Analysis of running child pedestrians impacted by a vehicle using rigid-body models and optimization techniques

Lack of information from vehicle-to-child pedestrian impacts provides considerable challenges when developing vehicle countermeasures for the pediatric population. Crash reconstructions of real-world incidents provide useful information about the vehicle damage and injury outcome but do not permit definitive and quantitative measures of the impact severity given the high level of uncertainty in the initial conditions of the pedestrian and the vehicle prior the impact. This paper develops an advanced methodology for reconstructing child pedestrian–vehicle impacts that combines the crash data with multi-body simulations and optimization techniques for identifying the pedestrian posture and vehicle speed prior to impact. For the child pedestrian posture, a continuous sequence of the running gait was developed based on the literature data and simulations. Using vehicle damage information from an actual child pedestrian crash, an objective function was developed that minimized the difference between vehicle and pedestrian contact points for the simulated child postures, pedestrian, and vehicle speeds. Simulated annealing and genetic optimization algorithms were used to identify sets of potential solutions for the pedestrian and vehicle initial conditions. Local minimums were observed for several response surfaces of the objective function which shows the non-convex nature of the crash reconstruction optimization problem with the chosen objective function. Based on the results of the real-world reconstruction, this study indicates that numerical simulations coupled with heuristic optimization algorithms can be used to reconstruct child pedestrian and vehicle pre-impact conditions.     

广西典型岩溶区农田土壤-作物系统Cd迁移富集影响因素

为揭示岩溶区农田土壤-作物系统Cd迁移富集主要影响因素,选择广西典型岩溶区根系土-水稻籽实Cd含量及土壤pH值、有机质（OM）、氧化物含量和质地数据,通过Spearman相关性分析和主成分分析（PCA）,开展了土壤理化性质对土壤和水稻籽实Cd含量的影响研究.结果表明,相比于全国土壤背景基准值,研究区土壤中总氧化铁（TFe₂O₃）、三氧化二铝（Al₂O₃）和氧化锰（MnO）相对富集,平均含量分别为20.2%、19.0%和0.2%,且区内广泛发育Fe-Mn结核;而二氧化硅（SiO₂）相对亏损,平均含量为41.0%,呈现出典型的"脱硅富铝铁"特征,表明研究区土壤经历了较强烈的风化淋溶作用.相关性分析结果显示,土壤TFe₂O₃和MnO含量分别与土壤总Cd含量和残渣态Cd百分比呈显著的正相关性,与有效态Cd含量、水稻籽实Cd含量和Cd的生物富集系数（BCF）呈显著的负相关性.PCA分析结果也显示,土壤TFe₂O₃和MnO含量是影响土壤-作物系统Cd迁移富集的主要因素,而土壤pH值、OM和Al₂O₃含量等影响程度较小,SiO₂含量和土壤质地间接地影响土壤-作物系统Cd的迁移富集.综合研究认为,土壤在交替氧化和还原条件下所形成的新生体Fe-Mn结核对Cd具有较强的吸附和固定作用,导致Cd在残渣态中相对富集,降低了土壤Cd的活动性,因此Fe-Mn结核是研究区土壤Cd生物有效性的主要影响因素.     

The effect of limiting nutrient on metal toxicity to selenastrum capricornutum

Metal toxicity on selenastrum capricornutum were examined by batch culture and chemostat culture system. EC₅₀ values under nutrient‐limited condition and saturated condition were compared. The two EC_5Os differed by a factor of 10.6 for Cd in batch test, and differed by a factor of 6.5 in continuous test. Both batch and continuous test results indicate that inhibition on algal growth is more severe under nutrient‐limited conditions compared to that under near saturation conditions.

Strong correlation, as characterized by the correlation coefficient ρ, were found between the activation level (nutrient requirement) and the tolerance of microorganisms to the toxicant. ρ is equal to 0.9 for the case of Cd in batch test and 0.6 in continuous test. The theory in this study provides generally good estimations to the dose‐response relationship at limiting nutrient conditions. The study indicate that nutrient conditions constitute an important factor in algal toxicity tests.     

Microbial Potential for the Anaerobic Transformation of Simple Homocyclic and Heterocyclic Compounds in Sediments of the Tsengwen River

The ability of microbial populations to mediate the anaerobic transformation of four aromatic compounds (aniline, benzoic acid, pyridine, and quinoline) in sediments of the Tsengwen River was examined. Along the river, from a freshwater (0.0° salinity) to an oceanic (37.0° salinity) environment, five sampling stations were chosen to collect the sediment. Sediment slurries were incubated in an anaerobic mineral salts medium that was amended with multiple electron acceptors, including manganese (IV) and ferric (III) oxides, and the concentrations of the aromatic substrates were followed over a 3- to 4-month period. Most sediment samples showed a complete loss of benzoic acid and quinoline (0.12–0.21 mM) within approximately three months. Pyridine was transformed after a lag period of 53 days in the sediment slurries from the freshwater environment which had been amended with both metal oxide (either Fe (OH)₃ or MnO₂) and inhibitor (either BESA or molybdate). Pyridine was not transformed in other sediment slurries. No significant metabolism of aniline was apparent in any of the sediments.     

Decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid by microwaveactivated persulfate: Effects of temperature, pH, and chloride ions

Microwave-hydrothermal treatment of persistent and bioaccumulative perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in water with persulfate (S₂O ₈ ^2? ) has been found effective. However, applications of this process to effectively remediate PFOA pollution require a better understanding on free-radical scavenging reactions that also take place. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of pH (pH = 2.5, 6.6, 8.8, and 10.5), chloride concentrations (0.01?C0.15 mol·L^?1), and temperature (60°C, 90°C, and 130°C) on persulfate oxidation of PFOA under microwave irradiation. Maximum PFOA degradation occurred at pH 2.5, while little or no degradation at pH 10.5. Lowering system pH resulted in an increase in PFOA degradation rate. Both high pH and chloride concentrations would result in more scavenging of sulfate free radicals and slow down PFOA degradation. When chloride concentrations were less than 0.04 mol·L^?1 at 90°C and 0.06 mol·L^?1 at 60°C, presence of chloride ions had insignificant impacts on PFOA degradation. However, beyond these concentration levels, PFOA degradation rates reduced significantly with an increase in chloride concentrations, especially under the higher temperature.     

Fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during vitrification of incinerator ash in a coke bed furnace

Fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the vitrification of fly ash and bottom ash from the municipal waste incinerator in a coke bed furnace was investigated. In this system, both coke and lime were added to enhance the melting reaction. The major PAH sources in this system were ash and coke, which respectively contributed 97% and 3% of PAHs in the input-mass. During vitrification process, low molecular PAHs (LM-PAH, 2-3-ring), median molecular PAHs (MM-PAH, 4-ring) and high molecular PAHs (HM-PAH, 5-7-ring) mass respectively accounted for >99%, >99% and 84% of the output-mass emitted as the stack flue gas; while those discharged from the slag were <1%, <1% and 16%, respectively. The O/I (output-mass/input-mass) ratio of LM-, MM- and HM-PAHs were 0.063, 0.002 and <0.001, respectively. The high distribution in flue gas and O/I ratio of LM-PAHs is reasonable since they are more easily evaporated, hence difficult to be removed by air pollution control devices. On the contrary, the HM-PAHs, having lower vapor pressure, primarily stays mainly in slag. Based on the 21 total PAH content in feeding ash and slag, the reduction efficiency of the coke bed furnace was >99.9%. To minimize the risk of secondary pollution, the efficiency of coke bed furnace should be improved to reduce the PAH emission into ambient air.     

基于蒙特卡洛模拟与PMF模型的黄河流域沉积物重金属污染评价及源解析

沉积物是河流的重要组成部分,而沉积物中重金属的富集严重威胁着水环境安全.黄河流域沿程分布着众多工业城市,且流域水土流失量大,泥沙携带重金属进入河流导致沉积物重金属污染问题日趋严重,研究黄河流域沉积物中重金属污染状况对流域生态安全具有重要意义.收集2000~2020年发表的关于黄河流域沉积物中重金属（铅、镉、铬、砷、锌、铜、镍和汞）含量的数据,首先基于描述性统计及地统计法分析重金属的空间分布特征,进一步采用蒙特卡洛法进行地累积指数（I_geo）、潜在生态风险及毒性单位概率的评价,最后结合正定矩阵因子分解模型（PMF）与Pearson相关性分析确定污染源个数及贡献率.结果发现,黄河流域沉积物中ω（Pb）、ω（As）、ω（Zn）、ω（Ni）、ω（Cu）、ω（Hg）、ω（Cr）和ω（Cd）的均值分别为26.92、11.78、87.17、31.13、24.96、0.07、73.36和0.58 mg·kg^-1,分别超过黄河流域各省土壤背景值均值1.27、1.08、1.26、1.05、1.09、2.32、1.14和5.95倍,其中Cd超标倍数最大,应当引起重视;I_geo：Cd>Hg>Cr>Cu>Pb>Zn>As>Ni,Cd和Hg存在中度-严重污染;数据表明黄河流域上、中和下游沉积物重度生态风险占比分别为18.6%、15.7%和7.1%,呈递减趋势;黄河流域沉积物中重金属处于低毒性状态;溯源分析表明黄河流域沉积物重金属的4个来源分别是矿业源（42.2%）、自然活动（38.3%）、农业活动（11.6%）和电镀废水（7.9%）.研究结果可为黄河流域制定相关污染防控措施提供依据.     

A uniform fish consumption advisory protocol for the Ohio River

ORSANCO and the six Ohio River main stem states have been working to align states' fish consumption advisories (FCAs) to enhance the value of advice issued to the public. To achieve this goal, ORSANCO worked closely with a panel consisting of state and USEPA representatives. The result of this effort is the Ohio River Fish Consumption Advisory Protocol (ORFCAP). The ORFCAP represents a single set of variables agreed upon by the panel that allows for a standardized protocol to create advisory thresholds to which states can defer to issue consumption advice for the Ohio River. The ORFCAP identifies ORSANCO as a clearinghouse for data which will be distributed to the panel for decision making. Other components include identifying primary contaminants of concern (PCBs and mercury) and dividing the river into four reporting units. The protocol was developed to issue FCAs for the protection of sensitive populations using five advisory groupings for PCBs and four for mercury. Specific variables used in the calculation of advisory thresholds such as health protection values, cooking reductions, average meal sizes, etc., were selected by the panel. Lastly, the protocol calls for FCA decisions to be based on analysis of the most recent 10?years of data for each species in each reporting unit to determine size class needs and advisory groupings. Upon pending implementation of the protocol by the main stem states, these decisions will be made annually through a series of discussions involving ORSANCO, the panel, and other appropriate state personnel.