Assessing estrogenic activity in surface water and sediment of the Liao River system in northeast China using combined chemical and biological tools

This paper investigated some selected estrogenic compounds (4-t-octylphenol: 4-t-OP; 4-nonylphenols: 4-NP; bisphenol-A: BPA; diethylstilbestrol: DES; estrone: E1; 17β-estradiol: E2; 17α-Ethinylestradiol: EE2; triclosan: TCS) and estrogenicity in the Liao River system using the combined chemical and in vitro yeast screen bioassay and assessed their ecological risks to aquatic organisms. The estrogenic compounds 4-t-OP, 4-NP, BPA, E1, E2 and TCS were detected in most of the samples, with their concentrations up to 52.1 2065.7, 755.6, 55.8, 7.4 and 81.3 ng/L in water, and up to 8.6, 558.4, 33.8, 7.9, <LOQ and 33.9 ng/g in sediment, respectively. However, DES and EE2 were not detected in the Liao River. The estrogen equivalents (EEQ) of the water and sediment samples were also measured by the bioassay. High estrogenic risks to aquatic organisms were found in the river sections of metropolitan areas and the lower reach of the river system.     

Assessment of bisphenol A released from reusable plastic, aluminium and stainless steel water bottles

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous high volume industrial chemical that is an estrogen and an environmental endocrine disrupting chemical. Bisphenol A is used extensively in the production of consumer goods, polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and coatings used to line metallic food and beverage cans. There is great concern regarding the possible harmful effects from exposures that result from BPA leaching into foods and beverages from packaging or storage containers. The objective of this study was to independently assess whether BPA contamination of water was occurring from different types of reusable drinking bottles marketed as alternatives to BPA-containing polycarbonate plastics. Using a sensitive and quantitative BPA-specific competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay we evaluated whether BPA migrated into water stored in polycarbonate or copolyester plastic bottles, and different lined or unlined metallic reusable water bottles. At room temperature the concentration of BPA migrating from polycarbonate bottles ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 mg L⁻¹. Under identical conditions BPA migration from aluminium bottles lined with epoxy-based resins was variable depending on manufacturer ranging from 0.08 to 1.9 mg L⁻¹. Boiling water significantly increased migration of BPA from the epoxy lined bottles. No detectable BPA contamination was observed in water stored in bottles made from Tritan™ copolyester plastic, uncoated stainless steel, or aluminium lined with EcoCare™. The results from this study demonstrate that when used according to manufacturers’ recommendations reusable water bottles constructed from “BPA-free” alternative materials are suitable for consumption of beverages free of BPA contamination.     

细水雾幕衰减热辐射的数值模拟研究

针对现有防火分隔技术的不足,以细水雾幕作为新的防火分隔技术,开展了不同细水雾幕雾特性对衰减热辐射影响的数值模拟研究。通过建立长通道模型,在火源和被保护物体中间设置细水雾幕系统,测量有无细水雾幕及不同细水雾特性条件下被保护侧温度及热辐射强度值,来定性定量研究细水雾幕衰减热辐射的效率。模拟结果表明:细水雾幕可以很好的降低被保护侧空间的温度和热辐射强度;衰减热辐射效率随雾滴粒径的减小,喷雾流量的增大,喷头排数增加而增大;另外,其衰减热辐射效率与喷头布置方式有关,上喷方式明显优于下喷方式。研究结果将对现有防火分隔技术的改善提供帮助和技术支持。     

Extinguishment of hydrogen laminar diffusion flames by water vapor in a cup burner apparatus

Transient computations with full hydrogen chemistry were performed to reveal the flame structure and extinguishment process of co-flow, hydrogen diffusion flame suppressed by water vapor. As the concentration of water vapor was increased, the flame detached away from the burner brim and formed an edge flame at the flame base. Water vapor showed larger chemical inhibition effect than nitrogen when extinguishing hydrogen flame, which was attributed to its enhanced third body effect in the reaction H + O₂ + M = HO₂ + M. The minimum extinguishing concentration (MEC) of water vapor and nitrogen was predicted by Senecal formula and perfectly stirred reactor (PSR) model respectively. The MECs predicted by PSR model agree with the MECs calculated by Fluent, which shows that 1) the flame extinction is controlled by the flame base, and 2) radiation absorption is negligible. The measured MECs are in a reasonable agreement with the values calculated by Fluent, which demonstrates the accuracy of the CFD model. A simple model was used to investigate the relative importance of extinguishing mechanisms of water vapor. The results show that in a co-flow configuration the thermal cooling and chemical inhibition effect are the main extinguishing mechanisms in suppressing hydrogen diffusion cup burner flame.     

Numerical modeling of water spray suppression of conveyor belt fires in a large-scale tunnel

Conveyor belt fires in an underground mine pose a serious life threat to miners. Water sprinkler systems are usually used to extinguish underground conveyor belt fires, but because of the complex interaction between conveyor belt fires and mine ventilation airflow, more effective engineering designs are needed for the installation of water sprinkler systems. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the interaction between the ventilation airflow, the belt flame spread, and the water spray system in a mine entry. The CFD model was calibrated using test results from a large-scale conveyor belt fire suppression experiment. Simulations were conducted using the calibrated CFD model to investigate the effects of sprinkler location, water flow rate, and sprinkler activation temperature on the suppression of conveyor belt fires. The sprinkler location and the activation temperature were found to have a major effect on the suppression of the belt fire, while the water flow rate had a minor effect.     

A new methodology for the synthesis of an optimum flexible water networks

This paper presents a new optimization model for the synthesis of direct reuse/recycle water networks with data uncertainties. In this case, data uncertainties were originated from the varying parameters of the water sources and sinks, which fluctuate within a given range of values. The aim of the method is to design an optimum flexible water network (FWN) that ensures minimum fresh water consumption and yet fulfilling all process constraints and uncertain parameters. The resulting FWN also features the minimum number of pipelines, which will ease process operation and control. Due to the complexity of the problem, multistep solving method based on theorem of corner points has been developed. The FWN obtained using the proposed method also includes information on the maximum flow rate in the pipelines, which is essential for detailed network design stage. The resulting model is a mixed integer linear problem (MILP), which may be solved to obtain global optimum solution. Two case studies were used to elucidate the newly proposed method.     

城市污泥对不同质地土壤保水效果研究

利用城市污泥滞水性强的特性可开发污泥作为保水剂的新功能。通过土培实验,在砂土、壤土和粘土中加入不同质量的污泥,研究污泥对不同质地土壤的保水效果。结果表明:在充分供水条件下,添加污泥能显著提高3种质地土壤的持水能力,土壤中添加20%的污泥后,砂土、粘土和壤土初始含水率分别增加11.2%、8.7%和8.8%;在3种质地土壤中添加污泥均可增大土壤的保水性,使水分蒸发减慢,且污泥添加量越多,土壤含水率越大;土壤累积失水量主要受到土壤中含水量的影响,也和不同质地土壤自身的蒸发量有关;在150 g土壤中添加10 g污泥,对砂土保水性提高不大,对壤土保水性提高最大,随着添加污泥量的增多,污泥对砂土的保水效果提高最明显。研究表明:开发污泥做为保水剂是可行的,这为污泥的资源化利用提供了新的途径,也为复合保水剂的研制提供了新的廉价材料,对于污泥治理及农业节水都有重要意义。     

浅析辽河流域水环境管理现状及改善措施

辽河流域是我国北方重要的河流型流域,水环境污染问题突出。文章从水环境管理体制、水污染控制方式、水生态安全管理、预警监控4个方面剖析了辽河流域水环境管理现状,并提出针对性的改善措施,对促进辽河流域水环境管理能力提高具有积极的实际意义。     

中国城市饮用水法的历史发展及其启示

近年来中国城市饮用水事件频发,威胁着城市饮用水安全,直接关系着公民的生命权和健康权.然而,中国有关城市饮用水的规定散见于相关法律、行政法规及环境、水利、卫生、建设等部门制定的规章中,还没有一部完整意义上的城市饮用水法.城市饮用水法历经四个历史阶段的发展,仍然只关注于城市饮用水某个阶段的发展.因此,城市饮用水法应加强城市饮用水各个阶段的管理,建立城市饮用水全过程控制法律制度.     

Environmental threats to the Three Gorges Reservoir Region:Are mutagenic and genotoxic substances important?

<正>The Three Gorges Dam project(TGDP),with a total static investment of 95.46 billion RMB(US$10.97 billion)based on the 1993 price level,commenced in 1994 and was completed in 2012.The creation of the Three Gorges Reservoir following the completion of the TGDP had brought about significant changes to the Three Gorges Reservoir Region(TGRR),stretching from the town of Sandouping in Hubei Province to the Jiangjin District of Chongqing Municipality.The TGDP has led to progressive urbanization and industrialization of the TGRR,accompanied by increased shipping activities,greater