A two-stage cyclone using microcentrifuge tubes for personal bioaerosol sampling

Personal aerosol samplers are widely used to monitor human exposure to airborne materials. For bioaerosols, interest is growing in analyzing samples using molecular and immunological techniques. This paper presents a personal sampler that uses a two-stage cyclone to collect bioaerosols into disposable 1.5 ml Eppendorf-type microcentrifuge tubes. Samples can be processed in the tubes for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or immunoassays, and the use of multiple stages fractionates aerosol particles by aerodynamic diameter. The sampler was tested using fluorescent microspheres and aerosolized fungal spores. The sampler had first and second stage cut-off diameters of 2.6 microm and 1.6 microm at 2 l min(-1)(geometric standard deviation, GSD = 1.45 and 1.75), and 1.8 microm and 1 microm at 3.5 l min(-1)(GSD = 1.42 and 1.55). The sampler aspiration efficiency was >or=98% at both flow rates for particles with aerodynamic diameters of 3.1 microm or less. For 6.2 microm particles, the aspiration efficiency was 89% at 2 l min(-1) and 96% at 3.5 l min(-1). At 3.5 l min(-1), the sampler collected 92% of aerosolized Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium chrysogenum spores inside the two microcentrifuge tubes, with less than 0.4% of the spores collecting on the back-up filter. The design and techniques given here are suitable for personal bioaerosol sampling, and could also be adapted to design larger aerosol samplers for longer-term atmospheric and indoor air quality sampling.     

可张孔曝气器曝气能耗试验研究

通过试验研究，总结出可张孔曝气阻力损失的影响因素，以优化产品的结构设计参数，降低产品在工程应用中的能耗，获取更好的经济效益。     

Changes in plasma thyroid hormones and cortisol levels in crucian carp (Carassius auratus) exposed to the extracted microcystins

The endocrine response of crucian carp injected intraperitoneally with extracted microcystins (MC) was investigated in this study. Fish were injected intraperitoneally either with 0.75% NaCl (control) and Microcystis extract corresponding to 150 and 600 microg microcystins per kg body weight. The plasma levels of triiodothyronine (T(3)), thyroxine (T(4)), free triiodothyronine (FT(3)), free thyroxine (FT(4)), and cortisol were determined at 0, 1, 3, 12, 24, and 48h post-administration of MC-containing extract. Treated fish displayed abnormal behaviors, such as a startle response and disoriented swimming, as well as changes in ventilation rates. Plasma cortisol concentrations of fish in both dose groups significantly increased after administration of extracted MC and remained high throughout the experiment, which suggested that MC elicited a stress response in treated fish. The profiles of cortisol changes in treated fish appeared to be dose dependent, indicating that fish in the high dose group experienced greater MC-induced disturbance. Mortality occurred after 12h in the high dose group. Plasma levels of T(4), T(3), FT(4), and FT(3) did not vary significantly between the control fish. In contrast to this, fish exposed to MC-containing extract showed significant declines in T(3), FT(4), and FT(3) levels in a dose-dependent manner throughout the experiment. Plasma T(4) levels, however, did not vary significantly in the low dose group, whereas they decreased significantly at 48h post injection in the high dose group. This study demonstrates that administration of microcystins-containing extract causes a stress response and reduces the plasma levels of thyroid hormones in crucian carp. These results illustrate that microcystins exerted potent effects on the endocrine system of crucian carp, through activating their hypothalamus-pituitary- interrenal axis and disturbing thyroid function.     

The ageing effect on the bioaccessibility and fractionation of arsenic in soils from China

Ingestion of contaminated soil has been recognized as an important exposure pathway of arsenic for humans, especially for children through outdoor hand-to-mouth activities. An improved sequential extraction procedure was employed in an attempt to reveal the relationship between bioaccessibility and fractionation of As in five soils from China. Arsenic bioaccessibility in acidic ( approximately pH 4.5) soils reached approximately stable levels after a sharp decline within one week of ageing. In contrast, As bioaccessibility in higher pH (>6.0) soils was found to be significantly higher and took two weeks of ageing to reach stable levels. The artificially added As was more labile than indigenous As. The main proportions of added As were found in the specifically sorbed and amorphous and poorly-crystalline hydrous Fe/Al oxide-bound fractions. Correlation analysis shows that the non-specifically and specifically sorbed As are likely to constitute the main proportion of bioaccessible soil As. The soil content of amorphous and crystalline Fe/Al oxides and soil pH appear to be the key factors controlling, not only the time needed to reach a steady state, but also the magnitude of the bioaccessibility of As added to the soils.     

警用头盔的人机工程学分析

警用头盔是武警部队使用最为频繁的单兵防护用具，本文基于人机工程学的理论，用人机工程学的观点对武警部队现装备的警用头盔进行分析和探讨，提出解决途径的设想，展望警用头盔的发展前景。     

Estimation of waste generation from floods

A framework of correlation for estimating the amount of waste generation from floods is developed. Flood waste data were collected from four recent typhoons in Taiwan. Parameters affecting the flood waste are analyzed. Population density, flooded area and amount of total rainfall are chosen as the correlating parameters for the model development, and regression diagnostics are performed to check the validity of the collected data. The simple linear model is shown to be incapable of correlating the flood waste data. An exponential model is proposed and shown to give acceptable correlation with the flood waste data spanning five orders of magnitude. The model can be useful in the planning of waste cleanup after floods.     

Seasonal variations in microcystin concentrations in Lake Taihu, China

An enzyme-limited immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to monitor spatial and temporal variation of microcystins (MCs) in Lake Taihu. MC concentrations were higher in summer and autumn than in other seasons. Maximal MC concentration was 15.6 mug L(-1). Compared to central Lake Taihu and Wuli Bay, Meiliang Bay had higher MC concentrations due to high biomass of Microcystis.