Value of information analysis for adequate monitoring of carbon dioxide storage in geological reservoirs under uncertainty

As monitoring is essential for the proper management of geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the ability to value information from monitoring is indispensable to adequately design a monitoring program. It is necessary to judge whether the expected improvement in management is worth the cost of monitoring. The value of information (VOI) is closely related to the possible increase in expected utility gained by gathering the information, the concept of which can be applied to such judgement. Although VOI analysis has been extensively studied in the context of decision analysis, its application to the management of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) operations is rare. This paper introduces and discusses the methodology of VOI analyses in the context of monitoring CO₂ storage. A motivating problem with discrete probabilities is used to illustrate the concept of VOI. It is demonstrated that information is not always of value; for information to be worthwhile, monitoring under uncertainty must satisfy certain conditions. This concept is then extended to continuous probability distributions. The effects of prior uncertainty and information reliability on the VOI are examined. It is shown that an excessive improvement in information accuracy yields little value and that the optimal level of reliability can be inferred. VOI analyses provide quantitative insights into the value of information-gathering activities and therefore can be an objective means to adequately design and impartially justify a monitoring program.     

Prenatal diagnosis of triple X using fetal cells obtained by endocervical lavage

Prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidies currently relies on invasive procedures such as chorionic villous sampling and amniocentesis. These methods can provide an accurate diagnosis of the fetal karyotype but are relatively invasive. Here, we report a case of the prenatal detection of triple X using fetal cells obtained by lavage of the endocervical canal prior to amniocentesis, following ultrasound diagnosis of hydrops fetalis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Loss or major reduction of umami taste sensation in pinnipeds

Umami is one of basic tastes that humans and other vertebrates can perceive. This taste is elicited by L-amino acids and thus has a special role of detecting nutritious, protein-rich food. The T1R1 + T1R3 heterodimer acts as the principal umami receptor. The T1R1 protein is encoded by the Tas1r1 gene. We report multiple inactivating (pseudogenizing) mutations in exon 3 of this gene from four phocid and two otariid species (Pinnipedia). Jiang et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:4956–4961, 2012) reported two inactivating mutations in exons 2 and 6 of this gene from another otariid species. These findings suggest lost or greatly reduced umami sensory capabilities in these species. The widespread occurrence of a nonfunctional Tas1r1 pseudogene in this clade of strictly carnivorous mammals is surprising. We hypothesize that factors underlying the pseudogenization of Tas1r1 in pinnipeds may be driven by the marine environment to which these carnivorans (Carnivora) have adapted and may include: the evolutionary change in diet from tetrapod prey to fish and cephalopods (because cephalopods and living fish contain little or no synergistic inosine 5′-monophosphate that greatly enhances umami taste), the feeding behavior of swallowing food whole without mastication (because the T1R1 + T1R3 receptor is distributed on the tongue and palate), and the saltiness of sea water (because a high concentration of sodium chloride masks umami taste).     

Field identification of ‘types’ A and B of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis in a region of sympatry

The ascidian species Ciona intestinalis is a major model chordate in developmental and evolutionary biology, and an important fouling organism and invasive species. However, genomic investigation has recently revealed the existence of two cryptic species, genetically distinct yet without obvious morphological differences, currently referred to as types A and B. Here, we show that they are externally distinctive in a zone of sympatry in the western English Channel. Examining genotyped specimens, we found that types A and B of C. intestinalis can generally be distinguished by body colour, pigmentation at the distal end of the siphons and the presence or absence of tubercles on the sides of the siphons. Detecting specimens of hybrid descent still requires detailed molecular analysis, but these visual characters in combination will identify living specimens of types A and B with high probability. These differences are shown to be inherited.     

Vertical zonation of endosymbiotic zooxanthellae within a population of the intertidal sea anemone,Anthopleura uchidai

Intertidal organisms commonly form zonation bands along the shore. Environmental stressors often determine the vertical position of each zonation band. These stressors may similarly affect the distribution pattern of endogenous species in their intertidal hosts. To evaluate this possibility, we investigated the distribution pattern of endosymbiotic zooxanthellae in the genus Symbiodinium in a population of the intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura uchidai. We used molecular genetics to identify the Symbiodinium clades and found that A. uchidai has two clades of Symbiodinium, clades A and F. These Symbiodinium clades were disproportionally distributed along the vertical gradient of the intertidal shore. Anemones on the upper shore exclusively possessed clade F Symbiodinium while clade A Symbiodinium became dominant in the sea anemones on the lower shore. Photosynthesis activity assays showed that these Symbiodinium clades had similar net productivities at 23.3 and 31.8 °C at all irradiance levels. At 35 °C, however, clade A Symbiodinium exhibited substantially lower net productivities than clade F Symbiodinium, demonstrating that these Symbiodinium clades have distinct tolerances to thermal stress. These results suggest that the thermal gradient across tidal height is a major factor shaping the zonation pattern of Symbiodinium clades in A. uchidai.     

Evaluation of the impact of matrix effects in LC/MS measurement on the accurate quantification of neonicotinoid pesticides in food by isotope-dilution mass spectrometry

The use of isotope-labeled internal standards is the most widely accepted approach to overcome the matrix effects on quantification of pesticides in food by LC/MS. We evaluated the impact of the matrix effects on quantification of six neonicotinoid pesticides, acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam, in food by using deuterated internal standards. The calibration curves for each pesticide were obtained by using matrix-free and matrix-matched calibration solutions with blank brown rice, carrot, and green onion extracts. For brown rice and carrot, the matrix effects were not observed. In contrast, the slopes of calibration curves for each pesticide were influenced by presence of green onion extracts in calibration solutions (variability of the slopes was 4–9%), because the ratios of peak area for native pesticide to those for internal standards were influenced by matrix. The spike-and-recovery test with green onion was also performed. The analytical values obtained by using matrix-free calibration solution were biased from the spiked concentration, whereas those obtained by using matrix-matched calibration solution were comparable to the spiked concentration. These results indicate that matrix-matched calibration solution should be used for accurate quantification of neonicotinoid pesticides in food by LC/MS using deuterated internal standards.     

Mass spectrometric study of secondary organic aerosol formed from the photo-oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons

From measurements by an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS), secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed in laboratory chambers is believed to be less oxidized than well-oxidized ambient organic aerosol (OA). However, the mass spectrum of SOA formed from the photo-oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons has not been sufficiently studied by using AMS though these reactions are potential sources of urban SOA. In this study, we studied SOA formed from the photo-oxidation of seven aromatic hydrocarbons by using Time-of-Flight AMS. Strong mass signals from SOA were found at m/z 43 (m43) and 44 (m44) in all the experiments. The m44 to total organic aerosol mass ratio (m44/OA) increased with irradiation time. For example, the m44/OA ratio increased from 10.6% to 13.3% during irradiation for 11 h in an experiment with toluene. The average m44/OA ratios were determined to be 5.8–17.1% for all the experiments. The m44/OA decreased and the m43/OA increased with increasing number of alkyl substituents of precursor aromatic hydrocarbons. This is because low-reactive ketones are preferentially produced rather than aldehydes with increasing number of alkyl substituents. The m44/OA ratios of the benzene and monoalkylbenzene oxidation were 12.2–17.1% and were close to those of well-oxidized ambient OA. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the photo-oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons is a potential source of urban SOA. In addition to oxygenated organic compounds, organic nitrogen oxides were also shown to be present in SOA by high-resolution mass spectra.     

Urinary concentrations of organophosphorus insecticide metabolites in Japanese workers

A recent development in analytical chemistry has enabled us to monitor systemic organophosphorus insecticide (OP) exposure at individual levels. At present, however, limited data are currently available on urinary OP metabolite levels worldwide. The purpose of this study was to assess urinary dialkylphosphate (DAP) concentrations in Japanese workers. Urine samples were collected in both summer and winter from 339 Japanese adults who worked as food distributors (FDs, n = 164), apple farmers (AFs, n = 147) and pest control operators (PCOs, n = 28). DAPs were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after derivatization with pentafluorobenzylbromide. Dimethylphosphate (DMP), diethylphosphate (DEP), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) and diethylthiophosphate (DETP) were detected in the urine of over 87% of the studied populations in both seasons. The geometric mean values of total DAPs (nmol g⁻¹ creatinine), DMP, DMTP, DEP and DETP (μg g⁻¹ creatinine) in summer and winter were 106.7 and 98.3, 7.0 and 3.8, 3.4 and 4.5, 0.8 and 1.5, and 0.3 and 0.2 for the FDs, 440.8 and 197.7, 33.1 and 10.8, 10.1 and 5.8, 4.2 and 4.7 and 1.6 and 0.8 for the AFs, and 473.4 and 284.6, 28.9 and 22.2, 17.6 and 4.6, 3.5 and 4.4, and 0.5 and 0.6 for the PCOs, respectively, thereby revealing significantly higher concentrations in AFs and PCOs groups than in the FDs in both seasons except for winter DMTP. These DAP concentrations were approximately the same or at lower levels compared with those reported in the previous literature. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate urinary DAP concentrations in Japanese adults.     

Atmospheric mercury emissions from waste combustions measured by continuous monitoring devices

Atmospheric mercury emissions have attracted great attention owing to adverse impact of mercury on human health and the ecosystem. Although waste combustion is one of major anthropogenic sources, estimated emission might have large uncertainty due to great heterogeneity of wastes. This study investigated atmospheric emissions of speciated mercury from the combustions of municipal solid wastes (MSW), sewage treatment sludge (STS), STS with waste plastics, industrial waste mixtures (IWM), waste plastics from construction demolition, and woody wastes using continuous monitoring devices. Reactive gaseous mercury was the major form at the inlet side of air pollution control devices in all combustion cases. Its concentration was 2.0–70.6 times larger than elemental mercury concentration. In particular, MSW, STS, and IWM combustions emitted higher concentration of reactive gaseous mercury. Concentrations of both gaseous mercury species varied greatly for all waste combustions excluding woody waste. Variation coefficients of measured data were nearly equal to or more than 1.0. Emission factors of gaseous elemental mercury, reactive gaseous mercury, and total mercury were calculated using continuous monitoring data. Total mercury emission factors are 0.30 g-Hg/Mg for MSW combustion, 0.21 g-Hg/Mg for STS combustion, 0.077 g-Hg/Mg for STS with waste plastics, 0.724 g-Hg/Mg for industrial waste mixtures, 0.028 g-Hg/Mg for waste plastic combustion, and 0.0026 g-Hg/Mg for woody waste combustion. All emission factors evaluated in this study were comparable or lower than other reported data. Emission inventory using old emission factors likely causes an overestimation.

Implications Although waste combustion is one of major anthropogenic sources of atmospheric mercury emission, estimated emission might have large uncertainty due to great heterogeneity of wastes. This study investigated speciated mercury emissions from the combustions of municipal solid wastes, sewage treatment sludge with/without waste plastics, industrial waste mixtures, waste plastics from construction demolition, and woody wastes using continuous monitoring devices. Reactive gaseous mercury was the major form in all combustion cases and its concentration in the gas had large fluctuation. All emission factors evaluated in this study were comparable or lower than other reported data. Emission inventory using old emission factors likely causes an overestimation.