Global Environmental Outreach Centre

The quantity of heavy metals in soil is measured after 2-mm sieving in Japan for risk assessment of direct soil ingestion. A study was conducted on the relationship between the size of soil particles and quantity of heavy metals in soil, and the particle-size distribution of soil adhered to children's hands, and the risks of direct intake of soil considering the particle sizes ingested were evaluated. The results showed that smaller particles had a tendency to contain more heavy metals than bigger ones, that the particle size of approximately 90% of the soil particles from playgrounds adhered to children's hands was less than 100 μm, and that 2-mm sieving in preparation for measuring heavy metal content caused underestimation of the risk of direct soil intake. The amount of heavy metals on children's hands after playing outside was investigated. Various metals and soil were adhered to their hands, and the amount of soil adhered could be estimated from the concentration of metals. To develop accurate risk assessment, the particle-size distribution of ingested soil and more detailed scenarios of soil intake are necessary.

Using multiplatform satellite data and 13 typhoon passages from 1998 through 2004, an empirical relationship to assess typhoon‐forced primary production (PP) enhancement in the outer shelf of the East China Sea is introduced. The constructed relationship requires variables of typhoon maximum sustained wind, typhoon transit speed and bottom depth of the location below the typhoon track. As this relationship does not require ocean color data, it enabled us to reconstruct the interannual and interdecadal variations of typhoon‐forced PP enhancement from 2004 back to 1980. Typhoon‐forced PP enhancements and typhoon contributions to summer‐fall new production during El Niño years tended to be higher than those during La Niña years. Typhoon‐enhanced PP also has shown a tendency to be higher during the 1991–2004 period than during the 1980–1990 one. The method we detail in this study is applicable for other tropical cyclone trajectory basins.

An optically based technique is presented that produces merged spectra of normalized water-leaving radiances L(WN) by combining spectral data provided by independent satellite ocean color missions. The assessment of the merging technique is based on a four-year field data series collected by an autonomous above-water radiometer located on the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Tower in the Adriatic Sea. The uncertainties associated with the merged L(WN) obtained from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer are consistent with the validation statistics of the individual sensor products. The merging including the third mission Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer is also addressed for a reduced ensemble of matchups.

Ionic liquids were shown to have a potential for simultaneous separation and recycling of plastics from multicomponent waste streams.

SUMMARY There is a need for coordinated research for the sustainable management of tropical peatland. Malaysia has 6% of global tropical peat by area and peatlands there are subject to land use change at an unprecedented rate. This paper describes a stakeholder engagement exercise that identified 95 priority research questions for peatland in Malaysia, organized into nine themes. Analysis revealed the need for fundamental scientific research, with strong representation across the themes of environmental change, ecosystem services, and conversion, disturbance and degradation. Considerable uncertainty remains about Malaysia's baseline conditions for peatland, including questions over total remaining area of peatland, water table depths, soil characteristics, hydrological function, biogeochemical processes and ecology. More applied and multidisciplinary studies involving researchers from the social sciences are required. The future sustainability of Malaysian peatland relies on coordinating research agendas via a ‘knowledge hub’ of researchers, strengthening the role of peatlands in land-use planning and development processes, stricter policy enforcement, and bridging the divide between national and provincial governance. Integration of the economic value of peatlands into existing planning regimes is also a stakeholder priority. Finally, current research needs to be better communicated for the benefit of the research community, for improved societal understanding and to inform policy processes.

Although branched WO₃ nanostructures have been investigated for electrochromic devices and catalytic electrodes, a detailed study on their structural evolution mechanism has rarely been carried out.

A facile synthesis technique to generate 100s of mg of nanohybrids with carbon nanotubes and metal oxide of choice.

This article reports on the Learning Exchange Programme (LEP) model of capacity building for Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) professionals. The LEP model of capacity building involves international group-based exchange visits during which a structured program of experiential learning events is undertaken to meet specific capacity gaps. An application of the LEP model in Japan and the United Kingdom is presented and evaluated, which shows that while refinements could be identified, a group-based, tailored exchange model focused on filling specific capacity gaps is an effective model of capacity building for ICM.

Aromatic residues were used to replace the aliphatic residues of an α-helical peptide to investigate changes in the peptide structure.

Journal Article The Antarctic Treaty System in world politics Get access The Antarctic Treaty System in world politics. Edited by Arnfinn Jorgensen-Dahland Willy Ostreng. London: Macmillan. 1991. 475pp. Index. £45.00. ISBN 0 333 555864. John Gordon John Gordon 1The Global Environment Research Centre, London Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar International Affairs, Volume 68, Issue 2, April 1992, Page 330, https://doi.org/10.2307/2623232 Published: 01 April 1992

Due to growing water demand in Egypt, the reuse of drainage water for irrigation purposes has become an important policy issue, while the pollution of drainage water interferes with such reuse. To prevent water pollution in rural areas, the processing of household garbage and domestic wastewater is important. However, rural areas are not considered under government policies. To preserve the quality of water in drainage canals, we initiated activities conducted by local residents to prevent the dumping of garbage and to construct wastewater treatment facilities. As a result of these activities, a garbage collection system and wastewater treatment facilities were developed under an operation and management system run by the residents. Thus, utilizing the power of community residents is one solution to water quality problems in rural areas.

先進国における産業構造転換後の都市の経済的活性化の原動力として、近年、創造産業が注目されている。才能のある新しい人的資本をいかに惹きつけるかがポスト工業時代の経済的活性化の鍵を握るが、都市にそうした人的資本を集積し定着させるためにはどのような都市空間構造の形成が求められているのか未解明な点も多い。そこで本研究では創造産業を担うアーティストやクリエイターの集積を図る横浜市を事例として、その集積の実態を調査することで知見を得ることを目的とした。調査の結果、創造界隈における事例からは以下が判明した。１）居住地と就業地の選択の傾向や、業務におけるフレキシブルな時間利用といったアーティストらのワークスタイルを支える機能が組み込まれた都市空間構造が求められている。２）拠点についてはアーティストらの活動に適合した整備と運営が求められている。３）歴史的建造物はアーティストらの集積に対して効果のある地域資源である。４）同業者の集積はアーティストらにとって業務上有効に働くことから、同業者の集まる拠点を設置することは、アーティストらの継続的な集積に有効的であると考えられる。

This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

An 'urban heat island' phenomenon is feared for raising a peak of energy demand in summer daytime. Some reports indicate that heat island phenomenon is observed around Osaka city. Thus, it is desired to decrease temperature in Osaka area by introducing some countermeasures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of some countermeasures for improving thermal environment in Osaka area. To estimate these effects, we adopt the three dimensional numerical model developed by authors to Osaka city and its suburbs on a specific summer day. In this model, air temperature and wind velocity are simulated. We apply this model to estimate the effect of 'urban afforestation' and 'decreasing artificial heat exhausts'. The effect of each countermeasure is evaluated from the simulated results with and without each countermeasure.