• 환경생물
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.101-107
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• 2010

Metal ions are essential to life. However, some metals such as mercury are harmful, even when present at trace amounts. Toxicity of mercury arises mainly from its oxidizing properties. Ionizing radiation (IR) is an active tool for destruction of cancer cells and diagnosis of diseases, etc. IR induces DNA double strand breaks in the nucleus, In addition, it causes lipid peroxidation, ceramide generation, and protein oxidation in the membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus. Yeasts have been a commonly used material in biological research. In yeasts, the physiological response to changing environmental conditions is controlled by the cell types. Growth rate, mutation and environmental conditions affect cell size and shape distributions. In this work, the effect of IR and mercury chloride (II) on the morphology of yeast cells were investigated. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were treated with IR, mercury chloride (II) and IR combined with mercury chloride (II). Non-treated cells were used as a control group. Morphological changes were observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The half-lethal condition from the previous experimental results was used to the IR combined with mercury. Yeast cells were exposed to 400 and 800 Gy at dose rates of 400Gy $hr^{-1}$ or 800 Gy $hr^{-1}$, respectively. Yeast cells were treated with 0.05 to 0.15 mM mercury chloride (II). Oxidative stress can damage cellular membranes through a lipidic peroxidation. This effect was detected in this work, after treatment of IR and mercury chloride (II). The cell morphology was modified more at high doses of IR and high concentrations of mercury chloride(II). IR and mercury chloride (II) were of the oxidative stress. Cell morphology was modified differently according to the way of oxidative stress treatment. Moreover, morphological changes in the cell membrane were more observable in the frequently stress treated cells than the temporarily stress treated cells.

• 환경생물
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.559-564
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• 2004

The effects of intra-peritoneal injection of inorganic mercury on haemato-logical parameters and hepatic oxidative stress enzyme activities were studied in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. The fish were injected thrice intra-peritoneally with mercuric chloride TEX>$(5,\;10mg\;Hg\;kg\;b.W.^{-1})$. After exposure of three different mercury concentrations a physiological stress response was exerted on C. carpio by causing changes in the blood status such as erythropenia in blood and oxidative stress in liver. Red blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit level were reduced in most cases by inorganic mercury. Remarkable low level of serum chloride, calcium and osmolality were also observed in the mercury- exposed fish. However, serum magnesium and phosphate were not altered by exposure to mercury. An increased activity of hepatic glutathione peroxidase was observed in the lowest treatment group of carp $(1mg\;Hg\;mg\;b.w.^{-1})$, hence, hepatic catalase and glutathione peroxidase of carp exposed to higher concentration of mercury $(5,\;10mg\;Hg\;kg\;b.W.^{-1})$ showed significant reduction in such activities.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.705-715
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• 2013

The response of the freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris to mercuric ion ($Hg^{2+}$) stress was examined using chlorophyll a fluorescence image analysis and O-J-I-P analysis as a way to monitor the toxic effects of mercury on water ecosystems. The levels of photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids, decreased with increasing $Hg^{2+}$ concentration. The maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II(Fv/Fm) changed remarkably with increasing $Hg^{2+}$ concentration and treatment time. In particular, above $200{\mu}M\;Hg^{2+}$, considerable mercury toxicity was seen within 2 h. The chlorophyll a fluorescence transient O-J-I-P was also remarkably affected by $Hg^{2+}$; the fluorescence emission decreased considerably in steps J, I, and P with an increase in $Hg^{2+}$ concentration when treated for 4 h. Subsequently, the JIP-test parameters (Fm, Fv/Fo, RC/CS, TRo/CS, ETo/CS, ${\Phi}_{PO}$, ${\Psi}_O$ and ${\Phi}_{EO}$) decreased with increasing $Hg^{2+}$ concentration, while N, Sm, ABS/RC, DIo/RC and DIo/CS increased. Therefore, a useful biomarker for investigating mercury stress in water ecosystems, and the parameters Fm, ${\Phi}_{PO}$, ${\Psi}_O$, and RC/CS can be used to monitor the environmental stress in water ecosystems quantitatively.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Considerable effort has been made to address the issue of occupational health and environmental exposure to mercury. This review reports on the current literature of mercury exposure and health impacts on dental personnel. Citations were searched using four comprehensive electronic databases for articles published between 2002 and 2015. All original articles that evaluated an association between the use of dental amalgam and occupational mercury exposure in dental personnel were included. Fifteen publications from nine different countries met the selection criteria. The design and quality of the studies showed significant variation, particularly in the choice of biomarkers as an indicator of mercury exposure. In several countries, dental personnel had higher mercury levels in biological fluids and tissues than in control groups; some work practices increased mercury exposure but the exposure levels remained below recommended guidelines. Dental personnel reported more health conditions, often involving the central nervous system, than the control groups. Clinical symptoms reported by dental professionals may be associated with low-level, long-term exposure to occupational mercury, but may also be due to the effects of aging, occupational overuse, and stress. It is important that dental personnel, researchers, and educators continue to encourage and monitor good work practices by dental professionals.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.215-220
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• 2012

The effects of inorganic mercury on hematological parameters and hepatic oxidative stress enzyme activity were studied in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Fish were injected twice intraperitoneally with mercuric chloride (2, 4, or 8 mg Hg/kg BW). The major hematological findings were significant decreases in the red blood cell count, hematocrit value, and hemoglobin level in olive flounder exposed to 8 mg Hg/kg BW. Remarkably low levels of calcium and chloride, and reduced osmolality, were also observed at 8 mg Hg/kg BW. In hepatic tissue, significant increases in glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity were observed above 4 mg Hg/kg BW Inorganic mercury also increased glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase activity at 8 mg Hg/kg BW in hepatic tissue. The present findings suggest that exposure to a low concentration (${\geq}4$ mg Hg/kg BW) of inorganic mercury can cause significant changes in hematological and antioxidant parameters.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제21권5호
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• pp.16-24
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• 2016

A new strain of Pseudomonas sp. was isolated from mercury (Hg)-contaminated sites in Taiwan. This bacterium removed more than 80% of Hg present in the culture medium at 12 h incubation and was chosen for further analysis of the molecular mechanisms of Hg tolerance/removal abilities in this Pseudomonas sp. We used RNA-seq, one of the next-generation sequencing methods, to investigate the transcriptomic responses of the Pseudomonas sp. exposed to 60 mg/L of Hg²⁺. We de novo assembled 4,963 contigs, of which 10,533 up-regulated genes and 5,451 down-regulated genes were found to be regulated by Hg. The 40 genes most altered in expression levels were associated with tolerance to Hg stress and metabolism. Functional analysis showed that some Hg-tolerant genes were related to the mer operon, sulfate uptake and assimilation, the enzymatic antioxidant system, the HSP gene family, chaperones, and metal transporters. The transcriptome were analyzed further with Gene Ontology (GO) and Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COGs) of proteins and showed diverse biological functions and metabolic pathways under Hg stress.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.13-21
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• 1992

The inhibitory effects of mercury ions on the growth of barley seedlings were studied and the distribution of metal elements in the organs of treated plants was investigated by using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray emission (SRIXE). Although the treatment of mercury ions caused growth inhibition, the mercury-specific increase in variable fluorescence and the abolishment of energy-dependent quenching in broken barley chloroplasts as shown by Moon et at. (1992) were not observed in the leaves of growth-inhibited seedlings. Instead the treatment of mercury decreased Fmax and Fo values. However, Fmax/Fo ratio and photochemical and nonphotochemical quenching coefficients were not affected significantly. By SRIXE analysis of $10\mu\textrm{m}$ mercury chloride treated seedlings, accumulation of mercury in roots was observed after 1 hour of treatment and similar concentration was sustained for 48 hours. Relative contents of mercury was high in roots and underground nodes where seeds were attachedl but was very low in leaves. Iron and zinc were also distributed mainly in the lower parts of the seedlings. However after 72 hours of treatment the contents of these metals in roots decreased and their distribution became more uniform, which may lead to death of the plants. These results suggest that the observed inhibitory effects on barley seedlings upto 48 hours after the treatment is not due to direct damages in the photosynthetic apparatus, but due to its accumulation in roots and the consequent retardation of the growth of barley seedlings. The decrease in Fmax and Fo is probably due to the decrease in chlorophyll and protein contents caused by the retardation of growth. The observed slow expansion of primary leaves could be also explained by the retardation of growth, but the fluorescence induction pattern from the leaves did not show characteristic symptoms of leaves under water stress.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.76-82
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• 1990

낙동강에서의 수은 내성세균이 본포를 조사한 결과 $HgCl_{2}$가 20ppm이상 함유된 배지에서 정상이 가능한 수은 내성세균이 전체

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.89-94
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• 1999

Thirty-day-old seedlings of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) were treated with different concentrations of HgCl$_2$(0. 10 and 50 $\mu$M) for up to 20 days. and the detailed distribution of Hg absorbed and its toxicity in different plant parts (roots, stems and leaves) were investigated. The accumulation of Hg in plants increased with external Hg concentrations. and Hg is strongly retained by roots. Further. Hg content in leaves was various. showing more accumulation in older leaves. Seedlings exposed to toxic levels of Hg showed not only the reduction of dry weight and length of both shoot and root. and chlorophyll levels in leaves but also the enhancement of malondialdehyde (a lipid peroxidation product) formation in all plant parts investigated. These results suggest that physiological impairment of a plant exposed to Hg may be achieved by internal distribution of Hg absorbed and Hg-induced oxidative stress in different plant parts.

• 한국해양생명과학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.74-80
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• 2018

수은은 다양한 산업활동에 사용되어 해양 환경 내에 지속적으로 유입되며 먹이사슬을 따라 축적되며 생물체 내로 유입 시 해양 생물의 성장, 발생, 생식, 대사 등에 악영향을 미칠 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 기수산 물벼룩 Diaphanosoma clelbensis에 대한 수은의 급성 독성과 산화적 스트레스 지표(총 glutathione 함량, GST, GR, GPx 활성)를 이용한 항산화 반응을 조사하였다. 24시간 수은을 노출시킨 결과 생존율이 농도 의존적으로 감소하는 양상을 보였으며, 24시간 LC₅₀ 값은 0.589 mg/l (95% C.I. 0.521~0.655 mg/l)로 나타났다. 수은(0.08과 0.4 mg/l)을 24시간 노출시킨 D. celebensis에서 총 glutathione 함량은 유의하게 감소하는 양상을 보였으며, GST, GR, GPx 활성은 유의하게 증가하는 양상을 보였다. 이러한 결과는 수은 노출에 의해 D. celebensis에서 산화적 스트레스가 유도되었음을 의미하며, 이들 산화적 스트레스 지표의 변화는 세포내에서 방어기전으로 작용하였음을 나타낸다. 본 연구는 D. celebensis에서 수은 독성의 분자메커니즘을 이해하는데 도움이 되며, 중금속 오염된 해양 생태계 모니터링과 해양 생물의 건강성 평가에서 이들 분자지표의 활용 가능성을 제시한다.