• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.267-280
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• 2023

This study investigated the contents of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg for 4333 samples with 2 09 types of herbal medicines distributed in Seoul area from 2019 to 2021, and evaluated risk assessment according to medicinal part used and origin. The contents of heavy metals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and mercury analyzer. The average contents (mg/kg) of heavy metals by medicinal parts were 0.123 to 1.290 for Pb, 0.018 to 0.131 for Cd, 0.034 to 0.290 for As, and 0.003 to 0.015 for Hg. The contents of Pb were higher in Leaves and Whole Herbs (above-ground part) than underground part (Radix & Rhizoma) (ANOVA-test, p < 0.05). The contents of Cd were high in Leaves, Radix & Rhizoma, and Stems & Woods (ANOVA-test, p <0 .05), and exceeded regulatory limits in various types. Levels of Pb, Cd concentrations exceeding regulatory limits were observed in 8, 22 samples (8, 14 types). No sample exceeded regulatory limits of As and Hg. In the comparison between countries of origin, the contents of Cd, As, and Hg were high in imported herbal medicines (t-test, p < 0.05). As a result of the risk assessment, except for Thujae Orientalis Folium and Spirodelae Herba, the MOE values of Pb were all 1 or more, and most samples were safe. The Hazard Index (HI) for Cd, As, and Hg were evaluated to be less than 100 % even if the risk (%) of each heavy metal was added, and the risk from taking herbal medicines was evaluated to be safe.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.146-159
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• 2024

In this study, a study on the production technology of the Buddha statue and the production of raw material origin was conducted through scientific analysis on the Bronze seated Bodhisattva Statue of Goseongsa Temple, a treasure. As a result of microstructure analysis through a metal microscope, it was confirmed that the microstructure of the Bronze seated Bodhisattva Statue of Goseongsa Temple was a process-type dendritic structure, and the casting structure of bronze was well represented, so it was manufactured through casting. Subsequently, as a result of analyzing the alloy composition ratio through SEM-EDS, it was identified as a ternary alloy with 81.26 wt% of copper (Cu) and 16.42 wt% of tin (Sn) and 1.72 wt% of lead (Pb). The results of the analysis of lead isotope ratios using a thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS) were substituted into the distribution of lead isotope ratios on the Korean Peninsula, it was shown in corresponding to Jeolla-do and Chungcheong-do regions and North and South Gyeongsang Province. This suggests that the raw materials used in their production were likely sourced from the mines around Goseong Temple in Gangjin. Despite the fact that the statue is a medium and large Buddha with a total height of 51 centimeters, 1.72 wt% of lead (Pb) was found as a result of alloy composition ratio analysis, which showed a similar composition to the lead content ratio of small bronze and gilt-bronze Buddha statues. Therefore, we compared and analyzed the results of the analysis of the composition ratio of the alloys of bronze and gilt bronze statues, which has been scientifically analyzed with a compositional age similar to that of the Bronze seated Bodhisattva Statue of Goseongsa Temple. Comparison results, Various factors, such as the size of the Buddha statue as well as its stylistic characteristics and the age of composition, may exist in determining the alloy composition ratio of the bronze and gilt bronze Buddha statues, and it was confirmed that the alloy composition ratio or casting technology was properly adjusted when the Buddha statue was created. In other words, it is judged that a more comprehensive system of Buddha statue production technology should be investigated by conducting archaeological and art history studies on stylistic characteristics and age of composition, as well as scientific analysis results such as observation of internal structure, microstructure observation, and analysis of alloy composition ratio using radiation transmission irradiation.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.102-117
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the extent to which benthic environment of Ulsan Bay was disturbed by organic materials and trace metals from the megacity and industrial complex. Field survey for benthic environment and macroinvertebrate community was seasonally conducted from February to November 2006 at nine stations covering the inside and outside of the bay. TOC was on average 1.7% while four (As, Cu, Pb, Zn) out of seven trace metals measured exceeded the Effects Range Low (ERL) in most of the stations. Total number of species sampled was 199 and mean density was 4,578 ind./$m^2$, both of which were greatly dominated by the polychaetes. Dominant species were Aphelochaeta monilaris (22.6%), Ruditapes philippinarum (17.1%), Magelona japonica (12.2%), Lumbrineris longifolia (9.9%) and their distribution was ruled by the difference in the benthic environmental condition of each station. From the multivariate analyses, four stational groups were identified: northern part of the bay, middle and lower part of the bay, the intersection of Taewha River and Gosa stream and outside of the bay. As a result, the community heterogeneity of inner bay was much more greater than that of outer bay. SIMPER analysis showed that four groups were represented by R. philippinarum-Capitella capitata, A. monilaris-Balanoglossus carnosus, Sinocorophium sinensis-Cyathura higoensis and M. japonica-Ampharete arctica, respectively. Spatio-temporal changes of macroinvertebrate communities in Ulsan Bay were closely related to those of depth, mean grain size and organic content, and Zn was also a meaningful factor in that context.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2004

This study was conducted to assessment organic compound and bioassay (density of inhabited animal, fluctuation of predominant fungi, and survival ratio of earthworm) for finding damage on red pepper by heavily amount application of sludges in soil, which was treated with 3 pharmaceutical byproducts and a cosmetic industry wastewater sludge as raw materials of compost, and for establishing estimation method. HEM contents in the soil treated with pharmaceutical byproducts sludge2 (PS2) and cosmetic sludge (CS) were 0.51, 1.10 mg/kg respectively. PAHs content of PS2 treatment in the soil was 3406.8 ug/kg on July 8. In abundance of soil faunas, the pharmaceutical byproducts sludge2 treatment was the most highest. The next was decreased in the order of pig manure (PM) and the cosmetic sludge treatment. However the other pharmaceutical sludge treatments were remarkably reduced populations of soil inhabited animals. In upland soil treated with organic sludges, the numbers of bacteria and fungi of the pharmaceutical sludge treatment were 736, 909 cfu/g and those of the cosmetic sludge treatment were 440, 236 cfu/g, respectively. The pharmaceutical sludge treatments and the cosmetic sludge treatment in identification of predominant bacteria were not any tendency to compare with non fertilizer and pig manure treatments, but they had diverse bacteria than NPK treatment. In microcosm tests, the survival of the tiger earthworm in five soil samples was hardly affected against the soil of PSI (20%) after three months treated in the upland But after six months, survival of PS1 was 80%. At present, raw material of compost was authorized by contents of organic matter, heavy metal (8 elements), and product processing according to 'The specified gist on possible materials of using after analysis and investigation among raw materials of compost', however, for preparing to change regulation of raw material of compost and for considering to possibility of application, this study was conducted to investigate toxic organic compound and bioassay methods using inhabited animal, fungi, and earthworm without current regulation.