Digital Commons Network^™

Innovations In Reuse, Lisa R. Osorio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Material reuse benefits all sectors in the community by decreasing the amount of reusable solid waste that is discarded. It increases the resources available for various programs and builds partnerships with educators, and businesses to support and promote reuse programs that will improve the quality of life in areas in which they operate. Several areas of the country currently have reuse programs that focus on several areas of reuse. Successful projects in several cities have focused on such areas as reuse for education, the arts, or other nonprofit activities. These sustainable programs have benefited other communities and should serve as …

An Experimental Technique In Lowering Total Dissolved Solids In Wastewater, Aaron Crotts

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An experimental method for lowering total dissolved solids in wastewater. This thesis project has been undertaken by Aaron Crotts in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. The problem undertaken in this thesis is to apply an experimental technique in wastewater treatment in hopes of reducing the total dissolved solids. Total dissolved solids consist of various dissolved ions in water such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur and sodium. In looking at one industry in particular a local Ice Cream manufacture, the problem with total dissolved solids is evident because of their manufacturing process, an …

The Barriers Present In More Developed Countries And Less Developed Countries Slowing The Implementation Of Substainability, Luke Giovine

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1996 the natural resource base of the world is being depleted at a rate far below the sustainable level. This is very evident in less developed countries (IDC), where raw limited natural resources are being poorly utilized and/or exported to more developed countries (MDC). The More Developed Countries such as the United States, Japan, and Germany use a high amount of natural resources and energy to maintain their material Standard Of Living (SOL), and this is at rates above what their own country can sustain with its own natural resources within its own borders. Both MDC's and LDC's are …

An Analysis Of Remediation Alternatives In An Attempt To Establish An Effective Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils Remediation Program At The Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (Ymp), Marc A. Gonzales

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An analyses, of six (6) soil remediation alternatives was completed in attempt to establish an effective hydrocarbon-contaminated soils remediation program at the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Program (YMP). The remediation alternatives analyzed included: no remediation, on-site incineration, off-site incineration, in-situ .bioremediation, ex-situ bioremediation, and excavation and disposal. Variables considered in the evaluation process included cost of contaminated soil transportation, treatment costs, future liability, and success of remediating the contaminated soils to below regulatory thresholds. The analysis concluded in the recommendation of an on-site ex-situ bioremediation treatment facility (BTF) to remediate hydrocarbon-contaminated soils at the YMP. The selection was based on …

Describing The Elephant: Multiple Perspectives In New York City's Watershed Protection Conflict, Krystyna Anne Stave

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

New York City's efforts to avoid filtration mandated by the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments and the 1989 Surface Water Treatment Rule have generated considerable controversy. Since the conflict began in 1990, a spectrum of stakeholder groups has emerged, representing land owners, sport fishermen, businesses, environmental groups, developers, and watershed communities. What was originally defined by New York City water supply managers as a scientific problem--identifying sources of water quality degradation and preventing contaminants from entering the water supply system--now has broadened to include a diverse set of social and economic issues as well.

Characterization Of Microorganisms From The Deep Subsurface That Produce Antimicrobial Substances, Michael Victor Staudaher

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A group of 95 actinomycete-like bacterial isolates were obtained from the deep subsurface at the Nevada Test Site. These isolates were screened for the ability to inhibit the growth of selected challenge organisms. A subset of 12 isolates were found to produce antibacterial substances during their growth and were termed bioactive. It was hypothesized that because the isolation source was solid rock, some of the bioactive isolates would require the presence of a surface in order to make antibiotic substances, and that some of these isolates would fail to produce antibiotics when grown in broth culture alone. It was further …

Avian Habitat Use In Southern Nevada Riparian Areas With Varying Amounts Of Tamarix Ramosissima, Sandra Lou Haigh

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Avian species richness, species diversity, and density were measured and compared over a 21 month period on six riparian sites in Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA), southern Nevada. Sites consisted of two lake shore areas with almost pure stands of Tamarix ramosissima and four stream side areas, two with mixed Tamarix and native vegetation and two with only native vegetation. Overall mean avian species richness, diversity, and density were lowest on lake shore sites, intermediate on mixed stream sites and highest on stream sites with native vegetation. Differences in these values were significant between lake shore and stream sites …

Effects Of Bacteria Polysaccharide And Cationic Surfactant Treatment On The Sorption Of Volatile Organic Compounds By Soil, Wenkai Ma

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In this study, the vapor-phase sorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) and benzene onto soil were assessed using Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC). Soils were treated with two different methods: (1) Soils were incubated with bacterial polysaccharide (to increase organic matter); (2) Soil was modified with cationic surfactant tetrabutyl-ammonium (TBA) and benzyl-diemethyl-sterylammonium (BDMS) respectively. The sorption results on the treated soils were compared to sorption results on the untreated soil. This comparison indicated that there were no significant differences between the VOC sorptions on untreated soil and bacterial polysaccharide treated soil. Sorption experiments on TBA-treated and BDMS-treated soil were conducted at various moisture …

Housing Conditions & Demographical Survey: Housing Rehabilitation For The City Of North Las Vegas, Lisa M. Morris

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The basis of this research, is to evaluate the North Las Vegas area in order to develop knowledge of what areas are in critical need of rehabilitation. Improperly maintained affordable housing is one of the largest sources of wasted resources. The research was obtained through a windshield survey process, which included approximately 12,000 homes in the North Las Vegas area to determine their conditions. The findings of the windshield survey was used to correlate the results of the housing conditions, with demographics such as: Population, Age Distribution, Racial Distribution, Median Income, Poverty Levels, Age of Homes and Female Head of …

Management Of Pesticide Related Soil Contamination In Tulare County, California: Remediation And Prevention Options, Nickolas Keoni Akana

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The case study chosen for research is the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) summary report of Remedial Investigations of the Harmon Field contaminated site located near the town of Pixley, in Tulare County, California. "These reports were prepared in accordance with a directive from the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal-EPA), formerly the California Department of Health Services (DHS). (Canonie, 1996).

Harmon Field is a hundred acre field located at 1494 South Airport Road. The airfield has been in full operation since 1952. The uses of the airport are all agriculturally related. The primary use is for crop duster operations. (Canonie 1996). …

Unlv Magazine, Donna Mcaleer, Francisco Menendez

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Resource Use Conflict In New York City's Catskill Watersheds: A Case For Expanding The Scope Of Water Resource Management, Krystyna Anne Stave

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

In New York City's water supply watersheds, controversy over water quality protection underscores both the need to expand the scope of water resource management and the challenges to doing so. This paper describes the response of watershed residents to !'Jew York City's efforts to avoid filtration mandated by the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments and 1989 Surface Water Treatment Rule. The emergence of a spectrum of stakeholder groups representing land owners, sport fishermen, businesses, environmental groups and local communities has brought social and economic issues not previously part of the City's water management program to the center of the …

Updating The Colorado River Compact, Jeffrey A. Freer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water is essential to life in the arid environment of the western United States. For centuries, humans have used the Colorado River to fulfill their needs and until the past 100 years, the use of the river was sustainable. Over the last 100 years, the Colorado River has been dammed and diverted to "reclaim" the arid west for man's use. In 1946, a Department of the Interior report stated that "Tomorrow the Colorado will be utilized to the very last drop. Its water will convert thousands of additional acres of sagebrush desert to flourishing farms and beautiful homes for servicemen, …

Using Gis To Identify Critical Areas For Water Quality Protection In New York City's Water Supply System, Paul K. Barten, Krystyna Anne Stave

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

The protection of water quality at its source — the watershed — recognizes that minimizing land use impacts and allowing natural processes to provide in situ biological treatment can complement conventional engineering methods. In contrast to the enormous costs projected for drinking water filtration, the judicious application of watershed management principles and practices is a way to balance the needs of people with the capacity of the natural resource base over time. This paper describes the development and initial application of a geographic information system (GIS) to a ortion of New York City's 2,000 square mile water supply system, the …

The Study Of Yucca Mountain For A Possible Nuclear Storage Facility Science Vs. Politics, Anna Leske

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether scientific or political methods were used by the of the United States Congress in the study of the nuclear waste storage facility in Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The history nuclear power and the history of the Johnston compromise that lead to the elimination of Texas and Washington States as possible sites for the repository is explained. A review of the conflicts between Nevada politicians and the U.S. Congress over the designation of Yucca Mountain as the sole study for a permanent storage site of the nation's high-level nuclear waste is addressed along …

Limiting Growth In Las Vegas - A Necessary Growth Strategy For The Twenty-First Century, Cheryl Ann Frassa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Land development in the Las Vegas Valley continues at an unprecedented rate and future growth will no doubt be strongly advocated. Yet, water resources in this desert area are finite, and in the near future, supply will fall short of demand. Plans are underway to supplement the existing supply, and proposals to secure additional sources are under investigation. But there are no guarantees these ambitious endeavors will materialize. In light of the pending water crisis, the pervasive "growth at all cost" policies now dominant in the valley must be abandoned and more realistic land-use policies developed; ones based on the …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Pcr For Bioaerosol Monitoring: Sensitivity And Environmental Interference, Aj Alvarez, Mark P. Buttner, Linda Stetzenbach

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

The PCR technique has potential for use in detection of low concentrations of airborne microorganisms. In this study, the sensitivity of PCR and its susceptibility to environmental interference were assessed with Escherichia coli DH1 as the target organism. Air samples, containing environmental bioaerosols, were collected with AGI-30 samplers and seeded with E. coli DH1 cells. Parallel studies were performed with cells seeded into the sampler prior to collection of air samples to determine the effects of environmental inhibition and sampling stress on the PCR assay. Baseline studies were also performed without environmental challenge or sampling stress to compare two protocols …

An Assessment Of The Potential To Use Water Chemistry Parameters To Define Ground Water Flow Pathways At Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, Kim Alison Zukosky

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to assess the potential to use water chemistry parameters to determine ground water flow pathways at the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. South rim spring, ground, and surface waters and one north rim spring were sampled from September 1992 through September 1993. Field measurements (pH, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, temperature, total dissolved solids, and dissolved oxygen), major anion (fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate) concentrations, selected trace element concentrations, and the ratios of the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. Major anion, trace element, and field measurement data were analyzed using …

Determining Recreational Visitor Carrying Capacity: The Case Of Black Canyon At Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Kenneth C. Forman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, created by Hoover and Davis Dams respectively, were combined, along with much of the surrounding area, into the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in 1964. The enabling legislation is specific about the duty the National Park Service has to the public to create and maintain this, and other, national recreation areas for the benefit of the visitors, the environment, and future generations. By investigating human impacts on the physical environment (water quality, litter, etc.) and by querying park users on their opinions (with respect to crowding, visitor behavior, etc.), insight can be gained about appropriate …

The Economics Of Free Parking: Transportation Policy At The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, Richard A. Nielsen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper culminates a natural progression of studies done over the past two years examining parking and transportation policy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The purpose of these studies has been to evaluate the adequacy of these policies and to estimate the potential impact a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program could produce on parking and traffic conditions and air quality improvement. Included in the report are results from a commuter survey conducted in April 1993, a simple rollback model developed to produce an estimation of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) at the University and any subsequent reduction of VMT …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

A Field Screening Method For Polychlorinated Biphenyl Compounds In Water, Shen Lin

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study was to develop a simple, inexpensive and rapid procedure for determination of PCBs in water. There was special interest in developing a field-screening procedure for aqueous extracts resulting from a soil remediation procedure; the extracting liquid typically contains 1-3% PCBs by weight to enhance the solubility of PCBs. A test was developed based on forming complexes of PCBs with Ag{dollar}\sp+{dollar} followed by UV irradiation to form Ag metal. The appearance of color (gray to brown depending on the PCB concentration) was used to signal the presence of PCB. The test color can be directly compared …

Identification Of Cultural Factors Pertinent To Effective Cross-Cultural Management In Luxury Multinational Hotel Chains In Asia Pacific Countries, Chen Yee Wang

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study is to identify the cultural factors deemed pertinent to effective cross-cultural management in luxury multinational hotel chains. The first part of the study developed a cultural framework, which consists of twenty-one cultural factors, through reviewing related literature. This cultural framework was an attempt to cover every important aspect of a culture; After a cultural framework was developed, a questionnaire consisting of these cultural factors was designed to survey expatriate managers working in luxury multinational hotel chains in the Asia Pacific countries. The primary purpose of the survey was to determine the importance of each …

A Study Of Recognition Coating Response For Quartz Crystal Microbalances, Robert Louis Curiale

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Computerized molecular modeling methods supplemented with chemometric methods may be used to provide information regarding sensitivity, selectivity, and other properties of solid/vapor sorption interactions for chemically coated Quartz Crystal Microbalances (QCMs). When exposed to the individual vapors of a homologous series of carboxylic acid vapors, a QCM coated with varying thicknesses of poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) coating, produces a linear response that is sensitive and selective. The selectivity of the PEI coating toward analytes increases with aliphatic chain length probably due to dispersive interactions. A linear relationship between calculated van der Waals force values and experimental dispersion force values may exist. BET …

Analysis And Evaluation Of The Workplace Exposure Assessment Workbook Developed By Keith Tait Including Some Recommended Revisions, Lisa Hebberd

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Some risk due to the contamination of workplace environments is an inevitable part of human lives. These risks can often be reduced by improving the control of environmental pollution in the workplace. An extremely important challenge for any industry is to develop a mechanism to identify acceptable levels of safety, or "acceptable risk" in the workplace for specific situations, and to assure adequate quality control over measured or calculated exposure concentrations and their possible contributions to adverse health effects.

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud, Lisa Story

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Of Fungal Spores In An Experimental Indoor Environment To Evaluate Sampling Methods And The Effects Of Human Activity On Air Sampling, Mark P. Buttner, Linda Stetzenbach

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Aerobiological monitoring was conducted in an experimental room to aid in the development of standardized sampling protocols for airborne microorganisms in the indoor environment. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the relative efficiencies of selected sampling methods for the retrieval of airborne fungal spores and to determine the effect of human activity on air sampling. Dry aerosols containing known concentrations of Penicillium chrysogenum spores were generated, and air samples were taken by using Andersen six-stage, Surface Air System, Burkard, and depositional samplers. The Andersen and Burkard samplers retrieved the highest numbers of spores compared with the measurement standard, …

Potential Use Of Ultrasound In Chemical Monitoring, Grazyna Elzbieta Orzechowska

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study was to examine the potential of combining sonication with other technologies for monitoring specific classes of organic pollutants in water. The research specifically addressed using ultrasonic processors to decompose organochlorine compounds into ions which could be detected using a specific ion electrode as a screening method for organochlorine pollutants. Changes in chloride, conductivity, and pH were measured using commercially available equipment before and after sonication in order to detect the presence of the organochlorine pollutant. Chloride ion could be detected in aqueous solutions of low ppm concentrations of carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and trichloroethylene after one …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud, Lisa Story

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.