Ecotoxicological effects of mixed pollutants resulted from e-wastes recycling and bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Chinese loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)

To understand potential ecotoxicological effects of electrical and electronic equipment waste (e-waste) recycling and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) bioaccumulation in loaches, a semi-field experiment using Chinese loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) as experimental fish was performed. Larval loaches were kept into net-cage for three months in an e-wastes recycling site and a reference site in Southeastern China. There was significant difference of the survival rate between the loaches from the e-wastes recycling site (27%, 19/70) and from reference site (70%, 49/70). Histopathological responses were also found in all the livers examined in loaches from the e-wastes recycling site. These results showed that mixed pollutants resulted from e-wastes recycling led to ecotoxicological effects on loaches. The bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the main pollutants in e-waste, in loaches was also studied in this e-wastes recycling site, the mean concentrations of total PBDEs in sediment was 6726.17 ng/g wet weight and in water samples was 4.08 ng/L (dissolved phase). BDE209 was the dominant congener in sediment and with relatively high concentration in water. Relatively low concentration of BDE209 (less than 0.01% of total PBDEs) and high concentration of BDE47 (up to 39.34% of total PBDEs) were detected in loaches.     

Changes in functional structure of soil bacterial communities due to fungicide and insecticide applications in canola

The fungicide vinclozolin and insecticide λ-cyhalothrin are widely used to control canola (Brassica spp.) diseases and insect pests, respectively, in Canada. We investigated non-target effects of these pesticides, applied at recommended rates, on soil microbial biomass, functional bacterial diversity and functional community structure of soil bacteria (by evaluating patterns of C substrate utilization) in canola rhizosphere and bulk soil at three locations in Alberta from 2002 to 2004. Experimental treatments were (a) untreated control, (b) vinclozolin fungicide foliar application, (c) λ-cyhalothrin insecticide foliar application, and (d) vinclozolin and λ-cyhalothrin applications. No significant pesticide effects on soil microbial biomass or functional bacterial diversity were observed, but the functional structures of soil bacteria were altered. In 1 of 12 cases, the control treatment had a different soil bacterial community structure from the 3 pesticide treatments. The fungicide treatment had different bacterial community structures from the control or insecticide treatments in 3 of 12 cases, the insecticide treatment had different community structures from the control or fungicide treatments in 4 of 12 cases, and the combined fungicide and insecticide treatment had different community structures from the other treatments in 3 of 12 cases. Therefore, evaluating soil bacterial functional structures revealed pesticide effects that were not detected when bacterial diversity or microbial biomass were measured in canola rhizosphere or bulk soil.     

The effect of contextual information on professional judgment: Reliability and biasability of expert workplace safety inspectors

Introduction: A critical aspect of occupational safety is workplace inspections by experts, in which hazards are identified. Scientific research demonstrates that expectation generated by context (i.e., prior knowledge and experience) can bias the judgments of professionals and that individuals are largely unaware when their judgments are affected by bias. Method: The current research tested the reliability and biasability of expert safety inspectors’ judgments. We used a two-study design (Study 1, N = 83; Study 2, N = 70) to explore the potential of contextual, task-irrelevant, information to bias professionals’ judgments. We examined three main issues: (1) the effect that biasing background information (safe and unsafe company history) had on professional regulatory safety inspectors’ judgments of a worksite; (2) the reliability of those judgments amongst safety inspectors and (3) inspectors’ awareness of bias in their judgments and confidence in their performance. Results: Our findings establish that: (i) inspectors’ judgments were biased by historical contextual information, (ii) they were not only biased, but the impact was implicit: they reported being unaware that it affected their judgments, and (iii) independent of our manipulations, inspectors were inconsistent with one another and the variations were not a product of experience. Conclusion: Our results are a replication of findings from a host of other professional domains, where honest, hardworking professionals underappreciate the biasing effect of context on their decision making. The current paper situates these findings within the relevant research on safety inspection, cognitive bias and decision making, as well as provides suggestions for bias mitigation in workplace safety inspection. Practical Application: Our results have implications for occupational health and safety given that inspection is an integral aspect of an effective safety system. In addition to our findings, this study contributes to the literature by providing recommendations regarding how to mitigate the effect of bias in inspection.     

Behavioral pathways in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes: From contributing factors,pre-crash actions,to injury severities

Introduction: This study performed a path analysis to uncover the behavioral pathways (from contributing factors, pre-crash actions to injury severities) in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. Method: The analysis investigated more than 7,000 bicycle-motor vehicle crashes in North Carolina between 2007 and 2014. Pre-crash actions discussed in this study are actions of cyclists and motorists prior to the event of a crash, including “bicyclist failed to yield,” “motorist failed to yield,” “bicyclist overtaking motorist,” and “motorist overtaking bicyclist.” Results: Model results show significant correlates of pre-crash actions and bicyclist injury severity. For example, young bicyclists (18 years old or younger) are 23.5% more likely to fail to yield to motor traffic prior to the event of a crash than elder bicyclists. The “bicyclist failed to yield” action is associated with increased bicyclist injury severity than other actions, as this behavior is associated with an increase of 5.88 percentage points in probability of a bicyclist being at least evidently injured. The path analysis can highlight contributing factors related to risky pre-crash actions that lead to severe injuries. For example, bicyclists traveling on regular vehicle travel lanes are found to be more likely to involve the “bicyclist failed to yield” action, which resulted in a total 44.38% (7.04% direct effect + 37.34% indirect effect) higher likelihood of evident or severe injuries. The path analysis can also identify factors (e.g., intersection) that are not directly but indirectly correlated with injury severity through pre-crash actions. Practical Applications: This study offers a methodological framework to quantify the behavioral pathways in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. The findings are useful for cycling safety improvements from the perspective of bicyclist behavior, such as the educational program for cyclists.     

Postural assessment in pen-and-paper-based observational methods and their associated health effects: a review

Introduction. This review describes standardized ergonomics assessment based on pen-and-paper observational methods for assessing ergonomics risk factors. Objective. The three main objectives are to analyze published pen-and-paper observational methods, to extract and understand the risk levels of each method and to identify their associated health effects. Methodology. The authors searched scientific databases and the Internet for materials from 1970 to 2013 using the following keywords: ergo, posture, method, observational, postural angle, health effects, pain and diseases. Postural assessments of upper arms, lower arms, wrists, neck, back and legs in six pen-and-paper-based observational methods are highlighted, extracted in groups and linked with associated adverse health effects. Results. The literature reviewed showed strengths and limitations of published pen-and-paper-based observational methods in determining the work activities, risk levels and related postural angles to adverse health effects. This provided a better understanding of unsafe work postures and how to improve these postures. Conclusion. Many pen-and-paper-based observational methods have been developed. However, there are still many limitations of these methods. There is, therefore, a need to develop a new pen-and-paper-based observational method for assessing postural problems.     

煤矸石堆场Fe、Mn迁移累积效应研究

通过对贵州织金典型煤矿区矸石堆场周边地表水体及耕地进行调查与采样分析,探讨了煤矸石堆场Fe、Mn元素迁移对周边地表水体及耕地累积效应的影响。研究结果表明:受煤矸石堆场酸性排水的影响,煤矸石堆场周边溪沟水Fe、Mn含量分别达0.81~32.14mg/L、1.17~8.42mg/L,超过"集中式生活饮用水地表水源地标准"限值的3~107、12~84倍。堆场周边旱作土中Fe、Mn含量分别达63 530~85 990mg/kg、243.1~910.1mg/kg,水稻土达46 940~75 810mg/kg、144.5~409.1mg/kg,Fe、Mn累积指数旱作土分别达1.61、2.97,水稻土分别达1.24、1.33。随着与堆场距离的增大,水稻土Fe、Mn含量逐步降低,在500m范围内Fe降低了35%,Mn降低了61%,而旱作土变化规律不明显。     

基于半参数面板数据模型的江苏省经济增长与水污染排放关系实证研究

本文以江苏省为研究区域,采用1990—2013年江苏省市级面板数据,基于单位根检验和面板协整检验,运用可拓展的随机性环境影响评估模型(STIRPAT)和参数、半参数固定效应回归方法,对经济增长与工业COD排放之间的关系展开研究。研究发现,江苏省经济增长与工业COD排放之间存在倒U形曲线关系,即全省工业COD排放随经济的发展呈现先增长后降低的趋势,同时人口增长对水污染物排放影响很大,二者之间的环境库兹涅茨曲线表明了经济持续发展能够协调并能解决其与水污染排放之间的困境。本研究丰富了社会经济发展与水污染关系在市级尺度层面的实证研究,为"十三五"期间江苏省水污染治理提供了政策依据。     

河北省PM2.5污染变化特征及暴露人群健康效应评估研究

PM2.5污染是影响中国城市居民健康和形成雾霾天气的重要原因之一,也是河北省健康发展的一个制约因素.采用环境污染流行病研究为基础的暴露-反应关系估算了2014年和2015年全省因PM2.5污染的居民早逝和罹患相关疾病住院的人数,并利用国家和河北省卫生统计数据,估算出人均人力资源价值和人均住院成本,计算出总经济损失.结果表明,河北省各市的PM2.5年均浓度呈下降趋势,因此,继续坚持有效的大气污染控制和应急健康防护措施,仍然是今后环保工作的重中之重.     

一种新型污水净化器设计与试验研究

利用磁絮凝技术和磁场发生原理,设计开发了一种新型污水净化器,以亥姆霍兹线圈为思路,提出5对圆形线圈组构的技术方案,实现了由1 n T到1 000μT磁感应强度的连续可调。通过单因素试验和正交试验,确定最佳操作参数,研究了磁场对絮凝效果的影响。并采用该净化器处理城市溢流污水,试验结果表明,磁种和磁场的加入可以提高净化器的净水效果。     

SiO2纳米颗粒对小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)生长活性的影响

从Si02纳米颗粒对小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)生长活性的影响来探讨纳米材料的生物安全性问题.结果表明Si02纳米颗粒降低了小球藻的生物量和蛋白含量,并可以附着在细胞表面和进入细胞内部,造成了细胞的形变和结构损伤,从而抑制了小球藻的正常生长活性.Si02纳米颗粒对小球藻具有一定的毒性效应.