Funded Projects Archive
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Item Interactions between light and carbon dioxide availabilities as a control of algal species succession(1974) King, Darrell L.; King, Ronald E.In attempting to gain knowledge of or insight into the requirements of algal production and the rate of algal production investigators turned to both field studies of natural water and laboratory studies. From these studies there has been an extensive effort to derive mathematical models to predict the rate and degree which aquatic production will be increased upon the addition of various nutrients. This study was conducted using methods similar to those used by Klemovich (1). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of various light intensities on the relative ability of different algae to extract carbon from the carbonate-bicarbonate alkalinity, when only the carbon available was that from the carbonate-bicarbonate alkalinity. To accomplish this aim, two separate investigations were conducted. The first investigation allowed evaluation of differences in the ability of algae to extract carbon from a single concentration of carbonate-bicarbonate alkalinity under different light intensities. The second investigation allowed evaluation of the ability of algae to extract carbon from different carbonate-bicarbonate alkalinities at a single constant light intensity. The primary objective of this study was to determine the degree of interaction between simultaneous limiting carbon dioxide concentration and light intensities on the rate and extent of algal production.Item Characterization and dewaterability of water treatment plant residues(1974) Novak, John T.A variety of water treatment residues were characterized in order to determine the influence of specific chemical constituents, process flow schemes and raw water quality on the performance of sludge dewatering processes. The use of conventional sludge characterization parameters for process selection and design was evaluated by comparing process yields to sludge characteristics. The extent of dewatering was determined for four sludge dewatering methods and the physical properties of chemical sludges at varying solids levels compared to process performance to determine which of the processes produces a 'handleable' sludge. In this study the draining and drying rates of chemical sludges applied to sand beds were related to several sludge characteristics. It was found that the time to drain was related to the sludge specific resistance, applied depth and solids concentration. Air drying occurred in two distinct phases. The initial or slow drying phase was governed by the sludge cake depth and drained solids concentration while the rapid drying rate was found to approximate the free surface water evaporation rate. Sludges with a coefficient of compressibility less than 0.7 were found to penetrate into the sand bed.Item Information dissemination in the water resources field(1976) Manahan, Stanley E.; Lee, Richard L.; Ferraro, EugeneA study of mercury accumulation in trout taken from the trout parks and streams of southern Missouri is presented. Mercury in trout is determined by digestion in nitric acid, sulfurid acid, and potassium permanganate, followed by reduction and aeration for measurement by flameless atomic absorpotion. The mercury accumulation in trout collected and analyzed in this project ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 ppm mercury (ug mercury/g of tissue). The mercury levels were relatively constant and showed no variation or higher level accumulation with increased size. The results of the analysis on the liver and flesh of the same trout showed that the levels in the liver were slightly higher than the levels in the flesh. Previous analysis of trout collected in the mid to late 1950's from the Little Piney River indicated mercury accumulations of approximately 3 ppm. Over the past 25 years, there has been a substantial decrease in mercury found in trout of southern Missouri as a result of cleaner streams.Item Integrating the effects of the Great Flood of 1993: changes in groundwater hydrology and quality in relation to changes in surface waters(1994) Sanders, Dee Ann; Ramey, Doritha F.; Theisen, David P.The Great Flood of 1993 had far-reaching impacts upon surface waters in the State of Missouri. Many stations along the Missouri River were above flood stage for months during the summer of 1993. Researchers conducted extensive sampling during the flood and discovered high levels of agricultural contaminants in many of the samples. This result was surprising, as scientists had previously always assumed that the large volumes of water carried by floods dilute contaminants to lower-than-normal concentrations. The objectives of this study were to locate a series of wells along the Missouri River that could be used to track hydrological and contaminant trends in the alluvial aquifer, monitor those wells approximately monthly during the period of study, determine hydrological and biological/chemical trends in those wells, relate the monitoring results to water level and biological/chemical quality in the Missouri River, and make predictions with respect to impacts of future floods. Groundwater samples obtained during the study were analyzed for chemical and biological constituents used to indicate groundwater contamination. Parameters that are used to "fingerprint" waters--cations, anions, pH, conductivity, and temperature--were also determined. These parameters were obtained to determine if unusual amounts of surface waters had entered the groundwater system. Water level data showed a downward trend that was probably on-going at the beginning of the study. The trend appeared to be in excess of normal seasonal changes. However, there are too few sampling rounds to conclude that the downward trend was solely a remnant of the flood; part of the trend may be normal seasonal variation. The study showed that there were changes in most of the water quality parameters investigated. Statistical analysis indicated the "after flood" data distribution indicated a different population from the "before flood" data. Analysis also indicated that the aquifer chemistry for wells close to the river more closely resembled the chemistry of the river than did water from wells farther from the river; this pattern did not change over time. During the period of the study, coliforms were detected only intermittently and at low levels; pesticides were not detected.Item Analysis of social, fiscal, and structural factors affecting integrated pest management programs in Missouri and implications for future programs to protect water quality(1996) Rikoon, J. Sanford; Constance, Douglas H.; Smith, George S.; Heffernan, William D.; Osburn, Donald D.Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has experienced a resurgence of interest due in part to continuing reports of drinking water contamination by agricultural pesticides. In response to the decertification of certain pesticides used for soil insect control on corn, in the early 1970s federal programs established Cooperative Extension Service sponsored IPM programs in several midwestern States to promote insect scouting on corn and cotton. This report documents the various factors which facilitated the growth and decline of these programs in Missouri and the ongoing transformation of such services into the private sector and other agencies. The objective of this report is to provide policy prescriptions to enhance the future adoption of IPM in Missouri and other areas that will facilitate the protection of water resources. Research in Missouri regarding pesticide use practices and water quality issues indicates that there is a considerably higher incidence of IPM use in counties that historically had, or still currently have, Extension sponsored programs. Interviews were conducted with University personnel responsible for implementing these programs, county Extension agents responsible for overseeing the programs, private sector businesspeople who are currently offering IPM services, and farm opeators who previously used, and/or now participate in, IPM Extension programs or private services. Interviewees were asked what factors contributed to the success, failure, and/or transformation of the county programs. Results indicate that these factors include quality and turnover of the scouts, committment of the Extension agent, economic and climatological variables, institutional support, and packaging IPM programs with other programs such as irrigation.