• Water for future
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.245-252
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• 1983

Recently river water pollution in Korea is given rise to serious problem in aspect of crop production, drinking well, water contamination and etc. Under these urgent situations, it is prime importance to protect water resources from pollutants. An environmental isotope survey of the groundwater form the shallow alluvial and the underlying crystalline rock aquifer of the Han River Basin has been undertaken, Analysis of the data has I) confirmed the hypothesis that the groundwater from the metropolitan area is recharged from the river whereas that form the non-urbanized region of the Basin is replenished by the infiltrating precipitation; ii) shown that crystalline rock aquifers are recharged by the ground water form the overlying alluvium. Old groundwater is a group of wells with tritium values in the range of 0 to 2 TU. These low values indicate that the water sampled was recharged much ealier, at least a few decades, than the other groundwater samples of higher tritium content. The low values in this region may, in fact, reflect the effect of the impermeable clay layers which impede infilteration from the surface. Stable isotope evidence confirmed that a recharge in the karst area occurs at a significantly greater elevation than that to the alluvial aquifer. An analysis of the tritium level collected over an annual cycle suggests that the residence time of groundwater is probably not more than a few months. There does not appear to be any correlation between the trace level of Zn, Mn and Pb in the groundwater and the mechanism of the recharge.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.577-588
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• 1995

The chemical constituents for the seawater and sediment were measured to evaluate pollution in the sea around Pusan Harbor in winter, n992. The average value of trophic state index (TSI) was 19.4 at the outside of Buk Harbor, 50,4 at the inside of Buk Harbor, 56,3 at the Nam Harbor and 5,0 at the Kamchun Harbor. The high correlation found in salinity-nutrients diagram with AOU suggested that the enrichment of nutrients in Pusan Harbor during winter was mainly due to the influx of terrestrial effluents and partially by regenerated nutrients from suspended organic matters in the water column. The mean values of total ignition loss (TIL), COD and total sulfide in the surface sediments were$12.1\%$, 17.5 mg/g.dry wt. and 1.18 mg/g.dry wt. respectively. The highest level of those parameters was shown mostly at the inside of Buk Harbor. The mean concentration of total organic carbon (TOC), total organic nitrogen (TON), and total phosphorus were 24.9 mg/g.dry wt., 1.3mg/g.dry wt. and 0.69 mg/g. dry wt., respectively, Both of the highest level for TOC and total phosphorus have found at the Nam Harbor. On the other hand, the Highest level for TON was found at the inside of Buk Harbor. The TOC/TON atomic ratio with a range of 10.2-60.2 (mean value of 22.5) strongly indicated the active role of the input from the terrestrial organic pollutants.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.275-282
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• 1981

A simple semiquantitative procedure was developed for the determination of sub-ppm level of chromium(VI) in aquatic samples by using an analytical micro-column packed with diphenylcarbazide(DPC) gel beads. DPC gel beads were prepared by swelling XAD-2 resin(115∼150 mesh in dry condition) in ethanol for 10min, packing into a glass column(1.5 mm bore, 65nm length) and adsorbing 1ml of ethanol solution of $2{\times}10^{-3}M$ DPC for 20min at room temperature. When 0.5ml of ethanol solution containing chromium(VI) was passed through the DPC gel column for 40min, the original white color of the reagent gel turned to red-violet from the up-stream of the column. As the length of colored band was proportional to the total amount of chromium(VI) in the sample solution passed through the column, the concentration of chromium(VI) could be determined from the calibration line which had been prepared by using the standard solution. Chromium(VI) ion as small as from 0.1 to 0.8 ppm could be determined with ${\pm}5{\sim}{\pm}15{\%}$ relative errors. Since other interfering cations were few, 100-fold excess of Fe(III), 50-fold excess of Cu(II) could be masked with EDTA. This method was successfully applied to the analysis of chromium(VI) in industrial effluents.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2017

Background: Airway epithelial cells are the first line of defense, against pathogens and environmental pollutants, in the lungs. Cellular stress by cadmium (Cd), resulting in airway inflammation, is assumed to be directly involved in tissue injury, linked to the development of lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We had earlier shown that ACN9 (chromosome 7q21), is a potential candidate gene for COPD, and identified significant interaction with smoking, based on genetic studies. However, the role of ACN9 in the inflammatory response, in the airway cells, has not yet been reported. Methods: We first checked the anatomical distribution of ACN9 in lung tissues, using mRNA in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. Gene expression profiling in bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B), was performed, after silencing ACN9. We further tested the roles of ACN9, in the intracellular mechanism, leading to Cd-induced production, of proinflammatory cytokines in BEAS-2B. Results: ACN9 was localized in lymphoid, and epithelial cells, of human lung tissues. ACN9 silencing, led to differential expression of 216 genes. Pathways of sensory perception to chemical stimuli, and cell surface receptor-linked signal transduction, were significantly enriched. ACN9 silencing, further increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, in BEAS-2B after Cd exposure. Conclusion: Our findings suggest, that ACN9 may have a role, in the inflammatory response in the airway.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.23-31
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• 1987

In land treatment systems for organic waste removal, especially rapid intiltration method is well known as less climatic restrictions and less field area requirements as against the others. Therefore the present study on rapid infiltration is aimed to survey the waste removal rate, infiltration rate, variation of dissolved oxygen due to biological oxygen absorption and pH decrement using pilot infiltration column filled with permeable soil(sand) as media, also to find the waste load(COD) per unit area and nitrate conversion ratio from TKN. The results obtained here are as follows. 1) When the depth of sand layer is more than 1 meter, the COD removal would be reached steadly to 90% or more under the infiltration rate below 15~20cm/day, and would be no problem due to leached organic pollutants considering the depth of ground water table. 2) The COD removal per unit area($m^2$) can readily be expected to 10~14g/day with proper operation, and the decomposition of substrate would be attained mostly at the surface layer of the media. 3) Generally the conversion of TKN to the $NO_3{^-}$-N is seemed to be proportional to the COD removal rate if provided proper retention time.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.251-261
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• 2004

A large number of chemical pollutants including phthalates, alkylphenolic compounds and organochlorine pesticides have the ability to disrupt endocrine function in animals, and alter cog-nitive function. Because hormone mediated events play an important role in central nervous system development and function, the changes in cognitive function seem to be mediated by the endocrine-like action of these chemicals. The present study therefore was designed to investigate effect of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting chemical on neuro-behavial patterns, and expression of estrogen receptors and tyrosine hydroxylase, a limiting enzyme of dopamine synthesis pathway. BPA was treated orally for 3 weeks into 3 week old mice, and then the neuro-behavial patterns (stereo-type behaviors such as jumping rearing and forepaw tremor, climbing behavior, tail flick, rotarod and locomotor activity), and the expression of estrogen receptors and tyrosine hydroxylase were deter-mined every 3 week for 9 weeks. During the treatment of BPA, the food uptake and body weight increase were not significantly changed. BPA resulted in the increased stereotype behaviors (jump-ing, rearing and forepaw tremor) 6 or 9 weeks after treatment. The time response to tail flick and locomotor activity were decreased by the treatment of BPA, whereas the time for rotarod was increased by the treatment of BPA. The expression of estrogen receptor alpha and beta was increased in the brain and pituitary gland. Maximum expression was found in the brain after 9 week of 100 mg/kg BPA treatment and in the pituitary gland after 6 week of 100 mg/kg BPA treatment. Tyrosine hydroxylase was increased in dose and time dependent manners in the brain but no change was found in the pituitary gland. The present data show that exposure of BPA in the young mice could alter expression of estrogen receptors and dopamine synthesis pathway, thereby modulate neuro-behavial patterns (increase of stereotype behaviors but decrease locomotor activity).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1543-1550
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• 2008

We studied the effects of smoking, which is one of indoor-environmental pollutants and related to various cancers, on glycoconjugates of rat sebaceous glands with the lectin histochemistry. To investigate the effects of smoking on glycoconjugates, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to tabacco smoke for 10 minutes per day in an inhalation chamber for 1, 2, 3, and 5 days with active and passive exposure. For the structure of sebaceous glands we used PAS reaction, and for the glycoconjugates binding pattern 9 biotinylated lectins (DBA, SBA, PNA, BSL-1, WGA, RCA-1, UEA-1, Con A, and LCA) were used. Some remarkable changes, such as the decrease in the size of sebaceous glandular acini, the destruction of upper portion of sebaceous glands, vacuolation of central portion of sebocytes, and the immature sebaceous glandular acini were seen in the smoke-exposed rats. In the control rats, basal cells were stained with BSL-1, PNA and WGA, but the stronger reaction was founded in BSL-1 binding. Also, sebocytes were stained with PNA, WGA, Con A, BSL-1 and SBA, but stronger reactions were founded in PNA and Con A stainings. Specific changes in the lectin binding patterns were also observed in the smoke-exposed rats. In the basal cells of exposed rats, PNA binding increased, BSL-1 decreased but returned to control level, and WGA disappeared. Plus, immature glandular acini, which were not found in the control rats, were stained PNA, Con A and BSL-1, but the stronger reaction were founded in PNA and Con A binding. In conclusion, it was assumed that the tabacco smoke seriously effected on the structure and glycoconjugates metabolism of sebaceous glands.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.579-587
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• 2016

The final goal of this research is to develop a miniaturized botanical biofilter using a wick-typed automatic humidifier for stabilizing soil moisture content (SMC) and purifying indoor air pollutants by the biofilter. This new biofilter equipped with wick-typed automatic humidifier was manufactured as more compacted design removing an absorption tower-typed humidifier compared with the previous big-sized biofilter made in 2015. This study was performed to compare changes of SMCs among floors depending on the number of wicks installed on the humidifier within the novel biofilter, and to compare changes of SMCs and plant growth parameters before and after planting Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’ on the biofilter. SMCs among floors depending on the number of wicks were similar, and all regression lines of SMCs showed almost horizontal lines because of long-term stability on SMCs. Comparing plant growth parameters of S. wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’ before planting and at 30 days after planting on the biofilter, all growth parameters were not statistically significant. Thus, SMCs of the biofilter were more stabilized using this humidifying apparatus regardless of the number of wicks than the previous biofilter using absorption tower-typed humidifying apparatus.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.487-498
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• 2006

Total 438 precipitation samples were collected in Jeju City between 1997 and 2005, and their major ionic components were analyzed. The comparison tests using ion balance, electric conductivity and acid fraction were performed. It was found their correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.977$\sim$0.994, indicating the good quality of collected dam. The volume-weighted mean pH and electric conductivity were 4.8 and 23.0 $\mu$S/cm, respectively. with the ionic strength of 0.23$\pm$0.20 mM. The marine ($Na^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, and $CI^-$), anthropogenic (nss$SO_4{2-}$, $NO_3^-$, and $NH_4^+$) and soil (nss-$Ca^{2+}$) species have contributed to the ionic components of precipitation samples with 43$\sim$74%, 16$\sim$37% and $\sim$5%, respectively. The seasonal variations of $NO_3^-$ and nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ showed a distinct seasonality with higher concentrations in winter than summer, indicating an increase of fossil fuel consumption and a possibility of long-range transport of those pollutants from continental area along the dominant winter westerly. The levels of nss-$Ca^{2+}$ also were appeared the highest in winter and increased comparatively in spring season. possibly due to the soil influences including the Asian Dust. The acidification contribution of nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$ showed 88$\sim$96%, and the free acidity was in the range of 6.0$\sim$40.1%. Interestingly, the backward trajectories for the case of upper 10% nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$ levels have passed through the China continent before their arrival to Jeju. The precipitation of pH below 4.5 has been occurred frequently when the trajectory's path lied over the China continents. On the other hand, the air masses from the North Pacific area were characterized by lower 10% of nss-$SO_4^{2-}$- and $NO_3^-$ concentration, which demonstrated that air mass from the North Pacific was the cleanest among air masses moved to Jeju.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2017

In this study, 4 gases containing typical chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were treated by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The typical chlorinated VOCs are dichloromethane (DCM), trichloromethane (TCM), carbon tetrachloride (CTC) and trichloroethylene (TCE). The removal efficiency (RE) and the products of chlorinated VOCs by UV irradiation are investigated. At this time, 2 types of background gas (air and nitrogen) were used to figure out the RE by photooxidation and photolysis. The specification of UV-lamp used in this study was low-pressure mercury lamp emitting wavelength of 185~254 nm. The experimental conditions were set as initial VOC concentration of $180{\pm}10ppm$, empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 53 s, temperature of $23{\pm}2^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity of $65{\pm}5%$. In the photolysis condition with nitrogen ($N_2$) as background gas, the averaged RE of the 4 types of chlorinated VOCs was about 24% higher than that with photooxidation; and the REs of VOCs except CTC were confirmed as >99%. The composition of off-gases after UV photooxidation in air was investigated and several intermediates from DCM, TCM and TCE were detected by GC/MS. Among them, phosgene which is a toxics was detected as an intermediate of TCM. In addition, the concentration of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) in the off-gases was measured to calculate the mineralization rate (MR). With the photooxidation, TCE showed the highest RE (>99%) while MR was the lowest (17%); and the MR of DCM was the highest (86%). In addition, particulate matters (PM) in the off-gases was also detected and high concentrated $PM_{10}$ ($21,580{\mu}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$) and $PM_{2.5}$ ($6,346{\mu}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$) were detected in TCE off-gas. More than 99% of the chlorinated VOCs could be removed using UV254-185 nm lamp, while it is necessary to conduct further studies on the production and treatment of secondary pollutants.