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Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Research was performed at a pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant operating an adsorption/bio-oxidation (A/B) process at 20C. The study compared B-Stage performance under DO Control, Ammonia Based Aeration Control (ABAC), and Ammonia vs. NOx (AvN) control. AvN in 1) fully-intermittent and 2) intermittently-aerated MLE configurations was compared to DO Control and ABAC, each with continuous aeration, in an MLE configuration. The study also examined operation of each aeration strategy with two different feed types: A-Stage effluent (ASE) and primary clarifier effluent (PCE). Operating modes were compared on the basis of nitrogen removal performance, COD utilization efficiency for denitrification, and alkalinity consumption. AvN was found to provide comparable nitrogen removal performance to DO Control and ABAC. The highest nitrogen removal performance was seen when operating DO Control (81.4 ± 1.2%) and ABAC (81.1 ± 1.2%) with PCE. High nitrogen removal efficiency (77.5 ± 6.1%) was seen when fully-intermittent AvN operation was fed ASE containing a high particulate COD fraction. A high effluent nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR = NO2-/(NO2-+NO3-)) was seen during this period (46 ± 15%) accompanied by the out-selection of Nitrospira. Feeding effluent from AvN control to an Anammox MBBR improved removal efficiency. Increased soluble COD loading resulted in greater nitrogen removal with strategies operating in an MLE configuration while particulate COD was found to be important for processes where removal was designed to occur in downstream reactors. Efficiency of COD for denitrification was found to vary based on the amount and type of influent COD; however AvN in an MLE configuration was found to use COD more efficiently than fully-intermittent AvN. In either configuration, AvN required less alkalinity addition than DO Control or ABAC. High sCOD concentrations in PCE led to increased nutrient removal as compared to ASE but increased heterotrophic growth and mixed liquor concentrations in the B-Stage making the A-Stage an attractive option for its ability to control the C/N ratio fed to BNR processes. / Master of Science

Little is known regarding the impact excessive waterborne metals, like copper (Cu), have on tropical freshwater species. Zebrafish (Dania rerio) only recently became popular as a tool for environmental monitoring, due to their fully sequenced genome. Despite this, little was known regarding the ionoregulatory physiology of zebrafish. I first examined the impact softwater acclimation has on the ionoregulatory capacity of zebrafish, and identified a high degree of phenotypic plasticity associated with changes in both gene and protein expression, which highlighted the need for proper experimental design for studies involving pre-acclimation to softwater. I then examined the acute and chronic effects of waterborne Cu exposure under the influence of both softwater conditions and the addition of protective ions (Na+ & Ca2+) . On an acute timeframe, I found that Na+ provided a greater protective effect than Ca2+ in reducing Cu uptake, which was mimicked during chronic exposure, although the transcriptional effects were not as clear cut. I found that although Na+ and Ca2+ provided protective effects from Cu accumulation, there were still tissue specific and global changes at the transcript level, as determined by microarray analysis. Furthemore, this set of experiments identified the metal- and stress- induced transcriptional effects due to Cu exposure, which is key to identifying gene endpoints of chronic Cu exposure. A final experiment went further and looked at the effects of mixed metal contamination, examining chronic waterborne Cu exposure with interactive effects of elevated dietary Fe on gene expression and tissue metal accumulation. Not only did this experiment highlight that gene expression is not necessarily reflected in protein abundance/activity, but also demonstrated that high dietary Fe can significantly alter the transcriptional expression pattern of Cu transporters in the gill, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. This thesis has made significant steps in identifying viable gene endpoints of Cu toxicity. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

В магистерской диссертации проанализированы проблемы и методические основы концепции пространственного развития. Разработаны рекомендации к внедрению в инвестиционную политику региона. / The master's thesis analyzes the problems and methodological foundations of the spatial development. Recommendations for implementation in the investment policy of the region have been developed.

Skyfall har blivit mer och mer frekventa i Sverige till följd av den globala uppvärmningen och de klimatförändringar som sker, och kraftiga skyfall kan leda till omfattande skador som ibland är svåra att förutse. Studien undersöker potentiella samband mellan skador på byggnader som uppstod vid ett skyfallsevent i Jönköping 2013 och byggnadernas omgivande topografi, hydrologi samt hårdgjorda ytor. Tidigare studier inom området har undersökt samband mellan flera variabler och skadade områden, men genom att studera topografi/hydrologi samt hårdgjorda ytor tillsammans med försäkringsdata, undersöks dessa förutsättningars påverkan mer specifikt i detta arbete. Olika stora buffertzoner runt byggnader användes för att extrahera flödesackumulering baserade på höjddata för analys av hydrologin samt klassificerad data för analys av andel hårdgjord yta. Data från hela studieområdet samt ett mindre område koncentrerat till två villakvarter studerades och på extraherad data utfördes visualiseringar, statistiska beräkningar och T-tester för att undersöka potentiella samband. Resultaten visade att den större buffertzonen på 50 m med metoden identifierar ett större antal skadade byggnader än de mindre buffertzonerna. En klassificerad hårdgjord yta kan vara användbar för att identifiera mer sårbara områden i ett större perspektiv medan flödesackumulerad data på grund av sin stora variation verkar lämpa sig bättre för analyser av mindre områden. / Due to global warming and climate change, heavy rainfalls have become more frequent in Sweden and can lead to extensive damage that is sometimes difficult to predict. This study examines potential correlations between damage to buildings that occurred during a cloudburst event in Jönköping in 2013 and the surrounding hydrology, topography and degree of surface sealing. Previous studies in the field have examined correlations between several variables and damaged areas, but by studying hydrology and impervious surfaces individually and their correlation with insurance data, their impact is examined more specifically in this study. Different sized buffer zones around buildings were used to extract flow-accumulation data and percentage of impervious surfaces. Data from the entire study area and a smaller area concentrated on two residential blocks were studied and visualizations, statistical calculations and T-tests were performed on extracted data to investigate potential correlations. The results showed that the larger 50 m buffer zone with the method identifies a larger number of damaged buildings than the smaller buffer zones. Classified impervious surface can be useful for identifying more vulnerable areas in a larger perspective while flow-accumulation data due to its large variation seems better suited for analysis of smaller areas.

In this thesis, I examine whether unconditional cash transfers to poor femaleheaded households have an effect on children’s educational attainment. Using a historical Swedish child allowance policy that targeted unconditional cash transfers to widow mothers with an income below a poverty threshold, I lay out a credible identification strategy, to test the hypothesis with a regression kink design. The results, although statistically underpowered and thus to be taken with a pinch of salt, point towards that cash transfers at the extensive margin increased the probability of continuing school another year to eighth grade. While this tendency can not alone be interpreted causally, the method developed can be extended in future work. With the collection and matching of two uniquely rich micro datasets tracking individuals over their life trajectory, combined with this natural experiment setting, my study contributes to building the path to understanding the link between cash transfers and human capital development in childhood. Ultimately, it could add to the policy guidance literature.

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