• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2014

In this study, we evaluated the toxic effects of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Zn) on the population growth rate (r) of the marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum. S. costatum. The population growth rate (r) of the species was determined after 96 hrs. of exposure to Cd (0, 0.63, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00, 10.00 ppm), Cu (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50 ppm) and Zn (0, 0.31, 0.63, 1.25, 2.00, 2.50, 5.00 ppm). It was observed that 'r' in the control (absence of Cd, Cu and Zn) were greater than 0.05, however suddenly decreased with increased heavy metal concentrations. Cd, Cu and Zn reduced 'r' in a dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction were occurred at concentration of greater than 1.25, 1.25 and 2.50 ppm, respectively. Based on the toxicity, the heavy metal were ranked as Cu>Zn>Cd, with EC50 values of 1.11, 2.13 and 6.84 ppm, respectively. The lowest-observed-effective-concentration (LOEC) of 'r' in exposed to Cd, Cu and Zn were 1.25, 1.00, 2.00 ppm, respectively. Precisely, a concentration of greater than 1.25 ppm of Cd, 1.00 ppm of Cu and 2.00 ppm of Zn in marine ecosystems induced toxic effect on the 'r' of S. costatum. Based on our results, we suggested that the 'r' of S. costatum might be a useful bio indicator for the toxicity assessment of heavy metals in marine ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2008

This research managed to establish the space information on incidence factors of landslide targeting Bukhansan National Park and aimed at suggesting a basic data for disaster prevention of a landslide for the period to come in Bukhansan National Park through drawing up the map indicating vulnerability to a landslide and ecological risks by the use of overlay analysis and adding-up estimation matrix analysis methods. This research selected slope angle, slope aspect, slope length, drainage, vegetation index(NDVI) and land use as an assessment factor of a landslide and constructed the spatial database at a level of '$30m\times30m$' resolution. The analysis result was that there existed high vulnerability to a landslide almost all over Uidong and Dobong valleys. As for ecological risks, Dobong valley, Yongueocheon valley, Jeongneung valley and Pyeongchang valley were analyzed to be higher, so it is judged that the impact on a landslide risk should be also considered in time of establishing a management plan for these districts for the time to come.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2012

Spills of $M/V$ Hebei Spirit on $7^{th}$ December 2007 caused a seriously damage to the ecosystem of Korean coast. Of these, microbial communities (i.e., attached benthic micro-algae) were reported to be sentive to the environmental change so it can be used for ecological risk assessment. Our experiment was designed to examine the ecological risk assessments for oil pollutant using benthic attached algal community on the artificial substrates of acrylic plates. Field monitoring in the culture system was conducted in Jangmok Bay. The abundances of attached micro-algae on artificial substrates gradually increased with increasing of sampling times. Among them, diatoms were the most important colonizer of coastal water, with the genera $Cylindrotheca$ and $Navicular$ most abundant. In particular, developed the culture system has correctly measured qualitative and quantitative abundance of attached micro-algae because same acrylic plates as artificial substrates were used. Thus, this culture system may be directly applied to the ecological risk experiments of microbial community structure from oil pollutants.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi) eliminates or decreases gene expression by disrupting the target mRNA or by interfering with translation. Recently, RNAi technique was applied to generate new crop traits which provide protection against pests. To establish the environmental risk assessment protocol of RNAi LMO in lab scale, we developed dsRNA expression system using E. coli and tested acute oral toxicity assay to honey. METHOD AND RESULTS: The dsRNA expression vector, L4440, was chosen and cloned 240 bp of Snf7 and GFP gene fragment. To develop the maximum dsRNA induction condition in E. coli, we tested induction time, temperature and IPTG concentration in media. To estimate the risk assessment of dsRNA to honey bee, it has been selected and cultured with dsRNA supplement for 48 hours according to OECD guideline. As a result, the optimum condition of dsRNA induction was $37^{\circ}C$, 4 hours and 0.4 mM IPTG concentration and the difference between Snf7 and GFP dsRNA molecules from E. coli was not significant in survival and behavior to honey bee. Furthermore, blast search results indicated that effective match of predicted dsRNA fragments were not existed in honey bee genome. CONCLUSION: In this study, we developed and tested the acute oral toxicity of dsRNA using E. coli expression system to honey bee.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2013

Diatoms have become an integral part of the UK's freshwater monitoring strategy over the past two decades, mostly in response to increasingly stringent European Union (EU) legislation. The use of diatoms is based on strong correlations between diatom assemblages and environmental variables, and from knowledge of the "expected" (= "reference") state of each river. The nationwide overview of the ecological health of rivers this gives allows those stretches of rivers which fail to meet EU criteria to be identified. This, in turn, allows appropriate remediation measures to be planned. Because diatom assemblages vary in space and time, even within a single water body, effective use of diatoms requires a consistent approach in order to minimise uncertainty. This includes the use of methods which comply with European Standards, a training and accreditation scheme for analysts, and a suite of quality assurance methods. Those aspects of uncertainty that cannot be readily controlled have been quantified and all estimates of ecological status are accompanied by the appropriate "confidence of class" and "risk of misclassification". This, in turn, helps planners prioritise those locations which are most likely to benefit from remediation.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.52-61
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• 2019

Over the past few decades, microalgae-based biotechnology conjugated with innovative CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic engineering has been attracted much attention for the cost-effective and eco-friendly value-added compounds production. However, the discharge of reproducible living modified organism (LMO) into environmental condition potentially causes serious problem in aquatic environment, and thus it is essential to assess potential environmental risk for human health. Accordingly, in this study, we monitored discharged genetically modified microalgae (GMM) near the research complex which is located in Daejeon, South Korea. After testing samples obtained from 6 points of near streams, several green-colored microalgal colonies were detected under hygromicin-containing agar plate. By identification of selection marker genes, the GMM was not detected from all the samples. For the lab-scale environmental risk assessment of GMM, acute toxicity test using rotifer Brachionus calcyflorus was performed by feeding GMM. After feeding, there was no significant difference in mortality between WT and transformant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. According to further analysis of horizontal transfer of green fluorescence protein (GFP)-coding gene after 24 h of incubation in synthetic freshwater, we concluded that the GFP-expressed gene not transferred into predator. However, further risk assessments and construction of standard methods including prolonged toxicity test are required for the accurate ecological risk assessment.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.251-257
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• 2011

Cobalt is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, water and/or is among the harmful pollutants as generated by industrialized. In the environment, cobalt has two oxidation states, cobalt (II) (Co (II)) and cobalt (III) (Co (III)). If coastal water is contaminated by cobalt, it through the food chain can have an impact on marine ecosystems. Therefore, we examined the gametotoxic and embryotoxic effects of Co (II) at various concentrations (10, 100, 500, 1000, 2500 ppb) in the sea urchin $Hemicentrotus$ $pulcherrimus$. Spawning was induced by injecting 1 mL of 0.5 M KCl into coelomic cavity. Males released white or cream-colored sperms and females released yellow or orange-colored eggs. Experiment was begun within 30 min the collection of both gametes. The fertilization and embryo development rates test were performed for 10 min and 64 h after fertilization, respectively. The fertilization rates in the control condition (not including Co (II)) and experimental group were not significantly changed. The embryo development rates in the control condition were greater than 90% and were significantly decreased with concentration dependent manner. The normal embryogenesis rate was significantly inhibited in exposed to cobalt (II) ($EC_{50}$=71.84 ppb, 95% Cl=16.71-203.36 ppb). The NOEC and LOEC of normal embryogenesis rate were <10 ppb and 10 ppb, respectively. These results suggest that the early embryo stages of $H.$ $pulcherrimus$ have toxic effect at greater than 10 ppb of Co (II) concentration.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.518-527
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• 2020

The aim of this study was to define the toxic effects of diuron and irgarol, which are new-antifouling agents, on the fertilization rate and normal embryogenesis rate in the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. In addition, the study was intended to confirm the hindrance of development in sea urchins. The fertilization rate of H. pulcherrimus was not decreased by the tested concentrations. However, the normal embryogenesis rate was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The 50% effective concentrations (EC₅₀) of normal embryogenesis rate were 7.12 mg L^-1 and 2.31 mg L^-1, respectively. As the embryos developed into pluteus larvae, after 18 h of exposure to diuron and irgarol at EC₅₀, development of the early gastrula stage was delayed, and significant developmental delays were observed after 24 h. After this, continuous developmental delays were observed in the process leading to the early gastrular, gastrular, early pluteus, and pluteus stages. Therefore, the toxic effects of diuron and irgarol on sea urchins were attributed to the delay in the developmental processes in the early life stages. Diuron and irgarol are highly persistent in the environment and have known-well toxic effects on various marine organisms including invertebrates, as shown in this study. Therefore, it is urgent to establish an environmental protection strategy to prevent the pollution of and preserve the marine environment.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.307-311
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• 2012

This study was conducted to evaluate the dynamics of soil respiration (total soil and heterotrophic respiration) following fertilizer application in red pine forests. Fertilizer (N:P:K = 113:150:37 kg/ha), which reflects current practices in Korean forest, was applied in April 2011, and total soil and heterotrophic respiration rates were monitored from April 2011 to March 2012. Monthly variation of total soil and heterotrophic respiration rates were similar between the fertilizer and control treatments, as soil temperature was the dominant factor controlling the both rates. Total soil respiration rates during the study period were not significantly different between the fertilizer (0.504 g $CO_2\;m^{-2}\;h^{-1}$) and control (0.501 g $CO_2\;m^{-2}\;h^{-1}$) treatments. However, the proportion of heterotrophic respiration was higher in the fertilizer (78% of total soil respiration rates) than in the control (62% of total soil respiration rates) treatments. These results suggest that current fertilizer practices in Korea forest soil do not substantially affect total soil respiration rates.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2022

Background: A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was adopted in the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH, EU) regulations as well as the Act on Registration, Evaluation, etc. of Chemicals (AREC, Republic of Korea). It has been previously used in the registration of chemicals. Objectives: In this study, we investigated the correlation between the predicted data provided by three prediction programs using a QSAR model and actual experimental results (acute fish, daphnia magna toxicity). Through this approach, we aimed to effectively conjecture on the performance and determine the most applicable programs when designating toxic substances through the AREC. Methods: Chemicals that had been registered and evaluated in the Toxic Chemicals Control Act (TCCA, Republic of Korea) were selected for this study. Two prediction programs developed and operated by the U.S. EPA - the Ecological Structure-Activity Relationship (ECOSAR) and Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (T.E.S.T.) models - were utilized along with the TOPKAT (Toxicity Prediction by Komputer Assisted Technology) commercial program. The applicability of these three programs was evaluated according to three parameters: accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Results: The prediction analysis on fish and daphnia magna in the three programs showed that the TOPKAT program had better sensitivity than the others. Conclusions: Although the predictive performance of the TOPKAT program when using a single predictive program was found to perform well in toxic substance designation, using a single program involves many restrictions. It is necessary to validate the reliability of predictions by utilizing multiple methods when applying the prediction program to the regulation of chemicals.