Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item The Problem of Environmental Estrogens from the Wastewater Perspective(2017-12-14) Novak, P.Environmental estrogens are discharged from wastewater treatment plants and can cause physiological, developmental, and behavioral changes in fish and other aquatic organisms. Sources of environmental estrogens vary, with some sources under appreciated. In addition, the fate of these compounds in treatment plants and the environment is complicated, with degradation rates varying widely and degradation products sometimes causing physiological effects as well. Given this, how should we approach the management of these compounds? Do we impose regulations on the discharge of environmental estrogens, and if so, how? Finally, how do we pay for the treatment required to protect ecosystems?Item A Watershed-wide Investigation of the Biological Effects of Contaminants of Emerging Concern: A Case Study in the North American Great Lakes(2017-12-14) Schoenfuss, H.L.Dr. Schoenfuss will explore the effects of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) on resident fish species in the North American Great Lakes watershed. CECs include common pharmaceuticals, household products and industrial and agricultural chemicals known to cause harm to aquatic life. We analyzed nearly 500 surface water samples at 54 sites in tributaries of the Great Lakes Watershed to confirm the ubiquitous presence of CECs. A subsequent cluster analyses of commonly detected CECs in this data matrix suggests that the co-occurrence of approximately half of the CECs can be attributed to dichotomous urban or agricultural upstream land use. Almost 3,000 resident and caged sunfish (Lepomis ssp.) were collected from 27 of the 54 sampling sites and analyzed for indicators of stress associated with CEC exposure. Canonical correspondence analyses revealed that concurrent with indicators of toxic stress, biomarkers of reproductive potential declined. To further examine the population level consequences, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed in the laboratory for three generations to the empirically derived urban CEC mixture at three environmentally relevant concentrations. Taken together, this integrated series of studies provides a case study on how to develop a comprehensive assessment of the presence and biological effects of CECs across a continental watershed. Dr. Schoenfuss will close the seminar by providing a brief introduction to the research activities, facilities and educational programs found in the Department of Biological Sciences at St. Cloud State University.Item New Insights on Woodfuel Reliance and Human Welfare(2016-06-27) Jagger, P.; Codjoe, S.N.A.Over 3 billion people globally rely on woodfuels (fuelwood and charcoal) to meet basic energy needs for cooking and heating. Reliance on woodfuels and the emissions associated with burning them has major implications for climate, sustainable forest use, health and human well-being. We use data from approximately 7,000 households throughout the low income tropics collected by the Poverty Environment Network at the Center for International Forestry Research to provide new insights into the role of woodfuels in rural livelihoods and factors that influence their supply and demand.