• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.144-154
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• 2007

The acute and chronic toxicity of ambient and effluent water discharged to Lake Shihwa were investigated by using Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna and Oryzias latipes. Physicochemical characteristics including biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nine heavy metals in a total of 15 water samples were evaluated and were satisfied with relevant Korean Water Quality Standards (KWQS) except for Hg in one sample. Acute toxicity was observed in five samples collected from three sampling locations. When impacts on reproduction and growth after chronic exposure were evaluated with D. magna, all the samples showed significant chronic effects. Reproduction appeared relatively more sensitive endpoint. In 21 days chronic tests on O. latipes, survival, mean egg number per female per day, hatching success rate and time to hatch were affected by increasing sample concentration. The organ-level changes such as gonadosomatic index (GSI), and hepatosomatic index (HSI), and molecular biomarker of vitellogenin (Vtg) induction that evaluated with O. latipes increased as exposure concentrations increased. It is noteworthy that the samples that did not exceed the KWQS resulted in acute and chronic toxicities. The results suggested that numeric criteria based on physicochemical parameters may not be protective of aquatic ecosystem. Acute and chronic toxicity tests with organisms representing different trophic groups should be supplemented in order to provide adequate level of environmental protection.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.323-330
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• 2008

Surrogate tissue analysis incorporating -omics technologies has emerged as a potential alternative method for evaluating toxic effect of the tissues which are not accessible for sampling. Among the recent applications, blood including whole blood, peripheral blood lymphocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was suggested as a suitable surrogate tissue in determining toxicant exposure and effect at the pre- or early clinical stage. In this application, we investigated transcriptomic profiles in astemizole treated Cynomolgus monkey's PBMCs. PBMCs were isolated from 4-6 years old male monkeys at 24 hr after administration45 Helvetica Light (10 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg). Gene expression profiles of astemizole treated monkey's PBMCs were determined using Affymetrix $GeneChip^{(R)}$ Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 arrays. The expression levels of 724 probe sets were significantly altered in PBMCs at 10 or 30 mg/kg after astemizole administration following determination of paired t-test using statistical criteria of ${\geq}$$1.5-fold changes at P<0.05. Gene expression patterns in PBMCs showed a considerable difference between astemizole 10 and 30 mg/kg administration groups in spite of an administration of the same chemical. However, close examination using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software revealed that several gene sets related to cardiotoxicity were deregulated at astemizole 10 and 30 mg/kg administration groups. The deregulation of cardiac hypertrophy related genes such as TXN, GNAQ, and MAP3K5 was observed at 10 mg/kg group. In astemizole 30 mg/kg group, genes involved in cardiotoxicity including cardiac necrosis/cell death, dilation, fibrosis, and hypertrophy were also identified. These results suggest that toxicogenomic approach using PBMCs as surrogate tissues will contribute to assess toxicant exposures and identify biomarkers at the pre-clinical stage.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.277-285
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• 2018

Patients administered radioisotope for medical purposes are regulated by each country to quarantine them until their body's radioactivity contents decrease below release criteria. To predict the quarantine period and provide it to medical staffs and patients, it is necessary to approach the assessment of the exposure dose of persons due to patients in a realistic manner. For this purpose, a whole-body effective half-life should be applied to the dose assessment equation instead of the physical half-life. In this study, we constructed a bio-kinetic model for each nuclear species based on the ICRP publication to obtain a whole-body effective half-life of 10 unsealed gamma-ray emitting nuclei from the notification of Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and calculated the effective half-life mathematically by simulating the distribution of the radioisotope administered in the whole body as well as each organ scale. The whole-body effective half-life of $^{198}Au$, $^{67}Ga$, $^{123}I$, $^{111}In$, $^{186}Re$, $^{99m}Tc$, and $^{201}TI$ were 1,93, 2.57, 0.295, 2.805, 1.561, 0.245, and 2.397 days respectively. However, it was found to be undesirable to offer a single value of the effective half-life of $^{125}I$, $^{131}I$, and $^{169}Yb$ because the changes in the effective half-life show no linearity. A bio-kinetic model created for the internal exposure assessment has been shown to be possible to calculate the effective half-life of radioisotopes administered in the patient's body, but subsequent studies of radiolabeled compounds are required as well.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.54-72
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• 2018

This study reviewed standard operation procedures for fractionation and analytical methods of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in north america and european countries to aid proper establishment of risk assessment protocols associated with TPH exposure in Korea. In current, the TPH fraction methods established by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Criteria Working Group (TPHCWG) are most frequently employed worldwide. Both methods were developed on the basis of direct exposure of TPH from soil, although the method by TPHCWG also took into account the mobility of TPH. Volatile and extractable fractions of petroleum hydrocarbons were analyzed either separately or together. TPH fractionation methods were evaluated based on conservative toxicity values considering the uncertainty of risk assessment in light of current standard protocol for analyzing soil contaminants in Korea, and it was concluded that the method developed by MassDEP is more appropriate.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2023

Background: Food consumption is one of the most important routes for radionuclide intake for the public; therefore, there is the need to have a comprehensive understanding of the amount of radioactivity in food products. Consumption of radionuclide-contaminated food could increase potential health risks associated with exposure to radiation such as cancers. The present study aims to determine radioactivity levels in some food products (milk, rice, sugar, and wheat flour) consumed in Mali and to evaluate the radiological effect on the public health from these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: The health impact due to ingestion of radionuclides from these foods was evaluated by the determination of activity concentration of radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs using gamma spectrometry system with high-purity germanium detector and radiological hazards index in 16 samples collected in some markets, mall, and shops of Bamako-Mali. Results and Discussion: The average activity concentrations were 9.8±0.6 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U, 8.7±0.5 Bq/kg for ²³²Th, 162.9±7.9 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K, and 0.0035±0.0005 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs. The mean values of radiological hazard parameters such as annual committed effective dose, internal hazard index, and risk assessment from this work were within the dose criteria limits given by international organizations (International Commission on Radiological Protection and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) and national standards. Conclusion: The results show low public exposure to radioactivity and associated radiological impact on public health. Nevertheless, this study stipulates vital data for future research and regulatory authorities in Mali.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.35-42
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• 2024

The aquatic ecosystem of rivers, where various biological groups inhabit, is influenced by suspended sediment. However, there is a lack of quantitative and objective methods and criteria for evaluating this impact. The purpose of this study is to analyze through experiments the effects of suspended sediment on Glyptotendipes tokunagai, a benthic invertebrate in rivers. Experiments were conducted to investigate the survival count of individuals exposed to varying suspended sediment concentrations (turbidity) and exposure durations. Various regression analysis methods were performed on the experimental results to propose a model for evaluating the impact of suspended sediment on Glyptotendipes tokunagai. The coefficient of determination (R-squared) of the proposed model was 0.903, indicating a high degree of fit. The findings of this study could serve as foundational data for assessing the influence of suspended sediment on various organisms inhabiting rivers.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Background: It is very difficult to set a regulatory guidance or criteria for the protection of non-human species from the ionizing radiation, because there are no generally or internationally accepted methods for demonstrating the compliance with such criteria. It is needed that Korea develop the primary dose rate standards for the protection of both aquatic and terrestrial biota in the near future. Materials and Methods: The potential dose rates due to both external and internal radiation exposures to marine organisms such as plaice/flounder, gray mullet, and brown seaweed collected within territorial seas around the Korean Peninsula were estimated. Results and Discussion: The total dose rates to plaice/flounder, gray mullet and brown seaweed due to $^{40}K$, a primordial radionuclide in marine environment, were found to be 0.2%, 0.08% and 0.3% of approximately the values of the Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRLs, i.e. $1-10mGy{\cdot}d^{-1}$), respectively, as suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication 124. The total dose rates to marine fishes and brown seaweed due to anthropogenic radionuclides such as $^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs$ and $^{239+240}Pu$ were considered to be negligible compared to the total dose rate due to $^{40}K$. The external exposure to benthic fish due to all radionuclides was much higher than that of pelagic fish. Conclusion: From this study, it is recommended that the further study is required to develop a national regulatory guidance for the evaluation of doses to non-human species.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.91-102
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed in order to devise a procedure for supplementing the Special Management Materials in the Occupational Safety and Health Act and recommend candidate materials. The results are expected to be used as fundamental data for classification and criteria necessary to manage Special Management Materials in workplaces. Also, they are expected to be used as a basis for selecting target materials to nominate as additional Special Management Material. Methods: We investigated the selection standards for candidates and review ranges of data sources to nominate Special Management Materials. The substances classified as GHS(Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals) category 1A(known to have carcinogenic potential and reproductive toxicity for humans) or 1B(presumed to have carcinogenic potential and reproductive toxicity for humans) carcinogens and reproductive toxicants among the Controlled Hazardous Substances of the Regulation on Occupational Safety and Health Standards and substances with OELs(Occupational Exposure Limits) were inspected as the candidates for Special Management Materials. Conclusions: A seven-step procedure for selecting candidates to designate as Special Management Materials was suggested, including the setting of target chemicals for evaluation, classification of CMR(Carcinogens, Mutagens or Reproductive toxicants) by GHS classification and criteria, suggestion and selection of the candidates, and more. This study recommends 58 chemicals as qualified candidates to supplement the Special Management Materials.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.674-682
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of illness from Campylobacter spp. on ham. To identify the hazards of Campylobacter spp. on ham, the general characteristics and microbial criteria for Campylobacter spp., and campylobacteriosis outbreaks were investigated. In the exposure assessment, the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. on ham was evaluated, and the probabilistic distributions for the temperature of ham surfaces in retail markets and home refrigerators were prepared. In addition, the raw data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) 2012 were used to estimate the consumption amount and frequency of ham. In the hazard characterization, the Beta-Poisson model for Campylobacter spp. infection was used. For risk characterization, a simulation model was developed using the collected data, and the risk of Campylobacter spp. on ham was estimated with @RISK. The Campylobacter spp. cell counts on ham samples were below the detection limit (<0.70 Log CFU/g). The daily consumption of ham was 23.93 g per person, and the consumption frequency was 11.57%. The simulated mean value of the initial contamination level of Campylobacter spp. on ham was −3.95 Log CFU/g, and the mean value of ham for probable risk per person per day was 2.20×10⁻¹². It is considered that the risk of foodborne illness for Campylobacter spp. was low. Furthermore, these results indicate that the microbial risk assessment of Campylobacter spp. in this study should be useful in providing scientific evidence to set up the criteria of Campylobacter spp..

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.179-196
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• 2011

This study aims to measure the relative importance of trade insurance using AHP developed by Thomas Saaty of Pennsylvania in early 1970s. Moreover, it provides help in the development of a comprehensive strategy of trade insurance. To obtain priority of trade insurance in its functions, this study discovered significance and relative importance of two evaluation standards and four individual evaluation items. Of the two evaluation standards, importance of credit exposure was 63%. It was discovered that it was more important than political means (37%). Of the four individual evaluation items, importance of banking supplementation was 60%. It was more important than credit investigation of overseas traders (40%). Importance of trade promotion policy was 69%, which was more important than removal of anxiety in trade (31%). As a result of comparing priorities of the f tire evaluation items, priority of banking supplementation was 38% followed by trade promotion policy means (26%), credit investigation of overseas traders (25%) and removal of anxiety in trade (12%).