• Carbon letters
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.295-298
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• 2014

In this work, nanoporous carbons (NPCs) were prepared by the self-assembly of polymeric carbon precursors and block copolymer template in the presence of tetraethyl orthosilicate and colloidal silica. The NPCs' pore structures and total pore volumes were analyzed by reference to $N_2$/77 K adsorption isotherms. The porosity and elemental mercury adsorption of NPCs were increased by activation with carbon dioxide. It could be resulted that elemental mercury adsorption ability of NPCs depended on their specific surface area and micropore fraction.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.364-373
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a mercury database for food commonly consumed by Koreans. Methods: Target foods for a mercury database were selected from dietary survey data of the 2007-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Data for mercury contents of foods were collected through literature review. Among 702 food items reported by 24 hr dietary recall method, the contents of mercury for 300 food items were selected with systematic evaluation from the literature, which provided analytical values, and those of 56 food items were imputed by using a conversion factor. Results: The mercury database developed in this study covered 50.7% of all kinds of consumed foods and 95.1% of total amount of food intake reported by 2007-2009 KNHANES. In the database, the geometric mean of mercury contents in food items was the highest in the fishes and shellfishes group ($41.13{\mu}g/kg$, n = 101) followed by mushrooms ($18.93{\mu}g/kg$, n = 12) and seaweeds ($5.92{\mu}g/kg$, n = 14), and the lowest in the meats group ($0.15{\mu}g/kg$, n = 17). Conclusion: The developed mercury database can be used to estimate the dietary mercury exposure of Korean people, and the method for development of a mercury database would be helpful to researchers in development of a new database for other food borne hazardous substances.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.81-84
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• 1967

A simple rotating micro mercury electrode is constructed in such a way that the mercury surface can be renewed quite easily with reasonable reproducibility. It consists of a glass capillary of about 1mm diameter connected to a mercury filled tube by means of a ground joint that allows mercury flow at a particular relative position only, and the electrical connection between the two parts is made by a platinum wire fused in the bottom of the latter. Thus the mercury surface exposed at the tip of the capillary replaces the platinum tip of the usual platinum micro electrode; however, the capillary has to be bent so that the tip directs upwards. It has been found to be a convenient electrode in the amperometric titration in strongly acidic media. Furthermore, it has been advantageously used in the alternating-current polarography because of its smaller electrical resistance than the ordinary dropping mercury electrodes. It also can be used as a stationary mercury electrode in fast scanning polarography.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.368-375
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• 2020

Objectives: Some animal studies have reported that methyl mercury causes developmental toxicities such as placental and fetal weight loss, but the mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the developmental toxicities of methyl mercury, focusing on placental endocrine function and fetal growth retardation in rats. Methods: Positively same-time-mated female Sprague-Dawley rats were purchased on gestational day (GD) eight and treated with 0, 5, 10 and 20 ppm of methyl mercury (n=5) dissolved in tap water from GD eight through 19. During treatment, the drinking water (methyl mercury) intake and body weight of each pregnant rat was measured daily. On day 19, caesarean sections were performed and blood samples were collected. Developmental data such as placental and fetal weights, fetus numbers, and placental efficiency (fetal weight/placental weight) were also collected. Placental prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH) family, such as placental lactogen (PL) -Iv, II, and prolactin-like protein (PLP) -B, levels in serum were analyzed by ELISA. Also, placental tissues were assigned to histochemistry. Results: The mean cumulative methyl mercury exposure for the 5, 10, and 20 ppm groups were 2.37, 4.63, and 9.66 mg, respectively. The mean daily exposure of the 5, 10, and 20 ppm groups were 0.24, 0.47, and 0.97 mg, respectively. Maternal body weight increased in accordance with GD. There was no significant difference in weight gain among the experimental groups. Histopathologic changes were not observed in placental tissues among the experimental groups. However, mean placental and fetal weights were lower in the 10 and 20 ppm exposed groups compared to the control. Placental efficiency was also lower in the 10 and 20 ppm exposed groups compared to the control. Serum PL-Iv and II levels were lower in the 10 and 20 ppm exposed groups than the control, in accordance with the changing pattern of placental and fetal weights and placental efficiency. Conclusion: The inhibitory effects of methyl mercury on the serum levels of placental PRL-GH family such as PL-Iv and II may be secondary leads to the reduction of placental efficiency and fetal growth retardation in rats.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 1990

In samples taken from mouth of the Nakdong River, mercury-resistant bacteria grown on the media supplemented with over 20 ppm of mercuric chlorice were below 0.3% of all aerobic heterotrophs. Among them, seven strains grown over 100 ppm of mercuric chloride were isolated and all were identified as Pseudomonas. The toxic effect of mercury on the growth of the most resistant strain N14 was influenced by the organic compounds and concentration. The growth and physiological activity to N14 strain were affected by toxic mercury in the early stage: The viable count and glucose turn over rate of N14 strain dropped to the lowest level as soon as the bacteria came into contact with mercury. During the extended lag period, however, bacteria accommodated to the stress and the viable count and glucose turnover rate increased. After the lag period, bacteria began to proliferate and their growth reached similar level to that of control. In crude extracts of N14 strain grown in nutrient browth containing. $10{\mu}M$ $HgCl_{2}$, a mercuric ion dependent oxidation of NADPH was demonstrated. Therefore the mechanism of mercury-resistance of the N14 strain involved the elimination of the mercury from growth media. In the N14 strain which a wide range of resistance to antibiotics was observed in, four multiple plasmids were detected. As a result, the supposition that N14 strain has a plasmid-encoded enzyme system may be quite within the realms of possobility.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.531-540
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• 2010

Objectives : In this study, following the cavity restorations with low copper conventional alloy, high copper admixed one and high copper unicompositional one, which are used the most frequently in a clinical setting at the present, to experiment the time-dependent changes of strength, bubbles were examined. Besides, to examine the detrimental effects of mercury contained in dental amalgam, the amount of mercury release was evaluated. Methods : As dental amalgams which were used herein, [BESTALOY], [Hi-Aristaloy 21] and [Sybraloy] were selected for a low-copper conventional amalgam, a high-copper admixed one and a high-copper unicompositional one in the corresponding order. The formation of bubbles and the weight ratio of mercury release were evaluated using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Thus, the following results were obtained: Results : 1. The time-dependent amount of mercury release reached a statistical significance in three types of alloys, which was shown in such a descending order as [BESTALOY], [Hi-Aristaloy 21] and [Sybraloy]. 2. A low-copper conventional type, BESTALOY is a cutting type and it was found to have an increased formation of fine bubbles. In the remaining two types, [Hi-Aristaloy 21] (a high-copper admixed alloy) and [Sybraloy] (a high-copper unicompositional alloy), the time-dependent changes in the formation of bubbles was negligible. Conclusions : Accordingly, this type of mercury release from amalgam alloy denotes the difference in the weight ratio of total constituents between after 24 hours and after two weeks. But further studies are warranted to examine the amount of mercury release which is detrimental to human bodies. Besides, a low-copper conventional alloy is a cutting type and it was characterized by the abundant formation of bubbles in a time-dependent manner. This implies that the strength of amalgam is impaired, which should be considered in selecting the appropriate amalgam alloy in a clinical setting.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.241-250
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• 2017

Recently, there has been growing interest in the emission characteristics and behavior of anthropogenic mercury compounds from emission sources. It is required to establish a standard for reliable mercury measurement method. Therefore, this study has evaluated the applicability of the new measurement method; Continuous Emission Monitoring (US EPA 30A, CEM). In addition, the reliability evaluation was conducted through Ontario Hydro Method (ASTM D6784, OHM) and Sorbent trap method (US EPA Method 30B). As a monitoring result for three months via CEM from cement kiln, the maximum mercury compounds concentration was about $600{\mu}g/Sm^3$. This is because of the various of raw materials and fuel, and the absence of mercury-control device. The mercury compounds concentrations of OHM, Sorbent trap and CEM were 13.64 $(3.33{\sim}32.41){\mu}g/Sm^3$, $13.94(5.97{\sim}23.44){\mu}g/Sm^3$ and $14.68(6.19{\sim}26.75){\mu}g/Sm^3$, respectively. The relative standard deviations (% RSD) of the three methods were 5.1~40.9%. The result of this study suggest that it is possible to apply the CEM in the cement kiln when, QA/QC such as calibration is verified.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.172-181
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• 2012

Mercury is one of the most hazardous air pollutants. Recently, mercury has been a concern in domestic and overseas because it has lethal toxicity, long distance transport, persistence and bioaccumulation in the environment. Stationary combustion sources such as coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, and cement kilns are the major sources of mercury emissions. The objectives of this study were to measure the concentration for mercury from coal-fired power plants and to calculate emission factor to estimate its emission. The results showed that the mercury concentrations in the flue gas were 1.63-3.03 mg/$Sm^3$ in anthracite-fired power plants (average 2.32 mg/$Sm^3$) and 1.95-3.33 mg/$Sm^3$ in bituminous-fired power plants (average 2.6 mg/$Sm^3$). Mercury emission factor was estimated as 25.74 mg/ton for anthracite-fired power plants and 12.48 mg/ton for bituminous-fired power plants. Because actual measurements are limited in quantity, it is desirable to refine our estimates by extending the actual measurements.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.427-431
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• 2014

Mercury is an element of special concern for human health. Measurements of total mercury levels in fish have been taken into consideration to assess risk. In this study, the Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni was evaluated as a potential safe food source through measurement of total mercury contents. Total mercury concentrations in Antarctic toothfish ranged from $0.101{\pm}0.047mg/kg$ to $0.139{\pm}0.075mg/kg$. The total mercury concentration was significantly correlated with macroscopic values including total fish length, weight, gonadosomatic index, and maturity (P < 0.01 or 0.05). Furthermore, according to the risk assessment, the total mercury body exposure rate from Antarctic toothfish ranged from 2.125% to 2.847% of the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake. Therefore, the Antarctic toothfish could be used as a potential safe seafood source.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.135-143
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• 1971

In order to find out the degree of mercury contamination of common foodstuffs a series of determination was carried out by a highly sensitive activation analysis and the following results were obtained. 1. Polished rice contained 0.050 ppm of mercury whereas rice bran had 0.095 ppm mercury which was found in other grain in lesser degree. 2. Vegetables and fruits also contained $0.035{\sim}0.190\;ppm$ of mercury with relatively small variations from sample except persimmon which had a considerably higher amount of mercury. 3. Soybean sprout contained an unexpectantly high amount of mercury. 4. Of the animal products chicken and egg contained more mercury than the meat.