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Hazards And Perceptions Of Cigarette And E-Cigarette Waste, Jossalyn Rogalski

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparative Analysis Of Soil Properties, Microbial Community Composition, And Yield Responses To Cover Crops In Different Ecoregions Of South Texas, Daphne Zapsas

Theses and Dissertations

Comprehensive understanding of soil properties, their interdependencies, and the effects of management practices is crucial for designing sustainable agricultural strategies. By adopting site-specific and need-based practices that enhance soil health, farmers can optimize crop growth, increase yield, and contribute to long-term environmental sustainability. Cover crops have been recognized for enhancing soil fertility, promoting microbial activity, and increasing organic matter content. However, while their effectiveness is well documented in temperate regions with readily available water, their impact in water limited systems in subtropical regions remains mixed. The aim of this study is to assess soil conditions in four different farms across …

Pleurotus Spp. As Agents Of Mycoremediation: A Review, Colin Innes

University Honors Theses

Elemental and molecular contaminants of anthropogenic origin represent an increasing threat to virtually all terrestrial and aquatic environments as well as their surrounding atmosphere. The decontamination and restoration of these environments pose a significant and expensive challenge. Although chemical treatment or physical removal of contaminated substrates often is the most direct response to eliminate contaminants, due to the complexity and sensitivity of many natural systems, technologies involving biological remediation can provide viable alternatives. While plant, bacterial, and fungal organisms have the abilities to accumulate or to metabolize toxic compounds, fungal organisms are uniquely suited to do so. Their fast growth …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Understanding The Influence Of Zinc On Grain Cadmium Accumulation And Bioaccessibility In Rice, Michael A. Tavarez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The effect of cadmium and zinc on mineral concentrations in three cultivars of rice

Interactions between the essential mineral zinc (Zn) and the toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd) play an important role in regulating transport of both minerals to rice grains. Understanding these interactions is crucial for limiting cadmium and increasing zinc transfer to the food chain. Previous studies on the matter have had conflicting results suggesting synergistic and antagonistic relationships between the minerals. The goal of this work was to identify the effect of external cadmium and zinc on the uptake and translocation of both minerals from roots to …

Evaluation Of The Symbiotic Relation Between Endophyte And Poplar Trees Exposed To Landfill Leachate, Catalina Vega Hurtado

Masters Theses

“The contamination of soil and groundwater from leachate leakage from landfill has turned, nowadays, into a global public issue. One of the main concerns about this pollutant is the potential threat to human and ecosystem health. The current research studied endophyte bacteria in association with poplar trees (Populus sp.), as a method of bioremediation of landfill leachates. The objective of the project was to identify treatment strategies that may improve plant performance (survival rates, plant fitness, and degradation efficacy) with the purpose of being implemented in phytoremediation plots, aimed to intercept and treat landfill leachate, before the contamination of watershed. …

Arabidopsis Thaliana Transformed With Streptanthus Farnsworthianus Metal Tolerance Protein 1 (Sfmtp1) Or The Native A. Thaliana Metal Tolerance Protein 1 ( Atmtp1) Cdna And The Effects On Sod Enzyme Activity Upon Nickel Treatment, Selina Urbina Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Superoxide Dismutase enzyme activity was analyzed in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, a non-accumulator weed plant species of the Brassicaceae family, that was transformed with Streptanthus farnsworthianus Metal Tolerance Protein1 (SfMTP1) or A. thaliana Metal Tolerance Protein 1 (AtMTP1 ). The transgenic A. thaliana was exposed to a 12 day treatment of 100 ?M Nickel Acetate in 1/10 X Hoaglands solution in hydroponics. Analysis of Super Oxide Dismutase activity determined that transgenic A. thaliana transformed with the AtMTP1 cDNA and treated with 100 µM Nickel showed a significant increase in Super Oxide Dismutase activity compared to A. thaliana …

Plant Stimuli-Responsive Biodegradable Polymers For The Use In Timed Release Fertilizer Coatings, Spencer Heuchan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The use of nitrogen-based fertilizers continues to accelerate with human population growth and increases in global food requirements. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) have been developed to improve the synchronization between nutrient supply and crop nutrient demand. However, many of the current controlled release fertilizers are coated with non-degradable polymers that contribute to accumulation of microplastics within ecosystems. This thesis describes research towards the development of a new class of fertilizer coatings using a self-immolative polymer known as poly (ethyl glyoxylate) (PEtG). PEtG itself does not have suitable properties to produce a viable coating but once blended with another degradable polyester …

The Role Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In Urban Brownfield Soils, Jennifer Rosalia Balacco

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

AMF are symbionts to a majority of terrestrial plants and can improve plant nutrient uptake, water relations, and stress tolerance. This study evaluated the effects of AMF in heavy metal contaminated soils via a growth chamber experiment to determine the interactions between soil and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affecting plant growth. Rye grass was grown in two contaminated soils from Liberty State Park, an urban brownfield, and one non-contaminated commercial soil, to which half of the treatments received AMF inoculum. Dried plant biomass, root:shoot ratio, and soil phosphatase activity were measured at the completion of the experiment. Soil contamination was …

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 …

Enhancing The Industrial Potential Of Filamentous Cyanobacteria, Tylor J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this project were to improve the industrial potential of filamentous N2-fixing cyanobacteria by increasing its biofuel tolerance, and to evaluate the economic feasibility and environmental impacts of a theoretical, cyanobacteria-based biofuel production facility. To develop a method to quantify filamentous cyanobacteria in dilute culture media, a dual-stained fluorescence assay was evaluated. While the viable cell stain (SYTO® 9) was accurate, the non-viable cell stain (propidium iodide) also bound to viable cells. Additional non-viable cell stains were evaluated, but none were accurate at quantifying viability. Thus we concluded that the viable cell stain SYTO® 9 is a reliable …

Characterization Of Two Biochars Derived From Horse Muck And Their Ability To Reduce Pathogen Transport In Soil, David Griffith

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biochars have been created and characterized from a variety livestock manure biomass including poultry, dairy, and swine. However, no research has been conducted on the physical and chemical makeup of biochar pyrolyzed from horse muck. Two horse muck derived biochars containing either straw (HS) or woodchip (HW) bedding were pyrolyzed at 700°C and characterized for their physical and chemical properties. Tests revealed both biochars had high alkalinity, moderate specific conductivity, and low surface area as compared to other biochars in the literature. HS contained more mineral structures than HW. Scanning electron microscopy presented differences in particle shape, size, and presence …