Science and Enterprise

Tag: water

  • Software Helps Farmers Determine Pesticide Spray Dates

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed software that helps farmers decide on the best days to spray pesticides on their fields. The software was developed by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at its Fort Collins, Colorado research facility. The software, called PhenologyMMS (Modular Modeling System), was developed by agronomist Greg McMaster and plant science technician…

  • Antibody-Based Biosensor Aids Environmental Cleanups

    Researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Gloucester Point have built and tested an aquatic sensor device that uses antibodies to detect marine pollutants. The developers of the device published their test results that appear today in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (paid subscription required). The research team that built the…

  • New Material Filters Radioactive Drinking Water Contaminates

    Researchers at North Carolina State University in Raleigh have developed a material from natural sources that can remove radioactive contaminates from drinking water. The material, made from a combination of forest byproducts and crustacean shells, works without electric power and can also remove heavy metals from drinking water, or salt from sea water. A team…

  • Lab: Algae Can Produce Fuel Equivalent to 17 Pct of Imports

    A study by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington estimates that growing algae for biofuel could realistically replace 17 percent of the nation’s imported oil for transportation. The research team from the lab, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, and other colleagues published its findings in the journal Water Resources Research…

  • New Pilots’ Forecast Computes In-Flight Icing Chances

    Researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado has developed a computer-generated forecast that provides pilots with information on the chance of encountering dangerous in-flight icing conditions. The Federal Aviation Administration provided funding for the project. Each year in the United States, 20-40 aircraft accidents are linked to in-flight icing encounters,…

  • Business Council Releases Ecosystem Valuation Guide

    The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in Geneva, Switzerland released today its Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV), to help businesses better understand the benefits and value of ecosystem services like fresh water, food, fiber, and natural hazard protection. The CEV guide can be downloaded free of charge from the WBCSD Web site.…

  • Universities Form Appalachian Enviro. Research Initiative

    Seven universities in the Appalachian region of the U.S. have formed  a consortium to study environmental impacts of the production and use Appalachia’s energy resources, particularly coal. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg will house the new Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Science (ARIES). ARIES is expected to involve researchers representing a range of disciplines from Virginia…

  • Study: Automatic Faucets Carry High Levels of Bacteria

    Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland have found that electronic faucets — the kind that dispense water from an electronic signal — are more likely to become contaminated with high levels of bacteria, compared with traditional manual faucets.  The study will be presented on Saturday at the annual meeting of…

  • Public-Private Research Helps Oyster Growers Meet FDA Regs

    Researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Gloucester Point joined with local oyster growers to sharply reduce a bacterium harmful to humans found in farmed oysters. Their findings may offer a lower-cost solution to new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that many growers believe can affect the oyster industry in Chesapeake…

  • Process Turns Algae into Renewable Fuel, Cleans Wastewater

    Chemical engineers at University of Arkansas in Fayetteville have developed a method for converting common algae into butanol, a renewable fuel that can be used in today’s internal-combustible engines. The technology has the added benefit helping to clean and oxygenate U.S. waterways by removing excess nitrogen and phosphorous from fertilizer in agricultural runoff. The team…