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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Optimization Of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron For The Remediation Of Groundwater Contaminants, Andrew W. E. Mcpherson Mar 2012

Optimization Of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron For The Remediation Of Groundwater Contaminants, Andrew W. E. Mcpherson

Theses and Dissertations

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) is an emerging tool for the remediation of groundwater contaminants. The nanoparticles are capable of reductively destroying or immobilizing a wide range of contaminants. Their small size results in a high surface area to mass ratio, making them much more reactive compared to their more-coarse predecessors. Small particle size also allows nZVI particles to be injected directly into contaminated areas via a well, limiting the above-ground footprint and allowing access to contaminated areas that are beyond the reach of some conventional methods. nZVI technology has the potential to facilitate remediation in difficult situations, improve remediation outcomes, …


Evaluation Of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Activated Sludge For Biodegradation Of Propylene Glycol As An Aircraft Deicer, Justin D. Delorit Mar 2012

Evaluation Of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Activated Sludge For Biodegradation Of Propylene Glycol As An Aircraft Deicer, Justin D. Delorit

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft deicing fluid used at airport facilities is often collected for treatment or disposal in order to prevent serious ecological threats to nearby surface waters. This study investigated lab scale degradation of propylene glycol (PG), the active ingredient in a common aircraft deicing fluid, by way of a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor containing municipal waste water treatment facility activated sludge (AS) performing simultaneous organic carbon oxidation and nitrification. The ability of AS to remove PG was evaluated by studying the biodegradation and sorption characteristics of PG in an AS medium. The results indicate sorption may play a role in the …


Biodegradation Of Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agents By Activated Sludge, Steven J. Schuldt Mar 2012

Biodegradation Of Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agents By Activated Sludge, Steven J. Schuldt

Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphates (OPs) have been widely used as Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs) as well as pesticides since World War II and still remain a threat to national security. While efforts have been taken at military installations and civilian communities to secure these chemicals and prevent their misuse, a determined adversary could still obtain and deploy them to injure, kill, or instill terror. The lethal properties of this group of compounds are primarily owed to their irreversible inhibition of the enzyme acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) and thus may alter the human nervous system or affect the hormonal balance of children in particular. In …