• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.561-577
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• 2015

The heavy metal accumulations of avian eggshells were studied in order to test a feral pigeon (Columba livia)'s eggshell as an indicator for the environmental monitoring of pollutants. The reviews on the eggs of the different 19 avian species showed that it is the eggshell rather than the egg content that can better reflect the heavy metals in the environment; in most cases the CVs (coefficients of variations) of the heavy metal concentrations in the eggshells were higher than those in the egg contents. This can indicate that the heavy metal accumulations are homeostatically controlled in the egg contents, but the accumulations in the eggshells are varied according to the environmental conditions. To test the reviews, the feral pigeon eggs from the two different sites, one representing urban and the other rural environment, were analyzed for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The result showed that the eggshells of the urban pigeons (Hangang) had the higher metal concentrations than those of the rural pigeons (Hampyeong). The same difference can also be found in the internal organs (liver, bone) and blood. However, the analyses of the egg contents between the two sites did not reveal the differences. In other words, the result suggests that the feral pigeons, like the other avian species, are able to control the heavy metals into the egg contents homeostatically. Therefore, it is more useful to use the feral pigeon eggshell rather than the egg content in case of monitoring heavy metals in different habitats.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.300-307
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: The Transfer Factor (TF) of heavy metals from soil to plant is important, because TF is an indicator of heavy metal in soils and a factor that quantifies bioavailability of heavy metals to agricultural products. This study was conducted to investigate the transfer ability of Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), and Lead (Pb) from soil to agricultural products. METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated heavy metals (As, Cd and Pb) concentrations in 9 agricultural products (rice, barely, corn, pulse, lettuce, pumpkin, apple, pear, tangerin) and soil. TF of agricultural products was evaluated based on total and HCl-extractable soil concentration of As, Cd, and Pb. Regression analysis was used to predict the relationship of total and HCl-extractable concentration with agricultural product contents of As, Cd, and Pb. The result showed that TF was investigated average 0.006~0.309 (As), 0.002~6.185 (Cd), 0.003~0.602 (Pb). The mean TF value was the highest as rice 0.309 in As, lettuce 6.185, pear 0.717, rice 0.308 in Cd, lettuce 0.602, pumpkin 0.536 in Pb which were dependent on the vegetable species and cereal is showed higher than fruit-vegetables in As. CONCLUSION(S): Soil HCl-extractable concentration of As, Cd, and Pb had the larger effects on thier contents in agricultural products than total soil concentrations. We suggests that TF are served as influential factor on the prediction of uptake. Further study for uptake and accumulation mechanism of toxic metals by agricultural products will be required to assess the human health risk and need TF of more agricultural products.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.643-658
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• 1994

The sedimentary records of anthropogenic metal loads in the Suyeong Bay, Pusan were determined by combining the Pb-210 dating technique with the measurements of heavy metals in the sediment cores. The sedimentation rates of sediment particles ranged from $0.12\;to\;0.20\;g/m^2/yr\;or\;2.4{\sim}4.0\;mm/yr$ in accumulation rates. The lowest sedimentation rate was observed at station S3 which was characterized by a bottom with relatively low organic matter contents(e.g. TIL and TOC). Heavy metals showed generally higher concentrations at station S1 and S2 near the mouth of the Suyeong River than at station S3 and the outmost station S4. The contents of copper, lead and zinc in the sediment cores especially from station S1 and S2 began to increase around 1930, and were at their highest levels in the $1960{\sim}1970$ period as a result of increasing industrial activities. Concentrations of these heavy metals have slightly decreased since 1970, probably due to regulation of pollution discharge. The natural background levels of copper, lead and zinc in the sediments of this bay ranged $18{\pm}4ppm,\;28{\pm}6ppm\;and\;74{\pm}9ppm$, respectively, by averaging the contents in the sediment depths corresponding to periods between about 1900 and 1920 at the four stations. The total amounts of anthropogenic loads deposited in the sediments since about 1930 were estimated to be $9{\sim}291{mu}g/cm^2$ for lead, $165{\sim}1122{mu}g/cm^2$ for zinc and $20{\sim}208{mu}g/cm^2$ for copper. These values were remarkably high at stations S1 and S2 relative to the other two stations. At stations S1 and S2, the anthropogenic loads of lead, copper and zinc constituted $29{\sim}30\%,\;32{\sim}42\%\;and\;28{\sim}35\%$ of the total sedimentary inventories at the present day, respectively. These metal contents have a good correlation(r>0.7) with each other and cadmium measurements also show a positive linear relation with nickel or total organic nitrogen.