Mapping of tritium emissions using absorption vapour samplers

Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (RWTDF) is a typical near-surface engineered repository designated to store low- and intermediate-level wastes from various institutes, research facilities and hospitals in Hungary. Two automatic combined ¹⁴C–tritium sampling units installed at the facility sample the air 2 m above surface. The one installed near the vaults detects tritium (T) activities two orders of magnitude higher than the far reference sampling unit. To localize the T emissions, 19 small absorption vapour samplers filled with silica gel were settled onto the ground surface. After the saturation of the silica gel, the water was recovered and its T concentration was measured with a low-background liquid scintillation counter. The absorption vapour samplers are cheap, simple and easy-to-use. We present the samplers and the T distribution map constructed from the data, which helps to localize the T emission.     

Temporal and spatial patterns of micropollutants in urban receiving waters

Based on a monitoring program over the course of a year, we characterize the temporal and spatial distribution of selected micropollutants in an urban watershed within the city of Leipzig, Germany. Micropollutants revealed a ubiquitous presence in untreated and treated wastewater, surface water and groundwater. The loads of 4-nonylphenol in the effluents of the municipal wastewater treatment plant followed a seasonal trend, whereas the loads of all other micropollutants were highly variable and not correlated to seasons. In the surface water, load seasonality of caffeine, galaxolide and tonalide resulted from a rapid removal with increased water temperature. The loads of 4-nonylphenol and of caffeine in the colder months increased when rainfall occurred. In the groundwater, complex spatial and temporal patterns were apparent and were related to varying input, retardation and removal processes. As a consequence, an assessment of micropollutants in urban waters should consider different micropollutants' temporal and spatial variability.     

Mobile passive samplers: concept for a novel mode of exposure

Integrative passive sampling with devices such as semipermeable membrane devices generally relies on rigs for month-long static exposures in water. We evaluate here whether mobile exposures of passive samplers can provide reliable estimates of dissolved contaminant concentrations. Mobile exposures were obtained by towing samplers fastened to the end of a benthic trawl net. Significant and reproducible absorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during 5 h-long deployments was made possible by high sampling rates resulting from high water turbulences during towing at 1.2-1.5 knots. Sampling rates (72-215 L d⁻¹) estimated from the dissipation of performance reference compounds were supported by in situ calibration with samplers exposed for a 30 days in the vicinity of the test site. Higher fluoranthene and pyrene absorption in samplers exposed to the trawling-induced sediment plume could be attributed to desorption from re-suspended sediments. This mode of exposure has the potential to be used in monitoring programmes.     

Atmospheric bulk deposition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the vicinity of an iron and steel making plant

An IRA-743 resin bulk sampler was validated to monitor long-term bulk deposition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Six consecutive sampling campaigns (2008-2009) were conducted at four sites around steel complexes in Pohang, South Korea to investigate spatial and seasonal variations of PCDD/F bulk deposition. The bulk deposition within the steel complex showed the highest ∑_4-8PCDD/F (Tetra-Octa) fluxes, ranging from 204 to 608 (mean: 352) pg m⁻² d⁻¹, indicating steel complexes were major sources of PCDD/Fs. The homologue profiles were dominated with lower chlorinated PCDFs. Furthermore, the prevailing winds were confirmed to influence the spatial distribution of PCDD/F deposition. There were apparent seasonal variations of the bulk deposition at each site, and seasonal homologue patterns of PCDD/Fs were clearly observed. According to the passive air sampling, however, no significant seasonal change of ambient air concentrations of PCDD/Fs was observed. Therefore, it was concluded that the seasonal variations of deposition fluxes of PCDD/Fs probably resulted from temperature-dependent gas/particle partitioning.     

Chemical composition of burnt smell caused by accidental fires: environmental contaminants

The chemical composition of the odors typical of fires has recently been deciphered. Basically the constituents are mixtures of acetophenone, benzyl alcohol, hydroxylated derivatives of benzaldehyde, methoxylated and/or alkylated phenols and naphthalene. This finding makes it possible to develop objective, practical analytic measurement methods for the burnt smell as a contribution to improving fire damage assessment and remediation monitoring. With the aid of an artificially produced burnt smell and a panel of testers the odor detection threshold of a test mixture was determined olfactometrically to 2 μg m⁻³. Using a defined burnt-smell atmosphere in a test chamber, analytical methods with active sampling, the adsorbents XAD 7 and TENAX TA, and GC/MS measurement were then optimized and tested with a view to being able to carry out sensitive quantitative measurement of burnt smells. A further practical method with particular application to the qualitative characterization of this odor is based on the use of a new SPME (solid-phase microextraction) field sampler with DVB/CAR/PDMS (divinylbenzene/Carboxen™/polydimethylsiloxane) fibers.     

Risk Factors to Musculoskeletal Disorders and Anthropometric Measurements of Filipino Manufacturing Workers

This study looked into the risk factors to musculoskeletal disorders and established anthropometric measurements of Filipino workers in 29 manufacturing industries. Anthropometric measurements of 1,805 workers were taken, and 495 workers were surveyed. Limitation of motion was found in 0.8% of the respondents, affectation in activities of daily living was seen in 1.6% and 3.2% felt discomfort in the head and neck. Upper trunk and low back pain was experienced by 23.8%. Odds ratio results (p = .05) showed that it is 29 times likely for workers to develop low back pain when they stand for 2-8 hrs a day than when they sit all the time. Anthropometry can be used for the design ofworkstations and work furniture.     

大学生受电脑电磁辐射的研究

为了研究大学生受电脑电磁辐射的实际状况,采用EMR300电磁辐射分析仪,对电脑电磁辐射在100kHz～3GHz的电场强度值(V/m),进行了实验室研究性监测和宿舍、机房内的现场监测.监测的结果表明:宿舍中心处电磁辐射环境强度(100kHz～3GHz频率范围内的综合电场强度)低于0.5V/m;距离显示器屏幕前方0.4m以上操作电脑,则眼睛处辐射强度在安全值内.而目前,机房内台式电脑按行紧密摆放,前排电脑操作者后脑正对后一排电脑显示器突出的后部处,在后脑处辐射强度可超过10V/m;此外,学生宿舍空间拥挤,鼠标、键盘通常与显示器近距离摆放在一起,造成显示器辐射与键盘、鼠标自身辐射叠加,导致在键盘和鼠标处手掌受到的辐射强度大,不容忽视.     

碳减排路径模式选择研究——基于私家车管控的个人碳交易和碳税比较

为了研究大城市私家车碳减排的有效路径,引入个人碳交易概念,提出管控大城市私家车碳排放的设想,制定了个人碳交易管理办法基本内容;运用Cobb-Douglas效用函数建立了管控大城市私家车个人碳交易和碳税的经济模型,依托调研数据定量化研究交通领域的个人碳交易机制,运用Matlab软件绘制了个人碳交易和碳税方案的适用范围图形,并对二者的减排效果进行比较。结果表明:个人碳交易与碳税都可以使消费者减少实际行车里程并保证总效用的增加,个人碳交易比碳税更容易为消费者接受,并能够达到碳减排的效果;在消费领域碳减排初期、社会减排任务量不大时,个人碳交易优于碳税,当减排任务很大时,碳税政策更为有效;碳减排量对消费者刚性需求的影响决定着个人碳交易制度的接受程度。应在北京、上海等大城市或其他城市的拥堵区域试行个人碳交易管控大城市私家车出行的制度,并开展实施细则的研究。     

跨座式单轨交通人身安全雷电防护分析

针对跨座式单轨交通列车遭受雷击时列车内的人员安全性,本文通过对列车内人员不接触与列车金属外壳直接连接的金属构件和接触与列车金属外壳直接连接的金属构件两种情况进行计算分析,得出第一种情况下,人员是完全安全的;第二种情况下,人员可能会有像蜜蜂刺痛或烟头灼痛的感觉,但不威胁生命安全。