Standardization Administration Of China Research Articles

Chinese standards from the ground up

China’s transformation from a standards-taker to a standards-maker has sent a shock wave through the global economy. While Chinese standardization is conventionally perceived and analysed as a top–down process, led by the central government and the Standardization Administration of China, this article demonstrates the merits of studying standards from the ground up. Sustained engagement with those who make, adopt, reject, and recalibrate standards reveals, first, the human face of standardization. Standards depend on people to be their advocates. The effectiveness of their implementation and the scope of their acceptance rely on practitioners who imbue standards with value and promote them within and across national borders. Furthermore, a bottom–up approach sheds light on the hierarchical nature of standards, the processes of inclusion and exclusion, and the dynamics of elevation and marginalization that hierarchies generate. Finally, it prompts us to look beyond de jure standards. As a producer of cheap commodities for developing countries, China has long been a maker of informal, or de facto, standards that grow out of repeat transactions and mutual agreements among actors along these value chains. Only by considering the human, hierarchical, and informal dimensions of standardization can we fully understand China’s rise as a global standards power.

Comprehensive Risk Assessment of Applying Biogas Slurry in Peanut Cultivation.

Biogas slurry, a byproduct of biogas plants, is considered a high-quality bio-organic fertilizer. Despite providing nutrients to crops, biogas slurry may contain a high concentration of heavy metals, leading to food safety problems and endangering human health if such metals are absorbed by plants. Therefore, biogas slurry should undergo systematic risk assessment prior to direct use on farmland to ensure its safety for soils and crops. In this study, the risk of applying biogas slurry in peanut cultivation was comprehensively evaluated. Based on nitrogen contents, different concentrations of biogas slurry were applied in peanut cultivation. The results achieved herein showed that the application of biogas slurry as a nutrient supplier in peanut cultivation would significantly affect the physical and chemical properties of soil and characteristics of the plant and the quality of peanuts. Although the heavy metal content of biogas slurry was within the permitted range, it had potential risks to human health and the environment. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that biogas slurry was the primary source of heavy metals in soil. After the application of biogas slurry, the contents of As and Hg in the soil increased significantly, which were 11.12 and 26.67 times higher than those in the control soil. The contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and As in peanut kernel samples under different levels of biogas slurry application were all lower than the maximum permissible limit set by the Standardization Administration of China. In contrast, the content of Hg in peanut kernels was higher than the maximum permissible limit value of 0.02 mg/kg. Peanut had a higher enrichment capacity of Cd and Zn and a higher migration capacity of Pb. The health risk assessment showed that the long-term consumption of peanuts grown with a high dosage of biogas slurry would be harmful to the health of children aged 2–6 years with a large consumption level.

International standardisation driving global competitiveness and sustainability of the oil and gas and future energy industries

The World Economic Forum has identified that the oil and gas (O&G) industry must lead the process of its own transformation by innovation and multistakeholder collaboration. The Capital Project Complexity initiative is an industry-wide, noncompetitive collaboration on standardisation and use of procurement specifications. Australia is now a major contributor to this collaboration which has brought together all the major O&G operators through the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) network and the standardisation bodies including International Organization for Standardization (ISO), American Petroleum Institute Standards, European Committee for Standardization, Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization, Standardization Administration of China, Standards Australia (SA) and many more. The focus is on developing common international standards through an IOGP Standards-ISO/TC67 link and standardised equipment specifications linking to these standards through IOGP-JIP33. Australia contributes via SA’s mirror committee ME-92, which is now fully established with direct involvement in the ISO/TC67 9 subcommittee areas and 13 working groups covering 261 current and developing standards. In September 2020, the first of these standards, AS ISO 29001, was identically adopted as an Australian standard. With the Australian experts now ensuring ISO Standards will incorporate Australian industry expertise, knowledge and regulatory requirements where possible future revisions will enable them to be adopted as the next revision of the Australian standard. This industry-wide collaboration will ensure future project costs are optimised and safety enhanced through use of the global industry knowledge while also reducing the need to write local standards. This study describes Australia’s strategy being pursued to align with the global industry. It also provides information on how this network is supporting the development of knowledge transfer to the decommissioning and new energy industries that will form Australia’s future.

Construction of National Standardization System for Juvenile Products in China

China is the world’s largest manufacturer and exporter of juvenile products, while the standardization system for juvenile products still needs to be perfected and still has a certain gap with foreign advanced systems. To promote the standardization of juvenile products in China and solve the limitations of the existing standards system, the “Standardization Working Group on Juvenile Products” was established in May 2020 with the approval of the Standardization Administration of China. The development trend of juvenile products industry in China was analyzed in this paper, teases out the existing problems in the development of standardization, and establishes the National standardization system for juvenile products according to the working scope of the “Standardization Working Group on Juvenile Products”.

Mercury, microcystins and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in farmed fish in eutrophic reservoir: Risk and benefit assessment.

Fish is an important source of nutritional omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, but it also readily accumulates toxic mercury (Hg) and microcystins (MC) in eutrophic aquatic systems. In China, farmed fish was widely consumed, and aquaculture has caused pervasive eutrophication of freshwater lakes, resulting in the increasing accumulation of MC in fish tissue. To assess the risk-benefit of consuming farmed fish, 205 fish samples of 10 primary species were collected from the eutrophic Wujiangdu (WJD) Reservoir, SW China. The contents of Hg, microcystin-RR (MC-RR), microcystin-LR (MC-LR), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish were analyzed. The results showed that THg and MeHg concentrations in all fish sampls were well below the safety limit (500ng/g w.w) established by the Standardization Administration of China, with average values of 22.9±22.8 and 6.0±6.6ng/g wet weight (w.w.), respectively. Average concentrations of MC-RR and MC-LR were 40±80 and 50±80ng/g w.w., respectively. MC-RR and MC-LR concentrations in fish were significantly higher in silver carp and black carp than in perch and catfish (p<0.05). In nutritional terms, average concentrations of n-3 PUFA and the eicosapentaenoic (EPA)+docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) of fish were 2.0±2.5 and 1.4±0.5mg/g w.w., respectively. The risk-benefit assessment suggests that the n-3 PUFA benefits from consuming all farmed fish species in the WJD Reservoir outweigh the adverse effects of MeHg. However, except for perch, most fish species still pose a high MC-LR exposure risk that created a requirement for fish consumption advisories and monitoring. Consequently, more attention should be paid on the health risk of combined exposure to pollutants by aquatic product consumption.

Evaluation of potential human health risk due to the exposure to mercury via fish consumption of Alosa spp. from the southern Caspian Sea

The main objectives of the present study were to measure the concentration of mercury in Alosa spp. muscle tissue and to assess the health risk to consumers. For this purpose, fish samples were collected from four regions of the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Mean concentrations of mercury in the regions of Bandar Torkaman, Feridonkenar, Chalos and Bandar Anzali were 264.10, 73.74, 161.90, and 183.80 μg g−1 dw, respectively. The mercury averages obtained in all four regions were below the standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The values of hazard quotient also showed no potential health risk for consumer. However, the assessment of other contaminants is recommended for more accurate conclusions about the health risks of consumers through the consumption of the fish.

Investigation of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in snack foods in Jilin province, China

ABSTRACT A high-performance liquid chromatography method was applied for the determination of the levels of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in 221 snack food samples, including fruit wine, noodle products, pickled products, baking products, cooked meat products, and bean products. Only two cooked food samples in all food samples have a preservative content exceeding the maximum permitted levels (MPL) laid down by the Standardization Administration of China. Among the food samples from which preservatives were detected, 69.6% of the samples contained one type of preservative and 30.4% of the samples detected two preservatives. Among the geometric mean values of preservatives in different types of foods, the highest is benzoic acid in pickled products (136.6 mg/kg) and sorbic acid in baking products (150.0 mg/kg). No preservatives were detected in bean products. Preservatives in packaged foods (21 of 121 samples, 17.4%) have a higher detection rate than bulk foods (2 of 100 samples, 2%), but each has only one piece that exceeds MPL. On the surface of our research, the amount of preservative added to snack foods in Jilin Province of China is relatively safe.

‘Open water room’ = ‘hot water room’?

The rupture between China and the former Soviet Union in the 1960s saw English replace Russian to become the most important foreign language in mainland China, and with the implementation of opening-up in the late 1970s, English was used more and more widely, especially in foreign-related public service areas. The use of English in China was accelerated by the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2010 Shanghai Expo. However, there were various problems with the use of English, notably in bilingual public signs (BISU-CSRC, 2007; Wang &amp; Zhang, 2016) (see Figure 1). As a result, the derogatory word ‘Chinglish’ was invented by Pinkham (2000) as an umbrella term for all kinds of problematic English used by Chinese people. Since 2006, in response to this situation, the provincial and central governments in the country have made great efforts to offer guidelines for the use of English in public signs. For example, on June 20, 2017, the Ministry of Education (MOE), the State Language Commission (SLC) and the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) jointly issued the Guidelines for the Use of English in Public Service Areas (GUEPSA) which came into effect on December 1, 2017.

Interpretation of Series National Standards of China on “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounting and Reporting for Enterprises”

Standardization is playing an increasingly important role in reducing greenhouse gas emission and in climatic change adaptation, especially in the “three” greenhouse gas emission aspects (measurement, report, verification). Standardization has become one of the most important ways in mitigating the global climate change. Standardization Administration of China (SAC) has taken many productive measures in actively promoting standardization work to cope with climate change. In April 2014, SAC officially approved the establishment of “National Carbon Emission Management Standardization Technical Committee” In November 2015, SAC officially issued the first 11 national standards on carbon management including <<General Guideline of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounting and Reporting for Industrial Enterprises>> and the requirements of the greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting in 10 sectors including power generation, power grid, iron and steel, chemical engineering, electrolytic aluminum, magnesium smelting, plate glass, cement, ceramics and civil aviation, which proposes unified requirements of “what to calculate and how to calculate” the greenhouse gas emission for enterprises. This paper focuses on the detailed interpretation of the main contents of the first 11 national standards, so as to provide technical supports for users of the standards and to comprehensively promote the emission reduction of greenhouse gas at the enterprise level.

Mercury contamination in Khramulia (Capoeta capoeta) from the Cheshme Kile and Zarrin Gol Rivers in Iran and human health risk assessment.

Total mercury concentrations were determined in muscle tissue of Khramulia (Capoeta capoeta) captured in the Cheshme Kile and Zarrin Gol Rivers, Iran. In Cheshme Kile River, 49 fish samples were collected. The mean total mercury concentration in the muscles of C. capoeta from this area was 249 ng g(-1) dw. In Zarrin Gol River, where 62 fish samples were collected, the total mercury in muscles averaged 164 ng g(-1) dw. A significant difference was found between means of mercury in the rivers (p < 0.001). All samples from the two rivers had mean mercury concentrations below the maximum allowable limits for mercury set by the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, Standardization Administration of China and Environmental Protection Agency. The results of this study indicate that the values of hazard target quotient and estimated weekly intake are low and represent a negligible risk for human health.

Mercury in the seafood and human exposure in coastal area of Guangdong province, South China

Consumption of fish and aquatic products is considered to be the main pathway of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). To assess human health risk through seafood consumption in a coastal area of Guangdong Province, South China, a total of 518 seafood samples (including fish, shrimp, crabs, and mollusks) were collected from 11 coastal cities for total mercury (THg) analysis. The THg concentrations varied significantly among different seafood groups and ranged from 0.11 to 317 ng/g (with a mean of 37.2 ng/g). The THg concentrations were relatively low compared with fish from Europe and North America, and no samples exceeded the national limit recommended by the Standardization Administration of China (0.5 ng/g wet wt). The ecological functional groups and cultured styles have significant effects on THg concentrations in the fish tissue. The median of probable daily intakes (PDIs) of MeHg via seafood consumption ranged from 42.6 to 71.4 ng/g for different age groups, with fish contributing the major portion (84%). The results indicated potential health risks associated with seafood consumption for the general population in the coastal area of Guangdong Province, South China.

Limits to the regulatory state in the rule-making of digital convergence: a case study of mobile TV standards governance in the European Union and China

This paper addresses limitations of the regulatory approach to standardisation of infrastructural information and communication technology (ICT) in the European Union and China. Specifically, by analysing the governance of digital mobile TV in the each policy, the paper discusses to what degree respectively the European Commission’s ‘New Approach’ and the Standardization Administration of China’s increasingly market-oriented standardisation process, after accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), are able to cope with issues specific to technological convergence.

Total mercury in wild fish in Guizhou reservoirs, China

The health hazard of mercury (Hg) compounds is internationally recognized, and the main pathways for methylmercury (MeHg) intake in humans are through consumption of food, especially fish. Given the large releases of Hg to the environment in China, combined with the fast development of hydropower, this issue deserves attention. Provided similar mobilization pathways of Hg in China as seen in reservoirs in North America and Europe one should expect increased Hg contamination in relation to future hydropower reservoir construction in this country. This study presents total Hg (THg) concentrations in wild fish from six Guizhou reservoirs, China. The THg concentrations in fish were generally low despite high background levels in the bedrock and depositions from local point sources. The over all mean ± SD concentration of THg was (0.066 ± 0.078) μg/g ( n = 235). After adjusting for among-reservoir variation in THg, there were significant differences in THg among functional groups of the fish, assumed to reflect trophic levels. Predicted THg-concentration ratios, retrieved from a mixed linear model, between the functional groups were 9:4:4:1 for carnivorous, omnivorous, planktivorous and herbivorous fish. This result indicated that MeHg accumulation may prevail even under circumstances with short food chains as in this Chinese water system. No fish exceeded recommended maximum THg limit for human consumption set by World Health Organization and the Standardization Administration of China (0.5 μg/g fish wet weight (ww)). Only six fish (2.5%) exceeded the maximum THg limit set by US Environmental Protection Agency (0.3 μg/g fish ww).