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The adsorption behavior of energy-related gases onto ZIF-8 was investigated using terahertz waves. Comparison of the terahertz transmission spectra of ZIF-8 before and after exposure to the gases revealed that the 2 THz vibrational mode was involved in the gate-opening motion of organic linker molecules. The adsorption properties of each gas were detailed by monitoring the intensities of the 2 THz absorption peak.

Ligand exchange reactions of a monomeric zirconium carbonate complex with carboxylic acids were studied by means of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), UV absorption spectrophotometry and Raman spectrometry. Three carboxylic acids, gluconic acid, and L-tartaric acid and citric acid, which are mono-, di- and tri-carboxylic acids, respectively, were employed in this study. These three carboxylic acids gave different spectral signatures and concentration dependences, respectively. In the gluconic acid system, the peaks on Fourier transform of EXAFS spectrum and Raman spectrum caused by carbonate ion coordinating to zirconium atom were obviously decreased with increasing gluconic acid concentration compared to the other two carboxylic acid systems. This indicates the high association ability of gluconic acid to zirconium, which was revealed by UV spectrophotometric analysis.

A pH electrode incorporating a reference electrode different from that in conventional electrodes was applied to the measurement of rainwater pH. The reference electrode utilizes a recently proposed ionic liquid salt bridge instead of a conventional potassium chloride salt bridge. The response time of this electrode was remarkably improved in rain sample pH measurements compared to that of conventional pH electrodes. In addition, the measured pH values of rain samples seemed to be more accurate with this electrode.

We report the characteristic terahertz spectra of a plastic crystal and the alterations caused by phase transitions. The low-frequency vibrational modes of 1-cyanoadamantane in orientationally ordered and disordered (plastic) phases were investigated with a terahertz spectrometer. The frequencies of the intramolecular vibrational modes were in good agreement with theoretical calculations. The librational mode, which was directly observed for the first time, appeared at a lower frequency for the plastic phase.

In the present work, new water-soluble fluorescent carbon nanodots (C-dots) were prepared in a facile microwave pyrolysis approach in minutes by combining glycine and polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG 200). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements showed that the resulting C-dots had diameters of about 3 nm. (13)C NMR spectra further confirmed the presence of carbons (sp(2) and sp(3)) indicating a nanocrystalline core of the resulting C-dots with hydroxyl of PEG 200 covered outside. It was discovered that the prepared C-dots could dramatically enhance the chemiluminescence (CL) intensity of potassium peroxomonosulfate-sodium sulfite-hydrochloric acid (PSHA) reactions. UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicated that the C-dots sensitized enhancements originated from their energy transfer and electron-transfer annihilation effects on the CL system. When the concentration of C-dots was 4×10(-5) M, and those of KHSO(5), Na(2)SO(3) and HCl were 1×10(-2) M, an excellent performance was obtained. The C-dots sensitized CL system was successfully applied to the determination of aliphatic primary amines in real water samples with satisfactory results.

Photovoltaic (PV) backsheets composed of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films were evaluated via principal component analysis (PCA) of near infrared (NIR) spectral datasets obtained using a potable NIR spectrometer. The discrimination of material and the degree of deterioration of the backsheets following heating and humidifying or irradiating with UV light was examined. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis was also employed to evaluate the degree of deterioration. The reference values (peel and tensile strength) were obtained via the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61215 and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1703 standard methods. The values of the peel strength and tensile strength after heating/humidifying treatment correlate quite strongly with the NIR predicted values (R2=0.946 and R2=0.973, respectively). These results show that the degree of deterioration of a PV backsheet can be nondestructively and easily determined via NIR spectroscopy.

Water-soluble L-cysteine capped Mn-doped ZnS@Si quantum-dots (QDs), a kind of sensitizer, were synthesized. It was found that this sensitizer could enhance chemiluminescence (CL) signals emitted from interaction of NaClO with H2O2 in basic medium. The CL mechanism was studied experimentally by singlet oxygen ( 1 O2) quenching method, UV–vis spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectra, transmission electron microscopy studies and ESR spin-trapping spectra. The results demonstrated that the CL enhancement of NaClO–H2O2 originate from the catalysis of the sensitizer, which catalyzed the decomposition of H2O2, producing reactive intermediates hydroxyl radical ( d OH) and superoxide anion (O2 � ). Then the resulting d OH reacted with O2� to form 1 O2 and oxygen excimer species ( 1 O2)2 n , which rapidly returned to its ground state by passing its energy to the sensitizer through an electron-transfer process. Finally, the sensitizer being in excited state, returned to the ground state through enhanced CL-emission.

A Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera were distinguished by the score plots of PC3 vs. PC1 of principal component analysis (PCA) of the near infrared (NIR) spectra. The four producing districts of Schisandra chinensis were also distinguished by the score plots of PC1 vs. PC2 of NIR data. The concentrations of Schisandrin and Schisantherin A in the Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera, using values measured by the HPLC method as the reference values were predicted from the NIR data by multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis. The coefficient of determination between the value of Schisandrin and Schisantherin A by HPLC method and the NIR predicted value were r2 = 0.885 and r2 = 0.942, respectively. This result shows that the concentration of Schisandrin and Schisantherin A could be easily, rapidly and nondestructively determined by NIR spectroscopy combined with MLR analysis.

米菓の水分量を加熱重量減量法で実測し，この値を参照値として，前処理後の近赤外（NIR）スペクトルで1917 nm付近のピークを用いて単回帰分析による水分予測を行った．その結果，加熱重量減量法での値とNIR予測値の相関はr2＝0.946であり，スペクトルから米菓の水分測定が可能であり，更に，それは袋の上からでも測定できることが分かった．また，クラウジウス－クラペイロンの式の類推からの∂(lnw)/∂(1/T)＝ΔH/Rという式を用いて，米菓内のしけりにくさ（米菓内の水の蒸発のしにくさ）の違いは蒸発エンタルピーΔH/kJ/molの違いであるとした．4種の米菓の水分量を20～135℃までの各温度で測定し，ΔHを(ln[w/mol/kg]) vs. (1/T)プロットの傾きから得た．その結果，米菓の“しけりにくさ”をΔHから定量的に議論できることが分かった．

Aqueous solutions of zirconium oxychloride aged at temperatures between 298 and 333 K for 0–26 days were investigated. Nanoparticles with different size distributions depending on aging temperature...

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)

It is well known that sea-salt aerosols in particulate matter (PM) react with acids such as H 2 SO 4 and HNO 3 during transportation and thereby lose chloride ions (Cl-loss). The PM and fog were sampled concurrently at different altitudes in the Hachimantai mountain range, northern Japan. The PM and fog sampled at different altitudes had nearly identical properties for the ion components. However, the PM was in a Cl-depleted state (more than 80% of all samples), but the fog water was not in so Cl-depleted state (less than 29%). As a result, it could be explained that this phenomenon caused because the fog droplets took up the gaseous state HCl other than sea-salt PM. After all Cl - in the fog water recovered and was rather rich compared with the sea-salt or the PM by the uptake of the gaseous state HCl. Moreover, it was found that for PM coarse (2.5

毛髪の水分量を加熱重量減量法で実測し，前処理後の近赤外（NIR）スペクトルで重回帰分析による水分予測を行った結果，加熱重量減量法での値とNIR予測値の相関はr2＝0.957であり，スペクトルから毛髪の水分予測が可能であることが分かった．また，クラウジウス-クラペイロンの式の類推から∂(lnw)/∂(1/T)＝ΔH/Rという式を導き，毛髪内の水分の保湿力（毛髪内の水の蒸発のしにくさ）の違いは蒸発エンタルピーΔH/kJ/molの違いであると考えた．10名の対象により20～100℃ までの温度での毛髪の水分量を測定し，ΔHを（ln[w/mol/kg]）vs. （1/T）プロットの傾きから得た．その結果について，純水のΔH（43.991 kJ/mol）との比較から，個人の毛髪の保湿力の大小を議論できることが分かった．

Thirty-eight beers from different producing areas and/or makers were distinguished by principal component analysis (PCA) of the near infrared (NIR) spectra acquired by a portable NIR spectrometer. Classsification of Akita beers: beers locally produced in Akita prefecture, Japan, from other famous brand beers could be successfully performed, especially when the PCA was calculated on the standard normal variate (SNV) spectra. The classification equations use information related to water and CH2absorption that reflected the differences in chemical com position of beers due to different production processes. In addition, the compositions of total polyphenol and total nitrogen were estimated from NIR spectra by multiple linear regression (MLR). This study showed that NIR spectroscopy is promising for beer quality evaluation, both for identifying multifarious beers including Akita beers using PCA and for rapid in-line quality control and inspection for beer production using the quantitative MLR analysis.

滑昇霧と放射霧の汚染物質の取り込み機構を解明するため秋田八幡平で滑昇霧と大気粒子状物質（PM）を，北秋田市鷹巣盆地で放射霧を採集した．滑昇霧で風向別に解析した結果，西風のときには主に霧生成時に雲凝結核と酸性化成分が霧似取り込まれるが，南風，東風のときには滞留中にもイオン性成分を取り込むことを明らかにした．滑昇霧の内，ヤマセ時の霧は汚染物質の取り込み量は少ないが，滞留中にガス状のアンモニアと海塩を取り込むので，pHは高くなることが分かった．滑昇霧はPM中のCl-loss状態にある海塩を取り込むが，同時にHClも取り込むので，滑昇霧の海塩比はCl-lossからCl-richまでの範囲にわたることが分かった．放射霧は滑昇霧に比べて滞留時間が長いことから，霧生成時に酸性化成分を取り込むが，更に滞留中にガス状のアンモニアを取り込むのでpHは滑昇霧よりも高くなることが分かった．

Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was studied for simultaneous extractions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs), and of coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) from a tightly bounded condition in the soil matrix. Temperatures were maintained at 175 and 200 degrees C, respectively, and two or three static cycles for single PLE with toluene and acetone/n-hexane were studied using a certified reference material to compare the effects of those conditions on recoveries. A single PLE with two static cycles at 150 degrees C and the repeated single PLE (additional PLE) were reference methods. Satisfactory recoveries were not obtained using tested single PLE (2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/PCDFs and Co-PCBs average, average (avg.) 79-103%), but they were achieved using additional PLE (acetone/n-hexane, avg. 115-128%; toluene, avg. 111-132%). In addition, these methods and additional PLE of the reference method using acetone/n-hexane were not markedly different (avg. 123-128%). That fact suggests that the use of mixed solvents and additional PLE were more important factors than temperatures and static cycles of single PLE for quantitative and simultaneous extractions of those compounds from the soil.

Geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) is used to treat patients suffering from peptic ulcers and gastritis. We examined the effect of GGA on Helicobacter pylori, which is a causative factor of gastrointestinal diseases. Previously, we have reported that GGA binds specifically to the molecular chaperone HSP70. In this paper, we report that GGA bounds to H. pylori HSP70 (product of the DnaK gene) with 26-times higher affinity than to human HSP70 and induced large conformational changes as observed from surface plasmon resonance and circular dichroism. Binding of GGA suppressed the activity of the H. pylori chaperone. GGA also altered several characteristics of H. pylori cells. GGA-treated cells elicited enhanced interleukin-8 production by gastric cancer cell lines and potentiated susceptibility to complement as compared to untreated cells. GGA also caused morphological alterations in H. pylori as reflected in fewer coccoid-like cells, suggesting that GGA converts H. pylori to an actively dividing, spiral state (vegetative form) from a non-growing, coccoid state. This morphological conversion by GGA resulted in accelerated growth of H. pylori. These results suggest a model in which GGA sensitizes H. pylori to antibiotic treatment by converting the cells to an actively growing state.

Gibbs monolayers of lipophilic tetraphenylporphyrinatomanganese(III) and hydrophilic diacid of meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatopheny)porphyrin adsorbed at the liquid-liquid interface have been analyzed by UV-visible external reflection (ER) and partial internal reflection (PIR) spectra measured at different angles of incidence. The angle-dependent ER and PIR spectra over the Brewster angles (thetaERB and thetaIRB) have readily been measured at the toluene/water interface. As preliminarily expected in our previous study, the present study has first proved that the reflection-absorbance of UV-visible PIR spectra quantitatively agrees with the theoretical calculations for the Gibbs monolayer over thetaIRB. In addition, it has also been proved that the absorbance of the PIR spectra is greatly enhanced in comparison to that of the ATR spectra. The enhancement is caused by an optical effect in the monolayer sandwiched between two phases of toluene and water that have different but refractive indices close to each other. This optical enhancement requires an optically perfect contact between the phases, which is difficult to prepare for a solid-solid contact. At the liquid/liquid interface, however, an ideal optical contact is easily realized, which makes the enhancement as much as the theoretical expectation. The PIR spectrometry will be recognized to be a new high-sensitive analytical tool to study Gibbs monolayer at the liquid/liquid interface.

In recent years, acidic precipitation (rain and snow) is receiving global interest, especially in East Asia where a rapid industrialization and an economic growth have been observed. In Japan, heavy acidification of precipitation in winter has been observed at areas close to west coasts of the Japan Islands and is related to the long distance transportation of the acidic pollutants across the Sea of Japan. In order to characterize transportation process of the pollutants and the seasonal and regional variations of the transportation, the precipitation samples were collected at nine areas from north to south of Japan in the period from July 2000 to June 2001 and the compositions of the precipitation samples were analyzed by a chemometrical method developed by our group “Oblique Rotational Factor Analysis with Partially Non-Negative Constraint (ORFA-PNNC)”. It consists of the Principal Component Analysis and the oblique rotation of the composition matrix based on the non-negative constraint. Our method has a very distinctive feature that the non-negative constraint is exempted from the hydrogen ion so as to take the neutralization reactions among the acidic pollutants and alkaline pollutants into account. Furthermore, in this study, the normalization of the concentration data of the samples was incorporated into the analysis to extract the feature of ions with small concentration such as potassium ion and nitrous ion.

This study investigated the extraction efficiency of a couple of different extraction solvents for Certified Reference Materials of soil and sediment that include Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans and Coplanar Polychlorinated Biphenyls using Soxhlet and Pressurized Liquid extraction (PLE). n-Hexane, toluene, acetone, acetone/n-hexane and acetone/toluene (1:1, v/v) as solvents were examined. Unsatisfactory results for Soxhlet extraction were obtained using n-hexane alone. For PLE, satisfactory results were obtained using all solvents used for this study. The obtained results for PLE were the same or even higher than those for Soxhlet extraction. We also examined relationship between solubilityof 2, 3, 7, 8-TetraCDD/CDF in the solvent (Xdxn) and the estimated solubility (Xs). The results indicated that a linear relation was found between Xdnx and Xs for Soxhlet extraction, but no linear relation was found in those for PLE. The result suggests that choice of extraction solvent for PLE requires consideration for the analyte solubilityin extraction solvent at the temperature and pressure above boiling points of solvents.

Extraction solvents for pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) used to extract polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) from contaminated soil were investigated. The PCDD/PCDFs and Co-PCBs in Certified Reference Material: CRM 0422 (Forest soil) were extracted using toluene, n-hexane, acetone, acetone/toluene and acetone/n-hexane (1:1, v/v). Soxhlet extraction was the reference method. Results demonstrated that PLE using mixed solvents produced better analyte recoveries than the single solvents. However, these results were lower than those for Soxhlet extraction. Additional extraction cycles using mixed solvents achieved better recovery results. Mixed solvents and several extraction cycles were necessary for satisfactory extraction of more tightly bound PCDD/PCDFs and Co-PCBs from soil.

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.

We investigated the effectof kinds of organic solvent on the losses of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/DFs), coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs), and their 13C12-labeled compounds during vacuum concentration. n-Hexane and toluene solutions containing the standards of those compounds were tested for the purpose. The kind of organic solvent has remarkable effect on the loss of 13C12-Co-PCBs from the standard solutions, while it has littleor no effect on the losses of Co-PCBs, PCDD/DFs, and 13C12-PCDD/DFs from the standard solutions. The losses of lower chlorinated "Co12-C0-PCBs with w-hexane solution were greater than theloss of the compounds with toluene solution. The relative PCBs with w-hexane solution were greater than theloss of the compounds with toluene solution.The relative amounts of 13C１2-Co-PCBs in the condensate solvent produced during the vacuum concentration show that those of the compounds with toluene solution were less than that of n-hexane solution. These results demonstrate that the minimization of loss of the compounds with n-hexane solution may be achieved by adding toluene before the vacuum concentration. We also examined the relationship between the relative amounts of Co-PCBs and 13C12-Co-PCBs in the condensate solvents and vapor pressures of those compounds. amounts of Co-PCBs and 13C12-Co-PCBs in the condensate solvents and vapor pressures of those compounds. amounts of Co-PCBs and 13C12-Co-PCBs in the condensate solvents and vapor pressures of those compounds. There was the difference in the regression line slopes of the relativeamounts vs. in the vapor pressures between the n-hexane solution and toluene solution. This fact could be useful for the optimization of the vacuum concentration conditions in the convenient analytical methods.

β-Cyclodextrin (β-CyD) dimer modified with two pyrene moieties, 6-(2-pyrenebutylate-aminoethyl)pyrenebutylate-amino-6-deoxy-bis-β-CyD (β-1) has been prepared to investigate the chemo-sensing ability for organic guests and the host–guest complexation behavior in the presence of γ-CyD. This fluorescent cyclodextrin dimer showed monomer and excimer emissions; the guest-induced emissions were observed as increase or decrease depending on the guest molecules. The sensing parameters, ΔIm/Im0 and ΔIex/Iex0, were used to describe the sensing ability of β-1, where Im0, Im, Iex and Iex0 were fluorescence intensities of monomer and excimer emission, respectively, in the presence and absence of the guest and ΔIm=Im−Im0 and ΔIex=Iex−Iex0. This host particulary able to distinguish between ursodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, which are related as diasteromer. It is observed that supramolecular association between the β-1 and γ-CyD was formed in the presence of 1-adamantanol and bisphenol A as a guest. In this work, we succeeded to make a new type of supramolecular assembly system based on hetero association between a guest, β-1 and γ-CyD.

Analysis by reflection spectrometry was performed to clarify the interfacial adsorption of protonated lipophilic tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives in a dodecane-aqueous sulfuric acid system, and to confirm the utility of partial reflection spectroscopy. Interfacial adsorption was not observed for porphyrins substituted at the 2,6 positions of meso-phenyl groups, suggesting that the substituents prevent porphyrins from forming aggregates by steric hindrance. Polymorphous J-aggregates of acid dications were produced by tetra-p-tolylporphyrin with a saturated interfacial molecular density of 1.0 x 10(-10) mol cm(-2), which could yield 48 degrees as a mean tilting angle of the pyrrole ring plane from the interface normal. Partial-reflection spectrometry can provide sensitive detection and molecular orientation analysis of interfacial adsorbates.

We applied the rapid, non-destructive and convenient near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy method, using a portable NIR spectrometer, to the manufacturing process of noodle products (Inaniwa Udon). Characterisation of wheat flours, which are a primary ingredient of noodle products, was identified easily by the pricipal component (PC) score plots based on the standardised NIR spectra. We assessed these results not only from a practical standpoint, but also for the chemical interpretation of NIR spectra. Without any sample preparation, NIR spectra revealed moisture content in the products. Further investigation revealed that moisture content is proportional to viable bacterial counts in the products, so determining moisture content in products by the rapid, non-destructive and convenient method of using a portable NIR spectrometer, as used in this work, is extremely useful in the Inaniwa Udon quality control process.

The paper reviews methods to introduce chemical information in the decomposition of a multivariate data matrix D from an analytical instrument. The correct estimation of the number of factors and the unique extraction of a chemically informative score matrix R and a loading matrix C are required. Several constraints that may be applied during decomposition to extract the unique set have been proposed, but many of them are based only on mathematical concepts. Here we report the incorporation of chemical constraints in factor analysis with the development of Factor Analysis with Equilibrium Constraints (FAEC) for analysis of spectroscopic data and Oblique Rotational Factor Analysis with Partially Non-negative Constraint (ORFA-PNNC) for analysis of environmental data. When FAEC is applied to a system consisting of optically active species in chemical equilibria, it is sufficiently powerful to give equilibrium constants, pure component spectra, and concentrations of species. ORFA-PNNC has been applied by our group to data from the analysis of acid rain. It is based on the constraint of non-negative concentrations, but the hydrogen ion is excluded from the constraint to allow for the neutralization reaction between acidic and alkaline pollutants where alkaline conditions are seen as negative values of hydorgen ion concentration. Consequently, the evaluation of acidity (or basicity) of the pollutant source is possible. In this paper, the concept, procedure and applications of these two methods are reported.

Although gentamicin (GM) has been used widely as an antibiotic, the specific binding protein of the drug has not yet been understood sufficiently. Here we show that GM specifically associates with the 73-kDa molecular chaperone HSP73 and reduces its chaperone activity in vitro. In the present study, we investigated GM-specific binding proteins using a GM-affinity column and porcine kidney cytosol. After washing the column, only the 73-kDa protein was eluted from the column by the addition of 10 mm GM. None of the other proteins were found in the eluant. Upon immunoblotting, the protein was identical to HSP73. Upon CD spectrum analysis, the binding of GM to HSP73 resulted in a conformational change in the protein. Although HSP73 prevents aggregation of unfolded rhodanese in vitro, the chaperone activity of HSP73 was suppressed in the presence of GM. Using limited proteolysis of HSP73 by TPCK-trypsin, the GM binding site is a COOH-terminal for one third of the protein known to be a peptide-binding domain. During immunohistochemistry, HSP73 and GM were co-localized in enlarged lysosomes of rat kidneys with GM-induced acute tubular injury in vivo. Our results suggest that the specific association between HSP73 and GM may reduce the chaperone activity of HSP73 in vitro and/or in vivo, and this may have an interaction with GM toxicity in kidneys with GM-induced acute tubular injury.

Water samples from radiation and upslope types of fog were collected at Takanosu Basin and Hachimantai mountain range of Akita Prefecture in northern Japan, respectively. The effect of the long-range transport of pollutants from the Asian Continent to the basin and the mountain range on the chemical characteristics of two types of fog was studied using chemical analysis data for the water samples as well as the back-trajectories of the air mass. In particular, non-sea-salt (nss)-SO 4 2 - of radiation fog provided a much higher concentration than that of upslope fog, which suggests that nss-SO 4 2 - might be transported mainly from the Asian Continent. The transport and uptake mechanism of pollutants in the radiation fog water were explained based on their accumulation in the basin due to anticyclonic subsidence and by the long-lasting fog behavior.

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.

の結果をみると，ほぼ日本全国にわたって平均pH 4 台の雨水が観測されている．現在の被害は樹木の立ち枯れ（これも直接原因かどうか分からない）等以外には顕著ではないが，近い将来，他の生態系への影響が懸念されている．その中で農業県秋田では，農作物などに対する影響が心配されているが，酸性雨水の系統的な研究は少なく，著者らの研究グループ以外にはほとんど見られない．特に，1 雨水又は1 日ごとのサンプリングの結果はほとんど報告されていなかった．そこで著者らの研究グループでは1993 年冬季から秋田県の雨水を1 日ごとにサンプリングし，その化学組成を分析し，雨水の酸性化の原因や汚染起源を特定するために化学的，統計的，気象学的な解析を行ってきた

Visible reflection spectra of diprotonated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin adsorbates spontaneously formed at a dodecane-aqueous sulfuric acid interface have been measured using a home-made device comprising a prism-cell and variable-angle optics. The tilt angle of the pyrrole ring plane was estimated to be 47 degrees from the interface normal by use of an experimentally evaluated molecular density (1.20x10(-10) mol cm(-2)) of the diprotonated molecule in a monolayer form at the liquid-liquid interface. Positive and negative bands have been observed in the p-polarized partial internal reflection (p-PIR) spectra, whose band locations correspond to those in p-polarized external reflection (p-ER) spectra. Nevertheless, the bands in the p-PIR exhibited reversed sign to those of p-ER spectra. These suggest that the surface selection rule of the p-PIR spectrometry has a reversal rule of p-ER and p-PIR can also be used for the analysis of molecular orientation.

We examined NIR spectra obtained from various plasticwastes using a portable near infrared spectrometer; herein, we discuss chemical implications of spectral characteristics. A barcode spectrum derived from the second-order derivatives spectrum provides effective alternatives to discriminate plastic types. Principal component analysis, which is applied to barcode spectra, reveals characteristics and similarity of NIR spectra among plastic samples. Chemical structure of plastic samples reflects NIR spectra. Spectral differences can be explained with reference to whether the plastic has some functional group (aromatic CH, CO and Cl) or not.

Fog water samples were collected at the Akita Hachimantai mountain range in northern Japan from August to September 1997 and from June to September 1988 to 2000 to investigate the pollution mechanism of fog. Ionic components and insoluble substances in fog water were analyzed using ion chromatography and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis, respectively. Combining a 72 h back trajectory and principal component analysis (PCA) to chemical analysis data elucidated the effect of the transport course of an air mass on samples insoluble substances and ionic components. When the air mass was transported from northern China to the Hachimantai range, the nss- SO 42- was greater than in other cases. That fog contained "Kosa" as an insoluble substance from northern China. Our PCA analysis revealed that the score of PC1 (which was about –0.5) was a measure of containing "Kosa".

A portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometer was used to accomplish rapid identification of plastics. Thirteen kinds of plastics were collected and their NIR spectra were measured. Standardised normalisation treatment of the original spectra reveals the differences of the spectra more clearly. Absorbance spectra can be used to distinguish easily between polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) with the absorption band of the methylene group at 1410 nm. The result can be used to discriminate PE, PP and the copolymer. This suggestion is supported by a principal component analysis of the second-order derivatives spectrum.

Convenient methods with simple devices comprised of an optical cell and prisms were proposed for the direct spectrophotometric measurement of adsorbed species at liquid-liquid interface, using a protonated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin in an aggregate form as an interfacial adsorbate. The spectrum of the aggregate within the visible wavelength region was effectively observed by three kinds of prism-cell assembly for (1) the double-phase transmission method, (2) the multiple attenuated total-internal reflection method and (3) the external reflection method. Characteristics of spectral appearance in each of the methods were described and discussed.

A gamma-cyclodextrin dimer modified with two pyrene moieties, 6-(2-pyrenebutylate-aminoethyl)pyrenebutylate-amino-6-deoxy-bis-gamma-cyclodextrin, has been synthesized in the presence of N,N'-dicyclohexycarbodiimide from gamma-cyciodextrin dimer linked with ethylenediamine at an upper rim. The sensing ability and binding property of the titled dimer were investigated for bile acids and endocrine disruptors. This cyclodextrin dimer showed both monomer and excimer fluorescence; the guest-induced emissions were observed as increases or decreases depending on the guest. The values deltaI(m)/I0(m) and deltaI(ex)/I0(ex), where I0(m) and I(m) are fluorescence intensities of monomer emission in the absence and presence of a guest and I0(ex) and I(ex) are those of excimer emission and deltaI(m) and deltaI(ex) were I(m) - I0(m) and I(ex) - I0(ex), respectively, were used as a parameter of sensitivity. This host exhibited highly sensitive molecular recognition ability for bile acids and endocrine disruptors, in which the sensing parameters obtained from monomer emission were plus or minus values, whereas the parameters obtained as excimer emission were minus ones. The behavior of the appended moieties of the host during a host-guest complexation was studied by induced circular dichroism (ICD) and fluorescence spectra. The ICD intensities of the titled dimer were decreased upon an addition of a guest. The guest-induced variations in the fluorescence and ICD intensity suggest that the appended moieties move by altering the spatial relationship in the hydrophobic space between two linked cyclodextrins.

The extraction behaviors of bismuth(III) with carboxylic acid (HL), which have not yet been clearly elucidated, because of the precipitation of hydroxide, were studied using the 2-bromoalkanoic acid in benzene and in hexane systems under aqueous conditions of high acidity at I = 1.0 M ((H,Li)NO3). The extraction equilibria were analyzed based on the-initial concentration of nitric acid and the concentration of bismuth(III) extracted in the organic phase. The extracted species and the logarithmic values of the extraction constant (log Kex) were found to be a single species of BiL3(HL)3 for the systems of 2-bromooctanoic acid/benzene (log Kex = -1.66) and 2-bromohexadecanoic acid/benzene (-1.58), and to be two species of BiL3(HL)4 (-1.01) and Bi3L9HL (-1.62) for the system of 2-bromooctanoic acid/hexane, where the monomer was dominant at a higher reagent concentration.

Fog/cloud and rain water were collected at the mountainside of Hachimantai range in northern Japan and rain water was also collected at Akita City in order to investigate the air pollutant scavenging mechanism. The concentrations of various ions in these samples were analyzed, and the fog drop size and the wind direction were measured at each fog event. The fog at Hachimantai range had a very high total ion concentration, and was considerably acidified by non sea salt (nss-) SO4 2− and NO3 −, compared with the rain at Akita and all sites in Hachimantai range. Using the oblique rotational factor analysis, three factors were extracted as the air pollutants; A: (NH4)2SO4+H2SO4, B: sea salts+HNO3+H2SO4, C: NH4NO3+OH−. These salts are well-known as the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Combining the factor analysis with the 72h back trajectory at 850hPa level, the contribution of Factor A was closely connected to the long-range transportation of anthropogenic or natural aerosol in air masses of continental origin.

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.