Environmental Health and Protection Commons^™

Understanding Bioprospecting: Can Indigenous Populations Benefit From The Search For Pharmaceuticals In Areas Of High Biodiversity, Emily Schwindt

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Bioprospecting is a controversial issue, and anthropologists and other scientists are quick to take sides. The idea of large corporations pumping money into conservation and development programs, while developing what could be the latest life-saving drug simply sounds too good to be true, and often times is. However, if all parties work together and proceed with caution, these benefits could become more than a fantasy. Looking at case studies from Costa Rica, India, South Africa and Panama this paper attempts to find patterns among successful bioprospecting agreements and note shortcomings and identify risks. This information will be used to suggest …

Evaluation Of The Sensitivity Of Inventory And Monitoring National Parks To Nutrient Enrichment Effects From Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition Northern Great Plains Network (Ngpn), T. J. Sullivan, T. C. Mcdonnell, G. T. Mcpherson, S. D. Mackey, D. Moore

United States National Park Service: Publications

Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN)

National maps of atmospheric N emissions and deposition are provided in Maps A and B as context for subsequent network data presentations. Map A shows county level emissions of total N for the year 2002. Map B shows total N deposition, again for the year 2002.

There are three parks in the Northern Great Plains Network that are larger than 100 square miles: Badlands (BADL), Missouri (MNRR), and Theodore Roosevelt (THRO). In addition, there are 10 other smaller parks.

Total annual N emissions, by county, are shown in Map C for lands in and surrounding …

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients And Aquatic Organisms, Christian G. Daughton, Bryan W. Brooks

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

The presence of active pharmaceuticals ingredients (APIs) in aquatic systems has led in recent years to a burgeoning literature examining environmental occurrence, fate, effects, risk assessment, and treatability of these compounds. The vast preponderance of studies aimed at identifying and quantifying contaminant residues in aquatic tissues have involved the conventional and legacy pollutants. Comparatively few studies have been targeted at APIs, primarily those that are lipophilic. Although APIs have received much attention as "emerging" contaminants of concern, it is important to recognize that traditional approaches to understand and predict exposure and effects of other environmental organic contaminant classes mayor may …

Partially Acetylated Sugarcane Bagasse For Wicking Oil From Contaminated Wetlands, Seungoon Chung, Makram T. Suidan, Albert D. Venosa

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Sugarcane bagasse was partially acetylated to enhance its oil-wicking ability in saturated environments while holding moisture for hydrocarbon biodegradation. The water sorption capacity of raw bagasse was reduced fourfold after treatment, which indicated considerably increased hydrophobicity but not a limited capability to hold moisture for hydrocarbon biodegradation. Characterization results by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and surface area analyzer suggested that treated bagasse exhibited enhanced hydrophobicity and surface area. Oil wicking test results indicate that treated bagasse is more effective in wicking oil from highly saturated environments than raw bagasse and suggest that application …

Time-Lapse Three-Dimensional Inversion Of Complex Conductivity Data Using An Active Time Constrained (Atc) Approach, M. Karaoulis, A. Revil, D. D. Werkema, B. J. Minsley, W. F. Woodruff, A. Kemna

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Induced polarization (more precisely the magnitude and phase of impedance of the subsurface) is measured using a network of electrodes located at the ground surface or in boreholes. This method yields important information related to the distribution of permeability and contaminants in the shallow subsurface. We propose a new time-lapse 3-D modelling and inversion algorithm to image the evolution of complex conductivity over time.We discretize the subsurface using hexahedron cells. Each cell is assigned a complex resistivity or conductivity value. Using the finite-element approach, we model the in-phase and out-of-phase (quadrature) electrical potentials on the 3-D grid, which are then …

Ddt And Other Organohalogen Pesticides In Aquatic Organisms, Nancy Beckvar, Guilherme R. Lotufo

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Organohalogen (OH) compounds are persistent hydrocarbon compounds containing a halogen group, often chlorine or bromine, that substitutes for hydrogen atoms in different positions in the hydrocarbon. They may occur naturally, but this chapter's focus is on synthetically produced compounds, mainly organochlorines, that were produced for use as pesticides. Nine OH compounds (aldrin, chlordane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT], dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, and toxaphene) are in the top 12 list of particularly toxic and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) identified by the Stockholm Convention treaty implemented in 2004 under the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). More than 90 countries have signed on to …

Renewable Energy In The Context Of Sustainable Development, Jayant Sathaye, Oswaldo Lucon, Atiq Rahman, John Christensen, Fatima Denton, Junichi Fujino, Garvin Heath, Monirul Mirza, Hugh Rudnick, August Schlaepfer, Andrey Shmakin, Gerhard Angerer, Christian Bauer, Morgan Bazilian, Robert J. Brecha, Peter Burgherr, Leon Clarke, Felix Creutzig, James Edmonds, Christian Hagelüken, Gerrit Hansen, Nathan Hultman, Michael Jakob, Susanne Kadner, Manfred Lenzen, Jordan Macknick, Eric Masanet, Yu Nagai, Anne Olhoff, Karen Olsen, Michael Pahle, Ari Rabl, Richard Richels, Joyashree Roy, Tormod Schei, Christoph Von Stechow, Jan Christoph Steckel, Ethan Warner, Tom Wilbanks, Yimin Zhang

Physics Faculty Publications

Historically, economic development has been strongly correlated with increasing energy use and growth of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Renewable energy (RE) can help decouple that correlation, contributing to sustainable development (SD). In addition, RE offers the opportunity to improve access to modern energy services for the poorest members of society, which is crucial for the achievement of any single of the eight Millennium Development Goals.

Theoretical concepts of SD can provide useful frameworks to assess the interactions between SD and RE. SD addresses concerns about relationships between human society and nature. Traditionally, SD has been framed in the three-pillar model—Economy, …

Policy And Science Of Geothermal Heat Use At Mcmurdo Station, Antarctica, Joe Alvine

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

My thesis research project deals with the use of geothermal heat in Antarctica. Currently it is not allowed due to article 7 of the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection that placed a 50 moratorium on the exploitation of mineral resources. The US main base in Antarctica, McMurdo Station is currently powered by diesel generators that are inefficient, cause environmental damage, and is expensive to run. By exploring alternative energy options, McMurdo Station can reduce its dependence on non-renewable energy sources. By determining the geothermal potential of McMurdo Station, this project explores the possibilities and benefits that would occur with the …

A Sea Change For Aquatic Sustainability : Meeting The Challenge Of Fish Resources Management And Aquatic Sustainability In The 21st Century, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

An Artesian Well System In Beaver Crossing, Nebraska, It's Development And Demise, Mary Lanik

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT

Nebraska has a veritable wealth of groundwater. The High Plains Aquifer underlies most of the state, and within its sand and gravel deposits, many interconnected aquifers provide fresh water for a variety of uses.

One of the most spectacular examples of this resource is the artesian well. Beaver Crossing, Nebraska was once home to one of the most prolific artesian systems in the state before its demise. Founded in the 1880’s, Beaver Crossing soon became known for its many artesian wells, that provided leisure activities and supported profitable business ventures such as small farming, ice production and aquiculture. Eventually …

A Proposed Plan For Managing Eastern Nebraska's Saline Wetlands, Vandhana Rabadinanth

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Eastern Nebraska’s saline wetlands play a major role in Nebraska’s environmental place in the world. Besides the role of scientific changes being important, education also is essential in the conservation of these wetlands. Through the observation of Salt Creek tiger beetle (Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) and soil electroconductivity, I propose that we need to reform Nebraska’s education system to help schools play a bigger part in environmental issues such as this one. There is a drastic trend in the correlations between Salt Creek tiger beetle populations and wetland degradation. Since many Lincoln residents have a limited knowledge of what is …

Minimum Riparian Buffer Width For Maintaining Water Quality And Habitat Along Stevens Creek, Sammi Bray

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT Riparian buffer zones are important sites of biodiversity, sediment trapping, pollutant removal, and hydrologic regulation that have significant implications for both people and wildlife. Urbanization’s influence on and need for adequate water quality increases the need for careful planning in regards to riparian areas. Wildlife are key components in the ecosystem functions of riparian zones and require consideration in peri-urban planning as well. This study reviews relevant literature to determine the recommended minimum riparian buffer width for maintaining water quality and habitat along Stevens Creek in Lincoln, Nebraska. Only sources that listed a specific purpose related to water quality …

Comparative Analysis Of Recycling Programs: A Case Study Of Three Universities, Jenny Jones

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract

The goal of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of three university recycling programs. This study looked at several aspects of the programs that included the diversion rates, per capita ratios of materials recycled and disposed, and the average net costs of waste disposal and waste diversion. The universities included in this study were the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Oregon.

To gather the information necessary for this analysis, I contacted each of the university’s recycling coordinators. To determine the average net costs of waste disposal and waste diversion …

Yellowstone Super-Volcano: Evaluation, Potential Threats, And Possible Effects On Nebraska Citizens Health And Prosperity, Jennie Korgie

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Yellowstone National Park is located over a hot spot under the North American tectonic plate and holds a potentially explosive super-volcano that has the ability to cause deadly consequences on the North American continent. After an eruption the surrounding region would see the greatest devastation, covered by pyroclastic deposits and thick ash fall exterminating most all life and destroying all structures in its path. In landscapes of greater distance from the event the consequences will be less dramatic yet still substantial. Records of previous eruption data from the Yellowstone super-volcano show that the ash fall out from the eruption …

Distribution Of Rain Gardens In Lincoln Nebraska: Are Rain Gardens More Likely To Be Built Near Bodies Of Water, Eric Voecks

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Rain gardens are an important tool in reducing the amount of stormwater runoff and accompanying pollutants from entering the city’s streams and lakes, and reducing their water quality. This thesis project analyzed the number of rain gardens installed through the City of Lincoln Nebraska Watershed Management’s Rain Garden Water Quality Project in distance intervals of one-eighth mile from streams and lakes. This data shows the distribution of these rain gardens in relation to streams and lakes and attempts to determine if proximity to streams and lakes is a factor in homeowners installing rain gardens. ArcGIS was used to create …

Unlv Magazine, Cate Weeks, Tony Allen, Shane Bevell, Diane Russell, Brendan Buhler, Afsha Bawany, Erin O'Donnell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Relatin Dissolved Oxygen Concentration To Fish Distribution In Jarecki Lake, Adam Sutton

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) profiles were measured once every month from mid July to mid February in a relatively deep sand-pit lake in southeast Nebraska. These profiles showed depleted DO concentrations below the thermocline during summer stratification indicating areas fish will likely avoid in summer months. Colder temperatures in fall caused complete mixing of the water column allowing fish to inhabit all depths of the lake. An inverse temperature stratification occurred directly below the ice during winter months as ice cover cooled the surface water to below 4 degrees Celsius. Ice cover also blocked air – water …

Adverse Outcome Pathways And Ecological Risk Assessment: Bridging To Population-Level Effects, Vincent J. Kramer, Matthew A. Etterson, Markus Hecker, Cheryl A. Murphy, Guritno Roesijadi, Daniel J. Spade, Julann A. Spromberg, Magnus Wang, Gerald T. Ankley

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Maintaining the viability of populations of plants and animals is a key focus for environmental regulation. Population-level responses integrate the cumulative effects of chemical stressors on individuals as those individuals interact with and are affected by their conspecifics, competitors, predators, prey, habitat, and other biotic and abiotic factors. Models of population-level effects of contaminants can integrate information from lower levels of biological organization and feed that information into higher-level community and ecosystem models. As individual-level endpoints are used to predict population responses, this requires that biological responses at lower levels of organization be translated into a form that is usable …

Disturbance And Plant Succession In The Mojave And Sonoran Deserts Of The American Southwest, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Disturbances such as fire, land clearing, and road building remove vegetation and can have major influences on public health through effects on air quality, aesthetics, recreational opportunities, natural resource availability, and economics. Plant recovery and succession following disturbance are poorly understood in arid lands relative to more temperate regions. This study quantitatively reviewed vegetation reestablishment following a variety of disturbances in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of southwestern North America. A total of 47 studies met inclusion criteria for the review. The time estimated by 29 individual studies for full reestablishment of total perennial plant cover was 76 years. Although …

Fishing Industry Impact Study : James Price Point Proposed Liquefied Natural Gas Precinct, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Fisheries Occasional Paper No. 77 - Economic Analysis: Fishing Industry Impact Study - Kimberley Lng Project, Econsearch Pty Ltd, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

This study, prepared as a part of a broader study for WA fisheries, is concerned with the regional economy of the West Kimberley region and involves an assessment of the impact on the region of a range of fishing industry scenarios associated with development of an LNG processing facility. Specific tasks involved in the study were to prepare the following:

• a standard input-output model for the West Kimberley regional economy for 2007/08 and extend it as a DECON model; and

• estimates of the regional economic and population impact for a range of fishing industry scenarios arising from the …

Methods In Environmental Biotechnology For Environmentalists, Florentin Smarandache, W.B. Vasantha Kandasamy, S.R. Kannan, S. Ramathilagam

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The study of environmental pollution by chemicals used in agriculture as pesticide or as fertilizers or pollution caused by industries and chemical plants which use chemicals have not been analysed systematically. This book has five chapters. First chapter is introductory in nature. Here we just study chemical pollution caused by garment industries in chapter two of this book using fuzzy associative memories. In chapter three we give ways to control pollution by improving the system performance using hierarchical genetic fuzzy control algorithm. This study is carried out using the past data reported by Shimada et al (1995). Health hazards suffered …

A New Process For Organizing Assessments Of Social, Economic, And Environmental Outcomes: Case Study Of Wildland Fire Management In The Usa, Randall Jf Bruins, Wayne R. Munns Jr., Stephen J. Botti, Steve Brink, David Cleland, Larry Kapustka, Danny Lee, Valerie Luzadis, Laura Falk Mccarthy, Naureen Rana, Douglas B. Rideout, Matt Rollins, Peter Woodbury, Mike Zupko

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Ecological risk assessments typically are organized using the processes of planning (a discussion among managers, stakeholders, and analysts to clarify ecosystem management goals and assessment scope) and problem formulation (evaluation of existing information to generate hypotheses about adverse ecological effects, select assessment endpoints, and develop an analysis plan). These processes require modification to be applicable for integrated assessments that evaluate ecosystem management alternatives in terms of their ecological, economic, and social consequences.We present 8 questions that define the steps of a new process we term integrated problem formulation (IPF), and we illustrate the use of IPF through a retrospective case …

Lead Detection In Water: Using Hydroxyapatite And Atomic Absorption, Nicolas Cantarero

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Hydroxyapatite is a mineral that is very inexpensive, easily made, and binds well to lead. In this procedure its application will be paired with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (Flame AA) to detect lead concentrations in water to ppb levels. While ppb concentrations of lead are too dilute to produce a response from the Flame AA by using Hydroxyapatite to concentrate lead molecules from a larger volume and dissolving the Hydroxyapatite into a smaller volume it may be able to produce a response. The method could provide an inexpensive, efficient, and accurate way to detect lead concentrations to the ppb level …

Synthesis Completed Of Post-Fire Recovery Of Native Perennials In The Mojave, Sonoran Deserts, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Literature syntheses to develop status of knowledge reports are important to integrate and summarize the scattered scientific literature on a particular topic. The isolation and fragmentation of scientific literature on a topic is not necessarily a shortcoming of science. Rather, it is simply a consequence of having (1) research published in a diverse array of journals, (2) articles build on each other and therefore articles relevant to a particular topic can be published decades apart, and (3) funding virtually impossible to secure to do these periodic assessments of what we know and don’t know (competitive science grants want researchers to …

Markov Chain Estimation Of Avian Seasonal Fecundity, Matthew A. Etterson, Richard S. Bennett, Eric L. Kershner, Jeffery W. Walk

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Avian seasonal fecundity is of interest from evolutionary, ecological, and conservation perspectives. However, direct estimation of seasonal fecundity is difficult, especially with multi-brooded birds, and models representing the renesting and quitting processes are usually required. To explore the consequences of modeling decisions on inference about avian seasonal fecundity, we generalize previous Markov chain (MC) models of avian nest success to formulate two different MC models of avian seasonal fecundity that represent two different ways to model renesting decisions and breeding cessation. We parameterize both Markov chains (regular and absorbing) for two species (Eastern Meadowlark, Sturnella magna, and Dickcissel, Spiza …

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

NOTES

1 Definitions

• Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety and are non-enforceable public health goals.

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.

• Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is …

Estimating The Effects Of Detection Heterogeneity And Overdispersion On Trends Estimated From Avian Point Counts, Matthew A. Etterson, Gerald J. Niemi, Nicholas P. Danz

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Point counts are a common method for sampling avian distribution and abundance. Although methods for estimating detection probabilities are available, many analyses use raw counts and do not correct for detectability. We use a removal model of detection within an N-mixture approach to estimate abundance trends corrected for imperfect detection. We compare the corrected trend estimates to those estimated from raw counts for 16 species using 15 years of monitoring data on three national forests in the western Great Lakes, USA. We also tested the effects of overdispersion by modeling both counts and removal mixtures under three statistical distributions: …

Changes In Producer Attitudes Towards Windbreaks In Eastern Nebraska, 1983 To 2009, Kim Tomczak

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Windbreaks are rows of trees or shrubs arranged on the landscape to reduce wind speed. In agricultural landscapes we find them as farmstead windbreaks, livestock windbreaks and field windbreaks. While farmstead and livestock windbreaks are well accepted by the agricultural community, field windbreaks are often viewed differently. A 1982 study of the attitudes of farmers in Eastern Nebraska indicated that many of the producers were around the age of 50 and that they used different types of windbreaks. This study repeated that survey in the same. When compared to data from 1982, farmers today are not educated about the …

Water Quality Variability In A Bioswell And Concrete Drainage Pipe, Southwest Lincoln, Nebraska, Jessica Shortino

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract The goal of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of bioswells in protecting water quality from urban runoff. The hypothesis tested in this project is that water in bioswells improves water quality. Water quality in both a bioswell and an underground concrete lined ditch, both containing ground and surface water, were tested for certain water quality parameters. These parameters consisted of: Dissolved Oxygen, pH, water temperature, weather temperature, Total Dissolved Solids, Specific Conductivity, Alkalinity, Total Dissolved Carbon, Chemical Oxygen Demand, and depth and width of the sampling site. An additional contaminant that was looked at was motor oil. …