Safety assessment of the film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) process through a system-theoretic accident model and process (STAMP)

Film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) is considered as one of the fastest process methodologies for manufacturing carbon-carbon (C–C) composite products and possesses various advantages compared to conventional methodologies. However, there are safety concerns associated with this process for large-scale manufacturing, mainly owing to the intrinsic nature of the precursor and the process conditions. Considering the multifunctional interactions of the various systems during the process, a system-theoretic process analysis (STPA)/system theoretic accident model and process (STAMP) model is used to perform a safety analysis of the hazardous states of the FB-CVI process at the system level. As a case study, the FB-CVI process equipment employed for the manufacturing of C–C composites is considered. The safety constraints present in the system are assessed for adequacy through a hazard analysis by STPA/STAMP. The analysis through STPA/STAMP demonstrated the capability to create proactive strategies for the design and realization of process equipment that can be employed to manufacture C–C composite products through the FB-CVI process.     

Review: recent advances in biogas purifying technologies

Biomethane production through biogas upgrading is a promising renewable energy for some industries which could be part of the equilibrium needed with fossil fuels consumption to achieve a sustainable society. This paper presents a comprehensive list of biogas upgrading technologies focused on carbon dioxide removal as well as recent advances reported by researcher with wide expertise in this topic. Additionally, an extensive costs–performance comparison among the technologies studied is discussed. Among the different alternatives, chemical scrubbing stood out to achieve high biomethane purities while cryogenic technologies proved to be effective against methane losses. Regarding the different costs, water scrubbing and membrane separation seem to be the most affordable techniques.     

The Thermal Discharges From Nuclear Power Plants in Taiwan

The increasing use of sea water for industrial cooling presents a real threat to the ecological environment in the ocean. in Taiwan where many electric power plants along the coast take sea water for cooling, people are concerned seriously about nuclear power plants. There are three nuclear power plants in Taiwan. Each plant has two units for generating power. the first two are located along the northern coast of Taiwan. the third is located in Kenting National Park along the coast of southernmost Taiwan. the plants take sea water for cooling, and discharge their heated effluents to the ocean surface from the coast. the thermal effluents have variable effects on the ecological environment near the plants. Fishermen living near the power plants complain that the heated water affects the inshore fishery catch. in addition, the thermal water from the second plant is easily accumulated near the coastal zone to influence the nearby swimming area in the summer-time. the thermal water from the third plant bleaches or kills some corals in shallow water near the outlet, and this conflicts with the interests of Kenting National Park.     

Exoautometabolic regulation of transgenes in microorganisms

Data on the existence of a specific system regulating the growth, size, and structure of enterobacterial populations are first summarized in terms of the chemical ecology concept formulated by S.S. Shvarts. The role of this system in transgene functioning is described using the example of the lux operon integrated into Escherichia coli. A relatively simple test for estimating such interactions is proposed.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 91–96.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Pshenichnov, Maslennikova, Nikitina.     

Is the alkaloid in 2spot ladybirds (Adalia bipunctata) a defence against ant predation?

Garden black ants,Lasius niger L., in a laboratory colony, attacked three species of live ladybirds found near their nest, killing the smaller two species. A second colony was offered artificial diets containing crushed ladybirds of two species, and the ants' choice of feeding site noted. Both the diets were aversive compared to control, but that containing 7spot,Coccinella septempunctata L., was more aversive than the diet containing 2spot,Adalia bipunctata L. The implications of this lesser protection for 2spots in terms of the chemical defence of the species are discussed.     

北京地区基于化学组分的夏季气溶胶吸湿特性

利用吸湿增长光散射测量系统、黑碳仪和气相色谱质谱联用仪等仪器,于2019年7月15日~8月4日在北京地区开展了为期21d的大气气溶胶观测实验.观测期间北京市区于7月27日出现短暂的轻度污染,并在7月29日出现强降水天气.结果显示：北京市区夏季大气污染变化剧烈且短暂,大气气溶胶散射吸湿增长因子f（RH）呈现平滑连续的特点,并且降水会对f（RH）造成显著影响.7月27日PM_2.5的平均质量浓度为（92.54±47.05）μg/m³;,表现出较为剧烈的污染变化.7月28~30日平均散射吸湿增长因子f（80%±1%）分别为（1.50±0.35）,（1.43±0.36）和（1.48±0.25）,反映了降水对于大气气溶胶的湿清除作用.最后利用实验数据估算粒径吸湿增长因子gf（RH）,并建模研究f（RH）和gf（RH）的关系,模型精度R²最高可达0.698.     

水稻秸秆生物炭中铜和镉的形态分布及释放特性

由于目前缺乏对生物质原料来源的管控办法,极有可能用产自受污染农田土壤的秸秆制备出具有高重金属含量的生物炭,因此,研究生物炭中重金属的形态分布及其释放特性对于防控生物炭应用产生的环境风险具有重要意义.基于此,分别采集江西省贵溪铜冶炼厂周边九牛岗污染区和中国科学院鹰潭红壤生态实验站清洁区种植的水稻秸秆制备生物炭（分别记为“九牛岗生物炭”和“红壤站生物炭”）,分析两种生物炭中Cu、Cd的含量及其化学形态分布,考察不同固液比及pH对生物炭中Cu、Cd浸出的影响.结果表明:九牛岗生物炭中Cu、Cd的总量（以w计）分别为119.99、3.83 mg/kg,显著高于红壤站生物炭（19.50、0.96 mg/kg）.尽管九牛岗生物炭中w（酸溶态Cu）、w（酸溶态Cd）显著高于红壤站生物炭,但在形态分布上,九牛岗生物炭中Cu、Cd主要为相对稳定态（可氧化态和残渣态）,二者占比分别为80.3%、76.7%,高于红壤站生物炭（二者占比分别为53.2%、48.0%）.高固液比和低pH可有效增加两种生物炭中Cu、Cd的浸出毒性,其中,九牛岗生物炭在固液比为1:20和1:60时,浸出液中ρ（Cu）、ρ（Cd）均超过GB/T 14848—2017《地下水质量标准》中Ⅱ类标准限值.动力学及累积释放试验表明,两种生物炭中的部分Cu、Cd可在短时间内迅速释放而后逐渐平稳并有上升趋势,且九牛岗生物炭中Cu、Cd释放量显著高于红壤站生物炭.研究显示,来自污染区水稻秸秆生物炭中的Cu、Cd活性显著高于清洁区生物炭,具有更高的环境风险.      

兰州市南山季节性土壤微生物特征及影响因素

为了探究不同季节和不同植被类型对土壤微生物分布的影响,以兰州市南山不同海拔的两种植被类型为研究对象,采用稀释涂布平板法测定了土壤微生物的季节动态变化特征.结果表明：研究区内细菌数量占微生物总数的96.22%~99.80%,远高于真菌和放线菌数量.土壤微生物类群随季节变化呈现明显差异,其总数整体表现为夏季最高,为89.22×10⁶cfu/g soil,分别是春、秋、冬季的12.02、3.28、2.74倍,其中夏季细菌数量最高,真菌与放线菌数量均在春季达到最大值.人工林样地土壤微生物数量略低于荒坡,环境因子中土壤含水量和有机碳含量高于荒坡.随着海拔的升高,pH值逐渐上升,土壤温度、有机碳与全氮含量逐渐下降,土壤微生物总数则呈现先减少后增加的趋势.相关分析表明,不同季节各微生物类群与环境因子的相关系数各有不同,春季放线菌与有机碳,秋季真菌与有机碳、全氮均呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）.冗余分析表明,环境因子中有机碳与第一物种轴的相关系数最高,为0.520,说明土壤有机碳含量是影响土壤微生物类群分布的主导因素.     

Human viral pathogens are pervasive in wastewater treatment center aerosols

Wastewater treatment center(WTC) workers may be vulnerable to diseases caused by viruses, such as the common cold, influenza and gastro-intestinal infections. Although there is a substantial body of literature characterizing the microbial community found in wastewater, only a few studies have characterized the viral component of WTC aerosols,despite the fact that most diseases affecting WTC workers are of viral origin and that some of these viruses are transmitted through the air. In this study, we evaluated in four WTCs the presence of 11 viral pathogens of particular concern in this milieu and used a metagenomic approach to characterize the total viral community in the air of one of those WTCs. The presence of viruses in aerosols in different locations of individual WTCs was evaluated and the results obtained with four commonly used air samplers were compared.We detected four of the eleven viruses tested, including human adenovirus(h Ad V),rotavirus, hepatitis A virus(HAV) and Herpes Simplex virus type 1(HSV1). The results of the metagenomic assay uncovered very few viral RNA sequences in WTC aerosols, however sequences from human DNA viruses were in much greater relative abundance.