Environmental Engineering

  • Creation of a Novel Evaluation Method for Assessing the Efficacy of Water Treatment Processes on Hard-to-Culture Viruses Without Relying on Conventional Cell Culture Approaches

    This study aims to elucidate the removability of “non-culturable” viruses, such as norovirus, in water treatment processes—whose behavior in such treatments remains completely unknown. In this study, virus-like particles (VLPs) composed of viral capsid proteins will be produced using genetic engineering techniques. By incorporating foreign genes into these VLPs using non-viral vector construction methods and applying them to water treatment experiments, we seek to establish a novel evaluation method for viral removability that does not rely on cultivation.

    Taku MATSUSHITA, and Nobutaka SHIRASAKI

    Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(A) 2025.4.1～2028.3.31

  • Development of a novel in-sediment passive sampler for profiling orthophosphate and internal phosphorus release near the sediment–water interface in a eutrophic lake

    The release of orthophosphate (PO₄) from lake sediments is now recognized as an important phosphorus source that maintains lake eutrophication. Therefore, quantifying PO₄ release is important for lake management. In this study, we developed a novel sampler to determine the PO₄ flux from lake sediment. The sampler was installed at the sediment–water interface (SWI) in a eutrophic lake. The vertical and horizontal PO₄ concentrations around the sampler were obtained. The obtained data enabled in situ quantification of the PO₄ fluxes at the SWI.

    Kazuto Sano, Jumpei Ueda, Akira Hafuka, and Katsuki Kimura

    Water Research, 282, 123634

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