• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.3-15
• /
• 2003

Recently more than 450 incidents of oil spill a year have occurred in nearshore of Korea, which caused unmeasurelable losses in fisheries and severe damage in marine ecosystem. Two approaches remain paramount in any response to marine oil spill : the enhancement of natural dispersion of the oil by using dispersants, and mechanical recovery using booms and skimmers. A technique currently receiving fresh attention is the enhancement of the natural bioremediation of oil through the application of micro-organisms and/or nutrient. Oil, like many natural substances, will biodegrade over a period of time into simple compounds such as carbon dioxide, water and biomass. Bioremediation is the term used to describe a range of processes which can be used to accelerate natural biodegradation. More specifically biostimulation is the application of nutrients, and bioaugremetation or seeding is the addition of microbes specially selected to degrade oil. Bioremediation is an economically attractive method for the clean-up of oil-contaminated area. Bioremediation has been demonstrated to be an effective oil spill countermeasure for use in cobble, sand beach, salt marsh, and mud flat environment.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2019

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent and commonly detected in marine ecosystem. They coexist with a various contaminants including heavy metals in real environment, but most studies have been still focused on single effects of these contaminants to aquatic organisms. In this study, the single and combined effects of benzy[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and HgCl₂ were investigated in the brackish water flea, Diaphanosoma celebensis. For combined effect study, three mixtures A (3:7), B (5:5), and C (7:3) of benzy[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and HgCl₂ were determined by 48 h - LC₅₀ values of single exposure. Combined effects of both chemicals were estimated by concentration addition (CA) model and independent action (IA) model. As results, 48 h - LC₅₀ values of benzy[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and HgCl₂ was 25.75 ㎍ l^-1 and 3.6 ㎍ l^-1, respectively. TU values of mixture A, B, and C were 1.06, 0.83, and 0.96, respectively, indicating additive effects of mixtures using CA model. This study will be helpful as basic data for understanding the combined effects of contaminants in marine environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.376-389
• /
• 2022

Despite the consumption of disinfectants have been increased by COVID-19 pandemic, the fate of the chemicals in aquatic food webs are still unclear. In order to understand the trophic transfer of the chemicals, the concentration of disinfectants including six benzalkonium chloride (BACs) and five didecyldimethylammonium chlorides(DDACs) were measured at the Geum (2020), Han (2021), and Yeongsan River (2021), before and after rainfall. The highest concentration of ∑BACs (mainly C12 and C14) and ∑DDACs (mainly C10 and C14) were observed in the Han River, followed by Yeongsan River, Geum River Estuary, and Gapcheon. After rainfalls, both concentration and detection frequency were decreased in all sites. Although the BAC and DDAC seems to be accumulated in organisms, they were bio-diluted rather than magnified in the aquatic food web with the biomagnification factor(BMF) of less than 1, trophic magnification slope (TMS) from -0.236 to 0.001, and trophic magnification factor(TMF) from 0.85 to 1.01.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.74-80
• /
• 2018

Mercury (Hg) poses a threat to marine ecosystem due to continuous inflow from various industries and bioaccumulation to higher trophic level via food web. Mercury can adversely affect growth, development, reproduction and metabolism to aquatic organisms. In the present study, acute toxicity and oxidative stress markers (total glutathione content, and activities of GST, GR and GPx) were investigated in brackish water flea Disphanosoma celebensis exposed to HgCl₂ for 24 h. As results, Hg showed negative effect in survival of D. celebensis. 24 h-LC₅₀ value was determined as 0.589 mg/l (95% C.I. 0.521~0.655 mg/l). After exposure to Hg (0.08 and 0.4 mg/l) for 24 h, total glutathione content was significantly decreased, whereas GST, GPx and GR activities were enhanced. These findings indicate that Hg induced oxidative stress in D. celebensis, and oxidative stress markers may be involved in cellular defense against Hg - mediated toxicity. This study provides a better understanding of molecular mode of action of Hg toxicity in this specie and potent of molecular markers for heavy metal monitoring in marine ecosystem.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.79-87
• /
• 2016

Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) are highly toxic to aquatic organisms and human, even at trace concentration. Herein we investigated the effect of Cd on the gene expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in marine ciliate Euplotes crassus. Seven ABC transporters and one GST genes were partially cloned and sequences, and thereafter, transcriptional modulation of these genes after exposure to Cd for 8 h was investigated using quantitative real time RT- PCR (qRT-PCR). As results, sequence analysis and phylogenetic study revealed that E. crassus ABCs are likely typical ABC transports, in particular, B/C family, and GST gene may be similar to GST theta isoform. A significant increase in the expression of ABCs, except for ABCB21 was observed in a concentration dependent manner after exposure to Cd (0.1 and 0.5 mg/l) for 8 h. The GST mRNA level was the highest at 0.5 mg/l Cd and then reduced until control level. These findings suggest that ABCs and GST may be involved in a protective mechanism against Cd-mediated toxicity in E. crassus.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2022

The effect of sediments in a waste dumping area on marine organisms was evaluated using sediment toxicity tests with a benthic amphipod (Monocorophium acherusicum) and bioluminescent bacterium (Vibrio fischeri) in accordance with the Korean Standard Method for Marine Wastes (KSMMW). Nine sites in the East Sea-Byeong, East Sea-Jeong, and Yellow Sea-Byeong areas were sampled from 2016 to 2019. The test results showed that the relative average survival rate (benthic amphipods) and relative luminescence inhibition rate (luminescent bacteria) were below 30%, which were judged to be "non-toxic." However, in the t-test, a total of 12 benthic amphipod samples (6, 1, 1, and 4 in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively) were significantly different (p<0.05) from the control samples. To identify the source of toxicity on benthic amphipods, a simple linear regression analysis was performed between the levels of eight heavy metals (Cr, As, Ni, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg) in sediments and the relative average survival rate. The results indicated that Cr had the highest contribution to the toxicity of benthic amphipods (p = 0.000, R2 = 0.355). In addition, Cr was detected at the highest concentration at the DB-85 station and exceeded the Marine Environment Standards every year. Although the sediments were determined as "not toxic" according to the ecotoxicity criteria of the KSMMW, the results of the statistical significance tests and toxicity identification evaluation indicated that the toxic effect was not acceptable. Therefore, revising the criteria for determining the toxic effect by deriving a reference value through quantitative risk assessment using species sensitivity distribution curves is necessary in the future.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.186-196
• /
• 2004

Since seagrasses are highly productive and provide a source of organic carbon for a wide variety of marine organisms in coastal and estuarine ecosystem, accurate assessment of seagrass production is critical to understand the functions and values of seagrasses in these ecosystems. Zieman's leaf marking technique has been mostly used to estimate seagrass leaf production rates. However, inherent problems on the traditional leaf marking technique have been discussed by the several researchers, and these problems can cause underestimation of seagrass production. To develop an accurate and reliable assessing method for seagrass production, production rates of eelgrass, Zostera marina in three bay systems on the south coast of the Korean peninsula were estimated using the conventional leaf marking technique and the plastochrone method. The plastochrone method has been recently suggested as an effective method for reliable assessments of seagrass production. In the present study, leaf production rates estimated by the plastochrone method were significantly higher than the rates derived from the traditional leaf marking technique. Annual eelgrass leaf production assessed using the leaf marking technique was about 65 to 89% of the estimated production using the plastochrone method. The differences in annual productions between assessment techniques imply that the conventional leaf marking technique significantly underestimated eelgrass leaf production. Total eelgrass productions estimated using the plastochrone method in the present study sites were about 600 to 806 g DW $m^{-2} y^{-l}$, and below-ground production accounted for about 20 to 23% of the total production. The plastochrone method was suggested to be an effective and accurate assessing method for eelgrass production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.10
• /
• pp.1461-1476
• /
• 2009

This review focuses on the metabolic and osmoregulatory functions of betaine and its impact on nutrient digestibility and performance in pigs and poultry. Betaine is the trimethyl derivative of the amino acid glycine, and is present in plant and animal tissue. It has been shown to play an important role in osmoregulation of plants, bacteria and marine organisms. Due to its chemical structure, betaine exerts a number of functions both at the gastrointestinal and metabolic level. As a methyl group donor, betaine is involved in transmethylation reactions and donates its labile methyl group for the synthesis of several metabolically active substances such as creatine and carnitine. Therefore, supplementation of betaine may reduce the requirement for other methyl group donors such as methionine and choline. Beneficial effects on intestinal cells and intestinal microbes have been reported following betaine supplementation to diets for pigs and poultry, which have been attributed to the osmotic properties of betaine. Furthermore, betaine potentially enhances the digestibility of specific nutrients, in particular fiber and minerals. Moreover, at the metabolic level, betaine is involved in protein and energy metabolism. Growth trials revealed positive effects of supplemental betaine on growth performance in pigs and poultry, and there is evidence that betaine acts as a carcass modifier by reducing the carcass fat content. In conclusion, due to its various metabolic and osmoregulatory functions, betaine plays an important role in the nutrition of monogastric animals.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.359-364
• /
• 2011

The seven selected primers OPA-02, OPA-04, OPA-18, OPD-07, OPD-08, OPD-15 and OPD-16 were used to generate unique shared loci to each species and shared loci by the two species. The hierarchical dendrogram indicates three main branches: cluster 1 (RORETZI 01~RORETZI 11) and cluster 2 (HILGENDORF 12~HILGENDORF 22) from two geographic populations of ascidians, Halocynthia roretzi and H. hilgendorfi. The shortest genetic distance displaying significant molecular difference was between individuals' HILGENDORF no. 14~HILGENDORF no. 19 (genetic distance =0.008). Ultimately, individual no. 02 of the RORETZI ascidian was most distantly related to HILGENDORF no. 21 (genetic distance=0.781). These results demonstrate that the H. roretzi population is genetically different from the H. hilgendorfi population. From what has been said above, the potential of PCR analysis to identify diagnostic markers for the identification of two ascidian populations has been demonstrated. Generally speaking, using a variety of decamer primers, this PCR method has been applied to identify specific markers particular to line, species and geographical population, as well as genetic diversity/polymorphism in diverse species of organisms.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.147-154
• /
• 2003

To develop fast and sensitive biomarkers for metal exposures in Antarctic marine organisms we examined histological alterations of an Antarctic sentinel bivalve species Laternula elliptica following a short-term exposure to a sublethal-level of Cd. Distinct histological alterations of tissues and cells of the gills, kidneys, and digestive glands were observed after 8-to 16-hours of exposure to Cd while an increase of Cd concentrations in tissues was not detectable. Most alterations were highly localized in the epithelium of the three tissues; epithelia were found to be detached from the remaining tissue parts. In addition ultra-structural changes such as cytosolic vacuolization, dilation of nucleus and rER membranes were detected in all three tissues, which suggested that the clams are subject to sublethal stresses. Thus, histological and ultrastructural changes on localized tissue parts were rapid and sensitive, suggesting that they may serve biomarkers for Cd exposures. Linkages between the shown ulrastructural changes and higher biological organization level responses are to be established by longer-term exposure experiments.