Thermal strain in fire fighters while wearing task-fitted versus en 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged rescue drill.

Fire fighters are normally overprotected during their working hours because of the tendency to keep the personal protection level sufficiently high in case of the worst possible scenarios. This study investigated the effects of task-fitted protective clothing on thermal strain in fire fighters as compared to EN 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged (2 1/2 hrs) job-related rescue drill under neutral and hot climates. The subjects were 23 healthy, physically fit professional male fire fighters aged 26-44 years. Measurements included cardiovascular and thermal responses and subjective assessments. Wearing task-fitted clothing during rescue tasks in a neutral climate considerably reduced total thermal and cardiovascular strain in prolonged rescue work. The fire fighters also perceived physical work as significantly harder on average, and reported more intense subjective discomfort while wearing EN 469:2005 as compared to task-fitted clothing.     

有效磷含量对硝酸铵溶液热安全性的影响

为了了解硝酸磷肥生产过程中,硝酸铵溶液中加入磷酸一铵的安全性,通过自制实验装置,研究了有效磷含量对质量分数为85%的硝酸铵溶液热分解的影响。结果表明,质量分数为85%的硝酸铵和磷酸一铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度高于纯质量分数为85%的硝酸铵溶液,稳定性更好;磷酸一铵抑制硝酸铵的热分解,随着有效磷含量的增加,硝酸铵混合溶液临界爆炸温度升高;升温速率对硝酸铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度影响很大,随着升温速率由2℃/min升高到3℃/min,质量分数为85%的硝酸铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度升高,不易发生爆炸,安全性更好。研究结果对硝酸磷肥的生产安全有一定的指导意义。     

Assessment of Ecological Quality of the Tajan River in Iran Using a Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index and Species Traits

The objectives of this study were to assess the biological water of the Iranian Tajan River using different metrics, i.e., a Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index (MMI) and a traits-based method. Twenty-eight physico-chemical parameters, 10 habitat factors, and abundance of macroinvertebrates were obtained for 17 sites. The Shahid-Rajaie dam divides the Tajan River into an up- and downstream part, with different land uses. Eighteen metrics were used to represent four components of ecosystem quality, including tolerance (Hilsenhoff, SIGNAL), diversity (Margalef, Shannon–Wiener, Simpson, and Evenness), abundance (total number of taxa, individuals, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, EPT, and Insects), and composition of assemblages (% Ephemeroptera, % Plecoptera, % Trichoptera, and % EPT Taxa). The integrated MMI was calculated by averaging the obtained scores of all indices. In the next step, we gathered information on 22 biological traits of macroinvertebrates to evaluate whether (group of) traits could be identified that are indicative for specific or general stress. Result showed a decrease in MMI from upstream (very good water quality) to downstream (bad) due to human activities. Industrial activities like pulping and papermaking operations or sand mining in the downstream part had more effects than agriculture and fish ponds in the upstream part. A redundancy analysis biplot showed the variation between the modalities of trait of macroinvertebrates and their correlation with physico-chemical parameters in Tajan River. The findings show that traits can be indicative for different kind of stress but that more effort has to be put in gathering data sets to disentangle the effect of habitat quality, pollution, and the physico-chemical properties of high- versus lowland rivers.     

The Detection Rate of Enteric Viruses and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium difficile</Emphasis> in a Waste Water Treatment Plant Effluent

Waste water treatment plant (WWTP) is considered as an important source of surface water contamination by enteric pathogens. In this study, we describe the occurrence of enteric viruses (group A rotaviruses, noroviruses, astroviruses, sapoviruses, hepatitis A virus, and hepatitis E virus) and Clostridium difficile in the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant during a 1-year period. Enteric viruses were simultaneously and efficiently concentrated in a single step using methacrylate monolithic chromatographic support. Rotaviruses, noroviruses (genogroup I and II), and sapoviruses were detected in all 12 concentrated samples, whereas astroviruses were not detected in August and September and hepatitis A and E viruses were not detected at all. Clostridium difficile was detected in all samples and altogether 121 strains were isolated and grouped into 32 different ribotypes of which 014/020 and 010 were most prevalent. Pathogens detected in WWTP effluent partially reflect the epidemiological situation of enteric viruses and C. difficile in human population and open the discussion on implementation of possible techniques for virus and bacteria removal from WWTP effluent prior to release into the surface water system.     

汶川地震极震区泥石流动力特征及参数研究——以安县高川乡为例

2008年汶川8.0级地震发生以来,极震区泥石流爆发频率有增无减且规模越来越大,破坏性越来越强,严重威胁灾区人民生命财产安全。对比采取现场勘查、遥感图像分析、历史资料对比分析等方法,分析了极震区泥石流动力特征受地形、地层、物源等因素的影响,特别是泥石流爆发过程中深侵蚀和溃决对泥石流动力特征的影响。针对四川安县高川乡流域泥石流沟的调查和分析,建立泥石流流量-冲刷模型,分析了常规地区泥石流峰值流量与极震区泥石流峰值流量差别,推导出极震区峰值流量及冲刷深度定量计算公式。通过实例分析,理论与实际具有较好的一致性,对极震区泥石流动力参数计算具有较好适用性和有效性。     

Distant agricultural landscapes

This paper examines the relationship between the development of the dominant industrial food system and its associated global economic drivers and the environmental sustainability of agricultural landscapes. It makes the case that the growth of the global industrial food system has encouraged increasingly complex forms of “distance” that separate food both geographically and mentally from the landscapes on which it was produced. This separation between food and its originating landscape poses challenges for the ability of more localized agricultural sustainability initiatives to address some of the broader problems in the global food system. In particular, distance enables certain powerful actors to externalize ecological and social costs, which in turn makes it difficult to link specific global actors to particular biophysical and social impacts felt on local agricultural landscapes. Feedback mechanisms that normally would provide pressure for improved agricultural sustainability are weak because there is a lack of clarity regarding responsibility for outcomes. The paper provides a brief illustration of these dynamics with a closer look at increased financialization in the food system. It shows that new forms of distancing are encouraged by the growing significance of financial markets in global agrifood value chains. This dynamic has a substantial impact on food system outcomes and ultimately complicates efforts to scale up small-scale local agricultural models that are more sustainable.     

典型印染废水处理过程中芳香烃化合物的污染特征及污泥生态风险评价

采用GC-MS测定了典型综合印染废水处理厂废水和污泥中芳香烃化合物的含量.结果表明,原水中苯系物总量为203.96±15.18μg·L-1,其中二甲苯占62.7%,尾水中苯系物总量为0.2±0.029μg·L-1,整个处理工艺对苯系物的去除效率为99%.原水中多环芳烃(PAHs)总浓度达1349.51±35.77 ng·L-1,以3—6环为主,主要富集在颗粒物上.整个工艺对PAHs的去除效率为95%,尾水中PAHs总浓度为65.81±20.99ng·L-1,以2—3环为主.干污泥中PAHs含量高达2996.10±151.0 ng·g-1,污泥吸附为水相中PAHs去除的主要机理之一.印染污泥直接填埋或农用会引起潜在的生态危害.     

极震区震后泥石流物源特征研究

汶川地震后,极震区产生了大量的崩滑堆积体、震裂岩体及震动松弛覆盖层,极震区震后泥石流物源的产生及汇集方式发生了极大的变化,但缺乏震后特殊条件下动储量的计算方法。在实际调查统计"5·12"极震区安县高川乡多条泥石沟物源的基础上,总结了极震区震后泥石流的形成过程及启动方式。分析得出,震后泥石流物源量与沟域面积、高程放大效应、断层运动方式、地质岩性条件及地形条件等因素有关,其中沟域面积、沟顶高程及沟道与发震断裂的距离为主控影响因子。在此基础上,提出了"地震高程指数放大经验模型";通过多元统计拟合法首次得出了震后泥石流动储量与流域面积、高差的计算关系,并通过地震距离修正得出极震区震后泥石流的动储量计算公式,为震后泥石流动储量估算及工程治理提供参考。     

Environmental Equity and the Role of Public Policy: Experiences in the Rijnmond Region

This Φ Ψ study of environmental equity uses secondary quantitative data to analyze socioeconomic disparities in environmental conditions in the Rijnmond region of the Netherlands. The disparities of selected environmental indicators—exposure to traffic noise (road, rail, and air), NO₂, external safety risks, and the availability of public green space—are analyzed both separately and in combination. Not only exposures to environmental burdens (“bads”) were investigated, but also access to environmental benefits (“goods”). Additionally, we held interviews and reviewed documents to grasp the mechanisms underlying the environmental equity situation, with an emphasis on the role of public policy. Environmental equity is not a priority in public policy for the greater Rotterdam region known as the Rijnmond region, yet environmental standards have been established to provide a minimum environmental quality to all local residents. In general, environmental quality has improved in this region, and the accumulation of negative environmental outcomes (“bads”) has been limited. However, environmental standards for road traffic noise and NO₂ are being exceeded, probably because of the pressure on space and the traffic intensity. We found an association of environmental “bads” with income for rail traffic noise and availability of public green space. In the absence of regulation, positive environmental outcomes (“goods”) are mainly left up to market forces. Consequently, higher-income groups generally have more access to environmental “goods” than lower-income groups.