• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.252-261
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• 2017

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) increase radiation exposure to the public as these materials are concentrated through artificial manufacturing processes by human activities. This study focuses on the development of a method for the quantitative analysis of $^{232}Th$, $^{235}U$, and $^{238}U$ in building materials. The accuracy and precision of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for determination of digestion processes was evaluated for certified reference materials (CRMs) digested using various mixed acid (e.g., aqua regia, hydrofluoric acid, and perchloric acid) digestions and a $LiBO_2$ fusion method. The method validation results reveal that a $LiBO_2$ fusion and $Fe(OH)_3$ co-precipitation should be applied as the optimal sample digestion process for the quantitative analysis of radionuclides in building materials. The radioactivity of $^{232}Th$, $^{235}U$, and $^{238}U$ in a total of 51 building material (e.g., board, brick, cement, paint, tile, and wall paper) samples was quantitatively analyzed using an established process. Finally, the values of $^{238}U$ and $^{232}Th$ radioactivity were comprehensively compared with those from the indirect method using ${\gamma}$-spectrometry.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2015

AbstractLiving modified organisms (LMO) are one of the most widespread products of modern biotechnology after DNA discovery. Due to the decline of grain self-sufficiency rate and the increase of reliance on LMO imports in Korea, a series of concerns with regard to safety of living modified(LM) crops has been raised. The aim of this study is to establish the detection methods for unintentional release or growing of LMO plants in environmental conditions. To detect LM crop events, general concepts of specific primer design and PCR conditions were provided by the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The certified reference materials of seven LM events (4 soybean, 2 cotton and 1 corn) were obtained from the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) and the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS). Genomic DNA from seven LM events were purified and PCR amplifications were carried out by using individual event-specific primer sets. LM-specific PCR products of all seven events were efficiently amplified by our methods. The results indicate that the established detection method for LMOs is suitable as a scientific tool to monitor whether the crops found in natural environments are LMOs.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.364-374
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• 2008

Antarctic Environmental Monitoring Handbook' was published by COMNAP/SCAR in 2000. The standardized method described in this handbook is recommended for monitoring of antarctic environment. High pressure bomb technique in this guide was used to decompose soil samples. In compliance with this guide book, high pressure bomb technique was applied to decompose the antarctic soil sampled at the King Sejong Station. An Isotope Dilution-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) was applied to determine mass concentrations of Pb, Cu and Zn in the soil. The accuracy in this method was verified by the analysis of certified reference materials (CRM) of NIST 2702 (marine sediment). The analytical results agreed with certified value within the range from 99.5~100.8%. Matrix separation was necessitated for the determination of Cu and Zn by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin. As a result, the average mass concentrations of Pb, Cu and Zn which are suspected to be caused by anthropogenic pollution were 332.9 mg/kg, 95.6 mg/kg and 115.3 mg/kg, respectively. Those for the metals sampled in the soils of the remote regions from the station were 28.1 mg/kg, 101.8 mg/kg and 115.6 mg/kg, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.387-397
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• 2014

This work aims at estimating global warming potentials (GWP) of $CF_3Br$ and HFC-134a among green house gases. It has been reported that they have much higher GWP than $CO_2$ in the atmosphere. $CF_3Br$, halon 1301 which is well known to be a fire extinguisher, as one of the bromine-containing halons has been banned since 2003 due to destruction of ozone. HFCs, a kind of chiller which replaced chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are one of greenhouse gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol. In this study, we produced GWPs of $CF_3Br$ and HFC-134a by calculating a life time and measuring an absorption cross section to obtain a radiative forcing (RF). Their absorption cross sections were measured by using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTS) with a gas cell filled with their certified reference materials at room temperature. As a result, the RFs of $CF_3Br$ and HFC-134a were 0.32 and $0.168Wm^{-2}ppb^{-1}$, respectively and the GWPs were calculated as 7989, 6076, 3903 for $CF_3Br$ and 3855, 1300, 656 for HFC-134a for the time horizon of 20, 100, 500 years, respectively. Overall, uncertainty of the estimated GWPs can be estimated to be about 2.6%. Our results were compared with those proposed by the previous studies (IPCC, 2007; WMO, 1999).

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2020

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess serum, hair, and urinary magnesium (Mg) levels in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and both ASD and ADHD to reveal potential interactive effects. Methods: A total of 148 boys aged 4-9 years old were enrolled in this study, including 44 children with ADHD, 40 pediatric patients with ASD, 32 patients with both ADHD and ASD, as well as 32 healthy neurotypical children. Hair, serum, and urinary Mg levels were assessed using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Laboratory quality control was performed using certified reference materials of human hair, plasma, and urine. Results: No significant group difference in serum Mg levels was observed. Mg content in hair was found to be reduced in children with ADHD and ADHD+ASD compared to that in healthy controls by 11% and 15%, respectively. Urinary Mg levels in children with ADHD+ASD exceeded the control, ADHD, and ASD values by 51, 76, and 65%, respectively. Factorial analysis revealed significant contribution of ADHD to hair and urinary Mg levels. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that hair and urinary Mg levels were considered as significant predictors of neurodevelopmental disorder complexity. Conclusion: We propose that impaired Mg status may provide a link between ADHD and ASD.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.446-452
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• 2015

In order to evaluate and improve the ability of Korean testing laboratories to measure Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), a proficiency test was organised by Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) based on ISO/IEC 17043. The proficiency test material used was 10 g of a granular ABS fortified with a mixture of congeners of PBDE (BDE-154, 183, 206, 209). Homogeneity and stability were investigated to assess the adequacy of the test material. The certified value established by KRISS based on the national reference was used for assigned value of each PBDE. The test materials were distributed to the 16 participating laboratories. The participating laboratories were requested to analyse the samples employing the methods used in their routine analysis. Each laboratory was given it’s own code to secure the anonymity. Participants results were evaluated with z-scores according to ISO/IEC 17043. The standard deviation for proficiency assessment was set by standard deviation of the participants results except for outlier. The results, the laboratory's performance and improvement of accuracy were discussed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2005

Se is well known as an anti-oxidant trace element and many customers are interested in an analysis and contents of Se in the various foodstuff samples. This study was aimed at establishig and comparing an analytical method for the determination of the Se in biological samples by neutron activation analysis using two nuclides, $^{75}Se$ and $^{77m}Se$. Keeping this objective, three NIST biological standard reference materials were chosen and the concentrations of the Se were determined under the prefixed analytical conditions such as the irradiation, decay and measurement time. The measured values by both analytical methods were evaluated with certified values. In addition, the detection limits and measurement uncertainty for the analytical results using $^{75}Se$ and $^{77m}Se$ were compared with each other.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.297-303
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• 2000

Isotope-dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine trace amounts of Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn in sediment. Sediment samples were dissolved by microwave digestion with addition of mixed acid ($HNO_3$, HF and $HClO_4$). Lead was determined after separation of alkaline and alkaline earth metals by an ammonium pyrrolidenedithiocarbarmate (APDC) solvent extraction. The other elements were determined after separation of iron, tin and titanium by hydroxide precipitation. Recovery efficiency of the analyte elements was not satisfactory, but most of matrix elements causing the isobaric interference could be effectively eliminated by the separation. Good agreement was achieved with the certified values in the analysis of the two sediment reference materials.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2013

To prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) due to the consumption of shellfish contaminated with PSP toxins, the quantitative analysis of these toxins is very crucial. The AOAC International mouse bioassay (MBA) has been used widely for the routine monitoring of PSP toxins for more than 50 years. However, this method has low sensitivity and high limit of quantification (LOQ) and interferences from other components in the extract, and it cannot determine toxic profiles. Ethical problems also exist with the continued use of this live mouse assay. To establish an alternative method to the MBA used for PSP toxins analysis, we attempted to optimize the analysis conditions of a precolumn high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) oxidation method and succeeded in validating its accuracy and precision in quantifying PSP toxins. A clear peak and the isolation of PSP toxins were obtained by injecting the working standards of Certified Reference Materials using HPLC. The LOQ of the precolumn HPLC oxidation method for PSP toxins was about $0.1002{\mu}g/g$, which represented an approximately fourfold improvement in detection capability versus the AOAC MBA. The intra-accuracy and precision for PSP toxins in oysters were 77.0-103.3% and 2.0-5.7%, respectively, while the respective inter-accuracy and precision were 77.3-100.7% and 2.4-6.0%. The mean recoveries of PSP toxins from oysters were 75.2-112.1%. The results of a comparison study showed good correlation between the results of the precolumn HPLC oxidation method and those of MBA, with a correlation factor of 0.9291 for mussels. The precolumn HPLC oxidation method may be used as an alternative to, or supplementary method with, MBA to monitor the occurrence of PSP toxins and to analyze the profiles of these toxins in shellfish.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.444-450
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• 2011

A novel method that utilizes poly(5-methyl-2-thiozyl methacrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid-co-divinylbenzene) [MTMAAm/AMPS/DVB] as a solid-phase extractant was developed for simultaneous preconcentration of trace Cd(II), Co(II), Cr(III), Cu(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) prior to the measurement by flame atomic absorpiton spectrometry (FAAS). Experimental conditions for effective adsorption of the metal ions were optimized using column procedures. The optimum pH value for the simultaneously separation of the metal ions on the new adsorbent was 2.5. Effects of concentration and volume of elution solution, sample flow rate, sample volume and interfering ions on the recovery of the analytes were investigated. A high preconcentration factor, 100, and low relative standard deviation values, $\leq$1.5% (n = 10), were obtained. The detection limits (${\mu}gL^{-1}$) based on the 3s criterion were 0.18 for Cd(II), 0.11 for Co(II), 0.07 for Cr(III), 0.12 for Cu(II), 0.18 for Fe(III), 0.67 for Mn(II), 0.13 for Ni(II), 0.06 for Pb(II), and 0.09 for Zn(II). The validation of the procedure was performed by the analysis of two certified reference materials. The presented method was applied to the determination of the analytes in various environmental samples with satisfactory results.