• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2010

The aims of this study were to develop the suitable "system software" in chemical ranking and scoring (CRS) for the food hazardous chemicals associated with environmental emission and to suggest the priority lists of food contamination by environmental-origined pollutants. Study materials were selected with reference to the priority pollutants list for environment and food management from domestic and foreign research and the number of study materials is 103 pollutants (18 heavy metals, 10 PBTs, 10 EDs, and 65 organic compounds). The Food-CRS-Korea system consisted of the environmental fate model via multimedia, transfer environment to food model, and health risk assessment by contaminated food intake. We have established that health risks of excess cancer risks, hazard quotients (HQs) by chronic toxicity and HQs by reproductive toxicity convert to score, respectively. The creditable scoring system was designed to consider uncertainty of quantitative risk assessment based on VOI (Value-Of-Information). The predictability of the Food-CRS-Korea model was evaluated by comparing the presumable values and the measured ones of the environmental media and foodstuffs. The priority lists based on emissions with background-level-correction are 15 pollutants such as arsenic, cadmium, and etc. The priority lists based on environmental monitoring date are 17 pollutants including DEHP, TCDD, and so on. Consequently, we suggested the priority lists of 13 pollutants by considering the several emission and exposure scenarios. According to the Food-CRS-Korea system, arsenics, cadmium, chromes, DEHP, leads, and nickels have high health risk rates and reliable grades.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.51-58
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• 2006

In this study, uptake and toxicity of disel (TPH) by poplar specie, $P.\;nigra{\times}P.\;maximowiczii$ were assessed in laboratory soil column experiments. Poplar cuttings were grown for 2 months and exposed to various concentration (0, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg) of disel for a period of 60 days. For disel removal experiments, disel was effectively removed in the range of lower concentration. but, the removal rate of disel was rapidly decreased as increasing initial disel concentrations. For the this reason, toxicity effetcs were evaluated by measuring in poplar cutting mass variation and monitoring transpiration. Exposure on higher disel concentration resulted in decrease of biomass and transpiration accompanied by chlorosis and abscission, indicating toxic effect of disel on the poplar tree. And also, we have observed that both removal efficiency of disel and the microbial activity were higher at the bottom of the soil column. It was suggested that the plant formed the root zone at contaminated soil, stimulated microbial activity by plant root exudates, and played an important role in enhanced biodegradation of disel.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.191-208
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• 2024

The peptide-type hepatotoxins microcystins (MCs) and nodularin (NOD) are secondary metabolites produced by cyanobacteria. MCs and NOD can bioaccumulate in agricultural products through toxin-contaminated water, soil, and manure and can cause human health risks through the consumption of agricultural products. As interest in the contamination of agricultural products by MCs or NOD has recently emerged, occurrence studies based on various analysis methods for agricultural products have been conducted. However, studies on agricultural products are still insufficient compared to research on drinking water and seafood. In addition, research is primarily conducted on agricultural products grown in areas where green algae occur, but not on marketed products. In the present study, we review the physicochemical properties, toxicity, analysis methods, occurrence studies, and management status of MCs and NOD in agricultural products to build a foundation for systematic monitoring and safety management.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2012

This paper proposes a method to implement biological early warning systems(BEWS). This system generates periodically data event using a monitoring daemon and it extracts the feature parameters from this data sets. The feature parameters are derived with 6 variables, x/y coordinates, distance, absolute distance, angle, and fractal dimension. Specially by using the fractal dimension theory, the proposed algorithm define the input features represent the organism characteristics in non-toxic or toxic environment. And to find a moderate algorithm for learning the extracted feature data, the system uses an extended learning algorithm(UChoo) popularly used in machine learning. And this algorithm includes a learning method with the extended data expression to overcome the BEWS environment which the feature sets added periodically by a monitoring daemon. In this algorithm, decision tree classifier define class distribution information using the weight parameter in the extended data expression. Experimental results show that the proposed BEWS is available for environmental toxicity detection.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.293-304
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• 2006

Sea water samples collected in August, 1994 from 20 stations in the Kwangyang Bay were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring (GC/MS-SIM) to investigate persistence and distribution pattern of four organophosphorus pesticides (DDVP, Diazinon, IBP, EDDP). Except for IBP, the contamination by DDVP, Diazinon, and EDDP in marine aquatic environment in Korea has not been reported previously. In this study, however, all these four pesticides were detected in all stations (except DDVP) and their concentrations were in ng/L level. The concentrations ranged from detection limit to 15.3ng/L for DDVP, 1.8-27.7ng/L for Diazinon, 7.3-63.5ng/L for IBP, and 22.2-1100.1ng/L for EDDP. It is noteworthy that the measured concentrations of IBP and EDDP in this study would be much lower than usual, since the use of IBP and EDDP was less than 50% of average annual consumption due to unusually dry and hot weather condition in the summer of 1994. It was very surprising to find that the highest concentrations of organophosphorus pesticides were observed at stations near Daesa Streamlet instead of Seomjin River, which has more point source of the pesticides. This result suggests that the small river discharge during heavy ram period in summer can give harmful effect on marine biota (both wild and aqua-cultured) with its organophosphorus pesticide residue, despite of their short residence time in aquatic environment. In order to protect the marine life properly from acute toxicity of the organophosphorus pesticides, it needs to be emphasized that monitoring the level of agricultural pesticides in river run-off should be done during active consumption period rather at regular intervals.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6279-6284
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• 2015

Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)-induced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an important cancer in the Great Mekong region, particularly in Thailand. Limitations of treatment options and the lack of an effective diagnostic tool for early detection of CCA are major concerns for the control of this type of cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate anti-CCA activity of the ethanolic extract of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC., and the applicability of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) as a tool for detection and monitoring the progression of CCA in Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)/dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced CCA hamsters. Male Syrian hamsters were used for toxicity tests and anti-CCA activity evaluation. Development of CCA was induced by initial feeding of 50 metacercariae of OV, followed by drinking water containing 12.5 ppm of DMN in hamsters. The ethanolic extract of A. lancea (Thunb.) DC. was administered orally for 30 days. PET-CT was performed every 4 weeks after initiation of CCA using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ($^{18}F-FDG$). Results from the present study suggest that the ethanolic extract of A. lancea (Thunb.) DC. rhizome exhibited promising anti-CCA activity and safety profile in the OV/DMN-induced hamster model. To successfully apply PET-CT as a tool for early detection of tumor development and progression, modification of radiolabeling approach is required to improve its specificity for CCA cells.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.693-699
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• 1998

The relationship between bioluminescence of immobilized Photobacterium phosphoreum and toxic substances was investigated to monitor toxic substances in aqueous solution. The sodium alginate was used as an immobilization matrix. A bioluminescence intensity was maximum when OD660 for cell concentration were between 1.0 and 1.2 and the biolumescence was stable at the pH range of between 6.0 and 8.0. The optimum concentration of alginate for immobilization was found to be 5.0%(w/v) in which dilution was carried out with 2.5%(w/v) NaCl solution that is an optimum environmental condition for the growth of P. phosphoreum. The bioluminescence intensity responded against the toxic substances was proportional to the concentration and a regression curve were established with linearity by using specific bioluminescence reduction rate and Gamma values. It was also found that the response was very rapid and sensitive. The response with such rapidity and sensitivity is a very important factor for the real time monitoring. The immobilized cells showed higher sensitive response to the toxic substances than free cells.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

Medaka(Oryzias latipes) and earthworm(Eisenia fetida) toxicity tests were carried out and ecological risk assessment in water and soil was performed with national monitoring data. NOEC of alachlor was $100\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ in the medaka early life-stage test. Embryonic development, hatchability and time to hatching of medaka eggs were affected by this chemical. The $LC_{50}$ and NOEC of alachlor were $94.1\;mg\;kg^{-1}\;and\;55.0\;mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively, in the earthworm acute toxicity test. The environmental monitoring has been carrying out by NIER since 1999. Exposure levels of alachlor in water and soil were $ND{\sim}0.54\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}\;and\;ND{\sim}0.9\;{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$, respectively, in national monitoring data which had been performed from 2000 to 2004. The measured water and soil exposure levels were applied to evaluate the environmental risk assessment. The PNEC of alachlor in water and in soil were determined as $1\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}\;and\;55.0\;{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$, respectively using the safety factors which were suggested in EU and OECD. The HQs (PEC/PNEC) were determined to be below 1 for both water and soil when the maximum exposure levels ($0.54\;{\mu}g\; L^{-1}$ in water and $0.9\;{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$ in soil) were applied. Conclusively, our study indicated that there was not significant ecological risk of alachlor in water and soil of our monitoring sites.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.735-738
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• 2006

We examined the neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects of genipin fractionated from gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) originating from Korea. The neurotrophic effects of the genipin containing fraction was evaluated by microscopically monitoring its potency to induce neurite outgrowth in PC12h cells. The genipin containing fraction from Korean gardenia promoted neurite outgrowth in PC12h cells in this study, similar to previously reported effects by Wako Chemical, Japan. When cells were treated with the genipin containing fraction prior to ${\beta}$-amyloid peptide treatment (active domain of A peptide 25-35 treated), toxicity was significantly diminished (p<0.0l). These results suggest that genipin prepared from Korean gardenia might potentially be used as a precautionary agent in neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer's disease, etc.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.725-730
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• 2017

A heteronemertean, Yininemertes pratensis, was collected in Han River Estuary, South Korea. This estuarine nemertean has been known by the local fishermen for harmful effects to the glass eels, juveniles of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica, migrating to fresh water. The present study confirmed the neurotoxic effects of this heteronemertean ribbon worm at the cellular level. Derivative types of neurotoxic tetrodotoxin (TTX), 5,11-dideoxy TTX (m/z 288) and 11-norTTX-6(S)-01 (m/z 305.97), were identified through HPLC and MALDI-TOF MS. However, significant neurotoxicity was confirmed in the fraction containing an undefined molecule corresponding to the 291.1 (m/z) peak, when tested in rat primary astrocytes and dorsal ganglion cells. This study is the first to report neurotoxins of the estuarine nemertean, fairly abundant in the Han River estuary, and suggests the long-term monitoring of population dynamics and surveillance of the toxicity in this river estuary.