http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/water/ Learn about Earth's water resources. Read current research on the water cycle, water pollution, groundwater depletion and lake protection. en-us Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/water/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143003.htm More than one in three counties in the US could face a "high" or "extreme" risk of water shortages due to climate change by the middle of the 21st century, according to a new study. The report concluded seven in 10 of the more than 3,100 counties could face "some" risk of shortages of fresh water. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215100256.htm A new NASA satellite instrument that makes a quantum leap forward in detector technology has arrived at Orbital Sciences Corp. in Gilbert, Ariz. There it will be integrated into the next Landsat satellite, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215100256.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215095843.htm With missions scheduled throughout the year, 2012 is shaping up to be an extraordinary time for NASA's Airborne Science Program and Earth system science research. Multiple aircraft and specialized instruments will operate in the United States, Europe, Asia and South America this year in support of studies conducted by NASA and the Earth science community, improving scientists' understanding of our planet. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215095843.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154053.htm A study of the evolutionary history of Antarctic fish and their "anti-freeze" proteins illustrates how tens of millions of years ago a lineage of fish adapted to newly formed polar conditions -- and how today they are endangered by a rapid rise in ocean temperatures. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172926.htm Those who have ventured to turn a vacant barn or garage into an aquaculture business have too often been defeated by high energy and feed costs, building-related woes and serious environmental problems. Now researchers are melding building design, fish ecology and aquaculture engineering techniques into a first-of-its-kind "building-integrated aquaculture" (BIAq) model to offer an affordable, more holistic and sustainable approach to indoor fish production located close to markets and able to succeed even in cold climates. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172926.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209152810.htm A technique for creating a new molecule that structurally and chemically replicates the active part of the molybdenite catalyst paves the way for developing catalytic materials that can serve as effective low-cost alternatives to platinum for generating hydrogen gas from water. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209152810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144003.htm As oceans warm due to climate change, water layers will mix less and affect the microbes and plankton that pump carbon out of the atmosphere – but researchers say it's still unclear whether these processes will further increase global warming or decrease it. It could be either, they say. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140200.htm Global warming is having an effect on the dive behavior and search for food of southern elephant seals. Researchers have discovered that the seals dive deeper for food when in warmer water. The scientists attribute this behavior to the migration of prey to greater depths and now wish to check this theory using a new sensor which registers the feeding of the animals below water. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140200.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135836.htm Mushy tomatoes, brown bananas and overripe cherries -- to date, waste from wholesale markets has ended up on the compost heap at best. In future it will be put to better use: Researchers have developed a new facility that ferments this waste to make methane, which can be used to power vehicles. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135836.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101730.htm Horseflies are unpleasant insects that deliver powerful bites and now it seems that zebras evolved their stripes to avoid attracting the unpleasant pests. New research show that zebras have the least attractive hides for horseflies. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101728.htm Shark skin has long been known to improve the fish's swimming performance by reducing drag, but now a new study show that in addition, the skin generates thrust, giving the fish an extra boost. The duo also discovered that Speedo's shark skin-inspired Fastskin® FS II fabric surface does not improve swimming speed, although they point out that the figure hugging costumes probably enhance performance in other ways. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132844.htm Scientists have gathered new insight into the performance of a material called a zeolite that may filter carbon dioxide far more efficiently than current industrial "scrubbers" do. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132301.htm Earth's glaciers and ice caps outside of the regions of Greenland and Antarctica are shedding roughly 150 billion tons of ice annually, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208102737.htm In research to develop a novel, eco-friendly filter to remove toxic gases from the air, scientists found that a material made from used coffee grounds can sop up hydrogen sulfide gas, the chemical that makes raw sewage stinky. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208102737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100139.htm If sensors are supposed to communicate with each other to compare the measured data and to secure them, then, in the future, a network of distributed sensor nodes will aid in that: the network ensures problem-free communication between the sensors. For example, they can be used to reliably monitor the watering of plants. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206174350.htm In a study of the harsh but beautiful White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, researchers have uncovered a unifying mechanism to explain dune patterns. The new work represents a contribution to basic science, but the findings may also hold implications for identifying when dune landscapes like those in Nebraska's Sand Hills may reach a "tipping point" under climate change, going from valuable grazing land to barren desert. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206174350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206144127.htm In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama praised the potential of the country's tremendous supply of natural gas buried in shale. But the "Halliburton exclusion" passed by Congress says gas companies don't have to disclose the chemicals used in fracturing fluids. That was a real mistake because it makes the public needlessly paranoid, says a geophysicist. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206144127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143950.htm Researchers have found that United States consumers are more willing to buy clothing made from sustainably grown US cotton than apparel produced using conventional practices in an unknown location. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143950.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163754.htm A new study shows that land-cover changes, in particular deforestation, in the vicinity of glaciers do not have an impact on glacier loss. However, the study also shows that deforestation decreases precipitation in mid elevation zones, which affects the quality of life of the population living in the surrounding areas. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163754.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164821.htm Scientists have advanced a method that allowed them to single out a marine microorganism and map its genome even though the organism made up less than 10 percent of a water sample teeming with many millions of individuals from dozens of identifiable groups of microbes. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181457.htm NASA's GCPEx science team is collecting as much data as they can to improve understanding of snow dynamics inside clouds, because they relate to how snow moves through Earth's water and climate cycles. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131509.htm Scientists suggest that the Little Ice Age was triggered by an unusual, 50-year episode of four massive volcanic eruptions. This led to an expansion of sea ice and a related weakening of Atlantic currents that caused the cool period to persist for centuries. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131509.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131503.htm According to a new study, the Little Ice Age began abruptly between A.D. 1275 and 1300, triggered by repeated, explosive volcanism, and was sustained for centuries by a self- perpetuating sea ice-ocean feedback system in the North Atlantic Ocean. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130093113.htm Researchers are working on long-term sustainability study to prepare for an oil spill that could catastrophically impact Florida. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130093113.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140523.htm The large changes in the carbon isotopic composition of carbonates which occurred prior to the major climatic event more than 500 million years ago, known as "Snowball Earth," are unrelated to worldwide glacial events, a new study suggests. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224513.htm Scientists have developed a novel computer model describing how future hurricanes and sea level rise may trigger changes to South Florida's native coastal forests. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224513.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126152132.htm Japan used seawater to cool nuclear fuel at the stricken Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant after the tsunami in March 2011 -- and that was probably the best action to take at the time, say experts. But researchers have since discovered a new way in which seawater can corrode nuclear fuel, forming uranium compounds that could potentially travel long distances, either in solution or as very small particles. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126152132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126131511.htm Discoveries made in some underwater caves by researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126131511.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126115125.htm A new study comparing the carbon-holding power of freshwater wetlands has produced measurements suggesting that wetlands in temperate regions are more valuable as carbon sinks than current policies imply. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126115125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126092540.htm A solution to the difficult issue of harvesting algae for use as a biofuel has been developed using microbubble technology. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126092540.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125172315.htm Coastal storms are known to cause serious damage along the shoreline, but they also cause significant disruption of the deep-sea ecosystem as well. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125172315.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125113147.htm Mediterranean bottom currents and the sediment deposits they leave behind offer new insights into global climate change, the opening and closing of ocean circulation gateways and locations where hydrocarbon deposits may lie buried under the sea. A team of 35 scientists from 14 countries recently returned from an expedition off the southwest coast of Iberia and the nearby Gulf of Cadiz. There the geologists collected core samples of sediments that contain a detailed record of the Mediterranean's history. The scientists retrieved the samples by drilling into the ocean floor during an eight-week scientific expedition onboard the ship JOIDES Resolution. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125113147.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091101.htm The upsurge in droughts is one of the main consequences of climate change, and affects crops in particular. However, a biologist has confirmed that in the case of barley at least, climate change itself is providing it with a self-defense mechanisms to tackle a lack of water. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124184208.htm Microbiologists have found that the microbes that thrive on hot fluid methane and sulfur spewed by active hydrothermal vents are supplanted, once the vents go cold, by microbes that feed on the solid iron and sulfur that make up the vents themselves. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124184208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124184157.htm Half of all wetlands in the US, Europe and China were destroyed during the 20th century, but a thriving restoration effort aims to recreate marshes and other ecosystems lost. A new study cautions, however, that restored wetlands do not recover to the condition of a natural, undamaged wetland for hundreds of years, if ever. This calls into question mitigation banks that allow developers to destroy one wetland if they create another. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124184157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123163358.htm Might a penguin's next meal be affected by the exhaust from your tailpipe? The answer may be yes, when you add your exhaust fumes to the total amount of carbon dioxide lofted into the atmosphere by humans since the industrial revolution. One-third of that carbon dioxide is absorbed by the world's oceans, making them more acidic and affecting marine life. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123163358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152516.htm In California's Death Valley, death is looking just a bit closer. Geologists have determined that the half-mile-wide Ubehebe Crater, formed by a prehistoric volcanic explosion, was created far more recently than previously thought -- and that conditions for a sequel may exist today. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152516.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094523.htm Diamond-bearing kimberlites are volcanic rocks that originate deep in the Earth and are erupted onto the surface. Researchers have now shown that other rock types, incorporated into the magma as it rises through overlying formations, provide the necessary buoyancy for its long ascent. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184233.htm Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous system of sea fishes with serious consequences for their survival, an international scientific team has found. Carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators, says a professor. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184233.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119152001.htm La Niña, "the diva of drought," is peaking, increasing the odds that the Pacific Northwest will have more stormy weather this winter and spring, while the southwestern and southern United States will be dry. Sea surface height data from NASA's Jason-1 and -2 satellites show that the milder repeat of last year's strong La Niña has recently intensified, as seen in the latest Jason-2 image of the Pacific Ocean. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119152001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119143338.htm The bottom of a glacier is not the most hospitable place on Earth, but at least two types of bacteria happily live there, according to researchers. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119143338.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119133924.htm When the water in the Mississippi River rose to 58 feet with a forecast of 60 feet or higher in May 2011, the emergency plan to naturally or intentionally breach the levees, established over 80 years prior, was put in motion. The flood of 1937 did top the frontline levee and water passed into and through the New Madrid Floodway, but being floodfree since then caused area landowners to oppose the plan being put into action. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119133924.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173701.htm Portions of the Amazon basin are experiencing a transition in energy and water cycles. Evidence suggests that the Amazon may also be transitioning from a net carbon sink to a net source. This research shows that although the Amazon is resilient to individual disturbances, such as drought, multiple disturbances override this, increasing the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to degradation. This review provides a framework for understanding the associations between natural variability and drivers of change. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173701.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118112005.htm A natural substance obtained from seeds of the "miracle tree" could purify and clarify water inexpensively and sustainably in the developing world, where more than 1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, scientists report. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118112005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118112003.htm In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists are reporting that the indoor air in offices is an important source of worker exposure to potentially toxic substances released by carpeting, furniture, paint and other items. Their report documents a link between levels of these so-called polyfluorinated compounds in office air and in the blood of workers. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118112003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101415.htm Norwegian researchers have borrowed a page from game developers to devise simulation technology that can save lives in many parts of the world by helping to reduce the damage from catastrophic floods. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117161625.htm Geoscientists have published the first evidence that warm-cold climate oscillations well known in the Northern Hemisphere over the most recent glacial period also appear as tropical rainfall variations in the Amazon Basin of South America. It is the first clear expression of these cycles in the Southern hemisphere. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117161625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117161425.htm The first comprehensive study of changes in the oxygenation of oceans at the end of the last Ice Age has implications for the future of our oceans under global warming. The study looked at marine sediment and found that that the dissolved oxygen concentrations in large parts of the oceans changed dramatically during the relatively slow natural climate changes at the end of the last Ice Age. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117161425.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117145109.htm Nitrogen is both an essential nutrient and a pollutant, a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion and a fertilizer that feeds billions, a benefit and a hazard, depending on form, location, and quantity. Agriculture, industry and transportation have spread nitrogen liberally around the planet, say scientists with complex and interrelated consequences for human and ecological health. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117145109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116095814.htm Wood-burning stoves are a popular source of heating in many countries. However in recent years there has been much debate about the potential negative health effects associated with wood smoke. A researcher has now studied the influence of combustion conditions on the emissions and their health effects. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116095814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115223341.htm A team of four British engineers has returned to the UK after completing a grueling journey to one of the most remote and hostile locations on the planet to put in place equipment and supplies for an ambitious project later this year. Enduring temperatures of minus 35 C the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth "Advance Party" has successfully paved the way to explore an ancient lake buried beneath 3 km of Antarctic ice. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115223341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113204931.htm High levels of the anti-inflammatory substance diclofenac are released from wastewater plants, according to a new study. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113204931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112142226.htm Preserving diverse plant life will be crucial to buffer the negative effects of climate change and desertification in in the world's drylands, according to a new landmark study. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112142226.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112111111.htm Beginning Jan. 17, NASA will fly an airborne science laboratory, including a unique airborne radar built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., above Canadian snowstorms to tackle a difficult challenge facing the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission -- measuring snowfall from space. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112111111.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111134054.htm Scientists have developed two new standard reference materials for measurements of human exposure to environmental toxins. The new reference materials replace and improve older versions, adding measures for emerging environmental contaminants such as perchlorate, a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency has targeted for regulation as a contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111134054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110192723.htm Scientists have studied Lake Erie over the past five winters during mid-winter, a time when the lake is more than 70 percent covered by ice. They've documented very high concentrations of algae thriving in the water below the ice -- even in the ice itself. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110192723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151712.htm A new analysis of satellite data from the late 1990s documents for the first time the "uplift" of ground above a site of underground nuclear testing, providing researchers a potential new tool for analyzing the strength of detonation. The findings provide another forensic tool for evaluation, especially for the potential explosive yield estimates. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151710.htm The available amount of fossil fuels is limited and their combustion in vehicle motors increases atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The generation of fuels from biomass as an alternative is on the rise. Scientists have now introduced a new catalytic process that allows the effective conversion of biopetroleum from microalgae into diesel fuels. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110140223.htm With recent advances in technology and design, treating municipal wastewater and reusing it for drinking water, irrigation, industry, and other applications could significantly increase the nation's total available water resources, particularly in coastal areas facing water shortages. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110140223.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110114444.htm Chemists often have to resort to destructive methods to analyze samples. For instance, they need to extract samples and apply substances like nitric acid to measure the concentration of metals in sediments. Now researchers are laying foundations so that "greener" techniques can be used in the future. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:44:44 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110114444.htm