Life Sciences Commons^™

Development Of Phase Change Thermal Storage Medium: Cooking With More Power And Versatility, Martin Osei

Masters Theses

With an Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (ISEC), a 100 W solar panel directly cooks food while providing 5W off-grid electricity access; but it cooks slowly. Storing the day’s energy with phase change thermal storage allows ISEC to cook more rapidly as well as cook after sunset. The ISEC is made by sticking a 3ohm resistive to an aluminum pot (inner phase change assembly PCA) where another cooking pot fits. The resistive heater is surrounded by a bigger pot (outer PCA) that contains the PCM and is tightly sealed. The solar panel is connected to the resistive heater with a thermal …

Effects Of Emerging Contaminants On Centrarchidae And Catostomidae In Midwestern Rivers: A Multiple Biomarker Approach, Camden Garret Nix

Masters Theses

Natural habitats of fish are gradually declining due to land use and pollution caused by industrial wastes, intensive agriculture and contamination from sewage systems. The United States has 14,780 wastewater treatment facilities that discharge effluent into navigable waters, and in some cases these discharge waters represent a considerable proportion of the water system flow. These activities make it critical to discern the effects of pollutants that are entering our waterways at a consistent rate, such as 17β-estradiol (E2) and nickel, on aquatic organisms. To determine the effects of 17β-estradiol on endocrine disruption in fish, Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) …

Seasonal Temperature Changes In Three Midwestern Wastewater Streams And The Effects On Fish Assemblages And Physiology, Ryan William Sparks

Masters Theses

Midwestern United States undergo extreme temperature and precipitation fluctuations throughout the year, which leads to changing habitats within Illinois river systems. Wastewater treatment facilities have long been used to treat sewage and reduce the organic products in sewage before releasing it into aquatic environments. Wastewater treatment facilities must maintain optimal conditions, especially temperature, for reproduction and growth of facilitated bacteria that break down organic materials in wastewater. The objectives for this study were to determine the thermal effects of wastewater treatment facilities on receiving waters; and secondly, to investigate the influence of these wastewater facilities on fish abundance and assemblages. …

Investigating The Prevalence Of An Insecticide Resistance Gene In Culex Mosquito Populations Of Central Illinois, Kylee R. Noel

Masters Theses

The globalization of society has led to the spread of the vectors, mosquitoes, and diseases. Each year millions of people are killed by diseases vectored by mosquitoes. For example, West Nile Virus alone killed over 2,000 people in North America in 2017; 8 of those deaths being in Illinois. Two prominent vectors of West Nile Virus are Culex pipiens and Culex restuans; which are difficult to differentiate based upon morphological features. In this study, mosquitoes collected from two Illinois counties, Coles County and Champaign County, were first identified based upon morphology and this identification was then compared to probe-based …

Detection Of Beta-Lactamase Variants In Municipal Wastewater And Fresh Water, Sunil Pandey

Masters Theses

The occurrence and spread of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) are pressing public health problems worldwide. A key factor contributing to the spread of ARGs is lateral gene transfer. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are measured hot spots of microbial diversity and resistance because they receive polluted wastewater from diverse sources and contain a variety of different environments with dense bacterial loads. Due to the overuse of antibiotics the genetic capacities of microbes have profited. This helps every source of resistance gene and every means of horizontal gene transmission to develop the multiple mechanism of resistance to each antibiotic used clinically, agriculturally, or …

Medicinal Properties Of Cyperus Species (Sedge Family, Cyperaceae), Lata Maishaya Udari

Masters Theses

The grasses that yield therapeutically important products are among the least studied in the Cyperaceae family. Herb-based medicine from ancient times have played a vital role in ailments of various disease and nowadays it has been a particular area of interest in medicine. Phytochemicals are inherent compounds derived from plants that are biologically active, non-nutritive chemicals that act as a defensive or prophylactic medicine in humans. Their extracts have proven to show inhibition properties against different microbes. Despite the prevalence of Cyperus species and their traditional use in medicine, the chemical components responsible for their attributes remain largely unknown. This …

Wastewater Influent And Effluent Concentrations Of 17 Beta-Estradiol: A Study Of The Influence Of A University Community And The Risk To Environmental Health, Kyle Heffron

Masters Theses

The concentration of 17β-estradiol (E2) was measured through stages of wastewater treatment at a central Illinois wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). E2 concentration was quantified using a competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The concentration of E2 was compared with demographic effects of a university, physical parameters of the wastewater (dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature) and daily influent and effluent flow rates. Effluent concentrations ranged from 0 to 25.3 ng L^-1 with an average discharge of 3.6 ng L^-1. E2 concentration was shown to increase at the start of each university semester, however, this trend was not observed …

The Effects Of 1, 3, & 7 Trisubstituted And 8-Cyclopentyl Alkylxanthines On Respiration In Newborn Rats, Nathan Creel Davidson

Masters Theses

Methylxanthines have been shown to be promising respiratory stimulants in newborns suffering from recurrent apnea. The respiratory stimulant effects of methylxanthines are most likely due to their antagonism of adenosine receptors. These drugs have been shown to stimulate respiration in newborn rats in doses in excess of 10 mg/kg body weight. Structure-activity studies have shown that methylxanthines not only differ in the antagonism of A₁ and A₂ adenosine receptors but also, as a consequence of their different chemical structures, differ in potency as respiratory stimulants. To assess this, two potent A₁ adenosine receptor antagonists, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) and …

Bioavailability, Bioaccumulation, And Trophic Transfer Of Trace Metals In The Tims Branch-Steed Pond Tributary, Paul Gethyn Edwards

Masters Theses

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) is a 777 km² former nuclear weapon material production and current research facility located along the Savannah River in west-central South Carolina. In 1954, direct environmental discharges were released from "M-Area", a fuel and aluminum-clad Uranium (U) nuclear reactor target manufacturing facility through a drainage ditch into the Tims Branch-Steed Pond water system. The wastewater discharges released into Tims Branch contained large volumes of inorganic wastes including depleted and natural U, aluminum (Al), and Nickel (Ni) along with smaller quantities of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and …

An Evaluation Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure And Sediment Toxicity In Lake Taylorville, Sanhita Datta

Masters Theses

Sediments act as a "sink" for xenobiotics which can be accumulated by a variety of organisms and thereby enter the food chain contaminating fish, wildlife and humans. Although the chemical nature of these substances can be known by direct chemical analysis of the sediments, the significance of the contaminants and their bioavailability should be determined through bioassay techniques. A survey of the benthic macroinvertebrates of Lake Taylorville, a reservoir in central Illinois which is fed by two rivers that drain a primarily agricultural area, revealed a rather depauperate fauna. Subsequent studies were conducted in order to identify the underlying cause …

Copper Accumulation By Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma Cepedianum) In The Charleston Side Channel Reservoir, Mark T. Christ

Masters Theses

Exposure to trace heavy metals is being extensively studied in relation to their adverse and toxic effects on organisms. Processes affecting compartmentalization, biogeochemical cycling, and transport of trace metals in ecological systems must be elucidated if the impact of trace metal releases on biota are to be understood. Because elemental cycles are often closely linked to hydrologic processes, freshwater and marine systems serve as both vectors and sinks for trace metals in the environment. The regular addition of a heavy metal into an aquatic ecosystem will undoubtedly increase its persistance for availability to the existing biota. Once in the environment, …

Cyanogenic Plants Of Illinois, Kevin E. Aikman

Masters Theses

Cyanogenesis in 50 species of vascular plants collected from east central Illinois was studied by examining 10 populations of each species. Each population consisted of 30 individuals, which gave an over all sample size of 300 plants per species. Herbarium specimens from the Stover Herbarium of Eastern Illinois University (EIU) were also tested for the presence of cyanide. More than 20,000 specimens were tested for this study which included cultivated plants, introduced weeds, and native plant species. The speed and degree of the HCN reaction as well as the specific plant part tested were included to give a more specific …

The Effects Of Xanthine Analogs On Neonatal Rat And Adult Mouse Respiration, Susan M. Reynolds

Masters Theses

Apnea, a prolonged cessation of breathing, is commonly seen in premature infants. This condition, in its severest form, can be lethal and is a suspected cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Sometimes referred to as apnea of prematurity, recurrent apnea is presently being treated with respiratory stimulants known as methylxanthines (MX) such as theophylline and caffeine. The benefits of MXs are accompanied by central nervous system stimulation and cardiostimulation which may be detrimental to a premature infant. Theophylline (1,3-diMX) has been shown to produce some of its effects by antagonizing endogenous adenosine. Another xanthine, enprofylline (3-propylxanthine), is presently being …

Analysis Of The Charleston, Illinois Water Supply For The Presence Of Organic Mutagens Utilizing The Ames Salmonella/Microsome Assay, Steven Lee Washburn

Masters Theses

Water samples from the Charleston, Illinois water supply and selected agricultural run-off areas were tested for the presence of organic mutagenic chemicals. The Ames Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay utilizing strains TA98 and TA100 was used to analyze concentrated water samples. A special set of samples was exposed to the S9 activation system coupled with the TA98 strain to simulate the mammalian metabolic system.

No mutagens were detected in any of the samples tested. Several positive and negative control systems were included in the testing system. Negative control systems were used to determine the average spontaneous reversion rates for each strain for …

The Effects Of Various Adenosine And Xanthine Analogues On Mammalian Sperm Motility, Daniel Joseph Cushing

Masters Theses

Caffeine, theophylline, and a number of other xanthine analogues have been shown to stimulate the motility of mammalian spermatozoa. The mechanism by which these compounds act was assumed to be cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition. However, it has recently been shown that many of the responses elicited by alkylxanthines and their analogues in various tissues are not the result of cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition but by antagonism of endogenous adenosine. Using the recently described transmembrane migration method this study observed the effect of a number of xanthine and adenosine analogues on mammalian sperm motility. The hypothesis to be tested was that the increase …

Residual Phytotoxicity Of Mon-097 In Sludge Enriched Soils, Jennifer A. Woods

Masters Theses

Aerobically and anaerobically digested sludges were added to soil at concentrations of 0, 1, 5, and 10% (v/v). Dry weights of Avena sativa var. Noble plants, harvested 28 days after planting, were greater with increased sludge concentrations. Plant dry weights were consistently greater with aerobically than with anaerobically digested sludge. MON-097, an acetanilide herbicide, was applied to these soil/sludge mixtures at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 ppm. Residual phytotoxicity of MON-097 was not significantly affected by sludge concentration. These results suggest that increased concentrations of sludge in the soil do not contribute to detoxification …

Inhibitors Affecting Bacterial Action In Reaerated Activated Sludge, Alice M. Dunn

Masters Theses

Inhibition of reaerated activated sludge was assessed using reduction of dissolved oxygen uptake by the microbial population as a criterion. Oxygen uptake is essential to biodegradation of the organic components in the activated sludge process; therefore, a decrease in dissolved oxygen uptake is an indication of reduced efficiency in wastewater treatment.

The irihibitors tested were cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, silver, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Terbacil and Zectran. The IIC₅₀, determined by extrapolation of plotted data, for each inhibitor in mg/l was Hg (20), Cu (50), Ag (43), Cd (115), Pb (550), and 2,4-D (430). The IIC₅₀ was determined …

The Distribution Of Cadmium, Chromium And Lead In Crabs, Clams And Oysters From Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana, Fritz Jaenike

Masters Theses

In November 1978, specimens of oysters (Crassostrea virginica), clams (Rangia cuneata), crabs (Callinectes sapidus) and water and sediment samples were collected from Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana. The concentrations of cadmium, chromium and lead were determined in the samples with an inductively coupled argon plasma direct reading emission spectrophotometer. Crab claw muscle, gill and carapace tissues were analyzed separately. Oysters and clams were separated into shell and whole soft tissue samples which were analyzed separately. The concentration order of the metals in crab carapace and in oyster shells was similar to that of the sediments, (Pb …

The Effects Of Residual Chlorine On Selected Microflora Of Kickapoo And Cassell Creek, James A. Mcgaughey

Masters Theses

The survival of fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, and heterotrophs after exposure to chlorine were compared in receiving waters of the Mattoon and Charleston, Illinois waste treatment facilities employing membrane filter techniques and Standard Plate Counts. Water samples were taken from receiving waters upstream from the treatment plant, from secondary effluent and chlorinated secondary effluent within the plant, and from downstream receiving waters. Stream flow contribution and plant effluent contribution required the calculation of dilution factors to determine expected numbers of the various microflora found downstream assuming no residual chlorine effect. Total chlorine concentration was measured by amperometric titration at the …

Mercury Levels In Muscle Tissue Of Stream-Dwelling Fish, Tom Frost

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Pesticide Residues In The Illinois Wild Turkey, John M. Bridges

Masters Theses

Adipose tissue from 55 turkeys, killed during the 1974 hunting season in southern Illinois, was grouped by age and location of the birds, and the pesticide concentrations in them were determined by gas/liquid chromatography. Twelve different pesticides were identified in the samples with only four, total DDT, heptachlor epoxide, toxaphene, and linuron, being present in all samples. Concentrations ranged from 0.02 ppm to 0.88 ppm.

Determination Of The Ld-50 Level For 2,4-D On Wild Type Culex Pipiens Mosquito Larvae In Illinois, William H. Ettinger

Masters Theses

The LD-50 levels for 2,4-D and Ronnel were determined and compared on the larvae of Culex pipiens Linneaus mosquitoes. The World Health Organization technique for the 24 hour bioassay was employed. Ronnel served as an indicator of susceptibility to pesticides and it was found that 2,4-D is toxic to mosquito larvae with an LD-50 level of 1.95 p.p.m. It was also found that a concentration of 20 p.p.m. ethanol or greater causes lethality in the larvae.

Pesticide Effects In A Simulated Soil Ecosystem, Raymond J. Samp

Masters Theses

The screening of pesticides to determine which were most inhibitory to bacteria was accomplished by testing the effects of 10 pesticides on 9 different organisms using the disk assay method. Results showed that Gram positive bacteria were more sensitive to all pesticides tested than were the Gram negative bacteria. In addition, the hormone herbicides were found to be the most inhibitory to these bacteria and 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), a hormone herbicide, was chosen for subsequent in vivo studies.

A soil perfusion apparatus was used to determine the effects of 2,4-D in a typical soil ecosystem. Bacterial plate counts and nutrient …

The Effect Of Thermal Increases On The Acute Toxicity Of Copper And Hexavalent Chromium To Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus), Alan Kirk Millis

Masters Theses

48-hr, 96-hr, and incipient median tolerance limits of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque) to copper and hexavalent chromium were determined at temperatures of 50, 60, 70, and 80 F. Standard static bioassay procedures were used. The incipient TLm for copper ranged from 0.56 ppm to 2.15 ppm and from 22.5 to 39.5 ppm for hexavalent chromium. The 48-hr and 96-hr results were somewhat higher. The highest resistance for both metals occurred at 70 F. At 80 F, however, there was a sharp decrease in tolerance. Increased oxygen consumption and opercular movement offer a possible explanation since they would …

A Study Of Organochlorine Insecticides In Freshwater Crayfish -- Analytical Problems And Biomonitoring Survey, Robert C. Vanderjack

Masters Theses

Crayfish were collected from 3 sites on Polecat Creek, Coles County, Illinois in early spring, early summer, and late summer of 1972. Pesticides were extracted from the crayfish tissue in a one step procedure utilizing a Florisil elution column. Analysis was by electron capture gas chromatography. Pesticide residues in the nannogram range were analyzed and background contamination was an important consideration. Sources of background contamination were investigated and teflon stopcocks, Florisil, and residues on “cleaned” glassware were found to be major contamination sources. Distilled water used in flushing glassware should also be considered a potential contamination source.

Aldrin, dieldrin, and …

Morphological And Physiological Effects Of 2,4-D On Gram-Negative And Gram-Positive Bacteria, John H. Rupnow

Masters Theses

Manometric, spectrophotometric, photomicrographic and quantitative biochemical techniques were employed to determine the morphological and physiological effects of 2,4-D on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

The growth and motility of Gram-positive bacteria appeared to be more adversely affected than the growth and motility of Gram-negative species. The terminal oxidation, lysis, and chain length of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria did not appear to be affected by the concentrations used. The average cell size of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was observed to increase after exposure to 1000 ppm 2,4-D. The normal leakage of amino acid and ultraviolet light absorbing cell constituents appeared …

Preliminary Observations On The Effects Of Treflan To Fishes, P. Bradley Latvaitis

Masters Theses

Treflan E.C. is a selective, preemergence, soil incorporated herbicide. Preliminary tests were made to evaluate its effects at concentrations of 0.75, 1.275 and 1.8 p.p.m. on twenty species of fresh water fishes in the laboratory. The herbicide was proven to be a powerful fish toxicant. Centrarchus, Cichlasoma centrarchus, was the most resistant fish tested, while Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, was among the least resistant. Treflan E.C. decomposes and degrades rapidly. It was also found to interact with plastics. Further studies are necessary to provide a complete investigation of the effects of Treflan on Fishes.

Industrial Pollution In Coles County, Illinois, Michael William Conlin

Masters Theses

The Anaconda American Brass Company at Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois was found to discharge waste containing excessive amounts of copper, hexavalent chromium, sulfates, acids, and alkalies. These wastes were found to enter an agricultural field tile system and to emit at the Shellhammer tile where they entered a small unnamed creek, a large pond along Interstate 57, and Riley Creek.

Tests of the Shellhammer tile and Anaconda American Brass Company effluent were conducted from March, 1970 thru May, 1971. Maximum concentrations determined were as follows: (1) copper -- 15.5 ppm; (2) hexavalent chromium -- 1.5 ppm; (3) pH -- range …