Systems thinking in a gas explosion accident – lessons learned from Taiwan

On July 31, 2014, at around 23:57, several huge explosions occurred that lasted for 2 h in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. As a result of a gas leak from a ruptured underground pipeline, the catastrophic incident destroyed more than 6 km of roads, killed 32 people, injured 321 people, and damaged 3259 buildings. Pipeline explosions have been reported as a repeatedly occurring problem, indicating that (1) complex systems are difficult to manage and control, and (2) humans are unable to effectively learn from experiences of accidents. Initial analyses results reveal that root causes of this incident were a combination of a series of complex chain reactions, which eventually led to propylene leakage and explosion. This is a systematic problem, which can hardly be investigated or analyzed by traditional research approaches. Based on the investigation reports and “systems thinking” method, this study develops causal loop diagrams for the Kaohsiung gas explosion to explore the root causes of the disaster. The research results indicate that (1) this pipeline explosion incident was the result of the chain reactions and was the output of a complex system; (2) the mental model of “production first” and “experience gap” were the root causes of the disaster; and (3) to achieve a higher safety standard, continuous education to improve the mental model of “safety first and safety over production” are essential. The findings of this study may contribute toward the improvement of the standard operating procedure for disaster management and preventing similar incidents in the future.     

顶空固相微萃取-气相色谱法测定水中氯苯类化合物

采用顶空固相微萃取（HS －SPME）技术萃取水中6种氯苯类化合物，全面分析对目标物萃取效率的影响因素，并确定萃取试验的最佳条件。用顶空固相微萃取联合气相色谱法（HS －SPME －GC）测定水中6种氯苯类化合物，方法在0.500 ng／L～2.00×10^5 ng／L范围内线性良好，检出限为0.05 ng／L ～2000 ng／L，空白样品加标回收率为69.8％～121％， RSD为4.8％～18.3％。用该方法测定实际水样，平行双样的相对偏差低于20％。     

气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁质谱测定水中超痕量多氯萘

采用固相萃取法处理水样，气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁质谱法测定水中超痕量多氯萘，同位素内标法定量，并对样品前处理条件和仪器条件进行优化。试验表明：方法在0．500 ng/L～500 ng/L范围内线性良好；当取样体积为1 L时，方法检出限为0．005 ng/L～0．01 ng/L；对实际水样进行2个质量浓度水平的加标回收试验，平行测定6次的 RSD为2．7％～8．7％，回收率为70．2％～110％。方法适用性试验表明，水样中复杂的基质对测定无影响。     

基于BDD考虑共因失效的接触网系统可靠性分析

为分析共因失效对高速铁路接触网系统的影响，将二元决策图(Binary Decision Diagram，BDD)与共因失效理论引入到接触网系统可靠性分析中。利用逻辑相邻优先组合法(Logic Neighbor Priority Connect，LNPC)将高速铁路接触网系统的故障树模型转化为BDD模型并求取其可靠度表达式，利用隐式方法对考虑了共因失效的接触网系统可靠度进行计算，利用MATLAB绘制考虑共因失效和不考虑共因失效情况下接触网系统可靠度变化曲线。研究结果表明:提出的分析方法适用于接触网系统的可靠性分析，为接触网系统的可靠性分析提供了一定的理论依据。     

某城市污水处理厂二期污水处理工程设计研究

详细介绍了某城市第一污水处理厂在现有工程的基础上二期工程的工艺设计以及构筑物、设备参数;二期工程充分利用原有工程场地,本着现有、新建运行管理便捷统一原则,采用改良型A/A/O生化池作为二级处理主体工艺;二期工程投入运营后,某城市污水处理厂达到20×104 m3/d的污水设计规模.最终污水厂出水水质达到了《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB 18918-2002)一级 A排放标准.污水处理厂运营后,经济效益显著,可保本经营,并具有企业自我发展的能力.     

短波长X射线衍射技术及在环境工程中的应用展望

介绍了短波长特征X射线衍射无损检测分析原理和方法,无损地测定了预拉伸铝板、高强钢孔挤压件、铝合金搅拌摩擦焊接件等材料部件的内部残余应力、内部物相、内部织构及其分布,并分析讨论了测试结果。该仪器具有体积小,投资少、使用维护方便等优势,展望了该无损检测分析技术在装备环境工程中的应用前景。     

La3+掺杂对吸附相反应制备TiO2复合催化剂的结晶过程及弱紫外光下活性的影响

利用吸附相反应技术制备弱紫外光响应的高效催化剂,并通过XRD、XPS以及HRTEM探索了不同焙烧温度下La3+掺杂量对TiO2结晶过程的影响.结合弱紫外光下甲基橙的降解反应,深入研究催化剂结晶过程的变化对弱紫外光下催化剂活性的影响.结果表明,La3+掺杂会抑制TiO2的结晶过程.当焙烧温度或者掺杂量较低时,La3+不能进入TiO2的晶格结构但会轻微地抑制TiO2的结晶过程;未进入晶格结构的La3+存在会引入光生载流子的浅能级捕获中心,在弱光体系中极大提升了催化剂的活性.当La3+的掺杂量为0.05%(原子分数)时,经过900℃焙烧后催化剂降解能力最高,其活性超过商用P25的2倍多.在较高La3+掺杂量(超过0.20%)时,900℃焙烧后一定量La3+进入TiO2的晶格结构而大大抑制了TiO2结晶;这种强烈的抑制作用使得催化剂中存在大量无定形结构TiO2,无定形TiO2甚至多于700℃焙烧后的催化剂,反而大大抑制了弱光体系中催化剂活性.     

Application of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for the analysis of selected drug residues in wastewater and surface water

Pharmaceutical residues have become tightly controlled environmental contaminants in recent years, due to their increasing concentration in environmental components. This is mainly caused by their high level of production and everyday consumption. Therefore there is a need to apply new and sufficiently sensitive analytical methods, which can detect the presence of these contaminants even in very low concentrations. This study is focused on the application of a reliable analytical method for the analysis of 10 selected drug residues, mainly from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, clofibric acid, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, caffeine, naproxen, mefenamic acid, ketoprofen, and dicofenac), in wastewaters and surface waters. This analytical method is based on solid phase extraction, derivatization by N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA) and finally analysis by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with Time-of-Flight mass spectrometric detection (GC×GC- TOF MS). Detection limits ranged from 0.18 to 5 ng/L depending on the compound and selected matrix. The method was successfully applied for detection of the presence of selected pharmaceuticals in the Svratka River and in wastewater from the wastewater treatment plant in Brno-Modrice, Czech Republic. The concentration of pharmaceuticals varied from one to several hundreds of ng/L in surface water and from one to several tens of μg/L in wastewater.     

Determination of 4-tert-octylphenol in surface water samples of Jinan in China by solid phase extraction coupled with GC-MS

Octylphenols, considered as xenoestrogens, mainly exist as 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) in aquatic environments. The high stability and accumulation of OP in aquatic systems have caused endocrine disruption. The OP in surface water in Jinan, China was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with solid phase extraction (SPE). Water samples were extracted by SPE on a cartridge system containing C-18 as sorbent. To increase sensitivity and selectivity, OP was derivatized to 4-tert-octyl-phenoxy silane. With the use of phenanthrene-d10 as internal standard, the detection limit based on signal-to-noise ratio (S/N = 3) was 0.06 ng/mL. The average recovery was from 84.67% to 109.7%. The precision of the method given as the relative standard deviations (RSD) was within the range 6.24%-12.96%. In the target water samples, the concentrations of OP were as follows: 15.88-71.24 ng/L for Jinxiuchuan Reservoir, 3.850-26.68 ng/L for the city moat, 6.930-41.56 ng/L for Daming Lake, 66.03-474.2 ng/L for Xiaoqing River, 14.66-17.72 ng/L for the Yellow River, and 10.60-26.43 ng/L for Queshan Reservoir. The Xiaoqing River was seriously polluted due to the discharge of wastewater from Jinan. Jinxiuchuan Reservoir had a higher concentration of OP compared with the Yellow River and Queshan Reservoir, which is ascribed to the surrounding human activities. These data are reported for the first time, providing strong support for the control of OP pollution in Jinan.     

LNAPLs污染物在层状非均质多孔介质中的运移试验研究

文章通过室内试验研究层状非均质多孔介质中轻非水相液体(Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid,LNAPL)的运移机制与分布特性。首先,在二维砂槽上进行LNAPL的入渗试验,试验过程中用数码相机进行拍照,把LANPL的扩散过程以图像的形式记录下来;然后,用AutoCAD对图片进行分析处理,得出不同时刻LNAPL的入渗锋面变化图。结果发现,介质结构突变面改变了LNAPL的迁移模式。在LNAPL由中砂进入细砂层后,由于受到毛细作用的增强,其运移速度加快;而由中砂进入粗砂,受粗砂介质阻滞作用增强的影响,LNAPL运移速度变小。当LNAPL由干砂进入湿润砂体时,由于孔隙水浮托力增大,LNAPL先产生纵向运移,随后以横向迁移的形式在地下水位上部聚积。当达到一定厚度后,LNAPL的压头足以克服浮托力,驱替孔隙水进入砂土孔隙。另外,LNAPL的厚度足够大时,方可克服饱水层受到的浮托力,在地下水位上形成LNAPL池,并因孔隙水向周围砂体排泄,LNAPL池周围的水位上升。