• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1784-1794
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• 2004

To study the effects between Cd inhalation toxicity and methanol extract of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae, 4 rat groups were exposed to Cd aerosol by whole-body inhalation exposure for 6 hours/day, 5 days/week, and 4 weeks. Cd concentration in air was 0.98㎎/㎥ and mass median diameter(MMD) was 1.78㎛. 3 different dose intraperitoneal injections of methanol extract of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae to 3 inhalation exposure groups applied for 4 weeks and the results were as follows: The highest body weight gain for 4 weeks and food intake per day were from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ(p<0.05). The highest lung weight was from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ and the highest liver and kidney weight were from inhalation exposure group Ⅱ(p<0.05). The lowest Cd content in lung was 22.77㎍/g from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ(p<0.05). The highest Cd concentration in blood was 11.71㎍/㎗ from inhalation exposure group Ⅰ(p<0.05). Cd concentrations of 14.87㎍/g in liver and 17.91㎍/g in kidney were the highest from inhalation exposure group Ⅰ(p<0.05). The lowest Cd concentration in liver and kidney were 5.71㎍/g and 3.17㎍/g from the control(p<0.05). For weekly Cd concentration in urine, the highest value was 0.48㎍/㎖ from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ of the 3rd week and inhalation exposure group Ⅰ, Ⅱ of the 4th week. For weekly Cd concentration in feces, the highest value was 0.32㎍/g from inhalation exposure group Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ. The highest metallothionein concentration in lung was 89.02㎍/g from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ(p<0.05). The highest metallothionein concentrations in liver and kidney were 265.47㎍/g and 214.21㎍/g from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ, respectively(p<0.05). The highest Hct, Hb, and WBC values were from inhalation exposure group Ⅱ and the highest RBC value was from inhalation exposure group Ⅲ(p<0.05). Mostly damaged part in liver tissue was hepatic lobule and the degrees of damage were lessened by the intraperitoneal injection of methanol extract of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae. Proximal, distal convoluted tubules and glomerulus in kidney tissue were mostly damaged part. Degeneration and swelling were partially observed but the degrees of kidney tissue damage were lessened more or less by the intraperitoneal injection of methanol extract of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2009

Heavy metal contaminants on the aquatic environment are of interest because they can have severe effects on economy and public health. Recently, the studies for monitoring of heavy metals try to do on aquatic system to assess safety and health of ecosystem by heavy metals. Thus, biological responses were investigated on Korean fairy shrimp Branchinella kugenumaensis exposed to cadmium (Cd) or copper (Cu) for long-periods (30 days). The survival rate decreased significantly (p<0.05) on B. kugenumaensis exposed to Cd and Cu at all concentrations. Especially, the highest decrease was observed at the relatively high concentration of Cd and Cu (p<0.01) and the response by Cd exposure was at dose-dependent. The growth rates were also decreased significantly (p<0.05) on B. kugenumaensis exposed to Cd and Cu for at all concentrations. Then, the reproduction rate, numbering cyst, was decreased significantly (p<0.01) on B. kugenumaensis after Cd or Cu exposures. Long exposure of the relatively high concentration Cd and Cu can have severe effects on the reproduction, while exposures of Cd and Cu can not have effects on sex ratios of B. kugenumaensis. Additionally, asymmetric telson deformity was only observed after Cd exposure. Therefore, these results suggest that B. kugenumaensis is a sensitive bio-indicator of heavy metal exposure and these biological responses of B. kugenumaensis give important information for long-term monitoring on aquatic ecosystem.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 1999

Changes in certain fish behaviors are known to be very sensitive indicators of sublethal exposure to environmental contaminants. Therefore, behavioral toxicity tests, if properly designed, can be very useful to assess the influence of hazardous chemicals on fish. However, quantitative analysis of xenobiotic-mediated changes in locomotor behavior in fishes are rare, due mainly to the methodological difficulties. In general, fish movement has been known to be hypertrophic or hypotrophic according to the chemicals. As a study of fish behavioral toxicities, we qualified the swimming movement of Oryzias latipes using computer-automated video tracking system. Oryzias latipes was exposed to cadmium of 128 mg/L for 1 hour in a limited aquaria, then the total swimming distance, the average swimming velocity, the histogram of turning angles, and the turning frequency were analyzed. Fish treated with cadmium showed decreased swimming activities, decreased velocity, and decreased turning frequency, which means hypotrophic activity. From these results, the computer-automated video tracking system of this study seems to be a good tool for the evaluation of the potential ecotoxicological studies.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 1998

The studies on the potentiality of biomonitoring heavy metal pollution in coastal region of industrial complex were performed to investigate the heavy metal accumulation and induction of metal-binding protein (MBP) as detoxification process using Rumex maritimus. Bioconcentration in organs and MBP in root of R. maritimus was investigated for the research of the tolerance of heavy metals. The bioconcentration of cadmium and zinc in organs showed 3.6-8.0 times in root higher than in shoot, so it was found that heavy metal accumulated selectively in root. MBP increased absorbance in 254 nm and decreased in 280 nm, because it was composed of high cystein content and low aromatic acids, so absorbance had large difference between 254 nm and 280 nm. The existence of MBP in the 10-20 fraction was ascertained with anion exchange chromatography and it was identified that concentration of heavy metal increased according as an exposure concentration of medium increased in QAE Sephadex A-25 elution profile. These results suggested that MBP could play a role in biomarker determining the bioconcentration of plant. This study demonstrated a possibility that removal ability of heavy metal of R. maritimus resulted from detoxification process and MBP could be utilized as a biomarker of heavy metal pollution.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 1995

Minari(Oenanthe stolonifera DC.) lived in serious polluted water is able to remove chemical elements from batch system. This study attempted to compare the incorporation of cadmium and lead in batch system. Different concentrations of Cd(0.02 0.1 0.5 1.00 5.00 mg/l) and Pb(0.1 0.5 1.0 5.0 10.0 mg/l) were used. Toxic effects were obvious at Cd 1.00 mg/l and Pb 5.00 mg/l. The detrimental effects on minari were chlorosis of leaves and stunted roots and reduction in the number of lateral roots. There was reduction in growth rates exposed above Cd 1.00 mg/l and lead 5.0 mg/l. The minari capacities to remove Cd were 34.1-74.2% and Pb were 53.0~91.5%. The removal rates by minari in Cd and Pb solution were decreased with increased exposure concentration(in Cd r=0.97, in Pb r=0.88). The removal rates by minari in Cd and Pb solution were increased with increased growth rate(in Cd r=0.93 in Pb r=0.92). Recovery rates on minari are 67.3~95.2% in Cd water and 72.6~88.3% in Pb water. The rates are increased with increased growth rates and decreased initial concentrations.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.404-409
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• 2008

Excessive presence of heavy metals in environment affects plants and fruits grown in the contaminated area. Rapid on-site monitoring of heavy metals can provide useful information for efficiently characterizing heavy metal-contaminated sites and for minimizing the exposure of the contaminated food crops to humans. This study reports on the evaluation of gold and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes with mercury or bismuth as a coating material for simultaneous determination of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in 0.1 M $HNO_3$ solution by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The use of a square-wave voltammetric potential between a working electrode and a reference electrode caused Cd and Pb ions deposited on the electrode surface to be oxidized, thereby generating electric currents at different potentials. The mercury-coated gold electrode was not sensitive enough to detect the usable range of Cd concentrations (1 to 100 ppb). The GC electrodes with mercury or bismuth displayed well-defined, sharp and separate current peaks for Cd and Pb ions when the square-wave voltammetric potentials were applied. The peak currents measured with both mercury- and bismuth- coated GC electrodes were linearly proportional to Cd and Pb concentrations in the range of 1 to 200 ppb in 0.1 M $HNO_3$ with strong linear relationships between concentration and peak current ($R^2$ > 0.95), indicating that both of Cd and Pb ions could be quantitatively measured.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.377-381
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• 2009

Excessive presence of heavy metals in environment may contaminate plants and fruits grown in that area. Rapid on-site monitoring of heavy metals can provide useful information to efficiently characterize heavy metal-contaminated sites and minimize the exposure of the contaminated food crops to humans. This study reports on the evaluation of a bismuth-coated glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous determination of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in a NIST-SRM 1568a rice flour by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The use of a supporting electrolyte 0.1 M $HNO_3$ at a dilution ratio (sample pretreated with acid digestion in a microwave oven: supporting electrolyte) of 1:1 provided well-defined, sharp and separate peaks for Cd and Pb ions, thereby resulting in strongly linear relationships between Cd and Pb concentrations and peak currents measured with the electrode ($R^2\;=\;0.97$, 0.99 for Cd and Pb, respectively). The validation test results for spiked standard solutions with different concentrations of Cd and Pb gave acceptable predictability for both spiked Cd and Pb ions with mean prediction errors of 6 to 30%. However, the applicability of the electrode to the real rice flour sample was limited by the fact that Cd concentrations spiked in the rice flour sample were overly estimated with relatively high variations even though Pb ion could be quantitatively measured with the electrode.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2012

Probabilistic ecological risk assessment (PERA) for deriving ecological protective concentration (EPC) was previously suggested in USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Netherland. This study suggested the EPC of cadmium (Cd) based on the PERA to be suitable to Korean aquatic ecosystem. First, we collected reliable ecotoxicity data from reliable data without restriction and reliable data with restrictions. Next, we sorted the ecotoxicity data based on the site-specific locations, exposure duration, and water hardness. To correct toxicity by the water hardness, EU's hardness corrected algorithm was used with slope factor 0.89 and a benchmark of water hardness 100. EPC was calculated according to statistical extrapolation method (SEM), statistical extrapolation $method_{Acute\;to\;chronic\;ratio}$ ($SEM_{ACR}$), and assessment factor method (AFM). As a result, aquatic toxicity data of Cd were collected from 43 acute toxicity data (4 Actinopterygill, 29 Branchiopoda, 1 Polychaeta, 2 Bryozoa, 6 Chlorophyceae, 1 Chanophyceae) and 40 chronic toxicity data (2 Actinopterygill, 23 Branchiopoda, 9 Chlorophyceae, 6 Macrophytes). Because toxicity data of Cd belongs to 4 classes in taxonomical classification, acute and chronic EPC (11.07 ${\mu}g/l$ and 0.034 ${\mu}g/l$, respectively) was calculated according to SEM technique. These values were included in the range of international EPCs. This study would be useful to establish the ecological standard for the protection of aquatic ecosystem in Korea.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.191-200
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• 2004

Zinc (Zn) is an essential element in biological process, however inadequate Zn status in general population have been recognized. To update the knowledge for Zn-cadmium (Cd) interaction, we studied the intestinal uptake and transport, and the expression of metal transporter proteins (divalent metal transporter 1, DMT1 ; metal transporter protein 1, MTP1 ; zinc transporter 1, ZnTl ; metallothionein 1 , MT1) in duodenum after Cd exposure using Zn deficient animal model. Rats were led Zn deficient (ZnD, 0.5-1.0 mgZn/kg) or Zn supplemented (ZnS, 50mg Zn/kg) diet for 4 weeks, and followed single administration of $^{109}$ CdCl$_2$orally. The body Zn flatus and tissue Cd concentration were determined at 24 hrs after Cd administration. Total body burden of Cd and Cd absorption index (AI, %) were estimated based on the tissue Cd analyzed. DMT1, MTP1, ZnTl and MT1 mRNA were analyzed by using RT-PCR method. Feeding of Zn deficient diet for 4 weeks produced a reduced body weight gain and a depletion of body Zn. Tissue Cd concentration, body burden of Cd and Cd absorption index were higher in the ZnD diet fed rats than the ZnS diet red rats. Especially, Cd concentration in the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and the colon of FeD diet fed rats were higher markedly than in the FeS diet group. The expression levels of DMT1, MTP1 and ZnT1 mRNA in FeD diet fed rats were similar to the FeS diet. The level of MT1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the FeD than the FeS diet fed rats. Taken together, theses results indicate that Zn deficiency in diet induce an increased intestinal absorption and tissue retention of Cd, and down -regulate the MT1 expression in the intestine which might be play a part of role in Cd absorption and transport in mammalian. These findings suggest that deficiency of essential metal could be enhanced the toxicity of toxic, non-esstial metals through the metal-metal interaction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.187-187
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• 2017

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is rapidly increasing in worldwide due to industrialization and urbanization. In addition to its negative effects on the environment, Cd pollution adversely affects human health. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important agricultural crop worldwide, including South Korea, and studies have examined its ability to alleviate Cd uptake from the soil into plants. However, information about the relationship between sulfur (S) and antioxidants in rice seedlings is still limited with regard to Cd phytotoxicity. We therefore investigated the changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in rice (Oryza sativa L. 'Dongjin') seedlings exposed to toxic Cd, S treatment, or both. The exposure of rice seedlings to $30{\mu}M$ Cd inhibited plant growth; increased the contents of superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde (MDA); and induced Cd uptake by the roots, stems, and leaves. Application of S to Cd-stressed seedlings decreased Cd-induced oxidative stress by increasing the capacity of the glutathione (GSH)-ascorbate (AsA) cycle, promoted S assimilation by increasing cysteine, GSH, and AsA contents in treated plants, and decreased Cd transfer from the roots to the stems and leaves. In conclusion, S application of plants under Cd stress promoted Cys and GSH biosynthesis and GSH-AsA cycle activity, thereby lowering the rate of Cd transfer to plant shoots and promoting the scavenging of the ROS that resulted from Cd toxicity, thus alleviating the overall Cd toxicity. Therefore, these results provide insights into the role of S in regulating the tolerance, uptake, and translocation of Cd in rice seedlings. The results of this study indicate that S application should have potential as a tool for mitigating Cd-stress in cereal crops, especially rice.