Odor Detection Using an Electronic Nose
Wastewater treatment facilities are facing
the challenge of stringent requirements concerning volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) and odor control due to public opposition and regulatory policies.
This project will focus on the feasibility of using electronic noses for
odor detection in the wastewater treatment plants.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Remediation of Abandoned Coal Mines
Abandoned coal mines often produce seeps of
water contaminated by acids and metals. Such seeps can damage streams,
for example killing much of the aquatic life. Coal burning power plants
in the United States produce large amounts of ash. The alkaline nature
of some coal ashes can be used to prevent the pollution caused by mine
seeps; thus, two pollution problems can be combined into one solution.
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission and Rowan University injected over
1,700 tons of ash into an abandoned mine in Eastern Oklahoma in fall 2001.
REU students will assist in the analysis of water samples collected at
the mine site and conduct laboratory experiments on mine water and coal
ash to improve our understanding of the treatment process.
Developing "Green" Controlled
Release Systems for Drug Delivery
Controlled release has gained increasing attention in medical, pharmaceutical,
cosmetic, consumer product and agricultural industries. Controlled release
systems are designed to deliver an agent at a specific rate for a definite
period of time, and offer advantages over traditional methods in terms
of efficacy, safety, compliance, and economics. The production of many
types of controlled-release systems involves the use of volatile organic
solvents. Recently, alternative controlled release devices have been introduced
that avoid the use of volatile organic compounds and other environmentally
unfriendly solvents during formulation, thereby affording the advantage
of pollution prevention. These systems include, for example, microporous
membrane devices and particles produced using supercritical carbon dioxide.
This project will investigate different types of controlled release drug
delivery systems for caffeine release. Delivery systems will be formulated,
and the release rate of caffeine from the device will be determined.
Preventing Non-Point Source Pollution in Semi-Urban Watersheds
In the South Jersey region around Rowan University, runoff from both agricultural lands and suburban development (non-point source pollution) has led to water pollution problems in local streams and lakes. Among the problems associated with non-point source pollution are increased sediment, nutrient, pesticide, and herbicide loadings to watersheds. During summer months, excess nutrients have been linked to substantial algal blooms and fish kills. Some lakes and ponds suffer siltation problems caused by soil erosion from nearby site development and urban runoff. REU students will work on a stream restoration project designed to reduce non-point source pollution in a local watershed. Activities will include field surveys of the stream, developing a computer model of stream flow and velocities, and designing biological bank stabilization measures.
Chemical Engineering
Microbial Fuel Cell Optimization
Dependence on fossil fuel to meet energy demands in the United States has many problematic political and environmental issues. In recent years, the U.S. has increased its interest in renewable energy and fuel cell technology. Microbial fuel cells are a novel and promising approach to providing energy through renewable sources. Research in microbial fuel cell technology is relatively new, gaining momentum only within the past decade or so in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Microbial fuel cells directly convert biomass to electrical energy. Depending on the microorganism used, these novel devices can be powered by almost any type of organic material, including agricultural, industrial, and residential wastes. They also have the potential to last indefinitely as long as they have a constant input of food. This project will investigate the effect of microorganism, operating conditions, and feedstock type on microbial fuel cell performance.
Use of Ground Tire Rubber in Asphalt
Concrete Pavements
200 million waste passenger car tires and 40 million waste truck tires accumulate annually in the United States. The use of reclaimed ground tires in road construction solves a waste disposal problem and offers the benefit of resource recovery. Asphalt cement has been blended with rubber to be used as a seal coat, a stress absorbing membrane or interlayer, or as a crack sealer. The performance of ground tire rubber modified asphalt concrete is highly dependent on the size and amount of the ground tire rubber particles and the mixing process. The rubber may be mixed using a dry process in which coarse rubber grains, stone and sand are mixed with asphalt cement or a wet process in which the rubber and asphalt cement are mixed together first to make an asphalt rubber. The focus of this project will be to compare the shear resistance of asphalt concrete mixtures manufactured by these two different processes. The shear resistance will be measured in the Superpave Gyratory Compactor.
Diesel Emission Reduction Strategies for School Buses and HDDV Trucks.
This project is an experimental study aimed at evaluating emission reduction strategies for diesel powered school buses and heavy duty diesel vehicles (HDDV's). Three school buses will be instrumented and tested at the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center. A variety of fuel types, mixtures, additives and exhaust treatment systems will be tested to determine the optimum configuration for various school bus duty cycles (e.g. rural, urban, etc.). This project will allow the student to look at aspects of green engineering such as alternative fuels and pollution reduction strategies using exhaust treatment systems.
Wastewater Minimization in Food Manufacturing
The Food Industry is a major water consumer,
water is used in food processing,
cleaning operations and for heating and cooling. Wastewater reuse
and recycle in food industry present a new challenge not yet fully explored.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Modeling and Planning Disassembly Processes of Electronic Products
According to the National Safety Council,
the amount of obsolete electronic products is expected to grow exponentially,
leveling off by the year 2005 at an estimated 60 million personal computers
(PCs) annually. It is widely recognized that the most ecological way to
dispose of products at the end of their lives is to disassemble them,
which maximizes the proportion of the product that can be recycled or
reused, and minimizes ecological devastation by reducing the mass of the
product that is sent to the landfills or incinerators. This project will
investigate dismantling of a personal computer. A Petri Net model will
be developed to analyze disassembly processes according to the product
condition and its environmental impact.
