The carbon budget over a forested mountainous area in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan was estimated using Landsat TM data . The estimation was conducted pixel-wise on a study area of 6 X 4 km using a three-step procedure which began with biomass estimation and mapping using topographically corrected Landsat TM data. A map of stand age was then derived from the biomass map using the functional relation ship observed on the ground between stand biomass and age for each of the three forest types (deciduous broadleaved forest, pine forest, cedar or cypress plantation) identified in the study area. Finally, the carbon budget of the study area was estimated using the relationship between stand age and carbon balance obtained by model calculation for each of the three forest types. The resultant mean carbon balance was +2.76tC ha^-1 y^-1, amounting to + 5.63 X 103 tC y^-1 over the entire forested study area. This indicates that the typical forest ecosystems in the western Japan are significant atmospheric CO₂sinks.

View full abstract

Recently, EDTA has been found at significant concentrations as a contaminant in surface water systems in EU countries, and related regulations and/or directives on its use have been issued. In order to develop a technology to eliminate EDTA-chelates from waste or polluted water, we are investigating microorganisms which decompose the chelates. In the previous paper, it was reported that a microorganism (named B-3) isolated from a soil sample was capable of degrading Fe (III) - EDTA. In this paper, we describe some characterizations of the strain. B-3 showed the highest degradation in a basal medium, at 37°c, for 10 days in a stationary culture, the rate of Fe (III) - EDTA degradation was approximately 90 %. On the other hand, the rate was not superior in a shaking culture compared to a stationary one, even when the cultivation period was prolonged. An attempt to accelerate the degradation rate by adding glucose showed a decrease in pH, and consequently, the rate was declined. With the increasing concentration of nutrients such as peptone and yeast extract, the rate rose rapidly, and was accompanied by pH increase. The optimum pH for the degradation rate was approximately 8.7, according to the experiments with intact cells. The growth of strain B-3 was inhibited by Na salt, Ca and Mg chelates of EDTA, but chelation with Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn and Ni enhanced growth. According to Bergey's manual, characteristics of strain B-3 suggested that the isolate B-3 was a Bacillus sp.

View full abstract

Environmental Kuznets Curve is widely asserted to explain the dynamic relationship between economic growth and enviropmental degradation in developing countries . The main focus point of this hypothesis is as follows; the pollution would increase according as economic growth before the turning point. After that the environmental quality would be getting better along as the economic growth. However, this idea shall be appraised not only from the view point of environmental policy in developing countries, but also from the view point of statistic analysis. The analysis concentrates on examining the existence of environmental Kuznets curve about these indicators; per capita emmission of SO_x, NO_x and C0₂, accessible ratio of safe water supply and sanitation equipment and degradation ratio of forest. After brief introduction of the subject matter, the main previous researches shall be reviewed. Thereafter the methodology of this study will be explained . The concluding remarks are as follows. First, it is only SO_x that draws the Environmental Kuznets Curve, and the NOR, C0₂i safe water supply and sanitation draw linear curve . Second, the degradation ratio of forest is influenced by population growth more than economic growth.

View full abstract

Multielement determination of major-to-trace elements in city waste and indus trial waste incineration ash samples has been carried out by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. A coal fly ash standard reference material (NIST SRM 1633b) was analyzed in order to evaluate accuracy and precision in the present analytical method . The sample was decomposed by an alkali fusion method using LiBO₂ as fusing agent. In the present experiment, about 50 elements at the major-to-trace level (Si : 23.0%-In : 165 ng/g) could be determined by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. The observed values were in good agreement with the certified and non-certified values informed from NIST . The LiBO₂ fusion method is, thus, suitable for the determination of major-to-trace elements in fly ash samples. The present method was applied to the analysis of city waste incineration ash (BCR No.176) and two industrial waste incineration fly ash (IWIFA) samples collected from electrostatic precipitators of two industrial waste incinerators. Although the concentrations of Si, Al, Fe, Th and U in the city waste incineration ash and IWIFA samples were lower than those in the coal fly ash, the chalcophile elements (Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb and Pb) were significantly enriched by about 100-10, 000 times in those samples. These results suggest that the elemental compositions of the fly ash samples characteristically reflect those of the industrial waste materials subjected to incineration.

View full abstract

There is a great concern about the increase in nitrogen pollution at the middle stream of Tone River. In the basin of Tone River (Gunma Prefecture), contributions of nitrogen generated from different sources such as livestock (cattle, swine and poultry), agricultural land (paddy field and upland field), forest and anthropogenic activities (human and urban area) were evaluated by using a pollutant load factor. The result showed that livestock waste was the major source of nitrogen in this basin. Due to the remarkable increase in livestock waste, a high nitrogen load zones appeared in the basin. After several years of nitrogen load peak in the basin, nitrogen load into Tone River was increased up to about 120 ton-N/day, which indicated the possibility of accumulation of nitrogen in the basin. The fluctuation of run-off ratio calculated from nitrogen load generated in the basin and nitrogen load into the Tone River was large. It was considered that recycling of the livestock waste could be the best way to reduce the nitrogen load. In addition, due to the decreasing tendency of agricultural land in the basin, measures such as supplying livestock waste to other prefectures, dispersal of stock raising activities into many rural areas and utilization of livestock waste as energy source are recommended.

View full abstract