Potential source of asbestos in non-asbestos textile manufacturing company

Recently, a worker with lung carcinoma and a metastatic brain tumor was diagnosed as having a work-related disease. He had been employed in a non-asbestos textile company for 25 years. Consequently, to identify and explore possible causative agents for lung cancer in a non-asbestos textile manufacturing company and establish a causal relationship between exposure and lung cancer, an epidemiological investigative study was conducted and the work processes the worker was engaged in were examined. Air samples were taken from the workplace and during the drilling processes, and a suspected causative material was analyzed. The study revealed that the subject had been employed in the non-asbestos textile manufacturing company for 25 years from 1973 and his responsibilities included repairing spinning machines. In particular, the subject was involved in drilling B-bushings that were used to protect against gear abrasion in the spinning machines. An analysis of the B-bushings using a transmission electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer indicated that they contained crocidolite asbestos fibers. Air samples obtained when drilling the B-bushings clearly indicated that the subject had most likely been exposed to crocidolite fibers when installing the B-bushings in the spinning machines. The frequency and duration of the work suggested that there would be a sufficient degree of exposure to crocidolite fibers to cause lung cancer. Except for smoking and asbestos exposure, no other chemical exposure was suspected for developing lung cancer in the workplace. Smoking appeared to be more of a potentiating risk factor in conjunction with the asbestos exposure. Accordingly, this case may provide significant evidence in identifying the cause of the mesothelioma or lung carcinoma found among workers in non-asbestos textile manufacturing companies elsewhere.     

Relationship between compost stability and extractable organic carbon

Establishing a simple yet reliable compost stability test is essential for a better compost quality control and utilization efficiency. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between extractable organic carbon (OC) and compost stability based on 18 compost samples from five composting facilities. The compost samples were extracted sequentially with water for 2 h [water(2h)] and 0.1 M NaOH for 2 and 24 h [NaOH(2h) and NaOH(24h), respectively]. The extractable OC was further separated into fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) fractions by adjusting the pH to <2. The mass specific absorbance (MSA) of OC in the six fractions was measured. Compost stability was estimated with a CO2 evolution method. The extractable OC concentration was influenced by the total volatile solids and decreased with curing time for compost with a high level of extractable OC. The OC levels in each fraction were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to each other except for the water(2h)-extractable HA. In addition, all the FA and HA fractions except for water(2h)-extractable HA were highly (P < 0.01) and linearly correlated to CO2 evolution, but multiple regression showed that NaOH(24h)-extractable OC was insignificant for CO2 evolution. The relatively high slope of NaOH(2h)-extractable FA versus CO2 evolution suggests that this fraction may contribute the most to compost CO2 evolution. The water(2h)- and/or NaOH(2h)-extractable FA tests are recommended for measuring compost stability because of their high correlation with CO2 evolution. This estimation can be obtained through a simple photometric method covering a wide range of carbon concentrations up to 4,000 mg L(-1).     

Effects of arsenic concentrations and forms on arsenic uptake by the hyperaccumulator ladder brake

Ladder brake (Pteris vittata L.) is a newly discovered arsenic hyperaccumulator. No information is available about arsenic effects on ladder brake. This study determined the effects of different arsenic concentrations (50 to 1000 mg kg(-1)) or forms (organic vs. inorganic and arsenite vs. arsenate) applied to soils on growth and arsenic uptake by ladder brake. Young plants were grown in a greenhouse for 12 or 18 wk. Ladder brake was highly tolerant of arsenic and survived in soil containing up to 500 mg As kg(-1). The fact that addition of arsenate up to 100 mg As kg(-1) increased fern biomass by 64 to 107%, coupled with higher arsenic concentration in younger fronds at low soil arsenic concentrations and older fronds at high soil arsenic concentrations, implies that arsenic may be beneficial for fern growth. Addition of 50 mg As kg(-1) was best for fern growth and arsenic accumulation, resulting in the highest fern biomass (3.9 g plant(-1)), bioconcentration factor (up to 63), and translocation factor (up to 25). With an exception of FeAsO4 and AlAsO4, which had the lowest effects due to their low solubility, little difference was observed among other arsenic forms mainly because of arsenic conversion in soil. Aboveground biomass was mostly responsible for accumulation of arsenic by plant (75-99%). Up to 26% of the added arsenic was removed by ladder brake, showing the high efficiency of ladder brake in arsenic removal. The results suggest that ladder brake may be a good candidate to remediate arsenic-contaminated soils.     

The trends of composite environmental indices in Korea

In this paper we construct for the first time an annual Composite Environmental Index from 1986 to 1995 in Korea, which is useful for evaluating the efficiency of environmental policies. Nine types of environmental problems are examined. On average, the composite index has increased annually by 5.3% over the 1986-1995 period, which implies that overall environmental quality has deteriorated gradually during this period. Problems such as the greenhouse effect, loss of biodiversity, natural resource depletion, and ecotoxication led to deterioration of environmental quality in the 1990s.     

A case study of microwave processing of metal hydroxide sediment sludge from printed circuit board manufacturing wash water

The large quantity of wash water used in the electroplating and etching process in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards (PCBs) contains a high level of heavy metal ions (Cu⁺⁺, Zn⁺⁺, Ni⁺⁺, Cr⁺⁺⁺, Pb⁺⁺). These potentially toxic ions are removed from the wash water effluent through a polyelectrolyte flocculation and hydroxide precipitation process during which a hydroxide sediment sludge rich in metal ions and polymers is generated. This sediment sludge possesses some unique characteristics and properties in terms of composition, fine particle size distribution, high specific surface area, and a tendency to agglomerate after drying. Direct disposal of this classified “special waste” (Department of Environment of Northern Ireland, The Special Waste Regulations, Northern Ireland, 1998) at landfill sites may cause serious soil and underground water pollution through a gradual ionic leaching process. This paper describes an experimental investigation, exploratory in nature, which employs microwave radiation for detoxification of the sediment sludge through microwave heating, drying and metal ion immobilization within the sediment solids. The effectiveness of microwave assisted binding and immobilization of the metal ions within the sediment solids was studied in conjunction with an evaluation of microwave energy efficiency in comparison to the more conventional convective heating and drying processes. Given a sufficient amount of microwave radiation, leaching of Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ was reduced by 2700% and 1080%, respectively, over a period of 12 weeks, and further leaching was not detectable within six months at simulated local landfill aqueous conditions. This paper also attempts, through experimental observation, to add to the very limited understanding of the complex interactions and binding of free metal ions with the polymeric materials and metal hydroxides under the influence of an electromagnetic field. The high specific surface of the sediment solids and their adsorption properties were further explored and characterized in a study of adsorption of reactive dyes by the microwave processed solids.     

我国节水型农业技术体系的发展方向

本文阐述了国内外节水农业的发展概况,总结了节水农业技术体系特别是高新技术的发展和应用现状,辩证地分析了我国节水农业出现的问题及发展前景。     

冶金工厂呼吸性粉尘危害分布的研究

对 7个钢铁公司 2 5个工厂 1390个测点呼吸性粉尘最高容许浓度测定和游离二氧化硅含量进行分析 ,将呼吸性粉尘浓度分布分为三类 ,得出各类浓度分布柱状图和累积分布曲线 ,一、二、三类的呼吸性粉尘平均浓度分别为 2 .49mg/ m3、7.14m g/ m3 和 2 2 .1m g/ m3。 Si O2 [F]含量的分布规律是 <10 %占 73% ,10 %～ 5 0 %占 2 5 .5 % ,>5 0 %占 1.5 %。     

喜马拉雅山中段北坡对流层中上部大气降水化学的高程分布特征

1997年夏季在希夏邦马峰北坡达索普冰川区(28°33′N,85°44′E)海拔5800m～7000m区间对4次降雪过程进行了系统的采样工作,目的是认识全球偏远地区对流层中上部大气成分的高程分布特征.达索普冰川区夏季4次降水中,局地大陆性气团降水SO₄^2-、NO₃^-、Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺之间存在显著的正相关性,而海洋性气团降水4种离子之间的相关性变化较大,说明在夏季低尘埃阶段大气中各种离子的主导来源处在短期的(如数天)变化中.这种离子主导来源的变化同时也影响了降水中离子的高程分布特征.总体上达索普冰川区夏季降水中NO₃^-、Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺浓度随海拔的升高呈减小趋势,SO₄^2-浓度则为增大趋势.     

新冠肺炎疫情下的高校复课综合风险评估

为评估新冠肺炎疫情下的高校复课综合风险,辅助高校进行复课组织决策,探讨一种高校复课风险评估方法。首先,引入压力-状态-响应(PSR)模型,分析各要素互相影响机制,并建立高校复课新冠肺炎疫情综合风险评估指标体系;然后,利用风险的致灾因子与受灾体的脆弱性衡量疫情综合风险度,提出一种高校复课新冠疫情风险的评估方法;最后,以西安市某高校为例,验证风险评估模型的可行性和有效性。结果表明:本模型能准确评估高校复课新冠肺炎疫情综合风险;学校所在地疫情风险等级、人员管控措施、学校应急演练与评估开展状况分别是P、S、R系统的主要影响因素,应重点关注。     

中国降水量高度效应及全球升温对它的影响

利用中国气象中心160站点的实际观察资料,对中国半个世纪的降水变化进行了系统分析,发现中国的夏季降水量与海拔高度存在着很好的反相关关系;同时,全球升温使得降水量的高度效应增强,主要表现为高海拔降水量海拔效应明显增强,这主要是由全球升温引起环流系统增强所引起的.