Waters and soils in the environment such as rainwater, rivers, lakes and seas are very important for the life of human beings. When the environment is once polluted, It always requires a substantial amount of cost and time to restore it. We, researchers in the water and soil environment division, have been investigating environmental pollutions, in particular water and soil environments, and their effects on ecosystems from diverse points of view.
Waters and soils in the environment such as rainwater, rivers, lakes and seas are very important for the life of human beings. When the environment is once polluted, It always requires a substantial amount of cost and time to restore it. We, researchers in the water and soil environment division, have been investigating environmental pollutions, in particular water and soil environments, and their effects on ecosystems from diverse points of view.
To understand the state of pollution, we are conducting various on-site surveys for evaluating both qualitative and quantitative changes of pollutants in rivers, lakes and oceans. Based on the data obtained through the surveys, we are constructing environmental databases. One of our section focuses on land subsidence, which is also a direct threat to our living environment, and conducts long-term monitoring programs on the progression of land subsidence and the change of groundwater water level.
Evaluation on the effect of agricultural chemicals and heavy metals on soil ecosystems is given a special emphasis and in progress.
Our research project for the restoration of polluted environments involves a bioremediation study where microorganisms are used to clean up shoreline areas that have been polluted by oil spills in coastal waters. We are also working to find microorganisms that can purify soils contaminated by trichloroethylene and other chemicals and enhance their ability for soil purification.
We are also developing several models to predict levels of water resource depletion and qualitative and quantitative changes in pollutants in lakes as a result of human activities.
 Water Quality Science Section-
We are conducting fundamental and applied research into the fate of environmental pollutants like trichloroethylene, radioactive materials and oil spills; on methods to prevent them from harming the environment; on the response mechanisms of lakes, oceans and wetlands to environmental changes; and on means for preserving water quality. We are also researching microorganisms that can degrade soil and groundwater pollutants like trichloroethylene; working to strengthen their degradation activities; and evaluating their impact on the environment.
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| Survey of methane emission in the West Siberia Wetland |
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Bioremediation, which promotes indigenous microbiological degradability by addition of nutrients, appears to be a promising technology for cleaning up spilled oil. We examined the impact of this technology on the coastal environment at Sakodani Kaigan in Kasumicho, Hyogo Prefecture.
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Soil Science Section
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The Soil Science Section is researching the impact of heavy metals, acidic pollutants, and some synthetic organic compounds on soil-plant ecosystems, and the behavior of those pollutants in soil and sedimentary environments. It is also studying how antimony (from vehicle exhaust gas) and bismuth (a constituent of Pb-free solder) behave in soil, and their effect on plant and soil microorganisms.
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A comparison of amounts of ammonia, believed to be derived from vehicle exhaust gas, deposited on the leaf surface of cedar trees in various locations |
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Geotechnical Engineering Section
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The Geotechnical Engineering Section is conducting research on ground and ground water problems, including work to elucidate and forecast land subsidence and changes in ground water flow due to ground water pumping.
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| Land subsidence and ground water level observations |
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Monitoring emergencies in the Joetsu region in fiscal 1998.Snowfall in Joetsu and Takada cities, groundwater levels, and ground compaction
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Lake Environment Section
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The Lake Environment Section is working to develop a database system in lake and its watershed using a geographical information system, to develop mathematical models for predicting water quality in lake, to evaluate the ecological structure of lake ecosystems, and to elucidate the mechanism by which toxin-producing algal blooms occur in lake.
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Seasonal variations in dissolved organic matter (DOM), aquatic humic substances (AHS), hydrophilic acids (HiA), and recalcitrant DOM, AHS, and HiA at the center of Lake Kasumigaura, 1997. |
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Ocean Environment Section
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Laboratory of Marine Environment is studying the marine environmental changes using ships-of-opportunity such as the ferry plying the Seto Inland Sea and the container ship plying the Asian marginal seas between Japan and Malaysia. Also, circulation of substances in the marine ecosystems is studied in the coastal seas. Furthermore, stereoscopic underwater images are systematically taken to detect the growth or degradation of coral reef.
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Seawater monitoring system and online data transmission system installed onboard the ferry Sunflower |
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