Applicability of the Arrhenius model for ammonia oxidizing bacteria subjected to temperature time gradients

The aim of this work is to identify the range of applicability of Arrhenius type temperature dependence for Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) subjected to temperature time gradients through continuous titrimetric tests. An innovative online differential titrimetric technique was used to continuously monitor the maximum biologic ammonia oxidation rate of the biomass selected in a pilot scale membrane bioreactor, as a function of temperature time gradients. The monitoring technique is based on the measurement of alkalinity and hydrogen peroxide consumption rates in two parallel reactors operated in non-limiting substrate conditions for AOB; both reactors were continuously fed with mixed liquor and in one of them AOB were inhibited with allylthiourea. The effects of temperature decrease rates in the range 1 to 4°C·h⁻¹ were evaluated by controlling the titrimetric reactor in the temperature range 10°C–20°C. The dependence of growth kinetics on temperature time gradients and the range of applicability of Arrhenius model for temperature dependency of AOB growth kinetics were assessed. The Arrhenius model was found to be accurate only with temperature gradients lower than 2°C·h⁻¹. The estimated Arrhenius coefficients (θ) were shown to increase from 1.07 to 1.6 when the temperature decrease rate reached 4°C·h⁻¹.     

Hematological study of petrol station workers exposed to unleaded petrol

This study was undertaken to assess the level of exposure of petrol station workers to toxic components of unleaded petrol and to investigate whether this exposure, under normal working conditions, is associated with any significant changes in hematological parameters. In this cross-sectional study, 400 subjects (200 exposed and 200 reference subjects) were included. Atmospheric concentrations of benzene (B), toluene (T), and xylene (X) (BTX) were measured and all subjects underwent complete blood counts and white blood cell differential tests. The geometric means of airborne concentrations of BTX were lower than their recommended exposure limits. The results of blood tests showed that the means of red blood cell distribution width and hematocrit parameters, while within the normal range, were significantly different in the two groups. In conclusions, the average exposure level of petrol station workers to BTX did not exceed the current threshold limit values for these chemicals. Additionally, overt hematotoxicity is unlikely to be the outcome of exposure to unleaded petrol under the conditions described in our study. Possible long-term consequences of subtle, clinically insignificant changes in the hematological parameters of exposed employees observed in this study deserve further investigation.     

Shake table study of annular baffles in steel storage tanks as sloshing dependent variable dampers

Aboveground steel storage tanks are widely utilized in industrial areas such as oil refineries, petrochemical complexes, oil depots, and etc. Assurance of these infrastructure facilities in high seismic areas is a very important engineering consideration. High amplitude fluid sloshing is one of the widespread causes of steel oil storage tanks during strong earthquakes addressed as an important failure mode. This phenomenon generates additional forces impacting the wall and roof of the tanks. Annular baffles can be used as slosh damping devises to control liquid sloshing within a tank. The main objective of this paper is experimental study of annular baffle effects as anti-sloshing damping devices to reduce fluid wave sloshing height in steel storage tanks typically used in oil and petrochemical complexes during an earthquake. Shake table tests have been used on a reduced scale model steel storage tank in two cases of with and without annular baffles. Three real earthquake ground motion records are used as input base motion. Based on the experimental test results, dynamic characteristics of studied tank models with different filling levels and different baffle dimensions and arrangements have been obtained and summarized in this paper. Also, sloshing heights and convective mode damping values are determined from the test results and compared with API650 code recommendations and recommended equations by other researchers. Generally, the results of this study indicate significant effects of the annular baffles in reducing the fluid wave sloshing height as sloshing dependent variable dampers.     

武器装备温度冲击试验数值模拟

根据GJB 150．5-86中提供的军用设备温度冲击试验方法,对武器装备和设备做了数值模拟分析。结果表明,由于隔热层的存在,温度冲击对武器装备内部设备的影响非常小,而单独针对设备的温度冲击试验对设备的影响则是非常严酷的。因此,该试验方法对于有隔热层而不会经受急剧的极端温度变化的设备是不适用的。     

Spatial Scale of Autocorrelation of Assemblages of Benthic Invertebrates in Two Upland Rivers in South-Eastern Australia and Its Implications for Biomonitoring and Impact Assessment in Streams

Spatial autocorrelation in ecological systems is a critical issue for monitoring (and a general understanding of ecological dynamics) yet there are very few data available, especially for riverine systems. Here, we report here on assemblage-level autocorrelation in the benthic-invertebrate assemblages of riffles in two adjacent, relatively pristine rivers in south-eastern Victoria, Australia (40-km reaches of the Wellington [surveys in summers of 1996 and 1997] and Wonnangatta Rivers [survey in summer of 1996 only], with 16 sites in each river). We found that analyses were similar if the data were resolved to family or to species level. Spatial autocorrelation was assessed by using Mantel-tests for the data partitioned into different sets of spatial separations of survey sites (e.g. 0–6 km, 6–12 km, etc.). We found strong small-scale (≤6 km) autocorrelation in the Wellington River, which is consistent with known dispersal abilities of many aquatic invertebrates. Surprisingly, there were strong negative correlations at longer distance classes for the Wellington River in one of the two summers (20–40 km) and the Wonnangatta River (12–20 km). That two largely unimpacted, adjacent rivers should have such different autocorrelation patterns suggests that impact assessment cannot assume dependence or independence of sites a priori. We discuss the implications of these results for use of “reference” sites to assess impacts at nominally affected sites.     

振动频率对饱和砂土液化强度的影响

采用"土工静力-动力液压三轴-扭转多功能剪切仪"对饱和砂土进行了一系列动三轴实验,探讨了振动频率对液化强度数值的影响程度。在1.0、1.5固结比和0.05、0.10、1.00 Hz振动频率条件下,针对相对密实度分别为70%、28%的密砂和松砂进行了100、200、300 kPa围压和100 kPa围压条件下的液化强度实验。实验结果表明,饱和密砂和松砂在各种固结条件下,液化强度随着振动频率的增大而增大,相同破坏振次时,各种实验条件下的液化强度与振动频率的关系在双对数坐标上均符合线性关系;振动频率由0.05 Hz变化到1.00 Hz时,液化强度相差达25%以上;动强度指标φd值随振动频率的增大而增大,最大相差12.2%;随着振动频率的增大,砂土达到液化破坏所需的时间明显缩短;振动频率对松砂液化强度的影响比对密砂的影响更为显著。     

曝气对水平潜流人工湿地水力特性的影响

通过构建曝气及未曝气潜流人工湿地小试实验系统,以NaCl为示踪剂开展示踪实验,研究曝气对人工湿地水力特性的影响。实验结果表明,两对比系统均存在不同程度的短流及死区现象,短流主要发生在床体表层,而死区则存在于床体底层。其中未曝气人工湿地系统的流场分布不均匀现象较为严重,示踪剂滞留在床体底层难以回收,系统水力效率较低(0.56)。比较而言,由于气流对水体的扰动作用,曝气对人工湿地系统水力效率有明显改善作用,减缓了床体表层水流速度,提高了示踪剂回收率,缩小了死区的范围,曝气人工湿地系统的水力效率为0.75。     

Survey regarding the 0.05 blood alcohol concentration limit for driving in the United States

Background: On May 14, 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proposed that states lower the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) illegal limit from 0.08 to 0.05 g/dL (also referred to as the 0.08 law and the 0.05 limit, respectively). In March 2017, this recommendation was signed into law in the State of Utah.

Objective: The objective of this survey is to investigate perceptions regarding enforcement of the 0.05 g/dL BAC limit.

Method: Opinions of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and defense attorneys were obtained through a series of questionnaires and focus groups.

Results: Survey data were collected from 32 law enforcement officers, 20 prosecutors, and 4 defense attorneys. The participants rated the usefulness of the NHTSA's driving while intoxicated (DWI) driving cues lower for the 0.05 limit than for the 0.08 law. Some of the participants believed that training would be needed in regard to sobriety testing under the 0.05 limit. Participants also stated that adequately preparing for prosecution of drunk drivers would be more difficult under the 0.05 limit. In addition, it was believed that drunk driving cases are more likely to be withdrawn and fewer plea agreements and guilty pleas are likely under the 0.05 limit. Prosecutors were concerned that the 0.05 limit would result in poorly investigated cases and overburden the court system. Defense attorneys were concerned about the social and economic costs of a 0.05 limit.

Discussion: Overall, it appears that the 0.05 limit is viewed as enforceable and it will save lives; however, the usefulness of the NHTSA DWI Detection Guide and of the standardized field sobriety tests need to be established for lower BACs, and efforts must be made to educate people regarding the relationship between BAC and impairment and impairment and driving with the risk of injury and death.

Conclusion: Though the 0.05 limit offers promise in saving lives, the following issues associated with changing the limit to 0.05 need to be resolved prior to implementation: Validating the sobriety tests for the 0.05 limit; if needed, modifying the sobriety tests to make them effective and valid at the 0.05 limit; and training law enforcement personnel and educating the public regarding the 0.05 limit.     

Reporting and evaluation criteria as means towards a transparent use of ecotoxicity data for environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals

Ecotoxicity data with high reliability and relevance are needed to guarantee the scientific quality of environmental risk assessments of pharmaceuticals. The main advantages of a more structured approach to data evaluation include increased transparency and predictability of the risk assessment process, and the possibility to use non-standard data.In this collaboration, between the research project MistraPharma and the German Federal Environment Agency, a new set of reporting and evaluation criteria is presented and discussed. The new criteria are based on the approaches in the literature and the OECD reporting requirements, and have been further developed to include both reliability and relevance of test data.Intended users are risk assessors and researchers performing ecotoxicological experiments, but the criteria can also be used for education purposes and in the peer-review process for scientific papers. This approach intends to bridge the gap between the regulator and the scientist’s needs and way of work.     

Biodegradation of wastewater nitrogen compounds in fractures: laboratory tests and field observations

Throughout several coastal regions in the Mediterranean where rainfalls rarely exceed 650 mm per year municipal treated wastewater can be conveniently reused for soil irrigation. Where the coastal aquifer supplies large populations with freshwater in such area, an assessment of ground water quality around spreading sites is needed. In this study, the efficacy of natural filtration on nitrogen degradation in wastewater spreads on the soil covering the Salento (Southern Italy) fractured limestone was quantified by using laboratory tests and field measurements. In the laboratory, effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants was filtered through a package of fractures made by several slabs of limestone. An analysis of wastewater constituent concentrations over time allowed the decay rates and constants for nitrogen transformation during natural filtration to be estimated in both aerated and non-aerated (i.e., saturated) soil fractures. A simulation code, based on biodegradation decay constants defined in the laboratory experiments, was then used to quantify the total inorganic nitrogen removal from wastewater injected in an aquifer in the Salento region (Nardò). Here the water sampled in two monitoring wells at 320 m and 500 m from the wastewater injection site and downgradient with respect to groundwater flow was used to verify the laboratory nitrification and denitrification rates.