• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.385-394
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• 2023

Objectives: Firefighters could be exposed to a range of toxic chemicals during firefighting. When tyre burns, various toxic chemicals including volatile organic compounds(VOCs) could be emitted. In this study, the researchers assessed the VOC exposure of firefighters during tyre fire suppression through biomonitoring. Methods: There was a big tyre fire on 12 March 2023. Of the responding firefighters, we recruited 14 participants to collect their urine after firefighting. One week later, researchers collected firefighters' urine again right after their off-duty period. We analyzed each metabolite of benzene, toluene, xylene, and styrene in urine and compared their exposure level based on sampling time. Results: The detection rate for metabolite of benzene, toluene, styrene, and xylene in urine sampled at each time was 43%-64%, 100%, 86%-100%, and 100%, respectively. Except for the benzene, metabolite levels measured in urine after firefighting were similar to that from off-duty period. However, the median concentration of benzene metabolite in urine sampled after firefighting was three times higher compared to that from off-duty period(34.2 ㎍/g crea. and 10.9 ㎍/g crea., respectively.) The estimated airborne concentration of benzene calculated from metabolite level in urine was 0.16 ppm, which exceeded the recommended exposure level set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Conclusions: This study shows that firefighters could be exposed to the high level of VOCs including benzene during their firefighting especially at tyre fire. These results could be used as a valuable data to prove firefighters' exposure to hazardous chemicals during their duty.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.343-349
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• 2008

Vinclozolin, an endocrine disrupting chemical, is a chlorinated fungicide widely used to control fungal diseases. However, its metabolite 3,5-dichloroaniline is more toxic and persistent than the parent vinclozolin. For the biodegradation of vinclozolin, vinclozolin- and/or 3,5-dichloroaniline-degrading bacteria were isolated from pesticide-polluted agriculture soil. Among the isolated bacteria, a Rhodococcus sp. was identified from a 16S rDNA sequence analysis and named Rhodococcus sp. T1-1. The degradation ratios for vinclozolin or 3,5-dichloroaniline in a minimal medium containing vinclozolin $(200{\mu}ml)$ or 3,5-dichloroaniline $(120{\mu}g/ml)$ were 90% and 84.1%, respectively. Moreover, Rhodococcus sp. T1-1 also showed an effective capability to biodegrade dichloroaniline isomers on enrichment cultures in which they were contained. Therefore, these results suggest that Rhodococcus sp. T1-1 can bioremediate vinclozolin as well as 3,5-dichloroaniline.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.198-206
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• 2007

Hydroquinone is a toxic compound and a major benzene metabolite. We report that it strongly inhibits the activation of macrophages and associated cells. Thus, it suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-3, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-23], secretion of toxic molecules [nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS)] and the activation and expression of CD29 as judged by cell-cell adhesion and surface staining experiments. The inhibition was due to the induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in LPS-activated macrophages, since blocking HO-1 activity with ZnPP, an HO-1 specific inhibitor, abolished hydroquinone's NO inhibitory activity. In addition, hydroquinone and inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway had very similar inhibitory effects on LPS-induced and CD29-mediated macrophage responses, including the phoshorylation of Akt. Therefore, our data suggest that hydroquinone inhibits macrophage-mediated immune responses by modulating intracellular signaling and protective mechanisms.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.310-315
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• 2016

Coumarin is a phenolic compound that mainly affects the liver due to its metabolization into a toxic compound. The deterrent and ovicidal activities of coumarin in insect models such as Drosophila melanogaster have been reported. Here we explore the molecular mechanisms by which these insects protect themselves and their eggs from this toxic plant metabolite. Coumarin was fatal to the flies in a dosage-dependent manner. However, coumarin feeding could be inhibited through activation of the aversive gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs), but not the olfactory receptor neurons. Furthermore, three gustatory receptors, GR33a, GR66a, and GR93a, functioned together in coumarin detection by the proboscis. However, GR33a, but not GR66a and GR93a, was required to avoid coumarin during oviposition, with a choice of the same substrates provided as in binary food choice assay. Taken together, these findings suggest that anti-feeding activity and oviposition to avoid coumarin occur via separate mechanisms.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.647-649
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• 2006

Mevinolin, a fungal metabolite, is a potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-methyl-3-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-controlling enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. In this investigation, the optimum factors for mevinolin production by Monascus pilosus IFO 480 in soymeal fermentation were studied. The highest yield of mevinolin, 2.82 mg mevinolin per g dry weight, without citrinin (a toxic fungal secondary metabolite) was obtained after 21 days of fermentation at $30^{\circ}C$ at 65% moisture content, particle size 0.6-0.9 mm, and initial substrate pH of 6.0. Mevinolin was present in the fermentation substrate predominantly in the hydroxycarboxylate form (open lactone, 92.1-97.3%), which is currently being used as a hypocholesterolemic agent.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.52-53
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• 2001

In order for vitamin D to be active, it needs to get metabolized to 1, 25 (OH)$_2$D3. This active metabolite of vitamin D induces epithelial cell differentiation and is antiproliferative. However, at the efficacious concentration, the natural ligand for VDR is hypercalcemic and toxic to cells. Therefore, numerous analogs have been synthesized with the hope of generating a compound that retains vitamin D activity and is non-toxic.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10b
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• pp.9-10
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• 2001

In order for vitamin D to be active, it needs to get metabolized to 1, 25 (OH)$_2$D3. This active metabolite of vitamin D induces epithelial cell differentiation and is antiproliferative. However, at the efficacious concentration, the natural ligand for VDR is hypercalcemic and toxic to cells. Therefore, numerous analogs have been synthesized with the hope of generating a compound that retains vitamin D activity and is non-toxic.(omitted)

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.61-67
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• 2000

Toxic lesions of styrene in the Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) were compared with those of styrene oxide, the active metabolite of styrene, using embryo-larval assays. The developmental stages of Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) treated with both chemicals were not altered and progressed normally. However, styrene oxide was more toxic than styrene in terms of causing death and lesions . High concentrations of styrene (higher than 4.9 ppm) and styrene oxide (higher than 2.4 ppm), resulting in more than 50% mortality, caused similar lesions of cardiovascular system, craniofacial bone formation and spinal deformities, although a number of lesions were not observed by both chemicals . In the group treated with styrene, eyeball sizes and intereye distances were reduced, while, in the group treated with styrene oxide , the eyes and eye cups were not developed and two eyes were sometimes fused. In addition, styrene oxide caused the lesion which involved the posterior brain and brain stem were herniated through the spinal cord . The noticeable difference of toxic symptoms between these two chemicals was the time of onset. Toxicities of cardiovascular system and craniofacial bone formation appeared on day 3 of development in styrene oxide treated group, but, styrene treated group staned to show hemorrhages on day 3 and the craniofacial malformation were appeared on day 5, These differences between two chemicals may be due to the metabolism of styrene to styrene oxide, the reactive intermediate.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.1 s.52
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

Arsenic is a ubiquitous element found in several forms in environment. Although certain foods, such as marine fish, contain substantial levels of organic arsenic forms, they are relatively low in toxicity compared to inorganic forms. In contrast, arsenic in drinking water is predominantly inorganic and very toxic. Chronic ingestion of arsenic-contaminated drinking water is therefore the major pathway posing potential risk to human health. World populations are exposed to low to moderate levels of arsenic of parts per billion (ppb) to thousands of ppb. When exposed to human, it could metabolize into monomethylarsonous acid ($MMA^{III}$) and dimethylarsinous acid ($DMA^{III}$) which are highly toxic. Lots of stuides have been recently focused how $MMA^{III}\;and\;DMA^{III}$ induce toxic insults in various target tissues. Epidemiological studies revealed that chronic arsenic exposure caused cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes etc. In this review, the current understanding of arsenic on health effects will be discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.289-295
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• 2006

In order to elucidate the behavior of the insecticide imidacloprid (1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine) in crucian carp (Carassius auratus L.) and its effects on the internal organs of crucian carp, the crucian carps were exposed to [$^{14}C$]imidacloprid at a predicted environmental concentration of 0.064 mg/L for 4 days. Imidacloprid in water was absorbed into crucian carps to reach the maximum concentration at 2 days after exposure. Unknown major metabolite and imidacloprid urea, minor metabolite, were detected in test water. The amounts of the [$^{14}C$]imidacloprid and its metabolites absorbed in gall were much higher than those in the other parts, strongly suggesting that biliary excretion involving enterohepatic recirculation could be an import route for the elimination of imidacloprid absorbed in crucian carps. Meanwhile, no toxic effects of imidacloprid on liver and kidney as well as the genital organs such as testis and ovary were observed by microscopic inspection.