Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Evaluating Machine-Learning Models For Drone-Based Image Analysis Of Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics, Katharine Mcdaniel, Pragati Toppo

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Previous work from our group utilized drone-based images and a novel machine learning classification model to quickly and accurately quantify spatial variability in eelgrass in Morro Bay. In this SURP project we aim to develop and evaluate quantifiable estimates of the model’s prediction uncertainty. Our model produces a binary labeling indicating the presence or absence of eelgrass at each pixel. However, internally the model produces a probabilistic output indicating the likelihood of detection at each pixel that we propose to use to produce uncertainty estimates and a confidence interval for the cumulative extent of eelgrass detected. This would allow for …

Sustainability Literacy In Ceng, The Knowledge-Attitude Disconnect In Sustainability Education: Evidence From Ceng Students, Myron Chen, Rohit Kota

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Higher education institutions are increasingly incorporating the concept of sustainability into the curricula, but the evaluation of students' level of sustainability knowledge is underdeveloped. The proposed research focuses on Cal Poly's efforts to integrate sustainability principles within the engineering curricula and the impact on students' knowledge. By analyzing existing data collected on the sustainability literacy of Cal Poly’s engineering students, this project aims to enhance teaching strategies and align them with the sustainability goals of both the College and the University. This initiative builds on work initiated last summer and seeks to better prepare engineering students to become future contributors …

Reengineering Resilience: Bio-Resilience Bonds For Financing Microbial Infrastructure And Climate Equity, Reece Buckley

COP30

This policy proposal introduces Bio-Resilience Bonds (BRBs), a performance-based financial instrument designed to monetise microbial ecosystem services as measurable climate infrastructure. Microbial ecosystems are crucial for climate resilience, yet they are often overlooked in mainstream adaptation f inance frameworks. Their ability to regulate carbon and nitrogen cycles, reduce methane emissions and enhance soil and water stability (Delgado-Baquerizo et al., 2016) makes them essential assets for climate mitigation and adaptation. With global adaptation needs exceeding £2.7 trillion (UNEP, 2024), this oversight indicates a systemic failure to recognise biology as a form of infrastructure. BRBs transform microbial outputs into localised key performance …

Flexural Behavior Of Sustainable Concrete Beams Containing Waste Tire Fibers And Recycled Aggregates, Wael M. Montaser Ass.Prof

Journal of Engineering Research

The increasing accumulation of diverse waste materials poses a significant societal challenge, highlighting the importance of developing methods to reuse such waste effectively. One promising solution involves incorporating recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) obtained from demolished concrete into new concrete mixtures. Additionally, tire-derived fibers (TDF), sourced from recycled tires, present an environmentally friendly substitute for conventional reinforcement materials. The integration of RCA with TDF in reinforced concrete beams offers a sustainable approach to enhancing structural performance. This experimental study investigates the flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams containing recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) and tire-derived fibers (TDF). Four mixes with varying RCA …

The Floodnet Community Engagement Guide, Véronëque Ignace, Sofia Mariyamis, Kendra Krueger, Polly Pierone, Hayley Elszasz, Hannah Eisler Burnett

The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, SRIJB

"At the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Community: The FloodNet NYC Community Engagement Strategy” is a public-facing community engagement guide that documents the strategies, tools, and lessons developed through FloodNet NYC, a cross-sector partnership among researchers at NYU and CUNY and New York City agencies. Designed as a practical resource, this guide shares our approach to community engagement and dissemination so that researchers, practitioners, community organizations, and public agencies can adapt these methods to their own urban climate science projects and other community-centered efforts that address climate challenges.

Grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the guide presents community engagement …

Long-Term Degradation Of Natural-Fiber Coir Turf Reinforcement Mat Installed Along An Urban Stream In South Carolina, Kayden G. Rothery, Bob L. Lowe

Research from the Berry Summer Thesis Institute, 2025

Nature-based (or “living”) solutions to shoreline restoration are attractive due to their positive contributions to ecosystem function and service provision in coastal and estuarine environments. However, non-biodegradable plastics are widely used in their implementation; for instance, plastic-based geotextile fabrics are used to stabilize soil and organic matter to prevent loss of sediment fill. Paradoxically, these polymer-based geotextiles intended to protect the estuarine environment are unintended sources of plastic pollution as they inevitably degrade over time. Consequently, there is significant interest in transitioning from synthetic polymer-based geotextiles to sustainable non-plastic alternatives. To begin addressing this compelling research opportunity, this project aims …

Developing Aerosol Representation In Atmospheric Modeling, Inderjeet Singh

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Ambient aerosols affect climate and air quality in the Earth system. Global chemical transport models used to study these impacts require an accurate representation of aerosols in terms of shape, composition, and vertical distribution. For example, despite having a complex morphology, mineral dust is often treated as spherical particles in these models. This can lead to errors in optical properties calculations, trace gas retrievals, and heterogeneous chemistry. Similarly, inaccurate representation of the vertical distribution of smoke particles in these models can lead to uncertainties in air quality assessments. Aerosol composition also plays a critical role in determining radiative forcing and …

Photolysis Of Emerging Agricultural Applications Under Environmental Conditions, Kun-Pu Ho

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Novel agricultural applications are rapidly emerging to protect crops from weeds or pests in the US and worldwide. Isoxaflutole is a proherbicide considered agriculturally significant because it controls weeds that have developed resistance to other commonly used herbicides. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi) technology is regarded as a next-generation biopesticide because the technology has less toxicity to humans and more specificity to pests than traditional pesticides, which pose risks to the environment and the health of humans and livestock. However, we cannot disregard the possible risks of the emerging proherbicides and biopesticides to humans or non-target organisms. Therefore, the study …

Functional Biopolymers Applied To Sustainable Technologies In The Environment And Healthcare, Fengjie He

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Biodegradable polymeric materials (biopolymers) are naturally derived materials known for their excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, sustainability, and versatile chemical functionality. They have attracted increasing attention in various applications as alternative to synthetic materials ranging from food packaging to tissue engineering. Meanwhile, with intrinsic advantages, biopolymers have also emerged as promising materials in addressing contemporary challenges in both biomedical and environmental fields. Motivated by the significant potential of biopolymers and the growing need for sustainable materials, my research focuses on the design and engineering of biodegradable polymers with novel modification methods and application directions. In this work, two representative biopolymers are selected: …

A Meta-Analysis Of Historic Drinking Water Emergency Events Reported In News Articles, Victor Yu, Haiying Wang, Weiwei Mo

Faculty Publications

This study seeks to investigate historical drinking water contamination events that reported by news media to find the key determinants of their outcomes, including the duration and economic cost, and to quantitatively describe the characteristics of past contamination events. ProQuest Global Newsstream and Regional Business News were used to identify an initial list of events and supplemented by additional search on specific information including the response actions, economic cost, and more. These events were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression modeling. Smaller community water systems were found to be more frequently impacted by contamination events. Use restrictions, except …

Improving Particle-Phase Nitrate Measurement In Pm2.5 Filter Sampling: Evaluation Of A Denuder–Nylon Filter Modification In The Spartan Network, Wenyu Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Accurate measurement of PM_2.5 composition is of global importance. Evaporation-induced mass loss introduces potential bias in filter-based PM_2.5 measurements, with ammonium nitrate volatilization from Teflon filters being a major contributor to negative mass artifacts. Previous studies have demonstrated that using an acid gas denuder in combination with nylon filters can help recover the nitrate mass. This study evaluates design modifications to the AirPhoton sampling station setup within the globally distributed Surface Particulate Matter Network (SPARTAN) incorporating an additional acid gas denuder upstream and a nylon filter downstream of the existing Teflon filter.

Two co-located AirPhoton Sampling stations were …

An Inference Approach For Assessing Place-Based Vulnerability To Heat Mortality, Junkang Xu, Chao Fan, Xing Xu, Haoying Han

Publications

A global increase in the frequency, severity, and scale of extreme heat raises concerns about human vulnerability to climate change and associated mortality. Heat vulnerability and mortality have largely been studied separately, lacking an understanding of their causation. Here, we create a non-parametric generalized inference approach that links socioeconomic, environmental, and infrastructure factors articulated in vulnerability theory and heat mortality between 2010 and 2020 for counties across the United States. We find that the lack of vegetation coverages drives mortality in the Southern U.S. and among Hispanic people. Limited air conditioning is a key factor in heat-related mortality among White …

Life Cycle Assessment Of The Cultivation Of Lettuce In A Hydroponic System Using The Nutrient Film Technique, Raquel Jordan

All Theses

Hydroponic systems are an emerging method of soilless crop cultivation typically done inside a greenhouse where nutrients are delivered dissolved in water rather than being supplied from the soil. Potential benefits of hydroponic systems include reduced irrigation requirements, higher crop yield per area, and the ability to grow crops year-round in nontraditional areas such as urban settings, cold climates, and sites with contaminated soil. However, hydroponic systems tend to have high energy requirements for lighting and climate control, which can yield significant environmental impacts. To explore the environmental impacts of cultivating lettuce in a nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system, …

Effectiveness Of Electrosynthesized Hydrogen Peroxide In Urease Inactivation For Stabilization Of Source-Separated Urine To Recover Urea, Brooke E. Covert

All Theses

The practice of separating urine at a building scale, rather than mixing with domestic wastewater to be treated at water resource recovery facilities, allows for concentrated urine to be directly treated with the aim of resource recovery. However, source separation and treatment present challenges during separation, storage, and transport. This study evaluated the use of hydrogen peroxide-producing electrochemical cells, which represent a technology that uses electricity as an input, to stabilize urine through cathodically produced peroxide to enable downstream water and nutrient recovery. The electrochemical cells have been previously shown to stabilize urine with electrochemically produced peroxide as an effective …

Evaluating The Impact Of Activated Carbon On The Biodegradation Of Btex Compounds, Megan Barkley

All Theses

BTEX compounds—benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes—are toxic, volatile, aromatic hydrocarbons. They are primarily found in petroleum products and can easily enter the environment. Typical remediation techniques include sorption to activated carbon, pump and treat, and bioremediation. Research suggests that combining sorption to activated carbon and bioremediation may enhance BTEX removal. This study evaluates the impact of granular activated carbon (GAC) on the biodegradation of ethylbenzene and toluene, using an enrichment culture of aerobic bacteria.

The main objectives of this study are to grow and maintain a culture that degrades BTEX compounds, evaluate the effect of activated carbon on the biodegradation …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Sustainable Wastewater Systems - Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment, Harish Lakshmi Srinivasan

All Theses

This thesis studies the integration of an algae-based membrane bioreactor (MBR) and photobioreactor system into a domestic wastewater treatment facility, using the Clemson University WWTP as a reference plant. The proposed system replaces the conventional sequencing batch reactor and aerobic digester with a microalgae-bacteria symbiosis process, coupled with submerged ceramic membranes, an algal photobioreactor and anaerobic digestion for enhanced nutrient and energy recovery, which paves the way for water reuse and increased biological capacity in the future.

The study shows that overall energy consumption is reduced by approximately 18% compared to the existing conventional configuration. Further, methane production from anaerobic …

Evaluating (Bio)Degradation Of Carbon Tetrachloride In Fe(Iii)-Reducing Environments, Adam Rogers

All Theses

Understanding degradation of carbon tetrachloride in-situ is vital for many remediation projects across the world, yet conclusive evidence of its feasibility is lacking in previous studies.

The main objective of this research is to assess the potential for carbon tetrachloride attenuation by biological, abiotic, and combined processes in a Fe(III)-reducing aquifer. In doing so, it assesses the effect of pH and stoichiometric ratio on abiotic degradation of carbon tetrachloride using various reducing agents, evaluates iron-mediated versus direct biotic degradation of carbon tetrachloride using pure cultures under resting and growth conditions, and characterizes the effects of culture strain, electron acceptors and …

Evaluation Of Salt-Free Electrodialysis Metathesis For High Recovery Inland Desalination Brine Management, Tayia Oddonetto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Salt-Free Electrodialysis Metathesis (SF-EDM) is an emerging electro-driven membrane technology designed to minimize brine discharge while enabling selective ion separation and resource recovery. This dissertation presents an evaluation of SF-EDM, spanning bench-scale studies with synthetic brine from the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Alamogordo, NM, real reverse osmosis (RO) brines from the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Desalination Plant in El Paso, TX, and finally a weeklong pilot demonstration at the Yuma Desalting Plant in Yuma, AZ. Bench-scale experiments established process feasibility and performance trends, while pilot results revealed the value of pre-treatment and system configuration. SF-EDM demonstrated high hydraulic …

Coal Mining Reclamation: Lessons Learned From Tropical And Subtropical Countries, Priyaji Agung Pambudi, Suyud Warno Utomo, Roni Setyo Handoko

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

This study addresses the persistent environmental challenges associated with coal mining in tropical and subtropical regions, where complex microclimates and ecological variability hinder effective reclamation. Despite the increasing global coal demand, comparative cross-country insights remain limited. This research fills the gap by evaluating the best practices. This study employs a qualitative methodology with a comparative case study design, uses systematic literature review to evaluate ecology based reclamation policies and implementation practices. Data were sourced from peer-reviewed journals from Scopus and the Web of Science database and institutional reports, and analyzed using McHarg’s landscape ecology theory to evaluate reclamation policies, ecological …

A Multi-Scale Numerical Analysis Of Wave Propagation Through Coastal Vegetation Using Proteus & Xbeach, Cole M. Statler

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal vegetation attenuates waves in the nearshore zone and protects shorelines from storm surge and wave action. It also traps nutrients and sediment, and participates in the formation of land over longer time scales. These features of vegetation make it a common component of nature-based engineering projects. Interaction of water waves and flow with vegetation, however, can involve unsteady and turbulent flow, non-hyrdostatic pressure effects, and air entrainment that can hinder the use of simple parametric representations of vegetation drag. XBeach, a one- and two-dimensional production model applies reduced-order methods, prioritizing computational efficiency. Vegetation is represented in XBeach as a …