• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• 제25권2호
• /
• pp.121-129
• /
• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate whether asian yellow sand dust (AS) has promoting effects of allergen-related airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness, because the number of patient with allergic asthma and atopy, and with chronic bronchial inflammation and pneumonia have increased steadily in the cities of Korea. The appearance of AS collected was all round and flat, and the diameter was mostly below about 5 ${\mu}m$. When mice were treated with AS suspension by intratracheal instillation combined with ovalalbumin(OVA) sensitization chronically, the level of serum L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), IgE and histamine, and respiratory resistance was increased. Intratracheal instillation of AS and OVA also enhanced infiltration of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), IgE and eotaxin expression, and T helper type 2 cell derived cytokines of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and IL-5 as major contributors to allergy and asthma. These results indicate that AS elevates allergen-related airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in mice and may play an important role in the aggravation of respiratory diseases in Korea.

• 한국환경보건학회지
• /
• 제36권4호
• /
• pp.271-278
• /
• 2010

The appearance of Asian Dust (AD) originating from China and Mongolia during spring each year is a meteorological phenomenon periodically observed in extensive regions of East Asia. According to a previous epidemiological study, AD has adverse effects on both human beings and ecosystems. In this study, we collected total suspension particles (TSP) in the AD period and Non-AD (NAD) period. We extracted organic components from TSP using dichloromethane (DCM), and the polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed. The DCM extracts contained PAHs such as benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, and pyrene. No significant difference was observed in cytotoxicity of the DCM extracts from AD versus NAD when tested on the human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B. e also examined the toxic mechanisms of AD extracts in cultured BEAS-2B cells and RAW264.7 cells, and in BEAS-2B cells observed increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased glutathione (GSH), and induced caspase-3 activity. Increased expression of oxidative stress-related and inflammation- related genes were also observed in BEAS-2B cells, while nitric oxide (NO) levels were increased in RAW264.7 cells. Taken together, the results suggest that in these cultured cells, AD may induce cytotoxicity through oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory signals.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• 제41권4호
• /
• pp.275-288
• /
• 2019

We investigated flux, grain size distribution, Nd-Sr isotope composition, mineral composition, and trace metal composition (REEs and Sc) of inorganic silicate fraction (ISF, mainly Asian dust with an unrestricted amount of volcanic materials) deposited during 600~1000 ka across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition at core NPGP 1401-2A (32°01'N, 178°59'E, 5205m) taken from the central part of the North Pacific. Our results reveal about a 2-fold increase in ISF flux after 800 ka, which is associated with an increase in La/Sc and a decrease in mean grain size. Asian dusts are finer than volcanic materials and La/Sc increases with the enhanced contribution of Asian dusts. Thus, increased flux after 800 ka can be explained by the increased contribution of Asian dusts relative to volcanic materials, likely due to an intensified Westerly Jet (WJ) and the drying of the Asian continent after the MPT. Mean grain size of ISF varies systematically in relation to glacial-interglacial cycles with a decrease during glacial stages, which is consistent with the previous results in the study area. Such a cyclical pattern is also attributed to the increase in the relative contribution of Asian dusts over volcanic components in glacial stages due to intensified WJ and drying of the Asian continent. Thus, it can be concluded that climate changes that had occurred across the MPT were similar to those of interglacial to glacial transitions at least in terms of the dust budget. Different from the Shatsky Rise, however, compositional changes associated with glacial-interglacial mean grain size fluctuations are not observed in Nd-Sr isotope ratios and trace element composition in our study of the Hess Rise. This may be attributed to the location of the study site far (> 4,000 km) from the volcanic sources. The volcanic component at the study site comprises less than 10% and varies within 3% over glacial-interglacial cycles. Such a small variation was not enough to imprint geochemical signals.

• 대기
• /
• 제18권1호
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 2008

Log normalized volume size distribution (dV/dlog$D_p$) with 52 size ranges from 0.5 to $20.0{\mu}m$ was measured for the cases of high $PM_{10}$ mass concentration (> $200{\mu}gm^{-3}$) using the Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) at the Korea Global Atmosphere Watch Center (KGAWC) from 6 April, 2006 to 5 April, 2007. Black Carbon (BC), gaseous pollutants of $NO_X$ and $SO_2$ and ${\AA}ngstr\ddot{o}m$ exponent were also measured to examine the properties of the volume size distribution. From distinct difference of the high volume concentration (> $100{\mu}m^3cm^{-3}$), the volume size distribution for each event day was clasified into four types: (1) Type 1 had the high volume concentration for supermicron particles from 2.3 to $6.0{\mu}m$ and maximum average volume concentration was $160.7{\mu}m^3cm^{-3}$ at $3.5{\mu}m$. (2) Type 2 represented the high volume concentration in the both size range of submicron ($0.7-1.0{\mu}m$) and supermicron particles ($2.1-4.1{\mu}m^3cm^{-3}$ and $136.2{\mu}m^3cm^{-3}$ were found at 0.8 and $3.3{\mu}m$ respectively. (3) Type 3 showed the high volume concentration in the size range of $0.5-3.5{\mu}m$ and highest volume concentration of $201.1{\mu}m^3cm^{-3}$ at the particle size bin of $0.8{\mu}m$. (4) Type 4 was characterized by the high volume concentration for the fine particles less than $1.2{\mu}m$ and very high concentration of $446.8{\mu}m^3cm^{-3}$. ${\AA}ngstr\ddot{o}m$ exponent, concentration of gaseous ($NO_X$ and $SO_2$), and particle (BC) pollutants suggested that Type 1 was a typical volume size distribution for the Asian dust and Type 3 provided transportation of air pollutants. The distribution in Type 2 found to have both characteristics of the Asian dust and air pollutants, and Type 4 was took place during the foggy atmosphere containing high density of local pollutants. Based on the properties of volume size distribution, we can identify the three major events contributing the increase of $PM_{10}$ mass concentration, and hope to provide a guideline for discriminating the Asian dust from high $PM_{10}$ events. More case studies and longeto advance this determination method.

• 한국해안·해양공학회논문집
• /
• 제32권5호
• /
• pp.340-350
• /
• 2020

한반도 대기모델의 해상풍을 입력자료로 사용하는 초단기 파랑예측시스템을 구축하고, 예측성능을 결정하는 중요한 요소인 입력바람장-파랑 상호작용을 고려하여, 수치모의실험을 수행하였다. 예측성능을 검증하기 위해 비태풍시기와 태풍시기에 대한 파랑모델의 예측결과를 기상청 계류부이 관측자료와 비교하였다. 비태풍시기에는 전반적으로 모델의 과소모의 경향이 나타났으며, 입력바람장과 파랑의 상호작용 물리계수를 증가시키면 과소모의하는 예측경향과 평균제곱근오차(RMSE)는 감소하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. RMSE가 최소가 되는 실험조건을 적용하여 태풍시기를 분석한 결과, 비태풍시기와 비교하여 예측오차가 증가하였다. 이는 파랑모델이 상대적으로 약한 비태풍시기의 바람장 영향을 고려했기 때문으로 보이며, 강한 바람장 형성으로 인한 파랑의 비선형효과와 파랑에너지 소산효과가 충분히 반영되지 않았던 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국대기환경학회지
• /
• 제32권1호
• /
• pp.67-81
• /
• 2016

In order to examine the variation characteristics of chemical compositions in accordance with the different meteorological conditions, $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ were collected at Gosan site of Jeju Island in 2014, and then their ionic and elemental species were analyzed. The concentrations of nss-$SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NH_4{^+}$ were respectively 4.3 and 3.3 times higher in fine particle mode ($PM_{2.5}$) compared to coarse particle mode ($PM_{10-2.5}$), however $NO_3{^-}$ concentration was 1.6 times higher in coarse mode compared to fine particle mode. During Asian dust days, the concentrations of nss-$Ca^{2+}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ increased highly as 7.7 and 4.5 times in coarse particle mode, and 3.0 and 4.9 times higher in fine particles, respectively. Especially, the concentrations of the crustal species (Al, Fe, Ca, K, Mn, Ba, Sr, etc.) indicated a noticeable increase during the Asian dust days. For the haze days, the concentrations of secondary pollutants increased 2.2~2.7 and 2.9~6.0 times in coarse and fine particles, respectively, and they were 0.8~1.1 and 1.8~2.4 times, respectively, during the mist days. The aerosols were acidified largely by sulfuric and nitric acids, and neutralized mainly by ammonia in fine particle mode during the haze days, but neutralized by calcium carbonate in coarse particle mode during the Asian dust days. The clustered back trajectory analysis showed that the concentrations of nss-$SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $NH_4{^+}$ were relatively high when the inflow pathway of air mass was from the southern part of China.

• 한국대기환경학회지
• /
• 제26권6호
• /
• pp.606-615
• /
• 2010

This study aims to identify the characteristics of soil in Mongolia, one of the major Asian dust sources that influence the Korean Peninsula. Soil particle size was analyzed and the result shows that sand (57.5~97.3%) was identified prominently in most regions, followed by silt (2.5~34.7%) and clay (0.0~7.8%). Soil pH of the covered regions were in the range 7.1~10.1, either weak alkaline or strong alkaline. Analysis of ion species in the soil samples exhibited that $Na^+$ ($91.9\;mg\;kg^{-1}$), $Cl^-$ ($65.9\;mg\;kg^{-1}$), and $Ca^{2+}$ ($53.5\;mg\;kg^{-1}$) were detected more in the soil than other species such as ${SO_4}^{2-}$ ($19.2\;mg\;kg^{-1}$), ${NO_3}^-$ ($46.6\;mg\;kg^{-1}$), ${NH_4}^+$ ($3.9\;mg\;kg^{-1}$), $K^+$ ($22.0\;mg\;kg^{-1}$), and $Mg^{2+}$ ($10.2\;mg\;kg^{-1}$). As for heavy metal content in the soil, concentrations of soil-borne metals including Fe, Al, Ca, Mg, and K tended to be high, while metals that come from manmade sources Pb, Cd, Cr, V, and Ni were remarkably low. The concentration of organic carbon (OC) was relatively high at $15.9\;{\mu}g\;mg^{-1}$, while elemental carbon (EC), directly released in the process of fossil fuel combustion, was not detected at all or found in very small amounts. The result indicates that pollution from manmade sources scarcely occurred. The analysis results from this study may contribute to improving modeling accuracy by providing input data for Asian dust prediction models, and be used as base data for determining the process of physiochemical transformation of Asian dust during long-range transport.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• 제6권1호
• /
• pp.41-52
• /
• 2012

Particulate sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$, sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) and size-segregated aerosol particle number concentrations were measured at a site ($32^{\circ}19'N$, $129^{\circ}59'E$) on the southwestern Japan coast from 5 March to 10 April, 2010. Results show frequent episodic increases of sulfate and $SO_2$. Compared to the average concentration of sulfate $4.4{\pm}2.7\;{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$ in the whole observation period, episodic sulfate reached $10.5-20.1\;{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$. The variation of sulfate always synchronized with aerosol particles in the size range of $0.1-0.5 {\mu}m$, indicating the episodic sulfate was a consequence of the increase of the sub-micron particles. $SO_2$ did not have remarkable increase in any episodes of sulfate increase. During the passage of low pressure systems which loaded Asian dust in postfrontal air, concentrated sulfate appeared right behind the front but before dust arrival, suggesting the dominance of dust-free particulate sulfate. Weather and backward trajectory analyses revealed that air parcels with high sulfate passed eastern and northeastern China or Korean peninsula before arriving at the site. In contrast, those with high $SO_2$ passed an active volcano, Mt. Sakurajima, about 100 km in the south, suggesting the $SO_2$ was more likely from the volcanic emission. The ratio of sulfate to total sulfur compounds $({SO_4}^{2-})/({SO_4}^{2-}+SO_2)$ was 0.31-0.89 in continentally originated air while was 0.25-0.43 in the air having passed the volcano, showing more efficient conversions of $SO_2$ to sulfate in the air from the continent. The close dependence of the conversion on humidity in the continentally originated air was confirmed.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 2010

As the frequency and the intensity of so called Asian dust (AD) events have increased, public concerns about the adverse health effects has spiked sharply over the last two decades. Despite the recent reports on the correlation between AD events and the risk for cardiovascular and respiratory disease, the nature of the toxicity and the degree of the risk are yet largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the dichloromethane extract of AD (AD-X) and that of urban dust (NAD-X) collected during a non-AD period on gene expression in HL-60 cells using Illumina Sentrix HumanRef-8 Expression BeadChips. Global changes in gene expression were analyzed after 24 h of incubation with 50 or 100 ${\mu}g$/ml AD-X and NAD-X. By one-way analysis of variance (p < 0.05) and Benjamini-Hochberg multiple testing correction for false discovery rate of the results, 573 and 297 genes were identified as AD-X- and NAD-X-responsive, respectively. The genes were classified into three groups by Venn diagram analysis of their expression profile, i.e., 290 AD-X-specific, 14 NAD-X-specific, and 283 overlapping genes. Quantitative realtime PCR confirmed the changes in the expression levels of the selected genes. The expression patterns of five genes, namely SORL1, RABEPK, DDIT4, AZU1, and NUDT1 differed significantly between the two groups. Following rigorous validation process, these genes may provide information in developing biomarker for AD exposure.

• 한국대기환경학회지
• /
• 제22권5호
• /
• pp.627-641
• /
• 2006

Atmospheric $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ were measured to investigate their levels and water-soluble ions(${SO_4}^{2-},\;{NO_3}^-,\;{NO_2}^-,\;Cl^-,\;{NH_4}^+,\;Na^+,\;Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;and\;K^+$) in Daegu between February 17 and April 18, 2006. Four Asian dust episodes during the period were examined for the influence of Asian dust on the particulate properties. Daily $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations ranged between $10.83{\sim}136.76{\mu}g/m^3$ with a mean of $38.43{\mu}g/m^3$ and $16.13{\sim}409.13{\mu}g/m^3$ with a mean of $79.98{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. For all measured ions the mean fractions of $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$ were 51.8% and 28.9% being lowered to 30.7% and 9.4%, respectively, during the dust episodes. Secondary ions (i.e., non-sea salt ${SO_4}^{2-},\;{NO_3}^-,\;and\;{NH_4}^+$) contributed 44.3% and 14.8% to $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$, respectively, with a decreased contribution during the episodes. The average equivalent ratio of ${NH_4}^+$ to the sum of ${SO_4}^{2-}\;and\;{NO_3}^-$ was 0.99 and 0.89 for $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$, respectively, indicating high source strength of $NH_3$ and its dominance in the neutralization of the acidic ions. Correlations and charge balance between ions suggest that neutralization of the acidic ions results in substantial depletions of carbonate both in $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{2.5-10}$ and chloride only in $PM_{2.5}$.