Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Thermal Treatment Of Organic Contaminated Solids And Waste : Experiment, Model And Mass Balance, Hsien-Tsung Chern

Dissertations

A number of processes can be used to remediate contaminated soils. The thermal technologies for remediation of contaminated soils are summarized in this study. Each of these treatment process along with their system components are identified and described. Waste applicability is included for each treatment technology. A detailed list of feasible treatment processes is presented with descriptions of site demonstration results to aid ill selection of a given process. Technology status is summarized to provide current information on the processes.

Energy components are discussed for cost requirement and safety considerations in thermal treatment applications. It is determined that the heat …

Development Of Membrane Extraction Techniques For Water Quality Analysis, Dawen Kou

Dissertations

This research involved the development of membrane-based analytical techniques as applied to various aspects of water quality analysis. Gas injection membrane extraction was developed for fast on-line analysis of volatile organic compounds in water. Gas injection of aqueous samples increased the speed of membrane extraction. The aqueous boundary layer effects encountered during water elution was reduced. Axial mixing of the sample with a gaseous eluent was minimal, and this eliminated the tailing in the permeation profiles. The overall effect was significantly faster penneation. The overall diffusion coefficient during gas injection was found to be seven times the value during aqueous …

An Analysis Of Field Data For Evidence Of Anaerobic Degradation Of Pah And Btex Plumes At Manufactured Gas Plant Sites, Georgene Mortimer

Dissertations

Field data (including geology, hydrogeology, soil chemistry, groundwater chemistry, and aquifer characteristics) were analyzed at eight MGP sites located in the New Jersey Coastal Plain. These data were used to calculate biodegradation rate constants, which were then compared with laboratory microcosm data and published values. Isopleths were drawn from the field data to indicate the dominant biodegradation mechanisms at each of the sites, and stoichiometric calculations were used to determine the total capacity of the electron acceptors present to degrade the plume contaminants. In examining these data, the protocol described by the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) was …

Sustainable Agriculture : Pragmatism, Distinctions On Artifacts And The Role Of The Land Ethic, Dustin Mulvaney

Theses

This thesis will explore the ethical dimensions of global agriculture from the productionist paradigm to the land ethic in the context of the sustainable agriculture promoted in the fair trade, shade grown, and organic coffee movements. Much of the sustainable development debate in the environmental ethics literature has centered on justifications (from anthropocentric and nonanthropocentric worldviews) for preserving nature. Since agriculture is an artifact of human sedentary civilization, traditional nonanthropocentric arguments do not suffice because of the tendency to focus exclusively on natural systems. Building on the work of Katz's "Pragmatic ReConsideration" and Light's "methodological pragmatism," the role of anthropocentric …

Agricultural Land Reform Policy In Western Ukraine : The Influence Of Environmental History And Ethics, Andrew B. Wowk

Theses

Agricultural land privatization is an important environmental and economic policy within Ukraine, which is transitioning to a market-based economy. This thesis studied the influence of bioregional environmental history and environmental ethics on land privatization in Western Ukraine, within Lviv oblast, through historical research and field research of private farmers.

Historical research showed that due to its environmental history, the study area was particularly receptive to land privatization after Ukraine's independence in 1991. Field research indicated that farmers in the study area generally see private ownership of land as better for humans and the environment than collective land ownership. The farmers …

Simultaneous Removal Of Ortho-Dichlorobenzene And Ethanol Vapors In A Biotrickling Filter : Experimental Results And Process Modeling, Suchismita Bhattacharya

Dissertations

This study investigated the possibility of simultaneous removal of vapors of dissimilar volatile organic compounds from air streams in a biotrickling filter (BTF). Using a rricrobial consortium known to utilize ortho-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) as sole carbon and energy source, a culture was developed on o-DCB/ethanol mixtures and a BTF unit was developed and operated with air streams carrying o-DCB and ethanol vapors. Simultaneous removal of the two compounds was observed in experiments that span a period of over three years.

Experiments were performed at air residence times ranging from 4 to 6.5 min, liquid flow rates from 3.6 to 9 Lh …

Development Of Analytical Systems And Monitoring Of Vocs Emissions During Polymer Processing, Qin Xiang

Dissertations

A method using direct flame ionization detector (FID) measurement was developed to study total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions during thermal degradation of polymers. This was used to estimate organic emissions from both virgin polymer resins and commingled plastics. The effects of process parameters, i. e., temperature, heating rate and residence time, were also studied. Significant VOCs emissions were observed at normal processing temperatures, particularly from recycled polymers. Each polymer showed a distinct evolution pattern during its thermal degradation. Kinetics of VOCs emissions were also studied using a non-isothermal technique. The kinetic parameters were in agreement with data from the …

The Siting Of Regional Sanitary Landfills Or Facilities For Municipal Solid Waste In The Upper Southern Region Of Thailand, Jantira Duangsai

Theses

The pollution problem from municipal solid waste in Thailand is serious. Population growth and rapid economic expansion have resulted in a significant increase in the quantity of solid waste. Inadequate provisions for waste collection, shortages of disposal equipment, and the inability of the responsible agencies to find appropriate disposal sites, also are major causes of the present problems. The environmental impacts that result from unsanitary disposal sites have become a serious public concern across the country.

Environmentally protective and publicly acceptable siting of regional sanitary landfills or facilities for municipal solid waste management in the upper southern region of Thailand: …

Short-Term Community Based Dune Management Activities On A Highly Developed Coast In New Jersey, Stacy Mccormack

Theses

Recently, local governments have started to realize the effectiveness of dune building as a form of hazard mitigation and have engineered dunes for this purpose. This study evaluates dune management at the local level; specifically, short term management practices, physical constraints, dune management participants, and sources of guidance. A review of municipal regulations, topographic surveys, and interviews with local officials were conducted in four New Jersey communities: Belmar, Spring Lake, Sea Girt and Manasquan. The results of this study indicate that dunes were established as part of local hazard mitigation planning in response to the 1992 storm, and topographic surveys …