Profile and removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals by using an ER/AR competitive ligand binding assay and chemical analyses

An estrogen receptor (ER)/androgen receptor (AR) ligand competitive binding assay (ER/AR-binding assay) and chemical analyses were used to evaluate the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) behavior of two municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (K and S). In the influents, estrone (E1), androsterone (A), androstenedione (AD), BPA (bisphenol A), NP (nonylphenol) and daidzein (DZ) were detected in high amounts with subsequent 24 h-average concentrations of 350, 1000, 29, 1300, 3900, and 5700 ng/L in K-WWTP and of 310, 620, 59, 1600, 2600, and 8400 ng/L in S-WWTP. The estrogenic (androgenic) activity as 17 -estradiol (E2) equivalents (EEQ) or testosterone (Te) equivalents (TEQ) was consequently 620 ng E2/L (570 ng Te/L) and 580 ng E2/L (800 ng Te/L) for the two WWTPs. The removal e ciencies of the above mentioned sole target chemicals were 51%–100% for K-WWTP and 55.6%–100% for S-WWTP. The removal e ciencies of EEQ were about 73% for both WWTPs, while the removal e ciencies of TEQ were 62.1% for K-WWTP and 98.4% for S-WWTP. In addition, chemical-derived EEQ were about 1.2%–52.4% of those by ER-binding assay for K-WWTP and the corresponding ratios were 1.3%–83.3% for S-WWTP, while chemical derived TEQ were less than 3% of values measured by the AR-binding assay for both WWTPs.     

Benefit of suites of defensive behavior induced by predator chemical cues on anuran tadpoles, Hyla japonica

When predator chemical cues are present, low activity of prey is a commonly seen defensive behavior. However, few studies have explored the functional implications of the defensive behaviors and, thus, elucidated the possible linkages between behavioral responses and its consequences. In this study, we experimentally investigated how behavioral responses of Hyla japonica tadpoles to predator chemical cues affect vulnerability to a dragonfly nymph Anax parthenope julius. The frequency of tadpoles attacked by dragonfly nymphs was lower with chemical cues of predator was present than without chemical cues, and most of attacks occurred when tadpoles were mobile. When tadpoles were exposed to chemical cues, on the other hand, their swimming speed was quicker and swimming distance was longer, respectively, and the rates of being approached of the swimming tadpoles by dragonfly nymph was lower than those not exposed to chemical cues. We found that the tadpoles are induced by predator chemical cues not only to generally lower activity but also to swim in bursts as additional behavior and that the suite of their behavioral responses reduce the vulnerability against dragonfly nymph. Tadpoles can receive information about the predation risks by chemical cues and adjust their defensive behavior accordingly.     

Effects of light quality on initiation and development of meroplanktonic diatom blooms in a eutrophic shallow sea

We investigated the effects of light quality on resting stage cell germination and vegetative cell growth of meroplanktonic diatoms in a small port in Hakata Bay, Japan and in the laboratory. During the investigation over the year of 2006, the meroplanktonic diatom bloom first occurred in the end of May and then repeated wane and wax until October in the small port. From late April to middle May, light penetrating the water column was often strong and attenuations of all spectral lights were low. During this period, Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira minima, and Chaetoceros sp. appeared frequently, followed by the blooms of S. costatum and Chaetoceros sp. in late May. Thereafter, S. costatum and Chaetoceros sp. bloomed in late June but not in middle June, when pigmented flagellates bloom appeared. The attenuation of short-wavelength light such as violet and blue lights was markedly high during these diatom and flagellate blooms; all blooms disappeared within several days. Vegetative cell strains of the three diatoms under light emitting diodes (LEDs) with six different spectra (violet, blue, green, orange, red, and near-infrared) grew at a higher rate under short-wavelength light, violet and blue. On the other hand, when suspensions of bottom sediments from Hakata Bay were cultured under the same LEDs and in the dark, vegetative cells of S. costatum appeared under all LEDs except for orange and near-infrared, vegetative cells of T. minima appeared under all LEDs but not in the dark, and vegetative cells of Chaetoceros sp. appeared under violet and blue LEDs. However, vegetative cell densities of the three diatoms increased much more under violet light than under other LEDs within a short period (6 days). Our study indicates that underwater penetration by short-wavelength light, such as violet and blue, may be an important factor in the initiation and development of meroplanktonic diatom blooms.     

Evaluation of thermally treated asbestos based on fiber number concentration determined by transmission electron microscopy

Appropriate treatment of asbestos waste is a significant problem. In Japan, inertization of asbestos-containing waste by novel techniques approved by the Ministry of the Environment is now promoted. A quantitative method of testing with high sensitivity to the asbestos levels present in the inertization products is required for the approval process, but many testing methods are only qualitative. Thus, we have developed an evaluation method for asbestos in inertized products, consisting of the extraction of fibers from inertized products and determination of fiber number concentration by transmission electron microscopy. We adopted this testing method to evaluate thermally treated asbestos. It was found that fiber number concentrations of thermally treated asbestos decreased with increased treatment temperature, and were below the environmental level (10² Mf/g) at more than 1000 °C for chrysotile and crocidolite and more than 1400 °C for amosite and other amphibole forms of asbestos.     

Evaluation of river pollution of neonicotinoids in Osaka City (Japan) by LC/MS with dopant-assisted photoionisation

An atmospheric pressure photoionisation (APPI) source for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was applied to determine neonicotinoid pesticides in the aquatic environment. Dopant-assisted APPI was very effective in the ionisation of neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids generated protonated molecules in APPI with high sensitivity, while adduct ions, such as sodiated molecules, were predominantly generated in conventional electrospray ionisation. The ionisation of neonicotinoids was confirmed by ultra-high-resolution MS. An analytical method coupled with solid phase extraction was developed for acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, and thiamethoxam. Method detection limits were 0.47 to 2.1 ng L(-1) for six neonicotinoids. Dinotefuran was the most frequent and highest among the neonicotinoids examined in the aquatic environment in Osaka, Japan. The maximum concentration of dinotefuran was 220 ng L(-1). Given the toxicity of neonicotinoids for aquatic creatures, the concentrations observed here were substantially low. The change in concentrations was temporally coincident with the period of the neonicotinoid application. Although rapid photodegradation and some degradation products have been elucidated, the degradation products in the aquatic environment were not identified in the present study.     

Analyzing the hydrologic effects of region-wide land and water development interventions: a case study of the Upper Blue Nile basin

In the drylands of the Upper Blue Nile basin, high climate variability and land degradation are rampant. To enhance adaptive capacity in the region, various soil and water conservation interventions have been implemented. Moreover, water resources development schemes such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam should be implemented by 2025. We modeled the effects of these interventions on surface runoff in the basin for both current and future (2025) basin conditions, using the runoff coefficient method in a spatially explicit approach. Under current conditions, we observed high spatial variability of mean annual runoff. The northeastern Blue Nile-1 sub-basin produces the highest mean annual runoff (391 mm or 10 × 10⁹ m³), whereas the northwestern Blue Nile-2 sub-basin produces the lowest mean annual runoff (178 mm or 0.2 × 10⁹ m³). The basin generates a total annual runoff volume of 47.7 × 10⁹ m³, of which about 54 % comes from cultivated land. The strong association between land use and topography masked the direct effect of rainfall on runoff. By 2025, total annual runoff yield could decrease by up to 38 % if appropriate basin-wide soil and water conservation interventions and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam are implemented. However, the full effects of most physical structures will only last for 1 or 2 years without regular maintenance. The improved understanding of the dynamics of the Upper Blue Nile basin’s hydrology provided by the present study will help planners to design appropriate management scenarios. Developing the basin’s database remains important for a holistic understanding of the impacts of future development interventions.     

Synthesis of novel polymer type sulfoxide solid phase combined with the porogen imprinting for enabling selective separation of polychlorinated biphenyls

We developed a novel polymer type sulfoxide-modified solid phase enabling to achieve selective separation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from insulation oil. In this study, firstly we prepared base-polymer based on the concept of the molecular imprinting to capture PCBs in selectively, then, the sulfoxide groups were modified on the pore surface of base-polymers by changing preparation methods. As results of liquid chromatographic analyses for the polymers as columns, the base-polymer prepared by xylene as a porogenic solvent showed selective retention ability for chlorinated aromatic compounds by the porogen imprinting effect. Additionally, the polymer-type sulfoxide solid phases showed highly retention ability for PCBs by increasing amount of introduced sulfoxide groups. Consequently, the results of separation of PCBs comparing to insulation oil suggested that the prepared solid phase can be used for the selective separation of PCBs at the same level as a commercially available media utilized for the regulated method.     

Distribution of pesticides and bisphenol A in sediments collected from rivers adjacent to coral reefs

To investigate the deteriorating health of coral reefs in Okinawa, Japan, natural sediment samples were analyzed for diuron, Irgarol 1051, chlorpyrifos, and bisphenol A (BPA) which are hazardous to corals. Samples were analyzed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). Although diuron and chlorpyrifos usage is only well recorded for farms and not for cities, these chemicals were detected in both rural and urban areas. Additionally, diuron concentration in urban areas was in some cases higher than in rural areas, which might be caused by greater consumption of these chemicals in home gardens in city areas. Irgarol 1051 was detected in downstream river areas, which are situated far from the source sites such as pier or fishery harbor (0.6–3.2 km). This result suggested that Irgarol 1051 could be transported from the river mouths to the sampling sites during flood tides. High BPA concentrations were associated with urban areas (<1.2–22.0 μg kg⁻¹), while low concentrations were associated with rural areas (nd–6.8 μg kg⁻¹). The river sediments under study are delivered to coral reefs in large quantity through runoff caused by typhoons and other heavy rains. The highly hazardous chemicals are carried into coral reefs on these sediments. Therefore, these hazardous chemical substances may already be influencing the coral reefs.     

Evaluation by year of the valuable/hazardous material content of lithium-ion secondary battery cells and other components of notebook computer battery packs

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Our objective was to provide the information necessary to efficiently recover metals from end-of-life lithium-ion secondary batteries by assessing...     

Response of streamflow to climate variability and changes in human activities in the semiarid highlands of northern Ethiopia

Regional Environmental Change - Climate variability and human activities are two major drivers influencing changes in streamflow response of a watershed, and thus assessing their relative effect is...