National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) This page is a page of the former research institute. We stopped updating on March 31.2001.
E-mail to webmaster (Japanese) E-mail to webmaster (English)

Environmental Technology Research Network
in the Asia-Pacific Region

DB for Research Project
Category(1) : Hazardous substances
Category(2) : Conuter measures


  1. Project Name
  2. Duration
  3. Research Catagory 1
  4. Research Catagory 2
  5. Research Field
  6. Researchers
  7. Affiliation 1
  8. Affiliation 2
  9. Address
  10. Country
  11. Phone
  12. Fax
  13. Project Summary
  14. Publications
  15. International Joint Study with

Korea Institute of Energy Research(KIER), Korea

  1. Development of Gas Decomposition Technology Using Microwave Energy
  2. 1994-1996
  3. Air, Hazardous Substances(SOx,NOx,etc.)
  4. Reaction Mechanism, Gas Decomposition Process Development, countermeasures
  5. Chemical Engineering
  6. Dae-Hyun SHIN, Woo-Young SONG, Jae-Kyung WOO, Dong-Chan KIM, Sang-Guk KIM, Nam-Sun ROH, Kwang-Ho KIM, Gye-Shik KANG
  7. Wastes Pyrolysis Research Team, Energy&Environment Research Department
  8. KIER(Korea Institute of Energy Research), MOST(Ministry of Science and=Technology)
  9. 71-2 Jang-dong, Yusong-ku, Taejon 305-343
  10. Korea
  11. 82-42-860-3630
  12. 82-42-860-3134
  13. The objective of this study is to develop a process using microwave energy, by which various hazardous gases generated in industrieas can be treated. Especially, the primary target of this study is to develop a dry process by which NOx and SOx can be treated simultaneously from stack and to develop a process by which hazardous gases such as halogen compounds, HCN, H2S, etc., generated in chemical process, can be treated.
  14. 1) Dae-Hyun Shin et al., Pyrolytic Incineration of Plastics and Heat Recovery, Proceedings of Energy Reservation Technology Workshop, Nov.2-4,Yusong Hotel,Taejon,pp.291-304,1995

Mechanical Engineering Laboratory(MEL), Japan

  1. Evaluation Method for Manufacturing Systems
  2. 1992-1996
  3. global change, air, water, wastes, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures, source inventory, impact assessment, risk management
  5. engineering
  6. Shun'ichi SADO, Atsushi IWATA, Hideo INOUE
  7. Surface and Interface Technology Division,Department of Manufacturing Systems
  8. MEL, AIST, MITI
  10. Japn
  11. 81-298-61-7211
  12. 81-298-61-7167
  13. In order to reduce the ecological impact of manufacturing, it is necessary to minimize the environmental burden of each part of the system. We have developed a new computerized simulation method for assessing the environmental impact of proposed new products and manufacturing processes. Inputs to the simulator include environmental loads, and product and facility information. The materials and energy which are input to and output from the system under analysis are measured in "Ecounits", an index which represents the total environmental burden of the resources used and system outputs. The output from the simulator allows calculation of the predicted increment in ecounits caused by operation of the system. During tests of the simulator, the environmental impact of a hypothetical factory producing mechanical components was predicted, and the simulation method was shown to provide realistic and useful data.
  14. 1) Shun'ichi Sado, Atsushi, Iwata, Hideo Inoue, Seiji Nakahara, Nobuo Shikata, Ecofactory Manufacturing System for Future Generations and its Evaluation Method through Computer Simulation, Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing, 2, 79-84, 1994
    2) Shun'ichi Sado, Atsushi Iwata, Planning and Evaluation of Machinery Manufacturing Processes in Environmental Burden Respects, International Journal of Environmentally Conscious Design & Manufacturing, 4(1), 83-89, 1995
  1. Exhaust Clarification of Diesel Engines by Activating Middle and Late Stage of Combustion
  2. 1992-1995
  3. air, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures
  5. engineering
  6. Akira MURAKAMI, Jun HAMA, Hisao KOUDA
  7. Combustion Engineering Division, Energy Engineering Department
  8. MEL, AIST, MITI
  9. 1-2 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-7258
  12. 81-298-61-7275
  13. This research proposed a new combustion chamber to achieve the simultaneous reduction of NOx and smoke from diesel engines. This combustion chamber generates a strong disturbance in the middle and late stages of combustion that enhances the smoke oxidation. The initial combustion occurs in a fuelrich state in the prechamber and the middle and late stages of combustion occur in a lean state mostly in the main chamber; hence, NOx is reduced. The disturbancetends to shorten the combustion duration which compensates for the tendency of the lean combustion to prolong the combustion duration. Performance and emission characteristics of the test engines were examined, then the results were discussed with respect to rate of heat releasein the divided chambers and so on.
  14. 1)Akira Murakami, and Jun Hama, Exhaust Clarification of Diesel Engines by Activating Middle and Late Stage of Combustion, Environmental Research in Japan 1994, 29, 1995-8, Envir-onment Agency Japan.
    2)Akira Murakami, Diesel Particulate and NOx Reduction: The Effects of a Moving Bottom Auxiliary Combustion Chamber, Proc. of the 8th. International Pacific Conference on Automotive Engineering, 139~144, 1995-11..
  1. Exhaust Clarification of Diesel Engines by Activating Middle and Late Stage of Combustion
  2. 1993-1995
  3. air, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures
  5. engineering
  6. Akira, MURAKAMI, Jun HAMA, Toshio KODA
  7. Department of Energy Engineering
  8. MEL, AIST,MITI
  9. Namiki 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-7258
  12. 81-298-61-7275
  13. In this research, a new combustion chamber was proposed to achieve the simultaneous reduction in NOx and smoke from diesel engines. This combustion chamber generates the strong disturbunce in the middle and late stage of combustion that enhances the smoke oxidation. For the reduction of NOx, the initial combustion occurs in fuelrich state in the auxiliary chamber and the middle and the late combustion occures in lean state mostly in the main chamber. The defect of lead combustion in the main chamber that prolongs the combustion duration is compensated by the effect of the flow disturbunce that shortens the combustion duration. According to this idea, the prototype engines were built, then their performance and emission characteristics were examined. Not all the results were completely desirable. However the potential for improving the emission characteristics was clarified.
  14. Akira, Murakami, Jun Hama, Kazuo Kontani, Exhaust Clarification of Diesel Engines by Activating Middle and Late Stage of Combustion, Environmental Research in Japan, 29-1, 1995-9

National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research(NIMC), Japan

  1. Reduction of Particulate Emissions from Engines by Upgrading Transportation Fuels
    (1) Development of hydrotreating catalysts for diesel aromatics saturation.
  2. 1994-1997
  3. air, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures
  5. Chemistry, Petroleum, Catalysis, Engineering
  6. Katuomi TAKEHIRA, Akio NISHIJIMA, Toshi SATO, Hiromichi SHIMADA Yuji YOSHIMURA, Hiroyuki YASUDA, Yasuo MIKI, Yoshikazu SUGIMOTO
  7. Surface Characterization Lab, Surface Design Lab., Catalyst Design Lab.
  8. NIMC, AIST, MITI
  9. 1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-4534
  12. 81-298-61-4534
  13. The aim of this project is to develop a catalytic technology for reducing aromatics content in diesel fuels.
    In this technology, aromatic compounds are hydrogenated or hydrocracked into non-aromatic compounds
    over the hydrotreating catalysts.We made two strategic approaches for aromatics reduction: (1) evaluation of catalytic reaction mechanisms in aromatic saturation and aromatic ring opening reactions to support
    optimization of the reaction conditions sa well as primary selection of the hydrotreating catalysts; (2) design of hydrotreating catalysts which are not only highly active and selective for aromatics reduction, but also highly tough for catalyst deactivation.
  14. 1)Yasuo MIKI, Hydrocracking of polycyclic aromatic compounds. 1. Methylnaphthalenes,Fuel Proc. Technol., 43,137(1995).
    2)Akio NISHIJIMA, Catalyst design and development for upgrading hydrocarbon fuels, Catalysis Today, 29, 179(1996).
    3) Yuji YOSHIMURA, Preparation of nickel-tungstate catalysts by a novel impregnation method, Catalysis Today, 29, 221(1996).
  1. Advanced wastewater treatment for removal of arsenic and lead
  2. 1996-1999
  3. water, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures, reaction mechanism
  5. chemistry, engineering
  6. Masahito SATO, Shuzo TOKUNAGA, Akira UCHIUMI, Kazuhisa HIRATANI
  7. Process Synthesis Lab., Dept. of Chemical Systems,Inorganic Analysis Lab., Dept. of Analytical Chemistry,Dept. of Organic Materials
  8. NIMC, AIST, MITI
  9. 1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-6343
  12. 81-298-61-6232
  13. To meet the amended effluent standards for arsenic and lead, a new advanced process is developed using rare-earth based materials and complexation agents.
  14. S.A. Wasay, et al, Adsorption of fluoride, phosphate and arsenate ions on lanthanum-impregnated silica gel, Water Environment Research, 68(3), 295-300 (1996).
  1. New Advanced Techniques for Treatment of Solid Industrial Wastes Containing Hazardous Chemicals
  2. 1995-1999
  3. solid, hazardous substances, wastes
  4. counter measures, reaction mechanism
  5. chemistry, engineering
  6. Haruo TAKAYA, Akira UCHIUMI,Shuzo TOKUNAGA
  7. Inorganic Analysis Lab., Dept. of Analytical Chemistry, Process Synthesis Lab., Dept. of Chemical Systems.
  8. NIMC, AIST, MITI
  9. 1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-6343
  12. 81-298-61-6232
  13. To design and synthesize treatment agents, which are harmless to environment and have no cellular toxicity, in order to collect/recover selectively only toxic substances such as heavy metals in solid industrial wastes.

National Institute for Resources and Environment(NIRE), Japan

  1. VOC ( Volatile Organic Compounds ) Decomposition in Plasma
  2. 1994-1996
  3. air, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures, reaction mechanism
  5. chemistry, electrostatics
  6. Shigeru FUTAMURA, Aihua ZHANG, Yukio SHIMIZU
  7. Excited State Chemistry Division, Atmospheric Environmental Protection Department
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8266
  12. 81-298-61-8409
  13. The goal of this research is to elucidate mechanisms for plasma chemical decomposition of VOCs and clarify the effects of reaction parameters such as background gas, residence time, field strength, and input energy density on decomposition efficiencies and product distributions. The data obtained to date show that the initial steps for VOC decomposition proceed homolytically via energy transfer from hot electrons in nonthermal plasma media, independent of electron affinities of VOCs. VOC decomposition efficiencies increase with the magnitudes of field strength and input energy density. Active oxygen species partly promote initial VOC decomposition, but its contribution is much smaller than its nonoxidative decomposition. Product distributions are greatly affected by background gas and humidification. Better carbon recoveries and lower organic byproduct yields are obtained due to promoted autoxidation of intermediate radicals derived from VOC docomposition. Water promotes monooxygen transfer in plasma, accelerating alcohol formation from paraffins, epoxidation of olefins, and oxidation of CO to CO2D
  14. 1) Shigeru Futamura, et al., Towards Understanding of VOC Decomposition Mechanisms Using Nonthermal Plasma, Proc., IEEE-IAS Annual Meeting, Orlando, 1453-1458,1995
  1. Removal of Toxic Chlorinated Compounds in Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents
  2. 1994-2000
  3. water, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures
  5. chemistry, biology
  6. Akira MIYAZAKI, Shinji WADA, Kenji TATSUMI, Takao YAMAGISHI, Hiroyasu ICHIKAWA, Kengo MORIMOTO, Yousuke IIMURA
  7. Advanced Water Treatment Lab., Ecological Chemistry and Microbiology Lab., Hydrospheric Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8321
  12. 81-298-61-8308
  13. A large number of toxic organic compounds are present in pulp and paper mill effluents. The mills have been confronted with very seriousproblems, that is, the potential environmental impact of their effluents.In particular, low molecular chlorinated compounds have become of interest in recent years because of their tendency of bioaccumulation and mutagenic effects. It is hard to remove them by an activated sludge process because of biorefractory and it is also difficult to remove them by coagulation and sedimentation.
    We have developed removal of toxic organic compounds by combination treatment of an enzyme (oxidoreductase) and a cationic polymer coagulant.This treatment can be applied in the removal of chloroguaiacols and chlorocatechols from pulp and paper effluents. In addition, degradation and detoxification of coagulated matters by lignin-degradable fungi and anaerobic bacteria have been studied.
  14. 1) Kenji Tatsumi et. al.,Enzyme-Mediated Coupling of 3,4-Dichloro- anilines and Ferulic Acid, Environ. Sci. Technol., 28,210-215,1994,
    2) Removal of Phenols from Wastewater by Soluble and Immobilized Tyrosinase, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 42,854-858,1993, 3)Removal of Phenols and Aromatic Amines from Wastewater by a Combination Treatment with Tyrosinase and a Coagulant, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 45,304-309,1995.
  1. Selective Separation Technique for Volatile Organic Halogenated Compounds
  2. 1992-1996
  3. air, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures, other (materials)
  5. engineering, chemistry
  6. Ikuo TAMORI, Satoshi KUSHIYAMA, Isamu UEMASU, Satoru KOBAYASHI, Reiji AIZAWA
  7. Environmental Technology Lab., Atmospheric Environment Protection Dept.,
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8273
  12. 81-298-61-8259
  13. Toxic halogenated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene and carbon tetrachloride in gas-phase are captured by cyclodextrins in liquid phase or zeolites on solid surface. Materials are chemically modified for their effective occlusion.
  14. 1)Isamu Uemasu et al., Inclusion Complexation of Volatile Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Aqueous Solutions of Branched Cyclodextrins, J. Incl. Phenom., 17, 177, 1994.
  1. Microwave-assisted Treatment Technique for Hazardous Organic Air Pollutants
  2. 1996-2000
  3. air, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures, reaction mechanism, other (materials)
  5. engineering, chemistry
  6. Ikuo TAMORI, Koichi MIZUNO, Satoshi KUSHIYAMA, Satoru KOBAYASHI, Atsushi OGATA, Hiroshi YAGITA
  7. Environmental Technology Lab., Atmospheric Environment Protection Dept.,
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8273
  12. 81-298-61-8259
  13. Selective adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and toluene on zeolites from gas mixtures containing water or other hydrophilic substances is controlled by microwave irradiation. Catalysis-assisted plasma decomposition of VOCs and other organic hazardous substances is also investigated.
  14. 1)Satoru Kobayashi et. al., Study of Adsorption Isotherm for Chlorofluorocarbons on Zeolites, Nippon Kagaku Kaishi, 1994, 828.
    2) Toshiaki Yamamoto, Koichi Mizuno, Atsushi Ogata, et. al., Catalysis-Assisited Plasma Technology gor Carbon Tetrachloride Destruction, IEEE-IAS Ann. Conf., 1994.
  1. Removal of Trihalomethane Precoursors from Refractory Colored Wastewater
  2. 1995-1999
  3. water, hazardous substances
  4. reaction mechanism, counter measures
  5. chemistry,
  6. Akira MIYAZAKI, Nobuyuki TAKAHASHI, Toshihiro NAKAI, Yoshio SATOH, Hiroshi SAKAMOTO, Nobuyuki KIKUKAWA, Katsunori KOSUGE
  7. Advanced Water Treatment Div., Hydrospheric Environment Protection Dept.,Siliceous Meterials Div., Materials Processing Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8322
  12. 81-298-61-8308
  13. Refractory colored water has a complex in composition and contains a variety of components such as dyestuffs and surfactants. These components are thought to have possibly a high trialomethane formation power and must be highly treated to protect hydrosperic environment, especially reservoir. The aim of this study is to investigate the relashionship between the structure and toxicity of these hazardous substances and to develop a new system for the removal of toxicity from refractory colored wastewater. In this study, Ozonation with biological treatment and adsorption using a high-efficient adsorbent are investigated as key technologies. Decoloration and enhancement in biodegradability induced by ozonation and further removal of hazardous substances by following biological treatment are studied in the former. The development of a high-efficient adsorbent containing a layer structure and the establishment of its regeneration method are studied in the latter. In addition, a new system combined with these key technologies are developed.
  14. 1)Nobuyuki TAKAHASHI et al., Variation of Biodegradability of Nitrogenous Organic Compounds by Ozonation, Wat.Res., 28, 1563-1570(1994)
    2)Nobuyuki TAKAHASHI et al., 0zonolysis of Humic Acid and its Effect on Decoloration and Biodegradability, Ozone Sci.& Eng., 17, 511-525(1995)

Hokkaido National Industrial Research Institute(HNIRI), Japan

  1. Dechlorination Technique of Waste Plastics
  2. 1992-1995
  3. waste, hazardous substances
  4. counter measures, measurement
  5. engineering, chemistry
  6. Ryouichi YOSIDA, Takashi FUKUDA, Kiyoshi SAITO, Kiyoshi IDOGAWA, Akiyoshi SASAKI
  7. Resouce Chemistry Section, Resources and Energy Division,
  8. HNIRI, AIST,MITI
  9. 2-17, Tsukisamu Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062
  10. Japan
  11. 81-11-857-8400
  12. 81-11-857-8900
  13. The objective of this project are to elucidate the thermal characteristics of plastics such as polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride and their mixtures, and to develop the dechlorination technique by thermal treatment, prior to converting waste plastics to oils or other useful materials. Thermal properties of low and high density polyethylene(PE), polypropyrene(PP), polystyrene(PS) and polyvinylchloride(PVC) were analized in the range from 40oC to the decopmosition-vaporization state by a new apparatus for thermoanalysis, which was composed of thermogravimeter and conduction-type scanning calorimeter. Mixed plastics of PE,PP,PS and PVC, which contained PVC in the range from 4 to 40 wt%, were also analized. Performance test for dechlorination of mixed plastics were conducted by using an extruder which has two shafts rotating at opposite directions. Dechlorination ratio for mixtures of two or four kinds of plastics which contained PVC at 4 to 40 wt%were accomplished to 99.9 wt% under the conditions of decomposition temperature at 340oC ,and residence time of the plastics above 5.0 minutes. Measurements of thermal properties of dechlorination-treated plastics were done. Tests of oil recovery from treated plastics by thermo-catalytic decomposition were conducted and gasoline-like oils were obtained.
  14. 1)Kiyoshi Saito et. al.,Equipment for dechlorination and volume reduction of waste plastics,The 26th fall meeting of the society of Chemical Engineers,Japan pp.350(part II),Octber,1993
    2)Kiyoshi Saito,Pollution free conversion technology of waste plastics for recycle use, The international symposium on recycling of waste resources, PUSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY,KOREA, Novenber 18, 1993
  1. Removal of Artificial Toxicants in Dilute Aqueous Solution by Chemical Reduction
  2. 1989-1995
  3. water, hazardous substances
  4. reaction mechanizm, water treatment
  5. engineering, chemistry
  6. Tetsuo Senzaki, Yoshio Noda, Yoshikazu Suzuki, Kozo Ishizaki
  7. Bioengineering Section, Bioscience and Chemistry Section
  8. HINIRI, AIST, MITTI
  9. 2-17 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohiraku, Sapporo 062
  10. Japan
  11. 81-011-857-8400
  12. 81-011-857-8900
  13. This study aims to develop a new method for removing artificial toxicants in water. For this purpose we use reducing agents such as catalytic iron to degrade the toxicants chemically into harmless substances, producing a more acceptable water by environmental standards.
  14. 1) Tetsuo Senzaki et.al., Conversion of Refractory and Toxic Organics to Harmless Substances, Industrial Water, 369 19-26 1989 6
    2) Tetsuo Senzaki et.al., Conversion of Refractory and Toxic Organics to Harmless Substances, Industrial Water, 391 29-35 1991 4

National Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya(NIRIN), Japan

  1. Study on Environmental Purification Technology Using Ceramics Photocatalyst
  2. 1995-1998
  3. water, wastes, hazardous substances
  4. reaction mechanism and purification, conuter measures
  5. engineering
  6. Hiroshi TAODA, Eiji WATANABE, Kazumi KATO, Kozo ISEDA
  7. Ecomaterial Lab., Multi-functional Material Science Dept.
  8. NIRIN, AIST, MITI
  9. 1-1 Hirate-cho, Kita-ku, Nagoya 462
  10. Japan
  11. 81-52-911-2111
  12. 81-52-916-2802
  13. Recently, pollution of valuable water due to daily waste water or industrial waste water has been spreading on the earthwide scale to become a world wide problem. The treatment of waste water using TiO2 photocatalyst is able to decompose toxic and bioresistant organic pollutants readily. In such water treatment studies, TiO2 powders in general have been utilized as photocatalyst. TiO2 film photocatalysts have several advantages:1)it is easy to treat,
    2)filtration is not necessary to separate catalysts from treated water, 3)continuous treatment of waste water is possible. In this study, the development of highly active TiO2 film photocatalysts prepared by sol-gel method, the research on the destruction of bioresistant organic pollutants and the development of water treatment system using the TiO2 film photocatalysts are being performed.
  14. Hiroshi Taoda, Eiji Watanabe and Kazumi Kato, Photocatalytic Treatment of Organochlorine Compounds Using Catalyst Films, J.Water and Waste, 38, 290-296, 1996