Radiological hazard assessment of natural gross radioactivity in some cosmetic products

Many kinds of cosmetic products were analyzed to determine gross radioactivity. In this study, gross alpha/beta radioactivity concentrations in 51 cosmetic samples were determined. The examined cosmetic products consist of blusher, eye shadow, lipstick, nail polish, shampoo, hand cream, cellulite cream, baby powder, soap, and toothpaste. The gross alpha–beta activity concentrations were measured with a nuclear spectroscopic system which contains gas-flow proportional counters. The highest gross alpha/beta activity concentrations were found in eye shadow samples of 1.621Bq g^?1 for alpha and 6.471Bq g^?1 for beta. The total effective doses due to gross radioactivity for skin were calculated. Although the effective dose of eye shadow samples had the highest value, the effective doses due to gross radioactivity concentrations in this study were found to be lower than the radiological limits given by the authorities.     

Treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing antibiotics by O3 and O3/H2O2 processes

Ozonation of three different synthetic pharmaceutical formulation wastewater containing two human antibiotics and a veterinary antibiotic has been studied to enhance the their biodegradability. The effects of pH and initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) value as well as addition of hydrogen peroxide on ozonation process were investigated. Total organic carbon (TOC), COD, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and aromatic content (UV254) were the parameters followed to evaluate the performance of ozonation process. Comparison of the biodegradability of selected wastewaters containing different antibiotics confirmed that the variation of biodegradability was associated with the target compound. While BOD5/COD ratio of veterinary antibiotic formulation wastewater was increased from 0.077 to 0.38 with an applied ozone dosage of 2.96 g/l, this ratio for human antibiotic I and human antibiotic II was increased from 0 to 0.1 and 0.27 respectively. Moreover the results of this investigation showed that the ozonation process is capable of achieving high levels of COD and aromaticity removals at about their natural pH values.     

Impacts of some meteorological parameters on SO2 and TSP concentrations in Erzurum, Turkey

The air pollution is the one of the most important environmental problems in Erzurum, situated in the eastern of Turkey, during winter periods. The unfavorable climate as well as the city’s topography, and inappropriate urbanization cause serious air pollution problems. The air pollutant concentrations in a city have a close relationship with its meteorological parameters. In the present study, the relationship between daily average total suspended particulate (TSP) and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations with meteorological factors, such as wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, pressure and precipitation, in 1995–2002 winter seasons was statistically analyzed using the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. According to the results obtained through analysis, higher TSP and SO₂ concentrations are strongly related to colder temperatures, lower wind speed, higher pressure system and weakly lower precipitation and higher relative humidity. The statistical models of SO₂ and TSP including meteorological parameters gave R² of 0.74 and 0.88, respectively. Furthermore, the correlation between the previous day’s SO₂, TSP concentrations and actual concentrations of these pollutants on that day was investigated and found as 0.84 and 0.53, respectively. In order to develop this model, previous day’s SO₂ and TSP concentrations were added to the equations. The new model for SO₂ enhanced considerably (R² = 0.92), but for TSP new model was not enhanced (R² = 0.89).     

Effect of alkalinity on the performance of a simulated landfill bioreactor digesting organic solid wastes

This study investigated the effects of alkalinity on the anaerobic treatment of the organic solid wastes collected from the kitchen of Engineering Faculty in Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey and the leachate characteristics treated in three simulated landfill anaerobic bioreactors. All of the reactors were operated with leachate recirculation. One reactor was operated without alkalinity addition. The second reactor was operated by the addition of 3 g l-1 d-1 of NaHCO3 alkalinity to the leachate and the third reactor was operated by the addition of 6 g l-1 d-1 NaHCO3 alkalinity to the leachate. After 65 d of anaerobic incubation, it was observed that the chemical oxygen demand (COD), volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations, and biochemical oxygen demand to chemical oxygen demand (BOD5/COD) ratios in the leachate samples produced from the alkalinity added reactors were lower than the control reactor while the pH values were higher than the control reactor. The COD values were measured as 18900, 3800 and 2900 mg l-1 while the VFA concentrations were 6900, 1400 and 1290 mg l-1, respectively, in the leachate samples of the control, and reactors containing 3 g l-1 NaHCO3 and 6 g l-1 NaHCO3 after 65 d of anaerobic incubation. The total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N) concentrations in organic solid waste (OSW) significantly reduced in the reactor containing 6 g l-1 NaHCO3 by d 65. The values of pH were 6.54, 7.19 and 7.31, after 65 d of anaerobic incubation, respectively, in the aforementioned reactors results in neutral environmental conditions in alkalinity added reactors. Methane percentage of the control, reactors containing 3 g l-1 NaHCO3 and 6 g l-1 NaHCO3 were 37%, 64% and 65%, respectively, after 65 d of incubation. BOD5/COD ratios of 0.27 and 0.25 were achieved in the 3 and 6 g l-1 NaHCO3 containing reactors, indicating a better OSW stabilization. Alkalinity addition reduced the waste quantity, the organic content of the solid waste and the biodegradation time.     

Distribution coefficients (Kd) and desorption rates of 137Cs and 241Am in Black Sea sediments

The distribution coefficients (K_d) and desorption rates of ¹³⁷Cs and ²⁴¹Am radionuclides in bottom sediments at different locations in the Black Sea were studied under laboratory conditions. The K_d values were found to be 500 for ¹³⁷Cs and 3800 for ²⁴¹Am at the steady state and described exponential curves. Rapid uptake of the radionuclides occurred during the initial period and little accumulation happened after four days. The desorption rates for ¹³⁷Cs in different bottom sediments were best described by a three-component exponential model. The desorption half-times of ¹³⁷Cs ranged from 26 to 50 d at the slow components. However, the desorption rate of ²⁴¹Am described one component for all sediment samples and desorption half-time was found to be 75 d. In general, the results showed that the ²⁴¹Am radionuclide is more effectively transferred to bottom sediment and has longer turnover time than ¹³⁷Cs under Black Sea conditions.     

The loss (in field and under laboratory conditions) of 65Zn by the postlarval rudd, Scardiniuserythrophthalmus L.

The loss of ⁶⁵Zn by postlarval rudd was followed in the laboratory and in the field experiments. It is concluded that the results obtained in the field and the laboratory cannot be comparable in the postlarval stage of the rudd fish.     

浙江括苍山巨型环形火山构造及其地质意义

括苍山巨型环形火山构造经历了至少24Ma的演化,形成了四个火山活动旋回,二十多个火山机构及其组合体。火山地质、地球物理和遥感地质信息表明,括苍山巨型环形火山构造从开始到结束一直是个隆起区,其中第Ⅱ旋回结束后的基底隆起形成了南、北两个断块和中间北东东向的仙居张性地堑,晚期(第Ⅲ旋回和第Ⅳ旋回)的火山活动明显受其控制。括苍山主峰的进一步隆起是由于下伏岩基上侵造成的,它使南断块呈一短轴背斜,同时加剧了南断块内第Ⅲ旋回的火山活动,从而造成了这一时期火山活动的南北差异。     

Insectivorous birds consume an estimated 400–500 million tons of prey annually

In this paper, we present an estimate of the predation impact of the global population of insectivorous birds based on 103 (for the most part) published studies of prey consumption (kg ha^?1 season^?1) of insectivorous birds in seven biome types. By extrapolation—taking into account the global land cover of the various biomes—an estimate of the annual prey consumption of the world’s insectivorous birds was obtained. We estimate the prey biomass consumed by the world’s insectivorous birds to be somewhere between 400 and 500 million metric tons year^?1, but most likely at the lower end of this range (corresponding to an energy consumption of ≈?2.7?×?10¹⁸ J year^?1 or ≈?0.15% of the global terrestrial net primary production). Birds in forests account for >?70% of the global annual prey consumption of insectivorous birds (≥?300 million tons year^?1), whereas birds in other biomes (savannas and grasslands, croplands, deserts, and Arctic tundra) are less significant contributors (≥?100 million tons year^?1). Especially during the breeding season, when adult birds feed their nestlings protein-rich prey, large numbers of herbivorous insects (i.e., primarily in the orders Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Orthoptera) supplemented by spiders are captured. The estimates presented in this paper emphasize the ecological and economic importance of insectivorous birds in suppressing potentially harmful insect pests on a global scale—especially in forested areas.     

双盲消防灭火救援演练模式构建

为了构建双盲消防灭火救援演练模式,提高消防指战员的临机决策能力。通过分析医学双盲实验的要点和优势,总结双盲消防演练的关键要素,并根据演练的一般环节和双盲的特点构建演练框架,将演练模式分为演练计划、演练准备、演练实施3个阶段。演练中按照时间梯度向演练者发布信息流、建立信息不对称性,演练者根据获得的信息分析、判断初始情景的危险程度,预判灾情的发展趋势,进而开展救援行动;评判者对演练者的处置过程和结果进行客观评价,依据设计评价指标,利用灰色关联度综合评估演练过程的方法。研究结果表明:通过双盲演练模型可以最大程度地避免演练评判者的主观影响,训练和检验消防指挥员信息获取、临机决策等能力,从而提高消防救援队伍的应急水平。     

滑坡三维局部稳定性评价研究

目前滑坡稳定性研究主要以滑坡整体为研究对象,而大部分滑坡特别是大型、特大型滑坡失稳破坏均从滑坡局部开始,因此从三维局部的角度对滑坡稳定性进行研究有其必要性。采用单元安全度法,以三峡库区某滑坡为例,运用FLAC3D数值模拟软件对该滑坡各单元的安全系数进行计算,得到滑坡各部位稳定性系数分布图,并根据滑坡宏观变形和地表位移监测结果对滑坡的三维局部稳定性评价结果进行验证。结果表明:滑坡宏观变形和地表位移监测结果与三维局部稳定性评价结果较为一致;该滑坡目前整体较稳定,但滑坡前缘在降雨和库水的持续作用下将会发生失稳破坏。