Environmental Sciences and Engineering Research
Floor waxing could be an important source of PFAS contamination, with increased occupational health risks for workers
May 25, 2022 There’s a special satisfaction that comes from walking on perfectly shined floors — but is it worth the potential risk to floor waxing workers? A study published earlier this year measured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in dust and airborne particulate matter during professional floor stripping and waxing. Researchers concluded that significantly higher levels of PFAS were present during floor waxing.
Can sustainable plastics clean our plastic-polluted water?
April 21, 2022 UNC researchers across disciplines are harnessing the power of a new plastic to remove pollutants from drinking water. Their work just got a significant boost from the state legislature.
Water supply portfolios must be viable for all partners
April 5, 2022 The need to invest in large and expensive new water infrastructure represents a significant challenge for water providers, especially given ongoing water affordability issues and the uncertainties associated with future demands and climate change.
Evidence suggests COVID-19 is not transmitted through wastewater
Feburary 16, 2022 There is no proof that people can contract COVID-19 from wastewater, according to a report by Dr. Mark Sobsey published in the Journal of Water & Health.
Energy inequity is an urgent public health issue, as Bronx fire illustrates
January 19, 2022 A new national analysis of United States household energy spending found that 16% of the country lives in energy poverty — defined as spending more than 6% of household income on energy bills. More than 5.2 million households living above the Federal Poverty Line still face energy poverty, and this struggle disproportionately burdens Black, Hispanic and Native American communities.
Survival probability is deciding factor in American perceptions of COVID-19 triage
January 4, 2021 Americans believe that scarce beds in hospital intensive care units should be given to COVID-19 patients who have the highest chances of survival, according to new research led by UNC-Chapel Hill.
New NSF-funded study to examine aerosol impact on cloud formation
December 14, 2021 New NSF-funded research from Texas A&M University, the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and Purdue University will examine aerosol and cloud interactions, which have major implications for climate models and predictions.
Checking in with COVID-19 Gillings Innovation Labs
November 24, 2021 Five of the COVID-19 research projects funded through a special round of Gillings Innovation Laboratory awards (GILs) have now been completed, and the two remaining are expected to wrap in early 2022. Their work has been critical in influencing local and global pandemic response efforts through policy, practice and community engagement.
9 Gillings School faculty members named to Clarivate's annual Highly Cited Researchers list
November 16, 2021 Nine academics from the Gillings School were recently named to the 2021 Highly Cited Researchers list from Clarivate. The highly anticipated annual list identifies researchers who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field or fields through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade.
In cities with poor sanitation, waste-borne diseases may also be spread through air
November 8, 2021 Microbes that cause many waste-borne diseases are present in air particles around areas that have open sewers, according to a new study. These pathogens have the potential to spread into the surrounding environment, putting local inhabitants at risk.
