Environmental-economic models for total emission control of regional environmental pollution — input-output approach

This paper deals with a Leontief-type dynamic input-output analysis for total emission control of pollution. A dynamic input-output model can be described as a linear programming problem. In this paper an objective function to be minimized is chosen as the sum of pollutants emitted in a regional area throughout the planning period. It is assumed that consumption grows with a constant growth rate throughout the planning period. With this model, we can tell how to assign the elimination rate of pollutants to each production sector, under the constraint that the total emission standard is satisfied in each term of the planning period.     

Development of a accelerated solvent extraction and gel permeation chromatography analytical method for measuring persistent organohalogen compounds in adipose and organ tissue analysis

A new analytical method has been developed for the quantification of 59 different persistent organohalogen compounds, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), PCB metabolites, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in biological organ tissues. The optimum extraction and cleanup procedures were examined using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), automated gel permeation chromatography (GPC) on Biobeads S-X3 and automated solid phase extraction (SPE) on silica-gel. The target compounds were divided into two fractions, non-polar compounds and more polar compounds, which in the latter fraction was subsequently methylated using diazomethane. Detection can be achieved by GC/MS in negative chemical ionization (NCI) mode. The average recoveries of the compounds spiked in swine liver, heart, kidney, and cattle adipose tissues were considered satisfactory, and it was confirmed that the method could be used in routine analysis.     

Indigo carmine removal by charcoal from rice bran as an agricultural by-product

On the utilization of agricultural by-product, charcoal from rice bran was produced. The adsorption characteristics of indigo carmine onto charcoals from rice bran were investigated by the batch method. The yield and surface area of charcoal were decreased and increased with increase of carbonization temperature, respectively. The removal ratio of indigo carmine was high with the charcoal carbonized at higher temperature. In the relationship between the amount of indigo carmine adsorbed and the square root of elapsed time, a good linearity was recognized. The kinetic constant of adsorption removal for indigo carmine was rapid in the charcoal carbonized at higher temperature. The adsorption characteristics for indigo carmine removal by charcoal from rice bran were dominated by the value of their surface area.     

Canopy compass in nocturnal homing of the subsocial shield bug, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parastrachia japonensis</Emphasis> (Heteroptera: Parastrachiidae)

In contrast to an open environment where a specific celestial cue is predominantly used, visual contrast of canopies against the sky through the gap, known as canopy cues, is known to play a major role for visually guided insect navigators in woodland habitats. In this paper, we investigated whether a subsocial shield bug, Parastrachia japonensis, could gauge direction using canopy cues on a moonless night. The results show that they could perform the round trip foraging behaviour even in an experimental arena with only an artificial round gap opened in the ceiling of the arena and adjust their homing direction for a new azimuth when the gap was rotated. Thus, P. japonensis can use slightly brighter canopy cues as a compass reference but not complex landmarks during nocturnal homing behaviour.     

Interspecific mating of the introduced bumblebee <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus terrestris</Emphasis> and the native Japanese bumblebee <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus hypocrita sapporoensis</Emphasis> results in inviable hybrids

The bumblebee Bombus terrestris is not only an effective pollinator, but also a potential invasive alien species outside its native range. Recently, nearly 30% of queens of the Japanese native species Bombus hypocrita sapporoensis and B. hypocrita hypocrita were estimated to copulate with B. terrestris males in the field, suggesting that indigenous bumblebees could be genetically deteriorated through hybrid production with the introduced species. In this study, we evaluated hybrid production between the introduced B. terrestris and the indigenous B. hypocrita sapporoensis under laboratory conditions. The hatching rate of eggs derived from interspecific matings was 0% and 8.6% depending on the direction of the cross, which was significantly lower than that from intraspecific matings of B. terrestris (76.9%) and B. hypocrita sapporoensis (78.9%). Genetic studies using microsatellite markers revealed that both haploid and diploid individuals were present in the egg stage, whereas all hatched larvae were haploid. In addition, histological studies revealed that eggs derived from interspecific matings terminated development 2 days after oviposition. These results strongly suggested that eggs derived from interspecific matings are inviable due to post-mating isolation mechanisms. Mass release of exotic pollinators could cause serious population declines of native bumblebee species.     

Analysis of photochemical pollution in summer and winter using a photochemical box model in the center of Tokyo, Japan.

In order to give an effective and rapid analysis of the photochemical pollution and information for emission control strategies, a photochemical box model (PBM) was applied to one moderate summer episode, 11 July 1996, and one typical winter episode, 3 December 1996, in the center of Tokyo, Japan. The box model gave a good prediction of the photochemical pollution with minimal investment. As expected, the peak ozone in summer is higher than in winter. The NOx concentrations in winter are higher than those in summer. In summer, NO and NO2 have one peak in the morning. In winter, NO and NO2 show two peaks during the day. Three model runs including no reactions, a zero ozone boundary condition and dark reactions were conducted to understand the photochemical processes. The effects of emission reduction on the formation of the photochemical pollution in the center of Tokyo have been studied. The results show that the reduction of NMHC emission can decrease the ozone, however, the reduction of NOx emission can increase the ozone. It can be concluded that if the NOx emission are reduced, the reduction of NMHC should be more emphasized in order to decrease the ozone concentration in the center of Tokyo, Japan, especially the reduction of the NMHC from stationary source emission.     

A comparative study on the autoxidation of dimethyl ether (DME) comparison with diethyl ether (DEE) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE)

The Japanese government is planning to introduce DME as a substituted energy for oil and LNG. Introduction of DME could contribute greatly to both the prevention of global warming and the formation of resource-recycling societies. In these circumstances, a safety assessment of DME is very important when DME is used on a large scale. There is a possibility that prolonged exposure in air induces autoxidation to produce explosive organic peroxides during transportation and storage of DME. Therefore, the reactivity of DME with oxygen and the mechanism of the autoxidation were investigated. Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) was used to evaluate the thermal stability of DME and DIPE, a known peroxide producers, under adiabatic and various atmospheric conditions. In ARC studies of DME under oxygen, exothermic decompositions were detected although its self-heating rate was low in comparison with DIPE. Oven storage tests were carried out and iodimetry was used to measure the concentration of peroxides produced from DME in comparison with DIPE and DEE. However, no products could be found for DME either by GC/MS or by iodimetry, while some evidence of autoxidation of both DEE and DIPE were obtained from these experiments.     

环境样品中痕量铅的流动注射在线分离及分光光度检测

1　IntroductionLeadiswellknownasoneofthemosttoxicmetalsandnotedinthefieldofenvironmentalchemistry[1 ] .Theleadconcentrationinnaturalwaterisextremelylow (sub μg·l-1 level)sothatsomepreconcentrationstepmustbeincludedtoassurethesensitivityofaconventionalin…     

An atmospheric dispersion model for the environmental impact assessment of thermal power plants in Japan--a method for evaluating topographical effects

An atmospheric dispersion model was developed for the environmental impact assessment of thermal power plants in Japan, and a method for evaluating topographical effects using this model was proposed. The atmospheric dispersion model consists of an airflow model with a turbulence closure model based on the algebraic Reynolds stress model and a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM). The evaluation of the maximum concentration of air pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and suspended particulate matter is usually considered of primary importance for environmental impact assessment. Three indices were therefore estimated by the atmospheric dispersion model: the ratios (alpha and beta, respectively) of the maximum concentration and the distance of the point of the maximum concentration from the source over topography to the respective values over a flat plane, and the relative concentration distribution [gamma(x)] along the ground surface projection of the plume axis normalized by the maximum concentration over a flat plane. The atmospheric dispersion model was applied to the topography around a power plant with a maximum elevation of more than 1,000 m. The values of alpha and beta evaluated by the atmospheric dispersion model varied between 1 and 3 and between 1 and 0.4, respectively, depending on the topographical features. These results and the calculated distributions of y(x) were highly similar to the results of the wind tunnel experiment. Therefore, when the slope of a hill or mountain is similar to the topography considered in this study, it is possible to evaluate topographical effects on exhaust gas dispersion with reasonable accuracy using the atmospheric dispersion model as well as wind tunnel experiments.     

Levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs in human milk in Saitama, Japan, and epidemiological research

From 1998 to 2000, the dioxin levels were measured in the milk of 299 mothers who lived in Saitama prefecture, Japan. Factors that influenced the dioxin levels were investigated based on a questionnaire given to the milk donors at that time. It was found that the dioxin levels in the milk of the mothers who smoked were lower than those of non-smokers, and the dioxin levels were generally low in the mothers who were heavy smokers. The average dioxin levels in the milk of mothers who had been breast-fed were higher than those given formula, and there was a significant difference in the dioxin congeners. It was also found that the dioxin levels in milk of the women who regularly consumed fish and shellfish were generally higher. There was a strong correlation between summation operator TEQ and PCB126. The data suggested that PCB126 could be a useful indicator for the simplified analysis of dioxin in human milk.