• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.813-826
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• 1996

The toxic effects of aluminium (Al) on growth, chlorophyll content, $\delta-aminolevulinic$ acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity and anatomy of root and shoot were investigated in 7-day-old azuki bean (Vigna angularis) seedlings. Significant depressions in root elongation was observed in the low concentrations of Al (50, 100 $\muM)$ and increasing Al concentrations caused a sharp decline of root and shoot growth. The degree of inhibition was dependent upon Al supply. Exposure to 50 $\muM$ Al or more inhibited root elongation within 1 day. In the 50 $\muM$ Al treatments, a recovery of root growth was seen after 7 days exposure. In contrast, lateral root initials was little affected by Al exposure. Al toxicity symptoms and growth responses were more well developed in the roots than in the shoots. Analysis of Al localization in root cells by hematoxylin stAlning showed that Al entered root apices and accumulated in the epidermal and cortical cells immeadiately below the epidermis. There was a good positive correlation between the level of chlorophyll and ALAD activity. Increasing Al concentrations caused a decrease in total chlorophyll contents, accompanied by proportional changes in ALAD activity, suggesting a cootr-dinated reduction of a photosynthetic machinery. Al exerted specific influence on the morphology of root ann shoot. At higher concentrations of Al the roots induced drastic anatomical changes. The epidermal cells were disorganized or destructed while the cortical cells exhibited distortion of cell shape and/or disintegration. The diameter of root and transectional area of cortical cells decreased considerably with Al treatment. In the shoot Al also enhanced reduction of diameter of shoot and cell size. Gross anatomy of leaves treated with Al did not differ significantly from the controls, except for fewer and smaller chloroplast. Our results indicate that toxic effect of Al appear to be manifested primarily in roots and secondarily on shoots, and changes in root morphology are related to changes in the root growth patterns. Results are further discussed in re181ion to the findings in other plant species, and it is concluded that Al causes morphological, structural and, presumably, functional damage to the roots of the species investigated.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1776-1783
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• 2006

Despite being a rich source of protein (28-34%), karanj (Pongamia glabra) cake is found to be bitter in taste and toxic in nature owing to the presence of flavonoid (karanjin), tannin and trypsin inhibitor, thereby restricting its safe inclusion in poultry rations. Feeding of karanj cake at higher levels (>10%) adversely affected the growth performance of poultry due to the presence of these toxic factors. Therefore, efforts were made to detoxify karanj cake by various physico-chemical methods such as dry heat, water washing, pressure cooking, alkali and acid treatments and microbiological treatment with Sacchraromyces cerevisiae (strain S-49). The level of residual karanjin in raw and variously processed cake was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography and tannin and trypsin inhibitor was quantified by titrametric and colorimetric methods, respectively. The karanjin, tannin and trypsin inhibitor levels in such solvent and expeller pressed karanj cake were 0.132, 3.766 and 6.550 and 0.324, 3.172 and 8.513%, respectively. Pressure-cooking of solvent extracted karanj cake (SKC) substantially reduced the karanjin content at a cake:water ratio of 1:0.5 with 30-minute cooking. Among chemical methods, 1.5% (w/w) NaOH was very effective in reducing the karanjin content. $Ca(OH)_2$ treatment was also equally effective in karanjin reduction, but at a higher concentration of 3.0% (w/w). A similar trend was noticed with respect to treatment of expeller pressed karanj cake (EKC). Pressure cooking of EKC was effective in reducing the karanjin level of the cake. Among chemical methods alkali treatment [2% (w/w) NaOH] substantially reduced the karanjin levels of the cake. Other methods such as water washing, dry heat, HCl, glacial acetic acid, urea-ammoniation, combined acid and alkali, and microbiological treatments marginally reduced the karanjin concentration of SKC and EKC. Treatment of both SKC and EKC with 1.5% and 2.0% NaOH (w/w) was the most effective method in reducing the tannin content. Among the various methods of detoxification, dry heat, pressure cooking and microbiological treatment with Saccharomyces cerevisiae were substantially effective in reducing the trypsin inhibitor activity in both SKC and EKC. Based on reduction in karanjin, in addition to tannin and trypsin inhibitor activity, detoxification of SKC with either 1.5% NaOH or 3% $Ca(OH)_2$, w/w) and with 2% NaOH were more effective. Despite the effectiveness of pressure cooking in reducing the karanjin content, it could not be recommended for detoxification because of the practical difficulties in adopting the technology as well as for economic considerations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2016

Toxicity assessment of heavy metals (As, Cr and Pb) has been investigated by using the rate of survival and population growth(r) of marine rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis. The survival rate was determined after 24 hours of exposure to As, Cr and Pb. As and Cr reduced survival rate in dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction were occurred at concentration of greater than 30 and $150mg\;L^{-1}$, but Pb had no effect on survival rate. The r was determined after 72 hours of exposure to As, Cr and Pb. As, Cr and Pb reduced r in dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction were occurred at concentration of greater than 5, 25 and $50mg\;L^{-1}$. The toxicity of heavy metals were ranked As>Cr>Pb, with $EC_{50}$ values of 12.98, 82.34 and $110.14mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The no-observed-effect-concentration (NOEC) of r in As, Cr and Pb exposure were 1, 12.5 and $50mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The lowest-observed-effect-concentration (LOEC) of r in As, Cr and Pb exposure were 5, 25, and $50mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. From the results, the concentration of As, Cr and Pb (greater than 5, 25 and $50mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively) have toxic effect on the r of B. plicatilis in natural ecosystems. These results (including NOEC and $EC_{50}$) might be useful for the mixing toxicity assessment and toxic guide line of heavy metals in marine ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2013

Toxic effects of arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) has been investigated using the sea urchin (Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus) germ cell and pluteus-larvae. The gametotoxic and embryotoxic effects of As and Cr on H. plucherrimus were each investigated at 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100. Spawning was induced by 0.5 M KCl solution and the normal fertilization and embryogenesis rates were performed for 10 min and 64 hrs after fertilization, respectively. The normal fertilization and embryogenesis rates in the control condition (not including As and Cr) were greater than 94% and 93%, respectively. The fertilization rate was not significantly changed compared with control but embryogenesis rate was significantly decreased with concentration-dependent manner. As and Cr reduced normal embryogenesis rates and a significant reduction occurred at concentration greater than 6.25 ppb (P<0.01) and 25 ppb (P<0.05), respectively. The lowest-observedeffect- concentration (LOEC) of normal embryogenesis rate in As and Cr were each 6.25 and 25 ppb, respectively. From these results, normal embryogenesis rate of H. pulcherrimus have toxic effect at greater than the 6.25 ppb concentration of As and 25 ppb concentration of Cr in marine ecosystems. These results suggest that the normal embryogenesis rates of H. pulcherrimus are very useful test method for the toxicity assessment of heavy metal as As and Cr in marine ecosystems.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2015

Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution was investigated using $TiO_2$ nanoparticles (Degussa P25) in this study. After a 3 hr photocatalytic reaction (${\lambda}=365nm$ and $I=3mW\;cm^{-2}$, $[TiO_2]=2.0g\;L^{-1}$), 98% of BPA ($1.0{\times}10^{-5}M$) was degraded and 89% of the total organic carbon was removed. In addition, BPA degradation by photolytic, hydrolytic and adsorption reactions was found to be 2%, 5% and 13%, respectively. The reaction rate of BPA degradation by photocatalysis decreased with increasing concentration of methanol that is used as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. This indicates that the reaction between BPA and hydroxyl radical was the key mechanism of BPA degradation. The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant for this reaction was determined to be $7.94{\times}10^{-4}min^{-1}$, and the time for 90% BPA removal was found to be 25 min. In addition, acute toxicity testing using Daphnia magna neonates (< 24 h old) was carried out to evaluate the reduction of BPA toxicity. Acute toxicity (48 hr) to D. magna was decreased from 2.93 TU (toxic unit) to non-toxic after photocatalytic degradation of BPA for 3 hr. This suggests that there was no formation of toxic degradation products from BPA photocatalysis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.2175-2185
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• 2000

Respiration rate should be a reasonable state variable for the activated sludge and could be used to simulate the performance of the activated sludge process. Toxic materials are classified into three groups, competitive, noncompetitive and uncompetitive. They increase/decrease the half saturation coefficient or specific growth rate. that means decreasing of the substrate removal capacity. In this research, a pilot-scale activated sludge process was operated under extended aeration method, and a representative noncompetitive inhibitor, acidic wastewater was applied to establish a respirometry-based toxicity model. Using this model. the correlation coefficient between measured and calculated respiration rate was 0.96 when acidic wastewater(pH 3.9~5.5) was introduced continuously to the aeration tank. Even though respiration rate was decreased by toxic effect of acidic wastewater, effluent substrate concentration represented to COD was deteriorated just a little bit. It might be caused by the low ratio of readily biodegradable substrate in the input substrate. Reduction of respiration rate by decreasing of input substrate concentration was much lower than that by acidic wastewater, and hence it was estimated that the possibility of false toxic alarm caused by decreasing of substrate concentration should be low.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.10 no.1 s.20
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• pp.69-73
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• 2004

Control if Sediment is very important in prawn farm due to the eruption of toxic materials such as unionized $H_{2}S,\;NH_{3}\;and\;NO_3$. In this study, column test was conducted with filter media such as activated carbon, zeolite, oyster shell and iron chloride to evaluate the reduction of toxicity from sediment. ammonia-N($NH_3$) was effectively removed by Zeolite and oyster shell. It was indicated that ammonium ion($NH_4^+$) was removed by ion exchange of zeolite. And the ammonia in the column of oyster shell was existed as the form of $NH_4^+$, which is not toxic for prawn because oyster shell was stably kept at $8{\sim}9g$ of pH. Therefore, some of ammonia($NH_4^+$) was removed by oyster shell. Hydrogen sulfide and COD were effectively removed by adsorption of activated carbon and a partial removal of hydrogen sulfide was accomplished by Oyster shell. Phosphorous was removed by activated carbon, oyster shell and iron chloride. In prawn farm, the concentration of ammonia was increased with increase of pH by algae photosynthesis in the column of activated carbon, zeolite and iron chloride, but it was revealed that pH was stably kept in the column of oyster shell.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2003

Microbial Fe(III) reduction is an important factor for biogeochemical cycle in anaerobic environments, especially sediment of freshwater such as lakes, ponds and rivers. In addition, the Fe(III) reduction serves as a model for potential mechanisms for the oxidation of organic compounds and the reduction of toxic heavy metals, such as chrome or uranium. Shewanella putrefaciens DK-1 was a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic Fe(III) reducer and used ferric ion as a terminal electron acceptor for the oxidation of organic compounds to $CO_{2}$ or other oxidized metabolites. The ability of reducing activity and utilization of various electron acceptors and donors for S. putrefaciens DK-1 were investigated. S. putrefaciens DK-1 was capable of using a wide variety of electron acceptor, including $NO_{3}^{-}$, Fe(III), AQDS, and Mn(IV). However, its ability to utilize electron donors was limited. Lactate and formate were used as electron donors but acetate and toluene were not used. Fe(III) reduction of S. putrefaciens DK-l was inhibited by the presence of either $NO_{3}^{-}$ or $NO_{2}^{-}$. Further S. putrefaciens DK-1 used humic acid as an electron acceptor and humic acid was re-oxidized by nitrate. Environmental samples showing the Fe(III)-reducing activity were used to investigate effects of the limiting factors such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus on the Fe(III) reducing bacteria. The highest Fe (III) reducing activity was measured, when lactate as a carbon source and S. putrefaciens DK-1 as an Fe(III) reducer added in untreated sediment samples of Cheon-ho and Dae-ho reservoirs.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 1998

Microorganisms such as alga are able to uptake toxic and heavy metal ions. After Cd(Ⅱ) was preconcentrated on the carbon paste electrode constructed by incorporating alga (Anabaena), it was determined with differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. A well-defined oxidation peak of Cd(Ⅱ) was obtained at - 0.75 V vs. SCE. We investigated the optimum conditions using the peak, which are the effect of the amount of alga, pH, ionic strength, temperature, and preconcentration time on the preconcentration of Cd(Ⅱ) and that of the reduction time and potential on the reduction of Cd(Ⅱ) preconcentrated. Calibration curve for the determination of Cd(Ⅱ) was linear over the range of $1.0{\times}10^6\;M\;to\;8.0{\times}10^6$\;M (R=0.9978) and the detection limit was $5.0{\times}10^{-7}$\;M. The relative standard deviation was 3.1% (n=6) for $7.0{\times}10^{-6}\;M Cd(Ⅱ). In regeneration of the electrode surface with 0.1 M HCl, the response was reproducible continuously by 10 times.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2013

Carbon dioxide reduction technologies using photosynthetic microorganism were suggested to overcome environmental destruction caused by $CO_2$ in flue gases from power plant and other industries. However, there are many toxic constituents in flue gas including CO, NOx, SOx. Continuous and Excessive supply of these noxious gases to cells will leads to inhibition of microalgal growth along with partial cell death. In this study, we tested the noxious effect of SOx and NOx on the pH and microalgal growth under photoautotrophic culture in three microalgae of Neochloris oleoabundans, Chlorella vulgaris and Haematococcus pluvialis. As a result, SOx concentration more than 50 ppm led to the rapid reduction of pH, thereby inhibiting of the growth in Neochloris oleoabundans and Chlorella vulgaris. NOx concentration more the 100 ppm reduced the exponential growth of N. oleoabundans and C. vulgaris. And H. pluvialis exhibited low sensitivity to SOx and NOx. Consequently, the three microalgae of N. oleabundas, C. vulagaris and H. pluvialis showed the normal vegetative growth in 25 ppm of NOx and SOx. Above all, H. pluvialis was useful for the $CO_2$ sequestration of the flue gas including high concentrations of NOx and SOx.