• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.164-173
• /
• 2015

To investigate the effect of lactic acid bacteria on the heavy metal adsorption from internal organs and blood, lactic acid bacteria were isolated from human feces. Some strains resistant to heavy metals were selected by incubation in agar media containing each of chrome and cadmium salts. Among them, a strain named KP-3 was ultimately chosen due to its higher growth rate in selective broth medium containing the heavy metals at the concentration of 0.01%. The strain was identified as Lactobacillus sp. based on its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics. For evaluating the ability to prevent accumulation of heavy metals by selected Lactobacillus sp. strain in vivo, Sprague Dawley rats were fed with heavy metal salts (cadmium, chrome and lead) with or without cultured whole cells for 7 days. The amounts of heavy metals accumulated in liver, kidney and blood were analyzed. As a result, chrome was accumulated to kidney mostly, and lead was frequently found in liver and kidney. Experimental group (rats fed with lactic acid bacteria) showed less accumulation of heavy metal than control group (rats fed with saline solution). The inhibition rates of heavy metal accumulation were calculated to 41.8% (Cd), 33.4% (Cr) and 44.2% (Pb). Especially, feeding lactic acid bacteria strongly reduced accumulation of cadmium in blood. The results showed that feeding Lactobacillus sp. KP-3 could prevent the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the living body.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.675-684
• /
• 2011

In nature, the overall effect of heavy metals on the biota can be influenced by a number of environmental factors like soil characteristics and air pollution by elevated $CO_2$. Pillbugs (Isopoda, Armadillium vulgare) take up heavy metals with their food and store them mainly in the vesicles of hepatopancreas. They accumulate certain metals, occur in relatively large numbers, are easily collected and identified, and provide sufficient material for analysis. The species are decomposing litter well and soil impurities into N and P. Therefore, it has been suggested that total body concentration of metals in pillbugs could be positively correlated to the levels of environmental exposure and that pillbugs could be used as biological indicators of metal pollution and global change by $CO_2$. The aim of the study is to determine effects of heavy metal concentrations in soil and elevated $CO_2$ on pillbugs' body accumulation of heavy metal and growth rate. In this study, the concentrations of six metals (Fe, Mg Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) have been determined. Pillbugs (N=287) were collected at five sites during Jul-Aug, 2006. Cu and Zn concentrations in the body were much higher than in the soils(1.39-41.70 times). This indicated that bioaccumulation of some of the heavy metals were increasing in the food-chain. The high bioconcentration of lead in Sangam may be partly associated with reclaimed land uses.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was in search of native plant species showing metal-resistant property and excessively accumulating heavy metals in metal-contaminated soil or abandoned mines as well as in evaluation of applicability of phytoremediation. In the study area, species showing excessively accumulating heavy metals were a shepherd´s purse, pampas grass, a Korean lettuce, a Hwansam vine, the Korean persicary, a foxtail, a goosefoot, and a water pepper. The first screened plant species in Sambo mine were as shepherd's purse, Korean lettuce and pampas grass Among them the shepherd´s purse can be excluded because it is a seasonal plant and has lower removal capacity for heavy metals. The Korean lettuce was also excluded because of having lower removal capacity for heavy metals. Pampas grass is a highly bionic plant species constantly growing from spring. However it has weak points such as little accumulation capacity for zinc as well as small values of an accumulation factor and a translocation factor. Another problem is regarded as removal of roots after the clean up if pampas grass is applied to a farmland. In Sanyang mine, wormwood and Sorijaengi were considered as adaptable species.

• Advances in environmental research
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.175-189
• /
• 2020

Municipal solid waste disposal is considered as one of the most important risks for environmental contamination which necessitates the development of strategies to reduce destructive consequences on the ecosystem as related especially to heavy metal accumulation. This study investigates heavy metal (i.e., As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) accumulation in the Tonekabon region, NW of Iran that is related to city waste disposal and evaluates the environmental impact in the Caspian Sea coastal region. For this purpose, after performing field studies and collecting 50 soil specimens from 5 sites of the study area, geochemical tests (i.e., inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy and x-ray fluorescence) were conducted on the soil specimens collected from the 5 sites (named as Sites A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5) and the results were used to estimate the pollution indices (i.e., geo-accumulation index, normalized enrichment factor, contamination factor, and pollution load index). The obtained indices were utilized to assess the eco-toxicological risk level in the landfill site which indicated that the city has been severely contaminated by Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. These levels have been developed along the stream towards the nearshore areas indicating uptake of soil degradation. The heavy metal contamination was classified to range from unpolluted to highly polluted, which indicated serious heavy metal pollution in the study area as related to municipal solid waste disposal in Tonekabon.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.349-354
• /
• 2003

This paper reports that the heavy metal accumulation in marine seaweeds. Algal samples collected from Korean coast were analyzed to determine the concentrations of Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn and Pb. In general, heavy metals were found to be concentrated in many kinds of Korean seaweeds. The concentration levels of accumulated heavy metals in the marine seaweeds was in the following order: Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Cd. The concentrations of the heavy metals in the seawater were the highest in Iyajin harbor. Sargassum horneri, a brown alga accumulated high concentrations of Cu (80.66 ${\mu}g{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dw) and Cr (31.54 ${\mu}g{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dw). The high concentrations of heavy metals were accumulated in the brown algae.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2014

This study attempted to utilize various groundcover plants in phytoremediation, using shade plants, which often have a high shade tolerance for shade urban space. Liriope platyphylla was grown in soil containing three of heavy metals, Zn, Cd, and Pb under four different concentrations (0, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) to determine the heavy metal accumulation characteristics and removing from soil. Total amounts of accumulated Zn in L. platyphylla were increased in accordance with increasing elevated Zn concentrations in soil, but the difference was not significant between Zn250 and Zn500. Cd accumulation, sharply increased in Cd100 and Cd250, but was reduced in Cd500. Increased Pb concentration in soil resulted a continuous increase in the total amounts of Pb accumulated in L. platyphylla. The total content of Zn in soil decreased by almost 50% in Zn100, almost 33% in Zn250 and 20% in Zn500 through growth of L. platyphylla over a period of 7 months. In the case of Cd, the concentration in soil, was decreased with 10% in Cd100, 10% in Cd250 and 33% in Cd500 through growth of L. platyphylla over a period of 7 months. This results indicate that more Cd was removed by planting L. platyphylla, compared to Zn or Pb.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.27-42
• /
• 2018

It is important to identify the contaminant sources and to evaluate the fate and transport of heavy metals to crops in agricultural lands. This study was conducted to evaluate metal sources and its transfer and accumulation to crop in agricultural soils. Pollution indices were calculated and multivariate analysis was performed to identify metal sources. To evaluate transfer and accumulation of metals to crops, the contents of phytoavailable metals were evaluated by using single extraction method and the correlation between metal content and soil properties was analyzed. Also the BCF was quantitatively evaluated for investigating the metal transition to each crop grown in the research area. As a result, Cr, Ni, and Co were expected to be mainly derived from geologic factors due to weathering of certain parent rocks. The content of nickel in soils of the research area was slightly higher than that of the concern level criteria based on total concentration, but the amount transferred and accumulated in the crops was actually low. Understanding the contamination characteristics by investigating the pollution sources of heavy metals and its transfer and accumulation to crops through various evaluation techniques could provide important information for proper management of the agricultural land.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.197-206
• /
• 2004

Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, was transplanted reciprocally between contaminated site (St. STP) and relatively less contaminated site (St. UB) in Onsan Bay, Korea in order to estimate heavy metal accumulation and release. Transplanted and indigenous mussels were collected 8 times over 108 days deployment at both sites and analyzed for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn using ICP/MS. Cu and Zn concentration did not show any significant differences between transplanted and indigenous mussels throughout the experiment period, although dissolved Cu and Zn concentrations in seawater were significantly higher at contaminated site. Pb accumulated rapidly, while Cd did not show any accumulation in the mussels transplanted from St. UB to St. STP. These accumulation patterns might reflect the variation of dissolved metal concentration; dissolved Pb concentration was significantly higher in St. STP than St. UB, while dissolved Cd concentration was similar between both sites throughout this experiment. Release of Cd and Pb in the mussels transplanted from St. STP to St. UB was not significant during the transplantation period. The levels and variation of Pb and Cd concentrations in mussels transplanted from St. STP to St. UB were similar to those in the indigenous mussels at St. STP throughout the period. Therefore, Cd and Pb accumulated in indigenous mussels may indicate the integrated metals throughout their lives, not responding to the present status of seawater because the release of accumulated metals in mussels occurs very slowly when the seawater metal levels are lowered. On the other hand, since the transplanted mussels can respond immediately to the levels of metals in seawater, it may be suggested that the present status of heavy metals in seawater can be only acquired from the metal levels of mussels transplanted from clean environments.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2010

Phytoextraction, one type of phytoremediation processes, has been widely used in the removal of heavy metals from polluted soil. This paper reviewed literature on metal uptake by plants and characterized the metal uptake by types of metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, and As), plant species, initial metal concentrations in soil and the distribution of metals in different parts of plants. The potential of metal accumulation and transport by plants was closely related to plants species, types of metals, and initial metal concentrations in soil. The plants belonging to Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, Poaceae, and Convolvulaceae families have shown the high potential capacity of Cd accumulation. The Gentianaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Polygonaceae families have exhibited relatively high Pb uptake potential while the Pteridaceae and Cyperaceae families have shown relatively high Zn uptake potential. The Pteridaceae family could uptake a remarkably high amount of As compared with other plant families. The potential metal accumulation per plant biomass has increased with increasing initial metal concentration in soil up to a certain level and then decreased for Cd and Zn. For As, only Pteris vittata had a linear relationship between initial concentration in soil and potential of metal uptake. However, a meaningful relationship for Pb was not found in this study. Generally, the plants having high metal uptake potential for Cd or Pb mainly accumulated the metal in their roots. However, the Euphorbiaceae family has accumulated more than 80% of Pb in shoot. Zn has evenly accumulated in roots and stems except for the plants belonging to the Polygonaceae and Rosaceae families which accumulated Zn in their leaves. The Pteridaceae family has accumulated a higher amount of As in leaves than roots. The types of metals, plant species, and initial metal concentration in soil influence the metal uptake by plants. It is important to select site-specific plant species for effective removal of metals in soil. Therefore, this study may provide useful and beneficial information on metal accumulation by plants for the in situ phytoremediation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
• /
• 2004.06a
• /
• pp.87-91
• /
• 2004

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural experiments were conducted to find out heavy metal accumulation in some selected organs such as the kidney, the hepatopancreas, and the gills of the Antarctic Clam Laternula elliptica According to the immunohistochemical study the subject organs of the clam showed reactions indicating the presence of MT(metallothionein), a metal-binding protein involved in metal detoxifying process. Examination under the transmission electron microscope also revealed that other ligands(e.g. metal-rich granules in the kidney) may play a role in metal accumulating and detoxifying process in L. elliptica. In the artificial exposure of the clam to Cd, it showed immediate subcellular responses, suggesting that this species can be used as rapid and efficient bioindicators for Cd exposure in natural environment.