2023 Science Matters Stories
CMAQ: Celebrating 25 Years of Air Quality Modeling Excellence
June 21, 2023- EPA develops software models and tools to address a range of environmental issues. The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system is EPA’s premier tool for studying air pollution from global to local scales. EPA is proudly celebrating the 25th anniversary of CMAQ’s initial release with a three-part story on the history and significance of this powerful computational tool.
- Read about what has made the CMAQ model so successful over the years and why it is still relevant today in CMAQ: Celebrating 25 Years of Air Quality Modeling Excellence.
- Read about how CMAQ has been working toward a “one environment–one health” approach throughout its lifetime in CMAQ: Demonstrating Skill Across Media and Around the World
- Read about how CMAQ has continued to innovate, modernize, and address emerging environmental issues in CMAQ: Tackling Emerging Concerns and Building for the Future.
Working to Taper Vapors, the Invisible Intruder
June 7, 2023- Vapor intrusion occurs when chemical fumes, or vapors, enter buildings through cracks, ducts, vents, drains, permeable building materials, or other structural features. To better understand how vapor intrusion occurs and how it can be prevented, EPA researchers are evaluating different points of entry in sets of buildings near Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area where vapor intrusion issues have been previously confirmed. Read Working to Taper Vapors, the Invisible Intruder.
EPA Researchers Partner with the Minnesota Department of Health to Screen for Chemicals of Health Concern in Water
June 7, 2023- There are many different chemicals that are released into our environment, and the ability to characterize human exposure and risk of every one of those chemicals is limited. EPA partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health to develop an automated screening process to determine chemicals of greatest exposure concern for further investigation. Read EPA Researchers Partner with the Minnesota Department of Health to Screen for Chemicals of Health Concern in Water.
Happy Wetlands Month
May 17, 2023- May is American Wetlands Month—a time to celebrate one of nature’s most productive ecosystems! Wetlands are important because they protect and improve water quality, provide fish and wildlife habitats, store floodwaters and maintain surface water flow during dry periods. Read Happy Wetlands Month.
Water, Water Everywhere: The Ongoing Degradation of Aquatic Communities in American Stream Networks
May 17, 2023- Research has documented noticeable, small-scale declines in the number and variety of species in aquatic ecosystems, but there are gaps in our understanding of these changes. In a recently published paper, EPA researchers are closing those gaps with a more comprehensive data analysis. Read Water, Water Everywhere: The Ongoing Degradation of Aquatic Communities in American Stream Networks.
Environmental RNA: A Powerful Tool for Studying Biodiversity
May 4, 2023- To better understand biodiversity in estuaries and other marine habitats, EPA scientists are using “metabarcoding” to identify organisms without having to resort to microscopes. Using metabarcoding, scientists can identify organisms based on the genetic sequences they find in any given environmental sample. This technique allows researchers to learn more about microscopic communities that play major roles in marine food webs but have been difficult to study in the past. Read Environmental RNA: A Powerful Tool for Studying Biodiversity.
Fighting the Haze: Effects of Wildfire Smoke and Particulate Matter on Brain Function
May 4, 2023- With wildfires growing in size and frequency, it is increasingly important to gain a better understanding of the effects of particulate matter on public health. While air pollution has mostly been associated with negative effects on lung and heart health, there are gaps in knowledge on how it affects brain health. EPA researchers are now using game apps to broaden our knowledge of brain function in the presence of wildfire smoke. Read Fighting the Haze: Effects of Wildfire Smoke and Particulate Matter on Brain Function.
EPA Extends Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with New Zealand Company to Advance Air Sensor Technologies
April 11, 2023- Air sensors are increasingly being used by researchers, state and local agencies, participatory scientists, and others to monitor and measure air quality. However, there is still a need to better understand the performance of air sensors. To continue to advance these technologies, EPA has extended a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Aeroqual, a New Zealand-based company specializing in the development of air quality monitoring equipment. Read EPA Extends Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with New Zealand Company to Advance Air Sensor Technologies.
Cross-EPA Panel Convenes for Discussion on Cumulative Impacts Research and Regulatory Activities
April 11, 2023- Cumulative impacts and environmental injustices disproportionately impact underserved and overburdened communities. Five panelists from across EPA recently gathered for a public discussion to talk about the Agency’s research and regulatory activities on cumulative impacts. This was the inaugural webinar for EPA’s new Healthy and Resilient Communities Research Webinar Series. Read Cross-EPA Panel Convenes for Discussion on Cumulative Impacts Research and Regulatory Activities.
EPA Researchers Showcase Research Capabilities to Local and National Media
April 11, 2023- Some of the world’s leading water researchers work at EPA’s water research labs in Cincinnati, Ohio. EPA recently hosted members of local and national media on a tour of the unique research complex, where they discussed several topics including PFAS in drinking water, lead service lines, and legionella in premise plumbing. Read EPA Researchers Showcase Research Capabilities to Local and National Media.
The Future of Emissions Testing is Looking Up: How EPA is Using Drones to Test Air Quality
March 28, 2023- Toxic plumes created by large-scale burns such as industrial catastrophes or wildland fires can be devastating for communities and the environment. With the help of drones, EPA researchers can test emissions concentrations using aerial devices, increasing the accuracy of their models and the reach of their sensors. Understanding how emission concentrations change in burn scenarios helps EPA and others protect communities and the environment in emergency combustion situations. Read The Future of Emissions Testing is Looking Up: How EPA is Using Drones to Test Air Quality.
“Marshing Forward” Despite Uncertainty: How EPA Researchers are Reframing Approaches to Coastal Climate Adaptation Efforts
March 1, 2023 - Coastal areas and salt marshes are becoming increasingly vulnerable from land- and climate-based stressors such as accelerated sea level rise, droughts, flooding, and increased land development. To help protect these areas, EPA scientists evaluated both the scientific methodology and management practices behind coastal restoration projects. Using this research, they developed a framework to assist communities with collaboratively managing these fragile ecosystems. Read “Marshing Forward” Despite Uncertainty: How EPA Researchers are Reframing Approaches to Coastal Climate Adaptation Efforts.
Air Sensor Loan Programs: Promoting Air Quality Education by Bringing Sensors to You!
February 14, 2023 - As interest in local air quality increases, so does the demand for air sensors—the smaller, lower cost, non-regulatory technologies that measure air quality. However, air sensors are not always accessible to everyone. EPA worked with the Los Angeles Public Library to start a pilot air sensor loan program to provide the local community with access to air sensors and guidance on using them. Read Air Sensor Loan Programs: Promoting Air Quality Education by Bringing Sensors to You!
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Wells: Improving our Groundwater “Vision” with Electrical Resistivity Imaging
February 14, 2023 - Traditional methods of studying the subsurface and groundwater include drilling exploratory wells–an expensive, intrusive, and often limiting approach. At the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer in Oklahoma, EPA researchers are using electrical resistivity imaging, which uses electrical currents to create a two-dimensional picture of the subsurface. This method will ultimately save time and money in site characterization and help protect our groundwater supply. Read A Picture is Worth a Thousand Wells: Improving our Groundwater “Vision” with Electrical Resistivity Imaging.
EPA Researchers Update Tool to Support Contaminated Groundwater Cleanup at a Superfund Site in Kansas City
February 2, 2023 - Groundwater, the water found below the Earth’s surface within the cracks and crevices of soil, sand, and rock, can be particularly challenging to treat. EPA researcher Dr. Mohamed Hantush recently helped update a computer modeling tool that hydrogeologists can use to simulate the flow of groundwater accurately and efficiently through aquifers. The tool helps site cleanup professionals better understand how groundwater moves through and around a cleanup site and improves groundwater treatment plans. Read EPA Researchers Update Tool to Support Contaminated Groundwater Cleanup at a Superfund Site in Kansas City.
EPA Researchers Update the Air Sensor Guidebook
February 2, 2023 - Are you interested in starting a community air monitoring project using air sensors? EPA researchers have released a helpful resource for you: the Enhanced Air Sensor Guidebook. The Guidebook identifies best practices for using air sensors and provides recommendations for planning and implementing a study to save time, effort, and money and ultimately help users collect useful data. Read EPA Researchers Update the Air Sensor Guidebook.
EPA Research Contributes to Using Alternatives to Screen Chemicals for Endocrine Disruption
February 2, 2023 - EPA announced the release of a draft White Paper Availability of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) for public comment via the Federal Register. The paper describes validated NAMs that could be used as alternatives for certain EDSP tests. EPA researchers helped develop some of the NAMs discussed in the White Paper, including the estrogen receptor pathway model and the androgen receptor pathway model. Read EPA Research Contributes to Using Alternatives to Screen Chemicals for Endocrine Disruption.
EPA Scientist Serves as Air Resource Advisor on the McKinney Fire Modeling Smoke and Air Quality
January 17, 2023 - Last summer, a lightning-induced wildfire in Klamath National Forest in Northern California quickly grew to more than 50,000 acres. Soon after, EPA scientist Dr. John Iiames traveled to Yreka, California, to lend his expertise in air quality and smoke modeling and serve as an Air Resource Advisor to the response team. Read EPA Scientist Serves as Air Resource Advisor on the McKinney Fire Modeling Smoke and Air Quality.