Environmental Health Commons^™

Something In The Air? Uncovering The Air Quality Of St. Mary's University, Isaiah Charles, Keagan Farrell, Antonio Martinez, Andrea Realyvasquez, Kelly Swyers

Presentations - 2026

What is air quality?

Measurement of how clean or polluted the air is in a certain area. The Environmental Protection Agency uses Air Quality Index (AQI), a scale that describes the quality of air. The six major pollutants measured are: •ground- level ozone •particulate matter •carbon monoxide •sulfur dioxide •nitrogen dioxide •lead   Impacts of air pollution
•Acid rain •Climate change •Damage to plants and crops •Loss of biodiversity
•Respiratory illnesses •Cardiovascular damage •Premature death •Coughing and asthma

Microplastic-Mediated Delivery Of Di-Butyl Phthalate Alters C. Elegans Lifespan And Reproductive Fidelity, Chiara Angelyn Maldonado

Presentations - 2026

•The challenge: microplastic contamination •The question: How do microplastics and chemical contaminants affect living organisms? •The follow-up: What’s next!

Polylactic Acid (Pla) Microplastic Toxicity In C. Elegans, Maria Gamez, Dana Farley, Chiara Maldonado, David Mares

Posters - 2026

• Microplastics (MPs, > 5 mm1) are an environmental pollutant that pose health risks to humans. • Primary MPs are created for direct use or plastic stocks, and secondary MPs are created when plastics in the environment break down over time. • Microplastic exposure can cause oxidative stress, metabolic disorders, immune responses, neurotoxicity, and reproductive issues2-3. • Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a biodegradable plastic used in everyday items, such as food packaging, and as a polymer in 3D printing. • PLA exposure to fish causes organ damage5 and C. elegans exposure to primary PLA MPs and UV-aged MPs reduced reproduction6-7 . …

An Investigation In The Physiological Effect Of Microplastic And Chemical Mixtures In The Body Length Of C. Elegans, Gregory Guantos, David M. Mares, Jennifer C. Harr Phd

Posters - 2026

• Microplastics (MP) are pieces of plastic less than 5 micrometers (mm). Microplastics are found in our environment and have even been found in the food humans consume, including in drinks from plastic bottles (Hu 2020).

• Di-butyl Phthalate (DBP) is a chemical known as a plasticizer commonly used in PVC applications, ink, fragrances, and adhesives

• Di-butyl Phthalate has been found to have negative effects on the physiological length of C. elegans (Xiyan 2018)

• Microplastics have similarly been found to decrease the physiological length of C. elegans (Schöpfer 2020)

• The combined effects of MPs and DBP include …

The Impact Of Food Insecurity On The Physical And Mental Health Of Food Service Workers And Their Households, Pedro Andrade

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Food insecurity in the United States continues to be a persistent problem, as this household stressor has worsened in the past decade. The prevalence of food insecurity varies by demographic; however, income is a key factor when discussing food security status. One group experiencing food insecurity, but often overlooked when talking about solutions, is food service workers. This research sought to understand the impact of food insecurity on food service workers and their households. A literature review was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the associations between food insecurity and physical health, mental health, household health, and occupational and …

Mecanismos De Participación En Temas Ambientales En Colombia, Martha Rocío Castro Rodríguez, Felipe Ramírez Cortázar, Sara Milena Niño Montero

Ciencias Agropecuarias

Mecanismos de participación en temas ambientales en Colombia es un producto editorial, de divulgación y apropiación social del conocimiento, desarrollado en el proyecto de investigación “Participación política en ciudades de Colombia, Italia y Guatemala: un estudio mixto sobre su relación con la anomia y la autoeficacia política en jóvenes”, en el marco de la V convocatoria interna - periodo 2023-1 UCundinamarca Generación Siglo 21.

The Importance Of Well-Being For College Students, Benjamin Williamson, Dr. Mary Jan Greer, Phd, Otr

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Provided education on well-being, enabled independence, and improved quality of life, specifically for college students in this setting.

Advocate for Sustainable Programs:

Advocated for more programs to address the needs of college students and integrated all 8 dimensions of wellness into their current lifestyle

Support Academic Advancement:

Addressed college students' needs for overcoming occupational adversities which affects the longevity and academic success of college students

Motivate College Students:

Provided accessible and occupation-based resources that supported participating college students in independently improving their occupational roles

Advance Holistic Based Strategies:

Incorporated holistic based strategies that apply to each occupational role affecting participating …

Griz Give-And-Get: Understanding The Context, Philosophy, And Logistics Behind A Project To Reduce Waste At The University Of Montana, Sam Sullivan

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Griz Give-and-Get is an online platform at the University of Montana that aims to reduce consumer waste. It attempts to do this by providing students and staff with a place to give away their used items. The first objective of this essay is to describe the process behind Griz Give-and-Get’s early development. The second objective is to relate concepts from environmental philosophy to Griz Give-and-Get’s mission. Although part of Griz Give-and-Get’s mission is to build community and to mitigate the effects of student poverty, this essay will narrow its focus to explore the first issue that Griz Give-and-Get concerns itself …

Fostering Environmental Sustainability Through Early Childhood Education(Ece)., Tahira Jabeen, Fozia Parveen, Nasima Shakeel

Books

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Triton Cg 110 Foaming Characteristics For Use As A Potential Fire Suppressant, Addison Cobb, Jeremy Cho

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

Background: Per-FluoroAlkyls (PFAs) are incredibly stable molecules which do not biodegrade. These chemicals have been linked with a series of health issues and environmental problems.

Problem: PFAs have been identified in most drinking water supplies in the United States. Large Amounts of this is due to Aqueous Fire-Fighting Foams (AFFF’s), which contain PFAs, seeping into the groundwater supply.

Solution: While little can be done about PFAs currently in groundwater supplies, replacing PFA-based AFFFs with newer Eco-AFFFs can halt AFFF contamination, and maintain firefighting suppression.

Municipal Waste In Southern Nevada: Understanding The Obsession With Garbage, Zachary Billot

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Southern Nevada’s reliance on inexpensive disposal of waste results in lack of support for sustainable investment in waste diversion programs. Clark County lags significantly behind the US in terms of its municipal waste diversion due to problems related to the collection of materials and incentive for collection, limited institutionalized food waste collection programs, monopolization of waste management, as well as substantial rates of contamination of recyclable materials compared nationally. This proposal recommends a multifactor approach.

Comparing The Microbiomes Of Dental Plaques In 19th Century Ancestral Remains, Ananya Udyaver

UROP Posters

During the construction of VCU’s Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building in April 1994, nineteenth century ancestral remains were found in an abandoned well on the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) campus. This well, now known as the East Marshall Street Well (EMSW), is thought to have been used as a disposal location for cadaver dissection for surgical and other medical waste in the past. VCU is now seeking to use DNA sequencing technology to match and assemble bones from each individual for a proper burial, uncover the cultural and historical context in which these people lived, and bring a …

Characterization Of The Thermophilic Xlanase Fsa272 From Candidatus Fervidibacter Sacchari Belonging To Glycoside Hydrolase Family Gh10, Nicole Torosian, Jonathan K. Covington, Allison M. Cook, Nancy O. Nou, Jan-Fang Cheng

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Candidatus Fervidibacter sacchari is a novel, facultatively anaerobic, hyperthermophilic bacterium found in terrestrial geothermal springs globally. Its genome encodes 115 putative glycoside hydrolase enzymes that are predicted to hydrolyze glycosidic bonds between carbohydrates. Fsa272, a member of the glycoside hydrolase family 10, was synthesized and cloned into Escherichia coli strain T7 Express. The transformed E. coli was grown with LB broth and ampicillin at 37°C. Fsa272 expression was induced with isopropylthio-beta-galactoside (IPTG), and the lysate was heat purified for 15 minutes at 80° C. The 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid assay identified xylanase activity with a pH range of 4.5 to 10.5 (pHopt …

Teaching How To Recycle Through The Medium Of Virtual Reality, Nathan Kassai

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Students, especially children in elementary and middle school, have difficulty focusing and or absorbing information from their courses. The problem lies in the scarcity of hands-on/interactive elements in classrooms as most lectures contain topics most students would be interested in but are presented in a monotonous way. To properly educate and inspire students to work on improving their academic knowledge, alternative educational mediums must be sought. Such mediums like Virtual and Augmented Reality allow students to interact with virtual objects to learn more about a wide variety of subjects, hence increasing their engagement and enjoyment in any particular topic. The …

The Global Effects Of Climate Change: Detrimental Impacts On The Environment, Ecosystem, Coral Reefs, Human Health/Well-Being, And Global Economy, Lucky Heng

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Despite criticism, scientists have been continuing to find more evidence to prove that the threats on the coral reefs around the world are real. The impact of rising climate temperature, pollution, ocean acidification, etc. has been leading to increasing amounts of mass bleaching and a massive decline in coral reefs in past decades. This research study utilizes a systematic literature review and secondary research to collect, analyze and provide evidence that climate change impacts the ecosystem, and marine life (coral reefs) species on the planet. By addressing the impact of climate change and its significance on the ecosystem and global …

Groundwater Remediation Using Modified Biochar, Kers Ung-Watson, Ismail Abdulraheem, Nikki Tibayan, Suraj Pochampally

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Biochar, a lightweight black residue made of carbon, has proved to be an effective adsorbent to remove TCE from groundwater. Not only is it an economical substitute for conventional adsorbents but it can be created by using a variety of organic materials. For this project, it will rely on walnut shell feedstock to create biochar as this had the best ability to adsorb TCE.

Powering A Sustainable Electric Vehicle Future, Harmony Ruth, Jordan Brickman

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Electric vehicle sales account for roughly 20% of total sales world wide and are projected to be 80% by 2050. China's electric vehicle market holds a 13.3% market share. China exported 550,000 electric vehicles in 2021. China represents a 54% share of the world's coal consumption as of 2020. Why study China on this issue? China is a major player in the World Economy.

Rising Recess Temperatures: Quantifying The Cooling Effect Of School Parks, Nicholas Kendall, Xuhui Lee

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

Many schools in the US are currently placed in urban heat islands. Children attending these schools are thought to be at greater risk to heat stress related health concerns. We used mobile heat sensors to see if there was a quantifiable difference between the playgrounds and parks within and between two schools with differing park sizes.

Climate Change And Environmental Sustainability Module: Activity Booklet, Fozia Parveen, Sara Hassan, Subhan Khan

Books

Dear readers (teachers, parents, and students), Thank you for accessing our activity booklet. The information booklet introduced concepts relating to climate change and environmental sustainability. In this booklet several cross cutting activities on various themes have been presented. The booklet contains ready-made activities containing but not limited to comic strips, experiments, conversations, writing, simple tag, cut and paste as well as research activities. We hope you enjoy, adapt and implement these activities in your community.

Climate Change And Environmental Sustainability Module: Information Booklet, Fozia Parveen, Sara Hassan, Subhan Khan

Books

No abstract provided.

Ailing In Place: Environmental Inequities And Health Disparities In Appalachia, Michele Morrone

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

In Ailing in Place, Michele Morrone explores the relationship between environmental conditions in Appalachia and health outcomes that are too often ascribed to individual choices only. She applies quantitative data to observations from environmental health professionals to frame the ways in which the environment, as a social determinant of health, leads to health disparities in Appalachian communities. These examples—these stories of place—trace the impacts of water quality, waste disposal, and natural resource extraction on the health and quality of life of Appalachian people.

Public health is inextricably linked to place. Environmental conditions such as contaminated water, unsafe food, and polluted …

Science, Advocacy, Policy, Planning: Tools For Advancing Transportation Equity, Garrett S. Mcallister

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The theme of this portfolio is how different tools and approaches can be used for advancing transportation equity. Broadly defined, transportation equity is about fairness in transportation. There are a number of ways this fairness can be assessed. The most common way to assess transportation equity is by looking at the fairness of outcomes, distributed geographically, socially, or even by mode of transportation. Equity can also be defined by the fairness of processes. The first half of the portfolio illustrates some of the problems with the current transportation system and how it is unhealthy (Piece 1) and unjust (Piece 2). …

Dredging Land Reclamation Causing Mucus Development In Massive Spherical Corals In The Spratly Islands, South China Sea: The Effects On China’S Fishing Industry, Tiffany K. Ho

UROP Posters

Images from Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative depicted huge masses of white coral mucus secreted from coral reefs in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, an area where several land reclamation projects are occurring. The purpose of this research was to understand how increased sedimentation levels from the dredging land reclamation method affects mucus development in massive corals, such as Acropora, located in these reefs. Journal articles that focused on the biology of coral mucus, bacterial communities associated with coral tissue, mucus, and seawater, coral mortality from different environment impacts, coral coverage of reefs in Spratly Islands, and symbiotic …

Plastic Pollution And The Global Throwaway Culture: Environmental Injustices Of Single-Use Plastic, Kristin L. Mcdermott

ENV 434 Environmental Justice

The global throwaway culture has created a cross-ecosystem plastic pollution injustice. The first to suffer this injustice will be the most vulnerable. Our oceans have become our dumpsters. The throwaway culture has created a disrespect of material goods that has turned the earth’s resources into rubbish after a single use. Eighty percent of the yearly 8 million tons of plastic that enter the ocean is single use plastic, such as plastic bottles, plastic shopping bags, or cigarette lighters.[1] Plastic has destroyed ecosystems, robbing impoverished communities of natural resources and of a healthy and safe living environment. First to suffer …

The Impact Of Urbanization On Mosquito-Borne Viruses, Nikhita Puthuveetil

UROP Posters

Mosquito-borne diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, and West Nile are rapidly emerging across the globe. Their emergence is often aided by the growth of their vector population, or the organisms that transmit the virus to the host. Urbanization and land use often destroys the habitat of the virus and its vector. However, the virus and its vector often survive despite the changes to its environment. The goal of this paper is to find out exactly how urbanization and changes in land use affect mosquito-borne viruses and how these viruses survive despite the destruction of their habitats. To understand how …

West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery Ecological Risk Assessment 20 February 2013, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

In-Water Hull Cleaning And Filtration System: In-Water Cleaning Trials, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

In-Water Hull Cleaning System Cost & Cost Benefit Analysis, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Guidance Statement For Oil And Gas Industry Consultation With The Department Of Fisheries, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Estudios Científicos En El Estado De Hidalgo Y Zonas Aledañas, Volumen Ii, Griselda Pulido-Flores, Scott Monks

Zea E-Books Collection

Los 16 capítulos que conforman este libro son una contribución al conocimiento de la biodiversidad y conservación de los recursos naturales en el estado de Hidalgo, México.

Se aborda el derecho de propiedad intelectual en la biodiversidad, citando algunos ejemplos de México. Así mismo, se presenta un estudio de la biodiversidad y distribución de la herpetofauna en cuatro tipos de vegetación. Desde el punto de vista de la helmintología se presentan dos estudios de los helmintos parásitos de vertebrados silvestres; con nuevos registros de hospederos y localidades de algunas especies de helmintos para Hidalgo. También, se aborda el uso de …