A Comparison Between Traditional and Chromatographic Adsorption Isotherms for
Cotton and Cotton Derivatives. NATHAN
CASTRO (El Paso Community College, El Paso, TX, 79901) STEVEN
C. GOHEEN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA,
99352)
Protein adsorption
can be characterized on a given surface by adsorption isotherms.
Traditionally, isotherms have been developed by allowing bulk solutions
to reach equilibrium with an adsorbent. It has been well established
that proteins undergo a dynamic unfolding process upon contact
with a surface, which may be somewhat dependent on the molecular
weight of the protein, but certainly on the chemical interactions
between the sorbent and surface. Adsorption is also time-dependent
due to the diffusion of protein to the surface. Therefore, quantitative
measure of the adhesion of protein to a surface is time-dependent.
And, the data collected from traditional isotherms should reflect
the equilibrium state of the protein-surface interaction. Isotherm
data collected by chromatographic means, in contrast, represent
different dynamics in protein-surface interactions. The protein
still comes in contact with the sorbent, but the interaction contact
time is lessened. This can be considered a different type of equilibrium,
one that reflects a more native state of the protein. Isotherms
generated by chromatographic means also differ in their shape,
as well as the type of information that can be obtained. In this
study, adsorption isotherms were investigated using traditional
and chromatographic techniques. The data were compared. The total
amount of protein adsorbed differed only slightly, and was dependent
on the surface chemistry being examined. The surfaces under investigation
were: an untreated cotton sample, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
cotton, dialdehyde (DAQ) cotton and citric acid-fructose (CA-F)
cotton samples. Protein adsorption of collected samples was studied
utilizing a colorimetric protein assay coupled with spectrophotometric
measurements of absorbance at 595 nm.
Analysis of Secondary Organic Aerosols and Gas Phase Products from Ozonolysis
of alpha-pinene in the Presence of an Organic Seed Aerosol. SHAUN
GARLAND (University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616)
LIZABETH ALEXANDER (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Ozonolysis of
monoterpes such as alpha-pinene gives rise to not only primary
oxidization products, like acetone, but also secondary organic
aerosol (SOA) formation. Understanding the mass budget of volatile
organic compounds (VOC’s) converted into aerosols and what remains
in the gas phase has impact in metropolitan areas, where ozone
is in higher than normal ambient concentrations and presence of
existing organic aerosols, in both air quality and models that
deal with pollution. Previous studies have investigated the consequence
of inorganic aerosols on aerosol yields. This study uses dioctyl
phthalate (DOP) as a primary seed aerosol in an alpha-pinene/ozone
reacting system to determine how its presence affects both SOA
yield and gas phase concentrations compared to no-seed conditions.
Concentrations of alpha-pinene and other primary oxidation products
are tracked in real time by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry
to develop profiles that allow investigation into second order
reaction rate constants. The presence of DOP was determined to
lower organic aerosol mass yield as well as the gas phase yields
of acetone. Second order reaction rates showed that DOP also does
not have any kinetic impact on the alpha-pinene/ozone reaction.
These results indicate that the presence of DOP aerosols provide
a site for secondary reactions to take place, consuming organic
matter that would normally form aerosols.
Analyzing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Room (ER) Unit Records. LAKEISHA MELTON (Texas Southern
University, Houston, TX, 77004)
JONATHAN YOUNG (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
By analyzing
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) incident reports and Emergency Room (ER)
Unit medical records using data analysis, data mining, and cluster
analysis, a statistical representation and a data visualization
of the analyzed data can support the discovery of complex and unanticipated
relationships extant in the data. The primary focus of this project
is to identify potential weaknesses and systematic problems throughout
the datasets of patient medical records and potential unanticipated
process behavior in order to potentially sustain improvements in
the reduction of patient medical errors and the enhancement of
healthcare facility performance. A tool called IN-SPIRE TM, is
used to explore each type of data (incident reports and medical
records) individually and thoroughly to find the complex relationships
in the records. The analysis tools were also used to analyze clusters
of records, categorize and group those records in order to potentially
produce data visualizations and statistical representations of
the analyzed data.
Assessing the impact of aerosols on the radiation budget in the Sahel
using the SHDOMPP Radiative Model. NIMISHA GHOSH ROY (University of Washington, Seattle,
WA, 98006) TOM ACKERMAN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA, 99352)
To understand
Earth’s dynamic climate system, scientists are developing global
climate models. Currently there are various climate models that
scientists are continuously trying to understand and refine. Current
difficulties include the ability to correctly include the effect
of aerosols and clouds in global climate models. The purpose of
this project is to work on calculating the effect of aerosols (particles
in the atmosphere) on the Earth’s radiation budget (the balance
of incoming and outgoing solar radiation). This project focuses
on the effects of aerosols in the Sahel (south of the Sahara Desert)
with hopes of refining the way global climate models currently
model the Sahel and similar regions. The instruments used are part
of the Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement
Program’s mobile suite of instruments located in Niamey, Niger.
The Sky Radiometer, Total Sky Imager and Micropulse Lidar were
used to identify periods of clear skies on a time scale of fifteen
minutes. Clear sky sets of data were critical because the presence
of clouds in the data set would introduce too many variables. Various
atmospheric properties were collected from a variety of instruments
(also at Niamey, Niger) over the same periods of clear skies. Data
used were from January 1 - 31st, 2006. The data was put into the
SHDOMPP (Spherical Harmonics Discrete Ordinates Model, Plane-Parallel
Version) Radiative Transfer Model. The model was run with two scenarios:
1) Clear Skies with Aerosols and 2) Clear Skies without Aerosols.
Comparing the SHDOMPP model results with observed data from ground
instruments provides a measure of the accuracy of the model. Initial
results show a 1-5% agreement between modeled and observed calculations
of total down welling shortwave flux. The two model runs (with
and without aerosols) were compared to each other to understand
the effect of the aerosols. Initial results show the presence of
aerosol lowers the total down welling shortwave flux by 32 - 120
W/m2. Problems with the treatment of some input parameters have
been identified. The next step in developing an understanding of
the effect of aerosols will involve refining the assumptions and
parameters input to the SHDOMPP model.
Assessing the Impact of the Apatite Injection Barrier on Benthic Macroinvertebrates
and Periphyton at 100-N on the Hanford Reach
of the Columbia River. BEN MILLER
(Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, AL, 35244) ROBERT P. MUELLER (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
100-N on the
Hanford Site operated from 1963 until 1988. 100-N is unique from
the other plutonium production reactors on the Hanford Site because
of its multiple-pass cooling system, which circulated coolant through
the reactor several times before depositing it into a series of
liquid waste disposal facilities nearby. These multiple passes
significantly magnified the contaminants present in the coolant,
which has since leached into an unconfined aquifer adjacent to
the Columbia River. In a remediation effort, an Apatite Injection
Barrier (AIB) has been implemented along the shore at 100-N to
impede an underground plume of Strontium-90. However, this technique
is expected to release trace amounts of simple salts, as well as
sodium phosphate and ammonium nitrate. To assess the impact of
such a release on the Hanford Reach at 100-N, we collected communities
of periphyton and macroinvertebrates from the nearshore region
along vectors upstream, downstream, and adjacent to the site, as
well as a reference area near the opposite shoreline of the Columbia
River. A Phospholipid-Fatty Acid Analysis (PLFA) was also performed
on the collected periphyton, along with a Shannon-Weiner diversity
index. For the initial baseline calculations, we found very little
significant difference in the composition of the benthic community
between sample sites along the AIB and the reference sites across
the river. Later collections of the macroinvertebrate and periphyton
community will be assessed to understand what, if any, impact the
AIB has on local biota.
Characterization of cytochrome mutants of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1: study
of initial attachment and biofilm growth. KYLEE
MILCZAREK (Onondaga Community
College, Syracuse, NY, 13215) JEFF MCLEAN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The definition of
a biofilm is: a community of microorganisms and extra cellular polymeric
substance (EPS) attached to a surface (plastic, glass, mineral, tissue
etc.). EPS can consist of protein, exopolysaccharide and nucleic acids.
Biofilms can be detrimental and hard to remove but can also beneficial.
The bacterium being studied in this investigation is Shewanella oneidensis
strain MR-1. When S. oneidensis is grown into a biofilm it has enhanced
capabilities to reduce metals and radionuclides from contaminated soils
and waters. The scope of this project is to investigate and understand
the effects that the deletion or inhibition of certain genes in the
bacterial genome will have on the S. oneidensis strain MR-1, with respect
to cell-surface attachment and biofilm formation. If the changes that
occur with the deletion of certain genes can be understood, the purpose
of the specific gene in question can be understood. This project investigates
how these genes effect the growth of biofilms and ultimately their
abilities to reduce metals and radionuclides. In order to observe these
differences, the wild type (MR-1) and each of the mutants were labeled
with fluorescent proteins, grown into a biofilm (which are typically
100-200µm in height), and imaged by use of a Confocal Laser Scanning
Microscope (CLSM). The CLSM gives the ability to acquire three dimensional
images of the biofilms and to measure their respective heights; the
film height in relation to the wild type strain will be used as an
indicator for how the genes effect biofilm growth as the culture grows
on the sample substrate. The cultures were imaged by use of CLSM at
three different time intervals: 0, 24, and 36 hours. The initial sample
time point (t = 0) established the number of cells that initially attached
to the substrate, the film height at t = 24 and t = 36 are then compared.
Data from these images were analyzed to produce averages of the height
and identify differences in the structure. The data analyzed from the
mutant strain: mtrA (SO1777) shows a trend of no growth among the 24
and 36 hour time trials. This indicates that the strain mtrA (SO1777)
may have a low capability to form a biofilm at any of the tested time
trials. There are small indications of cell division on the later time
trials but no significant growth was observed. The result presented
here indicates that the gene removed from this particular strain may
play an important role in the growth and formation of biofilms. Further
testing is needed to confirm this result. The project seeks to achieve
a deeper knowledge of how the genes involved in metal and radionuclide
reduction play a role in biofilm formation. A better understanding
about the genetic controls for biofilm formation in this bacterium
will enable investigators to possibly engineer a form that will work
best for waste site clean-up. This type of clean-up will be environmentally
friendly and cost effective.
Comparison of Fragmentation-Directing Properties of Amino Acids. DANNY TAASEVIGEN (Montana State University, Bozeman,
MT, 59715) WILLIAM R CANNON (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA, 99352)
Proteomics is
the study of proteins and their function by the use of high, throughput
methods such as mass spectrometry. With the use of molecular theory
and computation, our group helps to develop more accurate peptide
identification methods. Taking into account the potential energy
of the system and the forces that affect peptide formation, simulations
can be run to determine the probability of obtaining a configuration
conducive to proton transfer to the respective carbonyl oxygen
along the side chain. These simulations are run in the gas phase
with a total time of 5 nanoseconds. Once complete, radial distribution
functions provide us with the probability of proton donation along
the chain. This data will be compared to predicted spectra in hopes
of identification. The peptides are composed of various proportions
of 20 naturally occurring amino acids and were derived from polyalanine,
which proves to be the basis of analysis. However, these peptides
have to have specific charges and the simulations have certain
specifications that must be set to properly match the spectra.
If detection of peptides is successful in this manner, it is likely
to be scaled up to the genome-wide scale.
Components for a General Purpose FPGA Implementation of Template Matching Normalized
Cross-Correlation. TIMOTHY
CHAGNON (Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC, 27603)
KEN PERRINE (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland,
WA, 99352)
Template matching
normalized cross-correlation (NCC) is a fundamental, but computationally
intensive method of feature detection used in applications such
as computer vision, optical character recognition, and video data
extraction. An implementation of this algorithm exploiting the
configurable logic, high throughput, and parallel paths available
in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is desirable for use
as a PC co-processor. Compared to software development however,
the design of an FPGA configuration is a time consuming and expensive
process. This paper outlines parts of an FPGA implementation which
were designed using mature algorithms and basic parallelism as
a readily accessible tool for fast software prototyping or specific
optimization. The NCC design uses the optimized multipliers and
BlockRAM on a Xilinx Virtex-II device to accumulate the correlation
and normalization factors for a single template placement within
the image to be searched. Fixed point non-restoring square-root
and division blocks are then applied to yield the normalized cross-correlation
value for that template placement. High speed external ZBT SSRAM
(zero bus turnaround synchronous static random access memory) and
demand mode DMA (direct memory access) are used to transfer image
data from the host PC. As-is, the design components can be a used
as building blocks for continuing work on implementations of the
NCC algorithm which operate over the whole search domain. Further
work to expand upon the design with coarse-grained parallelism
is suggested for an application to fully utilize the FPGA hardware.
The use of algorithms other than NCC, and the use of constant multiplier
blocks as templates are also interesting avenues of research that
could be pursued.
Content Analysis of Newswire Articles. TENISHA
BARNES, MONCEF BELHADJALI, & SAMUEL MITCHUM (Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, 23504) ANTONIO SANFILIPPO (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Information extraction
research aims at developing tools for pattern recognition with
a minimum human intervention. In order to develop a semi-supervised
system, a classification approach was developed in which the cosine
measure was augmented with knowledge from WordNet to provide a
better matching criterion to recognize target pattern in a data
sets with reference to a small set of seed patterns. The automated
system was built using Java within Eclipse for programming, Connexor
for parsing, Cicero Lite and LingPipe for name entity recognition.
To test the system, a corpus on management succession from the
sixth message understanding conference (MUC-6) was used. The results
of precision, recall, and F-measure showed that the modified cosine
measure provides interesting results, but didn’t perform as well
as previous approaches that used WordNet to compute semantic similarity.
Further work will reduce this gap and may even surpass previous
results. The package offered in this study can be improved to build
a system generic enough to be applied as a text mining tool in
a variety of domains.
Deletion of a Chitin Synthase Gene in a Citric Acid Producing Strain of Aspergillus niger. TORRI
RINKER (Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331) SCOTT BAKER (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Fungi have the
potential to convert biomass into high-value chemical products.
Filamentous fungi produce organic acids, such as citric, lactic,
and fumaric acid. Citric acid production by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus
niger is carried out in a process that causes the organism to drastically
alter its morphology. This altered morphology includes hyphal swelling
and highly limited polar growth resulting in clumps of swollen
cells that eventually aggregate into pellets of approximately 100
microns in diameter. In pelleted form, A.
niger has increased citric acid production rates when compared to
those in filamentous form. Production of citric acid by A. niger serves
as a model in which a filamentous fungus can take on a particular
morphology and increase product output. Chitin, a polysaccharide
in fungal cell walls, plays a central role in the morphology of
fungi. A gene coding for chitin synthase with a myosin-motor domain
(csmA) was deleted from the genome of A.
niger using
a PCR-based gene deletion construct. The mutant was tested on minimal
media with and without osmotic stabilization. In the absence of
osmotic stabilization, the germlings of the deletion strain (csmA)
were abnormally swollen and highly vacuolated. This suggests that
chitin synthase is important for germination of spores, which in
turn impacts morphology and may affect citric acid production rates.
Genetic manipulation, such as gene deletion, can be used in the
future in other strains of filamentous fungi to obtain desired
morphologies and optimized product output.
Detection of botulinum toxin using a sandwich assay with quantum dots as the
fluorophore. ABBY TYLER (Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84321)
MARVIN WARNER (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Development of
assays and technology for biological toxins is a priority in the
world today. Botulinum toxin is a potential bioterrorism agent
for which new detection technologies are being developed. Effective
detection systems need to have high sensitivity, and be rapid,
automated, and accurate. Automated fluidics systems using sandwich
immunoassays for detection have been developed at PNNL to fulfill
these requirements. In order to increase sensitivity of biotoxin
detection, quantum dots are used as the fluorophore. Quantum dots,
or semiconductor nanocrystals, are becoming widely used in bioimaging
but their use in biodetection is relatively new. Some advantages
of quantum dots are good photostability, and a broad excitation
spectrum and narrow emission spectrum that is highly red-shifted
compared to the excitation wavelength. A fragment of the botulinum
neurotoxin was used in these studies as well as two antibodies
that are specific for different epitopes on the toxin. One antibody
was coupled to several types of beads and the other antibody was
coupled to the quantum dot. Bench top sandwich assays were performed
by mixing the antibody-labeled beads, a sample of the toxin fragment,
and antibody-labeled quantum dots. After reacting and washing this
mixture, the fluorescent response was recorded. Assays were also
done by packing a column of antibody-labeled beads in a cell in
the automated fluidics system, perfusing a sample of toxin over
it, then perfusing the fluorophore over it. Detection of 10pM toxin
in buffer was achieved using the bench top assay with Sepharose
4-B beads and 655nm quantum dots with a fifteen minute reaction
time. Polyacrylimide beads were used for detection using the automated
system. Detection limits were slightly higher and there was more
variability in the on column assay. Quantum dots have been an effective
reporting agent in the bead based sandwich immunoassay for botulinum
toxin.
Detection of botulinum toxin with an automated fluidics system using quantum
dots as the fluorophore. ABBY TYLER
(Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84321) MARVIN WARNER (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
New technologies
able to detect biotoxins are in demand as the threat of bioterrorism
grows. Effective detection systems have a high sensitivity, allow
rapid detection and be automated and accurate. Automated fluidics
systems are being developed at PNNL to fulfill all these requirements.
The fluidics system performs a sandwich immunoassay that ultilizes
high affinity antibodies to detect botulinum toxin. A column of
beads, which are conjugated to an antibody specific for a single
epitope on the botulinum neurotoxin, are packed above a rotating
rod. Next, a liquid sample containing the toxin analyte is perfused
over the column. As the sample passes over the column toxin molecules
bind to the antibodies on the beads. Then, a dye-labeled antibody
that is specific for a second epitope on the toxin is perfused
over the column to facilitate binding to the toxin immobilized
on the column. Unbound dye is flushed off the column with buffer.
Finally, the column is exposed to light to excite the dye and signal
the absence or presence of the target toxin. A photo multiplier
tube is used to measure the fluorescence of the dye particles left
in the column. Many fluorescent dyes are available, and in a series
of parallel experiments we have been investigating the use of semicondutor
quantum dots as the fluorophore in this detection system. Quantum
dots, or semiconductor nanocrystals, are a fluorphore that is becoming
widely used in bioimaging though their use in biodetection is relatively
new. Some of the advantages that quantum dots have over molecular
dyes are that they have a broad excitation spectrum and a narrow
emission spectra that is highly red-shifted compared to the excitation
wavelength. Further, the wavelength at which they emit can be controlled
by the size of the quantum dot. Detection of botulinum toxin using
quantum dots in an automated fluidics system was the goal of this
research, and is currently under development. Future work will
involve improving the overall performance of the system by investigating
characteristics such as the non-specific binding of the quantum
dots to the column as well as the stability of the antibody coupled
materials.
Determination of the Efficiency of Mixed-Acid Digestions of Sediments. ALEJANDRA HUERTA (Hartnell Community
College, Salinas, CA, 93901) GARY GILL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Mixed-acid digestion
is a method often used for the determination of elemental analysis
of sediment samples. It is crucial that efficiency details associated
with the digestion method be well understood on an element by element
basis. Battelle’s Marine Sciences Laboratory Standard Operating
Procedure for Sediment Mixed-Acid Digestions was modified to identify
conditions which produce optimal recovery of elements. The parameters
that were adjusted for testing were mass of sediment, mixed-acid
volume, mixed-acid composition and digestion time. Digestion involves
treatment of the sediment sample with mixed-acid mixtures at 135° C ± 10° in
a Teflon® digestion bomb. Typical analytical methods include Inductively
Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Inductively
Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Initial experiments
involved determining the optimal ratio of acid volume to mass of
sediment. Experiments were designed to identify the point at which
insufficient acid was used to effectively digest a given mass of
sediment. When the mass of sediment was varied between 0.2 and
1.0 gram using a 4 mL aqua regia acid mixture (3 mL hydrochloric
acid and 1 mL nitric acid), there was no effect on the recovery
of the elements Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr,
Ti, V, and Zn. The next experiments focused on a time study to
resolve the shortest digestive time for optimal elemental recovery.
Two masses of sediment were investigated, 0.25 and 0.7 g, again
utilizing aqua regia digestion (4 mL). Maximum recovery was reached
after 4 hours of digestion; additional digestion time released
no or only minimal amounts of elements from the sediments. The
final set of experiments was designed to identify optimal conditions
for the total digestion of sediment using a mixture of hydrochloric
acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and boric
acid. These experiments were designed to determine the optimal
volume of hydrofluoric acid needed to achieve a total digestion.
Utilizing two masses of sediment 0.25 and 0.5 g and varying the
volume of hydrofluoric acid and boric acid. Total digestion was
achieved with a minimum volume of 0.5 mL hydrofluoric acid and
a .25 g of sediment. Future experiments incorporating the findings
in these experiments will be executed using a heated carbon block
as the source for thermal energy.
Developing Domain Specific Ontology to Define Relational Data Flow Process
Modeling. DANIELLE EVANS (Big Bend Community College, Moses
Lake, WA, 99357) MITCH PELTON (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA, 99352)
The Framework
for Risk Analysis in a Multimedia Environmental System (FRAMES)
is a platform which allows a user to develop and simulate an ontology
for a specific domain. Modules in FRAMES use a relational data
structure to simulate real world processes. Each module maintains
a set of ontological dictionaries, called a connection scheme.
This allows FRAMES to connect modules by what they consume and
produce. FRAMES has two types of dictionaries developed for data
flow process modeling module input and boundary condition. Module
input dictionary contains module specific information that is usually
supplied by the user. The boundary condition dictionaries are the
relational (ontological) data that flows between modules in FRAMES.
To aide in the development of the ontological boundary condition
dictionaries four categories of dictionaries were developed and
used for this example ontology, they are ‘selection’, ‘feature’, ‘property’,
and ‘series’ dictionaries. Selection dictionaries define the focus
of the simulation. Feature dictionaries define the where conditions
and are made up of geographical points, polygons and lines. Property
dictionaries are the static data for models and consist of the
names of variables. Series dictionaries consist of the analog signal
output for a simulation. These categories helped in the management
of data within a relational data flow process model. Both the dictionaries
and variables for this ontology follow a domain specific naming
convention. Dictionaries contain the metadata of a domain specific
ontology. Ontologies represent the particular meanings of terms
as they apply to a specific domain. This paper will attempt to
examine an ontology developed for an environmental fate and transport
modeling domain in FRAMES and make some generalizations that may
aide in the development of other domain specific ontologies.
Development of a One-Dimensional Coal Gasifier Model Using Fortran and UNIX. ANDREW ELDER (Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, 99258) KEN JOHNSON (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Coal gasification
is a technique that is gaining attention as a clean fuel source
for highly efficient power plants that are also environmentally
friendly. In this process, coal is mixed with steam and a controlled
amount of oxygen while under high temperatures and pressures. This
environment causes the coal to break down into a synthesis gas
(i.e. syngas) of hydrogen and carbon monoxide with lesser amounts
of other gaseous compounds. The syngas can be used for fuel, while
the waste gases can be removed easily. The goal of this project
was to develop a one-dimensional computer model that would predict
the heat transfer through the outer wall of the gasifier. (A one-dimensional
model is one that deals with heat transfer solely in a linear fashion).
Using the Fortran programming language on a UNIX machine, knowledge
of conductive heat transfer and an explicit forward difference
numerical method, two such one-dimensional models were developed.
These models determined the heat loss through the gasifier wall
and the temperature at various points through the wall. These models
will serve as the foundation for future work in coal gasification
modeling.
Development of Historical Water Table Maps of the 200-West Area of the Hanford
Site (1950-1970). TEENA KINNEY (Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WA, 99301)
DUANE HORTON (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
A series of
detailed historical water table maps for the 200-West Area of
the Hanford Site was made to aid interpretation of contaminant
distribution in the upper aquifer. The contaminants are the result
of disposal of large volumes of waste to the ground during Hanford
operations which began in 1944 and continued on into the mid
1990s. Examination of the contaminant plumes that currently exist
on site shows that the groundwater beneath the 200-West Area
has deviated from its pre-Hanford west to east flow direction
during the past 50 years. By using historical water-level measurements
from wells around the 200-West Area it was possible to create
water-table contour maps, which show probable historic flow directions.
These maps are much more detailed than previously published water-table
maps which encompassed the entire Hanford Site. The new water-table
maps in this paper, focusing on just the 200-West Area, were
contoured at one meter intervals and demonstrate the effects
that specific waste disposal sites had on the water-table elevation
and groundwater flow direction. Seven maps were created for years
that would give the best representation of significant water-table
changes. Time periods of significant changes were identified
by examining historical water-level measurements that were taken
periodically throughout the area. During the 1950s groundwater
elevation and flow direction changed rapidly, so water table
maps were made at two year intervals for the period 1950 to 1960.
After the 1950s, far less rapid changes occurred in the water
table, so maps were made at five year intervals from 1960 to
1970. The project ended with 1970 because detailed water-table
maps of the 200-West Area already exist post-1970. The new series
of maps show that groundwater flow direction has changed significantly
over the past 50 years; shifting at some times and places 180
degrees from pre-Hanford flow directions. One may account for
the past anomalies in groundwater flow direction beneath the
200-West Area by using a combination of the new map series and
details about specific waste disposal sites. The new series of
maps will be valuable as a reference during the clean up process
of the Hanford Site.
Disease incidence of Ustilago bullata, Tilletia fusca, and Pyrenophora semeniperda
on Bromus tectorum in the Hanford site. LUIS GARCIA (Eastern Illinois University, Charleston,
IL, 61920) DR. JANELLE DOWNS (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA, 99352)
In the wildland
settings of the intermountain west Bromus tectorum is one of
the most common invasive species, contributing to habitat degradation
and increased wildland fire frequency. Control and eradication
of cheatgrass in rangelands is a problem for many land management
agencies and private land owners. Work described here is part
of a cooperative effort to assess the potential use of indigenous
fungal species as biocontrol organisms to this introduced annual
grass. Ustilago bullata and Tilletia fusca are smut fungi that
prevent seed set in infected cheatgrass plants and Pyrenophora
semeniperda is an ascomycete fungus that kills cheatgrass seeds
in the soil seed bank. To assess the incidence of the fungal
pathogens in cheatgrass, three areas were surveyed in central
Hanford and one site was surveyed on the Fitzner Eberhardt Arid
Lands Ecology Reserve near Richland, Washington. To determine
disease incidence for U. bullata and T. fusca we used a point
intercept method, while extent of P. semeniperda infection will
be assessed through examination of seed bank samples. We measured
disease incidence from 40 plots at each site. No incidence of
T. fusca was discovered at any of the sites surveyed. The average
incidence of all sites of U. bullata was 15% and was highly variable
ranging from 4%-20% and may be related to different environmental
factors. Incidence of P. semeniperda will be determined when
the seed bank samples are processed by the investigating scientist
Dr. Susan Meyer at USDA Forest Service Shrub Laboratory, Provo,
Utah. This research is a part of a larger study funded by the
USDA Forest Service that combines data from other research areas
in Washington, Idaho, and Utah.
Effect of neodymium oxide on thermal and mechanical properties of alkaline
earth sealing glass for solid oxide fuel cells. BRIAN
BISKIE (Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, 60115) YEONG-SHYUNG CHOU (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Earlier work
on glass seals for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) has shown that
when fuel cells are operated over long periods, glass seals tend
to react with the ferritic stainless steel interconnects at the
metal/glass interfaces, and form undesirable phases. An approach
for this problem was to make sealing glasses more refractory such
that the glass would be sealed at higher temperatures (i.e., 950°C)
and thus be less reactive at operational temperatures of (750-800°C).
In this study, a novel glass series containing Sr-CaO-Nd2O3-B2O3-SiO2 was
developed to determine the effect of Nd2O3 on the thermal and mechanical properties of the glass. Properties
such as coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), glass transition
temperature, softening temperature, and elastic modulus were determined
as the neodymium content was varied throughout the glass series.
The results showed CTE increased with increasing Nd2O3 content up to 5 mole percent which had a CTE of 11.97 ppm/°C
for as-cast glass, while the glass transition and softening points
showed different behaviors. A similar alkaline earth silicate glass
was used for interfacial strength testing. In addition to as-sealed
coupons, samples were also aged in either air or a reducing environment
to study the environmental effect on interfacial strength. The
results showed the tensile strength decreased ~53% when aged in
air at 850°C for 250 hours, and increased ~38% when aged 250 hours
at 850°C in moist, dilute hydrogen fuel. Possible causes for the
strength change were discussed.
Effect of trypsin stability on efficiency of protein digestion in mixed aqueous-organic
solvents. JASON
ASKEW (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281) VLADIMIR KERY (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Trypsin digestion
is most the widely used method for sample preparation to identify
proteins using mass spectrometry. Typically, proteins are denatured
by chaotropic salt such as urea or guanidine to increase yield
and quality of the digestion. Alternatively organic solvents such
as acetonitrile or methanol are be used for protein denaturation.
Using trypsin digestion in mixed aqueous -organic solvents has
advantages over urea in shorter procedure and not using extra cleaning
step. However higher concentrations of organic solvents can quickly
denature trypsin causing incomplete protein digestions. Therefore
we investigated the effect of organic solvents (methanol and acetonitrile)
on trypsin stability by measuring trypsin activity using a low
molecular weight (BAPNA, benzoylaarginil para nitroanilid) and
high molecular weight substrates (bovine serum albumin, casein).
While trypsin activity diminished almost instantly at higher organic
solvent concentrations (60-80%) by using BAPNA, the activity measured
with the protein substrate remained comparable to that of in water
at higher protein concentrations but decreased at lower protein
concentrations. It appears that the protein substrate stabilizes
trypsin and prevents its denaturation in solvents with high concentration
of organics. Therefore it is important to maintain higher concentrations
of protein in trypsin digestions to obtain good digestion and high
yield of digested peptides. Our observation thus makes important
implications for optimization of trypsin digestions for mass spectrometry
sample preparation in mixed aqueous-organic solvents.
Effectiveness of Driving Surveys to Locate Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia). SARITA INCE (Lane Community College, Eugene, OR, 97401) MICHAEL SACKSCHEWSKY (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The burrowing
owl (Athene cunicularia) is classified as a Species of Concern
in the Columbia Basin by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a
candidate species by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
and as Endangered in Canada. A standardized, reliable, and time-effective
population survey method has yet to be developed for burrowing
owls. Without a reliable survey method, long term population trends
cannot be accurately estimated. Driving surveys were evaluated
as a method to locate burrowing owls in shrub steppe habitat and
estimate relative population density. Burrowing owls are tolerant
of human activities and are often found near roadways, making them
an ideal candidate for driving surveys. Surveys were conducted
on pre-determined routes at a prescribed speed of 20 mph. Seven
routes within the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site near Richland,
Washington, were chosen based on habitat type and previous burrowing
owl sightings. The surveyed routes consist of shrub steppe habitat
with short grass and sagebrush cover ranging from dense to none.
Surveys were undertaken for two to three hours during the owls’ most
active times of day, after sunrise and before sunset. Driving surveys
require two people, a driver and an observer who carefully watched
one side of the road for burrowing owls. At the end of the route,
the driver turns around and the observer watches the other side
of the road. When a burrowing owl was observed, the location from
the road was recorded using a GPS (Global Positioning System).
Burrowing owls were sighted on all but one of the seven routes.
Burrows and owls were found very close to the road and over 100
meters off road. Proximity to human activities seemed to have little
effect on burrowing owl sightings. Driving surveys are effective
in locating burrowing owls on the Hanford Site and should be repeated
in future years as part of an on-going population monitoring effort.
Relatively few of the owl groups were seen during both surveys
of each route, indicating that more then two surveys per route
is required to assure that all of the owls along each route are
found. Driving surveys also may prove useful for gathering population
density data on other animals within the Hanford Site.
Effects of Microbial Activity on the Stability of Apatite. DIANNA
MANJARREZ (Pacific Lutheran University, Tacom, WA, 98447) DAWN M. WELLMAN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
A proposed remediation
technology is to immobilize uranium by injecting a soluble phosphate
amendment into the contaminated soil. The addition of a soluble
phosphate amendment would initially form autunite, the dominant
uranyl-phosphate mineral, to directly immobilize uranium and prevent
further migration through the subsurface. Secondary to this, apatite
will precipitate within the subsurface serving as a long-term sink
for uranium via sorption and/or precipitation of uranium phosphate
minerals. The environmental stability of apatite has been the subject
of numerous investigations. Although the results of these investigations
have provided valuable information regarding the mechanisms and
rates of apatite corrosion as a function of relevant environmental
variables, the effect of microbial activity on the durability of
apatite has been the subject of far fewer investigations. This
investigation quantifies the effect of microbial activity on the
degradation of apatite at T = 23°C, pH 6-8. Preliminary results
suggest pH does not affect the release of calcium or phosphorus
from apatite. Also, the presence or absence of microorganisms did
not have a significant effect on the reaction progress, as indexed
by calcium or phosphorus, in the presence or absence of aqueous
phosphorus. The formation of secondary phase formation is possible
and is the subject of further investigation.
Endocrine disrupter effects on fish reproduction: The evaluation of the toxicity
of PFOA, PBDE-47, and its metabolite 3-OH BDE-47 in Fathead Minnows
(Pimephales promelas). DANIEL HASKELL (University California Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, CA, 93106) IRVIN SCHULTZ (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Polybrominated
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly used as flame retardants in
many consumer products and reports of their occurrence in fish
and humans has steadily increased. Tetra- and penta-bromo congeners
such as PBDE-47 are more bioaccumulative, but may also be metabolized
into hydroxylated forms such as the PBDE-47 metabolite 3-OH BDE-47.
It is unknown whether PBDE hydroxylated metabolites are more toxic
to fish. Another compound that has become ubiquitous in the environment
is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). It is also widely used in industrial
and commercial applications such as stain resistant carpeting.
PFOA is very stable and is not known to be metabolized in animals
and wildlife. In this study, I measured the effects of these contaminants
on reproduction in fathead minnow breeding pairs orally exposed
to each test chemical. Each treatment group was dosed via controlled
feedings of brine shrimp (Artemia sp.) that previously had been
incubated with each test chemical. Fecundity was tracked daily
and used as an endpoint to evaluate reproductive toxicity. At the
end of the exposure minnows were dissected and the gonads removed.
The gonado-somatic index (GSI) and the condition index (CI) were
also recorded to determine if there were any differences between
treatment groups. Analysis of the results indicated there was no
effect on reproductive performance or CI and GSI.
Environmentally-Preferable Office Furniture System Options for the Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory. REBECCA
SCOTT (Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99163)
KIMBERLY FOWLER (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL) is in the process of planning and designing
approximately 786,000 square feet (sf) of new laboratory and office
space. Those spaces will need new office furniture as PNNL’s current
office furniture standard may not be the correct style or size
for the new spaces. PNNL is committed to purchasing office furniture
that meets the needs of the occupants and that is considered "environmentally
preferable." Environmentally preferable purchasing is selecting
materials and products based on life cycle impacts, including material
selection, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposition
impacts [1]. Furthermore, "Part of life cycle impact consideration
includes whether the material/product is made of renewable material,
is reusable or recyclable, comes from a local manufacturer, etc." [1]
Three environmentally preferable furniture systems will be selected
to meet the current PNNL furniture specifications. These systems
will be chosen according to their range of furnishing options,
depth of available furniture and environmental information, and
appropriateness for a commercial office. The selected "environmentally
preferable" systems will be compared to our current furniture
system (the baseline). They will be compared on the following:
amount of available storage space, amount of usable counter space,
cost, implementation cost, environmental impact-volatile organic
compound (VOC) and formaldehyde content especially, durability,
and color. Results will illustrate cost, environmental impact,
and occupant impact. The conclusion will contain a recommendation
and justification.
Examining the River Water and Groundwater Interface in a Hyporheic Zone Mesocosm. CAROLINE NEWCOMBE (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287)
DR. AMORET BUNN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The hyporheic
zone of a river or stream is the area of the streambed where groundwater
and surface water mix. It is an important area of study because
it is an integral part of the river ecosystem with unique physical,
chemical, and biological characteristics. This paper will discuss
the initial steps in the design and construction of a hyporheic
zone mesocosm under development at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
(PNNL). An enclosed experimental ecosystem, called a mesocosm,
is well-suited for investigation of the hyporheic zone because
it provides control and repeatability in the experiment. A unique
feature of the hyporheic zone mesocosm under development at PNNL
is that it incorporates both river water and groundwater flows
into the sediment profile, whereas previous studies have only examined
the effects of influent river water or influent groundwater. Since
this mesocosm is using a novel approach in incorporating two types
of water, it was necessary to investigate practical designs for
sampling ports in the system, as well as to identify appropriate
parameters for determining the distribution of groundwater and
river water in the system. The hyporheic zone mesocosm consists
of a sediment profile contained in a larger, insulated tank. Different
configurations of sampling ports were tested by making rectangular
or circular cuts in rigid high-density polyethylene tubing. Several
water quality parameters of river water and groundwater were also
tested in order to determine the best method to characterize the
mixing of river water and groundwater within the completed mesocosm.
The type of sampling port selected was a series of three 2 mm x
2 mm square cuts spread across a 5 cm length in the center of the
tube. Testing several different water quality parameters showed
that conductivity is the most reliable way to measure the extent
of the river water and groundwater mixing in the hyporheic zone
mesocosm, and further testing ensured that conductivity would not
increase as a result of salts leaching from the sediment into the
water. However, conductivity does not directly relate to uranium
speciation or water quality for biological growth, so water quality
parameters such as alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, pH,
and ORP will have to be monitored as well.
Experimental Test of Relaxational Attenuation for Carbon Dioxide. ANGEL SANTIAGO (University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA,
1003) MORRIS GOOD (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Attenuation is
the reduction of intensity of an ultrasonic wave. Relaxational
attenuation occurs when excited molecules do not exchange vibrational
or rotational energy infinitely fast with translational waves.
The purpose of this research is to determine relaxational attenuation
can be shown experimentally. Attenuation is frequency dependent.
The study of ultrasonic propagation in CO2 was studied at 3 atmospheres
in varying frequencies. The experiment was carried out using a
modified pressure chamber made from a commercial paint can. Data
was collected through an oscilloscope for various transducer spacing
at increments of a tenth of an inch, in order to facilitate attaining
the attenuation of varies frequencies. All data was analyzed using
Microsoft Excel and Mat lab software. Plotting the data for attenuation
due to frequency I was able to match the CO2 experimental graph
and the theoretical graph. The experiment has shown the ability
to obtain the relaxation attenuation of a gas. More experiments
are needed with other gases to show working with the relaxation
attenuation of a gas would be of practical use as an identifier
of specific gases.
Fluorescence Imaging of Living Cells. CARMEN
RODRIGUEZ (Washimgton State University Tri-cities, Tri-cities, WA, 99354) GALYA ORR (Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The investigation
of molecular and cellular processes has been strongly relying on
the ability to observe these processes in real time and space using
fluorescence imaging of the living cell. Fluorescence microscopy
of living cells requires sterile techniques for growing and manipulating
the cells, and the use of fluorescent dyes that are targeted at
specific cellular compartments and organelles. During my internship,
I have learned these techniques while participating in an ongoing
study of particle-cell interactions. The influence of submicron
particles on human health and the environment has been increasing
as new chemicals are introduce to our environment and as a result
of particles produced by combustion and industrialization processes.
The mechanism of penetration of these particles into the human
body is not entirely known. The research that I have participated
in has focused on the uptake mechanism of particles by the living
cell using fluorescence microscopy. We exposed the cells to 500
nm fluorescent particles and watched their internalization by the
cells while alternating between fluorescence and DIC imaging over
time. Using Matlab routines, we tracked the particles from one
image to another to better understand their internalization process.
Focal Mechanisms and Stress Axes of Microearthquakes in Southeastern Washington State. STEFANY
SIT (Lawrence University, Appleton, WI, 54911) ALAN ROHAY (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The Hanford Seismic
Network combined with the Eastern Washington Region Network covers
eastern Washington State with forty-one seismograph stations. Routine
analysis monitors and locates local seismic events dominated by
shallow depth microearthquakes. However, regular study does not
include investigations into the mechanisms of earthquakes. This
report uses seismograms from 2000 to 2006 to develop constraints
on fault and auxiliary planes of seismic activity occurring in
southeastern Washington State. Through the proper identification
of planes, the principal axes of stress can then be extrapolated.
Using a SUN system and Focal2 software, focal mechanisms were developed
according to the procedure provided by Oppenheimer (1996). A significant
portion of the mechanisms showed a general maximum compression
in the north-south direction with a low angle of plunge. The axis
of minimum compression showed varying orientations with no conclusive
pattern. These results are in agreement with previous studies done
in the area and show no deviance from the historical pattern.
Human Health Risk Assessment in the Hanford Area. CHRISTINE
SCHULTZ (Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99163)
TERRI MILEY (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
One of the goals
of the City of Richland is to eventually use parts of the Hanford
Site for non-industrial purposes, possibly as a golf course or
a residential area. Although there has been an ongoing decontamination
effort, the area is still too polluted to support these uses. In
order to make predictions about future risk to humans in the Hanford
Area and the City of Richland, and so the city can start making
its growth plans, a thorough assessment of the current risk in
the area is needed. Many types of data are gathered, and these
data are run through various computational models. The parameters
for the computer codes that implement the computational models
are defined by an assortment of exposure scenarios. There are seven
scenarios for how different people could be adversely affected
by contaminants in the environment: drinking water (surface water
and groundwater) only, residential farming, avid recreation, casual
recreation, child recreation and an industrial worker. Each of
the scenarios produces different results, as expected because of
their distinct parameters. The scenarios are meant to reflect how
various lifestyles can affect people’s risk levels differently.
Levels of risk for each scenario in each appropriate region were
determined. Using maximum measured environmental concentrations,
most of the scenarios were over the safe limit of risk in at least
one sub-region, showing that the area is not yet safe for these
exposures. With these results, and by comparing them with results
of a similar study from the early 1990s, predictions for when the
area will be safe can be updated. It is important this study be
done frequently because the natural attenuation of contaminants
is occurring at a slower rate than initially predicted.
Hydrothermal Synthesis and Characterization of Sodium Dawsonite. DANIEL DWYER (State University of New
York at Geneseo, Geneseo, NY, 14454) DR. DAWN M. WELLMAN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Na-dawsonite
has recently been suggested as a long-term sink for storage of
carbon dioxide. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this
technique the stability of Na-dawsonite must be quantified under
relevant geochemical conditions. To this end, significant quantities
of pure crystalline Na-dawsonite are required for testing. However,
sufficient quantities are not naturally available. Hydrothermal
synthesis of Na-dawsonite was conducted at a temperature of 215oC
for 96 hours, with a NaHCO3/Al
molar ratio of 24:1. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) results indicate this method produced highly crystalline
Na-dawsonite.
Improved Sample Preparation for Metabolites of Organophosphorus Insecticides
in Biological Matrices. MELISSA PURPURA (New Mexico
State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003) JAMES A. CAMPBELL (Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Organophosphorus
insecticides are broadly used in a variety of applications. Because
of their widespread use, the potential exists for both occupational
and environmental exposures that may cause a variety of health
problems due to the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase.
The measurement of known metabolites in biological matrices through
biomonitoring is a means for determining exposure to parent organophosphorus
pesticide compounds. However, biological matrices present a unique
challenge for analysis due to the potential interferences from
compounds they contain. For this reason, methods for the purification
and analysis of three metabolites of chlorpyrifos (diethylphoshate,
trichloropyridinol, and diethylthiophosphate) were studied using
whole rat blood. Techniques such as liquid-liquid extraction with
solvents of varying polarity, centrifugation, and filtration were
used in order to purify the samples and their extracted residues.
All samples were derivatized and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass
spectrometry. Preliminary data suggests that recoveries of diethylphosphate
were better when the sample was extracted with ethyl acetate instead
of methylene chloride. Although filtration prior to liquid-liquid
extraction did not result in cleaner samples, it did improve the
clarity of extracted residues. Centrifugation following derivatization
produced cleaner samples without loss of the target metabolites.
Future work will focus on the application of these methods for
the analysis of samples collected from in vitro and in vivo studies
of these compounds. Application of these methods to other matrices
and other organophosphorus insecticides should also be examined.
Improving Lithofacies Interpretation through Systematization and Quantification
of Borehole Geologic Data. JAMES
REIDER (Lock Haven University
of Pennsylvania, Lock Haven, PA, 17745) GEORGE LAST (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Simulations of
vadose zone flow and transport are a fundamental component of studies
aimed at determining the extent of waste contamination and movement
beneath the Hanford Site. Historically, these simulations and models
have represented the geologic framework and associated flow and
transport properties through simple homogenous and horizontally
stratified hydrogeologic units. Capturing the heterogeneity, small
scale variability, and uncertainty within numerical models is receiving
more emphasis due to increasing capabilities of computer systems
and the need to develop more detailed and complete depictions of
contaminant transport. The ability to improve resolution of numerical
models and simulations is limited by the availability of data in
a form favorable to computer processing. Geologic borehole information
is, for the most part, qualitative in nature and not readily amenable
to numerical analysis. Thus, efforts are being made to systematize
borehole geologic data, to be used in a more quantitative manner.
Detailed procedures have been developed to translate qualitative
descriptive information into discrete semi-quantitative parameters,
and to translate inconsistent quantitative and semi-quantitative
data sets into common parametric data sets. A geologic data management
system is being developed to manage these new "translational" data
sets and integrate them with existing databases to support their
synergistic analysis and improved numerical representation of the
subsurface geology. Detailed procedures and uniformed translational
processes allow for qualitative data from a variety of sources
to be represented in a semi-quantitative and computer accessible
form that is thorough, uniform, traceable, and defensible. This
process is leading to the creation of a detailed representation
of the geologic relationship between flow and transport properties
of lithofacies and the stratigraphic sequence of those lithofacies
beneath the waste disposal facilities at the Hanford Site.
Industrial Belt Inventory and Research. SCOTT
GERKEN (Montana Tech, Butte, MT, 59701) DALE SCHIELKE (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Throughout the
years at Battelle there has been a build up in machine equipment
and an inconvenient way of finding that equipment. The Millwrights
were complaining about how hard it was to find the exact belts
they needed. They would also take belts from other buildings and
forget to re-order replacements, leaving that building a few belts
short when those belts were needed. Inventory is a serious problem
for businesses. This problem has ramifications for any essential
part that can wear out. A system was needed to keep inventory up
to date on the belts. The system Battelle has for keeping track
of Battelle’s equipment is called "Maximo." After putting
every belt in the system and matching them to their machinery,
it allows anyone to get on and find out exactly where each belt
is. They will be capable of typing in the name of the machine that
needs new belts and Maximo will tell them exactly which belt it
needs, how many, and which buildings the selection of belts are
located. Other things capable of entering into Maximo that are
future possibilities include filters, shivs, and emergency release
valves. The dawn of Maximo has started a new beginning to inventory
for Battelle and its future audits.
Influence of Charge State
and Crystal Structure on Properties of Transparent Conducting
Oxide Spinel. ADRIANA
TEODORO-DIER (Lawrence University, Appleton, WI, 54912) GREG
EXARHOS (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA,
99352)
Solution and
vacuum based deposition approaches have been used to prepare thin
transition metal oxide films that are electrically conductive.
To achieve high conductivity in these materials, processing methods
that drive polaron formation in the oxide have been explored. Research
reported here is focused on optimizing the transparency and conductivity
of NiCo2O4 and
the new polaron conductor CuMn2O4 by manipulating film deposition
parameters. This has been achieved by changing the resident metal
cation charge states. Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) from a NiCo2O4
target with high substrate temperature and high oxygen partial
pressure followed by post-deposition annealing produced spinel
films with resistivities as low as 4.0 x 10-1 Ω cm. In
the CuMn2O4 system, infrared transparent films were deposited from
alcoholic or aqueous solutions using spin deposition and PLD. Films
deposited from aqueous solutions displayed resistivities of 2.69 Ω cm
while those obtained from alcohol solutions were insulating. Although
the insulating films became conductive when heated in air, the
optimum cation oxidation states to promote conductivity in the
films derived from alcohol solutions have not been realized. PLD
films of CuMn2O4 created under conditions similar to those used
to deposit NiCo2O4 films displayed resistivities around 0.5 Ω cm.
XRD, XPS, Hall measurements, Raman and transmission spectra were
used to further characterize resident properties. Ongoing work
involves optimization and refinement of deposition conditions for
the CuMn2O4 PLD films in order to achieve the appropriate mixture
of cation oxidation states associated with optimum conductivity.
Innovative Analysis and Decision Tools. MATTHEW
SIMON (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195) HEATHER DILLON (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Decision makers
in the energy sector rely heavily on modeling and scenario planning
when making important decisions. These decisions could be related
to initial power plant designs, policies regarding global warming,
or new building code regulations, among others. Unfortunately,
the future is unpredictable. Uncertainties within the models will
undoubtedly cause failures in some real-world applications. Despite
the problems associated with these methods, these techniques are
heavily relied on to make important decisions in both design and
policy. Without the techniques of modeling and scenario planning,
making decisions would be extremely difficult, because there would
be no efficient way to analyze the different outcomes from making
one decision over another. Through several literature reviews,
many current modeling software tools and techniques were examined.
Each piece of software has its own strengths and weaknesses when
looking at robustness. Depending on the application, some software
tools are more appropriate than others. Of particular interest
was a set of new software tools designed for robust analysis. These
tools, developed by Evolving Logic, are the Computer-Assisted Reasoning
system (CARs) and the Robust Adaptive Planning (RAP) software.
Although they had not been extensively applied to many energy related
applications, they are a promising set of software tools allowing
for the analysis of problems dealing with deep uncertainty, allowing
analysts to make more robust decisions. This paper looks at past
and possible future applications of these software tools and how
they can improve the decision making process.
Inventory using MAXIMO. MARCUS DE LA ROSA (Gonzaga
University, Spoakne, Wa, 99258) DALE SCHIELKE (Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Every building
at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has a mechanical room
full of machines that provide hot and cold water, compressed air,
electricity, breathing air, and other services to the building.
A key component of this equipment are the belts that drive the
different machines. The main project that was accomplished this
summer was the categorization and inventory of these belts. Using
the standard numbering system, data was collected on all the belts
as well as the equipment the belts were used on. This data was
then implemented into our database Maximo. Now, when a belt needs
to be replaced it can be easily located and used, which reduces
the downtime of equipment.
Investigating Possible Economic
Sanctions Against Iran. PETER NEWMAN (Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84604)
GARIANN GELSTON (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The Economics
of Sanctions - Iran. Peter Newman (Brigham Young University, Provo,
UT, 84606) Barbara Reichmuth (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA, 99352). Iran is currently pursuing an aggressive
nuclear program with a declared goal of achieving long-term energy
independence. While this is a worthwhile and generally accepted
national planning objective, there is evidence to indicate that
Iran’s nuclear program may be driven by the desire to produce weapons.
Talks are currently underway between the United Nations (UN) and
Iran, in accordance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, to
halt Iran’s uranium enrichment program; a precursor to nuclear
weapons production. In the event UN - Iran talks fail, the United
States Government is evaluating a sanctions package to levy against
Iran to encourage their compliance. Gasoline is one commodity being
considered for restriction. It is estimated Iran will consume 467,000
barrels per day (b/d) of gasoline in 2006, and import 182,000 b/d
(nearly 40%) of that total; thus, making Iran vulnerable to sanctions
against this commodity. In order to effectively sanction gasoline
imports current and potential suppliers must be identified. Utilizing
national and international statistical bureaus along with some
information gathered from private firms a partial portrayal of
gasoline imports into Iran can be illuminated. Measurement (unit)
differences, accounting discrepancies, incomplete or omitted information,
and the general lag in data accumulation pose a real problem in
assembling an accurate and timely depiction of gasoline trade.
While accounting discrepancies between statistical databases are
non-reconcilable, determining trade quantities in spite of unit
differences is possible. Adjusting for various units of measure
is accomplished using specific gravities (density). Upon converting
and compiling all data from various sources for years 2003 - 2005,
approximately 50% - 75% of gasoline purchased by Iran can be characterized.
Although these results will be useful in evaluating sanctions,
they may be insufficient to create the desired economic impact.
Further research is warranted to build upon these findings.
Investigation of the Optical
Properties of Light-Emitting Diodes for Use in Fluorescence-Based
Detection of Biological Threat Particles. SHAWN BALLENGER (Florence-Darlington Technical College,
Florence, SC, 29501) NORM ANHEIER (Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The optical properties
of ultra-violet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are being investigated
to determine the LEDs’ applicability in detecting biological particles
using intrinsic fluorescence. When a biological material fluoresces
it gives off a specific spectrum. This spectrum can be analyzed
to identify threat particles from the background interferents.
Pulsed laser excitation has previously been used to induce fluorescence
in biological materials; however, the continued improvement in
LED technology has made LEDs a viable alternative to lasers, which
would enable the development of economical detectors for biological
threats. Digital logic pulsing techniques were used to drive the
LEDs, and an integrating sphere was used to measure the LEDs’ average
optical power as the duty-cycle and pulse repetition frequency
(PRF) was varied. The digital logic pulsing techniques were successful
in driving the LEDs; however, alternative pulsing techniques need
to be developed to extract additional optical power from the LEDs.
Once the LED driver circuit is properly developed, experiments
investigating the LEDs’ ability to produce fluorescence in biological
particles can be done to determine if the LED is a viable alternative
to the more costly laser source.
Isolation of a Single Parameter in Ultra High Purity Electroformed Copper. CARMEN CAPETILLO (Heritage University, Toppenish, WA, 98948) ERIC HOPPE (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Ultra high purity
electroformed copper has the potential to be used as shields and
cryostats for low background germanium spectrometry due to its
distinct properties such as high electrical and thermal conductivity.
However; there remain traceable radioactive contaminants of thorium
232 and uranium 238 found in most samples of high purity electroformed
copper. There are many factors effecting the electroformation of
ultra high purity copper some of which include: current, voltage,
concentration of solution, mixing, and electrical waveform. There
is significant difficulty isolating a single parameter when such
a wide variety of variables exist. In these experiments, changing
the anode to cathode distance without affecting the overall surface
area of the electrodes was critical. The plating was performed
using a small cylindrical container, solution of sulfuric acid
and copper sulfate, and a reverse pulse plating power supply. The
copper anode material was cut into vertical columns and placed
into plastic tubing which was used for a cylindrical form. This
allowed the distance between the anode and cathode to change without
varying the surface area of either. Other parameters such as voltage
and waveform, stirring, volume and components of solution were
held constant. As expected, the closer the anode was to the cathode
a greater amount of copper was deposited over a shorter time period
due to the lesser impedance of the reduced path length. An unanticipated
outcome was that a smaller distance between the anode and cathode
produced copper that had a smoother surface than that at the greater
distance. Various purity assays must still be completed on the
copper deposits produced. Further work must also be done to determine
the optimum distance between the anode and cathode.
Isolation of Lactate Dehydrogenase from a Filamentous Fungus. JEANNENE
RAVET (Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, WA, 99362) ELLEN
PANISKO (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Lactate dehydrogenase
is the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the production of lactate
from the substrate pyruvate and causing the oxidation of nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide, reduced form (NADH) to nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide, oxidized form (NAD). In order to attain the production
of high levels of lactic acid, the ideal growth conditions and
strain of fungus must be determined. Through the use of a lactate
dehydrogenase assay, the conversion of NADH to NAD from various
fungal extracts is observed by spectrophotometry and recorded over
a five minute period. From these results, the activity of the enzyme
can be determined. Results did not consistently show lactate dehydrogenase
or significant enzyme activity when uncharacterized fungal isolates
CKF120 and CKF394 were tested against a control lacking the substrate
sodium pyruvate. Various methods were tested to produce results;
however, the possibility of contamination and the variability of
filamentous fungi could contribute to the lack of lactate dehydrogenase
activity. Currently, testing is being done on different conditions
to determine which will cause lactate dehydrogenase to be highly
expressed. Once found, the enzyme will be isolated from the cell
for further study, to potentially obtain the protein sequence,
providing information to help achieve hyper productivity.
Lipid Production by Dunaliella salina in Batch Culture: Effects of Nitrogen
Limitation and Light Intensity. CHAD WELDY (Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 98225) MICHAEL HUESEMANN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Atmospheric carbon
dioxide (CO2) concentrations are increasing and will cause unknown
deleterious environmental effects if left unchecked. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted in its latest report
a 2ºC to 4ºC increase in global temperatures even with the strictest
CO2 mitigation practices. Global warming can be attributed to in
large part to the burning of carbon-based fossil fuels, as the
concentration of atmospheric CO2 is directly related to the burning
of fossil fuels. Biofuels which do not add CO2 to the atmosphere
are presently generated primarily from terrestrial plants, i.e.,
ethanol from corn grain and biodiesel from soybean oil. The production
of biofuels from terrestrial plants is severely limited by the
availability of fertile land. Lipid production from microalgae
and its corresponding biodiesel production have been studied since
the late 1970’s but large scale production was determined to be
economically unfeasible due to the large costs of sterile growing
conditions required for many algal species. This study focuses
on the potential to use the halophilic microalgae species Dunaliella
salina as a source of lipids and subsequently for biodiesel production.
The lipid production rates were compared for D. salina cultured
in replicate photobioreactors under high light and low light as
well as nitrogen sufficient and nitrogen deficient culture conditions.
The results show (a) cellular lipid content ranging from 16 to
44% (wt), (b) a maximum culture lipid concentration of 450 mg lipid/L,
and (c) a maximum integrated lipid production rate of 46 mg lipid/L
culture*day. The high amount of lipids produced suggests that D.
salina, which can be mass-cultured in non-sterile outdoor ponds,
has a strong potential to be an economically valuable source for
renewable oil and biodiesel production.
Maintaining Infrared Thermometer Data Health and Quality. MARIEL
YOUNG (Whitman College, Walla
Walla, WA, 99362)
VIC MORRIS (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Obtaining accurate
atmospheric data is essential to creating efficient and reliable
climate models. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program
collects thousands of datasets from dozens of instruments all around
the world that are used by many scientists; therefore, maintaining
data integrity is crucial. One such instrument is a new model of
Infrared Thermometer (IRT), deployed at several stations in Oklahoma,
which currently presents a threat to data quality because collected
sky temperature data does not match the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance
Interferometer (AERI) measurements from the same location. It is
essential to identify these data quality issues as soon as possible
so that warnings can be listed on the ARM Data Health & Quality
Report on the ARM website and the instrument configuration can
be corrected so as to read valid values. Instrument mentors are
appointed to monitor the instruments and observe the data, verifying
that the recorded data from each instrument is in a similar range
as data recorded by other instruments in the same location. The
infrared thermometer data is recorded in network common data format
(netCDF) format which requires specific software to read and plot
the data; hence, a unified system that is both fiscally sensitive
and efficient is needed.
Measurement of Fair Weather Air Conductivity. NATISSA
MCCLESTER, DALLAS, JR. MONROE, & KAMIL ZAKHOUR (Florence-Darlington
Technical College, Florence, SC, 29501) JEFFREY GRIFFIN (Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
For the past
4 years, staff at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory have been investigating the generation, and
transport of radiation-induced ions near the ground. Baseline measurements
of fair weather atmospheric conductivity are required in order
to estimate ions lifetimes and predict ions detectability downwind
of a radioactive source. Using a Gerdien condenser, atmospheric
conductivity measurements were made over a two week period, July
10-21, 2006 in the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. Experimental data,
during that time period, show some uniformity, with atmospheric
conductivity values ranging from 1.4 to1.8 x 10^ -14 S/m. These
results are consistent with published values for arid rural desert
regions throughout the world. Weather conditions were similar over
the two weeks that the experiments were performed. Therefore; to
obtain more valid background atmospheric conductivities, future
experiments should look into variable weather conditions and evaluate
their effects on atmospheric conductivities at the site.
Medical Data Analysis Using Visualization and Statistical Tools. LILA GHEMRI (Texas Southern University, Houston, TX, 77004)
JONATHAN YOUNG (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Analyzing Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Room (ER) Unit Records in Order to
Potentially Reduce Medical Errors and Improve Healthcare Facility
Performance. LAKEISHA D. MELTON (Texas Southern University, Houston,
TX 77004) JONATHAN YOUNG (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA 99352). By analyzing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) incident
reports and Emergency Room (ER) Unit medical records using data
analysis, data mining, and cluster analysis, a statistical representation
and a data visualization of the analyzed data can support the discovery
of complex and unanticipated relationships extant in the data.
The primary focus of this project is to identify potential weaknesses
and systematic problems throughout the datasets of patient medical
records and potential unanticipated process behavior in order to
potentially sustain improvements in the reduction of patient medical
errors and the enhancement of healthcare facility performance.
A tool called IN-SPIRE TM, is used to explore each type of data
(incident reports and medical records) individually and thoroughly
to find the complex relationships in the records. The analysis
tools were also used to analyze clusters of records, categorize
and group those records in order to potentially produce data visualizations
and statistical representations of the analyzed data.
Methodology development for monitoring the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp. in
coastal and estuarine waters of the Pacific Northwest. ELYSE
WALKER (University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208) DANA
WOODRUFF (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA,
99352)
Pseudo-nitzschia
spp., a harmful algal specie found in Pacific Northwest waters
can produce domoic acid, a neurotoxin that affects shellfish, marine
mammals, birds, and humans if ingested in high doses. Instruments
and techniques that can rapidly detect harmful species for screening
purposes are useful as early warning tools. The goal of this study
was to develop and test a procedure for identifying Pseudo-nitzschia
spp. blooms in Sequim Bay, Washington. Weekly samples were taken
from both an incoming and outgoing tide at the mouth of Sequim
Bay and analyzed using an image analysis system, the FlowCAM©.
These data were analyzed to create a protocol for monitoring Pseudo-nitzschia
spp. and determining if bloom conditions were present. Based on
knowledge of a June 2006 Pseudo-nitzschia spp. bloom in Sequim
Bay, results indicate that a bloom may be occurring when more than
92% of particles
Methods and Protocols for Production of ScFvs from mRNA. LAURA
MOON (University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221) CHERYL BAIRD (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Since its discovery
in 1997, Yeast Surface Display (YSD) has been indispensable in
engineering antibodies to bind certain antigens at the desired
affinities. Because yeast is highly compatible with FACS (Fluorescence
Activated Cell Sorter), smaller fragments of antibodies displayed
on the surface of yeast can be quickly analyzed in large quantities.
In this way, we no longer need full-length purified IgG in our
studies. The antibody format of scFv is highly favored because
it is the smallest form that retains the antigen specificity of
the original IgG molecule from which it was derived. By combining
techniques for scFv production with Yeast Surface Display (YSD),
we have developed an efficient method for scFv production and characterization.
This manual describes in close detail the methods that we have
developed for the production of scFvs from RNA extracted from cells.
These protocols are intended to help standardize scFv production
to increase efficiency and provide a foundation to be improved
on.
NO2 and NO Adsorption on CeO2: a combined in situ FTIR and TPD investigation. JOHN FAIN (Sacramento City Community College, Sacramento, CA, 95822)
JANUS SZANYI (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The NOx adsorption/desorption
properties of a high surface area CeO2 (ceria) (an additive in
practical lean NOx traps) was investigated using in-situ Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) in conjunction with mass
spectroscopy (MS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD).
A high surface area ceria sample, treated under various conditions
(oxidation or reduction), was exposed to either NO2 or NO. NO2
adsorption experiments revealed the formation of large amounts
of nitrates on ceria. These nitrate species desorbed in two stages,
similarly to that we have observed previously on BaO, suggesting
that these two desorption states may arise from the decomposition
of surface (NO2 desorption) and bulk (NO+O2 desorption) nitrates.
The amount of nitrates formed upon exposure to NO2 was higher on
the oxidized samples than on the reduced ones, probably due to
the consumption of some of the NO2 to fill oxygen vacancies present
in the reduced samples. Furthermore, over the reduced ceria samples
the formation of both N2O and N2O3 were observed in addition to
the surface and bulk nitrates species. NO adsorption experiments
showed limited N2 production during thermal decomposition, due
to the presence of small number of defect sites (oxygen vacancies
where NO can decompose), associated with the low temperature during
reduction with H2 prior to NO adsorption. Keywords: NOx reduction;
lean NOx traps; ceria; NO and NO2 adsorption; FTIR; TPD.
Nramp1 Activity Reduces the Protein Abundance of SodCl: A [Cu, Zn] Superoxide
Dismutase of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium. SHIRABRANDY
GARZA (Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99301)
LIANG SHI (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Macrophages play
an important role in the pathogenesis of Salmonella-mediated systemic
infection in mice. Critical to the ability of macrophages to kill
the Salmonella is the activity of the divalent metal ion transporter
natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (Nramp1), a
major regulator of host resistance. However, it is still unclear
how Nramp1 activity eliminates the Salmonella in macrophages. Previously,
we have found by global proteomic analysis that Nramp1 activity
may reduce the amount of SodCI, a [Cu, Zn] superoxide dismutase
of Salmonella that protects Salmonella cells from the superoxide
anions produced by host macrophages to kill Salmonella cells. In
this report, we used Western blot analysis to confirm that Nramp1
activity indeed lowered the abundance of SodCI. Reduction of SodCI
by Nramp1 may contribute the killing of Salmonella by macrophages.
Confirmation that Nramp1 activity reduces the abundance of SodCI
helps to better understand the roles of Nramp1 in Salmonella-macrophage
interaction.
Optimization of Extracting Intact Proteins for Top-down Proteomics. ANGELA ZHANG (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195) ERIC LIVESAY (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
In recent proteomics
studies, the top-down approach for identification of proteins via
mass spectrometry has shown several advantages over the commonly
used bottom-up approach. The top-down approach requires no prior
digestion of proteins, enables the measurement of the molecular
weight of intact proteins, and preserves protein sequence and post-translational
modifications. In order to successfully utilize top-down approach,
an optimization of protocol for extracting intact proteins is necessary.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) is a proteome typically used for
examination of proteomic analysis developments. The cells need
to be broken up before extraction of proteins. Several ways of
breaking these cells and protein extractions are investigated in
this study. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells stored in glycerol were
grown in Yeast Extract Peptone Glucose (YPD) broth to OD6000.47
and OD6000.53 and harvested during log phase of growth. Different
alcohol buffers including 25% 1-propanol, 25% 2-propanol, 25% 2-butanol,
and 5% 1-butanol 20% 1-propanol were coupled with bead beating
to break the cells. Other cells were lysed with Y-PER Plus, Dialyzable
Yeast Protein Extraction Reagent, Y-PER and bead beat, and Y-PER
twice. Samples were then prepared with Laemmli Sample Buffer. All
samples prepared were examined using 1D gel electrophoresis. This
project is a portion of the research that is currently being conducted
to improve procedures and results for top-down proteomics.
Performance of Advanced High Strength Steel Spot Welds. AMEER
TILLMAN (washington state, pullman, WA, 99163)
NOVELLA BRIDGES (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
Resistance spot
welding is one of the primary joining methods for automotive structural
materials. Testing and categorizing resistance spot welds (RSW)
of advanced high strength steel joints was performed to determine
the relationship between failure mode, weld fusion zone size, and
peak load for use in the automotive manufacturing industry. Static
weld strength tests using lap shear samples were performed on joint
populations with controlled weld sizes: small, nominal, and large.
The materials of interest were Dual Ph
