In order to confirm the validity of a solid-phase extraction (SPE) - liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analytical method for the simultaneous determination of glufosinate, glyphosate, and AMPA in drinking water, a validation test was conducted by 9 organizations. Recovery tests of these agricultural chemicals in drinking water obtained by each organization were performed in two set points (2 and 0.2 µg/L), which are 1/10 and 1/100 of target values of glufosinate in the Japanese Waterworks Act. Linearity of calibration curves, selectivity, accuracy (recovery), repeatability, and intermediate precision of each agricultural chemical were calculated by the data of the recovery tests. Linearity of calibration curves and selectivity were satisfactory in these 3 agricultural chemicals. Accuracy, repeatability, and intermediate precision for the 3 agricultural chemicals obtained by the recovery tests were satisfied with the criteria in the guideline for validation of testing method in drinking water, which has been notified by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Therefore, we concluded that the analytical method developed in the present study is valid for the analysis of the 3 agricultural chemicals in drinking water.

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Participatory and bottom up approach is an effective way to conserve nature in and around residential area, and currently participatory greening activities are implemented all over the country. However, most of activities are conducted without quantitatively assessing residentsʼ perceptions about their community and their willingness to participate in greening activities, and factors that affect success of participatory community based conservation remain unknown. We conducted a survey and structural equation modeling to understand the relationship among four variables; 1. Residentsʼ social interactions in the community, 2. Residentsʼ affections toward the community, 3. Residentsʼ perceptions of necessity to green the community (desire to improve the beauty of the community), 4. Residentsʼ willingness to participate in greening activities. Results (n＝398) revealed that residents who had more social interactions in the community, and those who felt necessity to green (desire to improve the beauty of) the community more likely had willingness to participate in greening activities. In order to effectively implement participatory conservation and greening activities, it is necessary to understand peculiar characteristics of the local area such as the level of residentsʼ social interactions in and their affections toward the community.

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