Plastic Pollution, Fall/Winter 2019, Issue 39,
2019
University of Louisville
Implementation Of National Policies For A Total Asbestos Ban: A Global Comparison,
2019
China Medical University
Implementation Of National Policies For A Total Asbestos Ban: A Global Comparison, Ro-Ting Lin Phd, Lung-Chang Chien Drph, Masamine Jimba Phd, Sugio Furuya Bec, Ken Takahashi Phd
Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications
Background Two international Conventions from the International Labor Organization (ILO; C162 Asbestos Convention) and the UN (Basel Convention) offer governments guidelines for achieving a total asbestos ban policy, but the long-term effect of these Conventions on policy implementation, and the role of government effectiveness, remains unknown. We aimed to investigate associations between government ratification of the ILO and UN international Conventions, government effectiveness, and implementation of a national total asbestos ban. Methods We obtained data for year of a national asbestos ban, year of ratification of one or both international Conventions, and World Bank government effectiveness scores for 108 countries …
Modeling Irrigation Behavior In Groundwater Systems,
2019
Imperial College London
Modeling Irrigation Behavior In Groundwater Systems, Timothy Foster, Nicholas Brozovic, Adrian P. Butler
Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications
Integrated hydro-economic models have been widely applied to water management problems in regions of intensive groundwater-fed irrigation. However, policy interpretations may be limited as most existing models do not explicitly consider two important aspects of observed irrigation decision making, namely the limits on instantaneous irrigation rates imposed by well yield and the intraseasonal structure of irrigation planning. We develop a new modeling approach for determining irrigation demand that is based on observed farmer behavior and captures the impacts on production and water use of both well yield and climate. Through a case study of irrigated corn production in the Texas …
Water Productivity In Meat And Milk Production In The Us From 1960 To 2016,
2019
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Water Productivity In Meat And Milk Production In The Us From 1960 To 2016, Mesfin Mekonnen, C.M.U. Neale, Chittaranjan Ray, Galen E. Erickson, Arjen Y. Hoekstra
Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications
Global demand for livestock products is rising, resulting in a growing demand for feed and potentially burdening freshwater resources to produce this feed. To offset this increased pressure on water resources, the environmental performance of livestock sector should continue to improve. Over the last few decades, product output per animal and feedstuff yields in the US have improved, but before now it was unclear to what extent these improvements influenced the water productivity (WP) of the livestock products. In this research, we estimate changes in WP of animal products from 1960 to 2016. We consider feed conversion ratios (dry matter …
Federal Jurisdiction For Above-Ground Oil Storage Tanks: A Practical Analysis For Navigating Federal Regulations,
2019
St. Mary's University School of Law
Federal Jurisdiction For Above-Ground Oil Storage Tanks: A Practical Analysis For Navigating Federal Regulations, Kathryn Hussong
St. Mary's Law Journal
Clear, consistent, and concise jurisdictional boundaries will aid pipeline operators to determine which regulations apply to their operations and associated facilities. This will help alleviate legal and financial risk to pipeline operators, who may be liable for noncompliance regardless of whether the pipeline operator or the associated refinery commits the violation. Overlapping state and federal regulations of pipelines and refineries has created confusion amongst operators regarding what regulations apply to their facilities. Three federal agencies—the Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) respectively—and a myriad of state agencies simultaneously …
Interglacial Expansion Of Alpine Glaciers In Garwood Valley, Antarctica,
2019
University of Maine
Interglacial Expansion Of Alpine Glaciers In Garwood Valley, Antarctica, Laura Mattas
Honors College
It is important to understand the response of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) to ongoing global atmospheric and oceanic warming to anticipate future sea-level change. There are several contrasting views in this regard. Harig and Simons (2015) concur with the IPCC (2013) conclusion that, in recent decades, outflow across the peripheral grounding lines of the ice sheet has exceeded increased accumulation on the interior surface of the ice sheet. In contrast, Zwally et al. (2015) suggest that recent surface accumulation in the interior East and West Antarctica has outpaced peripheral losses. They further suggest that this recent positive imbalance adds …
How Pennsylvanians Define Environmental Justice,
2019
Ursinus College
How Pennsylvanians Define Environmental Justice, Kayla Hofmann
Sociology Summer Fellows
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) defines an environmental justice area as any census tract that partially or wholly includes a 30 percent or greater minority population or 20 percent or more of a population living in poverty. However, little is known about how the average Pennsylvanian defines environmental justice, hindering our ability to determine whether the current definition is adequate. Using transcripts from nine listening sessions on the DEP’s tour of affected counties, I address 3 questions: (1) How do people define environmental justice? (2) What do people think are the most pressing issues in each county? And …
Plastics By The Number,
2019
WellBeing International
Plastics By The Number, Andrew N. Rowan
WellBeing News
Great Britain’s Royal Statistical Society selected a “plastic fact” – that 90.5% of all plastics ever made have never been recycled – as its Statistic of the Year. Plastic waste is now so widespread that it has been proposed as an indicator of the beginning of the Anthropocene era when humans began to alter the world’s ecosystem significantly. The amount of plastic that has entered the oceans is actually a relatively small percentage of the total and, with concerted global action, it should be possible to make a real difference and save the marine creatures that are dying because their …
Renewable Energy Access And Resilience In Urban Developing Areas: Distributed Solar Networks And Peer-To-Peer Energy Trading In Puerto Rico,
2019
Yale University
Renewable Energy Access And Resilience In Urban Developing Areas: Distributed Solar Networks And Peer-To-Peer Energy Trading In Puerto Rico, Pascale Bronder
Harvey M. Applebaum ’59 Award
This senior essay under the Environmental Studies major at Yale University explores the environmental and social benefits of applying innovative technology to the energy sector. Three types of energy networks are analyzed, focusing on the use of distributed energy and peer to peer energy trading on a blockchain platform. The benefits of distributed renewable energy networks can most strongly be applied to locations in need of more reliable, resilient, and cost-effective electricity. Puerto Rico is a case study. Methods include analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration and Census Bureau data as well as personal interviews with Puerto Rican energy developers. …
Estimating Live Fuel Moisture Using Smap L-Band Radiometer Soil Moisture For Southern California, Usa,
2019
Chapman University
Estimating Live Fuel Moisture Using Smap L-Band Radiometer Soil Moisture For Southern California, Usa, Shenyue Jia, Seung Hee Kim, Son V. Nghiem, Menas Kafatos
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
Live fuel moisture (LFM) is a field-measured indicator of vegetation water content and a crucial observation of vegetation flammability. This study presents a new multi-variant regression model to estimate LFM in the Mediterranean ecosystem of Southern California, USA, using the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) L-band radiometer soil moisture (SMAP SM) from April 2015 to December 2018 over 12 chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) LFM sites. The two-month lag between SMAP SM and LFM was utilized either as steps to synchronize the SMAP SM to the LFM series or as the leading time window to calculate the accumulative SMAP SM. …
Assessment Of Excess Thyroid Cancer Risk Following A Hypothetical Radiological Incident In Louisiana And Best-Case Risk Reduction Achieved By Thyroid Blockade,
2019
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Assessment Of Excess Thyroid Cancer Risk Following A Hypothetical Radiological Incident In Louisiana And Best-Case Risk Reduction Achieved By Thyroid Blockade, Garrett A. Otis
LSU Master's Theses
Radioactive isotopes of iodine are produced by nuclear power plants as a byproduct of nuclear fission reactions. If these isotopes are released into the environment, such as during a breach of containment, they constitute a health risk to exposed individuals. To mitigate the risk of thyroid cancer due to exposure to radioactive iodine, “iodide prophylaxis,” also known as “thyroid blockade,” can be used, usually by administration of potassium iodide (KI). In some areas of the world, KI has been provided to the general public by their governments as a precautionary measure against potential nuclear power plant incidents. However, in the …
Data From: Microplastic Concentrations In Two Oregon Bivalve Species: Spatial, Temporal, And Species Variability,
2019
Portland State University
Data From: Microplastic Concentrations In Two Oregon Bivalve Species: Spatial, Temporal, And Species Variability, Britta Baechler, Elise F. Granek, Matthew V. Hunter, Kathleen E. Conn
Environmental Science and Management Datasets
Microplastics are an ecological stressor with implications for ecosystem and human health when present in seafood. We quantified microplastic types, concentrations, anatomical burdens, geographic distribution, and temporal differences in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula) from 15 Oregon coast, U.S.A. sites. Organisms were chemically digested and visually analyzed for microplastics, and material type was determined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Microplastics were present in organisms from all sites. On average, whole oysters and razor clams contained 10.95 ± 0.77 and 8.84 ± 0.45 microplastic pieces per individual, or 0.35 ± 0.04 and …
Assessment Of Spray Polyurethane Foam Worker Exposure To Organophosphate Flame Retardants Through Measures In Air, Hand Wipes, And Urine,
2019
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Assessment Of Spray Polyurethane Foam Worker Exposure To Organophosphate Flame Retardants Through Measures In Air, Hand Wipes, And Urine, Cf Estill, J Slone, Et Al, Mark J. La Guardia, Et Al
VIMS Articles
Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP, also referenced as TCIPP), a flame retardant used in spray polyurethane foam insulation, increases cell toxicity and affects fetal development. Spray polyurethane foam workers have the potential to be exposed to TCPP during application. In this study, we determined exposure to TCPP and concentrations of the urinary biomarker bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCPP) among 29 spray polyurethane foam workers over 2 work days. Work was conducted at residential or commercial facilities using both open-cell (low density) and closed-cell (high density) foam. Study participants provided two personal air samples (Day 1 and Day 2), two hand wipe samples (Pre-shift Day …
An Urban Karst Aquifer Resource Evaluation And Monitoring Toolbox,
2019
Western Kentucky University
An Urban Karst Aquifer Resource Evaluation And Monitoring Toolbox, Rachel Anne Kaiser
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
In urban karst areas, such as the City of Bowling Green, Kentucky and the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Area, groundwater quality faces a variety of threats. The development of residential, commercial, and industrial landuse types allows for a wide variety of groundwater pollutants to enter the karst groundwater systems. Various different models and indices have attempted evaluative approaches to identify issues in urban karst areas, but the methods vary by location and lack a focus on urban karst groundwater quality. There also exists a lack of a data-driven approach that is able to capture short- and long-term changes in threats to …
A Tourism Impact Index For Water-Based Natural Attractions Field-Tested In Subarctic And Maritime Climates,
2019
Western Kentucky University
A Tourism Impact Index For Water-Based Natural Attractions Field-Tested In Subarctic And Maritime Climates, Jason Fox
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Tourism in cold and cool-climate regions is largely characterized by recreational and sightseeing activities at water-based natural attractions such as beaches, coastal cliffs, and waterfalls. While the economic benefits of the tourism industry can contribute to a sustainable future for these regions, the environmental implications of a hastilydeveloped industry cannot be ignored given that cold-climate and cool-climate landscapes are at risk of rapid environmental change from a warming climate and other environmental concerns. This study consisted of the development of the Tourism Impact Index for Water-Based Natural Sites, the first of its kind, and its application and refinement in the …
Applying Science To Pressing Conservation Needs For Penguins,
2019
University of Washington
Applying Science To Pressing Conservation Needs For Penguins, P. D. Boersma, P. García Borboroglu, Natasha J. Gownaris, C. A. Bost, A. Chiaradia, S. Ellis, T. Schneider, P. J. Seddon, A. Simeone, P. N. Trathan, L. J. Waller, B. Wienecke
Environmental Studies Faculty Publications
More than half of the world's 18 penguin species are declining. We, the Steering Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group, determined that the penguin species in most critical need of conservation action are African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) , Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) , and Yellow‐eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) . Due to small or rapidly declining populations, these species require immediate scientific collaboration and policy intervention. We also used a pairwise‐ranking approach to prioritize research and conservation needs for all penguins. Among the 12 cross‐taxa research areas we identified, we ranked quantifying …
Coral Reef Change Detection In Remote Pacific Islands Using Support Vector Machine Classifiers,
2019
Chapman University
Coral Reef Change Detection In Remote Pacific Islands Using Support Vector Machine Classifiers, Justin J. Gapper, Hesham El-Askary, Erik Linstead, Thomas Piechota
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
Despite the abundance of research on coral reef change detection, few studies have been conducted to assess the spatial generalization principles of a live coral cover classifier trained using remote sensing data from multiple locations. The aim of this study is to develop a machine learning classifier for coral dominated benthic cover-type class (CDBCTC) based on ground truth observations and Landsat images, evaluate the performance of this classifier when tested against new data, then deploy the classifier to perform CDBCTC change analysis of multiple locations. The proposed framework includes image calibration, support vector machine (SVM) training and tuning, statistical assessment …
Shale Play: Poems And Photographs From The Fracking Fields By Julia Spicher Kasdorf And Steven Rubin,
2019
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Shale Play: Poems And Photographs From The Fracking Fields By Julia Spicher Kasdorf And Steven Rubin, Kelly Shepherd
The Goose
Review of Julia Spicher Kasdorf and Steven Rubin's Shale Play: Poems and Photographs from the Fracking Fields
Incorporating Antecedent Soil Moisture Into Streamflow Forecasting,
2019
University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley
Incorporating Antecedent Soil Moisture Into Streamflow Forecasting, Abdoul Oubeidillah, Glenn Tootle, Thomas Piechota
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
This study incorporates antecedent (preceding) soil moisture into forecasting streamflow volumes within the North Platte River Basin, Colorado/Wyoming (USA). The incorporation of antecedent soil moisture accounts for infiltration and can improve streamflow predictions. Current Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) forecasting methods are replicated, and a comparison is drawn between current NRCS forecasts and proposed forecasting methods using antecedent soil moisture. Current predictors used by the NRCS in regression-based streamflow forecasting include precipitation, streamflow persistence (previous season streamflow volume) and snow water equivalent (SWE) from SNOTEL (snow telemetry) sites. Proposed methods utilize antecedent soil moisture as a predictor variable in addition …
Species Determination Of Ulvoid Algae Through Genotyping; What Are The Environmental Implications?,
2019
Seattle Pacific University
Species Determination Of Ulvoid Algae Through Genotyping; What Are The Environmental Implications?, Kora S. Krumm
Honors Projects
Ulva is a genus of marine green algae native to many of the world’s coastlines and is especially difficult to identify via traditional methods such as dichotomous keying. This project aims to streamline taxonomic classification of Ulva species through DNA sequence analysis. Local samples of Ulva were obtained from Puget Sound, Seattle, WA, and two target genes (rbcL and its1) were amplified via PCR and sequenced for comparative analysis between samples. Ulvoids have a detrimental impact on marine ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest due to their role in eutrophication-caused algal blooms, and reliable identification can help inform conservation …
