• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.709-717
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• 2008

Rhizofiltration for cesium uptake by sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris var.) was investigated for groundwater contamination. The cesium removal by sunflowers was greater than 98% of the total cesium in solution, and the uptake by beans was also greater than 99% within 24 hours of the rhizofiltration, showing that the rhizofiltration has a great capability to remove cesium from the contaminated water system. Experiments at various pH of solution indicated that a solution of pH $5{\sim}9$ yielded very high cesium accumulation in two plants. From the results of the analysis for cesium accumulation in plant parts, about 80% of cesium transferred into the plant from solution was accumulated in the root part and less than 20% of cesium existed in the shoot part (including leaves). Results suggest that only the roots of the fully grown plant used for rhizofiltration should be disposed or post-treated and thus the cost and time to treat massive amounts of grown plants could be dramatically reduced when sunflower and bean are used in the real field. The results of SEM and EDS analyses indicated that the most of cesium were accumulated in the root surface as a ionic phase rather than a soil precipitation phase.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.280-287
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• 2004

We investigated the residual amounts of endosulfan and procymidone taken by vegetables grown in hydroponics culture and field conditions treated with the pesticides in order to evaluate safe cultivation concentration of the pesticides in the vegetables. Endosulfan and procymidone were selected as test pesticides because they have been reported to frequently detect in agricultural products at different concentrations. In hydroponic culture, by Chinese cabbage, procymidone was absorbed 3.8 times higher than endosulfan. The higher the pesticide concentration get, the worse the plant grew. In soil treated with 10 mg/kg of endosulfan, the pesticide absorbed by Leafy radish, Chinese cabbage and radish was less then their MRLs. In case of carlot, the residue level in soil which did not exceed its MRL was 1 mg/kg. The concentrations of procymidone in soil which did not exceed the MRLs in Leafy radish, Chinese cabbage, radish and carrot were 10, 10, 2 and 1 mg/kg, respectively Usually aged endosulfan and procymidone residues were less absorbed into crops than the fresh ones. Chinese cabbage absorbed more endosulfan and pocymidone than leafy radish, radish doing more than carrot.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 1990

The regulation of neurotoxicants has usually been based upon setting reference doses by dividing a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) by uncertainty factors that theoretically account for interspecies and intraspecies extraploation of experimental results in animals to humans. Recently, we have proposed a four-step alternative procedure which provides quantitative estimates of risk as a function of dose. The first step is to establish a mathematical relationship between a biological effect or biomarker and the dose of chemical administered. The second step is to determine the distribution (variability) of individual measurements of biological effects or their biomarkers about the dose response curve. The third step is to define an adverse or abnormal level of a biological effect or biomarker in an untreated population. The fourth and final step is to combine the information from the first three steps to estimate the risk (proportion of individuals exceeding on adverse or abnormal level of a biological effect or biomarker) as a function of dose. The primary purpose of this report is to enhance the certainty of the first step of this procedure by improving our understanding of the relationship between a biomarker and dose of administered chemical. Several factors which need to be considered include: 1) the pharmacokinetics of the parent chemical, 2) the target tissue concentrations of the parent chemical or its bioactivated proximate toxicant, 3) the uptake kinetics of the parent chemical or metabolite into the target cell(s) and/or membrane interactions, and 4) the interaction of the chemical or metabolite with presumed receptor site(s). Because these theoretical factors each contain a saturable step due to definitive amounts of required enzyme, reuptake or receptor site(s), a nonlinear, saturable dose-response curve would be predicted. In order to exemplify this process, effects of the neurotoxicant, methlenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), were reviewed and analyzed. Our results and those of others indicate that: 1) peak concentrations of MDMA and metabolites are ochieved in rat brain by 30 min and are negligible by 24 hr, 2) a metabolite of MDMA is probably responsible for its neurotoxic effects, and 3) pretreatment with monoamine uptake blockers prevents MDMA neurotoxicity. When data generated from rats administerde MDMA were plotted as bilolgical effect (decreases in hippocampal serotonin concentrations) versus dose, a saturation curve best described the observed relationship. These results support the hypothesis that at least one saturable step is involved in MDMA neurotoxicity. We conclude that the mathematical relationship between biological effect and dose of MDMA, the first step of our quantitative neurotoxicity risk assessment procedure, should reflect this biological model information generated from the whole of the dose-response curve.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 1988

Effect of the purified ginsenoside $-Rb_1$ and $-Rb_2$ on LDL receptor biosynthesis of CHO cell cultured in a high cholesterol medium was investigated . Cholesterol uptake by CHO cell cultured in a medium containing various amounts of cholesterol was traced and found that the cholesterol uptake was proportional to the concentration of cholesterol in the medium, and the population of LDL receptors were proportionally decreased as the increasing cholesterol level in the cell. However, when the CHO cells were cultured in the medium containing ginsenosides, no significant decrease of LDL receptor population occured. The biosynthesis of protein and RNA of the above cells was higher than that of CHO cells cultured in the absence of the ginsenosides, suggesting that the ginsenosides might stimulate LDL receptor bio-synthesis. It was also observed that the ginsenosides stimulated the biosynthesis of estradiol and progesterone from cholesterol in the CHO cell. From the above results, it seemed that the ginsenosides lowers the cholesterol level by stimulating the cholesterol metablism including steroid hormone biosynthesis, resulting in the lowering of inhibitory action of cholesterol on LDL receptor biosynthesis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1988

In order to clarify how much of the residues of Bentazon could be taken up by crops, soybean and radish were grown for 28 days in soils containing freshly treated $^{14}C-Bentazon$ and non-extractable soil-hound residues of $^{14}C-Bentazon.$ The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. $^{14}CO_2$ evolution from $^{14}C$-Bentazon during the 6-month pre-incubation in soil was 14.79% relative to the applied radioactivity. 2. Mineralization of ^$^{14}C$-Bentazon in soil to $^{14}CO_2$ during 28 days of crop growing was much higher in the freshly treated soil than in the bound soil, and much higher in radish than in soybean. 3. The amounts of $^{14}C-Bentazon$ and its metabolites absorbed by soybean and radish were 45.41 and 21.48%, respectively, in freshly treated soil, whereas those were 3.92 and 1.23% in bound soil, respectively. The translocation ratios of radioactivity .from the root to the shoot were much higher in radish than in soybean, remarkably. 4. The uptake ratios of the freshly treated $^{14}C-Bentazon$ to the bound $^{14}C-Bentazon$ by soybean and radish were 12 : 1 and 17 : 1, respectively. 5. It was well verified that the presence of crops enhanced the mineralization to $^{14}CO_2$ and the transformation to polar metabolites of Bentazon.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1986

In order to study the influence of nitrate reduction to ionic balance in tissue of tobacco plant, differneces in amounts of those cations and anions were determined and these balances were compared with contents of organic acids and activities of nitrate reductase, while they were fertilized with different nitrogen sources ($NO_3-N$, $NH_4-N$, $NO_3+NH_4-N$) in water culture. The results of studies are summerized as follows; 1. Total uptake of inorganic cations was the highest in nitrate-fed plants, whereas that of inorganic anions showed the highest level in the plants grown with the mixture ($NO_3+NH_4$). The amounts of inorganic cations and anions were comparable in two treatments containing $NH_4-N$, but in plants treated with nitrate only had much higher level of inorganic cations than others. 2. Deficiency in the amount of inorganic anions in nitrate-fed plants was balanced with organic acids, dominantly with malic acid among them. But another two $NH_4-N$ fed plant sustained equilibrium between inorganic cations and anions. 3. Reduction of nitrate was raised in tissues of nitrate-fed plants. By the results of nitrate reduction, cations maintained equilibrium with nitrate ion were let loose. The replacement of inorganic anions with organic anions could be a compensation process for the loss of uptaken nitrate ions which must be reduced to be incorporated into organic N compounds.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.96-106
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• 1998

Rice plants were grown for 42 days in the specially made micro-ecosystem(pot) containing two different soils treated with fresh and 60-day-aged residues of [$^{14}C$]quinclorac, respectively, to elucidate the behaviour of the herbicide quinclorac residues in the soils. Amounts of $^{14}CO_{2}$ evolved from two soils treated with different residues with and without vegetation were all less than 2.2% of the total $^{14}C$, indicating that there was little microbial degradation of quinclorac in soil. $^{14}C$-Radioactivity absorbed and translocated into rice plants from soil A and B containing fresh quinclorac residues was 8.4 and 24.2%, respectively, of the originally applied $^{14}C$, while 5.5 and 17.7%, in aged residue soils. These results indicate that larger amounts of $^{14}C$ were absorbed by rice plants from soil B with less organic matter and clay than soil A, and the uptake of [$^{14}C$]quinclorac and its degradation products decreased with aging in soil. After 42 days of rice growing, 84.5 and 61.8% of the $^{14}C$ applied freshly to soil A and B, respectively, remained in soil, whereas, in the case of aged soils, 86.3 and 67.7% of the $^{14}C$ applied did. Meanwhile, without vegetation, more than 98.3% of the $^{14}C$ applied, in both fresh and aged residues, remained in soil, suggesting that quinclorac was relatively persistent chemically and microbiologically. Most of the non-extractable soil-bound residues of [$^{14}C$]quinclorac were incorporated into the organic matter and largely distributed in the fulvic acid portion.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.553-565
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• 2002

Seasonal variations in vertical distributions of metals were investigated in the contaminated paddy soils around Siheung Cu-Pb-Zn and Deokeum Au-Ag mines. Geochemical behavior of metals was also evaluated with respect to redox changes during the cultivation of rice. Two microcosms simulating the rice-growing paddy field were set up in the laboratory. The raw paddy soils from two sites showed differences in mineralogy, metal concentrations and gecochemical parameters, and it is suggested that high proportions of exchangeable fractions in metals may give high dissolution rates at Deokeum. In both microcosms of Siheung and Deokeum, redox differences between surface and subsurface of paddy soils were maintained during the flooded period of 18 weeks. Siheung soil had neutral to alkaline pH conditions, while strongly acidic conditions and high Eh values were found at the surface soil of Deokeum. The concentrations of dissolved Fe and Mn were higher in the subsurface pore waters than in interface and upper waters from both microcosms, indicating reductive dissolution under reducing conditions. On the contrary, dissolved Pb and Zn had high concentrations at the surface under oxidizing conditions. From the Siheung microcosm, release of dissolved metals into upper waters was decreased. presumably by the trap effect of Fe- and Mn-rich layers at the interface. However, in the Deokeum microcosm, significant amounts of Pb and Zn were released into upper water despite the relatively lower contents in raw paddy soil, and seasonal variations in the chemical fractionation of metals were observed between flooded and drained conditions. Under acidic conditions, rice may uptake high amounts of metals from the surface of paddy soils during the flooded periods, and increases of exchangeable phases may also increase the bioavailability of heavy metals in the drained conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.264-269
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the current distribution area of Robinia pseudoacacia habitat and to estimate its stand yield as well as its carbon stocks. In order to do so, the area of R. pseudoacacia distribution is obtained based on the large-scaled forest type map (1:5,000). Also, Weibull diameter distribution model is used to predict the yield of R. pseudoacacia stands. In addition, carbon emission factor is applied to calculate carbon stocks and removals. To obtain the stand yield of R. pseudoacacia, we developed estimation equation considering growth factors of the stand, e.g. mean diameter, the basal area, maximum and minimun diameter and etc. and tested it to ensure accuracy. Consequently, estimation equation derived from all growth factors have shown significance that could also be used for analysis. Site index was also established to determine the productivity of the forestland that later turned out to be ranging from 16 to 22. Based on these results, stand yield tables were drawn up. R. pseudoacacia is widely distributed in inland areas of Gyeongsang, Chungcheong and Gyeonggi provinces which covers total area of 26,770 ha. And when it is converted into carbon stocks, it amounts to 2,517,598tC with annual carbon uptake of 3.76tC/ha which is comparable to Querqus species that is known to storer large amounts of carbon. Therefore, R. pseudoacacia is also expected to serve as a viable carbon pool that would contribute to the mitigation of climate change. Furthermore, stand yield tables, an outcome of this survey would assist not only in proper management but also in sustainable management policy of R. pseudoacacia.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.129-141
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• 1987

Hepatocytes isolated from rats which have been pretreated with phenobarbital (80 mg/kg for 3 days), were able to take up N-acetylcysteine from surrounding medium and were able to synthesize the reduced glutathione ($GSH^{\ast}-3$) intracellularly. The N-acetylcysteine is quickly deacetylated after the uptake and increases the pool size of cysteine, which was very low initially (5 nmol/$10^6$ cells). From this increased intracellular cysteine pool, GSH was synthesized. Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes contained a high level of GSH (30 nmol/$10^6$ cells), but upon incubation with the diethylmaleate, it was markedly decreased (10 nmol/$10^6$ cells). The hepatocytes with depleted GSH have lost viability upon incubations with acetaminophen (5mM) and paraquat (2 mM). However, when the N-acetylcysteine (1 mM) was added to this incubation condition, these chemical induced hepatocellular necrosis were prevented for longer durations. This N-acetylcysteine dependent protective effect against the hepatotoxic chemicals was lost by adding methionine sulfoximine (10 mM), an inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis. Both the carbontetrachloride (5 mM) and chioroform (5 mM) added to the incubation medium caused rapid losses of GSH and cell viability, even without the prior depletion of cellular GSH. However, again, if the 1mM N-acetylcysteine was supplemented, the rates of losses of GSH and cell viability were retarded in both cases. Even though large amounts of the added N-acetylcysteine was present in the cell, N-acetylcysteine conjugate of acetaminophen was not formed. Instead, only large amounts of GSH conjugate of the drug was produced. Thus, it is concluded that the added N-acetylcysteine is taken up and utilized for resynthesis of GSH. In turn, this resynthesized GSH contributes to the protection against cytotoxicity inducible with hepatotoxic drugs.