Talia E. Chalew - Master's Thesis Final Oral Defense
| July 26, 2006 | |
| Talia Chalew presents the final oral defense of her master’s thesis on July 28, 2006 at 4:00 pm in McGavran-Greenberg 1305. Abstract follows:Chemical Indicators of Surface Water Pollution (Under the direction of Dr. Howard Weinberg) High quality surface water is critical for maintaining healthy ecosystems and ensuring safe drinking water, yet, water is often compromised by various contamination sources, both point and non-point sources. Failed septic systems, an example of non-point source pollution, may generate pools of untreated or minimally treated wastewater that can runoff into nearby streams. There are currently no means of quickly determining the impact of this pollution on surface water. Representative emerging contaminants (caffeine and triclosan) were targeted as indicators from failed septic systems and chlorination disinfection byproducts (haloacetic acids) for the effluent from wastewater treatment plants. Methods for the detection of these compounds in various matrices were developed and applied to both treatment types and surrounding surface waters. Typical caffeine and triclosan concentrations in conventional municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents were 0.235g/L and 0.35g/L, respectively, as compared to 225g/L and 75g/L from septic tank effluents. Excitation-emission fluorescence spectrophotometry was also investigated as a tool for characterizing pollution from wastewater sources. Committee Members: For further information please contact Rebecca Riggsbee Lloyd by email at Rebecca_Lloyd@unc.edu |
