Thirty-one sediment samples collected from 1996-2003 from the Gulf of Nicoya estuary on the northwestern coast of Costa Rica, have been obtained for PCB analyses. This is part of the first study to evaluate the PCB contamination in coastal Costa Rica. Overall, the concentrations are low, especially when compared to sediments from more temperate climates and/or sediments from more heavily indust...

Global flaring and venting of petroleum–associated gas is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and airborne contaminants that has proven difficult to mitigate over the years. In the petroleum industry, poor efficiency in the flare systems often result in incomplete combustion which produces a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and i...

We made environmental measurements to characterize contaminants generated when basaltic lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano enters sea water. This interaction of lava with sea water produces large clouds of mist (LAZE). Island winds occasionally directed the LAZE toward the adjacent village of Kalapana and the Hawaii Volcanos National Park, creating health concerns. Environmental samples were ta...

Mining operations are potential sources of airborne particulate metal and metalloid contaminants through both direct smelter emissions and wind erosion of mine tailings. The warmer, drier conditions predicted for the Southwestern US by climate models may make contaminated atmospheric dust and aerosols increasingly important, due to potential deleterious effects on human health and ecology. Dust...

Using a UAS-mounted sensor to allow for rapid response areas in which it may be difficult reach or not safe humans encounter can increase the situational awareness of first responders an aircraft crash site through remote detection, identification, and quantification airborne hazardous materials. The primary purpose this research is evaluate innovative sensing viability application integrating ...

Once an aerosol contaminant is introduced into an indoor environment, it can remain in the air, deposit on interior surfaces or attach to dust particles already present. Human activity, such as walking and cleaning, resuspends contaminated particles, regenerating airborne contaminants. This report is a literature review on the effects of human activity on particle re-suspension in indoor enviro...

Understanding chemical transformations of contaminants and the resulting products is extremely important in devising proper monitoring methods for such contaminants and in assessing potential human exposure to the transformation products in the environment. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun can induce various photochemical transformations of contaminants in the environment. Alkylnaphthalenes ...