• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2021

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding the criteria of groundwater, in particular in Gwangwon-do Province where many residents drink groundwater due to the poor supply of tap water and a high nonconformity rate with water quality criteria nationwide. Objectives: Water quality monitoring and risk assessment were conducted for groundwater in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province. Methods: A total of 46 items required for meeting drinking water criteria were analyzed from 258 samples collected from March 2017 through August 2018 (152 sites in 2017 and 106 sites in 2018). Risk assessment was conducted for two non-carcinogens (F^- and NO₃-N), and one carcinogen (i.e., arsenic) based on their high nonconformity to water quality criteria. Results: Water quality analysis revealed that the total proportion of nonconformities was determined to be 27.9%. The nonconformity rate for each content item is as follows: total colony counts (1.6%), total coliform (6.2%), Escherichia coli (1.2%), F^- (8.1%), arsenic (4.7%), NO₃-N (8.1%), pH (1.2%), manganese (0.4%), and turbidity (5.8%). Risk assessment indicated that fluoride induced a hazard quotient greater than 1 with the 95% UCL (Upper Confidence Limit) concentration of the total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. For NO₃-N, there was no human health risk. For arsenic, the excess cancer risk exceeded the acceptable cancer risk of 1×10^-6 with the average and 95% UCL concentrations of total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. Conclusions: This study suggests that it is necessary to expand water quality monitoring of groundwater and conduct a more detailed risk assessment in order to establish a health care plan for the residents of Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2004

Several tests were conducted to optimize design parameters of soil washing technique for arsenic contaminated tailings and soils. Arsenic contaminated tailings and soils have been sampled from the N nine, Kwangwondo and the K mine, Kyungsangbukdo, respectively. According to the result of sequential extraction procedure, total arsenic concentrations were 21,028 $\pm$ 190, 443$\pm$7, and 37$\pm$3 mg/kg, for mine tailings, dry field, and river sedimentary soil, respectively. The subtotal of weakly bonded and easily releasable arsenic concentrations which were 2,284$\pm$100 (10.9%), 151$\pm$5 (34.0%), 15$\pm$3 (39.5%)mg/kg for mine tailings, dry field, and river sedimentary soil, respectively. Kinetics of arsenic extraction using NaOH showed that arsenic was extracted more than 90% after 6 hours for all samples. The optimized concentration of NaOH were 200 mM for all samples while the optimized dilution ratio were different to have 1:10 (mine tailings) and 1:5 (dry field, river sedimentary soil), respectively. Results of sequential soil washing tests using NaOH showed that arsenic concentrations obtained by Korean Standard Test Procedure were decreased to meet the regulation for both river sedimentary soil and dry field while they were not decreased largely for mine tailings, even though NaOH had much higher efficiencies of arsenic extraction than other extractants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.238-248
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• 2014

The metalloid arsenic (Z = 33) is considered to be a significant potential threat to human health due to its ubiquity and toxicity, even in rural regions. In this study a rural region contaminated with arsenic, located at longitude $85^{\circ}$ 32'E and latitude $25^{\circ}$ 11'N, was initially examined. Arsenic tolerant bacteria from the rhizosphere of Amaranthas viridis were found and identified as Bacillus licheniformis through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The potential for the uptake and removal of arsenic at 3, 6 and 9 mM [As(V)], and 2, 4 and 6 mM [As(III)], and for the reduction of the above concentrations of As(V) to As(III) by the Bacillus licheniformis were then assessed. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for As(V) and As(III) was determined to be 10 and 7 mM, respectively. At 3 mM 100% As(V) was uptaken by the bacteria with the liberation of 42% As(III) into the medium, whereas at 6 mM As(V), 76% AS(V) was removed from the media and 56% was reduced to As(III). At 2 mM As(III), the bacteria consumed 100%, whereas at 6 mM, the As(III) consumption was only 40%. The role of pH was significant for the speciation, availability and toxicity of the arsenic, which was measured as the variation in growth, uptake and content of cell protein. Both As(V) and As(III) were most toxic at around a neutral pH, whereas both acidic and basic pH favored growth, but at variable levels. Contrary to many reports, the total cell protein content in the bacteria was enhanced by both As(V) and As(III) stress.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.199-203
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• 2004

Fibrous arsenic (As) adsorbent was synthesized by loading zirconium (Zr) on fibrous phosphoric adsorbent that was directly synthesized by radiation-induced graft polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphoric acid on polyethylene-coated polypropylene nonwoven fabric. Zirconium reacted with phosphoric acid grafted in the polyethylene layer. Zirconium density of the resulting adsorbent was 4.1 mmol/g. The breakthrough curve of As(V) adsorption was independent of the flow rate up to $1300\;h^{-1}$ in space velocity. The total capacity of As(V) was 2.0 mmol/g-adsorbent at pH of 2. The adsorbed Zr(IV) could be evaluated by 0.4 M sodium hydroxide solution because negligible Zr(IV) could be found in the eluted solution.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.224-233
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between residential surroundings, such as a power plant, steel mill and petrochemical facilities, and urinary arsenic concentrations in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea. Methods: Stratified by fish consumption and residential district, median and maximum block sampling was applied. A total of 346 spot urine samples were speciated for $As^{5+}$, $As^{3+}$, monomethylarsonic acid(MMA), dimethylarsonic acid (DMA) and arsenobetaine (AsB). Exposure assessment was based on questionnaires including data on sex, age, current tobacco use, fish consumption, type of water consumed, and occupational category. Results: Urinary $As^{5+}+As^{3+}+MMA+DMA$ concentrations of people living in the vicinity of a power plant ($GM=50.39{\mu}g/g$) were 61% higher than those of people living in the inland area according to median block sampling. Urinary $As^{5+}+As^{3+}+MMA+DMA+AsB$ concentrations of people living in the vicinity of industrial complex area were higher than those of people living in the inland area according to block sampling by median and maximum. Conclusion: Urinary arsenic concentrations of people living in vulnerable areas such as around industrial complexes, especially power plants, were higher than those of people living in an inland area.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2014

Arsenic (As) is one of the heavy metals which causes acute bio-toxicity even at low concentration and has disastrous effect on environment. In some countries, As contamination has become alarming and increasing day by day as consequences of unsustainable management practices. Many existing physical, chemical and biological processes for As removal from water system are not feasible due to techno-economic limitations. The present study highlights the scope of biological strategy for As removal through phytoextraction. Arsenic uptake and accumulation in the biomass of three plant species and their As tolerance abilities have been investigated to develop an efficient phytoextraction system in combination of these plant species. Three non-crop plant species, Pteris vittata; Mimosa pudica, and Eichhornia crassipus were treated with 0-200 mg/L As in liquid nutrient solution for 14 days. P. vittata accumulated total 9,082.2 mg (8,223 mg in fronds) As/kg biomass and Eichhornia total 6,969 mg (4,517 mg in fronds)/kg biomass at 200 mg/L As concentration, respectively. Bioaccumulation factor (BF) and translocation factor (TF) were estimated to differentiate between excluders, accumulators and accumulation in above ground biomass. Pteris and Eichhornia have highest BF (67 and 17) and TF (64 and 3), respectively. In contrast, Mimosa accumulated up to 174 mg As/kg plant biomass which is low in comparison with other two plants, and both BF and TF were ${\leq}1$. This study reveals that Pteris and Eichhornia are As hyperaccumulator, and potential candidates for As removal from water system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.282-282
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• 2022

Arsenic (As) is a toxic heavy metal that affects the major rice-growing regions of the world and can cause cancer in humans. Rice paddy fields in South Asia are mostly dependent on arsenic-contaminated water sources due to which rice takes up the arsenic from the soil through roots and accumulates it in plant different parts. Here, we present a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping study to find out candidate genes conferring As toxicity tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) at the seedling stage. Three weeks old, 120 double haploid CNDH lines derived from a cross between the Indica variety Cheongcheong and the Japonica variety Nagdong and their parental lines were used by treating with 25 μM As. After 2 weeks ofAs stress, 5 traits such as; shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), root fresh weight (RFW), and chlorophyll contents (CHC) were measured. A linkage map of 12 rice chromosomes was constructed from genotypic data DH lines using 778 SSR markers. The linkage map covered a total genetic distance of 2121.7 cM of the rice genome with an average interval of 10.6 cM between markers. A total of seventeen QTLs (LOD>2) were mapped on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 using composite interval mapping with trait-increasing alleles coming from both parents. Five QTLs for SL, Two QTLs for RL, Five QTLs for SHL, Three QTLs for RFW, and Two QTLs for CHC were detected. The QTLs related to CHC were selected for forther study.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2013

Arsenic (As) is a well-known human carcinogen and its dietary exposure has been found to be the major route of entry into general population. This study was performed to assess the body levels of As and their associated factors in Korean adults by analyzing total As in urine. Urine and blood samples were collected from 580 adults aged 20 years and older, who had not been exposed to As occupationally. Demographic information was collected with the help of a standard questionnaire, including age, smoking, alcohol intake, job profiles, and diet consumed in the last 24 hrs of the study. Total As, sum of As(III), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), in urine was determined using atomic absorption spectrometer involving hydride generation method. The geometric mean concentration of total As in urine was $7.10{\mu}g/L$. Urine As was significantly higher in men ($7.63{\mu}g/L$) than in women ($6.75{\mu}g/L$). Age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and job profiles of study subjects did not significantly affect the concentration of As in urine. No significant relationship was observed between body mass index (BMI), Fe, and total cholesterol in serum and urinary As. Urine As level was positively correlated with seaweeds, fishes & shellfishes, and grain intake. A negative correlation between urinary As level and HDL-cholesterol in serum and meat intake was observed. Overall, these results suggest that urinary As concentration could be affected by seafood consumption. Therefore, people who frequently consume seafood and grain need to be monitored for chronic dietary As exposure.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2015

As the water supply system has been installed over the country, the management of drinking water could be easier and controlled by experts. This helps to supply safe water to public. However, in rural area, small scale water treatment systems or groundwater haves been used as drinking water supplier. The drinking water including groundwater contains various contaminants. Private or small scale water treatment system can be contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, selenium and strontium which are usually originated from natural source. Arsenic, selenium and strontium have been determined from the goundwater, small scale water treatment system in the Kyungpook area. The results have been compared with the Korean and international standards. The results were analyzed on the geological characteristics of the area. Among the total of 1,412 samples, 76 samples showed higher concentration of arsenic than WHO guideline and the Korean drinking water standard. Total 4 samples had higher contents of selenium than WHO guideline which was $10{\mu}g/L$. In the analysis of geological characteristics, arsenic was highly released from a few area and which are in order of biotite granodiorite > biotite granite > daegu formation. Selenium has been highly released from biotite granite > black shale > diluvium.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.391-395
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• 2018

There is an increasing concern over arsenic (As) contamination of paddy soil and rice with regard to food safety. This study was conducted to investigate total and inorganic As concentration in one hundred husked and polished rice samples collected at the non-contaminated paddy soil in Korea. Arsenic species in rice samples were extracted using 1% nitric acid ($HNO_3$) with a microwave oven and were measured using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Mean concentrations of total As in husked rice and polished rice were 0.18 and $0.11mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Also, average inorganic As concentrations in husked rice and polished rice were 0.11 and $0.07mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. These levels are lower than the standard guideline value 0.35 and $0.2mg\;kg^{-1}$ for inorganic As in husked and polished rice recommended by Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, respectively. The mean of the inorganic As ratio for the total amount of As was 0.65 and 0.67 for husked rice and polished rice, respectively, and the range was from 0.08 to 1.0. For health risk assessment, the average value of cancer risk probability was $9.24{\times}10^{-5}$ and ranged from $2.30{\times}10^{-5}$ to $1.90{\times}10^{-5}$. Therefore, human exposure to As through dietary intake of surveyed rice samples might considered to be a low health risk.