• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.1277-1287
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• 2014

As concerns have been raised about health effects of children's products containing hazardous chemicals on children, the Korea Ministry of Environment announced 135 environmental hazardous substances in children's products (EHSCP) which were subject to risk assessment. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the current status of EHSCP for management due to their various exposure routes and types. In this study, we investigated the exposure assessment of EHSCP as well as relevant policies implemented in domestic and foreign countries. Domestic and foreign cases of detection of EHSCP were reviewed in the literature and websites of related agencies. Due to the lack of reference values for child-specific toxicity of EHSCP, those for adults and regulatory status of EHSCP were also investigated and reviewed with literature. The related agencies of foreign countries provided 13 child-specific reference doses (RfDs), 76 RfDs, and 42 reference concentrations as toxicity reference values of the EHSCP. Among substances investigated in the studies to assess exposure of hazardous substances in children's products by the Korea Ministry of Environment, 23 substances were included in 135 EHSCP. The same studies identified 9 substances which were excluded from the 135 EHSCP. For regulatory status for hazardous substances in children's products, 44 substances (32.6 %) and 84 substances (62.2 %) of 135 EHSCP were under regulation in Korea and foreign countries, respectively. In the present study, we found that a list of 135 EHSCP should be revised to ensure children's safety.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.26
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• pp.8.1-8.9
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• 2011

Objectives: This study assessed the health risks for children exposed to phthalate through several pathways including house dust, surface wipes and hand wipes in child facilities and indoor playgrounds. Methods: The indoor samples were collected from various children's facilities (40 playrooms, 42 daycare centers, 44 kindergartens, and 42 indoor-playgrounds) in both summer (Jul-Sep, 2007) and winter (Jan-Feb, 2008). Hazard index (HI) was estimated for the non-carcinogens and the examined phthalates were diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP). The present study examined these four kinds of samples, i.e., indoor dust, surface wipes of product and hand wipes. Results: Among the phthalates, the detection rates of DEHP were 98% in dust samples, 100% in surface wipe samples, and 95% in hand wipe samples. In this study, phthalate levels obtained from floor dust, product surface and children's hand wipe samples were similar to or slightly less compared to previous studies. The $50^{th}$ and $95^{th}$ percentile value of child-sensitive materials did not exceed 1 (HI) for all subjects in all facilities. Conclusions: For DEHP, DnBP and BBzP their detection rates through multi-routes were high and their risk based on health risk assessment was also observed to be acceptable. This study suggested that ingestion and dermal exposure could be the most important pathway of phthalates besides digestion through food.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.360-367
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• 2020

In this study, the accumulation and distribution routes of microplastics in soil environment were examined, and their analytical methodologies were summarized. Density separation and removal process of inhibition materials were introduced for the separation of microplastics in soil and the basic principles and limitations of quantitative and qualitative analyses including pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry, µ-Raman spectrometry, fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and microscopes were investigated. Chemical extraction methods for the analysis of mediated hazardous substance (additives and sorbed matters) in microplastics were also discussed with focusing on in vitro bioaccessibility assay for the human oral exposure route. Based on the described methodologies for the analysis of microplastics in soil, it is expected that these methods enable to select appropriate analysis techniques in consideration of medium state, contamination level and sample quantity.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2013

As facilities and equipments for learning activities in college campuses are handled by mass public, their contact surfaces may function as major routes of cross-infection of microbial pathogens. However, unlike items in cafeteria which is the typical target for campus hygiene, those surfaces are not under regular surveillance or sanitary maintenance. In this study, I made a quantitative comparison of the risk of being exposed to microbial pathogens from use of learning facilities such as classrooms and library to the risk from use of cafeteria, for about 1,500 students in a college. Regarding total coliforms as surrogate model of bacterial pathogens, exposure rates were estimated for each item in learning facilities and cafeterias by devising deterministic exposure algorithms based on bacterial abundance, contract rates and transfer rates. The exposure rate in cafeterias was 1.0 CFU/day while learning facilities imposed the rate of 0.5 CFU/day, which reaches a half of the exposure rate in cafeterias. However, 70% of students were exposed more in learning facilities than cafeteria because individuals had different frequencies in using cafeteria. Based on the results, some human-contact surfaces of learning facilities, including elevator buttons, may require regular sanitary maintenance. An efficient sanitary maintenance considering seasonality in diversity of pathogens involved with cross-infections is suggested besides improvement of personal hygiene among students.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2011

This study focused on health risk assessment via multi-routes of As exposure to establish a target cleanup level (TCL) in abandoned mines. Soil, ground water, and rice samples were collected near ten abandoned mines in November 2009. The As contaminations measured in all samples were used for determining the probabilistic health risk by Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. The human exposure to As compound was attributed to ground water ingestion. Cancer risk probability (R) via ground water and rice intake exceeded the acceptable risk range of $10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-4}$ in all selected mines. In particular, the MB mine showed the higher R value than other mines. The non-carcinogenic effects, estimated by comparing the average As exposure with corresponding reference dose were determined by hazard quotient (HQ) values, which were less than 1.0 via ground water and rice intake in SD, NS, and MB mines. This implied that the non-carcinogenic toxic effects, due to this exposure pathway had a greater possibility to occur than those in other mines. Besides, hazard index (HI) values, representing overall toxic effects by summed the HQ values were also greater than 1.0 in SD, NS, JA, and IA mines. This revealed that non-carcinogenic toxic effects were generally occurred. The As contaminants in all selected mines exceeded the TCL values for target cancer risk ($10^{-6}$) through ground water ingestion and rice intake. However, the As level in soil was greater than TCL value for target cancer risk via inadvertent soil ingestion pathway, except for KK mine. In TCL values for target hazard quotient (THQ), the As contaminants in soil did not exceed such TCL value. On the contrary, the As levels in ground water and polished rice in SD, NS, IA, and MB mines were also beyond the TCL values via ground water and rice intake. This study concluded that the health risks through ground water and rice intake were greater than those though soil inadvertent ingestion and dermal contact. In addition, it suggests that the abandoned mines to exceed the risk-based TCL values are carefully necessary to monitor for soil remediation.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.31
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• pp.26.1-26.9
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• 2016

Objectives Korea's Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) was enacted for the protection of human health and the environment in 2015. Considering that about 2000 new substances are introduced annually across the globe, the extent of animal testing requirement could be overwhelming unless regulators and companies work proactively to institute and enforce global best practices to replace, reduce or refine animal use. In this review, the way to reduce the animal use for K-REACH is discussed. Methods Background of the enforcement of the K-REACH and its details was reviewed along with the papers and regulatory documents regarding the limitation of animal experiments and its alternatives in order to discuss the regulatory adoption of alternative tests. Results Depending on the tonnage of the chemical used, the data required ranges from acute and other short-term studies for a single exposure route to testing via multiple exposure routes and costly, longer-term studies such as a full two-generation reproducibility toxicity. The European Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals regulation provides for mandatory sharing of vertebrate test data to avoid unnecessary duplication of animal use and test costs, and obligation to revise data requirements and test guidelines "as soon as possible" after relevant, validated replacement, reduction or refinement (3R) methods become available. Furthermore, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development actively accepts alternative animal tests and 3R to chemical toxicity tests. Conclusions Alternative tests which are more ethical and efficient than animal experiments should be widely used to assess the toxicity of chemicals for K-REACH registration. The relevant regulatory agencies will have to make efforts to actively adopt and uptake new alternative tests and 3R to K-REACH.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.137-154
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• 2019

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound used in consumer products. The purpose of current study was to examine toxicology and risk assessment of TCS based on available data. Acute toxicities of oral, transdermal and inhalation routes were low, and phototoxicity and neurotoxicity were not observed. Topical treatment of TCS to animal caused mild irritation. TCS did not induce reproductive and developmental toxicity in rodents. In addition, genotoxicity was not considered based on in vitro and in vivo tests of TCS. It is not classified as a carcinogen in international authorities such as International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). No-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined 12 mg/kg bw/day for TCS, based on haematoxicity and reduction of absolute and relative spleen weights in a 104-week oral toxicity study in rats. Percutaneous absorption rate was set as 14%, which was human skin absorption study reported by National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) (2009). The systemic exposure dosage (SED) of TCS has been derived by two scenarios depending on the cosmetics usage of Koreans. The first scenario is the combined use of representative cosmetics and oral care products. The second scenario is the combined use of rinse-off products of cleansing, deodorants, coloring products, and oral care products. SEDs have been calculated as 0.14337 mg/kg bw/day for the first scenario and 0.04733 mg/kg bw/day for the second scenario. As a result, margin of safety (MOS) for the first and second scenarios was estimated to 84 and 253.5, respectively. Based on these results, exposure of TCS contained in rinse-off products, deodorants, and coloring products would not pose a significant health risk when it is used up to 0.3%.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.513-520
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• 2021

Background: Benzalkonium chloride (BKC) has been extensively used as a preservative in industrial products and in hygiene, medical, and cosmetic applications. Humidifier disinfectant (HD) products containing BKC have been used in South Korea. Objectives: This study was aimed to review types of products containing BKC, to summarize the regulations in the US, EU, Japan, and South Korea, and to review the health effects associated with the use of HD. Methods: We reviewed and summarized documents which were searched through PubMed and Google Scholar with the key words: BKC and asthma/contact dermatitis, humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury (HDLI), and more. Results: Regulations in most countries including South Korea do not allow its use as disinfectants in spray-type of products for medicine, cosmetics, and household products. Two types of HD containing BKC (800~1,270 ppm) were marketed in South Korea from 1996~2003. Health effects reported from people who used products containing BKC were allergic contact dermatitis, erythema, and respiratory disease, including asthma. Two people who responded as HD users containing BKC only were confirmed to have developed asthma. HD-associated lung injury (HDLI) was reported by consumers who used both HD containing polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) and HD containing BKC. Conclusions: In conclusion, the use of BKC as a biocide has to be controlled considering the route and pattern of exposure. Products containing BKC as preservatives were reviewed with exposure routes and sites in the human body such as skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract. HD containing BKC was clinically evaluated to be associated with asthma.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.434-442
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• 2022

Highly toxic chemical warfare agents(CWA) could be used in chemical warfare and terrorism. The protection of skin is crucial for civilians and soldiers, because the primary routes of exposure to CWA are inhalation and skin absorption. Thus, topical skin protectants(TSP) have been studied and developed in many countries to complement protective equipments. In this study, in-vitro test procedure was optimized and established using a flow-through diffusion cell system containing excised hairless mouse skin in an attempt to assess the effectiveness of various TSP formulations against nerve agent simulants. In addition, the test results on the formulations including the ingredients used in SERPACWA(Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agent) and IB-1(TSP of Israel) were included, indicating that the formulations with perfluorinated compounds were more effective than the glycerin-based formulations.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2023

Background: Food consumption is one of the most important routes for radionuclide intake for the public; therefore, there is the need to have a comprehensive understanding of the amount of radioactivity in food products. Consumption of radionuclide-contaminated food could increase potential health risks associated with exposure to radiation such as cancers. The present study aims to determine radioactivity levels in some food products (milk, rice, sugar, and wheat flour) consumed in Mali and to evaluate the radiological effect on the public health from these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: The health impact due to ingestion of radionuclides from these foods was evaluated by the determination of activity concentration of radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs using gamma spectrometry system with high-purity germanium detector and radiological hazards index in 16 samples collected in some markets, mall, and shops of Bamako-Mali. Results and Discussion: The average activity concentrations were 9.8±0.6 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U, 8.7±0.5 Bq/kg for ²³²Th, 162.9±7.9 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K, and 0.0035±0.0005 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs. The mean values of radiological hazard parameters such as annual committed effective dose, internal hazard index, and risk assessment from this work were within the dose criteria limits given by international organizations (International Commission on Radiological Protection and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) and national standards. Conclusion: The results show low public exposure to radioactivity and associated radiological impact on public health. Nevertheless, this study stipulates vital data for future research and regulatory authorities in Mali.