Bacterial cells are widely accepted as nucleation sites for calcium carbonate precipitation in biomineralization based on the Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation(MICP)process.For MICP-based insitu biotreatment...Bacterial cells are widely accepted as nucleation sites for calcium carbonate precipitation in biomineralization based on the Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation(MICP)process.For MICP-based insitu biotreatment,the firstproblem to be solved is how to introduce and retain the bacterial cells in the soil,which involves the migration and retention of bacterial cells during the biogrouting process.Soil particle size,a key factor in determining pore throat size,can have a significanteffect on the migration and retention of bacterial cells in the soil and therefore on biomineralization.To investigate the effect of particle size on the migration and retention of bacterial cells in sand and its biomineralization,two sets of tests were carried out in this study,including percolation tests and sand column treatment tests.Soil urease activity(definedas urease activity per unit mass of soil)and calcium carbonate content of the biomineralized sand were measured to comprehensively assess the migration and retention of bacterial cells in the sand.The results indicate that sands with a particle size smaller than 0.25 mmwould inhibit the migration of bacteria in the sand,resulting in a nonuniform distribution of precipitated calcium carbonate and a low strength enhancement of biomineralization.On the other hand,sands with a particle size larger than 1.18 mm are unfavorable for retaining bacterial cells in the sand,resulting in low calcium conversion efficiency.Meanwhile,particle size would also affect the formation of effective calcium carbonate through interparticle contact number and interparticle pore size,and thus biomineralization.展开更多
Rock-ice avalanches in cold high-mountain regions pose severe hazards due to their high mobility,yet the quantitative controls of particle-size ratio and ice content remain insufficiently constrained.This study invest...Rock-ice avalanches in cold high-mountain regions pose severe hazards due to their high mobility,yet the quantitative controls of particle-size ratio and ice content remain insufficiently constrained.This study investigates their coupled effects using inclinedflume experiments and Discrete Element Method(DEM)simulations,covering three gravel sizes(2-5 mm,5-7 mm,7-10 mm)and four ice-content levels(0%,20%,40%,60%).Run-out distance,velocity,energy components,flow regime(Savage number),and segregation indexαwere quantified.Increasing ice content significantly enhances mobility,but with diminishing marginal effectiveness.From 0%to 40%ice content,run-out distance increases by 41%-86%,whereas the additional increase from 40%to 60%contributes only 12%-23%.Particle-size ratio strongly governs segregation intensity.Fine-gravel groups reach segregation indices ofα=0.92-0.98,indicating nearly complete upward migration of ice,whereas medium-gravel and coarse-gravel groups exhibit much weaker segregation,stabilizing atα=0.68-0.74 and 0.60-0.69.Savage number analyses reveal marked flow-regime transitions.At 0%ice content,Savage numbers reach 1.0-1.5,indicating a collisional regime.Increasing ice content suppresses collisionality,with Savage numbers decreasing to 0.03-0.07 at 60%ice content,consistent with dense-regime flow.DEM energy analyses confirm this regime shift:for finegravel mixtures,collision energy decreases by 14%,while sliding-friction energy increases by 33%as ice content increases from 0%to 60%,reflecting enhanced overburden effects imposed by upward-segregated ice layers.Medium and coarse mixtures exhibit weaker or opposite energy-shift patterns,demonstrating strong size dependence.Mechanistically,large particle-size contrasts promote strong segregation and form dense basal rock layers that increase basal friction and reduce mobility.When particle sizes are similar or ice content is high,segregation remains limited,allowing ice to mix into the basal layer,thereby reducing basal friction and enhancing mobility.This research quantitatively demonstrates how composition controls particle spatial distribution,flow regime,and energy dissipation,offering new mechanistic insights into the propagation and deposition behaviors of rock-ice avalanches and improving hazard assessment in vulnerable high-mountain regions.展开更多
Small angle x-ray scattering(SAXS)is an advanced technique for characterizing the particle size distribution(PSD)of nanoparticles.However,the ill-posed nature of inverse problems in SAXS data analysis often reduces th...Small angle x-ray scattering(SAXS)is an advanced technique for characterizing the particle size distribution(PSD)of nanoparticles.However,the ill-posed nature of inverse problems in SAXS data analysis often reduces the accuracy of conventional methods.This article proposes a user-friendly software for PSD analysis,GranuSAS,which employs an algorithm that integrates truncated singular value decomposition(TSVD)with the Chahine method.This approach employs TSVD for data preprocessing,generating a set of initial solutions with noise suppression.A high-quality initial solution is subsequently selected via the L-curve method.This selected candidate solution is then iteratively refined by the Chahine algorithm,enforcing constraints such as non-negativity and improving physical interpretability.Most importantly,GranuSAS employs a parallel architecture that simultaneously yields inversion results from multiple shape models and,by evaluating the accuracy of each model's reconstructed scattering curve,offers a suggestion for model selection in material systems.To systematically validate the accuracy and efficiency of the software,verification was performed using both simulated and experimental datasets.The results demonstrate that the proposed software delivers both satisfactory accuracy and reliable computational efficiency.It provides an easy-to-use and reliable tool for researchers in materials science,helping them fully exploit the potential of SAXS in nanoparticle characterization.展开更多
In this study,an artificial intelligence-based machine vision system was developed for in-line particle size analysis during the pellet layering process.Drug-layered pellets were produced by coating microcrystalline c...In this study,an artificial intelligence-based machine vision system was developed for in-line particle size analysis during the pellet layering process.Drug-layered pellets were produced by coating microcrystalline cellulose cores with an ibuprofen-containing layering liquid until the target drug content was achieved.Drug content increases with pellet size;therefore,particle size monitoring can ensure product safety and quality.The direct imaging system,consisting of a rigid endoscope,a light source,and a high-speed camera,provides real-time information about pellet size and layer uniformity,enabling timely intervention in the case of out-of-spec products.A convolutional neural network-based instance segmentation algorithm was employed to detect particles in focus,ensuring that pellet size could be accurately determined despite the dense flow of the particles.After training the model,the performance of the developed system was assessed by analysing the particle size distribution of pellet cores with variable sizes within the 250 e850 mm size range.The endoscopic system was tested in-line at a larger scale during the drug layering of inert pellet cores.The particle size data acquired in real time with the endoscopic imaging system corresponded with the reference methods,demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed machine vision-based method as a process analytical technology tool for in-line process monitoring.展开更多
High-steep waste dumps in open-pit mines frequently demonstrate complex particle-size distributions and fractal characteristics along their slopes,which have a significant impact on slope stability.This study takes th...High-steep waste dumps in open-pit mines frequently demonstrate complex particle-size distributions and fractal characteristics along their slopes,which have a significant impact on slope stability.This study takes the Dasuji South waste dump in Inner Mongolia as a case to quantify the fractal dimensions of soil-rock mixtures at various slope heights,and to clarify how these fractal properties govern shear strength and deformation behavior under overlying stress,thereby affecting the overall stability of the waste dump slope.Field sampling and laboratory tests were conducted to determine the particle-size composition and fractal dimensions while direct shear tests were conducted and revealed that lower fractal dimensions indicating coarser particle assemblages significantly enhance shear resistance.Complementary PFC_(2)D discrete element simulations demonstrate that slopes composed of lower-fractaldimension materials deform less and contain localized deformation zones,whereas higher-fractal-dimension slopes experience more extensive displacement and a heightened risk of landslides.These findings refine our understanding of the relationship between fractal grain-size distribution and slope stability,providing a robust theoretical basis for improved stability assessment and optimized support strategies in deep open-pit mining waste dumps,and ultimately aiding in more effective disaster prevention within geotechnical engineering.展开更多
Developing the railway transport sector is a challenging scientific,economic and social research topic starting with ensuring human security.The main topic that should be developed in that sense is the ballast stabili...Developing the railway transport sector is a challenging scientific,economic and social research topic starting with ensuring human security.The main topic that should be developed in that sense is the ballast stability and dynamical behaviour under external loading and environmental changes.This paper investigates the effect of particle size distribution and normal pressure on the mechanical response of a ballast bed.Grading curves of ballast layers with different sizes are illustrated to discuss their strength behaviour under various strains to deduce the significant effect on the direct shear performance of the ballast layer.Direct shear tests with different Particle Size Distribution(PSD)were reproduced using the Discrete Element Method(DEM).It is noticed that when the number of small-sized ballast increases,the shear strength and the friction angle increase to varying degrees under different normal pressures,with an average increase of 27%and 8%,respectively.When the number of large-sized ballast decreases,the shear strength and the friction angle decrease to varying degrees under different normal pressures,with an average decrease of 6%and 3%,respectively.展开更多
Ethanol steam reforming(ESR)represents a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production,leveraging the high hydrogen content,renewability,and logistical advantages of ethanol.Although Ni-based catalysts are leadi...Ethanol steam reforming(ESR)represents a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production,leveraging the high hydrogen content,renewability,and logistical advantages of ethanol.Although Ni-based catalysts are leading non-noble candidates for ESR,their practical deployment is hindered by compromised H_(2) production efficiency and rapid deactivation.In this work,we combined catalyst synthesis,kinetic analysis,and mechanistic investigation to elucidate the effectsof Ni particle size(3-9 nm)on ESR performance of Ni/CeO_(2) catalysts.These Ni/CeO_(2) catalysts were prepared via a citric acid-assisted coprecipitation method,and systematically characterized using complementary techniques,including high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM),in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction(H_(2)-TPR),Raman spectroscopy,O_(2)/CO chemisorption,and temperature-programmed surface reaction(TPSR)analyses.Mechanistic study revealed that ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde is the rate-determining step,defining the intrinsic activity of Ni sites,whereas C-C bond cleavage governs H_(2) selectivity in ESR.At smaller Ni sizes(e.g.,3.1 nm),larger CeO_(2) surface was exposed,which promoted acetaldehyde condensation to acetone,and consequently reduced H_(2) production efficiency.The Ni/CeO_(2) catalyst with~5 nm of Ni particles afforded the highest H_(2) yield(66.3%)and outstanding stability by balancing dehydrogenation activity,H_(2) selectivity,and coking resistance.Conversely,larger Ni particles(>6 nm)facilitated methanation reaction and catalyst deactivation.This work reconciles prior inconsistencies in the Ni size effects on ESR and provides guidance for the design of efficient and durable Ni-based catalysts for H_(2) production.展开更多
This work used 5CrMnMo steel and titanium carbide(TiC)powders to fabricate particulate metal matrix composites(PMMCS).The composites’microstructure,hardness,and impact toughness were compared with four different tita...This work used 5CrMnMo steel and titanium carbide(TiC)powders to fabricate particulate metal matrix composites(PMMCS).The composites’microstructure,hardness,and impact toughness were compared with four different titanium carbide ceramic particle sizes.The phase composition and microstructure of composites were studied.Vickers hardness and Charpy impact tests were employed to analyze composites’hardness and impact ductility,respectively.The results showed that the four groups of composites are mainly composed of martensite,trace residual austenite,and titanium carbide(undissolved TiC and primary TiC particles).With the growth of the ceramic particle dimension in the composite layer,the number of primary titanium carbide ceramics gradually decreased.When the initial ceramic particle size was small,it tended to generate dendritic primary TiC,and when the particle size was large,it tended to generate polygons and ellipsoids.Furthermore,with the growth of titanium carbide ceramic particle dimension in the composites,the hardness of the composites decreased but the impact toughness of the composites rose first and then descended.When the ceramic particle size was 50-75μm,the composite had the highest hardness,and the impact energy of the composites was the highest,which is 8 J.This was because there were more undissolved titanium carbide ceramics in the composite,and there was a thicker matrix metal between the ceramic particles.展开更多
The increased risk of chronic diseases has led to increasing importance of coarse foods in daily life,but the inclusion of new ingredients has a great degree of influence on the structural characteristics and sensory ...The increased risk of chronic diseases has led to increasing importance of coarse foods in daily life,but the inclusion of new ingredients has a great degree of influence on the structural characteristics and sensory qualities of the food.The effects of five different particle size variations on the physicochemical characteristics,dough,and steamed bread structure of Flaxseed-based milk coproduct(FMC)were investigated.As the particle size decreases,the structure of the dough becomes denser due to an increase in water retention capacity and dissolution capacity,weakening the competition for dough moisture and allowing for an increase in air-holding capacity.The reduction in particle size increased the specific volume of the steamed bread,a decrease in the spread ratio,and an optimization of hardness and elasticity,as well as an increase in consumer acceptance of the FMC steamed bread.However,it is not the smaller the particle size,the higher the quality of steamed bread,appropriate reduction of particle size can improve the quality of steamed bread.In addition,the addition of FMC reduces fat digestion.Therefore,the present study proposes a method to change the particle size of FMC to optimize the quality of the steamed bread and to reduce fat digestibility by adding FMC.展开更多
To clarify the effect of SnO2 particle size on the arc erosion behavior of AgSnO2 contact material, Ag?4%SnO2 (mass fraction) contact materials with different sizes of SnO2 particles were fabricated by powder metallur...To clarify the effect of SnO2 particle size on the arc erosion behavior of AgSnO2 contact material, Ag?4%SnO2 (mass fraction) contact materials with different sizes of SnO2 particles were fabricated by powder metallurgy. The microstructure of Ag?4%SnO2 contact materials was characterized, and the relative density, hardness and electrical conductivity were measured. The arc erosion of Ag?4%SnO2 contact materials was tested, the arc duration and mass loss before and after arc erosion were determined, the surface morphologies and compositions of Ag?4%SnO2 contact materials after arc erosion were characterized, and the arc erosion mechanism of AgSnO2 contact materials was discussed. The results show that fine SnO2 particle is beneficial for the improvement of the relative density and hardness, but decreases the electrical conductivity. With the decrease of SnO2 particle size, Ag?4%SnO2contact material presents shorter arc duration, less mass loss, larger erosion area and shallower arc erosion pits.展开更多
Effects of size distribution (particle size and content of fine fraction (<10μm)) on scheelite flotation were studied using flotation tests and theoretical calculations. The results show that particle size influen...Effects of size distribution (particle size and content of fine fraction (<10μm)) on scheelite flotation were studied using flotation tests and theoretical calculations. The results show that particle size influences the scheelite recovery and the performance of combined reagents. The scheelite recovery is lowered by adding fine particles (<10μm) into the pulp containing coarse particles. Extended DLVO (EDLVO) theory confirms that the fine fractions (<10μm) could interface with the coarse fractions. The interaction energy and fluid forces are relative to the particle size, which might explain why the fine fractions influence the scheelite flotation. The highest recovery of scheelite using combined reagents as collector and optimum ratio of combined reagents were determined by scheelite particle size and reagent performance. However, the optimum adding order was only determined by reagent performance, which has nothing to do with particle size.展开更多
Al2O3p-Al composites were synthesized using an in-situ reaction in the 80%Al-20%CuO （mass fraction） system. The effects of the CuO particle size on the synthesis temperature and microstructure of the composites were...Al2O3p-Al composites were synthesized using an in-situ reaction in the 80%Al-20%CuO （mass fraction） system. The effects of the CuO particle size on the synthesis temperature and microstructure of the composites were investigated by various methods. The results indicate that the CuO particle size has a significant effect on the temperature at which the complete reaction in the Al-CuO system occurs：the temperature is 200 ℃ lower in the Al-CuO system containing CuO particles with sizes less than 6μm than that containing CuO particles with sizes less than 100μm. The interfacial bonding between Al2O3 particles and Al is not complete when the temperature is below a critical value. The morphology of the Al2O3 particles varies from ribbon-like shape to near spherical shape when the temperature is above a critical value. These two critical temperatures are affected by the particle size of CuO, and the critical temperature of the sample containing CuO particles with sizes less than 6μm is 100 ℃ lower than that of the sample containing CuO particles with sizes less than 100μm.展开更多
Application of particle image velocity (PIV) techniques for measuringparticle size distribution and total number in an activation chamber of desulfurization system isintroduced. Watersheld algorithm is used to choose ...Application of particle image velocity (PIV) techniques for measuringparticle size distribution and total number in an activation chamber of desulfurization system isintroduced. Watersheld algorithm is used to choose the suitable initial gray level threshold whichis used to change the gray level images taken by PIV to black and white ones, then every particle inan image is isolated totally. For every isolating particle, its contour is tracked by the edgeenhancement filter function and kept by Freeman s chain code. Based on a set of particle s chincode, its size and size distribution are calculated and sorted. Finally, the experimental data ofcalcium particles and water drops, separately injected into the activation chamber, and the erroranalysis of data are given out.展开更多
A series of St/BA/MAA emulsion polymerizations was carried out. By using PCS (photon correlation spectroscopy), the particle size distribution (PSD) of the whole St/BA/MAA emulsion polymerization process was gotten e...A series of St/BA/MAA emulsion polymerizations was carried out. By using PCS (photon correlation spectroscopy), the particle size distribution (PSD) of the whole St/BA/MAA emulsion polymerization process was gotten easily and quickly. The effect of polymerization condition on PSD in St/BA/MAA emulsion process was discussed.展开更多
Low-cost sensors are widely used to collect high-spatial-resolution particulate matter data that traditional reference monitoring devices cannot.In addition to the mass concentration,the number concentration and size ...Low-cost sensors are widely used to collect high-spatial-resolution particulate matter data that traditional reference monitoring devices cannot.In addition to the mass concentration,the number concentration and size distribution are also fundamental in determining the origin and hazard level of particulate pollution.Therefore,low-cost optical sensors have been improved to establish optical particle sizers(OPSs).In this study,a low-cost OPS,the Nova SDS029,is introduced,and it is evaluated in comparison to two reference instruments—the GRIMM 11-D and the TSI 3330.We first tested the sizing accuracy using polystyrene latex spheres.Then,we assessed the mass and number size distribution accuracy in three application scenarios:indoor smoking,ambient air quality,and mobile monitoring.The evaluations suggest that the low-cost SDS029 rivals research-grade optical sizers in many aspects.For example,(1)the particle diameters obtained with the SDS029 are close to the reference instruments(usually<10%)in the 0.3-5μm range;(2)the number of particles and mass concentration are highly correlated(r≥0.99)with the values obtained with the reference instruments;and(3)the SDS029 slightly underestimates the number concentration,but the derived PM_(2.5)values are closer to monitoring station than the reference instruments.The successful application of the SDS029 in multiple scenarios suggests that a plausible particle size distribution can be obtained in an easy and cost-efficient way.We believe that low-cost OPSs will increasingly be used to map the sources and risk levels of particles at the city scale.展开更多
Four batch experiments of hydrolysis and acidification were carried out to investigate the distributions of proteins(PN)and polysaccharides(PS)in the sludge,the PN/PS ratio,the particle sizes,and their relationship wi...Four batch experiments of hydrolysis and acidification were carried out to investigate the distributions of proteins(PN)and polysaccharides(PS)in the sludge,the PN/PS ratio,the particle sizes,and their relationship with sludge dewaterability(as determined by capillary suction time,CST).The sludge flocs were stratified through centrifugation-and ultrasound-based method into four fractions:(1)slime,(2)loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances(LB-EPS),(3)tightly bound EPS(TB-EPS),and(4)pellet.The results showed that PN was mainly partitioned in the pellet(80.7%)and TB-EPS(9.6%)fractions,while PS distributed evenly in the four fractions.During hydrolysis and acidification,PN was transferred from the pellet and TB-EPS fractions to the slime fraction,but PS had no significant transfer trends.The mean particle sizes of the sludge flocs decreased with hydrolysis and acidification.The pH had a more significant influence on the dewaterability of sludge flocs than temperature.Sludge dewaterability during hydrolysis and acidification processes greatly deteriorated from 9.7 s at raw sludge to 340-450 s under alkaline conditions.However,it was just slightly increased under acidic conditions.Further investigation suggested that CST was affected by soluble PN,soluble PN/PS,and particle sizes of sludge flocs,but was affected slightly by total PN,PS,or PN/PS in the whole sludge flocs and other fractions(except slime).展开更多
Nitrobenzene has been considered as a significant groundwater contaminant due to its wide usage in explosives, insecticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals and dyes. Nitrobenzene is of environmental concern because of it...Nitrobenzene has been considered as a significant groundwater contaminant due to its wide usage in explosives, insecticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals and dyes. Nitrobenzene is of environmental concern because of its toxicity. In the presence of zero-valent iron （ZVI）, reduction of the nitro group is the dominant transformation process for nitrobenzene. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the kinetics of nitrobenzene reduction by ZVI and the effects of pH and ZVI particle size on nitrobenzene removal in groundwater. The results indicated that nitrobenzene could be reduced to aniline by ZVI; the reduction of nitrobenzene by ZVI followed a pseudo first-order kinetics; the observed nitrobenzene reduction rate constant （k obs ） was 0.0006 min^-1 and the half-life of nitrobenzene （t 1/2 ） was 115.5 min; the mass balance achieved 87.5% for nitrobenzene reduction by the 1 mm ZVI particle and the final removal efficiency was 80.98%. In addition, the pH and ZVI particle size were found to exhibit significant influences on the nitrobenzene reduction. The observed nitrobenzene reduction rate constant linearly decreased with increase pH and the data fitted on polynomial regression equation for the observed nitrobenzene reduction rate constant and ZVI particle size. Therefore, use of ZVI based permeable reactive barrier technology to remedy nitrobenzene contaminated groundwater was feasible.展开更多
The experiments on the flash pyrolysis of a lignite were carried out in a fast-entrained bed reactor as a basic study on a so-called ＇ coal topping process＇. The investigation focused on the effects of pyrolysis tem...The experiments on the flash pyrolysis of a lignite were carried out in a fast-entrained bed reactor as a basic study on a so-called ＇ coal topping process＇. The investigation focused on the effects of pyrolysis temperature and coal particle size on the product distribution and composition. The experimental results show that an increase in the pyrolysis temperature results in a higher yield of gaseous products while a larger particle size leads to a decrease of the liquid yield. An optimum temperature for the liquid yield was found to be 650℃. A certain amount of phenol groups was found in the liquid products, which may be used to produce high-valued fine chemicals. The FTIR analyses of the coal and chars show that aliphatic structures in the chars are gradually replaced by aromatic structures with the increasing of pyrolysis temperature and coal particle size. The results of this study provide fundamental data and optimal conditions to maximize light oils yields for the coal topping process.展开更多
Spark plasma sintering （SPS） was used to fabricate Al/diamond composites. The influence of diamond particle size on the microstructure and thermal conductivity （TC） of composites was investigated by combining expe...Spark plasma sintering （SPS） was used to fabricate Al/diamond composites. The influence of diamond particle size on the microstructure and thermal conductivity （TC） of composites was investigated by combining experimental results with model prediction. The results show that both composites with 40 pan particles and 70 μm particles exhibit high density and good TC, and the composite with 70 μm particles indicates an excellent TC of 325 W.m^-1.K^-1. Their TCs lay between the theoretical estimated bounds. In contrast, the composite with 100 lain particles demonstrates low density as well as poor TC due to its high porosity and weak interfacial bonding. Its TC is even considerably less than the lower bound of the predicted value. Using larger diamond particles can further enhance thermal conductive performance only based on the premise that highly dense composites of strong interfacial bonding can be obtained.展开更多
Soil samples from 4 defined city zones of Nanjing were randomly collected at 0-5 cm and 5-20 cm intervals and size fractions of soil particles were separated from undisturbed bulk soils by low energy dispersion proced...Soil samples from 4 defined city zones of Nanjing were randomly collected at 0-5 cm and 5-20 cm intervals and size fractions of soil particles were separated from undisturbed bulk soils by low energy dispersion procedure. The total contents of Cu and Pb in the different particle size fractions of the urban soils were analyzed by HNO3-HF-HClO4 digestion and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer determination. The total content of Cu and Pb in soil particle size fractions varied with their size and with city zones as well. Both the content and variation with the size fractions of Pb was bigger than of Cu supporting our previous finding that there was Pb pollution to different degrees in the urban soils although the two elements were generally enriched in clay-sized fraction. Contaminated Pb tended to be preferentially enriched in the size fraction of 2000-250 μm and clay-sized fraction. While the size fractions of the soils from newly developed and preserved area contained smaller amount of Cu and Pb, the partitioning of them in coarse and fine particle size fractions were insignificant compared to that from inner residence and commercial area. The very high Pb level over 150 mg/kg of the fine particle fractions from the soils of the inner city could be a cause of high blood Pb level reported of children from the city as acute exposure to Pb of fine particles of the urban soil might occur by soil ingestion and inhalation by young children. Thus, much attention should be paid to the partitioning of toxic metals in fine soil particles of the urban soils and countermeasures against high health risk of Pb exposure by soil ingestion and dust inhalation should be practiced against the health problem of blood Pb for young children from the cities.展开更多
基金support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant Nos.52178319,42477160,52338007).
文摘Bacterial cells are widely accepted as nucleation sites for calcium carbonate precipitation in biomineralization based on the Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation(MICP)process.For MICP-based insitu biotreatment,the firstproblem to be solved is how to introduce and retain the bacterial cells in the soil,which involves the migration and retention of bacterial cells during the biogrouting process.Soil particle size,a key factor in determining pore throat size,can have a significanteffect on the migration and retention of bacterial cells in the soil and therefore on biomineralization.To investigate the effect of particle size on the migration and retention of bacterial cells in sand and its biomineralization,two sets of tests were carried out in this study,including percolation tests and sand column treatment tests.Soil urease activity(definedas urease activity per unit mass of soil)and calcium carbonate content of the biomineralized sand were measured to comprehensively assess the migration and retention of bacterial cells in the sand.The results indicate that sands with a particle size smaller than 0.25 mmwould inhibit the migration of bacteria in the sand,resulting in a nonuniform distribution of precipitated calcium carbonate and a low strength enhancement of biomineralization.On the other hand,sands with a particle size larger than 1.18 mm are unfavorable for retaining bacterial cells in the sand,resulting in low calcium conversion efficiency.Meanwhile,particle size would also affect the formation of effective calcium carbonate through interparticle contact number and interparticle pore size,and thus biomineralization.
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No 42277127)。
文摘Rock-ice avalanches in cold high-mountain regions pose severe hazards due to their high mobility,yet the quantitative controls of particle-size ratio and ice content remain insufficiently constrained.This study investigates their coupled effects using inclinedflume experiments and Discrete Element Method(DEM)simulations,covering three gravel sizes(2-5 mm,5-7 mm,7-10 mm)and four ice-content levels(0%,20%,40%,60%).Run-out distance,velocity,energy components,flow regime(Savage number),and segregation indexαwere quantified.Increasing ice content significantly enhances mobility,but with diminishing marginal effectiveness.From 0%to 40%ice content,run-out distance increases by 41%-86%,whereas the additional increase from 40%to 60%contributes only 12%-23%.Particle-size ratio strongly governs segregation intensity.Fine-gravel groups reach segregation indices ofα=0.92-0.98,indicating nearly complete upward migration of ice,whereas medium-gravel and coarse-gravel groups exhibit much weaker segregation,stabilizing atα=0.68-0.74 and 0.60-0.69.Savage number analyses reveal marked flow-regime transitions.At 0%ice content,Savage numbers reach 1.0-1.5,indicating a collisional regime.Increasing ice content suppresses collisionality,with Savage numbers decreasing to 0.03-0.07 at 60%ice content,consistent with dense-regime flow.DEM energy analyses confirm this regime shift:for finegravel mixtures,collision energy decreases by 14%,while sliding-friction energy increases by 33%as ice content increases from 0%to 60%,reflecting enhanced overburden effects imposed by upward-segregated ice layers.Medium and coarse mixtures exhibit weaker or opposite energy-shift patterns,demonstrating strong size dependence.Mechanistically,large particle-size contrasts promote strong segregation and form dense basal rock layers that increase basal friction and reduce mobility.When particle sizes are similar or ice content is high,segregation remains limited,allowing ice to mix into the basal layer,thereby reducing basal friction and enhancing mobility.This research quantitatively demonstrates how composition controls particle spatial distribution,flow regime,and energy dissipation,offering new mechanistic insights into the propagation and deposition behaviors of rock-ice avalanches and improving hazard assessment in vulnerable high-mountain regions.
基金Project supported by the Project of the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.2308085MA19)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA0410401)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52202120)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2023YFA1609800)USTC Research Funds of the Double First-Class Initiative(Grant No.YD2310002013)。
文摘Small angle x-ray scattering(SAXS)is an advanced technique for characterizing the particle size distribution(PSD)of nanoparticles.However,the ill-posed nature of inverse problems in SAXS data analysis often reduces the accuracy of conventional methods.This article proposes a user-friendly software for PSD analysis,GranuSAS,which employs an algorithm that integrates truncated singular value decomposition(TSVD)with the Chahine method.This approach employs TSVD for data preprocessing,generating a set of initial solutions with noise suppression.A high-quality initial solution is subsequently selected via the L-curve method.This selected candidate solution is then iteratively refined by the Chahine algorithm,enforcing constraints such as non-negativity and improving physical interpretability.Most importantly,GranuSAS employs a parallel architecture that simultaneously yields inversion results from multiple shape models and,by evaluating the accuracy of each model's reconstructed scattering curve,offers a suggestion for model selection in material systems.To systematically validate the accuracy and efficiency of the software,verification was performed using both simulated and experimental datasets.The results demonstrate that the proposed software delivers both satisfactory accuracy and reliable computational efficiency.It provides an easy-to-use and reliable tool for researchers in materials science,helping them fully exploit the potential of SAXS in nanoparticle characterization.
基金Project no.RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00015 has been implemented with the support provided by the European Unionsupported by the Agency for Credits and Study Grants coordinated by the Romanian Ministry of National Education from the source of the research grant established through the Government Decision no.118/2023+1 种基金supported by the EKÖP-24-3-BME-103 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National,Research,Development and Innovation Fundsupported by the Doctoral Excellence Fellowship Programme(DCEP)is funded by the National Research Development and Innovation Fund of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics,under a grant agreement with the National Research,Development and Innovation Office.
文摘In this study,an artificial intelligence-based machine vision system was developed for in-line particle size analysis during the pellet layering process.Drug-layered pellets were produced by coating microcrystalline cellulose cores with an ibuprofen-containing layering liquid until the target drug content was achieved.Drug content increases with pellet size;therefore,particle size monitoring can ensure product safety and quality.The direct imaging system,consisting of a rigid endoscope,a light source,and a high-speed camera,provides real-time information about pellet size and layer uniformity,enabling timely intervention in the case of out-of-spec products.A convolutional neural network-based instance segmentation algorithm was employed to detect particles in focus,ensuring that pellet size could be accurately determined despite the dense flow of the particles.After training the model,the performance of the developed system was assessed by analysing the particle size distribution of pellet cores with variable sizes within the 250 e850 mm size range.The endoscopic system was tested in-line at a larger scale during the drug layering of inert pellet cores.The particle size data acquired in real time with the endoscopic imaging system corresponded with the reference methods,demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed machine vision-based method as a process analytical technology tool for in-line process monitoring.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFC2909500)State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Construction and Healthy Operation and Maintenance of Deep Underground Engineering(SDGZ2505)National Natural Science Foundation of China(42377148)。
文摘High-steep waste dumps in open-pit mines frequently demonstrate complex particle-size distributions and fractal characteristics along their slopes,which have a significant impact on slope stability.This study takes the Dasuji South waste dump in Inner Mongolia as a case to quantify the fractal dimensions of soil-rock mixtures at various slope heights,and to clarify how these fractal properties govern shear strength and deformation behavior under overlying stress,thereby affecting the overall stability of the waste dump slope.Field sampling and laboratory tests were conducted to determine the particle-size composition and fractal dimensions while direct shear tests were conducted and revealed that lower fractal dimensions indicating coarser particle assemblages significantly enhance shear resistance.Complementary PFC_(2)D discrete element simulations demonstrate that slopes composed of lower-fractaldimension materials deform less and contain localized deformation zones,whereas higher-fractal-dimension slopes experience more extensive displacement and a heightened risk of landslides.These findings refine our understanding of the relationship between fractal grain-size distribution and slope stability,providing a robust theoretical basis for improved stability assessment and optimized support strategies in deep open-pit mining waste dumps,and ultimately aiding in more effective disaster prevention within geotechnical engineering.
基金"PSPC Régions n°2"("Projets Structurants des Pôles de Compétitivitéen région")funded by Conseil Régional Hauts-de-France and BPI.
文摘Developing the railway transport sector is a challenging scientific,economic and social research topic starting with ensuring human security.The main topic that should be developed in that sense is the ballast stability and dynamical behaviour under external loading and environmental changes.This paper investigates the effect of particle size distribution and normal pressure on the mechanical response of a ballast bed.Grading curves of ballast layers with different sizes are illustrated to discuss their strength behaviour under various strains to deduce the significant effect on the direct shear performance of the ballast layer.Direct shear tests with different Particle Size Distribution(PSD)were reproduced using the Discrete Element Method(DEM).It is noticed that when the number of small-sized ballast increases,the shear strength and the friction angle increase to varying degrees under different normal pressures,with an average increase of 27%and 8%,respectively.When the number of large-sized ballast decreases,the shear strength and the friction angle decrease to varying degrees under different normal pressures,with an average decrease of 6%and 3%,respectively.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Develop-ment Pr0gram of China(Nos.2021YFA1501104 and 2023YFA1506802)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22032001).
文摘Ethanol steam reforming(ESR)represents a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production,leveraging the high hydrogen content,renewability,and logistical advantages of ethanol.Although Ni-based catalysts are leading non-noble candidates for ESR,their practical deployment is hindered by compromised H_(2) production efficiency and rapid deactivation.In this work,we combined catalyst synthesis,kinetic analysis,and mechanistic investigation to elucidate the effectsof Ni particle size(3-9 nm)on ESR performance of Ni/CeO_(2) catalysts.These Ni/CeO_(2) catalysts were prepared via a citric acid-assisted coprecipitation method,and systematically characterized using complementary techniques,including high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM),in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction(H_(2)-TPR),Raman spectroscopy,O_(2)/CO chemisorption,and temperature-programmed surface reaction(TPSR)analyses.Mechanistic study revealed that ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde is the rate-determining step,defining the intrinsic activity of Ni sites,whereas C-C bond cleavage governs H_(2) selectivity in ESR.At smaller Ni sizes(e.g.,3.1 nm),larger CeO_(2) surface was exposed,which promoted acetaldehyde condensation to acetone,and consequently reduced H_(2) production efficiency.The Ni/CeO_(2) catalyst with~5 nm of Ni particles afforded the highest H_(2) yield(66.3%)and outstanding stability by balancing dehydrogenation activity,H_(2) selectivity,and coking resistance.Conversely,larger Ni particles(>6 nm)facilitated methanation reaction and catalyst deactivation.This work reconciles prior inconsistencies in the Ni size effects on ESR and provides guidance for the design of efficient and durable Ni-based catalysts for H_(2) production.
基金supported by the Equipment Pre-research and Sharing Technology(41423030503)provided funding for this workThe Equipment Pre-research and Sharing Technology(41423030503)funded this work.
文摘This work used 5CrMnMo steel and titanium carbide(TiC)powders to fabricate particulate metal matrix composites(PMMCS).The composites’microstructure,hardness,and impact toughness were compared with four different titanium carbide ceramic particle sizes.The phase composition and microstructure of composites were studied.Vickers hardness and Charpy impact tests were employed to analyze composites’hardness and impact ductility,respectively.The results showed that the four groups of composites are mainly composed of martensite,trace residual austenite,and titanium carbide(undissolved TiC and primary TiC particles).With the growth of the ceramic particle dimension in the composite layer,the number of primary titanium carbide ceramics gradually decreased.When the initial ceramic particle size was small,it tended to generate dendritic primary TiC,and when the particle size was large,it tended to generate polygons and ellipsoids.Furthermore,with the growth of titanium carbide ceramic particle dimension in the composites,the hardness of the composites decreased but the impact toughness of the composites rose first and then descended.When the ceramic particle size was 50-75μm,the composite had the highest hardness,and the impact energy of the composites was the highest,which is 8 J.This was because there were more undissolved titanium carbide ceramics in the composite,and there was a thicker matrix metal between the ceramic particles.
基金support of the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFD2100403)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS-ASTIP-2021-OCRI)+3 种基金the Earmarked Fund for CARS-14the Innovation Group Project of Hubei Province(2023AFA042)the Key Research Projects of Hubei Province(2020BBA045)the Knowledge Innovation Program of Wuhan-Basic Research(3562).
文摘The increased risk of chronic diseases has led to increasing importance of coarse foods in daily life,but the inclusion of new ingredients has a great degree of influence on the structural characteristics and sensory qualities of the food.The effects of five different particle size variations on the physicochemical characteristics,dough,and steamed bread structure of Flaxseed-based milk coproduct(FMC)were investigated.As the particle size decreases,the structure of the dough becomes denser due to an increase in water retention capacity and dissolution capacity,weakening the competition for dough moisture and allowing for an increase in air-holding capacity.The reduction in particle size increased the specific volume of the steamed bread,a decrease in the spread ratio,and an optimization of hardness and elasticity,as well as an increase in consumer acceptance of the FMC steamed bread.However,it is not the smaller the particle size,the higher the quality of steamed bread,appropriate reduction of particle size can improve the quality of steamed bread.In addition,the addition of FMC reduces fat digestion.Therefore,the present study proposes a method to change the particle size of FMC to optimize the quality of the steamed bread and to reduce fat digestibility by adding FMC.
基金Project(51274163)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(13JS076)supported by the Key Laboratory Research Program of Shaanxi Province,China+1 种基金Project(2012KCT-25)supported by the Pivot Innovation Team of Shaanxi Electrical Materials and Infiltration Technique,ChinaProject(2011HBSZS009)supported by the Special Foundation of Key Disciplines,China
文摘To clarify the effect of SnO2 particle size on the arc erosion behavior of AgSnO2 contact material, Ag?4%SnO2 (mass fraction) contact materials with different sizes of SnO2 particles were fabricated by powder metallurgy. The microstructure of Ag?4%SnO2 contact materials was characterized, and the relative density, hardness and electrical conductivity were measured. The arc erosion of Ag?4%SnO2 contact materials was tested, the arc duration and mass loss before and after arc erosion were determined, the surface morphologies and compositions of Ag?4%SnO2 contact materials after arc erosion were characterized, and the arc erosion mechanism of AgSnO2 contact materials was discussed. The results show that fine SnO2 particle is beneficial for the improvement of the relative density and hardness, but decreases the electrical conductivity. With the decrease of SnO2 particle size, Ag?4%SnO2contact material presents shorter arc duration, less mass loss, larger erosion area and shallower arc erosion pits.
基金Project(51074037)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Effects of size distribution (particle size and content of fine fraction (<10μm)) on scheelite flotation were studied using flotation tests and theoretical calculations. The results show that particle size influences the scheelite recovery and the performance of combined reagents. The scheelite recovery is lowered by adding fine particles (<10μm) into the pulp containing coarse particles. Extended DLVO (EDLVO) theory confirms that the fine fractions (<10μm) could interface with the coarse fractions. The interaction energy and fluid forces are relative to the particle size, which might explain why the fine fractions influence the scheelite flotation. The highest recovery of scheelite using combined reagents as collector and optimum ratio of combined reagents were determined by scheelite particle size and reagent performance. However, the optimum adding order was only determined by reagent performance, which has nothing to do with particle size.
基金Project(2012MS0801)supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia,China
文摘Al2O3p-Al composites were synthesized using an in-situ reaction in the 80%Al-20%CuO （mass fraction） system. The effects of the CuO particle size on the synthesis temperature and microstructure of the composites were investigated by various methods. The results indicate that the CuO particle size has a significant effect on the temperature at which the complete reaction in the Al-CuO system occurs：the temperature is 200 ℃ lower in the Al-CuO system containing CuO particles with sizes less than 6μm than that containing CuO particles with sizes less than 100μm. The interfacial bonding between Al2O3 particles and Al is not complete when the temperature is below a critical value. The morphology of the Al2O3 particles varies from ribbon-like shape to near spherical shape when the temperature is above a critical value. These two critical temperatures are affected by the particle size of CuO, and the critical temperature of the sample containing CuO particles with sizes less than 6μm is 100 ℃ lower than that of the sample containing CuO particles with sizes less than 100μm.
基金The Special Funds for State Key Projects for Fun- damental Research (G1999022201-04).
文摘Application of particle image velocity (PIV) techniques for measuringparticle size distribution and total number in an activation chamber of desulfurization system isintroduced. Watersheld algorithm is used to choose the suitable initial gray level threshold whichis used to change the gray level images taken by PIV to black and white ones, then every particle inan image is isolated totally. For every isolating particle, its contour is tracked by the edgeenhancement filter function and kept by Freeman s chain code. Based on a set of particle s chincode, its size and size distribution are calculated and sorted. Finally, the experimental data ofcalcium particles and water drops, separately injected into the activation chamber, and the erroranalysis of data are given out.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province
文摘A series of St/BA/MAA emulsion polymerizations was carried out. By using PCS (photon correlation spectroscopy), the particle size distribution (PSD) of the whole St/BA/MAA emulsion polymerization process was gotten easily and quickly. The effect of polymerization condition on PSD in St/BA/MAA emulsion process was discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42075182)。
文摘Low-cost sensors are widely used to collect high-spatial-resolution particulate matter data that traditional reference monitoring devices cannot.In addition to the mass concentration,the number concentration and size distribution are also fundamental in determining the origin and hazard level of particulate pollution.Therefore,low-cost optical sensors have been improved to establish optical particle sizers(OPSs).In this study,a low-cost OPS,the Nova SDS029,is introduced,and it is evaluated in comparison to two reference instruments—the GRIMM 11-D and the TSI 3330.We first tested the sizing accuracy using polystyrene latex spheres.Then,we assessed the mass and number size distribution accuracy in three application scenarios:indoor smoking,ambient air quality,and mobile monitoring.The evaluations suggest that the low-cost SDS029 rivals research-grade optical sizers in many aspects.For example,(1)the particle diameters obtained with the SDS029 are close to the reference instruments(usually<10%)in the 0.3-5μm range;(2)the number of particles and mass concentration are highly correlated(r≥0.99)with the values obtained with the reference instruments;and(3)the SDS029 slightly underestimates the number concentration,but the derived PM_(2.5)values are closer to monitoring station than the reference instruments.The successful application of the SDS029 in multiple scenarios suggests that a plausible particle size distribution can be obtained in an easy and cost-efficient way.We believe that low-cost OPSs will increasingly be used to map the sources and risk levels of particles at the city scale.
基金supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program(863)of China(No.2006AA06Z384).
文摘Four batch experiments of hydrolysis and acidification were carried out to investigate the distributions of proteins(PN)and polysaccharides(PS)in the sludge,the PN/PS ratio,the particle sizes,and their relationship with sludge dewaterability(as determined by capillary suction time,CST).The sludge flocs were stratified through centrifugation-and ultrasound-based method into four fractions:(1)slime,(2)loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances(LB-EPS),(3)tightly bound EPS(TB-EPS),and(4)pellet.The results showed that PN was mainly partitioned in the pellet(80.7%)and TB-EPS(9.6%)fractions,while PS distributed evenly in the four fractions.During hydrolysis and acidification,PN was transferred from the pellet and TB-EPS fractions to the slime fraction,but PS had no significant transfer trends.The mean particle sizes of the sludge flocs decreased with hydrolysis and acidification.The pH had a more significant influence on the dewaterability of sludge flocs than temperature.Sludge dewaterability during hydrolysis and acidification processes greatly deteriorated from 9.7 s at raw sludge to 340-450 s under alkaline conditions.However,it was just slightly increased under acidic conditions.Further investigation suggested that CST was affected by soluble PN,soluble PN/PS,and particle sizes of sludge flocs,but was affected slightly by total PN,PS,or PN/PS in the whole sludge flocs and other fractions(except slime).
基金supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program(863) of China(No.2007AA06A410)the Water Pollution Control and Management Project(No.2008ZX07207-007-05)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.40802055)
文摘Nitrobenzene has been considered as a significant groundwater contaminant due to its wide usage in explosives, insecticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals and dyes. Nitrobenzene is of environmental concern because of its toxicity. In the presence of zero-valent iron （ZVI）, reduction of the nitro group is the dominant transformation process for nitrobenzene. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the kinetics of nitrobenzene reduction by ZVI and the effects of pH and ZVI particle size on nitrobenzene removal in groundwater. The results indicated that nitrobenzene could be reduced to aniline by ZVI; the reduction of nitrobenzene by ZVI followed a pseudo first-order kinetics; the observed nitrobenzene reduction rate constant （k obs ） was 0.0006 min^-1 and the half-life of nitrobenzene （t 1/2 ） was 115.5 min; the mass balance achieved 87.5% for nitrobenzene reduction by the 1 mm ZVI particle and the final removal efficiency was 80.98%. In addition, the pH and ZVI particle size were found to exhibit significant influences on the nitrobenzene reduction. The observed nitrobenzene reduction rate constant linearly decreased with increase pH and the data fitted on polynomial regression equation for the observed nitrobenzene reduction rate constant and ZVI particle size. Therefore, use of ZVI based permeable reactive barrier technology to remedy nitrobenzene contaminated groundwater was feasible.
文摘The experiments on the flash pyrolysis of a lignite were carried out in a fast-entrained bed reactor as a basic study on a so-called ＇ coal topping process＇. The investigation focused on the effects of pyrolysis temperature and coal particle size on the product distribution and composition. The experimental results show that an increase in the pyrolysis temperature results in a higher yield of gaseous products while a larger particle size leads to a decrease of the liquid yield. An optimum temperature for the liquid yield was found to be 650℃. A certain amount of phenol groups was found in the liquid products, which may be used to produce high-valued fine chemicals. The FTIR analyses of the coal and chars show that aliphatic structures in the chars are gradually replaced by aromatic structures with the increasing of pyrolysis temperature and coal particle size. The results of this study provide fundamental data and optimal conditions to maximize light oils yields for the coal topping process.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50971020)the National High-Tech Research and Development Program of China (No.2008AA03Z505)
文摘Spark plasma sintering （SPS） was used to fabricate Al/diamond composites. The influence of diamond particle size on the microstructure and thermal conductivity （TC） of composites was investigated by combining experimental results with model prediction. The results show that both composites with 40 pan particles and 70 μm particles exhibit high density and good TC, and the composite with 70 μm particles indicates an excellent TC of 325 W.m^-1.K^-1. Their TCs lay between the theoretical estimated bounds. In contrast, the composite with 100 lain particles demonstrates low density as well as poor TC due to its high porosity and weak interfacial bonding. Its TC is even considerably less than the lower bound of the predicted value. Using larger diamond particles can further enhance thermal conductive performance only based on the premise that highly dense composites of strong interfacial bonding can be obtained.
基金The Key Research Project of Ministry of Education of China(No. 2002012)
文摘Soil samples from 4 defined city zones of Nanjing were randomly collected at 0-5 cm and 5-20 cm intervals and size fractions of soil particles were separated from undisturbed bulk soils by low energy dispersion procedure. The total contents of Cu and Pb in the different particle size fractions of the urban soils were analyzed by HNO3-HF-HClO4 digestion and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer determination. The total content of Cu and Pb in soil particle size fractions varied with their size and with city zones as well. Both the content and variation with the size fractions of Pb was bigger than of Cu supporting our previous finding that there was Pb pollution to different degrees in the urban soils although the two elements were generally enriched in clay-sized fraction. Contaminated Pb tended to be preferentially enriched in the size fraction of 2000-250 μm and clay-sized fraction. While the size fractions of the soils from newly developed and preserved area contained smaller amount of Cu and Pb, the partitioning of them in coarse and fine particle size fractions were insignificant compared to that from inner residence and commercial area. The very high Pb level over 150 mg/kg of the fine particle fractions from the soils of the inner city could be a cause of high blood Pb level reported of children from the city as acute exposure to Pb of fine particles of the urban soil might occur by soil ingestion and inhalation by young children. Thus, much attention should be paid to the partitioning of toxic metals in fine soil particles of the urban soils and countermeasures against high health risk of Pb exposure by soil ingestion and dust inhalation should be practiced against the health problem of blood Pb for young children from the cities.
