Different collector types for sampling deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons--comparison of measurement results and their uncertainty

Different collector types, sample workup procedures and analysis methods to measure the deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were tested and compared. Whilst sample workup and analysis methods did not influence the results of PAH deposition measurements, using different collector types changed the measured deposition rates of PAH significantly. The results obtained with a funnel-bottle collector showed the highest deposition rates and a low measurement uncertainty. The deposition rates obtained with the wet-only collectors were the lowest at industrial sites and under dry weather conditions. For the open-jar collectors the measurement uncertainty was high. Only at an industrial site with extremely high PAH deposition rates the results of open-jar collectors were comparable to those obtained with funnel-bottle collectors. Thus, if bulk deposition of PAH has to be measured, funnel-bottle combinations are proved to be the collectors of choice. These collectors were the only ones always fulfilling the requirements of European legislation.     

Tailoring a non-path-dependent model for environmental risk management and polycentric urban land-use planning

This study attempts to develop a non-path-dependent model for environmental risk management and polycentric urban land-use planning in Gorgan Township area, Iran. Applying three suitability layers of environmental risk (soil erosion, flood risk, fire risk, and land susceptibility), urbanization potential, and integrated surface (environmental risk plus urbanization potential layers), a non-path-dependent Cellular Automata-Markov Chain (CA-MC) model was configured to execute three scenarios of polycentric urban growth allocation. Specifically, the modeling approach improved the traditional functionality of the CA-MC model from a prediction algorithm into an innovative land allocation tool. Besides, due to its flexibility, the non-path-dependent model was able to explicitly include different characteristics of the landscape structure ranging from physical land attributes to landscape functions and processes (natural hazards). Accordingly, three polycentric urban growth allocation efforts were undertaken and compared in terms of connectivity and compactness of the resultant patterns and consumption of other land resources. Based on results, the polycentric allocation procedure based on integrated suitability layer produced a more manageable pattern of urban landscape, while the growth option based on environmental risk layer was more successful for protecting farmlands against excessive urbanization. This study suggests that polycentric urban land-use planning under the strategy of rural land development programs is an available option for designing an urban landscape with lower exposure to natural hazards and more economic benefits to rural residents. Finally, the non-path-dependent modeling is a recommended approach, when highly flexible and interactive decision-support systems as well as trend-breaking scenarios are desired.     

Crash involvement during the different phases of the New Zealand Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDLS)

Introduction

The New Zealand Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDLS) is designed to allow novice drivers to gain driving experience under conditions of reduced risk.

Method

To examine the effectiveness of the GDLS, an analysis of how the crash involvement of novice drivers changes as drivers move through the GDLS was undertaken. Crash profiles were created by data matching the New Zealand license and crash databases, covering a time period from 1999-2006.

Results

The crash profiles show that the initial learner period of the GDLS is relatively safe and the time at which novice drivers have the highest rate of crash involvement is during the first few months of solo driving. Analysis using logistic regression also showed an effect of age and gender, with higher crash involvement associated with younger drivers and males. In addition, individuals who gained a full license within 12-18 months of holding a restricted license, due to completion of a time-discount associated educational program, had a higher level of involvement in crashes than individuals who gained a full license after 18 months.

Conclusions

The crash profiles provide an insight into the crash risk associated with different phases of the New Zealand GDLS.

Impact on Industry

Increasing the age at which drivers first begin to solo drive and the removal of the time-discount associated with completion of an educational program should be considered.     

20 Years on lessons learned from Piper Alpha. The evolution of concurrent and inherently safe design

It has now been well over 20 years since the North Sea Piper Alpha disaster in 1988. There have been many lessons learned; some documented others just etched in memory. The event chronicled many significant changes in the offshore industry. The emanating point for most sweeping changes has been the Cullen Report and the UK North Sea industry. This paper reviews some of the critical lessons and identifies many ‘secondary’ finer points that constitute important learnings. The paper looks at major changes instigated by step changes in safety criticality. It is argued that the ‘second tier’ modes of failure such as corrosion, materials degradation, environmental cracking, erosion, plant ergonomics, etc. need to be better examined. These mechanisms are dangerous threats to the integrity of deep subsea assets, and it is noted that such root causes of failure as witnessed or predicted have yet to be fully appraised. The authors’ use wide experiences and case histories to highlight such concerns, offering rational fit-for-purpose solutions. The industry disconnections between, urgency to build, knowledge transfer, and management of change, are refocused. Powerful advances in risk-based mechanical, process, materials, and corrosion engineering are emphasized and the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) are reasoned for best life-cycle integrity. To keep up with the pace of growth in the deepwater sector, methods of concurrent and inherently safe design have evolved in a world where the practicalities and costs of modification, repair and retrofit are extremely difficult. Hence getting it right at the outset is paramount. Thus the drive for purposeful investment, at design is more justifiable, than the traditional practice of postponing costs (and problems) to operations. In this way the ominous ‘gray’ zone between the two cost centers is better bridged for reasons of safety and commercial advantage.     

Organic contamination of Italian and Tunisian culinary herbs and spices

Contaminants belonging to various classes, as polychlorobiphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, organophosphorous pesticides, pyrethroid insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, synergists, carbamates, acaricides and insect growth regulators were simultaneously analysed by GC-MS/MS in 118 Italian and Tunisian culinary herbs and spices. The results obtained in Italian samples shown that laurel samples were the most contaminated with the presence of 15 residues on 140, whereas in rosemary (max value of 35?ng/g for cis-chlorfenyvinphos) and oregano (max value of 118.16?ng/g for ethion) some occasional residues can be observed, but always lower than the maximum residue levels; all the others samples shown no contamination. Among Tunisian samples, only rosemary contains a notably high content of pollutants exceeded the EU maximum residue limits (i.e., alachlor and phosalone with level of 359.2 and 43.3?ng/g, respectively), while oregano was determined to be free of contaminant residues. Considering the comparison among the different organic pollutants in Italian and Tunisian spices and herbs evaluated and the differences observed in this study a harmonization of regulation on contaminant residues in herbs and spices for human consumption should be needed, considering their increased use in diet and cooking.     

Presence of carbamazepine,naproxen, and ibuprofen in wastewater from northern Tunisia

We investigated the occurrence of three pharmaceutical residues in four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) from northern Tunisia. The selected compounds were carbamazepine, naproxen, and ibuprofen; they are among the most commonly prescribed and widely used pharmaceutical agents worldwide. Samples (200?mL) were pre-concentrated using the solid phase extraction (SPE) enrichment procedure and the analysis of the pharmaceuticals was performed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV). The overall procedure provided limits of detection (LOD) lower than 0.5 µg.L^?1and recoveries of 78–97%. For the carbamazepine compound, the mean concentrations were 60.58, 93.19, and 132 µg.L^?1 for the Bizerte, Jendouba, and Tunis WWTPs, respectively. This pharmaceutical was not detected in the Beja WWTPs. Naproxen and ibuprofens were not detected in the Jendouba WWTP but were found in the three other WWTPs with concentrations ranging from 2.94 to 36.17 µg.L^?1 and from 8.02 to 43.22 µg.L^?1, respectively. From the obtained data, it seems that these WWTPs are not able to eliminate this kind of micro-pollutants.     

Effect of restaurant types on compensation claims for work-related musculoskeletal disorders in France

Objectives. The economic burden of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) is industry specific. The objective was to analyse compensation claims for WMSDs among restaurant workers in France taking into account the type of restaurant. Methods. Data for 2014 were obtained from the French National Health Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers. A chi-square test was used to compare claims, incapacity and lost work day rates in different types of restaurant. Results. Prevalence for WMSDs differed significantly by the type of kitchen: collective restaurant (7.2/1000 workers), traditional restaurant (1.7/1000), and fast food restaurant (1.0/1000). There were more male claimants in traditional restaurant workers (51.0%) than in collective restaurant workers (40.1%) but more female claimants in collective restaurant workers (50.1%) than in traditional restaurant workers (39.4%). Permanent incapacity was significantly more prevalent in collective restaurant workers (49.6%), than in traditional (41.9%) and fast food (8.5%) restaurant workers. In collective restaurant workers, as a percentage, claims, permanent incapacity and lost work days increased with age range or work experience. Conclusions. Prevalence for WMSDs and therefore incapacity and lost work days are different according to the type of restaurant. Preventive strategies should take these differences into consideration.     

Humanitarian information systems and emergencies in the Greater Horn of Africa: logical components and logical linkages

Natural and man-made emergencies are regular occurrences in the Greater Horn of Africa region. The underlying impoverishment of whole populations is increasing, making it more difficult to distinguish between humanitarian crises triggered by shocks and those resulting from chronic poverty. Shocks and hazards can no longer be seen as one-off events that trigger a one-time response. In countries that are both poor and exposed to frequent episodes of debilitating drought or chronic conflict, information needs tend to be different from the straightforward early warning/commodity accounting models of information systems that have proven reliable in past emergencies. This paper describes the interdependent components of a humanitarian information system appropriate for this kind of complex environment, noting the analytical links between the components and operational links to programme and policy. By examining a series of case studies from the Greater Horn region, the paper demonstrates that systems lacking one or more of these components will fail to provide adequate information--and thus incur humanitarian costs. While information always comes with a cost, the price of poor information--or none--is higher. And in situations of chronic vulnerability, in which development interventions are likely to be interspersed with both safety nets and emergency interventions on a recurrent basis, investment in improved information is a good investment from both a humanitarian and a financial viewpoint.     

Effects of drawdown scenario on retrogressive lateral erosion in a reservoir

The drawdown of reservoirs behind dams is an important management strategy (e.g., for removal of aging infrastructure, flushing of sediment), and an opportunity to study erosional processes. A numerical model was developed to examine retrogressive bank erosion across reservoir drawdown scenarios and to evaluate factors controlling the rate, volume, and mechanisms of lateral erosion. Modeled processes included dynamic drawdown of groundwater, sequential slope failures via limit equilibrium analysis, and retrogression considering stress interaction between failing blocks. Field measurements were coupled with Staged, Slow, and Rapid drawdown scenarios. Results highlight the importance of including retrogression as an avenue for lateral erosion, as sequential block failures were found to occur in all scenarios except Slow drawdown. This result indicates that bank stability models without some means of characterizing the evolution of slope failure during drawdown are likely underestimating bank failure rates and volumes. In contrast, dynamic groundwater was not found to be a dominant control for any drawdown scenario. Model results also demonstrate that the drawdown increment is a first-order control on slope instability via the development of drained or undrained conditions. A majority of failures occurred under undrained conditions. To maximize slope stability, using slow drawdown to activate internal friction under drained conditions is essential. The design of the drawdown rate created a tradeoff between the amount of impact created and when the impact is produced. The study also articulated the need for coupling models and field observations for rapidly changing systems.