The present investigation was undertaken to study a possible relationship between a change in the binding form of Cd in kidney cells and renal damage in Cd poisoning. 1) Twenty male rats were divided into four injection dose groups of 0, 0.3, 1.0, and 1.5 mg Cd/kg body weight. Subcutaneous injections were given for six days per week. After 4 weeks, renal tubular dysfunction in the 1.0 and 1.5 mg dose groups was indicated by glycosuria and decreased renal leucine aminopeptidase activities. 2) Kidney tissues were homogenized separately in 4 volumes of cold 0.25 M sucrose and the homogenates were centrifuged at 27000×g for 60 min. The 27000×g supernatant was fractionated on Sephadex G-75. The major portion of Cd in the supernatant in the 0.3mg dose group was detected as bound to a low molecular weight protein, metallothionein (F-2) and, therefore, Cd was assumed not to be toxic to the kidney. The concentration of Cd increased in all fractions in the 1.5mg dose group and the rate of increase in the higher molucular weight fraction (F-1) was greater than that in metallothionein (F-2). 3) Increased dosage of Cd resulted in an increase in the accumulation of Cd in the 27000×g sediment. It is assumed that this sediment contains nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes, and heavy microsomes. 4) These findings suggest that the elevation of the concentration of Cd both in the higher molecular weight fraction (F-1) among 27000×g supernatant fraction and in the 27000×g sediment fraction may be related to the development of renal dysfunction.

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The content of anionic surfactants in the inland sea-water of Eastern Seto, collected at 4 sampling points June 10-13, 1975, and at 17 points on October 25, 1976, were measured by the Methylene Blue method after clean-up procedure using Amberlite XAD-2 columns. It was observed in the samples collected in 1975 that the surfactants were concentrated by partition to the dispersing residual oil (mainly due to oil flowing out of a tank at Mizushima), resulting in high levels. On the other hand, the levels in most samples collected in 1976 ranged from 3 to 6 μg/l. Effect of surfactants in the sea on the fish was discussed on the basis of TLm values of the fish.

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Ultraviolet (UV) absorption characteristics in various solvents of white phosphorus was studied. White phosphorus in hexane showed a peculiar absorption band which has two absorption maxima at 198 and 220 nm. Although this absorption band was severely affected by dissolved oxygen, this interference was removed by bubbling nitrogen in the solution. The absorbance was proportional to the concentration of white phosphorus at these two absorption maxima (E^{1 %}_{1 cm}=ca. 400 in both). Similar results were obtained in other solvents, such as cyclohexane, heptane, ethanol, methanol, and water. No other inorganic phosphorus compounds such as red phosphorus, orthophosphoric acid, phosphorous acid, and hypophosphorous acid gave absorption maximum in the region of 190-260nm. It was suggested that the UV absorption spectrometry is a useful method applicable to analysis of white phosphorus.

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A species of a sewage fungus, Geotrichum candidum, was used for a biological purification in removing phosphorus from waste water. The organism grown in a synthetic medium (1% glucose, 0.25% glycine, 0.05% KH₂PO₄) showed 99% removal rate of phosphorus by incorporation into the cells from the medium, and composition of the medium at that time was approximately C : N : P=70 : 8 : 1. The greatest rate of phosphorus removal was found in the organism grown from the lag phase to the exponential phase, and the rate was 1.12% of phosphorus incorporation into the cells grown at the exponential phase. When artificial waste water was used at 3400 mg/l of glucose concentration, effective removal of phosphorus was obtained, and the C : N : P ratio was found to be 108 : 4.4 : 1. There was a marked difference in removal rate according to the kind of carbohydrate. Incorporation of phosphorus into the cells from artificial waste water containing tripolyphosphate was similar with that of orthophosphate. As compared with activated sludge, G. candidum singly showed a greater removal rate of phosphorus than the former.

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An enzymic determination of ammonia-nitrogen with L-glutamate dehydrogenase has been applied, not only to blood but in water analysis, and an attempt was made to develope a simple procedure for routine analysis of water samples by the usual photometric technique. The sample was mixed with a substrate solution consisting of NADH and α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), and incubated with an enzyme solution. At the end of enzymic reaction, absorbance at 340 nm reached a minimum and showed a stable value. Difference in absorbance between blank and final reaction mixture agreed well with the theoretical value, and was proportional to the amount of ammonia-nitrogen. It required a few to 12 minutes to complete the enzymic reaction, and the length of time depended on the amount of enzyme solution added. Ammonia-nitrogen existing as chloramine in a mixture of ammonium chloride and sodium hypochlorite was determined similarly by the enzymic method, and although the value obtained by former method was a little high than by the indophenol method. This error in enzymic determination was derived from larger decrease of OD 340 nm of NADH by the action of available chlorine of chloramine, and was eliminated by the addition of thiosulfate. Additionally, ammonia in chloramine was found to be unstable and tend to undergo decomposition, so that addition of thiosulfate is necessary to a sample containing chloramine. Thiosulfate gave no adverse effect on the enzymic determination of ammonia. Presence of the following amount of substances in a sample did not interfere in the enzymic determination of ammonia-nitrogen : Cr⁶⁺, As³⁺ 0.05 mg/l ; Mn²⁺, Fe³⁺, 0.3 mg/l ; Pb²⁺, nitritenitrogen 0.1 mg/l ; nitrate-nitrogen 10 mg/l ; F-0.8 mg/l ; SO^2-₄, Ca²⁺ 200 mg/l ; Mg²⁺ 100 mg/l ; silicate 30 mg/l.

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In order to study the accumulation site of inorgnic mercury compounds in human placenta, histochemical stain of mercury and its contents in human placenta were examined, and the following results were obtained. 1) Human placenta was divided into three parts (A : maternal side, B : central part, C : amnion side) and total mercury and methylmercury contents in each part were determined. Total mercury concentration of part B was higher than that in part A or C, but there was little difference in their levels for methylmercury. Inorganic mercury concentration of part B was the highest among them, Part B corresponds to villi in human placenta. 2) Mercury compounds in preparation of human placenta for histochemical test were stained with diphenylthiocarbazide. Mercury compounds (mainly inorganic mercury) were detected in the placental villi. Therefore, it was suggested that inorganic mercury taken from maternal blood into placenta accumulated in the placental villi and intercepted the transfer to fetus.

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Weanling male rats were bred with a drinking water containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at concentrations of 0.25, 0.05, or 0% for 5 months. Increase of organ weights was observed in the lung and kidney, though body weight was not affected at a higher concentration (0.25%). Histopathology of major organs indicated the characteristic symptom to be bronchopneumonia by the continued ingestion of a small amount of SDS. Activities of serum enzymes, such as GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase, and cholinesterase, were not affected at the dosages used. In rats taking 0.25% of SDS, triglyceride level increased in the liver but decreased in serum, while hepatic and serum levels of cholesterol, phospholipid, and free fatty acid were unchanged.

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Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in human blood was analyzed in 23 Yusho patients and 26 normal persons among inhabitants in Nagasaki city, and in 29 Yusho patients and 28 normal persons among inhabitants in Tamanoura and Naru towns, Goto Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture. These examinations were carried out from March, 1973, to August, 1974, and the results were as follows : 1) PCB concentration in the blood of Yusho patients was higher than that in normal persons, and PCB concentration in the blood was higher in Goto inhabitants than in Nagasaki inhabitants. 2) There was a difference in gas chromatogram between Yusho patients and normal persons, and between inhabitants in Goto and in Nagasaki.

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