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.     

Formation of dioxin analogs by open-air incineration of waste wood and by fire of buildings and houses concerning Hanshin Great Earthquake in Japan

Ash samples were collected from site of open-air incineration and fire concerning Hanshin Great Earthquake which occurred in western Japan in the early morning of 17 January 1995. The average concentrations of total sum of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs in ash collected from wood scrap of broken building fire site, house fire site, shoe-making factory fire site and electric appliances store fire site were 541, 442, 859 and 22,800 pgTEQ/g, respectively. Particularly, PCDFs among dioxin analogs generated remarkably at sites with a high TEQ. In addition, 79,000 t of ash was totally produced at five open-air incineration sites, and consequently the formation amount of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs was estimated to be 70.7 gTEQ on the basis of these analytical data.     

Combustible and incombustible speciation of Cl and S in various components of municipal solid waste

Chlorine (Cl) and sulfur (S) in municipal solid waste (MSW) are important reactive elements during combustion. They generate the acidic pollutants HCl and SOx, and, furthermore, produce and suppress organic chlorinated compounds. Nevertheless, few practical reports about Cl and S content in MSW have been published. In combustion and recycling processes, both combustible Cl and S, and incombustible Cl and S species are equally important. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study about combustible and incombustible Cl and S in MSW components, including kitchen garbage, paper, textiles, wood and leaves, plastics and small chips. By integrating this collected data with data about MSW composition, not only the overall content of Cl and S in MSW, but also the origins of both combustible and incombustible Cl and S were estimated. The average Cl content in bulk MSW was 3.7 g/kg of raw MSW, of which 2.7 and 1.0 g/kg were combustible and incombustible, respectively. The Cl contribution from plastics was 76% and 27% with respect to combustible and incombustible states. The average S content in bulk MSW was 0.81 g/kg of raw MSW, of which 0.46 g/kg was combustible and 0.35 g/kg was incombustible. Combustible S was mainly due to synthetic textiles, while incombustible S was primarily from paper.     

Geology-dependent impacts of forest conversion on stream fish diversity

Forest conversion is one of the greatest global threats to biodiversity, and land-use change and subsequent biodiversity declines sometimes occur over a variety of underlying geologies. However, how forest conversion and underlying geology interact to alter biodiversity is underappreciated, although spatial variability in geology is considered an integral part of sustaining ecosystems. We aimed to examine the effects of forest conversion to farmland, the underlying geology, and their interaction on the stream fishes’ diversity, evenness, and abundance in northeastern Japan. We disentangled complex pathways between abiotic and biotic factors with structural equation modeling. Species diversity of stream fishes was indirectly shaped by the interaction of land use and underlying geology. Diversity declined due to nutrient enrichment associated with farmlands, which was mainly the result of changes in evenness rather than by changes in species richness. This impact was strongest in streams with volcanic geology with coarse substrates probably because of the differential responses of abundant stream fishes to nutrient enrichment (i.e., dominance) and the high dependency of these fishes on large streambed materials during their life cycles. Our findings suggest that remediation of deforested or degraded forest landscapes would be more efficient if the interaction between land use and underlying geology was considered. For example, the negative impacts of farmland on evenness were larger in streams with volcanic geology than in other stream types, suggesting that riparian forest restoration along such streams would efficiently provide restoration benefits to stream fishes. Our results also suggest that land clearing around such streams should be avoided to conserve species evenness of stream fishes.     

Microscopic synchrotron X-ray analysis of mercury waste in simulated landfill experiments

Mercury enters into the environment or waste streams because it is present as an impurity in natural minerals. Mercury must be appropriately managed as an hazardous waste. In this study, a waste layer of artificial mercury sulfide mixed with incinerator ash and sewage sludge compost in a simulated landfill experiment for 5 years was analyzed using microscopic synchrotron X-ray to obtain basic knowledge of mercury behavior in a landfill. Mapping by synchrotron X-ray revealed the distribution of mercury-containing particles in the waste layer. In most cases, the movement of mercury sulfide was not considered significant even within a microscopic range; however, water flows could enhance the movement of mercury sulfide particles. When disposing of mercury sulfide, “concentrated placement” or solidification, rather than mixing with other wastes, was more effective at preventing mercury leaching in lysimeters. The chemical form of mercury sulfide in each lysimeter was confirmed by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis, which showed that most of the mercury was present as metacinnabar and had not undergone any changes, indicating that it was extremely stable. The microscopic synchrotron X-ray analysis proved very useful for studying the behavior of mercury waste in a simulated landfill experiment.

     

Characterization and mapping of enset-based home-garden agroforestry for sustainable landscape management of the Gurage socioecological landscape in Ethiopia

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Developing strategies that counter the ongoing homogenization trends of home-garden agroforestry systems is required to maintain diversity and...