Exposure to aerosolized bacteria and fungi among collectors of commercial, mixed residential, recyclable and compostable waste

Biological hazards associated with the collection of solid and compostable waste have not been well characterized in North America. This is an issue because workers who handle such materials may be exposed to bioaerosols (airborne bacteria and fungi) and dusts resulting in infections or allergic diseases. We conducted a personal sampling campaign for culturable bacteria and fungi in the breathing zones of waste collectors in a variety of typical work settings (scenarios) in the province of Quebec, Canada. Total culturable bacterial and fungal counts were analyzed and compared to ambient environmental levels (background) to determine the degree of incremental exposure among workers. In several scenarios, worker exposure counts were significantly (p < or = 0.05) higher than ambient levels measured upwind, with the highest personal exposures to bacteria observed for urban compostable waste collectors (median = 50,300 Colony Forming Units/m(3) of air (CFU/m(3))). On the other hand, fungal counts collected on an every-other-week cycle were highest among a group of rural compostable waste collectors (median = 101,700 CFU/m(3)). Similar exposures to culturable bacteria and fungi have been reported in European workers who showed such adverse health effects as nausea, diarrhea, upper respiratory tract irritation, and allergy. Therefore, it may be necessary to modify certain work practices in order to minimize exposure. Recommendations include automation of waste and compost collection, use of personal protective equipment including goggles, gloves, and disposable masks, and meticulous personal hygiene.     

Application of the acoustic resonance method to evaluate the grain size of low carbon steels

The velocities and attenuations of ultrasonic waves in low carbon steels were measured precisely and automatically by the acoustic resonance method using a Lorentz-type EMAT. The attenuations were measured from the decay of a signal from the resonant vibration after stopping the external excitation at the predetermined resonant frequency, while the velocities were calculated directly from the resonant frequencies and material thicknesses. It was not possible to predict the yield strength from the velocity measurements. There was a close relationship between grain size and attenuation in the specimens which consist of ferrite and pearlite. The attenuations measured at a frequency of about 5 MHz showed a good correlation with the average grain size and yield strength. The yield strength could be evaluated within the accuracy of ±50 MPa by the acoustic resonance method. The results would be used for on-line evaluation of the grain size and the mechanical strength of steels in industry.     

既有网格结构损伤检测与模拟方法研究进展

网格结构在使用过程中会产生不同程度的损伤,损伤的累积会导致结构承载性能的降低甚至倒塌.基于现有研究成果,首先阐明了结构损伤检测过程中样本选取方法的研究进展与不足,指出了概率抽样方法的合理性与局限性;在结构损伤的参数化表征方面,总结了基于损伤力学与断裂力学等研究方法的成果,指出了不同方法在应用过程中面临的问题;在结构损伤...     

Characterization of sulfate-reducing granular sludge in the SANI process

Hong Kong practices seawater toilet flushing covering 80% of the population. A sulfur cycle-based biological nitrogen removal process, the Sulfate reduction, Autotrophic denitrification and Nitrification Integrated (SANI^®) process, had been developed to close the loop between the hybrid water supply and saline sewage treatment. To enhance this novel process, granulation of a Sulfate-Reducing Up-flow Sludge Bed (SRUSB) reactor has recently been conducted for organic removal and provision of electron donors (sulfide) for subsequent autotrophic denitrification, with a view to minimizing footprint and maximizing operation resilience. This further study was focused on the biological and physicochemical characteristics of the granular sulfate-reducing sludge. A lab-scale SRUSB reactor seeded with anaerobic digester sludge was operated with synthetic saline sewage for 368 days. At 1 h nominal hydraulic retention time (HRT) and 6.4 kg COD/m³-d organic loading rate, the SRUSB reactor achieved 90% COD and 75% sulfate removal efficiencies. Granular sludge was observed within 30 days, and became stable after 4 months of operation with diameters of 400–500 μm, SVI₅ of 30 ml/g, and extracellular polymeric substances of 23 mg carbohydrate/g VSS. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis revealed that the granules were enriched with abundant sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) as compared with the seeding sludge. Pyrosequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene in the sulfate-reducing granules on day 90 indicated that the microbial community consisted of a diverse SRB genera, namely Desulfobulbus (18.1%), Desulfobacter (13.6%), Desulfomicrobium (5.6%), Desulfosarcina (0.73%) and Desulfovibrio (0.6%), accounting for 38.6% of total operational taxonomic units at genera level, with no methanogens detected. The microbial population and physicochemical properties of the granules well explained the excellent performance of the granular SRUSB reactor.     

Characterization of the masonry lining of an underground structure by geoendoscopy

Maintenance and sustainability of underground structures are the major tasks for infrastructure owners. To carry out these tasks, managers need to qualify the actual state of these facilities. There are very few operational methods to describe separately each component of an underground structure (structure lining, contact interface and surrounding soil). Therefore, most usual diagnosis methods are qualitative and focus the surveying operations on the tunnel intrados. In consequence, they collect limited quality information for maintenance decision.This article focuses on a new methodology for diagnosis of the lining status of an underground structure in order to obtain a mechanical characterization of materials.The methodology is based on an analysis of low diameter drillings on tunnel lining using geoendoscopy and automatic image recording. Then an automatic image processing, is applied on the recorded images in order to locate discontinuities and evaluate the tunnel lining condition. A definition of lining layers were adopted thanks to discontinuities rate criteria. In parallel, a comparative study of the mechanical parameters of old masonry materials by laboratory test cores’ samples was carried out Finally, based on the result of the geoendoscopy analysis and on the laboratory study the methodology establishes a link between the local state of the lining and the mechanical parameters of materials.The application of this methodology to carry out an evaluation of masonry lining of the Paris Metro System shows that the proposed method and tools are particularly well adapted to obtain masonry lining characterization at the local scale. It has been possible to identify each discontinuity leading to a grade of masonry alteration. Using this information it was possible to define a simplified model of lining by sectioning the masonry thickness on three homogenized layers with different mechanical properties.     

Concept development of an underground research tunnel for validating the Korean reference HLW disposal system

In order to dispose of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) safely in geological formations, it is necessary to assess the feasibility, safety, appropriateness, and stability of the disposal concept at an underground research laboratory (URL) constructed in the same geological formation as the host rock. In this study, minimum requirements and the conceptual design for an efficient construction of a small scale URL were derived based on a literature review. To confirm the validity of the conceptual design for construction at KAERI, a geological survey including a seismic refraction survey, electronic resistivity survey, borehole drilling, and in situ and laboratory tests were carried out. The mechanical stability of the URL was investigated with a consideration of the surface topography, tunnel geometry, tunnel slope, sequential excavation, in situ stress ratio, erosion effect, and rock property variation along the tunnel using the three-dimensional code, FLAC3D. From the study, it was possible to conclude that the small scale URL will be effectively constructed in a granite mass at KAERI and will satisfy the minimum requirements.     

Flexible and Autonomous Integrated System for Characterizing Metal Oxide Gas Sensor Response in Dynamic Environment

Characterization and calibration of gas sensor is a complex problem due to the dynamic behavior of gases and the limitations of current technology. This article reports a flexible, robust, and autonomous integrated system that is able to perform characterization on metal oxide-based gas sensors in dynamic environments. The system controls the concentration and flow of the relevant gases into the gas chamber and simultaneously measuring the sensor response. This feature allows the characterization of the sensor under continuous dynamic flow of gases similar to conditions on a robot or flow pipes. Several experiments have been performed on the system using hydrogen sulfide. The results provide information on the general characteristics of the sensor as well as its sensitivity. The noise levels were studied with different reference voltages. Overall, the results verify that the system is reliable and able to produce repeatable measurements.     

水热合成法制备纳米TiO2晶须的表征及工艺研究

本文以TiCl4为原料，采用水热合成法制备金红石型纳米TiO2晶须，通过TEM和XRD对所制备的纳米TiO2晶须进行表征，确定了主要工艺参数。     

纳米铜/聚醋酸乙烯酯复合材料的制备与表征

以聚醋酸乙烯酯(PVAc)为配体,与CuC l2在乙醇溶液中进行反应,生成PVAc-Cu(Ⅱ)配合物。合成反应在室温下进行,反应时间以2 h为宜;用电导率法得出PVAc-Cu(Ⅱ)配合物中金属离子与PVAc链节单元CH2CH(OCOCH3)的物质的量之比为1∶4。以次亚磷酸钠为还原剂,在回流条件下对新合成的PVAc-Cu(Ⅱ)配合物进行还原,制得纳米铜/聚醋酸乙烯酯复合材料。IR分析表明:PVAc-Cu(Ⅱ)配合物中PVAc链节中的CH3COO—中的羰基氧提供孤对电子与金属离子Cu(Ⅱ)形成配位键。用透射电子显微镜(TEM)对纳米铜/聚醋酸乙烯酯复合材料进行表征,结果表明,复合材料中铜粒子的粒径在12.5~37.5 nm范围。     

湿固化聚氨酯热熔胶的合成与表征

以多异氰酸醋PAPI和自制多元醇为原料,采用熔融缩聚法合成出了一种具有快速粘接定位功能的新型反应性热熔胶,并利用FTIR、DSC和力学性能测试等手段对产品进行了表征。结果表明,合成产品不仅具有合理的结构特征,而且还具有良好的使用性能和耐热性能。