Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Detoxification Of Petroleum Contaminated Coastal Plain Sandy Soil Using An Amended Vermicomposting Approach, John Charles Kraemer

Health Services Research Dissertations

This study explores the feasibility of utilizing an amended vermicomposting treatment approach for detoxifying petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated sandy soil. The bench-scale testing of gasoline and diesel contaminated soil using three test soil vessels and one control soil vessel was performed in a laboratory setting for a six week time period. The control soil received no treatment other than distilled water to maintain soil moisture. Treatment 1 consisted of direct application of liquid municipal biologic sludge on a weekly basis. Treatment 2 consisted of the addition of 30 Eisenia foetida earthworms and distilled water. Treatment 3 consisted of direct application of …

Stomach Content Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops Truncatus, In Virginia, 1987-1996, John Mcgurk

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

I examined the stomach contents from 94 bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, that were stranded along the Virginia coastline from 1987 through 1996. Samples from 1987 through 1991 were obtained from the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and samples from 1992 through 1996 were collected by the Virginia Marine Science Museum (VMSM) Stranding Team. Prey species were identified using fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks.

The dolphins examined fed on 23 species of fish and one genus of cephalopods. The primary prey species was Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus); secondary species were weakfish (Cynoscion regalia), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), …

Evaluation Of Solid Phase Extraction Followed By Supercritical Fluid Elution Of Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds In Toxicity Characteristic Leachates, William Edward Corl Iii

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) to determine the potential for unknown wastes to leach haz.ardous constituents into the environment. Methods currently being used for the extraction of semi-volatile organic compounds from aqueous TCLP leachates involve acid/base partitioning into methylene chloride. The concentrated extract is then analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The methods are either timeconsuming or labor intensive and they generate significant volumes of haz.ardous wastes themselves. Considering the haz.ards and disposal costs of methylene chloride wastes, great interest has been elicited by the EPA in other extraction techniques which would reduce …

Councilmanic Perceptions Of Water Policy For The Lake Gaston Water Supply Project In Virginia And North Carolina, Beverly Mcafee Hedberg

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The purpose of this case study is to analyze the perceptions of city council members in formulating and implementing policy on the Lake Gaston Water Supply Project in Virginia and North Carolina. A comparison of the perceptions of twenty-three members of three city councils: Henderson, North Carolina; Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina; and Virginia Beach, Virginia serves as the basis for analysis. Their perceptions of the issues and how they view other actors in the intergovernmental arena, within the context of the Lake Gaston Water Supply Project.

Specifically, the research examines how city council members view (1) water-policy issues, (2) the …

Development Of A Fluorescent Indicator For Inorganic Monochloramine, Xiaojun Dong Zou

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Current methods used to determine combined residual chlorine cannot distinguish between inorganic monochloramine (NH₂Cl) and organic chloramines. Studies described in this thesis were carried out to develop a novel method of determining the concentration of inorganic monochloramine in aqueous solutions. Based on the observation that the reaction of 3-formyl-1-methylpyridinium chloride (3FMPCl) with NH₂Cl produces a solution which is fluorescent, experiments were conducted to characterize the reaction and optimize the experimental conditions. Using the finalized protocol, NH₂Cl measurements were made in the presence and absence of organic amines and compared with a commonly used N, …

Microzooplankton Dynamics In Lower Chesapeake Bay And Its Major Tributaries, Gyung Soo Park

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study identified the temporal and spatial variability of microzooplankton density and biomass at 14 stations located within Chesapeake Bay and four rivers. Microzooplankton are defined as those heterotrophic organisms which range from 20 to 200 $\mu$m in size, and in this study were mainly composed of copepod nauplii, rotifers, and ciliates. Ciliates were the most abundant microzooplankton, comprising more than 90% of the total density, with copepod nauplii representing approximately 50% of the total microzooplankton biomass (carbon content). Rotifers contributed less than 5% for both density and biomass of the total microzooplankton.

Maximum ciliate abundance occurred from spring to …

Seasonal Abundance Of Autotrophic Picoplankton In The Pagan River, A Nutrient Enriched Subestuary Of The James River, Virginia, Lillian N. Davis, Karen A. Phillips, Harold G. Marshall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Autotrophic picoplankton had average monthly concentrations of 73.5 X 10⁶ cells/L in the Pagan River, with summer-early fall maxima of 10⁸ cells/L. The abundance peaks increased with rising water temperatures, declining to their least abundance in mid-winter (10⁵ cells/L).