• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2017

Accumulating epidemiological evidence indicates that exposure to fine air pollution particles (APPs) is associated with a variety of adverse health effects. However, the exact physiochemical properties and biological toxicities of fine APPs are still not well characterized. We collected four types of fine particle (FP) (diesel exhaust particles [DEPs], natural organic combustion [NOC] ash, synthetic organic combustion [SOC] ash, and yellow sand dust [YSD]) and investigated their physicochemical properties and in vitro biological toxicity. DEPs were almost entirely composed of ultrafine particles (UFPs), while the NOC, SOC, and YSD particles were a mixture of UFPs and FPs. The main elements in the DEPs, NOC ash, SOC ash, and YSD were black carbon, silicon, black carbon, and silicon, respectively. DEPs exhibited dose-dependent mutagenicity even at a low dose in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and 100 strains in an Ames test for genotoxicity. However, NOC, SOC, and YSD particles did not show any mutagenicity at high doses. The neutral red uptake assay to test cell viability revealed that DEPs showed dose-dependent potent cytotoxicity even at a low concentration. The toxicity of DEPs was relatively higher than that of NOC, SOC, and YSD particles. Therefore, these results indicate that among the four FPs, DEPs showed the highest in vitro biological toxicity. Additional comprehensive research studies such as chemical analysis and in vivo acute and chronic inhalation toxicity tests are necessary to determine and clarify the effects of this air contaminant on human health.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.2 s.49
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• pp.109-121
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• 2005

A chemical ranking and scoring (CRS-Korea) system was developed and proposed to use as the first step to prioritize the toxic chemicals for the purpose of monitoring and detailed risk assessment that might follow as necessary. The CRS-Korea system takes a basic concept of risk assessment (both human health risk and ecological risk) in that risk score is determined by the product of toxicity score and exposure score. Included in the toxicity category are acute toxicity, chronic/sub -chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, and other toxicity. The exposure category consists of quantity released to the environment, bioconcentration, and persistence. A consistent scheme and a comprehensive chemical data base are offered in the CRS-Korea system to calculate a score for the each component in the two categories by using specific physicochemical, fate, and toxic properties and the quantity of the chemical used. The toxicity score is obtained by adding up all the individual scores for the components in the toxicity category. The exposure score is determined by multiplication of the score of the quantity released with the sum of persistent score and bioconcentration score. Equal weight is given to the toxicity score and the exposure score. As the CRS-Korea system was applied to identify 50 national priority chemicals, it was found that significant data gap exists on toxicity and fate properties and that the uncertainty associated with estimating the quantify released to the environment is notably high. The proposed CRS system is only a screening tool in the first step toward the priority setting and should be used with expert judgement and other considerations necessary.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2015

Objectives The widely promising applications of graphene nanomaterials raise considerable concerns regarding their environmental and human health risk assessment. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the toxicity profiling of graphene family nanano-materials (GFNs) in alternative in vitro and in vivo toxicity testing models. Methods The GFNs used in this study are graphene nanoplatelets ([GNPs]-pristine, carboxylate [COOH] and amide [$NH_2$]) and graphene oxides (single layer [SLGO] and few layers [FLGO]). The human bronchial epithelial cells (Beas2B cells) as in vitro system and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as in vivo system were used to profile the toxicity response of GFNs. Cytotoxicity assays, colony formation assay for cellular toxicity and reproduction potentiality in C. elegans were used as end points to evaluate the GFNs' toxicity. Results In general, GNPs exhibited higher toxicity than GOs in Beas2B cells, and among the GNPs the order of toxicity was pristine > $NH_2$ > COOH. Although the order of toxicity of the GNPs was maintained in C. elegans reproductive toxicity, but GOs were found to be more toxic in the worms than GNPs. In both systems, SLGO exhibited profoundly greater dose dependency than FLGO. The possible reason of their differential toxicity lay in their distinctive physicochemical characteristics and agglomeration behavior in the exposure media. Conclusions The present study revealed that the toxicity of GFNs is dependent on the graphene nanomaterial's physical forms, surface functionalizations, number of layers, dose, time of exposure and obviously, on the alternative model systems used for toxicity assessment.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.637-644
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• 2013

This study was conducted to obtain the baseline data for fermented tea with King oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) mushroom mycelium as well as to investigate the possibility of development for deodeok processing products. For this research, the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity for fermented tea were confirmed by different roasting temperatures and roasting times. The results of the physicochemical properties, browning, turbidity, reducing sugar, total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents, were increased with increasing roasting temperature and roasting time, whereas the pH was decreased. The results of the antioxidant activity test of fermented tea, DPPH radical-scavenging activity, FRAP and reducing power, were increased with increasing roasting temperature and roasting time. The preference of fermented tea was confirmed as being the highest when roasted at $180^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Although fermented tea did not have a unique flavor of mushroom and burnt flavor, it had strong color, flavor and taste. For this reason, fermented tea production for high content of functional materials and high preference is possible by roasting at $180^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. As for the results of this study, the physical properties of fermented deodeok were relatively stable on high temperature exposure and furthermore, the development of a variety of foods will be possible because fermented deodeok has an antioxidant capacity.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2004

The purpose of this paper is to review the occurrence, analytical methods and reduction methods of aflatoxins in foods. Aflatoxins are produced by the secondary metabolism of various fungal species and have the highest toxicity among mycotoxins. Due to their toxicity including carcinogenic activity, aflatoxins affect not only the health of humans ana animals but also the economics of agriculture and food. As a food-importing country, because aflatoxins could contaminate raw commodities and foodstuffs, there should be inspection on the exposure and the regulation of risk assessment as a food safety measure. In addition, studies on rapid analytical methods and reduction of toxicity by various processes for aflatoxins should be carried out in conjunction with those of the risk assessment of aflatoxins.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.3.1-3.6
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• 2015

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the size-dependent toxicity of spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to an endemic benthic organism, Glyptotendipes tokunagai. Methods Ag nanoparticles of three nominal sizes (50, 100, and 150 nm) capped with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP-Ag NPs) were used. Their physicochemical properties, acute toxicity (48 hours), and bioaccumulation were measured using third instar larvae of G. tokunagai. Results The aggregation and dissolution of PVP-Ag NPs increased with exposure time and concentration, respectively, particularly for 50 nm PVP-Ag NPs. However, the dissolved concentration of Ag ions was not significant compared with the median lethal concentration value for $AgNO_3$ (3.51 mg/L). The acute toxicity of PVP-Ag NPs was highest for the smallest particles (50 nm), whereas bioaccumulation was greatest for the largest particles (150 nm). However, larger PVP-Ag NPs were absorbed and excreted rapidly, resulting in shorter stays in G. tokunagai than the smaller ones. Conclusions The size of PVP-Ag NPs significantly affects their acute toxicity to G. tokunagai. In particular, smaller PVP-Ag NPs have a higher solubility and stay longer in the body of G. tokunagai, resulting in higher toxicity than larger PVP-Ag NPs.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.311-322
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• 2018

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the performance of concrete with and without glass powder (GP) subjected to elevated temperatures. Mechanical and physicochemical properties of concretes were studied at both ambient and high temperatures. One of the major environmental concerns is disposal or recycling of the waste materials. However, a high volume of the industrial production has generated a considerable amount of waste materials which have a number of adverse impacts on the environment. Further, use of glass or by-products in concrete production has advantages for improving some or all of the concrete properties. The economic incentives and environmental benefits in terms of reduced carbon footprint are also the reason for using wastes in concrete. The occurrence of spalling, compressive strength, mass loss, chemical composition, crystalline phase, and thermal analysis of CPG before and after exposure to various temperatures (20, 200, 400, and $600^{\circ}C$) were comprehensively investigated. The results indicated that, the critical temperature range of CPG was between $400^{\circ}C$ and $600^{\circ}C$.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.241-246
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• 2017

The comparative results of corrosion testing in humid tropical atmosphere in rural and coastal areas for hot dipped zinc coatings are presented below. The test was conducted in outdoor conditions over a period of five years. The mass loss and other performance characteristics of two types of zinc coatings were evaluated, analysed and discussed in relation to the climatic and environmental parameters. The corrosion rates of the coatings exposed to coastal conditions were about three times higher than the corrosion rates appreciated in rural conditions. The data demonstrates that the corrosion process obeys an equation of the form $M=At^n$, where M is the loss of metal and t is the time of exposure. A and n are constants which values depend on the environmental characteristics and the physicochemical behavior of the corrosion products respectively. Corrosion is strongly influenced by atmospheric time of wetness (TOW) and airborne salinity. The nature and composition of corrosion products are also considered. Simonkolleite, a major crystalline phase, was found in the zinc corrosion products exposed to coastal conditions, while zinc hydroxide and zinc hydrosulfate are easily found in rural settings.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.3405-3410
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• 2011

We have investigated the cytotoxic potential of tellurium (Te) nanowires in BALB/3T3 fibroblast cells. Te nanowires were synthesized through an aqueous phase surfactant assisted method. Toxicological experiments, such as analysis of morphological changes, MTT assay, DAPI staining, and estimation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, were carried out to reveal the cytotoxic effects of Te nanowires. Te nanowires were found to be cytotoxic at all concentrations tested, in a dose-dependent manner. The UV/Vis spectra of Te nanowires suspended in a culture medium showed drastic changes and disappearance of two broad absorption peaks. The physicochemical properties such as, surface charge, size, and shape of Te nanowires were found to be altered during exposure of cells, due to the instability and agglomeration of nanowires in the culture medium. These results suggest that the chemical components of the DMEM medium significantly affect the stability of Te nanowires. In addition, TEM images revealed that necrosis was the basic pattern of cell death, which might stem from the formation of toxic moieties of tellurium, released from nanowire structures, in the bioenvironment. These observations thus suggest that Te nanomaterials may pose potential risks to environmental and human health.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.534-539
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• 2013

To secure the biological safety of live fish and shellfish for raw consumption, the germicidal effects of electrolyzed seawater were evaluated. Upon direct exposure to electrolyzed seawater, coliform group bacteria were killed and decreased to undetectable levels after 1 day. The physicochemical characteristics of the seawater were stable during the test period. A byproduct of chlorine disinfection, trihalomethane, was not generated by the electrolysis of seawater. Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in a live fish was effectively resolved by electrolyzed seawater and became undetectable after 12-36 h of treatment. Bioaccumulation of coliform group and fecal coliform bacteria in live oysters Crassostrea gigas was removed within 18 h of treatment. This study demonstrated that electrolyzed seawater is an effective and safe germicidal agent for the traditional retail market and can help to prevent outbreaks of foodborne disease associated with the consumption of raw fish and shellfish.