• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.166-168
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• 2003

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.106-109
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.397-398
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• 2010

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.76-90
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• 2018

To determine the distribution of mercury (Hg) in the coastal surface sediments around the Korean peninsula, the baseline concentration of Hg was estimated, the extent of contamination was assessed, and the factors controlling the distribution were discussed. The concentrations of Hg in surface sediments were significantly high in Jinhae-Masan Bay in the South Sea, Ulsan-Onsan Bay and Yeongil Bay in the East Sea, but Hg in other sediments showed a similar distribution to Cs and relatively very low concentration between 0.21 and $39.5{\mu}g/kg$ ($13.6{\pm}7.80{\mu}g/kg$). Compared to the sediment quality guidelines in Korea, 8 % of the surface sediments (n=282) analyzed in this study exceeded the values of the threshold effects level (TEL), and six sediments collected around Onsan Port were higher than the value of the probable effects level (PEL). The contamination levels of Hg were assessed by the enrichment factors using the baseline concentration (2.06Cs+1.75) based on the residual analysis from the linear regression line for Cs, and further, factors controlling the distribution of Hg were discussed by the comparison with geochemical substances depending upon the Hg enrichment level. Hg concentrations were correlated well with Cs concentration in the range of less than 1.69 of EF implying grain size control, while in the range of 1.69 and 4.03 Hg concentrations were correlated well with Fe oxyhyroxide and organic carbon contents, which indicates Hg was enriched by superior sorption capability. On the meanwhile, samples with higher EFs (4.03 to 74.9) showed fairly positive correlations with other metals (Cu, Zn, Pb) rather than geochemical substances. For samples in Youngil Bay and Ulsan-Onsan Bay (n=30), Hg concentrations were correlated only with other metals rather than geochemical substances implying simultaneous supply of metal particles from metal refineries. But samples at Gosung, Sokcho and Uljin coast were correlated well with organic carbon even though they had high EFs. In addition, samples in Jinhae-Masan Bay with high contents of S were enriched by relatively high sulfide formation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.79-79
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• 1997

자연계에 존재하는 수은중 유기수은은 생태계 먹이사슬을 통하여 체내의 여러장기에 축적되어 조직손상을 일으키는 것으로 잘 알려져 있다. 그러나 이러한 세포독성에 대한 정확한 생화학적 기전에 대해서는 자세히 알려진 바가 없다. 포스포리파아제 $A_2$(PLA$_2$)는 세포막의 인지질로부터 Arachidonic acid (AA)와 Lysophospholipid를 유리시키는 효소로 최근 세포손상과 관련하여 그 역할이 주목되고 있으며, 극히 최근, 일차배양 소뇌신경세포를 이용한 연구에서 메칠수은처리에 의해 세포독성의 지표인 Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)의 유리와 함께 AA 유리가 증가되는 것이 관찰되었으나 여러형태의 PLA$_2$중 어느형태의 효소가 관련되어 있는지, 또한, 그 자세한 기전에 대해서는 불분명한 점이 많다. 본 연구에서는 신장세포의 일종인 MDCK세포를 이용하여 메칠수은의 처리에 의한 PLA$_2$의 활성화 및 그 생화학적인 기전을 구명하고자 하였다. [$^3$H]AA를 MDCK세포의 배양액에 첨가하여 라벨링한 후 메칠수은을 처리하였을때 [$^3$H]AA가 대조군에 비해 농도의존적 및 경시적으로 현저하게 증가하였으며 동시에 LDH의 유리도 함께 관찰되었다. 이러한 [$^3$H]AA의 유리 증가는 세포질 PLA$_2$에 특이적인 저해제로 알려진 AACOCF$_3$의 전처리에 의해 거의 완전히 억제되었으나 LDH의 유리는 오히려 증가하였다. 또한, 글루타치온(GSH)의 전구체인 NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)에 의해 [$^3$H]AA의 유리는 부분적으로 감소하였으나, LDH의 유리는 변함이 없었다. 돼지비장이나 MDCK 세포에서 얻어진 세포질 PLA$_2$에 메칠수은을 직접 처리하였을때는 오히려 PLA$_2$의 활성은 감소되었다. 위의 결과들로부터 메칠수은에 의한 [$^3$H]AA의 유리 증가는 세포질 PLA$_2$효소에 대한 직접적인 작용이 아니라 세포내 -SH기의 차단이나 Oxidative Stress에 의해 간접적으로 활성화되는 것으로 예상되며, 세포질 PLA$_2$에 의해 유리된 AA의 세포독설과 관련된 세포내의 역할에 대해 의문이 제기되었다.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.236-240
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• 2011

Mercury known as quicksilver, is the most common cause of heavy metal toxicity. Toxicity caused by excessive mercury exposure is now being recognized as a widespread environmental problem and is continuing to attract a great deal of public concerns. The mercury genotoxicity could be its effect on DNA repair mechanisms, which constitute the defense system designated to protect genome integrity. The objective of this study is to confirm that mercuric chloride inhibits the repair of gamma ray-induced DNA damage. The earthworm of Eisenia fetida was chosen for this study because it is an internationally accepted model species for toxicity testing with a cosmopolitan distribution. Experiments were done to identify the levels of DNA damage and the repair kinetics in the coelomocytes of E. fetida irradiated with 20 Gy gamma rays alone or with gamma rays after 40 mg $kg^{-1}$ $HgCl_2$ treatment by means of the single cell gel electrophoresis assay. The Olive tail moments were measured during 0~96 hours after irradiation. The repair time in the animals treated with the combination of $HgCl_2$ and ionizing radiation was nearly five times longer than that in the animals treated with ionizing radiation alone. Also, E. fetida exposed to mercury showed a statistically lower repair efficiency of gamma ray-induced DNA damage. The results suggest that the mercury could even have deleterious effects on the DNA repair system. Influence of mercury on the DNA repair mechanisms has been confirmed by this study.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2009

Four heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, and Hg) in 38 species (total 325 samples) of oriental animality medicines were monitored by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and automatic mercury analyzer (AMA). The detected concentration range of Pb, Cd, As was presented as $0.02{\mu}gkg^{-1}$ $(D.L){\sim}11.29mgkg^{-1}$, $0.01{\mu}gkg^{-1}$ $(D.L){\sim}2.50 mgkg^{-1}$, $0.12{\mu}gkg^{-1}$ $(D.L){\sim}5.27mgkg^{-1}$, respectively. In case of Hg, it the concentration range was $0.01{\sim}77.11mgkg^{-1}$ except one sample which exceeded detection limit. In all samples of Amydae Carapax and Gallnut, it was not detected over the maximum residue limits of metals. Pb is in charge of the greatest portion of contamination in 22 species of animality medicines, and in case of Hg, 54.46% of total samples were over the maximum residue limits. Therefore, environmental levels of Pb and Hg are needed to continue the researches and the studies for tracking pollution source are required.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.228-236
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• 1996

An electrolysis system with a vertically circulating mercury capillary bundle electrode was developed with a very large electrode area in a minimum space. This system was operated by forcedly feeding mercury and aqueous solution containing metal ion into a fiber bundle packed densely within a small porous glass tube. In order to test the characteristics and stability of the electrolysis system, the reduction voltammograms of uranyl and ferric ions were measured with changes of the mercury flow rate and the aqueous flow rate. The aqueous flow rate had a large effect on the electrochemical reaction of metal ion occurring at the interface between the mercury and the aqueous solution and had to be regulated as an appropriate value to have a good limiting current shape. The limiting current was linearly proportional to the aqueous flow rate, and complete reductions of uranyl and ferric ions were rapidly and continuously accomplished at the potential showing limiting current. With a mercury flow rate high enough to keep a capillary continuum of mercury in the fiber bundle, the mercury flow rate had almost no effect on the electrochemical reaction. This system was confirmed to be effective and stable enough to control rapidly and continuously the oxidation state of metal ions fed into the system under an appropriate aqueous flow rate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.337-346
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• 2020

This study was carried out to evaluate the applicability of the soil washing process to remediation mercury-contaminated mine tailing or solid material (soil and sediments etc.) around abandoned mines. First, the physicochemical characteristics of mine tailing were analyzed through particle size analysis and sequential extraction. Secondly, laboratory scale washing experiments were performed using hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, potassium iodide and sodium thiosulfate. As a results of particle size analysis, mine tailing particle were concentrated below 40 mesh and the particle size below 200 mesh was the most analyzed. As a result of sequential extraction, elemental mercury fraction was analyzed as the highest with 69.12%, with strongly bound fraction 15.25% and residual and HgS fractions 11.97%, respectively. Laboratory scale washing experiments showed low applicability for nitric acid and sodium thiosulfate solutions. In case of hydrochloric acid solution, it was analyzed that mercury removal was possible at particle size of 200 mesh or more. Therefore, it is considered to be performed together with the physical sorting process. Potassium iodide solution was analyzed to have high washing efficiency at all concentrations and particle sizes. In particular, the mercury removal efficiency is high in the micro particles, and thus the applicability of the washing technology is the highest.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.370-378
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• 2011

Catalytic activity of $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$-based SCR catalyst was examined for the oxidation of gas-phase elemental mercury to oxidized mercury. Mercury species was not detected on the commercial SCR catalyst after the oxidation reaction of elemental mercury, regadless of the presence of HCl acting as oxidant and the reaction conditions. This suggests that elemental mercury oxidation by HCl could occur via a Eley-Rideal mechanism with gas phase or weakly-bound mercury on the surface of $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ SCR catalyst. The activity for mercury oxidation was significantly increased with the increase of $V_2O_5$ loading, which indicates that $V_2O_5$ is the active site. However, turnover frequency for mercury oxidation was decreased with the increase of $V_2O_5$ loading, indicating the activity for mercury oxidation was strongly dependent on the surface structure of vanadia species. The activity for oxidation of elemental mercury under SCR condition was much less than that under oxidation condition at the same HCl concentration and reaction temperature.