• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of indicator organisms in essential sanitary ware in public restrooms. Methods: Twelve public restrooms were randomly selected. Samples at three locations (toilet seat, toilet flush handle/lever, and faucet handle) in the restrooms were collected with moistened-sterile cotton swabs and applied to media in order to determine aerobic colony count (ACC), total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Results: Most of the samples taken in summer showed a higher level of ACC than those taken in winter (p<0.05). Female restrooms showed higher ACC levels on faucet handles and male restrooms on toilet flush handles/levers (p<0.05). Overall, faucet handles contained the greatest level of ACC, followed by toilet seats, whereas the least load was found on toilet flush handles/levers. The ACC level of samples in the restrooms in public parks, subway stations, and educational institutions varied. Total coliforms were identified in about 20% of toilet seats and faucet handles in male restrooms and faucet handles in female restrooms in summer. These locations were also the sites of positive results of E. coli isolation. Conclusions: The public restrooms were significantly more contaminated in summer than in winter. Overall, the most contaminated locations in the restrooms were toilet seats in male restrooms, and faucet handles in female restrooms. Poor hygienic status was indicated by the positive results of total coliforms and E. coli on samples from some sites. Therefore, sanitary control of restrooms should be improved. These results should be confirmed in a larger study that includes more public restrooms.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.225-237
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• 2000

Vibrio vulnificus, a halophilic vibrio is an estuarine gram-negative bacteria that is associated with severe and frequently fatal wound infections and life-threatening septicemia. Bacteriocins are defined as antibacterial substance produced by various species of bacteria which are usually active against closely related organisms. Bacteriocins have found widespread application in epidemiological studies as specific markers of bacteria. It was proposed by Ha et al. (1990. J. Korean. Soc. Microbiol. 25: 586.) to give the bacteriocins produced by V. vulnificus the name "vulnificins". In the present study, a total of 72 strains of V. vulnificus isolated from patients and oysters were subjected to screen potential producers and indicators of vulnificin, applying ultraviolet induction method. Sensitivity of several strains of Serratia marcesans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhi and Yersinia enterocolitica to vulnificins were also examined out. All the tested strains of V. vulnificus produced vulnificins active against indicator strains with various different inhibitory patterns. The spectrum of vulnificin activity and sensitive spectrum of indicator strains were considerably broad. Interestingly, almost all strains of S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp. and Y. enterocolitica tested were sensitive to 1-7 vulnificin(s). Taken together, the present study demonstrated that all of the isolates of V. vulnificus produced vulnificins and that 8 good vulnificin producers and 10 good indicators were detected. These strains can be employed efficiently for establishing vulnificin typing scheme of V. vulnificus and for the detection of bacteriocinogeny and sensitivity in V. vulnificus. Biological role of vulnificin remains to be further elucidated.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1999

The study on the bacterial distribution was performed to evaluate the bacteriological safety in 4 deep confined aquifers drilled for drinking. All the investigated aquifers were oligotrophic, howevec bacterial densities and activities and the number of indicator bacteria in C-2 boreholes were much higher than those in other boreholes. Fecal pollution was observed in 3 boreholcs except C-1 borehole. The ratio of gram positive bacteria of the C-2 borehole was much lower than those 01 another boreholes. The numbers of total colifonns, fecal coliforms, and fecal Slreptococcus in the C-2 boreholes were 61, 33, 55 CFU (250 ml)$^{-1}$

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.430-440
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• 1998

The average number of total viable counts for the commercial pork tested was 19/g, coliform 1.8/g, psychrophilic bacteria 15/g, heterotrophic bacteria 12/g, fecal streptococcus 6.2/100 g, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 13/100 g and none of heat-resistant bacteria and Staphylococcus was detected. That for the commercial beef tested was 130/g, coliform 5.2/g, psychrophile 140/g, heterotroph 28/g, Staphylococcus 1.2/g, fecal streptococcus 9.5/100 g, Pseud. aeruginosa 1.9/100 g and heat-resistant bacteria was not detected. That for the commercial chicken tested was 8800/g, coliform 53/g, psychrophile 4600/g, heterotroph 4700/g, fecal streptococcus 9.9/100 g, Pseudo aeruginosa 2.5/100 g. That for milk was 4700/ml, psychrophile 120/ml, heterotroph 420/ml and the others were not detected. That for the commercial cheese was 3.2/g, psychrophile 2.3/g, heterotroph 1.6/g, Staphylococcus l/g, fecal streptococcus 9.1/g. That for fermented milk was $10^{7}/ml$, heatresistant bacteria $10^{6}/ml$, fecal streptococcus 2400/100 ml, lactobacillus $3.2{\times}10^{15}/ml$, in accordance with lactic acid bacteria and the others were not detected. There was not detected any indicator organisms from ham, sausage, butter, eggs and quails in the commercial fooods tested. SPC, coliform, psychrophile and heterotroph in commercial meats stored at $10^{\circ}C$ were increased rapidly as time goes on but heat-resistant bacteria, staphylococcus, fecal streptococcus and Pseudo aeruginosa were constant. At $20^{\circ}C$, SPC, coliform, psychrophile, heterotroph and fecal streptococcus were the highest at 7 days and heat-resistant bacteria, staphylococcus and Pseudo aeruginosa were increased a little. At $30^{\circ}C$, all indicators were increased rapidly for 3 and 7 days and then decreased rapidly. All indicator organisms were increased at the level of 10/g for 14 days in meat products stored at $10^{\circ}C$, but SPC, psychrophile and heterotroph in meat products stored at $20^{\circ}C$ were increased at the level of $lO^5/g$. It showed that the indicators in meat products stored at $30^{\circ}C$ had a tendency to increase at the level of $10^{2}/g$ relative to those stored at $20^{\circ}C$. SPC, psychrophile and heterotroph in milk stored at $10^{\circ}C$ increased up to the level of $10^4/ml$, but coliform, staphylococcus, fecal streptococcus and Pseudo aeruginosa were not detected. As stored at $20^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$, they were increased rapidly for 1 or 3 days and then constant for a long time.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 1981

This Study was carried out to investigate yeast and mold contamination in fermented milk products produced by 9 different domestic manufacturers from October 20. to December 5. 1980 The results obtained in the study were as follows 1) pH values of the products were ranged from pH 3.14 to pH 4.20 and average of sour milk drinks was pH $3.66\pm 0.19$ and fermented milks pH $3.74\pm 0.11$. Therefore the difference of pH average among sour milk drinks and fermented milks was statistically significant. (p<0.01) 2) In case of yeast contamination, yeast was found on all the four producted at the same date. From this result, it seemed that yeast contamination occured during the manufacturing progress. 3) Degree of contamination by the indicator organisms was E. coli positive, 3.7%: over 1,000 yeasts/ml, 14.8% over 10 molds/ml, 0.9%. 4) In the range of over 1,000 yeasts/ml, degree of contamination by yeast was 8.4% in fermented milk and 16.7% in sour milk drink. 5) Yeasts in product C increased to the spoilage number within 5 days and in H increased within 10 days at 5C. At 15$\circ$C, yeast increased to the spoilage number within 15 days in product A.D. 6) It seems that the yeast number of initial contamination should be important than the increase rate as criteria on the fermented Milk products.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2011

In 2009, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the unique outstanding ecosystem biodiversity and distinct ecocultural values of the Shinan Dadohae Biosphere Reserve in the island region. The Dadohae area, which has been sustainably conserved for scores of years, boasts not only a unique ecosystem, but also has residents with a wide range of traditional ecological knowledge. In terms of understanding the soundness of the ecosystem network known as the landscape system, the recent expansion of environmental development has served to heighten the degree of consideration given not only to biodiversity, which has long been used as an indicator to assess ecosystem soundness, but also to assess cultural diversity. Man has used the surrounding landscape and living organisms as his life resources since the beginning. Moreover, whenever necessary, man has developed new species through cultivation. Biodiversity became a foundation that facilitated establishing cultural diversity such as food and housing. Such ecological knowledge has been conveyed not only to adjacent regions, but also at the international level. The recent rapid changes in the Dadohae area island ecosystem caused by the transformation of fishing grounds by such factors as climate change, excess human activities, and marine pollution, is an epoch event in environmental history that shows that the balance between man and nature has become skewed. Furthermore, this issue has moved beyond the biodiversity and landscape diversity level to become an issue that should be addressed at the cultural diversity level. To this end, the time has come to pay close attention to this issue.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.91-97
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• 1996

The extent of binding($K_B$) between chemical compound and humic acid was measured as an indicator of decrease in toxicity. From the experimental $K_B$ and estimated $K_B$ calculated from $K_{ow}$, no reduction of toxicity among test chemicals in aquatic systems were predicted except P,P'-DDT. The effect of humic acid on aquatic organisms is not expected to be significant for the compounds with $K_B{\leq}10^5$ or $K_{ow}{\leq}10^6$.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.414-421
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• 1997

HACCP procedures are regarded as essential components of modern safety assurance programs for all forms of food processing and preservation, including irradiation. Control of hazards and classification of hazardous microorganisms and indicator organisms (and related tests) are helpful to establish preventive and practice regulations at each facility. A carefully conceived and well implemented system assure the safety of all products. The HACCP is designed to prevent defects, rather than to detect them as in traditional end-point testing and inspection, as controlling requirements into food formulations, processing parameters and operating practices. This article commentes on some equipments and materials for HACCP system.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 1975

Continued to the previous papers, the present investigation is carried out to clarify cesium-137 activities and potassium contents among 54 samples of edible marine algae collected along the coast of Korea during September, 1973 and April, 1974. The potassium contents are variable, 1.5-29.6%, and 11.36% on an average, while most of the members contain them about 10-16% generally. Among the algal phyla, they are 13.49% in green, 10.82% in brown and 16.46% in red algae, respectively. Cesium-137 activities are variable, 0.19-8.13 pCi$\^$137/ Cs/g K, and 2.35 pCi$\^$137/Cs/g K on an average in the samples investigated. Among the algal phyla they are 4.35 in green, 2.17 in brown and 0.89 pCi $\^$137/Cs/g K in red algae, respectively. Green algae contain especially higher activities compared with the other two groups. The brown alga, Myelophycus caespitosus shows the highest activities, 8.13 pCi$\^$137/Cs/g K, among the members investigated. Considering the concentration factor, this plant would be an indicator plant of cesium-137 among the marine algae along the coast of Korea.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 1975

Continued to the previous paper, the present investigation deals with stronitium-90 activities and calcium contents among 54 samples of edible marine algae collected along the coast of Korea during September, 1973 and April, 1974. The calcium contents are variable 2.0-17.8%, and 6.38% on an average. Most of the members investigated contain 2-4% in green and red algae, and 8-10% in brown algae. Strontium-90 activities are 0.32-0.37 pCi/l in sea-water, and 0.80-28.66 pCi$\^$90/Sr/g Ca in edible seaweeds. Among the algal phyla, they are 12.49 in green, 3.34 in brown, and 9.39 pCi$\^$90/Sr/g Ca in red algae, while they are 6.25 pCi$\^$90/Sr/g Ca on an average. In a single species collected at the same season, the highest activities appear mostly from the eastern coast, and from the western and southern coasts, in turn. The green algae, Capsosiphon- Enteromorpha complex show about 3 times higher activities, 28.66 pCi$\^$90/Sr /g Ca compared with the other members showing rather higher activities, and would be an indicator plant of strontium-90 activities of the marine algae along the coast of Korea.