Engineering Commons^™

Soil Nitrate Prediction Using Ftir-Atr, Vis-Nir, And Raman Spectroscopy, Sabiha Ferdous

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with Attenuated total reflectance (ATR), Visible-Near Infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIR), and Raman spectroscopy (RS) are non-destructive techniques for rapid determination of nitrogen compounds in soil. Leveraging FTIR-ATR and Vis-NIR spectra using partial least squares regression (PLSR) modeling, the study aims to predict soil nitrate content and explored the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy to detect nitrate (NO₃^-), nitrite (NO₂^-), and ammonium (NH₄⁺) in soil. Soil samples were collected from four different fields, dried, sieved (2mm), and then used for collecting spectra (FTIR-ATR and Vis-NIR). Laboratory analysis was …

Resistome And Mobilome In Surface Runoff From Manured Soil As Affected By Setback Distance, Noelle Mware, Maria C. Hall, Selvakumar Rajendran, John E. Gilley, Amy Schmidt, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, Yifan Zhang, Xu Li

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Land application of livestock manure introduces antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) into the soil environment. The objectives of this study were to examine the changes of resistome and mobilome in runoff and soil as a function of setback distance, i.e., the distance between manured soil and surface water, and to quantify the contributions of manure and background soil to the ARGs and MGEs in surface runoff. The resistome and mobilome in runoff and soil from a field-scale plot study were characterized using a high throughput quantitative polymerase chain reaction (HT-qPCR) array. It was estimated that a …

Transmission Routes Of The Microbiome And Resistome From Manure To Soil And Lettuce, Yuepeng Sun, Daniel D. Snow, Harkamal Walia, Xu Li

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The land application of animal manure can introduce manure microbiome and resistome to croplands where food crops are grown. The objective of this study was to characterize the microbiome and resistome on and in the leaves of lettuce grown in manured soil and identify the main transmission routes of microbes and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from soil to the episphere and endosphere of lettuce. Shotgun metagenomic results show that manure application significantly altered the composition of the microbiome and resistome of surface soil. SourceTracker analyses indicate that manure and original soil were the main source of the microbiome and resistome …

Fate And Transport Of Antibiotics And Antibiotic Resistance Genes In Runoff And Soil As Affected By The Timing Of Swine Manure Slurry Application, Renys Enrique Barrios, Himanshu Khuntia, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, John E. Gilley, Amy M. Schmidt Schmidt, Daniel D. Snow, Xu Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Land application of swine manure slurry is a common practice to supplement nutrients to soil for crop production. This practice can introduce antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. Field testing is critical in identifying manure management practices effective in minimizing the environmental impacts of manure-borne antibiotic and ARGs. The objective of this study was to determine how the timing of swine manure application relative to rainfall events impacts the fate and transport of antibiotics and ARGs in surface runoff and manure-amended soil. Swine manure slurry was either broadcast or injected on test plots in the field. …

Occurrence And Persistence Of Antibiotics Administered To Cattle In A Newly Established Feedlot, Brittany Trejo

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Student Research

The common practice of using therapeutic antibiotics in livestock farming is a worldwide phenomenon. Over the last decade, there has been a growing concern of antibiotics entering the environment via animal manure. Similar studies have focused on the occurrence and biological effects of antibiotics in land-applied animal feedlots; however, limited research has been conducted on the occurrence and persistence of antibiotics in animal feedlots. A study was conducted to investigate the occurrence and persistence of four injected antibiotics (ceftiofur enrofloxacin, florfenicol, and tulathromycin) and two continuously fed antibiotics (monensin and tylosin) in feedlot sediment, runoff, and sediment runoff. For antibiotics …

A Bibliometric Analysis Of Soil Pollution Due To Microplastics, Sangita Dike, Sayali Apte

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Microplastic pollution is a global problem because of its ecological and socioeconomic impacts on the environment. The large size plastic waste, under the action of ultraviolet radiation, pressure, and wind or wave action, breaks down into particles smaller than 5 mm referred to as microplastic. This huge amount of microplastic enters the ecosystem eventually leading to soil pollution. It has been established that microplastics enter the food chain when animals eat or ingest contaminated food materials.and have an adverse effect on human health The present paper investigates, past researches in the area of microplastic pollution of soil, by a detailed …

Remediating Soil For Successful Vegetation Establishment Along Nebraska Highways, Shad Mills, Martha Mamo, Walt Schacht, Humberto Blanco-Canqui

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Vegetation along roadsides is important to prevent soil erosion, provide habitat, and filter water running off the road. Vegetation close to the pavement along highways in Nebraska does not readily establish and persist. It is thought that the sodium and bulk density are the driving factors behind the lack of vegetation. After a construction project the shoulder is seeded into the compacted soil, and during winter salts can accumulate in the soil because of deicing agents being used. The purpose of our study was to determine if the sodium and bulk density are the driving factors of the vegetation cover. …

Evaluation Of Deformable Posts In The Zoi And Rigid Posts In Stiff Soil, Thomas Ammon

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Debris fences are commonly used by states, in conjunction with a concrete parapet, to protect railway tracks. Their use limits the intrusion of debris that could damage tracks or clutter rail lines. Due to a lack of previously crash-tested systems, the safety performance of such designs are largely unknown. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) desired that researchers at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) design a crashworthy debris fence mounted on top of a concrete parapet to meet the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) TL-3 crash test conditions. Part 1 of this thesis details the literature review and …

Influence Of The Method And Timing Of The Land Application Of Manure On The Fate And Transport Of Manure Constituents In Soil, Xu Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Swine manure has been used as a soil amendment for crop production because it can provide nutrients, increase soil productivity, improve water infiltration, and reduce the potential for soil erosion. It is important to understand how different land application strategies may affect the fate and transport of various manure constituents in the environment. The objective of this project was to determine how the method and timing of swine manure application may impact the levels of multiple manure constituents in soil. The manure constituents included nutrients, antimicrobials, and antimicrobial resistance genes (AMR genes).

A series of plot-scale field experiments were performed. …

Spatial Distribution Of Antibiotic Resistance In Soils Receiving Beef Feedlot Runoff, Scott Speicher

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Student Research

A study was conducted to provide new insight on the potential contribution to antibiotic resistance from the land application of beef feedlot runoff to soil. This study reports the distribution and quantity of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARBs), fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil from (i) a field receiving long-term application of beef feedlot runoff holding pond effluent and (ii) a cool-season pasture with no history of supplemental manure application.

Soil samples were collected June 2015 at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center, Nebraska. A response surface sampling design (RSSD) model based on …

Identifying And Addressing Soil Property Issues Affecting Roadside Vegetation Establishment, Xu Li, Martha Mamo, Walter H. Schacht, Tala Awada, Humberto Blanco-Canqui

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Attaining adequate vegetation cover along highways is important for NDOR to comply with EPA’s stormwater regulations. However, low plant cover is a common problem on shoulders (first 16 feet off the pavement) of many highways in Nebraska. The ultimate goal of this study is to identify cost-effective engineering solutions that assure adequate seed beds (i.e., soil conditions) for establishment of selected seeding mixtures. The objectives of this study are to (1) characterize the soil properties along roadsides where vegetation stands have not developed well, and (2) verify the effects of select soil property parameters on plant germination and establishment.

Sampling …

Use Of Recycled Crushed Concrete (Rcc) Fines For Potential Soil Stabilization, Lindeman Mark, Varilek Brandon, Lieska Halsey, Rick Gloe, Maria Olomi

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

This study evaluated the use of Recycled Crushed Concrete (RCC) Fines for potential soil stabilization. Soil stabilization is the enhancement of subgrade stability to improve the constructability of successive pavement layers. Use of RCC fines may not only provide less costly alternatives for subgrade stabilization, but their use may also alleviate landfill disposal challenges.

Evaluation Of Concrete Grinding Residue (Cgr) Slurry Application On Vegetation And Soil Responses Along Nebraska State Highway 31, Martha Mamo, Dennis L. Mccallister, Walter H. Schacht

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions In The Life Cycle Assessment Of Cellulosic Ethanol From Crop Residue, Xiao Xue Fang

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

Concerns about climate change and the increasing cost of fossil fuels have led to interest in the development of renewable biofuel pathways for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The use of corn residue as a potential source of biomass feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production has been favored as cost effective. Previous research has shown that crop residue removal can cause a loss of soil organic carbon (SOC), which potentially is a source of GHG emissions in the form of CO₂. Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, this study investigated the impact of corn residue removal on total …

Nonintrusive Mapping Of Near-Surface Preferential Flow, R. S. Freeland, Lameck O. Odhiambo, J. S. Tyner, J. T. Ammons, W. C. Wright

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

A unique survey protocol has been developed that maps near-subsurface preferential flow using integrated ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and a differential geographical positioning system (DGPS). The survey protocol consists of a mobile GPR system that spirals outward along a prescribed course, continuously gathering subsurface data for an extended period. Metered water is applied to a centrally located water-ponding ring, after first capturing the initial dry-state pattern signatures. The water radiates outward beneath the surface as it follows preferential flow pathways, which the GPR instrumentation spiraling above highlights. After data are collected, pre- and post-water time-elapsed images profiles are segmented by pattern …