Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Hydraulic Boundary Conditions Determine Biofilm Growth Patterns And Permeability In Groundwater, Jason Tyler Mick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Biofilms are naturally occurring consortia of bacteria that colonize porous media such as streambed sediments, soils, and aquifers. Biofilm growth leads to clogging (i.e., bioclogging), which reduces the porosity and permeability of the porous medium and directly influences how nutrients and contaminants are transported and transformed in groundwater. To improve our understanding of how bioclogging regulates nutrient and contaminant fluxes, we must better characterize how flow conditions influence the spatial and temporal progression of biofilm growth within natural porous media geometries, as well as understand how this progression alters fluid flow.

In this study, I conducted microfluidic experiments to test …

Supporting Holistic, Informed, Decision-Making Through The Complementarity Of Life Cycle Assessment And Radiological Protection, Bryanna Wattier-Weisensee

All Dissertations

Decision making is challenging and it is necessary to consider all relevant data to make an informed decision. The work herein provides a pathway wherein the fields of radiological protection and life cycle assessment (LCA) can be utilized synergistically to benefit the decision-making using the other (and vice versa). Specifically, LCA parallels decision-aiding techniques used in the optimization of radiological protection and LCA includes an ionizing radiation potential (IRP) impact category wherein the impacts associated with an emission of radioactive material is quantified to determine the human health impact. Thus this body of work focuses on (1) expanding the platform …

A Mass Balance Model Of The Great Salt Lake, Ut With Adaptive Management Applications, Diana Dunn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt, Utah, USA is a saline lake that provides critical habitat for ecologic communities and generates $1.3 billion annually. It has gone through detrimental change since the 20^th century. Streamflow reaching the lake has been decreased by upstream withdrawal for industrial and municipal use, causing the lake level to drop and salinity to increase to unhealthy levels. Further, in 1959, it was segregated into north and south sections by a railroad causeway. Due to the causeway and limited exchange of water through two bridges, the lake sections have significantly different water surface elevation and salinity levels. The …

Uptake Of Contaminants Of Emerging Concerns (Cecs) By Plants Irrigated With Recycled Waters, Abid Hussain

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The increasing demand for water in arid and semi-arid regions necessitates the use of recycled water (RW) for irrigation. RW is a viable alternative to conventional irrigation water at most locations, but it can be a major route for contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) to be taken up by the tissues of food crops, thereby leading to their subsequent entry into the food chain. CECs include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and industrial chemicals that are generally present at low concentrations in environmental waters, hence their common designation as trace organic compounds (TOrCs), and CECs also include microbiological constituents such as …

Biological Reduction Of Mixed Oxyanions In Wastewater Brine, Katherine J. Earp

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Treatment of contaminated brine water is an area of active research spurred by the use of advanced treatment technologies, such as membrane separation, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, etc. for water reuse and recycling, which has become critical due to the impact of climate change on water resources throughout the globe. Biological reduction of harmful organic and inorganic pollutants in water has been demonstrated as an effective method for water and wastewater treatment and would be a potential technology for brine treatment. However, biodegradation of contaminants in high salinity waters is challenging because most microbial communities cannot survive brine environments. The …

Can The Effluent From Wastewater Stabilization Ponds Be Effectively Managed For Health And Nutrient Recovery?, Michael Glass

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater stabilization ponds, such as facultative and maturation lagoons, have been shown to be effective processes to manage conventional water quality parameters found in domestic wastewater. The main goal of this thesis is to explore whether wastewater stabilization ponds can simultaneously reduce pathogens to safe levels while supporting agricultural activities through nutrient recovery. A large dataset for water quality of wastewater lagoon effluent in the U.S. was obtained at the state level and combined into regional southern and northern locations. Analysis of data showed there was significant difference in lagoon effluent concentration between northern and southern states for the water …

Experimental And Numerical Investigation Of Droplet Dynamics In Microscale Systems: The Influence Of Surfactants And Nanoparticles On Environmental Applications, Negin Bahadori

Master's Theses

Emulsions are suspensions of droplets dispersed into an immiscible liquid phase, with at least a water phase and an oil phase. The capability to incorporate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components makes emulsions amenable to a variety of applications, such as bilgewater treatment and oil recovery. To optimize bilgewater treatment or oil recovery, many aspects must be considered, such as the effect of emulsion stability, the wetting conditions and, more in general, the possibility to characterize droplet’s behavior over static or dynamic conditions. This thesis investigates the roles of surfactants and nanoparticles in understanding droplet behavior in oil-water systems, with a …

Internet Of Things-Based Automated Solutions Utilizing Machine Learning For Smart And Real-Time Irrigation Management: A Review, Bryan Nsoh, Abia Katimbo, Hongzhi Guo, Derek M. Heeren, Hope Njuki Nakabuye, Xin Qiao, Yufeng Ge, Daran R. Rudnick, Joshua Wanyama, Erion Bwambale, Shafik Kiraga

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This systematic review critically evaluates the current state and future potential of real-time, end-to-end smart, and automated irrigation management systems, focusing on integrating the Internet of Things (IoTs) and machine learning technologies for enhanced agricultural water use efficiency and crop productivity. In this review, the automation of each component is examined in the irrigation management pipeline from data collection to application while analyzing its effectiveness, efficiency, and integration with various precision agriculture technologies. It also investigates the role of the interoperability, standardization, and cybersecurity of IoT-based automated solutions for irrigation applications. Furthermore, in this review, the existing gaps are identified …

Evaporation Basins For Salinity Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

An evaporation basin is an engineered earth structure designed to safely store and evaporate saline water discharged from drainage or pumping, while protecting high-value agricultural land, natural assets or built infrastructure.

DPIRD recommends that evaporation basins should form part of an integrated water and salinity management program. Information on this page is a guide only.

It is recommended that landholders seek expert advice plus engineering design and related support from qualified contractors.

The Effects Of Wildfires On The Mental And Physical Health Of School-Age Children In North America: A Scoping Review, Sarah Oerther, Sarah Manspeaker, Alison Wix, Daniel Oerther, Carmen Marsit

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: Wildfires are occurring more often and with greater intensity, leading to longer and harsher fire seasons. As a result, children are more frequently exposed to wildfire smoke, which increases their risk of mental and physical health effects. Purpose: The purpose of our scoping review is to explore the current literature on what is known about the direct and indirect impacts of wildfires on the mental and physical health of school-age children in North America (5 to 18-year-olds). Methods: A health sciences librarian-assisted literature search, with input from the research team, was performed. Results: A total of 16 studies were …

Roaded Catchments In Wa, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Roaded catchments are earthwork structures designed to increase the amount of run-off from the catchment above a receiving farm dam.

Roaded catchments are lined with clay and compacted to make a smooth surface that reduces infiltration and increases run-off. Roaded catchments should discharge into a silt trap and then into a dam (excavated earth tank). This combined structure should be fenced to exclude livestock.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that roaded catchments are part of an integrated water and salinity management program.

The information in this page is only a guide – seek expert advice before …

Managing Subsurface Water In Wa, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) recommends that subsurface water management is part of an integrated water and salinity program. An integrated program can help to lower water tables and alleviate problems with waterlogging, rising salinity, and infrastructure damage.

Impacts Of Phosphate And Residual Free Chlorine On The Precipitation, Stability And Dissolution Of Lead Corrosion Products, Yao Ma

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Lead release from lead pipes into drinking water is a critical threat to public health. Orthophosphate addition is an established method of controlling lead concentrations in tap water. Many phosphate-based inhibitors currently used by utilities are blends of orthophosphate and polyphosphate. Orthophosphate can limit lead release from pipes by forming low-solubility lead phosphate solids on pipe inner surfaces. In contrast, polyphosphate can accelerate lead release by forming soluble lead-phosphate complexes. Due to the potential conversion from polyphosphate to orthophosphate in the distribution system and to complex dynamics of water chemistry in lead service lines (LSLs), the net impact of a …

Green Cities And Transportation, Ariadna Reyes-Sanchez, Soheil Sharifi-Asl, Ladan Mozaffarian

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

Green Cities and Transportation examines the significance of sustainable transportation projects for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while supporting transportation equity for vulnerable commuters. The book examines insightful case studies from around the world that can serve as a reference for sustainable transportation initiatives in the U.S. It is organized into three sections: 1) Sustainability, Transportation Equity, and Planning, 2) Case Studies and Lessons from the North and South, and 3) Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cities, and Mobility.

Organic Amendments Improve The Quality Of Coal Gob Spoils: A Sustainable Mining Waste Reclamation Method, Zhiming Zhang, Anshuman Satpathy, Kirby Morris, Abhishek Roychowdhury, Rupali Datta, Dibyendu Sarkar

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Coal mine tailings can lead to a range of environmental problems, including toxic metal contamination, soil erosion, acid mine drainage, and increased salinity. Mine spoils from coal mining activities accumulated as gob piles are difficult to reclaim due to constraints such as a steep slope, unsuitable pH, insufficient nutrient supply, metal toxicity, low water-holding capacity, and poor soil structure. We investigated the efficiency of low-cost amendments on coal gob spoils from Carthage Coal Field (CCF) in New Mexico in improving the quality of coal gob spoils. Gob spoil was incubated for 90 days with various rates of organic amendments such …

Advancing Data-Driven Disaster Debris Characterization And Quantification, Jasmine Bekkaye

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Natural hazards generate tremendous amounts of debris that negatively impact communities and overwhelm waste management infrastructure. The challenge in disaster debris planning and management stems from inconsistent and scarce post-disaster debris quantity data due to the chaotic nature of recovery operations. This leads to a limited understanding of key factors influencing disaster debris generation across hazards and regions, hindering the accuracy and efficiency of modeling. With the increasing availability of comprehensive post-disaster waste datasets, the capacity to understand debris generation is expanding. This dissertation aims to fill knowledge gaps on disaster debris generation as follows: (1) investigate existing technologies for …

Eco-Friendly Packaging: Changing The Norm, Victoria C. Hoffmann, Mujde Erten-Unal

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Packaging is an essential aspect of our daily life routines and is integral in preserving, protecting, informing, and selling the products we rely on. The advent of plastic packaging has allowed us to meet the rising consumer demand for efficient and economical packaging solutions. However, plastic packaging has also emerged as a significant contributor to environmental degradation. This review highlights the growing need for eco-friendly packaging alternatives, given the harmful impact of current packaging practices. It delves into several proposed sustainable packaging solutions and their limitations, and outlines strategic initiatives for safer packaging. As a society, it is critical to …

Incorporation Of Gnss Technology For Water-Level Instruments, Armaan S. Oberai, Toma Grundler, Serena B. Lee, Stefan A. Talke

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Our goal was to take an existing water-level measuring embedded system and upgrade the GNSS module for the purpose of getting the elevation of the device within an error of 1 cm. Main milestones for the project included deploying a successful field test at a known survey point, using software-based post processing to improve the GNSS solution point, and implementing robust hardware and software for the water-level embedded system such that it was easily scalable.

Seismic Resilience Of Timber Homes, Melia R. Costa

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The vast majority of residential buildings in California are wood-frame structures. A home is typically a very large investment for families, and damage to the home can be detrimental to a family’s economic success. Thus, reducing the economic impacts of an earthquake on residential timber housing is crucial. A full scale, two-story section of a residential timber house is in construction in the Parson’s Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, California. Once built it will be put through earthquake simulation tests on a shake table with various magnitudes of seismic activity. Next, …

Feasibility Study Of Oyster Shell Filtration Media For Stormwater Pollutants Removal, Sadiq Omer

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The depletion of resources has raised interest in reusing or incorporating by-products into alternative materials. In the effort for net zero emissions, waste reduction, and a circular economy, it is crucial to reinvent the alternative utilization strategy for by-products as construction materials sustainably. This research examines the alternative utilization strategy for oyster shell by-products in regular stormwater pollutant removal best management practices (BMPs).

Numerous research has examined the utilization of oyster shell waste as a construction material in Asia and Europe, specifically focusing on the physical properties of crushed oyster shells as alternatives for aggregates. No studies have been identified …