• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.368-374
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• 2003

Halogen gases such as $BCl_3$ and $CF_4$ are among the most problematic gases used in semiconductor process. They raise serious environmental and health problems due to their extreme toxicity. This study is to develop a method to effectively remove those gases during the process by using various types of inorganic gas adsorption agents such as zeolite A, modified AgA zeolite, ZnO, and $AgMnO_3$, which have not been attempted in the conventional methods. The removal efficiencies of the gases were both qualitatively and quantitatively measured by a FT-IR spectrophotometer. The whole device for the measurement has been designed and built in our lab. The removal efficiencies of the gases were compared between those used resins. The experimental result revealed that ZnO showed the best removal efficiency for BCl3 gas that had removed 0.094 g per 1 g of the resin used. For $CF_4$ gas, none of the solid resins was able to remove the gas effectively. However, liquid $CHCl_3$ showed some removal ability of the $CF_4$ gas.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2011

Overusing chemical fertilizers involves potassium accumulation in the soil, which can become a toxicity problem in agriculture. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of potassium (K) treatment on growth, physiological characteristics, and morphological changes using Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. campestris). With high (600 mM) K treatment, the plant growth traits of leaf length, leaf area, and fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots decreased, whereas chlorophyll content increased. As the concentration of K increasing, total N, P, and K increased in leaves, but concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Na decreased. However, Mn, Fe and Zn contents were highest in 100 mM K treatment. Chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids increased with increasing K concentration. Maximum photochemical efficiency ($F_v/F_m$) was not significant in the all treatments, whereas $CO_2$ assimilation decreased with increasing K level due to stomatal degradation. Total free amino acids increased with the 10 and 100 mM K but decreased at 600 mM K treatments. Therefore, the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese cabbage ascertained that tolerance up to 100 mM K when grown with nutrient solution in pot culture.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.240-245
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• 2006

The primary use for glycidol is as a stabilizer in the manufacture of vinylpolymers, however, it is also used as an intermediate in the production of pharmaceuticals, as an additives for oil and synthetic hydraulic fluids, and as a diluting agent is same epoxy resins. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity test of glycidol and microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in response to glycidol. The result of Ames test showed mutations with glycidol treatment in base substitution strain TA1535 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Likewise, glycidol showed mutations in frame shift TA98 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. The result of COMET assay in L5178Y cells with glycidol treatment showed DNA damage both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Glycidol increased micronuclei in CHO cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 150 Genes were selected as differentially expressed genes in response to glycidol by microarray analysis and these genes would be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of glycidol.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.585-593
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• 1999

The water and methanol extracts of Artemisia argyi showed significant cytotoxicities against J774A.1 cells but not so much against normal leukocytes. The cytotoxicities were found to be dependent on the extract concentration and the incubation time. The concentration of water and methanol extracts inhibiting 50% of cell proliferation ($IC_{50}$) were estimated to be 44.2 mg/ml and 71.6 mg/ml, respectively. In the presence of Artemisia argyi water extract, total superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD and MnSOD) activities of media, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial fractions of J774A.1 cells increased in accordance with cytotoxicity. MnSOD was found to be the main component of enhanced total SOD activities, particulary in the mitochondrial fraction. In contrast to SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were not found in any instance of the current investigation. In addition, substantial amount of $O_2^-$ appeared to be generated in the mitochondrial fraction under the influence of Artemisia argyi. All data put together, it is postulated that Artemisia argyi extracts seem to stimulate $O_2^-$ generation in mitochondria of J774A.1 cells with concomitant increases of SODs. Since $H_2O_2$, the reaction product of SOD on $O_2^-$, is known to be readily converted to very toxic $OH{\cdot}$ in the absence of catalase and/or GPx cooperation, toxicity derived from ROS such as $O_2^-$, $H_2O_2$, and $OH{\cdot}$ may be the main cause of necrosis and/or apoptosis of J774A.1 cells.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.2 s.49
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• pp.179-186
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• 2005

Particulate materials (PM) less than 10 ${\mu}m$ in diameter are of special interest in air pollution because they are respirable and responsible for the increasing mortality rate of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These particles are often referred to as $PM_{10}$ and they are divided into a coarse fraction and a fine fraction which is also often referred to as $PM_{25}$. In this study, we monitored the TSP, $PM_{10},\;PM_{2.5}$ concentration of ambient air collected in northern part of Seoul in early spring and measured the concentration of heavy metals; Cr, Mn, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb. All the heavy metals were found in the collected particles and the concentrations were variable in the $PM_{10},\;and\;PM_{2.5}$ respectively. The detected concentration ranges were Cr: $ND\~2,889ng/m^3,\;Mn:2.4\~257.9ng/m^3,\;Zn:ND\~353.7ng/m^3,\; As:ND\~22.3ng/m^3,\;Cd:0.1\~2.9ng/m^3,\;and\;Pb:ND\~392.2ng/m^3$ in fine particles. Heavy metal toxicity of the particles were also tested in $H_9C_2$ cell line derived from rat cardiomyocytes. As for the results of health risk assessment calculated by unit risk of IRIS, heavy metals in ambient air of Seoul metropolitan area were found to be responsible for the increase of total excess cancer risk. Among them, chromium (hexavalent) was found to be the most risky in fine particles of ambient air collected in the northern part of Seoul in early spring.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.357-366
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• 2004

Chronic exposure to high levels of manganese leads a pronounce and debilitating disorder known as manganism. Research on the toxic manifestation of manganese have focused primarily on its neurological effects because exposure to high levels of the metal produces a distinct and irreversible extrapyramidal dysfunction resembling the dystonic movements associated with Parkinson's physiological and biochemical systems in the body. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of manganeses on primary rat calvarial cell growth and toxicity. The experimental groups were in concentration of 0, 10, 30, 60, 100, 300 ${\mu}M$. Cell activity was assessed at day 1 and day 3 using a fluorescent molecular probe. Cell proliferation was evaluated at day 1 and day 3 by MTT assay. The amount of total protein synthesis was measured at day 3 and day 7. The results were as follows: The proliferation of primary rat calvarial cells were inhibited by $MnCl_2$ in the concentration exceeding $100{\mu}M$. The primary rat calvarial cells treated with $MnCl_2$ showed similar protein synthesis to the control group except in 100 ${\mu}M$. These result suggest that manganese suppress the viability and protein synthesis of primary rat calvarial cells in concentration exceeding $100{\mu}M$.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.561-567
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• 1995

Using superoxide dismutase (SOD)-deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the oxygen toxicity induced by paraquat was studied. In aerobic culture condition, yeasts lacking MnSOD (milochondrial SOD) showed more significant growth retardation than CuZnSOD (cytoplasmic SOD)-deficient yeasts. However, not so big differences in growth pattern of those mutants compared with wild type were observed under anaerobic condition. When exposed to paraquat, the growth of yeasts lacking CuZnSOD was severely affected by higher than 0.01mM of paraquat in culture medium. By the analysis of several cellular components ivolved in free radical generating and scavenging system, it was found that, under aerobic condition, the content of lipid peroxides in cell membrane as well as cellular activity of glutathion peroxidase of CuZnSOD-deficient mutants was increased in the presence of paraquat, although significant decrease of catalase activity was observed in those stratns. In MnSOD-deficient yeast, however, increment in cellular activity of glutathion peroxldase and catalase by paraquat was observed without any deterioration of membrane lipid. It implies that the lack of mitochondrial SOD could be compensated by both of glutathion peroxldase and catalase, but that only glutathion peroxidase might act for CuZnSOD in cytoplasm. In contrast, all of SOD-deficient mutants showed a significant decrease in catalase activity, but slight increase in the activities of glutathion peroxidase, when cultivated anaerobically in the medium containing paraquat. Nevertheless, any significant changes of lipid peroxides in cell membranes were not observed during anaerobic cultivation of SOD-deficient mutants. It suggests that a little amount of free radicals generated by paraquat under anaerobic condition could be sufficiently overcome by glutathion peroxidase but not by catalase.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.328-336
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• 2008

Metal mining district drainage is a well recognized source of environmental contamination. Oxidation of metal sulfides produces acidic and metal-rich waters that contaminate local surface water and ground water in mines, mine dumps, and tailing impoundments. This monitoring study was carried out to investigate the stream water quality and pollution as affected by the Sambo mine drainage in relation to the relative distance from the mine. It obvious that pH values of the mine drainage ranged from 5.8 to 6.9, while the average concentrations of the dissolved chemical constituents for EC, $SO_4^{2-}$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were $1.77\;dS\;m^{-1}$, 929, 14.6, 263.3, and 46.9 mg/L in mine drainage discharged from the main waste rock dumps (WRD), respectively. Furthermore, EC values and sulfate concentrations exceeded the critical toxicity levels in agricultural water for rice plant ($1.0\;dS\;m^{-1}$ for EC and 54.0 mg/L for $SO_4^{2-}$). Also, the average of dissolved cadmium concentrations ($0.016{\sim}0.021\;mg/L$) was higher than water quality standard (0.01 mg/L) for agricultural water in Korea, in addition to Zn, Fe and Mn were higher than trace metals maximum concentrations which recommended by FAO for irrigation water. The results indicate that mine drainage discharged from the Sambo mine affected stream water at least to distance of 1 km downstream of the mine water discharge point. EC values, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations in discharged water positively correlated with dissolved Cd, Zn, Al and Mn concentrations, while the pH values negatively correlated. In addition, EC values, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations were negatively correlated with pH values.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.115-123
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• 2007

Immobilization of contaminants in subsurface environment is one of the major processes that determine their fate. Especially, immobilization by oxidative-coupling reactions, which is irreversible in the bio-chemical reactions and results in a significant reduction of toxicity, can be successfully applied for the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater more effectively than conventional degradation. As a catalyst of this oxidative-coupling reaction, manganese oxide has many advantages in practical aspects as compared to microorganisms or oxidoreductive enzymes extracted from microorganisms, fungi, or plants. This paper is to present recent research achievements on the treatment mechanisms of various organic contaminants by manganese oxide. Especially, treatment methods of non-reactive organic compounds to Mn oxide are the main focus; i.e., application of reaction mediator, PAHs treatment method, combination with an appropriate pretreatment such as reduction using $Fe^0$, which suggests the potential of a wide range of engineering application. Concerning the natural carbon cycle processes, immobilization and stabilization by oxidative coupling reaction can be effectively applied as a environmentally-friend remediation method especially for aromatic contaminants which possess a high resistance to degradation.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2004

Although 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD) is a powerful carcinogen in several species, limited model system exist to study carcinogenicity of this compound at cellular level. To enhance our under-standing of carcinogenicity of TCDD at cellular level, we investigated micronucleus (MN) frequency as a index of genetic toxicity and whether TCDD can transform the human cells in culture. Normal human cell lines, skin keratinocyte HaCaT, Chang liver and breast MCF10A cells were used. TCDD did not affect the cell viability of the Chang liver, HaCaT and MCF10A cells. The frequency of micronucleus was increased after treatment of TCDD for 24hr in Chang liver and HaCaT cells, but not changed in MCF10A cells. And we observed putative transformed cells in Chang liver cells exposed to 1 $\mu$M TCDD for 2 weeks. The putative transformed cells were also observed in HaCaT cells with subsequent exposure to TCDD (0.1, 1, 10, 100 nM) for 2 weeks after initial exposure to MNNG, but not observed in MCF10A cells. Collectively, these results indicate that the ability of TCDD to induce micronuclei may be involved in cellular transformation of Chang liver and HaCaT cells. Our putative TCDD-transformed cells of Chang liver and HaCaT are expected to provide a clue to the elucidation of TCDD-induced transformation pathway.