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Treatment of Aqueous Arsenic Using Chemically and Electrochemically Modified Biomaterials
Get PDFThis research hypothesizes that agricultural residues can be transformed into value-added adsorbents with the ability to remove arsenic from water effectively. Modifying these residues is expected to enhance adsorption capacity, providing a promising solution to address the global issue of arsenic contamination in water.
Arsenic (As) contamination in drinking water poses a significant global water health hazard. To address this issue, adsorption has gained increasing attention as a promising technology for As removal, offering improved cost efficiency and simplified treatment operations. The utilization of agricultural biomass residues as As adsorbents has emerged as a promising approach. However, untreated biomasses exhibit limitations such as low sorption capacity, coloration issues in treated waters, increased BOD, COD, and TOC levels due to the release of soluble organic compounds, poor solubility and stability, and their unsuitability for conventional process equipment due to their fragile nature and swelling. It is evident that modification of biomasses is necessary to overcome these drawbacks, enabling their application at commercial and industrial scales.
Metal oxides, such as iron oxide, have demonstrated high efficacy as As adsorbents. However, due to their small particle size, using them in adsorption systems presents challenges. In the last two decades, the use of the terms engineered- or modified-biomass/biochar has been gaining momentum in the literature. These terms refer to chemically treated biomasses/biochars produced to improve adsorption capacities. Generally, the modification process consists of impregnating the biomass/biochar with a metal agent with a high affinity to the target contaminant (e.g., As). The resulting composite material consists of the original biomass or biochar acting as a support structure for the metal oxide, which serves as the active site for adsorption. This modification process can significantly improve the adsorption capacity, selectivity, and stability of the material, making it a more effective adsorbent for water treatment applications.
The modification process is typically conducted by mixing the untreated biomass/biochar materials in a chemical solution. However, this process can be time-consuming, is difficult to control product formation, and results in potentially unstable and unreproducible physicochemical properties of the modified materials. Clearly, it would be beneficial to have a better method for this modification process.
The electrochemical modification offers a promising and simplified approach to overcome the limitations associated with chemical-based methods for preparing modified biomass/biochar adsorbents. This technique involves a two-electrode system within an electrochemical cell, where a sacrificial anode (such as Fe) eliminates the need for external chemical modifiers. The modification process begins by passing an electric current through the electrodes in an electrolyte solution, while the biomass/biochar materials are continuously stirred within the solution between the electrodes. As the sacrificial anode dissolves, the modifying agent ions (e.g., Fe2+) are released and undergo a series of reactions, resulting in the deposition of the desired modifying agent (e.g., iron oxide) onto the surface of the biomass/biochar.
The overall objective of the conducted research over three years was the development of biomass/biochar-based adsorbents with high As adsorption capacities using chemical and electrochemical modification methods. Seven different adsorbents, including chemically iron-loaded biomass (ICS), electrochemically iron-loaded biomass and biochar (OBM and OBC), microwave-assisted and electrochemically iron and manganese-loaded biochar (MnBC and FeMnBC), and microwave-assisted and electrochemically aluminum and zinc-loaded biochar (ZnBC, and AlZnBC) were developed and used for As adsorption. The effects of parameters affecting the As adsorption capacity of the modified adsorbents were investigated, and the modification conditions were optimized. The concept of the shrinking core model was applied to develop a mathematical model to characterize the As adsorption process for OBM and OBC. A diffusional mass transfer model (DMTM) was developed to identify the external mass transfer coefficient (kf), effective pore volume diffusion coefficient (Dp), and surface diffusion coefficient (Ds) in the adsorption of As onto MnBC and FeMnBC. Finally, a model was developed to study temperature distribution inside the biomass during pyrolysis for making ZnBC.
Overall, the modified adsorbents prepared through the applied modification methods exhibited exceptional performance in removing both As(III) and As(V) from water. However, their adsorption capacities varied depending on the optimization considerations for the modification conditions, resulting in higher efficiency for either As(III) or As(V) removal. The combination of microwave pyrolysis and electrochemical treatment demonstrated significant potential as an alternative to traditional pyrolysis and chemical treatment processes, showcasing its viability for preparing biomass/biochar-based adsorbents.
Moreover, extensive investigations were conducted to assess the influence of different adsorption conditions on the As adsorption capacity of the modified adsorbents. Parameters such as pH, temperature, initial As concentration, and adsorption time were systematically studied, revealing their significant impact on the adsorption capacity. By analyzing the effects of these adsorption conditions, valuable insights were obtained regarding the underlying mechanisms governing the adsorption process. Notably, chemisorption was found to be the dominant and rate-limiting mechanism in most cases. This understanding of the adsorption mechanisms is crucial for optimizing the adsorption process and designing effective As removal strategies using the modified adsorbents.
This research provides a substantial contribution to the field by offering valuable insights into the conversion of agricultural residues into value-added and efficient adsorbents for As removal. By exploring different modification methods and optimizing the adsorption conditions, this study paves the way for the development of enhanced water treatment approaches to address the challenges posed by As contamination. Moreover, the findings have the potential to be extended to the development of adsorbents for other contaminants. By harnessing the potential of biomass-based adsorbents, this research not only expands our knowledge regarding the utilization of agricultural residues but also provides practical solutions for mitigating water pollution issues
GAINING PERSPECTIVE: WHAT DO AFFECTED PERSONS THINK ABOUT OIL SANDS PROCESS-AFFECTED WATER REMEDIATION USING CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS ENHANCED BY GENOMICS?
No full textEffective oil sands remediation requires integrated and holistic knowledge of the problems and potential solutions that can only be acquired through participation and input from affected persons. Mining of Alberta's oil sands consists of water-intensive processes such as hot water extraction, resulting in large quantities of contaminated oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) stored in tailings ponds that require remediation before release. Hence, as mining projects advance, the need for sound policy and improved methods for remediation and release intensifies. Constructed treatment wetland systems (CTWS) have been identified as a viable remediation option, and genomics can be employed to optimize microbial activity, enhancing remediation efficacy. However, researchers have paid limited attention to the priorities and values held by those affected by OSPW remediation and particularly to CTWS enhanced by genomics. To address this gap, I co-designed and performed this research with affected persons, including Indigenous Peoples, oil and gas industry employees, scientists studying CTWS and genomics, and regulators and policymakers considering OSPW remediation. My sequential mixed-method research used a literature review, media review, and focus groups to examine opinions on CTWS and genomics for OSPW remediation and to build a Q-methodology concourse and Q-set for future research to systematically study participant viewpoints.
This study found that affected persons have a wide range of opinions about CTWS and genomics in the context of OSPW remediation. They identified barriers to participating in discussions and decisions about CTWS and genomics, the main ones being confusion around proposed technologies and inadequate communications, which can inform future community engagement processes through recommendations. Some affected persons supported CTWS and genomics when methods were piloted, when they knew CTWS and genomics had been used in other applications, and when they knew research was underway or completed. Conversely, affected persons argued that information about CTWS and genomics is sparse and that there is no evidence that CTWS and genomics will not harm the environment, wildlife, or human health and culture. Novel findings were the conflict between affected persons from regulatory bodies and affected persons in industry around placement and continuity of CTWS after a mine is closed, and affected persons’ assertions that wetlands have a spirit.
Cultural Theory’s purpose is to use the typology of five ways of organization to categorize, examine, and critique deliberative quality in engagement with affected persons, noting that the most robust solutions to the most challenging problems emerge when all five solidarities are sought and blended in solution generation. In this study, Cultural Theory’s three active solidarities—individualism, hierarchy, and egalitarianism—were observed, while fatalism and autonomy emerged when some participants considered perspectives others might hold. I witnessed synergies between the solidarities, suggesting a capacity for clumsy solutions that incorporate voices from all concerned; however, solidarities are missing in decision-making around remediation policy for OSPW. More research is needed, particularly with local communities, to capture and explore the perspectives of those significantly affected by OSPW remediation. These affected persons could pursue the goals of maximizing accessibility of information and conversations as well as responsiveness to each other’s concerns to enhance deliberative quality and implement robust solutions
Aquafaba Composition, Functionality, and its Application in Vegan Mayonnaise Analogs
No full textThe abstract of this item is unavailable due to an embargo
Eulerian-Lagrangian Simulation of Turbulent Flow with Finite-Size Particles
No full textMultiphase flow plays a critical role in numerous industrial processes and engineering applications. This research primarily concerns the numerical modeling of particle tracking in turbulent flows with the aim of understanding the complex interactions between turbulent structures and particle motion. Both the point-particle and fully-resolved techniques are employed, with the focus being the fully-resolved simulation of finite-size particles. For the simulation of point particles, a Lagrangian particle tracking subroutine is developed and integrated with an in-house turbulent channel flow solver. A turbulent channel flow with 500,000 particles is simulated using the solver, and strong preferential concentrations are observed due to the particle interaction with vortical structures.
The finite-size particles are simulated within the framework of OpenFOAM using the Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) combined with Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). Two different IBM techniques are examined, specifically the discrete forcing approach and the cut-cell method. It is concluded that the cut-cell method is a superior technique for studying particulate flows due to the less severe spurious force oscillations (SFOs) on a coarse grid. Simulation of particles in a two-dimensional channel shows that these non-physical oscillations can adversely influence the prediction for the motion of light particles. The cut-cell method is further examined by simulating several benchmark flows and comparing the results with experimental data. A satisfactory agreement between the simulation results and experimental data is observed.
Fully-resolved simulations are conducted to investigate the behavior of spherical and ellipsoidal particles, and the results show different behaviors despite identical initial conditions and equivalent volumes and Stokes numbers. This difference is attributed to the shape factor of the particles. Analysis of the Q-criterion reveals the formation of hairpin and vortex ring structures as the particles interact with flow. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that particle motion is significantly influenced by its interaction with vortices near the wall. In addition, the collision and close interaction of two finite-size spherical particles are investigated, revealing significant alterations to the flow pattern and particle motion, especially when one particle is located in the wake of the other. Finally, a comparison between the fully-resolved technique and the point-particle approach is conducted. The findings demonstrate that while the point-particle method is computationally more efficient, it lacks the capability to provide realistic representation of fluid-particle interactions
COVID-19 VACCINATION IN THREE SITES IN SASKATCHEWAN: A PATIENT-ORIENTED REALIST EVALUATION
Get PDFThe purposes of this research were to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in three pilot sites (Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert) in Saskatchewan and construct program theories for vaccine uptake among the recipients and vaccine delivery by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) stakeholders who were involved in the planning and delivery of the vaccines. The program theories contain contextual factors and causal mechanisms that influenced vaccine uptake and delivery.
Traditional evaluations oversimplify characteristics of interventions and the environment surrounding them (1). Finding solutions to complex problems needs a through understanding of the nature of the problem, interventions, and the implementation contexts (2). Problems operate at various levels (individual, local, organizational, societal) which makes the relevant interventions complex (2). Literature has shown that targeted efforts are needed to increase vaccine uptake (3). In a theory-driven realist evaluation, evaluators raise the question of “for whom, under what circumstances, how and why do interventions work or not work?”, and build program theories to answer the question (2,4,5). Realist evaluation requires considerable researcher reflection, creativity, judgment, and inferences (6,7).
By using a novel combination of patient-oriented research (POR) strategy and the realist evaluation, three and six initial program theories (IPTs) for the vaccine recipients and the SHA stakeholders, respectively, were developed collaboratively with three patient and family partners (PFPs). We refined and finalized the IPTs into seven program theories (PTs) by collecting insights from six vaccine recipients and six SHA stakeholders via realist evaluation interviews. We identified salient contextual factors that evoked mechanism chains resulting in intermediate outcome of vaccine hesitancy or willingness among the recipients. These contextual factors and causal mechanisms demonstrate the complex reality of Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, show causal pathways for vaccine strategies, and help policymakers to enhance vaccination programs for other jurisdictions
IMPACTS OF WASTEWATER EFFLUENTS AND SEASONAL TRENDS ON LEVELS OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN TWO COLD-REGION RIVERS
Get PDFEmerging contaminants such as pharmaceutical drugs have been detected in waters across the globe and are of concern for human and aquatic ecosystems health. Most pharmaceuticals are found at trace concentrations, but the continuous use and potential accumulation of some of these compounds can potentially lead to effects in aquatic organisms. The principal aim of this research was to enhance our understanding of the environmental risks associated with pharmaceuticals as one group of emerging contaminants. Many pharmaceuticals are ionizable organic chemicals (IOCs), which makes their environmental and toxicological behavior particularly challenging to predict due to their partitioning mechanism which is useful to estimate the distribution of the chemical. Therefore, the objective of this thesis was to evaluate the hypothesis that uptake and effects of IOCs in aquatic organisms are influenced by the interaction between environmental, physicochemical, and biological factors. To this end, first, field studies were conducted during spring, summer, and fall of 2021 on water (diffusive gradient in thin film and conventional grab) and sediments at four locations including upstream and downstream of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of the cities of Saskatoon and Regina in the South Saskatchewan River and Wascana Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada, respectively. Second, seven representative antipsychotic pharmaceuticals were measured in water, sediment, and fish samples up- and downstream of the City of Regina WWTP. Data collected from this research effort indicate contamination with antipsychotic pharmaceuticals, with the potential to adversely impact exposed organisms. Third, non-target chemical analysis was conducted in water, sediments, and fish samples, at the two locations in Wascana Creek and throughout the three seasons. Data collected from non-target analysis indicated that pharmaceuticals, rubber components and personal care products were the priority pollutants in all the matrices and their transcriptomics changes were also supported by the qPCR analysis. Finally, transcripts of several genes of interest were determined in brain and liver samples from in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) exposed to the wastewater effluents in Wascana Creek during summer and fall in 2021, using a qPCR gene expression array (the EcoToxChips). The integrative approach used in this study, strongly supports the need to combine chemical analysis with transcriptomics-based approaches as useful tools for assessing of complex mixtures of contaminants in wastewater discharges and their effects in aquatic organisms.
This research provides a better understanding of the risks that pharmaceuticals may pose to aquatic organisms under varying environmental conditions and thereby aid in better protecting aquatic ecosystems in the future
INDIGENOUS WATER CHALLENGES AND CANADIAN POLICY: CONNECTIONS ACROSS A WATERSHED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Get PDFApproaches for managing water across landscapes that include Indigenous reserve land in Canada involve federal and provincial government competition, and authority hierarchies, leading to cross-jurisdictional conflict and a lack of accountability or action. For decades, the shared monitoring and collaboration in watershed management in regions that includes Indigenous lands have been lower than in other Canadian regions. The lower quality and minimal responsivity to water issues impacts community health, cultural sustainability, and financial stability in reserve communities, putting them at risk of experiencing difficulties retaining cultural practices and traditional lifestyles. Despite previous financial investments made by the Canadian government, many Indigenous communities continue to experience water challenges, including floods and drought, and surface water quality challenges such as algae blooms. As this, and other studies are demonstrating, the unbalanced power dynamics in the Canadian watershed management system have been influenced by the significant lack of interaction among individuals with different perspectives, categorizable through the ‘ways of life’ in Cultural Theory. The ‘ways of life’ (or perspective groups) in Cultural Theory provide a framework for how individuals of various views interact and how those interactions influence the quality of political, social, and environmental collaboration. This research project takes an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the environmental, social, and political components of watershed management problems in Prairie-based Treaty Areas 4, 5 and 6. I sought to identify barriers to effective watershed management using mixed methodologies and engaged scholarship framed by Cultural Theory, and provide recommendations for improving watershed management for Indigenous communities.
This thesis consists of three studies in the context of watershed management: monitoring of freshwater nutrient concentrations, cataloguing of toxic cyanobacterial development, and reviewing of policies affecting Indigenous watershed management alongside interviews of the perceptions of the policies. It is important to note that while I studied these three watershed management problems, the overall thesis focused on human behaviour in watershed management as the unit of analysis. Multiple qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis were conducted. Results show that despite previous efforts by the Federal Government, there remain weaknesses in how watershed management in undertaken in regions with Indigenous reserve communities. Some common weaknesses include a lack of community involvement and knowledge-sharing, lack of or little capacity-building experienced by Indigenous communities and watershed agencies, and barriers faced from the rigid framework of the management systems. I found that select water policies suffer from weak enforcement and accountability, poorer or underdeveloped quality standards, and few inclusions of Indigenous knowledge systems. Policies did not account for the cultural, geographic, economic, and societal differences that can impact water management and desired management in Indigenous reserve communities. Policies designed by Indigenous authorities were found to be the most effective in maintaining watershed quality by providing detailed information about water values, protection, management, and enforcement protocols while respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as their knowledge, and cultural practices.
The data I collected for more biological-based studies (Chapters 2 & 3) found weak correlations between established theories and western measurement approaches: precipitation patterns, nutrient concentrations, and cyanobacterial growth. These results emphasize that previous water quality monitoring methods may no longer be viable, and continuous place-based monitoring of nutrients and cyanobacteria within and outside reserve boundaries in watersheds is necessary as a preventative method to reduce potential health threats. With some suggested improvements, community science methods can be used to alleviate capacity issues and provide an opportunity for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among participating groups in a watershed. For watershed management to improve in watersheds with Indigenous communities, there should be more effort on recognizing when all Cultural Theory Ways of Organizing are represented in collaboration across watershed stakeholders and rights-holders. Canadian watershed management needs to shift from a rigid hierarchical structure to an inclusive adaptive one embracing multiple ways of organizing to better manage changing environmental and social conditions
EFFECT OF ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ON THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL, FUNCTIONAL, AND NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF PEA AND FABA BEAN PROTEIN ISOLATES
Get PDFThis research focuses on examining the physicochemical, functional, and nutritional aspects of proteins in pea (PPI) and faba bean protein isolates (FBPI) after they were enzymatically hydrolysed using trypsin to varying levels of hydrolysis. The overall goal of the research was to enhance the aforementioned properties by hydrolysing the proteins to 5% to 20% degrees of hydrolysis (DH) and determining property changes, positive or negative, which occurred post–hydrolysis. Hydrolysis decreased protein content in both pulse protein isolates. Lipid content remained unaffected among faba bean samples, while it increased for pea hydrolysates (PPH). No significant changes were observed in the ash contents of the proteins for both pulses. All samples at pH 7.0 had a net negative surface charge (SC), while at pH 4.5, SC became more negative with hydrolysis for both protein hydrolysates. Surface hydrophobicity (SH), at pH 7.0, of untreated, and heat–treated FBPI were similar which was enhanced with hydrolysis. In the case of pea proteins, heating the isolate increased SH, while hydrolysis lowered SH as 5% and 10% DH samples exhibited lower SH than the heat–treated PPI. Surface tension (ST), in general, decreased upon hydrolysis. No substantial difference in interfacial tension (IT) was observed among untreated, heat–treated, and hydrolysed FBPI, while PPH showed less IT than the untreated, and heat–treated PPI. In terms of functional properties, solubility increased with DH for both pulse hydrolysates. Water holding capacity (WHC) of the untreated isolates for both pulses was the highest, followed by the heat–treated or hydrolysed isolates. Oil holding capacity (OHC) increased after hydrolysis for both pulse protein isolates. Foaming capacity (FC) of faba protein hydrolysates (FBPH) were significantly lower as compared to the untreated isolate at pH 4.5 and 7.0. In the case of pea, FC increased with hydrolysis at pH 4.5, while at pH 7.0, no significant change in FC was observed. Foaming stability (FS) increased in both pulse hydrolysates at pH 4.5. At pH 7.0, hydrolysis significantly lowered FS of both pulse proteins. At pH 4.5, hydrolysis enhanced emulsion activity index (EAI) of FBPI, while it decreased in case of PPI. At pH 7.0, EAI increased for both pulse samples, with an exception for heat–treated PPI which showed a massive decrease. At pH 4.5, hydrolysis decreased emulsion stability index (ESI) for FBPI while PPH had more ESI. At pH 7.0, no significant change in ESI was observed among faba bean samples while PPH showed a higher ESI than the untreated PPI. All samples were found limiting in tryptophan, except the untreated PPI which was limiting in the sulfur containing amino acids. In vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) suggested that protein digestibility decreased after hydrolysis for both pulses. In vitro protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (IVPDCAAS) suggested that protein digestibility increased after hydrolysis of FBPI, and was maximum at 10%DH, while it negatively affected PPI digestibility since even at 10% DH, digestibility was less than the untreated PPI
Benchmarking Self-Supervised Contrastive Learning Methods for Image-based Plant Phenotyping
Get PDFImage-based plant phenotyping enables the high-throughput measurement of the physical characteristics of plants by combining
one or more imaging technologies with image analysis tools. Over the past decade, deep learning has been widely successful
for image-based tasks like image classification, object detection, image segmentation and object counting. While deep
learning has been applied to image-based plant phenotyping tasks like plant species classification, plant disease detection,
and leaf counting, its application has been limited. Part of the reason for this is that deep learning models tend to rely on large annotated datasets for training, and it can be expensive and time consuming to generate such datasets.
Motivated by the need to leverage unlabelled data, a lot of research effort has recently been directed towards the area of self-supervised learning (SSL). The common theme among various SSL methods is that they derive the supervisory signal
from the data itself, usually by distorting the input in some way and learning features that are invariant to the distortions. Despite the surge of research in this area, there has been a paucity of research applying self-supervised
learning on image-based plant phenotyping tasks, particularly detection and counting tasks. We address this gap by benchmarking two self-supervised learning methods -- MoCo v2 and DenseCL -- on four image-based plant phenotyping tasks
(the downstream tasks): wheat head detection, plant instance detection, wheat spikelet counting and leaf counting. We study the effects of the domain of the pre-training dataset on the transfer performance using four large-scale datasets: ImageNet
(general purpose concepts), iNaturalist 2021 (natural world images), iNaturalist 2021 Plants (plant images) and the TerraByte Field Crop datatset (crop images). To understand the differences between the internal representations of the neural networks trained with the different methods, we applied a representation similarity analysis technique known as orthogonal Procrustes distance. Our results show that (1) Finetuning a model that is pre-trained with an SSL method typically outperforms training
from scratch for a downstream task, (2) The Supervised pre-training method outperforms DenseCL and MoCo v2 for all the
downstream tasks, except for the leaf counting task where DenseCL excels, (3) There is not much difference, both in the downstream performance and the internal representations, between MoCo v2 and DenseCL pre-trained models, (4) Pre-training with the iNaturalist 2021 Plants dataset leads to the best downstream performance more often than other datasets, and
(5) Models pre-trained in a supervised manner learn more dissimilar features towards the last layers compared to models
pre-trained with MoCo v2 or DenseCL. We hope that this benchmark/evaluation study will inspire further studies towards the development of better self-supervised representation learning methods for image-based plant phenotyping tasks
EXAMINING FOOD PRESERVATION PARTICIPATION WITHIN INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS ON CANADA'S WEST COAST
Get PDFResearch and policy attention in Canada's food-insecure rural and remote areas has focused
on the country’s north, with less known about the challenges that affect remote southern
coastal regions. Similarly, programs to improve local food provisioning among adults and
youth tend to prioritize food procurement and nutritional education over food preservation,
despite the importance of food preservation competencies for maintaining year-round access
to seasonal food from Indigenous and local food systems (ILFSs). Research is needed to
better understand how diverse residents of coastal communities can benefit from establishing
food preservation practices. This dissertation examines food preservation participation in the
Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region on Canada's west coast, using a qualitative research
design informed by community based participatory research and Indigenous research
practices and principles. Participatory workshops were used to deliver food preservation
training. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, written evaluations of the
workshops, and document analysis. The findings are reported across three interconnected
papers. The first paper presents a joint conceptualization of ILFSs that acknowledges the
existence of shared food practices between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in
localized food systems. This contrasts with dominant conceptualizations that consider
Indigenous food systems and local food systems separately, regardless of contexts. The
second paper uses a social practice framework to show that programs that support food
preservation competency building, materials provisioning, and continuous participation allow
people to make meaning out of such engagement, which is critical for establishing food
preservation practice in a community. The third paper focuses on the role of youth in ILFSs,
showing that young people need to be involved in co-designing food preservation programs if
such initiatives are to meet their needs and interests. These findings demonstrate that the
value of jointly conceptualizing ILFS lies in identifying shared food practices in regions
where Indigenous and settler populations co-exist, which research and policy can prioritize to
improve food security. They also show the power of a social practice framework to support
participant-focused assessment of local food preservation programs. Additionally, the
findings show that food preservation programs can help youth build food knowledge to
improve their food security and support their communities' food sovereignt