Analysis of herbicide residues by gas chromatography

The extraction and clean‐up, and gas Chromatographic conditions for the detection and determination of herbicides, their metabolites and related compounds are reviewed. The literature material is examined critically in the text and presented in tabular form for quick reference. The section dealing with extraction/clean‐up techniques is sub‐divided with respect to water, soil, plant material, animal, fish and micro‐organisms. Under eight herbicide group headings the important gas Chromatographic parameters such as stationary phase, support phase, column temperature and mode of detection are tabulated. Also tabulated are the application of various detectors to herbicide analyses and limits of detection where information was available. Most commonly used liquid and support phases are listed and their frequency of use given. Different aspects of derivative formation used for the positive identification and quantitation of herbicides are discussed with emphasis on esterification, alkylation and silylation. Other important conversion techniques are outlined, particularly those associated with enhancement of sensitivity e.g. bromination, iodination, dinitrophenylation etc. Efforts that have been made towards general and automated analytical methods are discussed.     

Po-210 and Pb-210 as atmospheric tracers and global atmospheric Pb-210 fallout: a review

Over the past ∼5 decades, the distribution of ²²²Rn and its progenies (mainly ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Bi and ²¹⁰Po) have provided a wealth of information as tracers to quantify several atmospheric processes that include: i) source tracking and transport time scales of air masses; ii) the stability and vertical movement of air masses iii) removal rate constants and residence times of aerosols; iv) chemical behavior of analog species; and v) washout ratios and deposition velocities of aerosols. Most of these applications require that the sources and sink terms of these nuclides are well characterized.Utility of ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Bi and ²¹⁰Po as atmospheric tracers requires that data on the ²²²Rn emanation rates is well documented. Due to low concentrations of ²²⁶Ra in surface waters, the ²²²Rn emanation rates from the continent is about two orders of magnitude higher than that of the ocean. This has led to distinctly higher ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in continental air masses compared to oceanic air masses. The highly varying concentrations of ²¹⁰Pb in air as well the depositional fluxes have yielded insight on the sources and transit times of aerosols. In an ideal enclosed air mass (closed system with respect to these nuclides), the residence times of aerosols obtained from the activity ratios of ²¹⁰Pb/²²²Rn, ²¹⁰Bi/²¹⁰Pb, and ²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb are expected to agree with each other, but a large number of studies have indicated discordance between the residence times obtained from these three pairs. Recent results from the distribution of these nuclides in size-fractionated aerosols appear to yield consistent residence time in smaller-size aerosols, possibly suggesting that larger size aerosols are derived from resuspended dust. The residence times calculated from the ²¹⁰Pb/²²²Rn, ²¹⁰Bi/²¹⁰Pb, and ²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb activity ratios published from 1970’s are compared to those data obtained in size-fractionated aerosols in this decade and possible reasons for the discordance is discussed with some key recommendations for future studies.The existing global atmospheric inventory data of ²¹⁰Pb is re-evaluated and a ‘global curve’ for the depositional fluxes of ²¹⁰Pb is established. A current global budget for atmospheric ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb is also established. The relative importance of dry fallout of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb at different latitudes is evaluated. The global values for the deposition velocities of aerosols using ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb are synthesized.     

润滑油废白土的热解处理

以润滑油废白土为原料,利用电热解法,研究了热解终温、加热速率和CaO添加量对热解产物的影响。实验结果表明:热解终温对热解产物的影响最为显著。随着热解终温的升高,不凝气产量和产油率均迅速增加。当热解终温达到600℃时,其增加的速率逐渐缓慢增大。当控制热解终温为800℃、加热速率为16℃/min、CaO添加量为0.5%时,富氢气体产量为189.2 L/kg,气体中主要成分为H2和CH4,其含量分别为27.97%和41.64%;热解残渣含油率和重金属溶出物均低于标准规定值,热解油产率为10.98%,回收率为38.94%,其主要成分为汽油、柴油和重油3部分组成,分别含19.13%、31.35%和49.52%。     

Predicting the time needed for environmental systematic reviews and systematic maps

Systematic reviews (SRs) and systematic mapping aim to maximize transparency and comprehensiveness while minimizing subjectivity and bias. These are time-consuming and complex tasks, so SRs are considered resource intensive, but published estimates of systematic-review resource requirements are largely anecdotal. We analyzed all Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) SRs (n = 66) and maps (n = 20) published from 2012 to 2017 to estimate the average number of articles retained at each review stage. We also surveyed 33 experienced systematic reviewers to collate information on the rate at which those stages could be completed. In combination, these data showed that the average CEE SR takes an estimated 164 d (full-time equivalent) (SD 23), and the average CEE systematic map (SM) (excluding critical appraisal) takes 211 d (SD 53). While screening titles and abstracts is widely considered time-consuming, metadata extraction and critical appraisal took as long or longer to complete, especially for SMs. Given information about the planned methods and evidence base, we created a software tool that predicts time requirements of a SR or map with evidence-based defaults as a starting point. Our results shed light on the most time-consuming stages of the SR and mapping processes, will inform review planning, and can direct innovation to streamline processes. Future predictions of effort required to complete SRs and maps could be improved if authors provide more details on methods and results.     

The effect of ventilation on spontaneous heating of coal

Ventilation plays an important role in the spontaneous heating of coal in an underground coal mine. If the ventilation rate is too high, heat is carried away by convection. If the ventilation rate is too low, the reaction rate becomes oxygen-limited. The effect of ventilation on the spontaneous heating of coal was investigated in an isothermal oven in this study. Experiments were conducted on three U.S. coal samples with ventilation rates ranging from 100 to 500 cm³/min. Experiments under ventilation were conducted to determine the critical ambient temperature, which is the minimum oven temperature required for a coal sample to achieve thermal runaway. Spontaneous heating tests were then conducted at various ventilation rates at the critical ambient temperature and the results were compared with spontaneous heating tests without ventilation. It was found that there is an optimum ventilation flow to produce the maximum rate of temperature rise at the critical ambient temperature. When the coal sample particle size was increased, a higher critical ambient temperature was required. The results in this study have application in the prevention of spontaneous combustion in underground coal mines.     

超高层住宅楼的内天井尺寸对自然排烟影响的数值模拟研究

火灾时超高层住宅楼的内天井会形成"烟囱效应",烟气可能通过面向内天井的开启窗户进入四周住宅。利用FDS数值模拟的方法研究火源位置、火源功率和内天井的高度、长度对超高层住宅楼内天井自然排烟的影响。研究结果表明:火源位于内天井四周某住宅时,若住宅内喷淋系统有效,内天井四周其它住宅不会达到危险状态。火源位于内天井底部时,4.0MW的火灾可能会使内天井四周其它住宅受到火灾烟气影响,达到危险状态,此时内天井四周其它住宅到达危险时间与内天井高度满足二次增长函数,到达危险时间随高度的增加趋于稳定。内天井长度d存在临界值,d≤10m时到达危险时间与内天井长度满足二次增长函数;d10m时到达危险时间接近稳定值。     

考虑受灾点需求时间窗的应急物资配送车辆路径规划研究

为解决灾后应急物资亟待配送到灾区的现实问题，提高应急物资配送效率，考虑灾区对应急物资的需求紧迫程度的差异，建立软硬时间窗综合约束情况下以应急物资配送的总延迟时间最短、软时间窗的惩罚成本最小、硬时间窗的不满足个数最少为目标的应急物资车辆配送路径方案生成模型。前期对路网数据预处理，形成配送中心到受灾点的多对多时间最短路径集合，后期根据目标和约束进行模型构建，并利用遗传算法求解。引入算例分析对模型的有效性进行验证。结果表明:该模型可综合考虑软硬时间窗的影响，形成高效的应急物资车辆路径配送方案，可对灾后整体的应急方案制定提供帮助，具有较好的可行性和现实意义。     

District heating and ambivalent energy transition paths in urban and rural contexts

ABSTRACT

Most institutions and industrial actors believe that district heating infrastructure can play a key role in accelerating the transition to low-carbon energy systems. In this article we test this belief in Italy, starting from a census of all existing plants, subdivided by sources of supply and business organization models. We isolate two types of district heating (urban and rural) and find that they are different with respect to their approaches to energy transition. In rural areas, networks constitute systems that can empower the local techno-institutional complex to achieve a technological leap. Set in a pre-existing social network, district heating reinforces a sense of community and facilitates the involvement of various local players in a collective project. In the case of biomass, we are faced with local systems that have almost completed the transition with regard to the production of thermal and sometimes electric energy. In urban areas, on the other hand, networks represent functional devices for the stabilization of the techno-institutional complex. They allow cities to work on the circularity of some economies, generating added value from the same factors of production. The discrepancy between urban and rural contexts thus highlights the need to consider the ambivalence of district heating technology.     

Real-time wastewater monitoring as tool to detect clandestine waste discharges into the sewage system

The entry of illegally discharged waste into the sewage system can cause serious damage to sewage pipes and harm the public domain. Besides industrial and communal sources, discharges from clandestine laboratories are of special forensic interest. Aim of this study is to investigate the possibility to detect clandestine discharges of possibly hazardous waste directly at the point of discharge. Tests were performed at a facility where real wastewater was pumped in a controlled way through an open sewage pipe above ground. Chloride, ammonia, pH and conductivity electrodes were investigated for their ability to detect discharges of different types of waste. Waste samples were diluted up to 50 times in a static wastewater environment and pH, conductivity and chloride electrodes were able to distinguish all waste dilutions from blank wastewater. These three electrodes were then used for dynamic tests by placing them inside flowing sewage water and discharging different types of liquid waste ten meters upstream of them. Parameters of the waste discharges like volume, time interval and speed of discharge were varied and the responses of the electrodes were collected. The dynamic tests showed that these three electrodes were able to pick up different waste discharges in a real wastewater environment. It was found that a high sampling rate of the sensors would be required to connect a certain discharge to a specific household connection. These findings highlight the possibility to locate illegal discharges, coming from a variety of sources, using the waste discharge itself.