Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Biodegradation Characteristics Of Proposed Fuel Systems Icing Inhibitors (Fsii), Charles E. Meshako

Theses and Dissertations

The biodegradation characteristics of three fuel system icing ihhibitors (FSII) were evaluated. FSII are jet fuel additives that partition into water readily and are present in the water drained from storage tank bottoms in concentrations approaching 40%. These concentrations raise concerns as to the disposal and handling of these wastes. The current FSII, DiEGME was evaluated along with two new candidates, dipropylene glycol and glycerol formal. DiEGME appeared to be moderately but not completely biodegradable. It is likely that much of it would be removed in a wastewater treatment plant. Dipropylene glycol only showed signs of degradation after more than …

Modeling Marine Exposure To Polychlorinated Biphenyls From Sunken Ships, Charles N. Wendt

Theses and Dissertations

In the past, the U.S. Navy has routinely conducted SINKing EXercises (SINKEX) for training, weapon effectiveness tests, and economic disposal of aging assets. Recent concern over polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) chemicals aboard such target vessels has resulted in a suspension of SINKEX. The U.S. Navy has approximately 200 vessels currently requiring such disposal. Environmental legislation and health concerns preclude selling such vessels to foreign governments or scrapping. This work attempted to model the fate and transport of these PCBs by examining their transport to coastal water and their accumulation in the marine food chain. The model includes biodegradation, upwelling, partitioning of …

Concentrations, Complexation And Speciation Of Total Dissolved Zinc In The Chesapeake Bay, Charles William Henry Iii

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

This is the first research to examine the horizontal, vertical, and temporal variability of total dissolved zinc, organic complexation of zinc, and zinc speciation in the Chesapeake Bay. Filtered (0.45μm) surface and bottom water samples were taken along the salinity gradient of the Chesapeake Bay in October 1993, March 1995, July 1995, and October 1995. Analysis by Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DP ASV) indicated that total dissolved zinc concentrations in the Bay ranged from 2.9 ± 0.7nM to 38.8 ± 2nM. Total zinc was highest at the northern end of the Bay (low salinity), approximately 10 times lower at …

Isolation From Soil Microorganisms That Are Inhibitory To Wheat Seeding Pathogens, Kynita Wilson-Humphrey

McCabe Thesis Collection

Many diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi are responsible for the ruin of a great number of crops annually. At present, many of these crops are being treated for diseases by synthetic or man-made chemicals. Some of the chemicals have been proved to have adverse effects on the environment, including humans and animals. Very few non-chemical means are available to farmers at this time to control these pathogens. This is due to the fact that many of the means of control have little effect against the pathogens or diseases. This research attempts to isolate microorganisms from the soil which …

Effects Of Ammonium Perchlorate On The Thyroid Hormone Levels Of The Sprague-Dawley Rat, James H. King Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the threshold dose for ammonium perchlorate (AP) in the Sprague-Dawley rat. No dose response data exist for AP and the EPA has studied literature on the subject of perchlorates to determine a provisional reference dose. The Perchiorate Group, a consortium of DoD and industry representatives, believes this provisional reference dose is too conservative. This experiment was executed to provide dose response data on which to base a more accurate reference dose. The study consisted of eight groups of 12 Sprague-Dawley rats, six male and six female, which were exposed to incremental doses …

Study Of The Long-Term Desorption Of Trichloroethylene From Clay Soils Using Infrared Spectroscopy, Mary P. Stager

Theses and Dissertations

Slow desorption of contaminants from soil presents one of the greatest challenges to modeling contaminant fate and transport and implementing effective remediation technologies. The kinetics of long-term desorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) from powdered clay soils were studied to determine the desorption rates and mechanism. Infrared absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor the concentration of TCE desorbed from contaminated flint clay for 71 hours. Observed gas phase TCE concentrations as a function of time were compared to that predicted by a one-site Langmuir desorption mechanism. The Langmuir model, with a single type of bonding site, did not account for the release …

Model Of Chlorocarbon (Cfc-12) Chemisorption On Solid Rocket Motor Alumina Exhaust Particles, Gary E. Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Solid Rocket (SRMs) that power Titan IV rockets and Space Shuttles, exhaust large quantities of potentially ozone damaging pollutants directly into the stratosphere, while in powered flight. In the past, studies on potential stratospheric impact of the exhaust products from aluminum/ammonium perchlorate based SRMs have focused on the effect of gaseous HCl from SRMs on the stratosphere. Until recently, the impact of heterogeneous chemistry on stratospheric ozone was believed to be relatively insignificant. This research investigates the potential heterogeneous process of CFC-12 dissociative chemisorption on alumina surfaces and the release of reactive halogen species known to destroy ozone. Through a …

Atmospheric Transport And Diffusion Modeling Of Rocket Exhaust, Chad A. Burel

Theses and Dissertations

Space launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) and the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) produce exhaust from the solid rocket boosters and liquid hypergolic fuels containing several toxic substances including hydrogen chloride and hydrazine. In order to estimate the health risk that would be imposed upon the public by proposed launches, range safety officials rely on the Rocket Exhaust Effluent Diffusion Model to predict where the exhaust chemicals will go after the launch and how strong the concentrations will be. The original REEDM program averaged the meteorological parameters (wind speed, wind direction, shear, etc.) across the entire mixing level …

Modeling Trihalomethane Formation Potential From Wastewater Chlorination, Carol A. Mccormick

Theses and Dissertations

The deletion of federally mandated fecal coliform limits has led many states to review and modify their wastewater disinfection requirements. One issue in analyzing wastewater disinfection is the discharge of potentially carcinogenic halogenated organics formed during the chlorination process. This research investigates the formation of one class of the halogenated organics, the trihalomethanes. The applicability of using drinking water trihalomethane formation models for use with wastewater effluent is examined. Three models are compared for predictive capability by using measured trihalomethane values from previous research data. The results show that a previously developed model is applicable for use based on assumptions …

Exposure Of A Food Crop To Trichloroethylene From A Contaminated Aquifer, Richard G. Baringer

Theses and Dissertations

This research developed a methodology for assessment of the exposure of a mature corn crop to trichloroethylene from a contaminated aquifer. The methodology was then applied to the case of Hill AFB to determine the ability of the methodology to provide information about a specific exposure. Current procedures sample for food contamination but do not attempt to predict exposure problems. A review of the potential exposure pathways from the aquifer to the crop was conducted. Based on this review, the exposures due to soil gas and irrigation were modeled. Empirical estimated were used to approximate the expected flux of soil …

Analysis Of The Potential For Plant Uptake Of Trichloroethylene And An Assessment Of The Relative Risk From Different Crop Types, Roy-Alan C. Agustin

Theses and Dissertations

This research expands our limited knowledge on the influence of plants on the fate and effects of trichloroethylene (TCE), providing a screening tool on which to base decisions regarding the need for actual sampling of plants. First, physicochemical properties of TCE--vapor pressure, Henry's Law constant, water solubility, octanol-water partition coefficient, molecular weight, and half-life--were screened against relationships reported in literature to evaluate TCE plant uptake potential. This screening approach indicated TCE may be transferred to plants via retention by root surfaces, root uptake and translocation, and foliar uptake. Next, the PLANTX model developed by Trapp and others was applied to …

Vadose Zone Contamination Measurement And Modeling, Thomas A. Reeder

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the effects of the slow sorption mechanism on the transport of volatile organic contaminants in the vadose zone. Recent research has shown that slow sorption may have a significant impact on the transport of volatile organic compounds in the subsurface. Specifically, this document examined the effects of slow sorption on the Vapor Extraction System (VES) and the Purge and Trap Measurement System. It was found that the slow sorption of organic molecules on soil may profoundly influence the efficiency of VES and purge and trap. In addition, this thesis investigated possible alternatives to purge and trap, including …

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study Of Antigen-Antibody Complexes, Including Sequence Specific Assignments And Structural Analysis Of Neurophysin As An Antigen Model, Elisar Jamil Barbar

Dissertations and Theses

The interaction between molecules is essential in a wide range of biological processes. A detailed knowledge of these interactions is necessary for understanding these processes. Among the systems that involve important interactions is the immune system. NMR spectroscopy has a large number of spectral parameters that were used in this work to study antibody-antigen interactions. These same parameters were also used to begin a structural analysis of a medium-sized protein, neurophysin, that has important interactions with neurohormones, and served here as a model antigen. A set of ligands differing in size and charge was designed and used to probe the …

Theoretical And Experimental Evaluation Of Hysteresis In Atmospheric Chemistry, Theodore Alan Haigh

Dissertations and Theses

This treatise is a recapitulation of the theoretical and experimental study of hysteresis in atmospheric kinetics. The original problem arose from a theoretical study of a series of reactions for clean air. Upon evaluation a bistable equilibrium was predicted. The steady-state analysis had delineated a metastable region for the set of reactions. This bounded region is the hysteresis that this research project evaluated.

Reactions Of Aqueous Chlorine With Valine In Model Solutions And In Wastewater, Erika Forrer Mccormick

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Solutions of the amino acid valine were chlorinated to seven chlorine-to-nitrogen mole (Cl/N) ratios and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The chlorination products found were N-chlorovaline, isobutyraldehyde, isobutyronitrile, and N-chloroisobutyraldimine. Their product distribution depends on the level of chlorination and pH. The main products identified at the lower CI/N mole ratios were N-chlorovaline and isobutyraldehyde, whereas at the higher CI/N mole ratios isobutyronitrile and N-chloroisobutyraldimine were identified as the main products. The concentration and the chlorination products of valine in municipal wastewater were also determined. The chlorination products of …

Paleogeography And Paleoenvironments Of The Lower Unit, Fossil Butte Member, Eocene Green River Formation, Southwestern Wyoming, Roberto Enrique Biaggi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

During Eocene time sediment accumulated in Fossil Lake, in what developed to be a small linear and structurally controlled basin. Fossil Lake was one of several lakes into which the Green River Formation was deposited in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.

Detailed stratigraphic analysis of the Lower Unit of the Fossil Butte Member revealed a well developed lacustrine sequence south of Fossil Butte, and indicates four major depositional facies: (1) open lacustrine, (2) marginal lacustrine, (3) carbonate mudflat, and (4) marginal fluvio-deltaic. The open lacustrine facies is characterized by kerogen rich to kerogen poor finely laminated micrites , that consist mainly …

An Analysis Of The Inhibitory Effects Of Linolenic Acid Upon Photosystem Ii Of Higher Plants, Mark Edward Iven

Dissertations and Theses

This study utilizes steady state fluorescence measurements, flash-induced P680+ absorption transients, and DCIP reduction kinetics to study the inhibitory effects of linolenic acid (LA) upon Photosystem II (PSII) in whole spinach chloroplasts and insideout wheat thylakoids. It confirms the presence within PSII of LA-induced inhibition of energy trapping and/or primary charge separation (i.e., primary inhibition), in addition to donor side inhibition. The latter is diminished in the presence of 1,5-Diphenylcarbohydrazide (DPC) and probably takes place at the oxygen evolving complex. Primary inhibition, which is more controversial, probably occurs between Ph and QA, with a likely contribution at the level of …

The Chemistry Of Sulfonyl Fluorides: Sf5 And/Or So2f Containing Compounds As Precursors To Sulfonic Acids, Robin Joyce Terjeson

Dissertations and Theses

Sulfonyl fluoride systems and their derivatives, RS0₂F, where R represents hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon moieties continue to be of considerable interest. The incorporation of the sulfonyl fluoride group (S0₂F) into molecular systems can lead to compounds that are useful as ion-exchange resins, surface active agents, fuel cell electrolytes, and strong sulfonic acids/salts.

Interest in preparing SF₅ containing sulfonyl fluorides led to the synthesis of the ᵝ-sultone, SF₅CHCF₂0S0₂, and its rearranged product. Hydrolysis of the sultone gave SF₅CH₂S0₂F which led to the sulfonic acid and salt, SF …

Chemical Modification Of Skeletal Muscle Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Vesicles: A Study Of Calcium Permeability, Janice F. Stuart

Dissertations and Theses

Skeletal muscle contains an internal membrane system called the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) whose function is to regulate the Ca²⁺ concentration of the myoplasm. Ca²⁺ is transported into the SR from the myoplasm via a Ca²⁺ dependent ATPase thus lowering the myoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration. Ca²⁺ exits from the SR via a Ca²⁺ releqse pathway resultingin the increase of myoplasmic Ca²⁺. Muscles contract when the myoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration is > 5 uM and relax when the Ca²⁺ concentration is lowered below 1 uM. The Ca²⁺ dependent ATPase has been extensively studied but …

A Study Of Dislocations In Crystals Using The Technique Of Chemical Etching, Ramona R. Dennis

Honors Theses

The beauty of many of the crystalline solids has attracted man's attention from the earliest times. Eventually the science of crystallography developed from studies of their shapes. The word crystal sterns from the Greek word "krystallos" meaning "clear ice." The word was first applied to describe the clear quartz crystals found in the Swiss Alps. The crystals were thought to be formed from water under conditions of extreme cold.

The earliest recorded crystallographic observation was in 1597 by Andreas Libarius. He noticed that crystals of different substances often have characteristic shapes. He suggested that the salts in mineral water could …

The Combined Effect Of Cu And Zn On Selenastrum Capricornutum, Helmer Colonia-Roque

Dissertations and Theses

It has been demonstrated that the toxicity of heavy metals depends on their chemical speciation and can be related to their free ion activities, rather than the total metal concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of combined free ions of zinc and copper on the toxicity to the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. This alga was grown in a defined medium, under controlled laboratory conditions, with a varying range of zinc and copper concentrations. The growth rate of the alga was inhibited at pZn = 5.93 or at pCu = 7.24. The results suggest that …

Isolation And Characterization Of Frullanolide From Frullania Franciscana (Howe), Marshall Stuart Sass

Dissertations and Theses

Investigation of the ether extract of the liverwort Frullania franciscana (Howe) resulted in the isolation of the sesquiterpene lactone frullanolide. The separation techniques of thin-layer chromatography, dry column chromatography, and liquid column chromatography were evaluated. Only liquid column chromatography was found useful. Fractions from alumina liquid column separations had infrared spectra which resembled the published spectrum of frullanolide. The identity of the compound obtained from F. franciscana (Howe) was established after extensive purification by comparison of its infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra with published spectra of frullanolide.

Transport Of Ozone Across An Air/Water Interface Coupled With Aqueous Decomposition, Ahmad Ali Mehrabzadeh

Dissertations and Theses

Photoacoustic spectroscopy was used to analyze the transport of ozone through the air/water interface. Experimental results showed that the ozone transport rate is similar to rates measured for other gases of low solubility and low reactivity. The transport rate increases with increasing pH. The decomposition rate of ozone was studied in solutions. The decomposition rate also depends on the pH of the solution, and in high pHs both the deposition velocity and the decomposition rate constant of ozone have larger values. The value of the deposition velocity (Kd) is 3.7 ± .9 x 10^-3 cm/sec and the decomposition rate …

The Concentration And Speciation Of Sugars In Natural Waters, Minoo Shakerin Sweet

Dissertations and Theses

Due to the importance of carbohydrates in biological systems, many efforts have been made to develop a quantitative method for analysis of carbohydrates in natural waters. The low concentrations of dissolved sugars in natural waters require a sensitive analytical method. In this study, gas chromatography of alditol acetate derivatives of sugars was investigated for quantitative and qualitative analysis of individual dissolved sugars in natural waters. The alditol acetate derivatives of sugars give only one derivative for each sugar, yielding qualitative and quantitative results.

The detection limit was 25 nM for each sugar. Because of this very low detection limit, only …

A Study On Gaseous Ebullitions Of De Gray Reservoir, Arkansas, David Pinkston

Honors Theses

This study was undertaken in order to determine the nature of and the factors that influence the gaseous ebullitions of De Gray Reservoir near Arkadelphia, Arkansas during a yearly cycle.

Two major types of gaseous ebullition are described in the literature. The first has to do with the production and ebullition of elemental oxygen from photosynthesis (Porcella et al., 1975). Hutchinson (1957) predicts that the formation of oxygen bubbles in this manner is limited to very shallow, well lighted, warm waters.

The second type of gaseous ebullition involves the anaerobic digestion of organic matter (Reeburgh, 1969). Anaerobic conditions exist in …

Determination Of The Rate Of Formation Of Hcn, Mitchell Hull

Honors Theses

Nitric oxide is a major air pollutant arising from fossil fuel combustion, yet the fuel contribution to its formulation is uncertain. Since, in combustion, fossil fuels undergo disintegration before oxidation takes place, the study of the pyrolsis of a model constituent of fossil fuels can shed light on NO formation. The rate of inert pyrolytic disappearance of pyridine and the rate of formation of the principal Nitrogen-containing pyrolytic product, HCN, was studied in an inert atmosphere. The rate constant for the formation of HCN and its temperature dependence were determined.

Reaction Of Aqueous Catechol Solutions With Minerals, Boonthong Poocharoen

Dissertations and Theses

The effectiveness of catechol, an aromatic vic-diol, in dissolving silicate minerals was studied. A synthetic amorphous magnesium trisilicate, Mg₂Si₃O₈∙5H₂O, as well as the minerals olivine, sepiolite, diopside, augite, and enstatite were used to react with catechol in slightly acidic, basic, and neutral solutions. It was found, depending on the solvent used, that 33-52, 8-17, 14-30, 5-11, 3-6, and 0.5-1 % of the minerals dissolved, respectively.

The reaction with Mg₂Si₃0₈·5H₂0 resulted in the formation of crystals of magnesium tris (catecholato) siliconate nonahydrate Mg[Si(Cat)₃]∙9H₂0. Dehydration of the crystals at room temperature resulted in the loss of 6 moles of water to form …

The Effects Of Herbicides On Three Soil Inhabiting Blue Green Algal Species, Lee C. Darlington

All Master's Theses

The object of this study was to examine the effects of varying concentrations of 2, 4-D, Dalapon, and Tordon on the growth of several nitrogen-fixing blue-green algal species obtained from soil samples and grown under culture conditions in the laboratory.

Solubility Of Manganese And Iron In Impoundment Waters, Jim Gilbert

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to show the rate of solubility of certain elements (manganese and iron) in impoundment waters. The rate at which manganese and iron becomes soluble is important in determining if there is a change in the solubility of these elements in impoundment water and free running water.

The solubility of an element under impoundment waters represents a cycle. The mud on the bottom of impoundment waters contain the elements that are insoluble. At a certain stage the element becomes soluble, and it is released from the mud. The soluble element is much lighter than the …

An Attempt To Determine Molybdenum By Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, Gary Rice

Honors Theses

An attempt was made to work out a method for routinely determining molybdenum by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A stock standard was prepared containing 100 ppm molybdenum as MO4. Sensitivity of the spectrophotometer was found to be zero for aqueous solutions in the 1-10 ppm range. A pH-dependence study of extraction of the molybdate with DDC and MIBK gave best results at about pH 4.