Plasma lipid profiles and risk of cardiovascular disease on occupational exposure in Karimnagar

Occupational exposure is unregulated in developing countries like India, and becoming the most common cause of disease of environmental origin. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of occupational exposure on plasma lipid profiles, and risk of cardiovascular diseases. A total of 79 human volunteers were included in the study. Control subjects were healthy housewives of Karimnagar, India. Occupationally exposed individuals included different occupational workers like petrol station attendants, battery chargers, drivers, welders, pesticide-exposed workers, painters, and auto mechanics. These subjects were shown to be chronic occupationally-exposed for at least three years, and neither associated with any other chronic pathological conditions like hypertension or diabetes, nor under any medication other than analgesics during the month preceding the study. Subjects with excessive high or low caloric intake were excluded from the study. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), VLDL cholesterol, LDL/HDL cholesterol, and TC/HDL ratio in these subjects were significantly higher than those in control subjects, whereas HDL cholesterol was not markedly affected. Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and other anthropometric parameters (body mass index (BMI), body fat index (BFI), body surface area (BSA)) were not significantly different between groups. Data suggest that chronic occupational exposure increases plasma lipid levels and is thereby associated with cardiovascular complications.     

PCB disposition and different biological effects in rats following direct soil exposure vs. PCBs off-gassed from the soil

A comparison of PCB congener profiles and limited biological effects was made between direct exposure to PCB-contaminated soil and vapor phase PCBs from that soil to determine congener patterns useful for identifying exposure sources in humans and wildlife. Weanling female Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to either control or PCB-contaminated soil (from a landfill in Southern Illinois) for 1 and 2 weeks. The exposures were via direct contact with the soil or via airborne exposure with the rats isolated from the soil by a wire screen. Total PCB of 25% contaminated soil used in the study was 13?500?ppm. No PCBs were detectable in control rats. In direct-exposed rats, total PCB residues in fat pad, ear skin, serum, liver, and inguinal lymph nodes after the 1-week exposure were 6256, 185, 3.2, 149, and 41?ppm, respectively, but decreased to 465, 72, 1.7, 106, and 32.4?ppm after the 2-week exposure. In airborne-exposed rats, total PCB residues were 7.8, 1.6, 0.03, 0.2, and 0.6 in the same manner and slightly increased in fat pad and ear skin to 11.6 and 2.14, respectively. Decreases in both the concentrations and percentages of “episodic” PCBs (those congeners rapidly metabolized) in the fat pad were apparent following the 2-week exposure compared to the 1-week exposure by both routes. Both EROD and BROD activities were significantly increased in the direct-exposed rats, whereas only BROD activity increased in airborne-exposed rats. Serum T ₄ levels were depleted in the direct-exposed rats regardless of time of exposure but were increased insignificantly after 1-week and significantly after 2 weeks in the airborne-exposed rats. No significant changes in serum insulin levels were apparent in any of the treated groups. The results suggested that exposure of animals to PCBs via different routes could result in different PCB profiles, which could cause different biological effects.     

Application of random pore model for SO2 removal reaction by CuO

In this work, mathematical modeling of SO₂ removal reaction with CuO was accomplished by the random pore model. The partial differential equations, describing the reaction of a gaseous reactant with a single pellet and also a packed bed of solid reactant, were solved by the finite element method. The results of modeling consist of CuO conversion-time profiles at different temperatures and SO₂ concentrations, and also break through curves which were compared with the literature experimental data in a good accuracy. The rate constants were estimated from the initial slope of the conversion-time curves, and the product layer diffusivities were evaluated from the whole conversion-time profiles.     

火源位置对轻型门式刚架竖向位移的影响

为探究总火源功率相同时,两个火源相对位置变化对轻型门式刚架竖向位移的影响规律,采用经实验验证过的有限元方法对其进行瞬态非线性热-结构耦合数值模拟,研究了大功率火灾下单个火源、两个火源位置变化对门式刚架的温度分布以及竖向位移的影响。结果表明:保持火灾总功率30 MW不变时,在单一火源作用下火源位于跨中时刚架位移最大,在两火源作用下,15 MW-15 MW的火源组合最危险、刚架的破坏时间随火源相对距离的增大而增大,功率较大的火源位于临界位置比功率较小的火源位于临界位置有利。且功率较大的火源位于临界位置时,火源相对位置变化对刚架竖向位移的影响不显著,而功率较小的火源位于临界位置时, 影响显著。     

Enrichment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mariculture sediments of Hong Kong

Surface and core sediments collected from six fish farms in Hong Kong and from reference sites were investigated for the enrichment and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Moderately high ∑PAH₁₆ levels (123-947 ng g⁻¹, mean: 450 ng g⁻¹) were found in the surface aquaculture sediments. In comparison with the sediments from the reference sites, the average enrichment percentage of total organic carbon (TOC) and PAHs in surface sediments were 21.4 and 43.8%, respectively, and in the core sediments, 24.6 and 73.7%, respectively. Mathematical source apportionment analyses (i.e. isomer ratios, hierarchical cluster analysis, principal components analysis with multiple linear regression analysis) suggested a higher percentage of petrogenic sources in aquaculture sediments. The fish feeds might be the main source of the enriched PAHs in the aquaculture sediments. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that PAHs in aquaculture sediments could be attributed to human aquaculture activities.     

Vertical emission profiles for Europe based on plume rise calculations

The vertical allocation of emissions has a major impact on results of Chemistry Transport Models. However, in Europe it is still common to use fixed vertical profiles based on rough estimates to determine the emission height of point sources. This publication introduces a set of new vertical profiles for the use in chemistry transport modeling that were created from hourly gridded emissions calculated by the SMOKE for Europe emission model. SMOKE uses plume rise calculations to determine effective emission heights. Out of more than 40 000 different vertical emission profiles 73 have been chosen by means of hierarchical cluster analysis. These profiles show large differences to those currently used in many emission models. Emissions from combustion processes are released in much lower altitudes while those from production processes are allocated to higher altitudes. The profiles have a high temporal and spatial variability which is not represented by currently used profiles.     

环境监测机构垂直管理实施过程中的问题探析

简述了环境监测垂直管理改革的重要性和紧迫性,分析了环境监测垂直管理的意义和内涵,提出了垂直管理需要把握的原则,对环境监测机构垂直管理实施过程中值得注意的问题进行了探讨。指出垂直管理改革在解决数据行政干预的同时,应正视由此带来的不利因素,特别要避免新型干预的形成;建议连带解决环境监测工作固有的矛盾和问题,使环境监测垂直管理改革产生实实在在的成效。     

Development of a nonlocal convective mixing scheme with varying upward mixing rates for use in air quality and chemical transport models

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: Asymmetrical convective non-local scheme (CON) with varying upward mixing rates is developed for simulation of vertical turbulent mixing in the convective boundary layer in air quality and chemical transport models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The upward mixing rate form the surface layer is parameterized using the sensible heat flux and the friction and convective velocities. Upward mixing rates varying with height are scaled with an amount of turbulent kinetic energy in layer, while the downward mixing rates are derived from mass conservation. RESULTS: This scheme provides a less rapid mass transport out of surface layer into other layers than other asymmetrical convective mixing schemes. DISCUSSION: In this paper, we studied the performance of a nonlocal convective mixing scheme with varying upward mixing in the atmospheric boundary layer and its impact on the concentration of pollutants calculated with chemical and air-quality models. This scheme was additionally compared versus a local eddy-diffusivity scheme (KSC). Simulated concentrations of NO(2) and the nitrate wet deposition by the CON scheme are closer to the observations when compared to those obtained from using the KSC scheme. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations calculated with the CON scheme are in general higher and closer to the observations than those obtained by the KSC scheme (of the order of 15-20%). Nitrate wet deposition calculated with the CON scheme are in general higher and closer to the observations than those obtained by the KSC scheme. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: To examine the performance of the scheme, simulated and measured concentrations of a pollutant (NO(2)) and nitrate wet deposition was compared for the year 2002. The comparison was made for the whole domain used in simulations performed by the chemical European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Unified model (version UNI-ACID, rv2.0) where schemes were incorporated.     

上海市市政污水中全氟有机酸污染特征

选择上海市9座市政污水处理厂(WWTPs)作为研究对象,检测其进水和出水中全氟有机酸(PFAs)污染水平.结果表明,市政污水中总PFAs浓度为903~4628ng/L,且中短链(C2~C10)全氟羧酸(PFCAs)的检出率一般高于长链(>C10)PFCAs,而对全氟烷基磺酸(PFSAs)而言,全氟辛磺酸(PFOS)的检出率远高于全氟丁磺酸(PFBS)和全氟己磺酸(PFHxS).三氟乙酸(TFA)一般是市政污水中污染水平最高的PFAs,浓度为359~4129ng/L,占总PFAs的20%~93%.尽管全氟辛酸(PFOA)和PFOS的浓度一般低于TFA,甚至在某些情况下还会低于其他PFAs,但在绝大多数情况下它们依然是2种主要的PFAs类污染物,浓度分别为40.6~1571ng/L和21.3~1027ng/L,分别占总PFAs的2%~57%和1%~30%.在污水处理过程中,短链(C2~C5)和长链(>C10)PFCAs浓度的显著下降,而中等链长(C6~C10)PFCAs和PFSAs浓度则显著增加.此外,PFAs浓度和工业废水比例之间并不存在明显的正相关关系.     

生物质成型燃料锅炉挥发性有机物排放特征

以5台燃成型生物质燃料锅炉为研究对象,基于预浓缩-GC-MS/FID的测量方法,对成型生物质燃烧产生的烟气进行了挥发性有机物(VOCs)排放特征研究,同时还测定颗粒物、NO_x、SO_2和汞及其化合物的排放浓度.结果表明,5台锅炉所排放的SO_2和汞及其化合物均低于排放标准要求,而氮氧化物和颗粒物的排放存在高于国标排放限值现象.56种VOCs总质量浓度在(872.43±293.80)~(6 929.66±1 137.25)μg·m~(-3)之间,影响因素分析表明VOCs浓度与炉膛中心温度及负荷有较强负相关性.VOCs的排放中烯烃占比最大,达41%~59%,其次是烷烃和芳香烃,分别为27%~49%和6%~18%.烯烃的排放以乙烯、1-丁烯、顺-2-丁烯和1-己烯为主,烷烃以正己烷、异戊烷和环戊烷为主,芳香烃则以苯和甲苯为主.臭氧生成潜势采用最大增量反应活性法进行分析,5台锅炉的臭氧生成潜势贡献主要来自于烯烃,高达76%~90%,而烷烃也可占6%~19%.