Modeling the Production and Uses of Biological Resources from the Viewpoint of Energy Flow in a Rural Village in Sichuan,China

This study aimed at clarifying the impact of deforestation and afforestation on the quality of life in a village in Sichuan Province, China. We devised a conceptual model of bioresource production and use based on quantified energy flow. The basic structure of the model has three sectors: production, use, and externals. We developed comprehensive methodology to quantify the model. Bioresource use per person in 1997 was 3.7 GJ for food, 10.2 GJ for fodder, 0.2–0.4 GJ for building material, 12.8 GJ for fuel, and 1.8 GJ for fertilizer, totaling 28.6–28.8 GJ.We used four environmental indicators to evaluate bioresource production and use: a biological productivity indicator, a use-efficiency indicator, a supply–demand balance indicator, and a self-sufficiency indicator. Use of these indicators showed that supply-demand balance of fuel was dramatically improved from 30% to 85% by afforestation, but 99% of bioresource use still depends on domestic products. Thus, it is necessary to improve biological productivity and promote the efficient use of bioresources to achieve sustainable living in the area. Massive deforestation in the 1950s caused a direct shortage of building material and fuel wood. The shortage of wood led to a stagnation in the rebuilding of houses, and fuel wood was substituted with crop residues. Because crop residues had been used for fertilizer and fodder, their use as fuel caused a shortage of fertilizer and fodder. This was an indirect impact of deforestation on peoples quality of life.     

Incorporation of 32PO4 directly taken-up into acid-soluble phosphates of Artemia salina

A study of the direct uptake by Artemia salina of phosphate ion from the medium and its incorporation into acid-soluble organic phosphorous compounds over a range of exposure time from 2 to 30 min, using ³²PO₄ ion, indicated that the phosphate ion was directly taken up and was rapidly incorporated into the energy-rich compounds, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), guanosine triphosphate (GTP), and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), which were separated by ion-exchange chromatography using Dowex-1, X2. Even after an exposure of 2 min, the sum of the radioactivity of nucleotide-fractions was 37.4% of that of the whole acid-soluble extract. The most rapid incorporation of ³²P occurred into ATP, followed by GTP and ADP. The amount of ³²P incorporated into each fraction increased with increased exposure, giving straight lines when the radioactivity of each fraction was plotted against the exposure time on a logarithmic scale. Almost no difference, however, was observed in the distribution rate of ³²P into each fraction at 2, 5, 10 and 30 min. These results show that inorganic phosphate absorbed by A. salina is rapidly incorporated into the energy-rich nucleotides, and that a dynamic equilibrium is established among various acid-soluble phosphorous compounds even after very short periods of time.     

A new class of mealybug pheromones: a hemiterpene ester in the sex pheromone of Crisicoccus matsumotoi

Mealybugs, which include several agricultural pests, are small sap feeders covered with a powdery wax. They exhibit clear sexual dimorphism; males are winged but fragile and short lived, whereas females are windless and less mobile. Thus, sex pheromones emitted by females facilitate copulation and reproduction by serving as a key navigation tool for males. Although the structures of the hitherto known mealybug pheromones vary among species, they have a common structural motif; they are carboxylic esters of monoterpene alcohols with irregular non-head-to-tail linkages. However, in the present study, we isolated from the Matsumoto mealybug, Crisicoccus matsumotoi (Siraiwa), a pheromone with a completely different structure. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we identified the pheromone as 3-methyl-3-butenyl 5-methylhexanoate. Its attractiveness to males was confirmed in a series of field trapping experiments involving comparison between the isolated natural product and a synthetic sample. This is the first report of a hemiterpene mealybug pheromone. In addition, the acid moiety (5-methylhexanoate) appears to be rare in insect pheromones.     

Fluorescence immunoassay using an optical fiber for determination of Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f1)

Immunoassay methods are generally used for measuring of allergenic substances. However, they need special facilities, skilled handling, and time-consuming procedure. In this work, a fiber-optic immunoassay system which could measure allergen by fluorescent intensities of immune complexes formed by allergens and fluorescently labeled antibodies was established. Immune complexes absorbed on the optical fiber probe surface, and excitation light was injected into the probe, then evanescent field is created in the proximity of the probe. The fluorophores were excited by the evanescent light, and fluorescence was detected by a photo diode. The target allergen detected by our system was Der f1 derived from Dermatophagoides farinae that is one of the house dust mite and major source of inhaled allergens. The fluorophore used labeling on detecting antibody was cyanine 5. The system enabled to detect and quantitatively determine of Der f1. The measurement range was from 0.24 to 250?ng/ml, and the result competes with ELISA. The measurement time was 16?min/sample. The immunoassay system was applied to measurement of Der f1 from actual dust samples. Calculated values of Der f1 showed good correlations between the fiber-optic fluoroimmunoassay and ELISA.     

Removal of estrogens by electrochemical oxidation process

Treatments of estrogens such as Estrone(E1), Estradiol(E2) and Ethinylestradiol(EE2) were conducted using an electrolytic reactor equipped with multi-packed granular glassy carbon electrodes.Experimental results showed that E1, E2 and EE2 were oxidized in the range of 0.45–0.85 V and were removed through electro-polymerization. Observed data from continuous experiments were in good agreement with calculated results by a mathematical model constructed based on mass transfer limitation. In continuous treatment of trace estrogens(1 μg/L), 98% of E1, E2 and EE2 were stably removed. At high loading rate(100 μg/L), removal efficiency of E1 was kept around 74%–88% for21 days, but removal efficiency reduced due to passivation of electrodes. However, removal efficiency was recovered after electrochemical regeneration of electrodes in presence of ozone. Electric energy consumption was observed in the range of 1–2 Wh/m3. From these results, we concluded that the present electrochemical process would be an alternative removal of estrogens.     

Carbon-14 transfer into rice plants from a continuous atmospheric source: observations and model predictions

Carbon-14 ((14)C) is one of the most important radionuclides from the perspective of dose estimation due to the nuclear fuel cycle. Ten years of monitoring data on (14)C in airborne emissions, in atmospheric CO(2) and in rice grain collected around the Tokai reprocessing plant (TRP) showed an insignificant radiological effect of the TRP-derived (14)C on the public, but suggested a minor contribution of the TRP-derived (14)C to atmospheric (14)C concentrations, and an influence on (14)C concentrations in rice grain at harvest. This paper also summarizes a modelling exercise (the so-called rice scenario of the IAEA's EMRAS program) in which (14)C concentrations in air and rice predicted with various models using information on (14)C discharge rates, meteorological conditions and so on were compared with observed concentrations. The modelling results showed that simple Gaussian plume models with different assumptions predict monthly averaged (14)C concentrations in air well, even for near-field receptors, and also that specific activity and dynamic models were equally good for the prediction of inter-annual changes in (14)C concentrations in rice grain. The scenario, however, offered little opportunity for comparing the predictive capabilities of these two types of models because the scenario involved a near-chronic release to the atmosphere. A scenario based on an episodic release and short-term, time-dependent observations is needed to establish the overall confidence in the predictions of environmental (14)C models.     

Recent advances in ionic liquids-based hybrid processes for CO2 capture and utilization

CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) is an effective strategy to mitigate global warming. Absorption, adsorption and membranes are methods used for CO₂ separation and capture, and various catalytic pathways have also been developed for CO₂ utilization. Although widely researched and used in industry, these processes are energy-intensive and this challenge needs to be overcome. To realize further optimization, novel materials and processes are continuously being developed. New generation materials such as ionic liquids (ILs) have shown promising potential for cost-effective CO₂ capture and utilization. This study reviews the current status of ILs-based solvents, adsorbents, membranes, catalysts and their hybrid processes for CO₂ capture and utilization. The special properties of ILs are integrated into new materials through hybridization, which significantly improves the performance in the process of CCU.     

Large-scale evaluation of the current level of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk from 13 regions of Japan

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in 2004 in 105 breast milk samples collected from 13 regions of Japan (Hokkaido, Akita, Miyagi, Tokyo, Gifu, Fukui, Kyoto, Hyogo, Wakayama, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Kochi and Okinawa). Six congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153 and BDE-154) were determined by gas chromatography /mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total PBDE levels ranged from 0.01 to 23.0 ng/g lipid (geometric mean (GM), 1.34 ng/g lipid). BDE-47 (GM, 0.66 ng/g lipid, 59% of sigmaPBDE) was the most abundant congener present in breast milk and was detected in 99% of the samples. Total PBDE levels were higher in northern Japan than in other regions. We analyzed the effects of occupation, age, smoking status, alcohol consumption and number of deliveries on total PBDE levels. None of these factors were significantly associated with the level of PBDEs. The present study revealed that the current level of exposure to PBDEs in Japan is lower than that in the USA or Sweden. GMs (ng/g lipid) (GSD, geometric standard deviation) and medians (ng/g lipid) of PBDE levels in each district are as follows: Hokkaido 2.70 (1.70), 2.74; Akita 4.49 (2.19), 5.44; Miyagi 1.77 (4.37), 1.11; Tokyo 1.39 (2.09), 1.63, Gifu 2.83 (4.79), 2.23; Fukui 1.05 (2.34), 1.18; Kyoto 1.31 (2.95), 1.33; Hyogo 1.02 (2.69), 0.88; Wakayama 1.33 (3.80), 1.70; Shimane 0.83 (2.51), 0.66; Yamaguchi 1.74 (2.82), 1.76; Kochi 0.50 (2.69), 0.74 and Okinawa 1.91 (2.75), 1.22. This is the first large-scale study of current PBDE levels in breast milk in Japan.     

Visual determination of nitrite and nitrate in waters by color band formation method

A spot test for aqueous nitrate and nitrite for controlling nitrogen removal performance in small-scale wastewater treatment facilities is proposed. In this method, NO(2)(-) ion in water samples was allowed to react with sulfanilic acid and 1-naphthol to form an anionic azo dye. The resulting colored solution was introduced onto a mini column (similar to a gas detecting tube) packed with PVC particles coated with benzyl cetyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (BCDMA) and biphenyl. The NO(2)(-)-N concentration was determined visually by measuring the color band length (CBL) in the column. The CBL correlates linearly with nitrite concentration in the 4-20 mg-N l(-1) range. The concentration of nitrite+nitrate was determined after reduction to nitrite with zinc. The concentration of NO(3)(-)-N species was calculated by difference. This method was used to visually determine the concentrations of NO(2)(-)-N and (NO(2)(-)+NO(3)(-))-N in domestic wastewater samples with maximum suspended solid (SS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations of 114 mg l(-1) and 73.9 mg l(-1), respectively.