• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.845-854
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• 2009

There has been increased concern regarding the release of antibiotics to different environmental compartments due to the possibility of the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. However, limited information is available regarding the occurrence, fate, and transport of antibiotics in Korea in both the aqueous phase and in solid phases such as sediment and soil. Therefore, this study was conducted to monitor the concentration of released antibiotics in surface water, sediment, and soil adjacent to a cattle manure composting facility in Korea. Specifically, the following six antibiotics were monitored: tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), sulfamethazine (SMT), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and sulfathiazole (STZ). To extract and quantify the antibiotics from different environmental compartments, solid phase extraction (SPE) and high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) techniques were adopted. The concentration of the six antibiotics ranged from below the detection limit (BDL) to 0.71 ${\mu}g$/L in surface water, from BDL to 27.61 ${\mu}g$/L in sediment, and from 0.12 to 157.33 ${\mu}g$/L in soil. In addition, higher concentrations of antibiotics were observed in surface water and sediment at locations closer to the composting facility indicating that composting is the source of the antibiotics found in the environment. Furthermore, higher concentrations of antibiotics were observed in the solid phase (sediment and soil) than the aqueous phase. These findings indicate that the possibility of antibiotic resistant bacteria is increased because such bacteria are more stable in the solid phase. Overall, longterm monitoring of the aqueous phase and solid phase is necessary to gain a better understanding of the impact of antibiotics from source on the environment in Korea.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.97-108
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• 2005

Samples of water, soil, and sediment were taken from 10 streams near Andong, Korea in May 2004. To assess the degree of environmental pollution of each stream, chemical pollutants such as total notrogen (T-N), total phosphorus (T-P), chemical oxygen demand (COD), heavy metals, organophosphorus pesticides, organochlorine pesticides, and dioxin-like PCB congeners were analyzed by standard process tests or U.S. EPA methods. In addition, biomarkers originated from insect immune systems of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, were used to analysis of the environmental samples. Except Waya-chun stream showing T-N content of 9.12 mg/L, most streams were contaminated with relatively low levels of overall pollutants in terms of T-N, T-P, and COD, compared to their acceptable environmental levels designated by the Ministry of Environment. Contents of Pb and Cd in samples of each stream were much lower than environmentally permissible levels. However, several times higherconcentrations of Pb and Cd were found in locations at Mi-chun, Kilan-chun, and Hyunha-chun streams, in comparison with other streams. Diazinon, parathion, and phenthoate compounds among organophosphorus pesticides were detected as concentrations of 0.19, 0.40, and $1.13\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively, from soil sample collected in the vicinity of Mi-chun stream. On the other hand, 16 organochlorine pesticides and 12 dioxin-like PCB congeners, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals, selected in this study were not found above the limit of detection. Biomarker analyses using insect immune responses indicated that Waya-chun stream was suspected as exposure to environmental pollutants. Limitation and compensation of both environmental analysis techniques are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.190-196
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of using automated liquid-handling systems equipped with reusable fixed tips in Radioimmunoassays and to demonstrate that the use of an automated pipetting instrument can decrease in the typical daily workload. Materials and Methods: The precisions of the automated pipettor and the manual pipettor were determined gravimetrically (n=30). A total of 30 specimens for HBs Ag were repeatedly pipetted (three replicates) with the automated pipettor and then retested. PSA samples were simultaneously pipetted with either the automated pipettor or the manual pipettor and then analyzed (n=40). Sample carryover test assessed for CA19-9, AFP and HCG when the automated pipettor was used. Pipetting speed of the automated pipettor and the manual pipettor were compared by evaluation of each workload. Results: The precisions coefficients of variation (CV) were 2.1% for the automated pipettor and 1.6% for manual pipettor. The mean cpm and CV for each group of replicates were 41,203 cpm and 3.7% for HBs Ag positive specimens, and 99 cpm and 7.9% for HBs Ag negative specimens, respectively. PSA results showed no significant differences between automated pipettor and manual pipettor (p=0.15, r=0.999). Carryover for CA19-9, AFP and HCG analytes was <0.1 ppm or below the assay limit of detection. Pipetting speed was significantly improved by using the automated instrument. Conclusion: There was no evidence that the use of an automated pipettor adversely affected any of the performance characteristics of the assay. Indeed, routine use of the Tecan automated pipettor has resulted in a decrease in the typical daily workload.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.154-161
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• 1998

To investigate whether the introduced genetic marker is useful to detect the survivalship and activity of the natural bacteria under the stressed conditions, one Gram-negative isolate, KP964 was transformed to the luminous phenotype by transferring luxAB gene. Under the starvation-stress this luminous bacterial culturability (determined by colony-forming-units [CFU] on agar plate) decreased rapidly below the detection limit by 37 days, while its total cell number (determined by AODC) remained almost the same as its initial inocular size. At that time period, the viable cell number was estimated to be 1400 times higher than its CFU number. The bioiuminescence (determined by relative light units [RLU]) produced under the same condition was also monitored and found to decrease more rapidly than the culturability by 5-fold. Under the other stresses, e.g., osmotic shocks, acid shock, and exposure to toxic chemicals, this bacterial strain did not show the reliable correlation between CFU and RLU. These results might not suggest the direct estimation of bioiuminescence from the stressed bacteria be an index of both the survivalship and its activity. However, when the stressed bacterial cells were incubated under the favorable condition by relieving from the existing stress, the potential bioiuminescence (the lag periods before the increase of bioiuminescence, the increase rates of bioiuminescence, and the maximal levels of bioiuminescence) was shown to be highly dependent upon the strengths of the stresses exposed to the bacterial cells. Therefore, analysis of the potential bioiuminescence from the stressed bacteria revealed good relationships with survival as well as activity.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2016

Many phthalic acid esters (PAEs), including DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, and DEHP, as well as DEHA are widely used as plasticizers in plastics. An analytical method was developed and used to analyze these compounds at 41 industrial facilities. The coefficient of determination (R²) for each constructed curve was higher than 0.98. The method detection limit (MDL) values were 0.4–0.7 μg/L for PAEs and 0.6 μg/L for DEHA. In addition, the recovery rate was shown to be 77.0–92.3%, while the relative standard deviation was shown to be in the range of 5.8-10.5%. DMP (n = 3), DEP (n = 2), DBP (n = 2), BBP (n = 2), and DEHA (n = 3) were detected in the range of 2.2-11.1% in the influent. DEHP was a predominant compound and was detected at > MDL in both the influent (n = 16, 35.6%) and the effluent (n = 4, 10.0%) at a high removal efficiency (92–100%). The highest levels of residue in industrial wastewater influent were 137.4 μg/L of DEHP at plastic products manufacturing facility, 12.5 μg/L of DEHA at a chemical manufacturing facility, and 14.0 μg/L of DEP at an electronics facility. The highest concentration of effluent was 12.5 μg/L of DEHP at a chemical manufacturing facility, which indicated that the effluent was below the allowable concentration (800 μg/L). Therefore, the levels of PAEs and DEHA that are discharged into nearby streams could not influence the health of the ecosystem.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.492-498
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• 2012

In this study, hydrodynamics such as solid circulation rate and voidage in the desulfurizer and the reaction characteristics of Zn-based solid sorbents were investigated using lab-scale high pressure and high temperature desulfurization process. The continuous HGD (Hot Gas Desulfurization) process consist of a fast fluidized bed type desulfurizer (6.2 m tall pipe of 0.015 m i.d), a bubbling fluidized bed type regenerator (1.6 m tall bed of 0.053 m i.d), a loop-seal and the pressure control valves. The solid circulation rate was measured by varying the slide-gate opening positions, the gas velocities and temperatures of the desulfurizer and the voidage in the desulfurizer was derived by the same way. At the same gas velocities and the same opening positions of the slide gate, the solid circulation rate, which was similar at the temperature of $300^{\circ}C$ and $550^{\circ}C$, was low at those temperatures compared with a room temperature. The voidage in the desulfurizer showed a fast fluidized bed type when the opening positions of the slide gate were 10~20% while that showed a turbulent fluidized bed type when those of slide gate were 30~40%. The reaction characteristics of Zn-based solid sorbent were investigated by different desulfurization temperatures at 20 atm in the continuous operation. The $H_2S$ removal efficiency tended to decrease below the desulfurization temperature of $450^{\circ}C$. Thus, the 10 hour continuous operation has been performed at the desulfurization temperature of $500^{\circ}C$ in order to maintain the high $H_2S$ removal efficiency. During 10 hour continuous operation, the $H_2S$ removal efficiency was above 99.99% because the $H_2S$ concentration after desulfurization was not detected at the inlet $H_2S$ concentration of 5,000 ppmv condition using UV analyzers (Radas2) and the detector tube (GASTEC) which lower detection limit is 1 ppmv.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.935-939
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• 2006

Raw oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was inoculated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Escherichia coli, treated with high hydrostatic pressure and evaluated for microbial counts. Cell death of V. parahaemolyticus (Vp) increased with the increase of applied pressure. Vp starting inoculum of $3.8{\times}10^5\;CFU/mL$ was totally eliminated after exposure to 200 MPa for 10 min at $22^{\circ}C$ Viable cell of Vp decreased with the increase in treatment time and dropped below the detection limit with treament of 25 min at $22^{\circ}C/150\;MPa$. The number of Vp by treatment of $0^{\circ}C$ and $10^{\circ}C$ for 20 and 25 mon at 100 MPa, respectively. For E. coli, there was an initial lag up to 250 MPa gollowed by a rapid decline. Treatment at 325 MPa/$22^{\circ}C$ for 15 min caused 5-log reduction, while that at 375 MPa resulted in total reduction of starting inoculum of $4.0{\times}10^7\;CFU/mL$. Lower treatment temperature showed higher killing effect of E. coli at the same treatment pressure and time. Viable cell of E. coli decreased with the increase in treatment time, and 4-log reduction was achieved with treatment of 5 min at $10^{\circ}C$/350 MPa and then total reduction was achieved after treatment of 15 mon. Higher pressure, lower temperature and longer time were more effective in sterilizing V. parahaemolyticus and E. coli.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to optimize analytical methods for ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEA) in rice straw silage and winter forage crops using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Samples free of mycotoxins were spiked with $50{\mu}g/kg$, $250{\mu}g/kg$, or $500{\mu}g/kg$ of OTA and $300{\mu}g/kg$, $1500{\mu}g/kg$, or $3000{\mu}g/kg$ of ZEA. OTA and ZEA were extracted by acetonitrile and cleaned-up using an immunoaffinity column. They were then subjected to analysis with UHPLC equipped with a fluorescence detector. The correlation coefficients of calibration curves showed high linearity ($R^2{\geq_-}0.9999$ for OTA and $R^2{\geq_-}0.9995$ for ZEA). The limit of detection and quantification were $0.1{\mu}g/kg$ and $0.3{\mu}g/kg$, respectively, for OTA and $5{\mu}g/kg$ and $16.7{\mu}g/kg$, respectively, for ZEA. The recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD) of OTA were as follows: rice straw = 84.23~95.33%, 2.59~4.77%; Italian ryegrass = 79.02~95%, 0.86~5.83%; barley = 74.93~97%, 0.85~9.19%; rye = 77.99~96.67%, 0.33~6.26%. The recovery and RSD of ZEA were: rice straw = 109.6~114.22%, 0.67~7.15%; Italian ryegrass = 98.01~109.44%, 1.65~4.81%; barley = 98~113.53%, 0.25~5.85%; rye = 90.44~108.56%, 2.5~4.66%. They both satisfied the standards of European Commission criteria (EC 401-2006) for quantitative analysis. These results showed that the optimized methods could be used for mycotoxin analysis of forages.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.283-289
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• 2019

This study was performed to monitor the residual pesticides in agricultural products used in school foodservice in the Gwangju metropolitan area. Risk assessment was also carried out based on the amount of agricultural products consumed. A total of 320 agricultural products supplied to schools in Gwangju were analyzed from 2015 to 2017. The pre-treatment and residual pesticide analysis of these products was conducted in accordance with the second method for multi-residue analysis of pesticides in the Korean food code. The hazard index was calculated by dividing the estimated daily intake (EDI) of pesticides by the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The linearity correlation coefficient for the calibration curve was 0.9923 to 1.0000, LOD 0.004 to 0.019 mg/kg, LOQ 0.012 to 0.057 mg/kg, and recovery was 79.1 to 100.2%. Residual pesticides were detected in 18 (5.6%) of 320 agricultural products used for school foodservice, and one sample of sweet potato stem (0.3%) exceeded the maximum residual limit (MRL). The detection frequency for chili peppers and bell peppers was higher than that for other agricultural products. The frequently-detected pesticides were boscalid and acetamiprid. These results showed that residual pesticide management is needed for chili pepper, bell pepper and sweet potato stem among agricultural products supplied to schools. The hazard index of bifenthrin in sweet potato stem showed the highest (64.18%), and the other pesticides were 0.03-8.23%. These results indicated that agricultural products supplied to schools in Gwangju were safe for consumption. To minimize the intake of residual pesticides, it is necessary to not only thoroughly wash agricultural products but to also ensure the expanded supply of products that are pesticide-free.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.287-297
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• 2013

The optimization of analytical method for the thermal desorption of seven VOCs (volatile organic compounds) by TD-GC/MS (thermal desorption-gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer) with solid phase sorbent tube, and comparative analysis for the determination of VOCs plotted by standard sorbent tubes prepared using both gas phase and liquid phase materials were investigated. The result of paired t-test showed that a liquid phase standard sorbent tube method was in agreement with a gas phase standard sorbent tube method for six species of VOCs including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-, m-, and p-xylene except for styrene at the significance level (${\alpha}=0.01$), while the 15.6% of difference in response factor between both of gas phase and liquid phase standard plotting for the determination of styrene showed that both methods were significantly different at the significance level. Therefore, the liquid phase standard plotting method was employed to reduce erroneous data for the determination of styrene including BTEX. Under the optimized analytical method by liquid phase standard sorbent tube, recovery was between $100{\pm}5%$ for 7 species of VOCs, reproducibility ranged from 0.3 to 7.7%, and method detection limit (MDL) ranged from $0.01{\mu}g/m^3$ for o-xylene to $0.27{\mu}g/m^3$ for toluene. The optimized standard method was applied to determine VOCs VOCs from indoor air of of dormitory, one bedroom apartment, and a new car.