• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2000

Heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments, seawater and oysters (Crassostrea gigas) were determined to assess heavy metal contamination in the Jinhae Bay. The ranges of cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead and zinc concentration in surface sediments were 0.1∼2.4, 12.6∼14.4, 25.3∼ 92.3, 32.4∼ 93.5, 24. 1∼81.2, 124∼477 ㎍/g, respectively. The concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc which were influenced by industrial activity were the highest in the inside of Masan Bay. Dissolved concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead and zinc in seawater were <0.010∼0.043, 0.008∼0.120, 0.31∼0.90, 0.25∼3.10, 0.010∼0.142, 0.27∼9.04 ㎍/L, respectively. The concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead and zinc in seawater were also the highest inside of Masan Bay, suggesting that Masan Bay is the major source of heavy metal input to the Jinhae Bay. Bioconcentration factors (BCF) of zinc, copper, cadmium, lead, cobalt and nickel in C. gigas were 647373, 280861, 145069, 44559, 13524, 2745, respectively, showing C gigas is a stronger accumulator than other bivalves.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1439-1446
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• 2009

Isocarbophos is a widely used organophosphorus insecticide that has caused environmental pollution in many areas. However, degradation of isocarbophos by pure cultures has not been extensively studied, and the degradation pathway has not been determined. In this paper, a highly effective isocarbophos-degrading strain, scl-2, was isolated from isocarbophos-polluted soil. The strain scl-2 was preliminarily identified as Arthrobacter sp. based on its morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties, as well as 16S rDNA analysis. The strain scl-2 could utilize isocarbophos as its sole source of carbon and phosphorus for growth. One hundred mg/l isocarbophos could be degraded to a non detectable level in 18 h by scl-2 in cell culture, and isofenphos-methyl, profenofos, and phosmet could also be degraded. During the degradation of isocarbophos, the metabolites isopropyl salicylate, salicylate, and gentisate were detected and identified based on MS/MS analysis and their retention times in HPLC. Transformation of gentisate to pyruvate and fumarate via maleylpyruvate and fumarylpyruvate was detected by assaying for the activities of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (GDO) and maleylpyruvate isomerase. Therefore, we have identified the degradation pathway of isocarbophos in Arthrobacter sp. scl-2 for the first time. This study highlights an important potential use of the strain scl-2 for the cleanup of environmental contamination by isocarbophos and presents a mechanism of isocarbophos metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.291-298
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• 2000

Vitellogenesis, an important reproductive process in oviparous animals, includes the processes of hormonally regulated synthesis of yolk precursor protein, vitellogenin (Vg), and their deposition in ovarian oocytes as a vitellin which is an important energy source as well as buoyancy regulator of the egg. Vg genes consist of a gene family that encompasses a large number of lipoproteins and produce different Mr. Vg proteins in liver. The expression of Vg is largely dependent on the estrogen, and both reproductive cycle and temperature also influence Vg synthesis. Synthetic estrogens or estrogenic pollutants was sufficient to induce Vg in both sexes of oviparous vertebrates. Therefore, the estrogenic induction of vitellogenesis in male has been used for biological marker in the screening of estrogenicity of certain endocrine disrupting compounds and the monitoring the world-wide contamination of estrogenic compounds in wild life. In the studies on the biological hazard and influence of endocrine disrupting chemicals using the Vg induction in oviparous males, it is important to consider the reproductive cycle, zoogeography and biodiversity of the wild life animals in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.457-464
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• 2005

Objectives : An outbreak of salmonellosis occurred among the student s and staff of D primary school in Yeongcheon-si, 2004. This investigation was carried out to prevent any recurrence of this outbreak and to study the infection source and transmission of the salmonellosis. Methods : The authors conducted a questionnaire survey among 1,205 students and staff members from D primary school about the ingestion of the school lunch and drinking water, and the manifestation of their symptoms. The author examined rectal swabs, the tap water and microorganism cultures, and we also investigated the dining facility and water supply facility. Results : The diarrheal cases were defined as the confirmed cases or the persons who had diarrhea more than one time with symptoms such as fever, vomiting and tenesmus. The diarrheal attack rate was 28.0%. Ingestion of fried bean curd with egg had a significantly high association with the diarrheal attack rate (p<0.05), and the relative risk of the fried bean curd with egg was 10.68 (95% CI=3.88-29.41), as was determined by logistic regression analysis. The bacterial counts in the tap water of the food preparation room and toilet (first floor) exceeded the maximum permissible counts. S. Enteritidis bacteria were only cultured from the fried bean curd with egg of all the supplied foods on September 3, 2004. Conclusions : The major cause of salmonellosis was presumed to be the contaminated bean curd via contaminated tap water due to a water leak of a school water pipe. This contaminated bean curd was under prepared, which allowed the S. Enteritidis to survive and multiply prior to its ingestion.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.465-465
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• 2009

Wind power is one of the most reliable renewable energy sources and the installed wind turbine capacities are increasing radically every year. Although wind power has been favored by the public in general, the problem with the impact of wind turbine noise on people living in the vicinity of the turbines has been increased. Low noise wind turbine design is becoming more important as noise is spreading more adverse effect of wind turbine to public. This paper demonstrates the design of 10 kW class wind turbines, each of three blades, a rotor diameter 6.4m, a rated rotating speed 200 rpm and a rated wind speed 10 m/s. The optimized airfoil is dedicated for the 75% spanwise position because the dominant source of a wind turbine blade has been known as trailing edge noise from the outer 25% of the blade. Numerical computations are performed for incompressible flow and for Mach number at 0.145 and for Reynolds numbers at $1.02{\times}10^6$ with a lift performance, which is resistant to surface contamination and turbulence intensity. The objective in the low design process is to reduce noise emission, while sustaining high aerodynamic efficiency. Dominant broadband noise sources are predicted by semi-empirical formulas composed of the groundwork by Brooks et al. and Lowson associated with typical wind turbine operation conditions. During the airfoil redesign process, the aerodynamic performance is analyzed to minimize the wind turbine power loss. The results obtained from the design process show that the design method is capable of designing airfoils with reduced noise using a commercial 10 kW class wind turbine blade airfoil as a basis. The new optimized airfoil clearly indicates reduction of total SPL about 3 dB and higher aerodynamic performance.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2011

The growth profile of Bacillus cereus in ready-to-eat (RTE) food products of animal origin was examined under different temperature and incubation conditions. In sandwiches and Kimbab, B. cereus did not grow or exhibited only minimal growth at 4 and $10^{\circ}C$, but it grew rapidly at ambient temperature. In sandwiches, B. cereus did not grow efficiently at $25^{\circ}C$, however, in ham, the main ingredient of sandwiches, B. cereus growth was observed at the same temperature, with bacterial levels reaching 7.94 Log CFU/g after incubation for 24 h at $25^{\circ}C$. Toxigenicity of B. cereus was observed only at temperatures above $25^{\circ}C$. In Kimbab, B. cereus produced toxin after 9 h at $30^{\circ}C$ and after 12 h at $25^{\circ}C$. Ingredients of sandwiches and Kimbab were collected from 3 different Korean food-processing companies to investigate the source of contamination by B. cereus. Among the 13 tested food items, 6 items including ham were found to be contaminated with B. cereus. Of these ingredients, B. cereus isolates from 3 items produced enterotoxins. None of these isolates harbored the emetic toxin-producing gene. The findings of the present study can be used for risk assessments of food products, including ham and cheese, contaminated with B. cereus.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.94-96
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• 2003

Since 1995, MOCT(Ministry of Construction and Transportation) and KOWACO(Korea Water Resources Corporation) have established the National Groundwater Monitoring Network in South Korea and also MOE(Ministry of Environment) has operated Groundwater Quality Monitoring network. Until 2001, 202 monitoring stations by MOCT and 780 monitoring wells by MOE have been constructed, measured groundwater level and analyzed water samples. Groundwater quality analysis has been conducted two times a year during last 6 years for all monitoring wells. The quality data has about 15 components including pH, COD, Count of Coliform group, and etc.. Trend analysis has been peformed for 6 components(Coliform, pH, COD, NO$_3$-N, Cl and EC) of water quality which are analyzed more than 7 times for total monitoring wells. Two test methods have been used ; Sen's test and Mann-Kendall test. These trend tests have been done at the 0.05 significance level. By the result of Sen's test, Count of Coliform group has either upward or downward trends at 4.3 percent of the monitoring points. pH does at 5.6 percent, COD does at 8.6 percent, Nitrate-Nitrogen does at 13.2 percent, Chloride does at 13.4 percent, and. EC does at 11.6 percent of the monitoring points. The exact causes of the groundwater quality trends are difficult to specify. Notable downward trends in nitrate at many monitoring points may be the result of reduction on some contamination sources. Potential causes include diminished agricultural areas, improvements in sewage treatment and a decrease in atmospheric deposition. Increase in chloride at many monitoring points may be the result of increased non-point source pollution such as road salting and runoff from sprawling paved developments and suburbs.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.494-499
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• 2004

Growth in population and urbanization has progressively increased the loadings of pollutants from non-point sources as well as point sources. Therefore, it is necessary to manage both point and non-point sources contaminations for protecting water environment and improving water quality. This study investigated the characteristics of pollutant release over a wide range of rainfall intensities as a requisite to control road runoff that accounts for the largest portion of non-point source contamination in urban areas. Samples of runoff rainwater collected from real road surfaces were analyzed for physicochemical parameters such as pH, suspended solids, and heavy metals. A experimental model road ($30cm{\times}30cm$) was also used to evaluate wash-off properties of pollutants deposited on the surface as functions of time and rainfall intensity. Analysis of runoff samples on rain events showed that the pollutant wash-off patterns for heavy metal and suspended solids were similar. This implies that the particles in rainwater adsorb heavy metals. Experiments using the model road made of impervious asphalt demonstrate a strong first flush phenomenon. At high rainfall intensity, approximately 80% of total pollutants were released within 15 min. The pollutant wash-off rates rapidly increase from 9 mm/hr to 12 mm/hr of rainfall intensity and decrease over 12 mm/hr of rainfall intensity.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.152-157
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• 2006

Enterobacter sakazakii, designated as an unique microbial species in 1980, may cause bacteremia, necrotizing enterocolitis and infant meningitis. The distribution and the thermostability of E. sakazakii in unprocessed ready-to-eat (RTE) agricultural products of 252 and in 25 powdered infant formulas (PIF) were analyzed. Eighty one, 50, 43, and 47% of brown rice, pumpkin, potato, and carrot samples, respectively, had aerobic plate counts (ARC) in the range of 5 log CFU/g or more. Almost all the other products sampled had APC of approximately 2 log CFU/g. Fifty three, 75, 67, and 68% of banana, pumpkin, soybean, and carrot had Enterobacteriaceae counts approximating 3 log CFU/g. Sixty six percent of the brown rice tested had Enterobacteriaceae counts approximating 5-6 log CFU/g. E. sakazakii was isolated from 3/25(12%), 4/23(17%), 1/24(4%), and 1/27(4%) of PIF, brown rice, laver, and tomato samples, respectively. D-values were 3.52-4.79 min at 60 and $D_{60}-values$ were similar as the isolates reported. Thermal inactivation of four thermovariant E. sakazakii strains during the rehydration of PIF with hot water were investigated. At $50^{\circ}C$, the levels of E. sakazakii decreased one log CFU/g for 4-6 min and thereafter the levels remained stable for 20 min. At $60^{\circ}C$, inactivation by about 2 log CFU/g occurred for 20 min. Therefore, the unprocessed agricultural products might be a source of contamination for PIF when used as an ingredient after drying and pulverization. Rehydration of PIF for infant feeding with a water temperature of $60^{\circ}C$ rather than $50^{\circ}C$, as recommended by the manufacturers, may be helpful in the reduction of potential E. sakazakii risk.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4 s.55
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• pp.375-380
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• 2006

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) have been emphasized due to their threats in human health. Waste incinerator emission has been emphasized as a source of EDC including polychlorinateddibenzofurans(PCDD/F) and other carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been used as an exposure biomarker for the PAHs. On the other hand, etheno-DNA adducts, e.g. 1, $N^6-ethenodeoxyadenosine({\varepsilon}dA)$, has been developed as an useful effective or response biomarker for carcinogenesis. Thus, I investigated association between urinary 1-OHP and ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels due to distance from an incinerator which was built more 10 years ago in the middle of a farm in P city. I designated the EDC-high and low exposed group due to distance from the incinerator, i.e. within 2.5km and $5.0{\sim}7.5km$ from the incinerator, respectively. The study subjects were age and sex-matched males and females (mean age, $61.3{\pm}9.6$ yrs; total 40 persons, male, 10; female, 10 for the each group). Urinary 1-OHP and ${\varepsilon}dA$ were analyzed with HPLC-FD and IP-HPLC-FD, respectively. As results, the distance from the incinerator was not associated with urinary 1-OHP nor ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels (p=0.43 and 0.82, respectively). On the other hand, urinary ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels were significantly higher in the hyperlipidemia group (N=10) than normal group (N=30). In conclusion, urinary 1-OHP nor ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels can not be suggested as an incinerator-related exposure nor effective biomarker. However, not only distance from the incinerator bot also systemic approaches including wind and soil contamination are required to assume exposure levels of incinerator-related EDC.