PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2004, Arts and Sciences : Biological Sciences

Ecological restoration of hazardous waste sites is a potential remediation strategy that has not been well documented. Here, we assessed natural plant community development and soil remediation on an aged petroleum refinery land treatment unit (LTU) containing recalcitrant environmental pollutants. Preliminary assessment of phytotoxicity using bioassays (Lactuca sativa L. and Solidago canadensis L.) indicated that some tolerant phenotypes would grow on LTU soil. Fourteen permanent plots (37 m²) were then established onsite to assess actual plant succession and remediation: 11 for study of natural succession and 3 to act as a control by removal of vegetation. Two soil cores were removed annually from each plot, analyzed for edaphic factors and then sequentially extracted for metals and PAHs. Analysis of contaminants indicated a 50% reduction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soil of vegetated and unvegetated plots after three years. There were no significant changes in total metal loadings. Metal content in plant root and shoot tissue was highly variable between species, but still low relative to soil levels, verifying the low bioavailability estimated from soil extracts. Plots were subsampled (1 m²) monthly for cover and abundance during the growing season, and for biomass at the end of the season. Monthly measurements of plant variables indicated that species richness increased from 28 to 57 species, cover increased from 33 to 79%, and biomass increased by a factor of four over three years. Plant growth was correlated to spatial and microclimatic factors, but contaminant loading showed no correlation. In fall of the following year, both LTU and a nearby unpolluted plant community of comparable size and successional stage were sampled as before: cover and abundance were measured in triplicate subplots (1 m²) within eleven plots. There were no significant differences in richness and percent cover between the (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Jodi Shann (Advisor) Subjects:

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Medicine: Industrial Hygiene (Environmental Health)

Structure fires encompass organic and inorganic fuel sources from both natural and synthetic materials. Incomplete combustion of these materials harvests several hundred byproducts including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Firefighters are required to wear a certified National Fire Protection Association personal protective equipment (PPE) ensemble. In recent years, new and more advanced PPE control measures have been introduced (i.e., interface control measures, particulate-blocking materials, and the utilization of base layer clothing worn underneath the ensemble) with the intention of attenuating the ingress of known carcinogens to the inside of the gear. Providing interface control measures and adding particulate-blocking materials appeared to provide a protective benefit against less-volatile chemicals, like naphthalene and styrene. Using a fireground exposure simulator (FES), this mannequin-based study evaluated the effectiveness of four different PPE conditions with varying contamination control measures (incorporating PPE interface design features and particulate blocking materials) to protect against ingress of volatile and semi volatile contaminants in a smoke exposure chamber. Furthermore, we investigated the effectiveness of long-sleeve base layer clothing to provide additional workplace protection against skin contamination. Outside gear airborne concentrations were collected within the smoke exposure chamber. Personal air concentrations were collected from mannequins under PPE at the breathing zone, abdomen, and thigh heights and under the base layer at the abdomen and thigh heights. Sampled contaminants included benzene, toluene, styrene, and naphthalene. Workplace protection factors (WPFs) for all compounds were lower under hoods and jackets compared to under pants. Observed across all four conditions, median WPFs increased from the hood and jacket down to the turnout pant. We al (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jun Wang Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Sivaraman Balachandran Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mary Beth Genter Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kenneth Fent Ph.D. (Committee Member); I-Chen Chen Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Occupational Health

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Medicine: Epidemiology (Environmental Health)

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of persistent chemicals created by the incomplete combustion of organic substances. Analyses from the first five years of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), the largest population-based case-control studies of birth defects in the United States, found that exposure to occupational PAHs may be associated with increased risk of adverse reproductive outcomes, including birth defects. The purpose of this study was to use the full data (1997-2011) from NBDPS to evaluate the relationship between maternal occupational exposures to PAHs and selected birth defects (neural tube defects and rare facial and central nervous system defects), and to develop semi-automated approaches to the exposure assessment of PAHs. Methods: Data from over 35,000 employed women in the NBDPS were analyzed. Expert raters assigned each job PAH exposure ratings; this included intensity, percent of time exposed, and rating confidence for likely exposed jobs. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. Effect modification was evaluated with stratification. Exposure-response analyses used PAH cumulative exposure estimates categorized into none versus quartiles or into none, low, and high. To increase efficiency of future exposure assessments, the entire dataset of job descriptions and ratings was divided into training and validation data sets. Regularized logistic regression was used to derive a PAH exposure prediction model from the job descriptions and expert rating assignments from the training set, and the performance of the resulting algorithm plus manual keyword screen were compared to expert raters in the validation data set. Results: Approximately 10% of employed mothers were exposed to occupational PAH. Exposure-response results showed that PAH exposure at the highest estimated exposure quartile was associated with any NTD (aOR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.05-1.99) and (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kim Dietrich Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Aimin Chen Ph.D. (Committee Member); Marepalli Rao Ph.D. (Committee Member); Carissa Rocheleau Ph.D. (Committee Member); Martha Waters Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Epidemiology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2018, Environmental Science

Legacy environmental pollution of hydrophobic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), continues to threaten aquatic and benthic organisms. This type of persistent contaminant binds to sediment and slowly releases into the overlying water over time. Removal of the contaminated sediment is cost prohibitive, demonstrating the need for development of in-situ remediation strategies. Ultrasound (US) has potential to release PAHs from the sediment and degrade them while they are in the water, but it is unclear how much PAH release occurs in the presence of US. In this study, solid phase microextraction (SPME), a relatively new passive sampling method, is used to estimate aqueous concentration. Sampling with SPME is used to determine the change in aqueous concentration as a response to US. The kinetic response in aqueous phase PAH concentration to Little Scioto River creosote contaminated sediment exposed to 20 kHz ultrasound (US) at a power of 430 W/L was determined using SPME. First, the time necessary for the SPME fiber to contact a system containing aqueous PAHs was determined to be 10 minutes. Then, SPME fiber/water partition coefficients, Kspme10, were experimentally determined and shown to be comparable with previous studies. Next, SPME measurements were taken by exposing fresh, conditioned fibers in a reactor containing the contaminated sediment and DI water for 10 minute periods. Three consecutive periods each were taken during US and after US, respectively, for a total of 30 minutes during US and 30 minutes after. US was observed to have a significant increase on PAH release during ultrasound compared with only mixing. This effect is attributed to fragmentation and erosion of particles, by US, exposing internal pores, and easing the release of tightly bound PAHs into the aqueous phase. In addition, for phenanthrene, anthracene, and fluoranthene, US showed significantly higher aqueous concentrations during US compared w (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Linda Weavers PhD (Advisor); Allison MacKay PhD (Committee Member); Roman Lanno PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Medicine: Toxicology (Environmental Health)

Air pollution is a global health threat and causes millions of human deaths annually. Toxic air pollutants have been associated with disrupted immune responses and inflammatory homeostasis. Pregnancy and fetal development stages are highly susceptible to environmental exposures that tend to induce deleterious inflammatory responses. Mechanistic evidence supports that air pollutants impact various cellular and molecular targets, which alter immune responses and lead to systemic diseases. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous lipophilic air pollutants released from incomplete combustion of organic materials, such as automobile fuel-burning, industrial gas emission, cigarette smoking, and food grilling. Exposure to PAHs increases the risk of various inflammatory diseases and conditions, such as bronchitis, dermatitis, asthma, and obesity. However, whether and how PAHs interfere immune cell responses and exacerbate inflammatory diseases remains elusive. As known, dendritic cells (DCs) activate effector CD4+ and CD8+ T cells through antigen presentation and cytokine stimulation, determining the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. Thus, we hypothesize that PAH-exposed DCs alter the cytokine production of T cells, leading to an unbalanced inflammatory homeostasis. To test this hypothesis, we treated human DCs with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a common component of PAHs, and showed the increased production of inflammatory cytokine interferon-y (IFN-y) in DC-mediated T cell activation. To further determine which genes and pathways regulate the immune responses altered by BaP, we performed transcriptomic analysis on BaP-treated DCs and showed that BaP exposure inhibited the expression of the gene cluster mediated by the nuclear transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? (PPAR-?). To test whether PPAR-? regulates the effect of PAH exposure on T cell activation and inflammatory response, we treated DCs with PPAR-? agonist (pioglita (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Shouxiong Huang Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Aimin Chen Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Toxicology

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2017, Integrated Bioscience

Simultaneous exposure to synthetic chemical compounds and hypoxia is a common scenario for aquatic organisms. These exposures are tolerated through the induction of molecular, physiological, and behavioral responses. Particularly for hypoxia, the cardiovascular system is paramount to maintaining the balance between oxygen demand and supply. Exposure to compounds like bisphenol A (BPA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can exert toxic effects on cardiovascular function. Simultaneous exposure has the potential to both decrease hypoxia tolerance and exacerbate toxicity of exposure to these compounds. The purpose of this work was to determine how cardiovascular function is affected by simultaneous exposure. With co-exposure to hypoxia and the plasticizer, BPA, zebrafish larvae experience severe bradycardia and loss of cardiac output that was also accompanied by slowed development and higher mortality. This effect was absent in larvae exposed to BPA singly. At lower concentrations of BPA, cardiac parameters experienced slight decreases in heart rate that were ameliorated post exposure. Red blood cell velocity, however, decreased up to 30% in these larvae and decreased further after 6-7 days of recovery, indicating that embryonic exposure had a long term effect on cardiovascular function. With co-exposure to hypoxia and the cardiotoxic PAH, phenanthrene, larvae experienced more severe decreases in heart rate, cardiac output, and red blood cell velocity. This indicated an increase in the toxic effect of phenanthrene due to hypoxia co-exposure. Statistical methods for evaluating cardiovascular function in zebrafish were also explored through the use of structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM provides a systems approach to identify how relationships between variables change with treatments like hypoxia. Lastly, I advocate for the use of shotgun lipidomics as a tool for hypothesis generation for lipid research in fish physiology. A comparison of the (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brian Bagatto PhD (Advisor); Londraville Richard PhD (Committee Member); Shriver Leah PhD (Committee Member); Moore Francisco PhD (Committee Member); Ramirez Rolando PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Physiology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1973, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Chemistry

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, Environment and Natural Resources

Management of soil hazards in urban areas requires strategies that are scientifically effective and accepted by both the general public and public health regulators. Soil management options must consider all three of these components during evaluation. The concept of managing soil hazards to reduce contaminant exposure must be expanded to include considerations of soil function and soil health following remediation. Bioavailability assessments must be included with soil hazard assessments to improve hazard characterization. Soil hazard and soil health indicators can be combined in a comprehensive index, though the relative importance of each factor within the index will be site specific. Several recent studies have quantified contaminants in soil, such as lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in many urban areas. When these findings are coupled with slow regulatory movement on potential management strategies, the public's perceived risk for potential exposure may increase. Such scenarios across the United States may reduce public support for widespread contaminant cleanup. Innovative interdisciplinary research initiatives are needed to: (1) evaluate potential contaminants and factors that contribute to healthy, functioning soil, (2) facilitate public and regulatory acceptance of potential soil hazards and treatments, and (3) communicate the public health implications of viable cleanup activities. These studies are particularly needed in vulnerable urban areas that demonstrate variable soil contaminant concentrations over small geographic spaces. Characterizing and addressing these soil contaminants will contribute to and benefit our society from public health, social, environmental, and economic perspectives. Soil contaminants and their impacts can be evaluated within the context of other exposures and individual characteristics, such as proposed in the developing field of exposome public health research. The results from this diss (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Nicholas Basta PhD. (Advisor); Steven Culman PhD. (Committee Member); Darryl Hood PhD. (Committee Member); Robyn Wilson PhD. (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Health; Environmental Management; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Public Health; Soil Sciences

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2016, Chemistry

Quartz filters from high-volume air samplers of particulate matter of a size less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) located in Moraine and Yellow Springs, Ohio, were obtained from the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency and analyzed for levoglucosan, metals, and the EPA 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Average concentration of levoglucosan increased as ambient temperature decreased. Winter concentrations of levoglucosan for Moraine and Yellow Springs were 39.41 ± 31.58 µg/g and 51.52 ± 27.44 µg/g, respectively, which is due to a greater amount of residential wood burning in the colder months. The concentration of biomass burning marker potassium correlated with levoglucosan greater in Moraine (R2=0.6097) than in Yellow Springs (R2=0.4035), indicating the presence of other, most likely agricultural, inputs of potassium in Yellow Springs. The mean concentrations of aluminum in Moraine and Yellow Springs were 184.6 ± 96.67 ng/m3 and 138.6 ± 84.94 ng/m3, respectively. The mean concentrations of silicon in Moraine and Yellow Springs were 529.1 ± 228.4 ng/m3 and 547.4 ± 203.6 ng/m3, respectively. Aluminum and silicon represent two commonly found elements in road dust, and their variability indicates the lack of predictability that road dust has on air quality. The quantity of PAHs in Yellow Springs on average was greater than that of Moraine (2075 ± 660 µg/g vs. 1620 ± 1324 µg/g). An incredibly large amount of PAHs measured on 2/16/14 (142.322 ng/m3), coupled with high PM2.5 values, low wind speeds, variable wind direction, low temperature and high humidity around the same date express the possibility that a temperature inversion occurred in Yellow Springs during the middle of February 2014. When compared to the PM2.5 & PM10 data obtained by RAPCA and this study's analysis, the occurrence of an inversion was supported; however, low levoglucosan and potassium concentrations indicate a minimal contribution from wood smoke. The combined use of thre (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Audrey McGowin Ph.D. (Advisor); Steven Higgins Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Rachel Aga Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Atmospheric Chemistry; Chemistry

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2014, Arts and Sciences: Geology

Vehicles constitute one of the most important sources of environmental pollution. Most studies on roadside soil pollution have been carried out in urban areas, where the main fuel used is petrol. These studies indicate that the concentrations of heavy metals associated with vehicular movement decrease with increasing distance from the highway and with depth in the soil profile. In contrast, most of the vehicles that travel along the Manali-Leh Highway in northwestern Himalaya, India are fueled by diesel. The present study assessed the concentrations of the heavy metals (Al, Fe, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Co, Zn, V and Ba), total organic carbon (TOC), total sulphur and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations along this highway. Soil samples were collected from four sites at incremental distances from the highway (0m, 2m, 5m, 10m, 20m and 150m) and from three depths in the soil profile (3cm, 9cm and 15cm). The concentrations of the various elements were measured using X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and an Elemental Analyzer, while those of the PAHs using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Results suggest that heavy metal concentrations are generally very low compared to those in other published studies. There is no clear relationship between concentrations of heavy metals and either distance from the highway or depth within the soil profile. However, elevated concentrations of sulphur are found in the soils. Cluster analysis was applied to determine the association of various elements in the soil. There are six main clusters, which are interpreted to be the organic, clay, carbonate, iron oxides, sand and silt and windblown deposited fractions of the soil. This indicates that most of the metals are associated with the natural fractions of the soils. Sulphur is found to be clustered with the organic fraction of the soils. PAHs are also found, albeit in very low concentrations compared to other published studies on highways. The main conclusion of this study is t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brooke Crowley Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Aaron Diefendorf Ph.D. (Committee Member); J Barry Maynard Ph.D. (Committee Member); Lewis Owen Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science

Master of Science in Biological Sciences, Youngstown State University, 2009, Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry

The purpose of this study was to optimize bioremediation of Mahoning River sediment historically contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using white rot fungi. Pleurotus ostreatus grown on grain (10% v/v) was added to contaminated sediment amended with sawdust (80% v/v), with and without fungal specific nutritional nitrogen (to enhance fungal growth), and with cyclodextrin (to increase PAH availability). Sediment mixtures were incubated in the dark at 25°C for 6 weeks. Sawdust made the sediment more porous, allowed better colonization by fungi, and did not greatly increase volume. Fungal biomass, determined using fluorescent microscopy, indicated initial fungal colonization but then fungal growth was inhibited, likely by toxic metals or high moisture content in the sediment. Growth of unidentified fungi was observed, especially in treatments amended with nitrogen. Total PAH concentrations (in the order of 100 ppm), analyzed using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS), and significantly decreased ~ 50-60% in all treatments, including sediment only controls within the first two weeks. Thus, aerobic degradation by native bacteria and volatilization were likely responsible for most of the observed decreases in PAH concentrations. High heterogeneity of PAHs in this historically contaminated sediment led to high variance between replicates. There was a slight decrease in 5 ring PAHs associated with sediment inoculated with P. ostreatus and also a slight decrease in total PAH concentrations associated with sediment amended with sawdust and cyclodextrin (with or without P. ostreatus). Increased nitrogen did not enhance PAH degradation. Sediment inoculated with P. ostreatus after two weeks, rather than initially, showed better fungal growth and colonization, but PAH data was not yet available. These data indicate there is great potential for bioremediation of PAH contaminated sediment conditions by stimulating indigenous bacteria under aerobic condit (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carl Johnston PhD (Advisor); Chester Cooper PhD (Committee Member); Jonathan Caguiat PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Microbiology

Master of Science in Environmental Science, Youngstown State University, 2009, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

White rot fungi, Pleurotus ostreatus, is capable of degrading a wide range of organic contaminants including PAHs. Bioremediating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contaminated river sediment with P. ostreatus maybe a viable and less invasive method to reduce risk of exposure. The first part of this research was to determine the degradation of PAHs from contaminated sediment. The second part was to determine if sterols (ergosterol) and PAHs can be extracted with a single extraction method. Ergosterol is produced by living fungi and can be used as a measurement of fungal biomass. Contaminated river sediments was treated with P. ostreatus, grown on barley, and various amendments then incubated at 25 °C. Amendments included sawdust and nitrogen supplement to stimulate fungal growth. The treatment with P. ostreatus showed degradation of total PAHs after 21 days using a Lipid Extraction Method and GC/MS. These results show that P. ostreatus is able to colonize in highly contaminated Mahoning River sediment and degrade the PAHs present. To extract ergosterol and PAHs simultaneously an Ergosterol Extraction Method (EEM) was developed. Various samples were prepared with sediment, sediment and fungi grown on barley, sediment and fungi grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) or only fungi grown on PDA or barley. The EEM was successful in extracting ergosterol from fungi grown on barley resulting in concentrations from 17.5 - 39.94 µg/g ergosterol. Similar results were seen in the other treatments. PAHs were also found extracted in much greater amounts compared to the Lipid Extraction Method. In addition, cholesterol, usually found in animals, was detected in the fungi P. ostreatus at easily detectable levels. With better optimization of amendments, Ergosterol Extraction Method could be highly useful and effective in analyzing the level of fungal biomass as well as PAH contaminants during bioremediation efforts.

Committee: Felicia Armstrong PhD (Advisor); Peter Norris PhD (Committee Member); Roland Riesen PhD (Committee Member); Isam Amin PhD (Committee Member); Harry Bircher MS (Committee Member) Subjects: Biogeochemistry; Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science; Geochemistry

Master of Science in Chemistry, Youngstown State University, 2008, Department of Chemistry

The effects of β-cyclodextrin on the extraction and fungal remediation of PAHs in historically contaminated river sediment were examined in this study. Sediment collected from Lowellville, Ohio were incubated for 42 days and amended with paper, sawdust nitrogen supplement to stimulate fungal growth. The surfactant, β-cyclodextrin was added to increase the availability of non-polar PAHs from the sediment. The samples were extracted via a sonication method based on the USEPA method 3550, purified and analyzed by GC-MS. The total low molecular weight PAHs showed degradation of 64% and the total high molecular weight PAHs, a degradation of 57% for the sediment treated with the fungi Pleurotus ostreatus, sawdust and nitrogen. The low molecular weight compound fluorene degraded by 76% for sawdust-treated samples amended with fungi and β-cyclodextrin whereas the high molecular weight PAH chrysene showed only 8% degradation for the same treatment. Overall the effect of β-cyclodextrin on the PAH degradation was inconsistent, it did not improve the most effective treatment (sawdust, fungi and nitrogen), but did improve the degradation in less effective treatments.

Committee: Carl Johnston PhD (Advisor); Daryl Mincey PhD (Committee Member); Roland Riesen PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Biology; Chemistry

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Medicine: Industrial Hygiene (Environmental Health)

Firefighters are exposed to numerous hazards, including particulates and fumes, and physical, thermal and emotional stresses encountered during firefighting. The particulate and gaseous phases of smoke contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known carcinogens. A recent meta-analysis suggests that firefighting is linked to elevated risk of testicular, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and prostate cancers. We hypothesized that the urinary levels of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) and DNA adducts in firefighters will be significantly greater than the Kelly baseline samples and that 1-HP levels in firefighters will be elevated following a fire suppression event. PAH exposures of firefighters after a fire event were assessed by measuring 1-HP levels and DNA adducts in exfoliated urothelial cells and compared to those in baseline Kelly day (5 consecutive days off work) samples. The urine samples were analyzed for 1-HP according to the method by Jongeneelen et al. The DNA was isolated from the pellet using the Wizard Genomic DNA kit and then analyzed for DNA adducts by 32P-postlabelling adenosine 5'triphosphate (ATP) excess, thin layer chromatography and scintillation counting. A total of 24 non-clean catch urine samples were collected from 15 firefighters after firefighters returned from their Kelly day (13 urine samples) and after a fire suppression event (10 urine samples) and one sample was omitted because of labeling. Five firefighters gave both Kelly day and post fire samples. One gave 2 Kelly day samples and another gave 3 post fire samples. Results were averaged if more than one was collected. One of the twelve 1-HP baseline samples exceeded the ACGIH recommendation of 1 µg/l. Three of the eight 1-HP post fire samples, exceeded the ACGIH recommendation. Four of the five post fire 1-HP levels were higher than the Kelly Day 1-HP levels, which suggest that the firefighters were exposed to PAHs during fire fighting. The fluctuation of 1-HP values b (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Glenn Talaska PhD (Committee Chair); Charles Stuart Baxter PhD (Committee Member); Tiina Reponen PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Occupational Safety

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Medicine: Industrial Hygiene (Environmental Health)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed whenever there is incomplete combustion of carbonaceous material. They are ubiquitous in the environment and background levels are found in almost all people. In the workplace, inhalation and dermal exposure are the most common routes of exposure because PAHs are easily inhaled and absorbed through the skin. Coke oven workers, particularly topside workers, are known to be highly exposed to PAHs and are also at increased risk for lung and other cancers. Levels of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP), a urinary metabolite of the PAH, pyrene, have been used to estimate the PAH exposure levels in coke oven workers. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) adduct levels represent the cumulative exposure and metabolism to a genotoxic species over the lifespan of the sampled cells. We hypothesized that1-HP urine values and DNA adduct levels in cells filtered from urine in pre-shift urine samples from coke oven workers' will vary by job location, smoking status, cigarettes smoked per day, and job duration. Pre-shift urine samples were collected from 32 coke oven workers at various job locations. 1-HP and DNA adduct levels were analyzed according to methods as published previously. In brief, the samples were filtered to remove cellular components, and then hydrolyzed to deconjugated metabolites. Solid phase extraction was used to concentrate metabolites. 1-HP levels were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a fluorescence detector at an excitation wavelength of 242 nanometers (nm) and an emission wavelength of 388 (nm). Standard curves were used to quantitate the levels. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) indicates that a level of 1-HP in urine greater than 1 μg/l should be considered overexposed in the occupational setting for PAHs. Results showed that 28 of the 32 workers were overexposed according the 1-HP ACGIH recommendation. No statistically significant difference was found for smo (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Glenn Talaska PhD (Committee Chair); Mary Beth Genter PhD (Committee Member); Paul Succop PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Engineering

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Medicine: Industrial Hygiene (Environmental Health)

Firefighting continues to be one of the most hazardous and yet least studied occupations in terms of mechanisms of occupationally induced disease. Firefighters are exposed to a complex mixture of agents, including fine particles and a range of chemicals, among which are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Effects of exposures related to firefighting include adverse cardiovascular health outcomes, and epidemiological studies have in addition revealed an excess incidence of several types of cancer. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize firefighters' exposures in the firehouse and in the overhaul stage of fire suppression activities to fine particles, exposure to which has been associated with cardiovascular disease, and PAHs, many of which are carcinogenic. Firefighters' exposures were compared to those of University of Cincinnati Radiation Safety Office employees. The fine particulate samples were collected using PMI-samplers (Personal Modular Impactor, SKC inc., Eighty Four, PA) equipped with 37-mm diameter Teflon filters. The pumps were calibrated to 3.0 ± 0.1 liters per minute. The filters were weighed before and after the sampling and the analysis for the PAHs was conducted following NIOSH method 5515. All sample analyses were conducted by a commercial laboratory (Research Triangle Institute, NC). P-Trak fine particle counters were utilized to assess fine particle number concentration in the size range of 0.02 – 1 μm with 1-minute resolution. The results from this study show that firefighters are exposed to elevated levels of PM2.5 and fine particles during overhaul and while at the firehouse. Among the 17 analyzed PAHs, trace amounts of naphthalene and acenaphthylene were detected in most of the overhaul samples. It is recommended that self contained breathing apparatuses or other personal protection be worn throughout the overhaul process. Unless engineering controls can be put in place, respiratory protection need be utilized to ensure the firef (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Tiina Reponen PhD (Committee Chair); Charles Stuart Baxter PhD (Committee Member); Erin Nicole Haynes PhD (Committee Member); Paul Succop PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Epidemiology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Medicine : Industrial Hygiene (Environmental Health)

Two separate projects were begun and are reported on in this thesis. The aim of the first study was to investigate the levels of DNA-adducts in mouse urinary bladder samples to evaluate whether there would be an elevation related to cigarette smoke exposure. The mice received a whole-body exposure of cigarette smoke for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for 6 months. After their last exposure, the bladders were removed and were stored at a temperature of –80 C until analysis. DNA was isolated from the bladders using the ProMega Wizard® technology and will be analyzed for DNA adducts by using nuclease P1, 32P-postlabeling, thin layer chromatography and scintillation counting. The results will be used to determine the capacity of cigarette smoke to form aromatic DNA adducts in the bladders of mice. Due to complications with reagents and the enzymes used, it was decided that it would be better to change topics and start over with a different project. The new project is related to the old study, such as looking at exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and determining the risk of developing cancer, but instead of cigarette smoke exposure, smoke exposures among firefighter recruits were investigated. In the second study, the levels of 1 hydroxypyrene (1-HP) in pre-shift and post-shift samples from firefighter recruits were measured to evaluate whether the recruits were being over exposed to PAHs while on the job. The firefighter recruits provided a urine sample in the morning upon arriving at the firehouse and another later that day after the training exercise upon returning to the firehouse. These samples were transported in a cooler filled with ice and stored in the Biological Monitoring Lab freezer until analysis. The 24 samples obtained were analyzed for levels of 1-HP. 1-HP levels of 5 recruits were increased in their post-shift sample, while the post shift levels of 1-HP decreased in 6 other recruits. One recruit had levels lower than the limit of detection (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Glenn Talaska Dr. (Advisor); Glenn Talaska Dr. (Committee Chair); Paul Succop Dr. (Committee Member); Ein Hayes Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2007, Engineering : Environmental Science

The Indiana Harbor Canal sediments, containing a number of environmental contaminants, are a source of pollution to Lake Michigan, and will need to be dredged or remediated in the near future. For this purpose the efficiency of a steam stripping apparatus was determined by treating contaminated sediments with steam and steam-surfactant injection, along with salt and alkaline additions, in an attempt to strip polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and lead into an overlaying emulsified layer. Although various runs were conducted using a number of alternative conditions, the stripping potential of this particular system was found to be ineffective based on the low recoveries achieved. For steam and steam-surfactant injections, the supernatant contained less than 1% of initial PAH amounts. Secondary runs of surfactant, alkaline and salt additions resulted in unquantifiable supernatant amounts, but post run sediments indicate that the process was unsuccessful at removing a large portion of the contaminants.

Committee: Dr. Makram Suidan (Advisor) Subjects:

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2003, Engineering : Environmental Engineering

The degradation of PAHs by bacteria indigenous to chronically field-contaminated sediment was investigated, where the sediment served as both the inoculum and the medium containing PAHs. Microbial composition and dynamics under representative conditions were characterized by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE).Due to the high content of reduced sulfur compounds in the sediment, rapid oxygen depletion and severe acidification resulted from intensive activities of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria affiliated with the genus Thiovulum . Proper use of crushed limestone and an oxygen delivery protocol successfully avoided acidification and satisfied the oxygen demand of the system. With sufficient oxygen, substantial biodegradation of 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-ring PAHs was achieved, while no appreciable degradation of 6-ring compounds was observed. Phylogenetic analysis of the microbial communities in various aerobic slurries with different additives revealed the selection of species associated with genera Cytophaga and Sphingomonas .Only phenanthrene showed a significant degradation coupled to sulfate reduction. Two dominant species grouped with the genus Bacteroides were probably involved in the degradation. They related to clones involved in the degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons with sulfate as the electron acceptor.Under denitrifying conditions, no appreciable PAH degradation was observed, while the reduction of nitrate to nitrogen occurred stoichiometrically with the production of sulfate. This was due to the absolute dominance of an autotrophic, Thiomicrospira denitrificans -like denitrifier. The addition of ethanol or acetate, as applied, was unable to encourage the dominance of heterotrophic denitrifiers, which was necessary for PAH biodegradation.An XAD-2 assisted desorption assay was developed for assessing the bioavailability of PAHs in the sediment. Its promise was demonstrated by the strong agreement between final residual levels of all the 2-, 3-, and 4-ring (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Makram T. Suidan (Advisor) Subjects:

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2002, Arts and Sciences : Biological Sciences

One of the emerging technologies that offer an affordable solution for soil clean up is phytoremediation, in which plants remove contaminants from the environment. Plant remediation efficiency may be altered by the presence of multiple contaminants in soil. To investigate the response of Brassica juncea and Medicago sativa to mixtures of contaminants, they were grown in hydroponics and soil. In hydroponics, plants were exposed for 68 hours to solutions containing three different concentrations of Cd, Ni, Zn, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene, individually, as a metal mixture, or as a mixture of metals and PAHs. Samples of treatment solution were taken to monitor the depletion of contaminants, while plants were analyzed to determine metal uptake. In order to monitor the fate of PAHs, excised roots and whole plants were exposed to solutions containing 14C-pyrene, with and without metals. Results show that high concentration treatments containing multiple metals produced toxic effects such as wilting in both plant species. Metal quantities depleted from the hydroponic solution were correlated with the total metals found in plant tissues. Overall, the uptake of individual metal was highest from a single metal solution, and was inhibited by other metals. Presence of PAHs in metal mixture did not have significant effect on metal uptake. Pyrene was taken up into excised and whole plant roots but none was translocated into the shoots. To study the same response in soil, batches of unpolluted soil were spiked with similar concentrations of contaminants, separately and as a mixture, and then planted. Plants were allowed to grow for 40 days before being harvested, dried and analyzed for metals. Soil extraction was performed to determine the degree of metal loss. In soil environment less then 1% of the total metal experimentally added to the soil was taken up into the plant tissue, even though metals were present in form available for plant uptake. The presence of PAHs did not affect (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Jodi R. Shann (Advisor) Subjects: Biology, General