• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.599-608
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• 2017

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a pharmacologically active substance extracted from the rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (also known as the Chinese herb Danshen), and is widely used to treat atherosclerosis. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a nuclear receptor that is a key regulator of xenobiotic and endobiotic detoxification. Tan IIA is an efficacious PXR agonist that has a potential protective effect on endothelial injuries induced by xenobiotics and endobiotics via PXR activation. Previously numerous studies have demonstrated the possible effects of Tan IIA on human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but the further mechanism for its exerts the protective effect is not well established. To study the protective effects of Tan IIA against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we pretreated cells with or without different concentrations of Tan IIA for 24 h, then exposed the cells to $400{\mu}M$ $H_2O_2$ for another 3 h. Therefore, our data strongly suggests that Tan IIA may lead to increased regeneration of glutathione (GSH) from the glutathione disulfide (GSSG) produced during the GSH peroxidase-catalyzed decomposition of $H_2O_2$ in HUVECs, and the PXR plays a significant role in this process. Tan IIA may also exert protective effects against $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway associated with the participation of PXR. Tan IIA protected HUVECs from inflammatory mediators triggered by $H_2O_2$ via PXR activation. In conclusion, Tan IIA protected HUVECs against $H_2O_2$-induced cell injury through PXR-dependent mechanisms.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.285-285
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• 2010

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a direct band gap semiconductor with 3.37 eV, which has in a hexagonal wurtzite structure. ZnO is a good candidate for a photocatalyst because it has physical and chemical stability, high oxidative properties, and absorbs of ultraviolet light. During ZnO is irradiated by UV light, redox (reduction and oxidation) reactions will occur on the ZnO surface, generating the radicals O2- and OH. These two powerful oxidizing agents have been proven to be effective in decomposition of harmful organic materials, converting them into CO2 and H2O. Therefore, we assume that oxygen on the surface of ZnO is a very important factor in the photocatalytic activities of ZnO nanoparticles. Recently, ZnO nanoparticles are studied in various application fields by many researchers. Photocatalyst research is progressing much in various application fields. But the ZnO nanoparticles have disadvantage that is unstable in water in comparison titanium dioxide (TiO2). The Zn(OH)2 was formed at the ZnO surface and ZnO become inactive as a photocatalyst when ZnO is present in the solution. Therefore, we prepared synthesized ZnO nanoaprticles that were immersed in the water and dried in the oven. After that, we measured photocatalytic activities of prepared samples and find the cause of their phtocatalytic activity changes. The characterization of ZnO nanoparticles were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and BET test. Also we defined the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles using UV-VIS Spectroscopy. And we explained changing of photocatalytic activity after the water treatment using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.979-983
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• 2009

The mean pH of wastewater discharged from the plating process is 2, so a less amount of alkali is required to raise pH 2 to 5. In addition, if sodium sulfite is used to raise pH 5 to 9 in the secondary treatment, caustic soda or slaked lime is not necessary or only a small amount is necessary because sodium sulfite is alkali. Thus, it is considered desirable to use only $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ in the primary treatment. At that time, the free cyanide removal rate was highest as around 99.3%, and among heavy metals, Ni showed the highest removal rate as around 92%, but zinc and chrome showed a low removal rate. In addition, the optimal amount of $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ was 0.3g/L, at which the cyanide removal rate was highest. Besides, the free cyanide removal rate was highest when pH value was 5. Of cyanide removed in the primary treatment, the largest part was removed through the precipitation of ferric ferrocyanide: $[Fe_4(Fe(CN)_6]_3$, and the rest was precipitated and removed through the production of $Cu_2[Fe(CN)_6]$, $Ni_2[Fe(CN)_6]$, CuCN, etc. Furthermore, it appeared more effective in removing residual cyanide in wastewater to mix $Na_2SO_3$ and $Na_2S_2O_5$ at an optimal ratio and put the mixture than to put them separately, and the optimal weight ratio of $Na_2SO_3$ to $Na_2S_2O_5$ was 1:2, at which the oxidative decomposition of residual cyanide was the most active. However, further research is required on the simultaneous removal of heavy metals such as chrome and zinc.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.496-501
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• 2005

The thermal degradation of ABS in the presence of iron-based metal catalysts has been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The reaction of iron-based metal catalysts (ferric nitrate nonahydrate, ammonium ferric sulfate dodecahydrate, iron sulfate hydrate, ammonium ferric oxalate, iron(II) acetate, iron(II) acetylacetonate and ferric chloride) with ABS has been found to occur during the thermal degradation of ABS. In a nitrogen atmosphere, char formation was observed, and at $600^{\circ}C$ approximately 3~23 wt% of the reaction product was non-volatile char. The resulting enhancement of char formation in a nitrogen atmosphere has been primarily due to the catalytic crosslinking effect of iron-based metal catalysts. On the other hand, char formation of ABS in air at high temperature by iron-based metal catalyst was unsuccessful due to the oxidative degradation of the char.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.43 no.8 s.291
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• pp.463-468
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• 2006

Hydrothermal deposition of hydroxyapatite coatings on two types of $ZrO_2$ substrates (3 mol% $Y_2O_3$-doped and 13 mol% $CeO_2$-doped tetragonal $ZrO_2s$) was studied using aqueous solutions of $Ca(NO_3)_2\;4H_2O$ and $(NH_4)_2HPO_4$ containing EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid) disodium salt as a chelating agent for $Ca^{2+}$ ions. For the precipitation of the coatings, the $EDTA-Ca^{2+}$ chelates were decomposed by oxidation with $H_2O_2$ at $90^{\circ}C$. The deposition behavior, morphology, and orientation of the coatings were investigated while varying the solution pH using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. For the two sub-strates, sparse deposition of the coating was obtained at pH 5.5, whereas a uniform deposition was obtained at pH 7.1, 9.8, and 11.4 with a denser microstructure for the higher pH. The coating consisted of thin needle-like or plate-like crystals ($1-2{\mu}m$ length or diameter) at pH 7.1, but fine rod-like crystals ($1-2{\mu}m$ length, $0.1{\mu}m$ diameter) at pH 9.8 and 11.4. The coatings were $1-3{\mu}m$ thick and showed a preferred orientation of the hydroxyapatite crystals with their c axis (i.e., the elongated direction) perpendicular to the substrate surface especially for pH 9.8 and 11.4.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.399-410
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• 2020

The United Nations project the world population to reach 10 billion by the year 2057. To increase the food of the ever-increasing world population, agrochemicals are indispensable tools to the boon in agriculture production. These agrochemicals are a serious threat to the health of humans, plants, and animals. Agrochemicals are ultimately reached to the main reservoir/sink such as soil and contaminating the groundwater, disturb the soil health and in turn a serious threat to biogeochemical cycling and the entire biosphere. Among agrochemicals, quinalphosis one of the most repeatedly and widely used insecticides in the control of a wide range of pests that attack various crops. Quinalphos is shown to be primarily toxic in organisms by acetylcholinesterase enzyme action. Hydrolysis of quinalphos produces amajor metabolite 2-hydroxyquinoxaline (2-HQ), which has shown secondary toxicity in organisms. 2-HQ is reported to be mutagenic, carcinogenic, growth inhibition and induce oxidative stress in organisms. Quinoline is a heterocyclic compound and structural resemblance of 2-HQ with minor changes, but its degradation studies are enormous compared to the 2-HQ compound. Biotic factors in fate and behavior of 2-HQ in the environment are least studied. 2-HQ interactions with soil enzymes are vary from soil to soil. Based on the toxicity of 2-HQ in our stockpile we need to isolate a handful of microorganisms to treat this persistent metabolite and also other metabolites/compounds.This brief review will be significant from the point of biological and environmental safety.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2013

This study has been carried out to elucidate the characteristics of the dissolution for Thermal Decomposed Solid Waste of uranium-bearing sludge (TDSW), the removal of impurities by an alkalization in a nitric acid dissolving solution of TDSW, and the selective removal (/recovery) of uranium by an acidification in an carbonate alkali solution, respectively. TDSW generated by thermal decomposition of U-bearing sludge which was produced in the uranium conversion plant operation, was stored in KAERI as a solid-powder type. It is found that the dissolution of TDSW is more effective in nitric acid dissolution than oxidative-dissolution with carbonate. At 1 M nitric acid solution, TDSW was undissolved about 30wt% as a solid residue, and uranium contained in TDSW was dissolved more than 99%. In order to the alkalization for the nitric acid dissolving solution of TDSW, carbonate alkalization is more effective with respect to remove the impurities. At the carbonate alkali solution controlled to about 9 of pH, Al, Ca, Fe and Zn co-dissolved with U in dissolution step was removed about $98{\pm}1%$. On the other hand, U could be recovered more than 99% by an acidification at pH about 3 in a carbonate alkali solution, which was nearly removed the impurities, adding 0.5M $H_2O_2$. It was found that uranium could be selectively recovered (/removed) from TDSW.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.89-100
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• 2018

when the explosive wastes to be treated as designated wastes are brought into the wastes treatment plant by mistake and lead to an explosion in the wastes disposal process, many people and property damage are involved. Waste should be treated properly. As mentioned in this paper, ignition reac- tion tests of ignitable re-burning of explosives packing material waste (solid butadiene) confirmed that ignition was easily occurred, and that even small ignition sources were easily ignited and burned quickly and explosively. In particular, when explosives are loaded into incineration wastes in large quantities and mixed with organic compound wastes, such as fire and explosion accidents caused by explosives packing materials at waste disposal sites, flammable and oxidative gases are generated due to mutual oxidation and pyrolysis It is confirmed that there is a possibility that ignition sources such as spark ignite and instantaneously lead to explosion. It is hoped that this study will be a small reference for on - site detection in the field of fire, and it is expected that the fire - fighting agency will be recognized as a fire investigation agency and will contribute to the improvement of the credibility.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.855-862
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• 2012

Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living nematode mainly found in the soil pore water, roles the critical function in trophic levels, energy flow, and decomposition in soil ecosystem. C. elegans is commonly used species to test soil toxicity. Recently, they are employed broadly as a test organism in nanotoxicology. In this study, a review of the toxicity of nanomaterials for C. elegans was presented based on SCI (E) papers. The nanotoxicity studies using C. elegans have been reported in 20 instances including the mechanism of toxicity. Most studies used K-medium, S-medium, and NGM (Nematode Growth Medium) plate as an exposure medium to test toxicity of nanoparticles. The effects observed include anti aging, phototoxicity, genotoxicity, and dermal effects on C. elegans exposed to nanoparticles. We found that the toxic mechanisms were related with various aspects such as lifespan abnormality, oxidative stress, distribution of particles on inter-organisms, and stress-related gene analysis. C. elegans has advantage to test toxicity of nanoparticles due to various cellular activities, full genome information, and easy observation of transparent body. C. elegans was considered to be a good test species to evaluate the nanotoxicity.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 1994

Introduction : Recently, water and environmental pollution becomes serious social problem and high technology makes this pollution accelerate. Hydrogen sulfide, the main subject of our research, is one of the most dangerous air pollutant like SO$_x$ and NO$_x$. The major contaminant in coal gasification is H$_2$S, which is very toxic, hazardous and extremely corrosive. Therefore, control of hydrogen sulfide to a safe level is essential. Although commercial desulfurization process called liquid scrubbing is effective for removal of H$_2$S, it has drawbacks, the loss of sensible heat of the gas and costly wastewater treatment. Many investigations are carried out about high-temperature removal ol H$_2$S in hot coal-derived gas using metal oxide or mixed metal qxide sorbents. It was reported that ZnO was very effective sorbent for H2S removal, but it has big flaw to vaporize elemental zinc above 600\ulcorner \ulcorner As alternative, metal oxides such as CaO, $Fe_2O_3$, TiO$_2$ and CuO were added to ZnO. Especially, different results are reported for $Fe_2O_3$ additive. Tamhankar et al. reported SiO$_2$ with 45 wt% $Fe_2O_3$ sorbent is favorable for removal of H$_2$S and regeneration.