• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.257-267
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• 2012

Occupational neurotoxic diseases have become increasingly common in Taiwan due to industrialization. Over the past 40 years, Taiwan has transformed from an agricultural society to an industrial society. The most common neurotoxic diseases also changed from organophosphate poisoning to heavy metal intoxication, and then to organic solvent and semiconductor agent poisoning. The nervous system is particularly vulnerable to toxic agents because of its high metabolic rate. Neurological manifestations may be transient or permanent, and may range from cognitive dysfunction, cerebellar ataxia, Parkinsonism, sensorimotor neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction to neuromuscular junction disorders. This study attempts to provide a review of the major outbreaks of occupational neurotoxins from 1968 to 2012. A total of 16 occupational neurotoxins, including organophosphates, toxic gases, heavy metals, organic solvents, and other toxic chemicals, were reviewed. Peer-reviewed articles related to the electrophysiology, neuroimaging, treatment and long-term follow up of these neurotoxic diseases were also obtained. The heavy metals involved consisted of lead, manganese, organic tin, mercury, arsenic, and thallium. The organic solvents included n-hexane, toluene, mixed solvents and carbon disulfide. Toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide were also included, along with toxic chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, organophosphates, and dimethylamine borane. In addition we attempted to correlate these events to the timeline of industrial development in Taiwan. By researching this topic, the hope is that it may help other developing countries to improve industrial hygiene and promote occupational safety and health care during the process of industrialization.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.599-603
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• 2012

The enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic styrene oxide in organic solvents was conducted using a recombinant E. coli expressing protein-engineered Mugil cephalus epoxide hydrolase (McEH). The volumetric total activity of the recombinant E. coli was enhanced 2.2-fold by IPTG induction at a mid-exponential growth phase. Among organic solvents with different log P values, isooctane was chosen based on the high activity and the enantioselectivity of McEH. Some lyoprotectants such as skim milk or sucrose enhanced the McEH activity. Enantiopure (S)-Styrene oxide with a 98% ee was obtained from the racemic styrene oxide with a 53.6% yield based on its theoretical yield in isooctane.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1985-1994
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• 2000

This research was designed to investigate the effect of initial adsorbed amount of phenol, temperature, and pH on the desorption reaction of phenol from spent activated carbon loaded with phenol. Methanol, acetone, and N,N-dimethylformamide( DMF) were used as test organic solvents. The initial adsorbed quantities of phenol investigated here were 166.1mg/g, 180.7mg/g, and 197.9mg/g. The effect of temperature was evaluated from 15 to $55^{\circ}C$ with an interval of $10^{\circ}C$, while that of pH was investigated under acidic. neutral. and alkaline conditions. The extent of phenol desorption was proportional to the strength of dipole moment such as methanol < acetone < DMF. Over 90% desorption of phenol was achieved by acetone and DMF. The quantity of des orbed phenol by the organic solvents decreases with increasing the initial adsorbed amount of phenol. DMF is affected least by the initially adsorbed amount of phenol. An increase in reaction temperature leads to higher desorption of phenol. Desorption reaction by methanol is most sensitive to the temperature. As the pH of solvents increases. the desorption rate is also increasing. At pH=12. the desorption rate of phenol by methanol increases sharply by 10%. Although methanol demonstrated the weakest desorption power. the desorption capacity of methanol would approach that of acetone and DMF by adjusting temperature and pH. Methanol may emerge as a promising solvent for removing phenol from activated carbon because of acceptable regeneration efficiency as well as relatively cheap price.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.340-344
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• 2008

Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (CiP) was often used as a catalyst for oxidative polymerization of a variety of phenol derivatives to produce a new class of polyphenols. Economical point of view, to know the mechanism of enzyme deactivation is significantly important because cost of enzyme is critically high. Hydrogen peroxide being used as oxidizing agent induced deactivation of peroxidase by destruction of heme structure. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide the stability of peroxidase was unexpectedly improved by adding organic solvent. Especially 2-propanol significantly improved enzyme stability among tested solvents. Radical scavenging by organic solvents may play a major role in protecting peroxidase from the oxidation of oxidizing radicals.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.16-19
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• 2001

For the fast dry of the aqueous tape, the process which water was reaplaced by organic solvent was proposed. Socalled, it was the solvent washing dry. Three organic solvents (methanol, ethanol and acetone) were selected for the washing solvent. The weight loss of the washed tapes was measured to evaluate the dry rate of the tapes and dried tapes were examined the generation of the cracks with the variations of the organic solvent and the washing time. Methanol, ethanol and acetone were available organic solvents for this method. The tapes washed in methanol, ethanol and acetone were dried rapidly for twenty minutes. After thirty minutes, the weight losses were not found any more, The solvent of the lower surface tension can decreases the crack of dried tape. If solvent substitutes water completely, though it was fast dried, crack can be eliminated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.104-118
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• 1995

This study was performed to evaluate factors affecting desorption of organic solvents collected on charcoal tube and to find out the optimum condition. Desorption efficiency for polar analytes was improved when several polar desorption solvents such as methanol, dimethylformamide(DMF), 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol were added to carbon disulfide($CS_2$). The best improvement was achieved when 10% dimethylformamide(DMF) in $CS_2$ was used as desorption solvent. During storage of polar analytes, recovery was greatly reduced. Especially, the recovery of cyclohexanone was decreased to 18.1 % after a month storage at $34^{\circ}C$. After two weeks storage, recovery of polar analytes was sharply decreased. Water adsorbed on charcoal interfered the recovery of polar analytes but didn't interfere that one of nonpolar solvent, toluene. When 10% DMF in $CS_2$ was used as desorption solvent, the effect of water on recovery was decreased, comparing with Desorption efficiency increased when analyte loading increased, and usage of 10% DMF in $CS_2$ decreased the loading effect. Increasing volume of desorption solvent was not effective to improve desorption efficiency of analytes when 10% DMF was used. Continuous shaking and sonication is not helpful to increase the desorption efficiency of analytes except cyclohexanone using 10% DMF. When silica gel used as adsorbent, methanol was better desorbent than dimethylsulfoxide. Analytes adsorbed on silica gel showed high recovery in low concentration and less affected by humidity. On the basis of this study, the following conclusions have been drawn. To improve the recovery of polar organic materials in air samples, it is necessary to analyze samples as soon as possible after they were collected. Otherwise, samples must be stored at low temperature. Using two components of desorption solvents, such as 10% DMF in $CS_2$, the effects of loading and humidity decreased for polar analytes such as methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone. When work place has high humidity with low concentration of polar organic solvents, silica gel can be used as adsorbent, because it produces quantitative recovery for polar analytes at this condition. But it should be noted that high humidity makes breakthrough easy in silica gel samples.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.3241-3247
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• 2012

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been extensively investigated as promising alternatives to conventional organic solvents such as sulfolane and N,N-dimethylformamide for the selective extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons from the $C_6-C_{10}$ hydrocarbon mixtures produced from the cracking processes of naphtha and light oils. The most important advantage of ILs over conventional organic solvents is that they are immiscible with aliphatic hydrocarbons, and thus the back extraction of ILs from the raffinate phases and top hydrocarbon-rich layers is not necessary. In this paper, a brief review on the state of the art in the utilization of ILs for aromatics separation is presented.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2720-2724
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• 2013

Polynorbornenes prepared by vinyl addition pathway are known to have some desirable characteristics for wider application but they have some critical drawbacks such as brittleness, poor solubility and adhesion. In order to improve these drawbacks, extensive research for the successful homo- and copolymerization of polar functionalized norbornene with olefin has been carried out. Even though considerable advance has been achieved in the polymerization of polar functionalized monomers, successful catalytic systems for the homopolymerization of polar functionalized norbornene are rare. In this study, a novel successful catalytic system for the polymerization of polar functionalized norborene is proposed. This system employs Pd ${\beta}$-diketiminate/borate cocatalyst in water/organic mixed solvents and it is unique due to introduction of water as a component of solvents. Polymers obtained in this study show high Mw with narrow PDI. Effects of several reaction parameters to the polymer activity and properties are investigated and optimal catalytic system are proposed.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.119-128
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• 1966

The glass electrode was empirically calibrated in methanol-and 2-propanol-water mixed solvents, by means of which the pH-meter reading could be converted to stoichiometric hydrogen ion concentration. The thermodynamic dissociation constants of hydrogen cupferrate in methanol-and 2-propanol-water solution were potentiometrically determined with the changes in composition of organic solvents at 0.01 and 0.05 of the ionic strength and 25$^{\circ}C$. The empirical formula of the constants with mole fraction (n) of the organic solvent are as follow: methanol-water solution $pK_a$= 2.24n + 4.29 at ${\mu}$ = 0.01 n = 0.0476∼0.642 $pK_a$ = 2.35n + 4.38 at ${\mu}$ = 0.05 n= 0.0446~0.642 2-propanol-water solution $pK_a$= 5.50n + 4.48 at ${\mu}$ = 0.05 n = 0.0253~0.259 The relationships between $pK_a$ of acetic acid, propionic acid and HCup and dielectric constant of some mixed solvents were discussed. It would be considered that the factors effecting $pK_a$ value of weak acid in mixed-solvent are not only dielectric constants but acid-base character and solvation effect of the solvent, etc.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.211-220
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• 2013

The characteristic fluorescence properties of quercetin (QCT) and apigenin (API) were studied in various $CH_3OH-H_2O$ and $CH_3CN-H_2O$ mixed solvents. The structure of QCT is completely planar. API is not planar at the ground state but becomes nearly planar at the excited state. If the molecules are excited to the $S_1$ state in organic solvents, QCT exhibits no fluorescence due to excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) between the -OH and the carbonyl oxygen, but API shows significant fluorescence because ESIPT occurs slowly. If the molecules are excited to the $S_2$ state, both QCT and API exhibit strong $S_2{\rightarrow}S_o$ emission without any dual fluorescence. As the $H_2O$ composition of both solvents increases, the fluorescence intensity decreases rapidly due to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction. The theoretical calculation further supports these results. The change in fluorescence properties as a function of the solvatochromic parameters was also studied.