• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2011

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of "brominated" (bromine containing) man-made chemicals used as flame retardant additives in plastics, foams, and textiles. PBDEs are found in various environmental contaminants in air, soil, sediment, and water, and 209 individual forms (congeners) of PBDE exist. Among these, 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) is the dominant congener found in the environment. Exposure to BDE-47 is now worldwide, and levels of BDE-47 have been detected in the blood of animals, including humans. BDE-47 can adversely affect the developmental system in both humans and animals. BDEs have structural similarities to polychlorinated biphenyls and thyroid hormones. However, recent studies have shown that BDEs may act as hormonal disrupting chemicals with detrimental effects. Therefore, a reliable assessment of BDE-47 toxicological action is required to understand the detrimental impacts of BDE-47 on human health. In this review, we overview recent studies on the distribution and potential toxicological effects of BDE-47 in humans and animals.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.156-174
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• 2012

Monchenkocyclops gen. nov. was erected to accommodate M. changi sp. nov. from South Korea (type species), M. mirabdullayevi sp. nov. from Kazakhstan, M. biarticulatus (Monchenko, 1972) comb. nov. from Uzbekistan, and M. biwensis (Ishida, 2005) comb. nov. from Japan. The latter species was originally described from surface-water habitats of the ancient Lake Biwa in the genus Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927, while two Central Asian species were previously collected from groundwater habitats and assigned to the genus Acanthocyclops Kiefer, 1927. Monchenkocyclops changi is also found in subterranean waters, and described here in detail. It is morphologically most similar to its Uzbek congener (not to the Japanese one), which rises some interesting zoogeographical questions about the disjunct distribution of this genus. Range fragmentation is a more plausible explanation for this distribution pattern than range expansion, and we emphasize four lines of evidence that support this hypothesis. Four species of Monchenkocyclops share not only the same segmentation of the swimming legs, but also the exact same armature formula of all swimming legs, in addition to many other morphological characters, such as the caudal rami shape and armature, absence of exopod on the antenna, similar shape of the seminal receptacle, fifth leg, etc. They can be distinguished mostly by the relative length of different armature elements, such as the innermost terminal caudal setae, and inner setae and apical spines on the third endopodal segment of the fourth leg. A dichotomous key to species is provided.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.510-516
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• 2009

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in soil samples of Ansung in Kyonggi-province to investigate concentration distribution of PBDEs and PCBs. The 10 soil samples were collected using a stainless steel hand-held corer that was cleaned before and after each sample using hexane. Total concentration of PBDE and PCBs were 2,205.3 and 348.1 pg/g dry weight (DW) in soil sample, respectively. BDE-209 showed as the most abundant congener in soil samples which was related to imported amount and usage amount of deca-BDE technical mixture in Korea. Also, BDE-99, BDE-47, BDE-100 deposition in soil sample was higher than other congeners and was related to the imported and usage amount reported for penta-BDE technical mixture in Korea. Correlation coefficient between PBDE contribution and technical mixture formulation (Bromokal 70-5DE) were significant (r=0.91, p<0.01) which suggests the influence of sources in this technical mixtures.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2003

To enhance the reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) under anaerobic conditions, we examined the adjunctive effects of cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni), which are the central metals of transition-metal cofactors of coenzyme F$\_$430/ and vitamin B$\_$12/, respectively, on the dechlorination of Aroclor 1248. After 32 weeks of incubation, the average numbers of chlorines per biphenyl in culture vials supplemented with 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mM of Co reduced from 3.88 to 3.39, 2.92, and 3.28, respectively. However, the numbers of chlorine after supplementing with Ni decreased from 3.88 to 3.43, regardless of the Ni concentrations. The observed congener distribution patterns of all vials with different conditions were similar to the pattern produced by the dechlorination process of H' after 21 weeks of incubation, and these patterns were unchanged up to week 32, except for vials supplemented with 0.5 and 1.0 mM of Co. In vials containing 0.5 mM of Co, meta-rich congeners, such as 25/ 25-,24/25-, and 25/23-chlorobiphenyls (CBPs), which were found as accumulated products of dechlorination in other conditions, were further dechlorinated, and 25/2-, 24/2-, and 2/2-CBPs were concomitantly increased after 32 weeks of incubation. In this case, the congener distribution was similar to the dechlorination pattern of process M. From these results, we suggested that the enrichment of cultures with Co might stimulate the growth of specific populations of meta-dechlorinators, and that populations might promote a change in the dechlorination process from H' to M, which is known to be less effective on the dechlorination of the more highly chlorinated congeners of PCBs.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2006

The levels of total PCBs, Co-PCBs and PCDD/Fs in the transformer insulation oil samples obtained using GC/ECD and HRGC/HRMS were ranged from N.D. to 77.3 ppm, from 0.0863 to 2.49 ppm and from N.D. to 0.00241 ppm, respectively. In terms of WHO-TEQ values, Co-PCBs and PCDD/Fs were ranged from 23.3 to 600 pgTEQ/g and from N.D. to 128 pgTEQ/g, respectively (${\Sigma}Co$-PCBs+PCDD/Fs concentration was calculated 24.4~728 pgTEQ/g). Although, the contribution of PCDD/Fs was below 12% in total TEQ concentration, it is suggested contamination of PCDD/Fs in transformer insulation oils. Among 10 samples, 4 samples showed higher concentration than 2 ppm (specific waste criterion of Korea) and Aroclor 1242, 1248, 1254 and 1260 was detected in samples as a single or mixture of Aroclor. It was shown reliable relationship between concentration of Co-PCBs and those of PCDD/Fs (p<0.003), however, was not shown between production year of transformer and concentration of PCBs. The distribution pattern of Co-PCB congeners showed that the ratios of mono-ortho substituted congeners were higher than non-ortho substituted congeners. Among that, PCB-118 congener was predominant. In addition, the OCDD congener was predominated in PCDD/Fs congeners as above 53%. Moreover, the congener pattern of Co-PCBs was similar to that of Aroclor as well as ambient air, which suggested that PCBs volatilization from transformer insulation oil affected the pattern of Co-PCBs in ambient air.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.58-64
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• 2001

Eight chlorobenzenes (out of a total of 12 in the congener series) were measured in the sediments from 21 stations in the southeastern coastal areas of Korea. The levels of total chlorobenzene isomers varied between 2.08 and 12.45 ng/g dry weight. The highest contents of total chlorobenzenes (CBs) were found in the sediments from Pohang coast. Trichloro­benzenes (the sum of 1,3,5-, 1,2,4- and 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene) were dominant classes among four congeners, whereas tetrachlorobenzenes (the sum of 1,2,3,5-, 1,2,4,5- and 1,2,3,4-tetra­chlorobenzene) and pentachlorobenzene were low levels. The contributions of total CBs showed similar patterns for all stations with positive significant correlation within CBs species. It means that CBs contamination in the southeastern coasts of Korea came from the similar source.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2001

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured in sediment samples from 19 stations in the coastal areas of Korea from February to July 2000. PCDDs and PCDFs were detected in all sediment samples. The concentrations of these con­taminants ranged from 18.2 to 804.0 pg/g dry weight and I-TEQ concentrations varied from 0.1 to 5.5 pg/g dry weight. Examination of homologue groups showed that octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) was predominant congener in Korean coast. This pattern was similar to homologue profiles of marine sediments in which the main source of PCDDs/DFs was derived from the atmospheric deposition of particulate matters generated from various industrial activities. Grain size and total organic carbon (TOC) distribution are one of the important factors governing PCDDs/DFs concentration in this study.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.579-585
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• 2013

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances which persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. POPs are thermally stable, highly lipophilic and water-insoluble compounds which can induce various toxic influences including immunotoxicty, carcinogenicity adverse effects on reproduction, development and endocrine fuctions. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs, are organobromine compounds that are used as flame retardant. Because of their toxicity and persistence, the industrial production of some PBDEs is restricted under the Stockholm Convention, a treaty to control and phase out major POPs. In this study, PBDEs was measured in various site of Sihwa industrial complex to investigate concentration distribution of POPs. The levels of PBDEs in house dust samples were 0.722~44.024 ng/g-dry. In PBDEs congener, BDE-209 was relatively higher in the all sites. The concentration of BDE-209 measured over 80.0% of total PBDEs. In various site, high molecular PBDEs homologues are measured higher than low molecular.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.679-686
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• 1997

In order to investigate the distribution characteristics of polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) at the southern of Korean East Sea, vertical measurements of temperature, salinity, DO and PCBs were performed by each depth of 5 stations during August - October 1996. Thermocline and salinocline were generally existed at depth of 30 m and water mass current of midwater in the southern of Korean East Sea was distributed below 30 m depth. The distribution of surface water mass in this area was extended to Tsusima area from the southern offshore of the Korean last Sea. In August 1996, concentration range of PCBs had $0.22\~0.36\;ng/\ell$ at surface layer and their concentrations at near Tsusima offshore were relatively decreased. Total mean concentration of PCBs was $0.29\;ng/\ell$ in the sea surface and $0.31\;ng/\ell$ in the middle layer. PCBs seemed to correlate well with suspended particles. And vortical and horizontal distribution of their concentrations showed comparatively uniform pattern. Relatively high compositional ratio of Di- and Tri-PCBs could be found at the sea surface, while compositional ratio of Penta-PCBs dominates over other congener at deep layer.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2001

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins(PCDDs), dibenzofurans(PCDFs), and biphenyls(PCBs) were analyzed by HRGC/HRMS in human blood samples from the Siwha industrial area in Korea. The PCDD/F and PCB concentrations in workers were higher than those in residents. The average TEQ concentrations of PCDD/Fs in workers and residents were 40.3 pg I-TEQs/g lipid and 16.6 pg I-TEQs/g lipid, respectively, and the total PCB concentrations were 174.1 ng/g lipid and 151.0 ng/g lipid, respectively. When applied to principal component analysis, the PCDD/F congener distributions of workers were differentiated from those of residents. But, all of them were similar to the distribution in several Korean foods. Estimated daily intake(EDI) of each person was calculated, and then only 40% to the total people were within the tolerable daily intake range(1-4pg I-TEQ/kg bw/day) suggested by WHO(1997).