Engineering Commons^™

The Use Of Ultraviolet Radiation As A Means Of Destroying Microorganisms In Cherries, Jasur Safarov, Shaxnoza Sultanova, Pulatov M. Murodjon

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The article discusses methods for extending the shelf life of cherries, having previously treated it with an ultraviolet ray. The article also presents the results obtained, which prove that the shelf life of cherries exposed to ultraviolet increases. At the same time, the article describes in detail the processing technique and presents the results of research.

Characterization Of Lower Rio Grande Valley Watershed, Abdulkabir O. Aduragba

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Laguna Madre (LLM) is considered impaired because of the high concentration of bacteria and low level of dissolved oxygen (DO). LLM receives freshwater from the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) watershed. In other to understand the impairment, LRGV watershed is being studied by relying on water quality data of the contributing drainages and State resource geographic data to identify watershed boundary and pollutant sources.

The study on the North and Central LRGV watershed shows some correlation between the concentration of E. coli/Bacteria, Ammonia, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, Nitrate and Nitrite, Chlorophyll-a and the sources of pollutant in …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of Microplastic Removal And The Relationship Between Microplastics, Bacterial Communities, And Nitrogen Cycling In The Natural Treatment Systems At The Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility, Fiona Connor

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis addressed two challenging aspects of microplastic research, including the quantification of microplastics in organic-rich water, and the investigation of how microplastics impact microorganisms and related nutrient-cycling. Two projects were designed and executed to address specific research objectives relating to these broad topics. The first objective was to develop and implement methods to determine the effectiveness of microplastic removal across the natural treatment systems at the Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF). The second objective was to observe how microplastics found in domestic wastewater impact the bacterial communities and nitrogen cycling in freshwater treatment wetland sediment through a bench-scale experiment, …

Effects Of Surface Topography On Macrophages And Bacterial Cells, Joseph Carnicelli

Theses - ALL

An association has been found between the texture of breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, which led to some textured implants to be withdrawn from the market in 2019. There is evidence that these cancers are associated with the harboring of bacteria on the surfaces of the textured implants. It is possible that specific topographic features hinder the removal of attached bacteria by inhibiting macrophage phagocytosis or promoting biofilm formation. Here we examine how bacteria and macrophages interact with recessive surface topographies as analogs to the surfaces seen on textured breast implants. Changes in bacteria morphology were observed among …

A Microfluidic Assay For Single Cell Bacterial Adhesion Studies Under Shear Stress, Amanda Trusiak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study of bacterial adhesion to host cells is important in understanding bacterial pathogenesis and developing new therapeutic approaches. Here, we studied bacterial adhesion under shear stress using a novel microfluidic method. Specifically, the adhesion of a uropathogenic E. coli strain (FimHOn, ATCC 700928/CFT073) to mannose-modified substrates was studied under flow conditions. The FimHOn E. coli strain expresses FimH which is a mannose-specific adhesin found on the fimbriae that binds to glycoproteins on the epithelium. We developed a microfluidic method that mimics bacterial adhesion to urothelial cells. First, the microfluidic channels were modified by sequentially adsorbing BSA-mannose and BSA onto …

Impact Of Corrosion Inhibitors And Metals On Antibiotic Resistance In Drinking Water Distribution Systems, Lee Kimbell

Dissertations (1934 -)

Drinking water distribution systems are important for transporting clean drinking water. Antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in drinking water may pose risks to human and environmental health. Aging infrastructure such as metal pipes can experience significant corrosion, which can have impacts on the chemical and microbial water quality inside of drinking water systems. Chemicals are commonly added to drinking water to prevent corrosion (i.e., corrosion inhibitors). The metal pipe materials and corrosion inhibitors containing metals may have impacts on the bacteria and ARGs in drinking water systems. This research investigated the presence of ARGs in real-world …

المكافحة الحيوية لمرض عين لطاووس المتسبب عن فطر Spilocaea Oleagina على الزيتون باستخدام البكتيريا, Mazen Salman

Palestine Technical University Research Journal

The olive leaf spot disease caused by the fungus Spilocaea oleagina(Cast.) Hughes (syn. Cycloconium oleagina) is one of the most destructive diseases on olive trees causing losses that may reach 20% of the yield. The disease is controlled by the application of chemical fungicides which is not always feasible in providing proper protection against the pathogen. In this work we report the efficacy of Pseudomonas fluorescencisolate ORS3 and Bascillus atrophaeusisolate BATin controlling the disease under field conditions. An Olive field in, Tulkarm governorate, Palestine was selected. The olive trees were 5-10 years old and were highly infected with the olive …

Biodegradation Of Rubber Particles In Soil: Using Acclimated Bacteria Isolated From Kansas Soil To Degrade Cryogrinds In Slurry, Shane Graham

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study investigated the viability of bioremediating rubber cryogrind using enriched indigenous bacteria. To begin the experiment, soils from three highway roadside locations in Kansas, KS 96 and West, KS 400 and 143^rd, and 199^th, were collected and transported to the lab to be studied. An initial soil characterization was run on the soil samples using distilled (DI) water mixture and 0.01 M CaCl₂ to assess conductivity. The soils were tested to gather a baseline of the relationship between pH and conductivity and the impact of its distance from the roadside. Bacteria were isolated from …

In Situ Imaging Of Bacterial Outer Membrane Projections And Associated Protein Complexes Using Electron Cryo-Tomography, Mohammed Kaplan, Georges Chreifi, Lauren Ann Metskas, Janine Liedtke, Cecily R. Wood, Catherine M. Oikonomou, William J. Nicolas, Poorna Subramanian, Lori A. Zacharoff, Yuhang Wang, Yi-Wei Chang, Morgan Beeby, Megan J. Dobro, Yongtao Zhu, Mark J. Mcbride, Ariane Briegel, Carrie L. Shaffer, Grant J. Jensen

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The ability to produce outer membrane projections in the form of tubular membrane extensions (MEs) and membrane vesicles (MVs) is a widespread phenomenon among diderm bacteria. Despite this, our knowledge of the ultrastructure of these extensions and their associated protein complexes remains limited. Here, we surveyed the ultrastructure and formation of MEs and MVs, and their associated protein complexes, in tens of thousands of electron cryo-tomograms of ~90 bacterial species that we have collected for various projects over the past 15 years (Jensen lab database), in addition to data generated in the Briegel lab. We identified outer MEs and MVs …

Determination Of The Optimal Parameters For Self-Healing Efficiency Of Encapsulated Bacteria In Concrete Simulated Subtropical Climate, Momen R. Mousa, Marwa Hassan, Gabriel Andres Arce Amador, Ricardo Hungria

Data

Concrete is a remarkable construction material. However, its low tensile strength makes it prone to cracking, which negatively affects its durability. To address this issue, bacterial concrete has been implemented as a self-healing alternative due to its capability to seal microcracks through microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP). In this study, a bacterial strain (i.e, Bacillus Pseudiformus) was encapsulated through three different methods: encapsulation through hydrogel beads, vacuum impregnation on lightweight aggregates, and attachment to cellulose nanocrystals. Furthermore, three precursor types were used, magnesium acetate, calcium lactate, and sodium lactate were implemented. Compressive strength tests and flexural strength tests were performed …

Determination Of The Optimal Parameters For Self-Healing Efficiency Of Encapsulated Bacteria In Concrete Simulated Subtropical Climate, Momen R. Mousa, Marwa Hassan, Gabriel Andres Arce Amador, Ricardo Hungria, Andrea Gavilanes, Omar Kamal

Publications

Concrete is a remarkable construction material. However, its low tensile strength makes it prone to cracking, which negatively affects its durability. To address this issue, bacterial concrete has been implemented as a self-healing alternative due to its capability to seal microcracks through microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP). In this study, a bacterial strain (i.e, Bacillus Pseudiformus) was encapsulated through three different methods: encapsulation through hydrogel beads, vacuum impregnation on lightweight aggregates, and attachment to cellulose nanocrystals. Furthermore, three precursor types were used, magnesium acetate, calcium lactate, and sodium lactate were implemented. Compressive strength tests and flexural strength tests were performed …

Validation Of A Two-Dimensional Clinostat Design To Provide Functional Weightlessness To Custom Gas Exchange Vessels, Collin R. Topolski

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Understanding the impacts of microgravity on bacteria is vital for successful long duration space missions. In this environment, bacteria have been shown to become more virulent, more resistant to antibiotics and form more biofilms. To learn more about these phenomena, many experiments must be sent to the International Space Station, which is cost- and time prohibitive. Instead, the use of ground-based analogs is advantageous to define preliminary results that can later be verified with a space-based experiment. This research explored the development of an innovative 2D clinostat for simulating microgravity using bacteria. Computational fluid dynamics, standards established by previous literature …

Development Of Phagotrophic Algae-Based Process For Conversion Of Waste Organics To Algae Lipids As Potential Feedstock For Biofuel, Hannah Nelson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Interest in sustainable feedstock for biofuel has encouraged research on the production of phagotrophic algae from bacteria using a two-staged continuous-flow system. Bacteria cultures were fed the content of a waste stream from The J.M. Smuckers Company containing high concentrations of sugar. In the design, the bacteria effluent overflowed into the algae tank which was kept at a set volume. Several methods were developed to assist in maintaining the system at steady state and minimize the impact from contaminants. A rigorous cleaning protocol was implemented for both tanks, effectively eliminating protozoa from the bacteria system. The protozoa were decreased in …

The Resistive Barrier Discharge: A Brief Review Of The Device And Its Biomedical Applications, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper reviews the principles behind the design and operation of the resistive barrier discharge, a low temperature plasma source that operates at atmospheric pressure. One of the advantages of this plasma source is that it can be operated using either DC or AC high voltages. Plasma generated by the resistive barrier discharge has been used to efficiently inactivate pathogenic microorganisms and to destroy cancer cells. These biomedical applications of low temperature plasma are of great interest because in recent times bacteria developed increased resistance to antibiotics and because present cancer therapies often are accompanied by serious side effects. Low …

Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteria In A Toluene-Producing Enrichment Culture Derived From Contaminated Groundwater At A Louisiana Superfund Site, Madison Mikes

LSU Master's Theses

In an effort to better understand the role that various microbes may play in toluene production, bacteria from a toluene-producing enrichment culture derived from contaminated groundwater at a Superfund site were cultivated and isolated on low nutrient solid media. A total of 14 solid medium formulations containing varying pH ranges, carbon sources, solidifying agents, and incubation gas headspaces were used to obtain 278 isolates in pure culture. Isolated bacteria, identified using partial 16S rRNA gene sequences, were most closely related with the genera Anoxybacillus, Azospira, Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Cellulosimicrobium, Micrococcus, and Propionicimonas.

Further attempts …

Investigation Of Neoprene Medical Gloves: Analysis Of Material Properties, Durability, And Bacterial Barrier Efficacy, Amanda Agui

Honors Scholar Theses

This work aims to investigate the material properties, durability, and bacterial barrier efficacy of neoprene for applications in the healthcare/medical field. A special focus on material stiffness and fatigue failure will be explored. Additionally, manufacturer regulations and testing will be inspected to ensure medical gloves made of neoprene blends have a proper lifespan for its desired application in the healthcare community. The resistance of protective gloves and its ability to withstand perforation failure will be investigated to guarantee the safety of users holds extreme importance. Lastly, an analysis of the bacterial barrier efficacy of neoprene gloves will be determined.

A New Spatially-Resolved Method To Sample Biofilms From Drinking Water Fountains, Yi Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain, is a facility designed to provide drinking water in public space. It consists of a basin and a spout. The users need to bend down to the stream to collect or drink water. The history of water fountains can be traced back to ancient Rome. Even before potable water was provided to individual homes, water for drinking was already made available to citizens through access to public fountains. Nowadays, drinking water fountains usually exist in public places, like schools, hospitals, and libraries. Many jurisdictions in the United States require drinking fountains to …

Bacteria In Blood: Optimized Recovery Of Bacterial Dna For Rapid Identification, Ryan Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Blood stream infections are challenging infections to rapidly diagnose. The current clinical diagnostic methods for blood stream infections require culturing the blood sample prior to identifying the bacteria and any resistance the bacteria may contain. Removing the culturing step from the bacterial identification process of a blood stream infection provides a significant reduction in the processing time. However, eliminating the culturing step shifts the difficulty from processing time to concentration, since clinical concentration levels can be as low as 10 CFU/mL in blood. This dissertation developed and evaluated many aspects of the process required to identify bacteria from a blood …

Engineered Nanoparticles For Site-Specific Bioorthogonal Catalysis: Imaging And Therapy, Riddha Das

Doctoral Dissertations

Bioorthogonal catalysis offers a strategy for chemical transformations complementary to bioprocesses and has proven to be a powerful tool in biochemistry and medical sciences. Transition metal catalysts (TMCs) have emerged as a powerful tool to execute selective chemical transformations, however, lack of biocompatibility and stability limits their use in biological applications. Incorporation of TMCs into nanoparticle monolayers provides a versatile strategy for the generation of bioorthogonal nanocatalysts known as “nanozymes”. We have fabricated a family of nanozymes using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as scaffolds featuring diverse chemical functional groups for controlled localization of nanozymes in biological environments, providing unique strategies for …

Bacterial Cell Wall Characterization Via Atomic Force And Confocal Microscopy, Joree Sandin

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

Poor oral hygiene is a severe global health issue, with about 44% of the Earth’s population suffering from untreated tooth decay, accounting for over $100 billion dollars spent on dental services per year in the United States, alone. Manual treatments, such as brushing, flossing, or swishing with antiseptic rinse are the main ways to alleviate harmful bacteria that cause these oral health problems. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is a group of highly antibiotic, Gram-positive bacteria that heavily contribute to oral cavities, plaque build-up, and potential loosening or loss of dental implants if a biofilm develops. Currently, the mechanism …

Electrocoagulation As A Pretreatment For Electroxidation Of E. Coli, William Lynn, Joe Heffron, Brooke Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Insufficient funding and operator training, logistics of chemical transport, and variable source water quality can pose challenges for small drinking water treatment systems. Portable, robust electrochemical processes may offer a strategy to address these challenges. In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) and electrooxidation (EO) were investigated using two model surface waters and two model groundwaters to determine the efficacy of sequential EC-EO for mitigating Escherichia coli. EO alone (1.67 mA/cm², 1 min) provided 0.03 to 3.9 logs mitigation in the four model waters. EC alone (10 mA/cm², 5 min) achieved ≥1 log E. coli mitigation in all …

Self-Healing Concrete Using Encapsulated Bacterial Spores In A Simulated Hot Subtropical Climate, Marwa Hassan, Jose Milla, Tyson Rupnow, Ahsennur Soysal

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 18CLSU02. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Bacterial concrete has become one of the most promising self-healing alternatives due to its capability to seal crack widths through microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP). In this study, two bacterial strains were embedded at varying dosages (by weight of cement) in concrete. Beam specimens were used to identify the maximum crack-sealing efficiency, while cylinder samples were used to determine their effects on the intrinsic mechanical properties, as well as its stiffness recovery over time after inducing damage. The concrete specimens were cured …

Self-Healing Concrete Using Encapsulated Bacterial Spores In A Simulated Hot Subtropical Climate, Marwa Hassan, Jose Milla, Tyson Rupnow, Ahsennur Soysal

Publications

Bacterial concrete has become one of the most promising self-healing alternatives due to its capability to seal crack widths through microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP). In this study, two bacterial strains were embedded at varying dosages (by weight of cement) in concrete. Beam specimens were used to identify the maximum crack-sealing efficiency, while cylinder samples were used to determine their effects on the intrinsic mechanical properties, as well as its stiffness recovery over time after inducing damage. The concrete specimens were cured in wet-dry cycles to determine their feasibility in Region 6. The results showed that the specimen groups with …

Microbial Transport As Affected By Residue Cover And Manure Application Rate, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, Dave B. Marx, Chance A. Thayer, Brian L. Woodbury

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Manure is applied to cropland areas with varying surface cover to meet single- or multiple-year crop nutrient requirements. The objectives of this field study were to (1) examine microbial transport following land application of manure to sites with and without wheat residue, (2) compare microbial loads following land application to meet the 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8-year P-based requirements for corn, and (3) evaluate the effects of rainfall simulation run on microbial transport. Manure was added and incorporated by disking plots that were 0.75 m wide by 2.0 m long. Three 30 min simulated rainfall events, separated by 24 …

Wheat Strip Effects On Microbial Transport Following Variable Applications Of Beef Cattle Manure, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, David B. Marx, Chance A. Thayer, Bryan L. Woodbury

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Vegetative filter strips (VFS) consisting of perennial vegetation have been successfully used to reduce the transport of contaminants in runoff from land application areas. The effectiveness of a winter wheat strip, which may be more acceptable to producers, in reducing microbial transport was examined in this study. A 1.4 m wheat strip was used to allow direct comparison with experimental results obtained in previous studies. Beef cattle manure was applied to 0.75 m wide by 4.0 m long plots established on an Aksarben silty clay loam located in southeast Nebraska. Manure was added at rates required to meet the 0- …

Narrow Grass Hedge Effects On Microbial Transport Following Variable Applications Of Beef Cattle Manure, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, Dave B. Marx, Brian L. Woodbury

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

The effectiveness of a 1.4 m wide grass hedge in reducing microbial transport following manure application was examined in this study. Beef cattle manure was applied to 0.75 m wide by 4.0 m long plots established on an Aksarben silty clay loam located in southeast Nebraska. Manure was added at rates required to meet none or the 1-, 2-, or 4-year nitrogen requirements for corn. The transport of phages, total coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci was measured for three 30 min simulated rainfall events, which were separated by approximately 24 h intervals. The narrow grass hedge reduced total counts of …

Fungi: A Neglected Candidate For The Application Of Self-Healing Concrete, Congrui Jin, Rui Yu, Zhonghe Shui

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Self-healing mechanism in concrete has been so far achieved mainly by three approaches: autogenous healing, encapsulation of polymeric material, and biologically induced mineralization of calcium carbonate. The microbial approach prevails over the other two approaches due to the high compatibility between the filler material and the concrete compositions. Although the term “microbe” refers to many different types of organisms, research work on self-healing concrete has been so far restricted to bacteria. In this perspective article, we review the current status of bacteria-mediated self-healing concrete and summarize the prospects for future advances. In particular, we point out that fungi may have …

Structure-Property Relationships Of Polymer Films And Hydrogels To Control Bacterial Adhesion, Kristopher W. Kolewe

Doctoral Dissertations

The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance across microbial species necessitates the need for alternative approaches to mitigate the risk of infection without relying on commercial antibiotics. Biofilm-related infections are a class of notoriously difficult to treat healthcare-associated infections that frequently develop on the surface of implanted medical devices. As biofilm formation is a surface-associated phenomenon, understanding how the intrinsic properties of materials affect bacterial adhesion enables the development of structure-property relationships that can guide the future design of infection-resistant materials. Despite lacking visual, auditory, and olfactory perception, bacteria still manage to sense and attach to surfaces. Previously, it has …

Effectiveness Of Biocide Substitution And Management Plan Implementation For The Control Of, Adelmarie Bones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

After the notorious outbreak and discovery of Legionella bacteria in 1976, the waterborne pathogen was added to the list of disease-causing agents associated with the built environment. Legionella pneumophila was discovered when it was identified as the agent that caused 34 deaths and an outbreak of pneumonia-like symptoms in several attendees of the 1976 American Legion Convention held in Philadelphia (OSHA, 2017).

Recently published data from the year 2015 reported more than 6,000 Legionnaires’ cases identified in the United States (CDC, 2016). This is a concerning number given that one in every ten infected persons will die of the disease. …

Research Of Sustainable Jet Fuel Production Using Microbes, Rajee Olaganathan

Publications

Global climate change, coupled with rapidly increasing oil prices and energy demand around the world, has paved a way for intense research in the biofuel sector. Stakeholders in the aviation industry have started to focus on bio-jet fuel. Bio-jet fuel is regarded as a sustainable solution to greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand. This paper provides a brief review of the biofuel production technologies, the role of bacteria in producing hydrocarbons and the recent advancements in microbial engineering to enhance the biofuel production. Finally, this paper concludes by highlighting the challenges and future research implications in bio-jet fuel production.