Tristin Pratt MS Defense - May 5th
Tristin Pratt - MS Defense Announcement Municipal Landfill Leachate Inorganic Analysis Focusing on Detecting Valuable Metals Major Professor: Dr. Inez Hua Friday, May 5th at 1:00 PM Zoom<https://bit.ly/41wqkFJ> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Abstract: Recent research suggests that waste electronics thrown away by consumers could amount to $37.5M of potentially recoverable metals in single landfill. Rare and useful metals may have a large variance in presence from one landfill to another depending on factors such as age and waste management policies. The EPA in 2018 reports that 2.51 million tons of nonferrous metals are generated in MSW landfills, which could contain ample opportunity for recovering metals of high economic value. The nonferrous waste metals include waste consumer electronic devices disposed to landfills, which contain critically important and rare metals. A method to completely dissolve and analyze pumped landfill leachate resulted in quantifiable and positive detections of Platinum, (Post-) Transition, and Lanthanide group metals in the landfill leachates. Everyone is welcome! Attached is the defense announcement. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist - Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs - The Graduate School Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://calendly.com/aledman> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
M. Christina Costello - PhD Thesis Defense Announcement Fate and Occurrence of Unregulated Organic Chemicals (UOCs) in Municipal, Agricultural, and Aquatic Systems Major Professor: Dr. Linda S. Lee Friday, May 5th at 9:00 AM Lilly Hall, Room 2-425 Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Agronomy Abstract: Organic chemicals have become ubiquitous pollutants of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Pharmaceuticals, chemicals in personal care products and/or consumer goods, illicit drugs, agrochemicals, industrial chemicals, and fire retardants like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are all organic chemicals. These compounds have both unidentified toxicological risks and often well-known impacts (e.g., endocrine disrupting chemicals) on wildlife and humans. While most organic contaminants remain unregulated, select compounds are regulated albeit with regulations differing vastly between countries. As climate change exacerbates droughts, flood events, and access to water sources, understanding unregulated organic chemicals (UOCs) will continue to be a priority for managing freshwater resources and waste-management. In the developed world, we manage our sewage through well-established water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), which primarily targets minimize discharge of nutrients and suspended solids to receiving waterbodies. One byproduct of this process is biosolids produced from the residual solids and can serve as an excellent fertilizer; however, land-applied biosolids can serve as an unintentional conduit of UOCs from human and industrial use to agricultural systems. On the other hand, many developing nations do not have any treatment infrastructure or a robust and enforceable regulatory framework to protect water resources from contamination. The aim of this research was to reduce the knowledge gap associated with UOCs in both the developing and developed contexts. This included, but was not limited to, evaluating seasonal variation of UOCs in Northern Pakistan riverine ecosystems, and quantifying and comparing UOC occurrence in two WRRF process types pre- and post-digestion. Overall approach and key findings of these aims will be presented as well as highlights across all dissertation objectives. Everyone is welcome! Attached is the defense announcement. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist - Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs - The Graduate School Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://calendly.com/aledman> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
Seohyung Kim - MS Thesis Defense Announcement Not Catastrophic but Quotidian: How Particulate Matter Becomes a Matter in South Korea Major Professor: Dr. Zoe Nyssa Wednesday, May 17th at 10:00 AM Zoom<https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/92474024703?pwd=VlltTXNYSWdZRjlpaVhyQjUxY3JzUT09> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Anthropology Abstract: Particle pollution in South Korea has become a matter of such public concern that it was declared a "social disaster" by government proclamation in 2019. My thesis research shows how present interventions to tackle particle pollution in South Korea as a "social disaster" that required expansive monitoring technology infrastructure, is paradoxically contributing to maintaining the status quo. This study explores how particle pollution has been naturalized and justified anthropogenic pollution through close ethnographic attention to peoples' lived experiences, discourse, and data surrounding particle pollution by mapping citizen-based knowledge systems in the linking of anthropological, public health, and environmental sciences perspectives. Based on four months of fieldwork, interviews, and collaborative work with residents, scientists, and activists in South Korea, this thesis offers a new understanding of how citizens' experiences and knowledge practices have reshaped the concepts of pollution, toxicity, and health. Drawing on scholarship in feminist Science and Technology Studies (STS), medical and environmental anthropology, this study problematizes harm reduction-based environmental and health intervention practices by describing the current individualized particle pollution responses. The research reveals how people in Korea living with/in particulate matter have perceived, datafied, defined, adjusted, and responded to particle pollution and its toxicity. Everyone is welcome! Attached is the defense announcement. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist - Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs - The Graduate School Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://calendly.com/aledman> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
Anna Bushong- MS Thesis Defense Announcement Evaluating Effects of Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) on Anuran Lipid Homeostasis through Xenopus laevis Body & Hepatic Condition Major Professor: Dr. Marisol Sepúlveda Thursday, June 29th at 10:00 AM Forestry (FORS) 208 Zoom<https://tinyurl.com/AGBzoom> Meeting ID: 752 960 0706 Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Everyone is welcome! Attached is the defense announcement. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist - Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs - The Graduate School Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://calendly.com/aledman> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
Caroline Alukkal - PhD Defense Announcement Understanding Treatment Process Effects on PFAS in Municipal Wastewater Solids Stream Major Professor: Dr. Linda Lee Monday, July 8th at 1:00 PM LILY 2425 Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic compounds known for their diverse applications, from everyday products like food wrappers and raincoats to life-saving uses in firefighting foams. However, their pervasive presence in consumer goods leads to their eventual disposal into sewage systems. Recently, PFAS have garnered significant attention due to mounting environmental and health concerns. Unfortunately, conventional wastewater treatment methods struggle to completely eliminate or degrade PFAS, resulting in their accumulation in effluent and biosolids, perpetuating their environmental cycle. Currently, there is limited understanding of how PFAS behave within the waste stream. To address this gap, there is an urgent need of an optimized method for evaluating PFAS in complicated solid matrices such as biosolids. A new method developed and optimized through this research was used for extracting and analyzing PFAS and the results were utilized to examine how two key wastewater treatment processes affect the transformation of PFAS. This research aims to provide utilities and regulatory bodies with crucial data for informed decision-making regarding treatment processes. Ultimately, this knowledge will facilitate the effective management of PFAS in biosolids, promoting their safe and beneficial utilization. Everyone is welcome! Attached is the defense announcement. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist - Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs - The Graduate School Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Faledman&data=05%7C02%7CEse-faculty-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7C11ae6bc5fa524fc8c0f908dc9a093e0c%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638554611703634130%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=UuPb5PnxOuye6l%2FEYm4uBgIByrt0E4PVxltyPFFkfS8%3D&reserved=0> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
Francisco Montalvo - PhD Defense Announcement Enhancing Water Access and Health in Drought-Affected Regions: A Study on Point-of-Use Water Treatment Intervention Major Professor: Dr. Zhi (George) Zhou Friday, July 12th at 11:00 AM ME 2180 Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Lyles School of Civil Engineering This study examined the effectiveness of point-of-use (POU) filtration systems in enhancing water quality, focusing on microbial removal, growth, and metal removal. The results demonstrated that reverse osmosis (RO) membranes effectively eliminated Legionella at all tested concentrations (10-1,000/mL), whereas activated carbon (AC) filters exhibited negligible removal efficiency. Biofilm growth significantly reduced flow rate in AC filters. These findings highlight the importance of considering both contaminant removal efficiency and susceptibility to biofilm formation when selecting POU filters. A separate investigation assessed AC filters in removing heavy metals from high-salinity water, simulating conditions found in locations like Paraguay and Ecuador. Lead removal was excellent (>95%), while zinc removal was moderate and decreased in high-salinity environments. AC filters surprisingly excelled at chromium removal (>99%) regardless of salinity. Boron and manganese removal were minimal. Salinity significantly impacted zinc concentration after filtration. This study highlights the effectiveness of AC filters in removing heavy metals from high-salinity drinking waters, but their performance can vary depending on the specific metal. This study also explored the feasibility of using POU systems to enhance safe water access in drought-affected regions, such as the El Chaco region in Paraguay. The results indicated that high salinity and metal contamination were prevalent across water sources and existing water treatment infrastructure suffers from inadequate maintenance. However, locally available POU filters present a promising solution due to affordability and ease of use. Overall, the study suggests that POU filters hold significant potential for improving water access in drought-affected regions but require further evaluation and tailored implementation strategies. Attached is the defense announcement. Everyone is welcome! Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Faledman&data=05%7C02%7CEse-faculty-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7C3fa082647b524ca8e42508dc9b7c4e1a%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638556205558016875%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mulK1wwPdAY8RbpzF8NSvgEpDx1CVM2yTRvgHovLD5A%3D&reserved=0> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
Alka Tiwari - PhD Defense Announcement Hydrometeorological Impacts of the Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Using Satellite Precipitation Data Major Professor: Dr. Keith Cherkauer Wednesday, July 10th at 4:00 PM ABE 1164 Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fpurdue-alka&data=05%7C02%7CEse-faculty-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cf70b76a734b14ba6938d08dc9b9eeae2%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638556354538093116%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=eC4pFyDf4JdgNPry9IscVq8gCP5jBHcBl7XWzNhmEUU%3D&reserved=0> NASA Fellow, Lynn Fellow, Bilsland Fellow Interdisciplinary Department of Ecological Sciences and Engineering Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Tropical Cyclones (TCs) are meteorological monsters causing severe rainfall and flooding. Accurate quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs) are vital for understanding TCs, but different sources like satellite, radars, and rain gauges yield varying results. This dissertation evaluates three QPEs: NASA's IMERG, NCEP's Stage IV, and NWS's GCOOP estimates, focusing on their impact on hydrological modeling using Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. Analyzing eight TCs from 2000-2018, including Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne, Fay, Beryl, Debby, Irma and Michael, the study finds satellite QPE (IMERG) underpredicts high quantiles but aligns with other sources at lower quantiles. IMERG effectively estimates runoff and evapotranspiration, proving valuable for hydrological studies and flood preparedness in data-scarce regions. Attached is the defense announcement. Everyone is welcome! Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B40 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Faledman&data=05%7C02%7CEse-faculty-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cf70b76a734b14ba6938d08dc9b9eeae2%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638556354538093116%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7XMVHthf7OgM%2BtlrbSRCeJJw4Ar3jq822oLb5JuOxIA%3D&reserved=0> [cid:image001.png@01D8979D.720E7780]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=purdue>
participants (1)
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Ledman, Amy L