锑的表生地球化学行为与环境危害效应

锑(Sb)是一种典型的有毒有害重金属元素。由于自然过程和人为活动的影响,锑及其化合物广泛分布于大气、土壤、水体等表生环境中,锑的环境污染日益严重。Sb不是植物必需元素,但能够被植物体及农作物吸收。Sb对人体和动物体产生慢性毒性及潜在致癌性。本文主要通过分析Sb的主要矿物、锑及其化合物在表生环境中的分布与迁移特性,来阐述人体可能的锑暴露途径及由此产生的环境危害效应。     

破碎带对地下坑道动力响应影响的数值分析

为了研究破碎带的耗能作用及其对坑道结构动力响应的影响,根据某工程实例,建立了地冲击波作用下类岩体中坑道结构响应的计算模型,利用LS-DYNA3D有限元软件,分别计算了无破碎带和存在破碎带情况下坑道结构的动力响应。计算结果的对比分析表明,顶部破碎带使结构的加速度和位移等运动参数有不同程度的降低,但对结构所受到的应力影响不大;与之相反,侧部破碎带的存在使结构的加速度和位移等运动参数明显地增大。与顶部存在破碎带情况相比,侧部存在破碎带情况下坑道结构运动参数的峰值更大,对坑道结构安全更为不利。     

考虑应变速率影响的混凝土重力坝非线性地震响应分析

通过引入应变速率、损伤变量以及刚度退化指标等参数,建立了应变率相关的混凝土弹塑性损伤模型。运用该模型对某重力坝厂房坝段分别就率相关及率无关两种情况进行了三维非线性地震响应时程分析。深入研究了混凝土应变速率等相关特性对结构动力响应的影响。结果表明,应变速率对混凝土的力学性能有一定的影响,随着应变速率的增加,坝体结构的变形减小,主拉应力有所提高,应变能有所减小以及开裂损伤有一定的降低。所得结论对混凝土重力坝的震害研究有一定的参考价值。     

盾构隧道的开挖模拟及地震反应数值分析

由于盾构隧道掘进的特殊施工工艺,使开挖模拟的数值计算存在着诸多难以量化的因素。采用应力释放法模拟盾构隧道的开挖,在衬砌和土体之间设置等代层单元模拟盾构施工的影响,求得竣工期的应力场和位移场。在静力计算基础上运用动力有限元时程分析法,采用粘性人工边界条件,分析了隧道衬砌在地震过程中的最大响应。其结果和规律可为一般的盾构隧道地震反应分析提供借鉴。     

二维相关地震动作用下结构的随机反应

假定两水平方向的地震动为平稳随机过程,基于地震动主轴模型的假设,讨论了二维地震动分量的空间相关性,在单分量平稳模型的基础上给出了二维水平地震动随机模型的相关函数矩阵。该相关函数模型可以为二维地震下结构随机反应分析提供地震动输入。利用状态空间方法和随机振动理论建立了线性多自由度体系在二维地震激励下的随机反应分析方法,导出了结构的位移反应相关函数和速度反应相关函数,可在时域内直接计算结构的二维随机地震反应的统计特征。最后,通过一个二层框架结构计算实例,说明了这种方法的运用,讨论了地震动强度以及地震动主轴方位角对结构反应的影响。该方法可以为结构抗震可靠性评估提供基础。     

QSAR trout toxicity models on aromatic pesticides

The pesticides originally designed to kill target organisms are dangerous for many other wild species. Since they are applied directly to the environment, they can easily reach the water basins and the topsoil. A dataset of 125 aromatic pesticides with well-expressed aquatic toxicity towards trout was subjected to quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) analysis aimed to establish the relationship between their molecular structure and biological activity. A literature data for LC₅₀ concentration killing 50% of fish was used. In addition to the standard 2D-QSAR analysis, a comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) analysis considering the electrostatic and steric properties of the molecules was also performed. The CoMFA analysis helped the recognition of the steric interactions as playing an important role for aquatic toxicity. In addition, the transport properties and the stability of the compounds studied were also identified as important for their biological activity.     

Assessing the toxicity of organophosphorous pesticides to indigenous algae with implication for their ecotoxicological impact to aquatic ecosystems

This study aimed to determine the toxicity of three organophosphorous pesticides, chlorpyrifos, terbufos and methamidophos, to three indigenous algal species isolated from local rivers and algal mixtures. The diatom Nitzschia sp. (0.30–1.68 mg L^?1 of EC₅₀ -the estimated concentration related to a 50% growth reduction) and the cyanobacteria Oscillatoria sp. (EC₅₀ of 0.33–7.99 mg L^?1) were sensitive to single pesticide treatment and the chlorophyta Chlorella sp. was the most tolerant (EC₅₀ of 1.29–41.16 mg L^?1). In treatment with the mixture of three pesticides, Chlorella sp. became the most sensitive alga. The antagonistic joint toxic effects on three indigenous algae and algal mixtures were found for most of the two pesticide mixtures. The results suggested that mixture of pesticides might induce the detoxification mechanisms more easily than the single pesticide. The synergistic interactions between terbufos and methamidophos to algal mixtures and between methamidophos and chlorpyrifos to Nitzschia sp. indicated methamidophos might act as a potential synergist. Differential sensitivity of three families of algae to these pesticides might result in changes in the algal community structures after river water has been contaminated with different pesticides, posing great ecological risk on the structure and functioning of the aquatic ecosystem.     

Bioavailability and toxicological potential of sunflower-bound residues of 14C-chlorpyrifos insecticide in rats

Sunflower plants were treated with ¹⁴C-chlorpyrifos under conditions simulating local agricultural practice. Residues present in the oil, methanol extract and cake of the treated sunflower seeds were 7.2, 2.8, and 12 ppm, respectively. When rats fed on sunflower cake containing bound residues for three days, the animals eliminated 46 % of the radioactivity in urine, 25 % in feces and 10 % in the expired air. A further bioavailable amount of 8 % was found in selected organs indicating that the bound residues were highly bioavailable. Chromatographic analysis of urine extract revealed the presence of the parent compound, its oxon, desethyl chlorpyrifos and desethyl chlorpyrifos oxon as free metabolites in addition to a conjugated metabolite. It was liberated by acid hydrolysis and identified as 3,5,6-trichloro-2-hydroxypyridine. Bound residues were found to have biological effects such as inhibition of rat plasma ChE, elevations of liver parameters (ALT, AST, and ALP), decrease in total protein and albumin content suggesting a hepatotoxic potential. A significant increase in the values of creatinine, urea, cholesterol, triglycerides and significant decrease in Catalase and Glutathion-S-Transfrase were observed in treated rats.     

Chemical fluxes in time through forest ecosystems in the UK - Soil response to pollution recovery

Long term trend analysis of bulk precipitation, throughfall and soil solution elemental fluxes from 12 years monitoring at 10 ICP Level II forest sites in the UK reveal coherent national chemical trends indicating recovery from sulphur deposition and acidification. Soil solution pH increased and sulphate and aluminium decreased at most sites. Trends in nitrogen were variable and dependant on its form. Dissolved organic nitrogen increased in bulk precipitation, throughfall and soil solution at most sites. Nitrate in soil solution declined at sites receiving high nitrogen deposition. Increase in soil dissolved organic carbon was detected - a response to pollution recovery, changes in soil temperature and/or increased microbial activity. An increase of sodium and chloride was evident - a possible result of more frequent storm events at exposed sites. The intensive and integrated nature of monitoring enables the relationships between climate/pollutant exposure and chemical/biological response in forestry to be explored.     

An overview of the latest development of microencapsulation for agricultural products

Abstract

For the production of controlled‐release agricultural formulations microencapsulation technologies are now the most used. Over the past two decades enormous progress has been made in order to develop the technologies which allow us to produce formulations tailor made to reach the target and fitting our toxicological requirements. This lecture is devoted to the definition of the criteria for selection of an active ingredient for microencapsulation and to a detailed review of the various techniques used today in commerçai microencapsulated formulations.

Resources are increasingly allocated into microencapsulation research & development by many agrochemical companies. Therefore the next 20 years should continue to yield innovative ideas including significant improvement of the physico‐chemical and toxicological properties of the actual formulations on the market. Some of this new ideas are applied by our company in order to modify or improve those properties playing the key role in the intent for targeted activity:

√ Recombination during production or upon storage.

New protective colloides

Dermal toxicity (LD 50) ‐ secondary protective colloides.

√ Release rate parameters.

Modification by the change of mobility of the active ingredient from the core (solvent or fluid type) affecting transit time and therefore LD 50 values.

√ Oral toxicity (LD 50).

Graft copolymers irreversibly adsorbed to the capsule surface.