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Environmental Technology Research Network
in the Asia-Pacific Region

DB for Research Project
Category(1) : Waterr
Category(2) : Reaction mechanism


  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

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

  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).

National Institute for Resources and Environment(NIRE), Japan

  1. Japanese Study on the Behavior of Greenhouse Gases and Aerosols
  2. 1990-1999
  3. global change, air, water, ocean
  4. counter measures, reaction mechanism, measurement, monitoring, modeling
  5. chemistry, geophysics
  6. Takashi IBUSUKI, Koji TAKEUCHI, Shuzo KUTSUNA, Kazuhide KOIKE, Hitomi KOBARA
  7. Photoenergy Application Div., Global Warming Control Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8168
  12. 81-298-61-8158
  13. This project aims at conducting research and observation on long-term trend of greenhouse materials and on the material circulation and quantitative analysis of natural balance in order to estimate and predict influence of anthropogenic and natural greenhouse gases.
  1. Elucidation of Material Cycle in Coasl Environment and Development of Monitoring Techniques 2 1994-1998
  3. water, ocean, hazardous substances, sediments
  4. measurement, fate, monitoring, reaction mechanism
  5. chemistry
  6. Akira MIYAZAKI, Kenji BANSHO, Mamoru TOMINAGA, Hiroaki TAO, Akira@KIMURA, Takashi IMAGAWA, Nobuyoshi YAMASHITA
  7. Water Analysis Lab, Hydrospheric Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8338
  12. 81-298-61-8308
  13. The objectives of this project are to use artificial chemical substances, rare earth metals, heavy metals and lead isotopes as tracers to investigate the material cycle in the coastal environments and to develop analytical techniques and monitoring technique. Based on three-dimensional analysis of the tracers, the transition in the flow of substances into the marine environments in recent years and behavior in the environment will be elucidated.
  14. 1)Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Ultra-trace level measurement of non-orhto planar PCBs in sea water using in situ filtrate/adsorption water sampler, Journal of NIRE, 4, 4, 315(1995)
  15. Kiel Univ.,Germany
  1. The Origin and Accumulation of Hazardous Substances in East-Asia Seas
  2. 1995-1997
  3. Wide Marine Pollution, Organotin, Organohalogen Compounds, Mussel, ocean
  4. analysis, measurement, fate, monitoring, reaction mechanism
  5. chemistry, oceanography, toxicology
  6. Mamoru TOMINAGA, Takashi IMAGAWA
  7. Water Analysis Lab, Hydrospheric Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305
  10. Japan
  11. 81-298-61-8338
  12. 81-298-61-8308
  13. The goal of the research project is to clarify the occurrence and behavior of hazardous substances in East-Asia seas by measuring organotin and organohalogen compounds in seawater, sediments and mussels. The main purpose of this year is to develop analytical and sampling methods for these compounds.
  14. C.RQuetel, H.Tao, M.Tominaga, A.Miyazaki, Anal. Chem.,(submitted)
  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)
  1. Nitrogen Removal by a Membrane Reactor
  2. 1986-1992
  3. water
  4. reaction mechanisms
  5. engineering, chemistry, biology
  6. Yuichi SUWA1, Hiroki TOYOHARA2, Tsuneo Suzuki3, Tetsundo TASHIRO1, Takao YAMAGISHI1, Yoshikuni URUSHIGAWA1
  7. 1, Ecological Chemistry and Microbilogy Div., Hydroshperic Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI; Chiyoda Corp.,; Hitachi PlantEngng. & Constr. Co. Ltd.,
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305
  10. JAPAN
  11. 81-298-61-8318
  12. 81-298-61-8309
  13. Nitrogen removal by a bioreactor equipped with membrane filtration was studied. Nitrogen and BOD removal rates were determined in following experimental conditions: BOD loading, 0.33-1.66 g l-1 d-1; Total Kjerdahl nitrogen (TKN) loading, 0.032-0.268 gN l-1 d-1; a BOD/TKN ratio, 1.8-24.5;a sludge retention time, 54-4,200 days. Grater than 97 % of organic carbon was removed regardless of BOD loading. The denitrification rate increased with BOD loading and percentage of removed TKN was increased with the BOD/TKN ratio in the influent. Ammoniua-nitrogen in wastewater with BOD/TKN ratio of 5.0 was completely removed by intermittent aeration. The denitrification rate reached 0.0074 gN VSS-1 d-1. The results obtained in this study demonstrates that a single-stage single-sludge activated sludge process with membrane filtration maintained both types of microorganisms, nitrifiers and denitrifiers, without loosing a high activity. 14 1) Suwa Y. et al. Simultenious Organic Carbon Removal-Nitrification by Activated sludge Process with Cross-Flow Filtration. J. Ferment. Bioengng. 67:119-125. 1989.
    2) Tashiro, T. et al. Ammonium Oxidation by an Activated Sludge Process with Cross-Flow Filtration. Hakkoukogaku. 68:31-34 (in Japanese).
    3) Suwa, Y. et al. The Effect of Increasing of Nitrogen Loading on Ammonium Oxidation by an Activated Sludge Process with Cross-Flow Filtration. Japan J. Water Pollutt. Res. 14:261-265 1991. (in Japanese).
    4) Suwa, Y. et al. Single-Sytage, Single-Sludge Nitrogen Removal by an Activated Sludge Process with Cross- Flow Filtration. Water Res. 26:1149-1157. 1992.
  1. Analysis of total microbial community structure and predominant nitrifying population in nitrifying activated sudges by moecular methods
  2. 1995-
  3. water
  4. ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, countermeasures, reaction mechanism
  5. engineering, microbiology, molecular biology
  6. William E. HOLBEN1, Kazuhiko NOTO2, Tatsuo SUMINO2, and Yuichi SUWA3
  7. University of Montana; Hitachi Plant Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd.,; Ecological Chemistry and Microbilogy Div., Hydroshperic Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305
  10. JAPAN, U.S.A.
  11. 81-298-61-8318
  12. 81-298-61-8309
  13. Total microbial community structure and predominant nitrifying population in each compartment of a model three-vessel system, which has a series of sequential nitrifying reactions, was analyzed by molecular methods. Ammonium nitrogen was supplied at a rate of 5.0 g-N.d-1.(L of granule)-1. A half each of ammonia nitrogen loaded into the system was oxidized to nitrite in the first and the second compartments, respectively, and nitrite oxidation was solely occurred in the third compartment. G+C content based fractionation of total bacterial community DNA revealed that populations having 50 and 68% G+C predominated in the first two compartments, and those having 60 and 68% G+C did in the third compartment. The 50% and 60% G+C populations likely represents ammonia- and nitrite- oxidizing populations, respectively, which are known to have this %G+C content and are active in these compartments. The 50% G+C population from the first compartment hybridized strongly with amo (ammonia monooxygenase) and hao (hydroxylamine oxidoreductase) gene probes from Nitrosomonas europaea, and that from the second compartment hybridized strongly to the hao probe but only weakly to the amo probe suggesting that the predominant ammonia-oxidizing populations in the first and second compartments might be different. It appears that these nitrification processes may be somewhat incompatible, resulting in a series of sequential reactions in this three vessel system.
  14. 1) Abstr. 96th Gen. Meet. Am. Soc. Microbiol.
  1. Sequence of the gene encoding a subunit of ammonia mono-oxygenase,amoa, from a (NH4)2SO4-sensitive ammonia-oxidizing bacteria isolated from activated sludge.
  2. 1994-
  3. water
  4. ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, ammonia monooxygenase, DNA, reaction mechanism, modeling
  5. engineering, microbiology, molecular biology
  6. Yuichi SUWA1, Kazuhiko NOTO2, Tatsuo SUMINO2, and Yoshikuni URUSHIGAWA1
  7. Ecological Chemistry and Microbilogy Div., Hydroshperic Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI; Hitachi Plant Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd.,
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305
  10. JAPAN, U.S.A.
  11. 81-298-61-8318
  12. 81-298-61-8309
  13. Ammonia oxidizers play a key role in the global nitrogen cycle because they are solely responsible for oxidizing ammonia to nitrite. The ammonia oxidation is due to ammonia monooxygenase, Amo. Most of the previously described ammonia oxidizers are reportedly insensitive to ammonia toxicity. However, we have shown that (NH4)2SO4-sensitive ammonia oxidizers predominate in many waste water treatment facilities. Further, growth kinetics showed that sensitive strains have lower Km value with respect to the substrate. The aim of this study is to examine thedifferences between the amoa gene in substrate-sensitive and insensitive strains. Strain JL21 was isolated from a laboratory activated sludge and shown to grow on up to 5-10 mM (NH4)2SO4, whereas four ATCC ammonia oxidizing strains, two each of Nitrosomonas and Nitrosolobus strains, tolerated 35 mM (NH4)2SO4. The 16SrDNA sequence of JL21 was more similar to Nitrosolobus and Nitrosospira spp. than Nitrosomonas spp., which might indicate a unique phylogenetic position for the strain. A whole ammonia monooxygenase a gene (amoa) from JL21 was PCR-amplified and sequenced. It was shown that 76% of the nucleotide sequence was identical to that reported for Nitrosomonas europaea. Comparing amino acid sequences from these two strains, 83% identity was found. The result indicates that the Amoa sequence could be well-conserved regardless of sensitivity to the energy source.
  14. Abstr. 96th Gen. Meet. Am. Soc. Microbiol.
  1. Degradation of Synthetic Chemicals in Sediment
  2. 1992-1994
  3. water, hazardous substances
  4. reaction mechanisms, fate
  5. chemistry, biology, ecology
  6. Yoshitaka YONEZAWA, Shigeki MASUNAGA, Manabu FUKUI, Yoshikuni URUSHIGAWA
  7. Ecological Chemistry and Microbilogy Div. Hydroshperic Environmental Protection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305
  10. JAPAN
  11. 81-298-61-8311
  12. 81-298-61-8309
  13. Transformation reactions of chemicals in the sediment is important for estimating of their fate in the environment, because sediment layer accumulate a great deal of man-made chemicals discharged from industrial activities. We studied transformation pathwayes of tri-n-butyltin and trichloro-benzene in Ise bay sediment. The results showed that the transformation pathwayes and activities were affected by sulfate reducing activity in the sediment. The contribution of abiotic reaction in sediment were studied by benzonitril transformation.The results showed that the abiotic reaction mediated by the extracted sediment protein fraction was responsible for at least part of the reaction occurring in raw sediment.
  14. 1) S. Masunaga, et al. T ransformation of para-Substituted Benzonitriles in Sediment and in Sediment Extract Water Sci. Technol. 28:123-132 1993.
    2) Dechlorination of 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene in the Sediment of Ise Bay. 1994. Yonezawa, Y., M. Fukui, S. Masunaga, and Y. Urushigawa. Chemosphere 28:2179-2184
    3) Degradation of Tri-n-butyltin in Ise bay Sediment. Yonezawa, Y., M. Fukui, T. Yoshida, A. Ochi, T. Tanaka, Y.i Noguti, T. Kowata, Y.i Sato, S. Masunaga, and Y. Urushigawa. 1994. Chemosphere. 29:1349-1356
  1. Microbial Remediation of Polluted Environment
  2. 1995-1999
  3. water, hazardous substances
  4. reaction mechanisms, fate
  5. chemistry, biology, ecology
  6. Yoshitaka YONEZAWA, Hideki MASUNAGA, Yuichi SUWA, Yasutoshi MATSUI, Fumio YAMAGUTI, Manabu FUKUI, and Rie TAKEUCHI., Yoshikuni URUSHIGAWA
  7. Ecological Chemistry and Microbilogy Div. Hydroshperic EnvironmentalProtection Dept.
  8. NIRE, AIST, MITI
  9. 16-3 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305
  10. JAPAN
  11. 81-298-61-8311
  12. 81-298-61-8309
  13. Many physical and chemical means for eliminating hazardous organic chemicals have been developed and examined. Authentic techniques which have been developed for waste water treatment could be effective for the highly polluted and space-limited sites, but they may not be for the less polluted and spacious sites. Bioremediation is a new technology which is considered the most effective mean for the latter cases. Our studies are focusing on the following topics.
    1) Determination of biodegradation activities and pathways of hazardous organic chemicals in polluted sites.
    2) Enrichment and activity control of microorganisms responsible for hazardous organic chemicals degradation at a low concentration.
    3) Physiological and genetical charcterization of microorganisms responsible for degradation of hazardous organic chemicals at a low concentration.
    We have heavily industrialized coastal areas, of which sediment sometimes receives large amounts of hazerdous chemicals, in Japan,. In such polluted coastal environment, chlorinated organic compounds are major concern because of their wide use, toxicity and recalcitrance in environment. In general, highly chlorinated compounds are more toxic and persistence against biological degradation than less chlorinated in anaerobic environment. Dechlorinated compounds could be subjected to totally degraded to carbon dioxide by microbes in aerobic environment. Therefore, anaerobic dechlorination has been thought to be the most important step for elimination of chrolinated compounds from the environments, and thus biological dechlorination processes in anaerobic estuarine sediment has become of the greatest interest in environmental sciences.
  14. 1) Microbial degradation technology of hazardous chemicals (How can we evaluate the in situ microbial activety,Reaction kinetics)Yonezawa, Y. Sigen-to-kankyou 5,(1),51-58 (in Japanese).
    2) Pathway and rate ofchlorophenol transformation in anaerobic esturine sediment. Masunaga, S., Susarla, S., Gundersen, J. L., Yonezawa, Y. Environ. Sci., Technol. 30(4):1253-1260
    3) Transformation of chloronitrobenzenes in anaerobic sediment Susarla, S., Masunaga, S., Yonezawa, Y. Chemosphere 32:967-972 1996/4/1

Hokkaido National Industrial Research Institute(HNIRI), Japan

  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

Kyushu National Industrial Research Institute(KNIRI), Japan

  1. Syntheses of Biodegradable Adsorbents for Recovering Rare Metals
  2. 1995-1999
  3. water
  4. reaction mechanism
  5. chemistry
  6. Yoshinari INUKAI, Yasuhiko KAIDA, Seiji YASUDA
  7. Materials Chemistry Department
  8. KNIRI, AIST, MITI
  9. 807-1 Shuku-Machi, Tosu, Saga 841
  10. Japan
  11. 81-942-82-5161
  12. 81-942-83-0850
  13. Valuable materials used must be recovered and recycled to minimize environmental disruption, and in addition, the technology for recovering and recycling materials itself must be well-adapted to the environment.In these viewpoints, we develop the syntheses of biodegradable adsorbents using polysaccharides for selective separation and recovery of semimetals, which have attracted great attention because of their unique electronic, chemical and biological properties as well as their industrial applications.
  14. 1)Yoshinari INUKAI et al., Adsorption Behavior of Semimetals on Polysaccharide Derivatives, Prepr. 44th Annu. Meeting Jpn. Soc. Ana. Chem., 481, 1995 (in Jpn.)