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Articles 1 - 10 of 10
Full-Text Articles in Environmental Sciences
Fate And Reactivity Of Natural And Manufactured Nanoparticles In Soil/Water Environments, Allison Vandevoort
Fate And Reactivity Of Natural And Manufactured Nanoparticles In Soil/Water Environments, Allison Vandevoort
All Dissertations
Nanoparticles (NPs), < 100 nm in diameter, make up the smallest component of solid material. This small size often causes increased reactivity in soil/water environments, which is true for both natural NPs, such as very fine clay particles, and for manufactured nanoparticles, such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). As the importance of these particles is more widely recognized, and as manufactured nanoparticles, especially AgNPs, are increasing in production, it is essential to consider their effect on terrestrial and aquatic environments. The studies presented in this dissertation show that both the physicochemical characteristics of the NPs (e.g., particle size, surface coating, elemental composition), as well as soil-water interfacial chemistry (e.g., ionic strength, ligand concentration, pH), are instrumental in predicting environmental fate and reactivity.
Ligand type and concentration were especially important in NP reactivity and bioavailability. Using the hard/soft acid/base concept, the effect of phosphate ligand (hard base) on Fe/Al (hard acid) oxyhydroxide natural NPs was investigated in Chapters 2 and 3. Adding phosphate to soil NPs and reference nano-minerals (Fe-(oxyhydr)oxides and kaolinite) caused coagulation or dispersion, changing the particle size of the NPs, as well as affecting the amount of phosphate in its bioavailable (i.e., dissolved) form. A review of the literature in Chapters 1 and 3 revealed that changes in the soil conditions, and therefore, soil colloids/NPs (e.g., increasing organic …
Spider Mediation Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Transport And Transformation Across Riparian Ecotones, Diana Delach
Spider Mediation Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Transport And Transformation Across Riparian Ecotones, Diana Delach
All Dissertations
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminate the sediment of the Twelvemile Creek / Lake Hartwell Superfund Site, and are known to be transported throughout the resident biota via trophic transport. Riparian spiders have recently become of interest because they are terrestrial organisms that have significant PCB exposures derived from aquatic sources. Many riparian spiders primarily consume insects emerging from contaminated aquatic systems, and these spiders can have a body burden as high as 2900 ng/g lipid. These emergent insects carry contaminants out of the river and into the riparian zone where they are captured by spiders, which effectively directs the contamination towards …
Conservation Needs Of Nearshore Seabirds In The Southeastern U.S. Addressed Through Habitat Use Surveys And Assessments Of Health And Mercury Concentrations, Lisa Eggert
All Dissertations
Seabirds encounter a range of natural and anthropogenic stressors in the nearshore environment and are ideal candidate species for long-term monitoring of changes to coastal systems. The mitigation of threats to nearshore seabirds requires management of essential coastal habitat and monitoring population health and trends. In this dissertation, I first evaluated intertidal habitat use for a suite of coastal species as it relates to management practices at a seabird nesting island in South Carolina. Specifically, my objectives were (1) to determine intertidal areas of high bird abundance, (2) to examine course-scale habitat characteristics and human use of intertidal areas associated …
Sorption And Enantiomerization Of Current Use Chiral Pesticides, April Hall
Sorption And Enantiomerization Of Current Use Chiral Pesticides, April Hall
All Dissertations
Chiral pesticides are prevalent in the environment today and are known to react selectively with chiral environmental components such as microbes, enzymes, and other naturally occurring chiral materials. In addition, chiral sorption is a process that has been occasionally investigated in the study of homochirality (the exclusive presence of one enantiomer in living organisms), but almost overlooked in environmental science. For chiral sorption to occur, the sorbent and sorbate must be chiral entities. In the environment, there are abundant natural surfaces that are chiral, including clay minerals and organic matter present in soil, sediment and aqueous solution. A knowledge of …
The Behavior And Toxicity Of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles In Aqueous Solution, Phenny Mwaanga
The Behavior And Toxicity Of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles In Aqueous Solution, Phenny Mwaanga
All Dissertations
The dissolution and aggregation of metal oxides nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous solution not only alter the abundance and toxicology of NPs, but also makes the effective assessment and the correct interpretation of effects of NPs on organisms challenging. The extent to which these processes (dissolution and aggregation) occur largely depend on pH, ionic strength, dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) and NPs characteristics. This study investigated the dissolution and aggregation behavior of the four metal oxide NPs (nZnO, nCuO, nFe2O3 and nTiO2) in aqueous solution as influenced by pH, ionic strength and NOM and examined the toxicity of these NPs to …
Avian Phenology, Climate, And Land-Use Conservation Assessed At Broad Spatial And Temporal Scales Using Interdisciplinary Approaches And Citizen Science, Jason Courter
All Dissertations
Current natural resource challenges include global alteration of land cover, loss of biodiversity, impacts from increasing demands for agricultural products, and climate change. Birds are often used to assess the effects of ecological stressors because they are sensitive to environmental changes, ubiquitous and charismatic, and long-term monitoring programs have been in place for more than a century. I demonstrate the effects of climate change on avian migration and nesting dates and the potential value of using interdisciplinary approaches and citizen science to address contemporary ecological challenges. I examine Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) migration in the eastern United States from 1880-2010 …
The Influence Of Land Use On Fish Health And Fish Communities In Wadeable Steams In South Carolina, Andrew Sayer
The Influence Of Land Use On Fish Health And Fish Communities In Wadeable Steams In South Carolina, Andrew Sayer
All Dissertations
In 2011 the State of South Carolina population was over 4.6 million people and has increased at a rate of around 15% (1.5% per year) throughout the last decade. While the population density per square mile is relatively low compared to other US states, it seems certain the population will further increase in years to come. Increasing population density leads to urbanization resulting in an increase in impervious surfaces such as roadways, parking lots, and building roofs. This changing land use can have dramatic effects on smaller streams and creeks which form the upper reaches of watersheds. Although water systems …
The Influence Of Flagship Species On In Situ And Ex Situ Wildlife Tourists' Connection To Wildlife And Pro-Conservation Behaviors, Jeffrey Skibins
The Influence Of Flagship Species On In Situ And Ex Situ Wildlife Tourists' Connection To Wildlife And Pro-Conservation Behaviors, Jeffrey Skibins
All Dissertations
Annually, millions of tourists visit natural areas and zoos primarily to view flagship species such as lions and elephants. Venues rely on the inherent charisma of these species to increase visitation and anchor conservation efforts. Expected visitor outcomes from the use of flagships include raised levels of awareness and pro-conservation behaviors. However, the role of flagships in wildlife tourism has been criticized for not delivering conservation benefits for species of interest or biodiversity, and producing negative site impacts. Furthermore, little is known about how the connection to a species influences conservation behaviors. This dissertation addresses this gap in knowledge by …
Mass Latex Balloon Releases And The Potential Effects On Wildlife, Stephan Irwin
Mass Latex Balloon Releases And The Potential Effects On Wildlife, Stephan Irwin
All Dissertations
The first component of the study examined the fate of balloons after release to determine aspects of where, in what state, and how long they persist in the environment to assess potential risk of exposure to wildlife. Tagged balloons from sporting events gave estimates of mean distances traveled from releases. Effects on the structural integrity of the latex balloon as it reaches the upper atmosphere were also tested to determine the physical state when fragments landed. Degradation studies were conducted to determine the length of time latex can persist in the environment after exposure to various environmental conditions (sun, shade, …
Development And Application Of Novel Detection Methods For Aqueous Radioactive Iodine, Kelly Grogan
Development And Application Of Novel Detection Methods For Aqueous Radioactive Iodine, Kelly Grogan
All Dissertations
Novel detection and analysis methods for radioactive iodine concentration and speciation were investigated for aqueous samples. Radioactive iodine is one of the primary risk-drivers at nuclear waste facilities, and regulations for the presence of radioactive iodine in drinking water are stringent. The first phase of this investigation described the development and characterization of a scintillating anion-exchange resin preferential for aqueous iodine in the form of iodide (I-). The resin was incorporated into a radiochromatography flow-cell scintillation detection system that allowed for simultaneous separation, concentration, and detection of aqueous 129I. The performance of this analytical method was characterized with both on-line …