Environmental Chemistry Lab, Department of Applied Chemistry,
Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
Led by Tomoaki OKUDA, Ph.D.

History

This Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, in the Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, at Keio University, was founded in April 1973 by Professor Yoshikazu HASHIMOTO. This laboratory was the first Environmental Chemistry Laboratory established in Japan. Around the same time, in 1971, the Japanese Environment Agency was established. Due to Japan’s high economic growth rate in the preceding decades, environmental pollution problems had started to cause serious environmental damage, and the entire country began to take steps to mitigate those problems. In 1993 Professor Shigeru TANAKA became the head of this laboratory. After twenty-five years, in 2018, Associate Professor Tomoaki OKUDA (Professor in 2020) succeeded him.
Over the years, our laboratory has continuously played an important role in environmental research in Japan, particularly in the latest research on atmospheric environmental problems. Professors that have run this laboratory have held many government activities, such as serving on the Central Environmental Council in Japanese government, while continuing to engage in academic research. Due to various factors, such as transboundary air pollution, environmental problems will continue to become more of a global concern. There is no doubt that the research and public services coming out of our laboratory have been extremely important, and will continue to be vital to understanding and solving the world’s environmental problems.
In our laboratory, we have been working for many years in the field of environmental chemistry. More specifically, the analysis of various air pollutants including aerosol particles and the assessment of their biological effects based on their atmospheric chemistry and aerosol engineering. We are devoted to achieving our mission; to improve the health of people all over the world by advancing the latest research regarding the effects of ambient air and other environmental media on human health.

April 1st, 2020
Tomoaki OKUDA, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University