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| Capturing and measuring reactive oxygen generated in natural waters, such as seas and rivers. |
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Professor Takeda specializes in photochemistry. His research fields have two main focuses. One is research into the roles played by reactive oxygen generated in sea or river water. “Reactive oxygen” collectively refers to oxygen compounds that have higher reactivity than oxygen molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide anions. Because these compounds have a direct biological influence and/or trigger diverse chemical reactions, a number of researchers are studying them in various ways. How to measure reactive oxygen is one of the important challenges, because its concentration is low and its lifetime is short. From this perspective, Takeda’s lab takes an analytical approach.
As the other focus of his research, Takeda is interested in the photochemical reactions themselves that are caused by incident sunlight. In his research, Takeda targets various photochemical reactions that occur in the environment. |
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A characteristic aspect of Takeda’s research is thought to be the development of methods.
“One of the important aspects is how to capture, with sufficient sensitivity, phenomena that are generated in an instant and disappear in an instant. Therefore, we apply diverse ideas and suggest various measurement methods, and pursue the methods that prove to be the most suitable,” says Takeda. He is proud of producing methods of the highest class in the world, saying, “The methods that we have are of the highest level in the world, and are evaluated for that reason.” His research field is relatively rare, because fewer researchers are engaged in photochemistry in the hydrosphere compared to atmospheric chemistry.
“The sea surface is continuously exposed to sunlight, and reactions are constantly occurring. However, such reactions have not been widely known, because not many researchers have highlighted them. First of all, we need to uncover the ‘elementary process’ of reactions that are occurring on the sea surface. Before clarifying such problems as global warming and intensified sunlight due to ozone depletion, it is important to clarify what is occurring at present,” says Takeda, emphasizing the significance of his research. |
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| The best part of method development is the joy of lowering the detection limit. |
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Photochemical reactions are related to the generation of reactive oxygen, as well as to the decomposition and mineralization of organic matters dissolved in natural water, and the generation of aldehydes and other substances in this course. These decomposition and mineralization processes may be caused not merely through photochemical reactions, but through the combination of photochemical reactions and biological reactions. This has an important meaning in the understanding of photochemical reactions, which are deeply related to the material cycle in the hydrosphere. Because there still remain unknown areas of this field, expectations are high for future development.
When asked about the joy of research, Professor Takeda replied, “It is exciting when we come to understand something that had not been known before.” |
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“For example, perhaps something could only previously be measured on a scale of 1 nmol/L, but we succeed in measuring it at a concentration one order of magnitude lower. When we succeed in lowering the detection limit with our own method, it is extremely exciting!” remarks Takeda with a smile, saying, “In today’s world, it is very difficult to come up with something completely new. However, we can set a global challenge and test ourselves in the world by leveraging our own ideas and devices. This is certainly one of the most exciting things.”
According to Professor Takeda, environmental chemistry is an extremely complex science. On this planet, lives, material cycles, chemical reactions in the environment, and other factors are intertwined in a highly complex manner. However, each single component of this complex system has a simple structure, and it is incredibly interesting to interpret such components one by one, according to Takeda. |
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He states, “Back in the old days, one simple discovery led to major studies and made substantial achievements, but this is difficult in today’s world. Substances in the environment have also been studied and analyzed for the most part, but there still remain many points that have yet to be clarified.”
Takeda believes that the important thing is to accumulate small findings.
“It is extremely exciting to ‘have findings.’ Various matters can be understood through the combination of extremely simple factors. This is why I believe that it is important to proceed by accumulating small findings, marveling ‘Wow, this is it!’” |
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| Take a research path that is characteristic of you, leveraging your own ideas. |
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According to Takeda, he was interested in light, and studied materials science in the School of Science. When he proceeded to the graduate school, he selected a laboratory of a professor who had studied optical materials in the Graduate School of Biosphere Science. Takeda was supposed to apply the basics of materials science that he had learned in the undergraduate course to his optical research in the graduate school. However, he was later offered an assistant position in a laboratory of analytical chemistry, and changed his specialty again.
“Because all these fields were linked through photochemistry, I don’t think these two direction changes were substantial,” comments Takeda.
He says, “However, I believe that I have a different viewpoint from researchers who have always specialized in chemistry or biology,” and often tells his students, “Let’s do work that only we and no one else can think of, and work that is not possible in any other lab, leveraging our own characteristics!”
To students who want to become researchers, Takeda extends the message below, in addition to “accumulating small findings,” as his attitude toward research activities described above.
“I think the important thing is the ideas that you come up with through your studies. Instead of heading in the direction that other people are headed, undertake research based on your own ideas. Rather than doing the same thing as others, do something no one else can think of. Set ambitious goals and leverage your own ideas—this is the key concept for taking a career path as a researcher, I suppose.”
Takeda is actually taking this path, and will certainly continue to develop valuable methods that can be regarded as the world’s highest class without exaggeration. |
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| Kazuhiko Takeda |
Professor
Environmental Chemistry and Environmental Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
December 1, 1990–March 31, 1999 Assistant, School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University
April 1, 1999–March 31, 2007 Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
April 1, 2007–March 31, 2019 Associate Professor, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
April 1, 2019–March 31, 2021 Associate Professor, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University
April 1, 2021–present Professor, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University
Posted on Aug 4, 2017
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