Technopathogenology: technology and non-evident risks – a contribution to prevention

The concentration of lead in the scalp hair of 257 school children within the age range of 6–12, living in the Manzini region in Swaziland, was measured using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. Mean lead concentration ranged between 7.75–9.19 μ.g/g, and 4.95–5.95 μg/g for the urban and rural schools, respectively. The mean lead concentrations in the hair for urban school children were significantly higher than those of the rural school children. The rapid industrialization within the city centre with increasing number of vehicles using leaded petrol may be a contributing factor to the observed levels. Although the mean lead concentration was higher in girls (7.59 μg/g) than in boys (6.62 μg/g), this difference was not statistically significant.     

Water treatment with silicofluorides and lead toxicity

Toxic metals like lead, manganese, copper and cadmium damage neurons and deregulate neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine (which are essential to normal impulse control and learning). Earlier studies show that — controlling for socio‐economic and demographic factors — environmental pollution with lead is a highly significant risk factor in predicting higher rates of crime, attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Exposure and uptake of lead has been associated with industrial pollution, leaded paint and plumbing systems in old housing, lead residues in soil, dietary habits (such as shortages of calcium and iron), and demographic factors (such as poverty, stress, and minority ethnicity). We report here on an additional “risk co‐factor” making lead and other toxic metals in the environment more dangerous to local residents: the use of silicofluorides as agents in water treatment. The two chemicals in question — fluosilicic acid and sodium silicofluoride — are toxins that, despite claims to the contrary, do not dissociate completely and change water chemistry when used under normal water treatment practices. As a result, water treatment with siliconfluorides apparently functions to increase the cellular uptake of lead. Data from lead screening of over 280,000 children in Massachusetts indicates that silicofluoride usage is associated with significant increases in average lead in children's blood as well as percentage of children with blood lead in excess of 10μg/dL. Consistent with the hypothesized role of silicofluorides as enhancing uptake of lead whatever the source of exposure, children are especially at risk for higher blood lead in those communities with more old housing or lead in excess of 15 ppb in first draw water samples where silicofluorides are also in use. Preliminary findings from county‐level data in Georgia confirm that silicofluoride usage is associated with higher levels of lead in children's blood. In both Massachusetts and Georgia, moreover, behaviors associated with lead nurotoxicity are more frequent in communities using silicofluorides than in comparable localities that do not use these chemicals. Because there has been insufficient animal or human testing of silicofluoride treated water, further study of the effect of silicofluorides is needed to clarify the extent to which these chemicals are risk co‐factors for lead uptake and the hazardous effects it produces.     

Lead,Cadmium And Zinc Accumulation On Soil And Vegetation Along Some Selected Major Roads Of Eastern Cape

Surface soil and grass samples were collected in triplicates from seven locations perpendicular to three major roads in Eastern Cape. Total and available lead, cadmium and zinc were determined in the soil samples and total elements were determined in grass. Lead, cadmium and zinc concentrations declined with distance from road traffic. Significant correlation was also established between available elements in soil and in grass. Levels of total and available elements in the soils ranged from 1167-10834 v µg v g m 1 and from 200-" 5734 v µg v g m 1 , respectively. The levels of the element in grass varied between 200 v µg v g m 1 and 3900 v µg v g m 1 . Total and available cadmium levels in soil although lower than the levels are also significant with values ranging from 17-"2833 v µg v g m 1 and from 27 v µg v g m 1 and from 27-1867 v µg v g m 1 , respectively. The cadmium levels in grass varied between 7 v µg v g m 1 and 1100 v µg v g m 1 . The total and available zinc levels in soil ranged from 2833-8334 v µg v g m 1 and from 533-3600 v µg v g m 1 . The levels in grass varied between 0 and 2800 v µg v g m 1 . The degree of pollution measured would constitute a threat to livestock. Motor traffic appears to be the main source of the elements.     

一种铅锭搬运机器人真空吸附夹具的设计与分析

设计了一种基于真空系统原理的工业机器人真空吸附夹具,用于铅锭搬运,取得了良好的效果。介绍了真空吸附夹具的结构组成。阐述了真空回路和真空发生器的工作原理及技术特点。对真空吸盘、真空发生器和电磁阀等主要组成元器件进行计算和选型,并设计了夹具支架,运用Solidworks软件对夹具支架进行了有限元分析。     

Spectroscopic and electrochemical investigations of lead–lead dioxide glasses and vitroceramics with applications for rechargeable lead–acid batteries

A new class of glass and vitroceramic electrodes with applications for rechargeable batteries was obtained by a melt quenching method. The structural characterization of the samples having the xPb·(100−x)PbO₂ composition, where x=0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mol% Pb, was performed by UV–vis and FTIR spectroscopies investigations.UV–vis and FTIR data reveal that the excess of lead content in the host matrix generates the transformation and/or disintegration of [PbO₆] octahedral structural units into [PbO₄] structural units or Pb²⁺ ions and non-bonding oxygen ions centers.The electrochemical performances of the glass and vitroceramics electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The shapes of the cyclic voltammograms and redox peaks depend on the electrolyte solution concentration and the lead content in host matrix. Differences between these waves are determined by the type of electrochemically active species existing in the glass or glass ceramics. The improved performance of the vitroceramic electrodes is attributed to the presence of the lead metallic phase that seems to offer an easier route for the charge process of the electrodes. Thus, the presence of these phases generates more electrochemically active species, inhibits the secondary reactions implying PbO, takes up the ionic conduction of the larger electrolyte solution and increases the charge/discharge rate of the electrochemical processes.     

中国低活化马氏体钢TIG焊焊缝耐液态Pb-Bi腐蚀性能分析

文中研究了中国低活化马氏体（china low activation martensitic,CLAM）钢对接双层TIG焊焊缝在高速流液态Pb-Bi中的腐蚀行为.结果表明,腐蚀的主要特征是元素扩散迁移和表面形成双氧化层结构.焊后热处理改善了CLAM钢焊缝耐液态Pb-Bi腐蚀性能.研究发现试样经760℃保温0.5 h的回火热处理后,耐腐蚀性能最好.均匀细小的马氏体组织有效地提高了焊缝的耐蚀性能,马氏体组织的尺寸大小是焊缝耐蚀性能的决定性因素.试样焊缝区最先损坏,表现为内氧化层中出现裂纹导致氧化层脱落.因此,提高反应堆结构材料焊缝处的耐腐蚀性能可以有效延长结构材料的使用寿命.     

风电叶片部件疲劳试验机跟随控制策略研究

针对风电叶片部件疲劳试验过程中实际载荷与期望载荷跟随效果差的问题,提出一种超前自校正与改进线性自抗扰(LADRC)相结合的同步控制策略。该方法通过对实际载荷进行自校正补偿与系统误差以及外部扰动一起输入到改进线性自抗扰控制器,从而实现加载力和频率的有效控制。对疲劳试验机油电液伺服系统控制算法进行仿真分析,并通过搭建现场试验平台对同步控制策略进行有效性验证。仿真及试验结果表明：在较大载荷疲劳试验过程中,该控制策略显著提升系统的快速响应性和抗干扰能力,载荷误差控制在1%以内,相对于传统ADRC控制算法同步误差减小了56.14%,有效实现了风电叶片部件疲劳试验载荷的精确控制。     

制备工艺对0.95(K_(0.5)Na_(0.5))NbO_3-0.05CaZrO_3基无铅陶瓷压电性能的影响

采用传统陶瓷工艺制备了0.95(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.05CaZrO3无铅压电陶瓷。研究了烧结温度和极化工艺对陶瓷压电性能的影响。结果表明:随着烧结温度的提高,0.95(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.05CaZrO3陶瓷的体积密度增大,在1170℃时达到最大值,同时d33和kp,在此温度也分别达到他们的最大值210pC/N和0.40。极化工艺对0.95(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.05CaZrO3陶瓷的压电性能有明显的影响,0.95(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.05CaZrO3陶瓷的最佳极化温度是70℃,最佳极化电场是4kV/mm。     

Analysis of composition homogeneity and polarization orientation of PZT submicron fibers by micro-Raman spectroscopy

Micro-Raman spectroscopy is a convenient tool to probe individual objects with a feature size on the submicron scale. The phase, composition, and orientation of Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ fibers fabricated via hydrothermal processing have been characterized by this technique, with the working principles given in the paper. It is shown that the prepared PZT submicron fibers are of a tetragonal pervoskite phase, with Zr/(Zr + Ti) varying from 0.05 to 0.25. The spontaneous polarization has been confirmed to be along the length direction and one of its {1 0 0} planes parallel to the substrate plane.     

Effect of milling time and pH on the dispersibility of lead zirconate titanate in aqueous media for inkjet printing

Micrometre-sized Pb(Zr_0.53Ti_0.47)O₃ (PZT) powder was dispersed in water, stabilized with the ammonium polyacrylate (PAANH₄) and milled to reduce the particle size. The influence of the pH, the amount of PAANH₄, and the milling time on the zeta potential, the PZT particle size and the particle size distribution was studied. The agglomeration took place regardless the milling time at pH 3. The suspension, containing 5 vol.% of PZT and 5 wt.% of PAANH₄, milled at pH 10 for 240 min, was stable and contained particles with a narrow, log-normal particle size distribution with the median size of 160 nm. The dissociated carboxyl groups from the PAANH₄ interacted with the PZT particles as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrosterically stabilized the particles in water at pH 10. The PZT particle size and the stability of the suspension fitted the requirements for the ink, suitable for ink-jet printing.