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When an inversion layer forms, particulate matter (PM) stagnates in the upper part of the inversion layer. The PM falls to the ground as an inversion layer collapses. This phenomenon generally called fumigation. We sampled radiation fog by constant volume (50 mL) continuously from occurrence to disappearance of radiation fog at Takanosu Basin to clarify the pollution mechanism of radiation fog by fumigation. Our results show that the absolute equivalent of pollutants in fog water such as (NH4)2SO4 and NaCl for eight events increased during the early morning, immediately before the disappearance of radiation fog. Using the series sampling by constant volume of the radiation fog, it was clarified that the increase in pollutant of air by fumigation results in the increase of pollutant in fog droplets.

Particulate matter (PM) was collected at the Hachimantai mountain range in northern Japan. In the present study, the origin and transportation course of the heavy metal elements were discussed for PMfine and PMcoarse, determined by using PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) and back trajectory analyses. The result shows that the PMfine emitted mainly from artificial sources, compared with the PMcoarse from natural sources, since the Enrichment Factor (EF) value and S/K ratio of PMfine was one order higher than that of PMcoarse. The origin of Pb in PM at Akita Hachimantai mountain range has both of the anthropogenic and the metal refining origins, using the analysis of Pb/Br. Furthermore, from result of back trajectory analysis when the air mass was transported over the Japanese Islands, the air mass was mainly passed over the large-scale industrial area in Japan. The origin of As and Se were mainly gasoline and coal combustion, and were transported from Chinese continent and/or Korea peninsula. NMCC ANNUAL REPORT 16 (2009)

Generally, in the case of agricultural products, some difficulties, resulting from the broad peak intensity and extensive overlapping of NIR absorption bands derived from complex chemical components that exist in the sample, arise in relation to specific functionalities of those spectra. This study is intended to specify the NIR spectra of rice bran depending on different percentages of rice polishing. Sample sets were prepared by polishing and grinding away 5% increments of the original mass of grains to leave 95%―45% of the kernels in successive sets. These samples showed a stepwise increase or decrease of localized chemical constituents: moisture, protein, carbohydrates, etc. Using this approach on a rice bran sample set, basic vibrational information was elucidated for the assignment of absorption bands of rice bran.

Fluorogenic host capped regioselectively at the lower rim, 2A, 2x-disulfonyl dibenzosulfolane-diphenyl capped β-cyclodextrin (X = D for β-1) and γ-cyclodextrins (X = C, D and E for γ-1, γ-2 and γ-3), respectively, have been investigated their fluorescent molecular sensing properties for endocrine disruptors in an aqueous solution. These capping cyclodextrins exhibited monomer fluorescence, in which these hosts fluorescence decreased in intensity on accommodation of endocrine disruptors. The extent of fluorescence variation with a guest was employed to evaluate the sensing abilities of the hosts, using the parameter (ΔI/I0) as a sensing factor of the hosts for the guests. Hosts β-1, γ-2 and γ-3 detected phenolic guests such as 3, 4-dichlorophenol, 2, 4, 6-trichlorophenol, p-nonylphenol, and bisphenol A with high sensitivities, and especially, these three hosts exhibited the highest sensitivities for bisphenol A. The sequences of binding of the hosts were γ-3>β-1>γ-2>γ-1 for 3, 4-dichlorophenol and 2, 4, 6-trichlorophenol and β-1>γ-3>γ-2>γ-1 for p-nonylphenol and bisphenol A. The behaviors of the capped units of the hosts during a host-guest complexation were studied by fluorescence spectra and MM2-energy minimized structures. These studies suggest that the capping linker units, which are disulfonyl dibenzosulfolane-diphenyl, work as qualitatively fluorescent probe detecting endocrine disruptors.

Fog water was collected at the mountainside of Hachimantai range in Northern Japan from June to September in 1998 and 1999. The various ion concentrations in these samples were analyzed, and the fog droplet sizes were measured for each fog event. As the fog droplet size increased, the ion concentration decreased, and the slope of log-log plots of the concentration versus the droplet size was different each other. In order to characterize the air pollutant, moreover, these data were quantitatively analyzed by an oblique rotational factor analysis. We found that three factors were extracted as the air pollutant source; A: (NH4) 2SO4, B: acids (HNO3+H2SO4), C: sea-salt. Combining the factor analysis with the 72 h back trajectory at 850 hPa level, we found that the contribution of each factor varies with the back trajectory. In 1998, the contribution of factor A tends to increase at the trajectories from Northeastern China, while factor C increases at the trajectories through the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan.

Acid fog and rain samples were collected at Mountain range of Hachimantai and at Akita City in Japan. Various ion concentration of these sample were analyzed using an ion chromatography and pH meter. The NO3- concentration of rain at Akita increased gradually year to year. The fog water had a high concentration of various ions compared with the rain. The highest concentration was observed in the weather chart of high pressure on Japan Island. The fog water had a low concentration for various ions in autumn compared with those in spring, so that this result agreed with the fact that the autumn sky is clear and clear in Japan.

In order to investigate the acidification and pollution of fog, fog water samples were collected in the Akita Hachimantai mountain range at the northern Japan from August to September, 1997 and June to September, 1998 and 1999. The ionic components and the insoluble substances in fog water were analyzed using ion chromatography and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis, respectively. Combining a 72h back trajectory to the chemical analysis, the effect of the transportation course of an air mass on the insoluble substances and ionic components in the samples was discussed. When the air mass was transported from the northeastern China to the Hachimantai range, the acidity of fog water was highest in all cases. This acidification was mainly caused by nss-SO42- and NO3-. It was found that the fog water in this case would contain “Kosa” as the insoluble substances from the northeastern China.

Mono (R) or (S)-3-hydroxy-3phenylpropanoic acid modified β-cyclodextrins (CyDs, 1 and 2, respectively) and their analogs of regioselectively bis-(R) and (S) 3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanoic acid modified β-CyDs (3 and 4, respectively) have been synthesizd to investigate their enantiometric discrimination of D, L-isomers. These host compounds show composedof pure monomer emission with peaks around 300 nm and 340 nm, of which the intensities are decreased or increased when a host-guest complexation occurs. The extent of fluorescence variation with a guest is employed to display the sensing ability of those hosts. Monosubstituted CyDs such as 1 and 2 show relatively higher positive parameter values for the guests such as (β)-menthol (5, 6), (±)-camphor (7, 8), (±) 2bromopropionic acid (9, 10), and (±)-prolone (13, 14), although disubstituted derivatives such as 3 and 4 exhibit negative parameter values for the guests examined, when they are examined their ability at 300 nm.

Fog/cloud and rain water was collected at the mountainside of Hachiman tai range and rain water was also collected at Akita City. The various ion concentrations (H+, Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) of these sam ples were analyzed, and the droplet size and the wind direction were measured for each fog sample. The fog at Hachimantai range had a very high total ion concentration, and was considerably acidified by nss (non sea-salt)-SO42- and NO3-, in comparison with the rain at Akita and Onuma (Hachimantai range). There were some fog and rain samples whose chemical components in insoluble substance, which were analyzed by PIXE analysis, were similar to that of Kosa from China. As the fog droplet size increased, the ion concentration decreased, and the slope of plots of the concentration versus the droplet size was different from each other. From the negative slope of the plots, we can conclude that the fog samples in this work were in the size interval I (unactivated or freshly-activated) for the droplet growth.

A field experiment for snowfall at the coastal area in northern Japan was performed, and chemical components in snow were analyzed. When the synoptic weather pattern is a high pressure in the west and a low pressure in the east of Japan (WH&EL), it is influenced that the sea-salt concentration in the snow was in proportion to the squares of the wind speed at the sampling site. This relationship offers that the amount of sea-salt aerosol supplied from sea surface to air mass and finally to the snow depends strongly on the squares of the friction speed on the sea surface and of the wind speed at the snowfall site.