Chemistry Commons^™

Dual Crosslinked Poly(Acrylamide-Co-N-Vinylpyrrolidone) Microspheres With Re-Crosslinking Ability For Fossil Energy Recovery, Jingyang Pu, Baojun Bai, Jiaming Geng, Na Zhang, Thomas Schuman

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Microspheres have been proposed to be applied in controlling wastewater production for mature oilfields and migrating leakage for gas and nuclear waste storage. However, it remains challenging for stacked microspheres to maintain strong blocking ability in micron-sized small pores or fractures. in this study, a novel microsphere was developed with comprehensive properties including high deformability and long re-crosslinking time upon tunable swelling ratio for the applications. a dual covalent and physical crosslinking strategy was used to develop novel microspheres reinforced by a hydrogen bond (H-bond, between pyrrole ring and amide group) and coordination bond (between chromium acetate (CrAc) and carboxyl …

Impacts Of Preferential Flow On Tc-99and Np-237 Vadose Transport In Soils At The Savannah River Site, Josh Parris

All Theses

Since the 1950s, the United States has produced approximately 90,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) (Office of Nuclear Energy, 2022); however, no long-term storage solutions are available. Technecium-99 and neptunium-237, two fission products found in SNF, readily form highly mobile species in oxidizing conditions (Hu, 2008; Bondietti, 1979) and have respective half-lives of 2.13 x 10⁵ and 2.14 x10⁶ years (Hu, 2010). Considering these characteristics, ⁹⁹Tc and ²³⁷Np are two risk-driving isotopes found in SNF storage. The process of macropore-facilitated preferential flow, transport through cracks within a soil matrix, has been recognized to increase …

Molecular Evidence For The Export Of Terrigenous Organic Matter To The North Gulf Of Mexico By Solid-State 13C Nmr And Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry Of Humic Acids, Sarah Ann Ware

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Marine organic matter is mainly believed to originate from autochthonous organic matter, while terrigenous organic matter is assumed to be largely degraded prior to reaching the open ocean or more recently replaced by marine organic matter via a stripping process. Sediment samples along a transect extending from the Mississippi River Birdsfoot Delta to the Mississippi Canyon on the Louisiana continental shelf were examined by advanced analytical techniques, electrospray ionization coupled to a 12T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (ESI-FTICR-MS) and quantitative solid-state multiple cross polarization magic angle spinning (multi-CPMAS) ¹³C NMR in an effort to understand the …

Actualistic Testing Of The Influence Of Groundwater Chemistry On Degradation Of Collagen I In Bone, Paul Ullmann, Kristyn K. Voegele, Kenneth Lacovara

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

Recent experiments have heightened our understanding of reactions which can stabilize biomolecules during early diagenesis, yet little remains known about how groundwater chemistry can aid or hinder molecular preservation within a bone through geologic time. To elucidate this issue, we conducted actualistic experiments of bone decay employing varied fluid compositions to simulate a suite of groundwaters. Modern domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) femora were placed in a matrix of compositionally- and texturally-mature, fluvially-deposited sand. To simulate groundwater flow, deionized water or solutions enriched in calcium carbonate, phosphate, or iron were percolated through separate trials for a period of 90 days. After …

Potential Of Kaolin Clay On Formulation Of Water Based Drilling Mud Reinforced With Biopolymer, Surfactant, And Limestone, Paul M. Omary, Emanuel X. Ricky, Naswibu A. Kasimu, Makungu M. Madirisha, Kessy F. Kilulya, Esther H. J. Lugwisha

Tanzania Journal of Science

Drilling the wellbore into subsurface formations is the earliest stage in the life of a well that requires a suitable drilling fluid with good rheological and filtration control characteristics to achieve a successful drilling operation. This paper reports on the formulation of water-based drilling mud using kaolin clay reinforced with biopolymer, surfactant, and limestone from Tanzania. The raw materials used for the formulation were characterized using XRD, XRF, FTIR, and TGA techniques. The rheological properties, filtration loss, pH, and density of the formulated mud were measured using a viscometer, filter press, pH meter, and mud balance, respectively. The XRD results …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, February 2023, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 4, Issue 1

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards and Recognition
Page 3-4 Nobel Recipient Visits Campus
Page 4 Adopting the Pantry
Page 5 Growing a Recruitment Mindset
Page 6 February Outreach Events
Page 7 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 8 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 9 54th Geography Convention, and Tom Loveland EROS Geography Scholarship
Page 10 Photos of Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi's Visit

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, November 2022 - January 2023, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volme 3, Issue 7

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3 Sioux Falls Middle School Visit
Page 4 Bio-Micro Day of Scholars
Page 5 GIS Day at USGS EROS
Page 6 Indigenous People's Festival, & Visiting Jack's Imagination Lab
Page 7 Media Coverage of CNS, & Research Highlights from Geography & Geospatial Sciences
Page 8 Media Coverage of CNS. cont.
Page 9 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 10 Recent Publications from CNS
Page 11 Recent Publications from CNS. cont.
Page 12 CNS Holiday Snapshots
Page 13 & 14 Fall 2022 Dean's List
Page 12-14 Fall 2022 Outreach …

Dinitrogen Emissions Dominate Nitrogen Gas Emissions From Soils With Low Oxygen Availability In A Moist Tropical Forest, Maya Almaraz, Peter M. Groffman, Whendee L. Silver, Steven J. Hall, Yang Lin, Christine S. O'Connell, Stephen Porder

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Lowland tropical forest soils are relatively N rich and are the largest global source of N₂O (a powerful greenhouse gas) to the atmosphere. Despite the importance of tropical N cycling, there have been few direct measurements of N₂ (an inert gas that can serve as an alternate fate for N₂O) in tropical soils, limiting our ability to characterize N budgets, manage soils to reduce N₂O production, or predict the future role that N limitation to primary productivity will play in buffering against climate change. We collected soils from across macro- and micro-topographic gradients …

Vanadium Partitioning Between Magnetite, Hematite, And A Hydrothermal Fluid: Implications For Iocg And Ioa Deposits, Jeremy Raymond Nederbo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) and iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits are major sources of iron contained within magnetite and/or hematite as well as copper contained within copper-iron sulfides and gold as a native metal. Their formations have been attributed to magmatic, hydrothermal, or a mixture of magmatic-hydrothermal processes. Vanadium can readily substitute into magnetite via ion exchange due to similar atomic radii and charges as iron and has thus been hypothesized to be an effective tracer of hydrothermal or magmatic inputs. To evaluate the mobility of vanadium in a magnetite-hematite-fluid system, experiments on the partitioning of vanadium between magnetite, hematite and a …

Erratum: New Estimates Of The Magnitude Of The Sea-Level Jump During The 8.2 Ka Event, (Geology (2022), 50(1), (86–90), (10.1130/G49296.1)), Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Mark Brenner, Jeffery R. Stone, Marta Wojewódka-Przybył, Thorsten Bauersachs, Andreas Eckert, Marek Locmelis, Jason H. Curtis, Susan R.H. Zimmerman, Alex Correa-Metrio, Lorenz Schwark, Edward Duarte, Antje Schwalb, Etienne Niewerth, Paula Gabriela Echeverría-Galindo, Liseth Pérez

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Abiotic Stress Mitigation: A Case Study From 21 Trials Using A Natural Organic Matter Based Biostimulant Across Multiple Geographies, Rachel L. Sleighter, Terry Hanson, David Holden, Kristen M. Richards

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Crop productivity and yields can be greatly diminished by abiotic stress events including drought, extreme temperatures, excess moisture, and saline irrigation water. Multiple stressors occurring simultaneously can further exacerbate the strain on plants. Various types of biostimulants have been shown to mitigate abiotic stress and here, the results of 21 trials on corn, wheat, soybean, and various high-value crops are discussed in the context of the abiotic stress that either occurred naturally or was experimentally induced. Treatments in these trials included stressed and non-stressed plants, as well as either an untreated control or grower standard fertilizer applications alone and in …

Ongoing Fragmentation Of The Subducting Cocos Slab, Central America, Tu Xue, Diandian Peng, Kelly H. Liu, Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Marek Locmelis, Stephen S. Gao, Lijun Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fundamental to plate tectonics is the subduction of cold and mechanically strong oceanic plates. While the subducted plates are conventionally regarded to be impermeable to mantle flow and separate the mantle wedge and the sub slab region, isolated openings have been proposed. by combining new shear wave splitting measurements with results from geodynamic modeling and recent seismic tomography and geochemical observations, we show that the upper ~200 km of the Cocos slab in northern Central America is intensively fractured. the slab there is strong enough to produce typical arc volcanoes and Benioff Zone earthquakes but allows mantle flow to traverse …

College Of Natural Sciences 2022 Year-End Publication, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

This is the 2022 issue of the annual College of Natural Sciences year-end publication.

Contents:
[Page] 2 Dean's message
[Page] 3 Department highlights
[Page] 4 Overview of Bold & Blue Campaign
[Page] 5 Dr. Edward Hogan recognition & endowment
[Page] 6 Career milestones
[Page] 7 Student travel and research
[Page] 8 $11 million COBRE grant
[Page] 9 Professional Science Masters & Research highlights
[Page]10 Outreach highlights throughout the state
[Page] 11 2022 events recap – join us in 2023!
[Page] 12 Updates on our VR initiative
[Page] 14 Overview of awards and recognitions from 2022

How Akron Affects The Water Quality Of The Cuyahoga River, Allyson Darst

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether the city of Akron had negative effects on the Cuyahoga river, and determine if the Cuyahoga River was naturally able to remediate these effects downstream. The pollutants measured in this study include hardness, bromine, residual chlorine, iron, copper, lead, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium chloride, total chlorine, fluoride, carbonate, pH, total alkalinity and cyanuric acid. This study was done using water testing strips (JNW Direct) to test the water at four different locations along the Cuyahoga River downstream (North) of Akron. This study found that the city of Akron does have a negative …

Authigenic Iron Is A Significant Component Of Oceanic Labile Particulate Iron Inventories, Laura E. Sofen, Olga A. Antipova, Kristen N. Buck, Salvatore Caprara, Lauren Chacho, Rodney J. Johnson, Gabriella Kim, Peter Morton, Daniel C. Ohnemus, Sara Rauschenberg, Peter N. Sedwick, Alessandro Tagliabue, Benjamin S. Twining

OES Faculty Publications

Particulate phases transport trace metals (TM) and thereby exert a major control on TM distribution in the ocean. Particulate TMs can be classified by their origin as lithogenic (crustal material), biogenic (cellular), or authigenic (formed in situ), but distinguishing these fractions analytically in field samples is a challenge often addressed using operational definitions and assumptions. These different phases require accurate characterization because they have distinct roles in the biogeochemical iron cycle. Particles collected from the upper 2,000 m of the northwest subtropical Atlantic Ocean over four seasonal cruises throughout 2019 were digested with a chemical leach to operationally distinguish labile …

Food Waste Storage Gaseous Emissions Detection And Quantification Using Infrared Spectroscopy, Ryley A. Burton-Tauzer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A growing interest in sustainable waste management and the implementation of new policies have prompted a shift towards alternative resource recovery methods for organic waste, including food waste. To effectively assess alternative food waste treatment scenarios, it is important to evaluate the life cycle impacts associated with each scenario. The storage phase of food waste, encompassing its accumulation in kitchens, and storage in bins for collection and transportation, has been overlooked as a source of greenhouse gases in previous studies. This investigation aimed to identify the greenhouse gases emitted during the initial five-day period of low-oxygen storage. An open dynamic …

Interactions Of Bioactive Trace Metals In Shipboard Southern Ocean Incubation Experiments, Shannon M. Burns, Randelle M. Bundy, William Abbott, Zuzanna Abdala, Alexa R. Sterling, P. Dreux Chappell, Bethany D. Jenkins, Kristen N. Buck

OES Faculty Publications

In the Southern Ocean, it is well‐known that iron (Fe) limits phytoplankton growth. Yet, other trace metals can also affect phytoplankton physiology. This study investigated feedbacks between phytoplankton growth and dissolved Fe, manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in Southern Ocean shipboard incubations. Three experiments were conducted in September–October 2016 near the West Antarctic Peninsula: Incubations 1 and 3 offshore in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and Incubation 2 inshore in Bransfield Strait. Additions of Fe and/or vitamin B₁₂ to inshore and offshore waters were employed and allowed assessment of metal (M) …

Systemic Analyses Of Radiocarbon Ages Of Coexisting Planktonic Foraminifera, Jörg Lippold, Julia Gottschalk, Jean Lynch-Stieglitz, Matthew W. Schmidt, Sönke Szidat, Andre Bahr

OES Faculty Publications

We compare radiocarbon (¹⁴C) ages of coexisting planktonic foraminifera species from sediment cores VM12-107 and KNR166-2-26JPC from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean for three time periods (Holocene, Heinrich Stadial 1, last glacial maximum). We find a maximum inter-species difference of 1200 ¹⁴C yr. On average, the ¹⁴C ages deviate by ∼300 yr between Globigerinoides ruber and other species. In most cases, this exceeds the analytical uncertainty range of the measurements and thus renders the choice of species for generating age models as important as sample weight. While modern stratified water-column profiles imply an increase in ¹⁴C …

Phosphorus Release And Recovery From Simulated Ferric Wastewater Sludge, Aseel Alnimer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Phosphorus (P) is a fundamental element necessary for all life forms and a key component in the fertilizer industry. Meanwhile, the excessive load of P to water bodies due to human activities has the potential to promote eutrophication. Wastewater treatment plants remove P either biologically or chemically and produce P rich sludge which could be a potential renewable source for P. At present, commercial technologies exist for P recovery from biological wastewater sludge. However, P recovery from chemical sludge particularly iron(III)-phosphate (Fe-P) sludge generated in chemical P removal plants that use iron(III) salts remains a challenge.

This study explored, in …

Mineralogical And Physicomechanical Characterization Of Kaolinitic Clay From Moshi, Northern Tanzania For Potential Ceramic Utilization, Samwel Paul Mziray, Harieth Hellar-Kihampa, Esther H.J. Lugwisha, Leonard Douglas Akwilapo

Tanzania Journal of Science

Kaolin clay from Moshi, northern Tanzania has been characterized for potential ceramics productions. Clay samples taken from three different levels of the deposit were analysed by XRD and XRF. Firing experiments were carried out on experimental briquettes at a maximum temperature of 1300 °C at the rate of 100 °C/hour. The results revealed dominance of kaolinite and illite in the raw clay. The samples were composed majorly by silica (36.88–41.62%), alumina (30.83–32.40%) and hematite (9.29–12.70%). Granulometric analysis showed that the amount of clay decreased with deposit depth. The physicomechanical properties of the clay fired at the optimal temperature of 1300 …

Carbon Cycling And Critical Zone Dynamics In An Urbanized Karst Groundwater System, Amy Hourigan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are correlated to rising global temperatures. Investigating the cumulative global carbon cycling processes is important to understand and quantify the global carbon cycle. By investigating basic geochemical parameters, EpCO₂, DIC, and δ¹³C_DIC, at four sites along Lost River Cave (LRC), in Bowling Green, Kentucky, concentrations, fluxes and sources of C dissolved in groundwater were determined. Urban karst groundwater systems, compared to more natural karst landscapes, typically exhibit widespread impervious, heat-absorbing surfaces, urban heat island effects, and increased anthropogenic groundwater inputs and localized CO₂ emissions. Carbonate hydrogeochemical …

Computational And Experimental Investigations Of Alkali Cation Interactions At The Rutile – Water Interface, Isaac Johnston

All Dissertations

Overall, the objective of this dissertation was to investigate the degree of sorption for the alkali cations on rutile to ascertain the impact of different cation properties, such as ion size and charge density, on sorption mechanics as well as probe how the ion may alter the surface – aqueous interface. Initial molecular dynamic simulations and batch experiments showed minimal surface sorption for any alkali cation at relatively low concentrations while simultaneously suggesting the enthalpy of deprotonation shifts slightly in the presence of the alkali cations at different ionic strengths. The cations are likely causing small reorientations of the near-surface …

The Binding Of The Micronutrient Transition Metals To The Alkylation Products Of Chemical Warfare Agent, Sulfur Mustard, And Thiols, Potentially Giving New Understanding To Physiological Effects Of Exposure And Increased Toxicity, Colin O'Donnell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Model compounds, 3,6,9-trithaiundecane-1,11-dicarboxylic acid (TTDPA), 2,5,8-trithianonane-1,9-dicarboxylic acid (TTDAA), and 1,11-diamide-3,6,9-trithiaundecane (TTDAce), closely related to the adducts formed by cysteine alkylation of the chemical weapon, sulfur mustard, were synthesized. It is shown that TTDPA forms complexes with key metal micronutrients: copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and zinc. Though the strength of binding to TTDPA varies, the complexes in many cases precipitate from solution. All metals produced a visible precipitate upon interaction with TTDPA under the conditions tested, however only Cu2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ produced enough to be measured. The mass of formed precipitate seemed to peak at an equimolar ratio of TTDPA …

Technical Note: On Uncertainties In Plant Water Isotopic Composition Following Extraction By Cryogenic Vacuum Distillation, Haoyu Diao, Philipp Schuler, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Rolf T. W. Siegwolf, Matthias Saurer, Marco M. Lehmann

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Recent studies have challenged the interpretation of plant water isotopes obtained through cryogenic vacuum distillation (CVD) based on observations of a large 2H fractionation. These studies have hypothesized the existence of an H-atom exchange between water and organic tissue during CVD extraction with the magnitude of H exchange related to relative water content of the sample; however, clear evidence is lacking. Here, we systematically tested the uncertainties in the isotopic composition of CVD-extracted water by conducting a series of incubation and rehydration experiments using isotopically depleted water, water at natural isotope abundance, woody materials with exchangeable H, and organic materials …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, September & October 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 6

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3 Midwest Regional ACS Meeting
Page 4 North Central ASM Meeting
Page 5 Geography Department Travel
Page 6-7 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 7 REMAST Program at SDState receives national spotlight
Page 8 Celebrating the lives of those who touched the College
Page 9 Innovative Learning Spaces
Page 10 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 11 2022 CNS Scholarship Brunch
Page 12-14 Fall 2022 Outreach Events

Concentration Of Heavy Metals In Three Distinct Algae Families From Humboldt County, California, Kodiak E. Miller, Caleb J. Strait, Jacob I. Begorre, Brittney L. Mitchell, Claire P. Till

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Anthropogenic impacts on marine environments can impact metal fluxes and concentrations available to marine species. Monitoring these impacts is necessary to better understand the interactions between the biotic and abiotic components of these ecosystems and mitigate the risk posed by harmful toxins introduced by human activities. Biomoniters, like macroscopic algae, are useful indicators that illuminate the bioaccumulation of toxins commonly introduced from anthropogenic activity. With this in mind, the concentrations of heavy metals zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu) were analyzed via the assessment of algae (Representatives from Ulva, Mastocarpus, Fucus) in two sites in Humboldt County: …

Evaluating The Impact Of Submarine Groundwater Discharge On Nutrients And Trace Elements In Coastal Systems: The Examples Of The Tuckean Swamp (Australia) And The Mississippi Sound (Usa), Amy Moody

Dissertations

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is the advective flow of both fresh terrestrial groundwater and recirculating seawater through aquifer sediments, which is released into the coastal ocean. In this dissertation, I evaluated the impact of SGD on the distributions and input of trace metals and nutrients. In the Tuckean Swamp, an estuary in Australia dominated by coastal acid sulfate soils, I determined the impact of groundwater on Ba and U during the flood season, when the local aquifer is flushed out after a rapid increase in water table elevation. For Ba and U, groundwater contributed up to 18 and 66 % …

Estimation Of The Bubble Point Pressure Of Multicomponent Reservoir Hydrocarbon Fluids, Benjamin Sunday Usen, Chidi Obi

Makara Journal of Science

This study developed a novel C-sharp (C#) programming language for the estimation of bubble point pressure (BPP) of various hydrocarbon mixtures at equilibrium state. The methodology was based on vapor–liquid equilibrium calculation using Peng Robinson equation of state implementation, thermodynamic equilibrium calculation and Newton-Raphson’s method for the successive substitution of the unknown variables. The equal fugacity constraint can be satisfied by obtaining the equilibrium which serves as a criterion for two or more phases to exist at equilibrium. The problem was resolved by searching for a pressure that will satisfy the two constraints. Complex calculation was performed by successively substituting …

Combining Freestanding Ferroelectric Perovskite Oxides With Two-Dimensional Semiconductors For High Performance Transistors, Sergio Puebla, Thomas Pucher, Victor Rouco, Gabriel Sanchez-Santolino, Yong Xie, Victor Zamora, Fabian A. Cuellar, Federico J. Mompean, Carlos Leon, Carlos O. Island, Mar Garcia-Hernandez, Jacobo Santamaria, Carmen Munuera, Andres Castellanos-Gomez

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

We demonstrate the fabrication of field-effect transistors based on single-layer MoS2 and a thin layer of BaTiO3 (BTO) dielectric, isolated from its parent epitaxial template substrate. Thin BTO provides an ultrahigh-κ gate dielectric effectively screening Coulomb scattering centers. These devices show mobilities substantially larger than those obtained with standard SiO2 dielectrics and comparable with values obtained with hexagonal boron nitride, a dielectric employed for fabrication of high-performance two-dimensional (2D) based devices. Moreover, the ferroelectric character of BTO induces a robust hysteresis of the current vs gate voltage characteristics, attributed to its polarization switching. This hysteresis is strongly suppressed when the …

The Interaction Of Different Primary Producers And Physical And Chemical Dynamics Of An Urban Shallow Lake, Majid Sahin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

An artificial urban shallow lake, Prospect Park Lake (PPL), is situated on a terminal moraine in Brooklyn New York, and supplied with municipal water treated with ortho-phosphates. The constant input of the phosphate nutrient is the primary source of eutrophication in the lake. The numerous pools along the water course houses various aquatic phototrophs, which influence the water quality and the state of the system, driving conditions into favoring the survival of their species. In the first half of the dissertation, the focus of the project is on analyzing how the different primary producers in different regions of PPL affect …