The control of radon progeny by air treatment devices

The effect of air treatment devices on the behaviour of radon decay products has been studied in laboratory conditions. An HEPA filter and an electrostatic precipitator were used. Both of the filters were found to decrease the equilibrium factor of daughters and increase the unattached fraction of decay products. In a clean air they also decreased the activity of unattached daughters. The effect of the devices on the health risk caused by radon progeny was estimated by dosimetric calculations. The results corresponding to different models show considerable discrepancy, mainly due to different assumptions about the influence of unattached decay products on the dose.     

Approaches to the assessment of long term exposure to radon and its progeny

In recent years, a number of case-control epidemiological studies have taken place and others are in progress to evaluate the lung cancer risk to the general population from exposure to radon and its short-lived progeny in the indoor residential environment. While it is actually long term exposure over past decades to radon progeny by inhalation that dominates lung doses, for a number of practical reasons it is radon gas that is measured in these studies. Because the risk from radon and its progeny results from cumulative exposure over past decades rather than from contemporary exposure, it is necessary to reconstruct the historical exposures of subjects. A number of factors limit the accuracy of this approach of which the following are perhaps the most important: the mobility and residential history of the subjects; radon exposures elsewhere; and changes that may have occurred in the radon levels in current and previous residences. Measurement techniques to assist in making more direct retrospective assessments of radon exposure have appeared in the recent past and are the subject of this paper. These are based on the measurement of the long-lived radon progeny 210Po trapped in household artefacts such as glass or porous and spongy materials. In vivo measurements of skeletal 210Pb in exposed persons is also a method that is currently being investigated as a means to assess historical exposures to radon. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are described here as well as their potential in future radon epidemiological studies.     

Some tests on measuring methods for indoor radon using activated charcoal

Two methods for measuring indoor radon concentrations using activated charcoal have been tested. The first method is the well-known technique with direct γ-measurements on the exposed canister after the sampling period. The other method uses a thermoluminescence dosemeter placed in the charcoal canister, giving an integrated value of the radon concentration.     

Development of a personal passive air sampler for estimating exposure to effective chlorine while using chlorine-based disinfectants

With an increasing use of indoor disinfectants such as chlorine (Cl₂) and hypochlorous acid, a convenient sampler for estimating exposure to oxidants, such as effective chlorine, is necessary. Here, we developed a personal passive air sampler (PPAS) composed of a redox dye, o-dianisidine, in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheet. o-Dianisidine readily reacts with gaseous oxidants generated by bleach usage, and its color changes as the reaction progresses; hence, personal exposure to effective chlorine could be easily detected by the naked eye, while cumulative exposure could be determined by measuring concentrations of o-dianisidine reacting with it. The PPAS was calibrated, and a sampling rate of 0.00253 m³/h was obtained using a small test chamber. The PPAS was tested with the help of ten volunteers whose personal exposure to Cl₂-equivalent gas was estimated after bathrooms were cleaned using spray and liquid-type household disinfection products, and the accumulated exposure-gas concentrations ranged from 69 to 408 ppbv and 148 to 435 ppbv, respectively. These PPAS-derived exposure concentrations were approximately two orders lower than those estimated using ConsExpo, suggesting a significant overestimation by prevailing screening models, possibly due to the ignorance of transformation reactions.     

Field experience with volume traps for assessing retrospective radon exposures

Approximately 200 volume traps were retrieved from dwellings in various radon prone areas in Europe. They were analysed for the purpose of retrospective radon assessment. Emphasis is put on specific problems encountered when using field samples as opposed to laboratory exposed samples. It was seen that in very dusty circumstances, direct penetration of radon decay products from the outside to the centre of the volume traps calls for extra caution. Rinsing the samples is proposed as a solution and was tested in field and laboratory conditions, showing good results. An attempt was made to give an assessment of the achievable accuracy of the method. Where possible, the volume trap retrospective results were compared with contemporary measurements or to retrospective results from surface traps. The overall impression is that although volume traps are sometimes hard to find in the field, the high reliability of the results makes it well worth the effort.     

Evaluation of a sampler for liquid effluents

A design of automatic sampler for liquid effluent streams is described, which is based on the use of a rapidly circulating pumped stream of the liquid effluent. This stream passes through an interceptor vessel from which sub-samples may be taken iso-kinetically to provide a variety of sample types (e.g. snap, composite, flow-related). This interceptor may be conveniently located and may also be used to hold monitoring probes (pH, ion selective electrodes) which will provide continuous information on the composition of the effluent stream.This sampler system has been evaluated using simulated liquid effluents, chosen to represent cases in which it is difficult to acquire a truly representative sample. The cases chosen were:

1. (a) water containing up to 10,000 mg 1⁻¹ of finely divided inorganic solid;

2. (b) water containing 2000 mg l⁻¹ of sewage solids

3. (c) water containing dissolved, volatile organic solutes;

4. (d) water containing dispersed oil.

In all cases it proved practical to obtain samples which were representative in composition of the liquid being tested; comparison in all cases was with snap samples taken simultaneously from appropriate points in the loop system.The sampler appears to be generally suitable for use with most types of liquid effluents. The several components of the sampler should be constructed of materials which are inert to the effluent.     

Asymptotic determination of the effective thermal conductivity of a pile field

An approximate solution of the problem of the determination of the effective thermal conductivity of a pile field during construction on permafrost is prosed on the basis of asymptotic approaches. Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 1, pp. 26–29, January–February, 1999.     

Wire-mesh capped deposition sensors: novel passive tool for coarse fraction flux estimation of radon thoron progeny in indoor environments

Deposition-based ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn progeny sensors act as unique, passive tools for determining the long time-averaged progeny deposition fluxes in the environment. The use of these deposition sensors as progeny concentration monitors was demonstrated in typical indoor environments as conceptually superior alternatives to gas-based indirect monitoring methods. In the present work, the dependency of these deposition monitors on various environmental parameters is minimized by capping the deposition sensor with a suitable wire mesh. These wire-mesh capped deposition sensors measure the coarse fraction deposition flux, which is less dependent on the change in environmental parameters like ventilation rate and turbulence. The calibration of these wire-mesh capped coarse fraction progeny sensors was carried out by laboratory controlled experiments. These sensors were deployed both in indoor and in occupational environments having widely different ventilation rates. The obtained coarse fraction deposition velocities were fairly constant in these environments, which further confirmed that the signal on the wire-mesh capped sensors show the least dependency on the change in environmental parameters. This technique has the potential to serve as a passive particle sizer in the general context of nanoparticles using progeny species as surrogates. On the whole, there exists a strong case for developing a passive system that responds only to coarse fraction for providing alternative tools for dosimetry and environmental fine particle research.     

抽水试验与微水试验在确定水文地质参数中的对比分析

水文地质参数的获取是水文地质工作的一项重要内容.常规确定方法主要有抽水试验法,配线法.这些方法的共同缺点是试验周期长,设备数量多.本文在安徽淮北老濉河某场地同时开展抽水试验和微水试验(Slug test).抽水试验井为承压完整井,稳定流单孔抽水,6个孔观测,采用Hantush-Jacob模型,绘制s-lgt曲线与标准曲...     

Radiation dose from dissolved radon in potable waters of the Bangalore environment,South India

Potable waters from various locations of the Bangalore environment were investigated for their ²²²Rn concentrations by the emanometry method. About 94 groundwater (borewell) samples were analysed for ²²²Rn concentrations and found to vary in the range 5.3–283.4 Bq L^?1 with a mean value of 87 Bq L^?1. Frequency distribution showed the ²²²Rn concentration in a large number of samples in the range of 0–50 Bq L^?1. From the measured concentrations, the effective doses (lung and stomach) for the population of the region were estimated. The effective dose was found to vary from 42.6 to 2280.2 µSv y^?1 with a mean value 702.5 µSv y^?1. The effect of boiling of water showed a drastic reduction in the ²²²Rn concentration. The results of the present investigation are systematically analysed, compared with the literature values and discussed.     

排水刚性桩沉桩挤土效应的现场试验研究

排水刚性桩是一种将刚性桩与竖向排水体相结合的新桩型。基于江阴一中新建教学楼桩基工程,开展了排水刚性桩与不含排水体的普通刚性桩的沉桩对比现场试验,实时动态监测排水桩与普通桩桩周土体中不同距离及深度处的水平位移、侧向土压力及孔隙水压力的变化情况,研究排水刚性桩的沉桩挤土效应。试验结果表明：排水桩能够减小沉桩过程中桩周土体因桩身挤土而发生的侧向水平位移,在距桩心3倍桩径处,排水桩桩周土体的最大水平位移为普通桩的1/6,在距桩心6倍桩径处,排水桩为普通桩的2/5;排水桩能够大幅降低桩周土体因沉桩挤土而产生的超孔隙水压力,深度15m,距离桩中心2倍桩径处,排水桩的超孔压峰值仅为普通桩的1/4;排水桩能够减少沉桩过程中桩周土体的挤土压力,降低沉桩挤土对桩周原有土压力的影响,在深度15m距桩心2倍桩径处,排水桩的土压力变化的峰值仅为普通桩的1/4。现场试验数据为排水刚性桩的工程应用提供了设计参考依据。     

电子氡检测仪测定土壤中氡浓度方法的研究

本文使用RAD-7型电子氡检测仪测定土壤中氡浓度,提出了防止检测系统漏气的措施,优化了仪器运行的各种参数,建立了自动化检测系统,是一种快速、准确、简便的测定土壤中氡浓度的方法。     

Indicators of matrix dependent variation in effective dose for chromium and nickel aerosol exposures

Inhaled particulates containing Cr and Ni are partially cleared or dissolved thus contributing to short-term internal exposures and partial retention in airways and airspaces. The retained fraction may continuously contribute to internal exposure after external exposure has ceased, through intra- and extracellular chemical processes which continuously liberate various metallic species; i.e. via an active deposit. Recent experiments with Ni and Cr compounds, and freshly produced welding fumes, which contain Ni and Cr, demonstrate a strong dependence of the distribution of these metals on oxidation state, solubility, bioavailability and toxicity as measured by in-vitro bioassay, depending on the collection, storage and analytical technique. It is suggested that exposure limits must consider the wide variation in short- and long-term delivered dose of toxic metals to target tissue with matrix, and that current protocols may be inadequate to protect workers in different industries involving exposures to widely different types of aerosols having only the same chemical element in common.     

玻璃钢螺旋锚的现场拉拔试验

回顾了FRP螺旋锚的基本结构型式,介绍现场拉拔试验的设计,完成了无灌浆和灌浆FRP螺旋锚的现场拉拔试验。无灌浆锚杆的最大拉拔力约在10 kN左右,而灌浆锚杆的拉拔力提高到15～20 kN,且拉拔位移较小。拉拔试验结果与现有拉拔力公式的计算值进行比较,并对螺旋锚的结构和施工提出一些改进意见。     

Field load tests of an anisotropic-grid timber bridge

This paper details the implementation of an innovative timber bridge technology developed for secondary road applications. A pilot bridge was constructed and field tested under loads comparable to required design loads. A through-girder primary system with transverse floor beams and longitudinal wood deck secondary system are involved. A unique steel hanger system for suspending the transverse floor beams and providing I-beam action under lateral load was configured. Results of the field load test program and analytical predictions from a computer model are described. The pilot bridge proved to be economically competitive and structurally effective.     

Experience from retrospective radon exposure estimations for individuals in a radon epidemiological study using solid-state nuclear track detectors

The relation between increased risk of lung cancer and exposure to indoor radon is assessed in epidemiological studies. Both the quality and reliability of smoking data and the radon exposure data are of primary importance. Contemporary measurement of radon concentration in the dwellings of individuals in a case-control study is traditionally used to assess past history of radon exposure. These assessments are somewhat unreliable since presently measured radon concentration might not be representative for a given location long ago. The measurement of long-lived decay products from 222Rn remaining indoors on hard surfaces, such as glass, makes it possible to assess the exposure to indoor radon. At the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute, a combination of two different solid-state nuclear track detectors has been developed to assess the 210Pb activity implanted in glass surfaces by measuring 210Po alpha activity. This detector (a RETRO detector) is used in the Swedish radon epidemiological case-control study of non-smokers with the aim to provide an alternative estimate of individual radon exposure and to evaluate the usefulness of RETRO measurements. A total of 576 different objects were found and 568 were measured. For 225 individuals, we measured two personal objects that had been in the same person's possession for more than 20 years. The standard deviation of the average radon concentration obtained from these two objects had a median value of 13 Bq/m3 indicating a precision of exposure of approximately 20%. The correlation between 210Po surface activity measured earlier and the mean values of radon concentrations in a number of Swedish dwellings is used to estimate the historical, average radon concentration. This average correlation factor seems also to be valid for measurements in the non-smoker epidemiological study.     

土遗址加固中木锚杆锚固机理的现场试验研究

木锚杆锚固机理的研究对于土遗址传统材料与工艺的科学性挖掘和当今的保护加固具有重大价值。选择代表性的土遗址（交河故城）开展现场锚固测试,包括锚固性能测试和第一界面层（杆体-浆体）剪应变监测。试验结果表明：①鉴于杆体的自然选材,不同杆体的锚固性能差异较大,但锚固潜力巨大;②受力状态下,剪应力沿着界面呈现含峰值非均匀分布;③荷载逐步增大时,界面剪应力峰值逐步向末端转移;④剪胀作用明显,增强了锚固性能;⑤兼有拉力型和压力型锚固系统的复合特征。