Environmental Health and Protection Commons^™

The Agrivoltaics Opportunity In California: Dual Use Of Agricultural Land To Support Energy Transition And Bolster Climate Resilience, Joy Michelle Cox

Master's Projects and Capstones

Agrivoltaics, which facilitates energy and food production on the same land, is an emerging technological approach that supports agricultural productivity while growing farm revenues through solar electricity sales. Agrivoltaics use in the United States is nascent, with only 2% of utility-scale solar projects integrating agricultural production. Based on estimated high- and low-end ranges in the scientific literature, I have calculated that California can use agrivoltaics to produce 20% of the additional 70 gigawatts of utility-scale solar required to meet the state’s 2045 zero-carbon electricity goal. This 20% target is ambitious and achievable, and the impacts across land use, greenhouse gas …

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Residential Parcels) (Dated February 26, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final 2025 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Non-Residential Daycare Soil Sampling: Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Submittal #15 [Mini Scholars Discovery Academy, Hands On Learning Childcare, Kidz Konnection, Young Explorers, & University On Princeton], Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Identification And Preclinical Assessment Of Novel Therapeutic Modalities In Environmental Exposure-Induced Lung Disease, Aaron D. Schwab

Theses & Dissertations

Environmental lung diseases are preventable respiratory conditions either caused or made worse by inhaled environmental exposures. Contemporarily, environmental lung diseases are most associated with workplace exposures given specific occupational processes aerosolize inflammatory agents that can be inhaled at high concentrations. Although a considerable amount is known regarding immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated responses to environmental exposures, little is known about non-IgE mediated respiratory conditions resulting from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-enriched organic dust exposure(s). Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis have all been identified as environmental lung diseases caused or exacerbated by such environmental dusts. Therapeutic …

Prevalence Of Well Water Contaminants In Georgia From 2010-2022, Angelique B. Willis, Suhasini Ramisetty-Mikler, Christine E. Stauber, Uttam Kumar Saha

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Safe, reliable, and clean drinking water sources are a basic necessity. More than 1.7 million individuals rely on private wells for drinking water in Georgia and are confronted with water quality challenges stemming from chemical contamination as private wells are not under mandated regulations as public water supplies. In Georgia, previous studies suggested that the variation of soil and rock in a physiographic province (region) plays an essential role in the quality of private well water. There is a need to understand the distribution of these chemical contaminants above the federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) and how different geologies …

Feasibility Analysis For The Implementation Of An Anaerobic Digestion System In The City Of Pittsburgh, Pa, Gianna L. Kolencik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study is investigating the feasibility of an anaerobic digestion system

in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the old State Correctional Institute (SCI-Pittsburgh)

located at 1922 Westhall St. This location is immediately upstream of the Allegheny

County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) along the Ohio River. Municipal solid waste

from ALCOSAN may be used as the main form of feedstock. ALCOSAN produced

roughly 36,500 tons of dry sludge in the reporting year 2023-2024. Based on the volume

of dry sludge from ALCOSAN it is estimated that an anaerobic digestion system could

yield approximately 29,930,000 kWh of energy, which is enough to power over …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2025 Monthly Progress Report. Consent Decree For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit. Civil Action No. Cv 89-039-Bu-Seh, Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Mangrove Dynamics And Evaluating Future Afforestation Potential In The Egyptian Red Sea, Rasha M. Abou Samra, Mansour Almazroui, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Mangrove forests are vital for ecosystem services and coastal management but face stressors from anthropogenic activities and climate change. This study estimates the extent and afforestation potential of mangroves along the Egyptian Red Sea coast from 1984 to 2022 using NDVI derived from Landsat-5 and Sentinel-2 data in Google Earth Engine. Aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), carbon (C) stock, and CO₂ sequestration potential were evaluated using Sentinel-2 and elevation data. Future afforestation suitability (2020–2050) under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios was assessed with the MaxEnt model. Mangrove area increased from 0.95 km² in 1984 to 1.46 km^{2 …}

Re: Comment Letter For The 2022 Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Groundwater Compliance Evaluation (Dated March 10, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Acknowledgement Letter For The Final Blacktail Creek Groundwater Hydraulic Control System Pre-Design Investigation Evaluation Report (Dated February 27, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Comment Letter For The 2023 Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Groundwater Compliance Evaluation (Dated March 10, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Non-Residential Parcels And Residential Daycares) (Dated February 26, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Butte Treatment Lagoons (Btl) Groundwater Treatment System Quarterly Operation And Maintenance Report – Quarter 4 2024 (Dated March 28, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Toxicity And Biodegradability Of Novel Boronium Vs Conventional Ammonium Based Anti Microbial Compounds In Wastewater Treatment Systems, Noor Shalan

Poster Presentations

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are highly effective as disinfectants, herbicides, and pesticides; thus, overuse causes elevated levels of residual toxicity in domestic and industrial wastewater. QACs can be toxic to essential bacteria breaking down pollutants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and can remain untreated in effluent, harming the environment, and contributing to antibiotic resistance, posing risks to human health. Novel boronium-based antimicrobial compounds have demonstrated efficacy in eliminating bacteria, fungi, and viruses. If the boronium compounds exhibit lower residual toxicity, they could offer a promising alternative to QACs. Because these compounds are still in development, their potential toxicity to the …

Toxicity And Biodegradability Of Novel Boronium Vs Conventional Ammonium-Based Antimicrobial Compounds In Wastewater Treatment Systems, Noor Shalan

Honors Theses

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are highly effective as disinfectants, herbicides, and pesticides; thus, overuse causes elevated levels of residual toxicity in domestic and industrial wastewater. QACs can be toxic to essential bacteria breaking down pollutants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and can remain untreated in effluent, harming the environment, and contributing to antibiotic resistance, posing risks to human health. Novel boronium-based antimicrobial compounds have demonstrated efficacy in eliminating bacteria, fungi, and viruses. If the boronium compounds exhibit lower residual toxicity, they could offer a promising alternative to QACs. Because these compounds are still in development, their potential toxicity to the …

Constructing An Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait For Reducing Mosquito Populations, Xi Xian Ng

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Mosquito-borne pathogen transmission continues to pose a significant burden to global public health, well-being, and economic productivity. In the absence of universally available vaccines and amidst rising insecticide resistance that leads to product failures, there is an urgent need to develop new tools to mitigate mosquito-borne disease risk. Two general strategies exist to reduce transmission risk: personal protective measures and area-wide chemical interventions. Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait (ATSB) systems leverage the sugar-feeding behavior of mosquitoes—critical for sustaining their flight, metabolism, development, and fecundity—by delivering oral toxicants through attractively formulated sugar baits. This study aimed to develop an optimized ATSB formulation …

Zero Waste Initiatives Across Three Institutions: Local Government, An Academic Institution, And A Retail Business, Soren G. Gray

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Role Of Electrostatic Forces In The Adsorption Of Perfluoroalkyl Substances To Granular Activated Carbon, Thomas A. Mccall

All Theses

In response to new drinking water regulations announced by the EPA in 2024, many municipalities will need to monitor concentrations and implement new treatments to address PFAS, a class of anthropogenic organic contaminants. A leading technology for this application is GAC adsorption due to its familiarity and availability. The adsorption of four PFAS species (PFBA, PFBS, PFOA and PFOS) to Calgon Filtrasorb400 (F400) was evaluated for a range of pH and ionic strength conditions to investigate the role of electrostatic interactions in adsorption capacity. These PFAS are all strong acids, so pH was used as a control for GAC surface …

2022 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report, Butte Silver Bow

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

2023 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report 2023 Bres Annual Summary Report For Work Completed In Quadrant 3, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

2023 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

2024 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

2022 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report 2022 Bres Annual Summary Report For Work Completed In Quadrant 2, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed (Ur) Sites: Ur-35 Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Promoting Sustainable Drinking Water Consumption At Bryant University, Matthew Gerdenich

Honors Projects in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Many higher education institutions have either banned or restricted the sale of disposable plastic water bottles to address environmental pollution and climate change. This project seeks to gather knowledge and data related to disposable water bottle consumption at Bryant University that can be used to provide recommendations for promoting reusable water bottle use on campus. Additionally, the project seeks to find out why community members choose single-use water bottles over reusables ones and how to make reusable water bottle use more attractive and accessible. Primary research included a survey distributed to undergraduate students on campus as well as water samples …

The Effects Of Climate Change On The Advancement Of West Nile Virus, Mackenzie R. Epperson

ATU Scholars Symposium

The West Nile virus (WNV) first emerged in the United States in the year 1999 within the state of New York and has become endemic throughout the country over time. This virus is contracted from an avian species acting as the reservoir host, by the vector species which are mosquitoes. From this point, the mosquitoes transmit the virus to humans and other mammals, which are the dead end hosts. The WNV often presents itself as flu-like symptoms, but in serious cases can cause severe arboviral neurological disease. Since this is an arbovirus, it is important to have the ability to …

Quantifying And Characterizing Microplastics In The Greater Philadelphia Region, Emily Lybashev

Biology Honors Papers

Plastic is one of the world's most useful and versatile materials, so it is no wonder that 400 million tons are produced yearly. When exposed to weathering, heat, water, and organisms, plastic degrades and produces microplastics. These microplastics have managed to leach into our oceans, local waterways, bodies, and even our atmosphere. The negative implications of microplastic contamination in our environment are slowly being uncovered with concerns of toxin buildup. Additionally, the amount of microplastics we are exposed to through local waterways is rarely quantified. Though microplastic research is picking up pace, the Schuylkill River which spans the Greater Philadelphia …

Draft Final 2023 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap): Koprivica Park Soil Remedial Action Construction Completion Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Draft Final 2023 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Butte-Silver Bow Parks Soil Remedial Action Construction Completion Report (Ccr), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-28 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.