Evaluation of the validity of the US EPA's cancer risk assessment of arsenic for low-level exposures: a likelihood ratio approach

Skin cancers associated with ingesting of arsenic have been documented since the 19th century. A study in the southwestern coastal area of Taiwan where people drank well water containing arsenic is generally recognised as providing the best data available for quantifying the risk, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used these data to conduct a risk assessment of arsenic ingestion. However, the lowest exposure category in the Taiwan study included arsenic levels up to 290 µg L^–1, which is nearly six times higher than the current EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL), 50 µg L^–1. Therefore, the EPA risk assessment model extrapolated data on high-level exposures to generate risk estimates for low-level exposures. To evaluate the validity of this model, we conducted a quantitative review of epidemiological studies observing arsenic exposures below 290 µg L^–1. A ratio of the likelihood of the EPA model being inappropriate to that of it being appropriate was calculated for each study population as a measurement of the validity of the EPA model. Although existing human data on low-level exposures are limited, the review suggested that the EPA model is unlikely to be able to predict the risk of skin cancer accurately when the arsenic exposure level is between 170 and 270 µg L^–1.     

土壤水分有效性研究综述

本文对土壤水分有效性的诸多方面，如田间持水量，凋萎湿度，土壤有效水量，土壤水分有效性的经典概念，土壤水分有效性的新概念，以及描述土壤水分有效性的评价标准和方法等，进行了介绍、评述和论述．     

包埋固定化微生物法处理含油废水研究

本研究通过包埋固定化微生物法固定除油菌（Y1’菌），用于处理含油废水，并以水体中乳化油去除率为指标考察了影响乳化油降解的各种因素。选用聚乙烯醇（PVA）-海藻酸钠（SA）复配作为包埋固定化载体材料，制备成固定化微生物小球（IMB），通过实验优化了IMB制备的工艺条件。连续批次除油实验结果表明，在25-40℃，固液比1：10，HRT为6h的条件下，进水油含量在20—50mg／L，乳化油去除率可达85％-90％，出水油含量低于5mg／L。     

Fenton试剂氧化降解聚丙烯酰胺污水及其反应动力学研究

采用Fenton试剂氧化处理聚丙烯酰胺(HPAM)污水取得了良好的效果.通过正交试验得到了Fenton试剂各影响因素的影响权重,并通过单因素实验确定了最佳实验条件.研究了Fenton试剂中各影响因素的作用机制,在最佳实验条件下,HPAM的降解率能达到近89%.针对Fenton试剂氧化处理HPAM的反应特性,深入研究了反应动力学模型,确定反应为一级反应.     

我国新经济开发区水环境规划研究

本义分析了我国新经济开发区水环境规划的特点，提出了规划研究的内容、步骤和方法，给出了水环境承载力的概念和定量方法，并且确定规划方案中的水环境承载力，以此作为协调水环境保护与社会经济发展的理论依据。文中以本溪市经济开发区为例，在综合分析的基础上，制定出开发区水环境综合防治规划，并做了供选方案的费用－效益分析和可行性论证，最后，计算分析了各规划方案的水环境承载力的综合值。     

日本治理“温室效应”研究现状

本文介绍了大气“温室效应”的污染现状，世界各国对治理大气“温室效应”的研究计划与进展，着重介绍了治理“温室效应”的最新技术──超高压脉冲电晕放电分解ＣＯ２技术。     

Evaluation of total volatile organic compound emissions from adhesives based on chamber tests

In 1997, Homeswest in western Australia and Murdoch University developed a project to construct low-allergen houses (LAHs) in a newly developed suburb. Before the construction of LAHs, all potential volatile organic compound (VOC) emission materials used in LAHs are required to be measured to ensure that they are low total VOC (TVOC) emission materials. This program was developed based on this purpose. In recent times, the number of complaints about indoor air pollution caused by VOCs has increased. A number of surveys of indoor VOCs have indicated that many indoor materials contribute to indoor air pollution. Although some studies have been conducted on the characteristics of VOC emissions from adhesives, most of them were focused on VOC emissions from floor adhesives. Few measurements of VOC emissions from adhesives used for wood, fabrics, and leather are available. Furthermore, most research on VOC emissions from adhesives has been done in countries with cool climates, where ventilation rates in the indoor environment are lower than those in Mediterranean climates, due to energy conservation. VOCs emitted from adhesives have not been sufficiently researched to prepare an emission inventory to predict indoor air quality and to determine both exposure levels for the Australian population and the most appropriate strategies to reduce exposure. An environmental test chamber with controlled temperature, relative humidity, and airflow rate was used to evaluate emissions of TVOCs from three adhesives used frequently in Australia. The quantity of TVOC emissions was measured by a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector. The primary VOCs emitted from each adhesive were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The temporal change of TVOC concentrations emitted from each adhesive was tested. A double-exponential equation was then developed to evaluate the characteristics of TVOC emissions from these three adhesives. With this double-exponential model, the physical processes of TVOC emissions can be explained, and a variety of emission parameters can be calculated. These emission parameters could be used to estimate real indoor TVOC concentrations in Mediterranean climates.     

Components and dispersion characteristics of organic and inorganic odorous gases in a large-scale dairy farm

The rapid development of large-scale livestock husbandry has caused serious air pollution problems (e.g., The Tuzuoqi demonstration farm belonging to the Yili Group. The farm is located in the suburb of Hohhot City in northern China). In this study, the gases in typical areas of a large-scale dairy farm were sampled and measured for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia concentrations. Fifty-two species of VOCs were identified. The VOCs emitted from the cowshed mainly consisted of halogenated hydrocarbons (16,960 µg/m³), ketones (15,700 µg/m³), esters (9889 µg/m³), and sulfur compounds (3677 µg/m³). The VOCs from the oxidation pond were mainly composed of halogenated hydrocarbons (21,940 µg/m³) and ketones (3589 µg/m³). The VOCs from the solid–liquid separation tank comprised halogenated hydrocarbons (32,010 µg/m³), ketones (7169 µg/m³), and sulfur compounds (1003 µg/m³). The highest concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were obtained from the milking parlor and solid–liquid separation tank, respectively. The ammonia concentration declined gradually due to the superposition of ammonia emitted from the cowshed and milking parlor. Analysis results of the influences of distance and meteorological factors on the dispersion of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide suggested that the dilution factors decreased with increasing distance from the emission source. Within distance ranges of 0–10 and 10–25 m, the concentration dilution factors were positively correlated with wind speed and temperature but negatively correlated with humidity and atmospheric pressure. The results of our work can provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of odorous gases in large-scale livestock farms.

Implications: Gases in typical areas of a large-scale dairy farm were sampled, and a total of 52 species of VOCs were identified. The highest concentrations of ketones, sulfur compounds, and esters were obtained at the cowshed (15,700, 3677, and 9889 µg/m³, respectively). Within the distance ranges of 0–10 and 10–25 m, the concentration dilution factors were positively correlated with wind speed and temperature.     

Effects of acute postnatal exposure to 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl on sperm function and hormone levels in adult rats

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are considered potential endocrine disruptors due to their ability to act as estrogens, antiestrogens and goitrogens. The aim of this study is to ascertain whether acute postnatal treatment with 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (CB 77) affects sperm function and hormone levels in adult rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received CB 77 by ip injection of 2 or 20 mg/kg at day 21 and sacrificed at day 112. At day 112, right and left testis weights were significantly increased, whereas sperm count, motility, total motile sperm count, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity, straight-line velocity, and beat-cross frequency for motile sperm were significantly decreased in rats treated with 20 mg/kg CB 77. Sperm-oocyte penetration rate was significantly reduced in rats treated with either 2 or 20 mg/kg CB 77. There was high sperm acrosome reaction rate (ARR) in the 20 mg/kg CB 77-treated rats. There was a significant increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone level in the 20 mg/kg CB 77 group. However, no changes were seen in serum testosterone, thyroid hormones, or prolactin concentrations at day 112. In summary, this study showed that postnatal exposure to CB 77 might affect spermatogenesis, motility, ARR, and ability of fertilizing oocytes in mature rats. These results suggest that the sperm functions may be more susceptible or adapt less readily than the thyroid functions to endocrine disruption caused by dioxin-like PCB congeners.     

Effects of organic acids on adsorption of lead onto montmorillonite,goethite and humic acid

Adsorption isotherms for Pb onto six soil components (quartz, feldspar, kaolinite, montmorillonite, goethite and humic acid) were studied. The influence of pH, EDTA and citric acid on the adsorption of Pb onto montmorillonite, goethite and humic acid were considered. Results indicate that the experimental data fit the Langmuir Adsorption Isotherm. The adsorption capacity for Pb at pH 6 was found to be in the order: humic acid (22.7 mg g(-1)) > goethite (11.04 mg g(-1)) > montmorillonite (10.4 mg g(-1)) > kaolinite (0.91 mg g(-1)) > feldspar (0.503 mg g(-1)) > quartz (0.148 mg g(-1)). Generally, the amount of Pb adsorbed onto montmorillonite, goethite and humic acid decreased with increasing concentrations of EDTA and citric acid and with increases in alkality. However, there were two exceptions: (1) addition of citric acid increased the amount of Pb adsorbed onto humic acid; and (2) the amount of Pb adsorbed onto goethite decreased with increasing pH in the presence of EDTA. Some mechanisms involved in the adsorption reactions are discussed.