• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.394-404
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• 2003

Certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been reported to induce cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1A2. In the present study, the effects of six well-known PAHs, such as benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluorancene and benzo[b]fluorancene, on the activities of hepatic and pulmonary CYP enzymes were investigated in male ICR mice. When mice were treated intraperitoneally with 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg of individual PAHs for 3 consecutive days, the activities of ethoxyresorufin- and methoxyresorufin-Ο-dealkylases were significantly and differentially induced in both liver and lung. Moreover, other CYP isozyme-associated monooxygenase activities were also induced significantly in liver and lung with characteristic induction profiles. Our present results suggest that individual PAHs might have inductive effects on CYP isozymes, and that the characteristic inductive effects of individual PAHs on certain CYP isozymes would be developed as a marker for determining exposure to certain PAHs.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.519-530
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• 2014

Twenty four individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds both in gas- and particle-phase were quantified in three tunnels (Namsan Tunnel 3, Jeongneung Tunnel, Bukak Tunnel) to characterize vehiculate emission of PAHs. Gas phase PAHs were dominant in tunnels which consisted of 85% of total PAHs concentrations. Naphthalene and 2-methyl naphthalene were the most abundant gas phase PAH compounds, while the concentrations of fluoranthene and pyrene were highest in the particle phase. Most (96%) of the gas phase PAH compounds consisted of two- and three-aromatic rings whereas most of the particle phase PAHs were in four and five-rings (67%) in tunnels. Average BaP-eq concentrations of PAHs in the particle phase ($20.8{\pm}11.6ngm^{-3}$) was about twenty fold higher than that in the gas phase ($1.6{\pm}0.6ngm^{-3}$). It means that the particle phase PAHs has more adverse health effect than the gas phase PAHs even though the concentrations of the particle phase PAHs were lower than those of the gas phase PAHs. Compared to previous studies reporting diagnostic ratios for specific PAH compounds, the profile of individual PAH compounds measured in this study reflected well for the vehiculate emissions. We reported, for the first time, on the results of the profile of individual PAH compounds measured in tunnels for both gas and particle phases.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.861-869
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• 2010

The present study aims to evaluate the characteristics of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in roadside and residential areas of two Korean metropolitan cities (Seoul and Incheon) and a background area (Seokmolee). This purpose was established by analyzing temporal and spacial concentration distribution of total and 7 individual PAHs, which were extracted from ambient particulate matters, and by utilizing a multivariate statistical method (principal component analysis, PCA) for the qualitative determination of potential PAH sources. Target PAHs included benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF), chrysene (Chr), dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DahA), and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (IcdP). For all surveyed sites, the concentrations of total PAHs were higher in winter season than in other seasons. However, the concentrations of individual PAHs varied with surveyed sites. In both residential and roadside sites of Seoul and Incheon, BbF revealed the highest atmospheric levels. For all 7 target PAHs, the ambient concentrations were higher in Seoul and Incheon than in a background area (Seokmolee). In both residential and roadside areas, the concentrations of 4 target PAHs (BaA, BbF, BkF, DahA) were higher in Incheon than in Seoul. However, both the residential and roadside Chr concentrations were comparable in Seoul and Incheon. In addition, the residential IcdP concentrations were higher in Incheon than in Seoul, whereas the roadside concentrations were higher in Seoul. The roadside and residential BaP concentrations exhibited the reverse result to the IcdP concentrations. An PCA analysis suggested that atmospheric PAHs in both residential and roadside areas would be due to combined effects of several potential sources such as gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles, coal/oil combustion, and waste incineration.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.50-60
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• 2022

The concentration levels and distribution characteristics of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated and evaluated for total 100 soil samples as a part of the survey on soil contamination in Gwangju. The results (median and range) of T-PAHs (sum of 16 PAH concentrations), C-PAHs (sum of carcinogenic PAH concentrations) and T-TEQs (sum of 16 TEQ concentrations) were 20.8 (7.6~1158.1), 2.2 (N.D~509.6), and 0.3 (N.D~424.6) ㎍/kg, respectively. There was a positive correlation between C-PAHs/T-PAHs and T-TEQs/T-PAHs except one point where the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene was high. The ratios of the C-PAHs/T-PAHs were 31.7% for low molecular weight-PAHs and 68.3% for high molecular weight-PAHs, suggesting that PAHs generation mainly arose from combustion sources. The ratio of isomers of individual PAHs, Phe/Ant, Flu/Pyr, Ant/(Ant+Phe), Flu/(Flu+Pyr), and BaA/(BaA+Chr), also confirmed the predominance of PAHs from combustion activities. Statistical tracing of the source of PAHs through principal component analysis indicated that the main sources of combustion were automobile fuel and coal. The overall results of this study suggested HMW-PAHs, T-PAHs, C-PAHs and T-TEQs should be separately evaluated to better assess the toxicity and environmental behavior of individual PAHs.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.10 no.E
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• pp.343-356
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• 1994

In this study, a statistical investigation was carried out for the evaluation of any relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHss) associated with ambient aerosols and other air quality parameters under varying meteorological conditions. Daily measurements for PAHs and air quality/meteorological parameters were selected from a data-base constructed by a comprehensive air monitoring in London during 1985-1987. Correlation coefficients were calculated to examine any significant relationship between the PAHs and other individual variables. Statistical analysis was further Performed for the air quality/meteorological data set using a principal component analysis to derive important factors inherent in the interactions among the variables. A total of six components were identified, representing vehicle emission, photochemical activity/volatilization, space heating, atmospheric humidity, atmospheric stability, and wet deposition. It was found from a stepwise multiple regression analysis that the vehicle emission component is overall the most important factor contributing to the variability of PAHs concentrations at the monitoring site. The photochemical activity/volatilzation component appeared to be also an important factor particularly for the lower molecular weight PAHs. In general, the space heating component was found to be next important factor, while the contributions of other three components to the variance of each PAHs did not appear to be as much important as the first three components in most cases. However, a consistency for these components in their negative correlations with PAHs data was found, indicating their roles in the depletion of PAHs concentrations in the urban atmosphere.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.367-373
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• 2002

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) content in sewage sludge was determined by gas chromatography linked to ion trap mass spectrometry(GC/ITMS) with five deuterated PAHs as internal standards. The minimum detection limit was from 1.66 to 7.14 pg for individual PAH by GC/ITMS. For determining total PAHs(∑PAH) in sewage sludge 84 samples from 74 waste water treatment plants in whole country were analyzed. The average content of ∑PAH far whole samples was 3,289$\pm$3,098 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg, and ranged from 142 to maximum 20,102 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. According to the number of population of the city, the areas were classified as five regions, ie. big, large, middle, small, and rural area in which the waste water treated plants were grown. The contents of PAHs were 4,689$\pm$5,503, 5,839$\pm$6,401, 3,725$\pm$2,053, 2,237$\pm$2,069, and 2,475$\pm$1,489 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg, in big, large, middle, small, and rural area, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.1145-1157
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• 2003

The surface sediments inside Hallim Harbor, one of the major harbors of Jeju Island, were sampled three times (June, September and December, 2001) and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), recommended by US-EPA as priority pollutants, to assess their distribution levels and to suggest their possible origins. The concentrations of PAHs ranged from 19 to 496 ng/g on a dry weight basis with a mean value of 245 ng/g, and the levels were low to moderate in comparison with other areas in the world. Based on comparisons of individual and total PAH concentrations with effects-based and equilibrium partitioning-based on sediment quality guidelines, the potential for the biological effects were expected to be low. The sedimentary PAHs may be correlated with organic carbon and mud contents to some extent. From the examinations of the four PAH origin indices, such as LMW/HMW (low molecular weight 2-3 ring PAHs over high molecular weight 4-6 ring PAHs), phenanthrene/anthracene ratio, fluoranthene/pyrene ratio, chrysene/benzo〔a〕anthracene ratio, it can be concluded that the sediment PAH contaminations were ascribed to both pyrolytic and petrogenic origins.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2004

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in seventy marine organisms (40 species) from the Korean coast. PAHs were present in all the organisms. The level of total PAHs in the organisms varied from 0.45 to 224 ng/g dry weight and the carcinogenic PAHs varied from 0.05 to 49.8 ng/g dry weight. The PAHs residues according to the marine organisms showed a highest content in bivalve species, and followed by crustaceans, cephalopods, fish and gastropods. Human dietary intake of total PAHs through marine organism in Korea was estimated to be 4.12 ng/kg body weight/day and 0.67 ng/kg body weight/day for carcinogenic PAHs. The relative contributions of individual species to the total dietary intake of PAHs were in the order of bivalves $(53.4{\%})$, fish $(21.9{\%})$, crustaceans $(15.3{\%})$, cephalopods $(8.8{\%})$ and gastropods $(0.6{\%})$. Daily dietary intake of $PAH_{TEQ}$ expressed as a TEQ value was estimated to be 0.13 pg TEQ/kg body weight/day, which did not exceed a tolerable daily intake (TDI) proposed by the KFDA and the WHO as well as the UK toxicity committee. Lifetime cancer risk due to ingestion of marine species by the Korean adult was evaluated using the equation estimating exposure of food ingestion. Although approximately $23{\%}$ of cumulative frequency of the sampled marine species exceeded the cancer risk guideline, lifetime cancer risk associated with marine organism consumption was negligible. Results indicate that dietary intake of PAHs through the consumption of the Korean marine organisms seems to be safe for human ingestion with negligible cancer risk.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.99-102
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• 2001

The soil-to-air fluxes of three PAHs(Phenanthrene, Pyrene, Benzo(a)pyrene) from a laboratory contaminated forest soil were investigated in experimental microcosms. The effects of soil temperature(45$^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, 5$^{\circ}C$) and relative humidity(0%, 100%) were investigated according to existence of the humic layer(O layer) over the mineral layer(A layer). Volatilization flux experiments were carried out for a period of 96 hrs. The resulting PAHs volatilization fluxes from the different conditions were quantified and compared. In the mineral layer, highest volatilization flux among the individual PAHs was Phenanthrene >Pyrene> Benzo(a)pyrene on the conditions of 45 $^{\circ}C$, RH=100%. In the humic layer over the mineral layer, maximum volatilization flux was Phenanthrene on the condition of 45$^{\circ}C$, RH=0%. Results from flux experiments showed that volatilization fluxes of PAHs were dependent on soil temperature. Existance of humic layer over the mineral layer delayed transportation to the air of especially heaveir molecular PAHs. But, if humic layer is contained water sufficiently, it is possible that volatilization fluxes are enhanced by water convective flux according to variation of soil temperature and air relative humidity.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.169-176
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• 2014

Air samples were collected at various altitudes (from 165 to 1153 m) to observe vertical distribution of particulate PAHs concentrations using a very compact and light particle sampling package developed by Eun et al.(2013). TD-GC-MS developed by Hwang et al.(2014) was applied to PAHs analysis for effective analysis of PAHs contained trace amounts in the samples. The ranges of total PAHs concentrations were from 6.95 to $96.0ng\;m^{-3}$ on the ground and from 3.75 to $21.74ng\;m^{-3}$ at high altitude, respectively. All of particulate PAHs concentrations measured on the ground were higher than those measured at high altitude, while, the profile of individual PAH compounds between the ground and high altitude samples were similar. It means the distribution of particulate PAHs concentrations at high altitude were affected by the emission of PAHs emitted from ground.