Transport of simazine in unsaturated sandy soil and predictions of its leaching under hypothetical field conditions

The potential contamination of groundwater by herbicides is often controlled by processes in the vadose zone, through which herbicides travel before entering groundwater. In the vadose zone, both physical and chemical processes affect the fate and transport of herbicides, therefore it is important to represent these processes by mathematical models to predict contaminant movement. To simulate the movement of simazine, a herbicide commonly used in Chilean vineyards, batch and miscible displacement column experiments were performed on a disturbed sandy soil to quantify the primary parameters and processes of simazine transport. Chloride (Cl(-)) was used as a non-reactive tracer, and simazine as the reactive tracer. The Hydrus-1D model was used to estimate the parameters by inversion from the breakthrough curves of the columns and to evaluate the potential groundwater contamination in a sandy soil from the Casablanca Valley, Chile. The two-site, chemical non-equilibrium model was observed to best represent the experimental results of the miscible displacement experiments in laboratory soil columns. Predictions of transport under hypothetical field conditions using the same soil from the column experiments were made for 40 years by applying herbicide during the first 20 years, and then halting the application and considering different rates of groundwater recharge. For recharge rates smaller than 84 mm year(-1), the predicted concentration of simazine at a depth of 1 m is below the U.S. EPA's maximum contaminant levels (4 microg L(-1)). After eight years of application at a groundwater recharge rate of 180 mm year(-1) (approximately 50% of the annual rainfall), simazine was found to reach the groundwater (located at 1 m depth) at a higher concentration (more than 40 microg L(-1)) than the existing guidelines in the USA and Europe.     

黑藻对铅离子的生物吸附

研究了黑藻对Pb^2＋的生物吸附作用，考察了溶液pH、Pb^2＋初始质量浓度、黑藻加入量和吸附时间对吸附效果的影响。实验结果表明，溶液pH在2．5～5．0时吸附效果最好，吸附20min基本达到平衡。在溶液pH为4．0、黑藻加入量为2g／L、吸附时间为60min、Pb^2＋初始质量浓度为100mg／L的条件下，黑藻对Pb^2＋的吸附量为47．5mg／g。通过元素分析和等温吸附模型对黑藻吸附Pb^2＋的机理进行了研究，发现黑藻吸附Pb“是阳离子交换过程，吸附符合Langmuir、Freundlich和D—R等温吸附模型。考察了Cd^2＋、Cu^2＋和Ni^2＋对黑藻吸附Pb^2＋的影响，结果表明，Cd^2＋、Cu^2＋和Ni^2＋的存在不干扰黑藻对Pb^2＋的吸附。     

Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis with Bird Populations as Habitat-Specific Environmental Indicators: Evidence from Canada

Abstract:  The traditional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis postulates that environmental degradation follows an inverted U-shaped relationship with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. We tested the EKC hypothesis with bird populations in 5 different habitats as environmental quality indicators. Because birds are considered environmental goods, for them the EKC hypothesis would instead be associated with a U-shaped relationship between bird populations and GDP per capita. In keeping with the literature, we included other variables in the analysis—namely, human population density and time index variables (the latter variable captured the impact of persistent and exogenous climate and/or policy changes on bird populations over time). Using data from 9 Canadian provinces gathered over 37 years, we used a generalized least-squares regression for each bird habitat type, which accounted for the panel structure of the data, the cross-sectional dependence across provinces in the residuals, heteroskedasticity, and fixed- or random-effect specifications of the models. We found evidence that supports the EKC hypothesis for 3 of the 5 bird population habitat types. In addition, the relationship between human population density and the different bird populations varied, which emphasizes the complex nature of the impact that human populations have on the environment. The relationship between the time-index variable and the different bird populations also varied, which indicates there are other persistent and significant influences on bird populations over time. Overall our EKC results were consistent with those found for threatened bird species, indicating that economic prosperity does indeed act to benefit some bird populations.     

Rethinking receiver operating characteristic analysis applications in ecological niche modeling

The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) has become a dominant tool in evaluating the accuracy of models predicting distributions of species. ROC has the advantage of being threshold-independent, and as such does not require decisions regarding thresholds of what constitutes a prediction of presence versus a prediction of absence. However, we show that, comparing two ROCs, using the AUC systematically undervalues models that do not provide predictions across the entire spectrum of proportional areas in the study area. Current ROC approaches in ecological niche modeling applications are also inappropriate because the two error components are weighted equally. We recommend a modification of ROC that remedies these problems, using partial-area ROC approaches to provide a firmer foundation for evaluation of predictions from ecological niche models. A worked example demonstrates that models that are evaluated favorably by traditional ROC AUCs are not necessarily the best when niche modeling considerations are incorporated into the design of the test.     

Is the integration of hormesis and essentiality into ecotoxicology now opening Pandora's Box?

Hormesis and essentiality are likely real and common effects at the level of the individual. However, the widespread incorporation of stimulatory effects into applications of ecotoxicology requires the acceptance of assumptions, value judgements and possibly lowering of water/sediment quality standards. There is also currently little data appropriate for considering hormetic effects in the ecotoxicological context. Except perhaps in the case of fitting concentration-response curves, it is not clear that incorporation of hormetic and essentiality type responses into ecotoxicology is necessary. Furthermore, its incorporation presents considerable intellectual and practical changes for ecotoxicology and could have unanticipated consequences.     

固定化微生物吸附剂对Cr3+的吸附特性研究

从皮革铬鞣、复鞣污泥等处分离、纯化出4株菌株TP、XB、MY和TQ,采用海藻酸钠悬滴法并添加膨润土制成微生物固定化吸附剂,研究该吸附剂对低质量浓度Cr3+的吸附特性。结果表明,4种固定化颗粒对低质量浓度Cr3+有较好的吸附作用。实验室条件下,当吸附温度为30℃时,6 h后固定化吸附剂进入缓慢吸附和平衡吸附阶段。吸附等温曲线拟合研究表明,不同温度下吸附剂适合不同的等温模型。4种微生物吸附剂均与Lagrange拟二级动力学模型拟合最佳,且吸附量从高到低为TQ、TP、XB、MY。颗粒内扩散模型研究表明,20℃下XB和MY对Cr3+的吸附分为快速吸附和缓慢吸附阶段;30℃和40℃下固定化颗粒均呈现表面吸附—缓慢吸附—平衡吸附过程。热力学研究表明,吸附反应均属于自发进行的吸热过程,并且均是化学吸附。     

连续长坡路段驾驶员心率与平曲线半径关系研究

为研究公路连续长坡路段驾驶员心率与曲线半径的关系,提高行车安全,选取9名驾驶员进行实际道路试验.用多导生理记录仪采集驾驶员的心率数据,按上、下坡方向将试验路段的每个曲线划分为7个位置,分别对上、下坡方向每个位置驾驶员的心率增长率和曲线半径的关系进行回归分析,建立相应的模型,并对每个位置的模型进行分析,提出合理的曲线半径设置建议.综合上、下坡方向各位置的曲线半径研究结论提出合理的曲线半径取值建议,公路连续长坡路段曲线半径在r≥900 m和200 m≤r≤300 m内取值.     

基于正交模拟试验的矿用空气幕结构优化

为了降低空气幕的能耗,依据空气动力学理论,建立了以双三次方曲线为整流器外轮廓线的矿用空气幕模型,采用正交模拟试验方法,以出风口速度分布均匀性及阻力损失为评价指标,研究了不同结构参数下矿用空气幕内流场分布规律,计算出矿用空气幕出风口断面的速度分布均匀性参数及压力损失,得到了最优的矿用空气幕结构模型,该模型风流速度均匀性参数为0.038 5,压力损失为98.3Pa.结果表明,压力漩涡的大小及流速滞留区的范围与整流器密切相关.对矿用空气幕出风口速度分布均匀性影响最大的是供风器出风口宽度,其次为导流体中截面半径;对矿用空气幕压力损失影响最大的是供风器出风口宽度,其次为整流器及供风器长度.当导流体为圆锥体时,矿用空气幕的性能最优.     

Estimated Injury Risk for Specific Injuries and Body Regions in Frontal Motor Vehicle Crashes

Objective: Injury risk curves estimate motor vehicle crash (MVC) occupant injury risk from vehicle, crash, and/or occupant factors. Many vehicles are equipped with event data recorders (EDRs) that collect data including the crash speed and restraint status during a MVC. This study's goal was to use regulation-required data elements for EDRs to compute occupant injury risk for (1) specific injuries and (2) specific body regions in frontal MVCs from weighted NASS-CDS data.

Methods: Logistic regression analysis of NASS-CDS single-impact frontal MVCs involving front seat occupants with frontal airbag deployment was used to produce 23 risk curves for specific injuries and 17 risk curves for Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ to 5+ body region injuries. Risk curves were produced for the following body regions: head and thorax (AIS 2+, 3+, 4+, 5+), face (AIS 2+), abdomen, spine, upper extremity, and lower extremity (AIS 2+, 3+). Injury risk with 95% confidence intervals was estimated for 15–105 km/h longitudinal delta-Vs and belt status was adjusted for as a covariate.

Results: Overall, belted occupants had lower estimated risks compared to unbelted occupants and the risk of injury increased as longitudinal delta-V increased. Belt status was a significant predictor for 13 specific injuries and all body region injuries with the exception of AIS 2+ and 3+ spine injuries. Specific injuries and body region injuries that occurred more frequently in NASS-CDS also tended to carry higher risks when evaluated at a 56 km/h longitudinal delta-V. In the belted population, injury risks that ranked in the top 33% included 4 upper extremity fractures (ulna, radius, clavicle, carpus/metacarpus), 2 lower extremity fractures (fibula, metatarsal/tarsal), and a knee sprain (2.4–4.6% risk). Unbelted injury risks ranked in the top 33% included 4 lower extremity fractures (femur, fibula, metatarsal/tarsal, patella), 2 head injuries with less than one hour or unspecified prior unconsciousness, and a lung contusion (4.6–9.9% risk). The 6 body region curves with the highest risks were for AIS 2+ lower extremity, upper extremity, thorax, and head injury and AIS 3+ lower extremity and thorax injury (15.9–43.8% risk).

Conclusions: These injury risk curves can be implemented into advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) algorithms that utilize vehicle EDR measurements to predict occupant injury immediately following a MVC. Through integration with AACN, these injury risk curves can provide emergency medical services (EMS) and other patient care providers with information on suspected occupant injuries to improve injury detection and patient triage.     

可靠性强化试验技术在平板电视电源模块研发中的应用

简要介绍了可靠性强化试验技术原理与特点,总结了其在平板电视电源模块研发阶段中的应用方法,着重阐述了试验过程和五个类型的试验剖面;引述了激发应力范围的统计学方法,并给出了部分产品应用实施可靠性强化试验技术的典型案例,说明其在激发暴露产品设计、工艺缺陷等方面的突出效果。