Open-File Report 2010–1291
![]() AbstractThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Tennessee Water Science Center and the College of Engineering and Technology at Tennessee State University developed a Partnership in Environmental Education and Research (PEER) to support environmental research at TSU and to expand the environmental research capabilities of the USGS in Tennessee. The PEER program is driven by the research needs to better define the occurrence, fate, and transport of contaminants in groundwater and surface water. Research in the PEER program has primarily focused on the transport and remediation of organic contamination in karst settings. Research conducted through the program has also expanded to a variety of media and settings. Research areas include contaminant occurrence and transport, natural and enhanced bioremediation, geochemical conditions in karst aquifers, mathematical modeling for contaminant transport and degradation, new methods to evaluate groundwater contamination, the resuspension of bacteria from sediment in streams, the use of bioluminescence and chemiluminescence to identify the presence of contaminants, and contaminant remediation in wetlands. The PEER program has increased research and education opportunities for students in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science and has provided students with experience in presenting the results of their research. Students in the program have participated in state, regional, national and international conferences with more than 140 presentations since 1998 and more than 40 student awards. The PEER program also supports TSU outreach activities and efforts to increase minority participation in environmental and earth science programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. TSU students and USGS staff participate in the TSU summer programs for elementary and high school students to promote earth sciences. The 2007 summer camps included more than 130 students from 20 different States and Washington DC. |
First posted February 16, 2011
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Bradley, M.W., Armstrong, Patrice, and Byl, T.D., eds., 2011, Partnership of Environmental Education and Research—A compilation of student research, 1999–2008: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010–1291, 67 p.
Foreword
Abstract
Introduction
PEER Research Areas
Karst—Bioremediation
Microcosm Study to Assess the Potential for Intrinsic Bioremediation at a Karst Site
Biodegradation of Fuel in a Karst Aquifer
Comparison of Different Lactic Acid Formulations Used to Enhance Biodegradation of Perchloroethylene
Microbial Strategies for Degradation of Organic Contaminants in Karst
Optimum pH for Biodegradation of Benzene and Toluene in a Karst Aquifer
Enhanced Biodegradation of TCE in a Karst Aquifer Using Lactic Acid, Molasses, and Soy Milk
Evaluating Oxygen-Releasing Compounds to Enhance Fuel Biodegradation by Free-Living Bacteria
Biorestoration of a TCE-Contaminated Karst Aquifer by Stimulating Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria
Supplements to Enhance Groundwater-Microbial Growth and Biodegradation Processes
The Role of Free-Living and Attached Bacteria in Processing Contamination in Karst Aquifers
Comparison of Redox Measurements and Geochemical Conditions in a Contaminated Karst Aquifer and Their Influence on Biodegradation
Comparison of Water Geochemistry and Redox Electrodes to Identify Terminal Electron Acceptor Processes in an Aquifer
Free-Living Bacteria Versus Attached Bacteria: Which Contributes More to Bioremediation?
Quantifying Peroxide-Enhanced Toluene Biodegradation in a Single-Well Injection
Evaluating Oxygen-Releasing Compounds to Enhance Toluene Biodegradation by Free-Living Bacteria
Lactate Induction of the Ammonia Mono-Oxygenase Enzyme and PCE Cometabolism
Biodegradation of Toluene as it Continuously Enters a 5-Liter Karst System
Ammonia Oxidation by Bacteria Collected from a Karst-Bedrock Well (a)
Ammonia Oxidation by Bacteria Collected from a Karst-Bedrock Well (b)
Free-Living Bacteria or Attached Bacteria: Which Contributes More to Bioremediation?
Bacteria Induced Dissolution of Limestone in Fuel-Contaminated Karst Wells
Geochemical and Microbial Evidence of Fuel Biodegradation in a Contaminated Karst Aquifer in Southern Kentucky, June 1999
Karst—Contaminant Degradation Models
Numerical Modeling of Flow Simulations and Rate of Biodegradation in a Karst Microcosm
Numerical Simulation of Flow and Contaminant Transport in a Karst Aquifer Conduit
Use of Residence-Time Distribution Coupled with a Biodegradation Rate to Predict Toluene Removal in an Artificial Karst System
Development of a Computer Program that Uses Residence-Time Distribution and First-Order Biodegradation to Predict BTEX Removal in Karst Aquifers
Development of a Protocol for Enhanced Bioremediation in Karst Using a Single Injection Well
Evaluating Peclet Values and the Role of Advection, Dispersion and Diffusion in Tracer Studies
Application of the RTD Model to Analyze the Fate and Transport of Ammonia in Laboratory Karst System
Development and Verification of a Computer Program That Predicts Fuel Biodegradation in Karst Aquifers
Residence Time Distribution Derived from Independent Gamma Distributions of Tracer Travel Distance and Linear Velocity
Adaptation of the Residence Time Distribution (RTD)-Biodegradation Model to Quantify Peroxide-Enhanced Fuel Biodegradation in a Single Karst Well
Karst—Hydrology
Advection Versus Dispersion as Determined by Single-Well Tracer Studies
Enhanced Groundwater Recharge Can Alleviate Storm-Water Flow and Dilute Groundwater Pollution in Karst Terrane
Characterization of Bacteria and Geochemistry of Springs in Nashville, Tennessee
Land-Use Effects on Bacteria Loads and Water Quality in Small Karst Catchments of the Upper Duck River Watershed
Methods in Contaminant Evaluation
Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction and Oligonucleotide Hybridization Probes to Determine the Source of Fecal Contamination in Karst Terranes
Effectiveness of m-TEC Agar for Quantifying Escherichia coli in the Duck River near Shelbyville, Tennessee
Evaluation of Passive-Diffusion Samplers to Measure Dissolved Oxygen, Geochemistry, and Volatile Organic Compounds in Groundwater
The Value of Single-Well Tracer Studies for Characterizing Karst Sites
Contaminant Transport and Remediation in Wetlands and Streams
Survival of Fecal Bacteria in Sediments and Development of a Numerical Model to Predict Storage and Transport in a River
Modification of a Numerical Model to Predict Transport and Flux of Fecal Bacteria in a River
A Flux Term to Describe the Movement of Fecal Bacteria between the Sediment and Water Column in a Riverine System
Effect of a Riverine Wetland on Parking Lot Runoff at Tennessee State University
Use of Tanks-in-Series Method to Predict Nitrate Removal in Wetlands
Wetland Removal of Nutrients and Pollution from a Mixed Sewer and Karst Spring System in Nashville, Tennessee
Water-Quality Monitoring—Luminescence
Evaluating a Bioluminescent Bacteria for Measuring Toxicity of Industrial Wastewaters
Evaluation of Bioluminescent Bacteria as Indicators of Water Quality in Wastewater Treatment Plants
Comparison of Bioluminescent Bacteria and Oxygen Consumption as Indicators of Water Quality
Bioluminescent Bacteria as Indicators of Water Quality in a Wastewater-Treatment Plant
Sensitivity of the Oxydase-Enzyme Induced Chemiluminescent to Water Quality Parameters
Development of an Aquatic Plant Chemiluminescent Bioassay to Assess Water Quality
Other Research—Degradation and Transport
Desorption Isotherms For Toluene And Karstic Materials And Implications For Transport in Karst Aquifers
Reductive Dechlorination of Tetrachloroethylene by Vitamin B12 and Electrokinesis
Are Aquifers at Greater Risk from Alternative Alcohol-Fuel Mixes Compared to Regular Gasoline?
The Interaction between Calcite Precipitation and Dissolution, Carbon Dioxide, and Perchloroethylene Sorption
Reductive Dechlorination of Perchloroethylene with a Direct Current, Different Salts, and Vitamin B12
Student Awards
Outreach
Summary
References