• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.247-258
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• 2018

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the degree of air pollution can be evaluated via examination of local plants. Selected sites included two parks in an industrial area, as well as two parks in an urban area. Selected plant samples comprised one-year-old pine shoot leaves. Leaves growing over 2 m from the ground were collected from over 10 pine trees. Leaf surface was analyzed for deposition of 14 trace elements and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including particle size and mass, surface imaging, precipitation-mediated particle removal rate, and concentration. Particle size ranged from 0.4 to $200{\mu}m$, and the volume percentage of particles ${\leq}10$ was 20 %. Deposited particle mass ranged from 0.450-0.825 mg, and precipitation-mediated removal rate ranged from 10.0-27.6 %. Trace element concentration, as measured by ICP/MS after microwave acid digestion, was 18.8-26.3 mg/kg As, 0.08-0.13 mg/kg Be, 0.06-0.08 mg/kg Cd, 4.91-17.8 mg/kg Cr, 5.26-405 mg/kg Cu, 1,930-2,670 mg/kg Fe, 3.03-28.1 mg/kg Pb, 26.9-42.8 mg/kg Mn, 2.66-10.4 mg/kg Ni, 4,560-8,730 mg/kg Al, 2,500-6,120 mg/kg Ba, 5.27-17.8 mg/kg Rb, 40.9-95.3 mg/kg Sr, and 4,030-8,260 mg/kg Zn. Concentration of PAHs, as analyzed by GC/MS/MS after liquid-liquid extraction and purification of deposited particles, ranged from 1.17 to 12.378 mg/kg for ${\Sigma}PAH_{16}$ and from 1.17 to 12.378 mg/kg for ${\Sigma}PAH_7$.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.210-216
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• 2006

The concentrations of 16 priority PAHs (US EPA standard) were analyzed in the surface sediments obtained from 23 sampling sites near Kwangyang Bay in Korea. There was a local variability in the total PAHs ranged from 0.01 to 171.39 mg/kg, with a mean value of $8.13{\pm}24.8mg/kg$. The major pollution sources of PAHs near Kwanyang Bay were Taeindo, Sueo stream and Wallae stream, whose concentrations were 114.81, 38.37 mg/kg and 19.05 mg/kg, respectively. It showed that PAHs concentrations were increased with the decrease of particle size and with the increase of organic carbon contents in three fractioned sediments. From the analysis of PAHs source using LMW/HMW, Phe/Ant, and Fla/Pyr, pyrolysis by-products were mostly showed in Kwangyang Bay and some place showed the mixure of pyrolysis by-products, and crude oil by-products. Besides, the toxic effects assessment on benthic ecosystem for three major pollution sources showed that the PAHs concentration of Taindo which was mainly accumulated with carcinogenic PAHs exceeds ERM value and the PAHs of Sueo and Wallae streams are the degree of ERL value.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.362-377
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• 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been of particular concern since they are present both in the vapor and particulate phases in ambient air. In this study, a simple method was applied to determine the vapor phase PAHs, and the performance of the new method was evaluated with a conventional method. The simple method was based on adsorption sampling and thermal desorption with GC/MS analysis, which is generally applied to the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air. A combination of Carbotrap (300 mg) and Carbotrap-C (100 mg) sorbents was used as the adsorbent. Target compounds included two rings PAHs such as naphthalene, acenaphthylene, and acenaphthene. Among them, naphthalene was listed as one of the main HAPs together with a number of VOCs in petroleum refining industries in the USA. For comparison purposes, a method based on adsorption sampling and solvent extraction with GC/MS analysis was adopted, which is in principle same as the NIOSH 5515 method. The performance of the adsorption sampling and thermal desorption method was evaluated with respect to repeatabilities, detection limits, linearities, and storage stabilities for target compounds. The analytical repeatabilities of standard samples are all within 20%. Lower detection limits was estimated to be less than 0.1 ppbv. In the results from comparison studies between two methods for real air samples. Although the correlation coefficients were more than 0.9, a systematic difference between the two groups was revealed by the paired t-test (${\alpha}$=0.05). Concentrations of two-rings PAHs determined by adsorption and thermal desorption method consistently higher than those by solvent extraction method. The difference was caused by not only the poor sampling efficiencies of XAD-2 for target PAHs and but also sample losses during the solvent extraction and concentration procedure. This implies that the levels of lower molecular PAHs tend to be underestimated when determined by a conventional PAH method utilizing XAD-2 (and/or PUF) sampling and solvent extraction method. The adsorption sampling and thermal desorption with GC analysis is very simple, rapid, and reliable for lower-molecular weight PAHs. In addition, the method can be used for the measurement of VOCs in the air simultaneously. Therefore, we recommend that the determination of naphthalene, the most volatile PAH, will be better when it is measured by a VOC method instead of a conventional PAH method from a viewpoint of accuracy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2001

This study was performed to evaluate the coke oven emissions (COE) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon levels in coke manu-facturing industry, secondary lead smelting industry and glass bottle manufacturing industry. 1. There were no significant difference between the means of personal samples and area samples by the types of industry(p>0.05). The levels of airborne total particulates of the secondary lead smelting industry was the highest($2.30mg/m^3$), and those of the coke manu-facturing industry and glass bottle manu facturing industry were $1.95mg/m^3$ and $1.37mg/m^3$. The concentration of COE was the highest in the glass bottle manufacturing industry($0.79mg/m^3$), and in order of $0.19mg/m^3$ in the coke manufacturing industry and $0.06mg/m^3$ in the secondary lead smelting industry. COE/total particulates(%) was highest in the glass bottle manufacturing industry(58.1%) and in order of 10.3% in the coke manufacturing industry and 3.1% in secondary lead smelting industry. There were significant differences in the total particle concentration and COE by the types of industry(p<0.05). 2. The levels of airborne total particulates was the highest at the smelting process of secondary lead smelting industry($2.30{\pm}0.72mg/m^3$), and the lowest at the smelting process of glass bottle manufacturing industry ($0.99{\pm}1.22mg/m^3$) Concentration of COE was the highest at the casting process of glass bottle manufacturing industry ($1.09{\pm}1.15mg/m^3$), the lowest at the smelting process of secondary lead smelting industry ($0.06{\pm}0.03mg/m^3$). The COE/total particulates(%) was the highest at the casting process of glass bottle manufacturing industry($65.9{\pm}20.5%$), and the lowest at the smelting process of secondary lead smelting indusry($3.1{\pm}2.7%$). 3. There were positive correlations between level of The airborne total particulates and concentration of COE in coke manufacturing industry and glass bottle manufacturing industry (p<0.05), but negative correlation in secondary lead smelting industry. 4. The numbers of case and rates that over the Threshold Limit Values(TLVs) were 24 (77.4%)cases in glass bottle manufacture, 14(23.7%) cases in the coke manufacturing industry and no one case in secondary lead smelting industry. Total numbers of case and rates that over TLVs were 38( 35.5%) cases. 5. The limit of detection(LOD) for PAH was $10{\mu}g/ml$ in standard sample. All PAH levels of the cokes manufacturing industry and the secondary lead smelting industry and the glass bottle manufacturing industry were trace or not to detect.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.510-515
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• 2014

Duckweed (Lemna perpusilla J. Torrey) is a typical floating aquatic macrophyte that has been used for evaluating phytotoxicity of toxicants. In this study, we evaluated the responses of duckweed to PAHs and ammonium as toxicants that frequently affect the growth of plants in polluted industrial and agricultural areas. As the duckweed is growing in aquatic environment, the PAHs and ammonium were incorporated into nutrient solution and the fronds were cultured hydroponically. Frond growth was responded differentially to the concentration and type of PAHs. The severe inhibition of frond growth was observed in the treatment of fluorene. Fluoranthene and pyrene, however, showed weak inhibition of frond growth. The latter PAHs that showed weak inhibition did not reduced frond number at the low concentration of 30 ppm. Pigment contents were also responded differentially. Phenanthrene and fluorene reduced chlorophyll content more strongly than fluoranthene and pyrene. Carotenoids, well-known antioxidative compound, was relatively increased at the low concentration of PAHs up to 30 ppm by the treatment of fluoranthene and pyrene, suggesting an increased antioxidative activity in fronds. Ammonium treatment showed higher inhibitory effect even low concentration of 3 mM.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 1999

A new effective and economic method was developed, removing interferences such as chlorophyll and lipid from leaves with small amounts of reagents and solvents in order to analyse PAHs(Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). The extract from a soxhlet containing $4{\sim}5g$ of leaves and 100ml of dichlormethane and refluxed for 20 hrs was concentrated and eluted with 60ml of a hexane:dichloromethane (1:1) mixture through a column of 9mm wide inner diameter and 130mm long, packed from the bottom with 2.5g of $Al_2O_3$, 1.5g of $SiO_2$and 2g of anhydrous $Na_2SO_4$. The eluent was concentrated and loaded on a GPC column of 20mm wide inner diameter and 280mm long, packed with 12g of Bio-beads. The column was washed with 37ml of the hexane:dichloromethane(1:1) mixture. Another 43ml of the mixture was eluted as a PAH fraction and collected. This eluent was concentrated under gentle nitrogen to $50{\mu}l$ and analysed using GC-MS. The recoveries, obtained by comparing with the amounts of the internal standards of deuterated PAHs were $43.3{\sim}107.5%$(RSD $2.2{\sim}9.5%$).

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1270-1276
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• 2005

When gas/particle partitioning of PAHs in the atmosphere approached an equilibrium state, the slope of linear regression between gas/particle partitioning coefficient($logK_p$) and subcooled liquid vapour pressure($logP_L^O$) was -1. But it was alleged that the slope of equilibrium state might not be -1 in real atmospheric environment due to heterogeneous characteristics of particulate matter. In This study, it would be found if gas/particle partitioning of PAHs segregated with particle size in equilibrium state was based on the hypothesis mentioned above. We have calculated the slopes of $logK_p$ v.s. $logP_L^O$ after collecting 10 set samples which consisted of particulate and vaporous phases. The slope was close to -1 in equilibrium states. But despite of equilibrium state, all slopes segregated with particle size were not close to -1 and those were gentler with larger particle size. The difference of slopes in equilibrium states was almost against the assumption of gas/particle partitioning theory. When the gas/particle partitioning was due to adsorption, the desorption enthalpy was different in each particle size. When it was absorption, the activity coefficient was different. The difference of desorption enthalpy and activity coefficient in each particle size indicate the heterogeneous characteristics of the bulk particle. This may be the reason for slope variation with particle size even though in an equilibrium state.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.45-54
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• 1971

That different mechanisms are involved in the secretory processes by the liver and the kidney of various dyes has been indicated by Sporter (1959), Kim and Hong (1963). Andrews (1958). suggested that a striking difference in the dye-secretory mechanism existed even in the same organ from species to species. Hence, the attempt has been made to study in the rabbit the secretory processes by the live. and the kidney of either phenol red (PSP), bromsulfalein (BSP) or green in the presence of Na-acetate, Na-taurocholate, P-Aminohippurate (PAH) or Benemid. In 37 rabbits, weighing about 2kg., anesthetized with ether, a dye was administered in such 8 manner that the plasma concentration was kept at a relatively constant level throughout the whole experimental period. Hepatic bile sad urine samples were quantitatively collected through the canulae which were previously inserted into the common bile duct (with the cystic duct ligated) and the urinary bladder, respectively, while arterial samples were taken from a femoral artery. After 50 min from the onset of dye administration, these samples were obtained every 10 mit for a period of 40 min. This was followed by the administration of either Na-acetate, Na-tauro-cholate, PAH or Benemid with a repetition of the same sample collecting procedures just stated. The results may be summarized as follows: 1) Na·acetate augmented urinary clearance of PSP by nearly 300 per cent, but lowered urinary BSP clearance by about 50 per cent. It enhanced biliary BSP clearance by 40% and had no effect on biliary psp clearance. 2) Na-taurocholate lowered biliary and urinary clearance of PSP by 10 per cent and 30 per cent respectively, and had no effect on both biliary and urinary clearance of BSP. 3) PAH lowered both biliary and urinary excretion of BSP and PSP, while it lowered the biliary excretion of indocyanine green which was excreted only in the bile. 4) Benemid suppressed BSP excretion by the liver and the kidney. 5) raper chromatographic analysis of PSP and of BSP in the bile and urine samples gave the following results: a) PSP Ivas excreted in the urine and bile only in free forms, and no modification in the excretory pattern was brought about by Na-taurocholate. b) BSP was excreted in the urine in 4 different conjugated froms and in the bile in both 3 different conjugated forms and in a free form. Na-taurocholate modified the excretory pattern of the urinary BSP.

• Mycobiology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2009

The process of biodegradation in lingo-cellulosic materials is critically relevant to biospheric carbon. The study of this natural process has largely involved laboratory investigations, focused primarily on the biodegradation and recycling of agricultural by-products, generally using basidiomycetes species. In order to collect super white rot fungi and evaluate its ability to degrade lingo-cellulosic material, 35 fungal strains, collected from forests, humus soil, livestock manure, and dead trees, were screened for enzyme activities and their potential to decolorize the commercially used Poly-R 478 dye. In the laccase enzymatic analysis chemical test, 33 white rot fungi and 2 brown rot fungi were identified. The degradation ability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) according to the utilized environmental conditions was higher in the mushrooms grown in dead trees and fallen leaves than in the mushrooms grown in humus soil and livestock manure. Using Poly-R 478 dye to assess the PAH-degradation activity of the identified strains, four strains, including Agrocybe pediades, were selected. The activities of laccase, MnP, and Lip of the four strains with PAH-degrading ability were highest in Pleurotus incarnates. 87 fungal strains, collected from forests, humus soil, livestock manure, and dead trees, were screened for enzyme activities and their potential to decolorize the commercially used Poly-R 478 dye on solid media. Using Poly-R 478 dye to assess the PAHdegrading activity of the identified strains, it was determined that MKACC 51632 and 52492 strains evidenced superior activity in static and shaken liquid cultures. Subsequent screening on plates containing the polymeric dye poly R-478, the decolorization of which is correlated with lignin degradation, resulted in the selection of a strain of Coriolus versicolor, MKACC52492, for further study, primarily due to its rapid growth rate and profound ability to decolorize poly R-478 on solid media. Considering our findings using Poly-R 478 dye to evaluate the PAH-degrading activity of the identified strains, Coriolus versicolor, MKACC 52492 was selected as a favorable strain. Coriolus versicolor, which was collected from Mt. Yeogi in Suwon, was studied for the production of the lignin-modifying enzymes laccase, manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP), and lignin peroxidase (LiP).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2016

Pseudomonas rhodesiae KK1 has been reported to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as anthracene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene, which are considered major environmental contaminants. Interestingly, antioxidant genes, including superoxide dismutase, are known to be expressed at different levels in response to environmental contaminants. This study was performed to identify the superoxide dismutase gene in strain KK1, which may be indirectly involved with degradation of PAHs, as well as to investigate the expression pattern of the superoxide dismutase gene in cells grown on different PAHs. Two types of superoxide dismutase genes responsible for the antioxidant defense mechanism, Mn-superoxide dismutase (sodA) and Fe-superoxide dismutase (sodB), were identified in P. rhodesiae KK1. The sodA gene in strain KK1 shared 95% similarity, based on 141 amino acids, with the Mn-sod of P. fluorescens Pf-5. The sodB strain, based on 135 amino acids, shared 99% similarity with the Fe-sod of P. fluorescens Pf-5. Southern hybridization using the sod gene fragment as a probe showed that at least two copies of superoxide dismutase genes exist in strain KK1. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the sodA and sodB genes were more strongly expressed in response to naphthalene and phenanthrene than to anthracene. Interestingly, sodA and sodB activities were revealed to be maintained in cells grown on all of the tested substrates, including glucose.