• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.122-129
• /
• 2012

In this study, environmental problems(i.e., pH elevation and $Cr^{6+}$ detection) occurred by using the cement grout made from CA(calcium aluminate) were evaluated using viscosity agents(MC, chelate polymer). Ordinary portland cement and blaste-furnace slag cement were used by main materials and ACC(blended mixture of calcium aluminate) were used by accelerator for hardening of grout. In addition, viscosity agents were used for preventing pH elevation and heavy metal detection from grouting materials. From the results, it was noted that when chelate polymer was used, pH elevation and $Cr^{6+}$ detection were minimized. However, other cases showed higher pH elevation and $Cr^{6+}$ detection. At test 1 day, $Cr^{6+}$ detection with age presented over 97% of total value and, after that, additional increase was not distinct. As a result of this study, it was acknowledged that, to control pH elevation and heavy-metal (like $Cr^{6+}$) detection, the usage of BSC and chelate polymer is a very useful fact.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.583-596
• /
• 2005

Samples of water, soil, and sediment were taken from 10 streams of Andong city in Gyeongbuk province in October 2004. To assess the degree of environmental pollution for each stream site, the chemical analyses of pollutants such as T-N, T-P, COD, heavy metal, organophosphorous and organochlorine pesticides, and dioxin-like PCB congeners were implemented using the standard process tests or the U. S. EPA methods. In addition, biological assessment using insect immune biomarkers was conducted on the same environmental samples to complement the chemical assessment. Except Waya stream (T-N; 2.91 mg/L, T-P; 0.16 mg/L, COD; 14.0 mg/L) with above the environmental quality standards, the T-P and COD concentrations of 9 sites are relatively low. The contents of Pb and Cd in samples taken from each stream were much lower than environmental quality standards. However, in comparison with soil samples of other streams, several times higher concentrations of Pb and Cd were found in locations at Mi, Gilan, Yeonha, and Waya stream sites. Dementon-S-methyl, diazinon, parathion, and phenthoate compounds among organophosphorous pesticides were detected as concentrations of ppb levels, respectively, from soil samples collected in the vicinity of Gilan, Mi, Norim, and Waya stream. On the other hand, 16 organochlorine pesticides and 12 dioxin-like PCB congeners selected in this study were not found in all samples. In particular, considering significant disrupting effects of Waya stream's samples on insect immune capacity, this stream seems to be contaminated with investigated and/or univestigated pollutants in this study.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2018

This study explored secondary effects of the residual hydrofluoric acid (HF) after a hypothetical acid spill accident by investigating the long-term dissolution of minerals and leaching of pre-existing arsenic (As) from two soil samples (i.e., KBS and KBM) through batch and column experiments. An increase in the HF concentration in both soil samples resulted in a dramatic increase in the release of major cations, especially Si. However, the amounts of mineral dissolved were dependent on the soil type and mineral characteristics. Compared to the KBM soil, relatively more Ca, Mg and Si were dissolved from the KBS soil. The column experiment showed that the long-term dissolution rates of the minerals are closely associated with the acid buffering capacity of the two soils. The KBM soil had relatively higher effluent pH values compared to the KBS soil. Also, more As was leached from the KBM soil, with a more amorphous hydrous oxide-bound As fraction. These results suggest that the potential of heavy metal leaching by the residual acid after an acid spill will be influenced by heavy metal speciation and mineral structure in the affected soil.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.251-257
• /
• 2008

Food compost, having a higher organic contents than soil, could be an alternative material to prevent the proliferation of heavy metals contamination in soil. In this study we used a convection-dispersion local equilibrium sorption model(CDE) and a two-site non-equilibrium sorption model to find the effects on the adsorption and transportation of Pb by mixing food compost with soil and we also tried to find the effect of velocity and concentration of the injected solution on the characteristics of Pb. We measured Pb concentrations in injection-liquid and in effluent, and then applied them to CXTFIT program. As a result of column experiments, some parameters(D, R, ${\beta}$, ${\omega}$) used in two-site non-equilibrium adsorption model were obtained. Characteristics of Pb adsorption and transport were analyzed using the parameters(D, R, ${\beta}$, ${\omega}$) obtained from the CXTFIT program, We could know that mixed soil with food compost showed a higher adsorption capacity from the retardation factor(R) calculated from the breakthrough curve(BTCs) of Pb. Rs of soil and mixed soil are 20.45, 37.45 respectively, indicating that the adsorption and the transportation characteristics could be accessed quantitatively by using of two-site non-equilibrium adsorption model.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.167-167
• /
• 2002

Methylmercury (MeHg), one of the heavy metal compound, can cause severe damage to the central nervous system in humans. Many reports have contributed MeHg poisoning to contaminated foods and release into the environment. Despite many studies on the pathogenesis of MeHg-induced central neuropathy, no useful mechanism of toxicity has been established. To find genes differentially expressed by MeHg in neuronal cell, we peformed forward and reverse suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method on mRNA derived from neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y treated with solvent (DMSO) and 6.25 uM (IC$\sub$50/) MeHg. Differentially expressed CDNA clones were sequenced and the mRNAs were re-examined on Northern blots. These sequences were identified by BLAST homology search to known genes or expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Analysis of these sequences has provided an insight into the biological effects of MeHg in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease and a possibility to develop more efficient and exact monitoring system of heavy metals as common environmental pollutants.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.60-66
• /
• 2006

Methylmercury (MeHg), one of the heavy metal compounds, can cause severe damage to the central nervous system in humans. Many reports have shown that MeHg is poisonous to human body through contaminated foods and has released into the environment. Despite many studies on the pathogenesis of MeHg-induced central neuropathy, no useful mechanism of toxicity has been established so far. This study, using of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method, was peformed to identify differentially expressed genes by MeHg in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line. We prepared to total RNA from SH-SY5Y cells treated with solvent (DMSO) and $6.25\;{\mu}M\;(IC_{50})$ MeHg and performed forward and reverse SSH. Differentially expressed cDNA clones were screened by dot blot, sequenced and confirmed that individual clones indeed represent differentially expressed genes with real time RT-PCR. These sequences were identified by BLAST homology search to known genes or expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Analysis of these sequences may provide an insight into the biological effects of MeHg in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease and a possibility to develop more efficient and exact monitoring system of heavy metals as ubiquitous environmental pollutants.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.8-17
• /
• 2013

The objective of this study is investigation of contamination levels and transfer rate of heavy metals and assessment of health risk effects in animal medicines. A total of sixteen items with 148 samples were obtained for this investigation from major herbal medicine producing areas and herbal markets from 2011 to 2012. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer method was conducted for the quantitative analysis of Pb, Cd and As. In addition, the mercury analyzer system was conducted for that of Hg without sample digestion. The average contents of heavy metals in animal medicines were as follows : 1.55 mg/kg for Pb, 0.28 mg/kg for Cd, 0.70 mg/kg for As and 0.047 mg/kg for Hg respectively. The average contents of heavy metals in decoctions were as follows : 0.03 mg/kg for Pb, 0.01 mg/kg for Cd, 0.17 mg/kg for As and 0.003 mg/kg for Hg respectively. The average transfer rates of heavy metals from animal medicines to decoctions were 1.9% for Pb, 3.6% for Cd, 24.2% for As and 6.0% for Hg respectively. Cancer risks of animal medicines and decoctions through slope factor by ministry of environment republic korea and environmental protection agency was $1.36{\times}10^{-6}$ and $2.50{\times}10^{-8}$ for Pb and $7.46{\times}10^{-5}$ and $1.98{\times}10^{-5}$ for As (assuming that the total arsenic content was equal to the inorganic arsenic) respectively. The hazard index of heavy metals in animal medicines and decoctions was below recommended hazard index as 0.52 and 0.05 respectively. Taken together, cancer risks about Pb and hazard indexes of animal medicines and decoctions indicate that the majority of samples except for some samples with relative high contents of heavy metals were safe. But cancer risks about As of animal medicines indicate that the majority of samples were not relatively safe.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.153-161
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study is to evaluate effect of heavy metals (i.e., $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Cr^{6+}$, $Cd^{2+}$, $Hg^{2+}$, and $Pb^{2+}$) to toxicity of Triclosan as binary mixture. The individual toxicity and combined toxic effects of Triclosan with heavy metals were evaluated by Vibrio fischeri assay. In individual toxicity, the $Hg^{2+}$ was found to be most toxic followed by Triclosan, $Pb^{2+}$, $Cr^{6+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Cd^{2+}$, respectively. To evaluate combined toxic effect, correlation analysis of 'predicted value' calculated by Concentration addition (CA) model and Independent action (IA) model with 'experimental value' were performed based on the toxicity of individual compound. As a result, all of the combinations showed that IA model were more correlated with experimental value than CA model. On the basis of the median effect concentration of combination ($EC_{50mix}$) predicted by IA model, experimental $EC_{50mix}$ of Triclosan + Cu, Triclosan + Zn, Triclosan + Pb, Triclosan + Hg, Triclosan + Cd, and Triclosan + Cr were 191%, 226%, 138%, 137%, 209%, and 138% of $EC_{50mix}$ predicted by IA model, respectively, indicating that all of the combinations produced antagonistic effect.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.59-64
• /
• 2019

This study suggests a conceptual strategy and methodology for the risk assessment of the domestic abandoned mine fillers with fly ash. The fillers are composed of coal fly ash and solidification materials, and contain little toxic substances such as carbonates but also some heavy metals; therefore, those requires a risk assessment. The risk assessment should primarily focus on estimation of the effects to human health both on carcinogen and non-carcinogen aspects. The significant data such as toxicity and partition coefficients can be obtained from the national soil or mine environmental risk assessment guidelines. Accurate risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in the fillers may consume lots of time and efforts through site survey and instrumental analyses, etc. Moreover, it is inefficient to explore all of the factors as concentrations and categories in every heavy metal in the fillers, due to a high variety and complexity. Therefore, implementation of a preliminary risk assessment is suggested by using the literature data and the basic characteristics of the filler samples prior to the detailed risk assessment. Certainly, this presumes a thorough understanding of reliable sample analysis methods, exposure pathways, and relevant physicochemical and biological mechanisms.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.17-21
• /
• 2010

Phytoextraction is a method of phytoremediation using plants to clean up metal-contaminated soils. Recently, various chelating agents were used in this method to increase the bioavailability of metals in soils. Even though phytoextraction is an economic and environmentally friendly method, this cannot be applied in highly metal-contaminated areas because plants will not normally grow in such conditions. This research focuses on identifying chelating agents which are biodegradable and applicable to highly metal-contaminated areas. Copper (Cu) as a target metal and cysteine (Cys), histidine (His), citrate, malate, oxalate, succinate, and ethylenediamine (EDA) as biodegradable chelating agents were selected. Ethylenediamine tetracyclic acid (EDTA) was used as a comparative standard. Plants were grown on agar media containing various chelating agents with Cu to analyze the effect on root growth. Cys, His, and citrate strongly diminished the inhibitory effect of Cu on root growth of plants. The effect of oxalate was weak, and malate and succinate did not show significant effects. EDTA diminished and EDA promoted the inhibitory effects of Cu on root growth. These effects of chelating agents are correlated with Cu uptake into the roots. In conclusion, as biodegradable chelating agents, Cys, His, and citrate are good candidates for highly Cu-contaminated areas, while EDA can be useful in phytoextraction for Cu.