Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dhananjay Deshmukh, M. Razu Ahmed, John Albino Dominic, Mohamed S. Zaghloul, Anil Gupta, Gopal Achari, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: This study focused on identifying similarities in weather parameters collected from 19 stations within three weather networks in the Lower Athabasca River Basin. The stations were categorized into seven groups based on similar topography and land cover. The analysis revealed variations in similarities among the groups for different weather parameters. The findings could be crucial for optimizing existing weather networks and developing meteorological prediction models.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Jean Birks, John Manchuk, Yi Yi, Cynthia N. McClain, Michael C. Moncur, John J. Gibson, Clayton V. Deutsch, Emily B. Taylor, Guy Bayegnak
Summary: This study compiled and analyzed groundwater quality data from the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in Canada, aiming to provide regional water quality information for groundwater monitoring and land use planning. The study identified variations in baseline water quality conditions among different hydrostratigraphic units (HSUs), and found that some parameters exceeded interim trigger values considered by government regulators. The study also detected significant temporal changes in water quality in certain areas during the 2000s.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Samar G. Moussa, Ralf M. Staebler, Yuan You, Amy Leithead, Meguel A. Yousif, Peter Brickell, James Beck, Zhimei Jiang, John Liggio, Shao-Meng Li, Sumi N. Wren, Jeffrey R. Brook, Andrea Darlington, Stewart G. Cober
Summary: This study conducted at tailings ponds in Alberta's oil sands region found that Pond 2/3 emitted a significant amount of VOCs, totaling 3322 tons in 2017. The VOC emissions from Suncor were lower than reported, but the emissions of different VOC species varied greatly, emphasizing the importance of accurate estimation methods.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
K. E. Thomas, A. C. Alexander, P. A. Chambers
Summary: The hydrology of rivers in the oil sands region of Canada is influenced by snowmelt and shifting climate. The study evaluated the importance of rain events in these rivers by collecting discharge and water quality samples. It was found that the significance of rain events in contributing to nutrient and pollutant loads varied temporally. While rain event sampling may not be beneficial for annual assessments, it is necessary when monitoring fall conditions.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philippe J. Thomas, David C. Eickmeyer, Kristin M. Eccles, Linda E. Kimpe, Emiel Felzel, Abraham Brouwer, Robert J. Letcher, Bruce D. Maclean, Laurie H. M. Chan, Jules M. Blais
Summary: Although the oil and gas industry in Northern Alberta has economic benefits, concerns exist over the impact of increased oil production on the environment and human health. This study linked chemical analysis of sediment cores with biological effect assessments, showing the feasibility of evaluating toxicity in river systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sarah Fettah, Richard M. Petrone, Matthew C. Elmes, Jonathan S. Price
Summary: Large-scale oil sands mining in northeastern Alberta, Canada has caused significant disturbance to forest and peatland ecosystems. This study examines the trends in transpiration and water use of dominant tree species in a reclaimed upland and their impact on soil moisture regime and tree water use. The results show that water availability controls tree transpiration and water use, with canopy interception playing an important role in partitioning rainfall. As the canopy continues to evolve, moisture partitioning and groundwater recharge will continue to change over time, influencing the successional pathway of constructed watersheds within the first decade.
Article
Microbiology
John. A. Trofymow, Philip-Edouard Shay, Bradley Tomm, Jean A. Berube, Tod Ramsfield
Summary: Fungi play important roles in forest soils and benefit trees through mycorrhizal symbiosis. Changes in fungal communities after severe disturbance can hinder forest regrowth. This study compares soil fungi in undisturbed, harvested, and burned jack pine stands with a certified reclaimed area, and finds that the reclaimed area has greater fungal richness and diversity, including more pathogenic and functionally unknown taxa.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Sarah Irvine, Scott J. Davidson, Jonathan S. Price, Maria Strack
Summary: The study investigated the DOC fluxes in a constructed fen in 2015 and 2016, finding that vegetation production is the main source of DOC concentration, while precipitation and runoff inputs have minimal impact on the quality of DOC present in the fen, with minimal DOC export from the fen.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lichao Yang, Wansuo Duan, Zifa Wang
Summary: This paper investigates how to refine the ground meteorological observation network to greatly improve the PM2.5 concentration forecasts. By identifying sensitive areas, a cost-effective observation network is formed, achieving forecasting skill comparable to and even higher than assimilating all ground station observations. The study reveals the uselessness of some current ground stations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region for improving PM2.5 forecasts.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mark Gordon, Dane Blanchard, Timothy Jiang, Paul A. Makar, Ralf M. Staebler, Julian Aherne, Cris Mihele, Xuanyi Zhang
Summary: The emission of SO2 from the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) significantly affects the surrounding forest area. Measurements using the flux-gradient method at two tower sites downwind of AOSR SO2 emissions show that the deposition rate of SO2 to the forest is much higher than previously estimated by models. The measured deposition velocities (2.1-5.9 cm s(-1)) are approximately double the previous aircraft-based measurements and more than 10 times higher than model estimates, indicating a shorter atmospheric lifetime for SO2 in the AOSR.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
J. J. Gibson, P. Eby, S. J. Birks, C. Twitchell, C. Gray, J. Kariyeva
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the water balance of wetlands in Alberta, Canada, including the oil sands region. By incorporating climate reanalysis, watershed data, and isotopic data, the study reveals systematic variations in evaporation losses, runoff, groundwater inflow, and wetland discharge across different subregions. The findings provide valuable insights for water resource management and ecological conservation in the region.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. M. Dennett, A. Dersch, F. Barraza, W. Shotyk, S. E. Nielsen, Chipewyan Prairie First Nation
Summary: Accessible populations of culturally significant plant species in the oil sands region of Alberta overlap with extensive oil and gas development. Dust signatures related to road and surface mine proximity were found in plant tissues. Localized dust impacts within 300 m of unpaved roads have hindered Indigenous harvesters from accessing undisturbed plant populations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Monique G. Dube, Jenna M. Dunlop, Carla Davidson, Danielle L. Beausoleil, Roderick R. O. Hazewinkel, Faye Wyatt
Summary: The article provides an overview of the development and challenges of environmental monitoring in the oil sands region over the past 10 years, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and the issues faced. It also offers recommendations for improving monitoring, assessment, and management in the region.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Spencer J. Chad, S. Lee Barbour, Jeffrey J. McDonnell, John J. Gibson
Summary: This study was conducted in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in Canada, with a focus on establishing inventories of site-wide water isotope signatures and developing a conceptual model for understanding temporal variations in the water balance. The study provides foundational evidence for monitoring and improving industrial water use efficiency and management.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Timothy Jiang, Mark Gordon, Paul A. Makar, Ralf M. Staebler, Michael Wheeler
Summary: Measurements were conducted in a forest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region to investigate particle size distributions, particle deposition velocities, and vertical mixing in the canopy. Different sources were identified based on wind direction. Smokestack plumes from oil sands processing facilities had higher number concentrations at 70 nm, while aerosols from open-pit mine faces had peaks near 150 nm and 250 nm. Deposition fluxes were calculated and showed good agreement with previous measurements. Nighttime decoupling of air within and above the forest canopy was observed, with lag times of up to 40 min. Aerosol mass fluxes underestimated the flux magnitude when compared to eddy covariance flux measurements.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani Adnan, Zakaria Shams Siam, Irfat Kabir, Zobaidul Kabir, M. Razu Ahmed, Quazi K. Hassan, Rashedur M. Rahman, Ashraf Dewan
Summary: Many studies have been conducted globally on machine learning-based flood susceptibility modeling. These models produce reasonably accurate flood predictions, but there is uncertainty in the spatial predictions. This study presents a framework for reducing spatial disagreement among different machine learning models and improving prediction accuracy.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed S. Zaghloul, Asmaa M. Halbas, Rania A. Hamza, Elsayed Elbeshbishy
Summary: Full-scale wastewater treatment plants utilizing aerobic granular sludge technology are being built in many countries worldwide. This paper reviews the studies published on the digestibility of waste aerobic granular sludge to date, highlighting the comparison between aerobic granular sludge and activated sludge in terms of composition, properties, and digestibility. The impact of biological composition and physical properties on the digestibility of sludge is reviewed, along with the effect of pre-treatment. Future research areas are also presented.
Review
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
M. Razu Ahmed, Ebrahim Ghaderpour, Anil Gupta, Ashraf Dewan, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: Understanding land surface temperature (LST) trends is essential for developing strategies to cope with climate change. This article reviews studies on spaceborne sensor-based LST trends using thermal infrared (TIR) and passive microwave (PMW) observations. Most studies use TIR, particularly MODIS observations. Challenges and research gaps in utilizing TIR and PMW observations are identified, along with recommendations for future investigations and directions to overcome limitations.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Md. Mahbub Alam, A. S. M. Mahtab, M. Razu Ahmed, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: This research examined the characteristics of cold days and spells in Bangladesh and quantified their rate of change during the winter months of 2000-2021. It found that cold days were more prevalent in the west-northwestern regions and gradually decreased towards the south and southeast. The highest number of cold spells occurred in the northwest Rajshahi division, while the lowest occurred in the northeast Sylhet division.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohamed Shawky, Quazi K. K. Hassan
Summary: This study aims to map and predict flash flood prone areas using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) that integrates GIS capabilities, remote sensing datasets, the NASA Giovanni web tool application, and principal component analysis (PCA). Nineteen flash flood triggering parameters were considered, and the PCA algorithm was used to reduce subjectivity. The results showed that the AHP model had excellent predictive accuracy of 91.6%.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hatef Dastour, Anil Gupta, Gopal Achari, Quazi K. K. Hassan
Summary: Stream and river monitoring play a crucial role in various industries such as agriculture, fishing, land surveillance, and oil and gas. This study introduces a new algorithm, Regime Shift Change Detection (RSCD), which can identify periods and regime changes without assumptions about their length. Two specializations of this algorithm, RSCD with Relative Difference (RSCD-RD) and RSCD with Growth Rate (RSCD-GR), were compared and their advantages were discussed. RSCD-RD outperformed RSCD-GR in detecting regime changes with general thresholds for cold and warm months. A regime change was detected in the monthly streamflow data of the Athabasca River at Athabasca, but not below Fort McMurray, suggesting possible factors such as water clarity and industrial water usage.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Md. Mahbub Alam, A. S. M. Mahtab, M. Razu Ahmed, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: This study used the 10th percentiles of daily minimum and maximum temperatures during 1971-2000 to estimate a threshold for cold days. By applying this threshold to the winter months of 2000-2021, the number and trends of cold days and spells were calculated. The results showed that there were more cold days in the western and northwestern districts of Bangladesh compared to the southern, southeastern, and northeastern districts. Dinajpur and Rajshahi districts had the highest number of extreme and severe cold days, while Rajshahi division had the highest number of cold spells on average. The 10P method proposed in this study could be useful for policymakers in formulating strategies to minimize the impact of cold weather in Bangladesh.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Hatef Dastour, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: Having a complete hydrological time series is crucial but challenging in data-scarce environments. This study introduces an ensemble machine-learning regression framework to accurately model and predict monthly streamflow using historical data from multiple datasets.
Article
Ecology
M. Razu Ahmed, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: This study analyzed the trends in forest fire occurrences, burned areas, and seasonality in the forested subregions of Alberta from 1959 to 2021. The results showed that all subregions, except for the Alpine subregion, experienced significantly increasing trends in fire occurrences. For burned areas, nine ecoregions showed decreasing monthly trends for small fires caused by humans, except for one subregion with an increasing trend in May. The study also revealed changes in the start and end of fire seasons, with longer fire seasons observed in five ecoregions. These findings provide valuable insights for fire management agencies and strategic planning.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hatef Dastour, Quazi K. K. Hassan
Summary: The pace of LULC change has accelerated due to population growth, industrialization, and economic development. Recent advances in deep learning, transfer learning, and remote sensing technology have simplified the LULC classification problem. Deep transfer learning is particularly useful for addressing the issue of insufficient training data.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ali Mahmoud, Mohamed Sherif Zaghloul, Rania Ahmed Hamza, Elsayed Elbeshbishy
Summary: Solid waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gases, and the carbon footprint of landfills significantly contributes to global warming. Therefore, it is crucial to explore more environmentally friendly approaches for solid waste management and safe disposal. The digestion of solid waste is a biological process that breaks down organic content, stabilizes waste, and allows the recovery of valuable resources.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Hatef Dastour, Ebrahim Ghaderpour, Quazi K. Hassan
Summary: Surface water/ice dynamic monitoring is crucial for various purposes and remote sensing satellite data have made it possible to monitor such dynamics. This study proposes a combined approach using Landsat-8 and Sentinel-1 data to create monthly change maps and investigate the separation of water/ice from land. The results show that the indices MNDWI and VH are the most effective for creating the change maps.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
