• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제20권8호
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• pp.1204-1209
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• 2010

We evaluated the antibacterial activities of selected edible Korean plant seeds against the food-borne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus KCTC1927, Escherichia coli KCTC2593, Salmonella typhimurium KCTC2054, and Bacillus cereus KCTC1014. While screening for antibacterial agents, we discovered that wheat germ extract contains 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMBQ) and is highly inhibitory to S. aureus and B. cereus. This is the first report of the antibacterial activity of wheat germ extract. We also investigated the antibacterial activities of the 1,4-benzoquinone standards 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ), hydroquinone (HQ), methoxybenzoquinone (MBQ), and 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMBQ). DMBQ and BQ were the most highly inhibitory to S. aureus and S. typhimurium, followed by MBQ and HQ. MICs for DMBQ and BQ ranged between 8 and 64 ${\mu}g/ml$ against the four foodborne pathogens tested. DMBQ and BQ showed significant antibacterial activity; the most sensitive organism was S. aureus with an MIC of 8 ${\mu}g/ml$. BQ exhibited good activity against S. typhimurium (32 ${\mu}g/ml$) and B. cereus (32 ${\mu}g/ml$). The results suggest that wheat germ extract has potential for the development of natural antimicrobials and food preservatives for controlling foodborne pathogens.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.174-183
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• 2017

The background level and timely variation characteristics of atmospheric $^{222}Rn$ concentrations have been evaluated by the real time monitoring at Gosan site of Jeju Island, Korea, during 2008~2015. The average concentration of atmospheric radon was $2,480mBq\;m^{-3}$ for the study period. The cyclic seasonality of radon was characterized such as winter maximum and summer minimum, consistent with the reduction in terrestrial fetch going to summer. On monthly variations of radon, the mean concentration in October was the highest as $3,041mBq\;m^{-3}$, almost twice as that in July ($1,481mBq\;m^{-3}$). The diurnal radon concentrations increased throughout the nighttime approaching to the maximum ($2,819mBq\;m^{-3}$) at around 7 a.m., and then gradually decreased throughout the daytime by the minimum ($2,069mBq\;m^{-3}$) at around 3 p.m. The diurnal radon cycle in winter showed comparatively small amplitude due to little variability in atmospheric mixing depth, conversely, large amplitude was observed in summer due to relatively a big change in atmospheric mixing depth. The cluster back-trajectories of air masses showed that the high radon events occurred by the predominant continental fetch over through Asia continent, and the radon concentrations from China continent were about 1.9 times higher on the whole than those from the North Pacific Ocean. The concentrations of $PM_{10}$ also increased in proportion to the high radon concentrations, showing a good linear correlation between $PM_{10}$ and radon concentrations.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.418-423
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• 2016

Background: This work was to get information about $^{90}Sr$ contamination of the environment by using soil and moss from selected areas in Jeju Island, Korea. Materials and Methods: The activities of $^{90}Sr$ in soil and moss samples were investigated at nine locations of Jeju island, Korea. The soil samples have been collected at 4 sites of Jeju island during June to August of 2013, analyzed for vertical distribution of $^{90}Sr$ activities. The moss samples have been collected at 5 sites of Jeju island during November of 2011 to June of 2012, and analyzed for radioactive $^{90}Sr$. Results and Discussion: The $^{90}Sr$ vertical concentrations in the investigated soil samples were 2.77 to $18.24Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ in eastern part, 1.69 to $18.27Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ in northern part, 3.76 to $13.46Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ in the western part and 1.09 to $8.70Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ in the southern part of the Mt. Halla in Jeju island, respectively. Activities of $^{90}Sr$ show the highest value at the surface soil and decrease with depth. The activity concentration measured was in the range of 79.6 to $363Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ -dry moss. Conclusion: This material is expected to be basis reference for survey of environmental radioactivity in Jeju Island.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.1149-1153
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• 2014

Real-time monitoring of hourly atmospheric radon (Rn-222) concentration was performed throughout 2011 at Gosan station, Jeju Island, one of the least polluted regions in Korea, in order to characterize the background levels, and temporal variations on diurnal to seasonal time-scales. The annual mean radon concentration for 2011 was $2527{\pm}1356$ mBq $m^{-3}$, and the seasonal cycle was characterized by a broad winter maximum, and narrow summer minimum. Mean monthly radon concentrations, in descending order of magnitude, were Oct > Sep > Feb > Nov > Jan > Dec > Mar > Aug > Apr > Jun > May > Jul. The maximum monthly mean value (3595 mBq $m^{-3}$, October), exceeded the minimum value (1243 mBq $m^{-3}$, July), by almost a factor of three. Diurnal composite hourly concentrations increased throughout the night to reach their maximum (2956 mBq $m^{-3}$) at around 7 a.m., after which they decreased to their minimum value (2259 mBq $m^{-3}$) at around 3 p.m. Back trajectory analyses indicated that the highest radon events typically exhibited long-term continental fetch over Asia before arriving at Jeju. In contrast, low radon events were generally correlated with air mass fetch over the North Pacific Ocean. Radon concentrations typical of predominantly continental, and predominantly oceanic fetch, differed by a factor of 3.8.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.63-70
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• 2000

The distribution of receptor subtypes for endothelin (ET) in the kidney of the freshwater turtle, Amyda japonica, was examined by quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography using iodinatd mammalian type ET-1 ($^125$/I-ET-1)as a radiolabeled ligand. Specific $^125$/I-ET-1 bindings were localized to renal tubules, renal arteries and ureter with binding densities of 111.21 $\pm$ 19.14, 182.13$\pm$10.57 and 219.46$\pm$12.83 amol/$mm^2$. respectively. Binding dissociation constants in renal tubules, renal arteries and ureter were 1.05 $\pm$ 0.63, 2.03 $\pm$0.56 and 1.70$\pm$0.47nM, respectively. Receptor subtypes for ET in the kidney were characterized by competition with BQ 123 and BQ 788 as specific antagonists for ET receptors, type A (ET$_A$ ), and type B (ET$_B$) subtypes, respectively. Specific $^125$/I-ET-1 bindings in renal arteries and ureter were potently inhibited by BQ 123 in a dose-dependent manner, whereas BQ 788 was not in competing for specific $^125$/I-ET-1 bindings in this structure. However, specific $^125$/I-ET-1 bindings in renal tubules were inhibited more potently by BQ 788. Therefore, these results indicate that specific ET receptors are localized in renal tubules, renal arteries and the ureter of the freshwater turtle. Results also suggest that the predominant ET receptor subtypes are like the ETA receptor in renal arteries and ureter, and like the ET/$_A$ receptor in the renal tubule.

• 한국수자원학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국수자원학회 2017년도 학술발표회
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• pp.551-551
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• 2017

우리나라와 동아시아는 경제 성장에 따른 전력수요가 크게 증가하였으며, 증가하는 대부분의 전력수요를 원자력으로 대체하고자 원전을 통한 전력생산 비중을 증가시키고 있다. 현재 중국은 13기의 원전을 가동 중이며, 동남 해안지대에 집중되어 있다. 또한, 건설 중인 원전은 27기로 전세계에서 건설 중인 원전의 41%를 차지한다. 원전의 증가에 따른 방사능 누출에 대한 위험성 역시 증가되고 있는 실정이다. 한국원자력안전기술원에서 중국 중서부지역에서 방사능이 누출될 경우 방사성 물질이 한반도로 이동하는 모의 상황에 대한 시뮬레이션을 통해, 원전 사고 발생 시 사흘 만에 제주도를 포함한 대한민국 전역이 방사성 물질로 뒤덮이는 것으로 분석하였다. 중국에서 누출된 방사성물질은 편서풍을 타고 한반도로 이동하게 되며, 일부는 낙진으로 유역 또는 하천에 유입되고 일부는 동해를 지나 일본으로 이동 할 것이다. 그동안 중국에서의 방사능 누출사고를 통한 방사성물질의 국내유입에 의한 영향에 대한 연구가 부족한 것이 현실이다. 이에 본 연구에서는 중국 텐완에서 원전사고 발생시 국내 하천에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 분석하고자 환경다매체 모형을 이용하여 방사성물질(세슘, Cs-137)의 영향에 대한 모의를 진행하였다. 중국 텐완원전에서 방사성 Cs-137이 누출되어 춘천지역에 도달하였을 때의 대기중 농도 $5,650Bq/m^3$로 가정하여 모의 시나리오를 구성하였다. 모의 지역은 북한강 수계를 대상으로 하였으며, 7개의 중권역과 549.3 km의 하천이 포함되었다. 다매체 모형 모의를 통해 방사성물질 낙진으로 인한 Cs-137이 북한강 수계에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 알아보고자 북한강수계의 팔당댐 부근의 오염농도를 모의하였다. 우리나라의 원자력시설 방호 방재법에 따른 상수원 취수기준(먹는물)은 100 Bq/L로 되어있다. 본 연구의 시나리오 모의결과, 모의 1일차에서 45 Bq/L, 모의 8일차에는 먹는물 기준 100 Bq/L를 초과하여 최대 119.56 Bq/L로 오염되는 것으로 모의되었다. 따라서, 반감기가 큰 방사성물질을 유입으로 오염된 하천은 개선하기 위해서는 오랜 시간과 높은 처리비용이 발생되기 때문에 인접국 또는 국내의 방사능 누출로 인한 상수원 오염 발생에 대비한 초기/중 장기적인 대응책 마련이 필요한 시점이다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.194-203
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• 2021

Background: Surface soil radiation monitoring around nuclear facilities is important to classify and characterize the contaminated areas. A scanning and direct measurement technique can survey the sites rapidly before starting sampling analysis. Materials and Methods: Regarding this, we test and suggest a measurement technique for gross alpha/beta and ⁹⁰Sr activities in surface soil based on a mobile ZnS(Ag)/PVT (polyvinyltoluene) array and a handheld PVT rod, respectively. To detect ⁹⁰Sr selectively in soil mixed with naturally occurring radioactive materials, chosen energy channel counts from the multichannel analyzers were used instead of whole channel counts. Soil samples contaminated with exempt liquid ⁹⁰Sr with 1 Bq·g^-1, 3 Bq·g^-1, and 10 Bq·g^-1 were prepared and hardened by flocculation. Results and Discussion: The mobile ZnS(Ag)/PVT array could discriminate gross alpha, gross beta, and gamma radiation by the different pulse-shaped signal features of each sensor material. If the array is deployed on a vehicle, the scan minimum detectable concentration (MDC) range will be about 0.11-0.17 Bq·g^-1 at 18 km·h^-1 speed, highly sensitive to actual sites. The handheld PVT rod with 12 mm (Φ) × 20 mm (H) size can directly measure ⁹⁰Sr selectively if channels on which energies are from 1,470 and 2,279 keV are gated, minimizing crossdetection of other radionuclides. These methods were verified by measuring soil samples fabricated with homogeneous ⁹⁰Sr concentrations, showing static MDC of 2.16 Bq·g^-1 at a measurement time of 300 seconds. Conclusion: Based on the results, comprehensive procedures using these detectors are suggested to optimize soil sites survey.

• 분석과학
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.32-40
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• 2022

The concentrations of radon in the atmosphere were measured at the Gosan site of Jeju Island during 2017-2018, in order to investigate the time-series variation characteristics and the dependency of airflow transport pathways. The mean ²²²Rn concentration was 2,480 mBq m^-3, and its monthly concentration in November was 3,262 mBq m^-3, more than twice as that in July (1,459 mBq m^-3). The diurnal radon concentrations increased throughout the nighttime to the maximum (2,862 mBq m^-3) at around 7 a.m., then gradually decreased throughout the daytime by the minimum (1,997 mBq m^-3) at around 3 p.m. The seasonal and monthly variations of CO, NO₂, O₃ showed a roughly similar pattern to that of radon for the same period, as high in winter and low in summer. The cluster back trajectory analysis described that about 60 % of overall airflow pathways was influenced by the airflow from China. The concentrations of radon and gaseous pollutants were relatively high as the airflow was influenced by China continent, but comparatively much lower as influenced by the northern Pacific Ocean.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.141-149
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• 2023

The Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences plans to produce ²²⁵Ac, a therapeutic radio-pharmaceutical for precision oncology, such as prostate cancer. Radon, a radioactive gas, is generated by radium, the target material for producing ²²⁵Ac. The radon concentration is expected to be about 2000 Bq·m^-3. High-concentration radon-generating facilities must meet radioactive isotope emission standards by lowering the radon concentration. However, most existing studies concerning radon removal using activated carbon filters measured radon levels at concentrations lower than 1000 Bq·m^-3. This study measured ²²²Rn removal of coconut-based activated carbon filter under a high radon concentration of about 2000 Bq·m^-3. The ²²²Rn removal efficiency of activated carbon impregnated with triethylenediamine was also measured. As a result, the ²²²Rn removal amount of the activated carbon filter showed sufficient removal efficiency in a ²²²Rn concentration environment of about 2000 Bq·m^-3. In addition, despite an expectation of low radon reduction efficiency of Triethylenediamine-impregnated activated carbon, it was difficult to confirm a significant difference in the results. Therefore, it is considered that activated carbon can be used as a radioisotope exhaust filter regardless of whether or not Triethylenediamine is impregnated. The results of this study are expected to be used as primary data when building an air purification system for radiation safety management in facilities with radon concentrations of about 2000 Bq·m^-3.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권7호
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• pp.2388-2394
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• 2023

The radioactivity concentration of environmental radionuclides was analyzed for soil and sand at eight locations within a radius of 255 m centered on the Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Science (DIRAMS), Korea. The average activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs, ²²⁶Ra, and ²³²Th were 661.1 Bq/kg-dry, 0.9 Bq/kg-dry, 21.9 Bq/kg-dry, and 11.1 Bq/kg-dry, respectively. The activity of ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs was lower than the 3-year (2017-2019) average reported by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, respectively. Due to the nature of granite-rich soil, the radioactivity of ⁴⁰K was 0.6-fold higher than in other countries, while ¹³⁷Cs was in the normal fluctuation range (15-30 Bq/kg-dry) of the concentration of radioactive fallout from nuclear tests. The activity of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th was lower than in Korean soils reported by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The average activity concentrations of ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K for the soil and sand samples from DIRAMS were within the range specified by UNSCEAR in 2000. The radium equivalent activity and internal and external hazard index values were below the recommended limits (1 mSv/y). These radionuclide concentration (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs) data can be used for regional environmental monitoring and ecological impact assessments of nuclear power plant accidents.