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Anaerobic Digester Use In Dairy Farms In The United States, Shaun Elsasser

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Anaerobic digestion is a highly efficient process, trapping the methane gas from cow manure and processing it into energy. The steep initial capital costs make anaerobic digesters short-term liabilities, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the long-term costs. An anaerobic digester unit will begin to show a profit after approximately five years of operation. During the lifetime of the unit, estimated at 15 years, the digester will have produced about $ 1,000,000 in profits for the dairy farm, while also providing invaluable benefits to society as a whole.

Population Trends Of Wintering Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) At The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, Deanna Morrell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to look at population trends of wintering bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada from 1991 to 2006. Bald eagles were counted on January 5, 2006 along the entire shoreline of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. This study focused on two questions: (1) how has the population changed over time? (2) How has the proportion of juvenile eagles to adult eagles changed over time? Question one was supported with the number of bald eagles significantly increasing (r=0.76, p=0.002). Question two was supported as the proportion of juveniles to adults …

Estuarine Habitat Mitigation In Oregon: Policy Review, Analysis, And Recommended Improvements, Anna Buckley

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The report is organized in the following manner. After the introductory chapter (Chapter 1), Chapter Two describes Oregon's current estuarine policy and related state and federal policies. Chapter Three provides an inventory of recent permitted impacts and associated estuarine resource replacement. Chapter Four consists of a brief summary of the status of estuarine ecology and restoration/mitigation, with knowledge gaps identified. Chapter Five discusses wetland functional assessment tools and options for compensatory mitigation. This chapter begins with a description of the tidal Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) assessment method, how it compares to the estuarine resource replacement rules' relative values table, and the utility …

An Analysis Of Indicator Organism Suitability For Lower James And York Rivers, Rhonda Ashonti Ford

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The primary objectives of this thesis are (1) determine if the proper indicator organism is being utilized to determine the bacterial water quality in the State of Virginia. (2) If other environmental factors can predict the bacterial water quality. The current indicator organism of choice for bacterial water quality of waters in the State of Virginia is enterococci, for estuarine and brackish waters. E. coli is the indicator organism of choice for fresh waters in Virginia.

The study concluded (1) Enterococci are the best indicator organism for beaches located in the Hampton Roads Harbor and the Lower James River. (2) …

Coastal Processes And Anthropogenic Factors Influencing The Geomorphic Evolution Of Weedon Island, Florida, Jeanne Lambert

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Weedon Island, a peninsula located on the western inner shoreline of Tampa Bay, Florida, is the location of a collaborative geological and archaeological project that aims to relate the present day geomorphology to natural processes and human occupational activity during the middle to late Holocene. The area is known for extensive archaeological sites, which were originally investigated in the 1920s, although they have received relatively little scientific attention during most of the last century. We hypothesize that activities associated with pre-historic human occupation of Weedon Island at various times during the last ca. 5,000 years influenced the geomorphic evolution of …

Investigation Of Copper Contamination And Corrosion Scale Mineralogy In Aging Drink Water Distributions Systems, Nadja F. Turek

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown higher levels of copper appear in drinking water conveyed through relatively new copper piping systems; older piping systems typically deliver lower copper levels in their drinking water. This research contributes field data from a real drinking water distribution system, providing a better understanding of this phenomenon, as it relates to treatment considerations and compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. Copper pipes and copper levels were sampled from drinking water taps of 16 buildings with pipes ranging in age from less than 1 to 48 years. Water samples from each building were collected before and following a …

Modeling Study To Quantify The Benefits Of Groundwater Contaminant Source Remediation, David E. Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to quantify the benefits of groundwater contaminant source remediation by using a model to simulate how reduction of source mass was related to reduction of contaminant concentration at a receptor. This thesis sought to answer three research questions: (1) how are contaminant source mass reduction and reduction of mass flux leaving the source-zone related; (2) how can we quantify the effect of the important natural attenuation processes that act upon the dissolved contaminant as it travels from the source zone to downgradient receptors, and (3) under specified site conditions, what is the maximum contaminant …

Evaluation Of Chlorinated Solvent Removal Efficiency Among Three Wetland Plant Species: A Mesocom Study, Jun Yan

Theses and Dissertations

Different species of plants need to be studied individually to compare the remediation efficiency of each species. This research will study three different wetland plants species and an unplanted control, under a laboratory setting. Each plant has a different characteristic favorable for chlorinated solvent degradation. Eleocharis erythropoda (Spike Rush) are plants with thin tube like leaves and large root mass. Carex comosa (Bearded Sedge) has broad leaves and Scirpus atrovirens (Green Bulrush) are broad leafed wetland plants with a long flowering stem during reproduction. PCE will be injected into the plant mesocosm and any possible PCE degradation will be observed. …

Comparative Analysis Of Biosurveillance Methodologies, David M. Kempisty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to compare two different biosurveillance methodologies: BioWatch and "A Hot Idea". BioWatch is fielded and operating in major US cities today. Air samples are collected on filter paper and analyzed for the presence of harmful biological agents. "A Hot Idea" is an evolving methodology using the human body's immune response to identify the onset of infection from a harmful pathogen. Detecting a temperature increase, using infrared thermographers, in a statistically significant portion of population would allow earlier identification of a biological release, accelerating initiation of response actions. A selected population including policemen, firemen, and …

Validation Of Methods To Measure Mass Flux Of A Groundwater Contaminant, Hyouk Yoon

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, flux measurements obtained using two methods are compared with known mass fluxes in a meso-scale three-dimensional artificial aquifer. One method, the tandem recirculating well (TRW) method, is applied using two different techniques. One technique is simple and inexpensive, only requiring measurement of heads, while the second technique requires conducting a tracer test. The second method, the integrated pump test (IPT) method, requires use of one or more pumping and observation wells in various configurations. The results of the experiments in the artificial aquifer show that the most expensive technique, the TRW method using tracers, provides the most …

Nonlinear Dynamics Derived From The Oxyhalogen Oxidation Of Selected Organosulfur Compounds, Edward Chickwana

Dissertations and Theses

Structure, stability, kinetics and mechanisms of oxidation of some physiologically important organosulfur compounds were studied and the results obtained show that oxidation occurs mainly at the reactive sulfur center of the molecules. These results not only display the usual S-oxygenation pathways that have been observed with most thiocarbamides, but also show dimerization and cyclization.

The oxidation of guanylthiourea, GTU, was studied in the presence of mildly acidic iodate and the strong oxidants bromate and bromine. The GTU reaction dynamics with iodate show clock reaction characteristics and oligooscillatory formation of iodine both in excess oxidant and reductant. The major oxidation product …

Mercury Concentrations In South Texas Game Fishes, E. Anthony Reisinger

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most ubiquitous and controversial metals in the world primarily due to the toxicity of the organic form of the metal, methylmercury (MeHg). MeHg is a neurotoxin at high levels, known to manifest its effects on humans primarily through consumption of certain fish and marine mammals, which tend to bioaccumulate MeHg in their tissues over time. Increased fish consumption and, thus, mercury intake in residents of coastal areas necessitates a better awareness of MeHg content in game fish species, thus the subject of this study.

Three hundred thirty-nine tissue samples were taken from 19 south …

Analysis Of Bacterial Population And Distribution In The Developing Strata Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Bioremediation, Milton J. Clausen Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated hydrocarbons and their degradation products are among of the most common organic groundwater contaminates in the United States. These compounds attack the central nervous system in animals and can affect the photosynthesis of plants. These compounds are also resistant to degradation in the environment and, because of this, pose a risk to any ecosystem in which they are present. This study identified the dominant microbial species in a constructed treatment wetland at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Samples were taken from three different depths and during each of the four seasons. These samples were …

Selecting Energy Efficient Building Envelope Retrofits To Existing Department Of Defense Building Using Value Focused Thinking, David M. Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) has hundreds of thousands of facilities in its inventory, which consume billions of BTUSs of energy per year. Much of that energy is used to heat and cool the facility, and a great deal of this energy is lost through the building envelope. While new military construction works towards energy efficiency, the majority of DoD facilities were built over forty years ago with little regard to energy efficiency, and it is these facilities that have the greatest potential for energy efficient building envelope retrofits. There are hundreds of various new building envelope technologies available to …

Development Of Environmentally Benign Microencapsulation With Polymer Microspheres And Liposomes, Baohua Yue

Dissertations

Microencapsulation means applying a shell-like coating to encapsulate the contents of interest in a particle form with a size range of few micrometers or below. In this work, aqueous liposome systems and polymer based encapsulation of fine particles in supercritical CO₂ were studied. Compared to many other microencapsulation methods, these two methodologies feature reduction/prevention of using organic solvents, making them particularly attractive as green technology.

For polymer microencapsulation, a novel in situ polymerization based process to encapsulate various types of fine particles, include drugs, fire retardant, inorganic nanoparticles, and carbon nanotubes, was developed. In the process, host particles, monomers …

Environmental Justice Education And Atmospheric Particulate Analysis In Urban Environmental Health Policy Development : Indoor Airborne Particulate Concentrations In Preschools Of Asthmatic Children In Newark, Rita L. Thornton

Dissertations

Analysis suggests that several residential areas in Newark, New Jersey (USA) have Black/African-American and Hispanic populations, which may be "at high risk" with respect to the adverse health effects of particulate air pollution. This study analyzes the community locations and evaluates literature and other available air pollution data for the target communities in the city of Newark. The study focuses on asthma or reactive airway diseases as a target health risk. It also performs data collection on particulate pollutants and levels of trace metals in particulate matter in target communities and schools of preschool children in two of the five …

The Environmental Effects Of War, Philip Swintek

Student Theses 2001-2013

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Sauger Population Ecology In Three Missouri River Mainstem Reservoirs, Brian D. S. Graeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sauger Sander canadensis populations have experienced widespread declines across much of their range. Factors suspected to contribute to these declines include hybridization, exploitation, loss of spawning areas, and general habitat alterations associated with regulated rivers. Several sauger populations within the Missouri River basin are also experiencing similar declines, particularly in the headwaters of Montana, and the lower basin states of Nebraska and Missouri. However, sauger populations in many of the reservoirs in South Dakota (between Montana and the lower basin) have relatively stable populations. Given the paucity of information on factors influencing sauger population ecology in general, and Missouri River …

Satellite Image Based Classification Mapping For Spatially Analyzing West Virginia Corridor H Urban Development, Chandra L. Inglis-Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study area for this project is Corridor H, a designated Appalachian Development Highway located in Lewis, Upshur, Barbour Counties which are part of the Appalachian Plateau Province, and Randolph, Tucker, Grant and Hardy Counties which are Part of the Ridge and Valley Province in West Virginia. The region has a long history of occupation and a traditional economic structure consisting of mainly agriculture, timbering and coal mining. The final objective of the study was to perform change detection, using two Landsat datasets obtained from the USGS of the study area from 1987 and 2005 to determine if economic development, …

Determining Biogeochemical Assemblages On The Stony River, Grant County, Wv, Using Fuzzy C-Means And K-Nearest Neighbors Clustering, M. Joseph Hughes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Periphyton assemblages were assessed on the Stony River, a high-gradient stream in the Potomac drainage of Grant County, WV. Periphyton samples were collected from nine sites along the mainstem and in two tributaries. Chlorophyll-a, dry weight, taxonomic identifications, and bioaccumulated metals concentrations data were compiled. These data were related to water quality parameters measured at each site during the study. Fuzzy C-means and k-nearest neighbor clustering on the combined, normalized dataset produced similar results. Clustering separated species occurring in each tributary from each other and those dominating the mainstem. Nearly every bioaccumulated metal was associated with one of these tributary …

Analysis Of Response Calls To Diverse Ground Predators From Three Geographically Separate Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma Coerulescens) Subpopulations, Sarah A. (Bales) Douglass

Master of Environmental Science (MES) Theses

Dialectic variation occurs in many bird species. Different factors have been investigated regarding dialectic variation, including cultural and genetic transmission of songs or calls, and geographic separation. In this study, the predator alarm call of the Florida Scrub-Jay to ground predators was recorded in three geographically separate subpopulations across Florida—Canaveral National Seashore/Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Lyonia Preserve and Leisure Lakes/Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park—to examine any dialectic occurrence between these three subpopulations. Additionally, many bird species are recognized as having highly evolved predator recognition systems, often with different calls for specific predators. The Florida Scrub Jay has …

Geographical Information System Analysis Of Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias) Colony Site Selection In Northeastern Indiana, Jason M. Kauffman

Master of Environmental Science (MES) Theses

Seventeen Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) nesting colonies were studied in northeastern Indiana to determine which natural and human variables, within 15 km of each heronry, correlated with the size and location of this bird’s nesting sites. The data collected in the field and with ArcMap, a Geographical Information System program, included: the types and distances to human disturbances and water/foraging sources; wetland size and type; the height, dbh, and species of nesting trees; and the number of active and total nests. This information was used to produce an individual map for each heronry as well as a …

Development Of Generalized Index-Removal Models, With Particular Attention To Catchability Issues, Thomas F. Ihde

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The index-removal method estimates abundance, exploitation and catchability coefficient, given surveys conducted before and after a known removal. The method assumes a closed population between surveys. Index-removal has seldom been applied due to its strong assumption of constant survey catchabilities. This work generalizes the method to allow multiple years of data to be incorporated, and the assumptions of the original model to be relaxed. If catchability is constant across years, precision can be improved by analyzing multi-year data simultaneously. Two multiple-year models were developed: the first, 1qIR, assumes constant catchability within and among years; the second, 2qIR, allows catchability to …

Development Of An Unstructured Grid, Finite Volume Eutrophication Model For The Shallow Water Coastal Bay: Application In The Lynnhaven River Inlet System, Yuepeng Li

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The shallow water region is an important portion of the estuarine and coastal waters, since it encompasses the entire land-water margin as the buffer zone and supports one of the most productive ecosystems. When light can penetrate to the sediment, it triggers the benthic microalgae community to perform photosynthesis, resulting in a benthic-pelagic exchange flux different from that of the deeper water. This study utilized the laboratory-measured benthic flux, and a suite of well-calibrated numerical models to examine the eutrophication process in the Lynnhaven River Inlet system with special emphasis on: the role played by benthic microalgae, and nutrient budgets …

The Influence Of Predation On The Nesting Ecology Of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys Terrapin) In The Lower Chesapeake Bay, Victoria Ann Ruzicka

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Disposition Of Wastewater-Associated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers In A Freshwater Receiving Stream, Mark Joseph La Guardia

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Sources And Composition Of Particulate Organic Matter In The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, Vicki Pilon

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Determining organic matter sources and their availability to higher organisms is essential to better understanding the link between organic matter (OM) dynamics and secondary production, particularly in highly-disturbed river-delta systems. The San Francisco Bay and its associated Delta, is one of the most modified aquatic systems, and is the focus of an ongoing restoration effort. Particulate organic matter (POM) and surficial sediments were collected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, CA to document temporal and spatial variations in biochemical, (total protein, carbohydrate and lipid), lipid biomarker, and total hydrolysable amino acid (THAA) composition. Sources, composition and nutritional quality of OM …

The H5n1 Avian Influenza Virus: Globalization, Climate Change, And Other Anthropogenic Factors In New Emergent Diseases, Quan Luong

Student Theses 2001-2013

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The Analysis Of Core Competence For Chinese Oil Shipping Company, Binmeng. Mo

World Maritime University Dissertations

During the past decade, China’s crude oil import has risen sharply, which demands the immediately matching shipping capacity of the domestic oil shipping companies. Therefore, how to steer the Chinese oil shipping enterprises towards a promising development is a very big problem facing the Chinese entrepreneurs. This paper has tried to provide some practical suggestion to improve Chinese oil shipping companies’ core competence based on the analysis of Chinese Shipping Tanker Company, which is typical representative for this industry. After having studied the measuring methods of the core competence and the index system building principles, the author constructs a complete …

Growing A Better Food System: An Analysis Of The Impact Of California School Gardens On The Sustainable Food And Food Security Movements, Michael Press

Pomona Senior Theses

In recent decades, environmental problems associated with conventional agriculture, children’s nutrition, and concern over the adequacy of the current food supply have led to the emergence of the sustainable food and food security movements. These issues have also inspired the state of California to pass legislation to place a garden in every school in the state. This thesis analyzes the accuracy of this policy’s implementation and its effects on the sustainable food and food security movements. Research found that the loss of state funding for this policy and the administrative, logistical, and informational barriers to establishing garden education programs has …