Effects of a tropical cyclone on the drinking-water quality of a remote Pacific island

The effect of a cyclone (Ami, January 2003) on drinking-water quality on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji was investigated. Following the cyclone nearly three-quarters of the samples analysed did not conform to World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline values for safe drinking-water in terms of chlorine residual, total and faecal coliforms, and turbidity. Turbidity and total coliform levels significantly increased (up 56 and 62 per cent, respectively) from pre-cyclone levels, which was likely due to the large amounts of silt and debris entering water-supply sources during the cyclone. The utility found it difficult to maintain a reliable supply of treated water in the aftermath of the disaster. Communities were unaware they were drinking water that had not been adequately treated. Circumstances permitted this cyclone to be used as a case study to assess whether a simple paper-strip water-quality test (the hydrogen sulphide, H(2)S) kit could be distributed and used for community-based monitoring following such a disaster event to better protect public health. The H(2)S test results correlated well with faecal and total coliform results as found in previous studies. A small percentage of samples (about 10 per cent) tested positive for faecal and total coliforms but did not test positive in the H(2)S test. It was concluded that the H(2)S test would be well suited to wider use, especially in the absence of water-quality monitoring capabilities for outer island groups as it is inexpensive and easy to use, thus enabling communities and community health workers with minimal training to test their own water supplies without outside assistance. The importance of public education before and after natural disasters is also discussed.     

霉菌试验技术分析与探讨

分析了霉菌试验技术对试验结果的影响,并从试验菌种、霉菌孢子、灭菌方法以及试验结果评定等方面对提高霉菌试验结果的可靠性进行了深入探讨.     

人工加速老化测试--氙灯试验箱

讨论两种常见的、不同类型、测试条件一致的氙灯试验箱。详述了其不同的配置对光谱、辐照度控制、过滤器类型、潮湿、湿度控制、温度控制和校准等的影响。阐述了样品安置、设备的维护保养等实际操作方面的问题以及老化测试标准。     

彗星试验的改良及其在工业废水监测中的应用

为了探讨彗星试验在工业废水监测中的应用,本文将常规的细胞暴露方式改良为浸泡染毒,既提高了实验的敏感性,又使得该试验直接用于监测工业废水的遗传毒性成为可能．作者用改良彗星试验直接检测了几种工业废水所引起的V79细胞DNA损伤．结果表明,所测的各种工业废水均含有DNA损伤剂,能够诱发培养的V79细胞DNA链断裂,其中以制革厂废水的DNA损伤作用最强．本研究显示出改良彗星试验在综合评价各种废水遗传毒性方面的广阔应用前景．     

底泥疏浚对湖泊沉积物的生态毒性效应的影响

采用淡水沉积物质量基准和微生物毒性试验方法,对疏浚前后五里湖沉积物提取液和全底泥沉积物的生态毒性进行了研究与分析.结果表明,疏浚后,沉积物中各重金属污染物的总体含量均显著降低,但是铬、铅和镍的含量仍然分布在阈值效应低值(TEL)和可能效应水平值(PEL)之间的灰色区域,仍可能对水体生态系统产生不良影响;疏浚后1个月,沉积物提取液中发光菌发光试验的EC50值降低约50%,毒性增加近1倍;与疏浚前相比,全底泥沉积物的细菌毒性试验的EC₅₀值降低11%～30%;全底泥月芽藻毒性试验的EC₅₀值也有显著降低.     

长江南京段水体中有机污染物的遗传毒性研究

运用人外周血淋巴细胞彗星试验和蚕豆根尖细胞微核试验对长江南京段水体中有机污染物的遗传毒性进行了研究. 结果表明:长江南京段水体中的有机污染物对人外周血淋巴细胞和蚕豆根尖细胞均产生了不同程度的损伤,存在明显的遗传毒性,有机物是导致水体遗传毒性的主要因素. 试验结果与水体的有机污染状况基本一致. 彗星试验结果及趋势与微核试验相吻合,但前者更为敏感. 彗星试验和微核试验的结合使用在水环境的遗传毒性监测方面具有较大的应用价值.      

广州市机动车排放因子隧道测试研究

选取广州城市隧道进行连续48h的监测,获得了隧道内NOx,CO,SO2,PM10和HC等污染物的浓度、交通和气象等实测数据,计算出隧道内机动车NOx,CO,SO2,PM-10和HC的单车平均排放因子分别为1.38,15.40,0.14,0.64和1.86g/(km*辆),并得到了8类机动车各种排放污染物的综合排放因子.      

太湖中微囊藻毒素的遗传毒性研究

应用Ames试验、小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核试验、小鼠精子畸形试验,对从太湖蓝藻水华中提取的微囊藻毒素进行测试.结果表明,太湖蓝藻水华中提取的微囊藻毒素对鼠伤寒沙门氏菌组氨酸缺陷型TA98菌株直接作用呈现致突变性,而经S9代谢活化作用后未呈现致突变性;可明显增强小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞的微核率,并呈现一定的剂量反应关系;但未引起小鼠精子畸变率的改变.      

宁波市区道路机动车综合排放因子

机动车综合排放因子是计算城市机动车污染物排放总量和排放分担率的基础,是降低城市机动车排放的重要依据,是控制城市道路交通污染的源头.根据宁波市区道路机动车运行工况的研究成果,利用加速模拟工况(ASM)排放测试系统,检测主要污染物HC,CO和NO_x的排放浓度;依据试验车变速器和主减速器的结构参数,以及试验车在宁波市区道路运行时的档位分布计算排污值,并依据机动车的年代和车型分布对该值进行修正,计算宁波市区道路机动车综合排放因子.结果表明,宁波市区道路机动车主要污染物HC,CO和NO_x的综合排放因子分别为5.89,21.22和18.91 g/(km·辆).      

Re-evaluation and re-classification of erionite series minerals

Governments and industries have introduced regulatory measures requiring safety controls to limit asbestos exposure of the general public and asbestos workers. Although erionite is a more potent health hazard mineral than asbestos, it has received far less attention. Precise definition of erionite, types of these fibrous minerals, and most importantly, characterization requirements still raise questions and often lead to arguments and even legal disputes. Many bulk erionite samples used in animal and cell experiments for carcinogenicity are not mineralogically pure. To test this hypothesis, we characterized two erionite standards from Rome, Oregon, and Pine Valley, Nevada, USA. These standards were characterized quantitatively using modern analytical techniques, and one of them, the erionite standard from Rome, Oregon, passed the required tests for positive identification, but the other, the erionite standard from Pine Valley, Nevada, did not. Furthermore, we observed ambiguous definitions, incorrect identifications, and inaccurate reporting of clinical investigations. To address this problem, we established characterization guidelines for positive identification of erionite using a modified balance error formula, and we re-evaluated and re-classified published erionite data from the literature as erionite-Ca, erionite-Na, and erionite-K. If data did not pass either the E% or Mg-content test, then we propose that reference to them in the literature be disregarded. Erionite requires special attention from the mineralogical community to help establish its true carcinogenetic properties. We believe that the characterization guidelines established in this paper will contribute to setting up rules and regulations for evaluation of erionite by regulatory agencies.