• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.305-315
• /
• 2021

Background: Panax stipuleanatus represents a folk medicine for treatment of inflammation. However, lack of experimental data does not confirm its function. This article aims to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of triterpenoid saponins isolated from P. stipuleanatus. Methods: The chemical characterization of P. stipuleanatus allowed the identification and quantitation of two major compounds. Analgesic effects of triterpenoid saponins were evaluated in two models of thermal- and chemical-stimulated acute pain. Anti-inflammatory effects of triterpenoid saponins were also evaluated using four models of acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, xylene-induced ear edema, carrageenan-induced paw edema, and cotton pellet-induced granuloma in mice. Results: Two triterpenoid saponins of stipuleanosides R₁ (SP-R₁) and R₂ (SP-R₂) were isolated and identified from P. stipuleanatus. The results showed that SP-R₁ and SP-R₂ significantly increased the latency time to thermal pain in the hot plate test and reduced the writhing response in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. SP-R₁ and SP-R₂ caused a significant decrease in vascular permeability, ear edema, paw edema, and granuloma formation in inflammatory models. Further studies showed that the levels of inflammatory mediators, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin 6 in paw tissues were downregulated by SP-R₁ and SP-R₂. In addition, the rational harvest of three- to five-year-old P. stipuleanatus was preferable to obtain a higher level of triterpenoid saponins. SP-R₂ showed the highest content in P. stipuleanatus, which had potential as a chemical marker for quality control of P. stipuleanatus. Conclusion: This study provides important basic information about utilization of P. stipuleanatus resources for production of active triterpenoid saponins.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.228-240
• /
• 2021

The organic solvent robust polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes were prepared as organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membrane for the recycling of alcoholic solvents using non-solvent induced phase separation with different dope solution concentration and coagulant composition of water/ethanol mixtures to control the membrane morphology and permeation performance. Investigation on crosslinking of polybenzimidazole indicated that the membrane crosslinked with dibromoxylene (DBX) had enough mechanical strength and solvent resistance to be applied as a OSN membranes. The crosslinked PBI membrane prepared by more than 20wt% dope concentration coagulated in water showed a rejection of > 90% to Congo Red (MW of 696.66 g/mol) while pure ethanol permeances was more than 22.5 LMH/bar at 5 bar. Investigation on coagulant composition indicated that ethanol permeance through crosslinked PBI OSN membrane increased with increasing of ethanol concentration in water/ethanol mixture coagulants.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.10-15
• /
• 2020

Ultraviolet rays, which have wavelengths smaller than 400 nm, are very harmful to the eyes. Recently, high-energy visible light was also revealed to be harmful to retinal cells. Therefore, polymer eyeglass lenses that can block UV and high-energy visible light are needed for eye health. In this study, high-refractive-index polymer eyeglass lens, n=1.67, were manufactured using the injection-mold method with the m-xylene diisocyanate monomer, 2,3-bis((2-mercaptoethyl)thio)-1-propanethiol monomer, benzotriazole UV absorber, release of alkyl phosphoric ester, dye mixture of CI solvent violet 13, and catalyst of dibutyltin dichloride mixture. A multi-layer anti-reflection coating was applied to manufactured polymer eyeglass lenses for both sides using an E-beam evaporation system. The optical properties of the manufactured lenses with the UV and high-energy visible light-blocking function were analyzed by UV-visible spectrophotometry. As a result, the polymer eyeglass lens with a UV absorber of 0.5 wt. % blocked 99% of UV and high-energy visible light shorter than 411 nm. The average transmittance of the polymer eyeglass lens with a UV absorber of 0.5wt.% was 97.9% in the range of 460 ~ 660 nm for photopic eye sensitivity higher than 10%. Therefore, clear image acquisition in photopic vision is possible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2024

Objectives: Direct reading instruments (DRIs) are widely used by industrial hygienists and other experts for preliminary survey and identifying source locations in many industrial fields. Photoionization detectors (PIDs), which are a form of hand-held portable DRIs, have been used for a variety of airborne vaporized chemicals, especially evaporated hydrocarbon solvents. The benefits of PIDs are high sensitivity between each chemical, competitive price, and portability. With the goal of increasing the accuracy of logged PID concentrations, previous studies have performed tests for the assessment of single chemical compounds, not mixtures. The purpose of this preliminary study was to measure mixtures with a PID and charcoal tube at the same time and compare the accuracy between them. Methods: A chamber test was implemented with different mixtures of hydrocarbon chemicals (acetone, isopropyl alcohol, toluene, m-xylene) and levels in the range of 14 to 864 ppm. Three PIDs and charcoal tubes were connected to the chamber and measured the chemical mixtures simultaneously. A comparison of accuracy and the PID group of concentrations with manufacture correction factor (M_CF) and field correction factor (F_CF) applied was performed. Results: The accuracy of the PID concentrations data-logged from the PID did not meet the accuracy criteria except for the mixture level B and C logged from PID No. 2, which was 18% of all tests for meeting accuracy criteria. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of concentration (ppm) of the charcoal tube followed by each mixtures' level were 10.37±0.26, 155.33±5.28, 300.80±11.65, and 774.93±22.65, respectively. When applying F_CF into the PID concentrations, the accuracy increased by nearly 82%. However, in the case of M_CF, none met the accuracy criterion. Between the PID there were differences of logged concentrations. Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the concentration of a logged PID with F_CF applied was a better way to increase accuracy compared to applying M_CF. We suggest that additional research is necessary to consider environmental factors such as temperature and humidity.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2024

In this study, vinyl waste, which is the cause of environmental pollution, is recycled via an electrospinning method and applied as a separator that can be employed for energy storage devices. In detail, vinyl wastes are dissolved in a solution containing p-xylene and cyclohexanone, followed by electrospinning to obtain a vinyl waste-derived separator(VWS), and then the hydrophilic functional groups on the surface of VWS are introduced using a plasma treatment to improve wettability. Scanning electron microscopy analysis have verified that the shape and thickness of as-spun VWS vary depending on the concentration of vinyl waste. The surface hydrophility of VWS is modified by plasma treatment with applied powers ranging from 80 to 120W. The lowest contact angle is observed when the 100W power is applied to VWS(VWS-100W). In electrochemical analysis, the VWS-100W-based supercapacitor device shows the highest specific capacitance of 57.9 F g^-1. This is ascribed to the high porosity achieved by electrospinning as well as the introduction of hydrophilic functional groups by the oxygen plasma treatment. In conclusion, vinyl waste is successfully recycled into separators for energy storage devices, suggesting a new way to reduce environmental pollution.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.36-42
• /
• 2024

Background: The use of scented candles and incense sticks, both of which are household products that are burned for indoor deodorization and calming effects, is increasing. Fine dust has been designated as a group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) affect air pollution and can cause diseases. Objectives: This study aims to determine the effect on indoor air quality by measuring PM_2.5 and VOCs generated when burning scented candles and incense sticks. Methods: Scented candles and incense sticks were selected as household products to burn. As for the target sample, top-selling products (five types of scented candles, five types of incense sticks) were purchased online. The PM_2.5 concentration according to time was measured immediately next to the sample and three meters away from each other in an enclosed space using a real-time aerosol photometer. VOCs were collected as samples under the same conditions using Tenax tubes and were quantitatively analyzed by TD-GC/MS. Results: In the case of scented candles, the concentration of PM_2.5 did not increase during combustion and after being extinguished by placing a cover on the candle. For the incense sticks, the concentration of PM_2.5 averaged 1,901.27 ㎍/m³. After burning scented candles and incense sticks, some VOCs concentrations were increased such as ethyl acetate and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene). Conclusions: Therefore, when using scented candles, extinguishment by placing a cover on the candle can be expected to reduce PM_2.5. It is advisable to avoid using incense sticks because PM_2.5 concentration increases from the start of combustion.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.154-161
• /
• 1998

To investigate whether the introduced genetic marker is useful to detect the survivalship and activity of the natural bacteria under the stressed conditions, one Gram-negative isolate, KP964 was transformed to the luminous phenotype by transferring luxAB gene. Under the starvation-stress this luminous bacterial culturability (determined by colony-forming-units [CFU] on agar plate) decreased rapidly below the detection limit by 37 days, while its total cell number (determined by AODC) remained almost the same as its initial inocular size. At that time period, the viable cell number was estimated to be 1400 times higher than its CFU number. The bioiuminescence (determined by relative light units [RLU]) produced under the same condition was also monitored and found to decrease more rapidly than the culturability by 5-fold. Under the other stresses, e.g., osmotic shocks, acid shock, and exposure to toxic chemicals, this bacterial strain did not show the reliable correlation between CFU and RLU. These results might not suggest the direct estimation of bioiuminescence from the stressed bacteria be an index of both the survivalship and its activity. However, when the stressed bacterial cells were incubated under the favorable condition by relieving from the existing stress, the potential bioiuminescence (the lag periods before the increase of bioiuminescence, the increase rates of bioiuminescence, and the maximal levels of bioiuminescence) was shown to be highly dependent upon the strengths of the stresses exposed to the bacterial cells. Therefore, analysis of the potential bioiuminescence from the stressed bacteria revealed good relationships with survival as well as activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.100-108
• /
• 1989

Thirty-six aromatic compound biodegraders; 10 strains for benzoate, 10 for salicylate, 6 for m-toluate, and 10 for DL-camphor were isolated and taxonomically characterized. A mutant Pseudomonas strain, Ben 6-2, derived from Ben 6 revealed remarkably improved ability to metabolize benzoate. Thus enhancement of the average substrate removal rate from 5.2 to 11.0mg/$\ell$/ hr was attained by the mutant. Both of strains Sal 7 and Tol 2, degraders of salicylate and m-toluate respectively, were classified as Pseudomonas sup. Both strains were found to be extremely effective in metabolizing each aromatic substrates. The average substrate degradation rates in minimal salt media containing 2,200mg/$\ell$ of the substrate were calculated to be 40.1 mg/$\ell$/ hr for strain Sal 7 and 33.0mg/$\ell$/ hr for Tol 2. Cam 10, a camphor degrading strain was demonstrated to be capable of mineralizing benzoate, phenol, toluene, octane, cyclohexane and xylene as well as camphor. Strain 1040 isolated from Cam 10 after repented adaptation to 1,000 mg/$\ell$ m-toluate gained the ability to utilize toluate as a sole carbon source. The mutant Brew actively at the expense of a mixture of car-bon sources; camphor, m-toluate, benzoate and phenol (each: 200 mg/$\ell$) and utilized the substances in the preferential order of camphor, phenol, benzoate, and m-toluate. Among the biodegraders examined Cam 1040 and Tol 2 were detected to harbor plasmid. The plasmid from Cam 1001 was determined to be about 98kb, and evidenced to encode the enzyme(s) for the degradation of camphor. For the further diversification of the metabolic potentials of Cam 1040, the NAH 2 plasmid of Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816 was transferred to Cam 1040 by conjugation. The exconjugant obtained, Cam 1043, proved to gain an additional ability to metabolize salicylate and naphthalene.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.605-617
• /
• 2015

The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a botanical biofiltration system that combines a green interior, biofiltering, and automatic irrigation to purify indoor air pollutants according to indoor space and the size of biofilter. This study was performed to compare the stability of air flow characteristics and removal efficiency (RE) of fine dust within a wall-typed (vertical) botanical biofilter depending on humidifying cycle and to investigate RE of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by the biofilter. The biofilter used in this experiment was designed as an integral form of water metering pump, water tank, blower, humidifier, and multi-level planting space in order to be suitable for indoor space utilization. As a result, relative humidity, air temperature, and soil moisture content (SMC) within the biofilter showed stable values regardless of three different humidifying cycles operated by the metering pump. In particular, SMCs were consistently maintained in the range of 27.1-29.7% during all humidifying cycles; moreover, a humidifying cycle of operating for 15 min and pausing for 45 min showed the best horizontal linear regression (y = 0.0008x + 29.09) on SMC ($29.0{\pm}0.2%$) during 120 hour. REs for number of fine dust (PM10) and ultra-fine dust (PM2.5) particles passed through the biofilter were in the range of 82.7-89.7% and 65.4-73.0%, respectively. RE for weight of PM10 passed through the biofilter was in the range of 58.1-78.9%, depending on humidifying cycle. REs of xylene, ethyl benzene, total VOCs (TVOCs), and toluene passed through the biofilter were in the range of 71.3-75.5%, while REs of benzene and formaldehyde (HCHO) passed through the biofilter were 39.7% and 44.9%, respectively. Hence, it was confirmed that the wall-typed botanical biofilter suitable for indoor plants was very effective for indoor air purification.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.59-77
• /
• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate on several factors, which contaminative the water quality through the water pipe during feeding water, in 42 largescaled apart-ments(total 84 cases) and assayed the Volatile Organic Compounds(VOCs) and concen-tration of heavy metals that inflow and outflow in reservior water in Jeonnam area(Mokpo, Suncheon, Yeosu) from January 1999 to December 1999. The results obtained were summarized as follows ; 1. The quality of the water pipe composition in the order of frequency in the quality of water pipes were Copper(45.2%)> Zinc(38.9%)> Stainless steel(9.5%)> PVC(4.8%)> PM(2.4%) in observing 42 sites. All of the drain pipes were used the cast iron quality. 2. The result of certification curve from 12 items(17kind) of VOCs was $1.0-4.0{\mu{g}}/{\ell}$ range, a coefficient of correlation was shown 0.99 over. A MDL of each substance range was within $0.1-1.0{\mu{g}}/{\ell}$. 3. The result of the assay, 5 kinds(Viny chloride, Dichloromethane, Ethylbenzene, M,P-xylene, Styrene) of the VOCs of 14 kinds was not detected and the other items were detected slightly. The detection rate of one item and over in total VOCs samples, were 25.9% in inflow and 27.9% in outflow. And frequency of detect in inflow/outflow of THM(Chloroform, Bromodichloro-methane, Dibromochloromethane, Bromoform) were shown higher than 94.1%, 97.0% each stages. It comes to the conclusion that all of the samples were reason able for drinking water standards. 4. The coefficient of correlation were reasonable, it shown 0.999 over in $0.1-1.0{\mu{g}}/{\ell}$ of a measuring range conditions of 4kinds in organic substance(Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn). 5. The results were showed suitability in 78 cases(92.9%) and unsuitability in 6 cases (7.1%), in 84 cases of in organic substances. Compare to inflow stage, mean concentrations of heavy metal, were increased slightly in Zn, Cu, Fe except Mn than outflow stage. The result of the mean concentration in organic substance inflow and outflow in the apartment water tank using Pair-compared T-test, in 95% reliance index, were $0.179mg/{\ell}(0.151-0.307mg/{\ell})$ in Zinc, $0.136mg/{\ell}(0.113-0.230mg/{\ell})$ in Copper, $0.052mg/{\ell}(0.048-0.098mg/{\ell})$ in Fe, and there was a bit growing tendency but there was no differece in Mn. 6. The mean concentration of Copper which used Cu pipe as a water supply pipe in apartment were $0.216mg/{\ell}(0.161-0.338mg/{\ell})$ in case of the Zine pipe were $0.286mg/{\ell}(0.204-0.435mg/{\ell})$. It shows that the detection rate was more higher than the other material used in Cu or Zn as the water supply pipe. We supposed to Cu and Zn substance were gushing out water supply pipe.