• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 1995

With the aim to investigation of decay resistance and optimum concentration in chrome-copper-arsenic(CCA) preservative treatment on the imported softwoods from Siberia and North america, preservative absorption after CCA impregnation, weight losses and degradation patterns by decay fungi were examined. The density and latewood rate of Siberia softwoods(Spruce and Larch) were higher than those of North america softwoods(Douglas-fir and Western hemlock), resulting in the decrease of the CCA preservative absorption in the Siberia softwoods. In the case of untreated softwoods, decay resistance against Coriolus versicolor was lower than against Tyromyces palustris. For CCA treated softwoods, preservative effectiveness increased with increase in concentration of CCA solution. When treated with 0.7% CCA solution, efficiency value was more than 80 and 90 for C. versicolor and T. palustris, respectively. From this results, in the CCA preservative treatment for imported softwoods, it can be concluded that optimum concentration of CCA solution is approximately 0.7%. The absorption of CCA preservative distributed in the range of 3.8 and $5.5kg/m^3$. After exposure to testing fungi, in the untreated softwoods, bore holes formed in the cell walls and bordered pits, moreover, bordered pit canals enlarged by the fungi. However, 0.5% CCA treated softwoods was almost no deterioration in the cell walls and bordered pits due to decay.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.452-460
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• 2019

Exposure to heavy metals through the consumption of contaminated seafood poses a health risk to humans. In Korea, seafood imports are increasing with consumption, with the largest increase in imported seafood coming from Russia. Peter the Great Bay and the Razdolnaya River are both major fisheries and protected areas under the Northwest Pacific Action Plan located near Vladivostok, Russia. This study analyzed heavy metal [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), total mercury (tHg), and total (tAs), and inorganic (iAs) arsenic] concentrations in shellfish and crustaceans collected from these areas. Except for iAs, the major toxic heavy metal concentrations of the samples met the national standards (Cd, 0.024-0.982 and 0.003-0.379 mg/kg; Pb, 0.021-1.533 and 0.002 mg/kg; tHg, 0.006-0.015 and 0.036-0.097 mg/kg). The tAs concentrations of three samples exceeded the Russian standard (5 mg/kg, wet weight), whereas the iAs concentrations were extremely low (ND-0.033 mg/kg). Compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, the percentages of PTWI of Cd, Pb, and tHg were 0.239%, 0.001-0.049%, and 0.013-0.302%, respectively. These findings reveal that there is no potential health risk by heavy metals through the consumption of Russian seafood obtained in the surveyed areas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the public cognition and information acquisition route for heavy metals and organic solvents in the general population in order to provide information for the development of public relations materials. Methods: The study was carried out by questionnaire from January to March 2011 by an interview with trained surveyors. There were 700 participants, divided by gender and age. A questionnaire was issued consisting of subjective and objective cognition evaluation items and questions about information acquisition route and preferred information acquisition route for six heavy metals and five organic solvents. Data were expressed as a percentage using the SPSS 23.0 software package. Result: For heavy metals, subjective and objective cognition degrees were higher in the order of lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. They were higher among males than females, and in adults compared to school-age subjects. For organic solvents, both cognition degrees were high in the order of acetone, benzene, and formaldehyde. However, cognition degree by gender and age showed a complex pattern. As a response to information acquisition route, broadcast media had the highest in all ages and genders, followed by word of mouth from neighbors in elementary school children, school education or expert lectures in middle and high school students up to people in their 30s, and print media among those in their 40s to over 60s. There was no difference in the order by gender. As a response to preference for information acquisition route, broadcast media also proved the highest in all ages and genders, followed by school education or professional lectures among those in elementary school and over their 60s, and the internet in other age groups. Females preferred school education or expert lectures and word of mouth from neighbors, while males preferred the internet. In the case of the internet, the ranking was higher for preferred information acquisition route compared with the ranking for information acquisition route. Conclusions: This data on cognition degree, information acquisition route, and preferred information acquisition route according to gender and age can provide basic data for the development of educational and promotional materials for heavy metals and organic solvents exposure management.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.306-314
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• 2022

Background: Due to the rapid aging of the South Korean population, neurological diseases such as dementia are increasing. Many studies have reported that the incidence of dementia is associated with environmental factors along with age. Objectives: This study analyzed the association between cognitive function and ten heavy metals in the body: arsenic, aluminum, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, zinc, and lead. Methods: From 2018 to 2019, a total of 120 participants who suffered from cognitive impairment were recruited for this study. Blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Demographic information was obtained through face-to-face questionnaires completed by a trained investigator. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Korean version of the Boston Name Waiting Test. The associations between cognitive function scores and heavy metal concentrations were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The average age of the 120 participants was 72.7 years, and 69.2% were female. The mean of the MMSE-K and K-BNT scores were 22.9 and 37.9, respectively. The geometric mean of aluminum (Al) was 8.42 ㎍/L. MMSE-K was associated with iron (Fe), but the significance was removed in the logistic regression based on 24 points. K-BNT was significantly associated with aluminum and the odds ratio for K-BNT above 38 decreased by 45% as the aluminum concentration increased. Conclusions: The association between aluminum and the K-BNT score indicated that aluminum is associated with language-related cognitive decline. Based on this result, further study will be conducted by considering co-exposure effects of heavy metals including aluminum.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2023

The standards for heavy metal levels in crustaceans are 0.5 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg or lower for lead and cadmium, respectively. Further, the contamination levels of arsenic, mercury, methyl mercury, and tin are being continuously investigated, considering their current exposure levels. Shrimps are potentially exposed to heavy metals because they inhabit areas with abundant organic matter, such as sandy or muddy shores, places with a lot of seaweed, and estuaries. This study measured the monetary value of reducing consumer anxiety and increasing consumer confidence if the government prohibits the sale of shrimp species that exceed the threshold for specific heavy metals and of the top shrimp species for which no threshold for heavy metals is specified. We derived consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP). Combining the estimated WTP with the number of households in the country, the total value of benefits was estimated to be 363.9 billion won. The results of this study will provide an important empirical finding, showing to what extent specific policies regarding heavy metals in seafood can alleviate consumer anxiety and provide psychological reassurance.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Many edible mushrooms are known to accumulate high levels of heavy metals. This research was focused on health risk assessment to investigate the mushrooms in Korea, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) contaminations in edible mushrooms in cultivated areas were investigated, and health risk was assessed through dietary intake of mushrooms. METHODS AND RESULTS: The heavy metals in mushrooms were analyzed by ICP/MS after acid digestion. Probabilistic health risk were estimated by Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. The average contents of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg were $0.035{\pm}0.042$ mg/kg, $0.017{\pm}0.020$ mg/kg, $0.043{\pm}0.013$ mg/kg, and $0.004{\pm}0.004$ mg/kg, respectively. The results showed that contents of Cd and Pb did not exceed maximum residual levels established by European Uion regulation (Cd 0.20 mg/kg and Pb 0.30 mg/kg). For health risk assessment, estimated intakes in all age populations did not exceed the provisional tolerable daily intake of As and Hg, provisional tolerable monthly intake of Cd, provisional tolerable weekly intake of Pb. The Hazard Index (HI) were ranged from $0.03{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}0.01{\times}10^{-3}$ for As, $0.02{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}0.81{\times}10^{-3}$ for Cd, $0.06{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}0.38{\times}10^{-3}$ for Pb, and $0.08{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}0.14{\times}10^{-3}$ for Hg at general population. CONCLUSION: The HI from the ratio analysis between daily exposure and safety level values was less than 1.0. This results demonstrated that human exposure to heavy metals through dietary intake of mushrooms might not cause adverse effect.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.375-387
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• 2012

The objective of this study is investigation of contamination levels and assessment of health risk effects of heavy metals in herbal pills. 31 Items and 93 samples were obtained for this investigation from major herbal medicine producing areas, herbal markets and on-line supermarkets from Jan to Jun in 2010. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer method was conducted for the quantitative analysis of Pb, Cd and As. In addition, the mercury analyzer system was conducted for that of Hg without sample digestion. The average contents of heavy metals in samples were as follows : 0.87 mg/kg for Pb, 0.08 mg/kg for Cd, 2.87 mg/kg for As and 0.16 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. In addition, the average contents of heavy metals in different parts of plants, including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were 0.63 mg/kg, 3.94 mg/kg, 1.42 mg/kg, 1.05 mg/kg, 0.16 mg/kg, 22.31 mg/kg and 10.17 mg/kg, respectively. After the estimations of dietary exposure, the acceptable daily intake (ADI), the average daily dose (ADD), the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) and the relative hazard of heavy metals were evaluated. As the results, the relative hazards compared to PTWI in samples were below the recommended standard of JECFA as Pb 3.1%, Cd 0.9%, Hg 0.5%. Cancer risks through slope factor (SF) by Ministry of Environment Republic Korea and Environmental Protection Agency was $4.24{\times}10^{-7}$ for Pb and $3.38{\times}10^{-4}$ for As (assuming that the total arsenic content was equal to the inorganic arsenic). Based on our results, possible Pb-induced cancer risks in herbal pills according to parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.95{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.45{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.14{\times}10^{-7}$, $6.27{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.99{\times}10^{-8}$, $3.61{\times}10^{-7}$ and $9.64{\times}10^{-8}$, respectively. Possible As-induced cancer risks in herbal pills by parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.54{\times}10^{-5}$, $7.24{\times}10^{-5}$, $1.23{\times}10^{-4}$, $2.02{\times}10^{-5}$, $3.25{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.18{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5.67{\times}10^{-6}$ respectively. Taken together, these results indicate that the majority of samples except for some samples with relative high contents of heavy metals were safe.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.20
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• pp.9-22
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• 2007

Three kinds of natural pesticides extracted from plants which are being sold in the Korean markets, were estimated effects on materials of art of museum. Tested samples were 1) silk fabrics : undyed, dyed(amur cork tree, gallut, gallut(alum post mordancy), gallut(copperas post mordancy), gardenia, turmeric, acorn, acorn(copperas post mordancy), gromwell, madder, madder(alum post mordancy), safflower, sappanwood, sappanwood(alum pre mordancy, post mordancy), indigo, indigo+amur cork tree, indigo+sappanwood) 2) cotton fabrics : undyed, dyed(amur cork tree, gallut, gallut(alum post mordancy), gardenia, acorn, acorn(copperas post mordancy), gromwell, madder, madder(alum post mordancy), safflower, sappanwood, sappanwood(alum pre mordancy, post mordancy), indigo, indigo+sappanwood) 3) undyed ramie fabric 4) Korean papers : undyed, dyed(sappanwood, indigo, gardenia, amur cork tree, safflower) 5) pigments : azurite, malachite, red lead, litharge, orpiment, hematite, iron oxide, cinnabar, vermilion, indigo, lake indigo, kaolin, lead white, oyster shell white 6) painted plates : azurite, malachite, red lead, litharge, orpiment, hematite, iron oxide, cinnabar, vermilion, indigo, lake indigo, kaolin, lead white, oyster shell white. Conditions of tests were that after samples were exposed to 10 times of promoted concentration for 9 months in relative humidity $55{\pm}1%$ and temperature $20{\pm}2^{\circ}C$, they were compared with standards. Items of estimation were color difference(${\Delta}E^*$) and tenacity. After exposure to pesticides, undyed silk cotton ramie fabrics and Korean papers were not nearly changed in their colors, but colors of most of dyed samples were clearly changed by pesticides except for partial samples(acorn- and madder-dyed fabrics etc, gardenia-dyed samples). Especially changes of colors of turmeric-dyed silk fabrics were most distinct. And colors of pigments and painted plates containing lead, copper, arsenic, mercury and vegetable pigments, were clearly changed. Tenacities of yams of undyed silk fabrics were not nearly changed and undyed cotton fabrics were a little reduced as compared with standards. But tenacities of yams of dyed silk and cotton fabrics were clearly reduced or increased as compared with standards. Especially, madder-dyed silk fabrics were increased 10% or more and indigo-dyed silk fabrics were reduced 10% or less in all pesticides. Also madder- and sappanwood(alum post mordancy)-dyed cotton fabrics were increased 10% or more in all pesticides.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2010

This study was conducted to estimate the contents of heavy metals including lead, cadmium, arsenic and total mercury in alcoholic beverages in Korea. Concentration of Hg was analyzed by gold amalgamation method, using mercury analyzer, while concentration of Pb, Cd and As was analyzed by ICP-MS. Concentration (${\mu}g/kg$) of heavy metal in fermented liquors were; for Pb $9.9\;{\pm}\;8.4$(0~38.0), Cd $5.8\;{\pm}\;4.9$(0~5.4), As $28.6\;{\pm}\;19.4$(1~96.4), Hg $0.7\;{\pm}\;1.2$(0~10.6). Concentration (${\mu}g/kg$) of distilled liquors were ; for Pb $4.4\;{\pm}\;5.7$(0~29.3), Cd $2.0\;{\pm}\;2.5$(0~10.3), As $12.0\;{\pm}\;17.0$(0~95.6), Hg $0.2\;{\pm}\;0.3$(0~2.3). Concentration(${\mu}g/kg$ of other liquous were ; for Pb $7.5\;{\pm}\;5.1$(0~13.7), Cd $5.8\;{\pm}\;3.9$(0.6~11.2), As $25.2\;{\pm}\;39.0$(0.5~103.3), Hg $0.3\;{\pm}\;0.1$(0.1~0.5). The present study showed that difference of the amount of constituent in a same category of food are not affect to the content of heavy metals among them. The residual levels of takju, yakju, sake, beer, fruit wine, soju, whiskey, brandy, general distilled liquor, liquor, other liquors are within the maximum levels, prescribed by Korea food code. It is given that heavy metal exposure of Pb, Cd, As, Hg from consumption of alcoholic beverages (takju, yakju, sake, beer, fruit wine, soju, whiskey, brandy, general distilled liquor, liquor, other liquors) are less than 0.03%, 0.06%, 0.01%, 0.01% (mean) in provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) respectively, indicated by FAO/WHO.