We investigated concentrations of 18 pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in the upper reaches of the Yamato river system using LC-MS/MS in winter and summer in 2020. This river system extends over the Yamato plain area which accounts for nearly 90% of the population in Nara prefecture, and the river flow rate is extremely lower than others in Japan. Therefore, high concentrations of PPCPs from the residential and commercial sector are expected to be detected. As a result, 17 PPCPs were detected in one of the rivers. The results were compared with those of a previous study in a large urban area, and showed that differences in drug use due to the aging of the population and differences in sewerage coverage may affect differences in the frequency of PPCPs detection in rivers. Furthermore, by comparing the concentration ratios of PPCPs, it was possible to identify points where the concentration ratios of PPCPs were different from those of other water sampling points, reconfirming the importance of regional surveys. We compared PPCPs concentration with predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) to assess the ecological impact. As a result, clarithromycin, erythromycin, diclofenac, and carbamazepine which were detected in excess of the PNEC. The concentrations of these substances were similar to or lower than those in previous studies.

Polyurethane foam (PUF) plug was examined as a solid-phase extraction adsorbent in the analysis of dioxins in water samples according to the JIS K 0312 method. Confirmation tests required by the JIS method showed that the PUF plug was able to sufficiently adsorb and retain dioxins and was suitable for solid-phase extraction. In addition, acidification of sample water with HCl is effective in improving adsorption ability of the PUF plug.

In this study, the major and trace element pollution from plastics was evaluated by comparing the elemental concentrations in Atactodea striata (Gmelin, 1791) collected from Nama Beach with a lot of plastic litter and Kataburu Beach with little plastic litter in Yonaguni Island, Okinawa. The pollution was also analyzed by focusing on the difference in the amount of plastic litter depending on the season. The results of the pollution analysis using the difference of the amount of plastic litter between the sites suggested the plastic-derived pollution of Al, Ni, Zn and Pb in the analysis of muscle tissue, and the pollution of Al, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in the analysis of internal organs tissue. Furthermore, the analysis of the pollution using the seasonal difference of the amount of plastic litter suggested that Al, Mn, Zn and Ba were transferred from plastics to organisms in the analysis of internal organs tissue. Al, Mn, Zn and Ba have a high ability to leach from plastic litter in acidic solvents, so it was suggested that such elements can be transferred from plastic to organisms. In addition, Al, Mn, and Zn, which were suggested to be contaminated in both analysis using inter-site and inter-seasonal differences in the amount of plastic litter, were shown to be highly likely to have accumulated in the Atactodea striata from plastics.

A non-target analysis method identifying unknown substances and a screening analysis method simultaneously semi-quantifying chemical substances were studied by liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS) in order to progress the Environmental Monitoring of Chemicals. The study was carried out in the period of FY2017-FY2019 by the technical working group under the Environmental Health and Safety Division, Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan. As a study on the non-target analysis, chemical substances of environmental concern were measured by LC/HRMS, and the intact and partial structures corresponding to the precursor ions, the product ions and the neutral losses were registered to the product ion and neutral loss database (PNDB), which had been developed by a voluntary group of researchers in universities and local government institutes in Japan. Afterwards the non-target analysis method was published (https://doi.org/10.1002/jms.4695) and the analysis tools (programs and database) were freely downloadable from the website (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X3tgzPBIL1caRCsPVCd7HgaU35ZTbYPM/view?usp=sharing). As a preliminary study for the screening analysis method, (1) the measurement parameters (m/z of precursor and product ions, retention indexes and so on) of 146 target substances were achieved, (2) sample preparation method in sediment extracts was evaluated for the screening, and (3) ionic forms of molecules, ionization effects by sample matrices and compatibility in calibration were evaluated among 4 different liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometers (LC-HRMS instruments) with 25 substances. The results are presented in this article.

We developed a method for the determination of streptomycin concentration in environmental water. A water sample (200 mL) was filtered with a glass fiber filter paper, and the filtrate was mixed with the extract obtained from ultrasonic extraction of the filter paper. The mixture was then passed through a preconditioned solid-phase extraction cartridge (activated carbon). Following elution with 40 mL of acetonitrile/pure water/formic acid (90:10:2), the eluate was analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The method detection limit and method quantification limit was 0.0013 μg/L and 0.0033 μg/L, respectively. The recovery from seawater and river water samples were 90-93% and 79-95%, respectively. Using this method, we determined the concentrations of streptomycin in the Hakata Bay and rivers of Fukuoka city, and found these to be below the detection limit (<0.0013 μg/L).

The elution order of 209 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was determined using five types of commercially available capillary columns (VF-Xms, Rtx-20, VF-35ms, VF-1301ms and VF-200ms). In addition, the interference among molecular ion peaks of PCDDs and non-dioxin like PCB congeners, which affect during dioxin analysis by GC/MS, was clarified.

It has been 10 years since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011. To confirm the radioactivity at the Center for Environmental Science in Saitama, the 1 cm dose equivalent rate (hereafter referred to as air dose rate) and the radioactivity concentration on the ground surface were measured. At sites with soiled area, the air dose rates ranged from 0.04 to 0.05 μSv/h, regardless of the land use type. The air dose rates were close to those derived from natural radionuclides; therefore, it was confirmed that the residual effects of the accident were extremely small. On the other hand, the air dose rates were 0.07 μSv/h at some paved pathway, and were 0.10 μSv/h at sites where the soil accumulated on the pavement near the drainage outlet—these values were higher than the surroundings. The results of the radioactivity concentrations showed that some parts of the pathway contained ⁴⁰K more than the surroundings. And it is suggested that ¹³⁷Cs has accumulated near the drainage outlet by rainfall. By removing the soil, the air dose rates decreased to 0.06 μSv/h at the drainage outlet.

A simple and selective method was developed for determining the concentration of 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (2,2',4,4'-THBP) in river and sea water samples by using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with an electrospray ionization interface in the negative ion mode and selective reaction monitoring mode. Trace amounts of 2,2',4,4'-THBP were, adjusted to pH 2-7 with 2 mol/L HCl, collected in a Sep-Pak Plus C18 cartridge that was eluted with methanol. The method detection limit of 2,2',4,4'-THBP is 5.8 ng/L. The average recovery of 2,2',4,4'-THBP from river water samples added with 50.0 ng was 101%, and the relative standard deviation was 1.5%, respectively. The average recovery of 2,2',4,4'-THBP from sea water samples added with 50.0 ng was 102%, and the relative standard deviation was 1.5%, respectively. The 2,2',4,4'-THBP were not detected in river and sea water samples. Trace peaks of 2,2',4,4'-THBP were found in the sewage influents and effluents, and the concentration ranged from n.d. to 10 ng/L.

The Committee on Sick House Syndrome: Indoor Air Pollution (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan) recommended reviewing guideline values for harmful compounds for the purpose of risk evaluation. In this study we selected domestic hand-pump spray products and focused on compounds listed as candidates for revision of guideline values and as new additions to the guideline value list. We also examined appropriate analytical methods, surveyed the product states; and after using specific products, calculated the average indoor concentrations of the detected compounds and considered their effect on indoor air quality.

A total of 33 compounds [9 phthalates, 20 glycols, and 4 volatile organic compounds (VOCs)] were analyzed in 33 products. Four phthalates (0.47 to 9.8 mg/L) were detected in six products, fifteen glycols (0.46 to 3,200 mg/L) in thirty-two products, and two VOCs (0.51 to 10 mg/L) in eight products, respectively. Estimation of the average concentrations of the detected compounds in indoor air after product use showed that phthalates and VOCs were within the recommended threshold values for indoor air, indicating that those products had a low probability of being a source of indoor air pollution. However, comparatively high concentrations of glycols, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, and diethylene glycol monoethyl ether were measured, suggesting that the use of products containing these ingredients could markedly affect indoor air quality. The findings showed that domestic hand-pump spray products may act as a significant source of glycol emissions.