“Our research shows that climate change is having substantial impacts on Arctic ecosystems, with consequences for exposure to toxic pollutants like mercury,” says co-author Jean-Pierre Desforges, a Postdoctoral Fellow [NRS] at McGill University under the supervision of Nil Basu [NRS/SHN] and Melissa McKinney [NRS].
In the Arctic, climate change and pollution are the biggest threats to top predators like narwhals. Studying the animals’ tusks reveals that diet and exposure to pollution have shifted over the past half century in response to sea-ice decline. Human emissions have also led to a sharp rise in the presence of mercury in recent years, according to an international team of researchers.
The snow may be melting, but it is leaving pollution behind in the form of micro- and nano-plastics according to a McGill study that was recently published in Environmental Pollution. The pollution is largely due to the relatively soluble plastics found in antifreeze products (polyethylene glycols) that can become airborne and picked up by the snow.
Indigenous Peoples around the world are suffering disproportionately from the impacts of pollution. After surveying close to 700 articles covering different disciplines and regions of the world, a research team led by Helsinki University and involving McGill has highlighted key factors that contribute to this situation.
A smog warning is still in effect for the Greater Montreal area Monday as high concentrations of pollutants are expected to infiltrate the air. According to Environment Canada, this could "result in poor air quality, especially in urban areas where pollutant emissions are higher." (CTV)
McGill expert who can comment on the issue:
Scientists have been looking at pollution affecting the air, land and water around the Athabasca Oil Sands for some time. After looking at contaminants in snow taken from up-to 25 km away from the oil sands, a McGill-led scientific team now suggests that oil sand pollution is also affecting the weather patterns in the surrounding regions.
D’après Sébastien Faucher, professeur au département des sciences des ressources naturelles à l’Université McGill, les rince-bouche ne sont qu’une goutte d’eau dans la pollution de nos cours d’eau.
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Un décès sur six lui est attribuable chaque année […] « C’est la première fois que l’on conclut que la pollution environnementale est une cause si importante de décès », souligne le professeur Niladri Basu, chercheur à l’Université McGill, qui a participé à l’étude publiée hier par la revue Lancet en partenariat avec l’Organisation des Nations Unies (ONU).
With spring finally here and warmer temperatures just around the corner, snow will slowly melt away, releasing us from the clutches of winter. However, that’s not the only thing that the melting snow will release. Researchers from McGill University and École de technologie supérieure in Montreal have found that urban snow accumulates a toxic cocktail from car emissions - pollutants that are in turn unleashed into the environment as the weather warms up.
The risk of acute myocardial infarction for the elderly living in and around small cities is increased by air pollution caused by biomass burning from woodstoves.
It is well documented that air pollution in big cities causes heart and lung problems. But what are its consequences on people in smaller urban centres?
By Melody Enguix
When scientists from McGill University learned that some fish were proliferating in rivers and ponds polluted by oil extraction in Southern Trinidad, it caught their attention. They thought they had found a rare example of a species able to adapt to crude oil pollution.
Yevgen Nazarenko (photo), Uday Kurien, Oleg Nepotchatykh and Rodrigo Rangel-Alvarado, with Prof Ariya have published a paper that demonstrates a substantial influence of snow on car exhaust pollution. In particular, the results showed that snow acts as a sink for toxic organic pollutants and nanosized particles from car exhausts. The article is published in Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts and has attracted much attention, now classified "hot" on the Journal website.
A Cooper’s hawk, found in Greater Vancouver, is the most polluted wild bird that has been found anywhere in the world.
Cyclists in Montreal and Toronto can now choose the least polluted routes to get around their cities thanks to an online tool developed at McGill University. Sometimes a detour of less than 1 km can make for a much less polluted ride.