Concentration of C₂-C₉ hydrocarbons species were determined by the capillary gas chromatography in Osaka City from Deceeber 1979 through September 1980.
Factor analysis was made for interpretation of photochemical air pollution by using the hydrocarbons, solar radiation, oxidant, and NO₂/NO_x ratio as variables. The numbers of variables and observed data were 38 and 200, respectively. A preliminary loading matrix was obtained by the minres method, and a final loading matrix was obtained by the equamax method. Six major common factors were extracted for the interpretation in the preliminary loading matrix. These six common factors account for 88.5% of the total variance. The photochemical air pollution could be successfully explained by using the final loading matrix. The photochemical reactivity order of the hydrocarbons estimated was found to agree well with the reactivity order of nitric oxide photooxidation obtained by using smog chambers because the hypothesis of correlativity would be accepted at the 0.1% level.

View full abstract

Sampling method at an equal time interval was applied to daily mean sulfur dioxide concentrations, and it was examined that whether random sampling or stratified sampling method is approximated to it by comparing each relative standard errors of population parameters, annual mean and percentile values.
The results show that the latter method is a fairly good appromixation.
Further, diagrams indicating the relation between relative standard errors and sample numbers were given by simplifying the complicated terms in stratified sampling theory, for example, fourth momentum, between strata variance, and etc.
These diagrams may be used in choosing the sample numbers in sampling procedure considering time planning.

View full abstract

Adsorption of hydrogen chloride vapor over coal combustion soot, coal combustion fly ash, oil combustion fly ash and carbon black was measured. The amount of HCl adsorbed was largely dependent on the property of the adsorbent. The amount of HCl over soot and fly ash changed with relative humidity, but slightly with HCl concentration. The fly ash held the largest amount of HCl, which developed into more than seven layers of HCl at relative humidity of 80%(25°C). The ratio of HCl and H₂O over coal combustion fly ash was independent of relative humidity.
The effect of surface upon HCl adsorption was discussed on the assumption that adsorbed HCl was in the form of H₃O⁺Cl^-. The implication of the HCl adsorption upon health effect was also discussed.

View full abstract

It has been known fact that the general population as well as asbestos workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. We implied that there were four types of ferruginous bodies including morphologically two types of as -bestos bodies, and that the second type of those were found in the cases from which a large number of ferruginous bodies were extracted. So, in order to access to the sourse of the dust, we intended in the present study to compare both the type and the number of ferrugious bodies which were obtained from the autopsy patients who were urban and rural dwellers.
The first type of ferruginous body, showing a transparent thin central fiber and typical beaded appearance, was extracted from both populations with the same incidence and distribution pattern when divided the cases into the six groups according to the grades for the number of the bodies (0, 1-9, 10-19, 20-49, 50-99, over 100).
The second type of ferruginous bodies, showing transparent central fibers and clubbed ends, were obtained from urban dwellers with significant higher incidence rather than rurals. Furthermore, the cases with more than 50 bodies of the second type in 5g of wet weight of lung tissue were limited to men of urban dwellers.
These results might suggest that occupational exposure may cause on the source of the second type of asbestos bodies, and the general environmental exposure may be considered the sourse of the first type of asbestos bodies. However, asbestiform occurrance of the central fibers remain unknown.
Although an occurrance of the third ferruginous bodies, having black central core and beaded appearance, was significantly high incidence in rural dwellers, the number of the bodies may be too small to consider them one of co-factors involved in inducing lung cancer. The fourth type of ferruginous bodies were extracted very rarely.

View full abstract

This work was done to clarify the relationship between the changes of lipid peroxidation and the protective systems in lungs of rats exposed acutely, subacutely and chronically to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
In acute experiment, JCL: Wistar 8 week-old male rats were exposed continuously to 10 ppm NO₂ for 2 weeks. Lipid peroxidation, measured by ethane exhalation in the breath of the rats and by the reaction of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) with lung homogenates, increased to a maximum at the third day after a decline at the first day, and then returned to the initial level (of day 0).
Activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), disulfide reductase (DSR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the 105, 000 x g supernatant of lung homogenates were depressed slightly at the first day. There-.after, they increased significantly to their maximum levels from the 5th to 10th day, and these maximum levels were maintained until the 14th day. The pattern of change in these protective enzymes was symmetric to that of lipid peroxidation after the 3rd day. The order of the ratio of the increased value to the initial value was G6PD>DSR>6PGD>GR>GPx>SOD. The time course of non-protein sulfhydryls was similar to that of the protective enzymes. In contrast, the amounts of vitamin E increased to a maximum at the second day, and then returned to the initial level. The periodic change of vitamin E was similar to that of lipid peroxidation rather than that of the protective enzymes.
In subacute experiment, 13 week-old male rats were exposed continuously to 0.4, 1.2 and 4 ppm NO₂ for 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Ethane exhalation increased to a maximum at the first week, and then returned to near the initial level at the 4th week. Thereafter, it showed a tendency toward gradual increase, again. TBA reactants in lung homogenates showed a similar pattern to that of ethane exhalation.
The activities of the antioxidative protective enzymes, i.e., glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and disulfide reductase (DSR) increased from the first week and reached their maximum levels at the 4th week, and then decreased gradually until the 16th week. The order of the increased ratios against the control group at the 4th week was G6PD>6PGD>GR>SOD>DSR>GPx, and the activities were dose-dependent against nitrogen dioxide levels of 0.4 to 4 ppm at each period. The contents of nonprotein sulfhydryls reached maximum levels at the 4th week, and the levels were maintained until the 16th week. The time course of vitamin E was similar to that of lipid peroxidation as measured by ethane exhalation rather than those of the protective enzymes.
In chronic experiments, 8 week-old male rats were exposed continuously to 0.04, 0.4 and 4 ppm NO₂ for 9, 18 and 27 months, Ethane exhalation increased significantly with 0.04, 0.4 and 4 ppm NO₂ exposure for 9 and 18 months, and dose-response relationship was clearly observed. Ethane exhalation of rats exposed to 0.04 and 0.4 ppm NO₂ for 27 months also increased two folds the control level. On the other hand, ethane exhalation of rats exposed to 4 ppm NO₂ for 27 months returned to the control level. Pentane exhalation was not so markable. TBA reactants in lungs also increased significantly in the 4 ppm NO₂ group at the 9th month, and in the 0.4 and 4 ppm NO₂ groups at the 18th month.

View full abstract

Aerosol particles containing some chemicals are effectively utilized for inhalation study and scientific experiments, and a narrow size distribution and physico-chemical stability of particles are requested for particles in those cases of applications.
Aerosol generater used in this study is of an evaporation and condensation type, and an ultra-sonic nebulizer is adopted to generate the nuclide from aqueous solution of chemicals (Uranine, Nicotine Bitartrate, Histamine Diphosphate). Dioctyl sebacate is evaporated in the boiler and condensed onto the nuclide particles to form aerosol particles. Size distribution and mass concentration of nuclide particles and also of aerosol particles are influenced by the concentration of nuclide solution, flow rate of carrier gas, and temperatures of boiler and reheater. Under an appropriate operating condition, monodisperse aerosol particles are produced having a mean diameter 1 to 2 μm.

View full abstract

The individual olfactory thresholds of 521 persons were analyzed, for the purpose of investigation of influence of panel on olfactory sensory test. The distribution of males and females was 326: 195. Three standard odorants (iso valeric acid, skatole, methyl cyclopentenoron) were used for the inspection of olfactory sensitivity. This study was done from 1974 to 1982. The following results were obtained.
1) The number of dysosmia, who are unsuitable for panel member, was about 5% of the total study subjects and the ratio increased with age. The mean threshold difference between the sexes depended on the quality of odor. And it is evident on age that the olfactory sensitivity of iso valeric acid decline at the rate of 30% per 10 years, which corresponds with 50% loss of sensitivity in 20 years. Relating to condition of health, the slightly poor group achieved a lower threshold than the ordinary group.
2) Aa s results of analyzing the accuracy of measured values from the olfactory thresholds of normal subjects, the probability between ±10% of the population mean was about 91% in case of 4 panel members. And when the number of panel members is 6, it was about 95%. In case of excepting the maximum and minimum of 6 values and averaging the intermediate values, the above mentioned probability was about 94%.

View full abstract

Smog chamber-based photochemical reaction models, OZIPP and CMB-II, are evaluated using Lagrangian field data. Diurnal changes of O₃, NO, NO₂ and other photochemical species are calculated and compared with observed values. The effects of initial hydrocarbon concentration on these two model are also calculated. Analysis showed that calculated values of these two models coincide with observed values when the initial NMHC is 0.3 ppmC. No increase of the O₃ maximum values were observed with the increase of initial hydrocarbon concentration when the initial hydrocarbon concentration exceeded the level of 0.4 ppmC, but the O₃ curve becomes steeper in proportion to NMHC concentration. This tendency is more evident in the case of the CBMII model.

View full abstract

Present paper describes the newly-constructed laser radar for routine monitoring of the atmospheric mixed layer height and shows the results of thirteen-day experiments in the summer season, which revealed the growth of the mixed layer on sunny days.
This laser radar was designed to function as a routine monitor of the mixed layer height and to point upward only. Vertical profiles of aerosol distribution usually have distinct structures, that is, the aerosol density is higher in the mixed layer than in the free atmosphere above and the abrupt change of aerosol density exists between them. This means the mixed layer height can be inferred from the aerosol density profile. The laser radar detects this aerosol density profile and the hight of abrupt change in the aerosol density profile through data processing.
In the present study, the height of the abrupt change in the aerosol density profile is determined objectively from aerosol density gradients normalized by local aerosol density (Sasano et al., 1982).

View full abstract