• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.829-835
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• 2006

The composition, source, and regional concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs) were measured in pine needles with several sites in Korea. Homologs specific analysis confirmed that hepta-BDE(bromodiphenyl ethers) through deca-BDE were predictive indicator for total PBDEs concentration(Pearson's correlation coefficient r>0.96, p<0.001). Deca-BDE were detected in relatively very high concentration compared to other PBDE congeners in all samples. The similarity of between congeners profile to those of Bromkal 70-5DE and DE-71, the commercial mixture of PBDEs, indicates these mixtures are source of PBDEs observed in these sites. Also, BDE-47, -99, -100, -206, -207, and -209 were the dominant congeners in all samples, suggesting that the widely used commercial penta- and deca-BDE technical mixture were the original sources. However, Pearson's correlation coefficients of between BDE-209 and BDE-47, -99, -100 were insignificant, which implied that tetra-BDE and penta-BDE may originate from secondary sources such as air-plant partition in manner similar to that of the PCBs, while deca-BDE formulation still has primary sources.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.64-74
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• 2010

Background: The present study was undertaken to examine the immunological effects of pentabrominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE) and decabrominated diphenyl ether (deca-BDE) on the immune system of the dams and the developmental immune system of the offsprings. Methods: In this study, mated female C57BL/6J mice were orally administered penta-BDE, deca-BDE or corn oil for 5 weeks, from gestational day 6 to lactational day 21. Results: The body weight of PND21 exposed to penta-BDE was significantly decreased relative to control mice, but that of post-natal day 63 (PND63) were recovered. Orally dosed dams with penta-BDE had significantly smaller absolute and relative spleen masses than control mice. Absolute and relative spleen and thymus masses of PND21 exposed to penta-BDE were significantly decreased over control. The exposure of dams and PND21 with penta-BDE reduced the number of splenocytes and thymocytes. As results of hematologic analysis, percentage WBC and percentage neutrophils increased in dams with deca-BDE. Splenic T cell proliferation in dams and PND21 exposed to penta-BDE was increased, and there were no significant difference in splenic B cell proliferation in all treatment groups. As results of flow cytometric analysis of splenocyte, percentage total T cell, Th cell and Tc cell in PND21 exposed to penta-BDE was slightly increased, and percentage macrophage in dams and PND21 exposed to deca-BDE was decreased. The ELISA results of antibody production show no significant difference in all treatment groups relative to controls. Conclusion: These results imply that PBDEs given to the dam were transferred to the offspring during gestation and lactation, and PBDEs transferred from the dam affect immune system of offspring.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.2 s.89
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• pp.111-117
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• 2006

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in pine needles and soil samples from rural area were analyzed in this study. Concentrations of PBDE congeners were ranged between 0.2 and 3104 pg/g DW(dry weight) in pine needles and between 2.4 and 1997 pg/g DW in soil samples. The most abundant congener both in pine needles and soil samples was BDE-209, which was related to importation and production of deca-BDE technical mixtures in Korean industry. And BDE-99, BDE-47, BDE-100 deposited in pine needles and soil samples were closely matched with the major constituents of the penta-BDE technical mixture. Those can be interpreted as an evidence that transfer of the congeners in deca-BDE and penta-BDE technical mixtures from source to pine needle and soil occurs with broadly similar efficiency. Correlation coefficient(r) of PBDE congeners deposited in pine needles and soil samples is very significant because it implies th at there has been little weathering/degradation/alteration of the congeners generated from sources during atmospheric transport or within pine needles and soil themselves.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.510-516
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• 2009

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in soil samples of Ansung in Kyonggi-province to investigate concentration distribution of PBDEs and PCBs. The 10 soil samples were collected using a stainless steel hand-held corer that was cleaned before and after each sample using hexane. Total concentration of PBDE and PCBs were 2,205.3 and 348.1 pg/g dry weight (DW) in soil sample, respectively. BDE-209 showed as the most abundant congener in soil samples which was related to imported amount and usage amount of deca-BDE technical mixture in Korea. Also, BDE-99, BDE-47, BDE-100 deposition in soil sample was higher than other congeners and was related to the imported and usage amount reported for penta-BDE technical mixture in Korea. Correlation coefficient between PBDE contribution and technical mixture formulation (Bromokal 70-5DE) were significant (r=0.91, p<0.01) which suggests the influence of sources in this technical mixtures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2010

Octopus(Octopus minor), benthic cephalopod, were collected from intertidal zone in Seosan, Choongnam and analyzed for polybrominted diphenyl ethers(PBDEs). PBDEs concentrations ranged from 29 to 109 ng/g lipid wt(mean; 54 ng/g) in mantle and from 12 to 89 ng/g lipid wt(mean; 48 ng/g) in internal organ. PBDEs concentrations in octopus internal organ were lower about two times than that in common squid collected in Yellow Sea, indicating Seosan is relatively less contaminated with PBDEs. Major congener was BDE 206, occupying 72% and 49% of total PBDE concentration in mantle and in internal organ, respectively, which is very different from PBDE composition in common squid with major congeners of BDE 47 and 99. From PBDE composition, octopus seemed to concentrate higher brominated BDE rather than lower brominated BDE. This PBDE composition in octopus may be affected by sediment with extremely high contribution of deca-BDE to total PBDE concentration.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.83-96
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• 2005

Brominated flame retardants have the market share of 40%, comparing others because of their low cost and highly effective retardation against the flame. However, their toxic effects in human and properties of the accumulation in the environments have been issued among the international organization such as EU, OECD and etc. It, therefore, was surveyed the classification, toxic effects, and the usage of Brominated flame retardants, the trends for their managements in the world and Korea, and their contaminated levels in Korean Peninsula. In addition, the management directions for them were proposed. Penta, octa, and deca-BDE among brominated retardants will seem to be prohibited by the regulation as a flame retardants for plastics in Europe because of their toxic effects. Although Penta and Octa BDEs was used marginally in Korea, deca-BDE was 27% of brominated flame retardants (49,050 ton) which had been used in 2002. However, risk assessment for brominated retardants might not launched in Korea, yet. These reports demonstrate that toxic brominated retardants such as PBDEs will be assessed for their usage and the level of contamination in the environment in the area of the point sources like the industrial areas, incinerators and etc. However, the law to regulate the hazardous chemicals seems not to be dictated the monitoring of their contamination in the environment. We, therefore, suggest how to evaluate and to monitor the toxic contaminants with EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) system. Further, to establish the management system of BFRs (such as the monitering of contamination levels in environments, life cycle assessment, and risk assessment for the toxic chemicals), It can be recommended the law to deal with the method analyzing chemicals will be established, which contains QA/QC (Quality Assurance and Quality Control) to evaluate the analytic capability of the companies to prepare EIS (Environment Impact Statement) or other institutes for analyzing chemicals.

• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.692-700
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• 2018

In this study, the results of PBDEs and HBCDs of the products and waste that contain BFRs such as domestic electronic products, automobiles and textile products were compared with international management standards, and their excess rates were calculated. Deca-BDE was detected among the PBDEs in TV rear cover plastics, car seats, automotive interior plastics, and automobile shredding residues of products and waste containing BFRs. The comparison with Basel Convention management standards (1,000 mg/kg) for PBDE-containing wastes (4 types in total) shows that the excess rate of all samples was less than 1.5%. The estimated excess rate compared to the EU and Basel convention management standards (1,000 mg/kg) for PBDEs (4 species + deca-BDE) and TV rear cover plastics was 37.5% (30 of 80 samples exceeded the standards). The estimated excess rate compared to the Basel convention management standards (1,000 mg/kg) for HBCD, building materials products and waste was 15.7% (17 of 108 samples exceeded the standards). In the case of PBDEs, it is necessary to remove only the rear cover of CRT TV among the electric and electronic products and treat it in the flame retardant treatment facility to improve the recycling collection system. In the case of HBCD, it is necessary to appropriately dispose of the recycled materials, heat insulation materials, TV plastics, and styrofoam in marine fishery among construction materials and restrict the use as recycled raw materials.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2008

For the evaluation of brominated flame retardants included in polymeric electronic devices, we investigated the extraction methods and solvent systems for four different types of polymers of PC (polycarbonate), PP (polyropylene), PET (poly(ethylene terephthalate)) and PBT (poly(butylene terephthalate)) using different solvent systems of hexane/acetone, THF, toluene, and THF/toluene. In order to compare the extraction efficiency of different methods and solvent systems, the deca-BDE (decabromo diphenyl ether) flame retardant was included in PC, PP, PET and PBT systems and subsequently extracted by soxhlet, ultrasonic, accelerated solvent, microwave and supercritical fluid extraction methods. The amount of the extracted flame retardant was monitored to evaluate the extraction efficiency. The ultrasonic extraction method was found not to be acceptable as an extraction method for the polymer systems mainly due to a low salvation efficiency of the organic solvents. Soxhlet, accelerated solvent and microwave extraction methods exhibited over 80% of extraction efficiency for toluene. The supercritical fluid extraction method, which has been used as an extraction method for flame retardants in polymers, showed the extraction efficiencies of ca. 100% for PC and PP in the optimal extraction conditions of $60^{\circ}C$ and 120 bar.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.186-194
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• 2013

We investigated the concentrations and distribution patterns of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs), 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DL-PCBs) and 24 polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs) in sediments from Ulsan Bay in Korea. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs, and PBDEs in 33 sediment samples ranged from 0.11 to 4.86($1.81{\pm}1.04$) pg $WHO_{2005}$-TEQ $g^{-1}$ dry weight(dw), 0.06 to 44.2($4.02{\pm}7.99$) pg $WHO_{2005}$-TEQ $g^{-1}$ dw, and 2.81 to 63.8($19.4{\pm}13.9$) ng $g^{-1}$ dw, respectively. DL-PCBs had dominant contributions(mean, 88%) of total TEQ concentrations in sediment. The concentrations of target compounds in inner locations were higher than those in outer locations in Ulsan Bay (p<0.05). The dominant contribution of highly chlorinated DD/Fs in sediment was associated with combustion process from industrial complexes. Distribution pattern of DL-PCBs was similar with those of commercial PCB products. BDE209 was a dominant congener in sediment, suggesting high use amount of commercial deca-BDE product in surrounding areas.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1071-1076
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• 2007

Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in pine needles of Seoul, and Ansung(GyeongGi-do) to investigate composition, source, and regional concentration of PBDEs. Concentration of total PCBs in Seoul and Ansung showed 608, 945 pg/g DW (mean: 777 pg/g DW), respectively, also concentration of total PBDEs(pg/g DW) in Seoul and Ansung showed 7944, 14,255 pg/g DW(mean 11,100 pg/g DW). Tetrachlorinated biphenyls(Tetra-CBs) and Decabromodiphenyl ethers (Deca-BDE) were detected in relatively high concentration compared to other PBDE congeners in Seoul and Ansung. Correlation coefficients(r) of between PCB congeners in pine needles detected of Seoul and Ansung were significant (r=0.85, p<0.01). It suggested that PCBs concentration in pine needles may originate from secondary sources such as air-plant partition. The similarity of between PBDE congeners profile to those of the technical mixture formulation (Bromkal 70-5DE) suggests a source of this product in these sites.