• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.548-555
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• 2018

Objectives: We conducted ecological risk assessment for cadmium, a heavy metal and carcinogen, to identify safety standards by environmental media and to determine its impact on ecosystems by estimating and evaluating exposure levels. Methods: Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were generated using ECOTOX DB. A hazardous concentration of 5% (HC5) protective of most species (95%) in the environment was estimated. Using this estimate, predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) were calculated for aquatic organisms. Based on the calculated PNECs for aquatic organisms, PNEC values for soil and sediment were calculated using the partition coefficient. Predicted exposure concentrations (PECs) were also calculated from environmental monitoring data with hazard quotients (HQs) calculated using PNECs for environmental media. Results: Chronic toxicity data were categorized into four groups and 11 species. In species sensitivity distribution (SSD) analysis, HC5 was $0.340{\mu}g/L$. Based on this value, the PNEC value for aquatic organisms was calculated as $0.113{\mu}g/L$. PNEC values for soil and sediments using a partition coefficient were calculated as 15.02 mg/kg and 90.61 mg/kg, respectively. In an analysis of environmental monitoring data, PEC values were calculated as $0.017{\mu}g/L$ for water, 1.01 mg/kg for soil, and 0.521 mg/kg for sediment. Conclusions: HQs were 0.150, 0.067 and 0.006 for water, soil and sediment, respectively. HQs of secondary toxicity were 0.365 for birds and 0.024 for mammals. In principle, it is judged that an HQ above 1 indicates a high level of risk concern while an HQ less than 1 indicates an extremely low level of risk concern. Therefore, with HQs of cadmium in the environment being <1, its risk levels can be considered low for each media.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.430-440
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• 2022

Selenium is an important trace mineral that plays an essential role in maintaining the body's immunity with oxidative stress defense and antioxidant activity, immunity, thyroid hormone control, defense against drug or heavy metal harm, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. A selenium deficiency increases the risk of various chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological disease, osteoarthritis, muscle necrosis and weakness, thyroid disease, and inflammatory diseases. This paper explains the criteria for establishing and revising selenium in the 2020 Dietary Reference Intake for Koreans (KDRIs) and reviews the current status of the selenium database and suggestions for setting the 2025 KDRIs in the future. In the 2020 KDRIs, the selenium intake with the maximum plasma selenoprotein P level was used as the criteria. The weight and coefficient of the variation were applied to the Chinese' reported values. Compared to 2015 KDRIs, there were some revisions in the selenium dietary reference intakes by gender and age according to the change in reference weight. To improve and revise selenium dietary reference intakes in the future, a selenium intervention study is needed to determine the maximum level of plasma selenoprotein P in Koreans. In addition, a revision of the selenium database of the nutritional assessment program (CAN-Pro 5.0) is needed. An analysis of the selenium content of foods should be expanded to assess the selenium intake accurately. In addition, research on the relationship between selenium intake and the biological indicators in the body is required for healthy people and subjects of special environments, such as patients and athletes with various oxidative stress.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.13-28
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• 2000

Chojeong area is mainly composed of the Ogcheon Group which consists of regionally metamorphosed, age-unknown sedimentary rocks. In the northwestern parts, the Group is intruded by the Jurassic Daebo granite and Cretaceous felsic and mafic dykes. The lowermost, Midongsan Formation which consists of milky white impure quartzite, crops out along the anticline axes with N40E trend. Ungyori quartzite Formation is intercalated with quartzite and slate. Miwon Formation is most widely exposed in the area and consists mainly of phyllitic sandy rocks with a thin crystalline limestone bed. Hwajeonri Formation is divided into two parts, pelitic lower and calcareous upper parts, composed with phyllite and slate. Changri and Hwanggangri Formations are typical members of Ogcheon Group, the former bearing coally graphite seams consists mainly of black slate and phyllite with intercalated greenish grey phyllite, the latter is pebble bearing phyllite formation of which matrix and pebbles are variable in compositions and size. Biotite granite, porphyritic granite and two mica granite belong to Jurassic so-called Dabo granite. They intruded the Ogcheon Group forming vast contact metarnophic zone. Quartz porphyry, mafic dyke and felsite intruded along the marginal zone of porphyritic granite batholith and fracture of NS trend. Main structural lineaments in Ogcheon Group shows N25-45E, NS and N30-45W trends. The N25-45E trends are mainly from general ductile deformation during regional metamorphism, showing isoclinal folding, Fl foliations and lithological erosional characters. Some of these trends are due to normal faults. The NS and N30-45W trends represent brittle deformation including faults and joints. In the area of granitic batholith, NS to N30- 45 trends are from the direction of dykes. In the soils of the area, average contents of heavy metal elements such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn are 0.2, 50.6, 35.5, 27.9, and 93.4 ppm respectively, which are not higher than the average values of natural soils, under the tolerable level. Enrichment Index does not show any heavy metal pollution in the area. Average depths of weathering(5m vs. 2m), porosities(43.94 vs. 51.80), densities(l.29 vs. 1.15), and permeabilities(2.52 vs. 8.07) are comparable in granite areas and in the phyllite areas of Ogcheon Group.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.329-336
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• 2006

Iron manufacturing process involves production of various by-product including slag, sludge, sintering and EAF(Electric Arc furnace dust). Some of the by-products such as EAF and sintering dust are disposed of as waste due to their high heavy metal contents. It has been notice for many years that the EAF dust also contain about 65% of Fe(0) and Fe(II) and then the possible utilization of the iron. One possibility is to apply the EAF as a lining material in conjunction with clay or HDPE liners, in waste landfill. The probable reaction between the leachate containing toxic elements such as TCE, PCE dioxine and $Cr^{6+}$ is reduction of the toxic materials in corresponding to the oxidation of the reduced iron and therefore diminishing the toxicity of the leachate. It is, however, prerequisite to evaluate the leaching characteristics of the EAF dust before application. Amelioration of the leachate would be archived only when the level of toxic elements in the treated leachate is less than that of in the untreated leachate. Several leaching techniques were selected to cover different conditions and variable environments including time, pH and contact method. The testing methods include availability test, pH-stat test and continuous column test. Cr and Zn are potentially leachable elements among the trace metals. The pH of the EAF dust is highly alkaline, recording around 12 and Zn is unlikely to be leached under the condition. On the contrary Cr is more leachable under alkaline environment. However, the released Cr should be reduced to $Cr^{3+}$ and then removed as $Cr(OH)_3$. Removal of the Cr is observed in the column test and further study on the specific reaction of Cr and EAF dust is underway.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.33-44
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• 2009

The objective of the study was to develop a hybrid technology integrating biological and physicochemical technologies to efficiently remediate arsenic contaminated lands such as abandoned mine area. The tailing soil samples contaminated with As at a high level were obtained from Songchon abandoned mine, and the content of arsenic and heavy metals as well as physicochemical properties and mineral composition were investigated. In addition, two sets of sequential extraction methods were applied to analyze chemical speciations of arsenic and heavy metals to expect their leachability and mobility in geoenvironment. Based on these geochemical data of arsenic and heavy metal contaminants, column-type experiments on the bioleaching of arsenic were undertaken. Subsequently, experiments on the hybrid process incorporating bioleaching and electrokinetics were accomplished and its removal efficiency of arsenic was compared with that of the individual electrokinetic process. With the results, finally, the feasibilty of the hybrid technnology was evaluated. The arsenic removal efficiencies of the individual electrokinetic process (44 days) and the hybrid process incorporating bioleaching (28 days) and electrokinetics (16 dyas) were measured 57.8% and 64.5%, respectively, when both two processes were operated in an identical condition. On the contrary, the arsenic removal efficiency during the bioleaching process (28 days) appeared relatively lower (11.8%), and the result indicates that the bioleaching process enhanced the efficacy of the electrokinetic process as a result of mobilization of arsenic rather than removed arsenic by itself. In particular, the arsenic removal rate of the electrokinetics integrated with bioleaching was observed over than 2 times larger than that obtained by the electrokinetics alone. From the results of the study, if the bioleaching which is considered a relatively economic process is applied sufficiently prior to electrokinetics, the removal efficiency and rate of arsenic can be significantly improved. Consequently, the study proves the feasibility of the hybrid process integrating both technologies.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.25-36
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• 2005

Several metalliferous and coal mines, including Myungjin, Seojin and Okdong located at the upper watershed of Okdong stream, were abandoned or closed since 1988 due to the mining industry promotion policy. Thus these disposed an enormous amount of mining wastes without a proper treatment facilities, resulting in water pollution in the downstream areas. Acid mine drainage (AMD) and waste water effluents from the closed coal mines were very strongly acidic showing pH ranges of 2.7 to 4.5 and had a high level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) showing the ranges of 1,030 to 1,947 mg/L. Also heavy metal concentrations in these samples such as Fe, Cu, Cd and anion such as sulfate were very high. Concentrations of water soluble heavy metals in the Okdong streams were in the orders of Fe>Al>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd, indicating Fe from the AMD and waste water effluents contributed greatly to the quality of water and soil in the lower watershed of Okdong stream. Copper concentrations in the effluents from the tile drainage of mine tailings dams were highest during the raining season. Water Pollution Index (WPI) of the surface water at the upper stream of Okdong river where AMD of the abandoned coal mines was flowed into main stream were in the ranges of 16.3 to 47.1. On the other hand, those at the mid stream where effluents from tailings dams and coal mines flowed into main stream were in the WPI ranges of 10.6 to 19.5. However, those at the lower stream were ranged from 10.6 to 14.9. These results indicated that mining wastes such as AMD and effluents from the closed mines were the major source to water pollution at the Okdong stream areas.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2012

Movement and accumulation of cadmium in male Sprague-Dawley rats, fed with brown rice from nearby Janghang smeltery area were investigated. The rat fed with five different cadmium level diets made with Cd-polluted during 12 weeks. The brown rice-polluted with 0.87 ppm Cd (PBR) was sampled from products in the Janghang smeltery area. Diets of brown rice group were brown rice (BR, 0.002 ppm Cd), each 50% of BR and PBR (BR+PBR 50%, 0.44 ppm Cd) and PBR (PBR 100%, 0.87 ppm Cd). To compare with BR+PBR 50%, the another group diet composed the feed (FE, 0.002 Cd ppm) and each 50% of FE and PBR (FE+PBR 50%, 0.44 ppm Cd). Accumulation of Cd, Zn and Cu in blood, liver and kidney rats was measured by GF-AAS. The weight gain in BR groups and FE groups were different 0.22-0.26 and 1.08-1.26 g/day, respectively. Daily intake cadmium was 10.77 and 22.36 ${\mu}g/rat$ in BR+PBR 50% and PBR 100%, and 8.83 ${\mu}g/rat$ in FE+PBR 50%. Cadmium contents in diets were higher, and total intake of the heavy metals was more increased on the whole. Weights of liver and kidney in FE+PBR 50% group was 2.64 and 2.27 folds higher than those in BR+PBR 50% group. Cadmium contents in blood were increased with intake of BR diet, but Zn and Cu were decreased with them. In the diet groups with the same Cd concentration, Cd content of FE+PBR 50% was higher 1.27 times than that of BR+PBR 50%. In the diet group of BR, BR+PBR 50%, and PBR 100%, the increase of Cd concentration was significantly different to the increase of Cd content in the livers. In the same condition of Cd concentration, Cd contents were higher in the BR+PBR 50% group. In the diet groups of BR, BR+PBR 50%, and PBR 100%, the increase of Cd content in the kidneys led to the increase of Zn and Cu contents. In the same condition of Cd concentration, the diet group with the addition of BR was shown to be 3.11 times higher than with the addition of FE. In view of the results so far achieved, It was closely related with Cd, Zn, and Cu content.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.923-931
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• 2005

A study was carried out to identify the major causes of sediments pollution in the Paldang Lake in the vicinity of Gyeongan river. Samples from 40 sites were collected and analyzed to characterize the regional distributions of grain size, organic matter contents, and concentrations of T-N, T-P and heavy metals. contaminations. The mean grain size(Mz) ranged from sand type(Mz, $1{\sim}3\;{\phi}$) where Bukhan River and Namhan River converges at a high flow rate to silt type(Mz, $5{\sim}10\;{\phi}$) at the downstream of Gyeongancheon and Paldang lake, reflecting the water circulation in the area. Except sampling point St. 36 near the wetland, the determination coefficient($r^2$) of Mz and organic matter(LOI) was 0.88, showing that more organic matters are concentrated inside finer sediments. The concentrations of T-N and T-P in sediments were higher in the area at which Mz and organic matters are also higher. High concentrations of T-P analyzed in the sediments, ranging from $216{\sim}1,623\;{\mu}g/g$ (Avg. $769\;{\mu}g/g$) could be considered as a critical level. Adsorbed-P and NAI-P, which are easily released to the surrounding environments when physico-chemical characteristics of sediments are changed, was found to be around 20%, which was showed by the result of fractionated-P. Moreover, Principle Component Analysis(PCA), showed that high concentrations of T-N, T-P, organophilic metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) are distributed in the areas where high organic matter contents and fine grain-sized sediments are found. However, results of $I'_{geo}$ (Geoaccumulation Index) that considers the grain size of sediments showed that heavy metal concentrations in the lake was low enough to be considered as Class 1 indicating the relative degree of pollution was less than zero.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 2018

In the present study, a variety of polylactide (PLA) articles (n = 211) were tested for migration of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) into the food simulant (4% v/v acetic acid). Pb, Cd, and As were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Migration tests were performed at $70^{\circ}C$ and $100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. The amounts of Pb, Cd, and As increased at $100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min compared with levels at $70^{\circ}C$. However, the migration at both conditions was very low. The maximum level of Pb at $100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min corresponded to 1% of the migration limit. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) based on safety evaluation ranged from $2.5{\times}10^{-5}$ to $2.0{\times}10^{-3}{\mu}g/kg\;bw/day$ for Pb, Cd, and As. The EDI calculated from migration of Pb at $100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min in PLA was the maximum value, $2.0{\times}10^{-3}{\mu}g/kg\;bw/day$, which corresponded to 0.055% of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, $25{\mu}g/kg\;bw/week$). The data from this study represent a valuable source for science-based safety control and management of hazardous heavy metals migrating from polylactide food contact materials.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2005

This study was conducted to find suitable methods for screening organic resources useful for compost. Twenty-seven industrial and domestic sludges were collected from various cities and industrial areas. Contents of organic matters in the sludges were in the range of 79.3-98.0%, and the contents were much higher than the regulation level (60%) for raw materials of compost. Contents of total nitrogen were in the range of 0.8-2.6%. Contents of Fe and Al were very high. Content of HEM was highest in textile sludge ($257mg\;kg^{-1}$) and the contents in the others were in the range of $12.6-90.3mg\;kg^{-1}$. Content of PAHs was lowest in food sludge ($739.1{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$ and pulp-mill sludge had the highest PAHs content ($3461.8{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$). $Microtox^{(R)}$ $EC_{50}$ values were higher in the sludges which were classified as a possible material in composting after analysis and investigation. Lettuce root elongation and $EC_{50}$ values were relatively lower in pulp-mill sludge, sewage sludge 3 (Large city), food sludge and leather sludge. Therefore, mineral nutrients, heavy metals, organic compounds (HEM, PAHs, PCBs), and bioassay ($Microtox^{(R)}$ $EC_{50}$, Relative root elongation test) are recommended to be included in the screening system of raw material of compost in addition to the current regulation with organic matter and 8 heavy metals.