Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Protective Laboratory Measures For The Flexible Wall Permeameter And The Atterberg Limits Tests Using Hazardous And Toxic Chemicals, Robert A. Tetla

Theses

Safety procedures for performing geotechnical testing with hazardous and toxic materials, excluding radioactive wastes, are developed for the Flexible Wall Permeameter and the Atterberg Limits Tests. The tests were evaluated in detail to determine the critical points at which the technician would be exposed to the hazardous and/or toxic permeant. It was found that the following safety measures should always be taken; 1) the apparatus and all testing should be undertaken in a sliding sash hood using the proper face velocity, 2) air monitoring using a personal dosimeter and/or a detector tube is required to assure that the concentration of …

The Evaluation Of New Jersey's Remedial Response Program With Regard To The Use Of Risk Assessment In Determining Extent Of Cleanup, Susan Christine Gieser

Theses

In order to effectively manage the cleanup of hazardous waste sites the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection developed a comprehensive Master Plan. Under P. L. 1983, c. 222 (A-1255) the Hazardous Waste Advisory Council was charged with reviewing New Jersey's remedial action program. One issue identified by the Council for review was the use of risk assessment for determining extent of cleanup. The study was comprised of a literature search, review of legislation that impacts on this issue, interviews with DEP personnel, and consultation with others from academia and industry to recommend what is an acceptable risk and its …

Magnitude And Frequency Of Floods : A Comparison Of Regional Methods In The United States, Frank A. Rogalla

Theses

To allow the safe and economical design of structures in flood plains of natural streams, techniques to estimate the magnitude and frequency of floods are established through multiple regression analysis for each state, relating flood peaks to topographic and climatic characteristics of the drainage basins. This study describes and compares the regional equations to assess peak flows for 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100-year recurrence intervals in different states of the U.S.A.

Publications from 40 continental states were reviewed and the regression equations analyzed on similarities and accuracy. Tables compare parameters, their frequency of occurence, and the constants and …

Microbial Characteristics Of An Activated Sludge And Three Commercial Preparations After Exposure To Phenolics, Laurie Gneiding

Theses

The biological characteristics of four microbial mixtures were examined after successive exposure to phenol and 2-chlorophenol at room temperature. One of the microbial mixtures was an activated sludge from the Livingston, NJ municipal wastewater treatment plant. The other three mixtures were commercial preparations sold by Polybac Corp.(Hydrobac), Sybron Corp. (BI-CHEM DC 1006/1007), and General Environmental Sciences(LLMO).

The characteristics examined were relative counts and species of gram negative/gram positive bacteria, yeast and fungi, protozoa, and higher organisms. For the gram negative bacteria and yeasts, culturing techniques and diagnostic tubes were used to determine the predominant species. Biochemical tests were done on …

Correlation Of Dissolved Oxygen With Flowrate And Water Temperature In The Passaic River Basin, Shan-Pei Fanchiang

Theses

Passaic River water is utilized by a number of major water purveyors in New Jersey. They are the North Jersey Water Supply District Commission, the city of Jersey City, the city of Newark, the Commonwealth Water Company, and the Passaic Valley Water Commission (i.e. PVWC).

Since all are interrelated in that the demands and releases of each affect the other, there is an interest in insuring sufficient water to maintain adequate water quality for the last user on the line (i.e. PVWC) who draws water close to Little Falls.

Having daily data of flowrate, water temperature and dissolved oxygen in …

The Effects Of Pressure On The Kinetics And Mechanisms Of The Bod Reaction, Peter Sereico

Dissertations

The research was concerned with the kinetics and mechanisms of BOD reduction due to pressurization. The initial investigations involved attempts to reproduce and interpret the results of previous investigators. Thereafter, actual wastewater samples were pressurized and changes in the wastewater characteristics were analyzed and recorded. Based on the findings, possible mechanisms for creating the changes noted were proposed.

To test the mechanisms considered, samples of pure compounds were prepared and pressurized. The results of this analysis eliminated all of the mechanisms but the actual one. The mechanism responsible for changes in BOD profile under pressure conditions is the hydrolysis of …

The Manhattan Project Legacy : Low Level Radioactive Waste Health Effects, An Epidemiological Study, Lisa Fetterman Voyce

Theses

An epidemiological survey was performed that included the area surrounding a former Department of Energy thorium processing and disposal facility. This facility processed monazite sands to obtain thorium under Federal Government contracts from 1941-1973.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection radiological surveys had shown elevated radiation levels at the Site and in the vicinity of the plant. The area was divided into sections according to distance from the site and from Sheffield Brook, which is also contaminated. Questionnaires were mailed to 400 families, with 112 responses. These represent 362 people.

Statistical analysis of the accumulated data regarding lifestyle, occupation, reproductive …

Analysis Of Selected Volatile Organic Substances Associated With Residential Kerosene Heater Use And The Health Implications, Catherine Coombs Bobenhausen

Theses

Volatile organic species (aliphatic hydrocarbons from hexane to dodecane, cyclohexane and aromatic species including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, m,p, and o—xylenes, nitrobenzene, styrene and naphthalene) associated with residential kerosene heater emissions were measured at two sites. One was a small room having a total volume of 23.66 cubic meters and an air change rate of 2.71 air changes per hour, and the other, a living/dining room area having a combined volume of 79.30 cubic meters and an estimated air change rate of .7 air changes per hour. The analytical procedure involved collection of a series of air samples in stainless …

Investigations Into Rates And Mechanisms Of Mercury Depuration In The Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus, Joanne A. Korpanty

Theses

Metallothionein (MT) and glutathione (GSH) have been shown in mammalian research to play a role in the sequestration and depuration of mercury. The sulfhydryl groups on both these peptides have a strong affinity for mercury, MT for Hg²⁺ and GSH for CH₃Hg⁺. In this study, killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) were force-fed one piece of squid laced with labelled mercuric nitrate to give a final food concentration of 20 ppm ²⁰³Hg²⁺ and 0.03 -0.05 µg g-1 Hg²⁺ total dose. Most of the mercury, 84.1 ± 12.1% (mean ± standard deviation), is depurated within the …

The Effects Of Heavy Metals On The Chick Embryo Development, Yasmin Alibhai

Theses

The following is a research report on the effects of heavy metals on the avian embryo. A total of eight metals were used in the study. The metalE included were : cobalt, copper, indium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, arsenic and cadmium. A total of 800 eggs were used for the study. Salts of each of the metal were dissolved in physiological saline and injected into the air sacs of white Leghorn chick eggs. Dose levels varied with the metal to be tested. Control eggs were injected with an equivalent volume of saline (0.1 ml per egg). The eggs were injected on …

Volatile Organic Pollutant Levels In Indoor Environments From The Use Of Kerosene Heaters, Kashinath Banerjee

Theses

The indoor air pollutant levels caused by use of kerosene stoves as sources of heat in residences is of increasing concern as the use of such heaters becomes more widespread. Emission of volatile organic. species (aliphatic hydrocarbons from hexane to dodecane, cyclohexane and aromatic species including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, m/p xylenes, o-xylene and styrene) from these devices were measured at different sites. The organic vapor samples have been collected by adsorption on Tenax GC, and quantitatively analyzed by thermal desorption into a high Resolution capillary column gas chromatograph. Mass spectral analysis was also conducted for qualitative identification of sample …

Acrylamide Effects On Nerve Terminal Enzymes, Christopher S. E. Marlowe

Theses

Acrylamide causes a peripehral neuropathy. The biochemical mechanism by which it does so is the subject of intense investigation. One of the principal hypotheses for this mechanism centers on acrylamide's ability to inhibit glycolysis. This study examines the effects of in vivo exposure to acrylamide on the enzymes of the nerve terminal particle, the synaptosome.

A method for measuring glycolytic enzyme inhibition in the synaptosome was developed. Acrylamide (500 mg/kg) was administered to rats intraperitoneally. Synaptosomes were prepared by the method of Dodd et al, and lysed by sonication. GAPDH activity and NSE concentration were measured. GAPDH inhibition measured in …

The Removal And Recovery Of Fluoborate From Plating Rinse Waters, Terrence A. Hunter

Theses

Fluoborate poses a problem to electroplaters when discharged in their wastestreams. Therefore, a method for removing fluoborate from rinse waters is necessary. An ion floatation technique using a surfactant was developed at N.J.I.T. to perform this job. However, this technique requires long time periods therefore other methods were investigated.

Ultrafiltration was investigated as a replacement for the ion floatation technique. It would cut down the time required for the fluoborate removal. Also, electrolysis and the addition of excess acetic acid were tried in an attempt to separate the fluoborate and the surfactant in the ultrafiltration retentate. This system was evaluated …

Adsorption Capabilities Of Adsorbents For Selected Toxic Air Pollutants, Richard Michael Vaccaro

Theses

The relative adsorption capacities of seven toxic, volatile organic air pollutants of either proven or suspected carcinogenic potential were tested on various adsorbents. Tests were run at flow velocities similar to those set in field sampling. This allows for extrapolation of test results to actual ambient air sampling systems. Experimentation was performed using a gas chromatograph (G.C.) equipped with a flame ionization detector. Sample introduction was carried out using the "displacement method" where the sample is introduced to the adsorbent cartridge as a plug.

Incipient elution volumes (V_N), normalized for bulk adsorbent packing volume, were obtained at various …

Growth Patterns Of Bacteria In Pressurized Sewage, Dennis Mazzei

Theses

Primary sewage was pressurized at 100 psi for one hour. The effects of this pressure on the growth patterns of general and nitrifying bacteria were examined daily for eighteen consecutive days using Standard Plate Counts and Most Probable Number (MPN) estimates. In conjunction with these tests, the degree of biodegradability was also determined by measuring both daily biochemical oxygen demands (BOD's) and dissolved oxygen levels.

Graphical analysis of experimental data compare the BOD's exterted [sic] by microorganisms to their respective numbers of colonies as determined by plate counts of both pressurized and non-pressurized sanitary sewage diluted to 3. 00%. The …

Soluble Surfactant Effects On Gas Absorption Of Organic Compounds, Angelo C. Morresi

Theses

A literature search dating back to the beginning of this century turned up no previous work similar to ours. We discuss several methods and experiments involving the scrubbing of air streams.

The objective of this work was the determination of surfactant affects on the solubility of certain organic compounds of varying solubility in water. A means of simulating a packed tower was devised to allow for bench scale evaluation and thus enabled a greater number of organic compounds to be examined with a greater variety of surfactants.

Curves were plotted based on organic vapor concentration, surfactant concentration, organic type, surfactant …