Digital Commons Network^™

Enantioseparation Of Alkylaryl Sulfoxides Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis, Chad Snyder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alkylaryl sulfoxides possess a chiral sulfur atom easily identifiable by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Separation of chiral alkylaryl sulfoxides has already been accomplished by modified method of CZE known as micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). However, no articles have been published on the enantioseparation of alkylaryl sulfoxides using capillary zone electrophoresis.

A series of sulfoxides were synthesized, purified and identified via NMR. Enantioseparation was performed using CZE employing a 10 mmol. Phosphate buffer (pH 4.0, 25% acetonitrile, 2% sulfated-β-cyclodextrin). Synthesis of these sulfoxides will be presented along with the results of the procedure’s optimization. Separation of the sulfoxide enanitomers relies on …

Field Test Of A Calcite Dissolution Rate Law: Fort’S Funnel Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, J. Scott Slunder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The laboratory-derived calcite dissolution rate law of Plummer et al. (1978) is the most widely used and mechanistically detailed expression currently available for predicting dissolution rates as a function of water chemistry. Such rate expressions are of great use in understanding timescales associated with limestone karst development. Little work has gone into the field testing of the rate law under natural conditions.

This work compared measured dissolution rates measured by a crystal weight loss experiment in Buffalo Creek within Fort’s Funnel Cave, which lies within a pristine, forested catchment of Mammoth Cave National Park. Continuous water chemistry sampling over the …

Characterization Of Combustion Profiles Of Co-Fired Coal/Biomass/Limestone Samples By Tg And Tg/Ftir, Erik Jon Hutchinson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Recent concerns over declining landfill space and a renewed interest in waste-to-energy technologies have increased the possibilities of co-firing different types of fuels in fluidized bed combustion systems. Fluidized bed combustion systems are idea for co-firing because of their ease in heat conversion and ability to burn a wide range of fuels. Additionally, thermal analytical techniques can be used to screen fuel blends for the fluidized bed combustion systems at a lower cost than directly firing the fuel blends in pilot systems. Three coals, three different municipal solid wastes (MSW), one limestone were combined into nine series of binary fuel …

Ground Water Flow And Water Resources Investigation Of The Auburn, Summers And Shakertown Springs Karst Ground Water Basins, Logan And Simpson Counties, Kentucky, William Howcroft

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The City of Auburn is faced with a number of problems relating to its dependency on two karst springs, Auburn and Summers Springs, to meet its water requirements. Besides being extremely vulnerable to contamination, the springs often discharge and insufficient volume of water needed for public consumption and dilution of the City’s treated wastewater. Thus the City wishes to find an additional source of water and views nearby Shakertown Spring as a possibility. The study has three main objectives: 1) delineation of the Auburn, Summers, and Shakertown Springs ground water basins, 2) determination of the volume of available water at …

Measurement Of The Effects Of Food Preparation Activities On The Microclimate Of The Snowball Dining Room Area Of Mammoth Cave, Kelly Kaletsky

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The stability of Mammoth Cave’s microclimate has never undergone extensive investigation. The Snowball Dining Room area was chosen to measure the microclimate of the cave and to determine if food preparation, human presence and surface temperature variations alter this microclimate. Three portable weather stations containing a temperature / humidity probe, datalogger and microbarograph were placed in various locations along three passageways leading away from the dining room. Readings were taken 24 hours per day for four months. Plotting temperature readings in graph form show a correlation between temperature of the passageway and distance from the dining room.

The Palladium (Ii) –Catalyzed Homogeneous Oxidation Of 1-Hexene, Margarita Kirova

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Palladium(II)-catalyzed homogeneous oxidation of 1-hexene in methanolic medium has been studied, copper(II) chloride being used as cocatalyst. Aspects of the kinetics, mechanism and product composition were investigated in several series of oxidations involving variation of hexene concentration, oxygen partial pressure, Cu(II): Pd(II) ratio and concentration and temperature. The progress of the reaction was studied in the course of periodic sampling runs. Reaction products were identified by gas chromatography, and verified by means of GC/mass spectrometry. The expected product of 1-hexene oxidation was 2-hexeanone: however, 3-hexanone occurs as a major coproduct, arising from concurrent Pd(II)-catalyzed isomerization of 1-hexene to 2-hexene. …

Thermal Properties Of Some Lipid Components Of Cell Membranes, Lihua Wei

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Phospholipids are the major structural components of the lipid portion of biological membranes. The study of the thermal properties of these phospholipid provides a systematic understanding of the relationships between the chemical structures and functional properties of phospholipid molecules in artificial and biological membranes. This study examined the thermal behavior of phospholipids in the solid state using DSC and TG coupled with FITR. The phospholipids were found to have phase transitions below the melting point. Egg-yolk lecithin had four transitions below its melting point; sphingomyelin had two phase transitions below its melting point. Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine had complex phase transitions. …

Radon Contamination Of Residences In A City Built Upon A Karst Landscape Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky, James William Webster

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 8 to 12% of U.S. homes have radon concentrations that equal or exceed 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/l). A statewide screening of Kentucky by EPA resulted in an average residential radon concentration of 2.8 pCi/l with 17% of the homes at or above 4 pCi/l. EPA requires routine monitoring and maintenance or worker health records in mines and caves having radon daughter concentrations at or above 0.30 working levels (WL).

Bowling Green is a city located in a karst region of south central Kentucky. Residents of Bowling Green have been subjected …

Factors Affecting Wood Fuel Consumption And Environmental Impacts In Warren County, Kentucky, Barry Vann

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research is to identify factors that contribute to wood fuel consumption as a space heating source and estimate a county-wide proportion for wood fuel consuming households. In addition, environmental problems associated with deforestation such as erosion and loss of wildlife habitat are delineated; moreover, air pollution resulting from wood fuel emissions are discussed.

An exhaustive literature review provided the basis for the study. Data on Warren County wood fuel consumption patterns were derived from a mail survey. Proportion estimates were tested by using a classical two-tail test of hypothesis. Subsequently, factors were identified and used in …

Software Metrics For Object-Oriented Software, John Coppick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Within this thesis the application of software complexity metrics in the object-oriented paradigm is examined. Several factors which may affect the complexity of software objects are identified and discussed. The specific applications of Maurice Halstead’s Software Science and Thomas McCabe’s cyclomatic-complexity metric are discussed in detail.

The goals here are to identify methods for applying existing software metrics to objects and to provide a basis of analysis for future studies of the measurement and control of software complexity in the object-oriented paradigm of software development.

Halstead’s length, vocabulary, volume, program levels and effort metrics are defined for objects. A limit …

A “Drastic” Evaluation Of The Ground-Water Pollution Potential Of Karst Terrain: Lost River Ground-Water Basin, Warren County, Kentucky, David Baize

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Karst terrains, such as the Lost River Karst Ground-Water Basin, are extremely vulnerable to ground-water contamination. Seven physical factors: depth to water, recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity, are evaluated using the DRASTIC system to determine the ground-water pollution potential of the study area. A numerical value is calculated for each of the seven factors, and a map layer for each factor is produced. These layers are then “added” together to produce a DRASTIC ground-water pollution potential map. The effectiveness of each factor in evaluating the pollution potential of karst terrain is …

Air Oxidation Of A Soluble Coal Extract, Douglas Kimbler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The effects of air oxidation on coal may change many important attributes of the coal such as calorific values, solubilities and solvent swelling values. By studying the effects of air oxidation on the soluble portion of coal, we were able to study coal oxidation in a new light.

The Use Of Down-Hole Video To Evaluate Parameters Affecting Removal Of Storm Water Runoff Into A Karst Aquifer In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Philip Reeder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Due to recent land use changes, runoff has greatly increased In Bowling Green, necessitating the drilling of nearly 600 drainage wells to direct storm water into the Lost River Karst Aquifer. Research was conducted to (1) differentiate areas of the city as optimal for removal of storm water runoff, (2) correlate lithologic features between wells, and (3) determine optimal depths to which new drainage wells should be drilled. This was accomplished using maximum capacity tests, correlation of lithologic features between wells and comparing void density to depth below the land surface.

It was only possible to develop general trends in …

Spectral And Kinetic Studies Of The Interaction Of Cyanide And Detergents With Cobalt (Ii) Phthalocyanine In Dmso, Harry M. King Jr.

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Spectral and kinetic studies made on CoPc over a concentration range of 1.72 x 10^-6M – 1.00 x 10^-5M in DMSO are consistent with a monomer-dimer equilibrium at 303 K. The dimerization constant obtained at 303 K is 1.67 x 10⁴M^-1 and is two to three orders of magnitude smaller than those of several tetrasulfonated metallophthalocyanines in aqueous solution. The rate constants for the formation and dissociation of the CoPc dimer in DMSO at 303 K are 1.29 x 10²M^-1s^-1 and 7.20 x 10^-3s^-1, …

Comparative Instructor Attitudes Toward College Level English And Mathematics Experiences For Gifted High School Students, Bruce Vickers

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Samples derived from a mailed questionnaire were compared. The sample represented high school, community college and university instructors of mathematics and English. The Kentucky public schools sampled were equally represented among high school, community colleges and universities. The research indicated that of those instructors sampled a very high percentage (97.7%) feel that those high school students shown to be academically gifted would benefit from a college experience before high school graduation. The attitudes of those instructors sampled indicated that multiple criteria – grades, recommendations, standardized test scores and personal interview – were considered the preferred method of selection (82.5%). The …

Lithologic Controls On Karst Groundwater Flow, Lost River Groundwater Basin, Warren County, Kentucky, Christopher Groves

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Lost River Groundwater Drainage Basin in Warren County, Kentucky, is a karst drainage system encompassing 55 square miles (143 square kilometers) developed within the Mississippian St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve Limestones. Near the contact between these two formations are two bedded chert units, the Lost River Chert Bed (Elrod, 1899) within the Ste. Genevieve and the Corydon Chert Member (Woodson, 1983) of the St. Louis, which appear to be perching layers to shallow karst groundwater flow. Groundwater may be seen flowing on top of these beds in various cave streams and at swallets and springs throughout the basin.

In …

Mechanisms Responsible For Sinkhole Flooding On An Urbanized Karst Terrain: South Sunrise / Media Drive, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Thomas Feeney

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sinkhole flooding on the urban karst area of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was studied by investigating past flood events in the South Sunrise/Media Drive Sinkhole. The actual flood levels of four floods were compared to levels calculated by an empirical runoff determination method. Outflow capacity tests and dye tracing revealed the nature of drainage within the karst depression.

The Soil Conservation Service runoff determination method and the three-hour maximum rainfall event were used to estimate the level of flooding. Three of the four flood events studied provided deviations between the actual and calculated flood levels of less than 0.26 feet (0.08 …

Karstification Of The Pennyroyal Plain Behind The Retreating Chester Escarpment: Warren, Simpson & Logan Counties, Kentucky, Anthony Able

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hydrogeologic investigations were conducted on the drainage systems of an area of the Pennyroyal sinkhole plain of south central Kentucky. The degree of karstification of five area streams was studied to develop an understanding of the evolution of drainage as the landscape changes from a sandstone caprock plateau to a limestone sinkhole plain. The Chester Upland, capped by the Big Clifty Sandstone, possesses predominantly surface drainage and the Pennyroyal Plain, formed on Mississippian limestones, possesses considerable subsurface drainage. As the Chester Upland Escarpment retreats and surface streams are onto the limestones, the streams evolve to become subsurface streams. The five …

The Esterases Of The Galleria Mellonella Larvae, Salmah Juraimi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Some properties of esterases of the greater wax moth larvae, Galleria mellonella (L.) were examined and the enzyme partially purified. Tris buffer was chosen as the buffer system over veronal buffer. The former causes less hydrolysis of the acetylsalicylic acid. Esterase activities were determined with acetylasalicylic acid in tris buffer (00.05 M, pH 7.85 with 0.1 M EDTA) and with acetyl-p-hydroxybenzoic acid in the same buffer. The enzyme was partially purified by combination of acetone powder preparation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration.

The starting enzyme preparation was obtained from aceton powder preparation. The ratio of esterase activity …

Alkali Extraction Test As A Predictor For Self-Heating In Coal, Arshad Parvez

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The self-heating of coal is a serious problem that has always affected the coal industry. Self-heating has been studied around the world for more than 100 years by many investigators, yet no accurate method of predicting self-heating in coal has been developed.

The objective of this research was to investigate the factors contributing to the self-heating in coal and to develop methods to predict the self-heating in coal and to develop methods to predict the self-heating susceptibility of various coals. A data bank containing analytical data, transportation histories, and results from laboratory tests was established at Western Kentucky University. A …

Effects Of Urbanization On The Quantity And Quality Of Storm Water Runoff Recharging Through Caves Into The Edwards Aquifer, Bexar County, Texas, George Veni

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Eighty-nine caves and sinkholes were investigated in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone in Bexar County, Texas. The study examined their hydrogeologic and topographic origins and distribution, relationships to major fracture traces, quantity of recharge into the aquifer and degree of sensitivity towards degradation of the aquifer’s water quality. Groundwater traces were attempted to determine aquifer flow routes, time of groundwater travel, groundwater volume within conduits, and the aquifer’s capacity for dilution and dispersion of recharged contaminants. Trends in water quality were examined to quantify the volume and variety of contaminants recharged into the aquifer and to determine the effects of …

Physical Properties Of Tar Sand Tailings That Influence Their Ability To Sustain Plant Growth, Timothy Cole

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The mining of bituminous sandstone rock for the purpose of extracting bitumen has created a need for reclamation. One such mine is located in northern Logan County. Their mining operation involves removing large sections of sandstone, which is impregnated with bitumen, and crushing it to sand-sized material. The sand-sized material is then mixed with organic solvents which extract the bitumen. Once separated, the bitumen is stored for future refinement and the spent sand is stockpiled for later disposal.

The spent sands or waste material are referred to as tar sand tailings. These tailings have particular properties which make reclamation efforts …

Hydrogenation Of Nitro Compounds To Amines Using Polymer Bound Catalysts, Eduardo Baralt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A polymer bound catalyst is a relatively new type of catalyst. The basis of polymer bound catalysis lies in the chemical attachment of a homogeneous catalyst to a solid support, in our case, polystyrene. Applications of polymer bound catalysts started in the late 1960’s, and have been used in several types of reactions. In some cases such a catalyst offers a series of advantages over the classical models of catalysis, homogeneous and heterogeneous.

The hydrogenation of various aromatic and aliphatic nitro compounds, such as nitro-benzene and 2-nitropropane, were performed successfully. The hydrogenation activity in most cases was high, and in …

Impact Of Several Chemical And Physical Properties Of Two H-Coal Recycle Solvent Streams On Their Relative Solvent Quality, Joe Collins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to follow the solvent quality curve of the recycle solvent streams of the H-Coal Pilot Plant run by Ashland Petroleum Company at Catlettsburg, Kentucky. This was done with the use of a microautoclave (shaker-bomb liquefaction unit). Several physical and chemical properties of these recycle oils were determined, and these values were correlated with the observed solvent quality. It is shown that the relative, solvent quality of these recycle oils correlate well with many of the chemical and some of the physical properties determined in this study.

Use Of Ft-Ir And Nmr Spectra Of The Thf Extracts Of Mid-Rank Bituminous Coals To Predict Plasticity, Samuel Adesoji Irefin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Plasticity, which typically develops at 380-420°C, is a unique property of mid-ranked coals. The phenomenon of plasticity in coals has been known for a long time but is still poorly understood. Even among coals of identical subrank and chemical composition, large differences in plastic behavior are commonly encountered. Plastic coals go through a softening and swelling state upon heating before they resolidify. Concurrent with the plastic state of the coal, thermal decomposition of the coal takes place.

The coking ability of a coal can be directly related to the plasticity of the coal. In liquefaction reactions, plastic coals tend to …

The Nature Of Supported Co-Mo And Ni-W And Hydrodenitrogenation And Hydrodesulfurization Of Model Compounds, Eric Dadey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The catalytic vapor-phase isomerization, hydrogenolysis, and/or disproportionation of trimethylbenzen (TMB) over Co-Mo/Al₂O₃ and Ni-W/Al₂O₃ was studied at 480°C, 400 psi reactor pressure, and a constant H₂ flow. Each catalyst was run in the reduced or sulfided form. The results show a marked difference in the product distributions for each catalyst, which is attributed to differences in the catalysts’ acidities.

The hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of quinolone and the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of benzothiophene were also studied. The compounds were reacted in a 1 liter autoclave at 325°C and varying partial pressures of H₂. The …

Enteric Contamination Of An Urban Karstified Carbonate Aquifer: The Double Springs Drainage Basin, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Geary Schindel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Biological and chemical analysis of water samples, collected from surface and subsurface streams was preformed to determine the quantity and biologic sources of enteric contamination in the Double Springs Groundwater Basin, an urban karstified carbonate aquifer under Bowling Green, Kentucky. Major flow paths, drainage basin boundaries and geologic/hydrologic relationships were identified for the basin. Analysis of biologic contaminates using fecal coliform /fecal streptococcus counts and ratios were conducted for baseflow and storm events and related to the Double Springs hydrographs. Analysis was also conducted to determine the source of sulfides responsible for the growth of sulfur fixing bacteria in the …

A Bacteriological And Chemical Analysis Of Nonpoint Source Pollution In A Karst Aquifer Bowling Green, Kentucky, Wayne Green

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Monthly water samples collected from four sites in the Lost River Groundwater Basin, a shallow karst aquifer in the Bowling Green-Warren County area of Kentucky, represented samples from sites receiving conduit and diffuse flow. All sites were severely contaminated with bacteria, and on some occasions the surface water criteria for some heavy metals were exceeded.

Of the total 334 bacterial colonies identified 92.1% were verified as Escherichia coli by the API20E system. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratum accounted for 2.10% of colonies; Citrobacter freundii for 0.30% Klebsiella pneumoniae for 0.90%; Klebsiella oxytoca, 0.90%; Citrobacter amalonaticus 0.30%; Enterobacter cloacae, 1.20%; …

Kinetic And Spectral Studies Of Cobalt (Ii) -4, 4’, 4’’, 4’’’ –Tetrasulfophthalocyanine With Sodium Cyanide In Aqueous Solution, Pablo J. Diaz Cruz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Kinetic studies of the cobalt (II)-4, 4’, 4’’, 4’’’-tetrasulfophtalocyanine and cyanide system were performed under argon and in air over temperature ranges of 294-314°K and 294-324°K, respectively. Two reactions were detected under argon. One was quite rapid and was followed on the stopped-flow apparatus. The results are consistent with the perturbation of a monomer-dimer equilibrium. The second reaction was slow enough to be followed spectrophotometrically on the Cary Model 14 spectrophotometer. The second order rate constant of 0.11 M^-1 sec^-1 at 294°K has been attributed to the rate of substitution of the second cyanide addition to a dye-cyanide …

Oxidation Activity Of Catalyst 3-7a Toward Formaldehyde, Hydrogen Cyanide, And Some Alkane Gases, John Kawas

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The activity of Catalyst 3-7A toward the oxidation of formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, methane, propane, and isobutene was examined at temperatures between 25°C and 400°C. The catalyst consists of palladium(II) and copper (II) salts impregnated on an alumina support. The oxidation measurements were made primarily with gas chromatographs, although form aldehyde and hydrogen cyanide were also examined using the colorimetric fushsin method and Liebig titrations, respectively. Catalyst 3-7A demonstrated appreciable activity toward the oxidation of all gases studied except formaldehyde where there was no evidence of oxidation. The latter result is quite unexpected since aldehydes are more easily oxidized than alkanes. …