• 한국가시화정보학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.30-36
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• 2007

The global environment is deteriorating at an alarming rate, despite of enhanced international environmental regulation. Many studies have been performed to reduce toxic pollutants. Recently, plant-based phytoremediation technology for moving toxic contaminants from soil and water has been receiving large attention. Arsenic-contaminated soil is one of the major pollutant sources for drinking water. Pteris erotica has been known as a hyper-accumulator of arsenic from soils. In this study, we investigated the effect of arsenic absorption on sap flow inside xylem vessels of Pteris. The synchrotron X-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to monitor the refilling process of water containing arsenic inside the xylem vessels of Pteris's leaves and stems non-invasively. The captured phase-contrast X-ray images show both anatomy of internal structure and transport of water inside Pteris. The exposure of Pteris to arsenic solution was found to increase largely the water raise speed in xylem vessels. The present results would provide important information needed for understanding the mechanisms of accumulation and transportation of toxic materials in plants.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.51-56
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• 2001

To evaluate the arsenic effect of fish endocrine disruption, crucian carp (Carassius auratus) were treated with 0.5 mg/L and 3.0 mg/L of As$_2$O$_3$ for 14 days and gonadal development was examined by histological analysis. In ovaries from female crucial carps exposed to 3.0 mg/L, immature follicles and atretic follicles were appeared while various normal developmental stages of oocytes were shown in control group. Body weight and Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) of treated carp were also decreased compared to control group. However, no other significant histological changes in liver or kidney were shown in this exposure scheme. This means that reproductive organs are more sensitive than other organs and arsenic may exert endocrine disrupting effect through inhibiting the development of reproductive organ in fish.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.618-622
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• 2010

본 연구는 비소에 대한 만성노출이 의심되는 일부 폐금속광산 주변 지역 주민 중 여성들을 대상으로 요중 비소 농도와 산화적 유전자 손상지표인 요중 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) 농도와의 관련성을 평가하기 위해 시행되었다. 충청북도에 위치한 두 폐금속광산 지역 주민 중 여성 165명을 대상으로 요중 비소농도와 요중 8-OHdG의 농도를 측정하고 SPSS 12.0 통계프로그램을 이용하여 분석하였다. 조사 대상자들의 요중 비소농도는 기하평균이 $5.65\;{\mu}g/g$ creatinine으로 나타났으며 요중 비소와 8-OHdG 농도와의 관련성 분석에서는 상관계수 0.399 (p<0.001)의 유의한 상관성을 보였다. 이러한 관련성은 비소노출 농도가 낮은 경우가 노출농도가 높은 경우에 비해 상대적으로 높은 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구의 결과는 요중 8-OHdG 농도가 저농도의 비소에 만성적으로 노출된 여성에서 산화적 유전자 손상을 평가하는 좋은 지표가 될 수 있음을 시사한다.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국지구물리탐사학회 2003년도 Proceedings of the international symposium on the fusion technology
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• pp.515-517
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• 2003

In order to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to arsenic and heavy metals influenced by past mining activities, environmental geochemical surveys were undertaken in the abandoned metal mine areas (Dongil Au-Ag-Cu-Zn, Okdong Cu-Pb-Zn, Songcheon Au-Ag, Dongjung Au-Ag-Pb-Zn, Dokok Au-Ag-Cu and Hwacheon Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mines). Arsenic and other heavy metals were highly elevated in the tailings from the Dongil, the Songcheon and the Dongjung mines. High concentrations of heavy metals except As were also found in tailings from the Okdong, the Dokok and the Hwacheon mines. These significant concentrations can impact on soils and waters around the tailing dumps. Risk compounds deriving from mine sites either constitute a toxic risk or a carcinogenic risk. The hazard index (H.I.) of As in the Dongil, the Okdong, the Songcheon and the Hwacheon mine areas was higher value more than 1.0. In the Okdong and the Songcheon mine areas, H.I. value of Cd exceeded 1.0. These values of As and Cd were the highest in the Songcheon mine area. Therefore, toxic risks for As and Cd exist via exposure (ingestion) of contaminated soil, groundwater and rice grain in these mine areas. The cancer risk for As in stream or ground water used for drinking water from the Songcheon, the Dongil, the Okdong, the Dongjung and the Hwacheon mine areas was 3E-3, 8E-4, 7E-4, 2E-4 and 1E-4, respectively.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.465-474
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• 2002

In order to reflect variability due to exposure factors as well as to assess uncertainty associated with cancer risk posed by airborne trace metals, a Monte Calro analysis has been made in this study. Input parameters for Monte Carlo analysis were developed or adjusted using body weight, lifetime, and exposure frequency of Koreans. Ambient distributions of toxic metals were founded to be lognormal distributions for most of them using goodness-of-fit tests. Thus, the 95% UCL and 95% LCL of carcinogenic metals were estimated by H-statistic method for lognormal distribution, respectively. The results of Monte Carlo analysis of 95% UCL showed that the 95th percentile risks for men and women were 1.2 and 1.1 times higher than an acceptable risk of 10$^{-5}$ , respectively. The probabilities which those risks exceed the acceptable risk were estimated to be 8% and 6%, respectively, while to be 95% and 94%, respectively on the basis of the minimum acceptable risk of 10$^{-6}$ , respectively. Approximately 90% of total cancer risk came from human carcinogens such as arsenic and hexavalent chromium. Therefore, it is necessary to properly manage both arsenic and hexavalent chromium emissions in the study area.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.261-266
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• 2010

In the workplace, the arsenic is used in the semiconductor production and the manufacturing of pigments, glass, pesticides and fungicides. Therefore, workers may be exposed to airborne arsenic during its use in manufacturing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential toxicity of particulate matters (PMs) doped with arsenic (PMs-Arsenic) using a rodent model and to compare the genotoxicity in various concentrations and to examine the role of PMs-Arsenic in the induction of signaling pathway in the lung. Mice were exposed to PMs $124.4{\pm}24.5\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (low concentration), $220.2{\pm}34.5\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (middle concentration), $426.4{\pm}40.3\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (high concentration) doped with arsenic $1.4\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (Low concentration), $2.5\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (middle concentration), $5.7\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (high concentration) for 4 wks (6 h/d, 5 d/wk), respectively in the whole-body inhalation exposure chambers. To determine the level of genotoxicity, Chromosomal aberration (CA) assay in splenic lymphocytes and Supravital micronucleus (SMN) assay were performed. Then, signal pathway in the lung was analyzed. In the genotoxicity experiments, the increases of aberrant cells were concentration-dependent. Also, PMs-arsenic caused peripheral blood micronucleus frequency at high concentration. The inhalation of PMs-Arsenic increased an expression of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt: protein kinase B) and phpsphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) at high concentration group. Taken together, inhaled PMs-Arsenic caused genotoxicity and altered Akt signaling pathway in the lung. Therefore, the inhalation of PMs-Arsenic needs for a careful risk assessment in the workplace.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제13권3_4호
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• pp.95-104
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• 1998

확률론적 해석방법은 환경독성물질에 의한 인체위해도 평가시 사용된 각 입력인자들의 불확실성까지 고려하는 방법론이다. 기존의 위해도 평가방법은 불확실성을 고려하지 않고 단순히 결과치의 포인트 값만을 제공하는데 비해 이러한 확률론적 해석방법은 입력인자들의 불확실성이 고려되고 결과치에 대한 이들의 중요도가 산출될 수 있는 등 더 많은 정보를 제공하므로써 환경위해도를 기반으로 한 환경정책 결정시 용이하게 사용될 수 있다. 본 논문은 현재 미국에서 음용수 기준설정시 논란이 많은 무기비소에 대해 확률론적 평가방법론을 적용하였다. 우선 인체위해도평가에 필요한 무기비소의 각종 자료들을 수집, 정리하고 이를 바탕으로 각 인자들의 불확실성을 계산하였다. 최종적으로 이들로부터 무기비소가 포함된 음용수를 마신 일반인의 피부암 위해도를 확률적으로 계산하였다. 또한 계산된 결과치와 여러 위해도기준치를 비교하여 정책결정에 필요한 의사결정에 대해서도 살펴보았다. 계산결과에 의하면 다수의 일반인들이 무기비소를 함유한 음용수섭취를 통해 현재 위해도설정치(10$^{-6}$)보다 높은 ] 피부암 위해를 입고 있는 것으로 나타나 이에 대한 규제가 필요하다고 본다.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.307-314
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• 2010

Objectives : Arsenic (As) is ubiquitously distributed in the environment and has been known as a human carcinogen. The main source of arsenic exposure in general population is an oral route through As-contaminated water and foods. This study was performed to estimate the daily intake of As from diet and associated factors in Korean adults. Methods : We investigated 590 adults, 249 males and 341 females, with age of 20 years and older, who had not been exposed to the As occupationally. Study subjects were interviewed for demographic characteristics, lifestyles and diets during the last 24 hours. The estimation of As intake daily was based on amount of food consumption and As concentration in each food by using database of As concentrations in 117 food species. Results : Daily As intake was estimated as $56.46\;{\mu}g$/day, $56.60\;{\mu}g$/day in male and $56.36\;{\mu}g$/day in female. As intake was not significant from sex, age group, smoking and alcoholic habits, while was by occupation with the most intake of As in fishery. The daily As intakes was positively correlated with the total food consumption, specifically related with fishes and shellfishes, seaweeds, oils, grains and flavors. About 75% of As intake from diet was contributed by seafoods, such as $32.07\;{\mu}g$/day from fishes & shellfishes and $10.05\;{\mu}g$/day from seaweeds. However, it is necessary to evaluate if the dietary As intake affects on the levels of As in the body. Conclusions : The amount of As intake daily in Korean adults was estimated as $56.46\;{\mu}g$/day, and is determined mainly by diet behavior. The seafoods, such as fishes & shellfishes and seaweeds, is major source of As exposure from diet in Korean.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.148-152
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• 2010

우리나라 유아들이 비소에 노출된 경우의 인체위해성에 대한 상관관계 연구가 미비한 실정이다. 본 연구는 우리나라 광신인근 지역에서 생산된 백미의 섭취를 통한 비소의 노출을 유아기(1-6세)와 타 연령군으로 나누어 평가하고 해당 연령군의 인체위해성 평가를 확률적 접근법을 이용해 실시하였다. 우리나라 광산인근 지역에서 생산된 백미 섭취를 통한 D아기의 비소 노출량은 체중을 기준으로 했을 때 타 연령군에 비해 높게 나타났다. 피부암에 대한 초과발암위해의 경우 1-2세 군과 3-6세 군의 50% percentile값이 각각 만명 당 1.76명과 3.16명으로 나타났다. 어린이와 같은 아만성기간 동안의 비소 노출에 대한 비발암 기준 참고치(0.005 mg/lg/day)를 적용한 결과 비발암위해도의 평균값 뿐 아니라 고섭취군을 나타내는 95% percentile 값 또한 규제수치인 1.0 이하로 나타났다.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.137-142
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• 2013

Arsenic (As) is a well-known human carcinogen and its dietary exposure has been found to be the major route of entry into general population. This study was performed to assess the body levels of As and their associated factors in Korean adults by analyzing total As in urine. Urine and blood samples were collected from 580 adults aged 20 years and older, who had not been exposed to As occupationally. Demographic information was collected with the help of a standard questionnaire, including age, smoking, alcohol intake, job profiles, and diet consumed in the last 24 hrs of the study. Total As, sum of As(III), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), in urine was determined using atomic absorption spectrometer involving hydride generation method. The geometric mean concentration of total As in urine was $7.10{\mu}g/L$. Urine As was significantly higher in men ($7.63{\mu}g/L$) than in women ($6.75{\mu}g/L$). Age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and job profiles of study subjects did not significantly affect the concentration of As in urine. No significant relationship was observed between body mass index (BMI), Fe, and total cholesterol in serum and urinary As. Urine As level was positively correlated with seaweeds, fishes & shellfishes, and grain intake. A negative correlation between urinary As level and HDL-cholesterol in serum and meat intake was observed. Overall, these results suggest that urinary As concentration could be affected by seafood consumption. Therefore, people who frequently consume seafood and grain need to be monitored for chronic dietary As exposure.