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Battulga, B.; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Matsueda, Makoto; Koarashi, Jun
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(31), p.77226 - 77237, 2023/05
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0(Environmental Sciences)The global survey for the presence of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments has attracted widespread scientific attention over the past decade. This study demonstrates a multidimensional analytical approach, including isotopic and thermogravimetric analyses to evaluate characteristics and behavior of MPs in the environment. The MP samples were collected in two contrasting coastal areas of Japan. The 
C values of field-collected polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) MPs were ranged from -25.6 to -31.4, -23.4 to -30.9, and -27.3 to -28.6 per mil, respectively. The differences in C signature between MPs with the same polymer types (i.e., PE and PP) but different colors. Through thermal analysis, the single-step endothermic process was observed for environmental PE and PS-MPs. The results reveal that degradation may play a significant role in the behavior and characteristics of MP debris in the aquatic environment.
Battulga, B.; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Koarashi, Jun
Science of the Total Environment, 849, p.157758_1 - 157758_11, 2022/11
Times Cited Count：3 Percentile：43.07(Environmental Sciences)Characterizing plastic-associated biofilms is key to the better understanding of organic material and mineral cycling in the "Plastisphere"-the thin layer of microbial life on plastics. In this study, we propose a new method to extract biofilms from environmental plastics, in order to evaluate the properties of biofilm-derived organic matter through stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (
N) isotope signatures and their interactions with radionuclides especially radiocesium (
Cs). After ultrasound-assisted separation from the plastics, biofilm samples were successfully collected via a sequence of syringe treatments. Biofilm-derived organic matter samples (14.5-65.4 mg) from four river mouths in Japan showed Cs activity concentrations of 
75 to 820 Bq kg
biofilm (dw), providing evidence that environmental plastics, mediated by developed biofilms, serve as a carrier for Cs in the coastal environment. Significant differences in the (C and N signatures were also obtained for the biofilms, indicating the different sources, pathways, and development processes of biofilms on plastics.
Misono, Toshiharu; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Sanada, Yukihisa; Shiribiki, Takehiko; Miyamoto, Kenji*; Urabe, Yoshimi*
JAEA-Research 2020-008, 166 Pages, 2020/10
JAEA-Research-2020-008.pdf:13.11MBJAEA-Research-2020-008(errata).pdf:0.92MB
After the accident at TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), marine monitoring survey on radioactive substances have been conducted with financially supported by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency from FY2019. Results obtain in the project in FY2019 are presented in this report. Based on scientific grounds, the concept necessary for "progress of sea area monitoring" was arranged for the future medium- to long-term investigation of radiocesium concentrations. As basic information of survey frequency revise, a seabed topography and sediment distribution survey was conducted, and an attempt was made to understand the relationship between the seabed topography and the grain size distribution of bottom sediment. A columnar core sample was collected in the coastal area and analyzed for radioactive cesium concentration. In order to understand the dynamics of radioactive cesium contained in suspended matter flowing in from a river, suspended solids was collected using a sediment trap and the concentration of radioactive cesium was measured. We re-analyzed the towed monitoring data that had been implemented since 2013, and tried to improve the accuracy of the radioactive cesium distribution estimation map in the coastal area.
Battulga, B.; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Koarashi, Jun
no journal, ,
Plastic debris has been recognized as one of the carriers of hazardous substances in the aquatic ecosystem due to its ubiquitous distribution and potential interaction with pollutants through developed biofilms. In this study, we aimed to extract biofilms from the environmental plastics using a newly developed extraction method and to determine the concentration of radiocesium (Cs) and stable isotope ratios (C and N) in the extracted biofilm samples. Visible plastics were collected from the mouths of coastal rivers in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, and applied to the extraction procedures. After plastic and biofilm separation with ultrasonication, biofilm samples were collected by the two ways: freeze-drying (15.5-44.4 mg); and freeze-drying after syringe treatment (14.5-65.4 mg). The XRD diffractograms of biofilm samples confirmed that biofilms obtained by freeze-drying only were still heterogeneous and the agglomerations of organic substances, mineral particles, and small microplastics (MPs, 1 mm). The results also demonstrated that biofilm extraction was achieved by syringe treatment separating the mineral and small MPs particles, resulting in homogenous biofilms from the surface of plastics. Preliminarily results of Cs activity concentrations in heterogenous (ranging from 0.22 to 0.54 Bq g) and homogenous (0.82
0.04 Bq g) biofilm samples revealed that MPs serve as a carrier for Cs in the coastal river environment mediated by developed biofilms.
Battulga, B.; Nakayama, Masataka; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Koarashi, Jun
no journal, ,
Plastic debris in the aquatic environment has become a growing concern due to their long-term ecological consequences. The current study is focused on microbial community composition on microplastics (MPs; sizes 5 mm) and characteristics of MP-associated biofilms in coastal river environments of Japan in order to understand the impact of MP-associated biofilms on aquatic organic matter cycling. The aims of the current study are i) extraction and characterization of microbial biofilms on MPs and ii) identification of diversity and composition of microbial communities on MP surfaces and in surrounding surface waters and sediments. The samples were collected from two coastal rivers during 2021-2022 on a seasonal basis. In this study, we proposed a new method to extract biofilms from MPs using ultrasound-assisted syringe treatment for isotopic analysis. Morphotypes of MPs and associated specific microbial taxa as well as seasonal differences were also observed.
Battulga, B.; Nakayama, Masataka; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Koarashi, Jun
no journal, ,
A growing attention has been addressed on microbial attachment and biofilm formation on plastic debris especially on microplastics (MPs; sizes: 5 mm) in the aquatic environment. The current study is focused on bacterial and fungal community composition, diversity, and structure in MP-associated biofilms to emphasize potential alteration of elemental cycling by the presence of MPs in the coastal aquatic environment. We collected MP, surface water, bottom sediment, and coastal sand samples from two contrasting coastal areas of Japan on a seasonal basis. Surface morphology and attached microorganisms on MPs were visually inspected by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A high-throughput sequencing using Illumina MiSeq was performed in the collected samples to investigate the microbial community composition and diversity among different samples.
