• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.233-240
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• 1989

The concentration of mecury was measured in the seawater, sediment, Mytilus edulis and suspended solid in the coastal area of Onsan. Samples were collected at spring and neap tide in the period from October 9 to November 2, 1984. The range and mean of mecury concentration in the seawater are $0.08\~0.73{\mu}g/\iota\;and\;0.19{\mu}g/\iota$. The range and mean of mecury concentration in the suspended solid was $0.70\~17.0{\mu}g/g$ TSS and $4.6{\mu}g/g$ TSS respectively. The average concentration of mecury in Mytilus edulis was 0.10mg/kg which was higher than that of the reference area, Chung Mu. The mean value of concentration factor of mercury in wet base is 500 in Mytilus edulis. The average concentration of mecury in sediment was 0.15mg/kg.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2014

This study aims to evaluate the impact of varying exposure to dental amalgam on urinary mercury levels in children by measuring the number of amalgam-filled teeth and the variance of mercury concentration in urine over a period of 2 years. A total of 317 (male 158, female 159) elementary school children (1st~4th graders) attending 2 schools in urban regions participated in this study. At 6-month intervals, 4 oral examinations were conducted to check any variance in the conditions of dental caries and the status of dental fillings. Also, urine tests were conducted followed by a questionnaire survey. To elucidate the factors potentially affecting the mercury concentration in urine, t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test and a mixed model were used for the analysis. Regarding the status of dental fillings in line with examination time periods, deciduous teeth had more amalgam-filled surfaces than those filled with resin, whereas permanent teeth had more resin-filled surfaces than those filled with amalgam. A significant relevance was found between the exposure to dental amalgam and urinary mercury levels. Specifically, subjects whose teeth surfaces had been filled with dental amalgam showed higher urinary mercury levels than those who had no dental amalgam fillings. Based on the analysis using the mixed model, the increase in the number of teeth surfaces filled with amalgam was found to be the factor affecting the increase in urinary mercury levels. The urinary mercury levels were found to be highly associated with the exposure to dental amalgam. The more the teeth surfaces filled with amalgam, the higher the urinary mercury levels. Hence, even a trace of dental amalgam fillings can liberate mercury, affecting the variance in the urinary mercury levels. These findings suggest that some criteria or measures should be developed to minimize the exposure to dental amalgam. Moreover, relevant further studies are warranted.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.420-427
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• 2003

The results of recent studies indicate that atmospheric distribution of Hg in the arctic environment is unique enough to show strong depletion during spring followed by notable increases during summer. The observations of this abnormal trend contrast quite sharply with what had been recognized as Hg geochemical behavior in air over the past decades. Using the long-term measurement data of Hg obtained from both the Arctic and Korea, we attempted to provide valuable insights into the unique mercury depletion phenomenon (MDP) in the polar regions of the globe.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2012

Dental amalgam is an alloy composed of a mixture of approximately equal parts of elemental liquid mercury and an alloy powder. Amalgam has been the most popular and effective restorative material used in dentistry. Despite the long history and popularity of dental amalgam as a restorative material, there have been periodic concerns regarding the potential adverse health effects arising from exposure to mercury in amalgam. Since children are more at risk for mercury toxicity, we aimed to assess the association between dental amalgam filling and urinary mercury concentration in children. 581 of elementary school children in grades 1st4th were conveniently recruited from two schools located in Daegu city, Korea. To obtain dental caries experience states, oral examination were conducted using the full term for DFS index, number of amalgam filling surfaces and the type of filling materials. A questionnaire was used to collect information about general characteristics and the frequencies of tooth brushing, gum chewing and fish/seafood consumption. The statistical analysis was done using the SPSS 18.0 program. The mean urinary mercury concentration in children having more surfaces was highest. As a results Urinary mercury concentration of children who have 79 teeth of amalgam filling and more than 10 is higher than without amalgam filling. The number of amalgam filling surface is closely related with urinary mercury concentration.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2005

The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of onion extracts on mercuryinduced cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in primary monolayer cultures of rat hepatocytes. Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were incubated for 6 hr in the presence of various concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, 30 or 50 ppm) of $HgCl_2$. Cytotoxicity and cell viability were determined by measuring glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) activity, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) value. Lipid peroxidation w as evaluated using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. Effects of onion extract on antioxidant system were determined by measuring catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd) activities as well as DPPH free radical scavenging activity. $HgCl_2$ at the concentration of 10 ppm increased GOT activity and TBARS concentration but decreased %MTT reduction, whereas $HgCl_2$ at the concentration of 30 ppm increased LDH activity, representing that $HgCl_2$ caused cytotoxicity and lipid peroxidation in dose-dependent manner, $HgCl_2$ at the concentration of 30 ppm significantly decreased catalase, GSH-Px and GSH-Rd activities. When primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were incubated with various concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 or 0.3 mg/ml) of onion extract for 6 hr in the presence of 30 ppm of $HgCl_2$, onion extracts at the concentration of 0.05 mg/ml decreased GOT activity, but increased %MTT reduction by 30 ppm of $HgCl_2$. $HgCl_2-induced$ LDH activity and TBARS concentration were decreased by onion extract at the concentration of 0.01 mg/ml. Taken together, onion extract prevented H$HgCl_2-induced$ hepatocyte injury and lipid peroxidation. Onion extracts at the concentration of 0.1 mg/ml almost or completely inhibited $HgCl_2-induced$ catalase and GSB-Px activities. GSH-Rd activity, however, was not affected by onion extract. Free radical scavengjing activity was increased as concentration of onion extract increased. Onion extract at the concentrion of 5 mg/ml possesed mote than 93% scavenging activity comparing to 100% radical scavenging activity by pyrogallol solution as a reference. These results demonstrate that onion extracts suppressed mercury-induced cytoctoxicity and lipid peroxidation by scavenging free radical and increasing catalase and GSH-Px activities.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.190-195
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to estimate the relationship between amalgam removal and urinary mercury levels. To measure urinary mercury concentration, urine of participants was collected at baseline, immediately, 24 hours and 48 hours after removal of amalgam restorations. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 20.0. The overall mean urinary mercury concentration at baseline, immediately, 24 hours and 48 hours after removal of amalgam restorations was 2.77, 2.75, 2.95 and $4.00{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, respectively. Logistic regression model shows that the gender leads to increased odds of high urinary mercury concentration in children (odds ratio, OR=1.99), even after adjusting for high amalgam surfaces (OR=1.23) and fish consumption (OR=1.26) at the baseline. Our findings suggest that mercury exposure from dental amalgam adversely impact health and therefore are a health risk.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.227-234
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• 2000

독성약물에 의한 급성신부전시 세뇨관세포의 물질 재흡수 장애에 대한 단삼(丹參) 추출액의 효과를 조사하였다. 토끼에 수은(HgCl2)을 10 mg/kg되게 피하 주사하여 급성신부전을 유발하였고, 단삼(丹參) 추출액의 효과는 수은을 주사하기 전 7일 동안 0.05% 액(液) 0.3 g/kg 용량을 경구 투여하여 관찰하였다. 수은을 주사하기 전 24시간 동안 요와 혈액을 채취하여 신장기능을 측정하여 대조기간(basal period)의 값으로 하였고, 수은을 주사한 후 24시간 동안 요와 혈액을 얻어 수은에 의한 신장기능 변화를 평가하였다. 수은을 처리한 후 사구체여과율이 대조값에 비해 감소하였고, 혈청내 creatinine 농도가 증가하였다. 이러한 결과들은 수은이 급성신부전을 유발하였음을 가리킨다. 수은을 처리한 동물에서 포도당 및 인산의 배설분율이 증가하였고, 이러한 변화는 brush-border membrane에서 물질의 이동장애와 Na-pump 활성의 감소에 기인하였다. 수은을 주사한 동물의 신장피질 절편에서 유기이온인 PAH와 TEA 이동이 억제되었다. 토끼의 신장조직에서 지질의 과산화가 수은을 주사한 후 증가하였다. 단삼(丹參) 추출액을 전 처리한 후 수은을 주사한 경우 수은에 의해 유발된 사구체여과율의 감소와 혈청내 creatinine 농도 증가 현상이 유의하게 완화되었다. 수은에 의한 세뇨관에서 물질의 재흡수 장애가 단삼(丹參) 추출액의 전처리에 의해 방지되었다. 단삼(丹參) 추출액은 수은에 의한 지질의 과산화를 억제하였다. 수은에 의한 급성신부전은 항산화제로 잘 알려진 DPPD에 의해 방지되었다. 이상의 결과를 종합하면 생체실험결과 수은에 의한 급성신부전의 유발과정에 지질의 과산화가 중요한 역할을 할 가능성을 보이고 있고, 단삼(丹參) 추출액은 수은에 의한 급성신부전을 방지하는 효과를 가지고 있으며, 그 효과는 단삼(丹參)의 항산화작용에 기인(起因)할 가능성이 많다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.495-505
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• 1996

Effect or mercury chloride on the synthesis or $NO_2^-$ and ATP were observed in EMT-6 cells which were cultured with cytokines$(IL-1\alpha\;and\;IFN-\gamma)$ and various concentrations of mercury chloride from 0.05 to $0.8{\mu}M$. Viability of EMT-6 cells were observed above 90% in almost groups. There were not significant differences in the viability between mercury supplemented groups and control group. It suggests viability of EMT-6 cells were not influenced by these concentrations of mercury chloride. Results of the synthesis of nitrite showed significant time and group effect. There is a significant interaction effect between concentration of mercury chloride and culture time. The effect of various concentration of mercury chloride is not the same for all levels of culture time. There were significant differences in the synthesis of nitrite between mercury chloride supplemented groups and control group, and the synthesis of nitrite in EMT-6 cell by the supplement of mercury chloride was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Results of the synthesis of ATP showed a significant group effect, and the time main effect and the $Group{\times}Time$ interaction were also significant. There were significant differences in the synthesis of ATP between mercury chloride supplemented groups and control group, and the synthesis of ATP in EMT-6 cell by the supplement of mercury chloride was significantly decreased in a dose - dependent manner. These results suggest that the disorder of cell mediated immunity by mercury chloride could be related to the inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis which will be caused by the decreased synthesis of ATP.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.543-549
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• 1987

This study was carried out to estimate the change of Hg content in contaminated food materials including rice grain, soybean sprouts and crucian carp during their washing and cooking processes. The residue level of Hg in contaminated rice at 1 ppm level was decreased to the extent of 24% by three-times washing whereas it was not decreased in cooking. The removal efficiency of Hg in soybean sprouts contaminated at 80 ppm level was about 26% in three-times washing. While the Hg content was not decreased in blanching or cooking of soybean sprouts as a whole, the extent of leached Hg into the fluid part varied in the range of 23-41% depending on the heating time, salinity and volume of cooking water. While the Hg content in fish contaminated at 1 ppm level was not decreased in cooking as a whole, the leaching ratio of Hg into the fluid part was in the range of 2-10% depending on the salinity of cooking water. Disposal of inedible portion in cooked fish could remove 32% of contaminated Hg residue.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 1989

This study was performed to investigate the mercury concentration of restaurant meals and to estimate the total dietary intake of mercury. Experimental subjects were 66 cases in 11 kinds of common restaurant meals collected from the Seoul area. Total mercury was determined by Hg-analyzer and two kinds of atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results were as follows: 1. Mean value of mercury contents in fluid of meals was about 0.002 ppm and there was no significant difference between the two methods. 2. Mercury concentration of residue by AAS was significantly higher than that by Hg-analyzer. The mean values of mercury concentration were 2.423 ppm, 10.229 ppm and 11.655 ppm by Hg-analyzer, AAS-PE and AAS-Hi, respectively. 3. Dietary intake of mercury from the meals was estimated $7.806\;\mu\textrm{g}/day$ by Hg-analyzer and 31.290, $35.349\;\mu\textrm{g}/day$ by two kinds of AAS. The values were lower than the FAO/WHO limit, $42.9\;\mu\textrm{g}/day$.