• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.140-156
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• 2023

Children are very sensitive to exposure to heavy metals such as mercury which can accumulate in the body. Exposure to even low concentrations of such metals is reported to be very harmful to health. An evaluation of the mercury content of meals in public elementary schools could provide information which could be used to reduce this level. Two public elementary schools were selected from 16 cities and provinces. The meals provided were analyzed in the third week of spring, summer, fall, and winter. The average mercury allowance per meal was calculated using the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) established by the government. The number of instances of excess content observed was compared by region based on the mercury allowance per meal, and the frequency of use of mercury-containing marine products that cause the excessive levels was identified. The results of analyzing a total of 575 menus revealed that the use of marine and processed marine products with a high mercury content was more in the coastal areas. The mercury content in school meals was also higher in coastal areas than in inland areas. Conversely, in inland areas, the frequency of intake of marine products and marine products with a high mercury content was low, and the amount of mercury intake in school meals was also correspondingly low. In conclusion, this study intended to provide information that could be used to make school meal menus safer. This data can be used to replace school meal menus with high mercury content in coastal areas with menus with low mercury content.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 1979

The total mercury content in the head hair of 87 dental personnel and 210 Seoul citizens as control was determined. 1) The mean value of mercury content in dentists (8.57ppm) was 3.3 times of Seoul male citizens (2.57ppm) and the median of the former (5.92 ppm) was higher than that of the latter (2.39ppm) by approximately 2.5 times. 2) The mean value of mercury content in dental nurses (5.79ppm) was 2.8 times of Seoul female citizens(2.11ppm) and the median of the former(4.62ppm) was higher than that of the latter (1.86ppm) by approximately 2.5 times. 3) The mean value of mercury content in Seoul citizens was 2.29ppm and the median was 1.98ppm. 4) There was no correlationship between the mercury content in the head hair of dentists and the length of dental surgery experience or the frequency of amalgam fiillings per day. 5) The mercury content of Seoul citizens was higher in the male than in the female. 6) It appears more meaningful to employ median values than mean values when the environmental pollution is considered.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 1993

This study was carried out to find out the content of injurious heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic of marine fish which had been captured in adjacent sea of Korea. From March, 1 to April, 30 in 1993. 60 sample of fishes were collected the adult fish and young fish. These samples were analyzed by the Mercury Analyzer and Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectro Analyzer. The results of the study were summarized as follows: (1) The content of mercury in Therafra chalcograma was 0.112$\pm$0.034 ppm which was higher than other fishes, but Pseudosciaena manchurica and Pampus argenteus had lower (P<0.05). Although lead content of Trichiurus lepturus was 0.359$\pm$0.056 ppm, which was higher than other fishes. The lead content of Theragra chalcograma had lower to the almost same level. The cadmium content of the Theragra chalcograma was 0.069$\pm$0.010 ppm which was higher than other samples, but Pseudosciaena manchurica had 0.039$\pm$0.020 ppm to lower level. Though there was some fluctuation in the arsenic content which was 0.433~3.752 ppm, the arsenic content of Therafra chalcograma was 3.752$\pm$2.873 ppm which was the higher than any other fishes. But there are not statistical significances. (2) Heavy metal content by the maturity of the fishes: Mercury content of the old Pseudosciaena manchurica was 0.055$\pm$0.15 ppm comparing to the young's result of 0.030$\pm$0.009 ppm (P<0.05). Though there were some differences according to the maturity, but thee was no statistical significance. (3) In view of the correlation of the heavy metal content, for Pseudosciaena manchurica, high correlation was founded to r=0.6437 between mercury and cadmium (P<0.05). Though the content of mercury, arsenic cadmium and lead had positive correlation (r=0.2725) and negative correlation (r=-0.3958), but there was no significance at all. The other fishes were not found correlation between the heavy metal content. Positive correlation was found between age with mercury in Pseudociaena manchurica (r=0.7018, P<0.05). The negative correlation of age with lead content in the Pseudociaena Manchurica was signigicant (P<0.05). The correlation coefficient was r=-0.7623. The age with mercury content in Coloabis saira had high correlation (r=0.7201, P<0.05). Through the above analysis, it can get conclusion that injurious heavy metal content of the fishes in Korea such a mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic were at the level of natural content. At present, guidelines of maximum residue level allowed at foreign countries about the injurious heavy metal have been used according to the kinds of fish but our government guideline for the marine fishes in only total mercury below 0.7 ppm and lead below 2 ppm. So more aggressive guidelines for the allowance level of heavy metals in marine fishes are required for the safety of foods.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 1994

This study was carried out to investigate the levels of copper, zinc, manganese, nickel, cadmium and mercury content in breast milk among urban, rural and industrial lactating women in Korea. A total of 59 samples, which were collected from 17 in urban, 20 in rural and 22 in industrial area, and from 21-38 years-old healthy lactating women, were analyzed by Rigaku Mercury Analyzer for mercury, and by atomic absorption apectrophotometry for the other metals. The results are summarized as follows : The mean trace metal contents in breast milk were determined to be 0.34$\pm$0.14 ppm for copper, 2.01$\pm$1.43 ppm for zinc, 8.49$\pm$5.11 ppb for manganese, 7.75$\pm$5.73 ppb for nickel, 1.65$\pm$2.42 ppm for cadmium, 34.45$\pm$26.71 ppb for lead and 0.90$\pm$0.68 ppb for mercury. For the trace metal content in breast milk by area, the highest of copper, zinc, cadmium and mercury content were in urban, the highest of manganese content was in industrial, and the highest of nickel and lesd content were in rural. For copper, zinc, manganese and lead content in breast milk by lactation period, the highest levels were found in under 4 weeks after lactating, and subsequently the levels declined as lactation progressed, but the levels of zinc and manganese content increased from over 25 weeks after lactating. For cadmium and mercury content in breast milk by lactation period, the lowest levels were found in under 4 weeks after lactating, the highest levels were found in 5-12 weeks after lactating, and subsequently the levels declined as lactation progressed.For nickel content in breast milk by lactation period, the highest level was in 13-24 weeks after lactating, the lowest level was in 5-12 weeks after lactating.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 1979

Total mercury content of Korean soils which were randomly sampled at 212 different localities were determined by quartz tube combustion-gold amalgamation method, 1) The mean and median values of total mercury content of Korean soils were 0.18PPM and 0.14PPM, respectively. 2) Among 212 localities, 14 have total mercury contents which are three times higher than the median value. The highest values was found to be 1.74PPM.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.08b
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• pp.1577-1579
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• 2007

Xe content is one of important factors related to characteristics of the mercury-free flat fluorescent lamp. The electro-optical properties of lamp were investigated for wide range of Xe content in Xe-Ne mixing gas. The maximum luminance of $9,289\;cd/m^2$ and efficacy of 3 lm/W was obtained with Xe 90 %.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.506-509
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• 2014

This study was conducted to identify transition characteristics of mercury in several selected medicinal plants and to find the appropriate management for production of safety food. Cultivated soils and medicinal plants were collected at 29 sites for Angelica gigas (Korean angelica root), 68 sites for Platycodon grandiflorum (Balloon flower), 35 sites for codonopsis lanceolata (Deoduck), 36 sites for Dioscorea batatas (Chinese yam), 32 sites for Rehmannia glutinosa (Foxglove), 16 sites for Cnidium officinale makino (cnidium), and 26 sites for Astragalus membranaceus (milk vetch root) during the harvest season of 2013. Mercury in the soils and medicinal roots were analyzed with a Direct Mercury Analyzer. Average content of mercury in soils cultivated medicinal plants was $0.023mg\;kg^{-1}$ (range: from 0.003 to $0.074mg\;kg^{-1}$) and average content of mercury in medicinal plants was $0.003mg\;kg^{-1}$ (range: from 0.001 to $0.011mg\;kg^{-1}$), indicating that mercury in the surveyed soils and medicinal plants were not exceeded the Korean regulation.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2018

The Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force on August 16, 2017. It requires Parties to the Convention to control and, where feasible, reduce mercury emissions from the listed sources. To implement the Convention, Japan amended the Air Pollution Control Law and added clauses that force operators to control their mercury emissions below emission limit values (ELVs). The ELVs have been established separately for new and existing sources, targeting the source categories listed in the Convention: coal-fired boilers, smelting and roasting processes used in the production of non-ferrous metals (lead, zinc, copper and industrial gold), waste incineration facilities and cement clinker production facilities. The factors used to establish the ELVs include the present state of mercury emissions from the targeted categories as well as the mercury content in fuels and materials, best available techniques (BATs) and best environmental practices (BEPs) to control and reduce mercury emissions and ELVs or equivalent standards to control mercury emissions in other countries. In this regard, extensive data on mercury emissions from flue gas and the mercury content of fuels and materials were collected and analyzed. The established ELVs range from $8{\mu}g/Nm^3$ for new coal-fired boilers to $400{\mu}g/Nm^3$ for existing secondary smelting processes used in the production of copper, lead and zinc. This paper illustrates the ELVs for the targeted source categories, explaining the rationales and approaches used to set the values. The amended Law is to be enforced on April 1, 2018. From future perspectives, checks of the material flow of mercury, following up on the state of compliance, review of the ELVs and of the measurement and monitoring methods have been noted as important issues.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.359-362
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• 1984

This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of cooking methods of boiling and frying on the removal of mercury from vegetables. Garand chrysanthemums and the leaves of young radishes contained 0.23 and 0.15 ppm of mercury, respectively. When they were boiled, the content of the mercury decreases to 78 percent in garland chrysanthemums and 73 per cent in radish leaves. When they were fried, the content of the mercury decreases to 69 percent in garland chrysanthemums and 60 percent in radish leaves. After the vegetables were exposed to 0.11 ppm of mercury dichloride for 2 hours, the raw garland chrysanthemums and the raw young radish leaves were contaminated with 6.65, 6.10 ppm of mercury, respectively. When the vegetables were boiled after this contamination, the mercury was dissolved and. melted out about 10.0%, however, when the vegetables were fried the mercury was dissolved and melted out about $12{\sim}24%$. When the vegetables were exposed to 1.0 ppm of mercury dichloride, the raw garland chrysanthemums was contaminated with 10.79 ppm of mercury and the radish leaves 10.83 ppm of mercury. The mercury was dissolved and melted out about 10-20% and 10-30% when the vegetables were boiled and fried, respectively. From these results, it can be suggested that frying is more effective cooking method than boiling for the elimination of mercury from its contaminated foods.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 1992

In order to investigate the content of heavy metals in soil according to vertical profiles, 72 soil samples were collected from 4 sampling sites : Ulchiro-2 ga, Dugdo, Sungnaedong, and Amsa- dong. The content of mercury was measured by a mercury analyzer and those of lead, copper and zinc were measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. From the results of this study, it was shown that the content of heavy metals decreased gradually from the surface soil to the 2 m- depth soil. But, there was no difference in the contents of the heavy metals in the 3m, the 4m and the 5m-depth soil.