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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

WHONDRS Surface Water Dissolved Organic Carbon and FTICR-MS across Glacial Features in Svalbard 2022

This dataset supports a broader study examining climatic forcing of terrestrial greenhouse gas emission through permafrost and glaciers in Svalbard. The dataset provides geochemistry and organic matter characterization data generated from surface water collected from 11 sites across central Svalbard. Data were also collected in 2021 and can be found at https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/view/doi:10.15485/1888571. Additional related data were collected and will be published separately in collaboration with Yde and Kleber.This dataset is comprised of one main data folder containing (1) file-level metadata; (2) data dictionary; (3) field metadata; (4) dissolved organic carbon (DOC; measured as non-purgeable organic carbon; NPOC); (5) surface water sampling protocol; (6) readme; (7) methods codes; (8) international geo-sample number (IGSN) mapping file; (9) a folder of field photos; and (10) folder of high resolution characterization of organic matter via 7 Tesla Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) generated through the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL; https://www.pnnl.gov/environmental-molecular-sciences-laboratory). The FTICR folder contains two subfolders, one containing the .xml data files and the other containing instructions for using Formularity (https://omics.pnl.gov/software/formularity) and an R script to process the data based on the user's specific needs. All files are .csv, .pdf, .R, .ref, or .xml.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

High resolution characterization of soil dissolved organic matter with FTICR-MS (Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry) from soil samples in control and warming plots in Blodgett Forest, CA (2014 and 2018)

The pathways of carbon transport and loss through and from soils—soil organic matter (SOM) depolymerization to dissolved organic carbon and mineralization to carbon dioxide (CO2)—are fundamentally driven by microbial activity, which is strongly regulated by environmental conditions. As part of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Terrestrial Ecosystem Science (TES) Belowground Biogeochemistry Science Focus Area (SFA), we have established a novel whole-soil long-term warming experiment at the University of California (UC) Blodgett Forest Research Station (Sierra Nevada) in 2014, where we study the role of biogeochemical, microbial and geochemical process interactions in SOM decomposition and stabilization.This package contains Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (21 Tesla FTICR-MS) data measured in negative and positive ionization mode from water and methanol soil extracts. Soil samples were collected in 2014/06/03 and 2018/06/04 from 3 replicated paired plots that had been subjected to experimental warming since June 2014 to simulate a predicted climate change scenario for northern California. The following files are included: (1) fticr_neg_h2oMeoh_data_raw.csv: raw data from combined water (H2O) and methanol (MeOH) extracts in negative ion mode, (2) fticr_neg_h2oMeoh_data_processed.csv: processed data from combined water (H2O) and methanol (MeOH) extracts in negative ion mode, (3) fticr_neg_metadata.csv: metadata for samples/measurements in negative ion mode, (4) fticr_pos_h2oMeoh_data_raw.csv: raw data from combined water (H2O) and methanol (MeOH) extracts in positive ion mode, (5) fticr_pos_h2oMeoh_data_processed.csv: processed data from combined water (H2O) and methanol (MeOH) extracts in positive ion mode, (6) fticr_pos_metadata.csv: metadata for samples/measurements in positive ion mode.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

1H-NMR characterization of soil dissolved organic matter from soil samples in control and warming plots in Blodgett Forest, CA (2014 and 2018)

The pathways of carbon transport and loss through and from soils—soil organic matter (SOM) depolymerization to dissolved organic carbon and mineralization to carbon dioxide (CO2)—are fundamentally driven by microbial activity, which is strongly regulated by environmental conditions. As part of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Belowground Biogeochemistry Science Focus Area (SFA), we have established a novel whole-soil long-term warming experiment at the University of California (UC) Blodgett Forest Research Station (Sierra Nevada) in 2014, where we study the role of biogeochemical, microbial and geochemical process interactions in SOM (soil organic matter) decomposition and stabilization. This package contains metabolite data obtained through 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy on water-extracted soils. Soil samples were collected in 2014/06/03 and 2018/06/04 from 3 replicated paired plots that had been subjected to experimental warming since June 2014 to simulate a predicted climate change scenario for northern California. The following files are included: (1) nmr_h2o_data_raw.csv: raw data, (2) nmr_h2o_data_processed.csv: computed compound concentrations and metadata, (3) nmr_h2o_compound_metadata.csv: compound metadata, (4) nmr_h2o_sample_metadata.csv: sample metadata

1H-NMR (nucleic magnetic resonance) spectroscopy↗
DOE OSTI2012

Prediction of Total Dissolved Gas Exchange at Hydropower Dams

Total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation in waters released at hydropower dams can cause gas bubble trauma in fisheries resulting in physical injuries and eyeball protrusion that can lead to mortality. Elevated TDG pressures in hydropower releases are generally caused by the entrainment of air in spillway releases and the subsequent exchange of atmospheric gasses into solution during passage through the stilling basin. The network of dams throughout the Columbia River Basin (CRB) are managed for irrigation, hydropower production, flood control, navigation, and fish passage that frequently result in both voluntary and involuntary spillway releases. These dam operations are constrained by state and federal water quality standards for TDG saturation which balance the benefits of spillway operations designed for Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed fisheries versus the degradation to water quality as defined by TDG saturation. In the 1970s, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), under the federal Clean Water Act (Section 303(d)), established a criterion not to exceed the TDG saturation level of 110% in order to protect freshwater and marine aquatic life. The states of Washington and Oregon have adopted special water quality standards for TDG saturation in the tailrace and forebays of hydropower facilities on the Columbia and Snake Rivers where spillway operations support fish passage objectives. The physical processes that affect TDG exchange at hydropower facilities have been studied throughout the CRB in site-specific studies and routine water quality monitoring programs. These data have been used to quantify the relationship between project operations, structural properties, and TDG exchange. These data have also been used to develop predictive models of TDG exchange to support real-time TDG management decisions. These empirically based predictive models have been developed for specific projects and account for both the fate of spillway and powerhouse flows in the tailrace channel and resultant exchange in route to the next downstream dam. Currently, there exists a need to summarize the general finding from operational and structural TDG abatement programs conducted throughout the CRB and for the development of a generalized prediction model that pools data collected at multiple projects with similar structural attributes. A generalized TDG exchange model can be tuned to specific projects and coupled with water regulation models to allow the formulation of optimal daily water regulation schedules subject to water quality constraints for TDG supersaturation. A generalized TDG exchange model can also be applied to other hydropower dams that affect TDG pressures in tailraces and can be used to develop alternative operational and structural measures to minimize TDG generation. It is proposed to develop a methodology for predicting TDG levels downstream of hydropower facilities with similar structural properties as a function of a set of variables that affect TDG exchange; such as tailwater depth, spill discharge and pattern, project head, and entrainment of powerhouse releases. TDG data from hydropower facilities located throughout the northwest region of the United States will be used to identify relationships between TDG exchange and relevant dependent variables. Data analysis and regression techniques will be used to develop predictive TDG exchange expressions for various structural categories.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Puget Sound Dissolved Oxygen Modeling Study: Development of an Intermediate Scale Water Quality Model

The Salish Sea, including Puget Sound, is a large estuarine system bounded by over seven thousand miles of complex shorelines, consists of several subbasins and many large inlets with distinct properties of their own. Pacific Ocean water enters Puget Sound through the Strait of Juan de Fuca at depth over the Admiralty Inlet sill. Ocean water mixed with freshwater discharges from runoff, rivers, and wastewater outfalls exits Puget Sound through the brackish surface outflow layer. Nutrient pollution is considered one of the largest threats to Puget Sound. There is considerable interest in understanding the effect of nutrient loads on the water quality and ecological health of Puget Sound in particular and the Salish Sea as a whole. The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) contracted with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to develop a coupled hydrodynamic and water quality model. The water quality model simulates algae growth, dissolved oxygen, (DO) and nutrient dynamics in Puget Sound to inform potential Puget Sound-wide nutrient management strategies. Specifically, the project is expected to help determine 1) if current and potential future nitrogen loadings from point and non-point sources are significantly impairing water quality at a large scale and 2) what level of nutrient reductions are necessary to reduce or control human impacts to DO levels in the sensitive areas. The project did not include any additional data collection but instead relied on currently available information. This report describes model development effort conducted during the period 2009 to 2012 under a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cooperative agreement with PNNL, Ecology, and the University of Washington awarded under the National Estuary Program

algae↗
DOE OSTI2022

Merger of the Dissolved Gas Method into RELAP5-3D

The Dissolved Gas Model (DGM) was developed for Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in their own special version of RELAP5-3D known as NUPAC by a subcontractor to. Incorporation of this important code capability in RELAP5-3D was necessary for collaboration between INL and Bettis on future code development efforts. The changes necessary to implement DGM are fundamental, changing the very solver technology at the core of RELAP5-3D, and pervasive, requiring the addition of new subprograms and data, alteration of existing data structures, and modification of more than one hundred subprograms. Moreover, NUPAC and RELAP5-3D had evolved separately and in different directions for a decade and were significantly dissimilar, so the effort was both complex and time-consuming. To ensure its correctness, a large test set comprised thousands of input cases had been constructed and had to run correctly to prove DGM was implemented correctly. A novel method for transporting and adjusting the updates for DGM into RELAP5-3D was undertaken. Tens of thousands of lines of code were either changed or added resulting in a 100% successful implementation of DGM in RELAP5-3D.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Impact of wetland decline on decreasing dissolved organic carbon concentrations along the Mississippi River continuum

Prior to discharging to the ocean, large rivers constantly receive inputs of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from tributaries or fringing floodplains and lose DOC via continuous in situ processing along distances that span thousands of kilometers. Current concepts predicting longitudinal changes in DOC mainly focus on in situ processing or exchange with fringing floodplain wetlands, while effects of heterogeneous watershed characteristics are generally ignored. We analyzed results from a 17-year time-series of DOC measurements made at seven sites and three expeditions along the entire Mississippi River main channel with DOC measurements made every 17 km. The results show a clear downstream decrease in DOC concentrations that was consistent throughout the entire study period. Downstream DOC decreases were primarily (~63–71%) a result of constant dilutions by low-DOC tributary water controlled by watershed wetland distribution, while in situ processing played a secondary role. We estimate that from 1780 to 1980 wetland loss due to land-use alterations caused a ca. 58% decrease in in DOC concentrations in the tributaries of the Mississippi River. DOC reductions caused by watershed wetland loss likely impacted the capacity for the river to effectively remove nitrogen via denitrification, which can further exacerbate coastal hypoxia. Lastly, these findings highlight the importance of watershed wetlands in regulating DOC longitudinally along the headland to ocean continuum of major rivers.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Coupled Biotic-Abiotic Processes Control Biogeochemical Cycling of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Columbia River Hyporheic Zone

A critical component of assessing the impacts of climate change on watershed ecosystems involves understanding the role that dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays in driving whole ecosystem metabolism. The hyporheic zone—a biogeochemical control point where ground water and river water mix—is characterized by high DOM turnover and microbial activity and is responsible for a large fraction of lotic respiration. Yet, the dynamic nature of this ecotone provides a challenging but important environment to parse out different DOM influences on watershed function and net carbon and nutrient fluxes. We used high-resolution Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to provide a detailed molecular characterization of DOM and its transformation pathways in the Columbia river watershed. Samples were collected from ground water (adjacent unconfined aquifer underlying the Hanford 300 Area), Columbia river water, and its hyporheic zone. The hyporheic zone was sampled at five locations to capture spatial heterogeneity within the hyporheic zone. Our results revealed that abiotic transformation pathways (e.g., carboxylation), potentially driven by abiotic factors such as sunlight, in both the ground water and river water are likely influencing DOM availability to the hyporheic zone, which could then be coupled with biotic processes for enhanced microbial activity. The ground water profile revealed high rates of N and S transformations via abiotic reactions. The river profile showed enhanced abiotic photodegradation of lignin-like molecules that subsequently entered the hyporheic zone as low molecular weight, more degraded compounds. While the compounds in river water were in part bio-unavailable, some were further shown to increase rates of microbial respiration. Together, river water and ground water enhance microbial activity within the hyporheic zone, regardless of river stage, as shown by elevated putative amino-acid transformations and the abundance of amino-sugar and protein-like compounds. This enhanced microbial activity is further dependent on the composition of ground water and river water inputs. Our results further suggest that abiotic controls on DOM should be incorporated into predictive modeling for understanding watershed dynamics, especially as climate variability and land use could affect light exposure and changes to ground water essential elements, both shown to impact the Columbia river hyporheic zone.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Applying the core-satellite species concept: Characteristics of rare and common riverine dissolved organic matter

Introduction: Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition varies over space and time, with a multitude of factors driving the presence or absence of each compound found in the complex DOM mixture. Compounds ubiquitously present across a wide range of river systems (hereafter termed core compounds) may differ in chemical composition and reactivity from compounds present in only a few settings (hereafter termed satellite compounds). Here, we investigated the spatial patterns in DOM molecular formulae presence (occupancy) in surface water and sediments across 97 river corridors at a continental scale using the “Worldwide Hydrobiogeochemical Observation Network for Dynamic River Systems—WHONDRS” research consortium. Methods: We used a novel data-driven approach to identify core and satellite compounds and compared their molecular properties identified with Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Results: In this work, we found that core compounds clustered around intermediate hydrogen/carbon and oxygen/carbon ratios across both sediment and surface water samples, whereas the satellite compounds varied widely in their elemental composition. Within surface water samples, core compounds were dominated by lignin-like formulae, whereas protein-like formulae dominated the core pool in sediment samples. In contrast, satellite molecular formulae were more evenly distributed between compound classes in both sediment and water molecules. Core compounds found in both sediment and water exhibited lower molecular mass, lower oxidation state, and a higher degree of aromaticity, and were inferred to be more persistent than global satellite compounds. Higher putative biochemical transformations were found in core than satellite compounds, suggesting that the core pool was more processed. Discussion: The observed differences in chemical properties of core and satellite compounds point to potential differences in their sources and contribution to DOM processing in river corridors. Overall, our work points to the potential of data-driven approaches separating rare and common compounds to reduce some of the complexity inherent in studying riverine DOM.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

An Analysis of Terrestrial and Aquatic Environmental Controls of Riverine Dissolved Organic Carbon in the Conterminous United States

Riverine carbon cycling is an important, but insufficiently investigated component of the global carbon cycle. Analyses of environmental controls on riverine carbon cycling are critical for improved understanding of mechanisms regulating carbon processing and storage along the terrestrial-aquatic continuum. Here, we compile and analyze riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration data from 1402 United States Geological Survey (USGS) gauge stations to examine the spatial variability and environmental controls of DOC concentrations in the United States (U.S.) surface waters. DOC concentrations exhibit high spatial variability, with an average of 6.42 ± 6.47 mg C/ L (Mean ± Standard Deviation). In general, high DOC concentrations occur in the Upper Mississippi River basin and the Southeastern U.S., while low concentrations are mainly distributed in the Western U.S. Single-factor analysis indicates that slope of drainage areas, wetlands, forests, percentage of first-order streams, and instream nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) pronouncedly influence DOC concentrations, but the explanatory power of each bivariate model is lower than 35%. Analyses based on the general multi-linear regression models suggest DOC concentrations are jointly impacted by multiple factors. Soil properties mainly show positive correlations with DOC concentrations; forest and shrub lands have positive correlations with DOC concentrations, but urban area and croplands demonstrate negative impacts; total instream phosphorus and dam density correlate positively with DOC concentrations. Notably, the relative importance of these environmental controls varies substantially across major U.S. water resource regions. In addition, DOC concentrations and environmental controls also show significant variability from small streams to large rivers, which may be caused by changing carbon sources and removal rates by river orders. In sum, our results reveal that general multi-linear regression analysis of twenty one terrestrial and aquatic environmental factors can partially explain (56%) the DOC concentration variation. In conclusion, this study highlights the complexity of the interactions among these environmental factors in determining DOC concentrations, thus calls for processes-based, non-linear methodologies to constrain uncertainties in riverine DOC cycling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Transformer Health Monitoring Using Dissolved Gas Analysis

As integral components of any power plant, transformers supply the generated electricity to the grid. However, a transformer’s cellulose-based paper insulation and the mineral oil in which it is immersed break down over time under standard operating conditions—or more rapidly due to potential faults within the system. As the transformer’s mineral oil breaks down, gases are released that can be measured and monitored. This technical brief exhibits a collection of diagnostic and prognostic techniques that utilities can adopt in lieu of labor-intensive periodic preventive maintenance routines. Furthermore, prognostic models have been incorporated using the latest version of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard (IEEE, 2019) for dissolved gas analysis (DGA), thus expanding it to include estimation of the time to maintenance. Overall, four different methodologies are explained, each of which aids in determining a transformer’s state of health. These methodologies include the Chendong model, the IEEE thermal life consumption model (IEEE, 2012), a diagnostic model for DGA, and a prognostic model for DGA that uses an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. An additional improvement for estimating missing system parameters by using monitoring data (i.e., a tool for parameter estimation utilizing Powell’s method) is presented, enabling the IEEE thermal life consumption model to benefit not only the collaborating power plant, but also the power industry at large.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2021

Performance of JAXA’s SGLI standard ocean color products for oceanic to coastal waters: chlorophyll a concentration and light absorption coefficients of colored dissolved organic matter

We present the performance of JAXA’s SGLI standard algorithms for estimating chlorophyll a (chl a) concentration and the light absorption coefcients of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) using recently compiled high-quality data obtained from oceanic to coastal waters. Prior to the evaluation of the algorithms, we frst compare two forward models (Gordon et al. in J Geophys Res 93(D9):10909-10924, 1988: G88 and Park and Ruddick in Appl Opt 44(7):1236–1249, 2005: PR05) using a wide range of inherent optical properties (IOPs) to (1) examine if the water refectance is appropriately reproduced and (2) correct measured refectance in terms of its bidirectionality. Based on a good reproducibility of water refectance using the PR05, the optimized IOPs are further used for explaining errors in estimates of chl a concentration and CDOM absorption when using the SGLI, the GSM (Maritorena et al. in Appl Opt 41:2705–2714, 2002), and the QAA (Lee et al. in Appl Opt 41:5755, 2002) inversion algorithms. Results show that the mean error for estimating chl a concentration using the SGLI algorithm is 110% for our dataset. Although this error is lower than that of the GSM and the QAA algorithms, a signifcant underestimate at chl a higher than 2.0 mg m−3 is observed, which is further shown by independent match-up analyses. Another SGLI CDOM product includes the mean error of 50% and shows deviation at high CDOM range (>1.0 per m). A similar trend is observed for the GSM but not for the QAA when a global relationship of CDOM to colored detrital matter is applied. The sources of errors are discussed for potentially improving the retrievals

Second-generation GLobal Imager (SGLI)↗
DOE OSTI2017

Approximate solutions for diffusive fracture-matrix transfer: Application to storage of dissolved CO 2 in fractured rocks

Analytical solutions with infinite exponential series are available to calculate the rate of diffusive transfer between low-permeability blocks and high-permeability zones in the subsurface. Truncation of these series is often employed by neglecting the early-time regime. Here in this paper, we present unified-form approximate solutions in which the early-time and the late-time solutions are continuous at a switchover time. The early-time solutions are based on three-term polynomial functions in terms of square root of dimensionless time, with the first coefficient dependent only on the dimensionless area-to-volume ratio. The last two coefficients are either determined analytically for isotropic blocks (e.g., spheres and slabs) or obtained by fitting the exact solutions, and they solely depend on the aspect ratios for rectangular columns and parallelepipeds. For the late-time solutions, only the leading exponential term is needed for isotropic blocks, while a few additional exponential terms are needed for highly anisotropic rectangular blocks. The optimal switchover time is between 0.157 and 0.229, with highest relative approximation error less than 0.2%. The solutions are used to demonstrate the storage of dissolved CO 2 in fractured reservoirs with low-permeability matrix blocks of single and multiple shapes and sizes. These approximate solutions are building blocks for development of analytical and numerical tools for hydraulic, solute, and thermal diffusion processes in low-permeability matrix blocks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Regional Groundwater and Storms Are Hydrologic Controls on the Quality and Export of Dissolved Organic Matter in Two Tropical Rainforest Streams, Costa Rica

A paired-watershed approach was used to compare the quality and fluxes of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during stormflow and baseflow in two lowland tropical rainforest streams located in northeastern Costa Rica. The Arboleda stream received regional groundwater (RGW) flow, whereas the Taconazo stream did not. DOM quality was assessed with absorbance and fluorescence and stable carbon isotope (δ 13 C-DOC) values. RGW DOM lacked detectable fluorescence and had specific ultraviolet absorption (SUVA 254 ) and absorbance slope ratio (S R ) values consistent with low aromaticity and low molecular weight material, respectively. We attributed these properties to microbial degradation and sorption of humic DOM to mineral surfaces during transport through bedrock. SUVA 254 values were lower and SR values were higher in the Arboleda stream during baseflow compared to the Taconazo stream, presumably due to dilution by RGW. However, no significant difference in SUVA 254 or SR occurred between the streams during stormflow. SUVA254 was negatively correlated to δ13C-DOC (r 2 = 0.61, P < 0.001), demonstrating a strong linkage between stream DOM characteristics and the relative amounts of RGW flow and local watershed runoff containing soil and throughfall C sources. Mean DOC export from the Taconazo stream during the study period was 2.62 ± 0.39 g C m -2 year -1 -2 year -1 , one of the highest exports reported and demonstrating a substantial impact of old RGW from outside the watershed boundary can have on surface water carbon cycling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Progress of Li-S Batteries-Understanding of the Sulfur Redox Mechanism: Dissolved Polysulfide Ions in the Electrolytes

Rechargeable lithium–sulfur batteries have aroused great attention in recent years. Thousands of research articles are published, and among these publications, the majority are dedicated to improving the battery's performance through chemically and physically modifying the sulfur electrode, electrolytes, separator, and lithium anode. However, the single most important aspect, understanding the sulfur redox mechanism, is sparse and overwhelmed by the huge volume of work done on improving the battery's performance. Besides the intrinsic complexity of the sulfur redox chemistry, the most challenging task is to find an effective analytical technique for the quantitative and qualitative determination of the dissolved and solid polysulfides, including elemental sulfur. In this paper, the recent important research aiming to understand the redox mechanism of the sulfur electrode is reviewed in light of the unique analytical techniques used in the research. The review re–affirms the complexity of the sulfur redox chemistry and lays the background for the future mechanistic research for Li–S batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Critical evaluation and modeling of algal harvesting using dissolved air flotation. DAF Algal Harvesting Modeling

In our study, Chlorella zofingiensis harvesting by dissolved air flotation (DAF) was critically evaluated with regard to algal concentration, culture conditions, type and dosage of coagulants, and recycle ratio. Harvesting efficiency increased with coagulant dosage and leveled off at 81%, 86%, 91%, and 87% when chitosan, Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were used at dosages of 70, 180, 250, and 500 mg g -1 , respectively. The DAF efficiency-coagulant dosage relationship changed with algal culture conditions. In evaluating the influence of the initial algal concentration and recycle ratio revealed that, under conditions typical for algal harvesting, we found that it is possible that the number of bubbles is insufficient. A DAF algal harvesting model was developed to explain this observation by introducing mass-based floc size distributions and a bubble limitation into the white water blanket model. Moreover, the model revealed the importance of coagulation to increase floc-bubble collision and attachment, and the preferential interaction of bubbles with larger flocs, which limited the availability of bubbles to the smaller sized flocs. The harvesting efficiencies predicted by the model agree reasonably with experimental data obtained at different Al 3+ dosages, algal concentrations, and recycle ratios. Based on this modeling, critical parameters for efficient algal harvesting were identified.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Seasonal drivers of dissolved oxygen across a tidal creek–marsh interface revealed by machine learning

Abstract Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key biogeochemical control in coastal systems, and its concentration and drivers vary markedly through time and space. This makes it difficult to accurately represent coastal DO and associated biogeochemical processes in models, limiting our ability to predict how these systems will respond to global change. We obtained high‐frequency (5‐min) in situ measurements of DO collected at three locations across the interface of a tidal creek and coastal marsh in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Random Forest machine learning models quantified the importance of three categories of environmental drivers (Aquatic, Climatic, and Terrestrial) of DO variability across the creek–marsh interface. We selected two 4‐month datasets representing Summer and Winter seasonal periods to test two hypotheses on the dominant drivers of DO at the coastal interface. We found that the Terrestrial driver—characterized by long periods of anaerobic conditions and episodic pulses in DO after floods—was most important during the Winter, whereas the Aquatic driver—characterized by variability over tidal, diel, and lunar cycles—was most important during the Summer. We explored how future climate change scenarios could alter the drivers of DO variability using a cumulative sums driver–response framework. Our results suggest that under climate change, Aquatic and Climatic drivers may increase in importance during the Summer, potentially linked to changing metabolic regimes and sea level, with Terrestrial driver importance potentially increasing during the Winter. Our approach highlights useful methods for understanding the spatiotemporal complexity of oxygen across coastal interfaces and quantifying the relative importance of distinct environmental drivers.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Degassing fluxes in a temperate hydropower reservoir predictable by deep‐water dissolved oxygen but highly sensitive to discharge variability

Hydropower reservoirs contribute to methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, like all aquatic ecosystems. Unique to hydropower reservoirs are degassing emissions that occur when deep-water intakes move water with high CH 4 and CO 2 concentrations through turbines, leading to the release of these gases. However, few studies from hydropower reservoirs have measured seasonal variability and drivers of degassing fluxes, especially in temperate systems. We measured monthly degassing emissions in temperate Douglas Reservoir (Tennessee, USA) from 2023 to 2024. We found that degassing fluxes were highest in the summertime, and deep-water CH 4 and CO 2 concentrations were predictable by deep-water dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations. Degassing emissions accounted for 37–62% of annually estimated CH 4 emissions, outweighing ebullitive emissions during summer months. We highlight the value of using DO data to estimate deep-water CH 4 and CO 2 concentrations and degassing fluxes at higher temporal resolution to improve annualization and extrapolation of reservoir degassing emissions at broader scales.

Pilla, Rachel M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (O↗