Awareness and attitudes towards the emerging use of nanotechnology in the agri-food sector

Nanotechnology has relevance to applications in all areas of agri-food including agriculture, aquaculture, production, processing, packaging, safety and nutrition. Scientific literature indicates uncertainties in food safety aspects about using nanomaterials due to potential health risks. To date the agri-food industry's awareness and attitude towards nanotechnology have not been addressed. We surveyed the awareness and attitudes of agri-food organisations on the island of Ireland (IoI) with regards to nanotechnology. A total of 14 agri-food stakeholders were interviewed and 88 agri-food stakeholders responded to an on-line questionnaire. The findings indicate that the current awareness of nanotechnology applications in the agri-food sector on the IoI is low and respondents are neither positive nor negative towards agri-food applications of nanotechnology. Safer food, reduced waste and increased product shelf life were considered to be the most important benefits to the agri-food industry. Knowledge of practical examples of agri-food applications is limited however opportunities were identified in precision farming techniques, innovative packaging, functional ingredients and nutrition of foods, processing equipment, and safety testing. Perceived impediments to nanotechnology adoption were potential unknown human health and environmental impacts, consumer acceptance and media framing. The need for a risk assessment framework, research into long term health and environmental effects, and better engagement between scientists, government bodies, the agri-food industry and the public were identified as important.     

Indefinitely Intermediate: Processes of Ruralisation in Chisinau,Moldova

For a capital city, Chisinau displays an unusual proliferation of vernacular architecture – conceived in relation to the natural rather than political landscape. Architect, writer and educator Sandra Parvu examines how the Moldovan government's limited resources to impose urban order have allowed urban rurality to flourish, leading to a harmonious balance between the metropolitan and the pastoral.     

Comparison of Northern Ireland radon maps based on indoor radon measurements and geology with maps derived by predictive modelling of airborne radiometric and ground permeability data

Publicly available information about radon potential in Northern Ireland is currently based on indoor radon results averaged over 1-km grid squares, an approach that does not take into account the geological origin of the radon. This study describes a spatially more accurate estimate of the radon potential of Northern Ireland using an integrated radon potential mapping method based on indoor radon measurements and geology that was originally developed for mapping radon potential in England and Wales. A refinement of this method was also investigated using linear regression analysis of a selection of relevant airborne and soil geochemical parameters from the Tellus Project. The most significant independent variables were found to be eU, a parameter derived from airborne gamma spectrometry measurements of radon decay products in the top layer of soil and exposed bedrock, and the permeability of the ground. The radon potential map generated from the Tellus data agrees in many respects with the map based on indoor radon data and geology but there are several areas where radon potential predicted from the airborne radiometric and permeability data is substantially lower. This under-prediction could be caused by the radon concentration being lower in the top 30 cm of the soil than at greater depth, because of the loss of radon from the surface rocks and soils to air.     

苏南与苏北地产粳稻谷中铅和镉含量的分析对比

粳稻是江苏省内主要种植的粮食之一,随着苏北工业化进程的加快,苏北地产的粳稻将与苏南一样,面临的重金属污染风险越来越大.对江苏省内稻谷主产区——苏北和苏南产的35个粳稻谷中重金属铅、镉的含量进行分析和研究,结果表明,苏北产粳稻谷中的铅、镉含量与苏南产的相比,在99％的水平上具有显著差异;苏北产粳稻谷中铅、镉平均含量低于苏南产,但所有样品的铅含量均符合国标GB2762 2005要求,镉含量大多符合国标GB 2762-2005要求;苏北地区的粳稻谷中重金属污染风险相对苏南的小.     

青藏高原北部东昆仑地区三叠系元素地球化学组成对古环境的指示意义

基于青藏高原北部东昆仑地区八宝山盆地八页1井、八页2井、八页3井中的三叠系页岩微量元素和稀土元素测量结果,进行氧化还原条件、古盐度、古气候和古水深等古环境分析。结果显示：研究区三叠系八宝山组微量元素V/（V+Ni）值在0. 6~0. 84之间,Cu/Zn值在0. 21~0. 63之间,La/Ce>1.8,Sr/Ba<0. 5,B/Ga值绝大多数<3,Sr/Cu值在1~10之间,指示该地区当时的古水深基本大于15 m,为贫氧—缺氧、半咸水—淡水、温暖潮湿的海陆过渡相—陆相的沉积环境。另外,稀土元素含量较高,轻稀土元素富集,重稀土元素亏损,轻重稀土分异程度大,稀土元素配分曲线相互平行且呈明显的右倾V型,δEu为正异常,δCe为弱负异常,指示弱还原的沉积环境。     

严寒地区的收缩城市研究——以俄罗斯克拉斯诺亚尔斯克地区的三个极地城市为例

城市收缩是发达国家和发展中国家普遍存在的一种国际化现象。以往研究表明,超过一半的俄罗斯城市经历了不同程度的收缩,这种情况在其气候条件恶劣的北方地区更为严重。本研究的目的是通过社会经济发展动态分析俄罗斯北部城市的收缩过程,首先对俄罗斯收缩城市研究现状进行了梳理和总结;在此基础上,选取过去30年中人口总数下降较为明显的三个北方城市--诺里尔斯克、杜丁卡和伊加尔卡作为案例城市,对其反映人均工业产出的经济指数(EI)和反映社会福利水平的社会指数(SI)进行计算,结果表明该地区北部城市社会经济发展呈现出不均衡增长的现象。本研究证实了城市的经济福祉与人口生活水平之间的直接关系,并揭示出俄罗斯当前政策对收缩城市支持性的不足。     

逆冲推覆构造在闽西北官岭下地段出露特征形成机制及其成矿作用

官岭下地属于福建省蒲城县山下镇官岭下村,地质上崇安－蒲城地区华竹坑火山盆地东南部边缘,区内火山岩热液活动频繁,尤其是侏罗系晚期火山的构造岩浆活动强烈,形成了较多铀、钼多金属成矿的含矿主岩—酸性火山岩。工作区内官岭下断裂是一条北东向长期活动的构造岩浆活动带,也是一条大型的逆冲推覆构造,该构造早期控岩、控盆、晚期控矿,目前在构造带下盘火山岩中发现了较好的工业铀矿体及一大批异常。通过进一步工作预测深部找矿空间存在,可能有富大矿体。     

元素俘获能谱测井在神狐海域天然气水合物储层评价中的应用

在中国南海北部神狐海域GMGS-3航次的W18井天然气水合物(以下简称水合物)钻探过程中,随钻测井显示上部水合物及其以上层段自然伽马值明显偏低,岩心测试结果却表明在低伽马层段中石英含量并无明显增加,常规测井方法由于难以准确求取地层岩石的碳酸盐矿物含量并确定岩性,因而无法对此作出解释。为此,在分析元素俘获能谱测井原理的基础上,利用W18井元素俘获能谱测井资料处理得到的矿物组成结果作为ElanPlus测井处理的输入,结合其他常规测井资料,精确获取了有关地层的矿物组成,进而确定了该井的岩性剖面;并在此基础上,采用了密度测井和基于元素俘获能谱测井处理得到的矿物组成等2种方法计算了W18井水合物层的孔隙度、水合物饱和度以及地层基质渗透率。研究结果表明:(1) W18井低伽马值层段是由于方解石含量增多造成的,而不是砂质成分造成的;(2)上述两种方法求取的水合物层孔隙度整体上趋势一致,但后者计算结果与岩心分析结果吻合得更好。结论认为,元素俘获能谱测井为全面评价水合物储层提供了一种新的手段和方法,提高了水合物储层测井解释的符合率。     

川北—鄂西地区下志留统龙马溪组上段厚层斑脱岩的新发现及地质意义

基于重庆市城口地区明中剖面上奥陶统五峰组—下志留统龙马溪组露头,对川北—鄂西地区埃隆阶—特列奇阶斑脱岩的发育特征开展系统研究,新发现多套厚层斑脱岩层。对其地质意义和科学价值进行分析,得到3点认识：①城口地区明中剖面共发现7个斑脱岩密集段（下志留统埃隆阶—特列奇阶新发现3个斑脱岩密集段）,主要赋存于上奥陶统凯迪阶—下志留统特列奇阶的7个笔石带中;②埃隆阶—特列奇阶的斑脱岩密集段主要为单层、厚度超过5 cm的厚层斑脱岩,且大多出现于黏土质含量较高的层段,在自然伽马曲线上呈现峰值响应,其发育特征及自然伽马响应在川北—鄂西地区具有普遍性,可以作为该地区龙马溪组上段重要的地层对比界面;③根据龙马溪组上段斑脱岩密集段的分布特征,川北—鄂西地区在前陆挠曲发展期至少经历了埃隆阶早期、埃隆阶晚期和特列奇阶早期3次强烈的火山喷发和前陆挠曲活动,导致沉降-沉积中心向西、向北相应发生了3次大规模迁移,这使得扬子台盆区北缘海域的封闭性变弱,上升洋流大规模涌入川北—鄂西海域。川北—鄂西地区埃隆阶—特列奇阶的富有机质页岩沉积是斑脱岩密集段Ⅴ出现前后前陆挠曲和上升洋流共同控制的产物,页岩的层位随着斑脱岩密集段Ⅵ—Ⅷ的发育而向西逐渐变新;斑脱岩密集段Ⅴ与Ⅵ之间的火山活动间歇期是埃隆阶上升洋流相富有机质页岩沉积的主要时期。     

陕北地区石油开采理论用水定额研究

陕西省石油开采主要集中在陕西北部的延安、榆林两市(陕北地区),石油开采量约占全国总量的13.4%,水资源利用量较大,为贯彻落实最严格水资源管理制度和建设节水型社会,有必要对陕北地区石油开采用水定额进行研究。本文采用物质平衡法和注采比法进行理论分析和实例计算,研究表明：在特定条件下,两种方法计算结果基本相同;同时考虑辅助生产用水和附属生产用水两部分时,得出的陕北地区石油开采用水定额与采用传统的企业用水平衡分析法计算的结果基本一致;陕北地区石油开采用水定额最终确定为2.0m³/t,与陕西省目前执行的石油开采用水定额(3.0m³/t)相比较,可节水33.3%。研究结果可用来指导陕北地区水资源管理和约束石油开采行业严格执行节水措施,缓解区域水资源短缺矛盾。