Conceptual issues in designing a policy to phase out metal-based antifouling paints on recreational boats in San Diego Bay

In marine areas throughout the world where recreational boats are densely located, concentrations of copper in the water are being found to be in excess of government standards, due to the hull coatings used on these boats. Copper-based hull coatings are intended to be antifouling in that they retard the growth of algae, barnacles and tubeworms; but alternatives exist that can eliminate the harm that copper contamination does to marine organisms. A variety of policy options are available to mandate or provide economic incentives to switch to these less harmful alternatives. This paper puts forth a conceptual framework for thinking about how to design and evaluate alternative policies to transition to nontoxic boat hulls, drawing from the authors' experience designing a policy for use in San Diego Bay. Many of the issues raised are broadly applicable to environmental problems where the solution involves a large-scale replacement of durable consumer goods.     

地冲击荷载作用下双层结构磁流变阻尼器隔震效果的数值模拟

在抗爆结构中,一般采用单层隔震系统进行隔震,目前单层隔震系统的最大隔震率可以达到90%以上,但在加速度峰值很高的冲击荷载作用下,隔震后的结构响应加速度仍然很大。鉴于这种情况,本文对加入磁流变阻尼器(MRD)的双层隔震系统进行了研究。针对抗爆结构的两种典型荷载,采用改进Bouc-Wen模型和模糊控制方法,利用Matlab Simulink对双层隔震系统进行了数值模拟,计算了不同荷载作用下,不同隔震系统的加速度、位移及结构的振动剂量值(VDV)的响应,并与结构采用单层隔震系统的结果进行了对比。结果表明,与单层隔震系统相比,带有磁流变阻尼器的双层隔震系统没有太多的优越性。     

Structural-functional organization of lower vegetation layers in tree communities of the upper timberline ecotone in the Polar Urals

Typologically identical (dwarf birch-herb-dwarf shrub-moss) open and closed larch forests growing on the same altitudinal transect have proved to differ in the structural-functional organization of lower vegetation layers. Coverage, general species composition, and species richness of the herb-dwarf shrub layer are higher in the open forest than in the closed forest. Correlations between individual species of vascular plants weaken upon transition from the open to the closed forest. Conversely, the coverage of the lichen-moss layer increases in the closed forest, which contributes to its role as a factor of selection of vascular plant species against the background of the prevailing influence of the tree layer.     

A global assessment of chromium pollution using sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) as an indicator species

Chromium (Cr) is a well-known human carcinogen and a potential reproductive toxicant, but its contribution to ocean pollution is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to provide a global baseline for Cr as a marine pollutant using the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) as an indicator species. Biopsies were collected from free-ranging whales around the globe during the voyage of the research vessel The Odyssey. Total Cr levels were measured in 361 sperm whales collected from 16 regions around the globe detectable levels ranged from 0.9 to 122.6 μg Cr g tissue⁻¹ with a global mean of 8.8 ± 0.9 μg g⁻¹. Two whales had undetectable levels. The highest levels were found in sperm whales sampled in the waters near the Islands of Kiribati in the Pacific (mean = 44.3 ± 14.4) and the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean (mean = 19.5 ± 5.4 μg g⁻¹). The lowest mean levels were found in whales near the Canary Islands (mean = 3.7 ± 0.8 μg g⁻¹) and off of the coast of Sri Lanka (mean = 3.3 ± 0.4 μg g⁻¹). The global mean Cr level in whale skin was 28-times higher than mean Cr skin levels in humans without occupational exposure. The whale levels were more similar to levels only observed previously in human lung tissue from workers who died of Cr-induced lung cancer. We conclude that Cr pollution in the marine environment is significant and that further study is urgently needed.     

Hg concentrations and related risk assessment in coral reef crustaceans, molluscs and fish from New Caledonia

There is a dramatic lack of data on Hg levels in marine organisms from tropical areas, and in particular from New Caledonia. For the first time, this study reports the total Hg concentrations in the tissues of several marine taxa from the New Caledonian lagoon. Seafood from both wild and farmed populations was considered. Hg concentrations varied over three orders of magnitudes according to factors including species, age (size/weight), trophic level, lifestyle and geographical origin. Taking into account the edible tissues, estimations of the amount of flesh that should be consumed by a 60-kg person to reach the Hg Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) reveal acceptable risk for Human health in general. However, a risk was clearly identified in one site of the lagoon (i.e. Grande Rade) where high Hg concentrations were measured. These concentrations were higher than values reported in the current literature.     

基于正交试验响应面法的烟气层概率分布计算

为计算随机参数下火灾烟气层温度和厚度的概率分布,该文提出了基于正交试验响应面的可靠度计算方法。通过正交试验表确定分析计算参数组,并借助火灾动力学分析软件计算不同参数组下烟气层的温度和厚度响应,进一步拟合出输入参数和输出参数的响应面函数,在此基础上结合验算点法计算烟气层温度和厚度的概率分布,算例分析表明该方法具有计算精度高、计算量小的特点。     

Review of advances in the thin layer chromatography of pesticides: 2004–2006

Applications of thin layer chromatography and high performance thin layer chromatography for the separation, detection, and qualitative and quantitative determination of pesticides, other agrochemicals, and related compounds are reviewed for the period from July 1, 2004 to November 1, 2006. Analyses are covered for a variety of samples, such as food, crops, biological, environmental, pharmaceuticals, and formulations, and for residues of pesticides of various types, including insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, belonging to different chemical classes. In addition to references on residue analysis, studies such as pesticide-structure relationships, metabolism, degradation, and lipophilicity are covered, many of which make use of thin layer radiochromatography.     

Effects of a catalytic converter on PCDD/F, chlorophenol and PAH emissions in residential wood combustion

Temporal variations in concentrations of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and sulfonic acids (PFSAs), including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) structural isomers, were examined in livers of pilot whale (Globicephala melas), ringed seal (Phoca hisida), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) and in muscle tissue of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). The sampling spanned over 20 years (1984-2009) and covered a large geographical area of the North Atlantic and West Greenland. Liver and muscle samples were homogenized, extracted with acetonitrile, cleaned up using hexane and solid phase extraction (SPE), and analyzed by liquid chromatography with negative electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In general, the levels of the long-chained PFCAs (C9-C12) increased whereas the levels of PFOS remained steady over the studied period. The PFOS isomer pattern in pilot whale liver was relatively constant over the sampling years. However, in ringed seals there seemed to be a decrease in linear PFOS (L-PFOS) with time, going from 91% in 1984 to 83% in 2006.     

Influence of dissolved humic substances on the mass transfer of organic compounds across the air-water interface

The effect of dissolved humic substances (DHS) on the rate of water-gas exchange of two volatile organic compounds was studied under various conditions of agitation intensity, solution pH and ionic strength. Mass-transfer coefficients were determined from the rate of depletion of model compounds from an apparatus containing a stirred aqueous solution with continuous purging of the headspace above the solution (dynamic system). Under these conditions, the overall transfer rate is controlled by the mass-transfer resistance on the water side of the water-gas interface. The experimental results show that the presence of DHS hinders the transport of the organic molecules from the water into the gas phase under all investigated conditions. Mass-transfer coefficients were significantly reduced even by low, environmentally relevant concentrations of DHS. The retardation effect increased with increasing DHS concentration. The magnitude of the retardation effect on water-gas exchange was compared for Suwannee River fulvic and humic acids, a commercially available leonardite humic acid and two synthetic surfactants. The observed results are in accordance with the concept of hydrodynamic effects. Surface pressure forces due to surface film formation change the hydrodynamic characteristics of water motion at the water-air interface and thus impede surface renewal.     

Linking Climate Trends to Population Dynamics in the Baltic Ringed Seal: Impacts of Historical and Future Winter Temperatures

A global trend of a warming climate may seriously affect species dependent on sea ice. We investigated the impact of climate on the Baltic ringed seals (Phoca hispida botnica), using historical and future climatological time series. Availability of suitable breeding ice is known to affect pup survival. We used detailed information on how winter temperatures affect the extent of breeding ice and a climatological model (RCA3) to project the expected effects on the Baltic ringed seal population. The population comprises of three sub-populations, and our simulations suggest that all of them will experience severely hampered growth rates during the coming 90 years. The projected 30 730 seals at the end of the twenty-first century constitutes only 16 % of the historical population size, and thus reduced ice cover alone will severely limit their growth rate. This adds burden to a species already haunted by other anthropogenic impacts.