Digital Commons Network^™

Prediction Of Groundwater Quality Index In The Selected Divisions Of Srikakulam Using Artificial Neural Networks Approach, Santhosh Kumar Nadikatla, Mushini Venkata Subbarao, M.P.S. Murali Krishna

Applied Environmental Research

Applicability of artificial neural network (ANN) modelling in predicting the water quality index (WQI) and in turn to ascertain the suitability of the water for human consumption has been presented in the paper. In the light of the present study, seventy-nine (79) groundwater samples were collected from two mandals (divisions) Veeraghattam (VGT) and Palakonda (PLKD) and analyzed for physicochemical parameters during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of 2015 and 2016. In computing the WQI, physicochemical parameters such as  pH, EC, TDS, TH, Ca, Mg, chlorine, fluoride, nitrite, DO and TA have been considered. From the results it was found that …

Groundwater Quality Assessment Using Groundwater Quality Index And Multivariate Statistical Methods And Human Health Risk Assessment In A Coastal Region Of The Vietnamese Mekong Delta, Nguyen Thanh Giao, Phan Kim Anh, Huynh Thi Hong Nhien

Applied Environmental Research

This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes and assess the associated human health risks for different age groups in a coastal province of Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Twenty groundwater samples were collected in Soc Trang Province, and various water quality parameters were analyzed. The data were employed to calculate entropy-weighted groundwater quality index (EWQI), principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for adult and children health. The results revealed that groundwater in some locations, especially in GW19, was polluted by hardness, total dissolved solids, NH4+, Cl-, Fe, total coliform, and E. …

The Driving Force Of Urban Water Body Change In Chonburi Province, Thailand, Nararuk Boonyanam, Somskaow Bejranonda

Applied Environmental Research

The rapid urbanization from special economic zones (SEZs) in Asia poses a risk on water crisis. This paper identifies water body change trend and its driving force of change in Chonburi province; the most urbanized area in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) of Thailand, in order to analyse the root cause of water shortage in the area. Land use maps from 2006 to 2019 were used to evaluate the changing trend in water bodies using land use transition matrix and land use dynamic degree. Panel data from 364 observations in the Chonburi sub-district was used to assess the driving forces …

Assessment Of Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues In Water And Sediment Collected From The Southern Caspian Sea, Reza Golshani, Ghasem Ghorbanzadeh Zafarani, Maksim Rebezov, Samaneh Karbalaei, Tony R. Walker

Applied Environmental Research

Pollution of water resources by uncontrolled pesticide use is a serious health and environmental issue. In this study, concentrations of three organophosphorus pesticides (diazinon, malathion, and azinphos-methyl) in water and sediment samples from five estuaries (Sefidrud, Chalus, Babolrud, Tajan, and Gorganrud) along the Caspian Sea were investigated. Samples were collected from surface water and sediment during summer to autumn, and pesticides were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results indicated that salinity and turbidity in Gorganrud were higher (salinity: range 2–8%; turbidity: range 1–9%) compared to other stations. Higher diazinon (water: 0.08±0.06, sediment: 0.04±0.01), malathion (water: 0.09±0.06, sediment: 0.05±0.01) and …

Magnetization Of A Biochar Derived From Orange Peel And Its Application For The Removal Of Crystal Violet, Issam Boudraa, Sevde Ustun Odabasi, Maryam Bareera, Hassan Ayadi, Brahim Kebab, Hanife Buyukgungor

Applied Environmental Research

In this work, biochar synthesized from orange peel modified with magnetite was used as an alternative magnetic adsorbent for dye removal. The magnetization of the synthesized biochar was done using the co-precipitation method. The obtained composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The efficiency of magnetized biochar (OPB/Fe3O4) was studied in the process of removing crystal violet (CV) from an aqueous solution at different temperatures. The experimental data obtained for the kinetic studies were better fitted to the pseudo-second-order model, and the isotherms data were well fitted to the Langmuir model. The results …

Disinfection By-Product Precursor Removal By Biochar Derived From Agricultural Waste, Sorawit Ritthisoonthorn, Yuvarat Ngernyen, Lippakorn Songnangrong, Warodom Rattanaboonta, Watsa Khongnakorn, Panitan Jutaporn

Applied Environmental Research

Biochar made from agricultural waste products can be used as a low-cost adsorbent targeting dissolved organic matter (DOM). In water treatment plant (WTP), DOM reacts with chlorine-based disinfectant and forms carcinogenic disinfection by-products. The objective of this study was to investigate the applicability of bamboo biochar derived from wood vinegar production waste as an adsorbent for DOM removal and subsequently trihalomethane formation potential (THM-FP) reduction. Raw biochar (BCRaw) and 800°C post-heated biochar (BC800) was tested for its surface characteristics including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller analysis. The post-pyrolysis treatment increased the surface area …

Identification Of Saline Water Intrusion Using Integrated Geoelectrical Method In The Coastal Aquifer Of Holo-Quaternary Formation, Lampung Bay, Rustadi -, Agus Setiawan, I Gede Boy Darmawan, Suharno -, Nandi Haerudin

Applied Environmental Research

Increased groundwater extraction from aquifers in Holo-Quaternary rock formations in Lampung Bay has caused saltwater intrusion. This indication appears in several community wells and can spread further inland. Therefore, this study aims to identify the distribution of areas exposed to saline water and the boundaries of areas that have not, especially in the Holo-Quaternary Formation. This research uses the geoelectric method integrated with salinity data and the Soil Penetration Test (SPT) analysis at four drilling points. A total of 4 lines of Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and 8 points of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) have been acquired with a Schlumberger …

Improving Urban Resilience And Sustainability Via Multi-Scale Urban Food-Energy-Water-Waste Nexus Analysis, Andrea Valencia Marin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Urban sustainable development requires an in-depth and holistic understanding of the complex Food-Energy-Water-Waste (FEWW) nexus facing population growth, climate change, economic development, and pollution control. Following the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), goal 11 aims for sustainable cities and communities to be resilient, sustainable, and safe cities to achieve social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Explicitly, SDG target 11.3 concentrates on inclusive and sustainable urbanization for sustainable planning and management. As the UN Food System program aims for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient network, promoting sustainable food systems becomes a necessity to echo social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The …

Resistivity Imaging Of Prominent Seepage Pathways In Karst Terrain, Abdullah Hadi Zaid Alhaj

Doctoral Dissertations

"An integrated research approach was conducted to evaluate subsurface karstic conditions in Greene County, southwestern Missouri. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was employed to image anomalously low resistivity zones associated with the presence of seepage pathways that were anthropogenic and/or natural in origin. Techniques including visual inspection (VI), multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW), borehole control (BC), and aerial imagery (AI) were supplementally used to constrain the ERT data interpretations.

This research addressed six objectives. First, the ERT data interpretations were verified in terms of depth to the top of bedrock, fractures/voids, and moisture changes using the MASW, borehole control, and …

Insights Into The Aerodynamic Versus Radiometric Surface Temperature Debate In Thermal-Based Evaporation Modeling, Kaniska Mallick, Dennis Baldocchi, Andrew Jarvis, Tian Hu, Ivonne Trebs, Mauro Sulis, Nishan Bhattarai, Christian Bossung, Yomna Eid, Jamie Cleverly, Jason Beringer, William Woodgate, Richard Silberstein, Nina Hinko-Najera, Wayne S. Meyer, Darren Ghent, Zoltan Szantoi, Gilles Boulet, William P. Kustas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Global evaporation monitoring from Earth observation thermal infrared satellite missions is historically challenged due to the unavailability of any direct measurements of aerodynamic temperature. State-of-the-art one-source evaporation models use remotely sensed radiometric surface temperature as a substitute for the aerodynamic temperature and apply empirical corrections to accommodate for their inequality. This introduces substantial uncertainty in operational drought mapping over complex landscapes. By employing a non-parametric model, we show that evaporation can be directly retrieved from thermal satellite data without the need of any empirical correction. Independent evaluation of evaporation in a broad spectrum of biome and aridity yielded statistically significant …

Biking In Indianapolis: An Ethnographic Analysis Of Obstacles And Solutions, Emory Lietz

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Indiana is known as the ""Crossroads of America"" for its historic investment in vehicle infrastructure. This focus on automobiles has shaped Indianapolis's urban landscape, to the dismay of many cyclists. Based on semi-structured interviews with a range of stakeholders in the Indianapolis cycling community, including urban planners, bike commuters, IndyGo employees, city government officials, and bike advocates, this project identifies and evaluates the current barriers that prevent Indianapolis residents from riding their bikes. These obstacles, which include infrastructural, safety, and social factors, make it more difficult than it ought to be to bike in Indy.

For my thesis project, I …

Assessing Machine Learning Utility In Predicting Hydrologic And Nitrate Dynamics In Karst Agroecosystems, Timothy Mcgill

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Seasonal hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and harmful algal blooms experienced in many inland freshwater bodies is partially driven due to excessive nitrogen loading seen from agricultural watersheds. Within the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin, many areas are underlain with karst features, and efforts to reduce nitrogen contributions from these areas have had varying success, due to lacking a complete understanding of nutrient dynamics in karst agricultural systems. To improve the understanding of nitrogen cycling in these systems, 35 months of high resolution in situ water quality and atmospheric data were collected and fed into a two-hidden layer extreme learning machine …

On-Ice Detection, Classification, Localization And Tracking Of Anthropogenic Acoustic Sources With Machine Learning, Steven J. Whitaker

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Arctic acoustics have been of concern in recent years for the US navy. First-year ice is now the prevalent factor in ice coverage in the Arctic, which changes the previously understood acoustic properties. Due to the ice melting each year, anthropogenic sources in the Arctic region are more common: military exercises, shipping, and tourism. For the navy, it is of interest to detect, classify, localize, and track these sources to have situational awareness of these surroundings. Because the sources are on-water or on-ice, acoustic radiation propagates at a longer distance and so acoustics are the method by which the sources …

Soil Drought Can Mitigate Deadly Heat Stress Thanks To A Reduction Of Air Humidity, Jeremy Pal, Hendrik Wouters, Jessica Keune, Irina Y. Petrova, Chiel C. Van Heerwaarden, Adriaan J. Teuling, Jordi Vilà-Guerau De Arellano, Diego G. Miralles

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Works

Global warming increases the number and severity of deadly heatwaves. Recent heatwaves often coincided with soil droughts that intensify air temperature but lower air humidity. Since lowering air humidity may reduce human heat stress, the net impact of soil desiccation on the morbidity and mortality of heatwaves remains unclear. Combining weather balloon and satellite observations, atmospheric modelling, and meta-analyses of heatwave mortality, we find that soil droughts-despite their warming effect-lead to a mild reduction in heatwave lethality. More specifically, morning dry soils attenuate afternoon heat stress anomaly by ∼5%. This occurs because of reduced surface evaporation and increased entrainment of …

Achieving Sustainability Through Reducing Risks During Architecture Design Process: A Lean Management Perspective, Sherouk Abdelrehim, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman

Architectural Engineering

The construction industry, as one of the largest industries in the world, plays a critical role in achieving national and international social and economic sustainable development goals. Socially, it is concerned with delivering long-term projects that turn client and end-user requirements into designs that specify technical aspects, functional specific requirements, and standards of quality. Economically, the construction industry contributes to a country's gross domestic product (GDP) by creating jobs and providing the country's infrastructure. the construction industry's nature is more vulnerable than other industries. This is believed to be due to the complex and dynamic nature of construction projects, as …

Data Fusion And Synergy Of Active And Passive Remote Sensing; An Application For Freeze Thaw Detections, Zahra Sharifnezhadazizi

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a recent evolvement in the field of remote sensing after increase of number satellites and sensors data which could be fused to produce new data and products. These efforts are mainly focused on using of simultaneous observations from different platforms with different spatial and temporal resolutions. The research dissertation aims to enhance the synergy use of active and passive microwave observations and examine the results in detection land freeze and thaw (FT) predictions. Freeze thaw cycles particularly in high-latitude regions have a crucial role in many applications such as agriculture, biogeochemical transitions, hydrology and ecosystem studies. The …

Investigation Of Reactions Occurring In Municipal Solid Waste Residues, Tasnuva T. Moutushi

Dissertations and Theses

Each year more than 290 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated in the U.S. Understanding the reactions occurring in waste during disposal, transport, and storage is important to move towards an integrated waste management strategy. Recently some landfills in the U.S. have been reported to exceed the regulatory temperature range, causing numerous regulatory challenges. The reason for this phenomenon is still unidentified. In addition, the co-disposal of the MSW ash in landfills lead to various reactions which can impact the landfill environment. Understanding the reactions occurring in the MSW and in ash is essential to minimize and …

An Analytical Network Process (Anp) Model For Choosing Optimal Public-Private Partnership (Ppp) Contract Types For Infrastructure Projects, Su Lae Yee Zaw

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

With the rapid social and economic development, a great deal of expenditure is crucial for the nation's infrastructure development. Nevertheless, the governments of many developing nations have been experienced with the limited budget and technical inability to deliver effective public infrastructures. Public-private partnership (PPP) has been adopted as an alternative collaboration arrangement between the government and the private sector in many nations to overcome these challenges. PPP can be defined as a long-term contract between a public agency and a private entity for rendering public facilities, including design, construct, finance, operate, and manage the project. The PPP contract types can …

Factors Influencing The Effectiveness Of Managing Human–Robot Teams, Theodore B. Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Certain factors can influence the capabilities of a robot–human team by affecting their social and behavioral dynamics in a work environment. But these factors were not known due to the progressive nature of human–robot partnerships and a lack of peer-reviewed literature on the topic. This e-Delphi study aimed to identify and understand these unknown influential factors based on the participants’ insights. The overarching research question asked about the need to determine factors that might influence the effectiveness of managing human-robot teams. The basis for the conceptual framework for this study was the theory of communication used in organizational management. Twelve …

Market Surveillance To Support Quality Assurance And Consumer Protection For The Solar Payg Products Market In East And West Africa, Hamidah Naishur Nakimuli

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Off-grid Pay As You Go (PAYG) solar products have become one of the fastest-growing approaches to providing basic electricity services to off-grid households not only in Sub-Saharan Africa but also in many other parts of the world with limited or no access to the grid connection. However, sustainably growing the PAYG solar industry requires paying close attention to product quality from the point of manufacturing to the end user. This research examines how to best design market surveillance programs that ensure quality in off-grid PAYG solar products and strengthen the implementation and enforcement of quality standards in the off-grid solar …

Effect Of Air Pollution On Number Of Visits With Pneumonia And Influenza:Before Vs. During Covid-19 Outbreak In Thailand, Benjawan Roudreo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The COVID-19 pandernic had effect on changes in people, environment, and health risk. This was a unique research opportunity to assess the effects on the risk of respiratory infectious diseases resulting from the changes in air pollution during COVID-19 outbreak. This study estimated the relative risks (RRs) of hospital visits with pneumonia and influenza associated with air pollution (PM10 PM25 NO2 and ⊖ y} by using Poison with generalized additive model (GAM) and compared the different RRs of pneumonia and influenza before vs. during the COVID-19 outbreak in Khon Kaen province and its vicinity. For results, before the COVID-19 period, …

Assessment Of Emissions From Cement Plants Using Aermod Modeling, Atef I. Abdel-Gawad, Mahmoud Noureldeen, Hamada Mahmaoud, Asmaa S. Hamouda

Applied Environmental Research

Coal combustion generates many gases and emissions which are harmful to public health and the environment. So, it is necessary to assess the health risks for the people living in the nearby cement plants that use coal as a fuel. In this article, a health risk assessment HRA was carried out concerning the air emissions from a cement plant in the heavy industry area located at Beni Suef governorate - Egypt. The article handles the assessment of the health risks for pollutants classified as non-carcinogenic i.e. sulfur dioxide - mercury and the health risks for pollutants classified as carcinogenic i.e. …

Preliminary Study And First Evidence Of Presence Of Microplastics In Green Mussel, Perna Viridis From Phuket, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Vararin Vongpanich, Pensiri Akkajit

Applied Environmental Research

Plastics can reach the coastal environment and could impact the marine environment. Mussels are marine organisms which are prone to be exposed to microplastics pollution. Therefore, in this preliminary study, the commercially important green mussel (Perna viridis) collected at the Koh Phee Canal in Phuket, Phuket Province, southern peninsular Thailand, was investigated. The collected mussels from aquaculture farm fell into three age groups, namely 1 year-1 month, 1 year-7 months, and 1 year-9 months. Results from the investigation showed 200 items of microplastics present in Perna viridis with 76 items (38%) in flushed water and 124 items (62%) …

Using Theory Of Planned Behavior To Determine Consumer Intention In Choosing Cloth Vs Plastic Bags, Zahra Batooli, Saeed Zarein-Dolab, Azam Mohamadloo, Mitra Rahimzadeh

Applied Environmental Research

Plastics bags waste presets serious danger to human and animal health. A descriptive study was conducted on 250 consumers who were shopping in different stores of Kashan city in Iran in 2020 to investigate the consumers’ intention, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control towards reducing the consumption of plastic bags and using cloth bags based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Stratified sampling was applied to select the consumers to filled out a questionnaire developed based on the TPB in Farsi. A path analysis was used to investigate whether attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control would have …

Rs-Gis Approach On Biomass Energy Potential Estimation Of Sugarcane Residues In Medellin, Cebu, Wenyville Nabor Galang, Ian Dominic Tabañag, Michael Loretero

Applied Environmental Research

The need to use alternative energy sources is driven by the continued rise in fossil fuel price, increasing population and energy demand most particularly in a developing country like the Philippines. Biomass resources such as sugarcane residues provide alternative means to utilize its untapped potential for renewable energy. The use of remote sensing technology and geo-graphic information system enables detailed assessment on the quantification of its distribution, abundance and quality that will yield an effective and efficient use of its potential. Available energy potential measurement was conducted in the town of Medellin, part of Bogo-Medellin mill district, in the northern …

Analysis Of Potential Site For Managed Aquifer Recharge Scheme In The Upper Greater Mae Klong Irrigation Project, Thailand, Yutthana Phankamolsil, Areeya Rittima, Sasipong Rantasewee, Yutthana Talaluxmana, Kritsanat Surakit, Allan Sriratana Tabucanon, Wudhichart Sawangphol, Jidapa Kraisangka

Applied Environmental Research

This study developed a groundwater flow model to propose the possible Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) scheme for sustainable use of groundwater in the Upper Greater Mae Klong Irrigation Project, Thailand. The site suitability for MAR scheme was assessed through the GIS–based Multi–Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) using the Simple Additive Weighted (SAW) method. Five key relevant factors namely; groundwater drawdown, soil texture, depth to groundwater table, land slope and distance to surface water source were chosen as assessment criteria and reclassified for the analysis of site selection for MAR scheme. The results illustrate the potential site for the managed aquifer recharge …

A Fuzzy Ahp Approach To Assess Flood Hazard For Area Of Bang Rakam Model 60 Project In Yom River Basin, Northern Thailand, Aphittha Yodying, Nattapon Mahavik, Sarintip Tantanee, Charatdao Kongmuang, Agbesi Kwadzo Keteku, Polpreecha Chidburee, Kamonchat Seejata, Sasithon Chatsudarat

Applied Environmental Research

The Thai government developed the “Bang Rakam Model 60” to solve flood issues in low-lying areas (Phitsanulok and Sukhothai Provinces). In the project, farmers will have to start planting in early April and harvest in July. This research proposes a methodology for assessing flood hazard using a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) relied on Chang’s extent analysis. It was employed to derive the weight for factor ranking and create a flood hazard map. Eight hazard factors are considered in the methodology: average annual rainfall, drainage density, distance from drainage network, soil water infiltration, land use, elevation, slope, and flow …

Occurrence Of Microplastics In The Asian Freshwater Environments: A Review, Farah Akmal Idrus, Noradriena Mohd Fadhli, Mohd Nasarudin Harith

Applied Environmental Research

Microplastics pollution has become a worldwide common problem. Despite the growing numbers in researches regarding the microplastics, the understanding of microplastics in the freshwater environment are still less. This paper overviews the present knowledge and findings on the occurrence of microplastics in water and sediment of the freshwater environments in Asia. The review also covers the size distribution, polymers, morphological characteristics and sources of microplastics to the freshwater systems. Perspective of the adsorption of heavy metals on the microplastics to the freshwater systems are also discussed in this review.

Sustainable Energy Transition In Thailand: Drivers, Barriers And Challenges Of Waste-To-Energy At Krabi Province, Chariya Senpong, Dawan Wiwattanadate

Applied Environmental Research

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) has been considered as an option to eliminate Krabi’s problems of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. A survey on WtE potential as well as key drivers, barriers, and challenges to overcome the barriers was conducted in this study. The study found high WtE potential due to huge amount of many years accumulated MSW in couple with the increasing trend of new daily waste generation. Meanwhile, Krabi is an island having land limitation for landfill. The urgent need to eliminate the huge amount of MSW has become a key driver for WtE implementation. One more key driver of WtE …

Biochar From Empty Date Fruit Bunch As An Adsorbent To Remove Eriochrome Black T And Methylene Blue From Aqueous Solution, Houari Bella, Hayet Bendaikha

Applied Environmental Research

Date fruit has a significant role in Sahara countries' economies. In this study, a bunch of empty dates waste was used to produce biochar, which will be used to adsorb Eriochrome black T (EBT) and methylene blue (MB) dyes from aqueous solution. The dates bunch was washed, dried, and ground into small particles. Then it was heated in a muffle furnace at 850 °C. The biochar from empty date bunches (BEDB) characteristics before and after adsorption was determined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The experiment has used different parameters notably initial concentration (25 …