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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Master's Theses

2015

Carbon

Discipline

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Biogeochemical Alteration Of Particulate Pyrogenic Organic Carbon (Pyc), Jason Matthew Stuart Aug 2015

Biogeochemical Alteration Of Particulate Pyrogenic Organic Carbon (Pyc), Jason Matthew Stuart

Master's Theses

The resistance of plant derived pyrogenic organic carbon (pyC) to abiotic and biotic means of degradation has led to increased interest in the role of pyC as a potential carbon sink, as well as a strategy for sequestering atmospheric CO2 to mitigate excess carbon emissions. Though much research pertaining to the fundamental properties of pyC degradation have been performed in a controlled lab setting, there has been very little work regarding pyC degradation in a field setting where factors such as precipitation and temperature fluctuate seasonally. This work focuses on various degradation characteristics of two …


A Study On Photodegradation And The Fate Of Pyrogenic Carbon, John Thomas Howell May 2015

A Study On Photodegradation And The Fate Of Pyrogenic Carbon, John Thomas Howell

Master's Theses

Accounting for all possible sources of atmospheric CO2 is a pressing issue today due to the increasing effects of climate change. Estimates suggested that on the order of 1.3 million tons of dissolved pyrogenic carbon (pyDOC) could be entering the northern Gulf of Mexico annually. Assessing the fate of pyDOC in aquatic systems is crucial to understanding ecosystem impacts and potential feedback to climate change. Current research indicates that despite a generally lower susceptibility to biodegradation than their unpyrolyzed equivalents, pyrogenic carbon is not environmentally inert. While the role of microorganisms on the fate and transformation …