Are older drivers’ driving patterns during an on-road driving task representative of their real-world driving patterns?

Abstract

Objective: The current study investigated whether older drivers’ driving patterns during a customized on-road driving task were representative of their real-world driving patterns.

Methods: Two hundred and eight participants (male: 68.80%; mean age?=?81.52 years, SD?=?3.37 years, range?=?76.00–96.00 years) completed a customized on-road driving task that commenced from their home and was conducted in their own vehicle. Participants’ real-world driving patterns for the preceding 4-month period were also collected via an in-car recording device (ICRD) that was installed in each participant’s vehicle.

Results: During the 4-month period prior to completing the on-road driving task, participants’ median real-world driving trip distance was 2.66?km (interquartile range [IQR]?=?1.14–5.79?km) and their median on-road driving task trip distance was 4.41?km (IQR?=?2.83–6.35?km). Most participants’ on-road driving task trip distances were classified as representative of their real-world driving trip distances (95.2%, n?=?198).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that most older drivers were able to devise a driving route that was representative of their real-world driving trip distance. Future research will examine whether additional aspects of the on-road driving task (e.g., average speed, proportion of trips in different speed zones) are representative of participants’ real-world driving patterns.     

Performance evaluation of circulating fluidized bed incineration of municipal solid waste by multivariate outlier detection in China

This first nationwide survey was conducted to evaluate the overall performance of the circulating fluidized bed (CFB) incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2014-2015 in China. Total 23 CFB incineration power plants were evaluated. The data for monthly average flue gas emission of particles, CO, NO _x , SO₂ and HCl were collected over 12 consecutive months. The data were analyzed to assess the overall performance of CFB incineration by applying the Mahalanobis distance as a multivariate outlier detection method. Although the flue gas emission parameters had met the Chinese national emission standards, there were 11 total outliers (abnormal behavior) detected in 6 out of 23 CFB incineration power plants from the perspective of the MSWincineration performance. The results demonstrate that it is more important for a better performance of CFBs to reduce the frequencies of the MSW load changes, rather than the magnitudes of the MSW load changes, particularly reducing the frequencies in the range of 10% and more of the load changes, under the same and stable conditions. Furthermore, the overloading occurs more often than the underloading during the operation of the CFB incineration power plants in China. The frequent overloading is 0% to 30% of the designed capacity. To achieve the stable performance of CFBs in practice, an appropriately designed MSW storage capacity is suggested to build in a plant to buffer and reduce the frequency of the load changes.

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Factors influencing adsorption and desorption of trimethoprim on marine sediments: mechanisms and kinetics

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Adsorption-desorption behavior of ionic antibiotics in natural aquatic environment is complex, especially in coastal or estuary area where influencing...     

Factors influencing farmers’ decisions on nitrogen fertilizer application in the Liangzihu Lake basin,Central China

Overuse of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in agriculture activities has caused severe water pollution in China. The lack of data at producer level hampers decision makers in the development and implementation of efficient policies to curb excessive N-fertilizer use. In a survey of 300 farm households in the Liangzihu Lake basin, we identified factors associated with farmers’ decisions on N-fertilizer use and application rate. Household survey and multiple linear regression models indicate that the average application rate in the study region is 229 kg N ha^?1, which exceeds the recommended rate for maximum profit for cereal crops (maize, wheat, and rice) in China of 150–180 kg N ha^?1. High N-application rates are associated with low farmland productivity (coefficient = ?15.66, p = 0.02), a high share of off-farm income (coefficient = 27.14, p = 0.003), and a low education level of the household head (coefficient = ?10.83, p = 0.039). Neither physical infrastructure nor access to input markets appears to be related to N-application rates. It may be concluded that excessive use of N in agriculture of Central China is mainly a problem of insufficient awareness and high share of off-farm income.     

NOx emission calculations for bulk carriers by using engine power probabilities as weighting factors

An important marine pollution issue identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is NO_x emissions; however, the stipulated method for determining the NO_x certification value does not reflect the actual high emission factors of slow-speed two-stroke diesel engines over long-term slow steaming. In this study, an accurate method is presented for calculating the NO_x emission factors and total amount of NO_x emissions by using the actual power probabilities of the diesel engines in four types of bulk carriers. The proposed method is suitable for all types and purposes of diesel engines, is not restricted to any operating modes, and is highly accurate. Moreover, it is recommended that the IMO-stipulated certification value calculation method be modified accordingly to genuinely reduce the amount of NO_x emissions. The successful achievement of this level of reduction will help improve the air quality, especially in coastal and port areas, and the health of local residents.

Implications: As per the IMO, the NO_x emission certification value of marine diesel engines having a rated power over 130 kW must be obtained using specified weighting factor (WF)-based calculation. However, this calculation fails to represent the current actual situation. Effective emission reductions of 6.91% (at sea) and 31.9% (in ports) were achieved using a mathematical model of power probability functions. Thus, we strongly recommend amending the certification value of NO_x Technical Code 2008 (NTC 2008) by removing the WF constraints, such that the NO_x emissions of diesel engines is lower than the Tier-limits at any load level to obtain genuine NO_x emission reductions.     

锰铜铈氧化物催化剂氧化NO性能及动力学研究

实验以TiO2为载体采用浸渍法制备CuOx/TiO2、CeOx/TiO2、CuCeOx/TiO2和MnCuCeOx/TiO2催化剂,考察这些催化剂氧化NO活性,探究Cu、Ce摩尔比和添加Mn元素对CuCeOx/TiO2催化剂氧化NO活性的影响,使用扫描电镜观察催化剂表面结构。研究发现,Cu、Ce元素配合后的CuCeOx/TiO2催化剂氧化活性明显好于单独含Cu、Ce的催化剂,当Cu、Ce摩尔比为Cu:Ce=1∶2时,CuCeOx/TiO2催化剂氧化活性最好,在NO浓度500×10-6,O210%,空速为24 000 h-1,350℃时,NO氧化度为0.62;添加Mn元素可以提高CuCeOx/TiO2催化剂低温氧化活性,250℃时,MnCuCe/Ti-3和MnCuCe/Ti-5催化剂氧化度为0.53和0.69,300℃时,MnCuCe/Ti-3和MnCuCe/Ti-5催化剂氧化度均为0.76;此外,实验还研究了NO在MnCuCe/Ti-3催化剂上反应的动力学方程。     

Impacts of climate change in rapidly urbanizing region-a case study in Hangzhou(China)

Climate change is expected to be a major driving force of landscape in the coming decades.It will have a multitude of potential impacts that vary in intensity and effect according to region and sector.In the context of global warming,the climate of China has changed significantly in the recent 100 years.The reason for climate change in China is mainly due to irrational land use caused by human activities,which chiefly results in the rapid industrialization and urbanization process.Based on an assessment model,this research represents a picture of the impacts of climate change in six districts of Hangzhou region.The aim of this paper is to conclude,on the one hand,some of Hangzhou sensitivities in relation to the primary effects of climate change.On the other hand,a reflection is made on a methodology to formulate preconditions on a scientific basis for further research by design of integrated adaptation options for the future spatial developments in function to upgrade Hangzhou resilience in relation to climate change challenges.     

Enhanced electrokinetic remediation of lead-contaminated soil by complexing agents and approaching anodes

Optimizing process parameters that affect the remediation time and power consumption can improve the treatment efficiency of the electrokinetic remediation as well as determine the cost of a remediation action. Lab-scale electrokinetic remediation of Pb-contaminated soils was investigated for the effect of complexant ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and acetic acid and approaching anode on the removal efficiency of Pb. When EDTA was added to the catholyte, EDTA dissolved insoluble Pb in soils to form soluble Pb–EDTA complexes, increasing Pb mobility and accordingly removal efficiency. The removal efficiency was enhanced from 47.8 to 61.5 % when the EDTA concentration was increased from 0.1 to 0.2 M, showing that EDTA played an important role in remediation. And the migration rate of Pb was increased to 72.3 % when both EDTA and acetic acid were used in the catholyte. The “approaching anode electrokinetic remediation” process in the presence of both EDTA and acetic acid had a higher Pb-removal efficiency with an average efficiency of 83.8 %. The efficiency of electrokinetic remediation was closely related to Pb speciation. Exchangeable and carbonate-bounded Pb were likely the forms which could be removed. All results indicate that the approaching anode method in the presence of EDTA and acetic acid is an advisable choice for electrokinetic remediation of Pb-contaminated soil.     

Influence of soil and hydrocarbon properties on the solvent extraction of high-concentration weathered petroleum from contaminated soils

Petroleum ether was used to extract petroleum hydrocarbons from soils collected from six oil fields with different history of exploratory and contamination. It was capable of fast removing 76–94 % of the total petroleum hydrocarbons including 25 alkanes (C₁₁–C₃₅) and 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soils at room temperature. The partial least squares analysis indicated that the solvent extraction efficiencies were positively correlated with soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, moisture, pH, and sand content of soils, while negative effects were observed in the properties reflecting the molecular size (e.g., molecular weight and number of carbon atoms) and hydrophobicity (e.g., water solubility, octanol–water partition coefficient, soil organic carbon partition coefficient) of hydrocarbons. The high concentration of weathered crude oil at the order of 10⁵ mg kg^?1 in this study was demonstrated adverse for solvent extraction by providing an obvious nonaqueous phase liquid phase for hydrocarbon sinking and increasing the sequestration of soluble hydrocarbons in the insoluble oil fractions during weathering. A full picture of the mass distribution and transport mechanism of petroleum contaminants in soils will ultimately require a variety of studies to gain insights into the dynamic interactions between environmental indicator hydrocarbons and their host oil matrix.     

臭氧氧化—包埋菌流化床生物处理组合工艺深度处理煤气化废水

采用臭氧氧化—包埋菌流化床生物处理组合工艺对煤气化废水进行深度处理。实验结果表明：当臭氧的质量浓度20 mg/L、臭氧进气流量1.5 L/min、臭氧通气时间30 min、包埋菌流化床水力停留时间24 h时,臭氧氧化工序的COD去除率达到30.0%~40.0%,总酚去除率达到100.0%;包埋菌流化床工序的COD去除率达到60.0%以上,氨氮的去除率大于95.0%;经组合工艺处理后,出水COD<60 mg/L,ρ（氨氮）<1.0 mg/L,ρ（总酚）未检出,色度小于50倍,达到GB8978—1996《污水综合排放标准》中的一级排放标准。