WAR IS ECOCIDE

Missile strikes on Tehran fuel depots creates toxic smoke cloud, headed for Central Asia

Thick toxic smoke from missile-struck fuel depots in Tehran on March 8 has spread across the Iranian capital and drifted towards Central Asia, prompting health warnings over hazardous pollution and potential acid rain. / bne IntelliNews

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By Ben Aris in Berlin March 9, 2026

Missile strikes on fuel storage facilities in and around Tehran on March 8 triggered massive fires and sent toxic smoke across the Iranian capital, raising health concerns for millions of residents and prompting warnings of hazardous pollution drifting towards neighbouring countries.

Central Asian authorities issued health advisories and air quality alerts after vast plumes of toxic smoke drifted eastwards, raising concerns across the region about hazardous pollution and the possibility of acid rain.

Meteorological agencies across Central Asia began monitoring the movement of the smoke plume as satellite imagery and atmospheric models indicated it was travelling north-east across the Caspian region towards Kazakhstan and other parts of the region.

Four oil depots and a petroleum logistics site in Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj, west of the capital, were hit in the strikes, according to local authorities. Fires erupted after fuel tanks were breached, sending thick black clouds of smoke into the sky and igniting petrol that spilled into surrounding streets.

Video footage circulating online showed flames spreading through residential areas near one depot, with shops and homes ablaze as burning fuel ran along roadways. Local officials said six people were killed and 20 wounded at one of the targeted sites.

The fires released a mix of petroleum products and industrial chemicals into the air, creating dense smoke that spread across much of the city. Authorities warned that the fumes could pose serious health risks to residents in the metropolitan area of roughly 10mn people.

Rain fell over Tehran the following morning, prompting warnings from officials about possible chemical contamination. Residents reported throat irritation and burning eyes after the rainfall. The smog from the fires was so thick resident’s turned on headlamps to drive during the day and some have likened the effect to a “nuclear winter” following a major explosion.

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, said the strikes “are releasing hazardous materials and toxic substances into the air”, which are “endangering lives on a massive scale”. Officials said the fires released complex hydrocarbons as well as sulphur and nitrogen oxides that can form acidic compounds in the atmosphere.

Iran’s environmental agency advised residents to remain indoors, while the Iranian Red Crescent warned that airborne chemicals could contribute to acid rain and cause damage to skin and lungs. It advised residents to avoid switching on air conditioning or going outside immediately after rainfall, The Guardian reported.

Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said the broader US-Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and wounded thousands.

Meteorological forecasters said pollution from the fires could move eastwards across Central Asia. The Caspian Post reported that calm winds, fog and temperature inversion expected in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on March 9 could trap pollutants close to the ground and worsen air quality.

Regional health experts have advised residents to limit outdoor activity and reduce time spent outside, particularly those with chronic lung, cardiovascular or allergic conditions.

Public health departments in parts of southern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan issued precautionary guidance urging residents to monitor air quality updates and prepare for possible pollution episodes. Authorities also recommended that schools limit outdoor activities and that people with chronic lung or allergic conditions carry necessary medication.

Satellite imagery circulating among regional monitoring agencies showed thick smoke bands extending hundreds of kilometres from northern Iran, though the extent of cross-border pollution will depend heavily on wind patterns in the coming days.

Don’t Call 1 Study a ‘Bombshell’: Microplastics Science Is Doing Exactly What It Should

The biggest threat isn’t scientific uncertainty, since there’s a considerable amount of scientific consensus that there is plastic in us. The biggest threat is weaponized uncertainty used to delay regulations.


A biologist looks at microplastics found in sea species at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research near Athens, Greece on November 26, 2019.
(Photo by Louisa Gouliamaki/ AFP via Getty Images)

Lisa Erdle

Marcus Eriksen
Feb 18, 2026

Common Dreams

“Microplastics are everywhere, and they’re harming us.”

“Actually, maybe not.”



Lancet Study Warns Plastics Could Cost Humanity 83 Million Years of Healthy Life


“Hold on, that study might be flawed.”

“Bombshell… the whole field is in doubt.”

The headline isn’t “microplastics in people might be wrong,” but rather “quantifying microplastics in human samples is challenging, and the science is evolving in the right direction.”

If you’ve been hearing about microplastics recently, you may have been getting whiplash from the headlines. But you shouldn’t be.

Because this is what science looks like when it’s working: Researchers test new ideas and challenge each other’s methods. This helps refine what we know. What isn’t supposed to happen is a normal, healthy, scientific process getting manipulated into a dramatic storyline about a fictional scandal—a story that can leave the public confused.
The Myth Machine: How a Story We Tell Can Become a Trap

For over two decades, we’ve studied plastic pollution in the ocean. Scientists started describing the accumulation zones of plastic in the subtropical gyres, the places where wind and water currents concentrate floating debris. The research pointed to a truth that was complicated but clear: Most of the pieces are tiny, fragmented plastic—microplastics—along with some larger marine debris, like fishing gear.

But the media put a spin on it, and gave the world a simpler picture: a floating island of trash, “twice the size of Texas.” Some even called this a “garbage patch” you could supposedly walk on. People cried, “Why can’t I see it on Google Maps?” Some wondered if the US should plant a flag, and a handful of naive entrepreneurs fabricated fantastic ocean cleanup contraptions.

It was dramatic. Word spread. But eventually, it backfired.

All those who went looking for an island, didn’t find one. Instead they concluded, “It’s more like smog than a landfill,” and some pointed out, “Maybe it was exaggerated and the world had been duped.”

The pattern—one that goes oversimplify, sensationalize, backlash, dismissal—can drain urgency from a real crisis. Misinformation gets the headline. This gets repeated, as we’ve seen before in other environmental debates, such as the hole in the ozone layer, or climate change. The same thing is unfolding now with microplastics and human health.
What the “Bombshell” Reporting Gets Wrong

The recent article in The Guardian that sparked this debate focuses on a real issue. In our research studying microplastics in the environment and animal studies, measuring micro- and nanoplastics in human tissue is incredibly hard. It is particularly difficult when researchers are looking for very small particle sizes, where laboratory contamination from airborne sources becomes harder to rule out. This is especially the case in human tissue.

Microplastics are not like other contaminants, such as lead in water, where you can measure parts per billion, and lean on decades of standardized instruments and test methods. Plastics come in many polymers, sizes, and shapes. Nanoplastics behave differently than microplastics. And plastic is everywhere, meaning background contamination is always a risk. This is sometimes called the “pig pen effect”—it is a challenge to study a material that is so widespread.

The Guardian article is not a devastating blow. It’s a scientific debate around specific methods in a research field that is rapidly improving.

What’s the Real Headline?

The headline isn’t “microplastics in people might be wrong,” but rather “quantifying microplastics in human samples is challenging, and the science is evolving in the right direction.”

That difference matters. If the public hears “doubt cast,” then it translates it as “maybe plastic pollution isn’t really there or not that bad.” The question is, does it hold up across methods, across labs, across time?

So what has science taught us?Yes, we do have microplastics in our bodies. A number of peer-reviewed research shows that plastics, or plastic-associated signals, are present in human samples. Some findings claims will hold up better with time. That’s normal.
Scientists criticize each other’s studies. This is how science becomes more reliable over time. How methods get stress tested. By challenging assumptions, doing repeated studies, etc. weak studies get corrected or critiqued. In rare cases retracted. This isn’t chaos. It’s science.

Some headlines are hype. Microplastics science is new enough that every new study can feel like a “first,” which incentivizes media toward shock value. But, when scientific findings revise our understanding, the correction isn’t “nothing to see here.” The correction should be that science is a self-improving enterprise.
Scientists have been, and will continue revising the numbers. For example, early reporting suggested we each eat a “credit card” of plastic each week (subsequent studies estimated much less). Is that a bombshell? No, not really. And if it’s widely seen as such, it might suggest we should wait before we act (e.g., until every uncertainty is resolved). But, that’s not how public health works. We make decisions based on the best available science, and assess risk with limited data.
Weaponized Uncertainty

The biggest threat here isn’t scientific uncertainty, since there’s a considerable amount of scientific consensus that there is plastic in us. The biggest threat is weaponized uncertainty.

Environmental health has a predictable plot—when evidence starts piling up that a pollutant is harmful, a well-funded countermovement doesn’t always try to prove it’s safe. On the contrary, it tries to prove that the science is messy, uncertain, and “we need more data.”.

We’re not asking journalists to avoid urgency. Plastic pollution is urgent. Certain phrases, however, may signal that you’re being pulled into a pattern of mythmaking.

The industry has a playbook with favorite phrases, such as: “not conclusive,” “uncertain,” “scientists disagree,” “lack of consensus.” Disagreement in science is healthy. However, this (very routine) component of science can also become a winning political strategy used against science and public policy. Casting doubt can delay regulation.

Naomi Oreskes writes in Merchants of Doubt, “The industry had realized you could create the impression of controversy simply by asking questions.” That’s why our concern isn’t that researchers are debating methods. Our concern is that sensational headlines can warp debate, and give merchants of doubt an opportunity to skew public perception.
Red-Flag Language—It Should Make You Pause

We’re not asking journalists to avoid urgency. Plastic pollution is urgent. Certain phrases, however, may signal that you’re being pulled into a pattern of mythmaking, such as “bombshell,” or “debunked,” when what’s really happening is refinement. Those phrases shock and entertain, but do little to foster understanding.

What we actually need next is for the microplastics field to keep growing. Researchers across the board—from those that think studies are exaggerated to those that stand behind their research findings—are making calls for better lab protocols, contamination controls, reporting requirements, and inter-lab studies to validate results. These are unglamorous, but they’re what solidify early research findings into trusted science. A first-of-its-kind finding of plastic somewhere in the human body shouldn’t be framed like the final truth. It should be heralded as the beginning of a more complete picture.



Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.


Lisa Erdle
Lisa Erdle, PhD, is a biologist and ecotoxicologist and director of science and I inovation at The 5 Gyres Institute. As a biologist and ecotoxicologist, Lisa has published her work in leading scientific journals, including PLOS One, Marine Pollution Bulletin, and Environmental Science & Technology.
Full Bio >

Marcus Eriksen
Marcus Eriksen, PhD, is the co-founder and scientist at The 5 Gyres Institute. Marcus has led expeditions around the world to research plastic marine pollution, co-publishing the first global estimate and the discovery of plastic microbeads in the Great Lakes, which led to the federal Microbead-free Waters Act of 2015.
Full Bio >

 

Drones equipped with cost-effective sensors can help to monitor air quality more effectively

Study in Indian megacity Delhi highlights the importance of vertical measurements

Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS)

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image: 

The drone with the payloads PM-LCS, AE-51 micro-Aethalometer, and meteorological sensors.

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Credit: Ajit Ahlawat, TU Delft / TROPOS

New Delhi/ Delft/ Leipzig. Cost-effective sensors on drones may be an effective tool for better investigating the lowest layers of the atmosphere. If ground-based air quality measurements were supplemented by such drone measurements, air quality models, strategies to combat air pollution could be improved. This is the conclusion of an international research team from a field study in the Indian metropolitan region of Delhi, which showed that particulate matter (PM) concentrations depend heavily on height above ground level. For example, at a height of 100 meters, PM2.5 concentrations were up to 60 percent higher than at ground level. The results suggest that current model simulations significantly underestimate PM2.5 concentrations during morning smog phases, the researchers write in the journal Nature npj Clean Air.

Researchers from India, the Netherlands, Germany, China, Greece, Great Britain, Thailand, Czechia, and Cyprus participated in the study in Delhi. It was coordinated by Asst. Prof. Ajit Ahlawat from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), who now conducts research at TU Delft. With over 30 million people, the metropolitan area around India's capital New Delhi is one of the largest and most densely populated megacities in the world. Air pollution there is also among the highest in the world. Particularly in winter smog, particulate matter concentrations reach extremely hazardous levels.

 

Heavy smog often prevails in northern India, especially after the monsoon and in winter. For this reason, a series of ground-based measurements have recently been carried out to better understand the causes and mechanisms of air pollution. Most studies conducted in India are based either on satellite observations from space or on ground-based measurements. In contrast, there is hardly any data available from the lowest layers of the atmosphere. However, the vertical distribution of air pollutants and meteorological conditions up to an altitude of about one kilometre are of great importance because they have a decisive influence on how high the concentration of pollutants in the air can become.

 

In recent years, significant advances have been made in both drone (uncrewed aerial vehicle/UAV) technology and cost-effective particulate matter sensors. Mass production and miniaturization offer new possibilities, which were tested by researchers in a field trial in March 2021 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and compared with standard measurements from stationary measuring devices. To this end, the research team equipped and modified a drone from the Indian start-up BotLab Dynamics with low-cost fine PM sensors: "A significant development was the construction of a custom-made vertical aerosol inlet, which was positioned about 30 centimetres above the drone's rotor blades. This enabled us to take measurements that were as accurate as possible, which is otherwise a major problem with drones, whose rotor blades cause significant air turbulence, “reports Prof. Ajit Ahlawat. “Another challenge was the high humidity, a meteorological factor that is not particularly rare in this region. Since air sampling and analysis are difficult under such conditions, a custom-designed silica gel dehumidifier was installed to ensure reliable results.” This enabled the researchers to investigate vertical fluctuations in air pollutant concentrations at different altitudes and at different times of day. The focus was on hazy and non-hazy morning hours in Delhi in order to find out more about the causes of smog.

 

Organic substances dominated during the day, while inorganic substances such as nitrate and chloride increased significantly at night. This trend indicates an increased contribution, which is likely due to the combustion of biomass and waste as well as industrial emissions during the evening and night hours. Nitrate and ammonium were strongest in the early morning, suggesting their condensation into the aerosol phase under humid and cold conditions. As the boundary layer height increased after sunrise, dilution effects led to a rapid decrease in chloride mass concentration. NOx levels peaked around 9:00 p.m. local time, caused by vehicle and industrial emissions trapped under a stable boundary layer. In contrast, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) rose steadily from around 80 micrograms per cubic meter at 6:00 p.m. local time to around 150 micrograms per cubic meter at 8:00 a.m. local time, underscoring the role of fresh primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation during smog formation. An example illustrates how much PM concentrations can vary depending on altitude: on March 18, the PM2.5 concentration rose by a remarkable 60 percent with increasing altitude, reaching around 160 micrograms per cubic meter at higher elevations compared to around 100 micrograms per cubic meter at ground level. The morning inversion had obviously caused the pollutants to accumulate particularly strongly in the lower boundary layer. Relative humidity was above 80% at night, which promotes the formation of secondary aerosols and the growth of particles through water absorption. This was also highlighted by the proxy indicator e.g. PM ratio used during the study. When the temperature rose above 30°C in the morning, the relative humidity fell below 40% and the haze dissipated.

 

The accumulation of pollutants and high humidity at night are the main reasons for the formation of ground-level smog layers in Delhi. The rapid dissipation of haze after sunrise is facilitated by the expansion of the boundary layer, reduced relative humidity, and increased photochemical oxidation. These findings underscore the need for emission control measures targeting nocturnal sources and humidity-driven secondary aerosol processes, as well as their understanding, particularly in vertical columns, in order to reduce smog in Delhi.

 

Another important finding of the study emerged from a comparison of the measurements with the WRF-Chem model, which is frequently used worldwide to predict air quality: the results indicate that current model simulations significantly underestimate PM2.5 concentrations during morning smog phases. ‘This may be due to the dry bias of the model, which limits its ability to simulate aerosol hygroscopic growth at high humidity values’ explains Prof. Mira Pöhlker from TROPOS and the University of Leipzig. 

These deviations are greatest when there is heavy haze. It also shows that high-resolution vertical measurements are important for validating air quality models in the lower boundary layer and for improving urban air quality predictions,’ explains Prof. Sagnik Dey from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

 

The team believes that the study is an important step towards integrating cost-effective particulate matter sensors into existing air monitoring systems and closing observation gaps in the lower boundary layer. ‘By directly quantifying the interactions between relative humidity and particulate matter, as well as model deviations under real smog conditions, our results pave the way for next-generation air quality models that consider aerosol chemistry and dynamic boundary layer coupling,’ emphasises Ajit Ahlawat. These innovations are crucial not only for improving predictions and public health measures in megacities such as Delhi, but also for developing global strategies to mitigate air pollution in rapidly urbanising regions and its climate impacts. Tilo Arnhold

The drone carrying the payload hovering at high altitude.

Credit

Rohit K. Choudhary (University of Delhi)

The drone hovering at high altitude with a smoggy/hazy background in the backdrop.

Credit

Ajit Ahlawat, TU Delft / TROPOS

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Journal

npj Clean Air

DOI

10.1038/s44407-025-00044-3 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Drone measurements reveal high near-surface urban haze.

Article Publication Date

12-Feb-2026

 

Scientists reveal major hidden source of atmospheric nitrogen pollution in fragile lake basin

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Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

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A new study has uncovered that the Erhai Lake Basin in southwest China is releasing far more atmospheric nitrogen pollution than it absorbs, raising concerns about regional air quality, ecosystem health, and long-distance pollution transport.

Atmospheric reactive nitrogen is a group of nitrogen compounds that influence air pollution, climate, and ecosystem stability. These compounds play important roles in forming fine particulate matter, worsening smog, and driving water eutrophication that threatens biodiversity and drinking water safety. Understanding where these pollutants originate and how they move through the environment is essential for designing effective pollution control strategies.

In the new research, scientists conducted one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of the atmospheric nitrogen budget in the Erhai Lake Basin, a subtropical plateau lake ecosystem widely recognized for its ecological sensitivity and importance to regional tourism and agriculture. By combining emission inventories with field monitoring across multiple sites, the researchers mapped both nitrogen emissions and atmospheric deposition across the entire watershed.

The team estimated that total atmospheric reactive nitrogen emissions in the basin reached more than 10,700 metric tons per year, while deposition returned only a small fraction of that nitrogen back to land and water surfaces. The imbalance created a net surplus of over 8,200 metric tons annually, clearly identifying the basin as a major source of atmospheric nitrogen pollution.

“Our findings reveal that the Erhai Lake Basin functions as a strong atmospheric nitrogen exporter rather than a pollution sink,” said the study’s corresponding author. “This imbalance means that nitrogen emitted locally can travel far beyond the basin, affecting air quality and ecosystems in surrounding regions.”

Agricultural activities were identified as the dominant contributor to ammonia emissions, accounting for more than 90 percent of ammonia-related nitrogen pollution. Livestock farming and fertilizer use contributed nearly equal shares of these emissions. Meanwhile, transportation sources such as trucks and passenger vehicles were responsible for almost all nitrogen oxide emissions, highlighting the growing role of traffic pollution in rapidly developing rural and tourist regions.

Although nitrogen emissions were high, the study found that atmospheric deposition levels in the basin were relatively moderate compared with heavily industrialized regions of China. However, atmospheric nitrogen still represented a significant contributor to nutrient loading in Erhai Lake, potentially accelerating harmful algal blooms and water quality degradation.

“Our results demonstrate that even moderate atmospheric deposition can significantly impact lake ecosystems,” the authors noted. “This is especially critical for plateau lakes like Erhai that are highly sensitive to nutrient enrichment.”

The researchers also identified unique geographical features that may intensify the environmental impact of nitrogen pollution. The basin’s mountain-valley terrain creates local wind circulation patterns that can trap pollutants and enhance their atmospheric lifetime. This mechanism increases the likelihood that nitrogen compounds will be transported over long distances, potentially contributing to regional haze and secondary particulate pollution.

The study emphasizes the urgent need for coordinated pollution control strategies targeting both agricultural and transportation sectors. Improved manure management, precision fertilizer application, and cleaner vehicle technologies were identified as key steps for reducing nitrogen emissions.

Beyond immediate policy implications, the research provides a valuable framework for evaluating atmospheric nitrogen cycling in other vulnerable lake ecosystems worldwide. The authors suggest that future work should focus on improving local emission data, expanding nitrogen monitoring systems, and using atmospheric modeling to track pollution transport pathways.

“Quantifying nitrogen budgets allows us to understand how human activities reshape environmental nutrient cycles,” the researchers explained. “Only by addressing multiple emission sources simultaneously can we effectively reduce nitrogen pollution and protect fragile freshwater ecosystems.”

 

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Journal Reference: Shen Q, Tang B, Wu X, Kang J, Li J, et al. 2026. A large net source revealed by the atmospheric reactive nitrogen budget in a subtropical plateau lake basin, southwest China. Nitrogen Cycling 2: e006 doi: 10.48130/nc-0025-0018  

https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/nc-0025-0018  

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About Nitrogen Cycling:
Nitrogen Cycling (e-ISSN 3069-8111) is a multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on the nitrogen cycle. It is dedicated to serving as an innovative, efficient, and professional platform for researchers in the field of nitrogen cycling worldwide to deliver findings from this rapidly expanding field of science.

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DOI

10.48130/nc-0025-0018 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

A large net source revealed by the atmospheric reactive nitrogen budget in a subtropical plateau lake basin, southwest China