Analysis method for PCBs in reclaimed oil using a fast-GC triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometer with the 13-component quantitation method

It is necessary for companies supplying reclaimed oil to analyze polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), because there is a possibility of the presence of contaminants due to trace-level PCBs in the reclaimed oil. However, common analysis methods of PCBs are time-consuming and complicated. Fast-GC triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometer with the 13-component quantitation method is an official method for analyzing PCBs in insulating oil in Japan. This method is extremely fast and simplified. The purpose of this study involves an investigation of the aforementioned fast and simple method for potential use in the analysis of reclaimed oil. Furthermore, it was attempted to combine the method with sample preparation involving only hexane dilution. The effect of sample dilutions corresponding to 100, 300, and 500 times was evaluated for reducing the matrix effect. The matrix effect was suppressed at a dilution ratio equal to or exceeding 300 times. Calibration curves of four points, namely 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 ng/mL, (ignored origin) by using an internal standard method were prepared for the 13 components. The square of regression coefficient (R²) values of all calibration curves exceeded 0.997. This method was adopted for the analysis of reclaimed oil containing 0.5 μg/mL PCBs, which corresponds to the judgment criteria, and accurate quantitation (accuracy value, 94.0–102%) and good repeatability (%RSD, 3.6%) were obtained. Furthermore, the required sensitivity was maintained even when 800 samples were analyzed without a cleaning ion source and an exchanging analysis column.     

Zeolite formation from coal fly ash and heavy metal ion removal characteristics of thus-obtained Zeolite X in multi-metal systems

Zeolitic materials have been prepared from coal fly ash as well as from a SiO₂–Al₂O₃ system upon NaOH fusion treatment, followed by subsequent hydrothermal processing at various NaOH concentrations and reaction times. During the preparation process, the starting material initially decomposed to an amorphous form, and the nucleation process of the zeolite began. The carbon content of the starting material influenced the formation of the zeolite by providing an active surface for nucleation. Zeolite A (Na-A) was transformed into zeolite X (Na-X) with increasing NaOH concentration and reaction time. The adsorption isotherms of the obtained Na-X based on the characteristics required to remove heavy ions such as Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ were examined in multi-metal systems. Thus obtained experimental data suggests that the Langmuir and Freundlich models are more accurate compared to the Dubinin–Kaganer–Radushkevich (DKR) model. However, the sorption energy obtained from the DKR model was helpful in elucidating the mechanism of the sorption process. Further, in going from a single- to multi-metal system, the degree of fitting for the Freundlich model compared with the Langmuir model was favored due to its basic assumption of a heterogeneity factor. The Extended-Langmuir model may be used in multi-metal systems, but gives a lower value for equilibrium sorption compared with the Langmuir model.     

Isolation of antifungal bacteria from Japanese fermented soybeans, natto

An inhibitory effect of a traditional Japanese fermented food, natto, was found against plant pathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum, and the bacteria which showed inhibition were isolated from the natto. Among isolated bacteria, BC-1 and GAc exhibited a strong antagonistic effect in vitro against plant pathogens on an agar medium. The supernatant of bacterial culture also showed strong activity against R. solani, which meant the antimicrobial substances were produced and secreted into the medium. Both of the bacteria were estimated as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens from a partial sequence of the 16s rRNA gene. High performance liquid chromatography analysis clearly showed the production of the lipopeptide antibiotic iturin A by BC-1 and GAc.     

Sensitivity of Landsat‐Scale Energy Balance to Aerodynamic Variability in Mountains and Complex Terrain

The speed and direction of air flow through complex terrain are difficult to define. Both impact sensible and latent heat flux exchanges at the surface. Evapotranspiration (ET) models such as Mapping EvapoTranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC?) estimate ET as a residual of the surface energy process and are thus sensitive to aerodynamics, including terrain‐induced impacts on roughness governing convective heat transfer (H). There is a need to explore the sensitivities of H estimation and thereby ET estimation to wind speed and terrain roughness in mountainous areas and to determine the merit of operating complex mesoscale wind field models in conjunction with the energy balance process. A sensitivity analysis is explored in METRIC where we increased wind speed in proportion to a relative elevation parameter and we increased aerodynamic roughness to assimilate impacts of relative terrain roughness, estimated in proportion to standard deviation of elevation within a 3 km locality. These aerodynamic modifications increased convective heat transfer in complex terrain and reduced estimated ET. In other sensitivity runs, we reduced estimated wind speed on estimated leeward slopes. Estimated ET with and without these sensitivity adjustments is shown for mountainous areas of Montana and Nevada. Changes in ET ranged from little change (<5%) for lower slopes to about 30% reductions on windward slopes and 25% increases on leeward slopes for some mid to high elevations in the Montana application.     

Concentrations and compositions of organochlorine contaminants in sediments, soils, crustaceans, fishes and birds collected from Lake Tai, Hangzhou Bay and Shanghai city region, China

Contamination by persistent organochlorines (OCs), such as DDTs, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined in sediments, soils, fishes, crustaceans, birds, and aquaculture feed from Lake Tai, Hangzhou Bay, and in the vicinity of Shanghai city in China during 2000 and 2001. OCs were detected in all samples analyzed, and DDT and its metabolites were the predominant contaminants in most sediments, soils and biota. Concentrations of p,p'-DDT and ratio of p,p'-DDT to SigmaDDTs were significantly higher in marine fishes than those in freshwater fishes. While the use of DDTs has been officially banned in China since 1983, these results indicate a recent input of technical DDTs into the marine environment around Hangzhou Bay. Comparison of organochlorine concentrations in fishes collected from Lake Tai and Hangzhou Bay suggests the presence of local sources of HCHs, chlordanes and PCBs at Lake Tai. Higher proportions of penta- and hexa-PCB congeners in fishes at Lake Tai may suggest the use of highly chlorinated PCB product, such as PCB(5), around this lake. To our knowledge, this is a first comprehensive study to examine the present status of organochlorine contamination in various environmental media, such as sediments, soils and wildlife, in China.     

Spider silk has an ice nucleation activity

Several ice nucleating substances have been identified, which exist in vivo or can be extracted from biological materials. Spider silk, which has a strong ability for water condensation, has also been found to possess an ice nucleation activity. The freezing temperature of water droplets was higher in the presence than in the absence of spider silk. Moreover, by means of environmental scanning electron microscopy, it was observed that the activity is not due to foreign matter attached to the silk but to the silk fibroin itself.     

Food delivery and sibling competition in experimentally even-aged broods of the cattle egret

Summary The age of nestlings was made even in 12 nests of cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) by exchanging young chicks or eggs in a breeding colory in Japan. The growth of chicks in such synchronously hatching broods (SHBs) grew almost as fast as first-hatched chicks in 38 control (asynchronously hatching) broods (AHBs). Four last-hatched chicks in AHBs but no chicks in SHBs died of starvation. The frequency of parental nest-visits with food, that of begging food by chicks, and food mass eaten by chicks were greater in SHBs than in AHBs during the first half of the nestling period and similar thereafter. Dominance rank within each SHB was formed through ritualistic fights among siblings. It was correlated with neither growth rates nor winning ratios in food contests, but in some SHBs the subordinate chicks were attacked more frequently by dominant siblings during food contests than in AHBs. The most subordinate chick in one SHB died as a direct result of such attacks. Sibling aggressions were more frequent in SHBs than in AHBs.     

Method of Producing Biodegradable Reference Material and its Biodegradability Based on International Standard Evaluation Method (ISO 14855-2)

Returnable cups made of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) are employed as an example of products made of biodegradable plastics. Two kinds of PLA samples plates and powders with different shapes were prepared from PLA cups. The plates were cut from a cup using nippers. Powders were prepared using a rotation mechanical mixer for 45 min. PLA powders were separated by sieves with 60 meshes (250 μm) into a size ranging from 0 to 250 μm. An average diameter of powders separated by a sieve is 169 μm. Biodegradation tests of PLA plates, PLA powders and cellulose powders in controlled compost at 58 °C were performed using a Microbial Oxidative Degradation Analyzer (MODA) instrument according to ISO 14855-2. PLA powders showed almost the same biodegradation curve as that of cellulose powders. PLA plates biodegraded at a slower rate than PLA powders.     

Effect of exposure test conditions on leaching behavior of inorganic contaminants from recycled materials for roadbeds

Throughout the utilization of recycled materials, weathering factors such as humidity, gas composition and temperature have the potential to change the material properties and enhance the release of inorganic contaminants. In this research, the effects of weathering factors on recycled gravel materials for roadbeds were evaluated by applying three kinds of accelerating exposure tests: freezing–melting cycle test, carbonation test, and dry–humid cycle test. The effects of exposure tests were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and serial batch leaching test, making it possible to identify the change in release mechanisms. Sixteen elements, mainly metals, were investigated. Tested samples were molten slag from municipal solid waste, molten slag from automobile shredded residue, and crushed natural stone.After the exposure tests, the increase of cumulative release in the leaching test was generally less than 2.0 times that of the samples without the exposure test. Among the three test conditions, freezing–melting showed a slightly higher effect of enhancing the release of constituents. XRD analysis showed no change in chemical species. From these results, it was determined that the stony samples were stable enough so that their properties were not significantly changed by the exposure tests.