Duplicate hospital diet samples obtained over 1 week in 2001 were analysed to estimate the daily intake of plasticizers and the results were compared with those obtained in 1999. The plasticizers quantified in this study were: dibutyl phthalate, butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), diisononyl adipate (DINA) and O-acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC). Dipropyl, dipentyl, dihexyl and dicyclohexyl phthalate were also analysed but not detected. The analytical procedure for this follow-up study was essentially the same as in the previous one. Detection limits were 0.1-15.6 ng g(-1) for each plasticizer. One-week duplicate diet samples provided by three hospitals in three remote prefectures of Japan were analysed as individual meals. DEHP was detected at 6-675 ng g(-1) in 62 of 63 meals, significantly lower levels compared with those detected in 1999. Levels of DEHA and DINP also decreased. The mean intake of plasticizers estimated from all samples was 160 microg DEHP day(-1), 12.5 microg DEHA day(-1), 4.7 microg DINP day(-1) and 3.4 microg BBP day(-1). Levels of DINA were relatively high in meals from one hospital: in those meals, the average daily intake was 1338 microg day(-1). Those of ATBC were also higher in meals from another hospital: the average daily intake was 1228 microg day(-1). The sources of DINA and ATBC can be cling-film or sausage packaging.

Control of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on Tomato in Greenhouses by a Combination of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) and Banker Plants

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Alternative food sources provided by wheat and barley living-mulch were evaluated for the effect on the life history traits of the predatory bug, Geocoris proteus Distant. As alternative food sources, Rhopalosiphum padi Linnaeus and Anaphothrips obscurus Müller were provided to larvae and adults of G. proteus. Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman and a standard food, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller eggs served as control food sources. The results showed that R. padi significantly prolonged the larval period and preoviposition period of G. proteus compared to the other prey species. However, R. padi made the female bugs more fecund than T. tabaci, though not so much as the standard food. Anaphothrips obscurus, though less than the standard food, was also nearly equal to T. tabaci in fecundity of the bugs. As a result, R. padi and A. obscurus were superior or nearly equal to T. tabaci in affecting the intrinsic rate of natural increase of G. proteus. These results suggest that wheat and barley would provide preferable alternative foods to G. proteus, thus serving well as living mulch.