美国马库斯油品和化学品公司聚乙烯石蜡装置爆炸火灾事故

描述了马库斯(Marcus)油品和化学品公司聚乙烯石蜡加工装置发生的爆炸和火灾事故的过程,给出了美国化学安全和危险调查委员会(CSB)的检测结果,分析了事故的原因,指出了应该吸取的事故教训.     

陕西苹果果区冰雹灾害分布特征及风险区划

选取陕西省1961-2010年气象观测站冰雹观测数据,分析38个苹果基地县冰雹的时空分布特征,结合基础地理信息数据、社会经济统计数据和历史灾情等方面资料,基于自然灾害风险形成原理,从致灾因子危险性、承灾体易损性以及防灾减灾能力3个方面,构建陕西苹果冰雹灾害风险评估模型,利用GIS技术完成陕西苹果果区冰雹灾害风险区划。结果表明:1陕西苹果果区冰雹北多南少,高原和高山多于平川、盆地;延安、渭北西部果区多于渭北东部、关中西部果区;1970-1980年代是冰雹高发期且波动较大,1990年以后有所减少;降雹随季节变化明显,夏季冰雹日数最多,春秋次之;冰雹日变化呈单峰型,14∶00-19∶00是陕西苹果果区降雹的高峰时段,出现频次为78.7%。2陕西苹果果区冰雹灾害重度风险区主要分布在延安中西部,该区年平均雹日约2 d;中度风险区主要包括韩城、合阳、澄城、蒲城、富平北部、耀州区、淳化、彬县、长武大部及其北部所有非重度风险区,该区年平均雹日1~2 d;轻度风险区主要分布在关中西北部及东部部分地区,该区年平均雹日不足1 d。     

Dissipation of difenoconazole in apples used for production of baby food

Dissipation of fungicide difenoconazole (3-chloro-4-[(2RS,4RS;2RS,4SR)-4-methyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-yl]phenyl 4-chlorophenyl ether) was studied following its application on apples intended for production of baby food. The apples (varieties: Jonagold Decosta, Gala and Idared) were sprayed with the formulation to control pathogens causing fungal diseases: powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha ELL et Ev./Salm.) and apple scab (Venturia inaequalis Cooke/Aderh.). A validated gas chromatography-based method with simultaneous electron capture and nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC-ECD/NPD) was used for the residue analysis. The analytical performance of the method was highly satisfactory, with expanded uncertainties ≤ 19% (a coverage factor, k = 2, and a confidence level of 95%). The dissipation of difenoconazole was studied in pseudo-first-order kinetic models (for which the coefficients of determination, R², ranged between 0.880 and 0.977). The half-life of difenoconazole was 12–21 days in experiments conducted on three apple varieties. In these experiments, the initial residue levels declined gradually and reached the level of 0.01 mg kg^?1 in 50–79 days. For the residue levels to remain below 0.01 mg kg^?1 (the maximum acceptable concentration for baby foods), difenoconazole must be applied approximately 3 months before harvest, at a dose of 0.2 L ha^?1 (50 g of an active ingredient per ha).     

Effect of 3 years' free-air exposure to elevated ozone on mature Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) needle epicuticular wax physicochemical characteristics

We examined the effect of ozone (O₃) on Norway spruce (Picea abies) needle epicuticular wax over three seasons at the Kranzberg Ozone Fumigation Experiment. Exposure to 2× ambient O₃ ranged from 64.5 to 74.2 μl O₃ l⁻¹ h AOT40, and 117.1 to 123.2 nl O₃ l⁻¹ 4th highest daily maximum 8-h average O₃ concentration. The proportion of current-year needle surface covered by wax tubes, tube aggregates, and plates decreased (P = 0.011) under 2× O₃. Epistomatal chambers had increased deposits of amorphous wax. Proportion of secondary alcohols varied due to year (P = 0.004) and O₃ treatment (P = 0.029). Secondary alcohols were reduced by 9.1% under 2× O₃. Exposure to 2× O₃ increased (P = 0.037) proportions of fatty acids by 29%. Opposing trends in secondary alcohols and fatty acids indicate a direct action of O₃ on wax biosynthesis. These results demonstrate O₃-induced changes in biologically important needle surface characteristics of 50-year-old field-grown trees.