In a study to evaluate beach play activities, 120 children were videotaped to observe and quantify factors that could influence their exposure to contaminants in the beach environment. Children aged 1 to 6 years were followed by researchers with video cameras at beaches (two in Miami, Florida and two in Galveston, Texas) for approximately one hour each. Factors evaluated included time spent in various beach locations, various activities engaged in, and various surfaces contacted (including contacts by hand and mouth). Activities recorded in the videos were transcribed to text files to allow for quantitative analyses. Across all sexes, age groups, and beaches, Wading was the most common activity and Seawater was the most common location where children played. The left hand was found to not be in contact with objects most of the time, while the right hand, considered the most dominant hand in most cases, contacted Plastic-Toys the most. Although activity patterns collection through videotaping and videotranslation can be labor-intensive, once collected, they can be widely useful for estimates of exposures to all contaminants in the beach environment (e.g., microorganisms and chemicals) as well as UV exposure, with considerations for whether the contaminants are found in water, sand or both. These activity patterns were collected to potentially look at exposures following the Deepwater Horizon 2010 Spill.

The swine industry generates millions of gallons (thousands of cubic meters) of wastewater every day, posing significant environmental risk due to high concentrations of organics and nutrients. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of attached-growth anaerobic bioreactors for treating swine wastewater by utilizing sulfate-reducing bacteria, focusing on the impact of chemical oxygen demand (COD)/sulfate mass ratios on organics degradation. A series of lab-scale anaerobic bioreactors were employed to treat swine wastewater for a 14-day period. The study evaluated changes in pH, acidity, alkalinity, COD, sulfate, and various nutrients along with total suspended solids (TSS) and volatile suspended solids (VSS) before and after treatment. At a COD/sulfate mass ratio of 2:1, the bioreactors achieved optimum removal efficiencies of 80% for TSS, 83% for VSS, 86–88% for COD, 82–87% for sulfate, 73% for sulfide, and 73% for sulfite. The nutrient removal efficiency was 67% for nitrate and 72% for nitrite. The acidity and alkalinity were effectively controlled, with alkalinity values reaching up to 2161 ± 92.5 mg/L and pH within the range of 7–7.24. The findings demonstrated that anaerobic bioreactor at a COD/sulfate mass ratio of 2:1 significantly enhanced the degradation of organic matter coupling with sulfate reduction in swine wastewater, providing an efficient and sustainable treatment method.

In-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is a commonly used method for the remediation of environmental contaminants in groundwater systems. However, traditional ISCO methods are associated with several limitations, including safety and handling concerns, rebound of groundwater contaminants, and difficulty in reaching all areas of contamination. To overcome these limitations, novel Controlled-Release Biodegradable Polymer (CRBP) pellets containing the oxidant KMnO₄ were designed and tested. The CRBP pellets were encapsulated in Polyvinyl Acetate (CRBP-PVAc) and Polyethylene Oxide (CRBP-PEO) at different weight percentages, baking temperatures, and time. Their release efficiency was tested in water, soil, and water and soil mixture media. Results showed that CRBP-PVAc pellets with 60 % KMnO₄ and baked at 120 °C for 2 min had the highest release percentage and rate across different conditions tested. Natural organic matter was also found to be an important factor to consider for in-field applications due to its potential reducing effect with $\text{Mn}{\mathrm{O}}_4^{-}$. Overall, the use of CRBP pellets offers an innovative and sustainable solution to remediate contaminated groundwater systems, with the potential to overcome traditional ISCO limitations. These findings suggest that CRBP pellets could provide sustained and controlled release of the oxidant, reducing the need for multiple injections and minimizing safety and handling concerns. This study represents an important step towards developing a new and effective approach for ISCO remediation.

Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a cost-effective and equitable approach for tracking the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we monitored the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 on a university campus over three years (2021–2023) using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Wastewater samples were collected from 11 manholes on campus, each draining wastewater from a corresponding dormitory building, and viral RNA concentrations were measured using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Weekly clinical case data were also obtained from the university health center. A strong positive and significant correlation was observed between Grab and Composite sampling methods, supporting their robustness as equally effective approaches for sample collection. Specifically, a strong correlation was observed between Aggie Village 4 Grab and Aggie Village 4 Composite samples (R² = 0.84, p = 0.00) and between Barbee Grab and Barbee Composite samples (R² = 0.80, p = 0.00). Additionally, higher viral RNA copies of SARS-CoV-2 (N1 gene) were detected during the Spring semester compared to the Fall and Summer semesters. Notably, elevations in raw N1 concentrations were observed shortly after the return of college students to campus, suggesting that these increases were predomi-nantly associated with students returning at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters (January and August). To account for variations in fecal loading, SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations were normalized using Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV), a widely used viral fecal biomarker. However, normalization using PMMoV did not improve correlations between SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels and clinical case data. Despite these findings, our study did not establish WBE as a consistently reliable complement to clinical testing in a university campus setting, contrary to many retrospective studies. One key limitation was that numerous off-campus students did not contribute to the campus wastewater system corresponding to the monitored dormitories. However, some off-campus students were still subjected to clinical testing at the university health center under mandated pro-tocols. Moreover, the university health center discontinued reporting cases per dormitory after 2021, making direct comparisons more challenging. Nevertheless, this study highlights the continued value of WBE as a surveillance tool for monitoring infectious diseases and provides critical insights into its application in campus environments.