launched in 2011

Tatsuo Omura Innovation of water monitoring system with rapid, highly precise and exhaustive pathogen detection technologies
Taikan Oki A tracer simulator of fallout radionuclides for safe and sustainable water use
Ken'ichirou Kosugi Development of innovative technologies to exploit groundwater resources in mountainous regions in order to achieve a sustainable supply of unpolluted high-quality water
Toshinori Tsuru Development of ROBUST reverse osmosis (RO)/nanofiltration (NF) membranes for various types of water resources

Innovation of water monitoring system with rapid, highly precise and exhaustive pathogen detection technologies

Tatsuo Omura

Research Director

Tatsuo Omura
Professor, Tohoku University

Co-Investigators

Hitoshi Oshitani
Professor, Tohoku University
Toru Watanabe
Professor, Yamagata University

Current measures against the spread of infectious diseases transmitted via water circulation system are vulnerable, and bring social unrest to those who desire for securing safe water. Our goal is to establish a new water monitoring system to reduce the number of infectious gastroenteritis patients which amounts to 5,600,000 cases every year. We will develop rapid, highly precise and exhaustive detection methods for pathogens in the water environment. By frequent monitoring of urban wastewater with the new detection methods, warnings can be issued immediately after the transmission of infectious diseases.

With this system, we expect the number of infectious gastroenteritis patients be significantly reduced, because it helps us to take immediate response in order to control the spread of infectious diseases before the diseases become prevalent.

Innovation of water monitoring system with rapid, highly precise and exhaustive pathogen detection technologies

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A tracer simulator of fallout radionuclides for safe and sustainable water use

Taikan Oki

Research Director

Taikan Oki
Professor, The University of Tokyo

Co-Investigators

Kei Yoshimura
Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo
Keisuke Sueki
Professor, Tsukuba University
Michio Murakami
Associate Professor, Fukushima Medical University

Radionuclides were released from the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima nuclear power plant after the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011. They were diffused into the atmosphere, deposited with rainfall, and incorporated into surface waters and agricultural crops. Consequently, they were detected in drinking water and foods in several areas in Japan.
While such an accident should never happen again, it is important to prepare for any contingency. For sustainable water use, a technology to diagnose and predict properly whether the water is suitable for human usage is indispensable. This study will develop a simulator, which is capable to estimate how fallout radionuclides, such as iodine 131 and cesium 137, are transported in the atmosphere, fall along with rainfall, and flow down through streams with sediments. The simulator will also enable us to estimate the timing when these fallout radionuclides arrive at the intake of water purification plants, and to predict their concentrations in raw waters at the plants. Besides, this study will estimate the dose resulting from intake of radionuclides in drinking water and foods based on their radionuclide concentrations, product information, and daily consumption rates.
The simulator will support securing the safety of drinking water through temporary shutoff of intakes and/or proactive water treatments, and is expected to contribute for realizing secure and untroubled water use. In addition, the development of the model, which explains the radionuclide concentrations in rain waters, soils and surface waters, will lead to a great understanding of the behavior of chemicals in atmosphere and waters, and be useful to promote the science and technology. The estimation of the dose from drinking water and foods will support rectifying the guideline of radionuclides in future.

A tracer simulator of fallout radionuclides for safe and sustainable water use

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Development of innovative technologies to exploit groundwater resources in mountainous regions in order to achieve a sustainable supply of unpolluted high-quality water

Ken'ichirou Kosugi

Research Director

Ken'ichirou Kosugi
Professor, Kyoto University

Co-Investigators

Masanori Katsuyama
Fixed-term Associate Professor, Kyoto University
Yuuki Matsushi
Associate Professor, Kyoto University
Kimihito Nakamura
Associate Professor, Kyoto University
Takahiro Sayama
Associate Professor, Kyoto University
Masamitsu Fujimoto
Assistant Professor, Ritsumeikan University
Yosuke Yamakawa
Assistant Professor, Tsukuba University

In order to mitigate water problems that will intensify with climate change, and to achieve a sustainable supply of unpolluted high-quality water, it is essential to exploit natural water resources that are safe from contamination and disasters. This study focuses on groundwater in mountainous headwater regions as a potential resource. It has been pointed out that in our country, water-resource exploitation is difficult in mountainous regions because of the steep topography. However, recent hydrological studies have revealed that large amounts of rainwater infiltrate into bedrock, suggesting the possibility that steep mountains could contain greater amounts of groundwater than previously thought.
The exploitation of groundwater resources in mountainous regions satisfies the requirement for establishing a sustainable supply of unpolluted high-quality water such that water-resource usage could be decentralized and diversified by using sources not hydrologically connected with one another. At the same time, groundwater in mountainous regions is of better quality and less vulnerable to pollution because human activities are limited in the source areas and pollution can be readily monitored. Furthermore, given that groundwater in mountainous areas flows simply by the force of gravity, much less electric power is required for water harvesting. Moreover, the decline in groundwater levels due to exploitation should reduce floods, which are likely to be triggered by the huge storms expected with climate change. Reductions in groundwater level should also be effective for the prevention of landslides, which may cost human lives and damage facilities and water catchments. Thus, the exploitation of groundwater resources in mountainous regions should produce a win?win situation that achieves both a sustainable water supply and disaster mitigation.
This study investigates hydrological methods for observing and analyzing quantitative and qualitative signals in mountain streams that can be used for detecting groundwater dynamics and reservoir sizes. By effectively combining the hydrological methods with remote sensing and geophysical surveys, this study develops innovative technologies to discover and exploit groundwater resources in mountainous headwater regions efficiently. These technologies enable the utilization of mountains, which cover 73% of the national landmass, as natural reservoirs. As a result, it is expected that diverse water resources will be ensured, which will contribute to the achievement of a sustainable supply of unpolluted high-quality water, and the occurrence of floods and sediment disasters will be mitigated.

Development of innovative technologies to exploit groundwater resources in mountainous regions in order to achieve a sustainable supply of unpolluted high-quality water

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Development of ROBUST reverse osmosis (RO)/nanofiltration (NF) membranes for various types of water resources

Toshinori Tsuru

Research Director

Toshinori Tsuru
Professor, Hiroshima University

Co-Investigators

Jyoji Ohshita
Professor, Hiroshima University
Wataru Nishijima
Professor, Hiroshima University
Masahiko Hirose
Director, Nitto Denko Corporation
Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Professor, Fukuyama City University

Membrane separation is one of the most important technologies for water-reuse and water-reclamation with health and sustainability. Japan has been proud of its advanced manufacturing technologies and showing the largest share of membranes on the global market, but there are still challenges, including membrane fouling and difficulties in membrane cleaning.

In this project, our team will develop ROBUST reverse osmosis(RO) /nanofiltration (NF) membranes which can be used for waters containing chloride, in a wide pH range and/or at high temperatures. Moreover, ROBUST membrane will be examined with various types of water resources to demonstrate the applicability. Through the present developments, we expect Japan will be continuously one of the leading-countries in membrane technologies and membrane-treatment systems.

Development of ROBUST reverse osmosis (RO)/nanofiltration (NF) membranes for various types of water resources

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