• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.195-195
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• 2003

Combustion generated fine particles, defined as those with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 m, have come under increased regulatory scrutiny because of suspected links to adverse human health effects. Transition metals are of particular interest due to the results of a number of studies that have shown cardiopulmonary damage associated with exposure to these elements and their presence in coal, residual fuel oils, sewage sludge, and other combusted fuels and wastes. This lecture will review results from multi-di sciplinary studies being conducted at EPA and elsewhere examining the physical, chemical, and toxicological characteristics of combustion generated particles. The research describes how collaborative work between combustion engineers and health scientists can provide insight on how combustion processes affect particle properties and subsequent health effects as measured by a combination of in-vitro and in-vivo studies using a variety of animal models. The focus of this lecture is on the interdisciplinary approach required to address the problem. Difficulties are discussed. Engineering aspects involved in this approach are described in detail. Physical and chemical characterizations are performed using a variety of analytical approaches including new techniques of x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) deconvolution of these spectra to gather metal speciation information.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.666-674
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• 2011

To elucidate genetic diversity of common reed in Korea, we collected a total of 674 common reed plants from 27 regions in South Korea. Hierarchical clustering using 7 morphological traits divided the 27 common reed populations into 7 groups. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) results identified three distinct groups of common reed. Common reed accessions in group I mostly inhabit coastal areas. Group II includes reeds mostly collected from inland areas. Group III consists of common reed accessions collected from inland and coastal areas, suggesting that this group might contain hybrids. In summary, we suggest that parapatric speciation might be an important factor in the genetic diversity of common reed and geographical speciation of common reed that might be also affected by environmental gradients.

• Journal of the Speleological Society of Korea
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• no.92
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• pp.9-18
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• 2009

A number of closed metal mines act as point sources of contamination on nearby streams, soils and plants in our country. The contamination of twelve decomposed samples had earned from nine closed metal mines had been evaluated by TEA-3000. The contents of heavy metal with ion fraction exchange and carbonate fraction forms had been showed that the speciation of heavy metals represented with easy solubility, mobility and bioavailable of plants, and in case of sulfide compounds and organic residuals forms are related with the speciation of metals which may be stable forms because of strong bindable capacity. Also heavy metals elements in mosts of mines got with relative stable within crystal lattice, but results of trace element analyser showed that, in the most of tailings from mine areas, large portions of concentration of heavy metals were explained as stable from, sulfides/ organics and residual. In tailing from Imchun mines, the concentrations extracted by water were relatively high as compared with other mine areas whose total concentrations were very high because of large quantities of exchangeable ions and carbonates and low soil pH. Danger Index (D.I.) suggested in this study was based on the cumulative concentrations of step 1 and 2 from the result of trace element analyser. When the soil pH was considered, this index became better indicator to determine the priority for the remediation of mine area.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.335-343
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• 2012

Mercury is emitted to the atmosphere from various natural and anthropogenic sources, and degrades with difficulty in the environment. Mercury exists as various species, mainly elemental ($Hg^0$) and divalent ($Hg^{2+}$) mercury depending on its oxidation states in air and water. Mercury emitted to the atmosphere can be deposited into aqueous environments by wet and dry depositions, and some can be re-emitted into the atmosphere. The deposited mercury species, mainly $Hg^{2+}$, can react with various organic compounds in water and sediment by biotic reactions mediated by sulfur-reducing bacteria, and abiotic reactions mediated by sunlight photolysis, resulting in conversion into organic mercury such as methylmercury (MeHg). MeHg can be bioaccumulated through the food web in the ecosystem, finally exposing humans who consume fish. For a better understanding of how humans are exposed to mercury in the environment, this review paper summarizes the mechanisms of emission, fate and transport, speciation chemistry, bioaccumulation, levels of contamination in environmental media, and finally exposure assessment of humans.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.231-251
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• 2010

The sulfatation of chitosan, by reaction with chlorosulfonic acid under controlled conditions, allowed increasing the pH range of chitosan solubility. The biopolymer was characterized using FTIR and $^{13}C$-NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and titration analysis and it was tested for mercury recovery by polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF). In slightly alkaline conditions (i.e., pH 8) mercury recovery was possible and at saturation of the polymer the molar ratio $-NH_2$/Hg(II) tended to 2.6. Polymer recycling was possible changing the pH to 2 and the polymer was reused for 3 cycles maintaining high metal recovery. The presence of chloride ions influences metal speciation and affinity for the polymer and "playing" with metal speciation allowed using the PEUF process for mercury separation from cadmium; at pH 11 the formation of hydroxo-complexes of Hg(II) limits it retention. Cake formation reveals the predominant controlling step for permeation flux.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2023

The Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus ; family Charadriidae; genus Charadrius) is a small bird that moves from continent to continent depending on the season. On the Kentish Plovers, phylogenetic studies have been widely conducted to classify different species or subspecies and to determine the time of speciation. However, the perspectives on the interspecific or intraspecific relationships in the phylogenetic analysis of Kentish Plovers remain debatable. Here, we reviewed the differences between the Kentish and Snowy Plovers (C. nivosus ) in terms of their morphology, ecology, and genetic information. Particularly, their differences in genetic information can be well demonstrated; however, the intraspecies differences in the populations that live in different environments can relatively be poorly explained. We suggest that not only genetic features but also morphological, ecological, and behavioral traits are important when comparing the Kentish Plovers with other species, such as the Snowy Plovers, in phylogenetic studies. Furthermore, we suggest that phylogenetic studies on the subspecies of the Kentish and Snowy Plovers should be conducted for their better identification.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.365-372
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• 2002

The mineral medicines mean a sort of mineral or rock for medical treatment and natural material using their chemical components and physical properties. In this study, it was apprehended the mineralogical characteristics of As-bearing group mineral medicines. The extraction test is an vitro test system for predicting the bioavailability of the major and minor elements from mineral medicines and incorporates gastrointestinal tract parameters representative of a human(including stomach and small intestinal pH, stomach mixing time and velocity). The results of the extraction test are used for reaction path modeling in human body. Reaction path modeling in human body can predict digestion with gastric juice as well as bioavailability, speciation. Also, it can predict accumulation of arsenic as pH condition. As the results of the extraction test for digestion, the amounts of Fe extraction was the highest, followed by As, Ca, Ni. In addition, as the results of the reaction path modeling between arsenic compounds and gastric juice using thermodynamic data, when absorbed, major species are followed by H₃As₃S/sub 6/(aq), As₃S/sub 6/ (aq), AsO/sup +/, H₂As₃S/sup 6-/, H₂AsO/sup 3-/, HAs₃S6/sup 2-/, HAsO/sub 3//sup 2-/ and AsO/sub 3//sup 3-/. Specifically the concentration of H₃As₃S/sub 6/(aq) is the highest. As pH increases, the concentration of H₂AsO/sup 3-/, HAsO/sub 3//sup 2-/, HAsO/sub 3//sup 3-/, HAs₃S/sub 6//sup 2-/, H₂As₃S/sup 6-/, and H₃As₃S/sub 6/ increases, whereas the concentration of H₃As₃S/sub 6/ and AsO/sup +/ decreases. On the results of this study, it is able to find out effective and toxic components of poisonous arsenic group of mineral medicines and expected to be widely used for the development of new medicines.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

This study investigated arsenic speciation and risk assesment in 30 samples of hijiki purchased from local market in 10 Korean cities. The mean arsenic concentration of the hijiki samples was 45.65 mg/kg (dryness; moisture content of 91.1${\pm}$1.6%), and the major arsenic compound was arsenate [As(V)]. The concentrations of As(V) and As(III), as inorganic arsenic compounds, were detected to be 40.36 mg/kg and 0.37 mg/kg, respectively, and made up 88.6% (40.46 mg/kg) of the arsenic in the hijiki. Among the samples, the highest inorganic arsenic concentration was identified at 9.19 mg/kg (wet), and for an adult with a body weight of 60 kg was within an acceptable level as 0.7% (6.43 mg/60 kg/week) when compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) (900 mg/60 kg/week), and would be considered safe with respect to health-hazardous effects.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the effect of humic acid on the adsorption of arsenic onto hematite and its binding mechanism through the chemical speciation modeling in the binary system and the adsorption modeling in the ternary system. The complexation modeling of arsenic and humic acid was suitable for the binding model with the basis of the electrostatic repulsion and the effect of bridging metal. In comparison with the experimental adsorption data in the ternary system, the competitive adsorption model from the binary intrinsic equilibrium constants was consistent with the amount of arsenic adsorption. However, the additive rule showed the deviation of model in the opposite way of cationic heavy metals, because the reduced organic complexation of arsenic and the enhanced oxyanionic competition diminished the adsorption of arsenic. In terms of the reaction mechanism, the organic complex of arsenic, neutral As(III) and oxyanionic As(V) species were transported and adsorbed competitively to the hematite surface forming the inner-sphere complex in the presence of humic acid.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.164-171
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• 2007

This experiment was conducted to investigate heavy metal speciation and bioavailability from soil to the edible parts of water dropwort near industrial complex. The soils and water dropwort were collected from the paddies cultivating water dropwort(10 sites), stream sediments(5 sites), and background soils(3 sites) near industrial complex. The total concentrations of Cd Cu, and Ni were higher than those of permissible level for soil contamination(Cd 3, Cu 100, Ni $50mg\;kg^{-1}$ in soil) suggested by Kloke(1979). Dominant chemical forms of Cd in paddies cultivating water dropwort and stream sediments were exchangeable form(49.1-56.3%), and those of Cu, Zn, and Ni were Fe and Mn oxide bound and residual forms. The mobility factor of heavy metals in paddies cultivating water dropwort and stream sediments was in the order Cd>Zn>Ni>Cu>Pb, specially, the mobility factor of Cd (62-72%) were relatively higher than that of other metals in soils. The total concentrations of Cd in soils showed significant positive correlation with the ratios of exchangeable and Fe and Mn oxide bound forms, while correlated negatively with residual form. Heavy metal contents in root parts were higher than those in top parts of water dropwort. The bioavailability of water dropwort varied considerably between the different parts and heavy metals. Cd, Cu and Ni contents in water dropwort were correlated with each fractions in soils. Specially, the exchangeable form of Cd and Ni in soils showed significant positive correlation with the those contents of water dropwort.