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Title: Stucco Removal Engineering.
Creator: Shaw, Brandon, Murphy, Jonathan, Trotsek, Dylan, Meeroff, Daniel E., Cowan, David, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Construction workers are exposed to fine particulate inhalation hazards during stucco removal. The ultimate goal of this research is to test a new chemical-assisted method that will reduce workers’ exposures to safer levels. To that end, the minimum specimen size must be determined that will replicate this hazardous work environment. Samples of concrete stucco surfacing material (CSSM) of various sizes ranging from 1-in×1-in. to 8-in.×16-in. were applied to masonry blocks. These specimens...
Show moreConstruction workers are exposed to fine particulate inhalation hazards during stucco removal. The ultimate goal of this research is to test a new chemical-assisted method that will reduce workers’ exposures to safer levels. To that end, the minimum specimen size must be determined that will replicate this hazardous work environment. Samples of concrete stucco surfacing material (CSSM) of various sizes ranging from 1-in×1-in. to 8-in.×16-in. were applied to masonry blocks. These specimens were tested to determine the minimum size needed to produce 150-mg/m3 (one order of magnitude larger than the OSHA exposure limit of 15-mg/m3) of airborne particulate in a 1-m3 test chamber when removed with a chipping hammer. Testing results revealed that 5-in.× 5-in. specimen size yielded on average 180-mg/m3 of particulates.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005210
Subject Headings: College students --Research --United States.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Characterization of Leachate Clogging Solids.
Creator: Harris, Alyssa, Purdy, Denys, Meeroff, Daniel E., College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: The Solid Waste Authority (SWA) of Palm Beach County collects leachate from its landfill in a gravity pipe leachate collection system (LCS), which is experiencing clogging due to calcium carbonate scale. An investigation was conducted to determine the solids composition and provide engineering solutions to this challenge. During testing, it was found that aerated leachate produced foam, which after vibration and evaporation, formed crystalline solids similar to those found in the SWA LCS. The...
Show moreThe Solid Waste Authority (SWA) of Palm Beach County collects leachate from its landfill in a gravity pipe leachate collection system (LCS), which is experiencing clogging due to calcium carbonate scale. An investigation was conducted to determine the solids composition and provide engineering solutions to this challenge. During testing, it was found that aerated leachate produced foam, which after vibration and evaporation, formed crystalline solids similar to those found in the SWA LCS. The following tests were conducted to determine the water quality of the leachate and the properties of the solids: pH, turbidity, chemical reactivity, biological growth, surface characteristics, and microscopic analysis. After five days of evaporation, the solids collected in all samples represented 46-47% of the leachate’s initial weight. On visual observation, the leachate remnants left both a crystalline and a dark slimy solid, with larger particles in the aerated samples, a possible source of the clogging.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005195
Subject Headings: College students --Research --United States.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Removing Methanol Additives from Fracking Fluids.
Creator: Meyer, Lisandre, Meeroff, Daniel E., Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry
Abstract/Description: Methanol additives used in fracking fluids are harmful to both the environment and to public health. This is because methanol is a hazardous air pollutant and can contaminate the groundwater. The EPA estimates 32.5 tons of methanol is released into the environment each year. The aim of this study is to test the removal efficiency of methanol additives from fracking fluids using advanced oxidation technology with hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet energy instead of more expensive methods such...
Show moreMethanol additives used in fracking fluids are harmful to both the environment and to public health. This is because methanol is a hazardous air pollutant and can contaminate the groundwater. The EPA estimates 32.5 tons of methanol is released into the environment each year. The aim of this study is to test the removal efficiency of methanol additives from fracking fluids using advanced oxidation technology with hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet energy instead of more expensive methods such as flash evaporation. The first experiment tested different dilutions of water and methanol (30-1000 ppm) with five percent hydrogen peroxide. Then, the samples were exposed to ultraviolet radiation for several time periods ranging from 30 seconds to 15 minutes. Results showed 97.3% or higher removal at 20 minutes. Continued research in this field will allow for fracking wastewater to be treated effectively, so that it is safe to discharge into the environment.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005592
Subject Headings: College students --Research --United States.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Photochemical Iron-Mediated Aeration Treatment of Landfill Leachate.
Creator: Gasnier, Francois, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Landfilling is the most common method of solid waste disposal in the United States. However, a reported issue with landfill management is the production of leachate, which is a wastewater that is typically too strong to be discharged to municipal wastewater treatment facilities. After reviewing the performance of existing leachate treatment methods, it is clear that an understanding of emerging issues and an all-inclusive solution to long-term management of leachate is currently not available...
Show moreLandfilling is the most common method of solid waste disposal in the United States. However, a reported issue with landfill management is the production of leachate, which is a wastewater that is typically too strong to be discharged to municipal wastewater treatment facilities. After reviewing the performance of existing leachate treatment methods, it is clear that an understanding of emerging issues and an all-inclusive solution to long-term management of leachate is currently not available. The goal of this project is to address the lack of viable and sustainable engineering alternatives for handling leachate. One such futuristic technology is called Photochemical Iron Mediated Aeration (PIMA). Based on the Iron Mediated Aeration process, the PIMA process involves the combined oxidation effect of hydroxyl radicals and ultraviolet radiation with the air stripping potential of aeration. The experiments conducted demonstrated promising results but also the lack of maturity of this technique.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012518
Subject Headings: Sanitary landfills--Leaching--Environmental aspects, Refuse and refuse disposal--Environmental aspects, Water--Purification--Filtration, Integrated solid waste management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Use of Multiple Tracers to Determine the Impact of Septic Tanks on the Water Quality of Urban and Rural Coastal Environments.
Creator: Bocca, Thais Sepulveda, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Multiple tracers, such as DO, ammonia, TN, TOC, E. coli, TC, and Enterococcus were analyzed in order to identify and characterize trends in coastal water quality. This study focused on three factors; wastewater disposal and treatment alternative; season; and human population density. Samples were collected in representative sites of urban Broward County and of rural Taylor County, FL, for pair-wise comparison. Sites included areas connected to the public sewer network and served by on-site...
Show moreMultiple tracers, such as DO, ammonia, TN, TOC, E. coli, TC, and Enterococcus were analyzed in order to identify and characterize trends in coastal water quality. This study focused on three factors; wastewater disposal and treatment alternative; season; and human population density. Samples were collected in representative sites of urban Broward County and of rural Taylor County, FL, for pair-wise comparison. Sites included areas connected to the public sewer network and served by on-site treatment and disposal system (OSTDS). Sampling activities were conducted through seasonal low and seasonal high water table elevation (SLWT and SHWT), and always on slack to outgoing tide. Different statistical tests were performed, including: t-Tests, correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results suggested that water quality is lower: in urban sites compared to rural sites; in OSTDS sites compared to sewered areas; and SHWT compared to SLWT.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012505
Subject Headings: Water quality management--Florida, Coastal zone management--Florida, Environmental monitoring--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: CRITICAL EVALUATION OF LEACHATE CLOGGING POTENTIAL IN GRAVITY COLLECTION SYSTEMS AND MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS.
Creator: Shaha, Bishow Nath, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Leachate clogging in the Leachate Collection System (LCS) due to chemical precipitations and biofilms produced by microbial activities is a common phenomenon in any Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill. This study focuses on quantifying the factors that impact the micro-environment of leachate; and microbial activities that help the precipitates to form and attach to the LCS. It also evaluates the performance of operational changes that have been implemented or the potential alternatives and...
Show moreLeachate clogging in the Leachate Collection System (LCS) due to chemical precipitations and biofilms produced by microbial activities is a common phenomenon in any Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill. This study focuses on quantifying the factors that impact the micro-environment of leachate; and microbial activities that help the precipitates to form and attach to the LCS. It also evaluates the performance of operational changes that have been implemented or the potential alternatives and recommends the possible measures to reduce the severity of clogging. A field scale side-by-side pipe network, and several laboratory setups were used in this study. Calcite is identified to be the predominant phase present in the precipitates using XRD/XRF analysis which, concur with the previous studies. Microbial growth and activities enhance the precipitation of CaCO3 in LCS. Clogging in LCS pipes can be controlled if not eliminated by continuous monitoring along with frequent cleaning with physiochemical processes.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013493
Subject Headings: Leachate, Solid waste management, Sanitary landfills, Calcite, Leachate--Purification
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Biogas Production from Organic Waste, Meat and FOG by Anaerobic Digestion and Ultimate Sludge Digestibility.
Creator: Sethi, Rohan, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: The anaerobic biodegradability of food waste (FW), meat waste and FOG (fats, oils and greases) with municipal primary sewage sludge was assessed using a laboratory scale anaerobic digester and by ultimate sludge digestibility, at mesophilic conditions by varying the inoculum to feedstock ratio (1:2-1:10) and solids retention time (SRT). Preliminary analysis assessed the anaerobic digestion of food waste and meat at a biogas production over 30 days at 1000 mL and 1400 mL, respectively. The...
Show moreThe anaerobic biodegradability of food waste (FW), meat waste and FOG (fats, oils and greases) with municipal primary sewage sludge was assessed using a laboratory scale anaerobic digester and by ultimate sludge digestibility, at mesophilic conditions by varying the inoculum to feedstock ratio (1:2-1:10) and solids retention time (SRT). Preliminary analysis assessed the anaerobic digestion of food waste and meat at a biogas production over 30 days at 1000 mL and 1400 mL, respectively. The maximum methane yield was 0.18 m3/kg VS and 0.50 m3/kg VS for 1:10 in meat and FOG, respectively in 28 days with 56-61% volatile solids of destruction and first order methane generation rate of 0.15 d-1 for both meat and FOG. The optimal ratio for meat and FOG was determined to be beyond highest ratio tested (1:10), and longer SRT should be considered to investigate the impact of feedstock on methane yield. Preliminary modeling suggests that for one 1.74 MG digester, diverting just 0.6% of the food waste generated in one-third of Palm Beach County could produce enough methane to power 130-360 homes for one full month.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013032
Subject Headings: Biogas, Organic wastes, Methane, Food waste, Anaerobic digestion
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Experimental evaluation of cement stucco surfacing material (CSSM) removal for reducing particulates in air.
Creator: Cowan, David, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: Every year millions of construction workers are exposed to dust in levels that create a hazard to them (Fundukian, 2011). Their environment is contaminated by activities such as cutting, chipping, grinding and sanding building materials. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) refers to this general collection of building materials debris and fine particulates as nuisance dust. Some of the particles in nuisance dust possess properties that make them especially hazardous, such...
Show moreEvery year millions of construction workers are exposed to dust in levels that create a hazard to them (Fundukian, 2011). Their environment is contaminated by activities such as cutting, chipping, grinding and sanding building materials. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) refers to this general collection of building materials debris and fine particulates as nuisance dust. Some of the particles in nuisance dust possess properties that make them especially hazardous, such as their shape or specific gravity. It has been found by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that inhalation of quantities of silica dust above the permissible exposure limit (15.0 mg/m3) causes a deterioration of the outside lining of the lung.This research seeks to limit this exposure by a pretreatment process using acid application and then absorbed moisture content that reduces airborne particulate during the removal of cement stucco surfacing materials. Successful pretreatment would allow removal of CSSM from substrates such that the release of airborne particulates does not exceed the permissible exposure limits (PEL) found in the 29 CFR-Table Z-3 for mining applications (15-mg/m3).
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004438, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004438
Subject Headings: Air -- Pollution -- United States -- Measurement, Air quality management, Concrete -- Deterioration, Environmental health, Particles -- Environmental aspects
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOSENSOR FOR OBJECTIVELY QUANTIFYING ODORANTS.
Creator: Rahman, Sharmily, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Nuisance odor levels produced by solid waste management operations are subject to regulatory standards due to their impacts on the quality of life of the residents living nearby the facility. Failure to meet regulatory standards may result in fines, litigation, inability to acquire permits, mitigation, and re-siting operations. Since measurement of environmental nuisance odors is currently limited to subjective techniques, monitoring odor levels to meet such standards is often problematic....
Show moreNuisance odor levels produced by solid waste management operations are subject to regulatory standards due to their impacts on the quality of life of the residents living nearby the facility. Failure to meet regulatory standards may result in fines, litigation, inability to acquire permits, mitigation, and re-siting operations. Since measurement of environmental nuisance odors is currently limited to subjective techniques, monitoring odor levels to meet such standards is often problematic. This is becoming more acute as increasing residential populations begin to encroach on properties adjacent to landfills. In order to ensure that nuisance odor issues are minimized, it is necessary to provide an objective measurement. The objective of the current research is to develop a biosensor for providing an objective, standard measurement of odors. The approach is to modify the human odorant binding protein (hOBPIIa), isolated using published biomolecular techniques, by fluorescently tagging it with a chromophore functional group. When this protein is tagged with a fluorophore marker and excited in a spectrofluorometer, it emits light of a certain wavelength that can be detected and quantified. Once odorant molecules are exposed to this complex, they start replacing the fluorophore, and as a result, the emitted light intensity decreases in proportion to the number of odorant molecules. Since the protein response depends on odorant concentration, following an inverse Beer’s Law relationship, the odorants can be quantified accurately and rapidly using fluorometric measurements. The results establish quantitation ranges for different pure and mixture of odorant gases as well as the amount of gas that can be quantified across various flow rates.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013491
Subject Headings: Biosensors, Odors--Measurement, Landfills, Odorant-binding protein, Fluorescence--Measurement
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Development of a Biosensor to Detect Landfill Odors Using Human Odorant Binding Protein.
Creator: Roblyer, Julia Gia, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: Landfills receive odor complaints from local residents potentially resulting in legal ramifications and decreasing quality of life of the neighboring communities. However, analytical technologies to objectively measure odors in the field that will reflect human odor perceptions at a reasonable price do not currently exist. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is detectable by humans at low odor thresholds and may be one of the main nuisance odors emanating from landfills. For the first time, hOBPIIa...
Show moreLandfills receive odor complaints from local residents potentially resulting in legal ramifications and decreasing quality of life of the neighboring communities. However, analytical technologies to objectively measure odors in the field that will reflect human odor perceptions at a reasonable price do not currently exist. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is detectable by humans at low odor thresholds and may be one of the main nuisance odors emanating from landfills. For the first time, hOBPIIa complexed with 1- AMA has been used to detect H2S concentrations by spectrofluorometry. The optimal ratio of hOPBIIa-to-1-AMA was determined to be approximately 1:1. A strong linear regression model was generated to predict H2S concentrations from peak fluorescent emission intensity measurements within a range of 0-8.3 g of H2S. A novel experimental exposure chamber prototype was developed that has the potential to be incorporated into a portable sensor because it is compact.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005939
Subject Headings: Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Landfills., Biosensors., Odor sensors., Odor control.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effect of Electronic Water Treatment System on Calcium Carbonate Scaling.
Creator: Shaha, Bishow Nath, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: Calcium carbonate precipitation and formation of clog particles inside the leachate collection pipe can cause catastrophic failures in landfill operation. This study focuses on quantifying the effectiveness of electronic scale control to reduce the clog formation within the pipe network. A field scale model (40ft × 20ft) was constructed, featuring side-by-side flow of electronically treated and untreated composite leachate. Data obtained in the first phase of this study indicate that...
Show moreCalcium carbonate precipitation and formation of clog particles inside the leachate collection pipe can cause catastrophic failures in landfill operation. This study focuses on quantifying the effectiveness of electronic scale control to reduce the clog formation within the pipe network. A field scale model (40ft × 20ft) was constructed, featuring side-by-side flow of electronically treated and untreated composite leachate. Data obtained in the first phase of this study indicate that electronic scale control system does not have any statistically significant effect on water quality parameters. The second phase of this study identified calcite (CaCO3) to be the predominant phase present in the precipitates using XRD/XRF diffraction pattern analyzed through a search match calculation program (MATCH! Version 3.2.0) which concur with the previous studies. Furthermore, Rietveld refinement using FullProf Suite confirms that there were no differences between the treated and untreated precipitate based on the phases identified in the respective samples.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004706, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004706
Subject Headings: Calcium carbonate, Engineered barrier systems (Waste disposal), Environmental engineering, Green technology, Incrustations, Materials science, Water -- Hardness, Water quality management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Safe Discharge of Landfill Leachate to the Environment.
Creator: Lakner, Joseph, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: The objective of this research was to determine if mature landfill leachate could be treated to a level so that it was safe to discharge to the environment. The treatment method was an Advanced Oxidation Process. The process utilized Titanium Dioxide and UV. Three different reactor types were used, falling film, flow through and falling film + Electron Magnetic Oxygen Hydrogen (EMOH). To improve removal pre-treatment with titanium dioxide settling were conducted in conjunction with treatment...
Show moreThe objective of this research was to determine if mature landfill leachate could be treated to a level so that it was safe to discharge to the environment. The treatment method was an Advanced Oxidation Process. The process utilized Titanium Dioxide and UV. Three different reactor types were used, falling film, flow through and falling film + Electron Magnetic Oxygen Hydrogen (EMOH). To improve removal pre-treatment with titanium dioxide settling were conducted in conjunction with treatment in a reactor. The best removal was obtained with pre-treatment with titanium dioxide settling, followed by the falling film + EMOH reactor. In 8 hours, removal was 63% for COD, 53% for ammonia, 73% for alkalinity and 98% for calcium hardness. The kinetics found in this experiment show that full treatment times for safe discharge vary between contaminates. For complete removal of all tested contaminates to safe discharge regulations requires 185 hour of treatment.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004515, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004515
Subject Headings: Hazardous wastes -- Biodegradation, Leachate -- Purification, Oxidation, Phytoremediation, Sanitary landfills -- Health aspects, Sanitary landfills -- Leaching -- Environmental aspects, Sanitary landfills -- Management, Titanium dioxide -- Industrial applications
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Recovering Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) after its Use to Treat Leachate for Reuse on Future Leachate Flows.
Creator: Coffman, Neil, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: This thesis was about finding a recovery method for TiO2, using a TiO2 recovery technology, which was high enough to be economical ($10 - $15 per 1,000 gallons) to be adopted by wastewater treatment plants. When comparing recovery technologies, the top three which were investigated further through experimentation were a centrifuge, sedimentation tank, and microfilter membrane. Upon experimentation and research, the TiO2 recovery efficiencies of these technologies were 99.5%, 92.5%, and 96.3%,...
Show moreThis thesis was about finding a recovery method for TiO2, using a TiO2 recovery technology, which was high enough to be economical ($10 - $15 per 1,000 gallons) to be adopted by wastewater treatment plants. When comparing recovery technologies, the top three which were investigated further through experimentation were a centrifuge, sedimentation tank, and microfilter membrane. Upon experimentation and research, the TiO2 recovery efficiencies of these technologies were 99.5%, 92.5%, and 96.3%, respectively. When doing economic analysis on these technologies comparing TiO2 efficiencies and capital and operational costs, the centrifuge was the most preferred economic option. Also, its cost did were in the economical range ($10 - $15/1,000 gallons) which makes even this technology economical. Besides that, important and valuable information about TiO2: settling behavior, particle size and zeta potential, interactions with COD, and filter operations (particle characterization) were discovered for future research and future testing on this issue.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004490, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004490
Subject Headings: Environmental chemistry, Environmental engineering, Fluid dynamics, Microfluidic devices, Sewage disposal plants -- Management, Solution (Chemistry), Titanium dioxide -- Environmental aspects, Titanium dioxide -- Industrial applications
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Meteorological Conditions Affecting the Dispersion of Landfill Odor Complaints.
Creator: Vidovic, Mateja, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: One of the factors recognized as affecting the dispersion of landfill odors off-site are complex meteorological conditions. A major issue is lack of consistent means to identify the odors and their intensity. The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of meteorological parameters (temperature, humidity, pressure, wind direction, wind speed, precipitation accumulation and weather conditions) on the frequency of odor complaints from nearby neighborhoods. Methods involved...
Show moreOne of the factors recognized as affecting the dispersion of landfill odors off-site are complex meteorological conditions. A major issue is lack of consistent means to identify the odors and their intensity. The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of meteorological parameters (temperature, humidity, pressure, wind direction, wind speed, precipitation accumulation and weather conditions) on the frequency of odor complaints from nearby neighborhoods. Methods involved collection of ten years of data on odor complaints and weather conditions to determine if there were commonalities. Sophisticated statistical analyses employed did not reveal any relationships between odor complaints and weather alone. Need for substantial improvement of detailed information is recognized. To help identify the factors that influence odor complaints- a revised odor complaint form, along with operational adjustments, were recommended. An “Odor Threat Assessment Level” is proposed to assist landfill site personnel in managing daily operations, based on weather conditions.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004947, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004947
Subject Headings: Landfill gases--Measurement., Odor control., Air quality management., Refuse and refuse disposal.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Contribution of on-site treatment and disposal systems on coastal nutrient loading.
Creator: Morin, Frederic., Florida Atlantic University, Meeroff, Daniel E., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: When onsite treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) are not properly sited, they can be a potential risk to public health and a source of environmental degradation. In Florida, OSTDS location has proven to be problematic from a water resources perspective. The objective of this study is to quantify the pollutant loading contributions from OSTDS on coastal canals, with regard to nutrients and pathogens indicators (Total Coliform, E. coli, Enterococcus). Two similar single-family residential...
Show moreWhen onsite treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) are not properly sited, they can be a potential risk to public health and a source of environmental degradation. In Florida, OSTDS location has proven to be problematic from a water resources perspective. The objective of this study is to quantify the pollutant loading contributions from OSTDS on coastal canals, with regard to nutrients and pathogens indicators (Total Coliform, E. coli, Enterococcus). Two similar single-family residential locations were identified: Dania Beach, FL (with 100% OSTDS) and Hollywood, FL (with 100% sewer). Field studies were conducted during the height of the wet and dry seasons. During the wet season, surface water quality of the canal was affected by an OSTDS contribution with higher levels of nutrients and pathogens indicators. During the dry season, no OSTDS impact was detected. OSTDS appear to work properly during the dry season.
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Date Issued: 2005
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13224
Subject Headings: Estuarine ecology, Sewage disposal--Florida, Sewage--Purification--Nitrogen removal, Land treatment of wastewater--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A SENSITIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) APPROACH TO DETECT ENTAMOEBA DISPAR IN INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER.
Creator: Chowdhury, Rakib Ahmed, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Deep injection wells are considered among the most efficient, environmentally-friendly and cost-effective techniques to dispose of wastewater. However, formation of biofilms in the casing pipe can reduce the effective diameter, which in turn, can lower the injectivity of wastewater and ultimately results in injection failure. A class 1 deep injection well located at the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County was revealed to be getting clogged due to the development of a microbial...
Show moreDeep injection wells are considered among the most efficient, environmentally-friendly and cost-effective techniques to dispose of wastewater. However, formation of biofilms in the casing pipe can reduce the effective diameter, which in turn, can lower the injectivity of wastewater and ultimately results in injection failure. A class 1 deep injection well located at the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County was revealed to be getting clogged due to the development of a microbial community where Entamoeba dispar, a protozoan species was found to be the abundant microorganism in the biofilm. The injection well is used to discharge industrial wastewater coming from several sources at the facility which are discharged to a collection chamber, known as the wet well, before being disposed down the deep injection well pipe. Prior to design and implementation of a suitable treatment technique to inactivate the protozoan species, it is imperative to reveal the origins of the microorganism coming to the deep injection well. Therefore, the objective of the current research was to develop a technique to identify potential sources of Entamoeba dispar. In this study, samples were collected from the seven sources as well as from the wet well. Initially, a number of onsite and laboratory experiments were conducted to monitor the water quality parameters of the collected samples. In case of microbiological investigations, microscopic analysis was carried out to detect the microorganism in the wastewater specimens followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel-electrophoresis assays. In addition, the number of DNA copies in each of the tested samples was determined using the ImageJ app. From the microscopic analysis, no samples were found to be Entamoeba dispar positive. However, PCR and gel electrophoresis tests results indicated that wet well, NEFCO effluent, class 1, REF 1 and groundwater dilution samples were positive and the calculated number of DNA copies were 6545, 6849, 16763, 6351 and 5635 in 100 mL of the wastewater specimens respectively. The PCR technique used in this study is sensitive enough to detect even 4 DNA copies of the target microorganism. All the positive samples have one thing in common, which is they all contain local groundwater from site, indicating a potential source for further investigation.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013871
Subject Headings: Entamoeba, Industrial wastewater, Sewage, Polymerase chain reaction
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: STOCHASTIC METHODOLOGY TO QUANTIFY FLOOD-RISK FOR COASTAL AND INLAND AREAS.
Creator: Suarez, Eva L., Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Current flood-risk models lack fidelity at the neighborhood level. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) develops flood maps based on experts’ experience and estimates on the probability of flooding. First Street Foundation evaluates flood risk with regional and subjective measures, without impact from torrential rain and nuisance flooding. The purpose of this research is to develop a data-driven method to determine a comprehensive flood-risk that accounts for severe, moderate, and...
Show moreCurrent flood-risk models lack fidelity at the neighborhood level. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) develops flood maps based on experts’ experience and estimates on the probability of flooding. First Street Foundation evaluates flood risk with regional and subjective measures, without impact from torrential rain and nuisance flooding. The purpose of this research is to develop a data-driven method to determine a comprehensive flood-risk that accounts for severe, moderate, and nuisance flood events at the single-family home level, while also estimating the recovery time from the specified flood event. The method developed uses the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) method from the American Society of Quality (ASQ) to determine the Consequence of Flooding (CoF), following the 1-day 100-yr storm for the Probability of Flooding (PoF). The product of CoF and PoF provides an estimate of the flood-risk. An estimated Resilience Index value derived from flood-risk, is used to determine the recovery time after a severe or moderate
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013945
Subject Headings: Floods--Risk assessment, United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Floods
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOSENSOR FOR OBJECTIVELY QUANTIFYING NUISANCE ODORS NEAR LANDFILLS.
Creator: Rahman, Sharmily, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Nuisance odors from landfills have more impact than just being an annoyance to nearby residents. With an ever-increasing population, a larger number of communities are located in closer proximity to landfills than ever before. This has brought along with it, more regular conflicts with landfill authorities surrounding the issue of odors, resulting in complaints, lawsuits, fines, and even re-siting operations. The absence of an objective method of quantifying nuisance odors makes the task of...
Show moreNuisance odors from landfills have more impact than just being an annoyance to nearby residents. With an ever-increasing population, a larger number of communities are located in closer proximity to landfills than ever before. This has brought along with it, more regular conflicts with landfill authorities surrounding the issue of odors, resulting in complaints, lawsuits, fines, and even re-siting operations. The absence of an objective method of quantifying nuisance odors makes the task of creating regulations and setting standards even more complicated. The current research focuses on a method to objectively quantify landfill odors. The human odorant binding protein 2A (hOBPIIa) can be produced using published recombinant gene technology and can be used as a biosensor to quantify odorants through spectrofluorometric measurements. The current work is a continuation of the previous work by Rahman (2020). In this work, the spent biosensor after it reacts with an odorant is shown to be regenerated by applying additional fluorophore following La Chateliers’ principle, so that the same batch of protein can be used to run multiple experiments with odorants. An important part of the work miniaturized the earlier version of the experimental setup and incorporates a much more efficient flow-through system. This setup is capable of collecting real-time readings, increasing the overall accuracy and shortening the duration of each set of the experiment. The current work also explores the response of the biosensor with an expanded group of pure odorants, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, toluene, formaldehyde, tert-butyl mercaptan, and methyl mercaptan as well as their mixtures, thus expanding the list of odorants tested under this principle. The results show that the protein shows a concentration-dependent response differing on the hydrophobicity of the target compound.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014101
Subject Headings: Landfills, Fills (Earthwork), Odors, Biosensors
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Support for Regional Community Anaerobic Digestion for Organic Waste Diversion.
Creator: Sharmin, Sumaiya, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: As the global population is increasing, the generation of various waste materials (fats, oils and grease, fruit waste etc.) is increasing, which when landfilled, takes up valuable landfill space. Anaerobic digestion techniques have been developed that potentially convert these waste materials into energy and fertilizer, thus reducing landfill demand. It has been hypothesized that addition of high strength organic waste to conventional wastewater sludge can enhance the generation of onsite...
Show moreAs the global population is increasing, the generation of various waste materials (fats, oils and grease, fruit waste etc.) is increasing, which when landfilled, takes up valuable landfill space. Anaerobic digestion techniques have been developed that potentially convert these waste materials into energy and fertilizer, thus reducing landfill demand. It has been hypothesized that addition of high strength organic waste to conventional wastewater sludge can enhance the generation of onsite biogas at wastewater treatment plants, to meet the energy requirements of the plant partially or fully. To determine the anaerobic biodegradability of fats, oils and grease and fruit waste residuals, lab scale ultimate digestibility tests were conducted for a period of 63 days under mesophilic conditions. High strength organic wastes, thickened waste activated sludge and inoculum were mixed at 9 different ratios, and the mixtures were incubated in 500 mL serum bottles. After 63 days, the highest methane yield of 280 mL/gVS and 243 mL/gVS were obtained with mixtures containing 10% FOG with 10% red apples and 10% FOG only respectively whereas the methane yield of inoculum was only 8 mL/gVS. Preliminary cost analyses were conducted using the laboratory derived data
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014297
Subject Headings: Sewage disposal plants--Management, Sewage--Purification--Anaerobic treatment, Biogas
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE OF CHLORINE AS A DISINFECTANT FOR ENTAMOEBA DISPAR IN GROUNDWATER.
Creator: Chowdhury. Rakib Ahmed, Lashaki, Masoud Jahandar, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: Deep injection well technology is a reliable and cost-effective technique to manage hazardous wastewater. However, reduced injectivity is an issue for the performance of an injection well which can happen due to the occurrence of biogeochemical clogging. A class 1 deep injection well located at the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County has long suffered similar problems that occurred due to the formation of chemical precipitation and biofilm. In the case of the biofilm, the dominant...
Show moreDeep injection well technology is a reliable and cost-effective technique to manage hazardous wastewater. However, reduced injectivity is an issue for the performance of an injection well which can happen due to the occurrence of biogeochemical clogging. A class 1 deep injection well located at the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County has long suffered similar problems that occurred due to the formation of chemical precipitation and biofilm. In the case of the biofilm, the dominant microorganism detected in previous work was determined to be Entamoeba dispar. The prime source of the protozoan was identified as the local groundwater, which is employed for different purposes within the solid waste facility, such as cooling water and dilution water. Therefore, it is imperative to examine the effectiveness of the commonly used disinfectant chlorine to inactivate the protozoan to eliminate biofilms and clogging. This study conducted a laboratory-based chlorination of the groundwater sample to reveal the required dosages of chlorine needed for 3.0-log inactivation of E. dispar in various temperature (20°C, 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C) and pH (6.5, 7.0, 7.5) conditions.
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Date Issued: 2024
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014439
Subject Headings: Groundwater, Entamoeba dispar, Chlorine, Injection wells
Format: Document (PDF)

FAU Theses and Dissertations (17)	+ -
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Meeroff, Daniel E. (22)	+ -
College of Engineering and Computer Science (19)	+ -
Florida Atlantic University (17)	+ -
Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering (16)	+ -
Bloetscher, Frederick (2)	+ -

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