• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 2004

We exposed juvenile puffer fish, Takifugu obscurus(30 days after hatching) to various aqueous pollutants including 4 kinds of inorganic metals (Ag, Cd, Cu and Hg), 2 organotin compound.; (tributyltin ［TBT］ and triphenyltin［TPhT］) and 5 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds (chrysene, fluoranthene, naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene) to estimate median lethal concentrations (LC50s) of each pollutant after the 96-hour acute exposure. Among the inorganic metals, Hg (52 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L; 96-h LC50) was most toxic to test animals and followed by Ag (164 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L), Cu (440 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L) and Cd (1180 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L). Aqueous TBT was more toxic between the two organotins; the 96-h LC50 for TBT (5.1 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L) was 3 times lower than that of TPhT (17.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L). The acute toxicity of PAH compounds was highest for chrysene (1.5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L; 96-h LC50) and decreased in the order of pyrene (65 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L) > fluoranthene (158 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L) > phenanthrene (432 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L) > naphthalene (8690 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L). The toxicity of PAH compounds wat closely related to their physico-chemical characteristics such as $K_{ow}$ and water solubility, and well explained by simple QSAR relationship. The sensitivity of puffer fish to various inorganic and organic pollutants was generally comparable to various fish species widely used as standard test species in previous studies and further evaluation should be conducted to develop adequate testing procedure for T. obscurus when used in various toxicity tests.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.323-329
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• 2018

In Escherichia coli, the transcription of genes related to metal homeostasis is activated by the presence of target metals. The promoter regions of those genes can be fused with reporter genes to generate whole-cell bioreporters (WCBs); these organisms sense the presence of target metals through reporter gene expression. However, the limited number of available promoters for sensing domains restricts the number of WCB targets. In this study, we have demonstrated an alternative method to generate novel WCBs, based on the notion that since the sensing mechanisms of WCBs are related to metal transportation systems, their properties can be modulated by disrupting metal homeostasis. Mutant E. coli strains were generated by deleting the znt-operon genes zntA, which encodes a zinc-export protein, and zntR, which encodes a znt-operon regulatory protein, to investigate the effects on the metal-sensing properties of WCBs. Deletion of zntA increased the sensitivity but abolished the selectivity of cadmium-sensing WCBs, whereas arsenic-sensing WCBs gained sensitivity toward cadmium. When zntR was deleted, cadmium-sensing WCBs lost the ability to detect cadmium, and this was recovered by introducing exogenous zntR. In addition, the metal-binding site of ZntR was genetically engineered to modulate metal selectivity. This study provides a valuable platform for the development of novel E. coli-based WCBs.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.372-377
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• 2009

We report on hysteresis behavior in the electrical resistance-hydrogen concentration of Pd thin films. The variation of the electrical resistance has been investigated during the process of absorption and desorption of hydrogen gas ($H_{2}$) as a function of thickness of Pd thin films. The hysteresis behavior in the electrical resistance with $H_{2}$ concentration was found for Pd thin films and consists of $\alpha$ phase, ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ phase, and $\beta$ phase regions. The sensitivity of Pd thin films with $H_{2}$ concentration was found to follow Sieverts' law in the $\alpha$ phase region. However, the sensitivity was observed to increase abruptly with $H_{2}$ concentration in the ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ phase co-exist region. This is because Pd-H interaction is stronger in the $\beta$ phase than in the $\alpha$ phase and needs a higher concentration gradient as a driving force to desorb. The formation of the $\beta$ phase also was observed to cause the structural change because of the lattice expansion during absorption. The hysteresis height and the trace of structural change were affected by the thickness of the Pd film. As the film becomes thinner, the hysteresis height becomes lower and the amount of delamination on the surface becomes smaller. For films thinner than 20 nm in thickness, the delamination was not found but electrical resistance hysteresis was still observed.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 2010

This study reports a novel method off abricating highly sensitive hydrogen gas sensors based on PdO thin films. The PdO thin films with a thickness of 40 nm were deposited on Si substrates under Ar and $O_2$ ambient conditions using a reactive de magnetron sputtering system. Considerable changes in the resistance of the palladium oxide thin films were observed when they were initially exposed to hydrogen gas, as a result of the reduction process. The sensitivity of the PdO thin films was found to be as high as 90%. After the thin films were exposed to hydrogen gas, the nano-sized cracks were discovered to have formed on the surface of the PdO thin films. These types of nano-cracks that formed on the deoxidized PdO thin films are known to play a key role incausing a four-fold reduction of the response time of the absorption process. The results of this study demonstrate that deoxidized PdO thin films can be applied for use in the creation of high-sensitivity hydrogen sensors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2016

Water flea is a widely used test species in the aquatic ecotoxicity test. In Korea, D. magna is currently used as a standard test species, however that do not inhabit in the Korean aquatic ecosystem. In this study, Daphnia galeata, which is a dominant species in the Korean aquatic ecosystem, was collected from domestic lake and investigated to suggest the D. galeata for ecotoxicity assessment in Korea. We investigated the characteristics, life span, and toxicity sensitivity compared with D. magna. The life span test of D. galeata was performed in this study, and then the results were compared to the sensitivity with D. magna to confirm the applicability for ecotoxicity assessment. The 48h-L(E)C50 values for seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Zn) of D. galeata and D. magna were collected and analyzed. As a results, shorter lifetime, less reproduction, smaller body size of D. galeata were observed compared with D. magna. D. galeata was similar or more sensitive than D. magna for seven heavy metals. Therefore, we propose that D. galeata is a suitable test species for ecotoxicity testing in Korea.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 1996

The adsorption charateristics of lead(II) ions on Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus arrhizus were investigated. Adsorption amount of A. niger and R. arrhizus was about 95 mg/g and 25 mg/g, respectively. These biomass was approached to adsorption equilibrium within reaction time of 1hr because of their high reactivity. The uptake of lead ion by A. niger was less sensitivity than it by R. arrhizus on the inhibition effect of alkali metals and the decreasing ratio of uptake of lead ion of A. niger and R. arrhizus by inhibition effect of alkali metals was 37% and 50%, respectively. In pre-treatment on these biomass, NaOH treatment was contributed high adsorption capacity to these biomass. Then, adsorption amount of A. niger and R. allhizus was increased about 25 mg/g and 10 mg/g, respectively. In isotherm for the adsorption of lead ion based on Freundlich equation, 1/n value of A. niger and R. ar고izus was calculated the range of 0.28-0.56 and 0.44-0.67, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.65-74
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• 2000

The sensitivity of a mehtanogen and sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from a sea-based landfill site Cd$^{2+}$ and CU$^{2+}$ was studied. Methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria in leachates of the waste disposal site were enumerated using the MPN method. Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum KHT, isolated from the leachate, could not grow at 0.5 mM Cd$^{2+}$ or 1.0 mM CU$^{2+}$. Desulfotomaculum sp. RHT, isolated from the same leachate, was able to insolubilization 3.0 mM Cd$^{2+}$ or 2.0 mM CU$^{2+}$ by production of hydrogen sulfide. When strains KHT and RHT were cultured together in the presence of the heavy metals, strain KHT could grow at high heavy metal concentrations after insolubilization of the metals by strain RHT. strain RHT.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.627-633
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• 2008

The austenitic Fe-Mn alloys have received considerable attention as a possible candidate for the automotive structural materials due to their high strength and high formability with high elongation. This research investigates the effect of alloying elements on the phase transformation, deformation behavior and mechanical properties in high Mn steels for the development of a high strength high ductility steel. The mechanical stability of austenitic phases is very important for high ductility and it depends largely on the composition of carbon, manganese and aluminum. The dominant deformation mode shifts from TRIP to TWIP mode as the amount of C, Mn and Al is increased. Especially, even a small amount of Al addition facilitates significantly TWIP deformation due to the increase of stacking fault energy in Fe-Mn alloys, this leads to increase the ductility and also decrease the crack sensitivity.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.22-30
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• 2015

For the preliminary investigations of the bioclogging on groundwater artificial recharge system, studies for conditions and analytical methods of biofilm formation on sediments were performed. Based on the tested results, following conditions were determined for biofilm formation on batch process: optimum period for biofilm formation (30 days), the proper inoculating water (pond water), medium (minimum salt medium with 0.1% yeast extract). Procedures for the measurement of ATP and DHA were also determined. Biomass extract was used for ATP measurement, while sediment itself for DHA. Effects of metals on the biofilm formation were investigated under the determined conditions. Different sensitivities and orders were found depending on tested metals and measurement methods. In general, biomass measurement by ATP and viable cell count showed higher sensitivity than that of DHA. Following toxicity orders were also appeared for ATP and viable cell: Cu ≈ Cd > As(III).

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.644-651
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• 2009

The passivation (or deactivation) of a metal surface during oxide film formation has been quantitatively explored for a ferritic stainless steel by using dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (DEIS). For this purpose, the electrochemical impedance spectra were carefully examined as a function of applied potential in the active nose region of the potentiodynamic polarization curve, to separate the charge transfer resistance and oxide film resistance. From the discrepancy in the potential dependence between the experimental charge transfer resistance and the semi-empirically expected one, the degree of passivation could be quantitatively estimated. The sensitivity of passivation of the steel surface to anodic potential, which might be the measure of the quality of the oxide film formed under unit driving force or over-potential, decreased by 31% when 3.5 wt% NaCl was added to a 5 wt% $H_2SO_4$ solution.