• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제11권5호
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• pp.277-284
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• 2006

The genetic toxicity of environmental pollutants, namely, nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and chloropyriphos (CP) was investigated in aquatic sentinel species, freshwater crustacean, Daphnia magna, and larva of aquatic midge, Chironomus tentans, using Comet assay. Physiological effect of such pollutants was also investigated by studying the specimens' rates of reproduction, growth and survival. Acute toxicity results showed that, as expected, Daphnia was more sensitive than Chironomus to chemical exposure. The order of acute toxicity was CP > NP > BPA in D. magna and NP > CP > BPA in C. tentans. BPA may exert a genotoxic effect on D. magna and C. tentans, given that DNA strand breaks increased in both species exposed to this compound, whereas NP- and CP-induced DNA damage occurred only in C. tentans. In vivo genotoxic data obtained in aquatic sentinel species could provide valuable information for freshwater quality monitoring. The experiments with NP-exposed D. magna showed that the pollutant has long-term effects on reproduction, whereas no short-term effect on DNA integrity was found, being an example of a false-negative result from the biomarkers perspective. This result could be interpreted that other mechanism than genetic alteration might be involved in NP-induced reproduction failure in D. magna. False-positive results from the genotoxic biomarker obtained in BPA-exposed D. magna and in NP-exposed C. tentans make it difficult to use DNA integrity as an early warning biomarker. However, as the mere presence of genotoxic compounds, which are potentially carcinogenic, is of high concern to human and ecosystem health, it could also be important to rapidly and effectively detect genotoxic compounds in the aquatic system in ways that do not necessarily accompany a higher level of alteration. Considering the potential of D. magna and C. tentans as bioindicator species, and the importance of genotoxic biomarkers in ecotoxicity monitoring, DNA damage in these species could provide useful information for environmental risk assessment.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.207-210
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• 2007

The study was designed to determine the estrogenic effect of some penicillins on endocrine function in adult Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Vitellogenin (Vtg) produced in male fish has been used for a biomarker to study endocrine disrupters. $17\beta-estradiol\;(E_2)$ was used a positive control that was induced Vtg in male fish. Result of total protein qantification and ELISA for female and male fish were exposed to $17\beta-estradiol$ 10ng/ml for $3\sim5$ days. As a result, male fish exposed to amoxicillin respectively appeared 0.75, 0.23, 8.21 and $9.36\%_{\circ}$ of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively, that value was elevated compared with control male fish. Male fish exposed to ampicillin respectively appeared 1.85, 4.68, 0.85 and $39.59\%_{\circ}$ of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively, that value was elevated compared with control male fish. This study is one of the first reports suggesting potential endocrine disruption of some penicillins in aquatic ecosystem. These results suggest that vitellogenin and estrogen receptor induction patterns alter in male medaka treated with selected estrogenic compounds, and that these results may be useful molecular biomarkers for screening estrogenic EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals) in the shortest possible time.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.297-301
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• 2003

To investigate biomarker-based exposure to phthalates and related factors with demographics, 100 subjects who had participated in comprehensive health check-up were selected. We collected demographics through questionnaires and analyzed urine samples for 5 phthalates. Statistical likelihoods and regression methods were applied for data analysis using censored data. The highest levels of urine phthalates were 216$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in di-isodecyl phthalate, 29.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in di-butyl phthalate, 5.78$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. The median values of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were 0.2340 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml for male smokers, 0.0399 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml for male non-smokers and 0.0085 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml for female non-smokers, respectively. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate and di-isodecyl phthalate were higher in males than in females. In addition, mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate was decreased with age. Our findings suggest that there might be significant demographic variations in exposure and/or metabolism of phthalates, and that health-risk assessment for phthalate exposure in humans should consider different potential risk groups.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.155-163
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• 2003

Fluoranthene, a common polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), exhibits phototoxicity which may affect aquatic organisms. The eventual goal of this study is to develop a biomarker of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) used in monitoring hazardous chemicals in the ecosystem. In this study we investigated neural toxicity of fluoranthene in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) along with comparative analysis of corresponding behavioral response. The untreated individuals shooed normal behavioral characteristics (i. e., smooth and linear movements). The treated fish, however, showed stopping and abrupt change of orientation (100 ppb), and severely reduced locomotive activity and enhanced surfacing activity (1,000 ppb). Treatment of the medaka fish with fluoranthene caused a significant suppresson of acetycholine esterase (AChE) activities in the body portion but not in the head portion. When fish were exposed to 1,000 ppb of fluoranthene for 24 hr, the body AChE activities decreased from 126.${\pm}$31.89 (nmoles substrate hydrolyzed per min per mg protein) to 49.51${\pm}$11.99. Expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein in the different organs from both head and body portions were comparatively analyzed using an immunohistochemical technique. Five organs of the medaka fish showing a strong TH protein expression were the olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, optic lobe, pons and myelencephalon regions. This study provides molecular and neurobehavioral bases of a biomonitoring system for toxic chemicals using fish as a model organism.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.81-91
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• 2000

Residents who live near petrochemical industrial areas are exposed to a variety of petrochemicals, including benzene or benzene-containing liquids. It is a serious concern because some VOCs are carcinogens naturally present in petroleum and gasoline. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to VOCs, measured by personal/indoor/outdoor air sampling, and to estimate the relationship between the air samples and biological monitoring data. Through biological monitoring, we investigated VOCs in blood and s-phenylmercapturic acid (s-PMA) , minor urinary metabolites of benzene. The external benzene exposure of subjects was measured using passive dosimeters and urinary s-PMA and blood-benzene were determined by GC/MS. More than 80% of subjects were detected for m-xylene, ethylbenzene, and toluene in blood samples and not detected at all for chloroform, 1 , 1 , 1 -trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. The mean concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of residents was 6.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$, personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations were strongly correlated to each other. s-PMA detected in all subject samples was affected by personal exposure (p< 0.05) and the level was different by age (p< 0.01). Blood benzene was not affected by external benzene during these periods .

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.209-213
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• 2005

Due to steady increase of childhood asthma, exposure to air toxics including PAHs have been thought as an etiology for the asthma. PAHs -involvement in airway inflammation, such as IgE production, is the potential mechanism of the PAHs-induced asthma. Cytochrome P450s (CYPs), particularly CYP1A1 is known enzyme to metabolite PAHs and to be induced by PAHs. The CYP1A1 expression has been emphasized as an biomarker for PAHs - exposure. The present study was performed to clarify the etiology of childhood asthma with PAHs-exposure using mRNA expression of CYP1A1 . The study Objects were Korean children who were asthma patients (cases) or other hospital controls (N=20; age,3 $\~$ 16; boys,56$\%$). As result, we detected expression of the CYP1A1 in all peripheral blood specimens which were collected from the subjects. Moreover, we found approx. 300 fold-higher expression of the CYP1A1 in the cases than that in the controls (p(<)0.01). When we considered age which was related to Asthma, the above significant trend was somewhat diluted, however, the relation between asthma and the Cypih i expression waL stronger than that between asthma and age (chi square,7.99 vs. 3.34). Therefore, our study supports that PAHs induce or worse childhood asthma and suggests application of expression of the CYP1A1 as an initiation or progress biomarker for PAHs - induced childhood asthma.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.144-152
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• 2007

Diesel vehicles are a significant source of fine carbon particle emissions including polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) is firmly established as a useful biomarker of PAHs uptake in human. To investigate the exposure effect of PAHs in miners according to using diesel truck which was for transportation of ore, we measured urinary 1-OHP as the PAHs exposure biomarker, and analyzed the relationship between urinary 1-OHP concentration and using diesel truck. The study was performed on 118 workers (56 miners in factories using diesel truck, 62 miners in factories non-using diesel truck) and 21 controls. Urine samples were obtained at the end of shift on the survey day. There was no significance in comparison with the mean concentrations on urinary 1-OHP by age, BMI, work duration, smoking, drinking and ventilation type. But significant difference were found among urinary 1-OHP concentrations on factories according to using diesel truck (p=0.000). The urinary 1-OHP mean concentration on underground miners using diesel truck ($0.54{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine) was higher than those of surface miners using diesel truck ($0.33{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine, p=0.028), underground miners non-using diesel truck ($0.32{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine, p=0.001) and controls ($0.22{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine, p=0.000). In comparison with using status diesel truck, the urinary 1-OHP mean concentration of underground miners using diesel trucks was higher than those of other mine status. The study results would be beneficial to future environmental and biological studies of PAHs exposure to diesel exhaust in mines.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.145-153
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• 2003

The goal of this study is to develop a biomarker used in monitoring abnormal behaviors of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) as a model organism caused by hazardous chemicals. Japanese medaka was treated by copper of appropriate sublethal concentrations after starvation for 48 hr. The untreated individuals showed common behavioral characteristics (i.e. , smooth and linear movements). Locomotive activity of the fish was monitored using an image processing and automatic data acquisition system. When treated with copper (100 ppb), the fish showed shaking patterns more frequently. As the concentration of copper increased to 1,000 ppb, activity decreated, and the fish showed an erratic movement. Fish were exposed to copper at various concentrations (0,100 and 1,000 ppb) for 24 hrs, and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity was observed. When fish were exposed to 1,000 ppb of copper, the body AChE activities appeared to decrease but the head AChE activities showed little change. Expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein in the different organs from both head (brain) and body (kidney) portions affected by the copper treatment were analyzed using immunohistochemical technique compared with control. Five organs of the fish (olfactory bulb, hyothalamus, optic lobe, pons and myelencephalon regions) showed a relatively strong TH protein expression in the control experiment. A differential expression of TH, however, was observed in the treatment (100 ppb and 1,000 ppb). The treatment (1,000 ppb) significantly suppressed TH protein production in the brain regions. In kidney, however, the same treatment caused little suppression compared with the control. Copper appeared to be less effective in suppression of TH than diazinon, a known TH suppressor. It was concluded that TH could be used at a potential biomarker to monitor the acute copper toxicity in Japanese medaka.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.125-133
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• 2002

Volatile disinfection by-products (DBPs) contained in chlorinated tap water are released into household air during indoor activities (showering, cooking, dish -washing, etc.) associated with tap water uses and may cause adverse health effects on humans. Twenty seven subjects were recruited and their homes were visited during the winter of 2002. Tap water, household air, and exhaled breath samples were collected and analyzed for five volatile DBPs (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dichloroacetonitrile, 1,1 -dichloropropanone and 1,1,1 trichloropropanone). Chloroform was a major DBP found in most samples. Tap water chloroform concentrations were not statistically correlated with its household air concentrations, probably due to individual variability in indoor activities such as showering, cooking, and dish - washing as well as household ventilation. Correlation of breath chloroform concentration with household air chloroform concentration showed its possible use as a biomarker of exposure to household air chloroform. Exposure estimates suggested that inhalation during household stay be a major route of exposure to volatile DBPs and that ingestion of tap water be a trivial contributor to the total exposure in Koreans.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2005년도 가을학술대회
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• pp.150-153
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• 2005

A gas chromatography/electron impact mass spectrometric assay method was developed for the determination of Hb-adduct, 2-(hydroxyethyl)valine (HEVal), of ethylene oxide(EO). Globin was separated from hemoglobin by acid iso-propanol and ethyl acetate, then HEVal was isolated as PFPITH-HEVal by Edman degradation. PFPITH-HEVal was silylated with N-methyl-N-(tert-butyl-dimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide(MTBDMSTFA)-NH4I (1000:4) under catalysis of dithioerythritol. The detection limit of the assay was 5.8 pmol/g based upon assayed hemoglobin of 0.1g. Two groups of mice were exposed to EO for 0.5 and 1.0 hr/day, respectively at 400ppm during 4 weeks. As the result, the adduct levels increased according to the exposure time with the linearity of 0.7011 and 0.8914, respectively, HEVal was very valuable as biomarker for the exposure of EO. In human, HEVal was analyzed until 8.33 pmol/mg.