There is growing concern regarding the effects of toxic element exposure on the development of children. However, little is known about the level of toxic elements exposure in Japanese children. The purpose of this study was to assess the concentrations of multiple elements (aluminum, cadmium, lead, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, sodium, zinc) in the hair of 118 Japanese young children and to explore the factors associated with their element levels. The element concentration was analyzed by ICP-MS, and children’s food and water intake were assessed by the questionnaire. Results showed that there were no large differences between the level of elements in the hair of Japanese children and those of children in other developed countries. Girls had significantly higher levels of aluminum, copper, and iron (p = 0.000, 0.014, and 0.013, respectively), and boys had a higher level of sodium (p = 0.006). The levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, and sodium in nursery school children were significantly higher than those in kindergarten children (p = 0.024, 0.001, 0.046, and 0.029, respectively). Multiple regression analyses with controlling the confounding variables showed significant negative associations of frequency of yogurt intake with aluminum and lead levels (p = 0.015 and 0.037, respectively). When the children were divided into three groups based on the frequency of yoghurt consumption, viz. L (≤once a week), M (2 or 3 times a week), and H (≥4 to 6 times a week) group, the mean aluminum concentration (µg/g) in the L, M, and H groups was 11.06, 10.13, and 6.85, while the mean lead concentration (µg/g) was 1.76, 1.70, and 0.87, respectively. Our results suggested the validity of hair element concentrations as an exposure measure of essential elements and frequent yogurt intake as a viable measure for protecting children from toxic elements. However, these findings will need to be confirmed in more detailed studies with larger sample sizes in the future.

We examined the use of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a rapid technique for the evaluation of sewage quality. Influent water samples, primary sedimentation tank water samples, and final effluent water samples were collected from sewage treatment facilities in Nagoya, Japan and their NIR spectra obtained. Partial least squares (PLS) models for total phosphate (TP), total nitrogen (TN), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total organic carbon (TOC), and turbidity of sewage water were constructed from the NIR data. The models provided good correlation between measurements obtained conventionally and those predicted from spectroscopy. Spectral variation induced by background interference in samples affected accuracy. Loading plots and score plots derived from PLS regression analysis resolved the background interference and allowed highly accurate predictions. Spectral variation induced by contamination in the sewage was a main predictor of sewage quality. These results show that NIR spectroscopy shows potential for in-line, non-destructive measurement of sewage quality.

Background. Urinary collagen peptides, the breakdown products of endogenous collagen, have been used as biomarkers for various diseases. These non-invasive biomarkers are easily measured via mass spectrometry, aiding in diagnostics and therapy effectiveness. Objectives. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of consuming collagen-containing meat on collagen peptide composition in human blood and urine. Methods. Ten collagen peptides in 24 h urine were quantified. Results. Prolyl-hydroxyproline (Pro-Hyp) was the most abundant peptide. Except for hydroxyprolyl-glycine (Hyp-Gly), levels of other minor collagen peptides showed high correlation coefficients with Pro-Hyp (r = 0.42 vs. r > 0.8). Notably, 24 h urinary Hyp-Gly showed a correlation coefficient of r = 0.72 with meat consumption, significantly higher than the coefficient for Pro-Hyp (r = 0.37). Additionally, the levels of Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly in the blood of seven young women participants increased similarly after consuming fish meat, while before ingestion, only negligible amounts of Hyp-Gly were present. To examine which peptides are generated by the degradation of endogenous collagen, mouse skin was cultured. The amount of Pro-Hyp released from the skin was approximately 1000-fold higher than that of Hyp-Gly. Following consumption of collagen-containing meat, both Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly are released in blood and excreted into urine, although Pro-Hyp is primarily generated from endogenous collagen even under physiological conditions. Conclusions. Therefore, in 24 h urine samples, the non-negligible fraction of Pro-Hyp is contributed by endogenous collagen, making 24 h urine Hyp-Gly level a potential biomarker for evaluating meat consumption on the day.