2018 Volume 28 Issue 1 Pages 19-26
The concentrations of dissolved Li, Mn, Ni, Co and Sr (elements that are used in technologies such as lithium ion batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, and liquid-crystal display, photovoltaic cell and plating technology etc.) in the Edogawa and Tonegawa rivers in the northwestern part of Chiba Prefecture and in the rivers in and around Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, were measured via inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy; the sources of these metals are also discussed. The concentration of Mn, a water-quality monitoring parameter, was lower than the guideline value. However, the concentration of Ni at a sampling point in Chiba Prefecture was 56.9 µg/L, and the concentration of Ni at a sampling point in Ibaraki Prefecture was 88.2 µg/L. These values were approximately 5.7 and 8.8 times higher than the required value that was deleted in 1999, respectively. Moreover, these concentrations were approximately 2.8 and 4.4 times higher than the values stipulated by the EU Directive Regulation. With the progress of advanced technologies, concentrations of Li, Mn, Ni, Co, and Sr in river water are likely to increase. These metals have hazardous effects on living organisms, including humans and aquatic life. Therefore, attention should be paid to the concentrations of these metals in river water.
