• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.455-460
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• 2017

Since a new (unrecorded) species was reported in 2016, a total of four sea snake species are currently listed in Korean waters. Although the possibility of year-round inhabitation of sea snakes in Korean waters has increased due to climate change, the related studies are scarce because of the lack of human resources and available equipment. We placed posters and banners requesting voluntary information on sea snakes in coastal regions and Jeju Island to obtain information on sea snake distributions in the coasts of South Korea and possible specimens through volunteer activities. As a result, we received total 45 reliable reports, including photographs or video, between March 2013 and December 2016. Eighteen reports on three sea snake species and thirteen capture cases of two species were submitted from Jeju Island and southern coastal regions of Korea mostly between August and November. There were twenty-seven false reports including seven cases of terrestrial snakes, eighteen fishes, and one each of invertebrate and inanimate material. Based on the results, we proposed the effective way of sea snake surveys using volunteers.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.48-62
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• 2012

This study was carried out to classify the folk plants in inland of northern region of Gangwon-do. According to the survey results from 35 places of 9 counties and cities from April to October, 2010, the folk plants in inland of northern region of Gangwon-do consisted of a total 261 taxa; 73 families, 185 genera, 225 species, 2 subspecies, 30 varieties, and 4 form. Among the investigated 261 taxa, 3 Korean endemic, 11 rare plants and 9 naturalized plants were also included. The use by usage of 261 taxa was: 378 times; Edible, 53 times; Medicinal, 8 times; Dye, 7 times; Ornamental, 6 times; Fuel, 5 times; Spice, 3 times; Aroma, 2 times; Nectar, 41 times; Others, respectively, so the edible use is the highest. The most useful part was the leaf, followed by whole plant and root. The consistency comparison between the scientific name and the local name were the highest in the 20's and the lowest in 80's.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.1161-1170
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• 2014

In global competition like today, intellectual property of novel areas such as traditional knowledge, traditional creation, hereditary resource, etc. are perceived as important resources. Therefore making solid competitive power in overall knowledge resources like cultural contents, brand, design etc. in nation is a pressing question. Accordingly in this study, to prepare for intellectual property rights dispute and advantage-sharing problem that would be variously derived from the Nagoya Protocol which will come into force after 2014, this research selected 200 knowledge of middle region in Korea from 2,047 literal and 931 oral knowledge using preconditioning process. The order of priority of top 50 of them was ranked by a quantitative research method, the Delphi survey. Among them, 30 was literal traditional knowledge and 20 was oral traditional knowledge. Result of this research could be used later as basic material for qualitative researches like the focus group interviewing. Furthermore in this paper is meaningful; the selected traditional knowledge can contribute remarkably to traditional biologic knowledge resource in nation which can be acknowledged in international society, announcing validity (hold precedence for patent) later on.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.288-294
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• 2014

Penicillin and its salts, including the benzatine, procaine, and sodium salts, have been widely used in human and veterinary medicine. Owing to their low toxicity, they currently form the most important group of antibiotics. However, overdose and abuse of these antibiotics may lead to potential risk in human health. Therefore, this study was conducted to validate the analysis method established by the Korea Food Code in 2012 and to monitor the levels of benzylpenicillin residues in products with reference to the maximum residue level (MRL). Of the 232 product samples tested, benzylpenicillin was detected in 11 livestock products and 2 marine products. Benzylpenicillin concentrations were found to be lower than the MRL in 12 products; however, the concentration of benzylpenicillin was found to be greater than the MRL in 1 pork product. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for benzylpenicillin was found to be 0.001-0.002 mg/kg, with an average recovery of 90.4-115.3%. Calibrations showed good linearity of 0.995 over a range of 0.002-0.05 mg/kg.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.5012-5018
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• 2011

According to the nationwide survey of tuberculosis from 1965 to 1995, the incidence and drug resistance rate of tuberculosis have been decreased in Korea, but the prevalence of multidrug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still a serious problem. The purpose of this study is to investigate the drug resistance rate and pattern of tuberculosis in Daejeon from 2001 to 2008. Of the total 581cases where the drug susceptibility test was performed, resistance to at least one anti-TB drug was found in 104 cases(17.9%) of these, 68(11.7%) were resistant to at least INH and 41(7.1%) were resistant to at least RFP. Single-drug resistance was found for isolates from 37(6.4%) ; 18(3.1%) of these were resistant to INH and 5(0.9%) to RFP. Multidrug resistance, where TB was resistant to at least isoniazid and refampin, was found in 35 cases(6.0%). and Factors associated with MDR-TB included age under 40-60.The drug-resistance rate of pulmonary TB, especially MDR-TB, is higher in the initial treated patients at a private referral hospital than in those in the pubulic sector. Initial drug resistance is common and the drug susceptibility test is informative for pulmonary TB patients who have not received previous TB treatment. The need for an improved control program, coupled with early diagnosis of MDR-TB, to reduce the spread and development of resistance. Multidrug resistance rate is still problem in korea. Efforts to decrease multidrug resistance rate either independently or in cooperation with the pubulic sector will be needed.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2019

We determined the contents of 11 biogenic amines in 20 types of cabbage kimchi, 10 types of fish sauce, and 40 types of salted fish purchased from small- and medium-sized grocery stores in Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea, from June to October 2017. The content of each of the biogenic amines in the various types of cabbage kimchi was slightly lower than that in detection amounts of each of the 10 types of biogenic amines and the values reported by Joe et al. The histamine content of all five types of anchovy sauce was lower than the limit set by the European Union (400 mg/kg), but that of three of the five types of sand lance sauce was higher. Analyzing the ratios of the contents of five highly toxic biogenic amines to those of the 11 biogenic amines yielded no quantitative correlation. The estimated daily intake of the five highly toxic biogenic amines in cabbage-kimchi and fermented fish was ${\leq}6mg$.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.719-725
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• 2020

Objectives: With the growth of national interest in fine particulate matter, many complaints about pollutants emitted from air pollution emitting facilities have arisen in recent years. In particular, it is thought that a large volume of particulate pollutants are discharged from workplaces that use Solid Refuse Fuel (SRF). Therefore, particulate contaminants generated from SRF were measured and analyzed in this study in terms of respective particle sizes. Methods: In this study, particulate matter in exhaust gas was measured by applying US EPA method 201a using a cyclone. This method measures Filterable Particulate Matter (FPM), and does not consider the Condensable Particulate Matter (CPM) that forms particles in the atmosphere after being discharged as a gas in the exhaust gas. Results: The mass concentration of Total Suspended Particles (TSP) in the four SRF-using facilities was 1.16 to 11.21 mg/Sm3, indicating a very large concentration deviation of about 10 times. When the fuel input method was the continuous injection type, particulate matter larger than 10 ㎛ diameter showed the highest particle size fraction, followed by particulate matter smaller than 10 ㎛ and larger than 2.5 ㎛, and particulate matter of 2.5 ㎛ or less. Contrary to the continuous injection type, the batch injection type had the smallest particle size fraction of particulate matter larger than 10 ㎛. The overall particulate matter decreased as the operating load factor decreased from 100% to 60% at the batch input type D plant. In addition, as incomplete combustion significantly decreased, the particle size fraction also changed significantly. Both TSP and heavy metals (six items) satisfied the emissions standards. The measured value of the emission factor was 38-99% smaller than the existing emissions factor. Conclusions: In the batch injection facility, the particulate matter decreased as the operating load factor decreased, as did the particle size fraction of the particulate matter. These results will help the selection of effective methods such as reducing the operating load factor instead of adjusting the operating time during emergency reduction measures.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.86-95
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• 2022

Background: As high concentrations of uranium and radon have been detected in some areas in Korea, it is considered necessary to investigate natural radioactive materials in the Gwangju area. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in Gwangju and investigate the distribution characteristics of uranium and radon, which are naturally radioactive substances. Methods: To determine the uranium and radon concentrations in groundwater according to the geology of the Gwangju area, we measured 62 groundwater wells. A geological distribution map of uranium and radon content was prepared for this study. Results: The groundwater type, defined using a Piper diagram, was mainly Ca-HCO₃. The concentration of uranium in the groundwater ranged from 0 to 29.3 ㎍/L, with a mean of 3.3 ㎍/L and a median of 0.9 ㎍/L. The median concentration of uranium in groundwater was highest in alluvium, granitic gneiss, and biotite granite (classified by geological unit), in that order. The concentration of radon in the groundwater ranged from 4.8 to 313.2 Bq/L, with a mean of 75.6 Bq/L and a median of 59.6 Bq/L. The median concentration of radon in groundwater was highest in biotite granite, alluvium, and granitic gneiss, in that order. As a result of the correlation analysis of groundwater in the study area, there was no significant correlation between uranium and radon. Conclusions: In this study area, uranium was shown to be far below the concentrations allowed by drinking water quality standards, but radon concentrations exceeded drinking water quality monitoring standards in 11% of the samples. It was judged that appropriate measures, such as the installation of radon reduction facilities, will be required after a thorough review of high-concentration radon detection sites of in the research area.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.50-60
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• 2022

The concentration levels and distribution characteristics of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated and evaluated for total 100 soil samples as a part of the survey on soil contamination in Gwangju. The results (median and range) of T-PAHs (sum of 16 PAH concentrations), C-PAHs (sum of carcinogenic PAH concentrations) and T-TEQs (sum of 16 TEQ concentrations) were 20.8 (7.6~1158.1), 2.2 (N.D~509.6), and 0.3 (N.D~424.6) ㎍/kg, respectively. There was a positive correlation between C-PAHs/T-PAHs and T-TEQs/T-PAHs except one point where the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene was high. The ratios of the C-PAHs/T-PAHs were 31.7% for low molecular weight-PAHs and 68.3% for high molecular weight-PAHs, suggesting that PAHs generation mainly arose from combustion sources. The ratio of isomers of individual PAHs, Phe/Ant, Flu/Pyr, Ant/(Ant+Phe), Flu/(Flu+Pyr), and BaA/(BaA+Chr), also confirmed the predominance of PAHs from combustion activities. Statistical tracing of the source of PAHs through principal component analysis indicated that the main sources of combustion were automobile fuel and coal. The overall results of this study suggested HMW-PAHs, T-PAHs, C-PAHs and T-TEQs should be separately evaluated to better assess the toxicity and environmental behavior of individual PAHs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.170-180
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• 2022

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) contents were analyzed by measuring benz(a)anthracene(BaA), chrysene(Chr), benzo(b)fluoranthene(BbF) and benzo(a)pyrene(BaP), and the related risk characterization was conducted for 113 samples out of 14 different agricultural products used for food and medicine. Detection rate of PAHs was 90.3% as a whole, and the highest one was 80.5% for BaP. The detection rate of BaP exceeding the maximum permitted concentration of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata and Rehmanniae Radix, 5.0 ㎍/kg was 1.8%, and the detection rates of BaA, Chr and BbF were within the range of 2.7~10.6%. The highest average concentration of BaA was 3.41 ㎍/kg detected from Lycii Fructus, while those of Chr, BbF, BaP and PAH4(sum of detected BaA, Chr, BbF and BaP) were 5.00, 1.79, 2.36, 12.36 ㎍/kg, respectively, detected from Rehmanniae Radix Preparata. As for the risk characterization on PAHs, the overall MOE(Margin of Exposure) values were measured within the range of 10⁵~10⁷, which is unlikely to cause direct health concerns, but the worring values of MOE were measured 6.57×10⁴ for BaP and 6.10×10⁴ for PAH4 from Rehmanniae Radix Preparata, which may require an improvement plan to reduce BaP contents.