Principles and calibration of solid phase microextraction fibre (passive sampler) for measurements of airflow and air infiltration in dwellings

Tracer gas techniques have been the most appropriate experimental method of determining airflows and ventilation rates in houses. However, current trends to reduce greenhouse gas effects have prompted the need for alternative techniques, such as passive sampling. In this research passive sampling techniques have been used to demonstrate the potential to fulfil these requirements by using solutions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibres. These passive sampling techniques have been calibrated against tracer gas decay techniques and measurements from a standard orifice plate. Two constant sources of volatile organic compounds were diffused into two sections of a humidity chamber and sampled using SPME fibres. From a total of four SPME fibres (two in each section), reproducible results were obtained. Emission rates and air movement from one section to the other were predicted using developed algorithms. Comparison of the SPME fibre technique with that of the tracer gas technique and measurements from an orifice plate showed similar results with good precision and accuracy. With these fibres, infiltration rates can be measured over grab samples in a time weighted averaged period lasting from 10 minutes up to several days. Key words: passive samplers, solid phase microextraction fibre, tracer gas techniques, airflow, air infiltration, houses.

Distinguishing the cold conveyor belt and sting jet air streams in an intense extratropical cyclone

Strong winds equatorwards and rearwards of a cyclone core have often been associated with two phenomena, the cold conveyor belt (CCB) jet and sting jets. Here, detailed observations of the mesoscale structure in this region of an intense cyclone are analysed. The {\it in-situ} and dropsonde observations were obtained during two research flights through the cyclone during the DIAMET (DIAbatic influences on Mesoscale structures in ExTratropical storms) field campaign. A numerical weather prediction model is used to link the strong wind regions with three types of ``air streams'', or coherent ensembles of trajectories: two types are identified with the CCB, hooking around the cyclone center, while the third is identified with a sting jet, descending from the cloud head to the west of the cyclone. Chemical tracer observations show for the first time that the CCB and sting jet air streams are distinct air masses even when the associated low-level wind maxima are not spatially distinct. In the model, the CCB experiences slow latent heating through weak resolved ascent and convection, while the sting jet experiences weak cooling associated with microphysics during its subsaturated descent. Diagnosis of mesoscale instabilities in the model shows that the CCB passes through largely stable regions, while the sting jet spends relatively long periods in locations characterized by conditional symmetric instability (CSI). The relation of CSI to the observed mesoscale structure of the bent-back front and its possible role in the cloud banding is discussed.

Computational fluid dynamics modelling of the air movement in an environmental test chamber with a respiring manikin

In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used as a method of simulating airflow and addressing indoor environment problems. The complexity of airflows within the indoor environment would make experimental investigation difficult to undertake and also imposes significant challenges on turbulence modelling for flow prediction. This research examines through CFD visualization how air is distributed within a room. Measurements of air temperature and air velocity have been performed at a number of points in an environmental test chamber with a human occupant. To complement the experimental results, CFD simulations were carried out and the results enabled detailed analysis and visualization of spatial distribution of airflow patterns and the effect of different parameters to be predicted. The results demonstrate the complexity of modelling human exhalation within a ventilated enclosure and shed some light into how to achieve more realistic predictions of the airflow within an occupied enclosure.

Changes in biomass, chemical composition and nutritive value of Spartina alterniflora due to organic pollution in the Itanhaém River Basin (SP, Brazil)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The autonomic control and functional significance of the changes in heart rate associated with air breathing in the jeju, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus

The jeju is a teleost fish with bimodal respiration that utilizes a modified swim bladder as an air-breathing organ (ABO). Like all air-breathing fish studied to date, jeju exhibit pronounced changes in heart rate (f(H)) during air-breathing events, and it is believed that these may facilitate oxygen uptake (M-O2) from the ABO. The current study employed power spectral analysis (PSA) of f(H) patterns, coupled with instantaneous respirometry, to investigate the autonomic control of these phenomena and their functional significance for the efficacy of air breathing. The jeju obtained less than 5% of total M-O2 (M-tO2) from air breathing in normoxia at 26 degrees C, and PSA of beat-to-beat variability in fH revealed a pattern similar to that of unimodal water-breathing fish. In deep aquatic hypoxia (water P-O2=1 kPa) the jeju increased the frequency of air breathing (f(AB)) tenfold and maintained M-tO2 unchanged from normoxia. This was associated with a significant increase in heart rate variability (HRV), each air breath (AB) being preceded by a brief bradycardia and then followed by a brief tachycardia. These f(H) changes are qualitatively similar to those associated with breathing in unimodal air-breathing vertebrates. Within 20 heartbeats after the AB, however, a beat-to-beat variability in f(H) typical of water-breathing fish was re-established. Pharmacological blockade revealed that both adrenergic and cholinergic tone increased simultaneously prior to each AB, and then decreased after it. However, modulation of inhibitory cholinergic tone was responsible for the major proportion of HRV, including the precise beat-to-beat modulation of f(H) around each AB. Pharmacological blockade of all variations in f(H) associated with air breathing in deep hypoxia did not, however, have a significant effect upon f(AB) or the regulation of M-tO2. Thus, the functional significance of the profound HRV during air breathing remains a mystery.

Fish assemblage structure and aquatic pollution in a Brazilian stream: some limitations of diversity indices and models for environmental impact studies

The aim of this study was to describe and quantify the effect of aquatic pollution on the fish assemblage structure of the Corumbatai River (Brazil), by comparing two sites with different water quality characteristics. The results revealed that abundance of individuals was low at the polluted site (B). However, the two sites did not differ significantly in species richness (total and average). This fact contradicts theories stating that portions where the transverse area of the channel is larger should present a higher biological richness. It was also observed that the ichthyofauna of site B had higher evenness, and, consequently, a tendency to a higher diversity than that at site A. This demonstrates that diversity estimates should be used cautiously in environmental impact studies, as they do not necessarily indicate better conditions of communities living in more preserved environments.

Increase on incineration capacity and NOx control for air enrichment in the experimental simulation of aqueous residue incineration

An experimental investigation of air enrichment in a combustion chamber designed to incinerate aqueous residues is presented. Diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were used independently as fuels. An increase of 85% in the incineration capacity was obtained with nearly 50% O-2 in the oxidant gas, in comparison to incineration with air only. The incineration capacity continues increasing for enrichment levels above 50% O-2 , although at a lower pace. For complete oxy-flame combustion (100% O-2 ), the increase of the incineration capacity was about 110% relative to the starting conditions and about 13.5% relative to the condition with 50% O-2 . The CO concentration measured near the flame front decreases drastically with the increase of O-2 content in the oxidant gas. At the chamber exit, the CO concentration was always near zero, indicating that the chamber residence time was sufficient to complete fuel oxidation in any test setting. For diesel fuel, the NOx was entirely formed in the first region of the combustion chamber. For diesel fuel, there was some increase in the NOx concentration up to 35% of O-2 ; this increase became very sharp after that. From 60 ppm, at operation with air only, the NOx concentration raises to 200 ppm at 35% O-2 , and then to 2900 ppm at 74% O-2 . The latter corresponds to six times more NOx in terms of the ratio of mass of NO to mass of residue, compared to the situation of combustion with air only. For LPG, the NOx concentrations reached 4200 ppm at 80% O-2 , corresponding to nine times more, also in terms of the ratio of mass of NO to mass of residue, in comparison with combustion with air only. Results of different techniques used to control the NOx emission during air enrichment are discussed: (a) variation of the recirculated zone intensity, (b) increase of the spray Sauter mean diameter, (c) fuel staging, (d) oxidizer staging, and (e) ammonia injection. The present paper shows that NOx emission may be controlled without damage of the increase of incineration capacity by the enrichment and with low emission of partial oxidation pollutants such as CO.

An evaporative and desiccant cooling system for air conditioning in humid climates

Evaporative cooling operates using water and air as working fluids. It consists in water evaporation, through the passage of an airflow, thus decreasing the air temperature. This system has a great potential to provide thermal comfort in places where air humidity is low, being, however, less efficient where air humidity is high. A way to solve this problem is to use dehumidifiers to pre-conditioning the process air. This paper presents a system that can be used in humid climates coupling desiccant dehumidification equipment to evaporative coolers. The paper shows, initially, the main characteristics of the evaporative cooling and of the adsorption dehumidification systems. Later on the coupled systems, in which occurs a dehumidification by adsorption in a counter flow rotary heat exchanger following the evaporate cooling of the air in evaporative coolers, are analyzed. The thermodynamic equations of state are also presented. Following, this paper analyzes some operation parameters such as: reactivation temperature, R/P relationship (reactivation air flow/ process air flow) and the thermodynamic conditions of the entering air flow. The paper shows the conditions for the best operation point, with regard to thermal comfort conditions and to the energy used in the process. In addition this paper presents an application of the system in different climate characteristics of several tropical and equatorial cities. Copyright © 2005 by ABCM.

Air pollution and citizen awareness

Includes bibliography

Citizen awareness and air pollution: the case of Mexico City

Includes bibliography

Citizen awareness and air pollution: the case of São Paulo Metropolitan Region

Includes bibliography

Citizen awareness and air pollution: the case of Santiago

Includes bibliography

Trade liberalization and industrial pollution in Brazil

Includes bibliography