Air is one of the most important resources in the world and is essential for life. With the development of industry, air pollution is becoming a severe problem. Air Pollution not only affects the quality of the air we breathe; it also impacts the land and the water. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause short-term and long-term health problems, are found as contaminants in both indoor air and the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop accurate and convenient sampling methods to determine VOCs at trace levels in both community and occupational environment. The focus of this project is to develop the needle trap devices (NTDs) with appropriate sorbents and employ them to do air samplings by diffusive or active sampling mode. For diffusive sampling, the NTD with sorbent Carboxen1000 was developed to monitor benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene (BTEX) in the air, coupled with GC-MS. The factors such as sorbent strength, response time, face velocity, temperature and pressure, relative humidity and sampling duration were investigated. Method validations were done both in the laboratory and in field. The results demonstrate that the NTD with Carboxen1000 is a successful diffusive sampler for monitoring Time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of BTEX. On the other hand, the NTD with divinylbenzene (DVB) coupled with GC-MS by thermal desorption was developed for sampling and analysis of volatile thiols. The factors such as sorbent strength, desorption efficiency were investigated. The applications, such as vegetable analysis and field sampling analysis, indicate that the NTD with sorbent DVB is a successful active sampler for determine volatile thiols in food and air samples.

Needle trap device (NTD) is a technique that is useful for a wide variety of applications involving the sample preparation of compounds with a wide range of chemico-physico properties, and varying volatilities. A newly designed NTD that improves the performance relative to previous NTD designs is simple to produce is developed. The NTD utilizes a side-hole needle with a modified tip to improve the sealing between the NTD and narrow neck liner of the GC injector, thereby increasing the desorption efficiency. The slurry packing method was applied, evaluated, and NTDs prepared by this method were compared to NTDs prepared using the vacuum aspiration method. NTD geometries including blunt tip with a side-hole needle, tapered tip with side-hole needle, dome tapered tip with side-hole, sliding tip with side-hole and blunt tip with no side-hole needle (expanded desorptive flow) were prepared and evaluated. Sampling performance and desorption efficiency were investigated using automated headspace extraction of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p¬-xylene (BTEX), anthracene and pyrene. The tapered tip and sliding tip NTDs were found to have increased desorption efficiency. SPME and NTDs are valuable sample preparation tools for on-site analysis. Combining both extraction techniques allows for the differentiation of free and particle-bound compounds in a sample matrix. Portable GC/MS instrumentation can achieve fast separation, identification, and quantitation of samples prepared by the above techniques on-site without the need for transport to the laboratory. This minimizes the effects of volatiles lost and sample degradation during storage time. Here, SPME and tapered tip NTDs combined with portable GC/MS are used to investigate free and total emissions of BTEX and select PAHs from gasoline and diesel exhaust. Using the above optimized technologies, cigarette smoke in a smoking area where people were actively smoking and inside a smoker’s car were also investigated. Target contaminants were found in the investigated matrices at ng/mL levels.

The objective of this thesis is to provide a quick process to estimate iron losses of the electric machines with various structures that employ electromagnetic steels in their designs. Due to non-uniform distributed operational magnetic flux densities resulted from the machine structures, the iron losses of machines can not be properly estimated. The aim of the scheme is to modify the deviations among the measurements and the calculations. At first, several standardized steel modules that can be used to assemble the machine structures are established, then a test-bed with closed magnetic path to supply operational magnetic field inside those electric machines is constructed. To calculate the iron loss of each module, the averaged flux densities for each area of the module are measured by needle probe method, and the corresponding magnetic field intensities are calculated from Jiles and Atherton (J-A) model hysteresis model. Finally, the iron loss datasheets for each module are constructed by these measurements, and the iron losses of machines are estimated through assembling the modules. In this thesis, a switched-reluctance machine (SRM) is selected for assessment comparisons, and its iron loss can be calculated through datasheets according to the machine structure. It is believed that the findings of this study can provide a valuable reference and a reliable process in motor designing and manufacturing.

This project within the textile design field explores the textile technique embroidery. By using design methods based on words and actions the technique was used in another angle approach that allowed the stitches to be used in a more functional context. This approach differs from how embroidery is traditionally looked upon, an added decorative surface to an already functional object. Embroidery has been explored in a way to see if the technique could be used as something more than just an added surface and if that added surface could be manipulated so that the stitch has both decorative and functional aspects. Stitches has been developed, discovered and realised that they can add density, stability, assembly and form to a material. This has resulted in an alternative way of using embroidery that puts the stitch in the position of being vital to both the expression and function of the object.

Natural fibers, such as hemp and flax, are emerging as cheaper reinforcing fibers for polymer composites. Renew-ability, comparable specific properties, and biodegradability make natural fibers more attractive than glass fibers. Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) is widely used to manufacture medium-to-large sized composites. The non-woven mats used in VARTM must meet manufacturing (permeability) and structural (volume fraction (Vf), thickness, fiber orientation, properties) requirements. Unlike glass mats, natural fiber mats are not available commercially. Design and development of natural fiber mats require knowledge on the relationship among manufacturing, structure and properties of these mats and their composites. Developing this knowledge is the objective of this thesis. Effect of needle punch density on hemp fiber mat structure (areal density, Vf, fiber orientation distribution (FOD), thickness, permeability) was systematically studied. The FOD was characterized non-destructively using X-ray tomography. The Effect of consolidation pressure during composite manufacturing on its structure (Vf, thickness, FOD) was studied. The modulus and strength of needle-punched hemp mat – thermoset polyester composites, manufactured using VARTM and compression molding, were measured. A predictive model for these properties and a modeling approach for the evolution of FOD and thickness during mat manufacturing were developed and validated. The results of these studies were used to understand the relationship. The modulus and the strength of the composites were significantly influenced by the Vf and the FOD, the evolution of which during composite manufacturing depended on the consolidation pressure and the mat structure. The latter depended on mat manufacturing parameters, namely the punch density used to bind the fibers together and the areal density of the web of fibers formed during air laying, and the FOD in the web. The permeability of the mat decreased with increasing the punch density and was found to be a function of both the Vf and the FOD. Despite this, the manufacturing of composite was not adversely affected, and the tensile modulus increased with punch density. The mat composite was modeled as an equivalent laminate, whose lay-up was determined using its FOD. The properties of equivalent laminate that was predicted using lamination theory compared well with the experimental results.

Natural fibers, such as hemp and flax, are emerging as cheaper reinforcing fibers for polymer composites. Renew-ability, comparable specific properties, and biodegradability make natural fibers more attractive than glass fibers. Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) is widely used to manufacture medium-to-large sized composites. The non-woven mats used in VARTM must meet manufacturing (permeability) and structural (volume fraction (Vf), thickness, fiber orientation, properties) requirements. Unlike glass mats, natural fiber mats are not available commercially. Design and development of natural fiber mats require knowledge on the relationship among manufacturing, structure and properties of these mats and their composites. Developing this knowledge is the objective of this thesis. Effect of needle punch density on hemp fiber mat structure (areal density, Vf, fiber orientation distribution (FOD), thickness, permeability) was systematically studied. The FOD was characterized non-destructively using X-ray tomography. The Effect of consolidation pressure during composite manufacturing on its structure (Vf, thickness, FOD) was studied. The modulus and strength of needle-punched hemp mat – thermoset polyester composites, manufactured using VARTM and compression molding, were measured. A predictive model for these properties and a modeling approach for the evolution of FOD and thickness during mat manufacturing were developed and validated. The results of these studies were used to understand the relationship. The modulus and the strength of the composites were significantly influenced by the Vf and the FOD, the evolution of which during composite manufacturing depended on the consolidation pressure and the mat structure. The latter depended on mat manufacturing parameters, namely the punch density used to bind the fibers together and the areal density of the web of fibers formed during air laying, and the FOD in the web. The permeability of the mat decreased with increasing the punch density and was found to be a function of both the Vf and the FOD. Despite this, the manufacturing of composite was not adversely affected, and the tensile modulus increased with punch density. The mat composite was modeled as an equivalent laminate, whose lay-up was determined using its FOD. The properties of equivalent laminate that was predicted using lamination theory compared well with the experimental results.

Bakgrund: I Sverige uppskattas cirka 7-15% av befolkningen lida av stickrädsla, varav många är barn. Stickrädsla kan ge upphov till fysiska och känslomässiga reaktioner och uppkommer vid exempelvis provtagning, insättning av perifer venkateter och injektioner. Barnet reagerar med skrik, panikattack och känslan av att förlora kontrollen samt svimning när rädslan är oövervinnerlig. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att belysa allmänsjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att möta barn med stickrädsla. Metod: Metoden är en kvalitativ litteraturbaserad studie. Datamaterialet består av sex kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultat: Fyra kategorier med tio subkategorier identifierades. De fyra kategorierna var: Förbereda barnet inför nålproceduren, informera och involvera barnet inför och under nålproceduren, stödja föräldrarnas närvaro och skapa åtgärder som distraherar barnet. Förberedelse i hemmiljö och skapa en trygg atmosfär är viktiga förutsättningar för barnets förberedelse. Att förklara nålprocedurens tillvägagångssätt för att främja förståelse och lugn, observera barnets kroppsspråk och aktivera barnets medverkan är viktiga för barnets förståelse. Föräldrar har en essentiell roll vad gäller stöd och närvaro för barnet. Sjuksköterskor bör medvetandegöra föräldrarna om närhet för barnets trygghet. Åtgärder som distraherar innefattar att avleda barnet genom enkla ord, lek och beröm efter nålproceduren. Konklusion: Bemötandet identifieras som något som återkommer i denna studie och är betydelsefullt för att nålproceduren ska bli så god som möjligt för det stickrädda barnet. Att sjuksköterskor erkänner barnets rädsla identifierades även vara betydelsefullt för det goda mötets resultat. / Background: Fear of needles is estimated to 7-15 % of the population in Sweden and among them there are many children with that specific fear.  Fear of needles in children describes as physical and emotional reactions and arises during for an example blood sampling, peripheral venous insertion and injections. The reactions include screaming, panic attacks and the feeling of losing control. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ experiences of meeting children with fear of needles. Method: The chosen method was a qualitative literature based study. The data material consisted of six qualitative articles. Findings: Four categories and ten subcategories were identified. The categories were: Prepare the child before the procedure, inform and make the child involved before and during the procedure, support presence of parents and create distraction techniques. Preparation at home and creating a safe atmosphere for the child are important preconditions for good preparation. To explain the approach of the procedure and make the child involved in their own care are important to make sure that the child understands. Parents have an essential role of supporting their child and nurses should raise awareness among parents about proximity for their child. Create distraction techniques such as words, play and praise afterwards are identified. Conclusion: The response from nurses is something that is important and to recognize the fear was also identified as important and could contribute to better conditions for a good meeting between nurses and children with fear of needles.

Needle trap device (NTD) is a technique that is useful for a wide variety of applications involving the sample preparation of compounds with a wide range of chemico-physico properties, and varying volatilities. A newly designed NTD that improves the performance relative to previous NTD designs is simple to produce is developed. The NTD utilizes a side-hole needle with a modified tip to improve the sealing between the NTD and narrow neck liner of the GC injector, thereby increasing the desorption efficiency. The slurry packing method was applied, evaluated, and NTDs prepared by this method were compared to NTDs prepared using the vacuum aspiration method. NTD geometries including blunt tip with a side-hole needle, tapered tip with side-hole needle, dome tapered tip with side-hole, sliding tip with side-hole and blunt tip with no side-hole needle (expanded desorptive flow) were prepared and evaluated. Sampling performance and desorption efficiency were investigated using automated headspace extraction of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p¬-xylene (BTEX), anthracene and pyrene. The tapered tip and sliding tip NTDs were found to have increased desorption efficiency. SPME and NTDs are valuable sample preparation tools for on-site analysis. Combining both extraction techniques allows for the differentiation of free and particle-bound compounds in a sample matrix. Portable GC/MS instrumentation can achieve fast separation, identification, and quantitation of samples prepared by the above techniques on-site without the need for transport to the laboratory. This minimizes the effects of volatiles lost and sample degradation during storage time. Here, SPME and tapered tip NTDs combined with portable GC/MS are used to investigate free and total emissions of BTEX and select PAHs from gasoline and diesel exhaust. Using the above optimized technologies, cigarette smoke in a smoking area where people were actively smoking and inside a smoker’s car were also investigated. Target contaminants were found in the investigated matrices at ng/mL levels.

Diss. Uppsala : Univ., 2003.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [42]-49).