrylic fiber, polyester, wool , cotton and hair dye.

2,4Diaminotoluene ..... Polyurethane, dye.

1,2-Dibromo-3-ch loropropane ..... Soil fumigant.

1,2-Dibromoethane (EDB) ..... Gasoline antiknock additive, pesticide.

1,4-Dichlorobenzene ..... Space deodorant (toilets, rooms) germicide.

3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine and 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine Dithydrochloride ..... Pigments.

1,2-Dichlorethane ..... Component of leaded fuel, production of vinyl chloride.

Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) ..... Solvent in paint removers, manufacture of vitamins, degreasing agent.

1,3-Dichloropropene (Technical Grade) ..... Pesticides.

Diepoxybutane ..... Curing agent for polymers.

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate ..... Used to make poly vinyl chloride.

Diethyl Sulfate ..... Surfactants, dyes, agricultural chemicals.

Diglycidyl Resorcinol Ether ..... Liquid epoxy resin.

3,3'-Dimethoxybenzidine ..... Production of azo dyes.

4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene ..... To color polishes and other wax products.

3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine ..... Dye, chlorine test kits.

Dimethylcarbamoyl Chloride ..... Dyes, pesticide.

1,1-Dimethylhydrazine ..... Propellant for liquid fuel rockets.

Dimethyl Sulfate ..... Used to manufacture other chemicals.

Dimethylvinyl Chloride ..... Organic synthesis.

1,4-Dioxane ..... Stabilizer in chlorinated solvents.

Direct Black 38 ..... Dye.

Direct Blue 6 ..... Dye.

Epichlorohydrin ..... Epoxy resins.

Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Estradiol-17ß ..... Medical uses.

Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Estrone ..... Medical uses.

Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Ethinylestradiol ..... Medical uses.

Estrogens (Not Conjugated): Mestranol ..... Medical uses.

Ethyl Acrylate ..... Paper coatings, emulsion based polymers.

Ethylene Oxide ..... Manufacture of ethylene glycol and polyester.

Ethylene Thiourea .... Rubber, O-rings, electroplating.

Formaldehyde (Gas) ..... Adhesives, chemical production, Medical uses.

Hexachlorobenzene ..... Pesticide.

Hexamethylphossphoramide ..... Solvent for polymers, de-icing additive for jet fuels.

Hydrazine and Hydrazine Sulfate ..... Agricultural chemicals, rocket fuel, oxygen scavenger in boiler feed water.

Hydrazobenzene ..... Dye, additive to motor oil.

Iron Dextran Complex ..... Medical uses.

Kepone® (Chlordecone) ..... Insecticide, no longer used in the US.

Lead Acetate and Lead Phosphate ..... Drier in paints and varnish, colorant in hair dyes.

Lindane and other Hexachlorocyclohexane Isomers ..... Insecticidal treatment for wood, grain and live stock.

2-Methylaziridine (Proplyleneimine) ..... Paper, textile, rubber.

4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA) ..... Curing agent.

4,4'-Methylenebis(N,N-dimethyl)benzenamine ..... Dye.

4,4'-Methylenedianiline and its Dihydrochloride ..... Manufacture of polyisocynates and isocyanates.

Metronidazole ..... Medical uses.

Michler's Ketone ..... Dyes and pigments.

Mirex ..... Pesticide, fire retardant.

Nickel and certain Nickel compounds ..... Stainless and alloy steel.

Nitrilotriacetic Acid ..... Detergent, water treatment.

5-Nitro-o-Anisidine ..... Dye.

Nitofen ..... No present commercial use. Was a herbicide.

Nitrogen Mustard Hydrochloride ..... Medical uses.

2-Nitropropane ..... Solvent, inks, paints polymers.

N-Nitrosodi-n-butylamine ..... Medical uses.

N-Nitrosodiethanolamine ..... No commercial use.

N-Nitrosodiethylamine ..... Stabilizer in plastics, gasoline and lubricant additive.

N-Nitrosodimethylamine ..... Liquid rocket fuel, solvent.

p-Nitrosodiphenylamine ..... Rubber, dye.

N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine ..... No commercial use. Used in cancer research.

N-Nitroso-N-ethylurea ..... No commercial use.

N-Nitroso-N-methylurea ..... Medical uses

N-Nitrosomethylvinylamine ..... Research chemical.

N-Nitrosomorpholine ..... No commercial use.

N-Nitrosonornicotine ..... Research chemical.

N-Nitrosopiperidine ..... Epoxy resin.

N-Nitrosopyrrolidine ..... No commercial use.

N-Nitrososarcosine .... No commercial use

Norethisterone ..... Medical uses

4,4'-Oxydianiline ..... Production of polyimide and poly(ester)mide resins.

Oxymetholone ..... Medical uses.

Phenacetin ..... Medical uses.

PhenazopyridineHydrochloride .. .. Medical uses.

Phenoxybenzamine Hydrochloride ..... Medical uses.

Phenytoin ..... Medical uses.

Polybrominated Biphenyls ..... Flame retardant, plastics.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls .... Heat transfer and hydraulic fluids.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbones, 15 listings .... Coal tar, roofing, creosote, asphalt

  • Benza(a)anthracene
  • Benzo(b)fluoranthene
  • Benzo(j)fluoranthene
  • Benzo(k)fluoranthene
  • Benzo(a)pyrene
  • Dibenz(a,h)acridine
  • Dibenz(a,j)acridine
  • Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
  • 7H-Dibenzo(c,g)carbazole
  • Dibenzo(a,e)pyrene
  • Dibenzo(a,h)pyrene
  • Dibenzo(a,l)pyrene
  • Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
  • 5-Methylchrysene

Procarbazine Hydrochloride ..... Medical uses.

Progesterone ..... Medical uses.

1,3-Propane Sultone ..... Detergents lathering agents.

Propiolactone ..... Medical uses.

Propylene Oxide ..... Coatings and adhesives.

Propylthiouracil ..... Medical uses.

Reserpine ..... Medical uses.

Saccharin ..... Sweetening agent.

Safrole ..... Flavoring agent.

Selenium Sulfide ..... Shampoos.

Streptozotocin ..... Medical uses.

Sulfallate ..... Herbicide.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) ..... Research chemical.

Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) ..... Dry cleaning and textile production.

Thioacetamide ..... Replacement for hydrogen sulfide in qualitative analysis.

Thiourea ..... Animal glue.

Toluene Diisocyanate ..... Polyurethane foam.

o-Toluidine and o-Toluidine Hydrochloride ..... Dyes and pigments.

Toxaphene ..... Insecticide.

2,4,6-Trichlorophenol ..... Wood preservative, anti mildew.

Tris(1-aziridinyl)phosphine Sulfide ..... Medical uses.

Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate ..... No longer used in the US. Was a flame retardant.



______________


List of IARC Group 3 carcinogens


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IARC_Group_3_carcinogens

______________

 
42 Common Toxic Chemicals and Their Effects

http://www.mcsbeaconofhope.com/42_common_toxic_chemicals_and_th.htm


______________

 

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/learning/endocrine-disrupting-chemicals.html
http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/learning/human-effects.html


______________



Dogs And Cats Contaminated With High Levels Of Toxic Industrial Chemicals

In the first study of its kind, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that companion cats and dogs are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people.

http://www.care2.com/news/member/787093533/727657

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Why is Toxic Propylene Glycol in Deodorants and Dog Food?

2012 


http://sanfrancisco.legalexaminer.com/toxic-substances/why-is-toxic-propylene-glycol-in-deodorants-and-dog-food/

______________

 

Toxic chemicals in the home and in the environment


http://leas.ca/userfiles/file/pdf/chem%20trespass%20teacher%20final.pdf

______________

 

The dirt on toxic chemicals in household cleaning products


http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/the-dirt-on-toxic-chemicals-in-household-cleaning-products/


______________


Be Aware of Artificial Turf Hazards 

http://www.njwec.org/PDF/Factsheets/fact-artificialterf.pdf


______________

 

Should You Ditch Your Chemical Mattress? 

2008

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2008/03/should-you-ditch-your-chemical-mattress


______________

 
Chemicals in Mattresses

http://www.myessentia.com/research/glues-toxic-components

______________

 

Health Risks of the Serta Memory Foam

http://www.ehow.com/about_5806962_health-memory-foam-mattress-topper.html

 

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How To Buy A Non-Toxic Mattress (And An Inexpensive Alternative)


http://www.mommypotamus.com/how-to-buy-a-non-toxic-mattress/

Other organochlorine pesticides that have been found at sheep dips sites in New Zealand are lindane, DDT, aldrin and endrin. Long term exposure to organochlorine pesticides can affect the central nervous system and can cause liver damage in humans and animals.
Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and is very toxic to humans and animals” (Source:Sheep Dip Factsheet).

I haven’t yet been able to confirm this regarding antimony and phosphorous, but I
wouldn’t be surprised if excessive levels are really contaminants from industrial
practices.



______________



New fear about food dyes

 

 The research team, out of the Slovak University of Technology, studied two blue dyes, Patent Blue and Brilliant Blue. The former is banned from food products in the United States, but Brilliant Blue (also known as FD&C Blue No. 1) is used in food, textiles, leathers, and cosmetics in several countries including the U.S. 

 Hojerová and her colleagues have shown that the dyes can actually enter the bloodstream via the skin or through the digestive tract. That’s a major surprise, because it was believed that the skin blocked the dye from seeping into the body, and that ingested dyes were destroyed by the gastrointestinal system.

The team reached their conclusions by studying pig tongues coated with human saliva: Brilliant Blue and Patent Blue dye were placed on the tongues for 20 minutes, in an effort to mimic licking a lollipop. One day later, the team found that both dyes had actually been absorbed through the tongue and into the bloodstream, with Patent Blue penetrating to a greater extent.



http://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/blue-food-dyes-absorbed-bloodstream

 
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Food Dyes Linked to Behavioral Problems

Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods. Linked to hyperactivity. Banned in Denmark,
Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Sweden being phased out in the entire EU. Made of petroleum and 2-naphthalenesulfonic acid.

http://www.inspirationgreen.com/food-dyes-linked-to-behavior-problems.html

 

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Food Dyes Linked to Cancer, ADHD, Allergies


2010

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/popular-food-dyes-linked-to-cancer-adhd-and-allergies/#.UmH8shDNkmx


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POSSIBLE CARCINOGENIC POTENTIAL OF VARIOUS MARKETED DYES


Water pollution due to effluents from textile dyeing industry is a cause of serious concern. The techniques for detection of dyes are cost intensive and futile because the dyes undergo chemical changes under environmental conditions and the transformation products may be
more toxic and carcinogenic than the parent molecule. Hence instead of detecting each chemical individually it is advisable to study the toxic effect of the effluents on various living organisms.
Various techniques of toxicity and carcinogenicity measurements are discussed in this review. Remediation using physical, chemical and biological methods has also been critically reviewed.
 
 


 ______________


http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-106/

Health Hazard Alert-- Benzidine-, o-Tolidine-, and o-Dianisidine- Based Dyes


 Recent data from animal tests, case reports, and other sources about the carcinogenic effects and metabolism of benzidine-, o-tolidine-, and o- dianisidine-based dyes have come to the attention of OSHA and NIOSH. Both agencies have reviewed the data and conclude that the findings establish the potential of these dyes to cause cancer in humans.

OSHA and NIOSH conclude that persons working with these dyes should be aware of the potential health hazards that could result from excessive exposure to them. The intent of this document is to summarize the information available of the carcinogenic effects and metabolism of benzidine-, o-tolidine-, and o- dianisidine-based dyes and to provide guidance so that employers, employees, and physicians may work together to reduce potential health hazards that could result from excessive exposure to these dyes.

Metabolism of Benzidine-Based Dyes to Benzidine Evidence exists to indicate that benzidine-based dyes are converted to the carcinogen benzidine in laboratory animals and in humans.  The NCI bioassay of C.I. Direct Blue 6, C.I. Direct Black 38, and C.I. Direct Brown 95 for carcinogenicity included analyses of urine samples for benzidine from treated animals.  Urine samples from Fischer 344 rats were collected over 24-hour periods during weeks 4 and 12. Benzidine was detected in the urine of rats given benzidine-based dyes but not in the urine of the untreated control rats. As the amount of the dye fed to the rats increased, so did the amount of benzidine excreted in the urine. Analyses of the dyes prior to mixing in feed demonstrated no residual or contaminating benzidine. The data indicate that the benzidine in the urine resulted from the bio-transformation of the dyes. Similar results were found by analyses of urine from B6C3F1 mice.

Rinde and Troll studied the metabolism of the benzidine-based dyes C.I. Direct Blue 6, C.I. Direct Black 38, C.lI. Direct Brown 95, and C.I. Direct Red 28 in Rhesus monkeys. Each monkey was gavaged with a single dose of one dye dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. Each of the dyes was administered in two different dose levels in separate experiments, except for C.I. Direct Red 28, which was given at only one level. Purified benzidine was administered at two levels in the same manner. Urine was collected over a 72-hour period from all the animals and pooled for assay. Urine collected from the monkeys before dosing was used to establish the control values. The authors found benzidine and a metabolite, monoacetyl benzidine, in the urine of the monkeys receiving the dyes. The control values were negative. They concluded that the dyes were converted to benzidine in vivo.  Korosteleva et al. found benzidine in the blood serum and tissues of rats fed Direct Red 13. This indicated that the dye had been converted to benzidine. Lynn et al. reported on the metabolism of the benzidine-based dyes C.I. Direct Blue 2, C.I. Direct Black 4, C.I. Direct Brown 2, C.I. Direct Orange 1. C.I. Direct Red 28, C.I. Direct Orange 8, and C.I. Direct Green 1 in female mongrel dogs and rats. Each of five mongrel dogs was administered a dye orally and urine was collected at 24 hour intervals for 3 days. No trace of benzidine was detected in the dogs' urine 3 days after exposure. Some dogs were used more than once with a minimum of 1 week between dye exposures. Benzidine was recovered in the urine of each treated dog following the oral administration of the 7 dyes. Although some residual benzidine in each of the dyes had been detected prior to administration according to the authors, the amount of benzidine recovered in the urine exceeded that administered as a contaminant by at least 9 times. These finding suggest the dye was converted to benzidine in the dog.



Dyes Derived from o- Tolidine Without Colour Index Generic Names -


Atanyl Red NJ (ATL)
Diphenyl Green BBN (CGY)
Pyrazol Dark Green 3B (S)

Direct Fast Brown BCW-NB (ATL)
Direct Fast Brown BP-NB Conc. (ATL)
Direct Brown GG-NB (ATL)
Direct Brown US-NB (ATL)

Milling Red G-NB (ATL)
Padazoic Yellow G Pdr. (ATL)
Padazoic Golden Yellow RLL Pdr. (ATL)

Padazoic Orange GR Pdr. (ATL)

Penetrating Black AM-NB (CKC)

Sandolan Red N-3B (S)
Code Letters of Manufacturers, Importers, and Distributors

Code Letters of Manufacturers, Importers, and Distributors

Code     Manufacturer
AC    American Color and Chemical Corporation
ACY    American Cyanamid Company
ALL    Alliance Chemical, Inc.
ATL    Atlantic Chemical Corporation
BAS    B.A.S.F. Wyandotte Corp.
BDO    Benzenoid Organics, Inc.
BUC    Blackman-Uhler, Chemical Division of Synalloy Corp.
CGY    Ciba-Geigy Corporation
CKC    Crompton and Knowles Corporation

DUP    E. I. DuPont De Nemours and Co., Inc.

FAB    Fabricolor Inc.
Fran    Francolor--subsidiary of Ugine Kuhlmann Co. (Importer/Distributor)
HSH    Harshaw Chemical Company
ICI    ICI United States
JC    John Campbell and Company (Importer/Distributor)
L&R    L&R International Dyestuffs Corp. (Importer/Distributor) [Formerly L&R Dyestuffs Corp.]
ORC    Organic Chemical Corporation (Importer/Distributor)
PCW    Pfister Chemical Ind.
PDC    Berncolors-Poughkeepsie, Inc.
S    Sandoz Colors and Chemicals
SSS    Sidney Springer Company (Importer/Distributor)
V    Verona Dyestuff Division, Mobay Chemical Corp.


 ______________

 

In the Ink: Do All Tattoo Pigments Use Mercury and Other Toxic Heavy Metals?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tattoo-ink-mercury-and-other-toxins


______________

 

Tattoos, Red Ink, and Sensitivity Reactions 

2006

 http://chemistry.about.com/b/2006/05/07/tattoos-red-ink-and-sensitivity-reactions.htm


______________

 

Is colored tattoo ink dangerous to your health?


 http://www.americanownews.com/story/16500057/colorful-tattoo-inks-could-be-dangerous-to-your-health

______________

 

Toxic Tattoo Ink Could Increase Risk Of Cancer, Experts Warn


2013

 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/23/toxic-tattoo-ink-cancer-risk_n_3974893.html

 ______________

Tattoo ink - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo_ink


Manufacturers are not required to reveal their ingredients or conduct trials, and recipes may be proprietary. Professional inks may be made from iron oxides (rust), metal salts, plastics. Homemade or traditional tattoo inks may be made from pen ink, soot, dirt, blood, or other ingredients.

Heavy metals used for colors include mercury (red); lead (yellow, green, white); cadmium (red, orange, yellow); nickel (black); zinc (yellow, white); chromium (green); cobalt (blue); aluminium (green, violet); titanium (white); copper (blue, green); iron (brown, red, black); and barium (white). Metal oxides used include ferrocyanide and ferricyanide (yellow, red, green, blue). Organic chemicals used include azo-chemicals (orange, brown, yellow, green, violet) and naptha-derived chemicals (red). Carbon (soot or ash) is also used for black. Other compounds used as pigments include antimony, arsenic, beryllium, calcium, lithium, selenium, and sulphur.

Tattoo ink manufacturers typically blend the heavy metal pigments and/or use lightening agents (such as lead or titanium) to reduce production costs.

  ______________


Tattoo medical issues - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo_medical_issues


 ______________



Many hair dyes contain carcinogen, report finds

2004

http://www.seattlepi.com/national/article/Many-hair-dyes-contain-carcinogen-report-finds-1146660.php

 ______________

Carcinogenicity of hair dye components.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6993608

 ______________


If you dye your hair, it might be good to use natural and organic dyes. People have
been using organic dyes for thousands of years.


______________

 

How toxic is Halloween face paint on your child’s face? 

2011

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/10/28/toxicity-of-halloween-face-paint-concerns-some-parents/


The other thing that surprised me is how few Berkeleyans seem to know about this. Even Berkeley independent kids’ stores are selling these toxic brands, which include Alex Face Paint, which had the highest lead quantity of the ten face paints in the study.

Just this weekend my daughter was painted by “Snazaroo” face paint at a family fair down the street from our home. I assumed that the face paint used would be a safe brand given that it was a local Berkeley event, but when I got home I looked up Snazaroo. The CSC report said it contained lead, nickel and cobalt. Lead can lead to a low blood count (anemia). Small amounts of lead in the body can make it hard for children to learn, pay attention, and succeed in school.

    Higher amounts of lead exposure can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and other major organs. Very high exposure can lead to seizures or death.



 ______________ 



Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Can be Cancer Risks

http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/cosmetics_personal_care.htm

______________

 
The Price of Red Lips

2013

http://www.emagazine.com/blog/the-price-of-red-lips

______________

 

Safety Assessment of Nylon as Used in Cosmetics

http://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/nylon122012tent_faa_final%20for%
20posting.pdf


 ______________

The dangerous toxins in your shampoo

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-dangerous-toxins-your-shampoo


______________

 

Toxic Shampoo: Read before Applying

2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-rodale/toxic-shampoo-read-before_b_1932049.html



______________

 

Are You Using This Popular But Cancer-Causing Shampoo?

 
2011


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/14/johnson-johnson-baby-products-toxic.aspx

 ______________

 Sunscreen Ingredient May Increase Skin Cancer Risk

2012

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507131951.htm

______________

 
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

 http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=222


 ______________


12 Dangerous And Hidden Food Ingredients In Seemingly Healthy Foods

http://saveourbones.com/12-dangerous-ingredients/

______________


The Shocking Truth About Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice


2011

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/16/dirty-little-secret-orange-juice-is-artificially-flavored-to-taste-like-oranges.aspx


______________

 

Plastic and Cancerous Compounds in Tea Bags—A Surprising Source of Potential Toxins


2013

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/24/tea-bags.aspx


 ______________

When a Blueberry Isn’t Even a Berry


 According to the video report, many popular products, which show pictures of fresh blueberries on the package, contain not a single drop of the actual fruit. Take Kellogg's Blueberry Muffin Frosted Mini-Wheats. They contain "Blueberry Flavored Crunchlets," made of "sugar, corn cereal, soybean oil, modified corn starch, water, natural and artificial flavor, glycerin, corn syrup, red #40 lake, and blue #2 lake."

 http://www.delish.com/food/recalls-reviews/fake-blueberries-in-cereal

______________



 What's in Fast Food Chicken? (Hint: It’s NOT Chicken)

2018

Frying chicken is fairly simple, if a little messy. You dip pieces of chicken into a mix of egg and milk, roll them around in flour and spices, then cook the chicken in sizzling hot oil until the pieces are brown, crispy and delicious.
But wait! Don’t forget to add a dash of dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent made of silicone that is also used in Silly Putty and cosmetics.
Now add a heaping spoonful of tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), which is a chemical preservative and a form of butane (AKA lighter fluid). One gram of TBHQ can cause “nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium, a sense of suffocation, and collapse,” according to A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives. Five grams of TBHQ can kill you. Sprinkle on thirteen other corn-derived ingredients, and you’re only about twenty shy as many ingredients as a single chicken nugget from McDonald’s. And you were using pulverized chicken skin and mechanically reclaimed meat for your chicken, right?

http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/what-is-in-fast-food-chicken-hint-its-not-chicken.html

______________

 
Dangerous food preservatives and additives

2011

http://www.anotherway.org/2011/08/dangerous-food-preservatives-and-additives/

______________

 

Subway sandwich chain to remove chemical found in yoga mats from bread


 February 6, 2014


Subway confirmed on Thursday that they were removing a chemical used to make yoga mats and rubber soles on shoes from their sandwich bread.
“We are already in the process of removing azodicarbonamide as part of our bread improvement efforts despite the fact that it is a USDA and FDA approved ingredient,” Subway told CBS News via e-mail. “The complete conversion to have this product out of the bread will be done soon.”

The fact that azodicarbonamide was used as an ingredient in U.S. and Canadian Subway products was brought to light by FoodBabe.com blogger Vani Hari. Hari claims the chemical can be found in 9-grain wheat, Italian white, honey oat, Italian herbs & cheese, parmesan/oregano, roasted garlic, sourdough and Monterrey cheddar breads.

She launched a petition asking the sandwich chain to remove azodicarbonamide from their menu items, pointing out that Australia and Europe have banned the chemical over health concerns. Subway does not use azodicarbonamide in their bread recipes in those countries.

 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/subway-sandwich-chain-to-remove-chemical-found-in-yoga-mats-from-bread/

______________



 Porofor® is the trademark name of the chemical Azodicarbonamide.

 

______________



 Azodicarbonamide

Chemical Name: Azodicarbonamide
Trademark: Porofor®

http://polymerchem.en.made-in-china.com/product-list-20.html



______________

 
 Lanxess industries is a manufacturer of Porofor®.

 ______________

Porofor®


http://lanxess.in/en/industries-products-india/industries-india/polymers-and-plastics-india/porofor-adc-india/

 
______________

 

Lanxess


 Lanxess AG is a specialty chemicals group based in Germany, with headquarters and major operations in Cologne. It was founded in 2004 when Bayer AG spun off its chemicals operations and parts of its polymer activities. As measured by sales, Lanxess is the fourth-largest chemicals group in Germany. The company's principal product areas are in chemicals, rubber and plastics.

Lanxess traces its roots to 1863, the year in which Friedrich Bayer & Co. was founded as a manufacturer of synthetic dyestuffs. In 2004, Bayer, seeking to focus its business on healthcare and nutrition, spun off most of its chemicals business and roughly one-third of its polymers business into an independent subsidiary named Lanxess. Shares in Lanxess AG began to trade on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on January 31, 2005, at which time each shareholder of Bayer was issued one share of stock in Lanxess.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanxess

______________

 

 
Azodicarbonamide

Azodicarbonamide, or azobisformamide, is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C2H4O2N4. It is a yellow to orange red, odorless, crystalline powder. As a food additive, it is known by the E number E927.

 Azodicarbonamide as a blowing agent in plastics has been banned in Europe since August 2005 for the manufacture of plastic articles that are intended to come into direct contact with food.

In the United States, azodicarbonamide has generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status and is allowed to be added to flour at levels up to 45 ppm.

In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive has identified azodicarbonamide as a respiratory sensitizer (a possible cause of asthma) and determined that products should be labeled with "May cause sensitisation by inhalation." The World Health Organization has linked azodicarbonamide to "respiratory issues, allergies and asthma" for individuals at workplaces where azodicarbonamide is manufactured. The available data are restricted to these occupational environments. Exposure of the general public to azodicarbonamide could not be evaluated because of the lack of available data.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azodicarbonamide


______________



How Food Companies Fool Consumers with Food Coloring Ingredients Made From Petrochemicals   

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11042.cfm

 

______________

 
Pesticides and Children’s Health

Pesticides and Children’s Health
Pesticides and Children’s Health


http://www.emagazine.com/earth-talk/pesticides-and-childrens-health

______________

 
Argentines Say Agrochemicals Causing Birth Defects, Cancer

Posted Oct 20, 2013

http://www.newser.com/story/176195/argentines-say-agrochemicals-causing-birth-defects-cancer.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=inbox&utm_campaign=newser

______________

 

Global cancer rates could increase by 50% to 15 million by 2020

 

Cancer rates could further increase by 50% to 15 million new cases in the year 2020.



 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr27/en/

 

______________


Worldwide cancer cases expected to soar by 70% over next 20 years


 February, 2014


New cancer cases expected to grow from 14m a year in 2012 to 25m, with biggest burden in low- and middle-income countries


 http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/03/worldwide-cancer-cases-soar-next-20-years
 

 ______________

 

Half of Britons will get cancer during their life by 2020


   June, 2013

Half of all people in Britain will contract cancer at some point in their life by the 2020s but four in ten of them will survive, according to a new report by McMillan Cancer Support.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10103449/Half-of-Britons-will-get-cancer-during-their-life-by-2020.html


______________

 

Environmental Toxins Cost Billions in Childhood Disease


2011

http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/04/environmental-toxins-cost-billions-in-childhood-disease/


______________
 
How to Raise Chemical Free Kids

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/chemical-free-kids/non-toxic-hand-sanitizer-47081806

______________
 

Ageing population more at risk from environmental threats


2013

http://theconversation.com/ageing-population-more-at-risk-from-environmental-threats-19574


______________

 

'New Nasty Nine' Toxic Chemicals Added to the 'Dirty Dozen'


The United Nations expands toxic chemical ban by 75%. Lindane (for head lice) and PFOS (widely used in industry) are now on the list.


Pentabromodiphenyl ether
Octabromodiphenyl ether
Chlordecone
Lindane
Alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane
Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane
PFOS
Hexabromobiphenyl
Pentachlorobenzene

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/toxic-chemicals-47101403


______________

 

PFOS: Perfluorooctane sulfonate and PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid Perfluorinated chemicals


 http://www.fluoridealert.org/wp-content/pesticides/pfos.pfoas-page.htm

 ______________

Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)


Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), is a man-made fluorosurfactant and global pollutant. PFOS was the key ingredient in Scotchgard, a fabric protector made by 3M, and numerous stain repellents. It was added to Annex B of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in May 2009. PFOS can form from the degradation of precursors in addition to industrial production. The PFOS levels that have been detected in wildlife are considered high enough to affect health parameters, and recently higher serum levels of PFOS were found to be associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease in the general US population, consistent with earlier animal studies. "This association was independent of confounders such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and serum cholesterol level."


Threat to people and wildlife

 

According to a study by the Environmental Directorate of the OECD "PFOS is persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic to mammalian species."


 Species                    Geography                                Year       Sample  PFOS (ppb)

Bald Eagle Midwestern USA 1990–93 plasma 2,200
Brandt's Cormorant California, USA 1997 liver 970
Guillemot Baltic Sea 1997 egg 614
Carrion Crow Tokyo Bay, Japan 2000 liver 464
Red-throated Loon North Carolina, USA 1998 liver 861
Polar Bear Sanikiluaq, Nunavut 2002 liver 3,100
Harbor Seal Dutch Wadden Sea, Denmark 2002 muscle 2,725
Bottlenose Dolphin Charleston, South Carolina, USA 2003 plasma 1,315
Common Dolphin Mediterranean Sea, Italy 1998 liver 940
Mink Michigan, USA 2000–01 liver 59,500



PFOS compounds can also be found in some impregnation agents for textiles, paper, and leather; in wax, polishes, paints, varnishes, and cleaning products for general use; in metal surfaces, and carpets.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanesulfonic_acid




______________



Thermal plasma technology for radioactive waste treatment: a review

08 July 2020

Abstract

In this paper, a review of radioactive wastes treatment using thermal plasma technology is presented as a treatment method for radioactive waste management. Virtually all waste streams can be treated by the thermal plasma technologies, resulting in a conditioned product, free from organics and liquids, definitely meeting the acceptance criteria for safe storage and disposal. The application of the thermal plasma system in the nuclear area is still one of the current research topics due to the theoretical and practical complexity of the treatment. This paper discusses the performance of the thermal plasma systems, addressing the advantages and limitations of the method.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10967-020-07269-4


______________

 

IAEA Symposium Examines Uranium Production Cycle for Sustainable Nuclear Power

May 12, 2023

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaea-symposium-examines-uranium-production-cycle-for-sustainable-nuclear-power

______________


The Future of Uranium as a Sustainable Source of Energy

June 29, 2018

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/uram-2018-wraps-up-the-future-of-uranium-as-a-sustainable-source-of-energy


______________


Inside China's Nuclear Battery Breakthrough

Feb 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VHVJnGmRdw

______________


Measuring neutrons to reduce nuclear waste: New technique paves the way for improved nuclear waste treatment facilities

February 16, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-neutrons-nuclear-technique-paves-treatment.html

______________


Is Nuclear Power A Renewable Or A Sustainable Energy Source?

Mar 24, 2016

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/03/24/is-nuclear-power-a-renewable-or-a-sustainable-energy-source/?sh=2c90f462656e

______________


Extracting uranium from seawater as another source of nuclear fuel

December 13, 2023

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213112545.htm


______________


The Effects of Graphite Particles on arc Plasma Characteristics

28 April 2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11090-021-10177-4


______________


Graphite electrode DC arc furnace. Innovative technology summary report

1995

Abstract

The Graphite Electrode DC Arc Furnace (DC Arc) is a high-temperature thermal process, which has been adapted from a commercial technology, for the treatment of mixed waste. A DC Arc Furnace heats waste to a temperature such that the waste is converted into a molten form that cools into a stable glassy and/or crystalline waste form. Hazardous organics are destroyed through combustion or pyrolysis during the process and the majority of the hazardous metals and radioactive components are incorporated in the molten phase. The DC Arc Furnace chamber temperature is approximately 593--704 C and melt temperatures are as high as 1,500 C. The DC Arc system has an air pollution control system (APCS) to remove particulate and volatiles from the offgas. The advantage of the DC Arc is that it is a single, high-temperature thermal process that minimizes the need for multiple treatment systems and for extensive sorting/segregating of large volumes of waste. The DC Arc has the potential to treat a wide range of wastes, minimize the need for sorting, reduce the final waste volumes, produce a leach resistant waste form, and destroy organic contaminants. Although the DC arc plasma furnace exhibits great promise for treating the types of mixed waste that are commonly present at many DOE sites, several data and technology deficiencies were identified by the Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) regarding this thermal waste processing technique. The technology deficiencies that have been addressed by the current studies include: establishing the partitioning behavior of radionuclides, surrogates, and hazardous metals among the product streams (metal, slag, and offgas) as a function of operating parameters, including melt temperature, plenum atmosphere, organic loading, chloride concentration, and particle size; demonstrating the efficacy of waste product removal systems for slag and metal phases; determining component durability through test runs of extended duration, evaluating the effect of feed composition variations on process operating conditions and slag product performance; and collecting mass balance and operating data to support equipment and instrument design.

https://www.osti.gov/biblio/354881


______________


Plasma arc recycling

June 19, 2023

 


 

Humans are machines for turning the world into waste—at least that's how it seems. On average, every single person in the United States produces about 2kg (5lb) of trash per day, which adds to up three quarters of a ton, per person, each year!  What are we to do with all this junk? Recycling is one option, but not everyone does it and there are lots of things (such as electronic circuit boards) made from multiple materials that cannot be easily broken down and turned into new things. That's why much of our waste goes where it's always gone, buried beneath the ground. But we're running out of landfill space too—and that problem is bound to get worse. Another possibility is to incincerate waste, as though it were a fuel, and use it to produce energy, but incinerators are deeply unpopular with local communities because of the air pollution they can produce.

A relatively new type of waste treatment called plasma arc recycling (sometimes referred to as "plasma recycling," "plasma gasification," "gas plasma waste treatment," "plasma waste recycling," and various other permutations of the words plasma, gas, arc, waste, and recycling) aims to change all this. It involves heating waste to super-high temperatures to produce gas that can be burned for energy and rocky solid waste that can be used for building. Supporters claim it's a cleaner, greener form of waste treatment, but opponents argue it's simply old-fashioned incineration dressed up in new clothes. What exactly does plasma recycling involve? Let's take a closer look!


https://www.explainthatstuff.com/plasma-arc-recycling.html

______________



Plasma arc gasification

https://www.britannica.com/technology/plasma-arc-gasification

plasma arc gasification (PAG), waste-treatment technology that uses a combination of electricity and high temperatures to turn municipal waste (garbage or trash) into usable by-products without combustion (burning). Although the technology is sometimes confused with incinerating or burning trash, plasma gasification does not combust the waste as incinerators do. Instead, it converts the organic waste into a gas that still contains all its chemical and heat energy and converts the inorganic waste into an inert vitrified glass called slag. The process can reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills and generate electricity.

Process

In the PAG process an electrical arc gasifier passes a very high voltage electrical current through two electrodes, creating an arc between them. Inert gas, which is under high pressure, then passes through the electrical arc into a sealed container (called a plasma converter) of waste materials. Temperatures in the arc column can reach more than 14,000 °C (25,000 °F), which is hotter than the surface of the Sun. Exposed to such temperatures, most waste is transformed into gas consisting of basic elements, while complex molecules are torn apart into individual atoms.

The by-products of plasma arc gasification consist of the following:

    Syngas, which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Waste materials, including plastics, contain high amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and the conversion rate of those materials into syngas can exceed 99 percent. Before the syngas can be used for power, it must be cleansed of harmful materials such as hydrogen chloride. Once cleaned, the syngas can be burned like natural gas, with a portion going to power the plasma arc gasification plant and the remainder being sold to utility companies, which also use it primarily for producing electricity.
    Slag, which is a solid residue resembling obsidian, can be cleaned of contaminants, including heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium, and processed into bricks and synthetic gravel.
    Residual heat, which emanates from the process and can be used to produce steam for electrical generation.

The composition of the waste stream can affect the effectiveness of the gasification procedure. Garbage that is high in inorganic materials, such as metals and construction waste, will yield less syngas, which is the most-valuable by-product, and more slag. For that reason, it may be worthwhile in certain settings to presort the waste stream. If waste can be shredded before it enters the gasification chamber, the efficiency of the PAG is improved.

______________


InEnTec: Turning trash into valuable chemical products and clean fuels

January 6, 2021

Climate goals expand impact of MIT waste-processing spinoff that capitalizes on a process called plasma gasification.

https://news.mit.edu/2021/inentec-turning-trash-into-valuable-chemical-products-clean-fuels-0106

______________


Plasma gasification as an alternative energy-from-waste (EFW) technology for the circular economy: An environmental review


2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344922005626

______________


Plasma Arc Technology: A Potential Solution Toward Waste to Energy Conversion and of GHGs Mitigation

2019

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Plasma-Arc-Technology%3A-A-Potential-Solution-Toward-Hazra-Das/b6cc4a56564fc96081918bd1bafe144eae39949e

______________


Plasma Venture to Turn Medical Waste into Energy

June 3, 2009

High-temperature technology vaporizes troublesome garbage into synthetic gas

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/medical-waste-gas-energy/

______________


High-Power Plasma Torches and Transferred Arcs

21 February 2023

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-84936-8_16

______________


Numerical and Experimental Analysis of a Solid Shroud in Multi-arc Plasma Spraying

12 February 2024

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11666-024-01715-5

______________


Enhancing plasma arc penetration ability with radial gas flow

05 January 2024

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00170-023-12935-4

______________


Destruction of hazardous wastes using Plasma Arc Technology

1996

https://www.osti.gov/biblio/469816

______________


Plasma methods for metals recovery from metal–containing waste

2018

Abstract

Metal–containing waste, a kind of new wastes, has a great potential for recycling and is also difficult to deal with. Many countries pay more and more attention to develop the metal recovery process and equipment of this kind of waste as raw material, so as to solve the environmental pollution and comprehensively utilize the discarded metal resources. Plasma processing is an efficient and environmentally friendly way for metal–containing waste. This review mainly discuss various metal–containing waste types, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), red mud, galvanic sludge, Zircon, aluminium dross and incinerated ash, and the corresponding plasma methods, which include DC extended transferred arc plasma reactor, DC non-transferred arc plasma torch, RF thermal plasma reactor and argon and argon–hydrogen plasma jets. In addition, the plasma arc melting technology has a better purification effect on the extraction of useful metals from metal–containing wastes, a great capacity of volume reduction of waste materials, and a low leaching toxicity of solid slag, which can also be used to deal with all kinds of metal waste materials, having a wide range of applications.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X18302472

______________


Thermal plasma technology: The prospective future in material processing

2016

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652616317851

______________


Enduring electric arc furnace optimization technology plays a part in steel’s sustainable future

https://new.abb.com/metals/insights/enduring-eaf-optimisation-technology-plays-a-part-in-steel-s-sustainable-future

______________


Sustainable Electric Arc Furnace Steel Production: GREENEAF

24 January 2013

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00501-012-0101-0

______________


Electric arc furnaces: the technology poised to make British steelmaking more sustainable

December 1, 2023

https://theconversation.com/electric-arc-furnaces-the-technology-poised-to-make-british-steelmaking-more-sustainable-214756

______________


The Future of Electric Steelmaking

09.02.2023

https://magazine.primetals.com/2023/02/09/the-future-of-electric-steelmaking/

______________



Nucor Investing in Start-Up Company Developing Zero-Carbon Iron Technology

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) announced today that it has made an equity investment in Electra, a Colorado-based start-up developing a process to produce carbon-free iron that can be used to make steel. The company uses renewable energy to refine low-grade iron ores into high-purity iron through electrochemical and hydrometallurgical processes. This material will be used in the steelmaking process to offset other high-quality metallics that come with higher greenhouse gas emissions.

https://nucor.com/news-release/19426


______________


Global green hydrogen-based steel opportunities surrounding high quality renewable energy and iron ore deposits

04 May 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38123-2

_____________


The electrified commercial cement kiln

06 January 2023

Summary

Kiln electrification will only form one part of the possible solutions for a decarbonised cement industry. The electrified kiln would cut CO2 emissions which would be a huge saving for EU cement producers looking at approximately EUR75/t of CO2 emission charges. Battery storage could well be required to enhance the electric kiln and to optimise usage at peak electricity tariff usage periods. It is with such methods that the cement industry might not only achieve decarbonisation but could also achieve the necessary six per cent rise in cement production to meet the growing cement demand expected from larger populations by 2050.

https://www.cemnet.com/News/story/174030/the-electrified-commercial-cement-kiln.html

_____________


Plasma-Arc Technology for the Thermal Treatment of Chemical Wastes

26 Mar 2009

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ees.2008.0222

______________


Thermal Plasmas

1995

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/9854/chapter/7

______________


Plasma bioscience and its application to medicine

April 7, 2021

Abstract

Nonthermal atmospheric pressure biocompatible plasma (NBP), alternatively called bio-cold plasma, is a partially ionized gas that consists of charged particles, neutral atoms and molecules, photons, an electric field, and heat. Recently, nonthermal plasma-based technology has been applied to bioscience, medicine, agriculture, food processing, and safety. Various plasma device configurations and electrode layouts has fast-tracked plasma applications in the treatment of biological and material surfaces. The NBP action mechanism may be related to the synergy of plasma constituents, such as ultraviolet radiation or a reactive species. Recently, plasma has been used in the inactivation of viruses and resistant microbes, such as fungal cells, bacteria, spores, and biofilms made by microbes. It has also been used to heal wounds, coagulate blood, degrade pollutants, functionalize material surfaces, kill cancers, and for dental applications. This review provides an outline of NBP devices and their applications in bioscience and medicine. We also discuss the role of plasma-activated liquids in biological applications, such as cancer treatments and agriculture. The individual adaptation of plasma to meet specific medical requirements necessitates real-time monitoring of both the plasma performance and the target that is treated and will provide a new paradigm of plasma-based therapeutic clinical systems.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8024039/

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Observation of magnet-induced star-like radiation of a plasma created from cancer cells in a laser trap

2024 Mar 7

 Abstract

We present a new phenomenon resulting from the interaction of magnetic beads with cancer cells in a laser trap formed on a slide containing a depression 16.5 mm in diameter and 0.78 mm of maximum depth. This phenomenon includes the apparent formation and expansion of a dark bubble that attracts and incinerates surrounding matter when it explodes, which leads to a plasma emitting intense radiation that has the appearance of a star on a microscopic scale. We have observed the star-like phenomenon for more than 4 years, and the intensity depends on the laser's power. Measuring the laser power of the dark bubble shows the entrapment of electromagnetic energy as it expands.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38451329/

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 SLAC technology designed to detect dark matter could lead to a better understanding of galaxy evolution

3-20-2024

Sensors designed and created at SLAC could help a proposed satellite mission map the X-ray emissions of galaxies with unprecedented precision.

https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2024-03-20-slac-technology-designed-detect-dark-matter-could-lead-better-understanding-galaxy

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Magnetizing laser-driven inertial fusion implosions

June 10, 2022

Nuclear fusion is a widely studied process through which atomic nuclei of a low atomic number fuse together to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing a large amount of energy. Nuclear fusion reactions can be produced using a method known as inertial confinement fusion, which entails the use of powerful lasers to implode a fuel capsule and produce plasma.

https://phys.org/news/2022-06-magnetizing-laser-driven-inertial-fusion-implosions.html

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Generation of megatesla magnetic fields by intense-laser-driven microtube implosions

06 October 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-73581-4

_____________


Confinement of laser plasma expansion with strong external magnetic field

19 March 2018

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6587/aab2e6/pdf

_____________


Magnetic-confinement fusion

03 May 2016

https://www.nature.com/articles/nphys3745

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Revise the textbooks: New type of magnetism confirmed

Feb 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0st_6sE7Bk 


_____________

 

Magnetic energy

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_energy

Magnetic energy and electric energy are related by Maxwell's equations. The potential energy of a magnet of magnetic moment m in a magnetic field B is defined as the mechanical work of magnetic force (actually of magnetic torque) on re-alignment of the vector of the magnetic dipole moment



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New class of "non-Joulian magnets" have potential to revolutionize electronics


May 21, 2015
 


Magnets are at the heart of much of our technology, and their properties are exploited in a myriad ways across a vast range of devices, from simple relays to enormously complex particle accelerators. A new class of magnets discovered by scientists at the University of Maryland (UMD) and Temple University may lead to other types of magnets that expand in different ways, with multiple, cellular magnetic fields, and possibly give rise to a host of new devices. The team also believes that these new magnets could replace expensive, rare-earth magnets with ones made of abundant metal alloys.

http://www.gizmag.com/expanding-alloy-magnets/37621/


_____________

 
Electromagnetic fields as cutting tools

Dec 01, 2009

http://phys.org/news178914974.html

 

_____________


Melt metal with magnets

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i2OVqWo9s0


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 Molecular trick alters rules of attraction for non-magnetic metals

August 5, 2015

Scientists have demonstrated for the first time how to generate magnetism in metals that aren't naturally magnetic, which could end our reliance on some rare and toxic elements currently used...

- Magnets are used in many industrial and technological applications, including power generation in wind turbines, memory storage in hard disks and in medical imaging.

"Future technologies, such as quantum computers, will require a new breed of magnets with additional properties to increase storage and processing capabilities. Our research is a step towards creating such 'magnetic metamaterials' that can fulfil this need," said Al Ma'Mari.

http://phys.org/news/2015-08-molecular-non-magnetic-metals.html#jCp



  _____________


MERS Device Harnesses Residual Magnetic Power Produced by Electrical Current








_____________


Magnetic Pendulum: A Free Energy Device Running for Three Years Now

 



http://www.greenoptimistic.com/magnetic-pendulum-a-free-energy-device-running-for-three-years-now-20100119/#.VSFjmuG-2zk


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World's first magnetic "wormhole" produces magnetic monopole


 September 4, 2015





It may not instantly whisk you to far-flung reaches of the universe like the gravitational wormholes of Stargate, Star Trek and Interstellar, but researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) claim to have created the first experimental wormhole that links two regions of space magnetically.


http://www.gizmag.com/magnetic-wormhole/39257/

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Scientists At NASA Announce That Space Portals Actually Do Exist

 

Is science finally catching up with spirituality?

 

A few years ago now it was announced that  NASA funded plasma physicist Jack Scudder at the University of Iowa had discovered what science fiction lovers have dreamt about since day one: a wormhole, the portal that links the Earth to far away galaxies that would otherwise be impossible to reach.
Well, that’s what we hoped they meant. It turns out these so called “X-points”, or electronic diffusion regions, is a connection linking the Earth’s magnetic field to the sun’s magnetic field.
Alas it is not the galaxy hopping wormhole we were hoping for, but it could be potentially be a start into finding something along those lines.

http://www.neonnettle.com/news/1432-scientists-at-nasa-announce-that-space-portals-actually-do-exist


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Converting Magnetic Energy Into Electric Voltage Using Power Spintronics










_____________


New Technology 2014 Floating Magnetic Cars

 

 Dec 15, 2013

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmMbyAGlnI4

 
----------------------------------

 
Tiny magnets mimic steam, water and ice

September 21, 2015



Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) created a synthetic material out of 1 billion tiny magnets. Astonishingly, it now appears that the magnetic properties of this so-called metamaterial change with the temperature, so that it can take on different states; just like water has a gaseous, liquid and a solid state. This material made of nanomagnets might well be refined for electronic applications of the future – such as for more efficient information transfer.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-tiny-magnets-mimic-steam-ice.html#jCp


---------------------------------------------

 New tool for studying magnetic, self-propelled bacteria that resemble compass needles

September 15, 2015

 In the Marvel Comics universe, Professor Xavier and the X-Men are only able to fend off their archrival Magneto, the magnetic mutant with the ability to control metals, once they truly understand the scope of the villain's powers. To better understand the behavior of the microbial world's Magnetos—the magnetically influenced water-dwellers known as magnetotactic bacteria—three researchers from Europe and Russia have developed a new tool that allows these unique microscopic species to be studied more easily, especially in their natural environment.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-tool-magnetic-self-propelled-bacteria-resemble.html#jCp


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Giant enhancement of magnetic effect will benefit spintronics

 

December 21, 2015
 


 Researchers have demonstrated that coating a cobalt film in graphene doubles the film's perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), so that it reaches a value 20 times higher than that of traditional metallic cobalt/platinum multilayers that are being researched for this property. In a material with a high PMA, the magnetization is oriented perpendicular to the interface of the material's layers. High-PMA materials are being researched for their applications in next-generation spintronic devices, such as high-density memories and heat-tolerant logic gates.

The researchers, Hongxin Yang, et al., have published a paper on the giant PMA enhancement in a recent issue of Nano Letters.

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-giant-magnetic-effect-benefit-spintronics.html#jCp


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 Cooled down and charged up, a giant magnet is ready for its new mission

September 24, 2015



The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory—or Fermilab—announced that a 680-ton superconducting magnet is secure in its new home and nearly ready for a new era of discovery in particle physics. This achievement follows the delicate, 3,200-mile transport of the magnet's 17-ton, 50-foot-wide housing ring to the U.S. Department of Energy facility outside Chicago two years ago. The fully assembled magnet will drive high-energy particle experiments as part of an international partnership among 34 institutions, of which the University of Washington is a leading contributor.

http://phys.org/news/2015-09-cooled-giant-magnet-ready-mission.html#jCp

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‘Twisted’ Laser Light Experiments Offer New Insights into Plasma Physics

October 26, 2022

https://lasers.llnl.gov/news/twisted-laser-light-experiments-offer-new-insights-into-plasma-physics

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High Powered Lasers Deliver Fusion Energy Breakthrough

2014

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/high-powered-lasers-deliver-fusion-energy-breakthrough/

_____________

 

Laser propulsion


 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_propulsion


 _____________

Laser Travel by Photonic Thruster

 

October 21, 2013



 http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=29341

 

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Blue Light and Sunshine May be the Next Gen Weapons Against Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

 

March 14, 2013
                                                                                                                    



 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/14/blue-light-therapy.aspx

 

Skin and soft tissue infections are among the most common bacterial infections encountered in clinical practice.
Such infections can be caused by a number of bacteria that gain entrance into your body via cuts, scrapes, bites or open wounds. Even bacteria that normally live on your skin can cause an infection when introduced into your body this way.
Skin and soft tissue infections account for more than 14 million hospital visits each year, costing the health care system an estimated $24 billion.
Unfortunately, many infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Antibiotic overuse has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA.
Finding effective countermeasures to this growing public health threat has turned out few options, but the remedy may be as simple as colored light.
According to a new proof-of-principle study,1 blue light can selectively eliminate infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to lead researcher Michael R. Hamblin of the Massachusetts General Hospital:

 

"Microbes replicate very rapidly, and a mutation that helps a microbe survive in the presence of an antibiotic drug will quickly predominate throughout the microbial population. Recently, a dangerous new enzyme, NDM-1, that makes some bacteria resistant to almost all antibiotics available has been found in the United States. Many physicians are concerned that several infections soon may be untreatable.
Blue light is a potential non-toxic, non-antibiotic approach for treating skin and soft tissue infections, especially those caused by antibiotic resistant pathogens."

 

Could Blue Light Replace Antibiotics?

 

In the study, lab animals were infected with P. aeruginosa. Incredibly, ALL of the animals treated with blue light survived, while 82 percent of the controls died. Could this possibly be the beginning of a whole new treatment paradigm for infections? Clearly, we’re nearing the end of the road of the antibiotic era, as antibiotic-resistance spreads.
Blue light therapy has also been shown to be effective against MRSA and other resistant bugs, offering new hope for effective treatments.
In a previous study published in 2009,3 over 90 percent of community acquired and hospital acquired strains of MRSA were successfully eradicated within mere minutes of exposure to blue light. According to the authors:

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In plasmonics, 'optical losses' could bring practical gain

 
January 26, 2016
 


 

 What researchers had thought of as a barrier to developing advanced technologies based on the emerging field of plasmonics is now seen as a potential pathway to practical applications in areas from cancer therapy to nanomanufacturing.

Plasmonic materials contain features, patterns or elements that enable unprecedented control of light by harnessing clouds of electrons called surface plasmons. It could allow the miniaturization of optical technologies, bringing advances such as nano-resolution imaging and computer chips that process and transmit data using light instead of electrons, representing a potential leap in performance.

However, the development of advanced optical technologies using plasmonics has been hampered because components under development cause too much light to be lost and converted into heat. But now researchers are finding that this "loss-induced plasmonic heating" could be key to development of various advanced technologies, said Vladimir M. Shalaev, co-director of the new Purdue Quantum Center, scientific director of nanophotonics at the Birck Nanotechnology Center in the university's Discovery Park and a distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-plasmonics-optical-losses-gain.html


 _____________

ESA's Proba-V infrared sensor has a future in medicine and industry


March 12, 2015


 http://www.gizmag.com/esa-proba-v-infrared-sensor-terrestrial-uses/36518/


_____________


Low level laser therapy



 Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a form of laser medicine used in physical therapy and veterinary treatment that uses low-level (low-power) lasers or light-emitting diodes to alter cellular function. Other names for the therapy include low-power laser, soft laser, cold laser, biostimulation laser, therapeutic laser, and laser acupuncture.[1] Whereas high-power lasers ablate tissue, low-power lasers are claimed to stimulate it and to encourage the cells to function.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_level_laser_therapy


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Veterinary Use of Laser Therapy Expands

 

April 05, 2011


http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/04/05/veterinary-use-of-laser-therapy-for-pets-expands.aspx

Laser therapy works in a number of ways to heal injuries and manage pain. Among them:
  • It increases the release of endorphins (natural painkillers).
  • Laser therapy decreases inflammation, which helps return tissue to a normal state.
  • It restores metabolic function.


---------------------


History of Cold Laser Therapy

 

 http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/history-cold-laser-therapy

 Cold Laser Therapy has been used in clinical practice all around the world for over four decades. In 1916, Albert Einstein conceived the theory of Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation or LASER. In 1967, Professor Andre Mester began using low power lasers in medicine. Dr. Mester is recognized by many as the grandfather of laser therapy.


The first experimental FDA clearance of Class 3B Lasers occurred in February of 2002, after a successful study for carpal tunnel syndrome on workers at General Motors. The laser that was used had a power of 90mw at 830nm.


Certain low level laser devices are also FDA approved for relief of the following conditions3,4:


  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Stiffness associated with arthritis
  • Pain associated with muscle spasms
  • Hand pain and wrist pain associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Neck pain
  • Lower back pain
  • Wound healing

 _____________

Cold Laser Therapy Advantages and Disadvantages

 

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/cold-laser-therapy-advantages-and-disadvantages

_____________


Laser Light Could Make Flu Vaccine 7 Times More Effective


July 29, 2014

http://www.popsci.com/article/science/laser-light-could-make-flu-vaccine-7-times-more-effective

_____________


Laser medicine

 


 _____________


Near-Infrared Laser Adjuvant for Influenza Vaccine

 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0082899

_____________

Laser vaccine adjuvants

 

 

Immunologic adjuvants are essential for current vaccines to maximize their efficacy. Unfortunately, few have been found to be sufficiently effective and safe for regulatory authorities to permit their use in vaccines for humans and none have been approved for use with intradermal vaccines. The development of new adjuvants with the potential to be both efficacious and safe constitutes a significant need in modern vaccine practice. The use of non-damaging laser light represents a markedly different approach to enhancing immune responses to a vaccine antigen, particularly with intradermal vaccination. This approach, which was initially explored in Russia and further developed in the US, appears to significantly improve responses to both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines administered to the laser-exposed tissue, particularly the skin. Although different types of lasers have been used for this purpose and the precise molecular mechanism(s) of action remain unknown, several approaches appear to modulate dendritic cell trafficking and/or activation at the irradiation site via the release of specific signaling molecules from epithelial cells. The most recent study, performed by the authors of this review, utilized a continuous wave near-infrared laser that may open the path for the development of a safe, effective, low-cost, simple-to-use laser vaccine adjuvant that could be used in lieu of conventional adjuvants, particularly with intradermal vaccines. In this review, we summarize the initial Russian studies that have given rise to this approach and comment upon recent advances in the use of non-tissue damaging lasers as novel physical adjuvants for vaccines.

 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.4161/hv.28840?journalCode=khvi20#preview

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ESA's Proba-V infrared sensor has a future in medicine and industry

 

http://www.gizmag.com/esa-proba-v-infrared-sensor-terrestrial-uses/36518/

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Discover the Benefits of K-Laser Class 4 Laser Therapy Treatments

 

 
 July 28, 2013
                                                                    

 

What You Need to Know About Lasers

 

Lasers are classified according to their power output:

 

  • Class 3a—maximum of 5 milliwatts of power (standard laser pointer)
  • Class 3b—maximum of 500 milliwatts/0.5 watts
  • Class 4—anything over 500 milliwatts/0.5 watts

 

The most significant issue with the clinical use of lasers is the depth of penetration. Some practitioners make the mistake of using low-power Class 3 lasers, which basically amounts to a standard laser pointer.
Most class 3a lasers only use a red wavelength – 635 nanometers in the visible red. When you look at the depth of penetration with laser, red laser light only penetrates about one to two millimeters (far less than 1/8 inch) into the human body.
Granted, red laser is highly useful for treating superficial wounds, cuts, abrasions, and perhaps even for the treatment of vitiligo, but they will not penetrate far enough for deep seated pain reduction. However, infrared lasers (around 800 nanometers) penetrate far deeper and able to go several centimeters, into your body which will reach most tissue injuries.
Power is also another crucial factor when it comes to laser therapy. Power is measured in watts, and you can think of it as the brightness of the light. A higher-powered laser is a brighter light, and it can produce more energy per unit of time. When it comes to doing laser therapy treatment, a higher-powered laser (Class 4) provides two benefits:

 

  • A therapeutic dose of laser light can be applied to a much larger volume of tissue
  • By shining that brighter light at the surface, photons of light are able to penetrate deeper into the tissues, which allows you to treat deep-seated pain conditions


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The Effect of Low-Level Laser in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial



 Aug, 2009 

 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19530911


 _____________

Researchers demonstrate the world's first white lasers

July 29, 2015


http://phys.org/news/2015-07-world-white-lasers.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

 

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NASA Beams Mona Lisa to Moon with Laser

 

January 17, 2013

 Call it the ultimate in high art: Using a well-timed laser, NASA scientists have beamed a picture of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, to a powerful spacecraft orbiting the moon, marking a first in laser communication.

 http://www.space.com/19323-mona-lisa-moon-laser-photo.html


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 Paintballs to deflect killer-asteroids


 Mar 07, 2013

 
 Having reviewed these traditional asteroid deflection techniques, Sung Wook Paek, a graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, suggests an unusual alternative: Mr Paek proposes using paintballs to pull an asteroid off course.

The argument behind Mr Paek's idea is reasonably simple; after measuring the velocity and rotation of an incoming asteroid, two unmanned spacecraft would approach the celestial body close enough to be able to shoot large clouds of white paintballs at it! Two probes would be needed because, as the asteroid rotates, a shot from only one spacecraft would not cover the entire asteroid with white paint and so the first probe strikes one side of the asteroid, the second probe covers the other.

The white paint would reflect light and other electromagnetic radiation from the asteroid's surface, and, over time, the cumulative effect of billions of photons would result in the asteroid changing course. The white paint would effectively act as a 'solar sail', increasing the balance of solar radiation absorbed and emitted by the asteroid, gently easing it away from its original destination.
Another deflection technique, also based on light reflectivity or laser sublimation was proposed by a team of American researchers who suggested launching a swarm of 'mirror bees' towards the potential killer.

Tiny probes, equipped with mirrors, would position themselves in such a way as to reflect a concentration of sunlight on one specific point of the asteroid. This 'beam of light' would then generate enough heat for it to start to vaporise, creating propulsive gas jets. In essence, vapour emitted from the asteroid would push it off-course. Alternatively, the asteroid might 'simply' be wrapped in reflective 'foil'.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Paintballs_to_deflect_killer_asteroids_999.html

 

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Laser Bees

A New Way to Deflect a Dangerous Asteroid

What do we do if an asteroid is found to be on a collision course with Earth? At this point, the answer is not clear, so The Planetary Society has partnered with researchers to discover ways to protect Earth when we one-day find a dangerous space rock.

We've been working with a team at the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow in Scotland to study a new technique which uses concentrated light to gently move an asteroid -- a project we called "Mirror Bees" -- using mirrors on several spacecraft swarming around an asteroid to focus sunlight onto a spot on the asteroid. As part of the initial Mirror Bees project, researchers found that lasers are more effective than mirrors and can be used from greater distances. So, now the project is called "Laser Bees."

 http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/laser-bees/

 

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Physicist unveils plan for entangling massive objects

 
August 5, 2015 
 

 Schnabel's plan is to place two of the mirrors in a Michelson-type interferometer in such a way as to have both sides of both mirrors hit by light that is sent in. The mirrors would also be placed in the interferometer in a way that would allow them to oscillate when struck by the light. This would allow for momentum to be transferred between the mirrors and the light. The mirror oscillations would then have an impact on the phase of the reflected light, causing the momentum and the light to become entangled. At that point, the entanglement could be "swapped" to the mirrors, causing them to be entangled, by measuring the light beams as they exit.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-08-physicist-unveils-entangling-massive.html#jCp


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Asteroid Impact Avoidance


July 2013

DE-STAR is designed to vaporize or divert asteroids that threaten Earth. This isn't science fiction—I build things that have to work in practice. DE-STAR stands for Directed Energy Solar Targeting of Asteroids and exploRation. It looks like an open matchbook with lasers on one flap and a photovoltaic panel for power from sunlight on the other. By synchronizing the laser beams, we can create a phased array, which produces a steerable 70-gigawatt beam. An onboard system receives orders on what to target. Our laser beam would then produce a spot about 100 feet in diameter on an asteroid that's as far away from the satellite as we are from the sun. The laser would raise an asteroid's surface temperature to thousands of degrees Celsius—hot enough that all known substances evaporate. In less than an hour, DE-STAR could have completely vaporized the asteroid that broke up over Russia this winter, if we had seen it coming. Plus, as the material evaporates, it creates a thrust in the opposite direction, comparable to the space shuttle's rocket booster. That means you could divert the asteroid by changing its orbit with a shorter laser blast.
DE-STAR could also power things on Earth or in space. You could send the electrical power it produces—not via laser beam but via microwaves. Or you could use the laser to directly propel spacecraft. But here's the thing: For full-blown asteroid vaporization, each flap of the matchbook would have to be six miles long. We've never built a structure this size in space, but if there were the worldwide will, I could see building this within 30 to 50 years. But since it's completely modular, we propose starting smaller. We could begin with a version that's three feet per side right now. With that, you could cook your dinner from 600 miles away.
—Philip Lubin is a physicist at UC Santa Barbara and co-inventor of DE-STAR with statistician Gary Hughes, of California Polytechnic State University.
This article originally appeared in the July 2013 issue of Popular Science. 


http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-06/death-star

 

  _____________


Researchers use laser to levitate, glowing nanodiamonds in vacuum

September 7, 2015

Researchers have, for the first time, levitated individual nanodiamonds in vacuum. The research team is led by Nick Vamivakas at the University of Rochester who thinks their work will make extremely sensitive instruments for sensing tiny forces and torques possible, as well as a way to physically create larger-scale quantum systems known as macroscopic Schrödinger Cat states.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-09-laser-levitate-nanodiamonds-vacuum.html#jCp

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Scientists Produce Unprecedented 1 Megajoule Laser Shot, Step Towards Fusion Ignition

January 28, 2010

US scientists have produced a laser shot with an unprecedented energy level that could be a key step towards nuclear fusion, the US National Nuclear Security Administration said Wednesday.

http://phys.org/news/2010-01-scientists-unprecedented-megajoule-laser-shot.html#nRlv

_____________


Physicists demonstrate conditions for laser-driven fusion

 

March 15, 2011 
 
Currently, commercial nuclear power plants generate electricity using nuclear fission, in which an atom’s nucleus is split into lighter nuclei. But scientists are also researching the reverse reaction, nuclear fusion, in which two light atomic nuclei fuse to form a single heavier nucleus. Compared with fission, fusion has the potential to produce less radioactive waste while still generating large amounts of energy.

http://phys.org/news/2011-03-physicists-conditions-laser-driven-fusion.html#nRlv

_____________

First atomic X-ray laser created

 
January 25, 2012 
 
Scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery.

The researchers, reporting today in Nature, aimed SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at a capsule of neon gas, setting off an avalanche of X-ray emissions to create the world's first "atomic X-ray laser."

http://phys.org/news/2012-01-atomic-x-ray-laser.html#nRlv

 

_____________



Indium phosphide, Diode Lazers & Dupont

Lazers & Dupont


Diode lazer

DuPont originally began the research into building a blue diode laser for CD read/write devices, however they were unable to make the lasers suitable for commercial use. AdvR licensed the patents from DuPont and received BMDO funding to create a solid-state replacement for the Argon-ion laser.

http://www.mdatechnology.net/techprofile.aspx?id=555


_____________

 
DuPont - LASER WELDING

http://www2.dupont.com/Hyundai_Kia/en_US/assets/downloads/presentations/Laser%20Welding_Korea_Fujita.pdf


_____________


DuPont Introduces Water Resistant Somos(R) 7110 Epoxy Resin for Helium Cadmium Laser Systems 

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/DuPont+Introduces+Water+Resistant+Somos%28R%29+7110+Epoxy+Resin+for...-a019781521

_____________


A. Felix du Pont, Jr. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Felix_du_Pont,_Jr.


Known for being a philanthropist


For five years, Felix du Pont worked for the family owned DuPont and for a short time became involved in the investment business. With a lifelong interest in aviation, he partnered with brother Richard to found All American Aviation Company which became Allegheny Airlines and eventually US Airways. He later was a vice president of the Piasecki Helicopter Corp. of which he and Laurence Rockefeller were early investors on its founding in 1946.


Piasecki Helicopter Corporation was a designer and manufacturer of helicopters located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and nearby Morton, Pennsylvania in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Its founder, Frank Piasecki, was ousted from the company in 1956 and started a new company, Piasecki Aircraft. Piasecki Helicopter was renamed Vertol Corporation in early 1956. 

Vertol was acquired by Boeing in 1960 and renamed Boeing Vertol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piasecki_Helicopter   



 _____________

Electric Laser Race Heats Up

 

2012

 

http://sites.psu.edu/thebigbangtheory/2012/10/29/the-holographic-excitation/

Not wanting to be left out of the race to field compact battlefield lasers, Boeing announced yesterday that it’s tested its own solid-state laser technology. "In each laser firing at Boeing’s facility in West Hills, Calif., the high-energy laser achieved power levels of over 25 kilowatts for multi-second durations, with a measured beam quality suitable for a tactical weapon system," says Boeing.
What’s interesting about this announcement is that Boeing is not part of the Defense Department’s Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser, a program that has funded Northrop Grumman and Textron to build a deployable laser weapon. Boeing at one point teamed with the Livermore lab on a solid-state work, but that laser, which was powerful but large, was not selected by the program for funding. Similarly, Raytheon also has a solid state laser that was passed over for funding. Both Livermore and Raytheon have continued their solid-state laser work on their own dime, however. Boeing, until this point, did not appear to be that active on solid-state lasers, and it appears this new effort is self-funded.

ALSO:

 


 

 

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 Boeing Laser Systems Destroy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Tests

 

Boeing's Matrix laser

 

 http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10012168-17.html


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Neither rain, nor fog, nor wind stops Boeing's laser weapon destroying targets

  

September 8, 2014

 http://www.gizmag.com/boeing-laser-directed-energy-weapon-fog/33672/

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Lockheed Martin begins manufacturing vehicle-mounted laser weapon

 

October 8, 2015

Lockheed Martin announced this week that production of a new laser weapon system has begun at the company's Bothell, Washington facility. The high-powered laser weapon modules will be used as the heart of a 60-kilowatt system designed to be fitted to a US Army vehicle.

The laser can be operated by a single person and is made up of multiple fiber laser modules, which not only allows for greater flexibility, but also lessens the chance of the weapon being knocked out by a minor malfunction, so frequent repairs aren't required. Lockheed Martin also says that the modular design means that the laser power can be varied across an extremely wide range to suit specific mission needs. Using off-the-shelf commercial fiber laser components to keep down costs, the modules can be linked together to produce lasers of up to 120 kW.

http://www.gizmag.com/lockheed-martin-athena-laser-weapon-manufacture/39753/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

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MIRACL


 MIRACL, or Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser, is a directed energy weapon developed by the US Navy. It is a deuterium fluoride laser, a type of chemical laser.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIRACL

 

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Tactical High Energy Laser

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_High_Energy_Laser

 

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Electrolaser

 

An electrolaser is a type of electroshock weapon which is also a directed-energy weapon. It uses lasers to form an electrically conductive laser-induced plasma channel (LIPC). A fraction of a second later, a powerful electric current is sent down this plasma channel and delivered to the target, thus functioning overall as a large-scale, high energy, long-distance version of the Taser electroshock gun.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolaser


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Laser Weapons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxcwlJ30uAw


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Sonic weapon


 Sonic and ultrasonic weapons (USW) are weapons of various types that use sound to injure, incapacitate, or kill an opponent. Some sonic weapons are currently in limited use or in research and development by military and police forces. Others exist only in the realm of science fiction. Some of these weapons have been described as sonic bullets, sonic grenades, sonic mines, or sonic cannons. Some make a focused beam of sound or ultrasound; some make an area field of sound.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_weapon



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Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_Weapons



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Solid-state laser

 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_laser

 A solid-state laser is a laser that uses a gain medium that is a solid, rather than a liquid such as in dye lasers or a gas as in gas lasers. Semiconductor-based lasers are also in the solid state, but are generally considered as a separate class from solid-state lasers (see Laser diode).

 Solid-state lasers are being developed as optional weapons for the F-35 Lightning II, and are reaching near-operational status, as well as the introduction of Northrop Grumman's FIRESTRIKE laser weapon system. In April 2011 the United States Navy tested a high energy solid state laser. The exact range is classified, but they said it fired "miles not yards".


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Lockheed Martin Weapon Prototype Immobilizes Truck Over A Mile Away 'In Matter Of Seconds': Here's How

March 7th, 2015

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/38044/20150307/lockheed-martin-weapon-prototype-immobilizes-truck-over-a-mile-away-in-matter-of-seconds-heres-how.htm

ATHENA was designed based on Lockheed Martin's Area Defense Anti-Munitions (ADAM) laser weapon system used in demonstrations against small airborne and sea-based targets. Lockheed Martin developed a technique called spectral beam combining together three 10-kilowatt fiber laser modules into a single, powerful, high-quality 30-kilowatt beam that is more powerful than its 10-kilowatt components.



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Shooting lightning out of the sky

 

New methods to make longer streams of plasma with greater longevity could lead to laser-powered lightning rods

 

 September 24, 2015

 

 A team of researchers has demonstrated new techniques that bring lasers as lighting rods closer to reality. When a powerful laser beam shoots through the air, it ionizes the molecules, leaving a thin trail of hot, ionized particles in its wake. Because this stream of plasma conducts electricity, it could be used to channel away a potentially damaging lightning bolt. The researchers found ways to make the length of such a plasma channel reach more than 10 times longer -- a necessary advance for using the channel to redirect a lightning strike.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150924124045.htm



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Boeing says laser weapon a success in Pentagon testing  

 

 2013

 

Boeing Co.'s Directed Energy Systems division says it has achieved a sufficient level of power and beam quality to allow a solid-state laser system to be deployed to battlefields. The system - which could eventually bring down rockets and drones and destroy IEDs with a blast of light- is part of a major effort towards the development of directed energy weapons.

 

Boeing announced last week its Thin Disk Laser System, which uses a series of high-powered industrial lasers to generate a single concentrated, high-energy beam, has achieved the required thresholds for power and beam quality during demonstrations for the Department of Defense's Robust Electric Laser Initiative, or RELI, effort.

 http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/08/one_step_closer_to_star_wars_b.html

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 Boeing to be awarded contract for Laser SDB

28 June, 2013
28 June, 2013
  28 June, 2013
 
The US Air Force intends to award Boeing a contract to develop and test a new laser-guided version of its 250lb (113kg) small diameter bomb (SDB).

The company says that the weapons can carry out many of the functions of Raytheon’s SDB II, which has a tri-modal seeker with millimeter wave radar, infrared, and semi-active laser guidance capabilities, at far lower cost. The new weapon is based on Boeing’s laser joint direct attack munition (JDAM) technology.

 http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/06/boeing-to-be-awarded-contract/#sthash.wOJQCrub.dpuf

The US Air Force intends to award Boeing a contract to develop and test a new laser-guided version of its 250lb (113kg) small diameter bomb (SDB).
The company says that the weapons can carry out many of the functions of Raytheon’s SDB II, which has a tri-modal seeker with millimeter wave radar, infrared, and semi-active laser guidance capabilities, at far lower cost. The new weapon is based on Boeing’s laser joint direct attack munition (JDAM) technology.
- See more at: http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/06/boeing-to-be-awarded-contract/#sthash.wOJQCrub.dpuf

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Raytheon Government Agencies and Companies to Come to Consensus on Weather Modification


A Plan for the next phase in Weather Modification Science and Technology
Development


Weather Modification Association Annual Meeting, 2005


PDF: Raytheon says more WEATHER MODIFICATION!

 

 http://r3zn8d.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/raytheon-says-moar-weather-modification.pdf

 

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Connecting the Raytheon, AMS, Lockheed, HAARP, NOAA, General Dynamics and DARPA dots….

Defense Advanced Research Program Association, or DARPA, has contracted co-operation command of the Highly Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) electromagnetic microwave ionospheric heater in Gakona, Alaska, for military communication and weapon “defense” purposes. They also take part in biological warfare “testing” over land, water, and city, whereby defense contractor jets, such as those crafted especially for war or weather programs by BAE Systems (owner of the HAARP facility) or Raytheon (owner of the HAARP patent), for the Navy and Air Force and NATO, disperse hazardous toxins into the air and then attempt to eradicate them with chemicals or jet-mounted microwave radiation weapons (like AESA). In addition, the Lockheed Martin and Boeing corporations joined up in a B2B contract with BAE and Raytheon, hardware and software hosted by none other than Microsoft, so that their defense contractor industry market could remain consistently and wirelessly networked, and would never be halted by distance, time, or situational awareness. The NOAA, a member of the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, (partnered on that board with the American Meteorological Society and the National Science Foundation) sold its weather reporting functionality to Raytheon, who operates it now under the name Advanced Weather Information Processing System. Raytheon happens to contract many of its services and industrial airliners to the tune of global weather modification programs, such as those ever popular “global warming mitigation” or “global dimming” programs, (whereby jets utilizing liquid propane, liquid nitrogen, silver iodide, potassium chlorate, barium oxide, acrylamides, and trimethyl aluminum, spray these chemicals to replace cloud cover over entire countries) and, they’ve even managed to create, through their sub-company General Dynamics Robotics, Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles such as the Global Hawk that can fly for 72 hours, with a payload of 20,000 lbs or more, running entirely on programming and artificial intelligence microwave signal networking, without landing or refueling. It’s not just local chemical “cloud seeding” or “storm prevention” anymore, as is still practiced by the state-and-regional program member companies of the Weather Modification Association.

http://geoengineeringwatch.org/html/weatherreportedbyraytheon.html

 

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Free Electron Laser (FEL)

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/research/8-laser-weapon-systems-to-zap-planes-boats-and-people#slide-6


Power: 100-kw class

In 1989 Boeing was awarded a contract to build a unique laser weapon made from a Free Electron Laser—essentially a laser made out of a particle accelerator.


After all these years, though, Boeing still has plenty of work to do to actually build serious FEL weapons. At minimum, the laser would need to reach 100 kilowatts, and so far the free electron laser power record is only 14. Pogue hopes to reach 100 kilowatts in the lab by 2015—and then figure out how the heck to get a particle accelerator on a ship


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World's most powerful laser to tear apart the vacuum of space 

 

Due to follow in the footsteps of the Large Hadron Collider, the latest "big science" experiment being proposed by physicists will see the world's most powerful laser being constructed.
Capable of producing a beam of light so intense that it would be equivalent to the power received by the Earth from the sun focused onto a speck smaller than a tip of a pin, scientists claim it could allow them boil the very fabric of space – the vacuum.

Contrary to popular belief, a vacuum is not devoid of material but in fact fizzles with tiny mysterious particles that pop in and out of existence, but at speeds so fast that no one has been able to prove they exist.
The Extreme Light Infrastructure Ultra-High Field Facility would produce a laser so intense that scientists say it would allow them to reveal these particles for the first time by pulling this vacuum "fabric" apart.
They also believe it could even allow them to prove whether extra-dimensions exist.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8857154/Worlds-most-powerful-laser-to-tear-apart-the-vacuum-of-space.html

 

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How we recreated the early universe in the laboratory

 

May 12, 2015


- Instead of focusing our attention on immense particle accelerators, we turned to the ultra-intense lasers available at the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, UK. We used an ultra-high vacuum chamber with an air pressure corresponding to a hundredth of a millionth of our atmosphere to shoot an ultra-short and intense laser pulse (hundred billions of billions more intense that sunlight on the Earth surface) onto a nitrogen gas. This stripped off the gas' electrons and accelerated them to a speed extremely close to that of light.

The beam then collided with a block of lead, which slowed them down again. As they slowed down they emitted particles of light, photons, which created pairs of electrons and their anti-particle, the positron, when they collided with nuclei of the lead sample. A chain-reaction of this process gave rise to the plasma.

However, this experimental achievement was not without effort. The laser beam had to be guided and controlled with micrometer precision, and the detectors had to be finely calibrated and shielded – resulting in frequent long nights in the laboratory.

But it was well worth it as the development means an exciting branch of physics is opening up. Apart from investigating the important matter-antimatter asymmetry, by looking at how these plasmas interact with ultra powerful laser beams, we can also study how this plasma propagates in vacuum and in a low-density medium. This would be effectively recreating conditions similar to the generation of gamma-ray bursts, some of the most luminous events ever recorded in our universe.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-recreated-early-universe-laboratory.html#jCp

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Holometer rules out first theory of space-time correlations

 
December 4, 2015
 
http://phys.org/news/2015-12-holometer-theory-space-time.html



The Holometer is a deceptively simple device. It uses a pair of laser interferometers placed close to one another, each sending a one-kilowatt beam of light through a beam splitter and down two perpendicular arms, 40 meters each. The light is then reflected back into the beam splitter where the two beams recombine. If no motion has occurred, then the recombined beam will be the same as the original beam. But if fluctuations in brightness are observed, researchers will then analyze these fluctuations to see if the splitter is moving in a certain way, being carried along on a jitter of space itself.

According to Fermilab's Aaron Chou, project manager of the Holometer experiment, the collaboration looked to the work done to design other, similar instruments, such as the one used in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) experiment. Chou said that once the Holometer team realized that this technology could be used to study the quantum fluctuation they were after, the work of other collaborations using laser interferometers (including LIGO) was invaluable.

"No one has ever applied this technology in this way before," Chou said. "A small team, mostly students, built an instrument nearly as sensitive as LIGO's to look for something completely different."

The challenge for researchers using the Holometer is to eliminate all other sources of movement until they are left with a fluctuation they cannot explain. According to Fermilab's Chris Stoughton, scientist on the Holometer experiment, the process of taking data was one of constantly adjusting the machine to remove more noise.

"You would run the machine for a while, take data, and then try to get rid of all the fluctuation you could see before running it again," he said. "The origin of the phenomenon we're looking for is a billion billion times smaller than a proton, and the Holometer is extremely sensitive, so it picks up a lot of outside sources, such as wind and traffic."

If the Holometer were to see holographic noise that researchers could not eliminate, it might be detecting noise that is intrinsic to space-time, which may mean that information in our universe could actually be encoded in tiny packets in two dimensions.

The fact that the Holometer ruled out his theory to a high level of significance proves that it can probe time and space at previously unimagined scales, Hogan said. It also proves that if this quantum jitter exists, it is either much smaller than the Holometer can detect, or is moving in directions the current instrument is not configured to observe.

So what's next? Hogan said the Holometer team will continue to take and analyze data, and will publish more general and more sensitive studies of holographic noise. The collaboration already released a result related to the study of gravitational waves.

And Hogan is already putting forth a new model of holographic structure that would require similar instruments of the same sensitivity, but different configurations sensitive to the rotation of space. The Holometer, he said, will serve as a template for an entirely new field of experimental science.

"It's new technology, and the Holometer is just the first example of a new way of studying exotic correlations," Hogan said. "It is just the first glimpse through a newly invented microscope."



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Nanoparticles found to violate second law of thermodynamics

 

April 3, 2014

It may be a little late for April Fool's, but some skepticism is nonetheless warranted when reading that researchers have shown nanoparticles to disobey a fundamental law of physics which dictates the flow of entropy and heat in, it was believed, any situation. Specifically, researchers from three universities theoretically proposed then demonstrated that a nanoparticle in a state of thermal non-equilibrium does not always behave as larger particles might under the same conditions, with implications for various fields of research.
The second law of thermodynamics is the one that makes perpetual motion machines impossible. It states that the entropy – the measure for the disorder of a system – of any isolated system cannot decrease spontaneously, with the system evolving towards the state of maximum entropy (favoring disorder). The team has shown that a nanoparticle trapped with laser light temporarily violates this law. This seeming violation of universal law is transient, something that the researchers first derived as a mathematical model of fluctuations expected at the nanoscale.

http://www.gizmag.com/nanoparticles-violate-law-thermodynamics/31491/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


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Scientists announce breakthrough in quest for fusion power

  

February 13, 2014



  

http://www.gizmag.com/fusion-breakthrough/30814/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

In a perfect example of beating swords into plowshares, a team of scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California reached a milestone in the quest for practical fusion power using a process designed for the development and testing of nuclear weapons. The announcement in the February 12 issue of Nature claims that the team used the world’s most powerful laser barrage to produce a controlled fusion reaction where more energy was extracted from the fuel than was put into it.

If there is an ultimate engineering dream, then nuclear fusion is about as close as close as one can get. By literally harnessing the power of the stars, it holds the promise of what is, for all practical purposes, unlimited clean energy. Since man-made fusion was first demonstrated in 1951 with a boosted fission weapon, scientists and engineers have worked on some way to produce a practical fusion reactor instead of a hydrogen bomb.

The story of the fusion reactor is one of both great progress, but also constant frustration. When work began, the first reactor was predicted to be 25 years away. Since then and up until today, it’s still 25 years away. That’s because although nuclear fusion is relatively simple in theory, getting a controlled reaction started outside of the heart of a star is extremely difficult. The trick is to reach the “ignition” point, where the energy released by the reactor is greater than what’s put into it and the reaction becomes self-sustaining.

A fusion reactor works by simulating the conditions inside the Sun. Put simply, hydrogen atoms fuse in the Sun because its huge mass squashes the atoms together to form helium, releasing huge amounts of energy as the strong nuclear force that keeps them apart is overcome. A hydrogen bomb does the same thing, only with a fission bomb creating the necessary conditions for a millionth of a second.


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Apparent breakthrough in nuclear fusion silenced by shutdown

 

Scientists have come one step closer to harnessing the power of the sun. Researchers at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) have passed a milestone in achieving self-sustaining nuclear fusion -- but you won't hear about it from the researchers. The NIF team has been furloughed as a result of the U.S. government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, and is not releasing updates to the press.

According to the BBC, a research experiment conducted in late September succeeded in releasing more energy through a fusion reaction than it absorbed by the fuel going in. NIF is the first research facility in the world to achieve this goal. A spokesperson for the NIF could not give CBSNews.com a comment on the results of the experiment.


 NIF's method for achieving fusion involves sending 192 laser beams through a 1,500-meter journey that increases its energy output by a factor of more than a quadrillion. The laser beams' energy grows from one-billionth of a joule to 4 million joules in 5 millionths of a second.

A breakthrough in nuclear fusion is widely considered the holy grail of achieving an unlimited clean energy source.
Scientists believe that fusion can fuel our future without threat of nuclear proliferation or environmental damage because the process of creating fusion requires very few resources. One of the biggest challenges in producing energy derived from fusion has been to pass the break-even point -- a goal that has eluded scientists for nearly 50 years.
Nuclear fusion is not to be confused with nuclear fission. Instead of splitting an atom's nucleus, like in fission, nuclear fusion is the process of bringing together two atomic nuclei to form a new nucleus.
While the NIF has passed the break-even point, it is just shy of reaching "ignition" -- when nuclear fusion produces as much energy as is supplied to the lasers.


 http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57606588/apparent-breakthrough-in-nuclear-fusion-silenced-by-shutdown/

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Weather could be controlled using lasers

 

Scientists are attempting to control the weather by using lasers to create clouds, induce rain and even trigger lightning. 

 Experts from around the world are to gather at the World Meteorological Organisation next month to discuss how powerful laser pulses can be used to generate changes in the atmosphere that influence the weather.

Their experiments have shown that intense pulses of light can cause ice to form and water to condense, leading to the formation of clouds.
The scientists have now begun testing their equipment outside for the first time with extremely short pulses of laser light were fired into the sky.
Researchers have also proved that lightning discharges can be triggered and channelled through the air using laser pulses.

There is a long history of attempts by scientists to control the weather, including using techniques such as cloud seeding.

This involves spraying small particles and chemicals into the air to induce water vapour to condense into clouds.

In the 1960s the United States experimented with using silver iodide in an attempt to weaken hurricanes before they made landfall.

The USSR was also claimed to have flown cloud seeding missions in an attempt to create rain clouds to protect Moscow from radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

More recently the Russian Air force has also been reported to have used bags of cement to seed clouds.

Before the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the Chinese authorities used aircraft and rockets to release chemicals into the atmosphere.
Other countries have been reported to be experimenting with cloud seeding to prevent flooding or smog.

However, Professor Wolf, Dr Kasparian and their colleagues believe that lasers could provide an easier and more controllable method of changing the weather.
They began studying lasers for their use as a way of monitoring changes in the air and detecting aerosols high in the atmosphere. 


  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10268455/Weather-could-be-controlled-using-lasers.html



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Laser-induced condensation shows promise for cloud seeding

2012


Over the past decade, commercially-available lasers have increased in power by two orders of magnitude, reaching the petawatt level, with exawatts firmly within sight. The 2011 experiment used a 100 terawatt laser, and a "mobile" (actually the size of a shipping container) laser of five terawatts.
Further understanding of how lasers spur condensation will also help. The process, known as photodissociation, involves the laser's photons breaking down atmospheric compounds to produce ozone and nitrogen molecules. Those in turn form nitric acid particles, which bind water molecules together into droplets.

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-07/17/laser-coud-seeding

http://www.livescience.com/15834-laser-cloud-seed-rain.html

Laser Beams May Be Next Rainmakers

 

2011

http://www.livescience.com/15834-laser-cloud-seed-rain.html



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Second Conference on Laser, Weather and Climate (LWC 2013)

http://www.laserweatherandclimate.com/


Welcome

As highlighted by the success of the first Conference on Laser-based Weather Control in 2011, ultra-short lasers launched into the atmosphere have emerged as a promising prospective tool for weather modulation and climate studies. Such prospects include lightning control and laser-assisted condensation, as well as the striking similarities between the non-linear optical propagation and natural phenomena like rogue waves or climate bifurcations.

Filaments generated by ultra-short laser pulses launched into the atmosphere have emerged as an unexpected prospective tool for weather modulation. In particular, lightning control and laser-assisted water condensation recently appeared as spectacular prospects in this direction.

Although these new perspectives triggered an increasing interest and activity in many groups worldwide, the highly interdisciplinary nature of the subject limited its development, due to the need for enhanced contacts between laser and atmospheric physicists, chemists, electrical engineers, and meteorologists.

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Climate control: United States weather modification in the cold war and beyond. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18313754


_____________

Weather modification


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_modification

Proposed US Legislation

2005 U.S. Senate Bill 517 and U.S. House Bill 2995 U.S. Senate Bill 517 and U.S. House Bill 2995 were two bills proposed in 2005 that would have expanded experimental weather modification, to establish a Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and implemented a national weather modification policy. Neither were made into law. Former Texas State Senator John N. Leedom was the key lobbyist on behalf of the weather modification bills.

2007 U.S. Senate Bill 1807 & U.S. House Bill 3445 Senate Bill 1807 and House Bill 3445, identical bills introduced July 17, 2007, proposed to establish a Weather Mitigation Advisory and Research Board to fund weather modification research.


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Physicists observe attosecond real-time restructuring of electron cloud in molecule

 
May 14, 2015 
 
 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-physicists-attosecond-real-time-electron-cloud.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

 

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Physicist finds mysterious anti-electron clouds inside thunderstorm

 

May 13, 2015 
 

In August 2009, Dwyer and colleagues were aboard a National Center for Atmospheric Research Gulfstream V when it inadvertently flew into the extremely violent thunderstorm—and, it turned out, through a large cloud of positrons, the antimatter opposite of electrons, that should not have been there.

To encounter a cloud of positrons without other associated physical phenomena such as energetic gamma-ray emissions was completely unexpected, thoroughly perplexing and contrary to currently understood physics.

"The fact that, apparently out of nowhere, the number of positrons around us suddenly increased by more than a factor of 10 and formed a cloud around the aircraft is very hard to understand. We really have no good explanation for it," says Dwyer, a lightning expert and the UNH Peter T. Paul Chair in Space Sciences at the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space.

It is known that thunderstorms can sometimes make flashes of energetic gamma rays, which may produce pairs of electrons and positrons when they interact with air. But the appearance of positrons should then coincide with a large increase in the number of gamma rays.



"We should have seen bright gamma-ray emissions along with the positrons," Dwyer says. "But in our observations, we first saw a positron cloud, then another positron cloud about seven kilometers away and then we saw a bright gamma-ray glow afterwards. So it's all not making a whole lot of sense."

 

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-physicist-mysterious-anti-electron-clouds-thunderstorm.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

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Researchers show presence of charge-density waves in superconductive material

 
December 10, 2015

  Ultrafast laser techniques helped MIT physics graduate student Fahad Mahmood and colleagues establish that electrons form charge-density waves in the thin-film superconductive material LSCO cuprate.

 "The question is how does this fluctuating charge-density wave compete or not interfere with superconductivity, and what we found is that it actually competes with superconductivity," Mahmood explains. "Electrons for a very short amount of time are in this charge-density wave state, and in another time scale, if you take another snapshot, they'll be in the superconductivity state."

Charge-density waves occur when electron density in a conductor is distributed in a sinusoidal pattern, like ripples on water, instead of the common uniform density.

"It's a fluctuating order that lasts for a very short amount of time and equilibrium probes won't be able to detect it," he says. Using ultrafast spectroscopy, Mahmood and co-authors of a 2013 Nature Materials paper were able to show that for extremely short periods of time—up to about 2 picoseconds—electrons clustered in a density wave that could be measured by its amplitude and phase.


http://phys.org/news/2015-12-presence-charge-density-superconductive-material.html

 

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Atmospheric Vortex Engine creates tornadoes to generate electricity

  

December 20, 2012





 Tornadoes generally evoke the destructive force of nature at its most awesome. However, what if all that power could be harnessed to produce cheaper and more efficient electricity? This is just what Canadian engineer Louis Michaud proposes to achieve, with an invention dubbed the “Atmospheric Vortex Engine” (or AVE).

AVE works by introducing warm air into a circular station, whereupon the difference in temperature between this heated air and the atmosphere above creates a vortex – or controlled tornado, which in turn drives multiple wind turbines in order to create electricity. The vortex could be shut down by simply turning off the source of warm air.

http://www.gizmag.com/vortex-engine-tornadoes-electricity/25508/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

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Volcanic ash proves inefficient cloud ice maker

 

May 28th, 2015

When tons of ash spewed into the atmosphere from a 2010 Icelandic volcano it caused havoc for vacationers across Europe. But did it also dramatically change clouds? Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that volcanic ash is not as efficient as common dust in birthing clouds' ice particles. Using a novel laboratory testing chamber they formed cloud ice, a process called ice nucleation, around particles of dust and volcanic ash. Their results revealed the importance of optimal particle structure to efficiently attract super cold water vapor to nucleate ice.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-volcanic-ash-inefficient-cloud-ice.html#jCp

 

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Silicon Nanoparticles Allow Production of Hydrogen from Water Without Heat, Light or Electricity


January 26, 2013

 http://www.bangscience.org/2013/01/silicon-nanoparticles-allow-production-of-hydrogen-from-water-without-heat-light-or-electricity/




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Enhancement of electron energy during vacuum laser acceleration in an inhomogeneous magnetic field


 In this paper, the effect of a stationary inhomogeneous magnetic field on the electron acceleration by a high intensity Gaussian laser pulse is investigated. A focused TEM (0,0) laser mode with linear polarization in the transverse x-direction that propagates along the z-axis is considered. The magnetic field is assumed to be stationary in time, but varies longitudinally in space. A linear spatial profile for the magnetic field is adopted. In other words, the axial magnetic field increases linearly in the z-direction up to an optimum point zm and then becomes constant with magnitude equal to that at zm . Three-dimensional single-particle simulations are performed to find the energy and trajectory of the electron. The electron rotates around and stays near the z-axis. It is shown that with a proper choice of the magnetic field parameters, the electron will be trapped at the focus of the laser pulse. Because of the cyclotron resonance, the electron receives enough energy from the laser fields to be accelerated to relativistic energies. Using numerical simulations, the criteria for optimum regime of the acceleration mechanism is found. With the optimized parameters, an electron initially at rest located at the origin achieves final energy of γ=802 . The dynamics of a distribution of off-axis electrons are also investigated in which shows that high energy electrons with small energy and spatial spread can be obtained.

 http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/pop/22/3/10.1063/1.4916130


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Jellyfish proteins used to create polariton laser

 
August 22, 2016


A combined team of researchers from Scotland and Germany has developed a way to create a polariton laser by using jellyfish proteins cultivated in E. coli cells. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the team describes their technique and possible uses for the result.

As most people know, at a basic level, conventional lasers work by bouncing light around inside of a cavity and then emitting identical photons as a beam. There is another type of laser that is less well known, the polariton laser—it works by tossing photons back and forth between excited molecules. But the reason it has not made its way into commercial use is because it must be cooled to an extremely low temperature to work properly. In this new approach, the researchers report the development of such a laser that works at room temperatures.

http://phys.org/news/2016-08-jellyfish-proteins-polariton-laser.html#jCp

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Plasma electron acceleration driven by a long-wave-infrared laser

13 May 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48413-y

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The Particle Accelerator Reinvented: Compact, Powerful, and Ready to Transform Science

December 3, 2023

https://scitechdaily.com/the-particle-accelerator-reinvented-compact-powerful-and-ready-to-transform-science/

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Milestone in plasma acceleration

May 13, 2024

New energy record for next generation proton accelerators

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240513193037.htm

 

_____________


Plasma-based technologies

https://www.psfc.mit.edu/research/topics/plasma-based-technologies

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Types of Plasma Arc Welding and Their Uses

October 24, 2023

https://blog.thepipingmart.com/other/types-of-plasma-arc-welding-and-their-uses/

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Induction plasma

Induction plasma, also called inductively coupled plasma, is a type of high temperature plasma generated by electromagnetic induction, usually coupled with argon gas. The magnetic field induces an electric current within the gas which creates the plasma. The plasma can reach temperatures up to 10,000 Kelvin. Inductive plasma technology is used in fields such as powder spheroidization and nano-material synthesis. The technology is applied via an Induction plasma torch, which consists of three basic elements: the induction coil, a confinement chamber, and a torch head, or gas distributor. The main benefit of this technology is the elimination of electrodes, which can deteriorate and introduce contamination.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_plasma

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Nonthermal plasma

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonthermal_plasma


A nonthermal plasma, cold plasma or non-equilibrium plasma is a plasma which is not in thermodynamic equilibrium, because the electron temperature is much hotter than the temperature of heavy species (ions and neutrals). As only electrons are thermalized, their Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution is very different from the ion velocity distribution.[1] When one of the velocities of a species does not follow a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, the plasma is said to be non-Maxwellian.

A kind of common nonthermal plasma is the mercury-vapor gas within a fluorescent lamp, where the "electron gas" reaches a temperature of 20,000 K (19,700 °C; 35,500 °F) while the rest of the gas, ions and neutral atoms, stays barely above room temperature, so the bulb can even be touched with hands while operating.

Food industry

In the context of food processing, a nonthermal plasma (NTP) or cold plasma is specifically an antimicrobial treatment being investigated for application to fruits, vegetables and meat products with fragile surfaces. These foods are either not adequately sanitized or are otherwise unsuitable for treatment with chemicals, heat or other conventional food processing tools. While the applications of nonthermal plasma were initially focused on microbiological disinfection, newer applications such as enzyme inactivation, biomolecule oxidation, protein modification, prodrug activation, and pesticide dissipation are being actively researched. Nonthermal plasma also sees increasing use in the sterilization of teeth[8][9] and hands, in hand dryers as well as in self-decontaminating filters.

The term cold plasma has been recently used as a convenient descriptor to distinguish the one-atmosphere, near room temperature plasma discharges from other plasmas, operating at hundreds or thousands of degrees above ambient (see Plasma (physics) § Temperature. Within the context of food processing the term "cold" can potentially engender misleading images of refrigeration requirements as a part of the plasma treatment. However, in practice this confusion has not been an issue. "Cold plasmas" may also loosely refer to weakly ionized gases (degree of ionization < 0.01%).
Nomenclature
The nomenclature for nonthermal plasma found in the scientific literature is varied. In some cases, the plasma is referred to by the specific technology used to generate it ("gliding arc", "plasma pencil", "plasma needle", "plasma jet", "dielectric barrier discharge", "piezoelectric direct discharge plasma", etc.), while other names are more generally descriptive, based on the characteristics of the plasma generated ("one atmosphere uniform glow discharge plasma", "atmospheric plasma", "ambient pressure nonthermal discharges", "non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas", etc.). The two features which distinguish NTP from other mature, industrially applied plasma technologies, is that they are 1) nonthermal and 2) operate at or near atmospheric pressure.

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Pyrolysis of Polyolefins Using Rotating Arc Plasma Technology for Production of Acetylene

2017

 

Abstract

 

Polyolefin, as one of the most widely used macromolecule materials, has been one of the most serious threats to the environment. Current treatment methods of waste polyolefin including landfill, incineration, and thermal degradation have suffered from severe problems such as secondary pollution and the generation of other toxic substances. In this article, we report for the first time a high-efficiency method to produce high-value C2H2 from polyolefins using a rotating direct current arc plasma reactor, using polyethylene and polypropylene as feedstocks. The essence of this method is that a reductive atmosphere of pyrolysis enables a thermodynamic preference to C2H2 over other carbon-containing gas and the rotating direct current arc plasma reactor allows for a uniform distribution of high temperature to ensure high conversion of polymers. Thermodynamic simulation of product composition was performed, and the effect of plasma input power, polyolefin feed rate, and working gas flow rate on the pyrolysis results was experimentally investigated. It was found that, with proper parameter control, approximately complete conversion of carbon in polyolefin could be obtained, with a C2H2 selectivity higher than 80% and a C2H2 yield higher than 70%. These results not only create new opportunities for the reuse of polymer waste, but are also instructive for the green production of C2H2.

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/4/513

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Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Ni-Al Coating Prepared by Plasma Transferred Arc Technology

22 March 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11665-023-08084-0

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A stable atmospheric-pressure plasma for extreme-temperature synthesis

29 November 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06694-1

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Taking Out the Trash, NASA-Style

04/05/2021

Plasma arc technology for testing heat shields transforms garbage into reusable chemicals

https://spinoff.nasa.gov/plasma-heating-recycles-waste

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A Review of Magnetic Shielding Technology for Space Radiation

March 1, 2023

 Simple Summary

Successful human exploration beyond Earth orbit relies on solving the issue of high radiation doses received in space. Many passive and active radiation mitigation strategies have been proposed over the past several decades, but the problem remains to be solved. A promising concept exists to use superconducting magnets to effectively recreate the benefit of Earth’s magnetic field and deflect incoming space radiation before it ever reaches the spacecraft. This type of radiation shielding technology has been studied since the dawn of human space exploration in the 1960s but has experienced highs and lows in its development since. This paper summarizes the findings of research on this topic and suggests that a linkage exists between studies of cutting-edge space technologies such as magnetic shielding and the overall budget for human spaceflight endeavors.

https://www.mdpi.com/2673-592X/3/1/5

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Mind-boggling magnets could unlock plentiful power

10 May 2021

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56843149


_____________

 

Smart Magnets Are Weird

2023

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/USs72GR0hLY

_______________


Quantum Locking Will Blow Your Mind

2021

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/n4r_Dz_lJS4

_______________

 

Boeing Has Patented a Plasma 'Force Field' to Protect Against Shock Waves

30 March 2015

https://www.sciencealert.com/boeing-has-patented-a-plasma-force-field-to-protect-against-shock-waves

_______________


Students prove real-life Star Wars deflector shield is possible

May 3, 2014

Star Wars is science fiction, but deflector shields like the ones in the films might be possible with today's technology. There are still a few kinks to work out, but a group of physics students have figured out the basics.

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/181773-physics-students-figure-out-how-to-make-star-wars-deflector-shields-in-real-life

______________

 

The Genius Behind The First Force Field

Apr 7, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApYGMzPgzuo

______________

 

Scientists announce breakthrough in hypersonic heat shield

January 24, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-01-scientists-breakthrough-hypersonic-shield.html

 

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Squid-inspired soft material is a switchable shield for light, heat, microwaves

June 28, 2023

https://scienceblog.com/538480/squid-inspired-soft-material-is-a-switchable-shield-for-light-heat-microwaves/

 

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Laser-focused look at spinning electrons shatters world record for precision

February 26, 2024 

 

 


Jefferson Lab's Compton polarimeter laser system, used to measure the parallel spin of electrons, is aligned during the Calcium Radius Experiment at Jefferson Lab.

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-laser-focused-electrons-shatters-world.html

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Turning Sound Into a Laser

Aug 20, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBdVfUnS-pM

______________


Real Hoverboard Using Ground Effect! - Floats On Anything!!

Oct 28, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UXL6oPP8sA
 

______________

 

The experiment that revealed the atomic world: Brownian Motion

Feb 29, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNzoTGv_XiQ

 

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Future opportunities in solar system plasma science through ESA’s exploration programme

14 March 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41526-024-00373-9


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Interstellar Travel: Magnetic Fusion Plasma Engines Could Carry Us Across the Solar System and Beyond

October 22, 2023

https://scitechdaily.com/interstellar-travel-magnetic-fusion-plasma-engines-could-carry-us-across-the-solar-system-and-beyond/

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Wild new NASA plasma tech reduces drag during hypersonic flight

December 8, 2023

NASA's Technology Transfer Program is licensing its rights to a radical new form of propulsion that uses electromagnets to control the flow of plasma over aircraft and spacecraft flying at hypersonic speeds.

https://www.space.com/nasa-hypersonic-magnetohydrodynamic-control

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Laser-plasma interactions in magnetized environment

2018

https://pubs.aip.org/aip/pop/article/25/5/055706/1061011/Laser-plasma-interactions-in-magnetized

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New methods to make longer streams of plasma with greater longevity could lead to laser-powered lightning rods

September 24, 2015



( A picture of a femtosecond laser. The laser beam itself is invisible (800nm), but due to the formation of a plasma channel, the beam emits (visible) white light. )

Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod 250 years ago to protect people and buildings from lightning strikes. Someday, those metal poles may be replaced with lasers.


A team of researchers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, have demonstrated new techniques that bring lasers as lighting rods closer to reality.

When a powerful laser beam shoots through the air, it ionizes the molecules, leaving a thin trail of hot, ionized particles in its wake. Because this stream of plasma conducts electricity, it could be used to channel away a potentially damaging lightning bolt.

The researchers found ways to make the length of such a plasma channel reach more than 10 times longer—a necessary advance for using the channel to redirect a lightning strike.


 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-methods-longer-streams-plasma-greater.html#jCp



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Researchers build real-time tunable plasmon laser

4/24/2015

Traditionally, light can only ever be focused down to a point half the size of its frequency—aka the diffraction limit. Scientists have found a way around that limit, however, by building what are known as plasmon lasers, which are lasers that couple their beam with plasmons (oscillating surface electrons) on the surface of metals—gold for example, arranged in an array. But that approach has had its limitations as well, because it has had to rely on a solid bit of material called the gain—such lasers could not be tuned very easily, and not in real-time at all. In this new effort, the researchers report that they have found a way to use a liquid material as the gain, and because of that, are able to tune their laser in real time.

http://phys.org/news/2015-04-real-time-tunable-plasmon-laser.html#jCp


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Michio Kaku - Can you build a real Lightsaber?

 

Mar 5, 2014

Dr. Michio Kaku attempts to build a real Lightsaber from the Star Wars universe using modern technology

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lr5OUjFDkg


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X marks the spot: Researchers confirm novel method for controlling plasma rotation

 

June 23rd, 2015

 http://phys.org/news/2015-06-method-plasma-rotation.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

 Rotation is key to the performance of salad spinners, toy tops, and centrifuges, but recent research suggests a way to harness rotation for the future of mankind's energy supply. In papers published in Physics of Plasmas in May and Physical Review Letters this month, Timothy Stoltzfus-Dueck, a physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), demonstrated a novel method that scientists can use to manipulate the intrinsic - or self-generated - rotation of hot, charged plasma gas within fusion facilities called tokamaks.


 Such a method could prove important for future facilities like ITER, the huge international tokamak under construction in France that will demonstrate the feasibility of fusion as a source of energy for generating electricity. ITER's massive size will make it difficult for the facility to provide sufficient rotation through external means.

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Extending life of plasma channels could allow lasers to be used as lightning rods

 

 September 25, 2015

 

 

 http://www.gizmag.com/plasma-channels-laser-lightning-rods/39588/

 

Today's simple metal lightning rods may be on their way to obsolescence. That's because scientists at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem are developing a high-tech alternative that could potentially reach higher and be more effective – laser lightning rods.

When a high-power laser is shot into the sky, it ionizes airborne molecules in the process. As a result, even once the laser itself is shut off, a trail of ionized particles known as a plasma channel is left in its place. Plasma channels conduct electricity, not unlike a good ol' steel rod.

Led by scientist Jenya Papeer, the Jerusalem team successfully created plasma channels measuring 100 microns in diameter, by firing a laser in pulses lasting just 100 femtoseconds each. Unfortunately, however, after three nanoseconds the plasma cooled off and the channels ceased to exist.

In order to boost those trails' longevity by a factor of 10, the researchers added a second laser that is fired in 10-nanosecond bursts along the path of the first one. Its wider beam envelopes the plasma created by the first beam, keeping it hot and conductive. By boosting the power of that second laser, or even by adding additional beams, it is hoped that the lifespan and the length of the plasma channels could be lengthened further.

Speaking of which, though, the first plasma channels to be produced were only a meter (3.3 ft) long. The researchers addressed this limitation by creating an array of lenses that change the way in which the laser is focused. As a result, it now creates a series of three one-meter-long channels linked end-to-end, effectively forming one 3-meter plasma channel.

That said, by further adjusting the focus and using a powerful enough laser, it should be possible to produce any number of linked plasma channels, creating a lightning rod of any desired length.

A paper on the research will be presented on Oct. 22nd at the Frontiers in Optics conference, in San Jose, California.





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The Air Force Exploration of Pulse-Train Plasmoid Guns




http://www.topsecretwriters.com/2012/07/the-air-force-exploration-of-pulse-train-plasmoid-guns/

In 1956, Winston Bostick discovered an entity consisting of plasma and magnetic field, which he named the Plasmoid(1).
Plasmoids have a series of cosmic implications and is used to explain various phenomenon, such as the magnetic plasma structures found in comet tails, solar wind, and solar atmosphere.
However, barely four years after the discovery of the Plasmoid, the U.S. government conducted research into the possibility of using Plasmoids as a weapon. TheBlackVault.com acquired a Defense Technical Information Center report through an FOIA request on the matter.



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Kilotesla Magnetic Field due to a Capacitor-Coil Target Driven by High Power Laser


Published

 Laboratory generation of strong magnetic fields opens new frontiers in plasma and beam physics, astro- and solar-physics, materials science, and atomic and molecular physics. Although kilotesla magnetic fields have already been produced by magnetic flux compression using an imploding metal tube or plasma shell, accessibility at multiple points and better controlled shapes of the field are desirable. Here we have generated kilotesla magnetic fields using a capacitor-coil target, in which two nickel disks are connected by a U-turn coil. A magnetic flux density of 1.5 kT was measured using the Faraday effect 650 μm away from the coil, when the capacitor was driven by two beams from the GEKKO-XII laser (at 1 kJ (total), 1.3 ns, 0.53 or 1 μm, and 5 × 1016 W/cm2).

 http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/130130/srep01170/full/srep01170.html

 

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U.S. Army develops Tesla-style lightning bolt to destroy enemy vehicles


 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2165966/U-S-Army-develops-Tesla-style-lightning-bolt-destroy-enemy-vehicles-adds-Sci-fi-fans-youre-welcome.html

 

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Tesla coil

 

A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity. Tesla experimented with a number of different configurations consisting of two, or sometimes three, coupled resonant electric circuits.
Tesla used these coils to conduct innovative experiments in electrical lighting, phosphorescence, X-ray generation, high frequency alternating current phenomena, electrotherapy, and the transmission of electrical energy without wires. Tesla coil circuits were used commercially in sparkgap radio transmitters for wireless telegraphy until the 1920s, and in medical equipment such as electrotherapy and violet ray devices. Today their main use is for entertainment and educational displays, although small coils are still used today as leak detectors for high vacuum systems.


 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_coil

 

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Teleforce

 

 Teleforce is a charged particle beam projector that Nikola Tesla claimed to have conceived of after studying the Van de Graaff generator. Tesla described the weapon as being able to be used against ground-based infantry or for anti-aircraft purposes.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleforce

 

  ______________

 

NIKOLA TESLA - THE MASTER OF LIGHTNING - Discovery History Science (documentary) 

 

 May 4, 2014

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb5LMWpL3io

 

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Scalar Waves: Nicola Tesla's Forgotten Discovery Of A Source Of Clean, Cost Free Energy

  

Scalar wavelengths are finer than gamma rays or X rays and only one hundred millionth of a square centimeter in width. They belong to the subtle gravitational field and are also known as gravitic waves. Uniquely, they flow in multiple directions at right angles off electromagnetic waves, as an untapped energy source called 'potentials'. Potentials are particles which are unorganized in hyperspace - pure etheric energy not manifest in the physical world. In comparison, electromagnetic waves (measured by so many hertz or pulses per second, with which we are familiar with as radio other waves in the electro-magnetic spectrum) exist normally in the physical world, but can only be measured up to levels determined by the sensitivity of the equipment being used as to how many cycles per second they operate.

 

 http://www.greenteethmm.com/science-scalar-waves.shtml

 

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How the Physics of Electromagnetism can Generate Electricity

http://syzygyastro.hubpages.com/hub/How-the-Physics-of-Electromagnetism-can-Generate-Electricity


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Getting a charge from changes in humidity

 

 Jan 27, 2014 






New type of generator built with bacterial spores could one day provide a steady source of green electricity

BOSTON — A new type of electrical generator uses bacterial spores to harness the untapped power of evaporating water, according to research conducted at the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. Its developers foresee electrical generators driven by changes in humidity from sun-warmed ponds and harbors.

The prototype generators work by harnessing the movement of a sheet of rubber coated on one side with spores. The sheet bends when it dries out, much as a pine cone opens as it dries or a freshly fallen leaf curls, and then straightens when humidity rises. Such bending back and forth means that spore-coated sheets or tiny planks can act as actuators that drive movement, and that movement can be harvested to generate electricity.

 http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/137/getting-a-charge-from-changes-in-humidity

  ______________




A new clean nuclear fusion reactor has been designed

 

January 14, 2013 
 

 http://phys.org/news/2013-01-nuclear-fusion-reactor.html#nRlv


A researcher at the Universidad politécnica de Madrid (UPM, Spain) has patented a nuclear fusion reactor by inertial confinement that, apart from be used to generate electric power in plants, can be applied to propel ships.

This invention is the result of a work carried out by the Professor José Luis González Díez from the Higher Technical School of Naval Engineering of the UPM, who has contributed to solve the problem of contamination risk associated with the generation of nuclear fission power. It is a design of a fusion nuclear reactor by laser ignition of 1000 MWe that uses as fuel hydrogen isotopes that can be extracted from water allowing us a significant saving in fuel.
The nuclear fission is generally considered as a dangerous energy due to its contaminant risks of radioactive waste resulting from the electricity generation process. The past events occurred in Japan after the tsunami of 2011 increased the risk perception of this type of energy generation what has provoked that research on alternative ways to obtain energy have gained more importance than ever.

For years, nuclear fusion was studied as an alternative to nuclear fission because of its remarkable advantages for security and financial issues. However, today, there is not working any fusion reactor to produce continuous electrical energy of high voltage.


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Electrostatic nuclear accelerator

 

 An electrostatic nuclear accelerator is one of the two main types of particle accelerators, where charged particles can be accelerated by subjection to a static high voltage potential. The static high voltage method is contrasted with the dynamic fields used in oscillating field particle accelerators. Owing to their simpler design, historically these accelerators were developed earlier. These machines are operated at lower energy than some larger oscillating field accelerators, and to the extent that the energy regime scales with the cost of these machines, in broad terms these machines are less expensive than higher energy machines, and as such they are much more common. Many universities world wide have electrostatic accelerators for research purposes.

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_nuclear_accelerator





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May 25, 2001
 

TESLA project goes public


 http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/28450

At a major event held at the DESY laboratory in March (see News May 2000), the international TESLA collaboration, together with the members of various study groups, released the TESLA Technical Design Report. This five-volume opus presented the final facts and figures concerning a grand plan for the future: the "TeV-Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator", a 33 km electron-positron linear collider with an integrated X-ray laser laboratory.
To be built near the DESY laboratory in Hamburg, the facility would not only provide particle collision energies of 500 GeV - which could be increased to 800 GeV - but also include powerful X-ray lasers that would open up new research opportunities in a variety of fields, ranging from condensed matter physics through chemistry and material science to structural biology.
It is widely acknowledged among particle physicists that a linear accelerator colliding electrons and positrons is the ideal machine to complement CERN's Large Hadron Collider, which is due to start operation in 2006. As well as the TESLA collaboration, plans for similar next-generation linear electron-positron colliders are being worked on by other teams.
SLAC in the US and KEK in Japan are jointly developing two similar designs - known respectively as the Next Linear Collider and the Japan Linear Collider - which could be ready for construction at around the same time as TESLA. CERN is also working on a next-generation collider, CLIC. However, the TESLA proposal is the first to be fully costed and made public. It is also the only project to include an X-ray laser laboratory and thus to address a large interdisciplinary research community.


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CERN researchers confirm existence of the Force

 
April, 2015



 Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider just recently started testing the accelerator for running at the higher energy of 13 TeV, and already they have found new insights into the fundamental structure of the universe. Though four fundamental forces – the strong force, the weak force, the electromagnetic force and gravity – have been well documented and confirmed in experiments over the years, CERN announced today the first unequivocal evidence for the Force. "Very impressive, this result is," said a diminutive green spokesperson for the laboratory.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-04-cern.html#jCp



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Meson f0(1710) could be so-called “glueball” particle made purely of nuclear force

 

Terms to describe the strange world of quantum physics have come to be quite common in our lexicon. Who, for instance, hasn't at least heard of a quark, or a gluon or even Schrodinger's cat? Now there's a new name to remember: "Glueball." A long sought-after exotic particle, and recently claimed to have been detected by researchers at TU Wien, the glueball's strangest characteristic is that it is composed entirely of gluons. In other words, it is a particle created from pure force.

First mooted as a particle in 1972 when physicists Murray Gell-Mann and Harald Fritsch wondered about possible bound states of recently-discovered gluons, scientists have sought the particle in the intervening decades. Originally dubbed "gluonium," but now called glueballs, these strange particles of pure force are exceptionally unstable and can only be indirectly detected by monitoring their decay as they disassemble into lesser particles.

More recently, physics Professor Anton Rebhan and his PhD student Frederic Brünner from TU Wien have theorized that a strong nuclear decay resonance, called f0(1710), observed in the data from a number of particle accelerator experiments is strong evidence for the elusive glueball particle...

http://www.gizmag.com/meson-f01710-glueball-particle/39866/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


 ______________

 

CERN Document Server - Micro energy harvesting


 2015

https://cds.cern.ch/record/2019306

______________

 

CERN Document Server - Piezoelectric energy harvesting


 2015

 http://cds.cern.ch/record/1613190?ln=en

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CAST explores the dark side of the universe

September 21, 2015

Over the next 10 days, CERN's Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) will receive the Sun's rays. The Sun's course is visible from the window in the CAST experimental hall just twice a year, in March and September. The scientists will take advantage of these few days to improve the alignment of the detector with respect to the position of the Sun to within a thousandth of a radian.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-09-explores-dark-side-universe.html#jCp



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Big Chill Sets in as RHIC Physics Heats Up

 

Run 14 promises highest collision rates enabling exploration of detailed properties of early-universe matter

 
Monday, February 03, 2014


UPTON, NY—If you think it's been cold outside this winter, that's nothing compared to the deep freeze setting in at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the early-universe-recreating "atom smasher" at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory. Brookhaven's accelerator physicists have begun pumping liquid helium into RHIC's 1,740 superconducting magnets to chill them to near absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius—the coldest anything can get) in preparation for the collider's next physics run.

Once that extreme subzero temperature is reached, enabling the magnets to operate with zero energy loss, the physicists will begin injecting beams of gold ions and steering them into head-on collisions at nearly the speed of light. Those collisions create temperatures at the opposite extreme of the temperature scale—4 trillion degrees Celsius, or 250,000 times hotter than the center of the sun—to produce RHIC's signature "perfect" liquid quark-gluon plasma, a stand in for what the universe was like an instant after the Big Bang. During this experimental run, the 14th at this nuclear physics scientific user facility, scientists will conduct detailed studies of the primordial plasma's properties and fill in some missing data points to plot its transition to the matter we see in the universe today




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The puzzle of the origin of elements in the universe

 
December 17, 2015
 
 

 A rare nuclear reaction that occurs in red giants has been observed for the first time at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy. This result was achieved by the LUNA experiment, the world's only accelerator facility running deep underground.

The LUNA experiment at the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy has observed a rare nuclear reaction that occurs in giant red stars, a type of star in which our sun will also evolve. This is the first direct observation of sodium production in these stars, one of the nuclear reactions that is fundamental for the formation of the elements that make up the universe. The study has been published in Physical Review Letters.

LUNA (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) is a compact linear accelerator. It is the only one in the world installed in an underground facility, shielded against cosmic rays. The experiment aims to study the nuclear reactions that take place inside stars where, like in an intriguing and amazing cosmic kitchen, the elements that make up matter are formed and then driven out by gigantic explosions and scattered as cosmic dust.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-12-puzzle-elements-universe.html

 

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RHIC particle smashups find that shape matters

 

December 7, 2015


 Peering into the seething soup of primordial matter created in particle collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)-an "atom smasher" dedicated to nuclear physics research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory-scientists have come to a new understanding of how particles are produced in these collisions. This understanding represents a paradigm shift consistent with the presence of a saturated state of gluons, super-dense fields of the glue-like particles that bind the building blocks of ordinary matter.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-12-rhic-particle-smashups.html

 

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Physicists search for signs of supersymmetry

 
December 17, 2015


 

The first results from direct searches for new physics were announced today from CERN's energy-upgraded Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Among these results was a search for signs of a new theory called supersymmetry in which members of the University of Bristol particle physics group have played a leading role.


The LHC is the world's highest energy particle accelerator. After an almost two year shutdown and several months' re-commissioning, the LHC delivered physics data to its experiments from June to November this year at the unprecedented energy of 13 TeV, almost double the collision energy of its first run. The energy of the colliding protons is such that new particles much heavier than the proton can be created including the famous Higgs boson, and possibly even heavier and more exotic particles hypothesised in new physics theories. One such theory is called supersymmetry, which predicts an exotic partner for each currently known particle type.

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-physicists-supersymmetry.html

 

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Four new elements confirmed

 

  January 4, 2016





http://www.gizmag.com/new-periodic-table-elements-confirmed/41139/

Chemistry textbooks are in need of a rewrite with the addition of four new elements to the Periodic Table. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has confirmed the existence of four new elements with the atomic numbers 113, 115, 117, and 118, which were discovered by laboratories in Japan, the United States, and Russia. This bumper group of new elements completes the 7th row of the Periodic Table and clears the way for the discoverers to start thinking up names for them.

Until now, elements 113, 115, 117, and 118 have only been known from their gaps in the table and the temporary names ununtrium (Uut), ununpentium (Uup), ununseptium (Uus), and ununoctium (Uuo). Now, thanks to RIKEN in Japan; the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), California; and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, (ORNL), Tennessee, these elements that do not exist in nature have been confirmed to have been created for the first time.

The fourth IUPAC and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) Joint Working Party (JWP) reviewed the findings of the discoverers and, based on a criteria set out in 1991, have confirmed them. Elements 115 and 117 were found by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, LLNL, and ORNL. Element 118 was found by the Joint Institute and LLNL, and 113 was found by RIKEN.

The periodic table in its modern form was invented by Russian chemistry professor Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869 and lists elements according to their atomic numbers based on the number of protons in their nuclei. Its odd shape, which is familiar to anyone trying to stay awake in chemistry class, is due to the discovery that by arranging the elements to group them by their chemical properties and electron configurations, it becomes a graphic representation of objective reality.
In other words, chemists could not only use the table to describe known elements, but also predict the existence and properties of unknown elements that were yet to be discovered. This makes the IUPAC announcement particularly important because it means that an entire row or period of the table has now been filled in thanks, in part, to this predictability.

Though many of the new elements were discovered as far back as 2004, the tricky bit has been proving that they exist. In the 19th century, any competent chemist could determine if a substance was a pure element, but the new elements reside in a part of the table where the atoms are super heavy and so unstable that they exist for less than a thousandth of a second.

Element 113, for example, was created by using a linear accelerator to bombard a thin layer of bismuth with zinc ions travelling at about ten percent of the speed of light in hope that, in rare instances, the bismuth and zinc atoms would fuse to form a element. The resulting super-heavy atom of 113 would then decay and turn into other unstable radioactive isotopes, which would decay nearly as fast.

The result was that the scientists who created the new element had to spend years tracing back the event through a labyrinth of isotopic breakdowns to prove that they descended from the new element. Then, the JWP of the IUPAC had to review the literature to make sure no mistakes were made.
Now that the elements are confirmed, the discoverers can officially apply permanent names and symbols to them. The proposed names and two-letter symbols will be checked by the Inorganic Chemistry Division of IUPAC and then be subjected to a public review for five months to make sure they conform to the standards of consistency, translatability into other languages, and historic use. Typically, names have been derived from mythology, minerals, geography, or the name of a scientist.
One other interesting point about the new elements is that it opens the way to the search for an "island of stability." That is, a region beyond the current Periodic Table where new superheavy elements will become stable and exist long enough to allow for conventional chemistry experiments.



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The perfect liquid -- now even more perfect

 

January 17, 2012


 

 Ultra hot quark-gluon-plasma, generated by heavy-ion collisions in particle accelerators, is supposed to be the "most perfect fluid" in the world. Previous theories imposed a limit on how "liquid" fluids can be. Recent results at the Vienna University of Technology suggest that this limit can be broken -- making the world's "most perfect fluid" even more perfect.

How liquid can a fluid be? This is a question particle physicists at the Vienna University of Technology have been working on. The "most perfect liquid" is nothing like water, but the extremely hot quark-gluon-plasma which is produced in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. New theoretical results at Vienna UT show that this quark-gluon plasma could be even less viscous than was deemed possible by previous theories. The results were published in Physical Review Letters and highlighted as an "editors' selection".

Highly viscous liquids (such as honey) are thick and have strong internal friction, quantum liquids, such as super fluid helium can exhibit extremely low viscosity. In 2004, theorists claimed that quantum theory provided a lower bound for viscosity of fluids. Applying methods from string theory, the lowest possible ratio of viscosity to the entropy density was predicted to be ħ/4π (with the Planck-constant ħ). Even super fluid helium is far above this threshold. In 2005, measurements showed that quark-gluon-plasma exhibits a viscosity just barely above this limit. However, this record for low viscosity can still be broken, claims Dominik Steineder from the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Vienna UT. He obtained this remarkable result working as a PhD-student with Professor Anton Rebhan.


 http://phys.org/news/2012-01-liquid-.html#nRlv



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Linear particle accelerator

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_particle_accelerator

A linear particle accelerator (often shortened to linac) is a type of particle accelerator that greatly increases the kinetic energy of charged subatomic particles or ions by subjecting the charged particles to a series of oscillating electric potentials along a linear beamline; this method of particle acceleration was invented by Leó Szilárd. It was patented in 1928 by Rolf Widerøe, who also built the first operational device at the RWTH Aachen University in 1928, influenced by a publication of Gustav Ising.



Linacs have many applications: they generate X-rays and high energy electrons for medicinal purposes in radiation therapy, serve as particle injectors for higher-energy accelerators, and are used directly to achieve the highest kinetic energy for light particles (electrons and positrons) for particle physics.
The design of a linac depends on the type of particle that is being accelerated: electrons, protons or ions. Linacs range in size from a cathode ray tube (which is a type of linac) to the 3.2-kilometre-long (2.0 mi) linac at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California.



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China to build a particle collider​ twice the size of the Large Hadron Collider

  November 27, 2015

China is planning to enter the Europe- and US-dominated world of experimental physics with (wait for it …) a bang. It has formally announced that it will begin the first phase of construction of an enormous particle accelerator around 2020, which will be twice the size and seven times more powerful than CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

 http://www.gizmag.com/china-worlds-biggest-particle-collider/40526/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget



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Antimatter Propulsion Engine Redesigned Using CERN's Particle Physics Simulation Toolkit

Latest simulation shows that the magnetic nozzles required for antimatter propulsion could be vastly more efficient than previously thought–and built with today’s technologies


 http://www.technologyreview.com/view/427923/antimatter-propulsion-engine-redesigned-using-cerns-particle-physics-simulation-toolkit/

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Seeding magnetic fields for laser-driven flux compression in high-energy-density plasmas.

 

 2009 Apr


 A compact, self-contained magnetic-seed-field generator (5 to 16 T) is the enabling technology for a novel laser-driven flux-compression scheme in laser-driven targets. A magnetized target is directly irradiated by a kilojoule or megajoule laser to compress the preseeded magnetic field to thousands of teslas. A fast (300 ns), 80 kA current pulse delivered by a portable pulsed-power system is discharged into a low-mass coil that surrounds the laser target. A >15 T target field has been demonstrated using a <100 J capacitor bank, a laser-triggered switch, and a low-impedance (<1 Omega) strip line. The device has been integrated into a series of magnetic-flux-compression experiments on the 60 beam, 30 kJ OMEGA laser [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)]. The initial application is a novel magneto-inertial fusion approach [O. V. Gotchev et al., J. Fusion Energy 27, 25 (2008)] to inertial confinement fusion (ICF), where the amplified magnetic field can inhibit thermal conduction losses from the hot spot of a compressed target. This can lead to the ignition of massive shells imploded with low velocity-a way of reaching higher gains than is possible with conventional ICF.


 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19405657

 

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Amplifying Magnetic Fields in High Energy Density Plasmas

 

Ultra high intensity magnetic fields open new opportunities in high energy density plasma science.

 

 October 2012

 



 (A double coil is assembled on the transmission line of the magnetic field generator (MIFEDS) by Mr. PY Chang, PhD student at the University of Rochester. The MIFEDS device discharges 50 kA of current through the coil generating a ~10 Tesla magnetic field used to magnetize laser-driven targets.)

 http://science.energy.gov/fes/highlights/2012/fes-2012-10-c/



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Scientists in Germany switch on nuclear fusion experiment (Update)

 

February 3, 2016 
 

http://phys.org/news/2016-02-scientists-germany-nuclear-fusion.html

Scientists in Germany flipped the switch Wednesday on an experiment they hope will advance the quest for nuclear fusion, considered a clean and safe form of nuclear power.

Following nine years of construction and testing, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald injected a tiny amount of hydrogen into a doughnut-shaped device—then zapped it with the equivalent of 6,000 microwave ovens.

The resulting super-hot gas, known as plasma, lasted just a fraction of a second before cooling down again, long enough for scientists to confidently declare the start of their experiment a success.

"Everything went well today," said Robert Wolf, a senior scientist involved with the project. "With a system as complex as this you have to make sure everything works perfectly and there's always a risk."

Among the difficulties is how to cool the complex arrangement of magnets required to keep the plasma floating inside the device, Wolf said. Scientists looked closely at the hiccups experienced during the start-up of the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland more than five years ago to avoid similar mistakes, he said.

The experiment in Greifswald is part of a world-wide effort to harness nuclear fusion, a process in which atoms join at extremely high temperatures and release large amounts of energy that's similar to what occurs inside the sun.

Advocates acknowledge that the technology is probably many decades away, but argue that—once achieved—it could replace fossil fuels and conventional nuclear fission reactors.

Construction has already begun in southern France on ITER, a huge international research reactor that uses a strong electric current to trap plasma inside a doughnut-shaped device long enough for fusion to take place. The device, known as a tokamak, was conceived by Soviet physicists in the 1950s and is considered fairly easy to build, but extremely difficult to operate.

The team in Greifswald, a port city on Germany's Baltic coast, is focused on a rival technology invented by the American physicist Lyman Spitzer in 1950. Called a stellarator, the device has the same doughnut shape as a tokamak but uses a complicated system of magnetic coils instead of a current to achieve the same result.



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GPS Moonshots: Creating a star on earth

 

  December 22, 2014

 http://www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2014/12/22/exp-gps-moonshots-iter-sot.cnn




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ITER




 ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and Latin for "the way") is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject, which is currently building the world's largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor adjacent to the Cadarache facility in the south of France. The ITER project aims to make the long-awaited transition from experimental studies of plasma physics to full-scale electricity-producing fusion power plants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER


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Hydrogen-Boron vs. Deuterium-Tritium

 

 Nuclear fusion has the potential to generate power without the radioactive waste of nuclear fission, but that depends on which atoms you decide to fuse.  Conventional fusion approaches work with deuterium and tritium (DT), while focus fusion works with hydrogen and boron eleven (pB11).


http://focusfusion.org/index.php/site/article/deuterium_tritium_vs_hydrogen_boron/

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HOW IT WORKS: Fusion Power


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJZvFlo0iNs


_____________

 

Small-scale nuclear fusion may be a new energy source


September 25, 2015

Fusion energy may soon be used in small-scale power stations. This means producing environmentally friendly heating and electricity at a low cost from fuel found in water. Both heating generators and generators for electricity could be developed within a few years, according to new research.


 Nuclear fusion is a process whereby atomic nuclei melt together and release energy. Because of the low binding energy of the tiny atomic nuclei, energy can be released by combining two small nuclei with a heavier one. A collaboration between researchers at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Iceland has been to study a new type of nuclear fusion process. This produces almost no neutrons but instead fast, heavy electrons (muons), since it is based on nuclear reactions in ultra-dense heavy hydrogen (deuterium).

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150925085550.htm


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Nuclear fusion, the ultimate clean energy

20th March, 2015

 http://theforeigner.no/pages/columns/nuclear-fusion-the-ultimate-clean-energy/

 _____________



Magnetic fields and lasers elicit graphene secret









Nov 24, 2014

Scientists at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have studied the dynamics of electrons from the "wonder material" graphene in a magnetic field for the first time. This led to the discovery of a seemingly paradoxical phenomenon in the material. Its understanding could make a new type of laser possible in the future. Together with researchers from Berlin, France, the Czech Republic and the United States, the scientists precisely described their observations in a model and have now published their findings in the scientific journal Nature Physics.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-11-magnetic-fields-lasers-elicit-graphene.html#jCp

http://phys.org/news/2014-11-magnetic-fields-lasers-elicit-graphene.html

Graphene is considered a "wonder material": its breaking strength is higher than steel and it conducts electricity and heat more effectively than copper. As a two-dimensional structure consisting of only a single layer of carbon atoms, it is also flexible, nearly transparent and approximately one million times thinner than a sheet of paper. Furthermore, shortly after its discovery ten years ago, scientists recognized that the energy states of graphene in a magnetic field - known as Landau levels - behave differently than those of semiconductors. "Many fascinating effects have been discovered with graphene in magnetic fields, but the dynamics of electrons have never been studied in such a system until now," explains physicist Dr. Stephan Winnerl from HZDR.

The HZDR researchers exposed the graphene to a four-Tesla magnetic field - forty times stronger than a horseshoe magnet. As a result, the electrons in graphene occupy only certain energy states. The negatively charged particles were virtually forced on tracks. These energy levels were then examined with free-electron laser light pulses at the HZDR. "The laser pulse excites the electrons into a certain Landau level. A temporally delayed pulse then probes how the system evolves," explains Martin Mittendorff, doctoral candidate at the HZDR and first author of the paper.

Electron redistribution surprises scientists

The result of the experiments has astonished the researchers. This particular energy level, into which new electrons were pumped using the laser, gradually emptied. Winnerl illustrates this paradoxical effect using an everyday example: "Imagine a librarian sorting books on a bookshelf with three shelves. She places one book at a time from the lower shelf onto the middle shelf. Her son is simultaneously 'helping' by taking two books from the middle shelf, placing one of them on the top shelf, the other on the bottom. The son is very eager and now the number of books on the middle shelf decreases even though this is precisely the shelf his mother wishes to fill."

Because there were neither experiments nor theories regarding such dynamics before, the Dresden physicists initially had difficulty interpreting the signals correctly. After a number of attempts, however, they found an explanation: collisions between electrons cause this unusual rearrangement. "This effect has long been known as Auger scattering, but no one expected it would be so strong and would cause an energy level to become depleted," explains Winnerl.

This new discovery could be used in the future for developing a laser that can produce light with arbitrarily adjustable wavelengths in the infrared and terahertz ranges. "Such a Landau-level laser was long considered impossible, but now with graphene this semiconductor physicists' dream could become a reality," says Winnerl enthusiastically.



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Magnetized target fusion

 

 Magnetized target fusion (MTF) is a relatively new approach to producing fusion power that combines features of magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF) approaches. Like the magnetic approach, the fusion fuel is confined at lower density by magnetic fields while it is heated into a plasma. Like the inertial approach, fusion is initiated by rapidly squeezing the target to greatly increase fuel density and temperature. Although the resulting density is far lower than in traditional ICF, it is thought that the combination of longer confinement times and better heat retention will let MTF yield the same efficiencies, yet be far easier to build. The term magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) is similar, but encompasses a wider variety of arrangements. The two terms are often applied interchangeably to experiments.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetized_target_fusion

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Levitated dipole




A levitated dipole is a nuclear fusion experiment using a solid superconducting torus which is magnetically levitated inside the reactor chamber. It is believed that such an apparatus could contain plasma more efficiently than other fusion reactor designs. The superconductor forms an axisymmetric magnetic field of a nature similar to Earth's or Jupiter's magnetospheres. The machine was run in a collaboration between MIT and Columbia University.

The Levitated Dipole Experiment was funded by the US Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy, but funding for the LDX was ended in November 2011 to concentrate resources on Tokamak designs

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levitated_dipole


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Plasma propulsion engine






 A plasma propulsion engine is a type of electric propulsion that generates thrust from a quasi-neutral plasma. This is in contrast to ion thruster engines, which generates thrust through extracting an ion current from plasma source, which is then accelerated to high velocities using grids/anodes.



 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_propulsion_engine

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Plasma research shows promise for future compact accelerators

 
December 22, 2015 
 

 

 A transformative breakthrough in controlling ion beams allows small-scale laser-plasma accelerators to deliver unprecedented power densities. That development offers benefits in a wide range of applications, including nuclear fusion experiments, cancer treatments, and security scans to detect smuggled nuclear materials.

"In our research, plasma uses the energy stored in its electromagnetic fields to self-organize itself in such a way to reduce the energy-spread of the laser-plasma ion accelerator," said Sasikumar Palaniyappan of Los Alamos National Laboratory's Plasma Physics group. "In the past, most of the attempts to solve this problem required active plasma control, which is difficult."


Laser-plasma accelerators shoot a high-energy laser into a cloud of plasma, releasing a beam of ions, or electrically charged particles, in a fraction of the distance required by conventional accelerators. The laser generates electromagnetic fields in the plasma.

 Using a computer simulation called Vector-Particle-In-Cell (VPIC), the Laboratory's team of physicists and computational scientists developed a scheme that enlists the electromagnetic fields so the beam essentially contains itself, reducing the energy spread, making the beam more efficient, and concentrating more energy on its target.

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-plasma-future-compact.html


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Researchers identify zebra-like stripes of plasma in a patch of space

 

July 14, 2015

 Since the early 1970s, orbiting satellites have picked up on noise-like plasma waves very close to the Earth's magnetic field equator. This "equatorial noise," as it was then named, seemed to be an unruly mess of electric and magnetic fields oscillating at different frequencies in the form of plasma waves.

Now a team from MIT, the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Sheffield, and elsewhere has detected a remarkably orderly pattern amid the noise.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-07-zebra-like-stripes-plasma-patch-space.html



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In plasmonics, 'optical losses' could bring practical gain

 

January 26, 2016


 

 What researchers had thought of as a barrier to developing advanced technologies based on the emerging field of plasmonics is now seen as a potential pathway to practical applications in areas from cancer therapy to nanomanufacturing.

Plasmonic materials contain features, patterns or elements that enable unprecedented control of light by harnessing clouds of electrons called surface plasmons. It could allow the miniaturization of optical technologies, bringing advances such as nano-resolution imaging and computer chips that process and transmit data using light instead of electrons, representing a potential leap in performance.

However, the development of advanced optical technologies using plasmonics has been hampered because components under development cause too much light to be lost and converted into heat. But now researchers are finding that this "loss-induced plasmonic heating" could be key to development of various advanced technologies, said Vladimir M. Shalaev, co-director of the new Purdue Quantum Center, scientific director of nanophotonics at the Birck Nanotechnology Center in the university's Discovery Park and a distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-plasmonics-optical-losses-gain.html


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The Science of Lightsabers

4 May 2022

 




No Earthly material can withstand plasma at these temperatures, and it must be held away from the walls of the reactor by extraordinarily powerful magnetic fields.

The resulting ‘magnetic bottle’ used to confine the plasma in ITER, and many other fusion reactors is called a tokamak, a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber surrounded by magnetic coils.

Magnetic fields are the key to containing the plasma in a lightsaber too, speculates Felici, though he adds that a plasma capable of cutting through steel would not have to be anything like as hot as that required for nuclear fusion, merely a few thousand degrees...

https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/the-science-of-lightsabers/

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Magnetic control of tokamak plasmas through deep reinforcement learning

16 February 2022

Abstract

Nuclear fusion using magnetic confinement, in particular in the tokamak configuration, is a promising path towards sustainable energy. A core challenge is to shape and maintain a high-temperature plasma within the tokamak vessel. This requires high-dimensional, high-frequency, closed-loop control using magnetic actuator coils, further complicated by the diverse requirements across a wide range of plasma configurations. In this work, we introduce a previously undescribed architecture for tokamak magnetic controller design that autonomously learns to command the full set of control coils. This architecture meets control objectives specified at a high level, at the same time satisfying physical and operational constraints. This approach has unprecedented flexibility and generality in problem specification and yields a notable reduction in design effort to produce new plasma configurations. We successfully produce and control a diverse set of plasma configurations on the Tokamak à Configuration Variable1,2, including elongated, conventional shapes, as well as advanced configurations, such as negative triangularity and ‘snowflake’ configurations. Our approach achieves accurate tracking of the location, current and shape for these configurations. We also demonstrate sustained ‘droplets’ on TCV, in which two separate plasmas are maintained simultaneously within the vessel. This represents a notable advance for tokamak feedback control, showing the potential of reinforcement learning to accelerate research in the fusion domain, and is one of the most challenging real-world systems to which reinforcement learning has been applied.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04301-9


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MIT-designed project achieves major advance toward fusion energy

September 8, 2021

New superconducting magnet breaks magnetic field strength records, paving the way for practical, commercial, carbon-free power.

https://news.mit.edu/2021/MIT-CFS-major-advance-toward-fusion-energy-0908


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Can This Technology Beam Energy From Space?

Apr 28, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX1bcNqhhi8

 

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The Forbidden Energy Source.

Mar 21, 2024

How this new energy source, the Microbial Fuel Cell, will turn our waste into something amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ4vUJbsKhw

 

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Nuclear 4.0 | The Small Modular Reactor Revolution

Mar 24, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydeMrFcwA1o

 

_______________

 

Thermal properties of novel phase change materials based on protic ionic liquids containing ethanolamines and stearic acid for efficient thermal energy storage

24 Apr 2024

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/cp/d4cp00976b

 

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New carbon material sets energy-storage record, likely to advance supercapacitors

November 21, 2023

https://www.ornl.gov/news/new-carbon-material-sets-energy-storage-record-likely-advance-supercapacitors

 

______________

 
Is Spherical Solar Really The Future of Energy?

Jul 4, 2023

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alpAB1n4U7w

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Researchers say neutron stars are key to understanding elusive dark matter

April 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-neutron-stars-key-elusive-dark.html

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15 ENERGY EFFICIENT INVENTIONS FOR YOUR HOME

Oct 15, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l-UYwfx3a0

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The Mushroom Motherboard: The Crazy Fungal Computers that Might Change Everything

Mar 4, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mIWo6dgTmI

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New superconducting material discovered in transition-metal dichalcogenides materials

January 19, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-superconducting-material-transition-metal-dichalcogenides.html

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New quantum material promises up to 190% quantum efficiency in solar cells

April 10, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-quantum-material-efficiency-solar-cells.html

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Genius Bladeless Hydro Turbine is Cheaper Than Solar

Aug 18, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArQE3SB0kyM

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Researchers build selenium–silicon tandem solar cell that could improve efficiency to 40%

April 2, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-seleniumsilicon-tandem-solar-cell-efficiency.html

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A solar cell you can bend and soak in water

March 27, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-solar-cell.html

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Chemistry researchers modify solar technology to produce a less harmful greenhouse gas

April 2, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-chemistry-solar-technology-greenhouse-gas.html

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Non-toxic, Eco-friendly Solar Panels

MAY 18, 2022

https://www.labroots.com/trending/technology/22775/non-toxic-eco-friendly-solar-panels

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New way to charge batteries harnesses the power of 'indefinite causal order'

December 14, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-batteries-harnesses-power-indefinite-causal.html#google_vignette

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Drawing inspiration from plants: A metal–air paper battery for wearable devices

April 3, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-metalair-paper-battery-wearable-devices.html

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New 'papertronics' offer biodegradable alternative to traditional circuits

March 13, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-papertronics-biodegradable-alternative-traditional-circuits.html

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Cobalt-free batteries could power cars of the future

January 20, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-cobalt-free-batteries-power-cars.html

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Next-generation batteries could go organic, cobalt-free for long-lasting power

January 18, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-01-generation-batteries-cobalt-free-power.html

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We rely heavily on lithium batteries – but there's a growing array of alternatives

20 March 2024

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240319-the-most-sustainable-alternatives-to-lithium-batteries

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New materials discovered for safe, high-performance solid-state lithium-ion batteries

April 2, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-materials-safe-high-solid-state.html#google_vignette

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New 'water batteries' stay cool under pressure

February 21, 2024

A global team of researchers and industry collaborators led by RMIT University has invented recyclable 'water batteries' that won't catch fire or explode.

Lithium-ion energy storage dominates the market due to its technological maturity, but its suitability for large-scale grid energy storage is limited by safety concerns with the volatile materials inside.

Lead researcher Distinguished Professor Tianyi Ma said their batteries were at the cutting edge of an emerging field of aqueous energy storage devices, with breakthroughs that significantly improve the technology's performance and lifespan.

"What we design and manufacture are called aqueous metal-ion batteries—or we can call them water batteries," said Ma, from RMIT's School of Science.

The team uses water to replace organic electrolytes—which enable the flow of electric current between the positive and negative terminals—meaning their batteries can't start a fire or blow up—unlike their lithium-ion counterparts.

"Addressing end-of-life disposal challenges that consumers, industry, and governments globally face with current energy storage technology, our batteries can be safely disassembled, and the materials can be reused or recycled," Ma said.

The simplicity of manufacturing processes for their water batteries helped make mass production feasible, he said.

"We use materials such as magnesium and zinc that are abundant in nature, inexpensive, and less toxic than alternatives used in other kinds of batteries, which helps to lower manufacturing costs and reduces risks to human health and the environment."

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-batteries-stay-cool-pressure.html#google_vignette

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Researchers develop high-energy-density aqueous battery based on halogen multi-electron transfer

April 23, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-high-energy-density-aqueous-battery.html

 

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How a Sand Battery Could Revolutionize Home Energy Storage

Mar 26, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVqHYNE2QwE

______________


Mitigating electrode-level heterogeneity using phosphorus nanolayers on graphite for fast-charging batteries

October 5, 2023

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-10-mitigating-electrode-level-heterogeneity-phosphorus-nanolayers.html

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Enovix Has The Silicon Battery Of The Future

Mar. 24, 2023

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4589703-enovix-silicon-battery-of-future

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Sila introduces Titan nano-composite silicon anode material; 20% increase in vehicle range and reduced charge time

05 April 2023

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2023/04/20230405-sila.html

______________


Strong coupling between a photon and a hole spin in silicon

06 March 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-023-01332-3


______________


Engineers 'grow' atomically thin transistors on top of computer chips

April 28, 2023

A new low-temperature growth and fabrication technology allows the integration of 2D materials directly onto a silicon circuit, which could lead to denser and more powerful chips.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230428130757.htm

______________


Graphene and two-dimensional materials for silicon technology

25 September 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1573-9

______________


Research progress of nano-silicon-based materials and silicon-carbon composite anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

16 March 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10008-022-05141-x

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Enhancing zinc–air battery performance by constructing three-dimensional N-doped carbon coating multiple valence Co and MnO heterostructures

13 January 2024

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12274-023-6404-5

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Enhanced Electron Delocalization within Coherent Nano-Heterocrystal Ensembles for Optimizing Polysulfide Conversion in High-Energy-Density Li-S Batteries

25 December 2023

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202310052

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Why This NASA Battery May Be The Future of Energy Storage

Jul 18, 2023

What do you do if a satellite runs out of batteries? It’s prohibitively expensive to send a team into orbit and pop in some new AAs, and as a result many satellites use very efficient, reliable and long-lived nickel-hydrogen batteries. We’re talking about batteries that last decades. That sounds like the sort of battery that could revolutionize grid-scale energy storage and really help out renewables back here on Earth, which is why EnerVenue is backing nickel hydrogen batteries as the next step forward! But if batteries rugged and powerful enough for spacecraft already exist, then why haven’t we used it back here on Earth until now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zG-ZrC4BO0

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Why NASA is Building a Solid State Battery

Oct 21, 2023

Batteries are one of the hottest areas of research and development around the world. It's critical fo everything from grid storage, home backup, electric vehicles, and even short haul flight. But as the popularity of all these fields increase, certain questions are raised. The holy grail is supposed to be Solid state batteries, with no liquid electrolyte, and NASA thinks they might have made a breakthrough with their SABERS battery technology. So how does it work, is it legit, or just another pipedream? Let's figure this out together!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOcoGNZaUAM

_______________


Solid State Batteries - FINALLY powering electric vehicles in 2024!

Jan 28, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suNUPGC2pwM

_______________


This Is Why Companies Are Hiding The Truth About Batteries

Dec 18, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5aHAZhuwyc

 

_______________

 

Wood nanobattery could be green option for large-scale energy storage


July 6, 2013
 



(A closeup of the wood fibers used by the researchers in their sodium-ion battery (Image: University of Maryland)

 Li-ion batteries may be ok for your smartphone, but when it comes to large-scale energy storage, the priorities suddenly shift from compactness and cycling performance (at which Li-ion batteries excel) to low cost and environmental feasibility (in which Li-ion batteries still have much room for improvement). A new "wood battery" could allow the emerging sodium-ion battery technology to fit the bill as a long-lasting, efficient and environmentally friendly battery for large-scale energy storage.

http://www.gizmag.com/wood-battery-energy-storage/28032/


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Trees are source for high-capacity, soft batteries

 
Jun 01, 2015 
 
 
( A closeup of the soft battery, created with wood pulp nanocellulose.)
 
http://phys.org/news/2015-06-trees-source-high-capacity-soft-batteries.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

A method for making elastic high-capacity batteries from wood pulp was unveiled by researchers in Sweden and the US. Using nanocellulose broken down from tree fibres, a team from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stanford University produced an elastic, foam-like battery material that can withstand shock and stress.

"It is possible to make incredible materials from trees and cellulose," says Max Hamedi, who is a researcher at KTH and Harvard University. One benefit of the new wood-based aerogel material is that it can be used for three-dimensional structures.

"There are limits to how thin a battery can be, but that becomes less relevant in 3D, " Hamedi says. "We are no longer restricted to two dimensions. We can build in three dimensions, enabling us to fit more electronics in a smaller space."



-------------------------

Biodegradable computer chips made almost entirely from wood


May 28, 2015


 http://www.gizmag.com/biodegradable-wooden-computer-chips/37755/





_______________





You'll never be-leaf what makes up this battery

 

January 28, 2016 
 

 Scientists at the University of Maryland have a new recipe for batteries: Bake a leaf, and add sodium. They used a carbonized oak leaf, pumped full of sodium, as a demonstration battery's negative terminal, or anode, according to a paper published yesterday in the journal ACS Applied Materials Interfaces.


 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-youll-be-leaf-battery.html



 _______________



Making batteries with portabella mushrooms

 

Porous structure of portabella mushrooms is key to making efficient batteries that could power cell phones, electric vehicles

 



 Can portabella mushrooms stop cell phone batteries from degrading over time? Researchers think so. They have created a new type of lithium-ion battery anode using portabella mushrooms, which are inexpensive, environmentally friendly and easy to produce.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150929142522.htm

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MIT’s photonic crystals lead towards nuclear batteries everywhere

 

February 3, 2012

 



Researchers at MIT have developed photonic crystals that, in as little as two years, could enable the use of hydrocarbon reactors in portable electronic devices, and nuclear power sources everywhere else.
Photonic crystals are optical nanostructures that are tuned to specific wavelengths of light. If you understand how semiconductors affect the motion of electrons (i.e. the bandgap only allows electrons with a certain energy level to pass through), photonic crystals are the optical equivalent. In this case, MIT has created infrared-absorbing photonic crystals using metals such as tungsten and titanium. Because of their metallic roots, these photonic crystals can operate at temperatures up to 1200C (2192F).


http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/116853-mits-photonic-crystals-lead-towards-a-nuclear-reactor-in-every-gadget


_______________

Tin nanocrystals for the battery of the future


Published: 08.04.13




(Monodisperse tin nanodroplets in an electron microscopic image.)

More powerful batteries could help electric cars achieve a considerably larger range and thus a breakthrough on the market. A new nanomaterial for lithium ion batteries developed in the labs of chemists at ETH Zurich and Empa could come into play here.

 http://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/archive_articles/130408_li_ionen_fb/index_EN

_______________


New "Spin Battery" Storing Energy into Nano-Magnets

 

2009 

 

 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2009/03/12/spin-battery-magnetic-energy-storage/#.UmNYqRDNkmw



_______________

 

Graphene Charges Atmosphere with Battery Running on Thin Air

 






_______________

 

‘Power Paper’ – Story Of A Paper That Can Store Electricity

 

 


Power Paper, created by the researchers of Sweden’s Linköping University, is showing an outstanding ability in storing energy, which can later be used to recharge devices.




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From allergens to anodes: Pollen derived battery electrodes

 

February 5, 2016
 

Pollens, the bane of allergy sufferers, could represent a boon for battery makers: Recent research has suggested their potential use as anodes in lithium-ion batteries.

"Our findings have demonstrated that renewable pollens could produce carbon architectures for anode applications in energy storage devices," said Vilas Pol, an associate professor in the School of Chemical Engineering and the School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University.

Batteries have two electrodes, called an anode and a cathode. The anodes in most of today's lithium-ion batteries are made of graphite. Lithium ions are contained in a liquid called an electrolyte, and these ions are stored in the anode during recharging.

The researchers tested bee pollen- and cattail pollen-derived carbons as anodes.

"Both are abundantly available," said Pol, who worked with doctoral student Jialiang Tang. "The bottom line here is we want to learn something from nature that could be useful in creating better batteries with renewable feedstock."

Research findings are detailed in a paper that appeared on Feb. 5 in Nature's Scientific Reports.

Whereas bee pollen is a mixture of different pollen types collected by honey bees, the cattail pollens all have the same shape.

"I started looking into pollens when my mom told me she had developed pollen allergy symptoms about two years ago," Tang said. "I was fascinated by the beauty and diversity of pollen microstructures. But the idea of using them as battery anodes did not really kick in until I started working on battery research and learned more about carbonization of biomass."

The researchers processed the pollen under high temperatures in a chamber containing argon gas using a procedure called pyrolysis, yielding pure carbon in the original shape of the pollen particles. They were further processed, or "activated," by heating at lower temperature - about 300 degrees Celsius - in the presence of oxygen, forming pores in the carbon structures to increase their energy-storage capacity.

http://phys.org/news/2016-02-allergens-anodes-pollen-derived-battery.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

 

_______________

 

New alloy claimed to have higher strength-to-weight ratio than any other metal

 

 December 11, 2014

When it comes to metal that's being used in the automotive or aerospace industries, the higher its strength-to-weight ratio, the better. With that in mind, researchers from North Carolina State University and Qatar University have developed a new alloy that reportedly has a low density similar to that of aluminum, but that's stronger than titanium.
The material is a type of high-entropy alloy, meaning that it's made up of at least five metals in more or less equal amounts. In this case, those metals are lithium, magnesium, titanium, aluminum and scandium.

"It has a combination of high strength and low density that is, as far as we can tell, unmatched by any other metallic material," said NCSU's Dr. Carl Koch, senior author of a paper on the research. "The strength-to-weight ratio is comparable to some ceramics, but we think it’s tougher – less brittle – than ceramics."

He additionally informed us that while carbon fiber very likely has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than the alloy, it also wouldn't be as tough – in other words, the alloy would be more likely to bend under an amount of stress that would cause the carbon to fracture.
More work still has to be done in the testing of the alloy, along with establishing a practical production method. Koch and his colleagues are also looking into replacing or eliminating the scandium that makes up 20 percent of the material, as it's very expensive.

 http://www.gizmag.com/high-entropy-alloy-strength-to-weight/35170/

 

 _______________


Graphene-Boron Compound Could Revolutionize Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity

 

 


http://www.greenoptimistic.com/graphene-boron-compound-could-revolutionize-lithium-ion-battery-capacity-20130528/#.VSFr-eG-2zk



Researchers have touted graphene as a game-changing material that could boost the power and energy capacity of a lithium-ion battery.
Graphene, a film of carbon atoms just one atom thick, is an excellent conductor of electricity. In a battery, the massive surface area of such carbon sheets could be a boon to increasing the power capacity of a lithium-ion battery. The only problem is lithium ions won’t bond with graphene, which makes it practically useless in a battery.
While pure graphene didn’t seem to be a good option, researchers turned to imperfect graphene, that is, carbon mixed with other elements. Testing with boron, researchers at Rice University found the material to be about twice that of the standard graphite currently used in lithium-ion batteries. The new material is also more stable and doesn’t expand and contract as much as graphite alone.




 _______________


CALMAC Stores Surplus Wind Energy in Ice Banks








_______________

 

Utah-Based Company Digging Underground Compressed Air Batteries

 




http://www.greenoptimistic.com/utah-underground-energy-storage-20100209/#.VSHcl-G-2zk




 _______________



An All-Liquid Battery For Storing Solar And Wind Energy

  

September 22, 2014


(This room-temperature liquid battery was made with mercury, salt water, and steel foam. High temperature liquid batteries could one day efficiently store solar and wind energy.)

 http://www.popsci.com/article/science/all-liquid-battery-storing-solar-and-wind-energy


 _______________


Liquified Air Could Be Cheaper Energy Storage Than Batteries




The idea is a couple of hundred years old, but liquified air technology was just too inefficient to store energy.



_______________

 

Scientists convert harmful algal blooms into high-performance battery electrodes

 

October 9, 2015


Last August, the seasonal harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Lake Erie grew so extreme that they poisoned the water system in Toledo, Ohio, leaving nearly half a million residents without drinking water. But a few researchers at the time collected some of the toxic HABs, and have now shown that, by heating them at temperatures of 700-1000 °C in argon gas, the HABs can be converted into a material called "hard carbon" that can be used as high-capacity, low-cost electrodes for sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries.

http://techxplore.com/news/2015-10-scientists-algal-blooms-high-performance-battery.html

_______________

 

Semiliquid battery competitive with both Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors

 

May 22, 2015
 
 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-semiliquid-battery-competitive-li-ion-batteries.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

(Phys.org)—A new semiliquid battery developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has exhibited encouraging early results, encompassing many of the features desired in a state-of-the-art energy-storage device. In particular, the new battery has a working voltage similar to that of a lithium-ion battery, a power density comparable to that of a supercapacitor, and it can maintain its good performance even when being charged and discharged at very high rates.


The researchers, led by Assistant Professor Guihua Yu, along with Yu Ding and Yu Zhao, at UT Austin, have published their paper on the new membrane-free, semiliquid battery in a recent issue of Nano Letters. The researchers explain that the battery is considered "semiliquid" because it uses a liquid ferrocene electrolyte, a liquid cathode, and a solid lithium anode.



_______________

 

Flexible and Safe Aluminum-Graphite Battery Charges in One Minute






_______________


"Origami battery" made from paper and dirty water for just a few cents

 

June 13, 2015

 A foldable, inexpensive paper battery that can generate a small amount of electricity brings a new sense of power to origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. An engineer at Binghamton University in New York has developed a battery that creates power through the process of microbial respiration in a drop of dirty water on paper.

 http://www.gizmag.com/origami-battery-bacteria/37970/

 _______________


Nano-mechanical study offers new assessment of silicon for next-gen batteries

September 24, 2015

A detailed nano-mechanical study of mechanical degradation processes in silicon structures containing varying levels of lithium ions offers good news for researchers attempting to develop reliable next-generation rechargeable batteries using silicon-based electrodes.

http://phys.org/news/2015-09-nano-mechanical-silicon-next-gen-batteries.html#jCp





_______________



Clay sheets stack to form proton conductors

 
July 13, 2015 
 

  

(This is a scanning electron microscopy image of stacked clay sheets. When two-dimensional sheets of the clay, called vermiculite, are exfoliated in water, they carry negative charges, attracting positively charged protons. After the sheets dry, they self-assemble into paper-like films. The near 1-nanometer spacing between the layers serves as the nanochannels that can concentrate protons for conduction. Credit: Jiaxing Huang )

 
http://phys.org/news/2015-07-clay-sheets-stack-proton-conductors.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

_______________

 

Williams demonstrates sodium-ion-powered proof-of-concept e-bike


May 15, 2015

http://www.gizmag.com/williams-demonstrates-sodium-ion-powered-proof-of-concept-e-bike/37537/


_______________

 
 Chemists discover key reaction mechanism behind the highly touted sodium-oxygen battery

May 27, 2015

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-chemists-key-reaction-mechanism-highly.html#jCp

 

_______________

 

Candle soot could reduce lithium ion battery production costs

 

October 15, 2015

 A new study suggests that the carbon-based waste material given off by burning candles could be suitable for use in larger, more powerful lithium ion batteries such as those used in electric cars. Two researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology found that as an anode material, candle soot compares favorably to existing commercial options because of its low cost of production and fractal-like nanoparticle structure.

 http://www.gizmag.com/candle-soot-lithium-ion-battery/39881/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

_______________

 

High-voltage lithium-ion battery realized with superconcentrated electrolyte

 

July 26, 2016


https://techxplore.com/news/2016-07-high-voltage-lithium-ion-battery-superconcentrated-electrolyte.html

 _______________

 

New lithium-oxygen battery greatly improves energy efficiency, longevity

 

July 25, 2016
 

 http://phys.org/news/2016-07-lithium-oxygen-battery-greatly-energy-efficiency.html

--------- 


Sulfur-based polymers open door to a new class of battery

  

April 19, 2013

 http://www.gizmag.com/sulfur-polymer-batteries/27117/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 Whether sulfur is a by-product or a waste product of oil refinement and coal combustion depends on how you slice it. Certainly, much of that sulfur can be put to use producing sulfuric acid, fertilizer and other chemicals, but some is left to accumulate on stockpiles which are expensive to maintain (due to the need to neutralize acidic run-off). Researchers at the University of Arizona think more of that sulfur could one day be put to use thanks to a new chemical process that uses sulfur to make polymers. The new material could lead to a new generation of lighter, more efficient lithium-sulfur batteries, the researchers claim.


_______________


CaO makes the graphene hierarchy for high-power lithium-sulfur batteries

 

January 26, 2016 
 

 Structural hierarchy is the cornerstone of the biological world, as well as the most important lesson that we have learned from nature to develop ingenious hierarchical porous materials for various applications in energy conversion and storage. Recently, a research group from China, led by Prof. Qiang Zhang in Tsinghua University, has developed a novel kind of hierarchical porous graphene (HPG) via a versatile chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on CaO templates for high-power lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. This work is published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.


 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-cao-graphene-hierarchy-high-power-lithium-sulfur.html



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 New battery made of molten metals may offer low-cost, long-lasting storage for the grid

January 13, 2016

 As their first combination, Sadoway and Bradwell chose magnesium for the top electrode, antimony for the bottom electrode, and a salt mixture containing magnesium chloride for the electrolyte. They then built prototypes of their cell—and they worked. The three liquid components self-segregated, and the battery performed as they had predicted. Spurred by their success, in 2010 they, along with Luis Ortiz SB '96, PhD '00, also a former member of Sadoway's research group, founded a company—called initially the Liquid Metal Battery Corporation and later Ambri—to continue developing and scaling up the novel technology.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-battery-molten-metals-low-cost-long-lasting.html

_______________ 

 

Zinc–air battery


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc%E2%80%93air_battery


_______________

 

New Battery Boasts 7 Times More Energy Density


 July 30th, 2014

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/07/30/new-battery-boasts-7-times-energy-density/

 

 _______________


High-Energy Batteries Coming to Market


 Oct, 2009


Rechargeable zinc-air batteries can store three times the energy of a lithium-ion battery.



http://www.technologyreview.com/news/416020/high-energy-batteries-coming-to-market/

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Ein-Eli's New Battery Could Power a Laptop for Hundreds of Hours


 

An Israeli research team conducted by Prof. Yair Ein-Eli at the Technion – Israel Institute of Science, has recently developed a new battery that is able to produce thousands of hours of charge from an abundant and non-polluting fuel source.

This new portable battery could replace the batteries used in hearing aids, due to its reduced dimensions (measuring about less than a third of an inch). According to the researchers, in the near future it can replace laptop batteries as we known them, allowing them to run for hundreds of hours on a single charge. The small devices could benefit of this technology within a couple of years. “This would take about 10 years more and be revolutionary,” said Ein-Eli.

The current prototypes of the battery have a silicon power source that reverts back to their original form as sand. “In the paper, we showed that at 600 hours it had used only 10 percent of the energy. So we are talking about 6,000 hours,” says the professor.

http://www.greenoptimistic.com/ein-elis-new-battery-could-power-a-laptop-for-hundreds-of-hours-20091201/#.VSF4ceG-2zk


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Commercially-available NanoTritium battery can power microelectronics for 20+ years



August 15, 2012

When installing micro-electronic devices in locations that are expensive or hard to reach, or just downright dangerous, you don't want to have to keep returning to swap out a battery cell. City Labs has announced the commercial launch of its NanoTritium betavoltaic power source, a thumb-sized battery that draws on the energy released from its radioactive element to provide continuous nanoWatt power for over 20 years.

http://www.gizmag.com/city-labs-nanotritium-betavoltaic-battery/23720/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


_______________


New X-Ray microscopy technique reveals nanoscale secrets of rechargeable batteries

 
August 4, 2016


http://phys.org/news/2016-08-team-reveals-nanoscale-secrets-rechargeable.html

 

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New design points a path to the 'ultimate' battery

 

October 29, 2015 
 

 Scientists have developed a working laboratory demonstrator of a lithium-oxygen battery which has very high energy density, is more than 90% efficient, and, to date, can be recharged more than 2000 times, showing how several of the problems holding back the development of these devices could be solved.


http://phys.org/news/2015-10-path-ultimate-battery.html 



 _______________


Silicon Nanowire Battery Has Three Times More Capacity, Charges Faster

2013


 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/silicon-nanowire-battery-capacity-20130216/#.VSFr9OG-2zk


 _______________

Newly Discovered TiO2-Coated Nanotubes Could Build Better Li-Ion Battery Electrodes





http://www.greenoptimistic.com/titanium-dioxide-coated-nanotube-electrode-20100202/#.VSFcYuG-2zk


_______________

 

Lithium-ion batteries inspired by snail shells could prove longer-lasting


February 11, 2015

In an ongoing effort to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, scientists have looked to the techniques that snails use to control the growth of their shells. This biological inspiration, combined with a peptide found to bind very effectively with materials used to make cathodes, has potential for making lighter and longer-lasting batteries.

http://www.gizmag.com/lithium-ion-batteries-snail-shells/36045/



 _______________

Newly Discovered Property of Graphene to Boost Fuel Cells Efficiency

 

 



 The founder of graphene discovered one more incredible property of the material that can give the ever-so-needed to boost fuel cells and hydrogen-based technologies. The strongest, thinnest, and initially known as impermeable material, in fact allows hydrogen protons to pass through.

No wonder graphene is labelled as the “miracle material”. Every property or use of it that is discovered, opens up a great deal of new and super exciting opportunities and applications. Of course, there is no one, who better understands graphene than its discoverer- the Nobel prize winner Andre Geim of University of Manchester, and therefore it is no surprise that exactly his team has found yet another super exciting property of the thin super-strong material.

In the study published this week in the journal Nature, the team describes how at high temperatures, above 250 degrees Celsius, graphene allows hydrogen protons to pass through. In addition, this process of proton transport can be enhanced by adding an extra layer of catalytic metal nanoparticles, such as platinum. This great discovery has a potential in improving the performance of fuel cells. Here, it could act as a proton-conducting membrane, which could potentially eliminate the pressing problem of fuel leaks, associated with reduction of cell efficiency. This property also opens up new horizons for development of exciting hydrogen-based technologies.

 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/newly-discovered-property-graphene-boost-fuel-cells-efficiency-20141128/#.VSFr4OG-2zk




 _______________



New electrolyte promises to rid lithium batteries of short-circuiting dendrites

 

 March 2, 2015

 


(Scanning electron microscope images that show how normal electrolyte promotes dendrite growth (a, left), while PNNL’s new electrolyte produces smooth nodules that don’t short-circuit cells (b, right).

 Dendrites – thin conductive filaments that form inside lithium batteries – reduce the life of these cells and are often responsible for them catching fire. Scientists working at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) of the US Department of Energy claim to have produced a new electrolyte for lithium batteries that not only completely eliminates dendrites, but also promises to increase battery efficiency and vastly improve current carrying capacity.

 http://www.gizmag.com/dendrite-electrolyte-lithium-batteries/36274/

 


_______________

 

 Erupting electrodes: How recharging leaves behind microscopic debris inside batteries (w/ Video)

Apr 10, 2015

 http://phys.org/news/2015-04-erupting-electrodes-recharging-microscopic-debris.html#jCp


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Researchers develop safer electrolytes and use novel technique to assess them

 

Apr 03, 2015 

Most of us have seen dramatic photographs of laptops and even cars that have burst into flames due to failures in lithium-ion batteries. On a much larger scale, battery fires grounded Boeing's 787 Dreamliner jets for several months in 2013 while the company implemented new features to reduce the risk of overheating and combustion.
 

http://phys.org/news/2015-04-safer-electrolytes-technique.html#nRlv


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Newly Invented Energy-Storing Organic Membrane Better and Cheaper Than Batteries and Capacitors

 

 






_______________



Technique matters: A different way to make cathodes may mean better batteries

 
January 11, 2016 
 

Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, or NMC, is one of the most promising chemistries for better lithium batteries, especially for electric vehicle applications, but scientists have been struggling to get higher capacity out of them. Now researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that using a different method to make the material can offer substantial improvements.


http://phys.org/news/2016-01-technique-cathodes-batteries.html


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A Married Couple’s Sweet Music – A Graphene Battery Printing

 



 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/married-couples-sweet-music-graphene-battery-printing-20141025/#.VSFr_eG-2zk


This couple is making beautiful music together – they’ve printed a battery made of graphene.  Dr. Elena Polyakova and Dr. Daniel Stolyarov, originally from Russia, founded Graphene 3D Lab and have since moved the company to Calverton, New York.  They spent more than five years researching raw materials that can be used to make a graphene battery using a 3D printer.

Graphene is a special form of carbon in which the atoms are arranged in a hexagonal lattice along a single layer.  In this configuration, the carbon is 200 times stronger than steel and it conducts electricity 30 times faster than silicon.  It is the latter feature that makes it ideal for making tough composites, computer chips and well, batteries.  Already batteries with lives 25 percent longer than lithium-ion batteries have already been made by other researchers.  Graphene 3D Lab’s design has one up on the competition, however, because it can be made anywhere and practically in any shape.
Although the prototype is able to produce the same amount of power as a common AA battery, it has already produced considerable interest from the military, as well as from the aerospace and car industries, according to Dr. Polyakova, Graphene 3D Lab’s CoO.  The company’s technology allows one to print batteries to fit crooks and nannies where space is tight. It can be used to print other graphene parts.  As such, this technology is very useful for space missions.  Dr. Polyakova says, “That is an exotic example, but a good one. A mission of that kind requires thousands of spare parts and dozens of different battery types. Our technology could remove the need to carry replacement batteries.”



 _______________


Looking at graphene and other 2d crystals in energy conversion and storage



 3 February 2015

 http://graphene-flagship.eu/?news=looking-at-graphene-and-other-2d-crystals-in-energy-conversion-and-storage


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Scientists see the light on microsupercapacitors: Laser-induced graphene makes simple, powerful energy storage possible

December 3, 2015


Rice University researchers who pioneered the development of laser-induced graphene have configured their discovery into flexible, solid-state microsupercapacitors that rival the best available for energy storage and delivery.

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-scientists-microsupercapacitors.html


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Long-sought chiral anomaly detected in crystalline material

 

September 3, 2015 
 
A study by Princeton researchers presents evidence for a long-sought phenomenon—first theorized in the 1960s and predicted to be found in crystals in 1983—called the "chiral anomaly" in a metallic compound of sodium and bismuth. The additional finding of an increase in conductivity in the material may suggest ways to improve electrical conductance and minimize energy consumption in future electronic devices.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-long-sought-chiral-anomaly-crystalline-material.html#jCp



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Scientists copy structure of cork to produce 3D blocks of graphene

 

 December 6, 2012




 (A scanning electron microscope image of the cork-like 3D graphene (Image: Ling Qiu, Monash University).


 Imagine how limiting it would be if steel, wood or plastic only existed in the form of thin sheets. Well, that’s been the case so far when it comes to graphene. While its incredible strength and high conductivity make it very useful in things like semiconductors, batteries and solar cells, there’s no doubt that it would be even more useful if it could be produced in three-dimensional blocks. Scientists at Australia’s Monash University have now managed to do just that – by copying the structure of cork.


 http://www.gizmag.com/3d-graphene-cork-blocks/25342/


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A new wrinkle for cell culture

 
Apr 23, 2015 
 
Researchers from Brown University have developed new graphene surfaces, engineered with tiny wrinkles, as environments for cell culture. The surfaces could provide a way to culture cells in the lab that better approximates the complex environments in which cells grow in the body.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-04-wrinkle-cell-culture.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu


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Renewable energy from evaporating water (w/ Video)

 

June 16, 2015 
 

(The "moisture mill" is a new kind of turbine engine that turns continuously as water evaporates from the wet paper lining the walls of the engine.)
 

An immensely powerful yet invisible force pulls water from the earth to the top of the tallest redwood and delivers snow to the tops of the Himalayas. Yet despite the power of evaporating water, its potential to propel self-sufficient devices or produce electricity has remained largely untapped—until now.
In the June 16 online issue of Nature Communications, Columbia University scientists report the development of two novel devices that derive power directly from evaporation - a floating, piston-driven engine that generates electricity causing a light to flash, and a rotary engine that drives a miniature car.

http://phys.org/news/2015-06-renewable-energy-evaporating-video.html



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World's first "aqueous solar flow battery" outperforms traditional lithium-iodine batteries

  

August 3, 2015

 The scientists that revealed the "world's first solar battery" last year are now, following some modifications, reporting its first significant performance milestone. The device essentially fits a battery and solar cell into the one package, and has now been tested against traditional lithium-iodine batteries, over which the researchers are claiming energy savings of 20 percent.

It was last October that researchers at Ohio State University (OSU) first detailed their patent-pending design for a dye-sensitized solar cell also capable of storing its own power. With three electrodes rather than the typical four, it featured a lithium plate base, two layers of electrode separated by a thin sheet of porous carbon, and a titanium gauze mesh that played host to a dye-sensitive titanium dioxide photoelectrode.
The reasoning behind the porous nature of the materials was to allow the battery's ions to oxidize into lithium peroxide, which was in turn chemically decomposed into lithium ions and stored as lithium metal. But the team has redesigned the battery so that air no longer needs to pass through it in order to function.

http://www.gizmag.com/aqueous-solar-flow-battery-osu/38748/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

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Plasma pyrolysis for a sustainable hydrogen economy

April 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-022-00439-8

______________


Plasma technology for hydrogen production and gas conversion applications

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323899307000091

______________


Plasma-assisted hydrogen generation: A mechanistic review

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382023001091

______________


Hydrogen cars are trying to be the next big sustainable vehicle

March 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/hydrogen-cars-are-trying-to-be-the-next-big-sustainable-vehicle/ar-BB1jK664

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Will hydrogen overtake batteries in the race for zero-emission cars?

Feb 2024

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/feb/13/will-hydrogen-overtake-batteries-in-the-race-for-zero-emission-cars

______________


Is Red Hydrogen the Breakthrough Technology We've Been Waiting For?

Dec 2022

https://www.greencars.com/news/is-red-hydrogen-the-breakthrough-technology-weve-been-waiting-for

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Blue hydrogen – what is it, and should it replace natural gas?

August 13, 2021

https://theconversation.com/blue-hydrogen-what-is-it-and-should-it-replace-natural-gas-166053

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Water into Hydrogen - Making a Simple Hydrogen Generator from old battery - hho

Oct 12, 2023

In this video, I will show you how to use old batteries to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen or generate HHO gas. In this video, I separate the water molecules, which are hydrogen and oxygen, by electrolyzing water, and use the produced gas.

Note that you can also use potassium hydroxide powder or drain cleaner or salt to conduct water. But if you use salt, the color of the water will turn green or brown due to the production of hydroxide ions. Also, the efficiency of the drain cleaner solution is higher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08XGs7pZSlE

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Storing electrons from hydrogen for clean chemical reactions

March 28, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-electrons-hydrogen-chemical-reactions.html


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Photon-like electrons in a four-dimensional world discovered in a real material

March 14, 2024

Dirac electrons were predicted by P. Dirac and discovered by A. Geim, both of whom were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933 and in 2010, respectively. Dirac electrons behave like photons rather than electrons, for they are considered to have no mass, and in materials they move with light velocity.

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-photon-electrons-dimensional-world-real.html#google_vignette

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Researchers discover new yttrium-hydrogen compounds with implications for high-pressure superconductivity

March 14, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-yttrium-hydrogen-compounds-implications-high.html

______________


Brazilian scientists obtain a material that could be useful for hydrogen production

March 13, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-brazilian-scientists-material-hydrogen-production.html

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Graphene discovery could help generate cheaper and more sustainable hydrogen

23 August 2023

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/graphene-more-magic-starts-when-flatness-ends/

 

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Research team develops catalyst that can purify municipal sewage while enhancing hydrogen generation efficiency

March 13, 2024

Researchers have devised a novel catalyst aimed at enhancing the efficiency of reactions using contaminated municipal sewage to produce hydrogen—a green energy source...

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-team-catalyst-purify-municipal-sewage.html

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Chemical etching method opens pores for fuel cells and more

March 1, 2024

A chemical etching method for widening the pores of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) could improve various applications of MOFs, including in fuel cells and as catalysts. Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan and East China Normal University in China developed the new method with collaborators elsewhere in Japan, Australia, and China, and their work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

MOFs are porous materials composed of metal clusters or ions interconnected by carbon-based (organic) linker groups. Varying the metallic and organic components generates a variety of MOFs suitable for a wide range of applications, including catalysis, chemical separation, and gas storage.

Some MOFs have clear potential for catalyzing the chemical reactions inside fuel cells, which are being explored as the basis of renewable energy systems. Because they don't use fossil fuels, fuel cells could play a key role in the transition to a low- or zero-emissions economy to combat climate change.

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-chemical-etching-method-pores-fuel.html

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Microbial fuel cells: a comprehensive review for beginners

2021 May 1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8088421/

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Cold fusion reactor verified by third-party researchers, seems to have 1 million times the energy density of gasoline


 October 9, 2014

 



 Andrea Rossi’s E-Cat — the device that purports to use cold fusion to generate massive amounts of cheap, green energy — has been verified by third-party researchers, according to a new 54-page report. The researchers observed a small E-Cat over 32 days, where it produced net energy of 1.5 megawatt-hours, or “far more than can be obtained from any known chemical sources in the small reactor volume.” The researchers were also allowed to analyze the fuel before and after the 32-day run, noting that the isotopes in the spent fuel could only have been obtained by “nuclear reactions” — a conclusion that boggles the researchers: “… It is of course very hard to comprehend how these fusion processes can take place in the fuel compound at low energies.”

 http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/191754-cold-fusion-reactor-verified-by-third-party-researchers-seems-to-have-1-million-times-the-energy-density-of-gasoline



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Focus Fusion: The Fastest Route to Cheap, Clean Energy


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhKB-VxJWpg

8:00 -  Goldman Sachs funding


 ______________


Nuclear Fission vs. Nuclear Fusion


http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Nuclear_Chemistry/Fission_and_Fusion/Nuclear_Fission_vs_Nuclear_Fusion


  ______________

 

MIT Physicists Create Ultracold Molecules of 23Na40K

 
June 10, 2015


(MIT researchers have successfully cooled a gas of sodium potassium (NaK) molecules to a temperature of 500 nanokelvin. In this artist’s illustration, the NaK molecule is represented with frozen spheres of ice merged together: the smaller sphere on the left represents a sodium atom, and the larger sphere on the right is a potassium atom.)



A team of physicists from MIT has successfully cooled molecules in a gas of sodium potassium (NaK) to a temperature of 500 nanokelvins, creating ultracold molecules.
The air around us is a chaotic superhighway of molecules whizzing through space and constantly colliding with each other at speeds of hundreds of miles per hour. Such erratic molecular behavior is normal at ambient temperatures.
But scientists have long suspected that if temperatures were to plunge to near absolute zero, molecules would come to a screeching halt, ceasing their individual chaotic motion and behaving as one collective body. This more orderly molecular behavior would begin to form very strange, exotic states of matter — states that have never been observed in the physical world.
Now experimental physicists at MIT have successfully cooled molecules in a gas of sodium potassium (NaK) to a temperature of 500 nanokelvins — just a hair above absolute zero, and over a million times colder than interstellar space. The researchers found that the ultracold molecules were relatively long-lived and stable, resisting reactive collisions with other molecules. The molecules also exhibited very strong dipole moments — strong imbalances in electric charge within molecules that mediate magnet-like forces between molecules over large distances.


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Cold Atom Laboratory Chills Atoms to New Lows

 

September 26, 2014

 

 

 (Artist's concept of an atom chip for use by NASA's Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL) aboard the International Space Station. CAL will use lasers to cool atoms to ultracold temperatures.Image Credit: NASA)

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4312

Cold Atom Laboratory researchers used lasers to optically cool rubidium atoms to temperatures almost a million times colder than that of the depths of space. The atoms were then magnetically trapped, and radio waves were used to cool the atoms 100 times lower. The radiofrequency radiation acts like a knife, slicing away the hottest atoms from the trap so that only the coldest remain.

The research is at the point where this process can reliably create a Bose-Einstein condensate in just seconds.

"This was a tremendous accomplishment for the CAL team. It confirms the fidelity of the instrument system design and provides us a facility to perform science and hardware verifications before we get to the space station," said CAL Project Manager Anita Sengupta of JPL.

While so far, the Cold Atom Laboratory researchers have created Bose-Einstein condensates with rubidium atoms, eventually they will also add in potassium. The behavior of two condensates mixing together will be fascinating for physicists to observe, especially in space.

Besides merely creating Bose-Einstein condensates, CAL provides a suite of tools to manipulate and probe these quantum gases in a variety of ways. It has a unique role as a facility for the atomic, molecular and optical physics community to study cold atomic physics in microgravity, said David Aveline of JPL, CAL ground testbed lead.


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This New Element is Lighter than Hydrogen. What?!?!

Feb 2, 2023

When we first learn about atoms, we learn that the simplest has one electron buzzing around one proton, aka hydrogen. But it turns out there's an atom that's even simpler than this. It's called muonium, and it's an atom that's partially made of antimatter!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrabgulN1L8

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Scientists discover a new phase of high-density, ultra-hot ice

October 9, 2023

The outer planets of our solar system, Uranus and Neptune, are water-rich gas giants. These planets have extreme pressures 2 million times the Earth's atmosphere. They also have interiors as hot as the surface of the sun. Under these conditions, water exhibits exotic, high-density ice phases.

Researchers recently observed one of these phases, called Ice XIX, for the first time using high-power lasers to reproduce the necessary extreme conditions. They measured the Ice XIX structure using the Matter at Extreme Conditions instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source, a pioneering X-ray laser facility, to show that oxygen atoms pack in a body-centered cubic structure, while the hydrogen atoms move freely like a fluid, dramatically increasing conductivity. Their paper was published in Scientific Reports.

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-phase-high-density-ultra-hot-ice.html


______________


Skate Anywhere Like Frozone! (Freeze and Skate)

Jul 14, 2023 

 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYmKDngX7rY


______________


Experimental study of alternative refrigerants to replace R134a in a domestic refrigerator

March 2018

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338763358_Experimental_study_of_alternative_refrigerants_to_replace_R134a_in_a_domestic_refrigerator

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The Ancient World’s Ingenious Ice Making Air Conditioning System

Apr 3, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta940DX_zko

______________


Why CO2 Heat Pumps Are The Future Of Cooling

Sep 12, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npqzHpeIvhM

______________

 

Super Antifreeze in Cells: The Ability to Survive in Ice and Snow Developed in Animals Far Earlier Than We Thought

2023

https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/super-antifreeze-in-cells-the-ability-to-survive-in-ice-and-snow-developed-in-animals-far-earlier-than-we-thought

 

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NEWS: High field magnets

https://www.psfc.mit.edu/news/topic/high-field-magnets

______________


NEWS: Magnetic fusion energy

https://www.psfc.mit.edu/news/topic/magnetic-fusion-energy

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Researchers create stable superconductor enhanced by magnetism

April 4, 2024

An international team including researchers from the University of Würzburg has succeeded in creating a special state of superconductivity. This discovery could advance the development of quantum computers. The results are published in Nature Physics...

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-stable-superconductor-magnetism.html

 

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Plasma for Fusion: How magnets are paving the way for clean energy

January 25, 2022

https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2022/plasma-for-fusion-how-magnets-are-paving-the-way-for-clean-energy/

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Magnetically confined plasmas articles from across Nature Portfolio

Magnetically confined plasmas are those plasmas that are trapped using magnetic fields. Magnetic fields can prevent high-temperature plasma coming into contact with solid materials that it could damage or destroy. Magnetically confined plasmas offer one possible route to sustained nuclear fusion.

https://www.nature.com/subjects/magnetically-confined-plasmas


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New superconducting magnet breaks magnetic field strength records, paving the way for fusion energy

September 8, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-09-superconducting-magnet-magnetic-field-strength.html

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Tests show high-temperature superconducting magnets are ready for fusion

Date: March 4, 2024
Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Summary: A comprehensive study of high-temperature superconducting magnets confirms they meet requirements for an economic, compact fusion power plant.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304135732.htm


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New method for creating transparent magnetic materials using laser heating

Dec 14, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-method-transparent-magnetic-materials-laser.html

In a significant advancement in optical technology, researchers from Tohoku University and Toyohashi University of Technology have developed a new method for creating transparent magnetic materials using laser heating. This breakthrough, recently published in the journal Optical Materials, presents a novel approach to integrating magneto-optical materials with optical devices, a long-standing challenge in the field.

"The key to this achievement lies in creating Cerium-substituted Yttrium Iron Garnet (Ce:YIG), a transparent magnetic material, employing a specialized laser heating technique," says Taichi Goto, associate professor at Tohoku University's Electrical Communication Research Institute (RIEC) and co-author of the study. "This method addresses the key challenge of integrating magneto-optical materials with optical circuits without damaging them—a problem that has hindered advancements in miniaturizing optical communication devices."

Magneto-optical isolators are vital for ensuring stable optical communication. They act like traffic directors for light signals, allowing them to move in one direction but not the other. Integrating these isolators into silicon-based photonic circuits is challenging due to the high-temperature processes typically involved.

As a result of this conundrum, Goto and his colleagues focused their attention on laser annealing—a technique that selectively heats specific areas of a material by laser. This allows for precise control, influencing only the targeted regions without affecting surrounding areas.

Previous studies had used this to selectively heat bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi: YIG) films deposited on a dielectric mirror. This allows the Bi:YIG to crystalize without affecting the dielectric mirror.

However, when working with Ce:YIG, an ideal material for optical devices due to its magnetic and optical properties, problems arise because exposure to the air results in unwanted chemical reactions.

To avoid this, the researchers engineered a new device that heats materials in a vacuum, i.e., without air, using a laser. This allowed for precise heating of small areas (about 60 micrometers) without altering the surrounding material.

"The transparent magnetic material created through this method is expected to significantly enhance the development of compact magneto-optical isolators, crucial for stable optical communication," says Goto. "Additionally, it opens avenues for creating powerful miniaturized lasers, high-resolution displays, and small optical devices."

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Strong magnetic fields change how friction works in plasma

August 16, 2021

Rather than just slowing down a charged particle moving through a plasma, friction can also push from the side in a strong magnetic field.

https://news.engin.umich.edu/2021/08/strong-magnetic-fields-change-how-friction-works-in-plasma/

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Electron scale magnetic reconnections in laser produced plasmas

29 June 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41614-023-00125-4


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Push and pull magnetic reconnection driven by intense laser interaction with double-coil capacitor target

24 February 2023

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6587/acbb24

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Innovative new magnet could facilitate development of fusion and medical devices

March 4, 2022

https://phys.org/news/2022-03-magnet-fusion-medical-devices.html


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New Magnetic Device Makes Microelectronic Chips More Sustainable

Mar 19, 2024

An invention will allow chips to fit more data in a smaller space and operate with better energy efficiency

https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/articles/2024/03/new-magnetic-device-makes-microelectronic-chips-more-sustainable/


______________


Laser-produced plasmas articles within Nature Physics

https://www.nature.com/subjects/laser-produced-plasmas/nphys

______________


Laser produced electromagnetic pulses: generation, detection and mitigation

09 June 2020

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/high-power-laser-science-and-engineering/article/laser-produced-electromagnetic-pulses-generation-detection-and-mitigation/746D683F7B7CA0C05D0756EE1C62102F

______________


Research team presents a new type of particle accelerator

May 20, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-team-particle.html

______________


Laser–plasma-accelerators—A novel, versatile tool for space radiation studies

2011

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168900211001768

______________


Demonstration of a compact plasma accelerator powered by laser-accelerated electron beams

17 May 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23000-7

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A trio of paths toward the discovery machine of the future

03/19/24

Proton-proton collider

Muon collider

Plasma-wakefield collider

https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/a-trio-of-paths-toward-the-discovery-machine-of-the-future?language_content_entity=und

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Laser-plasma technology: the future of particle acceleration

14 Jan 2021

https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide-market-specific-solutions-lasers/science-applications/news/laser-plasma-technology-future

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Plasmas could be used to make the world's most powerful laser


22 August 2022

Because plasma can shape very intense light without being damaged, it could be used to make components for lasers thousands of times more powerful than the strongest ones that exist

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2334804-plasmas-could-be-used-to-make-the-worlds-most-powerful-laser/


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Generation of intense magnetic wakes by relativistic laser pulses in plasma

30 January 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-28753-3


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Manipulation of polarizations for broadband terahertz waves emitted from laser plasma filaments

27 August 2018

Abstract

Polarization control of broadband terahertz waves is essential for applications in many areas, such as materials science, medical and biological diagnostics, near-field communications and public securities. Conventional methods for polarization control are limited to narrow bandwidth and often with low efficiency. Here, based on theoretical and experimental studies, we demonstrate that the two-colour laser scheme in gas plasma can provide effective control of elliptically polarized terahertz waves, including their ellipticity, azimuthal angle and chirality. This is achieved with a circularly polarized laser at the fundamental frequency and its linearly polarized second harmonic, a controlled phase difference between these two laser components, as well as a suitable length of the laser plasma filament. Flexible control of ellipticity and azimuthal angle is demonstrated with our theoretical model and systematic experiments. This offers a unique and flexible technique on the polarization control of broadband terahertz radiation suitable for a wide range of applications.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41566-018-0238-9

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Scientists produce densest artificial ionospheric plasma clouds using HAARP

Date: February 25, 2013

Source: Naval Research Laboratory

Summary: Glow discharges in the upper atmosphere were generated to explore ionospheric phenomena and its impact on communications and space weather.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225112504.htm


______________


NEWS: High field magnets

https://www.psfc.mit.edu/news/topic/high-field-magnets

______________


NEWS: Magnetic fusion energy

https://www.psfc.mit.edu/news/topic/magnetic-fusion-energy

______________


Researchers create stable superconductor enhanced by magnetism

April 4, 2024

An international team including researchers from the University of Würzburg has succeeded in creating a special state of superconductivity. This discovery could advance the development of quantum computers. The results are published in Nature Physics...

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-stable-superconductor-magnetism.html

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Magnetic pumping pushes plasma particles to high energies

November 5, 2018

https://phys.org/news/2018-11-magnetic-plasma-particles-high-energies.html

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Effect of permanent magnets on plasma confinement and ion beam properties in a double layer helicon plasma source

26 June 2019

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-plasma-physics/article/effect-of-permanent-magnets-on-plasma-confinement-and-ion-beam-properties-in-a-double-layer-helicon-plasma-source/5C277CBE933FB32404A2156EC526EF9D

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Science Made Simple: What Is Plasma Confinement?

August 10, 2021

 



Image of the inside of a magnetic confinement experiment during plasma discharge. In a tokamak, plasma particles are confined and shaped by magnetic field lines that combine to act like an invisible bottle. Pictured, the spherical tokamak MAST at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (UK), where over 30,000 man-made ”stars” have been created.

What Is Plasma Confinement?

Plasma confinement refers to the containment of a plasma by various forces at the extreme conditions necessary for thermonuclear fusion reactions. These conditions exist naturally in stars, where they are sustained by the force of gravity. In the laboratory, researchers use strong magnetic fields to confine plasma. This magnetic confinement strategy may allow them to confine fusion grade plasmas over the long term. Another confinement strategy relies on the inertia of imploding matter. This inertial confinement strategy has been demonstrated on Earth in hydrogen bomb detonations and specialized facilities. Inertial confinement is an active research area. Laboratories use high power lasers or electrical discharges, to compress hydrogen fuel to very high densities for billionths of a second.

Plasma Confinement Facts

    Magnetically confined plasmas have achieved temperatures 10 times hotter than the core of our sun.
    ITER will be the first burning plasma in the world. It aims to generate 500 megawatts of fusion power–10 times more power than will be injected. NIF is the most energetic laser in the world with 2 megajoules of light energy (the energy consumed by 20,000 100-watt light bulbs in one second) delivered in 16 nanoseconds.

https://scitechdaily.com/science-made-simple-what-is-plasma-confinement/

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Magnetic confinement fusion

Magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) is an approach to generate thermonuclear fusion power that uses magnetic fields to confine fusion fuel in the form of a plasma. Magnetic confinement is one of two major branches of controlled fusion research, along with inertial confinement fusion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_confinement_fusion

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Liquid lithium on the walls of a fusion device helps the plasma within maintain a hot edge

January 23, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-liquid-lithium-walls-fusion-device.html

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Laboratory investigation of particle acceleration and magnetic field compression in collisionless colliding fast plasma flows

20 June 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42005-019-0160-6


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World's strongest fusion magnet brings new power to nuclear pursuit

September 08, 2021

https://newatlas.com/energy/worlds-strongest-fusion-magnet-power-nuclear-pursuit/

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Newly discovered quantum magnet unleashes electronics potential

July 12, 2023

Three MIT scientists and their collaborators publish groundbreaking paper in Nature Communications detailing their discovery of a paradigm-shifting magnet.

https://www.psfc.mit.edu/news/2023/newly-discovered-quantum-magnet-unleashes-electronics-potential

______________


Superconductors for fusion: a roadmap

13 September 2021

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6668/ac0992

______________


Physics of magnetized dusty plasmas

28 November 2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41614-021-00060-2

______________


Behavior of compressed plasmas in magnetic fields

26 November 2020

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41614-020-00048-4

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Is this the Force device researchers are looking for?

6 Sep 2023

    Military scientists are experimenting with a prototype that uses magnetic plasma rings to manipulate distant objects in space

    The new approach could be used for satellite recovery, delivery missions and deflecting space debris

In the science fiction universe of Hollywood’s Star Wars, the Jedi are able to use the Force to move objects around without physical contact, a manoeuvre referred to as “Force push” or “Force pull”.

The ability allows the Jedi to levitate themselves or others, and to manipulate objects in more complex ways, such as constructing structures or repairing machinery...

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3233110/force-device-chinese-researchers-are-looking

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Electromagnetic Waves in Plasmas

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/22-611j-introduction-to-plasma-physics-i-fall-2003/75c75c5df51f8fba1b2a903fde937ddc_chap5.pdf

______________


Superior Ionic Plasma Thruster Inspired By Nature

Apr 27, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC92SStn7vY

______________


Powerful Magnetic Accelerator, the Brick Breaker | Magnetic Games

Sep 30, 2023




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rn5Y4keMJU

______________


The Plasma Magnet for Sailing the Solar Wind

February 06 2005

https://pubs.aip.org/aip/acp/article-abstract/746/1/1171/605806/The-Plasma-Magnet-for-Sailing-the-Solar-Wind?redirectedFrom=fulltext

______________



Conductive Metal–Organic Frameworks with Tunable Dielectric Properties for Boosting Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

June 23, 2023

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.3c02170

______________


Researchers measure and control interactions between magnetic ripples using lasers

February 7, 2024

Fundamental step toward ultrafast magnetism-based computers comes from multi-institution team involving UCLA

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/magnetic-ripple-interaction-step-toward-ultrafast-computers

______________


Plasma magnet

A plasma magnet is a proposed spacecraft propulsion device that uses a dipole magnetic field to capture energy from the solar wind. The field acts as a sail, using the captured energy to propel the spacecraft analogously to how the wind propels a sailing vessel. It could accelerate a vessel moving away from the sun and decelerate it when approaching a distant star at the end of an interstellar journey. Thrust vectoring and steering could be achieved by manipulating the dipole tilt for any type of magnetic sail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_magnet

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Magnetic Fusion Plasma Engines Could Carry us Across the Solar System and Into Interstellar Space

https://www.universetoday.com/163348/magnetic-fusion-plasma-engines-could-carry-us-across-the-solar-system-and-into-interstellar-space/

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Magnetohydrodynamic drive

A magnetohydrodynamic drive or MHD accelerator is a method for propelling vehicles using only electric and magnetic fields with no moving parts, accelerating an electrically conductive propellant (liquid or gas) with magnetohydrodynamics. The fluid is directed to the rear and as a reaction, the vehicle accelerates forward.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive


______________


Magnets at the LIMITS of Scientific Knowledge

Jan 26, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPfcpHVlYZA

______________


Designing a Futuristic Magnetic Turbine (MHD drive)

Nov 30, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgAIPOSc4TA

______________

 

Researchers make a quantum computing leap with a magnetic twist

June 28, 2023

https://phys.washington.edu/news/2023/06/28/researchers-make-quantum-computing-leap-magnetic-twist

 

______________


Making Anti-gravity tubes - Copper & Silver! - Lenz's law - Metal casting Experiment

Dec 22, 2023

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIV3NqSDjAg


______________


Defying Gravity - HUGE Neodymium Magnet vs Copper Tube Experiment - The Power of Lenz's Law!


Feb 4, 2024

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRihrPnLt78

______________


Fred Rash's electric circle plane

Sep 19, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3BNV9p36uE

______________

Designing A Self Propelling Ionic Thrust Wing

Oct 28, 2023 

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lDSSgHG4q0

______________


Super Capacitor Plane

Dec 21, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEahoJZgfys


______________


A Plane Without Wings: The Story of The C.450 Coléoptère

Dec 21, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unz6mfjS4ws

______________


JET ENGINE with NO MOVING PARTS

Sep 30, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7hsUvZmZ2k

______________


RC Solar Plane Flight Duration Test

Aug 22, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OGrDvInUAY

______________

 

DARPA Launches Falcon HTV-2 Glider, the World's Fastest Plane

August 11, 2011

At 7:45 a.m. PDT, an unmanned glider was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a Minotaur 4 rocket. Overseen by DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the glider, named HTV-4, is expected to reach suborbital space before reentering Earth's atmosphere at Mach 20 with the help of rocket thrusters to stay on course. If the hypersonic glider is able to reach Mach 20, or about 13,000 mph, it will become the fastest plane ever. At that speed, the HTV-2 could travel from New York City to Los Angeles in about 12 minutes...

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/08/darpa-launches-falcon-htv-2-glider-the-worlds-fastest-plane/243467/

 

______________


Someone actually made a REAL Flying car!

Nov 17, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P75s6M7kCrA

______________


Optimal elastic wing for flapping-wing robots through passive morphing

Nov 7, 2022

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwuW8cfy-MI

______________


How Bionic Wings Are Reinventing Drones

Nov 3, 2023

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr0z2huKaCI



______________


Building a rocket bird (ornithopter)

Nov 11, 2023

 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=angnUj0-yhQ

______________


Ornithopter with morphing-coupled wingbeat pattern

Aug 6, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXg-qoRN0co

______________


Are Drones That Flap Their Wings Better?

Feb 2, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCpTIY6gJVE

______________


How insects evolved to ultrafast flight

October 4, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-insects-evolved-ultrafast-flight.html

______________

Forbidden Technologies and The Silencing of Their Inventors

Mar 1, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpFgvGeEQlA

______________


The Real Life Dune Ornithopter... it was French!

Mar 15, 2024

 


 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz5GcOEcjyk


______________

 

A review on piezoelectric energy harvesting

23 June 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00542-022-05334-4

______________


Nature-inspired interfacial engineering for energy harvesting

18 March 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44287-024-00029-6
 

______________

 

Energy harvesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_harvesting

 

______________


Is This Accidental Discovery The Future Of Energy?

Oct 10, 2023

Imagine getting the energy needed to power our phones, light up our homes, or drive our cars, from thin air. And no, we’re not talking about Nikola Tesla’s dream of wireless power a century ago, but a new and accidental discovery along those lines from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Researchers have found a way to turn humidity into electricity. It’s called hygroelectrical power, and believe it or not, a company named CascataChuva is already trying to commercialize a variant of the technology. So, what is it and how does it work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyY1PLTlmT0

______________

 

Gravity Energy Storage. Who's right and who's wrong?

Jul 10, 2022

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz6ZB23tfg0
 

______________


This Is Not a Crane, It's an Insane New Gravity Battery

Nov 26, 2021

 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCawtiU4o1o

______________

 

Mechanical circuits: electronics without electricity

Oct 27, 2022

 


 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrkiJZKJfpY

 

______________


What If Swings Had Springs Instead Of Ropes: Autoparametric Resonance

Feb 18, 2022

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUJmKl7QfDU

______________


The Mystery of Spinors

Mar 20, 2024

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7OIbMCIfs4

______________


Major Evidence of a New Particle Called Glueball: Here's Why It Matters

May 14, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVS2sVBQYO8

______________


How Levers, Pulleys and Gears Work

Jul 26, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnYVz1TSmBQ

______________


Why Snatch Blocks are AWESOME (How Pulleys Work) - Smarter Every Day 228

Dec 5, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2w3NZzPwOM

______________


Leonardo da Vinci inventions tested

Dec 23, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxOagUqdibw

______________

 

Leonardo Davinci Design





https://www.pinterest.com/pin/560205641128538001/

 

______________


The Mechanical Battery Explained - A Flywheel Comeback?

Jan 5, 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X2U7bDNcPM

______________


Flywheel Battery

Jul 21, 2021

 


 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhu3s1ut3wM

______________


 7 Types of Wheels - 4 Hard Trials - Experiments with Lego Technic #lego #experiment #vehicles

Apr 13, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaadwO6QzUA

______________


Gear Types, Design Basics, Applications and More - Basics of Gears

Aug 17, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhDO16FDmxA


______________


We should use this amazing mechanism that's inside a grasshopper leg

Apr 30, 2024

 


 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUUW6SYl_ak

______________

 

This bug produces a g-force of 500 g!

July 7, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XvSZYDsM_T4

 

______________



What makes planetary gearboxes so amazing?

Jan 5, 2022

 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzJkD87eQNI

______________


I Built Real ODM Gear! - Attack On Titan

Aug 19, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ouS7G6k04A

______________


The Most Incredible Attempts at Perpetual Motion Machines

Sep 11, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPw58clq9EQ


______________


Adam Savage vs The "Perpetual Motion" Machine!

Jan 3, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdEdYfxMx-0

______________


Turn a ceiling fan into a wind turbine generator?!

Dec 7, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApKFeaJ6xYE


______________


NEW French Jetpack SHOCKED Chinese and US Engineers

May 25, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnD6AUikRkQ

______________


VBSS with JPEM & Stiletto

Apr 7, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkZPI5m9SIE

______________


This Car Travels Farther Than You Push It

Mar 15, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVUdwOgjiA

______________


20 INVENTIONS RESHAPING REALITY

Apr 23, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKoKse7qiI4

______________


Transforming Sailing and Power Generation with The Ocean Kite Engine

Mar 8, 2024

 




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aolYqwVBScs

______________


Incredible Inventions That Generate Free Energy

Jan 25, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfAeuHOcE

______________

 

 Kite Risers on a Paraglider

These Kite risers are a different way to change the angle of attack of your glider, just as you do with trimmers or speedbar, but the difference is that you adjust it instantly with your arms and without being able to pull the brakes-only when the angle of attack is low.

https://www.littlecloud.fr/en/kiterisers-en/

______________

Kite Risers on a Paraglider - Vertical Takeoff

2023

 



 


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GobgmTKC6RM

 

______________


THIS WING IS INSANE - Flare Moustache First Impressions

Jun 8, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf_msigfgsQ

______________



Flap your wings #flare #moustache #parakite

2023

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vRPj6wd32sY

______________



Flirting with the stall point

2023


Our beloved places to play: Soaring, Speedflying and -riding, Snowkiting and Proximityflying.
  • Be aware: The MOUSTACHE is NOT built for thermal flying, nor being used in strong turbulences since a reflex profile is powerful and behaves completely different in collapses!
  • With great power comes great responsibility. So make sure to watch all the FLARE Nation Academy tutorials!


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m1nb1Gk2jEA

 

______________


Top landing on a handrail

2023

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PwzMwrPoqCM

______________


Flare MOUSTACHE. Full Power

2023

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ut90XVDln3c

______________


6 minutes with the REVOLUTIONARY FLARE MUSTACHE.

Oct 8, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uqiJpBA_eY

______________


WE FINALLY MOTORED THE MOUSTACHE... and Its INSANE.

Oct 25, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L-N7VBei-o

______________


FLARE Moustache - The sand stair

April 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDalT6u5SsE

______________


Faster than a car? 🚗 - FLARE Moustache at Kronplatz

Feb 27, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN-iUp_lOKE

______________

 

Kite Riser Types (Review)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw--2G1hjFw

 

______________



Launching A Paramotor With A Bike!!!

Aug 3, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLi1VKE3Btc

______________


Paragliding Accuracy World Cup

https://pgawc.org/

______________


When Your Carabiner Fails...

Aug 24, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9eqsiKPpFg

______________


Flying with 50 drone motors (homemade flying machine)

Nov 2, 2021

 

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXcVTsuXxOA


______________

 

Flying with four giant drone motors (ducted propeller paramotor)

 

2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkJ9LF_8hIQ 


______________

 

Paraglider Thrusters

 
2012


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFHzWofHrwo

 

______________


The Unexpected Genius of Bionic Propellers

Dec 7, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WezeLNC32sA

______________


Uncovering The Genius of Fibonnaci Turbines

Jan 31, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4TEMZ5dyPo

______________


The Genius of Cycloidal Propellers: Future of Flight?

Mar 20, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqy_7lr6wuE

______________


Why This 17-Year Old's Electric Motor Is Important

Jan 17, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35JuW3bcp04

______________


How can gliders fly without propulsion | The most complete explanation

Aug 22, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4YrpmhgNGs

______________

 

Egyptian Hieroglyphics Reveal Ancient Flying Machine? Ancient Discoveries (S1, E2) | Full Episode
 
Apr 11, 2023
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPR9o2YRxc8

______________

 

Impossible Stone Found Atop Cholas Temple?
 
Jun 2, 2023
 
 

 
 
 
 
______________
 
 
{Many scientists believe that floating cranes could be used in future technology and on other planets}.
 
______________
 
 
Floating cranes: SkyLifter’s plans for the construction industry

1 March 2024
 
 
 
Airships and balloons were around long before anyone saw a plane flying.

The French Army flew an airship named La France in 1884, and the first hot air balloon flew in 1783. But a series of high profile crashes like the Hindenburg and R101, and the considerably faster evolution of aircraft saw airships fall out of favour (except for a subsection of the marketing industry).

Hot air balloons aren’t known for their ease of navigation or speed, and airships, whilst easier to control and faster, are still too slow to have a meaningful impact on the markets they have been targeting up to now.

All that being said, UK-based startup SkyLifter thinks it has a found a new use case. Deciding there was no aerospace use case that could be improved versus what is currently available today for passengers, cargo and earth observation, the firm identified a niche in the construction industry it thinks can only be exploited by the capabilities of airship technology.

The startup is building a “commercial hook-in-the-sky system” made up of a gas-filled omni-directional lenticular-shaped aerostat (aka lighter-than-air aircraft) with an underslung pod housing the propulsion system, winch and hook. The pod, which also serves to aid the craft’s stability by increasing the vertical distance between the centre of buoyancy and the centre of gravity, houses the main aircraft systems for power, control and communication.

SkyLifter’s omni-directional propellers enable thrust in all directions and allow it to achieve an airspeed of about 45 knots (51mph). There is also the option to float “endlessly” without power, according to founder and CEO Jeremy Fitton, “at least in theory”.

https://www.revolution.aero/deep_dive/floating-cranes-skylifters-plans-for-the-construction-industry/
 
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The Skycrane: How NASA's Perseverance rover will land on Mars

February 18, 2021
 
 
 

The "Skycrane" maneuver that will soon place Perseverance on Mars' surface was once considered a crazy idea - even within NASA.
 
 
______________ 
 
 
The Surprising Truth Behind the Construction of the Great Pyramids

Were the stone blocks carved from natural limestone or cast with an early version of concrete? A materials science research team provides evidence to answer this age-old mystery.

May 18, 2007

https://new.nsf.gov/news/surprising-truth-behind-construction-great


______________


What Materials Were Used To Build The Pyramids Of Giza?

2018

Limestone

Limestone was one of the materials used to build the Pyramids of Giza. It formed the bulk of the materials used in the construction of the pyramids and rough limestone was utilized in the core of the pyramid. White limestone, which is finer, was used to coat the interior walls and as the main material for the outer casing. The low-grade limestone that was used in the core of the pyramids is found huge quantities in Egypt, and it was found near the building sites during the pyramid construction era. Workers extracted the stone in blocks by marking out crevices with just enough room for them to be cut into blocks and transported to the sites. Tools used in this case included chisels, pickaxes, and hammers made from granite.

The fine white limestone for the interior décor and the mortuary temples was slightly hard to extract and had to be sourced further away from the building sites. This type of limestone was found deeper beneath the soil surface in regions including the West bank of the Nile in the hills of Muqattam in the present day regions of Maasara and Tura. The workmen would excavate the soil and dig tunnels to reach the deposits which would be as deep as 160 feet below the surface. Huge pieces of stone were then dug up to be divided into blocks which were then transported on wooden sledges towed by oxen on a path paved with mud from the Nile to make movement easier to the construction site.

Pink Granite

The granite was used in conjunction with limestone to cover the interior walls of the pyramids though much more sparingly since it was distributed in several parts of South of Egypt and was not as close as the limestone quarries were to the building sites. Pink granite is thought to have been mined in Aswan which had some quarries.
Basalt

Basalt is also known as alabaster and it was often used to cover the floor of the pyramid. It was extracted from open pits or underground deposits, particularly from an Oligocene flow where there was once a lake that connected to the Nile. During this time the basalt was transported on the lake and into the Nile to its shores where it was moved to the construction site of the pyramids.

Mud Bricks

Mud bricks were perhaps the most common building material in all of Egypt. In the pyramids it was used to build the walls, these were fired in an oven as a measure to make them last longer.

Significance

Like the Eiffel Tower of France and the Colosseum in Rome, the Pyramids of Giza are a defining landmark in Egypt and an important part of the culture of the people of Egypt. The impressive architecture that began years ago is proof of the heights of human achievement of the past.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-materials-were-used-to-build-the-pyramids-of-giza.html
 

______________
 
 

King Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon - Legend (Author: Michael Ross)

 

 7/21/2019

 

https://solomonstempleinvestigation.blogspot.com
 
______________
 

Impossible Ancient Stone Work In Peru That Proves They Melted, Shaped and Fitted Huge Blocks Perfect - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 184

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple184

_________________________________________

Molten Granite outside the Second Pyramid! - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 185

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple185

_________________________________________

1970s SECRET-CHAMBER SEARCH TECHNIQUE IN KHAFRE PYRAMID! - Solomon's Temple investigation Marathon 186

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple186

_________________________________________

Did Ancient People Use Acid to Shape Stone? - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 187

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple187

_________________________________________

The Story of the Enigmatic and Mysterious Tube Drills of Ancient Egypt - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 188

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple188

_________________________________________

Mysterious Tube Drills of Ancient Egypt - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 189

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple189

_________________________________________

Advanced Ancient Machining That Is Absurdly Difficult To Replicate Even With Today's Technology - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 190

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple190

_________________________________________
 
 
Ancient Tube Drills & Cores (Even Some Examples from Peru) - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 202

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple202

_________________________________________

Megalithic Softening of Stone? - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 203

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple203

_________________________________________

Ancient Engineering at the Temple of Bastet - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 204

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple204

_________________________________________
 
Advanced Ancient Stone Cutting - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 205

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple205

_________________________________________

Melted Stonework in Peru, Sulfur Balls, Metallurgy, Alchemy & Meteorites - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 206

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple206

 _________________________________________

 
They cut rocks like butter. Inca 'Quarry' is mindblowing! - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 209

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple209

_________________________________________

The Magnetic River - The Strongest Magnet - Magnets & Copper Tubes - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 210

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple210

_________________________________________

Ancient High Tech/ Melt Stone With Light And Sound - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 211

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple211

_________________________________________
 
Melting Rocks Into Molten Lava & Turning Dirt Into Iron - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 212

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple212

_________________________________________

The Coral Castle Mystery Solved, Melting Stone, Magnets, Electricity, Dissolving Rocks, Liquid Mercury & The Pyramids - Solomon's Temple Investigation 213


https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple213_201911

_________________________________________

The Coral Castle Mystery Solved Continued, Melted Limestone, Cutting Stone, Melting Granite & Glass - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 214

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple214

_________________________________________

Blaze of Steel: Explosive Chemistry - Sulfur, Iron Oxide, Nitrates, Cyanide, Hydroxide & the Oxidation State - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 215

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple215

_________________________________________
 
Blaze of Steel: Explosive Chemistry Continued: Alchemical Arts, Medicine, Life & Death (Transmutating agents for Stones, Noble Metals and Gold) - Solomon's Temple Investigation 216

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple216

_________________________________________

Evidence of Advanced Ancient Machining Technology from Around the World - Solomon's Temple 118

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple118

_________________________________________

The First Pyramid? - Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon 119

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple119

_________________________________________

Electricity, Stone & the Pyramids - Solomon's Temple Investigation 120

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple120

_________________________________________

Pyramids & Electricity? - Solomon's Temple Investigation 121

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple121

_________________________________________

Manna, Gold, Alchemy & The Pyramids? - Solomon's Temple 122

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple122

_________________________________________

Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Technolgy, Ramps & Tunnels - Solomon's Temple Investigation 123

https://archive.org/details/solomonstemple123

_________________________________________
 
 
Scientists may have solved mystery behind Egypt's pyramids

16 May 2024

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c99zwkzzrxvo
 
 
______________

 

The First Flying Machines - Failures and Mishaps

Feb 9, 2018

 


 

The Saqqara bird (popularly known as the Saqqara glider) is an object carved from sycamore wood and was found in the tomb of Pa-di-Amun in the ancient Egyptian necropolis of Saqqara in 1891. It resembles a streamlined miniature airplane.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Yww9LG3gw

______________

 

How to Fall : An Early History of the Parachute

2021

 

 



A sketch by Leonardo da Vinci, circa 1485, from his Codex Atlanticus showing a rough design for a parachute.

 

 

 

Illustration of André-Jacques Garnerin’s frameless parachute design. The design was made of silk, and it made the world’s first frameless parachute descent on 22 October 1797 in Paris.

https://www.onverticality.com/blog/early-history-of-the-parachute

 

______________



Flying Failures | Stock Footage

Sep 24, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je8wxnoEkug

______________


African Airplane Compilation | African Aviation

May 4, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h_cqTCT5g0


______________


Bike Powered Airplanes

2022

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gnNSOho2Eeg

______________

Could You Power Your Home With A Bike?

December 8, 2016

https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/12/08/504790589/could-you-power-your-home-with-a-bike

______________


How Much Electricity Can a Bike Generate?

https://paylesspower.com/blog/how-much-electricity-can-a-bike-generate/

______________


Let’s Generate Electricity by Walking!

2008

https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/lets_generate_electricity_by_walking

______________


I Built Shoes To Make Me Run Fast! (World Record)

Jul 27, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2wwIIFxYfc

______________


History of Parachuting: From da Vinci to Ram-air Parachutes

Oct 11, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLikKdK8uDo

______________


Can You Use Umbrellas Instead of a Parachute?

Sep 3, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm_7txMrG5U

______________


Amazing Gadgets That Have Reached a Next Level 5

 May 6, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWlCwnJuqoI

______________


What are the disadvantages of parachute+airbag for atmospheric landing, versus rocket-based?

2013

https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/705/what-are-the-disadvantages-of-parachuteairbag-for-atmospheric-landing-versus-r

______________


Parachutes in Space: A Crucial Technology for Space Exploration

Dec 4, 2023

https://agnirva.medium.com/parachutes-in-space-a-crucial-technology-for-space-exploration-8e315f4860d8

______________


How Parachutes Went Square

Jul 15, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLuNXVfHtPQ

______________


My LOWEST Base Jump Ever!!! - SKETCHY

Nov 8, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p8IXyDTjgk


______________


{Some people question why Rogallo Reserve steerable parachutes are not as reliable as a standard square Reserve Canopy. Could there be a way to improve steerable reserve parachutes}.


______________


Why aren't Rogallo wings or parafoils used in aircraft with fuselages?


2016


Ultralights and paragliders: Only categories with Rogallo wings

The advantages provided by flexible wings (easy storage, light weight, low cost) is a significant choice criteria for use in ultralights and paragliders, and of course for parachutes. These advantages overcome their limited aerodynamic performances, which is of lesser consideration for vehicles that are not specially aerodynamically designed.

To summarize: The flexible wings are more appropriate for smaller and slower aircraft, in particular those not requiring wing tanks, wing control surfaces, or wing landing gears. Namely ultralights.

Controls- The wings house the controls, which would not be possible in case of flexible wings (future combat aircraft are expected to have wing morphing, but is still a bit far away). The control of flexible wings are by using cables, which are suitable only for small aircraft. Another issue is redundancy, which would be quite difficult with these exposed cables.

Safety- The flexible wings do not offer the same level of safety as the rigid (elastic) ones. What if they fail to deploy properly or start to retract in flight? NASA carried out research on the usage of flexible wings for the spacecraft landing programs which brought out a number of issues related to structural safety and deployment:

    The wing’s structural problems persisted. Further drop tests saw more sails fall apart ...

    Wing deployment tests were also proving problematic. The sail wasn’t deploying consistently, at times not opening fully and failing to inflate with enough time...

Even though most of these problems were fixed, it would have been difficult to convince regulatory authorities and paying public for their use.

It should be noted that most of the advantages of the flexible wings are precisely because of their limitations- it is collapsible for reduced storage and weigh less because it doesn't carry fuel or have control surfaces and doesn't have mountings for various things (like navigation lights etc).

It should noted that the people involved were quite conscious of the restrictions of this type of wing- For example, Francis M. Rogallo, the inventor of rogallo wing was quite cautious when he noted,

    ... if we could discover how to make flexible wings that could be packaged and deployed somewhat like a parachute, such wings would have many new applications as well as replacing some parachutes and rigid wings.

https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/32622/why-arent-rogallo-wings-or-parafoils-used-in-aircraft-with-fuselages


______________


Why NASA Abandoned the Gemini Rogallo Wing

Oct 7, 2020

https://medium.com/the-vintage-space/why-nasa-abandoned-the-gemini-rogallo-wing-84537fc3f825

______________


Rogallo wing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogallo_wing

The Rogallo wing is a flexible type of wing. In 1948, Francis Rogallo, a NASA engineer, and his wife Gertrude Rogallo, invented a self-inflating flexible wing they called the Parawing, also known after them as the "Rogallo Wing" and flexible wing. NASA considered Rogallo's flexible wing as an alternative recovery system for the Mercury and Gemini space capsules, and for possible use in other spacecraft landings, but the idea was dropped from Gemini in 1964 in favor of conventional parachutes.

______________

 

NASA Para Wing (NPW9b) Construction

 2011

 

https://www.pointsunknown.com/blog/2011/02/nasa-para-wing-npw9b-construction/ 


______________


How could laser-driven lightsails remain stable?

February 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-laser-driven-lightsails-stable.html


______________


From Paper to Bionics: Origami's Incredible Impact on Science | FD Engineering

Aug 13, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFyJykl1O0k

______________


STRANDBEEST EVOLUTION 2021

Apr 3, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C97kMKwZ2-g

______________

What Goes Up, Must Come Down
 
09.09.08
 

______________
 
The ABC of Parachute Fabric and Materials
 
 
______________
 
 
Spiders can fly by weaving 10-foot-long silk parachutes to float through the air
 
2018
 
 
 
_______________
 
 
Art, Armor, and Airbags: Spider Silk As A Miracle Material
 
May 12, 2015
 
_______________
 
 
New Artificial Spider Silk: Stronger Than Steel and 98 Percent Water
 
July 26, 2017
 
Researchers at Cambridge University have developed a process for making strong, stretchy threads in an environmentally friendly way
 
 
 ______________
 
 
Military researchers think spider silk may keep US troops lighter and cooler in combat
 
Aug 8, 2018
 
 
 
______________
 
 
High-strength and ultra-tough whole spider silk fibers spun from transgenic silkworms

September 20, 2023

https://www.cell.com/matter/abstract/S2590-2385(23)00421-6
 

______________
 
 

NASA’s New Material Built to Withstand Extreme Conditions

2022

This turbine engine combustor (fuel-air mixer) was 3D-printed at NASA Glenn and is one example of a challenging component that can benefit from applying the new GRX-810 alloys.

https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/nasas-new-material-built-to-withstand-extreme-conditions/

______________


Aluminium alloy could boost spacecraft radiation shielding 100-fold

20 October 2022

A new metal alloy keeps its flexibility and strength after high doses of radiation, making it potentially useful for building spacecraft or Mars colonies

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2343246-aluminium-alloy-could-boost-spacecraft-radiation-shielding-100-fold/


______________


UF Engineers Develop Lightweight Metal for NASA

2017

https://mse.ufl.edu/lightweight_metal_reduce_radiation/


______________

New high precision foil resistors for space projects, with zero temperature coefficient very low power coefficient and high reliability

2002

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002ESASP.507...49F/abstract
 
______________
 
Extreme Metamaterial Solar Sails for Breakthrough Space Exploration
 
Apr 7, 2020
 
 
______________

Solar sail
 
 
______________

Solar Sail: Materials and Space Environmental Effects
 

______________

Textile Material Lessons Learned During the Design and Qualification of the NASA Orion Capsule Parachute Assembly System
 
 
______________
 
Supersonic parachutes, a step forward for the journeys of the future
 
24 November 2020
 

______________
 
Shape-changing "robotic fabric" switches between soft and strong
 
September 29, 2020
 
 
______________
 
Shape-shifting materials with infinite possibilities
 
October 21, 2021
 
Totimorphic structural materials can achieve any shape
 
 
______________
 
Advanced morphing material able to take on any shape
 
October 22, 2021
 
 
______________
 
New shape-shifting material can move like a robot
 
July 13, 2022
 
 
______________
 
This Shape-Shifting Robot Can Liquefy Itself and Reform
 
January 27, 2023
 
The technology could one day assemble and repair hard-to-reach circuits, act as a universal screw or retrieve foreign objects from a body, researchers say
 

______________

MIT and NASA engineers demonstrate a new kind of airplane wing
 
March 31, 2019
 
Assembled from tiny identical pieces, the wing could enable lighter, more energy-efficient aircraft designs.
 
 
______________

How the Pentagon Could Make Magnet-Powered Subs Like ‘Red October’ a Reality
 
Jun 2, 2023
 
Warships, both on and under the sea, could someday sail without moving parts.
The Pentagon is looking to develop so-called magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) technology to propel future ships and submarines.
MHDs would use magnetic fields instead of propellers, creating quieter, more maneuverable ships.
 

______________

Propellers make a comeback on a new type of aircraft engine
 
Jul 28th 2021
 
Propfans will be cleaner and more fuel-efficient
 
 
______________
 
MIT's latest drone propellers are very quiet and efficient
 
They consist of two blades looping together so that the tip of one blade curves back into the other.
 
Jan 27, 2023
 

______________
 
Toroidal Propeller Technology Could Mean Near-Silent Drones in the Future
 
January 30, 2023
 
 
______________
 
The Future Of Aeronautical Propulsion & Aviation Technology
 
April 21, 2019
 

______________
 
Stolt Tankers utilize new graphene propeller coatings on 25 vessels
 
April 12, 2023
 

______________
 
Use of Graphene-Based Coatings and Composites in Sports Equipment
 
Dec 30 2021
 
 
 
______________
 
Graphene on the pilot line
 
28 April 2021
 
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-021-00999-0
 
______________
 
Physicists discover important new property for graphene
 
2021
 
Unconventional form of ferroelectricity could impact next-generation computing.
 
 
______________

Twisted physics: Magic angle graphene produces switchable patterns of superconductivity
 
October 30, 2019
 
 
______________
 
Spacecraft built from graphene could run on nothing but sunlight
 
2015
 

______________
 
 
New research on self-locking light sources presents opportunities for quantum technologies

June 19, 2023

https://sciligent.com/2023/06/new-research-on-self-locking-light-sources-presents-opportunities-for-quantum-technologies/

______________


Asynchronous locking in metamaterials of fluids of light and sound

19 June 2023

Abstract

Lattices of exciton-polariton condensates represent an attractive platform for the study and implementation of non-Hermitian bosonic quantum systems with strong non-linear interactions. The possibility to actuate on them with a time dependent drive could provide for example the means to induce resonant inter-level transitions, or to perform Floquet engineering or Landau-Zener-Stückelberg state preparation. Here, we introduce polaromechanical metamaterials, two-dimensional arrays of μm-sized traps confining zero-dimensional light-matter polariton fluids and GHz phonons. A strong exciton-mediated polariton-phonon interaction induces a time-dependent inter-site polariton coupling J(t) with remarkable consequences for the dynamics. When locally perturbed by continuous wave optical excitation, a mechanical self-oscillation sets-in and polaritons respond by locking the energy detuning between neighbor sites at integer multiples of the phonon energy, evidencing asynchronous locking involving the polariton and phonon fields. These results open the path for the coherent control of dissipative quantum light fluids with hypersound in a scalable platform.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38788-9
 
______________
 
 
Shear Ultrasound Shaking Lowers Friction between Solids

ultrasound shaking will lower the friction between two objects and can induce sudden, large jerky motions

Feb 21, 2023

https://www.labmanager.com/shear-ultrasound-shaking-lowers-friction-between-solids-29826
 
______________
 

Ion Propulsion: Farther, Faster, Cheaper
 
12.07.04
 

______________
 
A New Electric Jet Engine Actually Works Inside the Atmosphere
 
2021
 
And it's based on a kind of plasma.
 
 
______________
 
 
Silent and Simple Ion Engine Powers a Plane with No Moving Parts
 
November 21, 2018
 
Researchers fly the first atmospheric aircraft to use space-proven ionic thrust technology
 
 
______________
 
 
Flying with ionic wind

21 November 2018

Aeroplanes use propellers and turbines, and are typically powered by fossil-fuel combustion. An alternative method of propelling planes has been demonstrated that does not require moving parts or combustion.

Small, lightweight devices called lifters can propel themselves into the air without combustion or moving parts, and have become a popular topic of discussion with technology buffs on social media in the past few years. And yet the physical mechanism behind lifters has been known for more than a century. When charged molecules in the air are subjected to an electric field, they are accelerated.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07411-z
 
 
______________

REVOLUTIONARY PROPELLER TECHNOLOGY: A Game-Changer for TRANSPORTATION!
 
May 20, 2023
 
 
______________

New sodium, aluminum battery aims to integrate renewables for grid resiliency
 
Low-cost, Earth-abundant raw materials power a new grid energy storage solution
 
February 7, 2023
 
 
______________
 

New high-volume joining process expands use of aluminum in autos

 

May 12, 2015
 
 Researchers have demonstrated a new process for the expanded use of lightweight aluminum in cars and trucks at the speed, scale, quality and consistency required by the auto industry. The process reduces production time and costs while yielding strong and lightweight parts, for example delivering a car door that is 62 percent lighter and 25 percent cheaper than that produced with today's manufacturing methods.

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-high-volume-aluminum-autos.html#jCp
 
 
_______________
 
 
Tiny Space Probes Using “Laser Sails” Could Speed to Outer Planets and Beyond
 
February 23, 2022
 
 
______________
 
From Solar Sails to Laser Sails
 
December 15, 2017
 
 
______________
 
Plant-based nylon: Now it’s fact, not fantasy
 
2022
 
 
______________
 
 
Plant-based nylon: Now it’s fact, not fantasy
 
2022
 
 
______________
 
Bio-Nylon Is The New Green: How One Company Is Fermenting A $10 Billion Market
 
Feb 11, 2020
 
 
______________
 
Next-Gen ‘Bio-Based’ Synthetics Are Here, But When Will They Replace Polluting Polyester?
 
Mar 11, 2022
 
 
 
______________


Scientists spin naturalistic silk from artificial spider gland

January 22, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-scientists-naturalistic-silk-artificial-spider.html

______________


New ways to strengthen biomimetic spider-silk

March 4, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-ways-biomimetic-spider-silk.html

______________

 

Smart Material: Spider Silk 

 

 Mar 5, 2011



 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYlkJyG1Oik&list=PLQoTHqAEU9OSjWhEvxWS5PIka1lSQrEZ8&index=8

______________

 

Spiders sprayed with carbon nanotubes spin superstrong webs

 A team of researchers working in Italy has found that simply spraying a spider with a carbon nanotube solution can cause the spider to spin stronger webs. In their paper they have uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, the team describes their experiments with both graphene and nanotube solutions and what happened when they sprayed it on ordinary spiders.



 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-spiders-carbon-nanotubes-superstrong-webs.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

______________


Add Graphene To Spider Silk To Create The Strongest Fiber Yet

 

Web slingers get a high-tech upgrade

Posted May 7, 2015

 
http://www.popsci.com/spiders-add-graphene-silk-creating-strongest-fiber-yet

 

______________

 
 Researchers explore mechanics of silk to design materials with high strength and low density

May 15, 2015



 Scientists at MIT have developed a systematic approach to research the structure of spider silk, blending computational modeling and mechanical analysis to 3D-print synthetic spider webs.


 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-explore-mechanics-silk-materials-high.html#jCp


----------------


Spider signal threads reveal remote sensing design secrets

 

December 16, 2015


When you look at a spider web in the garden, one thing is often noticeably absent: the spider. This may be because it is lurking away from the web in a 'retreat', where it can monitor web vibrations through a proxy known as a signal thread.

A new Oxford study published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface looks in more detail at the composition and structure of these signal threads, which spiders can use to tell whether they've caught new prey.

Dr Beth Mortimer from the Oxford Silk Group, based in the Department of Zoology, spoke to Science Blog about the research.

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-spider-threads-reveal-remote-secrets.html

______________

 


Lithium-ion batteries inspired by snail shells could prove longer-lasting

February 11, 2015



In an ongoing effort to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, scientists have looked to the techniques that snails use to control the growth of their shells. This biological inspiration, combined with a peptide found to bind very effectively with materials used to make cathodes, has potential for making lighter and longer-lasting batteries.


http://www.gizmag.com/lithium-ion-batteries-snail-shells/36045/


 ______________

 

Advanced composites may borrow designs from deep-sea shrimp

 

July 14, 2015 
 
 

New research is revealing details about how the exoskeleton of a certain type of deep-sea shrimp allows the animal to survive scalding hot waters in hydrothermal vents thousands of feet under water.


http://phys.org/news/2015-07-advanced-composites-deep-sea-shrimp.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu




______________



NASA tests foldable cloth heat shield in Mars entry simulation

 

  October 6, 2015





 As spacecraft for manned and planetary missions get larger, so do their heat shields – which are becoming very big indeed. To avoid the day when the shield becomes too large for any existing or planned launcher, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California is developing the Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT) heat shield, which uses carbon-fiber cloth and can be folded up like an umbrella. The cloth heat shield recently completed tests that simulated entering the Martian atmosphere.

http://www.gizmag.com/nasa-cloth-heat-shield-adept/39729/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

 ______________

Unique three-layered snail shell could lead to tougher body armor

 

February 1, 2010





They say life imitates art, but any scientist knows that the best designs imitate life. Researchers from the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) are drawing new biomimicry inspiration for body armor design from a hardy ocean snail that boasts a shell structure unlike anything else seen in nature... or in material research labs.

 http://www.gizmag.com/snail-shell-military-armor-car-panels/13989/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 
______________


Limpets sink their teeth into world's strongest natural material crown

 

 February 18, 2015





Spider's silk has long been the strongest natural material known to man, prompting researchers to attempt to uncover its secrets so they can replicate its remarkable properties in man-made materials. But scientists now have a new source of inspiration in the form of limpet teeth, which are made of a material researchers say is potentially stronger than spider silk, is comparable in strength to the strongest commercial carbon fibers, and could one day be copied for use in cars, boats and planes.


http://www.gizmag.com/limpet-teeth-strongest-natural-material/36162/

 

______________
 

Tiny diatoms boast enormous strength


Diatoms are single-celled algae organisms, around 30 to 100 millionths of a meter in diameter, that are ubiquitous throughout the oceans. These creatures are encased within a hard shell shaped like a wide, flattened cylinder—like a tambourine—that is made of silica. Researchers in the lab of Julia Greer, professor of materials science and mechanics in Caltech's Division of Engineering and Applied Science, have recently found that these shells have the highest specific strength—the strength at which a structure breaks with respect to its density—of any known biological material, including bone, antlers, and teeth.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-02-tiny-diatoms-enormous-strength.html

 

____________________________

 

Researchers look to the boxfish for new body armor materials


 July 29th, 2015



Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are taking inspiration from nature in the search for new materials that could one day be used to create more effective body armor. The study, which was supported by the US Air Force, focuses on the unique structure and strength of the hexagonally-scaled shell of the boxfish.

The idea of looking to nature for inspiration when it comes to next-gen armor isn't anything new. We've seen numerous studies over the last few years that focus on that same idea, including efforts to copy the structure of overlapping fish scales and even the properties of sea sponges to develop strong yet flexible armor.

 http://www.gizmag.com/boxfish-body-armor/38681/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget



______________

Tiny sea creatures could provide inspiration for armor with built-in optical systems

 

  November 25, 2015





 http://www.gizmag.com/mit-chiton-optical-armor/40590/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

A team of MIT researchers has looked closer than ever before at the unique shells of chitons, using X-rays to discover their secrets. The results reveal a no-compromise setup that provides the tiny sea creatures with both protection and optical visibility. The findings could one day inspire man-made armor with similar abilities.

Turning to nature for ideas for new materials is nothing new. In the past, researchers have looked to fish scales, boxfish shells and even sea sponges for better body armor, and we've even seen species of chiton inspiring higher-performing batteries and solar cells.

For the new MIT study, the researchers worked with a fascinating species of chiton known as Acanthopleura granulata. They have an appearance similar to the rocks amongst which they're usually found, and are small at only a few inches in diameter.

The creatures have developed a ceramic shell system that's not only flexible, being comprised of eight overlapping plates, but also provides high levels of visibility, by incorporating tiny eyes throughout. Unlike the vast majority of other living creatures, the chiton's eyes aren't made from portein, but are instead made up of the mineral aragonite – the same ceramic that makes up the rest of its shell.


______________



Next-generation body armor could be based on ... sponges?

 

 March 18, 2013

 http://www.gizmag.com/sponge-spicule-armor/26700/

Sponges’ “skeletons” – their internal structural elements – are made up of tiny interlinked needle-like structures known as spicules. These are hard, prickly, flexible and lightweight. As a result, they offer enough strength to provide structural support, while they bend to such an extent that they’re difficult to cut. A team of researchers from Germany’s Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research set out to develop a material with those same qualities.
The nanoscale spicules they created incorporate a mixture of the mineral calcite, and a protein found in siliceous sponges known as silicatein-α. Each synthetic spicule is composed of a multitude of calcite “nanobricks” stacked together brick chimney-style, with a matrix of the stretchy protein holding them together.



______________

 

Next generation armor inspired by animal scales

 

  February 12, 2015

http://www.gizmag.com/next-generation-armor-animal-scales/36050/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 We've seen scientists examine everything from the structure of sea sponges to the clubbing ability of mantis shrimps in the search for next generation lightweight armor systems. Researchers at Northeastern University’s College of Engineering believe that fish scales could hold the key to creating armor that's both impervious and lightweight. They eventually aim to combine the properties of fish, snake and butterfly scales into a single protective armor system.



 ______________


Future soldiers may be wearing fish-inspired body armor

 

 March 16, 2015





 On most fish, their hard, overlapping scales provide considerable protection against pokes and cuts. Because those independently-moving scales are each attached to a flexible underlying skin, however, the fish are still able to easily twist and turn their bodies. Scientists from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and MIT are now attempting to copy that structure, to develop flexible-yet-effective armor for humans.

http://www.gizmag.com/fish-inspired-armor/36563/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

______________


Fish's piranha-proof scales could lead to tough, flexible body armor

 

 February 10, 2012





http://www.gizmag.com/arapaima-piranha-proof-scales/21419/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 The Arapaima's "hard on the outside but pliable underneath" strategy is employed by a number of organisms, that need to be agile while remaining protected. Meyers believes the principle could find use in flexible ceramics, that could in turn be applied not only to soldiers' body armor, but also fuel cells, insulation or aerospace technology.

 Here's a question - if piranhas are so ferocious and will attack anything, why aren't they the only fish in the Amazon? Well, in some cases, it's because other fish possess bite-proof armor. The 300-pound (136-kg) Arapaima is just such a fish. In the dry season, when water levels get low, Arapaima are forced to share relatively small bodies of water with piranhas. Their tough-but-flexible scales, however, allow them to remain unharmed. A scientist from the University of California, San Diego is now taking a closer look at those scales, with an eye towards applying their secrets to human technology such as body armor.


_______________

 

MIT Breakthrough could lead to paper-thin bullet-proof armor




 Scientists have theorized that paper-thin composite nanomaterials could stop bullets just as effectively as heavy weight body armor, but progress has been hampered by their inability to reliably test such materials against projectile impacts. Researchers at MIT and Rice University have developed a breakthrough stress-test that fires microscopic glass beads at impact-absorbing material. Although the projectiles are much smaller than a bullet, the experimental results could be scaled up to predict how the material would stand up to larger impacts.

 http://www.gizmag.com/mit-breakthrough-paper-thin-bullet-proof-armor/24971/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


 ______________


Engineers create new nano-fiber tougher than Kevlar

 

December 7, 2010



A new high performance fiber that is better at absorbing energy without breaking than Kevlar has been created by the U.S Department of Defence. While still under development, the material could be used in bulletproof vests, parachutes, or in composite materials for vehicles, airplanes and satellites in the future. The fiber has been engineered from carbon nanotubes spun into a yarn and held together using a polymer. The resultant material is tough and strong while still remaining flexible.

 http://www.gizmag.com/new-nano-fiber-tougher-than-kevlar/17203/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

______________


Wood pulp extract stronger than carbon fiber or Kevlar

 

 September 3, 2012





 http://www.gizmag.com/cellulose-nanocrystals-stronger-carbon-fiber-kevlar/23959/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

The Forest Products Laboratory of the US Forest Service has opened a US$1.7 million pilot plant for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from wood by-products materials such as wood chips and sawdust. Prepared properly, CNCs are stronger and stiffer than Kevlar or carbon fibers, so that putting CNC into composite materials results in high strength, low weight products. In addition, the cost of CNCs is less than ten percent of the cost of Kevlar fiber or carbon fiber. These qualities have attracted the interest of the military for use in lightweight armor and ballistic glass (CNCs are transparent), as well as companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, and medical industries.

______________

Graphene could find use in lightweight ballistic body armor

 

December 1st, 2014






While graphene is already known for being the world's strongest material, most studies have focused on its tensile strength – that's the maximum stress that it can withstand while being pulled or stretched, before failing. According to studies conducted at Houston's Rice University, however, its ability to absorb sudden impacts hadn't previously been thoroughly explored. As it turns out, the material is 10 times better than steel at dissipating kinetic energy. That could make it an excellent choice for lightweight ballistic body armor.

http://www.gizmag.com/graphene-bulletproof-armor/35004/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

______________

 

Carbyne is stronger than any known material

 

August 20, 2013 
 
 
 A paper on Arxiv presents a detailed look at the properties of carbyne, stronger than graphene and diamond, a true supermaterial. The paper is titled, "Carbyne from first principles: Chain of C atoms, a nanorod or a nanorope?" Authors are Mingjie Liu, Vasilii I. Artyukhov, Hoonkyung Lee, Fangbo Xu, and Boris I. Yakobson, from Rice University, in Houston, from the departments of mechanical engineering and materials science, chemistry, and the Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology. They have calculated the properties of carbyne. Described as a chain of carbon atoms that are linked by alternate triple and single bonds or by consecutive double bonds, carbyne is of special interest, chemists find, because it is stronger, and stiffer than anything that they have seen before. The discovery of carbyne is not entirely new. Explorations of carbyne have their own history.
 
 http://phys.org/news/2013-08-carbyne-stronger-material.html
 

______________ 


DARPA seeks high-tech alternatives to armor

 

August 20, 2014



As a quick visit to any armored division will make obvious, tanks are big ... really big. A Challenger 2 main battle tank, for example, weighs 62.5 tonnes (68.9 tons) and costs about £4.2 million (US$7 million). And as anti-tank weapons get better, tanks can only get bigger. To avoid armies of tomorrow having to pay for land-going battleships, DARPA’s Ground X-Vehicle Technology (GXV-T) program aims at developing lighter, more agile successors to the tank that protect themselves with more than ever-thicker walls of steel.

http://www.gizmag.com/darpa-gxv-t-tank-armor/33404/



______________



Liquid metal could be used to create morphing electronics

 

 September 21, 2014 
 
 
 http://www.gizmag.com/liquid-metal-morphing-electronics/33836/
 

Who could forget the scene in Terminator 2: Judgement Day where the shape-shifting T-1000 reassembles itself from thousands of blobs of molten metal? Researchers from North Carolina State University (NCSU) have taken the first steps to such science fiction becoming reality by developing a way to control the surface tension of liquid metals with the application of very low voltages. This may offer opportunities in a new field of morphing electronic circuits, self-healing electronics, or – one day – maybe even self-assembling terminator-style robots.

The liquid metal used by the researchers was an alloy of gallium and indium. Gallium is liquid just above room temperature at about 29° C (84° F), while Indium has a much higher melting point at around 156° C (312° F), yet when mixed together, they form an alloy that is liquid at room temperature. In other words, a eutectic alloy – one that is composed of metals with disparate melting points that, when combined, melt as a whole at a specific temperature.

Another important aspect of this eutectic alloy, and one that the researchers sought to exploit in their experiments, is its exceptionally high surface tension of approximately 500 millinewtons per meter (mN/m). The consequence of this is that a blob of this alloy resting on a surface will tend to form an almost spherical ball and hold its shape if undisturbed...



 ______________

 

Squid inspires camouflaging smart materials

 

June 15, 2015



 http://phys.org/news/2015-06-squid-camouflaging-smart-materials.html

Three prototype artificial cephalopod chromatophores are shown in unactuated states. The chromatophores are made from dielectric elastomer using tape coated with black carbon grease electrodes.

- The researchers have shown the artificial skin, made from electroactive dielectric elastomer, a soft, compliant smart material, can effectively copy the action of biological chromatophores. Chromatophores are small pigmented cells embedded on cephalopods skin which can expand and contract and that work together to change skin colour and texture.

The system achieves the dynamic pattern generation by using simple local rules in the artificial chromatophore cells, so that they can sense their surroundings and manipulate their change. By modelling sets of artificial chromatophores in linear arrays of cells, the researchers explored whether the system was capable of producing a variety of patterns...



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Bacterial Armor Holds Clues for Self-Assembling Nanostructures

 

 February 11, 2015

 



 Imagine thousands of copies of a single protein organizing into a coat of chainmail armor that protects the wearer from harsh and ever-changing environmental conditions. That is the case for many microorganisms. In a new study, researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have uncovered key details in this natural process that can be used for the self-assembly of nanomaterials into complex two- and three-dimensional structures.


Caroline Ajo-Franklin, a chemist and synthetic biologist at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry, led this study in which high-throughput light scattering measurements were used to investigate the self-assembly of 2D nanosheets from a common bacterial surface layer (S-layer) protein. This protein, called “SbpA,” forms the protective armor for Lysinibacillus sphaericus, a soil bacterium used as a toxin to control mosquitoes. Their investigation revealed that calcium ions play a key role in how this armor assembles. Two key roles actually.
“Calcium ions not only trigger the folding of the protein into the correct shape for nanosheet formation, but also serve to bind the nanosheets together,” Ajo-Franklin says. “By establishing and using light scattering as a proxy for SbpA nanosheet formation, we were able to determine how varying the concentrations of calcium ions and SbpA affects the size and shape of the S-layer armor.”

 http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2015/02/11/bacterial-armor/

 

______________


Mesospheres in nano-armor: 

 

Copyright © 2009

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002197970901090X



______________



Lightweight metal foam turns armor-piercing bullets into dust

 

 April 10, 2016

http://newatlas.com/metal-foam-bullets/42731/

 ______________


Sweden Invents a Revolutionary Anti Bullet Wall, Saab Barracuda Soft Armour


 Oct 23, 2014



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQOmOBayBA



______________


 

Hypersonic Vibrations of Ag@SiO2 (Cubic Core)−Shell Nanospheres



Copyright © 2010



http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nn102581g


______________



Liquid Armor

 

  2009

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYIWfn2Jz2g

______________


Liquid Armor


 2012



 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6md1wgyo3Ik


______________

How Liquid Body Armor Works

 




http://science.howstuffworks.com/liquid-body-armor1.htm

The fluid used in body armor is made of silica particles suspended in polyethylene glycol. Silica is a component of sand and quartz, and polyethylene glycol is a polymer commonly used in laxatives and lubricants. The silica particles are only a few nanometers in diameter, so many reports describe this fluid as a form of nanotechnology.

To make liquid body armor using shear-thickening fluid, researchers first dilute the fluid in ethanol. They saturate the Kevlar with the diluted fluid and place it in an oven to evaporate the ethanol. The STF then permeates the Kevlar, and the Kevlar strands hold the particle-filled fluid in place. When an object strikes or stabs the Kevlar, the fluid immediately hardens, making the Kevlar stronger.


______________


Smart Materials (4 of 5): Magneto Rheological (MR) Fluid


 May 30, 2011



 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBXQ-6uI8GY&list=PLQoTHqAEU9OSjWhEvxWS5PIka1lSQrEZ8&index=4


 ______________

Smart materials (2 of 5): Battle Jacket, Self-healing protective coating 

 

  May 30, 2011



 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6qHY1H6piE&index=2&list=PLQoTHqAEU9OSjWhEvxWS5PIka1lSQrEZ8

 

______________


Quantum Stealth material designed to make target invisible

 

December 16, 2012 
 
 
 Scientists are exploring better methods of camouflage, a so-called scientific invisibility cloak, and news has spread fast about a Canadian company with substantial claims on how far they have come with camouflage technology. The company, HyperStealth Biotechnology, has developed Quantum Stealth camouflage material, which renders its wearers invisible by bending light waves around them. Their work has obvious implications for the defense industry. How can the enemy hit targets they cannot see or defend themselves from attackers who are invisible? Theoretically, any soldier could put on the material and get it working with no power source required.
 
 http://phys.org/news/2012-12-quantum-stealth-material-invisible.html
 
---------------------

 

Chobham armour


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chobham_armour

 

______________


Spider-silk inspired electrode offers new possibilities for the next generation of biomedical devices

January 30, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-spider-silk-electrode-possibilities-generation.html

 

______________


 New Silkworm Dye Method Could Help Build Silks With Medicinal Properties

Mar 17, 2011

We pay close attention to the modifications scientists are making to goats, moths and worms so they can harvest their silk. Now researchers in Singapore are reporting a new advancement: dyed-in-the-worm silks, which look pretty and could have interesting medical applications.

Researchers led by Natalia C. Tansil at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in Singapore fed silkworms a special diet, leading the worms to produce fluorescent silks of a particular color.

The direct uptake of dyes produced “intrinsically colored” silks, the researchers explain — the material comes out already colored. New Scientist says the worm pictured here ate a diet of mulberries and fluorescent dye, and produced a lovely rose-colored fiber.

Silkworms, which are pretty efficient little textile factories, are also being genetically modified to produce other materials like spider silk, nature’s toughest fiber. The coloring process doesn’t modify the worms’ genes — it just gives them a chemical cocktail that makes them produce colorful silk. It could be a more environmentally friendly way to produce various colors, rather than using chemicals to dye silk.

The method could also be used to dope silks with other materials, like antibacterial properties so they could be used as wound dressings, according to New Scientist.

https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-03/new-silkworm-dye-method-could-help-build-silks-special-properties/

 

______________

 
Beetles living in the dark teach us how to make sustainable colors

March 13, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-beetles-dark-sustainable.html

______________


Engineers invent octopus-inspired technology that can deceive and signal

January 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-octopus-technology.html

______________


Mimicking the masters: Octopus-inspired systems for deception and signaling

January 8, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-01-mimicking-masters-octopus-deception.html

______________


Introducing multi-component liquid-infused surfaces for adaptive and functional coatings

March 6, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-multi-component-liquid-infused-surfaces.html

______________


Precision coating boosts nanomedicine

January 9, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-precision-coating-boosts-nanomedicine.html
 

______________



Water-based paints: Less stinky, but some still contain potentially hazardous chemicals

April 3, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-based-stinky-potentially-hazardous-chemicals.html

______________


Tattoo inks found to not match the ingredients listed on the bottle

Feb 2024

The researchers analyzed tattoo inks from nine manufacturers in the United States and compared their actual contents with the label. The manufacturers ran the gamut from major, global companies to smaller producers; the inks in question came in six colors.

Of the 54 inks, 45 of them—90%—had major discrepancies with the labeled contents, such as different pigments than the ones listed or unlisted additives.

More than half contained unlisted polyethylene glycol, which can cause organ damage through repeated exposure, while 15 contained propylene glycol, a potential allergen. Other contaminants included an antibiotic commonly used to treat urinary tract infections and 2-phenoxyethanol, which poses potential health risks to nursing infants.

Their research cannot identify whether unlisted ingredients were added intentionally or if the manufacturer was provided with incorrectly labeled or contaminated materials.

"We're hoping the manufacturers take this as an opportunity to reevaluate their processes and that artists and clients take this as an opportunity to push for better labeling and manufacturing," Swierk said.

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-tattoo-inks-ingredients-bottle.html

______________ 

 

Patina 

 



 Patina  is a thin layer that variously forms on the surface of stone; on copper, bronze and similar metals (tarnish produced by oxidation or other chemical processes); on wooden furniture (sheen produced by age, wear, and polishing); or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure. Patinas can provide a protective covering to materials that would otherwise be damaged by corrosion or weathering. They may also be aesthetically appealing.

 On metal, patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides, carbonates, sulfides, or sulfates formed on the surface during exposure to atmospheric elements (oxygen, rain, acid rain, carbon dioxide, sulfur-bearing compounds), a common example of which is rust which forms on iron or steel when exposed to oxygen. Patina also refers to accumulated changes in surface texture and colour that result from normal use of an object such as a coin or a piece of furniture over time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patina

 

______________


Copper in architecture


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_in_architecture#Finishes


______________

 

Graphene layer could quadruple rate of condensation heat transfer in generating plants

Jun 01, 2015



Most of the world's electricity-producing power plants—whether powered by coal, natural gas, or nuclear fission—make electricity by generating steam that turns a turbine. That steam then is condensed back to water, and the cycle begins again.

But the condensers that collect the steam are quite inefficient, and improving them could make a big difference in overall power plant efficiency.

Now, a team of researchers at MIT has developed a way of coating these condenser surfaces with a layer of graphene, just one atom thick, and found that this can improve the rate of heat transfer by a factor of four—and potentially even more than that, with further work. And unlike polymer coatings, the graphene coatings have proven to be highly durable in laboratory tests.

http://phys.org/news/2015-06-graphene-layer-quadruple-condensation.html#jCp



______________


Graphene used to rust-proof steel

 

  May 29, 2012





Hexavalent chromium compounds are a key ingredient in coatings used to rust-proof steel. They also happen to be carcinogenic. Researchers, therefore, have been looking for non-toxic alternatives that could be used to keep steel items from corroding. Recently, scientists from the University at Buffalo announced that they have developed such a substance. It’s a varnish that incorporates graphene, the one-atom-thick carbon sheeting material that is the thinnest and strongest substance known to exist.

http://www.gizmag.com/graphene-anti-rust-coating/22731/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


______________


Slick coating keeps steel clean and tough

 

October 21, 2015

When liquids stick to steel for long enough, the steel corrodes or becomes contaminated. Unfortunately, however, porous surface coatings that repel liquids also tend to make steel weaker … until now, that is. Scientists at Harvard University have recently discovered that their existing SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Porous Surfaces) technology not only causes liquids to roll right off, but it actually makes steel stronger.

Led by Prof. Joanna Aizenberg, the Harvard team utilized electrochemical deposition to apply a a surface coating of rough nanoporous tungsten oxide to small sheets of steel. This coating took the form of an utra-thin film, actually made up of hundreds of thousands of separate microscopic tungsten oxide "islands." The resulting surace roughness keeps liquid from sticking to the steel.
Additionally, because they're not connected to one another, if any of the islands are damaged by abrasion to the film, that damage stays localized instead of affecting the whole coating.

http://www.gizmag.com/slips-steel-coating/39982/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


______________


Tin-based stanene could conduct electricity with 100 percent efficiency

 

December 1, 2013

A team of theoretical physicists from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University is predicting that stanene, a single layer of tin atoms laid out in a two-dimensional structure, could conduct electricity with one hundred percent efficiency at room temperature. If the findings are confirmed they could pave the way for building computer chips that are faster, consume less power, and won't heat up nearly as much.
Stanene is an example of a topological insulator, a class of materials that conduct electricity only on their outside edges or surfaces. When topological insulators are just one atom thick, their edges conduct electricity with 100 percent efficiency, forcing electrons to move in defined lanes, without resistance.

http://www.gizmag.com/stanene-topological-insulator/29976/


 ______________



Nano Coatings

http://www.voyle.net/Nano%20Coatings/%20Nano%20Coating1.htm



______________



Physical vapor deposition







http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_vapor_deposition

 

______________

 

Titanium nitride




 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_nitride

 

______________


Ion plating

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_plating

 

  ______________

 

Ion implantation

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_implantation

 

 ______________

 

Indium tin oxide

 



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indium_tin_oxide


______________

 

Cathodic arc deposition

 




 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathodic_arc_deposition

 

  ______________


Plasma-immersion ion implantation



 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma-immersion_ion_implantation

 

 ______________

 

Thin film




 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_film


______________

 

Thermal spraying




Several variations of thermal spraying are distinguished:


  • Plasma spraying
  • Detonation spraying
  • Wire arc spraying
  • Flame spraying
  • High velocity oxy-fuel coating spraying (HVOF)
  • Warm spraying
  • Cold spraying


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_spraying


______________

 

Transparent ceramics

 

Nanomaterials

 






It has been shown fairly recently that laser elements (amplifiers, switches, ion hosts, etc.) made from fine-grained ceramic nanomaterials—produced by the low temperature sintering of high purity nanoparticles and powders—can be produced at a relatively low cost. These components are free of internal stress or intrinsic birefringence, and allow relatively large doping levels or optimized custom-designed doping profiles. This highlights the use of ceramic nanomaterials as being particularly important for high-energy laser elements and applications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_ceramics


______________



New nanowire structure absorbs light efficiently

Feb 25, 2015





 Researchers at Aalto University have developed a new method to implement different types of nanowires side-by-side into a single array on a single substrate. The new technique makes it possible to use different semiconductor materials for the different types of nanowires.


 'We have succeeded in combining nanowires grown by the VLS (vapor-liquid-solid) and SAE (selective-area epitaxy) techniques onto the same platform. The difference compared with studies conducted previously on the same topic is that in the dual-type array the different materials do not grow in the same nanowire, but rather as separate wires on the same substrate', says Docent Teppo Huhtio.

The research results were published in the Nano Letters journal on 5 February 2015.

The new fabrication process has many phases. First, gold nanoparticles are spread on a substrate. Next, the substrate is coated with silicon oxide, into which small holes are then patterned using electron beam lithography. In the first step of growth, (SAE), nanowires grow from where the holes are located, after which the silicon oxide is removed. In the second phase different types of nanowires are grown with the help of the gold nanoparticles (VLS). The researchers used metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy reactor in which the starting materials decompose at a high temperature, forming semiconductor compounds on the substrate.

'In this way we managed to combine two growth methods into the same process', says doctoral candidate Joona-Pekko Kakko.

'We noticed in optical reflection measurements that light couples better to this kind of combination structure. For instance, a solar cell has less reflection and better absorption of light', Huhtio adds.

In addition to solar cells and LEDs, the researchers also see good applications in thermoelectric generators.  Further processing for component applications has already begun.

Nanowires are being intensely researched, because semiconductor components that are currently in use need to be made smaller and more cost-effective. The nanowires made out of semiconductor materials are typically 1-10 micrometres in length, with diameters of 5-100 nanometres.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-02-nanowire-absorbs-efficiently.html#jCp



______________ 



 Calculations reveal how mixtures of different elements can control the thermal properties of nanowires

Apr  2015



A mathematical model of heat flow through miniature wires could help develop thermoelectric devices that efficiently convert heat—even their own waste heat—into electricity.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-reveal-mixtures-elements-thermal-properties.html#jCp


______________

 

Stretchable ceramics made by flame technology

 

 June 8th, 2015



 Synthesizing nanoscale materials takes place within high-tech laboratories, where scientists in full-body suits keep every grain of dust away from their sensitive innovations. However, scientists at Kiel University proved that this is not always necessary. They have successfully been able to transfer the experience from furnace to laboratory while synthesizing nanoscale materials using simple and highly efficient flame technology. This "baking" of nanostructures has already been a great success using zinc oxide. The recent findings concentrate on tin oxide, which opens up a wide field of possible new applications. The material scientists published their latest research data in today's issue (Friday, 5 June) of the renowned scientific journal Advanced Electronic Materials.

http://phys.org/news/2015-06-stretchable-ceramics-flame-technology.html#jCp



______________


New Iron-Based Material Could Be The Best High Temperature Superconductor



 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/new-iron-based-material-could-be-the-best-high-temperature-superconductor-20100120/#.VSFdkeG-2zk

 

______________

 

Iron-Coated 'Sand' Made to Flow Up Hill in Strange New Experiment

22 September 2023

 




https://www.sciencealert.com/iron-coated-sand-made-to-flow-up-hill-in-strange-new-experiment

 

______________

 

Team announces breakthrough observation of Mott transition in a superconductor

 

September 11, 2015 
 


An international team of researchers, including the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology at the University of Twente in The Netherlands and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, announced today in Science the observation of a dynamic Mott transition in a superconductor.

The discovery experimentally connects the worlds of classical and quantum mechanics and illuminates the mysterious nature of the Mott transition. It also could shed light on non-equilibrium physics, which is poorly understood but governs most of what occurs in our world. The finding may also represent a step towards more efficient electronics based on the Mott transition.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-team-breakthrough-mott-transition-superconductor.html#jCp



______________


Quantum scientists break aluminium 'monopoly' (Update)

 

May 25, 2015 
 
 

 A Majorana fermion, or a Majorana particle, is a fermion that is its own antiparticle. Discovering the Majorana was the first step, but utilizing it as a quantum bit (qubit) still remains a major challenge. An important step towards this goal has just been taken by researchers from TU Delft in today's issue of Nature Physics. It is a nearly thirty-year-old scientific problem that has just been resolved: demonstrating the difference between the even and odd occupation of a superconductor in high magnetic fields. Thus far, this was only possible in aluminium, which is incompatible with Majoranas. This result enables the read out and manipulation of quantum states encoded in prospective Majorana qubits.

 

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-monopoly-aluminium-broken.html#ajTabs


 ______________


Superconductor breaks high-temperature record

 
Iron-based crystal regains conducting properties under pressure.


 22 February 2012



http://www.nature.com/news/superconductor-breaks-high-temperature-record-1.10081



______________



 New microfiber emitters boost production of versatile fibers fourfold, cut energy consumption by 92 percent

 
Jun 05, 2015



 http://phys.org/news/2015-06-microfiber-emitters-boost-production-versatile.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu


______________

 

Biodegradable 3D Printer Filaments – A Guide to Going Green with 3D Printing

February 20, 2024

https://www.3dsourced.com/guides/biodegradable-3d-printer-filaments/

______________

 

Magnetohydrodynamics

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD; also called magneto-fluid dynamics or hydro­magnetics) is a model of electrically conducting fluids that treats all interpenetrating particle species together as a single continuous medium. It is primarily concerned with the low-frequency, large-scale, magnetic behavior in plasmas and liquid metals and has applications in numerous fields including geophysics, astrophysics, and engineering.

The word magneto­hydro­dynamics is derived from magneto- meaning magnetic field, hydro- meaning water, and dynamics meaning movement. The field of MHD was initiated by Hannes Alfvén, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1970.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamics

______________

 

Liquid metal for high-entropy alloy nanoparticles synthesis

14 June 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06082-9

 

______________

 

New family of wheel-like metallic clusters exhibit unique properties

April 14th, 2023

https://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=57335

 

______________ 

 

3D metal printing breakthrough: Researchers create metallic gel for use at room temperature

July 6, 2023

https://wraltechwire.com/2023/07/06/3d-metal-printing-breakthrough-researchers-create-metallic-gel-for-use-at-room-temperature/

 

______________

 


Exceptionally strong and lightweight new metal created
 
December 23, 2015 
 
 
 A team led by researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has created a super-strong yet light structural metal with extremely high specific strength and modulus, or stiffness-to-weight ratio. The new metal is composed of magnesium infused with a dense and even dispersal of ceramic silicon carbide nanoparticles. It could be used to make lighter airplanes, spacecraft, and cars, helping to improve fuel efficiency, as well as in mobile electronics and biomedical devices.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-12-exceptionally-strong-lightweight-metal.html#jCp
 
______________
 
 
A metal composite that will (literally) float your boat
 
May 12, 2015 
 
 
Researchers have demonstrated a new metal matrix composite that is so light that it can float on water. A boat made of such lightweight composites will not sink despite damage to its structure. The new material also promises to improve automotive fuel economy because it combines light weight with heat resistance.

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-metal-composite-literally-boat.html#jCp
 

_______________


Weird metal that's also glass is insanely bouncy

Oct 17, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpuCtzdvix4

______________


Unveiling oxidation-induced super-elasticity in metallic glass nanotubes

February 2, 2024

Oxidation can degrade the properties and functionality of metals. However, a research team co-led by scientists from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) recently discovered that severely oxidized metallic glass nanotubes can attain an ultrahigh recoverable elastic strain, outperforming most conventional super-elastic metals. They also discovered the physical mechanisms underpinning this super-elasticity.

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-unveiling-oxidation-super-elasticity-metallic.html

______________

 

First nanoscale direct observation of how glass transforms into liquid at increasing temperature

Jul 13, 2023

https://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-news2/newsid=63330.php

 

______________

 

Discovery of structural regularity hidden in silica glass

From Tohoku University 30/11/23

https://superinnovators.com/2023/12/discovery-of-structural-regularity-hidden-in-silica-glass/ 


______________


Aerosol jet printing could revolutionize microfluidic device fabrication

February 1, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-aerosol-jet-revolutionize-microfluidic-device.html


______________

 
 Carnival Glass 101 


http://carnivalglass101.carnivalheaven.com/id136.ht

 If you look at the recipe that remains from E. A. Dugan's notebook (page 26 of the Dugan/Diamond book by Heacock, Measell & Wiggins), for a turquoise blue opal glass, you have 300 parts sand (silica), 81 parts soda (calcium carbonate), 50 parts lead (most likely lead oxide), 24 parts pearls (potassium phosphate), 54 parts feldspar (most likely potassium aluminum silicate), 50 parts fluorspar (calcium fluoride), 5 parts kryolite (sodium fluoraluminate),-actually used as a stomach insecticide as the crystals punch holes in insect gut cells!), 5 parts arsenic, and 7 oz. of copper scales (for the blue color). As you can tell from this formula, there's a lot more lead and fluoride than arsenic in the batch and the dust during the mixing of the batch would be quite dangerous. However, once fused in the melting process, none of these chemicals would be chemically active. If they were, all of our lead crystal glass would be highly dangerous to use! (That rumor goes around occasionally).

I hear all the time that cobalt (blue), selenium (pink to red) and uranium (yellow) compounds that are used as colorants in glass are highly toxic or are no longer available.



  ______________

 


Atomic fractals in metallic glasses

September 21, 2015



Metallic glasses are very strong and elastic materials that appear with the naked eye to be identical to stainless steel. But metallic glasses differ from ordinary metals in that they are amorphous, lacking an orderly, crystalline atomic arrangement. This random distribution of atoms, which is the primary characteristic of all glass materials (such as windowpanes and tableware), gives metallic glasses unique mechanical properties but unpredictable internal structure. Researchers in the Caltech lab of Julia Greer, professor of materials science and mechanics in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, have shown that metallic glasses do have an atomic-level structure—if you zoom in closely enough—although it differs from the periodic lattices that characterize crystalline metals.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-atomic-fractals-metallic-glasses.html#jCp



 ______________


Improving bulk metallic glass by maximizing surface

 
December 22, 2015


 Yale University researchers have figured out a way to refine bulk metallic glasses to improve their electrochemical performance.

 Results of the research, based in the lab of chemical and environmental engineering professor André D. Taylor, are published in the Dec. 21 issue of Advanced Materials.

Bulk metallic glass (BMG), also known as amorphous metal alloy, exhibits superior mechanical properties and great formability under low temperature compared with general alloys. Numerous efforts have been applied to develop these materials for biomedical devices, high efficiency transformers, and for products that require high-strength materials, such as golf clubs.

Working with the lab of Yale professor Jan Schroers, Taylor pioneered the use of BMGs as catalysts in fuel cells. BMGs have the strength of metal, but can be shaped like a plastic, so they can be used to form nanowires and achieve high-surface areas. Increasing surface area leads to an increased performance in current density, because all of the electrochemical reactions are on the surface.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-12-bulk-metallic-glass-maximizing-surface.html#jCp



 ______________


Microscopic animals inspire innovative glass research

 
September 3, 2015
 



 Prof. Juan de Pablo's 20-year exploration of the unusual properties of glass began, oddly enough, with the microscopic animals known as water bears.

The creatures, which go by the more formal name of tardigrades, have a remarkable ability to withstand extreme environments of hot and cold, and even the vacuum of space. When de Pablo read about what happens when scientists dry out tardigrades, then revive them with water years later, his interest was piqued.

 "When you remove the water, they very quickly coat themselves in large amounts of glassy molecules," says de Pablo, the Liew Family Professor in Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. "That's how they stay in this state of suspended animation."

His passion to understand how glass forms in such exotic settings helped lead de Pablo and his fellow researchers to the unexpected discovery of a new type of glass.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-09-microscopic-animals-glass.html#jCp



______________

 

Scientists open new window on the physics of glass formation

January 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-01-scientists-window-physics-glass-formation.html

______________

Modern computational studies of the glass transition

January 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42254-022-00548-x

______________

Unraveling the Mysteries of Glassy Liquids – Scientists Propose New Theory

November 22, 2023

https://scitechdaily.com/unraveling-the-mysteries-of-glassy-liquids-scientists-propose-new-theory/

 

______________


Glass fibers in lunar regolith could help build structures on the moon (Controversial)

May 15, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-05-glass-fibers-lunar-regolith-moon.html


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Super-tough glass based on mollusk shells


January 29, 2014





In the future, if you drop a glass on the floor and it doesn't break, thank a mollusk. Inspired by shellfish, scientists at Montreal's McGill University have devised a new process that drastically increases the toughness of glass. When dropped, items made using the technology would be more likely to deform than to shatter.

http://www.gizmag.com/mollusk-nacre-tougher-glass/30654/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget





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Tough-as-nails ceramic inspired by mother-of-pearl

 

 March 25, 2014





 http://www.gizmag.com/mother-of-pearl-nacre-ceramic/31367/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

Although you may know it simply as the shiny iridescent stuff on the inside of mollusk shells, mother-of-pearl (or nacre) is a remarkable material. It allows those shells, which otherwise consist almost entirely of brittle calcium carbonate, to stand up to the abuses of life in the sea. Now, a team led by the Laboratoire de Synthèse et Fonctionnalisation des Céramiques (CNRS) in Paris, has copied the structure of nacre to create a ceramic material that's almost 10 times stronger than conventional ceramics.
Natural nacre consists of layers of microscopic tablet-like blocks, that have wavy edges not unlike jig-saw puzzle pieces. This means that when the material is subjected to mechanical stress, any cracks that start to form in the boundary lines between the tablets have to follow a very circuitous route. As a result, all but the largest cracks simply just peter out.
Scientists at Montreal's McGill University recently created super-strong glass, by etching nacre boundary line-like cracks in glass microscope slides. The CNRS team, however, took a different approach with the ceramic.
They started with a ceramic powder, made up of microscopic alumina platelets. That powder was suspended in water, and the resulting solution was then frozen. The ice crystallization process caused the platelets to self-assemble into stacks, the boundaries between which were similar to the wavy boundaries between nacre tablets. A high-temperature process was then used to increase the density of the material, thus removing the water.
In lab tests of the resulting ceramic, it was found that cracks had great difficulty spreading through it – as is the case with real nacre.
Additionally, the scientists state that the process should work with any type of ceramic powder (not just alumina), and it should be easy to scale up to industrial production levels. Besides simply making existing types of ceramic items stronger, the technology could also allow them to stay at the same strength, but be made much smaller.



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Study shows how calcium carbonate forms composites to make strong materials such as in shells and pearls

 

January 8, 2016






Seashells and lobster claws are hard to break, but chalk is soft enough to draw on sidewalks. Though all three are made of calcium carbonate crystals, the hard materials include clumps of soft biological matter that make them much stronger. A study today in Nature Communications reveals how soft clumps get into crystals and endow them with remarkable strength.


http://phys.org/news/2016-01-calcium-carbonate-composites-strong-materials.html#nRlv


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Mantis shrimp may hold the secret to lighter, tougher body armors

 

  June 9, 2012

 

 

 The mantis shrimp is a fascinating creature that has the ability to punch its prey into submission with a club that accelerates underwater at around 10,400 g (102,000 m/s2). By studying the secrets behind this formidable weapon, a Californian researcher hopes to develop an innovative, hi-tech material that is one third the weight and thickness of existing body armor.

 

http://www.gizmag.com/mantis-shrimp-body-armor/22873/ 

 

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A better board: Glassing with a Bio-Based Epoxy Resin

 

July 19 2012

http://www.surfrider.org/jims-blog/entry/a-better-board-non-toxic-glassing


 ______________


How to Make Orgonite

 

http://www.orgonite.info/how-to-make-orgonite.html

Basic orgonite is simply fiberglass resin, metal shavings and a quartz crystal, cured in any mold you like. There's no one "right" shape or size for orgonite, and its range of effect seems to scale linearly with volume, but there are specific, time-tested, widely-used and repeatedly-confirmed effective designs for both personal and field devices which have grown and continue to grow out of the steadfast work of talented and dedicated gifters from around the world.

 

 

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New kind of smart-glass changes color and produces electricity

 
April 9, 2015
 

Many types of smart-glass have been created, some that display a tint when it gets sunny out, others that change to prevent heat from coming in, etc. In this new effort, the researchers sought to add something new—production of electricity. Realizing that many types of glass are subjected to rain and wind, they sought to find a way to coat a window that would take advantage of triboelectrics—capturing the energy in static electricity that occurs when two materials meet.

http://phys.org/news/2015-04-kind-smart-glass-electricity.html



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Vanadium dioxide 'smart glass' can be activated to block infrared light while remaining transparent to visible light

Nov 29, 2013

 'Smart glass' can switch from transparent to opaque at the flick of a switch and is increasingly used in cars, aircraft and homes to reduce the Sun's glare and filter out infrared light and heat. Masaki Nakano and colleagues from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science have now used vanadium dioxide to make a transparent material that can be activated to block infrared light without affecting its transparency for visible light.

Vanadium dioxide is a well-known thermochromic material that is transparent below about 30 °C and reflects infrared light above 60 °C. This transition is related to a change in crystal structure that also results in a shift from electrically insulating properties at lower temperatures to conductive properties at higher temperatures.

http://phys.org/news/2013-11-vanadium-dioxide-smart-glass-block.html#jCp


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Ultrathin metasurface lenses do things conventional optics can't

 

September 8, 2015

http://www.gizmag.com/ultrathin-metamaterial-lens-jpl-caltech/39298/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


Once, the only way to manipulate light was with the use of a transparent glass or plastic lens whose shape and makeup determined such things as focus, magnification, and polarity. However, to incorporate all of these properties in the one optical system required a large and complex collection of multiple lenses to achieve. Now researchers working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have created a flat silicon metamaterial lens that manages all of these thing in a microminiaure device that electromagnetically controls the properties of any light passing it.

Using an arrangement of silicon nanopillars organized into a honeycomb pattern to form a "metasurface" able to control the direction and attributes of light waves, the new device may one day be mass-produced using much the same methods employed to create computer chips today.
As such, the researchers believe that applications for their creation may include cutting-edge microscopes, displays, sensors, and cameras that could all take advantage of the superior characteristics of high-quality lenses at a fraction of the price. 



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Processing technology to improve the electrical properties of glass ceramic circuit boards

July 8, 2015



As you ease your foot off the accelerator, a radar sensor detects how far away you are from the other cars and intelligently adjusts your speed appropriately. Technology like this is already helping to improve road safety and is set to become even more commonplace. From an electrical engineering perspective, manufacturing sensors of this kind is an extremely tricky process: the sensors have to be able to operate at very high frequencies but still need to be precise and efficient. TU Wien has now managed to develop a new processing technology for the high-precision nanostructuring of glass ceramic circuit boards. This means that the material properties can be adjusted, thereby significantly improving the electromagnetic behaviour of the sensor.


http://phys.org/news/2015-07-technology-electrical-properties-glass-ceramic.html#nRlv

 

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Stretchable, transparent heater made from metallic glass


January 7, 2016


Researchers have fabricated a stretchable and transparent electrode that can be used for applications such as heating parts of the body and defrosting the side view mirrors on cars. It is the first stretchable electronics device made from metallic glass, which is a metal that has an amorphous (disordered) structure like that of a glass, instead of the highly ordered crystalline structure that metals normally have.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-stretchable-transparent-heater-metallic-glass.html

 ______________

The Glass Age, Part 1: Flexible, Bendable Glass


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12OSBJwogFc

______________

The Glass Age, Part 2: Strong, Durable Glass

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13B5K_lAabw


______________

 

World's Strongest Materials - New Full History HD Documentary 

 

Nov 12, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwVlOLnqNaQ

 

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 Space-Age Materials, One Atomic Layer at a Time

 08.10.12



 http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/atomic-layer_prt.htm


 A technologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., however, is experimenting with an emerging technology that might provide another, perhaps more effective, technique for defending sensitive spacecraft components from the high-velocity bombardments.

Vivek Dwivedi and his collaborator, chemical engineering professor Raymond Adomaitis from the University of Maryland, College Park, are using atomic layer deposition (ALD) — a rapidly evolving technology for coating plastics, semiconductors, glass, Teflon, and a plethora of other materials — to create a new super-strong, ultra-thin coating made of tiny tubes of boron nitride, similar in appearance to the bristles on a toothbrush.

''Crystalline boron nitride is one of the hardest materials in the world,'' Dwivedi said, making it ideal as a coating to make sensitive spacecraft component less susceptible to damage when struck by space dust, tiny rocks, and high-energy solar particles.

Atomic Layer Deposition

The ALD technique, which the semiconductor industry has adopted in its manufacturing of computer chips, involves placing a substrate material inside a reactor chamber and sequentially pulsing different types of precursor gases to create an ultrathin film whose layers are literally no thicker than a single atom.

ALD differs from other techniques for applying thin films because the process is split into two half reactions, is run in sequence, and is repeated for each layer. As a result, technicians can accurately control the thickness and composition of the deposited films, even deep inside pores and cavities. This gives ALD a unique ability to coat in and around 3-D objects. This advantage — coupled with the fact that technologists can create films at much lower temperatures than with the other techniques — has led many in the optics, electronics, energy, textile, and biomedical-device fields to replace older deposition techniques with ALD.

According to Dwivedi, if technicians use ALD to coat glass with aluminum oxide, for example, they can strengthen glass by more than 80 percent. The resulting thin films act like ''nano putty,'' filling the nanometer-scale defects found in glass — the very same tiny cracks that cause glass to break when struck by an object. ''This ALD application has profound possibilities for the next-generation crew modules,'' Dwivedi said. ''We could decrease the thickness of the glass windows without sacrificing strength.''


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9-Ton Slab of Glass Found in the Cave of Beit Shearim

Sep 17, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_eDWi46h7o

______________

 
MYSTERY OF THE GREEN GLASS


Dec 26, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLINtOTAoWI

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LionGlass: New Type of Glass That’s Greener and 10x More Damage Resistant

August 14, 2023

 


 

A sample of LionGlass, a new type of glass engineered by researchers at Penn State that requires significantly less energy to produce and is much more damage resistant than standard soda lime silicate glass.

https://scitechdaily.com/lionglass-new-type-of-glass-thats-greener-and-10x-more-damage-resistant/

 

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Laser-induced hydrothermal growth for electrocatalytic applications

November 29, 2023

In the new study published in the journal International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing on 1 November 2023, researchers from the UK and China reported a novel technique based on a laser-induced hydrothermal reaction (LIHR) mechanism for the growth of binary metal oxide nanoarchitecture and layered-double hydroxides on nickel foams for electrocatalytic applications...

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-laser-induced-hydrothermal-growth-electrocatalytic-applications.html

 

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Organic fabric dyes: Safe eco-friendly alternatives for synthetic dyes

2023

Turmeric

Turmeric is one of the oldest natural dyes used on fabric and it yields a bright golden-yellow color. The coloring ingredient present in turmeric is called curcumin and it is the root of the turmeric plant that is used for dying. The roots are crushed and reduced to a powdery form before they are boiled in hot water to form the dye. Fabrics like cotton, silk, and wool can be dyed using this organic plant-based dye but it requires to be combined with a mordant for a lasting effect.

Henna

Henna is a natural dye with varied applications. The earliest usage of henna can be traced back to Egypt about 9000 years ago. Not only is henna used to dye clothes but it is also popularly used as a dye for human hair and skin, which goes to show it is highly safe for dyeing clothes for people of all ages. The dye is derived by drying and crushing the leaves of the henna plant, and the resultant colors might range from mustard yellow to brown. Henna can be a good alternative to synthetic disperse dyes because it works great on polyester and nylon. It can also be used on silk or wool when aiming for a light shade of brown.

Indigo

For centuries, indigo has been commercially produced for dyeing fabrics in different parts of the world and especially in Asia. The dye is extracted from the seeds of indigo plants and the color that it produces is royal blue. The plants are first soaked into water for fermentation and once the hydrolysis of glucoside is over, the plant residues are removed from the liquid. The solution is then aerated to convert the indoxyl to indigotin, which eventually become the precipitate. Indigo works well with natural cellulose fibers present in cotton, viscose, and linen but can also be used to dye wool or synthetic fibers.

Cochineal

Cochineal is a dye derived from a scaled insect bearing the same name which contains a natural colorant called carmine in its body. It can be used as an organic dye for fibers such as silk, cotton, and wool to obtain colors like crimson or shades of pink. When iron, copper, or chromium are used as mordants, more shades in the range of purple to gray can be derived using the dye.

Malachite

Malachite is an organic compound used to dye silk, wool, and leather. Even though it is named after the mineral malachite owing to its color, it is not derived from it. It is an organic chloride salt and the color it produces it a dark shade of blue-green. This, like all the others mentioned above, is a safer alternative for the chemical dyes which pollute water bodies and cause harmful impact on people who work with them.

https://fashinza.com/sustainability/eco-friendly/organic-fabric-dyes-safe-eco-friendly-alternatives-for-synthetic-dyes/

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New dyeing method could help jeans shrink toxic problem

February 27, 2024

 Can the multi-billion-dollar denim industry keep producing blue jeans in every shape, size and silhouette, while shrinking oversized levels of hazardous pollution? Research published Tuesday suggests a new dye could be a step in the right direction.

Scientists have been searching for ways to make a more sustainable form of indigo, used for centuries to color textiles, but which in its modern synthetic form needs toxic chemicals, large quantities of water and is linked to substantial carbon dioxide emissions.

But a study published in the journal Nature Communications suggests ditching the classic dye altogether.

Using Indican—a colorless compound also derived form indigo-producing plants—could reduce the environmental and societal impacts associated with dying jeans by around 90 percent because it does not need toxic chemicals, researchers said.

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-dyeing-method-jeans-toxic-problem.html

______________



Scientists create plastic-free vegan leather that dyes itself, grown from bacteria

April 3, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-plastic-free-vegan-leather.html


______________


How dope dyeing is making your outdoor gear more sustainable

October 15, 2023

https://www.advnture.com/features/dope-dyeing

______________


DOPE DYED – the Future of Textile Industry

2018

https://www.fashionhometex.com/articles/2018/08/dope-dyed-future-of-textile-industry

______________


Recent advances in fungal xenobiotic metabolism: enzymes and applications

2023 Sep 2

Abstract

Fungi have been extensively studied for their capacity to biotransform a wide range of natural and xenobiotic compounds. This versatility is a reflection of the broad substrate specificity of fungal enzymes such as laccases, peroxidases and cytochromes P450, which are involved in these reactions. This review gives an account of recent advances in the understanding of fungal metabolism of drugs and pollutants such as dyes, agrochemicals and per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), and describes the key enzymes involved in xenobiotic biotransformation. The potential of fungi and their enzymes in the bioremediation of polluted environments and in the biocatalytic production of important compounds is also discussed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10474215/

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 Scientists come up with technology to recycle used clothes rather than simply burning them

January 12, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-scientists-technology-recycle-simply.html

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New Developments In Fibers, Yarns & Fabrics

 May 27, 2020

https://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/features/2020/05/new-developments-in-fibers-yarns-fabrics/

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Replacing plastics with alternatives is worse for greenhouse gas emissions in most cases, study finds

April 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-plastics-alternatives-worse-greenhouse-gas.html

______________


Plastic Bottle Alternatives: Sustainable Choices for Environmentally Conscious Consumers

November 13, 2023

Glass Bottles
Stainless Steel Bottles
Reusable Aluminum Bottles
Silicone Water Bottles
Biodegradable Bottles
Bamboo Water Bottles
Upcycled Beverage Containers
Collapsible Water Bottles
Ceramic Bottles
Cardboard Water Containers
Beverage Pouches
Plant-based Bottles


https://homeisd.com/plastic-bottle-alternatives/

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Eco-Friendly Bubble Wrap Alternatives: Guide to Sustainable Packaging

September 5, 2023

https://homeisd.com/eco-friendly-bubble-wrap-alternatives-guide-to-sustainable-packaging/

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Looking for an Alternative to Bubble Wrap? These 7 Materials Will Do the Trick

23 November, 2020

1. Compostable mailers
2. Corrugated packaging
3. Biodegradable packing peanuts
4. Mushroom packaging
5. Seaweed packaging
6. GreenWrap
7. Air pillows

https://noissue.co.uk/blog/looking-for-an-alternative-to-bubble-wrap-these-7-materials-will-do-the-trick/

______________


Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Pool Noodles – 2024 Guide

https://ubuntumanual.org/alternatives-pool-noodles/

_______________


13 Cellophane Alternatives for Your Next Event

Cellophane Alternatives

    1. Plant-Based Plastics
    2. Mushroom Root
    3. Bagasse
    4. Seaweed Water Bubbles
    5. Shower-Friendly Paper
    6. Stone Paper and Plastic
    7. Palm Leaves
    8. Corn Starch and Sorghum Loose Fill
    9. Edible Six-Pack Ring
    10. Silberboard – Metallised Paper
    11. Wood Pulp Cellophane
    12. Prawn Shell Plastic Bags
    13. Milk Plastic

https://www.ecomasteryproject.com/cellophane-alternatives/

_______________


FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO CLEAR POLY BAGS

October 4, 2022

https://www.ecoenclose.com/finding-an-alternative-to-clear-poly-bags

_______________


A tough, biodegradable and water-resistant plastic alternative from coconut husk

June 2022

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361112423_A_tough_biodegradable_and_water-resistant_plastic_alternative_from_coconut_husk

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Sustainable packaging

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_packaging

_______________


Silicone Alternatives: Top Eco-friendly Options & Benefits

November 13, 2023

Why Silicone Alternatives Matter
What Are Silicones?
Plant-Based Silicone Alternatives
Synthetic Silicone Alternatives
Green Chemistry Designed Silicone Alternatives
Pros and Cons of Silicone Alternatives
Cost Comparison of Silicone Alternatives
Safety and Performance of Silicone Alternatives
FDA Regulations On Silicone Alternatives
Silicone Alternatives in Medical Industry
Silicone Alternatives in Cosmetics
Silicone Alternatives in Beauty Products
Textile Industry Silicone Alternatives
Silicone Alternatives in Food and Beverage Industry
Food-Grade Silicone Alternatives
Silicone Alternatives in Industrial Applications
Silicone Alternatives in Automotive Industry
Environmental Benefits of Silicone Alternatives

https://homeisd.com/silicone-alternatives/

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Eco-friendly bamboo pulp foam enabled by chitosan and phytic acid interfacial assembly of halloysite nanotubes: Toward flame retardancy, thermal insulation, and sound absorption

2024

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014181302400196X

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Scientists create method to bond hydrogels and other polymeric materials using chitosan

February 19, 2024

Hydrogels are versatile biomaterials conquering an increasing number of biomedical areas. Consisting of water-swollen molecular networks that can be tailored to mimic the mechanical and chemical features of various organs and tissues, they can interface within the body and on its outer surfaces without causing any damage to even the most delicate parts of the human anatomy.

Hydrogels are already used in clinical practice for the therapeutic delivery of drugs to fight pathogens; as intraocular and contact lenses, and corneal prostheses in ophthalmology; bone cement, wound dressings, blood-coagulating bandages, and 3D scaffolds in tissue engineering and regeneration...

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-scientists-method-bond-hydrogels-polymeric.html


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Wound treatment hydrogel infused with amino acid kills bacteria naturally and promotes cell growth

April 2, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-wound-treatment-hydrogel-infused-amino.html

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Say hello to biodegradable microplastics: Plant-based polymers that can disappear within seven months

March 21, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-biodegradable-microplastics-based-polymers-months.html#google_vignette


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Chapter 13 - In silico approaches for xenobiotic polymers and their degradation mechanism

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323909952000035


______________


11 - Microbial degradation of xenobiotics like aromatic pollutants from the terrestrial environments

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128161890000111

______________


New biodegradable hydrogel offers eco-friendly alternative to synthetics

November 27, 2017

https://ece.engin.umich.edu/stories/new-biodegradable-hydrogel-offers-eco-friendly-alternative-to-synthetics/

______________


These Substances 'Defy the Laws' of Physics

Aug 27, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSV3lee-JOc

______________


Silicon nanowire/ionic hydrogel-based hybrid moist-electric generators with enhanced voltage output and operational stability

2024

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/ee/d4ee00171k

______________


New hydrogel can stretch to 15 times its original size

March 29, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-hydrogel-size.html

______________


Implantable batteries can run on the body's own oxygen

March 27, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-implantable-batteries-body-oxygen.html
 

_______________

 

 Wearable stretchable electronics: A new design and fabrication process for skin-like integrated circuits

March 13, 2024

Small wearable or implantable electronics could help monitor our health, diagnose diseases, and provide opportunities for improved, autonomous treatments. But to do this without aggravating or damaging the cells around them, these electronics will need to not only bend and stretch with our tissues as they move, but also be soft enough that they will not scratch and damage tissues.

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-wearable-stretchable-electronics-fabrication-skin.html
 

_______________

 

Innovative silicon nanochip can reprogram biological tissue in living body

November 29, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-11-silicon-nanochip-reprogram-biological-tissue.html

______________


Combining novel biomaterial and microsurgery might enable faster tissue recovery

March 7, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-combining-biomaterial-microsurgery-enable-faster.html

______________


Scientists develop new multicellular scaffold strategy for treating tendon-bone injuries

March 14, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-scientists-multicellular-scaffold-strategy-tendon.html

______________



Bone homeostasis discovery could lead to new obesity and osteoporosis treatments

March 13, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-bone-homeostasis-discovery-obesity-osteoporosis.html


______________


Growth cone in migrating neurons involved in promoting neuronal migration and regeneration in brain injury, study shows

March 11, 2024

The structure and functions of the tip of migrating neurons remain elusive. A research group has found that the PTPσ-expressing growth cone senses the extracellular matrix and drives neuronal migration in the injured brain, leading to functional recovery.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-growth-cone-migrating-neurons-involved.html

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Neuroscientists find integrity of white brain matter in superagers does not deteriorate, explains sharp memory

April 30, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-neuroscientists-white-brain-superagers-deteriorate.html

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Robust and Multifunctional Nanoparticles Assembled from Natural Polyphenols and Metformin for Efficient Spinal Cord Regeneration

September 14, 2023

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.3c06991

______________


Mutant newts can regenerate previously defective limbs

March 6, 2024

https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/mutant-newts-can-regenerate-previously-defective-limbs

______________


Research demonstrates that killer T cells can support tissue regeneration

January 16, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-killer-cells-tissue-regeneration.html

______________


French bulldog puppy spontaneously regrows jaw

February 1, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-french-bulldog-puppy-spontaneously-regrows.html

______________

 

A new approach to producing artificial cartilage with the help of 3D printing

Feb 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-approach-artificial-cartilage-3d.html

______________


Stem cells 'migrate' to repair damaged lung cells, study shows

February 22, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-stem-cells-migrate-lung.html

______________


How a new drug prototype regenerates lung tissue

April 10, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-drug-prototype-regenerates-lung-tissue.html

______________


Serious flu damage prevented by compound that blocks unnecessary cell death

April 10, 2024

As lung cells are killed by the influenza virus, they burst open, releasing molecular signals that trigger the immune cells that can combat the infection. This strategy can be an important red flag that something is wrong; however, if one cell death response, called necroptosis, continues unchecked, it can cause life-threatening injury to lung tissue...

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-flu-compound-blocks-unnecessary-cell.html

______________


Cockayne syndrome: New insights into cellular DNA repair mechanism

April 10, 2024

Cockayne syndrome is a severe autosomal recessive disorder caused by defective DNA repair mechanisms. People with the disease have much reduced life expectancy and suffer from facial deformities; growth failure; neurological, cognitive, and sensory impairments; bone, joint, and muscle deformities; kidney problems; and premature aging...

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-cockayne-syndrome-insights-cellular-dna.html

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Chitosan

 

Chitosan /ˈktəsæn/ is a linear polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed β-(1→4)-linked D-glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (acetylated unit). It is made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance, such as sodium hydroxide.

 

Chitosan has a number of commercial and possible biomedical uses. It can be used in agriculture as a seed treatment and biopesticide, helping plants to fight off fungal infections. In winemaking, it can be used as a fining agent, also helping to prevent spoilage. In industry, it can be used in a self-healing polyurethane paint coating. In medicine, it is useful in bandages to reduce bleeding and as an antibacterial agent; it can also be used to help deliver drugs through the skin.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan

______________


Research team discovers new way to generate human cartilage

April 10, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-team-generate-human-cartilage.html

_______________


Engineered MgO nanoparticles: A promising path to synergistic cartilage and bone therapy

March 14, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-mgo-nanoparticles-path-synergistic-cartilage.html

_______________


Scientists develop new multicellular scaffold strategy for treating tendon-bone injuries

March 14, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-scientists-multicellular-scaffold-strategy-tendon.html

_______________


Nanomedicine paves the way for new treatments for spinal cord injury

Feb 2024

https://www.spinalsurgerynews.com/2024/03/nanomedicine-paves-the-way-for-new-treatments-for-spinal-cord-injury/152517

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Outsmarting chemo-resistant ovarian cancer with nanoparticle treatment

February 21, 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-outsmarting-chemo-resistant-ovarian-cancer.html


______________ 


 
We FINALLY Understand Why Bats Live So Long

Jan 15, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYFRLEQBDpc

______________


A fruit fly's wing offers clues into how wounds heal

February 23, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-fruit-fly-wing-clues-wounds.html

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The Role of Extracellular Matrix in Skin Wound Healing

2021 Dec 18

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8706213/


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How plants heal wounds: Mechanical forces guide direction of cell division

April 4, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-wounds-mechanical-cell-division.html

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Researchers develop better way to make painkiller from trees

April 8, 2024

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way to make a popular pain reliever and other valuable products from plants instead of petroleum.

Building on a previously patented method for producing paracetamol—the active ingredient in Tylenol—the discovery promises a greener path to one of the world's most widely used medicines and other chemicals. More importantly, it could provide new revenue streams to make cellulosic biofuels—derived from non-food plant fibers—cost competitive with fossil fuels, the primary driver of climate change.

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-painkiller-trees.html

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Nanofiber-coated cotton bandages fight infection and speed healing

February 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-nanofiber-coated-cotton-bandages-infection.html

 

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Transposable elements study reveals potential methods to stop aging

September 25, 2023

Researchers Dr. Ádám Sturm and Dr. Tibor Vellai from Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary have made an exciting breakthrough in understanding how we age. They focused on "transposable elements" (TEs), which are parts of DNA that can move around in our genetic code. When these TEs move too much, they destabilize the genetic code and that can be the reason of aging.

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-transposable-elements-reveals-potential-methods.html

 

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How jellyfish regenerate functional tentacles in days

December 22, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-jellyfish-regenerate-functional-tentacles-days.html

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How polyps of the moon jellyfish repel viral attacks on their microbiome

April 30, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-polyps-moon-jellyfish-repel-viral.html

 

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Bio-composites: Eco-friendly Substitute of Glass Fiber Composites

12 May 2020

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-11155-7_108-1

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Sustainable Surfboards: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

Jan 16th, 2019

Eco-friendly materials are making our surfboards weirder, but in the best way possible.

Envirofoam

Made by California company Marko Foam, Envirofoam is 100% recycled EPS. They take the scraps from standard EPS blanks, as well as styrofoam and other recyclable foams, reprocess and mix it with virgin EPS foam. Currently, the recycled foam is mixed in with standard EPS at a ratio of 1:4 to create Marko’s Envirofoam blanks. Channel Islands currently offers many custom shapes with the option of using a Marko Foam blank, for an additional $125, which is the same price increase as getting a CI board made with standard EPS. Other shapers using Envirofoam blanks include E-Tech and Aquatic Oddities.

Myco Foam

Mushroom-based foam made by Green Island, NY-based biomaterials company, Evocative. Myco Foam utilizes Mycelium (the vegetative growth phase of a mushroom) and agricultural waste. Mycelium, the root-like structure of mushrooms, bonds the moldable material together and gets its strength from Chitin, the same thing found in crabs’ exoskeletons. The mold hardens in about four days. A few blanks and hand-planes have been made using Myco Foam by Evocative, but there’s no word on how it holds up over time — or the level of performance or durability of the mushroom-based surfboards. It is extremely difficult to shape, so the molds have to be as close to a finished surfboard as possible.

Algae-Based Bio-Foam

A PU-style expandable foam made with oil converted from natural plant materials like algae. Arctic Foam, the largest polyurethane blank manufacturer in North America, teamed up with a group of biologists and chemists at UCSD to find a way to turn algae oil into an expandable foam that looks, shapes and rides like a standard PU foam surfboard. Numerous pros like Rob Machado and Ryan Burch are riding these boards, and by all reports, they work really well.

Super-Sap Resin

A thermoset epoxy resin made by Entropy, a California-based chemical company. Created by replacing petroleum-based carbon in traditional epoxy resins with plant-based carbon. While it’s not 100% plant-based (the highest bio content resin contains around 30% plant-based materials), it’s suitable for all types of epoxy surfboards and releases 50% less greenhouse gases during production compared to conventional epoxies.

Wood Veneers and Plank Overlays

Bamboo, paulownia, albiza and balsa woods are used in a variety of different ways during the surfboard construction process. Thin veneers are vacuum-formed to create the board’s protective skin. Perimeter stringer systems surround the blanks and thin planks are laid over the foam cores. Shapers like Danny Hess in San Francisco, Gary Young in Hawaii and Timberline Surfboards out of Santa Barbara all use some variation of these processes. Which equates to using less fiberglass and resin and a longer-lasting, more durable surfboard. They also look beautiful. And while generally quite a bit heavier than standard foam and fiberglass boards, they ride well, especially in solid, powerful surf. The downside is their expense. They cost anywhere from silly expensive to stupid expensive.

Hemp Cloth Skins

There are a couple emerging alternatives to fiberglass cloth. The most promising is a woven hemp cloth: 100% biodegradable and non-toxic with similar properties and flex patters to fiberglass. The yellowish tint can be an issue, and the jury is still out on how a hemp-glassed board holds up over time — and in heavy, board-breaking surf.

Alternative Cores

Agave Cactus

Recently bursting onto the scene with a highly publicized board shaped by Gary Linden and sponsored by tequila giant Jose Cuervo. Agave cactus blooms at the end of its life cycle, and a tall, treelike stalk sprouts from the center of the plant. These agave stalks are harvested, dried, glued together and finally shaped in a similar fashion to a balsa wood board. Appealing, because even the fins can be made using the agave plant, so a 100% plant-based surfboard that’s lighter than traditional wood is indeed a possibility. Agave is extremely difficult to shape with, so only a few master shapers even take the challenge on. It also takes a long time to dry, so each board takes around three months start to finish.

Wood

The original Hawaiian surfboards were all made of wood and a few board manufacturers still use wood for their cores. Some, like Driftwood Surfboards, utilize hollow wood cores to keep the weight down, while Grain Surfboards uses a variety of local sustainable softwoods. Both companies offer surfers a chance to build their own board through numerous workshop classes. Sustainable and beautiful, the wood boards are also pretty expensive (a custom board from Grain will run you around 2K), and the extra weight can inhibit performance at the highest levels of surfing.


https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/sustainable-surfboards-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know/43115

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5 Eco-Friendly Ceiling Materials for Sustainable Living

July 8, 2023

1. Recycled Metal Ceiling Panels
2. Natural Fiber Acoustic Ceiling Tiles
3. Bamboo Ceiling Planks
4. Recycled Plastic Ceiling Tiles
5. Sustainable Wood Ceiling Panels

https://www.satinandslateinteriors.com/5-eco-friendly-ceiling-materials-for-sustainable-living/

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12 Ideas for Creating an Eco-Friendly Roof

Contents

Eco-Friendly Roof vs. Sustainable Roofing: What’s the Difference?
Are Metal Roofs Eco-Friendly or Sustainable?
Are Clay Tiles Eco-Friendly or Sustainable?
What Counts as an Eco-Friendly Roof?
What Is a Cool Roof?
What Is a Green or Living Roof?
Do Solar Panels Make an Eco-Friendly Roof?
What Is the Eco-friendliest Roofing Material?
1. Factory-applied or Field-applied Additional Coating
2. Coated Metal Roofing
3. Clay or Terracotta Tiles
4. Slate or Stone Roofing
5. Roof Pavers or Paving Tiles
6. Concrete or Fiber-Cement Shingles
7. Recycled Synthetic or Composite Shingles
8. Wood Shingles and Shakes
9. Single-Ply Thermoset or Synthetic Rubber Roofs
10. Single-ply Thermoplastic Roofs
11. Modified Bitumen Roofing
12. Rooftop Gardens

https://citizensustainable.com/eco-friendly-roof/

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20 Sustainable Building Materials for an Eco-Friendly Home

March 18, 2024

1. Bamboo
2. Recycled Steel
3. Reclaimed Wood
4. Cork
5. Straw Bales
6. Rammed Earth
7. Recycled Plastic
8. Ferrock
9. Sheep's Wool
10. Hempcrete
11. Mycelium
12. Recycled Glass
13. Plant-Based Polyurethane Rigid Foam
14. Mud Brick (Adobe)
15. Green (Living) Roofs
16. Low-VOC Paints
17. Solar Tiles
18. Papercrete
19. Timbercrete
20. Earth Bags

https://greencitizen.com/blog/sustainable-building-materials/

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Eco-friendly green roof solutions: Investigating volcanic ash as a viable alternative to traditional substrates

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061823041612

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New HFO blowing agents for spray foam will make it over 1,000 times less harmful to the climate

 Jan. 23, 2020

https://www.ecohome.net/guides/1074/new-hfo-blowing-agents-for-spray-foam-will-make-it-over-1000-times-less-harmful-to-the-climate/

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Sustainable Solutions: Epoxy Resin Alternatives for a Greener Tomorrow

February 8, 2023

https://resinaffairs.com/sustainable-solutions-epoxy-resin-alternatives-for-a-greener-tomorrow/

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Eco-Friendly Thermoplastic Alternatives to Epoxy Resin for Support Insulators

2023

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10013734

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7 Green Leaf Alternatives for Food Packaging as Lagos State Bans Styrofoam

January 24, 2024

A Case for green leaf packaging

Leaves are an age-long alternative for packaging food, but most restaurants restrict leaf packaging to local recipes such as ofada rice and moi-moi, when there’s nothing stopping them from extending it to other meals on the menu.

Why are they better than plastics?

    Leaves degrade quickly after use
    They are organic, so they contain no artificial chemicals that can pollute the environment
    Leaves are raw materials that do not need production processes that pollute the environment, unlike synthetic packaging

Also, the leaf packaging options for food service providers are endless. We checked and found seven.

Moi-moi leaves

Banana leaves

Plantain leaves

Coco yam leaves

Teak leaves

Cabbage leaves

Lettuce leaves

https://www.zikoko.com/chopist/7-green-leaf-alternatives-for-food-packaging-as-lagos-state-bans-styrofoam/

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The Full List Of Reusable Dryer Sheet Alternatives

March 10, 2023

    Wool Dryer Balls
    Eco Nuts
    Vinegar
    Baking Soda
    Aluminum Foil Balls
    Hang Dry
    Ice Cubes

https://www.sustainablejungle.com/sustainable-living/dryer-sheet-alternatives/

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21 Fabric Softener Alternatives That Will Save You Money

February 24, 2022

People looking for ways to save more money on their monthly bills often look at alternative options for some of the products they use regularly. One product that many people spend a lot of money on is fabric softener, which is bad for the environment and can be harmful to your clothing. Here are some eco-friendly alternatives to fabric softener that will help you save money and ensure your clothes are looking their best.

Table of Contents

    Washing Soda
    Baking Soda
    Borax
    Liquid Drainer
    Baking Soda and Vinegar
    White Vinegar
    Salt
    Scented Vinegar
    Tea Bags
    Apple Cider Vinegar
    Club Soda
    Lemon Juice
    Vodka
    Citrus Peels
    Epsom Salt
    Milk
    Apple Juice
    Mineral Water
    Coffee Grounds
    Oatmeal
    Cotton Balls
    Conclusion

https://www.ecomasteryproject.com/fabric-softener-alternatives/

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Helping the Planet: 17 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Sponges You Didn't Know Existed

https://www.greenhive.io/blog/helping-the-planet-17-eco-friendly-kitchen-sponges-you-didnt-know-existed

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Is Silicone Eco-Friendly? - Environmental Impact Of Silicone

https://www.trvst.world/environment/is-silicone-eco-friendly/

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The Pros and Cons of Silicone Cookware

Oct 10, 2019

https://ceh.org/yourhealth/pros-cons-silicone/

Five Reasons to Love Silicone

    Heat stable: Silicone can usually be used up to temperatures of 400(F) and can withstand going from extreme heat to extreme cold (2). This makes it a kid-friendly option, but is also great for busy adults who love to cook and leftovers freeze easily in silicone dishware. And when you’re done, the silicone dishware can just be tossed into the dishwasher without any fear of it coming out melted after a high heat wash (2).
    Flexible: Smash it, drop it, squeeze it, silicone will survive basically anything (except maybe an apocalypse) (2).
    Degrades into large pieces: Believe it or not, this is actually a good thing! Because silicone products degrade into larger pieces, they are not as readily ingested by marine life, animal life and consequently, by humans as well (4)!
    Durable: Compared to plastic that can crack, or glass that can shatter, silicone products are a great alternative that last basically forever (hurrah for our budgets!) (2).
    Healthier than Traditional Non-stick: Non-stick baking pans contain perfluorinated chemicals (PFAS) which although great at being nonstick, are not great for the planet or for humans health.

Five Reasons to be Wary of Silicone

    Unknown long-term safety: Silicone products are fairly new to the market. Therefore, there have been very few studies conducted on the safety of silicone products and even fewer on the long-term health effects of using silicone products (6).
    Chemical fillers: Depending on the quality of the silicone product, it may or may not contain chemical fillers (2,4). Generally, the higher the quality of silicone, the less likely it will contain chemical fillers (4).
    Migration of chemicals into food: Studies have found chemicals in silicone products passing from storage containers, cookware and nursing teats (3,5).
    Migration of chemicals into air: When silicone products are exposed to high temperatures (think baking), the chemicals in the product can be released into the air (2). The released particles tend to persist in the air and pose a health hazard to the lungs (2).
    Special recycling process: In order for silicone to be down-cycled, you will need to bring products to special recycling centers (4).



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What Is the Cause of Toxicity of Silicone Oil?

2021 Dec 30

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8745808/

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Technology for the Production of Environment Friendly Tableware

September 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345212062_Technology_for_the_Production_of_Environment_Friendly_Tableware

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Sustainable Paper-Based Packaging: A Consumer’s Perspective

2021 May 10

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8151435/

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Technology for the Production of Environment Friendly Tableware

September 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345212062_Technology_for_the_Production_of_Environment_Friendly_Tableware


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Starch modification through environmentally friendly alternatives: a review

17 Jun 2020

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2020.1778633


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Eco-friendly replacements for 50 plastic items in your life

January 26, 2019

https://stacker.com/environment/eco-friendly-replacements-50-plastic-items-your-life

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Top 9 green alternatives of plastic

June 24, 2019

1. Glass
2. PHB Biocomposites
3. Liquid Wood
4. ECM BioFilm
5. Corn
6. Reusable Shopping Bags
7. Milk Protein
8. Chicken Feathers
9. Liquid Wool

https://ecofriend.com/top-5-green-alternatives-plastic.html

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Biodegradable and compostable alternatives to conventional plastics

2009

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873018/

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There is now a 100% biodegradable alternative to plastic

Ecovative has developed a material with the same properties as plastic, but made from the mycelium – the white filaments – of mushrooms. An innovation that could replace polystyrene in packaging.

https://www.up-to-us.veolia.com/en/stop-pollution/new-material-100-biodegradable-alternative-plastic

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Molded fiber and pulp products as green and sustainable alternatives to plastics: A mini review

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2369969821000803

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A tough, biodegradable and water-resistant plastic alternative from coconut husk

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359836822004085

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The Eco-Friendly Nutshell Cooler Performs Better Than Styrofoam-Filled Coolers

August 19, 2021

The magic ingredient: Coconut husk waste, an excellent insulator

https://www.core77.com/posts/109768/

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Technology Uses Banana Leaves as a Biodegradable Alternative to Single-use Plastic

September 21, 2019

https://bioplasticsnews.com/2019/09/21/banana-leaves-packaging/

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Processed banana leaves, an eco-friendly packaging solution

2019

https://www.biobasedpress.eu/2019/09/processed-banana-leaves-an-eco-friendly-packaging-solution/

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AN ALTERNATIVE OF ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIAL FROM BANANA PEDUNCLE WASTE

March 2019

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331772789_AN_ALTERNATIVE_OF_ECO-FRIENDLY_MATERIAL_FROM_BANANA_PEDUNCLE_WASTE


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Rice waste–based polymer composites for packaging applications: A review

October 14, 2021

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09673911211046775

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Don’t Throw Away Those Tamale Husks – They Make The Perfect Eco-Friendly Plate Or Service Dish

January 17, 2020

https://wearemitu.com/wearemitu/news/corn-husks-have-become-the-eco-alternative-to-styrofoam-that-was-always-right-there-in-front-of-us/

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Sugarcane bagasse—The future composite material: A literature review

2013

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092134491300058X

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This tableware made from sugarcane and bamboo breaks down in 60 days

 12-Nov-2020

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/814758

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Attention Sneaker Designers: Here's an Eco-Friendly, Bio-Based EVA Alternative

August 6, 2020

TOMS Footwear is switching to sugarcane-based EVA

https://www.core77.com/posts/101180/Attention-Sneaker-Designers-Heres-an-Eco-Friendly-Bio-Based-EVA-Alternative

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Utilization of potato peel as eco‐friendly products: A review

2018 Jul 12

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6145310/

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EcoServe Plates | Replacing Styrofoam plates for plastic Reduction

Oct 19, 2023

https://medium.com/@imarif012/eco-serve-plates-replacing-styrofoam-plates-for-plastic-reduction-ff362f55b7fb

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Scientists Discover New Rock Made From Human Plastic Waste and Ocean Debris

 

06/08/14

Just in time for World Environment Day, Canadian scientists have announced the discovery of a new type of rock made from the scraps of melted plastic waste and ocean debris. According to researchers at the University of Western Ontario, this new material, known as plastiglomerate, is formed when melted plastic waste on beaches mixes with sediment, lava fragments and organic debris. These virtually indestructible plastiglomerates may become part of the Earth’s geologic record forever and could one day act as a sad geological marker for humanity’s impact on the planet.



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Eight Million Tons of Plastic Dumped in Ocean Every Year

 
 February 13, 2015
 
It's equal to five grocery bags per every foot of coastline around the globe, says new study.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150212-ocean-debris-plastic-garbage-patches-science/

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Plastic Water Bottles: Harmful to the Ocean, Air, and You


http://www.algalita.org/plastic-water-bottles-harmful-to-the-ocean-air-and-you/

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Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea


 December 10, 2014

 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111913

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The Great Plastic Tide

 

http://coastalcare.org/2009/11/plastic-pollution/



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This solar water wheel could be the solution to plastic ocean debris


 July 30, 2014

As much as we love highlighting new and interesting technologies, sometimes old technologies prove to be the best. This is definitely the case in Baltimore where a giant water wheel is removing tons of trash every day from the water, keeping it from ending up in the ocean. This centuries-old technology is quickly becoming the best solution yet for keeping plastic out of the oceans.

 http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/solar-water-wheel-could-be-solution-plastic-ocean-debris.html



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Japanese Scientists Create World’s First Renewable, Bio-Based Polyester

http://www.ecouterre.com/japanese-scientists-create-worlds-first-renewable-bio-based-polyester/

 

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New developments and investments foreseen in bio-based polymer production by 2020 in Europe

http://www.plastemart.com/Plastic-Technical-Article.asp?LiteratureID=1999&Paper=new-developments-investments-in-bio-based-polymer-production-by-2020-in-europe


 Europe’s current position in producing bio-based polymers is limited to a few polymers. However, new developments and investments are foreseen: the first European industrial-scale PLA plant by 2014, the introduction of PET production facilities by 2015, recent developments in the commercialization of bio-based PBT and further advancements in the field of high-value fine chemicals for PA, PUR and thermosets production. Although Europe shows a strong demand for bio-based polymers, production tends to take place elsewhere-largely the consequence of an unfavourable political framework for the industrial material use of biomass.


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 Cellulose-Based Bio- and Nanocomposites: A Review

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijps/2011/837875/

Cellulose macro- and nanofibers have gained increasing attention due to the high
strength and stiffness, biodegradability and renewability, and their production and
application in development of composites. Application of cellulose nanofibers for the development of composites is a relatively new research area. Cellulose macro- and nanofibers can be used as reinforcement in composite materials because of enhanced mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties of composites. Cellulose fibers are hydrophilic in nature, so it becomes necessary to increase their surface roughness for the development of composites with enhanced properties. In the present paper, we have reviewed the surface modification of cellulose fibers by various methods. Processing methods, properties, and various applications of nanocellulose and cellulosic composites are also discussed in this paper.


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Improvement of plant based natural fibers for toughening green composites

http://www.deepdyve.com/lp/elsevier/improvement-of-plant-based-natural-fibers-for-toughening-green-1WjKrnx3tZ

 

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ARCHIVED - Lighter, Stronger, "Greener" Plastics



For several years, the NRC-IMI team has been perfecting techniques involving the use of clay nanoparticles to create new nanocomposite plastics. Nanocomposites have been proven to dramatically increase the strength of polymer materials. Just last year, NRC-IMI launched a joint industry partnership group focused on nanocomposites to further explore the use of such materials. It is hoped that nanoclays will add critical strength to already lightweight foamed materials. As well, nanoparticles have been shown to enhance the growth of foam cells, a process known as nucleation. In the past year, a NRC-ICPET research team, in collaboration with University of Ottawa, became the second group in the world to publish results on the fundamental interaction of CO2 with nanocomposites - an emerging area of study.

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/achievements/highlights/2005/polymer_foams.html




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Cellulose Nanopaper – Strong, Light and Green Alternative to Metals

 

 

 New paper-like material made of cellulose is much stronger than metal, and could one day replace it.
Alternative eco-friendly materials that can replace metals are of high demand. The reasons behind this are many, including polluting mining processes, expensive manufacturing of products made of metals, and of course, the need of making everything lighter yet still tough and strong.

 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/cellulose-nanopaper/#.Ve-vFJe-2zk

 

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A green and efficient method for preparing acetylated cassava stillage residue and the production of all-plant fibre composites

 

2014

 Cassava stillage residue (CSR), a kind of agro-industrial plant fibres, was directly acetylated and converted into thermoplastic material by mechanical activation-assisted solid phase reaction (MASPR) in a stirring ball mill without the use of organic solvent and additives. As combining mechanical activation and chemical modification in the same equipment, the destruction of hydrogen bonds and crystalline structure of CSR induced by intense milling improved the reactivity of CSR, leading to the effective acetylation of CSR. After acetylation by MASPR, the modified CSRs possessed thermoplasticity, ascribing to the introduction of acetyl groups and the destruction of high crystallinity structure of cellulose. The self-reinforced all-plant fibre composites (APFC) were successfully produced with the modified CSRs as both matrix and reinforcement by hot pressing technology. The direct acetylation of CSR and successful production of APFC suggested that MASPR was a simple, efficient and environmentally friendly method for chemical modification of agro-industrial lignocellulose biomass.



http://www.researchgate.net/publication/264981183_A_green_and_efficient_method_for_preparing_acetylated_cassava_stillage_residue_and_the_production_of_all-plant_fibre_composites


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Progress in bio-based plastics and plasticizing modifications

 

2013

Over the coming few decades bioplastic materials are expected to complement and gradually replace some of the fossil oil based materials. Multidisciplinary research efforts have generated a significant level of technical and commercial success towards these bio-based materials. However, extensive application of these bio-based plastics is still challenged by one or more of their possible inherent limitations, such as poor processability, brittleness, hydrophilicity, poor moisture and gas barrier, inferior compatibility, poor electrical, thermal and physical properties. The incorporation of additives such as plasticizers into the biopolymers is a common practice to improve these inherent limitations. Generally, plasticizers are added to both synthetic and bio-based polymeric materials to impart flexibility, improve toughness, and lower the glass transition temperature. This review introduces the most common bio-based plastics and provides an overview of recent advances in the selection and use of plasticizers, and their effect on the performance of these materials. In addition to plasticizers, we also present a perspective of other emerging techniques of improving the overall performance of bio-based plastics. Although a wide variety of bio-based plastics are under development, this review focuses on plasticizers utilized for the most extensively studied bioplastics including poly(lactic acid), polyhydroxyalkanoates, thermoplastic starch, proteinaceous plastics and cellulose acetates. The ongoing challenge and future potentials of plasticizers for bio-based plastics are also discussed.


 http://www.researchgate.net/publication/264614759_Progress_in_bio-based_plastics_and_plasticizing_modifications

 

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Effect of biodegradable plasticizers on thermal and mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

 

2004

The effects of biodegradable plasticizers on the thermal and mechanical properties of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) were studied using thermal and mechanical analyses. Soybean oil (SO), epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and triethyl citrate (TEC) were used as plasticizing additives. PHBV/plasticizer blends were prepared by evaporating solvent from blend solutions. The content of plasticizer in the blends was kept at 20wt%. Compatibility of plasticizer with PHBV was examined with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). DPB and TEC were more effective than soybean oils (SO and ESO) in depression of the glass transition temperatures as well as in increasing the elongation at break and the impact strength of the films. From the thermal and mechanical properties of the plasticized PHBV, it could be concluded that TEC or DBP are better plasticizers than SO and ESO for PHBV.



http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232382906_Effect_of_biodegradable_plasticizers_on_thermal_and_mechanical_properties_of_poly%283-hydroxybutyrate%29

 

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IBM discovers first new class of polymers in decades

 

 May 15, 2014





http://www.gizmag.com/ibm-polymer-discovery-plastic/32088/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 The IBM polymers consist of two related classes of plastic materials. They’re formed by combining paraformaldehyde and 4,4ʹ-oxydianiline in what’s called a condensation reaction. When heated to 250⁰ C (482⁰ F) the material becomes very strong as covalent bonds form and the solvent is forced out, forming the first of two versions of the polymer. Both versions are highly elastic, resistant to solvents, and are recyclable. One version can even self-heal.

These polymers also show new physical properties. The first version is lightweight, stiff, resistant to cracking, shows more strength than bone, and can also turned into new polymer structures with half again as much strength. However, it is very brittle, like glass. When mixed with carbon nanofibers and heated, it forms an extremely strong, lightweight composite material that is similar to metal, yet has a degree of self-healing when cracked.



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Characteristics of biodegradable polylactide/gelatinized starch films: Effects of starch, plasticizer, and compatibilizer

 

2012

Polylactide (PLA) blends with 0–40 wt % gelatinized starches (GSs) in the presence of plasticizers and compatibilizer for improving interfacial bonding between two phases were prepared. The effects of compatibilizer, type and amount of starch, including type and concentration of plasticizer on the physical, morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties of these films were investigated. Two types of starch (corn and tapioca) were added as fillers, whereas the glycerol amount was varied from 0 to 35 wt % based on starch content. Polyethylene glycol (PEG400) and propylene glycol (PG) were added as plasticizers at four different amounts (5–20 wt %) based on PLA content, while methylenediphenyl diisocyanate was used as a compatibilizer at 1.25 wt % of GS. The results indicated that the presence of glycerol had no effect on the thermal degradation of GS. For PLA plasticization, the plasticized PLA with PEG400 had better properties than that with PG. Water absorption isotherm of the blend films increased as the amount of starches increased; in contrast, the tensile properties decreased progressively with the addition of the GS content. The blend films with gelatinized corn starch had higher tensile properties than those with gelatinized tapioca starch.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/app.36736/abstract

 


_______________

 

Porous Biodegradable Starch-Based Polymer: Effects of Plasticizers on the Physical Properties

 

2014


The effect of the plasticizer content (mixture of water and glycerol) on the cellular structure of the considered material and its influence on the resulting properties, such as mechanical stiffness, are investigated by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and standard mechanical testing. Adding glycerol leads to larger cell walls and smaller pores but it does not significantly affect the elastic tangent modulus and strength under compression for deformations up to 50%; only a tendency to promote elastic recovery is observed.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/masy.201300134/abstract



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Handbook of Plasticizers

  

By George Wypych

This book talks about many different types of plasticizers. This includes the simulation of different plasticizers that could be used, in the colonization of space.

Chapter 10.14 Biodegradation in the presence of plasticizers

Chapter 10.15 Crystallization, structure, and orientation of Macromolecules

Chapter 10.17 Plasticizer effect on contact with other materials

https://books.google.com/books/about/Handbook_of_Plasticizers.html?id=EHhoakl6cyoC


_______________

 


( We should be cautious of certain plasticizers, mentioned in chapter 6, of the following report.)


_______________


 The Complete Book on Biodegradable Plastics and Polymers (Recent Developments, Properties, Analysis, Materials & Processes)

 By NIIR Board of Consultants & Engineers

2. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BIOPOLYMER INDUSTRY

3. RECENT ADVANCES IN SYNTHESIS OF BIOPOLYMERS BY "TRADITIONAL" METHODS

4. POLYMERS, ENVIRONMENTALLY DEGRADABLE

5. SYNTHETIC BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS AS MEDICAL DEVICES

6. BIOBASED PACKAGING MATERIALS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

 https://books.google.com/books?id=BS-hAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA159&lpg=PA159&dq=biodegradable+plasticizers&source=bl&ots=bSdeUdExnq&sig=zp4tjgZOQ0lgHLNMvXuQzLtYue8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tUnYVICRPM39yQSKk4KABQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=biodegradable%20plasticizers&f=false


-------------------------------------------------



 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE APPLICATIONS OF INDUSTRIAL (WHITE) BIOTECHNOLOGY EUROPA BIO's BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION KIT

The soya bean: an important renewable resource

The soya bean has long been used to develop products ranging from foiod and diesel fuels to polymers,fabric softeners, solvents, adhesives, linoleum, rubber substitutes, printing inks, and plastics. Recent advances in recombinant genetic biotechnology have made it possible to alter the lipid composition of soya beans to increase the variety of biohydrocarbons available for industrial applications. Amides, esters and acetates of biohydrocarbons are currently used as plasticisers, blocking/slip agents and mold-release agents for synthetic polymers. Biohydrocarbons linked to amines, alcohols, phosphates and sulfur groups are used as fabric softeners, surfactants, emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, anti-static agents, hair conditioners, ink carriers, biodegradable solvents, cosmetic bases and perfumes. In combination with aluminum and magnesium, the soya bean is used to produce greases and marine lubricating materials.

2. Biotechnology in industrial sectors

Various parts of the industry are experimenting with the new tools offered by biotechnology. Of particular interest is the possibility of using biobased resources as feedstocks in the larger volume sectors. While biobased manufacturing will not necessarily always be cleaner, it is certain that wastes from biobased manufacturing will be more compatible with conventional wastewater treatment systems.

Pharmaceuticals

Today, many pharmaceuticals are semi-synthetic molecules, in that part of their structure is synthesised by a living organism and later modified by chemical processing. Thanks to biocatalysis optimised fermentation, and replacement of organic solvents by water, modern biotechnology contributes to cleaner production of such semi-synthetic antibiotics.

 http://www.scribd.com/doc/243514826/Intro-to-the-Applications-of-White-Biotechnology#scribd



------------------------------------------------


Bio-Based PEF Bottles to Hit Market by 2016


http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2013/06/bio-based-pef-bottles-to-hit-market-by-2016.aspx


_______________

ITKE Constructs New ArboSkin Pavilion with 388 Recyclable Bioplastic Pyramids

11/11/13

 http://inhabitat.com/itke-constructs-new-arboskin-pavilion-with-388-recyclable-bioplastic-pyramids/


_______________

 

Good plastics, bioplastics and greenwashing

  

2013

 

Plastic is not inert

 

Conventional plastic contains a large number, and sometimes a large proportion, of chemical additives which can be endocrine disruptors, carcinogenic or provoke other toxic reactions and can, in principle, migrate into the environment, though in small quantities. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as pesticides like DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), can attach themselves from the surrounding water to plastic fragments which can be harmful and enter the food chain via marine fauna.

http://www.zerowasteeurope.eu/2013/06/good-plastics-bioplastics-and-greenwashing/


_______________

 

Will Bioplastics Contaminate Conventional Plastics Recycling?


http://www.sustainableplastics.org/bioplastics/issues-with-recycling



_______________


Producing plastic from seaweed

 

August 28th, 2014 
 

 http://phys.org/wire-news/170671262/producing-plastic-from-seaweed.html


_______________


The Bioplastic Concept Car: Seaweed

 

 April 23, 2014

 http://www.conceptcarseries.com/car-news/the-bioplastic-concept-car-seaweed-by-toyota/


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'Mutarium' prototype is the perfect farm for edible plastic-eating fungi

 



 Biodegradable plastics exist because traditional ones take between 20 and 1,000 years to break down in the wild, often blocking waterways and killing animals as that all happens. That's why two industrial designers and a group of microbiologists have designed a way to break down plastic -- and create edible mushrooms in the process.

 http://www.engadget.com/2014/12/15/fungi-mutarium-plastic/

 

_______________

 

Can mushrooms replace plastic?




As it turns out, they are equally versatile outside of the food world. They can produce packaging, home insulation, fiberboard for furniture, even a surfboard.

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/mushrooms-new-plastic-ecovative



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Diaper-grown mushrooms to cut down waste

 

September 3, 2014

While their contents might be considered an environmental hazard by many, disposable diapers themselves pose a more significant problem for the environment. According to the EPA, the average baby will work their way through 8,000 of them before they end up in landfill where they'll take centuries to break down. In an effort to reduce the problem, scientists at Mexico's Autonomous Metropolitan University, Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), have turned used diapers to the task of growing mushrooms.

http://www.gizmag.com/diaper-grown-mushrooms/33633/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


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Tequila waste combined with recycled plastic to form wood substitute

 

 January 21, 2015





When the sap from plants such as sugar cane is extracted for commercial use, what's left over is a fibrous material known as bagasse. This is commonly used as biofuel, or is compressed into a wood substitute. Now, Mexican startup Plastinova is using agave bagasse from the tequila industry to make a wood-like material of its own, although it's also incorporating recycled plastic.

 http://www.gizmag.com/agave-bagasse-plastic-wood/35710/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget



_______________

Learn how PLA Bioplastic can be recycled

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_C4x-jjZBc



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Sensor detects toxins leaching from plastic

 
December 10, 2015 
 
 Engineers from Massey University have developed a highly sensitive device able to detect synthetic compounds that leach from plastic food packaging into the contained food or beverage. These kind of compounds are a major health concern worldwide as they have been linked to genetic, developmental and fertility defects in humans.


Dr Asif Zia, together with Professor Subhas Mukhopadhyay, both from the School Engineering and Advanced Technology developed an electrochemical sensing system that is able to rapidly quantify a synthetic compound – di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate or DEHP for short.

DEHP is used to induce flexibility in the plastic products but, because of its molecular structure, it does not attach itself covalently to the plastic's lattice structure and may leach into the surrounding environment. It is classed as a teratogenic, or malformation causing, compound as well as an endocrine-disrupter, which interferes with the body's natural hormonal system. The World Health Organization refers concentrations of DEHP greater than six parts per billion as hazardous for human health.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-12-sensor-toxins-leaching-plastic.html


 _______________


Self-healing bioplastic – just add water

 

September 2, 2015

Imagine if things like undersea cables or medical implants could simply heal themselves back together if severed – it would certainly be easier than having to go in and fix them. Well, scientists at Pennsylvania State University are bringing such a possibility closer to reality. They've created a moldable polymer that heals itself when exposed to water – and it's based on squid sucker ring teeth.
Led by Prof. Melik Demirel, the researchers started by studying sucker ring teeth collected from squid in various locations around the world. Although the exact composition of the teeth varied between species, it was found that the same proteins which allow them to self-heal were always present

 http://www.gizmag.com/self-healing-bioplastic-squid/39220/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


_______________

 

This edible water blob could replace plastic bottles


Mar 27, 2014
 



 Designers Rodrigo García González, Guillaume Couche and Pierre Paslier call their creation "Ooho," a gelatinous blob that is actually a membrane that encapsulates water like a bladder. When you're thirsty, just puncture the membrane and drink. Or, if you also have an appetite, just pop a bite-sized Ooho in your mouth and chomp down for a burst of hydration. The gooey membrane, made from brown algae and calcium chloride, is edible, hygienic and biodegradable.

http://www.mnn.com/food/beverages/stories/this-edible-water-blob-could-replace-plastic-bottles


_______________


Brazilian Lab Turns Fruits, Veggies Into Edible Plastic

 

 January 14, 2015



BRASILIA, Brazil, January 14, 2015 (ENS) – Imagine putting a pizza in the oven without having to remove the plastic casing that protects the pizza from contamination. The plastic film consists of tomatoes and, when heated, it will become part of the pizza.

This edible plastic has been developed by researchers at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Instrumentation, a state-owned company affiliated with the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture.

In fact, the researchers have made edible plastic films from foods such as spinach, papaya and guava as well as tomatoes.

http://ens-newswire.com/2015/01/14/brazilian-lab-turns-fruits-veggies-into-edible-plastic/


_______________

 

Open for Discussion: Goodbye Plastic, Hello Edible Wrappers—or Nothing at all!


WikiCell Designs produces ultra-thin flavored membranes, called WikiCells, that surround liquids or solids shielding them from oxygen, oils, and moisture to extend their shelf life. Unlike Monosol pouches, WikiCells are washable, so the outer container can act like the skin of a fruit. You just wash and eat them.
A WikiCell is made of two sustainable layers. Eat the inner wrapping, compost the shell; no plastic is involved. The inner edible membrane, like a grape skin, is held together by intermolecular electrostatic forces. Positively charged calcium ions bind with alginate, an anionic (negatively charged) polysaccharide from brown algae (Fig. 1). The outer compostable shell is made of the residue from sugarcane crushing.

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/archive-2012-2013/edible-wrappers.html


 _______________

Medical Device Components 2.0: The Trend Towards a Healthier, PVC-Free Alternative


System Health

If you aren’t convinced of PVC’s harmful effects in medical devices up until this point, there remains one last detriment to using this insulation powerhouse. A recent study released by Teknor Apex material science company in October 2013 determined that PVC and plasticizers alongside non-PVC components in devices can migrate when they come into contact with each other, resulting in softening, cracks, and other defects in the system. Their study tested ten different types of plasticizers, including DEHP, and determined it may have adverse effects on non-PVC plastics.

http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/component/content/article/1105-mdb/features/18924

_______________

 

The 20-Year-Old With a Plan to Rid the Sea of Plastic 

 

 Sep 24, 2014

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmPHBhYaCR4



_______________

 

Company unlocks secret to making plastic out of air

 

 July 30, 2014

 



"We're not the first people to have the idea of turning greenhouse gas into plastic," Herrera said. "The thing that was missing was that no one had figured out how to do it cost-effectively."

Here's how it works: Carbon emissions are captured from farms, landfills, and energy facilities and are fed into a 50-foot-tall reactor at Newlight's plant. A bundle of enzymes strips out the carbon and oxygen and rearranges them into a substance they call air carbon.

The product is then melted down and cooled inside tubes and sliced into little plastic pellets that can be molded into anything.

Herrema calls it "a disruptive technology that's gonna change the world."

 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/company-unlocks-secret-to-making-plastic-out-of-air/


_______________

 

New catalyst paves way for bio-based plastics, chemicals

 
December 11, 2015


 http://phys.org/news/2015-12-catalyst-paves-bio-based-plastics-chemicals.html

 Washington State University researchers have developed a catalyst that easily converts bio-based ethanol to a widely used industrial chemical, paving the way for more environmentally friendly, bio-based plastics and products.

The researchers have published a paper online describing the catalyst in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and have been granted a U.S. patent.

The chemical industry is interested in moving away from fossil fuels to bio-based products to reduce environmental impacts and to meet new regulations for sustainability, said Yong Wang, Voiland Distinguished Professor in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering.

The catalyst works on bio-based ethanol to create isobutene used in plastics and other products.

The industry has traditionally made a widely used chemical called isobutene - used in everything from plastic soda bottles to rubber tires - by superheating crude oil. But in collaboration with the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company, Wang and his colleagues developed a catalyst to convert bio-based ethanol, which is made from corn or other biomass, to isobutene in one easy production step.



_______________


Cheap, biodegradable, biocompatible "Shrilk" is a potential plastic replacement

 

December 14, 2011
 
Web-slinging arachnids already have researchers toiling away looking to replicate the remarkable properties of spider silk. Now spiders, along with their insect and crustacean arthropod cousins, have provided inspiration for a new material that is cheap to produce, biodegradable, and biocompatible. Its creators say the material, dubbed "Shrilk," has the potential to replace plastics in consumer products and could also be used safely in a variety of medical applications, such as suturing wounds or serving as scaffolding for tissue regeneration.
Arthropods have an outer skeleton made up of a composite material called cuticle that consists of layers of a polysaccharide polymer called chitin and protein organized in a laminar, plywood-like structure. In its unmodified form, which can be seen in the body wall of a caterpillar, chitin is translucent, pliable, resilient and quite tough, but arthropods are able to modify its properties to make it tough and rigid, as seen in the body wall of a beetle, or to make it elastic, as seen in arthropod limb joints. Not only does cuticle protect the arthropod's internal components and provide structure for muscles and wings, it does so without adding weight or bulk.


 http://www.gizmag.com/shrilk-bioinspired-material/20858/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 _______________

 

Plastic Roadways BUSTED!

Feb 14, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj_FZduqblo

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Rubber meets the road with new ORNL carbon, battery technologies

 

August 27, 2014 
 

Recycled tires could see new life in lithium-ion batteries that provide power to plug-in electric vehicles and store energy produced by wind and solar, say researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
By modifying the microstructural characteristics of carbon black, a substance recovered from discarded tires, a team led by Parans Paranthaman and Amit Naskar is developing a better anode for lithium-ion batteries. An anode is a negatively charged electrode used as a host for storing lithium during charging.

http://phys.org/news/2014-08-rubber-road-ornl-carbon-battery.html#nRlv

 

_______________

 

Study reveals how liquid protein droplets age into rubber ball-like elastic solids

July 12, 2024

 

 

The University at Buffalo research lab of Priya Banerjee is conducting research on liquid droplets of proteins and their role in human diseases. Their new study sheds light on why these droplets have viscoelastic properties.

Droplets of proteins, tied to an increasing number of cellular processes and human diseases, are known for their liquid-like ability to flow, exchange material and dissolve as needed.

Yet these droplets, known as biomolecular condensates, are something akin to childhood staple Silly Putty in that they can also transform into more solid-like structures.

Now, a collaborative effort between the University at Buffalo, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis has found that condensates’ unique viscoelastic properties are determined by the amino acid sequence of the proteins that form them.

The team’s study, published July 2 in Nature Physics, found that whether the condensates behave more like a viscous liquid or an elastic solid depends on the strength and duration of the amino acids’ interactions. This can explain why condensates act like molecular putty and how they can even age into a solid similar to a rubber ball.

"Shedding light on the intricate behavior of condensates at the molecular level is crucial for advancing our knowledge of cellular biology and understanding their association with many neurodegenerative diseases,” says the study’s lead corresponding author, Priya R. Banerjee, PhD, associate professor of physics in the UB College of Arts and Sciences. “This work reveals the mechanisms behind cellular processes that have long been observed but never fully understood.”

https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2024/07/study-reveals-how-liquid-protein-droplets-age-into-rubber-ball-like-elastic-solids.html

 

________

 

Scientists discover unexpected rubbery state in liquid glycerol

June 28, 2023

https://www.thedailyscience.org/scientists-discover-unexpected-rubbery-state-in-liquid-glycerol.html

 

________

New production process makes PLA bioplastic cheaper and greener


  July 21, 2015


Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable bioplastic that is already used to produce a variety of everyday items, such as cups, trays, bowls and vegetable wrapping foil. Unfortunately, the current PLA production process is expensive and produces waste. Researchers at the KU Leuven Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis in Belgium have now developed a new production technique that is cheaper and greener and makes PLA a more attractive alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
PLA boasts a number of advantages over petroleum-based plastic. It is one of the few plastics suitable for use in 3D printers, it is biocompatible, making it suitable for medical use, and it biodegrades in a few years in certain environments, and is industrially compostable and recyclable. But when it comes to cost, PLA can't compete with petroleum-based plastics due to the intermediary steps required to produce it.

As its name suggests, lactic acid is a main building block of PLA. This can be obtained by the fermentation of sugar that can be sourced from renewable resources such as corn starch, tapioca and sugarcane.

http://www.gizmag.com/bioplastic-pla-cheaper-production-process/38498/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

_______________ 


Solving mysteries of conductivity in polymers

 
July 15, 2015
 


Materials known as conjugated polymers have been seen as very promising candidates for electronics applications, including capacitors, photodiodes, sensors, organic light-emitting diodes, and thermoelectric devices. But they've faced one major obstacle: Nobody has been able to explain just how electrical conduction worked in these materials, or to predict how they would behave when used in such devices.

Now researchers at MIT and Brookhaven National Laboratory have explained how electrical charge carriers move in these compounds, potentially opening up further research on such applications. A paper presenting the new findings is being published in the journal Advanced Materials.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-07-mysteries-polymers.html#jCp


-----------------

Researchers discover new fundamental quantum mechanical property

 

January 6, 2016



Nanotechnologists at the University of Twente research institute MESA+ have discovered a new fundamental property of electrical currents in very small metal circuits. They show how electrons can spread out over the circuit like waves and cause interference effects at places where no electrical current is driven. The geometry of the circuit plays a key role in this so called nonlocal effect. The interference is a direct consequence of the quantum mechanical wave character of electrons and the specific geometry of the circuit. For designers of quantum computers it is an effect to take account of. The results are published in the British journal Scientific Reports.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-01-fundamental-quantum-mechanical-property.html#jCp



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TOXICOLOGY AND EXPOSURE GUIDELINES

 

"All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison.
 The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy."
This early observation concerning the toxicity of chemicals was made by Paracelsus (1493-1541). The classic connotation of toxicology was "the science of poisons." Since that time, the science has expanded to encompass several disciplines. Toxicology is the study of the interaction between chemical agents and biological systems. While the subject of toxicology is quite complex, it is necessary to understand the basic concepts in order to make logical decisions
concerning the protection of personnel from toxic injuries. Toxicity can be defined as the relative ability of a substance to cause adverse effects in living
organisms. This "relative ability is dependent upon several conditions.

 Routes of Exposure

Skin (or eye) absorption: Skin (dermal) contact can cause effects that are relatively innocuous such as redness or mild dermatitis; more severe effects include destruction of skin tissue or other debilitating conditions. Many chemicals can also cross the skin barrier and be absorbed into the blood system. Once absorbed, they may produce systemic damage to internal organs. The eyes are particularly sensitive to chemicals. Even a short exposure can cause severe effects to the eyes or the substance can be absorbed through the eyes and be transported to other parts of the body causing harmful effects.

  Industrial Toxicants

 Carbon disulfide: Solvent in rayon and rubber industries.
Aniline, used in manufacture of rubber accelerators and antioxidants, resins, and
varnishes.

 Chloroprene, used in production of synthetic rubber.

 http://ehs.unl.edu/documents/tox_exposure_guidelines.pdf


 _______________

Ricoh develops energy-generating rubber


May 22, 2015
 


 http://www.gizmag.com/ricoh-energy-generating-rubber/37590/


_______________


Road to supercapacitors for scrap tires

 
Date:
September 25, 2015
Source:
DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Summary:
Some of the 300 million tires discarded each year in the United States alone could be used in supercapacitors for vehicles and the electric grid using a technology.


 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150925112114.htm



_______________



Simple Leonardo da Vinci experiments combined with advanced theory reveal new atomic-level insights into rubber

May 15, 2015

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-05-simple-leonardo-da-vinci-combined.html#jCp


_______________

 

These Futuristic Car Tires Never Go Flat

 

 14.07.15





http://www.wired.com/2015/07/futuristic-car-tires-never-go-flat/

 

_______________


Researchers discover importance of using right rubber for the job


 May 28th, 2015

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-importance-rubber-job.html#jCp

 The types of surface that scientists and engineers make copies of include skin, teeth, superconductor components in particle accelerators, and various tools, including forensic and archaeological investigations. Surfaces are carefully measured to quantify their roughness and texture, but this can be surprisingly tricky.

The importance of a surface's roughness can be seen in car engines, where if the walls of the engine's cylinders are too smooth they will seize, meaning that the surface needs to be just rough enough to carry a film of lubricant to maintain a smooth piston action.

Techniques have now been developed that can make measurements of ridges, bumps and dimples, down to the nanometre scale - less than 1/100 the thickness of a human hair...


_______________


Natural nanocrystals shown to strengthen concrete

 

Mar 31, 2015 
 
 
http://phys.org/news/2015-03-natural-nanocrystals-shown-concrete.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu


_______________

3D-printed composite is lighter than wood and stiffer than concrete

 

  June 27, 2014





 Reseachers at Harvard University have developed a way to 3D-print a cellular composite with record lightness and stiffness using an epoxy resin. This marks the first time that epoxy is used for 3D-printing, and the advance could lead to the development of new lightweight architectures for more efficient wind turbines, faster cars, and lighter airplanes...

 http://www.gizmag.com/3d-printed-strong-composite/32738/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

 _______________

Engineering The Strongest Foam in the World


 Mar 13, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfAovWHbO88

---------------------------


Superplasticizer



 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superplasticizer


_______________


Plasticizer


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasticizer

Plasticizers (UK: plasticisers) or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of a material. The dominant applications are for plastics, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The properties of other materials are also improved when blended with plasticizers including concrete, clays, and related products.


Effect on health

 

Substantial concerns have been expressed over the safety of some plasticizers, especially because several ortho-phthalates have been classified as potential endocrine disruptors with some developmental toxicity reported.


Appendix: various specific plasticizers

 

Dicarboxylic/tricarboxylic ester-based plasticizers

 

 

Trimellitates

 

Adipates, sebacates, maleates

 

Other plasticizers

 

Bio-based plasticizers

Safer plasticizers with better biodegradability and fewer biochemical effects are being developed. Some such plasticizers are:

Plasticizers for energetic materials




_______________

 

A Promising Approach for Rapid Stabilization of Plastics

April 26, 2023

In a new study, scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed a novel approach to rapid stabilization of plastics, offering a potential solution to the global plastic pollution crisis. The new approach, published in the journal Nature Communications, makes use of a process called “rapid polymerization”, which allows plastic materials to be stabilized in just minutes, as opposed to the current method of stabilization, which can take several days to complete. The process also uses fewer chemicals than current methods, resulting in a greener approach to plastic stabilization. The scientists behind the new approach hope that it will help reduce the amount of plastic pollution in our oceans and environment.

https://www.letstalkmaterials.com/in-the-news/new-approach-for-rapid-process-stabilization-of-plastics/

 

_______________

 

How products are made: Rope


 http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Rope.html#ixzz3guBY88YM


 Although the origin of rope is unknown, the Egyptians were the first people to develop special tools to make rope. Egyptian rope dates back to 4000 to 3500 B.C. and was generally made of water reed fibers. Other Egyptian rope was made from the fibers of date palms, flax, grass, papyrus, leather, or camel hair. The use of such ropes pulled by thousands of slaves allowed the Egyptians to move the heavy stones required to build the pyramids. By about 2800 B.C. , rope made of hemp fibers was in use in China.


Raw Materials 

 

Rope may be made either from natural fibers, which have been processed to allow them to be easily formed into yarn, or from synthetic materials, which have been spun into fibers or extruded into long filaments.

Natural fibers include hemp, sisal, cotton, flax, and jute. Another natural material is called manila hemp, but it is actually the fibers from a banana plant. Sisal was used extensively to make twine, but synthetic materials are replacing it. Manila rope is still used by traditionalists, but it can rot from the inside, thus losing its strength without giving any outward indication.

Synthetic fibers include nylon, polyester, polypropylene and aramid. Polypropylene costs the least, floats on water, and does not stretch appreciably. For these reasons it makes a good water ski tow rope. Nylon is moderately expensive, fairly strong, and has quite a bit of stretch. It makes a good mooring and docking line for boats because of its ability to give slightly, yet hold. Aramid is the strongest, but is also very expensive. Nylon and polyester may be spun into fibers about 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) long. Ropes made from spun synthetic fibers feel fuzzy and are not as strong as ropes made from long, continuous filaments. Some ropes use two different synthetic materials to achieve a combination of high strength and low cost or high strength and smooth surface finish.
Wire rope may be made from iron or steel wires. This is commonly referred to as cable and is used in bridges, elevators, and cranes. It is made by a different process than fiber or filament ropes.


_______________



Difference Between Synthetic & Natural Fiber Rope

Environmental Effects

    Synthetic rope is created using plastics with dangerous chemical byproducts, while natural fiber ropes are woven from jute, sisal, and, hemp--all renewable and biodegradable resources with no chemical byproduct.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5669626_difference-synthetic-natural-fiber-rope.html#ixzz2cL95eMcQ


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The 'living concrete' that can heal itself

 

 May 14, 2015

 http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/14/tech/bioconcrete-delft-jonkers/

The bioconcrete is mixed just like regular concrete, but with an extra ingredient -- the "healing agent." It remains intact during mixing, only dissolving and becoming active if the concrete cracks and water gets in.
Jonkers, a microbiologist, began working on it in 2006, when a concrete technologist asked him if it would be possible to use bacteria to make self-healing concrete.
It took Jonkers three years to crack the problem -- but there were some tricky challenges to overcome.
"You need bacteria that can survive the harsh environment of concrete," says Jonkers. "It's a rock-like, stone-like material, very dry."
Concrete is extremely alkaline and the "healing" bacteria must wait dormant for years before being activated by water.
Jonkers chose bacillus bacteria for the job, because they thrive in alkaline conditions and produce spores that can survive for decades without food or oxygen.
"The next challenge was not only to have the bacteria active in concrete, but also to make them produce repair material for the concrete -- and that is limestone," Jonkers explains.
In order to produce limestone the bacilli need a food source. Sugar was one option, but adding sugar to the mix would create soft, weak, concrete.
In the end, Jonkers chose calcium lactate, setting the bacteria and calcium lactate into capsules made from biodegradable plastic and adding the capsules to the wet concrete mix.

When cracks eventually begin to form in the concrete, water enters and open the capsules.
The bacteria then germinate, multiply and feed on the lactate, and in doing so they combine the calcium with carbonate ions to form calcite, or limestone, which closes up the cracks.
Now Jonkers hopes his concrete could be the start of a new age of biological buildings.
 

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New Water-Based Adhesive Can Be Recycled by Changing pH

November 14, 2023

Research team has developed a reversible, water-based glue.

https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/new-water-based-adhesive-can-be-recycled-by-changing-ph-380993 


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Silver-Nanowire-Based Elastic Conductors: Preparation Processes and Substrate Adhesion

2023 Mar 21

Abstract

The production of flexible electronic systems includes stretchable electrical interconnections and flexible electronic components, promoting the research and development of flexible conductors and stretchable conductive materials with large bending deformation or torsion resistance. Silver nanowires have the advantages of high conductivity, good transparency and flexibility in the development of flexible electronic products. In order to further prepare system-level flexible systems (such as autonomous full-software robots, etc.), it is necessary to focus on the conductivity of the system’s composite conductor and the robustness of the system at the physical level. In terms of conductor preparation processes and substrate adhesion strategies, the more commonly used solutions are selected. Four kinds of elastic preparation processes (pretensioned/geometrically topological matrix, conductive fiber, aerogel composite, mixed percolation dopant) and five kinds of processes (coating, embedding, changing surface energy, chemical bond and force, adjusting tension and diffusion) to enhance the adhesion of composite conductors using silver nanowires as current-carrying channel substrates were reviewed. It is recommended to use the preparation process of mixed percolation doping and the adhesion mode of embedding/chemical bonding under non-special conditions. Developments in 3D printing and soft robots are also discussed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10058989/

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Self-healing single-ion-conductive artificial polymeric solid electrolyte interphases for stable lithium metal anodes

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211285521011204

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3D-printable tissue adhesive sets a new standard in biomedical technology

Feb 2024

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-3d-printable-tissue-adhesive-standard.html


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Studies on development of adhesive material from post-consumer (waste) expanded polystyrene: a two-edged sword approach

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0957582020316955

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NEANDERTHAL Glue Works So Well

Apr 17, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Gcbr1g7AM

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This Fish Can Stick to Anything!

2021

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_vagMdsvWUA

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Bioadhesives and environmentally friendly glue

March 14, 2010    

https://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/Green-glue.html

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The Stickiest *Non-Sticky* Substance

Jan 23, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS0TuIPoeBs
 

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Ultimate tensile strength


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensile_strength

Ultimate tensile strength (UTS), often shortened to tensile strength (TS) or ultimate strength, is the maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before failing or breaking. Tensile strength is distinct from compressive strength.


Typical tensile strengths


Ultimate strength (MPa)

Epoxy adhesive - 12 - 30
Human hair
380
Bone (limb)
130
Wood, pine (parallel to grain)
40
Bamboo 350-500
Steel, structural ASTM A36 steel  - 400-550
Steel, Micro-Melt 10 Tough Treated Tool (AISI A11)
5205
First carbon nanotube ropes      3600
Carbon nanotube - 11000-63000
Carbon fiber    1600 for Laminate, 4137 for fiber alone
Boron Nitride Nanotube - 33000
Silicon, monocrystalline (m-Si) - 7000
Basalt fiber   4840
Diamond
2800
Graphene
130000
Boron nitride nanotube
33000

UHMWPE fibers (Dyneema or Spectra)      2300-3500
Aramid (Kevlar or Twaron) - 3757
Polypropylene   19.7-80
Polyester resin (unreinforced) 55
Nylon, type 6/6 - 75




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7 ‘facts’ you learned in school that are no longer true

  •   17/3/2017

THEN: Diamond is the hardest substance

 NOW: Ultrahard nanotwinned cubic boron nitride is the hardest substance

https://it.businessinsider.com/facts-no-longer-true-2017-3/

 

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This is the world's densest element (Osmium)

2021

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xij-O0etaJ8

 

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Artificial graphene could outperform the real thing

 

  February 14, 2014

 
 Graphene is truly a 21st-century wonder material, finding use in everything from solar cells to batteries to tiny antennas. Now, however, a group of European research institutes have joined forces to create a graphene knock-off, that could prove to be even more versatile.

Conventional graphene takes the form of a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon atoms, linked together in a honeycomb pattern. Along with being transparent and conductive, it is also both the world's thinnest material, and the strongest.

The artificial graphene has the same honeycomb structure, but is made from nanometer-thick semiconductor crystals instead of carbon atoms. The chemical makeup, size and shape of those crystals can be tweaked, essentially custom-tuning the properties of the material to the desired application.

It could conceivably be used in many of the same places in which graphene is currently utilized, but with even better performance. According to project partner the University of Luxembourg, “'Artificial graphene' should lead to faster, smaller and lighter electronic and optical devices of all kinds, including higher performance photovoltaic cells, lasers or LED lighting."

 http://www.gizmag.com/artificial-graphene/30845/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

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MIT has a new method for producing large quantities of graphene


May 21, 2015

(The new technique involves wrapping a substrate around an inner tube and passing gas through an outer tube).

http://www.gizmag.com/mit-graphene-large-quantities/37635/


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For faster, larger graphene add a liquid layer

 

July 15, 2015 
 
 
Millimetre-sized crystals of high-quality graphene can be made in minutes instead of hours using a new scalable technique, Oxford University researchers have demonstrated.In just 15 minutes the method can produce large graphene crystals around 2-3 millimetres in size that it would take up to 19 hours to produce using current chemical vapour deposition (CVD) techniques in which carbon in gas reacts with, for example, copper to form graphene.
Graphene promises to be a 'wonder material' for building new technologies because of its combination of strength, flexibility, electrical properties, and chemical resistance. But this promise will only be realised if it can be produced cost-effectively on a commercial scale.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-07-faster-larger-graphene-liquid-layer.html#jCp



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High-efficiency, semi-transparent perovskite/graphene solar cells created at low cost


September 11, 2015

With the continued rise in the uptake of solar cells, consumers are now looking at less obtrusive ways to incorporate these in buildings and vehicles. Transparent or semi-transparent cells provide greater flexibility and visual appeal than standard, opaque silicon solar cells, however their relatively high-cost and poor efficiencies have meant that their adoption has been slow. To help remedy this, researchers working at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have created semi-transparent, efficient, low-cost perovskite solar cells with graphene electrodes.

http://www.gizmag.com/transparent-perovskite-solar-cells-graphene-electrodes/39349/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

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Conductive graphene yarn is lighter and stretchier than copper wire

 

June 23, 2014

 

 

The researchers started by chemically exfoliating flakes of graphene from a block of graphite. Those flakes were then mixed with water, and that mixture was concentrated into a slurry using a centrifuge. That slurry was then spread across a plate and allowed to dry, forming into a thin transparent film of graphene oxide.

The film was subsequently peeled off the plate and cut into narrow strips, those strips in turn getting wound together using an automatic fiber scroller.

The resulting yarn can be knotted and stretched without fracturing, and is said to be much stronger than other types of carbon fibers – this quality could be due to the presence of tiny air pockets within it.

Removing oxygen from the material boosts its electrical conductivity, and adding silver nanorods to it in the film-fabricating stage could reportedly boost that conductivity further, to the point of matching that of copper. Its stretchability and lighter weight, however, could make it a better alternative in many applications.

 

http://www.gizmag.com/stretchable-graphene-yarn/32657/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

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Graphene could find use in lightweight ballistic body armor

 

December 1st, 2014




While graphene is already known for being the world's strongest material, most studies have focused on its tensile strength – that's the maximum stress that it can withstand while being pulled or stretched, before failing. According to studies conducted at Houston's Rice University, however, its ability to absorb sudden impacts hadn't previously been thoroughly explored. As it turns out, the material is 10 times better than steel at dissipating kinetic energy. That could make it an excellent choice for lightweight ballistic body armor.

http://www.gizmag.com/graphene-bulletproof-armor/35004/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget




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Graphene used to rust-proof steel

 

  May 29, 2012


Hexavalent chromium compounds are a key ingredient in coatings used to rust-proof steel. They also happen to be carcinogenic. Researchers, therefore, have been looking for non-toxic alternatives that could be used to keep steel items from corroding. Recently, scientists from the University at Buffalo announced that they have developed such a substance. It’s a varnish that incorporates graphene, the one-atom-thick carbon sheeting material that is the thinnest and strongest substance known to exist.

http://www.gizmag.com/graphene-anti-rust-coating/22731/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget



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Graphene shown to safely interact with neurons in the brain

 

January 29, 2016

 Researchers have successfully demonstrated how it is possible to interface graphene - a two-dimensional form of carbon - with neurons, or nerve cells, while maintaining the integrity of these vital cells. The work may be used to build graphene-based electrodes that can safely be implanted in the brain, offering promise for the restoration of sensory functions for amputee or paralysed patients, or for individuals with motor disorders such as epilepsy or Parkinson's disease.


http://phys.org/news/2016-01-graphene-shown-safely-interact-neurons.html

 

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A new way to make higher quality bilayer graphene

 
February 8, 2016


 A team of researchers with members from institutions in the U.S., Korea and China has developed a new way to make bilayer graphene that is higher in quality than that produced through any other known process. In their paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, the team describes the technique they developed and the possible uses for the bilayer graphene that is produced.

Graphene is, of course, a flat material made from just single carbon atoms; it forms in a honeycomb pattern and has been found to have excellent electrical properties—one hindrance to using graphene in many applications has been the lack of a bandgap. That hindrance was partially overcome back in 2009 when a team working in the U.S. found that creating two layers of graphene bonded together and then applying electricity could cause a bandgap to occur. Since that time, researchers have been looking for ways to create such bilayer graphene in a way that could be commercialized. In this latest effort, the researchers report on a new technique they have developed that they claim produces the highest quality bilayer graphene yet.

 http://phys.org/news/2016-02-higher-quality-bilayer-graphene.html


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2D self-assembling semiconductor could beat out graphene


May 2, 2014





Graphene may be talked about as the future wonder material (and for that matter, the present one), but it has one critical deficiency. It lacks a natural bandgap, the physical trait that puts the “semi” in “semiconductor," so it has to be doped to become effective. Enter Ni3(2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene)2 ... well, you can refer to it as a metal-organic graphene analogue for now. In addition to having a natural band gap, it’s able to self-assemble and represents a whole family of compounds that’s exciting to researchers for its novel properties.

Nickel (the metal) and HITP (the organic compound) are represented in the diagram at the top of the page, with nickel colored in green, amino groups in purple, and carbon rings in grey. The amino groups in the carbon rings are attracted to the nickel, and because of the symmetry and geometry in HITP, the overall organometallic complex almost has a fractal nature that allows this new semiconductor to self-organize perfectly. A band gap is created in the “hole” where electrons aren’t, a space that's just about 2 nm across.

http://www.gizmag.com/2d-self-assembling-semiconductor-graphene/31879/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

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New alloy claimed to have higher strength-to-weight ratio than any other metal


 December 11, 2014

 When it comes to metal that's being used in the automotive or aerospace industries, the higher its strength-to-weight ratio, the better. With that in mind, researchers from North Carolina State University and Qatar University have developed a new alloy that reportedly has a low density similar to that of aluminum, but that's stronger than titanium.

 http://www.gizmag.com/high-entropy-alloy-strength-to-weight/35170/


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 6 of the lightest and strongest materials on Earth


Mar 18, 2017

https://inhabitat.com/6-of-the-lightest-and-strongest-materials-on-earth/


3D Graphene
Carbyne
Aerographite
Aerographene
Metallic microlattice
Limpet teeth



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World's lightest solid material, known as 'frozen smoke', gets even lighter

 

January 13, 2011





Researchers have created a new aerogel that boasts amazing strength and an incredibly large surface area. Nicknamed ‘frozen smoke’ due to its translucent appearance, aerogels are manufactured materials derived from a gel in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas, resulting in a material renowned as the world’s lightest solid material. The new so-called “multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT) aerogel” could be used in sensors to detect pollutants and toxic substances, chemical reactors, and electronics components.

Although aerogels have been fabricated from silica, metal oxides, polymers, and carbon-based materials and are already used in thermal insulation in windows and buildings, tennis racquets, sponges to clean up oil spills, and other products, few scientists have succeeded in making aerogels from carbon nanotubes.

The researchers were able to succeed where so many before them had failed using a wet gel of well-dispersed pristine MWCNTs. After removing the liquid component from the MWCNT wet gel, they were able to create the lightest ever free-standing MWCNT aerogel monolith with a density of 4 mg/cm3.

MWCNT aerogels infused with a plastic material are flexible, like a spring that can be stretched thousands of times, and if the nanotubes in a one-ounce cube were unraveled and placed side-to-side and end-to-end, they would carpet three football fields. The MWCNT aerogels are also excellent conductors of electricity, which is what makes them ideal for sensing applications and offers great potential for their use in electronics components.

 http://www.gizmag.com/worlds-lightest-solid-material-gets-even-lighter/17588/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


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Aerographite claims title of World's Lightest Solid Material



July 12, 2012





http://www.gizmag.com/aerographite-worlds-lightest-material/23295/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

While they were each once hailed as the lightest solid material ever made, metallic microlattice and aerogel have now been moved back to second and third place (respectively), with aerographite taking the crown. Developed by a team from the Technical University of Hamburg and Germany’s University of Kiel, the material is composed of 99.99 percent air, along with a three-dimensional network of porous carbon nanotubes that were grown into each other.

Aerographite has a density of less than 0.2 milligrams per cubic centimeter, which allows it be compressed by a factor of 1,000, then subsequently spring back to its original state. Despite its extremely low density, it is black and optically-opaque in appearance. By contrast, the density of metallic microlattice sits at 0.9 mg per cubic centimeter.

The scientists discovered the sponge-like material when they were researching three-dimensionally cross-linked carbon structures. It is reportedly much more robust than the relatively fragile aerogel, being able to withstand at least 35 times as much mechanical force for its density. It is grown in a one-step process using zinc oxide templates, which allow blocks of the material to be created in various shapes, in sizes as large as several cubic centimeters.




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Graphene aerogel takes world’s lightest material crown

 

 March 24, 2013





Not even a year after it claimed the title of the world’s lightest material, aerographite has been knocked off its crown by a new aerogel made from graphene. Created by a research team from China’s Zhejiang University in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering lab headed by Professor Gao Chao, the ultra-light aerogel has a density lower than that of helium and just twice that of hydrogen.

Although first created in 1931 by American scientist and chemical engineer, Samuel Stephens Kistler, aerogels have recently become a hotly contested area of scientific research. A “multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT) aerogel” dubbed “frozen smoke” with a density of 4 mg/cm3 lost its world’s lightest material title in 2011 to a micro-lattice material with a density of 0.9 mg/cm3. Less than a year later, aerographite claimed the crown with its density of 0.18 mg/cm3.

Now a new title-holder has been crowned, with the graphene aerogel created by Gao and his team boasting a density of just 0.16 mg/cm3. To create the record-setting material, Gao and his team turned to the wonder material du jour – graphene. Building on experience in developing macroscopic graphene materials, including one-dimensional graphene fibers and two-dimensional graphene films, the team decided to add another dimension and make a three-dimensional porous material out of graphene in an attempt to claim the record.

Instead of the sol-gel method and template-oriented methods generally used to create aerogels, Gao and his team used a new freeze-drying method that involved freeze-drying solutions of carbon nanotubes and graphene to create a carbon sponge that can be arbitrarily adjusted to any shape.

http://www.gizmag.com/graphene-aerogel-worlds-lightest/26784/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


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Newly developed metallic "micro-lattice" material is world's lightest

 

November 17, 2011 

 

Researchers have created a new metallic material that they claim is the world's lightest solid material. With a density of just 0.9 mg/cm3 the material is around 100 times lighter than Styrofoam and lighter than the "multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT) aerogel" - also dubbed "frozen smoke" - with a density of 4 mg/cm3 that we looked at earlier this year. Despite being 99.99 percent open volume, the new material boasts impressive strength and energy absorption, making it potentially useful for a range of applications.
The 0.01 percent of the material that isn't air consists of a micro-lattice of interconnected hollow nickel-phosphorous tubes with a wall thickness of 100 nanometers - or 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. These tubes are angled to connect at nodes to form repeating, three-dimensional asterisk-like cells.

 

http://www.gizmag.com/ultralight-micro-lattice-material/20537/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


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Microstructured materials as strong as steel yet less dense than water

 

 April 14, 2014



Researchers in Germany have developed a lightweight, high-strength material inspired by the framework structure of bones and wood and the shell structure of bees' honeycombs. Created using 3D laser polymer printing combined with a ceramic coating, the material is less dense than water but, relative to its size, boasts strength comparable to high-performance steel or aluminum.
Although inspired by nature, the polymer microarchitecture produced by a team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) outperforms its natural counterparts in terms of strength/density ratio. The underlying structure was produced using a process of 3D laser lithography or polymer printing and hardening.
A number of structures were tested, including triangular, hexagonal and honeycomb. These were then coated by gas deposition to provide extra strength, with coatings of a ceramic material and alumina both tested. The polymer structure measured roughly 50 µm long, wide, and high, while various coating thicknesses were tested ranging from 10 nm to 200 nm.
It was found that a honeycomb polymer structure with an alumina coating of 50 nm yielded the highest stability to density ratio. This microarchitecture outperformed the triangular and hexagonal counterparts produced and tested, while no additional strength was achieved after a coating thickness of 50 nm of alumina was exceeded. This optimized honeycomb structure failed at a pressure of 28 kg/mm2, yet only had a density of 810 kg/m3, which the team says exceeds the stability/density ratio of bones, massive steel or aluminum.
"The novel lightweight construction materials resemble the framework structure of a half-timbered house with horizontal, vertical, and diagonal struts,” said study co-author Jens Bauer. "Our beams, however, are only 10 µm in size.”
The team says microstructured materials are often used for insulation or as shock absorbers, and that such open-pore materials can be used as filters in the chemical industry.


 http://www.gizmag.com/microstructured-lightweight-construction-material/31339/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget



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New materials developed that are as light as aerogel, yet 10,000 times stronger

 

June 22, 2014



http://www.gizmag.com/llnl-ultralight-metamaterial/32589/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

Imagine materials strong enough to use in building airplanes or motor cars, yet are literally lighter than air. Soon, that may not be so hard to do because a team of researchers from MIT and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have developed new ultra-lightweight materials that are as light as aerogel, but 10,000 times stiffer, and may one day revolutionize aerospace and automotive designs.


Aerogels are incredibly light, so light that the record holder, aerographene, boasts a density of just 0.16 mg/cm3. Currently, aerogels are used for insulation, tennis racquets, as a means of controlling oil spills, and were used on the NASA Stardust mission to collect samples from a comet’s tail. Unfortunately, despite its seemingly ephemeral nature, its very much a solid and will shatter if pressed hard enough, so its use is limited.
The new materials developed by the MIT/LLNL team aren't aerogels, but are metamaterials. That is, artificial materials with properties that aren't found in nature. The idea is to structure it, so that it has the lightness of aerogel, but is much stronger. The strength of the new materials comes from their geometric structure, not their chemical composition.
The new materials were made using projection micro-stereolithography, a form of desktop 3D printing that works on a microscopic level and can create highly complex, three-dimensional microstructures layer by layer very quickly for easy prototyping. It involves projecting a beam of ultraviolet light into a tank of polymers, responsive hydrogels, shape memory polymers, or bio-materials using the digital stereolithography technique in the form of masks, similar to those used to create microchips, to shape the layers.
Projection micro-stereolithography operates on a very small scale that allows the formation of "microlattices," which are much like trusses and girders. Materials can even be switched during fabrication. According to the team, it can be applied to many different materials, including polymers, metals and ceramics, which is exactly what the team did using a variety of constituent materials.
Firstly, the LLNL/MIT team made a polymer template coated with a metal film 200 to 500 nanometers thick, then the polymer base was melted away, leaving behind the metal in the form of thin-film tubes.
The team then used the same technique but replaced the metal with ceramic to create ceramic tubes about 50 nanometers thick, which produced a material with the properties of an extremely stiff aerogel, four orders of magnitude stiffer than conventional aerogel, but with the same density...








--------------



Flexible, high-strength polymer aerogels deliver "super-insulation" properties


September 27, 2012





 Often called "frozen smoke", aerogels are among the amazing materials of our time, with fifteen Guinness Book of World Records entries to their name. However, despite their list of extreme properties, traditional aerogels are brittle, crumbling and fracturing easily enough to keep them out of many practical applications. A new class of mechanically robust polymer aerogels discovered at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Ohio may soon enable engineering applications such as super-insulated clothing, unique filters, refrigerators with thinner walls, and super-insulation for buildings...

http://www.gizmag.com/polymer-aerogel-stronger-flexible-nasa/23955/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

 

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 New technique leads to creation of elastic high-strength carbon nanotube film




http://phys.org/news/2016-02-technique-creation-elastic-high-strength-carbon.html



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New experimental research exposes the strength of beryllium at extreme conditions

August 5, 2015 
 http://phys.org/news/2015-08-experimental-exposes-strength-beryllium-extreme.html#jCp
 Until recently, there were very little experimental data about the behavior of beryllium (Be) at very high pressures and strain rates, with existing material models predicting very different behaviors in these regimes. In a successful example of international research collaboration, a team of scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Russian Federal Nuclear Center-All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics (RFNC-VNIIEF) changed this field of knowledge.
 The technique involves setting off a piece of high explosives (HE) near the Be. On the side of the Be facing the HE, the team imposed a sinusoidal ripple pattern designed by co-author Jon Belof. When the expanding HE products load up against the target, the target accelerates. Since there is a low density gas pushing against a higher density metal, the interface is Rayleigh-Taylor unstable and the ripples grow in amplitude as the target accelerates.

If the target has no strength, the ripples will grow indefinitely and become turbulent at some point. However, since the Be does have strength, the ripple growth is limited by the strength of the material itself. The main diagnostic for the experiments is an X-ray image from the side of the target showing the height of the ripples at some time after the HE loading has occurred. The other diagnostic is velocimetry of the target showing its acceleration profile.



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Bamboo inspires new process for making metals tougher

  July 3, 2014


Steel is a common benchmark against which the strength of materials is measured, with "stronger than steel" a familiar catch cry for those touting the properties of some new space-age material. But now researchers at North Carolina State University have created steel that is stronger than steel using a process that increases the toughness of various metals by altering the microstructures within them.
Inspired by the internal structure of bones and bamboo, which both boast impressive strength-to-weight ratios, the researchers were able to increase the strength and toughness of metals by giving them what the researchers refer to as a "gradient structure." This is a structure where the size of the millions of tightly-packed grains that make up the metal are gradually increased further down into the material...


http://www.gizmag.com/gradient-structure-increase-metal-toughness/32819/

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Comparison of composites made from fungal defibrated hemp with composites of traditional hemp yarn  [2007]


Abstract:

 
Aligned epoxy-matrix composites were made from hemp fibres defibrated with the fungi Phlebia radiata Cel 26 and Ceriporiopsis subvermispora previously used for biopulping of wood. The fibres produced by cultivation of P. radiata Cel 26 were more cellulose rich (78%, w/w) than water-retted hemp due to more degradation of pectin and lignin. The defibrated hemp fibres had higher fibre stiffness (88-94 GPa) than the hemp yarn (60 GPa), which the fibre twisting in hemp yarn might explain. Even though mild processing was applied, the obtained fibre strength (643 MPa) was similar to the strength of traditionally produced hemp yarn (677 MPa). The fibre strength and stiffness properties are derived from composite data using the rule of mixtures model. The fibre tensile strength increased linearly with cellulose content to 850 MPa for pure cellulose. The fibre stiffness increased also versus the cellulose content and cellulose crystallinity and reached a value of 125 GPa for pure crystalline cellulose.

 http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201300749080

 

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Hemp and cannabis also have nutritional value, this is why you can buy hemp seeds at the health food store. Hemp and cannaabis can also help treat people with medical conditions, including cancer.

_______________



Cannabis Compound Destroyed Incurable Brain Tumors


 (Modern uses for the hemp plant)


http://www.cureyourowncancer.org/cannabis-compound-destroyed-incurable-brain-tumors.html


 _______________

What is Hemp?

 

http://azmarijuana.com/marijuana-info/what-is-hemp/


_______________

 

Pollution: Petrol vs Hemp

http://www.hempcar.org/petvshemp.shtml

 

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Wood foam may be a new form of green home insulation

 



Insulating your home may help the environment by lowering your energy usage, but unfortunately the petroleum-based foam that's typically used as insulation isn't all that eco-friendly itself. Researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, however, have developed a reportedly greener alternative that they claim works just as well – it's foam made from wood.

To produce the foam, wood particles are first ground so small that they form into a slimy solution. A gas is then added to that slime, causing it to take on a frothy consistency. Once that froth hardens – a process that is "aided by natural substances contained in the wood" – a dry, porous foam is the result. The finished product can take the form of either rigid foam boards, or flexible mats.
The slime can also be converted into foam via induced chemical reactions.

 http://www.gizmag.com/wood-foam-insulation/31133/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget



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Rice husks may find use in cheaper, greener, longer-lasting particleboard


May 27, 2015


 http://www.gizmag.com/rice-husk-particleboard/37730/


_______________

 

Secrets of the Samurai Sword - Documentary


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoqVhlFe_EU

_______________

 
STUPID things people say about medieval SWORDS 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--qfjf8SSuU

_______________



 MYSTERIOUS Discoveries Science STILL Can't Explain!

{The Ulfberht Swords}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8fiXaBm0_k

_______________

 The Secrets of Wootz Damascus Steel

2017

A 50-minute documentary about the legendary Al Pendray, together with two swordsmiths from Jordan, and their quest to produce authentic wootz Damascus steel with ores mined from a historical mine in Jordan - a mine that is known to have produced weapons for Saladin himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP8PCkcBZU4


_______________



Traditional Crafts of Finland - Episode 1 - Puukko Knife Making

2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLnqr6IGVgs

 _______________


Tetragrammaton - The Most Sacred Knowledge On Our Planet - Nassim Haremin

Aug 29, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peYrSP8cke8

28:30 - Copper scrolls found near the Dead Sea contained
the purest copper ever found on Earth.

_______________

 
 The Mystery Of Tutankhamun's Dagger | What On Earth? 


{A blade made of iron that has not rusted for over 3,000 years}

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98n-DTIwW18

_______________

 
Impossible Ancient OOPArts Academia Can't Explain

Oct 15, 2019

{The Sword of Goujian}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzQRjn7Z7fQ


 _______________

Researchers find new phase of carbon, make diamond at room temperature

 

November 30, 2015

 Researchers from North Carolina State University have discovered a new phase of solid carbon, called Q-carbon, which is distinct from the known phases of graphite and diamond. They have also developed a technique for using Q-carbon to make diamond-related structures at room temperature and at ambient atmospheric pressure in air.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-11-phase-carbon-diamond-room-temperature.html

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Diamonds may be the key to future NMR/MRI technologies

 

December 16, 2015
 



Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley have demonstrated that diamonds may hold the key to the future for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies.


http://phys.org/news/2015-12-diamonds-key-future-nmrmri-technologies.html

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Wood pulp extract stronger than carbon fiber or Kevlar

 

 September 3, 2012





 http://www.gizmag.com/cellulose-nanocrystals-stronger-carbon-fiber-kevlar/23959/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget

The Forest Products Laboratory of the US Forest Service has opened a US$1.7 million pilot plant for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from wood by-products materials such as wood chips and sawdust. Prepared properly, CNCs are stronger and stiffer than Kevlar or carbon fibers, so that putting CNC into composite materials results in high strength, low weight products. In addition, the cost of CNCs is less than ten percent of the cost of Kevlar fiber or carbon fiber. These qualities have attracted the interest of the military for use in lightweight armor and ballistic glass (CNCs are transparent), as well as companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, and medical industries.


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Biodegradable fibers as strong as steel made from wood cellulose

 

  June 9, 2014





 A team of researchers working at Stockholm's KTH Royal Institute of Technology claim to have developed a way to make cellulose fibers stronger than steel on a strength-to-weight basis. In what is touted as a world first, the team from the institute's Wallenberg Wood Science Center claim that the new fiber could be used as a biodegradable replacement for many filament materials made today from imperishable substances such as fiberglass, plastic, and metal. And all this from a substance that requires only water, wood cellulose, and common table salt to create it.

http://www.gizmag.com/steel-strong-fibers-wood-cellulose/32432/?li_source=LI&li_medium=default-widget


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Nanotubes with two walls have singular qualities

 

 April 15, 2015
 
 Rice University researchers have determined that two walls are better than one when turning carbon nanotubes into materials like strong, conductive fibers or transistors.
 Rice materials scientist Enrique Barrera and his colleagues used atomic-level models of double-walled nanotubes to see how they might be tuned for applications that require particular properties. They knew from others' work that double-walled nanotubes are stronger and stiffer than their single-walled cousins. But they found it may someday be possible to tune double-walled tubes for specific electronic properties by controlling their configuration, chiral angles and the distance between the walls.
 
 http://phys.org/news/2015-04-nanotubes-walls-singular-qualities.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu


 _______________

 

Two-dimensional materials 'as revolutionary as graphene'

 

July 29, 2016

http://phys.org/news/2016-07-two-dimensional-materials-revolutionary-graphene.html



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Move aside carbon: Boron nitride-reinforced materials are even stronger
 
December 22, 2015 
 
 
 A single infusion of a powerful antibody called VRC01 can suppress the level of HIV in the blood of infected people who are not taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), scientists at the National Institutes of Health report in a paper published today. The researchers also found that giving HIV-infected people VRC01 antibodies by infusing them into a vein or under the skin is safe and well tolerated, and the antibodies remain in the blood for an extended period.
While such carbon nanotube-polymer nanocomposites have attracted enormous interest from the materials research community, a group of scientists now has evidence that a different nanotube—made from boron nitride—could offer even more strength per unit of weight. They publish their results in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-carbon-boron-nitride-reinforced-materials-stronger.html#jCp


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Delicately opening a band gap in graphene enables high-performance transistors

 

September 21, 2015
Electrons can move through graphene with almost no resistance, a property that gives graphene great potential for replacing silicon in next-generation, highly efficient electronic devices. But currently it's very difficult to control the electrons moving through graphene because graphene has no band gap, which means the electrons don't need to cross any energy barrier in order to conduct electricity. As a result, the electrons are always conducting, all the time, which means that this form of graphene can't be used to build transistors because it has no "off" state. In order to control the electron movement in graphene and enable "off" states in future graphene transistors, graphene needs a non-zero band gap—an energy barrier that can prevent electrons from conducting electricity when desired, making graphene a semiconductor instead of a full conductor.

http://phys.org/news/2015-09-delicately-band-gap-graphene-enables.html#jCp


---------------


Microwave plasma-induced graphene-sheet fibers
from waste coffee grounds


The waste coffee grounds (The remainder of regular coffee powder after being
boiled, UCC) was dried at 100 degrees Celsius  for 6 hours without other treatments. Graphene-sheet fibers (GSFs) were fabricated from dried coffee
grounds loaded in a nickel case using 2.45 GHz microwave plasma system at
the power of 900 W, which was equipped with a rectangular waveguide to couple
the microwave through quartz tube for generating the plasma. In the system, no
additional heater was installed for substrate heating. The substrate temperature was controlled by microwave power and plasma exposure time, and was measured by a thermocouple placed in direct contact with the substrate holder.
After the deposition chamber was pumped down to a base pressure of 1 Torr
by a rotary pump with the pumping gas rate of 300L/s, the hydrogen and argon gases were introduced into the chamber and produced the plasma to irradiate the coffee grounds for 15 min. The maximal temperature was 650 degrees Celsius during the process of microwave plasma irradiation. After deposition, the plasma was shut down and the equipment was naturally cooled to room temperature. The yield of GSFs was found to be 10-20% in all produced nanocarbons.

http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/c5/ta/c5ta03833b/c5ta03833b1.pdf

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Scientists grow high-quality graphene from tea tree extract

August 21, 2015





Graphene has been grown from materials as diverse as plastic, cockroaches, Girl Scout cookies, and dog feces, and can theoretically be grown from any carbon source. However, scientists are still looking for a graphene precursor and growth method that is sustainable, scalable, and economically feasible, since these are all requirements for realizing widespread commercialization of graphene-based devices.

http://phys.org/news/2015-08-scientists-high-quality-graphene-tea-tree.html


_______________



Synthesis and characterization of organic-inorganic hybrid materials and nanostructures
 

 Posted: June 24, 2015

 http://www.scientificamerican.com/naturejobs/?method=job&id=533011

The project supported by the Swedish Research Council is aimed at the development of new approaches to building up complex structures of metal oxide nanoparticles to be used as nano reactors and as drug delivery vehicles. The produced particles will be decorated with functional biomolecules, proteins and enzymes, to provide them with ability to act as biocatalysts. It will involve the synthesis of new organic-inorganic hybrid materials, their characterization by a variety of techniques such as electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and NMR, Atomic Force Microscopy etc., and verification of their functional characteristics. The project will be carried out in an inspiring international environment and will involve active participation in international project meetings. 



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 15 Most Dense Materials on Earth | Volumetric Mass Density


May 15, 2019

15. Molybdenum
14. Silver
13. Lead
12. Thorium
11. Rhodium
10. Mercury
9. Tantalum
8. Uranium
7. Tungsten
6. Gold
5. Plutonium
4. Rhenium
3. Platinum
2. Iridium
1. Osmium


https://www.rankred.com/densest-materials-on-earth/



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National Lab Teams Create Densest Object on Earth


Jan 10, 2020

Applying 30 million atmospheres of pressure lets researchers compress copper into the densest material on the planet, for a brief moment.

Scientists used the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Lab to squeeze a microscopic sample of copper samples under 30 million atmospheres in less than a billionth of a second. This tripled the sample’s density, creating the densest object on the planet for a brief moment in time.


https://www.machinedesign.com/materials/article/21120262/national-lab-teams-create-densest-object-on-earth

 

 

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Bioplastic: an eco-friendly alternative to non-biodegradable plastic

15 June 2023

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pi.6555


______________


Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Styrofoam Takeout Containers

Wooden Takeout Food Containers
Sugarcane Takeout Food Containers
Miscanthus Takeout Food Containers

https://www.getserveware.com/eco-friendly-alternatives-to-styrofoam-disposable-food-containers/

______________


13 Cellophane Alternatives for Your Next Event

April 20, 2022

Table of Contents

    Cellophane alternatives
    
    13 Cellophane Alternatives

        1. Plant-Based Plastics
        2. Mushroom Root
        3. Bagasse
        4. Seaweed Water Bubbles
        5. Shower-Friendly Paper
        6. Stone Paper and Plastic
        7. Palm Leaves
        8. Corn Starch and Sorghum Loose Fill
        9. Edible Six-Pack Ring
        10. Silberboard – Metallised Paper
        11. Wood Pulp Cellophane
        12. Prawn Shell Plastic Bags
        13. Milk Plastic

https://www.ecomasteryproject.com/cellophane-alternatives/

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It's a wrap: clingfilm alternatives to help you ditch the plastic

Dec 2020

Four ways to store food while cutting out the plastic, from beeswax to vegan-friendly leaf wrap

1. Lakeland compostable perforated clingfilm, £3.99 for a 30-metre x 28.5cm-wide roll, perforated every 30cm

Produced by an Italian supplier, the polyester film is designed to break down under home and industrial home composting conditions, and it is claimed that it will disappear within 12 months without leaving any harmful residue in the compost.

Instructions on the packaging make clear that it should not be used in ovens, grills or the microwave. The perforations are handy, as it is difficult to cut the film with scissors.

When we wrapped a slightly soggy cheese and tomato sandwich, the clingfilm did not stick together or “cling” very well, so we would not be confident about its durability if carried around. That said, it is strong and did its job perfectly when used to cover food in containers in the fridge, with no whiff evident from an open pot of tuna. It can also be used in the freezer, although it was hard to tell whether it would survive long-term.

Overall verdict: An affordable guilt-free film that is useful for many kitchen jobs but cannot be used for cooking and does not have the “clingability” of the standard version.


2. Essential Waitrose non-PVC clingfilm

3. The Beeswax Wrap Co’s pack of five beeswax wraps

4. Leaf wrap, brightly coloured and printed plant-based wax food wraps

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/24/its-a-wrap-clingfilm-alternatives-to-help-you-ditch-the-plastic


______________



20 Best Tin Foil Alternatives: Eco-friendly & Cost-effective Options

November 13, 2023

https://homeisd.com/tin-foil-alternatives/

______________


Top Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Plastic Utensils: A Comprehensive Guide

February 4, 2024

https://homeisd.com/alternatives-to-plastic-utensils/


______________


Development of environmental-friendly biofoam cup made from sugarcane bagasse and coconut fiber

March 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350332552_Development_of_environmental-friendly_biofoam_cup_made_from_sugarcane_bagasse_and_coconut_fiber

______________


Thermal degradation of eco-friendly alternative plastics: kinetics and thermodynamics analysis

17 February 2020

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-020-07919-w

______________



Styrofoam Facts: Why Styrofoam is Bad For the Environment

https://www.ecofriendlyhabits.com/styrofoam-facts/


______________


Researchers develop viable, environmentally-friendly alternative to Styrofoam

May 9, 2019

Washington State University researchers have developed an environmentally-friendly, plant-based material that for the first time works better than Styrofoam for insulation.

The foam is mostly made from nanocrystals of cellulose, the most abundant plant material on earth. The researchers also developed an environmentally friendly and simple manufacturing process to make the foam, using water as a solvent instead of other harmful solvents.

The work, led by Amir Ameli, assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and Xiao Zhang, associate professor in the Gene and Linda School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, is published in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers.

Researchers have been working to develop an environmentally friendly replacement for polystyrene foam, or Styrofoam. The popular material, made from petroleum, is used in everything from coffee cups to materials for building and construction, transportation, and packaging industries. But, it is made from toxic ingredients, depends on petroleum, doesn't degrade naturally, and creates pollution when it burns.

While other researchers have created other cellulose-based foams, the plant-based versions haven't performed as well as Styrofoam. They are not as strong, don't insulate as well, and degraded at higher temperatures and in humidity. To make cellulose nanocrystals, researchers use acid hydrolysis, in which acid is used to cleave chemical bonds.

https://phys.org/news/2019-05-viable-environmentally-friendly-alternative-styrofoam.html#google_vignette


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Styrofoam eco-friendly alternative Cruz Foam now being adopted by local companies

June 28, 2023

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/styrofoam-eco-friendly-alternative-cruz-foam/

______________


Could ‘Nanowood’ Replace Styrofoam?

March 26, 2018

Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed a biodegradable material that is both strong and a good insulator

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a super-lightweight insulating material they say could prove to be a better, more eco-friendly alternative. The material, made from tiny wood fibers, is called nanowood. It blocks heat at least 10 degrees better than Styrofoam or silica aerogel, a common insulator, and it can take at least 30 times more pressure than Styrofoam or silica aerogel before being crushed.

Working in the lab of materials scientist Liangbing Hu, postdoctoral researcher Tian Li is the lead author on the study, published this month in the journal Science Advances.

“To the best of our knowledge, the strength of our nanowood represents the highest value among available super insulating materials,” wrote the study authors.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-nanowood-replace-styrofoam-180968575/

______________


Nanotechnology approaches for creating biodeterioration-resistant wood

December 21, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-nanotechnology-approaches-biodeterioration-resistant-wood.html

______________


Green alternatives to styrofoam insulation

April 8, 2019

1. Greensulate

Greensulate is a good alternative to Styrofoam insulation. The material is biodegradable and renewable in nature. Besides being a good insulator, the material is also resistive to fire. You must have seen mushroom being served at your favorite restaurant, but have you ever thought of the idea of mushrooms inside your walls, protecting it from moisture and other environmental hazards. Mushrooms form the basic element in making Greensulate. A mixture of agricultural bio-waste  grows mushrooms into shapes to make insulation. One has to add Fungal cells in addition with hydrogen peroxide, to prevent unwanted fungal growth. It is cheaper than polystyrene and more Eco-friendly. This should serve as enough incentives to try this material.

Greensulate is a reality because of the research done by two mechanical engineers – Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre. They, along with other members, are now corporate under the name Ecovative Designs that provide Eco-friendly Greensulate materials for a myriad of purposes.


2. Aerogel

Aerogel is a translucent gel-like material that has a higher R-value than Styrofoam. The material has low density and thermal conductivity, and porous in nature. The translucent nature of the material has given it odd names like frozen smoke, liquid smoke, etc. The low thermal conductivity is due to the fact that it negates four ways of heat transfer – convection, conduction, and radiation. Besides insulation, NASA has used Aerogel to collect space dust. Through the process of supercritical drying, the liquid component of the gel is taken out to make the material. The nature of the gel depends on the material from. One can easily extract it. Most common Aerogel materials have silica, carbon and alumina as their constituents. Commercially, Aerogel comes in granular form for insulation and absorption of infrared radiation.

The toxicity of the gel depends on its material. Silica-based Aerogel is not toxic and one can safely use it in homes.


3. Durisol’s green insulated concrete

Durisol, a Canada based company, is the leading manufacturer of cement-bonded wood fiber products. Since 1945, they have been making Durisol products in their 14 manufacturing units located throughout the world. Durisol is the name of the concrete, which constitutes a mixture of wood fiber and Portland cement. It requires 100% recycled wood in the manufacturing process. The origin of the material goes back to Switzerland, where it was invented to provide a cheap building material to rebuild post world war Europe. Currently, the company has a host of Durisol products that include Flat Durisol Sheets, Concrete Wall Accessories, ICF Wall forms and many more.

Durisol concrete forms are cheap, good insulators, Eco-friendly and strong as conventional concrete blocks.


4. Cellulose insulation

People had been using Cellulose insulation in the ancient world, long before the discovery of petroleum. We have now rediscovered the use of such insulation in the wake of environmental crisis. The traditional Cellulose material is purely organic and made from plant fibers, but the modern variant uses recycled newspaper, saw dust, cotton, corncob, hemp and cardboard. Commercially, Cellulose is available in dry loose fill, wet-spray Cellulose, stabilized Cellulose and low-dust Cellulose. The R-value of the material is 3.8 per square inch, little lower than Styrofoam. It is a good insulator for walls, electrical wiring and pipes. A wall filled with Cellulose insulation may have little or no air pockets, thus increasing the efficiency of the insulation. The material is resistive to vapors and molds, and is non-combustible.

The major disadvantage of Cellulose insulation is that it can increase the inflow of dust inside the house.


5. Denim insulation

When talking about Denim, the first thing that comes in our mind is Jeans. Denim insulation is nothing but recycled industrial cotton. Makers of such materials are not going after throw away jeans; rather they are taking the scraps that the textile industry is producing. 85% of the raw material comes from scraps.

The insulation is cheap, 100% recycled, treated with fire-resistant chemicals, and free from VOC and formaldehyde. Furthermore, it’s installation does not require a specialist to meddle in the process.


6. Icynene

Icynene is a liquid insulation material that is mixed with water and sprayed through a blower on to the wall. It is made from castor oil. The liquid turns into foam when it hits the wall. The R-value of the material is 3.6 per square inch. It forms an effective air tight layer on the wall, and traps air in bubbles moment it settles down. The air tight feature makes it compulsory to built effective ventilation to assist air flow. Moreover, it allows water vapor to escape hence prevents accumulation of water.

Icynene may not be a viable option for people who are looking for a cost-effective solution to insulation as Icynene is expensive.


7. Straw bale insulation

Straw-bale as an insulator has long been known to us. Straw being an agricultural byproduct is clean and green. The material is fire-resistant and retards sound.  In addition, according to popular belief, Bale insulation can reduce 75% of the heating cost. Commonly used bales of straw in construction are derived from rice, wheat, oat and rye. The R-value of the material varies from 0.94 to 2.38 per square inch. Besides being clean, it is also cost-effective.

Straw-bale insulation may not be suitable in extreme cold climates, because of the low R-value.


8. Sheep wool insulation

 

https://ecofriend.com/green-alternatives-styrofoam-insulation.html

______________


4 Mineral Wool Insulation Alternatives to Consider When Insulating a Home or Building

September 18, 2022

1. Sheep’s Wool
2. Cotton
3. Aerogel
4. HempWool®

https://www.hempitecture.com/post/mineral-wool-insulation-alternatives/

______________


Non-toxic natural building insulation made of grass

July 28, 2021

https://www.ecohome.net/guides/3483/non-toxic-and-eco-friendly-natural-building-insulation-made-of-grass/


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20 Best Eco-Friendly and Efficient Alternatives to Fiberglass Insulation

November 12, 2023

Cellulose Insulation
Mineral Wool Insulation*
Cotton Insulation
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Insulation
Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Insulation
Polyisocyanurate (PIR) Insulation
Spray Foam Insulation
Radiant Barrier Insulation
Aerogel Insulation
Sheep Wool Insulation
Hemp Insulation
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)

https://homeisd.com/fiberglass-insulation-alternatives/

______________


An Overview of Eco-Friendly Alternatives as the Replacement of Cement in Concrete

November 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356546878_An_Overview_of_Eco-Friendly_Alternatives_as_the_Replacement_of_Cement_in_Concrete

______________


Sustainable Wall Solutions Using Foam Concrete and
Hemp Composites


2021

https://intapi.sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/rtuect-2021-0069

______________


Advances and development trends in eco-friendly pavements

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2097049821000044

______________


Eco-friendly foam can insulate buildings without warming the globe

March 23, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-03-eco-friendly-foam-insulate-globe.html

______________


Engineering Sustainable Solutions: Mycelium Insulation, an Environmentally-Friendly Alternative to Polystyrene



https://www.engineergirl.org/147080/Engineering-Sustainable-Solutions-Mycelium-Insulation-an-EnvironmentallyFriendly-Alternative-to-Polystyrene


______________


10 Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Styrofoam

Jun 3, 2019

1. Mushroom Material
2. Plantable Packaging
3. Edible Packing Peanuts

4. InCycle® Cups - MicroGREEN uses their unique technology to add carbon dioxide to recycled plastics, creating a lightweight, durable plastic that’s easier to recycle and reuse.

 
5. Bamboo Fiber Eco Bowl

6. EarthAware™ Biodegradeable Packing Materials - It looks like a regular plastic air pouch, but EarthAware™’s packing materials are made with a special type of plastic that can biodegrade in just 5 years. That’s a lot quicker than Styrofoam’s biodegradation date, which is never.

7. EarthShell “Paper” Plates - There’s no paper at all in these disposable plates. Instead, rice, potatoes, and limestone could be the future of Central Park picnics.

8. Peat Plastic

9. ecotainer® Cups

10. Loliware Edible Cups - These may not replace your standard “to-go” cup, but we can totally see New Yorkers loving this edible glassware. Made from plant gelatin, these vegan-friendly cups come in flavors that compliment your beverage. They’re also super eco-friendly—whether they break down in a landfill or in your belly.

https://www.ecoaid.net.au/post/10-eco-friendly-alternatives-to-styrofoam

______________


Effective and Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Styrofoam

November 14, 2023


Biodegradable Materials
Biodegradable Peanuts Starch
Plant-based Packaging
Paper-based Products
Wheat Straw Products
Recyclable Aluminum
Bamboo Containers
Cornstarch Solutions
Eco-friendly Plastics
Seaweed-based Foam
Mushroom Packaging

Alternatives to Styrofoam Foodservice Products

Palm Leaf Plates
Recycled Cardboard
Glass Alternatives
Ceramic Replacements

Natural Fiber Packaging

This type of packaging is made from renewable resources such as bamboo, hemp, and cotton. Natural fibers are biodegradable and compostable, making them an excellent choice for sustainable living.

One example of natural fiber packaging is molded pulp trays that can be used for food or electronics. These trays are made from recycled paper waste and can be easily composted after use.

Another option is using jute bags instead of plastic bags when shopping for groceries or carrying items around town. Jute bags are durable, reusable, and biodegradable.

Using natural fiber packaging not only helps reduce waste but also supports the growth of sustainable industries that prioritize environmental responsibility in their production processes.

Bagasse Containers

Bagasse is a byproduct of sugarcane processing, and it’s often discarded as waste. However, this material can be repurposed into eco-friendly packaging products such as plates, bowls, and takeout containers.

Bagasse containers are sturdy and durable enough to hold hot or cold food items without leaking or breaking down quickly. They’re also microwave-safe and freezer-safe for added convenience.

Using bagasse products instead of Styrofoam not only helps reduce waste but also supports sustainable agriculture practices by utilizing sugarcane residue that would otherwise go unused.

 

https://homeisd.com/alternatives-to-styrofoam/



______________


This biodegradable alternative to Styrofoam is made from discarded paper

2021

https://www.optimistdaily.com/2021/01/this-biodegradable-alternative-to-styrofoam-is-made-from-discarded-paper/

______________


Popcorn used to create an eco-friendly alternative to polystyrene foam

November 18, 2021

https://newatlas.com/environment/popcorn-expanded-polystyrene-foam/

______________


Sustainable and Affordable Alternatives to Ethyl Vinyl Acetate Foam for Suppliers

April 14, 2024

https://www.evaforsale.com/2024/04/14/sustainable-and-affordable-alternatives-to-ethyl-vinyl-acetate-foam-for-suppliers/

______________


Sawdust-based material could be an eco-friendly alternative to EPS foam

March 23, 2022

https://newatlas.com/environment/sawdust-based-material-eps-foam/

______________


Made of fungi, mycelium hits market as green substitute for leather, plastic

Designer Stella McCartney unveils mycelium-based clothing

Mar 22, 2021

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/mycelium-fungi-green-materials-1.5954664

______________


This fungus-based material is being used to imitate Styrofoam, leather, and even bacon

2020

https://www.businessinsider.com/mycelium-fungus-material-packing-leather-bacon-2020-3?op=1

______________


Engineered mycelium-based composite materials: Comprehensive study of various properties and applications

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950061823015544

______________


Quest for an eco-friendly alternative surfactant: Surface and foam characteristics of natural surfactants

2017

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S095965261730447X


______________


Biodegradable Foam: Delving Into The Potential Of Eco Materials

https://ecomaniac.org/biodegradable-foam/

______________


17+ Sustainable and Green Building Construction Materials

1. Bamboo
2. Precast Concrete Slabs
3. Cork
4. Straw Bales
5. Recycled Plastic
6. Reclaimed Wood
7. Reclaimed or Recycled Steel
8. Plant-based Polyurethane Rigid Foam
9. Sheep’s Wool
10. Rammed earth
11. HempCrete
12. Mycelium
13. Ferrock
14. Timbercrete
15. Terrazzo
16. Composite Roofing Shingles*
17. Smart Glass Windows
18. Solar Panels

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/sustainable-construction-materials.php

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Mushroom Material Targets the Beauty Industry With a Styrofoam Alternative

November 12, 2021

https://thedieline.com/mushroom-material-targets-the-beauty-industry-with-a-styrofoam-alternative/

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Sustainable shoe soles are made from plant-based material

https://springwise.com/sustainable-shoe-soles-are-made-from-plant-based-material/

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A SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS FOR FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY: DESIGNING BIODEGRADABLE SHOES

February 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340830961_A_SUSTAINABLE_MATERIALS_FOR_FOOTWEAR_INDUSTRY_DESIGNING_BIODEGRADABLE_SHOES

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Dutch Students Make Leather from Fruit Waste

 

 



They developed a method to produce a new material from the fruit and vegetable left-overs. As the name of the initiative suggests, the new material is called “fruit leather“, and it is created by processing spoiled biological plant waste. This new type of vegan leather can be used to make all sorts of products, from handbags to furniture, and it can potentially have the same quality as its animal ancestor after a few more improvements are made.

The young designers have not yet released their precise method, I am guessing because of a patent or a possibility for commercializing the product, but in general it involves cleaning, mashing, boiling and then drying of the waste.

 

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Green leather: Innovative Plant-Based Substitute Developed from Pineapple Leaf Fiber and Natural Rubber

27 June 2024

https://renewable-carbon.eu/news/green-leather-innovative-plant-based-substitute-developed-from-pineapple-leaf-fiber-and-natural-rubber/

 

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Making clothes out of gelatin could reduce agricultural waste

 

June 24, 2015

 

 From gummy bears to silky mousses, gelatin is essential for making some of our favorite sweets. Now scientists are exploring another use for the common food ingredient: spinning it into yarn so it can be made into clothing. And because gelatin comes from livestock by-products, the new technique would provide an additional use for agricultural leftovers. The report appears in the ACS journal Biomacromolecules.

More than a century ago, the textile industry started using protein fibers from animals and vegetables such as casein from milk and zein from corn to make new kinds of fabrics. But synthetic fibers derived from petroleum products boomed and quickly eclipsed those efforts. Now, as consumers search for "greener" products, scientists have revived the idea of making fabrics from animal and plant proteins. Wendelin J. Stark and colleagues decided to try spinning yarn out of gelatin, which comes from collagen, an abundant protein in livestock by-products.

The researchers spun filaments of gelatin, twisted them into a yarn and then treated it with gaseous formaldehyde and lanolin (wool grease) to make it water-resistant. The resulting yarn was about as strong as a strand of merino wool. It was also just as warm when knitted into a glove.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-06-gelatin-agricultural.html#jCp

 

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MIT group explores bacteria use for comfort wear

 

October 30, 2015

 Now they are using the bacteria in a new way—it becomes a nanoactuator that expands and shrinks based on atmospheric moisture or the sweat of the skin. As Gizmodo wrote, the team was interested in the possibilities: "if natto's expansion and contraction could be carefully calibrated, perhaps it could act more like a machine than an unpredictable organism. Perhaps it could act more like an actuator."
The team said, "We introduce a specific type of living cells as nanoactuators that react to body temperature and humidity change. The living nanoactuator can be controlled by electrical signal and communicate with the virtual world as well." A digital printing system and design simulation software were developed too.

http://techxplore.com/news/2015-10-mit-group-explores-bacteria-comfort.html

 

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Towards a Sustainable Circular Economy: Algae-Based Bioplastics and the Role of Internet-of-Things and Machine Learning

06 November 2023

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cben.202300028

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Bioplastic: An Eco‐friendly Alternative of Non‐Biodegradable Plastic

June 2023

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371613118_Bioplastic_An_Eco-friendly_Alternative_of_Non-Biodegradable_Plastic

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Holly Grounds develops dissolvable ramen packaging that turns into sauce

 13 July 2020

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/07/13/holly-grounds-dissolvable-noodle-packaging-design/

_______________


The eco-friendly alternative to formaldehyde-based resins

April 24, 2023

https://insights.basf.com/construction/article/read/the-eco-friendly-alternative-to-formaldehyde-based-resins

_______________


Zero Waste Floss: 9 Eco-Friendly Flossers For A Sustainable Smile

April 5, 2023

https://www.sustainablejungle.com/zero-waste/zero-waste-floss/

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18 Eco Friendly Alternatives to Plastic in Your Life

07 Aug 2022

1. Bamboo
2. Upcycled Tyre**
3. Coconut
4. Glass
5. Biomass

6. Paper Made Without Trees
7. Repurposed Cloth or Fabric
8. Jute
9. Cork
10. Wheatstraw
11. Natural Fiber
12. Recycled Paper
13. Organic Cotton
14. Stainless steel
15. Products Made From Beeswax and Soywax*
16. Wood
17. Coir
18. Cardboard

https://greenfeels.in/blogs/sustainability-basics/eco-friendly-alternatives-to-plastic

_______________


What to know about PHA biodegradable plastic and how it could help Southeast Asia

July 24, 2021

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/pha-biodegradable-plastic-southeast-asia/story?id=78859058

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Section 4: Bioremediation Technology

 
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Scientists can now remove nanoplastics from our water with 94% efficiency

March 14, 2024

University of Waterloo researchers have created a new technology that can remove harmful nanoplastics from contaminated water with 94% efficiency. The study, "Utilization of epoxy thermoset waste to produce activated carbon for the remediation of nano-plastic contaminated wastewater," was published in the journal Separation and Purification Technology...

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-scientists-nanoplastics-efficiency.html


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Harmful 'forever chemicals' removed from water with new electrocatalysis method

March 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-chemicals-electrocatalysis-method.html

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Scientists are using bacteria to remove harmful contaminants from our water. Here's how.

January 10, 2019

https://www.ehn.org/scientists-are-using-bacteria-to-remove-harmful-contaminants-from-our-water-heres-how-2625517276.html

John Coates' laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, hums with activity. Negative 80-degree freezers whirr, liquid nitrogen bubbles, grad students meticulously measure and mix complicated concoctions. But all of this is nothing compared with the commotion going on at a microscopic level.

The Coates lab is growing many different kinds of bacteria, multiplying in petri dishes at mind-boggling rates. But these bacteria aren't out to harm people or animals. In fact, quite the opposite — they're hard at work breaking down a dangerous chemical that pollutes waterways across the United States.

The chemical, called perchlorate, comes from rocket fuel, munitions and fireworks. It's dangerous to humans because it can impair thyroid function. It can also affect the thyroid in freshwater animals like fish and amphibians, even altering gonad development in some animals. But certain bacteria, including several species of Dechloromonasand Azospira, have evolved to use perchlorate to make energy-storing molecules. In the process, they turn it into harmless chloride and oxygen.

Coates is just one of many scientists across the globe who are working to harness the ability of various bacteria to remove harmful pollutants from water. This is no easy task. There are thousands of different pollutants — industrial chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, metals and more — and no one microbe can break down all. Also, because bacteria need special conditions to survive, it can be difficult to incorporate them into water treatment systems.

In spite of these challenges, Coates sees a future full of possibility. "It's really just a question of sitting down and spinning your brain around all the cool, novel aspects of these organisms and then asking where can we apply this?" he says.

Perchlorate decon

Perchlorate is mostly used in rocket fuels and munitions. Improper storage or disposal of rockets or debris may contaminate the environment. Through leaks or explosions, perchlorate can also pollute waterways near manufacturing plants. It's water soluble and chemically stable, so it can persist in ground and surface water for decades.

And that's bad news for people whose drinking water comes from contaminated sources, especially pregnant women and children. Perchlorate has been shown to impair thyroid function; proper thyroid function is essential for normal brain development during the prenatal period and during childhood.

When Coates submitted his first academic paper on perchlorate-degrading bacteria in 1998 (it was published in 1999), there were only a few bacterial species known to be capable of performing this feat. Coates wanted to see if there were more.

"It turns out that the microorganisms that use perchlorate are essentially ubiquitous — they're not difficult to find. And you can culture them fairly readily. To remediate perchlorate, you just needed to create specific conditions," he says.

The way to do this is to use something called a bioreactor — a home for bacteria that provides all the nutrients and minerals they need to thrive. It's similar to a fermenting tank for beer, except instead of yeast converting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, perchlorate-destroying bacteria turn dangerous perchlorate into harmless chloride and oxygen. Contaminated ground or surface water gets pumped into the bioreactors, which are full of these bacteria. Once the bacteria have broken down the perchlorate, the water is filtered and sterilized to remove bacteria. The decontaminated water can then be sent to consumers or pumped back into the ground.

Thanks to discoveries made by Coates and a legion of other scientists, perchlorate-decontaminating bioreactors have been applied in the real world with great success. Large-scale perchlorate bioreactors are now at work cleaning contaminated water at several sites in California, Kansas, Texas and Utah. These bioreactors are astonishingly efficient: The bioreactor-based groundwater treatment plant in Rialto, California, for example, is capable or decontaminating 2,000 gallons (over 7,500 liters) of perchlorate-polluted water per minute — that's more than a billion gallons (over 3.7 billion liters) a year. In fact, Coates says that the bacterial removal of perchlorate represents one of the largest-scale bioremediation projects in the world.

Converting uranium

Implementing bioreactor technologies isn't always so straightforward, even when the bioreactor performs well in the lab. A bioreactor designed by Bruce Rittmann, the director of the Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, was initially used to remove water contaminants like perchlorate and trichloroethene, but can also be used to remove uranium and other metals from water. This kind of contamination can occur around uranium mines and mills, especially older abandoned ones. In people, drinking water contaminated with uranium can cause kidney damage; uranium is also toxic to fish, decreasing their reproductive success.

The bacteria in the bioreactor can't destroy the uranium, but they can convert it to a form that separates from water. Once the uranium comes out of the solution, it's much easier to remove —think about the difference between taking a sugar cube out of a glass of water and trying to remove the sugar once it's dissolved. In tests, Rittmann's bioreactor removed about 95 percent of the uranium from a contaminated water supply.

Rittmann says it would be relatively straightforward to construct a bioreactor system in currently operational mines that already have some sort of water treatment system in place. However, cleaning up abandoned mines would be more difficult, since they have no such infrastructure. There are about 4,000 abandoned uranium mines in America's western states.

This technology, Rittmann says, can be applied not just to water contaminated by uranium mines but also to wastewater from precious metal mines, including silver, gold and palladium. "In these cases, the materials that we produce — the solids these microbes remove from the water — are really valuable. We're working on the development of this technology not only to remove pollutants but to generate high value. It's a good deal," he says.

Beyond the bioreactor

What if we want to break down pollutants in places where building bioreactors isn't feasible, like in runoff from agricultural fields contaminated with pesticides? Colin Scott, head of the Biocatalysis & SynBio Team at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), may have an answer.

Bacteria make enzymes, and it's these enzymes that do the dirty work of actually breaking down pollutants. So, Scott and his team are experimenting with bacterial enzymes to decontaminate water systems polluted with pesticides and herbicides. Enzymes aren't alive, so they don't need nutrients, which means they can be used in places that bacteria won't survive. They can't reproduce or adapt, so won't multiply and disturb delicate ecosystems.

"Enzymes themselves are terrific because they're really specific for the thing that you want them to do, so they don't have any other effects. And they're also biodegradable, so they don't persist in the environment," says Scott.

Such enzymes are not yet used on a large scale, but they've been successful in field tests. For example, a bacterial enzyme called OP-A is capable of breaking down organophosphate insecticides, which have been linked to deficits in attention, coordination and memory, especially in agricultural workers. In field trials, the OP-A enzyme reduced levels of the controversial pesticide chlorpyrifos — linked to impaired brain development in children — in contaminated field runoff by 99 percent in just eight hours. (Since these tests, the researchers say they have developed an improved version of OP-A, known as A900.)

The specificity of enzymes is both their brilliance and their downfall. On one hand, high specificity means that enzymes aren't likely to produce unwanted side effects, like harming plants or animals. On the other hand, there are thousands of different pollutants, which means we'll need a lot of different enzymes.

After an appropriate enzyme has been identified, scientists have to figure out how to cost-effectively mass produce it. Since enzymes usually biodegrade quickly, scientists have to make sure the enzyme stays intact long enough to do its job. They also have to run safety studies to make sure that whatever components the enzymes break the pollutant down into aren't also toxic.

A long way to go

There's still a lot of work to be done. At the science level, we need to identify and characterize bacteria that can break down specific pollutants. Although bacteria for degrading or removing contaminants like perchlorate, uranium and certain pesticides are well understood, as-yet undiscovered bacteria may be important in dealing with emerging water pollutants such as PFAS, which can cause immune system dysfunction and cancer, as well as pharmaceuticals, the effects of which are not yet fully understood.

Other hurdles are policy based. It's often not a question of whether to use bioremediation or alternative techniques, but whether to do anything at all. Many contaminants — including several pesticides, cyanotoxins and solvents — are monitored by the EPA, but not regulated. Without set limits for acceptable amounts of these chemicals in drinking water, there's no incentive for anyone to spend money to get rid of them. Even though bioremediation may be cheaper than the alternatives, in the short term, it's still more expensive than doing nothing. And for many pollutants — including many pesticides — there's currently a whole lot of nothing being done.

But with the continued work of scientists and stricter water quality standards, bacteria could be a public health game-changer.

"These bugs are amazing," says Coates. "What limits us is our imagination rather than the organisms' abilities."

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Optimized carbonization of coffee shell via response surface methodology: A circular economy approach for environmental remediation

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749123020201

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Coffee grounds modified zero-valent iron for efficient heavy metal removal

December 2023

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376121030_Coffee_grounds_modified_zero-valent_iron_for_efficient_heavy_metal_removal

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Jack Bean Development in Multimetal Contaminated Soil Amended with Coffee Waste-Derived Biochars

2022

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/10/10/2157

______________


From fungi to furniture: the future of sustainable design?

https://from.ncl.ac.uk/from-fungi-to-furniture-future-of-sustainable-design?utm_source=research-gate&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=reputation-ranking&utm_term=image&utm_content=bioknit-project

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Could spent coffee grounds provide an alternative to plastic packaging?

September 21, 2023

https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2023/09/could-spent-coffee-grounds-provide-alternative-plastic-packaging

 

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How to Compost With Coffee Grounds to Benefit Your Garden

05/16/23

Using Coffee Grounds Directly in Soil vs. Composting Them

https://www.thespruce.com/coffee-grounds-compost-7495511

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The use of spent coffee grounds and spent green tea leaves for the removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions

May 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351356680_The_use_of_spent_coffee_grounds_and_spent_green_tea_leaves_for_the_removal_of_cationic_dyes_from_aqueous_solutions

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Environmental remediation by tea waste and its derivative products: A review on present status and technological advancements

2022 Apr 5

 Abstract

The rising consumption of the popular non-alcoholic beverage tea and its derivative products caused massive growth in worldwide tea production in the last decade, leading to the generation of huge quantities of waste tea residues every year. Most of these wastes are usually burnt or disposed in landfills without proper treatment which results in serious environmental issues by polluting water, air and soil. In the recent times, 'waste to wealth' is a fast-growing concept for environment friendly sustainable development. Utilization of the large amount of tea wastes for the production of low-cost adsorbents to reduce the expenses of water and wastewater treatment can be a sustainable way of management of these wastes which at the same time will improve circular economy also. This review endeavours to evaluate the potential of both raw and modified tea wastes towards the adsorption of pollutants from wastewater. The production of various adsorptive materials such as biochar, activated carbon, nanocomposites, hydrogels, nanoparticles from tea wastes are summarized. The advancements in their applications for the removal of different emerging contaminants from wastewater as well as potable water, air and soil are exhaustively reviewed. The outcome of the present review reveals that tea waste and its derivatives are appropriate candidates to be used as adsorbents that show tremendous effectiveness in cleaning the environment. This article will provide the readers with an in-depth knowledge on the sustainable utilization of tea waste as adsorbent materials and will assist them to explore this abundant cheap waste biomass for environmental remediation.


https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35395270/

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Analysis of Nicotine in Mushrooms

https://eurl-pesticides.eu/library/docs/srm/meth_NicotineMushrooms_CrlFvCrlSrm.pdf


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Food wastes clean water wastes: melon peel peroxidase isolation and immobilization onto magnetite nanoparticles for phenol removal

30 October 2023

 

Abstract

 

In this study, melon peel waste was utilized to isolate peroxidase enzyme through three-phase portioning (TPP) and subsequently immobilized onto magnetite nanoparticles for effective bioremediation of phenol pollutants from water. The optimization of TPP parameters ensured maximum activity recovery and enzyme purity. Magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized and used as a substrate for immobilizing the isolated peroxidase, achieving an activity recovery of 157% and a purification fold of 5.2. Protein homogeneity testing confirmed the purity of the peroxidase enzyme. The magnetite nanoparticles had an average diameter of 62 nm, and the immobilization efficiency reached 93% at pH 8 with an enzyme/nanoparticles v/v ratio of 1:9. The immobilized peroxidase demonstrated the ability to degrade 57% of phenol within 3 h and retained 30% relative activity even after five catalytic cycles. This immobilized melon peel peroxidase on magnetite nanoparticles proves to be a robust, enduring, and reusable biocatalyst with potential for various applications, especially in bioremediation processes.

https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40538-023-00494-5

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Evaluation of orange peel for biosurfactant production by Bacillus licheniformis and their ability to degrade naphthalene and crude oil

2016 Feb 4

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4742421/

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Activated carbon derived from waste orange and lemon peels for the adsorption of methyl orange and methylene blue dyes from wastewater

2022 Jul 10

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9363969/

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Orange Peels as a Sustainable Material for Treating Water Polluted with Antimony

Feb 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348938610_Orange_Peels_as_a_Sustainable_Material_for_Treating_Water_Polluted_with_Antimony

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7 Easy Ways To Use Orange Citrus Peels For Cleaning

7 Easy Ways to Harness the Power of Orange Citrus Peels for Cleaning

    1. All-Purpose Cleaner
    2. Garbage Disposal Freshener
    3. Microwave Cleaner
    4. Stovetop Cleaner
    5. Air Freshener
    6. Refrigerator Deodorizer
    7. Chrome and Metal Polish

https://alisonsnotebook.com/orange-citrus-peels-for-cleaning/

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Modification of Poly(lactic acid) with Orange Peel Powder as Biodegradable Composite

2022

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/19/4126

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Modified Orange Peel Waste as a Sustainable Material for Adsorption of Contaminants

2023 Jan 27

https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9922011/

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A critical review with emphasis on recent pieces of evidence of Moringa oleifera biosorption in water and wastewater treatment

2022 May 18.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9252946/

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Bioremediation of Waters Contaminated with Heavy Metals Using Moringa oleifera Seeds as Biosorbent

2013

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/45214

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Bioremediation of Turbid Surface Water Using Seed Extract from Moringa oleifera Lam. (Drumstick) Tree

15 February 2010

https://currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9780471729259.mc01g02s16

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Assessing the Usefulness of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract as a Biostimulant to Supplement Synthetic Fertilizers: A Review

2022 Aug 26

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9459878/

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A comprehensive review on Moringa oleifera nanoparticles: importance of polyphenols in nanoparticle synthesis, nanoparticle efficacy and their applications

19 February 2024

https://jnanobiotechnology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12951-024-02332-8

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A novel approach for removing microplastics from water

September 12, 2023

Texas A&M AgriLife study shows fungal isolates can remediate potentially harmful microplastics in aqueous environment

https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2023/09/12/a-novel-approach-for-removing-microplastics-from-water/

 

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Pollution Solution: New Device Can Capture 99.9% of Microplastics in Water Using Wood Dust

August 21, 2023

https://scitechdaily.com/pollution-solution-new-device-can-capture-99-9-of-microplastics-in-water-using-wood-dust/

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NUS physicists utilise hair fluorescence to repurpose human hair waste

30 June 2023

Activating the fluorescent properties of our hair using heat could convert human hair waste into a functional material for steganography and pollution detection

https://news.nus.edu.sg/utilising-fluorescence-to-repurpose-hair-waste/

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Researchers gain ground on turning chicken feathers into water filters

Technology boosts potential for low-cost, sustainable solution to contaminated water.

July 10, 2023

https://www.feedstuffs.com/nutrition-and-health/researchers-gain-ground-on-turning-chicken-feathers-into-water-filters

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Scientists Use Chicken Feathers To Generate Clean Energy

October 20, 2023

Researchers are using chicken feathers to make fuel cells more cost-​effective and sustainable.

https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/scientists-use-chicken-feathers-to-generate-clean-energy-380131

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Adding crushed rock to farmland pulls carbon out of the air, field test shows

25 October 2023

https://techandsciencepost.com/news/earth/adding-crushed-rock-to-farmland-pulls-carbon-out-of-the-air-field-test-shows/

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Korean Nanomaterial Could Enable Eco-Friendly Fine Dust Reduction

November 20, 2023

https://www.letstalkmaterials.com/in-the-news/korean-researchers-develop-nanomaterial-to-enable-eco-friendly-removal-of-fine-dust-precursors/

 

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Soil Xenobiotics and Their Phyto-chemical Remediation

 16 February 2017

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-47744-2_18 

 

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Overview of Soil Xenobiotics and their Biological Remediation Strategies

January 2024

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377547029_Overview_of_Soil_Xenobiotics_and_their_Biological_Remediation_Strategies

 

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Rhizoremediation of Heavy Metal- and Xenobiotic-Contaminated Soil: An Eco-Friendly Approach

2020

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-5901-3_5

 

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Recent Strategies for Bioremediation of Emerging Pollutants: A Review for a Green and Sustainable Environment

2022 Aug 19

Abstract

Environmental pollution brought on by xenobiotics and other related recalcitrant compounds have recently been identified as a major risk to both human health and the natural environment. Due to their toxicity and non-biodegradability, a wide range of pollutants, such as heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, plastics, and various agrochemicals are present in the environment. Bioremediation is an effective cleaning technique for removing toxic waste from polluted environments that is gaining popularity. Various microorganisms, including aerobes and anaerobes, are used in bioremediation to treat contaminated sites. Microorganisms play a major role in bioremediation, given that it is a process in which hazardous wastes and pollutants are eliminated, degraded, detoxified, and immobilized. Pollutants are degraded and converted to less toxic forms, which is a primary goal of bioremediation. Ex situ or in situ bioremediation can be used, depending on a variety of factors, such as cost, pollutant types, and concentration. As a result, a suitable bioremediation method has been chosen. This review focuses on the most recent developments in bioremediation techniques, how microorganisms break down different pollutants, and what the future holds for bioremediation in order to reduce the amount of pollution in the world.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9413587/

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Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Bioremediation

2021

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-04/gr_factsheet_bioremediation.pdf

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Chapter 1 - Bioremediation: A green technology for environmental cleanup

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323961134000044

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Bioremediation: a tool for cleaning polluted environments

2008

https://www.academia.edu/31189522/Bioremediation_a_tool_for_cleaning_polluted_environments

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Bioremediation techniques–classification based on site of application: principles, advantages, limitations and prospects

2016 Sep 16

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5026719/

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Phytoremediation, Bioaugmentation, and the Plant Microbiome

November 18, 2022

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c05970

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Bioremediation of contaminated soils

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128202029000228

______________


Cleaning up with genomics: applying molecular biology to bioremediation

01 October 2003

https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro731

______________


Genetically Modified Organisms for Bioremediation: Current Research and Advancements

12 December 2021

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-86169-8_7

______________


Biological remediation of acid mine drainage: Review of past trends and current outlook

2020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9488087/

______________


Bioremediation: an emerging effective approach towards environment restoration

28 February 2020

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42398-020-00099-w

______________


Bioremediation – Definition, Types, Application

July 8, 2023

https://microbiologynote.com/bioremediation/

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BOX 2-1 KEY TERMS FOR UNDERSTANDING BIOREMEDIATION

Microorganism: An organism of microscopic size that is capable of growth and reproduction through biodegradation of "food sources," which can include hazardous contaminants.

Microbe: The shortened term for microorganism.

Oxidize: The transfer of electrons away from a compound, such as an organic contaminant. The coupling of oxidation to reduction (see below) usually supplies energy that microorganisms use for growth and reproduction. Often (but not always), oxidation results in the addition of an oxygen atom and/or the loss of a hydrogen atom.

Reduce: The transfer of electrons to a compound, such as oxygen, that occurs when another compound is oxidized.

Electron acceptor: The compound that receives electrons (and therefore is reduced) in the energy-producing oxidation-reduction reactions that are essential for the growth of microorganisms and bioremediation. Common electron acceptors in bioremediation are oxygen, nitrate, sulfate, and iron.

Electron donor: The compound that donates electrons (and therefore is oxidized). In bioremediation the organic contaminant often serves as an electron donor.

Primary substrates: The electron donor and electron acceptor that are essential to ensure the growth of microorganisms. These compounds can be viewed as analogous to the food and oxygen that are required for human growth and reproduction.

Aerobic respiration: The process whereby microorganisms use oxygen as an electron acceptor.

Anaerobic respiration: The process whereby microorganisms use a chemical other than oxygen as an electron acceptor. Common "substitutes" for oxygen are nitrate, sulfate, and iron.

Fermentation: The process whereby microorganisms use an organic compound as both electron donor and electron acceptor, converting the compound to fermentation products such as organic acids, alcohols, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Cometabolism: A variation on biodegradation in which microbes transform a contaminant even though the contaminant cannot serve as the primary energy source for the organisms. To degrade the contaminant, the microbes require the presence of other compounds (primary substrates) that can support their growth.

Reductive dehalogenation: A variation on biodegradation in which microbially catalyzed reactions cause the replacement of a halogen atom on an organic compound with a hydrogen atom. The reactions result in the net addition of two electrons to the organic compound.

Intrinsic bioremediation: A type of bioremediation that manages the innate capabilities of naturally occurring microbes to degrade contaminants without taking any engineering steps to enhance the process.

Engineered bioremediation: A type of remediation that increases the growth and degradative activity of microorganisms by using engineered systems that supply nutrients, electron acceptors, and/or other growth-stimulating materials.


Variations on Basic Metabolism

In addition to microbes that transform contaminants through aerobic respiration, organisms that use variations on this basic process have evolved over time. These variations allow the organisms to thrive in unusual environments, such as the underground, and to degrade compounds that are toxic or not beneficial to other organisms.

Anaerobic Respiration. Many microorganisms can exist without oxygen, using a process called anaerobic respiration. In anaerobic respiration, nitrate (NO3-), sulfate (SO42-), metals such as iron (Fe3+) and manganese (Mn4+), or even CO2 can play the role of oxygen, accepting electrons from the degraded contaminant. Thus, anaerobic respiration uses inorganic chemicals as electron acceptors. In addition to new cell matter, the byproducts of anaerobic respiration may include nitrogen gas (N2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), reduced forms of metals, and methane (CH4), depending on the electron acceptor.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 1993. In Situ Bioremediation: When Does it Work?. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/2131.

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/2131/chapter/4#20

 

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Current and Future Bioremediation Applications : Bioremediation from a Practical and Regulatory Perspective

04 August 2016

References

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-49875-0_22

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Principles of Phytoremediation

20 March 2020

Abstract

Phytoremediation, a form of bioremediation, is one viable option for removing pollution from contaminated soil and water. Bioremediation was developed as an inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and sustainable alternative to traditional chemical and physical pollution remediation methods. Bioremediation began with the use of bacteria and later other microorganisms, to extract or degrade inorganic and organic contaminants in soil and water in situ. It then evolved to other applications in combination with traditional chemical and physical remediation methods. Phytoremediation was came about from basic research studies on the physiology of halophytic and hyperaccumulating plants. At first, plants provided successful for extracting salts, metals, and radionuclides from soil and water. Further, studies discovered that plant roots and the rhizosphere were capable of extracting or degrading organic pollutants such as pesticides and petrochemicals. The in situ case studies showcased in this book demonstrate how phytoremediation is a sustainable means of pollution remediation in economically emerging countries and is consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-00099-8_1

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Soil and Groundwater Remediation Technologies: A Practical Guide

April 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339938808_Soil_and_Groundwater_Remediation_Technologies_A_Practical_Guide

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Five ways scientists can make soil less dirty

 May 23, 2016

https://www.anl.gov/article/five-ways-scientists-can-make-soil-less-dirty

It may be hard to imagine, but soil gets dirty. Soil can become contaminated with oil, grease, heavy metals or pesticides through urban and agricultural runoff as well as industrial spills or precipitation.


The clean-up process involves more than a broom and a dust pan. Soil must undergo remediation — the process of removing pollutants and contaminants from the ground.

Several different remediation processes are available, varying in efficiency, cost and sustainability for specific site conditions. When officials suspect a site is contaminated, they conduct an assessment to determine the pollutant, the extent of contamination and the appropriate method to remediate the soil.

The Applied Geosciences and Environment Management Program at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory evaluates potentially contaminated sites and applies remediation methods, such as those described below, that are both efficient and environmentally friendly by reducing secondary impacts — such as emissions from trucks that transport soil to a treatment facility.
Air Sparging

Air sparging, also referred to as soil venting, involves injecting air into the soil or groundwater. The air moves horizontally and vertically through the soil, causing the contaminants to evaporate into a gas. This method works best for contaminants that easily evaporate, such as crude oil.

Air sparging is an example of an in-situ remediation method, in which the contaminated soil does not need to be removed. In situ methods tend to be more environmentally friendly than those that are ex situ, where the soil is first removed and then treated at the surface, said Lorraine LaFreniere, an Argonne geological engineer who leads Argonne’s Applied Geosciences and Environment Management program.

“In in situ methods, you’re not bringing any of the contaminants to the surface,” LaFreniere said. ​“You have the advantage of not exposing anybody to the contamination or the remediation process itself.”
Air Stripping

Air stripping is an ex situ method specifically for water, in which contaminated groundwater is collected and filtered through a machine called an air stripper.

The groundwater goes into the top of the machine and cascades to the bottom as fine droplets, while air enters from the bottom and is forced upward. The air strips away the contaminants as it rises through the droplets and exits through an opening at the top.

Determining whether to use an in situ or ex situ process depends on how the contamination is distributed throughout the soil and to what depth, researchers said. For example, if the contaminated soil is buried under clean soil, the clean soil would have to first be removed.
Enhanced Biodegradation

Nature itself tries to help eliminate soil contaminants through a naturally occurring process called biodegradation. Certain microorganisms in the soil feed on contaminants, such as tar deposits.

Argonne researchers, in collaboration with other scientists, found that injecting zero-valent iron — iron in its elemental form — into the soil accelerates natural biodegradation.

“We injected slurry mixtures of zero-valent iron and organic matter into soils and observed that it speeds up the process considerably,” LaFreniere said.
Phytoremediation

Trees offer shade on a sunny day, but they can also remove contaminants from soil through phytoremediation. Trees and other deep-rooted plants absorb contaminants in soil and incorporate the contaminants into their tissues; plants also ​“breathe” volatile contaminants to the atmosphere, where they dissipate.

“Plants process a lot of water during photosynthesis to get the nutrients they need,” said Cristina Negri, an Argonne agronomist and environmental engineer in the Energy Systems Division. ​“What we’re doing is exploiting this natural process and using plants as pumps to remove contaminants.”

Plant-based remediation is good for contaminants, such as carbon tetrachloride, a chemical that was primarily used as a fumigant and dry cleaning agent until it was banned in the 1970s as harmful to human health.

Argonne researchers are also using trees to monitor their progress when using phytoremediation. The scientists measure the amount of contaminants in samples of branches and tree cores to assess how much has been removed.
Soil Vapor Extraction

Sometimes, all you need is a really big vacuum.

The soil vapor extraction method applies a vacuum to the soil to induce air flow and get soil vapors moving. Researchers collect the contaminated vapors in extraction wells and treat them above ground.

This is a useful remediation method when the contaminants are already in a vaporous state or are liquids that readily evaporate, such as methane and propane. These vapors can make their way into homes and businesses and may cause people to become ill.

“We’re trying to develop new testing and treatment techniques to best remove contaminants and keep people safe,” LaFreniere said. ​“As we’re remediating, we’re also assessing the methods and technologies that we’re using.”

Funding for LaFreniere and Negri’s research comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, the Commodity Credit Corporation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Recent Developments in Microbe–Plant-Based Bioremediation for Tackling Heavy Metal-Polluted Soils

2021 Dec 23

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8733405/

Plant-Based Bioremediation

Plants are used for bioremediation either alone or in combination with microbes (Ramos et al., 2005) instead of depending on microbes and their efficacy in achieving bioremediation of any contaminated medium. The application of green plants to clean up any contaminated medium or surface is not a novel concept. Plants were proposed for treating the wastewater around 300 years ago (Hartman, 1975). Presently a number of plant species such as Amaranthus spinosus, A. hypochondriacus Chrysopogon zizanioides, Brassica juncea, Ricinus communis, Chromolaena odorata, Ageratum conyzoides, Ipomoea carnea, Prosopis juliflora, Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, Fagopyrum esculentum, Odontarrhena chalcidica, Tagetes patula, T. erecta, and Odontarrhena chalcidica, have been identified which helpremediate HM contaminated soil (Bauddh and Singh, 2012; Bauddh and Singh, 2015; Huang et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2020a; Raza et al., 2020; Biswal et al., 2021; Cui et al., 2021; Gonzaga et al., 2021; Nugroho et al., 2021; Singh et al., 2021). In addition, plants like Nicotiana tabacum, Arabidopsis thaliana, Beta vulgaris and Sedum alfredii have been genetically modified with suitable bacterial genes from Caenorhabditis elegans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Streptococcus thermophilus, Pseudomonas fuorescens and employed for remediating the targeted contaminants (Daghan et al., 2013; Liu et al., 2015a; Wang et al., 2019; Nedjimi, 2021). For instance, mercury (Hg) reductase bacterial genes, e.g., merA and merB have been applied in plants for the detoxification of methyl-Hg (Li et al., 2020a). In addition, various biostimulators, such as manure and organic amendments (e.g., various plant biochar, biosolids, and litter) are used in this plant-based bioremediation. Use of different chelators such as citric acid, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), [S,S]-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS), ethylenediamine-di-o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (EDDHA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), ethylene glycol tetraeacitic acid (AGTA), nhydroxyethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), fulvic acids, salicyclic acid, and tartaric acid control metal sorption, and precipitation through the formation of metal chelate complexes, which consequently enhance the bioavailability of these metals and also improve phytoextraction efficiency (Caporale and Violante, 2016; Acuña et al., 2020; Saleem et al., 2020). The addition of chelates in soils can move more metals into soil solution via the suspension of precipitated compounds and desorption of sorbed species. Plants can also naturally produce various phytosiderophores, organic acids, and carboxylates, which can enhance metal mobility, solubility, and bioavailability in soils, thus increasing the phytoremediation potential of plants (Vithanage et al., 2012; Gupta and Singh, 2017). For instance, Miscanthus sinensis can detoxify Al by producing various phytosiderophores such as citric acid, malic acid, and chlorogenic acid and stored the metal in cell walls (Haruma et al., 2019).

Plant-based bioremediation is considered a potential tool for the accumulation, transformation, and immobilization of a low level of contaminants (Rayu et al., 2012). The mechanisms behind plants facilitate the reclamation of the polluted soils and groundwater are presented in Table 1. The approach of plant-based bioremediation has several merits such as cost-effectiveness, public acceptance, and the ability to remove inorganic and organic contaminants simultaneously. In a study, mixed mercury-trichloroethylene (Hg-TCE) pollutants are removed by transgenic alfalfa plants pKHCG co-expressing human P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) genes and glutathione S-transferase (GST; Zhang et al., 2013). A major synergistic effect caused by simultaneous expression of CYP2E1 and GST leads to increased accumulation and resistance of heavy metal–organic complex pollutants. Another study by Tammam et al. (2021) found that the plant Glebionis coronaria can eliminate Pb from the contaminated soil. It is also recorded that the foliar spray of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) enhanced the growth significantly and increase the phytostabilization capacity of the studied plant. The application of bamboo biochar with the Salix psammophila to remediate the multi-metal contaminated soil, enhance the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factors (BCF) of Cd, Cu and Zn (Li et al., 2021a). The higher TF for Zn (TF > 1) and BCF for Cd (BCF > 1) makes S. psammophila a potential candidate for the phytoremediation in BBC amendment soil. Recently several studies found that the application of nanoparticles such as Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), nano-TiO2 particles, nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), salicylic acid nanoparticles (SANPs) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles along with plants Zea mays, Glycine max, Isatis cappadocica, Lolium perenne, Boehmeria nivea and Raphanus sativus enhance the growth and phytoextraction of HMs Cd and Pb (Khan and Bano, 2016; Singh and Lee, 2016; Gong et al., 2017; Souri et al., 2017; Huang et al., 2018; Hussain et al., 2019).

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Soil washing for the remediation of dioxin-contaminated soil: A review

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389421017325

Introduction

Sites contaminated with polychlorinated aromatic compounds are a worldwide problem. One of the most noticeable group of soil contaminants is polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (or PCDD/Fs or dioxins) (Kulkarni et al., 2008, Haglund, 2007). In fact, PCDD/Fs, which are compounds of similar physico-chemical properties and molecular structures, are one of the most toxic human-made chemicals (Alaee, 2016). Their stability, easy accumulation, and persistence in the environment along with their ability to cause adverse health effects, such as wasting syndrome (Seefeld et al., 1984), immunotoxicity (Rhile et al., 1996), teratogenicity (Mimura et al., 1997), dysfunctional immune and reproductive systems, and various types of cancers (Steenland et al., 2004), make them a potential threat to human wellbeing.

PCDD/Fs’ biodegradation is slow, and their half-life in soil is estimated to be ten years (Habe et al., 2002, Lin et al., 2018). They also have very low vapor pressure, making them hardly evaporate into the air (Eitzer and Hites, 1988). The water solubility of PCDD/Fs is very low (e.g. 1.93 × 10−3 and 0.75 × 10−7 mg/L for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) and octachlorodibenzodioxin (OCDD) at 25 ℃, respectively) since they are non-polar and hydrophobic compounds with high octanol-water partitioning coefficients; therefore, mostly PCDD/Fs accumulate in soil particles (Atsushi and Yoshihisa, 2008). The hydrophobicity of dioxins is proportional to the number of chlorine atoms present on the molecule.

Currently, available remediation technologies for dioxin-contaminated soil can be classified as thermal (Lee et al., 2008), physical/chemical (Rathna et al., 2018), and biological remediation (Huang et al., 2018, Tran et al., 2020). The selection of a treatment for a specific site mostly depends on PCDD/F removal efficiency, soil detoxification, and cost. Soil washing/extraction is a physicochemical remediation process that has been widely studied in recent years due to its high removal efficiency, ease in operation, and cost-effectiveness. Soil washing uses physical forces (e.g., generated by propellers/impellers) and liquid solvents (chemical extraction) to remove contaminants from soil (Cheng et al., 2017). Physical separation in soil washing can help separate fine particles (clay and silt), which often have a larger surface area and thus higher PCDD/F concentrations, from coarse particles (sand and gravel) (Jonsson et al., 2010). When in contact with soil particles, physical forces can break them down, facilitating contaminant removal. Rotating mixer, ultrasonic basin, mechanical stirrer, and flotation machine are usually employed for physical separation. Physical separation can also be combined with chemical extraction to enhance the remediation efficiency for dioxin-contaminated soil.

Being hydrophobic makes PCDD/Fs more soluble in organic solvents than in water (Guemiza et al., 2017a), making organic solvents such as ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone were the earliest reagents used for extracting dioxins from the soil. The dioxin removal efficiencies range from 75% to 90% for ethanol (Jonsson et al., 2010, Meguro et al., 2008). For example, Jonsson et al. (2010) indicated that at high initial PCDD/F concentrations of 2300–8100 pg-Toxicity Equivalent (TEQ)/kg, the treatment efficiencies were 81–85% after 10 wash cycles with 75% ethanol. Recently, the use of surfactants or organic matters such as humic acid, compost, edible oils has shown to be feasible to extract hydrophobic compounds from soil (Guemiza et al., 2017a). These additives help increase the solubility of dioxins in the washing liquid. Surfactants such as Brij 35, Tween 80, Triton X100, and Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) have been studied for PCDD/F soil washing (Reynier et al., 2014, Binh et al., 2016). At an initial PCDD/F concentration of 6289 ng-TEQ/kg, the obtained removal efficiencies were 25%, 72%, 70%, and 74% for Brij 35, SDS, Tween 80, and Triton X100, respectively. Also, Vu et al. (2017) reported 80–95% removal of dioxins from highly contaminated soil when it was washed by fish oil and compost tea.

Recently, two prominent review articles have been published on soil washing treatment of hydrophobic organic pollutants (Trellu et al., 2016, Mousset et al., 2014). Trellu et al. (2016) summarized soil washing/flushing technologies for soil contaminated with polychlorobiphenyls (PCB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and petroleum hydrocarbons, as well as the treatment of the washed solution. This study, unlike many others, described the treatment of the washed solution in detail. Yet, soil washing was only briefly described. Mousset et al. (2014) reviewed the use of cyclodextrins in comparison with other surfactants, cosolvents and agents for the removal of hydrophobic pollutants from contaminated soil. This study mostly focused on cyclodextrins and its properties, advantages and uses in soil washing. Other solvents and surfactants were also involved but only for the comparison with the efficiency and outstanding properties of cyclodextrins. These studies, however, have indicated that soil washing technology is a robust and environmentally friendly treatment with ease in operation and maintenance. A review on PCDD/F soil washing has not existed. Also, a detailed summary of physical washing techniques has not been available in the literature. Further, the cost feasibility of soil washing has rarely been summarized. Our review article aimed at bridging these gaps.

In this review, a description of physical washing devices and chemical extraction processes (using solvents, surfactants and edible oils) for PCDD/F soil washing was provided. The advantages and limitations of each technology for PCDD/F soil washing were presented. Particularly, cost feasibility, one of the most crucial factors for upscaling a treatment technology, was given.

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Metal contamination and bioremediation of agricultural soils for food safety and sustainability

23 June 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0061-y

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The Environmental Remediation Site-Cleanup Process For Hazardous Waste Disposal

Jun 22, 2021

https://mcfenvironmental.com/the-environmental-remediation-site-cleanup-process-for-hazardous-waste-disposal/

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The Rundown: So you want to clean up a brownfield. Here's how.

Feb. 1, 2017

https://www.oregonmetro.gov/news/rundown-so-you-want-clean-brownfield-heres-what-do

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Soil and brownfield bioremediation

2017 Aug 22

Bioaugmentation

Introducing specific microorganisms to decontaminate the soils when indigenous microbes are not efficient is considered a more acceptable approach to remediate the contaminated soils. However, the strains for bioaugmentation should ideally have (i) superior ability to degrade the target contaminants, (ii) easy to cultivate, (iii) fast growth, (iv) tolerance to the high concentration of contaminant and (v) ability to survive in a wide range of environmental conditions/stressors. Bioaugmentation has been proven to be successful for a wide range of pollutants including pesticides such DDT, lindane, endosulfan, pentachlorophenol (PCP), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (Abhilash et al., 2011; Saez et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2014; Chen et al., 2015; Kuppusamy et al., 2016a,b). However, predation, competition and toxins in soils can negatively affect the survival of introduced microbes. In such cases, bioaugmentation using immobilized cells in carrier materials or preadapted strains to the problem soil conditions may prove to be advantageous regarding enhancing their survival in soils.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5609233/

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Sustainable remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites

28 March 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-023-00404-1

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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Sources, Toxicity, and Remediation Approaches

2020 Nov 5

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread across the globe mainly due to long-term anthropogenic sources of pollution. The inherent properties of PAHs such as heterocyclic aromatic ring structures, hydrophobicity, and thermostability have made them recalcitrant and highly persistent in the environment. PAH pollutants have been determined to be highly toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and immunotoxicogenic to various life forms. Therefore, this review discusses the primary sources of PAH emissions, exposure routes, and toxic effects on humans, in particular. This review briefly summarizes the physical and chemical PAH remediation approaches such as membrane filtration, soil washing, adsorption, electrokinetic, thermal, oxidation, and photocatalytic treatments. This review provides a detailed systematic compilation of the eco-friendly biological treatment solutions for remediation of PAHs such as microbial remediation approaches using bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, and co-cultures. In situ and ex situ biological treatments such as land farming, biostimulation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation, bioreactor, and vermiremediation approaches are discussed in detail, and a summary of the factors affecting and limiting PAH bioremediation is also discussed. An overview of emerging technologies employing multi-process combinatorial treatment approaches is given, and newer concepts on generation of value-added by-products during PAH remediation are highlighted in this review.

Microbial Remediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Pollution

As per Kuppusamy et al. (2017), biological methods have gained wide attentions for PAH remediation, followed by integrated methods, chemical oxidation, and physical methods. Among all biological methods for PAH remediation, usage frequency of natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, and biostimulation is highest (∼33%), followed by bioreactors (22%), phytoremediation/rhizoremediation (22%), composting (13%), biopiles (4%), enzyme-mediated bioremediation (2%), vermiremediation (2%), and others (2%) (Kuppusamy et al., 2017). Moreover, the second most attractive integrated methods are applied in the subsequent order, i.e., biological–biological (42%), chemical–biological (27%), physical–chemical (21%), physical–chemical–biological (5%), and thermal–chemical methods (5%) (Kuppusamy et al., 2017). Microbial PAH remediation (bioaugmentation and biostimulation) deals with separate or combined application of specific microbes such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, and algae. However, bacteria- and fungi-assisted degradation has been widely studied.

Bacteria

Bacteria have unique metabolic versatility for degradation of PAH pollutants (Ma and Zhai, 2012). During bacterial aerobic PAH degradation, the oxygen works as the final electron acceptor and also as a co-substrate for the hydroxylation and oxygen-mediated cleavage of the aromatic ring (Chen et al., 2016), whereas bacterial anaerobic PAH degradation utilizes an entirely diverse approach to break and open the aromatic ring depending on the reductive reaction type and alternative final electron acceptors (Ghosal et al., 2016; Dhar et al., 2020). Chiefly, the bacteria perform aerobic PAH degradation using oxygenase-facilitated metabolism (comprising monooxygenase and dioxygenase enzymes). The first step in the aerobic PAH degradation is the hydroxylation of the aromatic ring through dioxygenase enzymes and formation of the cis-dihydrodiol, which ultimately oxidized to diol intermediates with the help of dehydrogenase enzymes.

These diol intermediates finally break open through the action of intra diol or extra diol ring-breaking dioxygenases via either ortho-cleavage or meta-cleavage pathway, able to form intermediates such as catechol, gentisic acids, and protocatechuic acid, which finally transform to tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates (Mallick et al., 2011). Dioxygenase is the multi-enzyme complex usually comprising of reductase, ferredoxin, and terminal oxygenase subunits (Mallick et al., 2011; Ghosal et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2020). Bacteria also strategize PAH degradation by the cytochrome P450-assisted pathway with the formation of trans-dihydrodiols or anaerobically under nitrate- and sulfate-reducing conditions (Lu et al., 2011; Mallick et al., 2011; Yang et al., 2020). Although aerobic PAH degradation is conventional and preferable, anaerobic PAH degradation is gaining more attentions nowadays due to the presence of anoxic conditions in diverse environmental niches such as phreatic zone, deep aquatic sediment, and water-flooded soil (Ghosal et al., 2016; Dhar et al., 2020).

The aerobic and anaerobic bacterial species have been reported extensively in the literature for the degradation of LMW and HWM PAHs through pure cultures, consortia, and mixed bacterial culture approaches (Table 2). The enhanced or complete PAH degradation can be achieved by mixed bacterial cultures and bacterial consortia as results of collaborative catabolic activities of participants and possibly presence of diverse degradation pathways. Therefore, most of the recent studies emphasized on mixed bacterial culture- and consortia-assisted PAH degradation (Vaidya et al., 2018; Haleyur et al., 2019; Patel et al., 2019). Degradation by immobilized bacteria and genetically modified bacteria is also a considerable approach (Peng X. et al., 2018). One of the major difficulties for degradation in soil/sediment is a dispersion of inoculum; it is easy for surface soil, however, challenging for subsurface soil due to limited microbial transport as cells adhere strongly to soil organic matter.


TABLE 2

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions using bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, and co-cultures.
Inoculum    PAHs used in the study    Degradation condition    Degradation (%)    References


Bacteria
 

Mixed bacterial cultures DAK11: Pseudomonas aeruginosa DAK11.1, Pseudomonas stutzeri DAK11.2, Achromobacter sp. DAK11.3, and Chelatococcus sp. DAK11.4    Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, Fluoranthene, and Pyrene    Liquid medium Aerobic    75, 86, 76, and 76    Patel et al., 2018
Immobilized Pseudomonas taiwanensis PYR1 and Acinetobacter baumannii INP1 on cinder beads    Pyrene and Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene    Petroleum-contaminated soil Aerobic    71 and 81%    Huang et al., 2016
Bacterial community    16 Priority PAHs    In situ Windrows of 5,000 tons polluted soil Aerobic    85% total PAHs    Lors et al., 2012
Microbial community associated with anaerobic sediment    16 Priority PAHs (with nitrate and sulfate)    Sediment Anaerobic    37, 21, and 28%    Yang et al., 2020


Extremophiles


Halophilic consortia Qphe-SubIV Halomonas strain and unculturable strain belonging to the genus Marinobacter    Phenanthrene    Liquid medium (5% NaCl) Aerobic    >90%    Dastgheib et al., 2012
Acidophilic Stenotrophomonas maltophilia AJH1    Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Naphthalene, Fluorene, Pyrene, Benzo(e)pyrene, and Benzo(k)fluoranthene    Liquid medium (pH 2) Aerobic    91, 90, 96, 95, 86, 82, and 79%    Arulazhagan et al., 2017
Thermophilic Mix culture: Aeribacillus pallidus U2, Bacillus axarquiensis UCPD1, Bacillus siamensis GHP76, and Bacillus subtilis subsp. inaquosorum U277    Anthracene, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, and Pyrene    Liquid medium At 50°C Aerobic    96, 86, 54, and 71%    Mehetre et al., 2019


Archaea


Indigenous halophilic archaean Haloferax elongans, Halobacterium noricense, Haloferax larsenii, Halobacterium salinarum, and Halobacterium sp.    Phenanthrene    Soil and liquid medium Aerobic    28, 29, 28, 37, and 22%    Al-Mailem et al., 2017
Haloarchaea strains: Ten strains of Haloferax sp.    Naphthalene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Pyrene, and Benzo(a)anthracene    Hypersaline petroleum produced water (20% NaCl) Aerobic    20–80%    Bonfá et al., 2011


Ligninolytic fungi


Candida tropicalis NN4    Indeno[1,2,3-cd] pyrene    Liquid medium Aerobic    91%    Ojha et al., 2019
Fungal mycelia: Armillaria mellea, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Stropharia ferii    Anthracene and Benzo(a)pyrene    Contaminated soil Aerobic    95 and 50%    Baldantoni et al., 2017


Non-ligninolytic fungi


Cladosporium sp. CBMAI 1237    Anthracene, Acenaphthene, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Fluoranthene, and Pyrene    Liquid medium Aerobic    71, 78, 70, 47, 52, and 62%    Birolli et al., 2018
Lasiodiplodia theobromae    Benzo(a)pyrene    Garden soil Aerobic    92%    Wang et al., 2014


Algae


Selenastrum capricornutum and Scenedesmus acutus    Benzo(a)pyrene    Liquid medium Aerobic    99 and 95%    De Llasera et al., 2016
Rhodomonas baltica    Phenanthrene, Fluoranthene, and Pyrene    Liquid medium Aerobic    70%    Arias et al., 2017


Co-cultures


Bacterial–fungal consortium: Serratia marcescens L-11, Streptomyces rochei PAH-13, and Phanerochaete chrysosporium VV-18    Fluorene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, and Pyrene    100 g soil in pot, Aerobic    98, 66, 90, and 55%    Sharma et al., 2016
Bacterial–algal synergy: Chlorella sp. MM3 and Rhodococcus wratislaviensis 9    Phenanthrene, Pyrene, and Benzo(a)pyrene    Soil slurry Aerobic    100%    Subashchandrabose et al., 2019
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The immobilization of delivering inoculum microbes can serve the solution by increasing shelf life and activities of microbes in the soil system (Mrozik and Piotrowska-Seget, 2010). Huang et al. (2016) reported enhanced pyrene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene degradation (71 and 81%) in petroleum-contaminated soil using immobilized Pseudomonas taiwanensis PYR1 and Acinetobacter baumannii INP1 on cinder beads. Immobilization provides biological stability to inoculum microbes, protection from suboptimum substandard environmental conditions, and reduced competition with indigenous microbes (Mrozik and Piotrowska-Seget, 2010). Apart from mesophilic bacteria, bacterial extremophiles such as halophilic, acidophilic, and thermophilic have also been reported for PAH degradation (Table 2). Application of thermotolerant and thermophilic bacteria for PAH degradation is beneficial, as elevated temperature causes increased diffusion of PAHs by decreasing viscosity, ultimately increasing the bioavailability of PAHs (Mehetre et al., 2019). Over the last decade, bacterial community analysis (Muangchinda et al., 2018; Yang et al., 2020), biochemical pathways in bacteria for PAH degradation (Chen et al., 2016; Vaidya et al., 2017), degradation-associated bacterial genes (Peng T. et al., 2018; Sangkharak et al., 2020), enzyme systems (Chen et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2020), and gene regulation of PAH degradation processes (Kan et al., 2020; Wu et al., 2020) have been researched enormously.

Archaea

Extreme environmental habitats, particularly saline regions, are most vulnerable to petroleum pollution due to their close connection with oil industries, which mostly release many pollutants, including PAHs, and demand extremophiles rather than conventional microorganisms for bioremediation (Dastgheib et al., 2012). Over the past few years, archaea have drawn the attention of researchers for PAH bioremediation, although few research studies have been reported (Table 2). The degradation pathways and mechanisms behind bioremediation via archaea have not been extensively studied like bacteria (Khemili-Talbi et al., 2015). Khemili-Talbi et al. (2015) isolated biosurfactant-producing halophilic arhaeon Natrialba sp. C21 from oil-polluted saline water for degradation of phenol, naphthalene, and pyrene at very high salinity conditions (25% NaCl). They also attempted to find the degradation pattern via enzyme assays such as catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, protocatechol 3,4-dioxygenase, and protocatechol 4,5-dioxygenase. The maximum activity of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase indicated that degradation occurred via the ortho-cleavage pathway.

Fungi

Mycoremediation of PAHs has been widely reported in the past several years with numerous fungal species. Unlike bacteria, all fungi do not utilize PAHs as a sole source of carbon; rather, they co-metabolize the PAHs and generate a range of oxidized products including CO2. The fungi execute monooxygenase enzyme-mediated PAH degradation (Gupta and Pathak, 2020). Mainly two types, i.e., ligninolytic fungi (white-rot fungi) and non-ligninolytic fungi, have been reported in the literature for LMW and HMW PAH bioremediation (Table 2). Ligninolytic fungi produce enzymes such as lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and laccases for degradation of lignin present in the wood and simultaneously oxidize the PAHs and convert into diphenol intermediates that eventually oxidize into quinones (Aydin et al., 2017). Ligninolytic enzymes generate water-soluble polar products after catalytic cleavage of aromatic compounds, which are eventually available for fungal metabolism and soil microflora present in the vicinity (Gupta and Pathak, 2020).

On the other hand, non-ligninolytic fungi produce cytochrome P450 monooxygenase-like enzymes, which oxidize the PAHs and lead to form arene oxide and water; further, arene oxides through non-enzymatic rearrangement form phenols, which conjugate with xylose, gluconeric acid, and glucose (Cerniglia and Sutherland, 2010; Ghosal et al., 2016). Some fungal species are also capable of producing biosurfactants in order to overcome the hindrance of less soluble HMW PAHs, which resulted in better degradation (Ojha et al., 2019). Limited studies have been reported on the mechanisms and pathways involved in the breakdown of PAHs through mycoremediation (Aydin et al., 2017; Agrawal et al., 2018). Direct fungi application in the field has many limitations including inadequate biomass growth, huge biomass handling difficulties, lack of application methodologies, and bulk degrading enzyme production, which can be overcome by oxidative fungal enzyme-mediated PAH bioremediation (Harms et al., 2011).

Algae

Algae, the primary producers in coastline and estuarine ecosystems, may have a significant role in PAH bioremediation within aquatic ecosystems. Alga-mediated effective PAH removal occurs through cellular biodegradation and/or bioaccumulation (Ke et al., 2010). PAH biodegradation employs both monooxygenase and dioxygenase enzymatic pathways and produces hydroxylated and dihydroxylated intermediates, respectively, depending on the algal type (Chan et al., 2006). Microalgae (Cyanobacteria) are freshwater unicellular green alga, have gained huge attention for its ubiquitous occurrence, easy to propagate, and most prominent efficiency of degrading HMW PAHs (Ke et al., 2010; De Llasera et al., 2016). Few reports on alga-based PAH bioremediation are listed in Table 2. Many alga-based PAH removal studies at the laboratory or microcosm scale have been reported in the literature, although large- or field-scale alga-mediated PAH remediation remains to be uncovered and requires scientific attention to develop successful strategies.

Co-cultures

Co-culturing approaches such as bacterial–fungal co-cultures, fungal–algal synergy, and bacterial–algal synergy are proven as the most efficient bioremedial approaches at the laboratory as well as large-scale applications (Sharma et al., 2016; Subashchandrabose et al., 2019; Table 2). During aerobic degradation, algae supply oxygen to enhance degradation. The bacterial–algal synergy is more advantageous over bacterial consortia and bacterial–fungal co-cultures because algae provide various extra polymeric and lightweighted compounds (consist of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, fermentation products, etc.), which promote bacterial and/or fungal growth and thus enhance PAH degradation (Kuppusamy et al., 2017).

Microbial Enzyme-Mediated Bioremediation

Microbial enzyme-mediated bioremediation involves the use of isolated enzymes from bacteria, fungi, and other living organisms for PAH removal. The enzymatic action is extremely efficient and selective due to higher reaction rates and the capability to catalyze reactions at a wide range of temperature and pH. Oxygenase, dehydrogenase, lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, laccases, and phenoloxidases are enzymes responsible for PAH oxidation as mentioned in above subsections (Mohan et al., 2006). The oxidative enzymes from fungi are more efficient because they are less substrate-specific enzymes (Harms et al., 2011; Gupta and Pathak, 2020). Zhang et al. (2020) isolated novel manganese peroxidase gene from Cerrena unicolor BBP6 and cloned into Pichia pastoris, which had various dye-decolorizing ability along with 80 and 91% of fluorene and phenanthrene degradation activity within 24 h, and the highest recombinant enzyme expression was 154.5 Unit.L–1. The only drawback of this method is cost related to production, extraction, and purification of enzymes (Kuppusamy et al., 2017).


Strategies for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Bioremediation

Land farming is a cost-effective and safe treatment for polluted land, in which the native microbiome at a polluted site is stimulated for PAH degradation via improving aeration, moisture, and nutrient levels so that the connection of microbes is improved with pollutants and nutrients (Agnello et al., 2016; Kuppusamy et al., 2017). The reduction rate is much higher for LMW PAHs (2–3 rings) than HMW PAHs (4–6 rings), and this method is applied usually for a thin layer of land surface (Das and Das, 2015; Silva-Castro et al., 2015; García-Sánchez et al., 2018). This simple method requires less maintenance, nearly no cleanup obligations, and slight monitoring efforts. Limitations are slow degradation rate after initial rapid degradation rate due to the concentration gradient of pollutants, affected only superficial 10–35-cm accessible soil layer, and largely influenced by surrounding uncontrollable and unintentional conditions like heavy rainfall (Gan et al., 2009).

Natural attenuation method enhances the degradation capacities of innate microbiome by improving aeration, moisture, and nutrient levels. If natural attenuation is performed on polluted land, then it is a good example of land farming method. Chikere et al. (2017) reported 98% total petroleum hydrocarbon and 85% poly aromatic hydrocarbon degradation by enhanced natural attenuation in crude oil-polluted field-scale bioremediation after. The enhanced natural attenuation was processed by nutrient addition (N:P:K ratio 2:1:1), tilling, periodic water irrigation, and intermittent turning of soil to make sure there was uniform aeration (Chikere et al., 2017).

Biostimulation is a remediation method in which the activities of indigenous microbes can be encouraged by the addition of nutrients (N,P,S, and K), slow/fast releasing fertilizers, organic wastes, humic acid, and/or terminal electron acceptor. It is basically used to overcome limitations of microbial growth and activities. Different combinations of macro- and micro- nutrients are used to enhance PAH degradation (Das and Das, 2015). Patel et al. (2019) tested NPK fertilizer, urea fertilizer, and AS fertilizer as biostimulating agents to enhance phenanthrene and fluoranthene degradation by mixed bacterial cultures. Biostimulation can also be performed through an adaptation approach in which high pre-exposure of target pollutants are applied for adaptation of selective organisms having the capacity to survive and utilize target pollutants (Mohan et al., 2006).

A new era of nanobiotechnology leads to the development of a more competitive biostimulation approach for rapid PAH remediation based on the use of nanofertilizers and nanominerals, which enable broader distribution of nutrients in deeper soil (Kuppusamy et al., 2017). A time interval study conducted by Bianco et al. (2020) on the effects of anaerobic biostimulation such as digestate, fresh organic fraction of solid municipal waste, and combination of micro-/macronutrients (ratio of soil and biostimulants was 10:1) on the degradation of the four PAH mixture (200 mg.kg–1 of anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and fluoranthene) in marine sediment at 37°C and 130 rpm confirmed biostimulation efficiency for PAH degradation (55%) compared to control without any supplementation (12%). The application of digestate and organic waste as biostimulants during degradation signifies the economic perspective as well as encourages the renewable remediation strategy (Bianco et al., 2020). Blood meal is a dark-colored complex non-toxic liquid of animal origin, which acts as a slow releasing fertilizer and is rich with lysine, valine, leucine, tryptophan, and histidine. Recently, biostimulation using blood meal along with weekly soil plowing was studied for in situ bioremediation of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)- and PAH-polluted farmland soil (Wang et al., 2017).

Composting is one of the most preferable and cost-effective remediation methods for pollutant degradation in soil, which improves soil organic content and soil fertility, and it is one type of biostimulation in which organic content is added (Chen et al., 2015). Composting remediation is more successful for 3- and 4-ring PAHs than 5- and 6-ring PAHs, as higher ring PAHs may negatively affect the microbial activities of compost and their natural bioavailability was low (Gan et al., 2009; Guo et al., 2020). The compost bulking agents such as spent mushroom, soot waste, agricultural wastes, maple leaves, cow manure, pig manure, activated sludge, etc., can be used in PAH degradation that support the enhancement of microbial population and raise the required temperature for degradation (Mohan et al., 2006; Shah, 2014; Das and Das, 2015). Guo et al. (2020) studied biodegradation of PAHs in polluted sewage sludge by a co-composting method using green forest waste. The experiments were performed with three different rations of sewage sludge and green forest waste. PAH degradation (75.2%) was highest in ratio 3:2, followed by ratio 3:1 (70.7%) and ratio 3:3 (62.4%) after 50 days of composting in compost windrows (1.5 m width × 1.2 m height × 10 m length).

Bioaugmentation is the introduction of inoculum of pollutant-degrading single microorganisms or group of microorganisms to achieve optimum degradation and sometimes to improve the catabolic capacities of indigenous microbes (Das and Das, 2015). It is effective, rapid, easily publicly adaptable, easily applicable, and versatile alternative for PAH degradation; nevertheless, unpredictable (Kong et al., 2018). Application of the bioaugmentation strategy for PAH degradation may include bacteria, archaea, fungi, and algae as pure cultures as well as mixed cultures; detailed description is presented in the section Microbial Remediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Pollution (Ghosal et al., 2016). The degradation of PAHs by microorganisms occurs in the presence of oxygen and in the absence of oxygen, which are called aerobic degradation and anaerobic degradation, respectively. In anaerobic biodegradation, microbes use other substances such as nitrate, sulfate, iron, manganese, and carbon dioxide as electron exchanger during degradation and produce carbon dioxide and methane as the final products. Anaerobic biodegradation is helpful to remediate the deep underground soil where oxygen is absent or very low (Gan et al., 2009).

Bioreactor is an ex situ controlled system for efficient PAH degradation; addition of non-ionic surfactants, bioaugmentation with useful microbes, and/or biostimulation with additional nutrients enhance PAH bioremediation process in bioreactors (Mohan et al., 2006). Soil column and soil slurry bioreactors degrade effectively the soil-bound contaminants under controlled and optimized conditions. The continuous fed batch reactors (anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic, 5 L each) were proved to be potential for 300 mg.L–1 of naphthalene degradation (99%) in influent wastewater from coke oven industry along with sulfate and ammonical nitrogen as biostimulants and cow dung slurry as inoculum by Yadu et al. (2019). Forján et al. (2020) designed a pilot- scale soil slurry bioreactor for PAH-polluted factory soil in which dissolved oxygen (8 mg/L), pH (∼8), and temperature (28°C) probes were constantly controlled. Soil slurry bioreactor was prepared by combined approach of biostimulation (C:N:P ratio of 100:10:1) and bioaugmentation using Rhodococcus erythropolis, which reported 89.3, 79.7, 72.0, and 82.1% degradation of 2-ring, 3-ring, 4–6-ring, and total PAHs, respectively, after 15 days of bioreactor process (Forján et al., 2020).

Phytoremediation is an in situ method in which the plants are used to remove PAHs or to convert them into less harmful components in soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater (Das and Das, 2015). Plants remediate the organic pollutants by different mechanisms such as phytoextraction (withdrawal of pollutants from soil), phytovolatilization (atmospheric release of volatile pollutants from soil via plant organs), and phytodegradation (degradation of pollutants by enzymes released from plant and/or plant-associated microbes) (García-Sánchez et al., 2018). Plants help in soil aeration by increasing permeability and by cracking soil masses, which favor PAH aerobic biodegradation (Gitipour et al., 2018).

During phytoremediation, plants resist easily a range of environmental assaults due to their sessile characteristic. Plants are selected ideally based on their quality to grow at a polluted site and growth time, biomass productivity, ability to support active soil microbial population, capability to degrade pollutants, and capability to adapt to environmental conditions (Cook and Hesterberg, 2013). Economic viewpoint suggests phytoremediation with grass is preferable due to less maintenance, low nutrient requirements, robust growth, tolerance for sought, acidic and, cold conditions, and their very fibrous root system, which may help enhance soil microbial activities (Gan et al., 2009; Cook and Hesterberg, 2013).

He and Chi (2019) investigated phytoremediation capabilities of two submerged aquatic plants, Vallisneria spiralis and Hydrilla verticillata, in PAH-polluted sediments at pilot scale. The experiment was conducted for 108 days, and results indicated that dissipation of phenanthrene and pyrene was highest in sediment planted with V. spiralis (85.9 and 79.1%), followed by sediment planted with H. verticillata (76.3 and 64.6%) and unplanted sediment (76.3 and 64.6%). Higher dissipation of phenanthrene and pyrene in planted sediments was due to plant-supported biodegradation and plant uptake (He and Chi, 2019). Phytoremediation of soil polluted by fly ash PAHs using willows of Salix × smithiana Willd (checked) was used to remove 50.9% PAHs after 3 years of treatment (checked), which was higher as compared to 9.9% ash PAH removal by natural attenuation in soil (Košnáø et al., 2020).

Rhizoremediation is one specific subset of phytoremediation, in which plant-associated rhizosphere microorganisms are used for treatment of polluted soils (Das and Das, 2015). Rhizoremediation is more intensive for PAH degradation and a key of successful rhizoremediation is dependent on the appropriate partnership of plant and microbes that have degradation capabilities (Agnello et al., 2016; Eskandary et al., 2017). Plants provide the huge root surface area for microbial growth and remediate pollutants approximately 10–15 m deep in the soil (Bisht et al., 2015). In rhizoremediation, plant roots supply the nutrients for growth and activities of PAH-degrading microbes in the form of carbohydrates, amino acids, flavonoids, and organic acids, whereas microbes compensate by supporting the plants to conquer against stress generated due to pollutants and reduce the phytotoxicity (Bisht et al., 2015; Eskandary et al., 2017). Kong et al. (2018) conducted field-scale PAH degradation study (3 m × 1.2 m, 0.4 m depth, and 5 tons soil) for 175 days in aged polluted soil of 50-year-old coking plants.

Comparison of four different methods indicated that microbe-associated phytoremediation (Rhodococcus ruber Em1 associated with Orychophragmus violaceus) was superlative among natural attenuation, bioaugmentation (Rhodococcus ruber Em1), and phytoremediation (Orychophragmus violaceus). R. ruber Em1 combined with O. violaceus significantly enhanced the removal of 16 PAHs, 54% as compared to 18, 30, and 36% in other methods. The removal of HMW PAHs with 4–6 rings were much greater by microbe-associated phytoremediation methods (55%) as compared to natural attenuation (10%) and phytoremediation (20%) (Kong et al., 2018). García-Sánchez et al. (2018) also compared four different PAH bioremediation approaches via pot experiments with 5 kg of aged polluted soil for 180 days. They found a microbe-associated phytoremediation approach using maize plants along with white rod fungi and indigenous microorganisms as the most beneficial for removal of LMW, HMW, and total 16 PAHs as compared to other approaches, i.e., natural attenuation, myco-augmentation using white rod fungi Crucibulum leave, and phytoremediation using maize plants (García-Sánchez et al., 2018).

The advantages of phytoremediation and rhizoremediation as compared with other approaches are that they preserve the natural conditions of the soil, energy is derived primarily from sunlight, high level of microbial biomass in the soil can be achieved, and both are cost-effective and environment-friendly methods. The major drawbacks of both methods are the site where plants cannot grow, large land requirement, limited remediation depth, only applicable for low-level polluted site (plant tolerance level), highly dependent on climate and seasonal conditions, disposal of accumulated PAHs from plant parts, unknown effects of biodegradation products, risk for pollutants to enter the food chain, and uncertainty in treatment duration prediction (Gan et al., 2009; Bisht et al., 2015; Gitipour et al., 2018).

Vermiremediation is used as individual and combined with microbes or plants for PAH removal from fine soil (pores size < 0.1 μm). PAHs in pores of fine soil are not bioavailable and bioaccessible for degrading bacteria (size 1–10 μm) and plant root hairs (size 15–17 μm). During vermiremediation, burrowing actions of earthworms enlarge the soil pore size; therefore, degrading microbes and plant root can penetrate into the soil, able to grow and finally able to degrade hidden PAHs (Kuppusamy et al., 2017). Earthworms also remove PAHs from the soil by either dermal absorption or intestinal digestion that biotransform or biodegrade into harmless compounds (Sinha et al., 2008). Benefits of vermiremediation include improvement of physical/biological soil quality, excretion of nutritive constituents as vermicasts, and proliferation of beneficial soil microorganisms (Rorat et al., 2017). Earthworms reproduce speedily using less or no energy, which possibly enhance PAH removal in a short time duration, proving vermiremediation to be very cost-effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable (Sinha et al., 2008). The addition of earthworms Eisenia andrei in sewage sludge bioreactor after precomposting had led to higher PAH removal (86, 58, and 62% under three different pre-composting processes) after 5 weeks (Rorat et al., 2017). The only drawback of vermiremediation is that it is applicable for low and medium polluted sites, where earthworms are able to survive and grow (Kuppusamy et al., 2017).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7674206/

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A strategy to realize the efficient resonant absorption of guided water waves

2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-strategy-efficient-resonant-absorption.html

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Harnessing the oceans to 'bury' carbon has huge potential—and risk—so NZ needs to move with caution

2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-harnessing-oceans-carbon-huge-potentialand.html

 

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Chapter 6 - Potential of microbes for degradation of xenobiotics: With special focus on petroleum hydrocarbons

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323899376000152 


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Amphiphilic Magnetic Particles Dispersed in Water and Oil for the Removal of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Microplastics

April 10, 2024

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.3c19398

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3° Oil Recovery: Fundamental Approaches and Principles of Microbially Enhanced Oil Recovery

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_202

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Magnetic permanently confined micelle arrays for treating hydrophobic organic compound contamination

2008

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19055347/

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Controllable hydrophobicity of magnetoactive elastomer coatings

2017

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304885317321546

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Making a Frictionless Torpedo

2022

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jcdzl8bXu_g

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Hydrophobic and magnetic fabrication of hydroxyethyl cellulose-lignin aerogel through ultrasound enhancement for efficient oil/water separation

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221471442300020X

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Biodegradable aerogel: Airy cellulose from a 3D printer

April 4, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-biodegradable-aerogel-airy-cellulose-3d.html

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Controllable pore size of super-hydrophobic magnetic core-shell nanospheres with dendritic architecture and their pore-dependent performances in oil/water separation

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383586623013424

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Superhydrophobic magnetic sorbent via surface modification of banded iron formation for oily water treatment

30 June 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-15187-6

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High-performance hydrophobic magnetic hydrotalcite for selective treatment of oily wastewater

2021 Nov 29

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34738879/

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High-speed magnetic control of water transport in superhydrophobic tubular actuators

21 October 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41427-022-00431-2

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Droplet-based nanogenerators for energy harvesting and self-powered sensing

17th August 2021

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2021/nr/d1nr05386h

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Magnetoswitchable Controlled Hydrophilicity/Hydrophobicity of Electrode Surfaces Using Alkyl-Chain-Functionalized Magnetic Particles:  Application for Switchable Electrochemistry

September 29, 2004

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/la048476%2B

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Facile Surface Functionalization of Hydrophobic Magnetic Nanoparticles

August 20, 2014

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja5060324

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Magnetic nanofluid based on hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent for efficient and rapid enrichment and subsequent determination of cinnamic acid in juice samples: Vortex-assisted liquid-phase microextraction

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914023003326


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Bifunctional hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for selective recovery of Sm and Co from waste SmCo permanent magnets

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1226086X23005919

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Magnetic hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for orbital shaker-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (MAGDES-OS-DLLME) - Determination of nickel and copper in food and water samples by FAAS

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157523007172

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Aptamer functionalized magnetic hydrophobic polymer with synergetic effect for enhanced adsorption of alternariol from wheat

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030881462302174X

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Fundamentals of magnet-actuated droplet manipulation on an open hydrophobic surface

2009 Mar 9

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2932710/

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Water droplets become hydrobots by adding magnetic beads

June 3, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-06-droplets-hydrobots-adding-magnetic-beads.html

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Hydrophobic Drug-Loaded PEGylated Magnetic Liposomes for Drug-Controlled Release

18 May 2017

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-017-2119-4

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Magnetically responsive hydrophobic pockets for on–off drug release

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468519421002822

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Hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticle assisted catanionic surfactant supramolecular solvent microextraction of multiresidue antibiotics in water samples

July 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352352082_Hydrophobic_magnetic_nanoparticle_assisted_catanionic_surfactant_supramolecular_solvent_microextraction_of_multiresidue_antibiotics_in_water_samples

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Liquid-liquid microextraction with hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent followed by magnetic phase separation for preconcentration of antibiotics

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914022006646

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An air-assisted dispersive liquid phase microextraction method based on a hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent for the extraction and preconcentration of melamine from milk and milk-based products

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814623011913

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Fabrication of hydrophobic and magnetic cellulose aerogel with high oil absorption capacity

2013

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167577X1301450X

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Non-expensive hydrophobic and magnetic melamine sponges for the removal of hydrocarbons and oils from water

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383586618338693


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Rapid Magnetic Catch-and-Release Purification by Hydrophobic Interactions

July 2, 2009

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/la901351s


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Recovery of rare earth metal oxides from NdFeB magnet leachate by hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent extraction, oxalate stripping and calcination

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304386X23001925

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Silica Removal Using Magnetic Iron-Aluminum Hybrid Nanomaterials: Measurements, Adsorption Mechanisms, and Implications for Silica Scaling in Reverse Osmosis

2019 Oct 29

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31621307/

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Magnetic nanoparticles draw solution for forward osmosis: Current status and future challenges in wastewater treatment

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213343722018280

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Effectiveness and mechanisms of electromagnetic field on reverse osmosis membrane scaling control during brackish groundwater desalination

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383586621015306

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Desalination of saline water via forward osmosis using magnetic nanoparticles covalently functionalized with citrate ions as osmotic agent

2020 Dec 22

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33332242/

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Thermoresponsive Magnetic Nanoparticles for Seawater Desalination

October 17, 2013

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/am403719s

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Removal of microplastics from water by magnetic nano-Fe3O4

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721049135

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World's Strongest Magnet!

Mar 14, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0amdIcZt5I

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Energy harvesting

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_harvesting


Energy harvesting (also known as power harvesting or energy scavenging) is the process by which energy is derived from external sources (e.g. solar power, thermal energy, wind energy, salinity gradients, and kinetic energy), captured, and stored for small, wireless autonomous devices, like those used in wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.

Energy harvesters provide a very small amount of power for low-energy electronics. While the input fuel to some large-scale generation costs money (oil, coal, etc.), the energy source for energy harvesters is present as ambient background and is free. For example, temperature gradients exist from the operation of a combustion engine and in urban areas, there is a large amount of electromagnetic energy in the environment because of radio and television broadcasting.


Piezoelectric


The piezoelectric effect converts mechanical strain into electric current or voltage. This strain can come from many different sources. Human motion, low-frequency seismic vibrations, and acoustic noise are everyday examples. Except in rare instances the piezoelectric effect operates in AC requiring time-varying inputs at mechanical resonance to be efficient.
Most piezoelectric electricity sources produce power on the order of milliwatts, too small for system application, but enough for hand-held devices such as some commercially available self-winding wristwatches. One proposal is that they are used for micro-scale devices, such as in a device harvesting micro-hydraulic energy. In this device, the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid drives a reciprocating piston supported by three piezoelectric elements which convert the pressure fluctuations into an alternating current.


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Preparation on transparent flexible piezoelectric energy harvester based on PZT films by laser lift-off process

 

 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924424712006516

 

 The piezoelectric energy generation properties of transparent flexible devices (TFD) based on PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) films, which were fabricated by laser lift-off (LLO) process, were studied for a piezoelectric energy harvester. Through the introduction of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, TFDs were implemented, respectively. The TFDs based on PZT films generated an AC-type output signal and output power of 8.4 nW/cm2, at periodically bending and releasing motion. In addition, inverted output signals were observed when the manufactured TFDs were connected to the measuring equipment in reverse and were bended to the reverse direction, demonstrating that the generating signals originated from the piezoelectric effect of TFDs. The experimental results clearly showed that the TFDs based PZT film have potential for use in next generation of electronic devices applications such as flexible devices, transparent electronics, and energy harvester.


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Scientists use shape-fixing nanoreactor to make a better fuel cell catalyst

 
May 11, 2015



 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-scientists-shape-fixing-nanoreactor-fuel-cell.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

 

 ______________


 

Laser-machined piezoelectric cantilevers for mechanical energy harvesting


 In this study, we report results on a piezoelectric- material-based mechanical energy-harvesting device that was fabricated by combining laser machining with microelectronics packaging technology. It was found that the laser-machining process did not have significant effect on the electrical properties of piezoelectric material. The fabricated device was tested in the low-frequency regime of 50 to 1000 Hz at constant force of 8 g (where g = 9.8 m/s2). The device was found to generate continuous power of 1.13 muW at 870 Hz across a 288.5 kOmega load with a power density of 301.3 muW/cm3.


 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4626918&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fiel5%2F58%2F4626908%2F04626918.pdf%3Farnumber%3D4626918

 
______________

Bismuth-Ferrite Piezoelectric Material Opens New Roads for Energy Generation







______________


Chinese Scientists Find Alternative to Lead-Containing Mainstream Piezoelectric Material

 



http://www.greenoptimistic.com/zinc-oxide-vanadium-piezoelectric-20120402/#.VSIYEOG-2zk
 

______________


Energy-Saving Thermoelectric Material Made From Dirt






MSU Professor of Chemical Engineering, Donald Morelli, and his team figured out how to synthesize compounds that have the same chemical composition as natural minerals and closely mimic tetrahedrites. By modifying the composition, researchers have been able produce even more efficient thermoelectric material.

Why is this important? Themoelectric energy needs to be more efficient to be a viable energy source. For example, if thermoelectric was more efficient, the heat generated by a car engine that travels through the tail pipe could then be converted into actual electricity. By tweaking the composition, researchers are coming closer to making this a reality.

 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/thermoelectric-material-dirt-20121129/


______________


Proof-of-Concept Piezoelectric Generators Used to Recover Energy from Wind



http://www.greenoptimistic.com/andreopoulos-piezoelectric-wind-power-20091124/#.VSIbWOG-2zk



______________



 Scientists harvest energy from beam's self-induced, self-sustaining vibrations in airflow

July 27, 2015

http://phys.org/news/2015-07-scientists-harvest-energy-self-induced-self-sustaining.html#jCp


______________



New Piezo Crystals Harness Sound Waves to Generate Hydrogen Fuel


 03/17/10



http://inhabitat.com/new-piezo-crystals-harness-sound-waves-to-generate-hydrogen-fuel/



______________



Fuel-free nanomotor is powered by ultrasound and magnetic fields

 

Jun 26, 2015

 Nanoscale motors, like their macroscale counterparts, can be built to run on a variety of chemical fuels, such as hydrogen peroxide and others. But unlike macroscale motors, some nanomotors can also run without fuel, instead being powered by either magnetic or acoustic fields. In a new paper, researchers for the first time have demonstrated a nanomotor that can run on both magnetic and acoustic fields, making it the first magneto-acoustic hybrid fuel-free nanomotor.


 http://phys.org/news/2015-06-fuel-free-nanomotor-powered-ultrasound-magnetic.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

 

______________


Ear-Piercing Sounds Harvested for Energy



http://news.discovery.com/tech/alternative-power-sources/ear-piercing-sounds-harvested-for-energy-131206.htm



______________


Engineering students use sound waves to put out fires

 

Mar 26, 2015
 
 http://phys.org/news/2015-03-students.html


______________

German student creates electromagnetic harvester that gathers free electricity from thin air



February 12, 2013 


 A German student has built an electromagnetic harvester that recharges an AA battery by soaking up ambient, environmental radiation. These harvesters can gather free electricity from just about anything, including overhead power lines, coffee machines, refrigerators, or even the emissions from your WiFi router or smartphone.

 http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/148247-german-student-creates-electromagnetic-harvester-that-gathers-free-electricity-from-thin-air


 ______________

New technique for generating electricity from mechanical vibrations

 

Nov 12, 2014



http://www.gizmag.com/mechanical-vibration-generate-electricity/34701/


______________

New Cell Phone Charging System Harvests Energy from Vibrations


02/28/14

 http://inhabitat.com/university-of-wisconsin-develops-cell-phone-charging-system-that-harvests-energy-from-vibrations/


______________


Pavegen looking to harness energy from pedestrian footsteps

 

May 28th, 2015

 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-pavegen-harness-energy-pedestrian-footsteps.html#nRlv

______________

Portland to generate electricity within its own water pipes


 February 17, 2015

 http://www.gizmag.com/portland-lucidpipe-power-system/36130/

______________


Shape-shifting nanoprobes report on internal body conditions using magnetic fields

 

 April 5, 2015

 



 Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have developed a new type of shape-shifting nanoprobe that can perform high-resolution remote biological sensing not possible with current technology. Around one-tenth the size of a single red blood cell, the nanoprobes are designed to provide feedback on internal body conditions by altering their magnetic fields in response to their environment. The researchers predict wide-spread applications for the nanoprobes in the fields of chemistry, biology, engineering and, one day, to aid physicians in high-accuracy clinical diagnostics.

http://www.gizmag.com/nanoprobes-nist-gem-biosensing-magnetic-fields/36803/


----------------


Study Confirms Magnetic Properties of Silicon Nano-Ribbons

 October 24, 2012

 http://www.bangscience.org/2012/10/study-confirms-magnetic-properties-of-silicon-nano-ribbons/



 ______________


Heat makes electrons spin in magnetic superconductors

 

4/24/2015

http://article.wn.com/view/2015/04/24/Heat_makes_electrons_spin_in_magnetic_superconductors_Univer/


----------------



 Scientists fabricate hexagonal silicon, potentially leading to light-emitting semiconductors

August 18, 2015



 Virtually all semiconductors used in today's electronic devices are made of silicon having a cubic crystal structure, as silicon naturally crystallizes in the cubic form. In a new study, researchers have fabricated silicon in a hexagonal crystal structure, which is expected to exhibit novel optical, electrical, superconducting, and mechanical properties compared with cubic silicon.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-08-scientists-fabricate-hexagonal-silicon-potentially.html#jCp

 

 ______________

Researchers prove magnetism can control heat, sound

 

 May 28th, 2015





 http://phys.org/news/2015-05-magnetism.html

 

______________



Ultrafast heat conduction can manipulate nanoscale magnets

 

 June/8/2015





 Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have uncovered physical mechanisms allowing the manipulation of magnetic information with heat. These new phenomena rely on the transport of thermal energy, in contrast to the conventional application of magnetic fields, providing a new, and highly desirable way to manipulate magnetization at the nanoscale.

 http://phys.org/news/2015-06-ultrafast-nanoscale-magnets.html#jCp


______________



Magnetostrictive resonators as sensors and actuators


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924424712007509

Two types of magnetostrictive resonators – magnetostrictive microcantilever (MSMC) and magnetostrictive particle (MSP) – have been introduced as sensor platforms. Their principles and advantages as sensor platforms are discussed along with the materials selection. A detailed and complete comparison between the MSMC and MSP is given. It is concluded that for the resonators with the same size, an MSP exhibits a higher sensitivity and has a much higher resonant frequency. For the resonators with the same resonant frequency, MSMCs exhibit a much higher sensitivity and have a much smaller size than MSPs. Using antibody as the sensing element, MSP biosensors for in situ detection of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes are developed and characterized. These biosensors exhibit a high performance. For example, the MSP-antibody biosensors of 1 mm × 0.3 mm × 15 μm exhibit a detection limit less than 100 cfu/ml for in situ detection of bacterial cell in water. A new type actuator is introduced using MSPs. The MSP actuator is operated using AC magnetic field with a frequency close to, but different than, its resonant frequency. The MSP actuator exhibits an unlimited displacement, and its moving direction is controlled by the operating frequency used.




______________



Levitating Magnet May Yield New Approach to Clean Energy

 

 http://engineering.columbia.edu/levitating-magnet-may-yield-new-approach-clean-energy

 Achieving nuclear fusion in the laboratory has been a cherished goal of physicists and energy researchers for more than 50 years. That’s because it offers the possibility of nearly endless supplies of energy with no carbon emissions and far less radioactive waste than that produced by today’s nuclear plants, which are based on fission, the splitting of atoms (the opposite of fusion, which involves fusing two atoms together). But developing a fusion reactor that produces a net output of energy has proved to be more challenging than initially thought.




______________


Cleaner Fuel Cells on the Way from Moscow

 



 A European research team has been working on ion-exchange membranes that convert energy created by chemical reactions. These membranes are based on amphiphilic compounds, and are synthetic. This has great implications for the use of clean fuel cells.
The team, comprised of Russian, French and German scientists, have been collaborating to create this process that can be possibly used in fuel cells. The study was conducted at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, at the Laboratory of Functional Organic and Hybrid materials.
Batteries produce energy by utilizing the reaction of oxidizing and reducing agents. The batteries’ lifespan is complete when both the agents are consumed. When an accumulator is used, electric energy can be stored in packets.


 http://www.greenoptimistic.com/moscow-clean-fuel-cells/


______________


A new idea for rapid generation of strong magnetic fields using laser pulses

March 25, 2020

https://phys.org/news/2020-03-idea-rapid-strong-magnetic-fields.html

______________


Coherent ultrafast magnetism induced by femtosecond laser pulses

31 May 2009

https://www.nature.com/articles/nphys1285


______________


Space-confined fabrication of hydrophobic magnetic carbon nanofibers for lightweight and enhanced microwave absorption

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0008622322004316

______________


Exploiting disorder to harvest heat energy: The potentialities of 2D magnets for thermoelectric applications

April 30, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-exploiting-disorder-harvest-energy-potentialities.html

______________

 

MilliMobile is a tiny, self-driving robot powered only by light and radio waves

September 27, 2023

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-09-millimobile-tiny-self-driving-robot-powered.html

 

______________


New compact chips can convert light into microwaves

March 6, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-compact-chips-microwaves.html

______________


How light can vaporize water without the need for heat

April 23, 2024

Surprising “photomolecular effect” discovered by MIT researchers could affect calculations of climate change and may lead to improved desalination and drying processes.

https://news.mit.edu/2024/how-light-can-vaporize-water-without-heat-0423

______________


Singularity vs 100,000 Lumens

2022

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AA-vYH3TqG4

______________

 

The Whitest Thing In The Universe

July 1, 2021

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yoWnoWylpZI

 

______________

 

Ultrablack thin-film coating could make next-gen telescopes even better

March 12, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-ultrablack-thin-coating-gen-telescopes.html

______________


Sunrise to sunset, a new window coating blocks heat, not view

April 2, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-04-sunrise-sunset-window-coating-blocks.html

 

______________

 

Turning glass into a 'transparent' light-energy harvester

January 26, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-glass-transparent-energy-harvester.html

 

______________


How to make bright quantum dots even brighter

January 31, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-bright-quantum-dots-brighter.html

______________

 

New techniques for making qubits out of erbium

February 8, 2024

Qubits are the building block for quantum technology, and finding or building qubits that are stable and easily manipulated is one of the central goals of quantum technology research. Scientists have found that an atom of erbium—a rare-earth metal sometimes used in lasers or to color glass—can be a very effective qubit.

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-techniques-qubits-erbium.html

 

______________


Scientists use laser light to achieve quantum states at room temperature, a first

2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/scientists-use-laser-light-to-achieve-quantum-states-at-room-temperature-a-first/ar-BB1loFYH

______________


Quantum behavior at room temperature: When laser light makes materials magnetic

April 10, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-quantum-behavior-room-temperature-laser.html

______________


Quantum breakthrough when light makes materials magnetic

April 10, 2024

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240410112818.htm

______________


Capturing greenhouse gases with the help of light

January 12, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-capturing-greenhouse-gases.html

______________


Team develops light-powered catalyst to make hydrogen

January 10, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-team-powered-catalyst-hydrogen.html

______________

Phononic switching of magnetization by the ultrafast Barnett effect

10 April 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07200-x

______________


Magnetic diffusion

Magnetic diffusion refers to the motion of magnetic fields, typically in the presence of a conducting solid or fluid such as a plasma. The motion of magnetic fields is described by the magnetic diffusion equation and is due primarily to induction and diffusion of magnetic fields through the material. The magnetic diffusion equation is a partial differential equation commonly used in physics. Understanding the phenomenon is essential to magnetohydrodynamics and has important consequences in astrophysics, geophysics, and electrical engineering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_diffusion

______________


Lasers make magnets behave like fluids

April 18, 2019

https://phys.org/news/2019-04-lasers-magnets-fluids.html

______________


Laser-assisted bending by magnetic force

24 July 2017

https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1049/joe.2017.0145

______________


Making a superconductor liquid–solid out of the vacuum with hundred-exatesla-strong magnetic fields

January 18, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-superconductor-liquidsolid-vacuum-exatesla-strong.html

______________ 



A comparison of technologies for remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils

2016

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0375674216303818

______________


Remediation of metal contaminated soil with mineral-amended composts

2007

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749107000772

______________

 

Archaea

 

Archaea (/ɑːrˈkə/ ar-KEE; sg.: archaeon /ɑːrˈkən/ ar-KEE-ən) is a domain of single-celled organisms. These microorganisms lack cell nuclei and are therefore prokaryotic. Archaea were initially classified as bacteria, receiving the name archaebacteria (in the Archaebacteria kingdom), but this term has fallen out of use.

 

Archaeal cells have unique properties separating them from the other two domains, Bacteria and Eukaryota. Archaea are further divided into multiple recognized phyla. Classification is difficult because most have not been isolated in a laboratory and have been detected only by their gene sequences in environmental samples. It is unknown if these are able to produce endospores.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaea

______________


List of Archaea genera

Phylogeny

Phylum "Microcaldota"

Phylum "Undinarchaeota"

Phylum "Altarchaeota"

Phylum "Iainarchaeota"

Phylum "Micrarchaeota"

Phylum "Huberarchaeaota"

Phylum "Aenigmatarchaeota"

Phylum "Nanohalarchaeota"

Phylum "Nanoarchaeota"

Phylum "Asgardaeota"

Phylum "Thermoproteota"

Phylum "Hadarchaeota"

Phylum Methanobacteriota_B

Phylum "Hydrothermarchaeota"

Phylum "Methanobacteriota"

Phylum "Thermoplasmatota"

Phylum "Halobacteriota"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Archaea_genera

______________




______________


Monera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monera

______________


The growing tree of Archaea: new perspectives on their diversity, evolution and ecology

04 August 2017

https://www.nature.com/articles/ismej2017122

______________


Archaea vs. Bacteria: What Are the Differences?

December 16, 2022

https://www.treehugger.com/archaea-vs-bacteria-5190902


______________


Archaea as a Model System for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

2023 Jan 6

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9855744/

______________


BP's Archaea Energy achieves major milestone, brings online first of its kind renewable natural gas plant

Oct 4, 2023

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bps-archaea-energy-achieves-major-130000104.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKvjmMsgxCilNc9fy2mDSKDR3zJ71SJoJLxxXYl2iSVB3BuGezbJ9-EmJHjr0BveB5Nma0YIu4aUtKg-FNA0JSxu9Pqy3Pj9mPw3UFYWuRzlkxIiYgsSgWmbVWyScjL-zVkui13fO1R7XsI0mGQSHR2f9fFUKRju94v7OW2vNW1l

______________


Diversity and Niche of Archaea in Bioremediation

2018

https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/archaea/2018/3194108.pdf

______________


Archaea in artificial environments: Their presence in global spacecraft clean rooms and impact on planetary protection

2010 Aug 12

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3105705/

______________

Archaea in biogeochemical cycles

2013 Jun 26

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23808334/


______________
 

Bioaugmentation with Mixed Hydrogen-Producing Acetogen Cultures Enhances Methane Production in Molasses Wastewater Treatment

01 August 2018

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/archaea/2018/4634898/

______________


The Role of Methanogens in Waste Water Treatment

As one of the most diverse groups of Archaea known to date, the Methanogens represent the euryarchaeota order which gains energy via methane production. The methanogens utilize the metabolic process of methanogenesis, which is the methane production pathway that converts carbon dioxide and other bacterial waste products into methane. Methanogens have become the focus of recent literature due to their large contribution to global methane emissions as well as their role in wastewater treatment. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a global warming potential of 25 in a 100 year time frame and is estimated to account for 20% of the total radiative forcing from all greenhouse gases (Wang et al., 2011). The recent increase in methane emissions, from natural systems such as wetlands as well as landfills and agricultural cattle, has made understanding methanogens crucial to global climate change. Although methane emissions have negative environmental impacts, the use of methanogens can be use in reducing wastewater and the pollution of water systems across the world. Methanogens help break down organic material that would otherwise pollute water sources and lead to environmental degradation. The construction of wetland systems in developing countries has been adopted as a low cost and highly effective method of reducing nutrient concentrations and degrading organic compounds in agricultural as well as urban wastewaters (Johansson, et al., 2004). The balance of these two impacts is vitally important for the future.

https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/The_Role_of_Methanogens_in_Waste_Water_Treatment

______________


ANME-1 archaea may drive methane accumulation and removal in estuarine sediments

2021 Jan 18

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33462984/

______________


Energy Metabolism during Anaerobic Methane Oxidation in ANME Archaea

2017 Mar 17

Abstract

Anaerobic methane oxidation in archaea is often presented to operate via a pathway of “reverse methanogenesis”. However, if the cumulative reactions of a methanogen are run in reverse there is no apparent way to conserve energy. Recent findings suggest that chemiosmotic coupling enzymes known from their use in methylotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens—in addition to unique terminal reductases—biochemically facilitate energy conservation during complete CH4 oxidation to CO2. The apparent enzyme modularity of these organisms highlights how microbes can arrange their energy metabolisms to accommodate diverse chemical potentials in various ecological niches, even in the extreme case of utilizing “reverse” thermodynamic potentials.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5371075/

______________


UASB performance and electron competition between methane-producing archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria in treating sulfate-rich wastewater containing ethanol and acetate

2013

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960852413005233

______________


Methanogenic archaea: ecologically relevant differences in energy conservation

30 June 2008

https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro1931

______________


Halophilic archaea and their potential to generate renewable fuels and chemicals

2020 Dec 16

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7897274/

______________


Methane emission reduction oriented extracellular electron transfer and bioremediation of sediment microbial fuel cell: A review

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723011245

______________


Methanotrophs: Methane Mitigation, Denitrification and Bioremediation

16 February 2017

Abstract

Methanotrophs are bacteria capable of using methane as a carbon source. They can lower atmospheric methane emissions, remove N in environmental and wastewater treatment systems and even transform organic pollutants in soils. Methanotrophic methane mitigation technologies have been demonstrated beyond the laboratories as adaptable field-scale systems that may be engineered to meet site-specific climatic variations and ensure minimal atmospheric methane emission. In agricultural sediments and soils, methanotrophs sequester methane but are affected by fertiliser applications, while in wastewater treatment systems they can lower the costs associated with N removal. Finally, the methanotrophs are particularly appealing as bioremediation agents in methane-containing environments, as their primary enzymes have a broad substrate range that can transform various hydrocarbons, including aromatic compounds and halogenated aliphatics. These diverse bacteria are an important global methane sink and this importance is set to increase as anthropogenic emissions increase over the coming decades.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-49727-3_2

______________


A microbe that uses crude oil to make methane

22 December 2021

A microorganism that dwells in an underground oil reservoir has been found to degrade various petroleum compounds and use them to produce methane through a previously unreported biochemical pathway.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03729-3

______________


Genome sequencing of rumen bacteria and archaea and its application to methane mitigation strategies

2013

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23739466/

______________


Functions of bacteria and archaea participating in the bioconversion of organic waste for methane production

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720365372

______________


Diversity and Evolution of Methane-Related Pathways in Archaea

June 27, 2022

https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-micro-041020-024935

______________


Wide diversity of methane and short-chain alkane metabolisms in uncultured archaea

04 March 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-019-0363-3

______________


A mixed consortium of methanotrophic archaea and bacteria boosts methane-dependent selenate reduction

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720328278

______________


Role and regulation of anaerobic methane oxidation catalyzed by NC10 bacteria and ANME-2d archaea in various ecosystems

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122025014

______________


Diverse methylotrophic methanogenic archaea cause high methane emissions from seagrass meadows

February 14, 2022

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2106628119

______________


Biochar decreases methanogenic archaea abundance and methane emissions in a flooded paddy soil

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720354875

______________


Coal methanogenesis: a review of the need of complex microbial consortia and culture conditions for the effective bioconversion of coal into methane

10 February 2017

https://annalsmicrobiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s13213-017-1255-5

______________


Methanogenic Archaea Can Produce Methane in Deliquescence-Driven Mars Analog Environments

08 January 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-56267-4

______________


Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane Coupled with Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Fuels Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation

November 13, 2020

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c02664

______________

 

Archaea and the nitrogen cycle

08 August 2017

https://microbiologysociety.org/publication/past-issues/archaea/article/archaea-and-the-nitrogen-cycle.html

______________


Ammonia-oxidizing archaea involved in nitrogen removal

2009

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135409000499

______________

 

Study Forecasts Tile Drainage and Crop Rotation Changes for Nitrogen Loss

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    02 March 2023

https://www.enn.com/articles/72081-study-forecasts-tile-drainage-and-crop-rotation-changes-for-nitrogen-loss

______________


Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are integral to nitrogen cycling in a highly fertile agricultural soil

01 June 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43705-021-00020-4

 

______________


Non-negligible roles of archaea in coastal carbon biogeochemical cycling

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0966842X2200316X

______________



Catalytic combo converts CO₂ to solid carbon nanofibers while offsetting emissions

January 11, 2024

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University have developed a way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent greenhouse gas, into carbon nanofibers, materials with a wide range of unique properties and many potential long-term uses. Their strategy uses tandem electrochemical and thermochemical reactions run at relatively low temperatures and ambient pressure.

As the scientists describe in the journal Nature Catalysis, this approach could successfully lock carbon away in a useful solid form to offset or even achieve negative carbon emissions.

"You can put the carbon nanofibers into cement to strengthen the cement," said Jingguang Chen, a professor of chemical engineering at Columbia with a joint appointment at Brookhaven Lab who led the research. "That would lock the carbon away in concrete for at least 50 years, potentially longer. By then, the world should be shifted to primarily renewable energy sources that don't emit carbon."

As a bonus, the process also produces hydrogen gas (H2), a promising alternative fuel that, when used, creates zero emissions.

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-01-catalytic-combo-solid-carbon-nanofibers.html

______________


Florida researchers are studying 'plant diamond' for carbon capture secrets

December 14, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-florida-diamond-carbon-capture-secrets.html

______________


Curved carbon nanotubes enhance electrocatalysts for carbon neutrality

February 7, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-carbon-nanotubes-electrocatalysts-neutrality.html


______________


Finding new chemistry to capture double the carbon

April 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-chemistry-capture-carbon.html


______________

 

Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough; Powering Electric Vehicles; Carbon Capture | 60 Minutes Full Episodes

Jul 22, 2023

Scott Pelley's January report on the breakthrough in nuclear fusion made by scientists at the National Ignition Facility; From May, Bill Whitaker's story on how companies are developing lithium extraction for electric car batteries in California’s Imperial Valley. And from April, Whitaker's visit to Iceland, where carbon dioxide is captured from the air and buried underground as part of groundbreaking new technology to slow climate change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZejZxjvFng

______________

 

Research lights up process for turning CO₂ into sustainable fuel

March 25, 2024

Researchers have successfully transformed CO2 into methanol by shining sunlight on single atoms of copper deposited on a light-activated material, a discovery that paves the way for creating new green fuels.

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-03-co8322-sustainable-fuel.html#google_vignette

 

______________

 

Copper-based catalysts efficiently turn carbon dioxide into methane

September 25, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-copper-based-catalysts-efficiently-carbon-dioxide.html

 

______________


Why Solid Carbon is the Future of Energy Storage

Feb 22, 2024

Energy storage is a huge sector, and growing at a rapid pace - largely due to the mass rollout of renewable energy. Lithium-ion batteries have a part to play in all of this, but they come with their own set of problems, including cost and the use of rare earth materials. This is why I am so interested in thermal batteries - using heat to store energy instead of chemical bonds. Antora energy have an incredible new way of doing this with solid carbon blocks and thermo-photovoltaic panels. So, I got in contact with them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwDly9pjSJg

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Enhancing the CO2 capturing ability in leaf via xenobiotic auxin uptake

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720345617

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Researchers develop minimal nanozymes with carbon dioxide capture capacity

September 26, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-minimal-nanozymes-carbon-dioxide-capture.html

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A catalyst for converting carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming, into ethylene using vitamin C

March 29, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-catalyst-carbon-dioxide-main-global.html#google_vignette



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Research highlights a dangerous overreliance on future CO₂ removal

February 1st, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-highlights-dangerous-overreliance-future.html

 

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Improved remediation of co‑contaminated soils by heavy metals and PAHs with biosurfactant‑enhanced soil washing

2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07577-7.pdf

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Remediation techniques for elimination of heavy metal pollutants from soil: A review

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122012452

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A review of green remediation strategies for heavy metal contaminated soil


25 November 2020

Abstract


Heavy metals and metalloids can accumulate in soil, with potentially toxic effects to
human health and ecosystems, threatening the sustainable use and management of soil
resources. Although a number of remediation technologies, such as Solidification/
Stabilization (S/S), soil washing, electrokinetic remediation and chemical oxidation/
reduction can be applied for the immobilization, removal or detoxification of heavy
metals in soil, the environmental, social and economic impacts associated with these
conventional approaches hinder their overall sustainability. More attempts have been
made to maximize the ‘net environmental benefit’ in various ways, including recov-
ering resources, embracing nature-based solutions (NBS), and saving energy with
the emergence and development of the ‘green and sustainable remediation’ (GSR)
movement. This review critically discusses these green remediation strategies, and
the novel soil amendments being utilized in these sustainable approaches. Iron-
based amendments are the most promising candidates in green remediation due to
the highest stabilization performances for both oxyanions and metallic cations as
well as relatively low disturbance to soil. In comparison, waste-derived materials
suffer from risks of contaminant release in the long run, reducing the overall sustain-
ability despite their low costs. It has been found that phytoremediation and green
amendment- based S/S are typically the ‘greenest’ remediation strategies, but wise
decisions should be made on the basis of case-specific sustainability assessment re-
sults. Finally, it is proposed that integration of several green remediation techniques
may have a synergistic effect on remediation efficiency.

https://bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/sum.12717

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Heavy Metals in Contaminated Soils: A Review of Sources, Chemistry, Risks and Best Available Strategies for Remediation

2011

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2011/402647/


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Remediation of metal contaminated soil with mineral-amended composts

2007

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749107000772


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Organic Acids for the In Situ Remediation of Soils Polluted by Heavy Metals: Soil Flushing in Columns



April 2001

 

Abstract

 

To compare the soil remediation effectiveness of saltsof weak organic acids with strongchelating agents, three soils of different textures,all polluted by heavy metals, were washed in a column,at optimum pH, with salts of weak organic acids,namely, citrate, tartarate or oxalate + citrate orchelating agents (EDTA or DTPA). For the clay loam,Cr, Mn, Hg and Pb were removed by citrate andtartarate at levels of 43 to 45, 37 to 41, 91 to 92and 75%, respectively. EDTA and DTPA effectivelyleached only Pb after 20 pore volumes. For the loam,citrate leached 98 and 89% of Cd and Pb after 20 porevolumes, respectively, while tartarate leached out 91and 87% of Cd and Pb. EDTA and DTPA removed 93 to97% of these metals after 20 pore volumes. For thesandy clay loam, 84 to 91, 73 to 84, 56 to 70 and 72to 81% of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were removedrespectively, by citrate and tartarate. EDTA and DTPAremoved 93 to 97% of these metals after 20 porevolumes. An in situ soil remediation simulation wasalso tested using the sandy clay loam in a tub. After 12 hr of retention, the citrate solution washed 81, 82,73 and 90%, of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, respectively, aftersix pore volumes. EDTA and DTPA effectively removedall heavy metals, except for Hg, but also extractedlarge quantities of soil nutrients and pollute thesoil by being adsorbed on the soil particles. Thesalts of citrate and tartarate effectively removed theheavy metals from the three polluted soils whileleaching little macro-nutrients and improving soilstructure. Each soil reached C and B levels ofsoil-clean-up criteria after 10 to 20 pore volumes andwithin 10 to 15 hr of flushing.



https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1005251915165

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Remediation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils with Soil Washing: A Review

2022

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/20/13058

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A critical review on soil washing during soil remediation for heavy metals and organic pollutants

03 February 2021

Abbreviations

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

ADBAC:

Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride

As:

Arsenic

Brij-35:

Poly(oxyethylene)23 dodecyl ether

Cd:

Cadmium

CETSA:

Carboxyalkylthiosuccinic acid

CMC:

Critical micelle concentration

CMCD:

Carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin

Co:

Cobalt

COCs:

Chlorinated organic compounds

CPC:

Cetylpyridinium chloride

Cr:

Chromium

Cs:

Cesium

CTAB:

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

Cu:

Copper

EDDS:

[S,S]-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

EDTMP:

Ethylenediamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid)

GCA:

Glucomonocarbonic acid

GLDA:

N,N-Bis(carboxymethyl)-l-glutamic acid

HAs:

Humic acids

Hg:

Mercury

HIDs:

3-Hydroxy-2,2′-iminodisuccinic acid

HOCs:

Hydrophobic organic contaminants

LMMOAs:

Low molecular mass organic acids

ISA:

Iminodisuccinic acid

MA/AA:

Copolymer of maleic and acylic acid

NAPLs:

Nonaqueous phase liquids

Ni:

Nickel

NTA:

Nitilotriacetic acid

OCPs:

Organochlorine pesticides

PAA:

Polyacrylic acid

PAHs:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

PASP:

Polyaspartic acid

Pb:

Lead

PCBs:

Polychlorinated biphenyls

POPs:

Persistent organic pollutants

SDBS:

Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate

SDS:

Sodium dodecyl sulfate

TPHs:

Total petroleum hydrocarbons

Tween-80:

Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate

TX-100:

Triton X-100

V:

Vanadium

VFAs:

Volatile fatty acids

Zn:

Zinc



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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-021-03144-1

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Soil remediation time to achieve clean-up goals II: Influence of natural organic matter and water contents

2006 Jan 9

 

Abstract

 

This work reports a relatively rapid procedure for the forecasting of the remediation time (RT) of sandy soils contaminated with cyclohexane using vapour extraction. The RT estimated through the mathematical fitting of experimental results was compared with that of real soils. The main objectives were: (i) to predict the RT of soils with natural organic matter (NOM) and water contents different from those used in experiments; and (ii) to analyse the time and efficiency of remediation, and the distribution of contaminants into the soil matrix after the remediation process, according to the soil contents of: (ii1) NOM; and (ii2) water. For sandy soils with negligible clay contents, artificially contaminated with cyclohexane before vapour extraction, it was concluded that: (i) if the NOM and water contents belonged to the range of the prepared soils, the RT of real soils could be predicted with relative differences not higher than 12%; (ii1) the increase of NOM content from 0% to 7.5% increased the RT (1.8-13 h) and decreased the remediation efficiency (RE) (99-90%) and (ii2) the increase of soil water content from 0% to 6% increased the RT (1.8-4.9 h) and decreased the RE (99-97%). NOM increases the monolayer capacity leading to a higher sorption into the solid phase. Increasing of soil water content reduces the mass transfer coefficient between phases. Concluding, NOM and water contents influence negatively the remediation process, turning it less efficient and more time consuming, and consequently more expensive. 



https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16406487/

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Combined technologies for the remediation of soils contaminated by organic pollutants. A review

11 February 2022

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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-022-01407-y

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Soil Reclamation and Remediation of Disturbed Lands

https://geo.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Soil_Science/Digging_into_Canadian_Soils%3A_An_Introduction_to_Soil_Science/03%3A_Digging_Deeper/3.03%3A_Soil_Reclamation_and_Remediation_of_Disturbed_Lands


Remediation Strategies

Remediation strategies for contaminated soil can be broadly classified as biological, chemical, or physical (Table 16.2). Many are a combination of more than one type, and can be applied either ex situ or in situ. Ex situ methods involve excavating the soil from the impacted zone and treating the soil either on or off site. In situ methods treat the contaminated soil in place. Contaminated sites often have contaminated surface and ground waters that may require different or complementary remediation strategies.


Table 16.2. Common remediation strategies for contaminated soils


Type     Category     Common contaminants     Location


Biological     Bioremediation, land farming, engineered biopiles or windrows     Petroleum hydrocarbons 

        Bioventing     Petroleum hydrocarbons     In situ


      Phytoremediation (rhizodegradation, phytoextraction, phytodegradation, phytostabilization, phytoextraction)     Petroleum hydrocarbons, other organic contaminants, metals     Generally in situ
      Slurry phase reactors or lagoons     Various organics     Ex situ
                   
Chemical     Chemical oxidation / reduction     Organics, inorganics     Either
      Neutralization     Acids, bases     Either
                   
Physical     Soil vapour extraction (SVE)     Volatile organics (gasoline)     In situ
      Soil flushing, soil washing, dual phase extraction in ground water     Organics, inorganics     Either
      Solidification, stabilization     Organics, inorganics     Either
      Electrokinetic separation     Organics, inorganics     Either
      Thermal desorption     Organics     Either
      Incineration     Organics     Ex situ
      Vitrification     Organics, inorganics     Either

Bioremediation is a biological treatment that uses soil microorganisms to treat contaminants. It can use natural biodegradation processes, or enhance them by adding commercial or other microbial preparations (bioaugmentation), or adding nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorus and/or electron acceptors such as oxygen (biostimulation). Bioremediation strategies focus on microbial degradation of organic contaminants, although microbial induced chemical changes of inorganic chemicals can be considered bioremediation, such as converting more toxic chromium to the less toxic chromium.

Bioremediation can be applied in various technologies, such as landfarms, biopiles, or engineered reactors. Bioventing is an in situ treatment that enhances microbial degradation of contaminants through enhanced aeration in the contaminated zone. Use of plants to remove (phytoextraction), stabilize (phytostabilization), or destroy (phytodegradation) contaminants is a biological treatment called phytoremediation. Rhizosphere bacteria can play an important role in biodegradation of organic contaminants during phytoremediation (rhizodegradation).

Chemical treatments can be used to convert contaminants to non-hazardous or less toxic chemicals, or to forms which are less mobile, more stable, or inert. Chemical oxidation using hydrogen peroxide, ozone, or permanganate can destroy compounds such PAHs, and is best for liquids such as ground water or soil slurries. Chemical reduction can convert toxic chromium to less toxic chromium and degrade some chlorinated organic solvents such as trichlorothene. Neutralization involves adding materials to adjust the pH of highly acidic or caustic soil.

Physical treatments use properties of the contaminant or contaminated medium to separate or immobilize the contaminant. Chemical additives can improve removal efficiencies. In situ, soil vapour extraction creates a vacuum in the vadose zone, draws vapours into an extraction well, then treats or destroys them above ground. Soil flushing occurs in situ, where the contaminated zone is treated with a solution, and mobilized contaminants are brought to the surface for disposal, treatment, or re-circulation. Treatment solutions can be water, basic, acidic, chelating or complexing, reducing, co-solvents, or surfactants. Dual phase extraction involves installation of piping to ground water and vacuum extraction of water and organic contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons. Soil washing is done ex situ and may involve separating soil fines (silt, clay) from coarse material thereby reducing the total mass and volume that needs to be treated.

Solidification and stabilization prevent or slow release of contaminants from soil by treatment with binding agents such as cement or asphalt. The soil may be treated with a material that will reduce contaminant solubility and mobility. For example, phosphate based materials often reduce mobility of lead, by converting lead into insoluble lead phosphate compounds. Hydrogen sulphide can convert many metals into insoluble respective pyrites.

Electrokinetic separation sends a low intensity direct current through the soil to separate metals, radionuclides, and organic contaminants. Positively charged species migrate to the cathode, and negatively charged species, such as inorganic and organic anions, migrate to the anode.

Thermal treatments are mainly used to remediate organic contaminants. Thermal desorption is typically ex situ, with heat applied to soil to evaporate or vapourize contaminants which are collected, treated, or destroyed. Temperatures of 90 to 320°C are required to treat volatile organic contaminants such as fuel components, 320 to 540°C to treat semi-volatile organics such as PAHs, PCBs, and lubricants. Incineration involves heating soil ex situ to 870 to 1370°C to destroy organic contaminants. Vitrification heats soil to 1400 to 2000°C to melt silica and convert it to stable glass and crystalline solids. Heat may be generated by electrodes and electrical resistance or plasma arc technology. Organic contaminants are volatilized, trapped, and treated or destroyed and inorganic contaminants, including radionuclides, are encased.


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Soil Cleanup Criteria

https://dep.nj.gov/srp/guidance/scc/

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How Heat Can Enhance In-Situ Soil and Aquifer Remediation

1997

https://www.epa.gov/remedytech/how-heat-can-enhance-situ-soil-and-aquifer-remediation

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Bioaugmentation as a strategy for cleaning up of soils contaminated with aromatic compounds

2009

Summary

The contamination of soil with aromatic compounds is of particular environmental concern as they exhibit carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. One of the methods of their removal from soil is bioaugmentation, defined as a technique for improvement of the degradative capacity of contaminated areas by introduction of specific competent strains or consortia of microorganisms. The efficiency of bioaugmentation is determined by many abiotic and biotic factors discussed in this paper. The first include chemical structure, concentration and availability of pollutants as well as physico-chemical properties of soil. In turn, among biotic factors the most important is the selection of proper microorganisms that can not only degrade contaminants but can also successfully compete with indigenous microflora.

Several strategies are being developed to make augmentation a successful technology particularly in soils without degrading indigenous microorganisms. These approaches involve the use of genetically engineered microorganisms and gene bioaugmentation. The enhancement of bioaugmentation may be also achieved by delivering suitable microorganisms immobilized on various carriers or use of activated soil.

Introduction

Industrial production of chemicals as well as their inappropriate use, improper disposal and accidental leakage has resulted in contamination of many areas. Among man-made substances that cause ecotoxicological problems are a variety of aromatic compounds such as halogenated aromatic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and BTEX compounds (benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and three isomers of xylene). The main sources of these toxic substances are oil refineries, gas stations, use of wood preservatives and agrochemicals, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. The presence of these chemicals in the environment poses serious risks to human health due to their toxicity, mutagenic and carcinogenetic properties and ability to accumulate through the food chain. Most aromatic compounds are recalcitrant, persistent and remain in the environment for long periods of time (Budavari 1996).

There are many methods for the removal of these pollutants from soils. They involve both physico-chemical and biological approaches. Although the first ones are more effective than biological methods they are expensive and require high energy demand and consumption of many chemical reagents. This is a reason why use of microorganisms capable of degrading toxic compounds known as bioremediation has become an attractive technology (Hamdi et al. 2007). One of the in situ bioremediation strategies is bioaugmentation, which improves the biodegradative capacities of contaminated sites by introduction of single strains or consortia of microorganisms with desired catalytic capabilities. Moreover, genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) exhibiting enhanced degradative capabilities encompassing a wide range of aromatic hydrocarbons have also potential for soil bioaugmentation. Its place among bioremediation categories is depicted in Figure 1.


Table 3. Carriers used for delivering of microorganisms to soil for bioaugmentation purposes.
Carriers    Microorganisms    Pollutants degraded    References
κ-Carrageenan    Pseudomonas sp. UG30    Pentachlorophenol    Cassidy et al. (1997)
κ-Carrageenan/gelatin gel    Microbial consortium    2,4,6-Trichlorophenol    Gardin and Pauss (2001)
Polyvinyl alcohol    Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria    Diesel oil    Cunningham et al. (2004)
Polyurethane foam    Rhodococcus sp. F92    Various petroleum products    Quek et al. (2006)
Chitin, chitosan    Hydrocarbon-degrading strain    Crude oil    Gentili et al. (2006)
Chitosan    Pseudomonas putida BCRc14349    Phenol, trichloroethane    Chen et al. (2007)
Alginate, agar, polyacrylamide    Pseudomonas fluorescens-CS2    Ethylbenzene    Parameswarappa et al. (2008)
Zeolite, activated carbon    Hydrocarbon-degrading microbial consortium    Crude oil    Liang et al. (2009)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944501309000585

 

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A new approach to cleaning heavy metals out of soil

June 4, 2019

https://engineering.stanford.edu/magazine/article/new-approach-cleaning-heavy-metals-out-soil

When poisonous heavy metals like lead and cadmium escape from factories or mines, they can pollute the nearby soil.

With no easy ways to remove these contaminants, fields must be cordoned off to prevent these toxins from entering the food chain where they threaten human and animal health.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, heavy metals have been found at thousands of locations nationwide. While some have been cleaned up through a combination of federal, state and private efforts, the need remains for new technologies to address heavy metal contamination

Now a research team led by Stanford materials scientist Yi Cui

 has invented a way to wash heavy metals from contaminated soils using a chemical process that’s a bit like brewing coffee.

As they describe

in Nature Communications, the researchers started by rinsing contaminated soil with a mixture of water and a chemical that attracts heavy metals. When that mixture percolates through the soil, the chemical pulls heavy metals loose. The team members then collected this toxic brew and ran it through an electrochemical filter that captured the heavy metals out of the water. In this way they cleansed the soil of heavy metals and recycled the water and chemical mixture to percolate through more contaminated ground.

“This is a new approach to soil cleanup,” said Cui, who is a professor of materials science and engineering and photon science. “Our next step is a pilot test to make sure that what works in the lab is practical in the field, and to figure out how much this process will cost.”

So far, his team has cleansed soils contaminated with lead and cadmium, two prevalent and dangerous toxins, as well as with copper, which is only dangerous in high concentrations. Cui believes this process of chemical cleansing and electrochemical filtering will work with other dangerous heavy metals like mercury and chromium, but further lab experiments are needed to demonstrate that.

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Remediation Technologies for Cleaning Up Contaminated Sites

 
2021


https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/remedytech/remediation-technologies-cleaning-contaminated-sites_.html


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Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: A review

2014

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389414009911

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Remediation of hexavalent chromium contaminated soil by biochar-supported zero-valent iron nanoparticles

2016

 

Abstract

 

In this study, a kind of high-efficiency and low-cost biochar-supported zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI@BC) was synthesised and used in the remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil. The remediation tests indicated that the immobilisation efficiency of Cr(VI) and Crtotal was 100% and 91.94%, respectively, by 8 g nZVI@BC per kg soil for 15 d of remediation. Further investigations showed that exchangeable Cr was almost completely converted to Fe-Mn oxides and organic matter. Moreover, nZVI@BC could effectively improve soil fertility and reduce the leachability of Fe caused by nZVI. At the same time, the cabbage mustard growth experiments indicated that the phytotoxicity of Cr(VI) and Fe in the seedlings was effectively decreased by nZVI@BC treatment, and that the cabbage mustard growth was enhanced.



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389416306719

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Review of Remediation Technologies for Cadmium in soil

2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348810635_Review_of_Remediation_Technologies_for_Cadmium_in_soil


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Remediation Technology for Copper Contaminated Soil: A Review

2018

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337610519_Remediation_Technology_for_Copper_Contaminated_Soil_A_Review


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A review on remediation technologies for nickel-contaminated soil

2019

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330504565_A_review_on_remediation_technologies_for_nickel-contaminated_soil

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Remediation of cadmium-contaminated soil: GLDA-assisted extraction and sequential FeCl3–CaO-based post-stabilization

2023

 

Abstract

 

Cadmium (Cd) contamination of farmland soils is a growing concern because of its highly toxic impact on ecosystems and human health. Chelator-assisted washing and chemical immobilization are effective remediation strategies for Cd-contaminated soils. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) has traditionally been used for soil washing, but its persistence in the environment and subsequent toxicity have raised significant ecological concerns. Consequently, biodegradable chelators have gained increasing attention as eco-friendly alternatives to the persistent chelator, EDTA. Therefore, this study evaluated the performance and efficacy of three biodegradable chelators: L-glutamate-N,N′-diacetic acid (GLDA), methylglycine-diacetic acid (MGDA), and 3-hydroxy-2,2′-iminodisuccinic acid (HIDS) in comparison to EDTA for remediating a real Cd-contaminated agricultural soil. The influence of treatment parameters, including chelator variants, washing time, chelator concentration, solution pH, and liquid-to-soil ratio (L/S) on Cd extraction was studied and optimized to attain the maximum removal rate. Following chelator-assisted washing, the efficacy of a stabilization preference combining FeCl3 and CaO in reducing the leaching potential of residual Cd in chelator-washed soil residues was also investigated. GLDA demonstrated comparable Cd extraction efficiency to EDTA, and the Cd extraction efficiency was found to be positively correlated with the soil washing parameters. However, under the optimized conditions (chelator concentration: 10 mmol L−1; washing time: 3 h; solution pH: 3; L/S ratio: 10:1), GLDA exhibited a higher Cd extraction rate than EDTA or the other chelators. Furthermore, a post-treatment process incorporating FeCl3 and CaO substantially diminished the water-leachable Cd content in the resultant soil residues. The proposed remediation strategy, which combines chemically assisted washing and stabilization, could be a practical option for extracting bulk Cd from soil and reducing the leaching potential of residual Cd.



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653523028242

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Remediation of Lead Contaminated Soils by Stabilization/Solidification

January 2002

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1012977829536

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Remediation of lead-contaminated soil by washing with choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents

2022

Introduction

Lead-contaminated soil has attracted much attention as a typical heavy metal contaminated soil (Landrot and Khaokaew, 2018, Sun et al., 2019). And the formation of lead-contaminated soil was mainly attributed from natural (Zhang et al., 2020, Zhang et al., 2020) and human activities (Wu et al., 2016, Yoo et al., 2016). Lead compounds will exist in the soil for a long time, and cause serious harm to human health (Wei and Yang, 2010). Lead poisoning in particular affects the normal development of children (Mathee et al., 2018). Therefore, the research on the lead-contaminated soil remediation methods is of great significance to human and environment (Huang et al., 2021).

The main remediation methods for heavy mental-contaminated soil mainly include engineering methods (Li et al., 2020), physical and chemical methods (Zeng et al., 2020, Zhao et al., 2020), and biological methods (Gidudu and Chirwa, 2020). Engineering methods mainly refer to the application of machinery to cover up or transfer contaminated soil to achieve the purposes of soil remediation. Engineering measures mainly include soil dumping, soil replacement, top soil removal, additional soil and deep ploughing, which are characterized by being relatively simple and stable, and especially widely used in the soil remediation. However, the use of engineering measures can result in the physicochemical changes in the soil (Zhang et al., 2020, Zhang et al., 2020). The physi-chemical remediation methods refer to the soil remediation by combining physics and chemistry (Zhao et al., 2021). And the physi-chemical remediation technologies mainly include electrokinetic remediation (Nasiri et al., 2020, Xu et al., 2020), solidification/stabilization (Han et al., 2020), soil improvement (Lu et al., 2020), and washing technologies (Park et al., 2021, Peng et al., 2021, Zhu et al., 2015). Although these technologies are simple and effective, they tend to be costly and can result in secondary pollution (Bolan et al., 2014). Chemical washing is also used for remediate contaminated soil with heavy metals. The inorganic acid (Luo et al., 2018, Xing et al., 2021) chelating agents, surfactants (Mao et al., 2015), organic acid (Cheng et al., 2020) and inorganic salts were used as chemical agents. And they were usually applied to remediate contaminated soil by heavy metals (Dermont et al., 2008, Hu et al., 2021). However, there is still a need to determine an effective and environmentally friendly chemical reagents for soil remediation (Ke et al., 2020, Li et al., 2021, Wan et al., 2021). Citric acid, oxalic acid and tartaric acid were usually combined with EDTA (Gluhar et al., 2020), ethylenediamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid) and polyacrylic acid (Feng et al., 2020) used to extract heavy metals from the contaminated soil.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a novel liquid similar with ionic liquid synthesized by two or more compounds with different melting points (Almeida et al., 2020, Hayyan et al., 2010). Usually it can be synthesized by mixing hydrogen bond donor (HBA) with hydrogen bond acceptor (HBD) (Bi et al., 2020, Hayyan et al., 2013a). The functional DESs obtained through the mixing natural plant derivatives (citric acid, glucose and fructose) with choline chloride has been investigated previously (Hayyan et al., 2012, Hayyan et al., 2013b). And DESs are also considered to be a novel and green solvents due to their excellent properties negligible volatility, non-flammability, nontoxicity, biodegradability, and thermal stability (Tome et al., 2018, Warminska et al., 2021). Hydrogen bonding is a key process for the formation of DESs and allows the creation of supramolecular structures between components identified from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. DESs have been widely used in electrochemistry (Li et al., 2016), sewage treatment (Soylak and Koksal, 2019), dissolving metal salts (Habibi et al., 2013), and separating harmful metals from various substances (Altunay et al., 2020, Bakkar, 2014, Mukhopadhyay et al., 2016a), due to its low toxicity, biodegradability, simple preparation and low price (Abbott et al., 2007). Recent studies have found that DESs had achieved good results in remediating soil contaminated by heavy metals (Habibollahi et al., 2019, Matong et al., 2017, Mukhopadhyay et al., 2016a). DESs are easily degraded by environmental factors when they are in the natural environment (Tang et al., 2021, Warminska et al., 2021). However, DESs are with high viscosity, which results in that it is very difficult to be recycled after remediation. In our previous research, choline chloride with ethylene glycol and water to synthesize diluted DESs and combining with EDTA-2Na can remove more than 95% of lead from lead-contaminated soil (Huang et al., 2021). However, DESs are seldom directly used for the decontamination of polluted soil.

The present research synthesized DESs through the mixing of HBDs such as ethylene glycol, urea, propylene glycol, glycerin, and malonic acid with the HBA choline chloride. These DESs were used in the present research for the lead-contaminated soil remediation. The optimal HBD was determined by comparing Pb extraction rate among the different DESs used. In addition, the effects of influence factors such as temperature, liquid-solid (L/S) ratio, water-DESs volume ratio, stirring speed, and choline chloride-malonic acid (Ch-M) molar ratio on Pb extraction were investigated and response surface analysis was also conducted. Moreover, the analysis of the DESs and soil were conducted before and after remediation to characterize the reaction mechanism. Finally, in order to illustrate the practical feasibility of the proposed remediation technique, the cost and application in real contaminated soil had been analyzed.


Section snippets


Sample preparation and regents

Soil samples were taken from the top soil of cultivated in Shanghai, China (31°12′N, 121°39′E). The soil samples were naturally dried and passed through a 0.18 mm sieve before being stored. Determination of lead content of soil samples was 22.87 mg·kg−1 (CHN, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, 2017). Then, 23.98 g Pb(NO3)2 was dissolved in water and mixed with 1 kg soil samples to prepare lead-contaminated soil. After 60 days of solidification, the Pb concentration in the simulated


DESs screening

 

Th Ch-M and soil reaction system was the lowest pH values among all the evaluated DESs of 1.32 (Table S2). In Fig. 2, the five DESs (Ch-U, Ch-E, Ch-P, Ch-M, and Ch-G) were diluted with water and the solutions were used as washing agents for screening. Besides for Ch-M, the other DESs have little effect on the removal of Pb from the contaminated soil. This result can be attributed to the fact that the extraction of Pb from soil is strongly dependent on the pH (Table S2) of a solution 

 

Conclusions

 

The current research has confirmed that diluted DESs (Ch-M) can be used for lead-contaminated soil remediation. The viscosity and cost of Ch-M could be reduced though diluted with water, and FT-IR analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the method. According to the FT-IR and HRMS analysis indicated that the carboxyl groups and hydrogen bonds in Ch-M chelate, resulting in the dissolving of Pb(NO3)2 and the formation of [Pb‧Chcl‧COOH], [Ch‧Pb], and other complex ions. Extraction temperature, L/S


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0957582022000441

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Remediation of mercury contaminated soil, water, and air: A review of emerging materials and innovative technologies

2019

Abstract

Mercury contamination in soil, water and air is associated with potential toxicity to humans and ecosystems. Industrial activities such as coal combustion have led to increased mercury (Hg) concentrations in different environmental media. This review critically evaluates recent developments in technological approaches for the remediation of Hg contaminated soil, water and air, with a focus on emerging materials and innovative technologies. Extensive research on various nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanosheets and magnetic nanocomposites, for mercury removal are investigated. This paper also examines other emerging materials and their characteristics, including graphene, biochar, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as well as other materials such as clay minerals and manganese oxides. Based on approaches including adsorption/desorption, oxidation/reduction and stabilization/containment, the performances of innovative technologies with the aid of these materials were examined. In addition, technologies involving organisms, such as phytoremediation, algae-based mercury removal, microbial reduction and constructed wetlands, were also reviewed, and the role of organisms, especially microorganisms, in these techniques are illustrated.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019324754

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Versatile Process for the Preparation of Nanocomposite Sorbents: Phosphorus and Arsenic Removal

June 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342187173_Versatile_Process_for_the_Preparation_of_Nanocomposite_Sorbents_Phosphorus_and_Arsenic_Removal

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Advanced techniques to remove phosphates and nitrates from waters: a review

13 April 2021

Abstract

At high levels, phosphates and nitrates from mineral fertilizers and wastewaters are contaminating natural waters, leading, for example, to eutrophication and death of many living species. This requires remediation techniques such as physical, chemical, biological methods, and nano-techniques. For instance, microbes such as Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Spirulina platensis and Chlorella vulgaris allow denitrification and can remove 55% of phosphates. Removal can be done also using adsorbents produced from wastes and bio-sorbents. Here we compare the methods to remove phosphates and nitrates in waters.

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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-021-01239-2

 

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Asymmetrical alternating current electrochemically-mediated washing method for sustainable remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil

2022 May 6

 Abstract

The demands for genuine remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil have triggered extensive studies in the soil washing method. However, numerous soil washing methods show poor sustainability for target soil, due to the tremendous cost, hidden secondary pollution and severe soil deterioration. Here, an asymmetrical alternating current electrochemically-mediated remediation platform (ACRP) is developed by fabricating an amidoxime-functionalized electrode (Ami-electrode). The real soil contaminated with 1200 mg/kg Cr(VI) is remediated efficiently to less than safety level (30 mg/kg), meanwhile no exorbitant soil nutrient loss is observed and no secondary pollution occurs. Furthermore, the consumption of washing effluents for the ACRP method is 24 times lower than the traditional washing method. Ami-electrode with asymmetrical alternating current promote the electrocatalytic efficiency by inhibiting the Coulomb repulsion between Cr(VI) species and cathode. With the aid of Ami-electrode and positive bias, Cr(VI) species in effluents are adsorbed on chelating site. By subsequent negative bias, Cr element is reduced and recycled in the less hazardous form of amorphous Cr(III) hydroxide, and effluents are regenerate concurrently in a cyclic system. Durability experiment and cost calculation verify the exceptional sustainability and feasibility for remediation practices. This work provides a sustainable remediation method for Cr(VI)-contaminated soil, and then paves the way to develop electrochemically soil remediation platform for practical applications.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35716559/

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Remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil by asymmetrical alternating current electrochemistry

04 June 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10472-x

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Remediation of soils contaminated by hydrophobic organic compounds: How to recover extracting agents from soil washing solutions?

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389420321270

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Soil washing for the remediation of dioxin-contaminated soil: A review

2021 Jul 30

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34396961/

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Application of biochar-based materials for remediation of arsenic contaminated soil and water: Preparation, modification, and mechanisms

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213343722011654

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Arsenic immobilization through regulated ferrolysis in paddy field amendment with bismuth impregnated biochar

2018

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969718331589

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Synthesis and characterization of a novel magnetic calcium-rich nanocomposite and its remediation behaviour for As(III) and Pb(II) co-contamination in aqueous systems

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969719351149

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Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater: a comprehensive and critical review

08 July 2021

Magnetic adsorbents

Magnetic adsorbents are a specific material matrix that hosts iron particles (usually magnetic nanoparticles, such as Fe3O4). The base material could be carbon, CS, polymers, starch, or biomass. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the adsorption process is affected by the magnetic field, surface charge, and redox activity characteristics. They showed low-cost, easy-synthesis, extraordinary surface charge, and reusability. Many magnetic adsorbents were proposed in the literature, such as zero-valent iron nanoparticles (ZVI NPs), iron oxides (hematite (α-Fe2O3), maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4)), and spinel ferrites. The mechanism and kinetics of the sorption process rely on several parameters, such as surface morphology and adsorbent magnetic behavior. They are also affected by experimental conditions such as pH, irradiation time, adsorbent concentration, wastewater temperature, and the initial dosage of pollutants. The presence of iron particles in adsorbent is very efficient in metal ions removal from effluent.

Some studies have focused on coating Fe3O4 particles for removing heavy metal ions. Co-precipitation, high-gravity technology, and grafting are the most commonly used methods. The grafting method was considered a preferable choice because it is flexible and straightforward. However, it strongly depends on the active hydroxyl on the surface of Fe3O4 particles and the number of active functional groups. The produced adsorbents were not adequately cyclic stable, which is a barrier facing the commercialization of this method. Additional details about different magnetic adsorbents can be found in Supplementary Table 5.



Biosorbents

The most recent research studies in using biosorption for wastewater treatment are listed in Supplementary Table 6. The presence of numerous functional groups (i.e., carboxyl, amino, hydroxyl, phosphate, thiol, etc.) on the surface expedite the biosorption process. Generally, the interaction between pollutants and the surface of biosorbent can occur through electrostatic interaction, aggregation, complexation/coordination, microprecipitation, ion exchange, reduction, or oxidation. The solution pH affects the biosorbent surface charge density and ionization of functional groups located on the biosorbent surface. When pH is low, cations are almost stable and can be bonded to the biosorbent surface. On the other hand, at higher pH values, the solubility of metal cations decreases with the possibility of a precipitation phenomenon.

The biosorbent amount is a vital factor affecting the removal efficiency due to offering more vacant biosorption sites. The biosorbent capacity could increase at higher temperatures due to decreased solution viscosity, reduction in Gibb’s free energy, and bond rupturing. These reasons increase the collision frequency (mobility and kinetic energy) between biosorbent and metal ions and enhance the biosorbent active sites, leading to a higher affinity. In turn, the bonding force between biosorbent and pollutants could decline at higher temperatures, and thus the biosorbent sorption uptake reduces. It was elucidated that the removal efficiency increases as the mixing agitation rate increases.


Metal-organic frameworks adsorbents

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are generally synthesized via reticular synthesis in which metal ions are strongly bonded to organic linkers. Researchers proposed thousands of MOFs. It was noticed that most of the organic ligands used to form many MOFs are very expensive and toxic. Zirconium-MOFs family (such as UiO-66) is promising nanostructure materials for sorption applications due to the easy incorporation of functional groups and hydrolytic-thermal stability such as amine, carboxylic, hydroxyl, and oxygen or by using the cross-linking method. Composite-based MOF adsorbents could obtain further enhancement in the adsorption capacity of MOFs. Supplementary Table 7 lists the uptake of different MOFs towards several heavy metal ions in wastewater.

Despite the exciting features of MOFs and their good capability to remove heavy metal ions, they have micropores (i.e., tiny pores) inaccessible for some target metals. Also, most of them have low stability in water. Mn, Fe, and Cu have been used to form MOFs, but most of them resulted in poor chemical stability. Therefore, further research is still needed to tune the MOFs’ structure and scale up these materials to implement them into industrial wastewater applications. Moreover, different functionalization methods should be proposed and applied to enhance MOFs’ stability and sorption kinetics.



Membrane-based filtration and separation

Over the years, technological advancement in membrane development has led to an increase in the use of membranes for filtration and extraction of heavy metal ions from wastewater. A simplified schematics for different membrane-based filtration processes is illustrated in Fig. 3a–c, while Fig. 3d demonstrates various pollutants that can be separated by different membrane techniques.


Ultrafiltration

Ultrafiltration (UF) is used at low transmembrane operating pressure (TMP). Because UF membrane pores may be larger than the heavy metal ions, additives may be bonded to metal ions to enlarge the size of the metal ions. Therefore, micellar enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) and polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF) are proposed.

MEUF is formed by bonding UF and surfactant. MEUF has high flux and high selectivity, leading to low-energy consumption, high removal efficiency, and less space demand. MEUF is most suitable for wastewater whose heavy metals are in low concentrations. In MEUF, a surfactant is mixed with wastewater in a concentration above the critical micellar concentration (CMC). Beyond CMC, surfactant monomers assemble and increase the creation of some micelles in the solution. The surfactant contains a hydrophobic tail and a hydrophilic head. The inner hydrophobic core of the micelles could solubilize organic matters (having low molecular weight) as a solubilizate, while the surface adsorbs counter metal ions on their surface due to electrostatic interactions. Surfactants, whose electric charge is the opposite of the metal ions, usually attain the highest retentions. In this regard, polyelectrolytes (PE), cationic surfactants, and anionic surfactants (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) are used for effective heavy metals extraction.

A summary of different studies on the MEUF process is given in Supplementary Table 8. The performance of MEUF depends on several factors, including the added solutes, type of surfactant, operating conditions, and kind of membrane used.

PEUF is formed through the integration of UF and binding polymers. The functional groups of the bonding polymers could be sulfonate, phosphonic, carboxylated, or amine, and they are bonded via chelating or ionic bonds58. PEUF are also known as polymer-supported, complexation, polymer-assisted, size enhanced, and complexation enhanced ultra-filtrations. While permitting water and un-complexed components to permeate the membrane pores, the PEUF process blocks and extracts polymer-bonded metal ions.

A summary of studies conducted on PEUF is presented in Supplementary Table 9. PEUF shows effective polymer bonding, effective extraction, ability to recover and reuse complexation polymer of retentate, low-energy demands, and low-cost operation. However, the choice of appropriate water-soluble polymer macro-ligands remains the main challenge of developing this technology.

Nanofiltration


Nanofiltration (NF) is used to concentrate constituents whose molecular weight is >1000 Da and remove solutes whose size of 0.0005–0.007 μm with molecular weights >200 Da. Thus, the operating range of NF is between UF and reverse osmosis (RO) processes. The NF membranes are composed of polymer composites of multiple-layer thin-film of negatively charged chemical groups. Anti-fouling NF membranes containing CeO2/Ce7O12 and PES were synthesized through phase inversion and used to extract Fe3+, Al3+, Co2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and humic acid from wastewater and reached extraction efficiency between 94 and 98%. Other studies are presented in Supplementary Table 10.

 

Microfiltration

 

Microfiltration (MF) employs a microporous membrane to remove micron-sized particles, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, contaminants, pollutants, etc., from a solvent/fluid/solution60. MF process is also a low pressure-driven membrane process, whose membrane pores are in the range of 0.1–10 μm60. Some of the MF membranes are made of silica, ceramics, zirconia, alumina, PVC, polysulfone, PTFE, polypropylene, PVDF, polyamides, polycarbonate, cellulose acetate, cellulose esters, or composite materials. The commercial application of MF is widely found in pharmaceutical and biological industries. However, the application of the MF system may be found in particle removal of the rinse water in the semiconductor industry, sterilization of beer and wine, other juices and cider clarification, and wastewater treatment60. The application of MF in heavy metal removal has not drawn enough attention because of its low removal ability. However, it has been used by modifying membrane or chemical pre-treatment of the feed solution. Depending on the mode of application, the MF process is available in two main configurations: crossflow and dead-end. Some studies on MF are summarized in Supplementary Table 11.


Reverse osmosis

RO is a pressure-driven separation process that employs a semi-permeable membrane (pore size 0.5–1.5 nm) to allow only smaller molecules to pass. RO process reverses the normal osmosis process by applying pressure (20–70 bar) >the osmotic pressure of the feed solution. The molecular size of the solutes blocked is usually in the range of 0.00025–0.003 μm60. RO process could extract 95–99% of inorganic salts and charged organics60. RO process is compact and attained high rejection efficiency. However, membrane fouling and degrading are the major drawback of RO systems60. The RO separation process was used to extract heavy metal ions, including Ni2+, Cr6+, and Cu2+ from electroplating wastewater, with a removal efficiency of >98.7562. Recently, RO has been used to purify industrial wastewaters from coster-field mining operations located in Victoria-Australia with mean extraction efficiency of 10%, 48%, 82%, 66%, and 95% for Fe3+, Zn2+, Ni2+, As3+, and Sb3+ respectively63. Other studies on RO heavy metals removal are summarized in Supplementary Table 12.


Forward osmosis

Forward osmosis (FO) is an osmosis process that requires a membrane to balance selectivity and permeated water flux51. In FO, a semi-permeable membrane separates a feed solution from the draw solution, as shown in Fig. 3b. The draw solution is usually at a higher osmotic pressure compared to the feed solution. Due to the osmotic pressure difference between the feed and draw solutions, water transports from the feed solution to the draw solution, thereby keeping the rejected solutes on the feed side and treated water on the draw solution64. FO does not require hydraulic pressure; thus, it is energy-saving. FO process is also environmentally friendly, easy cleaning, and low fouling; therefore, it is widely used in wastewater treatment64. Nevertheless, FO has limitations, such as draw solution re-concentration, membrane selection challenges, internal and external concentration polarization65. Supplementary Table 13 summarizes the use of FO, including thin-film membranes.


Electrodialysis

Electrodialysis (ED) is used to separates ions at the expense of electric potential difference. ED uses a series of cation exchange membranes (CEM) and anion exchange membranes (AEM), alternatively arranged in parallel, to separate ionic solutes51. In the ED process, the anions pass through AEM, while cations pass through CEM. In such a case, the treated stream (diluate) is produced from half of the ED stack channels, while the concentrated stream is expelled from the other half, as shown in Fig. 3c. ED offers high water recovery, no phase change, no reaction, or chemical involvement66, and can operate over a wide range of pH values. However, ED also exhibits membrane fouling, high cost of membranes, and demand for electric potential.

ED has been used to separate Ni2+, Pb2+, and K+ from synthetic solution through a novel ED heterogeneous CEM (consisting of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid-based hydrogel and PVC) to attain extraction efficiency of 96.9%, 99.9%, and 99.9% for Ni2+, Pb2+, and K+, respectively. A batch ED process was employed to recover Pb2+ and reached a maximum separation efficiency of ~100%. A pilot-scale ED system has also been used to extract Cu2+, Ni2+, and traces of Cd2+, Fe3+, Cr6+, and Zn2+, and exceeded 90% removal rate. As3+ and As5+ were removed from metallurgical effluent by ED and attained a removal efficiency of 91.38%.


Other membrane-based methods


Chemical-based separation

Chemical methods for removing heavy metals from wastewater are mature and used early. In this section, the chemical-based methods will be discussed, including precipitation, coagulation-flocculation, and flotation.


Membrane distillation (MD) and liquid membrane (LM) are also used for wastewater treatment. MD is a hybrid thermally driven membrane separation process that consists of cold and hot compartments separated by a microporous hydrophobic membrane. MD allows only vapor to permeate its pores while blocking other molecules. MD exists in four configurations: direct contact MD, air gap MD, sweeping gas MD, and vacuum MD. MD process has been reported to achieve over 96% removal of Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe3+, and Fe2+, and more than 99% for As3+ and As5+.

 

On the other side, LM is made of a liquid phase or thin-layer organic phase, which acts as a barrier between two aqueous phases. LM is immiscible to the feed solution and retentate solution, and combined stripping and extraction processes in a single stage. LM is highly selective, relatively efficient, and can achieve specific molecular recognition. However, the membrane’s long-term stability is poor. LM process exists as a supported liquid membrane (SLM), emulsion liquid membrane (ELM), bulk liquid membrane (BLM), and polymer inclusion membrane (PIM). Among these types, the SLM process is an attractive alternative to traditional solvent extraction for heavy metal removal. SLM achieved a removal efficiency of 89% for Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+.

 

Precipitation

Chemical precipitation (the so-called coagulation precipitation) is broadly used in industries and is considered one of the most effective and mature methods. It changes the form of dissolved metal ions into solid particles to facilitate their sedimentation. The reagent coagulation (coagulant) precipitates metal ions by changing pH, electro-oxidizing potential, or co-precipitation76. It is usually followed by the removal of sediments. A simple schematic of the chemical precipitation process is depicted in Fig. 4.

Hydroxide precipitation is broadly used due to its relatively inexpensive, simple, and tunable pH77. It is implemented by adding a hydroxide to the stirred wastewater to form insoluble metal hydroxide precipitates. For example, a metal ion could react with calcium hydroxide (lime) to produce metal hydroxide precipitates and calcium ions as:


It was found that pH values of 9–11 improved this process efficiency. However, a high pH value is considered a disadvantage of this method since it requires a large dosage of precipitates. One of the most effective hydroxide precipitates for treating inorganic effluents of heavy metal concentration of 1000 mg/L is lime (CaO or Ca(OH)2). A summary of some hydroxide precipitation studies is presented in Supplementary Table 14. It can be seen that the majority of metals removed by this method are Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, and Cr3+. In addition to the need for the high dosage to get optimal pH, there are some drawbacks, such as relatively large volumes of sludge leading to dewatering, disposal issues, amphoteric, and the inhabitation of metal hydroxide precipitation with the presence of complexing agents.


The sulfide participation method distinguishes itself by higher removal efficiency and lesser dissolved solids increment than the hydroxide method. This method was reported to treat toxic heavy metal ions80. Lower sulfide results in a higher zinc concentration in the effluent, while higher sulfide leads to a malodor problem due to high residual sulfide. Also, it could produce hydrogen sulfide gas which is malodorous and toxic. For these reasons, the sulfide precipitation is recommended to be executed at a neutral pH81. The metal sulfide precipitations could follow Eq. (2) reaction,


Supplementary Table 15 summarizes the metal ions removal using sulfite precipitations. The toxicity of sulfide and its high cost are the most shortcomings.

As an alternative method to hydroxide precipitation, carbonate precipitation shows good effectiveness and optimum precipitation at lower pH values82. It could be achieved using sodium carbonate or calcium carbonate. The classical carbonates can be formed based on Eq. (3 and 4):


It could have less sludge volume, but it could release CO2 bubbles and needs higher reagents for efficient precipitation83. Supplementary Table 16 lists some studies concerning carbonate precipitation. It can be seen that copper and manganese are the major metals removed by this technology. Zinc and lead could also be removed efficiently.

Fenton reaction is usually used to improve the removal efficiency of the chemical precipitation methods. The Fenton or Fenton-like oxidation is used for the de-complexation of heavy metal complexes. However, the pH is adjusted by the chemical precipitation mechanism (e.g., NaOH). Fenton chemistry is not straightforward, and it is performed through numerous reactions, depending upon various active intermediates, such as [FeIV O]2+ and hydroxyl radicals. The classical Fenton reaction is:



Fe3+-H2O2 (Fenton-like) and Fe0-H2O2 (advanced Fenton) are also represented as an alternative for Fe2+-H2O2. Additional detailed examples of using the Fenton-integrated chemical precipitation method are summarized in Supplementary Table 17.

Some metals are represented in small volumes in bulk wastewater, such as radionuclides. The removal of radioactive metals is listed in Supplementary Table 18.

 

Coagulation and flocculation

 

Coagulation is the destabilization of colloids by neutralizing the forces that keep them parted, while flocculation is the agglomeration of destabilized particles. Traditional coagulants are aluminum, ferrous sulfate, and ferric chloride, using to neutralization of ion charges. Flocculation bonds the particles forming large agglomerates with the help of a flocculant, such as polyaluminum chloride (PAC), polyferric sulfate (PFS), polyacrylamide (PAM), and other macromolecule flocculants. The PE were reported as one of the most practical flocculations, but the produced sludge might be toxic. The flocculants are generally not natural and non-biodegradable.

The process is illustrated in Fig. 5, including the sedimentation. Some weaknesses are toxicity and health hazardousness of inorganic coagulants, a large volume of sludge, selective for some metals and inefficient in emerging contaminants, increasingly effluent color, inefficient when using natural coagulants, and complex of scaling up. Supplementary Table 19 summarizes some of the studies conducted on coagulation-flocculation for heavy metal removal from different wastewater sources. The typical heavy metals removed by this method include Cu2+, Pb2+, and Ni2+. Other metals such as As2+, Se2+, Cr2+, Sb3+, Sb5+, Ag2+ could also be efficiently removed.



Flotation

Flotation is used to remove various metal ions. The general schematic of the flotation process is shown in Fig. 6. Dissolved air flotation, ion flotation, and precipitation flotation were extensively studied. In the dissolved air flotation, air (or gas) is fed to wastewater to generate micro-bubbles that could attach the metal ions, developing lower density agglomerates, leading to raising the flocs through the wastewater. The accumulated slug at the top surface can easily be removed.

Electric-based separation

In this section, different electrochemical methods (i.e., electrochemical reduction (ER), EC, electroflotation (EF), and electrooxidation (EO)), and ion exchange method are discussed.
Electrochemical treatment

In an electrochemical system, oxidation is performed at the anode (positive side), where electrons transfer to the cathode (negative side), at which the reduction process occurs. These two chemical reactions are called redox (reduction-oxidation), leading to water purification through metal removal. For example:

Ion exchange treatment

The ion exchange method is a reversible chemical reaction used to replace the undesirable metal ion with harmless and environmentally friendly ones. A heavy metal ion is removed from a wastewater solution by attaching it to an immobile solid particle as a replacement with the solid particle cation, as shown in Fig. 8. The material of solid ion-exchange particles could be either natural, e.g., inorganic zeolites, or synthetically produced, e.g., organic resins. The ion-exchange method can remove target (some or all) heavy metal ions, such as Pb2+, Hg2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, V4+, V5+, Cr3+, Cr4+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ from wastewater. The ion exchange mechanism for metal removals can be explained in the following reaction as the ion exchange particle having ion exchanger of MEC+ (M is the fixed anion and EC+ is the exchange cation; Na+ and H+ are frequently used as exchange cations) to exchange its cation (EC+) with the wastewater cation (WC+).


Photocatalytic-based separation

The photocatalytic process was reported as a simple process for wastewater treatment that uses light and semiconductors, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2). Three key steps are taken in this process: charged carrier photogeneration, charged carrier separation and diffusion to the photocatalyst surface, and redox reaction on the photocatalyst surface. The effluents of real soil washing wastewater were treated using an outdoor dual solar photocatalytic process of flat plate collector for the removal of 93.5% Cu2+, 99.6% Fe3+, and 99.4% Zn2+. A simulated ultraviolet (UV)–solar TiO2 photocatalysis has been used for the removal of ethylenediamine-N, N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS), and Cu2+ from wastewater (0.2 mM EDDS and 0.2–1.4 mM CuSO4) to obtain 100% conversion efficiency at 24% mineralization degree. In another study, maximum removal efficiencies of 41% Cu2+, 100% Fe3+, 100% Zn2+ and 100% EDDS were obtained from synthetic soil washing solution (3.6 × 10−1 mM EDDS, 8.0 × 10−2 mM Cu+2, 1.0 × 10−1 mM Fe+3 and 8.0 × 10−2 mM Zn+2).

 

Using visible light irradiation, a synthesized rhodium/antimony co-doped TiO2 nano-rod and titanate nanotube (RS-TONR/TNT) was used to extracts Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and organic pollutant from wastewater with 70 and 80% degradation efficiency for dye and Bisphenol A, respectively. The photocatalytic process using CeO2/BiOIO3 composites with Ce4+/Ce3+ redox centers was used to attain 86.53% Hg2+ removal efficiency under visible light absorption and photocatalytic activity. In an aqueous solution containing As5+ and Cr6+ (concentration of 0.10 mg/L), a synthesized 3D-Fe2O3 was used to achieve nearly 100% removal rates using solar light irradiation and photocatalytic activity. A fabricated CH-GEL/ZSPNC hybrid nanocomposite ion exchanger achieved 90% Ni2+, 94.9% Zn2+, 95% Mg2+, 100% Pb2+, 90.3% Cd2+, 88.9% Cu2+ and 84% Rhodamine-B (dye) extraction efficiencies using solar light.

 

A fabricated CS/silver bio-nano-composites (CS/PVDC/Ag) was utilized in photocatalytic oxidation process for 97% Cu2+, 88% Pb2+, 89% Cd2+ and 77% dye removal. Although this technology shows the in site generation of reactive radicals, no chemicals used, no sludge production, it has some drawbacks. It is still on a laboratory scale, low throughput, dependent on pH, and inefficient when different metals are present.



https://www.nature.com/articles/s41545-021-00127-0

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Remediation of ciprofloxacin in soil using peroxymonosulfate activated by ball-milled seaweed kelp biochar: Performance, mechanism, and phytotoxicity

April 2023


https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369952493_Remediation_of_ciprofloxacin_in_soil_using_peroxymonosulfate_activated_by_ball-milled_seaweed_kelp_biochar_Performance_mechanism_and_phytotoxicity

 
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Soilless remediation of the fine carbonate-rich gold-copper mine tailings

21 August 2023

 

Soil remediation with minimum amendments is a good strategy for tailings disposal. Carbonate-rich gold-copper mine tailings occurring alongside the Yangzi River, China, were employed as the objective in this study. They showed the characteristics of fine particles and alkaline pH with high density and low nutrition. The amendments including bacterial fertilizer (BF), polymer, peat, straw, and compound fertilizer (CF) were used for soilless remediation on the tailings. Soil quality index (SQI) involved in tailing properties and growth characteristics of ryegrass was used to optimize the combination of amendments. The results showed that the optimum amendment combination was 0.2% BF + 0.6% CF + 0.2% polymer + 10% peat and 2% straw. Tailing nutrients such as soil organic matter (5.56%), available nitrogen (93.6 mg kg−1), available phosphorus (51.7 mg kg−1), available potassium (711 mg kg−1), and ryegrass exhibited the highest germination rate and biomass level under the optimal improvement conditions. Additional environmental assessments revealed that soilless treatment of the tailings helped to convert Cu, Zn, and As into residual forms. These findings show a good strategy for tailings soil improvement and provide a promising perspective of the soilless remediation for fine carbonate-rich metal tailings.



https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/clen.202200337

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Soil Remediation by Agglomeration with Petroleum Coke

2004

Objective:

Contamination of soils with crude or refined oil products is a problem often associated with production, refining, and distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons. Excavation and incineration of the soil is an effective, but expensive, technology to remediate the contaminated soil.

Bioremediation is useful as a polishing step, but conventional manual and mechanical techniques must be used on heavy concentrations of oil. A hot water wash is practical only for coarse soil contaminated with light oils. This project proposes to use petroleum coke to remediate soil heavily contaminated with crude oil or other high molecular weight hydrocarbons. This project will treat oily soil with finely divided petroleum coke. The bridging liquid (oil) will be supplied by the contaminated soil. The agglomerated fine coke and contaminant oil will be floated and removed leaving an oil-free soil. Our studies to date using fine coal have shown this method capable of treating soils saturated with heavy hydrocarbons (crude oil) with oil recoveries as high as 99.9%.

The coal and oil were recovered as a high grade fuel. The Gulf Coast region, which has a large amount of oil contaminated soil, or has the potential to have large amounts of oil contaminated soil because of oil spills, does not have an abundant quantity of the type of coal best suited to soil remediation. Petroleum coke has this type surface and should be an excellent choice as a remediation agent. Finely divided coal or, as we hope, finely divided coke is a material that "scrubs" the oil from the soil and lends an adsorbent surface for the oil. The benefits of this project will be an economical and practical solution to a type of contamination common to the Gulf Coast with a readily available remediating agent. Because of previous work, The University of Alabama has a fully equipped soil remediation laboratory to carry out this investigation.
 
https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/INDEX.cfm/fuseaction/display.abstractDetail/abstract_id/1162/report/0

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The use of zero-valent iron for groundwater remediation and wastewater treatment: A review


January 2014

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259882215_The_use_of_zero-valent_iron_for_groundwater_remediation_and_wastewater_treatment_A_review

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Overview of chosen techniques and methods for soils remediation

2015

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289193260_Overview_of_chosen_techniques_and_methods_for_soils_remediation

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The Use of Soil Amendments for Remediation, Revitalization, and Reuse

https://www.epa.gov/biosolids/use-soil-amendments-remediation-revitalization-and-reuse

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Microbial remediation of aromatics-contaminated soil

06 December 2016

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11783-017-0894-x


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Cleaning Up of Contaminated Soils by Using Microbial Remediation: A Review and Challenges to the Weaknesses

2019

https://biomedgrid.com/fulltext/volume2/cleaning-up-of-contaminated-soils-by-using-microbial-remediation.000589.php

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Microbial Cleaning for Removal of Surface Contamination

2013 Jun 3

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7151772/


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Soil bacteria can clean your drinking water

08. March 2013

Bacteria that occur naturally in soil can effectively reduce the amounts of the pesticide residue BAM in drinking water.

https://www.sciencenordic.com/biology-chemistry-denmark/soil-bacteria-can-clean-your-drinking-water/1383385

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Bioremediation of oil contaminated soil using agricultural wastes via microbial consortium

08 June 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-66169-5

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Bioremediation of oil spills

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioremediation_of_oil_spills

 

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Soil Remediation Through Microbes

03 November 2018

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-2420-8_6

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Remediation Methods of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil

March 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340061631_Remediation_Methods_of_Crude_Oil_Contaminated_Soil

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Remediation of soil contaminated with crude oil using supercritical CO2

January 2010

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288126280_Remediation_of_soil_contaminated_with_crude_oil_using_supercritical_CO2

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Recent advancements in hydrocarbon bioremediation and future challenges: a review

23 May 2022

Abstract

Petrochemicals are important hydrocarbons, which are one of the major concerns when accidently escaped into the environment. On one hand, these cause soil and fresh water pollution on land due to their seepage and leakage from automobile and petrochemical industries. On the other hand, oil spills occur during the transport of crude oil or refined petroleum products in the oceans around the world. These hydrocarbon and petrochemical spills have not only posed a hazard to the environment and marine life, but also linked to numerous ailments like cancers and neural disorders. Therefore, it is very important to remove or degrade these pollutants before their hazardous effects deteriorate the environment. There are varieties of mechanical and chemical methods for removing hydrocarbons from polluted areas, but they are all ineffective and expensive. Bioremediation techniques provide an economical and eco-friendly mechanism for removing petrochemical and hydrocarbon residues from the affected sites. Bioremediation refers to the complete mineralization or transformation of complex organic pollutants into the simplest compounds by biological agents such as bacteria, fungi, etc. Many indigenous microbes present in nature are capable of detoxification of various hydrocarbons and their contaminants. This review presents an updated overview of recent advancements in various technologies used in the degradation and bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, providing useful insights to manage such problems in an eco-friendly manner.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13205-022-03199-y

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Researchers clean up petroleum spills with plants

August 2000

https://www.purdue.edu/uns/html4ever/0006.Schwab.phyto.html

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A comprehensive guide of remediation technologies for oil contaminated soil — Present works and future directions

2016

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X16302247

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Bioremediation of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) by Bioaugmentation and Biostimulation in Water with Floating Oil Spill Containment Booms as Bioreactor Basin

2021 Feb 24

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7956214/

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Comparative bioremediation of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons co-contaminated soil by natural attenuation, phytoremediation, bioaugmentation and bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation

2015

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969715308779

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The Use of Soil Amendments for Remediation, Revitalization, and Reuse

2007

https://www.epa.gov/remedytech/use-soil-amendments-remediation-revitalization-and-reuse

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Bioremediation: Factors, Types, Advantages, Disadvantages

August 3, 2023

https://microbenotes.com/bioremediation-types-factors/

Table of Contents

    Factors Affecting Bioremediation

        1. Concentration of the contaminant
        2. Nutrient availability
        3. Surfactants; enhancers of bioavailability
        4. Characteristics of the contaminated soil
    Types of Bioremediation
    In Situ Bioremediation
     In Situ Bioremediation Techniques
        Bioaugmentation
        Bio-stimulation
        Bio-slurping
        Bio-sparging
        Bioventing
        Phytoremediation
        Percolation
        Pump and Treat
    Ex-Situ Bioremediation
        Biofiltration
        Biopile
        Bioreactor
        Composting
        Land Farming
    Advantages of Bioremediation
    Disadvantages of Bioremediation
    References

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CONTAMINATED SOIL REMEDIATION BY SELF-CLEANING PROCESSES ACTIVATION

    September 2016

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360320736_CONTAMINATED_SOIL_REMEDIATION_BY_SELF-CLEANING_PROCESSES_ACTIVATION

______________


Remediation of contaminated soils using supercritical fluid extraction: a review (1994-2004)

2005

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16196410/


______________



High-temperature electrothermal remediation of multi-pollutants in soil

11 October 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41898-z

______________


Stanford develops an experimental process to rinse heavy metals from toxic soils

June 4, 2019

Poisonous heavy metals contaminating thousands of sites nationwide threaten to enter the food chain, and there’s been no easy way to remove them. An experimental chemical bath and electrochemical filter could now extract heavy metals from the soil and leave fields safe.

https://news.stanford.edu/2019/06/04/new-process-rinses-heavy-metals-toxic-soils/

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Sustainable soil remediation using mineral and hydrogel: field evidence for metalloid immobilization and soil health improvement

18 May 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-023-03541-8

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Nanotechnology in soil remediation − applications vs. implications

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0147651320306540

______________


Soil Remediation Applications of Nanotechnology

June 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353142928_Soil_Remediation_Applications_of_Nanotechnology

______________


Sustainable environmental remediation via biomimetic multifunctional lignocellulosic nano-framework

28 July 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31881-5

______________


Nanobioremediation: A sustainable approach for the removal of toxic pollutants from the environment

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389421030028

______________


Role of biotechnology in phytoremediation

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323898744000212

______________


How to Neutralize Cat Feces in Soil: All You Need to Know


Natural Solutions to Neutralize Cat Feces in Soil

Here's how you can naturally neutralize cat feces in soil:

    Use earthworm composting bins to break down cat feces and organic matter quickly. The worms do the work and produce nutrient-rich castings.
    Compost the cat feces with other organic matter before applying it to the soil, but avoid fresh animal manure as it can have harmful bacteria and parasites. Use a larger compost bin for better breakdown.
    Balance the high carbon content of cat feces by adding extra nitrogen. This helps with efficient breakdown and prevents odors.
    Keep the compost pile wet to create the right environment for decomposition. Moisture is vital for the breakdown process.
    Let the composting process rest for at least two years before using it to ensure complete breakdown and eliminate potential pathogens.
    Properly composted cat feces can be excellent fertilizer for non-edible plants because of its high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
    However, don't use cat feces on food plants or crops as it can lead to illness from parasites and pathogenic bacteria.
    To get rid of odor and bacteria in cat feces, mix lime, commercial enzymes, vinegar, or baking soda with water. These methods are effective.
    Make the soil less hospitable to bacteria by adding amendments like lime or sulfur. You can also use baking soda, coffee grounds, leaves, or acid-loving plants to neutralize odor.
    Be cautious when handling lime as it can pose health risks. Additionally, remember that cat feces might contain parasites that could contaminate gardens and cause illness. It takes about a year for cat feces to decompose, so dried feces may still attract bugs and emit unpleasant odors.

Remember to prioritize safety measures and proper composting techniques when dealing with cat feces in soil.

Now that you know how to naturally neutralize cat feces in soil, I want to address another concern: eliminating cat urine odor.

https://icareforcats.com/how-to-neutralize-cat-feces-in-soil/

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How to Neutralize Cat Urine in Soil? All You Need to Know

https://icareforcats.com/how-to-neutralize-cat-urine-in-soil/

Here's what you need to do:

    First things first, get rid of any visible cat urine. Grab some gloves or a paper towel and scoop up those urine-soaked areas. Make sure you dispose of it properly to avoid any more contamination.
    Next, flush the soil with water. This will dilute the urea and acid from the cat urine and restore your soil's goodness. Pour plenty of water over the affected spots, making sure it covers everything nicely.
    Give that soil a thorough rinse and let it drain and dry out. The rinsing will help get rid of any leftover residue, while drying it out helps with the smell. Just give it some time to air dry before moving on.
    If the smell is still lingering, you might want to think about repotting your plant or using cat deterrents you can find at the store. Sometimes pee goes deep into the soil, so repotting can refresh things. And those deterrents can keep those pesky cats away from that spot.
    Another trick is to mix vinegar or hydrogen peroxide with water. Spray this solution onto the stinky area and let it sit for a bit, then rinse it off. Both vinegar and hydrogen peroxide work wonders when it comes to neutralizing odors.

And hey, don't forget to clean up your tools properly after you're done.

We don't want any cross-contamination.

By following these steps, you'll say goodbye to that cat urine smell and make your plants happy again.

Main points I'll expand upon further down this article:

    Alkaline substances like baking soda can neutralize and eliminate cat urine odor.
    Baking soda can be mixed with water as a solution or spray.
    Sprinkling baking soda on affected areas and brushing it away is effective.
    Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide can be combined with baking soda for added odor reduction.
    Activated charcoal, enzymes, citrus peels, coffee grounds, and essential oils can also help neutralize odors.
    Cat urine increases soil acidity and urea content, harming plants and nutrient absorption.
    Excessive urine can cause salt build-up, making soil too alkaline for some plants.
    High nitrogen levels in cat urine lead to imbalances in soil nutrients.
    Prevention is key in avoiding soil contamination from repeated urination.
    Adding organic matter and planting deodorizing plants can help balance nutrients and absorb odors.

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Succession of biochar addition for soil amendment and contaminants remediation during co-composting: A state of art review

2023

Abstract

This paper aimed to highlight the succession of biochar addition for soil amendment and contaminants remediation during composting process. Biochar incorporated into the compost mixture promotes composting performance and enhances contaminants reduction. Co-composting with biochar for soil biota has been demonstrated via modified soil biological community abundance and diversity. On the other hand, adverse alterations to soil properties were noted, which had a negative impact on the communication of microbe-to-plant interactions within the rhizosphere. As a result, these changes influenced the competition between soilborne pathogens and beneficial soil microorganisms. Co-composting with biochar promoted the heavy metals (HMs) remediation efficiency in contaminated soils by around 66–95%. Notably, applying biochar during composting could improve nutrient retention and mitigate leaching. The adsorption of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus compounds by biochar can be applied to manage environmental contamination and presents an excellent opportunity to enhance soil quality. Additionally, the various specific functional groups and large specific surface areas of biochar allow for excellent adsorption of persistent pollutants (e.g., pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) and emerging organic pollutants, such as microplastic, phthalate acid esters (PAEs) during co-composting. Finally, future perspectives, research gaps, and recommendations for further studies are highlighted, and potential opportunities are discussed.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479723009799

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How Hemp Can Heal Our Soil & Why It Matters To Consumers

February 24, 2024

Not only can you use hemp to make dozens of sustainable products, from clothing, skateboards to medicine, but it can also help heal the earth.

As the human population grows, so do our need for more land to grow the crops that keep us fed. But our dependence on fossil fuels and dirty industrial processes have left a lot of land too toxic to sustain life. That’s where the rapidly growing field of “bioremediation” can be vital. Bioremediation essentially means using living things to heal the soil, allowing us to clean and reclaim some of these polluted lands. While bacteria and other microorganisms can be used, phytoremediation, from the Greek word for plant, relies on crops like hemp.

Below, we’ll take a look at the reasons why hemp is such a promising plant for bioremediation. At the same time, we’ll also touch on the risks posed by heavy metals and toxins, which can inadvertently end up in hemp-based consumer products.


Hemp Soil Remediation VS The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

One of the most dramatic demonstrations of industrial hemp‘s potential was in Chernobyl, in the aftermath of the historic 1986 nuclear disaster which spewed radioactive waste across Eastern Europe. Over 100,000 square kilometers of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus were inundated with radiation, rendering much of them unusable.

In the late 90s, a company called Phytotech began experimenting with industrial hemp in some polluted Ukrainian regions. The results were extremely promising.

“Phytoremediation can be used to remove radioactive elements from soil and water at former weapons producing facilities,” explained Elaine Charkowski for Central Oregon Green Pages in winter of 1998. “It can also be used to clean up metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and toxins leaching from landfills.”

“Hemp is proving to be one of the best phyto-remediative plants we have been able to find,” Slavik Dushenkov, a research scientist with Phytotech, told Charkowski.

Beyond Radiation: From Cadmium to Oil Spills

In a paper published in September 2012 in Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, a team of five researchers in China reported on their successful experiments with hemp to absorb cadmium from the soil. Left untreated, cadmium in soil can enter the food chain, and consumption can cause severe joint and spinal pain. Too much exposure is known to even affect the kidneys and link to cancer.

The scientists experimented with 18 different varieties of hemp that are native to China. They identified 7 varieties which exhibited the highest concentrations of Cadmium (Cd) when grown in polluted soil.

https://ministryofhemp.com/hemp-soil-remediation/

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Alfalfa for Use in Phytoremediation of Soil Polluted with Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

Oct 2018

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329991317_of_Alfalfa_for_Use_in_Phytoremediation_of_Soil_Polluted_with_Total_Petroleum_Hydrocarbons

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Potential of alfalfa for use in chemically and biologically assisted phytoremediation of soil co-contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and metals

Dec 2014

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/6-Phytoremediation-experiments-with-alfalfa_tbl2_281185067

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PCB removal, soil enzyme activities, and microbial community structures during the phytoremediation by alfalfa in field soils

08 March 2011

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-011-0344-5

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Converging alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and petroleum hydrocarbon acclimated ACC-deaminase containing bacteria for phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil

2022 Aug 2

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35917513/

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Interaction between Azotobacter nigricans and Alfalfa Root in Systems Contaminated with Kerosene. Proceedings of the Ninth International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium. In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation-2007.

May 2007

 

Abstract

 

The interaction at a root-hair level between Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and Azotobacter through the removal of kerosene hydrocarbons process was studied. The method of Farreus was used to grow Medicago sativa (alfalfa) plants in nitrogen-free Jensen’s medium added with kerosene (1% v/v), and in the presence of Azotobacter nigricans. Under this condition, the removal of kerosene hydrocarbons was 63.1 %, but plants growth was notably shorter than the controls grown without kerosene. Nevertheless, in both systems, a high population of Azotobacter was located in the tips of the roots hair. In the kerosene feed system, the hydrocarbons were observed as oil microscopic droplets adhered to the surface of the whole radical system; that is, in both the hair of the roots and in the principal root tissue. Notably, the major number of Azotobacter cells was concentrated in the droplets located on the surface of the roots hair. These results point out a symbiotic association between Azotobacter and alfalfa at the root-hair level that should be involved in the biochemical process for effective removal of the hydrocarbons.



https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357469178_Interaction_between_Azotobacter_nigricans_and_Alfalfa_Root_in_Systems_Contaminated_with_Kerosene_Proceedings_of_the_Ninth_International_In_Situ_and_On-Site_Bioremediation_Symposium_In_Situ_and_On-Site

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Potential bioremediation of lead and phenol by sunflower seed husk and rice straw-based biochar hybridized with bacterial consortium: a kinetic study

11 December 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-49036-x

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Bioremediation of metribuzin-contaminated soil by corn straw biochar-immobilized Bacillus cereus N1

May 2023

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Bioremediation-of-metribuzin-contaminated-soil-by-Xiao-Zheng/30729c86419fb7b38a458c34d36d41ea92b8b589#cited-papers

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Enrichment of the soil microbial community in the bioremediation of a petroleum-contaminated soil amended with rice straw or sawdust

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653519303728

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Bioremediation of the tobacco waste-contaminated soil by Pseudomonas sp. HF-1: nicotine degradation and microbial community analysis

29 September 2012

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-012-4433-1

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Effect of plant waste addition as exogenous nutrients on microbial remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil

19 June 2022

https://annalsmicrobiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13213-022-01679-3

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Effective bioremediation of tobacco wastewater by microalgae at acidic pH for synergistic biomass and lipid accumulation

November 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356399609_Effective_bioremediation_of_tobacco_wastewater_by_microalgae_at_acidic_pH_for_synergistic_biomass_and_lipid_accumulation

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Microalgal Bioremediation: A Clean and Sustainable Approach for Controlling Environmental Pollution

17 May 2022

Abstract

Environmental pollution is a major global threat today, with widespread consequences. Industrial effluents, flue gases, automobile emissions, solid waste, agricultural runoff, amongst others, have loaded air, water, and soil with a plethora of undesirable substances harmful for humans and their surroundings. Common pollutants, such as exhaust gases, heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and many emerging organic and inorganic chemicals, are causing multitude of chronic illnesses. With growing population and rapid industrialization, it is becoming increasingly important to develop efficient, cheap, sustainable, and scalable processes to mitigate these life-threatening pollutants.

Conventional physiochemical methods used for the treatment of industrial, municipal, and agricultural wastewaters and emissions are effective, but they suffer serious drawbacks, such as sludge generation, membrane fouling, and high energy and reagent requirements. This has attracted the use of biological resources in development of sustainable and eco-friendly remediation processes. Microalgae particularly have emerged as a potential microorganism in bioremediation owing to their ability to adsorb, accumulate, and degrade many common pollutants using different mechanisms. Concomitant sequestration of carbon dioxide, generation of oxygen, and accumulation of lipids and carbohydrates with growth are however the real advantages of using microalgae in bioremediation. Moreover, simple and cheap nutritional and cultivation requirements of microalgae make it most suitable bioresource for mitigating pollution. The development of microalgae-based remediation processes is therefore an ambitious goal in environmental biotechnology. This chapter reviews important concepts, developments, challenges, and future prospects of microalgal bioremediation.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-16-4445-0_13

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Horizontal ‘gene drives’ harness indigenous bacteria for bioremediation

15 September 2020

 

Engineering bacteria to clean-up oil spills is rapidly advancing but faces regulatory hurdles and environmental concerns. Here, we develop a new technology to harness indigenous soil microbial communities for bioremediation by flooding local populations with catabolic genes for petroleum hydrocarbon degradation. Overexpressing three enzymes (almA, xylE, p450cam) in Escherichia coli led to degradation of 60–99% of target hydrocarbon substrates. Mating experiments, fluorescence microscopy and TEM revealed indigenous bacteria could obtain these vectors from E. coli through several mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), including conjugation and cytoplasmic exchange through nanotubes. Inoculating petroleum-polluted sediments with E. coli carrying the vector pSF-OXB15-p450camfusion showed that the E. coli cells died after five days but a variety of bacteria received and carried the vector for over 60 days after inoculation. Within 60 days, the total petroleum hydrocarbon content of the polluted soil was reduced by 46%. Pilot experiments show that vectors only persist in indigenous populations when under selection pressure, disappearing when this carbon source is removed. This approach to remediation could prime indigenous bacteria for degrading pollutants while providing minimal ecosystem disturbance.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-72138-9

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Transgenic Tobacco for Phytoremediation of Metals and Metalloids

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128143896000134


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Pocket K No. 25: Biotech Plants for Bioremediation

Conventional Remediation Strategies

Conventional remediation for polluted sites typically involves the physical removal of contaminants, and their disposal in a designated site. Physical remediation strategies therefore do not eliminate the problem, they merely shift it. In addition, physical remediation strategies are also very expensive, disruptive to the environment, may temporarily increase exposure to chemicals, and often leave residual contamination.

Cadmium, Zinc, Lead, and Selenium

Toxic metals affect crop yields, soil biomass, and fertility, and accumulate in the food chain. Metal-tolerant species protect themselves from the toxicity of metal ions by binding metals ions with specific proteins that render them in a safer form. Three classes of proteins are important for metal detoxification in plants: metallothioneins, phytochelatins, and glutathione. The genes coding for these have been successfully used to improve phytoremediators through genetic engineering.

For example, shrub tobacco (Nicotiana glauca) transformed with the phytochelatin TaPCS1 shows very high levels of accumulation of zinc, lead, cadmium, nickel, and boron, and produces high biomass (3). In Arabidopsis, Indian mustard, and tobacco plants, improved metal tolerance was achieved through the over-expression of enzymes that induce the formation of phytochelatins (4, 5, and 6).

Plants naturally tolerant to heavy metals have also been used as a source of genes for phytoremediation. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a selenocysteine methyltransferase (SMTA) gene from the selenium hyperaccumulator Astralagus bisulcatus contain eight times more selenium in their biomass when grown on selenite compared to non-transgenic controls. Comparison of gene expression profiles between Arabidopsis thaliana and the closely related species A. hallerri, which is tolerant to cadmium and hyperaccumulates zinc, is also helping identify major genes required for metal tolerance.

Explosives

Millions of tons of explosives have been released into the environment, with the resulting pollution of vast expanses of land and water resources. RDX (Research Department Explosive) was the primary explosive used during World War II, and newer derivatives are extensively used to date. Explosives, and their degradation products, are extremely toxic and corrosive.

Tobacco plants engineered with the bacterial gene for a NADPH-dependent nitroreductase tolerate and degrade high levels of TNT (9), and Arabidopsis plants carrying the xplA gene from Rhodococcus bacteria are highly resistant to of RDX.

Landmines

Landmines affect millions of people, both combatants and civilians, in over 80 countries. Sixty to 70 million active landmines exist throughout the world, and these claim the lives and limbs of 50 people every day, and threaten the livelihood of many more by denying them access to humanitarian aid, agricultural land, and water resources. Efforts are underway to develop transgenic plants that can be used to warn civilians of the presence of landmines in a field. Arabidopsis whose roots change color when they come into contact with degradation products of landmines have been developed. Scientists are now working to allow the plant to transmit the signal to their leaves, to effect human-readable changes for a practical explosives detection system.

Mercury

Mercury is a highly toxic element found both naturally and as an introduced contaminant in the environment, and is a very serious global environmental problem. Organic mercury (organomercurials), the most toxic form to living organisms, is produced when bacteria in the water and soil convert elemental mercury into methylmercury. Methylmercury is easily absorbed and accumulates at high levels in the food chain. Mercury poisoning affects the immune system, damages the nervous system, and is harmful to developing fetuses.

Detoxification of organomercurials has been achieved in transgenic plants by transforming Arabidopsis, tobacco, poplar trees, Indian mustard, and eastern cotton wood with two bacterial genes, merA and merB. (5, 6, 7). The combined actions of merA and merB transform methylmercury to the volatile elemental form, which is 100 times less toxic, and is released by the plant to the atmosphere at non-toxic concentrations through transpiration.


Arsenic

Arsenic occurs naturally in rocks and soil, and is released into underground water. Consumption of contaminated drinking water leads to skin disorders, gangrene, and cancer of the kidneys and bladder. In addition, high levels of arsenic in agricultural land degrade soils, reduce crop yields, and introduce the pollutant to the food chain (8). Arsenic contamination threatens up to 40 million people in Bangladesh alone, a problem described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the largest poisoning of a population in history”.

Scientists have engineered Arabidopsis plants with arsenic tolerance by introducing two bacterial genes: arsC and y-ECS. arsC converts arsenate, the arsenic form absorbed by plants, to arsenite. Double transgenics are not only highly tolerant of arsenic, they also have improved cadmium tolerance, and a six-fold increase in the level of biomass compared to wild-type controls.

https://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/pocketk/25/default.asp

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How plants can generate electricity to power LED light bulbs

December 12, 2018

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181212093308.htm
 

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Natural genetically modified crops: Grasses take evolutionary shortcut by borrowing genes from their neighbors

October 5, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-natural-genetically-crops-grasses-evolutionary.html

 

_____________

 

Mindblowing Video of Plants Talking to Each Other In Real Time

Jan 20, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-h_y1X4oA

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Xenobiotic sensing and signalling in higher plants

2012 Apr 6

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22493519/

 

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Scientists Engineer Gorgeous Glowing Plants That Shine Bright Their Entire Life Cycle

27 April 2020

 

 
https://www.sciencealert.com/gorgeously-glowing-plants-shine-bright-throughout-their-life-cycle

 

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Creating a New Kind of Night Light: Glow-in-the-Dark Trees

2013





A group in California is starting to engineer plants that could one day replace streetlights

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/creating-a-new-kind-of-night-light-glow-in-the-dark-trees-9600277/

 

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Advances in development of transgenic plants for remediation of xenobiotic pollutants

2007 May 13

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17553651/

 

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Photochemistry and a new catalyst could make fertilizer more sustainable

January 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-photochemistry-catalyst-fertilizer-sustainable.html
 

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Mushroom cultivation for soil amendment and bioremediation

2021

https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/CAS-2021-0011

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Application of mushrooms in the degradation of xenobiotic components and the reduction of pesticides

2022

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003152583-19/application-mushrooms-degradation-xenobiotic-components-reduction-pesticides-karishma-joshi-anamika-das-gaurav-joshi-bibekananda-sarkar

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Enhanced Fenton Reaction for Xenobiotic Compounds and Lignin Degradation Fueled by Quinone Redox Cycling by Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases

2021

Abstract

The Fenton reaction is considered to be of great significance in the initial attack of lignocellulose in wood-decaying fungi. Quinone redox cycling is the main way to induce the Fenton reaction in fungi. We show that lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), through LPMO-catalyzed oxidation of hydroquinone, can efficiently cooperate with glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) to achieve quinone redox cycling. The LPMO/GDH system can enhance Fe3+-reducing activity, H2O2 production, and hydroxyl radical generation, resulting in a fueled Fenton reaction. The system-generated hydroxyl radicals exhibited a strong capacity to decolorize different synthetic dyes and degrade lignin. Our results reveal a potentially critical connection between LPMOs and the Fenton reaction, suggesting that LPMOs could be involved in xenobiotic compound and lignin degradation in fungi. This new role of LPMOs may be exploited for application in biorefineries.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.1c01684

 

______________

 

White-Rot Fungi and their Enzymes as a Biotechnological Tool for Xenobiotic Bioremediation

19 October 2016

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/51924

 

______________ 

 

A Xenobiotic Detoxification Pathway through Transcriptional Regulation in Filamentous Fungi

2018

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6050962/

 

______________

 

Enzymes and operons mediating xenobiotic degradation in bacteria

2008

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/20014091096729

 

______________

 

Microbe and plant assisted-remediation of organic xenobiotics and its enhancement by genetically modified organisms and recombinant technology: A review

2018

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004896971830425X

 

______________ 

 

Recent Advanced Technologies for the Characterization of Xenobiotic-Degrading Microorganisms and Microbial Communities

Feb 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349180024_Recent_Advanced_Technologies_for_the_Characterization_of_Xenobiotic-Degrading_Microorganisms_and_Microbial_Communities


______________



Resource Recycling, Recovery, and Xenobiotic Remediation from E-wastes Through Biofilm Technology: A Review

07 July 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12010-022-04055-8



______________



Degradation of Xenobiotic Pollutants: An Environmentally Sustainable Approach

2022

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9505297/
 

______________


Incredible Discovery of an Entirely New Organelle That Fixes Nitrogen

Apr 22, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGkV_k8IcQ0

______________



Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are integral to nitrogen cycling in a highly fertile agricultural soil

01 June 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43705-021-00020-4

______________


Nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (N-DAMO) as a bioremediation strategy for waters affected by agricultural runoff

11 May 2023

https://academic.oup.com/femsle/article/doi/10.1093/femsle/fnad041/7160451?login=false

______________


Nitrification and beyond: metabolic versatility of ammonia oxidising archaea

14 July 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41396-023-01467-0

______________


How archaea toggle the nitrogen-uptake switch to avoid overeating

January 22, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-archaea-toggle-nitrogen-uptake-overeating.html

______________

 

Archaea, tiny helpers of land plants

2020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7516179/

______________


How leafcutter ants cultivate a fungal garden to degrade plants could provide insights into future biofuels

February 1, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-leafcutter-ants-cultivate-fungal-garden.html

______________


Non-syntrophic methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation by an archaeal species

22 December 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04235-2

______________

 
Archaeas Role in Carbon Cycle

2016

https://www.the-scientist.com/archaeas-role-in-carbon-cycle-33248

______________

These climate-friendly microbes recycle carbon without producing methane

May 6, 2021

Scientists found the newly discovered single-celled archaea living in hot spring sediments

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-microbes-recycle-carbon-methane-archaea-microbiology

______________


Autotrophic carbon fixation in archaea

10 May 2010

https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro2365

______________


CO2 removal solutions: A buyer’s perspective

February 3, 2023

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/co2-removal-solutions-a-buyers-perspective

______________


Carbon monoxide-dependent energy metabolism in anaerobic bacteria and archaea

2008

https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer-journals/carbon-monoxide-dependent-energy-metabolism-in-anaerobic-bacteria-and-c7nASeiijt

______________


Carbon monoxide-dependent energy metabolism in anaerobic bacteria and archaea.

2008

https://europepmc.org/article/MED/18575848#impact

______________


Predominance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea on granular activated carbon used in a full-scale advanced drinking water treatment plant

2010

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135410004835

______________


Hydrogenogenic and sulfidogenic growth of Thermococcus archaea on carbon monoxide and formate

31 July 2016

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0026261716040135

______________


Bioconversion of CO to formate by artificially designed carbon monoxide: formate oxidoreductase in hyperthermophilic archaea

03 June 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-022-03513-7

______________


High-Performance Recognition, Cell-Imaging, and Efficient Removal of Carbon Monoxide toward a Palladium-Mediated Fluorescent Sensing Platform

July 18, 2023

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.3c02050

______________


The removal of carbon monoxide by iron oxide nanoparticles

2002

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926337302002977

______________


Removal of Carbon Monoxide from Simulated Flue Gas Using Two New Fenton Systems: Mechanism and Kinetics

2019 Aug 20

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31389232/

______________


Complete removal of carbon monoxide in hydrogen-rich gas stream through methanation over supported metal catalysts

August 2004

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Complete-removal-of-carbon-monoxide-in-gas-stream-Takenaka-Shimizu/b65a5ed98a0c664f19594cbb67566c5d2612f0ef

______________


Energy Conservation and Hydrogenase Function in Methanogenic Archaea, in Particular the Genus Methanosarcina

2019 Sep 18

 

Summary

 

The biological production of methane is vital to the global carbon cycle and accounts for ca. 74% of total methane emissions. The organisms that facilitate this process, methanogenic archaea, belong to a large and phylogenetically diverse group that thrives in a wide range of anaerobic environments. Two main subgroups exist within methanogenic archaea: those with and those without cytochromes. Although a variety of metabolisms exist within this group, the reduction of growth substrates to methane using electrons from molecular hydrogen is, in a phylogenetic sense, the most widespread methanogenic pathway. Methanogens without cytochromes typically generate methane by the reduction of CO2 with electrons derived from H2, formate, or secondary alcohols, generating a transmembrane ion gradient for ATP production via an Na+-translocating methyltransferase (Mtr). These organisms also conserve energy with a novel flavin-based electron bifurcation mechanism, wherein the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin is facilitated by the exergonic reduction of a disulfide terminal electron acceptor coupled to either H2 or formate oxidation. Methanogens that utilize cytochromes have a broader substrate range, and can convert acetate and methylated compounds to methane, in addition to the ability to reduce CO2. Cytochrome-containing methanogens are able to supplement the ion motive force generated by Mtr with an H+-translocating electron transport system. In both groups, enzymes known as hydrogenases, which reversibly interconvert protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen, play a central role in the methanogenic process. This review discusses recent insight into methanogen metabolism and energy conservation mechanisms with a particular focus on the genus Methanosarcina.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6759668/

 

______________


Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis in archaeal phylum Verstraetearchaeota reveals the shared ancestry of all methanogens

February 27, 2019

https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1815631116

______________


Methanogenesis

Methanogenesis or biomethanation is the formation of methane coupled to energy conservation by microbes known as methanogens. Organisms capable of producing methane for energy conservation have been identified only from the domain Archaea, a group phylogenetically distinct from both eukaryotes and bacteria, although many live in close association with anaerobic bacteria. The production of methane is an important and widespread form of microbial metabolism. In anoxic environments, it is the final step in the decomposition of biomass. Methanogenesis is responsible for significant amounts of natural gas accumulations, the remainder being thermogenic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanogenesis

______________


The origin and evolution of methanogenesis and Archaea are intertwined

31 January 2023

 

Abstract

 

Methanogenesis has been widely accepted as an ancient metabolism, but the precise evolutionary trajectory remains hotly debated. Disparate theories exist regarding its emergence time, ancestral form, and relationship with homologous metabolisms. Here, we report the phylogenies of anabolism-involved proteins responsible for cofactor biosynthesis, providing new evidence for the antiquity of methanogenesis. Revisiting the phylogenies of key catabolism-involved proteins further suggests that the last Archaea common ancestor (LACA) was capable of versatile H2-, CO2-, and methanol-utilizing methanogenesis. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the methyl/alkyl-S-CoM reductase family, we propose that, in contrast to current paradigms, substrate-specific functions emerged through parallel evolution traced back to a nonspecific ancestor, which likely originated from protein-free reactions as predicted from autocatalytic experiments using cofactor F430. After LACA, inheritance/loss/innovation centered around methanogenic lithoautotrophy coincided with ancient lifestyle divergence, which is clearly reflected by genomically predicted physiologies of extant archaea. Thus, methanogenesis is not only a hallmark metabolism of Archaea, but the key to resolve the enigmatic lifestyle that ancestral archaea took and the transition that led to physiologies prominent today.



https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/2/2/pgad023/7010768?login=false

______________


Methanogenesis from Carbon Monoxide

13 March 2018

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-53114-4_4-1

______________


Evidence for nontraditional mcr-containing archaea contributing to biological methanogenesis in geothermal springs

28 Jun 2023

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adg6004

______________


Heterologous Production of an Energy-Conserving Carbon Monoxide Dehydrogenase Complex in the Hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus

2016 Jan 29

 

Abstract

 

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an important intermediate in anaerobic carbon fixation pathways in acetogenesis and methanogenesis. In addition, some anaerobes can utilize CO as an energy source. In the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus, which grows optimally at 80°C, CO oxidation and energy conservation is accomplished by a respiratory complex encoded by a 16-gene cluster containing a CO dehydrogenase, a membrane-bound [NiFe]-hydrogenase and a Na+/H+ antiporter module. This complex oxidizes CO, evolves CO2 and H2, and generates a Na+ motive force that is used to conserve energy by a Na+-dependent ATP synthase. Herein we used a bacterial artificial chromosome to insert the 13.2 kb gene cluster encoding the CO-oxidizing respiratory complex of T. onnurineus into the genome of the heterotrophic archaeon, Pyrococcus furiosus, which grows optimally at 100°C. P. furiosus is normally unable to utilize CO, however, the recombinant strain readily oxidized CO and generated H2 at 80°C. Moreover, CO also served as an energy source and allowed the P. furiosus strain to grow with a limiting concentration of sugar or with peptides as the carbon source. Moreover, CO oxidation by P. furiosus was also coupled to the re-utilization, presumably for biosynthesis, of acetate generated by fermentation. The functional transfer of CO utilization between Thermococcus and Pyrococcus species demonstrated herein is representative of the horizontal gene transfer of an environmentally relevant metabolic capability. The transfer of CO utilizing, hydrogen-producing genetic modules also has applications for biohydrogen production and a CO-based industrial platform for various thermophilic organisms.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4731540/

______________


Ammonia-oxidising archaea living at low pH: Insights from comparative genomics

02 November 2017

https://enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1462-2920.13971

______________


Unifying the global phylogeny and environmental distribution of ammonia-oxidising archaea based on amoA genes

2018

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29666365/

______________


Unexpected Complexity of the Ammonia Monooxygenase in Archaea

April 06, 2022

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.06.487334v1

______________


An evolving view of methane metabolism in the Archaea

21 January 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-018-0136-7

______________


Methanogenic archaea use a bacteria-like methyltransferase system to demethoxylate aromatic compounds

18 June 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41396-021-01025-6

______________


How Methanogenic Archaea Contribute to Climate Change

May 6, 2022

https://asm.org/Articles/2022/May/How-Methanogenic-Archaea-Contribute-to-Climate-Cha

______________


Rapid microbial methanogenesis during CO2 storage in hydrocarbon reservoirs

22 December 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04153-3

______________


Horizontal DNA transfer between bacteria in the environment

2003

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14743976/



______________


Scientists use spent brewer's yeast to filter out metal from waste streams

March 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-scientists-spent-brewer-yeast-filter.html

 

______________ 

 

Yeast uses plastic waste oils to make high-value chemicals

March 20, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-yeast-plastic-oils-high-chemicals.html

 

______________


Scientists use food industry byproduct to recover gold from electronic waste

February 29, 2024

https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-scientists-food-industry-byproduct-recover.html#google_vignette


______________

 

Mechanistic insights into the success of xenobiotic degraders resolved from metagenomes of microbial enrichment cultures

2021 Jun 10

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34329005/

 

______________ 

 

Polymer science team develops additive that can 'upcycle' a wide range of plastics

Feb 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-polymer-science-team-additive-upcycle.html

 

_______________

 

Plant-based material can remediate PFAS, new research suggests

2022

Combining plants and fungi, an NIEHS-funded technology presents an environmentally friendly approach to clean up the 'forever chemicals.

https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2022/9/science-highlights/pfas-remediation

 

______________ 

 

Is food waste the key to sustainable, plastic-free diapers and sanitary pads?

March 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-food-key-sustainable-plastic-free.html


______________

 

Scientists develop artificial worm gut to break down plastics

February 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-scientists-artificial-worm-gut-plastics.html
 

______________

 

Metagenomic analysis reveals genetic insights on biogeochemical cycling, xenobiotic degradation, and stress resistance in mudflat microbiome

2021

Highlights

    
    Metagenomic profiling of mudflat microbiome was carried out from a coastal wetland.
    

    Bacterial and archaeal communities differed between mudflats and bulk sediments.
    

    pH, AP, TOC, salinity, and vegetation were major drivers of microbiome composition.
    

    Metagenome showed genetic potential for C, N, and S cycling, xenobiotic degradation.
    

    Mudflat metagenome also possessed genes involved in plant growth and development.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479721008008


______________

 

New insights into xenobiotic tolerance of Antarctic bacteria: transcriptomic analysis of Pseudomonas sp. TNT3 during 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene biotransformation

10 February 2024

Abstract

The xenobiotic 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a highly persistent environmental contaminant, whose biotransformation by microorganisms has attracted renewed attention. In previous research, we reported the discovery of Pseudomonas sp. TNT3, the first described Antarctic bacterium with the ability to biotransform TNT. Furthermore, through genomic analysis, we identified distinctive features in this isolate associated with the biotransformation of TNT and other xenobiotics. However, the metabolic pathways and genes active during TNT exposure in this bacterium remained unexplored. In the present transcriptomic study, we used RNA-sequencing to investigate gene expression changes in Pseudomonas sp. TNT3 exposed to 100 mg/L of TNT. The results showed differential expression of 194 genes (54 upregulated and 140 downregulated), mostly encoding hypothetical proteins. The most highly upregulated gene (> 1000-fold) encoded an azoreductase enzyme not previously described. Other significantly upregulated genes were associated with (nitro)aromatics detoxification, oxidative, thiol-specific, and nitrosative stress responses, and (nitro)aromatic xenobiotic tolerance via efflux pumps. Most of the downregulated genes were involved in the electron transport chain, pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-related alcohol oxidation, and motility. These findings highlight a complex cellular response to TNT exposure, with the azoreductase enzyme likely playing a crucial role in TNT biotransformation. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of TNT biotransformation and aids in developing effective TNT bioremediation strategies. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first transcriptomic response analysis of an Antarctic bacterium during TNT biotransformation.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-024-32298-x

 

______________

 

Basic knowledge and perspectives of bioelimination of xenobiotic compounds

1996

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168165696016082

 

______________

 

An innovative approach of bioremediation in enzymatic degradation of xenobiotics

2022

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35081881/

 

______________

 

Degradation of Xenobiotic Pollutants: An Environmentally Sustainable Approach

2022

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363135453_Degradation_of_Xenobiotic_Pollutants_An_Environmentally_Sustainable_Approach

______________



Microbial Degradation of Xenobiotic Compounds

08 July 2021

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-16-0518-5_7

 

______________

 

Special Issue: Microbial Degradation of Xenobiotics

2020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7232483/

 

______________


Remediation potential of mushrooms and their spent substrate against environmental contaminants: An overview

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1878818122000500

______________


Method development and validation of ten pyrethroid insecticides in edible mushrooms by Modified QuEChERS and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

2020 Apr 27

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7184573/

______________


Which Mushrooms Work As Pesticides

March 11, 2023

https://mushroomheadquarters.com/which-mushrooms-work-as-pesticides/

______________


Mushroom-based biopesticides could cut environmental damage from synthetic chemicals


September 25, 2018

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/09/25/mushroom-based-biopesticides-could-cut-environmental-damage-from-synthetic-chemicals/

______________


New developments in integrated pest management for mushroom culture, challenges and opportunities in quality mushroom production

    January 2011

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235763500_New_developments_in_integrated_pest_management_for_mushroom_culture_challenges_and_opportunities_in_quality_mushroom_production

______________


Mushroom Based Pesticides to Revolutionize Farming

https://www.theeducationmagazine.com/mushroom-revolutionize-farming/

______________


Mushrooms (basidiomycetes) as source of mosquito control agents

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773078623000250

______________


Mycoremediation (Bioremediation with Fungi) – Growing Mushrooms to Clean the Earth. A mini-review.

July 7, 2014

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-07-07/mycoremediation-bioremediation-with-fungi-growing-mushrooms-to-clean-the-earth-a-mini-review/

______________


Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in remediation of anthropogenic soil pollution

05 May 2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13199-021-00774-4


______________

 

Biological removal of the xenobiotic trichloroethylene (TCE) through cometabolism in nitrifying systems, Bioresource Technology, 101, Issue: 1 430-433

October 2010

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255990915_Biological_removal_of_the_xenobiotic_trichloroethylene_TCE_through_cometabolism_in_nitrifying_systems_Bioresource_Technology_101_Issue_1_430-433 


______________


Opportunistic Pathogens of Recreational Waters with Emphasis on Antimicrobial Resistance—A Possible Subject of Human Health Concern

2022 Jun 14

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9224392/

______________

 

Novel AI-powered method detects antimicrobial resistance within 30 minutes

Nov 22 2023

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231122/Novel-AI-powered-method-detects-antimicrobial-resistance-within-30-minutes.aspx

 

______________

 

Xenobiotic Effects on Intestinal Stem Cell Proliferation in Adult Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L) Workers

March 7, 2014

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0091180

 

______________


Stomach bug cases increasing in Central Florida as CDC warns of a drug-resistant bacteria

March 2, 2023

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-03-02/stomach-bug-cases-increasing-in-central-florida-as-cdc-warns-of-a-drug-resistant-bacteria


______________


Antibiotics as Major Disruptors of Gut Microbiota

2020 Nov 24

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7732679/

______________

 

A compound from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics

June 6, 2023

https://today.uic.edu/a-compound-from-fruit-flies-could-lead-to-new-antibiotics/

 

______________


Contamination of Fresh Produce with Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Associated Risks to Human Health: A Scoping Review

2021 Dec 30

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8744955/


______________


How dirty is your public gym? Study shows there can be harmful bacteria

Jun 12, 2019

https://www.fox4now.com/lifestyle/health/how-dirty-is-your-public-gym-study-shows-there-can-be-harmful-bacteria

______________


Drug-Resistant Bacteria Outbreak In FL Linked To Eyedrops Spreads

Mar 8, 2023

Eye infections in 13 states, including FL, have been linked to artificial tears. One person has died and there are 8 reports of vision loss.

https://patch.com/florida/across-fl/deadly-drug-resistant-bacteria-outbreak-fl-linked-eyedrops-cdc

______________


Florida woodrat nests are laced with antibiotic-producing bacteria

15 SEP 2020

New discovery could one day lead to new antibiotics for humans

https://www.science.org/content/article/florida-woodrat-nests-are-laced-antibiotic-producing-bacteria


______________


Pseudomonas fluorescens

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudomonas_fluorescens

______________


Potentially deadly fungus spreading rapidly in US health care facilities

March 21, 2023

Cases of Candida auris doubled in 2021, according to a new CDC report.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/potentially-deadly-fungus-spreading-rapidly-us-health-care/story?id=98011655


______________


Florida is swamped by disease outbreaks as quackery replaces science

2024

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/03/florida-measles-outbreak-preventable


______________


Are Dangerous Microbes Hiding In Your Makeup? New Study Says Yes.

Dec 2, 2019

https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2019/12/02/are-dangerous-microbes-hiding-in-your-makeup-new-study-says-yes/?sh=181426a37323

______________



Archaea: current and potential biotechnological applications

2023 May 15

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37196775/

______________


Archaea in Wastewater Treatment: Current Research and Emerging Technology

2018

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/archaea/2018/6973294/


______________


The more important role of archaea than bacteria in nitrification of wastewater treatment plants in cold season despite their numerical relationships

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135418306961

______________

 

Phytoremediation of Xenobiotics: Principles and Applications in Environmental Pollution Removal

2023

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-35775-6_13

______________



Unveiling bacterial consortium for xenobiotic biodegradation from Pichavaram mangrove forest soil: a metagenomic approach

2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00203-023-03765-9

______________



Xenobiotic pollution affects transcription of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in aquatic microcosms

2022

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35525510/

______________


Recent advances in microbial engineering approaches for wastewater treatment: a review

2023 Jul 27

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10376923/

______________



Bioelectrochemical technologies for removal of xenobiotics from wastewater

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213138821006664

______________


Diversity and Niche of Archaea in Bioremediation

2018 Sep 3

Abstract

Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms for the degradation or removal of contaminants. Most bioremediation research has focused on processes performed by the domain Bacteria; however, Archaea are known to play important roles in many situations. In extreme conditions, such as halophilic or acidophilic environments, Archaea are well suited for bioremediation. In other conditions, Archaea collaboratively work alongside Bacteria during biodegradation. In this review, the various roles that Archaea have in bioremediation is covered, including halophilic hydrocarbon degradation, acidophilic hydrocarbon degradation, hydrocarbon degradation in nonextreme environments such as soils and oceans, metal remediation, acid mine drainage, and dehalogenation. Research needs are addressed in these areas. Beyond bioremediation, these processes are important for wastewater treatment (particularly industrial wastewater treatment) and help in the understanding of the natural microbial ecology of several Archaea genera.

2. Archaea in the Degradation of Organics in Hypersaline Environments

Perhaps, the most developed research area that connects Archaea to bioremediation lies within the degradation of organics in hypersaline environments. Natural hypersaline environments include salterns, salt lakes, salt marshes, salt flats (sabkhas), and oil and gas production wastewaters. The contamination of these environments with crude oil is common, and about 5% of the chemical, pharmaceutical, and oil industries have highly saline wastewater effluents in need of treatment. Members of both Bacteria and Archaea are known to inhabit such environments and these are often referred to as “halobacteria” and “haloarchaea,” respectively. Recent reviews have focused on hydrocarbon degradation by halobacteria and haloarchaea, the biotechnological potential of the hydrolytic enzyme, the biodiversity of microbial communities in halophilic environments, the potential of haloarchaea in bioremediation processes, and the growing rate of research of haloarchaea in bioremediation. Recently, a new database—called HaloDom—has compiled all isolated halophilic species into a single online resource. Many Bacteria can degrade at salinities of up to 15% such as strains of the genera Ralstonia, Halomonas, Dietzia, and Alcanivorax. Here, an overview of the haloarchaeal strains isolated on the ability to degrade hydrocarbons, such as crude oil, is provided.

The haloarchaea cluster into a single class (the class Halobacteria) within the phylum Euryarchaeota. They are typically cultured at neutral pH and temperatures of 30-45°C, and they require high salinities of 1.8–5.0 M NaCl. Many strains have been traditionally isolated on a standard nutrient media that contains heterotrophic carbon and energy sources. Table 1 lists the strains associated with hydrocarbon degradation and their degradative abilities. Additionally, a phylogenetic tree of many of these strains (where nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were available), as well as other strains and phylogenetic groups discussed in this manuscript, is shown in Figure 1. The metabolic capabilities of haloarchaea for hydrocarbon degradation appear vast, and these Archaea all inhabit a close phylogenetic association.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140281/

______________



New Uses of Haloarchaeal Species in Bioremediation Processes

13 October 2014

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/48401


______________


Haloarchaea: worth exploring for their biotechnological potential

12 September 2017

Abstract

Halophilic archaea are unique microorganisms adapted to survive under high salt conditions and biomolecules produced by them may possess unusual properties. Haloarchaeal metabolites are stable at high salt and temperature conditions that are useful for industrial applications. Proteins and enzymes of this group of archaea are functional under salt concentrations at which bacterial counterparts fail to be active. Such properties makes haloarchaeal enzymes suitable for salt-based applications and their use under dehydrating conditions. For example, bacteriorhodopsin or the purple membrane protein present in halophilic archaea has the most recognizable applications in photoelectric devices, artificial retinas, holograms etc. Haloarchaea are also useful for bioremediation of polluted hypersaline areas. Polyhydroxyalkanoates and exopolysccharides produced by these microorganisms are biodegradable and have the potential to replace commercial non-degradable plastics and polymers. Moreover, halophilic archaea have excellent potential to be used as drug delivery systems and for nanobiotechnology by virtue of their gas vesicles and S-layer glycoproteins. Despite of possible applications of halophilic archaea, laboratory-to-industrial transition of these potential candidates is yet to be established.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10529-017-2434-y

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Archaea: An Agro-Ecological Perspective

2021 May 21


Abstract

Microorganisms inhabiting bulk soil and rhizosphere play an important role in soil biogeochemical cycles leading to enhanced plant growth and productivity. In this context, the role of bacteria is well established, however, not much reports are available about the role archaea plays in this regard. Literature suggests that archaea also play a greater role in nutrient cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and other minerals, possess various plant growth promoting attributes, and can impart tolerance to various abiotic stresses (especially osmotic and oxidative) in areas of high salinity, low and high temperatures and hydrogen ion concentrations. Thermoacidophilic archaea have been found to potentially involve in bioleaching of mineral ores and bioremediation of chemical pollutants and aromatic compounds. Looking at immense potential of archaea in promoting plant growth, alleviating abiotic stresses, and remediating contaminated sites, detailed studies are required to establish their role in different ecological processes, and their interactions in rhizosphere with plant and other microflora (bacteria and fungi) in different ecosystems. In this review, a brief discussion on archaea from the agro-ecological point of view is presented.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34019119/

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Role of archaea in aquaculture: prospects and challenges

29 October 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10499-023-01317-y

______________


Diversity, metabolism and cultivation of archaea in mangrove ecosystems

02 December 2020

Abstract

Mangroves comprise a globally significant intertidal ecosystem that contains a high diversity of microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria and archaea. Archaea is a major domain of life that plays important roles in biogeochemical cycles in these ecosystems. In this review, the potential roles of archaea in mangroves are briefly highlighted. Then, the diversity and metabolism of archaeal community of mangrove ecosystems across the world are summarized and Bathyarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Woesearchaeota, and Lokiarchaeota are confirmed as the most abundant and ubiquitous archaeal groups. The metabolic potential of these archaeal groups indicates their important ecological function in carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycling. Finally, some cultivation strategies that could be applied to uncultivated archaeal lineages from mangrove wetlands are suggested, including refinements to traditional cultivation methods based on genomic and transcriptomic information, and numerous innovative cultivation techniques such as single-cell isolation and high-throughput culturing (HTC). These cultivation strategies provide more opportunities to obtain previously uncultured archaea.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42995-020-00081-9

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Distribution and genomic variation of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in abyssal and hadal surface sediments

22 December 2023

Abstract

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea of the phylum Thaumarchaeota play a central role in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen in benthic sediments, at the interface between pelagic and subsurface ecosystems. However, our understanding of their niche separation and of the processes controlling their population structure in hadal and abyssal surface sediments is still limited. Here, we reconstructed 47 AOA metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from surface sediments of the Atacama and Kermadec trench systems. They formed deep-sea-specific groups within the family Nitrosopumilaceae and were assigned to six amoA gene-based clades. MAGs from different clades had distinct distribution patterns along oxygen-ammonium counter gradients in surface sediments. At the species level, MAGs thus seemed to form different ecotypes and follow deterministic niche-based distributions. In contrast, intraspecific population structure, defined by patterns of Single Nucleotide Variants (SNV), seemed to reflect more complex contributions of both deterministic and stochastic processes. Firstly, the bathymetric range had a strong effect on population structure, with distinct populations in abyssal plains and hadal trenches. Then, hadal populations were clearly separated by trench system, suggesting a strong isolation-by-topography effect, whereas abyssal populations were rather controlled by sediment depth or geographic distances, depending on the clade considered. Interestingly, genetic variability between samples was lowest in sediment layers where the mean MAG coverage was highest, highlighting the importance of selective pressure linked with each AOA clade’s ecological niche. Overall, our results show that deep-sea AOA genome distributions seem to follow both deterministic and stochastic processes, depending on the genomic variability scale considered.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43705-023-00341-6

 

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Biotechnological potentials of halophilic microorganisms and their impact on mankind

2022 May 31

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9152817/

______________

 

Genes identified that allow bacteria to thrive despite toxic heavy metal in soil

March 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-genes-bacteria-toxic-heavy-metal.html 


______________

 

Genetically engineered microorganisms for environmental remediation

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653522032441

 

______________


Perspectives on biotechnological applications of archaea

2002 May 31

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2685559/

______________


Biotechnological applications of archaeal enzymes from extreme environments

2018

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30290805/

______________


Extremozymes: A Potential Source for Industrial Applications

2017

 Abstract

Extremophilic microorganisms have established a diversity of molecular strategies in order to survive in extreme conditions. Biocatalysts isolated by these organisms are termed extremozymes, and possess extraordinary properties of salt allowance, thermostability, and cold adaptivity. Extremozymes are very resistant to extreme conditions owing to their great solidity, and they pose new opportunities for biocatalysis and biotransformations, as well as for the development of the economy and new line of research, through their application. Thermophilic proteins, piezophilic proteins, acidophilic proteins, and halophilic proteins have been studied during the last few years. Amylases, proteases, lipases, pullulanases, cellulases, chitinases, xylanases, pectinases, isomerases, esterases, and dehydrogenases have great potential application for biotechnology, such as in agricultural, chemical, biomedical, and biotechnological processes. The study of extremozymes and their main applications have emerged during recent years.

https://www.jmb.or.kr/journal/view.html?doi=10.4014/jmb.1611.11006

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Radiation-resistant extremophiles and their potential in biotechnology and therapeutics


Abstract

Extremophiles are organisms able to thrive in extreme environmental conditions. Microorganisms with the ability to survive high doses of radiation are known as radioresistant or radiation-resistant extremophiles. Excessive or intense exposure to radiation (i.e., gamma rays, X-rays, and particularly UV radiation) can induce a variety of mutagenic and cytotoxic DNA lesions, which can lead to different forms of cancer. However, some populations of microorganisms thrive under different types of radiation due to defensive mechanisms provided by primary and secondary metabolic products, i.e., extremolytes and extremozymes. Extremolytes (including scytonemin, mycosporine-like amino acids, shinorine, porphyra-334, palythine, biopterin, and phlorotannin, among others) are able to absorb a wide spectrum of radiation while protecting the organism's DNA from being damaged. The possible commercial applications of extremolytes include anticancer drugs, antioxidants, cell-cycle-blocking agents, and sunscreens, among others. This article aims to review the strategies by which microorganisms thrive in extreme radiation environments and discuss their potential uses in biotechnology and the therapeutic industry. The major challenges that lie ahead are also discussed.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23271672/


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Archaea: Microbial Candidates in Next-generation Probiotics Development

2018


Abstract

Pharmabiotics and probiotics in current use or under development belong to 2 of 3 domains of life, Eukarya (eg, yeasts) and Bacteria (eg, lactobacilli). Archaea constitute a third domain of life, and are currently not used as probiotics, despite several interesting features. This includes the absence of known pathogens in humans, animals, or plants and the existence of some archaea closely associated to humans in various microbiomes. We promote the concept that some specific archaea that naturally thrive in the human gut are potential next-generation probiotics that can be rationally selected on the basis of their metabolic phenotype not being encountered in other human gut microbes, neither Bacteria nor Eukarya. The example of the possible bioremediation of the proatherogenic compound trimethylamine into methane by archaeal microbes is described.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29668558/

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Major Groups of Microorganisms Employed in Bioremediation

11 December 2022

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-18017-0_8

______________


August 23rd, 2016 - Pollution Science 101 -   Solutions     (Michael James Ross)

 

Pollutionscience101solutions.blogspot.com/


______________

 

August 23rd, 2016 -  Energy Science 101   - ( Pollution Science 101 ) - (Michael James Ross) 

 
EnergyScience101.blogspot.com

 

______________


Jan/7/2015 - Pollution Science 101 - Cancer Investigated (California) - (Michael James Ross)

 

  Pollutionscience101cancerinvestigated.blogspot.com

 

______________

 

 

Pollution Science 101 - Egypt (Author: Michael James Ross)

 

6/1/2020



https://pollutionscience101egypt.blogspot.com


____________


Pollution Science 101 - Russia (Michael James Ross)

 

 December 2nd, 2015

 

Pollutionscience101Russia.blogspot.com

 
____________


Pollution Science 101 - China (Author: Michael James Ross)

 

 October 6th, 2015

 

Pollutionscience101China.blogspot.com

 
____________



Pollution Science 101 - Israel  (Fate of the Middle East) (Michael Ross)

 

 8/9/2019

 

https://pollutionscience101israel.blogspot.com


____________


Pollution Science 101 - Cancer Investigated (California)  (Michael Ross)

 

Jan/7/15 


Pollutionscience101cancerinvestigated.blogspot.com


____________

 

Pollution Science 101 - Mexico - Faults of Mexico  (Author: Michael Ross)


 5/1/2019

 

https://pollutionscience101mexico.blogspot.com/

 

____________

 


 Pollution Science 101 - Texas Industry Pollution Investigated ( Texas vs BP Oil) 

 

 Feb/2/15

 

 Pollutionscience101texasvsbpoil.blogspot.com/



____________

 
Laguna Beach Government corruption: Investigative report 1/16/2017.  (Asbestos contamination & our waterways in Orange County).

 

January 16th, 2017



Lagunabeachcorruption.blogspot.com


____________


Pollution Science 101 - India - Ecological Collapse (Author: Michael Ross)

 

 10/9/2017

 

PollutionScience101india.Blogspot.com


____________

 

Pollution Science 101 - Cuba (Author: Michael Ross)

 

May 7th, 2021



https://Pollutionscience101Cuba.blogspot.com

 

____________



Pollution Science 101 - Brazil - Emergency Report (Michael Ross)

 
                                                           
 1/7/2020

 

https://pollutionscience101brazil.blogspot.com


____________

 

Eugenics in Brazil (Michael Ross)

 

1/8/2020

https://eugenicsbrazil.blogspot.com


____________


The Cephalic Investigation - Race Eugenics & Dysgenics (Skull Evolution & The History of the Lineage of Man) (Author: Michael Ross)

 

4/10/2020

https://skullevolution.blogspot.com


____________



Eugenics 101 (Dysgenics 101) - Genetics, Race, Science, Eugenics & Dysgenics  (Author: Michael Ross)

October 15th, 2020

https://eugenics101.blogspot.com


____________


Race Dysgenics: Evolution, Dysgenic De-evolution, Eugenics & Genetic Modification - The History of the Lineage of Man  (Author: Michael Ross)

 

 3/5/2019

 

 https://racedysgenics.blogspot.com


____________


The Dysgenics Investigation - Race, Science & the Human Genome Project - The Eugenics Investigation (Akoniti)  (Author: Michael Ross)


 04/19/2018

 

DysgenicsInvestigation.blogspot.com


____________


Genetically Modified Vaccines Investigated - The Eugenics Investigation (MonsantoInvestigation.com) (Author: Michael James Ross)

 

8/15/2017

 

GMOvaccinesinvestigated.blogspot.com


____________


Genetically Modified Humans & Viruses - The Eugenics Investigation (Author: Michael Ross)

 

July 7th, 2017

 

GMOhumansandviruses.blogspot.com


____________


The DuPont investigation (Author: Michael Ross)

 

Feb/18/14

 

 http://dupontinvestigation.blogspot.com

  

____________

 

King Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon - Legend (Author: Michael Ross)

 

 7/21/2019

 

https://solomonstempleinvestigation.blogspot.com

 

______________

 

 

 

 



______________

______________

______________

______________

 

Section 5: Ocean and Atmospheric Circulation


______________

______________

______________

______________

 

 

 

 

______________

The Microplastic Crisis Is Getting Exponentially Worse

Jul 10, 2023

Plastic production is skyrocketing, pushing microplastic pollution to dangerous new levels. Now research shows even the Arctic is increasingly contaminated.

https://www.wired.com/story/the-microplastic-crisis-is-getting-exponentially-worse/

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Why does the Arctic have more plastic than most places on Earth?

October 30, 2019

Plastics travel on ocean currents and through the air to the far north and accumulate—sometimes inside the animals that live there.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/remote-arctic-contains-more-plastic-than-most-places-on-earth

______________

Pervasive distribution of polyester fibres in the Arctic Ocean is driven by Atlantic inputs

12 January 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20347-1

______________


Scientists warn that a crucial ocean current could collapse, altering global weather

2-26-2024

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-02-26/researchers-warn-of-a-catastrophic-collapse-of-ocean-current

______________

 

Florida current is weaker now than at any point in the past century

August 7, 2020

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-florida-current-weaker-century.html

 

______________



Observed fingerprint of a weakening Atlantic Ocean overturning circulation

11 April 2018

 

Abstract

 

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC)—a system of ocean currents in the North Atlantic—has a major impact on climate, yet its evolution during the industrial era is poorly known owing to a lack of direct current measurements. Here we provide evidence for a weakening of the AMOC by about 3 ± 1 sverdrups (around 15 per cent) since the mid-twentieth century. This weakening is revealed by a characteristic spatial and seasonal sea-surface temperature ‘fingerprint’—consisting of a pattern of cooling in the subpolar Atlantic Ocean and warming in the Gulf Stream region—and is calibrated through an ensemble of model simulations from the CMIP5 project. We find this fingerprint both in a high-resolution climate model in response to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and in the temperature trends observed since the late nineteenth century. The pattern can be explained by a slowdown in the AMOC and reduced northward heat transport, as well as an associated northward shift of the Gulf Stream. Comparisons with recent direct measurements from the RAPID project and several other studies provide a consistent depiction of record-low AMOC values in recent years.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0006-5

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A conceptual view on inertial internal waves in relation to the subinertial flow on the central west Florida shelf

29 October 2018

Abstract

The study reported here focuses on inertial internal wave currents on the west Florida midshelf in 50 m depth. In situ observations showed that the seasonal shifts in stratification change both the frequency range of inertial internal waves and their modulation time scales. According to the analysis, the subinertial flow evolution time scales also undergo compatible seasonal variations, and the inertial internal wave currents appear to be temporally and spatially related to the subinertial flow. Specifically, the subinertial flow evolving on frontal-/quasi-geostrophic time scales appears to be accompanied by the near-inertial oscillations/inertia-gravity waves in corresponding small/finite Burger number regimes, respectively. The quasi-geostrophic subinertial currents on the west Florida shelf are probably associated with the synoptic wind-forced flow, whereas the frontal-geostrophic currents are related to the evolution of density fronts. Further details of this conceptual view should, however, be elucidated in the future.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34346-2

______________


Weakening Atlantic overturning circulation causes South Atlantic salinity pile-up

14 September 2020

Abstract

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is an active component of the Earth’s climate system1 and its response to global warming is of critical importance to society. Climate models have shown an AMOC slowdown under anthropogenic warming since the industrial revolution, but this slowdown has been difficult to detect in the short observational record because of substantial interdecadal climate variability. This has led to the indirect detection of the slowdown from longer-term fingerprints such as the subpolar North Atlantic ‘warming hole’. However, these fingerprints, which exhibit some uncertainties, are all local indicators of AMOC slowdown around the subpolar North Atlantic. Here we show observational and modelling evidence of a remote indicator of AMOC slowdown outside the North Atlantic. Under global warming, the weakening AMOC reduces the salinity divergence and then leads to a ‘salinity pile-up’ remotely in the South Atlantic. This evidence is consistent with the AMOC slowdown under anthropogenic warming and, furthermore, suggests that this weakening has likely occurred all the way into the South Atlantic.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0897-7


______________




Florida Current Salinity and Salinity Transport: Mean and Decadal Changes

09 October 2017

Key Points

    Regular sampling of the Florida Current since 1982 resolves spatial patterns of salinity and velocity and decadal changes thereof

    North Atlantic water contributes as much or more volume transport and salinity anomaly transport as South Atlantic water

    All subsurface waters salinified between 1982–1987 and 2001–2015 and caused a 3% net increase in salinity anomaly transport


https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2017GL074538



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A stable Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in a changing North Atlantic Ocean since the 1990s

27 Nov 2020

Abstract

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is crucially important to global climate. Model simulations suggest that the AMOC may have been weakening over decades. However, existing array-based AMOC observations are not long enough to capture multidecadal changes. Here, we use repeated hydrographic sections in the subtropical and subpolar North Atlantic, combined with an inverse model constrained using satellite altimetry, to jointly analyze AMOC and hydrographic changes over the past three decades. We show that the AMOC state in the past decade is not distinctly different from that in the 1990s in the North Atlantic, with a remarkably stable partition of the subpolar overturning occurring prominently in the eastern basins rather than in the Labrador Sea. In contrast, profound hydrographic and oxygen changes, particularly in the subpolar North Atlantic, are observed over the same period, suggesting a much higher decoupling between the AMOC and ocean interior property fields than previously thought.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abc7836

______________

 

Likely weakening of the Florida Current during the past century revealed by sea-level observations

07 August 2020

 

The Florida Current marks the beginning of the Gulf Stream at Florida Straits, and plays an important role in climate. Nearly continuous measurements of Florida Current transport are available at 27°N since 1982. These data are too short for assessing possible multidecadal or centennial trends. Here I reconstruct Florida Current transport during 1909–2018 using probabilistic methods and principles of ocean physics applied to the available transport data and longer coastal sea-level records. Florida Current transport likely declined steadily during the past century. Transport since 1982 has likely been weaker on average than during 1909–1981. The weakest decadal-mean transport in the last 110 y likely took place in the past two decades. Results corroborate hypotheses that the deep branch of the overturning circulation declined over the recent past, and support relationships observed in climate models between the overturning and surface western boundary current transports at multidecadal and longer timescales.



https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17761-w

 

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The evolution of the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation since 1980

01 March 2022

Abstract

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a key component of the climate through its transport of heat in the North Atlantic Ocean. Decadal changes in the AMOC, whether through internal variability or anthropogenically forced weakening, therefore have wide-ranging impacts. In this Review, we synthesize the understanding of contemporary decadal variability in the AMOC, bringing together evidence from observations, ocean reanalyses, forced models and AMOC proxies. Since 1980, there is evidence for periods of strengthening and weakening, although the magnitudes of change (5–25%) are uncertain. In the subpolar North Atlantic, the AMOC strengthened until the mid-1990s and then weakened until the early 2010s, with some evidence of a strengthening thereafter; these changes are probably linked to buoyancy forcing related to the North Atlantic Oscillation. In the subtropics, there is some evidence of the AMOC strengthening from 2001 to 2005 and strong evidence of a weakening from 2005 to 2014. Such large interannual and decadal variability complicates the detection of ongoing long-term trends, but does not preclude a weakening associated with anthropogenic warming. Research priorities include developing robust and sustainable solutions for the long-term monitoring of the AMOC, observation–modelling collaborations to improve the representation of processes in the North Atlantic and better ways to distinguish anthropogenic weakening from internal variability.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-022-00263-2

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A Vital Ocean Current Is Apparently FUBAR

Feb 13, 2024

You may not have heard of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, but it's about to become very relevant to your life.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a46758234/ocean-current-collapse-climate-change/

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Atlantic meridional overturning circulation increases flood risk along the United States southeast coast

22 August 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-40848-z

______________

 

Study will examine whether a slowing Gulf Stream could bring more Florida flooding

2023

A potential consequence of a weakening Florida Current could be higher sea levels and more sunny-day flooding.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/08/10/florida-current-climate-change-gulf-stream-ocean-flooding/

 

______________


Scientists identify asymmetry in the pressure anomalies of the mid–high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere

March 31, 2022

In the Southern Hemisphere, a zonally oriented high pressure belt extends around the globe in the subtropics and middle latitudes, while lower pressure covers the high latitudes. The pressure in these two regions fluctuates. The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) reflects such fluctuation, which shows a "seesaw" phenomenon of pressure variation in the mid–high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. It is called an "annular mode" because of the belt-shaped pressure anomaly in the middle latitudes, and its structure is zonally symmetric. However, some studies have shown some SAM events to be characterized by zonal asymmetries, the structure of which has been revealed in a recent study published in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters.

https://phys.org/news/2022-03-scientists-asymmetry-pressure-anomalies-midhigh.html

______________


Trends and variability in the Southern Annular Mode over the Common Era

22 April 2023

 

Abstract

 

The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is the leading mode of atmospheric variability in the extratropical Southern Hemisphere and has wide ranging effects on ecosystems and societies. Despite the SAM’s importance, paleoclimate reconstructions disagree on its variability and trends over the Common Era, which may be linked to variability in SAM teleconnections and the influence of specific proxies. Here, we use data assimilation with a multi-model prior to reconstruct the SAM over the last 2000 years using temperature and drought-sensitive climate proxies. Our method does not assume a stationary relationship between the SAM and the proxy records and allows us to identify critical paleoclimate records and quantify reconstruction uncertainty through time. We find no evidence for a forced response in SAM variability prior to the 20th century. We do find the modern positive trend falls outside the 2σ range of the prior 2000 years at multidecadal time scales, supporting the inference that the SAM’s positive trend over the last several decades is a response to anthropogenic climate change.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37643-1

______________


Sea surface temperature anomaly timeline: 1982-2017

Mar 6, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMXqsJ-aojc

______________


Global changes in oceanic mesoscale currents over the satellite altimetry record

22 April 2021

 

Abstract

 

Oceanic mesoscale eddies play a profound role in mixing tracers such as heat, carbon and nutrients, thereby regulating regional and global climate. Yet, it remains unclear how the eddy field has varied over the past few decades. Furthermore, climate model predictions generally do not resolve mesoscale eddies, which could limit their accuracy in simulating future climate change. Here we show a global statistically significant increase of ocean eddy activity using two independent observational datasets of surface mesoscale eddy variability (one estimates surface currents, and the other is derived from sea surface temperature). Maps of mesoscale variability trends show heterogeneous patterns, with eddy-rich regions showing a significant increase in mesoscale variability of 2–5% per decade, while the tropical oceans show a decrease in mesoscale variability. This readjustment of the surface mesoscale ocean circulation has important implications for the exchange of heat and carbon between the ocean and atmosphere.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01006-9

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Weaker Gulf Stream in the Florida Straits during the Last Glacial Maximum

09 December 1999

Abstract

As it passes through the Florida Straits, the Gulf Stream consists of two main components: the western boundary flow of the wind-driven subtropical gyre and the northward-flowing surface and intermediate waters which are part of the ‘global conveyor belt’, compensating for the deep water that is exported from the North Atlantic Ocean1. The mean flow through the Straits is largely in geostrophic balance and is thus reflected in the contrast in seawater density across the Straits. Here we use oxygen-isotope ratios of benthic foraminifera which lived along the ocean margins on the boundaries of the Florida Current during the Last Glacial Maximum to determine the density structure in the water and thereby reconstruct transport through the Straits using the geostrophic method—a technique which has been used successfully for estimating present-day flow. Our data suggest that during the Last Glacial Maximum, the density contrast across the Florida Straits was reduced, with the geostrophic flow, referenced to the bottom of the channel, at only about two-thirds of the modern value. If the wind-driven western boundary flow was not lower during the Last Glacial Maximum than today, these results indicate a significantly weaker conveyor-belt component of the Gulf Stream compared to present-day values. Whereas previous studies based on tracers suggested that deep waters of North Atlantic origin were not widespread during glacial times, indicating either a relatively weak or a shallow overturning cell, our results provide evidence that the overturning cell was indeed weaker during glacial times.

https://www.nature.com/articles/45204


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Abrupt Changes in Atmospheric Circulation During the Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age Recorded by Sr-Nd Isotopes in the Siple Dome Ice Core, Antarctica

21 March 2023

 

Abstract

 

The Southern Hemisphere westerly winds (SWW) play a critical role in global climate, yet their behavior on decadal to centennial timescales, and the mechanisms driving these changes during the preindustrial era, remain poorly understood. We present a decadally resolved record of dust compositions using strontium and neodymium isotope ratios in mineral dust from the Siple Dome ice core, Antarctica, to explore the potential that abrupt changes in SWW behavior occurred over the past millennium. The record spans portions of the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and the Little Ice Age (LIA) intervals as defined in the Northern Hemisphere. We find evidence of an abrupt strengthening of atmospheric circulation during the MCA at ∼1125 CE (825 BP) that persisted for about 60 yr, indicating increased influence of Patagonia-sourced dust. This occurs during an extended positive phase of Southern Annular Mode (SAM+)-like conditions, characterized by high SWW velocities and a southerly shift of the main wind belt toward ∼60°S, suggesting that rapid changes in SWW strength could occur under the present SAM+ pattern. A second 20 yr long shift in dust compositions during the LIA at ∼1748 CE (200 BP) is coincident with higher dust delivery to Siple Dome, and may indicate increased dust emissions related to glacier activity in Patagonia. The new Siple Dome ice core data set demonstrates that Sr-Nd isotopes can be used to trace shifts in atmospheric circulation on decadal timescales.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022PA004543

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Mississippi mud reveals secrets of Antarctica’s ancient expansion

Study of microscopic fossils taken from Mississippi sediment cores reveals climate feedback that acted as temporary brake on an ancient cooling event

21 August 2023

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/mississippi-mud-reveals-secrets-of-antarcticas-ancient-expansion

 

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Impact of changes in sea surface temperature due to climate change on hurricane wind and storm surge hazards across US Atlantic and Gulf coast regions

09 July 2023

Abstract

Communities in US coastal regions are threatened by hurricanes more than ever, and the effect of climate change may further aggravate the risk and corresponding losses in the future. This paper investigates the potential impact of changes in sea surface temperature (SST) on hurricane wind and storm surge hazards for the Atlantic and Gulf coast regions. An empirical track model that uses SST as an input is used to account for the effect of temperature variations on hurricane intensity. The storm surge hazard is modeled using Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH). Four projected future climate conditions based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenarios are adopted to capture the effect of changes in SST on future hurricane intensity. The impacts of changes in hurricane frequency and sea-level rise are also considered. The results show that the projected increase in the average SST will lead to more intense hurricanes by the end of the twenty-first century. An increase in wind speed for all the studied sites with varying degrees is observed. The most significant increase in wind speeds is observed on the northeast Atlantic coast, with some areas showing an increase of more than 60% for high return period winds under the most extreme future climate scenario. This is because a higher increase in SST is observed in such areas, which will lead to more intense hurricanes in the future. An increasing trend is also observed for the storm surge for all the study sites in the future. However, the largest increase in predicted surge heights is mainly seen in the Gulf Coast locations.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452-023-05423-7

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The weakening AMOC under extreme climate change

06 October 2023

 

Abstract

 

Changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the quadrupled CO2 experiments conducted under the sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) are examined. Increased CO2 triggers extensive Arctic warming, causing widespread melting of sea ice. The resulting freshwater spreads southward, first from the Labrador Sea and then the Nordic Seas, and proceeds along the eastern coast of North America. The freshwater enters the subpolar gyre north of the separated Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current. This decreases the density gradient across the current and the current weakens in response, reducing the inflow to the deepwater production regions. The AMOC cell weakens in tandem, first near the North Atlantic Current and then spreading to higher and lower latitudes. This contrasts with the common perception that freshwater caps the convection regions, stifling deepwater production; rather, it is the inflow to the subpolar gyre that is suppressed. Changes in surface temperature have a much weaker effect, and there are no consistent changes in local or remote wind forcing among the models. Thus an increase in freshwater discharge, primarily from the Labrador Sea, is the precursor to AMOC weakening in these simulations.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00382-023-06957-7

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Understanding the Southern Annular Mode (SAM)

Jun 12, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrhWsXCB3u8

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South Atlantic Anomaly

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is an area where Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to Earth's surface, dipping down to an altitude of 200 kilometres (120 mi). This leads to an increased flux of energetic particles in this region and exposes orbiting satellites (including the ISS) to higher-than-usual levels of ionizing radiation.

The effect is caused by the non-concentricity of Earth and its magnetic dipole and has been observed to be increasing in intensity recently.[quantify] The SAA is the near-Earth region where Earth's magnetic field is weakest relative to an idealized Earth-centered dipole field.

Definition

The area of the SAA is confined by the intensity of Earth's magnetic field at less than 32,000 nanotesla at sea level,[1] which corresponds to the dipolar magnetic field at ionospheric altitudes.[2] However, the field itself varies in intensity as a gradient.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Atlantic_Anomaly

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Non-monotonic growth and motion of the South Atlantic Anomaly

2001

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40623-021-01356-w

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Geomagnetic South Atlantic Anomaly and global sea level rise: A direct connection?

2011

 

We highlight the existence of an intriguing and to date unreported relationship between the surface area of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) of the geomagnetic field and the current trend in global sea level rise. These two geophysical variables have been growing coherently during the last three centuries, thus strongly suggesting a causal relationship supported by some statistical tests. The monotonic increase of the SAA surface area since 1600 may have been associated with an increased inflow of radiation energy through the inner Van Allen belt with a consequent warming of the Earth's atmosphere and finally global sea level rise. An alternative suggestive and original explanation is also offered, in which pressure changes at the core–mantle boundary cause surface deformations and relative sea level variations. Although we cannot establish a clear connection between SAA dynamics and global warming, the strong correlation between the former and global sea level supports the idea that global warming may be at least partly controlled by deep Earth processes triggering geomagnetic phenomena, such as the South Atlantic Anomaly, on a century time scale.

 

Highlights

 

► We compare South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) surface and sea level in the last 300 years. ► SAA and sea level show a strong correlation supported by statistical tests. ► Increasing the SAA surface may have increased the inflow of radiation energy. ► The radiation energy may have warmed the atmosphere causing the sea level change. ► Alternatively magnetic field and sea level changes may have a common internal cause.



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364682611002896

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Slowdown of Antarctic Bottom Water export driven by climatic wind and sea-ice changes

12 June 2023

 

Abstract

 

Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) is pivotal for oceanic heat and carbon sequestrations on multidecadal to millennial timescales. The Weddell Sea contributes nearly a half of global AABW through Weddell Sea Deep Water and denser underlying Weddell Sea Bottom Water that form on the continental shelves via sea-ice production. Here we report an observed 30% reduction of Weddell Sea Bottom Water volume since 1992, with the largest decrease in the densest classes. This is probably driven by a multidecadal reduction in dense-water production over southern continental shelf associated with a >40% decline in the sea-ice formation rate. The ice production decrease is driven by northerly wind trend, related to a phase transition of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation since the early 1990s, superposed by Amundsen Sea Low intrinsic variability. These results reveal key influences on exported AABW to the Atlantic abyss and their sensitivity to large-scale, multidecadal climate variability.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-023-01695-4

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Influence of glacial ice sheets on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation through surface wind change

31 July 2017

Abstract

Coupled modeling studies have recently shown that the existence of the glacial ice sheets intensifies the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). However, most models show a strong AMOC in their simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), which is biased compared to reconstructions that indicate both a weaker and stronger AMOC during the LGM. Therefore, a detailed investigation of the mechanism behind this intensification of the AMOC is important for a better understanding of the glacial climate and the LGM AMOC. Here, various numerical simulations are conducted to focus on the effect of wind changes due to glacial ice sheets on the AMOC and the crucial region where the wind modifies the AMOC. First, from atmospheric general circulation model experiments, the effect of glacial ice sheets on the surface wind is evaluated. Second, from ocean general circulation model experiments, the influence of the wind stress change on the AMOC is evaluated by applying wind stress anomalies regionally or at different magnitudes as a boundary condition. These experiments demonstrate that glacial ice sheets intensify the AMOC through an increase in the wind stress at the North Atlantic mid-latitudes, which is induced by the North American ice sheet. This intensification of the AMOC is caused by the increased oceanic horizontal and vertical transport of salt, while the change in sea ice transport has an opposite, though minor, effect. Experiments further show that the Eurasian ice sheet intensifies the AMOC by directly affecting the deep-water formation in the Norwegian Sea.



https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00382-017-3780-0

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Interbasin and interhemispheric impacts of a collapsed Atlantic Overturning Circulation

06 June 2022

Climate projections suggest a weakening or collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) under global warming, with evidence that a slowdown is already underway. This could have significant ramifications for Atlantic Ocean heat transport, Arctic sea ice extent and regional North Atlantic climate. However, the potential for far-reaching effects, such as teleconnections to adjacent basins and into the Southern Hemisphere, remains unclear. Here, using a global climate model we show that AMOC collapse can accelerate the Pacific trade winds and Walker circulation by leaving an excess of heat in the tropical South Atlantic. This tropical warming drives anomalous atmospheric convection, resulting in enhanced subsidence over the east Pacific and a strengthened Walker circulation and trade winds. Further teleconnections include weakening of the Indian and South Atlantic subtropical highs and deepening of the Amundsen Sea Low. These findings have important implications for understanding the global climate response to ongoing greenhouse gas increases.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01380-y

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Atmospheric trends explained by changes in frequency of short-term circulation patterns

19 April 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00785-7

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Simulated impact of altered Southern Hemisphere winds on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

2008

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251427761_Simulated_impact_of_altered_Southern_Hemisphere_winds_on_the_Atlantic_Meridional_Overturning_Circulation

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Dynamics of Southern Hemisphere Atmospheric Circulation Response to Anthropogenic Aerosol Forcing

28 September 2020

 Abstract

Anthropogenic aerosols, concentrated largely in the Northern Hemisphere, not only affect the local climate but also induce pronounced changes in atmospheric circulation that extend into the Southern Hemisphere (SH). In coupled historical single-forcing simulations, aerosol forcing induces a deceleration of both the subpolar jet (SPJ) and the subtropical jet (STJ) in SH in austral winter. Atmospheric general circulation model experiments indicate that the STJ is weakened by an interhemisphere gradient in the zonal mean sea surface temperature (SST) and an anomalous cross-equatorial Hadley circulation, while the SPJ response shares similar feedbacks with the greenhouse gas forcing. Specifically, atmospheric eddy adjustments are important for the SPJ change. The atmospheric response unique to anthropogenic aerosol forcing (e.g., cross-equatorial Hadley cell and the weakened SH STJ) can be exploited for climate change attribution.

Key Points

    The Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation change is identified in response to anthropogenic aerosol forcing

    The aerosol forcing weakens the subtropical jet and strengthens the subpolar jet due to the interhemisphere asymmetric SST response
 
   The spatially uniform cooling effect of aerosols induces a subpolar and subtropical jet change similar to the GHG effect with sign reversed


https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL089919

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Southern Hemisphere westerly wind changes during the Last Glacial Maximum: model-data comparison

2012

 

Abstract

 

The Southern Hemisphere (SH) westerly winds are thought to be critical to global ocean circulation, productivity, and carbon storage. For example, an equatorward shift in the winds, though its affect on the Southern Ocean circulation, has been suggested as the leading cause for the reduction in atmospheric CO2 during the Last Glacial period. Despite the importance of the winds, it is currently not clear, from observations or model results, how they behave during the Last Glacial. Here, an atmospheric modelling study is performed to help determine likely changes in the SH westerly winds during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Using LGM boundary conditions, the maximum in SH westerlies is strengthened by ∼+1 m s−1 and moved southward by ∼2° at the 850 hPa pressure level. Boundary layer stabilisation effects over equatorward extended LGM sea-ice can lead to a small apparent equatorward shift in the wind band at the surface. Further sensitivity analysis with individual boundary condition changes indicate that changes in sea surface temperatures are the strongest factor behind the wind change. The HadAM3 atmospheric simulations, along with published PMIP2 coupled climate model simulations, are then assessed against the newly synthesised database of moisture observations for the LGM. Although the moisture data is the most commonly cited evidence in support of a large equatorward shift in the SH winds during the LGM, none of the models that produce realistic LGM precipitation changes show such a large equatorward shift. In fact, the model which best simulates the moisture proxy data is the HadAM3 LGM simulation which shows a small poleward wind shift. While we cannot prove here that a large equatorward shift would not be able to reproduce the moisture data as well, we show that the moisture proxies do not provide an observational evidence base for it.


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277379112005215

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Weird behavior of Earth's magnetic field over South Atlantic dates back 11 million years

July 06, 2022

Strange behavior in Earth's magnetic field over the South Atlantic region can be traced back as far as 11 million years ago, and it's unlikely to cause any impending reversal of Earth's magnetic field, a new study shows.

The South Atlantic Anomaly is a weak spot in Earth's magnetic field, which protects the planet from high doses of solar wind and cosmic radiation. This anomaly exists because the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to the planet’s surface, causing an increased flux of energetic particles. In turn, this anomaly also causes technical disturbances in satellites and spacecraft orbiting Earth.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool in England studied igneous, or volcanic rocks from the island Saint Helena, which lies in the South Atlantic Anomaly. Records of Earth's magnetic field are preserved in igneous rocks, offering a detailed view of the planet's magnetic history.

"Our study provides the first long term analysis of the magnetic field in this region dating back millions of years," Yael Engbers, lead author of the study, said in a statement. "It reveals that the anomaly in the magnetic field in the South Atlantic is not a one-off, similar anomalies existed eight to 11 million years ago."

Researchers studied rocks from 34 volcanic eruptions that occurred at Saint Helena between 8 and 11 million years ago. When volcanic rocks cool down, small grains of iron-oxide in them get magnetized, preserving the direction and strength of the Earth’s magnetic field at that time and place.

Earth's magnetic field lines run from south to north. The geomagnetic records from the rocks show that the magnetic field at Saint Helena has pointed in different directions during past eruptions. This suggests that the magnetic field in this region has been unstable for millions of years.

Earth's magnetic field changes in strength and direction over time. It is believed that these fluctuations may eventually trigger a reversal of the Earth's magnetic field. However, given that the magnetic field at the region of the South Atlantic Anomaly has been unstable for several million years, it is not likely associated with any such impending reversal, according to the statement.

"It also supports earlier studies that hint towards a link between the South Atlantic Anomaly and anomalous seismic features in the lowermost mantle and the outer core," Engbers said in the statement. "This brings us closer to linking behavior of the geomagnetic field directly to features of the Earth's interior."

https://www.space.com/south-atlantic-anomaly-11-million-years.html


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The South Atlantic Anomaly May Go Back Far Longer Than Anybody Knew

21 July 2020

For years, scientists have been gripped by the existence of a strange anomaly weakening Earth's magnetic field. It's located in the midst of the South Atlantic ocean, extending all the way from South America to the west coast of southern Africa.

This giant, puzzling expanse of reduced magnetic intensity – which in recent times looks to be splitting into two divided entities – means the region offers less protection against harmful radiation from the Sun for Earth's satellites.

That's a problem for spacecraft today. But perhaps the greatest significance of the 'South Atlantic Anomaly' is what it might mean for tomorrow: specifically, whether the mysterious phenomenon foreshadows the beginnings of a complete polar reversal of Earth's magnetic field.

Such giant magnetic flips have occurred many times in our planet's history, and some scientists have speculated that the South Atlantic Anomaly could be a kind of precursor to these rare global transitions.

Not so, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Liverpool in the UK. The alternative explanation they have is, in some ways, even stranger: the South Atlantic Anomaly is not so much a freak irregularity of recent history, but a recurrent magnetic phenomenon that has affected Earth since as far back as 11 million years ago.

"Our study provides the first long-term analysis of the magnetic field in this region dating back millions of years," says first author and palaeomagnetism researcher Yael Engbers.

"It reveals that the anomaly in the magnetic field in the South Atlantic is not a one-off, similar anomalies existed eight to 11 million years ago."

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-mysterious-magnetic-anomaly-in-the-south-atlantic-existed-millions-of-years-ago

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Mantle convection linked to seaway closure that transformed Earth's oceanographic circulation patterns

March 4, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-mantle-convection-linked-seaway-closure.html 


_____________


The relationship between sea surface temperature anomaly and wind energy input in the Pacific Ocean

2009

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S100200710900166X

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Enhanced warming over the global subtropical western boundary currents

29 January 2012

https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate1353

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Changes in US wind speeds since 2000 point to a dynamic landscape

13 Sep, 2022

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/research/changes-in-us-wind-speeds-since-2000-point-to-a-dynamic-landscape

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Fast upper-level jet stream winds get faster under climate change

30 November 2023

Abstract

Earth’s upper-level jet streams influence the speed and direction of travel of weather systems and commercial aircraft, and are linked to severe weather occurrence. Climate change is projected to accelerate the average upper-level jet stream winds. However, little is known about how fast (>99th percentile) upper-level jet stream winds will change. Here we show that fast upper-level jet stream winds get faster under climate change using daily data from climate model projections across a hierarchy of physical complexity. Fast winds also increase ~2.5 times more than the average wind response. We show that the multiplicative increase underlying the fast-get-faster response follows from the nonlinear Clausius–Clapeyron relation (moist-get-moister response). The signal is projected to emerge in both hemispheres by 2050 when considering scenario uncertainty. The results can be used to explain projected changes in commercial flight times, record-breaking winds, clear-air turbulence and a potential increase in severe weather occurrence under climate change.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-023-01884-1

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A Florida climate scientist says hurricanes are intensifying and becoming more frequent

October 19, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-10-19/florida-climate-scientist-hurricanes-intensifying-becoming-more-frequent

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 2023 Atlantic hurricane season ranks 4th for most-named storms in a year

November 28, 2023

NOAA advances modeling and observation capabilities during the season

The above-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ends on Nov. 30, was characterized by record-warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures and a strong El Nino.

The Atlantic basin saw 20 named storms in 2023, which ranks fourth for the most-named storms in a year since 1950. Seven storms were hurricanes and three intensified to major hurricanes. An average season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. 

 


 

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured Hurricane Idalia approaching the western coast of Florida while Hurricane Franklin churned in the Atlantic Ocean at 5:01 p.m. EDT on August 29, 2023.



https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/2023-atlantic-hurricane-season-ranks-4th-for-most-named-storms-in-year

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Hurricanes are becoming so strong a new category may be needed, study says

Feb 9, 2024

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/02/hurricanes-becoming-strong-new-category-6-needed/

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As Florida sees stronger hurricanes, some say we should brace for a Category 6

February 6, 2024

https://www.wusf.org/weather/2024-02-06/florida-stronger-hurricanes-climate-scientists-category-6

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Scientists explore whether to add a "Category 6" designation for hurricanes

February 6, 2024


https://www.npr.org/2024/02/06/1229440080/scientists-explore-whether-to-add-a-category-6-designation-for-hurricanes

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Satellite Observations of Imprint of Oceanic Current on Wind Stress by Air-Sea Coupling

18 December 2017

 

Abstract

 

Mesoscale eddies are present everywhere in the ocean and partly determine the mean state of the circulation and ecosystem. The current feedback on the surface wind stress modulates the air-sea transfer of momentum by providing a sink of mesoscale eddy energy as an atmospheric source. Using nine years of satellite measurements of surface stress and geostrophic currents over the global ocean, we confirm that the current-induced surface stress curl is linearly related to the current vorticity. The resulting coupling coefficient between current and surface stress (sτ [N s m−3]) is heterogeneous and can be roughly expressed as a linear function of the mean surface wind. sτ expresses the sink of eddy energy induced by the current feedback. This has important implications for air-sea interaction and implies that oceanic mean and mesoscale circulations and their effects on surface-layer ventilation and carbon uptake are better represented in oceanic models that include this feedback.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-17939-1

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Mysterious South Atlantic Anomaly is “Deepening,” Recent Government Report Says

March 24, 2023

An anomalous magnetic region in the South Atlantic Ocean is growing, according to data that appeared in a government report published earlier this year.

The South Atlantic Anomaly is a location in the southern Atlantic where the innermost portions of the natural zone of energetic charged particles encircling Earth, known as the Van Allen radiation belt, makes its closest approach to the planet. The resulting outflow of energized particles produces a higher yield of ionizing radiation detectable by satellites orbiting Earth.

 


 



https://thedebrief.org/mysterious-south-atlantic-anomaly-is-deepening-recent-government-report-says/

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A shift in the ocean circulation has warmed the subpolar North Atlantic Ocean since 2016

26 February 2021

Abstract

The Subpolar North Atlantic is known for rapid reversals of decadal temperature trends, with ramifications encompassing the large-scale meridional overturning and gyre circulations, Arctic heat and mass balances, or extreme continental weather. Here, we combine datasets derived from sustained ocean observing systems (satellite and in situ), idealized observation-based modelling (advection-diffusion of a passive tracer), and a machine learning technique (ocean profile clustering) to document and explain the most-recent and ongoing cooling-to-warming transition of the Subpolar North Atlantic. Following a gradual cooling of the region that was persisting since 2006, a surface-intensified and large-scale warming sharply emerged in 2016 following an ocean circulation shift that enhanced the northeastward penetration of warm and saline waters from the western subtropics. The long ocean memory of the Subpolar North Atlantic implies that this advection-driven warming is likely to persist in the near-future with possible implications for the Atlantic multidecadal variability and its global impacts.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00120-y

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Ocean warming and accelerating Southern Ocean zonal flow

29 November 2021

Abstract

The Southern Ocean (>30° S) has taken up a large amount of anthropogenic heat north of the Subantarctic Front (SAF) of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Poor sampling before the 1990s and decadal variability have heretofore masked the ocean’s dynamic response to this warming. Here we use the lengthening satellite altimetry and Argo float records to show robust acceleration of zonally averaged Southern Ocean zonal flow at 48° S–58° S. This acceleration is reproduced in a hierarchy of climate models, including an ocean-eddy-resolving model. Anthropogenic ocean warming is the dominant driver, as large (small) heat gain in the downwelling (upwelling) regime north (south) of the SAF causes zonal acceleration on the northern flank of the ACC and adjacent subtropics due to increased baroclinicity; strengthened wind stress is of secondary importance. In Drake Passage, little warming occurs and the SAF velocity remains largely unchanged. Continued ocean warming could further accelerate Southern Ocean zonal flow.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01212-5

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Changing El Niño–Southern Oscillation in a warming climate

17 August 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-021-00199-z

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Understanding wind and water at the equator are key to more accurate future climate projections: Study

March 6, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-equator-key-accurate-future-climate.html

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How Does El Niño–Southern Oscillation Change Under Global Warming—A First Look at CMIP6

22 October 2020

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020GL090640

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Record warm ocean temperatures threaten Florida’s coral reef

El Niño, climate change fueling ocean heat

 July 12, 2023

https://www.clickorlando.com/weather/2023/07/12/record-warm-ocean-temperatures-threatening-floridas-coral-reef/

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El Niño–Southern Oscillation complexity

25 July 2018

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0252-6

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El Niño

Pacific Wind and Current Changes Bring Warm, Wild Weather

February 14, 2017

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/ElNino

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Unusual nighttime impulsive foF2 enhancement below the southern anomaly crest under geomagnetically quiet conditions


2011

 Abstract

An unusual nighttime impulsive electron density enhancement was observed on 6 March 2010 over a wide region of South America, below the southern crest of the equatorial anomaly, under low solar activity and quiet geomagnetic conditions. The phenomenon was observed almost simultaneously by the F2 layer critical frequency (foF2) recorded at three ionospheric stations which are widely distributed in space, namely Cachoeira Paulista (22.4°S, 44.6°W, magnetic latitude 13.4°S), São José dos Campos (23.2°S, 45.9°W, magnetic latitude 14.1°S), Brazil, and Tucumán (26.9°S, 65.4°W, magnetic latitude 16.8°S), Argentina. Although in a more restricted region over Tucumán, the phenomenon was also observed by the total electron content (TEC) maps computed by using measurements from 12 GPS receivers. The investigated phenomenon is very particular because besides being of brief duration, it is characterized by a pronounced compression of the ionosphere. This compression was clearly visible both by the virtual height of the base of the F region (h′F) recorded at the aforementioned ionospheric stations, and by both the vertical electron density profiles and the slab thickness computed over Tucumán. Consequently, neither an enhanced fountain effect nor plasma diffusion from the plasmasphere can be considered as the single cause of this unusual event. A thorough analysis of isoheight and isofrequency ionosonde plots suggest that traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) caused by gravity wave (GW) propagation could have likely played a significant role in causing the phenomenon.
Key Points

    Unusual nighttime impulsive foF2 enhancement at the southern anomaly crest
    Evidence that MSTIDs can propagate equatorward of the equatorial anomalies
    Better understanding of the day-to-day variability of the equatorial ionosphere

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2011JA016593

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Effects of Electric Field and Neutral Wind on the Asymmetry of Equatorial Ionization Anomaly

17 April 2018

 Abstract

The zonal electric field and the meridional neutral wind are the principal drivers that define the geometry and characteristics of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). Here we present the response of the EIA to the variability of the zonal electric field based on measurements of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) currents and trans-equatorial neutral winds for the generation and control of the asymmetries of the EIA crests of total electron content (TEC) in the western side of the South American continent. The EEJ strengths are determined using a pair of magnetometers. The 24-hr trans-equatorial neutral wind profile is measured using the Second-Generation, Optimized, Fabry-Perot Doppler Imager (SOFDI) located near the geomagnetic equator. The EIA is evaluated using TEC data measured by Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers from the Low-Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network and several other networks in South America. A physics-based numerical model, Low-Latitude Ionospheric Sector, and SOFDI data are used to study the effects of daytime meridional neutral winds on the consequent evolution of an asymmetry in equatorial TEC anomalies during the afternoon and onward for the first time. We find that the configuration parameters such as strength, shape, amplitude, and latitudinal width of the EIAs are affected by the eastward electric field associated with the EEJ under undisturbed conditions. The asymmetries of EIA crests are observed more frequently during solstices and the September equinox than in the March equinox season. Importantly, this study indicates that the meridional neutral wind plays a very significant role in the development of the EIA asymmetry by transporting the plasma up the field lines. This result suggests that a precise observation of the latitudinal TEC profile at low latitudes can be used to derive the meridional wind.


https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2017RS006428


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Cross-equatorial winds control El Niño diversity and change

06 August 2018

 

Abstract

 

Over the past two decades, El Niño events have weakened on average and their sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies shifted westward towards the central Pacific. Moreover, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), which typically migrates southward from its northerly position during El Niño events, has not crossed the Equator since 1998. The causes of these changes remain under debate. Here, using in situ, satellite and atmospheric reanalysis data, we show they can be related to a multidecadal strengthening of cross-equatorial winds in the eastern Pacific. This gradual strengthening of meridional winds is unlikely to be caused by El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) changes, and contains signals forced both locally and from outside the tropical Pacific, probably from the tropical North Atlantic. Coupled model simulations in which the observed cross-equatorial wind strengthening is superimposed successfully reproduce the key features of the recent changes in tropical climate. In particular, the tropical mean state experiences a ‘La Niña-like’ change, the ENSO amplitude weakens by about 20%, the centre of the SST anomalies shifts westward and the ITCZ now rarely crosses the Equator. Thus, cross-equatorial winds are found to modulate tropical Pacific mean state and variability, with implications for quantifying projected changes in ENSO under anthropogenic warming.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0248-0

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Southward flow on the western flank of the Florida Current

2017

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063715301825

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Strengthening Southern Hemisphere Westerlies and Amundsen Sea Low Deepening Over the 20th Century Revealed by Proxy-Data Assimilation

29 November 2021

 Abstract

Winds and pressure over the Southern Ocean are critical to many aspects of the climate system, but the brevity of climate data in this region makes it challenging to interpret recent changes. Here, we reconstruct 20th century sea level pressure and zonal surface wind anomalies over the Southern Ocean, using data assimilation with a global paleoclimate proxy database and four climate-model priors. The reconstructions agree well with instrumental reanalysis products, especially in the circumpolar westerly and Pacific regions. We observe significant strengthening in the midlatitude Pacific westerlies, associated with a deepening Amundsen Sea Low, throughout the 20th century in all four reconstructions. When the prior includes anthropogenic forcing, we observe poleward-shifting circumpolar westerlies throughout the 20th century. Our results highlight the combined roles of natural variability and anthropogenic forcing, and the zonally asymmetric character of atmospheric circulation changes at high southern latitudes, with implications for Antarctic ice sheet change.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021GL095999


______________


Imprint of Southern Ocean eddies on winds, clouds and rainfall

07 July 2013

https://www.nature.com/articles/ngeo1863

______________


Study reveals origin of 'motion of the ocean' in the straits of Florida

June 17, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-06-reveals-motion-ocean-straits-florida.html

______________


Florida Current

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Current

______________


Stratospheric ozone depletion and tropospheric ozone increases drive Southern Ocean interior warming

31 March 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01320-w


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The 2002 ocean color anomaly in the Florida Bight: A cause of local coral reef decline?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228888378_The_2002_ocean_color_anomaly_in_the_Florida_Bight_A_cause_of_local_coral_reef_decline


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With Florida ocean temperatures topping 100, experts warn of damage to marine life

July 26, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/26/1190218132/florida-ocean-temperatures-101-marine-life-damage

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The Ocean Has a Fever

August 21, 2023

In March and April 2023, some earth scientists began to point out that average sea surface temperatures had surpassed the highest levels seen in a key data record maintained by NOAA. Months later, they remain at record levels, with global sea surface temperatures 0.99°C (1.78°F) above average in July. That was the fourth consecutive month they were at record levels.

Scientists from NASA have taken a closer look at why. “There are a lot of things that affect the world’s sea surface temperatures, but two main factors have pushed them to record heights,” said Josh Willis, an oceanographer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). “We have an El Niño developing in the Pacific, and that’s on top of long-term global warming that has been pushing ocean temperatures steadily upward almost everywhere for a century.”

The map above shows sea surface temperature anomalies on August 21, 2023, when many areas were more than 3°C (5.4°F) warmer than normal. On that date, much of the central and eastern regions of the equatorial Pacific were unusually warm, the signature of a developing El Niño. As has been the case for weeks, large patches of warm water were also present in the Northwest Pacific near Japan and the Northeast Pacific near California and Oregon. Portions of the Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans also showed unusual warmth.

The map is based on data from the Multiscale Ultrahigh Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (MUR SST) project, a JPL effort that blends measurements of sea surface temperatures from multiple NASA, NOAA, and international satellites, as well as ship and buoy observations. Rather than showing absolute temperature, the anomaly reflects the difference between the sea surface temperature on August 21, 2023, and the 2003-2014 average for that day. The video below, also based on MUR SST data, shows global sea surface temperatures since April 1, 2023, the period when they have been at record-breaking levels. The warmest waters appear dark red.

“Over the long term, we’re seeing more heat and warmer sea surface temperatures pretty much everywhere,” said Gavin Schmidt, the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “That long-term trend is almost entirely attributable to human forcing—the fact that we've put such a huge amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere since the start of the industrial era.”

Schmidt noted that other factors—such as weather and wind patterns or the distribution of dust and aerosols—have short-term effects on sea surface temperatures in certain regions, but they generally have a minor effect on the longer-term global mean. Previous research shows that as much as 90 percent of the excess heat that has occurred in recent decades due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions is absorbed by the ocean, with much of that heat stored near the surface.

The most important factor that helped push sea surface temperatures into record territory in 2023 was the evolving El Niño in the Pacific, according to Willis. He came to that conclusion by analyzing the timing and intensity of sea surface temperature anomalies in several regions and comparing them to the global trend.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151743/the-ocean-has-a-fever

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Section 6: The Bermuda Triangle

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 Experts Claim They Might Have 'Solved' The Bermuda Triangle Mystery

21 October 2016

A story has gone viral this morning claiming that experts have finally 'solved' the Bermuda Triangle mystery, with the discovery of strange, hexagonal-shaped clouds covering the region.

 

 

According to a new Science Channel documentary on the issue, these hexagonal clouds are creating winds of 106 kilometres per hour (65 mph) that act as "air bombs" to sink ships and bring down planes.

https://www.sciencealert.com/experts-claim-they-might-have-have-solved-the-bermuda-triangle-mystery

 

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Stunning Photos: Saturn's Weird Hexagon Vortex Storms

December 4, 2013

 

 

 


 

This collage of images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on Dec. 2, 2016 shows Saturn's northern hemisphere and rings as viewed with four different spectral filters.

https://www.space.com/18674-saturn-vortex-hexagon-storm-photos.html

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Bizarre Giant Hexagon on Saturn May Finally Be Explained

September 22, 2015

 


 

 

The huge, mysterious hexagon at Saturn's north pole may finally have an explanation.

 

The bizarre hexagonal cloud pattern was first discovered in 1988 by scientists reviewing data from NASA's Voyager flybys of Saturn in 1980 and 1981, but its existence was not confirmed until NASA's Cassini spacecraft observed the ringed planet up-close years later.

 

Nothing like the hexagon has ever been seen on any other world. The structure, which contains a churning storm at its center, is about 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) wide, and thermal images show that it reaches roughly 60 miles (100 km) down into Saturn's atmosphere...

 

The scientists ran computer simulations of an eastward jet flowing in a curving path near Saturn's north pole. Small perturbations in the jet — the kind one might expect from jostling with other air currents — made it meander into a hexagonal shape. Moreover, this simulated hexagon spun around its center at speeds close to that of the real one.

The scenario that best fits Saturn's hexagon involves shallow jets at the cloud level, study team members said. Winds below the cloud level apparently help keep the shape of the hexagon sharp and control the rate at which the hexagon drifts.

Different models, such as ones that involve deeper winds or do not take winds lower down into account, do not match Saturn's hexagon well. For instance, they might result in a six-pointed star, or shapes with more or less than six points, or six pairs of storms arranged in a hexagonal pattern.

Morales-Juberías would now like to compare this new research with models from other research teams to see how these findings hold up. He and his colleagues detailed their findings in June in the journal Astrophysical Journal Letters.

 



https://www.space.com/30608-mysterious-saturn-hexagon-explained.html

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Saturn’s Newfound Aurora Comes From Speedy Winds High In The Atmosphere

Mar 2, 2022

https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethhowell1/2022/03/02/saturns-newfound-aurora-comes-from-speedy-winds-high-in-the-atmosphere/?sh=411e8dcf5e80

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Scientists discover the hidden force behind Saturn’s Aurora Borealis

Feb 09, 2022

https://interestingengineering.com/saturn-aurora-borealis

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Jupiter's Pentagon Turns Hexagon

Dec. 12, 2019 

 

 

In this annotated infrared image, six cyclones form a hexagonal pattern around a central cyclone at Jupiter's south pole. The image was generated from data collected on Nov. 4, 2019, by the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument aboard NASA's Juno mission during its 23rd science pass of the planet. The JIRAM instrument measures heat radiated from the planet at an infrared wavelength of around 5 microns.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia23559-jupiters-pentagon-turns-hexagon

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Solving the Strange Storms on Jupiter

September 23, 2020  


 https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/solving-strange-storms-jupiter

 

At the south pole of Jupiter lurks a striking sight—even for a gas giant planet covered in colorful bands that sports a red spot larger than the earth. Down near the south pole of the planet, mostly hidden from the prying eyes of humans, is a collection of swirling storms arranged in an unusually geometric pattern.

Since they were first spotted by NASA's Juno space probe in 2019, the storms have presented something of a mystery to scientists. The storms are analogous to hurricanes on Earth. However, on our planet, hurricanes do not gather themselves at the poles and twirl around each other in the shape of a pentagon or hexagon, as do Jupiter's curious storms.

Now, a research team working in the lab of Andy Ingersoll, Caltech professor of planetary science, has discovered why Jupiter's storms behave so strangely. They did so using math derived from a proof written by Lord Kelvin, a British mathematical physicist and engineer, nearly 150 years ago.

Ingersoll, who was a member of the Juno team, says Jupiter's storms are remarkably similar to the ones that lash the East Coast of the United States every summer and fall, just on a much larger scale.

"If you went below the cloud tops, you would probably find liquid water rain drops, hail, and snow," he says. "The winds would be hurricane-force winds. Hurricanes on Earth are a good analog of the individual vortices within these arrangements we see on Jupiter, but there is nothing so stunningly beautiful here."

As on Earth, Jupiter's storms tend to form closer to the equator and then drift toward the poles. However, Earth's hurricanes and typhoons dissipate before they venture too far from the equator. Jupiter's just keep going until they reach the poles.

"The difference is that on the earth hurricanes run out of warm water and they run into continents," Ingersoll says. Jupiter has no land, "so there's much less friction because there's nothing to rub against. There's just more gas under the clouds. Jupiter also has heat left over from its formation that is comparable to the heat it gets from the sun, so the temperature difference between its equator and its poles is not as great as it is on Earth."

However, Ingersoll says, this explanation still does not account for the behavior of the storms once they reach Jupiter's south pole, which is unusual even compared to other gas giants. Saturn, which is also a gas giant, has one enormous storm at each of its poles, rather than a geometrically arranged collection of storms.

The answer to the mystery of why Jupiter has these geometric formations and other planets do not, Ingersoll and his colleagues discovered, could be found in the past, specifically in work conducted in 1878 by Alfred Mayer, an American physicist, and Lord Kelvin. Mayer had placed floating circular magnets in a pool of water and observed that they would spontaneously arrange themselves into geometric configurations, similar to those seen on Jupiter, with shapes that depended on the number of magnets. Kelvin used Mayer's observations to develop a mathematical model to explain the magnets' behavior.

"Back in the 19th century, people were thinking about how spinning pieces of fluid would arrange themselves into polygons," Ingersoll says. "Although there were lots of laboratory studies of these fluid polygons, no one had thought of applying that to a planetary surface."

 

To do so, the research team used a set of equations known as the shallow-water equations to build a computer model of what might be happening on Jupiter, and began to run simulations.

"We wanted to explore the combination of parameters that makes these cyclones stable," says Cheng Li (Phd '17), lead author and 51 Pegasi b postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley. "There are established theories that predict that cyclones tend to merge at the pole due to the rotation of the planet and that's what we found in the initial trial runs."

Eventually, however, the team found that a Jupiter-like stable geometric arrangement of storms would form if the storms were each surrounded by a ring of winds that turned in the opposite direction from the spinning storms, or a so-called anticyclonic ring. The presence of anticyclonic rings causes the storms to repel each other, rather than merge.

Ingersoll says the research could help scientists better understand how weather on Earth behaves.

"Other planets provide a much wider range of behaviors than what you see on Earth," he says, "so you study the weather on other planets in order to stress-test your theories."

The paper, titled, "Modeling the Stability of Polygonal Patterns of Vortices at the Poles of Jupiter as Revealed by the Juno Spacecraft," appears in the September 8 Issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Co-authors are Cheng Li of UC Berkeley, and Harriet Brettle (MS '19) and undergraduate student Alexandra Klipfel, both of Caltech.

 

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Jupiter's powerful auroras form during a 'tug of war' between the planet and nearby moon volcanoes

Feb 5, 2022

https://www.businessinsider.com/space-lava-from-moon-volcanoes-creates-jupiters-powerful-aurora-lights-2022-2?op=1

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Jupiter's moons light up aurora borealis

Sep 17, 2009

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/jupiters-moons-light-up-aurora-borealis

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URANUS HEXAGONS & RINGS

2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9viH00eaPU

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Scientists create most detailed map of Uranus' mysterious auroras to date

October 19, 2021

https://www.space.com/uranus-observation-infrared-aurora-map

 

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Surprises in Venus’ south pole vortex

 March 24, 2013

 

The planet next door, Venus, has two vortices (whirlwinds) above its south pole, and two more above its north pole. Astronomers in the Planetary Science Group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) have been closely monitoring the complicated movement of the south pole vortices of slow-rotating Venus. The south pole vortex is a huge double whirlwind the size of Europe. Double? Yes. In the south polar vortex of Venus, there are two main cloud layers separated by a distance of about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles). These scientists announced today (March 24, 2013) that they’ve confirmed the “erratic” movement of air in the double vortex at Venus’ south pole. And, surprisingly they said, each part of the vortex forms a separate “tube,” which “goes its own way.” Itziar Garate-Lopez, head researcher, said in a press release:

We knew it was a long-term vortex; we also knew that it changes shape every day. But we thought that the centers of the vortex at different altitudes formed only a single tube, but that is not so. Each center goes its own way, yet the global structure of the atmospheric vortex does not disintegrate.

 


 The south polar vortex of Venus changes shape every day. The images at the top of the figure show the upper cloud of Venus, 65 km above the planet’s surface. The images at the bottom depict the south polar vortex of Venus 20 km further down showing the vertical extension and variability of the vortex.

 

Long-term vortices are a frequent phenomenon in the atmospheres of fast-rotating planets, like Jupiter, Saturn and Earth, for example. But Venus rotates very slowly. It rotates only once every 243 Earth-days, more slowly than any other planet in our solar system. Its rotational speed is in contrast to about 24 hours for Earth, 9 hours 56 minutes for Jupiter and 10 hours 39 minutes for Saturn. Still, Venus has permanent vortices in its atmosphere at both poles. One clue to the reason might be that the rotation speed of Venus’ atmosphere is much greater than that of the planet. Traveling at speeds of around 200 meters per second, the atmosphere takes only four Earth days to go all the way around the planet. Garate-Lopez said:

We’ve known for a long time that the atmosphere of Venus rotates 60 times faster than the planet itself, but we didn’t know why. The difference is huge; that is why it’s called super-rotation. And we‘ve no idea how it started or how it keeps going.

 

 



Wide-angle camera view from Cassini spacecraft of the north polar region on Saturn. It shows the central storm clouds inside a larger structure called the north polar hexagon. This vortex on Saturn is similar to Earth’s polar vortex where winds blow in a circular pattern.

 

So the vortices above the poles of Venus appear to be ever-shifting, but permanent. Meanwhile, on Earth, the vortices for each pole are cold-core low-pressure areas that strengthen in the winter and weaken in the summer. They usually span 1,000–2,000 kilometers (620–1,240 miles) in which the air is circulating (in a counter-clockwise fashion in the Northern Hemisphere). Garate-Lopez said:

On the Earth there are seasonal effects and temperature differences between the continental zones and the oceans that create suitable conditions for the formation and dispersal of polar vortices. On Venus there are no oceans or seasons, and so the polar atmosphere behaves very differently.

 

 


 

                                             Strong polar vortex over Maine on February 24, 2012. Image via NOAA.

 

Bottom line: Astronomers in the Planetary Science Group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) announced today (March 24, 2013) that they’ve confirmed the “erratic” movement of air in the double vortex at Venus’ south pole. And, surprisingly they said, each part of the vortex forms a separate “tube,” which “goes its own way.” Planetary vortices are common for fast-rotating planets like Jupiter, Saturn and Earth, but Venus rotates very slowly. However, its atmosphere rotates around the planet 60 times faster than the planet itself!

 

https://earthsky.org/space/surprises-in-venus-south-polar-vortex/


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The Primer Fields (Documentary)

2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EPlyiW-xGI

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Northern lights: Will beautiful aurora DISAPPEAR when Earth's poles shift?

2019

https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1130240/northern-lights-will-aurora-disappear-earth-magnetic-north-poles-shift-space-news

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Space weather

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_weather

Space weather is a branch of space physics and aeronomy, or heliophysics, concerned with the varying conditions within the Solar System and its heliosphere. This includes the effects of the solar wind, especially on the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Though physically distinct, space weather is analogous to the terrestrial weather of Earth's atmosphere (troposphere and stratosphere). The term "space weather" was first used in the 1950s and popularized in the 1990s. Later, it prompted research into "space climate", the large-scale and long-term patterns of space weather.


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South Atlantic Anomaly: Have astronomers finally explained space's Bermuda Triangle?

January 30, 2022

If we look skyward we can explore a similar phenomenon dubbed the "Bermuda Triangle of space" – a vast region above Earth has been known to wreak havoc on spacecraft that happen to enter the area. In this case, nobody is claiming that craft are suddenly vanishing into thin air, but the disruption that's being caused is nevertheless serious, and it poses great problems for both equipment and astronauts.

The Bermuda Triangle of space – or the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) as it is formally known – lies above the South Atlantic, stretching from Chile to Zimbabwe. It sits at the point where the inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to Earth's surface. Here, Earth's magnetic field is particularly weak.

To explain, Earth has two Van Allen belts – a couple of doughnut-shaped rings of charged particles that surround our planet, held in place by Earth's magnetic field. The inner part consists mainly of high-energy protons and the outer part is mainly electrons. Because the belts trap the particles that are shooting from the surface of the sun, they end up protecting the surface of the planet from harmful radiation.

At the location of the SAA, however, the particles of solar cosmic rays are not being held back to the same extent as they are elsewhere above the planet. As a result, solar rays come as close as 124 miles (200 kilometers (124 miles) to the Earth's surface and the more intense solar radiation results in an increased flux of energetic particles in this area.

"I'm not fond of the [Bermuda Triangle of Space] nickname, but in that region, the lower geomagnetic field intensity eventually results in a greater vulnerability of satellites to energetic particles, to the point that spacecraft damage could occur as they traverse the area," said John Tarduno, professor of geophysics at the University of Rochester.

https://www.space.com/bermuda-triangle-in-space.html

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Hexagonal clouds are not the mystery behind the Bermuda Triangle

21 Oct 2016

 

Hexagonal clouds were linked to the Bermuda Triangle but do not solve the mystery of the area in the Atlantic Ocean. This kind of clouds have been seen in the Bermuda Triangle, and although they are rare, they are not uncommon.

The honeycomb cloud patterns open and closed cells can create updrafts and downdrafts and are believed to be responsible for the unusual activity. Nevertheless, it does not solve the mysteries related to the Bermuda Triangle. Hexagonal clouds are usually seen in mid-North Atlantic and the North Pacific during late fall until arely spring. The phenomenon happens when cold, dry air mixes with warm water...

 


 

                                                Hexagonal cloud cells in South Atlantic Ocean.

https://www.pulseheadlines.com/hexagonal-clouds-mystery-bermuda-triangle/53062/


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Watch as Thousands of Cloud Streets Billow over the Atlantic

Jan. 21, 2024

 

 
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/science/earth-science/watch-as-thousands-of-cloud-streets-billow-over-the-atlantic-ocean

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These Scientists Think "Hexagonal Clouds" Could Explain The Bermuda Triangle

2016

 

https://www.iflscience.com/these-scientists-think-hexagonal-clouds-could-explain-the-bermuda-triangle-38625


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Mysterious Iridescent 'End of Times' Cloud Phenomenon Spotted in Costa Rica

2015

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/mysterious-iridescent-end-times-cloud-phenomenon-spotted-costa-33834206

 

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NASA satellite captures odd holes in clouds over Florida. What are they?

March 5, 2024

 

 



The photo captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite shows a cluster of circle- or ellipse-shaped figures that look like they've been cut neatly from the clouds. They even depict "feathery wisps" in the middle of the hole, NASA said.

https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/weird-holes-clouds-florida-sky-atmosphere

 

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Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved? Scientists Think They've Figured It Out

Aug 2, 2018

Conditions in the area are just right for monsters... as in monster waves.

 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bermuda-triangle-waves_n_5b628966e4b0b15aba9faaa4

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The ‘Bermuda Triangle mystery’ isn’t solved, and this scientist didn’t suggest it was

October 25, 2016

“Scientists believe the powerful winds reported by radar in the North Sea also exist below the hexagonal clouds over the Bahamas, and meteorologist Randy Cerveny thinks they’re connected to a terrifying atmospheric phenomenon,” the narrator says in the “What on Earth” segment.

Cerveny goes on to explain that the hexagonal shapes in the clouds could be formed by “air bombs,” which sounds crazy, but he’s actually just explaining microbursts — something we have reported on and analyzed many times.

“If Professor Cerveny is right, and these strange hexagons are the signature of deadly air bombs,” the segment continues, “then this satellite image could . . . solve the riddle of the Bermuda Triangle.”

Microbursts can do extensive damage on land and can definitely sink ships in the ocean. Could microbursts have sunk a few ships and downed a few planes in the Bermuda Triangle? Sure. Does this mean the Bermuda Triangle mystery is real and that we’ve solved it? No — Cerveny isn’t saying that.

He said he does segments for the show and typically “either you give the actual explanation, or the straw-man explanation,” so someone else can come in and knock it down. He said he offered the microburst explanation as a possibility to knock down. Instead, the segment offered it as a legitimate explanation.

Cerveny said he didn’t have an opportunity to see the show and correct it before it aired. “Nope. That was a surprise,” he said, laughing. “I did not know what was going on until I saw this. I have no interest in studying the Bermuda Triangle.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/10/25/the-bermuda-triangle-mystery-isnt-solved-and-this-scientist-didnt-suggest-it-was/

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What's The Real Science Behind The "Bermuda Triangle"?

07 December 2018

https://www.sciencealert.com/what-s-the-real-science-behind-the-bermuda-triangle-mystery

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Have Norwegian geologists solved the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle?

2016

What does a research abstract about craters formed by methane gas eruptions have to do with it?

“Bermuda Triangle, don’t go too near,” Barry Manilow warns in his saccharine 1980s pop hit named for the enigmatic region in the Atlantic Ocean legendary for the number of ships and planes that disappear in its proximity.

Now, some media reports are suggesting that the mystery behind Mr. Manilow’s admonition may be solved. Pointing to a Norwegian research abstract that details the discovery of craters at the bottom of the Barents Sea in the Arctic, British newspapers The Times and Daily Mail were somehow able to make the leaping proposal that similar craters caused “notorious” disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle during the 20th century.

But this isn’t the case. For one thing, the study, published by geologists at the University of Norway, focuses solely on craters discovered off of Bear Island, located above the northern tip of Scandinavia and about 4,000 miles from the Bermuda Triangle.

Using 3-D seismic imaging, they measured the craters to be as wide as 3,280 feet in diameter and 131 feet in depth and suggest that they were caused by methane gas eruptions from oil accumulated in shallow rocks dating back 250 million years ago.

“The crater area is still likely to represent one of the largest hot-spots for shallow marine methane release in the arctic,” they write in a preliminary summary.

Nowhere in their research, however, is the Bermuda Triangle even mentioned.

“We have discovered many large craters on the seabed in the central Barents Sea,” co-author Karin Andreassen said in a statement addressing the misinforming reports. “We have yet to publish these results, so these are preliminary. What I can say is that we are not making any links to the Bermuda Triangle.”

The methane blowouts detailed in their research, he explained, point to the time period after the last Ice Age ended – about 11,700 years ago.

And “conditions during the last ice age,” Dr. Andreassen said, “cannot be compared with what we see today.”

The researchers' statement sufficiently dismantles the any association between the craters and the Bermuda Triangle.

But beyond the geographical irrelevance of the region stretching from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, the so-called “mystery” itself is made up.

https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/0316/Have-Norwegian-geologists-solved-the-mystery-of-the-Bermuda-Triangle

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Did Science Solve the Bermuda Triangle Mystery? No. That's Not How Science Works

March 15, 2016

In which we learn a neat lesson about geoscience and that it's impossible to prove a negative.

https://www.inverse.com/article/12912-did-science-solve-the-bermuda-triangle-mystery-no-that-s-not-how-science-works

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‘Burps of Death’ in the Bermuda Triangle?

2016

Researchers say methane bubbling to the surface of the ocean could explain the sudden loss of ships in the western North Atlantic. 

 


The Bermuda Triangle doesn’t officially exist. Agencies such as the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Board of Geographic Names do not recognize the region as anything other than an arbitrary area of the western North Atlantic Ocean.

 

Discussion Ideas

  • If the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle is hype, why do people think planes and ships are more likely to disappear in the area? Take a look at the third bookmark in today’s MapMaker Interactive map for some help. (Don’t be afraid to adjust the transparency levels!)
    • The Bermuda Triangle is one of the most hurricane-prone areas of the Atlantic Ocean. Ships and planes are much more likely to encounter strong tropical storms in this region than many others.
    • The Gulf Stream, one of the world’s most recognizable ocean currents in the world, flows right through the Bermuda Triangle. Debris from sunken ships or planes may not drift to the bottom of the ocean, but instead be transported north by this extremely powerful current.
    • The myth of the Bermuda Triangle is a great story perpetuated by unsupported evidence. Many accounts of missing vessels fail to report the weather conditions at the time of the ships’ disappearance, for example. Other accounts report ships or planes as “missing”—but fail to report their return.

 

 



Methane clathrate is an unconventional form of natural gas made of an ice-like lattice of frozen water, which forms a “cage” around molecules of methane. This beautiful sample of methane clathrate was unearthed off the coast of Oregon.

 

 


 

                                Most methane deposits show up around continental shelves.



https://blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2016/03/15/burps-of-death-in-the-bermuda-triangle/

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Impact of the South Atlantic Anomaly on radiation exposure at flight altitudes during solar minimum

08 June 2023

Abstract

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a geographical region over the South Atlantic Ocean where the inner Van Allen radiation belt extends down particularly close to Earth. This leads to highly increased levels of ionizing radiation and related impacts on spacecraft in Low Earth Orbits, e.g., correspondingly increased radiation exposure of astronauts and electronic components on the International Space Station. According to an urban legend, the SAA is also supposed to affect the radiation field in the atmosphere even down to the altitudes of civil aviation. In order to identify and quantify any additional contributions to the omnipresent radiation exposure due to the Galactic Cosmic Radiation at flight altitudes, comprehensive measurements were performed crossing the geographical region of the SAA at an altitude of 13 km in a unique flight mission—Atlantic Kiss. No indication of increased radiation exposure was found.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-36190-5

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Something Massive Left ANTARCTICA During The Solar Eclipse! Caught on RADAR!

Apr 11, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnmvjOHeJW8

 

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What Is Known (and Not Known) About the Bermuda Triangle

https://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-known-and-not-known-about-the-bermuda-triangle

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Bermuda Triangle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_Triangle

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Bermuda Triangle: Where Facts Disappear

September 25, 2012

https://www.livescience.com/23435-bermuda-triangle.html

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Why People Disappear in the Bermuda Triangle

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4bGgVa4c4iA

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The Bermuda Triangle: A Breeding Ground for Rogue Waves or a Pit of Human Mistakes?

August 2, 2018

 Gas bubbles, magnetic anomalies…humans being humans?

People often talk about weird magnetic anomalies over the Bermuda Triangle, Boxall said. "There aren't any," he said. There are magnetic anomalies in the world that have to do with the Earth's mantle moving beneath the crust, but the nearest one is about 1,000 miles [1,600 km] south, off the coast of Brazil — a long way away from the Bermuda Triangle, he said.

Another theory has to do with pockets of explosive methane gas that could, due to some disturbance, float up toward the water's surface and cause the water to be less dense than the ship, leading the ship to sink. However, no experiment to date has been able to prove that this is possible, Boxall said.

"Theoretically, it could be happening, but there are lots of places in the world where this can happen," not just in the Bermuda Triangle, Boxall said. Instead, he thinks the most common cause for the mysterious vanishings is human error.  [The 20 Most Mysterious Shipwrecks Ever]

The famous disappearance of Flight 19 — five U.S. Navy aircraft that vanished during a training mission in 1945 — that led one journalist in 1964 to give the area its current name, probably occurred because the crew got lost and ran out of fuel, Boxall said.

About a third of all registered and privately owned ocean craft in the U.S. are in the states and islands of the Bermuda Triangle area, he said. And according to the most recent 2016 figures from the Coast Guard, 82 percent of incidents in this area that year involved people who had no formal training or experience of being at sea, he added.

"So, you take a third of the entire boating population of the U.S., you dump them in the Bermuda Triangle," and what you get is mysterious vanishings, Boxall said. You don't need any licensing or specific equipment like radios or navigation maps to take a boat to sea, he added.

"A number of times, working at sea, we've come across people who are navigating using a road map, who are relying on their mobile phones as their means of communication, discovering … you get 30 miles offshore [and] you lose the signal," Boxall said.

In addition, "environmental considerations could explain many, if not most, of the disappearances," NOAA wrote on its website. "The ocean has always been a mysterious place to humans, and when foul weather or poor navigation is involved, it can be a very deadly place."

NOAA also says the area could be prone to accidents because of the Gulf Stream, a strong and fast ocean current that can cause "rapid, sometimes violent, changes in weather," and shallow waters around the Caribbean islands that can prove fatal for ships.

"You can extend the Bermuda Triangle to ever bigger areas…what you'll find is that the Bermuda Triangle covers the entire globe," Boxall said. "Rogue waves can hit lots of different places, methane bubbles can hit lots of different places, and wherever you get a high concentration of amateurs without any experience you're going to get a high concentration of mysterious disappearances."

But, you know, maybe it is aliens capturing unsuspecting humans using vortexes that lead straight into their laboratories that they've set up in the lost city of Atlantis.

https://www.livescience.com/63242-bermuda-triangle-rogue-waves.html

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Watch Secrets Of The Bermuda Triangle

https://www.bbcselect.com/watch/secrets-of-the-bermuda-triangle/

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Once a Hotbed for Disappearances, the Bermuda Triangle Has Itself Gone Missing

7/28/2023

The turbulent swath of ocean between Miami, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda used to be a thing of nightmares—so where did it go?

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/bermuda-triangle-mystery-disappearance

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7 Chilling Conspiracy Theories About the Bermuda Triangle

2022

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a39750723/what-is-the-bermuda-triangle/

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10 Best Theories That Explain The Bermuda Triangle

January 31, 2021

The Bermuda Triangle is among the world’s most infamous mysteries. The Devil’s Triangle is responsible for more than a dozen high-profile disappearances of airplanes and ships and an estimated 1,000 deaths. Approximately 20 boats vanish in the Bermuda Triangle every year.

This triangular area of sea between Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Florida leaves scientists and experts amiss and sailors and pilots with a feeling of dread every time they have to pass through it to this day. And with all that we know about the Bermuda Triangle, there still is no one definitive answer to the puzzle. Here are the 10 best theories that explain the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon.

10: The Wormhole Theory

9: The Methane Gas Theory

8: Electromagnetic Interference

7: Waterspouts

6: Aliens

5: Atlantis

4: No Mystery

3: The Human Errors Theory

2: Rogue Waves (Earthquakes)

1: Pirates

https://listverse.com/2021/01/31/10-best-theories-that-explain-the-bermuda-triangle/

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20 True Facts About The Bermuda Triangle

Jun 17, 2018

https://www.thetravel.com/20-true-facts-about-the-bermuda-triangle/

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The Bermuda Triangle (Devil’s Triangle)

04/11/2023

https://geologyscience.com/geology/the-bermuda-triangle-devils-triangle/

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25 Little-Known Facts About The Dragon's Triangle

2019

Contrary to what you know, the Bermuda Triangle isn't the only location that's been deemed as "dangerous" by both sailors and pilots.

Contrary to what you know, the Bermuda Triangle isn't the only location that's been deemed as "dangerous" by both sailors and pilots. The Dragon's Triangle is a stretch of the sea just off the coast of Japan that has collected a myriad of stories, myths, and seemingly many legends throughout the years. Given the area's turbulent history when it comes to disappearances and strange phenomena, it can often be challenging to separate the myth from the fact. Amidst various studies done up until the 1950s, scientists gathered plenty of information, but have no definitive reason for why this area, in particular, sees so much action.

https://www.thetravel.com/25-little-known-facts-about-the-dragons-triangle/

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The Atlantic Ocean could soon be closed off by a ring of furious volcanoes

March 2024

The Ring of Fire is one of the most iconic geological features in the world.

Stretching some 40,000 km along the Pacific Ocean, it is home to 75 per cent of the Earth’s volcanoes and 90 per cent of its earthquakes, making it the planet’s greatest hotbed of violent seismic events.

And yet, this extraordinary area may be faced with some competition in the dramatic tectonic stakes, with experts warning that the Atlantic could eventually begin to close and form a Ring of Fire of its own.

For an ocean such as the Atlantic to stop growing and shut itself off, new subduction zones must form within it – areas where one tectonic plate pushes another down into the mantle below.

The heat from the mantle then melts this rock, transforming it into magma. And the abundance of magma near to the Earth’s surface creates the perfect conditions for volcanic activity, as National Geographic notes.

The vast quantity of volcanoes and earthquakes along the Pacific Ring of Fire exists largely thanks to the many subduction zones that lie along its path.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/the-atlantic-ocean-could-soon-be-closed-off-by-a-ring-of-furious-volcanoes/ar-BB1k2jHb

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A New Understanding of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Plate Tectonics

8 March 2021

The first seismic data obtained directly from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge suggest that upwelling may contribute to seafloor

https://eos.org/articles/a-new-understanding-of-the-mid-atlantic-ridge-and-plate-tectonics


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An upwelling of rock beneath the Atlantic may drive continents apart

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge may play a more active role in plate tectonics than thought

February 4, 2021

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/upwelling-rock-beneath-atlantic-ocean-may-drive-continents-apart

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Rock rising from below the Atlantic may drive continents apart

If true, plate tectonics at mid-ocean ridges may be more push than pull

March 12, 2021

https://www.snexplores.org/article/upwelling-rock-beneath-atlantic-ocean-may-drive-continents-apart

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A thin mantle transition zone beneath the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge

2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03139-x.epdf?sharing_token=OGFE1aG5BxNvw4GQwMAFhtRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OAEXFNTbnN6XmTDTZ4_2q1qH6qqy3R3mZwctKVwLRJVas1ePqNOIIXcD5c5UAqT0D6O7TOVMya95ydIqGNjxMwMQphbgoNbRDWhU4Ep0MM-J5KNxi0yNYMLzkmq6wmBnobhdx3CGcXdk0KXn607ZQwQhjP1iNthuvie9TmFwEJEoiyL9DIP5HPg2X_qKFOx1P1Cd45VP6x-VppXjyD_T5nmGGkIj3fmwkOoqWv7Tm12TlPgjmy-C7c1zNyN_l9pg0uLSyyCCaX5vU480e_lOeT&tracking_referrer=www.sciencenews.org

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Plate tectonics: the hidden key to life on Earth

December 26, 2017

https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/earth-sciences/plate-tectonics-the-hidden-key-to-life-on-earth/

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Does the Plate tectonics contradict the theory of continental drift?

2023

https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/23911/does-the-plate-tectonics-contradict-the-theory-of-continental-drift

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Continental Drift versus Plate Tectonics

A scientific idea that was initially ridiculed paved the way for the theory of plate tectonics, which explains how Earth’s continents move.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/continental-drift-versus-plate-tectonics/

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Continental drift

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift


Continental drift is the hypothesis, originating in the early 20th century, that Earth's continents move or drift relative to each other over geologic time. The hypothesis of continental drift has since been validated and incorporated into the science of plate tectonics, which studies the movement of the continents as they ride on plates of the Earth's lithosphere.

The speculation that continents might have "drifted" was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596. A pioneer of the modern view of mobilism was the Austrian geologist Otto Ampferer. The concept was independently and more fully developed by Alfred Wegener in his 1915 publication, "The Origin of Continents and Oceans". However, at that time the hypothesis was rejected by many for lack of any motive mechanism. The English geologist Arthur Holmes later proposed mantle convection for that mechanism.

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Plume–ridge interactions: ridgeward versus plate-drag plume flow

2023

Abstract

The analysis of mid-ocean ridges and hotspots that are sourced by deep-rooted mantle plumes allows us to get a glimpse of mantle structure and dynamics. Dynamical interaction between ridge and plume processes have been widely proposed and studied, particularly in terms of ridgeward plume flow. However, the effects of plate drag on plume–lithosphere and plume–ridge interaction remain poorly understood. In particular, the mechanisms that control plume flow towards vs. away from the ridge have not yet been systematically studied. Here, we use 2D thermomechanical numerical models of plume–ridge interaction to systematically explore the effects of (i) ridge-spreading rate, (ii) initial plume head radius and (iii) plume–ridge distance. Our numerical experiments suggest two different geodynamic regimes: (1) plume flow towards the ridge is favored by strong buoyant mantle plumes, slow spreading rates and small plume–ridge distances; (2) plume drag away from the ridge is in turn promoted by fast ridge spreading for small-to-intermediate plumes and large plume–ridge distances. We find that the pressure gradient between the buoyant plume and spreading ridge at first drives ridgeward flow, but eventually the competition between plate drag and the gravitational force of plume flow along the base of the sloping lithosphere controls the fate of plume (spreading towards vs. away from the ridge). Our results highlight that fast-spreading ridges exert strong plate-dragging force, which sheds new light on natural observations of largely absent plume–lithosphere interaction along fast-spreading ridges, such as the East Pacific Rise.

https://se.copernicus.org/articles/14/353/2023/

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Scientists Report New Type of Mid-Ocean Ridge in Remote Parts of the Earth

November 26, 2002


https://www.whoi.edu/press-room/news-release/scientists-report-new-type-of-mid-ocean-ridge-in-remote-parts-of-the-earth/

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Late Cretaceous Ridge Reorganization, Microplate Formation, and the Evolution of the Rio Grande Rise – Walvis Ridge Hot Spot Twins, South Atlantic Ocean

2021

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020GC009390

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Divergent Plate Boundaries

Divergent plate boundaries are locations where plates are moving away from one another. This occurs above rising convection currents. The rising current pushes up on the bottom of the lithosphere, lifting it and flowing laterally beneath it. This lateral flow causes the plate material above to be dragged along in the direction of flow. At the crest of the uplift, the overlying plate is stretched thin, breaks and pulls apart.

https://geology.com/nsta/divergent-plate-boundaries.shtml

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Mantle Convection and Plate Tectonics

https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/amnh/earthquakes-and-volcanoes/plate-tectonics/a/mantle-convection-and-plate-tectonics

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Plates moving due to convection in mantle

2011

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-astronomy/earth-history-topic/plate-techtonics/v/plates-moving-due-to-convection-in-mantle


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Gravity Moved Continents on Early Earth

September 17, 2014

https://www.livescience.com/47882-how-plate-tectonics-started.html

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Evolution of Earth’s tectonic carbon conveyor belt

25 May 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04420-x

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The Phanerozoic Tectonic and Sedimentary Evolution of North America

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780444638953000012

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70 million years of seafloor spreading and magmatism in the South Atlantic

2021

Highlights

    70 million years of crust from one spreading center are examined.
    

    The relationships between M, RMS roughness, and spreading rate are quantified.
    

    The coefficients of determination for all relationships are small.
    

    The spreading center has changed from an axial high to valley twice in 70 myrs.

Abstract

A basic tenet of seafloor spreading is the need to spatially accommodate the magnitude of lateral spreading. As new spreading proceeds and crust is transported away from the spreading axis, the space created is filled by both the magmatic accretion of new oceanic crust and the brittle stretching of that crust by extensional faults. The ratio between the magmatism and faulting, referred to as M, is dynamically related to the rate of spreading and the topographic roughness of the generated crust. Here we use a multichannel seismic dataset recently collected in the South Atlantic Ocean to examine how the relationships between spreading rate, M, and topographic roughness have changed over 70 million years of crustal ages all created at one spreading segment. We frequency filter the topographic profile of the top of the igneous crust to remove long wavelength signal and determine the best window length for analysis. We then use a moving window to quantify how M and the root mean square of topographic roughness vary across the age transect. Qualitatively and quantitatively, we find spreading rate and M are positively correlated while M and spreading rate are negatively correlated with the topographic roughness of the crust. We are able to expand the age and length scale of an analysis of M by an order of magnitude compared to previous studies. Our analysis also finds that the spreading center in the South Atlantic has likely alternated between an axial high and axial valley twice in the past.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012821X21004283

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Evidence for a Global Slowdown in Seafloor Spreading Since 15 Ma

25 March 2022

 Abstract

The rate of ocean-crust production exerts control over sea level, mantle heat loss, and climate. Different strategies to account for incomplete seafloor preservation have led to differing conclusions about how much production rates have changed since the Cretaceous, if at all. We construct a new global synthesis of crust production along 18 mid-ocean ridges for the past 19 Myr at high temporal resolution. We find that the global production rate during 6–5 Ma was only 69%–75% of the 16–15 Ma interval. The reduction in crust production is mostly due to slower seafloor spreading along almost all ridge systems. While the total ridge length has varied little since 19 Ma, some fast-spreading ridges have grown shorter and slow-spreading ridges grown longer, amplifying the spreading-rate changes. Our production curves represent a new data set for investigating the forces driving plate motions and the role of tectonic degassing on climate.


https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022GL097937

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Constraining South Atlantic growth with seafloor spreading data

05 September 2014

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2014TC003644

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Opening of the central Atlantic Ocean: Implications for geometric rifting and asymmetric initial seafloor spreading after continental breakup

09 June 2017

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2017TC004596

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Seafloor Spreading

Seafloor spreading is a geologic process in which tectonic plates—large slabs of Earth's lithosphere—split apart from each other.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/seafloor-spreading/

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Seafloor spreading

Seafloor spreading, or seafloor spread, is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seafloor_spreading

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Seafloor Spreading Activity

https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/learning/2_midocean_ridges/activities/seafloor_spreading.html

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Researchers propose new step in tectonic squeeze that turns seafloor into mountains

April 3, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-tectonic-seafloor-mountains.html

 

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Mantle Plume: Spreading Ridge Interactions

2021

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-58631-7_262

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Mantle spread across the sea floor

27 March 2013

https://www.nature.com/articles/ngeo1786

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Geological phenomenon widening the Atlantic Ocean

27 January 2021

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2021/01/atlantic-plate-tectonics.page


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The Atlantic Ocean is getting wider every year. Researchers have finally figured out why.

Aug 24, 2023

https://www.businessinsider.com/atlantic-ocean-widening-geologic-forces-earth-crust-2021-1?op=1

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The Role of Oceanic Transform Faults in Seafloor Spreading: A Global Perspective From Seismic Anisotropy

08 February 2018

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2017JB015176

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Why Is The Atlantic Ocean Widening While The Pacific Ocean Is Shrinking?

19 Oct 2023

https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/why-is-the-atlantic-ocean-widening-while-the-pacific-ocean-is-shrinking.html

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The Mystery of the World’s Largest and Deepest Gravity Hole

November 3, 2023

The sea level here is hundreds of feet lower than the rest of the ocean.

Dear Indian Ocean, please don’t take offense, but: Why is your gravity hole so big? That question had been baffling scientists ever since the hole was discovered back in 1948. Now a team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) thinks they have found the answer: The “hole” in the Indian Ocean is caused by fragments from the sunken floor of another, much older ocean.

There’s nothing mysterious per se about gravitational variation, which corresponds to differences in the density of the subsurface (and submarine) layers of rock. What was unexplained, was the size and amplitude of the anomaly in the Indian Ocean.

More air than water

The gravity hole is centered about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) southwest of Kanyakumari (aka Cape Comorin), the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent. The circular depression in the ocean has an area of about 3 million square kilometers (1.2 million square miles), which is almost the size of India itself. Due to lower local gravity, the sea level in the IOGL is up to 106 meters (348 feet) lower than the global average. That adds up to a huge volume of air where there should be water. A back of the envelope calculation suggests that, due to the anomaly, about 100 cubic kilometers (25 cubic miles) of water is being displaced.

The anomaly was discovered by Felix Andries Vening Meinesz, a Dutch geophysicist who had invented a device to measure gravity at sea. (It was nicknamed the “Golden Calf,” because of its color and because sailors on submarines carrying the instrument had to remain motionless in their bunk during measurements, a nuisance for which they received extra pay.)

As a pioneer of submarine gravimetry, Vening Meinesz spent much of his career roaming the oceans in submarines and research vessels. He discovered several anomalies in Earth’s gravitational field, which he attributed to plate tectonics, none larger or stronger than the one in the Indian Ocean.

The eminent Dutchman—one of his research fellows was the geologist B.G. Escher, the brother of the graphic artist M.C. Escher—was thinking in the right direction, but his era lacked the computing power to pinpoint a more proximate cause. The actual cause of the IOGL remained unknown until last May, when the journal Geophysical Research Letters published a study by IISc researchers.

Starting the clock 140 million years ago, the IISc team ran various simulations through a supercomputer to explore how tectonic and volcanic forces shaped the world as we know it. The models that produced a gravity hole closely resembling the actual IOGL all had one thing in common: low-density magma plumes rising up to displace higher-density material, weakening the area’s gravity.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/gravity-hole-indian-ocean

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Reverse-faulting earthquakes and the tectonics of slowly-spreading mid-ocean ridge axes

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X23002923

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Magnetic Reversals and Moving Continents

https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/earthmag/reversal.htm


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Magnetic Anomalies on the Seafloor

https://geo.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_California_Davis/GEL_056%3A_Introduction_to_Geophysics/Geophysics_is_everywhere_in_geology.../04%3A_Plate_Tectonics/4.02%3A_Magnetic_Anomalies_on_the_Seafloor

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Paleomagnetism, See Floor Spreading, Convectional Currents

December 16, 2019

https://www.pmfias.com/see-floor-spreading-paleomagnetism-convectional-current-theory-tectonics/

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Paleomagnetic constraints on plate tectonic process at south mid-Atlantic ridge

2015

http://en.dzkx.org/article/doi/10.6038/cjg20160515

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Paleomagnetism

Paleomagnetism (occasionally palaeomagnetism) is the study of prehistoric Earth's magnetic fields recorded in rocks, sediment, or archeological materials. Geophysicists who specialize in paleomagnetism are called paleomagnetists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleomagnetism

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Paleomagnetism and plate tectonics

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/0-387-30752-4_111

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The Tectonic Plate Under The Pacific Ocean Is Being Torn Apart, Scientists Reveal

09 February 2024

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-tectonic-plate-under-the-pacific-ocean-is-being-torn-apart-scientists-reveal

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Rethinking Earth’s Surface: Geoscientists Discover Hidden Faults of the Pacific Plate

March 7, 2024

Research indicates that the Pacific Plate is being torn apart at undersea plateaus across the ocean, due to the weight of the oceanic plate subducting along the Western Pacific Ring of Fire.

Recent research conducted by geoscientists from the University of Toronto is refining the long-standing model of plate tectonics, which suggests that the oceanic plates are inflexible as they glide over the Earth’s mantle.

Instead, the researchers found the Pacific Plate is scored by large undersea faults pulling it apart. The newly discovered faults, some thousands of meters deep and hundreds of kilometers long, are the result of enormous forces within the plate tugging it westward.

The researchers describe their findings in a paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The authors include Erkan Gün, a postdoctoral fellow, and Professor Russell Pysklywec in the Department of Earth Sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science at U of T, Phil Heron, an assistant professor in the Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences at University of Toronto Scarborough, as well as researchers from the Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, Istanbul Technical University.

https://scitechdaily.com/rethinking-earths-surface-geoscientists-discover-hidden-faults-of-the-pacific-plate/

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JetStream Max: Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes

https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/tsunamis/tsunami-generation-earthquakes/jetstream-max-plate-tectonics-and-earthquakes

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Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics

https://geo.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Geology/Physical_Geology_(Earle)/11%3A_Earthquakes/11.02%3A_Earthquakes_and_Plate_Tectonics

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Earthquake swarms on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Products of magmatism or extensional tectonics?

10 April 1990

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/JB095iB04p04943

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The Atlantic Ocean Is Being Invaded

Feb 15, 2024

The Atlantic Ocean won't last forever. When it starts to close, it will be subduction zones that consume oceanic crust. New research suggest one is propagating into the Atlantic today.

https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/the-atlantic-ocean-is-being-invaded

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The Mode of Trench-Parallel Subduction of the Middle Ocean Ridge

2021

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.781117/full


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Ignition of the southern Atlantic seafloor spreading machine without hot-mantle booster

21 January 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-28364-y

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Rare 4.0 earthquake recorded off Florida coast

Feb 8, 2024

https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/rare-4-0-earthquake-recorded-off-florida-coast/

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Shaken but not stirred: Florida takes stock as rare earthquake rattles state

24 Feb 2024

Residents more used to riding out hurricanes were rocked by a late-night 4.0 tremor off the coast of Cape Canaveral this month

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/24/florida-earthquake-cape-canaveral

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INTRODUCTION - 500 Million Years of Florida Geology

200 Million Years of Undersea Calcium Carbonate Deposition

It is upon these very old, African-born basement rocks that the sedimentary rocks of the Florida Platform would
start to accumulate. Deep layers of carbonate rock—predominantly limestones and dolostones composed of the
mineral calcium carbonate—built up over the next 200 million years to create Florida’s flat-topped, “carbonate
platform” structure. These rock layers, two to three miles thick in some places, are a result of the near-constant
deposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) that occurred in the warm ocean shallows that surrounded and very
often completely submerged ancient Florida. As marine organisms lived and died in the shallow seas, their skeletal
remains became concentrated, compacted, and gradually hardened (lithified) into a complex subsurface
stratigraphy of sedimentary rock formations, whose differences in depth, location, and composition reflect
Florida’s fascinating formational history.

https://www.stetson.edu/other/gillespie-museum/media/Florida%20Formations%20EXHIBIT%20TEXT-FULL%20for%20website.pdf

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Florida: A Jurassic transform plate boundary

https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70195015


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Tectonic pattern of the Azores spreading centre and triple junction

1980

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0012821X80902216

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Triple junction

A triple junction is the point where the boundaries of three tectonic plates meet. At the triple junction each of the three boundaries will be one of three types – a ridge (R), trench (T) or transform fault (F) – and triple junctions can be described according to the types of plate margin that meet at them (e.g. Fault-Fault-Trench, Ridge-Ridge-Ridge, or abbreviated F-F-T, R-R-R). Of the ten possible types of triple junctions only a few are stable through time ('stable' in this context means that the geometrical configuration of the triple junction will not change through geologic time). The meeting of four or more plates is also theoretically possible but junctions will only exist instantaneously.

 


 

Main tectonic plate boundaries – ridge (red), trench (green), fault (black) – and corresponding triple junctions (yellow dots)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_junction

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Geodynamics of continental rift initiation and evolution

07 March 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-023-00391-3

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NASA Researchers Track Slowly Splitting ‘Dent’ in Earth’s Magnetic Field

Aug 17, 2020

A small but evolving dent in Earth’s magnetic field can cause big headaches for satellites.

Earth’s magnetic field acts like a protective shield around the planet, repelling and trapping charged particles from the Sun. But over South America and the southern Atlantic Ocean, an unusually weak spot in the field – called the South Atlantic Anomaly, or SAA – allows these particles to dip closer to the surface than normal. Particle radiation in this region can knock out onboard computers and interfere with the data collection of satellites that pass through it – a key reason why NASA scientists want to track and study the anomaly.

The South Atlantic Anomaly is also of interest to NASA’s Earth scientists who monitor the changes in magnetic field strength there, both for how such changes affect Earth’s atmosphere and as an indicator of what’s happening to Earth’s magnetic fields, deep inside the globe.

Currently, the SAA creates no visible impacts on daily life on the surface. However, recent observations and forecasts show that the region is expanding westward and continuing to weaken in intensity. It is also splitting – recent data shows the anomaly’s valley, or region of minimum field strength, has split into two lobes, creating additional challenges for satellite missions.

A host of NASA scientists in geomagnetic, geophysics, and heliophysics research groups observe and model the SAA, to monitor and predict future changes – and help prepare for future challenges to satellites and humans in space.

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/icon/nasa-researchers-track-slowly-splitting-dent-in-earths-magnetic-field/

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High Sea Level Along U.S. Atlantic Coast Due To Ocean Current And Wind Changes

August 31, 2009

Persistent winds and a weakened current in the Mid-Atlantic contributed to higher than normal sea levels along the Eastern Seaboard in June and July, according to a new NOAA technical report.

After observing water levels six inches to two feet higher than originally predicted, NOAA scientists began analyzing data from select tide stations and buoys from Maine to Florida and found that a weakening of the Florida Current Transport—an oceanic current that feeds into the Gulf Stream—in addition to steady and persistent Northeast winds, contributed to this anomaly.

“The ocean is dynamic and it’s not uncommon to have anomalies,” said Mike Szabados, director of NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services.

“What made this event unique was its breadth, intensity and duration.”

The highest atypical sea levels occurred closer to where the anomaly formed in the Mid-Atlantic, where cities like Baltimore, Md., at times experienced extreme high tides as much as two feet higher than normal.

Data from NOAA’s National Water Level Observation Network tide stations, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, and National Data Buoy Center, are published in the report.

Impacts of the event were amplified by the occurrence of a perigean-spring tide, the natural timing of the season and month when the moon is closest to the Earth and its gravitational pull heightens the elevation of the water.

The combined effects of this tide with the sea level anomaly produced minor flooding on the coast.

“The report is a good first assessment,” said NOAA Oceanographer William Sweet, Ph.D. “However, NOAA, with our academic partners, should continue to investigate the broader causes behind the event. Further analysis is needed to fully understand what is driving the patterns we observed.”

The full report, Elevated East Coast Sea Level Anomaly: June-July 2009, is available as a PDF.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090831132943.htm

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Possible linkage of sea surface height anomaly, surface wind stress and sea surface temperature with the falling ice radiative effects under a gradual warming scenario

17 August 2023

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2515-7620/acee4c


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Critical Atlantic Ocean current system is showing early signs of collapse, prompting warning from scientists

February 9, 2024

 A crucial system of ocean currents may already be on course to collapse, according to a new report, with alarming implications for sea level rise and global weather — leading temperatures to plunge dramatically in some regions and rise in others.

Using exceptionally complex and expensive computing systems, scientists found a new way to detect an early warning signal for the collapse of these currents, according to the study published Friday in the journal Science Advances. And as the planet warms, there are already indications it is heading in this direction.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (the AMOC) — of which the Gulf Stream is part — works like a giant global conveyor belt, taking warm water from the tropics toward the far North Atlantic, where the water cools, becomes saltier and sinks deep into the ocean, before spreading southward.

 The currents carry heat and nutrients to different areas of the globe and play a vital role in keeping the climate of large parts of the Northern Hemisphere relatively mild.

For decades, scientists have been sounding the alarm on the circulation’s stability as climate change warms the ocean and melts ice, disrupting the balance of heat and salt that determines the currents’ strength.

While many scientists believe the AMOC will slow under climate change, and could even grind to a halt, there remains huge uncertainty over when and how fast this could happen. The AMOC has only been monitored continuously since 2004.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/09/climate/atlantic-circulation-collapse-weather-climate/index.html

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Scientists warn of current ‘tipping point’ in Atlantic Ocean; ‘significant’ effects on climate

February 10, 2024

A critical system of Atlantic Ocean currents may be approaching collapse, which scientists warn will have a dangerous impact on our global climate.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which “effectively transports heat and salt through the global ocean,” has recently shown signs of trending toward a crucial “tipping point” according to a study published Friday in the journal Science Advances.

Scientists have been warning of the potential collapse for decades, as the currents’ strength has been weakened by rising temperatures which affect the system’s balance of heat and salt.

While the study offers no timetable for when a collapse could occur — the AMOC has only been closely observed since 2004 — it predicts devastating effects in particular for Euorpe and the Amazon rainforest.

https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/02/10/atlantic-ocean-current-collapse-climate-change-amoc/

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The polar vortex is acting up

January 16, 2024

Stratospheric shenanigans

If we had to characterize the behavior of the stratospheric polar vortex over the last week, we’d say it’s acting…squirrely. Living up to the celebrity status we bestowed upon it, the stratosphere seems to know everyone is watching and has decided to do something unexpected.

For weeks now, we’ve talked about the warming of the temperatures and weakening of the polar vortex winds that are 19 miles above us over the Arctic. So far, this disruption of the polar vortex has been minor, falling short of the wind reversal (west-to-east → east-to-west) that defines a major sudden stratospheric warming. Our post last week explained that this major warming event has been elusive so far due to the lack of waves propagating from the troposphere below to the main level of the stratospheric polar vortex. Minor warmings themselves are not unexpected. Nor are they generally expected to be felt all the way down at the surface.

But what makes the stratosphere’s current behavior unexpected and somewhat rare is that the polar vortex seems to be more disrupted at the lower levels, closer to the stratosphere-troposphere boundary. For more than a week, high pressure has been sitting in the troposphere over Greenland [footnote #1]. It’s possible that the recent minor stratosphere warming reinforced this Greenland high pressure, which then drove a wedge into the stretched-out polar vortex in the lowest part of the stratosphere, splitting it into two lobes.

This lower stratosphere disturbance has been affecting the winds above it and looks to become just strong enough to fully reverse the winds of the polar vortex in the mid-stratosphere. A major sudden stratospheric warming is forecast to likely occur tomorrow. Normally, that’s when the excitement about whether we’ll see any surface impacts begins, as changes in the polar vortex communicate their way down to the lower stratosphere and sometimes the troposphere. But since the lower stratosphere has been perturbed for a while now, we’ve already been on the lookout for changes in the troposphere...

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/polar-vortex/polar-vortex-acting

 

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 Is Earth's Magnetic Field on The Verge of Flipping Over? An Expert Explains.

28 November 2023

 

The north magnetic pole's observed locations from 1831–2007 are yellow squares. Modeled pole locations from 1590–2025 are circles progressing from blue to yellow.

 

https://www.sciencealert.com/is-earths-magnetic-field-on-the-verge-of-flipping-over-an-expert-explains

 

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King Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon - Legend 

 

 7/21/2019

 

https://solomonstempleinvestigation.blogspot.com

 

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Section 7: Coral Reefs

 
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Coral Reef Decline in Florida - Why did nearly 50% of Florida’s Coral Reef Disappear?

February 14, 2018

https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/news/coral-reef-decline-in-florida/

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'Dire outlook': scientists say Florida reefs have lost nearly 98% of coral

2020

While overall US coral reefs are in fair condition, along the coast of Florida as little as 2% of original coral cover remains

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/18/coral-reefs-florida-dire-outlook

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What’s Killing the Keys? A new report shows a way forward for Florida’s reefs and marine life

February 26, 2021

https://marine-conservation.org/on-the-tide/whats-killing-the-keys-a-new-report-shows-a-way-forward-for-floridas-reefs-and-marine-life/

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Deadly coral disease in Florida, Caribbean may be transported in ship hulls, study finds

November 16, 2022

A new study suggests that ships may be spreading a deadly coral disease across Florida and the Caribbean. The findings by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science could help establish testing and treatment methods to mitigate the risk of further disease spread.

Stony coral tissue loss disease, or SCTLD, was first observed near Miami in 2014 and has since spread throughout all of Florida's Coral Reef and into the Caribbean, including in waters off Jamaica, St. Maarten, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Belize.

Researchers suggest that transport through ship hulls, where the vessel take on ballast water in one region to keep it stable and release it at a different port, may have contributed to disease spread.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221116150643.htm

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Florida's Coral Reef Disease Outbreak

 

Scientists, policy makers, and the public are responding to a disease event affecting the continental United States' only living barrier reef.

 

Florida's Coral Reef is experiencing a multi-year outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease. While disease outbreaks are not uncommon, this event is unique due to its large geographic range, extended duration, rapid progression, high rates of mortality and the number of species affected. The disease is thought to be caused by bacteria and can be transmitted to other corals through direct contact and water circulation. Researchers are working to identify potential pathogens and relationships with environmental factors, strategies to treat diseased colonies, and identify genotypes of corals that are resistant to the disease.

 

 


SEAFAN report photo shows symmetrical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) with an active stony coral tissue loss disease lesion.





https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/coral-disease/

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Sickness in the Sea: A Coral Plague Hits Florida

August 2019

https://ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/coral-reefs/sickness-sea-coral-plague-hits-florida

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Stony coral tissue loss disease accelerated shifts in coral composition and declines in reef accretion potential in the Florida Keys

25 October 2023

 

Outbreaks of coral disease have been a dominant force shaping western Atlantic coral-reef assemblages since the late 1970s. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is nonetheless having an unprecedented impact in the region. Whereas numerous studies over the last decade have worked to characterize this novel pathogen and its impacts on coral populations, few have quantified its functional effects on reef ecosystems. Of particular importance is how SCTLD may be impacting the essential reef-accretion process and the myriad ecosystem services it supports. Here, we evaluated the impact of SCTLD on reef-accretion potential by estimating carbonate budgets and taxon-level carbonate production at 43 sites throughout the Florida Keys from 2016−2022. Average regional reef-accretion potential declined from an already low, but positive rate of 0.30 ± 0.16 mm y-1 (mean ± standard error) in 2016 before the disease was first observed, to a state of accretionary stasis (0.08 ± 0.12 mm y-1) by 2022. This 70% relative decline in reef-accretion potential was driven by the loss of reef-building corals, with significant decreases in carbonate production by massive taxa including Colpophyllia natans, Montastraea cavernosa, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Orbicella spp., and Siderastrea siderea, and increasing contributions from less susceptible, weedy taxa including Millepora spp., Agaricia spp., and Porites astreoides. In general, changes in taxon-level carbonate production following the SCTLD outbreak mirror long-term shifts in reef assemblages in response to previous stressors. One striking exception, however, is S. siderea, which had become increasingly dominant in recent decades, but declined significantly in response to SCTLD. Overall, by further decimating the already depauperate reef-building coral populations in the Florida Keys, SCTLD has caused a functionally significant shift in the composition of Florida’s coral-reef assemblages and accelerated the loss of regional reef-building capacity. The dire impacts of the disease in south Florida may serve as an early warning that the persistence of the invaluable ecological and socioeconomic functions coral reefs provide will be increasingly threatened throughout the western Atlantic in the aftermath of SCTLD.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1276400/full


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A meta-analysis of the stony coral tissue loss disease microbiome finds key bacteria in unaffected and lesion tissue in diseased colonies

09 March 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43705-023-00220-0

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 The marine heat wave is killing coral reefs. Here's how South Florida is being impacted

July 18, 2023

The high temperatures cause corals to bleach, which means they lose the symbiotic algae which give them their color

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/the-marine-heat-wave-is-killing-coral-reefs-heres-how-south-florida-is-being-impacted/3073507/

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Global ocean heat has hit a new record every single day for the last year

March 18, 2024

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/18/climate/ocean-heat-record-year-climate-intl/index.html?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc

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 Extreme Ocean Temperatures Are Affecting Florida’s Coral Reef

August 18, 2023

Since April 2023, NOAA has been monitoring a steady rise in ocean temperatures, which is resulting in unprecedented heat stress conditions in the Caribbean basin, including waters surrounding Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. On Thursday, August 17, 2023, NOAA scientists provided a briefing on how these record-breaking warm ocean temperatures have stressed, bleached, and in some cases, killed corals within the 3,800 square miles of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Coral reefs are often referred to as the "rainforests of the sea," due to their incredible biodiversity and ecological importance. They provide vital benefits as part of marine ecosystems by sustaining habitats for marine life, buffering the harmful impacts of storms on coastal communities, and supporting local economies through tourism and fishing.

According to the briefing, a large-scale heat stress and coral bleaching event is underway, impacting two ocean basins and multiple countries. Five countries in the Eastern Tropical Pacific have confirmed coral bleaching, including Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia. Seven countries/territories/states in the Atlantic have confirmed bleaching as well, including Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico (both sides of the Yucatan), Panama, Belize, and Cuba.

Throughout the Caribbean and Atlantic, sea surface temperatures are as high or higher than ever before in satellite records, and heat stress has developed five to six weeks earlier than ever seen in the record.

Essentially, corals around Florida are experiencing extreme levels of heat stress that have never been recorded before. All of the Florida Keys are at Alert Level 2 for bleaching conditions, which means severe, widespread bleaching and significant mortality are likely. Some sites have already been exposed to two times greater the amount of heat stress than when mortality is expected to begin, and so far, the most extreme heat stress is in the lower and middle Florida Keys.

https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/extreme-ocean-temperatures-are-affecting-floridas-coral-reef

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Mass coral bleaching found in Florida Keys due to ocean's unprecedented high temperatures

July 25, 2023

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/ocean-temps-surge-to-100-degrees-mass-coral-bleaching-found-in-florida-keys/

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The Florida Aquarium Successfully Spawns Threatened Pillar Coral for the Second Year in a Row

August 7, 2020

https://www.flaquarium.org/press-room/the-florida-aquarium-successfully-spawns-threatened-pillar-coral-for-the-second-year-in-a-row/

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Hot seawater killed most of cultivated coral in Florida Keys in setback for restoration effort

February 16, 2024

Record hot seawater killed more than three-quarters of human-cultivated coral that scientists had placed in the Florida Keys in recent years in an effort to prop up a threatened species that’s highly vulnerable to climate change, researchers discovered.

Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this week returned to five reefs where they planted staghorn and elkhorn coral, both classified as threatened in the endangered species list, to see how the repopulated critters had survived prolonged water temperatures in the 90s (30s Celsius) last summer and fall. Most of them didn’t. They saw widespread death in both repopulated and wild coral on five Florida Keys reefs.

https://apnews.com/article/coral-reefs-widespread-death-climate-change-2b08ae1ef9b23b4a95f57cd76ada5d3d


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"100% coral mortality" found in coral reef restoration site off Florida as ocean temperatures soar

July 24, 2023

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coral-reef-mortality-florida-ocean-temperatures/

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Corals can bounce back after heat waves, but only if there's enough time between them

April 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-corals.html

 

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Deep parts of Great Barrier Reef 'insulated' from global warming, for now

April 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-deep-great-barrier-reef-insulated.html

 

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Florida's Corals Are Dying Off, But It's Not All Due To Climate Change, Study Says

2019

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/16/742050975/floridas-corals-are-dying-off-but-it-s-not-all-due-to-climate-change-study-says

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There's a Whole New Threat to Florida Reefs Damaged by Pollution and Overfishing

2016

Florida's coral reefs are already in big trouble. Scientists around the globe have noted serious problems for the delicate but vital ecosystems, especially from "bleaching," a process that occurs when high heat and sunshine causes devastating effects.  But that's not the only threat reefs in Florida face. A Florida Keys study...

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/theres-a-whole-new-threat-to-florida-reefs-damaged-by-pollution-and-overfishing-8539370

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Florida’s Water Crisis Has Sport Fishing on the Brink of Collapse

Apr 20, 2021

Fecal matter, killer algae, too much water, not enough water—Florida's hydrological disaster is killing its legendary inshore fishing

https://www.outdoorlife.com/floridas-water-crisis-has-sport-fishing-on-brink-collapse/


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Global Study Finds Reef Sharks Now at a Higher Risk of Extinction

 June 16, 2023

https://www.ecomagazine.com/news/research/global-study-finds-reef-sharks-now-at-a-higher-risk-of-extinction

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'Janitors' of the sea: Overharvested sea cucumbers play crucial role in protecting coral

February 26, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-janitors-sea-overharvested-cucumbers-play.html

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Scientists Will Unleash an Army of Crabs To Help Save Florida’s Dying Reef

September 27, 2023

https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/scientists-will-unleash-army-crabs-help-save-floridas-dying-reef

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Environmental issues with coral reefs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_with_coral_reefs

 

 


This image of an algae bloom off the southern coast of England, though not in a coral region, shows what a bloom can look like from a satellite remote sensing system.

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Threats facing South Florida’s coral reefs and possible solutions

2017

https://sharkresearch.earth.miami.edu/threats-facing-south-floridas-coral-reefs-and-possible-solutions/

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Probiotics May Help Corals Fight a Dangerous Disease Off Florida’s Coast

April 6, 2023

The new treatment shows promise in lab experiments

It begins as a pale spot on an otherwise colorful mass of coral that the average snorkeler might not give a second glance. But to the trained scientific eye, that spot is a lesion that can be a disturbing harbinger of swift and complete destruction, even of healthy corals. Unfortunately biologists working in Florida and Caribbean waters have seen far too much of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), a persistent and widespread pathogen that is leaving an ever-growing trail of dead, white coral in its wake.

“It’s really devastating,” says Valerie Paul, head scientist at the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida. “It can kill coral that’s hundreds of years old in a month.”

 

 


 

The remaining live tissue on this great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) colony in Florida is being destroyed by stony coral tissue loss disease. The bright white margin surrounding the dark-brown, living coral tissue is where the coral is bleaching and dying due to the disease.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/probiotics-may-help-corals-fight-a-dangerous-disease-off-floridas-coast-180981940/

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Newly discovered probiotic could protect Caribbean corals threatened by deadly, devastating disease

April 6, 2023

New treatment offers an alternative to antibiotic treatment, reducing risk of resistant pathogenic bacteria

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230406075659.htm

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The heroic effort to save Florida’s coral reef from extreme ocean heat as corals bleach across the Caribbean

August 9, 2023

https://theconversation.com/the-heroic-effort-to-save-floridas-coral-reef-from-extreme-ocean-heat-as-corals-bleach-across-the-caribbean-210974

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Condition of coral reef cnidarians from the northern Florida reef tract: Pesticides, heavy metals, and histopathological examination

1989

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0025326X89903597


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In Florida, endangered coral finds a way to blossom

JULY 17, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-07-florida-endangered-coral-blossom.html

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Florida Reef

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Reef


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Deep-sea coral reef stretches 600 miles from Miami to SC, scientists find

January 18th, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-deep-sea-coral-reef-miles.html

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South Florida's nearshore reefs less vulnerable to ocean acidification, study finds

January 17, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-south-florida-nearshore-reefs-vulnerable.html

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Here is what scientists are doing to save Florida's coral reef before it's too late

November 29, 2022

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/29/1138631989/scientists-florida-coral-barrier-reef-survival-restoration

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Restoring Florida's Dying Coral Reefs | Refurbished | Insider

Feb 18, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceAlK_Fw8ZQ

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Restoring Florida's Iconic Coral Reefs

December 07, 2023

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/podcast/restoring-floridas-iconic-coral-reefs

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Why 'it is absolutely not too late' for Florida's coral reefs

October 11, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/11/1198908241/noaa-florida-coral-reefs

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Florida’s Coral Reef Supports Fishing, Tourism and Beaches. Can Science Save It?

Nov. 18, 2023

With booster shots, IVF and ‘coral gyms,’ researchers are deploying new technologies to climate-proof the world’s third-longest barrier reef

https://www.wsj.com/science/florida-coral-reef-climate-change-heat-wave-6d5ee30b

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The Mission to Save Florida’s Reefs

2021

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/mission-save-floridas-reefs

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Expanding Access to Coral Reef Conservation Technology

Jul 05, 2023

https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/expanding-access-coral-reef-conservation-technology

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Sea Urchins Keep Surviving as Marine Life Deteriorates in the Florida Keys

January 16, 2023

The creatures are essential for healthy marine ecosystems.

https://www.treehugger.com/sea-urchins-keep-surviving-as-marine-life-languishes-in-the-florida-keys-7094387


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Scripps Institution of Oceanography report shows coral reefs healing despite warm water events

August 30, 2022

With global warming events causing parts of the ocean to heat up, coral reef bleaching has made headlines since the early 2000’s.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/outreach/earth8/coral-reefs-show-signs-healing/509-312457a0-0662-4631-9221-96a772906858

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Central Pacific Coral Reef Shows Remarkable Recovery Despite Two Warm-Water Events

Jul 06, 2022

https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/central-pacific-coral-reef-shows-remarkable-recovery-despite-two-warm-water-events

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Report Shows Pollution At Majority Of Florida's Beaches Puts Swimmers At Risk

2020

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2020-08-03/report-shows-pollution-at-majority-of-floridas-beaches-puts-swimmers-at-risk

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PATHOGENS POSE RISK AT 185 OF FLORIDA BEACHES: WATER POLLUTION PERSISTS AS CONGRESS CONSIDERS INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

https://www.keyscience.org/pathogens-pose-risk-at-185-of-florida-beaches-water-pollution-persists-as-congress-considers-infrastructure-funding/


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Florida Keys ecosystem threatened by multiple stressors

October 31, 2011

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111021074742.htm

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Human Effect on the Florida Keys Ecosystem

https://sciencing.com/human-effect-on-the-florida-keys-ecosystem-12731130.html

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Florida Keys

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Keys

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Environment of Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_of_Florida

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Florida panhandle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_panhandle

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Florida's Top 10 Toxic Pollution Problems

April 29, 2020

https://www.advocatesvoice.com/2020/04/floridas-top-10-toxic-pollution-problems.html

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State of our Seas: Panhandle waterways

2023

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/state-of-our-seas-panhandle-waterways

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Section 8: Red Tide & Algal Blooms

 

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What Exactly Is a Red Tide?

August 2018

Drifting throughout the ocean, invisible to the naked eye, are innumerable microscopic algae. They come in many shapes and sizes—some geometrically beautiful, like the diatoms, and others, like the dinoflagellates, swim in a distinctive whirling pattern. These tiny algae are essential components to ocean life as they fuel the food web by harnessing light energy from the sun. But when supplied with excess nutrients, they can multiply uncontrollably, becoming an unwanted mass commonly called a “red tide” that smothers nearby ocean life.

This massive growth of algae can become harmful to both the environment and humans, which is why scientists often refer to them as harmful algal blooms or HABs. When nutrients from inland areas flow down rivers and arrive in the ocean they supply a nutritious feast for algae, causing them to rapidly grow. This can happen naturally as rivers flood and bring nutrient-rich soil from forests and grasslands, but it can also happen when fertilizer and excrement from livestock travel down those same waterways, or when coastal development leads to excess erosion. Some algae species, like the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, color the ocean surface a deep red, inspiring the name “red tide.” But not all red tides are red and not all of them even become dense enough to color the water. There are also “brown tides” which can be damaging as well.

 


 

                                             The sea of red in the waves is caused by an algae called Karenia brevis.

 

Not only do red tides create temporarily toxic oceans, they can also deplete the water of dissolved oxygen, causing a phenomenon known as a dead zone. When the algae die, they become a feast for microbes, like bacteria. These microbes, like animals, require oxygen, so as they feed on the dead algae they also multiply and consume much of the oxygen in the ocean. This leaves little available for fish and other creatures that breathe underwater. When the ocean becomes depleted of oxygen, fish can die en masse—leaving the ocean surface covered in floating, dead fish for as far as the eye can see. 

Red tides are seasonal and often peak in the late summer when ocean conditions are the best for algae growth, however, off the coast of Florida they have been known to last for up to 18 months at a time. Although a natural occurrence (Spanish explorers remarked on the Florida red tides in the 1500s), studies suggest that harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency, likely due to climate change and nutrient pollution from farming and landscaping.

But this does not mean the situation is hopeless—through concerted efforts in cleaning rivers and coastlines of excess nutrients, communities can curb the spread of these increasingly frequent red tides. Following a sudden population growth in the 1950s, Tampa Bay became covered in a thick mat of algae as mangroves were cleared and polluted water was dumped straight into the bay. Now, after over 40 years of restoration, the bay is cleaner than ever and the story of the community that came together to restore their waterways proves that recovery is possible.

 

 


Dinoflagellates are major producers of oxygen in the ocean (and freshwater). But some species can grow out of control, causing a red tide. 

 

 


 A satellite image of chlorophyll concentrations (the molecule used in photosynthesis) shows the harmful algae bloom in the southwestern part of Florida.

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/what-exactly-red-tide


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Why Is Florida Experiencing Its Most Toxic Algae Bloom In A Decade?

Aug 10, 2018

https://www.forbes.com/sites/priyashukla/2018/08/10/why-is-florida-experiencing-its-most-toxic-algae-bloom-in-a-decade/?sh=1162fae1587e

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Harmful algal bloom

 

A harmful algal bloom (HAB), or excessive algae growth, is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms by production of natural algae-produced toxins, mechanical damage to other organisms, or by other means. HABs are sometimes defined as only those algal blooms that produce toxins, and sometimes as any algal bloom that can result in severely lower oxygen levels in natural waters, killing organisms in marine or fresh waters. Blooms can last from a few days to many months. After the bloom dies, the microbes that decompose the dead algae use up more of the oxygen, generating a "dead zone" which can cause fish die-offs. When these zones cover a large area for an extended period of time, neither fish nor plants are able to survive. Harmful algal blooms in marine environments are often called "red tides".

 

 



                                                                               Dead zone in the southern U.S.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmful_algal_bloom


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Neurological illnesses associated with Florida red tide (Karenia brevis) blooms

2019 Mar 1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9933543/

 
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Medium to high levels of red tide detected off of Florida's west coast

March 4, 2023

https://www.fox13news.com/news/medium-to-high-levels-of-red-tide-detected-off-of-floridas-west-coast

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Was Florida red tide made worse by Hurricane Ian? Here's what we know

MARCH 2, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-03-florida-red-tide-worse-hurricane.html

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Deadly Bacteria Cases Hit 12-Year High In Florida Following Hurricane Ian

Oct 19, 2022

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-vibrio-vulnificus-cases-hurricane-ian_n_634ec0cfe4b03e8038d87a5e


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Review of Florida Red Tide and Human Health Effects

2010

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3014608/

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The human health effects of Florida Red Tide (FRT) blooms: An expanded analysis

2014

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160412014000890

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UF study: Human activity provides nutrients for longer, stronger red tides

April 22, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-04-22/uf-study-human-activity-provides-nutrients-for-longer-stronger-red-tides

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Red Tide Is Devastating Florida's Sea Life. Are Humans to Blame?

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/news-longest-red-tide-wildlife-deaths-marine-life-toxins

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Red handed: The connection between human pollution and Florida's worsening red tide outbreaks

August 1, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-08-01/connection-human-pollution-florida-red-tide-outbreaks

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How your lawn’s fertilizers can contribute to the red tide; counties combat their use

September 22, 2020

https://www.wftv.com/weather/how-your-lawn-s-fertilizers-can-contribute-to-the-red-tide-some-counties-combat-their-use/840788527/

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Red tide is blanketing some Florida beaches: What you need to know about the toxic algae

March 6, 2023

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/06/red-tide-florida-beaches/11411138002/

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Red tide is concentrating on Florida's gulf coast. See the hot spots.

March 7, 2023

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/07/red-tide-florida-map-2023/11414829002/

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Red Tide Returns to Florida Beaches Earlier and Stronger Than Normal

March 8, 2023

https://www.ecowatch.com/red-tide-florida-climate-change.html

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Fishermen and Scientists Probe Phosphate’s Connection to Florida Red Tides

2022

https://civileats.com/2022/04/26/fishermen-scientists-probe-phosphates-florida-red-tides-pollution-algal-bloom/

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What to know about the 'red tide' hitting Florida beaches

MARCH 6, 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/06/1161339697/what-to-know-red-tide-florida-beaches-algae

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Harmful algal toxins of the Florida red tide (Karenia brevis): natural chemical stressors in South Florida coastal ecosystems

2008 Aug 30

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683401/

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Overview of Aerosolized Florida Red Tide Toxins: Exposures and Effects

10 February 2005

https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.7501


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Inland Transport of Aerosolized Florida Red Tide Toxins

2009

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2796838/

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Exposure to Aerosolized Algal Toxins in South Florida Increases Short- and Long-Term Health Risk in Drosophila Model of Aging

2020

 

Abstract

 

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a rising health and environmental concern in the United States, particularly in South Florida. Skin contact and the ingestion of contaminated water or fish and other seafood have been proven to have severe toxicity to humans in some cases. However, the impact of aerosolized HAB toxins is poorly understood. In particular, knowledge regarding either the immediate or long-term effects of exposure to aerosolized cyanotoxins produced by freshwater blue-green algae does not exist. The aim of this study was to probe the toxicity of aerosolized cyanobacterial blooms using Drosophila melanogaster as an animal model. The exposure of aerosolized HABs at an early age leads to the most severe long-term impact on health and longevity among all age groups. Young groups and old males showed a strong acute response to HAB exposure. In addition, brain morphological analysis using fluorescence imaging reveals significant indications of brain degeneration in females exposed to aerosolized HABs in early or late stages. These results indicate that one-time exposure to aerosolized HAB particles causes a significant health risk, both immediately and in the long-term. Interestingly, age at the time of exposure plays an important role in the specific nature of the impact of aerosol HABs. As BMAA and microcystin have been found to be the significant toxins in cyanobacteria, the concentration of both toxins in the water and aerosols was examined. BMAA and microcystin are consistently detected in HAB waters, although their concentrations do not always correlate with the severity of the health impact, suggesting the potential contribution from additional toxins present in the aerosolized HAB. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the health risk of exposure to aerosolized HAB, and further highlights the critical need and importance of understanding the toxicity of aerosolized cyanobacteria HAB particles and determining the immediate and long-term health impacts of HAB exposure.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33322328/


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Florida Red Tide Brews Up Drug Lead for Cystic Fibrosis

2007

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.316.5831.1561

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Florida scientists are mapping red tide fish kills to help regulate fishing afterward

October 23, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-10-23/florida-scientists-mapping-red-tide-fish-kills-regulate-fishing

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Interactive Florida Red Tide Map Show Locations Of Toxic Algae

Oct 05, 2018

For months on end, beach-goers in Florida have been checking the local alerts for conditions related to the red tide event happening off the coast. The conditions are listed on different sites from different counties and towns but the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released a new map that makes it easier for those in the area to keep up with the latest levels of the harmful algae cells.

 




https://www.newsweek.com/red-tide-map-interactive-use-1154953

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The complex causes of red tide make toxic blooms a challenge to predict, scientists say

March 22, 2023

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-03-22/the-complex-causes-of-red-tide-make-toxic-blooms-a-challenge-to-predict-scientists-say

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Red Tide Data Resources for Florida

https://secoora.org/red-tide-data-resources-for-florida/

______________


Gulf of Mexico/Florida: Harmful Algal Blooms

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/hab/gulf-mexico.html


______________


Understanding the 2017-2018 Florida Red Tide

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/2018/12/04/understanding-the-florida-red-tide/


______________


Harmful algal toxins of the Florida red tide (Karenia brevis): natural chemical stressors in South Florida coastal ecosystems

2008

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683401/

______________


Red tide is drifting north along Pinellas beaches and increasing in Manatee and Sarasota counties

March 5, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/2023-03-05/red-tide-drifting-north-along-pinellas-beaches-increasing-in-manatee-and-sarasota-counties

______________


Health Alert for Sarasota County

February 08, 2023

Sarasota - The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County (DOH-Sarasota) reminds the public that elevated levels of red tide continue to be detected at all 16 Sarasota County beaches.

https://sarasota.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2023/02/health-alert.html

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3 years ago, a massive algae bloom in Florida killed 2,000 tons of marine life. It’s threatening again

June 4, 2021

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/24/us/algae-bloom-florida/index.html

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Gov. DeSantis announces record funding to fight red tide in Florida

May 4, 2022

https://www.wfla.com/weather/red-tide/gov-desantis-to-speak-in-clearwater-at-frenchys-rockaway-grill/

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Pollution Verified in Most of Southwest Florida Area’s Prized Water Bodies

2021

What’s been long suspected now is official: Southwest Florida’s most cherished waters are in trouble.

From Charlotte Harbor south to San Carlos Bay, a draft state report shows widespread pollution from the fertilizer nitrogen and the algae byproduct, chlorophyll. Many of them also contain unhealthy levels of fecal bacteria. Even the water in the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island is tainted.

For years, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation has been sampling the water around its islands, and the nonprofit is now sounding the alarm, joined by other water quality advocates.

The latest report includes most of the water bodies along the Gulf of Mexico including the barrier islands and the coast – the places that power the region’s $3 billion tourism industry.

It’s an industry still traumatized by 2018’s devastating dual toxic blooms of red tide and cyanobacteria. The microorganisms responsible for both can be fed by nutrient pollution.

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/pollution-verified-in-most-of-southwest-florida-areas-prized-water-bodies-9492/

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Toxic water leak threatens Tampa Bay, Gulf of Mexico

2021

Gov. DeSantis issues state of emergency for Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas counties as officials warn of potential 'catastrophic' flood

https://www.capecoralbreeze.com/news/local-news/2021/04/05/toxic-water-leak-threatens-tampa-bay-gulf-of-mexico/

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Environmental report finds water contamination in Duval, Clay counties

January 23, 2020

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/duval-county/environmental-report-finds-water-contamination-duval-clay-counties/JOPF3XBZMBAGNEFEY7YCO6KJ5M/

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'A toxic mess': former Solite employee says Clay County concrete plant caused lifetime of health problems

February 11, 2020

A Clay County man says many medical problems resulted from his work at an old concrete plant that property owners want to develop.

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/a-toxic-mess-former-solite-employee-says-clay-county-concrete-plant-caused-lifetime-of-health-problems/77-507f8fdb-86c9-40a3-8929-eaf8bdd3cd36

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Neighbors release new chemical test results from area surrounding old Clay County mining site

November 14, 2023

https://www.wuft.org/environment/2023-11-14/neighbors-release-new-chemical-test-results-from-area-surrounding-old-clay-county-mining-site

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Algae toxins in Jacksonville waterway below danger level, but trigger health alert

2021

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/environment/2021/08/09/duval-health-alert-tells-people-avoid-algae-after-test-finds-toxins/5542241001/

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HEALTH OFFICIALS ISSUE BLUE-GREEN ALGAE BLOOM ALERT FOR HIGHLANDS COUNTY-LAKE GLENADA AND LAKE PLACID

February 26, 2024

https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins/_documents/highlandscounty-bluegreenalgae-alert-lakeglenada-lakeplacid-02-26-24.pdf

______________


Health officials issue blue-green algae bloom alert for Orange Lake

2022

https://marion.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/03/03_04_2.html

______________


Slow progress despite efforts to fix Orange Lake pollution

2016

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/state/2016/12/03/slow-progress-despite-efforts-to-fix-orange-lake-pollution/24425064007/

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Lakeland faces state mandates to improve water quality on five lakes

2023

 

 LAKELAND — Florida Department of Environmental Protection has identified five Lakeland lakes where water quality needs to be improved, adding to the city's lengthy list of polluted lakes.

 


 Lake Bonnet is considered Lakeland'smost polluted Lake. There's estimated to be about 28 feet of sediment on one side of the lake.



https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/05/09/state-says-lakeland-needs-to-improve-water-quality-on-five-lakes/70187057007/

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State mandates cleanup of 9 Lakeland lakes with major water quality issues

May 02, 2023

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-polk/state-mandates-cleanup-of-9-lakeland-lakes-with-major-water-quality-issues


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Cancer-Linked Contaminants Found In Lakeland Water: Report

Oct 23, 2019

A new study found drinking water is often less safe than what the federal government may deem legal.

https://patch.com/florida/lakeland/cancer-linked-contaminants-found-lakeland-water-report

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BLUE-GREEN ALGAE ALERT ISSUED FOR LAKE GEORGE

2022

https://volusia.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/08/Blue-Green-Algae-Bloom.html

______________


Algal bloom

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algal_bloom

An algal bloom or algae bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems. It is often recognized by the discoloration in the water from the algae's pigments.[1] The term algae encompasses many types of aquatic photosynthetic organisms, both macroscopic multicellular organisms like seaweed and microscopic unicellular organisms like cyanobacteria.[2]  Algal bloom commonly refers to the rapid growth of microscopic unicellular algae, not macroscopic algae.[3] An example of a macroscopic algal bloom is a kelp forest.[2]

Algal blooms are the result of a nutrient, like nitrogen or phosphorus from various sources (for example fertilizer runoff or other forms of nutrient pollution), entering the aquatic system and causing excessive growth of algae. An algal bloom affects the whole ecosystem.

Consequences range from the benign feeding of higher trophic levels to more harmful effects like blocking sunlight from reaching other organisms, causing a depletion of oxygen levels in the water, and, depending on the organism, secreting toxins into the water. Blooms that can injure animals or the ecology, especially those blooms where toxins are secreted by the algae, are usually called "harmful algal blooms" (HAB), and can lead to fish die-offs, cities cutting off water to residents, or states having to close fisheries. The process of the oversupply of nutrients leading to algae growth and oxygen depletion is called eutrophication.

Algal and bacterial blooms have persistently contributed to mass extinctions driven by global warming in the geologic past, such as during the end-Permian extinction driven by Siberian Traps volcanism and the biotic recovery following the mass extinction.


______________


Saltwater Algal Blooms

https://www.cdc.gov/habs/illness-symptoms-marine.html

______________


An introduction to copper and zinc pollution in macroalgae: for use in remediation and nutritional applications

2019

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-018-1580-5

______________


Zinc toxicity alters the photosynthetic response of red alga Pyropia yezoensis to ocean acidification

2020

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-019-06872-7


______________


Metal-non-tolerant ecotypes of ectomycorrhizal fungi can protect plants from cadmium pollution

2023

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38126020/


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Long-term and acute effects of zinc contamination of a stream on fish mortality and physiology

2009

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18937529/


______________


The physiology and toxicology of zinc in fish

2010

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/toxicology-of-aquatic-pollution/physiology-and-toxicology-of-zinc-in-fish/8056DD266B7C2B07A0F57454C8B7FC3A



______________


Toxicity of Zinc Compounds to Aquatic Animals, with Special Reference to Fish

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/404229?journalCode=qrb

______________



Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs

Common chemicals used in thousands of products to protect against harmful effects of ultraviolet light threaten corals and other marine life.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/sunscreen-corals.html

______________


Sunscreen Pollution

2016

http://www.marinesafe.org/blog/2016/03/18/sunscreen-pollution/

______________


Study of zinc pollution in river water: Average mass balance based on irrigation schedule

2020

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rra.3632

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Chapter 12 - Zinc soil pollution of global contaminated sites

2024

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323904001000161

_______________


Reducing Zinc and Total Suspended Solids in Stormwater Runoff

https://www.uscompliance.com/blog/reducing-zinc-and-total-suspended-solids-in-stormwater-runoff/

______________


Sources of Zinc in Highway Runoff

2017

https://environment.transportation.org/teri-idea/sources-of-zinc-in-highway-runoff/

______________


Is Zinc Biodegradable? A Detailed Look At The Environmental Impact Of Zinc

2023

https://www.findingasuitable.com/is-zinc-biodegradable/

______________


Perspectives on phytoremediation of zinc pollution in air, water and soil

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352554121001777

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Applications of ZnO and MgO Nanoparticles in Reducing Zinc Pollution Level in Rubber Manufacturing Processes: A Review

2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339464559_Applications_of_ZnO_and_MgO_Nanoparticles_in_Reducing_Zinc_Pollution_Level_in_Rubber_Manufacturing_Processes_A_Review


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Unethical human experimentation in the United States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unethical_human_experimentation_in_the_United_States

1950s

In 1950, to conduct a simulation of a biological warfare attack, the U.S. Navy sprayed large quantities of the bacteria Serratia marcescens – considered harmless at the time – over the city of San Francisco during a project called Operation Sea-Spray. Numerous citizens contracted pneumonia-like illnesses, and at least one person died as a result. The family of the person who died sued the government for gross negligence, but a federal judge ruled in favor of the government in 1981. Serratia tests were continued until at least 1969.

Also in 1950, Dr. Joseph Stokes of the University of Pennsylvania deliberately infected 200 female prisoners with viral hepatitis.

From the 1950s to 1972, mentally disabled children at the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York, were intentionally infected with viral hepatitis, for research whose purpose was to help discover a vaccine. From 1963 to 1966, Saul Krugman of New York University promised the parents of mentally disabled children that their children would be enrolled into Willowbrook in exchange for signing a consent form for procedures that he claimed were "vaccinations". In reality, the procedures involved deliberately infecting children with viral hepatitis by feeding them an extract made from the feces of patients infected with the disease.

In 1952, Chester M. Southam, a Sloan-Kettering Institute researcher, injected live cancer cells, known as HeLa cells, into prisoners at the Ohio State Penitentiary and cancer patients. Also at Sloan-Kettering, 300 healthy females were injected with live cancer cells without being told. The doctors stated that they knew at the time that it might cause cancer.

In 1953, Dr. Frank Olson and several other colleagues were unknowingly dosed with LSD as part of a CIA experiment, MK-ULTRA. Olson died nine days later after falling to his death from a hotel window under suspicious circumstances.

The San Francisco Chronicle, December 17, 1979, p. 5 reported a claim by the Church of Scientology that the CIA conducted an open-air biological warfare experiment in 1955 near Tampa, Florida, and elsewhere in Florida with whooping cough bacteria. It was alleged that the experiment tripled the whooping cough infections in Florida to over one-thousand cases and caused whooping cough deaths in the state to increase from one to 12 over the previous year. This claim has been cited in a number of later sources, although these added no further supporting evidence.

During the 1950s, the United States conducted a series of field tests using entomological weapons (EW). Operation Big Itch, in 1954, was designed to test munitions loaded with uninfected fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis). In May 1955 over 300,000 uninfected mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) were dropped over parts of the U.S. state of Georgia to determine if the air-dropped mosquitoes could survive to take meals from humans. The mosquito tests were known as Operation Big Buzz. The U.S. engaged in at least two other EW testing programs, Operation Drop Kick and Operation May Day.

1960s

In 1963, 22 elderly patients at the Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital in Brooklyn, New York City were injected with live cancer cells by Chester M. Southam, who in 1952 had done the same to prisoners at the Ohio State Prison, to "discover the secret of how healthy bodies fight the invasion of malignant cells". The administration of the hospital attempted to cover the study up, but the New York medical licensing board ultimately placed Southam on probation for one year. Two years later, the American Cancer Society elected him as their vice president.

From 1963 to 1969, as part of Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD), the U.S. Army performed tests which involved spraying several U.S. ships with various biological and chemical warfare agents, while thousands of U.S. military personnel were aboard the ships. The personnel were not notified of the tests, and were not given any protective clothing. Chemicals tested on the U.S. military personnel included the nerve gases VX and Sarin, toxic chemicals such as zinc cadmium sulfide and sulfur dioxide, and a variety of biological agents.

In 1966, the U.S. Army released Bacillus globigii into the tunnels of the New York City Subway system, as part of a field experiment called A Study of the Vulnerability of Subway Passengers in New York City to Covert Attack with Biological Agents. The Chicago subway system was also subject to a similar experiment by the Army.

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Section 9: Water Pollution & Problems

 

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Florida Beachgoers Left Behind 13,000 Pounds of Trash Last Week on This Beach

May 12, 2020

https://www.ecowatch.com/florida-beaches-trash-cleanup-2645978893.html

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Dania Beach Has a Serious Litter Problem

April 2016

https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/dania-beach-has-a-serious-litter-problem-7685533

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Florida seawater could contain harmful, even deadly, bacteria: What to know

May 10, 2022

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/regional/florida/florida-seawater-bacteria-vibrio-vulnificus/67-82d42aaa-8093-4af5-83fd-badfde30a8d3

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Deadly Bacterial Infections on the Rise in Florida: 'Serious Concern'

Oct 18, 2023

https://www.newsweek.com/deadly-bacteria-infection-rise-florida-serious-1835705

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31 in Florida infected by bacteria in salt water

October 11, 2013

Holm said nine people died from vibrio vulnificus in Florida in 2012, and 13 in 2011, so this year's statistics aren't alarming. What's different, she said, was that victims' families are speaking to the news media about the danger.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/31-in-florida-infected-by-bacteria-in-salt-water

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Harmful bacteria prompt officials to issue 'no swim' advisory for multiple Florida beaches

Jul 29, 2022

https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/harmful-bacteria-prompt-officials-to-issue-no-swim-advisory-for-multiple-florida-beaches

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Hurricane Idalia caused widespread pollution in Florida’s waterways

Sept 8, 2023

Wastewater, fuel and chemicals spilled in several parts of the state as the massive storm caused extensive flooding.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/09/08/hurricane-idalia-floodwater-sewage-leak-pollution-contamination-tampa-bay/

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Avoid contact with contaminated water and surrounding areas

 August 30, 2023

Naples, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) is advising the public not to enter the water due to the possible increased risk of waterborne illness. Water quality has been affected by Hurricane Idalia. Swimming is not recommended.

Public Beaches

Heavy winds and rain can negatively impact coastal waters. Excessive amounts of rain and storm surge can increase the levels of harmful bacteria in these waters. The sources of the bacteria can vary and include failing septic systems, sewer line breaks, overflowing manholes, and wildlife.

Storm surge and floodwaters may have also brought debris on to the beaches. This debris is hazardous and has also been subjected to harmful bacteria. Under no circumstance should any person handle debris who is not wearing proper safety equipment.

Residents and visitors should avoid swimming in coastal waters until bacterial testing indicates sample results within the state and Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards. Testing will begin as soon as conditions are safe, and areas are accessible. Test results can be accessed at the Florida Department of Health Healthy Beaches website: https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/beach-waterquality/index.html.

https://collier.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2023/08/20230830DOHCollierIssuesPrecautionarySwimAdvisory.pdf.html

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Public Health Advisory Issued for Bahia and Davis Island Beaches Due to High Bacteria Levels

September 14, 2023

https://hillsborough.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2023/09/bahia-di-beach-advisory-09142023.html

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Garniers Beach and Liza Jackson parks under health advisory due to high bacteria levels

July 2021

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/local/2021/07/22/health-advisory-fort-walton-beach-parks-due-bacteria-water/8053179002/

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Residents say: “The Choctawhatchee Bay is Unhealthy”

Mar 13, 2019

https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/residents-say-the-choctawhatchee-bay-is-unhealthy/

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Okaloosa’s Sylvania Heights Seeks Environmental Justice

September 28, 2021

The Sylvania Heights community in Fort Walton Beach has been facing stormwater issues for decades. With aging infrastructure and little stormwater mitigation, the problem is spilling into other neighborhoods and residents are anxious to see some action.

 



 

 


 

 


 

 


 

A ditch off Jonquil Avenue in Fort Walton Beach feeds untreated stormwater directly into Gap Creek.

https://www.wuwf.org/local-news/2021-09-28/okaloosas-sylvania-heights-seeks-environmental-justice

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Red tide reported from Navarre to South Walton; bacteria reported in three Okaloosa parks

Oct 28, 2021

 

Red tide blooms have been reported up and down the Gulf Coast, with some blooms reportedly causing fish kills in Walton County.

The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County issued a public notice Tuesday reporting a red tide bloom affecting James Lee Park and the Shirah public beach access in Destin, along with Beasley Park and Fort Walton Beach Access Seven on Okaloosa Island.

Also on Tuesday, the South Walton Fire District issued a Facebook post stating, "This recent bout of red tide is no joke. Lifeguards have reported poor air quality and fish kills across South Walton. Red tide is not deadly to humans, but can lead to allergy-like symptoms of sneezing, difficulty breathing and itchy eyes/throat."

 

 


                                                                Florida Red Tide Map

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/local/2021/10/28/red-tide-reported-santa-rosa-okaloosa-and-walton-counties/8581739002/

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Water off Navarre Park has a pollution problem, and its source remains a mystery

August 15, 2023

The Santa Rosa County branch of the Florida Department of Health has issued a water quality advisory for Santa Rosa Sound waters in the vicinity of Navarre Park and the Navarre Beach Welcome Center.

In issuing an advisory, the Health Department warns against any water-related activities at the location cited due to the potential for high bacteria levels...

https://news.yahoo.com/water-off-navarre-park-pollution-091305301.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKvjmMsgxCilNc9fy2mDSKDR3zJ71SJoJLxxXYl2iSVB3BuGezbJ9-EmJHjr0BveB5Nma0YIu4aUtKg-FNA0JSxu9Pqy3Pj9mPw3UFYWuRzlkxIiYgsSgWmbVWyScjL-zVkui13fO1R7XsI0mGQSHR2f9fFUKRju94v7OW2vNW1l

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Santa Rosa County's water is at risk. Growing area while protecting wellfield no easy task

2022

 

With Santa Rosa County experiencing exponential growth in the East Milton area, outgoing County Commissioner Bob Cole convened a workshop last week to discuss ways to protect the wellfield that supplies the county's water.

The East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District was established between 2010 and 2013 to protect an area bounded on the south by U.S. 90 and the west by State Road 87. The Fairpoint Regional Utility System and East Milton Water System operate approximately 12 wells within the area from which they draw water from the Sand and Gravel Aquifer.

At present, the wells supply water to more than 85,000 residents.

"This is a very vulnerable aquifer," Gary Eichler, an expert hydrogeologist speaking for Fairpoint Regional, warned commissioners. The aquifer, which is fed by rainwater, is "highly susceptible to contamination from above."

 

 


 

 



The Santa Rosa County Commission is considering a proposal to allow a new borrow pit inside its East Milton Wellfield protection area

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/santa-rosa/2022/11/16/santa-rosa-county-florida-drinking-water-risk-area-grows-experts-say/8324245001/


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Florida officials warn of bacteria risk at three Palm Beach County parks


Feb, 2024

https://www.newsbreak.com/palm-beach-county-fl/3341924798143-florida-officials-warn-of-bacteria-risk-in-three-palm-beach-county-parks

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'Poor' water quality: Health advisories issued for three Palm Beach County Beaches

June 2023

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2023/06/15/these-three-palm-beach-county-beaches-got-a-poor-water-quality-score/70323101007/

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High bacteria levels detected in waters near flooded areas in Fort Lauderdale

April 19, 2023

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/high-bacteria-levels-detected-in-waters-near-flooded-areas-in-fort-lauderdale/

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Joes Creek Bacterial Pollution Control Plan for Impaired Water Restoration

2016

https://pinellas.gov/joes-creek-bacterial-pollution-control-plan-for-impaired-water-restoration/

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Bacteria counts high at popular Bonita Beach Park; don't swim or wade

August 17, 2023

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/08/17/enterococcus-poop-bacteria-found-at-popular-bonita-beach-park/70614281007/

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What you should know about flesh-eating bacteria on beaches

June 9, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/health/sargassum-seaweed-blob-flesh-eating-bacteria-scn-wellness/index.html

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Clumps of 5,000-mile seaweed blob bring flesh-eating bacteria to Florida

2023

Decomposing pieces of Great Atlantic sargassum belt carry Vibrio bacteria on state’s shoreline

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/03/sargassum-seaweed-algae-florida-bacteria-vibrio

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Vibriosis, infection with flesh-eating bacteria linked to contaminated water, raw oysters

Sept. 11, 2023

Vibrio vulnificus can spread through contaminated seawater and raw oysters. As water temperatures increase, experts are concerned infections will, too.

https://www.today.com/health/vibrio-vulnificus-flesh-eating-bacteria-oysters-rcna102879

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2 Florida deaths linked to bacterial infection from eating raw oysters

August 18, 2022

The deaths are reportedly linked to oysters from Louisiana. The two separate occasions happened a week apart in Escambia and Broward counties, according to the Florida Department of Health.

https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/florida-deaths-oysters-vibriosis

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Health department lists brain-eating amoeba case in Charlotte County

February 24, 2023

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-02-24/health-department-lists-brain-eating-amoeba-case-in-charlotte-county

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Leprosy may now be endemic in Florida, report suggests

Aug. 1, 2023

Reported cases of leprosy have more than doubled in southeastern states over the last decade, according to a new research paper.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/leprosy-may-be-endemic-florida-cdc-rcna97567


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UF expert discusses leprosy and increased cases in Florida

October 5, 2023

https://epi.ufl.edu/2023/10/05/uf-expert-discusses-leprosy-and-increased-cases-in-florida/


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Leprosy cases in central Florida account for nearly 20% of national cases. What to know

7-28-2023

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2023/07/28/florida-leprosy-hansens-disease-cases-endemic-what-to-know/70481451007/

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Central Florida is a hot spot for leprosy, report says

August 2, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/health/leprosy-central-florida/index.html

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How leprosy arrived in Florida, and how it is spreading: New clues are emerging

Aug 8, 2023

https://www.unmc.edu/healthsecurity/transmission/2023/08/08/how-leprosy-arrived-in-florida-and-how-it-is-spreading-new-clues-are-emerging/

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Leprosy in Florida: medical experts monitoring unusual, new cases of Hansen’s disease

October 16, 2023

https://epi.ufl.edu/2023/10/16/leprosy-in-florida-medical-experts-monitoring-unusual-new-cases-of-hansens-disease/

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Leprosy cases are dramatically rising in the US

2023

https://www.indy100.com/science-tech/leprosy-cases-united-states-florida

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Common Florida Skin Conditions and Treatments

Aug 12, 2020

https://www.mydcsi.com/2020/08/12/common-florida-skin-conditions-treatments/

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Study Confirms Presence of Flesh-Eating and Illness-Causing Bacteria in Florida’s Coastal Waters Post-Hurricane Ian

January 10, 2024

https://www.aau.edu/research-scholarship/featured-research-topics/study-confirms-presence-flesh-eating-and-illness

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Researchers find high counts of flesh-eating bacteria in Florida waters after hurricanes

Nov. 19, 2023

https://www.al.com/news/2023/11/researchers-find-high-counts-of-flesh-eating-bacteria-in-florida-waters-after-hurricanes.html

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Decades-long mystery of flesh-eating, ulcer-causing bacteria solved


January 26, 2024

Mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting the flesh-eating bacterium behind "Buruli ulcer" to humans, new research suggests.

https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/decades-long-mystery-of-flesh-eating-ulcer-causing-bacteria-solved


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ESCAMBIA COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS ENCOURAGE AWARENESS OF POTENTIAL BACTERIA IN LOCAL WATERS

May 04, 2023

https://escambia.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2023/05/2023-05-03-vibrio-vulnificus.html

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Despite efforts to curb pollution, Escambia County still struggles with its haunted past

2019

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/11/20/escambia-county-improves-pollution-controls-but-past-mistakes-linger/3998589002/

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Warm coastal waters may fuel flesh-eating bacteria

September 1, 2023

https://jaxtoday.org/2023/09/01/warm-coastal-waters-may-fuel-flesh-eating-bacteria/

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Sandy Beach Microbes: the Good, the Bad, and the Flesh-eating

Aug. 3, 2017

https://asm.org/Articles/2017/August/sandy-beach-microbes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-fles


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Mom of 6-Year-Old Has Limbs Amputated After Eating Tilapia Contaminated with Flesh-Eating Bacteria

September 22, 2023

Laura Barajas had her arms and legs amputated after contracting the aggressive bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, likely from undercooked tilapia

https://people.com/mom-amputation-flesh-eating-bacteria-eating-fish-7971076

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10 deaths, 45 cases of Vibrio vulnificus in Florida this year. What is the 'flesh-eating' bacteria?

2023

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/10-deaths-43-cases-of-vibrio-vulnificus-in-florida-this-year-what-is-the-flesh-eating-bacteria/ar-AA1fzDs4


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Human-Fueled Superbugs Are Putting This Intelligent Animal in Danger

SEP. 15, 2019

Dolphins reflect the alarming trend seen in US hospitals.

https://www.inverse.com/article/59268-dolphins-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria

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Deadly fungus detected in Florida, spreading rapidly, CDC warns

Mar 21, 2023

(NEXSTAR) – A fungus that poses “an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has already been detected in more than half of U.S. states.

Candida auris, or C. auris, is so concerning because it is often resistant to anti-fungal drugs, making it hard to treat infections. It can also be hard to identify with standard lab tests, making it even more difficult to treat properly and early.

The fungus was first detected in the United States in 2016. The fungus “spread at an alarming rate” between 2020 and 2021 in health care facilities, the CDC wrote in a memo released Monday, and has continued to spread in 2022.

https://www.wfla.com/news/health-news/rapidly-spreading-fungus-already-in-28-states-presents-urgent-threat-cdc-warns/

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CDC report finds leprosy endemic in southeastern United States, particularly Florida

AUG. 2, 2023

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/08/02/leprosy-florida-cdc-endemic/3011690988586/


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Leprosy Outbreak in Florida: What You Need to Know

August 4, 2023

https://www.health.com/leprosy-outbreak-florida-2023-7569183

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Central Florida is a hot spot for leprosy, report says

August 2, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/health/leprosy-central-florida/index.html


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Risk of brain-eating amoeba, flesh-eating bacteria may increase due to climate change: Experts

May 29, 2021

Infections are rare, but pathogens and bacteria thrive in warmer waters.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/risk-brain-eating-amoeba-flesh-eating-bacteria-increase/story?id=77918655

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7 Scary Diseases Your Dog Can Get from Water

Jun. 30, 2016

https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/parasites/7-scary-diseases-your-dog-can-get-water

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A Hacker Tried to Poison a Florida City's Water Supply, Officials Say

FEB 8, 2021

The attacker upped sodium hydroxide levels in the Oldsmar, Florida, water supply to extremely dangerous levels.

https://www.wired.com/story/oldsmar-florida-water-utility-hack/

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How are Florida’s springs threatened?

Over time, the springs’ water quality and amount of water they discharge have been threatened by both human activities and natural factors.

https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/springs/how-are-floridas-springs-threatened

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Florida Department of Health Martin County issues bacteria advisory near Sandsprit Park

Aug 18, 2023

https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-bacteria-advisory-sandsprit-park-stuart/44852492

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Beachgoers Beware? 5 Pathogens That Lurk In Sand

June 23, 2018

https://www.livescience.com/62898-sand-beach-pathogens-germs-diseases.html


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Swimmers beware: Dangerous bacteria can lurk in freshwater lakes and rivers during summer

July 12, 2022

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/life/wellness/2022/07/12/aeromonas-hydrophilia-dangerous-bacteria-found-freshwater/10017340002/

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Pollution and overuse threaten Florida's fragile freshwater springs

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

Declining flows, agricultural runoff, and sewage are pressuring the world’s largest network of freshwater springs.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/pollution-and-overuse-threaten-floridas-fragile-freshwater-springs

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Contemporary Threats of Bacterial Infections in Freshwater Fish

2018

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6295991/



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Learn More: Bacteria

https://seminole.wateratlas.usf.edu/library/learn-more/learnmore.aspx?toolsection=lm_bacteria

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Bacteria Monitoring

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/issues/bacteria-monitoring/

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Elevated fecal bacteria recorded in several Lee County waterways

Jul 20, 2022

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Last week, Fox 4 told you about high fecal bacteria found at Bonita Beach which led to the Florida Department of Health to advise against swimming in the water.

The Calusa Waterkeepers, a local conservation group, released sampling data from July 16 showing three other locations that saw fecal bacteria indicators.

 




https://www.fox4now.com/news/local-news/lee-county/elevated-fecal-bacteria-recorded-in-several-lee-county-waterways



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Water Pollution in Pensacola

May 4, 2022

According to the Pensacola news journal, From 1997 to 2008, more than 400 households were permanently relocated from Pensacola. But why?

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/75d38a4f7bf44d53a649d2804353bc77

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Study Finds Pensacola Has The Nation’s Worst Water

December 13, 2009

Pensacola has the worst drinking water of any American city, according to the results of a national survey released Saturday.

In the study, there were 21 chemicals found in Pensacola’s water that exceeded health guidelines, including radium, lead, bezene and carbon tetracholride.

In an unprecedented analysis of 20 million tap water quality tests performed by water utilities between 2004 and 2009, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that water suppliers detected a total of 316 contaminants in water delivered to the public. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set enforceable standards for only 114 of these pollutants.

Another 202 chemicals with no mandatory safety standards were found in water supplied to approximately 132 million people in 9,454 communities across the country. These “unregulated” chemicals include the toxic rocket fuel component perchlorate, the industrial solvent acetone, the weed killer metolachlor, the refrigerant Freon and radon, a highly radioactive gas.

Pensacola’s worst water ranking was among 100 of the nation’s largest water systems in cities over 250,000 in population. In North Escambia, water systems are operated by small independent water companies such as Walnut Hill Water Works, Molino Utilities, Central Water Works, Bratt-Davisville Water System and the Town of Century. These smaller water systems were not part of the worst water results. Only the water provided by the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) in the Pensacola metro area was part of the water study. The smaller North Escambia water systems were not included in the study by EWG.

http://www.northescambia.com/2009/12/study-finds-pensacola-has-the-nations-worst-water

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Pensacola ranks No. 12 in U.S. for toxic releases per square mile

2019

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/11/17/escambia-county-haunted-pollution-20-years-after-grand-jury-report/2125341001/

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City aims to solve problems caused by record growth at Pensacola International Airport

2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/city-aims-to-solve-problems-caused-by-record-growth-at-pensacola-international-airport/ar-AA1kHzHd

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Pensacola Navy base confronts environmental clean-up

2015

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/04/20/pensacola-navy-base-confronts-environmental-clean/26077919/

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Pensacola neighborhood draws pollution inspection

2014

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/07/22/troubled-pensacola-neighborhood-draws-landfill-inspection/12984433/


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ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF THE PENSACOLA BAY SYSTEM: NORTHWEST FLORIDA

https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=NHEERL&dirEntryId=99505

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Nutrient Pollution in Pensacola Bay; the 2019 LAKEWATCH Report for Escambia County Waters

2019

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2019/08/22/nutrient-pollution-in-pensacola-bay-the-2019-lakewatch-report-for-escambia-county-waters/

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Fecal pollution in the Pensacola Bay watershed threatens human health, local economies

2023

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/swsdept/2023/10/02/fecal-pollution-in-the-pensacola-bay-watershed-threatens-human-health-local-economies/

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Swimming advisory issued for Cocoa Beach Pier area because of fecal bacteria

2023

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/04/21/swimming-advisory-issued-for-cocoa-beach-pier-area-due-to-fecal-bacteria/70139567007/

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Don’t Swallow That Ocean Water—There’s Probably Poop in It

July 12, 2023

More than half of the US beaches tested in a new report had potentially unsafe levels of fecal contamination.

https://www.self.com/story/ocean-water-bacteria-contamination-risks

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Hundreds of Florida beaches test unsafe with fecal bacterial

2023

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article277257058.html

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Florida Healthy Beaches Program

https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/beach-water-quality/index.html

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 Panhandle Estuary Programs

TNC and our partners are working to ensure a healthy future for our estuaries, watersheds, and the Gulf of Mexico.

2018

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/florida/stories-in-florida/restoring-floridas-gulf-coast/

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US-Mexico border: 100 billion gallons of toxic sewage creating a 'public health crisis'

February 20, 2024

https://abcnews.go.com/US/us-mexico-border-100-billion-gallons-toxic-sewage/story?id=107349716

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Widespread human waste pollution in surface waters observed throughout the urbanized, coastal communities of Lee County, Florida, USA

2023


Abstract

 

The coastal communities of Lee County, Florida, USA have grown rapidly since the 1970s. In this county, drainage ditches, canals, creeks, and the Caloosahatchee River Estuary often have high concentrations of nutrients and bacteria limiting their designated uses. Septic systems have previously been identified as a major pollution source in some areas of Lee County; therefore, this study sought to identify the extent of this issue throughout the county. To accomplish this, surface water samples were collected at 25 ditch, creek, or canal sites suspected of human waste contamination from septic systems in various drainage basins throughout Lee County during January 2020–January 2021. Water samples were analyzed for nutrients, dual stable nitrate isotopes (δ15N-NO3, δ18O-NO3), fecal indicator bacteria (enterococci, Escherichia coli), a molecular tracer of human waste (HF183), and chemical tracers of human waste (the artificial sweetener sucralose, pharmaceuticals). Particulate organic matter (POM) and macrophytes were also collected and analyzed for stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes, as well as elemental composition (C:N:P). To broaden the assessment of stable isotope values and C:N:P, archived macrophyte samples from 2019 were also included in analyses. Ammonium concentrations were high (> 4.3 μM) in 55 % of samples. Fecal bacteria were high in 66 % of samples. HF183 was detected in 50 % of samples and positively correlated with enterococci (r = 0.32). Sucralose concentrations were high (> 380 ng/L) in 54 % of samples, while carbamazepine was detected in 40 % of samples. Human waste N sources were indicated by δ15N > 3.00 ‰ at 44 % of sites by δ15N-NO3, 68 % of sites by POM, and at 100 % of sites where macrophyte samples were collected. This large-scale study provides evidence of widespread human waste pollution throughout Lee County and can help guide infrastructure improvements to promote sustainable development. These findings should be applicable to urbanized regions globally that are experiencing declines in water quality and harmful algal blooms due to development with inadequate infrastructure.



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723013323

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Miami-Dade reports fecal pollution at Crandon Park near Key Biscayne

August 24, 2023

Crandon Park’s north and south beaches test positive for bacteria able to sicken swimmers, health officials report

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/08/24/miami-dade-reports-fecal-pollution-at-crandon-park-near-key-biscayne/

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Florida’s Water Quality Crisis

September 11, 2020

To fix fish kills and water quality issues in Biscayne Bay and avoid a similar fate across the state, Florida leadership needs to step up

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2020/09/11/floridas-water-quality-crisis/


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Recommendations to Clean Up and Protect the Biscayne Aquifer in Southeast Florida

1985

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/91018NGW.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1981+Thru+1985&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C81thru85%5CTxt%5C00000023%5C91018NGW.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL

______________


Water Quality Map Overview

Protecting Florida Together Water Quality Map

https://protectingfloridatogether.gov/water-quality-status

______________


Current Conditions for Florida: Water Quality -- 164 site(s) found

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/current/?type=quality

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USGS Current Water Data for Florida

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/rt

______________


Small South Florida island shows scope of plastic problem as regulation bills stall

Feb 14, 2024

Plastic bills stall, but pollution persists on barrier island in Biscayne Bay

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2024/02/14/small-south-florida-island-shows-scope-of-plastic-problem-as-regulation-bills-stall/

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Scientists investigate cause of another fish kill in Biscayne Bay

October 19, 2022

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/10/19/biscayne-bay-suffers-another-fish-kill-scientists-suspect-pollution-from-canal/

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State finds 24 ‘possible violations’ after massive Winter Springs fish kill

May 4, 2021

Department of Environmental protection discovers wastewater plant ‘bypassed the filtration and disinfection systems’

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/04/state-finds-24-possible-violations-after-massive-winter-springs-fish-kill/

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Biscayne Bay Fish Kill Symptom of Chronic Nutrient Pollution Signifying a ‘Regime Shift’

2020

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/biscayne-bay-fish-kill-symptom-of-chronic-nutrient-pollution-signifying-a-regime-shift/

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3 years ago, a massive algae bloom in Florida killed 2,000 tons of marine life. It’s threatening again

2021

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/24/us/algae-bloom-florida/index.html


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Our litter on land is strangling Miami’s waterways

2021

Many people don’t realize that trash on the street flows into Biscayne Bay

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/04/29/our-litter-on-land-is-strangling-miamis-waterways/


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USGS Finds 28 Types of Cyanobacteria in Florida Algal Bloom

May 31, 2017

 

A new U.S. Geological Survey study that looked at the extensive harmful algal bloom that plagued Florida last year found far more types of cyanobacteria present than previously known.

 



This microscope image shows Dolichospermum circinale, which was one of the 28 species of cyanobacteria USGS scientists discovered during the major harmful algal bloom that hit southern Florida last year. Many varieties of the cyanobacteria found in the bloom are capable of creating harmful toxins. This species is capable of creating saxition, which is the second most potent natural toxin in the world. Photo by Barry Rosen, USGS. (Public domain.)

https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/usgs-finds-28-types-cyanobacteria-florida-algal-bloom

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Effects of marine harmful algal blooms on bivalve cellular immunity and infectious diseases: A review

2020 Mar 5

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32145294/

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Toxic cyanobacteria blooms degrade ecosystem in coastal Florida

https://ian.umces.edu/publications/toxic-cyanobacteria-blooms-degrade-ecosystem-in-coastal-florida/

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Exposure to microcystin among coastal residents during a cyanobacteria bloom in Florida

2020 Feb 5

 

Abstract

 

Florida has experienced multiple cyanobacteria blooms in recent years the most severe of which occurred in 2016 and 2018. Several toxins are produced by proliferating cyanobacteria, including the hepatotoxin microcystin (MC). Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by cyanobacteria have the potential to impact public health. However, to date there have been limited attempts to quantify exposure in human populations. This study investigated potential exposure to the cyanobacterial toxin, MC by measuring concentrations in swabs of the nasal mucosa. In addition, the relationships between nasal concentrations of MC, environmental concentrations and activity patterns were assessed. Participants (n = 125) were recruited in 2018 during a cyanobacterial bloom of Microcystis aeruginosa and completed a questionnaire which included location, type, and duration of recreational or occupational contact with impacted waterways within the last 10 days. Water samples were collected concurrently. A sterile swab was used to collect a sample from the nasal mucosa. Concentrations of MC were measured by ELISA. Of the 121 participants who provided nasal swabs, 115 (95.0 %) had concentrations of MC above the limit of detection with a mean concentration of 0.61 + 0.75 ppb. There were significant differences (p < 0.01) in mean MC concentration between individuals with direct contact with impacted waters (0.77 + 0.88 ppb) compared to those with no recent contact (0.37 + 0.49 ppb). Higher concentrations were observed among occupationally exposed individuals. Nasal concentrations of MC varied significantly over time and location of exposure to the bloom, concordant with concentrations in water samples. The results suggest that inhalation of aerosols may be an important pathway for exposure to MC. Nasal MC concentrations were generally highest during periods when concentrations in the surrounding waters peaked. Further research is needed to characterize the public health implications of exposure to cyanobacterial blooms.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32113588/

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sxtA4+ and sxtA4- Genotypes Occur Together within Natural Pyrodinium bahamense Sub-Populations from the Western Atlantic

2021

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34071086/

______________


sxtA-based quantitative molecular assay to identify saxitoxin-producing harmful algal blooms in marine waters

2011 Aug 12

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21841034/

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Grundfos KPL Stormwater Pumps Play Instrumental Role in Florida Everglades Restoration Project

February 26, 2024

Grundfos Pumps Help Move Water From Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades Agricultural Area Stormwater Treatment Area For Cleaning, Storage; Project to Provide Clean Water to the Everglades, Coastal Communities, Aquifers

BROOKSHIRE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Grundfos—Grundfos, a global leader in water technology and services, announced today that the Grundfos KPL submersible axial flow propeller pumps are installed in multiple pump stations in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Stormwater Treatment Area. With the ability to pump 146,000 gallons of water per minute, Grundfos KPL pumps will move water from Lake Okeechobee into the 6,500-acre EAA stormwater treatment area and reservoir for storage and cleaning. The clean water will then move south to nourish the Everglades and replenish Florida’s aquifers and the Florida Bay.

“The EAA Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area is a triumph in sustainable design that will positively impact Florida’s residents, the local economy and the native wildlife for generations,” said Jack Canfield, Market Development Manager of Water Utilities at Grundfos. “Grundfos’ role in this project exemplifies the company’s belief that everyone deserves access to clean, safe water, including the local ecosystem of birds, fish and plants. We are proud to work with the South Florida Water Management District, the engineers at Brown and Caldwell, and the construction team at Phillips & Jordan to ensure the success of a hydrological restoration project of this scale and complexity.”

For decades, toxic runoff from agricultural land use entered Florida’s canal system and made its way into natural waterways, lakes and coastal communities. In 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enacted an ambitious Everglades restoration project that includes the EAA Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area, which will use the natural filtration systems of the Everglades to reduce harmful discharges like green algae and other bacteria and restore the natural flow of clean water to South Florida.

Grundfos KPL submersible axial flow propeller pumps are installed at two pump stations within the stormwater treatment area. One pump station is now operational, and the other is completing the testing and analysis phase while power is connected to the station.

“The entire Grundfos team feels immense pride as we see this critical phase of the Everglades restoration project come to fruition,” said HP Nanda, EVP & Divisional CEO of Water Utility at Grundfos. “As stewards of our environment and a global leader in water solutions, we recognize the critical role water plays in sustaining life and ecosystems. The installation of these Grundfos solutions marks a significant step forward in our commitment respect, protect and advance the flow of water. Through innovative technology and collaborative efforts, we aim to ensure a brighter, healthier future for generations to come.”

https://www.fuelsandlubes.com/businesswire/grundfos-kpl-stormwater-pumps-play-instrumental-role-in-florida-everglades-restoration-project/


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Protecting Fresh Water

We're working to ensure clean water for Florida’s people and nature.

July 14, 2020 | Last updated July 28, 2022

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/florida/stories-in-florida/florida-fresh-water/

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Finding Solutions to Southwest Florida's Water-Quality Issue

September 5, 2018 

 


 

  •  In 2016, harmful algal blooms drove away half of would-be Florida tourists, according to a Black Hills State University and University of Florida’s Tourism 
Crisis Management Initiative study. 
  • That summer and this summer, the governor declared a state of emergency for several counties, including Lee.
  • Harmful algal blooms are estimated to cost the United States at least $50 million a year, with public health at about $20 million or about 42 percent of the bill, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 

  • A 2015 Florida Realtors report concluded pollution in the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie river systems negatively impacted home values after examining sales and water data from 2010 through 2013.

 


SLIME FIGHTER: John Cassani, the Calusa Waterkeeper, gathers samples to test for toxins in algae 
that bloomed in the Caloosahatchee River.
 

https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/finding-solutions-to-southwest-floridas-water-quality-issue/

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Health Effects & Standards for Microbiological Contaminants

Surface Water Treatment Technique Microbiological Contaminants

https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/microbiological-contaminants

______________


FLORIDA ESTUARIES IN CRISIS

https://www.floridaocean.org/florida-estuaries-crisis

______________


Protecting America's Estuaries: Florida:

https://books.google.com/books/about/Protecting_America_s_Estuaries_Florida.html?id=AFvsjfQ1jRoC

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Restoring Bacteria-Impaired Waters

July 2018

A Toolkit to Help Local Stakeholders Identify and Eliminate Potential Pathogen Problems

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Restoring_Bacteria-Impaired_Waters_Toolkit_082018.pdf

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How to Remove Iron Bacteria from Well Water

Feb 08, 2023

https://www.springwellwater.com/how-to-remove-iron-bacteria-from-well-water/

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Iron-oxidizing bacteria: an unusual natural phenomenon

Nov 19, 2021

https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2021/11/19/iron-oxidizing-bacteria-an-unusual-natural-phenomenon/

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PRIVATE WELLS 101: BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION AND SHOCK CHLORINATION

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS700

______________


Potential Well Water Contaminants and Their Impacts

https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/potential-well-water-contaminants-and-their-impacts


______________


Is Your Well Water Well?

https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/private-well-testing/_documents/well-water-facts-odor-staining.pdf


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5 Types of Bacteria in Well Water & How to Remove Them

October 22, 2021

https://www.pensacolavoice.com/types-of-bacteria-in-well-water/


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Scientists are using bacteria to remove harmful contaminants from our water. Here's how.

January 10, 2019

When it comes to water contamination, bacteria are often seen as the problem. In some cases, they can be part of the solution instead.

https://www.ehn.org/scientists-are-using-bacteria-to-remove-harmful-contaminants-from-our-water-heres-how-2625517276.html

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A study is performed involving two methods for removing harmful bacteria in 350 lakes in Florida. The lakes were treated randomly using one of two methods. Specifically, 150 were treated using Method A and 200 were treated using Method B. A total of 250 of the 350 lakes were bacteria-free after treatment, 95 from the Method A group and 155 from the Method B group.

2023

https://brainly.com/question/30844416

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Bioluminescent Bacteria Combat Pollution in Fragile Florida Ecosystem

12/20/2011

Bioluminescence is an ability shared by creatures around the planet that allows them to generate light – in fact, 90% of life in the world’s oceans possess this characteristic. Whereas most animals use it to help them find food, attract mates, and defend against predators, a marine biologist is harnessing bioluminescent bacteria to save one of Florida’s most precious and threatened ecosystems – the Indian River Lagoon. By mixing bioluminescent bacteria with sediment from the 156-mile estuary, renowned scientist Dr. Edith Widder is able to determine how many toxic chemicals are present in the water.

 




https://inhabitat.com/bioluminescent-bacteria-combat-pollution-in-fragile-florida-ecosystem/

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Bioluminescence and toxicity as driving factors in harmful algal blooms: Ecological functions and genetic variability

2020

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33129462/


______________


Editorial: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Multiple Roles of Bacteria in Human Life

2018 Jul 27

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6094972/


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STORMWATER POND MANAGEMENT: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AERATION

September 1st, 2021

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS695


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Lee County health department issues contaminated stormwater warning

2022

https://www.news-press.com/story/weather/hurricane/2022/10/03/fort-myers-lee-county-florida-hurricane-ian-water-contamination-warning/8167478001/


______________


Keep Liberty Beautiful: Keeping pollution out of our storm drains

Feb 29, 2024

https://coastalcourier.com/opinion/keep-liberty-beautiful-keeping-pollution-out-our-storm-drains/

______________


How to Manage and Control Storm Water Runoff (Fact Sheet)

2001

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/eqm102f

______________


Common Pollutants in Stormwater Runoff and Actions that Homeowners can Take to Reduce Stormwater Pollution

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS720

______________


A Call to Action on Combating Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Pollution

2020

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/call-action-combating-nonpoint-source-stormwater-pollution/

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Cumene Contamination in Groundwater: Observed Concentrations, Evaluation of Remediation by Sulfate Enhanced Bioremediation (SEB), and Public Health Issues

2020

 Abstract

Isopropylbenzene (cumene) is commonly encountered in groundwater at petroleum release sites due to its natural occurrence in crude oil and historical use as a fuel additive. The cumene concentrations detected at these sites often exceed regulatory guidelines or standards for states with stringent groundwater regulations. Recent laboratory analytical data collected at historical petroleum underground storage tank (UST) release sites have revealed that cumene persists at concentrations exceeding the default cleanup criterion, while other common petroleum constituents are below detection limits or low enough to allow natural attenuation as a remediation strategy. This effectively makes cumene the driver for active remediation at some sites. An insignificant amount of research has been conducted for the in-situ remediation of cumene. Sulfate Enhanced Biodegradation (SEB) is evaluated in a field case study. The results from the field case study show an approximate 92% decrease in plume area following three rounds of SEB injections. An additional objective of this research was to determine the cumene concentration in fuels currently being used to determine future impacts. A review of safety data sheets from several fuel suppliers revealed that cumene concentrations in gasoline are reported typically as wide ranges due to the proprietary formulations. Several fuels from different suppliers were analyzed to determine a baseline of cumene concentration in modern fuels. The results of the analysis indicated that cumene accounts for approximately 0.01% (diesel) to 0.13% (premium gasoline) of the overall fuel composition. Cumene generally is considered to be of low human health toxicity, with the principal concern being eye, skin, and respiratory irritation following inhalation of vapors in an occupational setting, but it has been regulated in Florida at very low concentrations based on organoleptic considerations.


https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33198342/

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Mark Woods: We're busy paying attention to gas prices in Florida, ignoring signs about groundwater

2022

 

Taking the aquifer for granted

 

Like the water that comes out of Floridian’s faucets — 90 percent of it coming from the aquifer — we tend to take the source of our groundwater for granted.

 

Scientists say we shouldn’t. And they’ve been saying this for a while, with increasing alarm.

 

A 2018 study found that between 1950 and 2010, the flow of springs dropped 32 percent.

 


 

                                                                Floridian Aquifer System

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/mark-woods/2022/03/23/world-water-day-puts-focus-groundwater-and-floridan-aquifer/7069655001/

 

______________


Land use changes and groundwater quality in Florida

2018

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13201-018-0776-9

______________


GroundWater Pollution Problems in the Southeastern United States

1977

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/9100T353.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1976+Thru+1980&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C76thru80%5CTxt%5C00000018%5C9100T353.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL

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Too Much Water Use and Pollution Threaten Florida’s Springs And The Economies That Go With Them

January 3, 2014

https://news.wfsu.org/environment/2014-01-03/too-much-water-use-and-pollution-threaten-floridas-springs-and-the-economies-that-go-with-them

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Public Opinion about Surface Water and Groundwater Quality in Florida

Oct 2010

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360118211_Public_Opinion_about_Surface_Water_and_Groundwater_Quality_in_Florida_FE844FE844_102010

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Impact of land cover on groundwater quality in the Upper Floridan Aquifer in Florida, United States

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749119306979

______________


Ground Water Contamination Areas

2019

https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/FDEP::ground-water-contamination-areas/about

______________


Groundwater Decline and Depletion

June 6, 2018

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/groundwater-decline-and-depletion

______________


2021 Handbook of Florida Water Regulation: State Groundwater Discharge Regulations

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FE601

______________


Florida reservoir leaking toxic wastewater demonstrates decades of regulatory failure, environmental activists say

April 5, 2021

“Whatever could go wrong has gone wrong," a longtime environmental activist said of the reservoir where the leak is occurring.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-reservoir-leaking-toxic-wastewater-demonstrates-decades-regulatory-failure-environmental-n1263089

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Florida’s groundwater is extremely valuable and running low | Column

Sept. 7, 2022

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/09/07/floridas-groundwater-is-extremely-valuable-and-running-low-column/

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We pump too much water out of the ground—and that’s killing our rivers

By 2050, thousands of rivers and streams worldwide could pass a critical ecological threshold, new research shows.

2019

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/groundwater-pumping-killing-rivers-streams

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Is Florida's growth tapping out clean drinking water? Signs point to 'yes.' | Editorial

Dec 1, 2023

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/editorials/2023/12/01/florida-at-risk-of-tapping-out/70901100007/

______________


The Looming Water Shortage Crisis in Florida

May 13th 2022

https://earth.org/florida-water-shortage/

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The Floridan aquifer: Why one of our rainiest states is worried about water

July 29, 2020

Florida’s booming population is writing a water check its aquifers can’t cash; from lawn sprinklers to kitchen faucets, Florida needs to cut back and use less water.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/partner-content-worried-about-water-floridan-aquifer

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Multitude of water pollution, shortage issues facing Florida and Alachua County

May 2, 2013

https://www.wuft.org/environment/2013-05-02/runoff-water-carries-pollutants

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Wildfire threat in Southwest Florida gets real as drought conditions persist

April 2, 2023

The Florida Forest Service updates the Keetch-Byram Drought Index daily, which shows Collier and Lee counties in bright red to indicate the lack of moisture in the soil. The dry conditions have caused trees, shrubs, and dead trees felled by Hurricane Ian to become drier, creating tinder-like conditions in Southwest Florida.

https://www.wusf.org/weather/2023-04-02/wildfire-threat-in-southwest-florida-gets-real-as-drought-conditions-persist

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Wildfire threat grows as Florida drought gets steadily worse

April 6, 2023

https://apnews.com/article/florida-drought-wildfires-danger-heat-9fc87b25620a7e01d8af544eaabd6aa7

______________


Record drought gripped much of the U.S. in 2022

January 10, 2023

https://www.noaa.gov/news/record-drought-gripped-much-of-us-in-2022

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The worst drought in three years expands over Central Florida

Apr. 08, 2023

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/weather/2023/04/05/the-worst-drought-in-3-years-expands-over-central-florida


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A drought is gripping Southwest Florida. Record-setting is likely in Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton

November 22, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/weather/2023-11-22/drought-gripping-southwest-florida-record-setting-likely-sarasota-venice-bradenton

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Florida's brutal drought worsens; Orlando has hottest start to year on record

April 6, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-04-florida-brutal-drought-worsens-orlando.html

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One side of Florida is running out of water. The other is getting bombarded with too much rain

December 7, 2023

https://apnews.com/article/florida-drought-rainfall-climate-change-a4c23d088b6059beea2b70bf3e7907a4

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Drought Vs Deluge: Florida's Unusual Rainfall Totals Either Too Little or Too Much on Each Coast

Dec. 8, 2023

In Florida, this year has been a tale of two states as far as rainfall totals, with the southeast coast deluged by sometimes-record rainfall and much of the Gulf coast facing a major precipitation deficit

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida/articles/2023-12-08/drought-vs-deluge-floridas-unusual-rainfall-totals-either-too-little-or-too-much-on-each-coast

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This city famous for its water is now at risk of running out — here’s how things changed so quickly

2024

The Florida city of Zephyrhills is known for its water — notably the bottled water company with the same name. But ironically the city, located northeast of Tampa, is setting off alarm bells for that exact reason. According to a state report, Zephyrhills is expected to run out of drinking water within the next two decades.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/this-city-famous-for-its-water-is-now-at-risk-of-running-out-here-s-how-things-changed-so-quickly/ar-AA1fiii6

______________


Emergency Lake pumping started Wednesday, polluted water coming to Fort Myers

2016

A state environmental agency gave a presentation in Fort Myers on Thursday on cleaning up the Caloosahatchee River while another state agency pumped polluted farm water into Lake Okeechobee, which drains into the river.

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/01/28/state-declares-emergency-polluted-water-coming-fort-myers/79401690/

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Another Challenge for Hardest-Hit Parts of Florida: Finding Clean Drinking Water

The worst trouble was in Lee County, where a badly damaged water system was affecting a population of nearly 760,000 people.

2022

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/01/us/florida-water-hurricane-ian.html

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Lee County agrees to bail out Fort Myers water woes

2022

Lee County officials have agreed to come to the aid of Fort Myers residents who have become increasingly inpatient with low water pressure in their homes.

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/fort-myers/2022/01/27/lee-county-sell-fort-myers-1-5-million-gallons-water-day-fort-myers-water-crisis-lee-county-comes-re/9240207002/

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Fort Myers has a water pollution problem; state environmental agency promises penalties, protections

2020

https://www.news-press.com/story/tech/science/environment/2020/07/10/state-agency-though-florida-department-environmental-protection-has-yet-take-any-legal-action-agains/5410962002/

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Seriousness of the water shortage in Cape Coral

Nov 29, 2023

Concerns over the water levels in Southwest Florida are growing to some, but others are shrugging the information off.

Parts of both Cape Coral and unincorporated Lee County are under mandatory water restrictions due to the low levels of drinking water.

It’s becoming a concern to some because it means their well, which is the source of their home’s water, is at risk of drying up. While some aren’t too worried because they say Cape Coral always runs dry, others remember what it’s like to be without water.

https://winknews.com/2023/11/29/seriousness-water-shortage-cape-coral/

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Cape Coral's drinking water fouled by E. coli

2022

https://news.wgcu.org/2022-09-13/cape-corals-drinking-water-fouled-by-e-coli


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Study: North Cape Coral slowly sinking, likely due to over-pumping for city's water desalinization plant

2023

Nearly 40 square miles of North Cape Coral is sinking, an inch or more every year, due to over-pumping the aquifers below the city for household water.

The reason for a deepening depression in that area was detailed in a recent study in the journal Science of Remote Sensing by researchers from the Geological Survey of Norway.
At the center of the sinking soil is Cape Coral’s desalinization plant and the 22 wells scattered through the surrounding neighborhoods. Pumping brackish water from as deep as 1,250 feet into the reverse osmosis plant,the wells produce more than one million gallons of clean, drinkable water every day for the city’s burgeoning population.

But that rate of extraction comes with serious environmental costs that far exceed the price paid in dollars to run the desalinization plant, the researchers say.

The heavy pumping lowers the water table by more than three feet of water per year, and without giving the aquifers time to refill, so much underground space that held water has collapsed it could house enough water to fill eight Empire State Buildings.

Now that the aquifer has compacted it can never refill. The landscape above is sinking into the void, which has dropped the ground level surrounding the desalinization plant by as much as 1.5 feet in a process called subsidence, the Norwegian researchers report.

The oblong-shaped depression is poised to wreak havoc on anything built on the land surrounding the water plant, which includes hundreds of homes, several high schools, two middle schools, two parks, two sports complexes, and a hospital.

“Groundwater pumping for feeding the … desalination facilities is the primary factor responsible for land subsidence in the northern part of the city,” the study's authors wrote. “Such deformation likely results from overusing the aquifer system. That aggressive groundwater pumping might potentially facilitate natural sinkhole formation.”

No scientific agreement

Rachael Rotz, a hydrogeologist at The Water School at the Florida Gulf Coast University, was not involved in the study, but said the subsidence around the northern wellfield could be a mere coincidence. The real culprit, she said, could be growth...

https://news.wgcu.org/section/environment/2023-12-18/journal-north-cape-coral-slowly-sinking-due-to-over-pumping-for-citys-water-desalinization-plant

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Just how bad did the Monday night flooding get in Cape Coral?

Jan 15, 2024

https://www.fox4now.com/cape-coral/watch-flooding-in-cape-coral-submerges-intersection

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Some South Florida canals failed during no-name storm. Sea rise will make that worse

November 24, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/weather/2023-11-24/south-florida-canals-failed-no-name-storm-sea-rise-make-worse

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Cape Coral needs emergency funds to fix problems from January flooding

2024

The City of Cape Coral said the surge of rain during the January storm caused the sudden failure of many weak points in aging infrastructure across the city.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/weather/cape-coral-needs-emergency-funds-to-fix-problems-from-january-flooding/vi-BB1jrH88#

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Historic flooding hinders recovery efforts in rural Florida counties

October 7, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/weather/2022-10-07/historic-flooding-hinders-recovery-efforts-in-rural-florida-counties

______________


Cancer-causing chemicals emitted from Fort Myers plant


June 2023

The cause: ethylene oxide

The facility has been running since 2011. It uses ethylene oxide — or ETO, used to sterilize medical equipment.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia and breast cancer are linked to ETO. There’s also evidence linking long-term exposure to reproductive health problems.

Scientists discovered how toxic ETO is in 2016. People learned this week that they’re breathing in that toxic air.

https://winknews.com/2023/06/22/cancer-causing-chemicals-emitted-from-fort-myers-plant/

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EPA gives a face-to-face update about carcinogenic air pollution in Fort Myers

2023

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/11/02/carcinogenic-air-pollution-from-plant-in-fort-myers-what-to-know/71409338007/

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Acid rain hits close to home for Florida utilities // Current legislation may have greatest impact on TECO

Oct. 16, 2005

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1990/01/06/acid-rain-hits-close-to-home-for-florida-utilities-current-legislation-may-have-greatest-impact-on-teco/

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ACID RAIN A FACTOR IN FLORIDA LEVELS LOWER THAN IN SOME REGIONS OF U.S.

1988

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1988/08/08/acid-rain-a-factor-in-florida-levels-lower-than-in-some-regions-of-us/

______________


Acid rain monitoring in Florida from 1978 to the present and evaluation of trends in rainwater composition

1996

https://www.osti.gov/biblio/437336

______________


An overview of the direct and indirect effects of acid rain on plants: Relationships among acid rain, soil, microorganisms, and plants

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723010045

______________


The bittersweet story of how we stopped acid rain

7 August 2019

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190823-can-lessons-from-acid-rain-help-stop-climate-change

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Acid Precipitation and Sulfate Deposition in Florida

30 May 1980

 

Abstract

 

The acidity of rainfall in Florida has increased markedly in the past 25 years, and the average sulfate and nitrate concentrations have increased by factors of 1.6 and 4.5, respectively, over the period. Annual average pH values below 4.7 now occur over the northern three quarters of the state. Summer rainfall has average pH values 0.2 to 0.3 unit lower than winter rainfall, and sulfate concentrations at most sites are higher in summer. The annual deposition of H+ (about 300 to 500 equivalents per hectare) in northern Florida is a third to a half of the deposition in the heavily impacted northeastern United States; comparable figures for excess sulfate (derived from sulfur dioxide) are 7 to 11 kilograms of sulfur per hectare or 50 to 90 percent of the sulfate deposition rates at Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.208.4447.1027


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Impacts of Sulfate Contamination on the Florida Everglades Ecosystem

2004

Water quality is a key issue facing the restoration of the Florida Everglades. For example, agriculturally derived phosphorus entering the Everglades has caused eutrophication of 6 to 10 percent of the ecosystem, resulting in changes in the native plant communities. Phosphorus contamination remains an important issue facing Everglades restoration, but recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has pointed to other water-quality issues critical to the overall health of the Everglades ecosystem.

Among the most important of these other water-quality issues in the Everglades is sulfate (SO42-) contamination. Sulfate contamination affects as much as one-third of the freshwater Everglades, and sulfate concentrations are 60 to 100 times historical levels in heavily affected areas. The effects of sulfate contamination on ecosystem health have not been fully studied, but links between sulfate contamination and high levels of methylmercury in the ecosystem have been documented. Also, sulfate contamination may be contributing to declines in native plants by altering chemical conditions in the sediments. Ongoing USGS research will further delineate these effects and explore possible options for mitigating sulfate contamination in this unique ecosystem.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs109-03/


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Ecology of Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology_of_Florida

______________


Environmental issues in Brevard County

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Brevard_County

______________


Protecting Brevard from Toxic Chemicals

https://www.fight4zero.org/ufproject

______________

 
BREVARD COUNTY POLLUTION MAP

https://www.fight4zero.org/brevardmap

______________


Environmental issues in Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Florida


______________


Natural Radiation in the Rocks, Soils, and Groundwater of Southern Florida with a Discussion on Potential Health Impacts

2019

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6572226/

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STATEWIDE MAPPING OF FLORIDA SOIL RADON POTENTIALS VOLUME 1. TECHNICAL REPORT

1995

https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=NRMRL&dirEntryId=115674

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Radiation levels in Lakeland homes again in question

2019

Did the state use the wrong radiation detectors?

LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA)- In Florida, phosphate mining is lucrative and controversial.

It tears up the earth, bringing radioactive minerals buried beneath to the surface.

Thousands of people live in homes in Lakeland’s Grasslands and Oakbridge communities, on what was once the Poseidon mine.

A lawsuit filed in 2017, claims the Drummond Company, which owned the mine, reclaimed it, then despite high radiation levels, built on it.

“This Gamma radiation affects the way cells change. And when you affect the way cells change, it causes cancer,” attorney Mark Lanier pointed out.

Lanier heads up the law firm suing Drummond.

https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/radiation-levels-in-lakeland-homes-again-in-question/


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Radionuclide Contamination

https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/radionuclide-contamination

Sources

There are two sources of radioactive contamination in drinking water. The first is naturally occurring radionuclides contained in the soil that water moves through. Some areas in Florida are susceptible to contamination from phosphate-rich soils and rock.

The second source of radioactive contamination comes from man-made sources. There is no known man-made contamination of drinking water in Florida.

Radionuclides found in drinking water are members of three radioactive series - uranium, thorium and actinium - and include the naturally occurring elements radium, uranium and the radioactive gas radon. These contaminants may cause different types of biological damage. Radium concentrates in the bones and can cause cancers. Uranium can cause cancers in the bones and can have a toxic effect on kidneys.

The standards and rules governing radionuclides is currently under revision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Florida will adopt the new standards and rules when issued by EPA.
Radioactive Chemicals

Radionuclides found in drinking water are members of three radioactive series - uranium, thorium and actinium - and include the naturally occurring elements radium, uranium and the radioactive gas radon.

These contaminants may cause different types of biological damage. Radium concentrates in the bones and can cause cancers. Uranium can cause cancers in the bones and can have a toxic effect on kidneys.

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Exposure to radon and heavy particulate pollution and incidence of brain tumors

2022

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9925706/

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Florida's idea to use radioactive waste in road construction is unsafe, critics say

2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/17/1188181247/floridas-idea-to-use-radioactive-waste-in-road-construction-is-unsafe-critics-sa


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Nine Counties in Florida at a High Risk for Radon

https://radonresources.com/blog/nine-counties-florida-high-risk-for-radon/


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Manatee Power Plant Makes Toxic Emissions List: ProPublica

2021

A ProPublica report looked at 1,000 hot spots for toxic emissions across the country, including Florida Power & Light's Manatee Power Plant.

https://patch.com/florida/bradenton/manatee-power-plant-makes-toxic-emissions-list-propublica


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Power plants keep Florida manatees warm. What happens when they close?

3-12-2024

More than half of Florida manatees rely on power plants to survive. That’s a problem for addressing climate change.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2024/03/12/florida-manatee-climate-change-power-plant-tampa-warm-water-utility/

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Florida approves permit to pump millions of gallons of mining wastewater into a deep well. Environmentalists say it could be "disastrous."

2021

Earlier this year, more than 200 million gallons of untreated wastewater were discharged into local waters because of a leak at Piney Point, a former phosphate mining facility in Manatee County, Florida. Now, it's a race against time for state officials to prevent another potentially "catastrophic" breach, with rainy season just months away and millions of gallons of untreated wastewater remaining at the facility...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/piney-point-wastewater-deep-well-environmentalists-controversy/

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Imminent Failure of Phosphogypsum Stack in Tampa Bay Exposes Phosphate Industry Risks

2021

Catastrophic Wastewater Release Highlights Need for Federal Action

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— Manatee County officials have issued evacuation orders for the area surrounding Florida’s Piney Point in anticipation of the imminent catastrophic collapse of a phosphogypsum stack retention pond holding up to 700 million gallons of wastewater.

It has been reported that 22,000 gallons a minute are being discharged from the holding pond to prevent the release of millions of gallons of wastewater and a failure of the radioactive phosphogypsum stack itself. Phosphogypsum is the radioactive waste from processing phosphate ore into phosphoric acid, which is predominantly used in fertilizer.

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/imminent-failure-of-phosphogypsum-stack-in-tampa-bay-exposes-phosphate-industry-risks-2021-04-03/

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215 Million Gallons of Radioactive Water Threaten Drinking Water in Florida

2021

Mulberry, Florida is now home to a giant sinkhole that has caused 215 million gallons of radioactive water to leak into the state’s supply of drinking water.

The contamination occurred when a sinkhole appeared at a phosphate fertilizer plant near Tampa, which damaged the stack where waste water was stored. This filtered into the state’s aquifer system, which supplies water to residents, making the water contain phosphogypsum. Phosphogypsum is classified as slightly radioactive and is a byproduct of the creation of fertilizer. This is due to the naturally-occurring uranium and radium in the phosphate ore.

https://naturalsociety.com/sinkhole-florida-creates-waste-leak-drinking-water-supply-5745/

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Salt levels in Florida’s groundwater rising at alarming rates; nuke plant is one cause

2020

 

 


Louis Fernandez walks along a flooded street in Miami Beach, Fla., during high tides caused by the lunar cycle Sept. 30, 2015. South Florida is under siege from invading saltwater above and below ground as seas rise due to climate change.

 

Deep beneath the Homestead-Miami Speedway, home of NASCAR’s Dixie Vodka 400, saltwater carries on a slower but more consequential race into the drinking-water supply of 3 million people in South Florida.

 

In 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey installed one of its first monitoring wells there using an electromagnetic technique to measure the thickness of intruding saltwater into the Biscayne aquifer. The racetrack is situated 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

 

By 2018, a saltwater wedge at the bottom of the aquifer had expanded to a thickness of 20 feet. By last year, the chloride concentration had increased more than tenfold, to 12,000 milligrams per liter. The chloride concentration of seawater is about 35,000 milligrams per liter.

 

South Florida’s flooding streets get the attention, but what is happening beneath the surface presents clear — and in some cases eye-popping — evidence of another threat: saltwater intrusion.

 

Analysis of chloride testing in South Florida by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland shows dozens of instances where the point at which saltwater meets freshwater — known as the interface — is moving inland.

 


 

U.S. Geological Survey testing shows saltwater has continued to migrate into South Florida’s aquifer system. Nearly one-third of 215 monitoring wells showed a five-year trend of increasing salinity with just 16 showing a downward salinity trend. (Test results at many other wells also showed increasing chloride levels, but those were not viewed by government hydrologists as a significant trend.)

The Geological Survey began special monitoring in Florida in the 1940s when wells too salty for drinking became common. Records since reflect a relentless salting of South Florida, a threat both to drinking water and to the environment.

Federal and state agencies have been monitoring sea-level rise for decades. Yet the Nuclear Regulatory Commission did not consider the impact of rising seas and increasing salt before granting a first-ever, 80-year license in December for the Turkey Point nuclear plant on Biscayne Bay. The plant is cooled by a series of canals that spewed millions of gallons of heavily saline water into the aquifer beneath it.

 

In a case playing out in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia challenging the relicensing, environmental advocates contend the NRC didn’t adequately consider the plant’s pollution and future impacts of climate change.

Above ground, more extreme storm surges and high tides also deliver salt, sometimes far inland. By 2050, destructive high tides could plague the southeast Atlantic by anywhere from 25 to 85 days a year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts.

In July, the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact projected that by 2040, seas would rise between 10 to 17 inches over 2000 levels, based on predictions from NOAA and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body that has studied the issue since the 1980s.

Harold Wanless, a University of Miami geographer known for sobering but accurate predictions about the changing climate, said the Atlantic Ocean in South Florida already is a foot higher than in 1930 and noted that saltwater advances inland from both the east and southwest.

“There’s major saltwater intrusion that is further diminishing our freshwater resources. And we’re probably going to lose most of (the freshwater resources) with another 2 feet of sea-level rise,” he said.

Wanless’ research at Cape Sable at the bottom of the Florida Everglades 15 years ago documented the environmental changes spreading across sensitive lands. His report to the U.S. Department of the Interior described Cape Sable as the canary in the coal mine, and recommended the government consider the safety of people using the back country there due to threats from widening creeks and higher waters.

Today, the National Park Service says of this once-pristine area: “The interior freshwater marsh has disappeared almost entirely.”

Adds Wanless: “We’ve lost almost all of the sawgrass marsh in Cape Sable because of saltwater intrusion.”

 

Disrupting a balance

 

Months after Florida became a state in 1845, the state Senate passed a resolution asking Washington to look into draining the vast, interconnected lands of freshwater that stretched from what is now Orlando to the Florida Keys.

By the start of the 20th Century, Florida politicians and their backers proceeded with fervor to reclaim the wild lands. Canals emptied Everglades water to pave the way for farming and development, part of the storied Florida land boom. The effects of upsetting the balance between freshwater and saltwater in low-lying Florida became apparent within decades as Miami-area wells grew too salty for use.

By 1940, the Geological Survey was monitoring dozens of wells to gauge saltwater movement. Government hydrologists concluded saltwater had already traveled miles into the Biscayne aquifer.

The Geological Survey has more than 100 monitoring wells from Jupiter to near the bottom of the Florida mainland, most of them 2-inch-wide PVC pipes that reach to the bottom of aquifers. Government hydrologists attempt to place the wells ahead of the saltwater to measure its pathways and speed as an aid to planners.

The movement can be dramatic, according to results examined by the Howard Center. A well in south Miami showed a modest chloride level of 24 milligrams per liter more than a half-century ago. The latest reading, in September, showed 5,650 milligrams per liter.

Last December, a Geological Survey well in southwest Miami along the Blackwater Canal suddenly showed a spike in chloride, to 600 milligrams per liter. The reading caught the eye of hydrologists because it showed how canals are enabling saltwater to flow farther inland even as it travels underground.

Scott Prinos, a hydrologist in the Geological Survey’s Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center, said most of the wells east of the saltwater front show the front continuing to move inland.

In July 2018, a newly installed well measured chloride at 302 milligrams per liter. In May, 22 months later, that saltiness had spiked to 2,100 milligrams per liter. In September, the chloride content was even greater — 2,310, well testing shows.

The well is situated 5 miles west of Florida Power & Light’s Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station, where operations are proving to be yet another problem in South Florida’s quest to stave off a saltwater invasion.

 

Trouble at Turkey Point

 

A grand jury convened by the Miami-Dade County state’s attorney last year on the health of Biscayne raised alarms about saltwater intrusion driven by the plant. In Miami, grand juries venture beyond criminal matters into issues of public importance.

A massive plume of saltwater released by the plant’s unique method of cooling two nuclear reactors “constitutes a serious threat to the source of our freshwater,” the grand jury reported.

The nuclear plant has spewed millions of gallons of water, some of it saltier than the ocean, into the Biscayne aquifer and surrounding environment.

 

 


 

The Turkey Point nuclear power plant, lower left, near Homestead, Fla., is cooled by the adjacent canals seen in this March 2017 aerial photo. (Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)

 



https://cnsmaryland.org/2020/11/23/salt-levels-in-floridas-groundwater-rising-at-alarming-rates-nuke-plant-is-one-cause/

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Miami Area Nuclear Plant In Partial Shutdown After Steam Leak

2014

https://wakeup-world.com/2014/12/04/miami-area-nuclear-plant-in-partial-shutdown-after-steam-leak/

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Contamination From Nuclear Power Plant Threatens Major South Florida Aquifer

April 24, 2016

https://savethewater.org/contamination-nuclear-power-plant-threatens-major-south-florida-aquifer/

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Crystal River nuclear plant had flaw in safety procedures for over a decade

2013

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/crystal-river-nuclear-plant-had-flaw-in-its-safety-procedures-for-more/1276841/

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FPL nuclear plant canals leaking into Biscayne Bay, study confirms By Jenny Staletovich Customers to foot $50 million bill for FPL cooling canal clean-up

2016

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article64667452.html

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Cooling tubes at FPL St. Lucie nuke plant show significant wear

2014

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/cooling-tubes-at-fpl-st-lucie-nuke-plant-show-significant-wear/2166886/

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Nuclear Plant's Canals Leaking Into Florida's Biscayne Bay, Study Finds

March 09, 2016

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/turkey-point-nuclear-plant-leak

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Nuclear Plant Leak Threatens Drinking Water Wells in Florida

2016

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/23/us/nuclear-plant-leak-threatens-drinking-water-wells-in-florida.html

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Turkey Point nuclear plant canal leaks spark more scrutiny over plans for new units

2016

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/turkey-point-nuclear-plant-canal-leaks-spark-more-scrutiny-over-plans-for-n/418500/

______________


List of power stations in Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Florida

______________


Nuclear and radiation accidents and incidents

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_and_radiation_accidents_and_incidents

______________


Radioactive leaks found at 75% of US nuke sites

2011

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/radioactive-leaks-found-at-75-of-us-nuke-sites/

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What we know about the Monticello nuclear plant tritium leak

2023

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/03/22/what-we-know-about-the-monticello-nuclear-plant-radioactive-tritium-leak

______________


New plutonium research helps distinguish nuclear power pollution from global fall out

2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-03-plutonium-distinguish-nuclear-power-pollution.html

______________


Plutonium particles from nuclear testing more complex than previously thought

2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-plutonium-particles-nuclear-complex-previously.html

______________


How to Remove Radium from Drinking Water for Healthy Living

https://angelwater.com/blog/how-to-remove-radium-from-drinking-water/#

______________


Radium in drinking water in southwest Florida

https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:16067401

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Radium-226 and radon-222 concentrations in central Florida ground waters

1966

https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7311029

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Radium - 226 in Ground Water of West Central Florida

1978

https://www.academia.edu/24026211/Radium_226_in_Ground_Water_of_West_Central_Florida

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Source of radium in a well-water-augmented Florida lake

2006

https://www.academia.edu/12639142/Source_of_radium_in_a_well_water_augmented_Florida_lake

______________


Radium and radon in the environment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_and_radon_in_the_environment

______________


Occurrence of natural radium-226 radioactivity in ground water of Sarasota County, Florida

1985

https://dp.la/item/68d37ad00b43cd8f5a459c524d43799d

______________


Radium contamination in public water systems nationwide

https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2018-radium/

______________


Map of Natural Radioactivity in the United States

https://www.thoughtco.com/map-of-natural-radioactivity-in-the-us-3961098

______________


Radium levels suggest Arctic Ocean chemistry is changing

2018

https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/radium-levels-suggest-arctic-ocean-chemistry-changing

______________


Investigations on the application of different synthetic zeolites for radium removal from water

2021

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33461097/

______________


Removing Uranium and Radium from a Natural Water

2006

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11270-005-9026-5

______________


Environmental barium: potential exposure and health-hazards

2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-021-03049-5

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Thorium Concentrations in the Environment: A Review of the Global Data

2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S1062359021110030


______________


PCB Coordinated Cleanup

https://floridadep.gov/waste/district-business-support/content/pcb-coordinated-cleanup

______________


Mt Dioxin, Pensacola's toxic site, to be buried without treatment by EPA.

2005

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2005/10/4/154314/-

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Decades later, EPA still working on cleanup of Florida’s “Mount Dioxin”

2022

Pensacola wood treatment plant just one of 92 Superfund sites around the Sunshine State

(Creosote and “critical race theory”)

From 1942 to 1982, the Escambia Wood Treatment Company produced power poles, railroad ties, pilings and other wood products coated with creosote and PCBs to make them last. Although it was an industrial operation, the factory was in the middle of the city and surrounded by homes.

“A lot of the homes around there belonged to people who worked there,” explained Chips Kirschenfeld, the natural resource department manager for Escambia County, which now owns the site.

The residents had little choice when it came to buying homes there, explained Frances Dunham, who was a community activist at the time. That area was one of the few neighborhoods in the ‘50s and ‘60s where banks would lend money to Black people to buy houses, she explained.

If you are still wondering what “critical race theory” might be, here’s a good example. It shows how it’s not a theory but a fact.

The Black families who lived in that neighborhood felt hemmed in by factories and the railroad track. Pensacola is one of the Sunshine State’s rainiest cities, and during storms, toxic stuff from the Escambia Treatment site would wash over into people’s yards.

Escambia Treatment was no fly-by-night outfit, either. One of the owners happened to be Pensacola’s mayor from 1967 to 1971. But political influence is no guarantee of corporate responsibility – quite the opposite, in fact.

All the managers were white and all the workers Black. The employees knew they were being exposed to harmful chemicals that sometimes ate away their shoes in a matter of weeks, but their choices were limited. One later told an NPR reporter: “It was horrible for us all, but we all had to try to make a living.”

After Congress passed the Clean Water Act and other environmental regulations in the 1970s, the company’s owners saw the writing on the wall. They filed for bankruptcy and abandoned the plant.

They left behind what Dunham described as “leaking drums, a lab full of broken equipment and open containers, an overturned electrical transformer, crumbling asbestos insulation around a boiler” – and something worse in the soil and water.

The owners had stored the site’s toxic waste – not just creosote and PCB’s, but also polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dioxins – in unlined pits on the site. Essentially, the workers had been ordered to pour the toxic waste into a hole in the ground. As often happens with holes in porous Florida, what was put in didn’t stay there.

A few years later, during an investigation of a Superfund site next door – yes, Pensacola has two Superfund sites adjacent to each other, the second one being a phosphate processing facility – regulators made an alarming discovery. The Escambia Wood site was full of contaminants too.

At first the EPA did not declare this a Superfund site. Instead, it was classified as a site in need of emergency cleanup, not unlike the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

That meant send workers to rush in right away, instead of holding meetings with the neighbors to inform them about what was happening. When former employees offered to point out areas of extreme contamination, Dunham said, one of the EPA coordinators – who called himself a “cowboy” — told them to get lost.

Instead, the EPA had crews in special contamination suits start digging up the soil, the sludge and everything else. They planned to incinerate it, but at first they were just piling it up. Before long, they had excavated 250,000 cubic yards of toxic soil, creating what locals dubbed “Mount Dioxin.”

https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/01/06/decades-later-epa-still-working-on-cleanup-of-floridas-mount-dioxin/

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FL sacrificed a river to get paper mill jobs. The deal really stunk.

2021

https://floridaphoenix.com/2021/01/07/fl-sacrificed-a-river-to-get-paper-mill-jobs-the-deal-really-stunk/

_____________


Formation and Control Measure of Dioxin Pollution in Papermaking Industry

2004

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Formation-and-Control-Measure-of-Dioxin-Pollution-Bi-bo/3eaec737f3a9bac49b5505320f62bb6cb9c985eb

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RESEARCH ARTICLE: DDT, Dioxins, and PCBs in Sediments in a Historically Polluted Estuary along the Gulf of Mexico

2015

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-practice/article/abs/research-article-ddt-dioxins-and-pcbs-in-sediments-in-a-historically-polluted-estuary-along-the-gulf-of-mexico/5366D9E0EC125B881B112FADD2678D8C

_____________


Biological Implications of Dioxins/Furans Bioaccumulation in Ecosystems

2021

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-5499-5_14

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1,4-Dioxane: Another forever chemical plagues drinking-water utilities

2020

https://cen.acs.org/environment/pollution/14-Dioxane-Another-forever-chemical/98/i43

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Legislation for Toxic Secret chemical 1,4-dioxane dies in Florida House

March 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/legislation-for-toxic-secret-chemical-1-4-dioxane-dies-in-florida-house/ar-BB1jfLMV


_____________


Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioxins_and_dioxin-like_compounds

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AIR FORCE ADMITS AGENT ORANGE SPRAYING IN FLORIDA IN 1962-70

2009

In the 1960s, Ernie Rivers taught Navy flight
students at the Pensacola Naval Air Station
how to live off the land if their plane was
downed. He was the officer in charge of the
survival unit, overseeing 30 to 35
instructors, who taught more than 100 men
a week how to survive with only a compass,
map, and a hunting knife. Every week
groups of students would camp for three
days, using different sites on Eglin Air
Force Base Reservation in Florida.
When the winds and clouds were right, Rivers and his men would watch
planes pass overhead, clouds of spray coming from them. Several times he
and his men were sprayed. “I’d say, ‘At least we don’t have to use bug
repellant,’” he noted, laughing, during an interview. That was a big plus,
they thought, for them as well as Army Rangers who were also training out
in the bayous of the Florida panhandle, where mosquitoes and other bugs
could make life miserable.
Rivers and the students thought they were watching the Air Force spray
DDT to kill mosquitoes. What was actually being sprayed, he said, was
Agent Orange. Documents show that gallons of the defoliants Agent
Orange, Agent Purple, and Agent White were sprayed at Eglin. In fact,
according to officials overseeing the program, the Air Force sprayed a test
area on the base with more dioxin than any similar area in Vietnam. The
fact that Agent Orange was sprayed in Florida for eight years was not
widely known then or even today. Only in the last several years has the
documentation on the spraying been made publicly available by Alvin
Young, an Air Force scientist for more than 15 years at Eglin. Young
oversaw a huge research project evaluating how massive spraying of
Agent Orange at the Florida air force base affected its soil, water, plants,
fish, and animals.
In Vietnam during the war, a typical mission disseminated 14.8 kg of Agent
Orange per hectare, according to Young. Most of the Agent Orange in
Vietnam was intercepted by forest canopy, and some of it was destroyed
by the sunlight. But at Eglin, where the spray rate was 876 kg per hectare,
the trees and bushes already had been removed from the spray area.
Young recently wrote that each hectare at Eglin received at least 1,300

times more dioxin than a hectare sprayed in Vietnam. The spraying went on
from 1962 to 1970. The test area was three kilometers square.
Eglin was one of several key military installations involved with Operation
Ranch Hand and posters plastering its buildings made that clear. Pictures
of Smokey the Bear, the unofficial Operation Ranch Hand mascot,
proclaimed, “Only you can prevent a forest.” Eglin had responsibility for
training the aircrews, fitting aircraft with spray equipment, and testing the
spray systems and spray patterns.
Spray systems were tested in an area divided into four grids. From June
1962 through June 1970 fixed-wing airplanes, helicopters or jet aircraft
sprayed massive amounts of defoliants on the area. During that time 75,000
liters of Agent Orange, 61,200 liters of Agent Purple, 15,800 liters of Agent
White, and 16,600 liters of Agent Blue rained onto the base.
There were 155,000 kg sprayed of the active ingredients in the herbicides.
The Air Force estimated that the amount of dioxin sprayed was between 5.6
and eight pounds, an enormous amount since it is one of the more toxic
chemicals, even in minute amounts. Because of its toxicity, dioxin is
generally measured in parts per trillion.
In the late 1960s, Air Force officials became concerned about the
ramifications of spraying dioxin in massive amounts stateside. “After
repetitive applications, personnel involved with the test program expressed
concern about potential ecological and environmental hazards that might
be associated with continuance of these test programs,” Young wrote later
in an Air Force technical report.
Officials overseeing the test program knew how toxic Agent Orange was
but seemed unconcerned, so long as it was used in Vietnam. James Clary,
who worked at Eglin and helped design the spray system for herbicides,
wrote in a 1988 letter to then-Sen. Tom Daschle: “When we [military
scientists] initiated the herbicide program in the 1960s, we were aware of
the potential for damage due to dioxin contamination in the herbicide. We
were even aware that the ‘military’ formulation had a higher dioxin
concentration than the ‘civilian’ version due to the lower cost and speed of
manufacture. However, because the material was to be used on the
‘enemy,’ none of us were overly concerned.”
But when it started to be sprayed in enormous quantities on an American
base, some Air Force officials became concerned and wanted to study the
impact of the spraying. Their concern doesn’t seem to have been motivated
only by worry about ecological and public health issues...


https://westin553.net/batcatPDF/AGENT_ORANGE_Eglin_1962-70.pdf

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Pensacola ranks No. 12 in U.S. for toxic releases per square mile

2019

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/11/17/escambia-county-haunted-pollution-20-years-after-grand-jury-report/2125341001/


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Paradise Squandered: Legacy of pollution haunts Escambia County

2019

Despite Escambia County's outward beauty, our community has long been plagued by pervasive pollution from industrial plants, landfills, septic tanks and the like.

Pollution was so bad that in 1999, a special grand jury was convened to assess local air and water quality. The jury found that local regulators were falling down on the job, that local elected officials were serving corporations rather than citizens, and that we needed to take immediate action to stem the tide of toxins in our community.

The grand jury issued an array of recommendations to improve pollution control, environmental monitoring, government accountability and other issues, but 20 years later, we're still seeing a lot of the same old problems.

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/11/17/paradise-squandered-escambia-county-haunted-legacy-pollution/2580118001/

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Escambia County ranks among top places for toxic releases in the country

2017

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WEAR) — Escambia County is near the top of the list when it comes to counties in the country with the highest release of toxins into the environment. Forbes used data from the Environmental Protection Agency and found Escambia County was the 11th largest producer of toxins out of the country's nearly 3,000 counties.

"It's varied between 10 and 13th over the past 16 years in its ranking," said Dr. John Lanza, director of the Florida Health Department.

Every year the EPA puts out a Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report. It compiles data reported by industries across the country. In 2016, industries in Escambia County reported releasing 34 million pounds of toxins either into the air, water, or ground.

Ascend Performance Materials in Cantonment was responsible for 32 million pounds of it. According to Ascend, the Cantonment facility uses deep wells to send processed wastewater into the ground into what is known as the Lower Floridian Aquifer. Lanza said it is injected so far down, it does not affect our drinking water supply.

"For our foreseeable future there's no public health threat, no threat health to the citizens of Escambia or surrounding areas because it's down 1,600 feet," Lanza said.

Ascend reports the facility only injects treated, non-hazardous wastewater into the deep wells and only one percent accounts for either nitrate or organic compounds. The company said they have not had any issues during the 54 years the wells have been in operation.

Lanza said if the deep wells were factored out of the TRI report, it would drop Escambia County's ranking to 254. International Paper Pensacola Mill was the second largest contributor to toxic releases in the county with nearly 1.5 million pounds reported. Gulf Power was third and released just over 260,000 pounds of toxic materials.

"We have always encouraged all the industries in Escambia County to try to reduce the amount of waste that they had over the years and to the greatest extent, they've done that because the numbers have significantly decreased other than the deep well injection," Lanza explained.

Lanza said the TRI list does not show the full picture of environmental issues. He pointed out Superfund sites are not included in the data, nor are airports and interstates which account for pollution into the air.

"We should encourage industry, but also ourselves to limit that pollution as much as we possibly can," Lanza said.


https://weartv.com/news/local/escambia-county-ranks-among-top-places-for-toxic-releases-in-the-country

_____________


Fluoride-Polluted Escambia County to Begin Water Fluoridation

2002

https://fluoridealert.org/news/fluoride-polluted-escambia-county-to-begin-water-fluoridation/

_____________


Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Cleanup Project in Florida

February 10, 2023

ATLANTA (February 10, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Southern Solvents site in Tampa, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-new-cleanup-project-florida

_____________


Do You Live Near Toxic Waste? See 1,317 of the Most Polluted Spots in the U.S.

2017

https://time.com/4695109/superfund-sites-toxic-waste-locations/

_____________


List of Superfund sites in Florida

 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites_in_Florida

 

This is a list of Superfund sites in Florida designated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) environmental law. The CERCLA federal law of 1980 authorized the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a list of polluted locations requiring a long-term response to clean up hazardous material contaminations. These locations are known as Superfund sites, and are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL).

The NPL guides the EPA in "determining which sites warrant further investigation" for environmental remediation. As of May 3, 2010, there were 52 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List in Florida. Three more sites have been proposed for entry on the list and 23 others have been cleaned up and removed from it. There are also twelve Superfund Alternative sites in the state.

 

Superfund sites

 

  Proposed for addition to National Priorities List
  Deleted from National Priorities List
  Superfund Alternative site
CERCLIS ID Name County Reason Proposed Listed[4] Construction
completed[5]
Partially
deleted[6]
Deleted[7]
FLD980221857 Agrico Chemical Co. Escambia Soil and surface water contamination by fluoride, arsenic and lead and groundwater contamination by fluoride, arsenic, chloride, sulfate, nitrate/nitrite, radium-226 and radium-228 from former chemical and fertilizer manufacturing.[8] 06/24/1988 10/04/1989 09/23/1999

FLD004145140 Airco Plating Co. Miami-Dade Soil and groundwater contamination by metals, including cadmium and chromium, and VOCs, including PCE, DCE and vinyl chloride. There is a risk of contamination of the Biscayne Aquifer, the county's sole drinking water source.[9] 06/24/1988 02/21/1990 09/15/1999

FLD012978862 Alaric Area Groundwater Plume Hillsborough Groundwater contamination by PCE and TCE, including trace contamination of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, a major source of drinking water in the Tampa area. Contamination has also spread to the nearby Helena Chemical Superfund site.[10] 02/04/2000 12/01/2000 09/30/2003

FLD041495441 Alpha Chemical Corp. Polk Groundwater, soil and sediment contamination by VOCs, including xylene, styrene, ethylbenzene, benzoic acid and 1,2-dichloropropane from former industrial waste disposal practices.[11] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/21/1990
06/28/1995
FLD008161994 American Creosote Works (Pensacola Plt) Escambia Soil, sediment and groundwater are contaminated with VOCs, PAHs, PCP and dioxins from former wood treatment operations.[12] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983


FLD020536538 Anaconda Aluminum Co./Milgo Electronics Miami-Dade Groundwater was contaminated by cyanide and heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead, iron, zinc, selenium and copper from former on-site waste disposal practices. Sediment, soil and surface water contained heavy metals such as mercury, selenium and arsenic. Contamination reached the Biscayne Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for south Florida.[13] 10/26/1989 08/30/1990 11/22/1994
07/09/1998
FLD981014368 Anodyne, Inc. Miami-Dade Groundwater contamination by metals and VOCs and soil contaminated by metals from former manufacturing operations.[14] 06/24/1988 02/21/1990


FLSFN0406909 Arkla Terra Property Hillsborough Soil, groundwater and private drinking water wells are contaminated by PCE from tank cleaning.[15] 06/29/2008 04/09/2009


FLD004574190 B&B Chemical Co., Inc. Miami-Dade Soil and groundwater contamination by benzene, chlorobenzene and vinyl chloride from soakage pits. The site has impacted the Biscayne Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water in southern Florida.[16] 06/24/1988 08/30/1990 10/01/1994

FLD980494660 Beulah Landfill Escambia Groundwater contamination by PCP and soils and sludges contaminated by PAHs, pesticides, PCP and metals, including aluminum, zinc, iron, lead, chromium and nickel.[17] 06/26/1988 02/21/1990 09/16/1993
06/22/1998
FLD052172954 BMI-Textron Palm Beach Soil was contaminated by cyanide and fluoride; groundwater was contaminated by arsenic, cyanide, fluoride and sodium.[18] 06/24/1988 08/30/1990 08/11/1994
11/18/2002
FLD980847016 Brown's Dump Duval Soil contained elevated levels of lead, arsenic, other inorganic compounds, organic compounds, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and furans. Remedial action is expected to start in 2010.[19]




FLD980728935 Brown Wood Preserving Suwannee Soil and sediments were contaminated by carcinogenic PAHs from former wood treatment operations.[20] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 12/31/1991
09/22/1995
FLD980709356 Cabot/Koppers Alachua The Cabot part of the site is a former charcoal production operation, which is now redeveloped; the Koppers part is a former wood treatment facility. Groundwater, soil and possibly off-site surface water are contaminated by arsenic, PAHs and creosote compounds, from poor waste-handling practices in the past.[21] 09/08/1983 09/21/1984


FLD094590916 Callaway & Son Drum Service Polk Groundwater is contaminated by DCE, TCE, PCE, xylene and vinyl chloride from former drum cleaning operations at levels not thought to pose a risk. Contaminated drums have been removed from the site.[22] 02/04/2000 05/11/2000 12/21/2007
08/04/2009
FLD981931959 Cascade Park Gasification Plant/Landfill Leon Soil and groundwater contamination by light and heavy oils, coal tars, sludges, ash, ammonia, cyanide and lime wastes[23]




FL5170022474 Cecil Field Naval Air Station Duval Release of petroleum products, solvents, corrosives, compressed gasses, pesticides, paints and thinners from spills and poor housekeeping practices at the former base.[24] 07/14/1989 11/21/1989 08/26/2009 05/21/2003
FLD080174402 Chemform, Inc. Broward Soil and groundwater were contaminated by vinyl chloride, arsenic, chromium and other substances from disposal practices at a former precision machine shop.[25] 06/10/1988 10/04/1989 09/16/1993
07/28/2000
FLD004064242 Chevron Chemical Co. (Ortho Division) Orange Soil and groundwater contamination by pesticides, petroleum products and VOCs, including xylene from waste disposal practices at a former pesticide formulation plant. Contaminated soil has been removed.[26] 01/18/1994 05/31/1994 02/10/1998

FLD055945653 City Industries, Inc. Orange Soil and groundwater contamination by poor waste handling processes and intentional dumping by a former industrial waste handling business. The site was abandoned with around 1,200 drums of hazardous waste and thousands of gallons of sludge in storage tanks. Wastes and contaminated soil were removed in 1983-1984; groundwater is being treated.[27] 10/15/1984 10/04/1989 03/02/1994

FLD991279894 Coleman-Evans Wood Preserving Co. Duval Soil, sediment and shallow groundwater were contaminated by PCP and dioxins from former wood treatment operations. Over 210,000 short tons (190,000 t) of soil have been treated, around 320,000 gallons of hazardous liquids have been recovered and safely disposed of, over 2,000 cubic yards of hazardous solids have been safely disposed of and over 73,000,000 gallons of groundwater have been treated and discharged.[28] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/18/2007

FLD001704741 Coronet Industries Hillsborough Organic and inorganic contamination from former phosphate mine and processing plant is under investigation.[29]




FLD980602288 Davie Landfill Broward Soils, sludges and groundwater contaminated by inorganic compounds, heavy metals and VOCs. The primary contaminants of concern for groundwater are vinyl chloride and antimony. Sludges have been dewatered and stabilized and groundwater contamination has attenuated to levels not thought to pose a risk to health.[30] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 11/08/1995
08/21/2006
FLD000833368 Dubose Oil Products Co. Escambia Soil was contaminated by VOCs, PAHs and PCP and groundwater by VOCs, from a former waste processing facility. After cleanup, no hazardous substances remain on site at levels considered harmful.[31] 10/15/1984 06/10/1986 09/11/1997
10/01/2004
FLD008168346 Escambia Wood Escambia Creosote, PCP, PAH and dioxin contamination from an abandoned wood treatment facility. Adjacent properties are contaminated by PCP and dioxins and groundwater by PCP and naphthalene. Most of an estimated 358 affected households have been permanently relocated.[32] 08/23/1994 12/16/1994


FLD083111005 Flash Cleaners Broward Soil, sludge and groundwater contaminated by PCE, TCE and decomposition products from former on-site dry cleaning operations.[33] 03/19/2008 09/03/2008


FLD984184127 Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Broward Extensive VOC groundwater pollution from a former waste oil processing facility has contaminated the Biscayne Aquifer. Soil is contaminated by VOCs and waste oil degradation products and there is a highly concentrated non-aqueous phase layer.[34] 04/01/1997 03/06/1998


FLD050432251 Florida Steel Corp. Martin Soil was contaminated by lead, zinc from disposal of dust filtered from the air in the mill and by PCBs from hydraulic fluid leaks. Groundwater is contaminated by sodium from a water softening plant and radium, which may be naturally occurring but may have been concentrated by operation of the water softener. The steel mill has not operated since 1982.[35] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/11/1997

FLR000091322 General Dynamics Longwood Seminole Soil is contaminated by TCE and breakdown products, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and silver and groundwater by TCE and breakdown products, and chromium from former printed circuit board manufacture and other operations. The shallow aquifer is connected to the Upper Floridan Aquifer.[36] 04/09/2009



FLD071307680 Gold Coast Oil Corp. Miami-Dade Soil was contaminated by VOCs and metals from improper waste disposal at a former oil and solvent reclamation facility. Groundwater, including the Biscayne Aquifer, which is the sole source of drinking water for southern Florida, was contaminated by VOCs.[37] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 06/23/1992
10/09/1996
FLD000602334 Harris Corp. (Palm Bay Plant) Brevard Groundwater was contaminated by numerous substances, including vinyl chloride, TCE and chromium. The adjacent municipal well field was contaminated.[38] 04/10/1985 07/22/1987 07/01/1998

FLD053502696 Helena Chemical Co. (Tampa Plant) Hillsborough Soil is contaminated by pesticides, semi-VOCs and VOCs, including xylene, from former operations on site. Groundwater is contaminated by chlorinated pesticides, PAHs, phenols and VOCs.[39] 02/07/1992 10/14/1992


FLD980709802 Hipps Road Landfill Duval A former landfill site was redeveloped into residential lots. Groundwater is contaminated by VOCs, including vinyl chloride and benzene.[40] 09/08/1983 09/21/1984 09/02/1994

FLD004119681 Hollingsworth Solderless Terminal Broward Soil and groundwater contamination by VOCs from the discharge of degreasing agents.[41] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 06/04/1993

FL7570024037 Homestead Air Force Base Miami-Dade Groundwater contamination typical of air operations (such as jet fuel and metals) is of concern as it drains into Biscayne National Park.[42] 07/14/1989 08/30/1990 09/29/2006

FLD043047653 ITT Thompson Industries Madison Groundwater contamination by TCE, DCE and vinyl chloride and sediment contamination by lead, zinc and chromium from former auto parts manufacturing.[43]




FLSFN0407002 Jacksonville Ash Duval Ash disposal from three former waste incinerators led to elevated levels of lead in soil and groundwater, and elevated levels of arsenic, metals, pesticides, PCB and dioxins in soil, surface water, groundwater and sediments.[44]




FL6170024412 Jacksonville Naval Air Station Duval Groundwater, sediment, soil and surface water contaminated by PCBs, VOCs (including methylene chloride, methylethyl ketone, ethyl acetate and TCE), PAHs, sludges containing organic and inorganic compounds, waste solvents, battery acid, JP-5 jet fuel, chlorinated solvents and pesticides.[45] 07/14/1989 11/21/1989


FLN000410232 JJ Seifert Machine Hillsborough Soil contamination by PCE and groundwater contamination by VOCs including PCE, TCE, DCE and vinyl chloride. Private drinking wells have been contaminated.[46] 09/23/2009 03/04/2010


FLD980727820 Kassauf-Kimerling Battery Disposal Hillsborough On-site soil and groundwater, along with sediment and surface water in nearby marshland was contaminated by arsenic, lead and cadmium.[47] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/24/1998
10/02/2000
FLD039049101 Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp Jacksonville Duval Soil, groundwater and sediments are contaminated by VOCs, pesticides, PCBs and metals from former pesticide and fertilizer formulation, packaging and distribution facility.[48] 09/23/2009 03/04/2010


FLD042110841 Landia Chemical Company Polk Soil, groundwater and sediment contamination by pesticides, metals, VOCs and semi-VOCs from former pesticide and fertilizer formulation and blending operations.[49] 02/04/2000 05/11/2000


FLD981019235 Madison County Sanitary Landfill Madison Elevated levels of dichloroethane, DCE, TCE and vinyl chloride in soil and groundwater, including the Floridan Aquifer.[50] 04/28/1993 08/30/1990


FLD076027820 Miami Drum Services Miami-Dade Soil was contaminated by metals, pesticides and organic solvents, and groundwater by VOCs from poor waste handling practices at a drum recycling facility, which was forced to close in 1981. Groundwater contamination is mixed with contamination from the nearby Northwest 58th Street Landfill and Varsol Oil Spill Superfund sites and has reached the Biscayne Aquifer, the county's sole source of drinking water.[51] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 04/28/1993

FLD088787585 MRI Corp (Tampa) Hillsborough Soil, sediment and groundwater are contaminated by lead and other metals, from a former detinning and steel recycling facility, which also operated an electroplating shop.[52] 06/17/1996 12/23/1996


FLD084535442 Munisport Landfill Miami-Dade Groundwater was contaminated by base neutral acids, inorganic compounds, heavy metals, PAHs, pesticides and VOCs from filling of wetland areas with construction debris and solid waste to raise elevation for development.[53] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/05/1997
02/21/1989
FL9170024567 Naval Air Station Pensacola Escambia Groundwater is contaminated by VOCs and surface water and sediments are contaminated by heavy metals.[54] 07/14/1989 11/21/1989


FLD980709398 Nocatee-Hull Creosote DeSoto Soil, groundwater and sediment contamination by creosote-related PAHs, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes from railroad tie treatment operations that are believed to have ended in 1952.[55]




FLD984229773 Normandy Park Apartments Hillsborough Soil and groundwater contamination by lead and antimony from former battery recycling operations. Contaminated soil has been removed and groundwater treatment is ongoing.[56] 02/13/1995



FLD980602643 Northwest 58th Street Landfill Miami-Dade Groundwater was contaminated by arsenic, chromium, zinc, benzene, chlorobenzene, tetrachloroethane, TCE and vinyl chloride from former landfill operations. Groundwater contamination is mixed with contamination from the nearby Miami Drum Services and Varsol Oil Spill Superfund sites and has reached the Biscayne Aquifer, the county's sole source of drinking water.[57] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 03/06/1995
10/11/1996
FLD984169235 Orlando Former Gasification Plant Orange Soil and groundwater are contaminated by coal tar waste products.[58]




FLD041140344 Parramore Surplus Gadsden Soil and groundwater were contaminated by PCBs, solvents and cyanide leaking from drums stored on site.[59] 08/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/15/1987
02/21/1989
FLD004091807 Peak Oil Co./Bay Drum Co. Hillsborough The site is a former waste oil re-refining plant and drum reconditioning facility. Soil, sludges, surface water and sediments are contaminated by PCBs, VOCs, arsenic, lead and other heavy metals from process wastes and groundwater is contaminated by VOCs and heavy metals.[60] 10/15/1984 06/10/1986 09/26/2006

FLD032544587 Pepper Steel & Alloys, Inc. Miami-Dade Soil is contaminated by PCBs, lead and arsenic.[61] 09/08/1983 09/21/1984 09/28/1993

FLD980798698 Petroleum Products Corp. Broward Soil and groundwater are contaminated by chlorinated solvents, transformer oil and heavy metals including lead, aluminum, chromium, iron and manganese from former waste oil re-refining. Specific sources of contamination include former waste disposal practices and catastrophic spills. An estimated 30,000 to 125,000 gallons of contaminated waste oil is floating on top of the Biscayne Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for the county.[62] 04/10/1985 07/22/1987


FLD980556351 Pickettville Road Landfill Duval Metal and VOC contamination of soil and groundwater from the closed hazardous waste landfill threaten local drinking water supplies and creeks.[63] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/24/2008

FLD056116965 Pioneer Sand Co. Escambia The site is a former sand quarry that was later used as a landfill. Soil and sludges are contaminated by PCBs.[64] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 12/31/1991
02/08/1993
FLD004054284 Piper Aircraft/Vero Beach Water & Sewer Indian River Soil and groundwater were contaminated by a leak from an underground TCE storage tank.[65] 06/10/1986 02/21/1990 09/18/1997

FLD984227249 Raleigh Street Dump Hillsborough Soil and sediments are contaminated by the disposal of battery casings, furnace slag and other materials. Groundwater is contaminated by antimony, arsenic and lead. The groundwater has high natural salinity so is not potable but contamination may extend to local wetlands.[66] 09/03/2008 04/09/2009 08/12/2014

FLD000824896 Reeves Southeast Galvanizing Corp Hillsborough Groundwater, sediments and soil are contaminated by heavy metals, including zinc, chromium and lead.[67] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983


FLD101835528 St. Augustine Gas Volusia Groundwater, soil and sediments are contaminated by VOCs, metals, inorganic compounds and PAHs from former coal gasification plant. Soil is also contaminated by dioxins, which are not associated with these operations.[68]




FLD032728032 Sanford Dry Cleaners Seminole Soil and groundwater are contaminated by PCE and its decomposition products TCE and DCE from a dry cleaning business that closed in 2001.[69] 03/04/2010



FLD984169193 Sanford Gasification Plant Seminole The site is contaminated by metals, VOCs, PAHs, dioxins and dibenzofurans.[70]




FLD980602882 Sapp Battery Salvage Jackson Soil, sediments, surface water and groundwater are contaminated by sulfuric acid, lead and other heavy metals, and plasticizers.[71] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983


FLD062794003 Schuylkill Metals Corp. Hillsborough The site is a former battery recycling facility. Soil, surface water and sediments in nearby wetlands contained highly elevated levels of lead and groundwater is contaminated by lead, chromium and sulfate beyond state drinking water standards.[72] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/18/1997
08/22/2001
FLD043861392 Sherwood Medical Industries Volusia Groundwater is contaminated by VOCs and soil by heavy metals from former waste disposal practices.[73] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/18/1997

FLD980728877 62nd Street Dump Hillsborough Improper disposal of an estimated 48,000 cubic yards of waste on-side has contaminated soil and groundwater with antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and PCBs.[74] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 09/29/1995
10/01/1999
FLD032845778 Solitron Devices Palm Beach Soil and groundwater, including municipal supply wells, are contaminated by heavy metals and solvents from a former electronics manufacturing facility.[75]




FLD045459526 Solitron Microwave Martin Groundwater contamination by PCE, TCE, DCE and vinyl chloride from a former plating and manufacturing business had affected private drinking water wells.[76] 03/06/1998 07/28/1998 10/04/1994

FL0001209840 Southern Solvents, Inc. Hillsborough Soil and groundwater, including the Floridan Aquifer, are contaminated by PCE, believed to be from spills at the former dry-cleaning solvent distribution facility.[77] 05/11/2000 07/27/2000


FLD004072658 Sprague Electric Seminole Groundwater, including the Floridan Aquifer is contaminated by TCE and TCA from a former capacitor manufacturing plant.[78]




FLD004126520 Standard Auto Bumper Corp. Miami-Dade Soil and groundwater are contaminated by nickel and chromium from poor waste disposal practices at a former electroplating facility. Contamination threatens the Biscayne Aquifer, the county's sole source of drinking water.[79] 06/24/1988 10/04/1989 10/04/1994
10/26/2007
FLD004092532 Stauffer Chemical Co (Tampa) Hillsborough Soil, surface water, sediments and groundwater are contaminated by pesticides from an inactive pesticide manufacturing and distribution facility.[80] 06/17/1996 12/23/1996 09/26/2000

FLD010596013 Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tarpon Springs) Pinellas Soil, groundwater and surface water are contaminated by arsenic, antimony, beryllium, phosphorus, PAHs and radium-226 from a former phosphorus refining plant.[81] 02/07/1992 05/31/1994


FLD000648055 Sydney Mine Sludge Ponds Hillsborough Improper disposal of around 16 million gallons of liquid waste and sludges have contaminated groundwater with PAHs and VOCs. The Hawthorn Aquifer, the main local supply of drinking water, is contaminated.[82] 06/10/1986 10/04/1989 06/28/1999

FLD980494959 Taylor Road Landfill Hillsborough The Floridan Aquifer is contaminated by VOCs and metals, which have been detected in private wells.[83] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 06/18/1999

FLD004065546 Tower Chemical Co. Lake Soil and groundwater are contaminated by DDT, chlorobenzilate and their partial breakdown compounds from an abandoned pesticide manufacturing facility. Chemicals spilled into Lake Apopka.[84] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983


FLD091471904 Trans Circuits, Inc. Palm Beach [85]
02/04/2000


FLD070864541 Tri-City Oil Conservationist, Inc. Hillsborough [86]

09/21/1987
09/01/1988
FLD091471904 Tyndall Air Force Base Bay [87] 06/17/1996 04/01/1997


FLD098924038 United Metals, Inc. Jackson [88]
04/30/2003


FLD980602346 Varsol Oil Spill Miami-Dade Surface water and groundwater were contaminated by PAHs from oil spills at Miami International Airport, including a leak of approximately 1.6 million gallons of varsol, a petroleum solvent from an underground pipe. Groundwater contamination is mixed with contamination from the nearby Miami Drum Services and Northwest 58th Street Landfill Superfund sites and has reached the Biscayne Aquifer, the county's sole source of drinking water.[89] 12/30/1982 09/08/1983 03/29/1985
09/01/1988
FLD982119729 West Florida Natural Gas Marion [90]




FLD980602767 Whitehouse Oil Pits Duval [91]
09/08/1983 05/04/2006

FL2170023244 Whiting Field Naval Air Station Santa Rosa [92] 01/18/1994 05/31/1994


FLD041184383 Wilson Concepts of Florida, Inc. Broward [93]

09/22/1992
04/04/1995
FLD981021470 Wingate Road Municipal Incinerator Dump Broward [94]
10/04/1989 01/04/2002

FLD004146346 Woodbury Chemical Co. (Princeton Plant) Miami-Dade [95]

06/25/1992
11/27/1995
FLD980844179 Yellow Water Road Dump Duval [96]

10/03/1996
05/18/1999
FLD049985302 Zellwood Ground Water Contamination Orange [97]
09/08/1983 09/16/2003



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites_in_Florida

_____________


Superfund Sites in Reuse in Florida

https://www.epa.gov/superfund-redevelopment/superfund-sites-reuse-florida


_____________


Nine toxic Superfund sites in Central Florida waiting for EPA help

2017

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2017/10/19/nine-toxic-superfund-sites-in-central-florida-waiting-for-epa-help/


_____________


In an aging Central Florida Superfund Site, Huge Machines Aim to Knock Out a Toxic Mess

2023

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/11/26/in-an-aging-central-florida-superfund-site-huge-machines-aim-to-knock-out-a-toxic-mess/

_____________


FLORIDA POLLUTION MAP

https://www.fight4zero.org/toxicmap

_____________


Here are the environmental bills to watch as Florida’s legislative session starts

January 14, 2024

https://www.wfit.org/environment-and-science/2024-01-14/here-are-the-environmental-bills-to-watch-as-floridas-legislative-session-starts

_____________


Environmental Justice in the Sunshine State

July 29, 2022

https://stateimpactcenter.org/insights/environmental-justice-in-the-sunshine-state


_____________


FSU to spend millions cleaning up low-level radiation waste from forest, Innovation Park sites

2020

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/10/30/florida-state-fsu-radiation-waste-research-sites-disposal-apalachicola-national-forest-atomic-usda/6083321002/

____________


Florida Waste Facility Must Face Pollution Claims From Fire

Jan 3, 2024

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/florida-waste-facility-must-face-pollution-claims-from-fire


_____________


Miami-based company designs new way to tackle pollution in North Bay Village

Feb 2024

Stop Ocean Pollution Technologies has created a design that has applies an upper flow of water through the screen which will allow it to continue to flow even as debris is collected

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-based-company-designs-new-way-to-tackle-pollution-in-north-bay-village/3234776/

______________


Florida allocates millions in funding for technology to fight toxic algae: ‘A critical component of our multi-faceted approach to protecting water quality’

March 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/florida-allocates-millions-in-funding-for-technology-to-fight-toxic-algae-a-critical-component-of-our-multi-faceted-approach-to-protecting-water-quality/ar-BB1jkUcl

______________


A new Florida law requires the state to hit certain cleanup levels of toxic 'forever chemicals'

July 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-07-25/florida-law-cleanup-levels-toxic-forever-chemicals

______________


The myth of progress on restoring Florida’s waters

2023

Officials unwilling to make meaningful policy changes to stop the pollution

https://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/2023/01/22/the-myth-of-progress-on-restoring-floridas-waters/69815632007/


______________


‘Look at the water for evidence.’ Data proves Florida pollution prevention not working

Jan. 5, 2022


It’s a textbook Florida morning at a ranch just north of Lake Okeechobee. Cattle roam. Herons and egrets hunt for food. Clouds mosey across the sky.

But beneath this idyllic scene, a silent byproduct lurks. Phosphorus levels, mostly from fertilizer and cow manure, exceeded the state pollution limit by 19 times.

 

The problem is not exclusive to this Rio Rancho Corp. farm. Rainfall runoff that flows into Lake O from hundreds of surrounding properties routinely exceeds the limit — without the state imposing any consequences, a TCPalm investigation found.

All 32 drainage basins around the lake with available data exceeded the limit over a five-year average, according to TCPalm’s analysis of “water year” data from May 2016 to April 2021. Rio Rancho was just the worst in the last two years. Even lesser polluters exceeded the limit by over 100%.

The data proves — for the first time — that Florida’s flagship program to reduce water pollution isn’t working. And that pollution is contaminating waterways and sparking toxic algal blooms in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers.

“All one has to do is look at the water for the evidence,” said Indian Riverkeeper Mike Conner, who heads a Treasure Coast nonprofit that advocates for clean water. “The impairment of Florida waters is now at an all-time high.”

 

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) oversees the program involving legally enforceable goals and strategies to reduce pollution, called Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs). There are 38 plans customized to help waterways in their region.

For the Lake O BMAP, the agency set the phosphorus limit at 40 parts per billion two decades ago, but the basins have exceeded that by a median 5.7 times over the five-year average, TCPalm found.

 

The worst polluter over those five years — 22 times over the limit — was the East Beach Drainage District, on Lake O’s southeast shore, near Pahokee.

State records don’t show that, though. DEP historically touts progress that often doesn’t match reality because it uses models to give credit for pollution-reduction measures — from reservoirs to informational brochures — assuming they produce intended results. DEP’s resulting graphics, used in public presentations, show progress is being made.

The truth is in the data recorded by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) water-quality monitors, which TCPalm analyzed.

 



https://www.tcpalm.com/in-depth/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/2022/01/05/florida-bmaps-lake-okeechobee-water-pollution-environment-bmp-fdep-fdacs-desantis-farming-regulation/6392489001/

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Florida's aquifer models full of holes, allowing more water permits and pollution

Jan. 27, 2013

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/floridas-aquifer-models-full-of-holes-allowing-more-water-permits-and/1272555/

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EPA assessment shows little improvement in river and stream nitrogen pollution

JAN 22, 2024

https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/outdoors/2024/01/epa-assessment-shows-little-improvement-in-river-and-stream-nitrogen-pollution/

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Florida’s Environmental Failures Are a Warning for the Rest of the U.S.

2023

https://time.com/6288683/florida-desantis-environment-climate-change/

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This Florida chemical plant is the biggest greenhouse gas polluter in the state

2022

Nylon manufacturer produces lots of laughing gas, which turns out not to be funny

https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/12/01/this-florida-chemical-plant-is-the-biggest-greenhouse-gas-polluter-in-the-state/

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The EPA Calls an Old Creosote Works in Pensacola an Uncontrolled Threat to Human Health. Why Is There No Money to Clean it Up?

April 25, 2021

Heavy rains have dispersed highly toxic dioxins throughout the Sanders Beach neighborhood for years. Now residents hope the Biden administration will help put an end to their misery.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25042021/the-epa-calls-an-old-creosote-works-in-pensacola-an-uncontrolled-threat-to-human-health-why-is-there-no-money-to-clean-it-up/

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Sediment and water pollution in Bayou Chico, Pensacola, FL.

2006

https://pages.uwf.edu/cedb/Perch_report_Chico_final_revision_withmaps.pdf


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50% of U.S. lakes and rivers are too polluted for swimming, fishing or drinking

Apr 4, 2022

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/04/50-of-u-s-lakes-and-rivers-are-too-polluted-for-swimming-fishing-drinking/


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Too Polluted to Drink

2018

For too many families, North Florida’s once pristine groundwater may be unsafe to drink. One nasty pollutant is nitrate, a principal ingredient in synthetic agricultural and urban fertilizers, and in animal manure and human waste.

In the past 100 years of rapid development, the ambient concentration of nitrate throughout the Floridan Aquifer has risen from a baseline concentration of less than 0.05 parts per million (ppm) to 1 ppm, a 20-fold increase...

https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/too-polluted-to-drink/

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Report: agriculture runoff is leading cause of water pollution in the U.S.

2022

After evaluating over 700,000 miles of rivers and streams across the country, water experts concluded that half of those waters are too polluted to fish or swim in.

https://www.agriculture.com/news/business/report-agriculture-runoff-is-leading-cause-of-water-pollution-in-the-us

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Humans have driven the Earth's freshwater cycle out of its stable state

March 4, 2024

New analysis shows that the global freshwater cycle has shifted far beyond pre-industrial conditions

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304135840.htm

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Marine scientists find toxic bacteria on microplastics retrieved from tropical waters

February 11, 2019

When these tiny pieces of plastics are ingested by marine organisms, they may accumulate and be transferred up the food chain

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190211110348.htm

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Plastic pollution is a huge problem—and it’s not too late to fix it

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/plastic-pollution-huge-problem-not-too-late-to-fix-it


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Ocean cleanup device successfully collects plastic for first time

Oct 3, 2019

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/03/ocean-cleanup-device-successfully-collects-plastic-for-first-time

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‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents

December 1, 2023

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-12-01/forever-chemicals-found-in-freshwater-fish-yet-most-states-dont-warn-residents

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Florida community raises alarm about potential cancer link to water contamination

2018

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/florida-community-raises-alarm-potential-cancer-link-water/story?id=56340438

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High levels of 'Forever' chemicals soil South Patrick and Cocoa Beach

2021

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2021/06/09/forever-chemicals-high-south-patrick-cocoa-beach-area-brevard-pfas-patrick-space-force-base-florida/5019532001/

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Chemicals taint Florida oysters. What that could mean about our drinking water.

2022

FIU researchers examined levels of PFAS chemicals in Tampa, Miami-Dade and Naples.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/07/08/chemicals-taint-florida-oysters-what-that-could-mean-about-our-drinking-water/

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An 'alarming level' of PFAS compounds found in some Florida drinking water, a scientist says

August 18, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-08-1citrus g8/alarming-level-pfas-compounds-some-florida-drinking-water-scientist-says

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What’s in the water? Nearly half of US drinking water is estimated to contain ‘forever chemicals’

 July 20, 2023

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/07/20/whats-in-the-water-nearly-half-of-us-drinking-water-is-estimated-to-contain-forever-chemicals/

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Tell Me About: Forever Chemicals in Florida

Jul 5, 2022

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/tell-me-about-forever-chemicals-in-florida/

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FROM ALASKA TO FLORIDA, HARMFUL PFAS COMPOUNDS POLLUTE WATER AT MULTIPLE SITES IN EVERY STATE

Wherever you are in the U.S., there’s a good chance you can find harmful PFAS compounds in water near you.

https://ensia.com/features/drinking-water-contamination-pfas-health/


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The drinking water in Delray Beach, Florida is heavily contaminated with PFAS

March 17, 2022

https://www.militarypoisons.org/latest-news/the-water-in-delray-beach-florida-is-heavily-contaminated-with-pfas

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Millions Of Gallons Of Toxic Water Continue To Flow Into Tampa Bay

April 2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-04-01/millions-of-gallons-of-toxic-water-continue-to-flow-into-tampa-bay

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Hazardous spill in Florida highlights environmental threat decades in the making

April 7, 2021

Millions of gallons of wastewater discharged into Tampa Bay may spur red tides or other harmful algae blooms.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/hazardous-spill-in-florida-highlights-environmental-threat-decades-in-the-making

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At Least 600 Tons Of Dead Fish Have Washed Up Along Tampa Bay's Shore

July 13, 2021

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/13/1015312707/a-summer-red-tide-has-left-hundreds-of-tons-of-dead-fish-along-tampa-bays-shore

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Seagrass is dying by Tampa and Sarasota as red tide worsens

April 3, 2023

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2023-04-03/seagrass-is-dying-by-tampa-and-sarasota-as-red-tide-worsens

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Tampa Bay lost 12% of its seagrass in 2 years; some areas at historic low, study shows

2/13/2023

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/02/13/tampa-bay-lost-12-its-seagrass-2-years-some-areas-historic-low-study-shows/

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Is more algae mucking up Tampa Bay? Scientists need to track it first.

July 2022

Long-term macroalgae monitoring is another gap in research revealed in the year since the Piney Point release.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/07/12/is-more-algae-mucking-up-tampa-bay-scientists-need-to-track-it-first/


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Shining example: Tampa Bay's water quality is declining after a half-century of gains

2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-08-01/shining-example-tampa-bay-water-quality-declining-half-century-gains

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Danger lurking in the water of 6 Tampa Bay beaches: Where to avoid and why

Sep 4, 2021

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — If you’re hoping to go swimming or fishing in Hillsborough County this Labor Day Weekend, you may want to reconsider because county health officials say at least six beaches are unsafe to swim in.

Many are being advised to stay away from beaches like Ben T. Davis because of dangerous bacteria lurking in the water.

The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County said the amount of Enterococci bacteria is too high, making the water dangerous to swim in. They said that bacteria is usually found in the intestinal tract of humans and animals and is an indication of fecal pollution.

https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/danger-lurking-in-the-water-of-6-tampa-bay-beaches-where-to-avoid-and-why/

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4 billion particles of tiny plastics pollute Tampa Bay, study finds

2019

Now scientists will determine the impact on the animals that live in Florida’s largest estuary.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2019/09/12/4-billion-particles-of-tiny-plastics-pollute-tampa-bay-study-finds/

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Microplastic pollution is everywhere, including Sarasota County

2017

Looking for microplastics in Sarasota County

UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County partnered this spring with three local high school teachers to engage students in the Florida Microplastics Awareness Project. This partnership resulted in 65 water samples taken throughout Sarasota County. Fifty-three percent of the samples contained microplastic. The average number of microplastic pieces per sample was 2.17, which was inline with the state average. Fibers accounted for the overwhelming majority (80 percent) of the microplastics found. Figure 1 shows the distribution of microplastics found locally.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2017/11/02/microplastic-pollution/

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Broward beaches are suffering and plastic is top culprit

May 12, 2021

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/05/12/broward-beaches-are-suffering-and-plastic-is-top-culprit/

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What are PFAS, the Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals' That Could Be in Broward Water?

May 24, 2023

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/what-are-pfas-the-toxic-forever-chemicals-that-could-be-in-broward-water/3039619/

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Plastic pollution is becoming such a big problem that new part-plastic rocks are being formed


Feb. 4, 2024

https://www.wcjb.com/2024/02/05/plastic-pollution-is-becoming-such-big-problem-that-new-part-plastic-rocks-are-being-formed/

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Environmental Engineer says Styrofoam docks pose big threats to the environment and our health

Jan 01, 2020

Non-encapsulated Styrofoam docks cause pollution

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pasco/environmental-engineer-says-styrofoam-docks-pose-big-threats-to-the-environment-and-our-health

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Polystyrene microplastic contamination versus microplankton abundances in two lagoons of the Florida Keys

16 March 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-85388-y

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Plastics killing sea animals, and Florida has more incidents than any other state, ocean conservation group says

2020

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2020/11/23/plastics-killing-sea-animals-and-florida-has-more-incidents-than-any-other-state-ocean-conservation-group-says/


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How Plastic is Harming Florida’s Marine Life, and What We Can Do About It

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/stories/how-plastic-is-harming-floridas-marine-life-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/


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Toxic paint is endangering marine life, Says WWF

10 Oct 2006

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/oct/10/pollution.conservation

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How toxic is antifouling paint?

February 1, 2011

Most antifouling bottom paints contain cupreous oxide which is a neurotoxin. It constantly leaches into the water around your boat, creating a plume. When marine life unsuspectingly swims into the plume, they ingest the toxin, which attacks their nervous system and they die of convulsions, thus preventing them from attaching to your boat. Otheuclear neurotoxins used in the past have been banned worldwide because of their destructive effects on marine life. Of all the copper compounds, cupreous oxide is the most deadly.

https://www.auroramarine.com/main/ask-the-skipper/how-toxic-is-antifouling-paint/

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Pleasure Boatyard Soils are Often Highly Contaminated

2014 Feb 23

 

Abstract

 

The contamination in pleasure boatyards has been investigated. Measured concentrations of copper, zinc, lead, mercury, cadmium, tributyltin (TBT), the 16 most common polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑16 PAHs), and the seven most common polychlorinated biphenyls (∑7 PCBs) from investigations at 34 boatyards along the Swedish coast have been compiled. The maximum concentrations were 7,700 for Cu, 10,200, for Zn, 40,100 for Pb, 188 for Hg, 18 for Cd, 107 for TBT, 630 for carcinogenic PAHs, 1,480 for ∑16 PAHs, and 3.8 mg/kg DW for ∑7 PCB; all 10–2,000 higher than the Swedish environmental qualitative guidelines. In addition, the mean of the median values found at the 34 places shows that the lower guidance value for sensitive use of land was exceeded for the ∑7 PCBs, carcinogenic PAHs, TBT, Pb, Hg, and Cu by a factor of 380, 6.8, 3.6, 2.9, 2.2 and 1.7, respectively. The even higher guideline value for industrial use was exceeded for the ∑7 PCBs and TBT by a factor of 15 and 1.8, respectively. TBT, PAHs, Pb, Cd, and Hg are prioritized substances in the European Water Framework Directive and should be phased out as quickly as possible. Because of the risk of leakage from boatyards, precautions should be taken. The high concentrations measured are considered to be dangerous for the environment and human health and highlight the urgent need for developing and enforcing pleasure boat maintenance guidelines to minimize further soil and nearby water contamination.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3972443/

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Eco-friendly paint most effective against fouling on ships and boats

December 12, 2022

Summary:

    Emissions from copper-based antifouling paints are a well-known environmental problem. As much as 40 percent of copper inputs to the Baltic Sea come from antifouling paints on ships and leisure boats. According to a new study, this is completely unnecessary. When the researchers compared copper-based antifouling paint with biocide-free silicone-based paint, they found that the environmentally friendly alternative was best at keeping the fouling at bay.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221212140719.htm


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Plastic Coated Pesticides Adding to Soil and Ecosystem Contamination with Microplastics

2022

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2022/06/plastic-coated-pesticides-adding-to-soil-and-ecosystem-contamination-with-microplastics/

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Plastics and pesticides: Health impacts of synthetic chemicals in US products doubled in last 5 years, study finds

 July 22, 2020

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/health/chemical-endocrine-disruptor-doubled-wellness/index.html


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A new investigation will delve into pollution threatening water system in Florida’s Tampa Bay region

July 20, 2022

https://centerforhealthjournalism.org/our-work/insights/new-investigation-will-delve-pollution-threatening-water-system-floridas-tampa

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Study finds issues in Zephyrhills drinking water (10 Tampa Bay)

May 8, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzCj2AJvGJc

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Zephyrhills puts the brakes on growth as it battles water woes

2023

https://www.wusf.org/economy-business/2023-09-15/zephyrhills-brakes-growth-battles-water-woes

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Fort Myers has a Water Pollution Problem and FDEP Promises Penalties

2020

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/fort-myers-has-a-water-pollution-problem-and-fdep-promises-penalties-6765/

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Florida hits Fort Myers with $500,000 in civil penalties for sewer plant leaks

2021

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2021/02/09/fort-myers-fined-water-pollution-billys-creek-caloosahatchee-river/4453313001/

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Is it safe to swim or fish in Fort Myers? See latest health advisories, test results

2023

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/06/28/water-quality-health-advisories-test-results-fort-myers-lee-county-safe-swim-fish-algae-red-tide/70363869007/


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Riviera Beach alerts residents about potentially harmful bacteria in water

Jan 09, 2019

https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/riviera-beach/riviera-beach-alerts-residents-about-potentially-harmful-bacteria-in-water

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No-swim advisory in effect after 15 million gallons of sewage spilled into Intracoastal off Boynton

2023

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/07/12/no-swim-advisory-in-effect-after-millions-of-gallons-of-sewage-spilled-into-intracoastal-off-boynton/

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UPDATE: 'No-swim' advisory lifted at beaches in Jupiter, Boynton, but remains at Riviera

Feb 21, 2024

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2024/02/21/no-swimming-advisory-issued-for-three-beaches-in-palm-beach-county/72688270007/

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Crisis in Paradise: Examining Florida's Toxic Triangle and Its Impact on the Space Coast

March 11, 2024

 


 

 

BREVARD COUNTY, FL. - Florida's Space Coast may look like a paradise with its sun-drenched beaches and glistening waters, but a dark secret lurks beneath the surface. If you dive deep into research, you'll uncover intriguing parallels to the contamination found in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. However, what makes it even more unsettling is the realization that Brevard County doesn't house just one military base but three: Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and Patrick Space Force Base.

INDIAN RIVER LAGOON: The Indian River Lagoon, often mistaken for a river due to its lengthy appearance, is situated along these bases and is home to a troubling history of pollution. This expansive body of water is not just any estuary - it is a national treasure that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) committed to protecting. Back in 1990, this area received special designation to ensure the preservation of its ecosystems, but sadly, the current state of affairs tells a different story. Over the years, sewage, chemicals, and industrial waste have tainted the once pristine waters, robbing the habitat of its vibrant marine life like seahorses, stingrays, and manatees.

Decades ago, the waterways were a haven for local fishermen, but now they bear witness to the profound impact of pollution. The condition has worsened to the point where locals decided to impose a tax on themselves in 2016, all hoping to preserve whatever little was left of the waterways. The problem has become so widespread that even political leaders incorporate the Indian River Lagoon and its water quality concerns into their campaign rhetoric.

Over the last few decades, the seagrass population has drastically decreased, leading to manatees facing starvation and the declaration of an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) in 2021. Pollution has fueled harmful algal blooms, causing a decline in fisheries, while unchecked development is encroaching on wildlife habitats. The lagoon's shellfish have been found to have the highest concentration of microplastics in the world. Studies have shown an uptick in diseases like cancers, lesions, and tumors in dolphins, turtles, and fish. Parasites have impacted shrimp and blue crab populations, with scientists sounding the alarm about potential human health risks. Swimming in waterways with raw sewage risks contracting Hepatitis A (HAV), urinary tract infections, and flesh-eating bacteria (vibrio vulnificus). The once vibrant ecosystem of the lagoon has transformed from crystal-clear waters to murky green, posing a grave threat to its natural resources and the well-being of communities near them.

 


 DISEASE CLUSTER CONCERNS: Over the years, several investigations have been conducted into disease clusters in Brevard County. These include a high incidence of leukemia cases in children near a Superfund site in Palm Bay, a high rate of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in teens near Patrick military base in South Patrick Shores, ALS among workers at Kennedy Space Center, and a concerning situation of blood cancer and asthma in Port St. John situated between two power plants. These investigations shed light on the health challenges faced by different communities in Brevard County.

 


 

PFAS CONTAMINATION: Fast-forward to 2018, and another alarming discovery was made—PFAS chemicals were detected in groundwater throughout the county. The levels were particularly concerning at Patrick Space Force Base, where they reached a staggering 4.3 million parts per trillion, making it the third-highest concentration in the entire country.

The impact of PFAS chemicals on human health is deeply troubling. Extensive epidemiological studies have revealed a range of adverse effects, including elevated cholesterol levels, reproductive and developmental issues, and weakened immune systems. Shockingly, these harmful chemicals have also infiltrated the bloodstreams of alligators, manatees, and dolphins in the Indian River, reaching some of the highest recorded levels.

The source of these hazardous substances can be traced back to firefighting foams, which were once innocently sprayed on children for playful fun decades ago. However, the Department of Defense was aware of the dangers associated with these chemicals as early as the 1970s, yet continued their use. This negligence has had far-reaching consequences for human and animal populations, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulations and responsible practices to safeguard the ecosystem and human health.

 

 


 

HOW CHEMICALS ARE REGULATED: Polluting industries have a reputation for advocating for looser regulations on chemicals and monitoring, and one such example is perchlorate. Back in the 1990s, scientific research revealed that exposure to perchlorate during pregnancy could have significant adverse effects on the developing brains of both fetuses and infants, with lifelong consequences. Perchlorate contamination is most commonly found at sites involved in the manufacturing, testing, and disposing ammunition and rocket fuel. The Department of Defense has been using perchlorate since the 1940s. The Defense Department and military contractors such as Lockheed Martin have aggressively blocked regulation on this chemical.

Many Americans lack knowledge about how chemicals are regulated in the United States. The Safe Drinking Water Act does not prioritize health-based standards; the initial standards were established before 1996. Additionally, industries spend large sums of money lobbying to obstruct and remove regulations on toxic substances. The powerful chemical industry influences toxic substance laws, while the EPA faces challenges due to inadequate funding and a lack of authority to tackle these critical issues.

Pollution has loomed like a dark cloud over Brevard, impacting numerous young residents with rare illnesses. The "toxic triangle" highlights the far-reaching consequences of contaminated water sources and underscores the urgency of proactive measures.

https://www.advocatesvoice.com/2024/03/blog-post.html

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New study suggests we're likely underestimating the future impact of PFAS in the environment

April 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-underestimating-future-impact-pfas-environment.html

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10 U.S. cities with the worst drinking water

2011

A surprising number of U.S. cities have drinking water with unhealthy levels of chemicals and contaminants. If you live in Pensacola, Fla., you may want to invest in a water purifier.

1. Pensacola, Fla. (Emerald Coast Water Utility)
Located on the Florida Panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico, Pensacola is Florida's westernmost major city. Analysts say it has the worst water quality in the country. Of the 101 chemicals tested for over five years, 45 were discovered. Of them, 21 were discovered in unhealthy amounts. The worst of these were radium-228 and -228, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, alpha particles, benzine and lead. Pensacola's water was also found to contain cyanide and chloroform. The combination of these chemicals makes Pensacola's water supply America's most unhealthy.

10. Jacksonville, Fla. (JEA)
Located on the northeast coast of Florida, Jacksonville is the state's largest city. According to EWG, 23 different toxic chemicals were found in Jacksonville's water supply. The chemicals most frequently discovered in high volumes were trihalomethanes, which consist of four different cleaning byproducts — one of which is chloroform. Many trihalomethanes are believed to be carcinogenic. Over the five-year testing period, unsafe levels of trihalomethanes were detected during each of the 32 months of testing, and levels deemed illegal by the EPA were detected in 12 of those months. During at least one testing period, trihalomethane levels were measured at nearly twice the EPA legal limit. Chemicals like arsenic and lead were also detected at levels exceeding health guidelines.


https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna41354370

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North Florida, South Florida Vie to Be Most-Polluted Region

2023

https://oursantaferiver.org/north-florida-south-florida-vie-to-be-most-polluted-region/

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10 Must-Know Florida Water Pollution Facts That Will Amaze You!

Dec 20, 2021

https://kidadl.com/facts/must-know-florida-water-pollution-facts-that-will-amaze-you

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Sewer leak polluting Bruce Beach wasn't found by accident and fixing it's no silver bullet

2022

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2022/10/26/no-luck-involved-ecuas-finding-downtown-pensacola-florida-sewage-leak/10561402002/

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THE FACTS ABOUT SEWAGE, MANURE, AND FERTILIZER IN FLORIDA DRINKING WATER

https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/florida-clean-water-fact-sheet.pdf

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5 Reasons Why Florida’s Public Water Smells Bad

December 28, 2022

https://sflcn.com/5-reasons-why-floridas-public-water-smells-bad/


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The City of St. Cloud investigates residential water discoloration


2022

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/07/11/the-city-of-st--cloud-investigates-residential-water-discoloration--

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Study: Arsenic In Drinking Water Of Several States, Including Florida, Damages Hearts Of Young Adults

2019

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/study-arsenic-in-drinking-water-of-several-states-including-florida-damages-hearts-of-young-adults/

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We sampled tap water across the US – and found arsenic, lead and toxic chemicals

2021

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/31/americas-tap-water-samples-forever-chemicals


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Arsenic and Drinking Water

March 1, 2019

https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/arsenic-and-drinking-water


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Study suggests millions are at risk using high arsenic water for cooking

March 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-millions-high-arsenic-cooking.html

 

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Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater: A Review of Sources, Prevalence, Health Risks, and Strategies for Mitigation

2014

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4211162/

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Natural Background and Anthropogenic Arsenic Enrichment in Florida Soils, Surface Water, and Groundwater: A Review with a Discussion on Public Health Risk

2016

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6210428/

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Arsenic distribution in Florida urban soils: comparison between Gainesville and Miami

2003

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12549549/

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Stanford researchers find groundwater pumping can increase arsenic levels in irrigation and drinking water


Pumping an aquifer to the last drop squeezes out more than water. A Stanford study finds it can also unlock dangerous arsenic from buried clays – and reveals how sinking land can provide an early warning and measure of contamination.

June 5, 2018

https://news.stanford.edu/2018/06/05/overpumping-groundwater-increases-contamination-risk/

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Arsenic contamination of groundwater

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic_contamination_of_groundwater

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Global threat of arsenic in groundwater

2020

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aba1510


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A Short History of the Most Chemically Contaminated Sites in Miami

2019

Miami-Dade County is one of the most toxic places in the world.

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-dade-is-one-of-the-worst-places-for-toxic-soil-and-chemical-contamination-11388553

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Florida Environment’s Hidden Menace: Toxic Chemical Pollution

1996

An Associated Press computer analysis of five years of federal TRI records examined Florida’s top 25 toxic polluters and the state’s toxic hot spots.

The AP analysis found an encouraging trend: Many of Florida’s largest polluters reduced their toxic waste releases between 1989 and 1993.

But a third of Florida’s 67 counties saw their toxic waste totals grow during that five-year period--sometimes dramatically, the AP analysis showed.

Industrial Polk County in west-central Florida was the top toxic hot spot with 24.6 million pounds of toxic waste released in 1993, according to the most recent, available TRI statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Most of the toxic waste released in Polk County in 1993 came from companies that mine phosphate and turn it into fertilizer for farms and gardens. Polk County had 55.5 pounds of toxic waste per resident.

The state’s top toxic polluter, IMC-Agrico, has three phosphate plants in the Polk County town of Mulberry that generated more than 12 million pounds of toxic waste in 1993.

Phosphate-rich Hillsborough Country, also in west-central Florida, ranked second for the amount of toxic waste released within its borders. Rounding out Florida’s toxic top five are counties with chemical plants and paper mills--Bay and Escambia in the Panhandle and Duval, which encompasses Jacksonville, in northeast Florida.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-01-28-mn-29571-story.html

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PAHs in urban soils of two Florida cities: Background concentrations, distribution, and sources

2018

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653518317752


______________


‘A Civil Action’ Carcinogen Pollutes Tap Water Supplies for 14 Million Americans

JULY 24, 2018

https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/carcinogen-pollutes-tap-water-supplies-14-million-americans


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Harmful Contaminants Found In Florida Drinking Water: Study

What's legal isn't always safe when it comes to drinking water. Harmful pollutants were found in the water at many utilities across Florida.

2017

https://patch.com/florida/southtampa/harmful-contaminants-found-florida-drinking-water-study

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Report finds Florida drinking water ranks 2nd worst in nation

2017

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-hillsborough/report-finds-florida-drinking-water-ranks-2nd-worst-in-nation

______________


How Florida's Drinking Water is Easily Contaminated

https://www.fight4zero.org/drinkingwater

______________


Don’t Drink the Water in South Florida

2022

https://www.militarypoisons.org/latest-news/dont-drink-the-water-in-south-florida

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Officials jump into action after toxic chemicals found in South Florida tap water

September 19, 2023

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/09/19/officials-jump-into-action-after-toxic-chemicals-found-in-south-florida-tap-water/


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Concerns growing over chemicals found in South Florida water

October 6, 2023

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/10/06/concerns-growing-over-chemicals-found-in-south-florida-water/

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'All the water's bad': In McDowell County, you have to get creative to find safe drinking water

June 17, 2021

To get drinking water, Burlyn Cooper and his neighbors have to collect runoff from the rock face of a mountain. It’s contaminated, but it’s all they have.

BRADSHAW, W.Va. — Every week, Burlyn Cooper parks on the edge of a winding two-lane road, unloads a dozen plastic jugs from the trunk of his car, and uses a hose to fill them with the spring water that drips from a mountain's exposed rock face. For Cooper and many of his neighbors, the mountain's runoff is their most reliable, and trusted, source of drinking water.

"I've got so used to it, I wouldn't know how to act, to turn the faucet on and have good water," he said. "I can't imagine it."

Cooper and his wife, Hazel, once depended on wells for water. More than 43 million Americans use wells, which can be a plentiful source of clean water. Today, however, the Coopers' two wells are too polluted to drink from — the result, they suspect, of nearby natural gas extraction. The once-clear water, which they now only use to wash themselves and water their animals, is orange and sour-smelling. It leaves a thick sludge in their sinks, rust-colored stains on their taps and clothes, and an itchy, red rash on Burlyn's skin.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/all-water-s-bad-mcdowell-county-you-have-get-creative-n1270405

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Sunshine State Blues: Why is Florida Tap Water So Bad?

2023

1. Chlorine Overdose: The Aquatic Antiseptic

Florida’s tap water can taste like you just took a sip from a swimming pool. Why? Blame it on the chlorine overdose.

The state disinfects its water supply with gusto, ensuring that our tap water is practically germ-free. While it’s great for health, the lingering taste of chlorine can be a rude awakening.

2. The Hard Water Hustle: Calcium Conundrum

Ever notice a white residue on your faucets and dishes? That’s the hard water hustle.

Florida’s tap water is notorious for being hard, laden with calcium and magnesium. It’s like a mineral-rich cocktail, leaving its mark wherever it goes.

Agricultural Runoff: Pesticide Potholes

Old Pipes, New Problems: Aging Infrastructure Woes

Floods and Hurricanes: Nature’s Water Mix

Saltwater Intrusion: When the Sea Invades the Tap

https://exploreinfl.com/why-is-florida-tap-water-so-bad/

______________


170 Million in U.S. Drink Radioactive Tap Water

2018

https://www.ewg.org/research/170-million-us-drink-radioactive-tap-water

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Florida knew prison well could be contaminated but let women keep drinking

Feb 2024

Data showed contamination from a firefighter college reached Lowell Correctional Institution. State officials did nothing for months.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2024/02/28/florida-knew-prison-well-could-be-contaminated-let-women-keep-drinking/


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What is 1,4-dioxane? Seminole leaders discuss chemical in drinking water causing concern

2023

Traces of likely carcinogen found in Seminole County, Sanford, Lake Mary

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/26/what-is-14-dioxane-seminole-leaders-discuss-chemical-in-drinking-water-causing-concern/

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Sanford officials discuss solutions to ensure drinking water stays safe from contaminant

July 28, 2023

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/28/sanford-officials-discuss-solutions-to-ensure-drinking-water-stays-safe-from-contaminant/

_____________


Industrial chemical infiltrated Lake Mary, Sanford, Seminole water wells; few knew and there was no coordinated response

2023

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/11/toxic-chemical-central-florida-tap-water/

_____________


Seminole utilities struggled to address, pinpoint source of toxic chemical in tap water

2023

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/13/seminole-utilities-toxic-chemical-water/

_____________


Report: Toxic chemical found in some Seminole County drinking water

Jul. 13, 2023

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2023/07/14/toxic-chemical-found-in-parts-of-seminole-county-drinking-water

_____________


Seminole family plagued by cancer learned tap water was tainted. ‘It all began making sense’

2023

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/20/dioxane-seminole-county-tap-water-secret/

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Seminole County aims for transparency after 'forever chemical' are detected in its water supply

July 27, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-07-27/seminole-county-aims-for-transparency-after-forever-chemical-are-detected-in-its-water-supply

_____________


Transparency on drinking water contamination isn’t unanimous, Orlando Sentinel survey finds

September 29, 2023

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/09/29/transparency-on-drinking-water-contamination-isnt-unanimous-orlando-sentinel-survey-finds/

_____________


Fort Myers has a water pollution problem; state environmental agency promises penalties, protections

2020

https://www.news-press.com/story/tech/science/environment/2020/07/10/state-agency-though-florida-department-environmental-protection-has-yet-take-any-legal-action-agains/5410962002/

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A Year Since The Spills: Fort Lauderdale Sewage Problems A Sign Of Infrastructure Woes For Other Coastal Cities

2021

https://www.wlrn.org/news/2021-02-25/a-year-since-the-spills-fort-lauderdale-sewage-problems-a-sign-of-infrastructure-woes-for-other-coastal-cities

____________


The fight over water in Florida has had some surprising winners

2021

https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2021/0820/The-fight-over-water-in-Florida-has-had-some-surprising-winners


___________


Economic impact of poor water quality in SWFL could be billions

January 17, 2024

https://winknews.com/2024/01/17/water-quality-economic-impact-swfl-billions/

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2020 Integrated Water Quality Assessment for Florida:  Sections 303(d), 305(b), and  314 Report and Listing Update

July 2020

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/2020_IR_Master_FINAL%20-%20ADA.pdf

______________


Floridan Aquifer System Groundwater Availability Study

https://fl.water.usgs.gov/floridan/

______________


Floridan aquifer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floridan_aquifer


______________



Florida’s aquifer is in crisis — but there’s still time to save it

2019

https://planetforward.org/story/florida-aquifer-crisis/

______________


Recharging the Floridan Aquifer: Threats to the Floridan Aquifer

2022

https://www.nflt.org/2022/08/22/recharging-the-floridan-aquifer-threats-to-the-floridan-aquifer/

______________


Floridan aquifer system

2021

 

The Floridan aquifer system (FAS) is one of the most productive aquifers in the world. It underlies an area of approximately 100,000 square miles beneath all of Florida and parts of southeastern Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina.

https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/floridan-aquifer-system

______________


Floridan Aquifer System Groundwater Available Study

https://fl.water.usgs.gov/floridan/


______________


How's the water down there? Aquifer key to keeping Florida flush | Sustainable Tallahassee

2022

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/causes/2022/05/02/floridas-groundwater-resource-vulnerable-contamination/9589038002/

______________


COMMUNICATING ABOUT WATER IN THE FLORIDAN AQUIFER REGION: PART 5—INCREASING COLLABORATION BETWEEN PRODUCERS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS ON WATER CHALLENGES

March 1st, 2024

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC449

_____________


Microbial degradation of microcystin in Florida’s freshwaters


2011 May 25

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3513335/

______________


Regulated Drinking Water Contaminants and Contaminants of Emerging Concern

https://floridadep.gov/comm/press-office/content/regulated-drinking-water-contaminants-and-contaminants-emerging-concern

______________


Monitoring Lead and Copper in Florida Drinking Water

https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/monitoring-lead-and-copper-florida-drinking-water

______________


Lead in Drinking Water

2023

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/mrec/2022/06/13/lead-in-drinking-water/

______________


Potential Well Water Contaminants and Their Impacts

https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/potential-well-water-contaminants-and-their-impacts

______________


Revised Total Coliform Rule And Total Coliform Rule

https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/revised-total-coliform-rule-and-total-coliform-rule

______________


Coliform Bacteria

https://madison.floridahealth.gov/_files/_documents/coliformbacteria.pdf

______________


Elevated Nitrate Nitrogen Levels Found in Florida’s Drinking Water Supply

2016

https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/elevated-nitrate-nitrogen-levels-found-in-floridas-drinking-water-supply/


______________


Algae task force: DEP says state's new stormwater rule holds line on pollution

2024

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2024/01/25/state-promises-less-pollution-with-future-development/72311023007/

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Surge in nitrogen has turned sargassum into the world's largest harmful algal bloom

MAY 24, 2021

For centuries, pelagic Sargassum, floating brown seaweed, have grown in low nutrient waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, supported by natural nutrient sources like excretions from fishes and invertebrates, upwelling and nitrogen fixation. Using a unique historical baseline from the 1980s and comparing it to samples collected since 2010, researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and collaborators have discovered dramatic changes in the chemistry and composition of Sargassum, transforming this vibrant living organism into a toxic "dead zone."

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-surge-nitrogen-sargassum-world-largest.html

______________


Algae Blooms and Seagrass Loss

May 25, 2023

https://savethemanatee.org/manatees/algae-blooms/

______________


Water being pumped into Tampa Bay could cause a massive algae bloom, putting fragile manatee and fish habitats at risk

April 8, 2021

Millions of gallons of water laced with fertilizer ingredients are being pumped into Florida’s Tampa Bay from a leaking reservoir at an abandoned phosphate plant at Piney Point. As the water spreads into the bay, it carries phosphorus and nitrogen – nutrients that under the right conditions can fuel dangerous algae blooms that can suffocate sea grass beds and kill fish, dolphins and manatees.

It’s the kind of risk no one wants to see, but officials believed the other options were worse.

About 300 homes sit downstream from the 480-million-gallon reservoir, which began leaking in late March 2021. State officials determined that pumping out the water was the only way to prevent the reservoir’s walls from collapsing. They decided the safest location for all that water would be out through Port Manatee and into the bay.

Florida’s coast is dotted with fragile marine sanctuaries and sea grass beds that help nurture the state’s thriving marine and tourism economy. Those near Port Manatee now face a risk of algal blooms over the next few weeks. Once algae blooms get started, little can be done to clean them up.

https://theconversation.com/water-being-pumped-into-tampa-bay-could-cause-a-massive-algae-bloom-putting-fragile-manatee-and-fish-habitats-at-risk-158568

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The Clock is Ticking on Florida’s Mountains of Hazardous Phosphate Waste

April 26, 2017

Phosphate has also seeded Florida with the environmental equivalent of ticking time bombs.

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/news-and-profiles/2017/04/florida-phosphate

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Piney Point pollution spread farther than first thought, new study shows

2023

It’s proof that the plume of dirty water flowed from the former phosphate plant and out into the Gulf of Mexico, the study’s authors say.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/06/13/piney-point-pollution-spread-farther-than-first-thought-new-study-shows/

______________


Environmental advocates spotlight dirty water at Florida beaches

2020

Some of Tampa Bay's most popular beaches earned praise for cleanliness, but flows of stormwater and sewage taint the shore elsewhere.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2020/07/27/environmental-advocates-spotlight-dirty-water-at-florida-beaches/

______________


What Florida is doing to improve the state's dirty water situation

2018

Executive orders issued to combat red tide, blue-green algae

https://www.clickorlando.com/water/2018/08/21/what-florida-is-doing-to-improve-the-states-dirty-water-situation/


______________


Comparison of during-bloom and inter-bloom brevetoxin and saxitoxin concentrations in Indian River Lagoon bottlenose dolphins, 2002-2011

2019 Nov 25

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31790939/

______________


SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND SPRINGS WATER QUALITY: AN OVERVIEW FOR FLORIDA

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS693

______________


FLORIDA’S SUFFOCATING SPRINGS: PROVIDING A LOCALLY-BASED MANAGEMENT SOLUTION TO NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM SEPTIC SYSTEMS

2013

http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/RNME_Suffocating-Springs.pdf

______________


Septic systems contribute to nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary, Southeast Florida, USA

2017 Oct 26

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29169565/

______________


Jacksonville taking action on underground septic tanks causing pollution

2019

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/investigates/action-news-jax-investigates-jea-taking-action-on-underground-septic-tanks-causing-pollution/931740286/

______________


Seminole plans to convert septic tanks to sewer systems to protect springs

3/13/2024

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/13/seminole-plans-to-convert-septic-tanks-to-sewer-systems-to-protect-springs/

______________


Leaky septic systems in Lee County polluting region's soil and water

August 12, 2022

https://news.wgcu.org/2022-08-12/leaky-septic-systems-in-lee-county-polluting-regions-soil-and-water

______________


Water Quality Woes in S.W. Florida Linked to Seeping Septic Systems

8-9-2022

 

From fecal bacteria to blue-green algae to red tides, Southwest Florida’s water quality has declined as its population has increased. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute took a deep dive into this region’s degrading water quality. Multiple lines of evidence from their multi-year microbial source tracking study point to septic systems as a contributing source for this decline.

 


 

         Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., stands in front of a canal in Cape Coral located in Lee County, Florida.

https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/septic-systems-southwest-florida.php


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Miami’s Overflowing Septic Tanks and Trash Piles Test Appeal to Rich

2023

As the city tries to attract more out-of-state workers and wealthy residents, it must deal with a multi-billion dollar environmental problem.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-07-31/miami-faces-trash-sewage-problems-as-more-residents-move-in


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Toxic Algal Bloom Covering Florida Lake So Big It Is Visible From Space

Jul 18, 2023

A toxic bloom of blue-green algae is blossoming across Lake Okeechobee in Florida, leading to health warnings and the closure of parts of a local marina.

The bloom was thought to have spread across 380 square miles of the lake as of June 12. It is Florida's largest freshwater lake, and the 10th-largest natural freshwater lake in the U.S.

 


 

The algal bloom as seen from space. Cyanobacteria covering over half of the surface of Florida’s largest freshwater lake on June 12.

https://www.newsweek.com/algal-bloom-florida-lake-seen-space-toxic-1813735

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What You Should Know About Florida’s Red and Green Slime Crisis

July 21, 2021

A short guide to the toxic red and green pollution in Florida’s waterways that’s killing marine animals and threatening residents’ way of life.

 


 

Alex Kuizon covers his face as he stands near dead fish at a boat ramp in Bradenton Beach, Fla., on Aug. 6, 2018. Normally crystal clear water was murky, and the smell of dead fish permeated the air. 



https://earthjustice.org/feature/florida-algae-outbreak-what-you-need-to-know


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It’s Toxic Slime Time on Florida’s Lake Okeechobee

2023

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/07/09/climate/florida-lake-okeechobee-algae.html


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Army Corps Increasing Lake Okeechobee Releases to Fort Myers-Sanibel Area

Feb 14, 2024

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/army-corps-increasing-lake-okeechobee-releases-to-fort-myers-sanibel-area-226794/

_______________


Toxic Lake: The Untold Story of Lake Okeechobee

2017

https://weather.com/news/news/florida-toxic-lake-okeechobee

______________


DeSantis urged to veto Lake Okeechobee water supply bill by 4 environmental nonprofits

2022

Four South Florida environmental nonprofits sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a letter Wednesday urging him to veto a controversial Lake Okeechobee water supply bill.

Opponents say SB 2508 contains an unnecessary requirement that the governor and Legislature must approve water management district decisions about water allocation; plus, the bill yields too much control to entities planning to destroy wetlands. Supporters say the bill provides a necessary check and balance...

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/florida/2022/03/30/florida-gov-ron-desantis-urged-veto-lake-o-water-supply-bill-lake-okeechobee-releases-everglades/7216793001/

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Discover the Most Polluted Lake in Florida (And What Lives in It)

August 28, 2023

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/discover-the-most-polluted-lake-in-florida-and-what-lives-in-it/

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River advocate: Lake O water is tainted, polluting the Caloosahatchee, its estuary

2023

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/07/28/lake-o-rising-as-army-corps-continues-pulse-releases-to-caloosahatchee/70484600007/

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How long must Floridians wait for agreed-upon water quality improvements? | Our View

2022

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/2022/08/19/taking-long-view-floridas-water-pollution-killing-us-our-view/10351616002/

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The Effects: Dead Zones and Harmful Algal Blooms

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms

Dead zones are areas of water bodies where aquatic life cannot survive because of low oxygen levels. Dead zones are generally caused by significant nutrient pollution, and are primarily a problem for bays, lakes and coastal waters since they receive excess nutrients from upstream sources.

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus cause an overgrowth of algae in a short period of time, also called algae blooms. The overgrowth of algae consumes oxygen and blocks sunlight from underwater plants. When the algae eventually dies, the oxygen in the water is consumed. The lack of oxygen makes it impossible for aquatic life to survive. The largest dead zone in the United States – about 6,500 square miles – is in the Gulf of Mexico and occurs every summer as a result of nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River Basin.

When some types of algae blooms are large and produce chemicals, or toxins, the event is called a harmful algal bloom. Harmful algal blooms can occur in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, bays and coastal waters, and the toxins they produce can be harmful to human health and aquatic life. Harmful algal blooms are mainly the result of a type of algae called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

Elevated nutrient levels and algal blooms can also cause problems in drinking water in communities nearby and upstream from dead zones. Harmful algal blooms release toxins that contaminate drinking water, causing illnesses for animals and humans.

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Impact and Mitigation of Nutrient Pollution and Overland Water Flow Change on the Florida Everglades, USA

14 September 2016

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/9/940

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Florida needs to stop recycling a 'serious nutrient problem'

June 2019

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/contributors/2019/06/06/florida-needs-stop-recycling-serious-nutrient-problem/1261926001/

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Here’s one key to stopping nutrient pollution in Florida waters | Letters

2020

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2020/07/06/heres-one-key-to-stopping-nutrient-pollution-in-florida-waters-letters/

_______________


NUTRIENT POLLUTION IN FLORIDA: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

2021

https://www.southerncultureonthefly.com/features/nutrient-pollution-in-florida-tampa-bay/

_______________


Nutrient Pollution: A Persistent Threat to Waterways

2014

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4216153/

_______________


Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria for Rivers and Streams

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/ecoregional-nutrient-criteria-rivers-and-streams

______________


Water quality changes following nutrient loading reduction and biomanipulation in a large shallow subtropical lake, Lake Griffin, Florida, USA


2015

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10750-015-2210-8


______________


VIDEO: Nutrient Pollution and Eutrophication in Florida Waterways


Dec 14, 2020

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/video-nutrient-pollution-and-eutrophication-in-florida-waterways/

______________


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - National Eutrophication Survey

Report on Lake George, Putnam and Volusia Counties, Florida: EPA Region IV - Working Paper No. 251

1977

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/9100D1XL.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1976+Thru+1980&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C76thru80%5CTxt%5C00000013%5C9100D1XL.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL

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What’s polluting Tampa Bay’s water? A new study maps its ‘nutrient fingerprint’

Aug. 3, 2023

A two-year study is identifying bay polluters in an important first step on the road to policy change.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/08/03/whats-polluting-tampa-bays-water-new-study-maps-its-nutrient-fingerprint/

______________


EPA’s Standards to Address Nutrient Pollution in Florida’s Lakes and Flowing Waters

2010

https://archive.epa.gov/epa/sites/production/files/2015-07/documents/floridafaq-2010.pdf

______________


New EPA Report Shows Persistent Nitrogen Pollution In Rivers And Streams

January 24, 2024

https://www.wunderground.com/article/science/environment/news/2024-01-24-river-and-stream-pollution-epa-assessment

_____________


Here’s one key to stopping nutrient pollution in Florida waters | Letters

2020

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2020/07/06/heres-one-key-to-stopping-nutrient-pollution-in-florida-waters-letters/

_____________


EPA Releases Tools to Help Reduce Nutrients in Water, Improve Public Health and Support Ecosystems

Actions highlight holistic, science-based, partnership-focused approach to improve water quality

April 29, 2021

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-tools-help-reduce-nutrients-water-improve-public-health-and-support

_____________


Senate panel OKs nutrient pollution oversight bill

2023

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/604495-senate-panel-oks-nutrient-pollution-oversight-bill/

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HEALTH OFFICIALS ISSUE BLUE-GREEN ALGAE BLOOM ALERT FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

August 10, 2022

https://hillsborough.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2022/08/blue-green-algae.html

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Algae

 

 https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/algae/

Species Overview

 

Algae are a diverse set of organisms that can be found just about anywhere around the globe, from the artic circle to the underwater volcanic vents. These organisms conduct photosynthesis but do not have roots or leaves. Rather they are collections of cells that remain individual or connect together into colonies that can form mats or even resemble plants. Though unsightly at times, algae are an essential part of the food web and contribute significantly to dissolved oxygen in the water column.

Algae populations are driven, largely, by the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. But depending on what species of algae is present, green water can be a sign of a healthy and productive aquatic ecosystem.

Though this is a major oversimplification, we will primarily classify algae into four groups:   (1) Unicellular (green), (2) filamentous, (3) blue-green, and (4) charophytes (plant-like).

 

Species Characteristics

 

Unicellular, green algae grow suspended throughout the water column and can indicate high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, and high biological productivity. These are unicellular and don’t have any noticeable structure (unless you have a microscope), but will cause the water to take on a greenish or gritty appearance. These nutrient-rich environments are not necessarily bad as they will support a wide variety of wildlife, from plankton to invertebrates, to fish. However, the overgrowth of green algae can prevent light penetration through the water that is needed to support submersed plants. If no plants are present, as the algae populations cycle through the season, dissolved oxygen can range from high to low in a matter of days. This rapid cycling of oxygen can be troublesome to the aquatic ecosystem and fish kills may result.

 

Filamentous algae (Cladophora, Pithophora, and Spirogyra spp., and others) often form dense floating mats that can range from green to brown, to red. These mats can be thick and have hair-like quality to them. Generally speaking, these form on the bottom of relatively shallow or clear lakes that have sufficient light penetration to the bottom to support growth. Gases formed during photosynthesis get trapped in the mats, causing them to float to the surface. These algae can be particularly troublesome to desirable submersed plants as the algae cover them over and compete for sunlight. They are also unsightly and complicate fishing, swimming, and other recreation. Particularly as the older mats begin to rot the smell can be unpleasant, further adding to the nuisance of these algae.

 

Blue-green algae is a cyanobacteria that develops a recognizable blue-ish hue when blooming. If the bloom persists, the cells can begin to clump together and develop a noxious odor. Of primary concern, the blue-green algae microsystis can produce a powerful toxin (microsystin) that can be harmful to pets and humans. These algae are often managed in drinking water reservoirs as some of the compounds they produce have a bad taste at very small levels, in the parts-per-trillion range.

 

Charophytes, or plant-like algae, form very structured colonies that will appear rooted in the sediment with branch-like structures, very much looking like a plant. These are still algae; they are just very structured in their colonies. Kelp, a marine algae, looks very much like a plant but is a clonal algae. In freshwater some of these algae can grow to nuisance levels, impeding navigation and swimming. One example, chara algae, will often smell like garlic or onions and has an abrasive texture that can impede recreation.




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Collaborative Research on Airborne Toxins from Harmful Algal Blooms in Southwest Florida

May 2, 2022

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/collaborative-research-on-airborne-toxins-from-harmful-algal-blooms-in-southwest-florida-224878/


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 Florida has more polluted freshwater than any other state, says study

Apr 22, 2022

The study classified 873,340 acres of lake as impaired for swimming and aquatic life, in addition to 935,808 acres listed as impaired for any use and 2,533 square miles of impaired estuaries. 

 


 

Raw untreated yellow water or sewage being pumped into a blue lake - Hollywood, Florida.

https://www.cltampa.com/news/florida-has-more-polluted-freshwater-than-any-other-state-says-study-13292223

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Florida tops list for the most polluted lakes in the U.S., study finds

March 18, 2022

 

Florida has climbed to the top of another ignominious list, thanks to its hundreds of thousands of acres of dirty lakes. 

 


 

Thick algae mats clogged the Pahokee Marina on Lake Okeechobee last year.

 

The state's waters have long been fouled by dirty stormwater and algae blooms fed by fertilizer run off from farms. Now a new study examining water quality across the U.S. shows Florida ranking first for the highest total acres of lakes too polluted for swimming or healthy aquatic life. That means water can have high levels of fecal matter and other bacteria that can sicken people , or have low levels of oxygen or other pollution that can harm fish and other aquatic life. The state ranked second for polluted estuaries. 

 

The Environmental Integrity Project launched the project to track the progress of the Clean Water Act as it nears its 50th anniversary. 

 

“Fifty years ago, we had the imagination and political will to face big problems and try to do something about them,” said Eric Schaeffer, the project's executive director and former head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory office . “We're hoping at this half-century mark that we can find the courage to recommit.” 

 

The group based the findings on Florida’s 2020 water quality report filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The same reporting from other states was used to compile the rankings. Ohio and the Great Lakes were excluded because they compile data on lakes differently. 

 

The 1972 law made it a federal crime to directly discharge pollution into waters, but remained vague about runoff that drains into waters. That’s created decades of problems for states like Florida, where farms and dense urban areas line waterways. 

 

Across the U.S., it’s also allowed industrialized agricultural operations to largely bypass pollution limits, Schaeffer said. 

 

“A failure to confront agriculture is probably the biggest program failure in the Clean Water Act,” said Schaeffer, who resigned from his EPA post in 2002 after criticizing the Bush administration for gutting the Clean Air Act. “We have to confront the fact that agricultural runoff is really the leading cause of water pollution in the U.S. today. I don't think that was true so much 50 years ago.” 

 

In Florida, nearly 900,000 acres of lakes are classified as impaired for swimming or healthy aquatic life. About 2,500 acres of estuaries are polluted, accounting for 99% of the total assessed.



https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-03-18/florida-tops-list-for-the-most-polluted-lakes-in-the-u-s-study-finds

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Study: Florida has some of the most polluted lakes in the country

2022

A recent study looked into the legacy of the Clean Water Act by analyzing each state's water quality.

https://www.wtsp.com/article/tech/science/environment/florida-polluted-lakes/67-a897927d-7e07-465b-942d-420b614de4d0

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A study finds Florida has highest number of polluted lakes in the U.S.


March 24, 2022

https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2022-03-24/a-study-finds-florida-has-highest-number-of-polluted-lakes-in-the-u-s


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Dire report on water quality in Florida lakes

March 25, 2022

https://fcvoters.org/2022/03/25/dire-report-on-water-quality-in-florida-lakes/


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Florida Crisis Highlights a Nationwide Risk From Toxic Ponds

2021

Thousands of open-air waste pools near power plants, mines and industrial farms can pose safety dangers from poor management and, increasingly, the effects of climate change.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/climate/florida-ponds-toxic-waste.html

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Rivers and lakes are the most degraded ecosystems in the world. Can we save them?

2021

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/rivers-and-lakes-are-most-degraded-ecosystems-in-world-can-we-save-them

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Water Quality in the Nation’s Streams and Rivers – Current Conditions and Long-Term Trends

2019

https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/water-quality-nations-streams-and-rivers-current-conditions

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Water Pollution: A Threat to Wildlife Conservation

2023

https://wildlife-conservation.org/water-pollution/

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Water Wars

Jan 24, 2024

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/water-wars-226778/

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Marion County lists contaminated water site as a legislative priority

October 29, 2021

https://www.ocalagazette.com/marion-county-lists-contaminated-water-site-as-a-legislative-priority/

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Improving Water Quality Tops Discussion at Greater Pine Island Civic Association

Jan 17, 2024

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/improving-water-quality-tops-discussion-at-greater-pine-island-civic-association-226755/

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The Power of Community: How Titusville Residents United for Clean Water Rights

November 20, 2023

https://www.advocatesvoice.com/2023/11/Titusvillertcw.html

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Court Rules That Florida Should Not be Allowed to Issue Wetland Dredge and Fill Permits

Feb 16, 2024

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/court-rules-that-florida-should-not-be-allowed-to-issue-wetland-dredge-and-fill-permits-226800/

 
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Mine tailing disposal sites: contamination problems, remedial options and phytocaps for sustainable remediation

2017

Abstract

Mining practices and the absence of proper mine land reclamation has led to heavy metal contaminated sites with serious impact on the ecosystems and risk for human health. The origin of the contamination is often associated to mine tailing deposits because they are a source of the acid mine drainage (AMD). These areas are devoid of vegetation due to the harsh soil conditions that prevent the rooting of plant species. The remediation of these areas followed by revegetation is necessary to suppress the generation of the AMD and its negative effects on the ecosystems. Conventional remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated sites are usually not applicable because of the high cost associated with chemicals and energy requirements, as well as the long treatment time to remediate large areas. In this study, the use of phytocapping for the remediation of mine tailing deposits and abandoned mine areas is reviewed. Phytocapping is cost effective, environmentally friendly and has multifunctional role against various problems of mine tailings: it provides erosion control, landscape rehabilitation, enhances the soil properties for further colonization of other more demanding vegetal species, reduces the leachability of metals downwards the groundwater, and favors the immobilization of metals forming less bioavailable species. The most critical step in phytocapping is the developing of the first vegetative cover because of the biotoxicity of the mine soil and mine tailings. Several amendment materials can be used to ameliorate soil conditions creating a favorable environment for the rooting of plants, as well as serving as a source of nutrients. Local plant species with fast growing are preferable because their adaptation to the soil and climate conditions favors their self-propagation.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11157-017-9453-y


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Saving our Springs: How pollution, pumping and people are destroying Florida's freshwater treasures

2022

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/florida-springs-pollution-people-pumping-destroying-freshwater/67-aeacd1ef-abb9-4994-b474-b3f8704f2df8

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State is failing to save our springs

2021

https://www.gainesville.com/story/opinion/2021/02/26/editorial-state-failing-save-our-springs/6816839002/

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Florida’s springs face crisis from pollution, declining flows

2012

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2012/12/17/floridas-springs-face-crisis-from-pollution-declining-flows/

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Where does most of the pollution in Florida's Springs come from?

2023

https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/single-post/agriculture-and-springs


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Florida's Vanishing Springs

2014

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/floridas-vanishing-springs/1262988/


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Pollution threatens purity of Florida's spring water

1998

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/06/20/pollution-threatens-purity-of-florida-s-spring-water/

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Springs Initiative Monitoring Report

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/springs_Monitoring_report_102110.pdf

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Florida's vanishing springs

2014

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/floridas-vanishing-springs/1262988/

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Florida's natural springs are changing — and disappearing

September 5, 2015

https://theworld.org/stories/2015-09-05/floridas-natural-springs-are-changing-and-disappearing

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Saving Florida’s springs isn’t possible unless agriculture changes its ways | Commentary

2019

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2019/04/15/saving-floridas-springs-isnt-possible-unless-agriculture-changes-its-ways-commentary/

______________


Ten Things Everyone Should Know about Florida's Springs

https://wec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/gc/harmony/documents/10_things_florida.pdf

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Florida’s Springs Don’t Have to Fail

2019

https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/floridas-springs-dont-have-to-fail/

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Education Center - Protecting Florida's Springs

https://protectingfloridatogether.gov/education-center/protecting-floridas-springs

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Florida springs protection rule is overdue and underwhelming, critics say

2022

Lawmakers determined the state was not doing enough to care for an environmental treasure. That was 6 years ago.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/07/03/florida-springs-protection-rule-is-overdue-and-underwhelming-critics-say/

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DEP drags its feet on halting pollution of Florida’s precious springs


March 2, 2023

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/03/02/dep-drags-its-feet-on-halting-pollution-of-floridas-precious-springs/

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How are Florida’s springs threatened?

https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/spring/how-are-floridas-springs-threatened

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Pollution and Overuse Threaten Florida’s Fragile Freshwater Springs

September 17, 2021

https://oursantaferiver.org/pollution-and-overuse-threaten-floridas-fragile-freshwater-springs/

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 Sulphur Springs’ past reminds us that sustainability and justice are deeply entwined

Nov 23, 2021

What happened to Sulphur Springs? And what does it reflect about our ongoing reckoning with Florida’s water resources?

https://www.cltampa.com/news/sulphur-springs-past-reminds-us-that-sustainability-and-justice-are-deeply-entwined-12479089

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Dye trace and bacteriological testing of sinkholes: Sulphur Springs, Tampa, Florida

1993

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00767510

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Fragile Springs Revisited: Silver Springs struggles with human impacts but remains a gem

2021

https://www.ocala.com/story/news/environment/2021/10/27/iconic-silver-springs-struggles-human-impacts-but-remains-gem/6020868001/

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Silver Springs pollution is reaching unsafe levels, according to expected survey results

February 17, 2024

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2024-02-17/silver-springs-pollution-nitrates-reaching-unsafe-levels-expected-survey-results-florida-springs-institute

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Bob Knight: The next fatality in Florida’s springs pandemic?

2020

https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/columns/dooley/2020/08/14/bob-knight-next-fatality-in-floridarsquos-springs-pandemic/113186382/

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Health of beloved Florida spring should improve after water plant's closure

Jan 31, 2023

Hernando County leaders and others participated in a valve closing ceremony to mark the closure of the facility, which is located behind the Walmart Supercenter on US Highway 19.

The county closed the facility, which had been in operation since 1967 because it was ultimately sending water rich with nitrogen into spring.

Nitrogen and other types of nutrient pollution can cause algae to bloom in springs like Weeki Wachee.

According to the Southwest Florida Water Management District, “large amounts of algae growth can cause reduced water clarity and extreme fluctuations in dissolved oxygen, which is stressful to aquatic life.”

Hernando County said the water reclaimed at the Spring Hill site will now be sent to another facility near the airport, where newer technology will scrub more of the nitrogen from reclaimed water before it is used to irrigate a local golf course.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-citrus-hernando/health-of-beloved-florida-spring-should-improve-after-water-plants-closure


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Pollution Is Ruining Florida's Springs

Florida's 900+ freshwater springs are filling with algae because of poor stewardship by the state.

May 16, 2014

https://earthjustice.org/article/pollution-is-ruining-florida-s-famous-springs


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To ‘The Fellowship of the Springs,’ Florida Is Selling Out An Environmental Treasure

April 17, 2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-04-17/to-the-fellowship-of-the-springs-florida-is-selling-out-an-environmental-treasure


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Florida’s Springs

2000

Strategies for Protection & Restoration

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/SpringsTaskForceReport_0.pdf

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Threats to Springs in a Changing World: Science and Policies for Protection

Nov 2022

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Threats+to+Springs+in+a+Changing+World%3A+Science+and+Policies+for+Protection-p-9781119818618

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Lake Report 2021: Leon County’s Cleanest and Dirtiest Lakes

June 24, 2021

https://blog.wfsu.org/blog-coastal-health/2021/06/lake-report-2021-leon-countys-cleanest-and-dirtiest-lakes/

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26 Water Systems in Leon County, Florida

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/toxic-waters/contaminants/fl/leon/index.html

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Runoff 101

How Leon County Manages Runoff Pollution

https://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/waterresource/Protecting-and-Preserving-Our-Water-Quality/Pollution-Prevention/Runoff-101

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From lake to prairie: Limited time, options to deal with Lake Jackson's disappearing water

2021

With the recent draining, what was a lake became a prairie.

A doorway wide path carved into a lush savanna leads to where Lake Jackson once was.  

Native grasses, like maiden cane, along with dog fennel and the colorful sesbania started to build the green wall in May when 4.4 billion gallons of water drained into Porter Sink off Faulk Drive.

What was a lake became a prairie.

Lake Jackson has drained down, or dried up, at least a dozen times since 1837. Native Americans called it Okeeheepkee, or "disappearing waters."

Hernando DeSoto’s scribes made no mention of it when the conquistadors wintered in present-day Tallahassee in 1539, but archeologists and historical accounts place a village on its western shore 1,000 years ago...

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/17/leon-county-disappearing-lake-jackson-sinkhole-options-rain/5553904001/

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What happened to Lake Jackson in Florida?

September 18, 2022

https://safeharborfishing.com/what-happened-to-lake-jackson-in-florida/


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Disappearing Florida lake once again refilling with water (Lake Jackson)

June 24, 2021

https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/2021/06/24/disappearing-florida-lake-once-again-refilling-with-water/

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Alachua County Fills the Final Gap in Protection of Lochloosa Slough

7/14/2023

https://alachuacounty.us/news/Article/Pages/Alachua-County-Fills-the-Final-Gap-in-Protection-of-Lochloosa-Slough.aspx

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Multitude of water pollution, shortage issues facing Florida and Alachua County

May 2, 2013

https://www.wuft.org/news/2013/05/02/runoff-water-carries-pollutants/

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Duval Tributary Watch

https://floridadep.gov/northeast/northeast/content/duval-tributary-watch


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Groups Sue Live Oak Processing Plant for Polluting “Outstanding Florida Water” With Toxic Wastewater in Violation of Permit Limits

2017

[Jacksonville, FL] – Environment Florida announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court in Jacksonville against the second-largest chicken producer in the world, Pilgrim’s Pride, for alleged ongoing violations of the federal Clean Water Act at its poultry processing plant in Live Oak, Florida...

https://www.nelc.org/news/groups-sue-live-oak-processing-plant-for-polluting-outstanding-florida-water-with-toxic-wastewater-in-violation-of-permit-limits/

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Is it safe to swim or fish in Jacksonville? See latest health advisories, test results

June 2023

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/environment/2023/06/29/water-quality-health-advisories-test-results-jacksonville-duval-county-safe-swim-fish-algae-red-tide/70367882007/

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City of Jacksonville addresses high pollution concerns in St. Johns River

September 22, 2019

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/city-of-jacksonville-addresses-high-pollution-concerns-in-st-johns-river/988532329/


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Tons Of South Florida Sewage Finds Its Way Into St. Johns River To ‘Devastating Effect’

2018

https://news.wjct.org/news/2018-12-13/tons-of-south-florida-sewage-finds-its-way-into-st-johns-river-to-devastating-effect

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2022 St. Johns River Report shows increasing fecal bacteria, phosphorus levels

2022

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/tech/science/environment/2022-st-johns-river-report/77-6dcf4a6d-2b04-4854-a39a-df1988aba1e4

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Pollution persisted at St. Johns River industrial sites, report says

2018

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2018/03/29/pollution-persisted-at-st-johns-river-industrial-sites-report-says/12878323007/

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Jacksonville has 'need for concern' for health of St. Johns River, scientists' report says

2022

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/environment/2022/10/14/report-wetland-losses-shrinking-seagrass-among-st-johns-river-woes/10495440002/

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Group: St. Johns River pollution threatens water supplies

2019

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2019/09/13/st-johns-river-showing-increasing-pollution-group-says/2310367001/

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Bills to cut water pollution from sludge moving in Florida Legislature

2019

Legislation to control use of partly treated sewer sludge on farmland – which has been blamed for algae problems at the start of the St. Johns River – is advancing in Florida’s Legislature.

A Senate subcommittee signed off this week on a bill that bans spreading sludge on land where it would get into the water table, and requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to write rules for safe use elsewhere.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2019/04/12/bills-to-cut-water-pollution-from-sludge-moving-in-florida-legislature/5453877007/

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Toxic wastewater reservoir on verge of collapse in Florida could cause "catastrophic event"

April 6, 2021

Hundreds of residents in Manatee County, Florida, were ordered to evacuate their homes over Easter weekend as officials feared that a wastewater pond could collapse "at any time." On Saturday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the area, and the local state of emergency was extended by county commissioners on Tuesday.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-state-of-emergency-wastewater-leak-verge-catastrophe/

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What can you do to help the St. Johns River? Read on, you may be surprised.

2023

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2023/03/07/heres-how-people-in-jacksonville-and-florida-can-help-the-rivers/69969206007/

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Florida, Georgia Officials Working To Clean Up Lake Talquin Pollution

July 17, 2014

https://news.wfsu.org/environment/2014-07-17/florida-georgia-officials-working-to-clean-up-lake-talquin-pollution

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 New report: Georgia 13th in nation for amount of toxic chemicals dumped in waterways

October 5, 2022

https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/10/05/new-report-georgia-13th-in-nation-for-amount-of-toxic-chemicals-dumped-in-waterways

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How a powerful company convinced Georgia to let it bury toxic waste in groundwater

January 18th, 2022

https://thecurrentga.org/2022/01/18/how-a-powerful-company-convinced-georgia-to-let-it-bury-toxic-waste-in-groundwater/

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 EPA tells Georgia it is not following the law on toxic waste from generating electricity

February 22, 2024

https://www.gpb.org/news/2024/02/22/epa-tells-georgia-it-not-following-the-law-on-toxic-waste-generating-electricity

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Toxic chemicals showing up in private wells across SC, study shows. How big is the threat?

Feb 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/toxic-chemicals-showing-up-in-private-wells-across-sc-study-shows-how-big-is-the-threat/ar-BB1i34fs

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'We're not a dump' – poor Alabama towns struggle under the stench of toxic landfills

April 15, 2023

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/15/were-not-a-dump-poor-alabama-towns-struggle-under-the-stench-of-toxic-landfills

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Florida Department of Health warns of possible contamination in Withlacoochee River

Spill started in SW Georgia

Jul 04, 2022

https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/florida-department-of-health-warns-of-possible-contamination-in-withlacoochee-river

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Okefenokee Swamp and St. Marys River named Among America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2020

AMERICA’S MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS® OF 2020

#1 Upper Mississippi River (Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
Threat: Climate change, poor flood management

#2 Lower Missouri River (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas)
Threat: Climate change, poor flood management

#3 Big Sunflower River (Mississippi)
Threat: Yazoo pumps project

#4: Puyallup River (Washington)
Threat: Electron Dam

#5: South Fork Salmon River (Idaho)
Threat: Gold mine

#6: Menominee River (Michigan, Wisconsin)
Threat: Open pit sulfide mining

#7: Rapid Creek (South Dakota)
Threat: Gold mining

#8: Okefenokee Swamp and St Marys River (Georgia, Florida)
Threat: Titanium mining

#9: Ocklawaha River (Florida)
Threat: Rodman Dam

#10: Lower Youghiogheny River (Pennsylvania)
Threat: Natural gas development

https://garivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Okefenokee-Press-Release-FINAL.pdf


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Okefenokee Swamp Named Among America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2023

April 18, 2023

https://www.americanrivers.org/media-item/okefenokee-swamp-named-among-americas-most-endangered-rivers-of-2023/

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Okfenokee Swamp: one of America's most endangered waterways

April 24, 2023

https://accesswdun.com/article/2023/4/1180005/okfenokee-swamp-one-of-americas-most-endangered-waterways

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Sulfur distribution and isotopic composition in peats from the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia and the Everglades, Florida

1991

 

Abstract

 

Peat cores from three aquatic environments (freshwater, brackish and marine have been analyzed for organic, pyritic and sulfatic sulfur contents and isotope ratios. Peat collected from each environment has a unique combination of sulfur content, distribution and isotope ratio. Freshwater peat from the Okefenokee Swamp contains the least sulfur (0.26 to 0.48%, primarily organic sulfur) and is vertically uniform in sulfur content and isotope ratio. The organic sulfur isotope ratio of the Okefenokee pear (+ 12.3 to + 12.8 per mil) is similar to that of sulfate in associated surface waters. Cores from presently brackish and marine peats from the Florida Everglades have high organic, pyritic and sulfatic sulfur contents with vertical variability in sulfur content and isotope ration. The isotope ratio of organic sulfur in the brackish and marine peat is lighter than that of sulfate associated with their respective peat-forming environments. Organic sulfur in the marine peat is isotopically lighter than in the brackish peat. Freshwater peats subsequently overlain by sediment associated with brackish to marine waters may have a sulfur content, distribution and isotopic ratio indistinguishable from peats derived under brackish or marine conditions.

 

The primary source of sulfur in peats is dissolved sulfate associated with the peat-forming system. The sulfate concentration of the waters in which a peat forms is of major importance in determining the isotopic composition of the sulfur form found in peat. The content, distribution and isotopic ratio of low and high sulfur peats are similar to those reported for coals, indicating that the fundamental sulfur geochemistry of coals may have been established during the peat-forming stage of coalification. The organic sulfur content and isotope ratio of a coal may be useful in estimating the relative sulfate ion concentration of the waters present during the peat-forming stage of coalification where transgressive sequences are not involved. The sulfate ion concentration of paleowaters could be used to interpret the paleoenvironment during the peat-forming stage of coalification and thus, information about the organic sulfur content and isotope ratio of coals may prove useful in helping to assess coal quality in advance of mining.



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/016651629190002Z

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Statement: Dirty Water Rule puts the Okefenokee Swamp at risk

October 22, 2020

Mining operation can proceed without federal safeguards

Under the Trump administration’s rule removing Clean Water Act protections for thousands of wetlands and streams, a titanium dioxide mining operation will be allowed to proceed near the Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia without federal permits. The Army Corps of Engineers ruled that most of the wetlands impacted by the mine are no longer protected by the Clean Water Act.  

https://environmentamerica.org/media-center/statement-dirty-water-rule-puts-the-okefenokee-swamp-at-risk/

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Saving The Swamp: Environmentalists, mining company at odds over dig near Okefenokee

2023

https://www.news4jax.com/i-team/2023/10/25/saving-the-swamp-environmentalists-mining-company-at-odds-over-dig-near-okefenokee/

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More Than 30 Groups Organize to Save Okefenokee Swamp

2020

https://defenders.org/newsroom/more-30-groups-organize-save-okefenokee-swamp

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Proposed mine outside Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp nears approval despite environment damage concerns

February 9, 2024

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/national/2024/02/09/proposed-mine-outside-georgias-okefenokee-swamp-nears-approval-despite-environment-damage-concerns/

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Mining company can’t tap water needed for Okefenokee wildlife refuge, U.S. says

Mar 4, 2024

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A federal agency is asserting legal rights to waters that feed the Okefenokee Swamp and its vast wildlife refuge, setting up a new battle with a mining company seeking permits to withdraw more than 1.4 million gallons daily for a project that critics say could irreparably harm one of America’s natural treasures.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/mining-company-cant-tap-water-needed-for-okefenokee-wildlife-refuge-u-s-says

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Guest opinion: No end in sight for Florida’s water woes

2022

https://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/2022/09/19/florida-water-quality-frustration-mounts-over-little-progress-desantis-task-force-blue-green-algae/10425376002/

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Hydrogeology and quality of ground water in Orange County, Florida

December 1, 2004

https://www.usgs.gov/publications/hydrogeology-and-quality-ground-water-orange-county-florida

______________


Threats to Florida’s Water Quality

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/pinellas/natural-resources/Threats-to-Florida-Water.pdf

______________


Surface Water Pollution – A Complete Overview

June 22, 2022

https://atlas-scientific.com/blog/surface-water-pollution/


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Pollution Verified in Most of Southwest Florida Area’s Prized Water Bodies

Oct 24, 2021

https://calusawaterkeeper.org/news/pollution-verified-in-most-of-southwest-florida-areas-prized-water-bodies-9492/

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5 things Florida must do to protect our waterways | Opinion

2019

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/03/06/5-things-florida-must-do-protect-our-waterways/3080961002/


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Sustainable Solutions to the Water Pollution Crisis?

https://geo.libretexts.org/Courses/Mt._San_Jacinto_College/Environmental_Science_101/10%3A_Water/10.04%3A_Sustainable_Solutions_to_the_Water_Pollution_Crisis


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Water Pollution Solutions

2021

https://atlas-scientific.com/blog/water-pollution-solutions/

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Section 10: Soil Erosion, Landfills & Karst

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Florida’s Vanishing Beaches: The fight against coastal erosion

July 20, 2022

According to a June report by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, more than half of the 825 miles of coastline they surveyed are critically eroded.

Earlier this year, you might remember seeing the unbelievable video of a home collapsing into the Atlantic Ocean in the Outer Banks. The house on a beach in Rodanthe is one of three that succumbed to erosion.

Our national partner Newsy investigated how bad the problem is in North Carolina. We teamed up with them and learned that beaches on the West Coast of Florida have similar, if not worse, erosion as Rodanthe...

https://dredgewire.com/floridas-vanishing-beaches-the-fight-against-coastal-erosion/

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Erosion a big threat to southwest Florida beaches

Aug 3, 2014

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/03/sea-levels-rising-erosion-southwest-florida/13544221/


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Nearly 430 miles of Florida beach classified as critically eroded before hurricanes hit

December 2, 2022

State report reveals erosion was a known issue for years

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/12/02/nearly-430-miles-of-florida-beach-classified-as-critically-eroded-before-hurricanes-hit/

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Sandy coastlines under threat of erosion

02 March 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0697-0

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South Florida beaches deemed "critically eroded"

September 11, 2022

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/south-florida-beaches-deemed-critically-eroded/


______________


Critically Eroded Beaches in Florida

2023

https://floridadep.gov/rcp/coastal-engineering-geology/documents/critically-eroded-beaches-florida

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Beach Erosion in Florida

October 10, 2018

https://kcinow.com/beacherosion/

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Florida's Vanishing Beaches: The fight against coastal erosion

More than half of Florida beaches surveyed are critically eroded: FDEP

Jul 18, 2022

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/floridas-vanishing-beaches-the-fight-against-coastal-erosion

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The Florida Coastal Mapping Program

March 30, 2018

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/spcmsc/science/florida-coastal-mapping-program

______________


Coastal Critical Erosion Areas

https://geodata.dep.state.fl.us/datasets/FDEP::coastal-critical-erosion-areas/about

______________


Losing Ground: Southeast Louisiana Is Disappearing, Quickly

2014

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/losing-ground-southeast-louisiana-is-disappearing-quickly/

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A World of Vanishing Lakes

From the Dead Sea to a Louisiana lake that was sucked into the Earth, the stories behind the disappearances are varied

February 6, 2014

Scott Lake, Florida

This central Florida lake drained away in just two weeks in June 2006 when a sinkhole opened up. Scientists estimate that 32 tons of wildlife were sucked into the Earth; some fish were left behind to rot on the exposed lake bottom.

Nearby residents considered efforts to plug the hole, but time took care of the problem for them. With the sinkhole now naturally plugged back up with clay and silt, it's starting to fill with water and gradually the lake is returning. But Florida’s geology makes the state prone to sinkholes, so the lake’s permanence is not guaranteed.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/world-vanishing-lakes-180949645/

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Disappearing cities on US coasts

06 March 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07038-3

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Beach erosion creates havoc from Palm Beach County to Treasure Coast

February 12, 2024

https://news.yahoo.com/beach-erosion-creates-havoc-jupiter-225409328.html


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Beach erosion threatens sewage-treatment plant on Nantucket

Feb 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/beach-erosion-threatens-sewage-treatment-plant-on-nantucket/ar-BB1iK03Z

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Florida city’s sewer plant to save the Blackwater River may make pollution worse

DECEMBER 29, 2022

Decision on site will affect both future development and leaping fish

https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/12/29/florida-citys-sewer-plant-to-save-the-blackwater-river-may-make-pollution-worse/

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Sewer waste surges onto Holmes Beach street

2023

https://www.islander.org/2023/11/sewer-waste-surges-onto-holmes-beach-street/

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Coastal Contamination: Buried beneath quaint Ormond-by-the-Sea lie hundreds of polluting septic tanks

2019

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2019/06/04/coastal-contamination-buried-beneath-quaint-ormond-by-the-sea-lie-hundreds-of-polluting-septic-tanks/4983039007/

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How septic tanks may imperil this Florida ecosystem

2016

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/septic-tanks-may-imperil-florida-ecosystem

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Florida can’t move forward on pollution because of places like ‘Dead Shark Acres’

2022

Eliminating some septic tanks while approving even more shows why we can’t fix our waterways and springs

https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/07/21/florida-cant-move-forward-on-pollution-because-of-places-like-dead-shark-acres/

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Onsite Sewage Research Reports

https://floridadep.gov/water/onsite-sewage/content/onsite-sewage-research-reports

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Bradenton spills 1.2 million gallons of partially treated sewage into the Manatee River


March 1, 2024

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2024/03/01/bradenton-spills-1-2-million-gallons-of-partially-treated-sewage/72803567007/

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‘Disturbing’ Beach Erosion Near Pier Meets Split and Muddled Response from Flagler Beach Commission

AUGUST 10, 2022

https://flaglerlive.com/beach-erosion-emergency/#gsc.tab=0


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Volusia County beach erosion remains concern with another day of strong winds, high tides

April 11, 2023

Several more feet of dune erosion reported in Volusia County after storm

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/04/11/volusia-county-beach-erosion-remains-concern-with-another-day-of-strong-winds-high-tides/

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‘Like a bomb has gone off:’ Volusia County faces disastrous beach erosion, more building collapses after Nicole


November 10, 2022

Sheriff Mike Chitwood says up to 16 condos evacuated in Daytona Beach Shores

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/11/10/like-a-bomb-has-gone-off-volusia-county-faces-disastrous-beach-erosion-building-collapses-after-nicole/

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Florida beaches were already running low on sand. Then Ian and Nicole hit.

November 25, 2022

The Daytona Beach-area is famous for having beaches so wide drivers are invited to ride on the shore. Two storms in the span of six weeks have snatched away tons of sand.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/11/25/florida-beach-erosion-ian-nicole-sand/

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HURRICANE OPAL BEACH AND DUNE EROSION AND
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE ALONG THE PANHANDLE COAST OF FLORIDA


https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/opal-rpt.pdf


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Dune restoration project highlights increasing erosion on Treasure Coast beaches

Jan. 24, 2024

https://www.wflx.com/2024/01/24/dune-restoration-project-highlights-increasing-erosion-treasure-coast-beaches/

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MONITORING STANDARDS FOR BEACH EROSION CONTROL PROJECTS

May 2014

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/PhysicalMonitoringStandards.pdf

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New project uses fences to capture sand to widen, restore Okaloosa beaches

Jan 18, 2022

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/2022/01/18/destin-okaloosa-beaches-might-aided-sand-capturing-systems/6517007001/

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Eroding Long-Term Prospects for Florida’s Beaches: Florida’s Coastal Construction Control Line Program

June, 2008

https://www.flseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Eroding-Long-Term-Prospects-for-Floridas-Beaches.pdf


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Study: Flagler’s Beaches Are Eroding Critically, and Will Cost County Alone $5 to $13 Million a Year to Slow

Aug 2022

https://flaglerlive.com/study-flaglers-beaches-olsen/#gsc.tab=0

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ECOS keeps fighting to save Butler Lake shoreline

November 17, 2023

The ECOS Club is planting high quality native plants around Butler Lake to prevent further damage to the shoreline from invasive species and to combat erosion. Planting is the culmination of the restoration project that includes identifying problems, researching solutions, and planning action steps.

https://www.lhsdoi.com/27300/news/ecos-keeps-fighting-to-save-butler-lake-shoreline/

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9 Coastal Plants that Initiate, Restore and Stabilize Coastal Dunes

December 9, 2021

https://dunedoctors.com/9-coastal-plants-that-initiate-restore-and-stabilize-coastal-dunes/


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Increases in development in Southwest Florida threaten wildlife

2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-04-02/increases-in-development-in-southwest-florida-threatens-preservation-of-wildlife

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Residents prepare for sand mine decision at Levy County meeting

Feb. 6, 2024

https://www.wcjb.com/2024/02/06/residents-prepare-sand-mine-decision-levy-county-meeting/

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Soil degradation: the problems and how to fix them

16 April 2021

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/soil-degradation.html

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Tell Me About: Keeping Soil Healthy in Florida

Oct 1, 2021

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/tell-me-about-keeping-soil-healthy-in-florida/

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Soils Overview

A wide variety of soils and landscapes comprise the state of Florida.  These include:

    The red, loamy soils of the upper Florida Panhandle;
    the poorly drained, sandy soils of the flatwoods;
    the peat soils of the northern Everglades; and
    the shallow, limerock-influenced soils of extreme south Florida

https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-land-steward/forest-resources/soils/soils-overview/

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GENERAL SOILS MAP OF FLORIDA

 


 

https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/soil-and-water-resources/general-soils-map-of-florida/

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The Dirt on Agricultural Plastic Pollution of the Soil in the U.S. and China

March 10, 2022

https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2022/03/dirt-agricultural-plastic-pollution-soil-u-s-china/

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Pollution and health: Contaminated soil may lead to heart disease

2022

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pollution-and-health-contaminated-soil-may-lead-to-heart-disease

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World’s soils ‘under great pressure’, says UN pollution report

Soils provide 95% of all food but are damaged by industrial, farming, mining and urban pollution

2021

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/04/soils-great-pressure-un-pollution-report-food-farming-mining

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More Than 50 Billion Tons of Topsoil Have Eroded in the Midwest

The estimate of annual loss is nearly double the rate of erosion the USDA considers sustainable

April 19, 2022

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/57-billion-tons-of-top-soil-have-eroded-in-the-midwest-in-the-last-160-years-180979936/


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Third of Earth's soil is acutely degraded due to agriculture

2017

Fertile soil is being lost at rate of 24bn tonnes a year through intensive farming as demand for food increases, says UN-backed study

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/12/third-of-earths-soil-acutely-degraded-due-to-agriculture-study

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Impacts for half of all mining areas in the world are undocumented

Jan 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-impacts-areas-world-undocumented.html

 

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Restoring Degraded Lands

2021

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-environ-012320-054809

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From Land Degradation to Land Restoration

January 11, 2022

https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/land-degradation-land-restoration

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Why soil matters (and what we can do to save it)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/paid-content-why-soil-matters-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it

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Soil Degradation Solutions

2023

https://www.buildastash.com/post/soil-degradation-solutions

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Soil Management and Restoration

2020

https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2020/rmrs_2020_williams_m001.pdf

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Tackling the growing challenge of soil pollution

2017

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/tackling-growing-challenge-soil-pollution

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Florida Platform


The Florida Platform is a flat geological feature with the emergent portion forming the Florida peninsula.

 


 

                                                Depiction of Florida Platform with depths

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Platform

 

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Geology of Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Florida

The Floridian peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock known as the Florida Platform. The emergent portion of the platform was created during the Eocene to Oligocene as the Gulf Trough filled with silts, clays, and sands. Flora and fauna began appearing during the Miocene. No land animals were present in Florida prior to the Miocene.

Limestone over bedrock

The Floridian peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock known as the Florida Platform. The emergent portion of the platform was created during the Eocene to Oligocene as the Gulf Trough filled with silts, clays, and sands. Flora and fauna began appearing during the Miocene. No land animals were present in Florida prior to the Miocene.

The largest deposits of rock phosphate in the United States are found in Florida.[1] Most of this is in Bone Valley in central and west-central Florida.[2]

Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by residents. This type of terrain (geomorphology) that develops over a carbonate platform or strata is called Karst Topography.

The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely savanna.[3] While there are sinkholes in much of the state, modern sinkholes most commonly form in the Tampa Bay area and Central Florida.

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Posts Incorrectly Cite Map as Showing Future Effects of Climate Change

July 13, 2022

https://www.factcheck.org/2022/07/posts-incorrectly-cite-map-as-showing-future-effects-of-climate-change/

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Fact Check: Is Climate Map Showing U.S. Submerged Underwater by 2052 Real?

Jul 12, 2022

https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-climate-map-showing-us-submerged-underwater-2052-real-1723733

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Groundwater reorganization in the Floridan aquifer following Holocene sea-level rise

12 September 2010

Abstract

 

Sea-level fluctuations, particularly those associated with glacial–interglacial cycles, can have profound impacts on the flow and circulation of coastal groundwater: the water found at present in many coastal aquifers may have been recharged during the last glacial period, when sea level was over 100 m lower than present, and thus is not in equilibrium with present recharge conditions. Here we show that the geochemistry of the groundwater found in the Floridan Aquifer System in south Florida is best explained by a reorganization of groundwater flow following the sea-level rise at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum approximately 18,000 years ago. We find that the geochemistry of the fresh water found in the upper aquifers at present is consistent with recharge from meteoric water during the last glacial period. The lower aquifer, however, consists of post-sea-level-rise salt water that is most similar to that of the Straits of Florida, though with some dilution from the residual fresh water from the last glacial period circulation. We therefore suggest that during the last glacial period, the entire Floridan Aquifer System was recharged with meteoric waters. After sea level rose, the increased hydraulic head reduced the velocity of the groundwater flow. This velocity reduction trapped the fresh water in the upper aquifers and initiated saltwater circulation in the lower aquifer.

https://www.nature.com/articles/ngeo956

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What Did the Continents Look Like Millions of Years Ago?

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

An artist-geologist renders the history of the Earth with maps.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/what-did-the-continents-look-like-millions-of-years-ago/279892/


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Mapped: What Did the World Look Like in the Last Ice Age?

2023

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/mapped-world-the-last-ice-age/#google_vignette

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Quaternary cave levels in peninsular Florida

2007

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277379107000625

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Ingeniously Engineered ‘Watercourts’ Fueled Florida’s Calusa Kingdom

2020

A research project has finally solved an archaeological mystery in America. Experts believe that they now know how a Native American people, the Calusa who lived in Florida, were able to develop and expand despite not practicing agriculture. They argue that the Calusa built massive ‘watercourts’, where they captured fish in huge quantities to produce a food surplus.

 


 



https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/calusa-0013501


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Two Long-Lost Maps Spark a Quest to Find Forgotten Pyramids in the Florida Swamps

2014

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/two-long-lost-maps-spark-a-quest-to-find-forgotten-pyramids-in-the-florida-swamps-6524337


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Crystal River Mounds (150 BC)

2007

The Crystal River site is located on the Central Gulf Coast of Florida near the Three Sisters Springs. These springs are the source of the Crystal River and the reason for its name. It is likely the Crystal River site was chosen precisely due to its location near these springs.

The site features at least three, flat-topped pyramid mounds, a large plaza, two burial mounds, and three erect standing stones referred to as stelae. The site is full of firsts. The flat-topped pyramid mounds are the first such architectural features in Florida and perhaps the entire Southeastern U.S. The mound-and-plaza site plan is the earliest such site plan north of Mexico. A T-shaped flat-topped pyramid mound (Mound H) is unique in the U.S. Its construction method, being made mostly of limestone rocks, is rare in the southeastern U.S. and the first in Florida. The three standing stone stelae, one carved with a human face, are also unique and the only such objects north of Mexico.

The central burial mound (Mound F) is surrounded by a circular embankment of sand (Mound C), which also housed burials. The two structures form what archaeologists call the Main Burial Complex. Exotic artifacts unearthed from the central burial mound showed a trade connection with the Hopewell civilization of Ohio. The Crystal River site was the southernmost site with such exotic Hopewell artifacts.

Another burial mound at the site (Mound G) showed no such exotic artifacts. This difference in grave goods suggests one burial mound was for the elites and the other for commoners.

https://lostworlds.org/crystal_river_mounds/

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The Black Drink, Ethnobotany, and a Lost Civilization in Florida

2019

https://www.discovery.com/exploration/the-black-drink--ethnobotany--and-a-lost-civilization-in-florida

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Ancient Civilizations of Florida

2007

https://lostworlds.org/ancient_civilizations_florida_intro/

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Major Archaeological Discovery Of A 7,000-Year-Old Settlement In Miami – But Its Future Is In Danger

2023

https://www.ancientpages.com/2023/02/10/major-archaeological-discovery-of-a-7000-year-old-settlement-in-miami-but-its-future-is-in-danger/


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THE LOST CIVILIZATION OF KEY LARGO WERE THERE MAYANS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS? PROBABLY, SAYS ARCHAELOGIST ‘INDIANA IRV’ BUT DON’T GO LOOKING FOR THE TEMPLE OF DOOM.


1985

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1985/09/01/the-lost-civilization-of-key-largo-were-there-mayans-in-the-florida-keys-probably-says-archaelogist-indiana-irv-but-dont-go-looking-for-the-temple-of-doom/

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What Happened to the Sunken City of Cuba?

2014

https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-americas/what-happened-sunken-city-cuba-001883


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Does Bimini Road Lead to The Lost Civilization of Atlantis?

2014

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/does-bimini-road-lead-lost-civilization-atlantis-002070

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Amateur archeologist may have found an ancient city off the coast of St. Bernard

2022

“All I know is somebody built a city 12,000 years ago and it’s stuck out in Chandeleur."



ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. — An amateur archeologist says he’s discovered the ruins of an ancient civilization off the coast of St. Bernard Parish.

He claims there are large underwater granite mounds near the Chandeleur Islands that may have once been the site of the lost city.

The Chandeleur Islands are a chain of uninhabited barrier islands located in the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles east of New Orleans.


https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/st-bernard/archeologist-may-have-found-an-ancient-city-off-the-coast-of-st-bernard/289-5fe907e3-5439-46af-89b9-ae9e6dc35918

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The Mysterious Rock Walls of Rockwall, Texas

2017

https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2017/02/mysterious-rock-walls-rockwall-texas/

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Coral Castle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Castle

Coral Castle is an oolite limestone structure created by the Latvian-American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin (1887–1951). It is located in unincorporated territory of Miami-Dade County, Florida, between the cities of Homestead and Leisure City. The structure comprises numerous large stones, each weighing several tons, sculpted into a variety of shapes, including slab walls, tables, chairs, a crescent moon, a water fountain and a sundial.[2] It is currently a privately operated tourist attraction. Coral Castle is noted for legends surrounding its creation that claim it was built single-handedly by Leedskalnin using reverse magnetism or supernatural abilities to move and carve the stones.



_____________


Florida's Radioactive Fountain of Youth May Prolong Life

2013

Five hundred years after Ponce de Leon explored the area, locals swear by an artesian well with unusual properties.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/130719-florida-fountain-of-youth-radioactive-magnesium-health

_____________


Fountains of Life: A Look at Florida Springs from Sacred Waters to Green Slime

https://stateofwater.org/ecosystems/springs/

_____________


Mesoamerican Sculptures Reveal Early Knowledge of Magnetism

2019

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/mesoamerican-sculptures-reveal-early-knowledge-magnetism-180972820/


_____________


Ancient Attraction: Mesoamerican Sculptors Created Magnetic Stone Figures

2019

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/magnetic-stone-figures-0011870


_____________


The hard truth of building clean solar farms

Dec 15, 2022

The construction of four solar farms in the US violated the Clean Water Act, showcasing the challenges of building a clean power grid.

https://www.popsci.com/environment/solar-farm-construction-epa-water-violations/


_____________


Florida to set goals for 100% renewable energy by 2050. But will it actually happen?

2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-02-12/florida-to-set-goals-for-100-renewable-energy-by-2050-but-will-it-actually-happen

_____________

 

King Solomon's Temple Investigation Marathon - (Michael James Ross)

 7/21/2019

 

https://solomonstempleinvestigation.blogspot.com

 

 

 _____________

 

 

 



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Section 11: Sinkholes, Karst, Caves & Groundwater



______________
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______________
______________






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Florida forecasts sinkhole burden

10 December 2013

https://www.nature.com/articles/504196a

______________


The Science Behind Florida’s Sinkhole Epidemic

May 24, 2018

Reports of these ground-chasms have been swelling in the past few years. Geology helps explain why

 

 


 

A sinkhole from 2012 that swallowed the back of a home at Shoal Drive in Hudson. At the time the picture was taken, Pasco County Fire officials said the sinkhole is currently 40 feet wide and 20 feet deep.

 


 

     A screenshot taken from a Youtube video after four sinkholes recently opened up in the Villages.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-floridas-sinkhole-epidemic-180969158/

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Identification and quantitative analysis of sinkhole contributing factors in Florida's Karst

June 2020

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Identification-and-quantitative-analysis-of-factors-Nam-Kim/fb4e23b48b6ab909d42452fb1c89aa2df50c7a15


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Caves and Sinkholes in Florida: Understanding Karst in a Geologically Young Terrain

Jan 2019

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327976160_Caves_and_Sinkholes_in_Florida_Understanding_Karst_in_a_Geologically_Young_Terrain


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Giant Sinkhole At Florida Plant Leaks Polluted Water Into State Aquifer

2016

 

Water containing low-level radiation and other pollutants has poured into Florida's primary drinking water aquifer through a gaping sinkhole 45 feet wide.

It happened at a plant owned by fertilizer giant Mosaic in central Florida's rural Polk County, Robin Sussingham of member station WUSF reports.

Last month, the sinkhole opened up at the plant under a gypsum stack — a pile of hazardous waste — as the Tampa Bay Times reported:

"It drained millions of gallons of acidic water laced with sulfate and sodium from a pool atop a 120-food gypsum stack. An unknown amount of gypsum, a fertilizer byproduct with low levels of radiation, also fell into the sinkhole, which is believed [to] be at least 300 feet deep."

 


 

Water continues to flow into a large sinkhole on the Mosaic Co. property shown in this aerial photo on Thursday in Mulberry, Fla.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/29/495936718/giant-sinkhole-at-florida-plant-leaks-polluted-water-into-state-aquifer

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Sinkhole

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole


______________


Groundwater-Level Changes and Karst Collapses

2022

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-92912-1_4

______________


Contamination risk of groundwater in karst regions is higher than previously believed

MAY 12, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-contamination-groundwater-karst-regions-higher.html

______________

 

Researchers find high concentrations of microplastics in cave water and sediment

2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-high-microplastics-cave-sediment.html

 

______________


Journal of cave and Karst Studies

2012

https://caves.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/cave-74-02-fullr.pdf

______________


Effects of agricultural activities coupled with karst structures on riverine biogeochemical cycles and environmental quality in the karst region

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167880920303066

______________

Chronic urban hotspots and agricultural drainage drive microbial pollution of karst water resources in rural developing regions

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720344272

______________


Karst ecosystem and environment: Characteristics, evolution processes, and sustainable development

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167880920303595

______________


Anticipating and managing engineering problems in the complex karst environment

2015

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12665-015-4647-5


______________


Extensive abundances and characteristics of microplastic pollution in the karst hyporheic zones of urban rivers

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004896972206716X

______________


Karst Map of the Conterminous United States - 2020

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/karst-map-conterminous-united-states-2020

______________


Karst

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karst


______________


Assessment of groundwater quality and remediation in karst aquifers: A review

2018

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30555889/

______________



Comparative study of specific groundwater vulnerability of a karst aquifer in central Florida

2012

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256972110_Comparative_study_of_specific_groundwater_vulnerability_of_a_karst_aquifer_in_central_Florida

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Potential for pollution of the Upper Floridan aquifer from five sinkholes and an internally drained basin in west-central Florida

1987

https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/wri874013

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Long distance seawater intrusion through a karst conduit network in the Woodville Karst Plain, Florida

2016

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306920475_Long_distance_seawater_intrusion_through_a_karst_conduit_network_in_the_Woodville_Karst_Plain_Florida

______________


Review of Groundwater Pollution and Protection in Karst Areas

1999

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1005014532330

______________


Microgravity Mapping of Karst Conduits within the Woodville Karst Plain of North Florida

2007

https://library.seg.org/doi/10.4133/1.2924660

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Streamflow Losses through Karst Features in the Upper Peace River Hydrologic Area, Polk County, Florida, May 2002 to May 2003

2003

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2003/fs-102-03/pdf/fs102-03.pdf


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Transport-based source tracking of contaminants in a karst aquifer: Model implementation, proof of concept, and application to event-based field data

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135422001087

______________


Roadway construction in karst areas: management of stormwater runoff and sinkhole risk assessment

2005

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00254-005-1252-z

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A decade after the BP oil spill: Sick fish, Gulf pollution, and human health problems

2020

https://floridaphoenix.com/2020/04/16/a-decade-after-the-bp-oil-spill-sick-fish-gulf-pollution-and-human-health-problems/

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Exclusive: Thousands of BP Oil Spill Samples Sit Inside South Florida Warehouse

2023

The samples were obtained by lawyers representing people in lawsuits against the company.  

https://www.nbcmiami.com/investigations/exclusive-thousands-of-bp-oil-spill-samples-sit-inside-a-south-florida-warehouse/2970553/


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'Massive numbers': New Gulf oil spill study finds even deadlier impact on one of Florida's most popular fish

November 28, 2022

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2022-11-29/massive-numbers-new-gulf-oil-spill-study-finds-even-deadlier-impact-on-one-of-floridas-most-popular-fish

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Yet Another Oil Spill Hits the Gulf of Mexico

December 8, 2023

The largest Gulf oil spill since Deepwater Horizon highlights the inherent risks of offshore drilling to coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

https://www.nrdc.org/bio/rebecca-loomis/yet-another-oil-spill-hits-gulf-mexico


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Gulf Oil Spill Tracker

https://skytruth.org/the-attic/oil-spill-tracker/


_____________


Study: Humans responsible for over 90% of world’s oil slicks

2022

https://news.fsu.edu/news/science-technology/2022/06/16/study-humans-responsible-for-over-90-of-worlds-oil-slicks/

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Offshore Oil Drilling in Florida Still Possible Despite Ban

2019

Floridians hope Amendment 9 protects their state from offshore oil drilling, but a seismic survey off the Atlantic coast could bring drilling to federal waters.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2019-01-15/offshore-oil-drilling-in-florida-still-possible-despite-constitutional-ban

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CONOCOPHILLIPS TO PAY $70 MILLION TO SETTLE FLORIDA POLLUTION SUITS

2004

https://fluoridealert.org/news/conocophillips-to-pay-70-million-to-settle-florida-pollution-suits/

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An oil spill at Florida's Port Manatee is under investigation

2023

https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2023-09-07/an-oil-spill-at-floridas-port-manatee-is-under-investigation


______________


Possible sources of pollution by oil products of water body in karst area

2019

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335573069_Possible_sources_of_pollution_by_oil_products_of_water_body_in_karst_area

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Investigation: South Florida’s smaller airports top the country in toxic lead emissions, but at-risk residents remain unaware

2023

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/06/29/outside-of-the-fence-south-floridas-airports-top-the-country-in-lead-emissions-catching-residents-by-surprise/

______________


Florida Lockheed Martin Toxic Exposure Case Raises Questions About Public Safety

https://www.enjuris.com/blog/fl/florida-toxic-tort/

______________


Tire Particle Pollution May Be Harming Freshwater and Estuary Ecosystems

2022

https://www.ecowatch.com/tire-particle-pollution-freshwater-estuary-ecosystems.html

______________


A global perspective of the current state of heavy metal contamination in road dust

13 January 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-022-18583-7

______________


EVs Are Sending Toxic Tire Particles Into the Water, Soil, and Air

Electric cars fix one pollution problem—and worsen another.

2023

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/07/electric-vehicles-tires-wearing-out-particulates/674750/

______________


Evaluation of a peat filtration system for treating highway runoff in a karst setting

2003

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00254-002-0745-2

_______________


Highway runoff in areas of karst topography

2004

https://www.loc.gov/item/2004438237/

_______________


NAPLES, FLORIDA WATER QUALITY REPORT

https://www.epicwaterfilters.com/blogs/news/naples-utilities-florida-water-quality-report

Where does Naples get its water from? All of the water that is used by the Collier County Public Water Supply System (Naples, Florida) to produce drinking water comes from wells. Water produced from wells is called groundwater. The groundwater comes from porous, water-bearing underground geologic layers of sand, gravel, or rock that have the capability to produce water. These water-producing layers are called aquifers. In Collier County, generally, as you go deeper into the ground, the water in the aquifers becomes saltier.

List of Cities & Towns that use this water system: Chokoloskee, Copeland, Everglades City, Goodland, Immokalee, Marco Island, & Naples

The Collier County Water Division operates two hybrid water treatment plants that have the ability to process both fresh groundwater and brackish groundwater from several different aquifers. Is Naples tap water safe to drink? Does Naples put fluoride in the water?  

Source: City of Naples, Florida

A list of contaminants in Naples, Florida Water Supply

(Detected above health guidelines*)

Chromium (hexavalent)

3rd party independent testing found that this water utility exceeds health guidelines for this drinking water contaminant. The movie Erin Brockovich alerted the public to the great suffering the little town of Hinkley, California experienced due to hexavalent chromium in their drinking water. Today, Hinkley is little more than a ghost town thanks to continued water contamination, health concerns, and plummeting property values. Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. What are the risks of drinking tap water with Chromium (hexavalent)? Cancer. A 2008 study by the National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health, found that chromium-6 in drinking water caused cancer in laboratory rats and mice. That study and other research led scientists at the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to conclude that chromium-6 can cause cancer in people. Find out more about this contaminant and how to remove it here.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

3rd party independent testing found that this utility exceeds health guidelines for this drinking water contaminant. Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) are the result of a reaction between the chlorine used for disinfecting tap water and natural organic matter in the water. At elevated levels, TTHMs have been associated with negative health effects such as cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes. Now a study by government and academic researchers adds to previous evidence that dermal absorption and inhalation of TTHMs associated with everyday tap water use can result in significantly higher blood TTHM concentrations than simply drinking the water does. What are the risks of drinking tap water with Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)? Cancer. Studies from around the world including the United States & Europe have found that drinking tap water that carries Total Trihalomethanes increases the risk of developing cancer. In animal studies, all trihalomethanes cause liver, kidney and intestinal tumors. Find out more about this contaminant and how to remove it here.

Fluoride

There is a drinking water standard of 4 ppm for fluoride but there is no health guideline for this contaminant and much is unknown about the effects of fluoride long term on the human body. This water utility did not exceed the drinking water standard for fluoride but fluoride was found in their water. Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. The fluoride that is added to water is not the naturally occurring kind, the main chemicals used to fluoridate drinking water are known as “silicofluorides” (i.e., hydrofluorosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate). Silicofluorides are not pharmaceutical-grade fluoride products; they are unprocessed industrial by-products of the phosphate fertilizer industry (Gross!). Since these silicofluorides undergo no purification procedures, they can contain elevated levels of arsenic — more so than any other water treatment chemical. In addition, recent research suggests that the addition of silicofluorides to water is a risk factor for elevated lead exposure, particularly among residents who live in homes with old pipes. What are the risks of drinking tap water with Fluoride? Unknown. A growing body of evidence reasonably indicates that fluoridated water, in addition to other sources of daily fluoride exposure, can cause or contribute to a range of serious effects, including neurological issues, arthritis, damage to the developing brain, reduced thyroid function, and possibly osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in adolescent males. Animal studies indicate a moderate level of evidence that support adverse effects on learning and memory in animals exposed to fluoride in the diet or drinking water. Find out more about this contaminant and how to remove it here.

_______________


Collier votes to no longer add fluoride to the county's water supply

February 16, 2024

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2024-02-16/collier-removes-fluoride-from-drinking-water-after-health-experts-testimony-on-benefits

______________


Fluoride contamination in groundwater: A global review of the status, processes, challenges, and remedial measures

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987123002013

______________


Florida city fights its own citizens over clean water

2023

Titusville repeatedly thwarts voters’ approval of anti-pollution referendum

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/06/15/florida-city-fights-its-own-citizens-over-clean-water/


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How long must Floridians wait for agreed-upon water quality improvements? | Our View

2022

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/2022/08/19/taking-long-view-floridas-water-pollution-killing-us-our-view/10351616002/

_____________


Fluoride contamination, consequences and removal techniques in water: a review

2022

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2022/va/d1va00039j

______________


Fluoride contamination in groundwater: A global review of the status, processes, challenges, and remedial measures

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987123002013

______________


Toxicity of fluoride: critical evaluation of evidence for human developmental neurotoxicity in epidemiological studies, animal experiments and in vitro analyses

2020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7261729/

______________


Report Linking Fluoride to Lower IQ in Children Made Public After CDC, HHS Tried to Block It

03/16/23

The National Toxicology Program on Wednesday released a draft report linking prenatal and childhood fluoride exposure to reduced IQ in children, after public health officials tried for almost a year to block its publication.

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/ntp-report-fluoride-lower-iq-children/

_____________


How contaminated water contributes to mental illness

Nov 19, 2021

https://www.ehn.org/water-pollution-and-mental-health-2655532533.html

_____________


Fluoride occurrences, health problems, detection, and remediation methods for drinking water: A comprehensive review

2021 Sep 28

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34597567/

_____________


Fluoride contamination, health problems and remediation methods in Asian groundwater: A comprehensive review

2019 Jun 26

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31254856/

_____________


Fluoride Science on Trial in Case With Broader Chemical Impacts

Jan. 30, 2024

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/fluoride-science-on-trial-in-case-with-broader-chemical-impacts

_____________


Florida leads the country as the state with the most lead pipes, EPA survey says

April 5, 2023

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2023-04-05/florida-leads-the-country-as-the-state-with-the-most-lead-pipes-epa-survey-says

____________


Lead pollution: Impact on environment and human health and approach for a sustainable solution

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590182623000048

___________


POISONED

2021

Part 1: THE FACTORY

Hundreds of workers at a Tampa lead smelter have been exposed to dangerous levels of the neurotoxin. The consequences have been profound.

https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2021/investigations/lead-factory/gopher-workers/

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POISONED

2021

Part 2: THE FAILINGS

Equipment designed to control poisons inside Gopher Resource kept breaking down, creating more dangers for workers. As violations mounted, regulators have been absent.

https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2021/investigations/lead-factory/regulators-failures/

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POISONED

2021

Part 3: THE FALLOUT

Gopher Resource promised changes at Tampa's old lead factory. It kept polluting.

https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2021/investigations/lead-factory/pollution-fallout/

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Hillsborough County cautions public about high lead around Tampa factory

Feb. 19, 2022

Government monitoring devices around Gopher Resource measured lead levels well above federal air-quality standards.

https://www.tampabay.com/investigations/2022/02/19/county-cautions-public-about-high-lead-around-tampa-factory/


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Nearly half the world’s kids are exposed to dangerous levels of lead

 Jan 14, 2022

And we aren’t doing much to prevent it.

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22834666/lead-exposure-poisoning-developing-countries

_____________


Lead in Consumer Products

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/sources/consumer-products.htm

_____________



Effects of Lead on Environment

2013

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274721823_Effects_of_Lead_on_Environment

_____________


A look inside Florida’s only lead smelter

2021

Workers shared photos and videos chronicling long-standing problems at the Tampa factory.

https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2021/investigations/lead-factory/inside-gopher-smelter-video-photos/

_____________


How they did it: Tampa Bay Times reporters expose high airborne lead levels at Florida recycling factory

2023

https://journalistsresource.org/health/lead-air-recycling-factory-investigation-tampa-bay-times/


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Phosphate giant Mosaic pumps from Florida's aquifer to dilute its pollution

July 20, 2013

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/phosphate-giant-mosaic-pumps-from-floridas-aquifer-to-dilute-its-pollution/2132394/

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Rural DeSoto County Is Targeted For Florida's Next Phosphate Mine. Residents Fear The Worst

September 23, 2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-09-23/rural-desoto-county-is-targeted-for-floridas-next-phosphate-mine-residents-fear-the-worst

____________


Taxpayer-funded petrochemical plants are polluting communities, report finds

March 20, 2024

Regulators also took note. The state Department of Environmental Protection found the plant violated clean air laws 19 times since beginning operations two years ago – and fined it over $10 million. The plant was found to have released harmful levels of volatile organic compounds, which contribute to asthma and other respiratory diseases, as well as benzene, a known carcinogen.

It's one of 50 plastics plants nationwide built or expanded over the last decade to take advantage of plentiful natural gas from the U.S. fracking boom. Many of those plants routinely break environmental laws, according to a new report from the nonprofit watchdog group Environmental Integrity Project – and taxpayers are often footing part of the bill...

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/npr-health/2024-03-20/taxpayer-funded-petrochemical-plants-are-polluting-communities-report-finds

____________


Florida the only state to turn down millions to lessen emissions, feds say

DECEMBER 18, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-florida-state-millions-lessen-emissions.html


_______________


Environmental group's 'shock' as state snubs $320m in federal funding to reduce pollution

December 8, 2023

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2023-12-08/environmental-groups-shock-as-state-snubs-320m-in-federal-funding-to-reduce-pollution

_______________


Tampa's Sulphur Springs too far gone, experts say

Nov. 23, 2012

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/tampas-sulphur-springs-too-far-gone-experts-say/1262976/

______________


Potential Environmental Impacts of Quarrying Stone in Karst-—
A Literature Review


2001

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/ofr-01-0484/ofr-01-0484so.pdf

______________


Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst (2003)

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784406984


______________


Engineering geological problems associated with karst terrains : their investigation, monitoring, and mitigation and design of engineering structures on karst terrains

Jan 2024

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27227057_Engineering_geological_problems_associated_with_karst_terrains_their_investigation_monitoring_and_mitigation_and_design_of_engineering_structures_on_karst_terrains

______________


Facing Engineering Problems in the Fragile Karst Environment

2014

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-09048-1_92


______________


Sinkhole FAQ

https://floridadep.gov/fgs/sinkholes/content/sinkhole-faq

______________


Preliminary investigations of microplastic pollution in karst systems, from surface watercourses to cave waters

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169772222001656

______________


Microplastic pollution in show cave sediments: First evidence and detection technique

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749121018431


_____________


Scientists Found Microplastics Deep Inside a Cave Closed to the Public for Decades

2023

A Missouri cave that virtually nobody has visited since 1993 is contaminated by high levels of plastic pollution, scientists found.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3mw4x/scientists-found-microplastics-deep-inside-a-cave-closed-to-the-public-for-decades


____________


Human-driven pollution affecting world's cave systems

2020

HIGHLIGHTS Researchers have found that human-driven pollution can even change the environment underground as surface water flows through agricultural and urban areas, it collects bacterial contaminants before entering cave systems

https://www.thehansindia.com/hans/opinion/news-analysis/human-driven-pollution-affecting-worlds-cave-systems-621666?infinitescroll=1

___________


Hazards associated with karst

2011

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/geomorphological-hazards-and-disaster-prevention/hazards-associated-with-karst/12FD9CF0A3C4FBF2A3B390D724AFF623


______________


A Guide To Unexplored Caves In Florida

May 9, 2023

https://www.preparedadventurer.com/a-guide-to-unexplored-caves-in-florida/

______________


This Hidden Underground River Flowing Through Florida Is Absolutely Magical

2023

https://familydestinationsguide.com/underground-river-florida/


_____________


Solving Wakulla Springs underwater mysteries. Using GPS to map Florida's underground caverns

2002

https://www.usgs.gov/publications/solving-wakulla-springs-underwater-mysteries-using-gps-map-floridas-underground


_____________


Wake up now: Dirty water has grounded Wakulla Springs' iconic glass bottom boats

August 8, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-08-08/wake-up-now-dirty-water-grounded-wakulla-springs-glass-bottom-boats

_____________


Local environmentalists say new Wakulla Springs regulations don't go far enough

May 02, 2023

https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/local-environmentalists-say-new-wakulla-springs-regulations-dont-go-far-enough

_____________


Fight over protection of Florida spring detonates a furor at county commission meeting

July 27, 2023

In wild Wakulla County, a citizen-led anti-pollution measure hits a wall of political resistance

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/07/27/fight-over-protection-of-florida-spring-detonates-a-furor-at-county-commission-meeting/


_____________


A look at why Wakulla Springs water could be at risk for gas contamination

2023

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2023/05/23/residents-want-strict-clean-water-rules-but-florida-no-help-in-writing-them/70220286007/

_____________


Human-driven pollution alters the environment even underground

2020

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200508112906.htm

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11 Rivers Forced Underground

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/underground-rivers

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Subterranean river

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subterranean_river

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Thermal pollution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_pollution

Thermal pollution, sometimes called "thermal enrichment", is the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature. Thermal pollution is the rise or drop in the temperature of a natural body of water caused by human influence. Thermal pollution, unlike chemical pollution, results in a change in the physical properties of water. A common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants and industrial manufacturers. Urban runoff—stormwater discharged to surface waters from rooftops, roads, and parking lots—and reservoirs can also be a source of thermal pollution. Thermal pollution can also be caused by the release of very cold water from the base of reservoirs into warmer rivers.

When water used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature, the sudden change in temperature decreases oxygen supply and affects ecosystem composition. Fish and other organisms adapted to particular temperature range can be killed by an abrupt change in water temperature (either a rapid increase or decrease) known as "thermal shock". Warm coolant water can also have long term effects on water temperature, increasing the overall temperature of water bodies, including deep water. Seasonality effects how these temperature increases are distributed throughout the water column. Elevated water temperatures decrease oxygen levels, which can kill fish and alter food chain composition, reduce species biodiversity, and foster invasion by new thermophilic species.

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Scuba diver shows how dangerous underwater cave dubbed 'Everest of diving' can be

2023

https://www.ladbible.com/community/eagles-nest-cave-florida-diving-experience-dangers-530026-20230904

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The Most DANGEROUS Dive Site in Florida | Cave Exploring Gone Wrong

2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQn7AMHGbew

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Divers' deaths show hazards of Florida's underwater cave

Oct 19, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG1FT7hysFA

____________


Cave Exploring Gone WRONG | The Florida Cave Diver TERROR

2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evmSMQwWzZ4

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Cave diving deaths in Florida

https://cavedivingaccident.com/cave-diving-deaths-in-florida/

______________


The Most Dangerous Underwater Caves in the World

https://enterthecaves.com/the-most-dangerous-underwater-caves-in-the-world/


______________


Descending into Florid's Freshwater Springs

2022

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/travel/florida-freshwater-springs.html

_____________


Protecting Florida's Springs

https://floridadep.gov/springs/protect-restore/content/protecting-floridas-springs

____________


Fragile Springs Revisited: Returning to assess our signature natural asset

2021

https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/environment/2021/10/22/polluted-florida-springs-aquifer-investigation-nitrates-pollution-septic-systems/8521557002/

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Anticipating and managing engineering problems in the complex karst environment

2011

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278890498_Anticipating_and_managing_engineering_problems_in_the_complex_karst_environment

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Advances in Karst Geomorphology and Hydrogeology Research in the Last Decade and Its Future Direction for Karst Land Use Planning

15 November 2023

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-6604-2_12

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Spatial distribution characteristics of nitrogen pollution in a typical karst groundwater system

12 May 2020

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12517-020-05401-y

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Tracing nitrate pollution sources of karst groundwater in water resources using environmental isotopes

Nov 2023

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375381243_Tracing_nitrate_pollution_sources_of_karst_groundwater_in_water_resources_using_environmental_isotopes

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Nitrate contamination in karst groundwater

2019

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128141243000911

______________


Timescales for nitrate contamination of spring waters, northern Florida, USA

2001

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009254101003217

______________


Analyzing Nitrates in North Florida’s Drinking Water

October 23, 2018

https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/analyzing-nitrates-in-north-floridas-drinking-water/

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Discrimination of Nitrogen Sources in Karst Spring Contributing Areas Using a Bayesian Isotope Mixing Model and Wastewater Tracers (Florida, USA)

August 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343923229_Discrimination_of_Nitrogen_Sources_in_Karst_Spring_Contributing_Areas_Using_a_Bayesian_Isotope_Mixing_Model_and_Wastewater_Tracers_Florida_USA

______________


Subsurface transport and potential risk of phosphorus to groundwater across different land uses in a karst springs basin, Florida, USA

2018

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706118309765

______________


IMPACT OF PHOSPHORUS ON WATER QUALITY

2017

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS490

______________


PHOSPHORUS POLLUTION IN FLORIDA’S WATERS

2012

 The Need for Aggressive Action to Protect Florida’s
 Rivers and Streams from Nutrient Runoff

https://frontiergroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/FL-Phosphorus-Pollution-in-Floridas-Waters-text.pdf


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PHOSPHORUS RUNOFF IS A BIG PROBLEM, BUT FLORIDA IS GETTING CLOSER TO A SOLUTION

August 27, 2015

https://ensia.com/notable/phosphorous-runoff-is-a-big-problem-but-florida-is-getting-closer-to-a-solution/


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Wastewater crisis sheds light on Florida’s environmental troubles

04-07-2021

University experts in marine science, environmental health, law, and engineering reflect on state and local leaders’ decisions during a crisis prompted by contaminated water spewing from an old phosphate retention pond.

https://news.miami.edu/stories/2021/04/wastewater-crisis-sheds-light-on-floridas-environmental-troubles.html

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History Of Phosphate Mining In Florida Fraught With Peril

2021

In our ongoing series on phosphate mines, WUSF reports on the long, tangled history of Florida's phosphate mines and the environment.
At the construction entrance to the Piney Point phosphate plant - off Buckeye Road in northern Manatee County, just south of the Hillsborough County line - the smell of phosphate and gypsum hangs heavy in the air.

A bulldozer is busy pushing sand into a hole from which more than 200 million gallons of tainted water flowed into Tampa Bay. This isn't the first time this has happened. Accidents like this fill the history books in Florida, including two here at this very site.

Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes became the face of that disaster in late March.

ALSO READ: What Mosaic Is Doing With Its ‘Gypstack’ To Prevent Another Piney Point Disaster

"We're down to about 340 million gallons that could breach in totality in a period of minutes, and the models for less than an hour are as high as a 20-foot wall of water," he said during a news conference, when 300 families were evacuated for several days when it looked like a breach in the gypstack was "imminent."

Long before Piney Point, phosphate processing plants in the greater Tampa Bay region have caused some of Florida's worst environmental disasters. Accidents like these fill the history books in Florida.

Piney Point is not even close to the worst.

In 1997 a dam atop a gypsum stack at a Mulberry Phosphates fertilizer plant broke during heavy rains, spilling 56 million gallons of acidic wastewater into the North Fork of the Alafia River. Virtually everything in the 42 miles between Mulberry and Tampa Bay was killed - including more than 1 million fish. The company declared bankruptcy and shut down.
In 2004, high winds from Tropical Storm Frances whipped up waves atop a 180-foot-tall gypsum stack at Mosaic's phosphate plant in Riverview. The waves bashed a big hole in the dike around the pond, sending 65 million gallons of polluted water into Archie Creek, which flows into Hillsborough Bay. Untold numbers of fish were killed, along with acres of mangroves and seagrass.
In 2016, one of the deepest sinkholes ever recorded in Florida opened beneath Mosaic's New Wales Plant in Mulberry. More than 200 million gallons of polluted water spiraled into the underground aquifer. No one knows where it went. It took the company two years to seal the opening.
And at Piney Point in 2001, after owner Mulberry Phosphates went belly up, thousands of gallons of ammonia-laden waste poured from the stack into ditches leading into one of the prime breeding areas for fish and marine life in Tampa Bay.
Ten years later, a rip in the lining of the stack here poured another 170 million gallons into the bay.

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-06-16/history-of-phosphate-mining-in-florida-fraught-with-peril

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Contaminated water from Florida mining facility dumped a year's worth of hazardous nutrients into Tampa Bay in just 10 days, study shows

April 25, 2022

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/piney-point-mining-facility-dumped-years-worth-hazardous-nutrients-tampa-bay-10-days-study/

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Florida faces 'imminent' pollution catastrophe from phosphate mine pond

2017

Millions of gallons of toxic wastewater pumped into Tampa Bay

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/04/florida-imminent-pollution-catastrophe-phosphate-retention-pond-bradenton-piney-point-desantis

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SINKHOLES AND STACKS; NEIGHBORS CLAIM FLORIDA’S PHOSPHATE MINES ARE A HAZARD

1995

https://fluoridealert.org/news/sinkholes-and-stacks-neighbors-claim-floridas-phosphate-mines-are-a-hazard/

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Pollution from Florida mining a concern with Hurricane Ian

2022

https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-florida-storms-pollution-e82ff089f4ffc2e16c73c29e9818f58b

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The polluted leftovers of Florida’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry, more than 1 billion tons in “stacks” that resemble enormous ponds, are at risk for leaks or other contamination when Hurricane Ian comes ashore in the state, environmental groups say.

Florida has 24 such phosphogypsum stacks, most of them concentrated in mining areas in the central part of the state. About 30 million tons of this slightly radioactive waste is generated every year, according to the Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute...

Phosphate has been mined in Florida since 1883. It’s used mainly for fertilizer to produce food, animal supplements and a variety of industrial products. Land used in mining is required to be “reclaimed,” or brought as close as possible back to its original state.

The byproducts that wind up in the stacks, however, have few uses acceptable to federal regulators. They can contain radioactive uranium, thorium and radium along with toxic metals such as barium, cadmium and lead, according to the environmental group ManaSota 88.

Fertilizers are made from phosphate rock that contains naturally occurring uranium and thorium, which decay to radium, and radium decays to the radioactive gas radon, the Environmental Protection Agency says. Class-action lawsuits have claimed health effects for people living near the mining waste.

“Phosphate companies have had over 70 years to figure out a way to dispose of radioactive gypsum wastes in an acceptable manner, but they have yet to do so,” said Glenn Compton, chairman of ManaSota 88...


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Hurricane Ian left millions of gallons of spilled wastewater, dirty runoff in its wake

Oct. 16, 2022

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/10/15/hurricane-ian-left-millions-gallons-spilled-wastewater-dirty-runoff-its-wake/

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Fate and transport of radioactive gypsum stack water entering the Floridan aquifer due to a sinkhole collapse

2018

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29541-0

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Radiological Test Results Released After Sinkhole Leaks 'Slightly Radioactive' Water into Florida Aquifer

2016

https://weather.com/news/news/mosaic-sinkhole-florida-wastewater-contaminated-plant-fertilizer

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EPA abandons major radiation cleanup in Florida, despite cancer concerns

2014

https://publicintegrity.org/national-security/epa-abandons-major-radiation-cleanup-in-florida-despite-cancer-concerns/

_____________


Uranium Mining In Florida

https://thediggings.com/commodities/uranium/usa/florida

_____________


A Sinking Feeling about Florida’s Phosphate Mines

2016

A series of environmental disasters has beset Florida’s phosphate mining industry, including the recent opening of a massive sinkhole 40 miles east of Tampa.

https://earthjustice.org/article/a-sinking-feeling-about-florida-s-phosphate-mines

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Gizzard shad harvest reduces nutrient pollution in Lake George

August 23, 2019

PALATKA, Fla., Aug. 23, 2019 ― The St. Johns River Water Management District’s Lake George gizzard shad harvest removed approximately 5,176 lbs. of phosphorus and 13,192 lbs. of nitrogen from the largest lake in the St. Johns River system, located in Marion, Lake, Volusia and Putnam counties.

“Gizzard shad removal is a cost-effective tool to remove nutrients from Lake George,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle. “We appreciate our Governing Board’s commitment to funding turnkey projects such as this to improve the health of the St. Johns River system, and we thank Gov. DeSantis for making water quality protection one of his highest environmental priorities.”

In response to the governor’s executive order and emerging algal blooms in the lower St. Johns River, district staff identified shad harvesting as a rapid and effective way to reduce phosphorus in the lake, part of the St. Johns River system. Staff identified unspent funds and the agency’s governing board approved the Lake George harvest at its May meeting.

The gizzard shad harvest took place from June 4 to July 16 and removed 628,173 pounds of the rough fish from Lake George, which directly removed thousands of pounds of nutrient pollution from the lake. Removing large numbers of shad from a waterbody removes the nutrients contained in the fishes’ bodies.

Water quality data from Lake George suggest the reduction in phosphorus recycling caused by shad removal is roughly seven times the direct phosphorus removal benefit. District shad harvests on Lake George between 2013 and 2018 removed more than 5 million pounds of fish containing a total of 22,312 pounds of phosphorus.

Gizzard shad feed on algae on the bottom of the lake, stirring up sediments and clouding the water. Shad excrete nutrients back into the water, recycling nutrients from the bottom that can feed more algae. Thus, by removing these fish, additional nutrients will not be recycled into the lake to impair its water quality.

Gizzard shad are a native fish found in most Florida waters and account for 5 to 20 percent of the total fish population in healthy Florida lakes. However, in nutrient-rich, algae-dominated lakes, gizzard shad proliferate and can account for more than 90 percent of the total fish population.

Harvesting gizzard shad from Lake George is conducted during warmer months to avoid potentially catching untargeted species, including American shad, a species that is managed and protected under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

The district works with commercial fishing vendors to net gizzard shad. Sport fish caught in nets during the harvests are immediately released. The program is permitted and monitored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

https://www.sjrwmd.com/2019/08/gizzard-shad-harvest-reduces-nutrient-pollution-in-lake-george/

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How catching 'junk' fish cleans up Central Florida lakes

2017

Net a million pounds of shad annually and that's 8,000 pounds of phosphorus out of the lake. Each pound of phosphorus can grow 500 pounds of algae. So that's 4 million pounds of potential algae per year out of the way of bottom grass, bass and other coveted lake life.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2017/01/13/fish-harvest-takes-bite-out-slime/96209788/

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Orlando fights lakes’ algae, pollution with liquid alum

2022

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2022/04/29/orlando-fights-lakes-algae-pollution-with-liquid-alum/


____________


What Mosaic Is Doing With Its ‘Gypstack’ To Prevent Another Piney Point Disaster

2021

Three months ago, a rupture at the former Piney Point phosphate plant sent hundreds of millions of gallons of toxic water into Tampa Bay. We take a tour of one towering "gypstack" to see what's being done to keep that from happening again.

Dennis Black, the gypstack manager at The Mosaic Company's phosphate processing plant in Bartow, guns a large vehicle up the side of the dusty mountain.

"We're averaging just over 500 feet right now. We're permitted to go to 520," he says, over the roar of the SUV.

The stack is almost as tall as a 50-story building.

The view from atop the gypsum stack is regal.

The Lakeland skyline pokes out to the north. Bok Tower in Lake Wales can be seen to the east. On a clear day the towers of downtown Tampa scrape the western horizon.

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-06-17/what-mosaic-is-doing-with-its-gypstack-to-prevent-another-piney-point-disaster

______________


Gypsum-karst problems in constructing dams in the USA

April 2008

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226513928_Gypsum-karst_problems_in_constructing_dams_in_the_USA

______________


Review of Groundwater Pollution and Protection in Karst Areas

1999

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226411389_Review_of_Groundwater_Pollution_and_Protection_in_Karst_Areas

______________


Threat of soil formation rate to health of karst ecosystem

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723025329


______________


Preface: Five decades of advances in karst hydrogeology


2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-020-02292-x


______________


What to Know about Polluted Ocean Caves

2023

https://medium.com/@DanielKellerNaplesFlorida/what-to-know-about-polluted-ocean-caves-84f9a2673f0c


______________


Assessment of groundwater quality and remediation in karst aquifers: A review

2018

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352801X18301632

______________


Carbon dioxide partial pressure and its diffusion flux in karst surface aquatic ecosystems: a review

07 July 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11631-023-00625-7


______________


Caves and Karst of West-Central Florida

2009

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=geog_fac_pub

______________


Effects of distribution patterns of karst landscapes on runoff and sediment yield in karst watersheds

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0341816223000383


______________


The role of rainfall in producing karst depressions in Florida

2007

https://meetings.copernicus.org/www.cosis.net/abstracts/EGU2007/07803/EGU2007-J-07803.pdf

______________


Shallow Depressions in the Florida Coastal Plain: Karst and Pseudokarst

2015

https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/sinkhole_2015/ProceedingswithProgram/GIS_Databases_and_Maps/3/


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Identification and quantitative analysis of sinkhole contributing factors in Florida's Karst

March 2020

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340181839_Identification_and_quantitative_analysis_of_sinkhole_contributing_factors_in_Florida's_Karst

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Silver Springs pollution is reaching unsafe levels, according to expected survey results

February 17, 2024

Robert “Bob” Knight, the founder of FSI, said he fears Silver Springs will meet the same fate as Gilchrest Blue Spring. In July, a sinkhole opened in the spring and flooded the water with sediment. He said it’s all empty and almost dead now. Nitrate levels are at a high, and about a third of the spring’s flow is lost.
Chemical compounds in an area spring are more than three times a safe level, according to an upcoming report by the Florida Springs Institute. The compounds, called nitrates, can kill plant life, cause algae blooms and pollute drinking water in Silver Springs.

“Compared to what it used to be, [Silver Springs] is in very bad condition,” said Bill Hawthorne, an aquatic ecologist at FSI.

The Silver Springs system, and over a thousand more springs in north central Florida, supply 90% of the state’s drinking water. The Silver Springs system is the largest artesian spring group in the United States and is among the largest in the world.

FSI’s survey has calculated the compounds at 1.15 milligrams per liter. Any level greater than 0.35 causes plant death and pollutes the water, according to Hawthorne.

“The two biggest threats we’ve seen are nitrogen pollution and groundwater pumping,” Hawthorne said. “There’s been a large reduction in flow, which is vital for everything that calls the spring home.”

Prior to farming and development in the area, the chemical compounds were much lower, at 0.04 milligrams per liter, he said.

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2024-02-17/silver-springs-pollution-nitrates-reaching-unsafe-levels-expected-survey-results-florida-springs-institute

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Algae plaguing Florida's iconic springs triggers major legal battle

2019

https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/single-post/2019/03/12/Algae-plaguing-Floridas-iconic-springs-triggers-major-legal-battle

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Development of a Point-Based Index for Sinkhole Vulnerability Evaluation in Central Florida’s Karst Terrain

June 2018

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325613991_Development_of_a_Point-Based_Index_for_Sinkhole_Vulnerability_Evaluation_in_Central_Florida's_Karst_Terrain

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Florida Sinkhole Map: Where Have Incidents Been Reported In The State?

Jul 13, 2021

https://www.newsweek.com/florida-sinkhole-map-where-have-incidents-been-reported-state-1609283

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Investigating sinkholes related to a deep-seated interstratal karst in the Disney Wilderness Preserve (Florida) using an array of near-surface geophysical methods.

2020

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020AGUFMNS004..09C/abstract


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Cruise Ship Pollution Is Causing Serious Health And Environmental Problems

2019

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/04/26/cruise-ship-pollution-is-causing-serious-health-and-environmental-problems/?sh=572f493237db


______________


Sinkhole susceptibility mapping in Marion County, Florida: Evaluation and comparison between analytical hierarchy process and logistic regression based approaches

09 May 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43705-6

______________


Nitrogen Transport and Transformation Beneath Stormwater Retention Basins in Karst Areas and Effectiveness of Stormwater Best Management Practices for Reducing Nitrate Leaching  to Ground Water 


Marion County, Florida


2015

https://stormwater.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/FinalReport.pdf


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Native Florida plants could be part of the solution to state's flooding and water quality problems

2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-09-25/native-florida-plants-part-solution-states-flooding-water-quality-problems


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Stuart likely to receive millions in $10.3 billion settlement over water contamination

2023

STUART — The city is expecting to recoup millions of dollars as part of $10.3 billion lawsuit settlement with a global chemical company over contamination of water systems with "forever chemicals."

Stuart is among about 300 communities that sued chemical manufacturer 3M Co. and other companies over the potentially harmful compounds used in firefighting foam and other consumer products. Stuart's case was scheduled for trial earlier this month but was delayed to allow time for settlement negotiations.

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/martin-county/2023/06/23/stuart-at-forefront-of-10-3-billion-settlement-over-water-contamination/70349757007/

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SUSTAINING CRITICAL MILITARY TRAINING FACILITIES: AVON PARK AIR FORCE RANGE

2001

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-107hhrg81854/pdf/CHRG-107hhrg81854.pdf

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Avon Park Bombing Range Increase Could Cause Pollution

2005

https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2005/03/15/avon-park-bombing-range-increase-could-cause-pollution/26148640007/

______________


Military training exercise sparks 4,000-acre wildfire

2017

https://www.fox13news.com/news/military-training-exercise-sparks-4000-acre-wildfire

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‘Forever chemicals’ detected in groundwater from 13 DoD sites in Gulf of Mexico

Oct 14, 2021

https://www.militarytimes.com/2021/10/14/forever-chemicals-detected-in-groundwater-from-13-dod-sites-in-gulf-of-mexico/

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Contaminated groundwater, a toxic legacy of Georgia’s air bases

Jan 3, 2019

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/contaminated-groundwater-toxic-legacy-georgia-air-bases/sKLbYPA7ucd7ojDr5NvtFI/

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Military testing reveals hundreds of drinking water wells contaminated with PFAS in WA

Dec. 12, 2023

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/military-testing-reveals-hundreds-of-drinking-water-wells-contaminated-with-pfas-in-wa/

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The US military is poisoning communities across the US with toxic chemicals

25 Mar 2021

The Department of Defense has ordered the burning of 20m pounds of AFFF – despite risks to human health

One of the most enduring, indestructible toxic chemicals known to man – Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), which is a PFAS “forever chemical” – is being secretly incinerated next to disadvantaged communities in the United States. The people behind this crackpot operation? It’s none other than the US military.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/25/us-military-toxic-chemicals-us-states

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Military’s Filthy 50 sites contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’ haven’t started cleanup

June 14, 2022

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/06/militarys-filthy-50-sites-contaminated-forever-chemicals-havent-started

______________


710 Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS

https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2020-military-pfas-sites/map/

______________


Other Contaminated U.S. Military Installations

https://www.civilianexposure.org/other-contaminated-u-s-military-installations/

______________


Raytheon’s Groundwater Contamination Problem in St. Petersburg

2008

https://affiliates.legalexaminer.com/health/raytheon39s-groundwater-contamination-problem-in-st-petersburg/

______________


A Management Plan for the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area

2020 - 2030

https://myfwc.com/media/24908/three-lakes-wma-management-plan-2020-2030.pdf

______________


Southwest Florida's Babcock Ranch offers lessons in resilience and sustainability

2023

https://www.wusf.org/show/florida-matters/2023-11-07/southwest-floridas-babcock-ranch-lessons-resilience-sustainability


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Florida has brought this dying river back to life – here’s how its biodiversity bounced back

2023

    The world’s biggest river restoration project has returned Florida’s Kissimmee River to good health.

    Flood-prevention engineering projects in the 1960s caused severe ecosystem damage and biodiversity loss to the more than 100-mile-long waterway.

    Undoing the damage to the river has seen bird, fish, insect and marine life populations thrive once again.

    Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is seen as the fourth-largest threat to humans in the next decade.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/06/us-river-restoration-project-biodiversity/

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Deep in Florida, an ‘ecological disaster’ has been reversed—and wildlife is thriving

2023

Much of Florida’s Kissimmee River has been restored to its natural state, a milestone worth celebrating—and learning from.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/kissimmee-biggest-river-restoration-ever-completed


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Loving Florida, losing Florida: The balance between increased tourism and the harm it's causing

August 27, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-08-27/loving-florida-losing-florida-the-balance-between-increased-tourism-and-the-harm-its-causing

______________


The relationship between tourism and the environment in Florida, USA: A media content analysis

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666957923000071


______________


What do we do with 6 billion tons of plastic waste?

2023

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/11/14/what-do-we-do-with-6-billion-tons-of-plastic-waste/

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Orlando close, but not most rat-infested city in Florida, report says

2021

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2021/10/07/orlando-close-but-not-most-rat-infested-city-in-florida-report-says/


______________

 

An enzyme used in laundry detergent can recycle single-use plastics within 24 hours

January 29, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-enzyme-laundry-detergent-recycle-plastics.html 


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In Orlando, a mountain of coal ash evades EPA rules. It's not the only one.

January 12, 2022

https://www.npr.org/2022/01/12/1065214649/in-orlando-a-mountain-of-coal-ash-evades-epa-rules-its-not-the-only-one

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 Renewables Aren’t Enough. Clean Coal Is the Future


 

https://www.wired.com/2014/03/clean-coal/


 ______________



The Myth of Clean Coal: Analysis

 

 Jul 14, 2011

 

Will coal become the clean, green fuel of the future? Not so fast.

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a4947/4339171/

 

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Can Coal Ever Be Clean?

  

April 2014

 

It’s the dirtiest of fossil fuels. We burn eight billion tons
of it a year, with growing consequences.
The world must face the question.


American Electric Power’s Mountaineer Plant, on the Ohio River in New Haven, West Virginia, inhales a million pounds of Appalachian coal every hour. The coal arrives fresh from the ground, on barges or on a conveyor belt from a mine across the road. Once inside the plant, the golf-ball-size lumps are ground into dust as fine as face powder, then blown into the firebox of one of the largest boilers in the world—a steel box that could easily swallow the Statue of Liberty. The plant’s three steam-powered turbines, painted blue with white stars, supply electricity round the clock to 1.3 million customers in seven states. Those customers pay about a dime per kilowatt-hour, or roughly $113 a month, to power the refrigerators, washers, dryers, flat screens, and smartphones, to say nothing of the lights, of an average household. And as Charlie Powell, Mountaineer’s plant manager, often said, even environmentalists like to keep the lights on.
The customers pay not a cent, however, nor does American Electric Power (AEP), for the privilege of spewing six to seven million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year from Mountaineer’s thousand-foot-high stack. And that’s the problem. Carbon is dumped without limit because in most places it costs nothing to do so and because there is, as yet, no law against it in the U.S. But in 2009 it looked as if there might soon be a law; the House of Representatives had already passed a bill that summer. AEP, to its credit, decided to get ahead of it.
That October, Mountaineer began a pioneering experiment in carbon capture. Powell oversaw it. His father had worked for three decades at a coal-fired power plant in Virginia; Powell himself had spent his career at Mountaineer. The job was simple, he said: “We burn coal, make steam, and run turbines.” During the experiment, though, it got a bit more complicated. AEP attached a chemical plant to the back of its power plant. It chilled about 1.5 percent of Mountaineer’s smoke and diverted it through a solution of ammonium carbonate, which absorbed the CO₂. The CO₂ was then drastically compressed and injected into a porous sandstone formation more than a mile below the banks of the Ohio.

The system worked. Over the next two years AEP captured and stored more than 37,000 metric tons of pure carbon dioxide. The CO₂ is still underground, not in the atmosphere. It was only a quarter of one percent of the gas coming out the stack, but that was supposed to be just the beginning. AEP planned to scale up the project to capture a quarter of the plant’s emissions, or 1.5 million tons of CO₂ a year. The company had agreed to invest $334 million, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) had agreed to match that. But the deal depended on AEP being able to recoup its investment. And after climate change legislation collapsed in the Senate, state utility regulators told the company that it could not charge its customers for a technology not yet required by law.
In the spring of 2011 AEP ended the project. The maze of pipes and pumps and tanks was dismantled. Though small, the Mountaineer system had been the world’s first to capture and store carbon dioxide directly from a coal-fired electric plant, and it had attracted hundreds of curious visitors from around the world, including China and India. “The process did work, and we educated a lot of people,” said Powell. “But geez-oh-whiz—it’s going to take another breakthrough to make it worth our while.” A regulatory breakthrough above all—such as the one Obama promised last summer—but technical ones would help too.

Capturing carbon dioxide and storing or “sequestering” it underground in porous rock formations sounds to its critics like a techno-fix fantasy. But DOE has spent some $6.5 billion over the past three decades researching and testing the technology. And for more than four decades the oil industry has been injecting compressed carbon dioxide into depleted oil fields, using it to coax trapped oil to the surface. On the Canadian Great Plains this practice has been turned into one of the world’s largest underground carbon-storage operations.
Since 2000 more than 20 million metric tons of carbon dioxide have been captured from a North Dakota plant that turns coal into synthetic natural gas, then piped 200 miles north into Saskatchewan. There the Canadian petroleum company Cenovus Energy pushes the CO₂ deep into the Weyburn and Midale fields, a sprawling oil patch that had its heyday in the 1960s. Two to three barrels of oil are dissolved out of the reservoir rock by each ton of CO₂, which is then reinjected into the reservoir for storage. There it sits, nearly a mile underground, trapped under impermeable layers of shale and salt.
For how long? Some natural deposits of carbon dioxide have been in place for millions of years—in fact the CO₂ in some has been mined and sold to oil companies. But large and sudden releases of CO₂ can be lethal to people and animals, particularly when the gas collects and concentrates in a confined space. So far no major leaks have been documented at Weyburn, which is being monitored by the International Energy Agency, or at any of the handful of other large storage sites around the world. Scientists consider the risk of a catastrophic leak to be extremely low.
They worry more about smaller, chronic leaks that would defeat the purpose of the enterprise. Geophysicists Mark Zoback and Steven Gorelick of Stanford University argue that at sites where the rock is brittle and faulted—most sites, in their view—the injection of carbon dioxide might trigger small earthquakes that, even if otherwise harmless, might crack the overlying shale and allow CO₂ to leak. Zoback and Gorelick consider carbon storage “an extremely expensive and risky strategy.” But even they agree that carbon can be stored effectively at some sites—such as the Sleipner gas field in the North Sea, where for the past 17 years the Norwegian oil company Statoil has been injecting about a million tons of CO₂ a year into a brine-saturated sandstone layer half a mile below the seabed. That formation has so much room that all that CO₂ hasn’t increased its internal pressure, and there’s been no sign of quakes or leaks.

American Electric Power’s Mountaineer Plant, on the Ohio River in New Haven, West Virginia, inhales a million pounds of Appalachian coal every hour. The coal arrives fresh from the ground, on barges or on a conveyor belt from a mine across the road. Once inside the plant, the golf-ball-size lumps are ground into dust as fine as face powder, then blown into the firebox of one of the largest boilers in the world—a steel box that could easily swallow the Statue of Liberty. The plant’s three steam-powered turbines, painted blue with white stars, supply electricity round the clock to 1.3 million customers in seven states. Those customers pay about a dime per kilowatt-hour, or roughly $113 a month, to power the refrigerators, washers, dryers, flat screens, and smartphones, to say nothing of the lights, of an average household. And as Charlie Powell, Mountaineer’s plant manager, often said, even environmentalists like to keep the lights on.
The customers pay not a cent, however, nor does American Electric Power (AEP), for the privilege of spewing six to seven million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year from Mountaineer’s thousand-foot-high stack. And that’s the problem. Carbon is dumped without limit because in most places it costs nothing to do so and because there is, as yet, no law against it in the U.S. But in 2009 it looked as if there might soon be a law; the House of Representatives had already passed a bill that summer. AEP, to its credit, decided to get ahead of it.
That October, Mountaineer began a pioneering experiment in carbon capture. Powell oversaw it. His father had worked for three decades at a coal-fired power plant in Virginia; Powell himself had spent his career at Mountaineer. The job was simple, he said: “We burn coal, make steam, and run turbines.” During the experiment, though, it got a bit more complicated. AEP attached a chemical plant to the back of its power plant. It chilled about 1.5 percent of Mountaineer’s smoke and diverted it through a solution of ammonium carbonate, which absorbed the CO₂. The CO₂ was then drastically compressed and injected into a porous sandstone formation more than a mile below the banks of the Ohio.

______________

 

America’s first ‘clean coal’ plant is now operational — and another is on the way

January 9, 2017

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mrs-bulletin/news/america-s-first-clean-coal-plant-is-now-operational-and-another-is-on-the-way

 

______________


Even Breathing Is A Risk In One Of Orlando's Poorest Neighborhoods

2018

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-poor-black-neighborhood-air-pollution_n_5a663a67e4b0e5630072746e

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Orlando Named One of the Cleanest Cities in New Lung Association Report

APR 22, 2022

https://www.orlandomedicalnews.com/article/5686/orlando-named-one-of-the-cleanest-cities-in-new-lung-association-report

______________


Jackson County air quality rated ‘very unhealthy’

Jun 28, 2023

https://www.wlns.com/news/jackson-county-air-quality-rated-very-unhealthy/

______________


Air pollution warnings cause concern in Putnam, St Johns County

March 7, 2023

High levels of sulfur dioxide have resulted in Unhealthy Air Quality for Sensitive Groups in southern St. Johns and Putnam counties.

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/tech/science/environment/fdep-investigating-unhealthy-air-quality-in-putnam-co/77-d1f7a9d7-0a56-40df-ba8d-0d2227b2c68a


______________


Air pollution precaution issued for Hillsborough County

March 29, 2022

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/air-pollution-precaution-hillsborough-county/67-034373c2-ef91-44de-9fa2-91bad84dd787

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From car emissions to the wind, here's what's contributing to Hillsborough County's ozone pollution

January 26, 2022

The American Lung Association gave Hillsborough County a failing grade for its ozone pollution after the region saw double-digit days reach code orange.

https://www.wtsp.com/article/tech/science/environment/hillsborough-county-ozone-pollution-air-quality/67-6b070a6d-4323-4eb0-a5e1-8b1a532f04bf

______________


Hillsborough County warns of elevated lead levels near a Tampa recycling plant

February 19, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-02-19/hillsborough-county-warns-of-elevated-lead-levels-near-a-tampa-recycling-plant

______________


Florida’s Ozone and Particulate Matter Air Quality Trends

2021

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/FL_Ozone_PM_Trends_2021.pdf

______________


Florida Home to Seven Air Polluters on EPA Watch List

November 7, 2011

http://fcir.org/2011/11/07/florida-home-to-seven-air-polluters-on-epa-watch-list/

______________


Florida's Air Quality Shows Mixed Rankings for Ozone, Particle Pollution, Finds 2020 ‘State of the Air' Report

2020

https://www.floridatrend.com/article/29121/floridas-air-quality-shows-mixed-rankings-for-ozone-particle-pollution-finds-2020-state-of-the-air-report

______________


Air Pollution Tops Other Sources of Contamination in Tampa Bay

https://baysoundings.com/air-pollution-tops-other-sources-of-contamination-in-tampa-bay/

______________


Many on Gulf Coast say time is running out for EPA to act on toxic air

December 29, 2023

The Biden administration vowed to protect communities from dangerous pollution. But refineries continue to exceed safe levels.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/12/21/oil-refineries-pollution-gulf-coast-epa/

______________


Jacksonville, Florida’s, ozone pollution reach hazardous levels

https://www.usairpurifiers.com/blog/jacksonville-floridas-ozone-pollution-reach-hazardous-levels/

______________


What a year-long study revealed about a "chemical-like" odor Jacksonville residents have complained about

May 9, 2023

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/gmj/jacksonville-environmental-quality-division-chief-talks-about-the-chemical-like-odor-in-jacksonville/77-0921e4e9-5198-456f-b6b6-2b144c315dff


______________


A stench in time: How Jacksonville’s stink played a role in the city’s history

May 31, 2022

The bustling papermill industry put the River City on the map for a smelly reason

https://www.news4jax.com/features/2022/05/31/a-stench-in-time-how-jacksonvilles-stink-played-a-role-in-the-citys-history/

______________


‘What is that smell?’: Nassau residents report stench along Amelia Concourse

November 17, 2021

https://www.wokv.com/news/local/nassau-county/what-is-that-smell-nassau-residents-report-stench-along-amelia-concourse/M7CSVYMR2NFTDI3ELSDJFHXRMU/

______________


Procter and Gamble’s Buckeye Paper Mill pollutes the Fenholloway River in Taylor Co., Florida, USA

2021

https://www.cevreadaleti.org/conflict/procter-and-gambles-buckeye-paper-mill-pollutes-the-fenholloway-river-in-taylor-county-florida

______________


A Florida neighborhood says an old factory made them sick. Now developers want to kick up toxic soil

17 Mar 2024

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/17/florida-toxic-waste-jacksonville

______________


A Plant in Florida Emits Vast Quantities of a Greenhouse Gas Nearly 300 Times More Potent Than Carbon Dioxide

March 24, 2020

Ascend’s sprawling chemical complex north of Pensacola releases nitrous oxide into the atmosphere equivalent to the emissions from 2.1 million cars per year.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24032020/plant-florida-emits-vast-quantities-greenhouse-gas-nearly-300-times-more-potent-carbon/

______________


A Florida Chemical Plant Has Fallen Behind in Its Pledge to Cut Emissions of a Potent Greenhouse Gas

2022

Documents show that Ascend Performance Materials, the nation’s largest emitter of nitrous oxide, is still emitting significant amounts of the climate super-pollutant.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18022022/florida-ascend-plant-super-pollutants/


______________


Tampa Bay’s CO2 emissions are up by more than half in 30 years. We’re the problem. | Editorial

2019

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2019/10/18/stuck-in-traffic-tampa-bays-cars-are-belching-greenhouse-gases-editorial/

______________


Parks Group’s Report Finds 96 Percent of National Parks are Plagued by Air Pollution

2019

https://www.npca.org/articles/2166-parks-group-s-report-finds-96-percent-of-national-parks-are-plagued-by-air

______________


Half of US states join GOP lawsuits challenging new EPA rule on deadly soot pollution

2024

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/06/half-of-us-states-join-gop-lawsuits-challenging-new-epa-rule-on-deadly-soot-pollution/

______________

 

Biden strengthens US soot regulations, angering industry

Feb 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-biden-soot-angering-industry.html

 

______________


Will Nestle’s Plans To Bottle More Water Put A Popular Florida Spring At Risk?

2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-02-23/will-nestles-plans-to-bottle-more-water-put-a-popular-florida-spring-at-risk


_____________


Studies Reveal the Bottled Water Brands With Highest Plastic Contamination

Mar 14, 2018

https://www.newbeauty.com/bottled-water-microplastic-contamination/

_____________


Preserving Florida’s Springs: The Bottled Spring Water Problem

2020

https://indepthmag.com/preserving-floridas-springs-the-bottled-spring-water-problem/

_____________


Bottled water is draining Florida’s aquifer

Professor calls usage unsustainable

March 2024

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/03/08/bottled-water-is-draining-floridas-aquifer/

_____________


USGS Groundwater Data for Florida

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/gw

_____________


Transport of pollutants in groundwater of domestic waste landfills in karst regions and its engineering control technologies

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479723020339

______________


Trash Trouble: Miami-Dade’s Looming Landfill Crisis

https://www.biscaynetimes.com/news/on-the-cover/trash-trouble-miami-dade%E2%80%99s-looming-landfill/

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Ex-trash chief warns of impending landfill crisis in Miami-Dade

2023

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/07/05/ex-trash-chief-warns-of-impending-landfill-crisis-in-miami-dade/

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East Gainesville neighbors fight the expansion of a landfill in their backyard – again

February 9, 2023

https://www.wuft.org/racial-equity/2023-02-09/east-gainesville-neighbors-fight-the-expansion-of-a-landfill-in-their-backyard-again

______________


Jacksonville's waste problems remain unsolved

June 14, 2022

https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2022-06-14/jacksonvilles-waste-problems-remain-unsolved

______________


Jacksonville landfill piles up beyond budget, council considers recycling education campaign

September 13, 2022

https://www.wokv.com/news/local/jacksonville-landfill-piles-up-beyond-budget-council-considers-recycling-education-campaign/T2N5U4G465CG7GTZHWLZDMKSIM/

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Your Trash Is Emitting Methane In The Landfill. Here's Why It Matters For The Climate

2021

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/13/1012218119/epa-struggles-to-track-methane-from-landfills-heres-why-it-matters-for-the-clima

______________


Florida needs alternatives to landfills: Where we stand


2016

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2016/04/09/central-florida-needs-alternatives-to-landfills-where-we-stand/

______________


HCSO responds to more than a dozen cases of illegal dumping in July

July 31, 2020

https://teamhcso.com/News/PressRelease/4041b72f-af1e-4e32-9714-10f7a857a6c6/20-213

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Looming landfill crisis prompts action

2023

Poor recycling habits stymie progress

https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/looming-landfill-crisis-prompts-action/article_65b8ee86-4bfe-11ee-b914-7fe40a51d84b.html

______________


Organic priority pollutants in groundwater and surface water at three landfills in north central Florida

1992

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00479894

______________


Wedgewood residents are tired of flooding and pollution. This is how the county plans to help.

2022

'The people are dying out there, and we need to do something.'

The Rolling Hills Construction and Debris landfill became notorious for essentially unregulated dumping that polluted the surrounding predominately Black residential neighborhoods next door. In 2015, the state finally intervened after years of outcry from the community.

Calvin Avant, pastor and executive director of Unity in the Family Ministry, said what he was hearing from county officials Thursday night was what he needed to hear and pointed out the last time there was a discussion at the county commission on the issue, community activist and leader LaFanette Soles-Woods was still alive. She died in October of last year.

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2022/04/08/wedgewood-flooding-pollution-issues-soon-addressed-county/9468762002/

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'Garbage juice' seen as threat to drinking water in Florida Panhandle county

June 24, 2017

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/garbage-juice-seen-as-threat-to-drinking-water-in-florida-panhandle-town/2328333/

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Feds suspect how dumpsite toxins enter Space Coast beachside homes: vapor intrusion

2021

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2021/08/29/army-corps-thinks-dumpsite-toxins-seep-into-brevard-homes-gas-cancer-cluster-florida-pfas-pollution/5601204001/

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Pasco neighbor sues landfill alleging water contamination, other violations


March 2024

The landowner who filed suit is seeking more than $50,000 in damages from the landfill operation next door.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/pasco/2024/03/16/pasco-neighbor-sues-landfill-alleging-water-contamination-other-violations/

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State Investigating Pasco County For 19.6 Million Gallons Of Partially Treated Wastewater Released Into Gulf

September 17, 2021

https://www.wusf.org/health-news-florida/2021-09-17/state-investigating-pasco-after-19-6-million-gallons-of-partially-treated-wastewater-released-into-gulf

______________


A pilot project in Pasco will prevent plastic and other garbage from entering the Gulf of Mexico

March 6, 2024

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2024-03-06/a-pilot-project-in-pasco-will-prevent-plastic-and-other-garbage-from-entering-the-gulf-of-mexico

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Pasco County makes strides to reduce litter in waterways with installation of first litter boom

Mar. 15, 2024

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2024/03/15/pasco-county-making-strides-to-reduce-litter-in-waterways-with-installation-of-first-litter-boom-catchment-device

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Pasco County fires up trash disposal

Nov 14, 2023

Short on land and swamped with garbage, Pasco County is looking to burn more junk for energy.

Why it matters: Officials are scrambling to manage an influx of trash that followed the county's recent population boom. Its waste-to-energy facilities are expected to burn about 100,000 more tons of garbage than usual.

    Some environmental groups and residents in Florida have raised concerns over how emissions from waste-to-energy facilities could impact the health of those who live near the plants.

https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/11/14/florida-pasco-county-burn-trash-fuel-energy-waste



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Environmental group worried about Lee County Waste-to-Energy incinerator failing previous inspection

Feb 17, 2024

Lee county says the facility is now meeting FDEP compliance

https://www.fox4now.com/fort-myers-metro-south/environmental-group-worried-about-lee-county-waste-to-energy-incinerator-failing-previous-inspection


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Three Central Florida Landfills Rank Among Nation's Top Emitters Of A Potent Greenhouse Gas. But The Numbers May Be Garbage

2021

https://www.wmfe.org/2021-07-13/three-central-florida-landfills-rank-among-nations-top-emitters-of-a-potent-greenhouse-gas-but-the-numbers-may-be-garbage

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Miami’s ‘Mount Trashmore,’ overflowing septic tanks pose a $4 billion challenge to its efforts to woo America’s financial elite

2023

https://fortune.com/2023/07/31/miami-wealthy-americans-trash-septic-sewage-4-billion-problem/

______________


Mount Trashmore (Florida)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Trashmore_(Florida)

______________


Florida's shift to waste-to-energy amidst growing trash crisis

2023

 

 With mounting garbage and shrinking landfill space, Florida turns to waste-to-energy incineration amid a population surge.

 




https://www.ehn.org/florida-s-shift-to-waste-to-energy-amidst-growing-trash-crisis-2666251432.html


______________


Why aren’t we mining landfills for valuable materials like metals and soil?

https://ensia.com/features/landfill-mining/

______________


Businessman crafts genius solution to one of the biggest problems with America’s landfills: ‘It’s up to all of us’

2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/businessman-crafts-genius-solution-to-one-of-the-biggest-problems-with-america-s-landfills-it-s-up-to-all-of-us/ar-AA1ayeWK

______________


Tampa Conducts Recycling Study to Lower its “Contamination” Rate

Nov. 24, 2020

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2020/11/24/tampa-recycling-study-contamination

______________


Redoing Recycling: How South Florida Cities Are Adapting to Change

2021

https://www.nbcmiami.com/responds/redoing-recycling-how-south-florida-cities-are-adapting-to-change/2620699/

______________


This Florida city is cracking down after 12,000 pounds of trash were hauled from its beaches

2020

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/florida-beach-litter-pandemic-trnd/index.html



______________


Ocean pollution and marine debris

Each year, billions of pounds of trash and other pollutants enter the ocean.

2020

https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-pollution


______________


Florida is booming and burning more trash. Residents say it’s making them sick.

2023

Tampa-area officials want to tap Inflation Reduction Act funds to help expand one of Florida’s 10 incinerators, which they say are often preferable to landfills. Critics worry the plants raise health risks.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/florida-population-growth-waste-energy-incinerators-rcna120599

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Burning trash ‘poisoning communities’ in Florida, complaint says

2022

Environmental activists accuse Florida environmental officials of civil rights violation in allowing waste-to-energy plants

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/04/01/burning-trash-poisoning-communities-in-florida-complaint-says/

_____________


Florida sewage spills expected to worsen due to ageing infrastructure

2020

More than 230m gallons spilled in Fort Lauderdale between December 2019 and February 2020

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/10/florida-sewage-spill-waterways-infrastructure

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Pungent smell has Venice neighbors concerned — here's what we know

February 15, 2024

"It's acrid and it becomes almost unbearable. It burns the eyes," one neighbor said.

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/bad-gas-smell-venice-florida/67-6ffadf1c-87aa-41c6-8167-cbe516728867


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Cancer-Linked Contaminants Found In Sarasota's Water: Report

Oct 23, 2019

A new study found drinking water is often less safe than what the federal government may deem legal.

https://patch.com/florida/sarasota/cancer-linked-contaminants-found-sarasotas-water-report

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‘Sewer crisis in the state of Florida’

2019

Storms and aging infrastructure contribute to massive spills

More than 900,000 gallons of raw sewage flowed into Sarasota Bay after a violent December storm forced open a city pipe.

Summer rain in Daytona Beach and equipment failure in Jacksonville each prompted more than a quarter-million gallons of human waste to spill from sewers last year.

In Boca Raton, a pressurized pipe gushed out nearly 50,000 gallons of untreated wastewater, while another 55,000 gallons spewed from a DeFuniak Springs manhole into nearby Bruce Creek.

These sewage spills are emblematic of failing wastewater systems across Florida, which is grappling with aging infrastructure and no clear solutions for funding a fix.

An analysis of those reported spills shows Florida’s sewers failed nearly 23,000 times over the past 10 years — a clip of more than six sewer spills each day.

The systems leaked enough human waste to fill about 2,400 Olympic-size swimming pools.

The top cause for the spills was breakage, often from tree root intrusion and exacerbated by the deterioration of aging lines, nearing 80 years old in some communities. Flooding and power loss from storms also pounded the systems in coastal areas, causing massive amounts of sewage to flow out.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/special/special-sections/2019/04/13/x2018-sewer-crisis-in/5438905007/


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The urine revolution: how recycling pee could help to save the world

09 February 2022

Separating urine from the rest of sewage could mitigate some difficult environmental problems, but there are big obstacles to radically re-engineering one of the most basic aspects of life.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00338-6

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Scientists Make Breakthrough Discovery While Experimenting With Urine: We Can Reuse a Very Significant Portion of the Cobalt.

2-18-2024

https://canadiancor.com/breaking-news/scientists-make-breakthrough-discovery-while-experimenting-with-urine-we-can-reuse-a-very-significant-portion-of-the-cobalt/

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State Tightens Rules For Sewage Sludge Used As Fertilizer But Leaves A Loophole In Place

June 2, 2021

https://www.wlrn.org/news/2021-06-02/state-tightens-rules-for-sewage-sludge-used-as-fertilizer-but-leaves-a-loophole-in-place

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Ban Sewage Sludge Now!

Oct 26, 2018

Algae in Blue Cypress Lake, an Outstanding Florida Waterway

On October 15, 2018, our Headwaters Advisory Committee delivered an editorial to local papers highlighting the MANY concerns that remain regarding the application on Sewage Sludge to property in our headwaters, and the Technical Advisory Committee that has been formed to study the issue. Read our concerns below, and help us stay engaged. What happens in our headwaters impacts the entire basin.

    "Florida waters are suffering from a growing pollution threat – sewage sludge. Also known as biosolids, this sludge is a byproduct of the process to clean our wastewater. In an effort to dispose of this waste inexpensively, utilities often contract with third party haulers to transport and spread excess sludge on to agricultural lands. This unsustainable disposal practice exposes adjacent waters to those agricultural areas to high levels of pollution from runoff.

    In 2007, the Florida Legislature essentially banned the land disposal of sewage sludge in the Lake Okeechobee watershed. This legislation was enacted in response to the serious nutrient pollution problem that was severely degrading the lake’s water quality. As a result, the state began permitting the redistribution of South Florida’s sewage sludge to areas with fewer restrictions north of the lake.

    The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) confirmed that on average more than 70,000 tons of sewage sludge has since been annually permitted to be disposed within the Upper Basin of the St. Johns River, which includes Brevard, Indian River and Osceola Counties. In 2016, this represented more than 73% of the Class B biosolids permitted for land application in the entire state.

    This state-sanctioned spreading of sewage sludge is now degrading the St. Johns River’s water quality and threatening human health.

    Did they believe that they could simply relocate sewage sludge to a different watershed without a similar degradation of water quality and increased threats to human health?

    In addition, biosolids are undermining the significant investments made by downstream local governments to remove nutrient pollution from the St. Johns and its lakes and tributaries. The state-required Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) for the middle section of the St. Johns River determined that over 96% of the total nitrogen loading and 95% of the total phosphorous loading in the Middle Basin of the river comes from upstream sources. The addition of biosolids-related nutrient pollution will only make it much more expensive and difficult for Central Florida communities and businesses to reduce nutrients by close to 38%, as required by the state.

    In response to the public outcry, the FDEP recently formed a Biosolids Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to further evaluate this issue. We are pleased to see the state finally taking some action, but this committee is simply evaluating the same technical issues and research that were previously determined to warrant legislative restrictions on this harmful practice in South Florida. While good for the Lake Okeechobee watershed, this unfortunately left the remainder of the state exposed to the water quality impacts of sewage sludge. It should come as no surprise that the application of over 70% of the state’s biosolids to agricultural lands within the St. Johns watershed would have the same devastating results.

https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/ban-sewage-sludge-now/


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Unlimited Fresh Water: Can MIT's Breakthrough Save Us?

Jan 12, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XzmNpacpvk
 

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New Florida Rules For Fertilizer from Sewage Waste Don't Do Enough To Stop Algae Blooms, Critics Say

June 2, 2021

The state of Florida is taking steps to crack down on pollution from biosolids. That’s the waste from sewage plants used as fertilizer which can fuel algae blooms...

https://www.wmfe.org/2021-06-02/new-florida-rules-for-fertilizer-from-sewage-waste-dont-do-enough-to-stop-algae-blooms-critics-say

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Biosolids: Waste to fertilizer to - pollution?

11/28/2018

One region's waste fertilizes another region's pastures — but becomes a source of pollution in the process.

https://www.floridatrend.com/article/25908/biosolids-waste-to-fertilizer-to--pollution

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Effects of microplastics on substance transformation, sludge characteristics, toxicological effect, and microbial communities in different biochemical sludge systems: A review

24 Nov 2023

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10643389.2023.2284785

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Residual sludge from treating waste water has been turned into a money-spinner but what are the costs to health of ‘the most pollutant-rich manmade substance on Earth’?

7 Oct 2019

By some estimates, Americans send about 300m pounds of feces daily from the nation’s toilets to wastewater treatment plants.

While the water is cleaned and discharged, the remaining toxic sewage sludge stays at the treatment plant, and it’s what Sierra Club environmentalist Nancy Raine calls “the most pollutant-rich manmade substance on Earth”.

This “biosolid” sludge is expensive to dispose of because it must be landfilled, but the waste management industry is increasingly using a money-making alternative – repackaging the sludge as fertilizer and injecting it into the nation’s food chain.

Now the practice is behind a growing number of public health problems. Spreading pollutant-filled biosolids on farmland is making people sick, contaminating drinking water and filling crops, livestock and humans with everything from pharmaceuticals to PFAS.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/05/biosolids-toxic-chemicals-pollution

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Petroleum sludge treatment and disposal techniques: a review

24 March 2022

Abstract

Petroleum sludge is a solid emulsified waste and contaminant commonly produced in the petroleum industry. In the recent past, there has been increased business growth in the oil sector, resulting in increased volumes of oily sludge characterized by high viscosity and toxicity. Therefore, sludge treatment before discarding is extremely necessary. This review seeks to highlight various conventional and evolving approaches in the treatment, recovery, and disposal of petroleum sludge and assess their suitability under various conditions.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-022-19614-z

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Sewage pollution, declining ecosystem health, and cross-sector collaboration

2021

 

Abstract

 

It is well established that a global sanitation crisis threatens humans. By comparison, much less attention has been given to address the effects of this crisis on the health of ecosystems. We provide examples of how sewage can affect natural ecosystems and where hotspots in sewage contamination commonly overlap with these habitats. We highlight these issues for some of the major ecosystems spanning across terrestrial, aquatic, and coastal realms. Recent studies reveal that untreated and poorly treated sewage elevates concentrations of nutrients, pathogens, endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals in natural ecosystems. We show many large areas (10,000's of km2) across the globe with high levels of sewage contamination and that these contamination hotspots overlap extensively in occurrence with coral reefs, salt marshes, and fish-rich river systems. Given the global extent of sewage pollution in and near natural habitats, conservation biologists and managers must address this threat. However, because of its size, conservationists cannot solve this problem alone. We therefore argue that conservation must combine forces with the human health sector to create cross-disciplinary synergisms in innovation and efficiency. New sewage management solutions are emerging, such as waste-free toilets and resource recovery to generate fuel and drinking water; but more innovation is needed - a demand that will most effectively be reached through cross-sector collaboration.


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320721000628

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Wastewater in the Florida Keys: A Call for Stricter Regulation of Nonpoint Source Pollution

2018

https://ir.law.fsu.edu/jluel/vol16/iss2/2/

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Nonpoint Source Pollution Education

https://floridadep.gov/wra/319-tmdl-fund/content/nonpoint-source-pollution-education

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Just how clean is the Great Miami River?

April 16, 2018

The Great Miami River continues to surprise scientists with its ability to rebound from pollution of the 20th century, and some that continues today.

“At one point, our waste just got flushed into the river,” says Sarah Hippensteel Hall, one of those scientists and a leader with the Miami Conservancy District, which built flood protection along the river in the early 1900s and has been working to clean the river.

https://www.journal-news.com/news/local/just-how-clean-the-great-miami-river/wJOduuxBw7LcwHM7FpdlMM/

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New Programs in Miami Aim to Prevent Pollution From Destroying Waterways


2021

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/new-programs-in-miami-aim-to-prevent-pollution-from-destroying-waterways/2449890/

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Florida's Sewage Pollution Crisis

04.13.22

https://www.surfrider.org/news/floridas-sewage-crisis


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Gainesville neighborhood on pollution notice after 10,000 gallons of flood and wastewater released into Hogtown Creek

Sep. 21, 2021

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Gainesville residents who live near Hogtown Creek are facing a problem they’re all too familiar with.

On Sunday, GRU arrived at NW 10th Ave. where cleanout pipes released at least 10,000 gallons of flood and wastewater.

One man who’s lived on this street for three years said flooding is a constant problem.

“It’s been going on for a while, and I don’t go down there anymore because of those signs,” said Adam Pearce.

Pearce said because of where his house sits on the street, he’s safe from the sewage overflow.

He said one of his neighbors at the end of the street had sewage flood into their home. He said he’s seen the different ways this has affected his neighbors’ lives.

“He’s got three kids. He can’t go outside out front so he’s gotta kind of go out back and do baseball out there because the sewage warnings and water damage,” said Pearce.

GRU said areas experiencing wastewater releases, like this, have received between 10 to 12 inches of rain over the last month.

https://www.wcjb.com/2021/09/21/gainesville-neighborhood-pollution-ntice-after-10000-gallons-flood-wastewater-released-into-hogtown-creek/

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Contractor seen pumping sewage-contaminated floodwater into Lake Monroe

2022

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/seminole-county/contractor-seen-pumping-sewage-contaminated-floodwater-into-lake-monroe/56ZFTXGHCJG4LEIOGCU74GRAUM/

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Polluters Dumping into Florida Waterways

March 29, 2018

https://environmentamerica.org/florida/media-center/polluters-dumping-into-florida-waterways/

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Industry still dumping pollution into Florida waterways: report

March 29, 2018

https://www.wmnf.org/industry-dumping-pollution-florida-waterways/

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Florida’s Waters Awash in Sewage Spills

July 20, 2022

https://peer.org/floridas-waters-awash-in-sewage-spills/

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Guest column: Stop sending South Florida’s sewage north

March 15, 2021

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/opinion/2021/03/15/guest-column-stop-sending-south-floridas-sewage-north/4664923001/

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Wastewater plants in Gadsden County report overflows

Mar 21, 2022

GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Two wastewater plant facilities in Gadsden County experienced water overflows this weekend.

According to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection pollution notice that was released Saturday, the Quincy Wastewater Treatment Plant began overflowing the facility flow equalization tanks at around 7:30 p.m. Friday because of the heavy rain that accumulated in the area.

The news release notes that the facility’s influent pumps were running, but could not keep up with the high flows.

The facility overflowed until 2 p.m. Saturday.

The FDEP estimates that 100,000 gallons escaped into the Quincy creek.

The overflows were almost contained, but the on and off rains led to the overflows to back up.

https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/wastewater-plants-in-gadsden-county-report-overflows

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Okaloosa jail water break causes sewage spill of 6,000 gallons into Crestview creek

Feb 23, 2021

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/2021/02/23/okaloosa-county-jail-water-break-causes-sewage-spill-into-nearby-creek/4558172001/


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St. Petersburg pumped 6.6 million more gallons of dirty water into the Floridan Aquifer over the weekend

Aug 22, 2019

The water exceeded state pollution limits for injection. It’s the seventh infraction the city has racked up since the start of 2018.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-petersburg/2019/08/22/st-petersburg-pumped-66-million-more-gallons-of-dirty-water-into-the-florida-aquifer-over-the-weekend/

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Down the hatch: St. Petersburg has sent more than 21 million gallons of improperly treated sewage into the aquifer since 2018

Aug 20, 2019

City officials have touted a vastly improved sewage system since signing a consent order with the state in 2017, but said very little about continued improper injections into the aquifer.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2019/08/20/down-the-hatch-st-petersburg-has-sent-more-than-21-million-gallons-of-improperly-treated-sewage-into-the-aquifer-since/

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100k gallons of sewage spills from pipe in Charlotte County community

January 25, 2022

https://winknews.com/2022/01/25/100k-gallons-of-sewage-spills-from-pipe-in-charlotte-county-community/

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Broken gear allows 5 million gallons of partially treated sewage to leak into Lake Monroe

January 13, 2024

https://www.mysanfordherald.com/article/broken-gear-allows-5-million-gallons-partially-treated-sewage-leak-lake-monroe

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13M gallons of sewage spilled into Lake Monroe, creating bacteria risk

January 25, 2024

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/01/25/13m-gallons-of-sewage-spilled-into-lake-monroe-creating-bacteria-risk/


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Column: Lake Monroe is our water source. How can we protect it against climate change?

2022

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/11/25/columnist-urges-more-action-to-protect-drinking-water-from-lake-monroe/69673522007/


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How Healthy Is Lake Monroe — and How Long Will It Survive?

https://limestonepostmagazine.com/deep-dive-how-healthy-is-lake-monroe/

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City had a chance to address water quality issues at Lake Munson. It did not. | Opinion

2022

In his Aug. 1 column, William Leseman seems to be attempting to distract from the lack of oversight while he was employed by the City of Tallahassee, casting a blind eye to ongoing stormwater pollution contributing to water and sediment quality problems in Lake Munson.

Leseman and others were in positions that could have made a difference, but did not do enough to remove legacy sediments, nor conduct enough source testing, to determine where nutrients and toxins were originating.

Of course, there was no outcry across the city since transparency was non-existent.

In  2009, the City of Tallahassee was placed under a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) expensive enforcement consent order for numerous and voluminous sewage spills, much of which end up in storm water ditches leading to Munson.

November 2021, 466,000 gallons flowed through Hartsfield Village into the Central Drainage Ditch.  Contrary to my requests of city staff to track the movement of raw sewage from north Tallahassee to Lake Munson, staff stopped behind TCC, even with high eColi measurements.

Another 10 spills of 100,000 gallons flowed in 2021; yet, no transparency.  Approximately 150,000 gallons spilled in 2020.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2022/08/07/city-had-chance-address-water-quality-issues-lake-munson-did-not-opinion/10243600002/

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Lake Munson has gone from pristine to polluted. Can a drawdown change the trajectory?

Advocates, residents want county to remove what they see as toxic sediment

2022

The view over Lake Munson from Donna McKenzie’s armchair has changed a lot in the last 47 years.

Her husband, Ray, once fished and hunted ducks on the lake.

The water used to be clear and free from the green scum accompanying the pollution that has turned the lake toxic in recent years.

“It’s really sad because I’ve been retired for 20 years and it’s like I’ve been sitting here waiting for 20 years watching it go down,” Donna McKenzie said from her home on the southwest shoreline.

The wait for action may be over as the county in November began to release water from the lake in an effort to combat the pollution that has resulted in fish kills, algal blooms and partial closures of Lake Munson.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/12/05/as-county-draws-down-lake-munson-residents-and-scientists-want-more/10726864002/

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Lake Munson will be drained as efforts to mitigate pollution, algal bloom continue

Oct 2022

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/10/14/lake-munson-will-be-drained-as-efforts-to-mitigate-pollution-algae-continue/10475112002/

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Is Perdido Bay in peril? Is it too late to protect it?

2019

Despite Escambia County's outward beauty, our community has long been plagued by pervasive pollution from industrial plants, landfills, septic tanks and the like.

Pollution was so bad that in 1999, a special grand jury was convened to assess local air and water quality. The jury found that local regulators were falling down on the job, that local elected officials were serving corporations rather than citizens and that we needed to take immediate action to stem the tide of toxins in our community.

The grand jury issued an array of recommendations to improve pollution control, environmental monitoring, government accountability and other issues, but 20 years later, we're still seeing a lot of the same old problems.

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/11/18/perdido-bay-water-quality-issues-spark-debate-but-what-does-data-say/2470708001/

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EPA Research in Florida’s Pensacola and Perdido Bays

https://www.epa.gov/water-research/epa-research-floridas-pensacola-and-perdido-bays

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It's sewage, not fertilizer fueling nitrogen surge in Florida's Indian River Lagoon


2023

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230718105736.htm

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Florida's Indian River Lagoon Is A "Killing Zone" Of Mass Animal Deaths: Report (VIDEO)

2013

Day after day, dolphins floated up dead, emaciated down to their skeletons. Florida's Indian River Lagoon, considered one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America, was in dire crisis.

And it wasn't just the 46 dead bottlenose dolphins. The casualty list is long and depressing: gone are 47,000 acres of sea grass beds, 111 manatees, and 300 pelicans, reports Fox News.

It's been described as a "killing zone" and a "mass murder mystery" that is perplexing biologists.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that scientists believe it may be due to one or several causes: fertilizer-laced stormwater runoff, polluted water dumped from Lake Okeechobee by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, climate change and effects on acidity, changes in water temperature and salt levels, and overflow from contaminated mosquito-control ditches.

The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University was counting on $2 million in state funds to study the dead bodies piling up at Indian River Lagoon.

Except Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the research project in May, writing in his veto letter “While some water projects may also contribute to a statewide objective, not all projects demonstrate an ability to contribute to a statewide investment.”

Since Scott took office in 2009, his smaller government approach has slashed regulation and conservation programs, reports the Broward New Times.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/indian-river-lagoon_n_3472190

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Crisis in the Indian River Lagoon: Solutions for an Imperiled Ecosystem

 


 

There is an ecological crisis in Indian River Lagoon. Large quantities of water with high levels of nutrient pollution from Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Basin are being discharged to tide, leading to toxic algae blooms in the Lagoon’s waters. There have been numerous, mysterious reports of deaths of Pelicans, manatees, and dolphins in the area. Harmful bacteria have also been detected in some areas, making the water dangerous for human contact. 

 

A parallel story is taking place on Florida’s Southwest coast. Water from Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee Basin are being flushed into the Caloosahatchee River, and as with the Indian River Lagoon, the discharges are contributing to algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee Estuary’s ecosystem.

 

In its natural state, water in the northern Kissimmee Basin meandered south to Lake Okeechobee, flowing into Everglades National Park and eventually Florida Bay. This water had very low levels of phosphorus and nitrogen. 

 

Before human alteration to the ecosystem, the Kissimmee Valley would take six to eight months to release wet season loads into Lake Okeechobee. Now this same water drainage takes place within one month, making the Lake rise at an unnaturally rapid pace. 

 

Fertilizer and storm water add phosphorus and nitrogen to the Okeechobee watershed. The water moves so quickly that it cannot be naturally cleansed before flowing downstream. The Indian River Lagoon and the Caloosahatchee Estuary also receive local runoff, which contribute high flows of nutrient-laden water into the estuaries.  

 

Lake Okeechobee’s optimum water level for the ecosystem and for public safety is between 12.5 and 15.5 feet. Higher levels have drowned out as much as 70 square miles of plant communities, damaging foraging, breeding, and nesting habitats for iconic wildlife such as the endangered Everglade Snail Kite. 

 

In addition, the 75-year old Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding the Lake cannot tolerate very high water levels without increasing the risk of a breach. A breach of the levee would expose the nearby towns of Pahokee, South Bay, and Clewiston to dangerous flooding. The United States Army Corps of Engineers is currently repairing the levee, but completion is decades away and it is uncertain how high the water will be able to be held once repairs are complete.  

 

The danger from high water levels in the Lake is the reason for the increased mandatory releases to the coastal estuaries. The solution is to clean water and keep it in the ecosystem rather than discharging it to the coast.

 

Please use the link below to download the full fact sheet, including our nine recommendations to protect our remarkable southern estuaries.

 

https://fl.audubon.org/crisis-indian-river-lagoon-solutions-imperiled-ecosystem

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How toxic is the water's surface on Florida's Indian River lagoon?

2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-06-toxic-surface-florida-indian-river.html

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‘Forever chemicals’ lurk everywhere Florida looks for them in the Indian River Lagoon

2022

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/lagoon/2022/06/07/pfas-forever-chemicals-lurk-everywhere-florida-looks-them/7487187001/

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'Smells like raw sewage': Titusville neighbors worried about pollution, stench in parts of Indian River Lagoon

2023

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/smells-like-raw-sewage-titusville-neighbors-worried-about-pollution-stench-in-parts-of-indian-river-lagoon

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New FAU research pins Indian River Lagoon pollution problems on leaky septic tanks

2022

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/2022/01/03/fau-study-pins-indian-river-lagoon-pollution-problems-septic-tanks/9032685002/

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It Runs Downhill

A Fight to Save Florida's Indian River Lagoon

2021

As Florida’s population rises, multiple sources of pollution are threatening the manatees, pinfish, and seagrass that call North America’s most biodiverse estuary home. Researchers like Casey Craig and her team at the University of Central Florida are looking at nanoplastics in oysters and “water quality advocates” like Nyla Pipes are among those fighting to protect the precious Indian River Lagoon — before it’s too late.

https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/2021/it-runs-downhill-the-fight-to-save-floridas-indian-river-lagoon

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After a decade of intense algal blooms, the Indian River Lagoon is making fragile gains

November 12, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-11-12/after-a-decade-of-intense-algal-blooms-the-indian-river-lagoon-is-making-fragile-gains

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Florida’s Indian River Lagoon Crisis: Unveiling the Hidden Dangers of Toxic Algae Blooms

2024

 

FAU Harbor Branch scientists discover distinctive patterns of cell damage linked to toxins in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon.

 

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) in Florida, stretching 156 miles long, is bordered by five counties and contains five inlets linking it to the Atlantic Ocean. In recent times, this estuary has faced several phytoplankton bloom incidents, triggered by rising seasonal temperatures and environmental factors.

 


 

Florida’s Indian River Lagoon faces increasing phytoplankton blooms, leading to toxic conditions. A study by Florida Atlantic University revealed varying toxicity levels and the presence of both known and potentially new toxins, emphasizing the importance of monitoring for human health implications. Toxic algae blooms on the water surface.

https://scitechdaily.com/floridas-indian-river-lagoon-crisis-unveiling-the-hidden-dangers-of-toxic-algae-blooms/

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Florida health officials issue toxic algae alert for Lake Washington

March 2022

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2022/03/29/florida-department-health-issues-toxic-algae-alert-lake-washington/7194317001/

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Fertilizers and nitrate pollution of surface and ground water: an increasingly pervasive global problem

 31 March 2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452-021-04521-8

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Florida Sewage Spill and Pollution Notice Tracker

https://data.floridatoday.com/sewage-spill-pollution-notice-tracker/

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Saving our Springs: How pollution, pumping and people are destroying Florida's freshwater treasures

2022

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/florida-springs-pollution-people-pumping-destroying-freshwater/67-aeacd1ef-abb9-4994-b474-b3f8704f2df8

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Devastating Photos Of Florida Pollution Will Fill You With Rage

2013

On Thursday, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) will present shocking photos of polluted Florida waterways to Congress "so that Washington can see the pressing need to find real solutions to address this problem that has gone on for far too long."

Murphy asked his constituents to send in photos of the toxic water lapping under their boats and docks, and will present the four most jaw-dropping at his October 3 briefing, which is co-hosted by Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.).

 


                                                                                     "Taylor Creek in Fort Pierce"

 

 


                                                           "Polluted water entering the estuary at the Stuart Locks"

 

 


 

 


                                                                 "Along the St. Lucie and Hobe Sound Preserve"

 


 



https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lake-okeechobee-pollution_n_4031154


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A List of Suspected Cancer Clusters in Florida

April 14, 2020

 

https://www.advocatesvoice.com/2020/04/florida-cancer-clusters-contamination.html

 

Did you know that Florida had three confirmed disease clusters? In Loxahatchee (Acreage), they found a brain cancer cluster. In Immokalee, they found a birth-defect cluster, and in Tallevast, they found a cancer cluster. 

However, these aren't the only cancer cluster concerns. Many more were investigated throughout the state. There is a need for better documentation of disease clusters to address possible causes. Below are a few cases in the news throughout the years and some resources to begin your research. 


Azalea Neighborhood of St. Petersburg

Brevard County Health Investigations & Concerns: 

 

  • Port St. John is an unincorporated neighborhood that was investigated for having a cancer cluster and asthma issues in children before two power plants were decommissioned in the area and a new plant was built. 
  • Palm Bay's Harris Corporation is a superfund site where numerous health investigations occurred, and families brought forward health concerns, including childhood cancer.
  • Kennedy Space Center workers have brought forward health concerns regarding exposures to legacy contamination from the shuttle era. There was an ALS cluster investigation among workers at NASA. 
  • Satellite Beach High School graduates brought concerns in 2018 after learning that the air force base next door, Patrick Air Force Base, had high levels of PFAS chemicals in their wells. 56 graduates were diagnosed with rare cancers, including an Oncologist who attended the high school. The survivors and Fight For Zero pushed for a health investigation and regulations on the chemicals found in the area's groundwater. 
  • South Patrick Shores is an unincorporated neighborhood directly next to Patrick Air Force Base that had 30 cases of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the 90s. The nonprofit organization, Fight For Zero, brought forward concerns regarding buried military debris underneath homes and pushed for a Formerly Used Defense Site designation in 2019.  
  • PFAS Chemicals were detected in the City of Titusville, Melbourne, and Palm Bay drinking water by nonprofit organization Fight For Zero through professional laboratory testing. 
  • Indian River Lagoon is a national estuary of significance that has had harmful algae blooms throughout the past decade. During warmer months, chemicals used on lawns and by government agencies wash into the watershed feeding harmful algae and causing blooms. Cyanobacteria cause harmful health effects, and bacteria from sewage spills have been known to cause severe infections such as MRSA. 

Brevard County, Florida | Patrick Air Force Base + Space Industry

Manatee County, Florida | Bayshore High School Cluster

Orange County, Florida | Avalon Park OUC Plant


Orange County, Florida | Lake Apopka Cancer Cluster


Miami-Dade, Florida | Childhood Cancer Clusters


Florida Blue-Green Algae and Disease


 

St. Lucie County, Florida | Brain Cancer Cluster


St. Lucie Cancer Cluster History


Palm Beach County, Florida | The Acreage

 

 Polk County, Florida | Phosphate Mining


Other Florida areas of concern for environmental health impacts: 
  • Jacksonville Florida
  • Eglin Air Force Base
  • Union County, Florida (highest rates of cancer)

Other Disease Cluster Information in Florida

 

 

Water Quality and Contamination Issues in Florida


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Counties with the highest cancer rates in Florida


July 12, 2023

https://stacker.com/florida/counties-highest-cancer-rates-florida

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Florida Environment’s Hidden Menace: Toxic Chemical Pollution

JAN. 28, 1996

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-01-28-mn-29571-story.html

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Inorganic Contaminants

https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/inorganic-contaminants

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Nearly Half of U.S. Refineries Releasing Benzene at Levels That Could Pose a Long-Term Health Threat

May 12, 2022

Washington, D.C. – Air pollution monitors at the fencelines of U.S. oil refineries found that nearly half of them last year were releasing benzene at levels that could pose a long-term health threat to surrounding communities, according to industry data compiled by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP).

Benzene, a gaseous compound that evaporates from gasoline and other petroleum products, is known to cause a variety of health problems that include anemia, nervous system damage, suppression of immune systems, and leukemia.

https://environmentalintegrity.org/news/nearly-half-of-u-s-refineries-releasing-benzene-at-levels-that-could-pose-a-long-term-health-threat/

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Section 12: Fracking


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Should Florida ‘frack’ its limestone for oil and gas? Two geophysicists weigh in

2016

https://news.ufl.edu/articles/2016/05/should-florida-frack-its-limestone-for-oil-and-gas-two-geophysicists-weigh-in.html

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Fracking in Florida

https://ballotpedia.org/Fracking_in_Florida

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Fracking Florida

 

Fracking Florida  is a website created by the Florida-based non-profit environmental policy and human rights organization, The Center for Human Rights and Environment, and is devoted to promote the exchange of information about the social and environmental implications of bringing hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activity to the State of Florida.

Because Florida is a State where oil and gas has been extracted successfully in the past, it is likely that oil and gas companies will try to bring hydraulic fracturing to the State, in fact, they already have.

Through the dissemination of information it is our intention to inform Florida residents of the risks  and impacts posed by hydraulic fracturing operations with the ultimate goal of protecting Florida’s natural resources and delicate ecological systems, and guaranteeing the health and safety of Florida residents.

Where would you get Fracked? Below is a map (source: Florida Department of Environment) of where the oil and gas industry has sought to extract fossil fuels in the State. While not all of these sites produced oil or gas, with hydraulic fracturing technologies, some of these may now be able to produce fossil fuel … any one of these places is a potential site for fracking exploration and possibly, if shale gas and oil were found at those site, for fracking. The most likely places where fracking would initially get underway are those places where there has been oil or gas extraction in the past, including for example, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Collier, Lee, Hendry, and Lee counties. But even if you happen to live near a county line to one of these counties, and there is an oil or gas deposit nearby in one of these neighboring counties, through the extension of horizontal drilling techniques which can explore for miles underground in horizontal directions and due to the typical impacts of fracking could easily affect your area, and that might include Miami-Dade, Broward, Glades, Okaloosa, and others. Those are the “most likely” and immediate scenarios for fracking explorations.

The conclusion is, no matter where you live in Florida, there is a potential for the oil and gas industry to at the very least, test the waters for potential of non-conventional oil and gas. If you hear about Florida Fracking possibly coming your way, and you’re concerned that this activity might impact you, get engaged, talk to your local city council members, write to your Legislative Representatives and make sure your voice is heard.

You can find information on this website to inform yourself about the likely impacts of hydraulic fracturing if it were to come to Florida.

 

 


 

 

https://frackingflorida.org/about/


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Fracking in Florida: What To Know


2020

https://ideasforus.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-fracking-in-florida/


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Unlikely Battle Over Fracking Intensifies in Florida

2016

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/24/us/in-florida-an-unlikely-battle-over-fracking-intensifies.html

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DeSantis takes early steps to stop fracking, but progress stalls in state Legislature

2022

https://www.politifact.com/florida/promises/desant-o-meter/promise/1498/ban-fracking/


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South Florida’s Dirty Secret Is Oil

March 18, 2021

https://www.nrdc.org/bio/alison-kelly/south-floridas-dirty-secret-oil

“Paradise Coast” is how the tourism industry often refers to the Everglades, Naples, and Marco Island parts of south Florida. As many city dwellers flee states with cold winters and expensive costs of living looking to quarantine in this paradise, there is a dirty little secret lurking in the Florida swamp—impending oil development.

Many new residents and tourists come to Florida to experience the state’s natural wonders like Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. They come to hike, view wildlife, kayak, boat, and fish. What they don’t know is that beneath many of these public lands in Florida, including Big Cypress, there is oil—and it’s privately owned.

Much (but not all) of this oil is owned by corporations run by the politically powerful Collier family, after whom Collier County is named. Collier-related corporations also engage in real estate development, including a new 45,000-acre town, in endangered Florida panther habitat. The Intercept has recently reported on the Collier entities’ development of endangered species’ habitats. And the Colliers have also set their sights on accessing Florida panther habitat in Big Cypress in a continued quest for oil.

Although there are two legacy oil drilling sites in Big Cypress National Preserve—Bear Island and Raccoon Point—the Colliers’ lessee, Burnett Oil Company, wants to expand oil drilling at Raccoon Point and develop another entirely new area of the Preserve, consisting of wetlands and namesake cypress trees.

The U.S. Government Tried to Buy Out the Colliers’ Mineral Rights Under Big Cypress

Big Cypress National Preserve is a “split estate” where the federal government owns the surface of the preserve and private entities, including Collier entities, own the oil and gas beneath the surface. In the early 2000s, under President George W. Bush and his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, there was an attempt to strike a deal to buy mineral rights from the Collier entities for Big Cypress, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. The deal fell through after a Department of Interior whistleblower raised concerns that the agency overvalued the mineral rights and did not follow applicable agency rules. The complaint was referred to the Interior’s Office of Inspector General, which produced a report raising several claims.

Interior’s Inspector General found Collier entities only own around two-thirds of the private mineral rights yet the deal contemplated compensation for 100%. Even more concerning is the report’s finding that Collier entities may have already been compensated in previous transactions for some or all of the mineral interests that they sought compensation for in the early 2000s. Given all the uncertainties in valuing the oil and gas rights, the Inspector General recommended that, should Interior consider acquiring Big Cypress’s private mineral interests again, the Department consider condemnation. That’s what the enabling legislation, establishing the Preserve as a National Park Unit, contemplated.

Since the federal government failed to buy out private oil and gas rights beneath Big Cypress, there has been no action on the Inspector General’s claims. This is a big deal because, generally, when oil companies want to extract oil and gas from public lands and waters, they enter into lease agreements with the federal government and pay certain fees and royalties on the fossil fuels they extract. In the case of federally owned oil and gas, the U.S. taxpayers collect a share of the profits based on the value or volume of the oil and gas extracted.

But in the case of Big Cypress, the Collier entities’ lessee, Burnett Oil Company, only had to obtain an access permit from the National Park Service (in addition to state-issued permits) to hunt for oil in the Preserve, which it did in 2017 and 2018, as we previously reported. In order to drill, Burnett Oil Company must apply for an operations permit from the National Park Service, but since the mineral rights are privately held and below the surface, it needs no lease with the federal government. In short: because Collier’s mineral rights are private, neither the federal government nor the taxpayer will receive any royalties from oil extracted in Big Cypress.

And Collier entities have begun a lobbying effort to try to make sure they are compensated if state or local governments try to impact their efforts to drill for oil. As recently reported, a registered lobbyist for certain Collier companies drafted proposed bill language and sent it to Florida Senator Ray Rodrigues, for what became proposed Senate Bill 1380 "Relief From Burdens on Real Property Rights.” If this bill passes, it will amend the “Bert J. Harris, Jr., Private Property Rights Protection Act” in Section 70.001 of the Florida Statutes. The existing law created “a separate and distinct cause of action from the law of takings, the Legislature herein provides for relief, or payment of compensation, when a new law, rule, regulation, or ordinance of the state or a political entity in the state, as applied, unfairly affects real property.” Senator Rodrigues’ proposed amendment would ensure that the law applies to privately held oil and gas.

There are other bills pending in the 2021 Florida Legislative Session, such as Senate Bill 722, which would prohibit the Florida Department of Environmental Protection from granting permits for the drilling of wells for oil or gas within the Everglades Protection Area. But this area does not include Big Cypress National Preserve. Florida minority Democratic Leader Senator Gary Farmer has introduced Senate Bill 546—“Stop Fracking Act"—that would prohibit “extreme well stimulation,” including certain types of fracking and acidizing. The senator also opposes oil drilling in Big Cypress.

Burnett Oil Company Seeks Federal Water Permits to Facilitate Oil Drilling

Burnett Oil Company must have liked the results of its damaging oil exploration activities in the Preserve because it has applied for permits to fill in wetlands to build new oil drilling well pads and access roads. It is seeking these permits under Florida’s Section 404 Clean Water Act permitting program. Note that in the eleventh hour of the Trump Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency approved the state of Florida’s application to assume this permitting program. There is federal court litigation challenging that move, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida has raised serious concerns about the state’s takeover of this permitting program. The tribe indicated that it also plans to submit comments on Burnett Oil’s new development proposal. There are hundreds of known cultural and archaeological resources located in the Preserve and one of Burnett Oil’s proposed new well pads is located adjacent to a Miccosukee reservation.

According to Collier Resources Company, the National Park Service allows oil exploration and development “as long as the activities comply with strict environmental protection measures.” However, state and federal government permitting requirements for the oil exploration so far have failed to prevent extensive damage and these permits are not being “strictly” enforced.

Here’s an example: other permittees in Florida proposing to impact wetlands must provide compensatory mitigation. They have to assess ecological functions provided by wetlands and other surface waters using a standard procedure called the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM), calculate the amount those functions are reduced by a proposed impact, and the amount of mitigation they would need to do to offset that loss. State regulators usually require mitigation plans in advance of any impacts to wetlands. But when Burnett Oil conducted seismic testing in Big Cypress, it was not required to provide compensatory mitigation before driving 33-ton vehicles off-road through Preserve wetlands to hunt for oil. Indeed, four years after Burnett began exploring for oil in big Cypress, the company has not completed compensatory mitigation for its wetland damage in Big Cypress using Florida’s Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method.

Now Burnett Oil Company is proposing the same mitigation approach for oil development in its state Section 404 Clean Water Act application. And why not? Wetland mitigation requires time and money, and, thus far, the oil company is not being required to prove it can compensate for the loss of wetland functions under UMAM.
The Biden-Harris Administration Should Review, and if Necessary, Halt, Burnett Oil’s Drilling Plans

Despite the damage Burnett Oil caused in its first phase of exploration and its failure to complete mitigation for that harm to wetlands, the National Park Service Big Cypress National Preserve Superintendent said we can anticipate public release of Burnett Oil’s operations permit application to drill for oil in Big Cypress in late April or early May 2021.

This rush to process permit applications to accommodate oil drilling in the early days of the Biden-Harris Administration could jeopardize its comprehensive review and reconsideration of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices, including potential climate and other impacts associated with oil and gas activities. The Administration is also working on strengthening Tribal consultation and Nation-to-Nation relationships, and, therefore, the concerns expressed by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida must be heard and addressed. NRDC submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the National Park Service during the Trump Administration, seeking information on Burnett Oil’s first phase of exploration and legacy oil drilling in the Preserve to better understand the impacts. The National Park Service should fulfill those requests.

The National Park Service should not permit new oil drilling in Big Cypress National Preserve  “[i]n order to assure the preservation, conservation, and protection of the natural, scenic, hydrologic, floral and faunal, and recreational values of the Big Cypress Watershed . . . and to provide for the enhancement and public enjoyment thereof” as contemplated by Congress in the Preserve’s enabling act. At a minimum, it should pause decisions until after:

    The Biden-Harris Administration completes a comprehensive review of the Federal oil and gas program;
    The Department of the Interior initiates an investigation to follow up on the claims made by its Office of Inspector General regarding the possible prior purchase of private mineral rights beneath Big Cypress;
    The National Park Service fulfills outstanding FOIA requests regarding past and present oil exploration and development in Big Cypress;
    The National Park Service engages in meaningful government-to-government Tribal consultation;
    The National Park Service prepares a detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) to analyze the impacts of oil drilling and to consider alternatives to drilling, such as purchasing private mineral rights; and
    The National Park Service initiates formal consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on impacts from oil drilling on endangered species and their critical habitats, such as the Florida panther, Florida bonneted bat, and the Everglade snail kite.

Further, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection should not authorize additional wetland impacts or oil drilling in Big Cypress, particularly in light of the damage Burnett Oil Company caused during its first exploratory phase. After all, state and federal agencies are already spending billions of dollars to restore the Everglades and Big Cypress provides over 40 percent of water to Everglades National Park. So, is it wise to industrialize this region to accommodate more oil extraction?

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Secretary, Nikki Fried, who is a member of Florida Governor DeSantis’ cabinet, opposes oil drilling in Big Cypress. It is unclear why the Florida Department of Environmental Protection would permit new drilling in Big Cypress in light of Governor DeSantis’ prior efforts to protect other parts of the Everglades from oil development.

New oil development will jeopardize Floridians way of life and tourism dollars—adverse impacts could include truck traffic, pipelines and compressor stations, risks of leaks and spills and related surface and ground water contamination, air emissions and related impacts to human health and the climate, noise, lighting, compromised viewsheds, and impacts to cultural and natural resources and wildlife habitats.

We need state and federal agencies to help preserve what’s left of Florida’s paradise.

You can take action here.


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Mineral Holdings & Oil Fields

http://www.collierresources.com/mineral-holdings-oil-fields


Collier Resources Company (CRC) manages more than 800,000 acres of minerals throughout Collier, Lee and Hendry Counties, leasing mineral rights and monitoring oil exploration, development and production at three oil fields – Raccoon Point, Bear Island and Sunniland Field. CRC is also actively engaged in further exploring its mineral assets.

Sunniland


Field

When oil was needed to power the war effort during World War II, the federal government created incentives to locate and drill for oil in Florida. Humble Oil Company, known today as ExxonMobil, made the first discovery on Collier minerals at Sunniland Field just south of Immokalee in 1943. It was the beginning of oil exploration and development in Florida, and since that time, the Sunniland Field has produced more than 13 million barrels of oil and continues to produce oil today.

Bear
Island

Partially located in the Big Cypress National Preserve, oil was discovered in Bear Island in 1972, prior to the establishment of the preserve, and production began just a year later. This oil field has yielded nearly 13 million barrels of oil since then and continues to produce oil today.

Raccoon
Point

Oil at Raccoon Point field was first discovered by ExxonMobil in 1978 and production began in 1981. The field is located in the Big Cypress National Preserve near the Collier-Dade County line and produces approximately 1,950 barrels of oil per day. The field has produced more than 18 million barrels of oil to date, with a recent increase in production with the addition of a new horizontal well. The field was expanded in 1992 as a result of a 3-D seismic survey.


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Pick Your Poison: The Fracking Industry's Wastewater Injection Well Problem

Nov 19, 2018

https://www.desmog.com/2018/11/19/fracking-oil-gas-wastewater-injection-wells-earthquakes-aquifer-pollution/

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680,000 wells hold waste across US -- with unknown risks

June 21, 2012

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/680-000-wells-hold-waste-across-us-unknown-risks-flna839760

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Report Criticizes EPA Oversight of Injection Wells

July 29, 2014

The Government Accountability Office says environmental regulators are failing to adequately enforce rules for wells used to dispose of toxic waste from drilling.

https://www.propublica.org/article/report-criticizes-epa-oversight-of-injection-wells


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Injection Wells Used to Dispose of Hazardous Waste in Florida

August 04, 2019

Hazardous Waste and Injection Wells

Hazardous waste is a significant source of water pollution, including dangerous chemicals harmful to people and the environment. Hazardous materials may cause severe health and safety problems if not handled correctly. Waste sources include dangerous byproduct materials generated by factories, farms, and construction sites. According to a report released on March 29, 2018, by the Environment Florida Research and Policy Center, industrial facilities dumped 270 times the allowed amount into Florida's waters. The tenth-worst total in the nation.

According to the Florida Department of Protection, over 2,100 permitted industrial wastewater facilities are in Florida. Many industrial facilities use freshwater to carry away waste into waterways. Wastewater is water that has been harmfully affected by outside influence and flows from an open drain. For instance, power plants are near bodies of water and discharge a significant level of metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and chromium into the water. Typical industrial waste could include PCE (perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene), asbestos, lead, mercury, nitrates, phosphates, sulfur, oils, and petrochemicals. This water ends up in an environment much more harmful to humans than irrigation water.

Since the 1960s, deep injection wells (DJW) have been used to protect the aquifer in Florida. The injection wells dispose of hazardous liquid by injecting it underground. These wells use a high-pressure pump to force toxic waste down a pipeline into the deep earth. However, waste fluids can migrate to the surface through abandoned groundwater wells. Injection wells are an invisible dumping ground for polluters. Florida has minimal enforcement and weak protections when it comes to hazardous waste. Polluters are not being held accountable for dumping chemicals that threaten our health and environment.

https://www.advocatesvoice.com/2020/07/RCRA.html

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St. Pete proposes deep-injection wells as fix for sewage problems

January 11, 2017

https://www.fox13news.com/news/st-pete-proposes-deep-injection-wells-as-fix-for-sewage-problems

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A deep well injection could herald the end of spills from the Piney Point phosphate plant

April 19, 2023

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2023-04-19/a-deep-well-injection-could-herald-the-end-of-spills-from-the-piney-point-phosphate-plant

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Injection Wells Explained, As Manatee County Approves Use At Piney Point

April 20, 2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-04-20/injection-wells-explained-as-manatee-county-approves-use-at-piney-point

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Injection Wells May Not Be As Safe As Previously Thought

Jun 21, 2012

Injection Wells: The Poison Beneath Us

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/injection-wells-safety-mistaken_n_1617086

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“They’re a Bunch of Liars” – Records Expose Lies About Injection Well Safety

October 27, 2022

https://publicherald.org/theyre-a-bunch-of-liars-records-expose-lies-about-injection-well-safety/



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Injection Wells: The Poison Beneath Us

Lax oversight, uncertain science plague program under which industries dump trillions of gallons of waste underground

June 21, 2012

https://www.propublica.org/article/injection-wells-the-poison-beneath-us

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The Toxic Legacy of Waste Injection Wells

Jul 05, 2013

Early scientific analysis predicted that the risks associated with hazardous waste injection wells would be negligible. Unfortunately, experience has indicated that disposing of hazardous waste deep underground has been linked to water contamination, destroyed ecosystems, toxic leaks and earthquakes.

 




https://www.ecowatch.com/the-toxic-legacy-of-waste-injection-wells-1881772695.html

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Well Delineated Contamination Areas

https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/drinking-water/Delineated-Contamination-Areas.html

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Proper Deep-Well Waste Disposal for Water Resources Protection

11 August 2016

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-26800-2_3

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Class VI - Wells used for Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide

https://www.epa.gov/uic/class-vi-wells-used-geologic-sequestration-carbon-dioxide

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Deepest Well Project In Florida History

February 13, 2015

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Imagine a 10,000-foot deep injection. Queasy yet?

Don't worry, that's not the next painful vaccine shot. Instead, that's the depth the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) is going for the state's record well project.

"WASD has recently begun drilling the largest deep injection well in the State of Florida, possibly the country for a water resource purpose at our Central District Waste Water Treatment Plant (CDWWTP)," said WASD Director Lester Sola. "We will be drilling to a depth of 10,000 feet and as a result needed a special drill to be built to accommodate this project."

The purpose of the deep injection well is to comply with future state laws that will prohibit the disposal of treated wastewater into the ocean by 2025. The new disposal method at CDWWTP has already been successfully implemented at the South District Waste Water Treatment Plant.

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/deepest-well-project-in-florida-history/

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Improperly Constructed Wells

Several problems associated with improperly constructed wells can result in groundwater contamination from the introduction of contaminated surface or groundwater. Types of wells that are a source of potential groundwater contamination include:

    Sumps and dry wells, which collect stormwater runoff and spilled liquids and are used for disposal. These wells sometimes contain contaminants such as used oil and antifreeze that may discharge into water supply areas.
    Drainage wells, which are used in wet areas to remove some of the water and transport it to deeper soils. These wells may contain agricultural chemicals and bacteria (U.S. EPA, 1990a).
    Injection wells, which are commonly used to dispose of hazardous and non-hazardous industrial wastes. These wells can range from a depth of several hundred to several thousand feet. If properly designed and used, these wells can effectively dispose of wastes. But undesirable wastes can be introduced into groundwater from injection wells when the well is located directly in an aquifer, or if leakage of contaminants occurs from the well head or casing or through fractures in the surrounding rock formations (U.S. EPA, 1990a).
    Improperly abandoned wells act as a conduit through which contaminants can reach an aquifer if the well casing has been removed, as is often done, or if the casing is corroded. In addition, some people use abandoned wells to dispose of wastes such as used motor oil. These wells may reach into an aquifer that serves drinking water supply wells. Abandoned exploratory wells (e.g., for gas, oil, coal) or test hole wells are usually uncovered and are a potential conduit for contaminants.
    Active drinking water supply wells that are poorly constructed can result in groundwater contamination. Construction problems, such as faulty casings, inadequate covers or lack of concrete pads, allow outside water and any accompanying contaminants to flow into the well. Sources of such contamination can be surface runoff or wastes from farm animals or septic systems. Contaminated fill packed around a well can also degrade well water quality. Well construction problems are more likely to occur in older wells that were in place prior to the establishment of well construction standards and in domestic and livestock wells.
    Poorly constructed irrigation wells also can allow contaminants to enter groundwater. Often pesticides and fertilizers are applied in the immediate vicinity of wells on agricultural land.

https://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wc/Subjects/SrceProt/SourcewaterProtectionTraining/basics/2.2.12.htm

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Private Wells 101: Bacterial Contamination and Shock Chlorination


https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS700

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Health Effects & Standards for Microbiological Contaminants


Surface Water Treatment Technique Microbiological Contaminants

https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/microbiological-contaminants


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Florida Keys city to replace sewage wells following research findings

December 19, 2023

The Marathon City Council says it will end the use of shallow sewage wells, a move that could drastically reduce the pervasive pharmaceutical contamination in local fish populations uncovered by FIU scientists.

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-florida-keys-city-sewage-wells.html

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Many Floridians with private wells don’t know how to take care of them

November 21, 2023

https://www.wmfe.org/environment/2023-11-21/many-floridians-with-private-wells-dont-know-how-take-care-of-them

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Rockefeller scion warns of deteriorating ocean conditions during Palm Beach lecture

March 1, 2024

https://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/story/news/local/2024/03/01/climate-change-will-harm-floridas-waters-says-rockefeller-scion/72772140007/


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Section 13: Everglades



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Restoration Successes in America’s Everglades

August 24, 2023 

 

A River of Grass:

 

America’s Everglades is called the “river of grass” for a reason. The slow-moving, rain-fed sheet of water that is the Everglades once covered roughly 11,000 square miles, with source waters stemming from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and flowing into Lake Okeechobee in the center of the state. From Lake Okeechobee, water historically flowed slowly south through what is now Everglades National Park and into Florida Bay and the Florida Keys, as well as to estuaries on the east and west coasts. 

 

This created a unique patchwork of mangrove forests, sawgrass meadows, estuaries, continuous seagrass meadows, and some of the oldest cypress trees in the world. In fact, it is the only place in the world where the American alligator and crocodile coexist in the wild.

 

 


Toxic blue-green algae coats the waters of a canal off Florida’s Caloosahatchee River. In 2016, harmful algae put St. Lucie and Martin counties under a 242-day state of emergency.

https://blog.nwf.org/2023/06/restoration-successes-in-americas-everglades/

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Restoration of the Everglades

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restoration_of_the_Everglades

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Everglades Restoration

https://www.everglades.org/the-everglades-handbook/section-4-environmental-impacts/solving-deterioration/

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Everglades

 

 The Everglades is a natural region of flooded grasslands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. The Everglades experiences a wide range of weather patterns, from frequent flooding in the wet season to drought in the dry season. Throughout the 20th century, the Everglades suffered significant loss of habitat and environmental degradation...

 

 

                                         A satellite image of the Everglades, taken in March 2019




                                Limestone formations in South Florida. Source: U.S. Geological Survey


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everglades

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Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (BBSEER) Project

https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/BBSEER/

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‘River of Grass’: Inside the quest to restore the Everglades

2022

https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2022/0616/River-of-Grass-Inside-the-quest-to-restore-the-Everglades

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Science academy: Everglades restoration won't fix water quality in Caloosahatchee, estuary

2021

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/2021/04/04/everglades-report-focuses-water-quality-issues/7058820002/

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Restoring Florida Everglades Depends Upon Fixing State’s Freshwater Flow, Conservationists Say

February 9, 2024

https://www.ecowatch.com/florida-everglades-restoration-freshwater-conservation.html


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A freshwater, saltwater tug-of-war is eating away at the Everglades

2018

 


 



Scientists wrestle with how to fight the effects of sea level rise and years of redirecting freshwater flow

 


 

TOXIC LAKE: Fertilizer-laden runoff from farms and urban areas caused a months-long harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee in 2016.

 

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/florida-everglades-freshwater-saltwater-sea-level-rise

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How NASA spotted El Niño changing the saltiness of coastal waters

April 3, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-nasa-el-nio-saltiness-coastal.html

 

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How Are the Saline Glades Changing?

Changes in plant communities in the park are not limited to Cape Sable. Paralleling the shoreline in extreme southeastern Florida is a clearly distinct vegetation community known locally as the saline glades, a long, linear zone of sparsely vegetated marsh, much of which occurs within Everglades National Park. Because this area receives little freshwater flow and lies just out of reach of the tides, it is unfavorable to the growth of most inland and coastal plant species8. The zone is best characterized by the few plants species that can survive there: stunted red mangroves, sawgrass, and spike rush.

Over the past 50 years, the coastal vegetation of red mangroves has expanded its range inland (more than 1 km in some areas) and has displaced other freshwater species8. The red mangroves are able to grow farther inland because the exchange of fresh and saline water in the marsh has been influenced by roads, canals, and sea-level rise. Roads block the flow of fresh water from the north into the saline glades and canals reroute fresh water away from the area8. Storm surge and overwash from extreme high tides deposit salt into the soils, making the area inhospitable to freshwater species, and rising seas have helped extend this reach farther inland. This increasingly salty environment makes it easier for saline species to grow and reduces the overall area of freshwater marsh8. Increased sea levels have also brought similar changes elsewhere in south Florida.

https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/cceffectssalineglades.htm

______________



What's Happening to Cape Sable?

One of the most drastic landscape changes in Everglades National Park, and one that is complicated by sea-level rise and inland effects, is seen in the Cape Sable area. Cape Sable is a large coastal landmass located at the southwestern tip of Florida that was once characterized by an expansive interior freshwater marsh with associated freshwater lakes. In the early 1900s, settlers determined to use the area for agriculture began draining the freshwater out to the ocean so the land could dry7. However, the canals they built -- coupled with the effects of hurricanes and the manipulation of water farther north -- transformed Cape Sable, and much of this alteration has been aggravated by climate change.

Scientists have used geological clues found in the landscape to estimate historic sea levels long before humans had the instruments to do so. This analysis shows that sea-level rise in south Florida was relatively slow over the past 3,200 years7; however, modern instrumentation has recorded an accelerated rate of rise over the past century, which has had visible impacts on Cape Sable. The canals are now a pathway for salty ocean water and sediments to travel inland, especially during high tides or with the help of strong wind and surge from tropical storms7. In recent years, the interior freshwater marsh has disappeared almost entirely, and nearby lakes have filled almost completely with marine sediments. Changes along Cape Sable also have implications for the mangrove trees that live at the waters edge. In response to rising seas and increased flooding, the trees have been moving inland as the habitat becomes more suitable. And along the coast, high tides and storm surges have helped wash sediments away from their roots and have contributed to erosion along Cape Sable7. While many wonder whether coastal plants and mangrove forests will be able to keep pace with sea-level rise, others are beginning to notice similar changes further inland.

https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/cceffectscapesable.htm


______________


Water level and surface salinity trends in the Everglades freshwater-saline ecotone

September 2022

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363855738_Water_level_and_surface_salinity_trends_in_the_Everglades_freshwater-saline_ecotone

______________

 

A novel approach for removing microplastics from water

September 12, 2023

Texas A&M AgriLife study shows fungal isolates can remediate potentially harmful microplastics in aqueous environment

https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2023/09/12/a-novel-approach-for-removing-microplastics-from-water/ 


______________


Saltwater Intrusion, a “Slow Poison” to East Coast Drinking Water

August 2, 2022

https://www.circleofblue.org/2022/world/saltwater-intrusion-a-slow-poison-to-east-coast-drinking-water/

______________


Tell Me About: Saltwater Intrusion in Florida

Nov 4, 2021

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/tell-me-about-saltwater-intrusion-in-florida/

______________



Threat from below: Sea rise is pushing up groundwater

March 6, 2023

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article257091902.html

______________


What are spring and neap tides?

A spring tide—popularly known as a "King Tide"—refers to the 'springing forth' of the tide during new and full moon.

A neap tide—seven days after a spring tide—refers to a period of moderate tides when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/springtide.html

______________


What is a perigean spring tide?

A perigean spring tide occurs when the moon is either new or full and closest to Earth.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/perigean-spring-tide.html

______________


FLOODING FARMS? Everglades Project worries some Clewiston ranchers

 Mar 14, 2024

Local rancher voices worries over potential flooding and land use impacts of a $3.4 billion environmental project

https://www.fox4now.com/clewiston/flooding-farms-everglades-project-sparks-concern-among-some-clewiston-ranchers

______________


Rubio, Florida lawmakers ask Biden for $725 million for Everglades restoration

March 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rubio-florida-lawmakers-ask-biden-for-725-million-for-everglades-restoration/ar-BB1jsoyV

______________


DeSantis announces $13 million in grants for water quality in Hernando

Nov 9, 2021

https://www.suncoastnews.com/news/desantis-announces-13-million-in-grants-for-water-quality-in-hernando/article_8a392dd2-4185-11ec-842d-6fc36e3ef18f.html

______________


DeSantis unveils $53 million for Indian River Lagoon cleanup, septic tank elimination

2021

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2021/09/24/desantis-unveils-millions-indian-river-lagoon-cleanup-money/5846024001/

______________


DeSantis is spending heavily on water-quality improvements throughout Florida

January 16, 2024

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2024-01-16/desantis-spending-water-quality-improvements-algae-bloom-florida

______________


DeSantis signs sweeping new environmental law for cleaner water

2020

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/environment/2020/07/01/desantis-signs-sweeping-new-environmental-law-for-cleaner-water/41714235/

______________


Counties set aside millions to protect Sarasota Bay

November 14, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-11-14/counties-aside-millions-protect-sarasota-bay

______________


Did Florida lawmakers move to protect water quality? Here’s what passed and failed

2023

https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article274488696.html

______________


Plan underway to protect Florida's springs

2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8TgZEP5vus

______________


Lake County experts work to restore water quality at area lakes

Jun. 07, 2022

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/06/07/lake-county-works-to-restore-impaired-lakes

______________


$57 million budgeted to protect Florida’s springs

2023

https://www.wcjb.com/2023/11/16/over-57-million-budgeted-protect-floridas-springs/

______________


DEP’s language for protecting Florida springs copies what doesn’t work

March 24, 2022

After repeated delays, agency fails to follow what the law requires

https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/03/24/deps-language-for-protecting-florida-springs-copies-what-doesnt-work/

______________


EPA: Florida must change water quality standards to protect citizens' health

Dec 5 2022

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/12/05/epa-florida-runs-afoul-of-clean-water-act-must-update-water-standards/69699997007/

______________


Appeal court says state must do more to clean Florida’s polluted springs

February 15, 2023

"This allows us to hold polluters accountable," Ryan Smart of the Florida Springs Council said after Wednesday's ruling.

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/appeals-court-floridas-polluted-springs/67-b5c1063c-15bd-4d25-9ead-26059389b973

______________


New study of Florida pollution just an expensive way to delay cleanup

March 21, 2024

The Legislature wants to spend $25M to find out something we already know

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/03/21/new-study-of-florida-pollution-just-an-expensive-way-to-delay-cleanup/

______________


A look at the Florida Legislature’s spending plan: From bears to water quality

March 12, 2024

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/12/a-look-at-the-florida-legislatures-spending-plan-from-bears-to-water-quality/

______________



Origin and development of true karst valleys in response to late Holocene sea‐level change, the Transverse Glades of southeast Florida, USA

2019

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/dep2.84

______________


'Bypass surgery for the Everglades': Scientists detail latest on restoration efforts

March 11, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-bypass-surgery-everglades-scientists-latest.html

______________


Climate Change Forces a Rethinking of Mammoth Everglades Restoration Plan

2023

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09052023/climate-change-florida-everglades-restoration-plan/

______________


Industrious beavers, flooding causing headaches for Regatta Bay residents

Oct 19, 2021

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/local/2021/10/19/beavers-blamed-flooding-problems-destin-florida-regatta-bay-neighborhood/8471229002/

______________


Wildcat Wells in Florida’s Big Cypress Preserve Bring New and Unstudied Risks

2014

Regulatory agencies aren't carefully assessing the impact of ramped up oil and gas exploration in southwest Florida, say critics

https://earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/wildcat_wells_in_floridas_big_cypress_preserve_bring_new_and_unstudied_risk/

______________


Army Corps Finds Significant Damage in Big Cypress National Preserve After NPS Green Lights Oil and Gas Exploration

Mar 11, 2020

https://www.npca.org/articles/2486-army-corps-finds-significant-damage-in-big-cypress-national-preserve-after

______________


New Report Examines Repercussions, Damage from Oil and Gas Testing in Big Cypress National Preserve

Nov 7, 2023

https://www.npca.org/articles/3609-new-report-examines-repercussions-damage-from-oil-and-gas-testing-in-big


______________


Burnett Oil Seeking to Drill in Big Cypress National Preserve, Part of America’s Everglades

2021

https://www.npca.org/articles/2802-burnett-oil-seeking-to-drill-in-big-cypress-national-preserve-part-of


______________


Oil drilling in Big Cypress National Reserve? Not if we can stop it | Opinion

February 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/oil-drilling-in-big-cypress-national-reserve-not-if-we-can-stop-it-opinion/ar-AA1n2YWZ


______________


Where have all the big cypress gone?

2022

https://floridanationalparks.org/where-have-all-the-big-cypress-gone/


______________


Coalition Comments On Big Cypress National Preserve Supplemental Draft Backcountry Access Plan, Wilderness Study, and Environmental Impact Statement

2022

https://protectnps.org/2022/09/20/coalition-comments-on-big-cypress-national-preserve-supplemental-draft-backcountry-access-plan-wilderness-study-and-environmental-impact-statement/

______________


Sea-Level Rise Might Kill Big Cypress Preserve's Namesake Trees, Study Warns

2018

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/sea-level-rise-threatens-big-cypress-trees-fiu-study-warns-10655103

______________


Methane Gas Ebullition Dynamics From Different Subtropical Wetland Vegetation Communities in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida Are Revealed Using a Multi-Method, Multi-Scale Approach

2023

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023JG007795

______________


Cypress Camp Trail fire in Collier expands to nearly 6,700 acres; reported burning close to I-75

April 7, 2023

https://news.wgcu.org/section/environment/2023-04-06/cypress-trail-fire-in-collier-county-expands-to-over-4-500-acres-reported-burning-close-to-i-75

______________


Why are Collier County skies so smoky?

February 23, 2024

https://winknews.com/2024/02/23/smoky-skies-collier-county-prescribed-burn/


______________


The Troubling Impacts of Florida’s Piney Point Pollution


2021

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2021/08/02/floridas-piney-point-pollution/


______________


Babcock Ranch Problems: Unveiling the Challenges Faced by a Growing Community

2023

https://www.animascorp.com/babcock-ranch-problems/

______________


Florida Keys' Record-high Water Temperatures Would Spell Disaster for Florida Bay Seagrasses Without Fresh Water Delivered Through Everglades Restoration

July 27, 2023

Audubon Florida's long-term monitoring shows the significance of this event and the saving grace of restoration projects already in place.

https://fl.audubon.org/news/florida-keys-record-high-water-temperatures-would-spell-disaster-florida-bay-seagrasses-without



______________


Mercury Air Pollution Hotspots Remain a Problem

June 8, 2023

https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/mercury-air-pollution-hotspots-remain-a-problem-374415


______________


EPA Says Limiting Mercury Pollution From Power Plants Is No Longer ‘Appropriate and Necessary’

2019

To justify its position, the agency is choosing to blatantly disregard the health impact to humans and wildlife, critics warn.

https://www.audubon.org/news/epa-says-limiting-mercury-pollution-power-plants-no-longer-appropriate-and


______________


How Mercury Pollution Affects Our Oceans and Fish

October 17, 2019

https://environment.co/mercury-pollution-in-fish/

______________


Toxic mercury pollution found in the ocean’s deepest point

2020

Two independent teams of scientists have found methylmercury in fish and crustaceans captured in the 11,000-metre-deep Mariana Trench.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/toxic-mercury-pollution-found-in-the-oceans-deepest-point


______________


Humans have tripled mercury levels in upper ocean

06 August 2014

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2014.15680

______________


Global deforestation leads to more mercury pollution, finds study

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-global-deforestation-mercury-pollution.html

______________


Lethal mercury in the Everglades exceeds EPA standards

February 5, 2020

https://caplinnews.fiu.edu/mercury-in-the-everglades-lethal-and-increasing/

______________


Mercury Water Pollution in the Everglades: A Decades-long Concern

August 12, 2020

https://savethewater.org/mercury-water-pollution-in-the-everglades/


______________


Challenges and opportunities for managing aquatic mercury pollution in altered landscapes


2018

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-017-1006-7

_____________


Mercury in Stream Ecosystems—New Studies Initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey

2003

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-016-03/

____________


Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Environments

November 13, 2018

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/mercury-contamination-aquatic-environments

____________


Mercury Contamination in Florida: Strategies to Reduce Mercury Pollution and Protect Public Health

2005

https://policyarchive.org/handle/10207/5158


_____________


Mercury accumulation trends in Florida Everglades and Savannas Marsh flooded soils

1995

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01189752

___________


Bioremediation of environments contaminated with mercury. Present and perspectives

2023

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10338569/

___________


Widespread Mercury Contamination Across Western North America

2016

https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/comprehensive-study-finds-widespread-mercury-contamination-across-western-north

______________


America’s Biggest Mercury Polluters

JANUARY 3, 2012

How Cleaning Up the Dirtiest Power Plants Will Protect Public Health

Power plants continue to release large amounts of toxic pollutants, including mercury, into our air. In 2010, two-thirds of all airborne mercury pollution in the United States came from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. In other words, power plants generate more airborne mercury pollution than all other industrial sources combined.

https://environmentamerica.org/florida/center/resources/americas-biggest-mercury-polluters/

______________


Global deforestation leads to more mercury pollution

February 12, 2024

Scientists quantify a previously overlooked driver of human-made mercury emissions

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240212133224.htm


______________


Reducing Mercury Pollution from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining

https://www.epa.gov/international-cooperation/reducing-mercury-pollution-artisanal-and-small-scale-gold-mining


______________


The surprising source of most mercury pollution: Gold mining

2013

https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/surprising-source-most-mercury-pollution-gold-mining-8C11269314

______________


Gold Rush's Poisonous Legacy: Mercury Will Linger for 10,000 Years

2023

https://www.livescience.com/40794-gold-rush-mercury-pollution.html

______________


Heavy Metal Pollution from Gold Mines: Environmental Effects and Bacterial Strategies for Resistance

2018

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5129257/

_____________


Florida Police Continue Crackdown on Illegal Mining and Crime

September 8, 2023

https://www.joburgetc.com/news/more-arrests-for-illegal-mining-in-florida/

_____________


Our evolved understanding of the human health risks of mercury

2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-023-01831-6

______________


Mercury Pollution Threatens Health Worldwide, Scientists Say

August 11, 2006

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060811191845.htm

______________


Health Impacts of Mercury Toxicity on Fish in an Aquatic System

Aug 2023

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373485073_Health_Impacts_of_Mercury_Toxicity_on_Fish_in_an_Aquatic_System

______________


Bluefin tuna reveal global ocean patterns of mercury pollution

2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-09-bluefin-tuna-reveal-global-ocean.html

_____________


Mercury levels drop in Atlantic bluefin tuna

2016

Study shows 19-percent improvement in just 8 years.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/12/less-pollution-makes-for-less-mercury-in-atlantic-bluefin-tuna/

_____________


Why Is Mercury Stubbornly High in Tuna? Researchers Might Have an Answer.

Feb 2024

Old accumulations of the toxic metal in the deep sea are circulating into shallower waters where the fish feed, new research found.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/climate/tuna-mercury.html

_____________


Mercury accumulation in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacépède) within marsh ecosystems of the Florida Everglades, USA

2014 Oct 22

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25336046/

______________


Experimental lake shows fish populations can recover quickly from mercury contamination

2021

https://www.science.org/content/article/research-experimental-lake-shows-fish-populations-can-recover-quickly-mercury-contamination

______________


Mercury as a Threat to the Endangered Florida Panther

https://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~fishw/WQC_HgPanthers.pdf

______________


Dragonflies reveal mercury pollution levels across US national parks

2020

Local research project spurs first nationwide survey of the toxic metal

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200722083811.htm

_____________


Everglades Marshes Contain Mercury That Can Poison Birds. But There's A Fix: More Water

October 28, 2020

https://www.wlrn.org/2020-10-28/everglades-marshes-contain-mercury-that-can-poison-birds-but-theres-a-fix-more-water

______________


Mercury pollution threatens to impair the ability of birds to migrate

2018

https://phys.org/news/2018-09-mercury-pollution-threatens-impair-ability.html

______________


Mercury causes homosexuality in male ibises

2010

https://www.nature.com/articles/news.2010.641

______________


Mercury poisoning makes male birds homosexual

2010

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19784-mercury-poisoning-makes-male-birds-homosexual/

______________


Study says pollution makes birds gay

2010

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/cosmic-log/study-says-pollution-makes-birds-gay-flna6C10403546

______________


Dioxin pollution leads to more baby girls: study

2007

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN18363845/

______________

 

New study reveals transgenerational effects of pesticide linuron on frogs

March 11, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-reveals-transgenerational-effects-pesticide-linuron.html

 

______________


Stop the Pollution of the Everglades with Methyl-Mercury

The fish swimming in our Everglades are poisoned with toxic mercury. The only way to fix this is to regulate runoff from the Everglades Agricultural Area.

https://www.everglades.org/methyl-mercury/

______________


Mercury Pollution History in Tropical and Subtropical American Lakes: Multiple Impacts and the Possible Relationship with Climate Change

2023

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36802450/

_____________


Microbial transformation to remediate mercury pollution: strains isolation and laboratory study

2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-022-04158-z

______________


Research Offers Promising Solution To Worsening Mercury Pollution

AUGUST 20, 2003

https://news.ufl.edu/archive/2003/08/research-offers-promising-solution-to-worsening-mercury-pollution.html



_____________


We created a new material from orange peel that can clean up mercury pollution

October 19, 2015

https://theconversation.com/we-created-a-new-material-from-orange-peel-that-can-clean-up-mercury-pollution-49355

_____________


Mercury pollution is not a problem (as long as we use this fungus)

27 December 2022

A fungus, called Metarhizium robertsii, is reportedly able to remove mercury around plant roots, thus preventing its uptake. The remediation operation, moreover, occurs as much in the soil as in fresh or salt water. These findings come from a study published in recent weeks in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

https://resoilfoundation.org/en/environment/suolo-contamination-fungus/

____________


Mineral Oil Dielectric Fluid (MODEF) Cleanup Protocols

2020

https://floridadep.gov/waste/district-business-support/content/mineral-oil-dielectric-fluid-modef-cleanup-protocols


____________


Phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and water: Progresses and perspectives

2008

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2266886/

____________


Clean-Up of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Soil by Phytoremediation: A Multidisciplinary and Eco-Friendly Approach

2023 May 2

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10221411/

____________


Growth response and mycoremediation of heavy metals by fungus Pleurotus sp.

19 November 2022

 

Abstract

 

Heavy metal contamination (HMs) in water and soil is the most serious problem caused by industrial and mining processes and other human activities. Mycoremediation is a biotechnology that employs fungi to remove toxic contaminants from the environment in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Pleurotus spp. have been shown to either increase plant growth on metal-contaminated soils by providing more nutrients or by reducing metal toxicity. Pleurotus species (J. Lange), a mushroom that can be eaten, has been observed growing on plantations of wood trees in Kerman's orchards. P. sp. was the subject of this study, which examined the effects of different concentrations of various heavy metals Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), and Nickel (Ni) (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg/L) on fungal colony diameters, mycelial dry weights, accumulation of heavy metals, and antioxidative enzymes. The findings revealed that P. sp. was more tolerant of Co than other metals, so the fungus grew more in the presence of low concentrations of Co and Cu. However, even at concentrations as low as 15 mg/L, Ni greatly inhibited the growth of biomass and colony diameter. Heavy metals increased the activity of superoxide dismutases (SOD) and catalase (CAT) up to 45 mg/L, but an increase in metal concentration above 45 mg/L resulted in a significant decrease in SOD. Metals in mycelium also increased as the concentrations of these heavy metals increased.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24349-5

____________


Impact of heavy metals on the environment and human health: Novel therapeutic insights to counter the toxicity

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1018364722000465

____________


Toxic Mechanisms of Five Heavy Metals: Mercury, Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, and Arsenic

2021 Apr 13

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8078867/

____________


Metal-mining pollution impacts 23 million people worldwide

22 September 2023

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66880697

____________


Heavy Metal Contamination in Groundwater Sources

May 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351873383_Heavy_Metal_Contamination_in_Groundwater_Sources

____________


The impact of heavy metal contamination on soil quality and plant nutrition. Sustainable management of moderate contaminated agricultural and urban soils, using low cost materials and promoting circular economy

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352554123000803

____________


Problems in the assessment of heavy-metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index

1 March 1980

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Problems-in-the-assessment-of-heavy-metal-levels-in-Tomlinson-Wilson/df12b558b164ae276a03a8c844ffc5b6cb63a5df

____________


Assessing the ecological risk of heavy metal sediment contamination from Port Everglades Florida USA

November 14, 2023

https://peerj.com/articles/16152/

____________


Effects of heavy metals on fish physiology – A review

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653522010128

____________


Waterbirds as bioindicators of wetland heavy metal pollution

2011

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878029611006244

____________


Heavy metal pollution in the environment and their toxicological effects on humans

2020

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32964150/

____________


The impact of heavy metal contamination on soil health

August 2018

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326894899_The_impact_of_heavy_metal_contamination_on_soil_health

____________



Thunderstorms spread mercury pollution

AUGUST 31, 2016

https://phys.org/news/2016-08-thunderstorms-mercury-pollution.html#google_vignette

____________


After Ian, Florida’s waterways could remain polluted for months

November 2, 2022

In the weeks since Ian pulled away from the Sunshine State, city workers and concerned citizens filed hundreds of pollution reports to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/11/02/ian-sewage-florida-wastewater/

___________


State Still Lets Central Florida's Sludge Foul Everglades, Critics Say

June 29, 2009

https://fl.audubon.org/news/state-still-lets-central-floridas-sludge-foul-everglades-critics-say

___________


South Florida Ecosystem Assessment: Everglades Water Management, Soil Loss, Eutrophication and Habitat

Septembeer 2000

https://www.epa.gov/everglades/south-florida-ecosystem-assessment-everglades-water-management-soil-loss-eutrophication

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Why is it Important to Restore the Everglades?

Restoring America's Everglades

https://www.epa.gov/everglades/why-it-important-restore-everglades

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Everglades restoration is getting a billion dollar windfall. Here's what that will buy


2022

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2022-02-25/everglades-restoration-is-getting-a-billion-dollar-windfall-heres-what-that-will-buy


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Section 14: Mangroves

 

______________

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______________



NASA Study Maps the Roots of Global Mangrove Loss

Sep 29, 2023

 

Using high-resolution data from the joint NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat program, researchers have created the first map of the causes of change in global mangrove habitats between 2000 and 2016 – a valuable tool to aid conservation efforts for these vital coastline defenders.

 

Mangroves are hardy trees and shrubs that grow in the salty, wet, muddy soils of Earth’s tropical and subtropical coastlines. They protect the coastlines from erosion and storm damage; store carbon within their roots, trunks, and in the soil; and provide habitats for commercially important marine species. The study showed that overall, mangrove habitat loss declined during the period. However, losses from natural causes like erosion and extreme weather declined more slowly than human causes such as farming and aquaculture. For conservation and resource managers trying to prevent loss or re-establish new habitats, this finding highlights the need for strategies that account for natural causes of loss.

 

The global map will benefit researchers investigating the carbon cycle impacts of mangrove gain and loss, as well as help conservation organizations identify where to protect or restore these vital coastal habitats.

 


In 2002, the Río Cauto Delta, pictured here in a January 2020 Landsat 8 image, was named a Ramsar site – an internationally recognized wetland of importance. The delta is home to numerous species of mangroves.



 

This map shows the location and severity of mangrove habitat loss, measured in kilometers, caused by natural and human drivers from 2000 to 2016. Darker areas experienced more loss in the period.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-study-maps-the-roots-of-global-mangrove-loss/

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The new 'blob': How sargassum seaweed assaults Florida mangroves

AUGUST 17, 2023

Meet the scientists testing what Florida’s most important plant can withstand.

https://www.cityandstatefl.com/policy/2023/08/sargassum-seaweeds-assault-florida-mangroves/389476/

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Tell Me About: Threats to Mangroves in Florida

Jun 2, 2022

What’s going on?

Although currently protected by Florida law, mangrove deforestation continues due to coastal and urban development. Since the 1900s, vital estuary habitats such as the Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor have lost 50-60% of their mangrove forests. Other environmental issues, including climate change and water pollution, also threaten mangroves by changing the distribution and chemistry of their environment. This may include increased storm events and sea-level rise.

Why it matters.

Mangrove forests provide critical habitats for crustaceans, birds, and fish, including many endangered species. They are home to several important species for commercial and recreational fishing industries, a significant part of Florida’s economy. Mangroves remove and store much more carbon per acre than terrestrial forests, making these ecosystems a significant player in fighting climate change.

Found right along the water’s edge, mangroves stabilize shorelines and reduce coastal erosion. They help prevent storm surges and damage to coastal properties during hurricanes and other storm events. Mangroves also improve water clarity and quality by trapping sediments and absorbing nutrients that would obscure or pollute the water.

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/tell-me-about-threats-to-mangroves-in-florida/

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Four threats to manatees and mangroves in Florida – and how we can save them

https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/four-threats-to-manatees-and-mangroves-in-florida-and-how-we-can-save-them

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Manatees in Florida Seriously Threatened from Pollution, Pesticides, and Other Human-Induced Stressors

2022

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2022/01/manatees-in-florida-seriously-threatened-from-pollution-pesticides-and-other-human-induced-stressors/

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Chronic exposure to glyphosate in Florida manatee

March 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350123311_Chronic_exposure_to_glyphosate_in_Florida_manatee

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Climate Crisis and Negligent Policymakers Blamed for 'Record Sickening Levels' of Manatee Deaths in Florida

May 31, 2021

"The reason sensitive manatees are dying is no big mystery," wrote the Orlando Sentinel editorial board. "Environmentalists heralded this foul die-off. Politicians were deaf to the warning."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/05/31/climate-crisis-and-negligent-policymakers-blamed-record-sickening-levels-manatee


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EPA accused of failing to regulate use of toxic herbicides despite court order

24 Apr 2023

Instead of yanking products, EPA made Monsanto and others amend labels before reapproving dicamba, lawsuit claims

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/24/epa-monsanto-toxic-herbicides-dicamba

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NAS: EPA Underestimated Number of Polluted Florida Streams, Lakes, Rivers and Springs in Florida

2012

https://earthjustice.org/press/2012/nas-epa-underestimated-number-of-polluted-florida-streams-lakes-rivers-and-springs-in-florida-0

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Florida NEEDS Stricter Rules OR Ban Dimethyl Disulfide and/or Chloropicrin for Commercial Agricultural Pesticide use for the Protection of Earth, Water, Air, Humanity's Health, Animal Life and OUR Food Supply. Refer to Clean Air Act Section 112 (2).


July 29, 2015

https://www.change.org/p/florida-pesticides-florida-needs-stricter-rules-or-ban-dimethyl-disulfide-and-or-chloropicrin-for-commercial-agricultural-pesticide-use-for-the-protection-of-earth-water-air-humanity-s-health-animal-life-and-our-food-supply-refer-to-clean-air-act

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In the last 21 months, according to Environment Florida, polluters have violated the Clean Air Act nearly 300 times.

https://organicconsumers.org/report-florida-has-water-pollution-problem-and-some-tampa-bay-companies-are-among-worst/

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Pollution Has Cost Florida Millions, and the Bill Keeps Rising

2020

In the past decade, the State of Florida has spent at least $20 million cleaning up and preventing algal blooms.

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-has-spent-millions-fixing-water-pollution-and-algal-blooms-11687113

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Report Finds Water Pollution in Florida Costs up to $10.5 Billion, Annually

2012

https://earthjustice.org/press/2012/report-finds-water-pollution-in-florida-costs-up-to-10-5-billion-annually

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Floridians Want More Aggressive Action To Address Environmental Issues, Survey Finds

2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-09-21/floridians-want-more-aggressive-action-to-address-environmental-issues-survey-finds


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"Tallahassee Politicians Are Failing To Protect Florida’s Environment"

https://www.sej.org/headlines/tallahassee-politicians-are-failing-protect-florida%E2%80%99s-environment

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 Why must Florida wait to take action on polluted waterways? | Editorial

2022

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2022/08/31/why-must-florida-wait-to-take-action-on-polluted-waterways-editorial/

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Florida Legislature’s leaders leave plenty of work for their successors

March 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/florida-legislature-s-leaders-leave-plenty-of-work-for-their-successors/ar-BB1jC6Xu

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Latest EPA assessment shows almost no improvement in river and stream nitrogen pollution

The problem is expected to get harder to control as climate change produces more intense storms

Jan 2024

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/latest-epa-assessment-shows-almost-no-improvement-in-river-and-stream-nitrogen-pollution/3212045/

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If groundwater tables drop, streams and rivers seep away and pollute drinking water

2022

https://phys.org/news/2022-08-groundwater-tables-streams-rivers-seep.html


______________


Mangrove removal investigation on Anna Maria Island

2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mangrove-removal-investigation-on-anna-maria-island/ar-AA1mx7lZ

______________


Global trends in mangrove forest fragmentation

28 April 2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63880-1


______________


Human activities such as dredging and careless boating are threatening South Florida’s mangroves and seagrass

https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/plants/msthreats.html/welcome.html

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Chapter 17 - Mangroves as coastal rainforests: imminent threats, hazards, and changing status of ecosystem services

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B978012820509900006X

______________


Mangroves and seagrass provide habitat for important commercial and recreational species, help stabilize the seafloor, and filter pollutants

https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/plants/msbenefits.html

______________


Mangrove Restoration: Offering two-for-one solutions to climate change

20 Jan, 2017

Climate mitigation and adaptation are a country’s most pressing actions in the face of a looming global climate crisis –with catastrophic consequences already occurring in many coastal regions. Now, the restoration of mangrove forests and other coastal systems is emerging as a solution – serving both as a carbon sink as well as offering coastal protection and food security.

https://www.iucn.org/news/forests/201701/mangrove-restoration-offering-two-one-solutions-climate-change

______________

 

Forests with Multiple Tree Species are More Effective as Carbon Sinks

16 Nov 2023

https://www.linacre.ox.ac.uk/news/forests-with-multiple-tree-species-are-more-effective-as-carbon-sinks

 

______________


Governments ill-equipped to protect mangroves, need to involve communities: global study

February 2, 2017

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN15H2RH/

______________


Florida county’s swampy politics lead to bad decision on wetlands

AUGUST 24, 2023

Commissioners listen to developer’s expert instead of actual wetlands scientist

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/08/24/florida-countys-swampy-politics-lead-to-bad-decision-on-wetlands/

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Fueled by Pollution and Unsound Policies, Toxic Algae Overtake Florida Beaches

2018

 

Florida is in the midst of a still-unfolding water pollution catastrophe. Many formerly picture-perfect beaches and posh waterfront neighborhoods are now surreal toxic landscapes where the smell is so pungent, it can make you nauseous.

 

Parts of South Florida are being inundated by harmful algal blooms, which affect both public health and marine life, including red tide (caused by the alga Karenia brevis) and blue-green algae (more precisely known as cyanobacteria, or Microcystis, which are technically bacteria but commonly referred to as algae).

 


 

                           Sunset over a canal in Cape Coral, Florida, filled with cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae.

 


 

                            Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, in a canal near the Cape Coral Yacht Club in Florida.

 

 


 

Photographer’s sneakers on a concrete seawall on the side of a toxic algae-filled canal in Cape Coral, Florida.

 

 





https://truthout.org/articles/fueled-by-pollution-and-unsound-policies-toxic-algae-overtakes-florida-beaches/

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Algae issue needs attack at source, not pretend study


2022

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/2022/05/09/florida-needs-stop-algae-pollution-source-not-fund-fake-studies/9679115002/

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Florida Senators Back Mangrove, Reef Projects

March 07, 2023

https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2023/03/07/florida-senators-back-mangrove-reef-projects/?slreturn=20240128003511

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Florida: Proposed bill would restore mangroves to help fight coastal erosion

January 22, 2024

https://dredgewire.com/florida-proposed-bill-would-restore-mangroves-to-help-fight-coastal-erosion/

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A New Local Mapping Project Aims to Protect Mangroves

April 7, 2023

The project will track mangrove growth and conditions along northern Sarasota Bay, Palma Sola Bay, southern Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay and the Manatee River.

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/news-and-profiles/2023/04/mangroves-new-college

______________


41 Mangrove Facts For Kids To Understand Their Importance

Mar 09, 2022

https://kidadl.com/facts/mangrove-facts-for-kids-to-understand-their-importance

______________


Mangrove Ecosystems under Climate Change

04 November 2017

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-62206-4_7


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Hurricanes fertilize mangrove forests, shape coastal landscape of the Florida Everglades

February 17, 2020

https://news.fiu.edu/2020/hurricanes-fertilize-mangrove-forests,-shape-coastal-landscape-of-the-florida-everglades

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Why protecting & restoring blue carbon ecosystems matters

https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas/what-we-do/protecting-restoring-blue-carbon-ecosystems/why-protecting


______________


Mapping the Roots of Mangrove Loss

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147142/mapping-the-roots-of-mangrove-loss

______________


The Loss of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk and Geographic Areas of Global Concern

2010 Apr 8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851656/

______________


Finding Mangroves In Unexpected Places

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/finding-mangroves-unexpected-places

______________


The impact of shrimp farming on mangrove ecosystems

January 2010

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248908889_The_impact_of_shrimp_farming_on_mangrove_ecosystems

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Shrimp farming can help regenerate mangroves

10 January 2023

New research has found that shrimp farming, once a driver of mangrove loss, can protect and restore this critical ecosystem.

 




https://thefishsite.com/articles/shrimp-farming-can-help-regenerate-mangroves

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SFP: Shrimp farming can help restore mangroves and mitigate climate change

10 January 2023

https://www.globalseafood.org/advocate/sfp-shrimp-farming-can-help-restore-mangroves-and-mitigate-climate-change/

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Ecosystems Under Stress: Restoring South Florida's Everglades and Coral Reefs

November 2023

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/nov23/ecosystems-under-stress.html

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The Power of Three: Coral Reefs, Seagrasses and Mangroves Protect Coastal Regions and Increase Their Resilience

2016 Jul 13

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4943730/

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Mangroves protect coastlines, store carbon – and are expanding with climate change


February 9, 2018

https://theconversation.com/mangroves-protect-coastlines-store-carbon-and-are-expanding-with-climate-change-81445

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New study finds mangroves may store way more carbon than we thought

2 May 2018

https://news.mongabay.com/2018/05/new-study-finds-mangroves-may-store-way-more-carbon-than-we-thought/

______________

 

Changes in Mangrove Blue Carbon under Elevated Atmospheric CO2

17 Mar 2023

https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/ehs.0033

 

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Rapid greening in mangroves

03 January 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-02247-x

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Mangrove forest loss is slowing toward a halt, new report shows

8 November 2022

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/11/mangrove-forest-loss-is-slowing-toward-a-halt-new-report-shows/

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News spotlight: Mangrove deforestation drops, but new protections still needed

Nov 23, 2022

https://www.conservation.org/blog/news-spotlight-mangrove-deforestation-drops-but-new-protections-still-needed

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Mangrove loss has fallen dramatically, but the forests are still in danger


September 12, 2020

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/mangrove-forest-loss-protection/2020/09/11/e722652a-d694-11ea-9c3b-dfc394c03988_story.html

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Should Florida do more to protect its mangroves?

August 29, 2023

https://www.theinvadingsea.com/2023/08/29/florida-mangroves-climate-hurricanes-restoration-carbon/

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Proposed bill would restore mangroves to help fight coastal erosion

JAN. 20, 2024

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2024/01/20/mangroves-coastal-erosion-

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Mangrove Trees in Florida: What Are They And Why Are They Important?

OCTOBER 10, 2023

https://www.epicgardening.com/mangroves/


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Decades of Mangrove Forest Change: What does it mean for nature, people and the climate?

02 May 2023

https://www.unep.org/resources/report/decades-mangrove-forest-change-what-does-it-mean-nature-people-and-climate

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7 Helpful Ways To Conserve Mangrove Ecosystems

August 4, 2022

https://oceanwideexplorers.com/7-helpful-ways-to-conserve-mangrove-ecosystems/

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Mangrove root model may hold the key to preventing coastal erosion

June 3, 2021

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210603111957.htm

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Mangroves could survive sea-level rise if protected

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/mangroves-could-survive-sea-level-rise-if-protected

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Shoreline Habitat:  Mangroves

2013

https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/ocd/ocdweb/docs/MARES/MARES_SEFC_ICEM__20131001_Appendix_Mangroves.pdf

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Florida mangroves

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_mangroves

Habitat destruction

Human activity has impacted the mangrove ecoregion in Florida. While the coverage of mangroves at the end of the 20th century is estimated to have decreased only 5% from a century earlier, some localities have seen severe reductions. The Lake Worth Lagoon lost 87% of its mangroves in the second half of the 20th century, leaving a remnant of just 276 acres (1.12 km2). Tampa Bay, home to the busy Port of Tampa, lost over 44% of its wetlands, including mangroves and salt marshes, during the 20th century. Three-quarters of the wetlands along the Indian River Lagoon, including mangroves, were impounded for mosquito control during the 20th century. As of 2001, natural water flow was being restored to some of the wetlands.


______________


Mangrove tree distribution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove_tree_distribution

______________


Mangrove

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove


______________


Improving Water Quality with Mangroves

July 15, 2019

https://www.monitorwater.org/post/improving-water-quality-with-mangroves

In the heart of South Florida, mangrove forests are characteristic of coastline scenery. While many people may not even think twice when passing these ecosystems while biking down a beach road or kayaking atop glassy waters, mangroves hold incredible environmental value, a value that is being threatened by human activity around the world today.By some estimates, more than 50 percent of the world's mangrove forests were destroyed by the end of the 20th century, and half of those that remain are in poor condition. Mangrove forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world, and the loss of mangroves is rampant across the globe.In South Florida, we have an estimated 469,000 acres of mangrove forests that contribute to the overall health of the state's coastal zone. From securing and protecting coastlines, to serving as homes for hundreds of marine and land species, to capturing tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with their immense carbon-storing abilities, mangroves and mangrove forests are key environmental beauties.Mangroves also have the lesser-known, incredible ability to improve the water quality of their ecosystem. Their roots hold onto sediments which reduces erosion and leads to better water quality. They can also absorb nutrients from runoff that could potentially cause harmful algal blooms offshore, an increasingly big problem here in South Florida. Amazingly, both coral reefs and seagrass beds are reliant on the water purifying ability of nearby mangrove forests to keep the water clear and healthy.However, despite their known environmental benefits and impact, mangroves still face the imminent threat of destruction from human action around the world. Human greed continues to devastate mangrove ecosystems, and if we do not stop our current courses of action now, mangroves as we know them may become extinct. From damage from plastic and agricultural pollution to being cleared for coastal development, mangroves continue to be destroyed at an alarming rate, and it is up to us to change this.

______________



Florida’s Environmental Failures Are a Warning for the Rest of the U.S.

JULY 12, 2023

 




https://time.com/6288683/florida-desantis-environment-climate-change/

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Threats to the Everglades

The Everglades National Park is often referred to as the “most threatened park in the U.S.”

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/southflorida/regions/everglades/threats/

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Section 15: Endangered Animals & Invasive Animals

 
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FLORIDA’S ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES

http://tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/upload/documents/Threatened_Endangered_Species.pdf


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Giant lizards, hissing ducks, and pythons: Florida has an invasive Species Problem

2021

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/florida-has-invasive-species-problem

 

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The 3 Invasive Iguanas In Florida: Guide With Pictures And Facts

 February 27, 2023

 




https://outforia.com/iguanas-in-florida/


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Florida’s invasive iguana population is booming. And that’s a problem.

2019

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2019/11/26/floridas-invasive-iguana-population-is-booming-and-thats-a-problem/


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Iguana Hunter Kills Giant Invasive Lizards in Florida

August 2, 2022

https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/florida-iguana-invasion/


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Iguana Hunting 101: How to Target This Invasive and Destructive Species

August 23, 2021

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/iguana-hunting-101/

 
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Florida's least wanted: 10 invasive animal species that are wrecking native ecosystems

2019

1. Burmese pythons
2. Feral hogs
3. Cane toads
4. Lionfish
5. Cuban tree frogs
6. Giant African land snails
7. Iguanas
8. Green Mussles
9. Cats
10. Tegu lizards

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2019/04/13/florida-invasive-animal-species-wrecking-native-ecosystems-non-native/3456294002/

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A Florida delicacy: Invasive lionfish, fresh from local waters

August 28, 2023

 


 

                                                                                             Lionfish in Florida

https://www.floridarambler.com/restaurants-bars/lionfish-in-florida/

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Bite Back Against Invasive Species at Your Next Meal

February 9, 2016

From seaweed to lionfish, invasive species are appearing on menus throughout the U.S.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/indulge-invasive-species-restaurants-across-country-180957899/


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The Lionfish Have Invaded, But a Ragtag Army of Divers and Chefs Are Fighting Back

June 2018

Those waging the war against this devastating wave of the venomous species have taken on an ‘eat ‘em to beat ‘em’ approach

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/lionfish-invaded-army-divers-chefs-fighting-back-180968999/

______________


The Race To Kill Lionfish, The Invasive Species Threatening Our Seafood Supply

SEP 29, 2023

https://www.delish.com/food-news/a45377359/lionfish-invasive-species/


______________


Glock-Fishing Underwater with the "FireFish" | 9mm Handgun Shooting Lionfish

Sep 21, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lG-snJZIV8

______________


Florida man makes underwater Glock to hunt lionfish

Sep 28, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1yM2wOGNE8


______________


New Study: Florida’s Invasive Pythons are Multiplying Rapidly—and Spreading North

MAR 17, 2023

Massive Burmese pythons have been plaguing the Florida Everglades for well over two decades—and new research from the USGS says their populations are only getting bigger

https://www.fieldandstream.com/conservation/florida-pythons-spreading-north/

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How Burmese Pythons Took Over the Florida Everglades

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

They've eaten practically every mammal in sight—and have no natural predators.

 

 

https://www.history.com/news/burmese-python-invasion-florida-everglades

 

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Scientists in Florida Used a "Scout" Snake to Track and Kill a 16-Foot Invasive Python

February 23, 2024

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/scientists-florida-used-scout-snake-010000493.html

______________


A python invasion has exploded out of the Everglades

March 18, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-03-18/python-invasion-exploded-everglades

______________


Newly Discovered Hybrid Pythons Are Threatening Florida’s Wildlife

August 30, 2018

A new study has found that some invasive Burmese pythons carry DNA from another snake, which could make them more adaptable—and more dangerous

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-hybrid-pythons-are-threatening-floridas-wildlife-180970178/

______________


Snake School: FWC's crash course on Burmese pythons a primer for finding, killing menace

February 21, 2024

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2024/02/21/fwcs-python-patrol-training-shows-public-how-to-find-kill-snake-burmese-invasive-everglades/72636476007/

______________


Pythons are invading Florida. Meet the scientists fighting back.

OCT 13, 2017

https://www.popsci.com/florida-invasive-pythons/


______________


Painted buntings are in decline. Citizen scientists with backyard feeders are helping track them

March 19, 2024

 

 


https://www.wfit.org/nature/2024-03-19/painted-buntings-are-in-decline-citizen-scientists-with-backyard-feeders-are-helping-track-them

______________


Wild Monkeys In Florida: All About Them And How They Got There

November 4, 2023

https://outforia.com/wild-monkeys-in-florida/

______________

 

Federal agents respond to more than a dozen migrant landings in a 24-hour period as surge intensifies

 
US Border Patrol: 450% increase in migrant encounters in one year

 Oct 18 2022

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/federal-agents-respond-to-more-than-a-dozen-migrant-landings-in-a-24-hour-period-as-surge-intensifies


______________


Hope for the Wild Hog Problem in Florida

2021

https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2021/04/23/hope-for-the-wild-hog-problem-in-florida/

______________


South Florida's baby sea turtles are threatened by plastic and light pollution


2022


https://www.wlrn.org/local-news/2022-08-08/south-floridas-baby-sea-turtles-are-threatened-by-plastic-and-light-pollution

______________


Artificial Lighting and Sea Turtle Hatchling Behavior

 

 

 
https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/threats/artificial-lighting/

______________


How Plastic is Harming Florida’s Marine Life, and What We Can Do About It

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/stories/how-plastic-is-harming-floridas-marine-life-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/

______________


Scientists continue to search for what's poisoning Lower Keys fish

March 3, 2024

https://www.wfit.org/environment-and-science/2024-03-03/scientists-continue-to-search-for-whats-poisoning-lower-keys-fish


______________


Endangered sawfish have been found dead in Lower Keys. Other fish also dying

February 22, 2024

https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2024-02-22/endangered-sawfish-found-dead-in-lower-florida-keys

______________



Sawfish dying at an alarming rate – is it something in the water?

February 26, 2024

https://winknews.com/2024/02/26/marine-species-dying-faster-than-usual-rate/


______________


Commercial fishery bycatch risk for large juvenile and adult smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in Florida waters

15 February 2022

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.3777


______________


Reef Sharks are at a Much Higher Risk of Extinction than Previously Thought

    June 15, 2023 

 




https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/19226/Reef-Sharks-are-at-a-Much-Higher-Risk-of-Extinction-than-Previously-Thought.aspx

______________


Extinction risk and conservation of the world’s sharks and rays

2014 Jan 21

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3897121/


______________

 

A global study reveals pathways to save threatened sharks, despite rising mortality trends

January 11, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-global-reveals-pathways-threatened-sharks.html

 

______________


PCBs Contamination in Killer Whales and Orca Pollution

Dec 2023

https://www.geoforward.com/pcbs-contamination-killer-whales-orca-pollution/


______________


Endangered Keys: 10 Rare Animals That Make the Florida Keys Home

https://floridatraveler.com/endangered-florida-keys/

______________

 

Conservationists Urge Caution as the Federal Government Promotes Fish Farming

Aquaculture comes in many forms and can be done sustainably, but a push for more offshore operations raises concerns, environmentalists say.

Spring 2024

https://www.audubon.org/news/conservationists-urge-caution-federal-government-promotes-fish-farming?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

 

______________


Florida Marine Life Dying From Pollution

2013

https://sharkresearch.earth.miami.edu/florida-marine-life-dying-from-pollution/

______________


Thousands of fish killed by toxic red tide wash ashore on Florida beaches

Aug 2021

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/09/red-tide-florida-beaches-fish-kill-phosphate-pollution

______________


What's killing the alligators of the Florida Everglades?

2014

 




https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-killing-the-alligators-of-the-florida-everglades/

______________


Thousands of Florida’s ‘nuisance’ alligators are killed each year. Is it necessary?

Nov. 25, 2022

More than 184,000 gators in Florida have been killed since 1997, according to Florida wildlife officials. But the bar needed to kill them is low.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/11/25/florida-gators-nuisance-alligator-report-kill-wildlife-permit/

______________


Fla. lake contaminants affect alligator weight, biological responses in offspring

July 20, 2012

https://phys.org/news/2012-07-fla-lake-contaminants-affect-alligator.html


______________


Research Finds Alligator Problems Also Evident In Less Polluted Lakes

February 9, 1998

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/02/980209154754.htm

______________


Reproductive toxins and alligator abnormalities at Lake Apopka, Florida

1997

Abstract

The alligator population at Lake Apopka in central Florida declined dramatically between 1980 and 1987. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and specifically DDT metabolites have been implicated in the alligators' reproductive failure. The DDT metabolite hypothesis is based largely on the observation of elevated concentrations of p,p-DDE and p,p-DDD in alligator eggs obtained from Lake Apopka in 1984 and 1985. In the following commentary, we draw attention to two nematocides that are established reproductive toxins in humans, dibromochloropropane (DBCP) and ethylene dibromide (EDB), which could also have played a role in the reproductive failure observed in alligators from Lake Apopka in the early 1980s.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470392/

______________

Abnormal Alligators and Organochlorine Pesticides in Lake Apopka, Florida

2011

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-0-387-89432-4_5

______________


Lake Apopka: From fisherman’s paradise to pond of poison

Apr 30, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnFBRlJ3eTk

______________


LAKE APOPKA CONTAMINATION | How Pesticide Use Destroyed Lake Apopka

2019

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336262747_LAKE_APOPKA_CONTAMINATION_1_How_Pesticide_Use_Destroyed_Lake_Apopka

______________


Apopka wastewater problems forced fertilizer plant shutdown

2017

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2017/03/20/apopka-wastewater-problems-forced-fertilizer-plant-shutdown/

______________


Multiyear oscillations in depth affect water quality in Lake Apopka

Feb 2018

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323269829_Multiyear_oscillations_in_depth_affect_water_quality_in_Lake_Apopka

______________


Final Lake Apopka Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan

2004

https://1library.net/document/yr6wlnpy-final-lake-apopka-natural-resource-damage-assessment-restoration.html

______________


Restoration of Lake Apopka’s North Shore Marsh: High Hopes, Tough Times, and Persistent Progress

2011

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-0-387-89432-4_6

______________


Lake Apopka emerging from "Dead Lake" stigma

December 1, 2016

https://theapopkavoice.com/stories/lake-apopka-emerging-from-dead-lake-stigma,4931

______________


$2M in public money could go to Lake Apopka project tied to controversial former water district chair

February 29, 2024

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/02/29/2-million-in-public-money-could-go-to-lake-apopka-project-tied-to-controversial-former-water-district-chair/

______________


Latest Lake Apopka cleanup plan could be magic bullet

2020

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2020/03/06/latest-lake-apopka-cleanup-plan-could-be-magic-bullet/


______________


Lake Apopka on the rebound

2023

https://theapopkavoice.com/stories/lake-apopka-on-the-rebound,31748

______________


How Lake Apopka went from Florida's most polluted lake to the most promising

2018

Wildlife return to fourth-largest lake in Florida

https://www.clickorlando.com/water/2018/08/24/how-lake-apopka-went-from-floridas-most-polluted-lake-to-the-most-promising/

______________


Lake Apopka can provide valuable lessons for other water bodies: Letters

2018

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2018/12/05/lake-apopka-can-provide-valuable-lessons-for-other-water-bodies-letters/

______________


What Are Common Wildlife Problems in Florida?


June 13, 2019

https://www.mccallservice.com/blog/what-are-common-wildlife-problems-in-florida/


______________


Fireflies Are Disappearing, And That Could Make FL Nights Less Magical

2023

 

 
Habitat loss to development, overuse of pesticides, climate change and more light pollution contribute to the decline in fireflies in FL

https://patch.com/florida/newportrichey/fireflies-are-disappearing-could-make-fl-nights-less-magical

______________



Where Have All The Florida Lovebugs Gone?

October 20, 2023

 

 
https://weather.com/news/climate/news/2023-10-20-florida-lovebugs-fewer-this-year

_______________


Invasive apple snails in your backyard, waterways? UF/IFAS study dives into their threat to Florida’s wetlands

2023

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2023/03/06/invasive-apple-snails-in-your-backyard-waterways-uf-ifas-study-dives-into-their-threat-to-floridas-wetlands/

______________


Always Destroy These Eggs! (Invasive Apple Snail Eggs)

 




https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sYuLP2JhtzA

______________


Casting a Fire Ant Colony with Molten Aluminum

Nov 22, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaI

______________

 

Nearly half of the world's migratory species are in decline, UN report says

Feb 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-world-migratory-species-decline.html

______________


More Than Half of U.S. Birds Are in Decline, Warns New Report

October 12, 2022

The 2022 U.S. State of the Birds report shows plummeting bird populations across almost all habitats while highlighting the need for further conservation efforts.

https://www.audubon.org/news/more-half-us-birds-are-decline-warns-new-report

______________

______________


Florida Nature: Endangered Birds    

https://www.floridiannature.com/FloridaEndangeredbirds.htm

______________


Native Florida bird among 21 species declared extinct

Oct 20, 2023

https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/native-florida-bird-among-21-species-declared-extinct/

______________


15 Endangered Birds of Florida

2023

https://birdingplanet.com/endangered-birds-of-florida/

______________


These 4 native Florida birds are threatened or facing extinction. Here's what to know

2023

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/state/2023/05/24/four-native-florida-birds-scrub-jay-grasshopper-sparrow-stork-threatened-with-possibl-extinction/70248768007/

______________


Florida's Imperiled Birds

https://fl.audubon.org/birds/floridas-imperiled-birds

______________


Florida’s Vanishing Sparrows

July 17, 2023

A group of eccentric endangered birds serves as a bellwether of the climate crisis.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/floridas-vanishing-sparrows

______________


The North Florida Nine: Endangered list shows birds, mussels, turtles at risk of extinction

November 21, 2023

https://news.yahoo.com/north-florida-nine-endangered-list-102018951.html

______________


Lawton 'Bud' Chiles: Fix the farm bill to help land owners save wildlife | Opinion

March 2024

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/03/14/lawton-chiles-congress-rework-florida-farm-bill-to-save-wildlife/72941735007/

______________



50 Florida endangered species on the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act

2023

https://www.floridarambler.com/wildlife/florida-endangered-species/

______________


33 Most Threatened and Endangered Species in Florida

2023

https://www.ourendangeredworld.com/endangered-species-in-florida/

______________


FLORIDA’S ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES

https://myfwc.com/media/1945/threatened-endangered-species.pdf


______________


Under Threat: Conservation of Florida’s Threatened and Endangered Species

2023

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2023/12/11/underthreat-floridawildlife/


______________

 

Study: Sea level rise shifts habitat for endangered Keys species

2023

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2023/08/01/rice-rat-sea-level-rise-study

 

______________


Endangered and Threatened Species

Management and Conservation Plan

2020

https://myfwc.com/media/28338/2020-21endangeredspeciesreport.pdf


______________


Threatened + Endangered Species

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/southflorida/regions/keys/endangered-species/

______________











______________

______________

______________

______________



Section 16: Deforestation & Endangered Plants



______________

______________

______________

______________

 

 

 

 

 






______________


Habitat Loss

Habitat destruction is the issue most often cited for the problems now facing Florida wildlife. Wildlife habitat has declined and even disappeared during the past 100 years as natural lands were converted to agriculture, range lands, and expanding urban areas. During the mid-20th century, Florida lost more than seven million acres of forest and herbaceous wetlands to development. In recent decades, Florida’s massive population growth and booming tourism industry have disturbed and fragmented many natural areas across the state. Estimates based on current growth rates suggest Florida could lose an additional seven million acres of rural and natural lands to urban uses within the next 50 years.

http://www.landscope.org/florida/threats/habitat_loss/


______________


Florida Deforestation Crisis

 

Florida Deforestation Crisis. Deforestation. The word comes up all the time in conversations about climate change and environmental impact , but how much do most of us really know about deforestation and its true effect? National Geographic defines deforestation as “the purposeful clearing of forested land” (1). Countless forests have been cut down to make room for civilization or to provide wood for manufacturing or building. Deforestation is one of the most obvious forms of environmental damage; we see it every day on the way to work in a casual glance at the many construction sites constantly appearing in new locations. Who even thinks twice when they see a newly-developed neighborhood, a construction area spotted with dirt heaps and tractors, or yet another road work crew on the job? Construction is a part of everyday experience, and because of this, we don’t always make the connection between destructive environmental degradation and that new neighborhood down the street. But they’re inextricably linked, and it’s time to start paying attention.

 

The Whole Picture

 

Key to any discussion of deforestation is a full understanding of the term ecosystem. Briefly put, an ecosystem is a “community of coexisting species together with the nonliving parts of their habitat” (2). Fundamental to every ecosystem is the presence of all the necessary components; animals, trees, plants, microorganisms, and water systems all work together to sustain healthy life. Take away one piece of the ecosystem and the entire setup falters. Florida is a notable global hotspot for biodiversity, full of vivid and healthy ecosystems that sustain all different species of animals and plants. But take away the trees and waterways – replace them with roadways and cities – and all of that changes.

 

One clue to Florida’s amazing biodiversity lies in its multiple climate zones. The U.S. is home to 11 different climate zones, designated by temperature ranges that allow the growth of different plant types (3). Florida in particular among the states is special because it contains the warmer zones 8-10, making it one of the only locations conducive to growing both tropical and subtropical plants. Wetlands are also a major part of the Florida landscape, and these damp, swampy areas provide a home to countless species and perform several other essential but often-ignored functions. Coastal wetlands act as a filter, removing excess pollutants and nutrients from water and preventing coastal erosion (4). However, human activities are severely damaging Florida wetlands, destroying these diversely inhabited wildlife homes and subjecting the landscape as a whole to unprecedented change. 

Historic South Florida water flow vs. current water flow

Florida’s history includes the mentality of “draining the swamp”, which was a term associated with destroying wetlands to increase the areas in Florida available for construction. This mindset along with the “Florida is a blank canvas” ethos collectively normalized the destruction of the natural Florida landscape for the benefit of the real estate / tourism market. Little did these developers understand just how important the hydrology systems of wetlands are to our water system (5).

 

Florida’s red tides are partly a result of the expansive wetland loss, as these wetland ecosystems are no longer able to filter nutrient-filled liquid before it reaches larger bodies of water (6). Construction is systematically disturbing the balance of Florida’s expansive statewide ecosystem and contributing to such a major source of pollution.

 

Deforestation and Florida’s Trees

 

The unique Florida climate provides for a number of different forest habitats. Florida’s upland ecosystems, predominated by hardwood pine forests, scrub, etc. are home to many tree species (7). These habitats include: Pine Flatwoods, Oak Scrub, Coastal Strands, Coastal Scrub, Hammocks, Cypress Swamps, and more. Here is a short breakdown of some common Florida habitats and the important trees that call these places home...

 

 


 

 


 


 

https://ideasforus.org/florida-deforestation-crisis/

______________


Focus on South Florida: Save the Forests

2014

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/focus-on-south-florida-save-the-forests/


______________


Is This Paradise or a Parking Lot? This Florida Ecosystem is a Battleground

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/pine-rockland-ecosystem-restoration-miami-wilds


______________


Senators Hear Litany Of Problems Caused By Overcrowding In National Parks

2021

https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2021/07/senators-hear-litany-problems-caused-overcrowding-national-parks

______________


Threatened and Endangered Plants

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/threatened-and-endangered-plants.html

______________


Florida Statewide Endangered and Threatened Plant Conservation

Program (funded by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service,
Endangered Species Act, Sect. 6 “Traditional Funds” and by the
Florida Forest Service).
List of Final Reports for Rare Plant Conservation Projects 1992 through
2023, alphabetized by species.

https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/73803/file/list-of-program-reports-by-species-2022.pdf

______________


Common Poisonous Weed and Invasive Plant Species in Florida Residential Landscapes

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP631

______________


Eight South Florida Plants Get Proposal for Critical Habitat Protection

2022

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/eight-south-florida-plants-get-proposal-for-critical-habitat-protection-2022-10-13/

______________


Four Keys Plants Proposed Critical Habitat

2022

https://www.fws.gov/story/2022-10/faq-proposed-critical-habitat-4-florida-keys-plants


______________


What are Florida's poisonous plants? Expert botanist tells you what to watch out for in Q&A

2023

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/09/14/floridas-most-poisonous-plants-include-castor-bean-sago-palm-pets-children-outdoors-invasive-native/70632221007/


______________


Deforestation and Its Effects on Forest-Nesting Birds in the Florida Keys


1995

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227772039_Deforestation_and_Its_Effects_on_Forest-Nesting_Birds_in_the_Florida_Keys


______________


Weeds and Invasive Plants

 

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/weeds-and-invasive-plants/

______________



These 10 invasive plants are causing major problems in Florida

2019

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2019/11/23/worst-invasive-plants-causing-major-problems-florida/4244047002/


______________


Pollutants threaten the Everglades' future

January 5, 2012

https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/pollutants-threaten-everglades-future


______________

 

 








______________

______________

______________

______________


Section 17: Pesticides, Insecticides & Agriculture

______________

______________

______________

______________

 

 

 

 





______________


Pesticide-free agriculture as a new paradigm for research

27 January 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13593-021-00742-8

______________


Ultrasonic Pest Control: Does it Really Work?

2023

https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/ultrasonic-pest-control-does-it-really-work/


______________

 

Dissolving metal with sound

Feb 2024

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/H5wVQ513-5M

 

______________


U.S. Air Force Testing Light Beams From Weed-Zapping Wand as a Pesticide Alternative

August 10, 2016

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/nature-zap-weed-wand-zap-light-pesticides-herbicides-edwards-air-force-base

______________



 Selective radio frequency pest control apparatus

1995

Abstract

This application discloses an apparatus and method for generating and radiating energy at specific radio frequency wavelengths known to adversely affect the nervous systems of small insects such as flies, gnats, cockroaches, termites and the like wherein each is affected by a different frequency or range of frequencies; the apparatus containing a power supply, a voltage selector circuit for generating sequences of specific voltages, a modulator circuit to amplitude modulate each specific voltage about its center level, a multiple frequency generator to convert each modulated voltage into a modulated frequency of both fundamental and harmonic content, a radio frequency transmitter circuit, and a random interval timer circuit to energize and de-energize the radio frequency transmitter circuit in such a manner as to prevent the pest from acquiring an immunity to the radiated energy. There is further disclosed a method of forming patterns of radiated energy wherein said multiple frequency generator, said modulator circuit, said voltage selector circuit, said radio frequency transmitter circuit and said random interval timer circuit are operably connected in such a manner as to produce bursts of radio frequency energy at slightly varying fixed frequencies having both fundamental and harmonic content and wherein such bursts are continuously varied in both their interval and duration.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US5896696A/en


______________


Exposure of Insects to Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields from 2 to 120 GHz

02 March 2018

Abstract

Insects are continually exposed to Radio-Frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields at different frequencies. The range of frequencies used for wireless telecommunication systems will increase in the near future from below 6 GHz (2 G, 3 G, 4 G, and WiFi) to frequencies up to 120 GHz (5 G). This paper is the first to report the absorbed RF electromagnetic power in four different types of insects as a function of frequency from 2 GHz to 120 GHz. A set of insect models was obtained using novel Micro-CT (computer tomography) imaging. These models were used for the first time in finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic simulations. All insects showed a dependence of the absorbed power on the frequency. All insects showed a general increase in absorbed RF power at and above 6 GHz, in comparison to the absorbed RF power below 6 GHz. Our simulations showed that a shift of 10% of the incident power density to frequencies above 6 GHz would lead to an increase in absorbed power between 3–370%.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22271-3

______________


Electronic pest control

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_pest_control



______________


Sustainable laser-based technology for insect pest control

2021

Abstract

Aphids damage directly or indirectly cultures by feeding and spreading diseases, leading to huge economical losses. So far, only the use of pesticides can mitigate their impact, causing severe health and environmental issues. Hence, innovative eco-friendly and low-cost solutions must be promoted apart from chemical control. Here, we have investigated the use of laser radiation as a reliable solution. We have analyzed the lethal dose required to kill 90% of a population for two major pest aphid species (Acyrthosiphon pisum and Rhopalosiphum padi). We showed that irradiating insects at an early stage (one-day old nymph) is crucial to lower the lethal dose without affecting plant growth and health. The laser is mostly lethal, but it can also cause insect stunting and a reduction of survivors’ fecundity. Nevertheless, we did not notice any significant visible effect on the offspring of the surviving irradiated generation. The estimated energy cost and the harmless effect of laser radiation on host plants show that this physics-based strategy can be a promising alternative to chemical pesticides.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-90782-7

______________


Forget Pesticides, Farmers Can Shoot Bad Bugs With Lasers

The Photonic Fence intelligently targets and kills flying pests at a rate of 20 per second, leaving other friendly insects alone.

2017

https://www.pcmag.com/news/forget-pesticides-farmers-can-shoot-bad-bugs-with-lasers

______________


Sustainable laser‑based technology for insect pest control

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-90782-7.pdf


______________


Removing the Need for Pesticides with Lasers and Machine Vision

Sep 26 2022

https://www.azooptics.com/News.aspx?newsID=27947

______________


Goodbye, pesticides? This new robot can kill 100,000 weeds per hour using lasers

2021

https://www.zmescience.com/science/goodbye-pesticides-this-new-robot-can-kill-100000-weeds-per-hour-using-lasers/


______________


Self-Driving Farm Robot Uses Lasers To Kill 100,000 Weeds An Hour, Saving Land And Farmers From Toxic Herbicides

Nov 2, 2021

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/11/02/self-driving-farm-robot-uses-lasers-to-kill-100000-weeds-an-hour-saving-land-and-farmers-from-toxic-herbicides/?sh=4ebf42894070

______________


Laser vaccine adjuvants. History, progress, and potential

2014

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25424797/

______________

 

Lethal effects of short-wavelength visible light on insects


2014


https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07383

______________


One photon is all it takes to kick off photosynthesis

09 December 2014

Researchers demonstrated the role of a single particle of light in photosynthetic bacteria

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07383

______________


Photonic molecule

Photonic molecules are a form of matter in which photons bind together to form "molecules".[1][2][3] They were first predicted in 2007. Photonic molecules are formed when individual (massless) photons "interact with each other so strongly that they act as though they have mass".[4] In an alternative definition (which is not equivalent), photons confined to two or more coupled optical cavities also reproduce the physics of interacting atomic energy levels, and have been termed as photonic molecules.

Researchers drew analogies between the phenomenon and the fictional "lightsaber" from Star Wars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photonic_molecule

______________


Single photon emitter takes a step closer to quantum tech

MAY 5, 2022

https://phys.org/news/2022-05-photon-emitter-closer-quantum-tech.html

______________


A review of pesticide phototransformation on the leaf surface: Models, mechanism, and influencing factors

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653522027539

______________


Absorption (electromagnetic radiation)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_%28electromagnetic_radiation%29

 

______________



Construction of liquid crystal droplet-based sensing platform for sensitive detection of organophosphate pesticide

2018

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914018308221

______________


Ultrasensitive fluorescent detection of pesticides in real sample by using green carbon dots

2020 Mar 24

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7092965/

______________


Recent advances in synthesis and modification of carbon dots for optical sensing of pesticides

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389421018495

______________


Polymer additives regulate the deposition behavior of pesticide droplets on target plants

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142941820321875


______________


Visualization and characterization of agricultural sprays using machine learning based digital inline holography

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168169923008748

______________


Detection of pesticides using nanozymes: Trends, challenges and outlook

Abstract

Effective monitoring of pesticide residues in food and environmental samples is of high importance as these chemical residues undergo ongoing eco- and bio-accumulation, compromising the health of humans and animals alike. Several sensor platforms are being developed for the detection of pesticide residues in a range of sample matrices. A relatively new sensor platform that has gained enormous attention is based on the natural enzyme-mimicking catalytic activity of nanomaterials, more commonly referred to as nanozyme activity. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the recent advances in nanozyme-based sensing strategies for the detection of pesticides. The review highlights the salient features and the working principle of various nanozyme-based sensors, their integration with molecular recognition elements (MREs) to improve target specificity, and associated limitations that must be overcome to turn nanozyme sensors into mainstream analytical tools. The review further provides a critical outlook of nanozyme-based sensors for pesticide detection. The last section of the review outlines the steps that must be taken to realise the full potential of nanozyme-based sensors.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993621002521

______________


Nanotechnology promises to help farmers cut pesticide use – but could also make chemicals more toxic

February 23, 2024

https://theconversation.com/nanotechnology-promises-to-help-farmers-cut-pesticide-use-but-could-also-make-chemicals-more-toxic-223404

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Nanopesticides in Agriculture: Benefits and Challenge in Agricultural Productivity, Toxicological Risks to Human Health and Environment

2021 Jun 4

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8230079/


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Magnetic nanomaterials with unique nanozymes-like characteristics for colorimetric sensors: A review

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914021002204

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Nanozymes-based biosensors for food quality and safety

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993619306739

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Transparent, Flexible Plasmonic Ag NP/PMMA Substrates Using Chemically Patterned Ferroelectric Crystals for Detecting Pesticides on Curved Surfaces

July 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353336218_Transparent_Flexible_Plasmonic_Ag_NPPMMA_Substrates_Using_Chemically_Patterned_Ferroelectric_Crystals_for_Detecting_Pesticides_on_Curved_Surfaces

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A review on metal nanozyme-based sensing of heavy metal ions: Challenges and future perspectives

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389420313868


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Removal of pesticide pollutants from aqueous waste utilizing nanomaterials via photocatalytic process: a review

28 November 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-023-05341-6


______________


Nano-enabled pesticides for sustainable agriculture and global food security

24 March 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-022-01082-8

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Nano-based pesticides: challenges for pest and disease management

18 September 2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41207-021-00279-y

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Reducing insecticide use with CRISPR: Gene editing could naturally rollback pesticide resistance evolution in disease-carrying insects

January 19, 2022

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2022/01/19/reducing-insecticide-use-with-crispr-gene-editing-could-naturally-roll-back-pesticide-resistance-evolution-in-disease-carrying-insects/


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CRISPR gene editing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR_gene_editing

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Curing disease by repairing faulty genes

2016

New delivery method boosts efficiency of CRISPR genome-editing system.

https://news.mit.edu/2016/crispr-curing-disease-repairing-faulty-genes-0201

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HOLOGRAMS YOU CAN TOUCH AND FEEL

JANUARY 23, 2024

https://magazine.scienceconnected.org/2024/01/holograms-can-touch-feel/

______________


Machine learning holography for measuring 3D particle distribution

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009250920303626

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Using artificial intelligence to generate 3D holograms in real-time

March 10, 2021

A new method called tensor holography could enable the creation of holograms for virtual reality, 3D printing, medical imaging, and more — and it can run on a smartphone.

https://news.mit.edu/2021/3d-holograms-vr-0310

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Digital holography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_holography

Phase-shifting holography

The phase-shifting (or phase-stepped) digital holography process entails capturing multiple interferograms that each indicate the optical phase relationships between light returned from all points on the illuminated object and a controlled reference beam of light. The optical phase of the reference beam is shifted from one sampled interferogram to the next. From a linear combination of these interferograms, complex-valued holograms are formed. These holograms contain amplitude and phase information of the optical radiation diffracted by the object, in the sensor plane.

Frequency-shifting holography

Through the use of electro-optic modulators (Pockel cells) or acousto-optic modulators (Bragg cells), the reference laser beam can be frequency-shifted by a tunable quantity. This enables optical heterodyne detection, a frequency-conversion process aimed at shifting a given radiofrequency optical signal component in the sensor's temporal bandwidth. Frequency-shifted holograms can be used for narrowband laser Doppler imaging.

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Physics of optical holography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics_of_optical_holography

______________


Acoustic holography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_holography

______________


Holography and its applications for industry 4.0: An overview

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667345222000141

______________


Holography applications toward medical field: An overview

2020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7694722/

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Millimeter-wave beam shaping using holograms


08 April 2003

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1193141

Abstract:

We synthesize amplitude- and phase-type computer-generated holograms (diffractive gratings) for shaping millimeter-wave fields. We design holograms using quasi-optical back-propagation and rigorous optimization methods adopted from diffractive optics. We present experimental results from a plane-wave-generating hologram and a custom-designed field shaper at 310 GHz. Holograms can be applied, e.g., in a compact antenna test range and we propose their use for alignment purposes.

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Study of the Photocatalytic Degradation of Highly Abundant Pesticides in Agricultural Soils

2022 Jan 19

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8840474/

______________

 

Spray coating for grapes shows promise in battle between wildfire smoke and wine

January 29, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-spray-coating-grapes-wildfire-wine.html


______________


How mosquito larva guts could help create highly specific insecticides

April 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-mosquito-larva-guts-highly-specific.html

 

______________

 

Discovery of new nematode species that could protect crops without pesticides

February 8, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-discovery-nematode-species-crops-pesticides.html

 

______________


A review on photocatalytic degradation of hazardous pesticides using heterojunctions

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277538721004472


______________


Semiconductor based photocatalytic degradation of pesticides: An overview


2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352186420314280

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Photodissociation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photodissociation

_____________


A review of photochemical approaches for the treatment of a wide range of pesticides

2023 Nov 13

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389414009431

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New insights into pesticide photoprotection

30 January 2013

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-013-1490-7

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Exploring Various Photochemical Processes in Optical Sensing of Pesticides by Luminescent Nanomaterials: A Concise Discussion on Challenges and Recent Advancements

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10688216/

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Quasi-crystalline order in vibrating granular matter

19 January 2024

Abstract

Quasi-crystals are aperiodic structures with crystallographic properties that are not compatible with that of a single unit cell. Their discovery in a metallic alloy more than four decades ago has required a full reconsideration of our definition of a crystal structure. Quasi-crystalline structures have also been discovered at much larger length scales in different microscopic systems for which the size of the elementary building blocks ranges from the nanometre to the micrometre scale. Here we report the first experimental observation of spontaneous quasi-crystalline self-assembly at the millimetre scale. This result is obtained in a fully athermal system of macroscopic spherical grains vibrating on a substrate. Starting from a liquid-like disordered phase, the grains begin to locally arrange into three types of square and triangle tile that eventually align, forming an eight-fold symmetric quasi-crystal that has been predicted in simulation but not yet experimentally observed in non-atomic systems. These results not only demonstrate an alternative route for the spontaneous assembly of quasi-crystals but are of fundamental interest for the connection between equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical physics.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-023-02364-1

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Resurrecting quasicrystals: Findings make an exotic material commercially viable

OCTOBER 11, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-10-resurrecting-quasicrystals-exotic-material-commercially.html


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"Recent Advances in Quasicrystals" Special Issue of Crystals

Feb 2023

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368365421_Recent_Advances_in_Quasicrystals_Special_Issue_of_Crystals

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DNA gives colloidal crystals shape-shifting and memory abilities

OCTOBER 17, 2022

https://phys.org/news/2022-10-dna-colloidal-crystals-shape-shifting-memory.html

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Nanoparticle quasicrystal constructed with DNA

November 2, 2023

ANN ARBOR—Nanoengineers have created a quasicrystal—a scientifically intriguing and technologically promising material structure—from nanoparticles using DNA, the molecule that encodes life.

The team, led by researchers at Northwestern University, the University of Michigan and the Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials in San Sebastian, Spain, reports the results in Nature Materials.

Unlike ordinary crystals, which are defined by a repeating structure, the patterns in quasicrystals don’t repeat. Quasicrystals built from atoms can have exceptional properties—for example, absorbing heat and light differently, exhibiting unusual electronic properties such as conducting electricity without resistance, or their surfaces are very hard or very slippery.

Engineers studying nanoscale assembly often view nanoparticles as a kind of ‘designer atom,’ which provides a new level of control over synthetic materials. One of the challenges is directing particles to assemble into desired structures with useful qualities, and in building this first DNA-assembled quasicrystal, the team entered a new frontier in nanomaterial design...

 


 

A mathematical tool called a fast Fourier transform maps the structure in a way that reveals the 12-fold symmetry of the quasicrystal. The fast Fourier transform of the electron microscope image of the quasicrystal is shown on the left, while the transform of the simulated crystal is shown on the right.

https://news.umich.edu/nanoparticle-quasicrystal-constructed-with-dna/


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RNAi-Based Pesticides Contribute To The Promise Of A New Green Revolution

2020

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhelmstetter/2020/08/06/rnai-based-pesticides-contribute-to-the-promise-of-a-new-green-revolution/?sh=6aa095fa78e7

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RNA-based pesticides are coming, but how will they affect the ecosystem?

March 6, 2019

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/03/06/rna-based-pesticides-are-coming-but-how-will-they-affect-the-ecosystem/

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Twisting Physics: MIT’s Quasicrystal Superconductivity Breakthrough

 OCTOBER 18, 2023

https://scitechdaily.com/twisting-physics-mits-quasicrystal-superconductivity-breakthrough/

______________


Investigation on the nonreciprocal properties of one-dimensional cylindrical magnetized plasma photonic crystals

2021

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34143159/

______________


Periodic and quasi-periodic one-dimensional extrinsically magnetized photonic crystals with robust photonic bandgaps

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38038118/

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Photonic quasi-crystal terahertz lasers

19 December 2014

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms6884


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A phase-field framework for brittle fracture in quasi-crystals

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020768323002822

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Unraveling Microbes as Potential Proxies for Remediation of Heavy Metal and Pesticide Contamination: A State-of-the Art Review

22 August 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41742-023-00544-8


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Pesticide Use and Degradation Strategies: Food Safety, Challenges and Perspectives

2023 Jul 15

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10379487/

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Degradation strategies of pesticide residue: From chemicals to synthetic biology

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405805X23000236

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Degradation of traditional and new emerging pesticides in water by nanomaterials: recent trends and future recommendations

28 August 2017

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-017-1512-y

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Chapter 7 - Genome editing of microbes for degradation of pesticides

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323919005000023

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Chapter 14 - Role of cloning and modification of genes in pesticide decomposition

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323919005000035

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Silica nanoparticle based techniques for extraction, detection, and degradation of pesticides

2016

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001868616301233

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Engineered silica nanomaterials in pesticide delivery: Challenges and perspectives

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749123000477

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A comprehensive review on semiconductor-based photocatalysts toward the degradation of persistent pesticides

2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12274-023-5428-6

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Chapter 9 - Photocatalytical degradation of pesticides

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128185988000092

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Recent developments in photocatalytic degradation of insecticides and pesticides


September 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354472747_Recent_developments_in_photocatalytic_degradation_of_insecticides_and_pesticides

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Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Pesticides into Nanocomposites: A Review

2022

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36234798/

______________


Photostability and photodegradation pathways of distinctive pesticides

2009

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19141805/

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Chapter 4 - Solar light-induced photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128185988000043

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New Approach Shows Hydrogen Can be Combined with Electricity to Make Pharmaceutical Drugs

August 27, 2023

The world needs greener ways to make chemicals. In a new study, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers demonstrate one potential path toward this goal by adapting hydrogen fuel cell technologies. These technologies are already used to power some electric vehicles, laptops and cell phones.

https://www.technology.org/2023/08/27/hydrogen-combined-with-electricity-to-make-pharmaceutical-drugs/

 

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Pesticide remediation with cyclodextrins: a review


22 July 2021

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-021-15434-9

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Animals keep eating precious plants—we used 'smell misinformation' to keep them away

Feb 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-animals-precious-misinformation.html

 

______________


Nanotechnology-based recent approaches for sensing and remediation of pesticides

2017


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030147971731112X


______________



New Trends in Biosensor Development for Pesticide Detection

13 March 2021

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-66165-6_8

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ZnO-rGO-based electrochemical biosensor for the detection of organophosphorus pesticides

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1567539423002360

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Electrochemical Biosensors for Detection of Pesticides and Heavy Metal Toxicants in Water: Recent Trends and Progress

February 15, 2021

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestwater.0c00125

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Detecting and Mapping Harmful Chemicals in Fruit and Vegetables Using Nanoparticle-Enhanced Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

 29 January 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-37556-w

______________



Pesticide degradation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesticide_degradation

______________


Physicists trap electrons in a 3D crystal for the first time

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-physicists-electrons-3d-crystal.html

______________


A columnar liquid quasicrystal with a honeycomb structure that consists of triangular, square and trapezoidal cells

23 March 2023

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-023-01166-5

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Inorganic Porous Nanoparticles as Pesticide or Nutrient Carriers

May 2022

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-94155-0_11

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MIT scientists use a new type of nanoparticle to make vaccines more powerful

March 6, 2024

Study shows metal-organic particles can both deliver vaccines and act as an adjuvant to generate a strong immune response at a lower dose.

https://news.mit.edu/2024/mit-scientists-use-new-nanoparticle-more-powerful-vaccines-0306

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 Nanoparticle vaccines explained

August 19, 2022

Vaccines made with nanoparticles are currently being studied. Find out how they work differently than the approved messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccines.

https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/research-innovation/nanoparticle-vaccines-explained/


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Sound research

Scientific innovations harness noise and acoustics for healing

 Bioengineering | Spring 2018

From the original stethoscope, invented more than 200 years ago, to the fleeting chirp of gravitational waves, sound has reverberated throughout the history of technological and scientific advances.

Today, the role of sound in science extends beyond the range of audible frequencies: Ultrasonic and other silent acoustic waves have made their way into researchers’ repertoire, helping them push the boundaries of conventional medicine and research.

In examples from four Stanford labs, scientists are investigating the full spectrum, harnessing the nuances of noise and the power of acoustics to generate inventive, if not unexpected, technologies that show just how potent the combination of sound and science can be.
Turning the irksome into the advantage

Nothing incites irritation in quite the same way as a lurking mosquito. But its high-pitched drone may actually help curb spikes in mosquito populations and, more importantly, the diseases that they pass on to humans. This, at least, is the premise behind Manu Prakash’s newly launched app, Abuzz.

https://stanmed.stanford.edu/innovations-helping-harness-sound-acoustics-healing/

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HAARP AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT AFFECT HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

2001

http://www.consumerhealth.org/articles/display_ID_20011005223152.html

WHAT IS HAARP?


HAARP stands for High-frequency Active Auroral Research Project. HAARP is a joint project by the U.S. Navy and Air Force in Alaska to create a very large radio frequency transmitter which can transmit an electromagnetic beam into the upper atmosphere or ionosphere. This radio-frequency energy is broadcast through a field of 48 antennas which are 72 feet tall and they have a cross diapoled across the top. Electromagnetic waves then bounce back onto Earth and penetrate everything--living and dead. Normally, radio frequency energy dissipates with distance, but by firing them in a unique way, the energy is focussed and a cyclotron resonance effect occurs. This produces very much more concentrated and potent energy when it delivers its load either through magnetic lines of force or to the ionosphere. The cyclotron resonance energy wraps itself around these magnetic lines and it moves north to south. This was intended to create a shielding effect during a nuclear attack. The ideal place to locate these instruments happens to be in the northern regions where the magnetic lines of force intersect the planet, and the research project was located in Alaska.


EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCY (ELF) RADIATION


When HAARP sends up a signal in the high frequency range and they begin to pulse or vibrate that signal, the ionosphere itself converts from DC to AC, begins to mirror the pulse rate and acts like a giant broadcast antenna in the sky, perhaps as much as a 1,000 miles above this transmitter. It pulses the signal back to the earth in the extremely low frequency (ELF) range. This is between one and approximately 100 Hertz. That is what is used for communication with submarines at depth using 14 and 26 mile long antennas buried underground in Michigan, Wisconsin and in Alaska to create that signal. With HAARP, they thought they would have a little more versatility and the ability to communicate at higher data rates and more efficiently with submarines at depth. It is the same ELF that is used for earth penetrating tomography because you need a long wave in order to penetrate the earth to any great degree. Short wavelengths just don't go very far. The problem is, earth penetrating tomography operates in the ELF range, which happens to correlate to biologically active frequencies in the human body, particularly in the human brain.

FREQUENCY RANGES IN THE HUMAN BRAIN


The human brain predominantly operates on a frequency of between one and 30 pulses per second, cycles per second Hertz, and it varies. One to four pulses per second is the delta range. This is where you are in your deepest, deepest sleep. The next level is theta, which is about 4 to 7 cycles per second. This is the range where you are in that semi-awake, semi-asleep stage where you are sort of drifting off. You are aware of your dreams but are aware you are awake. This is where most three to five-year-olds spend most of their lives, which explains an awful lot. But it is also where they learn a tremendous amount. This is where they learn language, social skills, everything that kids learn between the ages of three and five. This is also the state where a lot of people re-experience childhood events, because that is where you are when you are a child. The next stage is the alpha stage, which goes from about 7 to 12 Hertz. This is where you are when you do your most creative and intellectual work. It is interesting to note that the planet Earth pulses at Schumann's Resonance which is 7.83 Hertz. That is the ideal frequency for human beings to be engaged in, and we are separated from that because we are surrounded by Tesla's invention of 60 cycles of AC current which is agitating to most of our systems. The next level is beta. Low beta is where we are actively engaged in learning and thinking and dialogue. You are in high beta when you get agitated and angry, when you have high, strong emotions.

EFFECTS OF ELF ON THE BRAIN


The problem is that external signals like the radio frequency signals of HAARP, and any electromagnetic signals from light and sound waves that can be pulsed in this ELF range will cause the brain to begin to lock onto that external signal and begin to mirror it. When it does so, it changes the character and chemistry of the brain during that period of time and your behaviour changes. Early researchers have claimed that these ELF concentrations of energy are harmless, but over the last 20 years, researchers have recognized that very low energy concentrations can have profound physiological effects. The military rationalizes that HAARP instruments broadcast the signal in the ELF range and this is a very, very low level of electromagnetic radiation by the time it gets back to the earth, that it is nothing to worry about, that it is about equal to what the earth naturally produces. They compare it to things like the flickering of the television set.

ZAPPING THE BODY WITH ELF


However, Jose Delgado at Yale University researched radio frequency energy, and discovered that he could influence the brain using a pulsed radio frequency signal concentration at one-fiftieth of the energy that the earth naturally produces, and this was sufficient to change the behaviour of primates and humans like flipping on and off a light switch. It was not the magnitude of energy, but its specific frequency which triggered events within the brain, changed brain chemistry and consequently changed behaviour. A few years ago, a story was released about children having epileptic seizures from watching a cartoon on television. A reaction in the brain was caused by the flicker rate hitting one of these frequencies inadvertently. It wasn't the amount of energy; it was the frequency. It is like dialing a radio station. In between stations, you hear static. When you hit a resonant frequency, a signal that corresponds to the receiver, you get a clear signal.

The same is true of the human body. Every organ, every chemical, every element within our body has a unique resonant frequency that can be measured. In fact, the basic organs of the body have been measured for radio frequency symmetry by the University of Utah under contract with the United States Air Force. The study is cited in our books. You can look it up. They have actually determined the amount of radio frequency energy each part of the body can tolerate. So if you want to stop a heart, you know how to do it. This is kind of a gross application of the technology. A more refined application would be to target a chemical or chemical compound within the population that is present in all of us, that is universal. For instance, if you send a signal that resonates at the same frequency as iodine, you trick the body into thinking it has been poisoned by iodine. And you have a mystery illness which doesn't show on tests because the iodine is not there. This can be used in lots of different ways. If everyone breaths in a substance during war, you can send energy that amplifies its effect, and you can create some pretty horrendous special effects.

The idea that HAARP inadvertently or purposefully might be used in this way is kind of shocking. In Between Two Ages (p.54-56), Zbigniew Brezinski, previous National Security Advisor to President Carter, discussed triggering an event in the ionosphere that could affect human behaviour. Referring to research out of UCLA by Gordon MacDonald, Brezinski suggested that if you could electronically stroke the ionosphere in just the right way to return a signal in the ELF range, you could manipulate the emotions of a population of a large geographic area. Between Two Ages is about technology's impact on society, culture and economies, and it gave a 25-year forecast of what was going to happen globally. It was written in the early '70s, so it reads like a history because it is dead right on. In Earth Rising: The Revolution, our latest book, we cite a CIA experiment in which they actually tried this in Eastern Europe. There is plenty of evidence that the Russians were doing this to us. Remember the macrowave beaming of the U.S. Embassy? There are reports of Russian research where they exposed primates to this same signal. This research is still classified because it caused disruption of physical health.






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Microwave weapons that could cause Havana Syndrome exist, experts say

2021

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jun/02/microwave-weapons-havana-syndrome-experts

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High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is a University of Alaska Fairbanks program which researches the ionosphere – the highest, ionized part of Earth's atmosphere.

The most prominent instrument at HAARP is the Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), a high-power radio frequency transmitter facility operating in the high frequency (HF) band. The IRI is used to temporarily excite a limited area of the ionosphere. Other instruments, such as a VHF and a UHF radar, a fluxgate magnetometer, a digisonde (an ionospheric sounding device), and an induction magnetometer, are used to study the physical processes that occur in the excited region.

Initially HAARP was jointly funded by the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).[1] It was designed and built by BAE Advanced Technologies. Its original purpose was to analyze the ionosphere and investigate the potential for developing ionospheric enhancement technology for radio communications and surveillance.[2] Since 2015 it has been operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks.[3]

Work on the HAARP facility began in 1993. The current working IRI was completed in 2007; its prime contractor was BAE Systems Advanced Technologies.[1] As of 2008, HAARP had incurred around $250 million in tax-funded construction and operating costs. In May 2014, it was announced that the HAARP program would be permanently shut down later in the year.[4] After discussions between the parties, ownership of the facility was transferred to the University of Alaska Fairbanks in August 2015.[5]

HAARP is a target of conspiracy theorists, who claim that it is capable of weather manipulation. Commentators and scientists say that advocates of this and other conspiracy theories are wrong,[6] as claims made fall well outside the abilities of the facility, if not the scope of natural science.

Research

HAARP's main goal is basic science research in the uppermost portion of the atmosphere, termed the ionosphere. Essentially a transition between the atmosphere and the magnetosphere, the ionosphere is where the atmosphere is thin enough that the Sun's X-rays and UV rays can reach it, but thick enough that there are enough molecules present to absorb those rays. Consequently, the ionosphere consists of a rapid increase in density of free electrons, beginning at ~70 km, reaching a peak at ~300 km, and then falling off again as the atmosphere disappears entirely by ~1,000 km. Various aspects of HAARP can study all of the main layers of the ionosphere.

The profile of the ionosphere is highly variable, changing constantly on timescales of minutes, hours, days, seasons, and years. This profile becomes even more complex near Earth's magnetic poles, where the nearly vertical alignment and intensity of Earth's magnetic field can cause physical effects like the aurora.

The ionosphere is traditionally very difficult to measure. Balloons cannot reach it because the air is too thin, but satellites cannot orbit there because the air is too thick. Hence, most experiments on the ionosphere give only small pieces of information. HAARP approaches the study of the ionosphere by following in the footsteps of an ionospheric heater called EISCAT near Tromsø, Norway. There, scientists pioneered exploration of the ionosphere by perturbing it with radio waves in the 2–10 MHz range, and studying how the ionosphere reacts. HAARP performs the same functions but with more power and a more flexible and agile HF beam.

Some of the main capabilities of HAARP include:

    Generating very low frequency (VLF) radio waves by modulated heating of the auroral electrojet, useful because generating VLF waves ordinarily requires gigantic antennas
    Generating artificial Airglow, which is typically subvisual but routinely detectable.  Under certain geophysical conditions and transmitter configurations, it can be bright enough to observe with the unaided eye.[17][18]
    Generating extremely low frequency (ELF) waves in the 0.1 Hz range. These are next to impossible to produce any other way, because the length of an antenna is dictated by the wavelength of the signal it emits or receives.
    Generating whistler-mode VLF signals that enter the magnetosphere and propagate to the other hemisphere, interacting with Van Allen radiation belt particles along the way
    VLF remote sensing of the heated ionosphere

Research at the HAARP has included:

    Plasma line observations
    Stimulated electron emission observations
    Gyro frequency heating research
    Spread F observations (blurring of ionospheric echoes of radio waves due to irregularities in electron density in the F layer)
    High-velocity trace runs
    Airglow observations[19]
    Heating induced scintillation observations
    VLF and ELF generation observations[20]
    Radio observations of meteors
    Polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) have been studied, probing the mesosphere using the IRI as a powerful radar, and with a 28 MHz radar and two VHF radars at 49 MHz and 139 MHz. The presence of multiple radars spanning both HF and VHF bands allows scientists to make comparative measurements that may someday lead to an understanding of the processes that form these elusive phenomena.
    Research into extraterrestrial HF radar echos: the Lunar Echo experiment (2008).[21][22]
    Testing of spread spectrum Transmitters (2009)
    Meteor shower impacts on the ionosphere
    Response and recovery of the ionosphere from solar flares and geomagnetic storms
    The effect of ionospheric disturbances on GPS satellite signal quality
    Producing high density plasma clouds in Earth's upper atmosphere[23]

Research conducted at the HAARP facility has allowed the US military to perfect communications with its fleet of submarines by sending radio signals over long distances.


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Why scientists used these radio transmitters to create artificial auroras

Sending radio pulses into the upper atmosphere can create splotches of red and green light.

Nov 10, 2023

If you live in and around Gulkana, Alaska and recently saw some eerie lights in the sky—don’t worry; they were all part of a science experiment. Earlier this week, researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and several other US institutions created artificial auroras by sending radio pulses into the Earth’s ionosphere using HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) transmitters on the ground. The frequencies of these transmissions were between 2.8 and 10 megahertz.

These transmitters act as heaters that excite the gasses in the upper atmosphere. When the gasses “de-excite,” they produce an airglow between 120 and 150 miles above ground, according to a notice about the project issued by the HAARP team. This is similar to how charged particles from the sun interact with gasses in the upper atmosphere to create natural auroras; the charged particles are steered by the Earth’s magnetic field to the north and south poles to form aurora borealis and aurora australis. Compared to those light displays, the artificial auroras are much weaker.

https://www.popsci.com/technology/haarp-artificial-aurora/

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HAARP experiments could cause artificial aurora over Alaska this weekend

November 4, 2023

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/science/2023/11/04/haarp-experiments-could-cause-artificial-aurora-over-alaska-this-weekend/

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HAARP ionospheric research program set to continue

July 24, 2013

https://newatlas.com/haarp-operations-on-hold/28383/

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Plane laser scanning homes in Florida??

 March 18, 2024

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JbhlexoZQoM

 

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Congress Could Roll Back Pesticide Protections in the Farm Bill

In this week’s Field Report: The farm bill could be a vehicle to roll back pesticide safety, a flurry of food-and-climate reports, and more.

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

https://civileats.com/2023/11/07/congress-may-roll-back-pesticide-protections-farm-bill/

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EPA phased out a toxic pesticide in 2010. Before Trump left office, it was approved for Florida citrus.

Nov 2, 2021

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/11/02/epa-pressured-decision-toxic-pesticide-florida-citrus/8124503002/?gnt-cfr=1

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'Extremely Hazardous' Pesticide Federally Approved For Use On Florida Citrus

January 13, 2021

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2021-01-13/extremely-hazardous-pesticide-federally-approved-for-use-on-florida-citrus

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Court Blocks Controversial Pesticide For Use On Florida Citrus

June 10, 2021

In a victory for environmental and farmworker groups, an appeals court has overturned federal approval of a controversial pesticide that supporters say could help fight a disease that has caused heavy damage in Florida’s citrus industry.

The decision this week by a panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia came amid federal and state legal battles about the use of the pesticide aldicarb on citrus crops.

https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2021-06-10/court-blocks-controversial-pesticide-for-use-on-florida-citrus

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Restricted Use Pesticides for Use in Florida

https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/download/114783/122375/


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THE DEPARTMENT OF YES

How Pesticide Companies Corrupted the EPA and Poisoned America

2021

https://theintercept.com/2021/06/30/epa-pesticides-exposure-opp/

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Florida Delegation Urges EPA Not To Ban Pesticide Which Helps Strawberry Production

May 26, 2022

https://www.floridadaily.com/florida-delegation-urges-epa-not-to-ban-pesticide-which-helps-strawberry-production/

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The USA lags behind other agricultural nations in banning harmful pesticides

07 June 2019

https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-019-0488-0

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Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward

19 April 2022

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-13057-4

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Florida Legislature proposes blocking fertilizer restrictions. Here's what we know

May 3, 2023

The Florida Legislature is set to vote Friday on the state's budget, which includes a fertilizer-related provision that some say could detrimentally affect the state's water quality.

Multiple municipalities across the state restrict the use of fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus during Florida's rainy season, June 1 through Sept. 30, because excess nutrients found in runoff are some of the biggest nitrogen contributors to local springs...

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/environment/2023/05/03/florida-legislature-wants-to-block-fertilizer-restrictions-what-we-know/70178675007/

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Florida Pesticide Producer to Pay $1.7 Million Penalty for Selling Misbranded Pesticides

December 20, 2013

https://www.enewspf.com/science/environmental/florida-pesticide-producer-to-pay-1-7-million-penalty-for-selling-misbranded-pesticides/



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Management of Pesticide Waste a Global Problem

2018

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2018/10/management-of-pesticide-waste-a-global-problem/

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Pesticide poisoning in south Florida. An analysis of mortality and morbidity and a comparison of sources of incidence data

1968

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5687273/


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Millions of People Drinking Groundwater with Pesticides or Pesticide Degradates

2021

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2021/01/millions-of-people-drinking-groundwater-with-pesticides-or-pesticide-degradates/

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‘No community should suffer this’: Florida’s toxic breach was decades in the making

2021

A leak at an abandoned fertilizer plant is just the latest development at a site that has polluted the area since it was built

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/11/florida-piney-point-fertilizer-plant-toxic-leak

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Fertilizer ordinances across Southwest Florida hope to curb nutrient pollution, stop algae blooms

2020

https://www.news-press.com/story/tech/science/environment/2020/06/04/fertilizer-ordinances-southwest-florida-used-hope-stop-algae-blooms/5308140002/

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Fertilizer use by Florida farmers appears to be leveling off. But will it be enough?

JULY 16, 2023

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article276607041.html

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Fertilizer runoff in streams and rivers can have cascading effects, analysis shows

2020

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201217135317.htm


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Experts say fertilizer's impact in Florida already known, but study clears state budget

June 2023

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/2023/06/20/fl-environmentalists-seasonal-fertilizer-bans-work-250k-study-a-waste/70330407007/

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New Study: Agricultural Pesticides Cause Widespread Harm to Soil Health, Threaten Biodiversity

Most Comprehensive Review Ever Conducted of Pesticide Impacts on Soil Finds Harm to Beneficial Invertebrates Like Beetles, Earthworms in 71% of Cases

May 4, 2021

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/new-study-agricultural-pesticides-cause-widespread-harm-to-soil-health-threaten-biodiversity-2021-05-04/



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Chapter 2 - Influence of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides on soil health and soil microbiology

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780081030172000027

______________

 

Photochemistry and a new catalyst could make fertilizer more sustainable

January 5, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-photochemistry-catalyst-fertilizer-sustainable.html

 

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Toxicity and bioremediation of pesticides in agricultural soil

20 September 2013

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11157-013-9320-4

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City of Largo sold contaminated fertilizer for months, records show

State and federal regulators are lobbing penalties a year after a whistleblower raised concerns

2023

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/04/12/city-largo-sold-contaminated-fertilizer-months-records-show/

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Managing the Biodiversity Impacts of Fertiliser and Pesticide Use

2020

https://one.oecd.org/document/ENV/WKP(2020)2/En/pdf

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Testing Reveals High Level of Toxic Pesticides in Foods Sold by Top 20 Fast Food Chains

10/18/23

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/los-analisis-revelan-un-alto-nivel-de-pesticidas-toxicos-en-los-alimentos-vendidos-por-las-20-principales-ca

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US food pesticides contaminated with toxic ‘forever chemicals’ testing finds

May 2023

PFAS are present at ‘potentially dangerous’ levels in widely used chemicals sprayed on food crops destined for Americans’ plates

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/07/food-pesticides-toxic-forever-chemicals-pfas

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PFAS in pesticides: ‘A problem of epic proportions’

March 5, 2021

https://pfasproject.com/2021/03/05/pfas-in-pesticides-a-problem-of-epic-proportions/

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This Brutal Pesticide Creates a ‘Circle of Death.’ So Why Is It Making a Comeback?

Spring 2020

Carbofuran, a century-old chemical, is increasingly being weaponized against birds and other wildlife, decimating entire food webs.

Let me tell you about the birds and the bees: A family of pesticides called neonicotinoids has been linked with pollinator declines. While their involvement in bee colony collapse is hotly debated, ecologists are wondering: could neonicotinoids impact something further up the food chain?

A study published yesterday in Nature suggests that birds and bees may share a common enemy. Dutch researchers have found a correlation between bird population declines in the Netherlands and higher concentrations of the common neonicotinoid pesticide imidacloprid in surface water.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/popular-pesticides-linked-drops-bird-population-180951971/

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Popular Pesticides Linked to Drops in Bird Populations

July 10, 2014

This is the latest in a string of studies suggesting that some pesticides impact birds as well as pollinators

 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/popular-pesticides-linked-drops-bird-population-180951971/

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Health effects of pesticides

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_pesticides

______________


Environmental impact of pesticides

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_pesticides

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Pesticides and Groundwater Quality: Issues and Problems in Four States (1986)

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 1986. Pesticides and Groundwater Quality: Issues and Problems in Four States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/649.

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/649/chapter/6

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Pesticides and Pesticide Degradates in Groundwater Used for Public Supply across the United States: Occurrence and Human-Health Context

December 14, 2020

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c05793

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Study of the Photocatalytic Degradation of Highly Abundant Pesticides in Agricultural Soils

2022 Jan 19

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8840474/

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A third of global farmland at 'high' pesticide pollution risk

MARCH 29, 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-03-global-farmland-high-pesticide-pollution.html

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Pesticides and Florida Lakes

2023

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pesticideinformation/2023/07/13/pesticides-and-florida-lakes/

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Water quality and evaluation of pesticides in lakes in the Ridge Citrus region of central Florida

2009

https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/sir20085178

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Pesticides and Nitrate in Groundwater Underlying Citrus
Croplands, Lake Wales Ridge, Central Florida, 1999–2005


2013

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1271/pdf/of2013-1271.pdf

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Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992–2001—A Summary

March 2006

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3028/

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Water quality, pesticide occurrence, and effects of irrigation with reclaimed water at golf courses in Florida

December 1, 1996

https://www.usgs.gov/publications/water-quality-pesticide-occurrence-and-effects-irrigation-reclaimed-water-golf-courses

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Natural Products for Managing Landscape and Garden Pests in Florida

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN197

______________


REDUCING PESTICIDE USE IN FLORIDA WATERS

https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/manage/management-plans/chemical-control-considerations/reducing-pesticide-use-in-florida-waters/

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Ordinance limiting fertilizer use aims to keep South Florida waterways healthy

May 11, 2022

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/05/11/ordinance-limiting-fertilizer-use-aims-to-keep-south-florida-waterways-healthy/

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AQUATIC HERBICIDE TESTING, TOXICITY, AND EPA REGISTRATION

https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/manage/control-methods/chemical-control/aquatic-herbicide-testing-toxicity-and-epa/

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Assessment of carbon dioxide piscicide treatments

January 1, 2018

Few chemicals are approved to control or eradicate nuisance fish populations in the United States. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is currently being developed and studied as a new piscicide option for nonselective population control. This study evaluated dry ice (solid state CO2) as a simple CO2 delivery method during winter piscicide applications. Nonnative Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Bighead Carp H. nobilis, and native Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas were overwintered together in ice‐covered ponds treated with 25 kg dry ice/100,000 L (low treatment) or 50 kg dry ice/100,000 L (high treatment). Overwinter fish survival was significantly reduced in ponds treated with dry ice relative to untreated control ponds. Fathead Minnows were less susceptible to CO2exposure than the carps, with 26–96% survival in low‐treatment ponds and 4–68% survival in high‐treatment ponds. Silver Carp and Bighead Carp were more sensitive to CO2 treatments and no individuals of either species survived in ponds with the high‐treatment level. Water samples were also collected in all ponds throughout this study, and we observed notably higher Silver Carp and Bighead Carp environmental DNA (eDNA) concentrations in dry‐ice‐treated ponds relative to untreated control ponds. Distinct changes in eDNA trends correlated with fish mortality, and results indicate that eDNA sampling could be a useful indicator of piscicide efficacy. This study demonstrates that CO2 administered as dry ice is an effective under‐ice piscicide method.

https://www.usgs.gov/publications/assessment-carbon-dioxide-piscicide-treatments


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Piscidia piscipula


Family:    FABACEAE

Species:    Piscidia piscipula (L.)Sarg.

Common Name:    FLORIDA FISHPOISON TREE; JAMAICAN DOGWOOD

Plant Notes:    Native to the Caribbean region, the root bark has been employed to poison and catch fish (Hamilton 1832). The primary constituents are flavonoid derivaties, i.e. piscidone, piscerythrone, ichthynone, and rotenone (Ingham et al. 1989).

Status:    Native

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant.aspx?id=3732

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Piscicide impact extends beyond targets and toxicity

2018

Abstract

Restoration of fisheries often requires removal of invasive fishes. Although piscicides such as antimycin a and rotenone are reliable and cost-effective tools for such removals, they may reduce the abundance of nontarget species directly via toxicity-induced mortality (toxic effect) or indirectly via loss of prey (trophic effect). Toxic effects are well documented in some taxa, especially in benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs). Yet, the corresponding trophic effects on nonpiscine, aquatic, and riparian species remain unstudied. I tested for a trophic effect of piscicides using a population of American Dippers (Cinclus mexicanus), songbirds that feed extensively on BMIs. I caught breeding birds and estimated body condition before, during, and after treatment of the stream with antimycin a or rotenone. Birds exhibited poorer body condition (3.0–3.7% lower body mass) during treatment than before or after treatment. These differences suggested that treatment reduced prey availability enough to impact birds at least 9 months after application. Therefore, continued use of piscicides for fish restoration would benefit from (1) site-specific comparison of benefits of invasive fish removal to costs of potential or documented toxic and trophic effects of piscicides on nontarget organisms; (2) continued adherence to best practices for recovery of the BMI community after piscicide treatment; and (3) experimental study of piscicide impacts.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/rec.12674

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Impacts of piscicide-induced fish removal on resource use and trophic diversity of lake invertebrates

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969722024573

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Rotenone: Advances on Resources, Biosynthetic Pathway, Bioavailability, Bioactivity, and Pharmacology

13 October 2023

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-94753-8_92-1

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Variation in Rotenone and Deguelin Contents among Strains across Four Tephrosia Species and Their Activities against Aphids and Whiteflies

2022

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9146100/

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Negative effects of a piscicide, rotenone, on the growth and metabolism of three submerged macophytes

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653520304392

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Use and Status of Rotenone in Organic Growing

2014

Rotenone is a potent botanical pesticide that has become a source of mounting concern because of its toxicity and potential environmental impact. There is significant confusion concerning whether and how this material may be used in USDA-certified organic farming.

Although the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) Generic Materials List identifies rotenone as “Allowed with Restrictions” on organic farms, the material is only legally allowed under certain conditions. Other substances commonly used with rotenone, including piperonyl butoxide, are explicitly prohibited for use in organic agriculture. The National Organic Program (NOP) is currently exploring possible changes to the regulations, potentially limiting or prohibiting the use of rotenone.

Rotenone is commonly derived from the roots of various tropical plants native to Southeast Asia, South America and East Africa. Historically, farmers have used this extract as a foliar spray to control pests on vegetables, berries, tree fruits, nuts, forage crops and sugarcane. It was first registered in the United States in 1947, and through the years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required a number of studies to further confirm its safety status for use in agriculture. In 2004, the EPA required an inhalation neurotoxicity study to further investigate the possibility of rotenone leading to Parkinson’s Disease-like symptoms at high dose exposure in animals. Instead, the companies distributing and selling rotenone products voluntarily cancelled all food use registrations for it, except for piscicide (fish kill) uses.  Since then, the EPA only supports registration for piscicidal purposes.

https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/rotenone-organic-zb0z1405zsto/

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Addition of Cinnamon Oil Improves Toxicity of Rotenone to Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae

1 September 2017


Abstract

Although rotenone is widely used as a pesticide, it has a low level of insecticidal activity on Spodoptera litura (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). To gain a better understanding of the high tolerance to rotenone, a synergist (cinnamon oil) was added, and the comparative physiological impacts were assessed. After rotenone treatment, a considerable amount of rotenone was discharged in excreta, but extremely low levels were found in the ventral nerve cord and brain. By contrast, the rotenone cinnamon oil treatment group showed an increased amount of rotenone in the ventral nerve cord and brain. The co-toxicity coefficient for rotenone cinnamon was 213, indicating synergism. The midgut cells from insects treated with rotenone alone, and the controls, exhibited no significant differences, whereas those of the rotenone cinnamon oil group had larger intercellular spaces. These findings suggest that rotenone alone could not effectively penetrate the midgut, perhaps accounting for its low toxicity to S. litura. The rotenone cinnamon oil mixture apparently affected midgut cell spacing and membrane permeability, thus effectively increasing rotenone toxicity.


https://bioone.org/journals/florida-entomologist/volume-100/issue-3/024.100.0304/Addition-of-Cinnamon-Oil-Improves-Toxicity-of-Rotenone-to-Spodoptera/10.1653/024.100.0304.full

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Snakeheads: One of South Florida's Most Notorious and Misunderstood Invasive Species

Aug 30, 2023

https://www.floridasportfishing.com/freshwater/snakeheads-one-of-south-floridas-most-notorious-and-misunderstood-invasive-species/article_efac815a-4746-11ee-810e-2f8489ac5d04.html

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Snakehead Tech Tips: What You Should Look for When Chasing Snakeheads in South Florida

Aug 30, 2023

https://www.floridasportfishing.com/freshwater/snakehead-tech-tips-what-you-should-look-for-when-chasing-snakeheads-in-south-florida/article_799013e8-474a-11ee-8578-7f6f7cf45b7b.html

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Florida Snakehead Fishing

https://www.takemefishing.org/florida/fishing/how-to-fish-in-florida/snakehead-fishing/


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Invasive Snakehead Population Discovered, Removed from Manatee River Drainage, Florida

January 19, 2023

The goldline snakehead (formerly known as the "bullseye snakehead") is native to Asia, but has been introduced in Florida waters.

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/wetland-and-aquatic-research-center/news/invasive-snakehead-population-discovered-removed

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Acute Toxicity of 5% Rotenone to Northern Snakeheads

August 2006

Abstract

The confirmation of northern snakeheads Channa argus caught by an angler in a private pond in Maryland resulted in significant media attention and generated numerous resources for risk identification and the development of action plans to prevent the introduction of this nonnative species into state waters. Rotenone was selected as an eradication option, and a bioassay was conducted with captured northern snakehead juveniles to determine toxicity and application dose. The lowest rotenone concentration evaluated, 0.075 mg of active ingredient per liter of water, resulted in 100% mortality within 1 h. Pond treatment was highly successful; 8 adult and 834 juvenile snakeheads were recovered. Study results show that northern snakeheads are susceptible to normal doses of rotenone and that standard pond treatment techniques are effective in eradicating this invasive species.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250017186_Acute_Toxicity_of_5_Rotenone_to_Northern_Snakeheads

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Pesticide occurrence in selected South Florida canals and Biscayne Bay during high agricultural activity

2005

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16028993/


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Common pesticide may have made the Zika epidemic worse

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

 

 Before COVID, there was Zika. In 2015, the number of babies born in Brazil with small heads and brains—a condition known as microcephaly—suddenly increased dramatically. The severe deformities left the children disabled for life, and caused intense global concern.

These cases of microcephaly were soon shown to be caused by pregnant women being infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The infects and kills that form the brain, hampering its proper development.

But the impact was not universal—certain regions in north-eastern Brazil saw far more cases of microcephaly than others.

Scientists began to question whether other factors might be at play that intensified the epidemic in some places. Not long after, they focused their attention on pyriproxyfen, a globally approved pesticide used against household insects in agriculture—including mosquitoes. Pyriproxyfen was used intensively in the regions with the highest numbers of microcephaly cases.

Now, in a new study, we have shown that pyriproxyfen could indeed exacerbate the already severe effects the Zika virus has on fetal brain development...

 


Genetically modified tadpoles emit green fluorescence when exposed to thyroid hormone (T3 in the image). When they were simultaneously exposed to pyriproxyfen, the fluorescent signal dropped significantly, showing the insecticide blocks thyroid hormone action.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-common-pesticide-zika-epidemic-worse.html

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Zika spraying in Miami: What you need to know

September 9, 2016

https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/08/health/florida-zika-spraying-concerns/index.html

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Popular Pesticide From The 1970s, Methoxychlor, Found To Have Lasting Effects On Health For Up To Three Generations

Jul 24, 2014

https://www.medicaldaily.com/popular-pesticide-1970s-methoxychlor-found-have-lasting-effects-health-three-generations-294852



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Using hypochlorous acid as an agricultural pesticide

JUN 08, 2022

https://hyposource.com/blogs/stories-from-the-field/using-hocl-as-a-pesticide

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This 27-Year-Old Scientist Has A Fix For Our Pesticide Problem

04-26-18

The winner of the 2018 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize thinks he can drastically cut the pesticides we use, by making them stickier.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40563458/this-27-year-old-scientist-has-a-fix-for-our-pesticide-problem

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Chapter 12 - Botanical pesticides as alternatives for more sustainable crops and healthy foods

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323904896000124

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Research Progress on the Synthetic Biology of Botanical Biopesticides

2022 May 12

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9137473/

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Hypochlorous Acid; Exemption From the Requirement of a Pesticide Tolerance

05/17/2022

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/17/2022-10563/hypochlorous-acid-exemption-from-the-requirement-of-a-pesticide-tolerance

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Organophosphate Pesticides in the United States

August 4, 2021

 

Inherently neurotoxic to humans, organophosphate pesticides pose a risk to children’s neurodevelopment and normal neurological function. At high levels of exposure, organophosphate pesticides can be lethal.

 

Exposure to organophosphate pesticides during pregnancy has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism.

 

Earthjustice is committed to mitigating both human and environmental exposure to this toxic class of pesticides. Of the dozens of organophosphate pesticides that still remain in use in the U.S., we have chosen to examine 17 in this database because of their heavy use and/or serious health effects.



https://earthjustice.org/feature/organophosphate-pesticides-united-states


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Cold plasma for mitigating agrochemical and pesticide residue in food and water: Similarities with ozone and ultraviolet technologies

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996921000351

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Finding Fluorine: Photoproduct Formation during the Photolysis of Fluorinated Pesticides

Aug 16, 2022

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c04242

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Silica nanoparticles as pesticide against insects of different feeding types and their non-target attraction of predators

July 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353267380_Silica_nanoparticles_as_pesticide_against_insects_of_different_feeding_types_and_their_non-target_attraction_of_predators

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Application of mushrooms in the degradation of xenobiotic components and the reduction of pesticides

2022

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003152583-19/application-mushrooms-degradation-xenobiotic-components-reduction-pesticides-karishma-joshi-anamika-das-gaurav-joshi-bibekananda-sarkar

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Selection of pesticides to reduce human and environmental health risks: a global guideline and minimum pesticides list

February, 2020

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(19)30266-9/fulltext

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UK fails to ban 36 harmful pesticides outlawed for use in EU

13 Sep 2023

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/13/uk-fails-ban-pesticides-outlawed-use-in-eu

______________


Cocktail of pesticides in almost all oranges and grapes, UK study finds

Sep 2021

Traces of 122 different pesticides in 12 most polluted fruit and veg products, many with links to cancer

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/29/cocktail-pesticides-almost-all-oranges-grapes-uk-study

______________


European fruit with traces of most toxic pesticides ‘up 53% in nine years’

24 May 2022

Analysis of nearly 100,000 samples found residues in a third of apples and half of blackberries

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/24/european-fruit-with-traces-of-most-toxic-pesticides-up-53-in-nine-years

______________


‘An utter disgrace’: 90% of England’s most precious river habitats blighted by raw sewage and farming pollution

Aug 2023

Observer investigation reveals the shocking state of the country’s protected freshwater sites of special scientific interest

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/12/an-utter-disgrace-90-of-englands-most-precious-river-habitats-blighted-by-raw-sewage-and-farming-pollution

_____________


Feds Considering 'Extremely Hazardous' Pesticide For Florida Citrus

December 11, 2020

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2020-12-11/feds-considering-extremely-hazardous-pesticide-for-florida-citrus

______________


‘Water is sacred too’: How a pesticide banned in Europe robbed a Costa Rican town of its drinking water

22.06.2023

Authorities have been trucking clean water to the mountain town of Cipreses after its tap water was found to be contaminated by chlorothalonil, a pesticide banned in Europe but still sold in Costa Rica by European companies. In a country without the means to test for this kind of pollution, Cipreses may be the tip of the iceberg.

https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2023/06/22/pesticide-chlorothalonil-water-contamination-costa-rica-banned-europe-syngenta/

______________



Toxic coal ash is making its way to Florida from Puerto Rico. Experts warn of its adverse health effects

February 7, 2020

The AES power plant in Puerto Rico generates 300,000 tons of coal ash, the toxic byproduct of coal burned to generate electricity, each year. The residents of the island, understandably, don't want to be near the toxic elements, so they passed a law "to prohibit the deposit and disposal of coal ashes or coal combustion residues in Puerto Rico."

In addition, the law prevents the ash from being stored on the island for more than 180 days.  

So where does the coal ash go? A lot of it — tens of thousands of tons — makes its way to the mainland U.S.

CBS News tracked one cargo ship, the Mississippi Enterprise, as it was hauling coal  ash into Jacksonville, Florida. From there, the ash is taken to Chesser Island landfill in Folkston, Georgia, as reported by local Puerto Rican journalist Abner Dennis and Omar Alfonso.

Lawyer and activist Ruth Santiago, who has been battling AES to provide better safeguards in disposing the coal ash, warned communities in Florida and elsewhere where the ash was being disposed: "They should not allow the import of the toxic coal ash to their communities."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/toxic-coal-ash-from-puerto-rico-aes-power-plant-is-being-shipped-to-florida/

______________


The Big Pineapple Pesticide Problem

November 14, 2023

And other dark truths about the pesticide-fuelled pineapple industry in Costa Rica, where the UK and U.S. gets most of its stock.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5ykbx/supermarket-pineapples-toxic-pesticides

______________


Tomato Pesticides: Everything You Need To Know (2023)

February 21, 2023

https://ourgardenworks.com/tomato-pesticides-guide/

______________


Less pesticide needed to control thrips in strawberries, study says

JAN 18, 2021

https://vegetablegrowersnews.com/news/less-pesticide-needed-to-control-thrips-in-strawberries-study-says/

______________


UF/IFAS findings show less need for pesticide to control strawberry pest

2020

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2020/12/08/uf-ifas-findings-show-less-need-for-pesticide-to-control-strawberry-pest/

______________


Panthers: Group sues over failure to protect cats from pesticides, female collared at CREW

Feb 12, 2024

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/environment/2024/02/12/suit-filed-over-failure-to-protect-panthers-other-species-from-pesticides/72490714007/?gnt-cfr=1


______________


Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Toxicity of Pesticides towards Earthworms

2021 Aug 20

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8397574/

______________


Newly discovered roundworm species could help limit pesticide use

Feb 26, 2024

RIVERSIDE — Chemical pesticides have come under a lot of scrutiny lately for their potential effects on human health and the environment. In fact, several cities across the country have started taking action to ban the use of some types.

Now, researchers in California have made an exciting discovery that's an alternative to chemical pesticides and could impact earth.

Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that often get a bad wrap in the agriculture community because some are dangerous to humans and animals and some kill crops. But there are also types that target insects.

“These are the good guys. These are often known as beneficial nematodes,” said Adler Dillman a professor who studies nematodes at the University of California at Riverside.

They enter insects through their openings like a mouth and then kill them within 48 hours from the inside.

There are 100 species of these good Steinermnema that researchers around the world know about and each has unique features that makes it thrive in different conditions.

Dillman was trying to sequence genomes for some of these insect-killing nematodes and received a batch from Thailand for his work. However, when he started running tests, he discovered that the worms he ordered were not the ones he got.

“It turns out it was a previously undescribed species. It wasn't like anything else that is known,” Dillman said.

The researchers decided to name the new species Steinornema Adamsi. These nematodes are completely safe for people and only target insects.

Dillman and his team are now working to understand the unique characteristics of this nematode to see if it's better adapted to humidity or a certain type of soil.

Then, farmers can use that knowledge in their application. many agriculturists already spray nematodes on their land rather than pesticides. It is more expensive but the worms self-replicate and can last multiple planting seasons, so Dillman says there's enormous potential.

“We have become more conscientious and aware of the damage, the ecological damage of chemical pesticides and their health effects, not only on humans, but on the rest of the environment, contaminating water sources and other things,” Dillman said. “Our food abundance, food security is a major global problem and insects cause a significant loss of global crop yield. Being able to use something that is environmentally friendly and ecologically safe, but can also significantly reduce insect herbivory of our crops will be beneficial to everyone.”

https://www.wptv.com/news/national/newly-discovered-roundworm-species-could-help-limit-pesticide-use

______________


Attack on Vulnerable Species Pilot Project: Opportunities to Engage with EPA on ESA

2024

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2024/02/attack-on-vulnerable-species-pilot-project-opportunities-to-engage-with-epa-on-esa/

______________


The Cocktail Effects on the Acute Cytotoxicity of Pesticides and Pharmaceuticals Frequently Detected in the Environment

28 February 2024

https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/12/3/189

______________


Fish off the coast of Florida test positive for pharmaceutical drugs, says study

2022

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/29/us/florida-fish-pharmaceutical-drugs-scn-trnd/index.html

______________


Pharmaceuticals found in popular Florida fish from coast to coast

April 5, 2023

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-04-05/pharmaceuticals-found-in-popular-florida-fish-from-coast-to-coast

______________


Fish on Valium: A Multitude of Prescription Drugs Are Contaminating Florida’s Waterways and Marine Life

March 2, 2022

One recent study identified 58 different drugs in bonefish from South Florida’s coastal waters, including 16 in a single fish.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02032022/fish-florida-prescription-drugs/

______________


High amount of prescription drugs found in redfish in Florida’s most important estuaries, new study finds

2023

https://www.fox13news.com/news/high-amount-of-prescription-drugs-found-in-redfish-in-floridas-most-important-estuaries-new-study-finds

______________


Prescription drugs are contaminating Florida’s marine life, researchers find

2022

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/02/28/prescription-drugs-are-contaminating-floridas-marine-life-researchers-find/


______________


Pharmaceutical pollution of the world’s rivers

2022

https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2113947119

______________


Pesticides in U.S. Streams and Rivers: Occurrence and Trends during 1992-2011

https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/pubs/pest-streams/faq.html


______________


Impacts of Pesticides on Wildlife

https://www.beyondpesticides.org/programs/wildlife

______________


The world's insect population is in decline — and that's bad news for humans

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/24/1082752634/the-insect-crisis-oliver-milman

______________


Insect 'apocalypse' in U.S. driven by 50x increase in toxic pesticides

Aug 6, 2019

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/insect-apocalypse-under-way-toxic-pesticides-agriculture

______________



Why Florida Is on the Front Lines to Save Honeybees

With one of the nation’s largest populations of honeybees, Florida has much resting on its fight to keep bees flying.

MARCH 2, 2020

https://flamingomag.com/2020/03/02/fight-for-bees/


______________


Honey bee colony loss in the U.S. linked to mites, extreme weather, pesticides

January 30, 2023

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230130112416.htm

______________


Understanding How Pesticide Exposure Affects Honey Bee Colonies

July 30, 2018

https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/understanding-how-pesticide-exposure-affects-honey-bee-colonies

______________


Bees' pesticide risk found to be species- and landscape-dependent

MARCH 2, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-03-bees-pesticide-species-landscape-dependent.html

______________


Pesticide toxicity to bees

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesticide_toxicity_to_bees

______________


Bill to ban pesticides toxic to bees takes a key step forward in the Vermont House

February 28, 2024

https://www.capeandislands.org/2024-02-28/bill-to-ban-pesticides-toxic-to-bees-takes-a-key-step-forward-in-the-vermont-house

______________

 

Researchers use an edible blue-green algae to protect honey bees against viruses

March 19, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-edible-blue-green-algae-honey.html

 

______________


Florida citrus growers binge on pesticides, endangering bees

Oct 01, 2013

Florida farmers are dousing their groves with chemicals in a desperate bid to save them from citrus greening disease. But the approach is killing the state's bees.

https://grist.org/food/florida-citrus-growers-binge-on-pesticides-endangering-bees/

______________


Court Blocks Controversial Pesticide For Use On Florida Citrus

June 10, 2021

In a victory for environmental and farmworker groups, an appeals court has overturned federal approval of a controversial pesticide that supporters say could help fight a disease that has caused heavy damage in Florida’s citrus industry.

The decision this week by a panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia came amid federal and state legal battles about the use of the pesticide aldicarb on citrus crops...

https://www.wfit.org/environment-and-science/2021-06-10/court-blocks-controversial-pesticide-for-use-on-florida-citrus


______________


Silent fields: A cocktail of pesticides is stunting bumblebee colonies across Europe

FEBRUARY 3, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-silent-fields-cocktail-pesticides-stunting.html

______________


Secret, undeclared pesticide ingredients may pose a risk to people, pollinators and the environment

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-secret-undeclared-pesticide-ingredients-pose.html

______________


Adding new buzz to controversial insecticide

October 12, 2021

 

A team of US chemists has found a way to make the insecticide imidacloprid more effective, claiming that its faster-acting forms of the insecticide could be used in smaller amounts, reducing its exposure to the environment.

 


 

                                                                                       (Imidacloprid crystals).

 


                                                                          Some of the imidacloprid polymorphs.

 

https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/chemistry/adding-new-buzz-to-controversial-insecticide/

______________


Florida monarch butterfly populations have dropped 80 percent since 2005

November 8, 2018

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/florida-monarch/

______________


Causes of Pollinator Declines and Potential Threats


National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Status of Pollinators in North America.

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11761.

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/11761/chapter/5

______________


Evidence piles up for popular pesticides’ link to pollinator problems

AUGUST 17, 2016

https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-ticker/evidence-piles-popular-pesticides-link-pollinator-problems

______________


Exposure risk and environmental impacts of glyphosate: Highlights on the toxicity of herbicide co-formulants

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010021001281

______________

 

Brazilian researchers develop method of purifying water contaminated by glyphosate

17/10/2023

https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/agencia-fapesp/brazilian-researchers-develop-method-purifying-water-contaminated-glyphosate 


______________


When it comes to controlling mosquitoes, residents want to know if the chemicals can cause cancer


June 13, 2023

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/environment/2023/06/13/non-restricted-pesticides-used-to-control-mosquitoes-in-collier-county-florida-cancer-chemicals/70312313007/

______________


Acute Illnesses Associated With Insecticides Used to Control Bed Bugs

September 23, 2011

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6037a1.htm


______________


Orlando, 2 other Florida cities among the nation's top 50 cities with the most bed bugs: study

January 24, 2024

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/orlando-2-other-florida-cities-among-the-nations-top-50-for-the-most-bed-bugs-study

______________


Killing cockroaches with pesticides is only making the species stronger

March 16, 2022

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/pesticides-are-making-german-cockroaches-stronger


______________


Bug wild: 2 Florida spots in top 10 on list of US cities with worst cockroach problems

Nov 14, 2023

Tampa and Miami were recently ranked the 2nd and 6th 'roachiest' cities in the U.S.

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/2023/11/14/florida-cities-on-roachiest-in-america-list/71579910007/

______________


2 Florida cities among 50 most rat-infested in America

May 31, 2022

https://winknews.com/2022/05/31/2-florida-cities-among-50-most-rat-infested-in-america/


______________


EPA Permits Experimental Release of 2.5 Billion Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes in California and Florida

2022

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2022/03/epa-permits-experimental-release-of-2-5-billion-genetically-engineered-mosquitoes-in-california-and-florida/

______________

 

Scientists and government agencies are targeting mosquitoes with bacteria

February 29, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-scientists-agencies-mosquitoes-bacteria.html

 

______________


Good news: Some toxic insecticides are vanishing from the atmosphere

March 02, 2023

https://www.ehn.org/air-pollution-in-the-great-lakes-2659413909.html

______________


Protecting Endangered Species from Pesticides

https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species

______________


South Florida produce growers continue facing major hurdles in 2022

January 4, 2022

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/01/04/south-florida-produce-growers-continue-facing-major-hurdles-in-2022/

______________


Are nano-pesticides really meant for cleaner production? An overview on recent developments, benefits, environmental hazards and future prospectives

2023

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652623013902

______________


Environmental risks of new pesticides with nanoparticles insufficiently examined, say researchers

JANUARY 25, 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-01-environmental-pesticides-nanoparticles-insufficiently.html

______________


Pesticide Exposure, Safety Issues, and Risk Assessment Indicators

2011 May 6

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108117/

______________


Pesticide use around world almost doubles since 1990, report finds

2022

Agricultural chemicals drive falls of 30% in populations of field birds and butterflies, says Pesticide Atlas

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/18/pesticide-use-around-world-almost-doubles-since-1990-report-finds

______________


Farmers’ Exposure to Pesticides: Toxicity Types and Ways of Prevention

2016

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5606636/

______________


Health problems in agricultural workers occupationally exposed to pesticides

2021 Feb 11

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7879472/

______________


Rising pesticides use harming farmers, environment: report

January 12, 2022

https://www.dw.com/en/pesticide-atlas-2022/a-60390427

______________


Occupational Pesticide Exposures and Respiratory Health

2013 Nov 28

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3881124/

______________


Cancer health effects of pesticides


2007

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2231435/

______________



Cancer and occupational exposure to pesticides: an umbrella review

2021 Jan 25

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8238729/

______________


Mortality in a cohort of licensed pesticide applicators in Florida

1999

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1757646/


______________


Pesticide exposure: the hormonal function of the female reproductive system disrupted?

2006 May 31

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1524969/

______________



Neurochemical and Behavioral Dysfunctions in Pesticide Exposed Farm Workers: A Clinical Outcome

2018 Sep 22

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6170243/


______________


EPA Bans Pesticide Linked to Health Problems in Children

September 1, 2021

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it is banning the use of chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide long targeted by environmentalists, on food crops because it poses risks to children and farm workers.

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/epa-bans-pesticide-linked-to-health-problems-in-children-2/2542099/

______________


Pesticide Exposure and Child Neurodevelopment

2014

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4247335/

______________


10 commonly used pesticides directly linked to Parkinson's in new study

May 24, 2023

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10-commonly-used-pesticides-directly-linked-to-parkinsons-in-new-study

______________


10 pesticides toxic to neurons involved in Parkinson's


May 18, 2023

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230518120851.htm

______________


Common pesticides in food reducing sperm count worldwide, study says

November 15, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/15/health/sperm-damage-pesticides-wellness/index.html

______________


Reproductive disorders associated with pesticide exposure

2007

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18032334/

______________


Pesticides in paradise: Hawaii's spike in birth defects puts focus on GM crops

2015

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/23/hawaii-birth-defects-pesticides-gmo

______________



What is chlormequat, and can the chemical found in foods like Quaker Oats and Cheerios impact fertility?

February 21, 2024

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chlormequat-chemical-oats-health-fertility/

______________


Pesticides' Impact on Indoor Air Quality

https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/pesticides-impact-indoor-air-quality

______________


Deaths of 2 pesticide company workers prompt Pompano Beach warehouse investigation

April 25, 2023

Detectives investigate 2 deaths in Broward, Palm Beach counties

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/04/25/developing-paramedics-respond-to-fumigated-bulding-in-pompano-beach/

______________


Efficacy of ultrasound treatment in the removal of pesticide residues from fresh vegetables: A review

2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224419308362


______________

 

Sliding friction perturbed by shear ultrasound vibrations: dynamic lubrication and overaging

19 December 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epje/s10189-022-00256-5

 

______________

 

9 Homemade Pesticides for Your Flower Garden

05/23/22

Garlic Spray
Homemade Tobacco Spray
Epsom Salt Pesticide
Oil Spray
Hot Pepper Bug Repellent
Citrus Spray
Rubbing Alcohol Bug Spray
Bug Juice Spray


https://www.thespruce.com/homemade-flower-garden-pesticide-1316079

______________


Robots, monitoring and healthy ecosystems could halve pesticide use without hurting productivity

February 26, 2024

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240226114619.htm

______________


Farmers use $60 billion of pesticides each year. 2 MIT scientists have developed a new technology that could cut that number in half


Dec. 19, 2022

Kripa Varanasi had just started his first year as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2009 when he went to Washington, D.C., to give a talk at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His academic focus was on the bottlenecks that occur between states of matter—where liquids and solids meet, for example—and he was studying how to make droplets stick to, or bounce off, solids in various applications. Varanasi had just come off a stint in industry, at GE, where he was inculcated in the entrepreneur’s habit of looking for problems to solve, so he asked the USDA representatives for their top gripe. They didn’t hesitate to answer: “Pesticide runoff is a big problem.”
 
Now, 13 years later, Varanasi and one of his since graduated Ph.D. students—Vishnu Jayaprakash—have launched AgZen, which uses additives developed in the lab to make more pesticide spray droplets stick to the plants they hit. In early lab tests and field trials, the additives replicated farmers’ prior results but with up to 50% less pesticide, cutting costs and reducing pollution from runoff and wind-carried chemicals.
“Globally, farms are spending about $60 billion a year on these pesticides, and our goal is to try to get them to cut that down while still not compromising on pest control,” says Jayaprakash, AgZen’s CEO.

The company, which officially launched in 2020, has raised $3 million in seed funding (Material Impact is an investor) and won about $600,000 in prizes such as runner-up awards at the MIT $100K and Rice Business Plan competitions.

https://meche.mit.edu/news-media/farmers-use-60-billion-pesticides-each-year-2-mit-scientists-have-developed-new


______________


Biopesticides as a promising alternative to synthetic pesticides: A case for microbial pesticides, phytopesticides, and nanobiopesticides

2023 Feb 16

Abstract

Over the years, synthetic pesticides like herbicides, algicides, miticides, bactericides, fumigants, termiticides, repellents, insecticides, molluscicides, nematicides, and pheromones have been used to improve crop yield. When pesticides are used, the over-application and excess discharge into water bodies during rainfall often lead to death of fish and other aquatic life. Even when the fishes still live, their consumption by humans may lead to the biomagnification of chemicals in the body system and can cause deadly diseases, such as cancer, kidney diseases, diabetes, liver dysfunction, eczema, neurological destruction, cardiovascular diseases, and so on. Equally, synthetic pesticides harm the soil texture, soil microbes, animals, and plants. The dangers associated with the use of synthetic pesticides have necessitated the need for alternative use of organic pesticides (biopesticides), which are cheaper, environment friendly, and sustainable. Biopesticides can be sourced from microbes (e.g., metabolites), plants (e.g., from their exudates, essential oil, and extracts from bark, root, and leaves), and nanoparticles of biological origin (e.g., silver and gold nanoparticles). Unlike synthetic pesticides, microbial pesticides are specific in action, can be easily sourced without the need for expensive chemicals, and are environmentally sustainable without residual effects. Phytopesticides have myriad of phytochemical compounds that make them exhibit various mechanisms of action, likewise, they are not associated with the release of greenhouse gases and are of lesser risks to human health compared to the available synthetic pesticides. Nanobiopesticides have higher pesticidal activity, targeted or controlled release with top-notch biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this review, we examined the different types of pesticides, the merits, and demerits of synthetic pesticides and biopesticides, but more importantly, we x-rayed appropriate and sustainable approaches to improve the acceptability and commercial usage of microbial pesticides, phytopesticides, and nanobiopesticides for plant nutrition, crop protection/yield, animal/human health promotion, and their possible incorporation into the integrated pest management system.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9978502/

______________


An Overview of Some Biopesticides and Their Importance in Plant Protection for Commercial Acceptance

2021 Jun 10

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8230470/

______________


Advances in organophosphorus pesticides pollution: Current status and challenges in ecotoxicological, sustainable agriculture, and degradation strategies

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389421024626

 

_______________


Biochar efficiency in pesticides sorption as a function of production variables—a review

2015

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-015-5114-2

______________


Can you use garlic as a pesticide? What you need to know

August 11, 2023

https://www.happysprout.com/gardening/is-garlic-a-good-insecticide/

______________


MANAGING INSECTICIDE AND MITICIDE RESISTANCE IN FLORIDA LANDSCAPES

August 30th, 2018

USING IPM TO REDUCE PESTICIDE RESISTANCE DEVELOPMENT

The best way to reduce pest population exposure to the same insecticide class is to spray that insecticide class less often. Use insecticides only when it is necessary to protect plants from serious injury. Rotate insecticide classes, and integrate cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical controls to reduce pests more sustainably by promoting plant and ecosystem health.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN714


______________


Biopesticides: a Green Approach Towards Agricultural Pests

23 November 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12010-023-04765-7


______________


Fungicides: An Overlooked Pesticide Class?

2019 Mar 5

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6536136/


______________

 

Plant biologists identify promising new fungicides

February 2024

A promising new fungicide to fight devastating crop diseases has been identified by researchers at the University of California, Davis. The chemical, ebselen, prevented fungal infections in apples, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes and roses and improved symptoms of pre-existing fungal infection in rice.

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-biologists-fungicides.html

 

______________


Crystal Engineering of Pharmaceutical Cocrystals in the Discovery and Development of Improved Drugs

June 1, 2022

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00987

______________


Crystal engineering in the development of improved pesticide products

2022

Highlights


Giving the basic concepts of solid-state forms and crystal engineering.


Summarizing the classical cases related to the application of crystal engineering in the full life cycle of pesticides.


Presenting crystal engineering as an efficient technology for adjusting physicochemical properties of the pesticide.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773237122000077


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Designing Supramolecular Pheromone Containers by Crystal Engineering for Replacing Pesticides

January 2022

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361258866_Designing_Supramolecular_Pheromone_Containers_by_Crystal_Engineering_for_Replacing_Pesticides


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Piezoelectric Biosensors for Organophosphate and Carbamate Pesticides: A Review

9 September 2014

Abstract
Due to the great amount of pesticides currently being used, there is an increased interest for developing biosensors for their detection. Among all the physical transducers, piezoelectric systems have emerged as the most attractive due to their simplicity, low instrumentation costs, possibility for real-time and label-free detection and generally high sensitivity. This paper presents an overview of biosensors based on the quartz crystal microbalance, which have been reported in the literature for organophosphate and carbamate pesticide analysis.

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/4/3/301


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A Potassium Ion-Exchanged Glass Optical Waveguide Sensor Locally Coated with a Crystal Violet-SiO2 Gel Film for Real-Time Detection of Organophosphorus Pesticides Simulant

2019

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31569346/

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Liquid crystal-based sensor for real-time detection of paraoxon pesticides based on acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition

09 March 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00604-023-05716-z

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An acetylcholinesterase-based biosensor for the detection of pesticides using liquid crystals confined in microcapillaries

2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092777652100031X

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Detection of organophosphorus pesticides with liquid crystals supported on the surface deposited with polyoxometalate-based acetylcholinesterase-responsive supramolecular spheres


2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814620305458

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Water in liquid crystal emulsion-based sensing platform for colorimetric detection of organophosphorus pesticide

2023 Oct 17

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37857198/

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Graphene-Based Metamaterial Sensor for Pesticide Trace Detection


29 March 2023

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/13/5/560

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Graphene Family Materials for the Removal of Pesticides from Water


21 June 2018

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-75484-0_13

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Platinum nanozyme catalyzed multichannel colorimetric sensor array for identification and detection of pesticides

2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925400522009765

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Microfluidic devices for the detection of pesticide residues

08 July 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11157-023-09664-1

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Using glowing fish to detect harmful pesticides

AUGUST 15, 2023

https://phys.org/news/2023-08-fish-pesticides.html

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Genes identified that allow bacteria to thrive despite toxic heavy metal in soil

March 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-genes-bacteria-toxic-heavy-metal.html

 

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Tiny worms tolerate Chornobyl radiation, new research shows

March 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-tiny-worms-tolerate-chornobyl.html


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Deciphering the recent trends in pesticide bioremediation using genome editing and multi-omics approaches: a review

08 April 2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11274-023-03603-6

 

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Gene Editing and Systems Biology Tools for Pesticide Bioremediation: A Review

2019 Feb 13

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6396717/

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Microbiology and Biochemistry of Pesticides Biodegradation

2023

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10649977/

 

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Phytoremediation and Bioremediation of Pesticide-Contaminated Soil

2020

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/4/1217

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Current status of pesticide effects on environment, human health and it’s eco-friendly management as bioremediation: A comprehensive review

2022 Aug 17

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9428564/



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Harmful Bacteria In Soil: What You Need To Know

Recently there’s been a surge in concern over harmful bacteria in soil. Specifically, people are panicking over the risk of contracting Legionnaires disease from potting mix.

Although Legionnaires disease can be fatal, it’s relatively rare to contract the disease from potting mix. However, it seems that the online world would glorify this into something that might scare people off of gardening.

https://youshouldgrow.com/harmful-bacteria-in-soil/

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Scientists record case of harmful bacteria in ubiquitous weed throughout US

April 18, 2022

 

Summary

 

Scientists have recorded the first North American case of a harmful phytoplasma disease known for its threat to fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops in South America and the Middle East. To make matters worse, scientists confirmed the host for the disease to be one of the most noxious and rapidly spreading weeds commonly found in a wide range of environments throughout the United States and into Canada.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220418120420.htm

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Florida among 7 states hit by listeria outbreak, CDC warns

Nov. 21, 2023

The outbreak is tied to infected peaches, nectarines and plums distributed by HMC Farms that were subject to a recall, the federal agency said.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2023/11/21/florida-listeria-cdc-outbreak-bacteria-disease/

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A new listeria outbreak tied to Florida accounts for 23 illnesses and one death

July 1, 2022

https://www.wusf.org/health-news-florida/2022-07-01/a-new-listeria-outbreak-tied-to-florida-accounts-for-23-illnesses-and-one-death

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‘Failed Strategy’: Chemical Maker Seeks EPA Approval to Use Neurotoxic Pesticide on Florida Oranges

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency previously banned the pesticide aldicarb, citing unacceptable health risks, but now a company wants it approved for Florida citrus. Experts say systemic pesticides like aldicarb threaten humans, bees and other wildlife. Alternatives like agroecology exist but are not widely practiced.

08/02/23

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/aglogic-chemical-epa-neurotoxic-pesticide-aldicarb-florida-oranges/


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The race to save Florida’s oranges as bacterial disease threatens crops

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-florida-oranges-greening-bacteria/

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After the worst orange harvest in 75 years, Florida growers are trying to combat a deadly citrus disease

May 18, 2022

https://news.yahoo.com/worst-orange-harvest-75-years-175618535.html

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The 20-year fight against citrus greening in Florida has farmers and researchers exhausted

May 8, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-05-08/20-year-fight-citrus-greening-florida-farmers-researchers-exhausted

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Company challenges Florida on denial to use a chemical to combat citrus greening

2021

https://www.news-press.com/story/tech/science/environment/2021/05/14/chemical-company-challenges-florida-pesticide-denial-citrus-greening/5073010001/

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New research takes aim at devastating citrus greening

Texas A&M AgriLife leads multistate collaboration against Huanglongbing disease

NOVEMBER 30, 2021

https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2021/11/30/new-research-takes-aim-at-devastating-citrus-greening/

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Citrus Farmers Facing Deadly Bacteria Turn to Antibiotics, Alarming Health Officials

5-17-2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/health/antibiotics-oranges-florida.html

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Antibiotics set to flood Florida’s troubled orange orchards

A desperate plan to fight a citrus scourge has public-health advocates and scientists concerned.

19 March 2019

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00878-4

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Florida's orange crops have been quietly dying for over a decade as growers fight to save them

Florida’s oranges are battling disease as farmers fight to save them.

January 30, 2018

https://abcnews.go.com/US/floridas-orange-crops-quietly-dying-decade-growers-fight/story?id=52612301

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Abandoned Citrus Groves Produce Problems In Fla.

JANUARY 19, 2011

https://www.npr.org/2011/01/19/133048536/abandoned-orange-groves-produce-problems-in-florida

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Florida's Citrus Industry Faces an Uncertain Future

May 25, 2023

https://www.atlantafed.org/economy-matters/regional-economics/2023/05/25/florida-citrus-industry-faces-an-uncertain-future

______________

 

New discovery speeds scientists' push for Huanglongbing-tolerant citrus

Feb 2024

https://phys.org/news/2024-02-discovery-scientists-huanglongbing-tolerant-citrus.html 


______________


Updates on Florida Citrus Diseases

JANUARY 23, 2023

https://citrusindustry.net/2023/01/23/updates-on-florida-citrus-diseases/

______________


Some Common Diseases of Mango in Florida

2000

https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/media/factsheets/pp0023.pdf

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PALM DISEASES & NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS

Sep 10, 2021

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/palm-diseases-nutritional-problems/

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Plant palm oil plantations where they’re sustainable — in Florida | Opinion

2022

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/04/24/plant-palm-oil-plantations-where-theyre-sustainable-in-florida-opinion/


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New Serious Pest of Lychee Trees Found in Florida

2018


https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/trec/2018/03/19/new-serious-pest-lychee-longan-trees-found-florida/

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32 Common Tree Diseases

Discover the major common tree diseases in the United States.

https://www.treehugger.com/an-index-of-common-tree-diseases-1342808

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PESTS AND FUNGAL ORGANISMS IDENTIFIED ON OLIVES (OLEA EUROPAEA) IN FLORIDA

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1046

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Field Symptoms of Boron Toxicity and Deficiency in Florida Peanuts

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SS567


______________


Towards an Eco-Friendly Coffee Rust Control: Compilation of Natural Alternatives from a Nutritional and Antifungal Perspective

2022 Oct 17

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9609732/

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LETHAL BRONZING DISEASE (LB)

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP163


______________


Sugarcane Mosaic Virus in Florida Turfgrass

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/lawns/problems-and-solutions/sugarcane-mosiac-virus-in-turfgrass.html

______________


CENTIPEDEGRASS FOR FLORIDA LAWNS

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/LH009

______________


Agriculture in Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Florida

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City Ignores Reports of Toxic Soil in Residences, Sidewalks in Coconut Grove, Reports Show

2014

Last fall, Miami leaders finally admitted they'd known for years that the long-shuttered Old Smokey trash incinerator in Coconut Grove had poisoned the earth with toxic ash. But they've also insisted contamination is contained within a 4.5-acre, fenced-off facility.

However, new reports obtained by New Times contradict that claim, revealing instead that testing this summer found that residential properties and public rights of way adjacent to Old Smokey had dangerous levels of heavy metals and other highly toxic substances. And though the findings arrived in June, city officials have failed to notify residents, ignored repeated demands from county regulators to fence off dangerous sites and remove the toxin-laced soil, and refused to investigate the extent of the contamination.

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/city-ignores-reports-of-toxic-soil-in-residences-sidewalks-in-coconut-grove-reports-show-6521340


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A Fire in the River: Big Sugar and ‘Black Snow’ in the Everglades

JAN 7, 2024

For more than a century, the sugar harvest has shaped the lives of people in the Everglades and transformed the region — and put the most vulnerable at risk

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/sugar-crop-pollutants-florida-1234924707/

______________


The Ugly Truth About Big Sugar Destroying Florida’s Coastline…

December 7, 2018

https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/big-sugar-destroying-florida/

______________


'Not even close': Clean-up of Everglades water polluted by Big Sugar struggles to keep up

December 10, 2023

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2023-12-10/clean-up-everglades-water-polluted-big-sugar-struggles-keep-up

______________


Big Sugar scored a sweet deal that’s left Florida’s waterways a toxic mess

August 4, 2016

https://thenewtropic.com/algae-everglades-sugar/

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After sugar’s $11 million flex, Florida lawmakers push to protect industry

March 31, 2021

Florida’s powerful sugar industry spent more than $11 million on Florida campaigns in the 2020 cycle. Lawmakers are now considering a bill that would undermine legal efforts to stop burns that produce pollution.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/03/31/after-sugars-11-million-flex-florida-lawmakers-push-to-protect-industry/

______________


Glades residents raise health concerns again over sugarcane harvest burns

November 14, 2023

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-11-14/glades-residents-raise-health-concerns-again-over-sugarcane-harvest-burns

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In the Florida Everglades, a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hotspot

November 6, 2023

Drainage has exposed the fertile soils of the Everglades Agricultural Area, a region responsible for much of the nation’s sugar cane.

ORLANDO, Fla.—It used to be the water spilled over Lake Okeechobee’s southern shore, flowing eventually into the sawgrass prairies of the Florida Everglades. For thousands of years the marsh vegetation flourished and died here in an endless cycle, the plant remains falling beneath the slow-coursing water to form a rich layer of organic soil called peat.

Over time the fertile soil, along with the subtropical climate and abundance of water, drew the attention of farmers, who as far back as the 1880s began digging canals to drain away the water and expose the peat for planting.

Today this region, known as the Everglades Agricultural Area, is among the nation’s most bountiful, raising rice, sod, vegetables like lettuce, celery and corn and most notably sugar cane, making Florida the country’s top producer of the crop.

Growing evidence suggests that draining the water and exposing the peat also has made the region a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, which are warming the global climate and contributing to impacts like hotter temperatures, rising seas and more damaging hurricanes.

The Everglades represent Florida’s most important freshwater resource. The watershed spans much of the peninsula, encompassing the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, sawgrass prairies to the south and Florida Bay. Various efforts over the last century to drain the Everglades, the largest steered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have made modern Florida possible and left the river of grass drastically altered. A $21 billion federal and state effort to restore the Everglades is among the most ambitious of its kind in human history.

The Everglades Agricultural Area hugs the southern shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state’s largest lake. Emissions here especially are a concern because, although vast swaths throughout the watershed have been drained, this region historically harbored the greatest deposits of peat, said Meenakshi Chabba, ecosystem and resilience scientist at the Everglades Foundation, an advocacy group that commissioned one recent study on the emissions.

“This is one little spot nestled in a highly conserved area that is really a global emissions hotspot,” she said. “Right here is the Everglades Agricultural Area, which is bleeding greenhouse gas emissions and leading to global heating.”

The study, conducted by Winrock International, a nonprofit focused on social, agricultural and environmental issues, found that sugar cane production in the Everglades Agricultural Area accounted for more than 7.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, an amount equivalent to that from 1.6 million gas-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. The scope of the emissions would place the region among the top 100 greenhouse gas polluters in the U.S., in a league with the likes of Nebraska Public Power District (7.6 million metric tons) and East Kentucky Power Cooperative (7.3 million metric tons), which are 82nd and 83rd on the list, said Steve Davis, chief science officer at the Everglades Foundation.

The vast majority of the agricultural area’s emissions, 84 percent, were a result of drainage leading to peat oxidation and loss, according to the study. The researchers also examined emissions related to agricultural equipment (3.8 percent), pre-harvest field burning (1.7 percent), drainage canals (1 percent), pesticides (0.7 percent) and fertilizers (0.6 percent), among other sources. Emissions associated with the processing of sugar cane were excluded because the region’s mills and refineries are powered through the combustion of sugar cane by-products, the study said.

Florida’s largest sugar growers characterized the study as inaccurate and based on faulty data and analysis. U.S. Sugar, responsible for nearly 10 percent of all the sugar produced in the U.S., pointed out the region plays an important part in providing the nation’s food and that cane is a crop that absorbs carbon. Florida Crystals Corp., another leading producer of sugar cane, said its farmers have taken steps to minimize peat loss and greenhouse gas emissions by focusing, for instance, on minimizing soil disturbance and keeping soils covered...

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/06112023/in-the-florida-everglades-a-greenhouse-gas-emissions-hotspot/


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SENATE REVIEWS ETHNIC AND RACIAL STATISTICS ON CRIME

2019

https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/senate-reviews-ethnic-and-racial-stats-on-crime/

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Oil refineries release lots of water pollution near communities of color, data show

2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/26/1151464514/oil-refineries-release-lots-of-water-pollution-near-communities-of-color-data-sh


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Sugar harvesting pollution hits Black Florida residents hardest

January 4th, 2024

Permitting laws allow sugar cane burns to blow west toward majority-Black communities, but mechanical harvesting offers a greener solution

https://prismreports.org/2024/01/04/sugar-harvesting-pollution-black-florida-residents/

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Study finds pesticide exposure in the U.S. is up to five times greater for people of color

April 26, 2022

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2022-04-26/study-finds-pesticide-exposure-in-the-u-s-is-up-to-five-times-greater-for-people-of-color

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In the news: Hispanic and Latino farmworkers at high risk from pesticide use in agriculture


April 19, 2022

https://floridafarmworkers.org/articles/in-the-news-hispanic-and-latino-farmworkers-at-high-risk-from-pesticide-use-in-agriculture/

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Greenwashing Florida – From "Fuel Farms" to "Resiliency Facilities"

February 12, 2024

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Florida stands at a pivotal moment, facing a transformation that threatens to reshape its landscape and compromise the well-being of its communities. Senate Bills 1624 and 1628, and their companion House Bills (collectively "Bills"), currently under consideration, are not merely pieces of legislation; they represent a concerted effort to rebrand the expansion of fuel storage and distribution facilities in Florida as a noble endeavor to enhance resiliency. However, advocates and activists are attempting to expose the cloaking of corporate interests in the guise of environmental stewardship for what it truly is: a deceptive practice that undermines local autonomy and jeopardizes environmental integrity.

At the heart of this issue lies the creation and operation of fuel distribution and storage facilities by Belvedere Terminals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, a Mexican mining, transportation, and infrastructure corporation. What initially appears as an innocuous effort to bolster energy infrastructure is, in reality, a calculated move to establish above-ground fuel storage facilities across Florida. This aggressive expansion plan, disguised under the label of "resiliency facilities," threatens to irreversibly alter the fabric of our state.

The terms "fuel farms" and "resiliency facilities" may sound reassuring, but they serve as thinly veiled attempts to greenwash the true nature of these projects. By portraying the construction of fuel storage and distribution facilities as vital components of resiliency planning, proponents of these Bills seek to garner public support while obscuring the potential risks and consequences.

The implications of this deceptive maneuver extend far beyond mere semantics. By rebranding fuel storage and distribution facilities as fuel farms or resiliency facilities, proponents seek to circumvent scrutiny and silence dissent. This greenwashing of corporate interests undermines the democratic process and erodes the rights of local communities to determine their own fate. Will Floridians continue to be misled by such rhetoric?

SB 1624, disguised as a champion for Florida's alleged energy crisis, masks a sinister reality: a scheme orchestrated for Grupo Mexico, a company with an abysmal safety record, to force unwanted fuel distribution and storage facilities into unwilling communities.

There is a legitimate concern that Grupo Mexico's control over Florida's fuel supply and infrastructure could compromise the state's energy security as well as Homeland Security. Grupo Mexico’s potential control over Florida’s railway infrastructure and fuel storage demands close scrutiny. Balancing economic interests with security imperatives is crucial to safeguarding our state and nation.

What many people may not realize is that the previously American-owned Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), a vital artery of our region's economy and transportation network for over 100 years, has been discreetly acquired by Grupo Mexico. This transformation holds significant implications for Florida communities, raising concerns about transparency, accountability, and the potential impact on local jobs, safety, and the environment.

https://www.advocatesvoice.com/2024/02/greenwashing-florida-from-fuel-farms-to.html
 

 

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Protecting Florida’s Apalachicola River from Coal Ash Pollution

2015

Piles of coal ash in unlined pits threaten one of the south’s premier rivers. Under our legal settlement, Gulf Power Corp. pledges to take steps to protect the Apalachicola River from coal ash pollution.

https://earthjustice.org/article/case-settled-protecting-florida-s-apalachicola-river-from-coal-ash-pollution

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How to Prevent Red Tide – Florida’s Efforts to Control Red Tide

May 24, 2023

Researchers call it "sea sawdust," and it has a friendly relationship with the organism that causes red tide.

Florida researchers are watching an algae bloom drifting offshore of the Tampa Bay area — and no, it’s not red tide or a looming blobof seaweed.

Scientists are monitoring a patchy cloud of “sea sawdust” that has ebbed and flowed in the Gulf of Mexico for nearly a week, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. The blue-green algae species, known as Trichodesmium, is often found in tropical waters and blooms off Southwest Florida.

The good news: It’s not known to be toxic. The bad news: It leaves behind nitrogen that can feed red tide.

Sea sawdust earns its nickname from the opaque, brownish hue it reflects as it gathers on the sea surface, according to Kate Hubbard, the director of the state’s Center for Red Tide Research. From above, thick blooms can resemble oil slicks.

“It really stands out,” Hubbard said in an interview. “When you’re on the water, it pops out as something that looks different than really any other type of algae.”

https://mywaterearth.com/how-to-prevent-red-tide-floridas-efforts-to-control-red-tide/

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