• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.541-549
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• 2013

Objectives: We analyzed the characteristics of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in road tunnels in Seoul. Methods: Particle matter ($PM_{10}$), elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and 16 species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two road tunnels (NS tunnel and HJ tunnel) were sampled and analyzed from 2007 to 2011. Results: Levels of $PM_{10}$ and carbon ingredients which were mainly emitted from diesel-fueled vehicles showed a declining tendency in both road tunnels. PAHs levels in HJ were declining slightly while PAHs levels in the NS tunnel fluctuated considerably and showed an increasing tendency. Conclusions: These results suggested that the abatement project of diesel vehicle emissions by the Seoul metropolitan government from 2007 has had an impact on the reduction of DVE into the air, though there exist many things to consider for analyses.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.231-240
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• 2005

The number of cases exceeding environmental standards of atmospheric ozone in the major cities in Korea has steadily increased during the past decades. In order to understand and analyze the atmospheric reactions in the atmosphere, especially the secondary photochemical reactions, smog chambers studies have been performed very actively by many research groups worldwide. However, these studies have focused on the mechanism of photochemical reactions in high concentration conditions, not at the ambient levels. Therefore, in-depth studies in these conditions are essentially needed to realize exact mechanism in the atmosphere near the earth surface, especially at Korean atmospheric conditions. In this experiment, the mechanism of photochemical smog was examined through a comparative experiment of smog chambers under sun light and black light conditions. The results of our study indicated that concentrations of ozone, aldehyde, and PAN increased as the radiation of light source increases. Photochemical reaction patterns can be considered quite similar for both black light and sun light experiments. Based on our experiments using toluene as a reactant which is present at significant high levels in ambient air relative to other VOCs, it was found that toluene could contribute notably to oxidize NO to $NO_2$, this reaction can eventually generate some other photochemical oxidants such as ozone, aldehyde, and PAN. The results of simulation and experiments generally showed a good agreement quite well except for the case of $O_3$. The restriction of oxidization of NO to $NO_2$ seems to cause this difference, which is mainly from the reaction of peroxy radical itself and other reactants in the real gas.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2005

Soil is one of the most fundamental elements as well as with water and air in studies associated with the environment, in addition, it is one of the important environmental mediums that constructs a basis of the bio­logical system and performs various roles of matter circulation. This study was carried out in Seoul, in May 2000 to evaluate variation in the concentration levels and distribution characteristics for PAH compounds in soil. Soil samples were collected from 33 sites covering traffic, factory, incineration and mountain groups and the PAHs were analyzed. The results show a wide dis­tribution range of PAHs concentrations between 14.66 ng/g and 1,219.35 ng/g. The highest concentration levels exist at Sungsu-2 of the factory group (FS-2). Daemo-3 of the Mountain group (MD-3) presents the lowest levels as compared with the other sites. PAH compounds including mutagenic and carcinogenic materials show high concentrations in the traffic and factory groups and a high ratio in the mountain group. Besides, these compounds absorbed with micro particles might be spread out over a wide region associated with particles' movement and diffusion. After principal component analysis of the soil samples, the results indicated that the sources of PAHs in the soil were divided into two groups, pesticides and vehicles.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2017

In flight particulate matter particularly emissions generated by incomplete combustion processes has become a subject of global concern due to the health problems and environmental impacts associated with them. This has compelled most countries to set standards for coarse and fine particles due to their conspicuous impacts on environment and public health. This contribution therefore explores forest fire emissions and how its particulates affects air quality, damage to vegetation, water bodies and biological functions as architects for lung diseases and other degenerative illnesses such as oxidative stress and aging. Soot was collected from simulated forest fire using a clean glass surface and carefully transferred into amber vials for analysis. Volatile components of soot were collected over 10 mL dichloromethane and analyzed using a QTOF Premier-Water Corp Liquid Chromatography hyphenated to a mass selective detector (MSD), and Gas Chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). To characterize the size and surface morphology of soot, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used. The characterization of molecular volatiles from simulated forest fire emissions revealed long chain compounds including octadec-9-enoic acid, octadec-6-enoic acid, cyclotetracosane, cyclotetradecane, and a few aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene and naphthalene). Special classes of organics (dibenzo-p-dioxin and 2H-benzopyran) were also detected as minor products. Dibenzo-p-dioxin for instance in chlorinated form is one of the deadliest environmental organic toxins. The average particulate size of emissions using SEM was found to be $11.51{\pm}4.91{\mu}m$. This study has shown that most of the emissions from simulated forest fire fall within $PM_{10}$ particulate size. The molecular by-products of forest fire and particulate emissions may be toxic to both human and natural ecosystems, and are possible precursors for various respiratory ailments and cancers. The burning of a forest by natural disasters or man-made fires results in the destruction of natural habitats and serious air pollution.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.499-511
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• 2005

This study was performed to determine the effects of genetic polymorphisms, such as glutathione S-transferase ${\mu}1(GSTM1)$, glutathione S-transferase ${\Theta}1\;(GSTM1)$, glutathione S-transferase ${\pi}l (GSTP1)$, aryl hydrocarbon N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) on the concentrations of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and 2-naphthol in general population with no occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Study subjects were 257 men who visited a health promotion center in Susan. A questionnaire was used to obtain detailed data about age, smoking, drinking, body fat mass, intake of fat etc. Urinary l-OHP and 2-naphthol concentration were analyzed by HPLC system with a fluorescence detector. A multiplex PCR method was used to identify the genotypes for GSTM1 and GSTT1. The polymorphisms of GSTP1, NAT2, CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 were determined by the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Urinary 1-OHP concentration was higher in deleted genotype of GSTM1, increased as smoking and alcohol drinking increased. Urinary 2-naphthol concentration was also rely on the age and smoking. Neither genetic polymorphism nor drinking-related factors were significantly related to urinary 2-naphthol concentration. No significant relation was found between physical characteristics and concentrations of urinary PAHs metabolites in the subjects, but the geometric mean of urinary 1-OHP and 2-naphthol was higher in the group with higher value compared to median value. These data suggest that in general population occupationally not exposed to PAHs, urinary concentration of PAHs metabolites is influenced by smoking, alcohol drinking and deleted genotype of GSTM1 in 1-OHP and smoking in 2-naphthol.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1459-1466
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• 2016

In this study, the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in meat process food and for cooking methods (pan-frying and charcoal fire). The methodology involved liquid-liquid extraction, silica gel cartridge clean-up and determination by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The recovery of 17 PAHs spiked into these samples ranged from 66.6 % to 98.0% and the coefficient of variation was less than 10%, but that of dibenz(a,h)anthracene was 16.39%. The mean concentration of total PAHs in processed samples was ND~7.2 ng/g, whereas that pan-fried and charcoal-fired samples were ND~22.1 ng/g and, 12.7~367.8 ng/g, respectively. Therefore, the concentrations of total PAHs in cooked samples were higher than in original samples and charcoal-fired samples had the highest total PAH levels.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2006

Biomarkers identify various stages and interactions on the pathway from exposure to disease. The three categories of biomarkers are those measuring susceptibility, exposure and effect. Susceptibility biomarkers are identifiable genetic variations affecting absorption, metabolism or response to environmental agents. Biomarkers of exposure indicate the amount of a foreign compound that is absorbed into the body. Biological measurements performed on human tissues are vastly expanding the capabilities of classical epidemiology, which has relied primarily on estimates of human exposure derived form chemical levels in the air, water, and other exposure routes. Biomarkers of exposure indicate the amount of a foreign compound that is absorbed into the body. Biological measurements performed on human tissues are vastly expanding the capabilities of classical epidemiology, which has relied primarily on estimates of human exposure derived form chemical levels in the air, water, and other exposure routes. The biomarker response is typical of chemical pollution by specific classes of compound, such as (i) heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, zinc), responsible for the induction of metallothionein synthesis, and (ii) organochlorinated pollutants (PCBs, dioxins, DDT congeners) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which induce the mixed function oxygenase (MFO) involved in their bio transformations and elimination. Currently genomic researches are developed in human cDNA clone subarrays oriented toward the expression of genes involved in responses to xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, cell cycle components, oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, DNA repair genes, estrogen-responsive genes, oxidative stress genes, and genes known to be involved in apoptotic cell death. Several research laboratories in Korea for kicking off these Environmental Genomics were summarized.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.177-186
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• 2006

목적 : 약침액(藥鐵液)의 지질과산화 예방 및 cytocome P450과의 상호 작용에 있어서 대계의 역할은 과거 연구가 거의 없었다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 대계 약침액이 지질과산화를 예방하고, 심혈관계질환 유발에 밀접한 연관이 있는 cytochrome P450의 직접적인 저해 효과를 검토 하고자 한다. 방법 : 대계 약침액이 지질과산화를 억제하는 정도를 평가하기 위하여 세포막을 구성하는 불포화지방산의 일종인 linoleic acid를 대상으로 지질과산화 진행 시간과 대계 약침액의 농도에 의존적인 저해 효과를 실험하였다. 또한 실험쥐의 간조직을 이용하여, 강제적인 과산화를 유도한 후 이를 방어하는 효능을 검토하였다. 그리고 cytochrome P450을 구성하는 그룹의 1A1, 1A2 및 2E1의 활성을 각각 EROD, MROD, p-nitrophenol, aniline 방법으로 측정하였다. 결과 및 결론 : 대계 약침액은 세포막 구성의 불포화 지방산인 linoleic acid의 산화를 시간 및 처리 농도에 의존적으로 억제하였고, 실험쥐의 조직 과산화를 유의성 있게 저해하였다. 또한 aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)을 활성화 시켜 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)에 의한 심혈관계 질환 유발 인자로 알려진 cytochrome P450 1A1 및 1A2의 발현을 일부 저해하였으며, 특히 체내에 흡수된 알콜 대사에 관여하는 P450 2E1을 강하게 억제 시켰다.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.280-287
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• 1980

The interactions of chemical carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB) and its derivatives and heterocyclic compounds with tissue components, especially with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), were examined by means of simple Huckel method. Assuming that the formations of a loose molecular complex between the carcinogens and the tissue components are the first step of chemical carcinogenesis, the most proble orientation between the chemical carcinogens and adenine-thymine (A=T) pair or guanine-cytosine $(G\equivC)$ pair is determined. It has been found that, in the case of the formation of molecular complex between chemical carcinogens and A=T pair, the two atoms of K-region of the carcinogens and the atom of L-region in the proximity of their K-region are combined correspondingly with C-l' carbon atom in the sugar that is attached to thymine, N-1 nitrogen atom and C-5 carbon atom in the thymine part of A=T pair, while, in the case of that between the carcinogens and $G\equivC$ pair, the above three atoms of the carcinogens are combined correspondingly with C-8 carbon atom, N-9 nitrogen atom and N-3 nitrogen atom in the guanine part of $G\equivC$ pair.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 2008

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) derived from leakage of fossil fuels and incomplete combustion of organic materials have been considered as harmful contaminants in environments. This study evaluated the effect of benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), one of the PAHs, using the multiple biomarkers and applied the integration model with those biomarker responses. After 10 days of the exposure at the measured concentrations of BkF (6, 25, and 45 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), the changes of the four biomarkers, that is, 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), DNA single-strand breaks (Comet), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and vitellogenin (VTG) in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were observed. The standardized values of four biomarker responses were computed and integrated as star plots, representing Integrated Biomarker Respnse (IBR) values. DNA damage was induced in a dose-dependent manner, and increased significantly compared with that in the control. EROD and VTG levels were significantly elevated at low concentrations of BkF. On the other hand, AChE activities were not altered by BkF. IBR values increased as the exposure concentrations increased. Thus, the metabolic, endocrine and genetic changes of the biomarker responses in the common carp exposed to BkF should be considered in the case of the ecological risk assessment of the BkF in fish and it can be used as a biomonitoring tool in aquatic ecosystems. In addition, star plots can be used as a useful analysis tool in multibiomarker integration approach.