Engineering Commons^™

Methods To Improve The Remediation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) In Aerobic And Anaerobic Environments, Brian Wartell

Dissertations

Oil spills occur regularly in terrestrial environments and crude oil can contain many compounds that are highly resistant to degradation. Among these compounds are high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are not only toxic but can also be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. The first chapter of this dissertation includes an extensive review chapter on the variables affecting the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons, with a particular focus on PAHs. Electron acceptors, electron donors, temperature, salinity, pH all play key roles in determining the possibility effective of effective degradation occurring. Thus, by addressing solutions, such as biostimulation, improving environmental variables for …

Experimental And Numerical Characterization Of Multiphase Subsurface Oil Release, Feng Gao

Dissertations

Subsurface oil release is commonly encountered in the natural environment and engineering applications and has received the substantial attention of researchers after the disastrous Deepwater Horizon Blowout oil spill in 2009. The main focus on the present research is to systematically study the hydrodynamics of underwater oil jet under a variety of conditions, including the effect of dispersant and different gas to oil ratios (GOR) by using experimental measurement as well as a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach, from which the measured turbulent characteristics (e.g., velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, turbulence dissipation rate, etc.) of underwater oil jet are thoroughly examined …

Controls On Phosphorus Export From An Agricultural Watershed: Amsden Brook, Fort Fairfield, Maine Usa., Gregory J. Mcdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the sources and mechanisms of phosphorus (P) mobilization during base flow within the Amsden Brook watershed, Fort Fairfield, Maine, USA. Amsden Brook is an agriculturally dominated watershed drained by a spring-fed and perennial first- to second-order stream. We characterized the P concentrations within the watershed to investigate connections between soils, stream sediment, surface water, and groundwater. Waters were monitored monthly during the 2017 snow-free period for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, soluble reactive P (SRP), total P, strong acid anions, strong base cations, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), Al, Fe, and Mn. Phosphorus speciation within soils and sediment …

Spatial Exploration Of Trace Metals In Near-Surface Water And Soil In The Bolivian Altiplano, Lizzie Wilson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

We analyzed soil and groundwater samples from the Bolivian Altiplano for trace metal concentrations, correlations and partitioning trends. Total digestion, sequential extraction and loss on ignition experiments were performed on soil samples. We ran aqueous samples on an ICP-MS. Results were analyzed to identify trace metal concentrations and find any significant correlations. We generated interpolated maps in ArcGIS to spatially analyze results. Results for elevated concentrations of interest were divided into sub-groups of organophilic metals, oxoanions and divalent metals and include vanadium, arsenic, selenium, zinc, nickel, lead, cobalt, uranium, copper and manganese. These elements are likely naturally sourced. We found …

Mechanisms Of Calcium Phosphate Mineralization On Biological Interfaces And Their Engineering Applications, Doyoon Kim

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

All living organisms utilize phosphorus (P) as an essential component of their cell membranes, DNA and RNA, and adenosine triphosphate. Bones, in addition to bearing loads, play an important role in balancing P levels in our bodies. In bones, a network of collagen templates and calcium phosphate (CaP) nanocrystals builds hierarchical levels, from nano- to macroscale. Within this architecture, the thermodynamic properties of CaP minerals are influential. Despite the importance of nucleation, growth, and crystallization in collagen structures for tissue development, little kinetic study of these processes has been conducted due to the limited in situ techniques for monitoring these …

A Comprehensive Study Of Arsenic Removal From Aqueous Solution Using Low-Cost Adsorbents, Mrinmoyee Mondal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Arsenic poisoning in water is a global concern for many years due to its high carcinogenic and toxic effect on the human body. Adsorption is one of the promising technology to treat arsenic-contaminant water. Recently, natural adsorbent modified with metal oxide/hydroxide is being studied widely, because of its great removal efficiency, inexpensive and eco-friendly properties.

In the present study, two low-cost adsorbents namely Aerocrete and Vermiculite (modified with iron oxy-hydroxide) were assessed for arsenic (both As(III) and As(V)) removal. The maximum removal of As(V) was ~99% at pH 6 for both adsorbents (3g/L). Optimum removal of As(III) was observed at …

Experimental Testing And Modeling Of Partial Nitrification At Different Temperatures, Xiaoguang Liu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Nitrogen in wastewater treatment plant effluents has adverse environmental effects on aquatic systems. Excessive concentrations of nitrogen in water bodies can result in the depletion of dissolved oxygen, deterioration of water quality, and shifts of biotic community. Conventional biological nitrogen removal (BNR) processes consume high energy for nitrification and require external carbon for denitrification. Alternatively, partial nitrification is of interest as an emerging technology for its lower need of organic carbon addition and cost savings in aeration. In this study, the main objectives are: 1- developing a mathematical model involving operational parameters for the determination of successful partial nitrification conditions; …

Attributing Accelerated Increases In Salinity In The Mediterranean Coastal Zone To Climate Change And Seawater Desalination Brine And The Resultant Unsustainability Of Modern Desalination Technology, Brandon W. Harper

HCNSO Student Capstones

Anthropogenic climate change influences our oceans on a global scale and has brought about increased salinity levels in large areas of our oceans such as the North Atlantic (Dunbar 2009). Concentrations of large scale desalination plants around small bodies of water add to this pattern and have shown even larger increases in salinity due to desalination brine discharge (Purnama et al., 2005). Salinity profile data over time should show similar increases in salinity in the Mediterranean Sea due to climate change and localized data should show increased salinity due to brine discharge. This study aims to pinpoint the extent of …

An Investigation Of Surface Water Sediment Source Tracking Using Bacterial Metagenomics And Elemental Fingerprinting, Yanchong Huangfu

Doctoral Dissertations

Excess suspended sediment in river systems commonly degrades surface water quality. A sediment source tracking approach is necessary to target management practices that will reduce significant sources of sediment in rainfall runoff and restore water quality. Sediment source tracking utilizes the biogeochemical characteristics of sediment, often paired with a mathematical model, to link eroding source materials and in-stream suspended sediment. However, there are still many questions left unanswered in using this approach, including simultaneously identifying fecal contamination sources, quantifying the reliability of sediment tracers, and methods to assess the accuracy of sediment source identification. The research herein utilized the microbial …

Global Renewable And Nonrenewable Energy Use Impact Assessment Of U.S. Manufacturing: An Integrated Cradle-To-Gate Lca And Dea Approach, Bahadir Ezici

Master's Theses

In this thesis, U.S. manufacturing industries` global supply chain-linked energy use and economic output are investigated considering a total of 16 renewable and nonrenewable energy carriers. A multiregion input output (MRIO) framework is employed to conduct the global supply chain-linked energy use impact assessment. The study period was between 1995 and 2014 based on data availability. Thus, 20 MRIO models were developed. Each MRIO model consists of the 40 largest economies of the world and the rest of the world (ROW) as the 41st country. Each country’s economy was structured into 35 manufacturing and service industries based on the Worth …

Towards Environmentally Sustainable And Cost-Effective Food Distribution In The U.S., Jasmina Burek

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Distribution centers (DCs) and supermarkets have an important role in food sustainability, but no previous research has accounted for their environmental impact. The purpose of this research was to assess environmental sustainability of grocery, perishables, and general merchandise DCs; to estimate food storing and retailing impact; and to provide cost-effective strategies to reduce DCs’ environmental impacts. The importance and relevance of the research is threefold: improving sustainability of DCs, food storing, and food retailing. The main method used in this research was the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. An initial study calculated environmental impacts of the Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. DCs, …

Accumulation Of Lead By Biofilms In Drinking Water Distribution Systems, Kaleb Oren Belcher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent crises, such as the one in Flint, MI, indicate that lead exposure from drinking water is a major health concern in the United States. Over six million lead service lines are still in use in the United States, and a universal protocol to safely remove these lead service lines from drinking water distribution systems has not yet been established. This paper calls to attention the potential hazard that biofilms pose as a source of lead in distribution systems, even after the removal of lead pipes. This study used a simulated water distribution system containing a lead source pipe and …

Assessing Biofiltration Without Ozonation For Removal Of Trihalomethane Precursors In Drinking Water At The Beaver Water District Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Sana Ajaz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biofiltration without pre-ozonation has the capability to remove natural organic matter (NOM) fractions that serve as precursors of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which include the four regulated trihalomethanes (THMs) and dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN). Rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) and Pilot Plant filters operated at empty-bed contact times (EBCTs) of 4, 8, and 16 minutes were used to evaluate the performance of nutrient-amended (free ammonia and phosphorus) biofiltration for THM and DCAN precursor removal, as measured using formation potential (FP) tests. NOM surrogates – which include dissolved organic carbon (DOC), specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254) and fluorescence-PARAFAC components – were measured weekly throughout the …

Enabling Robust Distributed Real-Time Hybrid Simulation Method And Expanding Its Applications In Floating Wind Turbine Systems, Mehmet Cinar

Masters Theses

Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS), which integrates physical experiment and numerical simulation, plays an essential role in understanding the time-dependent behavior of structures when subject to hazardous loadings. On the other hand, RTHS might not yield accurate results for complex structural systems due to experimental and computational limitations. Distributed real-time hybrid simulation (dRTHS), which takes the advantage of distributed laboratory facilities using network communications, was proposed and proven to address some limitations in RTHS. During dRTHS, Internet delay due to the network communication is added to the actuator delay in RTHS, which may cause inaccurate results or even unstable tests. To …

Application Of Winslamm To Evaluate The Effect Of Green Infrastructure Implementation In Northern Utah, Rosa A. Fernández Velásquez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study provides an evaluation of the performance of the WinSLAMM model in two cities of northern Utah, a region in which it has not been validated to date. Runoff volumes for a series of events from 2015 to 2017 were calculated for six study areas. These results were compared to model outputs to evaluate the prediction accuracy. The model performed poorly when default parameters where used, as expected. Thus, the calibration of runoff coefficient was done with local data. Total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) were also evaluated and calibrations were developed. The …

Midpoint And Endpoint Sustainability Assessment Of U.S. And China Manufacturing: A Comparative Mrio+Recipe Analysis, Mustafa Saber

Master's Theses

Manufacturing is among the most important industries for an economy, which creates value-added, fosters innovation, stimulates employment and economic growth. Therefore, manufacturing industries are crucial for a country’s sustainable development not only for economic reasons but also for social (.e.g. employment, tax, etc.) and environmental ones. Thus, manufacturing activities’ contribution to the economy is critically related with environmental and social impacts. Sustainable economic growth is essential and necessary for a country to provide all necessary goods and services to its growing population.

And, this is highly linke with the creation of new jobs and in this context, manufacturing jobs have …

Evaluation Of A Centrifuge Consolidation Technique To Determine The Effects Of Temperature And Time On Kaolinite Properties, Esteban Miranda Pinzon

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The effects of time and temperature on the moisture content and unit weight profiles, as developed during a centrifuge consolidation process, were observed during the research program that is described herein. Specifically, a Beckman-Coulter Model J6-MI centrifuge with a six-place JS-4.2A swinging bucket rotor was utilized to consolidate kaolinite slurry samples. The consolidation procedure utilized specially designed slurry consolidometers, made from acrylic tubes with inside diameters of 2.63 inches (6.67 cm) and heights of 5.13 inches (13.04 cm). The tested kaolinite slurry samples were created by mixing 400 grams of dry kaolinite clay powder with 200 grams of de-aired …

Increasing Algal Productivity And Treatment Potential In Raceways Fed Clarified Municipal Wastewater, Christopher D. Pittner

Master's Theses

Two sets of triplicate pilot algal raceway ponds (1000-L, 0.30-m deep, paddle wheel mixed) were operated for 14 months at a California wastewater treatment plant to treat wastewater and generate algal-bacterial biomass as biofuel feedstock. Two experiments were run to determine the effect on biomass productivity of (1) hydraulic residence time (HRT: 2, 3, 4, or 4.5 days) and (2) feeding schedule (18 small pulses during 8 AM-4 PM [diurnal] versus 20 large pulses during 4 AM-12 AM [diel]). The target productivity was at least 20 g volatile suspended solids per m2 of pond per day. Additional output variables were …

Use Of Regional Scale Field And Modelling Methods To Evaluate Nearshore Groundwater Discharge To A Large Glacial Lake, Hayley A. Wallace Ms.

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Groundwater discharge may be an important pathway for delivering pollutants to large lakes, but this pathway is poorly understood. Understanding the potential for groundwater discharge to deliver pollutants to lakes requires an evaluation of the magnitude and spatial variability of groundwater discharge to the lake, and the history of the discharging groundwater. The first objective of this thesis was to evaluate and quantify the spatial variability of groundwater discharge to a large glacial lake, Lake Simcoe, Ontario, using the naturally occurring radon isotope tracer (²²²Rn). Regional scale boat surveys were conducted along 80% of the Lake Simcoe shoreline …

Pursuing Resilience Of Coastal Communities Through Sustainable And Integrated Urban Water Management, Pacia Díaz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reliability of water supply in the urban setting has become essential for communities to function and thrive. It is needed for more than mere human consumption and well-being. Although modern cities have water treatment and distribution systems, pressures from urbanization, population growth and the anticipated pressures of climate change are affecting the quality of water supply and the reliability of treatment and distribution systems. There is therefore an urgent need to take appropriate measures to improve the resilience of water supply systems before the impacts are irreversible.

Improving the resilience of water supply systems can be a challenge. In the …

Wastewater In Context: Systems-Based Approaches To Improving Wastewater Infrastructure Transitions, Christine Prouty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal communities and ecosystems around the world are some of those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In particular, the wastewater treatment systems in these areas are on the forefront of the effects of increasing frequency, duration, and intensity associated with extreme weather events. As such, decision making about adopting new wastewater technologies or transitioning to an improved treatment portfolio is an important area of research for coastal communities because they are critically linked to the health of the nearby aquatic ecosystems (i.e. tourism, fishing, cultural heritage, climate protection).

The decision making process about technology adoption and transitions …

Investigation Of Acetaminophen And Caffeine Removal Using Manganese Oxides And Granular Activated Carbon In Column Experiments, Rachael E. Miera

Civil Engineering ETDs

This study was conducted to investigate the application of manganese dioxide (MnO_x(s)) and granular activated carbon (GAC) media for the removal of the acetaminophen and caffeine. Treatment of emerging micropollutants has become a concern due to their effects on environmental health. Manganese oxides can be a viable alternative for water treatment due to their abundance in the environment. Laboratory scale flow through column experiments were performed using different combinations of commercial MnO_x(s) and GAC to assess the removal of caffeine and acetaminophen, and the release of Mn due to the reductive dissolution of MnO_x(s). Results …

The Icarus Floating Membrane Photobioreactor For Microalgae Cultivation In Wastewater: Advancing Technology From Lab To Field Prototype, Melanie Pickett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ICARUS membrane photobioreactor, conceptualized and preliminarily tested at the University of South Florida, provides a viable platform for algae cultivation using wastewater as a growth medium. Progression of the technology is tracked using NASA’s Technology Readiness Level scale, and is herein described. Through the work described in this manuscript, the technology has evolved from TRL 3 to TRL 5. Completing the suggested future work will readily move the technology to TRL 6 and beyond.

The first study investigated the co-location of algal cultivation with wastewater treatment. This coupling provides a steady source of water and nutrients for algal growth. …

Comparison Of Bacterial And Viral Reduction Across Different Wastewater Treatment Processes, Aayushi R. Vagadia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Today billions of people live without access to basic sanitation facilities, and thousands die every week due to diseases caused by fecal contamination associated with improper sanitation. It has thus become crucial for decision makers to have access to relevant and sufficient data to implement appropriate solutions to these problems. The Global Water Pathogen Project http://www.waterpathogens.org/ is dedicated to providing an up-to-date source of data on pathogen reduction associated with different sanitation technologies that are important if the world is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health and sanitation provision. In this research, a subset of the …

Application Of A Floating Membrane Algal Photobioreactor For Freshwater Aquaculture, Hsiang-Yang Shyu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the global population grows, water and food demand also increase. The intensive aquaculture industry has helped to mitigate these problems. In order to make aquaculture sustainable, it is necessary to remove the abundant nutrients produced by fish in the water. In this study, the role of the microalga of Chlorella vulgaris in the Isolated Cultivation of Algal Resources Utilizing Selectivity (ICARUS) membrane photobioreactor was evaluated for nutrient control in the aquaculture system. The production of algal biomass, the removal rate of nutrients, and the impact of microalgae on cultured organisms were monitored during the operation of aquaculture systems. At …

Evaluating Policy And Climate Impacts On Water Resources Systems Using Coupled Human-Natural Models, Hassaan Furqan Khan

Doctoral Dissertations

Extensive human intervention in the terrestrial hydrosphere means that virtually every river basin globally reflects the interaction between human and natural hydrologic processes. Thus, sustainable watershed management needs to not only account for the diverse ways humans benefit from the environment but also incorporate the impact of human actions on the natural system. Informed policy making to address our water challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of these feedbacks and how they might be affected by future changes in climate. This work develops coupled human-natural models for improved surface water and groundwater management in water-scarce regions under future changes in climate. …

Evaluation Of The Erodibility Of Soft Clays And The Influence Of Biopolymers, Pamela Judge

Doctoral Dissertations

Erosion of silts and clays is less well understood than erosion of sands. Further, current and anticipated climate change impacts along coastlines compel consideration of new approaches to coastal protection measures; seawalls and breakwaters designs now include natural and nature-based measures. The first research topic consists of the Adaptive Gradients Framework which was a theoretically-informed facilitation tool. The framework was intended to aid a collaborative and interdisciplinary decision-making process to encourage inclusion of natural and nature-based measures in coastal protection planning and design. This research is the culmination of a series of workshops and fieldtrips executed by the Sustainable Adaptive …

The Role Of Forests In Securing Hydropower Needs Of Cambodia, Mohit Kaura

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydropower relies on protection of watersheds to regulate water and sediment yields. Deforestation accelerates the rate of soil erosion, thereby increasing the amount of river sediments heading to the dam's reservoir, decreasing the longevity of the dam. In Cambodia in particular, recent deforestation rates are among the largest on the planet, and forests are expected to disappear within the lifespan of proposed dams. The cost of protecting and restoring forested watersheds can be considered as an annual investment towards sustainable reservoir management and hydropower generation. A modeling framework is developed to estimate the sediment accumulation in reservoirs from deforestation-driven soil …

Coupled Chemical Pre-Oxidation And Aerobic Bioremediation Of Buried Mc252 Oil Across A Headlands Beach Profile, Olivia Bramlet

LSU Master's Theses

The release of MC252 crude oil following the Deepwater Horizon event has emphasized the need to investigate factors controlling the extent of contamination degradation in coastal environments. Dam structures created on Fourchon Beach, LA established conditions for PAH and n-alkane accumulation and burial along a vertical profile that persists today due to the anaerobic, often anoxic, and hypersaline conditions of the groundwater. The ability to remove the oxygen limitation present on in situ aerobic biodegradation of buried petroleum-based hydrocarbons in this environment was investigated through the coupled process of chemical oxidation and enhanced bioremediation using a proprietary formulation of activated …

Electroflotation For Treatment Of Paint Wastewater: Experiments, Kinetics And Hydrodynamics, Syed Reza Mohtashami

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Electroflotation (EF) is a process used to remove suspended particles from water using the gas bubbles generated from the water electrolysis. This dissertation focuses on the fundamental principles and applications of EF in the treatment of industrial wastewaters, and in particular, treatment of automotive paint wastewater. In the first part, an extensive review of applications of electroflotation in the treatment of different categories of industrial wastewaters, including the fundamentals of the process, electrode materials, design aspects and process variables, is conducted. The second part is focusing on the kinetic study, statistical analysis and empirical modeling of available experimental data from …