• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2018

Stable isotope approach for aquatic ecology and environmental sciences has been introduced as very useful technique since 1980s and also has been applied to investigate various issues in aquatic ecology and environmental study last 10 years in Korea. Especially carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios have been mainly used to understand food web energy flow and ecosystem structure. In addition, nitrogen isotope ratio has been applied for nitrogen cycle and source identification as well as biomagnification studies. However, large temporal or spatial variations of nitrogen isotope ratio of primary producer have been found in many aquatic environments, and it is regarded as the critical problems to determine trophic level of aquatic animals. Recently, the compound specific isotope analysis of nitrogen within individual amino acids has been developed as an alternative method for trophic ecology. This article introduces the progress history of stable isotope application in aquatic ecology and environmental sciences, and also suggests new direction based on future prospects in stable isotope ecology and environmental study.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.124-127
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• 2000

The analysis of stable carbon isotope ratios for benthic fauna was applied to identify the source of carbon in benthic food webs in Youngil Bay, Korea. The ${\delta}^{13}$C values of 9 invertebrate species collected in this area showed a narrow range between -20.5 and -16.3%$_o$ with a mean of-18.1 (${\pm}$1.1)"%$_o$. The results suggest that the major source of organic carbon for the benthic fauna of the lower estuarine reaches and the oceanic sites is autochthonous marine particulate organic matter. The contribution of organic matter from terrestrial and riverine sources to the diet of the benthic fauna in this area appears to be minor, despite the considerable inflow of riverine waters.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 2013

Organic carbon and total nitrogen stable isotope ratios of suspended materials were determined at 3 stations (from Mongtan Bridge to Youngsan river estuary barrage) (n=6, each) from November 2008 to August 2009, in order to understand the origin of particulate organic matter at the Estuary of Youngsan River. Allochthonous organic matter, ammonia-N and silicate were increased after heavy rain (in August). Carbon isotope ratios were significantly different between stations in November and August, and it was possible to determine the origin of organic matter. The heavier nitrogen isotope ratios, as well as higher phosphate concentrations, were found in November than other sampling times. Livestock wastewater and farmland input was likely the main causes of these high values. In addition, YS3 station, the nearest site to estuary barrage, appears to be affected by a substantial amount of livestock wastewater and farmland input, considering that nitrogen isotope ratios were heavier than those at the upper sites. These results suggest that the analysis of stable isotope ratios is a simple but useful tool for the determination of organic matter origin in aquatic environments.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.349-357
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• 2017

Korean mariculture Undaria pinnatifida was collected during the months of January, February, March, and December of 2010, as well as from January of 2011 to investigate the changes in the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$) and heavy metal with respect to it growth and to identify the factors that influence such changes. The blades of U. pinnatifida showed ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$ in the range (mean) of -13.11 to -19.42‰ (-16.93‰) and 2.99 to 7.57‰ (4.71‰), respectively. Among samples with the same grow-out period, those that weighed more tended to have higher ${\delta}^{13}C$ suggesting a close association between the carbon isotope ratio and growth rate of U. pinnatifida. Indeed, we found a very high positive linear correlation between the monthly average ${\delta}^{13}C$ and the absolute growth rate in weight ($r^2=0.89$). Nitrogen isotope ratio tended to be relatively lower when nitrogen content in the blade was higher, probably due to the strengthening of isotope fractionation stemming from plenty of nitrogen in the surrounding environment. In fact, a negative linear correlation was observed with the nitrate concentration in the nearby seawaters ($r^2=0.83$). Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Hg, and Fe in the blades showed a rapid decrease in their concentration per unit weight in the more mature U. pinnatifida. Specifically, compared to adult samples, Cu, Hg, and Pb were concentrated by 30, 55, and 73 folds, respectively, in the young blades. Therefore, U. pinnatifida tissue ${\delta}^{13}C$ is as an indirect indicator of its growth rate, while ${\delta}^{15}N$ values and heavy metal concentrations serve as tracers that reflect the environmental characteristics.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.293-297
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• 2009

The abuse of methamphetamine (MA) is one of the most serious drug abuses in Asia. And, the prevention of precursor production for abuse drug is one of the most effective drug control system. Isotope ratio analysis at natural abundance levels have been used to establish the environmental source or the geographic origin of various biological and nonbiological materials. Ephedrine, the precursor of MA, is produced by one of three methods; extraction from Ephedra plants, full chemical synthesis or via a semi-synthetic process involving the fermentation of sugar, followed by amination. We investigated the origin of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine based on the carbon and nitrogen values for nineteen pharmaceutical powder materials (PPMs) obtained from pharmaceutical company in Korea by stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry coupled to an elemental analyser (EA-IRMS). The carbon delta values for the ephedrine and pseudoephedrine were -24.21~-22.72 (mean=-23.72) $^{\cir}/_{\circ\circ}$ and -23.79~-22.71 (mean=-23.48) $^{\cir}/_{\circ\circ}$. The nitrogen delta values were 3.51~5.55 (4.43) $^{\cir}/_{\circ\circ}$ and 2.24~8.22 (5.42) $^{\cir}/_{\circ\circ}$. These results indicate that PPMs are semi-synthetic products. Therefore the origins of ephedrine(natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic) could be discriminated by using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. we are sure tat this stable isotope ratio analysis can discriminate the origins of precursors of methamphetamine.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.516-520
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• 1995

The anti-dansyl antibodies were specifically labeled with stable isotope by growing hybridoma cells in serum-free medium. Assignments of the observed carbonyl carbon resonances have been determined by using $^{13}C-{15}N$ double labeling method in order to assign the Leu resonances. However, when the identical dipeptide appears more than twice in the polypeptide sequences, we applied the proteolytic fragments in the fragment-specific method. Carboxypep-tidase B-treated antibody has also been used to assign the Lys-447 in C terminal amino acid. These unambiguously assigned carbonyl carbon resonances in antibodies are thought to be useful in elucidating not only the structure of antibodies but also the structure-function relationship in the antibody by $^{13}C$ neuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 2023

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in the biogeochemical cycling in freshwater ecosystem. However, it has been rarely explored, particularly complex river watershed dominated by natural and anthropogenic sources, such as various effluent facility and livestock. The current research developed a new analytical method for TOC/TN (Total Organic Carbon/Total Nitrogen) stable isotope ratio, and distinguish DOM source using stable isotope value (δ¹³C-DOC) and spectroscopic indices (fluorescence index [FI] and biological index [BIX]). The TOC/TN-IR/MS analytical system was optimized and precision and accuracy were secured using two international standards (IAEA-600 Caffein, IAEA-CH-6 Sucrose). As a result of controlling the instrumental conditions to enable TOC stable isotope analysis even in low-concentration environmental samples (<1 mgC L^-1), the minimum detection limit was improved. The 12 potential DOM source were collected from watershed, which includes top-soils, groundwater, plant group (fallen leaves, riparian plants, suspended algae) and effluent group (pig and cow livestock, agricultural land, urban, industry facility, swine facility and wastewater treatment facilities). As a result of comparing characteristics between 12 sources using spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC values, it were divided into four groups according to their characteristics as a respective DOM sources. The current study established the TOC/TN stable isotope analyses system for the first time in Korea, and found that spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC are very useful tool to trace the origin of organic matter in the aquatic environments through library database.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.477-494
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• 2008

Stable isotope analyses on lake or wetland sediments are useful to reconstruct paleoclimate. Organic and inorganic carbonates obtained from lake sediment are isotopically analyzed to get oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios. Oxygen isotope ratios can be used to quantitatively and qualitatively reconstruct paleo-temperature or humidity while carbon isotope ratios be used to reveal environmental changes around the lake or human impacts on the area. Peat mosses in peat bogs are nice samples for the carbon isotope analysis, which derives paleo-temperature and paleo-atmospheric $CO_2$ changes. In coastal area, the reconstruction of past sea-level is possible because terrestrial originated organic matter is carbon isotopically different from marine originated organic matter. Also, scientists can do research on Asian Monsoon based on the fact that $\delta^{13}C$ of C3 plants and C4 plants are consistently different each other and that they are distributed differently with respect to salinity. In Korea, paleoenvironmental studies using stable isotopes are not popular yet because of low academic interests on the methodology and difficulties of obtaining proper sediment samples. Interesting results can be produced to answer paleoenvironmental questions of Korea if scientists isotopically analyze sediment cores from a paleo-lake such as Hanon in Jeju island, peat bogs such as Mujechi-Neup and Yong-Neup, and coastal wetlands.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 2009

In order to understand food sources-metabolism for the pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), the stable isotope ratios of carbon (${\delta}^{13}C$) and nitrogen (${\delta}^{15}N$) of its gut, gill, and muscle as well as potential food sources (particulate organic matter, sedimentary organic matter, benthic microalgae, seagrass detritus) were determined in Dongdae Bay. Average ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$ values reflect that oysters primarily fed on sedimentary organic matter as opposed to suspended organic matter during summer and winter seasons. However, the relatively enriched $^{15}N$ values of particulate organic matter (>$250{\mu}m$) and sedimentary organic matter in the summer may be due to the photosynthetic incorporation of $^{15}N$-enriched nitrogen (DIN) or the spawning events of bivalves. Specific oyster tissues (gut, gill, and muscle) revealed different metabolic pathways, which were determined through analysis of ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$ in each organ. The present results suggest the determination of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to be a useful approach in ecological research related to the food sources- metabolism of Crassostrea gigas.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 1997

Stable isotope profiles with fine-scale resolution were constructed from the fossil mollusk shells, Mercernaria mercernaria, obtained from the late Pleistocene transgressive deposits of Gomez Pit, Virginia, USA. Incremental sampling were made along the axis of maximum growth to provide high-resolution ${\delta}^{18}$O and ${\delta}^{13}$C records. The ${\delta}^{18}$O shell profiles exhibit a series of pronounced cycles in the overall amplitude, corresponding to strong seasonal variations in temperature, which is apparently positive environmental variable. Contrasts between the patterns of ${\delta}^{18}$O and ${\delta}^{13}$C profiles reflect the relationship influencing the seasonal carbon cycling in the shallow marine environment. Positive anomalies of the ${\delta}^{13}$C values during the summer were observed to be out of phase with the ${\delta}^{18}$O profile. Such relatively heavier carbon source may be alternated due to seasonal methanogenesis during the summer. A hypothesized methane-based system may be operated in the shallow and marginal marine environment, resulting in a ${\delta}^{13}$C enriched bicarbonate pool, in which the heavier isotope seems to be incorporated to the shell carbonate.