• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.17-32
• /
• 2018

The need for seawater desalination is increasing in terms of securing various water resources, but few studies are available as for the environmental impact of hypersaline concentrated water (brine) discharged from desalination plants. Domestic studies are concentrated mainly on toxicity evaluation that phytoplankton, zooplankton larvae and green algae (Ulva pertusa) are negatively affected by concentrated water. The mortality of Paralichthys olivaceus showed a linear relationship with increasing salinity, and Oryzias latipes died 100% at concentrations above 60 psu. Foreign studies included monitoring cases as well as toxicity evaluations. The number of species decreased around the area where the concentrated water discharged. The hypersaline concentrated water affects the pelagic and benthic organisms. However, the fishes escaped when exposed to salinity, and the pelagic and benthic organisms resistant to salinity survived the hypersaline environment. The salinity limit and distance from the outlet was presented as the regulatory standard for bine discharge. There were differences in regulatory standards among country and seawater desalination plants, and these regulatory standards have been strengthened recently. In particular, California Water Boards were revised to ensure that the maximum daily salinity concentration does not exceed 2 psu above the ambient salinity level within 100 m of the outlet.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.61-70
• /
• 2011

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are present in many consumer products ranging from fabrics to plastics and electronics. Wide use of flame retardants can pose an environmental hazard, which makes it important to determine the mechanism of their toxicity. In the present study, dose-dependent toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a flame retardant, was examined in male prepubertal rats (postnatal day 18) treated orally with TBBPA at 0, 125, 250 or 500 mg/kg for 30 days. There were no differences in body weight gain between the control and TBBPA-treated groups. However, absolute and relative liver weights were significantly increased in high dose of TBBPA-treated groups. TBBPA treatment led to significant induction of CYP2B1 and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) expression in the liver. In addition, serum thyroxin (T4) concentration was significantly reduced in the TBBPA treated group. These results indicate that repeated exposure to TBBPA induces drug-metabolising enzymes in rats through the CAR signaling pathway. In particular, TBBPA efficiently produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) through CYP2B1 induction in rats. We measured 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, in the kidney, liver and testes of rats following TBBPA treatment. As expected, TBBPA strongly induced the production of 8-OHdG in the testis and kidney. These observations suggest that TBBPA-induced target organ toxicity may be due to ROS produced by metabolism of TBBPA in Sprague-Dawley rats.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.259-265
• /
• 2002

Apple mosaic virus (ApMV), a member of the genus Ilarvirus, was detected and isolated from diseased 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica) in Korea. The coat protein (CP) genes of two ApMV strains, denoted as ApMV-Kl and ApMV-K2, were amplified by using the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and were analyzed thereafter. The objectives were to define the molecular variability of genomic information of ApMV found in Korea and to develop virus-derived resistant gene source for making virus-resistant trans-genic apple. RT-PCR amplicons for the APMVS were cloned and their nucleotide sequences were determined. The CPs of ApMV-Kl and ApMV-K2 consisted of 222 and 232 amino acid residues, respectively. The identities of the CPs of the two Korean APMVS were 93.1% and 85.6% at the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively. The CP of ApMV-Kl showed 46.1-100% and 43.2-100% identities to eight different ApMV strains at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. When ApMV-PV32 strain was not included in the analysis, ApMV strains shared over 83.0% and 78.6% homologies at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. ApMV strains showed heterogeneity in CP size and sequence variability. Most of the amino acid residue differences were located at the N-termini of the strains of ApMV, whereas, the middle regions and C-termini were remarkably conserved. The APMVS were 17.(1-54.5% identical with three other species of the genus Ilarviyus. ApMV strains can be classified into three subgroups (subgroups I, II, and III) based on the phylogenetic analysis of CP gene in both nucleotide and amino acid levels. Interestingly, all the strains of subgroup I were isolated from apple plants, while the strains of subgroups II and III were originated from peach, hop, or pear, The results suggest that ApMV strains co-evolved with their host plants, which may have resulted in the CP heterogeneity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.274-278
• /
• 2013

The aim of our study was to investigate the chemical composition of the Asian ginseng seed (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) and the American ginseng seed (Panax quinquifolium L.) grown in Korea (3 years, KGS3; 4 years, KGS4), China (4 years, CGS4), and USA (4 years, AGS4). AGS had the heaviest 100-seed weight ($4.21{\pm}0.31g$). The approximate compositions of the ginseng seeds were 13.66-17.00% crude protein, 2.21-8.65% crude ash, 19.06-24.06% crude lipid, and 43.21-47.49% crude fiber. The mineral contents of the ginseng seeds were greater in order of K>P>Ca>Mg>Fe>Na>Zn >Cu. The unsaturated fatty acid content was 96.71-96.94%, and the major fatty acids oleic acid and linoleic acid were present. Total sugar content was 15.00-26.17 mg glucose/g. The acidic polysaccharide content was 0.56-0.80 mg ${\beta}$-Dgalacturonic acid/g. These results showed the differences in the physicochemical characteristics of ginseng seeds with respect to cultivation location, cultivation year, and species.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 2013

Identification of main ingredients in starches has been investigated using physicochemical analysis method mainly. However, physicochemical properties such as particle size have limitations in determining the differences among mixed starches. Therefore, we developed a molecular biological method to identify materials used in starch, as a sample, 11 kinds of starches including sweet potato starch, potato starch, corn starch, and tapioca starch. DNeasy plant mini kit, magnetic DNA purification system, and CTAB methods were used to extract DNA from samples. After gene extraction, whole genome amplification (WGA) was performed to amplify the extracted DNA. Species-specific primers were used as followings: ib-286-F/ib-286-R (105 bp), Pss 01n-5'/Pss 01n-3' (216 bp), SS11b 3-5'/SS11b 3-3' (114 bp), and SSRY26-F/SSRY26-R (121 bp) gene for sweet potato, potato, corn, and tapioca, respectively. In this study, we could confirm the main ingredients using WGA and PCR method.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.411-420
• /
• 2015

Despite of the same species there is a difference in the tree shape and its wood property due to quantitatiVe and qualitatiVe differences in wood cells by the intra-annual cambial actiVity. The purpose of this study was to proVide the fundamental database of intra-annual cambial seasonal actiVity for red pine in Sokwang-ri and Anmyondo for the determination of their wood qualities. As the results of intra-annual cambial actiVity, the initiation of cambial actiVity of red pine in the plots with Age Class V in Sokwang-ri was in the middle of April and it was at the beginning of April in all plots in Anmyondo. Only the plots with Age Class IX in Sokwang-ri showed relatiVely late initiation of cambial actiVity as between middle of May and middle of June. Except one plot with Age Class IX in Sokwang-ri all plots in both sites showed the same cessation of cambial actiVity as between middle and end of October. According to intra-annual cambial actiVity, the duration of cambial actiVity in Sokwang-ri is shorter than that of Anmyondo. On the other hand, the number of cell diVision of cambial actiVity in Sokwang-ri was more than those of Anmyondo. We could establish the database for intra-annual cambial actiVity for Sokwang-ri and Anmyondo to estimate their wood quality.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.295-310
• /
• 2017

This study investigated the growth of five phytopathogenic fungi including Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Diaporthe citri, Phytophthora capsici and others according to different concentrations of water extract in order to provide reference data for developing environment-friendly agricultural materials using five native Fagaceae species including Quercus acuta, Quercus salicina, Quercus glauca, Quercus gilva and Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii. As the concentration of aqueous extracts of Fagaceae increased according to donor plants, the mycelial growth of phytopathogens showed a decreasing tendency. Differences were found in the degree of inhibition according to types of donor plants and pathogenic fungi. Diaporthe citri, Phytophthora capsici, Pythium graminicola on the water extract of Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii inhibited mycelial growth by 84% in 25% of the treatment group and by 87% in more than half of the treatment group. The water extract of Quercus acuta was found to have no inhibitory effect against the mycelial growth of Diaporthe citri. The aqueous extracts of Quercus salicina, Quercus glauca and Quercus gilva insignificantly inhibited mycelial growth by approximately 15%. The total phenolic content of receptor plants exhibiting antifungal activity was highest in Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii with a content of 22.32 mg/g phenols, followed by Quercus salicina with 8.32 mg/g, Quercus glauca with 6.83 mg/g, Quercus gilva with 5.95 mg/g, and Quercus acuta with 5.24 mg/g. The aqueous extracts of Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii among the five Five Fagaceae Plants of were the most effective antifungal activity.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2007

Despite many efforts to improving canine in vitro maturation(IVM), the efficiency is still low compared to that of other mammalian species. The present study investigated the effects of gonadotropin, epidermal growth factor and cysteine supplementation on in vitro maturation of canine oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in basic medium (TCM-199 containing 10% FBS, 0.11mg/ml sodium pyruvate supplemented with or without $10{\mu}g/ml$ FSH, 10ng/ml EGF and 0.57mM cysteine) for 72 hr at $38.5^{\circ}C$ in humidified atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ in air. After culture, oocytes were stained with Hoechst 33342 $(10{\mu}g/ml)$ for 30 min at $4^{\circ}C$, and assessed their nuclear status (GV: germinal vesicle, GVBD: germinal vesicle break down, MI: metaphasse I, MII: metaphase II, UK: unknown stage). No differences were observed in GV, MI and MII rate except GVBD rate between with and without gonadotropins addition respectively (6.7%, vs. 17.2%). Supplementation of 10ng/ml of EGF in hormones added IVM medium resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher MII rate (4.54% vs.7.06%). Although there are no significantly difference, total of MI and MII rates were increased by adding cysteine. In conclusion, the present study indicates that supplementation of $10{\mu}g/ml$ LH and FSH, 10ng/ml EGF and 0.57mM cysteine in canine IVM medium show a positive influence on the progression of maturation to MII at 72 hr.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.58-64
• /
• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the concentration distributions and formation characteristics of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water supplies to rural communities. Water samples were collected twice from 40 rural households located on the outskirts of Chuncheon city of Gangwon Province in the summers of 2010 and 2011, and urban drinking water samples were collected from 20 faucets during the same period in 2011 for comparison purpose. Water temperature, pH, and residual chlorine (total and free) concentrations were measured in the field, and samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and THM concentrations in the laboratory. The average DOC concentrations in rural water samples were not greatly different between groundwater (n = 20) and surface water (n = 20) which were used as sources for drinking water (1.81 vs. 1.91 mg/L). However, the average concentrations of total THMs (TTHMs) in groundwater ($9.77{\mu}g/L$) were much higher than those in surface water ($2.85{\mu}g/L$) and similar to those in urban drinking water samples ($10.8{\mu}g/L$). Unlike urban water supply, rural water (particularly groundwater) contained more brominated THM species such as dibromochloromethane (DBCM), suggesting its relatively high content of bromide ion (Br-). This study showed that rural water supplies have different THM formation characteristics from urban water supplies, probably due to their differences in source water quality properties.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.428-434
• /
• 2008

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the level of $CO_2$ (370 and $650{\mu}mol\;mol^{-1}$) and temperature (ambient and ambient+$5^{\circ}C$) on tomato growth and fruit characteristics as affected by the application rate of N-fertilizer (68 and $204\;N\;kg\;ha^{-1}$), for the purpose of evaluating the influence of elevated $CO_2$ and temperature on tomato crop. The elevated atmospheric $CO_2$ and temperature increased the plant height and stem diameter for tomato crop, while the differences among the nitrogen(N) application rates were not significantly different. Under the elevated $CO_2$, temperature, and a higher N application rate, the biomass of aerial part increased. The fruit yield showed the same result as the biomass except for the elevated temperature. The elevated temperature made the size of fruit move toward the small, but the elevated $CO_2$ and the application of N-fertilizer were vice versa. The sugar content and pH of fruit juice were affected by nitrogen application rate, but not by the elevated $CO_2$ and temperature. These results showed that both the elevated $CO_2$ and temperature stimulated the vegetative growth of aerial parts for tomato, but each effects on the yield of fruit showed an opposite result between the elevated temperature and $CO_2$. In conclusion, the elevated $CO_2$ increased tomato yield and the ratio of large size of fruit, but the elevated temperature did not. Therefore, to secure the productivity of tomato as nowadays in future environment, it will need to develop new breeder as high temperature-tolerable tomato species or new type of cropping systems.