Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Spatial And Temporal Variation Of Nutrients In The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin: Implications For Primary Production In Stream Ecosystems, Nolan Pearce

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Growing human populations and associated land use activities has increased the amount of nutrients delivered to surface waters. Eutrophication from the over-enrichment of nitrogen and phosphorus has degraded ecosystem conditions in streams, lakes, and coastal areas worldwide. Thus, the management of anthropogenic nutrient loading is a global concern. This thesis employed a combination of field and experimental research to provide watershed managers with information on the spatial and temporal patterns in stream nutrient enrichment, and the associated ecological effects of anthropogenic nutrient loading in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basin. Four studies were completed to address this research goal. First, I …

Quantification Of Septic System Contribution To Nutrient Loads In Surface Waters, Archana Tamang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Freshwater systems worldwide are threatened by excessive nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) loading. This study evaluated the contribution of septic systems to stream nutrient loads in nine subwatersheds. Stream sampling was conducted during low and high discharge conditions, with samples analyzed for total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), nitrate (NO₃-N), and acesulfame (ACE; wastewater tracer). Higher septic effluent reached the subwatershed outlets during high discharge conditions. Subwatersheds with newer households had a lower percentage of septic effluent reaching the stream compared with subwatersheds with older households. Seasonal and event-based ACE concentration-discharge relationships revealed that the hydrological pathways delivering …

Zinc–Phosphorus Clusters For Solution Synthesis Of Zinc Phosphide Nanoparticles, Kyungseop Lee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Synthesis of zinc phosphide (Zn₃P₂) nanoparticles is an emerging topic of investigation as Zn₃P₂ is a candidate material for the next generation solar cells. Despite the early discovery of its favorable electronic properties that are well-suited for photovoltaic applications, a major focus of synthetic strategy was with vapor/chemical deposition methods. Solution methods with greater control over size, crystal structure and composition at a lower production cost, has been underdeveloped in comparison. In this context, this thesis describes the synthesis, characterization and reactivity of zinc phosphido clusters: [Zn₂(μ-PPh₂)₂(PPh …

Methodologies For Metal Functionalization Of Phosphorus Based Photopolymer Networks, Vanessa Béland

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Photopolymer networks with phosphonium cation, alkyl phosphine and olefin functionality were designed, synthesized and functionalized with metals by metathesis, coordination and hydrometallation reactions, respectively. The materials were strategically designed so that the metal functionalization step could be monitored and quantified. In some cases, this involved characterization by IR, NMR, or X-ray spectroscopic techniques, or by comparison to molecular analogues. It was found that by using a bi-functional photopolymer network, the material could be bi-metallized by orthogonal mechanisms. All metallized polymer networks were tested for their suitability as precursors to metal-containing ceramics. The polymers were pyrolyzed, and on analysis it was …

Exploring The Chemistry Of Asymmetric Phosphines & Phosphinidene Sulfides, Taylor E. Pritchard

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The field of low-coordinate main group chemistry has seen huge development in the last 30 years, with novel compounds that demonstrate unique structures and reactivity. Isolation of these species has relied on thoughtfully designed substituents normally containing substructure steric bulk. The area of phosphinidene chalcogenide isolation and transfer remains poorly understood by comparison. In this context, the major focus of thesis was on the development of a room-temperature method for the transfer of RP=S moieties with and without sterically demanding substituents. The preparation and complete characterization of new asymmetric phosphines with m-terphenyl ligands was also reported. In Chapter 2, …

Exploring The Synthesis, Structure, And Reactivity Of Phosphorus-Chalcogen Heterocycles, Cameron Graham

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In recent years, the field of low-coordinate main group chemistry has seen significant research interest due to their unique structures and unprecedented reactivity. Conversely, the area of phosphinidene chalcogenides, a low-coordinate phosphorus and chalcogen species, have yet to be thoroughly explored. In this context, this dissertation describes the synthesis of a number of phosphorus-chalcogen heterocycles that can be degraded to provide stoichiometric access to low-coordinate phosphorus species. The ability for successful P-Ch transfer relies on using a bulky m-terphenyl group at phosphorus that provides enough steric bulk to kinetically stabilize the phosphorus centre, but also accommodating enough to allow …

Uncertainty Analysis Of The Performance Of A System Of Best Management Practices For Achieving Phosphorus Load Reduction To Surface Waters, Jason D.M. Igras

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The repeated occurrence of Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms suggests an inadequate phosphorus management system that results in excessive loads to the lake. In response, Canadian and United States’ governments have issued a new management objective, a 40% reduction in total and dissolved reactive phosphorus loads relative to 2008. To provide scientific evidence to guide managers toward achieving their management objective, we used the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 31010 Bowtie Risk Analysis Tool to analyze the performance of the phosphorus management system. The effectiveness of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) and their adoption were combined into a Bayesian belief …

Exploring The Chemistry Of Phosphorus For Photopolymer Applications, Ryan Guterman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Prior to this thesis, phosphorus-containing polymers and photopolymerization represented two distinct, non-overlapping fields of study. This thesis examined the prospect of combining these two approaches to create a system possessing the benefits of both techniques. By exploiting the chemistry of phosphorus, and using photopolymerization as a fabrication method, new materials were developed and assessed for their use in various applications.

Among the many phosphorus compounds that may be used in polymer science, phosphonium salts and primary phosphines were of specific focus. First, highly fluorinated phosphonium monomers were developed to create photopolymerized hydrophobic surfaces. A structure-activity relationship was established, as both …

Exploring The Synthesis And Coordination Chemistry Of Zwitterionic Main Group Compounds, Jonathan W. Dube

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Traditionally low coordinate and low oxidation state main group compounds are isolated utilizing hard anionic donors based on carbon and nitrogen based ligands. Conversely, employing anionic phosphines for this role has been essentially unexplored. In this context, this dissertation describes the synthesis of a number of main group complexes, ranging from group 13 to group 15, utilizing the bis(phosphino)borate ligand class in a supporting role. The remote anionic borate backbone renders the complexes zwitterionic and provides access to unique compounds that possess structures, and exhibit onwards reactivity, that is very different to the analogous compounds stabilized with neutral phosphines. For …

Topographic Influences On Trends And Cycles In Nutrient Export From Forested Catchments On The Precambrian Shield, Samson G. Mengistu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation explored topographic controls on spatial and temporal patterns in water yield and nutrient (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) export from forested headwater catchments in the Turkey Lakes Watershed in central Ontario, where other factors contributing to differences in water yield and nutrient export, including climate, geology, forest, and soils, are relatively constant. Topographic characteristics, including (a) hydrological flushing potential (expansion of water table into nitrate-N producing areas); (b) hydrological storage potential (area of wetlands, which can alternatively allow water and nutrients to bypass wetlands when storage capacity is filled with water or to trap them when not filled); and …

Uncovering New Bonding Motifs: The Synthesis Of Chalcogen And Phosphorus Complexes Supported By Nitrogen Based Ligands, Caleb D. Martin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The chemistry of the main group elements with nitrogen based ligands has been an area that has received little attention in comparison to transition metals. The preliminary investigations have focused on groups 13 and 14 revealing new bonding motifs and interesting reactivity. This has motivated us to synthesize group 15 and 16 derivatives in new bonding arrangements capable of activating small molecules.

In pursuit of isolating such species, the reactivity of sulfur dichloride and “S(OTf)2” with a series of diazabutadiene (DAB) ligands was explored. The substitution on the ligand was extremely influential on the outcome of the reaction. Alkyl groups …