University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen 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.
We can save lives and millions with less nitrate in drinking water
Denmark could save lives and more than $300 million a year by reducing the amount of nitrate in its drinking water. This, according to calculations by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). An ever-growing body of research concludes that the amount of nitrate in […]
Scientists predict a collapse of the Atlantic ocean current to happen mid-century
Important ocean currents that redistribute heat, cold and precipitation between the tropics and the northernmost parts of the Atlantic region will shut down around the year 2060 if current greenhouse gas emissions persist. This is the conclusion based on new calculations from the University of Copenhagen that contradict the latest report from the IPCC. Contrary […]
New types of chemicals found in Danish drinking water
Measurements reveal more than 400 different chemicals in water from a single Danish waterwork. Several of the compounds can have adverse health effects. According to the University of Copenhagen analytical chemists behind the study, monitoring needs to be broader and not solely focused on PFAS and pesticides. The techniques to do so already exist. Despite […]
New knowledge about ice sheet movement can shed light on when sea levels will rise
The trawling of thousands of satellite measurements using artificial intelligence has shown researchers from the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland and University of Copenhagen that meltwater in tunnels beneath Greenland's ice sheet causes it to change speed, and in some places, accelerate greatly towards the ocean. This can increase melting, especially in a warming […]
Tracking Earth’s many new lakes and their emerging role in carbon emissions
The number of lakes on our planet has increased substantially in recent decades, according to a unique global survey of 3.4 million lakes that the University of Copenhagen has taken part in. There has been a particular increase in the number of small lakes, which unfortunately, emit large amounts of greenhouse gas. The development is […]
Pharmaceutical residues in sewage sludge and cattle manure do not have the feared effect
Pharmaceutical residues and chemicals from personal care products in sewage sludge and cattle manure do not have a detectable toxic effect on nematodes living in agricultural fields, according to 14-year-long experiments by the University of Copenhagen. At the same time, manure and sewage sludge enhance soil quality more than conventional mineral fertilizers and can contribute […]
Years later, restored wetlands remain a shadow of their old selves
Danes have been diligent about wetland restoration. Indeed, more than 200 wetlands have been restored over the past 25 years. In particular, restoration in Denmark has been used as a means to curb nutrient runoff from crop fields into watercourses. But Danish authorities also point to wetlands restoration as a means to increase biodiversity across […]
Climate report: Home buyers ignore flood risk
Buyers neglect to investigate the risk of flooding until after purchasing new homes according to a new report from the University of Copenhagen. The report also reveals that home prices are only slightly affected by flood risk. Most people in Denmark remember Bodil, Allan and Gorm – a trio of exceptionally powerful storms that caused […]
Sea level will rise faster than previously thought
There are two main elements to observe when assessing sea level rise. One is the loss of the ice on land, e.g., melting mountain glaciers and inland ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica, and the other is that the sea will expand as it gets warmer. The more its temperature increases, the faster the sea […]