The Environmental Chemical Analysis Group conducts advanced analytical research on a wide range of organic and inorganic compounds and elements present in environmental and agricultural samples.
For the identification and quantification of organic compounds such as PFAS, we focus on developing analytical methods that enable efficient extraction of target analytes from complex matrices including soils and agricultural products. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and related techniques, we separate and analyze numerous coexisting components with high resolution and sensitivity. We also perform profiling of volatile compounds such as fruit aroma constituents, molecular formula estimation based on high-resolution mass spectrometry, and highly accurate quantitative analyses.
In elemental analysis, we develop multi-element simultaneous and chemical speciation-specific quantification methods for nutrients and heavy metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and related instruments. To investigate the sources and behavior of organic and inorganic compounds, we use isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IR-MS). This approach provides dynamic information on nutrient cycling in the environment, including source identification of greenhouse gases within agricultural ecosystems.
The data accumulated through these analytical technologies contribute to the acceleration of research in agriculture and agricultural environments, including crop breeding studies and the development of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
