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The process-specific emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta, China was monitored to assess the health risk from VOCs to workers of this refinery. Over 60 VOCs were detected in the air samples collected from various sites in the refining, basic chemical, and wastewater treatment areas of the refinery using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection. The health risks of VOCs to the refinery workers were assessed using US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) methods. Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were implemented to assess the uncertainty of the health risk estimation. The emission results showed that C5-C6 alkanes, including 2-methylpentane (17.6%), 2,3-dimethylbutane (15.4%) and 3-methylpentane (7.7%), were the major VOCs in the refining area. p -Diethylbenzene (9.3%), 2-methylpentane (8.1%) and m -diethylbenzene (6.8%) were dominant in the basic chemical area, and 2-methylpentane (20.9%), 2,3-dimethylbutane (11.4%) and 3-methylpentane (6.5%) were the most abundant in the wastewater treatment area. For the non-cancer risk estimated using the US EPA method, the total hazard ratio in the basic chemical area was the highest (3.1 × 10 3 ), owing to the highest level of total concentration of VOCs. For the cancer risk, the total cancer risks were very high, ranging from 2.93 × 10 −3 (in the wastewater treatment area) to 1.1 × 10 −2 (in the basic chemical area), suggesting a definite risk. Using the ACGIH method, the total occupational exposure cancer risks of VOCs in the basic chemical area were the highest, being much higher than those of refining and wastewater treatment areas. Among the areas, the total occupational exposure risks in the basic chemical and refining areas were >1, which suggested a cancer threat to workers in these areas. Sensitivity analysis suggested that improving the accuracy of VOC concentrations themselves in future research would advance the health risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The trial vaccine was safe in subjects ≥ 3 years. • The immunogenicity of trial vaccine was non-inferior to the comparator in ≥ 3 years subjects. • Two-dose vaccine series with the trial vaccine is safe and can trigger a stronger immune response than that of one-dose in 3–8 years subjects. Subunit influenza vaccine only formulated with surface antigen proteins has better safety profiles relative to split-virion influenza vaccine. Compared to the traditional quadrivalent split-virion influenza vaccine, a novel quadrivalent subunit influenza vaccine is urgently needed in China. We completed a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, non-inferiority clinical study at two sites in Henan Province, China. Eligible volunteers were split into four age cohorts (3–8 years, 9–17 years, 18–64 years, and ≥ 65 years, based on their dates of birth) and randomly assigned (1:1) to the subunit and the split-virion ecNAIIV4 groups. All volunteers were intramuscularly administered a single vaccine dose at baseline, and children aged 3–8 years received a boosting dose at day 28. And the immune response was evaluated by measuring hemagglutinin-inhibition antibody titers against the four vaccine strains in blood samples. Safety profiles had nonsignificant differences between the study groups in ≥ 3 years cohort. Most adverse reactions post-vaccination, both local and systemic, were mild to moderate and resolved within 3 days. And no serious adverse events occurred. The immunogenicity of the trial vaccine was non-inferior to the comparator. Further, a two-dose vaccine series can provide better seroprotection than that of a one-dose series in children aged 3–8 years, with clinically acceptable safety profiles. Clinical Trials Registration. ChiCTR2100049934. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Systemic measured the effectiveness of LDAR surveys addressed fugitive VOCs emissions. • Reported an obvious reduction of the fugitive VOCs leaks after LDAR implementation. • Quantified and characterized the process-based fugitive VOC emissions from a local petroleum refinery. • Emphasized the contribution of the LDAR technology in economic and environmental benefits. Fugitive volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the petroleum-refining industry constitute a complex issue in China. This problem has a wide range of implications that require comprehensive measures, including a series of critical policing and legal injunctions in response to regional atmospheric pollution and the resulting safety hazards. In particular, process-based leak detection and repair (LDAR) surveys commonly used in developed countries should be vigorously promoted for fugitive VOC emission reduction. In this study, a campaign was conducted to measure the effectiveness of LDAR surveys by quantifying fugitive VOC emissions caused by equipment leaks in a local petroleum refinery in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of China. The leakage points detected in the initial survey accounted for 0.63 % of all the components within the refinery, among which open-ended pipes and valve packing had the highest ratio. After the procedure, the leakage rate was reduced to 0.23 %, suggesting a satisfactory repair performance. The process-based fugitive emission characteristics of each refining unit, storage tank, and loading area were investigated, and the corresponding composite profiles were estimated using the correlation equation method and data from the LDAR survey. Results demonstrated that the total emission of the refinery was 12,595.83 kg/a, with dominant VOC species of alkanes being emitted in nearly all units. Finally, the secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAP) and ozone formation potential (OFP) were estimated. All the above results were process-oriented and demonstrated that establishing a local LDAR system that considers the differences in VOC emissions from various manufacturing facilities should be the key strategy for future VOC emission reduction from the entire petroleum refining industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use types have a significant impact on river ecosystems. The Yiluo River is the largest tributary below Xiaolangdi Reservoir in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and is one of the important water conservation areas in the Yellow River Basin. Studying the ecological status of the Yiluo River under varied land use types in this basin is crucial for both ecological protection and the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. This study investigated the impacts of land use types on the macroinvertebrate community and functional structure in the Yiluo River Basin and introduced the concept of the land use health index (LUI). During the survey period, a total of 11,894 macroinvertebrates were collected, and 143 species were identified, belonging to 4 phyla, 7 orders, 22 families, and 75 families. The results showed that LUI had the most significant impact on macroinvertebrate community structure, with substrate type, dry plant weight, total phosphorus, turbidity, and attached algae biomass also playing significant roles in affecting macroinvertebrate communities. The species richness, the Shannon-Wiener index, and the Margalef richness index exhibited a nonlinear positive correlation with LUI of the sampling site, increasing as LUI enhancing and eventually reaching a plateau. Functional richness showed a linear and positive correlation with LUI, increasing with its enhancement, while functional evenness and functional divergence exhibited a nonlinear correlation with LUI. Functional evenness initially increased and then decreased with the enhancement of LUI, while functional divergence decreased with LUI enhancement. This study can provide a scientific reference for river ecological management under various land use scenarios.The Yiluo River is the largest tributary below Xiaolangdi Reservoir in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and is one of the important water conservation areas in the Yellow River Basin. Studying the ecological status of the Yiluo River under varied land use types in this basin is crucial for both ecological protection and the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. This study investigated the impacts of land use types on the macroinvertebrate community and functional structure in the Yiluo River Basin and introduced the concept of the land use health index (LUI). During the survey period, a total of 11,894 macroinvertebrates were collected, and 143 species were identified, belonging to 4 phyla, 7 orders, 22 families, and 75 families. The results showed that LUI had the most significant impact on macroinvertebrate community structure, with substrate type, dry plant weight, total phosphorus, turbidity, and attached algae biomass also playing significant roles in affecting macroinvertebrate communities. The species richness, the Shannon-Wiener index, and the Margalef richness index exhibited a nonlinear positive correlation with LUI of the sampling site, increasing as LUI enhancing and eventually reaching a plateau. Functional richness showed a linear and positive correlation with LUI, increasing with its enhancement, while functional evenness and functional divergence exhibited a nonlinear correlation with LUI. Functional evenness initially increased and then decreased with the enhancement of LUI, while functional divergence decreased with LUI enhancement. This study can provide a scientific reference for river ecological management under various land use scenarios., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Na Zhao reports financial support, administrative support, article publishing charges, equipment, drugs, or supplies, statistical analysis, travel, and writing assistance were provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51809086). Na Zhao reports financial support, administrative support, article publishing charges, equipment, drugs, or supplies, statistical analysis, travel, and writing assistance were provided by Henan Provincial Science and Technology Research Project (222102320144). Na Zhao reports financial support, administrative support, article publishing charges, equipment, drugs, or supplies, statistical analysis, travel, and writing assistance were provided by Young Backbone Teacher Project of Henan University of Science and Technology (13450005). Weijun Chen reports financial support, administrative support, article publishing charges, equipment, drugs, or supplies, statistical analysis, travel, and writing assistance were provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China32202952). If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)