Archived articles

Environmental health

Sewage truck
Environmental health
EPA grants $1.9M to JHU researchers to study biosolids from sewage
Published Nov 29, 2021
Study will examine the occurrence and uptake of contaminants found in waste as well as health risks
Glass of water on a table
Engineering
A new approach to safer tap water
Published Aug 31, 2021
Leveraging bioassays and artificial intelligence could help identify previously unknown chemical mixtures in the water supply, say Carsten Prasse and Paul Ferraro
Meat processing plant
Food safety
Organic meat less likely to be contaminated with multidrug-resistant bacteria, study suggests
Published May 13, 2021
Analysis also uncovers meats from processors that handle both organic and conventional retail meat may be less likely to be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria
Discarded medical mask
Q+A
The environmental toll of fighting COVID-19
Published May 5, 2021
Masks, gloves, and chemical disinfectants will outlast the pandemic. Environmental engineer Ana María Rule says there are better alternatives to plastics and harsh chemicals.
illustration of bacteria and viruses flowing through pipes
What our wastewater can tell us
Published Spring 2021
Our sewage contains important biomarkers that can tell researchers about a community's diet, drug intake, and even the presence of COVID-19 / Johns Hopkins Magazine
Pigs in confinement in factory farm
Public Health
Researchers detect evidence of drug-resistant staph bacteria spreading between animals and humans
Published March 11, 2021
Findings from DNA-sequencing study of humans and factory farm-raised pigs in North Carolina raise public health concerns
A glass of water
Environmental health
Johns Hopkins scientist develops method to find toxic chemicals in drinking water
Published Jan 12, 2021
Only 11 byproducts from water disinfection are currently regulated in drinking water, and environmental engineer Carsten Prasse says there's more that must be done
Illustration of meat packers working on an assembly line while a train barrels toward them
Ailing under slaughterhouse rules
Published July 27, 2020
Like health care workers, those on the front lines of U.S. meat production are at high risk during the pandemic. The dangers don't stop at the novel coronavirus.
A table of hand sewn masks
Q+A
Is coronavirus airborne?
Published July 16, 2020
Engineer Peter DeCarlo discusses evidence of airborne transmission, particle behavior, risks, and why he added his name to an open letter urging WHO to revise their guidance
Crowded New York City street
Study: Urban density not linked to higher coronavirus infection rates
Published July 2, 2020
Study of more than 900 U.S. metropolitan counties suggests that area size matters more than population density in spread of COVID-19