Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Stabilization/Solidification Of Organic Containing Wastes Using Organophilic Clay And Coal Fly Ash, Edith Lagoutte

Theses

The relative merits of eight different coal fly ashes for use in the stabilization/Solidification of a waste containing both heavy metals and pentachlorophenol were investigated. Also studied, was the possible use of either untreated or treated (with hexade-cyl ammonium bromide) clay to enhance the stabilization of the organic. The sample composition was : 62% foundry baghouse dust (or 60% if 2% clay as added to the sample), 4.5% cement, 14% coal fly ash, 19.5% water. Pentachlorophenol was chosen as represen¬tative of the organic contamination. All tests were performed after curing the samples at 22°C, 98% Rh for 28 days. The …

Trends Of Eom, B(A)P, Sulfates, And Nitrates In Air-Borne Particulate Matter In Eleven Proximate Locations In New Jersey During 1988, Sathish Pushpala

Theses

Air-borne particulate matter was collected at eleven proximate locations in New Jersey during the year 1988. Particulate matter was extracted in cyclohexane and acetone to separate non-polar and polar components. Particulate matter was also analyzed for B(a)P, Sulfates and Nitrates.

This report presents the inter-site and intra-site variation of concentrations of pollutants between summer and winter seasons. Levels of B(a)P varied from 0.12 to 0.03 ng/M³ between urban and rural sites. During winter, B(a)P concentrations were 5 times more than summer. Concentrations of Cyc which represent mostly primary pollutants, were found 3 times lower in rural sites. Ace fractions …

Hydrogeology And Hydrogeochemistry Of The Shallow Alluvial Aquifer Zone, Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, Harry Stephen Wild Jr.

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, the shallow alluvial aquifer zone is a possible source of contamination to the principal alluvial aquifers that provide 30% of the public drinking water supply for the valley. Development of the principal aquifers has lowered pressure head in the principal aquifers and created the potential for downward seepage from the shallow aquifer zone. This study was undertaken to characterize the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of the shallow alluvial aquifer zone and to compare the hydrogeochemistry of the shallow and principal alluvial aquifer zones.

A 37 well shallow ground water monitoring network was established and water-level, water-quality, …

Hydrogeology And Water Budget Analysis Of Two Interdunal Ponds Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve, Dare County, North Carolina, Richard A. Hisert

OES Theses and Dissertations

Ground-water-fed interdunal ponds in Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve lose as much as 7600 m³ yr^-1 of water through evaporation. This withdrawal of groundwater is sufficient to significantly alter flow patterns through the surficial aquifer on Bodie Island, N.C. Statistical analyses of evaporation estimates derived by various methods indicate a weak correlation, (r²=0.4-0.5) between pan evaporation data from Aurora, N.C. and pond evaporation at Nags Head Woods calculated by water budget analyses.

Results of stratigraphic and pedologic analyses in and around the ponds indicate that the ponds formed after development of multiple generations of dunes. This …

The Effects Of Two Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Benzo[A]Pyrene And Naphthalene On Reproductive Success Embryological Development Larval Physiology And Mortality Of The Mud Crab Rhithropanopeus Harisii (Gould), Gregory V. White

OES Theses and Dissertations

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as naphthalene (Nap) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) are common in the water column and sediments of estuarine and coastal areas. The mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii was exposed to varying concentrations of Nap or B[a]P to determine the effects on reproductive success, embryological development, larval physiology and mortality. Nap and B[a]P decreased hatching success and prolonged embryological development. Both pollutants produced high abnormality frequencies for egg exposed larvae. Molt frequency and respiratory rates of larvae from non-exposed eggs were more chronically affected by these pollutants than were egg exposed larvae. The EC₅₀ concentrations were determined for …

The Hydrogeology And Leachate Generation Of An Alum Sludge Lagoon Chesapeake Virginia, Charles M. Darling

OES Theses and Dissertations

In 1986 the City of Chesapeake, Virginia began to dig shallow ponds ("lagoons") to contain alum sludge, a waste generated by the City from the process of treating potable water. Borings at the disposal site reveal that the near-surface geologic units include a thin mud-rich facies which overlies a thick sandy facies, both of which are in the Lynnhaven Member of the Tabb Formation. At 7 meters depth, a clay-rich facies of the Yorktown Formation (Morgarts Beach Member?) underlies the sandy water table aquifer. Water levels from twenty observation wells and two monitoring wells installed into the water table aquifer …

Thermal Desorption Of Hazardous And Toxic Organic Compounds From Sand Matrices, Jaeil Kwon

Theses

Incineration processes are effective and sometimes efficient technologies for the remediation of contaminated solids which result in permanent destruction of most organic hazardous compounds. A less energy intensive, but more efficient process to remove contaminants from the soil is the application of heat and a flow of inert gas where the entire soil mass is not heated to incineration temperatures. This thermal treatment increases volatilization and often effects complete removal of organic compound depending on soil conditions and species volatility,

The goals of this research are to develop an understanding of the mass transport phenomena and adsorption thermodynamics that control …

The Oxidation Of Methylene Chloride Over Manganese Dioxide Catalyst, Jun Du

Theses

This research presents results from a study with the goal of using a transition metal oxidation catalyst, manganese dioxide (MnO₂) I to convert low concentrations of methylene chloride (CH₂Cl₂) in air and in a methane/air stream into CO₂, H₂O and HCl. Our objectives were to determine the oxidative effectiveness of the catalyst and its durability under the corrosive exposure to chlorine, HCl and other likely stack gas contaminants.

Experiments were carried out in a tubular packed bed integral reactor using gas chromatographic (FID and TCD) analysis for chlorocarbons and non-dispersive …

A Comparative Study Of Cadmium Uptake By Cells Of Gram-Positive And Gram-Negative Bacteria, Shubhangi Rajan Bhende

Theses

Cadmium uptake by cells of Gram-positive and Gram- negative bacteria was studied. Gram-positive and Gram- negative bacterial cells were separated from activated sludge collected from the Parsippany Troy Hills Water Pollution Control Plant (NJ) by isolating them on agar plates. These were grown separately and used for uptake experiments.

Gram-positive bacterial cells showed 17% more uptake of cadmium as compared to Gram-negative cells at 30°C and pH 6.6. More than 95% of the total cadmium removal from the solution was observed during first 5 min. of cell-metal contact time. In case of Gram-positive bacteria cadmium uptake decreased by 5-10% after …

Trends Of Metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Fe, Hg And Ni) Concentration In The New Jersey Air Environment, Shobha R. Boddu

Theses

The atmospheric concentrations and relative trends of ten trace elements (Co, Cd, Fe, Hg, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr and Mn) were studied at Elizabeth and Carteret, New Jersey from July 1987 to September 1989. The specific sites are Industrial and Residential Interface areas. The analytical procedure involved collection of the airborne particulates on a quartz microfiber filter using a high volume sampler. The samples were digested and then analyzed using the atomic absorption spectrometer. Elizabeth usually showed lower values for the metals than Carteret. Average concentrations (ng/m3) for the respective metals over the entire project are: Metal: Co Cd …

Biodegradation Of Polymers And Isolation And Crude Characterization Of Proteins From These Studies, Sunil S. Godbole

Theses

The performance of immobilized and free microorganisms in the biodegradation of polymers was investigated using a recirculation flow reactor and an air-sparged reactor respectively. The bio-oxidation ability of these microbes towards polyamide emulsion was studied.

Extracellular protein cuts isolated were checked for oxidative activity in a microassay reactor. These fractions were compared from various biodegradation studies.

Microassay tests and monitoring of the oxygen consumption in recirculation flow confirmed substrate dependent oxygen consumption, polyamide being provided as the sole carbon source. Increases in extracellular protein buildup were a positive indication of biodegradation.

The protein cut greater than 500,000 daltons was found …

Impacts Of Treated Municipal Waste-Waters On Development And Growth Of Hudson-Raritan Estuary Fishes, Chien-Min Chen

Theses

The Hudson—Raritan Estuary, known as one of the worst polluted estuaries in the world, receives pollutants from many point sources. Treated municipal wastewater (TMW) counts for 13% of its total freshwater input and more than 98% of the chemicals classified as priority pollutants been infused. Because of the complexity of the input, treatment facilities cannot remove toxicants efficiently. In addition, generation of new compounds by water treatment such as chlorination occurs. Batch-to-batch variability in the chemistry of this effluent was reflected in the early life stage toxicity bioassays using mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) embryos.

TMW has …

Enforcement In Environmental Law: An Economic Analysis Of Citizen Suits, Wendy S. Naysnerski

Senior Scholar Papers

Previous to 1970, state and federal agencies held exclusive enforcement responsibilities over the violation of pollution control standards. However, recognizing that the government had neither the time nor resources to provide full enforcement, Congress created citizen suits. Citizen suits, first amended to the Clean Air Act in 1970, authorize citizens to act as private attorney generals and to sue polluters for violating the terms of their operating permits. Since that time, Congress has included citizen suits in 13 other federal statutes. The citizen suit phenomenon is sufficiently new that little is known about it. However, we do know that citizen …

The Effects Of Disease, Prey Fluctuation, And Clear-Cutting On American Marten In Newfoundland, Canada, Richard J. Fredrickson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Individual variation in survival and behavior of American marten (Martes americana) was studied in relation to disease, prey fluctuation, and clear-cutting from 10 January 1986 through 20 August 1987 in Newfoundland, Canada. Thirty-seven of forty marten captured on the study area were telemetered and monitored for part or all of the study.

Marten mortality was concentrated in two intervals, fall 1986 and late winter 1987. Mortality during fall 1986 was attributable to encephalitis, while marten deaths during late winter 1987 resulted from predation and starvation attributable to the prey decline. Nonsuppurative encephalitis was first detected 7 October 1986; …

A Descriptive Study Of Range Livestock Operations In The Somali Central Rangelands, Abdinasir M. Abdulle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Information on livestock operations, particularly what kind of livestock operations are practiced in the Somali central rangelands, and how these operations differ for different herders in different vegetation types and farming systems, could serve as a major tool in making management decisions. This study provides a detailed description of range livestock operations in the Somali Central Rangelands. It also answers some important management questions.

Range livestock operations were inventoried through personal interviews with the owners and herders. Data are supplemented by previous nation-wide and regional survey statistics. Herd productivity data which include herd structures, age, age-related sales, slaughters, gifts, and …

The Effect Of Seasonal Cattle Grazing On California Bighorn Sheep Habitat Use, Melanie J. Steinkamp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effect of seasonal cattle grazing on a newly reintroduced population of California bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana) in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Idaho, was studied. The hypothesis that bighorn sheep avoid cattle was tested. The issue of avoidance between bighorn sheep and livestock is arguable. Some studies have found that bighorn sheep avoid cattle while others have found no response of bighorn sheep to cattle.

Evidence was found to document the avoidance of cattle by bighorn sheep. The size of the bighorn's home range and core area decreased with the movement of cattle into areas of high bighorn …

Dredging In The United States, Claude R. Newton

Theses and Major Papers

The original intent of this paper was to examine the role of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and their monopolistic hold on the dredging industry in the United States. How did the Corps of Engineers become the experts in this maritime environment? Why did not the Navy acquire this marine related related activity? to the naive observer, it may seem more logical to have this aspect of marine activity in the hands of the United States Navy, or even the United States Coast Guard. To have this seemingly marine activity under the control of the U.S. Army seems …

The Kinetics And Mechanism Of Photo-Oxidation Of Acrylonitrile And Acetonitrile With Hydrogen Peroxide And Ozone In Wastewater, Jung-Yuan Yeh

Theses

The study presents three types of Advanced Oxidation Processes , Ozone with UV, Ozone with Hydrogen Peroxide in the presence of UV, Various Hydrogen peroxide dosages and PH levels in the presence of UV.

A reaction kinetic model was proposed. The reaction rate constants and mass transfer coefficients are determined by a series of experiments and the use of the Rosenbrock Hillclimb Optimization Algorithm in conjuction with the Fourth ¬Order Runge - Kutta method on a digital computer.

Experimental results indicated that the Hydrogen peroxide with UV at low PH level has been proven more effective for the treatment of …

Benzo(A)Pyrene Ingested From Composite Meals : Analysis And Method Development Related To Total Human Exposure, Che-Han Hsu

Theses

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) have been known for many years to be environmental carcinogen. Moreover, B(a)P has often been used as an indi¬cator for the carcinogenic potency of environmental matter. One of its exposure pathways, ingestion, may possibly be more important than other routes, conventionally studied such as inhalation. The purposes of this thesis are 1) to analyze the B(a)P concentrations in weekly composite and some daily meals obtained in the Total Human Exposure to Environmental Substances (THEES) study, 2) to develop techniques which can measure the levels of B(a)P in foods accurately and effici¬ently, 3) to compare …

Degradation Of Refractory Organic Pollutants In Tar, Water And Soil Matrices By Ozone Or Hydrogen Peroxide With Ultraviolet Light, Liang-Jiun Uang

Theses

The objective of this research is to develop a method to degrade refractory Tar materials, higher molecular weight 3-5 ring Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH's) or degrading these highly refractory PAH structures so that they are amenable to further treatment by biological or chemical methods. The process utilized to achieve this is to treat contaminated soils or tar materials with hydrogen peroxide or ozone plus ultraviolet light. Analysis of 27 specific PAH's was done by gas chromatograph (Flame Ionization Detection) for the reactants and products. The contaminated soil showed significantly lower levels of these PAH's after treatment.

Quantitative Determination Of Formaldehyde In Ambient Air, Wen-Shao Chou

Theses

Formaldehyde has been shown in the laboratory to play a critical role in the chemistry of polluted air. The method which we discuss in this paper was evaluated under practical field conditions in the Northern New Jersey Staten Island Urban Air Toxics Project. Formaldehyde in ambient air is concentrated and derived by passing a known quantity of air through a silica column impregnated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). The silica is eluted with acetonitrile and the concentration of formaldehyde is determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) with UV detection. A description of procedural details for coating silica cartridges with 2,4-DNPH acidified …

A Recycling Proposal For The Vashon Island School District, John Turner Green

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify a process by which the Vashon Island School District could reduce its waste stream and involve and educate students in an environmental ethic that actively seeks to reduce and recycle wastes. A search of the general and educational literature was made. An extensive research of state and local agencies helped to identify appropriate goals and actions for the Vashon School District. The proposal calls for seven specific actions to be taken.

An Evaluation Of Noaa's Role In Ocean Dumping Policy Implementation, Kenneth W. Barton

Theses and Major Papers

Dumping of wastes into the ocean has gone on for years especially in the New York Bight. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is mandated by Title II of the Ocean Dumping Act of 1972 to investigate the effects of ocean dumping on the marine environment. However, there is a perception within Congress, the public and other agencies that NOAA is not meeting it's responsibilities with regard to ocean dumping research. The effectiveness of NOAA's ocean dumping policies and programs and the difficulties in implementation experienced by the agency are evaluated by applying George Edwards' theory of policy implementation. …

Should The Ports Of New Orleans And Mobile Be United Under A Single Port Authority, Charles E. Dorsett

Theses and Major Papers

United States ports along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico are engaged in fierce competition among themselves to attract existing and future trade. This competition has served to force modernization and expansion of facilities in all the ports. The effort is running into the billions of dollars and there are concerns that there is too much duplication of costly facilities. The Port of New Orleans benefits from its location at the southern terminus of the Mississippi River System. Until five years ago it was the sole significant transhipment node between the nation's midsection and its customers and suppliers. In …

The 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement: A Model Of Intergovernmental And Multi-State Cooperation In Estuary/Coastal Resource Management, John F. Faltus

Theses and Major Papers

The 1980s witnessed an increased awareness of the problems of estuary and coastal water pollution. The medical waste problems of 1988 heightened public awareness of this problem and showed that coastal pollution is not just isolated but rather is a regional problem which requires regional solutions. During the 1980x the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the States of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia worked together to forge two agreements, one in 1983, and more significantly a broader agreement in 1987, in which they agreed to work together to develop specific goals and objectives to address and solve …

The Effect Of Industrial Development On The Sediment Contamination Of Apponaug Cove, A Historical Analysis, Marina Havan-Orumieh

Theses and Major Papers

Sediment cores have long been used to formulate the chronology of environmental contamination. This paper will investigate the utility of sediment cores in determining the chronology of trace metal contamination in Apponaug Cove, Rhode Island. A meter-long sediment core taken from the Cove was analyzed for chromium, copper, lead, zinc and nickel as well as organic pollutants coprostanol, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, benzotriazole and clorobenzotriazole. The core represents a close to 200 year record of sediments in Apponaug Cove. The cultural/economic changes in the Watershed in addition to environmental laws composed in the State and Federal levels which may have correlated with …

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: (Otec) Outlook For The Future, John M. Kroft

Theses and Major Papers

The temperature differential between the tropical ocean surface and deep waters represents tremendous energy potential. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems represent an environmentally sound method to extract that energy resource. Included in this paper is a review of the history of OTEC, basic thermodynamic principles involved and major components of the system. The three basic types of OTEC systems are discussed, citing the various advantages and disadvantages of each. The resource extent and possible environmental impacts are examined from the U. S. perspective. After reviewing the conflicting ocean use interest involved, comparative cost calculations of energy types, and the …

Instrumentation For Multi-Electrode Voltammetry, I-Pin Ho

Dissertations and Theses

When metal pollutants exist in natural water, their toxicity is dramatically dependent on the chemical species. Numerous sophisticated techniques and instruments have been developed to detect metal pollutants at very low concentration levels. However, one important factor is often ignored, i.e., rarely is species determination required. Electrochemical (EC) methods have the particular advantage of being, in principle, a species-sensitive method rather than an element-sensitive method for the study of metal speciation in natural waters.

The goal of this research was to develop an instrument using the EC technique for speciation and general voltammetric studies. It was accomplished by designing a …

Chemistry Of Pentafluorothio (Sf5) Alkyl Derivatives, Rolf Walter Winter

Dissertations and Theses

Part I describes the preparation of a number of useful intermediates from the sultone F₅SCHCF₂OSO₂ (1). These intermediates include the following: the ketene F₅SC(SO₂)=C=O (21), the unique sultone F₄S=CCF₂OSO₂ (23), and various ionic intermediates of the form Y⁺ [F₅SC(SO₂F) COX]^-. These intermediates play an important role in providing new pathways for preparing fluorosulfonic acid precursors. Fluorosulfonic acids are excellent candidates to improve the efficiency of environmentally safe fuel cells. It was possible to obtain new derivatives of 1 by …

Atmospheric Input Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons To The Sea Surface Microlayer, Lino J. Gallo

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Atmospheric input of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to water was studied and the effects of sea surface microlayer (SSM) determined. The York River system and the Perrin River areas were monitored with a drum skimmer and a high volume air sampler. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory under controlled conditions. The SSM extracted vapor phase PAH of low molecular weight from the air, and there, aromatic compounds went from dissolved into particulate phase very rapidly. Water covered with a natural SSM received much less atmospheric input of PAH than water without SSM in a given period of time. Henry's law …