Search

In this study, we analyzed hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) in urine of both PCB transport workers and PCB researchers. A method to monitor OH-PCB in urine was developed. Urine was solid-phase extracted with 0.1% ammonia/ methanol (v/v) and glucuronic acid/sulfate conjugates and then decomposed using β-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase. After alkaline digestion/derivatization, the concentration of OH-PCBs was determined by HRGC/HRMS-SIM. In the first sampling campaign, the worker's OH-PCB levels increased several fold after the PCB waste transportation work, indicating exposure to PCBs. The concentration of OH-PCBs in PCB transport workers' urine (0.55~11 μg/g creatinine (Cre)) was higher than in PCB researchers' urine (

To analyze the effect of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 118 on fish bone metabolism, we examined osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, as well as plasma calcium levels, in the scales of PCB (118)-injected goldfish. In addition, effect of PCB (118) on osteoclasts and osteoblasts was investigated in vitro. Immature goldfish, in which the endogenous effects of sex steroids are negligible, were used. PCB (118) was solubilized in dimethyl sulfoxide at a concentration of 10 ppm. At 1 and 2 days after PCB (118) injection (100 ng/g body weight), both osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, and plasma calcium levels were measured. In an in vitro study, then, both osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities as well as each marker mRNA expression were examined. At 2 days, scale osteoclastic activity in PCB (118)-injected goldfish increased significantly, while osteoblastic activity did not change significantly. Corresponding to osteoclastic activity, plasma calcium levels increased significantly at 2 days after PCB (118) administration. Osteoclastic activation also occurred in the marker enzyme activities and mRNA expressions in vitro. Thus, we conclude that PCB (118) disrupts bone metabolism in goldfish both in vivo and in vitro experiments. © 2012 The Author(s).

The aim of this study was to investigate 12 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) including perfluorinated carboxylates (C4-C12) and perfluorinated alkyl sulfonates (C4, C6, and C8) in river and seawater samples to determine contamination levels in the aquatic environment of Hyogo prefecture, Japan. High levels of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA; 2300-16,000 ng/L) were detected in the Samondogawa River at Tatsumi Bridge downstream of a PFC production facility; this location also had the highest mass flow rate of PFCs (3900-29,000 kg/y). Widespread contamination of coastal waters was confirmed with PFHxA as the dominant compound. Perfluorooctanoic acid was also prevalent in coastal waters. The concentration of PFHxA in coastal seawater and the distance from the mouth of the Samondogawa River were inversely related. This discharge of high concentrations of PFHxA from the Samondogawa River may have affected concentrations of PFCs in Osaka Bay.

Field surveys on persistent organic pollutant (POP) bioaccumulation were conducted with oysters, clams and scallops whose consumption amount accounted for large shares in the total consumption of shellfish in Japan. There was no numerical difference in bioaccumulation characteristics between oysters, clams, scallops, Corbicula and Mytilus galloprovincialis . Therefore, it was clear that the bioaccumulation characteristics in oysters, clams and scallops, which are important for food, could be ascertained by using the monitoring results with Corbicula and M. galloprovincialis which are easily sampled in various water areas in the world. Non-cancer risk (hazard quotient, HQ ) and cancer risk (excess cancer risk, Δ R ) via shellfish ranged from 10 −8 to 10 −4 and from 10 −11 to 10 −7 , respectively, at sampling points, which showed the risks of POP exposure via shellfish to be low enough. However, concerning the intake of other food, the importance of dieldrin monitoring should be suggested in Japan. Based on these results, the effectiveness of primary risk assessment could be suggested for screening chemicals whose preferential monitoring is needed.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are still of serious concern as a potential health hazard due to their persistency and bioacumulation. Of 209 possible PCB congeners, with varying number and position of chlorine atom(s), 19 are chiral. These are mostly highly chlorinated and tend to remain longer against the biological decompositions, suffering biological deracemization in the environment. In this work, we have unequivocally determined the absolute configurations of important chiral PCBs 183 and 171, as well as 132, through the combined theoretical and experimental investigations of the chiroptical properties (circular dichroism and optical rotation), which will be valuable in elucidating the mechanism of biological enantiomer enrichment of PCBs in the environment.

Current theory of the uptake of semivolatile organic compounds in passive air samplers (PAS) assumes uniform chemical distribution and no kinetic resistance within the passive sampling media (PSM) such as polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin (XAD) and polyurethane foam (PUF). However, these assumptions have not been tested experimentally and are challenged by some recently reported observations. To test the assumptions, we performed kinetic uptake experiments indoors using cylindrical PSM that had been concentrically segmented into three layers. Both XAD and PUF were positioned in the same type of sampler housing to eliminate the variation caused by the different housing designs, which enabled us to quantify differences in uptake caused by the properties of the PSM. Duplicated XAD (PUF) samples were retrieved after being deployed for 0, 1 (0.5), 2 (1), 4 (2), 8 (4), 12 (8), and 24 (12) weeks. Upon retrieval, the PSM layers were separated and analyzed individually for PCBs. Passive sampling rates (R) were lower for heavier PCB homologues. Within a homologue group, R for XAD was higher than that for PUF, from which we infer that the design of the "cylindrical can" housing typically used for XAD PAS lowers the R compared to the "double bowl" shelter commonly used for PUF-disk PAS. Outer layers of the PSM sequestered much higher levels of PCBs than inner layers, indicative of a kinetic resistance to chemical transfer within the PSM. The effective diffusivities for chemical transfer within PSM were derived and were found negatively correlated with the partition coefficients between the PSM and air. Based on the results, we conclude that the PSM-side kinetic resistance should be considered when investigating factors influencing R and when deriving R based on the loss of depuration compounds.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influences of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions on hazardousness and photochemical reactivity and to propose efficient VOCs abatement strategies. Methods The atmospheric concentrations of 101 components of VOCs were measured at six sites which comprehend four urban areas, a roadside area, and an industrial area in Hyogo Prefecture. VOCs influence on hazardousness and photochemical reactivity were evaluated using VOCs measured data and the index on the health effect evaluation and ozone formation potential. The substances that require emissions reduction were selected from the evaluation results. The state and characteristics of environmental pollution were considered from the concentration trends of the selected substances. Results In industrial area, n-hexadecane, styrene, vinyl chloride monomer, and 1,2-dichloroethane showed a high concentration. In roadside area, n-hexane, n-undecane, n-dodecane, tetrachloroethylene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and 1-butanol showed a high concentration. The excess cancer incidences for formaldehyde exceeded 10−5 of the level of concern for carcinogenic effect at all sites. Toluene had a high percentage of ozone production. The interannual and seasonal trends of toluene concentrations were different at a regional level and the formaldehyde concentrations in summer were significantly higher than those in winter at the urban sites. Conclusions The results show the need to prepare the emission reduction plan for the major sources such as vehicle exhaust, solvent use, and industrial processes to diminish the concentration of toluene that contributes significantly to the formation of photochemical oxidant.

瀬戸内海13地点のムラサキイガイ(Mussel)中および西日本の淡水域9地点のシジミ(Corbicula)中ならびにそれらの地点での水中のPOPs濃度を測定し，POPsの二枚貝への濃縮特性の把握を行った．海水でのムラサキイガイへのPOPs濃縮特性および淡水でのシジミへのPOPs濃縮特性については，同様の傾向を示すことを明らかにした．また，POPsの濃縮係数，オクタノール-水分配係数(Kow)および二枚貝中脂肪含量の間での重相関関係を利用して，二枚貝中POPs濃度から水中POPs濃度を導く推定式を提示した．

シーリング材中のPCB含有確認を迅速に行うため, 多種のシーリング材の中からポリサルファイド系シーリング材を迅速に判定する方法の検討を行った。まず, 事前の聞き取り調査により調査対象建築物を絞り込んだ後, 試料採取を行い, (1) 外観の観察, (2) 官能試験, (3) 蛍光X線による含有元素分析, (4) 硝酸への溶解, 以上の4種類の方法を用い判定を行った。HRGC-ECDにより各シーリング材のPCB含有量の測定を行った結果, PCB含有が確認されたシーリング材はほぼ全て判定法によりポリサルファイド系と判定された材料であった。それらPCB含有量は0.05～19.1%であった。また, HRGC-MSによるPCB同族体分布結果から使用されたKCの種類が予測できた。

キャピラリーカラム (HT8-PCB) を用いて, PCBs全209異性体の混合溶液をHRGC/HRMSで分析し, 異性体の分離状況と溶出時間からオーブン条件を最適化した。塩素化物ごとのマスクロマトグラムにおいて計192本のピークが確認された。この条件を用いて, 同じ塩素化物の異性体が最も少なくかつ溶出時間の差が大きくなるように209異性体を組み合わせた混合標準液15種を測定し, 全209異性体の溶出順位を確定した。

残留性有機汚染物質による地球規模の海洋汚染の時空間変動及び化学動態を把握するため，商船を篤志観測船として用い，この目的のために開発した海洋汚染観測システムを搭載し，太平洋及び南シナ海における広域観測を実施した．日本－オーストラリア間は鉱石運搬船を，南太平洋（含む南極近海）はクルーズ船を，北太平洋（東アジア－北米間）及び南シナ海はコンテナ船を，それぞれ篤志観測船として用いた．鉱石運搬船，クルーズ船には専用の海洋汚染観測システムを開発し搭載し，コンテナ船にはユニット化した小型の海洋汚染観測システムを開発して搭載し，試料採取及び観測を実施した．海水中の残留性有機汚染物質の捕集は，固相抽出法を用い，船上で100 Lの海水を濃縮捕集し，採取試料は直ちに船上で冷凍保存し，日本に持ち帰った．持ち帰った試料は冷凍庫で保存し，分析直前に前処理後HRGC/HRMS-SIM法で分析した．すべての試料から残留性有機汚染物質が検出された．低緯度海域では，HCHsの濃度は低く，かつその異性体のうちβ-HCHが最も高い，一方高緯度海域では中央から北米沿岸域ほどα-HCHが高い傾向にあるなどその濃度や異性体存在比などは極めて特徴的であり，発生源及び輸送過程を推定する上で貴重な情報を与えることが明らかとなった．