Kent State University’s Environmental Science and Design Research Initiative highlights our work in environmental sustainability, including from perspectives of science, art, and design. For the 2019/2020 academic year, we chose Biodesign as the theme of much of our programming because it spans these diverse fields and highlights an innovative approach to solving environmental problems.
Biodesign combines the approach of design thinking with knowledge and tools of biological systems. However, biodesign also goes further than this, advocating for integration of life into the technology that humanity relies on day-to-day. Living organisms are envisioned as incorporated into fabrication processes, products, and built and urban systems.
Browse the Environmental Science and Design Research Initiative 2020 Collections
How Literate Responses to Technical Communication Can Promote Practical Responses to Environmental Change04/15/2020The latest scientific reports published by the United Nations and the U.S. Global Change Research Program show evidence that environmental change is occurring. Gaining political momentum to deal with the problem is one issue, but beyond this hurdle is the need to communicate complex scientific information to the public so that they may help make informed decisions about responses to environmental change through the public decision-making process. Communicating this need to the public is challenged by the constraints of transcultural communication (Flower, 2008; Frost, 2013; Ding, 2014) and ideological conceptions of environmental collapse (Latour, 2018). In addition, people must be able to read and write in increasingly technical genres in order to make their voices heard regarding scientific issues surrounding environmental change (Brandt, 2001, 2015). The bar has been set higher for civic participation (Grabill, 2007; Simmons 2008), which precipitates a need for advanced literacies that support transcultural empathy, cooperative decision-making, critical analysis of scientific data, and organizational prototyping for future-oriented planning (Sauer, 2003; Potts, 2013; Gross, 2016). My dissertation research project is studying public communication surrounding development of one of the first freshwater offshore wind farms in North America, on Lake Erie. Methods for the study are mixed and include surveys, interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Through this study, I will synthesize information surrounding contemporary environmental communication that will help push the next iteration of policy to better address environmental problems in ways that attend to the concrete manifestations of environmental change. |
Influence of Vegetation on Phosphorus Sorption and Redox Status in a Great Lakes Coastal Wetland04/15/2020
Old Woman Creek estuary (OWCE, Huron, OH) has been found to be an effective sink for phosphorus (P), which may contribute to eutrophication in Lake Erie. However, the mechanisms of P retention in wetlands are spatially and temporally variable, making predictions challenging. The quantity and mineralogy of iron (oxyhydr)oxides are key drivers of P sorption in mineral-rich wetlands such as OWCE. Wetland plants create oxidized microsites in reduced sediments due to leakage of oxygen from their roots, thereby potentially enhancing P retention. We assessed sediment Fe:P ratios, which have been found to negatively correlate with pore and surface water phosphate concentrations, and metal oxide quantity and mineralogy among four different plant types in OWCE that varied in hydrologic conditions and dominant plant type (Typha, Floating-leaf, Mudflat, and Open Water). I predicted that sediments in zones with plants that have a high-gas transport capacity (Typha) would contain higher Fe:P ratios and higher concentrations of metal oxides due to the bulk effect of oxidized microsites. Preliminary results from 2018 support my predictions and show that sediments dominated by Typha had higher Fe:P. Higher fractions of poorly-crystalline iron oxides provide further support that Typha-dominated sediments had higher P retention capacity.
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Inhibition of Biofilm Formation by Cranberry Extract04/15/2020Bacteria attach to surfaces in aqueous environments and form biofilms; mixtures of cells embedded in a matrix of extracellular material. Biofilms are important to ecosystem function but have harmful effects in undesirable settings. One issue is persistence of pathogenic bacteria in biofilms, including Listeria. Listeria can survive in protected, multi-species biofilms and some strains are resistant to stress. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate antimicrobial activity of cranberry extract (CE) against Listeria innocua. To examine survivorship, L. innocua was suspended in serial dilutions of CE neutralized to pH 7.0. Samples were collected and plated on BHI agar. Subsequently, L. innocua was grown on glass beads submerged in BHI broth or 12.5% CE in BHI. L. innocua was inoculated and incubated for 48 hours. Samples were filtered, Live-Dead stained, and enumerated. In suspension, a 4 log reduction in L. innocua was observed after 18 hours in 12.5% and 25% CE. In the biofilm experiment, there was a > 1 log reduction in live and dead cells in biofilms in 12.5% CE. The formation of live microcells in the presence of CE was evidence of a stress response; poorly defined dead cells and debris were apparent with the dead stain. This study demonstrated inhibition of L. innocua by CE in suspension and biofilms. It did not distinguish between physiological stress and other mechanisms of biofilm inhibition. Future studies will examine mechanisms of biofilm inhibition and impact of CE on L. innocua in multispecies biofilms. |
Investigating the Bioavailability of Phosphorus in the Presence of Iron Under Fluctuating Redox Conditions in Arctic Soils04/15/2020Northern latitudes are rapidly warming. As permafrost thaws, soil carbon (C) stocks are at risk of being released into the atmosphere, transitioning arctic systems from C sinks to sources. Soil microbial C metabolism is constrained by temperature, water and nutrients. Nutrients such as phosphate (PO43-), are in turn regulated by iron (Fe) geochemistry, but these interactions vary across redox conditions in arctic soils. Where present, poorly crystalline Fe (oxyhydr)oxides sorb PO43-, limiting its bioavailability. To assess microbial PO43- acquisition in the presence of Fe, we examined phosphorus (P) uptake by the microbial community in arctic soils in Abisko, Sweden. Mesh bags were filled with Fe-rich soil that was either saturated with PO43- or not saturated. Bags were incubated for one week along a thaw gradient representing different redox conditions. Preliminary results show that PO43- concentrations in microbial biomass are low, suggesting that microbes are acclimated to low P conditions and/or may be limited by nutrients other than P in arctic soils resulting in limited uptake of P molecules. Alternatively, PO43- liberated from microbial biomass by chloroform fumigation may have re-sorbed to soil Fe oxides, resisting detection. Continued analysis of soil Fe and P will further elucidate P storage pools. |
Iron (oxyhydr)oxide Crystallinity and Redox Conditions as a Function of Permafrost Thaw in Abisko, Sweden04/15/2020Increasing temperatures in the arctic can cause permafrost thaw that radically changes hydrological and redox conditions in the soil. Redox sensitive minerals like iron (Fe) oxides can precipitate or dissolve in response to redox changes. Fe oxides control the cycling of nutrients such as phosphorus (P), a limiting nutrient in arctic soils, by adsorption. The effects of progressing permafrost thaw and resulting changing hydrology on redox conditions and Fe oxide crystallinity in arctic environments are still unknown. To investigate these complex interactions, an in situ incubation experiment was conducted along a permafrost gradient in arctic soils in Abisko, Sweden. Permafrost thaw in Abisko results in ground collapse and surface ponding. Mesh bags were filled with Fe rich sediments and buried in the top soil along a permafrost gradient for either one or eight weeks. Redox conditions were measured continuously along the gradient and incubated materials were analyzed with x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAFS) for changes in Fe oxide crystallinity. Changes in total Fe and P concentration were determined by sequential extractions of the incubated material. Preliminary results show a change from oxic to anoxic conditions as permafrost thaw progresses and surface ponding occurs. XAFS show a shift toward ferrihydrite, a poorly crystalline Fe oxide, in the soils with surface ponding after eight weeks. Ferrihydrite has a high capacity for P sorption and might limit the bioavailability of this critical nutrient in thawing arctic soils and potentially limit plant growth and microbial activity. |
Lead (Pb) Spatial Distribution and Speciation in Akron, Ohio.04/15/2020Throughout the history of the United States Lead (Pb) has been used in a wide range of domestic and industrial products such as gasoline, paint, smelting, glass making, and tire vulcanization. Although new inputs of Pb to soils ceased in the 1990s, legacy Pb continues to be a risk to human health, particularly children, through ingestion and/or inhalation of Pb-bearing particles. Current practices regarding the risk of exposure to soil Pb do not address and remediate high Pb exposure areas until exposure has occurred. This work aims to determine how Pb speciation and distribution relate to each other at the neighborhood-level in an urban environment. A total of 82 soil samples were collected in Akron, OH; 30 from the Summit Lake neighborhood (Fall 2018), and 52 from Akron Public School students residences (Summer 2019). Total Pb was measured by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and potential bioaccessible Pb was determined using two methods: (1) a nitric acid solution and (2) a simulated gastric fluid. Extracted Pb was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Solid phase characterization will also be performed on samples to determine soil particle mineralogy and morphology through X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Total Pb values ranged from 34.6 mg/kg to 1969.6 mg/kg +/- 335.1, with an average value of 227 +/- 335.1 mg/kg. Bioaccessible Pb values for the nitric acid solution ranged from below the detectable limit (BDL) to 24.79 +/- 3.93 ppm, with an average of 2.50 +/- 3.93 ppm per sample. For Bioaccessible Pb from the simulated gastric fluid values ranged from BDL to 15.86 +/- 2.46 ppm, with an average value of 1.38 +/- 2.46 ppm. Total and Bioaccessible Pb values will be used to create, the first of its kind, neighborhood-level Pb speciation and distribution map for Akron, OH., which could aid in determining focus areas for remediation efforts. |
Liposomal Formulations of a Cholesterol-Tethered Pt(IV) Prodrug with Prolonged Circulation Time in Blood and Reduced Toxicity In vivo04/15/2020
Platinum based drugs play a crucial role as anticancer agents which are currently being used in clinic. Efficacy of this anticancer drugs are restricted by several side effects and drug resistance. Different drug targeting and delivery strategies have been applied to overcome these drawbacks over years. One of them is utilizing EPR (Enhanced Permeability and Retention) effect for targeting tumor cells including nanoparticles, liposome, macromolecules, micelles etc. Current work describes a strategy for loading the liposomal formulation with newly designed Platinum (IV) pro-drug and studies related to its therapeutic efficacy. The formulation being biodegradable and biocompatible, is efficient in cytotoxicity against various cell line was tested for its stability through human plasma, toxicity in-vivo, preferred accumulation in tumor cells at a higher ratio compared to cisplatin and finally activation to cisplatin initiating DNA damage and apoptosis in cancer cells.
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Macro and Micronutrient Regulation of Stream Biofilm Composition and Function04/15/2020The composition, growth and metabolic processes of the autotrophic portion of stream biofilm communities is governed by resource availability. Bioavailable nitrogen (NO3-, NH4-) and phosphorus (PO43-) fuel primary production, while micronutrients play a lesser-understood role in the enzymes that facilitate specific physiological processes such as organic nutrient uptake and assimilation. Without micronutrients, cycling and assimilation of organic macronutrients, photosynthesis and respiration within biofilms would not be possible. Nutrient availability also shapes algal community composition by selecting for particular taxa. Using nutrient diffusing substrate, we assessed the role of macro (N, P) and micronutrients (Zn, Mo) on stream biofilm primary producer diversity, growth, metabolism and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) across four sites upstream and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and nutrient rich tributary. Results indicate that APA, which facilitates organic P acquisition, increased for N treatments across all sites, while algal diversity had greater inter-site variation than variation elicited by nutrient treatment. Phosphorus enrichment increased growth prior to input from the WWTP, while growth had a negative response to N treatment directly after the WWTP inflow. Upstream of a nutrient rich tributary, N+P and N+Zn treatments stimulated the most growth, suggesting co-limitation of N and P and alleviation of P limitation by Zn through increased APA. These results indicate that macro and micronutrients co-limit specific processes within biofilms, and that micronutrients may regulate organic nutrient cycling in stream biofilms. |
Measuring the Effects of Sedimentation on a Constructed Wetland Using Sensor-Collected Turbidity Data as a Proxy for Total Suspended Solids: Preliminary Results04/15/2020With roughly three fourths of the planet’s wetlands disturbed by humans, constructed urban wetlands are becoming increasingly prevalent. These wetlands help manage urban wastewater and provide many ecosystem services, including water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and flood control. Suspended sediments are a common pollutant in urban wastewater that can degrade a wetland’s natural filtering capabilities and can potentially bury the wetland if not managed correctly. Luckily, advances in sensor-monitoring technology may give scientists and engineers the tools they need to create wetlands that allow sediments to flow through the wetland without compromising the filtering processes. The Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center, located in northeast Ohio, wished to assess the flow of sediment through a series of on-site constructed wetlands in response to a nearby landfill. To measure how effectively sediment was passing through the wetlands, two popular sampling methods were employed: manually collected total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity data collected via sensors. Using the sensor data and volunteer-collected TSS data, we assessed the relationship between the two sampling methods to develop a sensor-collected proxy for suspended sediments measurements. We found an average turbidity reading of 1,012 NTU (standard deviation, N=27,971), while TSS averaged 85+/- 104 mg/L (standard deviation, N=10). Combining high-temporal resolution sensor-detected proxy measurements with more labor intensive, but more coarsely resolved direct measurements is an effective strategy for monitoring the water quality function of constructed wetlands. This will be critical to ensuring usable freshwater for future generations as the human species continues to spread across the earth. |
Micro-Ecosystem Species Richness in Patchy Urban Habitats04/15/2020Built infrastructure coupled with impervious surfaces characterizes urbanization which dramatically changes both biotic and abiotic attributes of an ecosystem from prior patterns. Vegetation in urban systems provides a vast array of ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation, absorption of air pollutants, and oxygen generation. In this study, we examine natural habitats in natural areas now in urban land use to identify parallels in ecosystem function and biodiversity. Our research consists of three main steps: Identifying structurally analogous habitats in urban and nearby natural and spontaneous unmanaged habitats; characterizing the communities associated with these habitats and their functions to generate hypotheses about their potential applicability to urban systems. Herein, we present data from a preliminary study examining bryophyte communities growing in urban and natural thin soil environments in the Cuyahoga River watershed. At 23 sites within the study area, we characterized bryophyte communities and recorded physical attributes of their habitats. Bryophytes (mosses) were observed across all the sampled habitats. Providing patches of habitat in cities is the key to fostering biodiversity, however, many projects fostering urban biodiversity focus on larger infrastructure. Yet, small, ruderal patches of vegetation may offer functional habitat patches in areas where larger infrastructure elements cannot be accommodated. |