Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Benchmarking Ab Initio Computational Methods For The Quantitative Prediction Of Sunlight-Driven Pollutant Degradation In Aquatic Environments, Kasidet Trerayapiwat

Honors Projects

Understanding the changes in molecular electronic structure following the absorption of light is a fundamental challenge for the goal of predicting photochemical rates and mechanisms. Proposed here is a systematic benchmarking method to evaluate accuracy of a model to quantitatively predict photo-degradation of small organic molecules in aquatic environments. An overview of underlying com- putational theories relevant to understanding sunlight-driven electronic processes in organic pollutants is presented. To evaluate the optimum size of solvent sphere, molecular Dynamics and Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (MD-TD-DFT) calculations of an aniline molecule in di↵erent numbers of water molecules using CAM-B3LYP functional yielded excited …

Mineral Physics Modeling Of The Effect Of Water On Crustal Seismic Velocity Ratios, Eric Lyman

Physics Capstone Projects

This research explores the relationship between the presence of water (H2O) in the make up of rocks and minerals (specifically quartz) at different levels in the crust. The relationships were calculated using Perple_x software to adjust the level of the different chemical and mineral make up of the rock. The densities were calculated using the velocity of primary waves and shear waves as collected by Tony Lowry. There seems to be at least a casual link between water content and quartz content.

Double-Stranded Water On Stepped Platinum Surfaces, Manuel J. Kolb, Rachael G. Farber, Jonathan Derouin, Cansin Badan, Federico Calle-Vallejo, Ludo B. F. Juurlink, Daniel Killelea, Marc T. M. Koper

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The interaction of platinum with water plays a key role in (electro)catalysis. Herein, we describe a combined theoretical and experimental study that resolves the preferred adsorption structure of water wetting the Pt(111)-step type with adjacent (111) terraces. Double stranded lines wet the step edge forming water tetragons with dissimilar hydrogen bonds within and between the lines. Our results qualitatively explain experimental observations of water desorption and impact our thinking of solvation at the Pt electrochemical interface.

Extent Of Capillary Rise In Sands And Silts, Rachel Lynn Salim

Masters Theses

The values reported in literature for the height of capillary rise in fine sands, silts, and clays are contradictory. Most of the values were based on mathematical models, which used estimated rather than measured input data. This work measured capillary rise values in laboratory experiments in fine-grained sands and silts.

Two uniform sands with grains 0.35--0.7 mm in diameter and 0.3-0.6 mm in diameter, silt with an average grain size below 40 microns, and 0.35--0.7 mm sand coated with a water-repellant spray were carefully packed into two-inch diameter glass columns. These columns were placed into clear plastic tanks with water …

The Household Water Management System In The Village Of Falifah, Gambia: A Case Study In Sustainable Local Development, Baboucar Jobe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Access to safe and clean water is a problem in many countries in the world, especially sub-Saharan Africa. The urgency of the was recognized by the United Nations through its 2008 Millennium Development Goals, which were recently replaced by the new Sustainable Development Goals. Lack or poor access to clean water not only creates conflicts and rifts among the people, but also makes them more susceptible to a wide assortment of water borne diseases.

The purpose of this dissertation is to complete a pilot study of ways of thinking and actions of a small group of people from Falifah, a …

Satisfaction, Water And Fertilizer Use In The American Residential Macrosystem, Peter M. Groffman, J Morgan Grove, Colin Polsky, Neil D. Bettez, Jennifer L. Morse, Jeanine Cavender-Bares, Sharon J. Hall, James B. Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Christopher Neill, Kristen Nelson, Laura Ogden, Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, Diane Pataki, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Dexter H. Locke

Advanced Science Research Center

Residential yards across the US look remarkably similar despite marked variation in climate and soil, yet the drivers of this homogenization are unknown. Telephone surveys of fertilizer and irrigation use and satisfaction with the natural environment, and measurements of inherent water and nitrogen availability in six US cities (Boston, Baltimore, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix, Los Angeles) showed that the percentage of people using irrigation at least once in a year was relatively invariant with little difference between the wettest (Miami, 85%) and driest (Phoenix, 89%) cities. The percentage of people using fertilizer at least once in a year also ranged …

Hydrologic Models, Tyler Mahoney, Carmen T. Agouridis, Richard C. Warner

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Water is a vital part of our everyday lives. Water is necessary for domestic activities such as drinking, cooking and cleaning; agricultural practices such as growing crops and livestock; and industrial uses such as manufacturing and transporting products (Figure 1). Some of our water use is seen, such as when we take a shower. However, most of our water use is hidden, meaning that water was used to make a product although little to no water may be in the product itself. Because water is so important, a branch of science is devoted to its study.

An Ecotoxicological Survey Of Tributaries Of The Selenge River, Mongolia, August 2010, Viktor T. Komov, Ch. Javzan, William G. Brumbaugh

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The biodiversity of the Selenga river basin and the receiving waters of the lake Baikal, are among the greatest in the world with over 1,700 known endemic species of plants and animals. Mining activities along the Selenga river and its tributaries pose a major threat of chemical contamination, potentially reducing habitat quality and suitability for aquatic species. Moreover, the Selenga river serves as a major water source for the lake Baikal. Little information exists on the chemical contaminant concentrations in the Selenga river basin. Thus, the objectives of our study were to evaluate the concentrations of metals in soil, sediment, …

Resolving The Hono Formation Mechanism In The Ionosphere Via Ab Initio Molecular Dynamic Simulations, Rongxing He, Lei Li, Jie Zhong, Chongqin Zhu, Joseph S. Francisco, Xiao Cheng Zeng

Xiao Cheng Zeng Publications

Solar emission produces copious nitrosonium ions (NO⁺) in the D layer of the ionosphere, 60 to 90 km above the Earth’s surface. NO⁺ is believed to transfer its charge to water clusters in that region, leading to the formation of gaseous nitrous acid (HONO) and protonated water cluster. The dynamics of this reaction at the ionospheric temperature (200–220 K) and the associated mechanistic details are largely unknown. Using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and transition-state search, key structures of the water hydrates—tetrahydrate NO⁺(H₂O)₄ and pentahydrate NO⁺(H₂O)_{5 …}

Viability Of The Use Of Electromagnetic Induction To Predict Streambed Properties, Alexandra R. Hruby

UCARE Research Products

This study examined whether electromagnetic induction is a reliable tool to predict various streambed properties, including water conductivity, water temperature, and hydraulic conductivity. The test site was along the North Loup River, outside of St. Paul, Nebraska. Electromagnetic induction was performed using a field portable, multi-frequency EMI tool. Hydraulic conductivity was measured using the falling-head permeameter test, and water temperature and conductivity were measured using handheld meters. The study found that there is a strong positive correlation between water conductivity and apparent electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction. This relationship can be explored further through the analysis of spatial patterns …

Aqueous Electrosynthesis Of An Electrochromic Material Based Water-Soluble Edot-Menh2 Hydrochloride, Hui Sun, Long Zhang, Liqi Dong, Xiaofei Zhu, Shouli Ming, Youshan Zhang, Huakun Xing, Xuemin Duan, Jingkun Xu

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

2'-Aminomethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT-MeNH2) showed unsatisfactory results when its polymerization occurred in organic solvent in our previous report. Therefore, a water-soluble EDOT derivative was designed by using hydrochloric modified EDOT-MeNH2 (EDOT-MeNH2·HCl) and electropolymerized in aqueous solution to form the corresponding polymer with excellent electrochromic properties. Moreover, the polymer was systematically explored, including electrochemical, optical properties and structure characterization. Cyclic voltammetry showed low oxidation potential of EDOT-MeNH2·HCl (0.85 V) in aqueous solution, leading to the facile electrodeposition of uniform the polymer film with outstanding electroactivity. Compared with poly(2′-aminomethyl- 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT-MeNH2), poly(2′-aminomethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene salt) (PEDOT-MeNH3 +A-) revealed higher efficiencies (156 cm2 C-1), lower bandgap (1.68 …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Functional Evaluation Of Nanocomposites For Water Purification, Julio Eduardo Padilla

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The United Nations estimate that around 780 million people do not have access to clean and safe water and around 2.5 billion people do not have proper water sanitation. As a result, around 6-8 million people die each year due to water related diseases, such as cholera and dysentery, and disasters. As population increases the water problem will become more difficult to solve. Furthermore, climate change threatens to intensify water scarcity. The design of functional materials at the nanoscale offer unique solutions in molecular sorbents and catalytic systems that can develop into cost-effective solutions in water treatment by reducing the …

Simple And Rapid Voltammetric Determination Of Boron In Water And Steel Samples Using A Pencil Graphite Electrode, Lokman Li̇v, Nuri̇ Naki̇boğlu

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

This paper presents a simple, rapid, and accurate voltammetric method for determination of boron in water and steel samples using a disposable pencil graphite electrode. The oxidation of Tiron in the boron-Tiron complex in phosphate buffer at pH 7.5 was measured as a response. Type and concentration of supporting electrolyte, pH, ionic strength, Tiron concentration, scan rate, step amplitude, pulse amplitude, and pencil grade were investigated as the parameters affecting the peak current. The limit of detection (3s) was estimated as 84 $\mu $g/L. The relative standard deviation of the method was 4.6 for 1 mg B/L (N = 7). …

Drinking Water And Autism: Using Spatial Cluster Detection To Explore Patterns Of Autism Cases In Lane County, Oregon, Sherry Sandreth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a complex array of neurological disorders with a diverse presentation, multiple etiologies, and long-term ramifications. Prevalence of ASD in the United States is about 1 in 50 children as of 2013, making it a significant public health problem. The etiology is not understood, and it is widely accepted that it is multicausal, with genetic and environmental influences. Prior research suggests an association between water source and ASD. Contaminants such as lead, arsenic, mercury, pharmaceuticals and pesticides found in water are associated with developmental disorders suggesting that a systematic review focused on water source was warranted. …

To Hydrate Or Chlorinate: A Regression Analysis Of The Levels Of Chlorine In The Public Water Supply, Drew A. Doyle

HIM 1990-2015

Public water supplies contain disease-causing microorganisms in the water or distribution ducts. In order to kill off these pathogens, a disinfectant, such as chlorine, is added to the water. Chlorine is the most widely used disinfectant in all U.S. water treatment facilities. Chlorine is known to be one of the most powerful disinfectants to restrict harmful pathogens from reaching the consumer. In the interest of obtaining a better understanding of what variables affect the levels of chlorine in the water, this thesis will analyze a particular set of water samples randomly collected from locations in Orange County, Florida. Thirty water …

Fluid Uptake Of The Goddard Shale In Southeastern Oklahoma, Usa, Paul Huggins

Earth & Environmental Sciences Theses

The South Central Oklahoma Oil Province is the current play for the Goddard shale and is also the main field for the underlying Woodford Formation. As of September 2015, an estimated 40 wells have been drilled to evaluate and produce the Goddard shale in the southeastern portion of the Anadarko Basin. With companies reporting initial production rates ranging from 1,000 boe/d to nearly 2,000 boe/d and 30 day reports averaging around 800 boe/d, the amount of recovery from this tight shale reservoir has exceptional potential. Continental Resources Inc. estimates a gross recovery of 940,000 boe per lateral well. Understanding the …

2014-15 Central West State Of The Environment Report, Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

Laboratory Manual For Introductory Geology, Bradley Deline, Randa Harris, Karen Tefend

Geological Sciences and Geography Open Textbooks

This textbook is a comprehensive lab manual for the core curriculum Introductory Geosciences classes with both informational content and laboratory exercises. Topics include basic laws and theories in Geology, the Earth's interior and plate tectonics, water and climate change, igneous rocks and volcanoes, and earthquakes.

Accessible files with optical character recognition (OCR) and auto-tagging provided by the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation.

The Effect Of Urbanization On The Embodied Energy Of Drinking Water In Tampa, Florida, Mark Vincent Eli Santana

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing urbanization has serious implications for resource and energy use. One of these resources is drinking water. The increased amount of impervious surfaces associated with urban development is responsible for increased runoff during rain events, which may have a negative impact on the quality of nearby bodies of water, including drinking water sources. The growing populations associated with urbanization require a higher water demand. In addition, urban drinking water systems use energy to collect, treat, and distribute a safe reliable effluent to users. Therefore, this study focuses on the degree to which urbanization influences the embodied energy of drinking water …

Added Value From 576 Years Of Tree-Ring Records In The Prediction Of The Great Salt Lake Level, Robert R. Gillies, Oi-Yu Chung, Shih-Yu (Simon) Wang, R. Justin Derose, Yan Sun

Wasatch Dendroclimatology Research

Predicting lake level fluctuations of the Great Salt Lake (GSL) in Utah – the largest terminal salt-water lake in the Western Hemisphere – is critical from many perspectives. The GSL integrates both climate and hydrological variations within the region and is particularly sensitive to low-frequency climate cycles. Since most hydroclimate variable records cover less than a century, forecasting the predominant yet under-represented decadal variability of the GSL level with such relatively short instrumental records poses a challenge. To overcome data limitations, this study assesses two options: (1) developing a model using the observational GSL elevation record of 137 years to …

From A Public Health Perspective: Fracking And Other Unconventional Oil And Gas Extraction Techniques In California, Hilda J. Cerros

Master's Projects and Capstones

California strives to be a leader in clean energy, yet it the third largest producer of oil and gas. To tackle the need for a cleaner environment, free of toxic chemicals, the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) establish a Healthy Energy Choice campaign. CEH and the Healthy Energy Choice Program collaborate with other organizations and communities to shine light on the public health impacts associated with fracking and other oil and gas extraction methods. The following paper is a summary of a 300- hour field work experience completed at the CEH’s Healthy Energy Choice Program specifically with an analyzes of …

Wildlife Of The Gold Coast Wetlands, Shelley Burgin, Daryl Mcphee

Daryl McPhee

Extract: Water in the landscape of the Gold Coast is dominated by marine and marine-influenced systems. The most obvious are the in-shore waters abutting the Gold Coast's world-famous beaches and estuaries. Little more than a glance at a map of the city also reveals the extensive canal estates built to take advantage of the marine waters, and indeed expand them. The waters of the rivers mix with the ocean's waters in the estuaries. These ecosystems are valuable nursery areas for marine wildlife, particularly, but not restricted to, fishes of commercial and recreational value.

The Impact On The Gold Coast's Terrestrial Environments, Tor Hundloe

Tor Hundloe

Extract: We tend to think of the Gold Coast as a water environment. As tourists know, it sits on the shore of the vast Pacific Ocean. That is why most come. They have seen the magnificent photographs. If not perched on flattened dunes looking east to the ocean, a significant part of the urban Gold Coast environment is located around natural and human-made water environments. Of these we will say little here, other than to note their extent. The focus of this chapter is the city's terrestrial environments, reporting on and ultimately, after describing the environments, discussing what proportion of …

Using Agri-Environmental Indicators To Communicate Risks To Water Quality From Horticulture Production In Ontario, Donna Speranzini, V. Li, A. Jamieson, P. Handyside, D. K. Reid, P. Joose

21st International Conference on Environmental Indicators (ICEI 2015)

No abstract provided.

All-Weather Surfaces For Cattle Watering Facilities, Stephen F. Higgins, Kylie Schmidt, Donald J. Stamper, Kevin Laurent

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

A livestock watering area includes a watering facility and the heavy-use-area (HUA) surrounding it. Without protection, the HUA can develop surface depressions. Surface depressions can render the watering facility inaccessible and no longer frost-proof. Surface depressions also collect rainwater and excrement, creating mud and conditions adverse to livestock health (Figure 1).

Reducing Nutrient Runoff From Poultry Production Facilities Using Locally-Sourced Iron And Aluminum Byproducts, Sheri Lynn Herron

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) inputs to fresh waters can accelerate the eutrophication process. Agricultural nutrient runoff has been shown to be a contributor of P and nitrogen (N). Broiler production areas were evaluated for their potential to contribute P and N to runoff. Broiler house dust (BHD) samples were analyzed and compared to broiler litter (BL), rainfall simulations were conducted on plots adjacent to broiler house fans to evaluate nutrient enrichment in runoff from deposited dust, and runoff was automatically sampled at two culverts draining the land around broiler houses. Following this, an on-farm byproduct containment and nutrient removal structure was designed …

Optical Sensing System Based On Wireless Paired Emitter Detector Diode Device And Ionogels For Lab-On-A-Disc Water Quality Analysis, Monika Czugala, Robert Gorkin Iii, Thomas Phelan, Jennifer Gaughran, Vincenzo Curto, Jens Ducree, Dermot Diamond, Fernando Benito-Lopez

Robert Gorkin III

This work describes the first use of a wireless paired emitter detector diode device (PEDD) as an optical sensor for water quality monitoring in a lab-on-a-disc device. The microfluidic platform, based on an ionogel sensing area combined with a low-cost optical sensor, is applied for quantitative pH and qualitative turbidity monitoring of water samples at point-of-need. The autonomous capabilities of the PEDD system, combined with the portability and wireless communication of the full device, provide the flexibility needed for on-site water testing. Water samples from local fresh and brackish sources were successfully analysed using the device, showing very good correlation …

Remote Water Metering In Venecia, Nicaragua, Jeffrey Wettstein

Honors Theses

The senior Capstone Design Project is the culmination of over three years of undergraduate work in electrical engineering, and other related fields. The project allows students to demonstrate their knowledge on a tangible design. Starting from a blank slate, the Capstone process asks students to carefully move through every stage of design in order to create the most effect output. Water shortage is a major problem for the entire world including the United States, but particularly in developing countries like Nicaragua. The community of Venecia, Nicaragua has a unique water problem. Community members leave taps running in fear that if …

Assessment Of Risks And Benefits For Pennsylvania Water Sources When Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage For Hydraulic Fracturing, Frederick R. Davis

Master's Projects and Capstones

The use of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in the hydraulic fracturing process increases the complexity of a polarizing topic. Many stakeholders see a potential to provide relief to multiple environmental problems while others see it as another threat to the Pennsylvania water supply so many parties depend on. This research will evaluate data from Pennsylvania state agencies and additional academic research regarding AMD and fracking to assess potential benefits, risks, and complications for Pennsylvania watersheds when using AMD in the fracking process.

Chapter 1 presents background information on energy demand and hydraulic fracturing, as well as energy sources and industrial …

Insect Communities: Ellensburg Upstream Versus Downstream Sites, Michael Balda

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

Urban stream syndrome occurs when an urban area affects a stream system. Stream burial is common in urban systems, and burial blocks incoming light, potentially affecting available food resources and, in turn, affecting the insect communities. I tested for changes to the stream ecosystem as a result of urbanization by measuring insect community parameters upstream and downstream of buried sites in the three creeks in Ellensburg, Washington, that are affected by urban stream syndrome. I measured chlorophyll on rocks, total suspended sediments (TSS), fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), ammonium, and phosphorus to relate to insect communities characteristics. I hypothesized that …