Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and related compounds in breast milk of Japanese primiparas and multiparas

We analyzed polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and related compounds in the breast milk of primiparas and multiparas, and estimated the levels transferred to newborns by breast milk in Western Japan. 2,3,7,8-TeCDD equivalents (TEQ) of the chemicals in primiparas decreased slightly from 1994 to 1996. In particular, decreases of the TEQs of total PCDDs and total coplanar PCBs were higher than that of total PCDFs. In 2,3,7,8-TeCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD, 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF, 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB concentrations, those in the breast milk of multiparas were significantly lower than those in the breast milk of primiparas (p < 0.05, lipid basis). Based on the assumption that newborns ingest 120 g of breast milk per kg body weight per day, the amounts converted to TEQ values were 121 pg/kg/day (primiparas) and 97.2 pg/kg/day (multiparas).     

Recent trend of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and their related compounds in the blood and sebum of Yusho and Yu Cheng patients

We investigated the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and their related compounds in blood and sebum from Yusho and Yu-Cheng patients and findings compared with those of normal subjects. Concentrations of these compounds in blood and sebum still were obviously reflected the chemical concentration in the causal rice oil ingested 17 or 26 years since the outbreak. In addition, sebum form the body surface was the most useful sample for monitoring the amount of chemicals contaminating the human body.     

Control of metal toxicity, effluent COD and regeneration of gel beads by immobilized sulfate-reducing bacteria

Over the last few decades, the use of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the treatment of heavy-metal containing wastewaters including acid mine drainage has become a topic of scientific and commercial interest. However, technical difficulties such as the sensitivity of SRB to toxic metals and high effluent COD limit the widespread use of SRB in high heavy-metal containing wastewater. The aim of this study was to clarify the reasons why the immobilized SRB sludge with inner cohesive carbon source (ISIS) process can endure high metal toxicity and decrease effluent COD. The ISIS process can physically set apart SRB and free the system of external influences such as the surrounding toxic metallic ions, as well as form inner carbon sources to avoid high effluent COD. Metal toxicity and bead durability are the two major factors which influence the regeneration and reuse of gel beads. Reuse of suspended SRB sludge and beads crosslinked with boric acid were unsuccessful due to metal toxicity and agglomeration of beads, respectively. However, beads crosslinked with ammonium sulfate prevented agglomeration of beads allowing successful bead regeneration and reuse. The result of four cyclic trials showed that over 99% of zinc was removed in each trial using these beads.     

Direct assessment of international consistency of standards for ground-level ozone: strategy and implementation toward metrological traceability network in Asia

An international exercise to directly assess consistency of standards for ground-level ozone in East Asia was conducted as part of the East Asian Regional Experiment 2005 (EAREX 2005) in the framework of the Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABC) project. Ten organizations collaboratively participated in the intercomparison. Four groups representing Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan made comparisons at the Gosan super observatory, Jeju Island, Korea, in March 2005, with ozone instruments calibrated to their national standards, and four Japanese groups made off-site comparisons with laboratory-level standards. All comparisons generally indicated good agreement with the standard reference photometer (SRP) 35, built by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA) and maintained by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (Japan). The assessment was expanded to measurement networks contributing to the World Meteorological Organization's Global Atmospheric Watch (WMO/GAW) program as part of off-site comparisons, and excellent agreement was achieved. These efforts contribute to propagating traceability of the national metrology standards among the atmospheric science community, to ensuring comparability of the existing ozone measurements, and to establishing an integrated network of air quality monitoring in Asia.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and related compounds: The blood levels of young Japanese women

We investigated PCDDs and related compounds in the blood of young Japanese women, approximately 20 years of age, who had not yet had children, and discussed how the TEQ level of PCDDs and related compounds in their blood may affect the next generation. Means of total TEQ levels were 0.063 pg/g for whole blood basis and 21 pg/g for lipid basis. TEQ of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs accounted for about 43, 34 and 23% of the total TEQ in the whole blood basis, respectively. In the lipid basis, their values were about 44, 34 and 22%, respectively. Previously, we investigated PCDDs and related compounds levels in mother's breast milk, lymphocyte subpopulation and thyroid function of their children, and found negative correlations between the TEQ level of PCDDs and related compounds and CD4+/CD8+, and/or the TEQ level of PCDDs and related compounds and the T₄ level in 36 mothers and children. Of these cases, the average age was approximately 28 years. PCDDs and related compounds may be related to immunopathy, such as atopic dermatitis. The effects of PCDDs and related compounds on babies of young Japanese women are important and must be further evaluated.     

The origin of extensive colour polymorphism in Plateumaris sericea (Chrysomelidae,Coleoptera)

Evidence is presented to demonstrate that colour polymorphism in a beetle arises from structural colours produced by a five-layered reflector in the elytron. The colour of leaf beetles, Plateumaris sericea, ranges across the visible spectrum from blackish-blue to red. The elytra have two distinct layers: epicuticle and exocuticle. Morphological observations reveal that the multilayer structure within the exocuticle differs little among the different colour morphs but the layers within the epicuticle have characteristic thicknesses corresponding to the observed colour. The reflectors, consisting of five layers within the epicuticle, are responsible for all the different colours observed in P. sericea, as shown by theoretical analyses for a multilayer stack, and by showing that removal of the elytral surface, including epicuticle, results in the disappearance of the iridescent colour.     

Effects of donor age and contamination level of dioxins and related chemicals on frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocytes cultured in vitro

Frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) of human lymphocytes in control (DMSO treated) and 7,8-benzoflavone (ANF) treated cultures were measured in 39 healthy Japanese people and examined in connection with donor age. Both the control (baseline) and ANF induced SCE rates were significantly enhanced with age and highly positive correlation was observed between them. Therefore, in vivo aging seemed to have some effects on the frequencies of SCEs in human lymphocytes cultured in vitro. Concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs in the blood and sebum of face were determined in the same Japanese subjects. Significantly positive correlation was observed between the blood and sebum in their total TEQ levels. Hence, PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs, which have been contaminating human bodies, are considered proportionally excreted from the sebum of face or body. Their total TEQ concentrations were also meaningfully increased with donor age in the sebum of face as well as in the blood. Either the baseline or ANF induced SCE frequencies was not enhanced with the total TEQ levels in the blood. Therefore, background levels of their contamination seem not to affect the SCE rates of the lymphocytes in the control and ANF treated cultures.     

Investigation of the hemolytic effects of various organophosphoric acid triesters (OPEs) and their structure‐activity relationship

The hemolytic effects of various organophosphonc acid triesters (OPEs) were investigated and they showed strong hemolyic toxicity except triethyl phosphate and tris(chloroethyl)phosphate. 2‐Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP) showed the strongest toxicity. By quantitative structure‐activity relationship (QSAR) study, one‐parameter regression equation to estimate hemolysis was not obtained. But, two‐parameter regression equations were obtained which were enought to estimate EC₅₀ and EC₂₀. The correlation coefficients with the two‐parameter regression equations were 0.939 for log(l/EC₅₀) and 0.946 for log(l/EC₂₀).     

Pore structure and adsorption properties of carbonized material prepared from waste paper

We have already reported the adsorptivity and pore structure of activated carbon made from waste newspaper in order to use the waste paper for purposes other than paper-making stock. However, manufacturing the activated carbon may not necessarily be an advantageous method based on environmental concerns and the effective use of the resource because the reaction during the activating process is endothermic and the amount of carbon consumed is significant. Here, we examine the pore structure and adsorption properties of waste newspaper used as an adsorbent in the form of a carbonized material. Waste newspaper was carbonized for 2 h in the temperature range 400°–1000°C. The specific surface area of the carbonized material obtained, 418 m²/g, was highest for the sample carbonized at 800°C, which was equal to or greater than that of commercially available charcoal. Moreover, the iodine adsorption number of 581 mg/g was the highest and the rate of adsorption was the fastest for the sample carbonized at 800°C. However, the humidity control capability was highest for the material carbonized at 600°–700°C. It has been determined that it is advantageous to carbonize waste paper at 800°C in order to use the carbonized material as an adsorbent, while carbonization at 600°–700°C is more advantageous for use as a humidity control material. Received: June 23, 2000 / Accepted: January 17, 2001