• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2023

The Nakdong river is both a natural resource crucial to underwater ecosystems and a water source for its basin's residents. Industrial wastewater and domestic sewage must meet the relevant standards for discharged water before they can flow into the river. The correlation between old and new measures of organic matter was examined using water quality data from 50 monitoring locations in the main stream of the Nakdong river. The coefficient of determination (R²) for total organic carbon (TOC), the new measure of organic matter, and chemical oxygen demand (COD), the old measure of organic matter, in the main stream of the Nakdong river was 0.6134, indicating high correlation. Water quality at each location assessed using TOC and COD showed disparities that cannot be ignored: quality appeared higher when evaluating the main stream of the Nakdong river using TOC instead of COD. Therefore, there remains a need to review water quality ratings based on TOC; continuous monitoring of COD is also required. In addition, the cause of the difference should be clearly identified to help assess artificial sources of pollution and natural factors affecting organic matter. Water management of the Nakdong river will then be possible using the water quality rating.

• Journal of odor and indoor environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2018

Mold grows more easily when humidity is higher in indoor spaces, and as such is found more often on wetted areas in housing such as walls, toilets, kitchens, and poorly managed spaces. However, there have been few studies that have specifically assessed the level of mold in the indoor spaces of water-damaged housing in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the levels of airborne mold according to the characteristics of water damage types and explored the correlation between the distribution of mold genera and the characteristics of households. Samplings were performed from January 2016 to June 2018 in 97 housing units with water leakage or condensation, or a history of flooding, and in 61 general housing units in the metropolitan and Busan area, respectively. Airborne mold was collected on MEA (Malt extract agar) at flow rate of 100 L/min for 1 min. After collection, the samples were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 hours. The cultured samples were counted and corrected using a positive hole conversion table. The samples were then analyzed by single colony culture, DNA extraction, gene amplification, and sequencing. By type of housing, concentrations of airborne mold were highest in flooded housing, followed by water-leaked or highly condensed housings, and then general housing. In more than 50% of water-damaged housing, the level of airborne mold exceeded the guideline of Korea's Ministry of Environment ($500CFU/m^3$). Of particular concern was the fact that the I/O ratio of water-damaged housing was greater than 1, which could indicate that mold damage may occur indoors. The distribution patterns of the fungal species were as follows: Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. (14%), Aspergillus spp. (13%) and Alternaria spp. (3%), but significant differences of their levels in indoor spaces were not found. Our findings indicate that high levels of mold damage were found in housing with water damage, and Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium brevicompactum were more dominant in housing with high water activity. Comprehensive management of flooded or water-damaged housing is necessary to reduce fungal exposure.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 2007

To obtain the risk assessment of hazardous materials with maturing process of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata, the residual heavy metals and pesticides in samples are surveyed. Concentration of As, Cd and Pb during the maturing process of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata of Korea are $0.147{\pm}0.007\;mg/L,\;0.025{\pm}0.001\;mg/L\;and\;0.193{\pm}0.021\;mg/L$, respectively. Concentration of As, Cd and Pb during the maturing process of Rehmanniae Radix Preparat of China are $0.0145{\pm}0.014\;mg/L,\;0.023{\pm}0.002\;mg/L\;and\;0.299{\pm}0.013\;mg/L$, respectively. Concentration of As, Cd and Hg remain unchanged during the maturing process of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata. Concentration of As, Cd and Pb in Rehmanniae Radix Preparat on the Korea are 3.53%, 6.66% and 5.16% for Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) advisory level, respectively. The residual pesticides, such as aldrin, $BHC-{\alpha},\;BHC-{\beta},\;BHC-{\gamma},\;BHC-{\delta}$, captan, chlorfenapyr, chlorpyrifos, DDD, DDE, DDT-o,p, DDT-p.p, dieldrin, endosulfan-sulfate, $endosulfan-{\alpha}$, $endosulfan-{\beta}$, fenitrothion, penthoate, permethrin, quintozene, tolyfluanid and vinclozolin, are not detected in Rehmanniae Radix Preparat on the Korea and China. The hazardous materials in Rehmanniae Radix Preparata on the Korea and China are verified the safety of the residual heavy metals and pesticides compare with Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) advistory level.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1994

The urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid has been widely used as a measure of the biological effect of lead in lead exposed workers. It is usually measured by colorimetric method based on the color reaction of ALA-pyrrole with Ehrlich's reagent. But the results of ${\delta}$-ALA in urine by this method are somewhat artificially higher than expected due to the urinary ALA-like compound such as aminoacetone. On the other hand, the recently developed fluorometric HPLC method is very sensitive and specific for the measuring urinary ALA. In order to compare the data obtained by two methods and to investigate the interrelation between two methods, 117 lead workers with different lead exposure were checked urinary ${\delta}$-ALA, blood lead and other lead exposure related indices. The results obtained are as follows; 1. Urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-ALA by colorimetric method is 2.15 times higher than HPLC method in overall, revealing 2.47 times in workers of blood lead less than $20{\mu}g/dl$, 2.53 times in workers of blood lead $21-40{\mu}g/dl$ and 1.86 times in workers of blood lead over $41{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. 2. While the correlation coefficients of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method with blood lead and blood ZPP was 0.571 and 0.629, those of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC with blood lead and blood ZPP were 0.6l0 and 0.637. All the correlation coefficients were statistically significant, but there was no statistical difference of correlation coefficients between two methods. 3. The correlation coefficient of urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-ALA between two method was 0.838 without any correction, but it was 0.852 with the correction of specific gravity 1.024. 4. Simple linear regression of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC method on ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method was (ALA-UPH)=-0.245+0.536 (ALA-UCO) without any correction and it was (SP ALA)=-0.525+0.598 (SP ALA-UCO) with the correction of specific gravity 1.024. With above results, it is recommended that the diagnostic criteria of ${\delta}$-ALA for lead poisoning needed to be revised if ${\delta}$-ALA is measured by HPLC rather than colorimetric method.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.169-177
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• 2016

This study was carried out to compare microbiological and hygienic quality characteristics of the products reached expiration date among meat products distributing in markets. A total of 20 meat products(6 hams, 3 bacons and 11 sausages) were examined for analyses of pH, Aw, TBARS, VBN, total aerobic microbial counts, and meat colors. The pH values of samples were between 5.33 and 6.59. The water activity (Aw) of samples ranged 0.90-0.93. TBARS and VBN values of samples were 0.11-0.59 and 2.37~14.75, respectively. The contaminated levels of total aerobic bacteria were less than 2.80 CFU/g. In meat color, L*, a*, and b* values of samples were in the range of 56-72, 5.2-34 and 0.7-16, respectively. It is suggested that the quality difference of meat products is attributed to the different additives and manufacturing processes. Therefore, we suggest that the results of this study are not only applied for evaluation of the microbiological and hygienic safety but also served as fundamental information for re-establishing the shelf-life of meat products.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.163-173
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to determine microbiological risk factors in hot pepper farms for the application of good agricultural practices (GAP). Samples were collected from cultivation environments and utensils, plants, workers, and air at 3 hot pepper farms located in Cheongsong, Korea and were tested to detect sanitary indications [aerobic plate bacteria (APC), coliform, and Escherichia coli], foodborne pathogens, and fungi. APC, coliform, and fungi were detected at the levels of 0.7~6.2, 0.2~4.7, and 0.4~4.3 log CFU, respectively, in the three farms. Four (4.4%; l leaf, l irrigation water, and 2 soil) of 90 samples collected were revealed to be E. coli positives. For foodborne pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus was only detected at $1.0log\;CFU/100cm^2$ in the worker's cloth of B farm, and Bacillus cereus was detected at the levels 1.0~2.5 log CFU in the cultivation environments and utensils and worker of B and C farms. However, other pathogens were not detected. The results demonstrated potential microbiological risks for hot pepper cultivated in the farms. Therefore, a management system to minimize the microbial risk such as GAP is required to ensure the safety of hot pepper.