• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2019

Heavy metals resulted from the increase of human industrial activity are introduced into the environment through rainfall and wastewater, and have harmful effects on inhabitants. In this study, we investigated biological responses such as survival rate, growth rate, emergence rate and sex ratio, and morphological effects of mentum deformity in Chironomus plumosus, an indicator organism to evaluate pollutions on aquatic ecosystem. The survival rate of C. plumosus showed time- and dose-dependent decrease after chromium and copper exposures. Growth rate decreased at $4^{th}$ day after chromium exposure and significantly reduced at exposure to relatively high concentration (copper $1000mg\;L^{-1}$) for all exposure times. In addition, we observed that the emergence rate by exposure to copper $1000mg\;L^{-1}$ was significantly lower than that of the control group. The imbalance of sex ratios showed at relatively low concentrations (chromium 10 and $50mg\;L^{-1}$) with the high proportion of female and at the relative high concentration (copper $1000mg\;L^{-1}$) with the high proportion of male. Furthermore, the morphological mentum deformities of C. plumosus observed in the exposed group according to chromium and copper exposure. These results suggest that the heavy metal exposure in environment may influence biosynthetic and morphological stresses of benthic invertebrate C. plumosus, and aquatic midge C. plumosus are potential indicators for toxicity assessment of heavy metals such as chromium and copper.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.277-284
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• 2008

The ecotoxicological effects of 4-tert-octylphenol were observed on non-biting midge, Chironomus plumosus collected from Anyang stream in Seoul. The survival rate and adult emergence rate on C. plumosus exposed to octylphenol were not significantly affected. However, 4-tert-octylphenol induced developmental delay and disrupted sex ratio in high concentration of octylphenol. The mouth deformity such as tooth deletion or fusion in mentum, and tooth deletion in mandible were observed exposure to 4-tert-octylphenol. The deformity type of the mentum showed deletion (LT, 6.7%), and fusion (LT, 6.3%). Moreover, tooth deletion of mandible was observed in 4-tert-octylphenol treated groups (6.7%, 3 ppm).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.266-273
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• 2019

Heavy metal contamination in freshwater ecosystem has been receiving increased worldwide attention due to their direct or indirect effect on human health and aquatic organisms. In this study, we investigated biological effects such as survival rate, growth rate, emergence rate, sex ratio and mouthpart deformity of Chironomus plumosus. The survival rate of C. plumosus decreased with the increase in heavy metal concentration as well as exposure time after cadmium (Cd) or zinc (Zn) exposure. The growth rate decreased at days 4 and 7 after Cd exposure and significantly reduced at the relatively high concentration of $50mg\;L^{-1}$ Cd. The emergence rate was decreased at $50mg\;L^{-1}$ Cd and $100mg\;L^{-1}$ Zn. The sex ratio showed imbalance pattern at relatively low concentrations (0.5 and $2mg\;L^{-1}$ Cd) with high proportion of male and relatively high concentration ($100mg\;L^{-1}$ Zn) with high proportion of female (60%). In addition, mentum deformities were observed at high concentration of Cd and Zn. These results suggest that heavy metal exposure in aquatic ecosystem may affect biological and morphological responses, and aquatic midge C. plumosus is a potential indicator for assessment of environmental pollutant such as heavy metals.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2015

Chironomous is aquatic insect belonging to order Diptera, family Chironomidae. Their larval stage can be found mainly in aquatic benthic environment, hence good model organism to study environmental toxicology assessments and consider as useful bio indicators of contamination of the aquatic environment. In this study, Chironomus Heat Shock Proteins, Cytochrome 450, Glutathione S-transferase, Serine-type endopeptidase gene expressions were compared between polluted field areas (Chironomus plumosus) and under laboratory conditions (Chironomus riparious) to investigate molecular indicators for environmental contaminant stress assessment. Heavy metal (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Zn, Se, Pb, As, Cd) concentrations in sediments collected from three study areas exceeded the reference values. Moreover, HSPs, CYP450 and GST gene expression except SP for C. plumosus showed higher expression than C. riparious gene expression. Similar gene expression pattern was observed in C. riparious that exposed environment waters up to 96 h when compared to C. plumosus exposed to waters that grown in lab conditions. In summary, this comparative gene expression analysis in Chironomous between field and laboratory condition gave useful information to select candidate molecular indicators in heavy metal contaminations in the environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.1 s.110
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• pp.11-17
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• 2005

Egg masses of C. plumosus were collected from Jungnang Stream in Seoul and reared in an incubator chamber. The larvae of C. plumosus were treated with potential endocrine disruption chemicals (EDCs) such as Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), Bisphenol A (BPA) and Tebufenozide, and the effects of morphological abnormalities were observed. The deformities of the mentum following exposure to EDCs showed the smooth/round tooth, the loss of ${\ge}$1 tooth, reduced median lateral teeth (MLT) and light brown color. The incidence rates of the mentum deformity were associated with chemicals: BPA (73.7 ${\sim}$ 90.9%)>tebufenozide (57.6 ${\sim}$ 78.9%)>DEHP (46.2 ${\sim}$ 85.7%). The deformity type of the mentum showed MIX (MLT+LT, 32 ${\sim}$ 46%)>MLT (25 ${\sim}$ 34%)>LT (lateral teeth, 3 ${\sim}$ 7%). Also, the incidence of MIX type was in the order of BPA (46%)>DEHP (33%) >tebufenozide (32%), and that of MLT type showed DEHP (34%)>tebufenozide (31%)>BPA (25%). As the concentration of Tebufenozide increased, the incidence of light brown mentum was dose dependent. While the incidences of light brown mentum following exposure to BPA and DEHP were not associated with their concentrations.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.79-80
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• 2003

국내의 대부분 도시하천에 우점하여 나타나는 깔따구속(Chironomus)은 국내에 밝혀진 깔따구과(Chironomidae)중에서 가장 다양한 종다양성을 보이며 개체가 상대적으로 크고 사육이 용이하여 생태학, 독성학 및 분자유전학적 재료로 널리 쓰이고 있다. 그러나 깔따구속 각 종간의 성충 및 유충의 형태적 유사성으로 인하여 많은 분류학적 어려움을 안고 있다. 특히 국내에 분포하는 노랑털깔따구(C. flaviplumus)와 요시마쓰 깔따구(C. yoshimatsui)는 성충과 유충에 있어서 많은 변이가 나타나 여러 문헌에서 혼동되어 쓰이고 있는 실정이므로 그들의 분류가 시급한 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 전형적인 한국의 도시하천인 서울시 중랑천을 대상으로 그곳에 우점하는 장수깔따구(C. plumosus), 구슬등무늬깔따구(C. circumdatus), 등깔따구(C. dorsalis), 안개무늬깔따구(C. kiiensis), 요시마쯔깔따구의 형태적 유사성 및 차이점을 비교하였다. 채집된 요시마쯔깔따구는 배무늬 및 생식기 형태에서 다양한 변이를 보였으며, Wing length 2.77$\pm$0.17mm (2.53-2.94), Leg ratio(L.R.)가 1.60$\pm$0.05, Antenna ratio(A.R.) 2.84土0.10의 값을 나타냈다. 일부 개체는 A.R.이 3.35로 국내산 노랑털깔따구(A.R. 3.50$\pm$0.11, Ree & Kim, 1981)와 혼란될 수 있으나 이는 요시마쯔깔따구 군집내의 변이로 생각된다. 국내에 기록된 요시마쯔깔따구와 노랑털깔따구는 일본산 요시마쯔깔따구와 노랑털깔 따구가 A.R.값이 각각 3.1과 4.0(Sasa, 1978)으로 구별되는 것과 달리 A.R.에서 큰 차이가 나타나지 않고 배무늬 및 생식기 형태의 변이 폭이 크게 나타나므로 앞으로 전국적인 지역에 분포하는 상기 두 종의 개체군에 대한 비교 연구가 필요하다.