Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pietro Bonetti, Christian Leuz, Giovanna Michelon
Summary: The study found that the impact of unconventional oil and gas development on water quality is minimal, with slight increases in barium, chloride, and strontium concentrations under specific conditions. These impacts were most pronounced 91 to 180 days after well spudding, and were influenced by the amount of produced water and the salinity of the formations.
Article
Economics
Christopher E. Clarke, Darrick T. N. Evensen
Summary: This research examines media portrayals of unconventional oil and gas development's (UOGD) economic and environmental impacts. It reveals that selective attention to media coverage of the impacts can influence issue attitudes. The study also finds that political ideology plays a role in driving such attention, and that the attention given to different types of impacts predicts public support for UOGD.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhaoxian Zheng, Yan Zhang, Bingyan Li
Summary: This paper analyzed the hydrogeochemical processes affecting boron isotopes in HFFF-contaminated groundwater and constructed a model to evaluate the sensitivity of boron isotopes as an indicator of HFFF contamination. The results showed that the dissolution of alkali feldspar and precipitation of carbonate had little effect on the boron isotopes in shallow groundwater. The preferential adsorption of boron isotopes onto clay minerals reduced the sensitivity of boron isotopes as an indicator of groundwater contamination from HFFF.
Article
Environmental Sciences
George T. Merovich, Mack W. Frantz, Petra B. Wood
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of unconventional shale gas development on aquatic ecosystems and finds that it has weak negative effects on water quality and benthic macroinvertebrates. The impacts are particularly significant in the year with the most intense shale gas development activity, with downstream areas being affected more prominently.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Economics
Michael M. Aba, Virginia Parente, Edmilson Moutinho Santos
Summary: This study analyzes the long-term impact of fracking on water resources and contamination in Brazil and proposes regulatory recommendations. The research findings suggest that the competition for water from potential fracking activities in Brazil is insignificant compared to the available water resources and other water demands.
Article
Microbiology
Maria Fernanda Campa, Jeremy R. Chen See, Lavinia Unverdorben, Olivia G. Wright, Kimberly A. Roth, Jonathan M. Niles, Daniel Ressler, Ella M. S. Macatugal, Andrew D. Putt, Stephen M. Techtmann, Timothy L. Righetti, Terry C. Hazen, Regina Lamendella
Summary: The environmental implications of unconventional oil and gas extraction are only recently starting to be systematically recorded. Our research shows the utility of microbial communities paired with geochemical markers to build strong predictive random forest models of unconventional oil and gas activity and the identification of key biomarkers.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mario A. Soriano, Nicole C. Deziel, James E. Saiers
Summary: This study evaluated the vulnerability of groundwater to contamination from unconventional oil and gas (UOG) extraction in a large region of the Appalachian Basin in northeastern USA. By simulating groundwater flow and contaminant transport processes, the researchers estimated that approximately 21,000-30,000 individuals rely on domestic water wells that are at risk of contamination from UOG activities. The findings of this study can be used to guide groundwater monitoring, inform public health studies, and address environmental justice issues.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cheng Zhong, Deyi Hou, Baicang Liu, Songbai Zhu, Tong Wei, Joel Gehman, Daniel S. Alessi, Pei-Yuan Qian
Summary: The production of shale gas in China will impact the global energy landscape and carbon neutrality. However, limited and threatened water resources may hinder its expansion. Projected data suggests that water stress will worsen in two-thirds of China's provinces in the next decade. By 2035, annual water use for shale gas extraction is estimated to increase significantly, posing potential risks for water competition in drought-prone areas. Additionally, the wastewater management market is expected to grow to $0.2 billion by 2035. This study emphasizes the need for policies addressing the energy-water nexus to facilitate China's transition to carbon neutrality.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Zhou Zhou, Xiaopeng Li, Tadesse Weldu Teklu
Summary: This study emphasizes on the significance of imbibition in unconventional formations, discussing key factors influencing the process and exploring the role of osmotic forces in fluid imbibition.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Colin J. Whyte, Avner Vengosh, Nathaniel R. Warner, Robert B. Jackson, Karlis Muehlenbachs, Franklin W. Schwartz, Thomas H. Darrah
Summary: Extensive development of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has increased energy production but also raised concerns about drinking-water quality in areas of shale-gas development. This study focuses on the potential contamination of groundwater in the Trinity Aquifer in Parker County, Texas, presenting a comprehensive geochemical dataset collected across three sampling campaigns.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Moises Ferreyra-Quiroz, Luis Fernando Lira-Barragan, Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi, Jose Maria Ponce-Ortega
Summary: This paper proposes a mathematical programming formulation to optimize the configuration of water and CO2 in shale gas hydraulic fracturing operations. The aim is to minimize the total annual cost while considering water availability and CO2 generation. The results show that increasing the percentage of CO2 in the fracturing fluid can reduce freshwater requirements but increases the overall cost, and the availability of freshwater has an impact on the optimization.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinliang Gao, Caineng Zou, Xiaowei Zhang, Wei Guo, Rongze Yu, Yunyan Ni, Dan Liu, Lixia Kang, Yuyang Liu, Andrew Kondash, Avner Vengosh
Summary: This study establishes a comprehensive database of shale gas extraction in China and analyzes the water usage and flowback and produced water production. The findings suggest that shale gas has a relatively low water footprint compared to other conventional energy resources in China. The study also proposes the evaluation of the potential impact of shale gas extraction on water resources in a specific region and the necessity of developing new hydraulic fracturing technologies and exploring alternative management and treatment strategies for produced water.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Olivia Milton-Thompson, Akbar A. Javadi, Zoran Kapelan, Aaron G. Cahill, Laurie Welch
Summary: The research aims to develop a risk framework using data and expert knowledge for quantitative and qualitative analysis of risk for hydraulically fractured wells in the UK and Canada. New fault trees were developed to determine probabilities of cement failure in vertical and horizontal directions, as well as the probability of groundwater migration during well injection stage. The framework can be extended to assess risk across all stages of well development, narrowing the gap between modeled and actual probabilities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xiong Ying, Zhou Houan, Zhou Lang, Pu Junhong
Summary: In this study, a new dithiocarbamate-type flocculant DTC-TETA was used for coagulation-flocculation treatment of flowback water from shale gas hydraulic fracturing. The results showed that DTC-TETA had better performance than polyaluminum chloride and could effectively remove suspended solids and Fe2+ ions in the flowback water.
PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cassandra J. Clark, Nicholaus P. Johnson, Mario Soriano, Joshua L. Warren, Keli M. Sorrentino, Nina S. Kadan-Lottick, James E. Saiers, Xiaomei Ma, Nicole C. Deziel
Summary: This study found a potential association between residential proximity to unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The study suggests that UOGD may be a risk factor for childhood ALL, adding to the growing evidence of the impact of UOGD on children's health.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
A. L. Parra-Guardado, C. L. Sweeney, E. K. Hayes, B. F. Trueman, Y. Huang, R. C. Jamieson, J. L. Rand, G. A. Gagnon, A. K. Stoddart
Summary: The study introduces a rapid and simplified method for extracting SARS-CoV-2 RNA from whole wastewater using a magnetic beads-based protocol. The method has been shown to effectively detect viral signal in wastewater samples containing SARS-CoV-2, with a detection rate of 100%.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Javier A. Locsin, Kalli M. Hood, Evelyne Dore, Benjamin F. Trueman, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: Lead colloids present unique challenges for maintaining drinking water quality and can be mistakenly classified as soluble lead. Advances in analytical techniques have allowed for more precise identification and characterization of lead colloids and their interactions with other compounds. This review identifies key factors promoting colloidal lead formation and mobility and evaluates the use of colloidal analysis as a diagnostic tool.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Ngoc T. Nguyen, Toan Bui, Ghyslain Gagnon, Pascal Giard, Georges Kaddoum
Summary: Dynamic and nonlinear systems are being considered for random bit generation, with chaotic systems being particularly suitable for this purpose. This article introduces a new continuous chaotic system and presents a novel digital implementation, along with a data scrambling circuit to improve randomness. The proposed random bit generator successfully passes statistical randomness tests and demonstrates a significantly higher throughput compared to state-of-the-art designs, while utilizing minimal resources on the targeted FPGA.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kaycie Lane, Megan Fuller, Travis Dyment, Graham Gagnon
Summary: This study co-developed a risk assessment web application with First Nations stakeholders to identify hazards and assess risk in communities, and found benefits including increased communication, data ownership, and centralized data management. Challenges remain, including fragmented governance realities and liability concerns associated with adopting new risk management strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Wendy Krkosek, Melissa Healey, Caitlin Sampson, Adam McKnight
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sean A. MacIsaac, Toni J. Mullin, Sebastian Munoz, C. Carolina Ontiveros, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: Immersive ultraviolet disinfection is a chemical-free technology that inactivates communicable pathogens, providing safer textiles, surfaces, and public spaces. This study investigated the effectiveness of immersive UV disinfection on cotton T-shirts inoculated with E. coli and MS2. The findings suggest that the geometry of the disinfection cabinet and porous material play significant roles in UV disinfection efficiency.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Leili Abkar, Florentin M. Wilfart, Marta Piercey, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: This study aims to develop a repeatable and reliable protocol to monitor bacterial growth and analyze the maximum growth rate in 96-well plates. By investigating various issues and assessing the repeatability, the researchers obtained reliable and accurate data. This study is of great importance for the application of microplate reader methods.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yaohuan Gao, Benjamin F. Trueman, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: The study found that the addition of orthophosphate is more effective in controlling lead release compared to sodium silicate. Silicate treatment results in degradation of the top lead scale layer, leading to increased lead release. On the other hand, orthophosphate encourages the growth of structured and thicker corrosion scales, effectively limiting lead release.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Javier A. Locsin, Benjamin F. Trueman, Evelyne Dore, Aaron Bleasdale-Pollowy, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: Orthophosphate-polyphosphate blends have significant impacts on lead release by interacting with lead corrosion scale. Orthophosphate-tripolyphosphate and orthophosphate-hexametaphosphate increase dissolved lead and the presence of colloidal lead. Increasing the concentrations of tripolyphosphate and hexametaphosphate increases dissolved lead release and inhibits the formation of lead minerals.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lindsay E. Anderson, Isobel DeMont, Dewey D. Dunnington, Paul Bjorndahl, Dave J. Redden, Michael J. Brophy, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: Reduced atmospheric acid deposition has led to recovery in surface water quality, with increasing pH, acid neutralization capacity, and alkalinity. The recovery is accompanied by changes in natural organic matter concentration and composition, as well as trace metal cycling. These trends pose challenges for drinking water treatment, requiring comprehensive monitoring programs and a better understanding of treatment vulnerabilities and adaptive technologies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Leili Abkar, Anita Taylor, Amina Stoddart, Graham Gagnon
Summary: Little is known about the changes in microbial community, filter media characteristics, and hydraulic performance during disruptive events in biofilters. This study conducted core samplings over two years and analyzed the microbiome, filter media attributes, and hydraulic performance indicators to understand the changes and their interrelations. The findings suggest that hydraulic performance declined during disruptive events, reflecting in the microbiome community structure and activity of the biofilter. Replacing filter media showed a more noticeable shift in the microbial community than a diatom bloom and subsequent chlorination.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sean A. MacIsaac, Kyle D. Rauch, Taylor Prest, Richard M. Simons, Graham A. Gagnon, Amina K. Stoddart
Summary: Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology, although widely used in water treatment, has negative environmental consequences. UV LEDs offer a climate responsive and improved solution by outperforming conventional low pressure (LP) systems at bench-scale. This study proves that UV LED reactors are expected to have lower energy consumption compared to LP systems by 2025 by providing a 24.6% and 43.4% reduction in power consumption for the 30 and 40 mJ cm(-2) scenarios, respectively.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emalie K. Hayes, Madison T. Gouthro, Jason J. LeBlanc, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: A multiplex RT-qPCR-based method was designed for simultaneous detection of influenza A, SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus, and measles virus. The method had comparable sensitivity and linearity to monoplex assays. The assay's performance was validated in the field using wastewater and passive samples, showing accurate estimation of viral loads and suggesting potential improvement with more sensitive sampling methods.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Benjamin F. Trueman, Wendell James, Trevor Shu, Evelyne Dore, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: Pipe loop studies are important for assessing corrosion control treatment and ensuring drinking water quality management. However, analyzing the data they generate can be challenging due to various attributes, such as nonlinear time trends, nondetects, extreme values, and autocorrelation. In this study, a robust Bayesian generalized additive model with continuous-time autoregressive errors is proposed as a framework for describing pipe loop data, which can handle these challenging attributes and facilitate corrosion control treatment comparisons.
ACS ES&T ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Benjamin F. Trueman, Aaron Bleasdale-Pollowy, Javier A. Locsin, Jessica L. Bennett, Wendy H. Krkosek, Graham A. Gagnon
Summary: Monitoring lead concentration in drinking water is crucial for public health. Research suggests that there is a seasonal pattern in lead release, and aluminum is identified as a correlate of lead. The precipitation of variscite increases lead solubility, while higher aluminum concentrations enhance lead release and weaken the effect of orthophosphate.