Realising air leakage in Australian housing

Air tightness of Australian buildings is a great unknown. Despite testing methods being developed and implemented in many advanced European and North American countries, this has not happened in Australia. This paper notes energy efficiency gains that can be achieved through tighter construction, and follows on from the investigation into testing methodology and literature discussed in TEC 23: Air Leakage in Buildings – Review of International Literature and Standards. Several domestic case studies are used to implement two accepted testing methods and aid to build the case for increased awareness of airtight housing in Australia.

Ventilation research on Australian residential construction

This paper applies established and new testing methods to discover the ventilation performance of various residential building envelope constructions in Australia. Under the definition of 'ventilation performance' we imply the building envelope leakage (or infiltration) of the living space air change rates, the volumetric flow rates and the pathways of air flow between subfloor, living and roof spaces. All of the methods applied and discussed here are on-site, evidence-based performance of actual structures as tested by the Mobile Architecture and Built Environment Laboratory and Air Barrier Technologies. The testing processes primarily involve the Tracer Gas Decay Method (TGDM) and rhe fan pressurisation method (FPM a.k.a 'blower door'). All the measurements are performed with respect to the external wind speed and direction as well as the typical weather parameters. This paper discusses the differences and similarities of both testing methods as well as several other testing procedures that can inform the researcher on air leakage pathways. Findings of a simultaneous TGDM and FPM air leakage rate comparison are also encountered in this paper. One of the most informative testing methods, is the application of three different tracer gasses introduced into different spaces (subfloor, living and roof) to discover pathways of air flow within residential construction.

Low molecular weight halocarbons in the Humber and Rhine estuaries determined using a new purge-and-trap gas chromatographic method

A number of chlorinated and brominated low molecular weight hydrocarbons (halocarbons) have been measured in and adjacent to the North Sea estuaries of the Humber and the Rhine. The measurements have been carried out using a newly constructed purge-and-trap sample work-up system coupled to megabore gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The results show that whereas the Humber is a pronounced source of the anthropogenic halocarbons carbon tetrachloride and perchloroethylene, the input from the Rhine into the North Sea of these compounds is more modest. Some halocarbons normally considered as mainly or even exclusively of natural origin are released from the two investigated estuaries into the North Sea. A distinct patch of high concentrations of the naturally produced compound bromoform was observed in the southwestern North Sea. The results have also been used to examine some of the halocarbons for common sources.

Studies on the insecticide - nematicide-oxamyl and its quantitative determination by gas chromatographic method

Ox amyl , an insecticide/nematicide with the chemical name; methyl ~'. ~·-dimethyl-~-(methylcarbamoyl)oxy-l-thiooxamimidate, and its major degradation compound; oxime or oximino compound, methyl ~',~'-dimethyl-~-hydroxy-l-thiooxamimidate were studied in this work. NMR and mass spectrometry were utilized in the structural studies. An attempt was made to explain the fragmentation patterns of some major peaks in the mass spectra of oxamyl and oxime. A new gas chromatographic method for the detection and determination of submicrogram levels of intact oxamyl using a electron-capture detector was developed. The principle of this method is to produce a derivative which is highly sensitive to an electron-capture detector. The derivative described is dinitrophenyl methylamine( DNPMA ) • Experimental conditions such as pH , reaction temperature , reaction time, the amount of reagent ( Dinitrofluaro benzene) etc. were thoroughly investigated and optimized. This method was successfully applied to the determination of oxamyl residues in tobacco leaves and soil. Throughout this J9D:oject , thin layer chromatography was also used in the separation:and clean up of oxamyl and oxime samples.

Effects of gamma-irradiation on caprolactam level from multilayer PA-6 films for food packaging: Development and validation of a gas chromatographic method

A gas chromatographic method to determine caprolactam in multilayer PA-6 films used for meat foodstuffs and cheese was developed and validated. A wide linear range (0.8-400 mu g/ml), RSD <= 4.1% and recovery higher than 90.0% were obtained for the chromatographic system, while precision and accuracy of the method showed RSD <= 3.8%, recovery from 95.5-100.0% and LOQ of 32 mu g/g. Irradiated (3, 7 and 12 kGy) and non-irradiated commercial films were analyzed. Most of them increased caprolactam levels with the increase of irradiation doses. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Caprolactam Migration from Multi layer Polyamide 6 Films into Food Simulants: Development and Validation of a Gas Chromatographic Method

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of gamma irradiation on caprolactam migration from multilayer polyamide 6 films into food simulants: development and validation of a gas chromatographic method

A GC method to determine caprolactam in water, 15 ethanol, and olive oil food simulants was developed and validated. Linear ranges varied from 0.96 to 642.82 g/mL for water, 0.64 to 800.32 g/mL for 15 ethanol, and 1.06 to 1062.34 g/g for olive oil, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.999. Method precision studies showed RSD values lower than 5.45, while method accuracy studies showed recovery from 72 to 111 for all simulants. The effect of gamma irradiation on caprolactam migration from multilayer polyamide 6 (PA-6) films intended for cheese into water, 15 ethanol, olive oil, and 3 acetic acid simulants was also studied. For migration assay, non-irradiated and irradiated (12 kGy) films were placed in contact with the simulant and exposed at 40C for 10 days. The validated method was used to quantify caprolactam migration from multilayer PA-6 films into the simulants, which ranged from 1.03 to 7.59 mg/kg for non-irradiated films, and from 4.82 to 11.32 mg/kg for irradiated films. Irradiation caused almost no changes in caprolactam levels, with the exception of olive oil, which showed an increase in the caprolactam level. All multilayer PA-6 films were in accordance with the requirements of the legislation for caprolactam migration.

Bioelectrical impedance with different equations versus deuterium oxide dilution method for the inference of body composition in healthy older persons

There is no consensus regarding the accuracy of bioimpedance for the determination of body composition in older persons. This study aimed to compare the assessment of lean body mass of healthy older volunteers obtained by the deuterium dilution method (reference) with those obtained by two frequently used bioelectrical impedance formulas and one formula specifically developed for a Latin-American population. A cross-sectional study. Twenty one volunteers were studied, 12 women, with mean age 72 +/- 6.7 years. Urban community, Ribeiro Preto, Brazil. Fat free mass was determined, simultaneously, by the deuterium dilution method and bioelectrical impedance; results were compared. In bioelectrical impedance, body composition was calculated by the formulas of Deuremberg, Lukaski and Bolonchuck and Valencia et al. Lean body mass of the studied volunteers, as determined by bioelectrical impedance was 37.8 +/- 9.2 kg by the application of the Lukaski e Bolonchuk formula, 37.4 +/- 9.3 kg (Deuremberg) and 43.2 +/- 8.9 kg (Valencia et. al.). The results were significantly correlated to those obtained by the deuterium dilution method (41.6 +/- 9.3 Kg), with r=0.963, 0.932 and 0.971, respectively. Lean body mass obtained by the Valencia formula was the most accurate. In this study, lean body mass of older persons obtained by the bioelectrical impedance method showed good correlation with the values obtained by the deuterium dilution method. The formula of Valencia et al., developed for a Latin-American population, showed the best accuracy.

Evaluation of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry for Determining Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn in Bovine Semen Samples using a Simple Sample Dilution Method

A simple and fast method for the determination of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn in bovine semen by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (q-ICP-MS) is described. Prior to analysis, samples (200 mu L) were diluted 1:50 in a solution containing 0.01% v/v Triton (R) X-100 and 0.5% v/v nitric acid and directly analyzed by ICP-MS. The limits of detection of the method are 0.3, 0.03, 0.2, 0.04, 0.04, 0.03 and 0.03 mu g L-1 for Ca-44, Cu-63, Fe-57, Mg-24, Zn-64, Se-82 and Mn-55, respectively. For purposes of comparison and method validation, four ordinary bovine semen samples were directly analyzed by ICP-MS and by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS), with no statistical difference between the techniques at the 95% level when applying the t-test. Then, the proposed method was applied in the determinations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn in collected samples of bovine semen from different breeds, which are used in reproduction programs and artificial insemination.

Evaluation of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for determining Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn in bovine semen samples using a simple sample dilution method

A simple and fast method for the determination of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn in bovine semen by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (q-ICP-MS) is described. Prior to analysis, samples (200 µL) were diluted 1:50 in a solution containing 0.01% v/v Triton® X-100 and 0.5% v/v nitric acid and directly analyzed by ICP-MS. The limits of detection of the method are 0.3, 0.03, 0.2, 0.04, 0.04, 0.03 and 0.03 µg L-1 for 44Ca, 63Cu, 57Fe, 24Mg, 64Zn, 82Se and 55Mn, respectively. For purposes of comparison and method validation, four ordinary bovine semen samples were directly analyzed by ICP-MS and by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS), with no statistical difference between the techniques at the 95% level when applying the t-test. Then, the proposed method was applied in the determinations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se and Zn in collected samples of bovine semen from different breeds, which are used in reproduction programs and artificial insemination.

The contribution of the Finite Volume Point Dilution Method to the determination of solute mass flux in an alluvial aquifer.

Groundwater represents one of the most important resources of the world and it is essential to prevent its pollution and to consider remediation intervention in case of contamination. According to the scientific community the characterization and the management of the contaminated sites have to be performed in terms of contaminant fluxes and considering their spatial and temporal evolution. One of the most suitable approach to determine the spatial distribution of pollutant and to quantify contaminant fluxes in groundwater is using control panels. The determination of contaminant mass flux, requires measurement of contaminant concentration in the moving phase (water) and velocity/flux of the groundwater. In this Master Thesis a new solute flux mass measurement approach, based on an integrated control panel type methodology combined with the Finite Volume Point Dilution Method (FVPDM), for the monitoring of transient groundwater fluxes, is proposed. Moreover a new adsorption passive sampler, which allow to capture the variation of solute concentration with time, is designed. The present work contributes to the development of this approach on three key points. First, the ability of the FVPDM to monitor transient groundwater fluxes was verified during a step drawdown test at the experimental site of Hermalle Sous Argentau (Belgium). The results showed that this method can be used, with optimal results, to follow transient groundwater fluxes. Moreover, it resulted that performing FVPDM, in several piezometers, during a pumping test allows to determine the different flow rates and flow regimes that can occurs in the various parts of an aquifer. The second field test aiming to determine the representativity of a control panel for measuring mass flus in groundwater underlined that wrong evaluations of Darcy fluxes and discharge surfaces can determine an incorrect estimation of mass fluxes and that this technique has to be used with precaution. Thus, a detailed geological and hydrogeological characterization must be conducted, before applying this technique. Finally, the third outcome of this work concerned laboratory experiments. The test conducted on several type of adsorption material (Oasis HLB cartridge, TDS-ORGANOSORB 10 and TDS-ORGANOSORB 10-AA), in order to determine the optimum medium to dimension the passive sampler, highlighted the necessity to find a material with a reversible adsorption tendency to completely satisfy the request of the new passive sampling technique.

A new double-tracer gas single-breath washout to assess early cystic fibrosis lung disease

In cystic fibrosis (CF), tests for ventilation inhomogeneity are sensitive but not established for clinical routine. We assessed feasibility of a new double-tracer gas single-breath washout (SBW) in school-aged children with CF and control subjects, and compared SBW between groups and with multiple-breath nitrogen washout (MBNW). Three SBW and MBNW were performed in 118 children (66 with CF) using a side-stream ultrasonic flowmeter setup. The double-tracer gas containing 5% sulfur hexafluoride and 26.3% helium was applied during one tidal breath. Outcomes were SBW phase III slope (SIII(DTG)), MBNW-derived lung clearance index (LCI), and indices of acinar (S(acin)) and conductive (S(cond)) ventilation inhomogeneity. SBW took significantly less time to perform than MBNW. SBW and MBNW were feasible in 109 (92.4%) and 98 (83.0%) children, respectively. SIII(DTG) differed between children with CF and controls, mean±sd was -456.7±492.8 and -88.4±129.1 mg·mol·L(-1), respectively. Abnormal SIII(DTG) was present in 36 (59%) children with CF. SIII(DTG) was associated with LCI (r= -0.58) and S(acin) (r= -0.58), but not with S(cond). In CF, steeply sloping SIII(DTG) potentially reflects ventilation inhomogeneity near the acinus entrance. This tidal SBW is a promising test to assess ventilation inhomogeneity in an easy and fast way.