• 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.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.05a
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• pp.43-43
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• 2014

White rot fungi have been useful source of enzymes for the degradation of environmental pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and synthetic dyes. PAHs are widespread organic compounds present in fossil fuels and are routinely generated by incomplete fuel combustion. PAHs are some of the major toxic pollutants of water and soil environments. Synthetic dyes are major water-pollutants, which are toxic to organisms in water environments and interfere photosynthesis of water plants. Removal of PAHs and synthetic dyes has been of interests in the environmental science especially in the environmental microbiology. Mushrooms are fungal groups that function as primary degraders of wood polyphenolic lignin. The ligninolytic enzymes produced by mushroom, including manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, and laccase, mediate the oxidative degradation of lignin. The catalytic power of these enzymes in the degradation of aromatic ring compounds has been sought for the degradation of various organic compounds. In this project, we have screened 60 wild mushroom strains for their degradation activity against two representative PAHs, naphthalene and anthracene, and five aromatic dyes, including alizarin red S, crystal violet, malachite green, methylene blue, rose bengal. The degradation of PAHs was measured by GC while the decolorization of dyes was measured by both UV spectrophotometer and HPLC. As results, 9 wild mushroom strains showed high activity in degradation of PAHs and textile dyes. We also describe the secretive enzyme activities, the transcription levels, and cloning of target genes. In conjunction with this, activities of degradative enzymes, including laccase, lignin peroxidase, and Mn peroxidase, were measured in the liquid medium in the presence of PAHs and dyes. Our results showed that the laccase activity was directed correlated with the degradation, indicating that the main enzyme acts on PAHs and dyes is the laccase. The laccase activity was further simulated by the addition of $Cu^{2+}$ ion. Detailed studies of the enzyme system should be sought for future applications.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 2012

Light effects on temperature dependence of safflower oil oxidation and tocopherol degradation were studied. Safflower oil was oxidized at 20, 40, 60, or $80^{\circ}C$ for 30, 30, 15, and 6 days, respectively, in the dark or under light. Oil oxidation was evaluated with peroxide value (POV) and conjugated dienoic acid (CDA) value, and tocopherols were monitored by HPLC. Safflower oil consisted of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids at 7.3, 2.0, 14.2, and 76.6%, respectively, with tocopherols at 1157.1 mg/kg. Peroxide and CDA values of safflower oil increased while tocopherol contents decreased with the oxidation time and temperature. Light increased and accelerated the oil oxidation and tocopherol degradation. Temperature dependence of the oil oxidation and tocopherol degradation was higher in the dark rather than under light. The results suggest that temperature control could be more essential in the dark rather than under light with regard to the oxidative stability of safflower oil.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.279-282
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• 2009

"Two-cysteine" peroxiredoxins are antioxidant enzymes that exert a cytoprotective effect in many models of oxidative stress. However, under highly oxidizing conditions they can be inactivated through hyperoxidation of their peroxidatic active site cysteine residue. Sulfiredoxin can reverse this hyperoxidation, thus reactivating peroxiredoxins. Here we review recent investigations that have shed further light on sulfiredoxin's role and regulation. Studies have revealed sulfiredoxin to be a dynamically regulated gene whose transcription is induced by a variety of signals and stimuli. Sulfiredoxin expression is regulated by the transcription factor AP-1, which mediates its up-regulation by synaptic activity in neurons, resulting in protection against oxidative stress. Furthermore, sulfiredoxin has been identified as a new member of the family of genes regulated by Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) via a conserved cis-acting antioxidant response element (ARE). As such, sulfiredoxin is likely to contribute to the net antioxidative effect of small molecule activators of Nrf2. As discussed here, the proximal AP-1 site of the sulfiredoxin promoter is embedded within the ARE, as is common with Nrf2 target genes. Other recent studies have shown that sulfiredoxin induction via Nrf2 may form an important part of the protective response to oxidative stress in the lung, preventing peroxiredoxin hyperoxidation and, in certain cases, subsequent degradation. We illustrate here that sulfiredoxin can be rapidly induced in vivo by administration of CDDO-TFEA, a synthetic triterpenoid inducer of endogenous Nrf2, which may offer a way of reversing peroxiredoxin hyperoxidation in vivo following chronic or acute oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.230-236
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• 2009

An extract of Allomyrina dichotoma larva (ADL), one of the insects used most frequently in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver diseases such as hepatocirrhosis and hepatofibrosis, was assessed for antioxidant bioactivity in this study. In the current work, we have investigated the protective effects of ADL extracts on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatotoxicity in cultured hepa1c1c7 cells and in the mouse liver. The treatment of the hepa1c1c7 cells with ADL extracts induced a significant reduction of t-BHP-induced oxidative injuries, as determined by cell cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reactive oxygen species contents, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ADL extracts evidenced a protective effect against t-BHPinduced oxidative DNA damage, as revealed by the results of the Comet assay in hepa1c1c7 cells. ADL extracts also protected against hydroxyl radical-induced 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation by ferric ion-nitrilotriacetic acid and $H_2O_2$. In addition, ADL extracts were shown to be able to quench 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Our in vivo study revealed that ADL extracts pretreatment applied prior to t-BHP administration significantly prevented an increase in the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers and reduced LPO in the mouse liver in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that the protective effects of ADL extracts against t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity may be attributable, at least in part, to its ability to scavenge free oxygen radicals, and to protect against DNA damage due to oxidative stress.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.296-302
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• 2006

The kinetics of the thermal-oxidative decomposition of waste polyurethane (PU) according to oxygen concentration has been studied using a non-isothermal thermogravimetric technique at several heating rates from 10 to $50^{\circ}C/min$. A kinetic model accounting for the effects of the oxygen concentration by the differential and integral method based on Arrhenius equation was proposed to describe the thermal-oxidative decomposition of waste PU. To obtain the information on the kinetic parameters such as activation energy, reaction order, and pre-exponential factor, the thermogravimetric analysis curves and its derivatives have been analyzed using the kinetic analysis method proposed in this work. From this work, it was found that reaction orders for oxygen concentration had a negative sign, and activation energy decreased as the oxygen concentration increased. It was also found that the kinetic parameters obtained from the integral method using the single heating rate experiments varied with heating rates. Therefore, it is thought that the differential method using the multiple heating rate experiments more effectively represents the thermal-oxidative decomposition of waste polyurethane.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.699-709
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• 2024

Oxya chinensis sinuosa (OC) is a well-known edible insect. Several researches on the health benefits of OC consumption have been performed to date; however, their effect on eye health remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess the protective effects of OC extracts on the oxidative stress on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. Oxidative damage has been identified as one of the key regulatory factors in agerelated macular degeneration. H₂O₂-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, a well-known oxidative stress factor, can cause cell death in retinal pigment epithelia cells. In this study, we found that three OC extracts effectively prevented H₂O₂-induced ROS production and subsequent death of ARPE-19 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the OC extracts inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases including p38, JNK, and ERK. The OC extracts restored IκBα degradation induced by H₂O₂, indicating that OC extracts suppressed the activation of nuclear factorκB. Furthermore, the three OC extracts were shown to have antioxidant effects by upregulating the intracellular expression of key antioxidant proteins such as SOD, NQO, and HO-1. Here we demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects of the OC extracts on ARPE-19, indicating their potential role in improving eye health. These results suggest that three OC extracts plays a critical role in oxidative stress-induced cell death protects in ARPE-19 cells.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.12
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• pp.4514-4521
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• 2022

In this study, the effects of heat and radiation on the degradation behaviour of fluoroelastomer under simulated normal operation and a severe accident environment were investigated using sequential testing of gamma irradiation and thermal degradation. Tensile properties and Shore A hardness were measured, and thermogravimetric analysis was used to evaluate the degradation behaviour of fluoroelastomer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the structural changes of the fluoroelastomer. Heat and radiation generated in nuclear power plant break and deform the chemical bonds, and fluoroelastomer exposed to these environments have decreased C-H and functional groups that contain oxygen and double bonds such as C-O, C=O and C=C were generated. These functional groups were formed by auto oxidation by reacting free radicals generated from the cleaved bond with oxygen in the atmosphere. In this auto oxidation reaction, crosslinks were generated where bonded to each other, and the mobility of molecules was decreased, and as a result, the fluoroelastomer was hardened. This hardening behaviour occurred more significantly in the severe accident environment than in the normal operation condition, and it was found that thermal stability decreased with the generation of unstable structures by crosslinking.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.43-46
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• 2004

Explosive chemicals have been major soil and groundwater contaminants especially in the nations with active military activities. Of these explosives, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is the most refractory one due to its structural characteristics. Although its efficient reduction by Fe(0) is well-known, the reduction products - mainly aminotoluenes - still possess toxicities to terrestrial biota, and are resistant to biological degradation. In this study, therefore, abiotic transformation of TNT reduction products via oxidative-coupling reaction was evaluated using Mn oxide which is ubiquitous in natural soils. The transformation efficiency is increased with the number of amino groups. Considering the very efficient reduction rate of TNT by Fe(0), Mn oxide can be successfully used for the removal of TNT reduction products.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.165-174
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• 2022

The effect of fumed silica loading on the thermal stability and mechanical properties of fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber was investigated. The distribution of fumed silica inside FVMQ was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, and the thermal stability of composites was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis and by the changes in mechanical performance during thermo-oxidative aging. The function mechanism of fumed silica was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show that with increasing silica content, the crosslink density of composites, the modulus at 100%, and tensile strength also increased, whereas the elongation at break decreased. Furthermore, increasing the silica content of composites increased the initial decomposition temperature (T_d) and residual weight of the composite after exposure to nitrogen. In addition, the thermal oxidative aging experiment demonstrated improved aging resistance of the FVMQ composites, including lower change in tensile strength, elongation at break, and modulus at 100%.