An Italian Study on Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Wastewater, Fresh Water and Treated Water

Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts has been isolated from waters worldwide. In Italy, studies on these parasites in the environment are still limited due to absence of epidemiological evidence and difficulty of adequate methodologies of sampling and analysis. The new Drinking Water Directive 98/83/CE states that Cryptosporidium has to be determined in water intended for human consumption if Clostridium perfringens is detected. This investigation contributes to the knowledge of both Cryptosporidium and Giardia occurrences in Italian aquatic environments through a two-year monitoring program. In addition, indicator bacteria and Clostridium perfringens were monitored in sewage, surface waters, drinking water, and swimming pools and possible correlations were calculated among all the selected parameters. Cysts and oocysts were detected in sewage and surface water and Giardia numbers always prevailed over Cryptosporidium. The parasites were not detected in drinking water, while a positive sample was obtained from the analysis of swimming pools. Pearsons correlation coefficients evidenced a reciprocal correlation between both the protozoa and the Enterococci counts.     

Precision And Accuracy Of Pest And Pathogen Damage Assessment In Young Eucalypt Plantations

Fungal pathogens, browsing mammals, birds, insects, nutrient deficiencies, drought, frost and waterlogging are all damaging agents to plantation species. The subsequent loss in leaf tissue or reduced photosynthetic potential can reduce growth and potentially lead to tree death. The Crown Damage Index (CDI) was developed in Australia to quantify damage in young eucalypt plantations. The accuracy and precision of assessing damage at a tree level were determined to ensure the reliability, objectivity and repeatability of the CDI method. Nine assessors, with varying levels of experience, estimated damage on three plots of fifty trees each, to obtain an understanding of the subjectivity of assessing damage caused by insects (e.g. Chrysophtharta spp.) and fungal pathogens (e.g. Mycosphaerella spp.) on Eucalyptus globulus. Damage levels were measured by destructive sampling to enable direct comparisons between estimates and damage levels to be made. The most experienced assessors provided the most repeatable estimates and were generally the most accurate. The incidence of foliar necrosis was the least subjective measure while defoliation was the most subjective and the least accurate of the indices measured. All assessors, regardless of experience, were able to predict the Crown Damage Index (a combined index of all damage classes) to within 12% of measured damage levels.     

铅锌尾矿库土壤和蔬菜重金属污染特征及健康风险评价

研究调查了洛阳市西南部某铅锌尾矿库山林区、生活区、农田区表层土壤和农田区蔬菜中8种重金属含量,采用污染指数、潜在生态危害及健康风险进行评价.结果表明：农田区Pb、Zn、Cr、Cd和As重金属平均含量均高于土壤风险筛选值;蔬菜中重金属平均含量均超过食品污染物限量.各功能区内梅罗综合污染指数（PN）和非致癌总风险指数（HI）依次为农田区 > 3 > 生活区 > 山林区 > 2、农田区 > 1 > 山林区 > 生活区 > 0.5.其中,HI_Pb、HI_Cr、HI_As之和分别占成人、儿童致癌总风险HI的43%、58%.各功能区As对单项非致癌风险（HQ）作用明显,分别占成人HQ、儿童HQ的45%、35%;52%、41%;23%、17%.各功能区致癌风险总指数（TCR）均表现为农田区>山林区>生活区>10^-6.蔬菜中As对HI作用明显,均占对成人HI、儿童HI的贡献相同,均为55%、64%、94%和60%.4种蔬菜中重金属致癌与非致癌风险对居民作用依次为白菜 > 花椰菜 > 萝卜 > 甜菜.因此,尾矿库周边土壤及蔬菜重金属污染对周边生态环境和居民健康生活构成严重威胁.     

电脑散热风扇灰尘中多溴二苯醚的污染特征和环境健康风险评价

以多溴二苯醚（PBDEs）为阻燃剂的电器的使用是室内灰尘中PBDEs的一个重要来源,其中,电脑是人们日常使用时间较长的电子设备之一.采集了主要电脑厂商过去十年间生产的笔记本和台式机内置散热风扇处的灰尘,研究了灰尘中PBDEs的含量、组成、来源及人体暴露量,并评价了其环境健康风险.结果表明,各主流品牌电脑均有部分样品∑PBDEs含量较高,显示其可能都曾使用PBDEs作为阻燃剂.组成上,笔记本和台式机均以BDE-209为主（笔记本：89.4%,台式机：93.3%）.53%的笔记本（19/36）和台式机（10/19）灰尘中∑PBDEs与室内降尘对照样的比值>1.其中,8台笔记本和2台台式机的比值>10（77±99和53±61）,表明部分电脑的组件中添加了PBDEs,其运行使用是室内环境中PBDEs的来源之一.人体通过灰尘摄入途径暴露于电脑释放源∑PBDEs的非致癌风险（HI）和BDE-209的致癌风险（CR）均比呼吸暴露途径高1~2个数量级,显示灰尘摄入在人体对电脑等室内PBDEs释放源的暴露中扮演主要角色.各暴露途径的暴露量均低于RfD,HI > 1和CR > 10^-6（可接受致癌风险的上限）的超标概率均小于0.000%,显示人体通过灰尘摄入和呼吸途径暴露于电脑释放源PBDEs的环境健康风险低,但由于人体对PBDEs暴露途径的多样性,其叠加后的暴露量和健康风险仍需进一步研究评估.BDE-209是我国人体经灰尘摄入和呼吸途径暴露于电脑释放源PBDEs的首要同系物.主要低溴BDE的暴露风险随溴代数降低而增加,BDE-209漫长复杂的自然降解所产生低溴BDE的环境健康风险值得继续关注.     

基于GIS的生物制药企业VOCs扩散风险评估

以上海市某发酵类生物制药企业为研究对象,对其排放的苯、甲苯、二甲苯、苯酚、甲醇、甲醛6种VOCs的扩散规律进行模拟,采用最大增量反应（MIR）与风险评估四步法分别对VOCs的臭氧生成潜势与健康风险进行评估,并使用ArcGIS软件实现人体健康风险的可视化.结果表明：生物发酵制药企业排放的甲苯与二甲苯对臭氧生成的贡献度较高,分别占47%和29%;通过呼吸途径产生的居民致癌风险为7.04×10^-7,低于美国环保署（USEPA）推荐的可接受风险水平（1×10^-6）;非致癌物质引起的健康风险较小,远低于USEPA推荐的最大可接受风险水平（1）.因此,本研究中发酵类生物制药企业排放的VOCs不会对人体造成潜在的健康危害,但需考虑对臭氧生成的贡献,并应控制企业甲苯和二甲苯的排放量.     

Transition Pathways to Sustainable Agricultural Water Management: A Review of Integrated Modeling Approaches

Agricultural water management (AWM) is an interdisciplinary concern, cutting across traditional domains such as agronomy, climatology, geology, economics, and sociology. Each of these disciplines has developed numerous process‐based and empirical models for AWM. However, models that simulate all major hydrologic, water quality, and crop growth processes in agricultural systems are still lacking. As computers become more powerful, more researchers are choosing to integrate existing models to account for these major processes rather than building new cross‐disciplinary models. Model integration carries the hope that, as in a real system, the sum of the model will be greater than the parts. However, models based upon simplified and unrealistic assumptions of physical or empirical processes can generate misleading results which are not useful for informing policy. In this article, we use literature and case studies from the High Plains Aquifer and Southeastern United States regions to elucidate the challenges and opportunities associated with integrated modeling for AWM and recommend conditions in which to use integrated models. Additionally, we examine the potential contributions of integrated modeling to AWM — the actual practice of conserving water while maximizing productivity. Editor's note : This paper is part of the featured series on Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems. See the February 2019 issue for the introduction and background to the series.     

Psychosocial risks in small enterprises: the mediating role of perceived working conditions in the relationship between enterprise size and workers’ anxious or depressive episodes

Purpose. The relationship between enterprise size and psychosocial working conditions has received little attention so far but some findings suggest that conditions are more favorable in small enterprises. This could have a positive impact on workers’ mental health. The objective of this study was to test the mediating effect of perceived working conditions in the relationship between enterprise size and anxious or depressive episodes. Methods. Data from the 2010 SUMER – Surveillance Médicale des Expositions aux Risques professionnels (French periodical cross-sectional survey) were analyzed; N?=?31,420 for the present study. Anxious or depressive episodes were measured with the hospital anxiety and depression scale and the perceived working conditions were psychological demand, decision latitude and social support as assessed with Karasek's job content questionnaire. The indirect effect was tested according to the method proposed by Preacher and Hayes. Results. In a multivariate logistic regression, the risk of anxious or depressive episodes was found to be lower in micro enterprises (2–9 employees). Formal tests pointed to a significant indirect effect of enterprise size on mental health through perceived working conditions, with a larger effect for psychological demand. Conclusion. This study highlights perceived working conditions as an explanation of the effects of enterprise size.     

Work environment investments: outcomes from three cases

Work environment investments are important in order to create a healthy and safe workplace. This article presents findings from a seven-step interventions process aimed at examining and following-up work environment investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on air contaminants. Three different cases were analyzed and included in the study: (a) an educational center for welding; (b) a paint station in furniture manufacturing; (c) a joinery in furniture manufacturing. The results show that the work environment investments were highly appreciated by the employees and managers, but at the same time the investment could be optimized through markedly decreased exposure levels for the worker. Factors such as follow-ups of the investment, education and training in how to use the equipment, worker involvement in the process and leadership engagement are important in order to optimize work environment investments.     

旋幕式排风罩收集电焊烟尘的数值模拟

为解决电焊烟尘气流无组织排放对焊工健康和环境造成的严重影响,得出旋幕式排风罩的最佳设计参数及气流组织形式,选择GAMBIT软件建立排风罩的物理模型并进行网格划分,选用雷诺平均N-S方程(RANS)、Realizableκ-ε湍流模型及DPM离散相模型,利用Fluent计算流体力学软件对旋幕式排风罩捕集效率的相关参数进行模拟计算。结果表明:旋幕式排风罩能有效控制电焊烟尘气流的扩散;喷口角度对涡流产生的大小、位置和强度影响最大;最佳设计参数为有效吸程1. 5 m,喷口角度80°,喷口宽度14 mm;在该设计参数条件下,当罩面吸口风速为0. 3 m/s、喷口风速为1. 1m/s时,捕集效率达到最高,为98. 28%。     

A comparative analysis of safety management and safety performance in twelve construction projects

IntroductionSafety management in construction is complicated due to the complex “nature” of the construction industry. The aim of this research was to identify safety management factors (e.g., risk management and site management), contextual factors (e.g., organisational complexity) and combinations of such factors connected to safety performance. Method: Twelve construction projects were selected to compare their safety management and safety performance. An analytical framework was developed based on previous research, regulations, and standards where each management factor was defined. We employed qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to produce case knowledge, compare the cases, and identify connections between the factors and safety performance. The material collected and analyzed included, for example, construction planning documents, reports from OHS-inspections, safety indicators, and interviews with project leaders and OHS experts. Results and conclusions: The research showed that: (a) the average score on 12 safety management factors was higher among projects with high safety performance compared to projects with low safety performance; (b) high safety performance can be achieved with both high and low construction complexity and organizational complexity, but these factors complicate coordination of actors and operations; (c) it is possible to achieve high safety performance despite relatively poor performance on many safety management factors; (d) eight safety management factors were found to be “necessary” for high safety performance, namely roles and responsibilities, project management, OHS management and integration, safety climate, learning, site management, staff management, and operative risk management. Site management, operative risk management, and staff management were the three factors most strongly connected to safety performance. Practical implications: Construction stakeholders should understand that the ability to achieve high safety performance in construction projects is connected to key safety management factors, contextual factors, and combinations of such factors.