Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental pollutant with neurotoxic effects on the central nervous system. The major exposure route of MeHg to humans is via consumption of fish and shellfish which accumulate the chemical through the food web in an aquatic environment. Hair mercury level is an excellent marker for MeHg exposure. We have been conducting a survey on hair mercury contents among general populations from 14 districts to estimate the current Japanese MeHg exposure level. Total mercury levels of all hair samples collected (12923 in total) were analyzed by the oxygen combustion-gold amalgamation method using an atomic absorption mercury detector. Multiple regression analysis revealed that mercury levels were significantly correlated with several covariates, such as sex, age, the amount of daily intake of total fish/shellfish, a preference for certain fish such as tuna or bonito, and artificial waving. The geometric means for the population without artificial waving were 2.47 and 1.65 ${\mu}g/g$ for males (n = 5623) and females (n = 3470), respectively. Hair mercury levels varied with age, and the variations were more significant in males. Since the difference between sexes was not evident at younger ages, some hormonal control might also be involved in the mercury uptake by human hair. The average mercury levels in our hair samples varied among the sampling districts. Tuna is a major carnivorous fish with high mercury accumulations that is often consumed in Japan. The amount of fish consumption and the preference rate far tuna would appear to be responsible far the regional variation in hair mercury levels in Japan. Recently, a provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of MeHg was revised by 61st JECFA to 1.6 ${\mu}g/kg/week$, which was about half that of the Japanese standard, and corresponded to a hair level of 2.2 ppm. The distribution of hair mercury levels in Japanese populations in the present study indicated that 25% of the Japanese females of child-bearing age were estimated to be exposed to MeHg over the PTWI level. This would reflect the high Japanese consumption of marine products. However, not only mercury contamination, but also the nutritional benefit may have to be considered when discussing the risk involved in the current level of fish and shellfish consumption in Japan.

In 2005, the KMOE and an advisory members for environmental health policy are exploring new environmental policy directions in the 21st century by suggesting a 10-year plan of environmental health policy with its specific goals, grounded on four basic principles: preemptive environmental control instead of post hoc facto control of environmental contaminants or discharged substances, receptor-centered approach, priority on protection of the people vulnerable and sensitive to environmental contamination, and warranty of citizens' rights to be engaged and informed. Such new policy challenges in the area of environmental health, which must be significant of important policy shift for environmental health in the 21t century, is expected to conduct to improvement of environmental health in Korea and Northeast Asian Regions as well.

Disposal of waterwork sludge is important problem in WTP(water treatment plant). Purpose of this study is treated municipal waste water chemically using sludge that is produced in waterwork plant by link to reutilize waterwork sludge. Municipal waste water that use in an experiment used is produced at C university, and is SS 220 mg/L, BOD 145 mg/L, COD 160 mg/L, T-N 52 mg/L and T-P 2.6 mg/L. Used Alum, polymer coagulant and coagulant aid (diatomite, powered activated carbon) as CaO, coagulant as alkaline aid by chemical treatment medicine. In case of does slow speed agitation and stations after pours waterwork sludge in sewage and alkaline aid and coagulant at rapidly mixing the colloidal creation speed is fast and fine colloids concentration was high but settling time is shortened a little and removal rate of pollutant improved by $60{\sim}99%$.

Endocrine disrupting effects of several pharmaceutical products were evaluated with fish. The test pharmaceuticals(caffeine, ketoconazole, acetaminophen and diltiazem) have been often detected in aquatic environment of Korea(from on going study of this research team). We analyzed vitellogenin induction by qualitative (Western blot) and quantitative (ELISA) assay. $17{\beta}$ -estradiol was used as a positive control. Some pharmaceuticals could give effects to male Oryzias latipes. They could induced vitellogenin under exposure of chemicals at male Oryzias latipes.

The waste seashells were used for the removal of hydrogen sulfide from a hot gas stream. The sulphidation of waste seashells with $H_2S$ was studied in a thermogravimetric analyzer at temperature between 600 and 800$^{\circ}C$. The desulfurization performance of the waste seashell sorbents was experimentally tested in a fixed bed reactor system. Sulfidation experiments performed under reaction conditions similar to those at the exit of a coal gasifier showed that preparation procedure and technique, the type and the amount of seashell, and the size of the seashell affect the $H_2S$ removal capacity of the sorbents. The pore structure of fresh and sulfided seashell sorbents was analyzed using mercury porosimetry, nitrogen adsorption, and scanning electron microscopy.

The research addressed the ability of 5% $Cr_2O_3/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ to catalytically oxidize trichloroethylene(TCE). In order to determine which procedure gives the most active catalyst among the attempted several procedures, catalytic oxidation reaction of TCE was conducted to every catalysts synthesized according to different process in tubular reactor system, which had functional relationships with temperature and space velocity. The ratio of TCE conversion was analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector.

This research was performed to measure the concentration distribution of Bioaero sol in apartment houses in the region of Chungnam (Chunan, Asan) for 1 month, December, 2004. The results are as follows.

To investigate the association between blood lead level (Pb-B) and neurobehavioral performance of school age children in Korea.

Results from previous studies revealed that metal level in the body is related to certain types of diseases. For example. serum copper level with chronic heart failure, iron and transferrin in the blood serum with acute cerebral vascular diseases, Zn in the CNS, lead with neurotoxicity, hypertension, genetic damage, arsenic with cancer skin lesion, Al with neurobehavioral function (cognitive impairment and memory disorder), and etc. The rate of stroke has increased in recent years and several metals were found to be responsible for causing stroke. This study compared several blood metal concentrations between stroke and non-stroke patients. Patients with stroke (116 samples) and non-stroke (111 samples including lowback pain and others) participated in this study. Total of 227 blood samples were collected and participants completed questionnaires regarding age, gender, occupation, residence, alcohol, smoking, and etc. To be qualified into the stroke group, patients have never experienced stroke previously. Subjects only included ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage patients diagnosed by brain CT and brain MRI. Patients with high risk of metal exposure such as herbal intake and job related exposure were excluded. 10ml of blood samples were analyzed by ICP-MS method at the Center of Nature and Science at Sangji University. Metal geometric mean (SD) concentrations in blood of study subjects showed higher values, 2.64-36.12%, than WHO reference values in Mn, Ni, Hg, Se, and As. Metal concentration in blood of stroke patients non-adjusted for potential confounders was higher except for Hg and also higher except for Ni in adjusted for potential confounders. Co was significantly higher in stroke patients (p=0.002) than non-stroke patients adjusted for potential confounders. Regression coefficient values of stroke patients was 0.17-8.25 in each metals. Odd ratio of stroke patients had 0.96 (Ni)-2.68 (Co) compared to non-stroke cases. This result means that Co increase of 1 raises the risk ratio of stroke by 2.86 times. Based on the results, metal concentration in blood seems to affect incidence of stroke.

For decolorization of synthetic dyes, Isolate fungi were investigated for the decolorization of 8 industrial dyes. One fungus isolated from textile wastewater collected from Banweol industrial complex, Korea showed excellent ability for removing synthetic dyes. Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) sequencing result was confirmed as the new Basidomycetes species. HUE05-1 The optimal decolorizaton conditions were pH5, 30$^{\circ}C$ and aerobic condition. HUE05-1 was completely decolorized all dyes in both solid and liquid condition. The result is decolorization effect at Reactive Orange 16; 97.12%, Reactive Blue 19; 92.09%, Reactive Blue 49; 97.04%, Reactive Yellow 145; 95.53%, Acid Orange 10; 99.18%, Acid Violet 43; 98.73%, Acid Blue 350; 94.71%, Disperse Blue 106; 90.07%.

Chlorine disinfection has been used in drinking water supply to disinfect the water-borne microbial disease which may cause to serious human disease. As Chlorination is still the least costly, relatively easy to use, chlorination is the primary means to disinfect portable water supplies and control bacterial growth in the distribution system. However, chlorine also reacts with natural organic matter (NOM), which presents in nearly all water sources, and then produces disinfection by-product (DBps), which may have adverse health effects. Although the existent DBPs have been reported in drinking water supplies, it is not feasible to predict the levels of the various DBPs due to the complex chemistry reaction involved. The objectives of this study were to investigate seasonal variation of DBPs formation and difference of DBPs concentration in the plant to tap water. The average concentration of THMs was 20.04 ${\mu}g/{\ell}$, HAAs 8-15 ${\mu}g/{\ell}$, HANs 2-4.5 ${\mu}g/{\ell}$ respectively. Distant variation of DBPs formation is that THMs concentration increase by 17% at 2 km point from the plant and by 28% at 7 km and HAAs, HANs also increase each by 16%, 32%, at 2 km from the plant and 35%, 56%, at 7 km. DBPs increase in water supply pipe continually. The seasonal occurrence of DBPs is that in May and August DBPs concentration is very high then in March, in May DBPs concentration is highest. The temperature is main factor of DBPs formation, precursor also. Precursor which was accumulated for winter flowed into the raw water by flooding in spring and summer and produced DBPs. Therefore for the supply of secure drinking water, it is required to protect precursor of flowing into raw water and to add to BCAA and DBAA to drinking water standards.

In this study, the methods were developed to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) in the air, metabolites of pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene via human urine, genetic polymorphisms in human buccal cell for evaluation of the health effects about environmental pollution. We have also performed a preliminary molecular epidemiology study on residents in the metropolitan area and workers in workplace for these method applications.

Aquatic ecotoxicity of bisphenol A, a well known endocrine disrupter in mammals, was studied using lab. reared Daphnia magna as a test organism. The static acute 48h $LC_{50}$ of bisphenol A was 12.9mg/L and 110-hr $LC_{50}$ values of bisphenol A for daphnid embryos of different ages after deposition into the brood chamber increase with ages in the range of 1.55mg/L-8.91mg/L. Bisphenol A showed the ability to inhibit embryonic development. The lethal response and developmental inhibition all showed good concentration-response relationship.