Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2016, Geological Sciences (Arts and Sciences)

An anomalous spatial and temporal distribution of groundwater temperatures has been observed in production wells in the Zanesville Municipal Well Field (ZMWF), Zanesville, OH. Historical temperature data of groundwater extracted ~45-65 feet below ground surface indicate substantial deviation from the mean annual air temperature (MAAT) expected at this depth. This study implemented a seasonal survey of six production wells in ZMWF and grab samples from the adjacent Muskingum River. Monthly samples of NO3- and stable isotopes (d2H and d18O) were evaluated alongside temperature measurements to determine thermally disparate areas of ZMWF and ultimately the likely heat source providing anomalous temperatures. Data from two wells (W-3 and W-9) yielded RMSD values <2.5°C when regressed against mean weekly air temperature (MWAT) at lags between 54-93 and 106-129 days, respectively. Other wells (W-6 and W-12) displayed near-constant temperatures ~1 to 2°C above local MAAT. Isotope data also linked W-3 and W-9 as having similar provenance, displaying seasonal progression toward lighter compositions from summer to winter, mirroring trends observed in precipitation and the river. Nitrate was detected at <0.10 to ~5.5 mg/L in groundwater samples throughout the well field, with slightly higher concentrations in the river. The river was determined to be the likely heat source, as it was found to be losing to the aquifer allowing transmission of seasonal air temperatures to W-3 and W-9. Increased shear stress on the riverbed caused by an artificially narrowed reach immediately upstream of these wells is suggested as the mechanism to remove clogging fine particles and allow infiltration into the aquifer. The lack of temperature disturbance in the south portion of the study site is attributed to reestablishment of a clogging layer adjacent to W-6 and W-12.

Committee: Eung Seok Lee PhD (Advisor); Douglas Green PhD (Committee Member); Dina Lopez PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Geology; Hydrology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2005, Arts and Sciences : Geology

This study addresses concerns of surface water contamination entering a valley-train aquifer used by the Springfield Water Treatment Plant in Clark County, Ohio. Ground water is derived partly from infiltration of surface water through the riverbed of the adjacent Mad River. Of particular concern is biological pathogen Cryptosporidium parvum that is resistant to conventional treatment. Transient, finite-difference ground water flow modeling and particle tracking are conducted, based on a geologically similar model near Dayton, Ohio. Site-specific parameters used for modeling are derived from previous investigations, pump tests, and gain-loss studies conducted at the SWTP. Modeling is conducted for a flooding event when the aquifer is most sensitive to surface infiltration. Minimum travel times from Mad River to the production wells were estimated at around a day, but do not account for river bank filtration. The results provide a basis for additional study on the sensitivity of infiltration of surface contaminants.

Committee: Dr. David Nash (Advisor) Subjects: Geology; Hydrology

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2018, Chemistry

With the ubiquitous burst of nanotechnology, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have become indispensable in numerous industrial, medicinal, and research applications. Consequently, AgNPs have been alarmingly disposed into subsurface water increasing the risk of human and environmental exposure. While mechanisms of AgNP cytotoxicity have been reported, research studies on AgNP transport in subsurface water are needed, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The main goal of this study was to investigate the environmental fate and transport of widely-used Creighton colloidal AgNPs in a laboratory transport system simulating a porous, saturated groundwater aquifer. To achieve this, a large volume of AgNPs was synthesized, characterized using a suite of well-established analytical and microscopy techniques, and manipulated by tangential flow filtration. AgNPs and a conservative tracer, Cl- as a potassium chloride solution, were pulse-injected upward through a one-dimensional laboratory column (5 cm in depth, 2.5 cm diameter) at fixed pH, flow rate, and ionic strength, and pore volume. Breakthrough curves for AgNP transport were constructed using UV-Vis absorption, flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Smaller AgNPs (1-20 nm in diameter) were found to elute faster than larger AgNPs (1-100 nm in diameter). Flow rate and AgNP size were found to influence the sorption of AgNPs onto the media, as evidenced by the size and shape of the non-equilibrium breakthrough curves. Facilitated transport was attributed to moderate electrostatic repulsions between the negatively charged AgNPs and the polar glass beads. The transport of the AgNPs through the one dimensional laboratory system and the accurate ICP-OES-based quantification of nanosilver concentration in colloidal samples were translated into two novel laboratory experiment modules, which were successfully implemented into the Experiment (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ioana Sizemore Ph.D. (Advisor); Rachel Aga Ph.D. (Committee Member); David Dolson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mark Goltz Ph.D. (Committee Member); Sushil Kanel Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Chemistry; Environmental Management; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Nanoscience; Nanotechnology

MS, Kent State University, 2014, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Earth Sciences

Using graphical and statistical methods, geochemical data from 21 allegedly contaminated ground water wells in northeastern Pennsylvania were compared with data from historical ground water, Marcellus flow-back fluid, and other contaminated waters. The graphical methods included box and whisker plots, Piper diagrams, Stiff diagrams, and Cl/Br vs. Cl cross-plots. The statistical methods included summary statistics, analysis of variance, and discriminant analysis. The geochemical data collected for this study included the following major ions, trace metals, nutrients, and physical properties: sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), barium (Ba), strontium (Sr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), chloride (Cl), bromide (Br), sulfate (SO4), arsenic (As), nitrate-nitrite as N, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, alkalinity, and total dissolved solids (TDS). The graphical and statistical results show that none of the 2012-2013 ground water wells were detectably impacted by flow-back fluids. Instead, the results show that at least one well is contaminated with animal waste or septic effluent. Discriminant analysis of the 2012-2013 ground water samples supports this observation. The remaining wells are geochemically similar to historical ground water wells both graphically and statistically. These findings suggest that the major and trace element geochemistry of northeastern Pennsylvania ground water has not been detectably influenced by flow-back fluid spills at these 21 sites.

Committee: Anne Jefferson PhD (Advisor); David Singer PhD (Advisor); Neil Wells PhD (Committee Member); Joseph Ortiz PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Geology; Geochemistry; Geology; Hydrologic Sciences; Petroleum Production; Water Resource Management

Master of Environmental Science, Miami University, 2009, Environmental Sciences

Elevated nitrate concentrations have been reported from municipal drinking water wells in the Twin Creek watershed in southwest Ohio, where residents depend on ground water as the sole drinking-water source. The extent and spatial and temporal distribution of contamination were investigated with ground water and surface water samples collected in April and July 2008. Nitrate sources were identified using 15N-NO3 and 18O-NO3 isotope analysis. Nitrate concentrations in ground water had relationships to well distance to surface water and buried valley aquifers. A mix of ammonium fertilizer and animal waste were the primary sources of nitrate contamination in the watershed. Elevated nitrate concentrations were not widespread in ground water but were found in ground water samples from buried valley aquifers and surface water. Residents of the watershed can control nitrate in well water by reducing agricultural activity around the wells or by using an appropriate point-of-use treatment system.

Committee: Jonathan Levy PhD (Advisor); Mark Boardman PhD (Committee Member); William Renwick PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2014, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The temperature of groundwater in aquifers is relatively stable when compared to the water temperature in surface-water bodies. However, in aquifers that are hydraulically connected to rivers that have water flux into the aquifer, the local aquifer temperature can show seasonal variation. This project focused on the thermally-altered, near-river zone of such an aquifer, and used numerical methods to examine the extent of seasonal variation in temperature into the aquifer, and the attenuation and phase shift of the signal with distance from the river. The results show that the extent of alteration by diffusive heat flow is negligible compared to the advective component of heat flow. Therefore, because heat transport is driven primarily by advection, the extent of seasonal variation in temperature into the aquifer, as well as the attenuation and phase lag of the signal are significantly dependent on the hydraulic gradient between the river and aquifer. Furthermore, the extent, attenuation, and phase lag of seasonal variation in temperature within the aquifer was found to be strongly dependent on heterogeneity. Considerable differences in the expression of the seasonally varying temperature signal were found to occur as a result of the local presence of high and/or low hydraulic conductivity material. Finally, for the Miami Valley aquifer (which the models used in this study were based upon), seasonal variation in groundwater temperature is expected only within a lateral distance of about 135 meters from the river and there only within a depth of about 25 meters.

Committee: Robert Ritzi Ph.D. (Advisor); David Dominic Ph.D. (Committee Member); Chris Barton Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Geology; Environmental Science; Geology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2013, Geodetic Science and Surveying

Development of coastal wetlands and arid areas had negative impacts on the natural hydrological processing on the surface and underground, and it resulted in disappearance of wetlands that buffer severe flooding and function as home for various wildlife in the wetlands, and groundwater depletion in the desert areas. Continuously monitoring the surface change caused by human activities requires radar remote sensing with the in-situ measurements. The intensity and phase components of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data provide valuable information on the characteristics of surface change and ground deformation. First of all, in this study, we demonstrated that the wetland water level changes in the Atchafalaya Basin of the Louisiana can be effectively observed by integrating Interferometric SAR (InSAR) results and radar altimetry data. When the hydrologic flow between wetlands is disrupted by levees or dams, InSAR processing cannot appropriately resolve the absolute water level changes from unwrapped phases. The fusion of the two radar technologies enables one to accurately estimate absolute water level change while avoiding inconsistent phase unwrapping. Secondly, the water level in the Everglades is measured by monitoring stations, and the measurement is often disturbed by abrupt water level rise. The L-band SAR backscatter coefficient in Everglades has the characteristics that SAR intensity is inversely proportional with water level in the freshwater marsh. The linear relationship enables one to estimate water level from SAR backscattering coefficients. The correlation between two parameters over the sawgrass was high, and it implied that water level estimation from the ALOS L-band SAR backscatter coefficients is possible. The final study demonstrated the use of small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR processing technique to effectively measure the ground subsidence caused by groundwater depletion in Tucson, Arizona. The SBAS processing suppresses atmospheric artifacts (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: C. K. Shum (Advisor); Alan Saalfeld (Committee Member); Ralph Frese von (Committee Member); Zhong Lu (Committee Member) Subjects: Geophysics; Hydrologic Sciences; Remote Sensing

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Engineering and Applied Science: Environmental Engineering

With the advance of the sensitive modern analytical techniques such as ion chromatography(IC), perchlorate (ClO4 -) contamination in drinking water systems has been revealed as a widespread problem in United States, typical water contaminations are at 0.005-0.020 µg/L (5-20 ppb) levels. Man-made perchlorate is a major contribution to contamination in the environment due to the exceptional oxidation properties of perchlorate. Although various perchlorate treatment technologies have been shown to be effective, chemical destruction may be the optimal way to remove perchlorate from water systems. In this study, perchlorate reduction by zero valent iron filings enhanced by UV light and palladium was conducted. Up to 52% perchlorate reduction from the original 1 mg/L (1ppm) was achieved using iron filings alone in a batch study. However, using UV light (0.24mW/cm2, 12KW) with zero valent iron perchlorate reduction was enhanced to 83%. Palladium salt increased reduction very slightly, while UV light with palladium reduced perchlorate by 88%. Adsorption of perchlorate to the catalyst surface took place during the first 6 hours of the batch experiment under conditions of UV light and Palladium salt. In order to evaluate the effect of iron dosage, four different iron dosages, 0.25g/ml, 0.50g/ml, 0.75g/ml and 1.0g/ml, were used in the batch study. Among these, 1.0 g/ml of iron dosage showed the greatest capacity for perchlorate reduction. A mathematical correlation was established to explain the batch study reduction kinetics of perchlorate. A column flow experiment was conducted to evaluate the prediction of kinetic rate from the batch study. The reduction rate was correlated reasonably well by pseudo first order reaction kinetics under UV light.

Committee: George Sorial PhD (Committee Chair); E Sahle-Demissie PhD (Committee Member); Mingming Lu PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Engineering

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Engineering : Electrical Engineering

The object of this thesis is to develop an autonomous on-site sampling system with electrochemical detection of heavy metals in ground water. The measuring system is comprised of three layers of components: an electrochemical control layer, a fluidic control layer, and a control interface layer. The electrochemical control layer consists of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electrochemical potentiostat, disposable sensor chips, and the circuit board associated with them. The fluidic control layer consists of a pump, valves, polycarbonate microfluidic motherboard with the microfluidic channels etched in, and a circuit board for associated components. The control interface layer consists of a software program written in LabVIEW development environment, a data acquisition card (DAQ), and wireless components. The control interface layer works with both other layers to make the control strategy complete. The autonomous system was developed in coordination with the development of new disposable Bismuth electrochemical sensors. Bismuth electrodes have the advantage of being more environmentally friendly than traditional Mercury drop electrodes, while maintaining similar sensitivity and other desirable characteristics. The system is approximately 8” W x 11” L (roughly the size of notebook paper) and about 3” deep. The small size and wireless computer interface gives the advantage of being portable for field use while not sacrificing portability for accuracy of measurement. The developed sampling system was fully characterized for sampling and measuring functions in sequence for the analysis of heavy metals from both ground and surface water.

Committee: Ahn Chong PhD (Committee Chair); Paul Bishop PhD (Committee Member); Joseph Nevin PhD (Committee Member); Am Jang PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering

In the past, the hydraulic conductivities of glacial tills were considered slowly permeable to almost impermeable. However, fractures, cracks, and joints in clay-rich glacial tills can act as conduits for the rapid flow of water and contaminants, causing some glacial tills to exhibit very permeable characteristics. Being able to predict the occurrence and development of fractures is a challenge which led to this investigation of Ohio's tills and glacially-derived soils. Historic field data were collected from published and unpublished sources. The data were used to determine the soil textures and depths of those glacial tills having fractures. Controlled fracturing experiments were performed on mixtures of field soil samples and measured additions of various quantities of pure silica sand. Grain sizes of the field soil materials were determined according to USDA classification (sand, silt and clay). Laboratory methods included grinding soil core samples, adding water and varying amounts of silica sand, pouring the mixtures into 8.5-inch (21.6 cm) diameter aluminum pans, allowing the "mud-pies" to dry for over a week, and photo-documenting the resultant presence or absence of fractures. Statistical and graphical analysis methods included calculating confidence regions in ternary diagrams and formulating correlations of sand, silt and clay. Soil texture appears to be the strongest control on fracturing. Based on the combined data set for Ohio field and lab samples (173 points), tills having less than 75 % sand and/or greater than 6 % clay were predicted to be fractured. Depth of glacial tills having observed fractures ranged from 0.5 to 230 ft. All Ohio till samples observed to have fractures in the study contained illite, chlorite, kaolinite, and vermiculite; some also included expandable clays. The study was expanded to include data and soil samples from several other Midwestern states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. This predictive model can be a useful t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ann Christy (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 1967, Geological Sciences

Committee: Jay Lehr (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2002, Geological Sciences

This study investigates various aspects of in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) schemes based on MnO4-. Batch experiments show that the interaction between MnO4-, and sediment solids will not only consume the reactant, but also can release toxic metals into ground water. Various column and flow tank experiments were conducted to examine the capacity and efficiency of the oxidation scheme. Oxidation was capable of destroying chlorinated ethylenes in aqueous phase. MnO4- oxidation performs better in removal of residual DNAPL than pooled DNAPL. In zones of high NAPL saturation, Mn oxide precipitates causing pore plugging and permeability reduction. These changes potentially could cause the remedial action to fail. In an effort to mitigate the precipitation, experiments have been carried out to investigate possibilities of delaying the formation of colloidal Mn oxide and to remove the precipitates once formed. The investigation begins with the identification of the Mn oxide mineral structure and the determination of the chemical properties of the solid. Phosphate ion was added to the reaction in an attempt to slowdown colloidal formation due to its high charge and the tendency to sorb on surfaces. The results indicate that the presence of phosphate ion can lower the rate of colloid formation. However, the magnitude of effects due to the addition of phosphate is limited by the ionic strength increase and the pzc (point of zero charge) of the mineral. The dissolution kinetics of birnessite was evaluated using solutions of citric acid, oxalic acid, and EDTA. The results showed that the addition of an organic acid could greatly increase the dissolution rate of birnessite. The dissolution mechanism involves proton and ligand-promoted dissolution and reductive dissolution. A permanganate reactive barrier system (PRBS) was designed and a proof-of-concept experiment was carried out in the laboratory. The experiment demonstrated how the PRBS could delivery MnO4- at a stable, consta (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Franklin Schwartz (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2009, Geology and Environmental Earth Science

In this dissertation, two issues that deal with access to clean drinking water were addressed. The first issue focused on the development of inexpensive ways to assess the potential for increasing groundwater supplies in a rural semi-arid region. The study area was in southeast Kenya in an area that is dependent on surface water collected in catchments on the mountain. The area experiences severe water shortages, especially during drought periods. In recent years, remote sensing has emerged as an inexpensive tool in groundwater exploration. In this study, LANDSAT imagery, which is relatively cheaper, was successfully used to map relative topography, moisture and vegetation. Together with linear features, soil types, and rock data, these features were used to identify areas with shallow groundwater potential. The areas were checked for depth to water table and subsurface lithology, with the water table being between 3 and 11 m.The second issue focused on assessing the effect of storms on riverbed sediments and hydraulic conductivity (Kv). Despite studies showing significant reductions in microbial contamination by riverbank filtration, there still exists some uncertainty in determining a site's susceptibility to contamination from river water. This research quantified variations in riverbed Kv during storms using temperature modeling. Study sites were associated with municipal production wells along the Great Miami River. Kv increased by up to an order of magnitude from pre-storm low values to the largest Kv, with a maximum value for the study period of about 0.06 m/d. There was a positive correlation between the factor of increase and the time it took for stage to rise to its peak value, with an adjusted R2 = 0.76 and a p-value = 0.03. Riverbed scour was measured using a load-cell sensor and scour chains. The amount of scour occurring during any given storm was correlated with changes in the river stage with an adjusted R2 = 0.71 and a p-value = 0.0014. A comparison (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jonathan Levy (Advisor); Jason Rech (Committee Member); William Renwick (Committee Member); Mark Boardman (Committee Member); David Nash (Committee Member) Subjects: Hydrology

Master of Science, University of Akron, 2010, Geology

This study assesses the groundwater resources of Copley Township, in Summit County, Ohio, by using the spatial analysis tools provided by a Geographic Information System. Copley Township has experienced a steady population influx since 1990, along with an increase in residential, commercial, and industrial development. Furthermore, over half of the households within the township rely upon private wells to provide drinking water. Using water well logs and additional data provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, it was possible to create maps that illustrate spatial relationships and variations within the aquifers that provide groundwater resources. There are two main types of aquifers within the study area: aquifers set within bedrock and aquifers set within unconsolidated materials. The primary aquifers used for groundwater resources within the study area are the Mississippian Cuyahoga Group, the Pennsylvanian Sharon Formation, and Quaternary drift filling pre-glacial valleys. The potentiometric surface of the bedrock aquifer follows closely with the bedrock topography, which is composed of bedrock knobs that form the topographic highs that are separated by pre-glacial valleys. Quaternary drift has filled in these valleys, producing thick aquifer units composed of unconsolidated materials of varying grain-size. There is evidence of the bedrock aquifer recharging the buried valley aquifer system, but there is no significant evidence that the unconsolidated aquifer is recharging the bedrock aquifer system. According to well data, the Quaternary drift that fills the pre-glacial valleys contains the most productive aquifers in the study area, and these aquifers have the greatest potential groundwater resources. The most productive bedrock aquifer system lies within the knobs of the Sharon Formation. However, this unit is present in only a small fraction of the study area. Thus, the most widely accessed bedrock aquifer lies within the Cuyahoga Group.

Committee: Ira Sasowsky Dr. (Advisor); John Senko Dr. (Committee Member); Kevin Butler Dr. (Committee Member); John Szabo Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Geology; Hydrology

Master of Science in Environmental Science, Youngstown State University, 2012, Department of Physics, Astronomy, Geology and Environmental Sciences

This research analyzed test results of private groundwater wells within a one mile radius of the Carbon Limestone Landfill (CLL) located in Poland Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, with the objective of determining the impact the CLL had on groundwater quality over a sampling period of May 2003 – September 2010. Data was collected by the Mahoning County Board of Health District as a part of the Groundwater Surveillance in the Vicinity of Mahoning County Landfills project. The data collected from the Board of Health contained all results from participating wells, which began in 2003. Analysis of the data included creating time-series graphs of each parameter tested for individual wells using Microsoft Excel graphing capabilities, as well as mapping the concentrations using ArcGIS to illustrate any changes to the groundwater over time. Both time-series graphing and ArcGIS mapping analyses suggest that no impacts to the local groundwater by the Carbon Limestone Landfill were shown during the May 2003 – September 2010 sampling period. The inclusion of on-site data from Carbon Limestone Landfill monitoring wells for four discrete dates, however, show possible migrations of certain chemical constitutes from the landfill. Continued monitoring and incorporation of more recent on-site sampling data is needed to fully evaluate the possible relationships of onsite water quality to off-site (residential) water quality.

Committee: Jeffrey Dick PhD (Advisor); Felicia Armstrong PhD (Committee Member); Colleen McLean PhD (Committee Member); Len Perry MPH (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Geology; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Geological; Geology; Hydrologic Sciences; Hydrology; Water Resource Management