IRSST Publication - Sampling Guide for Air Contaminants in the workplace 8th Edition

IRSST Publication - Sampling Guide for Air Contaminants in the workplace 8th Edition is available for free download. 

In the nonregulated ROHS section I have some concerns.

Be careful when using it to interpret standards.  The level listed for isoflurane is 80 mg/cubic meter based on a Swedish study.  More recent NIOSH recommendations are 2 ppm as either a STEL or an 8 hour TWA.

The spore limit is listed at 13 spores per cubic meter and there is no reference given for this number. 

Carbon Dioxide Plume Geothermal Technology or CPG

A Minnesota Daily article covers Heat Mining Company' purchase of the CPG technology from the University of Minnesota.

Carbon dioxide from coal fired or natural gas fired power plants is injected into a saline aquifer with a geothermal reservoir.  The heated carbon dioxide produces electricity through an expansion turbine.

I reported on this earlier in 2011.  Dr. Martin Sarr was using geothermal compressed carbon dioxide to produce electricity.

Storm related electrical grid interuptions increase by a factor of 10 from 1992 to 2008

Increasingly Vulnerable: the number of incidents caused by extreme weather has increased 10-fold since 1992. Weather-related events are more severe, with an average of 180,000 customers affected per event.

Source: Energy Information Administration, U.S. Global Change Research Program.

 http://www.startribune.com/blogs/226358811.html

Local AIHA Professional Development Conference November 21, 2013

The local AIHA annual professional development conference will be held on November 21, 2013 in Minneapolis, MN.

Early Bird member egistration price of $100 is available at the Upper Midwest AIHA website.    Limited space is also available for vendors.

One of the featured presentations will cover an update by G. Ramachandran, U of Minnesota, on the MN taconite Workers Study.

 

Tesla vehicle catches fire

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/10/02/tesla-model-s-fire/

On October 1, 2013 in Kent, Washington a Tesla vehicle caught fire after hitting an object in the road.  The driver pulled over and was able to escape the blaze unharmed.  The fire was confined to the front of the vehicle.  The flames were extinguished by a local fire department.

 

July, 2014 - In two separate accidents the Tesla drivers survived two dramatic crashes including one where the Tesla split in half. 

Printed silicon nanocrystals for circuits and solar cells

Printed silicon covered with chlorine atoms may be a low cost solution for computer chips and solar cells imbedded into roofing shingles.

A plasma reactor is used to produce these chlorine covered silicon nanocrystals printed on a circuit.
Uwe Kortshagen, a professor of mechanical engineering at the U of Minnesota is working on a patent pending process to produce low cost, highly durable and printable circuits made out of silicon and chlorine.  - U of MN News.

Plasma Reactor production on silicon nanocrystals

Wind to hydrogen to ammonia at U of MN Morris

The U of MN West Central Experiment Station by the University of Minnesota Morris has begun converting wind power to produce both hydrogen and ammonia. 

This pilot project allows for the production of ammonia fertilizer where it is needed an eliminates the cost of shipping the product from factories primarily based in Texas and the gulf cost through rail cars or pipelines.  



http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231003001298

Ammonia fertilizer use in the United States

 

NREL's Wind resource map of the United States

 

Ammonia production in the US

 

 

MDH to hold School IAQ and Environmental Health Training Aug 2013

IR photo of a steam pipe leak

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is holding four ‘School Indoor Air Quality Coordinator and Environmental Health Trainings’ this August. The training will prepare school officials to assess their buildings and policies, and implement plans to address identified issues. After completion of the training, attendees will receive a certificate.

Where and When:

St. Paul: August 19, 2013
8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Mankato: August 20, 2013
10:00 am - 2:00 pm

St. Cloud: August 27, 2013
10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Bemidji: August 28, 2013
10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Carbon Monoxide and Boating

Death from carbon monoxide exposure on boats typically occurs at the rear of the boat near the motor or individuals towed immediately behind the boat. 

http://www.boat-ed.com/fl/course/p5-3_personalinjuries.htm

Kare 11 news offered a July 12, 2013 report on a 4 year old Maple Grove Minnesota girl who suffered excessive carbon monoxide exposure from riding behind and at the back end of a boat.
 
These reports have a personal resonance with me as I nearly died from carbon monoxide exposure while riding in back of our family car while we pulled our camper trailer. 

Carbon Monoxide Symptoms

http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/carbon_monoxide_kills.aspx

Two illustrations of the station wagon effect.

http://www.woodyboater.com/classic-boats/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-and-your-classic-boat-a-scary-tale/

 

 

 

http://www.boat-ed.com/fl/course/p5-3_personalinjuries.htm

West Marine has information on the placement of carbon monoxide detectors in a boat.

Working on a journal article for JOCHS

I am working on a Journal Article with respect to preventing water losses in buildings for the Journal of Chemical Health and Safety with Kelly Mullane.

Moisture trapped under a plastic chair mat above carpet attached to slab on grade.

These are some of the formatting guidelines.

Proper ACS format of References

from Penn State

Penn State Libraries ACS Quick Guide.

Chapter 14 U of MN only.

JOCHS guide for authors.