Exposure To Pm2.5 And Aging.,
2025
University of Louisville
Exposure To Pm2.5 And Aging., Daniel Chris Gomes
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Inhalation of fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) is an environmental risk factor for numerous health disorders, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD). While several studies have shown that PM2.5 exposure can induce oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation, the underlying mechanisms that translate these effects into systemic pathology remain poorly understood. Some recent studies have shown that PM2.5 exposure can lead to telomere shortening in leukocytes, but the generality of this outcome and contribution to endothelial dysfunction has not yet been fully explored. We hypothesized that PM2.5inhalation accelerates cellular aging and senescence in both circulating peripheral …
Emission Characterization And Health Risk Assessment Of Volatile Organic Compounds From Automotive Painting In Thailand,
2025
Mahidol University, Bangkok
Emission Characterization And Health Risk Assessment Of Volatile Organic Compounds From Automotive Painting In Thailand, Vanitchaya Kultan, Sarawut Thepanondh, Jutarat Keawboonchu, Nattaporn Pinthong, Wissawa Malakan
Kesmas
The automotive industry is a significant source of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, particularly from solvent-based painting processes. This study evaluated VOC characteristics and distribution to assess associated health risks for workers and communities at varying distances from automotive painting facilities in Thailand, focusing on stacks and wastewater treatment plants that handle solvent-containing wastewater. The findings revealed aromatic compounds were predominant (66% of the total emissions), followed by oxygenated VOCs (26%). The stacks mainly emitted aromatics such as toluene and ethylbenzene, whereas the wastewater released oxygenated VOCs, particularly methyl isobutyl ketone and methyl ethyl ketone. The exposure concentrations in each …
The Impact Of Food Insecurity On The Physical And Mental Health Of Food Service Workers And Their Households,
2025
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The Impact Of Food Insecurity On The Physical And Mental Health Of Food Service Workers And Their Households, Pedro Andrade
Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters
Food insecurity in the United States continues to be a persistent problem, as this household stressor has worsened in the past decade. The prevalence of food insecurity varies by demographic; however, income is a key factor when discussing food security status. One group experiencing food insecurity, but often overlooked when talking about solutions, is food service workers. This research sought to understand the impact of food insecurity on food service workers and their households. A literature review was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the associations between food insecurity and physical health, mental health, household health, and occupational and …
First Report Of A Bat Guano Fire From A Cave In Southeast Asia,
2025
Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
First Report Of A Bat Guano Fire From A Cave In Southeast Asia, Sopark Jantarit, Martin Ellis, Pruet Kalasuwan, Neeranuch Phusunti, Pimonsri Mittraparp-Arthorn, Jiranan Pattano, Arnon Chukamnerd, Turdtun Tong-In, Natthawut Khrueaaunruean
International Journal of Speleology
Fires occurring in cave guano are a rare and unusual phenomenon and the occurrence of such events in Southeast Asia is particularly novel. In this study, we document the first recorded instance of a bat guano fire in a tropical cave at Tham Chao Ram in Sukhothai province, northern Thailand. A bacteriological analysis was made of the guano at the fire site and from a control site within the cave. We give a comprehensive review of global reports on bat guano fires in caves, conduct an initial investigation of the physical factors at the fire site and discuss the potential …
Effects Of Photo-Oxidized Crude Oil On Gulf Killifish Early Life Stages,
2025
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Effects Of Photo-Oxidized Crude Oil On Gulf Killifish Early Life Stages, Charles Campbell
LSU Master's Theses
Photo-oxidation of spilled crude oil generates polar compounds that can heighten toxicity to marine fish embryos. We investigated the effects of photo-oxidized crude oil on early life stages of Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) by exposing embryos under flow-through conditions to water-accommodated fractions of four oil treatments: fresh oil unexposed to either sunlight or weathering referred to as dark control (DC), a UV-light oxidized whole oil (LT), the polar fraction extracted from LT (Pol) and the remnants after extracting the Pol from LT (NP). Oil loadings of 0.38–3.00 g oil/kg water were tested. Total PAH concentrations and chemical profiles …
An Integrated Ca–Markov Modeling Framework For Forecasting Land Use And Land Cover Dynamics In Arkansas, Usa,
2025
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
An Integrated Ca–Markov Modeling Framework For Forecasting Land Use And Land Cover Dynamics In Arkansas, Usa, Rasool Vahid, Mohamed H. Aly
Environmental Dynamics Faculty Publications and Presentations
Land use and land cover (LULC) changes significantly shape urban environments and directly impact ecological and socioeconomic systems. This study aims to explore these interconnections by employing the Cellular Automata–Markov (CA–Markov) model to assess and predict LULC dynamics in Arkansas. Historical LULC datasets from 2001 to 2021, obtained from the National Land Cover Database, were simplified from 11 into 5 classes to facilitate analysis and effectively map transitions. The model was validated by predicting LULC for 2016 and 2021 and comparing the predictions with the real maps, achieving an overall accuracy of approximately 91.9%, using model validation metrics, including precision, …
Day-Night Shifts In Water-Soluble Ions Of Size-Resolved Aerosols Before And After The Covid-19 Lockdown In A Coastal Megacity: Metro Manila, Philippines,
2025
University of Arizona, Ateneo de Manila University
Day-Night Shifts In Water-Soluble Ions Of Size-Resolved Aerosols Before And After The Covid-19 Lockdown In A Coastal Megacity: Metro Manila, Philippines, Grace Betito, Paola Angela Bañaga, Rachel A. Braun, Maria Obiminda Cambaliza, Melliza Templonuevo Cruz, Alexander B. Macdonald, James Bernard Simpas, Connor Stahl, Armin Sooroshian
SOSE Affiliate: Manila Observatory
The COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdowns offer a unique opportunity to examine how reductions in anthropogenic emissions impacted atmospheric aerosol composition in urban environments. This study investigates the day-night variability of size-resolved water-soluble ions in ambient particulate matter (PM) collected in Metro Manila before (November 2019–February 2020) and after (November 2020–February 2021) lockdown implementation. Using tandem Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactors (MOUDIs), aerosol samples were collected during daytime (06:00–18:00) and nighttime (18:00–06:00) periods and analyzed for key ionic species (sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, oxalate, sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium) via ion chromatography. Submicrometer water-soluble mass declined post-lockdown, particularly during daytime, reflecting suppressed secondary formation …
Persistent Chemicals In Particulate Matter (Pm) Near A Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment Facility,
2025
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Persistent Chemicals In Particulate Matter (Pm) Near A Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment Facility, Chuqi Guo, Martine E. Mathieu-Campbell, Thomas Blanchard, Lavrent Khachatryan, Md Abdullah Al-Mamun, Qingzhao Yu, Myron Lard, Oluwafeyikemi Ogunmusi, Brenda Vallee, Wilma Subra, Iriel Edwards, David Malone, Slawo Lomnicki, Stephania A. Cormier, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant
School of Public Health Faculty Publications
Colfax, an overburdened community in central Louisiana, hosts the last commercially-operated open-burn/open-detonation (OB/OD) hazardous waste thermal treatment facility in the United States. Until December 2023 when their permit disallowed OB/OD, the facility processed military waste, fireworks, propellants, soils excavated from Superfund sites, and other hazardous materials. This community-engaged study measured ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and metals using two high-volume PM2.5 samplers deployed 1.2 mi and 9.0 mi from the facility from April, 2022 through February, 2023. Elevated PM2.5 concentrations were recorded at both sites during spring and summer 2022. …
Investigation Of Metals And Incidental Nanomaterials In Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Ashes And Their Impacts On Marine Phytoplankton,
2025
University of South Carolina
Investigation Of Metals And Incidental Nanomaterials In Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Ashes And Their Impacts On Marine Phytoplankton, Talal Abdullah Alshehri
Theses and Dissertations
Wildfires are natural processes that have played a vital role in ecosystems for millions of years. However, with increasing anthropogenic activities and climate change, wildfires' frequency and intensity have increased. A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns forests, grasses, and savannas. In addition to vegetation combustible materials, wildfire burn structure items such as homes, stores, and storage sheds in areas where the transition zone between urban and wildland is defined as the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Moreover, wildfires in WUI can burn vehicles, including automobiles, tractors, and boats on trails. Recently, there have been concerns regarding the metals, metalloids, and …
Compost Grinder For The University Of South Carolina Office Of Sustainability,
2025
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Compost Grinder For The University Of South Carolina Office Of Sustainability, Rori E. Pumphrey, Grace Yaegel, Aaron R. Sawyer, Bradley White
Senior Theses
This project originates from a collaboration with the USC Office of Sustainability, which seeks to improve the handling and processing of food waste generated on campus. The primary challenge is the difficulty in composting certain types of food waste, such as avocado pits, pumpkin rinds, and other dense or fibrous organic materials that are not easily broken down using conventional methods. Existing commercial solutions are often too large and expensive, or electrically powered, and are thus not well suited for the volume or nature of USC's food waste. To address these limitations, our team designed a manually operated food waste …
A Case Study Of Long-Term Disease Burden In A Rural Community Near An Open Burn Facility,
2025
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
A Case Study Of Long-Term Disease Burden In A Rural Community Near An Open Burn Facility, Arundhati Bakshi, Liana Baconguis, Md Abdullah Al-Mamun, Qingzhao Yu, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, Stephania A. Cormier
School of Public Health Faculty Publications
Open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of explosive and hazardous wastes creates various toxic waste products, including particulate matter, that is released into the atmosphere and capable of generating significant health impacts upon exposure. The last commercially run OB/OD thermal treatment facility in operation in the United States is located near the rural community of Colfax in central Louisiana. To evaluate the community’s concerns about the potential health impacts from air pollution due to the facility’s regular open burning of explosive and hazardous wastes, we examined the disease burden in Colfax compared to the surrounding parish and state. In a …
Air Pollution And Environmental Injustice Are Related To Respiratory Complications In Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease,
2025
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Air Pollution And Environmental Injustice Are Related To Respiratory Complications In Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease, Kelsey M. Maclin
All ETDs from UAB
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetically inherited blood disorder affecting people of African descent. SCD is characterized by painful episodes and an acute lung injury known as acute chest syndrome (ACS). Patients with SCD have a life expectancy <19 years compared to Blacks without SCD. There is minimal research investigating air pollution and health complications in SCD. The aims of this research were to investigate whether pulmonary function is affected by exposure to ambient air pollution, whether higher air pollution concentrations are associated with hospitalizations for ACS, and whether environmental injustice impacts the respiratory health of children and young adults with SCD. Air pollution data on the criteria air pollutants (CAPs) was obtained from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Patient health data were obtained from Children’s Hospital of Alabama electronic medical records. Logistic regression, distributed lag non-linear regression, Granger Causality, and Getis-Ord Gi* hot spot analysis were used to analyze our data. The EPA’s EJScreen tool was used as a measure of exposure to environmental injustice. ArcGIS was used to map the EJScreen data. Exposure to short-term air pollution is significantly associated with a reduction in pulmonary function in children and young adults with SCD. Children and young adults exposed to a one-unit increase in the monthly average concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) experienced an increase in the odds of having abnormal pulmonary function. We observed the trends of each criteria air pollutant in our study to be closely aligned with the trends in the hospitalizations for ACS. Most of our study participants with a history of ACS lived in areas burdened by greater environmental injustices. Specifically, the hot spots for ACS overlapped with the hot spots for PM2.5. Unequal exposure to environmental injustices leads to increases in hospitalizations for respiratory complications in individuals with SCD. Reductions in air pollution could be greatly beneficial to the pulmonary function and overall respiratory health of individuals with SCD. Further research is needed to examine associations between air pollution and hospitalizations for ACS in individuals with SCD.
Exploring The Relative Effects Of Natural Gas And Biogas Cooking On Indoor Air Quality In Residential Kitchens,
2025
Dickinson College
Exploring The Relative Effects Of Natural Gas And Biogas Cooking On Indoor Air Quality In Residential Kitchens, Wande Benka-Coker, Kailey Sipe, Dinela Dedic, Alexander Jones, Bramley Hawkins, Emily Lyons, Matt Steiman, Megan L. Benka-Coker
Health Sciences Faculty Publications
Indoor air pollution from gas stove combustion remains a public health concern, given links to adverse cardiorespiratory health effects, yet few studies have characterized or compared the air quality impacts of different gas-based cooking fuels. We investigated kitchen-level concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in four homes in Central Pennsylvania that used natural gas and/or biogas fueled stoves. We conducted time-resolved kitchen monitoring and assessed pollutant concentrations during cooking and non-cooking periods. We applied linear mixed-effect regression models with kitchen-level random effects and time-varying covariates to estimate the influence of fuel type on indoor air …
Exploring Potential Impacts Of Polyethylene Mesh And Polypropylene Rope Leachate On Bay Scallop (Argopecten Irradians) Survival And Growth,
2025
University of Massachusetts Boston
Exploring Potential Impacts Of Polyethylene Mesh And Polypropylene Rope Leachate On Bay Scallop (Argopecten Irradians) Survival And Growth, Katherine R. Johnson
Graduate Masters Theses
The bay scallop (Argopecten irradians), a commercially and ecologically significant bivalve along the Eastern coast of the United States, has faced severe population declines due to various anthropogenic impacts. At the same time, the proliferation of plastics, particularly in maritime industries, has introduced new threats to marine environments through both physical pollution and chemical leaching. This study aimed to assess the acute toxicological effects of leachates from two commonly used plastic products, polyethylene Netron and polypropylene rope, on A. irradians larvae. Experiments were conducted in June–July 2023 at the Nantucket Shellfish Hatchery. Leachates were prepared by incubating 0.5, …
Evaluation Of South Carolina’S Extension And Outreach Agents’ Knowledge Of Harmful Algal Bloom Management And The Impacts Of One-Day Training,
2025
Clemson University
Evaluation Of South Carolina’S Extension And Outreach Agents’ Knowledge Of Harmful Algal Bloom Management And The Impacts Of One-Day Training, George Strickland, Debabrata Sahoo, Michael Vassalos, Heather Nix, Sarah White
Journal of Extension
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) impact livestock producers. Most Extension agents have limited knowledge about HAB management. Our study goal was to assess agent readiness and training on HABs. We used data from in-person surveys of South Carolina (SC) Extension personnel. We examined how training influenced HAB knowledge using pre/post-tests. Training improved agent knowledge of HAB management, but water resource agents learned more. The results of this study can be used to identify Extension training shortfalls and drive policy to better prepare agents throughout the state. Further research should involve prioritizing additional extension topics and assessing knowledge in a similar manner.
The Characterization Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Nebraska Drinking Water And Human Health Impacts,
2025
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The Characterization Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Nebraska Drinking Water And Human Health Impacts, Sarah Tucker
Theses & Dissertations
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic compounds that have been detected in water sources of urban and rural environments with evidence of adverse human health effects from exposure. Humans are primarily exposed through ingestion of contaminated water and food. PFAS exposure has been linked to negative multi-system health outcomes (liver, kidneys, cardiovascular, reproductive, and immune). PFAS occur as persistent mixtures in environmental media with decades long consequences to water quality. While national agencies have launched large-scale PFAS water quality monitoring studies, limited data exists for contamination of rural water in Nebraska, especially private wells. The aims of this study …
A 12,800-Year-Old Layer With Cometary Dust, Microspherules, And Platinum Anomaly Recorded In Multiple Cores From Baffin Bay,
2025
University of South Carolina
A 12,800-Year-Old Layer With Cometary Dust, Microspherules, And Platinum Anomaly Recorded In Multiple Cores From Baffin Bay, Christopher R. Moore, Vladimir A. Tselmovich, Malcolm A. Lecompte, Allen West, Stephen J. Culver, David J. Mallinson, Mohammed Baalousha M.Sc, Ph.D., James P. Kennett, William M. Napier, Michael Bizimis, Victor Adedeji, Seth R. Sutton, Gunther Kleteschka, Kurt A. Langworthy, Jesus P. Perez, Timothy Witwer, Marc D. Young, Jordan Jeffreys, Richard C. Greenwood, James A. Malley
Faculty Publications
The Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis (YDIH) posits that ~12,800 years ago Earth encountered the debris stream of a disintegrating comet, triggering hemisphere-wide airbursts, atmospheric dust loading, and the deposition of a distinctive suite of extraterrestrial (ET) impact proxies at the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB). Until now, evidence supporting this hypothesis has come only from terrestrial sediment and ice-core records. Here we report the first discovery of similar impact-related proxies in ocean sediments from four marine cores in Baffin Bay that span the YDB layer at water depths of 0.5–2.4 km, minimizing the potential for modern contamination. Using scanning electron microscopy …
Analysis Of An Ethanol Sensitive Bmp-Nkx2.3-Fgf Signaling Pathway In Pouch Morphogenesis.,
2025
University of Louisville
Analysis Of An Ethanol Sensitive Bmp-Nkx2.3-Fgf Signaling Pathway In Pouch Morphogenesis., Hieu Dai Le Vo
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Craniofacial malformations lie at the heart of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). While there is growing evidence for a genetic component to FASD, little is known of the cellular mechanisms underlying these ethanol-sensitive loci in facial development. Bone Morphogenetic Protein (Bmp) signaling pathway dependent pouch formation is a key mechanism in facial development. We have previously shown that multiple Bmp mutants are sensitized to ethanol-induced facial defects. However, ethanol does not directly impact Bmp signaling. This suggests that downstream effectors, like nkx2.3 and Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) signaling, may mediate the impact of ethanol on Bmp mutants. Here, I …
Mixture Effects On Metal Accumulation In The Asian Clam, Corbicula Fluminea,
2025
East Tennessee State University
Mixture Effects On Metal Accumulation In The Asian Clam, Corbicula Fluminea, Mark A. Huff
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Field collected Corbicula fluminea were exposed to trace level copper, lead, and zinc with the aim of examining the preferential accumulation between the soft tissue and shell. Metal levels were based on those in a permitted industrial effluent. At 1X effluent and 2X effluent exposure levels, copper was found to preferentially accumulate in the clam soft tissue, lead was found to preferentially accumulate in the clam shell, and zinc was found to excrete back into the diluent after preferentially accumulating in the clam soft tissue. When exposed as a mixture at 1X effluent levels, copper and lead were found to …
From Rifles To Running Shoes: How Outdoor Recreation Trends Are Reshaping Conservation Efforts,
2025
Utah State University
From Rifles To Running Shoes: How Outdoor Recreation Trends Are Reshaping Conservation Efforts, Lane James Arthur
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Parks and protected areas (PPAs) serve a dual purpose: they conserve wildlife and natural habitats while providing spaces for people to enjoy outdoor recreation. However, balancing conservation with recreation can be challenging, especially as outdoor activities continue to grow and evolve. In Utah, Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are set aside to protect important wildlife habitats and provide opportunities for hunting and fishing. Recently, these areas have seen an increase in activities such as mountain biking, trail running, and dog walking, some of which take place in areas which prohibit recreational activity in effort to protect wildlife. These shifts in recreation …
