Effects of nitrogen and carbon dioxide on hydrogen explosion behaviors near suppression limit

By varying inert gas content, equivalence ratio and initial pressure, this study is aimed at investigating flame propagation behaviors and explosion pressure characteristics near suppression limit. For carbon dioxide, the weakest flame floating phenomenon is observed at Φ = 1.5 and the buoyant instability is enhanced when the equivalent ratio deviates to the rich and lean sides. For nitrogen, the buoyant instability decreases with increasing equivalent ratio. Both maximum explosion pressure and maximum pressure rise rate increase firstly and then decrease with the increase of equivalence ratio, and they decrease significantly with increasing content of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. For carbon dioxide, the critical suppression ratio of Φ = 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 is 7.50, 7.18, 5.74, 3.83, and 2.87. For nitrogen, the critical suppression ratio of Φ = 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 is 15.83, 11.87, 9.50, 6.33 and 4.75. Compared to nitrogen, the carbon dioxide is more effective on suppressing hydrogen explosion pressure. The adiabatic flame temperature, thermal diffusivity and mole fraction of active radicals continue to decrease with increasing content of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, which contributes to the decrease of laminar burning velocity.     

Cancer and Non-Cancer Health Risk from Eating Cassava Grown in Some Mining Communities in Ghana

Food crops such as cassava, cocoyam and other tuber crops grown in mining communities uptake toxic or hazardous chemicals such as arsenic, and cadmium, from the soil. Cassava is a stable food for Ghanaians. This study evaluated human health risk from eating cassava grown in some mining communities in Ghana such as Bogoso, Prestea, Tarkwa and Tamso, which are important mining towns in the Western Region of Ghana. The study evaluated cancer and non-cancer health effects from eating cassava grown in the study areas in accordance with US Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Assessment guidelines. The results of the study revealed the following: cancer health risk for Tamso, 0.098 (RME – Reasonable Maximum Exposure) and 0.082 (CTE – Central Tendency Exposure). This means that approximately 10 and 8 out of 100 resident adults are likely to suffer from cancer related cases by RME and CTE parameters respectively. For Prestea, we have 0.010 and 0.12, which also means that approximately 1 out of 100 and 10 resident adults out of 100 are also likely to suffer from cancer related diseases by RME and CTE parameters. The results of the study obtained were found to be above the acceptable cancer risk range of 1× 10⁻⁶ to 1× 10⁻⁴, i.e., 1 case of cancer out of 1 million or 100,000 people respectively.     

Dissipation of Endosulfan and Dichlorvos Residues In/On Cauliflower Curds

Dissipation behaviour of endosulfan and dichlorvos in/on cauliflower, variety Snowball-16, was studied during rabi season (Sep.–March) 2003–2004. Endosulfan and dichlorvos were sprayed @ 350 and 110g a.i. with 115 g a.i., respectively, 80 days after transplanting. Samples were taken at the interval of 0 (1h after spray), 3, 5, 7, and 10 days after spray (DAS) in triplicate and residues were estimated on GC-ECD system equipped with capillary column. The initial deposits of 3.452 and 0.295μgg⁻¹ of endosulfan and dichlorvos dissipated to 0.084 (97.56%) and 0.009 (96.95%), respectively after 10 DAS. Residues of endosulfan reached below maximum residue limit of 2μgg⁻¹ one day after spray and of dichlorvos were below MRL value of 0.5μgg⁻¹ even on 0 day. Dissipation pattern followed first order kinetics for both the insecticides with half life periods of 1.81 and 2.08 days for endosulfan and dichlorvos, respectively.     

Physico-Chemical Quality of Drinking Water in Rohtas District of Bihar

Water Quality Survey of Rohtas district of Bihar was conducted. Samples were collected from differentsources and analysed. 209 samples were collectedfrom 196 villages. Results of water quality surveyidentified the problem areas in respect of high iron,manganese, fluoride, nitrate and brackishness of water in the district.     

Benzene Exposure Assessment at Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Levels. The French Contribution to the Life MACBETH Programme

Many VOC represent hazards to human health through chronic exposure. Recent European and world-wide legislation proposes limit values for ambient concentrations of these compounds. However, very little experimental data exists for true population exposure. In 1996, the European MACBETH initiative set out to measure population exposure to benzene in six European cities. This study details the French contribution to this program. Six campaigns were carried out, each comprising measurements at 100 outdoor sites and the participation of 50 non-smoking volunteers who wore personal samplers and had passive monitors installed in their homes. Iso-concentration maps were drawn for each campaign and the results showed that outdoor concentrations were significantly lower than indoors. Almost 75% of the volunteers were exposed to mean concentrations higher than the limit value of 5µgm³. It is demonstrated that personal exposure levels cannot be deduced simply by combining indoor and outdoor background concentrations. It is also shown that there is need for better knowledge of the contributions to overall exposure of outdoor microenvironments and the authors hope that future European directives will take this into account.     

低浓度石油类测定过程中的问题探讨

分析了影响低浓度石油类测定的一些因素,通过合理的方法克服这些影响因素之后,测定结果才能准确可靠。试验测得1000ml水样直接萃取法测定石油类的方法检出限为0.01mg/L,证明用该方法可以定量测定石油类浓度在0.05mg/L附近的低浓度水样。     

两种吹扫捕集浓缩仪在测定土壤VOCs时的性能比较

从仪器精密度、方法检出限、准确度等角度对吹扫捕集浓缩仪Stratum PTC与Eclipse 4660的性能进行比较。结果表明,大部分分析物用Stratum PTC的方法检出限略高于Eclipse 4660,但精密度比Eclipse 4660稍差;Eclipse 4660用于分析极性的、水溶性物质的效果比Stratum PTC好,回收率更高。两种吹扫捕集仪的测试结果均满足《土壤和沉积物挥发性有机物的测定吹扫捕集/气相色谱-质谱法》(HJ 605-2011)标准方法的指标要求。     

环境空气自动监测方法检出限相关问题探讨

探讨了环境空气自动监测中实际评估方法检出限的意义,详细介绍了常规气态污染物自动监测方法检出限的评估方法。并以EC 9850型SO2分析仪为例,说明了环境空气自动监测的测定步骤和方法检出限的计算。     

Safe speed limits for a safe system: The relationship between speed limit and fatal crash rate for different crash types

Objective: The objective of this article is to provide empirical evidence for safe speed limits that will meet the objectives of the Safe System by examining the relationship between speed limit and injury severity for different crash types, using police-reported crash data.

Method: Police-reported crashes from 2 Australian jurisdictions were used to calculate a fatal crash rate by speed limit and crash type. Example safe speed limits were defined using threshold risk levels.

Results: A positive exponential relationship between speed limit and fatality rate was found. For an example fatality rate threshold of 1 in 100 crashes it was found that safe speed limits are 40 km/h for pedestrian crashes; 50 km/h for head-on crashes; 60 km/h for hit fixed object crashes; 80 km/h for right angle, right turn, and left road/rollover crashes; and 110 km/h or more for rear-end crashes.

Conclusions: The positive exponential relationship between speed limit and fatal crash rate is consistent with prior research into speed and crash risk. The results indicate that speed zones of 100 km/h or more only meet the objectives of the Safe System, with regard to fatal crashes, where all crash types except rear-end crashes are exceedingly rare, such as on a high standard restricted access highway with a safe roadside design.     

如何确定高加速寿命试验的应力极限

气锤驱动的高加速寿命试验,主要目的是确定试验样品的应力极限(包括工作极限和破坏极限),并通过改进试验所暴露的缺陷,按预期目标拓宽产品的应力极限。本文对一些应力极限的名词术语作了解释性说明,并具体论述了如何确定应力极限及快速温变循环试验的高低温温度极值。