Browsing by Author "Morita, K."

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Efficacy of anaerobic methane fermentation system on Shochu waste treatment
(J SASJ, 2009) Issa-Zacharia, A.; Morita, K.; Kamitani, Y.
This study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of anaerobic methane fermentation on Shochu wastewater treatment and collecting the performance data for this system. The performance data studied include Chemical oxygen demand (CODcr) removal efficiency, methane production rate (MPR) and biogas production rate (BPR). Shochu wastewater contained 43,000mg/l and 36,800mg/l as total CODcr and suspended solids, respectively. Approximately CODcr removal efficiency of 98% could be achieved after 120h of fermentation in a batch reactor. The optimal biogas production was attained at the shochu wastewater to seed ratio of 1:4 (v/v). Undiluted shochu wastewater sample gave the best results indicating that its dilution is unnecessary. Initial material pH value of 6.5 to 7.5 for the shochu wastewater-seed mixture was effective and the pH outside this range resulted in reduced biogas production. Methane (CH4) content in biogas was on average 65.5% regardless of the initial pH value, with exception of pH 5.5 where no CH4 gas was detected. The BPR of 0.95l/ld and MPR of 0.43l/ld were realized with undiluted shochu wastewater at 1:4 (v/v) shochu wastewater to seed ratio. A large fraction of organic matter was effectively degraded.
In vitro inactivation of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. using slightly acidic electrolyzed water
(The Society for Biotechnology, 2010) Issa-Zacharia, A.; Kamitani, Y; Tiisekwa, A.; Morita, K.; Iwasaki, K.
In the current study, the effectiveness of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) on an in vitro inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Salmonella spp. was evaluated and compared with other sanitizers. SAEW (pH 5.6, 23 mg/l available chlorine concentration; ACC; and 940 mV oxidation reduction potential; ORP) was generated by electrolysis of dilute solution of HCl (2%) in a chamber of a non-membrane electrolytic cell. One milliliter of bacteria suspension (ca. 10–11 log 10 CFU/ml) was mixed with 9 ml of SAEW, strong acidic electrolyzed water (StAEW; ca. 50 mg/l ACC), sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl; ca.120 mg/l ACC) and distilled water (DW) as control and treated for 60 s. SAEW effectively reduced the population of E. coli, S. aureus and Salmonella spp. by 5.1, 4.8, and 5.2 log 10 CFU/ml. Although, ACC of SAEW was more than 5 times lower than that of NaOCl solution, they showed no significant bactericidal difference (p N 0.05). However, the bactericidal effect of StAEW was significantly higher (p b 0.05) than SAEW and NaOCl solution in all cases. When tested with each individual test solution, E. coli, S. aureus and Salmonella spp. reductions were not significantly different (p N 0.05). These findings indicate that SAEW with low available chlorine concentration can equally inactivate E. coli, S. aureus and Salmonella spp. as NaOCl solution and therefore SAEW shows a high potential of application in agriculture and food industry as an environmentally friendly disinfection agent.
Soybean moisture absorption properties and their related size changes by imaging (Part 2) 3D size changes-
(J SASJ, 2000) Urasa, R. L.; Tanaka, S.; Tanaka, F.; Morita, K.
The study was conducted by using 2D image processing technique, actual measurements of three dimensions 'a' , 'b' and 'c' mutually perpendicular axes by vernier caliper and actual volume of grain by picnometer during soaking, with an objective of estimation of volume. The study revealed that; (1) the ratio of instantaneous size to initial size a/a0, b/b0 and c/c0 change with moisture content have a significant disproportion as moisture content increases. (2) The ratio 'b/a' and 'c/a' changes with moisture content have 3 periods: constant, falling, and equilibrium. (3) Shape factor has linear relationship with moisture content, and temperature is insignificant. (4) The product of the sizes 'a', 'b' and 'c', that is volume of the circumscribing rectangular box, closely estimates measured volume of grain based on circumscribed theoretical volume within r2=0.90. (5) Specific volume (abc) and actual specific volume have linear relationship with moisture content, and temperature is insignificant. (6) Actual dry solid density of soybean can be extrapolated from specific volume-moisture content relation, and evaluated as 1.36 (g/cm3). Difference in initial moisture content is insignificant. (7) Image pixels raised to the power of 1.5 modified by shape factor can estimate measured volume within r2=0.90.
Stability of slightly acidic electrolyzed water on storage and its microbial inactivation effectiveness on the aerobic microflora present on intact spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves
(J. SAS, 2009) ISSA-ZACHARIA, A.; Morita, K.; Kamitani, Y.
The stability of Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water (SAEW) on storage was evaluated. SAEW samples of known initial Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP, mV), pH and available chlorine concentration (ACC, mg/L) were stored at 25℃ in different containers and changes of ORP, pH and ACC were monitored daily for a period of 10 days. ORP, pH and ACC were respectively maintained at 900-1000mV, 5-6.5 and 10-30mg/L. SAEW was further evaluated for its microbial inactivation effectiveness on the aerobic microflora present on spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) expressed as aerobic plate count (APC) and was compared to Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution. The decontamination was done by dipping spinach samples with or without a pre-washing step into treatment solution for 5min. SAEW (pH 5.5, 25mg/L ACC) achieved a significantly higher microbial reduction than NaOCl solution (pH 9.9, 103mg/L ACC). While pre-washing of spinach in running tap water for 5min increased the microbial reduction by SAEW from 1.3 logo colony forming units (CFU)/g to more than 2 log10 CFU/g at 5min contact time, increasing exposure time did not significantly affect its antimicrobial effectiveness on spinach aerobic microflora.
Stability of slightly acidic electrolyzed water on storage and its microbial inactivation effectiveness on the aerobic microflora present on intact spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves
(J. SAS, 2009) Issa-Zacharia, A.; Morita, K.; Kamitani, Y.
The stability of Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water (SAEW) on storage was evaluated. SAEW samples of known initial Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP, mV), pH and available chlorine concentration (ACC, mg/L) were stored at 25℃ in different containers and changes of ORP, pH and ACC were monitored daily for a period of 10 days. ORP, pH and ACC were respectively maintained at 900-1000mV, 5-6.5 and 10-30mg/L. SAEW was further evaluated for its microbial inactivation effectiveness on the aerobic microflora present on spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) expressed as aerobic plate count (APC) and was compared to Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution. The decontamination was done by dipping spinach samples with or without a pre-washing step into treatment solution for 5min. SAEW (pH 5.5, 25mg/L ACC) achieved a significantly higher microbial reduction than NaOCl solution (pH 9.9, 103mg/L ACC). While pre-washing of spinach in running tap water for 5min increased the microbial reduction by SAEW from 1.3 logo colony forming units (CFU)/g to more than 2 log10 CFU/g at 5min contact time, increasing exposure time did not significantly affect its antimicrobial effectiveness on spinach aerobic microflora.