Breakthrough in fighting Legionnaires’ disease

Research finds key connection with a ‘host’ microorganism in drinking water

17-Jan-2023 - A new study of domestic and hospital drinking water systems found Legionella in 41% of samples – with Flinders University researchers making a key connection between the pathogen’s co-existence with a ‘host’ microorganism in all samples tested. The study found Legionella bacteria “infect the ...

Heavy charge against water germs

Novel filter systems made from composite materials

05-May-2021 - Removing pathogens from drinking water is especially difficult when the germs are too tiny to be caught by conventional filters. Researchers at Empa and Eawag are developing new materials and processes to free water from pathogenic microorganisms such as viruses Water is life, biology teaches us. ...

Green tea ingredient may ameliorate memory impairment, brain insulin resistance, and obesity

01-Aug-2017 - A study involving mice, suggests that EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the most abundant catechin and biologically active component in green tea, could alleviate high-fat and high-fructose (HFFD)-induced insulin resistance and cognitive impairment. Previous research pointed to the potential of ...

Targeting PFOA threat to drinking water

12-Jun-2017 - A highly toxic water pollutant, known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), last year caused a number of U.S. communities to close their drinking water supplies. Because of its historical use in Teflon production and other industrial processes as well as its environmental persistence, PFOA ...

Researchers track perfluorinated chemicals in the body

31-Mar-2017 - They are the chemicals that made consumers think twice about using nonstick cookware. New research shows scientists have developed a method to track perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in the body. PFAS are potentially toxic chemicals found in stain-resistant products, nonstick cookware, ...

Preventing lead spread

20-Mar-2017 - While lead pipes were banned decades ago, they still supply millions of American households daily with drinking water amid risks of corrosion and leaching that can cause developmental and neurological effects in young children. One common abatement: Dig up old lead lines and replace a portion of ...

Silver nanoparticle concentration too low to be harmful in water supply

17-Oct-2016 - Silver nanoparticles have a wide array of uses, one of which is to treat drinking water for harmful bacteria and viruses. But do silver nanoparticles also kill off potentially beneficial bacteria or cause other harmful effects to water-based ecosystems? A new paper from a team of University of ...

Drugs and other contaminants found in private drinking wells on Cape Cod

29-Jan-2016 - Recent news about tainted water in Flint, Michigan, and other parts of the country have called into question the safety of the nation's drinking water supply. Adding to this, a new study finds that pollutants from household wastewater--pharmaceuticals and consumer product chemicals--can make ...

Low-level arsenic exposure before birth associated with early puberty and obesity

28-Aug-2015 - Female mice exposed in utero, or in the womb, to low levels of arsenic through drinking water displayed signs of early puberty and became obese as adults, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The finding is significant because the exposure level of 10 parts per billion ...

A water filter from the sapwood in tree branches

Group shows xylem tissue in sapwood can filter bacteria from contaminated water

27-Feb-2014 - If you've run out of drinking water during a lakeside camping trip, there's a simple solution: Break off a branch from the nearest pine tree, peel away the bark, and slowly pour lake water through the stick. The improvised filter should trap any bacteria, producing fresh, uncontaminated water. In ...