Engineering Commons^™

Bioleaching Of Arsenic From Agricultural Soils, Zachary Gilstrap

All Theses

Arsenic is a ubiquitous trace metalloid. However, increasing concentrations of arsenic in soil and water is a problem the world faces due to inputs from anthropogenic sources such as mining, milling, agriculture, and coal ash. One method of remediation for these arsenic-contaminated sites is bioleaching. While it is most often used to extract metals from raw ore, it is a viable and environmentally friendly method to remove the same metals from soil. Bioleaching removes metals by cultivating living organisms such as the fungi Aspergillus niger (A.niger) or the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (T.ferrooxidans). This research aimed to investigate A. …

The Physical Properties And Handling Characteristics Of Pelletized Biomass Materials, Ryan Dean

All Theses

Biomass and feed pellets can be handled and stored using similar equipment used for other bulk materials; however, their unique physical characteristics can lead to handling challenges. Understanding the flow characteristics of these materials is essential for handling and storage system design, but these characteristics are not well defined in less-than-ideal conditions. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate how moisture content and level of fines influence the angle of repose (AoR) of hardwood, pine bedding, and feed pellets along with determining the impacts of displacement on the shear stress of fuel pellets utilizing a modified linear wall …

Toward Sustainable Urban Food Production: Integrating Hydroponic Cultivation With Wastewater Reuse, Amanda Tan

All Theses

The growing crisis of freshwater scarcity together with the increasing global food demand directs attention to the need for alternative water sources for agriculture. The research presented here engages this need by carrying out indoor cultivation of food crops in Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic systems using residential wastewater. Randomized single factor experimental designs were used to investigate the physiochemical and microbiological makeup of the hydroponic nutrient solution throughout the cultivation cycle and their relationship with different plant development parameters.

For agricultural wastewater reuse to be of low risk to human health there must be some advancement in pathogen monitoring …