About Shimadzu

Reasons for Shimadzu's Continued Support

This United Nations University project involves a number of meaningful activities, including monitoring environmental pollution in participating countries and compiling highly reliable environmental data. These research results contribute to environmental monitoring and conservation in the East Asian region, and this research is also highly regarded as it closely tackles global environmental problems. This is why Shimadzu has resolved to support the project over five consecutive phases, totaling 15 years. The activities of this project match Shimadzu's corporate philosophy of "Contributing to Society through Science and Technology", and we hope that the application of Shimadzu's technological expertise may contribute to society in some small way.

Outline of Fifth-phase Environmental Monitoring Project
(January 2009 to December 2011)

Conduct studies and monitoring of the pollution status of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) containing PCBs (*Note 1) in Asian coastal hydrosphere, and perform activities based on this compiled data in order to restrict and prevent environmental pollution. Apply Shimadzu's specialized technologies and expertise related to environmental analysis to support studies and research by the research organizations and scientists of all participating countries.

Participating Countries

China, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Japan (11 countries)

Details of Support

-Loan of instruments:
Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS): one set to each participating research organization
Loan of analyzer instruments to participating countries

-Support:
Training in analysis technologies for research organizations and scientists
Support for holding international symposiums

Note 1) Polychlorinated Biphenyl or Polychlorobiphenyl
To protect human health and the global environment, the Diplomatic Conference held in May 2001 in Stockholm, Sweden, released the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). This aims to eliminate or strictly restrict production and use of 12 types of highly persistent chemical compounds, including PCBs, and to prevent or control the release of these compounds to the environment.
The first Conference of the Parties (COP-1) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was held in Uruguay in May 2005. Delegates from 78 of the 97 signatory countries participated at this conference. The conference established the "POPs Review Committee" to investigate the rules of procedure and financial regulations necessary to implement the convention and to list additional chemicals, and it determined mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of the convention.

Supplementary Material

Significance of Shimadzu's Support of the United Nations University Environmental Project

Shimadzu operates under the corporate philosophy of "Contributing to Society through Science and Technology" and the management principle of "Realizing Our Wishes for the Well-being of Mankind and the Earth". One of the company's core businesses is the manufacture and sale of analytical instruments and the research and development of analytical methods. Due to the increasing severity of global-scale environmental problems, such as global warming and the transfer of hazardous chemicals across borders, the application of Shimadzu's many years of accumulated technical expertise to this United Nations University project is both extremely significant and a great privilege.

Overview of Past Support for Phases 1 to 4 of the UNU Project

Support for First Phase (1996 to 1999)

Name:
"Environmental Monitoring and Analysis in the East Asian Region: Technology Transfer and Environmental Governance"

Outline:
Research studies were conducted on monitoring substances, such as pesticides in foods and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water and the atmosphere, in order to standardize the analytical technologies for monitoring the concentrations of chemical pollutants in drinking water, soil, food products, and air in the East Asian region.
Details of Support:
Loan of eight new GCMS-QP5000 Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers
Support for international symposiums and training workshops.

Support for Second Phase (1999 to 2002)

Name:
"Environmental Monitoring and Governance in the East Asian Coastal Hydrosphere: Endocrine Disruptors in River and Coastal Waters"

Outline:
Studies and monitoring of endocrine disruptors (pesticides, bisphenol A, alkylphenol, phthalic acid) in river and coastal waters were conducted to determine the degree of environmental pollution and allow the analysis of pollutants in the East Asian Coastal Hydrosphere.
Details of Support:
Continued loan of the eight GCMS-QP5000 Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer, additional loan of one GCMS-QP5000
Support for international symposiums and training workshops.

Support for Third Phase (2002 to 2005)

Name:
“Environmental Monitoring and Governance in the East Asian Hydrosphere: POPs in the East Asian Coastal Hydrosphere"

Outline:
Studies and monitoring of the pollution status in rivers and soil were conducted, and the analytical expertise and human networking in the participating research organizations were reinforced in order to restrict and prevent persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the East Asian Hydrosphere.
Details of Support:
Loan of eight new GCMS-QP2010 Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers (upgraded GCMS)
Support for international symposiums and training workshops.

Support for Fourth Phase (2005 to 2008)

Name:
“Environmental Monitoring and Governance in the Asian Coastal Hydrosphere: Monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the East Asian Hydrosphere"
Outline:
Studies and monitoring of the pollution status in aquatic organisms such as crustaceans and fish were conducted, and the analytical expertise and human networking in the research organizations of the participating research organizations, including two additional countries, were reinforced in order to restrict and prevent persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the East Asian Hydrosphere.
Details of Support:
Continued loan of the eight GCMS-QP2010 Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers, additional loan of these instruments to research organizations in India and Pakistan.
Support for international symposiums and training workshops.