Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Hickory Street Square Revitalization, Spencer Knight, Grace Dungan, Tim Kula, Evan Lauritsen, Lindsey Mennenga

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Hickory Street Square Revitalization Project seeks to transform a central public space in Sidney, Nebraska into a dynamic, community-oriented area that supports local events, economic activity, and cultural heritage. The project addresses six core objectives: 1) convertible street design, 2) parking lot reconfiguration, 3) public amenities, 4) event flexibility, 5) lighting and signage, and 6) old electric plant renovation. A conceptual design was developed by the design team (S.T.E.E.L. Sentinel Solutions) by synthesizing the most effective features of three preliminary alternatives, shaped further through community feedback and evolving project constraints. The final project design minimizes disruption to existing activity …

Assessing The Fate Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes In Wastewater Treatment Processes, Gunter A. Campbell

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The increasing need for clean water has paved the way for the creation of systems for reusing water, such as wastewater treatment plants (“WWTPs”), to provide potable water. But in recent years, such systems have raised concerns about the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (“ARGs”). Bacteria are adapting to antibiotics by the evolution of resistance mechanisms, such as high mutation rates and horizontal transfer. The presence of ARGs, particularly tetracycline ("tetA") resistance genes, in wastewater effluents is of concern, as they can survive treatment, spread to bodies of water, and pose a threat to human health. In this study, the …

Feasibility Of Liquid Carbon Sources For Algae Growth, Brady S. Jones

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the use of electrochemically produced aqueous bicarbonate as a novel liquid-phase carbon source for enhancing algal biomass productivity. Targeting the freshwater microalgae Chlorella Saccharophila, the study investigates its growth response to varying bicarbonate concentrations and compares the efficacy of liquid bicarbonate delivery with traditional gaseous CO₂ bubbling methods. Results demonstrate that Chlorella Saccharophila can sustain growth solely on bicarbonate, and that bicarbonate-fed cultures yielded higher biomass than those supplied with gaseous CO₂ or hybrid systems. These findings validate the potential of bicarbonate-based carbon delivery for scalable algae cultivation, offering key advantages such as gas-free operation, improved …

Analysis Of Hydrological Model Uncertainty In The Response Of Farmers' Decision Models: A Case Study From The Lower Mississippi River Basin Region, Aayush Khadka

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Ever since human have evolved on planet earth, they have been dependent on water resources for almost every aspect of their lives. From food production to industry, water has been an integral part of the ever-growing human civilization. Increasing reliance on water has resulted in development of effective and sustainable management strategies. However, water management has remained a complex task due to different human and natural stressors. Hydro-economic models are powerful tools that have been widely used to study water resource systems, management options, economic values, and infrastructures. They have been used to analyze the Water-Energy-Food nexus, climatic interactions, and …

Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish

Honors Theses

Over 60% of the Gulf of Mexico coastline is actively eroding, which has resulted in thousands of miles of lost coastline over the last 100 years. This drastic loss of coastal land highlights the dire need for coastal restoration across the entirety of the Gulf Coast. A vital aspect of restoring these eroded areas is replenishing eroded substrate, traditionally conducted through offshore dredging of substrates which comes with high economic and ecological costs. Recycled glass sand may be able to fill this role and reduce our reliance on dredging while lowering the amount of glass waste entering landfills each year. …

Kinetic Growth Rate Analysis Of Coelastrella Sp. In Aquaculture Wastewater., Rob Skarvan

Master of Engineering Theses

The demand for sustainable food and energy production continues to rapidly rise. Utilizing aquaculture wastewater as microalgae growth medium is a potential opportunity for nutrient recycling and industrial symbiosis, but more research is required to understand how best to design and scale-up a dual-purpose facility. This study investigates the growth of Coelastrella sp. in aquaculture wastewater compared to industry-standard growth medium BG-11 and modified tap water as controls. Though cell size and pigment density varied throughout media, aquaculture wastewater performed very comparably to BG-11 as a microalgae culture broth.

The Monod equation can model Coelastrella sp. growth based …

Evaluating The Role Of Electrostatic Forces In The Adsorption Of Perfluoroalkyl Substances To Granular Activated Carbon, Thomas A. Mccall

All Theses

In response to new drinking water regulations announced by the EPA in 2024, many municipalities will need to monitor concentrations and implement new treatments to address PFAS, a class of anthropogenic organic contaminants. A leading technology for this application is GAC adsorption due to its familiarity and availability. The adsorption of four PFAS species (PFBA, PFBS, PFOA and PFOS) to Calgon Filtrasorb400 (F400) was evaluated for a range of pH and ionic strength conditions to investigate the role of electrostatic interactions in adsorption capacity. These PFAS are all strong acids, so pH was used as a control for GAC surface …

A Parametric Study Of Compact Wind Borne Debris In Tornadoes, Akash Yadav

All Theses

Debris lofted and transported by tornadoes is a significant source of damage during these storms. Several approaches have been taken to model such debris flight, ranging in complexity from fine-scale CFD simulations to coupling the compact debris flight equations with simplified analytic models for the tornado vortex. Both approaches have their merits, though the latter comes with significantly lower computational costs. Despite the simplifications, this second approach has successfully captured details of debris flight events established in post-tornado forensic surveys. Herein, we take advantage of the low computational cost of the latter approach to undertake a detailed parametric study of …

Incorporating Recycled And Repurposed Plastic Into 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement, Basant Bhatt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The increasing awareness of sustainability in the asphalt industry has driven the use of recycled materials like reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and waste plastic. This study examines the incorporation of recycled polypropylene (rPP), recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE), and recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) at 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0.8% dosages into 100% RAP, along with the warm mix asphalt additive Evotherm® P25. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical and durability performance of the modified asphalt mixtures while rutting and fatigue life were evaluated using mechanistic-empirical (ME) analysis in PerRoad software. Both plastic type and dosage had a statistically significant impact …

Ceramic Membrane Evaluation Via Automated Filtration Systems For Water Treatment And Resource Recovery, Weiming Qi

All Dissertations

Membranes are an advanced and mature water and wastewater treatment technology. Membrane fouling is a key difficulty for all membrane filtration processes, leading to significant attention in the literature over the years. A common problem in laboratory-scale membrane research is that the testing methods in the laboratory are often quite different than industrial applications due to the limitations of manual experimental setups. An automated membrane filtration apparatus was built in the lab to solve this problem by allowing long-term filtration, frequent backwash and CIP, and high-accuracy operation. The filtration system achieves different cleaning strategies for both theoretical research and practical …

Understanding Conversion Of Long Chain Fatty Acids In Anaerobic Digestion Systems, Julia Ann Funk

All Dissertations

Anaerobic co-digestion with fats, oils, and grease (FOG) waste can increase energy production due to the high methane potential of lipids. However, adding FOG can lead to operational issues caused by accumulating saturated long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). My research explored why saturated LCFAs are often the primary intermediate that accumulates and the microbial sensitives of the populations responsible for their degradation. In each batch or semi-continuous experiment, all intermediates of FOG degradation, including LCFAs, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), Hydrogen gas (H₂), and endpoint methane production, were paired with temporal quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of the Syntrophomonas genus …

Increasing The Spatial Resolution Of Snow Hydrology Data And Augmenting Existing Hydrology Monitoring Networks Using Low-Cost Snow Sensing Stations, Braedon Dority

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Snow is a crucial part of the water cycle, especially in mountainous regions where melting snow provides water for millions of people. However, accurately measuring how much water is stored in snow is challenging. Current monitoring networks, such as the snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) network in the western United States, provide valuable data, but have gaps in coverage and are expensive to operate and expand. This research explores a more affordable way to improve snow measurements by designing and testing low-cost snow sensing stations. These stations use open-source datalogger and software technology along with research-grade sensors to measure important snow variables. …

Assessment Of Energy Efficiency Measures Recommended For Industrial Facilities: Environmental, Economic, And Life Cycle Perspectives, Dariush Jafari

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study assesses the economic, environmental, and life cycle impacts of more than 800 industrial Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) identified in manufacturing facilities across Nebraska. These EEMs are notable for their rapid implementation and minimal disruption to the facility’s building structure or core processes.

The research evaluates the financial viability of EEMs by analyzing utility savings, implementation costs, and payback periods. It also examines their cost-effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including calculations of net cost and cost of mitigated CO₂-eq.

Key findings indicate that adding insulation to hot pipes and buildings, replacing personal fans with High-Volume, Low-Speed (HVLS) …

Building Resilience: Strategies For Sustainable Wildfire Management In California, Jaiden Rennie, Pegah Zamani

Symposium of Student Scholars

Wildfires in California are becoming more intense and destructive, threatening communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods. This project explores how resilience and sustainability can work together to reduce wildfire risks and long-term damage. By reviewing research, case studies, and expert insights, it examines what’s driving these fires, climate change, poor land management, and human activity, and looks at solutions that can make a real difference. From community education programs to AI-driven fire detection and smarter policies, the findings highlight practical ways to better prepare for and manage wildfires. The goal is to contribute to a future where communities and the environment are …

Examination Of A Bench-Scale Model For Post-Wildfire Flood And Water Quality Mitigation Solutions, Cheyenne Ethridge

Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to determine a potential low-cost, sustainable, and rapidly deployable solution for post-wildfire flood and water quality mitigation in communities reliant on surface water for drinking water. Coalinga, Fresno County, California was selected as a study area for a full-scale solution due to its high risk of wildfires, high social vulnerability, and relatively low community resilience. A bench-scale demonstration of the system directs water into a gravel infiltration zone surrounded by a weir perimeter and followed by a clarifier. Because of their abundance in the area, almond shells were explored as a coagulant additive to …

Measurement Of Groundwater And Contaminant Fluxes In Fractures Using A Combined System Of Passive Flux Meter And Multiport Sampler, Qasim Raza Khan

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Groundwater and contaminant movement in fractured rock aquifers is highly variable. Its dependence on fracture apertures and orientation as well as fracture network interconnectivity is not well understood. This poses a challenge to the measurement of groundwater and contaminant fluxes, especially when using open-hole techniques, which significantly alter natural flow conditions by connecting different fractures along an open borehole or a well. In this work, the use of Fractured Rock Passive Flux Meter (FRPFM) with invisible tracer and visible dye component to measure groundwater fluxes and identify geometric fracture parameters is explored through laboratory experiments. The invisible tracer component results …

Selective Lithium Extraction Using Ion-Sieves From Geothermal Brine, Agyare Asante, Abigail Berardi, Jayla Standin, Elliott Walker, Ujjwal Pokharel, Sandeep Kumar

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

Lithium (Li) is a critical component in modern green energy technologies, serving as the cornerstone for advanced batteries used in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and portable electronics. To address the increasing global demand for lithium, this study explores the synthesis and performance of ion-sieve novel adsorbents derived from the spinel-type precursor Li₄Mn_4.5Zr_0.5O₁₂ (LMZO). The precursor was produced using an economical solid-phase reaction that involved lithium, manganese, magnesium, and zirconium salts. This was followed by a two-stage calcination process involving 200 K for 2 hours and 450 K for 24 hours. Acid activation …

Carbon Accountability Scores: A Process-Oriented Approach For Carbon Offsetting Using Ai Agents, Joshit Mohanty, Vaishali Vaishali

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

Conventional carbon offset programs rely on quantified emissions to determine balancing requirements. While this approach offers a standardized means of measuring carbon output, it often provides industries with a loophole—allowing them to offset their emissions by purchasing equivalent credits for activities such as tree planting rather than tackling inefficiencies at the source. This research proposes a process-based framework called Carbon Accountability Scores (CA scores) to offer a proactive strategy for assessing and reducing carbon footprints. Instead of focusing on the mere balancing of emitted and sequestered carbon, CA scores integrate an organization’s operational processes into the calculation, thereby offering the …

Decadal To Millennial-Scale Morphodynamic Evolution Of Microtidal Marshes, Samuel Mason Zapp

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Tidal marshes are susceptible to rapidly converting to open water due to their low elevations within the tidal frame. A continuous supply of externally supplied mineral sediment and in situ organic material production is necessary to offset elevation losses from relative sea level rise and erosion. Complex feedbacks between hydrodynamics, the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment, and physical modification of the landscape by the establishment of intertidal vegetation govern the spatial and temporal patterns of elevation response. This dissertation focuses on modeling how these dynamics drive marsh landscape evolution in the past, present, and into the future under changing …

01 - Design Of Ion-Sieve For Selective Adsorption Of Lithium From Geothermal Brine, Agyare Asante, Abigail Berardi, Jayla Standin, Elliott Walker, Alvin Spruill, Ujjwal Pokharel, Sandeep Kumar

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries necessitates efficient and sustainable lithium extraction technologies. Geothermal brines provide an alternative lithium source; however, their complex ionic composition challenges selective lithium recovery. Hydrogen manganese oxides (H₄Mn_4.5O₁₂) are widely studied as lithium-ion sieves due to their high selectivity for lithium ions. Still, its structural instability and manganese dissolution during adsorption-desorption cycles limit long-term performance. This study introduced zirconium (Zr) doping into the spinel-type Li₄Mn₅O₁₂ precursor through a one-step calcination process (450 °C for 24 hours at 10 °C min^-1), ensuring an …

Turning Farm Waste Into Energy: Pragmatic Approaches For Cleaner Midwestern American Communities, Rebecca Gaisie

Selected or Submitted Student Research Papers/Projects

Mismanagement of farm waste in the Midwest of the United States has resulted in significant methane emissions, water contamination, and public health concerns. The present manure management rules are still inconsistent, underfunded, and insufficient to motivate individuals to behave in a way that benefits the environment, despite increasing concerns about the environment. This policy study investigates anaerobic digestion as a potential means to convert waste into energy that could support rural and environmental development. Some of the problems with the federal and state legislation examined in this study under an EPI framework are a lack of incentives, inadequate technical support, …

Changes In The Western Flank Of The North Atlantic Subtropical High Since 1140 Ce: Extremes, Drivers, And Hydroclimatic Patterns, Joshua C. Bregy, Justin T. Maxwell, Scott M. Robeson, Grant L. Harley, Valerie Trouet

Publications

Summer circulation and moisture patterns in the Southeast United States are controlled by the position of the North Atlantic subtropical high. In a warming climate, the subtropical high is projected to strengthen and expand west, but there remains uncertainty regarding its variability and linkages to natural drivers. Here, we use a tree-ring network across the Southeast United States to reconstruct the relative intensity of the pressure gradient across the subtropical high’s western flank over the past 870 years. Variations in the flank’s position and the pressure gradient have been a major driver of the hydroclimate—including creating a Southeast-Caribbean moisture dipole—since …

Low Dissolved Oxygen Operation Enhances Biological Phosphorus Removal In Wastewater Treatment, Haley Morgan

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Biological phosphorus (bio-P) removal occurs when bacteria are exposed to anaerobic/aerobic conditions that stimulate polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) to uptake phosphorus. In most treatment plants, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in the aeration tanks are commonly at or above 2.0 mg O₂/L, which is often referred to as the most optimal aeration condition for bio-P. If bio-P can happen efficiently at lower DO (< 0.3 mg O₂/L), then the energy demand of aeration can be decreased appreciably. This research was conducted in a biological nutrient removal (BNR) pilot plant to assess the performance of bio-P at progressively lower DO operation. This …

Valorization Of Industrial Wastes To Low-Carbon Minerals, Nandan Nag

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study concentrates on developing methods for utilizing industrial waste materials such as red mud and phosphate slag. In this study, an electrochemical process was developed for recovering iron metal powder from red mud. Red mud is a waste material from aluminum refineries. Although red mud can be utilized as a construction and building material, its use is becoming controversial due to its high metal content, which contributes to its toxicity. However, the high iron oxide content in red mud makes it a good feedstock for producing iron. In this project, we employed an electrochemical technique for extracting iron powder …

Ptap Memo: Methods For Tn Reduction Of Sewering, Unh Stormwater Center

UNH Stormwater Center

No abstract provided.

Understanding Water Washing Needs Of Hydrochar Generated From The Hydrothermal Carbonization Of Food Wastes To Establish Minimum Post-Processing Needs For Soil Amendment Application, Neve Renee Steger

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an advantageous and potentially environmentally beneficial approach for the conversion of wet biomass and waste streams into a value-added solid product referred to as hydrochar. Although hydrochar composition and properties generated from the carbonization of a variety of feedstocks have been well studied, there is a need for understanding whether hydrochar requires further refinement and/or treatment prior to being used in environmental applications, particularly when using the hydrochar as a soil amendment. Understanding the need for and extent of hydrochar post-treatment is critical in identifying environmentally beneficial and economically attractive strategies for hydrochar use. In this …

Assessing Groundwater Availability And Land Subsidence Risk Associated With Anthropogenic Activities In A Complex Aquifer System, Aya Bakr Attya Mohamed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Southern Hills aquifer system (SHAS) is the primary source of water in the Capital area of Louisiana. However, the overexploitation of freshwater-bearing aquifers and the presence of two active faults, the BR fault and the DSS fault, have resulted in groundwater depletion, saltwater intrusion, and increased the risk of land surface subsidence. Such critical issues pose substantial threats to groundwater availability and exert detrimental effects on the environment and urban infrastructures. This dissertation presents a comprehensive investigation of the SHAS for recognizing the consequences of groundwater depletion and its potential long-term impacts on groundwater availability and land stability. A …

Bear Lake Water Quality And Chemistry: 114 Years Of Water Management, Connely Baldwin

Spring Runoff Conference

Motivation: Fall 2024 Bear Lake Sediment-Nutrient Reduction Workshop (Bear Lake Watch) motivated deeper dive into water quality and chemistry status and trends

Development Of A Low-Cost Stem Dendrometer For Irrigation Scheduling In Fruit Trees, Anderson Luiz Dos Santos Safre, Alfonso Torres-Rua, Brent Black

Spring Runoff Conference

Motivation 

• Irrigation scheduling in water scarce regions. 
• Water stress evaluation in tart cherry orchards.
• Plant-based methods more suitable for tree crops. 
• Elevated cost of commercial dendrometers (> 1,000 USD). 

Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum Aquaticum): Biology And Management Options In Utah, Francielli S. De Oliveira

Spring Runoff Conference

Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

• Invasive weed from South America.
• Heterophilic perennial dioecious plant (female in the US).
• Forms dense mats, blocks waterways, and outcompetes native species
• Spreads via rhizomes, stolons, and stem fragments.