An ASU research team found that bacteria floating in tiny droplets of fog are active, growing and breaking down pollutants in our air. Their study shifts our understanding of fog from a sterile mist t...

Microplastics are an environmental and health threat, and as we experience increasingly extreme weather, they pose a new threat.

Valley fever is a lung infection caused by the inhalation of infectious spores from the fungus Coccidioides spp. Coccidioides is a genus of soil dwelling fungi endemic to the arid regions of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. Few Valley fever studies have focused on detecting Coccidioides spores in airborne respirable particles, which is the primary infection vector. This study looks at the presence of Coccidioides in air at a highly soil positive site in Mesa, Arizona. Aerosol samples were collected for 24 h every 6 days, following the Environmental Protection Agency sampling schedule. Meteorological data were collected from a nearby weather station. Coccidioides were detected in ∼68% of the aerosol samples. Bulk PM10 did not have a statistically significant relationship with presence of Coccidioides; however, there was a significant relationship between the amount of crustal material in the aerosols and presence of Coccidioides. Previous studies link the presence of Coccidioides in air with bulk PM10 concentrations; however, we found that bulk PM10 concentrations give an incomplete story. Additionally, there were statistically significant relationships with the presence of Coccidioides and meteorological parameters, including relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed. This study emphasizes the importance of dust entrainment in the transmission of Coccidioides.

Phosphorus (P) is an important and often limiting element in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Insufficient understanding of the characteristics and…

In a context where some scientists in the United States may feel threatened or hindered in their research, our university is announcing the launch of the Safe Place For Science program, dedicated to w...

Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide (combined, known as NOx) and their contribution to ozone and photochemical smog generation are persistent issues in urban environments. Many technologies have been de...

A recent study reveals widespread and increasing microplastic contamination in the soils of Phoenix and the Sonoran Desert, highlighting significant environmental concerns and the need for further res...