Dissertations / Theses: 'Geology|Environmental geology|Environmental health'

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Hurtado, Heather Ann. "Naturally Occurring Background Levels of Arsenic in the Soils of Southwestern Oregon." Thesis, Portland State University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10134261.

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This study examines the natural background concentrations of arsenic in the soils of southwest Oregon, using new samples in addition to data collected from previous theses (Khandoker, 1997 and Douglas, 1999). The original 213 samples were run by ICP-AES with a reporting limit of 20 ppm, and only three samples had detected values. The original samples were tested again (2013) at a lower reporting limit of 0.2 ppm by ICP-MS, as were 42 new samples (2013), to better ascertain the natural levels of arsenic in undisturbed soils. The aim is to add to the existing DEQ data set, which has been used to establish new regulatory levels based on natural levels in the environment that are both safer and more economically viable than the former risk-based remediation levels (DEQ, 2013).

The maximum and mean concentrations, respectively, for each province (with high formation map unit) are 85.4 and 21.99 ppm for South Willamette Valley (Tfee), 45.4 and 5.42 ppm for the Klamath Mountains (Jub), 11.9 and 2.76 ppm for the Cascade Range (Tbaa), 10.6 and 5.15 ppm for the Coast Range (Ty), 2.32 and 1.29 ppm for the Basin and Range (Qba) and 1.5 and 1.20 ppm for the High Lava Plains (Tmv).

In addition, the distribution and variance of arsenic in the A and B soil horizons is assessed in this study by comparing deviation at a single site, and also by comparing A and B horizons of 119 PSU sites. One of 18 new sites sampled for this study (distinguished with the HH prefix), site HH11, was randomly chosen to evaluate differences at a single location. Site HH11 is an Inceptisol soil above volcanic rock (KJdv map unit) located at 275 meters elevation in Douglas County within the Klamath province. Five samples were taken from the A and from the B horizons at site HH11. The means and standard deviations were 3.74 ± 0.44 for the A horizon and 4.53 ± 0.39 for the B horizon. The consistency and low deviation within each horizon indicate that a single sample within a horizon is a good representative of that horizon and supports the field methodology used in this study of taking only one sample in the A horizon and one sample in the B horizon.

Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test determined that A and B horizons for the 119 sites that had data for both the A and B horizons were not statistically different (p-value 0.76). Arsenic concentration is not associated with a particular horizon for these sites. However, differentiation between soil horizons increases with age (Birkeland, 1999), as does accumulation of the iron oxides and sulfide minerals on clay surfaces (McLaren et al., 2006) which concentrate in the B horizon. These associations warrant further study to see how they relate to arsenic level, soil development and age in Oregon soils.

Lastly, this study statistically examines six potentially important environmental predictors of naturally occurring arsenic in southwestern Oregon: site elevation, geomorphic province, mapped rock type and age, and sample soil order and color (redness). A Classification and Regression Tree Model (CART) determined soil order, elevation and rock type to be of significant importance in determining arsenic concentrations in the natural environment. According to the regression tree, arsenic concentrations are greater within Alfisol and Ultisol/Alfisol and Vertisol soil orders, at lower elevations below 1,207 meters, and within soils from sedimentary, mixed volcanic/sedimentary and unconsolidated rock types.

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Arnold, Emily G. "Evaluation of Urban Riparian Buffers on Stream Health in the Tookany Watershed, PA." Master's thesis, Temple University Libraries, 2016. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/405730.

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Geology
M.S.
Stream channels and their corresponding riparian zones are composed of complex spatially and temporally dynamic systems. Changing land-use associated with urbanization has resulted in large shifts in riparian assemblages, stream hydraulics, and sediment dynamics leading to the degradation of the world’s waterways. To combat degradation, restoration and management of riparian zones is becoming increasingly common. However, the relationship between flora, especially the influence of invasive species, on sediment dynamics is poorly understood. This relationship must be studied further to ensure the success of management practices. Three methods were used to monitor erosion and turbidity within the Tookany Creek and its tributary Mill Run in the greater Philadelphia, PA region. To evaluate the influence of the invasive species Reynoutria japonica (Japanese knotweed) on erosion, reaches were chosen based on their riparian vegetation and degree of incision. Methods used to estimate sediment erosion included measuring changes in bank pins, repeated total station transects, and monitoring turbidity responses to storm events. While each method has been used in previous studies to monitor sediment flux, the combination of methods in this study allowed their applicability to be compared. Measurements taken with YSI turbidity loggers showed large fluctuations in turbidity based both on riparian conditions and geomorphic positioning, suggesting that future studies need to be careful with logger placement when using sediment calibration curves to estimate sediment yield within streams. There were pros and cons of using both total station and bank pins to estimate bank erosion. Total station has the potential to produce highly accurate measurements but a greater risk of loss of data if the control points used to establish the grid cannot be re-established from one measurement to the next. Bank pins are more likely to influence bank erosion and be affected by freeze-thaw conditions but provide a simple method of monitoring erosion at frequent intervals. Volume calculations based on total station transects along the main stem of the Tookany did not show a consistent relationship between riparian type and erosion rates. However, erosion calculations based on bank pins suggest greater erosion in reaches dominated by knotweed with 4.7x10-1 m3/m and 8.3x10-2 m3/m more erosion than those dominated by trees at Chelten Hills and Mill Run respectively. Turbidity responses to storm events were also higher (76.7 v 54.2 NTU) in reaches with knotweed, although this increase was found when the reach dominated by knotweed was also incised. Thus, this study linked knotweed to increased erosion using multiple methods.
Temple University--Theses

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Flett, Lonnie E. "Providing New Environmental Health Contexts for Native American Populations: A Geochemistry, SEM, and Geospatial Investigation of Airborne Uranium and Metal Particulate in Tree Bark Near the Midnite Mind and Dawn Mill, Spokane Reservation, WA, USA." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1588006471924346.

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Anderson, Michael. "Transport of the Herbicide Atrazine on Suspended Sediments During a Spring Storm Event in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky." TopSCHOLAR®, 2002. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/614.

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This study examines the transport of atrazine, an herbicide used in Kentucky to control grassy and broad-leaf weeds in corn fields, on suspended sediments. Atrazine is a known carcinogen and endocrine disruptor and has been shown to be toxic at low environmental concentrations. Atrazine has the capacity to adsorb to soil particles, which in karst areas such as those found in south central Kentucky can be transported directly into the groundwater. Suspended sediments and water were collected from a well at the Hawkins River in Mammoth Cave National Park during a spring storm and tested for atrazine. Atrazine was found in concentrations exceeding 3 |ig/l in all of the sediment samples collected. Concentrations of atrazine in the cave stream's water were low, ranging from nondetectable traces to 0.1 (j.g/1. These results indicate that, in some cases, adsorption to sediments may be a major mechanism for atrazine transport in karst regions. The relatively high levels of atrazine present on the suspended sediments raise serious concerns, since this mode of transport has received little attention in karst environments.

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Capps, Arthur. "Dye Tracing to Delineate Drainage Basins and Determine Groundwater Sensitivity, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky; with Special Reference to Potential Groundwater Contamination from Spills Along Interstate I-65." TopSCHOLAR®, 2001. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/681.

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The Mammoth Cave System of south central Kentucky encompasses more than 560 km of surveyed cave passages. The largest groundwater basin (244 km2) found within this cave system emerges from the Turnhole Bend Spring on the Green River. During high flow conditions, water from this groundwater basin will spill over into the Echo River section of the cave. Previous research, including cave mapping and dye tracing (Quinlan and Ray, 1989; Currens and Ray, 1998; Coons, 1994), has delineated the boundaries of spring groundwater basins for numerous springs along the Green and Barren Rivers. These data showed that 60% of the water that flows through the Turnhole Bend Aquifer comes from beyond the boundaries and protection of Mammoth Cave National Park. This area outside the park is crossed by several major transportation routes, including Interstate 1-65, U.S. Highway 31 -W, and CSX Railroad. Because the Turnhole Bend Aquifer is crossed by these major transportation routes, the aquifer is vulnerable to contamination from accidental spills of hazardous materials. Dye tracing methods were utilized to better delineate the boundaries and sub-basins of the Turnhole Bend Groundwater Basin along Interstate Highway 1-65. The approximate boundaries developed by previous research by others were first used to located areas that had not been previously dye traced. Fluorescent dyes were used as tracers and were detected by both qualitative (yes/no) methods and by quantitative (discrete water sampling) methods. Data from quantitative dye traces performed during this research provided additional information on the behavior of water flow into and through the maturely karstified limestones found in the south central Kentucky karst. Dye traces performed during the wet season, late winter and spring, have shown that average flood pulse groundwater flow velocities often exceed 1 km/hr. These high flow rates are contrasted by flow rates in the order of 0.5 km/day during the summer when evapotranspiration is high and rainfall is less frequent. Data from the quantitative dye traces also indicate a significant difference in the residence times of the dye between the wet and dry seasons. Dye that was injected during the wet season had a relatively short residence time in the cave streams of approximately 2 to 3 days. Dry season quantitative dye traces are very different with residence times of over 12 days being recorded. This information is vital in determining the consequences of a sudden release of hazardous materials within the drainage basin of Mammoth Cave and demonstrates that emergency planning is crucial.

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Kambesis, Patricia. "Agricultural Contaminant Source and Transport in a Karst Groundwater Basin." TopSCHOLAR®, 2007. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/426.

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Agricultural land use in areas that are located in karst groundwater basins negatively impact groundwater quality because karst terrains provide multiple, direct hydrologic connections from the surface into karst aquifers. The connections and rapid velocities associated with surface and subsurface flow in karst aquifers allow for contaminants to move quickly into and through a groundwater basin. When groundwater returns to the surface via a spring or springs, any contaminants within the water become part of surface streams and rivers. These in turn, impact water quality in areas located downstream of the spring or springs. The purpose of this study was to identify the source and movement of agricultural contaminants in a karst groundwater basin within the context of local climate, hydrogeology and land use. The study area is a fluvio-karst groundwater basin located in the Corn Belt of northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota. Land use is predominantly agricultural in nature. Dye tracing, both qualitative and quantitative, resulted in the delineation of the Coldwater Cave Groundwater basin and illustrated that the boundaries of the basin could change as a result of precipitation events. Investigation of basin and aquifer characteristics, stream water temperature monitoring, and evaluation of cave map data and karst feature inventories determined that the surface and subsurface hydrogeology in the study area was very well integrated. Water sampling and analysis documented that agricultural contaminants, specifically nitrates, bacteria, and atrazine impact the quality of the surface water and groundwater within the basin. A ribotyping project that was done in conjunction with the thesis work showed the source of bacteria to be from cattle and humans. Nitrogen isotope analyses indicated that the source of nitrates was from ammonium fertilizers and from septic system wastes. Atrazine, at levels well below the MCL standards established by EPA, and its metabolite deethylatrzine (DEA) were detected in the groundwater year round. Contaminant load was calculated for nitrates, bacteria, and atrazine. Lowest contaminant loads occurred during the winter months of November, December, and January, when freezing temperatures minimized groundwater recharge. Contaminant load varied between high and low concentrations during the months of February and March reflecting the diurnal change between above and below freezing surface temperatures. Contaminant loads were highest during May through October when storm events are common. Contaminant load and transport are a function of the interaction of local hydrogeology and climate.

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Stewart, Lauren R. "Spatial Prediction of Bioavailability and Risk of Lead in Urban Soils to Children." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1369143613.

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Iovanna, Anthony. "Evaluating Uranium Depth Versus Socio-Economic Statistics for Residential Radon Vulnerability in Warren County, Kentucky." TopSCHOLAR®, 2004. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/529.

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Residences in Warren County, Kentucky, are characterized by high levels of residential radon, which is one of the radioactive daughter products of uranium. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), radon exposure causes approximately 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States per year. The City of Bowling Green, in Warren County, is underlain by karst, an easily soluble limestone subsurface, which allows radon gas to travel easily through cracks and fissures. Carbonate rocks under Bowling Green are underlain by the Devonian Chattanooga Shale, a low-grade uranium ore and a potential source of radon gas. A digital map of the Chattanooga Shale was created using Arc GIS. A 1.6 km by 1.6 km (one-mile by onemile) grid for Warren County was generated, and depth data from oil wells within each grid cell were averaged to render the elevation of the top surface of the Chattanooga Shale in a digital format. A socio-economic GIS of Warren County was created using US Census Bureau and Property Value Administration data. The Chattanooga Shale and the socio-economic layers were correlated to test points that have high residential radon measurements to determine whether proximity to the shale layer or home type is the better predictor for radon risk. Once risks have been determined, management decisionmaking is simplified and resources can be targeted towards high need areas. Although this study determined that home type, i.e., size of the home and whether there is a basement present, does have a significant effect on residential radon levels, proximity to the top surface of the Chattanooga Shale does not have a significant effect in Warren County, Kentucky. Due to this lack of a geologic pattern it is recommended that radon mitigation systems be included in all new home construction and design.

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Merkley, Brett J. "Sources and Pathways of Lead Contamination in Urban Community Gardens in Toledo, Ohio." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1555621213052896.

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Webster, James William. "Radon Contamination of Residences in a City Built Upon a Karst Landscape Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky." TopSCHOLAR®, 1990. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1682.

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 8 to 12% of U.S. homes have radon concentrations that equal or exceed 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/l). A statewide screening of Kentucky by EPA resulted in an average residential radon concentration of 2.8 pCi/l with 17% of the homes at or above 4 pCi/l. EPA requires routine monitoring and maintenance or worker health records in mines and caves having radon daughter concentrations at or above 0.30 working levels (WL). Bowling Green is a city located in a karst region of south central Kentucky. Residents of Bowling Green have been subjected to various environmental hazards that are closely linked with the landscape. Of particular concern has been the recurring problem of chemical fumes rising from contaminated caves and collecting in buildings. The author has recorded radon daughter concentrations in excess of 5 WLs in caves beneath Bowling Green. A preliminary screening of residential radon concentrations in Bowling Green resulted in an average concentration of 25.8 pCi/l. Two of the test results were above 100 pCi/l and were recorded in homes that were known to have a history of fume problems. These results spurred this thesis which addresses the magnitude of residential radon contamination in Bowling Green and its association with the karst landscape. The investigation involved radon daughter testing in Bowling Green caves and residential radon testing. A total of 84 measurements were conducted in order to establish a working average residential radon concentration for the city. Twelve other tests were performed in buildings known to have a history of chemical fume problems. The resulting average residential radon concentration was 9.06 pCi/l. First floor measurements averaged 4.73 pCi/l, and basement measurements averaged 22.92 pCi/l. The overall average for buildings with a history of fume problems was 35.15 pCi/l with first floors and basements averaging 29.75 and 57.40 pCi/l respectively. Forty-six percent of the homes comprising the sample population equaled or exceeded 4 pCi/l. The results of the investigation indicate that: Bowling Green Caves sometime have radon daughter concentrations far in excess of 0.30 WL. The average residential radon concentration for Bowling Green exceeds the average for Kentucky obtained by EPA. The percentage of houses that have radon concentrations at or above 4 pCi/l for the study area exceeds the estimated national average of 8 to 12% and the statewide average. The author suggests that insufficient data was collected to determine whether radon concentrations in Bowling Green homes with a history of chemical fume problems are higher than for the city as a whole.

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AYO-BALI, ABIODUN Emmauel. "Geochemical Analysis of the Environmental Phases of La Barra de Santiago Estuary, El Salvador." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1556804693894507.

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Reeder, Grant. "Microscale controls on lead speciation in soils: a framework for sustainable remediation." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2018. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/975.

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The potential of a soil to immobilize heavy metal ions is dependent on the presence of adsorption sites, and the stability of metal species over the range of geochemical conditions present in the soil over time. Lead (Pb) is a cumulative toxin that is enriched in much of the urban pedosphere due to historical use of Pb-based paint and Pb-amended gasoline. Because in-situ remediation of Pb is possible if the bioavailable fraction can be rendered inert, understanding Pb-sorbent interactions is necessary to accurately and efficiently alter Pb speciation in soils. The objectives of this study are to 1) determine efficient ways to predict Pb behavior at the field scale, and 2) characterize microscale controls on Pb speciation. A combination of geospatial and analytical tools has been used across a variety of spatial scales to provide the first multiscale analysis of microenvironment impact on Pb speciation in soils. This research investigated Pb distribution at the field scale (in Burlington, VT), and mobility at the microscale. The field-scale study has shown that the relationship between total Pb and bioaccessible Pb is not linear, in stark contrast to the existing conceptual model of this relationship. It was determined that the disproportional influence of fine-fraction Pb in low total-Pb soils results in elevated bioavailability. Microscale investigations determined that there is a positive correlation between the density of reactive microenvironments and the release of Pb from contaminated soil, and that altered distributions of microenvironments significantly alters the rate of Pb release. This research identifies specific mechanisms controlling Pb behavior in soils at both the field and the microscale, which can be used to inform improvements to implementation of remediation.

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Bower, Jennifer. "Speciation, Distribution, Prediction, and Mobility of Lead in Urban Soils: A Multiscale Study." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2017. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/715.

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Lead (Pb), a trace metal notorious for its impacts on human health, has achieved worldwide environmental dispersal resulting from centuries of use by human society. The toxicity of Pb is governed largely by its mineral form, which is in turn controlled by pH, localized reactivity and soil processes that differ according to soil type, location and Pb source. Given the context of these localized dependencies, or site specificity, efforts to predict Pb toxicity and refine sustainable remediation techniques are most useful when Pb behavior is constrained and predicted within environments with homogeneous conditions, such as a single soil. I evaluated and predicted the behavior of Pb, a typical anthropogenic contaminant, within a single soil using bioaccessibility testing and predictive geospatial modeling to assess potential impacts and refine sustainable remediation methods. To test the hypothesis that Pb speciation is influenced by competitive sorption processes in soils, I investigated changes in mobility and speciation of Pb upon addition of amendments at multiple scales using flow-through column experiments, soil characterization and synchrotron-based x-ray techniques. Kriging and cokriging maps provided a successful estimation of background and total Pb, the latter incorporating housing age as a secondary variable to increase model accuracy, though efforts to automate detection of background Pb were complicated by approximation of building extents, and overall heterogeneity of soil Pb concentration gives high error. Acute Pb heterogeneity is observed at the scale of a single site among near-structure samples. At the city-scale, determination of bioaccessibility revealed that bioaccessible and total Pb are well-correlated, to the extent that bioaccessibility may be predicted for the soil underlying Burlington, VT; this information, combined with predictive blood lead level modeling and the CDC's recent establishment of 5 μg kg-1 as a threshold for blood lead toxicity, enabled the establishment of a site-specific revised soil Pb limit of 360 mg kg-1, lower than the EPA's general soil Pb threshold of 400 mg kg-1. Characterization of leached and unleached soil using scanning electron microscope energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and microfocused x-ray techniques provided a first look at Pb paint species using synchrotron technologies. Pb was present within paint chips as hydrocerussite, but appeared to weather to anglesite over time. Pb also seemed to act as cation bridge, attracting clay minerals electrostatically and becoming incorporated into heterogeneous soil aggregates. Accessory paint elements are identified in soil and within paint chips and may further complicate these systems. Column experiments, at acidic pH, yielded little evidence of Pb mobility change in response to modification of competitive sorbents. Kinetics of Pb release were driven by pH, with Pb solubilizing at pH of ˜4.9 as column soil acidifies. This work provides evidence for changes in Pb speciation over time in urban soils impacted by Pb paint, and presents a framework for predictive risk analysis at a local site using experimental and modeling tools. Multiscale observations and analytical results can be used in future efforts to model and refine sustainable remediation solutions within a site-specific context.

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Woodling, Kristen Marie. "LUSAKA, ZAMBIA: PROVISIONS OF WATER IN PERI-URBAN COMMUNITIES AND THE INTRODUCTION OF QUALITATIVE DYE TRACING FOR INVESTIGATION OF KARST GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1407424508.

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Alexander, Diana Marie. "Analysis of Groundwater Monitoring of Residential Wells In the Vicinity of Carbon Limestone Landfill, Poland Township, Mahoning County, Ohio." Youngstown State University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1364391615.

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Wyderka, Melissa Ellen. "Geochemical Characterization of Soils in Wooded Uplands in Northwest Ohio: Implications of Emerald Ash Borer Infestation on Soil Health." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1592260383941659.

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Bandy, Ashley M. "Mobility of Escherichia coli within Karst Terrains, Kentucky, USA." UKnowledge, 2016. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/ees_etds/38.

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Bacterial contamination of karst aquifers is a concern as water quality across the globe deteriorates in the face of decreasing water security. This study examined the transport and attenuation of two non-virulent isolates of Escherichia coli in relation to traditional groundwater tracers such as rhodamine WT dye and latex microspheres in two karst regions in Kentucky. Differential movement between the four tracers was observed in both epikarst and karst aquifer traces, with differences in behavior dependent on flow conditions. Attenuation was greater for the bacterial isolate containing the iha gene, compared to the isolate containing the kps gene. Microspheres of comparable size (1 µm diameter) were more easily remobilized during increases in discharge during the observed periods for both study sites. Bacteria were remobilized during storm events over 1 month after injection. Recoveries of tracers that were < 100% combined with observed remobilization during storm events illustrate the storage capacity of epikarst and karst aquifers with regard to potential contaminants.

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Mrdjen, Igor. "Harmful Algal Blooms in Small Lakes: Causes, Health Risks, and Novel Exposure Prevention Strategies." The Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1531135626251706.

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Brigham, Russell D. "Assessing the Effects of Lake Dredged Sediments on Soil Health: Agricultural and Environmental Implications on Midwest Ohio." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1593902126203743.

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Baize, David. "A “Drastic” Evaluation of the Ground-Water Pollution Potential of Karst Terrain: Lost River Ground-Water Basin, Warren County, Kentucky." TopSCHOLAR®, 1990. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1889.

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Karst terrains, such as the Lost River Karst Ground-Water Basin, are extremely vulnerable to ground-water contamination. Seven physical factors: depth to water, recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity, are evaluated using the DRASTIC system to determine the ground-water pollution potential of the study area. A numerical value is calculated for each of the seven factors, and a map layer for each factor is produced. These layers are then “added” together to produce a DRASTIC ground-water pollution potential map. The effectiveness of each factor in evaluating the pollution potential of karst terrain is discussed. It was determined that small scale hydrogeologic features unique to karst areas provide significant influences on contaminant transport that are not addressed by the DRASTIC methodology. Therefore, it is recommended that modifications to the DRASTIC system be made by the users of the DRASTIC system when evaluating the pollution potential of a karst terrain.

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Cilwa, Katherine E. "Surface Plasmons Polaritons and Single Dust Particles." The Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1304532704.

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Woock, Celeste E. "Seamless Lidar Surveys Reveal Rates and Patterns of Subsidence in the Mississippi River Delta." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2019. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2656.

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Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) data are used to report the temporal and spatial patterns of subsidence as well as the potential contributors to subsidence within the Barataria and Terrebonne Bays. In recent decades, subsidence in southeast Louisiana has become a topic of substantial and growing concern to the scientific community, the local residents, and all those invested in the region. Lidar data were acquired from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the LSU Center for Geoinformatics. The data has been manipulated to map the differenced Lidar, complete an instantaneous slope analysis, and determine the thickness of the Holocene sediments. The goal was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subsidence patterns and the dynamic processes driving subsidence within the study area. These efforts provide a better ability to plan for the future of the Louisiana working coast and mitigate against relative sea level rise and coastal land loss.

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Hutchison, Sean Taylor. "Eastern Deciduous Forest Phenology and Vegetative Vigor Trends From 2000 to 2013, Mammoth Cave National Park, KY." TopSCHOLAR®, 2013. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1312.

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Global climate change is predicted to affect environmental systems at the midlatitudes, but the scope, severity, and outcomes of these impacts are yet to be fully understood. This study focuses on the implications of short-term climate variability for forests in central Kentucky. Using a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) calculated from MODerate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument data, the photosynthetic activity of vegetation at Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA) is tracked from 2000 to 2013. Three methods were employed to examine the changes and climate influences in vegetation over the study period: 1) aggregating the NDVI of the Park by year and by summer months (June, July, and August) and examining how these productivity trends could be influenced by precipitation and temperature fluctuations, 2) examining the trend of the NDVI at selected dates throughout the study period to detect phenological shifts around leaf-out and leaf-off, and 3) using a generalized vegetation classification of MACA to clip the imagery based on areas of similar vegetation and then testing correlations between those subsets and teleconnections. The results from the aggregated NDVI show there is an insignificant negative trend. A negative relationship between summer forest productivity at MACA and temperature was found, though more data are needed to rigorously validate this result. Changes in phenology indicate forest productivity is decreasing earlier each year throughout the study period. Finally, the Multivariate ENSO Index and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index are shown to have significant positive correlations with the summer productivity of MACA during the study period.

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Lucas, Joseph S. "CONSERVATION LIMNOGEOLOGY AND BENTHIC HABITAT MAPPING IN CENTRAL LAKE TANGANYIKA (TANZANIA)." UKnowledge, 2018. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ees_etds/60.

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Small scale protected zones are valuable for helping the health and productivity of fisheries at Lake Tanganyika (East Africa). Spatial placement of protected areas relies on accurate maps of benthic habitats, consisting of detailed bathymetry data and information on lake-floor substrates. This information is unknown for most of Lake Tanganyika. Fish diversity is known to correlate with rocky substrates in ≤ 30 m water depth, which provide spawning grounds for littoral and pelagic species. These benthic habitats form important targets for protected areas, if they can be precisely located. At the NMVA, echosounding defined the position of the 30-m isobath and side-scan sonar successfully discriminated among crystalline basement, CaCO3-cemented sandstones, mixed sediment, and shell bed substrates. Total area encompassed from the shoreline to 30 m water depth is ~21 km2 and the distance to the 30-m isobath varies with proximity to deltas and rift-related faults. Total benthic area defined by crystalline basement is ~1.6 km2, whereas the total area of CaCO3-cemented sandstone is 0.2 km2. Crystalline basement was present in all water depths (0-30 m), whereas CaCO3-cemented sandstones were usually encountered in water ≤ 5 m deep. Spatial organization of rocky substrates is chiefly controlled by basin structure and lake level history.

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Madera-Martorell, Andreana. "Potential Use of Abandoned Underground Coal Mine AS-029 as a Reservoir for Ground Source Heat Pumps, Athens, OH." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1597189919105252.

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Grigsby, Nathan. "Evaluating the effect of hyporheic exchange on intake temperatures of open-loop geothermal wells in glacigenic outwash aquifers." Wright State University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1341855556.

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Richardson, Joshua J. "Thermal and Hydrological Study of Flooded Abandoned Coal Mines in Ohio as Potential Heat Exchangers." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1399479195.

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Woldemichael, Michael Haile. "The Mineralogical Composition of House Dust in Ontario, Canada." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/20664.

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Despite increasing concern about the presence of heavy metals, pesticides and other toxins in indoor environments, very little is known about the physical and chemical composition of ordinary household dust. This study represents the first systematic investigation of the mineralogical composition of indoor dust in residential housing in Canada. Specimens of dust were obtained from homes in six geographically separate cities in the Province of Ontario: two located on the metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Precambrian Canadian Shield (Thunder Bay and Sudbury), the other four located on Palaeozoic limestone and shale dominated bedrock (Barrie, Burlington, Cambridge, and Hamilton). Forty samples of household vacuum dust were obtained. The coarse fraction (80 – 300 µm) of this dust was subjected to flotation (using water) to separate the organic components (e.g. insect fragments, dander), natural and synthetic materials (e.g. fibres, plastics) from the mineral residue. The mineral fraction was then analyzed using quantitative point counting, polarizing light microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy methods. Despite the great distances between the sampling localities and the distinct differences in bedrock geology, the mineral fraction of dust from all six cities is remarkably similar and dominated by quartz and feldspar, followed by lithic fragments, calcite, and amphibole. Some evidence of the influence of local geology can nevertheless be found. For example, a relatively higher proportion of sulphide minerals is observed in the two cities on the Canadian Shield where these minerals are clearly more abundant in the bedrock. Specimens from Sudbury, Canada’s largest mining centre located atop a nickel-sulphide mineral deposit, showed the highest sulphide contents. Quartz is the dominant mineral in all cities. All quartz grains have internal strain features and fluid inclusions that are indicative of a metamorphic-igneous provenance. In all cities, sand is used on the streets as an abrasive for traction during the icy winter season. This sand is obtained in all cases from local glaciofluvial deposits that were ultimately derived principally from the rocks of the Canadian Shield in the last Pleistocene glaciations that affected all of Ontario. Thus, tracking in sand is the most plausible mechanism by which quartz was introduced into these homes since sampling was done, in all cases, in the winter season. The results indicate that glacial deposits dominate the mineral composition of indoor dust in Ontario cities and that nature of the bedrock immediately underlying the sampling sites is relatively of minor importance.

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Padilla, Rodriguez Ingrid. "Avaliação das taxas de doses de radiação gama e modelagem cartografica das estatisticas de obitos por neoplasias na região central de Cuba." [s.n.], 2005. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/287293.

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Orientador: Elisabete Maria Pascholati
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T05:12:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PadillaRodriguez_Ingrid_D.pdf: 8041053 bytes, checksum: 09d5970b48a5198700990c2513a29e66 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005
Resumo: O estudo desenvolvido visa avaliar as taxas de doses de radiação gama, na região central de Cuba, explorando as possibilidades do levantamento aerogeofisico na caracterização radiogeoquímica e mapeamento geólogo - estrutural do meio ambiente numa área de aproximadamente 16.500 km2. Adicionalmente, é propósito dispor de resultados que contribuam ao estabelecimento de uma linha base ambiental, baseado no background a radiação gama terrestre, de grande interesse para o sistema de vigilância radiológica acional. As estatísticas sobre óbitos por neoplasias do tipo tumores sólidos na região central de Cuba, a qual apresenta o segundo lugar nas ocorrências de casos no país, induz à seguinte hipótese para a pesquisa: "a radiogeoquímica desses ambientes geológicos poderia gerar taxas de doses de radiação gama correlacionáveis aos resultados estatísticos obtidos para a população dos vinte e sete municípios envolvidos?" Com este fim, foram modeladas, analisadas estatisticamente e interpretadas, as variáveis geólogo-geofisicas independentes, de relevo, epidemiológicas e censitárias num ambiente SIG sobre as populações envolvidas, para estabelecer uma possível relação com a taxa de dose estimada para a região central de Cuba. Este procedimento revelou uma razoável representatividade da diversidade geológica do meio ambiente, vinculando-a aos casos registrados e probabilisticamente esperados na população. A geologia na região é representada por vários ambientes: as unidades da margem continental da plataforma das Bahamas (Jurássico Superior - Cretáceo Superior), os ofiolitos Mesozóicos com imbricações das rochas do arco de ilha Vulcânico do Cretáceo (AVC), a cobertura neo-plataformal Cenozóica, as metavulcânicas da fácies xisto verde e os anfibolitos na divisa com as várias unidades lito-tectônicas (Jurássico Inferior - Cretáceo Superior) do Terreno metamórfico Escambray. As principais análises basearam-se rio processamento e na interpretação dos dados gamaespectrométricos aéreos. Embora os contrastes dos teores obtidos sobre os litotipos e as estruturas, sejam sutis as diversidades do ambiente geológico é mapeada com clareza. Através da cartografia como um todo, e das componentes principais, em particular, pode-se reconhecer a, correlação das concentrações Th-U, com relativa predominância do primeiro no platô litorâneo e parcialmente, nas bacias frontais e superpostas ao AVC e nos sedimentos recentes. Observam-se mudanças nos teores de potássio proporcionalmente ao conteúdo de sílica nas rochas ácidas e intermediárias - ácidas, ultrapassando levemente 3,0 %, nos plagiogranitos na divisa do AVC com o complexo Mabujina e, muito localmente, nos sedimentos do Terciário: Os teores Th - U atingem níveis relativamente maiores e anômalos nos sedimentos continentais da plataforma das Bahamas, setor que contém biodetríticos com fosfatos, baixas concentrações residuais de zircônio, monazita e/ou elementos componentes das terras raras, os quais ficaram possivelmente retidos, apesar da movimentação nos processos exógenos, mas sem interesse para a mineração. Embora misturado com as rochas dó AVC, a extensa faixa de ofiolitos é reconhecida pelos baixos níveis dos radioelementos.Também foram mapeadas a faixa de acrescência e sutura entre as rochas' metamórficas do Terreno Escambray e o Complexo . Mabujina, no limite norte, com as rochas do AVc. Existem evidências também de algumas diferenças geomorfológicas na formação de solos e sua relativa movimentação nos córregos e rios da região. ... Observação: O resumo, na íntegra, poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital
Abstract: This study developed in the central part of Cuba, attempted to evaluate a gamma radiation dose rate, exploring the airbome geophysical survey possibilities in order to obtain a radiogeochemical characterization and the geological - structural mapping of environment for an area of about 16.500 km2. Besides, to dispose through this research, of results that contribute to the establishment of the environmental base tine, based on the background of the gamma terrestrial radiation and its possible relationships in the context, is interest fqr the system of surveillance national radiological. The statistical data about deaths for neoplasies of the type solid tumors in the region, the one which presents the second one place of occurrences of cases in the country, it induces the followirig hypothesis: "could be those environment be able to generate gamma radiation dose rates correlated with the statistics facts, that reach the population of the twenty-seven involved municipal districts?" . With this intent, several independent landscape variables (geological, geophysical, physiographic, epidemiologic ones and related to the population's census), Were modeled and analyzed using GIS, in order to establish a possible relationship with the mean value about the dose'rate estimated in the central region. This procedure provided a reasonable representation of the environmental geological diversity, linking it to current cases incidences and expected probabilistic, in the population. The geological diversity m the area is composed by the units of the margm of the Bahamas contmental platform (Upper Jurassic - Upper Cretaceous), for the Mesozoic ophiolites, partially blended and superimposed for the volcanic rocks of the arch of islands Cretaceous (CVA), for the Cenozoic Neo-platform cover, for the meta - vo1canicrocks of green schist facies and amphibolites m the limits with the litho-tectonic units (Lower Jurassic - Upper Cretaceous) of the metamorphic Escambray Terram.... Note: The complete abstract is available with the full electronic digital thesis or dissertations
Doutorado
Metalogenese
Doutor em Ciências

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Merola, Rose Brittany. "Biomarkers of Exposure: Arsenic Concentrations in Keratin in Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Drinking Water." Diss., 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10161/8750.

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Arsenic (As) exposure via groundwater consumption is a global health problem affecting millions. Monitoring exposure is a key step in understanding and predicating future health outcomes. This thesis explores the relationships between arsenic concentrations in toenails and arsenic in water. Three case studies were investigated, with residents from: North Carolina, USA (n=103); the Rift Valley, Ethiopia (n=60); and the Mekong Delta, Vietnam (n=65). Arsenic concentrations above the WHO's recommended 10ppb limit were found in groundwater from the three research sites.

Arsenic in toenails was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

In the Rift Valley of Ethiopia, 53% of the tested drinking wells (n=34) had As above the WHO's limit. Arsenic concentrations in toenails (n=60) were significantly correlated to As concentrations in groundwater (r=0.72; p<0.001), reflecting the direct exposure of rural communities to As in well water, which is their principle water source. Male minors (<18 years old) were found to have greater nail-As concentrations compared with adults consuming equal amounts of As (p<0.05). Estimated As dose specifically from drinking water sources was also associated with nail concentrations (p<0.01).

In the Mekong Delta of Vietnam (Dong Thap Province), 36 out of the 68 tested wells had As content above the WHO's recommended limit of 10ppb, with levels as high as 981 ppb. Arsenic contents in nails collected from local residents (n=62) were significantly correlated to As in drinking water (r=0.49, p<0.001). Demographic and survey data show that the ratio of As in nail to As in water varies among residents that reflects differential As accumulation in the exposed population. The data show that water filtration and diet, particularly increased consumption of animal protein and dairy and reduced consumption of seafood, were associated with lower ratios of As in nail to As in water and thus could play important roles in mitigating As exposure.

Sixty-one wells were tested from Union County, North Carolina, with 15 out of 61 wells exceeded the WHO's 10 ppb limit. Arsenic values ranged from below the limit of detection (0.07) to 130ppb, with a mean of 11ppb (median=1.5ppb). Nails were collected from county residents (n=103) and were statistically correlated with As-water concentrations (r=0.48, p<0.001).

Integration of the data from the three cases studies across different populations and ethnicities show high correlation between As concentrations in groundwater and As in nails in all the three locations (r(Union County)= 0.48, p<0.001; r(Ethiopia)=0.72 p<0.001; r(Vietnam)=0.49, p<0.001). For As-nail to As-water pairs in which As in water was above 1ppb, these three locations are statistically indistinguishable from one another (r=0.62, p<0.001, n=176). These results support the hypothesis that nails can be used as a biomarker of exposure regardless of geographic or ethnic differences in populations considered. Nutrition (meat, seafood, and milk consumption) rather than gender, ethnicity, or dose is suggested to be the major confounding issue affecting the magnitude of As exposure in the human body.

Dissertation

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Candeias, Carla Maria Lopes. "Modelling the impac of Panasqueira mine in the ecosystems and human health : a multidisciplinary approach." Doctoral thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/24591.

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The Panasqueira Sn-W mine, located in Central Portugal, is an active mine. The beneficiation processes at Panasqueira mine have given rise, during a long production period, to a large amount of sulfi de-rich wastes, contained in several tailings and mud impoundments. Small villages around the mine site are present, and the community living in these villages subsists, not only from the mining activity, but also from agriculture and cattle breading which justifies the assessment of soil contamination around the Rio and Barroca Grande tailings and mud impoundments. This study, developed on the context of Medical Geology, has as main goal to assess human health problems emerging from the contamination of soils, waters, stream sediments, dusts and plants on the surroundings of the Panasqueira mine. The focus will be placed in the establishment of relationships between geochemical environment and the population health through the use of dispersion models and GIS based techniques in order to disclose a link between spatial distribution of the harmful elements and patterns of the corresponding diseases that might occur or will be potentially induce by the local conditions. Detailed geochemical studies were performed, either in the contamination source (tailings) and the surrounding environment, in order to access a better understanding of the dynamics inherent to leaching, transport, and accumulation of some potential toxic elements in soil and their environmental relevance. The metal assemblage identified in soils (Ag-As-Bi-Cd-Cu-W-Zn; PTE’s) reflects the influence of the tailings and open impoundments materials, due to several agents including the wind dispersion and the subsequent deposition in soils. PTE’s and pH presents positive correlation confirming that heavy metal mobility holds a positive correlation with pH therefore affecting their availability. The assessment of the extent of human exposure to metals in studied populations was performed in order to identify the geological agents that might affect their health. In order to evaluate the effect of the external contamination on selected indexes of internal dose, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb e Zn were determined in blood, urine, hair and nail samples from individuals environmentally exposed. Results obtained agreed with those reported by environmental studies performed in this area, pointing to populations living nearby the mine exposed to metal(loid)s originated from mining activities. Arsenic was the element with the highest increase in exposed populations. The concentration of other elements such as Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn was also increased, although at a lesser extent, specifically in females. These findings confirm the need for competent authorities to act as soon as possible in this area and implement strategies aimed to protect exposed populations and the entire ecosystem All the data was integrated with the objective to establish a methodology of risk assessment. The combination of environmental and human biomonitoring studies may synergistically increase the knowledge of toxic elements, which is essential to assess the potential risks to human health
A mina da Panasqueira (Sn-W) encontra-se em actividade desde o final do século XIX. O tratamento e recuperação do minério explorado deu origem a grandes quantidades de materiais rejeitados ricos em sulfuretos, depositados em escombreiras e barragens de lamas. A existência de povoações localizadas na área envolvente da mina, dependentes do trabalho mineiro, da agricultura e da criação de gado, justificaram a avaliação da extensão da contaminação existente na envolvente às escombreiras do Rio e da Barroca Grande. Este estudo, desenvolvido no contexto da Geologia Médica, tem como principal objectivo avaliar os problemas da saúde humana resultantes da contaminação de solos, águas, sedimentos de corrente, poeiras e plantas na área que rodeia a mina da Panasqueira. A análise pretende estabelecer relações entre o ambiente geoquímico e a saúde das populações através do uso de modelos de dispersão e técnicas baseadas em GIS, de forma a identificar correspondências entre a distribuição espacial dos elementos potencialmente tóxicos (PTE’s) e doenças que possam ocorrer ou que possam ser induzidas pelas condições locais. Foram efectuados estudos geoquímicos detalhados, tanto na fonte de contaminação (escombreiras) como no ambiente circundante de forma a compreender o comportamento de alguns elementos potencialmente tóxicos e a sua relevância ambiental. O grupo de elementos identificado nos solos (Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, W, Zn; PTE’s) reflecte a influência das escombreiras e barragens de lamas potenciados por vários agentes, onde se inclui a dispersão eólica das partículas, com a sua consequente deposição nos solos. Os PTE’s e o pH mostram uma correlação positiva confirmando a influência do pH na mobilidade e disponibilidade dos metais e metalóides. A avaliação da exposição a metais e metalóides por parte das populações que vivem e/ou trabalham na área de estudo, pretende identificar os agentes ambientais que possam ter efeitos secundários adversos na saúde humana. De forma a estimar as consequências da contaminação nos habitantes foram determinados os teores de As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb e Zn no sangue, urina, cabelo e unhas em indivíduos expostos ambientalmente. Os resultados obtidos são concordantes com os estudos ambientais, sendo que o Arsénio é o elemento com maior relevância. As concentrações de Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb e Zn são também significativas, embora que com menor relevância, principalmente nas mulheres. Estes resultados confirmam a necessidade de intervenção por parte das entidades competentes, com a implementação de estratégias que possam proteger as populações e o ecossistema. Toda a informação obtida foi integrada com o objectivo de estabelecer uma metodologia de avaliação de risco. A combinação dos dados ambientais e humanos poderá aumentar o conhecimento sobre o comportamento dos elementos tóxicos, o que é essencial para quantificar o potencial risco na saúde humana.
Programa Doutoral em Geociências

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Sonney, Romain. "Groundwater flow, heat and mass transport in geothermal systems of a Central Alpine Massif. The cases of Lavey-les-Bains, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Val d'Illiez." Phd thesis, 2010. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00923368.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Geology|Environmental geology|Environmental health'

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