• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.98-106
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• 2020

Purpose: This study utilized data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to explore differences in the timing of menarche in Korean girls according to blood heavy metal concentrations. Methods: This study performed a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the sixth KNHANES. Data from 179 female children and adolescents aged 10~18 were included in this study. The relationships of blood heavy metal concentrations (lead, mercury, and cadmium) with age of menarche were analyzed using complex sample multiple logistic regression. Results: In the participants of this study, the geometric mean values of blood lead, mercury, and cadmium concentrations were 1.15±0.04 ㎍/dL, 1.80±0.08 ㎍/L, and 0.30±0.03 ㎍/L, respectively. Mercury poisoning (>5 ㎍/L) was found in 1.5% of participants. Furthermore, significant relationships were found between blood lead and mercury concentrations and age at menarche (p for trend: p<.001 and p=.015, respectively). Conclusion: Through an analysis of national big data, this study found evidence that Korean girls showed a younger age at menarche in response to higher blood lead and mercury concentrations. To prevent and manage precocious puberty in Korean children and adolescents, a systematic policy that monitors both exposure to environmental hazards and blood heavy metal concentrations is needed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 1987

Onion extracts were tested for effects on the growth and lactic acid production of Lactobacillus bulgaricus in the medium containing mercury. The media containing mercury were added with onion extracts and inoculated with the bacterium and then incubated at $39^{\circ}$ for four days. All of the onion extracts examined increased the growth and lactic acid production of the bacterium in the medium containing mercury. At the addition of the edible portion extract of onion to the medium containing 5 ppm, 10 ppm and 20 ppm mercury, the higher the concentration of the onion extract was added, the greater the increasing effect on the growth and lactic acid production. The brown peel extract of onion increased the growth and lactic acid production of the bacterium in the medium containing mercury at all concentrations. The higher the concentration of the extract added, the more effective the increasing effect. The onion solutions of edible portion and brown peel extracted at $90^{\circ}\;to\;100^{\circ}$ showed more desirable effects than those extracted at the room temperature. Among four kinds of the onion extracts, the brown peel solution extracted at $90^{\circ}\;to\;100^{\circ}$ was the most effective in increase of the growth and lactic acid production in the medium containing mercury.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.819-823
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• 2008

Mercury and methylmercury concentrations were measured in 225 marine fish samples purchased from retail markets in 5 major Korean cities in 2005. The results showed that the concentrations of mercury and methylmercury ranged from 0.006-0.455 (mean=$0.054{\pm}0.025$) mg/kg and 0.004-0.120 (mean=$0.021{\pm}0.008$) mg/kg, respectively, in fish caught from the coastal waters of the Korean Peninsula. The concentrations in deep-sea fish including tuna ranged from 0.066-2.315 (mean=$0.095{\pm}0.640$) mg/kg for mercury and 0.027-0.897 (mean=$0.281{\pm}0.182$) mg/kg for methylmercury. The estimated weekly intakes (EWIs) of mercury and methylmercury reached 3.92 and 4.70% of the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWI), respectively. Consequently, the levels of mercury and methylmercury in marine fish from current retail markets do not pose any significant health risks for Koreans.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.42-48
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• 2023

An adult male Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra) with ataxia and lethargy was rescued. Through the necropsy of this otter with neurological symptoms, a broad range of vascular damage caused by mercury toxicity in several organs, hepatocellular necrosis, and vacuolation in the brain. In mercury examination, liver, kidney, and hair showed values of 0.878 ± 0.027, 1.807 ± 0.049, and 5.712 ± 0.102 ㎍/g, respectively. Compared with certified reference material, it was confirmed that the concentration of mercury were 6.7 times, 13.7 times, and 43.3 times higher, respectively. When the symptoms and diagnosis results were comprehensively reviewed, this otter's demise was revealed due to mercury poisoning. The mercury concentration in the liver does not exceed the lowest observed effect level of 3.4 ㎍/g. However, even at low concentrations, long-term accumulation can cause symptoms including neuropathy, and the possibility that these heavy metals have accumulated in other wild animals cannot be ruled out. It seems that continuous monitoring using sentinel animals is necessary.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2008

We evaluated the relationship between birth weight and mercury exposure levels in Seoul, Korea, by following a cohort of pregnant women and the outcomes of their pregnancies between 2001-2005. Eighty-five pregnant women were recruited into this study after obtaining informed consent. Samples were collected at delivery from normal pregnant women who were living in the city of Seoul, Korea. Mercury concentrations in 85 sets of maternal and cord blood samples were measured using a gold-amalgam collection method. We used multiple regression analysis to analyze the effect of mercury exposure on birth weight. The mean levels of total mercury concentrations were 5.41(ppb) in maternal blood of pregnant women and 3.58(ppb) in umbilical cord blood. The mean concentration of umbilical cord blood mercury exposures was higher than the level recommended by WHO. There was a significant correlation between maternal and cord blood mercury concentrations. Mercury concentrations of umbilical cord blood was associated with birth weight. In addition, after adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found that mercury exposure may reduce the birth weight. This study suggests that exposure to mercury concentration during pregnancy contributes to the risk of low birth weight. Therefore, prenatal and environmental education for various and possible sources of mercury exposure might be necessary for the good health of babies. The finding of this study supports the construction of national policy for environmental health management.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.28
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• pp.15.1-15.8
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• 2013

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the association between low-level mercury exposure and neurobehavioral functions in adults living in coastal regions of Korea. Methods We selected 172 adults aged 20-65 years living in a city in the coastal region of Korea. A sociodemographic survey was conducted, mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were measured, and the associations according to computerized neurobehavioral tests were determined using univariate analysis. After adjustment for associated variables, a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed. Results The geometric mean mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were $5.41{\mu}g/L$ (range, $0.00-15.84{\mu}g/L$), $1.17{\mu}g/g$-creatinine (range, $0.00-32.86{\mu}g/g$-creatinine), and 1.37 mg/kg (range, 0.42-6.56 mg/kg), respectively. Variables that were associated with simple reaction time according to the neurobehavioral test results were age and urine mercury level. Variables associated with choice reaction time were the recent use of Korean traditional medicine and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the right-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, smoking behavior, education level, monthly household income, and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the left-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, education level, and urine mercury level. After adjustment for associated variables, there was no significant association between urine mercury level and simple reaction time (${\beta}=25.96$; p =0.47), choice reaction time (${\beta}=50.37$; p =0.32), or the number of left-hand finger taps (${\beta}=-1.54$; p =0.21). However, urine mercury level was significantly associated with the number of right-hand finger taps (${\beta}=-3.86$; p =0.01). Conclusions We found no evidence that low-level mercury exposure in adults is associated with deficits in neurobehavioral functions. A longer follow-up study is required to confirm this conclusion.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.370-378
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• 2011

Catalytic activity of $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$-based SCR catalyst was examined for the oxidation of gas-phase elemental mercury to oxidized mercury. Mercury species was not detected on the commercial SCR catalyst after the oxidation reaction of elemental mercury, regadless of the presence of HCl acting as oxidant and the reaction conditions. This suggests that elemental mercury oxidation by HCl could occur via a Eley-Rideal mechanism with gas phase or weakly-bound mercury on the surface of $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ SCR catalyst. The activity for mercury oxidation was significantly increased with the increase of $V_2O_5$ loading, which indicates that $V_2O_5$ is the active site. However, turnover frequency for mercury oxidation was decreased with the increase of $V_2O_5$ loading, indicating the activity for mercury oxidation was strongly dependent on the surface structure of vanadia species. The activity for oxidation of elemental mercury under SCR condition was much less than that under oxidation condition at the same HCl concentration and reaction temperature.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.87-89
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• 1969

1. The contents of mercury in Korean soy-bean sprouts and persimmons were determined, 2. The contents of mercury in soy-bean sprouts was 0.088 ppm in mean value. 3. The contents of mercury in mollowed persimmon was 0.104 ppm in mean value.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 1979

Total mercury content of Korean soils which were randomly sampled at 212 different localities were determined by quartz tube combustion-gold amalgamation method, 1) The mean and median values of total mercury content of Korean soils were 0.18PPM and 0.14PPM, respectively. 2) Among 212 localities, 14 have total mercury contents which are three times higher than the median value. The highest values was found to be 1.74PPM.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.198-201
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• 2005

Nickel amalgam was Prepared by the electro-deposition with mercury cathode in a modified Watts bath. Homogeneous nickel amalgam was obtained. The fluidity of the amalgam decreased gradually with increased nickel quantity and become solid finally. Nickel powders of sub-micron size were obtained by a distillation of mercury from the amalgam. The characterization of the nickel amalgam was studied by SEM and x-ray diffractometry.