Biotechnology: Can hydrogels solve our water problem?

Darkfrog submitted, created time 2 months 1 week (www.nature.com)

I remember reading BIll Bryson's description of a pre-blight American chestnut tree. When he came to the transpiration of water, he said, "imagine how much metal and noise humans would have to use to move that many gallons water."

Well artificial water transport just got a bit quieter, even if it can't match the chestnut just yet. A tiny microtree made from the same type of gel used to make contact lenses has mimicked water transport in plants. Scientists say that it could be used to extract water in dry places or make more efficient cooling systems

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: water trees biotechnology hydrogels plants transpiration chips ground water water economy water supply water quality water use

Increase in ethanol production from corn could significantly impact

jimmy submitted, created time 1 year 1 month (www.eurekalert.org)

If projected increases in the use of corn for ethanol production occur, the harm to water quality could be considerable, and water supply problems at the regional and local levels could also arise, says a new report from the National Research Council.

3 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: ethanol production harm water quality

China chemical spill halts water supply to 200,00

DanyC submitted, created time 1 year 4 months (www.reutershealth.com)

Water supplies to 200,000 residents in eastern China have been halted after ammonia and azote leaked from a chemical plant into a river, the latest in a string of pollution incidents amid an industrial boom.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: chemical reaction water quality

Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the microbial landscape of the New Orleans area

penguin submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.pnas.org)

"Floodwaters in New Orleans from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were observed to contain high levels of fecal indicator bacteria and microbial pathogens, generating concern about long-term impacts of these floodwaters on the sediment and water quality of the New Orleans area and Lake Pontchartrain. We show here that fecal indicator microbe concentrations in offshore waters from Lake Pontchartrain returned to prehurricane concentrations within 2 months of the flooding induced by these hurricanes."

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Lake Pontchartrain water quality