Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Environmental Studies

Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 1 - 22 of 22

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Best Practices To Manage Nitrate Contamination Of Groundwater In Agricultural Zones: A Comparative Analysis Of Farming Impacts On Areas Of Central Valley And High Plains Aquifers, Rekha Duthulur Dec 2023

Best Practices To Manage Nitrate Contamination Of Groundwater In Agricultural Zones: A Comparative Analysis Of Farming Impacts On Areas Of Central Valley And High Plains Aquifers, Rekha Duthulur

Master's Projects and Capstones

Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in groundwater and causes multiple health impacts when consumed. Contamination is most significant in agricultural areas and has increased steadily since the 1950s with the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers. The depth of an aquifer, sediment type, hydrogeology, redox conditions, microbe activity, fertilizer application, natural nitrogen deposits, and well construction influence the degree of nitrate contamination of an aquifer. The sources of nitrate pollution are fertilizer, manure, concentrated feeding lots, natural nitrogen deposits, atmospheric deposition, septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, and industrial activities. Nitrogen compounds applied on the surface are stored in the …


Environmental Monitoring Of Heavy Metals Status In Semiarid Lands Of Northeastern Algeria, Rania Gacem, Hana Souahi, Chemseddine Fehdi, Abderrezzeq Chebout Jun 2023

Environmental Monitoring Of Heavy Metals Status In Semiarid Lands Of Northeastern Algeria, Rania Gacem, Hana Souahi, Chemseddine Fehdi, Abderrezzeq Chebout

Journal of Bioresource Management

With the rapid development of industry, heavy metal contamination is becoming among the most important environmental problems causing worldwide concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of soil heavy metal pollution in the semi-arid areas of Northeast Algeria. To evaluate the ecological state of soils, we investigated fifteen sites. The level of heavy metals (HMs) toxicity and soil characteristics likr pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, calcium carbonate, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium were assessed during this study. The results showed that the mean values of heavy metals were as follows in ppm: Zn (41.197 …


Towards Urban Biodiversity: Simulating Design Parameters For Wildlife-Inclusive Green Infrastrcuture, Alisa Abdulghany, Baher Farahat May 2023

Towards Urban Biodiversity: Simulating Design Parameters For Wildlife-Inclusive Green Infrastrcuture, Alisa Abdulghany, Baher Farahat

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

As of 2021, more than half of the global population resides in urban areas. This resulted in an overwhelming footprint affecting species habitat areas leading to biodiversity loss. By definition, urban biodiversity is the diversity of living things within the urban realm. By providing chances for habitat as part of new developments, preserving on-site habitats, and attempting to connect with the local ecosystems, we can help promote biodiversity. Green infrastructure (GI), which includes all semi-natural areas in the urban context, can serve as a vessel for biodiversity. Therefore, the problem can be defined by the urban footprint that expands on …


Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols May 2023

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works


Anaerobic Digestion At Western Washington University, Sienna Taylor Apr 2023

Anaerobic Digestion At Western Washington University, Sienna Taylor

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the process by which organic matter (such as food waste, manure, paper products, etc.) are broken down by bacteria in a contained system lacking oxygen. The decomposition in this environment produces the byproducts of digestate, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer, and biogas, which can be used in place of natural gas. The goal of anaerobic digestion at Western Washington University is to create a closed-loop waste system to process the pre-consumer and post-consumer organic food waste from the dining halls and use the resulting byproducts. This paper provides recommendations for anaerobic digestion at …


Climate Change Proposal: Coupling Equity And Scientific Rigor In Facing Global Warming, Rebecca Mcnicholas Mar 2023

Climate Change Proposal: Coupling Equity And Scientific Rigor In Facing Global Warming, Rebecca Mcnicholas

University Honors Theses

Global warming has detrimental effects on the health and population of our planet. For years, scientists have known that in order to preserve the earth for future generations, it is necessary to adopt more sustainable practices that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste. Policy makers across the globe have attempted to address the issue but have received pushback from the general public, industry and politicians on the other side, alike. Controversy surrounding necessary changes encompasses issues from livelihood, to affordability, to health equity, to taxation. This multifaceted problem cannot be solved with a simple solution; rather, it requires consideration …


Analyzing Residential Curbside Collection For Food Waste In Humboldt County, Yvette Lindler Jan 2023

Analyzing Residential Curbside Collection For Food Waste In Humboldt County, Yvette Lindler

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The most prevalent material in the California landfill-destined solid waste stream is food. Food waste is not only an economic and social concern, but a significant environmental challenge as well. Most food waste is disposed of in landfills, where it anaerobically decomposes and releases methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas and driver of climate change. Policies passed in California, including AB 1826 and SB 1383, aim to implement organic waste recycling programs and reduce methane emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills. The technology to process this food waste exists, but these facilities are limited or nonexistent in rural areas …


A Study Of Technology Availability For Recycling Low Value Plastic In Indonesia, Prawitya Soemadijo, Faiza Anindita, Dini Trisyanti, Rangga Akib, Mariati Abdulkadir, Noverra M. Nizardo, Rizka Legita Rachmawati Dec 2022

A Study Of Technology Availability For Recycling Low Value Plastic In Indonesia, Prawitya Soemadijo, Faiza Anindita, Dini Trisyanti, Rangga Akib, Mariati Abdulkadir, Noverra M. Nizardo, Rizka Legita Rachmawati

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Plastic has been an essential part of our daily life. However, the increasing plastic consumption has led to an increasing land and water contamination by said plastics. The Indonesian government has set five actions on managing marine plastic debris, one of them is by improving the plastic recycling system. Multilayer plastic was identified as a challenge to the plastic waste recycling. This is because there are differences in properties, such as melting point, which will cause difficulty in mechanical recycling. This study aims to create a mapping of available options to solve problems of low value plastic (LVP) waste in …


Kulshan Carbon Trust Internship, Cristal Borrelli Jan 2022

Kulshan Carbon Trust Internship, Cristal Borrelli

College of the Environment Internship Reports

KCT is a nonprofit organization that is based in Bellingham, WA and was officially founded in April of 2021. Their mission is to implement natural climate solutions through landholder engagement, market incentives and workforce training (KCT, 2021). This internship has allowed me to utilize my three years of environmental education, in a professional setting. On top of implementing my previous knowledge, I obtained more valuable information, experiences and skills that I will carry with me into my future career.


Optimization And Analytics Of Decarbonized Forest And Biomass Supply Chains, Xufeng Zhang Jan 2022

Optimization And Analytics Of Decarbonized Forest And Biomass Supply Chains, Xufeng Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

First, a data-driven holistic analysis framework was developed to aid the industrial development of forest biomass for bioenergy to promote the regional bioeconomy. Leveraging the existing but fragmented multi-source data, four components of industrial bioenergy development were integrated into the framework including spatial statistical analysis of biomass feedstock and bioenergy production, machine learning-based suitability assessment, bioenergy plant sites identification and ranking, and socio-economic impacts assessment. A case study was conducted for forest biomass to pellet fuel in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Our results indicate that the great potential of forest biomass with high variation at the county level is primarily …


Living In The Plantationocene, Joshua Turner Feb 2021

Living In The Plantationocene, Joshua Turner

Bryant University Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

Preceding centuries of exploitation and commodification of all life and the natural world have led us to the crises we face today. To describe the dramatic changes our species has forced upon the planet, in 2000, scientists Eugene Stormer and Paul Crutzen dubbed the geological epoch we inhabit the Anthropocene (Global Change Newsletter). Although the term is useful to distinguish the altered composition of the atmosphere, soil, and oceans that human activity has produced from the ecological baseline of the Holocene, some scholars are critical of the term. Not all humans are equally to blame for the environmental degradation which …


Resilience, Capacity, And Place: A Comparative Case Study Of Small-Scale Forest-Based Biomass Energy Development In California’S Sierra Nevada Mountain Range Communities, Rebecca E. Cashero Jan 2020

Resilience, Capacity, And Place: A Comparative Case Study Of Small-Scale Forest-Based Biomass Energy Development In California’S Sierra Nevada Mountain Range Communities, Rebecca E. Cashero

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The buildup of fuels resulting from decades of fire suppression in California's Sierra Nevada mountains has made its dense forests vulnerable to high severity stand replacing wildfires. Local governments in many rural forest-dependent communities view biomass energy production as a method to restore forest health via fuel removal and waste disposal. Forest-based biomass energy facilities have the potential to be compatible with protecting water resources, habitat restoration, forest resilience, and achieving climate standards, while also enhancing regional economic stability. However, while an increasing number of communities and organizations throughout California are advocating for local small-scale renewable energy from forest-based woody …


Biosurfactant Production By Rhizospheric Bacteria Isolated From Biochar Amended Soil Using Different Extraction Solvents, Seun O. Adebajo, Aderonke K. Akintokun, Abidemi E. Ojo, Dami M. Egbagbe, Pius O. Akintokun, Lawrence O. Adebajo Sep 2019

Biosurfactant Production By Rhizospheric Bacteria Isolated From Biochar Amended Soil Using Different Extraction Solvents, Seun O. Adebajo, Aderonke K. Akintokun, Abidemi E. Ojo, Dami M. Egbagbe, Pius O. Akintokun, Lawrence O. Adebajo

Applied Environmental Research

Microbial-derived surface-active compounds (biosurfactants) have attracted attention due to their low toxicity, cost-effectiveness, biodegradable nature and environment compatibility. Due to paucity of knowledge in the production of biosurfactant by microorganisms from other sources such as biochar-amended soil, the present study investigates the potential of rhizospheric bacteria isolated from biochar amended soil of okra plant in the production of biosurfactants using different recovery techniques. Rhizospheric bacteria were screened for biosurfactant productionusing Haemolytic, Oil spreading, Drop collapse, Methylene blue method, Bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbon and Emulsification activity. The biosurfactant was extracted using different extraction solvents (acid precipitation, ethyl acetate, acetone, dichloromethane and …


Using Renewable Energy To Increase Tribal Sovereignty: A Feasibility Study For A Biomass Energy Plant On The Cocopah Reservation, Lauren Katrina D'Souza Jan 2018

Using Renewable Energy To Increase Tribal Sovereignty: A Feasibility Study For A Biomass Energy Plant On The Cocopah Reservation, Lauren Katrina D'Souza

CMC Senior Theses

Native American reservations in the United States are often located on mineral-rich lands, making them a target for fossil fuel development in already socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. As environmentally damaging as they are, coal and oil industries can bring invaluable jobs and money to isolated reservations, causing tribes to rely on fossil fuels for mere economic survival. In these instances of corporations or the federal government exploiting Native American labor and land, tribes lose the most fundamental principle of tribal governance: tribal sovereignty. Replacing fossil fuels and securing energy independence with a stable, renewable energy source is key to reclaiming that …


Potential Of Using Surfactants To Enhance Ammonium And Nitrate Adsorption On Rice Husk And Its Biochar, Lada Mathurasa, Seelawut Damrongsiri Jan 2017

Potential Of Using Surfactants To Enhance Ammonium And Nitrate Adsorption On Rice Husk And Its Biochar, Lada Mathurasa, Seelawut Damrongsiri

Applied Environmental Research

Inorganic nitrogen fertilizers are widely and heavily used in agriculture. Leaching of these fertilizers is a cause of eutrophication in water bodies. This study examines the use of rice husk and its biochar, their efficiency in adsorption of ammonium and nitrate and the potential of using surfactants, sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), to increase adsorption. Physical and chemical properties of adsorbents were examined through BET, SEM-EDX, and CEC value, respectively. The equilibrium batch adsorption was conducted. The result showed that rice husk was lower in surface area, total pore volume, pore diameter, silica and oxygen …


Analyzing The Recent, Rapid Tourism Development In Panama's Bocas Del Toro Archipelago: Is Socioenvironmental Justice Attainable?, Olivia R. Bourque May 2016

Analyzing The Recent, Rapid Tourism Development In Panama's Bocas Del Toro Archipelago: Is Socioenvironmental Justice Attainable?, Olivia R. Bourque

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

The Bocas del Toro archipelago of Panama has seen a rapid growth in its tourism industry since the 1990s. From a neoliberal perspective, tourism development is beneficial for all. Alternatively, I analyze the recent, rapid tourism development in Bocas from a critical development theoretical perspective, identifying its positive and negative implications, as well as who they accrue to. While there are economic benefits to tourism in Bocas, only foreign investors, the Panamanian government and English-speaking residents appear to earn them. The Bocas residents, and indigenous Ngöbe residents in particular, suffer from a range of economic, sociocultural, environmental and land access …


Assessing The Use Of Food Waste Biochar As A Biodynamic Plant Fertilizer, Rachel Mazac Jan 2016

Assessing The Use Of Food Waste Biochar As A Biodynamic Plant Fertilizer, Rachel Mazac

Departmental Honors Projects

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance produced from plant material such as food waste. Converting food waste into a useful product would mitigate environmental damage through reduced landfill inputs, reduced greenhouse gas production, and increased benefits to soils. I asked (1) if biochar improved plant growth and (2) if the effects of biochar varied among different samples of mixed food waste (batches) and between different biochar preparation times (treatments). Four independent batches of biochar were prepared with assorted, uncooked food waste collected from a university dining facility. Each batch was dried then placed in a covered ceramic pot at 260℃ for …


The Use Of Improved Technology And Market-Based Incentives To Increase Forest Resource And Biodiversity Conservation In Rwanda, Kelly M. Rayens Jan 2015

The Use Of Improved Technology And Market-Based Incentives To Increase Forest Resource And Biodiversity Conservation In Rwanda, Kelly M. Rayens

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

This study evaluated the effectiveness of two distinct approaches to ecosystem conservation in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park: cookstove technology adoption and market-based policy instruments. A June 2014 survey of 250 households revealed that use of improved cookstove technology dramatically decreased fuelwood consumption for households in rural Rwanda, but that design, engineering and conflicting policy issues can hamper the widespread use of energy-efficient cooking technology. The second component of this research used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) within a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) framework to explore the options for designing and implementing market-based instruments around the country’s conservation targets, particularly the highly …


Contents, Discovery Editors Jan 2014

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 15 2014, Several Authors Jan 2014

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 15 2014, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Contents, Discovery Editors Jan 2013

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 14 2013, Several Authors Jan 2013

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 14 2013, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.