Driving under the influence of alcohol and the effects of alcohol prohibition—Case study in Serbia

Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) according to day of the week, specific roads (urban/rural), daytime or nighttime, and vehicle category. In addition, this study examines how the prohibition of selling alcoholic drinks in shops and supermarkets (not in restaurants) after 10 p.m. has affected the prevalence of DUI.

Method: Breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) was collected from all drivers through police checkpoints at 54 locations in Serbia. In this study, 17,945 drivers were tested in urban areas and 19,507 in rural areas. The relationship between DUI during the prohibition on alcohol sales in Belgrade and other large cities in Serbia was determined using logistic regression.

Results: On average, every 100th driver in traffic in Serbia was DUI (0.99%). This study shows that the 0 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for motorcyclists does not have an influence on DUI. Moreover, motorcyclists represent the category with the highest share of DUI, with a statistically significantly larger difference compared to drivers of other vehicle categories. These results may be a consequence of the fact that a large number of drivers drive both motorcycles and other vehicle categories (cars or mopeds), so the different BAC limits for nonprofessional drivers may create confusion about the legal BAC limit.

Conclusions: This study suggests that the required legal BAC limit for nonprofessional drivers should be the same. The prohibition of selling alcoholic drinks in Belgrade after 10 p.m. does not decrease the prevalence of DUI.     

Influence of aeration modes on leachate characteristic of landfills that adopt the aerobic–anaerobic landfill method

As far as the optimal design, operation, and field application of the Aerobic–Anaerobic Landfill Method (AALM) are concerned, it is very important to understand how aeration modes (different combinations of aeration depth and air injection rate) affect the biodegradation of organic carbon and the transformation of nitrogen in landfill solid waste. Pilot-scale lysimeter experiments were carried out under different aeration modes to obtain detailed information regarding the influence of aeration modes on leachate characteristics. Results from these lysimeter experiments revealed that aeration at the bottom layer was the most effective for decomposition of organic carbon when compared with aeration at the surface or middle layers. Moreover, the air injection rate led to different nitrogen transformation patterns, unlike the lesser influence it has on organic carbon decomposition. Effective simultaneous nitrification and denitrification were observed for the aeration mode with a higher air injection rate (=1.0 L/min). On the other hand, the phenomenon of sequenced nitrification and denitrification could be observed when a low air injection rate (=0.5 L/min.) was employed. Finally, it is concluded that, for AALM, air injection with a higher air injection rate at the deepest layer near the leachate collection pipe tends to accelerate the stabilization of landfill waste as defined in terms of the enhancement of denitrification as well as organic carbon decomposition.     

How to foster agroecological innovations? A comparison of participatory design methods

Facing contemporary environmental crisis implies fostering agroecological innovations that take into account local ecological regulations and rely on multiple stakeholders' innovation capacities. This paper draws on two fields of literature that remain unconnected so far: participatory approaches and design sciences. It proposes an analysis grid to support a reflexive analysis of cases of implementation of three participatory design methods: ComMod (Companion Modelling for concerted management of natural resources), Forage Rummy (simulation-based board game for designing farming systems) and KCP (collective design workshops to foster innovation). This analysis highlights key features of the methods in view of agroecological innovation challenges, focusing on knowledge management and organisation for exploration.     

Assessment of Several Test Methods for the Determination of the Anaerobic Biodegradability of Polymers

Anaerobic degradation of eight commercially available biodegradable polymers was compared in two anaerobic tests using digestion sludge, according to ISO 11734 and ASTM D.5210-91. Cotton, polyhydroxybutyrate/hydroxyvalerate copolymer (PHB/PHV), starch blend, thermoplastic cellulose acetate, and cellulose acetate fibers proved to be anaerobically degradable, but only a low extent of degradation was found for polylactide, polyvinylalcohol, and polycaprolactone. Both test methods gave the same overall results, but with the ISO medium, longer lag phases and greater ranges of variation in the results were observed. These effects are presumably due to low concentrations of carbon dioxide in the ISO medium. Carbon dioxide has been demonstrated to be essential for the growth of various anaerobic bacteria, notably homoacetogenic and methanogenic bacteria.     

Validation of a multiclass multiresidue method and monitoring results for 210 pesticides in fruits and vegetables by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

A rapid, sensitive, accurate and reliable multiresidue method for the identification and quantification of 210 relevant pesticides in four representative fruit and vegetable commodities (tomato, potato, spring onion and orange) has been developed and validated by gas chromatography in tandem with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The method has been fully validated and applied to 292 samples from different countries. Prior to instrumental analysis, an extraction procedure based on a sample extraction of multiclass analytes, using the ethyl acetate method was employed. Mass spectrometric conditions were individually optimized for each compound in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode to achieve maximum sensitivity. The pesticides were separated in less than 25 min. This was followed by an exhaustive control of the retention times. The Retention Time Locking Method was applied, working at a constant pressure throughout the analysis. System maintenance was reduced by using a purged capillary flow device that provided backflush capabilities by reversing column flow immediately after elution of the last compound of interest. Istotopically labelled internal standards were employed to improve the quality of the analytical results.     

不同耕作方式对稻田净增温潜势和温室气体强度的影响

免耕技术近年来在南方稻区被广泛推广应用,但该项技术是否有利于减缓稻田综合温室效应目前并不清楚.因此,本文以双季稻-紫云英为研究对象,利用静态箱-气相色谱法分别研究不同耕作方式对稻田CH4和N2O排放、双季稻产量、土壤固碳、稻田净综合增温潜势(GWP)和温室气体强度(GHGI)的影响.试验处理包括常规翻耕(CT)、旋耕(RT)和免耕(NT).结果表明,稻田周年CH4累积排放量为233.5~404.0kg·hm-2·a-1,NT和RT处理分别比CT增加73.1%和35.1%.晚稻生长季CH4排放量占周年CH4排放量的53.7%~66.5%,其中,晚稻移栽至烤田期间CH4累积排放通量占晚稻季排放总量的77.0%~81.3%.稻田N2O累积排放量为4.00~4.82 kg·hm-2·a-1(以N计),但各处理之间没有显著差异.稻田年固碳量为0.36~1.31 t·hm-2·a-1(以C计),其中,NT处理比CT和RT处理分别增加148.4%和261.0%.双季稻周年产量为15.2~17.1 t·hm-2,耕作方式对产量没有显著影响.稻田净GWP为5095.4~7788 kg·hm-2(以CO2当量计),其中,RT和NT处理分别比CT增加52.8%和32.2%.稻田GHGI为0.30~0.46 kg·kg-1(以每kg粮食产量产生的CO2当量计),其中,RT和NT处理分别显著高于CT处理50.1%和45.3%.综上所述,免耕在短期内会增加稻田温室效应,但可以促进土壤固碳量的显著增加,因此,其固碳减排的长期效应还有待观测.     

中国二氧化硫污染的“稳健性”影响因素——基于空间面板数据EBA模型的实证分析

改革开放以来,中国的经济发展取得了举世瞩目的成就.然而,随着经济的快速增长,环境污染问题也日益凸显.本文采用2000—2012年中国30个省际的面板数据,利用环境库兹涅茨曲线(EKC)理论检验二氧化硫(SO2)污染与经济增长的关系及其空间溢出效应,进而引入极值边界模型(EBA模型)实证检验SO2污染的"稳健性"影响因素.结果表明:我国各省域SO2污染与经济增长存在EKC曲线假设的倒"U"型关系,并具有空间溢出效应;第二产业就业人口比重、出口占GDP的比重、能源效率、化石能源比重、工业污染治理完成投资与SO2排放量呈正向"稳健性"关系,产业结构升级与SO2排放量呈负向"稳健性"关系.最后根据实证结论提出相应的政策建议,为政府制定相应的SO2减排政策提供经验证据和决策参考.     

颗粒物防护口罩适合因子的影响因素研究

为设计适合国人的防护口罩,利用定量适合性检验和人体头面部尺寸测量的方法,探索影响口罩适合因子(FF)的因素。对4种颗粒物防护口罩(3M8210,3M8210v,3M9332和3M9010)的FF进行检测;测量口罩佩戴者的形态面长、面宽、两耳屏间宽、两下颌角间宽、鼻高、鼻长、鼻宽和两耳屏点间颌下弧长等头面部尺寸数据;计算身体质量指数(BMI)。探讨头面部尺寸、BMI、性别及口罩型号对FF的影响。研究表明:显著影响口罩FF的因素是头面部尺寸和口罩型号,其余因素对FF无显著影响;设计防护口罩应考虑我国人群头面部尺寸特点。     

汽车电子电磁场抗扰度测试方法及系统研究

分析了当前汽车电子零部件电磁场抗扰度主流标准及测试方法,针对目前单台设备适用特定标准的局限性,提出了一种基于Lab VIEW虚拟仪器远程系统的自动测试方法。该系统利用GPIB总线、USB总线、TCP/IP总线实现了计算机与各台仪器的通讯,通过自主研发的软件实现了测试频段的扩充,同时兼顾到了软件后期的维护和扩展。     

随机振动的描述及其试验与仿真

阐述了随机振动的描述方法,随机振动试验条件和相关参数的计算等。并结合实例,介绍了随机振动有限元仿真的流程及其工程意义,以便在深入了解随机振动原理的基础上,指导随机振动试验和有限元仿真的开展。