Advanced Materials Research Vols. 518-523

Abstract: With the growth of population, water security has become the worldwide problem combined with severe environment pollution, quick economic development and irrational water allocation. Based on sustainable development, Water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) driven from physics originally has been proposed to solve it. The measurement of WRCC can tell decision-makers that how much population the water resource can feed, what degree water resources can support the economic and so on. Because the decision-makers can make adaptive decisions based on the correct evaluation of WRCC, the ways of the assessment of WRCC are very important. This paper focuses on how to measure WRCC by selecting three typical methods, fuzzy model of comprehensive evaluation, multiple criteria analysis (MCA) and system dynamics (SD) methods. The characteristics of these methods are good at solving the multi-objective and complicated problem in common which is the trait of WRCC. The differences of them are the specific process of analysis and evaluation.

Abstract: The genotoxicity of drinking water have received increased attention in recent years to assess aquatic ecosystem safety. The factors affecting the genotoxicity of drinking water, including sample preparation, the concentration of bromide and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), were investigated using umu test. The result showed that sample preparation and bromide could significantly influence the genotoxicity of drinking water. During sample preparation, 1 and 2 L waters concentrated were suitable for umu test and the highest yield for genotoxic compounds was obtained from acid solution (pH 2) when ethyl acetate served as the eluant. Bromide could substantially increase the genotoxicity of drinking water after chlorine disinfection. The genotoxicity of drinking water could not be increased with increasing NH₃-N concentration.

Abstract: Sleep quality and mental health are directed influence to dormitory air quality. Sleep mode Work schedules is established by questionnaires, after the interconnection of PAQ, QPD and ACC is analysised, air quality of dormitory building is assessmented. The results show that dormitory air quality is influenced by windowing and living habit of undergraduate and the proportion of the dissatisfaction of air quality below 20%.

Abstract: This paper carried out the lifetime risk assessment of exposure to airborne Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in environmental atmosphere in one Korean industrial city-Gumi based on the measured concentrations of VOCs at five representative outdoor monitoring sites. According to the measured VOCs concentration, toluene, trichloroethylene and dichloromethane are three main VOCs in Gumi. The carcinogenic risks for each of the carcinogenic VOCs in all five designated sites are more than the benchmark concentration (1.0E-6). The predominant risks in industrial areas are chloroform, benzene and trichloroethylene. And the predominant risks in other sites are benzene and chloroform and their proportions to cancer risk are not less than 90%. Based the analysis, effectively decreasing the emission of chloroform, benzene, Trichloroethylene and 1,2-dichloropropane will rapidly reduce the cancer risks in Gumi.

Abstract: With the numeric simulation technology, it has been analyzed that mist fire fighting performance to pool fire in room with blocks. It also be analyzed that some influence factors to mist fire fighting performance, such as mist characteristic, sprinkle lay, blocks etc. The results of this paper can be used for the design of mist system.

Abstract: Abstract. Little is known about the potential behavior and ecotoxicity of nanoparticles to aquatic organisms. To carefully address this issue, we conducted a comprehensive toxicity assessment, including NiO nanoparticles accumulation and toxicity tests as well as Lipid peroxidation (LPO), MDA content, mitochondrial depolarization and Reactive oxygen radical (ROS) analysis using Gracilaria lemaneiformis as a model organism. Our results demonstrated that the concentration of NiO Nanoparticles accumulated in Gracilaria lemaneiformis increased with the extended incubation time and a considerable amount of NiO Nanoparticles were still present in the bodies of Gracilaria lemaneiformis. Exposure to NiO nanoparticles led to significant reductions of cell viability between 20 and 60% relative to controls. Elevated lipid peroxidation in Gracilaria lemaneiformis exposed to NiO nanoparticles compared to control and induced increases in MDA levels with incubation time. Significantly enhanced percent of mitochondrial depolarization in nanometer size compared to controls and NiO nanoparticles significantly elevated ROS levels more than three fold at the highest concentration. Taken together, these findings indicate that NiO nanoparticles exposure, especially for long periods of time, may exert negative impact on population of aquatic organisms and on food web dynamics in aquatic systems.

Abstract: The plutonium material in weapons grade nuclear device would be aerosolized and dispersed into the atmosphere if the device was involved in a high explosive detonation. It is significant to investigate the environmental and public hazard caused by the possible dispersion of plutonium. The original work is to determine the source terms of plutonium aerosol in certain nuclear accident scenario. In such scenario the inhalation of plutonium aerosols is the main human hazard source. Only the plutonium aerosols with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm are respirable and may ultimately lead to fatal human death. The field detonation test with plutonium by U.S. government is reviewed and the results indicate that for expected high explosive detonation scenario the plutonium source terms are 100 % aerosolization and 20 % respirable fraction. In order to find the aerosolized similarity of plutonium and several conventional metals, two detonation experiments in which the stannum foil and the vanadium powder are used as the replacement of plutonium respectively have been conducted by our group. After the detonation the metal aerosols are collected and analyzed. It has been found that the metallic powder is much easier to be aerosolized than the foil while the integrated aerosol source terms (respirable mass fractions) of stannum and vanadium are quite different with plutonium. Unlike the integrated aerosol data, the differential source terms (cumulative mass fractions via particle size) of the simulative samples are partially similar with plutonium.

Abstract: In the present study, concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) in soil and wheat grains of the agricultural areas around Baiyin, a non-ferrous metals mining and smelting base, were detected. Meanwhile, the potential health risk of the heavy metals to adult males, adult females and children was estimated using non-carcinogenic health risk assessment model: Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI). The results showed that only the level of Cd in all soil samples exceeded the permissible limit of the environmental quality standard for soil, and its average level surpassed the standard value by 4 times. In wheat grains, the levels of Pb and Cd were 50 times and 8 times of the limited values of hygienic standard for grain respectively, while Cu and Zn concentrations did not surpass the standard value. The potential health risk due to single heavy metal for all the three investigated populations followed the sequence of HQPb＞HQCd＞HQCu＞HQZn＞1 (assumed the local inhabitants wholly food on wheats), suggesting that each of the four heavy metals were making negative effect on population health, of which the situation of Pb and Cd should be paid more attention due to their significant adverse effect. The total potential health risk due to the four heavy metals followed the sequence of HIchildren＞HImales＞HIfemales＞1 (assumed that the health risk due to the four heavy metals is additive), suggesting that the heavy metals were producing adverse effect on population health, and were especially hazardous for children. According to the research results, the government is suggested to strictly control the quality of irrigation water and remove the heavy metals from agricultural soil in order to ensure the safety of foodcrop production and local inhabitants.

Abstract: In this paper, the nutrients and trace metal elements of koumiss which brewed by the herdsmen in West Wuzhumuqin (Xiwuqi) in Xilinguole in Inner Mongolia of China were determined. The results showed that there were many nutritional components such as proteins, fat, lactose, ash, vitamins and amino acids in koumiss. For example, the amino acids content of koumiss was 2.194%, higher than that of fresh mare’s milk (1.483%). The measurement of trace metal elements indicated that the koumiss riches in essential and non-essential trace metal elements, the concentrations of essential trace metal elements including human body such as Zn, Cu, V, Cr, Ni, Co, Mo reached 2415.000, 139.000, 126.000, 98.600, 43.400, 4.220 and 2.530μg/g, respectively. In addition, there were some useful trace elements as Sr, Rb, Ba, Li and 12 kinds of rare-earth elements. But the Pb, which is a non-essential metal element, reached a higher level of 5.580μg/g, and was 110 times than the limit value of food safety standards of China. Preliminary analysis indicated that the koumiss in Xiwuqi is a good acid beverage with high nutritional value and health effects. The trace contents of rare-earth elements, which may come from the feed addictives, were beneficial for people’s health. Excessive concentration of Pb may come from the contaminations of non-ferrous metal metallurgy and automobile exhaust in the locality.

Abstract: In order to learn the present situation of heavy metals on particulate matters and evaluate their health risk, this paper cites the examples of District Xigu which is severely polluted and Town Yuzhong which is slightly polluted in Lanzhou city, the concentration of heavy metals attached on particulate matters in different seasons and different regions is measured, and the distribution proportion of heavy metals in different diameters of particulates is analyzed. Based on the health risk evaluation model recommended by USEPA, this paper evaluates health risks of pollution caused by heavy metals on atmosphere particulates at different sampling places in Lanzhou city. The result shows that heavy metal attached on particulate matter in Lanzhou city is distributed seasonally and regionally. Heavy metals on particulate matters in Lanzhou city are mainly attached on particulates of which the diameters are less than 10μm(PM10). In terms of horizontal gradient, the hazard index of heavy metal in the total suspension particulates in severely-polluted district of Lanzhou city in winter is greater than 1. In terms of vertical gradient, the hazard index of heavy metals on total suspension particulates 15m above ground in winter is greater than 1. These polluted aspects should be treated. The carcinogenic risk of chromium exceeds 10^-6~10^-4 which is acceptable scope stipulated by USEPA and should be well handled.