• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.305-309
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• 2007

Arsenic compounds have been used to treat various diseases including cancer in oriental medicine. Arsenic trioxide ($As_2O_3,\;Trisenox^{(R)}$) has been used for the treatment of leukemia and its anti-solid tumor activity has also been reported recently. Tetra-arsenic oxide ($As_4O_6,\;TetraAs^{(R)}$) is a newly developed arsenic compound which has shown an anticancer activity in some human cancer cell lines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-gastric cancer potential of TetraAs and to search for an agent with synergistic interaction with TetraAs against human gastric cancers. We analysed anti-proliferative effect of TetraAs when given alone and in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-FU, paclitaxel, and cisplatin in SNU-216, a human gastric cancer cell line. The $IC_{50}$ of these 4 anti-cancer drugs ranged from 5.8 nM to $7.5\;{\mu}M$ with a potency rank of order paclitaxel>TetraAs>cisplatin>5-FU. TetraAs showed 10-fold greater potency than 5-FU and cisplatin at the same effect level of $IC_{50}$. TetraAs+5-FU and TetraAs+paclitaxel showed synergistic and additive interaction, respectively. On the other hand, TetraAs with cisplatin group appeared to be strongly antagonistic. Apoptotic population was measured and compared between single and combination treatment. The apoptotic cells for the combination of TetraAs+5-FU showed significant increase compared to single TetraAs treatment. On the contrary, TetraAs+cisplatin showed less apoptotic cells compared to TetraAs or cisplatin alone treatment. Overall, our results indicate that TetraAs can be effectively combined with 5-FU or paclitaxel, but not with cisplatin for synergistic anti-cancer effect, which warrants further evaluation using in vivo models.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.425-434
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• 2008

Arsenic contamination in soil and groundwater has recently been one of the most serious environmental concerns. This arsenic contamination can be originated from natural or anthropogenic sources. It has been well known that arsenic behavior in geo-environmental is controlled by various oxides or hydroxides, such as those of iron, manganese, and aluminum, and clay minerals. Among those, particularly, iron (oxy)hydroxides are the most effective scavengers for arsenic. For this reason, this study characterized arsenic adsorption of magnetite which is a kind of iron oxide in nature. The physicochemcial features of the magnetite were investigated to evaluate adsorption of arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] onto magnetite. In addition to experiments on adsorption equilibria, kinetic experiments were also conducted. The point of zero charge (PZC) and specific surface area of the laboratory-synthesized magnetite used as an arsenic adsorbent were measured 6.56 and $16.6\;g/m^2$, which values seem to be relatively smaller than those of the other iron (oxy)hydroxides. From the results of equilibria experiments, arsenite was much more adsorbed onto magnetite than arsenate, indicating the affinity of arsenite on magnetite is larger than arsenate. Arsenite and arsenate showed adsorption maxima at pHs 7 and 2, respectively. In particular, adsorption of arsenate decreased with increase in pH as a result of electrical repulsion caused by anionic arsenate and negatively-charged surface of magnetite. These results indicate that the surface charge of magnetite and the chemical speciation of arsenic should be considered as the most crucial factors in controlling arsenic. The results of kinetic experiments show that arsenate was adsorbed more quickly than arsenite and adsorption of arsenic was investigated to be mostly completed within the duration of 4 hours, regardless of chemical speciation of arsenic. When the results of kinetic experiments were fitted to a variety of kinetic models proposed so far, power function and elovich model were evaluated to be the most suitable ones which can simulate adsorption kinetics of two kinds of arsenic species onto magnetite.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.152-156
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• 2002

Soils near abandoned zinc mines were known to be contaminated with arsenic-rich mining by-products. To examine the potential impacts of arsenic- contaminated soils on plant growth, surface soils were subjected to sequential extraction. Results revealed that 54% and 74% total As and 74% total extractable As were bound to iron hydrous oxide, and water soluble fraction was below detection limit. Arsenic faction extracted using the Koran standard method(dissolution of metals via treatment of 1 N HCI) was strongly correlated with the Fe-bound As fraction ($r^2=0.884**$). Arsenic level in rice plant roots was the highest with a maximum value of 154.9 mg/kg, whereas it was below 0.6 mg/kg in grains. Arsenic level in rice plant roots was strongly correlated with those of Al-bound As ($r^2=0.821**$) and 1N HCI-extractable As levels ($r^2=0.801**$).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.224-233
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between residential surroundings, such as a power plant, steel mill and petrochemical facilities, and urinary arsenic concentrations in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea. Methods: Stratified by fish consumption and residential district, median and maximum block sampling was applied. A total of 346 spot urine samples were speciated for $As^{5+}$, $As^{3+}$, monomethylarsonic acid(MMA), dimethylarsonic acid (DMA) and arsenobetaine (AsB). Exposure assessment was based on questionnaires including data on sex, age, current tobacco use, fish consumption, type of water consumed, and occupational category. Results: Urinary $As^{5+}+As^{3+}+MMA+DMA$ concentrations of people living in the vicinity of a power plant ($GM=50.39{\mu}g/g$) were 61% higher than those of people living in the inland area according to median block sampling. Urinary $As^{5+}+As^{3+}+MMA+DMA+AsB$ concentrations of people living in the vicinity of industrial complex area were higher than those of people living in the inland area according to block sampling by median and maximum. Conclusion: Urinary arsenic concentrations of people living in vulnerable areas such as around industrial complexes, especially power plants, were higher than those of people living in an inland area.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2022

Mackinawite (FeS), as a ubiquitous reduced iron mineral, is known as a key controller of redox reactions in anaerobic subsurface environment. The reaction of FeS with redox-sensitive toxic element such as arsenic is substantially affected by pH conditions of the given environments. In this study, the interaction of As(V) with FeS was studied under strict anaerobic conditions with various pH conditions. The pH-dependent arsenic removal tests were conducted under wide ranges of pH conditions and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was applied to investigate the reaction mechanisms under pH 5, 7, and 9. The removal efficiency of FeS for As(V) showed the higher removal of As(V) under low pH conditions and its removal efficiency decreased with increasing pH, and no As(V) reduction was observed in 1 g/L FeS solution. However, XAS analysis indicated the reduction of As(V) to As(III) occurred during reaction between FeS and As(V). The reduced form of As(III) was particularly identified as an arsenic sulfide mineral (As₂S₃) in all pH conditions (pH 5, 7, and 9). As₂S₃ precipitation was more pronounced in pH 5 where the solubility of FeS is higher than in other pH conditions. The linear combination fitting results of XAS demonstrated that As(V) removal mechanism is concerted processes of As₂S₃ precipitation and surface complexation of both arsenic species.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.6 s.181
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• pp.689-697
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• 2006

Distribution and speciation of arsenic in water resources was investigated in the Ulsan mine area. In 62% of uoundwater samples from the mine area, total As concentrations exceeded 0.05 mg/l, the Korean Drinking Water Standard. As(V) was the major type in groundwater with minor As(III). Arsenic species appeared to be in transition stages following redox changes after exposure to the air through the monitoring wells. In areas around the mine, the mine and Cheongog spring appeared to be the sources of arsenic contamination of water resources. The spring showed 0.345 mg/1-As, as much as seven times of the Korean standard. Groundwater and stream samples showed As-concentrations greater than 0.05 mg/l in 30% and 33% samples, respectively, and 60 and 67% of samples exceeded 0.01 mg/l of WHO guideline, respectively. Again, As(V) was a dominant species, however, several samples had As(III) in appreciable levels. In one stream sample, organic species including DMA and AsB were detected in low levels, probably resulted from transformation or related biogeochemical processes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2013

This study was conducted to analyse the effectiveness of shading on growth and arsenic absorption of Pteris multifida, known as hyperaccumulator of arsenic, from paddy soils contaminated with heavy metals. Study was carried out in paddy soil polluted by arsenic near the former Janghang smelter. P. multifuda in the same growth stage was planted with $20{\times}20cm$ intervals in each experimental plot ($2{\times}2m$), and cultivated for 24 weeks. The growth of P. multifuda according to shading conditions was evaluated, the accumulated amount of arsenic in plants and arsenic variation in the soil was analyzed using ICP. In the result of this study, the growth of P. multifida cultivated under shading treatment was vigorous than non-shading. Accumulated amount of arsenic in aerial parts of P. multifida cultivated under non-shading ($169.8mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) was slightly higher than shading ($140.9mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$), and those in underground part were almost the same. But the growth was great in 70% shading treatment. Therefore, arsenic contents absorbed from soils was much higher in shading treatment. Arsenic translocation rate (TR) of P. multifida was very high (0.87~0.89) regardless of shading conditions. So arsenic in soil could be efficiently eliminated by removal of aerial parts.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2019

In this study, we performed an analysis of the accumulation of inorganic arsenic and growth rate with changes in phosphate concentration in Hizikia fusiforme. When exposed to inorganic arsenic for fourteen days, we found that the collection of inorganic arsenic hardly increased at high phosphate concentrations (2 mg L^-1). However, when the phosphate concentration was low (0.02 mg L^-1), accumulation of inorganic arsenic increased. Additionally, H. fusiforme decreased in a growth rate of 14.5% in low phosphate concentration (0.02 mg L^-1) and fell in a growth rate of 30% when exposed to inorganic arsenic (10 ㎍ L^-1). H. fusiforme cannot distinguish between phosphate and inorganic arsenic. Thus, when phosphate concentration was lower, the inorganic arsenic accumulation increased, and accumulated inorganic arsenic inhibited photosynthesis and cell division, reducing the growth rate. H. fusiforme is known to have higher inorganic arsenic accumulation than other seaweeds. Therefore, various studies are needed to secure the food safety of H. fusiforme which is an essential aquaculture species in Korea.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.18-26
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• 2021

Soil aggregation begins with flocculation of clay particles triggered by interfacial reactions of polyvalent cation such as Ca²⁺ and Fe³⁺, and they are also known as important elements to control the mobility of arsenic in soil environment. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of CMDS (coal mine drainage sludge) for soil loss reduction and stabilization of arsenic-contaminated soil in a 37% sloped farmland under rainfall simulation. The amount of soil loss decreased by 43% when CMDS was applied, and this result was not significantly different from the case of limestone application, which yielded 46% decrease of soil loss. However, the relative amount of dispersed clay particles in the sediment CMDS-applied soil was 10% lower than that of limestone-applied soil, suggesting CMDS is more effective than limestone in inducing soil aggregation. The concentrations of bioavailable arsenic in CMDS amended soil decreased by 46%~78%, which was lower than the amount in limestone amended soil. Therefore, CMDS can be used as an effective amendment material to reduce soil loss and stabilize arsenic in sloped farmland areas.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2014

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a toxic metalloid found ubiquitously in the environment. In humans, exposure to iAs can result in toxicity and cause toxicological manifestations. Arsenic trioxide ($As_2O_3$) has been used in the treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia. The kidney is the critical target organ of trivalent inorganic As ($iAs^{III}$) toxicity. We examine if oral administration of astaxanthin (AST) has protective effects on nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by $As_2O_3$ exposure (via intraperitoneal injection) in rats. Markers of renal function, histopathological changes, $Na^+-K^+$ ATPase, sulfydryl, oxidative stress, and As accumulation in kidneys were evaluated as indicators of $As_2O_3$ exposure. AST showed a significant protective effect against $As_2O_3$-induced nephrotoxicity. These results suggest that the mechanisms of action, by which AST reduces nephrotoxicity, may include antioxidant protection against oxidative injury and reduction of As accumulation. These findings might be of therapeutic benefit in humans or animals suffering from exposure to $iAs^{III}$ from natural sources or cancer therapy.