Harney County contains defining characteristics of regions containing arsenic within the groundwater such as its location in the western United States, unique closed basin geography, complex geology, and seasonal groundwater level fluctuations. Confirmation of arsenic concentrations above the Maximum Contaminant Level Drinking Water Standard of 10 μg/L has been observed...
The Safe Drinking Water Act ensures that public systems provide water that meets health standards. However, no such protection exists for millions of Americans who obtain water from private wells. Concern for safety is warranted as most wells draw from underground aquifers, and studies demonstrate that groundwater is affected by...
The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector of international development works to increase access to sustainable, safe water and improved sanitation. Currently, at least 780 million people live without clean drinking water and 2.5 billion without access to improved sanitation (UNICEF & World Health Organization, 2012). Lack of access to...
The purpose of this study was to; (1) determine the extent of well water contamination with nitrate and pesticides, and to understand the relationships among nitrate, pesticide, dissolved chloride, dissolved sulfate, well age, and well depth in the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon; and, (2) to investigate local residents' perceptions and...
Excessive nitrates in drinking water pose a human health threat, especially to infants. Methemoglobinemia, or blue-baby syndrome, is a potentially fatal condition that inhibits the ability of red blood cells to bind and transport oxygen. Nitrates/nitrites have also been linked to such conditions as cancer, birth defects, and behavioral and...
To determine the impact of emerging environmental contaminants on human and environmental health, quantitative analytical methods are required. Analysis of emerging contaminants is hampered by their widely varying physical-chemical properties. Therefore quantitative analytical methods must be developed to determine the behavior of emerging contaminants in environmental systems.
A quantitative analytical...
Counter Current Flow Limitation (CCFL) was observed in the pressurizer surge line of the Oregon State University APEX facility during test NRC-10. This test simulated a one-inch diameter cold leg break with a failure of three of four of the fourth-stage Automatic Depressurization System (ADS) valves. The result was a...
It is the responsibility of humans, as environmental stewards, to monitor our impact on the environment so that efforts can be made to remediate the effects of our actions and change behaviors. To better understand our environmental footprint, sensitive and simple analytical methods are needed to quantify the contaminants that...
A novel, low-cost instrument capable of measuring surface water PCO₂ was designed for use in dynamic, shallow-water environments. The instrument was tested in the Yaquina River Estuary, a macrotidal estuary known to experience a wide range of conditions ranging from dominance by the coastal ocean during summer upwelling to substantial...
The goal of this study was to develop an understanding of the nature of surge wave loading on
wood framed residential structures for a variety of building configurations and test conditions.
The objectives of the study were: (1) to measure forces on a 1/6th scale wood framed
residential structure, (2)...