• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine the acute pulmonary toxicity of metallic silver nanoparticles (MSNPs, 20.30 nm in diameter). Acute pulmonary toxicity and body distribution of inhaled MSNPs in mice were evaluated using a nose-only exposure chamber (NOEC) system. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid analysis, Western blotting, histopathological changes, and silver burdens in various organs were determined in mice. Mice were exposed to MSNPs for 6 hrs. The mean concentration, total surface area, volume and mass concentrations in the NOEC were maintained at $1.93{\times}10^7$ particles/$cm^3$, $1.09{\times}10^{10}\;nm^2/cm^3$, $2.72{\times}10^{11}\;nm^3/cm^3$, and 2854.62 ${\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Inhalation of MSPNs caused mild pulmonary toxicity with distribution of silver in various organs but the silver burdens decreased rapidly at 24-hrs post-exposure in the lung. Furthermore, inhaled MSNPs induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in the lung. In summary, single inhaled MSNPs caused mild pulmonary toxicity, which was associated with activated MAPK signaling. Taken together, our results suggest that the inhalation toxicity of MSNPs should be carefully considered at the molecular level.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2020

The aim of this study is toxicity assessment using two types of sea urchins (H. pulcherrimus, M. nudus) that can representative primary consumers in potential coastal environments pollutants, Zinc undecylenate (ZU), which is used for various purposes, such as pharmaceutical agents and anti-bacterial and anti-fungi. The Fertilization rate and normal embryogenesis rate of H. pulcherrimus and M. nudus were concentration-dependent decreased. Besides, EC₅₀ of fertilization rate with H. pulcherrimus and M. nudus were 11.27 mgl^-1 and 1.48 mgl^-1, and EC₅₀ of normal embryogenesis were 0.94 mgl^-1 and 3.78 mgl^-1. NOEC of normal embryogenesis were 0.20 and 0.78 mgl^-1, respectively. In addition, to find the safety criteria of the ZU on the marine environment. PNEC value was 0.0094 mgl^-1, calculated using the toxicity values of two species of sea urchin derived from this study and the acute toxicity results of the coastal area through literature research. The above results will be used as basic data for establishing environmental protection strategies for marine environmental pollutants.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.385-391
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• 2018

Toxic assessment of PBDEs (BDE-47, BDE-209) has carried out using the rates of population growth in marine phytoplankton, Skeletonema costatum. The population growth rate (r) in S. costatum was determined after 96 hours of exposure to BDE-47 (2,2'4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether) and BDE-209 (2,2', 4,4'-Decabromodiphenyl ether). It was observed that r-value in the controls (absence PBDEs) was greater than 0.04 and further a decrease was observed in a dose-dependent manner. BDE-47 reduced population growth rate in a dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction occurred at a concentration greater than $0.31mgL^{-1}$, but BDE-209 had no effect on population growth rate even at concentrations greater than $125mgL^{-1}$. The population growth rate in the presence of BDE-47 and BDE-209, $EC_{50}$ values were $0.55mgL^{-1}$ and >$125mgL^{-1}$, and NOEC values were $0.16mgL^{-1}$ and >$125mgL^{-1}$, respectively. Therefore, BDE-47 is considered to be about over 80 times more harmful than BDE-209. In this study, the ecotoxic assessment based on population growth rate in S. costatum can be used as a baseline data for establishment of environment standard quality of BDE-47 and BDE-209 in the marine environment.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2005

Benthic amphipod, Grandidierella japonica widely inhabits the Korean coastal waters and is developed as a standard test species for sediment toxicity tests. We exposed G. japonica to various pollutants including 4 kinds of inorganic metals (Ag, Cd, Cu and Hg), tributyltin [TBT], ammonia and 7 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds (acenaphthene, chrysene, fluoranthene, fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene) to estimate the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and the median lethal concentration (LC50) of each pollutant during the 96-hour acute exposure. Among all tested pollutants, TBT was most toxic to G. japonica, and Rg was most toxic among inorganic metals. The toxicity of pyrene to G. japonica was greatest among PAH compounds, followed by fluoranthene, phenanathrene, acenaphthene, fluorene and naphthalene. The toxicity of PAH compounds was closely related to their physico-chemical characteristics such as $K_ow$ and water solubility. G. japonica responded adequately to pollutant concentrations and exposure durations, and the sensitivity of G. japonica to various inorganic and organic pollutants was generally comparable to other amphipods used as standard test species in ecotoxicological studies, indicating this species can be applied in the assessment of environments polluted by various harmful substances.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.468-475
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• 2015

Nonylphenol is one of endocrine disruptors, as structurally stable, hydrophobic compounds exhibit high condensability and long-lasting in the natural environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the toxic effects of nonylphenol on Daphnia magna. In acute toxicity test, D. magna was exposed for 48 h at concentrations of 0, 10, 18, 32, 56 and $100{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ nonylphenol. In chronic toxicity test, D. magna were exposed through water for 21 days at concentrations of 0, 1.0, 1.8, 3.2, 5.6 and $10{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ nonylphenol. Acute toxicity was assessed on the basis of immobility, while chronic toxicity was assessed on the basis of fecundity. The acute toxicity test on nonylphenol was showed that the values of 24 h and 48 h $EC_{50}$ were $25.0{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and $13.7{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, respectively. In chronic test, fecundity was reduced significantly at $5.6{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ of nonylphenol. These results indicated that nonylphenol have some hazard for acute or chronic toxicity to freshwater invertebrate organism.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1129-1139
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• 2005

A series of experiments was conducted to identify the potential of five phytoplankton species as standard test species for marine ecotoxicological tests. The candidate phytoplankton species are Skeletonema costatum, Heterosigma akashiwo, Prorocentrum micans, Isochrysis galbana, and Tetraselmis suecica. Salinity tolerance and sensitivity on potassium dichromate as a reference material were identified. Toxicity of eleven ocean dumped sewage sludges and four red tide expellent extracts were estimated by the inhibition of population growth rates (PGR) of marine diatom S. costatum, While most species revealed relatively weak tolerance on salinity, T. suecica demonstrated the highest salinity tolerance ranged from $5\~35$ psu and the others $15\~35$ psu. H. akashiwo revealed the highest sensitivity as 72h $IC_{50}$=0.76mg/L and T. suecica the lowest as 72h $IC_{50}$=8.89mg/L on potassium dichromate. Sludge extracts from industrial waste, domestic sewage and livestock farm waste sludge showed high toxicity as 72h $IC_{50}$<$2\%$ and lowest toxicity from filtration bed sludge as 72h $IC_{50}$=$30.50\%$ NOEC (No Observed Effective Concentration) of sludge extract ranged from <$0.4\%$ to $1.6\%$ and this indicated high phytotoxicity of ocean dumped sewage sludge. The test sensitivity of phytoplankton PGR inhibition was much higher than those of marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis mortality test and bioluminescent inhibition test by marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri, and comparable with the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) fertilization test. As a result the phytotoxicity test using phytoplankton PGR inhibition ($IC_{50}$) must be a useful tool for marine phyto-toxicological evaluation of ocean dumped materials.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.2 s.57
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• pp.157-163
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• 2007

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is the most widely used BFR (brominated flame retardants) as a reactive flame retardant in printed circuit boards, and as additive applications in several types of polymers. The purpose of this study is to assess the adverse effects of TBBPA on the benthic amphipod (Hyalella azteca). Results on the acute toxicity of TBBPA using Hyalella azteca showed that NOEC and LOEC are 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg, respectively. In addition, when chronic toxicity of TBBPA was investigated at the concentration ranges between 0.01 to 100mg/kg, it was found that NOECs are $10mg/kg(fecundity){\sim}100mg/kg(viability)$, respectively. Significant fecundity inhibition was appeared at 100mg/kg of TBBPA, however, this concentration did not show severe adverse effect on weight increment. The values of PNEC were determined as 0.1mg/kg (fecundity) and 1mg/kg (lethal effect), respectively, using a safety factor suggested by EU and OECD.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2010

Toxicity assessment of ocean dumping wastes (dye waste, urban sewage, food waste) were examined in the fertilization and embryo development rates of the Sea Urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. Spawning was induced by injecting 1 mL of 0.5 M KCl into coelomic cavity. Males released white or cream-colored sperms and females released yellow or orange-colored eggs. Experiments were began within 30 min the collection of both gametes. The fertilization and embryo development rates test were performed for 10 min and 64 h after fertilization, respectively. The fertilization and embryo development rates in the control condition (not including ocean dumping wastes sludge elutriate) were greater than 90%, but suddenly decreased with increasing of ocean dumping waste sludge elutriate concentrations. The fertilization and normal embryogenesis rates were significantly inhibited in all waste sludge elutriate from dye waste ($EC_{50}$=4.37; $EC_{50}$=1.76), urban sewage ($EC_{50}$=5.79; $EC_{50}$=2.00) and food waste ($EC_{50}$=7.68; $EC_{50}$=2.16), respectively. The NOEC (<3.13) and LOEC (3.13) of fertiliztion and normal embryogenesis rates very similar in all waste sludge elutriate. These results suggest that biological assay using the fertilization and embryo development rates of H. pulcherrimus are very useful test method for the ecological toxicity assessment of ocean dumping wastes.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2015

The effects of low salinity (fertilization success and larval survival) on the limpet Cellana grata were studied at early stages of development using the marine bioassay technique. It was shown that, under normal conditions for development from fertilization to the post veliger stage, the salinity must be not less than 20.0~35.0 psu. However, the fertilization rate and larval survival of C. grata was obviously reduced at 5.0 psu and 10.0 psu, respectively. Mass mortality was estimated to occur at <20.0 psu (48-h $EC_{50}=19.54psu$) and the survival rate of normal veliger larvae decreased with experimental time during exposure. No observed effective concentration (NOEC) and lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) of post veliger were estimated at 30.0 psu and 25.0 psu, respectively, during 48-h exposure. The tolerance limits of the test species to salinity revealed various concentration ranges of salinity, which may reflect the physiology and ecology of the initial development stages of C. grata. These results demonstrate that reduced salinity is detrimental to the reproductive success and larval survival of C. grata, and if salinity is lowered by natural or anthropogenic sources during spawning, this would lead to decreased reproductive success and larval settlement.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.1010-1020
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• 2014

Ballast water effluent treated by an electrolytic method contains reactive chlorine species and disinfection by-products (DBPs). In this study, we conducted whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing and ecological risk assessment (ERA) to investigate its ecotoxicological effects on marine environment. WET testing was carried out for three marine pelagic organisms, i.e., diatom Skeletonema costatum, rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and fish Paralichthys olivaceus. The biological toxicity test revealed that S. costatum was the only organism that showed apparent toxicity to the effluent; it showed no observed effect concentration (NOEC), lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC) and effect concentration of 50% (EC50) values of 12.5%, 25.0% and 83.3%, respectively, at brackish water condition. In contrast, it showed insignificant toxicity at seawater condition. B. plicatilis and P. olivaceus also showed no toxicities to the effluent at the both salinity conditions. Meanwhile, chemical analysis revealed that the ballast water effluent contained total residual oxidants (TROs) below $0.03{\mu}g/L$ and a total of 20 DBPs including bromate, volatile halogenated organic compounds (VOCs), halogenated acetonitriles (HANs), halogenated acetic acids (HAAs) and chloropicrin. Based on ERA, the 20 DBPs were not considered to have persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT) properties. Except monobromoacetic acid, the ratio of predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of the other 19 DBPs did not exceed 1. Thus, our results of WET testing and ERA indicated that the ballast water effluent treated by electrolysis and subsequently neutralization was considered to have no adverse impacts on marine environment.