Investigation of Child Restraint System (CRS) Compatibility in the Vehicle Seat Environment

Objective: Child restraint system (CRS) misuse is common and can have serious consequences to child safety. Physical incompatibilities between CRS and vehicles can complicate the installation process and may worsen CRS misuse rates. This study aims to identify the most common sources of incompatibility between representative groups of CRS and vehicles.

Methods: Detailed dimensional data were collected from 59 currently marketed CRS and 61 late model vehicles. Key dimensions were compared across all 3,599 theoretical CRS/vehicle combinations and the most common predicted incompatibilities were determined. A subset of 34 physical installations was analyzed to validate the results.

Results: Only 58.2% of rear-facing (RF) CRS/vehicle combinations were predicted to have proper agreement between the vehicle's seat pan angle and the CRS manufacturers’ required base angle. The width of the base of the CRS was predicted to fit snugly between the vehicle's seat pan bolsters in 63.3% of RF CRS/vehicle combinations and 62.2% of forward-facing (FF) CRS/vehicle combinations. FF CRS were predicted to be free of interaction with the vehicle's head restraint in 66.4% of combinations. Roughly 90.0% of RF CRS/vehicle combinations were predicted to have enough horizontal clearance space to set the front seat in the middle its fore/aft slider track. Compatibility rates were above 98% regarding the length of the CRS base compared to the length of the vehicle seat pan and the ability of the top tether to reach the tether anchor. Validation studies revealed that the predictions of RF CRS base angle range vs. seat pan angle compatibility were accurate within 6%, and head restraint interference and front row clearance incompatibilities may be more common than the dimensional analysis approach has predicted.

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that RF CRS base angles and front row clearance space, as well as FF CRS head restraint interference, are frequent compatibility concerns. These results enable manufacturers, researchers, and consumers to focus their attention on the most relevant CRS/vehicle incompatibility issues in today's market.     

Low-carbon transition of iron and steel industry in China: Carbon intensity, economic growth and policy intervention

As the biggest iron and steel producer in the world and one of the highest CO₂ emission sectors, China's iron and steel industry is undergoing a low-carbon transition accompanied by remarkable technological progress and investment adjustment, in response to the macroeconomic climate and policy intervention. Many drivers of the CO₂ emissions of the iron and steel industry have been explored, but the relationships between CO₂ abatement, investment and technological expenditure, and their connections with the economic growth and governmental policies in China, have not been conjointly and empirically examined. We proposed a concise conceptual model and an econometric model to investigate this crucial question. The results of regression, Granger causality test and impulse response analysis indicated that technological expenditure can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, and that investment expansion showed a negative impact on CO₂ emission reduction. It was also argued with empirical evidence that a good economic situation favored CO₂ abatement in China's iron and steel industry, while achieving CO₂ emission reduction in this industrial sector did not necessarily threaten economic growth. This shed light on the dispute over balancing emission cutting and economic growth. Regarding the policy aspects, the year 2000 was found to be an important turning point for policy evolution and the development of the iron and steel industry in China. The subsequent command and control policies had a significant, positive effect on CO₂ abatement.     

Diurnal and spatial variations of soil NOx fluxes in the northern steppe of China

NO_x emissions from biogenic sources in soils play a significant role in the gaseous loss of soil nitrogen and consequent changes in tropospheric chemistry. In order to investigate the characteristics of NO_x fluxes and factors influencing these fluxes in degraded sandy grasslands in northern China, diurnal and spatial variations of NO_x fluxes were measured in situ. A dynamic flux chamber method was used at eight sites with various vegetation coverages and soil types in the northern steppe of China in the summer season of 2010. Fluxes of NO_x from soils with plant covers were generally higher than those in the corresponding bare vegetation-free soils, indicating that the canopy plays an important role in the exchange of NO_x between soil and air. The fluxes of NO_x increased in the daytime, and decreased during the nighttime, with peak emissions occurring between 12:00 and 14:00. The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the diurnal variation of NO_x fluxes was positively correlated with soil temperature (P < 0.05) and negatively with soil moisture content (P < 0.05). Based on measurement over a season, the overall variation in NO_x flux was lower than that of soil nitrogen contents, suggesting that the gaseous loss of N fromthe grasslands of northern China was not a significant contributor to the high C/N in the northern steppe of China. The concentration of NO_x emitted from soils in the region did not exceed the 1-hr National Ambient Air Quality Standard (0.25 mg/m³).     

TiO_2光催化技术在饮用水终端深度处理中的应用展望

Ti O2光催化技术作为一种环境友好型污染治理技术,在环保各领域有着广泛的应用前景。本文综合分析了Ti O2光催化技术的发展历程及反应机理,概述了提高Ti O2光催化性能的改性技术及在水处理中的应用,并综述了饮用水终端深度处理技术的研究现状及对Ti O2光催化技术应用于饮用水终端净水处理前景展望。     

不同pH值对磷矿废石磷素浸出特性影响的实验研究

采用EPA 1314pH酸碱预滴定实验和pH浸出实验,研究了pH对磷矿废石磷元素浸出特性的影响,以及磷矿废石的酸碱缓冲容量。实验结果表明:磷矿废石的碱缓冲容量小,pH从8.75上升到13.50消耗了0.1mmol/g的NaOH,磷矿废石酸的缓冲容量较大,pH从5.50到1.00,共消耗2.2mmol/g的H2SO4;浸提液的酸碱性是影响磷矿废石中磷元素浸出的重要参数,酸性条件下很大程度上促进了磷元素的浸出,随着H+离子浓度的增加,总磷浓度随之升高。相反在碱性条件下的反应过程中,OH-阻碍磷元素的浸出,消耗正磷酸根离子和羟基磷酸根离子,使其生成沉淀,有一定的固磷作用,为磷元素的固化提供了更多途径。     

地方政府地震风险预防与应急准备:实践、挑战及对策——基于广东河源市的分析

地震是广东河源市常见的自然灾害,频发的地震和作为城市重大风险源的新丰江水库可能诱发地震的双重影响对河源市地震应急预防准备工作提出严峻挑战,提升河源市政府和相关部门的地震应急能力尤为重要。根据对河源市地震应急预防准备工作现状的实地调研访谈、问卷调查和分析,阐述了河源市在地震应急预防准备工作进行的实践探索、待改善的方面,在借鉴国内外经验基础上,提出了加强和改进河源市地震预防与应急准备工作的对策建议。     

杭州地区大气细颗粒物浓度变化特征分析

利用2012年杭州地区(杭州、桐庐、建德、淳安)大气颗粒物监测仪TEOM1405D的连续观测资料,对该地区PM2.5质量浓度的变化特征及其与气象条件的关系进行了分析研究.结果表明,2012年杭州、桐庐、建德、淳安PM2.5年平均浓度分别为50.0±25.7、46.5±22.0、42.1±21.8、36.9±21.2μg·m-3,空间上呈现至北向南逐渐下降的变化趋势.受边界层高度、降水等气象条件影响,4个站点PM2.5浓度的季节变化基本表现为秋季冬季春季夏季,其中秋、冬季PM2.5超标日数高达80%左右.杭州地区PM2.5日变化呈现明显的双峰型特征,其峰值出现时间与人们的早晚出行高峰有较好的对应关系.对比不同站点PM2.5浓度变化可以看出人口密集城市区域气溶胶浓度要显著高于乡村地区.通过拟合小时平均值最大出现频率得出杭州地区最具代表性大气状态下PM2.5的浓度值为21.2μg·m-3.风向风速与PM2.5浓度的关系表明杭州主要以本地污染为主,桐庐受本地污染和区域输送双重影响,建德主要表现为区域输送.     

抗生素及其抗性基因在环境中的污染、降解和去除研究进展

随着抗生素及其抗菌产品的广泛应用,自然和人工环境中的抗生素残留带来的危害引起人们关注.本文基于最新文献,综述了国内外抗生素及其抗性基因的污染水平和来源、它们之间的关系和传播机理以及这类污染物的降解和去除技术.现有研究表明,抗生素及其抗性基因的污染已遍布水、土壤、大气等介质,而在以污水处理厂和固废填埋场为代表的人工环境中,其污染水平更高.抗生素残留诱导产生抗性基因,其在环境中传播扩散与水平基因转移(Horizontal Gene Transfer,HGT)和微生物群落结构组成有关.抗生素和抗性基因在环境中自然降解过程受基质类型、光照、温度和微生物种群等因素的影响,其中光照是影响其降解的重要因子;而在人工处理系统中,紫外消毒和生化降解对抗生素及其抗性基因有较好的去除效果,但并非全部有效.建议今后加强对特定环境中抗生素和抗生素抗性基因的扩散规律和高效降解去除等方面的机理和工艺研究,进而有效控制其环境含量,降低其污染水平.     

北京10个常绿树种颗粒物吸附能力研究

大气中颗粒物PM(particulate matter)不仅造成环境污染,还对人体造成严重的危害.城市绿色植物作为大气过滤器,能够有效地提高城市空气质量,保护人体健康.因此了解不同树种对空气颗粒物的吸附滞纳作用是必要的.以北京植物园10种常绿植被为研究对象,应用空气气溶胶再发生器(QRJZFSQ-I)测定了北京市常见6种乔木和4种灌木叶片对空气总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)、PM10、PM2.5和PM1.0的吸附能力.结果表明:1不同树种叶片表面附着颗粒物的能力差异明显,最高的是雪松(Cedrus deodara)和油松(Pinus tabuliformis),吸附量分别是(18.95±0.71)μg·cm-2和(14.61±0.78)μg·cm-2,冷杉(Abies fabri)最小,为(8.02±0.4)μg·cm-2;2不同树种叶片单位面积对不同颗粒物的附着能力也存在差异,附着PM10能力最强的是油松和雪松,附着PM2.5能力最强的是雪松、铺地柏(Juniperus procumbens)、龙柏(Juniperus chinensis cv.kaizuka)和油松,附着PM1.0能力最强的是雪松、铺地柏、冷杉和油松;3不同月份叶片上附着的各粒级颗粒物(PM10、PM2.5)占TSP的比例不同.其中PM10在4~6月之间主要表现两种变化趋势,一是先上升后下降,主要为灌木树种;二是逐渐上升,主要的树种是乔木树种.而PM2.5则没有这种明显的变化趋势.