Initial ecological risk assessment of eight selected human pharmaceuticals in Japan.

Eight pharmaceuticals were selected on the basis of their domestic consumption in Japan, the excretion ratio of the parent compound and the frequency of detection in the aquatic environment or wastewater treatment plant effluent. Toxicity tests on these pharmaceuticals were conducted using Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), daphnia (Daphnia magna), and green algae (Psuedokirchneriella subcapitata). Predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) was calculated using lethal or effect concentration 50 (LC50 or EC50) values and no effect concentration (NOEC) obtained in the toxicity tests for these compounds. Predicted environmental concentration (PEC) was also calculated from annual consumption, the excretion rate of the parent compound, and removal rate in the preliminary batch activated sludge treatment performed in this study. Maximum concentrations found in the aquatic environment or sewage effluent in Japan or foreign countries were also used for another calculation of PEC. Initial risk assessment on the selected pharmaceuticals was performed using the PEC/PNEC ratio. The results of initial risk assessment on the eight selected pharmaceuticals suggest neither urgent nor severe concern for the ecological risk of these compounds, but further study needs to be conducted using chronic toxicity tests, including reproduction inhibition and endocrine disruption assessments.     

Relationship between the riverine nitrate–nitrogen concentration and the land use in the Teshio River watershed, North Japan

The present research investigated the relationship between nitrate–nitrogen (NO₃–N) in river water and the land use/land cover (hereafter, land use) in the Teshio River watershed located in northern Hokkaido island to understand the effect of human activities such as agriculture, forestry, industry, and urbanization in the drainage basin on the river ecosystem quality and services. River water was sampled at nine points seasonally during a 2-year period and the nutrients concentration was measured. Land use profiles were estimated at two spatial scales, riparian and sub-catchment, for each sampling station. The spatial pattern of water quality in the Teshio River showed increased NO₃–N levels associated with agriculture and urban expansion, and forest reduction in the watershed. Land use at the riparian scale closely reflected that at the sub-catchment scale, which masked the unique riparian buffer effect on the river water condition. The increased agricultural and reduced forest area in the riparian zone, especially in the upper middle reach, could be a possible reason for a decline of ecosystem service for the provisioning of clean water and habitat for aquatic organisms. Measures towards sustainable and more nature-friendly agricultural management are necessary in the area to protect the Teshio River ecosystem and its ecosystem services.     

Recovery of gold by chicken egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads

We have successfully prepared a bead-type adsorbent from two materials with different adsorption characteristics. Heavy metals were removed by greatly swollen egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads. The egg shell membrane accumulated and removed precious metal ions from a dilute aqueous solution with a high affinity in a short contact time. Experiments suggested that chitosan beads could take up gold ions with great capacity and selectivity by conjugation with egg shell membrane. Under certain conditions, the selective removal of gold and copper in a mixture of gold and copper ions by egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads was 100% and 2%, respectively. Egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads can be seen as a promising material to recover gold in wastewater from various industries, such as electroplating.     

Immobilization of tritiated water by hydrothermal hot-pressing

Tritium is generally disposed of as an oxide form, and immobilization of tritium oxide with Portland cement is the most popular disposal method. However, the cement solidified body is rather leachable for tritium and is poor in some physical properties. A silicate powder, such as borosilicate glass powder, forms a synthetic rock by the hydrothermal hot-pressing (HHP) technique, making it a technique for immobilization of tritium oxide. Tritium oxide with borosilicate glass powder was solidified by the HHP technique. Leachability of tritium from the produced solidified bodies and the behavior of fixed tritium oxide during the heating were studied and discussed. The amount of tritium oxide fixed by the present procedure was almost the same as that fixed by the ordinary cement solidifying procedure. The diffusivity of tritium from the body by this procedure was much lower than that from the cement body and the compressive strength of the body was higher than that of the cement body.     

European starling nestling response to chlorpyrifos exposure in a corn agroecosystem

European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings were used as a surrogate to study the effect of chlorpyrifos application to a corn agroecosystem on songbird reproduction. Chlorpyrifos was applied in a T‐band at 1.3 kg AI/ha, and residues were measured in soil, earthworms, ground‐dwelling insects, and diet items collected from the crop of starling nestlings. Chlorpyrifos levels in soil peaked at 34.2 μg/g, 4 days post‐application, and dissipated to trace levels by 64 days post‐application. Concentrations of chlorpyrifos in earthworms and ground‐dwelling insects reached 0.9 and 0.7 ug/g, respectively. Starling nestling diet items included invertebrates from eight orders with chlorpyrifos concentrations ranging from trace levels to 10.6 μg/g in earthworms. Nestling brain and plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity and body mass measurements were taken at 3, 8, and 13 days post‐hatch (DPH). Adult starling fecundity was also measured. Body mass differences between treatment and reference site nestlings at 3 and 13 DPH were not significant at α = 0.05. However, 8 DPH nestlings from the Treatment Site had a transient reduction in weight (p = 0.03) when compared with 8 DPH reference nestlings. There were no significant differences in brain or plasma ChE activities of 3, 8, or 13 DPH nestlings. Further, multiple measures of fecundity (i.e., clutch size, hatching percentage, and fledging percentage) indicated that chlorpyrifos application did not affect starling nestling survival to fledging, as the values from the Treatment and Reference Site were nearly identical. This screening‐level study suggests that although one age group of starling nestlings from the Treatment Site weighed less than their Reference Site counterparts, a single T‐band application of chlorpyrifos did not impair starling nesting success.     

Influence of oxygen flow rate on reaction rate of organic matter in leachate from aerated waste layer containing mainly incineration ash

It is known that aeration reduces rapidly the concentration of organic matter in leachate. However, the oxygen flow rate required to attain a certain reaction rate of organic matter should be carefully estimated. In this study, using the oxygen ratio (the ratio of oxygen flow rate by aeration to oxygen consumption rate of waste layer) as a parameter, the reaction rate of organic matter in leachate from landfilled incineration ash and incombustible waste upon aeration was evaluated. Total organic carbon (TOC) in the leachate was reduced rapidly when the oxygen ratio was high. The decomposition rate exceeded the elution rate of TOC in the leachate from the waste layer for several days when the oxygen ratio was above 10². The results indicate that the oxygen ratio can be used as a parameter for the aeration operation in actual landfill sites, to rapidly stabilize organic matter in leachate.     

Production of hydrogen by steam gasification of dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) or activated carbon in the presence of various alkali compounds

Steam gasification of dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) or activated carbon was carried out in the presence of various alkali compounds at 3.0 MPa and 560°C–660°C in a batch reactor or in a semi-batch reactor with a flow of nitrogen and steam. Hydrogen and sodium carbonate were the main products, and methane and carbon dioxide were the minor products. Yields of hydrogen were high in the presence of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. The acceleration effect of the alkali compounds on the gasification reaction was as follows: KOH > NaOH > Ca(OH)₂ > Na₂CO₃. The rate of gasification increased with increasing partial steam pressure and NaOH/C molar ratio. However, the rate became saturated at a molar ratio of NaOH/C greater than 2.0.     

渚滑川河口拦门沙演变特性

河口拦门沙的存在可导致径流流出不畅，并能引起一系列的河口生态及环境问题。特别是弯曲型河口，在波浪流、河川径流及弯道副流的共同作用下，拦门沙的形成及演变将更为复杂。通过对日本渚滑川河口多次实地调查资料的分析，揭示了渚滑川河口拦门沙的演变特性。结果表明：渚滑川河口修筑防波堤后，在东北方向的海洋入射波作用下，拦门沙由河口右岸发育并向左岸逐渐延伸扩展，其河水流动也相应由右岸偏向左岸一侧；不论河口有无拦门沙，3次洪水在右岸的最大冲深均稳定在-6m高程，且河床横剖面的形状基本不变，即汛期时该河口河床形状已达平衡状态。     

Do corals select zooxanthellae by alternative discharge?

Loss of zooxanthellae (dinoflagellate Symbiodinium) from corals will sometimes lead to mass mortality of corals. To detect and quantify Symbiodinium released from corals, we developed a zooxanthellae “trap” and a quantitative PCR (qPCR) system with Symbiodinium clades A–F-specific primer sets. The trap was attached to a branch or the surface of several wild stony corals, and the water samples within the traps, including released Symbiodinium, were subjected to qPCR. All tested corals released clade C Symbiodinium at estimates of ~5,900 cells h⁻¹ cm⁻² of coral surface. Although all tested Pocillopora eydouxi harboured both clades C and D, some of these colonies released only clade C or released a lesser amount of clade D than that in the tissues. Our Symbiodinium quantification system revealed that wild hermatypic corals constantly release Symbiodinium to the environment. Our result suggests that some corals may discharge certain clades of Symbiodinium alternatively.