• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2007

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an unsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon in the form of a colorless, volatile liquid, which is used as an industrial organic solvent for spot removal and for metal degreasing. In general, the primary complications of TCE poisoning result from involvement of the central nervous and respiratory systems, including aspiration pneumonia. A case is reported of a 54-year-old man who presented in a comatose state after accidental ingestion of 100 ml of TCE, and who recovered after conservative treatment and mechanical ventilation. We discuss this case and present a literature review.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.101-113
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• 2016

To properly manage and remediate groundwater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene (TCE), it is necessary to assess natural attenuation processes of contaminants in the aquifer along with investigation of contamination history and aquifer characterization. This study evaluated natural attenuation processes of TCE at an industrial site in Korea by delineating hydrogeochemical characteristics along the flow path of contaminated groundwater, by calculating reaction rate constants for TCE and its degradation products, and by using geochemical and reactive transport modeling. The monitoring data showed that TCE tended to be transformed to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE) and further to vinyl chloride (VC) via microbial reductive dechlorination, although the degree was not too significant. According to our modeling results, the temporal and spatial distribution of the TCE plume suggested the dominant role of biodegradation in attenuation processes. This study can provide a useful method for assessing natural attenuation processes in the aquifer contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons and can be applied to other sites with similar hydrological, microbiological, and geochemical settings.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.332-342
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• 1997

Fifteen volatile organic pollutants were spiked in blank water at the concentration of $20{\mu}g/L$ and analyzed with Purge and Trap and GC/MS. As a result, the overall mean recovery of 100% was obtained with a mean relative standard deviation of 3.6%. The method detection limits were in the range of $1.9{\sim}3.3{\mu}g/L$. In the wastewater analysis of Banwol dyeing comlex, 15 organic compounds were identified and three of these were quantified. Among the compounds identified, only trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene are regulated in wastewater by the Korea Ministry of Environment. But, the concentration of these two compounds were below the government allowance level.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 1998

A microorganism which degrades phenol and co-metabolizes trichloroethylene (TCE) was isolated from Yangsan stream after enrichment in a medium containing phenol as the sole carbon source. The isolate EL-43P was identified as the genus Rhodococcus by its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics. Phenol-induced cells of Rhodococcus sp. EL-43P degraded TCE. Toluene and nutrient broth could not replace the phenol requirement. The optimal conditions of initial pH and temperature of media for growth were 7.0~9.0 and $30~50^{\circ}C$, respectively. Rhodococcus sp. EL-43P could grow with phenol up to 1,000 ppm. Growth was inhibited by phenol at a concentration above 1,500 ppm. It was observed that Rhodococcus sp. EL-43P was able to degrade 90% of phenol (1,000 ppm) after 40 h in a culture. Phenol-induced cells of Rhodococcus sp. EL-43P degraded 95% of $5{\mu}M$ TCE in 6 h. Rhodococcus sp. EL-43P hardly degraded TCE above $100{\mu}M$.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.237-239
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• 1997

The effects of trichloroethylene (TRI) on the induction of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) and several other related enzymes in Sprague Dawley rats were investigated Rats were treated with TRI 150. 300. 600 mg/kg body weight in corn oil intra peritoneally once a day for 2 days. The total contents of microsomal CYP and cytochrome $b_5\;(b_5)$ decreased with the increase of TRI concentration. but the activity of p-nitrophenol hydroxylase increased with the increase of TRI dosage (p<0.05). Western blot analysis which utilized monoclonal antibodies against CYP2E1 also showed a significant increase in the CYP2E band density. The increase of the activity of pentoxyresolufin-O-deethylase also was observed with the TRI treatment (p<0.05) although there was no significant increase in the cytochrome CYP2B1/2 in Western blotting The TRI did not affect the induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. These findings suggest that the CYP2E1 is the primary enzyme which could be induced by TRI treatment in rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2003

A non-thermal plasma process combined with $Cr_2O_3/TiO_2$ catalyst was applied to the decomposition of trichloroethylene (TCE). A dielectric barrier discharge reactor operated with AC high voltage was used as the non-thermal plasma reactor. The effects of reaction temperature and input power on the decomposition of TCE and the formation of byproducts including HCl, $Cl_2$, CO, NO, $NO_2$ and $O_3$ were examined. At an identical input power, the increase in the reaction temperature from 373 K to 473 K decreased the decomposition of TCE in the plasma reactor. The presence of the catalyst downstream the plasma reactor not only enhanced the decomposition of TCE but also affected the distribution of byproducts, significantly. However, synergistic effect as a result of the combination of non-thermal plasma with catalyst was not observed, i.e., the TCE decomposition efficiency in this plasma-catalyst combination system was almost similar to the sum of those obtained with each process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.292-300
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• 2006

In order to improve energy efficiency in the dilute trichloroethylene removal using the nonthermal plasma process, the barrier discharge treatment combined with manganese dioxide was experimentally studied. Reaction kinetics in this process was studied on the basis of final byproducts distribution. Decomposition efficiency was improved to about $99\;\%$ at the specific energy of 40 J/L with passing through manganese dioxide. C=C ${\pi}$ bond cleavage of TCE substances gave DCAC, which has the single bond of C-C through oxidation reaction during the barrier discharge plasma treatment. Those DCAC were broken easily in the subsequent catalytic reaction due to the weak bonding energy about $3{\sim}4\;eV$ compared with the double bonding energy in TCE molecules. Oxidation byproducts of DCAC and TCAA from TCE decomposition are generated from the barrier discharge plasma treatment and catalytic surface chemical reaction, respectively. Complete oxidation of TCE into COx is required to about 400 J/L, but $CO_2$ selectivity remains about $60\;\%$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 1995

Intact cells of Acinetobacter sp. T5-7 completely degraded trichloroethylene (TCE) following growth with phenol. This strain could grow on at least eleven aromatic compounds, e.g., benzaldehyde, benzene, benzoate, benzylalochol, catechol, caffeic acid, 2.4-D, p-hydroxybenzoate, phenol, protocatechuate and salicylate, and did grow on alkane, such as octane. But except phenol, other aromatic compounds did not induced TCE degradation. Phenol biotransformation products, catechol was identified in the culture media. However, catechol-induced cells did not degrade TCE. So we assumed that phenol hydroxylase was responsible for the degradation of TCE. The isolate T5-7 showed growth in MM2 medium containing sodium lactate and catechol rather than phenol, but did not display phenol hydroxyalse activity, suggesting induction of enzyme synthesis by phenol. Phenol hydroxylase activity was independent of added NADH and flavin adenine dinucleotide but was dependent on NADPH addition. Degradation of phenol produced catechols which are then cleaved by meta-fission. We identified catechol-2.3-dioxygenase by active staining of polyacrylamide gel.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.182-195
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• 2000

Indigenous bacteria from poplar roots (Populus mnadensis var. eugenei, 'Imperial Carolina') and Southern Californian shrub rhizospheres as well as two tree-colonizing Rhizobium strains (ATCC 10320 and 35645) were genetically engineered to express constitutively and stably toluene o-monooxygenase (TOM) from Burkholderia cepacia G4 by integrating the torn locus into the chromosome. The poplar and Rhizobium recombinants degraded trichloroethylene (TCE) at 0.8-2.1 nmol/min.mg protein (initial TCE concentration, 10u M) and competitive against the unengineered hosts in wheat and barley rhizospheres for one month (colonization at 1-23 $\times$ 10$^{5}$ CFU/cm root). In addition, six of these recombinants colonized poplar roots stably and competitively with populations as high as 79 $\pm$ 12% of all rhizosphere bacteria after 28 days (0.2-31 $\times$ 10$^{5}$ CFU/cm root). Furthermore, five of the most-competitive poplar recombinants (e.g., Pb3-1 and Pb5-1 which were identified as Pseudomonas PsK) retained the ability to express TOM for 29 days as 100 $\pm$ 0% of the recombinants detected in the poplar rhizosphere had constitutive expression of TOM.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2011

Trichloroethylene (TCE, $C_2HCl_3$), which was introduced as a gas for general anesthesia and analgesia in early 1900's has been widely used in industry as an organic solvent. Occupational exposure to TCE is an important medical problem. Manifestations of acute exposure to TCE include mucocutaneous irritation, hepatotoxicity, cognitive impairment, sleep, headache, respiratory insufficiency and death. We report a 38-year-old man who was admitted to a department of emergency medicine after occupational inhalation exposure to TCE. He rapidly developed semicoma and respiratory depression. After mechanical ventilation, hypercapnea and hypoxemia disappeared and his mental state again became alert. Careful evaluation and proper respiratory support are important for respiratory failure after occupational TCE inhalation.