• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2011

This study focused on health risk assessment via multi-routes of As exposure to establish a target cleanup level (TCL) in abandoned mines. Soil, ground water, and rice samples were collected near ten abandoned mines in November 2009. The As contaminations measured in all samples were used for determining the probabilistic health risk by Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. The human exposure to As compound was attributed to ground water ingestion. Cancer risk probability (R) via ground water and rice intake exceeded the acceptable risk range of $10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-4}$ in all selected mines. In particular, the MB mine showed the higher R value than other mines. The non-carcinogenic effects, estimated by comparing the average As exposure with corresponding reference dose were determined by hazard quotient (HQ) values, which were less than 1.0 via ground water and rice intake in SD, NS, and MB mines. This implied that the non-carcinogenic toxic effects, due to this exposure pathway had a greater possibility to occur than those in other mines. Besides, hazard index (HI) values, representing overall toxic effects by summed the HQ values were also greater than 1.0 in SD, NS, JA, and IA mines. This revealed that non-carcinogenic toxic effects were generally occurred. The As contaminants in all selected mines exceeded the TCL values for target cancer risk ($10^{-6}$) through ground water ingestion and rice intake. However, the As level in soil was greater than TCL value for target cancer risk via inadvertent soil ingestion pathway, except for KK mine. In TCL values for target hazard quotient (THQ), the As contaminants in soil did not exceed such TCL value. On the contrary, the As levels in ground water and polished rice in SD, NS, IA, and MB mines were also beyond the TCL values via ground water and rice intake. This study concluded that the health risks through ground water and rice intake were greater than those though soil inadvertent ingestion and dermal contact. In addition, it suggests that the abandoned mines to exceed the risk-based TCL values are carefully necessary to monitor for soil remediation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2005

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was analyzed in various marine organisms of Korea. HCB was detected in all organism samples with residual concentrations from 0.51 to 222 pg/g wet weight. HCB residue was the highest content in crustacean, and followed by bivalves, fish, cephalopods and gastropods. The residues were comparable to or lower than those in marine organisms of other countries. Daily dietary intake of HCB from seafood was estimated to be 13.4 pg/kg body weight/day. The relative contribution of taxonomic group to the total dietary intake of HCB were in the order of crustaceans $(40.1\%)$, bivalves $(34.2\%)$, fish $(23.1\%)$, cephalopods $(2.22\%)$, and gastropods $(0.38\%)$. Daily dietary intake of HCB expressed as toxic equivalent (TEQ) value was estimated to be $1.34\times10^{-3}pg$ TEQ/kg body weight/day. This value did not exceed tolerable daily intake (TDI) proposed by the WHO, the UK toxicity committee and the KFDA. Cancer risk and target hazard quotient (THQ) due to the consumption of the marine organism in Korean adult population were evaluated using the exposure equation of food ingestion. This result suggests that dietary intake of HCB by the consumption of Korean seafood seems to be safe for human health with negligible cancer and non-cancer risks so far.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.836-843
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• 2022

In the present study, exposure to heavy metals by consumption of edible seaweeds (green laver, laver, hijiki, sea tangle, and sea mustard) was assessed based on their concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg). The mean of heavy metal concentrations were 0.006-0.023 mg/kg for Pb, 0.037-0.156 mg/kg for Cd, 1.117-15.928 mg/kg for As, and 0.008-0.021 mg/kg for Hg. In multivariate analysis, the correlations were high between Pb levels in sea mustard, Cb levels in laver, and As and Hg level in Hijiki. However, the estimated daily intake and target hazard quotient (THQ) of the heavy metals in edible seaweeds were below their approved limits suggesting no health risks associated with seaweed consumption by Koreans.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.501-509
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• 2021

In 2018, total 263 micro and emerging contaminants were selected as target substances by the Ministry of Environment, and 80 of them were first-class substance including endocrine disruptors, residual Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs), residual organic pollutants, pesticides and heavy metals. In this study, in order to evaluate the Hazard Quotient (HQ) of the 80 types in the domestic water environment the concentration of discharged effluent and nearby water environment reported by Korean institutes since 2010 was investigated. There were 45 substances reported to be detected, and Measurement Environment Concentration (MEC) were obtained by collectively converting them into water environment concentration. For biotoxicity, half maximal Effective Dose (EC50) to Daphnia magna, a water fleas species widely adopted in Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) was applied. As for the biotoxicity level, the Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) was obtained by applying the Assessment Factor (AF) and the HQ was derived by dividing it from the MEC. As a result of calculating the HQ, more than 1 substances were Cabamazepine, Mefenamic acid, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Nonylphenol, Nickel, Erythromycin, Acetylslic acid, etc. Meanwhile, perfluorinated compounds were identified as hazardous substances in the water env ironment, with 5 out of 14 species included in the 20 ranks of first-class substance.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.66-75
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• 2024

Heavy metals are naturally found in the ecosystem, and their presence in the freshwater river is increasing through anthropogenic activities which pose a threat to living beings. In this study, heavy metal concentrations (Zn, Mn, Cu, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Ni) in different organs (muscle, skin, and gill) of fish from the Padma River were evaluated to quantify, and compare the contamination levels and related human health risks. The results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations in the water, surface sediments, and fish taken from the Padma River were far below the WHO/USEPA's permitted limits. The estimated daily intake (EDI) value in muscle was less than the tolerable daily intake (TDI). The target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard indexes (HI) were less than 1, showing that consumers face no non-carcinogenic risk (CR). CR values of Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni ranged from 4.00 × 10^-8 to 6.35 × 10^-6, less than 10^-4, and total carcinogenic risk (CRt) values ranged from 9.85 × 10^-6 to 1.10 × 10^-5, indicating some pose a CR from consumption of those fish from the Padma River. To establish a more accurate risk assessment, numerous exposure routes, including inhalation and cutaneous exposure, should be explored.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2009

The risk assessment of groundwater and soil in Sasang industrial complex in Busan Metropolitan City was carried out in order to estimate risks to human health and the environment. The carcinogenic risk (CR) of receptors to soil and air was not identified. However, the CRs for TCE and PCE were 6.7E-6 and 1.0E-5, respectively. Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) did not appear through air exposure pathways. Yet the HQ and HI of soil were 3.4E-5 and 5E-5, respectively, and lower than the critical value (1.0). On the contrary, HQ and HI with respect to groundwater were calculated as 0.7 (not hazardous) and 1.4 (hazardous). The constituent reduction factor (CRF) for TCE in the study area was determined as 2.5, and thus remediation work is demanded. As a result of sensitivity analysis for 18 exposure factors, eight exposure factors (life time of carcinogens, age, body weight, exposure duration, exposure frequency, dermal exposure frequency, water ingestion rate, and soil ingestion rate) varied with the variation of risk.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.241-254
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the levels of heavy metals in twelve species of vegetables and assessment of health risk. Samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The ranges of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in vegetables species were 0.37-5.4, 0.03-17, 0.35-45, 0.01-2.6, 0.001-2.2, and 0.04-8.8 [mg/kg, fresh weight (fw)], respectively. The concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in most vegetable species exceeded the maximum permissible levels, indicating unsafe for human consumption. Health risks associated with the intake of these metals were evaluated in terms of estimated daily intake (EDI), and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks by target hazard quotient (THQ). Total THQ of the studied metals from most of the vegetables species were higher than 1, indicated that these types of vegetables might pose health risk due to metal exposure. The target carcinogenic risk (TR) for As ranged from 0.03 to 0.48 and 0.0004 to 0.025 for Pb which were higher than the USEPA acceptable risk limit (0.000001) indicating that the inhabitants consuming these vegetables are exposed to As and Pb with a lifetime cancer risk. The findings of this study reveal the health risks associated with the consumption of heavy metals through the intake of selected vegetables in adult population of Bangladesh.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.456-464
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• 2010

Recently, heavy metals contamination of the agricultural soil and crops surrounding mining areas has been identified as one of the most serious environmental problems in South Korea. The Ministry of the Environment in Korea conducted a Preliminary National Environmental Health Survey (PNEHS) in abandoned metal mines in 2007. The priority for a subsequent detailed examination was ranked from the results of PNEHS. The studied mine which was ranked as being of the highest priority is located in the midwestern part of Korea and was operated from 1911 to 1985. In this study, the contamination levels of the heavy metals in the abandoned metal mine were investigated. From the results, the average daily dose (ADD), target hazard quotient (THQ) and target cancer risk of the heavy metals were evaluated. The concentration of arsenic (As) in all of the tailings from the mine was higher than its countermeasure standard of Korea. In particular, the highest concentration of As, 330 mg/kg, was up to 15 times higher than its countermeasure standard. The average concentration of As in agricultural soils was higher than the warning standard of Korea, and higher than its countermeasure standard at six sites. The average concentrations of the analyzed heavy metals in agricultural soil were below the warning standard, but concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) at 4 sites were higher than its warning standard. The average concentration of As in surface water exceeded the warning standard of Korea. The value of the THQ of As for the tailings was higher than the health protection standard 1. The value of THQ of As for the farmlands was lower than the standard, while the hazard index (HI) of As was higher than the standard. The value of target cancer risk (TCR) of As, $6.44{\times}10^{-4}$, were higher than the health protection standard of a lifetime risk for TCR at $1{\times}10^{-6}$. This suggests that the residents around the metal mines are exposed to As pollution with a carcinogenic risk.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.45-64
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• 2020

Objectives: Limited information is available on the presence and associated ecological risks of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments near pharmaceutical manufacturing areas in Korea. In this study, we investigated the current state of pharmaceutical contamination and its associated ecological risks in streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex. Methods: Seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, clarithromycin, diclofenac, diphenhydramine, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and roxithromycin) were measured in water samples collected from the streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex. A predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) was derived using either the assessment factor method or species sensitivity distribution method. In addition, a hazard quotient for each pharmaceutical was calculated by dividing its measured environmental concentration by its PNEC. Results: Samples collected downstream from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) had higher concentrations of pharmaceuticals than those collected from the reference site (upstream). Moreover, pharmaceutical concentrations were greater in ambient water than in the final effluent from the WWTP, which suggested that non-point sources were contributing to the contamination of the ambient water environment. Some of the target pharmaceuticals exhibited a hazard quotient >1, indicating that their potential ecological effects on the aquatic environment near the pharmaceutical industrial area should not be ignored. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the pharmaceutical manufacturing area was contaminated with residual drugs, and that there was a possible non-point source near the WWTP effluent discharge area. The results of this study will aid in the development of management plans for pharmaceuticals, particularly in hotspots such as pharmaceutical industrial sites and their vicinities.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.37-49
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• 2021

There is domestic Soil Contamination Warning Standard (SCWS) as remediation standard concentration of contaminated soils. No risk should be observed at soil concentration less than SCWS. Therefore, SCWS was evaluated to confirm the risk assessment. Background Concentration of Soil (BGC) and target remediation concentration were also assessed. The results show that Excess Cancer Risk (ECR) of SCWS was the highest in the groundwater intake pathway (Adult: 6.27E-04, Child: 2.81E-04). Total Cancer Risk (TCR) was 7.76E-04 and 4.30E-04 for adult and child, exceeding reference value (10^-6). Hazard Quotient (Non-Carcinogenic Risk, HQ) was the highest in the indoor air inhalation pathway (Adult: 3.64E+03, Child: 8.74E+02). Hazard Index (Total Non-Carcinogenic Risk, HI) exceeded reference value 1. ECR of the BGC was the highest in the groundwater intake pathway (Adult: 1.71E-04, Child: 7.67E-05). TCR was 2.12E-04 for adults and 1.17E-04 for children, exceeding the reference value (10^-6). HQ was the highest in groundwater intake pathway (Adult: 4.10E-01, Child: 1.84E-01). HI was lower than reference value 1 (Adult: 4.78E-01, Child: 2.50E-01). The heavy metal affecting ECR was Arsenic (As). The remediation-concentration of As was 7.14 mg/kg which is higher than BGC (6.83 mg/kg). TCR of As should be less than reference value (10^-6), but it was higher for all of SCWS, BGC and target remediation concentration. Therefore, it is suggested that risk assessment factors should be re-evaluated to fit domestic environmental settings and SCWS should be induced to satisfy the risk assessment.