Utilizing the medical facility consultation records of national health insurance system, morbidity figures for selected respiratory dieases, conjunctivitis and dermatitis covering one year period from April 1984 to March 1985 were compared between the two local communities, Sakurajima town and Ohura town. The former town situates in a high ash area at the north-west foot of Mt. Sakurajima, whereas the latter town located about 50 km south-west of this volcano was selected as an ash free control area. Results obtained are as follows:
1) Age-adjusted rates of incidences and prevalences for bronchitis, asthmatoid disease and pneumonia were significantly higher in Sakurajima town than in Ohura town, whereas those for common cold were significantly lower in the former town than in the latter town and those for emphysema were not significantly different between the two towns.
2) In Sakurajima town, the number of monthly clinic visits for the patients with asthmatoid diseases correlated significantly with the coincident levels (measured as monthly average of hourly levels or monthly maximum of daily average) of sulfur dioxide rather than those of total suspended particles. On the other hand, there was no significant correlation between Sakurajima town and Ohura town regarding the number of monthly clinic visits for patients with asthmatoid diseases. These facts suggested that, in Sakurajima town, at least part of the monthly variation for the number of patients visited to clinics with asthmatoid diseases was not seasonal but a reflection of elevated levels of sulfur dioxide in the environment.
3) For the other respiratory disesaes (bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema and common cold) in Sakurajima town, however, no significant correlations were found between the number of monthly visits for these diseases and the coincident levels of sulfur dioxide or total suspended particles.On the other hand, there were significant positive correlations between Sakurajima town and Ohura town for the number of monthly visits for these respiratory diseases. These facts suggested that the monthly variations in the number of visits for these respiratory diseases were mainly seasonal rather than the effect of volcanic air pollution.
4) For conjunctivitis, the number of new cases which were considered to be related to volcanic ash particles was significantly greater in Sakurajima town than in Ohura town, while the number of recurrent cases was significantly greater in Ohura town than in Sakurajima town. On the other hand, age-adjusted rates of incidences and prevalences for dermatitis were not significantly different between the two towns.

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Suspended particle matter (SPM) data were collected in Kitakyushu area to study on the joint application of dispersion and Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) method to source apportionment of particulate in atmosphere.
Source contributions were identified by CMB method using chemical components of particulate collected by hi-volume air sampler. Dispersion data were classified into source groups which discharges similar components, and these dispersion data were compared with same source groups calculated by CMB method. As to source groups which could not be calculated by dispersion model (secondary particulate, sea salts, etc.), CMB data were added to dispersion data.
By these method, 73% of observed data were identified by calculation, and dispersion results could be compared with CMB results each source groups. Source apportionment estimates from these two models were good affinity in the comparisons of carbonaceous materials, but not in soil dust. And a good agreement was obtained between the observed and calculated concentration. Source contributions estimatedby CMB model (secondary particulate, sea salt etc.) were classified into each block to simulate the present SPM concentration.
Thus calculated SPM concentration isopleth in Kitakyushu area could be described.

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On two occasions (in October and in March) during the snow season, the authors collected suspended particles near roads with heavy traffic of cars equipped with spiked tires. Using a scanning analytical electron microscope, we observed the characteristic particles.
The characteristic particles observed during the “spike season” were sulfur and halogen in addition to calcium carbonate compound free of other metals. The calcium carbonate which is present in the asphalt pavement is clearly distinguishable from the calcium particles (mostly Ca-Si-Ti mixed particles) derived from the white lines painted on the road (white paint). In addition, these calcium carbonate particles are absent in normal soil and combustionable particles made from coal and heavy oil, etc.
The calcium concentrations in suspended particles do not vary that much from season to season. As for calcium compounds, however, there are large differences.
Spiked tires which dig deep into the asphalt pavement may cause the release of asphalt particles in calcium carbonate.

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A potentially important source of atmospheric selenium is natural volatilization by biomethylation. This study was carried out to ascertain the quantity of selenium that could be volatilized into the atmosphere from soils by methylation when selenite was added under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A reaction flask containing soil sample was placed in an incubator and a stream of air or nitrogen was passed through the flask to sweep the volatile selenium compounds present in the headspace into a nitric acid trap. No volatilization of selenium occurred when soils are sterilized. Soil microorganisms play an important part in the process of selenium volatilization. The release of volatile selenium compounds from soils is greatly influenced by various factors including temperature, pH, moisture, light, presence of supplementary nutrient for microorganisms, addition of antibiotic substance, and biochemical availability of selenium. The total amounts of selenium compounds volatilized from soils containing 1% of glucose ranged from 0.26 to 7.2% of that added as sodium selenite. Microbial growth rate seems to have some positive influence on the volatilization rate of selenium. The volatilization of selenium was enhanced greatly in the case when the soil was supplemen ted with nutrients to stimulate microbial growth.

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Although a large number of epidemiological and physiological studies have already revealed the intimate relation between respiratory diseases and certain forms of environmental pollution, such as air pollution or cigarette smoking, there have been very little data from observations on laboratory animals. Previous studies have proved that β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) caused osteolathyrism and destruction of the alveolar wall.
In the present study, administration of BAPN to rats and hamsters was undertaken to produce animals highly sensitive to pulmonary emphysema. Therefore, these animals were exposed to NO₂, cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust for five to nine weeks by means of inhalation.
The results of the histopathological examination suggest that the order of activity for development of emphysema appears to be (1) diesel exhaust (2) cigarette smoke (3) NO₂, and further suggest that particulate matter is more noxious than gaseous components with regard to the development of emphysema.

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Pre-concentrator connected with commercial chemiluminescent analyzer for NO_x was developed for measuring trace levels of NO₂. NO₂ is collected as NO₂^- and measured as NO after reduced from NO₂^-. Interferences from nitric acid, isoamyl nitrate, nitromethane, ozone and NO are negligeble. Interference from PAN is 3% and that from ethyl nitrite is 1%. Lowest detection limit using this pre-concentrator is 20 ppt of NO₂.

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A standard method was investigated for the measurement of metal elements (Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in aerosol by X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). A low volume samplers was used with membran filters (Millipore type AA and RA) and high volume sampler with quartz fiber filters (Pallflex 2500 QAST) for the collection of atmospheric aerosol. Trace metals in aerosols were measured by XRF by one day sampling due to lower blank values of these filters. A noticeable analytical error was occurred in the measurement of trace metals such as Mn and Zn with out background correction. Therefore, it was necessary to take background correction into consideration for trace metals measurement by XRF.
Two kinds of coprecipitation standards, DDTC (diethyl dithiocarbamate), iron hydroxide and the thin film standards (MICROMATTER Co.) were used for XRF analysis. No significant differences in X-ray intensity for each element among these three standards was not observed. However, the thin film standard was excellent in durability, so that a variation of its X-ray intensity at each element was about 1% during one year.
The same aerosol samples collected in Kawasaki were analyzed by XRF method at five laboratories by the standard method described in this paper for the evaluation of this method. Analytical results at these five labolatories almost agreed, and 0.92-1.07 ratios between analytical values by ICP spectrochemical methods and XRF were also observed except 0.88-1.24 for Ni.

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