Digital Commons Network^™

Numerical Analysis Of Groundwater Flow And Potential In Parts Of A Crystalline Aquifer System In Northern Ghana, Sandow Mark Yidana, Clement Alo, M. O. Addai, O. F. Fynn, S. K. Essel

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The groundwater flow system in a crystalline aquifer system in parts of Northern Ghana was simulated and calibrated under steady-state conditions. The objective was to estimate the regional distribution of a key aquifer hydraulic parameter (the hydraulic conductivity) and recharge and also to predict possible effects of different abstraction and groundwater recharge scenarios on the sustainability of groundwater resources in the area. The study finds that the hydraulic conductivity field is quite homogeneous and has values ranging between 1.70 and 2.24 m/day. There is an apparent dominance of regional groundwater flow systems compared to local flow systems. This is probably …

Global Warming And The End-Permian Extinction Event: Proxy And Modeling Perspectives, Ying Cui, Lee R. Kump

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The mass extinction event that occurred at the close of the Permian Period (~252million years ago) represents the most severe biodiversity loss in the ocean of the Phanerozoic. The links between the global carbon cycle, climate change and mass extinction are complex and involve a whole range of often inter-related geochemical, biological, ecologic and climatic factors. It has become widely accepted that the end-Permian mass extinction was associated with a global warming event, because the age of the Siberian Trap eruption, a potentially massive source of carbon dioxide, coincides within error with the extinction event. However, geologic data that are …

A Topographic And Lithologic Analysis Of The Kittatinny Ridge And Their Implications For Appalachian Erosional History, David Carl Sharpe

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The eastern-most ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, Kittatinny Ridge, extends from New York State south to West Virginia. The ridge is composed of erosion-resistant quartzite conglomerate throughout (Shawangunk Formation, Tuscarora Formation) underlain by sandstone, siltstone, slate and shale (Martinsburg Formation, Juniata Formation). The relatively consistent lithology of the Kittatinny Ridge makes it ideal for analyzing how variations in climate, glacial history and other topographic influences have impacted long-term erosion along the ridge. This project analyzed the lithologic consistency and topography of the Kittatinny Ridge at different locations and what geomorphological implications the results might have. Rock samples of the Shawangunk …

Biogeochemical Studies Of Metal Uptake And Transportation In Plants On An Urban Brownfield, Yu Qian

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Soil metal contamination has been a concern due to the potential ecological and human health risks. In order to assist with the management and sustainable restoration of vegetated metal contaminated land, this dissertation targets at understanding the biogeochemical processes that control the assimilation of metals by plants on urban costal brownfield soils. The dissertation includes: i) micro-scale measurement of metal spatial distribution and speciation using synchrotron techniques to investigate the mechanism of metal uptake and translocation in roots based on the association between metal localizations in plant roots, ii) study on the biogeochemical factors that control plant metal assimilation efficiency …

Changes In Tall Shrub Abundance On The North Slope Of Alaska, 2000-2010, Rocio Raquel Duchesne-Onoro

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The observed greening of Arctic vegetation and the expansion of shrubs in the last few decades has likely had profound implications for the tundra ecosystem, including feedbacks to climate. Uncertainty surrounding the magnitude, direction, and implications of this vegetation shift calls for monitoring of vegetation structural parameters, such as fractional cover of shrubs. Due to the extent of the North Slope of Alaska and its extreme environments, remote sensing may be the most suitable tool to produce wall-to-wall fractional shrub cover maps for the entire region, however, most regional maps have relied on vegetation indices or needed many years worth …

Scrap Tire And Water Treatment Residual As Novel "Green" Sorbents For Removal Of Common Metals From Polluted Storm Water Runoff, Ciapha Nade Morris

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Although urbanization brings numerous benefits in our history, it has caused many environmental issues such as polluted urban runoff. A variety of pollutants at high concentrations, such as heavy metals, are present in urban runoff. Given that the polluted runoff is finally discharged into receiving waters and leads to non-point pollution in urbanized areas, appropriate management and treatment of the polluted urban stormwater is highly needed. However, current available best management practices (BMPs) are, to different degrees, restricted by their respective limitations. Therefore, there is an urgent demand in development of innovative, effective, and low-cost treatment methods for heavy metals …

Exploration Of The Current State And Directions Of Dynamic Ridesharing, Joseph J. Di Gianni

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Dynamic ridesharing (DRS) is an emerging transportation service based on the traditional concept of shared rides. DRS makes use of web-based real-time technologies to match drivers with riders. Enabling technologies include software platforms that operate on mobile communication devices and contain location-aware capabilities including Global Positioning Systems (Agatz, Erera, Savelsberg, & Wang, 2012). The platforms are designed to provide ride-matching services via smartphone applications differing from early systems that used non-real time services such as internet forums, or telecommunications, where responses were not immediate.

The study of DRS is important when considering its role as an emerging transportation demand management …

Characterization Of Uv-Quenching Dissolved Organic Matter In Landfill Leachate, Alicja Trzopek

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Discharge of landfill leachate to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) is a common and preferred practice in the United States. Namely, the leachate is mixed with municipal wastewater prior to traditional secondary wastewater treatment, including physical screening, primary settling, aerobic biological degradation, secondary settling and disinfection. Recently, ultraviolet (UV) light has been increasingly applied as a disinfection method at POTWs as an alternative for traditional chlorination, because the latter can produce unwanted disinfection byproducts. However, high strength dissolved organic matter (DOM) in leachate significantly increase the UV absorbing properties of the mixed wastewater at POTWs and decrease the disinfection efficiency …

An Assessment Of New Jersey Trout Production Systems : A Movement Towards Sustainability, Luke J. Diglio

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

New Jersey supports reproducing populations of three lotic salmonids. Only Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are native and until approximately 100 years ago, were found in abundance throughout the northern part of the state. Presently, native populations have been documented in 115 streams or stream sections and declines are thought to be in response to anthropogenically originated environmental stressors. To evaluate the deterioration extent and assess numbers of breeding non-native Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), comparisons are made between sets of historical (1968-1977) and modern (2001-2010) young-of-the-year presence/absence and abundance data …

An Integrated Approach To Assessing Spread Of Commercial Horticulture And Related Environmental Impacts On Watersheds : Cases In Central Highlands Of Kenya, Faith Karegi Muriithi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Intensive horticulture production has broad environmental implications due to the high dependency on natural resources. Numerous reports indicate positive socio-economic gains associated with the Kenyan horticulture sub-sector. Even so, few highlight the extent of the negative environmental impacts. We adopt a holistic approach that integrates deskwork, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), field study and remote sensing tools to evaluate the spread and growth of commercial horticulture, and the effects on: i) surface water quality, and ii) vegetation condition, in watersheds experiencing increased production within the central highlands. The desk research utilized Google Earth archives and GIS data, to map greenhouse distribution, …

Assessing And Mapping Vulnerability And Risk Perceptions To Groundwater Arsenic Contamination : Towards Developing Sustainable Arsenic Mitigation Models, Sushant Kumar Singh

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study focuses on the arsenic-affected rural communities in Bihar located within the mid-Gangetic Plain in India. A random stratified sampling method is applied to survey 340 households in three villages (Suarmarwa, Rampur Diara, and Bhawani Tola), through a structured questionnaire. A reliable arsenic field testing kit is used to analyze the drinking water sources in the field, followed by a confirmatory test of a subset of water samples through Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The study has two major goals: 1) Develop sustainable arsenic-mitigation models; and 2) Create a “composite vulnerability index,” and present the information as a map for use …

Assessing The Flood Mitigation Potential Of Water Resource Reservoirs, Matthew M. Del Ciello

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The ability of drinking water reservoirs to retain a large amount of runoff during a storm event may allow them to be used as flood mitigation infrastructure. These types of reservoirs are not typically considered for flood mitigation because they are primarily thought of as a resource for drinking water, irrigation, or recreation. Flood mitigation is a secondary or tertiary use. But conscripting them for flood mitigation creates a flexible water resource system and may provide a simpler and more inexpensive solution to flooding than alternative methods since nothing new would need to be constructed.

The process of determining the …

The Relationship Between Extracellular Enzyme Activities, Heavy Metals And Particle Size In Soil, Diane Frances Hagmann

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The overall goal of this research is to investigate the relationship between nutrient cycling and heavy metals in soil. Extracellular enzyme activities were measured as a representation of nutrient cycling in soils collected from a heavy-metal contaminated area where four study sites lie along a gradient of increasing metal load. The site, which was previously a rail yard, is located in Liberty State Park (LSP) in Jersey City, NJ that was closed to the public about 40 years ago and remains closed. My hypothesis is that heavy metal contamination impacts the microbial communities in the soil and therefore the extent …

Integrated Assessment Of Interactions Between Surface Water And Groundwater Under Climate Variability And Change In The White Volta Basin, Ghana, Felix Mensah Oteng

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Nasia River, a tributary of the White Volta River system in Northern Ghana, is an important water resource for the area. In this research, a hydrological model that is able to simulate surface and subsurface flows in the Nasia catchment reasonably well was developed. The model was calibrated and verified using discharge and hydraulic head observations for the period 2000-2010. The complete simulation showed that the model was able to simulate the streamflow at the Nasia outlet quite well (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of 0.65, and correlation coefficient 0.805). The flow dynamics at three groundwater monitoring stations (HAP5, HAP 10, and …

Magnetic Mineral Diagenesis In The River‐Dominated Inner Shelf Of The East China Sea, China, Can Ge, Weiguo Zhang, Chenyin Dong, Yan Dong, Jinyan Liu, Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Huan Feng, Lizhong Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The inner shelf of the East China Sea is a river-dominated margin characterized by fine-grained mud deposits and a rapid sedimentation rate. Three short sediment cores (similar to 2.7m in length) were examined to characterize spatial variations in magnetic mineral diagenesis. The sediment cores were analyzed for sedimentation rates, magnetic properties, particle size distribution, organic carbon, and total sulfur content. The two more proximal cores with higher sedimentation rates (similar to 2.2cm/yr and similar to 0.96cm/yr) do not exhibit obvious effects of reductive dissolution of magnetite with increasing depth, which is consistent with their lower total sulfur content. The offshore …

Analytical Pyrolysis Principles And Applications To Environmental Science, Michael A. Kruge

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Over the past half century, analytical pyrolysis has proven itself to be an effective means for the semiquantitative characterization of complex macromolecular organic substances. It has been demonstrated that instruments such as Py-FID, Py-MS, and in particular, Py-GC/MS can provide valuable geochemical insights when applied to a wide variety of problems in environmental science. The more widespread use of analytical pyrolysis methods in the evaluation of environmental pollution is recommended, because of their relatively low cost and information-rich results.

Pyrolysis is the heating of organic substances in an inert, oxygen-free atmosphere, thereby avoiding combustion. When performed on a large scale, …

Geology In Environmental Management, Michael A. Kruge

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

From the geological perspective, the two overriding environmental management concerns are the destructive impact of hazardous natural events on human health and property and the deleterious impact of human activity on the natural environment. The knowledge derived from the geological sciences serves as the basis for a more enlightened approach to the reduction of unnecessary risk involved in the siting and construction of buildings and transportation networks, as well as the extraction of natural resources and waste management. Armed with such knowledge along with political sensitivity, environmental managers will have opportunities for positive social impact in negotiating the challenges as …

Pyrolysis-Gc-Ms For The Rapid Environmental Forensic Screening Of Contaminated Brownfield Soil, Azucena Lara-Gonzalo, Michael A. Kruge, I Lores, B Gutiérrez, José Luis Gallego

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

An abandoned chemical plant in Asturias (Spain) was studied using a multi-faceted molecular fingerprinting approach, demonstrating that it is possible to: (1) carefully unravel tangled evidence resulting from multiple pollution sources, and (2) recognize major contaminants largely ignored by conventional analyses. This methodology employed a battery of GC-MS analyses of liquid chromatographic fractions of soil extracts, plus the pyrolysis products of the soil extract's asphaltene fraction and the whole soil itself. In this example, coal tar distillation and the subsequent production of naphthalene, phenols and polymer resins are responsible for most of the soil contamination. Styrene, naphthalene, indene, and their …