Cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes in fish from the Baltic Sea

Laboratory studies suggest that the cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMS) octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) will persist in the aquatic environment and bioaccumulate in fish. Here these cVMS were measured in herring collected in the Swedish waters of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea and in grey seals from the Baltic Proper. D4, D5, and D6 were present in herring muscle at concentrations around 10, 200, and 40 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight, respectively. The ratio of these concentrations was similar to the relative magnitude of estimated emissions to water, suggesting that the efficiency of overall transfer through the environment and food web was similar (within a factor 2–3) for the three chemicals. The concentrations of D5 and D6 were similar in herring caught in the highly populated Baltic Proper and in the less populated Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay. The D4 concentrations were lower at the most remote northern station, suggesting that D4 is less persistent than D5 and D6. Herring from the North Sea had lower levels of all three chemicals. The concentrations of D4, D5 and D6 in grey seal blubber were lower than the lipid normalized concentrations in herring, indicating that they do not biomagnify in grey seals.     

Linking empirical estimates of body burden of environmental chemicals and wellness using NHANES data

Biomonitoring of industrial chemicals in human tissues and fluids has shown that all people carry a “body burden” of synthetic chemicals. Although measurement of an environmental chemical in a person's tissues/fluids is an indication of exposure, it does not necessarily mean the exposure concentration is sufficient to cause an adverse effect. Since humans are exposed to multiple chemicals, there may be a combination effect (e.g., additive, synergistic) associated with low-level exposures to multiple classes of contaminants, which may impact a variety of organ systems. The objective of this research is to link measures of body burden of environmental chemicals and a “holistic” measure of wellness. The approach is demonstrated using biomonitoring data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Forty-two chemicals were selected for analysis based on their detection levels. Six biological pathway-specific indices were evaluated using groups of chemicals associated with each pathway. Five of the six pathways were negatively associated with wellness. Three non-zero interaction terms were detected which may provide empirical evidence of crosstalk across pathways. The approach identified five of the 42 chemicals from a variety of classes (metals, pesticides, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) as accounting for 71% of the weight linking body burden to wellness. Significant interactions were detected indicating the effect of smoking is exacerbated by body burden of environmental chemicals. Use of a holistic index on both sides of the exposure-health equation is a novel and promising empirical “systems biology” approach to risk evaluation of complex environmental exposures.     

基于TES数据的亚洲大气水汽中δD空间分布特征研究

基于TES反演的大气水汽及水汽中HDO数据,对亚洲大气水汽中δD在垂直和等压面上的分布特征进行了分析。在垂直方向上：多年平均显示δD值在对流层由低空向高空逐渐降低,最小值出现在80~100 hPa的对流层顶,进入平流层后则随高度升高而增加;约从500 hPa至对流层顶,等值线非常平直;在500 hPa以下的对流层中低层,等值线则存在着波动。在等压面上：δD值的多年平均纬向分布明显,表现出随纬度增加而减小;在低纬地区的同纬度,δD值由海洋向大陆递减。δD的季节差异则显示在中纬度地区的亚洲大陆,ΔδD为正值且自西向东正值的分布范围、大小均逐渐减小;在低纬和高纬地区,ΔδD值则均为负值;在同纬度地区,海洋上的ΔδD明显小于陆地。另外,发现平流层的等压面上,δD的多年平均、季节差异均表现出与对流层相反分布的特点     

Effects of investment on energy intensity: evidence from China

This article explores the effects of investment upon energy intensity by applying a unique panel data of China’s 27 provinces between 2004 and 2013. In addition, it also particularly studies other factors, such as energy price, economic structure, and urbanization. The results, based on four econometric regression model results, suggest that in general, the indigenous investment on research and development is a more powerful tool to decrease China’s energy intensity regardless of region disparity. The foreign direct investment (FDI) has a prominent but not persistent effect on energy intensity. However, the outward direct investment has not shown its significant impact on energy intensity. At the level of an aggregate economy and China’s eastern region, the results demonstrate that FDI improves energy efficiency significantly. For the central and western provinces, FDI does not support the similar conclusion. Based on these analyses, we present the corresponding regional policies for policymakers.     

The rate of soil reduction as affected by levels of methyl parathion and 2, 4‐D

Abstract

A simple technique was demonstrated for determining the potential for synthetic organics to stress microbial populations. Oxidized Crowley and Cecil soil materials were amended with varying concentrations of 2,4‐D and methyl parathion, flooded, and then analyzed for changes in pH, redox potential, and levels of soluble plus exchangeable Fe, Mn, and Zn, all of which may be directly or indirectly influenced by the activity of soil microorganisms. At the concentrations tested (up to 75 ppm), there was little effect of 2,4‐D, but methyl parathion apparently did affect microbial activity contributing to changes in the measured soil properties upon flooding. This approach may be a useful technique for screening various compounds for their potential to stress microbial activity that, for many researchers, would be easier than direct observations of microbial parameters such as population numbers and classifications, and enzyme levels.     

Influence of compost amendment rate and level of compaction on the hydraulic functioning of soils

There has been widespread interest in using compost to improve the hydrologic functions of degraded soils at construction sites for reducing runoff and increasing infiltration. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of compost amendment rate on saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) and water retention in order to identify target compost rates for enhancing soil hydrologic functions. Samples were prepared with three soil textures (sandy loam, silt loam, and sandy clay loam), amended with compost at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. All soils were tested at a porosity of 0.5 m³/m³, and the sandy loam was further tested at high (0.55 m³/m³) and low (0.4 m³/m³) porosities. The K_s and water retention data were then used to model infiltration with HYDRUS-1D. With increasing compost amendment rate, K_s and water retention of the mixtures generally increased at the medium porosity level, with more compost needed in heavier soils. As porosity decreased in the sandy loam soil, the amount of compost needed to improve K_s rose from 20% to 50%. Water distribution in pore fractions (gravitational, plant-available, and unavailable water) depended on texture, with only the highest compost rates increasing plant-available water in one soil. Results suggest soil texture should be taken into consideration when choosing a compost rate in order to achieve soil improvement goals. Hydrologic benefits may be limited even at a high rate of compost amendment if soil is compacted.     

Integrating Large Wood Jams into Hydraulic Models: Evaluating a Porous Plate Modeling Method

Large wood (LW) jams are key riverine habitat features that affect hydraulic processes and aquatic habitat. The hydraulic influence of LW jams is poorly understood due to the complexity of fluid dynamics around irregular, porous structures. Here we validated a method for two‐dimensional hydraulic modeling of porous LW jams using the open‐source modeling software Delft3D‐FLOW. We sampled 19 LW jams at three reaches across the Columbia River Basin in the United States. We used computer‐generated porous plates to represent LW jams in the modeling software and calibrated our modeling method by comparing model outputs to measured depths and velocities at validation points. We found that modeling outputs are error‐prone when LW jams are not represented. By representing LW jams as porous plates we reduced average velocity root mean square error (RMSE) values (i.e., improved model accuracy) by 42.8% and reduced average depth RMSE values by 5.2%. These differences impacted habitat suitability index modeling. We found a 15.1% increase in weighted useable area for juvenile steelhead at one test site when LW jams were simulated vs. when they were ignored. We investigated patterns in average RMSE improvements with varying jam size, bankfull obstruction, porosity, and structure type, and river complexity. We also identified research gaps related to field estimation of LW jam porosity and porous structure modeling methods.     

基于环境监测的矿井通风三维仿真辅助决策系统设计

为优化金属矿山矿井通风系统及辅助决策设计,弥补常用矿井通风仿真解算软件在环境监测、实时解算和辅助决策方面的不足,基于矿井通风理论、环境监测、计算机与通信技术开发矿井通风三维仿真辅助决策系统。提出通过利用实时监测到的井下通风环境参数（风量、风速等）和已存储在系统数据库里的巷道参数,实现对矿井通风网络实时解算,并将其应用到山金阿尔哈达矿井通风系统中。结果表明:矿井通风三维仿真辅助决策系统同步实现了山金阿尔哈达矿井通风系统的环境监测、风网实时解算和三维仿真模拟,提高了其矿井通风管理水平,为矿井通风系统改造优化设计和矿井向深部中段延伸时的通风系统设计提供辅助决策依据。     

基于磁共振成像的头部三维测量研究

人体头部尺寸是进行头部装备设计的依据,本文基于磁共振成像技术获取二维头部图像,从原始图像提取边界三维坐标数据,利用傅立叶级数对头部坐标数据进行数学描述,并实现头型的三维重建和尺寸测量。     

反应堆重混凝土拆除解体技术概述

反应堆生物屏蔽层重混凝土的拆除解体是反应堆退役过程中的难点之一。本文对重混凝土拆除解体技术进行了详细的调研。结果表明：金刚石串珠绳锯、空心镗削法和金刚石圆盘锯可以对反应堆重混凝土进行拆除解体。