Association of exposure to multiple metals with papillary thyroid cancer risk in China

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has inflicted huge threats to the health of mankind. Metal pollution could be a potential risk factor of PTC occurrence, but existing relevant epidemiological researches are limited. The current case-control study was designed to evaluate the relationships between exposure to multiple metals and the risk of PTC. A total of 262 histologically confirmed PTC cases were recruited. Age- and gender-matched controls were enrolled at the same time. Urine samples were used as biomarkers to reflect the levels of environmental exposure to 13 metals. Conditional logistic regression models were adopted to assess the potential association. Single-metal and multi-metal models were separately conducted to evaluate the impacts of single and co-exposure to 13 metals. The increased concentration of urinary Cd, Cu, Fe, and Pb quartiles was found significant correlated with PTC risk. We also found the decreased trends of urinary Se, Zn, and Mn quartiles with the ORs for PTC. These dose-response associations between Pb and PTC were observed in the single-metal model and remained significant in the multi-metal model (OR_25-50th=1.39, OR_50-75th=3.32, OR_>75th=7.62, p for trend <0.001). Our study suggested that PTC was positively associated with urinary levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and inversely associated with Se, Zn, and Mn. Targeted public health policies should be made to improve the environment and the recognition of potential risk factors. These findings need additional studies to confirm in other population.

     

Design,Modelling and Assessment of Emission Scenarios Resulting from a Network of Wood Biomass Boilers

The use of wood biomass as a fuel for domestic and industrial heating systems allows for a reduction of CO₂ emissions at a global scale, but it may also result in worse local air quality conditions, due to their emissions of particulate matter. The aim of this study is to assess the actual trend of atmospheric pollution in a study area, assuming that all heating systems are replaced by small size biomass boilers linked to the buildings through district heating network. Ground level concentrations of particulate matter, emitted by different heating systems, are therefore evaluated through numerical simulations performed by means of an atmospheric dispersion model (Sirane). As a first step, we have compared the environmental impact of a woodchip boilers network with that given by the use of traditional heating systems, i.e. wood stoves and natural gas boilers. As a second step, we have analysed the impact of such a network taking into account different emission scenarios, related to different boilers operating conditions. Results show that the environmental performances of a woodchip boilers network can be optimized by combining it with other renewable sources of energy devoted to the supply of hot water. The adopted analysis methodology can be applied to other real or hypothetic punctual sources on the territory.     

The use of ultrasound-assisted anaerobic compost tea washing to remove poly-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzo-furans (PCDFs) from highly contaminated field soils

The remediation of dioxin-contaminated soil of a specific coastal area previously employed for the manufacture of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in southern Taiwan’s Tainan City has attracted much attention of researchers there. This work addresses the possibility of providing an effective and environmentally friendly option for removing PCDD/Fs from soil in that field. Soil screening/sieving was first conducted to assess particle distribution. Fine sand was observed to be the major component of the soil, accounting for more than 60% of the total mass. A combination of ultrasonification and mechanical double-blade agitation was used to facilitate the washing of the soil using the biosurfactant anaerobic compost tea. More than 85 and 95% of total removal efficiencies were achieved for moderately and highly contaminated soils after 6 and 10 washing cycles, respectively, under ambient temperature, a soil/liquid ratio 1:2.5, 700 rpm, and over a relatively short duration. These results were achieved through the collision and penetration effects of this combined treatment as well as PCDD/F partitioning between the particles and anaerobic compost tea. This study represents the first to report the use of anaerobic compost tea solvent to wash soil highly contaminated by dioxin. It was concluded that anaerobic compost tea, rich in non-toxic bio-surfactants (e.g., alcohols, humic acids), can be used to improve bioavailability and bioactivity of the soil making bio-attenuation and full remediation more efficient.     

Performance of IUCN proxies for generation length

One of the criteria used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to assess threat status is the rate of decline in abundance over 3 generations or 10 years, whichever is longer. The traditional method for calculating generation length (T) uses age‐specific survival and fecundity, but these data are rarely available. Consequently, proxies that require less information are often used, which introduces potential biases. The IUCN recommends 2 proxies based on adult mortality rate, = α + 1/d, and reproductive life span, = α + z^*RL, where α is age at first reproduction, d is adult mortality rate, RL is reproductive life span, and z is a coefficient derived from data for comparable species. We used published life tables for 78 animal and plant populations to evaluate precision and bias of these proxies by comparing and with true generation length. Mean error rates in estimating T were 31% for and 20% for , but error rates for were 16% when we subtracted 1 year ( ), as suggested by theory; also provided largely unbiased estimates regardless of the true generation length. Performance of depends on compilation of detailed data for comparable species, but our results suggest taxonomy is not a reliable indicator of comparability. All 3 proxies depend heavily on a reliable estimate of age at first reproduction, as we illustrated with 2 test species. The relatively large mean errors for all proxies emphasized the importance of collecting the detailed life‐history information necessary to calculate true generation length. Unfortunately, publication of such data is less common than it was decades ago. We identified generic patterns of age‐specific change in vital rates that can be used to predict expected patterns of bias from applying .     

浙江省危险废物和污泥处置现状及加强全过程监管工作的探讨

随着近几年经济发展水平的提高,浙江省的危险废物和污泥产生量呈不断增长趋势,它们的产生、贮存、转运和处置过程中的监管压力也逐年增大。总结了浙江省的危险废物产生现状,分析了存在的主要问题,对比了发达国家的相关管理经验,提出了进一步完善浙江省危险废物和污泥全过程监管工作的建议。     

新型二氧化铅电极处理染料废水

利用高压塑片法制备掺杂镧和活性炭以及聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)的新型二氧化铅电极,采用X衍射(XRD),循环伏安曲线(CV),扫描电镜(SEM)等手段对电极性能进行表征,研究了其电催化处理有机染料废水(亚甲基蓝)的降解效果,并对反应机理进行了相关研究。研究表明,该电极具有良好的抗腐蚀能力,对亚甲基蓝具有较好的降解效果。通过与普通二氧化铅电极比较,该电极在染料脱色和去除COD方面都有较明显优势,显示出较好的工业应用前景。     

不同曝气方式下SBR亚硝化的实现及NO2--N积累效果

研究不同曝气方式下亚硝化的实现以及基质浓度、曝气频率和温度对NO-2-N积累效果的影响。以实际污泥脱水液为研究对象,控制进水NH+4-N浓度在50~80 mg/L范围内,温度为27℃,pH值为7.8~8.2,DO浓度为0.5~1.0mg/L,分别采用连续曝气和间歇曝气2种方式启动SBR亚硝化反应器,并考察了在不同基质浓度、曝气频率和温度条件下NO-2-N累积情况。实验研究结果表明,经过40 d左右的运行,在2种不同曝气方式下SBR均成功实现了亚硝化,稳定运行阶段,NO-2-N积累率分别达到95%和85%。经SEM扫描电镜观察发现,在驯化成熟的活性污泥中,亚硝化细菌多呈球状和杆状,大小不同,外形饱满。当进水氨氮浓度小于200 mg/L,曝气频率为曝气15 min/停曝15 min,温度为27℃时,NO-2-N积累效果最佳,平均积累率可达90%以上。间歇曝气可以有效促进亚硝化细菌富集,有利于实现较高浓度的NO-2-N积累。基质浓度、曝气频率和温度对NO-2-N积累效果的影响显著。     

A Model for Pulse Jet Fabric Filters

ABSTRACT

A new model for pulse jet fabric filtration is proposed. In contrast to the earlier model of Ravin and Humphries,¹ which was formulated on the steady state assumption, the present study is aimed at developing a predictive capability for both transient and steady state operations, taking into account the compression effect of filter cakes. The model's relative simplicity allows frequent updating of the model parameter values, thus improving the accuracy of predictions. As a result, the model is particularly useful in developing control algorithms and designing controllers of pulse jet fabric filtration systems.     

Properties of Pyrolytic Chars and Activated Carbons Derived from Pilot-Scale Pyrolysis of Used Tires

Abstract

Used tires were pyrolyzed in a pilot-scale quasi-inert rotary kiln. Influences of variables, such as time, temperature, and agent flow, on the activation of obtained char were subsequently investigated in a laboratory-scale fixed bed. Meso-porous pores are found to be dominant in the pore structures of raw char. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surfaces of activated chars increased linearly with carbon burnoff. The carbon burnoff of tire char achieved by carbon dioxide (CO₂) under otherwise identical conditions was on average 75% of that achieved by steam, but their BET surfaces are almost the same. The proper activation greatly improved the aqueous adsorption of raw char, especially for small molecular adsorbates, for example, phenol from 6 to 51 mg/g. With increasing burnoff, phenol adsorption exhibited a first-stage linear increase followed by a rapid drop after 30% burnoff. Similarly, iodine adsorption first increased linearly, but it held as the burnoff exceeded 40%, which implied that the reduction of iodine adsorption due to decreasing micro-pores was partially made up by increasing mesopores. Both raw chars and activated chars showed appreciable adsorption capacity of methylene-blue comparable with that of commercial carbons. Thus, tire-derived activated carbons can be used as an excellent mesoporous adsorbent for larger molecular species.