HARVEST
University of Saskatchewan's Repository for Research, Scholarship, and Artistic Work
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Reactive transport modelling of porewater geochemistry and sulfur isotope fractionation in organic carbon amended mine tailings
(Elsevier, 2021-04-01) Lindsay, Matthew B. J.; Craig, Andrew T.; Shkarupin, Alexi; Amos, Richard T.; Blowes, David; Ptacek, Carol
Field experiments previously conducted to assess organic carbon (OC) amendments for in situ biological treatment of tailings porewater at the Greens Creek Mine (Alaska, USA) showed SO4 reduction, metal-sulfide precipitation, and decreased fluxes of SO4 and dissolved metals. Here, we develop two reactive transport models using the reactive transport code MIN3P to simulate hydrogeochemical processes and δ34S-SO4 isotope fractionation over four years in test cells containing unamended (control) and amended (5 vol. % OC) tailings. These models successfully simulate observed data including pH, SO4, δ34S-SO4, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zn. The models also indicate that dissolution of carbonate and, to a lesser extent, aluminosilicate minerals neutralize acidic porewater generated from sulfide mineral oxidation and SO4 reduction reactions. Application of a constant kinetic fractionation factor of 0.9820 to simulate measured δ34S-SO4 trends confirms that SO4 removal principally results from microbially-mediated SO4 reduction in conjunction with OC oxidation and subsequent metal-sulfide precipitation. Gypsum precipitation/dissolution and thiosulfate disproportionation have negligible effects on modelled porewater δ34S-SO4 signatures. Our simulations are consistent with the previous findings that metal-sulfide precipitation controls Fe and Zn attenuation in amended tailings and that coprecipitation reactions contribute to metal removal. Overall, these simulations demonstrate that coupled reactive transport modelling incorporating stable isotope fractionation can improve the understanding of hydrogeochemical and biogeochemical controls within in situ treatment systems, further illustrating the benefits and limitations of this technique for improving water quality of mine drainage.
In-reservoir transformation of dissolved organic matter as a function of hydrological flow
(Journal of Environmental Management, 2024-01) Imtiazy, Md Noim; Hunter, Kristine; Hudson, Jeff J
Reservoirs are vital to meet the ever-increasing demands for freshwater in a warming climate. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) represents an important pool of carbon and can be a major concern in drinking water sources. However, insights into DOM dynamics in temperate, semi-arid reservoirs remain limited. Therefore, we investigated the variations in DOM properties in Lake Diefenbaker, a large reservoir on the Canadian Prairies, by analyzing eight years of DOM concentrations and composition through linear mixed effect modeling. Contrary to expectations, reservoir dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration showed no correlation with inflow from the South Saskatchewan River (p = 0.12), while dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) increased with decreasing inflow (p = 0.002). DOM optical indices (SUVA254 and E4:E6 ratio) and DOC:DON ratio revealed a pronounced influence of inflow on reservoir DOM composition (p < 0.001), i.e., allochthonous characteristics increased with increasing flow, and autochthonous characteristics increased with declining flow. Travel time corrected comparison of approximately the same water parcel along the reservoir length revealed that increasing water residence time in downstream regions led to a significant transformation in DOM composition, favoring autochthonous characteristics (mean SUVA254 reduced by 0.52 L mg-C−1 m−1, and the E4:E6 and spectral slope ratio increased by 1.6 and 0.06, respectively). Autochthonous DOC inputs likely offset the allochthonous DOC losses, which resulted in a relatively stable DOC concentration throughout the reservoir (mean 3.7 mg L−1). Additionally, the effect of a large aquaculture operation on reservoir DOM properties was investigated, but no effect was detected. The results have significant implications for managing large river-reservoirs. Autochthonous DOM poses challenges to water processing, necessitating monitoring of DOM composition for reservoir drinking water quality. Insights on climate-induced changes in DOM properties will also assist with understanding changes to habitat conditions and contaminant transport.
Pimachesowin for the Sakha (Yakut) People of Northeastern Siberia | Кри норуот Пимачисуин өйдөбүлэ Сибиир хотугулуу-илин Саха норуотугар Authors
(The Northern Review, 2022) Iakovleva, Mariia
This article provides a case study of the Sakha (Yakut), an Indigenous People in Northeastern Siberia, and their concept of Aiyy Yorege, which shares a similar meaning as pimachesowin (making a good life), a Cree word. The Sakha (Yakut) concept is reflected in the fundamental epic tale known as Olonkho, which constitutes the framework for the belief, culture, traditional knowledge, laws, and language of the Sakha (Yakut) People. The article introduces the main ideas of the tale and its narrative whereby people find the basis for their self-determination. Furthermore, this article elucidates the political events of the Soviet period and the ways it impacted the Sakha (Yakut) People with their traditional culture silenced under the policy of unification, and how this was followed by a period of resurgence in the late twentieth century after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Throughout the article, parallels are drawn between the Sakha (Yakut) and the Cree People in Northern Saskatchewan, specifically in relation to the aspiration of sustaining a good way of living. This article is a chapter in the open textbook Indigenous Self-Determination through Mitho Pimachesowin (Ability to Make a Good Living), developed for the University of Saskatchewan course Indigenous Studies 410/810 and hosted by the Northern Review.
Community Governance for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Development: Lessons from Northern and Indigenous Energy Projects
(The Northern Review, 2024) Iakovleva, Mariia
Remote Indigenous communities in northern Canada often suffer from energy insecurity and energy poverty. In developing local clean energy production, there is an obvious benefit for government and industry partnering with these communities. However, the record of these partnerships is poor, with some failing to produce the expected benefits and others failing to get off the ground at all. This article is based on a study of four case studies of renewable energy projects in Indigenous communities in northern Saskatchewan and Alberta, in which I interviewed community project leaders to understand why these communities were interested in energy projects, what they hoped to achieve, and their experience with their partners. I also interviewed government and industry partners. While the results underline the importance of Indigenous intermediaries who can move easily between the communities and the larger energy production context, they also reveal a fundamental misalignment of expectations between Indigenous communities and their partners. Recent discussions about the potential for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in remote communities have generally focused on features of the technology rather than on aspects of the social context of Indigenous communities. I argue that, for communities to fully understand the advantages and drawbacks of this technology, much more attention needs to be paid to the construction of a safe space where communities can frame the discussion within Indigenous world views and lived experience. I offer some policy suggestions for how this space can be constructed and protected.
Accelerating the deployment of SMRs in Canada: The importance of intermediaries
(Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 2024) Iakovleva, Mariia; Rayner, Jeremy
Much of the research on technological innovation, especially in the context of sustainability transitions, has focused on the early stages of innovation. Much less work has been done on successful acceleration of technological change after pre-development and take-off. Filling this gap is important for improving the chances of successful deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). Recent work on sustainability transitions has focused on the importance of "intermediaries". These are actors and platforms that sustain the momentum of transitions by linking actors, activities, and resources. Their role in the acceleration phase is less well understood and SMRs provide a compelling case study of the challenges. This paper uses document, web, and interview data to analyze the role of intermediaries in Canadian SMR deployment, focusing particularly on the intermediaries needed for successful social innovation; identifies gaps; and evaluates the role of public policy in supporting the development of these critical relationships.
Technoeconomic Analysis of Protein Extraction from Ethanol Defatted Cold Press Canola Meal via Dry Fractionation
(2024-12-10) Kallingal Mohandas, Ninu; Acharya, Bishnu; Zhang, Lifeng; Tabil, Lope
The food industry has been spurred to supplant animal proteins in food formulations with underutilized plant protein sources and their coproducts due to concerns about sustainability and nutrition security. This research undertakes technoeconomic analysis (TEA) of protein extraction from ethanol defatted cold press canola meal to identify the cost-effective operating scale for the process. Brassica oilseed (canola/rapeseed) is the second most cultivated oilseed worldwide, after soybean. Canola cold-pressed cakes and meals, which are protein-rich co-products from oil extraction, present an exceptional opportunity in the plant protein market. The future growth of the canola sector is contingent upon the extraction of the complete value from each component of the seed. However, the production of pure canola protein with a high extraction yield and reasonable cost is challenging. The chemical, nutritional, and functional quality of the final protein product is also significantly influenced by processing parameters during oil extraction. Considering these factors, the utilization of canola protein in the food industry could be enhanced by establishing a well-defined process for protein enrichment from canola meal that does not involve severe processing.
Furthermore, a comprehensive TEA would be necessary to assess the feasibility and scalability of any new technology, as well as identify parameters that have the potential to substantially influence the overall profitability of the process. The technoeconomic analysis in this research considers a base case of 33,000 tonnes per year of canola seed processing capacity. The research suggests that the protein process is economically feasible at that production scale. However, the range of costs for feedstock and prices for the primary product and co-product, within which the process remains profitable, is quite narrow. A twofold increase in plant capacity represents the range over which a higher positive net present value resulted. Nevertheless, opting for a bigger capacity would necessitate a correspondingly higher market potential to ensure the produced proteins have adequate market uptake to generate revenue.
This study also carried out an industry survey and analysis to determine the degree of acceptance of canola protein products by the food sector and ingredient producers, considering that approximately 95% of canola is genetically modified (GM). The study attempted to analyze the level of acceptance towards plant proteins, specifically focusing on whether the industry would accept canola protein if it possessed the same functional capabilities as the currently available options on the market. Additionally, the survey aimed to identify elements that would be taken into consideration when including canola protein as a functional ingredient in food products. The survey findings indicate that the industry has a satisfactory degree of acceptance of genetically modified canola if its quality and cost are comparable to the alternatives. Almost 40-50% of the industries presented a willingness to consider canola proteins regardless of their GM status. Decreased consumer acceptance is identified as one of the major barriers by most industries to consider the incorporation of GM canola proteins. The survey findings on overall ensure a positive market response towards canola proteins.
IMPROVED FLOOD QUANTILE ESTIMATION THROUGH INTEGRATED HYDROLOGIC MODELING AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
(2024-12-10) Zaghloul, Mohanad Ashraf Saad; Elshorbagy, Amin; Papalexiou, Simon; Sacchi, Emanuele; Coulibaly, Paulin; Davison, Bruce; Helgason, Warren; Clark, Martyn; Castellarin, Attilio
Floods are one of the most destructive natural disasters. The annual flood damages in Canada are estimated in billions of dollars, which drain the Canadian economy and affect lives. A safe and cost-effective design of infrastructures, such as dams, bridges, and culverts, is essential to alleviate flood losses and requires accurate estimates of the magnitude and frequency of floods. This thesis comprehensively examines the methodologies of flood quantile estimation within the context of Canadian hydrologic characteristics, with a special focus on the Canadian Prairies. The conducted research aims to (1) evaluate existing flood frequency analysis distributions and suggest better alternatives, (2) characterize the complex generation mechanisms of peak spring streamflow, and (3) introduce an innovative methodology for enhanced regional flood frequency assessments. The methods are carefully set to comprehensively investigate each objective. First, a thorough analysis of 1088 streamflow records across Canada challenges the prevailing Generalized Extreme Value distribution (GEV) in flood frequency analysis. Alternative models are proposed (i.e., Burr type III and Burr type XII) and compared to the GEV model. The results show comparable performance between the models while highlighting the advantage of using Burr distributions. The assessment also raises questions about the reliability of the GEV in predicting extreme flows. Second, different flood generation mechanisms associated with historical floods at 109 Canadian Prairie basins are characterized using seven novel descriptors that account for key hydro-climatic basin conditions, which could trigger peak spring flows. The descriptors are set to be comprehensive enough to describe the complicated hydrologic processes of the Canadian Prairies. The descriptors are estimated using daily historical precipitation and temperature records to implicitly account for winter snowpack, overall basin wetness throughout the winter, rain-on-snow, soil wetness before soil freezing, basin connectivity, snowmelt rate, and losses in winter snowpack before the occurrence of peak spring flows. Additionally, a multivariate copula-based approach is proposed to describe the dependence structure between the proposed basin descriptors and historical peak spring flows using the t-copula. The characterization results in identifying nine different flood generation mechanisms and contributes to advancing the understanding of peak spring streamflow generation. The spatial and temporal distribution of the different flood generation mechanisms across the Canadian Prairies is found heterogeneous which challenges the association of mechanisms to sub-regions or sub-seasons across the Canadian Prairies. Furthermore, the t-copula is found feasible to probabilistically assess the interaction between the basin descriptors and peak spring flows, by describing the response of a basin according to its concurrent basin conditions, based on the knowledge obtained from historical basin responses. Third, a novel site similarity measure is introduced for regional flood frequency analysis to address land depressions. The new measure is based on hydrologic simulations and relates to land depressions. A case study that involves 109 sites across the Canadian Prairies is used to evaluate the pooling (cluster analysis) of the 109 sites using 30 combinations of site similarity measures. The index flood method is applied to regionally quantify flood quantities using several probability distributions. The results prove the need to consider the state of land depressions for pooling hydrologically similar sites and estimating accurate regional quantiles in prairie regions. It demonstrates the role of the proposed site similarity measure in enhancing groups' homogeneity and underscores the susceptibility of regionally estimated quantiles to the chosen site similarity measures. In summary, this research significantly contributes to enhancing the methodology for estimating flood quantiles, understanding flood generation mechanisms, and refining regional flood frequency analysis techniques, in the context of the Canadian Prairies.
Target organ toxicity in Sprague Dawley rats following oral exposure to complex groundwater mixture: Assessment of dose-response relationships using histopathological and biochemical alterations
(Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2024-11) Boamah, Bright Boafo; Siciliano, Steven; Hogan, Natacha; Hecker, Markus; Hanson, M; Campbell, P; Peters, R; Al-Dissi, Ahmad; Weber, Lynn
Exposure to contaminant mixtures from industrial legacy sites presents unique challenges that require novel approaches such as effects-directed toxicity assessment. This study characterized the target organ toxicity of groundwater from a legacy contaminated pesticide plant in male and female Sprague Dawley rats exposed to low impact (10% v/v) groundwater, high impact (0.01% v/v, 0.1% v/v, 1% v/v, and 10% v/v) groundwater or tap water (control) for 60 days. Rats exposed to high impact (1% and 10%) and 10% low impact groundwater mixture showed statistically significant increases in liver necro-inflammation relative to control. A statistically significant reduction was observed in plasma albumin of exposed rats (except 0.01% high impact) and alpha 2 macroglobulin (all exposed) when compared to the control. All groundwater-exposed rats showed glomerulopathy, but there were sex-specific differences in acute tubular necrosis. Testes showed germinal cell vacuolation, necrosis, reduced seminiferous epithelial height, and Sertoli syndrome in exposed rats, accompanied by reduced plasma testosterone and increased testicular malondialdehyde. Taken together, this sub-chronic oral exposure to groundwater from a contaminated industrial site caused dose-dependent hepatic and testicular toxicity, while nephrotoxicity was both sex-dependent and dose-dependent. This study provides support for the essentiality of using effects-driven approaches in the risk assessment of complex mixtures.
An investigative study to utilise the Fusarium-damaged wheat as a feedstock for the black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia Illucens)
(Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 2024) Kumar, V; Ochoa Sanabria, carlos; Tanaka, Takuji
This study investigated Fusarium-damaged wheat kernels (FDK) as a potential feeding substrate for black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens; BSFL). Fusarium-damaged kernels are considered unsuitable for food and feed due to the presence of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, like deoxynivalenol (DON), pose health risks when consumed by animals at concentrations exceeding the limits established by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. However, BSFL have shown higher tolerance to mycotoxins, suggesting that FDK may be used as a feeding substrate for BSFL intended for animal consumption. To assess this, three FDK-based diets with varying concentrations of DON (4.49 ± 0.08 ppm, 6.04 ± 0.02 ppm, and 6.83 ± 0.04 ppm) and a healthy wheat-based diet (0 ppm DON; control diet) were formulated to grow the larvae. The diets were fed to larvae to assess their preference based on DON concentration. Concurrently, the accumulation of DON in BSFL biomass and its effects on growth parameters were evaluated. The larvae showed no preference for any DON concentration. The DON levels accumulated in the BSFL biomass were minimal, regardless of the DON concentration in the feed (P<0.05), with the highest recorded at 0.87 ± 0.04 ppm compared to 6.83 ± 0.06 ppm in the diet. Despite the potential harm of FDK to animals, the growth parameters of BSFL improved, with larvae on FDK-based diets reaching a live body weight of 185.0 ± 3.2 mg compared to 177.6 ± 4.2 mg for the control on Day 15. The nutritional profile remained nearly identical across all DON concentrations (∼41% crude lipid and ∼39% crude protein in dried biomass). These findings suggest that BSFL raised on FDK-based diets can be used effectively for feed purposes.
Integration of medicinal chemistry in therapeutic decision-making: A way forward?
(Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 2024) Krol, Ed; Albon, Simon P
Many attempts have been made to integrate medicinal chemistry knowledge into therapeutic decision-making in pharmacy programs across North America. Examples include the use of Structure-Based Therapeutic Evaluations, alignment of medicinal chemistry content with courses in pharmacology, pharmaceutics and pharmacotherapeutics, and team-based or problem-based learning methods. The majority of these approaches indicate that students have greater confidence or comfort with medicinal chemistry, but there remain few cases where an improvement in performance has been measured. This is especially challenging for assessing a student’s ability to implement medicinal chemistry learning in pharmacotherapeutic decision-making. Building upon our national special interest group’s recent environmental scan of medicinal chemistry instruction in Canadian Pharmacy programs, we are investigating strategies for integration of medicinal chemistry learning in therapeutic decision-making. This commentary will discuss methods and evidence to support medicinal chemistry integration, relevant assessment strategies, and potential paths forward.