Impact of a proposed revision of the IESTI equation on the acute risk assessment conducted when setting maximum residue levels (MRLs) in the European Union (EU): A case study

ABSTRACT

Proposals to update the methodology for the international estimated short-term intake (IESTI) equations were made during an international workshop held in Geneva in 2015. Changes to several parameters of the current four IESTI equations (cases 1, 2a, 2b, and 3) were proposed. In this study, the overall impact of these proposed changes on estimates of short-term exposure was studied using the large portion data available in the European Food Safety Authority PRIMo model and the residue data submitted in the framework of the European Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) review under Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. Evaluation of consumer exposure using the current and proposed equations resulted in substantial differences in the exposure estimates; however, there were no significant changes regarding the number of accepted MRLs. For the different IESTI cases, the median ratio of the new versus the current equation is 1.1 for case 1, 1.4 for case 2a, 0.75 for case 2b, and 1 for case 3. The impact, expressed as a shift in the IESTI distribution profile, indicated that the 95th percentile IESTI shifted from 50% of the acute reference dose (ARfD) with the current equations to 65% of the ARfD with the proposed equations. This IESTI increase resulted in the loss of 1.2% of the MRLs (37 out of 3110) tested within this study. At the same time, the proposed equations would have allowed 0.4% of the MRLs (14 out of 3110) that were rejected with the current equations to be accepted. The commodity groups that were most impacted by these modifications are solanacea (e.g., potato, eggplant), lettuces, pulses (dry), leafy brassica (e.g., kale, Chinese cabbage), and pome fruits. The active substances that were most affected were fluazifop-p-butyl, deltamethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin.     

基于Hoek Brown强度准则深埋隧道掌子面稳定性分析*

为了研究孔隙水压力作用下深埋隧道掌子面的稳定性，构建了深埋盾构隧道的二维刚性有限平动多块体的破坏模式，并引入了Hoek Brown强度准则。利用极限分析得到掌子面前方土体的内部耗散能和外力做的功，利用Hoek Brown强度准则推导得到极限支护力的目标函数，通过MATLAB数值软件的规划求解得到支护力的解，和既有文献中的成果对比，2种方法得到解的最大误差为6.7%，验证了Hoek Brown强度准则的有效性。对各个岩体参数下深埋隧道掌子面极限支护力的变化规律进行分析，结果表明:深埋隧道掌子面前方的极限支护力随着扰动因子D和孔隙水压力系数ru的增大而增大，随着地质强度指标GSI和参数mi的增大而减小；破坏范围随着参数mi和孔隙水压力系数ru的增大而减小，而随着地质强度指标GSI和扰动因子D的增大而增大。研究结果可为岩质地层中深埋盾构隧道掌子面支护力的设计提供理论依据。     

基于二氧化钛纳米管有序阵列的氢气探测

基于气体传感器对H_2的泄漏进行探测监控,可以有效预防和控制H_2火灾爆炸事故的发生。通过阳极氧化法制备了高度有序的二氧化钛(TiO_2)纳米管阵列并制成气体传感器元器件,研究其在空气气氛中对H_2的气敏特性。通过粉末X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM),透射电子显微镜(TEM)表征手段研究了TiO_2纳米管的相组成和微观结构。TiO_2纳米管具有优异的气敏性能,可在200℃以上对H_2进行有效探测,检测极限达到20ppm。325℃对1 000ppm H_2灵敏度为446,响应时间为2s,对H_2选择性好。     

河湖水系连通研究:概念框架

河湖水系连通已经成为国家江河治理的重大需求,提高国家水资源统筹调配能力、改善河湖健康保障能力、增强抵御水旱灾害能力迫切需要加强河湖水系连通研究,但相关的理论和技术尚处于探索阶段,远远落后于实践。论文根据新形势下保障国家水安全和提高生态文明水平的新要求,讨论了河湖水系连通的概念及内涵,并讨论了河湖水系连通的系统性、复杂性、动态性和时空性等特征,在综合考虑河湖水系连通目标和任务的基础上,提出河湖水系连通战略研究可从机理分析、系统辨识与评价、连通工程规划、系统控制与调整4个方面展开,明确了研究的总体思路,对尺度、过程、格局、功能与控制等研究的基本问题进行了初步讨论。     

Modelling coral reef ecosystems with limited observational data

Ecosystem models represent potentially powerful tools for coral reef ecosystem managers. They can provide insight into ecosystem dynamics not achievable through alternative means allowing coral reef managers to assess the potential outcome of any given management decision. One of the main limitations in the applicability of ecosystem models is that they often require detailed empirical data and this can restrict their applicability to ecosystems that are either currently well studied or have the resources available to collect the required data. This study describes the development of a coral reef ecosystem model that can be calibrated to an ecosystem with limited empirical data. Based on the assumption that coral reef ecological structure is generic across all tropical coral reefs and that the magnitude of the interactions between ecological components is reef specific, the dynamics of the ecosystem can be replicated based on limited empirical data. The model successfully replicated the dynamics of three individual reef systems including an inshore and oceanic reef within the Great Barrier Reef and a Caribbean reef system. It highlighted the importance of understanding the specific dynamics of a given reef and that a positive management intervention in one system may result in a negative outcome for another. The model was also used to assess the importance of various interactions within coral reef ecosystems. It identified the interactions between hard corals and other non-algal benthic components as being an important (but currently understudied) facet of coral reef ecology. The development of this modelling approach provides access to ecosystem modelling tools for coral reef managers previously excluded due to a lack of resources or technical expertise.     

固定源排污许可合规制度研究

固定源合规制度是确保固定源企业将排污许可证中载明的要求得以实施的具体措施和规定,也是将排污许可制度打造为固定源环境管理核心制度的重要环节。本文基于美国固定源合规监管经验和当前国内排污许可实施基础,构建了固定源排污许可合规管理制度。所构建的制度基于整体性治理理论,以固定源企业需提交的排污许可合规报告为主要合规监管环节,将政府部门对于固定源企业的合规监管分为以合规报告为主的书面核查和企业现场核查两个环节,并在整个合规监管过程中贯彻数据管理,设计了企业合规报告、政府核查报告、核查类型及任务、核查评估方法、合规信息公开及违规处罚方式等关键内容,以节省对于固定源企业污染排放合规监管过程的环境执法资源和提升监管效率。     

公交车实际道路颗粒物排放的数浓度特征

为获得城市公交实际道路颗粒物数量排放特性,利用车载排放测试系统(PEMS)在实际道路上对公交车颗粒物排放特征及粒径分布进行了研究. 结果表明:公交车车速低于30 km/h的工况占总工况的78.9%,其中车速小于10 km/h的工况所占比例最大,为33.7%;车速高于40 km/h的工况仅占总工况的2.1%. 利用低压荷电捕集器(ELPI)测试的粒径分布表明,公交车进、出站和稳定车速工况下排放的颗粒物数浓度峰值均出现在粒径为70 nm附近;粒径小于70 nm的颗粒物数浓度在3种不同工况下占颗粒物总数浓度的55.4%～69.7%;粒径大于770 nm的颗粒物非常少,其数浓度占颗粒物总数浓度的比例均小于0.1%.      

叔丁醇燃爆危险性研究

为预防叔丁醇氧化制甲基丙烯酸甲酯工艺过程中燃爆危险的发生,利用11L爆轰管测定不同工况温度、压力条件下,叔丁醇在不同氧含量的氧氮混合气中的爆炸极限,得到不同工况条〖JP2〗件下“叔丁醇-氧气-氮气”混合体系的燃爆区域;针对工艺过程中存在水蒸汽的条件,研究了水蒸汽含量对叔丁醇燃爆的影响。结果表明:叔丁醇在80℃、015MPa,170℃、015MPa,280℃、01MPa条件下的极限氧含量分别为159%、153%和135%;随着水蒸汽含量的升高,叔丁醇爆炸极限范围变小,在80℃、015MPa,170℃、015MPa条件下当水蒸汽含量增加到27%和34%时无燃爆现象发生。     

Impact of drought on the ecological and chemical status of surface water and on the content of arsenic and fluoride pollutants of groundwater in the province of Salamanca (Western Spain)

The impact of drought on the ecological and chemical status of surface and groundwaters of the River Tormes (River Duero basin, northwestern Iberian Peninsula) was studied to evaluate the evolution of the quality of the river during its passage through the city of Salamanca (Spain). The Water Quality Index (WQI) of the river revealed that the drought period of 2005 did not significantly affect water chemical quality. However, during the study period differences were found in surface water ecological quality, using phytoplankton quality as AN indicator. These differences may be accentuated as a result of regulation of the River Tormes by the Santa Teresa reservoir. Arsenic and fluoride concentrations were measured in water wells, finding higher arsenic concentrations after the drought period and no correlation between the arsenic and fluoride contents. The results are useful for an overall understanding of potential impact of climate change on the ecological and chemical status of water in regional systems.     

Multi-temporal land use and cover changing analysis: the environmental impact in Mediterranean area

ABSTRACT

Human activity shapes the levels of anthropogenic pressure that depend on the land management method adopted. This has a fundamental role in the transformation of traditional landscapes. This study focuses on a representative region of the Mediterranean area with the objective to analyse the landscape’s dynamics, to detect the spatial arrangement of class patches, to identify the main agroecosystem characters and to provide a framework to assess ecosystems services. In order to assess land use/land cover changes and landscape persistence, the period between 1960 and 2012 was analysed, taking into consideration the years 1960, 2000 and 2012 using comparable land use maps. Land use and land cover analysis show an urban area growth of 24% during 2000–2012 and of 523% over between 1960 and 2012. The very high levels of land abandonment up to the year 2000 (+7216%) have reversed their trend between 2000 and 2012 (?95%). The orchards showed a relevant increase, particularly after 2000, while the vineyards were linked to the highest value of surface erosion (?74%). The outcomes showed that urban settlements can damage the ecological network with negative effects on the landscape’s environmental sustainability in proximity of significant urban centres. Instead, the ecological network is well preserved and highly associated to the agricultural areas when there is the persistence of many land uses and low urban density, despite the presence of dynamic changes.