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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

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Unit of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University Professor Masashi KATO

Assessment and remediation of carcinogenicity of drinking water contaminated with multiple heavy metals

Research grant

Project Description

In this research, we identify heavy metals that, in collaboration with iodine, act to enhance carcinogenicity in drinking water. We then reassess environmental standards for same. We also seek a method of safely removing heavy metals relating to carcinogenicity. International researchers have measured concentrations of 38 types of heavy metals within drinking water samples and patient specimens. Working with these findings, we seek to establish a method of remediation to enable continual purification into the future.

Fields
Preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem
Grant year
FY2008 Research Grants
Grant term
3 years
April 2009 - March 2012
Grant amount
14,056,980 yen
Activity region
Bangladesh, Japan, etc.
Measuring the heavy metal concentrations of a drinking water sample by means of ICP-MS(Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry)

Overview of the Organization

Professor Masashi Kato
Representative
Professor Masashi Kato
Profile
Specialist fields
Environmental preventive medicine; sanitation/hygiene; molecular biology; oncology
Affiliated research societies
The Japanese Society for Hygiene; Japanese Cancer Association; Japanese Society of Public Health; Japanese Society for Pigment Cell Research
Background
In March 1988 graduated from the Fukui Medical School in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui. In May 1988 obtained medical license, and completed a Doctorate in Medicine in March 1995 from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine. In April 2000 became an Assistant Professor at Nagoya University School of Medicine. In October 2004 was appointed Professor at Nagoya University, and in April 2006 was made Director (joint appointment) at Chubu University International Health Volunteers Recognitions 1. 2002 Award, Kao Foundation for Arts and Sciences (medicine, biology) 2. 2005 Encouragement award, Japanese Society for Hygiene 3. 2008 Award, Japanese Association of Geriatric Dermatology Research
Collaborating researchers
Syoko ONUMA, Visiting Professor, Chubu University; Hossain U. Shekhar, Visiting Professor, Chubu University; Osamu YAMANOSHITA, Lecturer, Chubu University; Nguyen Dinh Thang, Visiting Research Scholar, Chubu University
Research record
  • (1) Lakshmikanth T, Kato M, et al. J Clin Invest, 119:1251-63, 2009.
  • (2) Zhao F, Kato M, et al. Clin Cancer Res 15:4382-90, 2009.
  • (3) Umansky V, Kato M, et al. Cancer Res 68:9451-8, 2008.
  • (4) Kato M, et al. J Toxicol Environ Health A 71:1053-5, 2008.
  • (5) Lengagne R, Kato M, et al. J Immunol, 180:130-7, 2008.
  • (6) Kato M, et al. Cancer Res 64:801-6, 2004.
  • (7) Kato M, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U.S.A. 100:6398-403, 2003.
  • (8) Kato M, et al. Cancer Res 62:2414-22, 2002.
  • (9) Kato M, et al. EMBO J 20: 4035-40, 2001.