• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2017

A total of 100 seafoods commonly consumed in Gyeonggi-do were investigated to determine the concentration of lead (Pb), total mercury (Hg), methyl mercury (MeHg), cadmium (Cd) and selenium (Se). Concentration of heavy metals and selenium was measured by using mercury analyzer, ICP-MS and GC-ECD. The average content (mg/kg) of heavy metals in the seafood samples was as follows; Pb 0.0915 (0.0021-0.4490), Cd 0.0084 (ND-0.1773), and Hg 0.0412 (0.0013-0.3032). All the levels were below the recommended standards of the MFDS in Pb (0.5 mg/kg), Cd (0.2 mg/kg), Hg (0.5 mg/kg). The methylmercury was detected in the hairtail (0.0677 mg/kg) and cod (0.2941 mg/kg). After the average content of heavy metals in seafood was determined, the exposure assessment for heavy metals was conducted. Relative hazardous levels compared to PTWI were lower than the official standards of the JECFA for Pb (0.97%), Hg (3.42%) Cd (0.45%). In conclusion, the levels presented in this study are presumed to be safe for consumption.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.896-903
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in raw short-neck clam Ruditapes philippinarum distributed in the Yeongnam and Honam areas during the spring season, the contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni) as microbiological hazards, and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury), benzopyrene, shellfish poison (paralytic, diarrhetic, amnesic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs+¹³⁷Cs) were also analyzed in 15 samples based on the methods of the Korean Food Code. The average contamination levels of total viable bacteria were 3.11 (1.40-4.49) log CFU/g, and coliforms were detected in 5 out of 15 samples (1.18-1.85 log CFU/g). E. coli and S. aureus were not detected in all samples. Furthermore, the presence of 8 pathogens were not detected in all samples. The average contamination levels of lead, cadmium, and total mercury were 0.155 (0.079-0.264), 0.160 (0.040-0.287), and 0.017 (0.008-0.026) mg/kg, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene, shellfish poison, and radioactivity were not detected in all samples. The results of this study suggest that the safety against all microbiological and chemical hazard factors in raw short-neck clams distributed in markets has been assured.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.904-911
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in dried sea mustard, fifteen samples of dried sea mustards Undaria pinnatifida were purchased from the supermarkets distributed throughout Korea. The contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio spp., Clostridium perfringens, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter jejuni/coli] were quantitatively or qualitatively assessed. Also, the heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴CS+¹³⁷CS) were quantitatively assessed. This microbial and chemical analysis was performed using standard methods in Korean food code. The total viable bacteria ranged from 4.3×10² (5.0×10-1.5×10³) CFU/g. Coliforms and E. coli were not detected in all samples (ND, <1 log₁₀ CFU/g). All nine pathogenic bacteria were qualitatively detected as negative. The contamination levels of lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic were 0.036 (0.015-0.051), 0.117 (0.088-0.156), 0.030 (0.017-0.048), and 0.058 (0.056-0.064) mg/kg, respectively. Radioactivity was also not detected in any sample. The microbial contamination levels determined in the current study may be potentially used as basis for performing microbial risk assessments of dried sea mustards.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2008

The objectives of this study were to measure ambient TGM concentrations in Seoul Korea, to determine the temporal variation of TGM, and to analyze the relationships among TGM, meteorological data and PM2.5 measured at the same time. Ambient TGM and PM2.5 concentrations were measured at the roof of the Graduate School of Public Health building in Seoul, Korea for the period of January to October 2004. Average TGM concentration was $3.43{\pm}1.17ng/m^3$. The average TGM was at a low concentration similar to those of background sites in other countries. The temporal variations and meteorological phenomena of TGM were not statistically significant. There was a positive link between TGM and PM2.5. It didn't indicate that reduction of $Hg^{2+}$ to Hg0 had occurred in liquid water contained in smog as in a previous study, but it shows that PM2.5 and TGM could be emitted from the same sources such as power plants and combustion engines. Also, the strong correlation between TGM and $SO_2$ concentrations indicated that the source of TGM was from fossil fuel combustions including coal combustion. Specifically, $SO_2\;and\;SO_4{^2-}$ concentrations correlated to TGM concentrations could be linked to TGM emitted from local and regional sources as well.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.239-254
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• 2008

This study was conducted in order to get basic data on standards and specifications of health and functional foods. A total of 101 kinds of functional healths foods were examined during the period of January to December 2005. Among them, 89 kinds were local products and 12 kinds were imported products. Test items were 6 kinds of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc and manganese), 5 bacteria (common bacteria, coliform group, E coli, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens), and 6 preservatives (sorbic acid, benzoic acid, DHA, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben and butyl paraben). As a result of heavy metals, cadmium, was detected from the glucosamine products by 1.52ppm in average, mercury from cereal products by 0.004ppm in average, and lead from chlorella foods by 3.48ppm in average. Bacteria were identified from 3 cereal products, and amount of common bacteria were about $4.8{\times}105cfu/g$ in average. E Coli and Coliform group were isolated from 2 products and 4 products, respectively. All of those products were flour meal products. Any of 6 kinds of preservatives was not detected from all the products. It is thought that these test results will be available as basic data for enactment of relevant laws and regulations for production and control of safer and more hygienic foods in the future because the standards of the harmful heavy metals are not complete or available yet according to the Food Sanitation Law and the Functional Healths Foods Law.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2011

Objectives: Previous investigations have presented some evidence of late cognitive effects in dental personnel exposed to metallic mercury. We wanted to examine if Norwegian dentists have an increased prevalence of symptoms consistent with neurological and/or cognitive malfunction. Methods: The study group consisted of 406 dentists from central Norway and 217 controls from the general population, all under the age of 70. They had responded to a standardised postal questionnaire (Euroquest) inquiring about seven symptoms in regard to neurology, psychosomatics, memory, concentration, mood, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. A score was calculated for each symptom based on 4 to 15 single questions scored on a scale from 1 (seldom or never) to 4 (very often). Results: The dentists and controls had a participation rate of 57.2 % and 42.9 % respectively. The dentists reported no more cognitive symptoms than the controls, with low average symptom scores from 1.16 for neurological symptoms in males to 1.73 for fatigue in females. Corresponding figures for the controls were 1.22 and 1.77. There were a total of 1.2 % of the dentists and 1.8 % of the controls who reported having three or more of the seven symptoms "often" or more frequently. Conclusion: Norwegian dentists do not report more cognitive and neurological symptoms than controls from the general population.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2001

The concentrations of gaseous mercury (Hg) determined between two different time periods of the late 1980s and the late 1990s were compared to account for the effects of changes between source/sink relationships of atmospheric Hg in an urban area. The Hg concentration levels were different remarkably between the two time periods due possibly to changes in source/sink relationships. The results showed that the Hg levels in the former period were measured to be 14.4${\pm}$9.56ngm$^{-3}$ (N = 2714), whereas those of the latter period were characterized by approximately three-fold decreased values of 5.34${\pm}$3.92 ngm$^{-3}$ (N=2576). Using two independent measurement data sets, we examined the patterns of Hg distribution at different time scales. When analyzed over 24 hour scale, these data sets exhibited two distinctive distribution patterns. The former period showed enhanced concentration levels during daytime, while the latter period showed relative depletion during daytime. The patterns of the two data sets were also examined over seasonal scale. The results of two different time periods consistently showed the occurrences of maximum seasonal values during winter. The former period was characterized by seasonal patterns of fuel consumption with excessive Hg levels during winter. Conversely, no distinctive trend was apparent for the latter period with slight changes in concentration levels across seasons. In order to analyze the factors affecting Hg distributions between two different periods, we conducted both correlation and factor analysis on both all data sets and on seasonally divided data groups. The results of these analyses consistently indicate that the Hg concentration levels for two different time periods are regulated by distinctive source processes that are characteristic of each period.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2007

Toxicity evaluations using oxygen uptake rate (OUR) on activated sludge process were investigated. On toxicity evaluations of heavy metals, all toxicants in experiments decreased OUR with respect to the concentrations of the toxicants, while high toxicities with cyanide and mercury were observed respectively. On toxicity evaluations of composite heavy metals, composite toxicities had similar results as to the total sum of each toxicants that presents accurate toxicity evaluation using OUR. From these results, it is concluded that activated sludge is effective indicator for toxicity evaluation on wastewater of biological treatment plants.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.322-326
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• 2010

This study shows that atmospheric TPM concentrations and THg concentrations in precipitation measured in China were higher that those measured in Korea. TPM concentrations and THg concentrations in precipitation during the cold periods were generally higher than those during the warm periods in both China and korea. In China, variations of THg concentration in precipitation during the cold and warm periods were influenced by scavenging of both TPM and RGM. Different from China, in Korea, variations of THg concentration in precipitation during the cold period were also influenced by scavenging of both TPM and RGM; however, those during the warm periods were dominantly governed by scavenging of RGM.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.443-448
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• 1999

Tests have been carried out on four concrete containing different levels of silica fume to measure their permeability coefficient using water and oxygen, chloride ion. The total cementitious content was 351kg/㎥, and the water/cementitious materials ratio was 0.55. The results show that a dramatic reduction in permeability of concrete containing silica fume occurs due to formation of a discontinuous macro-pore system which inhibits flow. Porosity estimates from mercury-intrusion porosimetry are used to develop an explanations for the water and air permeability reduction. And, results of the rapid permeability test showed that the resistance of concrete to the penetration of chloride ions increases significantly as a contents of silica-fume is increased. The current intensity passing through the concrete containing silica fume is presented from 664C to 2166C.