• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.33-40
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• 2004

Benzoyl peroxide is a High Production Volume Chemical, which is produced about 1,371 tons/year in Korea as of 2001 survey. The substance is mainly used as initiators in polymerization, catalysts in the plastics industry, bleaching agents for flour and medication for acne vulgaris. In this study, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) are used for getting adequate information on the physical -chemical properties of this chemical. And hydrolysis in water, acute toxicity to aquatic and terrestrial organisms for benzoyl peroxide were studied. The physical -chemical properties of benzoyl peroxide were estimated as followed; vapor pressure=0.00929 Pa, Log $K_{ow}$ = 3.43, Henry's Law constant=3.54${\times}$10$^{-6}$ atm-㎥/mole at $25^{\circ}C$, the half-life of photodegradation=3 days and bioconcentration factor (BCF)=92. Hydrolysis half-life of benzoyl peroxide in water was 5.2 hr at pH 7 at $25^{\circ}C$ and according to the structure of this substance hydrolysis product was expected to benzoic acid. Benzoyl peroxide has toxic effects on the aquatic organisms. 72 hr-Er $C_{50}$ (growth rate) for algae was 0.44 mg/1.,48 hr-E $C_{50}$ for daphnia was 0.07mg/L and the 96hr-L $C_{50}$ of acute toxicity to fish was 0.24mg/L. Acute toxicity to terrestrial organisms (earth worm) of benzoyl peroxide was low (14 day-L $C_{50}$ = > 1,000 mg/kg). Although benzoyl peroxide is high toxic to aquatic organisms, the substance if not bioaccumulated because of the rapid removal by hydrolysis (half-life=5.2 hr at pH 7 at $25^{\circ}C$) and biodegradation (83% by BOD after 21 days). The toxicity observed is assumed to be due to benzoyl peroxide rather than benzoic acid, which shows much lower toxicity to aquatic organisms. One can assume that effects occur before hydrolysis takes place. From the acute toxicity value of algae, daphnia and fish, an assessment factor of 100 was used to determine the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC). The PNEC was calculated to be 0.7$\mu\textrm{g}$/L based on the 48 hr-E $C_{50}$ daphnia (0.07 mg/L). The substance shows high acute toxicity to aquatic organisms and some information indicates wide-dispersive ore of this substance. So this substance is, a candidate for further work, even if it hydrolysis rapidly and has a low bioaccumulation potential. This could lead to local concern for the aquatic environment and therefore environmental exposure assessment is recommended.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.175-182
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine whether bone mineral density changes in 55 young Korean college women aged 19 to 26 years over 2 years and nutritional and biochemical factors are related. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in the spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), ward's triangle (WT), and femoral trochanter (FT) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry three times at one-year intervals. Serum osteocalcin (OC), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and urinary cross-linked N-teleopeptides of type collagen (NTx) were measured. Dietary intake was assessed 8 times with 24-hour recall method. Physical activity (PA) was obtained by questionnaire and body fat content was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis at baseline and after 2 years. Analyses were performed on 34 subjects with all three BMD measurements. The BMDs at the lumbar spine gradually increased over 2 years, while the BMDs of three sites at the femur were sustained or increased. The mean OC, PTH had a similar pattern with the change of BMD at the femur. The mean NTx decreased over 2 years but was still higher than those in other studies. BMI, body fat, vitamin A and zinc intake had a significant correlation with LS-BMD. Femur, PTH, body fat, vitamin A, vitamin B$_2$and calcium intake had a significant correlation with WT-BMD and was mostly influenced by diet. By multiple regression analysis, it was shown that the significant factors affecting the LS-BMD were BMI and vitamin A intake and those affecting FN and WT were age, BMI, PTH and calcium intake. These results indicate that some Korean women still experience increases in BMD and that this was associated with PTH and vitamin A and calcium intake. Therefore, proper diet and diet management is needed to increase changes in BMD among college women.