• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2016

Parabens were commonly used for preventing the growth of microorganisms as preservatives in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industry. Also, parabens are known endocrine disruptors because of their estrogenic effects on human. Parabens affect the endocrine system and show adverse effect such as, genital malformations, precocious puberty and testicular cancer in young children, infants and fetuses. In this study, we developed analytical method for four parabens (methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben) in human breast milk which frequently consumed by newborn baby. The analytes were extracted using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) after enzyme hydrolysis with protease and lipase, then quantitative analysis was performed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method validation results were as follows; the linearity of calibration curves were excellent with coefficient of determinations (r²) higher than 0.999, the limit of detections (LODs) were 0.019~0.044 ng/mL, the accuracies were 85.3~105.9% and the precisions were lower than 10%. The average concentration ± standard deviation of parabens in ten human breast milk sample were MP 0.660 ± 0.519 ng/mL, EP 1.631 ± 2.081 ng/mL and PP 0.326 ± 0.320 ng/mL, and BP was not detected.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.304-312
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• 2005

Effects of two endocrine disrupters (EDs) , nonylphenol (NP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), on the population growth and morphology of two freshwater HABs (harmful algal blooms) , Microcystis aeruginosa and Stephanodiscus hantzschii, which frequently evoked the hazard bloom in an eutrophic lakes and reservoirs worldwide, were examined with seven different concentrations of EDs (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 1,2, 2.5 and 3 ppm). Even at concentration below 0.01 ppm, NP strongly inhibited the algal growth of both M. aeruginosa and S. hantzschii, regardless of the algal growth phase. Morphologically, the algal cell treated with NP gradually lost green color in cytoplasm, became smaller in cell size, and then, was hardly seen in microscopic field. On the other hand, DEHP employed did not affect two algae at all concentrations, and rather stimulated the growth by about 10% with a treatment at 3.00 ppm compared to control. These results indicate that the continuous input of EDs, DEHP into the natural water system plays a crucial role to enhance or help an outbreak of algal bloom in eutrophic waters.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.651-662
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• 2006

Phthalate esters that are used as plasticizers and also found at low levels in foods such as dairy products are often mentioned as suspected endocrine disrupters. The purpose of the present study is to elucidate whether perinatal exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate(DBP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-2-ethylhexyl adipate (DEHA) affects several aspects of reproductive function in rats especially sexual differentiation of the brain. To this end, the dams were provided with pulverized soy-free diet containing 20, 200, 2,000 and 10,000 ppm of DBP, 40, 400, 4,000 and 20,000 ppm of DINP, or 480, 2,400 and 12,000 ppm of DEHA from gestational day (GD) 15 to postnatal day (PDN) 21, the day of weaning, and serum sex steroid hormone, gonadotropin levels and sexual behaviors after maturation were assessed. At Postnatal week (PNW) 20-21, serum levels of sex steroids and gonadotropins in both male and female rats, as well as estrous cyclicity in females, were not changed by perinatal exposure to DBP, DINP and DEHA, indicating that these chemicals did not affect sexual differentiation of the brain controlling the endocrine system of hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. On the other hand, inhibitory influences on sexual behaviors, especially on ejaculation in males and lordosis in females, were observed by perinatal exposure to these chemicals. These results suggest that these chemicals may act directly on discrete regions of the hypothalamus regulating sexual behaviors, but not regulating gonadotropin secretion, thereby affect sexual differentiation of the brain with a resultant decrease in sex-specific behaviors in adulthood.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.97-108
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• 2005

Samples of water, soil, and sediment were taken from 10 streams near Andong, Korea in May 2004. To assess the degree of environmental pollution of each stream, chemical pollutants such as total notrogen (T-N), total phosphorus (T-P), chemical oxygen demand (COD), heavy metals, organophosphorus pesticides, organochlorine pesticides, and dioxin-like PCB congeners were analyzed by standard process tests or U.S. EPA methods. In addition, biomarkers originated from insect immune systems of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, were used to analysis of the environmental samples. Except Waya-chun stream showing T-N content of 9.12 mg/L, most streams were contaminated with relatively low levels of overall pollutants in terms of T-N, T-P, and COD, compared to their acceptable environmental levels designated by the Ministry of Environment. Contents of Pb and Cd in samples of each stream were much lower than environmentally permissible levels. However, several times higherconcentrations of Pb and Cd were found in locations at Mi-chun, Kilan-chun, and Hyunha-chun streams, in comparison with other streams. Diazinon, parathion, and phenthoate compounds among organophosphorus pesticides were detected as concentrations of 0.19, 0.40, and $1.13\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively, from soil sample collected in the vicinity of Mi-chun stream. On the other hand, 16 organochlorine pesticides and 12 dioxin-like PCB congeners, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals, selected in this study were not found above the limit of detection. Biomarker analyses using insect immune responses indicated that Waya-chun stream was suspected as exposure to environmental pollutants. Limitation and compensation of both environmental analysis techniques are discussed.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2011

Simazine (6-chloro-N,N'-diethyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) is a triazine herbicide that has been applied worldwide including Korea for agricultural purposes. Simazine is the second most commonly detected pesticide in surfaceand ground-water in the United States, Europe and Australia. It has been shown that simazine is a potent endocrine disruptor in wildlife and laboratory animals. Although many endocrine disruptors can induce apoptosis in various types of cells, the effects of simazine on apoptosis and on the expression of Bcl-2 family genes are not known. Also it is unknown the effect of simazine on the expression of steroidogenesis-regulating genes in testicular cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of simazine on the expression levels of apoptosis- and steroidogenesis-regulating genes in testicular cells. We found that a low concentration of simazine can alter the mRNA expression levels of steroidogenesis-related genes and Bcl-2 family genes in mouse Sertoli cells and rat Leydig cells. Thus, our results suggest that simazine can disturb normal testicular development and reproductive function by altering the expression of genes that are critical for the regulation of apoptosis and steroidogenesis.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.683-692
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• 2000

The volatile organic compounds emitted from food wrapping films when it was used at high temperatures. However, the testing method based on solvent extraction may not be suitable for determination of volatile organic compounds from food wrapping films. Therefore, thermal extraction device was investigated in the study for reflection of actual usage conditions at home and restaurant. In this study, PVC food wrapping films were exposed to normal use condition controlled from $50^{\circ}C$ to $120^{\circ}C$ and collected on sorbent trap. Then, emitted VOCs from the films were analyzed with On-column cryofocusing-GC/MS system. The major VOCs emitted from films were $C_{12}-C_{18}$ paraffinic hydrocarbons, dimethylphthalate, alkylphenols, known as endocrine disrupting chemical, such as tetramethylbutylphenol, tert-butylphenol, and nonylphenol. The concentration of tetramethylbutylphenol emitted from PVC films was $0.07ng/cm^2$ at $50^{\circ}C$, rapidly increased with temperature, $3.94ng/cm^2$ at $100^{\circ}C$.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2008

Objective: Environmental chemicals alter reproduction, growth, and survival by changing the normal function of the endocrine system. Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the endocrine disruptors, is known to be an estrogen receptor agonist. Therefore, we hypothesized that BPA may affect male reproduction including spermatogenesis in the mouse testis. Methods: We used 7-week-old ICR mice. The first experiment group received BPA in sesame oil (vehicle, 1 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) by i.p. injection and mice were sacrificed 24 hr later. The second experiment group received BPA (vehicle, 10 ${\mu}g/kg$, 1 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) daily for 14 days by subcutaneous injection. Expression of cell type-specific marker genes in the testis was evaluated by RT-PCR. Histological analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and TUNEL staining were also performed. Results: RT-PCR analyses showed that expression of luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), a marker gene for the Leydig cell, was notably decreased in the testes of high dose-exposed mice. No obvious difference in the histology of testes was noted among treatment groups. Immunostaining of LHR in the first experiment group did not show noticeable difference in LHR protein expression in Leydig cells. Immunohistochemistry also revealed heightened expression of the immunoreactive Bax in the treatment group, and this was accompanied by positive TUNEL staining in the interstitial area within testis where Leydig cells reside. Conclusions: Our result suggests that BPA affects Leydig cell functions by altering gene expression and by increasing apoptosis in the mouse testis.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2019

Phthalates, endocrine disrupting chemicals, are similar in structure to sex hormones and mainly show reproductive toxicity and developmental toxicity. In this study, we analyzed 11 phthalates, including 3 kinds of phthalates prohibited in cosmetic use and 8 kinds of phthalates regulated in 'Common standards for children's products safety' and EU cosmetic regulation (EC No. 1223/2009). The phthalate analysis was optimized using GC-MS/MS. In analytical method validation, this method was satisfied in specificity, linearity, recovery rate, accuracy and MQL. Therefore, we used this method to analyze 82 products of Nail cosmetics & polish. Although six phthalates such as DBP, BBP, DEHP, DPP, DIBP and DIDP were detected at concentrations of $1.0{\sim}59.8{\mu}g/g$g, they were suitable to Korean cosmetic standards. DIBP and DBP were detected at concentration of $1.1{\sim}2.6{\mu}g/g$ in artificial nail, DBP and DEHP were $1.4{\sim}2.5{\mu}g/g$ in glue for nails, and DIBP, DBP, and DEHP were $2.5{\sim}33.3{\mu}g/g$ in nail stickers. Although substances such as DBP and DEHP in artificial nail, Glue for nails, and nail stickers were detected, they were suitable to 'Common safety standards for children's products. DIBP is not a regulated substance in Korea but showed the third highest detection rate following DBP (84.6%) and DEHP (63.4%). The concentration of phthalates detected in nail products is considered to be safe in current standards but continuous monitoring and research about non-regulated substances are also needed to be considered.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.443-454
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• 2010

Phthalate compounds are widely used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chlororide (PVC) resins and other industrial consumer products, and some of them are known to be endocrine disruptors. In Korea, a number of studies have been carried out for the measurement of phthalates in consumer products and drinking water. However, no data are available for those compounds in the ambient air where the general public are routinely exposed. In this study, we evaluated sampling and analytical methods for the determination of phthalates in the ambient atmosphere. A wide range of phthalates compounds were included in the target analytes, which are dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP). Most of samples were collected using a high volume sampler with a PUF/XAD-2 column/quartz fiber filter and then analyzed by GC/MS. Some of samples were simultaneously collected on XAD-2 using a low-volume sampler, together with high-volume samples. The analytical method applied in this study showed good repeatability and linearity. Quantitative detection limits were estimated from 0.60 to 17.84 ng/$m^3$ in air, depending on individual compounds. The field measurements were carried out at 3 sites located in Sihwa- Banwall industrial areas and a suburban area from January 2007 to November 2007. From the field experiments, DEHP, DMP and DBP appeared to be the most abundant compounds in the ambient air. It was also found that DMP, DEP and DBP were mainly distributed in the vapor phase, while BBP, DEHP and DOP were predominantly associated with the particulate phase. The concentrations of DEHP and DMP in the industrial areas ranged from 45.7 to 1,012.7 ng/$m^3$ and from 7.7 to 375.1 ng/$m^3$, respectively. Overall, the high-volume sampling method was demonstrated to be superior to the low-volume method for the determination of phthalates in the ambient atmosphere.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 2015

This work investigated the plasma treatment of aqueous bisphenol A (BPA) solution and mineralization pathways. For the effective contact between plasmatic gas and aqueous BPA solution, the plasma was created inside a porous ceramic tube, which was uniformly dispersed into the aqueous solution through micro-pores of the ceramic tube. Effects of the gas flow rate, applied voltage and treatment time on the decomposition of BPA were examined, and analyses using ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, ion chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were also performed to elucidate mineralization mechanisms. The appropriate gas flow rate was around $1.0L\;min^{-1}$; when the gas flow rate was too high or too low, the BPA decomposition performance at a given electric power decreased. The increase in the voltage improves the BPA decomposition due to the increased electric power, but the energy required to remove BPA was similar, regardless of the voltage. Under the condition of $1.0L\;min^{-1}$ and 20.8 kV, BPA at an initial concentration of $10L\;min^{-1}$ (volume : 1 L) was successfully treated within 30 min. The intermediates produced by the attack of ozone and hydroxyl radicals on BPA were further oxidized to stable compounds such as acetate, formate and oxalate.