• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2013

This paper describes the radiation doses to human and non-human biota in the Republic of Korea, as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident. By using the measured airborne activity and ground deposition, the effective and thyroid doses of five human age groups (infant, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and adult) were estimated by the ECOSYS code, and the whole body absorbed dose rate of the eight Korean reference animals and plants (RAPs) was estimated by the K-BIOTA (the Korean computer code to assess the risk of radioactivity to wildlife). The first-year effective and thyroid human doses ranged from 5.7E-5 mSv in the infant group to 2.0E-4 mSv in the 5 years group, and from 5.0E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.4E-3 mSv in the 5 years group, respectively. The life-time (70 years) effective and thyroid human doses ranged from 1.5E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.0E-4 mSv in the 5 years group, and from 6.0E-4 mSv in the infant group to 3.5E-3 mSv in the 5 years group, respectively. The estimated maximum whole body absorbed dose rate to the Korean RAPs was 6.7E-7 mGy/d for a snake living in soil (terrestrial biota), and 2.0E-5 mGy/d for freshwater fish (aquatic biota), both of which were far less than the generic dose criteria to protect biota from ionizing radiation. Also, the screening level assessment for ERICA's (Environmental Risks from Ionizing Contaminants: Assessments and management) limiting organisms showed that the risk quotient (RQ) for the estimated maximum soil and water activity was significantly less than unity for both the terrestrial and freshwater organisms. Conclusively, the radiological risk of the radioactivity released into the environment by the Fukushima nuclear accident to the public and the non-human biota in the republic of Korea is considered negligible.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.662-670
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• 2005

Recently many efforts were focused to understand the mechanical insights of melanogenesis to develop the agents for hyper-pigmentation and hypo-pigmentation. In the melanin bio-synthetic pathway, tyrosinase is the rate limiting enzyme, and ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone(MSH) stimulates melanogenesis and enhances the melanin synthesis and the tyrosinase activity. The author has analyzed the effects of Biota Orientalis Folium on the basal melanogenic activities of B16 mouse melanoma cells, and on the ${\alpha}$-MSH or tyrosinase-induced melanogenesis. Biota Orientalis Folium alone markedly suppressed melanin content and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. The decrease of cell propagation was observed in B16 cells treated with 200${\mu}$g/ml dose of Biota Orientalis Folium, indicating that Biota Orientalis Folium-induced depigmenting effect was caused by inhibition of melanin synthesis, not due to destruction of B16 cells. Pretreatment of the cells with Biota Orientalis Folium also suppressed the increase of ${\alpha}$-MSH (10 nM) induced melanin content and tyrosinase activity. Biota Orientalis Folium inhibited the revelation of ${\alpha}$-MSH induced tyrosinase protein and tyrosinase related protein and mRNA of tyrosinase in B16 melanoma cell. These results suggest that Biota Orientalis Folium inhibits melanogenesis and abrogates ${\alpha}$-MSH and tyrosinase-induced melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.400-409
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• 2001

A method for the analysis of most common phthalate acid esters (9 secies) in biota samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring mode is described. Phthalates in biota samples are extracted by organic solvent and purified by Florisil column. Phthalates are easily contaminated during extraction prodedure. Since the extraction and cleanup steps for biota samples generally are more complicate than those for water or sediment samples, we compared with contamination state of each sample work-up step. By applying this developed method, the overall recoveries ranged between 79 - 117% in biota sample which was spiked with standards. For phthalates used in this study, the quantitaive accuracy, elution pattern on Florisil column, and detection limits were also investigated.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1998

Six minor diterpenes were isolated from Biota orientalis (Cupressa-ceae) leaves. On the basis of comparison with reported spectral data, they were identified as 7,15-isopimaradien-18-oic acid (isopimaric acid), 8(14),15-isopimaradien-18-oic acid (sandaracopimaric acid), 7,15-isopimaradien-3-ol, 7,15-isopimaradien-3,19-diol, 8(17),13-labdadien-16,15-olid-19-oic acid (demethylpinusolide), and 15-hydroxy-8(17),13-labdadien-19-oic acid (isocupric acid). They were first reported in the genus of Biota.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.252-260
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• 2015

This paper describes the technical background for the Korean wildlife radiation dose assessment code, K-BIOTA, and the summary of its application. The K-BIOTA applies the graded approaches of 3 levels including the screening assessment (Level 1 & 2), and the detailed assessment based on the site specific data (Level 3). The screening level assessment is a preliminary step to determine whether the detailed assessment is needed, and calculates the dose rate for the grouped organisms, rather than an individual biota. In the Level 1 assessment, the risk quotient (RQ) is calculated by comparing the actual media concentration with the environmental media concentration limit (EMCL) derived from a bench-mark screening reference dose rate. If RQ for the Level 1 assessment is less than 1, it can be determined that the ecosystem would maintain its integrity, and the assessment is terminated. If the RQ is greater than 1, the Level 2 assessment, which calculates RQ using the average value of the concentration ratio (CR) and equilibrium distribution coefficient (Kd) for the grouped organisms, is carried out for the more realistic assessment. Thus, the Level 2 assessment is less conservative than the Level 1 assessment. If RQ for the Level 2 assessment is less than 1, it can be determined that the ecosystem would maintain its integrity, and the assessment is terminated. If the RQ is greater than 1, the Level 3 assessment is performed for the detailed assessment. In the Level 3 assessment, the radiation dose for the representative organism of a site is calculated by using the site specific data of occupancy factor, CR and Kd. In addition, the K-BIOTA allows the uncertainty analysis of the dose rate on CR, Kd and environmental medium concentration among input parameters optionally in the Level 3 assessment. The four probability density functions of normal, lognormal, uniform and exponential distribution can be applied.The applicability of the code was tested through the participation of IAEA EMRAS II (Environmental Modeling for Radiation Safety) for the comparison study of environmental models comparison, and as the result, it was proved that the K-BIOTA would be very useful to assess the radiation risk of the wildlife living in the various contaminated environment.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.167-170
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• 2008

We previously reported that 90% MeOH fraction of Biota orientalis leaves (L.) ENDL. had significant neuroprotective activity against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultures of rat cortical cells. In the present study, (-)-savinin (1), (-)-hinokinin (2), dehydroheliobuphthalmin (3) were isolated by bioactivity-guided fractionation from the 90% MeOH fraction. All three lignans had significant neuroprotective activities against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity at the concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 ${\mu}M$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.484-493
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• 2000

The simultaneous analysis of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol A in biota samples was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring mode. The phenols were extracted from sample with organic solvent and Forisil and Silica columns for clean-up procedure were compared. Recovery studies were performed at 1-ppm level of phenols added to each biota sample. Their recoveries ranged between 83 and 116% with coefficient of variations of 2.4-11.9%. To improve the detection limits of phenols, trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatization was applied. The gas chromatographic properties of free phenols and TMS derivatized phenols were also investigated.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.666-674
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• 2000

The present study describes an analytical method for the determination of polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) in biota samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). PBBs are extracted twice from 20 g samples with mixture solvent 40mL acetone and 80mL hexane using ultrasonic agitation for 20 min. Lipids in extracts are degraded by concentrated sulfuric acid and then PBBs are purified with Florisil column. The purified extracts are analyzed by GC/MS-selected ion monitoring mode for the quantitation of PBBs in biota sample. The overall recovery yields of PBBs range between 77 and 111% under these experimental conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.249-262
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• 2010

Regulatory test method for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHs) in the marine sediment and biota has not still been established even though TPHs are one of the major pollutants in marine environment. Based on the Korean Soil Standard Method (SSM) for TPHs, we considered a new treatment method for determining TPHs in marine environmental samples by using a Gas chromatography coupled with Mass spectrometric detector. We suggested an improved recovery test for quality control procedures and introduced analytical procedures of removing sulfur, polar organic materials, water and saponification for removing neutral lipids in marine bottom sediments and biota.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.90-99
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• 1998

Butyltin and phenyltin residues were quantified in seawater and biota of the Chinhae Bay System, Korea in 1995. Butyltin compounds were detected in all seawater and biota samples, whereas phenyltin compounds were found only in the biota samples. Tributyltin (TBT) concentrations in seawater ranged from < 8-35 ng Sn/l. Tributyltin concentrations in Crassostyea gigas and Thais clavigera ranged from 95-885 and 23-414 ng Sn/g, respectively, Triphenyltin(TPhT) concentrations in each species ranged 155-678 and 46-785 ng Sn/g, respectively. Spatial distribution of TBT was closely related to boating and dry-docking activities. However, spatial distribution of TPhT was not consistent with that of TBT. The biological concentration factor for TBT in C. gigas was about 25000 that is four times greater than that of T. clavigera. Butyl- to phenyltin concentration ratio was greater than one in C. gigas, but that in T. clavigera was less than one. Major tissues of C. gigas also showed different accumulation patterns for butyl- and phenyltin compounds. Furthermore, 19 and 28% of total body burdens of TBT and TPhT were found in gonadal mass of C. gigas just prior to spawning.