Prenatal diagnosis of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung by fetal lung biopsy

A case of type III congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung was successfully diagnosed prenatally by fetal lung biopsy. We performed this procedure at 22 weeks of gestation, using a biopsy gun system under ultrasound guidance. The pregnancy was undisturbed by the procedure but as the condition was incompatible with life, an abortion was performed. The diagnosis was confirmed at post-mortem examination. Fetal lung biopsy appears to be a useful method for prenatal diagnosis of fetal lung disorders.     

Distribution of airborne particles from multi-emission source

The purpose of this work was to study the distribution of airborne particles in the surroundings of an iron and steel factory in southern Finland. Several sources of particulate emissions are lying side by side, causing heavy dust loading to the environment. This complicated multi-pollutant situation was studied mainly by SEM/EDX methodology.Particles accumulated on Scots pine bark were identified andquantitatively measured according to their element content,size and shape. As a result, distribution maps of particulateelements were drawn and the amount of different particle typesalong the study lines was plotted. Particulate emissions fromthe industrial or energy production processes were not themain dust source. Most emissions were produced from theclinker crusher. Numerous stockpiles of the industrial wastesand raw materials also gave rise to particulate emissions as aresult of wind erosion. It was concluded that SEM/EDXmethodology is a useful tool for studying the distribution ofparticulate pollutants.     

Status of air pollution in Beijing

A study has been made on elements organic constituents, TSP, SO2,NO2 of atmospheric pollutants in Beijing. 17 elements, and some PAHs, e. g. B(a)P, B(b, j, k)P, and B(g, h, i)P, in airborne particles by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and HPLC, GC/MS, have been determined respectively. It has been shown that the elements Pb, Zn, S and Cu were more enriched in fine particles and different valence states of sulfur at various sites. It was found that the concentrations of S6+ and S2-were more than 85% and less than 15% of the total sulfur respectively. Concentrations of major PAHs and sulfur-containing compounds increased in winter and in urban area. High values for Pb and Zn in city, Fe and Mn at industrial area and Cu, Al rural sites were obtained respectively. This implies the functions of different elemental sources of various sites. Thus, elements can be from distingushed anthropogenic and natural sources.The main contribution of SO2 was found of to have same seasonal variation as the anthropogenic el     

Decomposition of dichloromethane and in situ alkali absorption of resulting halogenated products by a packed-bed non-thermal plasma reactor

For an effective decomposition and removal of organic halogenated compounds, a packed-bed non-thermal plasma reactor with in situ absorption of the resulting halogenated products by alkaline sorbent incorporated was proposed. In the plasma reactor, α-Al₂O₃ particles of 1 and 3 mm (mean particle diameter) were packed as solid dielectric medium to enhance the plasma power density in the reactor. Further, alkaline sorbent of Ca(OH)₂ was doped onto the surface of α-Al₂O₃ particles, in order to remove halogenated products by in situ absorption with Ca(OH)₂. A high-voltage and high-frequency pulsed power of −15 to 15 kV and 1 kHz was applied to the wire electrode of the plasma reactor by means of a DC power source. In the present study, as the sample of an organic halogenated compound that is most popularly used, we selected dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂), and 500 ppm of the initial concentration of CH₂Cl₂ was fed into the reactor accompanied by air at a fixed flow rate of 500 × 10⁻⁶ m³ min⁻¹ at room temperature. As a result, it was recognized that the amount of CH₂Cl₂ decomposed by non-thermal plasma in an α-Al₂O₃ particle bed increased with an increase in plasma input power. The ratio of decomposition of CH₂Cl₂ was almost 100% at 13 kV of electric power and 1 kHz frequency, and CO₂, CH₃Cl, COCl₂, HCl, and Cl₂ were observed as the major reaction products. On the other hand, when CH₂Cl₂ was introduced into the plasma reactor where α-Al₂O₃ particles doped with Ca(OH)₂ were packed, the ratio of decomposition of CH₂Cl₂ became higher, compared to the case that α-Al₂O₃ particles were not doped with Ca(OH)₂. Moreover, there were no halogenated by-product gases detected in the outlet gas from the reactor. As the solid reaction products, CaClOH and Ca(ClO)₂·4H₂O were detected on Ca(OH)₂ by X-ray diffraction. From these findings, it was recognized that CH₂Cl₂ was decomposed more effectively without producing unwanted harmful halogenated by-products in the proposed non-thermal plasma reactor where α-Al₂O₃ particles doped with Ca(OH)₂ sorbent were packed.     

FCR多级接触氧化系统处理乳品工业废水的研究

为提高乳品工业废水生物处理的去污脱氮能力,以新型螺旋状纤维填料作为载体,采用多级氧化槽内不同种类微生物形成的食物链系统（food chain reactor）,详细考察了不同水力停留时间COD、TN、NH^＋₄-N、TP等的去除率及其去除机理,并对污泥减量化效果进行了初步探讨.结果表明,当进水COD为842～1 843 　mg/L、TN为36.3～92.2 　mg/L、NH^＋₄-N为30.1～52.1 　mg/L,HRT=6　h时,系统COD的平均去除率达到93.3%;TN和NH⁺₄-N的去除效果显著,其平均去除率分别达到73.3%和80.7%,出水COD、TN、NH⁺₄-N平均值分别为79.4　mg/L、9.6 　mg/L、6.1　mg/L,均低于《污水综合排放标准》（GB 8978-2002）的一级标准.该系统不仅具有较高的去污脱氮效果,而且产生的剩余污泥量极少,其污泥产率的平均值为7.7%.该系统运行费用低,操作管理方便,长期运行稳定,可应用于城市污水、中高浓度有机废水（如餐厅污水、食品工业废水）等的处理.     

Impacts of converting from leaded to unleaded gasoline on ambient lead concentrations in Jakarta metropolitan area

Total suspended particulate mater （TSP） concentrations were monitored for one year from July 2000 and for one year from April 2003 in Jakarta City. Thirteen elemental TSP components, aluminum （Al）, sodium （Na）, iron （Fe）, lead （Pb）, potassium （K）, zinc （Zn）, titanium （Ti）, manganese （Mn）, bromine （Br）, copper （Cu）, chromium （Cr）, nickel （Ni）, and vanadium （V） were analyzed by a sequential X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Al, Na, Fe, K, and Pb were major components at most of the sampling locations in 2000. However, only Pb in 2003 dramatically decreased to one tenth. The phase-out of leaded gasoline began on July 1, 2001 in Jakarta City and lead content in gasoline decreased to one tenth, too. The decrease in Pb concentration was a result of the phase-out of leaded gasoline, as lead emissions mainly are exhaust gas from vehicles.     

Extraction of raw sewage sludge containing iron phosphate for phosphorus recovery

The objective of the present study was to establish an alkali extraction technology for FePO₄-containing sewage sludge obtained from a wastewater treatment system that includes phosphorous removal by iron electrolysis. By clarifying the extraction properties of phosphorous, organic matter, and inorganic matter, conditions for alkali extraction were optimized. As a result, it was suggested that unheated phosphorous extraction would be superior for FePO₄-containing sewage sludge. And, extraction methods and sewage sludge properties were also compared, and the noteworthy result that extraction of metals can be suppressed to extremely low amounts with alkali extraction as compared with acid extraction was obtained. A new insight was also gained that, as compared with the use of incinerated ash reported in previous studies, alkali extraction was more efficient when raw sewage sludge was used.     

Deleterious effects in mice of fish-associated methylmercury contained in a diet mimicking the Western populations' average fish consumption

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin, and human beings are mainly exposed to this pollutant through fish consumption. Only a few contradictory epidemiological studies are currently available examining the impact of fish consumption on human populations. In the present study, we wanted to address whether a diet mimicking the fish consumption of Western populations could result in observable adverse effects in mice, and whether beneficial nutriments from fish were able to counterbalance the deleterious effects of MeHg, if any. In Europe and the United States, fish consumption varies widely between countries, from 11 to 100 g fish/day. A mid-range value of 25 g fish/day corresponds to a fish contribution to the total diet of 1.25% on a dry weight basis. We decided to supplement a vegetarian-based mouse diet with 1.25% of lyophilized salmon flesh (SAL diet), or 1.25% of a blend of lyophilized cod, tuna, and swordfish (CTS diet). Total mercury contents were 1.15±0.15, 2.3±0.1 and 35.75±0.15 ng Hg/g of food pellets for the control, SAL and CTS diets, respectively. After two months feeding, the CTS diet resulted in significant observable effects as compared to the control and SAL diets, encompassing decreased body growth, altered behavioral performance and increased anxiety level, modification of mitochondrial respiratory protein subunit concentrations in kidney and brain structures, modified gene expression patterns in kidneys, liver and muscles, and a decrease of dopamine concentrations in the hypothalamus and striatum. Our findings have health implications, firstly because 1.25% of CTS flesh in the diet corresponds to an average exposure to MeHg below the WHO provisory tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) (1.6 μg MeHg/kg of body weight/week), and secondly because many people in Western populations, among them women of child-bearing age, are exceeding the PTWI value (for instance, 35% of the French population inhabiting the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts).