Photobiological hydrogen production -- the use of photosynthesis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen -- presents an opportunity for efficient and large-scale solar biofuel development. One of the major challenges in this area is competition for reductant between the hydrogen-evolving hydrogenase enzyme and other metabolic pathways. In this work...
Many conditions affecting hydrogen (H₂) production by the cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, were optimized to yield maximum H₂ accumulation. Biological H₂ production from photosynthetic species is a promising form of renewable energy since an abundant supply of sunlight hits the Earth every day, and photosynthetic bacteria can harness this...
Photobiological hydrogen production from live cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 encapsulated in silica gel was investigated. Hydrogen is a dense energy carrier with potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, provided a renewable and sustainable means of production can be achieved. Under certain conditions, Synechocystis sp. PCC...
The thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus was examined for the ability to sequester CO₂ while producing hydrogen (H₂), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), lipids, and glycogen. H₂ was produced at a maximum rate of 188 nmol H₂ mg Chl a⁻¹ hr⁻¹. Hydrogen production occurred in the presence of methyl viologen but the cells were...
Nitrosomonas europaea (ATCC19718) participates in the biological removal of nitrogen from wastewater by oxidizing ammonia to nitrite, the first step in nitrification. This bacterium is sensitive to heavy metals (Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Hg²⁺) and cyanide, compounds commonly encountered in wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, we characterized physiological and transcriptional responses...
Prior to eruption at mid-ocean ridges, melts must travel through >6 km of crust from their origin in the mantle. The final composition of the melts is dependent on both the melting conditions and magmatic processes within the crust. While mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) glasses are commonly used to infer...
This thesis describes the design and implementation of a Bluetooth controlled blimp with autonomous capabilities through Dead Reckoning. Reasonable research was conducted on current autonomous systems, wireless communication techniques, and suitable microprocessors that could handle the required processing. Building a remotecontrolled blimp requires a light understanding of mechanics to build...
This thesis describes the design and implementation of a motor controller that is a customizable and cost effective replacement for the motor controllers used by Edwards Robotics Company (ERC). Extensive research of comparable products available in the market was conducted. The research formed the basis for the design specifications of...
To understand the processes that lead to the formation of the oceanic crust, one must know the composition and the depth at which primary melts originate. Towards this end, this dissertation focuses on plagioclase-hosted melt inclusions from plagioclase ultraphyric basalts (PUBs). Plagioclase is usually considered to be the second phase,...
Biological plant invasions are diminishing the ecological integrity and function of ecosystems worldwide. A primary example of this is in the Great Basin of the United States, where invasive annual grasses, like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae L. Nevski), are dominating many sagebrush-steppe ecosystems. In these invaded...