McGill University
McGill University is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Study finds antibiotics from human use are contaminating rivers worldwide
Researchers estimated about 8,500 tonnes of antibiotics end up in river systems each year after passing through the human body and wastewater systems
Study yields new insights into the link between global warming and rising sea levels
A McGill-led study suggests that Earth's natural forces could substantially reduce Antarctica's impact on rising sea levels, but only if carbon emissions are swiftly reduced in the coming decades. By the same token, if emissions continue on the current trajectory, Antarctic ice loss could lead to more future sea level rise than previously thought. The […]
AI-assisted technology detects nanoplastics in water—instantly
A McGill-led research team has developed the first real-time, on-site technology capable of detecting and deciphering nanoplastics from all other particles in water, a capacity akin to being able to find a needle in a haystack within milliseconds. The work, "Nanoplastics in water: Artificial intelligence-assisted 4D physicochemical characterization and rapid in situ detection," was published in Environmental Science […]
Detecting water pollutants using AI
Imagine using your mobile phone to track the spread of water contaminants—such as oil spills or even viruses like COVID-19—in the blink of an eye. Researchers from McGill University have developed new artificial intelligence to make the invisible visible using advances in lasers, optics, and mobile technology. The new technology uses remote sensing, meaning it acquires […]
Sustainable strategies to treat urban runoff
We know the lakes and rivers in and around urban environments are contaminated by plastic debris, detergents, pesticides, heavy metals and other contaminants, but new research is showing that urban runoff toxicity is ill-defined and potentially underestimated globally. Researchers including Nathalie Tufenkji, Professor of Chemical Engineering at McGill University and Canada Research Chair in Biocolloids […]
Freshwater ecosystems at risk due to glyphosate use
Plankton communities impaired even under currently acceptable North American water quality herbicide guidelines.
Faecal records show Maya population affected by climate change
A McGill-led study has shown that the size of the Maya population in the lowland city of Itzan (in present-day Guatemala) varied over time in response to climate change. The findings, published recently in Quaternary Science Reviews, show that both droughts and very wet periods led to important population declines. These results are based on using a relatively new […]
Rural Alaskans struggle to access and afford water
Some households live on less than 6 liters of water per person a day.
Climate change: threshold for dangerous warming will likely be crossed between 2027-2042
Scientists introduce a new way to predict global warming, reducing uncertainties considerably.