Significance of urinary arsenic speciation in assessment of seafood ingestion as the main source of organic and inorganic arsenic in a population resident near a coastal area

In order to characterize the different sources of exposure to arsenic (As), urinary excretion of total As, the sum of inorganic As+MMA+DMA determined by the hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique, and the species As(3), As(5), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and arsenobetaine were determined in 49 workers at a steel foundry, with presumed occupational exposure to As, and 50 subjects from the general population, all males. No evidence of occupational exposure to As resulted from environmental monitoring performed in the foundry, although the analysis of minerals used as raw materials showed the presence of As, particularly in fossils and fine ores. The urinary concentrations of As(3), MMA, DMA, the sum of inorganic As+MMA+DMA and total As were not different in the two groups, while arsenobetaine appeared significantly higher in the controls than in the workers. The different species of urinary As were all significantly correlated. Urinary excretion of As(3) was associated with the consumption of mineral water and with residence in an industrial zone, while MMA, DMA, arsenobetaine, the sum of inorganic As+MMA+DMA and total As urinary excretion were associated with the consumption of crustaceans and/or shellfish 3 days or less before urine collection. Multiple regression analysis confirmed these results. In conclusion, in populations with a high consumption of seafood, living in areas characterized by coastal/marine As pollution, only speciation of As can identify a prevalent role of environmental sources, like the consumption of seafood contaminated by As, in determining urinary As excretion, and exclude an occupational origin of the exposure.     

Assessment of heavy metals phytotoxicity using seed germination and root elongation tests: a comparison of two growth substrates

Seed germination and root elongation test is used to evaluate hazardous waste sites and to assess toxicity of organic and inorganic compounds. Paper substrate, especially circular filter paper placed inside a Petri dish has long been used for this test. Same reports indicate that filter paper might interfere with the toxicity of inorganic substances, especially metal cations. This study evaluate toxicity of Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu on lettuce, broccoli, tomato and radish seed using two bed material: agar and filter paper. The results show that percent germination is not affected by substrates; vice versa, as for root elongation, the test in agar showed to be more sensible than that the one on filter paper. The radical growth inhibition depends on the metal, on the tested concentration and on the species; among the tested metals, cadmium was the one determining the highest toxic effects on different species and lettuce was the plant that suffered more. From the comparison, it is clearly evident the greater sensibility of the test in agar; on the other hand, the lower sensibility of the test on the filter paper might be caused by the partial and not homogeneous exposition of the root to metal cations.     

用汶川8.0级地震及余震序列探讨陕西数字地震台网地震数据处理系统定位稳定性问题

选取了2008年5月12日四川汶川8.0级主震及5月份发生在陕西省M≥2.5级、四川省M≥4.0级余震共60个,利用"十五"地震数据处理系统处理的地震定位结果与四川台网定位结果比较,并参照陕西数字地震台网"九五"与"十五"地震数据处理系统对所选取30个地震定位结果的对比情况,对陕西数字地震台网"十五"地震数据处理系统定位稳定性问题进行探讨.     

室内火灾熄灭临界关系的理论分析

应用熄火热理论,对发生火灾时室内气体的得热和散热进行了详细分析,分别得到了在墙壁热惯性较高和热惯性较低两种情况下的临界熄火关系式.研究表明,墙壁热惯性较大时,室内气体通过墙壁和开口进行对流散热,室内气体得热量越大,或散热量越小,火灾愈难以熄灭;在墙壁热惯性较小时,室内气体只能通过开13与外界气体对流散热,因而室内火灾也更加难以控制.     

上海地区农业气象灾害监测警示系统的研究

上海地区农业气象灾害监不系统是以实时气象数据为基础,根据农业气象灾害指标进行了评判分析,反映了农业气象灾害,接着,基于Activex的Web/GIS平台展示灾害的分布,并通过Internet网络,提供了多用户服务。     

Assessment of urban sustainability efficiency based on general data envelopment analysis: a case study of two cities in western and eastern China

Sustainable urban development focuses on enhancing urban well-being, while also balancing the demands of urban social and economic development, natural resource consumption, and environmental pollution. This work used general data envelopment analysis to assess the urban sustainability efficiency (USE) and sustainability potential (SP) in Lanzhou and Xiamen, two cities that are characteristic of urban areas in western and eastern China. The assessment indicator system included important natural and urban welfare factors as input and output indices, respectively. The results showed that overall urban sustainability efficiency increased in Lanzhou and Xiamen from 1985 to 2010, but that the sustainability of natural resources clearly decreased. The urban sustainability efficiency of Xiamen was higher than that of Lanzhou, and the sustainability potential of Xiamen was lower than that of Lanzhou; this indicates that Xiamen performed better in terms of urban sustainable development. The urban sustainability efficiency in Xiamen has increased with increasing urban population, and the rate and scale of economic development have been higher than in Lanzhou. The assessment and analysis performed in this study show that cities with different natural resources and development characteristics have different forms, patterns, and trajectories of sustainable development.     

气象因子对臭氧的影响及其在空气质量预报中的应用

为提高重庆市臭氧(O_3)预报准确率,利用2013—2015年5—10月O_3监测数据和气象数据,通过主成分分析、逐步回归分析等方法,确定了影响重庆O_3浓度的主要气象因素为最高温度、温差、太阳辐射、降水量、相对湿度、水气压和压差;通过基于O_3污染水平相似的主要气象控制因子筛选和最优组合的预报结果优化方法,提高了O_3预报准确率,使2016年5—8月O_3的AQI类别预报准确率由57.7%增至72.4%,O_3超标的预报准确率由38%增至46%。     

贵州省部分地区土壤中酞酸酯类污染现状调查

对贵州省部分地区表层土壤中酞酸酯类的污染状况进行了调查。分别在遵义地区、黔南地区、黔东南地区和毕节地区采集483个土壤样品分析,结果表明,样品中酞酸酯总质量比(ΣPAEs)为未检出~8.22 mg/kg,均值为0.63 mg/kg。其中DEHP和DBP为主要污染物,均值分别为0.32 mg/kg和0.24 mg/kg,检出率分别为90.89%和97.10%。     

Environmental and biological monitoring of benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural outdoor male workers

To evaluate exposure to benzene in urban and rural areas, an investigation into personal exposure to benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural (roadmen) male outdoor workers was carried out. Personal samples and data acquired using fixed monitoring stations located in different areas of the city were used to measure personal exposure to benzene in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen. Blood benzene, urinary trans-trans muconic acid (t,t-MA) and S-phenyl-mercapturic acid (S-PMA) were measured at the end of work shift in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen and 34 smoker traffic policemen, 21 police drivers and 53 roadmen. Exposure to benzene was similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers and higher among non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Blood benzene, t,t-MA and S-PMA were similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers; blood benzene and t,t-MA were significantly higher in non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Significant increases in t,t-MA were found in smokers vs. non-smokers. In non-smoker urban workers airborne benzene and blood benzene, and t,t-MA and S-PMA were significantly correlated. This study gives an evaluation of the exposure to benzene in an urban area, comparing people working in the street or in cars, to people working in a rural area. Benzene is a certain carcinogen for humans. The results we showed should lead to more in-depth studies about the effects on health of these categories of workers.     

Statistical analysis of heavy metals in Cerastoderma edule glaucum and Venerupis aurea laeta from Ganzirri Lake, Messina (Italy)

Our study was carried out on two species of clams, Venerupis aurea laeta and Cerastoderma edule glaucum, from Ganzirri Lake considered as “environmental biomarkers” for their changes in physiology, morphology or distribution under the influence of substances in the environment. The aim of the present study was to conduct a statistical analysis on Venerupis and Cerastoderma to investigate the difference between the two autochthonous clams according to the presence of metals, and to link metal concentrations to the reproductive cycle of clam during 2009–2010. Metal analysis was carried out with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy and precision were assessed by analyzing the certified standard matrix: mussel tissue NIST SRM 2976. The multivariate analysis was made using the SPSS 13.0 software package for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). In this study, the concentrations of some metals found in clam tissues showed seasonal cycles with higher values in summer than in winter. The significances of metal concentrations differences between Venerupis and Cerastoderma samples were estimated with Mann–Whitney U-test. The concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Mn, Se and Zn show a significant p-level that suggests a difference between the two group samples. Statistical analysis showed that the link of metal concentrations to the reproductive cycles of Venerupis and Cerastoderma was not evident.