• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1994

The urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid has been widely used as a measure of the biological effect of lead in lead exposed workers. It is usually measured by colorimetric method based on the color reaction of ALA-pyrrole with Ehrlich's reagent. But the results of ${\delta}$-ALA in urine by this method are somewhat artificially higher than expected due to the urinary ALA-like compound such as aminoacetone. On the other hand, the recently developed fluorometric HPLC method is very sensitive and specific for the measuring urinary ALA. In order to compare the data obtained by two methods and to investigate the interrelation between two methods, 117 lead workers with different lead exposure were checked urinary ${\delta}$-ALA, blood lead and other lead exposure related indices. The results obtained are as follows; 1. Urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-ALA by colorimetric method is 2.15 times higher than HPLC method in overall, revealing 2.47 times in workers of blood lead less than $20{\mu}g/dl$, 2.53 times in workers of blood lead $21-40{\mu}g/dl$ and 1.86 times in workers of blood lead over $41{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. 2. While the correlation coefficients of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method with blood lead and blood ZPP was 0.571 and 0.629, those of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC with blood lead and blood ZPP were 0.6l0 and 0.637. All the correlation coefficients were statistically significant, but there was no statistical difference of correlation coefficients between two methods. 3. The correlation coefficient of urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-ALA between two method was 0.838 without any correction, but it was 0.852 with the correction of specific gravity 1.024. 4. Simple linear regression of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC method on ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method was (ALA-UPH)=-0.245+0.536 (ALA-UCO) without any correction and it was (SP ALA)=-0.525+0.598 (SP ALA-UCO) with the correction of specific gravity 1.024. With above results, it is recommended that the diagnostic criteria of ${\delta}$-ALA for lead poisoning needed to be revised if ${\delta}$-ALA is measured by HPLC rather than colorimetric method.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.1606-1610
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• 2004

This study was. conducted to investigate the effects of $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation on growth. performance, nutrient digestibility and hematological changes in weaned pigs. Seventy five Duroc${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$ Landrace pigs (7.21$\pm$0.02 kg average BW) were used in a 20 d growth assay. Dietary treatments included 1) NC (negative control; basal diet), 2) PC (positive control; NC diet + 0.1% Apramycin + 0.1% Oxytetracycline), 3) ALA0.l (NC diet+0.l% $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid), 4) ALA0.2 (NC diet+0.2% $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid) and 5) ALA + AB (PC diet+0.2% $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid). In entire experimental period, ADG (Average Daily Gain) was greater in pigs fed ALA + AB diet than in pigs fed NC diet (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in ADG for pigs fed PC, ALA0.l or ALA0.2 diets. Also, ADFI (Average Daily Feed Intake) and G/F (Gain/Feed) were not affected by treatments. For 20 d, fecal digestibilities of DM (Dry Matter) and N (Nitrogen) were higher (p<0.05) for pigs fed ALA + AB diet than for pigs fed NC and ALA0.l diets. Total protein concentration of serum was increased in ALA + AB treatment compared to NC and PC treatments (p<0.05). In iron concentration of serum, pigs fed $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation diets were greater than for pigs fed NC and PC diets (p<0.05). TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity) concentration of serum was increased in ALA + AB treatment compared to NC, PC and ALA0.l treatments (p<0.05). Pigs fed ALA + AB and ALA0.2 diets were higher hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) concentration of blood than pigs fed NC and PC diets (p<0.05). RBC and WEC concentrations of blood were significantly higher (p<0.05) for the pigs fed ALA0.2 and ALA + AB diets than for pigs fed NC diet. Lymphocyte concentration of blood was increased in $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation treatment compared to NC treatment (p<0.05). In conclusion, $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation for weanling pigs had improved growth performance and nutrient digestibilities and had increased total protein, iron, hemoglobin and lymphocyte concentration of blood. Also, feeding for dietary $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid and antibiotic mixture supplementation may have more higher effective growth performance in weanling pigs.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.561-566
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• 1997

Screening, Identification and some cultural characteristics of ALA$({\delta}-aminolevulinic\;acid)$-producing photosynthetic bacteria were carried out for the optimal production of ALA, one of the bioherbicides. Among photosynthetic bacteria isolated from soil, marsh, pond, etc., KK-10 was the best producer of ALA and identified to be Rhodobacter capsulatus belonging to a typical group of nonsulfur purple bacteria. By addition of 15 mM LA (levulinic acid), an inhibitor of ALA dehydrase in cyclic tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, into culture broth at middle log phase of cell growths, ALA production was considerably increased to about 20-fold (28 mg/l). The combined supplementation of glycine and succinate, each with a concentration of 30 mM also enhanced production of ALA and activity of ALA synthase to about 50-fold (73 mg/l) and 2-fold, respectively. The isolated strain was able to produce upto 80 mg/l under the cultural condition optimized by addition 15 mM LA into the synthetic medium at four different points starting middle log phase.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.427-432
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• 1994

The effectiveness of the resting cells of a photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodocyclus gelatinosus KUP-74, was investigated on the production of extracellular ${\delta}-aminolevulinate$ (ALA). The ALA generating system with 1.05 mg cells per milliliter required 6 hr-incubation to obtain maximal yield of extracellular ALA. Under this condition ALA inducers, i.e., levulinate or L-glutamate showed relatively low effects to increase extracellular ALA production. Instead, the volume of the system and proper cell density appeared to be important factors for effective production of the ALA. The life-span of the resting cells was remarkably extended to maintain stable production of the ALA by immobilization of cells.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.77-87
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• 1996

In order to compare the difference of the measurement of delta aminolevulinic acid(${\delta}$-ALA) in urine between HPLC method(HALA) and colorimetric method(CALA), and also to provide useful information for the new diagnostic criteria of ${\delta}$-ALA in urine in lead poisoning, if at all possible in the future, authors studied 234 male lead workers who were selected from 7 storage battery factories, 3 secondary smelting industries, and 2 litharge making industries. Study subjects were selected on the basis of blood Zinc protoporphyrin(ZPP) level from low to high concentration to cover wide range of lead exposure. Study variables for this study were ${\delta}$-ALA measured by two different methods, blood lead(PbB), and blood ZPP. The results were as follows: 1. There was very high correlation between ${\delta}$-ALA measured by two method(r = 0.989 : HALA = -0.8194 + 0.8110 ${\times}$ CALA), but the value of CALA was measured about 2mg/L greater than HALA. 2. While the correlations of ${\delta}$-ALA by two method with blood lead and blood ZPP were 0.46 and 0.37 respectively, they were increased to 0.63 and 0.57 if ${\delta}$-ALA values were log-transformed. 3. Simple linear regression of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by two method on ZPP were as follows: CALA = 2.0421 + 0.0341 ${\times}$ ZPP ($R^2=0.1385$ p = 0.0001) HALA = 0.8006 + 0.0280 ${\times}$ ZPP ($R^2=0.1389$ p = 0.0001) 4. Simple linear regression of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by two method on PbB were as follows: CALA = - 0.4134 + 0.1545 ${\times}$ PbB ($R^2=0.2085$ p = 0.0001) HALA = -1.2893 + 0.1287 PbB ($R^2=0.2154$ p = 0.0001), 5. Simple linear regression of log-transformed ${\delta}$-ALA by two method on ZPP and PbB were as follows: logHALA = 0.3078 + 0.0060 ZPP ($R^2=0.3329$ p = 0.0001) logCALA = 1.0189 + 0.0044 ZPP ($R^2=0.3290$ p = 0.0001) logHALA = -0.0221 + 0.0246 PbB ($R^2=0.4046$ p = 0.0001) logCALA = 0.7662 + 0.0184 PbB ($R^2=0.4108$ p = 0.0001) 6. The cumulative percent of colorimetric method to detect lead workers whose value of PbS and ZPP were over screening level such as $40{\mu}/dl$ and $100{\mu}/dl$ respectively was higher than HPLC method if cut-off level of ${\delta}$-ALA for screening of lead poisoning was 5 mg/L. But if cut-off level of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC was reduced to 3 mg/L which is compatible to 5 mg/L of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method, there were good agreement between two methods and showed dose-response relationship with other lead exposure indices such as PbB and ZPP.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2007

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the herbicidal effect of two types of ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), microbiologically-produced ALA (Bio-ALA) and synthetically produced ALA (Synthetic-ALA), on plant growth and chlorophyll content of Chinese cabbage. ALA effect on early plant growth was greatly concentration dependant, showing significant inhibition at higher concentrations. Both pre- and post-emergence application of ALA exhibited significant degree of photodynamic phytotoxicity. Older plants with many leaves were more tolerant to ALA than younger plants, showing less injury. No significant difference in herbicidal activity of two types of ALA, Bio-ALA and Synthetic-ALA, on plant height and chlorophyll content of Chinese cabbage was observed. However, residual biological activity and physico-chemical properties of Synthetic-ALA were more stable than those of Bio-ALA. Our results suggest that ALA had herbicidal potential with both pre- and post-emergence application, and that the chemical may be a valuable mean of eco-friendly weed control based on natural microbial substance.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.244-251
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• 1993

A novel system has been developed to produce ${\delta}-aminolevulinic$ acid (ALA) using the intact cells of late logarithmic phase of Rhodocyclus gelatinosus KUP-74. The system was shown optimum yield of extracellular ALA under a condition of anaerobic light irradiation (4 Klux) at $30^{\circ}C$ with no variation in cell mass. The rate of extracellular ALA formation was stimulated by low doses of either $C_4\;or\;C_5$ ALA biosynthetic precursors, where 5 mM ($C_4) and 3 mM ($C_5) of each precursors were appeared to generate the maximum rates of 3.3 and 4.0 nmoles of ALA per 0.35 mg cells per hr, respectively. Half-life of the system was 10 hr in a sense of an ability of portage transport of L-glutamate, and sequential dose of this compound was resulted in promising recovery of the ALA.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1995

An optimal condition for the continuous production of ${\delta}-aminolevulinate$(ALA) was investigated using high concentrated resting cells of Rhodocyclus gelatinosus KUP-74. The increase of the amount of extracellular ALA versus the concentration of resting cells showed rectangular hyperbolic pattern until 20 mg cells/ml, but no further increase in the ALA amount by increasing its concentration was occurred. The highest yield of the extracellular ALA was observed after 3 hr of incubation of 1 ml reaction system containing 20 mg cells, 4 mM levulinate and 5 mM L-glutamate. On the other hand, the immobilized cells prepared by Ca-alginate inclusive method needed to incubate for 6 hr with 6 mM levulinate and 10 mM L-glutamate to give maximal yield of the extracellular ALA. In addition, under these conditions the resulted continuous productivities of the ALA by immobilized cells and highly concentrated resting cells were appeared 50 percent decreases after incubations for 185 hr and 100 hr, respectively, and the method of the cells to be immobilized was more efficient to recover the extracellular ALA produced.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2003

Herbicidal activity of $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid(ALA), an intermediate for the biosynthesis of tetrapyrroles such as chlorophyll, heme, bacteriochlorophyll, and vitamin $\textrm{B}_{12}$ analogues, was examined to determine the variation in phytotoxic potential against different plant species as affected by different application methods. Seed-soaking treatment, ALA at low concentrations did not affect shoot and root lengths of test plants while at highest concentration reduced them by 20 to 30%. Alfalfa showed the most tolerant response to ALA in both pre- and post-emergence application, and followed by rice. When applied with pre-emergence, cotyledons of Chinese cabbage were severely bleached with 0.5 mM of ALA at 24 hrs after application, and root growth of rice, barnyard grass, and alfalfa was significantly inhibited with increasing of concentration. With post-emergence application, ALA at 2 to 4 mM reduced shoot and root growths of Chinese cabbage and barnyard grass completely. Herbicidal effects of ALA were more enhanced in the treatment combined with 2,2-dipyridyl sthan single application in barnyard grass and Chinese cabbage. The results suggest that alfalfa was the most tolerant to ALA among the tested plants, and that post-emergence application of ALA exhibited greatest photodynamic activity against tested plants.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.556-560
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• 1997

The removal efficiency of COD and the production of ${\delta}-aminolevulinic$ acid (ALA) were concurrently investigated for both purifying the soybean curd wastewater of high BOD and utilizing the wastewater as a renewable substrate of ALA production using Rhodobacter capsulatus KK-10. Its wastewater was a favorable media for the growth of photosynthetic bacteria in terms of its environmental characteristics having COD/BOD rate of 0.98, ratio of BOD : N : P=100 : 6 : 4, BOD/N ratio of 17.2, lactic acid of 1,080 ppm. Its COD value wastewater was decreased to 94% and dry cell weight was approached to about 1.2 g/l after cultivation of the photosynthetic bacteria for 4 days. By the addition of 15 mM levulinic acid (LA) into the wastewater at the middle log phase of cell growth, the amount of ALA secreted was 55 mg/l. The ALA production was considerably increased to 114 mg/l under the cultural condition of 15 mM supplementations of glycine and succinate with LA at the same period. Furthermore the maximum ALA production of 120 mg/l and COD removal efficiency of 92% were accomplished in the soybean curd wastewater enriched with one addition of 15 mM LA and three serial additions 15 mM ALA precursors.