To characterize mutagenic and carcinogenic chemical contents of C-130H aircraft exhaust, gas- and aerosol-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) were determined in emissions from JP-4 fueled engines. The gas- and aerosol-phase PAHs were collected downwind from the aircraft during four engine run-up test using a low volume air sampler with filter combined XAD-2 adsorbent and a high volume air sampler with quartz fiber filter, respectively. The exhaust samples extracted by sonication in appropriate solvents, acetonitrile for XAD-2 and methylene chloride for quartz fiber filter. The gas- and aerosol-phase PAHs were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, respectively. In the gas-phase, we determined seven PAHs including carcinogenic naphthalene with a concentration below the permissible exposure limit. In the aerosol-phase, four carcinogenic PAHs, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene were determined. These concentrations were near the urban ambient air levels.

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The urinary concentrations of unchanged volatile hydrocarbons are correlated with environmental exposure levels of these compounds and could be used for biological monitoring. Then, the main analytical principle for the analysis of unchanged volatile hydrocarbons is the so-called head-space technique followed by capillary gas chromatography. We investigated the utility of dynamic head-space capillary gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detector to measure 37 volatile aromatic hydrocarbons in human urine. The hydrocarbons were stripped from the urine surface and concentrated on an adsorbent tubes packed with Carbotrap 317 ○R by nitrogen flow. And then, thermal desorption-GC was used for adsorbent analysis. The limit of detection of 34 aromatic hydrocarbons were ranged from 0.003ng/ml to 1.360ng/ml. The limit of quantification of 34 aromatics hydrocarbons were ranged from 0.009ng/ml to 4.121ng/ml. The linearity of the calibration curves were ranged from 0.816 to 1.000. The inter-and intra-method reliability analysis showed the suitability of the method for the determination of 34 aromatic hydrocarbons in urine. The method was applied in measuring urinary aromatics in 4 nonsmoker subjects exposed to F-15 and C-130 engine exhaust. In 2 subjects, determined urinary toluene concentration (1.057ng/ml and 1.171ng/ml) was slightly higher than the pre exposure levels (0.922ng/ml and 0.834ng/ml) or the control levels (not detectable and 0.751ng/ml). The dynamic head-space GC method would be sensitive enough to detect low level exposure to the aromatic hydrocarbons.

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A very important aspect of visual performance to consider, for present and future recommendations regarding aircrew visors, concerns their impact on color vision. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the aircrew neutral-gray visor used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force on visual function. The Farnsworth-Munsell (F-M) 100-hue Test was used to determine color discrimination. Subjects participated in this study were ten healthy men (38.0 ± 6.9 years). There was a difference in the F-M 100 scores between the two conditions. The partial blue-yellow square root error score with the aircrew neutral-gray visor was significantly higher than that of naked condition. The difference was confined in the blue-yellow region, producing a tritan-like bias in the 100-hue test. More extensive investigations of this effect with the aircrew visor under the practical condition, namely aviation environment, are needed.

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Cardiovascular function is most vulnerable to expose to high positive G acceleration in the z-axis (+Gz) stress. High sustained +Gz stress has been known to provoke G induced loss of consciousness. Aeromedical laboratory is executing anti-G training to fighter pilots in Air Self-Defense Force. Furthermore national defense medical college developed centrifuge for small animals with anti-G equipment. The purpose of this paper is reported to evaluate this newly centrifuge with recorded multiple biological data in anesthetized rats. Spragu-Dawley rats were anesthetized and exposed to +Gz using centrifuge with anti-G suit. Arterial pressure level of the brain, central venous pressure, electrocardiograph, hart rate and renal sympathetic nerve activity or aortic blood flow were recorded. The changes in the all data were based on the physiological changes on the +Gz stress. These results suggest that the newly developed centrifuge for small animals will function to basic investigation for +Gz stress.

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In Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AMES) was established in October 2006 at Komaki Air Base for critical care air transport from stricken area to safe place in an emergency. AMES equipped the special container for aeromedical evacuation that can be loaded into the JASDF C-130 cargo aircraft. In this container, a medical team consisting of a medical officer, paramedic, nurse and supervisor (transport coordinator) is able to transport three patients needing intensive care using various medical equipments. Prior to operation of aeromedical transport with this container, to evaluate the environment in the container during air transport, we measured the temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, oxygen and carbon dioxide density, illuminance and noise level in both at ground level and during a C-130 flight. At the ground level, the illuminance exceeded 750 lux that enough illumination for medical treatment. During the flight, the temperature was 4.5 ℃ higher in the container than that in the cabin. Between in the container and in the cabin, on the other hand, there is no difference in the results of relative humidity, atmospheric pressure and oxygen and carbon dioxide density. Otherwise, the noise level in the container was below 80 dBA, and then this level is permitted 1440 minutes of exposure without the hearing protection implements. Without the ventilation of the container, the carbon dioxide density exceeded the 0.5% Threshold Limit Values-Time Weighted Average by American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists within 30 minutes.

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