Climate change is having a devastating impact on the United States, particularly when it comes to wildfires. A recent study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment has found that human-caused climate change led to an additional 15,000 deaths from wildfire air pollution in the continental US during the 15-year period ending in 2020.

The study, led by Oregon State University researcher Bev Law, is the first to quantify the number of people dying due to a warming climate causing fires to release increasing amounts of fine particulate matter into the air. This phenomenon, known as PM2.5, can be inhaled deeply into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, posing serious health risks.

The researchers estimate that during the study period, a total of 164,000 deaths resulted from wildfire PM2.5, with 15,000 of those attributed to climate change. This means that absent climate change, the total would have been 149,000. The average annual death rate from wildfire PM2.5 during this period was 5.14 per 100,000 people, roughly double the US death rate from tropical cyclones like hurricanes.

The economic burden associated with these extra deaths is staggering, estimated at $160 billion. This figure takes into account productivity losses, healthcare costs, and a concept known as value of statistical life, which assigns a monetary value to reduction in mortality risk.

California, Oregon, and Washington bore the greatest economic burden from climate-driven wildfire PM2.5, according to the study. “Without efforts to address climate change,” Law noted, “wildfires and associated fine particulate matter will continue to increase.” The researchers project that by midcentury, relative to the decade ending in 2020, mortality from smoke will rise by at least 50%, with resulting annual damages of $244 billion.

The study highlights the urgent need for action to address climate change and mitigate its impacts on human health. As Law emphasized, exposure to PM2.5 is a known cause of cardiovascular disease and is linked to the onset and worsening of respiratory illness. The ongoing trends of increasing wildfire severity track with climate projections, underscoring how climate change manifestations like earlier snowmelt, intensified heat waves, and drier air have already expanded forest fire extent and accelerated daily fire growth rates.

The research was conducted by an interdisciplinary team from Oregon State University, the University of California, Merced, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Woodwell Climate Research Center, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School. Their findings serve as a stark reminder of the need for collective action to address the climate crisis and protect public health.

A groundbreaking technique has been developed by researchers from UCL and Edinburgh Napier University to extract tiny cellulose strands from cow manure and turn them into manufacturing-grade cellulose. This innovation, published in The Journal of Cleaner Production, has the potential to create cellulose materials more cheaply and cleanly than some current manufacturing methods.

The advance is a prime example of circular economy, which aims to minimize waste and pollution by reusing and repurposing resources wherever possible. Cellulose is one of the world’s most commonly used manufacturing materials, found naturally in plant cell walls. It was first used to create synthetic materials in the mid-19th century, including photographic film.

Today, cellulose can be found in everything from cling film to surgical masks, paper products, textiles, foods, and pharmaceuticals. Although it can be extracted organically, it is often produced synthetically using toxic chemicals. The new technique, called horizontal nozzle-pressurized spinning, is an energy-efficient process that doesn’t require high voltages like other fiber production techniques.

The researchers say implementing this technology would be a win-win situation for manufacturers, dairy farmers, and the environment. Dairy farm waste, such as cow manure, is a threat to the environment and humans, especially through waterway pollution, greenhouse gas emissions when it decomposes, and the spread of pathogens. By putting this problematic waste product to good use, the technology could be a huge boost to the global dairy farming industry.

The research team is currently seeking opportunities to work with dairy farmers to take advantage of the technology and scale it up. With existing pressurized spinning machines adaptable to the new process, adapting to the logistics of sourcing and transporting cow dung might be the greater challenge.

However, the environmental and commercial benefits would be significant. As animal waste becomes a growing problem globally, this innovation offers a beacon of hope for sustainable resource management. The team is excited about the potential impact on ecosystems and human health, making it a groundbreaking achievement in “dung-gineering.”

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Breaking Down Barriers: Groundbreaking Recycling Technique Turns ‘Forever Chemicals’ into Renewable Resources

In a major breakthrough, researchers at the University of Leicester have developed a revolutionary technique to efficiently separate valuable catalyst materials and fluorinated polymer membranes (PFAS) from catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs). This achievement has significant implications for preventing potentially harmful chemicals from contaminating our environment.

PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are known to contaminate drinking water and have serious health implications. The Royal Society of Chemistry has urged government intervention to reduce PFAS levels in UK water supplies.

Fuel cells and water electrolysers, essential components of hydrogen-powered energy systems, rely on CCMs containing precious platinum group metals. However, the strong adhesion between catalyst layers and PFAS membranes has made recycling difficult.

The researchers’ innovative method uses organic solvent soaking and water ultrasonication to effectively separate these materials, revolutionizing the recycling process. Dr. Jake Yang from the University of Leicester School of Chemistry comments, “This method is simple and scalable. We can now separate PFAS membranes from precious metals without harsh chemicals – revolutionizing how we recycle fuel cells.”

Building on this success, a follow-up study introduced a continuous delamination process using high-frequency ultrasound to split the membranes, accelerating recycling. The innovative process creates bubbles that collapse when subjected to high pressure, allowing the precious catalysts to be separated in seconds at room temperature.

This groundbreaking research was carried out in collaboration with Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies. Industry-academia partnerships like this underscore the importance of collective efforts in driving technological progress.

Ross Gordon, Principal Research Scientist at Johnson Matthey, says, “The development of high-intensity ultrasound to separate catalyst-loaded membranes is a game-changer in how we approach fuel cell recycling. At Johnson Matthey, we are proud to collaborate on pioneering solutions that accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-powered energy while making it more sustainable and economically viable.”

As fuel cell demand continues to grow, this breakthrough contributes to the circular economy by enabling efficient recycling of essential clean energy components. The researchers’ efforts support a greener and more affordable future for fuel cell technology while addressing pressing environmental challenges.