Long-Term Variation in Wintertime Atmospheric Diffusion Conditions Over the Sichuan Basin

Atmospheric diffusion is one of the factors affecting local air quality, dominating the evolution of air pollution episodes. Previous work has emphasized the unfavorable diffusion conditions in the Sichuan Basin resulting from its complex terrain. However, the recent spatiotemporal variation in atmospheric diffusion conditions in the basin and their effects on local air quality remain unclear. Based on the wind speed, boundary layer height, vertical potential temperature difference of ERA5 analysis, two independent metrics containing information on horizontal and vertical diffusion ability, i.e., ventilation coefficient (VE) and the air stagnant conditions (ASI), are involved to indicate wintertime atmospheric diffusion conditions in the basin. Both VE and ASI reveal a decrease tendency of atmospheric diffusion condition from the northwestern portion of the basin to the southeast. In terms of the long-term variation in diffusion conditions, VE showed a broader increasing trend from 1979 to 2019, with a distinct increase in the western region. In contrast, the occurrence of air stagnation events has declined −3∼−6%/decade in the basin, more significantly over the western basin. Both the increase in VE and the decrease in air stagnation frequency indicate the improvement of atmospheric diffusion conditions in the Sichuan Basin from 1979 to 2019, which mitigates the effects of air pollutant emissions to some extent. The enhancement of diffusion conditions is due to the improvement of vertical diffusion conditions. The lowest seasonal PM2.5 concentrations occur in the northwestern basin, where VE is highest and ASI is lowest. Atmospheric diffusion conditions can explain approximately 25–50% of the interannual variation in PM2.5 concentrations in Chengdu.

Antimicrobial potential of a bioactive coating based on chitosan incorporated with clove essential oil in hamburger-like meat product

The food industry is looking for strategies to prevent microbial growth in order to ensure food safety and shelf life. However, the use of synthetic preservatives, such as nitrate and nitrite in meat products, entails risks to human health. An alternative is the utilization of essential oils, widely known for their antimicrobial properties. This work aimed the antimicrobial potential of a bioactive coating based on chitosan incorporated with clove essential oil in in hamburger-like meat product. Through the analysis of antimicrobial activity by diffusion in agar and broth, there was an action against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Regarding Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 3.74 mg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 374.33 mg/mL for both. In the micro atmospheric diffusion test, CEO reduced by up to 70 and 76% of the E. coli and S. aureus bacteria development, respectively. CEO was applied as an active component in chitosan-based coatings in hamburger-like meat, in which it was able to promote the control of microbial proliferation of Total Coliforms, Coliforms at 45 ⁰C and Coagulase-Positive Staphylococcus throughout 7 days of storage under refrigeration. It is concluded that the bioactive coating based on chitosan incorporated with clove essential oil promotes microbiological control in hamburger-like meat product.

Intraseasonal variation and future projection of atmospheric diffusion conditions conducive to extreme haze formation over eastern China

<p>    Future projection of diffusion conditions associated with extreme haze events over eastern China is of great importance to government emission regulations and public human health. Here, the diffusion conditions and their changes under future warming scenarios are examined. The relative strength of haze events in the Northern China Plain region increase from 150% during 2006–15 to 190% during 2090–99 under RCP8.5 scenarios, induced by a stronger and longer-lasting anticyclone anomaly in eastern China. The strengthened anticyclone anomaly is mainly induced by increased northern wave train convergence emanating from the Barents–Kara Sea, and the longer duration of the anticyclone anomaly is mainly induced by stronger local feedback that can extract more energy from the basic state to maintain the anticyclone anomaly in eastern China. Aerosol reduction is found to play a dominant role in strengthening the upstream wave train near the Barents–Kara Sea and the downstream anticyclone in eastern China, while the effects from increased greenhouse gases are small. The results of this study indicate that future aerosol emissions reduction can induce deteriorating diffusion conditions, suggesting more stringent regulations on aerosol emissions in China are needed to meet air quality standards.</p>

Modeling of Environmental Pollution by Ammonia Emission from a Damaged Pipeline

Purpose. This work provides for the development of a hydraulic model for calculating the unsteady ammonia outflow from a damaged pipeline and the implementation of this model into a numerical model for predicting emergency air pollution. Methodology. To solve the problem, the calculated dependencies of the pressure flow hydraulics were used. An empirical model to calculate the evaporation of ammonia from a damaged pipeline was also used. To calculate the process of spreading ammonia in atmospheric air, a three-dimensional equation of convective-diffusion transfer of impurities was used. Mathematical modeling of the spread of ammonia from a damaged pipeline takes into account the change with height of the wind flow velocity, as well as the change with height of the vertical coefficient of atmospheric diffusion, the dynamics of changes over time in the intensity of ammonia leakage from the damaged pipeline. For the numerical solution of the three-dimensional differential equation for the transfer of ammonia in atmospheric air, its physical splitting is carried out: an equation that describes the transport of an impurity due to convection is singled out separately, an equation that describes the transport of an impurity due to atmospheric diffusion and separately an equation that describes a change in the ammonia concentration in air due to the action of the emission source. The McCormack method is used to numerically integrate the equation for the convective transfer of ammonia in air. The Richardson method is used to numerically integrate the equation of diffusion transfer of an impurity. The Euler method is used to numerically integrate the equation that describes the change in ammonia concentration under the influence of an emission source. Findings. Based on the developed model of unsteady ammonia outflow from the damaged pipeline and the created numerical model of ammonia propagation in the atmospheric air, a computational experiment was carried out to assess the level of atmospheric air and underlying surface pollution in the event of an emergency ammonia outflow in the section where the Tolyatti – Odessa ammonia pipeline crosses the Dnipro River. Data on non-stationary environmental pollution were obtained. Originality. A mathematical model that allows calculating the unsteady process of ammonia outflow from a damaged pipeline has been developed. A numerical model is proposed to determine the areas of contamination during an emergency ammonia outflow from the Tolyatti – Odessa ammonia pipeline. Practical value. Based on the developed model, a code has been created that makes it possible to promptly predict the environmental pollution dynamics during an emergency ammonia outflow. The proposed mathematical model can be used in the development of emergency response plan for chemically hazardous facilities.

INFLUENCE OF THE SURFACE ATMOSPHERIC LAYER POLLUTION ON THE CADASTRAL COST OF LAND PLOTS FOR PRIVATE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FEDERAL ROAD "TAVRIDA" TERRITORIES

Environmental problems of transport impact on the natural environment in Russia do not lose their relevance. Automobile transport is the leading source of environmental pollution, and the amount of emissions can reach 90 %. These processes are actively manifested within the boundaries of the influence of high-traffic roads. Thus, the tasks of taking into account the pollution level of the surface atmospheric layer in order to clarify the cadastral value of lands located within the boundaries of road-side territories acquire particular relevance. The work used mathematical models to calculate the emission power and surface concentrations of the pollutant (Gaussian atmospheric diffusion model). The interpolation method was used to determine the correction factors for different zones of pollution with carbon monoxide. The authors considered the carbon monoxide pollution density of the roadside territories and stated that the part of federal road "Tavrida" (settlement Zuia) has 121 land plots on the higher-polluted territory, which have the permitted use of "private housing construction" (PHC), there-fore it is considered necessary to correct their cadastral cost taking into account air pollution. The obtained results allows to clarify the local correction coefficients used in the cadastral assessment of roadside territories.

Heavy-metal enrichment of intermediate He-sdOB stars: the pulsators Feige 46 and LS IV–14°116 revisited

Hot subdwarf stars of spectral types O and B represent a poorly understood phase in the evolution of low-mass stars, in particular of close compact binaries. A variety of phenomena are observed, which make them important tools for several astronomical disciplines. For instance, the richness of oscillations of many subdwarfs are important for asteroseismology. Furthermore, hot subdwarfs are among the most chemically peculiar stars known. Two intermediate He-rich hot subdwarf stars, LS IV–14°116 and Feige 46, are particularly interesting, because they show extreme enrichments of heavy elements such as Ge, Sr, Y, and Zr, which are strikingly similar in both stars. In addition, both stars show light oscillations at periods incompatible with standard pulsation theory and form the class of V366 Aqr variables. We investigated whether the similar chemical compositions extend to more complete abundance patterns in both stars and validate the pulsations in Feige 46 using its recent TESS light curve. High-resolution optical and near-ultraviolet spectroscopy are combined with non-local thermodynamical-equilibrium model atmospheres and synthetic spectra calculated with TLUSTY and SYNSPEC to consistently determine detailed metal abundance patterns in both stars. Many previously unidentified lines were identified for the first time with transitions originating from Ga III, Ge III-IV, Se III, Kr III, Sr II-III, Y III, Zr III-IV, and Sn IV, most of which have not yet been observed in any star. The abundance patterns of 19 metals in both stars are almost identical, light metals being only slightly more abundant in Feige 46, while Zr, Sn, and Pb are slightly less enhanced compared to LS IV–14°116. Both abundance patterns are distinctively different from those of normal He-poor hot subdwarfs of a similar temperature. The extreme enrichment in heavy metals of more than 4 dex compared to the Sun is likely the result of strong atmospheric diffusion processes that operate similarly in both stars while their similar patterns of C, N, O, and Ne abundances might provide clues to their as yet unclear evolutionary history. Finally, we find that the periods of the pulsation modes in Feige 46 are stable to better than Ṗ ≲ 10−8 s s−1. This is not compatible with Ṗ predicted for pulsations driven by the ɛ-mechanism and excited by helium-shell flashes in a star that is evolving, for example, onto the extended horizontal branch.

Analysis of Cause of Fire and Explosion in Internal Floating Roof Tank: Focusing on Fire and Explosion Accidents at the OO Oil Pipeline Corporation

This study aims to maintain the safety of an outdoor storage tank through the fundamental case analysis of explosion and fire accidents in the storage tank. We consider an accident caused by the explosion of fire inside the tank, as a result of the gradual spreading of the residual fire generated by wind lamps flying off a workplace in the storage tank yard. To determine the cause of the accident, atmospheric diffusion conditions were derived through CCTV image analysis, and the wind direction was analyzed using computational fluid dynamics. Additionally, the amount of oil vapor inside the tank when the floating roof was at the lowest position, and the behavior of the vapor inside the tank when the floating roof was at the highest position were investigated. If the cause of the explosion in the storage tank is identified and the level of the storage tank is maintained below the internal floating roof, dangerous liquid fills the storage tank, and the vapor in the space may stagnate on the internal floating roof. We intend to improve the operation procedure such that the level of the storage tank is not under the Pontoon support, as well as provide measures to prevent flames from entering the storage tank by installing a flame arrester in the open vent of the tank.