• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.3.1-3.6
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• 2015

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the size-dependent toxicity of spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to an endemic benthic organism, Glyptotendipes tokunagai. Methods Ag nanoparticles of three nominal sizes (50, 100, and 150 nm) capped with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP-Ag NPs) were used. Their physicochemical properties, acute toxicity (48 hours), and bioaccumulation were measured using third instar larvae of G. tokunagai. Results The aggregation and dissolution of PVP-Ag NPs increased with exposure time and concentration, respectively, particularly for 50 nm PVP-Ag NPs. However, the dissolved concentration of Ag ions was not significant compared with the median lethal concentration value for $AgNO_3$ (3.51 mg/L). The acute toxicity of PVP-Ag NPs was highest for the smallest particles (50 nm), whereas bioaccumulation was greatest for the largest particles (150 nm). However, larger PVP-Ag NPs were absorbed and excreted rapidly, resulting in shorter stays in G. tokunagai than the smaller ones. Conclusions The size of PVP-Ag NPs significantly affects their acute toxicity to G. tokunagai. In particular, smaller PVP-Ag NPs have a higher solubility and stay longer in the body of G. tokunagai, resulting in higher toxicity than larger PVP-Ag NPs.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.163-174
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• 2011

Butyltin compounds in seawater, sediments and organisms inside Jeju Harbor of Jeju Island, Korea, were quantitatively determined to assess the extent of contamination and to evaluate the bioaccumulation in Thais clavigera (gastropod), Liolophura japonica and Cellana nigrolineata. In addition, imposex in T. clavigera was used to assess the sublethal effect of tributyltin compounds and its usage as a specific biomarker for these compounds was also studied. The main species in seawater was tributyltin (TBT) in March and June, monobutyltin (MBT) in August, but in sediments and organisms it was dibutyltin (DBT) and TBT, respectively, irrespective of survey time. TBT, the most toxic to aquatic organisms among BTs, was found at concentrations which were sufficient to have a serous effect on the sensitive organisms upon chronic exposure. The high correlations (r>0.7) between BTs indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints and their sources were negligible. The sedimentary organic matters have little influence on the distribution of BTs in marine environment and the lipid content in T. clavigera showed a significant correlation with TBT concentrations. Measurement of imposex T. clavigera was expected to be a very helpful tool for preliminary survey of BTs prior to trace analysis of those.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.675-684
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• 2011

In nature, the overall effect of heavy metals on the biota can be influenced by a number of environmental factors like soil characteristics and air pollution by elevated $CO_2$. Pillbugs (Isopoda, Armadillium vulgare) take up heavy metals with their food and store them mainly in the vesicles of hepatopancreas. They accumulate certain metals, occur in relatively large numbers, are easily collected and identified, and provide sufficient material for analysis. The species are decomposing litter well and soil impurities into N and P. Therefore, it has been suggested that total body concentration of metals in pillbugs could be positively correlated to the levels of environmental exposure and that pillbugs could be used as biological indicators of metal pollution and global change by $CO_2$. The aim of the study is to determine effects of heavy metal concentrations in soil and elevated $CO_2$ on pillbugs' body accumulation of heavy metal and growth rate. In this study, the concentrations of six metals (Fe, Mg Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) have been determined. Pillbugs (N=287) were collected at five sites during Jul-Aug, 2006. Cu and Zn concentrations in the body were much higher than in the soils(1.39-41.70 times). This indicated that bioaccumulation of some of the heavy metals were increasing in the food-chain. The high bioconcentration of lead in Sangam may be partly associated with reclaimed land uses.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.237-245
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• 2010

Bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides was studied in sediment dwelling bivalves, Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum), collected from the midwestern coast of Korea. As witnessed by the dominance of tetra- to penta-chlorinated congeners in sediments and the penta- to hexa-chlorinated congener dominance in clams, the profile of PCBs in the sediments and Manila clams differed. Lipid and organic carbon-normalized biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) were determined for organochlorine pesticides. BSAFs of $\beta$-hexachlorocyclohexane ($\beta$-HCH) and $\Sigma$DDTs were in the range of 0.06~1.36 and 0.31~1.06. No clear relationships were found between BSAFs of $\Sigma$DDTs in Manila clams and the concentrations of DDTs in the associated sediment. The accumulated PCBs and organochlorine pesticides were compared in Manila clams and oysters (Crassostrea gigas) collected from 3 sites. Highly chlorinated PCBs were more commonly found in oyster tissues than in clam tissues. The reasons for the different accumulation pattern of organic pollutants in the two organisms are discussed.

• Mycobiology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.507-520
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• 2021

Papiliotrema huenov was previously reported to be highly tolerant of a range of extremely toxic heavy metals. This study aimed to identify the potential of P. huenov to remove manganese and copper from aqueous solution. Physical conditions which affect removal of Mn(II) and Cu(II) were determined. Optimal temperature for adsorption of both metal ions was 30 ℃, and optimal pH for maximum uptake of Mn(II) and Cu(II) were 5 and 6, respectively. Under these conditions, living cells of P. huenov accumulated up to 75.58% of 110 mg/L Mn(II) and 70.5% of 128 mg/L Cu(II) over 120 h, whereas, the removal efficiency of metal ions by dead cells over 1 h was 60.3% and 56.5%, respectively. These results indicate that living cells are more effective than dead biomass for bioremediation, but that greater time is required. The experimental data extends the potential use of P. huenov in biosorption and bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals to copper and manganese, two of the most common industrial contaminants.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.288-295
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• 2010

Metal exposure experiments using polychaete (Perinereis nuntia) as a bio-indicator of trace metals contamination were conducted to evaluate the bioaccumulation and the biomarkers responses such as metallothionein-like protein (MTLPs) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) which was simultaneously exposed to Cadmium (Cd) and Copper (Cu). Cu and Cd concentrations in polychaete were enhanced with increasing exposure time and their concentrations of aqueous medium. Initial accumulation of Cd was higher than that of Cu. Our results showed that the bioaccumulation of Cu and Cd were prohibited, especially at higher Cu levels, suggesting the different cellular uptake mechanisms when Cu and Cd are co-exist. Net accumulation rate of Cu was declined with exposure time but it did not show any significant change for Cd. Although the highest MTLPs concentration was observed at 6 hr of exposure time, it did not show any significant change related to exposure times and metals concentrations. An increase of GST activity tended to increase as a function of exposure time and metals concentrations. And GST activities in P. nuntia have similar tendency with bioconcentration factors in high concentration of Cu (treatment group IV) at post 24 h of exposure. Our results provide new information of the bioaccumulation and biomarker responses to understand the effects of co-existing contaminants (Cu and Cd) using polychaete. Further studies are required to elucidate the bioaccumulation and biomarkers responses for various contaminants.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.297-301
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• 2001

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the extent of heavy metals(As, Pb, Cd, Hg)accumulated in sediments of the Kwangyang Bay, and to investigate bioaccumulation of heavy metals(As, Pb, Cd, Hg) in shellfish(Ruditapes philippinarum) commonly found in the intertidal zone of the Kwangyang Bay. The data was also compared with that of Namhae and Kohung intertidal zones, which were regarded as control stations in this study. Substantial geographical variations in heavy metal concentrations in the sediment samples were found. However, heavy metal concentrations in the sediment collected from the intertidal zones of Yochon(stations I, J) and Myodo(stations G, H) close to Yochon Industrial Area exhibited relatively higher heavy metal concentrations, compared to those from other intertidal zones(stations A, B, C) adjacent to POSCO at Kwangyang Bay. In addition, stations A, B, C showed lower heavy metal concentrations in the sediments than controls(K, L). The annual mean concentrations of the heavy metals in the shellfish from the stations(G, H, I, J) were significantly higher than those from other stations(A, B, C, D, E, F). Nevertheless, heavy metal accumulation in sediments was not reflected in bioaccumulation of heavy metals in shellfish, probably indicating that interactions between the heavy metals in sediment and shellfish might be poor in the current study area, Kwangyang Bay.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2007

The bioaccumulation of Pb and Cd dissolved in seawater was assessed measuring the concentrations recorded within blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and oliver flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) after two weeks exposure period. The Pb and Cd concentration within the whole body of two testing organisms increased according to the exposure concentrations, and the such tendency was clear specially from the mussel. Maximum metal concentration reached $5,260({\pm}70)\;{\mu}g/g$ for Pb reared under 5.0 mg/L Pb, $1,040({\pm}40)\;{\mu}g/g$ for Cd reared under 1.0 mg/L Cd in the mussel, and indicated that the bioaccumulation of Pb and Cd was directly related to the rearing medium concentrations. Bioconcentration factors (BCF) reached very high values for Pb (maximum value: $12,100{\pm}1,400$) in the mussel reared under lowest Pb concentration (0.01 mg/L). The BCF value for Cd in the mussel were also far higher at exposure to low Cd concentration than high Cd concentration. At higher external concentrations, the BCF for Cd and Pb declined. This demonstrated the ability of two testing organisms to rapidly uptake heavy metals particularly when exposed to low external concentration. The mean Pb concentration was slightly higher in the gill of mussel than in the digestive gland, while Cd showed a higher level in the digestive gland than in the gill.

• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.135-144
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• 2007

The removal efficiency of the heavy metals Zn, Pb and Cd by the zoosporic fungal species Saprolegnia delica and the terrestrial fungus Trichoderma viride, isolated from polluted water drainages in the Delta of Nile in Egypt, as affected by various ranges of pH values and different temperature degrees, was extensively investigated. The maximum removal efficiency of S. delica for Zn(II) and Cd(II) was obtained at pH 8 and for Pb(II) was at pH 6 whilst the removal efficiency of T. viride was found to be optimum at pH 6 for the three applied heavy metals. Regardless the median lethal doses of the three heavy metals, Zn recorded the highest bioaccumulation potency by S. delica at all pH values except at pH 4, followed by Pb whereas Cd showed the lowest removal potency by the fungal species and vice versa in case of T. viride. The optimum bio-mass dry weight production by S. delica was found when the fungus was grown in the medium treated with the heavy metal Pb at pH 6, followed by Zn at pH 8 and Cd at pH 8. The optimum biomass dry weight yield by T. viride amended with Zn, Pb and Cd was obtained at pH 6 for the three heavy metals with the maximum value at Zn. The highest yield of biomass dry weight was found when T. viride treated with Cd at all different pH values followed by Pb whilst Zn output was the lowest and this result was reversed in case of S. delica. The maximum removal efficiency and the biomass dry weight production for the three tested heavy metals was obtained at the incubation temperature $20^{\circ}C$ in case of S. delica while it was $25^{\circ}C$ for T. viride. Incubation of T. viride at higher temperatures ($30^{\circ}C\;and\;35^{\circ}C$) enhanced the removal efficiency of Pb and Cd than low temperatures ($15^{\circ}C\;and\;20^{\circ}C$) and vice versa in case of Zn removal. At all tested incubation temperatures, the maximum yield of biomass dry weight was attained at Zn treatment by the two tested fungal species. The bioaccumulation potency of S. delica for Zn was higher than that for Pb at all temperature degrees of incubation and Cd bioaccumulation was the lowest whereas T. viride showed the highest removal efficiency for Pb followed by Cd and Zn was the minor of the heavy metals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.335-345
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• 2004

Total and extractable contents of heavy metals were measured in sediment and seafood from Bukhang and Boggil-ri tidal flats along the Mokpo coastal area, south-western part of Korean peninsular in order to assess the degree of metal pollution, metal bioavailability and metal hioaccumulation. The metal concentrations, except Pb were found to be greater than the background concentrations of sediments indicating the progress of cumulative contamination by anthropogenic origin of metals. The order of extractable metal concentrations in sediments were Mn(32-53 mg/kg)＞Zn(14-42 mg/tg)＞Cu(2.5-17.0 mg/kg)＞Pb(2.4-6.8 mg/kg)＞Cd(0.5-0.7 mg/kg). However, the amount of metals associated with extractable fraction of sediments were significantly high in Bukhang relative to Boggil-ri. Significant bioaccumulation of all metals, except Pb were observed in seaweed and benthos. The order of bioaccumulation of metals were: in concentration; all biota commonly, Mn(129-374 mg/kg)＞Zn(19-106 mg/kg)＞Cu(6-87 mg/kg)＞Cd(4.6-7.6 mg/kg)＞Pb(0.2-3.7 mg/kg), in BCF; Enteromorpha, Cd＞Mn＞Cu＞Zn＞Pb, Ilyoplax deschampsi, Cu＞Cd＞Mn＞Zn＞Pb, Urechis unicinctus, Cd＞Zn＞Mn＞Cu＞Pb. Some metal concentrations of Enteromorpha, especially Cu, Zn, weakly Pb in bukhang, Mn, Cd in boggili-ri, were correlate well with concentrations in sediment, indicating relatively more contaminated by the anthropogenic origin of metals in each tidal flat. The results clearly indicate that the seafood of bukhang, even of Boggili-ri known as clean area, are contaminated with metals.