Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Residential Metals Abatement Program – Interior School Dust – Investigation Summary Report – After The Bell Child Care Center, Thomas J. Beckman, Christopher Berg, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Diggings East 60% Remedial Design Package Submittal, Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report (Non- Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) Silver Bow Montessori, Christopher Berg, Thomas J. Beckman, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Kinematic And Dynamic Structure Of The 18 May 2020 Squall Line Over South Korea, Wishnu Agum Swastiko, Chia-Lun Tsai, Seung Hee Kim, Gyuwon Lee

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

The diagonal squall line that passed through the Korean Peninsula on the 18 May 2020 was examined using wind data retrieved from multiple Doppler radar synthesis focusing on its kinematic and dynamic aspects. The low-level jet, along with warm and moist air in the lower level, served as the primary source of moisture supply during the initiation and formation process. The presence of a cold pool accompanying the squall line played a role in retaining moisture at the surface. As the squall line approached the Korean Peninsula, the convective bands in the northern segment (NS) and southern segment (SS) of …

Sgd-Od: Investigating The Potential Oxygen Demand Of Submarine Groundwater Discharge In Coastal Systems., Willard S Moore, Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Charles Schutte, Amy Moody, Alan Shiller, Ryan J Sibert, Samantha Joye

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) supplies nutrients, carbon, metals, and radionuclide tracers to estuarine and coastal waters. One aspect of SGD that is poorly recognized is its direct effect on dissolved oxygen (DO) demand in receiving waters, denoted here as SGD-OD. Sulfate-mediated oxidation of organic matter in salty coastal aquifers produces numerous reduced byproducts including sulfide, ammonia, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, methane, and reduced metals. When these byproducts are introduced to estuarine and coastal systems by SGD and are oxidized, they may substantially reduce the DO concentration in receiving waters and impact organisms living there. We consider six estuarine and …

Evaluating Appropriate Participant Training Period For Anuran Auditory Surveys, Evianna Goebel

Honors Projects

Auditory surveys are common in anuran research as they can tell a lot about a species without being intensely laborious or costly. There has not been much research on training periods for those taking part in the surveys. Proper training is necessary and improper training can hinder a project and lead to skewed results. In this study, we took students from several biology 2040 classes and had them study the calls of 11 frog species in NW Ohio. From the data, we can conclude that 2 weeks of roughly 100 minutes of study time is not enough for successful results …

Strategic Pattern And Optimization Of China's Eco-Regions During Fifteenth Five-Year Plan Period, Kan Zhou, Jie Fan, Daojing Zhou, Zhedong Qian, Hu Yu, Hanchu Liu, Jian Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Since the implementation of the major function oriented zoning, the ecological space of key ecological functional areas has continuously expanded, with a significant increase in vegetation coverage. Concurrently, there has been a dual change in population dynamics, characterized by a decrease in total population and an increase in the urban population. Furthermore, significant achievements have been made in economic and social development, and there has been a steady improvement in the functions of ecological security barriers, contributing to an alleviation of tension in human-environment relationships. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it is imperative to adhere to the functional orientation …

Insights On Further Deepening Carbon Peaking And Carbon Neutrality Strategy And Pathways, Baihe Gu, Donghui Yu, Chen Wang, Yi Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The low carbon transition pathway is a series of goals, technologies, fundings, policies, and other integrated driven system action roadmap. With the deepening of society’s understanding of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, China’s dual-carbon faces the challenge of systemic advancement of comprehensive deepening implementation. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China once again emphasized that achieving the dual-carbon goal will bring about extensive and profound economic and social systemic changes, and pointed out that based on China’s energy endowment, we should adhere to first establishment and then phase-out and implement the carbon peaking actions in a planned …

Evolution, Stage Characteristics And Governance Model Transformation Of China's Low-Carbon Policy, Yigang Wei, Jiawei Shi, Guannan Xu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

A systematic review of China’s low-carbon policy and paradigm transformation is imperative for establishing a well-designed policy system to achieve the “dual carbon” goals. Based on the theory of policy change, this study constructs an analytical framework of “policy objectives—policy themes—policy fluctuations”. This study uses text mining techniques and policy measurement methods to analyze 1 743 low-carbon policies implemented in China from 2000 to 2021. The study summarizes the stage characteristics and evolutionary path of low-carbon policy development in China, evaluates the contribution of each policy theme at different stages, and portrays the paradigm shift in low-carbon governance. The findings …

Türkiye's Sustainable Tourism Transformation: An Overview, Mustafa Sogut

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference Sweden April 23, 2024

Türkiye has initiated a paradigm shift in its tourism industry, marked by a collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), renowned for setting robust sustainability standards. The agreement, initiated in 2022, prioritizes sustainability commitment, commencing with formulating national program criteria and certification bodies training. The initial phase is targeted for completion by the end of 2023, with subsequent stages progressively implemented by 2025, ultimately aiming to meet all international standards by 2030.

This strategic move aims to position Turkey prominently in sustainable tourism, aligning with the goals of The Paris Agreement. Turkey has proactively steered its tourism industry towards …

Analysis Of Circular Design Principles For The Sustainable End-Of-Life Management Of Renewable Energy Assets: Investigation Of Illinois And Germany Renewable Energy Policies And Programs., Samuel N. Nimaful

2024 Student Research and Creativity Conference

This poster presents an analysis into the integration of circular design principles within renewable energy policies, comparing the approaches of Illinois, USA, and Germany. With the global shift towards renewable energy to combat climate change, the sustainable management of end-of-life (EoL) renewable assets has become crucial. The study utilizes a thematic analysis to explore seven key policies from Illinois and five from Germany, employing NVivo software to dissect aspects such as design strategies, support for innovation, and enforcement mechanisms.

Stress Phenotyping Analysis Leveraging Autofluorescence Image Sequences With Machine Learning, Sruti Das Choudhury, Carmela Rosaria Guadagno, Srinidhi Bashyam, Anastasios Mazis, Brent E. Ewers, Ashok Samal, Tala Awada

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Autofluorescence-based imaging has the potential to nondestructively characterize the biochemical and physiological properties of plants regulated by genotypes using optical properties of the tissue. A comparative study of stress tolerant and stress susceptible genotypes of Brassica rapa with respect to newly introduced stress-based phenotypes using machine learning techniques will contribute to the significant advancement of autofluorescence-based plant phenotyping research.

Methods: Autofluorescence spectral images have been used to design a stress detection classifier with two classes, stressed and non-stressed, using machine learning algorithms. The benchmark dataset consisted of time-series image sequences from three Brassica rapa genotypes (CC …

An Ethnography Of Permaculture In Southwest Michigan, Lily Burke

Honors Theses

Permaculture is a holistic design system for meeting human and environmental needs in a sustainable way, using local conditions and circumstances to shape land use and food production practices. My project questions what it means to practice permaculture in southwest Michigan, and how environmental ideological commitments can translate into action and practice. Ethnographically investigating these questions through semi-structured interviews and participant observation with individuals in the permaculture community, along with extensive reading of permaculture materials, my study adds to research on applications and adoptions of permaculture in suburban contexts, and sheds light on how ecological ideological commitments can translate into …

Arkansas Soil Erosion And Conservation Methods In Ornamental Landscapes, Abby J. Cutsinger

ATU Research Symposium

This study will attempt to identify the best soil erosion mitigation methods for Arkansas ornamental landscape settings by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of known techniques. Since soil is not a renewable resource, we must apply conservation practices wherever possible, not just in agricultural settings. To determine the most effective erosion prevention techniques, this study will review soil studies conducted by the NRCS and NASA, as well as articles on best practices observed in ornamental landscape and agricultural industries. These are analyzed by comparing and contrasting techniques against known problems with Arkansas soil to determine which methods are most effective. …

Environmental Health Impacts Of Small-Scale Gold Mining In East Indonesia: Mercury Pollution And Nature Conservation, Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo, Nada Ismita Hawa, Nuraeni Nuraeni

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The expansion of small-scale gold mining impacts environmental health and socioeconomic. Research in Bombana District, one of the gold mining centers in eastern Indonesia, was conducted to explore perceptions of the impact of small-scale gold mining on human health and attitudes towards environmental conservation activities related to small-scale gold mining activities. This research uses a quantitative approach with univariate tests to identify respondent characteristics, bivariate tests (Chi-square) to test relationships and frequency differences, and multivariate analysis (regression) to test the direction and magnitude of the relationship. The perception of the impact of small-scale gold mining on human health was not …

Critical Raw Material In Mineral Elements Found In Fly Ashes From The Czech Republic Power Plant, Agnieszka Klupa

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The economic development of EU countries is limited due to limited access to a number of mineral raw materials, which necessitates actions aimed at securing the supply of CRM. For this reason, CRMs constitute elements of particular importance for the EU. The aim of the study was to assess the content of CRMs as a potential source of REY in fly ash resulting from the coal combustion in one of the power plants in the Czech Republic. In the tested ash the main phases are: glassy phase, mullite and quartz. The chemical composition of the tested fly ashes showed dominance …

Building A Strategic Framework With A Sustainability Lens At Wcu, Stefanie Schwalm

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Stefanie Schwalm, WCU Associate Provost for Accreditation, SRPS Spring '24 4/17: "Building a Strategic Framework with a Sustainability Lens at WCU."

Rescape: Transforming Coral-Reefscape Images For Quantitative Analysis, Zachary Ferris, Eraldo Ribeiro, Tomofumi Nagata, Robert Van Woesik

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Ever since the first image of a coral reef was captured in 1885, people worldwide have been accumulating images of coral reefscapes that document the historic conditions of reefs. However, these innumerable reefscape images suffer from perspective distortion, which reduces the apparent size of distant taxa, rendering the images unusable for quantitative analysis of reef conditions. Here we solve this century-long distortion problem by developing a novel computer-vision algorithm, ReScape, which removes the perspective distortion from reefscape images by transforming them into top-down views, making them usable for quantitative analysis of reef conditions. In doing so, we demonstrate the …

The State Of The Carbon Capture And Sequestration Industry In California In 2024: Challenges And Policy Solutions, Noah Jackson

School of Public Policy Capstones

Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) is the process of capturing CO₂ from an above ground carbon source, transporting it to a sequestration well, and permanently sinking it deep underground. Despite the state of California depending on CCS to reach carbon neutrality, not one CCS project is operational yet in the state. Due to the recent creation and expansion of state low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) credits and the federal 45Q credits, CCS projects are beginning to be developed. Between 2021 and 2023 twelve Class VI applications were submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in California.

This paper …

Environmental Factors Associated With Triploid Aspen Occurrence In Intermountain West Landscapes, Karen E. Mock, James A. Walton

Browse all Datasets

Polyploidy is common among plants and can contribute to physiological and morphological differences, altering how plants respond to environmental changes, promoting genetic diversification, and even species radiation. Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), a keystone species associated with high plant and animal diversity is frequently found in mixed diploid/triploid populations in the Intermountain West. High mortality rates and widespread population declines in aspen are of increasing concern in the Intermountain West, often ascribed to changing climates and drought stress events. The goal of this study was to better understand environmental factors influencing the distribution of triploid aspen population in the Intermountain West. …

Induced Oxidation Effects On Physical And Mechanical Properties Of Lignite From Tempoku, Hokkaido, Japan For Sustainable Mining Via Subsurface Cultivation And Gasification Method, Akm Badrul Alam, Noritaka Aramaki, Shuji Tamamura, Akio Ueno, Takuma Murakami, Yoshiaki Fujii, Katsuhiko Kaneko

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The lignite resource has been under consideration for the subsurface cultivation and gasification (SCG) method to produce biomethane from lignite in Hokkaido, Japan. The primary phase of the method entails initiating the oxidative transformation of lignite using an H₂O₂ solution, resulting in the formation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a pivotal component. To examine the effects of induced oxidation on lignite's mechanical properties, artificial oxidation tests were conducted to form DOC. While there was a slight decrease in P-wave velocity and density, the uniaxial compression and indirect tensile strengths, as well as stiffness, did not decrease. These …

Re: Comments On The Repository And Haul Route Geotechnical Pre-Design Investigation Work Plan (Dated March 29, 2024), Repository And Proposed Haul Route – Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area Quality Assurance Project Plan (Dated March 29, 2024), And Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area Repository Data Gap Quality Assurance Project Plan (Dated March 22, 2024), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report Kennedy Elementary, Christopher Berg, Thomas J. Beckman, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report (Non- Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) Small World Day Care, Environmental Resource Management (Erm)

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Microplastics Fouling Mitigation In Forward Osmosis Membranes By The Molecular Assembly Of Sulfobetaine Zwitterion, Javad Farahbakhsh, Mitra Golgoli, Mehdi Khiadani, Amir Razmjou, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Forward osmosis (FO) membranes have potential for the efficient water and wastewater treatment applications. However, their development has faced significant challenges due to their fouling propensity. In this study, FO membranes modified with sulfobetaine zwitterions (i.e., [2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) were fabricated and used for the first time to address microplastic (MP) fouling issue. Water flux, reverse salt flux (RSF), fouling, and flux recovery were evaluated for the membranes loaded with different quantities of the zwitterions ranging from 0.25 % to 2 %. The developed membranes were tested over 49 h with feed solutions containing polyethylene MPs and bovine serum albumin …

A Biocompatible Hybrid Approach For The Selection Of Gas Drainage Methods In Coal Mines Based On The Best-Worst Method And Analytic Network Process, Amir Jafarpour, Mehdi Najafi, Ali Dabagh

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Methane drainage is one of the main steps in underground coal mining projects. The operation of methane extraction from coal mines/seams is important from the safety, economic, and technical points of view. Selecting the appropriate method for methane drainage is very difficult, and if the method is not chosen correctly, it will lead to environmental problems. The relationship between different influencing factors, parameters, and methods (and how they affect) is significant in choosing the method of gas drainage. In the current study, a hybrid algorithm is presented based on an Analytic Network Process (ANP) and a method based on the …

Phighting Phosphorus: The Effects Of Sedimentary Phosphorus On The Macatawa Watershed, Elizabeth Kelley, Rachel Fusik, Jake Lyon

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Lake Macatawa experiences severe eutrophication and algal blooms that negatively impact the native species and recreational usage of the lake. There have been several previously completed studies on phosphorus pollution in the water by the Hope College Day1 Watershed Group. However, these measurements do not include lake sediments, which could also be a significant reservoir of phosphorus. Our research group decided to test the sediment at the same three lake locations tested by the Watershed Group, taking two core samples at each location. These samples were dried, combusted in a muffle oven, weighed, digested from solid to liquid, and then …

Development Of A Liquid Chromatography Method For The Quantification Of Carbohydrates In Peat Soils, Christopher Klaver, Parker Diaz, Abigail Brewer, Gael Figueroa-Enriquez, Madison Smith

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Peatlands are an important carbon sink. However, climate change threatens to cause the peatlands to release their stored-up carbon. This would result in lots of carbon dioxide and methane to be released into the atmosphere due to the increased peat decomposition. This would end up forming a positive feedback loop, and thus resulting in more and more carbon lost from the peat. The biochemical composition of the peat is an indicator of the degradation state of the peat as well as its ongoing vulnerability to decomposition. In this study, we developed an HPLC method for analyzing the carbohydrate composition of …

Stream-Borne Floating Mismanaged Waste In Holland, Michigan: Focus On Foam, Sam J. Haakenson, Reina A. Duron

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Streams and storm drain systems link terrestrial roadside litter to rivers and lakes, which eventually supply floating debris to the global ocean. To better understand this linkage, we evaluated the kinds and quantity of floating mismanaged solid waste being transported in five streams within the Lake Macatawa watershed in the environs of Holland, Michigan. We deployed floating litter booms in the four smallest streams. These consisted of a rip-stop nylon sleeve encasing pool noodle floats strung on a wire rope. These were placed diagonally across the stream and anchored to fence posts set into the stream banks. In the largest …

No "Butts" About It: The Heavy Metal Impact Of Cigarette Litter, Faith Huff, Connor Monson, Spencer Whittington

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Cigarettes are the most common litter globally. Following smoking, the filter is left with carcinogenic compounds, tar and metals. All of which are highly toxic for wildlife, affecting reproduction, behavior and mortality rate in animals. The heavy metals that are left within the filter also have potential to leach from the cigarettes and enter the groundwater system. As these heavy metals enter the system, it leads to adverse effects on the environment and can cause detrimental health effects in humans, such as cell damage, induced carcinogenic processes and loss of cellular functions. Much research that exists currently only focuses on …