• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2014

PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the perflourinated organic compound, which persist as a residual compound in the coastal environments. Intertidal mud crab Macrophthalmus japonicus mainly inhabits in coastal and bay ecosystems in Indo-Pacific region including Korea and reflects to environmental changes. In the present study, M. japonicus were exposed to different concentrations of PFOS and various ecotoxicological end-points such as survival rate, elimination of appendages, changes of the crust and internal organ color changes were investigated. Interestingly, the PFOS exposure showed concentration-dependent decrease of survival rate. High PFOS exposure ($30{\mu}gL^{-1}$) showed a low survival rate of 24% at 168 hours. Further, in comparison with the controls, the rate of elimination of appendages was also considerably increased in a time dependent manner upon PFOS exposure. Notably, with progression of time, an increased exposure to PFOS, test species showed whitening effect in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas the crab crust color was unchanged in the control. In addition, change in internal organs color and their visibility (clarity) observed in PFOS exposed crabs compared to control. Taken together, we suggest, eco-toxicology end-points of M. japonicus exposed to PFOS gave important biological information which could be useful to identify toxic contamination in the marine benthic environments.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is one of the most widely distributed environmental pollutants and causes neurotoxicities. Fucoidan is a main bioactive constituent of the brown sea-weed and has many functions in a variety of physiological conditions. The present study attempted to investigate the potential role of fucoidan as neuroprotective marine polypeptide in environmental pollutant-induced apoptosis of neuronal cells in culture. MTT assay showed that cell viability was significantly reduced to 68 % at $30{\mu}M$ PFOS, which was recovered up to 77% and 92% in the presence of fucoidan 25 and $50{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Cytotoxicity assay showed that LDH release was significantly increased to 160% at $30{\mu}M$ PFOS but was reduced to 150% and 122% in the presence of fucoidan 25 and $50{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Caspase-3 activity, a hallmark of apoptosis, was measured to determine the cytotoxicity of PFOS and the cytoprotective effects of fucoidan. PFOS induced a 250% increase of caspase-3 activity at $30{\mu}M$ but the increase was dampened to 180% and 130% in the presence of fucoidan 25 and $50{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. PFOS $30{\mu}M$ induced 180 % increase in ROS accumulation, which was effectively blocked by $50{\mu}g/ml$ fucoidan (120% of control). Our results demonstrated that PFOS is a powerful neurotoxicant and fucoidan may be a protective marine bioactive polypeptide against the neurotoxic environmental pollutants. It may contribute to establishing the potential role of fucoidan as a neuroprotective polypeptide that prevents the risk of neurological disorders from the possible neurotoxic pollutants.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 2007

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are fully flurorinated organic compounds which are highly persistent in environment and accumulated in organism. These chemicals are released to the environment at their manufacture, during their use in industrial and consumer applications and from disposal after their use. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of PFOA and PFOS on the freshwater flea (Moina macrocopa). Acute toxicity test and chronic toxicity test were performed for 2 days and 10 days, respectively. Acute toxicity was assessed on the basis of mortality, while chronic toxicity was assessed by fecundity as well as mortality. The acute toxicity studies on PFOA and PFOS showed that the values of $LC_{50}$ were $73.9\;mg/L\;and\;27.7\;mg/L$ respectively. In the chronic toxicity test, fecundity was reduced significantly at 24.1 mg/L of PFOA and 9.3 mg/L of PFOS, respectively. Conclusively, the results of this work suggest that Moina macrocopa could be a suitable model organism for screening and assessing of environmental pollutants in water.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2008

PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) are environmental hormones which belong to potential future persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and it is easy to exposure to human because they are used in a wide variety of consumer products. We studied exposure route and the relativity through determining and monitoring of PFOS and PFOA in Korean plasma of metropolis, small town, rural area and industrial area. And we monitored the concentration of PFOS and PFOA regarding the gender and age. The older age is, the higher concentration of PFOS is. The mean concentration of PFOS and PFOA in men (4.74 ng/mL, 2.20 ng/mL) was higher than that in women (3.53 ng/mL, 1.17 ng/mL). In the comparison of residential areas, the mean concentration of PFOS and PFOA was the lowest in metropolitan plasma (2.47 ng/mL, 0.79 ng/mL) whereas it was the highest in the industrial area (6.57 ng/mL, 2.19 ng/mL).

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2010

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) is a kinds of persistent organic pollutants, and have the potential toxicity of which is causing great concern. In this study, we employed Oryzias latipes embryos to investigate the developmental toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)s compound using flowthrow system for 14 day. O. latipes embryos were exposed to solvent control, 20, 40 and 80 mg/L of PFOS and 62.5, 130, 260 mg/L of PFOA respectively. After exposure, hatchability, mortality, total length and heart beats were examined. Hatching rates were reduced approximately 27% in the 80 mg/L PFOS-treated group and 17% in the 62.5, 130 mg/L PFOA-treated groups. Heart beats in the PFOS-treated groups were reduced at 7 day but, PFOA-treated groups were increased heart beats. 80 mg/L PFOS treated group showed significant reduction in growth (total length) level to 90% of control. But PFOA did not showed significant effect on growth. In the 14 days $LC_{50}$ of PFOS and PFOA was 22.74 mg/L and 173 mg/L, respectively. The overall results indicated that the early stage of O. latipes might be a reliable model for the testing of developmental toxicity to perfluorinated chemicals.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.969-979
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• 2020

A numerical simulation was conducted on perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the Gwangyang Bay using a multi-box model to estimate the transport of organic chemicals in the coastal environment. The results of the sensitivity analysis on dissolved PFOS and PFOS in Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) indicate that they were most significantly influenced by the adsorption rate, desorption rate, and sinking velocity coefficients. PFOS in phytoplankton was found to be sensitive to bio-concentration and the excretion rate. The results of the mass balance indicate that the standing stocks of PFOS in water, POC, and phytoplankton are 345.55 g, 63.76 g, and 0.11 g, respectively, in the inner part and 149.90 g, 27.51 g, and 0.05 g, respectively, in the outer part. Considering flux in the inner part, adsorption to POC had the highest value among transition paths. The next highest were desorption, outflow to the outer part, and inflow to the inner part. Outflow into the open sea was found to have the highest value for the outer part.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.257-260
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• 2016

A new perfluorobutyl substituted cyclic type disodium alkanesulfonate is designed, synthesized and characterized as alternative substance to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS, 1), a well-known surfactant. Cylic type sulfonate was accomplished from commercially available 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoro-1,6-hexanediol in four steps. Bio-degradable perfluorobutyl moiety was introduced from fluorous diol, which is symmetrically substituted amphiphile via installation of an intermediate trifluoromethanesulfonyl ester and easily manipulated by double displacement of triflate using potassium malonate and further reduction followed by nucleophilic ring opening are key reactions to get target disodium alkanesulfonate. The efficiency and simplicity in the synthesis of this material offer a new strategy to design PFOS alternatives.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2015

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are persistent environmental pollutants, extremely stable, and possibly adversely affect human health. They are widely used in many industries and consumer goods, including sunscreen products. These substances are stable chemicals made of long carbon chains, having both lipid- and water-repellent qualities. The research objectives are (1) to find the most effective method for the preparation of semi-liquid samples by comparing solid phase extraction (SPE) and centrifugation after Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and (2) to determine the contamination levels of PFOS and PFOA in waterproof sunscreen samples. All sunscreen samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Sunscreen samples were purchased from domestic and international brands sold in Thailand. Special chemical properties were considered for the selection of samples, e.g., those found in waterproof, sweat resistant, water resistant, and non-stick products. Considering the factors of physical properties, e.g., operation time, chemical consumption, and recovery percentage for selecting methods to develop, the centrifugation method using 2 mL of extracted sample with the conditions of 12,000 rpm and $5^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour after PLE was chosen. The highest concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were detected at 0.0671 ng/g and 21.0644 ng/g, respectively. Even though present concentrations are found at ng/g levels, the daily use of sunscreen products is normally several grams. Therefore, a risk assessment of PFOS and PFOA contamination in sunscreen products is an important concern, and more attention needs to be paid to the long-term effects on human health.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30 no.sup
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• pp.8.1-8.5
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• 2015

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the biodegradation potential of four perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) alternatives that were developed at Changwon National University. While PFOS has been used widely in industrial and consumer products, it is known to be a persistent organic pollutant. Therefore, greener alternatives are highly desirable. Methods Biodegradation tests were run for 28 days using standard test protocols. The biochemical oxygen demand was measured daily throughout the experimental period, and the data were used to calculate the biodegradation rates. Microorganisms were isolated from the some of the tests that showed evidence of biodegradation. Results $C_8H_8F_9KO_3S$, which has the same number of carbons as the parent compound PFOS but a reduced number of fluorines, showed the highest biodegradation rate followed by $C_{10}H_8F_{13}KO_3S$. Chemical alternatives with lower number of carbons did not biodegrade readily in the experiments. Conclusions Together, these results suggest that it may be advantageous to develop PFOS alternatives with 8 carbons, the same as PFOS, but a reduced number of fluorines; as such, chemicals are more susceptible to biodegradation than the parent compound.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2012

Objectives: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are man-made, persistent global pollutants widely diffused throughout the environment. They have been even found in the cord blood and breast milk of humans. Furthermore evidence of developmental toxicity in animals exists. To assess the distribution of maternal and fetal exposure to PFOS and PFOA, we analyzed paired maternal blood, cord blood and breast milk samples. Methods: Maternal blood, cord blood and breast milk were collected from 150 volunteers from the general population (aged 20-40, mean $30.5{\pm}2.9$) of the city of Busan in 2009-2010. The samples were extracted using the weak anion exchange and solid-phase extraction methods and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC, Agilent 1200 Series) coupled with an Triple Quad LC-MS/MS system (Agilent 6410). Results: Median PFOA and PFOS concentrations in maternal blood were 2.18 and 3.32 ng/ml, in cord blood were 0.83 and 0.58 ng/ml, and in breast milk were 0.13 and 0.11 ng/ml, respectively. PFOS and PFOA concentrations were significantly correlated among matrices (Spearson's ${\rho}=0.226$, p = 0.05 for maternal blood; ${\rho}=0.736$, p < 0.01 for cord blood; ${\rho}=0.493$ p < 0.01 for breast milk). The ratio of cord blood/maternal blood was 0.39 for PFOA and 0.19 for PFOS. The ratio of breast milk/maternal blood was 0.07 for PFOA and 0.06 for PFOS. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PFOA and PFOS exposure through the placenta was more prominent than through breast milk among Korean neonates born in Busan. The transfer efficiency of maternal blood to breast milk was similar between PFOA and PFOS, but that of maternal blood to cord blood was higher in PFOA than PFOS.