Environmental Chemistry Commons^™

Pvc Biodegradation Potential Of Native Fungal Strains From Mt. Hood National And Tillamook State Forests, Bristol Ozturgut

University Honors Theses

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a toxic, degradation-resistant environmental waste product. Recent research has revealed fungal enzymatic activity capable of biodegrading plastics. As PVC infiltrates local environments, it becomes imperative to determine the adaptability of local fungi to PVC substrates. In this experiment, 100 local native fungal strains sampled from the Tillamook State and Mt. Hood National forests and one commercial strain of common oyster mushroom were investigated for their ability to colonize and digest PVC by direct isolation on 0.1% and 0.2% PVC-enriched limited growth media. Substrates for positive cultures were imaged using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to analyze potential …

Moss Biomonitoring Of Lead Emissions From Hillsboro Airport, Daria Kolpakov

University Honors Theses

The objective of this experiment was to use biomonitoring as a method to determine lead concentration levels around Hillsboro Airport in Hillsboro, Oregon. Twenty-two samples were collected within a 2 km radius around Hillsboro Airport using a randomized sampling strategy. The concentrations of lead within the samples were determined using ICP-MS. The average lead concentration was (2.8 ± 5.0) mg/kg with a peak value of 21.6 mg/kg 0.57 km from Hillsboro Airport. As the average lead concentration was substantially skewed, Hillsboro Airport is likely to be the source of the lead increase.

Method Validation Of Metals In Environmental Soil Samples, Sofia Deangelis, Nana Nguyen

Student Research Symposium

Vehicles are a major source of metal accumulation in terrestrial environments. Green infrastructure, such as bioswales, has been implemented as a way to mitigate this damage. However, there is a limited understanding of the processes that occur in these bioswales as few go back after implementation to identify areas in the bioswale with accumulation of pollutants. Inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has the potential to be used in this type of study due to the machine’s high sensitivity and selectivity. However complications can arise while using the ICP-MS to characterize complex environmental samples. This study seeks to optimize microwave assisted …

Multiscale Variability Of Heavy Metals In A Western U.S. Snowpack, Kelsey Hefner

Student Research Symposium

Natural and anthropogenically sourced particulates are deposited from the atmosphere to landscapes via dry and wet deposition, making frozen winter snowpack a natural archive of atmospheric elemental composition. Wildfires in the Western United States are increasing in extent, duration, and severity, especially in alpine regions. Severe fires remove forest canopy and can impact how atmospheric elements are dispersed and stored across snow-dominated watersheds. We evaluated Al, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, As, Zn, Se, Mo, Cd, and Pb concentrations in 394 winter snow core samples. We collected samples in 2019 and 2020 from a chronosequence of eight forests that burned …

Daily Stream Samples Reveal Highly Complex Pesticide Occurrence And Potential Toxicity To Aquatic Life, Julia E. Norman, Barbara J. Mahler, Lisa H. Nowell, Peter C. Van Metre, Mark W. Sandstrom, Mark A. Corbin, Yaorong Qian, James F. Pankow, Wentai Luo, Nicholas B. Fitzgerald, Multiple Additional Authors

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transient, acutely toxic concentrations of pesticides in streams can go undetected by fixed-interval sampling programs. Here we compare temporal patterns in occurrence of current-use pesticides in daily composite samples to those in weekly composite and weekly discrete samples of surface water from 14 small stream sites. Samples were collected over 10–14 weeks at 7 stream sites in each of the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Samples were analyzed for over 200 pesticides and degradates by direct aqueous injection liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Nearly 2 and 3 times as many unique pesticides were detected in daily samples as in …

Viscosities, Diffusion Coefficients, And Mixing Times Of Intrinsic Fluorescent Organic Molecules In Brown Limonene Secondary Organic Aerosol And Tests Of The Stokes–Einstein Equation, Dagny A. Ullmann, Mallory L. Hinks, Adrian M. Maclean, Christopher Butenhoff, James W. Grayson, Kelley Barsanti, Jose L. Jimenez, Sergey A. Nizkorodov, Saeid Kamal, Allan K. Bertram

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Viscosities and diffusion rates of organics within secondary organic aerosol (SOA) remain uncertain. Using the bead-mobility technique, we measured viscosities as a function of water activity (a_w) of SOA generated by the ozonolysis of limonene followed by browning by exposure to NH₃ (referred to as brown limonene SOA or brown LSOA). These measurements together with viscosity measurements reported in the literature show that the viscosity of brown LSOA increases by 3–5 orders of magnitude as the aw decreases from 0.9 to approximately 0.05. In addition, we measured diffusion coefficients of intrinsic fluorescent organic molecules within brown …

Spatial Fingerprinting Of Biogenic And Anthropogenic Volatile Organic Compounds In An Arid Unsaturated Zone, Christopher T. Green, Wentai Luo, Christopher H. Conaway, Karl B. Haase, Ronald J. Baker

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Subsurface volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can pose risks to human and environmental health and mediate biological processes. Volatile organic compounds have both anthropogenic and biogenic origins, but the relative importance of these sources has not been explored in subsurface environments. This study synthesized 17 yr of VOC data from the Amargosa Desert Research Site in Nevada with the goal of improving understanding of spatial and temporal variations that distinguish sources of VOCs from a landfill and from ambient sources including biogenic VOCs (bVOCs). Gas samples were collected from 1999 to 2016 from an array of shallow sample points (0.5- and …

Using Spectral Methods To Obtain Particle Size Information From Optical Data: Applications To Measurements From Cares 2010, Dean B. Atkinson

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multi-wavelength in situ aerosol extinction, absorption and scattering measurements made at two ground sites during the 2010 Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) are analyzed using a spectral deconvolution method that allows extraction of particle-sizerelated information, including the fraction of extinction produced by the fine-mode particles and the effective radius of the fine mode. The spectral deconvolution method is typically applied to analysis of remote sensing measurements. Here, its application to in situ measurements allows for comparison with more direct measurement methods and validation of the retrieval approach. Overall, the retrieved finemode fraction and effective radius compare well with …

Topological And Thermodynamic Factors That Influence The Evolution Of Small Networks Of Catalytic Rna Species, Jessica Anne Mellor Yeates, Philippe Nghe, Niles Lehman

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

An RNA-directed recombination reaction can result in a network of interacting RNA species. It is now becoming increasingly apparent that such networks could have been an important feature of the RNA world during the nascent evolution of life on the Earth. However, the means by which such small RNA networks assimilate other available genotypes in the environment to grow and evolve into the more complex networks that are thought to have existed in the prebiotic milieu are not known. Here, we used the ability of fragments of the Azoarcus group I intron ribozyme to covalently self-assemble via genotype-selfish and genotype-cooperative …

Multiple New-Particle Growth Pathways Observed At The Us Doe Southern Great Plains Field Site, Anna L. Hodshire, Michael J. Lawler, Jun Zhao, John Ortega, Coty Jen, Taina Yli-Juuti, Jared F. Brewer, Jack K. Kodros, Kelley C. Barsanti, Dave R. Hanson, Peter H. Mcmurry, James N. Smith, Jeffery R. Pierce

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

New-particle formation (NPF) is a significant source of aerosol particles into the atmosphere. However, these particles are initially too small to have climatic importance and must grow, primarily through net uptake of low volatility species, from diameters ∼ 1 to 30–100 nm in order to potentially impact climate. There are currently uncertainties in the physical and chemical processes associated with the growth of these freshly formed particles that lead to uncertainties in aerosol-climate modeling. Four main pathways for new-particle growth have been identified: condensation of sulfuric-acid vapor (and associated bases when available), condensation of organic vapors, uptake of organic acids …

Phase Considerations In The Gas/Particle Partitioning Of Organic Amines In The Atmosphere, James F. Pankow

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Amines in the atmosphere are of interest because of their likely role in new particle formation, and because of anthropogenic emissions of amines at post-combustion carbon capture (PCCC) facilities. A conceptual framework for considering the partitioning of a monobasic amine (Am = unprotonated "free-base form) from the gas phase to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is presented for cases when the PM may be composed of multiple liquid phases. Three types of liquid phases are considered as being individually or simultaneously possible for absorptive uptake of atmospheric amines: w) a mostly water phase; α ) a mostly (by mass) organic phase …

An Investigation Of Urban Mobile Source Aerosol Using Optical Properties Measured By Crdt/N: Diesel Particulate Matter And The Impact Of Biodiesel, Monica Elizabeth Wright

Dissertations and Theses

Mobile source emissions are a major contributor to global and local air pollution. Governments and regulatory agencies have been increasing the stringency of regulations in the transportation sector for the last ten years to help curb transportation sector air pollution. The need for regulations has been emphasized by scientific research on the impacts from ambient pollution, especially research on the effect of particulate matter on human health. The particulate emissions from diesel vehicles, diesel particulate matter (DPM) is considered a known or probable carcinogen in various countries and increased exposure to DPM is linked to increased cardiovascular health problems in …

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study Of Antigen-Antibody Complexes, Including Sequence Specific Assignments And Structural Analysis Of Neurophysin As An Antigen Model, Elisar Jamil Barbar

Dissertations and Theses

The interaction between molecules is essential in a wide range of biological processes. A detailed knowledge of these interactions is necessary for understanding these processes. Among the systems that involve important interactions is the immune system. NMR spectroscopy has a large number of spectral parameters that were used in this work to study antibody-antigen interactions. These same parameters were also used to begin a structural analysis of a medium-sized protein, neurophysin, that has important interactions with neurohormones, and served here as a model antigen. A set of ligands differing in size and charge was designed and used to probe the …

Theoretical And Experimental Evaluation Of Hysteresis In Atmospheric Chemistry, Theodore Alan Haigh

Dissertations and Theses

This treatise is a recapitulation of the theoretical and experimental study of hysteresis in atmospheric kinetics. The original problem arose from a theoretical study of a series of reactions for clean air. Upon evaluation a bistable equilibrium was predicted. The steady-state analysis had delineated a metastable region for the set of reactions. This bounded region is the hysteresis that this research project evaluated.

The Chemistry Of Sulfonyl Fluorides: Sf5 And/Or So2f Containing Compounds As Precursors To Sulfonic Acids, Robin Joyce Terjeson

Dissertations and Theses

Sulfonyl fluoride systems and their derivatives, RS0₂F, where R represents hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon moieties continue to be of considerable interest. The incorporation of the sulfonyl fluoride group (S0₂F) into molecular systems can lead to compounds that are useful as ion-exchange resins, surface active agents, fuel cell electrolytes, and strong sulfonic acids/salts.

Interest in preparing SF₅ containing sulfonyl fluorides led to the synthesis of the ᵝ-sultone, SF₅CHCF₂0S0₂, and its rearranged product. Hydrolysis of the sultone gave SF₅CH₂S0₂F which led to the sulfonic acid and salt, SF …

An Analysis Of The Inhibitory Effects Of Linolenic Acid Upon Photosystem Ii Of Higher Plants, Mark Edward Iven

Dissertations and Theses

This study utilizes steady state fluorescence measurements, flash-induced P680+ absorption transients, and DCIP reduction kinetics to study the inhibitory effects of linolenic acid (LA) upon Photosystem II (PSII) in whole spinach chloroplasts and insideout wheat thylakoids. It confirms the presence within PSII of LA-induced inhibition of energy trapping and/or primary charge separation (i.e., primary inhibition), in addition to donor side inhibition. The latter is diminished in the presence of 1,5-Diphenylcarbohydrazide (DPC) and probably takes place at the oxygen evolving complex. Primary inhibition, which is more controversial, probably occurs between Ph and QA, with a likely contribution at the level of …

Chemical Modification Of Skeletal Muscle Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Vesicles: A Study Of Calcium Permeability, Janice F. Stuart

Dissertations and Theses

Skeletal muscle contains an internal membrane system called the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) whose function is to regulate the Ca²⁺ concentration of the myoplasm. Ca²⁺ is transported into the SR from the myoplasm via a Ca²⁺ dependent ATPase thus lowering the myoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration. Ca²⁺ exits from the SR via a Ca²⁺ releqse pathway resultingin the increase of myoplasmic Ca²⁺. Muscles contract when the myoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration is > 5 uM and relax when the Ca²⁺ concentration is lowered below 1 uM. The Ca²⁺ dependent ATPase has been extensively studied but …

The Combined Effect Of Cu And Zn On Selenastrum Capricornutum, Helmer Colonia-Roque

Dissertations and Theses

It has been demonstrated that the toxicity of heavy metals depends on their chemical speciation and can be related to their free ion activities, rather than the total metal concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of combined free ions of zinc and copper on the toxicity to the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. This alga was grown in a defined medium, under controlled laboratory conditions, with a varying range of zinc and copper concentrations. The growth rate of the alga was inhibited at pZn = 5.93 or at pCu = 7.24. The results suggest that …

Isolation And Characterization Of Frullanolide From Frullania Franciscana (Howe), Marshall Stuart Sass

Dissertations and Theses

Investigation of the ether extract of the liverwort Frullania franciscana (Howe) resulted in the isolation of the sesquiterpene lactone frullanolide. The separation techniques of thin-layer chromatography, dry column chromatography, and liquid column chromatography were evaluated. Only liquid column chromatography was found useful. Fractions from alumina liquid column separations had infrared spectra which resembled the published spectrum of frullanolide. The identity of the compound obtained from F. franciscana (Howe) was established after extensive purification by comparison of its infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra with published spectra of frullanolide.

Transport Of Ozone Across An Air/Water Interface Coupled With Aqueous Decomposition, Ahmad Ali Mehrabzadeh

Dissertations and Theses

Photoacoustic spectroscopy was used to analyze the transport of ozone through the air/water interface. Experimental results showed that the ozone transport rate is similar to rates measured for other gases of low solubility and low reactivity. The transport rate increases with increasing pH. The decomposition rate of ozone was studied in solutions. The decomposition rate also depends on the pH of the solution, and in high pHs both the deposition velocity and the decomposition rate constant of ozone have larger values. The value of the deposition velocity (Kd) is 3.7 ± .9 x 10^-3 cm/sec and the decomposition rate …

The Concentration And Speciation Of Sugars In Natural Waters, Minoo Shakerin Sweet

Dissertations and Theses

Due to the importance of carbohydrates in biological systems, many efforts have been made to develop a quantitative method for analysis of carbohydrates in natural waters. The low concentrations of dissolved sugars in natural waters require a sensitive analytical method. In this study, gas chromatography of alditol acetate derivatives of sugars was investigated for quantitative and qualitative analysis of individual dissolved sugars in natural waters. The alditol acetate derivatives of sugars give only one derivative for each sugar, yielding qualitative and quantitative results.

The detection limit was 25 nM for each sugar. Because of this very low detection limit, only …

Reaction Of Aqueous Catechol Solutions With Minerals, Boonthong Poocharoen

Dissertations and Theses

The effectiveness of catechol, an aromatic vic-diol, in dissolving silicate minerals was studied. A synthetic amorphous magnesium trisilicate, Mg₂Si₃O₈∙5H₂O, as well as the minerals olivine, sepiolite, diopside, augite, and enstatite were used to react with catechol in slightly acidic, basic, and neutral solutions. It was found, depending on the solvent used, that 33-52, 8-17, 14-30, 5-11, 3-6, and 0.5-1 % of the minerals dissolved, respectively.

The reaction with Mg₂Si₃0₈·5H₂0 resulted in the formation of crystals of magnesium tris (catecholato) siliconate nonahydrate Mg[Si(Cat)₃]∙9H₂0. Dehydration of the crystals at room temperature resulted in the loss of 6 moles of water to form …