Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Study Of Aerosol Optical Properties Along A Megacity, Ariel F. Scagliotti, Marcela V. Reale, David H. Margarit, Nadia S. Gonzalez, Guillermo A. Jorge

Applied Environmental Research

Interest in the study and characterization of aerosols has been growing given its multiple connections with air quality and climate. However, the limited ground-based stations for measurements in many countries are not enough to completely study a big city or a region. Low-cost technology arises as a viable alternative to improve the spatial resolution of measurements. This study aims to demonstrate that the properties of aerosols may change within a megacity and that is advisable to segment measurements according to their characteristics. We measured the optical properties of aerosols in the outskirts of Buenos Aires and compared the data obtained …

An Optimal Culture Medium For Laccase Production And Sugar Cane Vinasse Biotreatment With Trametes Villosa Using Plackett-Burman And Central Composite Designs, Rosa Elena Caballero, Víctor Jiménez, Mónica Miranda, Dalys Rovira, Guillermo Branda, Juana Ramos Chue De Pérez

Applied Environmental Research

The optimal conditions for laccase production and vinasse biotreatment with a native strain of Trametes villosa were determined by a screening-optimization approach. Eleven factors including nutrient concentration, vinasse dilution (%v/v), inoculum volume, carbon to nitrogen ratio and initial pH, were investigated for their effects on laccase activity applying the Plackett-Burman screening design. The selected factors were optimized using a central composite design, and then evaluated on a vinasse biotreatment experiment. The factors that contributed the most to the enzymatic activity were the concentrations of MgSO4∙7H2O (A), FeSO4∙7H2O (B) and CuSO4∙5H2O (C), alongside initial pH.  After 10 days, laccase activity was …

Re–Operating The Bhumibol And Sirikit Dams Using Hybrid Neuro–Fuzzy Technique To Solve The Water Scarcity And Flooding Problems In The Chao Phraya River Basin, Khin Muyar Kyaw, Areeya Rittima, Yutthana Phankamolsil, Allan Sriratana Tabucanon, Wudhichart Sawangphol, Jidapa Kraisangka, Yutthana Talaluxmana, Varawoot Vudhivanich

Applied Environmental Research

The decision support system to reservoir re–operation using Artificial Intelligence has been broadly studied and proven in term of the operational performances for both single and multiple reservoir system, this study applied Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) technique for reservoir re–operation in Chao Phraya River Basin aiming to reduce water scarcity and flooding problems in the central region of Thailand. ANFIS is an integrated approach in which neural networks are utilized to enhance the fuzzy inference system and create fuzzy “IF–Then” reservoir operational guidelines with proper membership functions for reservoir re–operation. In this study, ANFIS operating rules were trained …

Luminescence Inhibition Of Water-Soluble Fractions Of Crude Oil, Diesel And Spent Engine Oil On Freshly Isolated Vibrio Campbellii, Beatrice Omolola Bello, Olayide Samuel Lawal, Gbenga Emmanuel Olumayede, Ogochukwu Angela Agwu, Stanley Ozoemena Agbo

Applied Environmental Research

Inhibitory effects of water-soluble fraction (WSF) of crude oil, diesel, spent engine oil, and their composite mixture on luminescent Vibrio species isolated from a tropical marine fish were assessed to determine the acute toxicity and suitability of the bacteria. This was evaluated with a slight modification of the procedure for freshly prepared luminescent marine bacteria according to the International Organization for Standardization. Toxicity was assessed following bacterial exposure to different concentrations of the WSFs. Water quality parameters and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined using standard methods. Chemical analysis revealed cumulative loads of PAHs in the WSFs of crude …

Monetizing Social Life Cycle Assessment (Slca): A Case Study In Smes Tapioca Industry In Lampung, Indonesia, Yosep -, Unang Mulkhan, Udin Hasanudin, Dewi Agustina Iryani

Applied Environmental Research

To verify the responsible and sustainable functioning of circular economy (CE), assessing the sustainability of CE methods is essential. The consistent absence of a social aspect within the CE has been a recurring topic in research. This paper aims to pinpoint social-benefit aspects that are quantifiable in monetary values and investigate how attributing monetary significance to these elements can enhance the evaluation of social sustainability, leading to more informed decision-making processes. The methodology involves both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A quantitative research study was initiated in February 2023. Two approaches were used for sample selection. First, a case study …

Use Of Modified Blast Furnace Slag For Cadmium Removal In An Aqueous Medium, Toufik Chouchane, Mohamed Tayeb Abedghars, Sabiha Chouchane, Hazem Meradi, Atmane Boukari

Applied Environmental Research

In this work, blast furnace slag was converted to hydroxyapatite-zeolite (MS) through alkaline fusion and hydrothermal treatment, and then it was used to remove cadmium in solution by adsorption in batch mode. The process was accomplished under the influence of determining parameters, namely the contact time, mass of the adsorbent, stirring speed, pH of the medium, temperature of the solution, particle size of the slag, and initial concentration. MS consists mainly of sodium oxide, silica, alumina, lime, and phosphorus pentoxide. The Ca/P, Na/Al, and Si/Al ratios revealed that the converted slag is a hydroxyapatite-zeolite. Following the modification of the treated …

Simulated Microgravity, Indole-3-Acetyl Acid, And Cow Dung Influence On Zea Mays Plant Growth In Contaminated Soil, A. Ovenseri, A.O. Ogunkeyede, A.A. Adebayo, P. Tawari-Fufeyin, A.O. Orukpe, C. Udeochu Uche

Applied Environmental Research

This study investigated the effects of simulated microgravity, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and cow dung on Zea mays L. plants growing in soil contaminated with crude oil. Crude oil contamination affects plants negatively in morphology and physiology. For simulated microgravity exposure, IAA introduced and non-IAA introduced seeds of Zea mays L. were grown in a clinostat for 4days before taken to the nursery for planting. IAA was introduced to the seed by soaking in IAA solution for 90 minutes after which it was introduced to the microgravity stimulator (clinostat). After 14 days in the nursery, the seedlings were taken to the …

A Review On Water Security In Dhaka City, Bangladesh: Calling For Ensuring Sustainability, Wasim Akram, Wilailuk Niyommaneerat, Athit Phetrak, Suthirat Kittipongvises

Applied Environmental Research

Dhaka is currently facing a number of significant challenges, and one of them is the protection of water resources. The city is experiencing rapid depletion of groundwater as well as substantial pollution of its surface water. This article aims to highlight a review of the literature on the challenges of water security in Dhaka. The sustainability issues of water resources were elaborated in terms of management, quantity, and quality aspects. Having reviewed, it has been found that groundwater is depleting drastically over the years, which may have environmental, economic, and social consequences in the near future. Due to the rapid …

Effect Of Operating Parameters On Photocatalytic Treatment Of Synthetic Wastewater Using Catio3, Shilpa Mishra, Rekha Dom, Baranidharan Sundaram

Applied Environmental Research

Photocatalysis is thought to be a long-term, environmentally friendly, economically feasible, and promising technique for treating wastewater. The development of semiconductor nanoparticles has generated a great deal of interest in the treatment of wastewater. To break down complex contaminants found in wastewater into simpler compounds, including H2O and CO2, several UV/visible light excitable nanomaterials have been explored as photocatalysts. Their effectiveness can be managed by adjusting several reaction-related parameters like the intensity of light, irradiance time, pH, catalyst dose, temperature, doping, etc. The performance of the photocatalyst in the photodegradation of contaminants is greatly affected by these parameters. The main …

Using Neural Networks For Sustainable Land Use Prediction In Sumbawa Regency, Indonesia, Muhammad Ramdhan, Rudhy Akhwady, Taslim Arifin, Dini Purbani, Yulius -, Dino G. Pryambodo, Rinny Rahmania, Olivia Maftukhaturrizqoh, Abdul Asyiri, Syamsul Hidayat, Arya Ningsih, Sadad -

Applied Environmental Research

Agriculture is vital to Sumbawa Regency's economy, with key activities such as rice cultivation, corn production, onion farming, and cattle rearing. This study applies artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict land cover changes, focusing on agricultural land expansion. Using land cover datasets from ESRI, digital elevation model, and topographical maps, we analyzed land cover changes from 2017 to 2023 and generated future projections for 2050 with the MOLUSCE plugin in qGIS. The predictive model achieved an 85% accuracy rate when comparing 2023 actual data with predictions. Results indicate a significant increase in agricultural land cover by 2050. The key finding …

Screening, Isolation And Hydrocarbon Degradation Characteristics Of Yeasts From Mangrove Sediments Of Kerala, Vidya Pothayi, Sreedevi N Kutty, Sebastian Chempakassery Devasia

Applied Environmental Research

The aim of the present work was to examine the hydrocarbon degradation potential of yeasts isolated from the mangrove sediments. Mangrove sediments around the world were considered to be heavily polluted with oil contaminants and the microbes dwelling in them were believed to be highly active in metabolizing and detoxifying the oil fractions. In the present study, 70 yeast isolates were screened for their lipolytic activity qualitatively and 35 of them which showed comparatively higher lipolysis were tested for their crude oil degradation ability. Screening of hydro-carbon utilizing isolates was performed on Bushnell Haas agar media overlaid with 1% crude …

Application Of Remote Sensing In Analyzing Mangrove Forest Changes And Drivers In Mui Ca Mau National Park, Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Huyen, Le Hoang Tu, Phan Thi Ha, Nguyen Kim Duyet, Nguyen Kim Loi

Applied Environmental Research

Mangroves are vital in coastal ecology and for sustaining and securing coastal communities. However, several factors such as human activities and climate change have changed mangroves' quantity and quality. This research analyses land-use/land cover (LULC) changes focusing on mangroves in Mui Ca Mau National Park (MCMNP) from 1995-2022. Collected Landsat imagery in 1995, 2003, and 2022 were applied to perform this research. Overall accuracy and Kappa of land cover classification were 88.5% and 0.86 in 2003, and 87.6% and 0.85 in 2022, respectively. The classified results showed that the mangrove area had increased significantly from 4,316.1 hectares in 1995 to …

Establishing Optimal Machine Learning Models For Monitoring Water Quality In Vietnam’S Upper Ma River, Thanh-Son Ngo, Duc-Loc Nguyen

Applied Environmental Research

This study aims to establish the optimal regression model for predicting total suspended solids (TSS) and Turbidity based on in situ data and spectral regions of Sentinel-2 images. Various machine learning models were evaluated, including Multilayer Perceptron Regression (MLPR), Random Forest Regression (RFR), AdaBoost Regression (ABR), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and K-Nearest Neighbors Regression (KNNR). These models were applied to different band combinations of spectral regions: visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), shortwave-infrared (SWIR), VIS+NIR (VNIR), and VIS+NIR+SWIR (VNIR+SWIR). The study results revealed that the MLR model, while not the best performer during training (R2 = 0.89 for TSS and R2 = …

Assessment Of Potential Impacts Of Climate Change On Hydrology And Water Resource Availability In The Passaic River Basin, New Jersey, Felix Oteng Mensah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Streamflow dynamics in a basin is known to be a major driver of available water resources. In the context of climate change, it is expected that global warming will accelerate the global hydrologic cycle, which will drive more intense floods and droughts leading to changes in streamflow and water resource availability. Most researchers agree that the amount and intensity of precipitation have a direct impact on runoff. Yet, there is no consensus as to how warming can affect streamflow. Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a crucial role here. However, there is a shortage of real-world observations on it. And yet, ET is …

Identifying Accessibility Improvement Opportunities For Global Environmental Communication Websites, Alicia Mason, Josh Compton, Sakshi Bhati

Faculty Submissions

Digital environmental information presented with low web accessibility reduces parti-cipation in environmental advocacy and information seeking behaviors for many people with disabilities, creating a consequential digital divide. We use WEB AIM computer automated analysis of web accessibility to assess the general accessibility of online environmental communication messages. Results show 95.3% of the popular websites in our sample had indicators of potentially critical accessibility errors. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing digital environmental information accessibility shortcomings so that educational, informational and persuasive environ-mental messages can increase environmental literacy of vulnerable populations and help to bridge the digital divide.

Have Government Incentives Led To An Increase In The Adoption Of Solar Panels?, Sienna L. Houle

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides a tax credit for installations of renewable energy or battery storage that are completed between 2022 and 2034. The primary goal was to encourage citizens of the United States to reduce the use of fossil fuels and progress toward our climate goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. Numerous states have additional benefits for installing solar on top of the federal tax credit. Through the findings of this research paper, solar panel adoption increased as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 went into effect.

Impact Of Solar Radiation On Perchlorate Formation In The Atmosphere: Evidence From Ice Core Measurements, Bishnu Kunwar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Perchlorate, which derives from both anthropogenic and natural sources in the current environment, poses a substantial health hazard to humans as it competes with iodine uptake in the thyroid gland. Consequently, there has been considerable concern about minimizing human exposure to environmental perchlorate by restricting its release from man-made sources. However, the absence of a clear understanding regarding the respective contributions of man-made and natural sources has hindered widespread regulation efforts. A 300-year (1700–2007) Summit, Greenland ice core record from a previous study showed relatively stable perchlorate concentrations in Greenland snow prior to 1980, with some elevated perchlorate levels associated …

A Road Map For Place Based Collaboration For Conflict Reduction, Joseph L. Zecher

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Centering Climate Science In Learning, Déana Scipio, Priya Pugh, Kali Natarajan, Deb L. Morrison, Bethany Kogut, Karli Honebein, Michelle Grove, Jen Eklund

Climate, Water, and the Environment Research

The Washington State ClimeTime Network has been designed to build capacity for climate science learning, as well as broader NGSS implementation. As a network, we acknowledge the diversity of scientific histories and practices and continue to explore these variations to deepen our teaching and learning of climate science. This paper provides visions of what we mean by climate science centered learning, principles for fostering climate science learning, and guidance for capacity-building to achieve systemic implementation of climate science learning.

2024 Report To The Governor And Legislature On Utah's Land Water & Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water & Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2024 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah’s shared resources. It highlights a collection of data that is available to provide context to these issues and identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 52 researchers and with the support of 47 advisory board members, this report includes 6 chapters (Land, Water, Air, Forests and Rangelands, Bear Lake, and Metrics) that address the focus areas of the report.

Applying The Disaster Risk Assessment Framework To Sargassum Inundation In Barbados, A. Karima Degia, Micaela Small, Hazel A. Oxenford

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Episodic influxes of pelagic Sargassum into the Caribbean result in inundation of coastlines with significant negative impacts to the environment, society, and economy. The spatial complexities of this issue demand a strategy that combines spatial planning with an analytical framework that can systematically unpack the underlying factors to inform effective management. We test the application of the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) conceptual framework for disaster risk assessment to Sargassum inundation, with a focus on the hazard and exposure components of risk, using Barbados, a Caribbean Small Island Developing State (SIDS), as a case study. We first consider in …

Climate Risk, Insurance Retreat, And State Response, Mark P. Nevitt, Michael Pappas

Faculty Articles

Climate change is fundamentally destabilizing the private insurance industry, with many high-profile insurance companies exiting states in the face of catastrophic, climate-­induced risk. This rapid "insurance retreat" represents a major market signal in response to climate-exacerbated risks. Private businesses are making actuarial decisions, assessing that some locations are just too vulnerable to insure. At the same time, this insurance retreat also poses a policy challenge for states as they react to the mounting insurance gaps left by exiting private insurers.

This Article analyzes insurance retreat, its attendant policy challenges, and the lessons that can be drawn from state responses. It …

Impacts Of Wildfire On Subcanopy Energy Balance, Thermal Regime, And Permafrost Stability In Peat Plateaus At Scotty Creek, Canada, Maude Auclair

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The stability of permafrost in peatland-dominated regions of northwestern Canada is compromised by ongoing climate warming and increased wildfire activity. This study examines an 8-year record of changes to the surface and subsurface properties of a peat plateau following a low-severity wildfire that occurred in 2014 in a region of thawing, discontinuous permafrost. This is accomplished by comparing the burned portion of a peat plateau to two unburned control sites, one of which is the unburned portion of the same plateau that was affected by the fire. Net radiation was not significantly different one year following the wildfire but became …

Mapping With The Land: Co-Developing A Cumulative Impact Monitoring And Land Stewardship Framework With Sambaa K’E First Nation, Northwest Territories, Canada, Michael S. Mcphee

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Across the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, Indigenous populations are striving to achieve effective environmental protection, whilst navigating complex methods, policies, and research relationships within co-management contexts. This thesis seeks to identify how differing cultural systems, environmental change, and fractured partnerships may be unified to align with the needs of the Sambaa K’e First Nation (SKFN), a remote Dehcho Dene community. Indigenous methodologies guided co-development of research questions with SKFN leadership which yielded objectives a) develop a GIS-based method to manage, organize and mobilize cultural and environmental data; b) develop a new stewardship monitoring procedure so that users can apply the …

Exploring Women`S Perceptions Of Climate Change Impact On Agriculture, Health & Food Security In Upper Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan, Ambreen, Elina Nizar Ali, Taiba Yar Baig, Fozia Parveen

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, renowned for its towering mountains and major river basins, sustains nearly 1.4 billion people worldwide and is pivotal to global food production. Glacial melt from the HKH region nourishes agriculture, livestock, and horticulture, supporting the livelihoods of mountain communities. However, climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers, and shifts in wet seasons significantly impact food security in these communities. Sectors such as water resources, agricultural land, and human health, particularly women’s health, are significantly affected by these changes. For centuries, agriculture has been the backbone of Gilgit-Baltistan’s economy, with over 70% of livelihoods …

It’S Giving Genocide: What Feminist Theory, Indigenous Thought, And Queer Theory Have To Say About Climate Change, Owen George

MS in Environmental Studies Master's Theses

Climate change is having profound impacts on communities around the world. In some cases, and with time, more and more, the impacts of climate change are happening on a level that constitutes genocide. Raphaël Lemkin’s and Claudia Card’s definitions of genocide are most applicable to climate change as they have broader understandings of victim groups and social death, and they recognize that inaction to prevent reasonably foreseeable harm constitutes genocidal intent. The UN’s more rigid definition does, to a lesser extent, also apply to climate change. Across the three definitions examined here, the argument of climate change as genocide is …

Iere Annual Report 2024, Erin Largo-Wight, Nicole Lowe, Kelly Rhoden, Abbey Townsend, Ruby Cox

Annual Reports

2024 Annual Report of the Institute for Environmental Research and Education

Effective Land Use Classification Through Hybrid Transformer Using Remote Sensing Imagery, Muhammad Zia Ur Rehman, Syed Mohammed Shamsul Islam, Anwaar Ulhaq, David Blake, Naeem Janjua

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recent advances in deep learning for hyperspectral image (HSI) classification have shown exceptional performance in resource management and environmental planning through land use classification. Despite these successes, challenges continue to persist in land use classification due to the complex topology of natural and man-made structures. The uneven distribution of land cover introduces spectral-spatial variability, causing inter- and intra-class similarity. To address this issue, this study adopts a hybrid approach that combines convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and a transformer model. The technique comprises three key components: a spectral-spatial convolutional module (SSCM), a spatial attention module (SAM), and a transformer module. Each …

Optimization Of A Low-Cost Corona Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Plasma Wastewater Treatment System Through Central Composite Design/Response Surface Methodology With Mechanistic And Efficiency Analysis, Yiting Xiao, Yang Tian, Yuanhang Zhan, Jun Zhu

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Water pollution, which is intensified by the release of hard-to-degrade pollutants, poses severe threats to ecosystems, human health, and economic development. The existing advanced oxidation processes often involve high operational costs and can potentially result in secondary pollution, highlighting the necessity for innovative and more sustainable solutions. To address these challenges, our study introduces a cost-effective and eco-friendly corona dielectric-barrier discharge for wastewater treatment. Using the central composite design/response surface methodology, a high decolorization rate of 98% of methylene blue (MB) was achieved within 10 min by optimizing parameters such as pH and voltage. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying the generation …

The Surface Chemistry And Binding Interactions Of Lignin With Polymer-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles Acting As Model Microplastics, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Akinsola

All Master's Theses

This study investigates the surface chemistry and molecular-level interactions between lignin, a special type of natural organic matter, and polymer-capped gold nanoparticles, shedding light on the strength of adsorption between lignin and nanoscale polymer surfaces. Specifically, the study presents a variety of nanoscale polymer surfaces displaying different charged functional groups, using layer-by-layer assembly of three polyelectrolytes (polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH)), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC)) on 90 nm citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This approach provides a library of polymer-encapsulated AuNPs for investigating the binding interactions of lignin to nanoscale polymers via spectroscopic techniques. ζ-potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), …