Hiroaki Tanaka - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Hiroaki Tanaka
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in Yodo River system, Japan
Water Science and Technology, 2011
There is increasing concern about occurrences of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environme... more There is increasing concern about occurrences of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environment due to their persistent, bioaccumulation, and potentially toxic effects. We investigated contamination of 11 PFCs (C4-C12) in the Yodo River system, which is a major source of drinking water for more than 11 million people of Kansai region in Japan. PFCs were detected in higher concentration even exceeding more than 1000 ng/L in some cases. Composition profile of total PFCs concentration showed that PFOS, PFHxA, PFOA, and PFNA were occurring dominantly in the river system. PFOS and PFOA concentration were nearly proportional to a previous study in the same river system, indicating continuous sink of the compounds into the river system. Although discharge of PFCs from wastewater effluents at upstream could be one of the major point sources, concentration did not exceed 29.4 ng/L at the downstream of main Yodo River, possibly, due to dilution effects. Total mass load of PFCs in mainstre...
Journal of Environmental Conservation Engineering, 2014
International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2014
Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2014
N-nitrosamines are potential carcinogens that are formed during disinfection by chlorination/chlo... more N-nitrosamines are potential carcinogens that are formed during disinfection by chlorination/chloramination or ozonation. In this study, the main objective was to optimize ozonation experimental conditions (pH and temperature) for the production of N-nitrosamines by using the CCD method in wastewater matrices. As the results, maximum NDMA FPO3 (formation potential by ozonation) occurred at pH 8.96 and a temperature of 20.0 °C. Furthermore, attempts to reduce the concentrations of eight N-nitrosamines revealed that none was removed or reduced in concentration by ozonation using Milli-Q water for 2 h.
Chemosphere, 2014
We determined whether or not the chloramination or ozonation of amines and hydrazines listed in P... more We determined whether or not the chloramination or ozonation of amines and hydrazines listed in Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) results in the formation of Nnitrosamines when reacted in secondary wastewater effluent. We selected 12 primary, 2 secondary, 2 tertiary amines and 3 hydrazines from the PRTRs of Japan, the USA, and Korea. In this study, based on the assumption that there is a production of N-nitrosamines by not only the original selected amines and hydrazines but also the intermediate products in case of chloramination and ozonation, it was examined whether precursors were identified by selected amines and hydrazines based on the gap of the N-nitrosamines formation potential between day 0 and day 10 rather than analyzing the contribution depending on the concentration of selected amines and hydrazines. Many of the primary amines (notably 2,6xylidine) and all of the secondary and tertiary amines produced N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) by chloramination. Furthermore, the primary amines 2,6-xylidine, 3,3′dimethylbenzidine, 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline), 4-aminoazobenzene, p-chloroaniline, and p-cresidine produced more NDMA than did the secondary amines. The secondary amines produced mainly NDMA. Ozonation produced NDMA only from the hydrazine 1,1dimethylhydrazine, and at a higher concentration than by chloramination. We identified 2,6xylidine, 3,3′-dimethylbenzidine, 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline), 4-aminoazobenzene, pchloroaniline, p-cresidine, 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, diethylamine, 4,4′-methylenebis(N,Ndimethyl)benzenamine, and chinomethionat as warranting further study.
Chemical Engineering Journal, 2013
The increasing production and use of fullerene C 60 nanomaterials raises concerns about environme... more The increasing production and use of fullerene C 60 nanomaterials raises concerns about environmental risks and human health. However, the materials' behavior and fate during wastewater treatment are still unclear. We investigated the adsorption of aqueous nanoscale fullerene (nC 60) on activated sludge by analysis of adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. The adsorption process closely followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and the adsorption isotherm was well described by the Freundlich model. The adsorption process depended strongly on the activated sludge concentration and pH, but there was no significant effect by the temperature and low ionic strength. The dissolved organic matter in wastewater could obviously inhibit the adsorption process. At mixed liquor suspended solids concentrations of 1000 and 2000 mg/L after 1 h mixing, nC 60 removal by adsorption reached 47% and 74%, respectively. Thus, adsorption could play an important role in the fate of nC 60 during conventional biological wastewater treatment. The analysis of factors influencing the adsorption amounts indicated that the nC 60 adsorption behavior on activated sludge was affected by the combined forces of the hydrophobic attraction, electrostatic repulsion and steric interaction.
Detection of the Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir in Aquatic Environments
PLoS ONE, 2009
Source estimation of pharmaceuticals based on catchment population and in-stream attenuation in Yodo River watershed, Japan
The Science of the total environment, Jan 15, 2018
Fifty-five pharmaceuticals were monitored at four rivers and inlets and/or outlets of three sewag... more Fifty-five pharmaceuticals were monitored at four rivers and inlets and/or outlets of three sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Yodo River watershed, Japan over 17 sampling events. Twenty-six quantified pharmaceuticals were classified by source and fate. The load per person (LPP) of nine pharmaceuticals, including six with observed mass balance in studied river stretch of <80%, was appreciably lower in river water (RW) than in the effluent (EF) of STPs (RW/EF <0.5), indicating that they were susceptible to in-stream attenuation in the study area, while the others were relatively conservative. The LPP of 12 pharmaceuticals in RW were within ±50% of that in EF. Because their mass loadings in rivers were correlated with human population in the catchment and most people use the sewer system, the major source of the 12 pharmaceuticals was considered to be STPs. The LPP of the three most labile pharmaceuticals in STPs (caffeine, theophylline, and acetaminophen) was >1.5 in RW/EF an...
Scientific reports, Jan 7, 2018
Human astroviruses are associated with gastroenteritis and known to contaminate water environment... more Human astroviruses are associated with gastroenteritis and known to contaminate water environments. Three different genetic clades of astroviruses are known to infect humans and each clade consists of diverse strains. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of astrovirus strains in water samples in different geographical locations, i.e., influent and effluent wastewater samples (n = 24 each) in Arizona, U.S., and groundwater (n = 37) and river water (n = 14) samples collected in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, using next-generation amplicon sequencing. Astrovirus strains including rare types (types 6 and 7 classical human astroviruses), emerging type (type 5 VA-astroviruses), and putative recombinants were identified. Feline astrovirus strains were collaterally identified and recombination between human and feline astroviruses was suggested. Classical- and VA-astroviruses seemed to be prevalent during cooler months, while MLB-astroviruses were identified only...
Comprehensive Study on Enteric Viruses and Indicators in Surface Water in Kyoto, Japan, During 2014–2015 Season
Food and Environmental Virology
Certain enteric viruses that are present in the water environment are potential risk factors of w... more Certain enteric viruses that are present in the water environment are potential risk factors of waterborne infections. To better understand the impact of viruses in water, both enteric viruses and their potential indicators should be comparatively investigated. In this study, occurrences of GI- and GII-noroviruses (NoVs), sapovirus (SaV), rotavirus (RoV), Aichi virus 1 (AiV-1), enterovirus (EV), and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were quantitatively determined in surface water samples in Japan. Additionally, the genotype distribution of GI- and GII-NoVs was determined using a next-generation amplicon sequencing. PMMoV was the most abundant virus regardless of season and location, indicating its usefulness as an indicator for the viral contamination of water. Other potential indicators, AiV and EV, were less abundant than GII-NoV. Viruses other than PMMoV showed seasonality, i.e., EV and other viruses (NoVs, SaV, RoV, and AiV-1) became prevalent during summer and winter, respectively. SaV showed a relatively high abundance at a location that was affected by untreated wastewater. Regarding NoV genotypes, GI.1, GI.2, GI.4, GI.5, GI.6, GII.3, GII.4, GII.6, and GII.17 were found from the surface water samples. GII.4 and GII.17 seemed to have contributed to the high abundance of GII-NoV in the samples. Interestingly, GII.17 strains became prevalent in the water samples before becoming prevalent among gastroenteritis patients in Japan. These findings provide further insights into the properties of viruses as contaminants in the water environment.
Environmental science & technology, Jan 14, 2018
Whilst pharmaceuticals are now routinely detected in aquatic environments, we know little of the ... more Whilst pharmaceuticals are now routinely detected in aquatic environments, we know little of the biological activity their presence might provoke. It is estimated that nearly 40% of all marketed pharmaceuticals are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)-acting pharmaceuticals. Here, we applied an in vitro assay, called the TGFα shedding assay, to measure the biological activities of GPCRs-acting pharmaceuticals present in effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan from 2014 to 2016. The results indicated that compounds were present in the wastewater with antagonistic activities against angiotensin (AT1), dopamine (D2), adrenergic (β1), acetylcholine (M1) and histamine (H1) receptors in both countries. The most consistent and powerful antagonistic activity was against the H1, D2, and AT1 receptors at up to μg-antagonist-equivalent quantity/L. Chemical analysis of the same UK samples were also conducted in parallel. Comparing the results of ...
Membrane fouling control and enhanced removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products by coagulation-MBR
Chemosphere, 2018
We investigated the effects of the addition of two coagulants-polyaluminium chloride (PACl) and c... more We investigated the effects of the addition of two coagulants-polyaluminium chloride (PACl) and chitosan-into the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process on membrane fouling and the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Their addition at optimized dosages improved the permeability of the membrane by reducing the concentration of soluble microbial products in mixed liquor, the content of inorganic elements, and irreversible fouling of the membrane surface. During long-term operation, the addition of PACl increased removal efficiencies of tetracycline, mefenamic acid, atenolol, furosemide, ketoprofen, and diclofenac by 17-23%. The comparative evaluation using mass balance calculations between coagulation-MBR (with PACl addition) and control-MBR (without PACl addition) showed that enhanced biodegradability played a key role in improving removal efficiencies of some PPCPs in coagulation-MBR. Coagulation-MBR also had higher oxygen uptake rates and specific nitrificatio...
Evaluation of virus reduction at a large-scale wastewater reclamation plant by detection of indigenous F-specific RNA bacteriophage genotypes
Environmental technology, Jan 2, 2018
Evaluating the reduction of virus load in water reclamation plants is important to ensuring the h... more Evaluating the reduction of virus load in water reclamation plants is important to ensuring the hygienic safety of the reclaimed water. A virus-spiking test is usually used to estimate virus reduction but is not practicable at large-scale plants. Thus, we evaluated virus reduction by ultrafiltration (UF) plus ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at a large-scale reclamation plant (1000 m/d) by quantifying indigenous F-specific RNA bacteriophages (FRNAPHs). To detect the infectious FRNAPH, we used both plaque assay and integrated culture-reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction combined with the most probable number assay, which can detect infectious FRNAPH genotypes. For comparison, we determined reductions of indigenous FRNAPHs and spiked MS2 at a small-scale pilot plant (10 m/d) at the same time. Reductions by UF were not significantly different among the bacteriophages at pilot plants. This result suggests that indigenous bacteriophages could be used for evaluating virus reduction...
Online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine rejection as a performance indicator of trace organic chemical removal by reverse osmosis
Chemosphere, 2018
The security of recycled water quality in potable reuse can be enhanced by improving the credibil... more The security of recycled water quality in potable reuse can be enhanced by improving the credibility of reverse osmosis (RO) treatment for the removal of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs). This study evaluated the potential of online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) before and after RO treatment as a surrogate indicator for TOrC removal by RO. This pilot-scale study monitored NDMA concentrations in RO feedwater (ultrafiltration-treated wastewater) and RO permeate every 22 min using novel online NDMA analyzers-high-performance liquid chromatography followed by photochemical reaction and chemiluminescence detection. NDMA rejection by RO varied considerably in response to changes in operating conditions (permeate flux and feedwater temperature). A high linear correlation between NDMA rejection and the rejection of six other TOrCs was observed. The linear correlation was also identified for an RO membrane damaged with chlorine. The correlation between another potential surrogat...
![Research paper thumbnail of [Detection of Physiological Activity of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater and River Water]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/73916768/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2018
Pharmaceuticals are widely found in aquatic environments worldwide. Concern about their potentia... more Pharmaceuticals are widely found in aquatic environments worldwide. Concern about their potential risks to aquatic species has been raised because they are designed to be biologically active. To address this concern, we must know whether biological activity of pharmaceuticals can be detected in waters. Nearly half of all marketed pharmaceuticals act by binding to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). In this study, we measured the physiological activity of GPCR-acting pharmaceuticals in effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and upstream and downstream of its outfall in Japan during 2 years. We used the in vitro transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) shedding assay, which accurately and sensitively detects GPCR activation, to investigate the antagonistic activities of water extracts against receptors for dopamine (D2) and histamine (H1). Activities detected in waters were quantified as antagonist equivalent quantities (EQs). In WWTP effluent extracts, antagonistic activity...
Evaluation of Virus Reduction by Ultrafiltration with Coagulation-Sedimentation in Water Reclamation
Food and environmental virology, Dec 28, 2017
The evaluation of virus reduction in water reclamation processes is essential for proper assessme... more The evaluation of virus reduction in water reclamation processes is essential for proper assessment and management of the risk of infection by enteric viruses. Ultrafiltration (UF) with coagulation-sedimentation (CS) is potentially effective for efficient virus removal. However, its performance at removing indigenous viruses has not been evaluated. In this study, we evaluated the reduction of indigenous viruses by UF with and without CS in a pilot-scale water reclamation plant in Okinawa, Japan, by measuring the concentration of viruses using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Aichi virus (AiV) and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were targeted in addition to the main enteric viruses of concern for risk management, namely, norovirus (NoV) genogroups I and II (GI and GII) and rotavirus (RoV). PMMoV, which is a plant pathogenic virus and is present at high concentrations in water contaminated by human feces, has been suggested as a useful viral indicator. We also investig...
Occurrence of antimicrobial resistance bacteria in the Yodo River basin, Japan and determination of beta-lactamases producing bacteria
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 2017
Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are widespread in aquatic environments. The aim of the present s... more Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are widespread in aquatic environments. The aim of the present study was to obtain information on the occurrence of bacteria with antimicrobial resistance and their multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) patterns in a river basin in Japan. In addition, the occurrence of fecal bacteria producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) in the aquatic environment was determined. Among the Escherichia coli isolates recovered from river samples upstream, 55% isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 18% were MAR. Among the E. coli isolates recovered from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent samples, 74% isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 46% were MAR. These findings suggest that the presence of WWTP effluent will increase the degree of contamination with MAR in the aquatic environment. Among the ampicillin-resistant isolates recovered from river samples, 21% isolates were jud...
Removal characteristics of pharmaceuticals and personal care products: Comparison between membrane bioreactor and various biological treatment processes
Chemosphere, 2017
We investigated the concentrations of 57 target compounds in the different treatment units of var... more We investigated the concentrations of 57 target compounds in the different treatment units of various biological treatment processes in South Korea, including modified biological nutrient removal (BNR), anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2O), and membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems, to elucidate the occurrence and removal fates of PPCPs in WWTPs. Biological treatment processes appeared to be most effective in eliminating most PPCPs, whereas some PPCPs were additionally removed by post-treatment. With the exception of the MBR process, the A2O system was effective for PPCPs removal. As a result, removal mechanisms were evaluated by calculating the mass balances in A2O and a lab-scale MBR process. The comparative study demonstrated that biodegradation was largely responsible for the improved removal performance found in lab-scale MBR (e.g., in removing bezafibrate, ketoprofen, and atenolol). Triclocarban, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tetracycline were adsorbed in large amounts to MBR sludge. Increased biodegradability was also observed in lab-scale MBR, despite the highly adsorbable characteristics. The enhanced biodegradation potential seen in the MBR process thus likely plays a key role in eliminating highly adsorbable compounds as well as non-degradable or persistent PPCPs in other biological treatment processes.
Chemosphere, 2015
A year-round monitoring survey of sewage flowing into sewage treatment plants located in urban Ja... more A year-round monitoring survey of sewage flowing into sewage treatment plants located in urban Japan was conducted by targeting seven representative pharmaceutical components-atenolol (ATL), ciprofloxacin (CFX), clarithromycin (CTM), diclofenac (DCF), diltiazem (DTZ), disopyramide (DSP), and sulpiride (SPR)-detected in the river environment. For each of these components, two types of predicted concentration were estimated on the basis of two types of data (the shipping volume and sales volume of each component). The measured concentration of each component obtained through the survey and the two types of estimated predicted concentration of each component were then compared. The correspondence ratio between the predicted concentration estimated from the shipping volume of the component and the measured concentration (predicted concentration/measured concentration) was, for ATL, 3.1; CFX, 1.4; CTM, 1.4; DCF, 0.2; DTZ, 0.9; DSP, 11.6; and SPR, 1.1. The correspondence ratio between the...
Evaluation of estrogenic activity of wastewater: comparison among in vitro ERα reporter gene assay, in vivo vitellogenin induction, and chemical analysis
Environmental science & technology, Jan 22, 2015
The in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) reporter gene assay has long been used to measure estrogenic ... more The in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) reporter gene assay has long been used to measure estrogenic activity in wastewater. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the assay represents net estrogenic activity in the balance between estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities in wastewater. However, it remained unclear whether the net estrogenic activity measured by the in vitro ERα reporter gene assay can predict the in vivo estrogenic effect of wastewater. To determine this, we measured the estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities of wastewater and reclaimed water by the in vitro ERα reporter gene assay; the expression of vitellogenin-1 (vtg1) and choriogenin-H (chgH) in male medaka (Oryzias latipes) by quantitative real-time PCR; and estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol, and 17α-ethynylestradiol concentrations chemically to predict estrogenic activity. The net estrogenic activity measured by the in vitro medaka ERα reporter gene assay predicted the in vivo vtg1/chgH expression in male meda...
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in Yodo River system, Japan
Water Science and Technology, 2011
There is increasing concern about occurrences of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environme... more There is increasing concern about occurrences of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environment due to their persistent, bioaccumulation, and potentially toxic effects. We investigated contamination of 11 PFCs (C4-C12) in the Yodo River system, which is a major source of drinking water for more than 11 million people of Kansai region in Japan. PFCs were detected in higher concentration even exceeding more than 1000 ng/L in some cases. Composition profile of total PFCs concentration showed that PFOS, PFHxA, PFOA, and PFNA were occurring dominantly in the river system. PFOS and PFOA concentration were nearly proportional to a previous study in the same river system, indicating continuous sink of the compounds into the river system. Although discharge of PFCs from wastewater effluents at upstream could be one of the major point sources, concentration did not exceed 29.4 ng/L at the downstream of main Yodo River, possibly, due to dilution effects. Total mass load of PFCs in mainstre...
Journal of Environmental Conservation Engineering, 2014
International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2014
Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2014
N-nitrosamines are potential carcinogens that are formed during disinfection by chlorination/chlo... more N-nitrosamines are potential carcinogens that are formed during disinfection by chlorination/chloramination or ozonation. In this study, the main objective was to optimize ozonation experimental conditions (pH and temperature) for the production of N-nitrosamines by using the CCD method in wastewater matrices. As the results, maximum NDMA FPO3 (formation potential by ozonation) occurred at pH 8.96 and a temperature of 20.0 °C. Furthermore, attempts to reduce the concentrations of eight N-nitrosamines revealed that none was removed or reduced in concentration by ozonation using Milli-Q water for 2 h.
Chemosphere, 2014
We determined whether or not the chloramination or ozonation of amines and hydrazines listed in P... more We determined whether or not the chloramination or ozonation of amines and hydrazines listed in Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) results in the formation of Nnitrosamines when reacted in secondary wastewater effluent. We selected 12 primary, 2 secondary, 2 tertiary amines and 3 hydrazines from the PRTRs of Japan, the USA, and Korea. In this study, based on the assumption that there is a production of N-nitrosamines by not only the original selected amines and hydrazines but also the intermediate products in case of chloramination and ozonation, it was examined whether precursors were identified by selected amines and hydrazines based on the gap of the N-nitrosamines formation potential between day 0 and day 10 rather than analyzing the contribution depending on the concentration of selected amines and hydrazines. Many of the primary amines (notably 2,6xylidine) and all of the secondary and tertiary amines produced N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) by chloramination. Furthermore, the primary amines 2,6-xylidine, 3,3′dimethylbenzidine, 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline), 4-aminoazobenzene, p-chloroaniline, and p-cresidine produced more NDMA than did the secondary amines. The secondary amines produced mainly NDMA. Ozonation produced NDMA only from the hydrazine 1,1dimethylhydrazine, and at a higher concentration than by chloramination. We identified 2,6xylidine, 3,3′-dimethylbenzidine, 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline), 4-aminoazobenzene, pchloroaniline, p-cresidine, 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, diethylamine, 4,4′-methylenebis(N,Ndimethyl)benzenamine, and chinomethionat as warranting further study.
Chemical Engineering Journal, 2013
The increasing production and use of fullerene C 60 nanomaterials raises concerns about environme... more The increasing production and use of fullerene C 60 nanomaterials raises concerns about environmental risks and human health. However, the materials' behavior and fate during wastewater treatment are still unclear. We investigated the adsorption of aqueous nanoscale fullerene (nC 60) on activated sludge by analysis of adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. The adsorption process closely followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and the adsorption isotherm was well described by the Freundlich model. The adsorption process depended strongly on the activated sludge concentration and pH, but there was no significant effect by the temperature and low ionic strength. The dissolved organic matter in wastewater could obviously inhibit the adsorption process. At mixed liquor suspended solids concentrations of 1000 and 2000 mg/L after 1 h mixing, nC 60 removal by adsorption reached 47% and 74%, respectively. Thus, adsorption could play an important role in the fate of nC 60 during conventional biological wastewater treatment. The analysis of factors influencing the adsorption amounts indicated that the nC 60 adsorption behavior on activated sludge was affected by the combined forces of the hydrophobic attraction, electrostatic repulsion and steric interaction.
Detection of the Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir in Aquatic Environments
PLoS ONE, 2009
Source estimation of pharmaceuticals based on catchment population and in-stream attenuation in Yodo River watershed, Japan
The Science of the total environment, Jan 15, 2018
Fifty-five pharmaceuticals were monitored at four rivers and inlets and/or outlets of three sewag... more Fifty-five pharmaceuticals were monitored at four rivers and inlets and/or outlets of three sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Yodo River watershed, Japan over 17 sampling events. Twenty-six quantified pharmaceuticals were classified by source and fate. The load per person (LPP) of nine pharmaceuticals, including six with observed mass balance in studied river stretch of <80%, was appreciably lower in river water (RW) than in the effluent (EF) of STPs (RW/EF <0.5), indicating that they were susceptible to in-stream attenuation in the study area, while the others were relatively conservative. The LPP of 12 pharmaceuticals in RW were within ±50% of that in EF. Because their mass loadings in rivers were correlated with human population in the catchment and most people use the sewer system, the major source of the 12 pharmaceuticals was considered to be STPs. The LPP of the three most labile pharmaceuticals in STPs (caffeine, theophylline, and acetaminophen) was >1.5 in RW/EF an...
Scientific reports, Jan 7, 2018
Human astroviruses are associated with gastroenteritis and known to contaminate water environment... more Human astroviruses are associated with gastroenteritis and known to contaminate water environments. Three different genetic clades of astroviruses are known to infect humans and each clade consists of diverse strains. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of astrovirus strains in water samples in different geographical locations, i.e., influent and effluent wastewater samples (n = 24 each) in Arizona, U.S., and groundwater (n = 37) and river water (n = 14) samples collected in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, using next-generation amplicon sequencing. Astrovirus strains including rare types (types 6 and 7 classical human astroviruses), emerging type (type 5 VA-astroviruses), and putative recombinants were identified. Feline astrovirus strains were collaterally identified and recombination between human and feline astroviruses was suggested. Classical- and VA-astroviruses seemed to be prevalent during cooler months, while MLB-astroviruses were identified only...
Comprehensive Study on Enteric Viruses and Indicators in Surface Water in Kyoto, Japan, During 2014–2015 Season
Food and Environmental Virology
Certain enteric viruses that are present in the water environment are potential risk factors of w... more Certain enteric viruses that are present in the water environment are potential risk factors of waterborne infections. To better understand the impact of viruses in water, both enteric viruses and their potential indicators should be comparatively investigated. In this study, occurrences of GI- and GII-noroviruses (NoVs), sapovirus (SaV), rotavirus (RoV), Aichi virus 1 (AiV-1), enterovirus (EV), and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were quantitatively determined in surface water samples in Japan. Additionally, the genotype distribution of GI- and GII-NoVs was determined using a next-generation amplicon sequencing. PMMoV was the most abundant virus regardless of season and location, indicating its usefulness as an indicator for the viral contamination of water. Other potential indicators, AiV and EV, were less abundant than GII-NoV. Viruses other than PMMoV showed seasonality, i.e., EV and other viruses (NoVs, SaV, RoV, and AiV-1) became prevalent during summer and winter, respectively. SaV showed a relatively high abundance at a location that was affected by untreated wastewater. Regarding NoV genotypes, GI.1, GI.2, GI.4, GI.5, GI.6, GII.3, GII.4, GII.6, and GII.17 were found from the surface water samples. GII.4 and GII.17 seemed to have contributed to the high abundance of GII-NoV in the samples. Interestingly, GII.17 strains became prevalent in the water samples before becoming prevalent among gastroenteritis patients in Japan. These findings provide further insights into the properties of viruses as contaminants in the water environment.
Environmental science & technology, Jan 14, 2018
Whilst pharmaceuticals are now routinely detected in aquatic environments, we know little of the ... more Whilst pharmaceuticals are now routinely detected in aquatic environments, we know little of the biological activity their presence might provoke. It is estimated that nearly 40% of all marketed pharmaceuticals are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)-acting pharmaceuticals. Here, we applied an in vitro assay, called the TGFα shedding assay, to measure the biological activities of GPCRs-acting pharmaceuticals present in effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan from 2014 to 2016. The results indicated that compounds were present in the wastewater with antagonistic activities against angiotensin (AT1), dopamine (D2), adrenergic (β1), acetylcholine (M1) and histamine (H1) receptors in both countries. The most consistent and powerful antagonistic activity was against the H1, D2, and AT1 receptors at up to μg-antagonist-equivalent quantity/L. Chemical analysis of the same UK samples were also conducted in parallel. Comparing the results of ...
Membrane fouling control and enhanced removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products by coagulation-MBR
Chemosphere, 2018
We investigated the effects of the addition of two coagulants-polyaluminium chloride (PACl) and c... more We investigated the effects of the addition of two coagulants-polyaluminium chloride (PACl) and chitosan-into the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process on membrane fouling and the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Their addition at optimized dosages improved the permeability of the membrane by reducing the concentration of soluble microbial products in mixed liquor, the content of inorganic elements, and irreversible fouling of the membrane surface. During long-term operation, the addition of PACl increased removal efficiencies of tetracycline, mefenamic acid, atenolol, furosemide, ketoprofen, and diclofenac by 17-23%. The comparative evaluation using mass balance calculations between coagulation-MBR (with PACl addition) and control-MBR (without PACl addition) showed that enhanced biodegradability played a key role in improving removal efficiencies of some PPCPs in coagulation-MBR. Coagulation-MBR also had higher oxygen uptake rates and specific nitrificatio...
Evaluation of virus reduction at a large-scale wastewater reclamation plant by detection of indigenous F-specific RNA bacteriophage genotypes
Environmental technology, Jan 2, 2018
Evaluating the reduction of virus load in water reclamation plants is important to ensuring the h... more Evaluating the reduction of virus load in water reclamation plants is important to ensuring the hygienic safety of the reclaimed water. A virus-spiking test is usually used to estimate virus reduction but is not practicable at large-scale plants. Thus, we evaluated virus reduction by ultrafiltration (UF) plus ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at a large-scale reclamation plant (1000 m/d) by quantifying indigenous F-specific RNA bacteriophages (FRNAPHs). To detect the infectious FRNAPH, we used both plaque assay and integrated culture-reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction combined with the most probable number assay, which can detect infectious FRNAPH genotypes. For comparison, we determined reductions of indigenous FRNAPHs and spiked MS2 at a small-scale pilot plant (10 m/d) at the same time. Reductions by UF were not significantly different among the bacteriophages at pilot plants. This result suggests that indigenous bacteriophages could be used for evaluating virus reduction...
Online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine rejection as a performance indicator of trace organic chemical removal by reverse osmosis
Chemosphere, 2018
The security of recycled water quality in potable reuse can be enhanced by improving the credibil... more The security of recycled water quality in potable reuse can be enhanced by improving the credibility of reverse osmosis (RO) treatment for the removal of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs). This study evaluated the potential of online monitoring of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) before and after RO treatment as a surrogate indicator for TOrC removal by RO. This pilot-scale study monitored NDMA concentrations in RO feedwater (ultrafiltration-treated wastewater) and RO permeate every 22 min using novel online NDMA analyzers-high-performance liquid chromatography followed by photochemical reaction and chemiluminescence detection. NDMA rejection by RO varied considerably in response to changes in operating conditions (permeate flux and feedwater temperature). A high linear correlation between NDMA rejection and the rejection of six other TOrCs was observed. The linear correlation was also identified for an RO membrane damaged with chlorine. The correlation between another potential surrogat...
Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2018
Pharmaceuticals are widely found in aquatic environments worldwide. Concern about their potentia... more Pharmaceuticals are widely found in aquatic environments worldwide. Concern about their potential risks to aquatic species has been raised because they are designed to be biologically active. To address this concern, we must know whether biological activity of pharmaceuticals can be detected in waters. Nearly half of all marketed pharmaceuticals act by binding to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). In this study, we measured the physiological activity of GPCR-acting pharmaceuticals in effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and upstream and downstream of its outfall in Japan during 2 years. We used the in vitro transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) shedding assay, which accurately and sensitively detects GPCR activation, to investigate the antagonistic activities of water extracts against receptors for dopamine (D2) and histamine (H1). Activities detected in waters were quantified as antagonist equivalent quantities (EQs). In WWTP effluent extracts, antagonistic activity...
Evaluation of Virus Reduction by Ultrafiltration with Coagulation-Sedimentation in Water Reclamation
Food and environmental virology, Dec 28, 2017
The evaluation of virus reduction in water reclamation processes is essential for proper assessme... more The evaluation of virus reduction in water reclamation processes is essential for proper assessment and management of the risk of infection by enteric viruses. Ultrafiltration (UF) with coagulation-sedimentation (CS) is potentially effective for efficient virus removal. However, its performance at removing indigenous viruses has not been evaluated. In this study, we evaluated the reduction of indigenous viruses by UF with and without CS in a pilot-scale water reclamation plant in Okinawa, Japan, by measuring the concentration of viruses using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Aichi virus (AiV) and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were targeted in addition to the main enteric viruses of concern for risk management, namely, norovirus (NoV) genogroups I and II (GI and GII) and rotavirus (RoV). PMMoV, which is a plant pathogenic virus and is present at high concentrations in water contaminated by human feces, has been suggested as a useful viral indicator. We also investig...
Occurrence of antimicrobial resistance bacteria in the Yodo River basin, Japan and determination of beta-lactamases producing bacteria
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 2017
Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are widespread in aquatic environments. The aim of the present s... more Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are widespread in aquatic environments. The aim of the present study was to obtain information on the occurrence of bacteria with antimicrobial resistance and their multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) patterns in a river basin in Japan. In addition, the occurrence of fecal bacteria producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) in the aquatic environment was determined. Among the Escherichia coli isolates recovered from river samples upstream, 55% isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 18% were MAR. Among the E. coli isolates recovered from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent samples, 74% isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 46% were MAR. These findings suggest that the presence of WWTP effluent will increase the degree of contamination with MAR in the aquatic environment. Among the ampicillin-resistant isolates recovered from river samples, 21% isolates were jud...
Removal characteristics of pharmaceuticals and personal care products: Comparison between membrane bioreactor and various biological treatment processes
Chemosphere, 2017
We investigated the concentrations of 57 target compounds in the different treatment units of var... more We investigated the concentrations of 57 target compounds in the different treatment units of various biological treatment processes in South Korea, including modified biological nutrient removal (BNR), anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2O), and membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems, to elucidate the occurrence and removal fates of PPCPs in WWTPs. Biological treatment processes appeared to be most effective in eliminating most PPCPs, whereas some PPCPs were additionally removed by post-treatment. With the exception of the MBR process, the A2O system was effective for PPCPs removal. As a result, removal mechanisms were evaluated by calculating the mass balances in A2O and a lab-scale MBR process. The comparative study demonstrated that biodegradation was largely responsible for the improved removal performance found in lab-scale MBR (e.g., in removing bezafibrate, ketoprofen, and atenolol). Triclocarban, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tetracycline were adsorbed in large amounts to MBR sludge. Increased biodegradability was also observed in lab-scale MBR, despite the highly adsorbable characteristics. The enhanced biodegradation potential seen in the MBR process thus likely plays a key role in eliminating highly adsorbable compounds as well as non-degradable or persistent PPCPs in other biological treatment processes.
Chemosphere, 2015
A year-round monitoring survey of sewage flowing into sewage treatment plants located in urban Ja... more A year-round monitoring survey of sewage flowing into sewage treatment plants located in urban Japan was conducted by targeting seven representative pharmaceutical components-atenolol (ATL), ciprofloxacin (CFX), clarithromycin (CTM), diclofenac (DCF), diltiazem (DTZ), disopyramide (DSP), and sulpiride (SPR)-detected in the river environment. For each of these components, two types of predicted concentration were estimated on the basis of two types of data (the shipping volume and sales volume of each component). The measured concentration of each component obtained through the survey and the two types of estimated predicted concentration of each component were then compared. The correspondence ratio between the predicted concentration estimated from the shipping volume of the component and the measured concentration (predicted concentration/measured concentration) was, for ATL, 3.1; CFX, 1.4; CTM, 1.4; DCF, 0.2; DTZ, 0.9; DSP, 11.6; and SPR, 1.1. The correspondence ratio between the...
Evaluation of estrogenic activity of wastewater: comparison among in vitro ERα reporter gene assay, in vivo vitellogenin induction, and chemical analysis
Environmental science & technology, Jan 22, 2015
The in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) reporter gene assay has long been used to measure estrogenic ... more The in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) reporter gene assay has long been used to measure estrogenic activity in wastewater. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the assay represents net estrogenic activity in the balance between estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities in wastewater. However, it remained unclear whether the net estrogenic activity measured by the in vitro ERα reporter gene assay can predict the in vivo estrogenic effect of wastewater. To determine this, we measured the estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities of wastewater and reclaimed water by the in vitro ERα reporter gene assay; the expression of vitellogenin-1 (vtg1) and choriogenin-H (chgH) in male medaka (Oryzias latipes) by quantitative real-time PCR; and estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol, and 17α-ethynylestradiol concentrations chemically to predict estrogenic activity. The net estrogenic activity measured by the in vitro medaka ERα reporter gene assay predicted the in vivo vtg1/chgH expression in male meda...