Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Differential Survival Of Non-O157 Shiga Toxigenic Escherichia Coli In Simulated Cattle Feedlot Runoff, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, Daniel N. Miller

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Environmental survival time is important when evaluating adverse health outcomes from foodborne pathogens. Although outbreaks associated with manure-impacted irrigation or runoff water are relatively infrequent, their broad scope, regulatory importance, and severe health outcomes highlight the need to better understand the environmental survival of manure-borne pathogens. Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) are excreted in feces and persist in the environment until they die or recolonize a new host. Surface waters contaminated with manure-borne STEC can infect humans through drinking and recreational water use or irrigated crops that are minimally cooked. In this study, manure-impacted water microcosms mimicking beef cattle feedlot …

Editorial: Integrated Water Management For Enhanced Water Quality And Reuse To Create A Sustainable Future, Eldon R. Rene, Veeriah Jegatheesan, Li Shu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Safe drinking water and sanitation are very important for the survival of human life. With the rapid proliferation of industries, growth in population and different forms of pollution, i.e. in water, air, soil and sediments, the living environment and the ecosystem is constantly polluted. In this context, integrating different water resources for enhanced water quality and reuse is important to solve the persisting problems and challenges in developing and the developed nations. Integrated water management offers environmental, economic and social benefits because it aims at maximizing the existing resources and prevents further depletion of the ecosystem.

Effect Of Landfill Leachates On Some Water Quality Indicators Of Selected Surface Water And Groundwater At Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, Olorunwa Omofunmi, Adesola Satimehin, Abraham Oloye, Okwunna Umego

Makara Journal of Technology

This study was conducted to examine the impact of dumpsites on the quality of groundwater and surface water. The water samples and leachates were collected from dumpsites in respective zones. The physicochemical properties of the samples were examined and determined in accordance with the standards of the American Public Health Association. Results indicated that the groundwater and surface water that are close to the dumpsites have an electrical conductivity of 385 and 245 Sd/cm, total dissolved solids of 168 and 128 mg/L, a turbidity of 4.6 and 22 NTU, a total alkalinity of 103 and 50 mg/L, a total hardness …

Development Of Artificial Intelligence Approach To Nowcasting And Forecasting Vibrio Prevalence In Coastal Waters, Peyman Hosseinzadeh Namadi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V.p) is an epidemiologically significant pathogen that poses high risks to the human health and shellfish industry, calling for predictive models for management interventions. This study presents an Artificial Intelligence(AI)-based approach to predicting and reducing the risks. The AI-based approach involves the identification of environmental indicators and their optimum variation ranges favoring V.p prevalence, the development of nowcasting and forecasting models for predicting V.p prevalence, and the creation of remote sensing algorithms for mapping concentrations of V.p and its environmental indicators by synergistically combining the Deep Neural Network (DNN) modeling technique, Genetic Programming (GP) method, R …

Analysis And Optimization Of Colorimetric Nanosensors For Rapid Detection Of Microbes In Water, Ruby A. Lang

Master's Theses

Access to safe water is a basic human right recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010 (WHO, 2020). However, a least 2.2 billion people globally still are without safely managed water services meaning they use a drinking water source that can be contaminated with faeces (WHO, 2020). With such a pressing global health issue, it is clear that improvement to water systems is important and required in the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, to improve water systems and prove they are safe water sources, water quality testing must occur. A solution to this issue is the …

Physical And Biological Factors Controlling The Fate Of Nitrate In A Louisiana Coastal Deltaic Floodplain, Alexandra Christensen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Mississippi River Delta is threatened by a growing pressure to support large human populations in the United States both with food production, navigation systems, and urban development in the Mississippi River Basin. Nitrate-nitrogen load in the Mississippi River, up to 100 Tg N yr^-1 from agricultural and urban runoff, leads to phytoplankton blooms and hypoxia across the Louisiana continental shelf, creating dead zones of low dissolved oxygen threatening a significant commercial fishery. Along the coast and river corridors, floodplain ecosystems have the capacity to retain and remove nitrate. This dissertation explores the role of productive, actively growing coastal …

Risk And Cost Assessment Of Nitrate Contamination In Domestic Wells, Pongpun Juntakut, Erin M.K. Haacker, Daniel D. Snow, Chittaranjan Ray

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This study combines empirical predictive and economics models to estimate the cost of remediation for domestic wells exceeding suggested treatment thresholds for nitrates. A multiple logistic regression model predicted the probability of well contamination by nitrate, and a life cycle costing methodology was used to estimate costs of nitrate contamination in groundwater in two areas of Nebraska. In south-central Nebraska, 37% of wells were estimated to be at risk of exceeding a threshold of 7.5 mg/L as N, and 17% were at risk of exceeding 10 mg/L as N, the legal limit for human consumption in the United States. In …

Swine Slurry Characteristics As Affected By Selected Additives And Disinfectants, Jon Duerschner, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Kent Eskridge, John E. Gilley, Xu Li, Amy M. Schmidt, Daniel D. Snow

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Current swine industry practice is to house animals in confinement facilities which capture and store feces and urine as slurry in pits below the production area. Additives and disinfectants may be introduced into the manure pits. This study was conducted to measure the effects of additives and disinfectants on temporal changes in swine slurry characteristics. Slurry from a commercial swine production facility in southeast Nebraska, USA was collected and transferred to 57 L reactors located within a greenhouse. Selected additives and disinfectants were added to the reactors and physical properties, chemical characteristics, and antibiotic concentrations were monitored for 40 days. …

Comparison Of Seldm Simulated Total-Phosphorus Concentrations With Ecological Impervious-Area Criteria, Lillian C. Jeznach, Gregory E. Granato

Engineering, Computing & Construction Management Faculty Publications

Ecological studies indicate that impervious cover (IC) greater than approximately 5%–20% may have adverse effects on receiving-stream ecology. It is difficult to separate the effects of runoff quality from other effects of urbanization on receiving streams. This study presents the results of a numerical experiment to assess the effects of increasing IC on water quality using the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM). Hydrologic and physiographic variables representative of southern New England were used to simulate receiving water quality in a basin with IC ranging from 0.1% to 30%. Simulation results mirror the results of ecological studies; event mean …

Probabilistic Approach To Water, Sediment, And Nutrient Connectivity For Advancing Watershed Modelling, David Tyler Mahoney

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The goal of this dissertation is to represent the spatial and temporal domains of water, sediment, and nutrient flux and pathways within fluvial and watershed settings. To complete this goal, we integrate connectivity theory into watershed model structures to simulate water, sediment, and nutrient movement at the fundamental unit they occur. Fluvial-based sediment and nutrient flux is an important driver of global sediment and nutrient budgets, and the quantification of which serves as an ongoing challenge to limnologists, engineers, and watershed managers. Watershed models have been richly developed over the past century, but are currently restrained by problems related to …

Swine Slurry Characteristics As Affected By Selected Additives And Disinfectants, Jon Duerschner, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Kent Eskridge, John E. Gilley, Xu Li, Amy M. Schmidt, Daniel D. Snow

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Current swine industry practice is to house animals in confinement facilities which capture and store feces and urine as slurry in pits below the production area. Additives and disinfectants may be introduced into the manure pits. This study was conducted to measure the effects of additives and disinfectants on temporal changes in swine slurry characteristics. Slurry from a commercial swine production facility in southeast Nebraska, USA was collected and transferred to 57 L reactors located within a greenhouse. Selected additives and disinfectants were added to the reactors and physical properties, chemical characteristics, and antibiotic concentrations were monitored for 40 days. …

Influence Of Setback Distance On Antibiotics And Antibiotic Resistance Genes In Runoff And Soil Following The Land Application Of Swine Manure Slurry, Maria C. Hall, Noelle Mware, John E. Gilley, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, Amy M. Schmidt Schmidt, Kent M. Eskridge, Xu Li

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The environmental spread of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from the land application of livestock wastes can be a potential public health threat. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of setback distance, which determines how close manure may be applied in relation to surface water, on the transport of antibiotics and ARGs in runoff and soil following land application of swine manure slurry. Rainfall simulation tests were conducted on field plots covered with wheat residues, each of which contained an upslope manure region where slurry was applied and an adjacent downslope setback region that did …

Accumulation And Release Of Nutrients By Immersed Stalks Collected On Selected Dates Following Harvest, John E. Gilley, David B. Marx

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The concentrations of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in runoff from cropland areas may be influenced by accumulation and release of P and N by stalk residues. A laboratory study was conducted to measure the effects of time since harvest and immersion period on accumulation and release of P and N by corn, soybean, and wheat stalks. Experimental variables included type of stalk material (corn, soybean, and wheat), time since harvest (six residue collection dates over an approximate 1-year period), and stalk immersion period (25 s (0.42 min), 250 s (4.2 min), 2500 s (42 min), 25,000 s (6.9 h), …

A Comparison Of Three Types Of Permeable Pavements For Urban Runoff Mitigation In The Semi-Arid South Texas, U.S.A, Taufiqul Alam, Ahmed Mahmoud, Kim D. Jones, Juan Cesar Bezares-Cruz, Javier Guerrero

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This study examines the hydrologic and environmental performance of three types of permeable pavement designs: Porous Concrete Pavement (PCP), Permeable Interlocking Concrete (PICP), and Interlocking Block Pavement with Gravel (IBPG) in the semi-arid South Texas. Outflow rate, storage, Normalized Volume Reduction (NVR), Normalized Load Reductions (NLR) of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅) were compared to results obtained from adjacent traditional pavements at different regional parking lots. A notable percentage of peak flow attenuation of approximately 31–100% was observed when permeable pavements were constructed and implemented. IBPG was capable to hold runoff from rainfall depths …

Water Quality Analysis Of Ecoroof Runoff In Portland, Pranoti P. Deshmukh

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

Portland, Oregon is internationally recognized for its implementation of sustainable stormwater management technologies. Ecoroof is one of the sustainable solutions to reduce stormwater runoff which also provides multiple environmental benefits. However, very little is known about the impact of ecoroofs on water quality of roof runoff. Stormwater runoff carries a significant amount of pollutants, which, if it directly enters a stream or river, degrades water quality and severely harms aquatic life.

This study evaluates the trends in the long-term water quality data from ecoroofs and conventional roofs in the Portland area. Mann Kendall trend test was used to detect the …

Improved Reliability Of Stormwater Detention Basin Performance Through Water Quality Data-Informed Real-Time Control, Sazzad Sharior, Walter M. Mcdonald, Anthony J. Parolari

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Stormwater detentions basins are designed to capture stormwater to reduce and delay peak flows and to improve water quality. A novel technology proposed to improve basin performance is real-time, active control of the basin outflow, in so-called “smart” stormwater systems. Existing studies demonstrate the performance of active controls that respond in real-time to basin water level, detention time, and rainfall forecast for one or a small number of rainfall events. We hypothesize that the performance of these active controls can be improved by incorporating real-time water quality data into the control algorithm. In addition, we hypothesize that active control performance …

Evaluating The Water Quantity And Quality Performances Of Underground Gravel Filter Basins., Jihad A. Hallany

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Underground gravel filter basins (UGF basins) are subsurface structures that are used for detention, filtration, and infiltration of stormwater runoff in urbanized areas. The application of these structures is recommended in highly developed urban areas, where land is not available or it is too expensive for surface-level green infrastructures such as stormwater ponds, bio-retention, and infiltration trenches. Objectives of this study are to assess and analyze the effectiveness of two (2) UGF basins in reducing the stormwater runoff peak flow, and to assess water quality parameters in a high-density residential area. The experimental site is located at Red Mile Village, …

Dehumidification Water Quality Analysis Of The South Texas Gulf Of Mexico, Erik Esteban Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

This project is to introduce a new methodology for environmental research that analyzes humidity from a water treatment perspective. This is done by using a household dehumidifier, which extracts the excess humidity in a given space, to harvest the samples. The dehumidifier was used outside to act as an Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG), which is the process of extracting water from the atmosphere. When AWG is placed near shoreline, then it's classified as a Desalinated Atmospheric Water Generator (DAWG) since it extracts distilled seawater water-vapors. The methodology for DAWG analyzed turbidity in the humidity on SPI, indicating to meet {<.15} TCEQ turbidity water quality standard. The turbidity also showed to have an adverse relation to weather conditions. There is an open market in research on this topic, where the methodology for DAWG can offer answers. This project identifies DAWG as being a sustainable source of potable water for a municipality.

Improved Reliability Of Stormwater Detention Basin Performance Through Water Quality Data-Informed Real-Time Control, Sazzad Sharior

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The objective of stormwater detention basins is to capture stormwater runoff to reduce and delay peak flow and to improve the water quality. These objectives can be improved upon by actively controlling the outflow of the basins rather than traditional passive outflow structures. There are studies demonstrating the performance of the active controls that respond in real-time to basin hydraulics, detention time, and rainfall forecasts. We hypothesize that the performance of these active controls can be improved upon by incorporating real-time water quality data streams into the control algorithm. Furthermore, we hypothesize that performance of these active controls also depends …

Identification Of Critical Source Areas (Csas) And Evaluation Of Best Management Practices (Bmps) In Controlling Eutrophication In The Dez River Basin, Hadi Babaei, Mohammad Nazari-Sharabian, Moses Karakouzian, Sajjad Ahmad

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are commonly used to control pollution in the river basins. Prioritization of BMPs helps improve the efficiency and effectiveness of pollution reduction, especially in Critical Source Areas (CSAs) that produce the highest pollution loads. Recently, the Dez River in Khuzestan, Iran, has become highly eutrophic from the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. In this basin, dry and irrigated farming produce 77.34% and 6.3% of the Total Nitrogen (TN) load, and 83.56% and 4.3% of the Total Phosphorus (TP) load, respectively. In addition, residential, pasture, and forest land uses together account for 16.36% of the TN and …

Variability Of E. Coli In Streambed Sediments And Its Implication For Water Quality, Sadia Salam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), including E. coli, are the number one cause of water quality impairments in the United States according to the USEPA. FIB are used as a predictor to identify the possible presence of pathogens in waterbodies. E. coli is a useful indicator of gastrointestinal (GI) related illnesses from contact with fresh water. While surface water is routinely monitored for water quality, streambed sediments are rarely considered as a source of FIB to the overlying water column. This study focuses on understanding the variation of E. coli concentrations in streambed sediments and the potential impact of sediment sources …

Application Of Winslamm To Evaluate The Effect Of Green Infrastructure Implementation In Northern Utah, Rosa A. Fernández Velásquez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study provides an evaluation of the performance of the WinSLAMM model in two cities of northern Utah, a region in which it has not been validated to date. Runoff volumes for a series of events from 2015 to 2017 were calculated for six study areas. These results were compared to model outputs to evaluate the prediction accuracy. The model performed poorly when default parameters where used, as expected. Thus, the calibration of runoff coefficient was done with local data. Total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) were also evaluated and calibrations were developed. The …

Indoor Premise Plumbing: The Relationship Between Water Stagnation, Chlorine Decay, And Total Organic Carbon Levels, Emerson M. Ringger, Andrew J. Whelton, Tolulope Odimayomi, Maryam Salehi

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Drinking water safety is critical to the health of populations worldwide, and modern plumbing infrastructure can influence drinking water chemical characteristics. Inside residential and commercial buildings however, water use and contact with different plumbing components can vary. For example, water can endure lengthy stagnation periods and residual disinfectant agents like chlorine can decay, leaving the water vulnerable to microbial growth. Plastic cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes have become popular and have shown to influence water quality. While several studies have been carried out on chemical leaching from PEX piping, none were found that examined the role of pipe diameter in relation …

Short-Term Organic Carbon Release And Chlorine Disinfectant Decay For Cross-Linked Polyethylene (Pex) Plumbing Pipes, Miriam Tariq, Christian J. Ley, Maryam Salehi, Andrew J. Whelton

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The use of cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) plumbing pipes has grown in popularity for residential applications. However, PEX pipes can leach organic materials into water that can enable biofilm growth, cause off-tastes and -odors, and may react with disinfectants to form disinfection by-products (DBP). Varied manufacturing processes that are applied to create PEX pipes add to the complexity of understanding organic materials released. In this study, organic carbon release from three PEX pipe brands was monitored for up to five days using a series of stagnation periods. Seven stagnation periods of 1, 2, 4, 8, 24, 72, and 120 hours were …

Assessing Subjectivity In Environmental Sensor Data Post Processing Via A Controlled Experiment, Amber Spackman Jones, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, David P. Eiriksson

Publications

Collection of high resolution, in situ data using environmental sensors is common in hydrology and other environmental science domains. Sensors are subject to drift, fouling, and other factors that can affect the quality of the measurements and their subsequent use for scientific analyses. The process by which sensor data are reviewed to verify validity often requires making edits in post processing to generate approved datasets. This quality control process involves decisions by technicians, data managers, or data users on how to handle problematic data. In this study, an experiment was designed and conducted where multiple participants performed quality control post …

Evaluation Of Well Designs To Improve Access To Safe And Clean Water In Rural Tanzania, Aminata Kilungo, Linda Powers, Nathan B. Arnold, Kelli Marie Whelan, Kurt Paterson, Dale Young

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The objective of this study was to examine three well designs: drilled wells (20–30 m deep), closed dug wells (>5 m deep), and hand-dug open wells (<5 m deep), to determine the water quality for improving access to safe and clean water in rural communities. Heterotrophic plate count (HPC), total coliforms (TC), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and turbidity, were used to assess the water quality of 97 wells. Additionally, the study looked at the microflora diversity of the water, focusing on potential pathogens using outgrowth, PCR, and genome sequencing for 10 wells. Concentrations of TC for the open dug wells (4 × 10⁴ CFU/100 mL) were higher than the drilled (2 × 10³ CFU/100 mL) and closed dug wells (3 × 10³ CFU/100 mL). E. coli concentration for drilled and closed dug wells was <22 MPN (most probable number)/100 mL, but higher for open wells (>154 MPN/100 mL). The drilled well turbidity (11 NTU) was within the standard deviation of the closed well (28 NTU) compared to open dug wells (49 NTU). Drilled and closed wells had similar microbial diversity. There were no …

Climate Change And Eutrophication: A Short Review, Mohammad Nazari-Sharabian, Sajjad Ahmad, Moses Karakouzian

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Water resources are vital not only for human beings but essentially all ecosystems. Human health is at risk if clean drinking water becomes contaminated. Water is also essential for agriculture, manufacturing, energy production and other diverse uses. Therefore, a changing climate and its potential effects put more pressure on water resources. Climate change may cause increased water demand as a result of rising temperatures and evaporation while decreasing water availability. On the other hand, extreme events as a result of climate change can increase surface runoff and flooding, deteriorating water quality as well. One effect is water eutrophication, which occurs …

Setback Distance Requirements For Removal Of Swine Slurry Constituents In Runoff, John E. Gilley, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Kent M. Eskridge, Xu Li, Amy M. Schmidt, Daniel D. Snow

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The use of setback distances for manure application on cropland areas adjacent to surface water bodies could serve a function similar to vegetative filter strips. However, little information currently exists to identify the setback distances necessary to effectively reduce the transport of contaminants in runoff. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of setback distance and runoff rate on concentrations of selected constituents in runoff following land application of swine slurry to a no-till cropland area in southeast Nebraska. The study site had a residue cover of 7.73 Mg ha-1 and a slope gradient of 4.9%. The …

Constructing Slow Sand Filters: Engineering Students’ Experiences In San José De Playón, Bolívar, Colombia, Sol Park, Sanyukta Gokhale, Kaylyn Colinco

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Sol Park, Sanyukta Gokhale, and Kaylyn Colinco were members of a Global Design Team (GDT) involved in providing innovative solutions to drinking water treatment in rural areas of developing countries. The immediate goal of the GDT in May 2016 was to deliver large slow sand filters (SSFs) to a rural school in Colombia. The experience placed the students in a small town 80 km (~50 miles) south of Cartagena, Colombia, called San José de Playón. The town pumps water from the Arroyo Reservoir, which is then consumed by the citizens and students at the local school (the only one in …

Removal Of Nitrates From Stormwater Using Nanoclays, Rubia Siddiqi

Master's Theses

Creeks and rivers are often polluted as a result of stormwater runoff that carries various contaminants in to open water bodies, causing adverse environmental and health effects. Low impact development (LID) techniques are currently employed to treat this runoff prior to discharge. Nitrate, however, is not consistently removed by these LID techniques. This study analyzed the ability of several nanoclays to remove nitrate in runoff and determined the feasibility of using them as a soil supplement for LID implementation. Six different nanoclays and HCl-treated clays were compared (pre-modified trimethyl stearyl ammonium nanoclay, pre-modified dimethyl dialkyl amine nanoclay, unmodified hydrophilic bentonite, …