Reasonableness of a proposed System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) validation framework: An interview study

Since its inception, the STPA technique has gained increasing popularity among researchers and industry practitioners. Nevertheless, the validity of its application has not yet received much scientific attention. Although some informal validation approaches have been used by STPA users, no formalized validation framework has been elaborated for practical use. This paper investigates the reasonableness of the recently proposed STPA validation framework, which includes 15 validation tests, each focusing on a specific step of an STPA analysis. To do so, STPA experts in both academia and industry were interviewed. First, it is investigated what approaches they have been using for validating an STPA analysis, the findings of which were categorized and mapped with the proposed validation framework. This aims to investigate the similarities and dissimilarities between the theory-based validation framework and the informal methods applied by experts in current practice. Then, the proposed framework was presented to the interviewees to seek their judgments about its reasonableness. Feedback from practitioners indicated that the proposed STPA validation framework has certain strengths, while several opportunities exist for further improvement. In particular, the findings indicate that most of the proposed theory-based tests have been already used by STPA experts in an unstructured manner. The experts appreciated the framework in that it provides clear guidance on how to validate each step of an STPA analysis systematically, and found some additional theory-based tests interesting for consideration in practice. The results also suggest that further research is needed to develop systematic techniques for performing each test to facilitate its application by STPA experts.     

Effects of Ca(OH)2 assisted aluminum sulfate coagulation on the removal of humic acid and the formation potentials of tri-halomethanes and haloacetic acids in chlorination

The effects of addition of calcium hydroxide on aluminum sulphate(or alum) coagulation for removal of natural organic matter(NOM) and its subsequent effect on the formation potentials of two major types of regulated disinfection byproducts(DBPs),haloacetic acids(HAAs) and trihalomethanes(THMs),have been examined.The results revealed several noteworthy phenomena.At the optimal coagulation pH(i.e.6),the coagulation behavior of NOM water solutions versus alum dose,showed large variation and a consequent great change in the formation potentials of the DBPs at certain coagulant doses.However,with addition of a relatively small amount of Ca(OH) 2,although the zeta potential of coagulated flocs remained almost the same,NOM removal became more consistent with alum dose.Importantly,also the detrimental effect of charge reversal on NOM removal at the low coagulant dose disappeared.This resulted in a steady decrease in the formation potentials of DBPs as a function of the coagulant dose.Moreover,the addition of Ca(OH) 2 broadened the pH range of alum coagulation and promoted further reduction of the formation potentials of the DBPs.The enhancement effects of Ca(OH) 2 assisted alum coagulation are especially pronounced at pH 7 and 8.Finally,synchronous fluorescence spectra showed that the reduction in DBPs formation potential by Ca(OH) 2-assisted alum coagulation was connected to an enhanced removal of small hydrophobic and hydrophilic HA molecules.Ca(OH) 2-assistance of alum coagulation appeared to increase substantially the removal of the hydrophilic HA fraction responsible for HAAs formation,prompting further reduction of HAA formation potentials.     

Determination of MBT-waste reactivity – An infrared spectroscopic and multivariate statistical approach to identify and avoid failures of biological tests

The Austrian Landfill Ordinance provides limit values regarding the reactivity for the disposal of mechanically biologically treated (MBT) waste before landfilling. The potential reactivity determined by biological tests according to the Austrian Standards (OENORM S 2027 1-2) can be underestimated if the microbial community is affected by environmental conditions. New analytical tools have been developed as an alternative to error-prone and time-consuming biological tests. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in association with Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS-R) was used to predict the reactivity parameters respiration activity (RA₄) and gas generation sum (GS₂₁) as well as to detect errors resulting from inhibiting effects on biological tests. For this purpose 250 MBT-waste samples from different Austrian MBT-plants were investigated using FT-IR spectroscopy in the mid (MIR) and near infrared (NIR) area and biological tests. Spectroscopic results were compared with those from biological tests. Arising problems caused by interferences of RA₄ and GS₂₁ are discussed. It is shown that FT-IR spectroscopy predicts RA₄ and GS₂₁ reliably to assess stability of MBT-waste materials and to detect errors.     

西安南郊采暖期大气颗粒物PM_（2.5）的污染特征分析

为研究西安市南郊地区采暖期大气颗粒物PM2.5的污染浓度及水溶性成分,使用颗粒物采样器于2009年1月6日-2009年2月15日进行PM2.5采样。将24 h分为8个阶段,每天3 h定时采样。结果表明,西安市南郊地区采暖期PM2.5明显污染,24 h中PM2.5污染状况最严重的时段为21：00-23：59;PM2.5中NH4^＋、NO3^-和SO42^-是其最主要的水溶性组分,在PM2.5中的平均质量混合比分别为10.225%、13.698%和15.650%,三者在PM2.5中质量混合比最高的时段分别为06：00-08：59、03：00-05：59和18：00-20：59。     

CuMnOx／γ-Al2O3及稀土助剂对VOCs催化燃烧性能的影响

利用浸渍法制备了Cu—Mn复合氧化物催化剂和加入不同稀土含量的Cu—Mn复合氧化物催化剂,通过实验优选出加入稀土催化剂中稀土含量的最优配比,以气相色谱为检测手段,考察了加入稀土和不加稀土催化剂的催化燃烧性能,结果表明,加入稀土的催化剂T99（催化处理效率达到99％时的温度）比不加稀土的催化剂降低30～40℃,具有更好的低温活性,且对多种VOCs均能降低反应温度。     

基于AHP的高处坠落事故脆性分析

高危建筑行业施工作业中高处坠落事故居于“五大伤害”事故之首。以高处坠落事故的发生为研究对象,由层次分析法得出导致事故发生的各因素的相对重要度的排序向量,根据复杂系统的脆性理论,通过脆性激发度的定义,对高处坠落事故进行了脆性分析。结果表明,使用不安全设施、无防护措施、强度不够和处于不安全位置这四种因素是导致高处坠落事故发生的主要脆性源。研究结果为建筑行业事故防控体系的建立提供一种新的途径和思路。     

A New Method for Determination of Chlorophylls in Freshwater Algae

A new method (NMM, using acetic acid fiber filter and 90% ethanol) was established to determine chlorophyll in freshwater algae, and it was compared with US standard method (USM, using glass fiber filter and 90% acetone) and the method recommend by EPA of China (CHM, using acetic acid fiber filter and 90% acetone). The precision and repeatability of NMM is equivalent to that of USM, but NMM is safer to laboratory workers than USM and CHM because ethanol was used as solvent in NMM instead of acetone used in USM and CHM, and time and money were also greatly saved by the new method. The precision and repeatability of CHM was much less than USM and NMM, and the advice improving the method was proposed that the extraction time must be prolonged.     

Simultaneous detection of enteric bacteria from surface waters by QPCR in comparison with conventional bacterial indicators

A rapid quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) method was developed for simultaneous detection of enteric bacteria from surface waters by utilizing a pair of universal primers which targeted four bacteria strains, namely Shigella dysenteriae, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. It was estimated that the QPCR method had a 94% confidence, and a detection limit as 2.7 E. coli cells per sample in undiluted DNA extracts. The QPCR method was applied for the bacteriological examination of several surface waters in the urban area of Xi'an, China and comparison was made with the conventional bacteria indicators determined by conventional membrane filter (MF) method. As a result, the calibrator cell equivalents (CCE) determined by QPCR was 2.2 to five times of the total coliform CFU, and the characteristics of the bacterial quality of different waters could be well presented by the QPCR results with a higher sensitivity. The coefficient of variation (CV) of data obtained by QPCR was smaller than that by traditional MF method, indicating a more stable analysis result. The QPCR method could thus be used as a supplement of the conventional culture method for more sensitive detection of pathogenic enteric bacteria from water.     

西安市景观水体营养状态调查及浮游藻类多样性研究

对西安市城区景观水体浮游藻类状况及生物多样性进行了研究。结果表明,7个景观水体中有5个水体的水质未达到Ⅴ类水质标准,主要超标项目为pH值和TN;7个水体的ρ(N)/ρ(P)为16.6~43.6,磷为限制性因子;其中2个水体富营养化严重,DO含量低,水质达不到要求,其优势藻种为蓝藻门,含量占浮游藻类总数的64.3%~93.4%;而水质较好的贫营养水体优势种为黄藻门,含量占到浮游藻类总数的54.3%;通过6种生物多样性指数与景观水体营养状态的拟合,发现MeNaughton's多样性指数适合城区景观水体的富营养化评价。     

基于矩张量的钢筋混凝土构件损伤声发射检测方法

为了利用声发射技术对钢筋混凝土构件损伤进行定量检测,将矩张量在地震工程学中反演震源机制的理论用于结构的声发射无损检测。阐述了基于矩张量理论的声发射检测技术原理,推导了利用矩张量理论反演裂缝机制(裂缝位置、类型和走向)的定量表达式。通过钢筋混凝土梁的四点弯曲试验,按照基于矩张量的声发射分析方法,明确裂缝机制,并与试验结果比较,探讨矩张量理论用于钢筋混凝土结构无损检测的有效性。结果表明:对于钢筋混凝土受弯构件,基于矩张量的声发射无损检测技术能定量地描述结构的裂缝机制,具有较好的准确性。