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Ball milling cleans soil of persistent fluoride
Environment, NewsResearchers in New Zealand are testing a solution against fluoride pollution. The technique has made it possible to degrade per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the molecular level with 99.9 percent efficacy

Pesticides do not escape nanosensors. From Sweden a low-cost solution
Innovation & Technology, NewsInexpensive nanosensors can detect pesticides in orange juice, explain researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. Experimentation has shown their efficacy and the possibility of massive production

Worrying data in the U.S. on PFAS contamination in soil
Environment, NewsIn New Hampshire, the presence of fluorine-based substances was detected in all soil samples taken by researchers. These products, known as PFASs and contained in pesticides, are typically difficult to dispose of

Insects in decline? “it’s a fault of soil consumption and pollution”
Environment, NewsA Swiss-German study investigated the main factors behind the constant decline of insects and their biodiversity. Invasive species and intensive agriculture are also of concern. 40% of all species will be at risk of extinction in the coming decades.

Germany, the reduction in the use of pesticides is still too slow
Agricultural Industry, NewsThe use of pesticides in Germany decreased by less than 10 percent between 2009 and 2020. The figure raises many concerns about the spread of integrated pest management, a technique designed to reduce the use of the most dangerous chemicals

Dutch researchers bet on bacteria to reduce pesticide use
Agricultural Industry, world soil dayResearchers at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands will study the potential of bacteria to fight plant pests without damaging the soil ecosystem. Crucial is the action of peptides, biodegradable proteins produced by the microorganisms

Pesticide impact on plants and soil grows in Germany
Environment, NewsOver the past 25 years, pesticide total toxicity in Germany has increased for fish, land plants and soil organisms, a research from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau has found. EU wants to cut use of chemicals in half by 2030 but its metrics are not convincing

US potatoes survive pests thanks to lobster shell
Circular bioeconomy, NewsGround shells from lobsters can feed communities of beneficial microbes, creating a line of defense against soil pests. Researchers from University of Maine researchers offer a potential circular solution to safeguard the state's major crop. Which would also avoid tons of waste

Missing invertebrates: the UK has already lost a third of its earthworms
Environment, NewsThe biodiversity crisis is also affecting invertebrates. In the United Kingdom, says a study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the abundance of earthworms in the soil declined by 33 to 41 percent. Poor agricultural practices are a crucial determinant

Australian researchers mimic plants to clean up soil
Environment, NewsThrough solar-powered evaporators, the presence of heavy metals in soil can be significantly reduced. The solution, developed by the University of South Australia, could find application in other contexts and for other substances