Plastic in drinking water: what are the risks to human health?
Research suggests much drinking water contains plastic microparticles.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Water pollution
Displaying 1 - 20 of 52 articles
Your sunscreen may be polluting the ocean – but algae could offer a natural alternative
Sun cream ingredients have been linked to hormonal changes in fish and coral bleaching.
Bait and switch: Anchovies eat plastic because it smells like prey
A new study shows that anchovies – key food for larger fish – are attracted to plastic trash because it smells like food. This suggests that toxic substances in plastic could move up through food chains.
Is your drinking water safe? Here’s how you can find out
America's drinking water infrastructure is aging and needs billions of dollars in upgrades. Two extension educators urge consumers to monitor their water and have it tested if they suspect problems.
Nutrient pollution: Voluntary steps are failing to shrink algae blooms and dead zones
Nitrogen and phosphorus are polluting US waters, creating algae blooms and dead zones. New research confirms that voluntary steps are failing in the Gulf of Mexico and unlikely to work in Lake Erie.
How our research is helping clean up coal-mining pollution in a World Heritage-listed river
The environmental regulator has stepped in to stop water pollution from an underground coal mine damaging a World Heritage River. Can the mine deliver improvements and will the river recover?
Companies should take charge of the potential toxins in common products
Regulation can't keep up with the thousands of harmful chemicals that wash down our drains. Rather, companies should take responsibility for their products – before they hit the market.
There’s a new generation of water pollutants in your medicine cabinet
Ingredients from shampoo, sunscreens and other personal care products are turning up in water supplies. Some are toxic or cause hormonal damage to aquatic life, and could threaten human health.
Why farmers and ranchers think the EPA Clean Water Rule goes too far
President Trump signed an executive order to roll back the 2015 Clean Water Rule. Two water experts explain why the rule alarms farmers and ranchers concerned about over-regulation.
Why Trump’s EPA is far more vulnerable to attack than Reagan’s or Bush’s
Today's political climate gives new EPA head Scott Pruitt a clear path to seriously cut back EPA enforcement – more than previous administrations.
Red state rural America is acting on climate change – without calling it climate change
With little action at the national level on climate change, state and city officials are taking the lead – but by emphasizing local benefits.
In Puerto Rico, environmental injustice and racism inflame protests over coal ash
Low-income residents in Puerto Rico are fighting disposal of toxic coal ash in their communities. They're also campaigning to shift from coal energy – the source of the problem – to solar power.
Blood-red Siberian river reminds us that mining is a risky business
Siberia's red river reminds us that mining for minerals and metals can still compromise the environment.
Brazil’s sewage woes reflect the growing global water quality crisis
Wastewater treatment systems around the world are hamstrung by outdated tests that don't identify a growing array of pathogens or identify the sources of pollutants.
Why toxic algae blooms like Florida’s are so dangerous to people and wildlife
Toxic algae blooms like the intense one now fouling Florida’s waterways harm wildlife and people in various ways. They're also on the rise.
It’s a fallacy that all Australians have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene
As Australia joins a New York summit to discuss the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it still faces questions over whether it is meeting water standards at home.
Reducing water pollution with microbes and wood chips
Excess nutrients from farm fields cause widespread water pollution across the U.S. Bioreactors -- essentially, ditches filled with wood chips -- are emerging as a way to reduce nutrient pollution.
Treasure from trash: how mining waste can be mined a second time
Identifying mine waste materials as economic resources will help support global demand for critical metals, boosting the mining industry during the downturn. All with environmental benefits.
Healthy microbes make for a resilient Great Barrier Reef
A new study provides insight into coral-dwelling microbial communities and how they react to pollution, overfishing, and climate change. What does it mean for the Great Barrier Reef?
Could ‘nitrogen trading’ help the Great Barrier Reef?
You've heard of cap-and-trade schemes for greenhouse gases. Perhaps we also need one to limit the amount of fertiliser runoff onto the Great Barrier Reef.
Top contributors
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Oceanographer, PhD candidate researching plastic pollution and sea turtles, University of Western Australia
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Professor of Coastal Oceanography, University of Western Australia
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Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO
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Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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Researcher at Microsoft Research. Previously, The University of Queensland
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Director, Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland
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Adjunct researcher, Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland
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Senior Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO
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Honorary Fellow in Economics, The University of Queensland
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Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University
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Coral Biodiversity Researcher, Western Australian Museum
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Professorial Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
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Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland
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Yanshuang Zhang is a Friend of The Conversation.
Researcher, The University of Queensland
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Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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