Air

Last month we looked at global sensors leader Alphasense and their work within the Gas Safety sector. This month we take a closer look at the steps they are taking to support the global drive to improve air quality.

Large pieces of plastic can break down into nanosized particles that often find their way into soil and water. Perhaps less well known is that they can also float in the air. It's unclear how nanoplastics impact human health, but animal studies suggest they're potentially harmful. Researchers have developed a sensor that detects these particles and determines the types, amounts and sizes of the plastics using colourful dot films.

Record hot temperatures in the UK over the summer caused significant changes to the levels of harmful pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter, prompting a number of novel observations by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).

Late August saw the release of “Air Quality and Health In Cities”, the latest edition of The State of Global Air report, produced annually by the US Health Effects Institute. It attempts a snapshot of air pollution exposure in over 7000 cities worldwide, and its impact on health. Standout findings this year include a clearer picture of PM2.5 and NO2 pollution, with fine particles seeming to be an affliction of the world's poorer regions especially, while NO2 is a problem for city dwellers everywhere.

With misconceptions remaining around the topic of sustainable business practices and given the increasingly challenging economic landscape we find ourselves in, there’s a risk...

The UK government’s business as usual housing strategy could consume all of England’s cumulative carbon budget consistent with 1.5°C of heating by 2050, unless...

The signing of the Global Methane Pledge at last year’s COP26 marks a vital step in reducing the impact of industrial activities on the...

A combination of record temperatures and dry weather in the UK this summer are causing "exceptionally high" levels of danger from extreme wildfires, according...

Cooling towers at Drax, North Yorkshire (image credit: Shutterstock.com / Phil Silverman). Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told a private meeting of MPs this week that...

Scottish Power has announced (8 August) plans to build a 100-MW green hydrogen production facility at the Port of Felixstowe, on the Suffolk coast....

A new laser-induced graphene sensor system is being presented as a solution for accurate, continuous monitoring of nitrogen dioxide and other gases in humid...

Multi-million-pound investment is urgently needed in technologies including direct air capture (DAC) if the UK is to make ‘green’ airports a reality in the...

Millions of micro-business owners do not believe they can have a positive impact on the UK’s targets for a net-zero economy, according to research...

2022 marked 10 years of innovation and leadership from AQMesh. To highlight the group’s experience, ongoing forward-thinking and its commitment to pushing the capabilities...

A new “Jet Zero Strategy” seemingly commits UK domestic aviation to achieving net zero emissions by 2040, and for all airports in England to...

Almost £3 million in funding has been secured for the direct air capture technology, SMART-DAC, developed by start-up firm CO₂CirculAir BV. It was awarded...

UK energy utility Drax has unveiled plans to build "the world’s largest carbon capture facility", with the goal of removing more CO2 from the...

Presented as a key milestone in the UK's race to meet its net zero targets, a new Carbon Capture and Usage (CCU) plant has been opened in Northwich, Cheshire by Tata Chemicals Europe.

Residents of Belmont County in eastern Ohio had long suffered from headaches, fatigue, nausea and burning sensations in their throats and noses. They suspected these symptoms were the result of air pollution from fracking facilities that dominate the area and the subsequent investigation offers a powerful example of what can be achieved by citizen scientists.

A new analysis seems to reveal that the supply chains for biogas and biomethane leak twice as much methane as previously thought.