Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Long-Term Activity Of Biohybrid Coatings Of Atrazine-Degrading Bacteria Pseudomonas Sp. Adp, Angela K. Pannier, T. Lehrer, M. Vogel, U. Soltmann, H. Bottcher, S. Tarre, M. Green, J. Raff, K. Pollmann

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The atrazine-degrading bacterial strain Pseudomonas sp. ADP was immobilized by the sol–gel process within thin silica layers coated onto water-retaining carrier materials (expanded clay pellets and scoria). The performance of the obtained biohybrid material has been investigated concerning long-term activity under non-growth conditions. Experiments were run in phosphate buffer containing atrazine (20 mg l^-1) as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Even after one year of consecutive batch tests, P. ADP immobilized onto expanded clay pellets showed a high atrazine degradation activity. In the course of long-term batch experiments, the average amount of removed atrazine was about …

Nutrient Concentrations Of Runoff As Affected By The Diameter Of Unconsolidated Material From Feedlot Surfaces, John E. Gilley, Gregory Boone, David B. Marx

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Beef cattle feedlots contain unconsolidated material that accumulates on the feedlot surface during a feeding cycle. This study was conducted to measure the effects of varying diameters of unconsolidated surface material and varying flow rates on nutrient concentrations in runoff. Unconsolidated surface material with an average diameter of 4.76, 9.53, 19.1, or 47.5 mm and a composite sample with a 15.2 mm mean diameter were placed within 0.75 m wide × 4.0 m long plot areas. Flow was then introduced at the top of the plots in successive increments, and runoff samples for water quality analyses were obtained. Particle diameter …

Dynamic Analysis Of Dna Nanoparticle Immobilization To Model Biomaterial Substrates Using Combinatorial Spectroscopic Ellipsometry And Quartz Crystal Microbalance With Dissipation, Tadas Kasputis, Alex Pieper, Mathias Schubert, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Gene expression within cells can be altered through gene delivery approaches, which have tremendous potential for gene therapy, tissue engineering, and diagnostics. Substrate-mediated gene delivery describes the delivery of plasmid DNA or DNA complexed with nonviral vectors to cells from a surface, with the DNA immobilized to a substrate through specific or nonspecific interactions. In this work, DNA-nanoparticle (DNA–NP) adsorption to substrates is evaluated using combinatorial, in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (SE/QCM-D), to evaluate the basic dynamic processes involved in the adsorption and immobilization of DNA–NP complexes to substrates. The concentration of DNA–NP solutions influences …

Seed Tape Effects On Corn Emergence Under Greenhouse Conditions, Ramarao Venkatesh, Peter R. Thomison, Colette K. Gabriel, Mark A. Bennett, Elaine M. Grassbaugh, Matthew D. Kleinhenz, Scott A. Shearer, Santosh Pitla

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Seed tape has recently received attention as an alternative planting system for smallholder farmers in underdeveloped regions of South America, Africa, China, and India (Mateus, 2014). Seed companies are also developing seed-tape planting systems for germplasm evaluations (Deppermann et al., 2013). Although seed tape has been promoted as a method for ensuring uniform seed spacing and plant density of small-seeded flowers, herbs, and vegetables (Chancellor, 1969), little or no information is available on the use of seed tape for larger-seeded row crops and its effect on crop emergence. The objective of this study was to compare the emergence of corn …

Experimental And Modelling Evaluation Of Slagging Behaviour Of German Lignite, Martin Kaiser, Alexander Ilyushechkin

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The behaviour of mineral matter is important for the characterisation of coal for use in entrained-flow gasification technologies. We investigated four behavioural characteristics—ash fusion temperatures (AFT), slag viscosity versus temperature profiles, temperatures of critical viscosity (TCV), and slag phase compositions—of Rhenish lignite coal ash using laboratory and modelling tools. Our modelling of AFT using coal ash composition provided a wide range of data, with only one (modified) model demonstrating agreement with experimental data. Experimental slag viscosity data were obtained over a temperature range from 1200uC to 1500uC. Where relevant, TCV was also measured. Comparison of these data to the calculated …

Fly Ash As A Potential Scrubber Of Acidic Wastes From The Phosphate Industries In Israel, Roy Nir Lieberman, Eli Lederman, Ithamar Pelly, Haim Cohen

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Fly ash (FA) is produced in Israeli utilities via bituminous coal combustion. It is used as a cement additive or in concrete production, and its economic value is low. The FA produced in Israel is very basic (defined as class F) owing to ambient air quality standards that impose low sulfur content in the imported coals. Because the lime content is high (in the South African coal, ,10 wt%), it is a good potential chemical scrubber to acidic wastes. The phosphate industry in Israel produces mainly phosphate fertilizers and water-treatment products as well as phosphoric acid. The production methods rely …

Geochemistry And Mineralogy Of Coal-Fired Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion Fly Ashes, Luis F.O. Silva, Marcos L.S. Oliveira, Rubens M. Kautzmann, Claudete G. Ramos, Maria Izquierdo, Shifeng Dai, Jennifer Wilcox, Jeremy Hoffman, James C. Hower

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The fuel, bed ash, and fly ash were sampled from a circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) unit at two times. The first sampling was a high-sulfur (S) coal-only run, and the second sampling coincided with an experimental burn of up to 10% switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) pressed pellets mixed with a high-S coal. The latter blend had a higher moisture content and a lower heating value than the coal-only fuel. Given the time between the samplings and the special needs for the experimental run, unavoidable changes in the coal and limestone complicate comparisons of the bed ash and fly ash chemistry …

Design And Construction Of Five Gallon Anaerobic Digesters, Daniel John Schricker

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project discusses the design, construction, and testing of a laboratory scale anaerobic digestion reactors. It included four digesters and two gas measurement devices. The outside dimensions of the digester were 22 inch tall with a 10.5 inch diameter. They were constructed from schedule 40 PVC pipe, with a wall thickness of 0.5 inches. They were designed to be filled with 20 liters of digester feed stock, at a height of 16 inches from the bottom, leaving 5 inches of head space above the digester feed for biogas accumulation. Two of the reactors were heated with Hydrofarm seedling heating pads …

Assessment Of Corn Stover Torrefaction For On-Farm Biochar Production, Christina M. Gerometta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Torrefaction is a thermochemical pretreatment process that is typically achieved by slowly heating biomass (<50°C/min) within the temperature range of 200 – 300°C under an inert atmosphere. This process yields a storable solid product with enhanced fuel characteristics that are influenced by the ligno-cellulosic composition of the original feedstock and the imposed torrefaction conditions (time and temperature). This study is an assessment of corn stover properties that are relevant for designing an on-farm torrefaction system. The first portion of this study compared the thermal decomposition behaviors of corn stover fractions (leaf, stalk, cob) to the respective ligno-cellulosic composition using thermo-gravimetric analysis. It was found that the thermal decomposition pattern correlates to the structure and ratio of ligno-cellulosic polymers and provides design guidelines for an on-farm torrefaction system capable of handling large quantities of mixed fraction stover. The second part of this study investigated the effects of torrefaction time and temperature on the mass and energy yield of mixed fraction corn stover using a 46.3 L batch style reactor. It was found that longer reaction times and higher temperatures were required to obtain mass and energy yields similar to those found using lab-scale reactors and finely milled samples. Non-uniform torrefaction occurred between fractions due to chemical composition of each fraction and proximity to the heating elements.

Modeling The H2s Concentrations Affected By Shelterbelts Downwind From A Swine Facility, Brett D. Pettigrew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Odor from swine facilities can be a nuisance to the nearby residences and communities. Shelterbelts have been shown to positively impact the downwind air quality, but the impacts are dependent on wind speed and direction, and shelterbelt configuration. The first objective of this research was to develop an empirical model of shelterbelt-induced hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentration reductions as a function of horizontal distance beyond a swine facility, based on data from a previous study by Hofer (2009). The Hofer (2009) study measured H2S concentrations at a swine facility at four discrete distances beyond the barn (55, 246, 510, and 805 …

Trends In Coal Utilization And Coal Combustion Product Production In Kentucky: Results Of The 2012 Survey Of Power Plants, James C. Hower, Gerald A. Thomas, Shelley G. Hopps

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research has conducted a survey of Kentucky’s utility coal-fired power plants every 5 years since 1992. The survey includes a collection of the feed coal and the coal combustion products (CCPs). The latest collection was in 2012, with the accompanying information survey covering trends in 2011. Overall coal-fired energy production decreased, and the nature of the CCPs changed for a number of reasons, including but not limited to, increased gas production in the Appalachians, a series of warm winters, energy conservation, depletion of Appalachian coal reserves, and utility responses to regulations. From …

Pretreatment Of Scenedesmus Sp. Biomass As A Potential Anaerobic Digestion Substrate, Xinyi E, Czarena Crofcheck

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Algal biomass can be a potential substrate for anaerobic digestion. However, raw algae cells show a resistance to biological degradation, resulting in a slower methane production rate. Varying thermal and chemical pretreatments of algal biomass were investigated in an attempt to increase soluble organic matter (SOM) yield, which would result in enhanced methane production during subsequent anaerobic digestion. Scenedesmus sp. was harvested using three different procedures: with flocculation, with flocculation and drying, and without flocculation or drying. For all pretreatments and algae types, fluorescence micrographs were obtained to visually confirm the degradation of the algal cell walls. A complete 2 …

2014 Nebraska Water Monitoring Programs Report, Marty Link, Ryan Chapman

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality: Reports

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is charged with monitoring, assessing, and to the extent possible, managing the state’s water resources. The purpose of this work is to protect and maintain high quality water and encourage or execute activities to improve poor water quality. Monitoring is done on nearly 17,000 miles of flowing rivers and streams, more than 134,000 acres of surface water in lakes and reservoirs, as well as the vast storage of groundwater in Nebraska’s aquifers.

2014 Nebraska Groundwater Quality Monitoring Report

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality: Reports

The 2001 Nebraska Legislature passed LB329 (Neb. Rev. Stat. §46-1304) which, in part, directed the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) to report on groundwater quality monitoring in Nebraska. Reports have been issued annually since December 2001. The text of the statute applicable to this report follows: “The Department of Environmental Quality shall prepare a report outlining the extent of ground water quality monitoring conducted by natural resources districts during the preceding calendar year. The department shall analyze the data collected for the purpose of determining whether or not ground water quality is degrading or improving and shall present the …

Effects Of Sodium Hydroxide Pretreatment On Structural Components Of Biomass, Alicia A. Modenbach, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Pretreatment is a unit operation in the conversion of biomass to valuable products that utilizes various combinations of conditions, including chemicals, heat, pressure, and time, to reduce the recalcitrance of lignocellulose. Many such pretreatments have been developed over the years, as the operating conditions can be adapted so that lignocellulose is modified in ways unique to each pretreatment. By tailoring pretreatment conditions to achieve these modifications, the types of final products produced can be controlled. The purpose of this review is to provide a consolidated source of information for sodium hydroxide effects on lignocellulose. The structural characteristics of lignocellulose and …

Evaluating Sampling Strategies For Rainfall Simulation Studies And Surface Transport Of Antibiotics From Swine Manure Applied To Fescue Plots, Holly K. Enlow

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Antibiotics are commonly used in animal agriculture to treat and prevent diseases and promote growth. Unfortunately, large amounts of antibiotics are not metabolized, but instead are excreted in urine and feces. Rainfall simulation studies were used to investigate the transport of the antibiotic oxytetracycline and various constituents in runoff and the ability of alum to reduce pollutant transport. Runoff samples were collected at several points during the simulated storm event from each of four treatments: control (C), manure only (M), manure and antibiotics (MA), and manure, antibiotics and alum (MAA). Flow-weighted composite samples were created and compared to the flow …

Sequential Co-Culture Of Anaerobic Bacteria On Switchgrass In A Continuous Flow-Through Reactor For Biofuel Production, Noelia M. Elia

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Solid substrate cultivation (SSC) using lignocellulosic non-food feedstock, such as switchgrass, is an alternative for advanced biofuel production. Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) fermentation in two stages using a sequential culture of microorganisms from the class Clostridia is an approach proposed to increase the butanol production.

The goal was to test the efficacy of a sequential culture on high solid substrate cultivation in batch and continuous cultivation, and to evaluate conditions to optimize butanol production using switchgrass as substrate.

Initial batch experiments were used to determine particle size effect, choice of solvent producer and pretreatment evaluation: The effect of particle size on gas …

Low Cost Flow Sensing For Field Sprayers, Yue Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Precisely measuring the flow rate in sprayers is a key technology to precision agriculture. With the development of advanced technologies, the demand for the ability to measure flow rate of individual nozzle has become more important and urgent.

This paper investigates the possibility of developing a low-cost flow rate measurement technique. The technique is based on analyzing the acoustic signal from a microphone placed near the nozzle tip. A comparison between acoustic signal and vibration signal was made to study the relations between them. Then several possible locations of the microphone for measuring flow rate were tested and compared, and …

Laboratory Scale Concept Validation And Evaluation Of Compromising Plant Nodal Integrity As A Means To Increase Bale Density, Aaron P. Turner

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Transportation costs represent a significant role in the economics of packaged hay and biomass crops. The material’s low bulk density limits transportation efficiency. Density is currently limited by the ability of the baling twine to withstand the expansion forces generated by the baled material shortly after it is ejected from the bale chamber. It was hypothesized that compromising the structure of the plant, particularly the plant nodes could reduce the amount of energy stored in the material as it is compressed and thereby reduce the material’s elastic response to compression. Literature pertinent to the biomass material’s behavior in compression was …

Field Implementation Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium Biomass Pretreatment: Fungal Identification And Inoculation Techniques, Bobby D. Carey Jr

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Scaling biological pretreatment from the bench scale to the production scale may be more economical if unsterilized feedstock are used, however these allow for microbial competition from contaminates. An accurate and rapid method for identifying the desired biological pretreatment organism is necessary to confirm the presence of the desired organism when contaminates are morphologically similar to the target organism. Traditional methods, such as visual identification, sequencing, and selective plating can be time consuming and are sometimes still inconclusive. Based on methods described in the literature, plasmid DNA containing the marker genes gus (�-glucuronidase), LacZ, and gfp (green fluorescence protein) …

Design And Construction Of A Portable Cattle Loading Ramp, Gino A. Torlai

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project is to design and construct an affordable and effective portable cattle loading trailer. The trailer should save money by not having to buy a commercial brand and also by being able to utilize the piece of equipment at multiple different ranches.

Flow Measurement Options For Canal Turnouts, Kyle Feist, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Volumetric record-keeping, billing, and allocations at irrigation district delivery points (turnouts) are the norm, rather than the exception for most California irrigation districts. However, many older districts are just beginning these efforts, and other districts are trying to improve existing hardware and procedures. Volumetric accounting with high accuracy and a reasonable price presents unique engineering challenges for irrigation districts because of the variety of existing structures and configurations at irrigation delivery points. Because it is likely that irrigation districts will attempt to utilize existing devices, or slightly modify them, there is a need for standardized installation and/or calibration. This paper …

Irrigation System Regulating (Buffer) Reservoirs, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Regulating reservoirs (also known as "balancing" or "buffer" reservoirs) are very commonly used in western US irrigation district modernization projects with canal systems. Some districts have a dozen or more reservoirs within total service areas of 20,000 – 40,000 ha. This paper presents details of sizing and control of flows into and out of the reservoirs.

Soybean Yield, Evapotranspiration, Water Productivity, And Soil Water Extraction Response To Subsurface Drip Irrigation And Fertigation, Suat Irmak, James E. Specht, Lameck O. Odhiambo, J. M. Rees, K. G. Cassman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), crop water use efficiency (CWUE), evapotranspiration water use efficiency (ETWUE), and soil water extraction response to eleven treatments of full, limited, or delayed irrigation versus a rainfed control were investigated using a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system at a research site in south-central Nebraska. The SDI system laterals were 0.40 m deep in every other row middle of 0.76 m spaced plant rows. Actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) was quantified in all treatments and used to schedule irrigation events on a 100% ET_a replacement basis in all but …

Combined Qcm-D/Ge As A Tool To Characterize Stimuli-Responsive Swelling Of And Protein Adsorption On Polymer Brushes Grafted Onto 3d-Nanostructures, Meike Koenig, Tadas Kasputis, Daniel Schmidt, Keith B. Rodenhausen Jr., Klaus-Jochen Eichhorn, Angela K. Pannier, Mathias Schubert, Manfred Stamm, Petra Uhlmann

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A combined setup of quartz crystal microbalance and generalized ellipsometry can be used to comprehensively investigate complex functional coatings comprising stimuli-responsive polymer brushes and 3D nanostructures in a dynamic, noninvasive in situ measurement. While the quartz crystal microbalance detects the overall change in areal mass, for instance, during a swelling or adsorption process, the generalized ellipsometry data can be evaluated in terms of a layered model to distinguish between processes occurring within the intercolumnar space or on top of the anisotropic nanocolumns. Silicon films with anisotropic nanocolumnar morphology were prepared by the glancing angle deposition technique and further functionalized by …

Parallel Synthesis Of Poly(Amino Ether)-Templated Plasmonic Nanoparticles For Transgene Delivery, James Ramos, Thrimoorthy Potta, Olivia Scheideler, Kaushal Rege

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Plasmonic nanoparticles have been increasingly investigated for numerous applications in medicine, sensing, and catalysis. In particular, gold nanoparticles have been investigated for separations, sensing, drug/nucleic acid delivery, and bioimaging. In addition, silver nanoparticles demonstrate antibacterial activity, resulting in potential application in treatments against microbial infections, burns, diabetic skin ulcers, and medical devices. Here, we describe the facile, parallel synthesis of both gold and silver nanoparticles using a small set of poly(amino ethers), or PAEs, derived from linear polyamines, under ambient conditions and in absence of additional reagents. The kinetics of nanoparticle formation were dependent on PAE concentration and chemical composition. …

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectral Biomarkers Correlate With Ankle Brachial Index And Characterize Leg Muscle Biochemical Composition Of Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease, Kim Cluff, Abby M. Kelly, Panagiotis Koutakis, Xiang N. He, Xi Huang, Yongfeng Lu, Iraklis I. Pipinos, George P. Casale, Jeyamkondan Subbiah

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterized by atherosclerotic blockages of the arteries supplying the lower extremities, which cause a progressive accumulation of ischemic injury to the skeletal muscles of the lower limbs. This injury includes altered metabolic processes, damaged organelles, and compromised bioenergetics in the affected muscles. The objective of this study was to explore the association of Raman spectral signatures of muscle biochemistry with the severity of atherosclerosis in the legs as determined by the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) and clinical presentation. We collected muscle biopsies from the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) of five patients with clinically diagnosed claudication, five …

The Biophysical Link Between Climate, Water, And Vegetation In Bioenergy Agro-Ecosystems, Justin E. Bagley, Sarah C. Davis, Matei Georgesu, Mir Zaman Hussain, Jesse Miller, Stephen W. Nesbitt, Andy Vanloocke, Carl J. Bernacchi

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Land use change for bioenergy feedstocks is likely to intensify as energy demand rises simultaneously with increased pressure to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Initial assessments of the impact of adopting bioenergy crops as a significant energy source have largely focused on the potential for bioenergy agroecosystems to provide global-scale climate regulating ecosystem services via biogeochemical processes. Such as those processes associated with carbon uptake, conversion, and storage that have the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). However, the expansion of bioenergy crops can also lead to direct biophysical impacts on climate through water regulating services. Perturbations of processes …

Divergence And Flow Direction As Indicators Of Subsurface Heterogeneity And Stage-Dependent Storage In Alluvial Floodplains, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox, A. K. Fox, Daniel E. Storm, Ronald B. Miller, Aaron R. Mittelstet

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Assuming homogeneity in alluvial aquifers is convenient, but limits our ability to accurately predict stream-aquifer interactions. Research is needed on (i) identifying the presence of focused, as opposed to diffuse, groundwater discharge/recharge to streams and (ii) the magnitude and role of large-scale bank and transient storage in alluvial floodplains relative to changes in stream stage. The objective of this research was to document and quantify the effect of stage-dependent aquifer heterogeneity and bank storage relative to changes in stream stage using groundwater flow divergence and direction. Monitoring was performed in alluvial floodplains adjacent to the Barren Fork Creek and Honey …

Use Of Controller Area Network (Can) Data To Determine Field Efficiencies Of Agricultural Machinery, Santosh Pitla, N. Lin, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Controller Area Network (CAN) bus is used on current agricultural equipment for in-vehicle communication among multiple microcontrollers. In this study, CAN data was collected from the tractor diagnostic port during three field operations: anhydrous ammonia (NH₃) application, field cultivation, and planting. Specifically, CAN messages corresponding to engine fuel use rate were filtered, decoded, and analyzed. High fuel use rates were recorded from the tractor when implements were engaged in the soil compared to when the implements were lifted out of the ground at the end of the passes or, when the tractor was turning and idling. Threshold fuel …