Are current Chinese national ambient air quality standards on 24-hour averages for particulate matter sufficient to protect public health?

With rapid economic development and urbanization in recent decades, China has experienced the worsening of ambient air quality. For better air quality management to protect human health, Chinese government revised national ambient air quality standards(NAAQS) for particulate matter(PM) in 2012(GB3095-2012). To assess the effectiveness of current NAAQS for PM on public health in Chinese population, we conducted a metaanalysis on published studies examining the mortality risk of short-term exposure to PM with aerodynamic diameters less than 10 and 2.5 μm(PM_(10) and PM_(2.5)) in China. The reported24-hour concentrations of PM_(10) and PM_(2.5) in studies ranged from 43.5 to 150.1 μg/m~3 and 37.5 to 176.7 μg/m~3. In the pooled excess, mortality risk estimates of short-term exposure to PM.In specific, per 10 μg/m~3 increase in PM_(10), we observed increases of 0.40%(95%CI: 0.33%,0.47%), 0.57%(95%CI: 0.44%, 0.70%) and 0.49%(95%CI: 0.40%, 0.58%) in total, respiratory and cardiovascular mortality, per 10 μg/m~3 increase in PM_(2.5), we observed increases of 0.51%(95%CI: 0.38%, 0.63%), 0.62%(95%CI: 0.52%, 0.73%) and 0.75%(95%CI: 0.54%, 0.95%) in total,respiratory and cardiovascular mortality. Finally, we derived 125 μg/m~3 for PM_(10) and 62.5 μg/m~3 for PM_(2.5) as 24-hour recommendation values based on the pooled estimates. Our results indicated that current Chinese NAAQS for PM could be sufficient in mitigating the excess mortality risk from short-term exposure to ambient PM. However, future research on longterm exposure cohort studies in Chinese population is also essential in revising annual averages for PM in Chinese NAAQS.     

Investigating missing sources of glyoxal over China using a regional air quality model (RAMS-CMAQ)

Currently, modeling studies tend to significantly underestimate observed space-based glyoxal(CHOCHO) vertical column densities(VCDs), implying the existence of missing sources of glyoxal. Several recent studies suggest that the emissions of aromatic compounds and molar yields of glyoxal in the chemical mechanisms may both be underestimated, which can affect the simulated glyoxal concentrations. In this study, the influences of these two factors on glyoxal amounts over China were investigated using the RAMS-CMAQ modeling system for January and July 2014. Four sensitivity simulations were performed, and the results were compared to satellite observations. These results demonstrated significant impacts on glyoxal concentrations from these two factors.In case 1, where the emissions of aromatic compounds were increased three-fold,improvements to glyoxal VCDs were seen in high anthropogenic emissions regions. In case 2, where molar yields of glyoxal from isoprene were increased five-fold, the resulted concentrations in July were 3–5-fold higher, achieving closer agreement between the modeled and measured glyoxal VCDs. The combined changes from both cases 1 and 2 were applied in case 3, and the model succeeded in further reducing the underestimations of glyoxal VCDs. However, the results over most of the regions with pronounced anthropogenic emissions were still underestimated. So the molar yields of glyoxal from anthropogenic precursors were considered in case 4. With these additional mole yield changes(a two-fold increase), the improved concentrations agreed better with the measurements in regions of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Yellow River in January but not in July.     

Characterization particulate matter from several Chinese cooking dishes and implications in health effects

Cooking fume produced by oil and food at a high temperature releases large amount of fine particulate matter(PM) which have a potential hazard to human health. This chamber study investigated particle emission characteristics originated from using four types of oil(soybean oil, olive oil, peanut oil and lard) and different kinds of food materials(meat and vegetable). The corresponding emission factors(EFs) of number, mass, surface area and volume for particles were discussed. Temporal variation of size-fractionated particle concentration showed that olive oil produced the highest number PM concentration for the entire cooking process. Multiple path particle dosimetry(MPPD) model was performed to predict deposition in the human respiratory tract. Results showed that the pulmonary airway deposition fraction was the largest. It was also found that particles produced from olive oil led to the highest deposition. We strongly recommend minimizing the moisture content of ingredients before cooking and giving priority to the use of peanut oil instead of olive oil to reduce human exposure to PM.     

Energy-saving benefits from plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: perspectives based on real-world measurements

Promoting plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) is one important option to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants for road transportation sector. In 2015, more than 220,000 new PHEVs were registered across the world, indicating a 25-fold growth during 2011–2015. However, more criticizes have been put forward against the current energy efficiency regulations for vehicles that are mostly depended on laboratory measurements. To better understand the real-world energy-saving and emission mitigation benefits from PHEVs, we conducted on-road testing experiments under various operating conditions for two in-use PHEVs in Beijing, China. Our results indicate that air condition usage, congested traffic conditions, and higher loading mass could significantly increase energy consumption and shorten actual all-electric distance for PHEVs. For example, the worst case (14.1 km) would occur under harshest usage conditions, which is lower by at least 35% than the claimed range over 20 km. In charge sustaining (CS) mode, real-world fuel consumption also presents a large range from 3.5 L/100 km to 6.3 L/100 km because of varying usage conditions. Furthermore, various vehicle users have significantly different travel profiles, which would lead to large heterogeneity of emission mitigation benefits among individual PHEV adopters. Therefore, this study suggests that the global policy makers should use real-world energy efficiency of emerging electrified powertrain techniques as criteria to formulate relevant regulations and supportive policies.     

浅谈煤气化生产过程中硫化氢的控制措施

绘出煤气化生产装置的硫元素平衡图,分析了硫化氢易中毒环节,提出防硫化氢泄漏、中毒的措施,为同行业防止硫化氢泄漏及中毒提供借鉴。     

炼化企业防恐脆弱性评估指标体系构建及评估方法探讨

脆弱性评估是企业防恐风险评估的关键环节。结合炼化企业装置设施特征,建立了以易损性、敏感性、承灾能力以及应急能力等4项一级指标、17项二级指标的防恐脆弱性评估指标体系,采用模糊层次分析法进行了防恐脆弱性半定量化评估,并根据评估结果提出了某炼化企业关键资产的安保策略改进方向。     

基于模糊物元的工业园区空气质量评价模型

针对工业园区空气质量的复杂性和模糊性,利用模糊物元分析理论,结合海明贴近度的概念,建立了一种基于模糊物元的空气质量评价模型。以金山二工区为例,选取《环境空气质量标准》规定的6种主要污染物SO2、NO2、CO、O3、PM10、PM2.5作为评价指标,分析了园区内5个自动监测站2016年7月1日的环境空气质量状况,并与空气质量指数(AQI)技术分析结果作比较。两种方法的评价结果基本一致,与实际状况相符。     

基于DEA和灰色聚类的高层建筑火灾安全评价

为解决高层建筑火灾因素复杂、多元耦合性、模糊性等特征导致难以选择合适方法对其安全进行评价的难题,提出基于DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis)和灰色聚类的高层建筑火灾安全评价模型。首先从防火能力、灭火能力、疏散能力、管理能力4个方面构建高层建筑火灾安全评价指标体系。然后运用数据包络从更加客观的角度计算指标权重值,提高赋权的科学性。最后考虑指标信息不完整性,基于灰色聚类实现对高层建筑火灾安全因素的聚类分析,得出安全等级。运用该模型对郑州正弘高新数码港一期高层建筑火灾安全等级进行评价,认为该建筑安全等级高,应加强对装修材料耐火性、消防水源、疏散宽度、组织能力4个指标的管理,以期提高该建筑火灾安全水平,同时为高层建筑火灾安全评价提供一种新的方法。     

Perceived enjoyment,concentration, intention,and speed violation behavior: Using flow theory and theory of planned behavior

Objective: Road accidents are an important public health concern, and speeding is a major contributor. Although flow theory (FLT) is a valid model for understanding behavior, currently the nature of the roles and interplay of FLT constructs within the theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework when attempting to explain the determinants of motivations for intention to speed and speeding behavior of car drivers is not yet known. The study aims to synthesize TPB and FLT in explaining drivers of advanced vehicles intentions to speed and speed violation behaviors and evaluate factors that are critical for explaining intention and behavior.

Method: The hypothesized model was validated using a sample collected from 354 fully licensed drivers of advanced vehicles, involving 278 males and 76 females on 2 occasions separated by a 3-month interval. During the first of the 2 occasions, participants completed questionnaire measures of TPB and FLT variables. Three months later, participants' speed violation behaviors were assessed.

Results: The study observed a significant positive relationship between the constructs. The proposed model accounted for 51 and 45% of the variance in intention to speed and speed violation behavior, respectively. The independent predictors of intention were enjoyment, attitude, and subjective norm. The independent predictors of speed violation behavior were enjoyment, concentration, intention, and perceived behavioral control.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that safety interventions for preventing speed violation behaviors should be aimed at underlying beliefs influencing the speeding behaviors of drivers of advanced vehicles. Furthermore, perceived enjoyment is of equal importance to driver's intention, influencing speed violation behavior.     

Cretaceous choristoderan reptiles gave birth to live young

Viviparity (giving birth to live young) in fossil reptiles has been known only in a few marine groups: ichthyosaurs, pachypleurosaurs, and mosasaurs. Here, we report a pregnant specimen of the Early Cretaceous Hyphalosaurus baitaigouensis, a species of Choristodera, a diapsid group known from unequivocal fossil remains from the Middle Jurassic to the early Miocene (about 165 to 20 million years ago). This specimen provides the first evidence of viviparity in choristoderan reptiles and is also the sole record of viviparity in fossil reptiles which lived in freshwater ecosystems. This exquisitely preserved specimen contains up to 18 embryos arranged in pairs. Size comparison with small free-living individuals and the straight posture of the posterior-most pair suggest that those embryos were at term and had probably reached parturition. The posterior-most embryo on the left side has the head positioned toward the rear, contrary to normal position, suggesting a complication that may have contributed to the mother’s death. Viviparity would certainly have freed species of Hyphalosaurus from the need to return to land to deposit eggs; taking this advantage, they would have avoided intense competition with contemporaneous terrestrial carnivores such as dinosaurs.