Matching Items (98)
Description
Fashion is an inherently political and reflective medium for the daily ramblings and revolutions of a society. Much of the time the influence is subtle. Silhouettes and fabrics reflect different stances on conservatism, on sex, on the degrees to which we fetishize luxury, and on infinite other attitudes of an era. Other times the influence is extremely direct, with text printed on the clothing that explicitly articulates a current societal dynamic. I began exploring fashion in 2016, as the country had reached an unprecedented and linguistically weaponized divide.
While taking a fashion technology course under the instruction of Galina Mihaleva, I developed a tracksuit incorporating concealed LED displays that are capable of scrolling customizable text on the sides of the garment. I expanded on this futuristic execution of politically charged clothes by utilizing a more realistic application of the LED technology in the Bouis Vuitton project. This project is a collection of six white vinyl bags with semi-flexible LED displays projecting revolutionary slogans through the vinyl textile.
The bags act as an appropriate housing for technology that is intended for significantly longer use, as bags have a longer lifespan in wardrobes than clothes and return to trend more frequently. The production investment in the technology is more equitable to the investment in the production of a bag and facilitates the wearer’s broadcasting of concise messages. The result is a collection of functional, utilitarian pieces with a clean, futuristic look and a mixed modern and vintage silhouette scrolling pro-revolutionary messages.
Broadcasting the knock-off name ‘BOUIS VUITTON’, I’ve inserted only my first initial into the reputable luxury company and paired it with slogans: ‘EAT THE RICH’ and ‘HEADS WILL ROLL’. The collection articulates a sense of nihilism felt by the youngest generations growing up on the outside of a very exclusive economic and political sphere. Three upcycled vintage luggage pieces evoke associations with the white American upper-class society of the 1960s. The luggage pieces were retrofitted in white vinyl and white-enameled metal fixtures. Three additional soft bags made of the same material reflect a utilitarian style of functional bags on trend with Spring/Summer 2019 streetwear. For the runway presentation of the bags, the models are dressed in navy-colored Dickies boiler suits, white retro-style Fila sneakers, and white ascots reminiscent of the historical male ruffled cravat. The contradictions of iconic silhouettes from both upper and lower-class American fashion history further the juxtaposition of anti-capitalist slogans posted on luxury goods.
Bouis Vuitton: Bags for the Revolution is intended to embody an unapologetic disregard for established wealth and political power in the most public of venues: the sidewalk, the mall, the high and the low-income neighborhoods – wherever people are wearing clothes. Fashion is the modern protest that requires no permit, and the new poster is a luxury bag.
While taking a fashion technology course under the instruction of Galina Mihaleva, I developed a tracksuit incorporating concealed LED displays that are capable of scrolling customizable text on the sides of the garment. I expanded on this futuristic execution of politically charged clothes by utilizing a more realistic application of the LED technology in the Bouis Vuitton project. This project is a collection of six white vinyl bags with semi-flexible LED displays projecting revolutionary slogans through the vinyl textile.
The bags act as an appropriate housing for technology that is intended for significantly longer use, as bags have a longer lifespan in wardrobes than clothes and return to trend more frequently. The production investment in the technology is more equitable to the investment in the production of a bag and facilitates the wearer’s broadcasting of concise messages. The result is a collection of functional, utilitarian pieces with a clean, futuristic look and a mixed modern and vintage silhouette scrolling pro-revolutionary messages.
Broadcasting the knock-off name ‘BOUIS VUITTON’, I’ve inserted only my first initial into the reputable luxury company and paired it with slogans: ‘EAT THE RICH’ and ‘HEADS WILL ROLL’. The collection articulates a sense of nihilism felt by the youngest generations growing up on the outside of a very exclusive economic and political sphere. Three upcycled vintage luggage pieces evoke associations with the white American upper-class society of the 1960s. The luggage pieces were retrofitted in white vinyl and white-enameled metal fixtures. Three additional soft bags made of the same material reflect a utilitarian style of functional bags on trend with Spring/Summer 2019 streetwear. For the runway presentation of the bags, the models are dressed in navy-colored Dickies boiler suits, white retro-style Fila sneakers, and white ascots reminiscent of the historical male ruffled cravat. The contradictions of iconic silhouettes from both upper and lower-class American fashion history further the juxtaposition of anti-capitalist slogans posted on luxury goods.
Bouis Vuitton: Bags for the Revolution is intended to embody an unapologetic disregard for established wealth and political power in the most public of venues: the sidewalk, the mall, the high and the low-income neighborhoods – wherever people are wearing clothes. Fashion is the modern protest that requires no permit, and the new poster is a luxury bag.
ContributorsViton, Benjamin Douglas (Author) / Sewell, Dennita (Thesis director) / Mihaleva, Galina (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Terrestrial crude oil spills compromise a soil’s ability to provide ecosystem services by inhibiting plant life and threatening groundwater integrity. Ozone gas, a powerful oxidant, shows promise to aid in soil recovery by degrading petroleum hydrocarbons into more bioavailable and biodegradable chemicals. However, previous research has shown that ozone can change the soil pH and create harmful organic compounds.
The research objective was to determine the short-term ecological toxicity of ozonation byproducts on seed germination of three distinct plant types (radish, lettuce, and grass) compared to untreated and uncontaminated soils. We hypothesize that the reduction of heavy hydrocarbon contamination in soil by ozone application will provide more suitable habitat for the germinating seeds. The effect of ozone treatment on seed germination and seedling quality was measured using ASTM standards for early seedling growth in conjunction with a gradient of potting soil amendments. Ozonation parameters were measured using established methods and include total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and pH.
This study demonstrated the TPH levels fall up to 22% with ozonation, suggesting TPH removal is related to the amount of ozone delivered as opposed to the type of crude oil present. The DOC values increase comparably across crude oil types as the ozonation dose increases (from a background level of 0.25 g to 6.2 g/kg dry soil at the highest ozone level), suggesting that DOC production is directly related to the amount of ozone, not crude oil type. While ozonation reduced the mass of heavy hydrocarbons in the soil, it increased the amount of ozonation byproducts in the soil. For the three types of seeds used in the study, these changes in concentrations of TPH and DOC affected the species differently; however, no seed type showed improved germination after ozone treatment. Thus, ozone treatment by itself had a negative impact on germination potential.
Future research should focus on the effects of post-ozonation, long-term bioremediation on eco-toxicity. By helping define the eco-toxicity of ozonation techniques, this research can improve upon previously established ozone techniques for petroleum remediation and provide economic and environmental benefits when used for soil treatment.
The research objective was to determine the short-term ecological toxicity of ozonation byproducts on seed germination of three distinct plant types (radish, lettuce, and grass) compared to untreated and uncontaminated soils. We hypothesize that the reduction of heavy hydrocarbon contamination in soil by ozone application will provide more suitable habitat for the germinating seeds. The effect of ozone treatment on seed germination and seedling quality was measured using ASTM standards for early seedling growth in conjunction with a gradient of potting soil amendments. Ozonation parameters were measured using established methods and include total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and pH.
This study demonstrated the TPH levels fall up to 22% with ozonation, suggesting TPH removal is related to the amount of ozone delivered as opposed to the type of crude oil present. The DOC values increase comparably across crude oil types as the ozonation dose increases (from a background level of 0.25 g to 6.2 g/kg dry soil at the highest ozone level), suggesting that DOC production is directly related to the amount of ozone, not crude oil type. While ozonation reduced the mass of heavy hydrocarbons in the soil, it increased the amount of ozonation byproducts in the soil. For the three types of seeds used in the study, these changes in concentrations of TPH and DOC affected the species differently; however, no seed type showed improved germination after ozone treatment. Thus, ozone treatment by itself had a negative impact on germination potential.
Future research should focus on the effects of post-ozonation, long-term bioremediation on eco-toxicity. By helping define the eco-toxicity of ozonation techniques, this research can improve upon previously established ozone techniques for petroleum remediation and provide economic and environmental benefits when used for soil treatment.
ContributorsJanuszewski, Brielle (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Thesis director) / Yavuz, Burcu (Committee member) / Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Eng Program (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The microalgae Scenedesmus have been regarded as a potential source for biofuel production, having up to ~30% of dry weight as lipids used for biodiesel fuel production. Electro-selective fermentation (ESF) is a novel approach that can selectively degrade proteins and carbohydrates while conserving lipids within algal cells, while simultaneously enhancing lipid wet-extraction and biohydrogenation. ESF is a combination of SF and Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) technologies. Experiments reported here prove that ESF is an effective means of enhancing lipid wet-extraction by ~50% and achieving 36% higher lipid saturation conversion, compared to SF, over 30 days of semi-continuous operation. Anode-respiring bacteria (ARB) residing on the anode surface produced a current that led to increased rate of organic substrate utilization, protein degradation, and ultimately enhanced lipid extraction and biohydrogenation that converted unsaturated to saturated fatty-acids. Thus, ESF provides a promising method for enhancing lipid extraction for biofuel production.
ContributorsRastogi, Neil K (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Thesis director) / Liu, Liu (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
While biodiesel production from photosynthesizing algae is a promising form of alternative energy, the process is water and nutrient intensive. I designed a mathematical model for a photobioreactor system that filters the reactor effluent and returns the permeate to the system so that unutilized nutrients are not wasted, addressing these problems. The model tracks soluble and biomass components that govern the rates of the processes within the photobioreactor (PBR). It considers light attenuation and inhibition, nutrient limitation, preference for ammonia consumption over nitrate, production of soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), and competition with heterotrophic bacteria that predominately consume SMP. I model a continuous photobioreactor + microfiltration system under nine unique operation conditions - three dilution rates and three recycling rates. I also evaluate the health of a PBR under different dilution rates for two values of qpred. I evaluate the success of each run by calculating values such as biomass productivity and specific biomass yield. The model shows that for low dilution rates (D = <0.2 d-1) and high recycling rates (>66%), nutrient limitation can lead to a PBR crash. In balancing biomass productivity with water conservation, the most favorable runs were those in which the dilution rate and the recycling rate were highest. In a second part of my thesis, I developed a model that describes the interactions of phototrophs and their predators. The model also shows that dilution rates corresponding to realistic PBR operation can washout predators from the system, but the simulation outputs depend heavily on the accuracy of parameters that are not well defined.
ContributorsWik, Benjamin Philip (Author) / Marcus, Andrew (Thesis director) / Rittmann, Bruce (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Nitrate (NO3- ) and selenate (SeO42-) are common contaminants found in mining wastewater. Biological treatment has proved successful using bacteria capable of respiring NO3- into nitrogen gas and SeO42- into Se°. The Membrane Biofilm Reactor (MBfR) utilizes biofilm communities on the surface of hollow-fiber membranes to transform oxidized water contaminants into innocuous reduced products. For this project, I set up two MBfRs in a lead and lag configuration to reduce NO3- [input at ~40-45 mg NO3-N/L] and SeO42- [0.62 mg/L], while avoiding sulfate (SO42-) [~1600-1660 mg/L] reduction. Over the course of three experimental phases, I controlled two operating conditions: the applied hydrogen pressure and the total electron acceptor loading. NO3- in the lead MBfR showed average reductions of 50%, 94%, and 91% for phases I, II, and III, respectively. In the lag MBfR, NO3- was reduced by 40%, 96%, and 100% for phases I, II, and III. NO2- was formed in Stage I when NO3- was not reduced completely; nevertheless NO2- accumulation was absent for the remainder of operation. In the lead MBfR, SeO42- was reduced by 65%, 87%, and 50% for phases I, II, and III. In the lag MBfR, SeO42- was reduced 60%, 27%, and 23% for phases I, II, and III. SO42- was not reduced in either MBfR. Biofilm communities were composed of denitrifying bacteria Rhodocyclales and Burkholderiales, Dechloromonas along with the well-known SeO42--reducing Thauera were abundant genera in the biofilm communities. Although SO42- reduction was suppressed, sulfate-reducing bacteria were present in the biofilm. To optimize competition for electron donor and space in the biofilm, optimal operational conditions were hydrogen pressures of 26 and 7 psig and total electron acceptor loading of 3.8 and 3.4 g H2/m2 day for the lead and lag MBfR, respectively.
ContributorsMehta, Sanya Vipul (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Thesis director) / Ontiveros-Valencia, Aura (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This report investigates the mass-transfer kinetics of gas diffusion through an asymmetrical hollow-fiber membrane developed for the membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) when it is used to microbiologically convert syngas (a mixture of H2, CO2, and CO) to organic products. The asymmetric Matrimid® membrane had superior diffusion fluxes compared to commercially available symmetric, three-layer composite and polypropylene single-layer membranes. The Matrimid® asymmetric membrane had a H2 gas-gas diffusion flux between 960- and 1600-fold greater than that of the composite membrane and between 32,000- and 46,800-fold greater than that of the single-layer membrane. Gas-gas diffusion experiments across the Matrimid® membrane also demonstrated plasticization behavior for pure CO2 and H2 gas feeds. In particular, a 10 psia increase in inlet pressure resulted in a 12-fold increase in permeance for H2 and a 16-fold increase for CO2. Plasticization was minimal for symmetric composite and single-layer membranes. Thus, diffusion fluxes were much higher for the asymmetric membrane than for the symmetric composite and single-layer membranes, and this supports the promise of the asymmetric membrane as a high-efficiency means to deliver syngas to biofilms able to convert the syngas to organic products. Gas-liquid diffusion was much slower than gas-gas diffusion, and this supports the benefit of using the MBfR approach over fermentation reactors that rely on sparging syngas.
ContributorsArafa, Omar M. (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Thesis director) / Torres, Cesar (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The waterways in the United States are polluted by agricultural, mining, and industrial activities. Recovery of valuable materials, such as energy and nutrients, from these waste streams can improve the economic and environmental sustainability of wastewater treatment. A number of state-of-the-art anaerobic bioreactors have promise for intensified anaerobic biological treatment and energy recovery, but they have drawbacks. The drawbacks should be overcome with a novel anaerobic biological wastewater treatment process: the anaerobic biofilm membrane bioreactor (AnBfMBR). This research works aims to advance key components of the AnBfMBR. The AnBfMBR is a hybrid suspended growth and biofilm reactor. The two main components of an AnBfMBR are plastic biofilm carriers and membranes. The plastic biofilm carriers provide the surface onto which the biofilms grow. Membranes provide liquid-solid separation, retention of suspended biomass, and a solids-free effluent. Introducing sufficient surface area promotes the biofilm accumulation of slow-growing methanogens that convert volatile fatty acids into methane gas. Biofilms growing on these surfaces will have a mixed culture that primarily consists of methanogens and inert particulate solids, but also includes some acetogens. Biomass that detaches from biofilms become a component of the suspended growth. A bench-scale AnBfMBR was designed by the AnBfMBR project team and constructed by SafBon Water Technology (SWT). The primary objective of this thesis project was to evaluate the ability of plastic biofilm carriers to minimize ceramic-membrane fouling in the AnBfMBR setting. A systematic analysis of mixing for the bench-scale AnBfMBR was also conducted with the plastic biofilm carriers. Experiments were conducted following a ‘run to failure’ method, in which the ceramic membranes provide filtration, and the time it takes to reach a ‘failure transmembrane pressure (TMP)’ was recorded. The experiments revealed two distinct trends. First, the time to failure TMP decreased as mixed liquor suspended solids concentration (MLSS) concentration increased. Second, increasing the carrier fill extend the time to failure, particularly for higher MLSS concentrations. Taken together, the experiments identified an optimized “sweet spot” for the AnBfMBR: an operating flux of 0.25-m/d, a failure TMP of 0.3-atm pressure, MLSS of 5,000 – 7,500 mg/L, and 40% carrier fill.
ContributorsRoman, Brian Aaron (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Thesis advisor) / Boltz, Joshua (Committee member) / Perreault, Francois (Committee member) / Fox, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Widespread use of halogenated organic compounds for commercial and industrial purposes makes halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs) a global challenge for environmental quality. Current wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are successful at reducing chemical oxygen demand (COD), but the removal of HOPs often is poor. Since HOPs are xenobiotics, the biodegradation of HOPs is usually limited in the WWTPs. The current methods for HOPs treatments (e.g., chemical, photochemical, electrochemical, and biological methods) do have their limitations for practical applications. Therefore, a combination of catalytic and biological treatment methods may overcome the challenges of HOPs removal.This dissertation investigated a novel catalytic and biological synergistic platform to treat HOPs. 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and halogenated herbicides were used as model pollutants for the HOPs removal tests. The biological part of experiments documented successful co-oxidation of HOPs and analog non-halogenated organic pollutants (OPs) (as the primary substrates) in the continuous operation of O2-based membrane biofilm reactor (O2-MBfR). In the first stage of the synergistic platform, HOPs were reductively dehalogenated to less toxic and more biodegradable OPs during continuous operation of a H2-based membrane catalytic-film reactor (H2-MCfR). The synergistic platform experiments demonstrated that OPs generated in the H2-MCfR were used as the primary substrates to support the co-oxidation of HOPs in the subsequent O2-MBfR. Once at least 90% conversation of HOPs to OPs was achieved in the H2-MCfR, the products (OPs to HOPs mole ratio >9) in the effluent could be completely mineralized through co-oxidation in O2-MBfR. By using H2 gas as the primary substrate, instead adding the analog OP, the synergistic platform greatly reduced chemical costs and carbon-dioxide emissions during HOPs co-oxidation.
ContributorsLuo, Yihao (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Thesis advisor) / Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa (Committee member) / Torres, Cesar (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Bacterial biofilms exist on surfaces within pressurized water systems, posing threats to water quality and causing fouling or microbial induced corrosion. Germicidal UV irradiation has shown promise in deactivating planktonic pathogens in water but challenges in delivering light to surfaces where biofilms exist have limited advancement in understanding biofilm response to UV-C light. This dissertation aims to overcome the limitation of delivering UV-C light through use of side-emitting optical fibers (SEOFs), advance capabilities to produce SEOFs and understand if a minimum UV-C irradiance can prevent biofilm formation. Two scalable manufacturing approaches were developed for producing kilometer lengths of thin (≤500-µm) and physically flexible SEOFs. One strategy involved dip-coating amine-functionalized SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on bare optical fiber, followed by a coating of UV-C transparent polymer (CyTop). I showed that NPs closer to the surface achieved with higher ionic strength solutions increased side-scattering of UV-C light. This phenomenon was primarily attributed to the interaction between NPs and evanescent wave energy. The second strategy omitted NPs but utilized a post-treatment to the UV-C transparent polymer that increased surface roughness on the outer fiber surface. This modification maintained the physical flexibility of the fiber while promoting side-emission of UV-C light. The side emission was due to the enhancement of refracted light energy. Both methods were successfully scaled up for potential commercial production.
Experimental platforms were created to study biofilm responses to UV light on metal or flexible plastic pipe (1/4” ID) surfaces. Delivering UV-C light via SEOFs with irradiances >8 µW/cm2 inhibited biofilm accumulation. Neither UV-A nor UV-B light inhibited biofilm growth. At very low UV-C irradiance (<3 µW/cm2), biofilms were not inhibited. Functional genomic analysis revealed that biofilms irradiated by insufficient UV-C irradiance upregulated various essential genes related to DNA repair, energy metabolism, quorum sensing, mobility, and EPS synthesis. When net UV-C biofilm inactivation rates exceeded the biofilm growth rate, biofilms were inhibited. Insights gained from this dissertation work shed light on the prospective applications of UV-C technology in addressing biofilm challenges within water infrastructure across multiple sectors, from potable water to healthcare applications.
ContributorsZhao, Zhe (Author) / Westerhoff, Paul (Thesis advisor) / Rittmann, Bruce (Committee member) / Abbaszadegan, Morteza (Committee member) / Álvarez, Pedro (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Mining-influenced water (MIW) is an acidic stream containing a typically acidic pH (e.g., 2.5), sulfate, and dissolved metal(loid)s. MIW has the potential to affect freshwater ecosystems and thus MIW requires strategies put in place for containment and treatment. Lignocellulosic sulfate-reducing biochemical reactors (SRBRs) are considered a cost-effective passive treatment for MIW and have been documented to continuously treat MIW at the field-scale. However, long-term operation (> 1 year) and reliable MIW treatment by SRBRs at mining sites is challenged by the decline in sulfate-reduction, the key treatment mechanism for metal(loid) immobilization. This dissertation addresses operational designs and materials suited to promote sulfate reduction in lignocellulosic SRBRs treating MIW. In this dissertation I demonstrated that lignocellulosic SRBRs containing spent brewing grains and/or sugarcane bagasse can be acclimated in continuous mode at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7-12 d while simultaneously removing 80 ± 20% – 91 ± 3% sulfate and > 98% metal(loid)s. Additionally, I showed that decreasing the HRT to 3 d further yields high metal(loid) removal (97.5 ± 1.3% – 98.8 ± 0.9%). Next, I verified the utility of basic oxygen furnace slag to increase MIW pH in a two-stage treatment involving a slag stage and an SRBR stage containing spent brewing grains or sugarcane bagasse. The slag reactor from the two-stage treatment increased MIW pH from 2.6 ± 0.2 to 12 ± 0.3 requiring its re-combination with fresh MIW to reduce pH to 5.0 ± 1.0 prior to entering the lignocellulosic SRBRs. The lignocellulosic SRBRs from the two-stage treatment successfully continued to remove metal(loid)s, most notably cadmium, copper, and zinc at ≥ 96%. In additions to these outcomes, I performed a metadata analysis of 27 SRBRs employing brewers spent grains, sugarcane bagasse, rice husks and rice bran, or a mixture of walnut shells, woodchips, and alfalfa. I found that sugarcane bagasse SRBRs can remove between 94 and 168 mg metal(loid) kg–1 lignocellulose d–1. In addition, Bacteroidia relative abundances showed a positive correlation with increasing sulfate removal across all 27 SRBRs and are likely essential for the degradation of lignocellulose providing electron donors for sulfate reduction. Clostridia and Gammaproteobacteria were negatively correlated with sulfate reduction in the 27 SRBRs, however SRBRs that received alkalinized MIW had lower relative abundances of Clostridia, Gammaproteobacteria, and methanogenic archaea (known competitors for sulfate-reducing bacteria). Overall, my dissertation provides insight into lignocellulosic materials and operational designs to promote long-term sulfate-reduction in lignocellulosic SRBRs treating MIW.
ContributorsMiranda, Evelyn Monica (Author) / Delgado, Anca G (Thesis advisor) / Santisteban, Leonard (Committee member) / Hamdan, Nasser (Committee member) / Rittmann, Bruce (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023