Temporal variability of the elemental composition in urban street dust

Urban Street dust is recognized as a source of urban air and runoff degradation. This paper takes a preliminary step toward a better understanding of temporal variability in street dust chemistry and of the controlling mechanisms. Street dust samples, collected over four seasons in the city of Hamilton, Canada, show a variability dependent on element and source-anthropogenic sources exhibiting the greatest temporal variability. In addition, elements attributed to common sources exhibit similar temporal patterns. The use of generic or even one-time samples may seriously misrepresent the elemental make-up of urban street dust. Based on the samples collected in this study, a number of questions/insights are posed to further the study of street dust temporal variability.     

Breaking rules for the right reasons? An investigation of pro‐social rule breaking

Pro‐social rule breaking (PSRB) is a form of constructive deviance characterized by volitional rule breaking in the interest of the organization or its stakeholders. Over the course of three studies, we developed a generalizable measure of PSRB and placed it in a nomological network with personality, workplace perceptions, counterproductive behaviors, and task and contextual performance ratings made by supervisors and coworkers. Results indicate that PSRB is negatively related to task performance ratings across both sources despite its pro‐social motivation intended to help the organization. Potential directions for future research concerning reactions to constructive deviance are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pesticide residues in soils, sediments, and vegetables in the Red River Delta, northern Vietnam

This study assessed pesticide residues in soils, sediments, and vegetables in the Xuan Khe and Hop Ly communes located along the Chau Giang River in the Red River Delta, northern Vietnam. Samples were collected from agricultural areas within and outside of embankments built to prevent flooding. In Xuan Khe, the soils outside of the embankment were more clayey with higher organic matter contents compared with the inside, due to selective deposition during river flooding. Many of the soils contained significant amounts of pesticides including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dicofol, isoprothiolane, and metalaxyl although their levels were below the maximum allowable concentration set by the Vietnamese government. The spectrum of DDT derivatives found suggested that the source of DDTs was not contaminated dicofol. Soils in Hop Ly resembled soils in Xuan Khe but were relatively sandy; one field showed appreciable contents of DDT derivatives. The ratios of (p,p ^′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene + p,p ^′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane)/∑DDT in the surface and subsurface soils in Hop Ly were 0.34 and 0.57, suggesting that the DDTs originated from recent application. Pesticide residues in soils were not likely to translocate into vegetable crops, except for metalaxyl. High concentrations of cypermethrins in kohlrabi leaves could be ascribed to foliar deposition.     

Biomarker responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Peromyscus leucopus</Emphasis> exposed to lead and cadmium in the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District

Biomarker responses and histopathological lesions have been documented in laboratory mammals exposed to elevated concentrations of lead and cadmium. The exposure of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) to these metals and the potential associated toxic effects were examined at three contaminated sites in the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District and at a reference site in MO, USA. Mice from the contaminated sites showed evidence of oxidative stress and reduced activity of red blood cell δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD). Histological examinations of the liver and kidney, cytologic examination of blood smears, and biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and DNA damage failed to show indications of toxic effects from lead. The biomagnification factor of cadmium (hepatic concentration/soil concentration) at a site with a strongly acid soil was 44 times the average of the biomagnification factors at two sites with slightly alkaline soils. The elevated concentrations of cadmium in the mice did not cause observable toxicity, but were associated with about a 50% decrease in expected tissue lead concentrations and greater ALAD activity compared to the activity at the reference site. Lead was associated with a decrease in concentrations of hepatic glutathione and thiols, whereas cadmium was associated with an increase. In addition, to support risk assessment efforts, we developed linear regression models relating both tissue lead dosages (based on a previously published a laboratory study) and tissue lead concentrations in Peromyscus to soil lead concentrations.     

Recovery of uranium phosphate by a stepwise thermal treatment of uranium-bearing spent TBP

A stepwise thermal treatment process for the recovery of uranium phosphate from uranium-dissolved spent TBP was demonstrated. The pathway of the reactions involved in the thermal decomposition and oxidation processes of uranium-bearing spent TBP was established based on the results of thermogravimetric analyses. Relatively low-temperature pyrolysis is required to avoid the condensation of corrosive phosphoric acid via vaporization. Low-temperature pyrolysis residue was analyzed and found to be composed of pyrocarbon, phosphorus oxide (P₂O₅) and two types of uranium phosphate (UP₂O₇ and UP₄O₁₂). Uranium pyrophosphate (UP₂O₇) was recovered from the burning out of pyrocarbon in the pyrolysis residue after the dissolution removal of phosphorus oxide in water. A substantial recovery of uranium by the proposed stepwise thermal treatment method was successfully demonstrated by a treatment of pyrolysis residue from a bench-scale low-temperature pyrolysis process.     

Comparative lipid dynamics of euphausiids from the Antarctic and Northeast Pacific Oceans

To better understand the feeding and reproductive ecology of euphausiids (krill) in different ocean environments, lipid classes and individual lipid components of four different species of euphausiids from Northeast Pacific (temperate species) and Southern Ocean (Antarctic species) were analyzed in animals from multiple life stages and seasons. The dominant krill species in the Northeast Pacific Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera, were compared to the two major Antarctic species, Euphausia superba and E. crystallorophias. Analysis comprised total lipid and lipid classes together with individual fatty acid and sterol composition in adults, juveniles, and larvae. Antarctic krill had much higher lipid content than their temperate relatives (10–50 and 5–20% of dry mass for Antarctic and temperate species, respectively) with significant seasonal variations observed. Phospholipids were the dominant lipid class in both temperate krill species, while neutral storage lipids (wax esters and triacylglycerols for E. crystallorophias and E. superba, respectively) were the major lipid class in Antarctic krill and accounted for up to 40% of the total lipid content. Important fatty acids, specifically 16:0, 18:1ω9, 20:5ω3, and 22:6ω3, were detected in all four krill species, with minor differences between species and seasons. Detailed lipid profiles suggest that krill alter their lipid composition with life stage and season. In particular, larval Antarctic krill appear to utilize alternate food resources (i.e., sea-ice associated organisms) during austral winter in contrast to juveniles and adults (i.e., seston and copepods). Lipid dynamics in krill among krill in both systems appear closely linked to their life cycle and environmental conditions including food availability, and can provide a more complete comparative ecology of euphausiids in these environmentally distinct systems.     

Fractionation of heavy metals in runoff and discharge of a stormwater management system and its implications for treatment

A stormwater management system utilizing the mechanisms of sedimentation and filtration/infiltration was developed and constructed for the immobilization of suspended solids and heavy metal constituents （Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Cd, Ni） in runoff. Monitoring took place between May 2010 and November 2012 on a total of 24 storm events. This research on the fractionation of heavy metals in runoff and discharge of a stormwater system provided insight on the actual efficiency of the system and determined the implications for treatment of the particulate-bound and dissolved heavy metals in runoff. Results revealed that the partitioning of heavy metal load in runoff in either dissolved or particulate-bound were influenced by flow rate and total suspended solids load, and evident in high-intensity storm （rainfall-runoff event）. On the other hand, the partitioning of heavy metal load discharge from the stormwater system was more apparent during the early period of discharge having higher variability in dissolved than particulate-bound heavy metal. Findings revealed that fractionation of heavy metals played an important role in the performance of the stormwater system; thus, must be considered in designing stormwater systems. For the stormwater system to be effective, it is recommended to design the system treating not only the early period of a storm （first flush criteria） rather until the peak part of the hydrograph （high flow rate where partitioning was greatest） from a load basis.     

Comparison of epidemiology and injury profile between vulnerable road users and motor vehicle occupants in road traffic fatalities

Objective: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a major global health issue causing a global burden of mortality and morbidity. Half of all fatalities on the world’s roads are vulnerable road users (VRUs). The targeted intervention strategies based on fatality analysis focusing on VRUs can effectively contribute to reducing RTIs. This study aimed to compare VRUs and motor vehicle occupants (MVOs) in terms of epidemiology and injury profile.

Methods: We utilized a nationwide, prospective database of RTI-related mortality cases for patients who visited 23 emergency departments between January 2011 and December 2015. All fatalities due to RTIs in the prehospital phase or in-hospital were eligible, excluding patients with unknown mode of transport and those admitted to general wards. The primary and secondary outcomes were fracture injuries and visceral injuries diagnosed using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). We compared fracture injuries between VRUs and MVOs using Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2? and 2+ classification.

Results: Among a total 3,694 road traffic fatalities (RTFs), 43.3% were pedestrians, followed by MVOs (27.0%), motorcyclists (18.9), bicyclists (6.6%), and agricultural vehicle users (4.2%). The elderly (>60 years old) accounted for 54.9% of VRU fatalities. RTFs occurred most frequently in the autumn and the VRU group and the MVO group showed significant differences in weekly and diurnal variation in RTFs. The injury severities (AIS 2+) of the head, neck, and thorax were significantly different between the 2 groups (P?Conclusions: Elderly pedestrians should be targeted for decreases in RTFs, and road traffic safety interventions for VRUs should be made based on the analysis of temporal epidemiology and injury profiles of RTFs.     

Deformation patterns in WorldSID 50th percentile dummy instrumented with IR-TRACC and RibEye™ in different loading configurations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different loading configurations on the WorldSID 50th percentile male dummy instrumented either with the Infra-Red Telescoping Rod for the Assessment of Chest Compression (IR-TRACC) or the RibEye? rib deflection measurement system.

Methods: The optical sensors of the RibEye system were used to capture the multipoint deformation of the dummy at frontal and rearward off-center locations in addition to the center of the rib location. The experimental setup consisted of 2 types of loadings: Low severity and high severity. Low-severity loading was performed by deploying a fixture-mounted side airbag on the dummy and high-severity loading was achieved by deploying a driver front airbag mounted in a similar fashion. The low-severity condition aimed at deforming the dummy’s ribs locally at off-center locations where the RibEye light emitting diodes (LEDs) were positioned to capture the deformations at those locations. The high-severity condition aimed at loading the dummy at high speed in lateral and oblique directions similar to what is experienced by dummies in side impacts.

Results: In the low-severity tests, the peak deflections, in terms of length change, were approximately 15–20?mm, whereas for the high-severity cases the peak deflections were in the range of 30–40?mm for both IR-TRACC and RibEye cases.

Conclusions: For similar physical insults, dummies with the IR-TRACC and RibEye systems showed varying results for both length changes and the shoulder forces depending on the severity and direction of loading. Under purely lateral loading, the mid-length changes with the RibEye and the 1D IR-TRACC were comparable. In the oblique loading conditions, more differences were seen with the 2 systems depending on the impact direction. The shoulder forces consistently differed between the 2 systems. In the frontal oblique low-severity cases, the ribs pivoted along the spine end and the length change was not found to be a suitable parameter to quantify rib deformation in such loading scenarios.