Evaluation of atmospheric sources of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs around a steel industrial complex in northeast China using passive air samplers

The concern about emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from steel industrial parks has increased in the past decades. In this study, polyurethane foam (PUF)-disk based passive air samples were collected in and around a big steel industrial park of Anshan, Northeast China from June 2008 to March 2009. The levels, seasonal variations and potential sources of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs in the atmosphere around the steel industrial complex were investigated, and potential contribution of these three groups of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from iron and steel production was also assessed. The air concentrations of ∑₁₇PCDD/Fs (summer: 0.02-2.77 pg m⁻³; winter: 0.20-9.79 pg m⁻³), ∑₁₉PCBs (summer: 23.5-155.8 pg m⁻³; winter: 14.6-81.3 pg m⁻³) and ∑₁₃PBDEs (summer: 2.91-10.7 pg m⁻³; winter: 1.10-3.89 pg m⁻³) in this targeted industrial park were relatively low in comparison to other studies, which implied that the industrial activities of iron and steel had not resulted in serious contamination to the ambient air in this area. On the whole, the air concentrations of PCDD/Fs in winter were higher than those of summer, whereas the concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs showed opposite trends. The result from principal component analysis indicated that coal combustion might be the main contributor of PCDD/F sources in this area.     

Preparation of glass-ceramics from molten steel slag using liquid-liquid mixing method

A novel approach to prepare glass-ceramics from molten steel slag (MSS) was proposed. In laboratory, the water-quenched steel slag was melted at 1350 °C to simulate the MSS. A mixture of additive powders in wt.% (55 quartz powder, 5 Na₂O, 16 emery powder, 15 CaO, 8 MgO, 1 TiO₂) were melted into liquid at 1350 °C separately. Then the MSS and the molten additives were mixed homogeneously in order to obtain parent glass melt. The proportion of MSS in the melt was 50 wt.%. The melt was subsequently cast, annealed, heat-treated and transformed into glass-ceramics. Their microstructure and crystallization behavior were analyzed. The samples exhibited excellent properties and displayed bulk crystallization. The major crystallized phase was diopside ((Fe_0.35Al_0.20Mg_0.44)Ca_0.96(Fe_0.08Si_0.70Al_0.20)₂O_6.12), which was uniformly distributed in the microstructure. The novel approach may help iron and steel industry achieve zero disposal of steel slag with utilization of the heat energy of the MSS.     

Metal contamination in sediments of the western Bohai Bay and adjacent estuaries, China

Twelve sediment cores were collected in July 2007 in open waters of western Bohai Bay, the Port of Tianjin, and the adjacent estuaries of the Haihe and Yongding Rivers. While overall concentrations of trace metals at incremental depths in these cores met the Marine Sediment Quality (GB18668-2002) criteria of China, the magnitude of both metal enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indices (I(geo)) suggested that pollution with Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn was occurring in the estuaries and Port. Risk analysis also suggested that Ag and Ni concentrations were sufficiently elevated as to cause adverse biological effects in the study area. Although metal concentrations in western Bohai Bay were of less concern, a positive relationship between EF values and excess (210)Pb activity for several metals suggested that their concentrations were increasing over time.     

Ecotoxicological evaluation of industrial port of Venice (Italy) sediment samples after a decontamination treatment

This work assesses the ecotoxicological effects of polluted sediment after a decontamination treatment process using a new sediment washing technique. Sediment samples were collected from four sites in Marghera Port industrial channels (Venice, Italy). Ecotoxicological evaluations were performed with Vibrio fischeri and Crassostrea gigas bioassays. Whole sediment and elutriate were deemed as the most suitable environmental matrices for this study. Toxicity scores developed in the Lagoon of Venice for V. fischeri on whole sediment and for C. gigas on elutriate were considered for the final ranking of samples. Ecotoxicological results showed that the treated sediment samples presented both acute and sub-chronic toxicities, which were mainly attributed to the presence of some remaining chemicals such as metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The acute toxicity ranged from low to medium, while the sub-chronic one from absent to very high, suggesting that treated sediments could not be reused in direct contact with seawater.     

Determination of zinc speciation in basic oxygen furnace flying dust by chemical extractions and X-ray spectroscopy

There is a growing concern regarding the environmental and public health risks associated with airborne particulate matter (PM). The basic oxygen furnace is one of the most important atmospheric dust sources of the steel manufacturing process. It emits dust enriched in heavy metal such as Zn, which is assumed to contribute to the toxic potential of atmospheric PM. Dust collected before and after the filtration system was analyzed to determine Zn speciation. To this end, a variety of analytical tools were used and a sequential extraction protocol has been specifically developed for iron and steel dust. The Zn speciation results obtained by EXAFS and sequential extraction were in excellent agreement. Before filtration, the speciation of Zn in BOF was 43% ZnFe₂O₄, 23% ZnCO₃ and 16% ZnO. The same species were detected after filtration with different proportions. BOF dust after filtration contains more soluble Zn phases which may play a role in the toxic effects of the emissions.     

Use of Faunal Indicators for Assessing the Impact of a Port Enlargement near Bilbao (Spain)

In order to assess the effects of the execution of the Port of Bilbao Enlargement Project, epifauna living on hard substrata and environmental parameters were quantitatively investigated from 1994 to 1996. A programme of repeated non-destructive sampling at 8 stations was carried out during the construction period of a breakwater and the filling operations on the shoreline. A correlation analysis was used as a method to extract potential indicator species of particular environmental conditions measured in the field. We postulate that the remaining species (about 80% of the total species data set), insensitive to any of the investigated environmental factors, were unnecessary for the purposes of assessing the environmental impact caused by the port building works. Classification and ordination techniques were then conducted at two contrasting levels by using the full species data set and the selected faunal indicator data subset. All plots showed separation of sampling sites in 3 major groups, which were easily related to the perturbations caused by a siltation gradient from the estuary mouth. This suggests that the amount of effort required in the enumeration of all the organisms sampled may be dramatically reduced by identifying only faunal indicators of environmental discontinuities in the field. So far, the engineering works developed on the western side of the bay have not caused dramatic temporal changes in species composition, or at least they have not had an effect that was larger than the variations detected among the study sites due to siltation from the estuary mouth.     

中国钢铁工业职业卫生40年回顾和今后展望

通过对中国钢铁工业职业卫生四十年的回顾,笔者认为:钢铁工业卫生管理体制已基本形成,但管理水平急需提高;主要的传统职业危害有所抑制,而今后任务仍十分艰巨;随着钢铁工业生产技术的发展广大职工又面临新的职业危害的挑战。本文最后对90年代钢铁工业职业卫生的形势进行了展望,提出了新的对策。在执行「八五」职业卫生规划的基础上,还需加强职业互生服务机构,扩大服务覆盖面,提高专业素质、开展普及教育、加强专业队伍的自身建设,这些任务是实现十年战略目标的重要保证。     

Characterization of aircraft emissions and air quality impacts of an international airport

Beijing Capital International Airport(ZBAA) is the world's second busiest airport. In this study, the emissions of air pollutants from aircraft and other sources at ZBAA in 2015 were estimated using an improved method, which considered the mixing layer height calculated based on aircraft meteorological data relay(AMDAR), instead of using the height(915 m)recommended by ICAO. The yearly emissions of NO_x, CO, VOCs, SO_2, and PM_(2.5) at the airport were 8.76 × 10~3, 4.43 × 10~3, 5.43 × 10~2, 4.80 × 10~2, and 1.49 × 10~2 ton/year, respectively. The spatial–temporal distribution of aircraft emissions was systematically analyzed to understand the emission characteristics of aircraft. The results indicated that NOxwas mainly emitted during the take-off and climb phases, accounting for 20.5% and 55.5% of the total emissions. CO and HC were mainly emitted during the taxi phase, accounting for 91.6%and 92.2% of the total emissions. Because the mixing layer height was high in summer, the emissions of aircraft were at the highest level throughout the year. Based on the detailed emissions inventory, four seasons simulation using WRF-CMAQ model was performed over the domain surrounding the airport. The results indicated that the contribution to PM_(2.5) was relatively high in winter; the average impact was about 1.15 μg/m~3 within a radius of1 km around the airport. Meanwhile, the near surroundings and southwest areas of the airport are the most sensitive to PM_(2.5).     

武钢循环冷却水钢管腐蚀的原因及其对策

针对武钢循环冷却水系统部分钢管腐蚀,造成管管漏水,严重影响正常生产的问题.探讨了钢管产生腐蚀的原因及其对策.近2年,通过实施减缓循环冷却水钢管腐蚀的对策,取得了明显的效果.     

梁腹板开圆孔的钢框架抗震节点

介绍了梁腹板开圆孔的钢框架梁柱节点 ,笔者探讨的基本思路是希望通过对梁截面的削弱确保结构在强震作用时的塑性铰远离节点域而出现在梁上 ;同时 ,该节点形式应用于住宅体系时 ,使水暖管线穿梁和降低结构空间占用成为可能。因此 ,笔者对该节点形式的基本受力性能及设计中需要考虑的构造措施进行了较详细的探讨 ,并利用ANSYS对其塑性区分布和剪应力分布进行了分析。研究结果初步表明 ,梁腹板开圆孔的钢框架节点具有理论上的合理性和实用上的可行性 ,可达到塑性铰外移和增加使用功能的目的。