• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.82-91
• /
• 2001

This study was carried out to elucidate the protective effect of zinc chloride(ZnCl$_2$) and its mechanism against the immuno-cytotoxicity of methylmercury chloide($CH_3$HgCl). This study was observed in the culture of EMT-6 cells which are originated from mammary adenocarcinoma of Balb/c mouse. Cytotoxicity of metals was measured by cell viability and NO$_2$$^{[-10]}$ , and mitochondrial function was evaluated by adenosine triphosohate (ATP) production. $CH_3$HgCl significantly decreased the sythesis of nitric oxide(NO), ATP and glutathione(GSH) in a dose-dependent manner. ZnCl$_2$ significantly increased the synthesis of GSH in a dose-dependent manner, but synthesis of NO and ATP were not changed. The immuno-cytotoxicity of $CH_3$HgCl was not fully protected when combined addition of ZnCl$_2$, whereas ZnCl$_2$ prior to addition of $CH_3$HgCl completly protected the Hg-induced immuno-cytotoxicity. Similarly, intracellular accumulation of mercury significantly decreased by ZnCl$_2$. Degree of diminution of intracellular mercury was larger in ZnCl$_2$ prior to addition of $CH_3$HgCl than in combined addition of ZnCl$_2$ and $CH_3$HgCl.. Dithiothreitol(DTT) or buthionine sulfoximine(BSO) addition at 50$\mu$M or less, which was not toxic to the cells, did not affect synthesis of NO and ATP. DTT increased intracellular GSH level and DTT pretreatment protected toxicity induced by $CH_3$HgCl as shown complete recover in the NO and ATP values. BSO decreased intracellular GSH level and BSO pretreatment exaggerated toxicity induced by $CH_3$HgCl as shown synergistic reduction in the NO and ATP values. These results indicated that the protective effects of zinc against immuno-cytotoxicity of methylmercury associated with increasing cellular level of GSH. Increased intracellular GSH transports methylmercury to out of cells. In accordance with intracellular level of mercury decreased, immuno-cytotoxicity of methylmercury decreased. These result also suggest that the protective mechanism of zinc against the mercury toxicity would be exerted in the immune system in vivo.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2013

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study are to investigate the contamination levels of heavy metals in soil, ground water, and agricultural product near the abandoned Boeun and Sanggok mine areas in Korea and to assess the health risk for these local residents exposed to the toxic heavy metals based on analytical data. METHODS AND RESULTS: By the results of human health risk assessment for local residents around Boeun and Sanggok, human exposure to cadmium, copper, arsenic from soil and to lead, cadmium, and arsenic from rice grain were higher in Sanggok, but human exposure to zinc and arsenic from ground water was higher in Boeun. By the results of hazard index (HI) evaluation for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, HI values in both areas were higher than 1.0. This result indicated that the toxicity hazard through the continuous exposure to lead, cadmium, arsenic from rice, ground water, and soil would be likely to occur to the residents in the areas. Cancer risk assessment for arsenic, risks from the rice were exposed to one to two out of 10,000 people in Boeun and one of 1,000 people in Sanggok. These results showed that the cancer risks of arsenic in both areas were 10~100 times greater than the acceptable cancer risk range of US EPA ($1{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}1{\times}10^{-5}$). CONCLUSION(S): Therefore, if these two local residents consume continuously with arsenic contaminated soil, ground water, and rice, the adverse health effects (carcinogenic potential) would be more increased.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.1120-1128
• /
• 2004

Zinc ion has both essential and toxic effects on mammalian cells. The results demonstrated that the ability of zinc to act as an inducer of apoptosis in C6 glial cells. Incubation with 0.2 mM ZnCl₂ caused cell death that was characterized as apoptosis by internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, formation of apoptotic bodies, nuclear fragmentation and breakdown of the mitochondrial membrane potential. ZnCl₂-induced apoptosis of C6 glial cells was prevented by the addition of Sibjeondaebo-Tang and antioxidants including reduced glutathione, N-acetyl-L-cysteine. We further confirmed that ZnCl₂ decreased the intracellular levels of GSH as well as generation of H₂O₂ in C6 glial cells. In 2D-electrophoresis, computer-assisted comparative analysis of the respective silver stained spot patterns revealed 3 groups with strongly decreased intensity by ZnCl₂. Whereas, 3 groups with increasing intensity were recovered by Sibjeondaebo-Tang. These results suggest that Sibjeondaebo-Tang may function as an antioxidant against free radicals and be applicable to the treatment of brain cells against oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.9 no.5
• /
• pp.1354-1358
• /
• 2008

Environmental-friendly nontocxic flame retardant paint which can overcomes the restriction of harmful materials for human body and environments such as Pb, Hg, Cd, $C^{+6}$, PBB/PBDE by EU and domestic Ministry of Environment was developed. Developed paint is the water-soluble organic inorganic hybrid material that VOC(volatility organic compound) discharge is low, and that human riskiness and environmental pollution is minimized not using the kinds of halogen materials. $Mg(OH)_2$, $Sb_{2}O_{3}$, and Zinc borate were used as flame retardant materials, 2% Micell and water were used as binder and solvent, respectively. Results showed the optimum activity was obtained when the ratio of those frame retardant agents($Mg(OH)_2$, $Sb_{2}O_{3}$, Zinc borate made by 1: 2: 2), binder(2% Micell) and water was 1: 0.5: 0.5.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2015

The contaminated soil at abandoned smelter areas present challenge for remediation, as the degraded materials are typically deficient in nutrients, and rich in toxic heavy metals and metalloids. Bioremediation technique is to isolate new strains of microorganisms and develop successful protocols for reducing metal toxicity with heavy metal tolerant species. The present study collected metal contaminated soil and characterized for pH and EC values, and heavy metal contents. The pH value was 5.80, representing slightly acidic soil, and EC value was 13.47 mS/m. ICP-AES analytical results showed that the collected soil samples were highly contaminated with various heavy metals and metalloids such as lead (183.0 mg/kg), copper (98.6 mg/kg), zinc (91.6 mg/kg), and arsenic (48.1 mg/kg), respectively. In this study, a bacterial strain, Bacillus cereus KM-15, capable of adsorbing the heavy metals was isolated from the contaminated soils by selective enrichment and characterized to apply for the bioremediation. The effects of heavy metal on the growth of the Bacillus cereus KM-15 was determined in liquid cultures. The results showed that 100 mg/L arsenic, lead, and zinc did not affect the growth of KM-15, while the bacterial growth was strongly inhibited by copper at the same concentration. Further, the ability of the bacteria to adsorb heavy metals was evaluated.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.401-408
• /
• 2017

Organic amendments such as animal waste compost, lime-bordeaux mixture, and lime sulphur mixture contain heavy metal(loid)s which are toxic to human being, animal, and plant. The objective of this study was to compare heavy metal(loid)s contamination of soil between conventional and organic farm. Soil samples were collected from 10 conventional and 38 organic fruit farms. At each sampling point, top (0~15 cm) and sub soil (15~30 cm) were taken using hand auger. Total concentration for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nikel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in the collected soil were measured. The pollution index (PI) for heavy metal in organic farms indicated it was unpolluted area. However, mean value of PI for organic farms (0.143) was higher than that for conventional farms (0.122). High Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) for Cu, Pb, and Zn implied that grape farms were more polluted than others fruit farms because a lot of lime-bordeaux mixture and lime sulphur were applied in organic grape farms. Especially, top soils showed higher level of contamination than sub soil. Based on the above results, organic amendments might cause accumulation of heavy metals in soil. Therefore, particular attention should be paid for concentration of Cu, Pb, and Zn, when organic amendments are used in the organic fruit farms.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.66-72
• /
• 2008

Total metals, soluble metals, and bioavailable metals were monitored at the sediments of urban lakes located in Seoul, Korea during spring season 2006. The metals measured were zinc, arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel, and cadmium, which are known to be toxic to human health and ecosystems. The main sources of heavy metals in the lakes were urban runoff and atmospheric deposition associated with air pollution in urban areas. Extraction by using a weak electrolyte solution (0.1 M $Ca(NO_3)_2$) was used to predict bioavailability of the metals. Among the six heavy metals studied, copper was the most bioavailable, based the weak electrolyte extraction techniques. Since metal toxicity is related to metal bioavailability, the results were consistent with the high ecotoxicity of copper, compared to other heavy metals. Overall results suggest that there was no direct relationship between total and bioavailable metal concentration, although zinc, copper and cadmium show some relationships.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.215-223
• /
• 1997

To estimate association of minerals relating to non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) the contents of essential minerals and toxic heavy metals in the scalp hair were measured during the period from March 1993 to June 1993. The cases were selected 69 (32 male, 37 female) from the patients who visited Kyungpook University Hospital during the period from March 1993 to June 1993 and 74 controls (47 male 27 female) from normal population. zinc, copper, manganese, lead, cadmium and aluminum were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer(IL. 551). The results were summarized as follows. In NIDDM group, mean contents of zinc and copper were $132.99{\pm}19.66$ ppm, $8.58{\pm}5.07$ ppm respectively; where as $152.51{\pm}46.15$ ppm, $12.48{\pm}6.56$ ppm in control group. The mean of above two mineral content showed significant difference statistically (p<0.01). But, in manganese the content of NIDDM group; $0.44{\pm}0.27$ ppm were significantly higher than the control group; $0.34{\pm}0.18$ ppm(p<0.05). A thesis submitted to the Council of the Graduate School of Kyungpook National University in partial fulfillment of the require ements for the degree of Ph.D. in Medical Science in June 1994. The mean contents of toxic metals - lead, cadmium, aluminum - in NIDDM group were $10.04{\pm}4.60$ ppm, $0.57{\pm}0.12$ ppm, $11.31{\pm}3.98$ ppm; whereas $8.10{\pm}2.45$ ppm, $0.41{\pm}0.23$ ppm, $7.61{\pm}4.16$ ppm in control group. The mean of above three mineral showed significant difference statistically(p<0.01). Cadmium, zinc and copper were selected statistically significant variables with presence of the NIDDM by multiple logistic regression analysis; copper, zinc and cadmium may be associated with NIDDM.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.62-67
• /
• 1994

Introduction : Recently, water and environmental pollution becomes serious social problem and high technology makes this pollution accelerate. Hydrogen sulfide, the main subject of our research, is one of the most dangerous air pollutant like SO$_x$ and NO$_x$. The major contaminant in coal gasification is H$_2$S, which is very toxic, hazardous and extremely corrosive. Therefore, control of hydrogen sulfide to a safe level is essential. Although commercial desulfurization process called liquid scrubbing is effective for removal of H$_2$S, it has drawbacks, the loss of sensible heat of the gas and costly wastewater treatment. Many investigations are carried out about high-temperature removal ol H$_2$S in hot coal-derived gas using metal oxide or mixed metal qxide sorbents. It was reported that ZnO was very effective sorbent for H2S removal, but it has big flaw to vaporize elemental zinc above 600\ulcorner \ulcorner As alternative, metal oxides such as CaO, $Fe_2O_3$, TiO$_2$ and CuO were added to ZnO. Especially, different results are reported for $Fe_2O_3$ additive. Tamhankar et al. reported SiO$_2$ with 45 wt% $Fe_2O_3$ sorbent is favorable for removal of H$_2$S and regeneration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.87 no.3
• /
• pp.466-474
• /
• 1998

This study was conducted to evaluate heavy metal concentrations(Cd, Cu, Z, and Pb) in the soil of two zinc mines and to correlate heavy metal contents between the soils and trees growing near the mines. Soils and leaves, stems, and roots of five tree species(Corylus heterophylla, Pinus rigida. Populus alba${\times}$glandulosa, Rhododendron mucronulatum, and Robinia pseudoacacia) were collected from Sambo Zinc Mine located in Hwasung and Gahak Zinc Mine in Kwangmyung city in Kyonggido. Soils near two zinc mines were not seriously contaminated by heavy metals, but Zn and Pb concentrations were at toxic level. The heavy metal concentration in soils decreased in the order of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd, and decreased with increasing distance from zinc mining sites. Among the five tree species, Populus alba ${\times}$ glandulosa showed the highest heavy metal concentrations in the tissue except for Pb. Particulars, leaves of the species contained the high concentrations of heavy metals to reach the maximum of 91ppm Zn. The roots of Corylus heterophylla contained high concentrations of Cu and Pb. The order of heavy metal concentrations in the tree species was Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd. The concentration of heavy metals in the tree tissues showed a positive correlation with that in soil in which trees are growing. The ratio of heavy metal concentration of trees to that of soils(concentration factor : CF) was highest in Zn and lowest in Pb. Populus alba${\times}$glandulosa had the highest CF value among the five tree species. It was concluded that Populus alba${\times}$glandulosa, based on the high metal uptake ability, could be used for decontaminating of heavy metals from contaminated soils, and Pinus rigida could be used to reflect the level of contamination in soils.