The sediment-water interface of freshwater lakes is characterized by sharp chemical gradients, shaped by the interplay between physical, chemical and microbial processes. As dissolved oxygen is depleted in the uppermost sediment, the availability of alternative electron acceptors, e.g. nitrate and sulfate, becomes the limiting factor. We performed a time series experiment in a mesocosm to simul...

The biodegradability ofN, N Octadecyldimethylamine, a long-chained aliphatic amine, was studied in a biotreatability system. The study serves as a precursor to the application ofcompost biofiltration to treat odorous waste gases containing long-chained alkyl amines (e.g., emitted by spray-painting operations). The biodegradability ofthe amine was determined by evaluating contaminant removal and...

We have reexamined the question of extant microbial life on Mars in light of the most recent information about the planet and recently discovered nonphotosynthetic microbial ecosystems on Earth--deep sea hydrothermal vent communities and deep subsurface aquifer communities. On Mars, protected subsurface niches associated with hydrothermal activity could have continued to support life even afte...

The human intestinal microbial ecosystem plays an important role in maintaining health. A multitude of diseases including diarrhoea, gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders, such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) of neonates, and obesity are linked to microbial composition and metabolic activity. Therefore, research on possible dietary strategies influencing microbial composition and activity,...

Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have increased dramatically in Pennsylvania Marcellus shale formations, however the potential for major environmental impacts are still incompletely understood. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to characterize the microbial community structure of water, sediment, bryophyte, and biofilm samples from 26 headwater stream sit...

cosmos caudatus is widely used as a traditional medicine in southeast asia. c. caudatus has been reported as a rich source of bioactive  compounds such as ascorbic acid, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid. studies have shown that c. caudatus exhibits high antioxidant capacity and various medicinal properties, including anti-diabetic activity, anti-hypertensive properties, anti-infl ammatory respon...

The Gas Push–Pull Test (GPPT) is a tool for measuring in situ soil processes including methane oxidation. To quantify methane oxidation, methane and non-reactive gases selected based on transport behaviour similar to methane, were injected into soil above a petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated aquifer and gas samples were extracted over time. The rate of loss of methane was compared to the loss o...

Monitoring in situ microbial activity in anoxic submerged soils and aquatic sediments can be labor intensive and technically difficult, especially in dynamic environments in which a record of changes in microbial activity over time is desired. Microbial fuel cell concepts have previously been adapted to detect changes in the availability of relatively high concentrations of organic compounds in...

Title of Thesis: THATCH AND SOIL PESTICIDE DEGRADATION AND MICROBIAL ACTIVITY AS INFLUENCED BY TURF CULTIVATION PRACTICES Yusong Mu, Master of Science, 2009 Thesis Directed By: Mark J. Carroll, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Pesticide degradation in turf is complicated by presence of an organic matter enriched layer called thatch. It is not well...