Hydroxyl Radicals

Hydroxyl Radicals

Hydroxyl Radicals

03/15/2026

“Why is there a molecule called “the detergent of the atmosphere”?“

Hydroxide ions (OH-), also called Hydroxyl Radicals, are molecules made up of one oxygen atom, one hydrogen atom, and a single unpaired valence electron. This valence electron makes hydroxyl radicals very reactive and potent in neutralizing stable organic chemicals like toxic pollutants. Hydroxyl radicals also readily oxidize troposphere pollutants like methane, carbon dioxide, and VOCs, earning hydroxyl radicals the nickname as “the detergent of the atmosphere”.

Fugacity

Fugacity

Fugacity

03/14/2026

“How can we quantify how much a substance wants to escape from its mixture?”

Different substances have different levels of internal stability. Some very much want to escape their mixture, while others are happy where they are. So how can we quantify this? Well, scientists developed Fugacity theory to explain this phenomenon. Fugacity is defined as the empirically measured vapor pressure rather than the ideal vapor pressure. Chemicals will move between substances like air and water until their fugacity potentials are equal.

Radicals (Chemistry)

Radicals (Chemistry)

Radicals (Chemistry)

03/13/26

“What do we call an atom with at least one unpaired valence electron?”

Chemistry is all about bonds formed between substances. Substances with atoms that have at least one unpaired valence electron are much more reactive. These atoms, called Radicals, are a fundamental part of understanding many parts of chemistry.

Lockout/Tagout

Lockout/Tagout

Lockout/Tagout

03/12/26

“How can we make sure we’re safe during hazardous energy appliance maintenance?”

Maintaining an appliance with hazardous energy can be very dangerous. So what can we do to make sure we’re safe during this time? Well, what if we identify the hazardous energy sources, deenergize the energy sources,  use a lock to physically isolate the source of energy to ensure no accidental activation occurs, add a warning tag with our name and contact information, test the system to make sure energy was isolated, conduct maintenance work, and then get everyone out before removing locks and tags to renergize the system? Well, this is the idea behind Lockout/Tagout, a widely adopted hazardous energy maintenance protocol. 

Power Fault Limiting Devices

Power Fault Limiting Devices

Power Fault Limiting Devices

03/11/26

“How can devices disconnect electrical circuits during excessive power runs?”

Electrical circuits can cause safety issues when too much power runs through them. Because of this, people can install Power Fault Limiting Devices like fuses to disconnect circuits before drastic actions occur.

Glycolysis

Glycolysis

Glycolysis

03/10/26

“How do cells break down glucose into energy?”

Glucose (C6H12O6) is the main energy source for cells. Cells will break down glucose into energy and pyruvic acid in a process known as Glycolysis. This is the backbone behind microbial treatment in wastewater engineering.

Capitalized Costs

Capitalized Costs

Capitalized Costs

03/09/26

“How can we quantify the total amount needed to start a fund to generate enough interest to pay for a project?”

People can put down money to fund a project or scholarship for perpetuity. But how can we accomplish this? Well, what if we make an investment fund so large that the money made from interest will pay for annual costs? This is the principle behind Capitalized Costs, equal to the annual operating cost divided by the interest rate.

TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

03/08/2026

“How can we determine if waste will leach toxic chemicals when it rains?”

Surface waste management has to account for a lot of variables. One of them includes determining if the waste will leach toxic chemicals when it rains. SO what if we were to grind waste down like it was in a landfill, mix the waste with a weak acidic solution similar to acid rain, tumble the mixture for 18 hours, and chemically analyze the leachate output for contaminant limits? Well, these are the steps behind the TCLP — Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, an EPA RCRA procedure to determine the potential toxicity of waste leachate. 

Image credit: http://www.btlliners.com

Hydraulic Gradient Lines vs Energy Gradient Lines

Hydraulic Gradient Lines vs Energy Gradient Lines

Hydraulic Gradient Lines vs Energy Gradient Lines

03/07/26

“What is the difference between a fluid’s hydraulic gradient line and energy gradient line?”

Engineers often have to compute the hydraulic gradient line and energy gradient line for fluid flow. But what is the difference between them, and why does it matter? Well, the hydraulic gradient line represents how high the fluid would rise if a piezometer tube were placed at a specific point, given by the summation of pressure and elevation for a given fluid. The energy gradient constitutes the total energy of a fluid at a particular point, given by the summation of pressure, elevation, and velocity. The difference between the hydraulic line and the energy gradient line is the fluid’s velocity. One of the reasons why these are different is that it shows how the stored energy of the hydraulic gradient and the energy of motion of velocity are separate quantities, and another is that we often need different tools to measure the hydraulic gradient and velocity of a system, so we can combine them to find the energy gradient line. This is the difference between the Hydraulic Gradient Lines vs Energy Gradient Lines.