Engineering Commons^™

Wastewater Denitrification Using Bhn-Probiotic Solutions As An Alternative External Carbon Source, Guadalupe Arreola

Kansas State University Undergraduate Research Conference

Wastewater Denitrification Using BHN-Probiotic Solutions as an Alternative External Carbon Source

Guadalupe Arreola, Evan Heronemus, Megan Lehman, and Dr. Prathap Parameswaran

Department of Civil Engineering

College of Engineering

Reducing the amount of Nitrogen found in wastewater is a crucial step for wastewater treatment plants, and denitrification is an essential biological step that could be rate-limiting. To reach the stringent nutrient discharge standards, treatment plants commonly use methanol as an external carbon source; however, there are many safety issues that can arise from using methanol. This problem prompted the study to find and compare other sustainable and environmentally-friendly carbon sources that …

Green Roofs Provide Heating And Cooling Sustainability Benefits In The Great Plains Environmental Climates, Melina Alferoff

Kansas State University Undergraduate Research Conference

This project seeks to improve the design and functionality of a vegetated green roof in the Great Plains area of the U.S. We are learning to manipulate several variables such as different growing media types and irrigation systems in resilient plant communities. By utilizing different types of vegetation, we can determine the proper way to water and care for the plants that are growing on the green roof. To be successful for this research project, we will precisely, in units such as degrees Celsius and milliliters, measure temperature and water usage of the vegetated pods. By observing those two aspects …

Characterization Of Claypan Soils In Southeastern Kansas, M. A. Mathis Ii, S. E. Tucker-Kulesza, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil erosion reduces topsoil depth. In areas with a claypan, removal of productive topsoil reduces crop yield where the claypan layer is near the surface. The topsoil and claypan layer each have unique characteristics that impact crop production and within-field variability. To better understand these differences, the soil from an area of low crop yield and high crop yield were collected and laboratory tests were performed to determine the soil classification and undrained shear strength. Understanding the soil properties and the interaction between the topsoil and claypan layers may aid in under­standing the process by which topsoil is being eroded.