Shigeyuki Miyamoto

Life cycle assessment; an approach to environmentally friendly PCs

Life cycle assessment (LCA) for personal computers (PCs) is examined as an approach towards developing environmentally friendly PCs. We conducted a life cycle impact analysis for a desktop PC and a notebook PC, and found several factors that contribute to high environmental loads. The environmental loads of PCs in the use and production stages were the largest among all the life cycle stages. Reducing the power consumption, adopting LCDs, using plastic materials in the housing, and improving the PWB manufacturing are all effective ways to reduce the environmental loads.

Development of an amperometric alcohol sensor based on immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase and entrapped NAD

An amperometric planar alcohol sensor has been developed, which has a triple-layer enzyme-immobilized membrane. The lower layer consists of immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the middle layer contains entrapped mobile nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) molecules, and the upper layer is a denser bovine serum albumin (BSA) layer. Typical sensor response to 500 mM ethanol was 250 nA. The sensor responds sufficiently after 10 measurements and 1 month of storage at −20°C. Using this alcohol sensor, ethanol has been measured, without further addition of NAD+ or any other reactive reagent, and repeatable usage has been realized.

A novel blood glucose monitoring system based on an ISFET biosensor and its application to a human 75 g oral glucose tolerance test

Abstract A novel blood glucose monitoring system was developed by applying an SOS/ISFET (silicon on sapphire/ion-sensitive field-effect transistor) biosensor to an SEF (suction effusion fluid). The effusion rate of the SEF was 11.9 ± 3.7 μlh −1 cm −2 and the measurement was made every 7.5 min. Glucose concentrations measured using SEF showed a good correlation with those measured by using serum with a slight delay of about 10 min. The blood glucose monitoring system was successfully applied to a non-invasive transcutaneous blood glucose monitoring on human 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. This result shows it will enable realization of a portable blood glucose monitoring device and the system will become very useful in medical treatment.

ISFET glucose sensor for undiluted serum sample measurement

Abstract A glucose sensor composed of an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET), an enzyme-immobilized membrane and an external membrane is proposed. The external membrane, which is albumin highly crosslinked by glutaraldehyde, restricts glucose diffusion to expand the measuring range and make a stable response in a low buffer-capacity solution. The glucose concentration in a serum sample is measured using this sensor without dilution by the buffer solution; the sensor outputs show a good linear relationship with up to 300 mg/dl glucose concentration.

The detection of lactate using the repeated application of stepped potentials to a micro-planar gold electrode

Abstract A micro-planar biosensor has been developed for determining L-lactate concentrations on the basis of amperometric measurements of hydrogen peroxide concentrations. The sensor consists of a gold electrode and an immobilized lactate oxidase membrane fabricated on a quartz substrate. The biosensor utilizes a lactate oxidase immobilized membrane on a micro-planar gold electrode to yield a lactate sensor. The sensor operates using the repeated application of stepped potential to the gold electrode, with each differential pulse pair consisting of 300 mV for 10 s followed by 1100 mV for 25 s (vs. Ag/AgCl). The linearity of the lactate sensor response at 1100 mV potential was obtained from 0·25 mM to 1·5 mM, and no response was obtained at 300 mV potential. The sensor was also evaluated in the presence of ascorbic acid, a typical interference agent. While sensor outputs at 1100 mV potential were also increased with ascorbic acid concentration, in those conducted at 300 mV potential, only the ascorbic acid concentration was detected. By combining and calibrating results for these two separate potentials, the concentration of L-lactate in the presence of ascorbic acid can be determined.

A novel approach for toxicity sensing using hepatocytes on a collagen-patterned plate

Abstract This paper shows a hepatocyte culture on finely patterned plates by collagen as a novel approach for toxicity sensing. Collagen, which is a substratum, is patterned by a photolithography method. Patterned collagen has the inherent activity of adhering hepatocytes in spread shape. Almost all hepatocytes adhered are observed on the patterned collagen, namely, hepatocyte adhesion location control is achieved on the collagen-patterned plate. Hepatocyte morphology is also controlled in an elongated shape on a plate with collagen stripes. These results provide the possibility of achieving a toxicity sensing device, based on cultured hepatocytes.

ECO-Fusion, integrated software for environmentally-conscious production

An integrated environmental software program called ECO-Fusion has been developed as a tool for support of environmentally-conscious production, in particular in relation to the manufacture of electronic products. When the environmental impact of manufacturing and use of an actual product needs to be determined, the main problems are description of product composition and product life-cycle, storage of these data, and correspondence of various environmental estimation techniques. To solve these problems, ECO-Fusion features product-centered description, an object-oriented product database, and multifaceted environmental evaluation. The product-centered description is created by using the input system, the product list window, the composition window, and the life-cycle flow window. Product composition is represented by a tree structure with a product root in the composition window, and product life-cycle flow is represented by a coupled-tree structure with a product root in the life-cycle flow window. This input system allows simple modeling of complicated compositions and life-cycles for actual products. The object-oriented product database is suitable for storing the relationships of components, attributes of the components, relationships between processes, and attributes of the processes. Multifaceted evaluation is achieved by implementing three evaluation techniques: environmental product assessment, life-cycle assessment (LCA), and assembly/disassembly evaluation. In environmental product assessment, a product is compared with a reference product using and about 30 criteria on an environmental checksheet.

Power Consumption Monitoring System for Personal Computers by Analyzing Their Operating States

We focused on reducing the power consumption of information and communication technology (ICT) products as an effective measure because power consumption has expanded rapidly as these products have spread through offices and homes. A low motivation to save power is one reason preventing reduction in the power consumption of these products is considered. Therefore a system that monitors and displays the power consumption of ICT products by analyzing their operating states is developed. This system will enable more users to take advantage of power saving functions as the system requires no additional devices for measuring power consumption because it is completely implemented with software. Moreover, this system should motivate users to reduce power consumption by providing power consumption information

Development of environmental information systems with a distributed database

An environmental information system with a distributed database is proposed. In this system, concerned groups manage the servers offering environmental product information relevant to their activities. All of the servers are connected in a network. The collection of the distributed environmental product information is automated by a searching software program. An inverse manufacturing environmental product information system and an LCA system called FusionNet LCA are developed as examples of environment information systems with a distributed database. The development of these systems demonstrates that it is in fact possible to develop an environmental information system with a distributed database.

The 10th International Conference on EcoBalance (EcoBalance 2012) - Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Society, November 20-23, 2012, Tokyo, Japan

The 10th International Conference on EcoBalance (EcoBalance 2012), organized by The Institute of Life Cycle Assessment, Japan, was held during November 20–23, 2012 at the Hiyoshi Campus of Keio University in Yokohama City. The conference was co-hosted by Keio University and The Ecomaterial Forum, and backed by the Cabinet Office; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; and the Ministry of Environment. It was also supported by 74 related societies and associations. The Commemorative Organization for the Japan World Exposition ‘70 and the Life Cycle Assessment Society of Japan provided monetary aid for the management of the conference. In addition, the event was co-sponsored by the following eight corporations and groups: