Accidental release: Fuzzy selection of adequate formal model

Risk assessment of a chemical process plant requires the application of a variety of consequence models in order to estimate the potential physical effects of accidental releases. The types of models required vary depending upon the substance under consideration and the circumstances of a release. The objective of this study was the development and application of a system based upon ‘fuzzy logic’, for the selection of a computer model to be used in consequence analysis in specific situations where only certain types of consequence models can be used. The collection of data for modelling purposes from different kinds of computer model and application of fuzzy methods were also important aims of the study.     

Thermal strain in fire fighters while wearing task-fitted versus en 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged rescue drill.

Fire fighters are normally overprotected during their working hours because of the tendency to keep the personal protection level sufficiently high in case of the worst possible scenarios. This study investigated the effects of task-fitted protective clothing on thermal strain in fire fighters as compared to EN 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged (2 1/2 hrs) job-related rescue drill under neutral and hot climates. The subjects were 23 healthy, physically fit professional male fire fighters aged 26-44 years. Measurements included cardiovascular and thermal responses and subjective assessments. Wearing task-fitted clothing during rescue tasks in a neutral climate considerably reduced total thermal and cardiovascular strain in prolonged rescue work. The fire fighters also perceived physical work as significantly harder on average, and reported more intense subjective discomfort while wearing EN 469:2005 as compared to task-fitted clothing.     

Study of organochlorine pollutants in snow at North Pole and comparison to the snow at north, central and south Finland

Organic pollutants, especially polychlorinated hydrocarbons, phenols, guaiacols and catechols have been studied by analyses of snow samples from North Pole, May 1984. All of these pollutants were below the limit of determination which was estimated to be as fallout 0.1–0.05 μg/m² for individual compounds. For comparison, snow samples from Central Finland and South Finland 1983–1985 also showed non-detectable levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons but well measurable levels of chlorophenol compounds which were significantly higher at urban (heavy traffic) than rural and higher at South than Central Finnish places, respectively. One sample from Lapland, North Finland 1985, however, had no measurable amounts of chlorophenols like the North Pole sample.     

Contents of chlordane-, PCB- and DDT-compounds and the biotransformation capacity of fishes in the lake area of eastern Finland

Fish samples (perch, roach, vendace and rainbow trout) from the lake area in castern Finland were found to be contaminated not only with PCB- and DDT-compounds but also with chlordane-compounds. The contents of pollutants were strongly species specific and were studied against the biotransformation capacity of the fishes. No chlordane compounds were found in rainbow trout, which is superior to the other species in its biotransformation capacity.     

Chemical trends in Finnish wildlife: A study on time trends in starlings during 1967–1983

The OECD monitoring programmes 1966–1971 and 1972–1975 have been extended at national level in Finland to 1983 by analysing chlorinated hydrocarbons, mercury and chlorophenols in starlings (terrestrial environment). At the end of the study period levels in fresh muscles were for DDE 10, PCB 30, HCB 1, Lindan 8 and mercury 50 ppb. Of chlordane residues only traces of oxychlordane were found. Ten different chlorophenol compounds were detected at ppb levels, but most of them in only few samples. Pentachlorophenol was most frequently found. Statistical treatment of the analysis results gave some decreasing trends which were very significant for DDE, DDT and PCB 1967–1983, significant for mercury 1967–1983 and somewhat significant for lindane 1978–1983.     

Organic chlorine compounds in lake sediments. III. Chlorohydrocarbons, free and chemically bound chlorophenols

Chlorohydrocarbons and free and chemically bound chlorophenols, catechols and guaiacols were measured from lake sediments in Central Finland. Chlorohydrocarbons occurred at low backround levels except chlorocymenes from pulp mills and PCBs near the city of Äänekoski, where a local leakage occurrs. Free chlorophenols (hexane extractables) were found in all 18 areas studied, but the bound ones (extracted with strong alkali) only in the pulp mill reciepient lakes where they dominated. Preliminary analyses of chemically bound chlorophenols in high molecular fractions of spent bleach liquors and pulp mill effluents indicated that majority of chlorocatechols and guaiacols are bound already in the factory.     

Chloroaromatic pollutants in mussels incubated in two finnish watercourses polluted by industry

Concentrations of different chlorinated compounds were measured in mussels incubated in two polluted watercourses, a river (the River Kymijoki) and a lake (Lake Vanaja) for four weeks in summer 1995. The sum concentrations of polychlorinated phenols (PCP) and biphenyls (PCB) were both about 1 μg/g lipid weight (lw) in Lake Vanaja mussels, while in the River Kymijoki mussels PCPs were non-detectable and PCBs were measured 120 ng/g lIw. The concentrations of toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners ranged between <17 and 370 pg/g Iw in Lake Vanaja mussels and between <38 and 11,000 pg/g lw in the River Kymijoki mussels. Polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDE) were detected in the mussels incubated in the River Kymijoki (0.4–1.1 ng/g Iw), but not in those incubated in Lake Vanaja. Polychlorinated phenoxyanisoles (PCPA) were measured 33 ng/g lw and polychlorinated phenoxyphenols (PCPP) 300 ng/g lw in the mussels incubated in the River Kymijoki. PCPAs were also detected in reference samples, which were sediment and pike from the River Kymijoki and Baltic salmon, seal and white-tailed sea eagle.     

Thermal Strain in Fire Fighters While Wearing Task-Fitted Versus EN 469:2005 Protective Clothing During a Prolonged Rescue Drill

Fire fighters are normally overprotected during their working hours because of the tendency to keep the personal protection level sufficiently high in case of the worst possible scenarios. This study investigated the effects of task-fitted protective clothing on thermal strain in fire fighters as compared to EN 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged (2 1/2 hrs) job-related rescue drill under neutral and hot climates. The subjects were 23 healthy, physically fit professional male fire fighters aged 26–44 years. Measurements included cardiovascular and thermal responses and subjective assessments. Wearing task-fitted clothing during rescue tasks in a neutral climate considerably reduced total thermal and cardiovascular strain in prolonged rescue work. The fire fighters also perceived physical work as significantly harder on average, and reported more intense subjective discomfort while wearing EN 469:2005 as compared to task-fitted clothing.     

Physiological evaluation of chemical protective suit systems (CPSS) in hot conditions.

This job-related experiment investigated physiological strain in subjects wearing impermeable chemical protective suit systems (CPSSs) weighing about 28 kg. Two types of CPSSs were studied: the self-contained breathing apparatus was carried either inside or outside the suit. Eight healthy and physically fit male firefighter instructors aged 32 to 45 years volunteered for the study. The test drill, performed at a dry, windless ta of 40 degrees C, was divided into 2 consecutive work sessions of 14.5 min (a 20-min rest between) including typical operational work tasks. Considerable thermal and maximal cardiovascular strain and intense subjective discomfort measured in the firefighters emphasize the need to limit working time in hot conditions to only 10-12 min while wearing CPSSs. The present results indicate that the exceptionally heavy physical load and psychological stress during operations in chemical emergencies must be considered in the assessment of the cardiovascular capacity of ageing firefighters using CPSSs.     

A baseline study on the concentrations of chlordane-, PCB-and DDT-compounds in Finnish fish samples in the year 1982

113 Fishes (pike, vendace and roach) samples were analyzed for chlordane, PCB-and DDT-compounds. The average concentrations in pike ($\text{Esox lucius}$) muscle tissue in Finnish lakes were 0.05, 0.01 and 0.01 mg/kg wet weight for PCB compounds, total DDT and chlordanes respectively. The results show that chlordanes are evenly distributed in the Finnish environment which indicate that the main part of chlordanes in Finnish fish is due to long range transportation.