• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2009

Purpose: We tested a sample of nuclear medicine workers at Korean healthcare institutions for internal contamination with radioactive isotopes, measuring concentrations and evaluating doses of individual exposure. Materials and Methods: The detection and measurement was performed on urine samples collected from 25 nuclear medicine workers at three large hospitals located in Seoul. Urine samples were collected once a week, 100~200 mL samples were gathered up to 6~10 times weekly. A high-purity germanium detector was used to measure gamma radiations in urine samples for the presence of radioactive isotopes. Based on the detection results, we estimated the amounts of intake and committed effective doses using IMBA software. In cases where committed effective doses could not be adequately evaluated with IMBA software, we estimated individual committed effective doses for radionuclides with a very short half life such as $^{99m}Tc$ and $^{123}I$, using the methods recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency. Results: Radionuclides detected through the analysis of urine samples included $^{99m}Tc$, $^{123}I$, $^{131}I$ and $^{201}Tl$, as well as $^{18}F$, a nuclide used in Positron Emission Tomography examinations. The committed effective doses, calculated based on the radionuclide concentrations in urine samples, ranged from 0 to 5 mSv, but were, in the majority of cases, less than 1 mSv. The committed effective dose exceeded 1 mSv in three of the samples, and all three were workers directly handling radioactive sources. No nurses were found to have a committed effective dose in excess of 1 mSv. Conclusions: To improve the accuracy of results, it may be necessary to conduct a long-term study, performed over a time span wide enough to allow the clear determination of the influence of seasonal factors. A larger sample should also help increase the reliability of results. However, as most Korean nuclear medicine workers are currently not necessary to monitored routinely for internal contamination with radionuclides. Notwithstanding, a continuous effort is recommended to reduce any unnecessary exposure to radioactive substances, even if in inconsequential amounts, by regularly surveying workplace environments and frequently monitoring atmospheric concentrations of radionuclides.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 1998

Ho-l66 was produced by neutron reaction in a reactor at the Korea Atomic Energy Institute (Taejon, Korea). Ho-l66 emits a high energy beta particles with a maximum energy of 1.85 MeV and small proportion of gamma rays (80 keV). Therefore, the radiation absorbed dose estimation could be based on the in-vivo quantification of the activity in tumors from the gamma camera images. Approximately 1 mCi of Ho-l66 in solution was mixed into the flood phantom and planar scintigraphic images were acquired with and without patient interposed between the phantom and scintillation camera. Transmission factor over an area of interest was calculated from the ratio of counts in selected regions of the two images described above. A dual-head gamma camera(Multispect2, Siemens, Hoffman Estates, IL, USA) equipped with medium energy collimators was utilized for imaging(80 keV${\pm}$10%). Fifty-nine year old female patient with hepatoma was enrolled into the therapeutic protocol after the informed consent obtained. Thirty millicuries(110MBq) of Ho-166-CHICO was injected into the right hepatic arterial branch supplying hepatoma. When the injection was completed, anterior and posterior scintigraphic views of the chest and pelvic regions were obtained for 3 successive days. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn over the organs in both the anterior and posterior views. The activity in those ROIs was estimated from geometric mean, calibration factor and transmission factors. Absorbed dose was calculated using the Marinelli formula and Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) schema. Tumor dose of the patient treated with 1110 MBq(30 mCi) Ho-l66 was calculated to be 179.7 Gy. Dose distribution to normal liver, spleen, lung and bone was 9.1, 10.3, 3.9, 5.0 % of the tumor dose respectively. In conclusion, tumor dose and absorbed dose to surrounding structures were calculated by daily external imaging after the Ho-l66 therapy for hepatoma. In order to limit the thresholding dose to each surrounding organ, absorbed dose calculation provides useful information.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.693-700
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to determine whether workers at a factory next to a lead recycling factory in Pusan, were affected by lead contamination. The mean air lead concentration of lead recycling factory was $0.21mg/m^3(TWA=0.05mg/m^3)$. Thirty-nine male workers of Factory A, Cr. plating factory next to the lead recycling factory were exposed group and a comparison group, 62 male workers of Factory B were selected from another Cr. plating factory about 8.5km away from lead recycling factory. Air lead concentration of each workplace was checked for 4 times from August f to August 20 in 1995 by low volume air sampler. Each subject was interviewed about age, life-style, smoking, work history, and residence etc, and venous blood was drawn for lead measurement by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. We have observed that air lead concentration and blood lead concentration of Factory A was higher than Factory $B(2.6{\pm}1.6\;Vs.\;1.2{\pm}0.2{\mu}g/m^3,\;14.9{\pm}1.6\;Vs.\;12.2{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/dl)$. We believe that other environmental lead sources such as transportation and residence did not affect air lead and blood lead concentration differences of both factory. We concluded that high air lead and blood lead concentration of Factory A were caused by lead contamination generated by the neighboring lead recycling factory.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.78-90
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• 1993

This study was designed obtain and early detection the workers exposed to excessive copper dust and also to present biological exposure index. The exposed group consisted of 62 male workers at the metallurgy workplaces. To evaluate the degree of individual exposure the copper dust, each personal air sampling was collected. Biological exposures in the exposed group was quantified for the blood and urine copper levels using flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The control group consisted of 70 male adults with the history of nonexposure to copper by the inhalation occupationally. The average concentration of copper in blood and urine of the exposed group was $49.44{\pm}8.90(29.05-80.63){\mu}g/dl$, $39.99{\pm}11.04(29.62-80.63){\mu}g/l$ respectively. The average concentration of air borne copper was $0.48{\pm}0.31(0.03-1.18)mg/m^3$. The average concentration of blood and urine copper in the control group was $42.93{\pm}5.84(25.05-57.85){\mu}g/dl$, $33.02{\pm}13.38(12.00-82.05){\mu}g/l$ respectively. The difference observed in the average concentration of blood and urine copper of the exposed and control groups was statistically significant seperately (blood copper, p<0.05 ; urine copper, p<0.05). The relationship between the individual exposure concentration of air borne copper and the concentration of the blood and urine copper was statistically significant, respectively (blood copper, r=0.54, p<0.05 ; urine copper, r=0.37, p<0.05). The relationship between the working duration and the concentration of blood and urine was not statistically significant respectively (blood copper, r=0.14 ; urine copper, r=0.12). The relationship between the age and the concentration of blood and urine copper was statistically not significant respectively (blood copper, r=013 ; urine copper, r=-0.06). The relationship between blood and urine copper concentration in the exposed group was statistically significant (r=0.62, p<0.05), and the relationship between blood and urine copper concentration in the control group was also statistically significant (r=0.39, p<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.135-151
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• 1977

The present paper summerizes the studies on clay mineralogical characteristics of Korean soil, relationship between potassium and clay minerals, potassium release pattern of clay minerals and utilization of clay minerals for soil conditioner and fertilizers, which have been carried out in this laboratory. 1. The red yellow podzolic soil is mostly abundant in the upland of Korea and mainly consists of halloysite and weathered intermediates of mica such as illite and vermiculite. 2. With regard to soil parent material, kaolin mineral occurs abundant in soils derived from granite and granite gneiss. Mica is dominant in basaltic soil. The main clay mineral of the soil, originated from the Tertiary, is found montmorillonite and the volcanic soil of Jeju Island has plenty of allophane as its main clay mineral. 3. It is confirmed that the soil fertility depends on the composition of clay minerals. The red yellow podzolic soil, containing lot of kaolin, shows low productivity while the montmorillonite soil has higher productivity. 4. The release rate of solid phase potassium (micas and fixed potassium) follows the 1st order reaction equation in the equilibrium solution of $IN-NH_4OAc$. The potassium release constant is positively correlated with the mica content of the clay but negatively correlated with the content of $14.5{\AA}$ minerals. On the other hand, the potassium release constant has very high correlation with the ratio(Kex/Kt) of exchangeable potassium(Kex) to total potassium(Kt). 5. It is also found that Kex/Kt has rather high correlation with the content of mica and $14.5{\AA}$ minerals existed in the clay as well as the mica content of the soil.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2009

Background: Various studies and experimental trials have been done to develop bioprosthetic devices to treat complex congenital heart disease due to the limited usage of homograft tissue. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of diamine bridges with using L-lysine, as compared with using ethanol. Material and Method: Porcine pericardium was fixed at 0.625% GA (commercial fixation). An interim step of ethanol (80%; 1 day at room temperature) or L-lysine (0.1 M; 2 days at $37^{\circ}C$) was followed by completion of the GA fixation (2 days at $4^{\circ}C$ and 7 days at room temperature). The tensile strength and thickness of the porcine percardium were measured, respectively. The treated pericardiums were implanted subcutaneously into three-week old Long-Evans rats for 8 weeks. The calcium content of the implants was assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and the histology. Result: Ethanol pretreatment ($13.6{\pm}10.0ug/mg$, p=0.008), L-lysine pretreatment ($15.3{\pm}1.0 ug/mg$, p=0.002), and both treatment ($16.1{\pm}11.1ug/mg$, p=0.012) significantly inhibited calcification, as compared with the controls $(51.2{\pm}8.5ug/mg)$. L-lysine pretreatment ($0.18{\pm}0.02mm,\;1.20{\pm}0.30kg$ f/5 mm) significantly increased the thickness and tensile strength, as compared with ethanol pretreatment ($0.13{\pm}0.03mm,\;0.85{\pm}0.36$ 1.0 kg f/5 mm) (p<0.01, p=0.035). Conclusion: The diamine bridges using L-lysine seemed to decrease the calcification of porcine pericardium fixed with glutaraldehyde, and this was comparable with Ethanol. Additionally, it seemed to enhance the thickness and tensile strength.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.441-449
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• 2015

Studies on the flocculation of algae using various metal ions were carried out by measurements of optical density(OD) and zeta potential. Cyanobacteria were used as algaes. Flocculation efficiencies of cyanobacteria by an addition of metal ions were determined from OD values, and the effect of metal ions was greater in the order of $Al^{3+}$>$La^{3+}$>$Ho^{3+}$>$Fe^{2+}$>$Ca^{2+}$. Especially for trivalent metal ions, percentages of metal removed from cyanobacteria solutions on flocculation were measured, showing the same order as in flocculation efficiencies. Zeta potentials of cyanobacteria alone were measured with increasing the concentration, found to be all negative voltages, and were increased with increasing the concentration. The effect of pH on zeta potential of cyanobacteria solution was investigated. Below pH 5.5, the zeta potentials were steeply decreased with increasing pH, whereas in the range of $5.5{\leq}pH{\leq}10$ they were almost constant ($-46{\pm}1mV$) even with increasing pH. At a constant concentration of cyanobacteria ($A_{730}=0.25$), an increase in concentration of metal ions caused an increase in zeta potential of cyanobacteria solution, showing that the effect was greater in the order of $Al^{3+}$>$Ho^{3+}$>$La^{3+}{\gg}Mg^{2+}{\geq}Ca^{2+}{\gg}K^+$. At a constant metal concentration, zeta potentials were measured with increasing cyanobacteria concentration, showing that zeta potentials for $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ ions were negligibly changed, whereas those of $Ho^{3+}$ and $La^{3+}$ ions were decreased. Moreover, the effect of $Ho^{3+}$ ion on decreasing zeta potential was smaller than that of $La^{3+}$ ion. $Al^{3+}$ ions showed quite a different behavior that with increasing cyanobacteria concentration the zeta potentials increased and decreased thereafter. Hydrolysis of $Al^{3+}$ ions caused a difficulty to investigate coagulation or flocculation of cyanobacteria by measurement of zeta potential.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.463-469
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• 1993

HDBPDA ion exchange resin, {(4, 5) : (13, 14)-Dibenzo-6, 9, 12-trioxa-3, 15, 21, -triazabicyclo [15. 3. 1]heneicosa-(1, 17, 19)(18, 20, 21) triene ion exchange resin : HDBPDA ion exchange resin} had a capacity of 3.8meq/g dry resin. The distribution coefficients of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions on HDBPDA and strongly acidic cation exchange resin, Dowex 50W-X8(200-400mesh) in water, and the various concentrations of hydrochloric acid were determined. Concentration of hydrochloric acid have almost not influenced on the distribution coefficients of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions for the HDBPDA ion exchange resin, but generally the distribution coefficient slightly increased with decreasing concentration of hydrochloric acid. The distribution coefficients of metal ions in water are larger than those in various hydrochloric acid concentration. The distribution coefficients of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions for the Dowex 50W-X8 ion exchange resin increased with decreasing hydrochloric acid concentration. Especially, the distribution coefficients of alkaline earth metal ions increased rapidly compared to those for alkali metal ions. The distribution coefficients of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions on HDBPDA ion exchange resin increased in a linear manner with decreasing acid concentration, and the slope, d log Kd/d log $M_{HCl}$ is about -0.2. Of the distribution cofficients of alkali metal ions on Dowex 50W-X8, at range of moderate hydrochloric acid concentration, the slope is about -1, while the slope for alkaline earth metal ions is about -2. However, at very low hydrochloric acid concentration, the linear variation between distribution coefficient and acid concentration was not occurred, but the slope was deviated from above values at low acid concentration.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 1994

To investigate differences in Cd and Zn contents in paddy soils and rice plants polluted by aerial emissions from the Janghang smelter, soil samples in the different directions and at the surface (0-15cm) and subsurface (15-30cm) in 1982 and 1990, and rice plants at the corresponding sampling sites in 1990 were collected from the Janghang Smelter Area. Soil samples were extracted with $4M-HNO_3$ and plant samples were digested with a mixture of $HNO_3$ and $HClO_4$for analyzing by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The Cd and Zn contents in soils ranged from 0.09 to 4.42 and from 16.0 to 959.5mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively. The average contents of Cd and Zn in 1990 were higher than those in 1982. The Cd and Zn contents of soils near the center of the smelter were higher than those of soils farther from the center and also decreased in the order of east > north-north east > north east > north. The Cd and Zn levels in surface soils were higher than those in subsurface soils. The contaminated areas of Cd and Zn were within 4km in the east, and within 3km in the north-north east and the north east. Metal contents in brawn rice were the lowest in rice plants. The Cd content of brown rice was one sixth of that in leaf blade and in leaf sheath. The Cd content of leaf blade, stem and panicle axis were significantly correlated with the levels of Zn, Cu and Pb in soils, and Zn content of stem was significantly correlated with the levels of Cu and Pb. The Cd and Zn content in brown rice ranged from 0.05 to 0.25mg $kg^{-1}$ and from 10.5 to 30.9㎎ $kg^{-1}$ in the smelter area, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 1994

To investigate differences in Cd and Zn contents of paddy soils and rice plants polluted by the municipal and industrial waste water in the Mangyeong River Area, soil and plant samples were collected at several distances from the main inlet and at different depths of the soil. Soil samples were extracted with $4M-HNO_3$ and plant samples were digested with a mixture of $HNO_3$and $HClO_4$for analyzing heavy metals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The contents of Cd and Zn in soils ranged from 0.38 to 1.17 and from 33.8 to 464.6mg kg^{-1}, respectively. The average Cd level in 1990 was less than that in 1982, but the Zn level in 1990 was higher than that in 1982 in general. No variation in Cd contents was observed in soils at the different distances from the source of waste water, but Zn contents in soils were lower with the increasing distances from the source of waste water. A significant correlation was observed among Cd content, OM, available silicate, CEC and $Ca^{++}$. Similar results existed among Zn content of 1982, OM and $Ca^{++}$. The Cd content in subsurface soils of 1992 was significantly correlated with Zn, Cu, and Pb in soils, and the Zn content in soils was significantly correlated with the Cu and Pb in soils, regardless of years. The Cd content in leaf blades of rice was more than seven times higher than that in brown rice. The Zn content in rice was higher than that in leaf blades and in panicle axis. The Cd content in panicle axis and the Zn content in all parts of rice were correlated with Zn, Cu and Pb contents in soils. The Cd and Zn contents in brown rice ranged from 0.10 to 0.90mg $kg^{-1}$ and from 4.2 to 95.9mg $kg^{-1}$ in the Mangyeong River Area, respectively.