Digital Commons Network^™

Quality Assurance Project Plan, 2024 Butte Mine Flooding Operable Unit Long-Term Monitoring Program, Montana Bureau Of Mines And Geology

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Biochemical Charactrization Of A Fructosyltransferase Enzyme From A Halophilic Archaeon, Haloarcula Marismotui, For Biotechnological Applications, Ahlam Khalifa Al Ameri

Theses

Fructosyltransferase enzymes are involved in the production of fructans, which are polymers of fructose and naturally present in many foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals. Fructans with short chain lengths are called Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are small dietary fibers having low caloric values and are known as “prebiotics”. Fructans have a broad range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and chemical industries. They have unique physiochemical properties and functionalities depending on the source of enzyme used for their production. The present study aimed at the utilization of a recently discovered unique fructosyltransferase enzyme from an extremely halophilic microorganism, …

Skin Lipids Alone Enable Conspecific Tracking In An Invasive Reptile, The Argentine Black And White Tegu Lizard (Salvator Merianae), M. Rockwell Parker, Eric A. Tillman, Lauren A. Nazarian, Megan L. Barlowe, Julianna M. Lincoln, Bryan M. Kluever

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Locating potential mates in non-native habitats is one of the most important challenges faced by invasive vertebrate species. The Argentine black and white tegu lizard (Salvator merianae) is a major invasive reptile species in the contiguous United States and is rapidly expanding its range across Florida and the Southeast, in part due to inadequate management strategies and tools. Because a wide array of reptiles, especially squamates (snakes and lizards), have been well-studied for their reliance on chemical cues to locate conspecifics, our project aimed to isolate chemical cues from tegus and assess the ability of adult males and …

Experiential Humanitiesx

DePaul Magazine

DePaul University's HumanitiesX program promotes project-based learning through innovative community collaborations.

Maurer Environmental Law Expert Is Lead Author On Science Insights Policy Forum Article, James Owsley Boyd

Keep Up With the Latest News from the Law School (blog)

The Indiana University Maurer and McKinney Schools of Law jointly will convene leading scholars and practitioners to discuss the implications of the 2023 United States Supreme Court case of Sackett v. EPA. The event, “Sackett v. EPA: What the Supreme Court’s Decision Means for Regulation and Wetlands Conservation,” will take place November 10 in the Wynne Courtroom and Steve Tuchman and Reed Bobrick Atrium at IU McKinney in Indianapolis.

Designing Depaul

DePaul Magazine

DePaul’s comprehensive, collaborative plan creates a road map that positions the university for monumental impact.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) - Butte Central High School, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Explosive Maximum Instantaneous Charge On Blasting Environmental Impact, Olukemi Yetunde Odeyemi, Blessing Olamide Taiwo, Olarewaju Alaba

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Our research looked at the effect of explosive maximum instantaneous charge on ground vibrations and noise levels during blasting operations at the Calaba limestone quarry in Nigeria. Vibrock (V9000) seismograph was used to take readings related to ground vibrations and noise generated during all blasting operations that took place in the quarry for a period of one year. The results obtained indicate that the average ground vibration readings fall between 0.25mm/s to 3.6mm/s and the average noise decibel generated during the blasting operations between 35 to 158 dB. An artificial neural network (ANN) model is developed in this study for …

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) - Hillcrest Elementary School, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Are Plant–Soil Feedbacks Caused By Many Weak Microbial Interactions?, Julia K. Aaronson, Andrew Kulmatiski, Leslie E. Forero, Josephine Grenzer, Jeanette M. Norton

Wildland Resources Student Research

We used high-throughput sequencing and multivariate analyses to describe soil microbial community composition in two four-year field plant–soil feedback (PSF) experiments in Minnesota, USA and Jena, Germany. In descending order of variation explained, microbial community composition differed between the two study sites, among years, between bulk and rhizosphere soils, and among rhizosphere soils cultivated by different plant species. To try to identify soil organisms or communities that may cause PSF, we correlated plant growth responses with the microbial community composition associated with different plants. We found that plant biomass was correlated with values on two multivariate axes. These multivariate axes …

Supply Chain Simulation Of Manufacturing Shirts Using System Dynamics For Sustainability, Gurinder Kaur, Ron Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

In supply chain management (SCM), goods and services flow from the raw materials stage to the end user with complexities and uncertainty at each stage. Computer modeling and simulation is a particularly useful method to examine supply chain operational issues because it can solve operational complexities that are challenging and time consuming to analyze. Manufacturing companies fear losing valuable time and assets during the manufacturing process; the inaccurate estimation of raw materials, human capital, or physical infrastructure not only leads to monetary loss for the manufacturing unit, but also has a detrimental effect on the environment. The purpose of this …

Booker Creek: Wet Season Water Quality Trends In A Florida Urban Stream, Alexandra M. Shostak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Booker Creek, a 1.9-mile stream with a 4.9-mi2 watershed, flows southeast through highly urbanized St. Petersburg, Florida, and empties into Bayboro Harbor, which connects with Tampa Bay. This study collected and analyzed water quality data for several parameters (TN, TP, nitrate-nitrite, ammonia, orthophosphate, chl-a, fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, temperature, and salinity) every two weeks, at four different sites, during the 2022 wet season to characterize the current state and geographic variability of Booker Creek. Current creek sampling regimes, though consistent, do not sample at multiple sites along the creek. Urban streams do not display uniform water quality along …

Scientific Landscape On Phthalates Biodegradation Research: A Bibliometric And Scientometric Study, Sai Ngassa, Cyprian Mpinda, Kessy F. Kilulya, Rose Masalu

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study investigated the scientific landscape of research on phthalate esters biodegradation using the Web of Science database up to 2022. The collected data were analysed using bibliometric and scientometric tools. A total of 863 scholarly documents published between 1975 and 2022 in 266 journals were selected for analysis. The analysis revealed a growth rate of 6.9% in the research field, with an average document age of 10.8 years. The trend in phthalate biodegradation research showed a steady increase in citations until 1997, followed by a slight decrease until 2005, but experienced renewed interest in 2006 and significant growth in …

Analysis Of Wastewater Samples To Explore Community Substance Use In The United States: Pilot Correlative And Machine Learning Study, Marie A. Severson, Sathaporn Onanong, Alexandra Dolezal, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, Lisa M. Mcfadden

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Background: Substance use disorder and associated deaths have increased in the United States, but methods for detecting and monitoring substance use using rapid and unbiased techniques are lacking. Wastewater-based surveillance is a cost-effective method for monitoring community drug use. However, the examination of the results often focuses on descriptive analysis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore community substance use in the United States by analyzing wastewater samples. Geographic differences and commonalities of substance use were explored.

Methods: Wastewater was sampled across the United States (n=12). Selected drugs with misuse potential, prescriptions, and over-the-counter drugs …

2023 Revised Operation And Maintenance Plan Railroad Stormwater Best Management Practices Within Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit For Bnsf Railway Company And Union Pacific Railroad, Kennedy Jenks

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Review Of Harmful Algal Bloom Effects On Birds With Implications For Avian Wildlife In The Chesapeake Bay Region, Barnett A. Rattner, Catherine E. Wazniak, Julia S. Lankton, Peter C. Mcgowan, Serguei V. Drovetski, Todd A. Egerton

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The Chesapeake Bay, along the mid-Atlantic coast of North America, is the largest estuary in the United States and provides critical habitat for wildlife. In contrast to point and non-point source release of pesticides, metals, and industrial, personal care and household use chemicals on biota in this watershed, there has only been scant attention to potential exposure and effects of algal toxins on wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay region. As background, we first review the scientific literature on algal toxins and harmful algal bloom (HAB) events in various regions of the world that principally affected birds, and to a lesser …

Data Management Plan Bnsf And Union Pacific Railroad Assets Within Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit, Kennedy Jenks

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

2023 Revised Operation And Maintenance Plan Railroad Stormwater Best Management Practices Within Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit For Bnsf Railway Company And Union Pacific Railroad, Kennedy Jenks

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Data Management Plan Bnsf And Union Pacific Railroad Assets Within Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit, Kennedy Jenks

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

When Communities Face Drinking Water Crises, Bottled Water Is A 'Temporary' Solution That Often Lasts Years--And Worsens Inequality, Daniel Jaffee

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

As a sociologist, I study the social and environmental effects of the rapid growth of bottled-water consumption in the U.S. and beyond, and how it is linked to distrust of public tap water. In my new book, “Unbottled,” one chapter examines how these dynamics played out in Flint. As its example shows, communities can end up relying on bottled water – often at great expense – for years after a crisis.

Characterization Of Environmental Levels Of Pesticide Residues In Household Air And Dust Samples Near A Bioenergy Plant Using Treated Seed As Feedstock, Jabeen Taiba, Eleanor G. Rogan, Daniel D. Snow, Chandran Achutan, Muhammad Zahid

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides is associated with adverse human health outcomes. There is environmental contamination in Saunders County, Nebraska, due to the accumulation of fungicides and insecticides from a now-closed ethanol plant using seed corn as stock. A pilot study quantified environmental contamination in nearby houses from residual pesticides by measuring dust and air (indoor/outdoor) concentrations of neonicotinoids and fungicides at the study site (households within two miles of the plant) and control towns (20–30 miles away). Air (SASS^® 2300 Wetted-Wall Air Sampler) and surface dust (GHOST wipes with 4 × 4-inch template) samples were collected from eleven study …

Wics Conference 2023: Moving Beyond The Ordinary, Daren Redfearn, Daran Rudnick

Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Conferences

The theme of this year’s WICS Conference is Moving Beyond the Ordinary with the goal of addressing Team Science. Our vision is to provide opportunities and connection points among IANR faculty to leverage their individual knowledge, skills, abilities, and passions. A tendency for land grant institutions is often to deliver information biased from a single, primary discipline and perspective. This is known as comfort zone mega bias and has been defined as “the tendency to drag a problem into our comfort zone and solve the problem that we know how to solve, rather than solving the problem that needs to …

Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2023 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) – Indoor Dust – Group 9 - Montana Technological University (Prospector Residence Hall) (Dated September 25, 2023), Nikia Greene

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Does Drought Stress Eliminate The Benefit Of Elevated Co2,/Sub> On Soybean Yield? Using An Improved Model To Link Crop And Soil Water Relations, Wenguang Sun, David Fleisher, Dennis Timlin, Chittaranjan Ray, Zhuangji Wang, Sahila Beegum, Vangimalla Reddy

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Crop simulation models are indispensable tools that facilitate studies to assess climate impacts and adaptation responses, but have not been adequately tested in terms of accurately predicting crop growth and water stress responses to high carbon dioxide concentrations [CO₂]. The soybean model, GLYCIM, previously modified with a coupled leaf-level gas exchange – energy balance model, was integrated with a two-dimensional convectivediffusive root growth module which linked soil and leaf water potentials with the regulation of stomatal conductance. We evaluated the accuracy of this modified GLYCIM using experimental data from a Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) site, SoyFACE, and …

Use Of Silica Dust And Lunar Simulants For Assessing Lunar Regolith Exposure, Layzamarie Irizarry-Colon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The utilization of the lunar regolith holds immense potential for future space exploration, but the potential health risks associated with lunar regolith are a significant concern. This literature review seeks to critically assess the use of silica and lunar simulants standards and permissible exposure limits (PELs) to evaluate the adverse health effects of lunar regolith. The literature review covers an extensive analysis of existing research, health risks, toxicological properties, and physical and chemical composition associated with silica, lunar simulants, and lunar regolith by using three main sources: regulations, scholarly articles, and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) discussion. This comprehensive analysis forms …

Leaching Performance Of Nanotechnology-Induced High-Arsenic-Bearing Tooeleite-Like Mineral Nanowaste, Arindam Malakar, Sanjit Das, Samirul Islam, Rajneesh Singh, Sugata Ray

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

For arsenic decontamination from groundwater, arsenic crystallization is becoming adopted due to its sustainability and economic benefits. However, arsenic crystallization technology is a two-step process, which makes it complex and generates hazardous waste. Successful efforts toward making it a single-step process are presented here. The addition of nanorods and ball-milled zinc sulfide nanoparticles to arsenic-contaminated water result in highly monodispersed and higharsenic- containing mineralized nanowaste with a crystalline structure similar to the mineral Tooeleite ((Fe³⁺₆(As³⁺O₃)₄SO₄(OH)₄•4H₂O)). This study reports the results of a short-term stability test …

Strengthening Ecological Protection And Green Development In Pearl River Basin To Support Construction Of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Bojie Fu, Guangqing Huang, Hong'ou Zhang, Junze Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The Pearl River is the largest river flowing into the South China Sea in China. The unique natural environmental characteristics and geographical location make the Pearl River Basin (PRB) rich in natural resources and huge development potential, and it has an important strategic position in the construction of China’s ecological security system and national economic development planning. At present, the upper and middle reaches of the PRB consist of crucial part of China’s strategic pattern of ecological security, and the lower reach is the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. However, influenced by multiple factors such as regional resource endowment and …

Ten-Year Review And Outlook For International Science Program—Integrated Research On Disaster Risk (Irdr), Huadong Guo, Fang Chen, Qunli Han, Jie Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) Program is a 10-year international science program initiated by International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), International Social Sciences Council (ISSC), and United Nations Office International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). In 2009, International Programme Office (IPO) of IRDR Program successfully applied by China Association for Science and Technology in Beijing, became the first office of ICSU Interdisciplinary Body hosted in Asia. IRDR Program has been implemented for ten years, and it has become the flagship program for global integrated research on disaster risk, established an extensive global disaster risk comprehensive research network, and formed …

Epidemiologic Understanding Of The Un Sustainable Development Goals, Zeinab Baba

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

A Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar entitled "Epidemiologic Understanding of the UN Sustainable Development Goals," presented by Professor Zeinab Baba, Department of Public Health Sciences, West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Microbial Community Function And Bacterial Pathogen Composition In Pit Latrines In Peri-Urban Malawi., Savanna K. Smith, Benjamin B. Risk, Rochelle H. Holm, Elizabeth Tilley, Petros Chigwechokha, Drew Capone, Joe Brown, Francis L. De Los Reyes Iii

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Despite the widespread global reliance on pit latrines as improved sanitation systems, the decomposition of waste within pit latrines is poorly understood. One area needing elucidation is the characterization and function of microbial communities within pit latrines. To address this gap, we characterized the microbial communities of 55 lined pit latrines at three sampling layers from two communities in peri-urban Malawi. The microbial communities of the fecal sludge samples were analyzed for beta diversity, pathogen presence, and functional profiling. Household surveys were conducted and used to compare microbial community patterns to household characteristics and pit latrine use patterns. Compared to …