• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2016

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate Korean people's awareness about impact of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan and radioactive contamination caused by it. Materials and Methods: The respondents of the survey were 600 adults who resided in the Seoul metropolitan area. Results and discussion: The survey results show that the majority of respondents were concerned about impact of radiation leakage that might have an effect on our environment. They were worried about radioactive contamination of foodstuffs, particularly fishery products and preferred to acquire information through TV(49.8%) or the Internet(31.3%). Meanwhile, respondents mentioned that the information on the Fukushima nuclear accident and radioactive contamination had not been sufficient and they didn't know well about the follow-up measures of the government on the accident. Most respondents answered that information on radioactive contamination levels and safety of foods and environment was most needed. Conclusion: The results of this study could be useful to enhance awareness on radioactivity and improve risk communication on nuclear power plant accidents.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate the change of microbial contamination levels in the different areas and at the different time points after application of a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) that has mechanical antimicrobial effect. The microbial contamination levels were measured in three different areas; unit chair handle, spit sink area and hand piece holder at different time points using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) monitoring system and ATP surface test kit. Hand piece holder showed the highest level of microbial contamination. In most of the clinics, QAC significantly reduced the levels of microbial contamination, and maintained antimicrobial activity for 4 to 6 months. QAC may be used effectively in dental clinics due to the duration of antimicrobial effect and the minimal exposure of chemicals and further studies are needed with large sample size.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.141-153
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• 2018

Purpose : The subject site selected in this study was a place that was prepared through the reclamation of foreshore completed in 1973. Since then, the site has been occupied by the industry of ship repair for over 30 years. Method : The results of a precise soil examination conducted in 2013 showed that the site was seriously contaminated with TPH over an area of $10,000m^2$ and GL(-)3.0m in depth, with an expanding coverage of contamination. Results : The soil contamination by refined petroleum products often results in adverse effects to human health and ecological systems, thus the contamination should be purified as soon as possible. Conclusion : Hydrogeological investigation can be employed to assess the groundwater movement and propagation of contamination to determine the potential agents or contaminants in the soil contaminated with high concentration TPH.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2015

Interest and great demand for blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) have increased, as V. corymbosum is now one of the most economically important crops in Korea. It is expected that blueberry production and the area planted for cultivation will increase consistently in the years ahead because of high profitability and the consumer's demand for healthy ingredients. Effective mass production of blueberry is urgently needed for commercial cultivation establishment, but a main limitation is lack of a propagation system that produces a disease-free plant material for commercial plantation. A large amount of research has focused entirely on developing tissue culture techniques for blueberry propagation. However, controlling fungal and bacterial contamination of woody plant material is extremely difficult. Our study was conducted to investigate the effect of biocide addition during the in vitro culture of blueberry on plantlet growth and contamination occurrence. Four biocides, including Plant Preservative Mixture ($PPM^{TM}$), vancomycin, nystatin and penicillin G, were used in varying concentrations during the in vitro propagation of blueberry. When nystatin was added into the medium at low concentrations, the overall growth of blueberry plantlets was retarded. Addition of vancomycin and penicillin G in high concentrations decreased contamination but induced plantlet mortality. On the other hand, when 1ml/L $PPM^{TM}$ was added, the growth characteristics of blueberry plantlets did not significantly differ from non-treatment (control), and the contamination occurrence rate was very low. From these results, we found that the addition of the appropriate biocide could provide an effective method to reduce contamination in the culture process, thereby raising in vitro production efficiency.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.582-593
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• 2015

For military training and course-of-action analysis, OneSAF Int'l version being used in ROK Army has a limited capability to simulate NBC(nuclear, biological, and chemical) damages. For high-fidelity NBC combat simulation, it is required to visualize NBC contamination dispersion in consideration of weather conditions and terrain characteristics. However, OneSAF itself handling interaction among thousands of combat entities cannot carry out a simulation of NBC contamination dispersion because it brings about an excess burden. To resolve this problem, this research aims to design simulation federation for analysis on NBC operational effects. After examining design consideration to connect OneSAF and a NBC contamination dispersion model, we design a federation architecture that facilitates the interaction between OneSAF and a NBC contamination dispersion model. Afterwards, we implement a federation interface to share simulation data by publish-subscribe pattern and to translate them into the proprietary format for each model. We prove the possibility of federation between both models, as showing that dispersion of NBC contaminated cloud and changes in concentration are reflected in OneSAF-based engagement simulation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.353-358
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• 2007

Contamination of ochratoxin A (OTA) was studied in 194 compound feeds and 59 feed ingredients samples distributed in South KOREA in 2006 and 2007. The degree of OTA contamination in feed ingredients was 27%, and its detected levels were ranged from 0.27 to 3.39 ppb. Seventy six percent of compound feeds were contaminated with OTA at concentration between 0.21 and 13.64 ppb. The highest degree of OTA contamination was observed in compound feeds for dairy cattle (96%) followed by for poultry (85%) and swine (79%). Beef cattle exhibited the highest level of OTA contamination (2.2 ppb). Compound feeds for dairy cattle and feed ingredients for vegetable proteins showed relative lower level of contamination at 1.6 and 1.2 ppb, respectively.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.463-468
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• 2016

Contamination by foodborne pathogens and mycotoxins was examined in 475 eggs and 20 feed samples collected from three egg layer farms, three egg-processing units, and five retail markets in Korea. Microbial contamination with Salmonella species, Escherichia coli, and Arcobacter species was examined by bacterial culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The contamination levels of aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and zearalenone in eggs and chicken feeds were simultaneously analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection after the post-derivatization. While E. coli was isolated from 9.1% of eggs, Salmonella species were not isolated. Arcobacter species were detected in 0.8% of eggs collected from egg layers by PCR only. While aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and zearalenone were found in 100%, 100%, and 85% of chicken feeds, their contamination levels were below the maximum acceptable levels (1.86, 2.24, and 147.53 μg/kg, respectively). However, no eggs were contaminated with aflatoxins, ochratoxins, or zearalenone. Therefore, the risk of contamination by mycotoxins and microbes in eggs and chicken feeds is considered negligible and unlikely to pose a threat to human health.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1487-1492
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• 2014

This research applied and evaluated a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) using cytochrome b gene to detect pork contamination in meatballs from local markets in Surabaya and Yogyakarta regions, Indonesia. To confirm the effectiveness and specificity of this fragment, thirty nine DNA samples from different meatball shops were isolated and amplified, and then the PCR amplicon was digested by BseDI restriction enzyme to detect the presence of pork in meatballs. BseDI restriction enzyme was able to cleave porcine cytochrome b gene into two fragments (131 bp and 228 bp). Testing the meatballs from the local market showed that nine of twenty meatball shops in Yogyakarta region were detected to have pork contamination, but there was no pork contamination in meatball shops in Surabaya region. In conclusion, specific PCR amplification of cytochrome b gen and cleaved by BseDI restriction enzymes seems to be a powerful technique for the identification of pork presence in meatball because of its simplicity, specificity and sensitivity. Furthermore, pork contamination intended for commercial products of sausage, nugget, steak and meat burger can be checked. The procedure is also much cheaper than other methods based on PCR, immunodiffusion and other techniques that need expensive equipment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.106-112
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• 2011

This study developed preliminary assessment methodology for priority listing of soil and groundwater contamination sources, considering source characteristics, local environments and risk receptors. Source characteristics were evaluated by scoring relative risk of contamination sources. Local environments were evaluated by scoring annual rainfall, hydraulic conductivity of aquifer, and annual groundwater use. Risk receptors were evaluated by scoring local population, direct distance to surface water, direct distance to drinking-water wells. Scores of each parameter were allocated by analysing distribution of parameter values obtained from government databases. Distributed scores of source characteristics local environments: risk receptors were 12 : 12 : 12. The preliminary assessment scored 0 to 36 for each soil and groundwater sources. Inventory of soil and groundwater sources consisted of 7 categories. This study applied the preliminary assessment methodology to Manan-Gu, Anyang City, Korea. The number of car repair and washing facility was the largest in the contamination source inventory. Petroleum storage facilities showed the highest assessment score. The preliminary assessment methodology also indicated that Anyang-Dong was the priority section among Anyang-Dong, Suksu-Dong, Bakdal-Dong. This study is the first trial for relative ranking soil and groundwater contamination sources by considering source and local characteristics. Therefore, further researches and revision of the preliminary assessment methodology need to be pursued for various applications.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 1998

The environmental problem of the rural area has been accelerated in soil as well as water. Soil contamination is usually caused by improper operation of landfills, abandoned mine fields, accidental spills, and illegal dumpings. Once soil contamination is initiated, pollutants migrate and may cause groundwater contamination which takes much effort for remediation. Early detection, therefore, is important to prevent further contamination. Electrical resistivity method was used to detect soil contamination, but it was not effective to the heterogeneous condition. Static cone penetrometer test (CPT) has been used widely to investigate geotechnical properties of the underground. In this study, electrical resistivity method and CPT are combined to improve the applicability of it. The pilot test was performed to examine the variation of electrical resistivity with different soil minerals and pore fluid characteristics. Soil samples used were poorly graded sand, silty sandy soil, and weathered granite soil. For all the cases, electrical resistivity decreased with increasing of moisture content. Soil mineral also affected the electrical resistivity significantly. Above all, leachate addition in the pore fluid was very sensitive and caused decreasing of electrical resistivity markedly. It implies that electrical resistivity method can be applied to investigate pollutant plume effectively. This is specially sure when the sensors contact the contaminated soils directly. The CPT method involves cone penetration to the ground, therefore, underground contamination around the cone could be investigated effectively even for heterogeneous condition as it penetrates if electrical resistivity sensors are attached on the cone.