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Non-Traditional Methods For The Green Synthesis Of Fine Chemicals, Tara Renée Mooney

Graduate Masters Theses

Herein, the advancement of microwave-assisted flow synthesis is reviewed and the green nitration of arenes is investigated. First, microwave-assisted flow systems are described, followed by their synthetic and environmental applications. Microwave-assisted flow synthesis has been applied successfully in organic, inorganic, material, and biochemical syntheses as well as environmental applications such as water desalination and the removal of volatile organic compounds from the atmosphere. In the second part of the Thesis, the methodological development of the first catalyst and solvent-free nitration of m-xylene using only nitric acid is detailed. This environmentally friendly reaction proceeds without the use of harsh Brønsted acids, …

Mitigating The Shrink-Swell Capacities Of The Yazoo Clay Through Application Of Lime And Biochar, Austin Alan Brister

Theses and Dissertations

Shrinking and swelling in Yazoo Clay is a cause of concern for construction projects in Mississippi. This thesis investigated the effects of adding lime and Douglas Fir biochar on the shrinking and swelling capabilities of Yazoo Clay. Samples of Yazoo Clay were mixed with the additives in defined ratios and subjected to the free swell test and the COLE(rod) test. Biochar addition reduced the COLE(rod) of the samples a large amount, while increasing the swelling potential of the clay samples. The addition of lime slightly reduced both the shrinking and swelling potentials of the samples. The mineralogical variability of Yazoo …

Evaluation For Using Expended Bioelectrochemical Systems As Soil Amendments For Improved Corn Plant Growth And A Drought Resistant Soil., Jackson Lee Sauers

Theses and Dissertations

A long-held practice is to mix agricultural soil with a soil amendment to improve growing conditions in crops. A common soil amendment is biosolids produced from both municipal and dairy wastewater due to the macro- and micronutrients within it. Both the agricultural and wastewater industries are participating in the Circular Economy concept (CEC). Two experiments explored using expended bioelectrochemical systems (BES) that treated either synthetic dairy wastewater (DWW) or synthetic municipal wastewater (SWW) as soil amendments to improve corn plant growth when treated with three different nutrient treatments: 100%- 50%- and 0% Hoagland Nutrient Solutions. Biochar and used terracotta clay …

Evaluation Of Novel Litter Amendments For Use In The Commercial Broiler Industry, Jorge A. Urrutia

Theses and Dissertations

Poultry litter amendments (LA) are commonly used to maintain good litter quality; the most common ones; are acidifiers. However, concern over the lifespan of LA acidifiers (d) and corrosive nature revealed a need for alternative LA. Products of interest include biochar (BC), superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), and alum mud (AM). Experiment 1 was a screening study (n=17 treatments, no birds) conducted to determine the optimal application rate/method of BC, SAPs, and AM vs.commercial LA and a control. Most SAPs treatments measured metrics may be similar (i.e., bacteria, water activity) or better (pH) vs. commercial LA (PLT). High inclusions of novel LA …

An Assessment Of Drinking Water From Zip Codes In The Greater Houston Area For Potential Heavy Metal Contamination Using Icpms, Reem Abulateef Alani

Theses (2016-Present)

The objective of this experiment is to identify and determine the concentration of heavy metals in drinking water for different resident zip codes in the greater Houston area. Heavy metals such as arsenic, antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and others can be leaked into drinking water through household plumbing and service lines, mining operations, petroleum refineries, electronics manufacturers, chemical spills, municipal waste disposals, cement plants, and natural mineral deposits. Modern society is characterized by an increasing number of activities that can contaminate drinking water. When chemicals, animal waste, and human waste are disposed of improperly, it is more likely …

Exploring Soil-Tree Interactions After Applying Organic Matter Amendments To Peach Orchards In The Subtropical Climate Of The Southeastern United States, Brian Lawrence

All Dissertations

Soil disturbance from the cultivation and intensive management of orchards in hot and humid subtropical climates can reduce soil organic matter (OM). This research explored how the addition of OM amendments impact soil and tree parameters in two field studies and how proximity to OM may elicit unique genomic response of peach roots in a split-root pot study. The first field study applied two rates of compost (1x and 2x) and subsequently reduced fertilizer applications annually to a virgin and replant orchard location. While both compost rates successfully replaced fertilizers, only the 2x rate in the replant location increased soil …

Grapefruit Peel Biochar Applications For Immobilizing Copper And Lead In Soil, Michael Alfredo Navarro

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the efficacy of grapefruit peel (GP) derived biochar materials (two pyrolysis temperatures 450°C and 800°C) as a potential adsorbent to immobilize heavy metal (copper and lead) in a local sandy loam clay soil. A batch adsorption test with heavy metal concentrations at 50 mg L-1, and 100 mg L-1 revealed that soil itself had the highest immobilization percentage compared to the GP biochars. A soil column experiment was conducted to determine how much the GP biochar samples and the tested soil will exhibit adsorptive characteristics for heavy metals when 50 ml of 50 mg L-1 copper or …

Biochar Amended Biological Systems For Enhanced Landfill Leachate And Lignocellulosic Banana Waste Treatment, Xia Yang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biochar is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly carbonaceous pyrolysis byproduct with a high surface area, pore volume, and adsorption capacities for inorganic and organic compounds. The goal of this dissertation is to evaluate the feasibility of biochar application in biological treatment systems for enhanced waste management. Three major objectives guided this research to provide a compressive understanding of biochar enhancement effects on biological treatment systems for contaminant removal, energy recovery, and environmental impacts as well as essential factors influencing biochar production and properties.

In Objective 1 a low-cost hybrid Constructed Wetland (CW) system modified with biochar/zeolite was developed for enhanced …

Production Of Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Polymers For Soil Water Retention, Rosa Maria Arredondo Ramirez

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) have attracted tremendous attention, with researchers noting that their high water absorption capacity (AC) is valuable for various applications, especially in agricultural contexts. Two types of materials can be used to produce SAPs: fossil-based (which are harmful to the environment) and bio-based (which are significantly more environmentally friendly, given their biodegradability and minimal toxic side effects). Although bio-based SAPs (Bio-SAPs) are preferable due to their environmental merits, their preparation tends to be time consuming and labour intensive, and their AC is still far below expectations. To address these problems, a novel, eco-friendly, cellulose-based superabsorbent polymer (Cellulo-SAP) was …

An Improved Bio-Based Activated Carbon For The Water Treatment Of A Lagoon In Northern Mexico Based On Life Cycle Assessment Methodology, Leticia Elizabeth Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this research, different options in the preparation of activated carbon are investigated looking at potential environmental impacts, production cost improvement and physical characteristics for water treatment. The activated carbon made with agricultural waste is compared to activated carbon made with hard coal. Life cycle assessment techniques follow ISO 14040 to 14044 standards are used and calculations were performed using GaBi _education 18® software and databases at mid-point TRACI impact categories. The results of the life cycle impact assessment show that, compared to activated carbon made with hard coal, activated carbon made with peanut shell and rice husk allows reductions …

Simple Organic Fertilizer Amendments For Farming In Degraded Soils: Effects On Plant-Microbe Interactions, Andrew Adamski

All NMU Master's Theses

The rapid loss of topsoil, biodiversity, and water quality across agricultural land in the United States and the industrialized world poses some of the most important risks to the future of global and domestic food security. Not only is arable land being lost at an unsustainable pace, but the average age of farmers has also steadily been rising due to a myriad of barriers young, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and beginning farmers face. In an attempt to address these issues, worm castings, bokashi tea, fish hydrolysate, and biochar were applied alone and in combination to an extremely …

Sludge-Based Activated Carbon: Characterization And Performance For Removal Of Methylene Blue From Aqueous Solution, Ahmad Anwar Al Madhoon

Theses

Domestic wastewater treatment plants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) produce 122 thousand tons of dried sludge annually. About 70% of this sludge is dumped in landfills, creating water and soil contamination. Sludge is an energy-rich organic material that could be converted into activated carbon by thermal or chemical processes. Potassium hydroxide has shown great potential as an activating agent for producing high-quality sludge based activated carbon (SBAC). However, its use adds to the cost of the production process. Thus, there is a need for an alternative activating agent that is not costly. One possible chemical is carbide lime which …

Exploring And Validating Risks Related To Containerization: Lessons For Vietnam, Minh Nhat Pham

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Novel Application Of Electrical Resistivity Tomography For Spatiotemporal Monitoring Of Urban Stormwater Bioretention Systems, Darren Alvarenga

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Bioretention systems are an increasingly popular low-impact development (LID) stormwater management approach that are used to reduce the water quantity and quality impacts of urban stormwater. The study investigated the feasibility and benefits of using non-invasive time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to understand the infiltration and soil moisture dynamics within bioretention systems. This was achieved through monitoring two field-scale operational bioretention systems in London, Ontario, Canada. High-resolution two-dimensional time-lapse ERT surveys were first completed during synthetic and natural rain events to assess the viability of time-lapse ERT to monitor soil moisture changes during events. Following this, three-dimensional ERT surveys were …

Immiscible Liquid-Infused Filters For Water And Aerosol Filtration, Justin Hardcastle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the purification of water and air, membrane fouling is an ongoing issue that leads to the reduction of filter efficiency over time. An increase in the frequency of current chemical and mechanical cleaning methods increases system downtime, increases overall costs, and leads to the reduction of the lifetime of the membrane. Commonly used filtration materials such as polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are porous throughout and have a textured surface that facilitates the adhesion of bacteria and other foulants. To prevent this adhesion, bioinspired liquid-coated filters are proposed as a new approach to creating filters that resist fouling. …

Phenotypic Evaluation Of Energycane (Saccharum Spp.) Genotypes In Northcentral Mississippi, Wyatt Armistead Eason

Theses and Dissertations

As fossil fuel supplies decrease and concerns of climate change increase, the search for alternative sources of fuel has pushed biomass crops to the forefront of discussion. Saccharum spontaneum readily hybridizes with commercial sugarcane and lends cold tolerance and greater yields to the hybrid progeny, called energycane. Twenty genotypes were tested against an energycane variety (Ho 02-113) as a control. Two locations were tested: the HH Leveck Animal Research Center (planted in 2019), and the Bearden Dairy Research Center (planted in 2020). The Bearden Dairy Research Center yielded significantly higher than the HH Leveck Animal Research Center regarding dry matter …

Development And Characterization Of A Peanut-Shell Based Activated Carbon And The Outcomes Of A Hands-On Approach To Chemical Education, Danielle Pitre

Theses and Dissertations

Heavy metals are a recognized toxic environmental contaminant, even at very low concentrations. There have been well-known events in the last decade within the US of high amounts of lead in the drinking water supplies of cities, leading to detrimental effects within its population. Ways have been found to remove this metal, and others, from water with expensive adsorbents. The aim of the first part of this research was to create an inexpensive adsorbent from a waste material and modify it in such a way that it would be adept at removing heavy metals from water.

In Chapter I, we …

Co-Gasification Of Plastic And Biomass Waste, Joshua J. Cullen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Gasification technologies have been considered as viable avenues for diverting mixed non-recycled plastic waste landfilling. The main objective of this work was to investigate CO₂ assistedair gasification with mixed plastic and biomass. High-density polyethylene was co-gasified with Douglas fir in different volumes of CO₂ in a semi-batch updraft gasifier. These tests were done in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) to compare the gas, tar and char products of the gasifier with the TGA data. The injection of 10 and 20% CO₂ in air gasification with an air to fuel ratio of 0.3 improved carbon conversion from the tar …

Chemically Induced Phytoextraction Of Lead (Pb) Contaminated Soil By Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L.), Assisted With Bap And Nta Applications, Genna Hart

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

The accumulation of lead (Pb) deposits in soil is a growing global concern. Phytoextraction of Pb-contaminated soil can be enhanced by soil chelation to increase the bioavailability of Pb. In the initial study nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) 5mM, the alkylpolyglucoside (APG) Triton X-100 (2%), and nano-silica were applied to switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) growing in 5L pots of Pb-contaminated soil. The second experiment used 10mM NTA, the alkylpolyglycoside Triton X-100 (2%), foliar application of the plant growth regulator 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) twice per week, Triple-12® nutrients, and Infuse™ a soil fungicide which were applied to switchgrass Plants were grown in a controlled …

Enhancement Of Energy Efficiency For Thermal Energy And Biomass Driven Applications, Osama Mansour Selim Elsayed

Theses and Dissertations

The importance of gas turbine blades is to convert the thermal energy into shaft work output, which makes the turbine blades are one of the critical components of the gas turbines. Besides the mechanical stresses caused by the centrifugal force and the fluid forces, the thermal stresses arise because of the temperature gradient within the blade materials. This paper aims to have a uniform circumferential temperature field at the combustor exit, consequently reducing the thermal stresses caused by the non-uniform temperature distribution along the turbine blade. The validation of the simulation results with the experiments showed an acceptable agreement with …

Integration Of Techno-Economic Analysis (Tea) And Life Cycle Assessment (Lca) For Sustainable Process Design, Roksana Mahmud

All Dissertations

For sustainable design, technology developers need to consider not only technical and economic aspects but also potential environmental impacts while developing new technologies. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) evaluates the technical performance and economic feasibility of a technology. Life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated with a product system throughout its life cycle from raw material extraction to disposal. Generally, TEA and LCA are performed separately for technology assessment. Understanding of the trade-off between economic and environmental performances is crucial for sustainable process design, which is not fully available if TEA and LCA is performed separately. In contrast, integration …

Improved Management Of Recalcitrant Nutrient Species: Transformation And Adsorption, Synthia Parveen Mallick

Dissertations (1934 -)

Soluble non-reactive nutrient species, i.e., dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and soluble non-reactive phosphorus (sNRP), are not effectively removed and recovered. Unfortunately, the non-reactive species can cause eutrophication in receiving waterbodies. Thus, removal and recovery of soluble non-reactive nutrients is critical for reducing nutrient discharge and advancing the national goal of enhanced nutrient recovery. Transformation of non-reactive nutrients to more readily removable/recoverable species using ozonation and UV/H2O2 for enhanced nutrient recovery has been reported in literature. Electrooxidation (EO) may outperform these processes in transforming nutrients as EO can utilize multiple oxidation pathways, e.g., in-situ generated oxidants or direct electron transfer (DET). …

Modified Biosand Filtration Using Aluminum Hydroxide Filter Media To Enhance Fluoride Removal, Joshelyn Guimaray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are over 20 countries whose citizens consume groundwater containing high levels of fluoride, including Nigeria, Mexico, India, China, and Ghana, which all have major health crises when it comes to the safety of their drinking water. Minerals like fluorite contain fluoride which is often found in groundwater aquifers. The minerals release fluoride into the groundwater. Per the World Health Organization (WHO) standard, the maximum contaminant limit for fluoride consumption should be less than 1.5 mg/L. Chronic exposure of elevated levels of fluoride can cause people to suffer debilitating health effects, such as dental and skeletal fluorosis. Dental fluorosis causes …

Beneficial Invasive: A Rhizomatic Approach To Utilizing Local Bamboo For Covid Responsive Educational Spaces, Megan Futscher

Masters Theses

The United States has an abundant stock of naturalized wild growing bamboo species that are generally considered invasive. This project explores the use of locally harvested, so called “invasive” bamboo as a potential building material incorporated into a modular, kit-of-parts style construction system. These structures are uniquely suited to address the need for expanded spaces and extensions that bridge between the strictly indoor vs. outdoor distinction of existing buildings, as revealed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The rhizomatic mechanism of spread that is characteristic of bamboo species is used as the framework to propose a tectonic system that is decentralized, adaptable, …

Statistical Analyses Of Hemp Cannabinoid Test Results, Rachel J. Stegmeier

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Cannabis sativa L. is a flowering plant used for recreational and industrial purposes that produces a class of compounds called cannabinoids. Industrial hemp is a strain of Cannabis sativa L. that has been propagated to have a low Δ 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹THC) and a high cannabidiol (CBD) content. With recent advancements in legislation, farms are now growing hemp for fiber, CBD production and other hemp derived product purposes but crops risk being destroyed if THC content levels exceed the current maximum legal limit of 0.3%. For the present study hemp samples were dried, ground, extracted with various alcohols, …

Phosphorus Enriched Modified-Douglas Fir Biochar As A Soil Amendment, Beatrice Arwenyo

Theses and Dissertations

Biochar application as a soil additive is gaining global acceptance. In this era of climate change, biochar use for improved soil productivity is not just a sustainable eco-friendly substitute to synthetic fertilizer, but a noble contributor to the fight against climate change. Although biochar has been accredited with some environmental and agricultural benefits, most studies concentrated on agricultural and biowaste products as feedstocks. This research was designed to explore P-enriched modified-Douglas fir biochar potential as a soil additive. Using corn as a test crop, greenhouse studies were performed on acidic sandy soil, comparing phosphorus enriched modified-Douglas fir biochar efficacy to …

Functionalized Biochar Electrodes For Asymmetric Capacitive Deionization, Hellen Stephanie

Theses and Dissertations

Electrosorption-based capacitive deionization (CDI) has become a viable process for brackish water desalination and defluoridation. In this study, activated Douglas fir biochar is used as a low-cost electrode material with adsorption capacity comparable to activated carbon obtained from biomass precursors. Adding functional groups to the activated biochar enhanced salt removal capacity, providing cation and anion selectivity. The functionalized electrodes were prepared by Nafion, titanium isopropoxide, and p-phenylenediamine treatment, respectively, which introduced sulfonate, titanium dioxide and amine functional groups to the electrode surface. These modification methods are versatile and can be easily performed without sophisticated laboratory environment. Modified biochar electrodes …

Photocatalytic Degradation Of Organic Contaminants By Titania Particles Produced By Flame Spray Pyrolysis, Noah Babik

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced oxidation of organic pollutants with TiO2 photocatalysts is limited due to the wide bandgap of TiO2, 3.2 eV, which requires ultraviolet (UV) radiation. When nanosized TiO2 is modified by carbon doping, charge recombination is inhibited and the bandgap is narrowed, allowing for efficient photodegradation under visible light. Here, we propose a flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) technique to create TiO2. The facile process of FSP has been successful in preparing highly crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles. Using the same procedure to deposit TiO2 onto biochar, the photocatalyst was doped by the carbonaceous material. The morphology, crystalline and electronic structure of the FSP …

Environmental Impact And Life Cycle Assessment Of Biomass Supported Power Systems For Rural Communities, Hariteja Nandimandalam

Theses and Dissertations

Dependence on fossil fuels in the electric sector is one of the major contributors towards Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The increase in renewable contribution has been observed in recent years but there is still potential to utilize wood waste in rural communities for electricity generation promoting energy independence and sustainable development. For this study, a life cycle assessment approach was utilized to estimate the emissions of electricity produced from wood residue in a rural community. Therefore, the process from planting to supply for bioenergy facility to generate electricity are included. The results showed a decrease of 92-96 % in global …

Fire And Periodical Cicadas: Impacts On Soil Nutrients And Understory Plant Germination, Andrea Gamache

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Purpose

A compound disturbance, composed of a prescribed fire and a periodical cicada emergence, occurred in northern Georgia in the summer of 2021. Independently these disturbances have substantial effects on the surrounding ecosystems. This study investigated the collective impact on soil composition and seed germination.

Methods

Through the soil analysis of cicada turrets, burned soil, and unburned soil, we hope to understand the composition of each soil type. Additionally, a 2 x 2 factorial study was performed with those same samples, providing insight into the impact on seed germination these disturbances have. The two factors were between burned and unburned …