Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology Commons^™

Assay Of The Reverse Osmosis Purified Water In The Life Science Building At Bowling Green State University, Ohio, Nicholas Mendenhall, Scott O. Rogers, Neocles B. Leontis

Honors Projects

Contaminated water sources can cause problems for scientific research and result in costly delays and failures of experiments. At Bowling Green State University, the reverse osmosis supply circulating in the Life Sciences Building has been measurably contaminated for nearly three years, corresponding to a change in servicing of the system. While servicing has been accelerated, the contamination in the system remains. The focus of this research was to identify the species of bacteria and fungi growing inside of the water system so that it might alert those servicing the system, and to begin to eliminate the contamination. Reverse osmosis water …

Haloferax Volcanii For Carotenoid Production, Erika Smith

Honors Theses

Carotenoids are used as natural colorants and have been shown to have numerous health benefits, making these molecules highly desirable in the aquaculture, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical markets. There is increasing consumer demand for the natural synthesis of carotenoids, but current methods are limited by the cost and difficulty of extraction from organisms. The halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii is amenable to extraction and has an endogenous carotenoid biosynthetic pathway that culminates in the accumulation of the carotenoid bacterioruberin; however, H. volcanii also synthesizes important precursors that can be converted into more highly-desired carotenoids, such as β-carotene and astaxanthin, in the presence …

Functional Characteristics And Genomic Sequencing Of Antarctic Environmental Isolates, Amanda Kemper, Christina Aigner, Michelle Tigges, Sara Anderson

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Production And Harvest Of Microalgae In Wastewater Raceways With Resource Recycling, Alexander Colin Roberts

Master's Theses

Microalgae can be grown on municipal wastewater media to both treat the wastewater and produce feedstock for algae biofuel production. However the reliability of treatment must be demonstrated, as well as high areal algae productivity on recycled wastewater media and efficient sedimentation harvesting. This processes was studied at pilot scale in the present research.

A pilot facility was operated with nine CO₂-supplemented raceway ponds, each with a 33-m² surface area and a 0.3-m depth, continuously from March 6, 2013 through September 24, 2014. The ponds were operated as three sets of triplicates with two sets continuously fed …

Effects Of Water Column P-Availability And Litter Microbial Mediated Processes And Stoichiometry In Aquatic Systems, Ayla Smartt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems is prevalent and can have detrimental effects on biological condition. Many of these effects have been attributed directly or indirectly to changes in autotrophic processes. However, in detrital-based streams changes in course detrital stoichiometry and decomposition have been related to changes community structure and production at higher trophic levels highlighting the importance of considering the heterotrophic microbial responses to enrichment. Leaf litter stoichiometry, which is determined in part by the tree species source and the microbial communities that comprise the associated biofilm, is likely related to decomposition rates, but few studies examine these variables …

Ether Bridge Formation And Chemical Diversification In Loline Alkaloid Biosynthesis, Juan Pan

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Loline alkaloids, found in many grass-Epichloë symbiota, are toxic or feeding deterrent to invertebrates. The loline alkaloids all share a saturated pyrrolizidine ring with a 1-amine group and an ether bridge linking C2 and C7. The steps in biosynthesis of loline alkaloids are catalyzed by enzymes encoded by a gene cluster, designated LOL, in the Epichloë genome. This dissertation addresses the enzymatic, genetic and evolutionary basis for diversification of these alkaloids, focusing on ether bridge formation and the subsequent modifications of the 1-amine to form different loline alkaloids.

Through gene complementation of a natural lolO mutant and comparison …

The Role Of Surface Chemistry In The Toxicity Of Manufactured Cerium Dioxide Nanomaterials To Caenorhabditis Elegans, Emily Kay Oostveen

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Manufactured CeO₂ nanomaterials (CeO₂-MNMs) are used for a wide variety of applications including diesel fuel additives and chemical/mechanical planarization media. To test the effects of CeO₂-MNM surface coating charge on to model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, we synthesized 4 nm CeO₂ with cationic (DEAE-), anionic (CM-), and neutral (DEX) coatings. In L3 nematodes exposed for 24 hours, DEAE-CeO₂ induced lethality at lower concentrations than CM- or DEX-CeO₂. Feeding slightly decreased CeO₂ toxicity, regardless of coating. In L2 nematodes exposed for 48 hours with feeding, DEAE-CeO₂ caused lethality at the …

Aerobic Degradation Of Α-, Β-, Γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane By Narragansett Bay Bacterioplankton, Ian M. Rambo

Senior Honors Projects

Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) are a family of chlorinated organic compounds that were previously used as agricultural insecticides. HCHs are recognized as persistent organic pollutants due to their toxicity, recalcitrant properties, and tendency to bioaccumulate in food webs. Although HCH was first synthesized in 1825, its use was not widespread until the discovery of the insecticidal activity of the γ-HCH isomer in 1942. γ-HCH and its toxic waste isomers α-HCH and β-HCH were banned from production and use by the United Nations in 2009, yet these chemicals still present environmental problems due to their persistence in soils and surface waters. HCHs continue …

Bacteriostatic Effects Of Sucralose On Environmental Bacteria, Arthur Phillip Omran Jr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sucralose is a zero calorie sweetener developed and manufactured by Tate and Lyle Sweetener Company in the 1980’s. They sell the sweetener compounded with maltodextrin and dextrose under the brand name Splenda®. Sucralose was developed as a low cost artificial sweetener that is non-metabolizable in humans and can withstand changes in pH and temperature. It is not degraded by the waste water treatment process. Since the molecule can withstand heat, acidification and microbial degradation it is accumulating in the environment, and has been found in waste water, estuaries, rivers and the Gulf Stream. The highest concentration of environmental sucralose detected …

Temperature Influence And Heat Management Requirements Of Microalgae Cultivation In Photobioreactors, Thomas Hagen Mehlitz

Master's Theses

Microalgae are considered one of the most promising feedstocks for biofuel production for the future. The most efficient way to produce vast amounts of algal biomass is the use of closed tubular photobioreactors (PBR). The heat requirement for a given system is a major concern since the best algae growth rates are obtained between 25-30 °C, depending on the specific strain. A procedure to determine temperature influence on algal growth rates was developed for a lab-scale PBR system using the species Chlorella. A maximum growth rate of 1.44 doublings per day at 29 °C (optimal temperature) was determined. In addition, …

Letter From The Dean, Lalit Verma

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Microbial Nitrogen Cycling In Nevada Geothermal Springs, Mitchell G. Chaires, Jeremy A. Dodsworth, Brian P. Hedlund

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Hot spring habitats above maximum photosynthetic temperature (73 ºC) are not well understood with respect to nitrogen (N) cycling. Few predictions have been made, and even fewer measurements of in situ activities have been reported. Thermodynamic calculations based on in situ chemical and temperature measurements will be used to predict the occurrence of the specific N-cycling reactions. In addition, these measurements in two springs will aid in an attempt to cultivate ammonia oxidizing species.

Spatial And Temporal Patterns In The Microbial Diversity Of A Meromictic Soda Lake In Washington State, Pedro A. Dimitriu, Holly C. Pinkart, Brent M. Peyton, Melanie R. Mormile

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

The microbial community diversity and composition of meromictic Soap Lake were studied using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. The water column and sediments were sampled monthly for a year. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes showed an increase in diversity with depth for both groups. Late-summer samples harbored the highest prokaryotic diversity, and the bacteria exhibited less seasonal variability than the archaea. Most-probable-number assays targeting anaerobic microbial guilds were performed to compare summer and fall samples. In both seasons, the anoxic samples appeared to be dominated by lactate-oxidizing sulfate-reducing prokaryotes. High numbers of lactate- and acetate-oxidizing …

The Effect Of Residue C:N Ratio On The Turnover Of N And C In Various Soil Organic Matter Fractions, Ana B. Wingeyer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Identifying soil organic matter (SOM) fractions that contribute to soil indigenous nitrogen (N) supply and understanding their turnover under different management constitute necessary tools toward an efficient N use. The objectives of this study were: i) trace the endpoint of carbon (C) flux from residue inputs into SOM; and ii) asses the role of the light fraction (LF), mobile humic acid (MHA) fraction and calcium humate (CaHA) fraction as N sources for heterotrophic decomposition of fresh plant residues with contrasting C:N ratio. A long-term aerobic soil incubation was carried out on ¹⁵N-labeled soil samples from Lincoln and Mead, NE. …

Aerobic Biodegradation Of Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether By Aquifer Bacteria From Leaking Underground Storage Tank Sites, S. R. Kane, H. R. Beller, T. C. Legler, C. J. Koester, Holly C. Pinkart, R. U. Halden, A. M. Happel

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

The potential for aerobic methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) degradation was investigated with microcosms containing aquifer sediment and groundwater from four MTBE-contaminated sites characterized by oxygen-limited in situ conditions. MTBE depletion was observed for sediments from two sites (e.g., 4.5 mg/liter degraded in 15 days after a 4-day lag period), whereas no consumption of MTBE was observed for sediments from the other sites after 75 days. For sediments in which MTBE was consumed, 43 to 54% of added [U-¹⁴C]MTBE was mineralized to¹⁴CO₂. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of these sediments indicated the enrichment of species closely …

Report Of Significant Findings--Las Vegas Bay/Boulder Basin Investigations, James F. Labounty, Michael Horn, Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

Field sampling was carried out between 0830 and 1500 beginning at the confluence of Las Vegas Wash and the Inner Las Vegas Bay. Ten (10) locations were sampled, each in a similar manner. Locations of sampling stations are in line from the Wash-Bay confluence to a point midway between Saddle and Black Islands. In addition, sampling was done at a location midway between Sentinel Island and the base of Fortification Hill, and at the buoy line in front of Hoover Dam. Sampling stations are labeled from LV01, at Wash-Bay confluence, to LV17 at Hoover Dam. A significant data collection point …

Characterization Of The Aquatic Environment In Lake Mead Near The Proposed Spring Canyon Pumped-Storage Project, And Assessment Of Potential Aquatic Impacts, Charles R. Liston, Stephen J. Grabowski, Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

A pumped storage system consists of an upper reservoir and lower reservoir separated by an elevation difference. During low demand energy periods such as nights and weekends water is pumped from the lower to the upper reservoir using available energy from conventional steam electric power plants. During high energy demand periods, such as mornings and afternoons of weekdays, upper reservoir water is allowed to drop back down through the same system of water conduits and turbines, generating electricity to conveniently meet abrupt electrical energy requirements. The same water turbines thus act both as pumps and as conventional hydroelectric turbines. Because …

The Voluntary Water Quality Monitoring Program : 1982 Project Report, Barbara Welch, Judy Potvin, Mary Ellen Dennis

Maine Collection

The Voluntary Water Quality Monitoring Program : 1982 Project Report

by Barbara Welch, Judy Potvin & Mary Ellen Dennis

Division of Environmental Evaluation and Lake Studies, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Augusta, Maine 1982.

Contents: Understanding Maine's Lakes and Ponds / Acknowledgement / Temperature / Dissolved Oxygen / Other Measures of Lake Water Quality / Nutrients / Algae and Chlorophyll a / Transparency / Morphometry / Sampling / Protection / Classification / Answers to Most Frequently Asked Questions / Glossary of Terms / Appendix A : Maximum, Minimum, and Mean Values / Appendix B : Phosphate Content of Common Cleansers …

A Review Of The Limnology Of And Water Quality Standards For Lake Mead, Charles R. Goldman

Publications (WR)

1. The waters of Las Vegas Bay, a heavily utilized recreational resource, receive discharges from a variety of municipal and industrial waste sources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined, on the basis of numerous studies, that the present water quality violates state and federal standards and constitutes a public nuisance. Consultants have advised the Sewage and Wastewater Advisory Committee that rapid abatement of the alleged pollution conditions can be achieved by an advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) plant.

2. The major problems in Las Vegas Bay are an objectionable water color, excessive turbidity, noxious odors, and oxygen depletion in certain …

A Diurnal Zooplankton Migration Study In Lake Mead, Robert D. Staker

Publications (WR)

The diurnal vertical movement of zooplankton was first recorded in freshwater lakes by Weismann (1877) in Lake Constance (Bodensee), although Cuvier was credited with observing the migration of Daphniae in 1817 (Gushing, 1955). The migration is best observed in deep oligotrophic lakes and migrations of 50 m per day are described (Worthington, 1931). In addition, two species of chaetognaths are reported to migrate 400 m a day in marine waters off of Lisbon (Waterman and Berry, 1967) while Birge (1895) found little evidence of the phenomenon at all in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. Most zooplankton that migrate rise at night and …

Phytoplankton Distribution And Water Quality Indices For Lake Mead (Colorado River), Robert D. Staker, Robert W. Hoshaw, Lorne G. Everett

Publications (WR)

Phytoplankton samples were collected in Lake Mend 6 times from September 1910 to June 1971 for 8 stations at depths of 0. 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 m. These samples were processed through a Millipore filter apparatus and 79 planktonic algae were identified. Algal divisions represented were Bacillariophyta, 42 species; Chlorophyta, 18 ; Cyanophyta, 9; Chrysophyta, 3; Cryptophyta, 3; Pyrrophyta, 2; and Euglenophyta, 2. Blue-green algae were dominant in late summer and fall; green algae, diatoms, and, cryptomonads in winter; and green algae in spring. The early summer flora was best represented by the Chlorophyta, Cryptophyta, and Chrysophyta. Palmer's …

Phytoplankton Successions And Lake Dynamics In Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada, Ervon R. Koening, Richard W. Tew, James E. Deacon

Publications (WR)

Phytoplankton successions, applications of the general growth equation, and physical measurements have been employed to investigate events occurring at the interface between industrial and sewage effluent contained in Las Vegas Wash and the waters of Lake Mead, Nevada. The data indicate that the entering waters tend to form a density current interrupted at intervals by dynamic effects generated in the lake. The dynamic relationships described here for the spring months suggest that a much more thorough understanding of physical, chemical and biological interactions is necessary to permit solution of the numerous problems of Las Vegas Bay discussed or alluded to …

A Mathmatical Model Of Primary Productivity And Limnological Patterns In Lake Mead, Lorne G. Everett

Publications (WR)

The temporal and spatial changes in chemical and biological properties of Lake Mead have been investigated, thereby indicating the sources of water pollution and the time of highest pollution potential. Planktonic organisms have been shown to indicate the presence of water problems. Macro- and micro-nutrient analyses have shown that primary productivity is not inhibited by limiting concentrations. A mathematical model has been developed, tested with one set of independent data, and shown worthy of management utility. Although the model works very well for the Lake Mead area, the physical reality of the Multiple Linear Regression equation should be tested on …

Micronutrients And Biological Patterns In Lake Mead, Hasan K. Qashu, Lorne G. Everett, J. S. Carlson, Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

Progressive increases in concentration of dissolved solids in the Colorado River water from Lake Powell to Imperial Dam seem to alter plankton dynamics and biological productivity of the river. Also, changes in biological productivity and micronutrients concentrations occur within the same reservoir. Development of a digital simulation model to predict micronutrients concentrations and biological productivity is necessary for diagnosing changes in plankton population and effluent-carrying capacity of the system. The objectives of the study are: (1) to determine trace metal balance at different locations in Lake Mead, (2) to measure biological productivity and conduct plankton population counts at each sampling …