Teresa J. Cutright

The research focused on a poorly graded sand with clay and gravel (SP-SC) soil treated with biosolid compost blankets vegetated with a 3B Slope mix to reduce slope deformation under dynamic loading conditions. Small-scale shake table tests were conducted on slopes under dry, saturated, and partially saturated conditions. Results showed that, without applying compost blankets, the slope exhibited no deformation under partially saturated conditions up to a frequency of 4.5 Hz, with a moisture content of 20.06 ± 1.42%. In contrast, saturated slopes without compost blankets, with a moisture content of 28.43 ± 1.67%, experienced complete failure within 18 s at a frequency of 3.5 Hz. The study found that compost blankets effectively reduced deformation under dynamic loading, especially under partially saturated conditions. The findings suggest that compost blankets can help retain moisture content and enhance slope stability under dynamic loading, making them an effective solution for erosion control and slope stabilization in environments subjected to seismic and traffic-induced vibrations. However, further large-scale prototype models with rigorous instrumentations are necessary to explore the long-term, full-scale impact of root development on slope stability and deformation.

An effective workforce needs workers from diverse backgrounds. Several initiatives have focused on increasing the number of women and underrepresented minorities that pursue undergraduate degrees in engineering. However, these efforts have not translated into successful retention and promotion of women and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) engineering faculty. Using lenses of critical race theory and social capital theory, this study seeks to illuminate how women and BIPOC develop throughout the academic training path to enter careers in engineering academia. Researchers conducted interviews with 16 participants recruited from a pool of three cohorts of a professional development program that focused on preparing female and BIOPC engineering PhD students and postdocs for careers in engineering academia. The analysis identified themes associated with bias, discrimination, imposter syndrome, and tokenism. Our research highlighted the role of effective mentoring in degree program and career selection. Further, for women and BIPOC, positive and affirming experiences in the classroom and workplace contributed to their motivation to complete engineering degrees and to seek careers in the field even in the face of bias and discriminatory practices. The interviews amplified the sentiments experienced by those before them.

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) can pose a threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems when they release cyanotoxins in water. This research used samples from two northeastern reservoirs in Ohio and assessed (i) the effectiveness of two PAK-27 dosages, (ii) the potential interference of natural organic matter (NOM) on PAK-27 effectiveness, and (iii) the ability of Phoslock® to adsorb phosphorus released during cell lysis to prevent future bloom formation. PAK-27 was applied in either a quarter (15 mg) or full (58 mg) dose in 1.6 L. Two sets of jars were amended with 200:1 Phoslock®:phosphorus 24 h after PAK-27 application to assess the adsorption of phosphorus released upon cell lysis. A final set of jars was amended with 5 mg NOM to evaluate if NOM would interfere with PAK-27 effectiveness. Quarter and full doses of PAK-27 significantly decreased total phycocyanin content within 2 days of application (p < 0.05). However, the addition of 5 mg NOM influenced nutrient availability and algal response. All jars that received algaecide had increased extracellular microcystin levels (p < 0.05). Although Phoslock® adsorbed soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), jars treated with only PAK-27 or amended with 5 mg NOM reduced more SRP than Phoslock®. Graphical Abstract

Cyanotoxins, produced from cyanobacteria-dominated harmful algal blooms (cHABs), pose a threat to ecosystems, as well as drinking water systems. Disinfecti

A comprehensive understanding of tire and road wear particles (TRWPs) and their detection and quantification in soils is still challenged by the lack of well-set standardized methods, inherent technological inconsistencies, and generalized protocols. Our protocol includes soil sampling, size separation, and organic matter removal by using hydrogen peroxide followed by density separation and analysis. In this context, roadside soil samples from different sites in Kansas and Ohio, USA, were collected and analyzed. Tire cryogrinds analogous to TRWPs were used to evaluate various density separation media, and collected particles more than 1 mm in size were then subjected to infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) to confirm TRWP presence. Particles smaller than 1 mm were Soxhlet extracted, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to validate the presence of tire-related intermediates. SEM-EDX validated the presence of elemental combinations (S + Zn/Na) ± (Al, Ca, Mg, K, Si) attributed to tires. Ketones, carboxylic acids, epoxies, cyclohexane, and benzothiazole sulfenamide (BTS) intermediates were the most probable tire-related intermediates observed in the roadside soil samples. Thus, this simple, widely applicable, cost-effective sample preparation protocol for TRWP analysis can assist TRWP research advancement in terrestrial environments.

It is well documented that excess phosphorus in source waters is a major contributor to harmful algal bloom formation. While there are many approaches to controlling algal populations in reservoirs, including a variety of phosphorus reduction approaches (e.g., sequestration of legacy phosphorus with alum or clay products), addressing physical phosphorus loading upstream is considered less often. Water treatment residuals (WTR) containing alum, a common waste product of conventional surface water treatment, have been shown to retain the ability to capture phosphorus even after the WTR ‘sludge’ is formed and removed from the sedimentation process. This research designed and tested a refillable, reusable in-stream phosphorus cartridge system which beneficially reutilizes WTR ‘sludge’ to sequester instream phosphorus and remove it from the water when spent media is replaced. This reduces in-stream phosphorus entering into the reservoir without permanently adding additional materials to the waterbody and provides measurable results as to the amount of phosphorus removed. The ten sampling events during the first year’s field assessment indicated that the gates removed a total of 556.31 g of reactive phosphorus (PO₄³⁻) and it is anticipated that the actual phosphorous removal was even greater. Other watershed managers can implement the same approach using their own WTR to capture in-stream phosphorus.