Development a senior capstone design project for any program can be a challenge. The challenge st... more Development a senior capstone design project for any program can be a challenge. The challenge starts with meeting a goal of achieving the involvement of an entire class on one project that focuses on all aspects of the particular engineering program. Additionally, a capstone course must be meaningful, practical, and enjoyable for the students, as well as the instructor. Adding to the mix, prerequisites of prospective employers, accreditation requirements and expectations of a professor to lead such a course escalate the challenge. And finally, any capstone course should represent a gateway into the real-world and bring together concepts and principles taught in earlier courses; therefore, ideally, it must have as many real-world components possible, making the challenge somewhat daunting to any professor at any school. This paper focuses on addressing a set of defined goals and how the challenges of meeting the goals were achieved in developing a civil engineering senior capstone course at Lafayette College.
A newly developed graphical assessment method addressing conductivity data evaluation normalized ... more A newly developed graphical assessment method addressing conductivity data evaluation normalized by concurrent alkalinity data is introduced in this paper. This simple method provides insight into the complexity of a conductivity measurement. It enables users such as volunteer ...
A polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE), DOW 3 N‐Cu, has been investigated for perchlorate (ClO4 ) rem... more A polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE), DOW 3 N‐Cu, has been investigated for perchlorate (ClO4 ) removal from contaminated water. Batch kinetic tests revealed that the perchlorate sorption equilibrium for DOW 3 N‐Cu can be reached within 20 hours and perchlorate removal by DOW 3 N‐Cu follows standard ion exchange stoichiometry. Fixed‐bed column runs showed that 12,388 bed volumes of perchlorate‐free water can be
ABSTRACT The effectiveness of Azospira sp. KJ bacteria in removing perchlorate from water samples... more ABSTRACT The effectiveness of Azospira sp. KJ bacteria in removing perchlorate from water samples has been investigated in both batch tests and an upward flow bioreactor. The bacteria successfully degraded perchlorate down to an undetectable level in both studies.
When dissolved heavy metals are accompanied by ligands (organic and inorganic) in a wastewater st... more When dissolved heavy metals are accompanied by ligands (organic and inorganic) in a wastewater stream, conventional removal methods, such as precipitation, become hindered. Heavy metals remain in solution due to complexation with ligands. Non-conventional methods such as selective ion-exchange also do not work because of reduced selectivity when strong ligands are present in a system. As industry forges ahead improving purification processes used in the metal plating and electronics sectors, the removal of metals in the presence of strong ligands becomes more of a problem. Heavy metals that would have normally precipitated out, using past purification methods, are remaining in solution because of complexation with heavy metals. Trace levels are approaching or surpassing, the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) maximum concentration limits (MCL). The primary objective of this project is to characterize some new and tailored polymeric sorbents for the selective sorption of anionic metal-ligand complexes. The basic concept of the process the authors are developing is to tailor a resin in such a way that it will have a high affinity for an array of predefined target ions (metal (2) ions, ligands and metal-ligand complexes) present in trace concentrations, all at the same time.
In this work, an alternative class of perchlorate selective ion exchangers (known as polymeric li... more In this work, an alternative class of perchlorate selective ion exchangers (known as polymeric ligand exchangers, PLEs) were prepared by loading six transition metals (Cu(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Fe(II), and Fe(III)) onto a commercially available chelating resin Dowex M4195 (DOW3N). The resultant PLEs (DOW3N-Me, where Me = one of the metals) were tested with respect to their perchlorate selectivity, capacity, kinetics, and regeneration efficiency through a series of batch and column experiments. Within this group of PLEs, DOW3N-Cu(II) showed the highest perchlorate capacity; all four PLEs had similar perchlorate sorption kinetics; and DOW3N-Fe(III) demonstrated better regeneration potential.
Pervious concrete material has been used as an alternative to impervious concrete and other pavem... more Pervious concrete material has been used as an alternative to impervious concrete and other pavement materials to reduce water runoff. Pervious concrete allows water to percolate through and into the subsurface soil. Unlike other pavement systems, pervious concrete used for environmental purposes needs to not only satisfy strength and freeze-thaw requirements, but also needs to provide adequate permeability and be modified for optimal environmental benefits (i.e., reducing heavy metal and hydrocarbon concentrations). Studies have shown that passing water containing these different contaminants through pervious concrete material reduces the concentration of these contaminants. Although few, some studies have focused on the reduction of heavy metal concentrations via pervious concrete material subjected to long-term submersion in water due to bacterial growth. This study focuses on the fundamental understanding of the roles different materials constituting pervious concrete play in their interaction with heavy metals as well as the mechanisms of this interaction. A pervious concrete mixture that satisfies strength requirements generally consists of aggregate, sand, cement and admixtures. Using 24-hour batch tests with copper concentrations between 5 mg/l and 20mg/l, the interaction of materials that constitute a pervious concrete mixture as well as a pervious concrete cylindrical sample were tested. In addition to monitoring the concentration of copper for 24 hours, pH and conductivity were also measured for each of the materials and for the pervious concrete samples.
Summer learning loss remains an ongoing concern for K12 students. Learning loss varies based on s... more Summer learning loss remains an ongoing concern for K12 students. Learning loss varies based on subject matter, with summer learning loss associated with math at the higher end of the scale. Greater effects of summer learning loss are generally associated with lower income families. Additionally, minorities and women remain underrepresented in the STEM Fields. Based on this information and desires to engage with community in effective and scholarly ways, founders of the Lafayette College Summer camp established a summer STEM education venue for young children in 2011. Recognizing that inclusion of the Arts added interest to our general theme and education modules, and served to enhance our education messaging, STEM Camp became STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS, and Math) Camp in 2014. An additional highlight of this camp is the fact that the leadership, ideas, design and organization of all modules is a production led by two undergraduates, one student majoring in Arts-Humanities and a second majoring Science-Engineering. A group of volunteers made up of faculty, local K12 teachers, college and high school students, and community members, support all camp activities throughout the four-day event. This “Work in Progress” manuscript lays out the structure of the camp, goals and objectives, and assessment strategies, as well as initial formal and informal findings.
The remediation of perchlorate contaminated ground water through conventional ion-exchange techno... more The remediation of perchlorate contaminated ground water through conventional ion-exchange technology requires frequent regeneration of the ion exchange resins and subsequent disposal of the regenerate solutions. The disposal of these wastes poses environmental challenges, and it is not an economically favorable option. This research focuses on the development of a two stage process for the separation and destruction of perchlorate
Development a senior capstone design project for any program can be a challenge. The challenge st... more Development a senior capstone design project for any program can be a challenge. The challenge starts with meeting a goal of achieving the involvement of an entire class on one project that focuses on all aspects of the particular engineering program. Additionally, a capstone course must be meaningful, practical, and enjoyable for the students, as well as the instructor. Adding to the mix, prerequisites of prospective employers, accreditation requirements and expectations of a professor to lead such a course escalate the challenge. And finally, any capstone course should represent a gateway into the real-world and bring together concepts and principles taught in earlier courses; therefore, ideally, it must have as many real-world components possible, making the challenge somewhat daunting to any professor at any school. This paper focuses on addressing a set of defined goals and how the challenges of meeting the goals were achieved in developing a civil engineering senior capstone course at Lafayette College.
A newly developed graphical assessment method addressing conductivity data evaluation normalized ... more A newly developed graphical assessment method addressing conductivity data evaluation normalized by concurrent alkalinity data is introduced in this paper. This simple method provides insight into the complexity of a conductivity measurement. It enables users such as volunteer ...
A polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE), DOW 3 N‐Cu, has been investigated for perchlorate (ClO4 ) rem... more A polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE), DOW 3 N‐Cu, has been investigated for perchlorate (ClO4 ) removal from contaminated water. Batch kinetic tests revealed that the perchlorate sorption equilibrium for DOW 3 N‐Cu can be reached within 20 hours and perchlorate removal by DOW 3 N‐Cu follows standard ion exchange stoichiometry. Fixed‐bed column runs showed that 12,388 bed volumes of perchlorate‐free water can be
ABSTRACT The effectiveness of Azospira sp. KJ bacteria in removing perchlorate from water samples... more ABSTRACT The effectiveness of Azospira sp. KJ bacteria in removing perchlorate from water samples has been investigated in both batch tests and an upward flow bioreactor. The bacteria successfully degraded perchlorate down to an undetectable level in both studies.
When dissolved heavy metals are accompanied by ligands (organic and inorganic) in a wastewater st... more When dissolved heavy metals are accompanied by ligands (organic and inorganic) in a wastewater stream, conventional removal methods, such as precipitation, become hindered. Heavy metals remain in solution due to complexation with ligands. Non-conventional methods such as selective ion-exchange also do not work because of reduced selectivity when strong ligands are present in a system. As industry forges ahead improving purification processes used in the metal plating and electronics sectors, the removal of metals in the presence of strong ligands becomes more of a problem. Heavy metals that would have normally precipitated out, using past purification methods, are remaining in solution because of complexation with heavy metals. Trace levels are approaching or surpassing, the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) maximum concentration limits (MCL). The primary objective of this project is to characterize some new and tailored polymeric sorbents for the selective sorption of anionic metal-ligand complexes. The basic concept of the process the authors are developing is to tailor a resin in such a way that it will have a high affinity for an array of predefined target ions (metal (2) ions, ligands and metal-ligand complexes) present in trace concentrations, all at the same time.
In this work, an alternative class of perchlorate selective ion exchangers (known as polymeric li... more In this work, an alternative class of perchlorate selective ion exchangers (known as polymeric ligand exchangers, PLEs) were prepared by loading six transition metals (Cu(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Fe(II), and Fe(III)) onto a commercially available chelating resin Dowex M4195 (DOW3N). The resultant PLEs (DOW3N-Me, where Me = one of the metals) were tested with respect to their perchlorate selectivity, capacity, kinetics, and regeneration efficiency through a series of batch and column experiments. Within this group of PLEs, DOW3N-Cu(II) showed the highest perchlorate capacity; all four PLEs had similar perchlorate sorption kinetics; and DOW3N-Fe(III) demonstrated better regeneration potential.
Pervious concrete material has been used as an alternative to impervious concrete and other pavem... more Pervious concrete material has been used as an alternative to impervious concrete and other pavement materials to reduce water runoff. Pervious concrete allows water to percolate through and into the subsurface soil. Unlike other pavement systems, pervious concrete used for environmental purposes needs to not only satisfy strength and freeze-thaw requirements, but also needs to provide adequate permeability and be modified for optimal environmental benefits (i.e., reducing heavy metal and hydrocarbon concentrations). Studies have shown that passing water containing these different contaminants through pervious concrete material reduces the concentration of these contaminants. Although few, some studies have focused on the reduction of heavy metal concentrations via pervious concrete material subjected to long-term submersion in water due to bacterial growth. This study focuses on the fundamental understanding of the roles different materials constituting pervious concrete play in their interaction with heavy metals as well as the mechanisms of this interaction. A pervious concrete mixture that satisfies strength requirements generally consists of aggregate, sand, cement and admixtures. Using 24-hour batch tests with copper concentrations between 5 mg/l and 20mg/l, the interaction of materials that constitute a pervious concrete mixture as well as a pervious concrete cylindrical sample were tested. In addition to monitoring the concentration of copper for 24 hours, pH and conductivity were also measured for each of the materials and for the pervious concrete samples.
Summer learning loss remains an ongoing concern for K12 students. Learning loss varies based on s... more Summer learning loss remains an ongoing concern for K12 students. Learning loss varies based on subject matter, with summer learning loss associated with math at the higher end of the scale. Greater effects of summer learning loss are generally associated with lower income families. Additionally, minorities and women remain underrepresented in the STEM Fields. Based on this information and desires to engage with community in effective and scholarly ways, founders of the Lafayette College Summer camp established a summer STEM education venue for young children in 2011. Recognizing that inclusion of the Arts added interest to our general theme and education modules, and served to enhance our education messaging, STEM Camp became STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS, and Math) Camp in 2014. An additional highlight of this camp is the fact that the leadership, ideas, design and organization of all modules is a production led by two undergraduates, one student majoring in Arts-Humanities and a second majoring Science-Engineering. A group of volunteers made up of faculty, local K12 teachers, college and high school students, and community members, support all camp activities throughout the four-day event. This “Work in Progress” manuscript lays out the structure of the camp, goals and objectives, and assessment strategies, as well as initial formal and informal findings.
The remediation of perchlorate contaminated ground water through conventional ion-exchange techno... more The remediation of perchlorate contaminated ground water through conventional ion-exchange technology requires frequent regeneration of the ion exchange resins and subsequent disposal of the regenerate solutions. The disposal of these wastes poses environmental challenges, and it is not an economically favorable option. This research focuses on the development of a two stage process for the separation and destruction of perchlorate
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Papers by Arthur Kney