Occupational exposure and health risks of volatile organic compounds of hotel housekeepers: Field measurements of exposure and health risks

Hotel housekeepers represent a large, low-income, predominantly minority, and high-risk workforce. Little is known about their exposure to chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study evaluates VOC exposures of housekeepers, sources and factors affecting VOC levels, and provides preliminary estimates of VOC-related health risks. We utilized indoor and personal sampling at two hotels, assessed ventilation, and characterized the VOC composition of cleaning agents. Personal sampling of hotel staff showed a total target VOC concentration of 57 ± 36 µg/m³ (mean ± SD), about twice that of indoor samples. VOCs of greatest health significance included chloroform and formaldehyde. Several workers had exposure to alkanes that could cause non-cancer effects. VOC levels were negatively correlated with estimated air change rates. The composition and concentrations of the tested products and air samples helped identify possible emission sources, which included building sources (for formaldehyde), disinfection by-products in the laundry room, and cleaning products. VOC levels and the derived health risks in this study were at the lower range found in the US buildings. The excess lifetime cancer risk (average of 4.1 × 10⁻⁵) still indicates a need to lower exposure by reducing or removing toxic constituents, especially formaldehyde, or by increasing ventilation rates.     

Failure load prediction and optimisation for adhesively bonded joints enabled by deep learning and fruit fly optimisation

Adhesively bonded joints have been extensively employed in the aeronautical and automotive industries to join thin-layer materials for developing lightweight components. To strengthen the structural integrity of joints, it is critical to estimate and improve joint failure loads effectually. To accomplish the aforementioned purpose, this paper presents a novel deep neural network (DNN) model-enabled approach, and a single lap joint (SLJ) design is used to support research development and validation. The approach is innovative in the following aspects: (i) the DNN model is reinforced with a transfer learning (TL) mechanism to realise an adaptive prediction on a new SLJ design, and the requirement to re-create new training samples and re-train the DNN model from scratch for the design can be alleviated; (ii) a fruit fly optimisation (FFO) algorithm featured with the parallel computing capability is incorporated into the approach to efficiently optimise joint parameters based on joint failure load predictions. Case studies were developed to validate the effectiveness of the approach. Experimental results demonstrate that, with this approach, the number of datasets and the computational time required to re-train the DNN model for a new SLJ design were significantly reduced by 92.00% and 99.57% respectively, and the joint failure load was substantially increased by 9.96%.     

一种精确测量ASTM标准圆形拉伸试样锥度的方法

介绍了ASTM标准中圆形拉伸试样主要部位的尺寸与要求。采用国产万能工具显微镜-投影法对试样在平行长度部位的锥度进行了测量。该方法简便易行,结果准确可靠,满足了标准要求,同时发挥了老设备的作用,保证了试样的加工精度。     

分析化验技术及标准在天然气处理厂中的应用

简要介绍了天然气的分类,及天然气处理过程中相关气体、液体及固体样品的分析测试方法和标准。论述了相关分析化验技术及标准在国内、外有代表性的两个大型天然气处理厂新疆大北项目和土库曼斯坦南约洛坦项目中的应用。     

电感耦合发射光谱测煤灰中的元素

本文用三标准试样法来做校正曲线,用电感耦合离子发射光谱来测煤灰中Si、Al、Fe、Ca、Mg、Ti、S、P,这种方法方便快捷,准确度高,能同时测多种元素,每种元素的线性相关系数都大于0.999。     

南京地区土体热物理性质测试与分析

通过对南京地区大量黏土和粉质黏土样品的比热容值和导热值的测试，分析土体热物理性质与其含水量、孔隙比的相关关系。对影响土体比热容值、导热值的因素作了详细分析，提出根据土体含水量计算土体比热容和根据含水量、孔隙比值计算土体热导率的经验计算公式。     

Evaluation of the occurrence and biodegradation of parabens and halogenated by-products in wastewater by accurate-mass liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS)

An assessment of the sewage occurrence and biodegradability of seven parabens and three halogenated derivatives of methyl paraben (MeP) is presented. Several wastewater samples were collected at three different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) during April and May 2010, concentrated by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and analysed by liquid chromatography-electrospray-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). The performance of the QTOF system proved to be comparable to triple-quadrupole instruments in terms of quantitative capabilities, with good linearity (R² > 0.99 in the 5-500 ng mL⁻¹ range), repeatability (RSD < 5.6%) and LODs (0.3-4.0 ng L⁻¹ after SPE). MeP and n-propyl paraben (n-PrP) were the most frequently detected and the most abundant analytes in raw wastewater (0.3-10 μg L⁻¹), in accordance with the data displayed in the bibliography and reflecting their wider use in cosmetic formulations. Samples were also evaluated in search for potential halogenated by-products of parabens, formed as a result of their reaction with residual chlorine contained in tap water. Monochloro- and dichloro-methyl paraben (ClMeP and Cl₂MeP) were found and quantified in raw wastewater at levels between 0.01 and 0.1 μg L⁻¹. Halogenated derivatives of n-PrP could not be quantified due to the lack of standards; nevertheless, the monochlorinated species (ClPrP) was identified in several samples from its accurate precursor and product ions mass/charge ratios (m/z). Removal efficiencies of parabens and MeP chlorinated by-products in WWTPs exceeded 90%, with the lowest percentages corresponding to the latter species. This trend was confirmed by an activated sludge biodegradation batch test, where non-halogenated parabens had half-lives lower than 4 days, whereas halogenated derivatives of MeP turned out to be more persistent, with up to 10 days of half-life in the case of dihalogenated derivatives. A further stability test performed with raw wastewater also showed that parabens degrade rapidly in real sewage, with half-lives lower than 10 h for n-butyl-paraben, while dihalogenated species again turned out to be more stable, with half-lives longer than a week.     

基于优质块状土样的孔压静探测试结果解释

实践证明，即使与75mm的薄壁活塞土样相比，直径为250mm的块状士样的质量也是非常好的。因此，优质块状土样的三轴和固结室内试验结果为孔压原位静探测试结果的相关性分析提供了最佳的对比参数。以软粘土为研究对象，提出了孔压静探参数与块状土样不排水抗剪强度、先期固结压力及超固结比之间的新一代相关关系。     

Preservation of protein fluorescence in embedded human dendritic cells for targeted 3D light and electron microscopy

In this study, we present a correlative microscopy workflow to combine detailed 3D fluorescence light microscopy data with ultrastructural information gained by 3D focused ion beam assisted scanning electron microscopy. The workflow is based on an optimized high pressure freezing/freeze substitution protocol that preserves good ultrastructural detail along with retaining the fluorescence signal in the resin embedded specimens. Consequently, cellular structures of interest can readily be identified and imaged by state of the art 3D confocal fluorescence microscopy and are precisely referenced with respect to an imprinted coordinate system on the surface of the resin block. This allows precise guidance of the focused ion beam assisted scanning electron microscopy and limits the volume to be imaged to the structure of interest. This, in turn, minimizes the total acquisition time necessary to conduct the time consuming ultrastructural scanning electron microscope imaging while eliminating the risk to miss parts of the target structure. We illustrate the value of this workflow for targeting virus compartments, which are formed in HIV‐pulsed mature human dendritic cells.