• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2006

2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) are well known as the most toxic environmental compound in these days. Many researches are reported that dioxin produces multiple toxic effects, such as endocrine toxicity, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity and cancer. In this study, we carried to discover novel evidence for previously unknown gene expression patterns in human exposed to dioxin by using radioactive cDNA microarray. 548 workers who were divided into experimental and control groups according to their urinary Naphthol levels were enrolled in our study. Blood mRNA in human was isolated, and the gene expression profiles were analyzed by cDNA microarray. Gene expression analysis identified 52 genes which exhibited a significant change. In our study, most notably, genes involved in cell cycle, cell proliferation, signal transduction and apoptosis in human exposed to dioxin, such as CCND3, TSHR, and EFRN5, were up-regulated. In the current study, we observed gene expression of people that are exposed to dioxin using radioactive cDNA microarray. Through these results, we suggest when objects are exposed to toxic compounds, such as dioxin, the radioactive cDNA microarray may be using in sensitively detecting of cancerous change.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.403-414
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• 2016

The use of ionizing radiation and radioactive elements is becoming increasingly popular with the rapid developments in nuclear technology, radiotherapy, and radio diagnostic methods. However, ionizing radiation can directly or indirectly cause life-threatening complications such as cancer, radiation burns, and impaired immunity. Environmental contamination with radioactive elements and the depletion of ozone layer also contribute to the increased levels of radiation exposure. Radioprotective natural products have particularly received attention for their potential usefulness in counteracting radiation-induced damage because of their reduced toxicity compared with most drugs currently in use. Moreover, radioprotective substances are used as ingredients in cosmetic formulations in order to provide protection against ultraviolet radiation. Over the past few decades, the exploration of marine algae has revealed the presence of radioprotective phytochemicals, such as phlorotannins, polysaccharides, carotenoids and other compounds. With their promising radioprotective effects, marine algae could be a future source for discovering potential radioprotective substances for development as useful in therapeutics.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 1986

Earlier studies have shown that the administration of Na-alginate, a water-soluble, non absorbable acidic polysaccharide, effectively reduces the absorption of radioactive strontium, cadmium and other bivalent metals. In this study the effects of Na-alginate on the Toxicity induced by Lead and Cadmium were examined in rats and the following results were obtained. 1. The elevations of the activities of serum GOT, GPT by Pb and Cd administration in the experimental animals. However, the administration of Na-alginate significantly inhibited the elevation of serum GOT, GPT. 2. Generally serum TBA values were significantly elevated in Pb and Cd group in comparison with the control group. However, the administration of Na-alginate inhibited the elevation of serum TBA values. 3. The activity of Alkaline phosphatase was also significantly elevated in Cd group in comparison with the control group. However, the administration of Na-alginate significantly inhibited the elevation of serum alkaline phsphatase. 4. Furthermore, the activity of $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in red blood cells was also significantly inhibited by Pb and this inhibition was stimulated by the administration of Na-alginate. 5. The concentrations of Pb in liver and Cd in kidney were markedly increased by Pb and Cd. However, the administration of Na-alginate significantly inhibited the elevation of them.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.2889-2896
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• 2023

The waste acceptance criteria for heavy metals in mixed waste should be developed by reflecting the leaching behaviors that could highly depend on the repository design and environment surrounding the waste. The current standards widely used to evaluate the leaching characteristics of heavy metals would not be appropriate for the silo-type repository since they are developed for landfills, which are more common than a silo-type repository. This research aimed to explore the leaching behaviors of cementitious waste with Pb, Cd, and Sb metallic and oxide powders in an environment simulating a silo-type radioactive waste repository. The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and the ANS 16.1 standard were employed with standard and two modified solutions: concrete-saturated deionized and underground water. The compositions and elemental distribution of leachates and specimens were analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS). Lead and antimony demonstrated high leaching levels in the modified leaching solutions, while cadmium exhibited minimal leaching behavior and remained mainly within the cement matrix. The results emphasize the significance of understanding heavy metals' leaching behavior in the repository's geochemical environment, which could accelerate or mitigate the reaction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2016

Currently, there are 442 operating nuclear power plants in the world, and 62 more are under construction. According to this reasoning, the treatment of radioactive waste is important to prevent the environmental ecosystem including humans, animals, and plants. Especially, a leakage of radioactive waste causes not only regional problem but also serious global one. In this study, we demonstrate the effect of radioisotopes (e.g., cesium, strontium, and cobalt) on a 3D culture cell. To develop the 3D cell culture system, we used a 96-well-culture plate with biocompatible agarose hydrogel. Using this method, we can perform the 3D cell culture system with three different cell lines such as HeLa, HepG2, and COS-7. In addition, we conducted a cell viability test in the presence of radioisotopes. Interestingly, the 3D morphological cells showed 42% higher cell viability than those on the 2D against cesium. This result indicates that the 3D platform provides cells morphological and physiological characteristic similar to in vivo grown tissues. Moreover, it overcomes the limitation of conventional cell culture system that can't reflect in vivo systems. Finally, we believe that the proposed approach can be applied a new strategy for simple high-throughput screening and accurate evaluation of metal toxicity assay.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.169-173
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• 2012

Objective: This study aimed to explore the differences in the curative and side effects of chemoradiotherapy on esophageal cancer (EC) among Xinjiang Han, Uigur and Kazakh patients. Methods: 170 patients with IIA stage-IV of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed retrospectively. Based on different nationalities, they were divided into the Han, Uigur and Kazakh groups. The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates, incidence of the side effects (including hematological toxicities, radioactive esophagitis and percutaneous reactions) and application of antibiotics and harmonics were compared among the groups. There was no significant difference in the short-term curative effects among the Han, Uigur and Kazakh groups. The 1- 2- and 3-year survival rates of the three groups were 84%, 40%, 26%; 78%, 27%, 18%; and 60%, 21%, 12% ($x^2$=14.497, P<0.05). The incidence rate of hamatological toxicity ${\geq}$Grade 2 in the Kazakh group was significantly lower than that in the Han or Uigur group. Results: The incidence rates of radioactive esophagitis and percutaneous reactions Grade 2 in the Han group were significantly higher than those in the Uigur or Kazakh group. There was no significant difference in the types of applied antibiotics among the groups, but there were significant differences in the days of antibiotic application and proportion of patients receiving harmonics between the Hans and either of other groups. Conclusion: Chemoradiotherapy shows a better effect in the long-term survival rate among Han EC patients compared with Uigur or Kazakh EC patients. Uigur and Kazakh patients show a better tolerance to the side effects of chemoradiotherapy compared with Hans.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.spc
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• pp.21-36
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• 2020

With respect to spent nuclear fuels, disposal containers and bentonite buffer blocks in deep geological disposal systems are the primary engineered barrier elements that are required to isolate radioactive toxicity for a long period of time and delay the leakage of radio nuclides such that they do not affect human and natural environments. Therefore, the thermal stability of the bentonite buffer and structural integrity of the disposal container are essential factors for maintaining the safety of a deep geological disposal system. The most important requirement in the design of such a system involves ensuring that the temperature of the buffer does not exceed 100℃ because of the decay heat emitted from high-level wastes loaded in the disposal container. In addition, the disposal containers should maintain structural integrity under loads, such as hydraulic pressure, at an underground depth of 500 m and swelling pressure of the bentonite buffer. In this study, we analyzed the thermal stability and structural integrity in a deep geological disposal environment of the improved deep geological disposal systems for domestic light-water and heavy-water reactor types of spent nuclear fuels, which were considered to be subject to direct disposal. The results of the thermal stability and structural integrity assessments indicated that the improved disposal systems for each type of spent nuclear fuel satisfied the temperature limit requirement (< 100℃) of the disposal system, and the disposal containers were observed to maintain their integrity with a safety ratio of 2.0 or higher in the environment of deep disposal.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 2014

Uranium can be released into the water environment from natural sources and human activities. The natural source of uranium is dominant in the Korean soil and groundwater environments. Uranium has both of radioactive and chemical toxic properties. Therefore, a drinking water contaminated with uranium has a high health risk. This study was conducted to determine the uranium concentration of water systems including small village drinking water system, groundwater for drinking water purpose, spring water, groundwater monitoring well, and emergency water suppling system. The uranium concentration was compared with domestic and other countries' standard. The contamination level was also evaluated on the basis of geological characteristics of the area. Among total 803 samples, 6 exceeded the Korean standard, $30{\mu}g/{\ell}$ and this was about 0.7% of the total sample. On the basis of geology, uranium concentration appeared to be increased in order of biotite granodiorite > biotite granite > gneissoid granite. The highest level of uranium was 12.4 in average.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2018

Radioactive cesium($^{137}Cs$) can be released into the environment through severe nuclear accidents such as the Chernobyl and Fukushima, The $^{137}Cs$ is one of major monitoring radionuclides due to its chemical toxicity, ${\gamma}$ radiation and long half-life($t_{1/2}=30.2yrs$). It has been known well that illite adsorb selectively and strongly the cesium due to frayed edge sites. The quantity of the FES in the illite could be controlled by weathering processes. Therefore, this study was modified illite samples through artificial weathering in the laboratory to increase sorption efficiency for cesium. Abundant interlayer cations(i.e., K, Ca) were eluted within 1 day, while Si and Al were gradually released from the crystal structure. In addition, broad peaks of XRD indicated the occurrence of chemical weathering. The cesium sorption distribution coefficients increased up to approximately 2 times after the weathering. These results suggested that sorption capacity of illite could be enhanced for cesium through artificial weathering under low temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.341-352
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• 2017

Along with Cs-137 (half-life: 30.17 years), Sr-90 (half-life: 28.8 years) is one of the most important environmental monitoring radioactive elements. Rapid and easy monitoring method for Sr-90 using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has been studied. Strontium belongs to a bivalent alkaline earth metal such as calcium and has similar electron arrangement and size. Due to these similar chemical properties, it can easily enter into the human body through the food chain via water, soil, and crops when leaked into the environment. In addition, it is immersed into the bone at the case of human influx and causes the toxicity for a long time (biological half-life: about 50 years). It is a very reductive and related with the specific reaction that makes wet analysis difficult. In particular, radioactive strontium should be monitored by nuclear power plants but it is very difficult to be analysed from high-cost problems as well as low accuracy of analysis due to complicated analysis procedures, expensive analysis equipment, and a pretreatment process of using massive chemicals. Therefore, we introduce the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis method that analyzes the elements in the sample using the inherent spectrum by generating plasma on the sample using pulse energy, and it can be analyzed in a few seconds without preprocessing. A variety of analytical plates for samples were developed to improve the analytical sensitivity by optimizing the laser, wavelength, and time resolution. This can be effectively applied to real-time monitoring of radioactive wastewater discharged from a nuclear power plant, and furthermore, it can be applied as an emergency monitoring means such as possible future accidents at a nuclear power plants.