Environmental Health Commons^™

The Influence Of Climate Change On Disease And Public Health, Natalie Petruzelli

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

This paper attempts to analyze the growing influence of climate change on the spread and development of diseases, as well as how this continues to affect public health and medical administrations around the world. The prevalence of airborne, waterborne, and vector-borne diseases have been found to be exacerbated as a result of climate change. In addition to this, the paper addresses the reemergence of eliminated diseases and ancient pathogens due to changing temperatures and weather patterns. Finally, the effect of these different conditions on national and international public health organizations and policies is analyzed, including projections on what can be …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances In Consumable Fish & Surface Waters Near Sites Using Aqueous Film-Forming Foams: Potential Risks, Suggested Regulatory Standards And Policy Approaches For Massachusetts, Tachalla Gibeau

Sustainability and Social Justice

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants of concern with potential for adverse effects on both human and environmental health. Hence, long-chain PFAS compounds used in legacy aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are being phased out, resulting in the stockpiling of them at various commercial installations. PFAS contaminated runoff from these facilities has the potential to contaminate nearby surface water bodies and the fish inhabiting them. An analytical approach was used to identify surface water bodies in Massachusetts that are habitats for fish susceptible to PFAS contamination and where said fish are also popularly consumed by locals – thereby representing …

California Drought Projections Based On Climate Change Models’ Effects On Water Availability, Lauren Lynam

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Future streamflow in California, as predicted by eight climate projections models, and their effects on water availability are discussed in this paper. The unimpaired projected streamflow for eleven California rivers, collected from Cal-Adapt Streamflow are compared with their unimpaired historical flows (1950-2015) using eight climate model projections (2020-2099) developed by Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Routed Streamflow Projections; Warm Dry RCP 4.5, Average RCP 4.5, Cool Wet RCP 4.5, Other RCP 4.5, Warm Dry RCP 8.5, Average RCP 8.5, Cool Wet RCP 8.5, Other RCP 8.5. Projected drought quantities, durations, and intensities are statistically tested against historical values to determine significance …

Volatile Organic Compound Exposure And Cardiometabolic Syndrome Risk In A Nationally Representative Cohort., Stacey Lane Konkle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The relative importance of environmental exposures such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the paramount public health priorities of our time, yet is presently unstudied. VOCs are ubiquitous in the environment and have been associated with numerous adverse health effects, including a number of cardiovascular and metabolic effects that are components of Cardiometabolic Syndrome (CMS). OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between CMS and individual-level exposures to VOCs, measured as urinary metabolites of VOCs (UM-VOCs), in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Associations between urinary biomarkers of exposure to 19 parent VOCs and CMS were assessed using the National …

The Relationship Between Tree Canopy And Social Capital On Physical Activity In Unlv Students, Melissa Bartshe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite the numerous health benefits, rates of physical activity are low, especially among the college student population. Neighborhood tree canopy is one aspect of the built environment that has been shown to positively impact physical activity. Social capital has also been correlated with higher rates of physical activity. The sprawling urban design and arid desert climate of Las Vegas pose unique challenges to both tree canopy and social capital. Additionally, the relationship between tree canopy, social capital, and physical activity is understudied in the college student population. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of tree canopy …

Tobacco Product-Derived Aldehydes: Effects On Circulating Angiogenic Cells & Implications For Cardiovascular Disease., Jordan B. Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Tobacco smoke is the most significant modifiable risk factor in CVD development and contains numerous toxic compounds, including aldehydes, which have been linked to CVD. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and crotonaldehyde have been identified as significant contributors to cigarette-induced health effects, but the mechanism of these effects is not well understood. These aldehydes are also found in aerosols produced by e-cigarettes (e-cigs). The goal of this dissertation was to explore the systemic, hematological, and endothelium-related effects of exposure to tobacco products and constituent aldehydes and to identify potential mechanisms of injury. …

Investigating The Effects Of Temperature On Lesser Celandine, Regina Bellian

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

This paper explores invasive species Ficaria verna (Lesser celandine) and the effects of temperature on its growth. Trials were completed with two treatments, 13OC cold temperature and 20OC ambient temperature. Germinated bulbils of Lesser celandine were planted on February 15, 2017 and placed in their respective growing chambers. The plants were watered weekly and monitored for growth until harvest on March 29, 2017. Upon harvest, the plants’ height, largest leaf diameter and biomass were measured after extraction from soil and the removal of the leftover soil debris. Average height was found to be 11.66cm for the cold treatment and 5.14cm …

Understanding The Toxicity Of Single Hydrocarbons, Oil, And Dispersed Oil: A Species Sensitivity Assessment For Five Atlantic Coral Species, Nicholas R. Turner

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs are keystone coastal ecosystems that are at risk of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons from a range of sources, including oil spill incidents and chronic runoff, and are usually one of the highest valued natural resources for protection in Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA)/Spill Impact Mitigation Assessment (SIMA) of response methods and environmental damage. Previous research evaluating hydrocarbon impacts to corals has resulted in no clear characterization of sensitivity, as work has generally focused on higher-level effects, compounded by significant variability in experimental methodology. This represents an important knowledge gap in oil spill preparedness and response as it relates …

Antinéoplasiques En Milieu Hospitalier : Étude Pilote Sur L’Exposition Potentielle Du Personnel D’Hygiène Et De Salubrité, France Labrèche, Capucine Ouellet, Brigitte Roberge, Ahmed Yennek, Nicolas Caron

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Certains antinéoplasiques (ANP), utilisés pour le traitement du cancer, sont eux-mêmes classés cancérogènes et peuvent avoir d’autres effets toxiques chez des travailleurs qui les manipulent. L’incidence du cancer et le nombre de personnes vivant avec le cancer ne cessent d’augmenter, ce qui permet d’envisager une augmentation des quantités d’ANP utilisées et du nombre de travailleurs potentiellement exposés. Une étude menée par l’Unité de recherche en pratique pharmaceutique du Centre hospitalier universitaire Ste-Justine a montré que plusieurs prélèvements effectués sur des surfaces touchées par le personnel infirmier et par celui de la pharmacie montraient des résidus d’ANP. Il n’y a cependant …

The Influence Of Acidification And Copper Exposure On Copper Accumulation And Anti-Oxidant Enzyme Responses In The Pond Snail, Lymnaea Stagnalis, Gretchen K. Bielmyer-Fraser, Francis Alip, Ruth Adeyemi, Nolan Carney, Fasinia Santiago, Kyla Siemen, Kiley Donaghy

Georgia Journal of Science

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is rising at an accelerated rated due to increased anthropogenic activities. Metals have also been a noted problem; however, little research has addressed combined exposure of both pollutants to sensitive, calcifying organisms in freshwater habitats. This study examined copper accumulation (over 7 d) and activity of the antioxidant enzymes, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (over 2 d), in the freshwater common pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, after exposure to ambient and increased (2000 µatm) CO₂ and copper (control, 5, and 20 µg/L). Results demonstrated increased copper accumulation in soft tissue of snails exposed to copper; however, exposure to …

Extreme Fire As A Management Tool To Combat Regime Shifts In The Range Of The Endangered American Burying Beetle, Alison K. Ludwig, Daniel R. Uden, Dirac Twidwell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study is focused on the population of federally-endangered American burying beetles in south-central Nebraska. It is focused on changes in land cover over time and at several levels of spatial scale, and how management efforts are impacting both the beetle and a changing landscape. Our findings are applicable to a large portion of the Great Plains, which is undergoing the same shift from grassland to woodland, and to areas where the beetle is still found.

The Impact Of Nicotine Accumulation Exposure On Lithobates Catebeianus Larvae Mortality, Luke Micek

UCARE: Research Products

Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world and contain over 4,000 chemicals, including the organic compound nicotine (Slaughter et al. 2011). Billions of cigarette butts are littered each year which may wash into bodies of water, impacting the local wildlife. To determine how introduced chemicals impact the environment, it is important to study its effects on indicator species. Amphibians, such as Lithobates catebeianus, act as indicator species due to their extreme sensitivity to chemical changes in its environment. The purpose of this research project was to obtain data to help determine the impact nicotine accumulation has …

Assessing Microplastic Pollution In Four Mile Run, An Urban Stream In Northern Virginia, Kurt Moser, Tessa Naughton-Rockwell, Louisa Wang, Ethan Litmans, Amanda Manoogian

Virginia Journal of Science

Microplastics are pollutants of concern in waterways and oceans for their persistence and impact on aquatic life and food webs. This study demonstrates a low-cost land-based sampling method to assess the extent of microplastic pollution found in Four Mile Run, an urban stream in Northern Virginia. Microplastic particle counts in environmental and treated wastewater ranged from 0.01-0.24 particles L^-1 (mean 0.08 particles L^-1) and from 2 to 446 µg L^-1 (mean 70 µg L^-1), with fibers found to be the most common microplastic category. Treated wastewater effluent was found to be a significant source …

A Reexamination Of The Freshwater Mussel Community Of The Little Miami River, Emily Davis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Understanding the changes in biodiversity and local freshwater mussel populations is critical to mitigate the risks to these populations. Freshwater ecosystems continue to degrade rapidly. The freshwater mussel community of the Little Miami River is degraded and has been in decline for many years. The biodiversity contained within freshwater ecosystems is lost at unprecedented rates influenced by human activity. Freshwater mussels play a key role in understanding the effects of human activity on freshwater ecosystems as well as maintaining the health of freshwater habitats. However, they are also sensitive to changes and disturbances, in their ecosystems. This study involved monitoring …

Microbiome Targeted Therapies In Gulf War Illness, Diana Agnes Kimono

Theses and Dissertations

Gulf war illness (GWI) is a chronic multisymptomatic disorder affecting about 30% of veterans of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf war. Affected veterans complain of chronic symptoms which begun during or shortly after the war and persist 30 years later. This dissertation is a report of three studies which use a murine model to investigate the microbiome as a therapeutic target in GWI. Mice were exposed to pesticides and the prophylactic drug pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and studied these chemical’s impact on the microbiome in both an acute and persistence model of GWI.

The first study looks at the effect of altered …

The Use Of Polymer-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles For Amelioration Oil Toxicity And Enhancement Microbial Remediation, Amjed Alabresm

Theses and Dissertations

Oil spills from different sources such as natural seeps, waste waters, runoffs and accidental oil spills can have serious effects on the environment while also resulting in potentially major economic damage. Due to the harmful effects of crude oil components on ecosystems, a rapid response to sequestrate oil is required to minimize any resulting environmental impact. Currently used oil removal methods, in addition to their advantages, also have severe limitations. New techniques have been developed including nanotechnology to address these limitations. A new type of nanoparticle (NP), composed of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated iron oxide (magnetite), has been successfully used to …

Computational Tools For Analyzing Correlations Between Microbial Biological Diversity And Ecosystems, Behzad Torkian

Theses and Dissertations

Metagenomics has developed into a reliable mechanism to analyze microbial diversity of microbial communities in the recent years. Through the use of next-generation sequencing, metagenomic studies can generate billions of short sequencing reads that are processed by computational tools. However, with the rapid adoption of metagenomics, a large amount of data has been produced. This high level of data production requires the development of computational tools and pipelines to manage data scalability and performance. In this thesis, we developed several tools that will aid in the exploration of the large amount of DNA sequence data, and we further developed a …

Development, Validation, And Application Of A Novel Method To Separate And Quantify Silver Intracellular Uptake In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Mohammed A. Othman

Theses and Dissertations

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted tremendous attention as a potential broadspectrum antimicrobial agent to overcome multidrug resistant (MDR) infections. However, a comprehensive understanding to AgNPs bactericidal mechanism of action and the relative role of particulate versus ionic Ag in AgNPs antibacterial activity is lacking but essential for their optimization for potential medical applications. Therefore, a novel method to separate and quantify Ag internalization in P. aeruginosa was developed and validated through multimethod approach. The methods used were optical density at 600 nm (OD600), LIVE/DEAD staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and sorbed Ag liberation assays. After optimizing the method, it was …

Bacterial Water Quality Monitoring As Citizen Science In Congaree National Park, South Carolina, Shea Mccarthy

Theses and Dissertations

Congaree National Park aims to preserve its natural and cultural resources while protecting these benefits for current and future enjoyment. Hydrologic features make up a large portion of the park and attract visitor recreation. There are several known sources of pollution that enter these waterways, mainly from upstream sources of waste discharge. The national park and its surrounding areas hold great ecological significance, however, there are many threats to the surface water quality in this area. Water quality degradation can impact the ecosystem, wildlife, and visitor experience. This project specifically considers exposure to fecal contamination in surface waters from upstream …

The Connection Between Indoor Air Quality And Mental Health Outcomes, William L. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health among United States citizens, military members, and veterans warrant research into factors not fully considered for their effects on mental health. The built environment is increasingly recognized as a potential influence on the mental health of occupants. Specifically, indoor air quality is theorized to contribute to mental illness. Through the development of a literature review, specific air pollutants common in the built environment were identified, and the mechanisms behind their effect on mental health were explored. A model framework is outlined, estimating the number of cases of major depressive disorder attributable to indoor exposure to particulate matter. The …