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.     

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.     

亲水性多孔载体在流化床中的生物膜形成过程分析

采用实验制备的一种新型亲水性多孔聚合物作为流化床反应器中生物膜附着生长的载体,实现流态化水力条件下的生物挂膜过程.在3个结构尺寸相同的流化床反应器中考察了接种污泥浓度、进水有机负荷及载体粒径对亲水性多孔载体生物挂膜量的影响,试验结果表明,接种污泥浓度为30 g VSS/L、进水TOC值为350 mg/L、载体粒径为5～8 mm时载体表面的附着生物量最大,反应器运行12 d的载体附着生物量达到4.45 g VSS/L,膜结构稳定,表现出较活性污泥法更高的活性.在进水TOC、氨氮浓度分别为350 ms/L、50 mg/L,HRT为6 h的情况下,两者的去除率分别达到了97.1%和64.3%,表明载体上的生物膜对污水中TOC及氨氮的去除表现出高效率.挂膜后载体表面上的微生物以丝状菌为主,孔壁上的微生物以球菌和杆菌为主要生物相,证明载体内外表面皆适宜微生物的生长,并且形成合理的生物相分布.     

由粉煤灰合成单一的沸石及其对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附研究

以粉煤厌为原料采用两步法合成了2种单一沸石矿物种的NaA和NaX型沸石,并对产物的结构和性能进行了详细表征.2种沸石产物的吸附性能比较结果表明,NaA型沸石优于NaX型沸石.在静态吸附条件下,研究了NaA型沸石吸附水溶液中Cr(Ⅵ)的相关参数(溶液pH值、吸附温度和吸附时间),并用Langmuir和Freundlich等温吸附线对吸附结果进行拟和.结果表明:Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附行为符合Langmuir方程;饱和吸附量为47.78 mg/g.NaA型沸石对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附是物理和化学吸附两种行为共同作用的结果.     

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.