• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.611-631
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• 1999

Enviromental geochemisty and heary metal contamination at the Kongjueil mine creek were underaken on the basis of physicohemical properties and mineralogy for various kinds of water (surface, mine and ground water),soil, precipitate and sediment collected of April and December in 1998. Hydrgeochemical composition of the water samples are characterized by relatively significant enricant of Ca+Na, alkiali ions $NO_3$ and Cl inground and surfore water, wheras the mine waters are relatively eneripheral water of the mining creek have the characteristics of the (Ca+Mg)-$(HCO_3+SO_4)$type. The pH of the mine water is high acidity (3.24)and high EC (613$\mu$S/cm)compared with those of surface and ground water. The range of $\delta$D and $\delta^{18}O$ values (relative to SMOW) in the waters are shpwn in -50.2 to -61.6% and -7.0 to -8.6$\textperthousand$(d value=5.8 to 8.7). Using computer program, saturation index of albite, calcite, dolomite in mine water are nearly saturated. The gibbiste, kaolinite and smectite are superaturated in the surface and ground water, respectively. Calculated water-mineral reaction and stabilities suggest that weathing of silicate minerals may be stable kaolinite owing to the continuous water-rock reaction. Geochemical modeling showed that mostly toxic heavy metals may exist larfely in the from of metal-sulfate $(MSO_4\;^2)$and free metal $(M^{2+})$ in nmine water. These metals in the ground and surface water could be formed of $CO_3$ and OH complex ions. The average enrichment indices of water samples are 2.72 of the groundwater, 2.26 of the surface water and 14.15 of the acid mine water, normalizing by surface water composition at the non-mining creek, repectively. Characteristics of some major, minor and rate earth elements (Al/Na, K/Na, V/Ni, Cr/V, Ni/Co, La/Ce, Th/Yb, $La_N/Yb_N$, Co/Th, La/Sc and Sc/Th) in soil and sediment are revealed a narrow range and homogeneous compositions may be explained by acidic to intermediate igneous rocks. And these suggested that sediment source of host granitic gneiss colud be due to rocks of high grade metamorphism originated by sedimentary rocks. Maximum concentrations of environmentally toxic elements in sediment and soil are Fe=53.80 wt.% As=660, Cd=4, Cr=175, Cu=158, Mn=1010, Pb=2933, Sb=4 and Zn=3740 ppm, and extremely high concentrations are found are found in the subsurface soil near the ore dump and precipitates. Normalizing by composition of host granitic gneiss, the average enerichment indices are 3.72 of the sediments, 3.48 of the soils, 10.40 of the precipitates of acid mine drainage and 6.25 of the soils near the main adit. The level of enerichment was very severe in mining drainage sediments, while it was not so great in the soils. mineral composition of soil and sediment near the mining area were partly variable being composed of quartz, mica, feldspar, chlorite, vermiculite, bethierin and clay minerals. reddish variable being composed of quartz, mica, feldspar, chlorite, vermiculite, bethierin and clay minerals. Reddish brown precipitation mineral in the acid mine drainage identifies by schwertmanite. From the separated mineralgy, soil and sediment are composed of some pyrite, arsenopyite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, malachite, goethite and various kinds of hydroxied minerals.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.547-557
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• 1996

Background : An excessive accumulation of neutrophils in lung tissue has been known to play an important role in mediating the tissue injury among the adult respiratory distress syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and cystic fibrosis by releasing toxic oxygen radicals and proteolytic enzymes. Therefore, it is important to understand a possible mechanism of neutrophil accumulation in lung tissue. In many species, exposure to hyperoxic stimuli can cause changes of lung tissues very similar to human adult respiratory distress syndrome and neutrophils are also functioning as the main effector cells in hyperoxic lung injury. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether neutrophils function as a key effector cell and to study the nature of possible neutrophil chemotactic factors found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the hyperoxia exposed rats. Methods : We exposed the rats to the more than 95% oxygen for 24, 48, 60 arid 72 hours and bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL) was performed. Neutrophil chemotactic activity was measured from the BAT- fluid of each experimental groups. We also evaluated the molecular weight of neutrophil chemotactic tractors using fast performance liquid chromatography and characterized the substances by dialyzer membrane and heat treatment. Results : 1) The neutrophil proportions in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid began to rise from 48 hours after oxygen exposure, and continued to be significantly increased with exposure times. 2) chemotactic index for neutrophils in lung lavages from rats exposed to hyperoxia was significantly higher in 48 hours group than in control group, and was significantly increased with exposure time. 3) No deaths occured until after 48 hours of exposure. However, mortality rates were increased to 33.3 % in 60 hours group and 81.3 % in 72 fours group. 4) Gel filtration using fast performance liquid chromatography disclosed two peaks of neutrophil chemotactic activity in molecular weight of 104,000 and 12,000 daltons. 5) Chemotactic indices of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly deceased when bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was treated with heat ($56^{\circ}C$ for 30 min or $100^{\circ}C$ for 10 min) or dialyzed (dialyzer membrane molecular weight cut off : 12,000 daltons). Conclusion : These results suggested that the generation of neutrophil chemotactic factor and subsequent neutrophil influx into the lungs are playing an important roles in hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury. Neutrophil chemotactic factor in the lung lavage fluids consisted of several distinct components having different molecular weight and different physical characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.218-231
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• 2012

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the physico-chemical water quality, trophic and tolerance guilds in the control ($C_o$) and impacted streams of the abandoned mine, along with the ecological health, using a multimetric health model and physical habitat conditions of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), during the period of three years, 2005~2007. Also, eco-toxicity ($EE_t$) enclosure tests were conducted to examine the toxic effects on the outflows from the mine wastewater, using the sentinel species of Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, and we compared the biological responses of the control ($C_o$) and treatment (T) to the effluents through a Necropybased Health Assessment Index ($N_b$-HAI). Tissue impact analysis of the spleen, kidney, gill, liver, eyes, and fins were conducted in the controlled enclosure experiments (10 individuals). According to the comparisons of the control ($C_o$) vs. the treatment (T) in physicochemical water quality, outflows from the abandoned mine resulted in low pH of 3.2, strong acid wastewater, high ionic concentrations, based on an electrical conductivity, and high total dissolved solid (TDS). Physical habitat assessments, based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) did not show any statistical differences (p>0.05) in the sampling sites, whereas, the $M_m$-EH model values in a multimetric ecological health ($M_m$-EH) model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), using fish assemblages, were 16~20 (fair condition) in the control and all zero (0, poor condition) in the impacted sites of mine wastewater. In addition, in enclosure eco-toxicity ($EE_t$) tests, the model values of $N_b$-HAI ranged between 0 and 3 in the controls during the three years, indicating an excellent~good condition (Ex~G), and were >100 (range: 100~137) in the impacted sites, which indicates a poor condition (P). Under the circumstances, organ tissues, such as the liver, kidney, and gills were largely impaired, so that efficient water quality managements are required in the outflow area of the abandoned mine watershed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study are to investigate the contamination levels of heavy metals in soil, ground water, and agricultural product near the abandoned Boeun and Sanggok mine areas in Korea and to assess the health risk for these local residents exposed to the toxic heavy metals based on analytical data. METHODS AND RESULTS: By the results of human health risk assessment for local residents around Boeun and Sanggok, human exposure to cadmium, copper, arsenic from soil and to lead, cadmium, and arsenic from rice grain were higher in Sanggok, but human exposure to zinc and arsenic from ground water was higher in Boeun. By the results of hazard index (HI) evaluation for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, HI values in both areas were higher than 1.0. This result indicated that the toxicity hazard through the continuous exposure to lead, cadmium, arsenic from rice, ground water, and soil would be likely to occur to the residents in the areas. Cancer risk assessment for arsenic, risks from the rice were exposed to one to two out of 10,000 people in Boeun and one of 1,000 people in Sanggok. These results showed that the cancer risks of arsenic in both areas were 10~100 times greater than the acceptable cancer risk range of US EPA ($1{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}1{\times}10^{-5}$). CONCLUSION(S): Therefore, if these two local residents consume continuously with arsenic contaminated soil, ground water, and rice, the adverse health effects (carcinogenic potential) would be more increased.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.381-386
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• 2008

Lipophilic ammonia is toxic gas and can easily diffuse across cell membranes. Excess ammonia is implicated in the pathogenesis of several metabolic disorders including hepatic encephalopathy and may result in the death. The purpose of this study was to clarify the inhibition effect of metronidazole on liver cell damage due to ammonia in human Hep G2 cell and rat hepatocytes. The effects of metronidazole were studied in ammonium chloride treated human Hep G2 cell (75 mM) and rat hepatocyte (100 mM) following $0.1{\mu}M$ metronidazole treatment. In MTZ+AC group, cell viabilities increased prominently and LDH activities decreased over 25% than AC group. Furthermore, ammonia level according to ammonium chloride treatment reduced over 30% and lipid peroxidation as an index of cell membrane damage decreased more than twice. By comparison with control, catalase activity showed more than 30% reduction in AC group while less than 10% reduction in MTZ+AC group, respectively. In addition, MTZ+AC group showed the similar cell structure as control in cell morphology study by using light microscope, and represented fluorescent intensity decrement compared with AC group in fluorescent microscopic study with avidin-TRITC fluorescent dye. And cleaved PARP expression due to ammonia reduced twofold or more in MTZ+AC group. As the results suggest, metronidazole may protect the liver cell by inhibiting cell damages due to ammonia and be used for an effective antagonist of ammonia in hyperammonemia.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.35-42
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• 2003

In this study, we tried to evaluate the ignitibility, flammability, heat release rate, and toxicity of five different types of burning artificial leather sofa covers that are widely used in entertainment service industry buildings. As the results of this study, putting the artificial leathers under fire conditions we found out following results auto-ignition temperature was$ 427~437^{\circ}C$, limiting oxygen index was 19~20%; at heat flux of $25 kW\m^2$, ignition time was 10~16s and peak heat release rate was $147~277 kW\m^2$; and at heat flux of$ 35 kW\m^2$, ignition time was 6~9s and peak heat release rate was $176~296 kW\m^2$. The toxic materials discharged from the burning leathers were 5,550~6,290 ppm of CO, 18,500~23,400 ppm of $CO_2$, 110~140 ppm, of HCl, 13~65 ppm of HCN and 145~220 ppm of NOx.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1990

To evaluate tobacco quality, several mathods including sensory test, or measurement of some toxic compounds such as tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke have been used. However, many detrimental effects of smoking on the physiological functions including respiratory system reported were turned out to be the action of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the amounts of oxygen free radicals such as superoxide, hydroxyl radical, even hydrogen peroxide in the cigarette smoke are thought the very important factors. In the present study, we have determined the generation of superoxide and the content of hydrogen peroxide using superoxide dismutase and catalase in the gas and particulate phases obtained from cigarette smoke, respectively. In the aqueous extracts of total particulate materials, suproxide and hydrogen peroxide were detected, and there was an excellent correlation between oxygen tint of oxygen free radicals in cigarette smoke may be a useful index for evaluation of cigarette quality in the aspect of smoking and health.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.295-311
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• 1994

A comprehensive in-situ tests are performed to define the hydrogeologic and hydrodispersive characteristics such as hydraulic conductivities, longitudinal dispersivity, and average linear velocities as well as conducting flow-net analysis at the study area. The results show that the study area is very heterogeneous so that hydraulic conductivities range from $6.45{\times}10^{-7}$ to $1.15{\times}10^{-5}m/s$ with average linear velocities of 0.34~0.62m/day. Whole groundwater in upper-most aquifer is discharging into the sea with specific discharge rate of $7.2{\times}10^{-3}$ to $1.3{\times}10^{-2}m/day$. The longitudinal dispersivity of the aquifer is estimated about 4.8m through In-situ injection phase test. The area is highly vulnerable to potential contaminant sources due to it's high value of DRASTIC index ranging from 139 to 155 and also under water table condition with very shallow groundwater level. To delineate contaminant plumes of toxic NaOH and carcinogenic benzene when these substances are assumed to be leaked through existing TSDF at the study area by unexpected accidents or spill, Aquifer Simulation Model (ASM) including Flow and Transport Model is used. Te simulated results reveal that the size of NaOH plume after 5 years continuous leak is about $250{\times}100m$ and benzene after 10 years, $490{\times}100m$. When the groundwater is abstracted about 50 days, which is maximum continuously sustained no-precipitation period during 30 years, with pumping rate of $100m^3/day$, THWELL program shows that the groundwater is adversly affected by sea water intrusion.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.555-566
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• 1996

In order to assess the long-term airborne concentrations of 6 metals such as Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn, K, and Na and the associated health resk, a great number of PM-10 samples were collected and analyzed in Kyung Hee University-Suwon Campus for three years from 1991 to 1993. The 3-year average concentration of Pb in respirable particulate matters was 142.6 ng/m$^{3}$ while that of Zn was 1,210.5ng/m$^{3}$. The corresponding hazard index from Pb Zn for the ingalation route was estimated to be 9.5.times.10$^{-2}$ and 3.5.times.10$^{-2}$ , respectively. Therefore, it can be said that there was no adverse chronic health effects by airborne Pb and Zn. However, the 2-year average concentration of Cr(6) was estimated to be 1.3ng/m$^{3}$ shile the 3-year average concentration of Cd was 3.1ng/m$^{3}$. The total cancer risk by these two metals for the inhalation route was estimated to be about 7.2.times.10$^{-6}$ . This order-of-magnitude risk estimate suggests that the ingalation risk in the study area from all carcinogenic metals including As and Ni (subsulfide) might exceed the acceptable risk criteria of 10$^{-5}$ -10$^{-6}$ by U.S.EPA.For a better risk assessment in the future, alveolar deposition of PM-10 in the study area were also discussed and an assessment was done.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.322-334
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• 2020

Background: Spontaneous combustion of coal is one of the factors which causes direct or indirect gas and dust explosion, mine fire, the release of toxic gases, loss of reserve, and loss of miners' life. To avoid these incidents, the prediction of spontaneous combustion is essential. The safety of miner's in the mining field can be assured if the prediction of a coal fire is carried out at an early stage. Method: Adularya Underground Coal Mine which is fully mechanized with longwall mining method was selected as a case study area. The data collected for 2017, by sensors from ten gas monitoring stations were used for the simulation and prediction of a coal fire. In this study, the fuzzy logic model is used because of the uncertainties, nonlinearity, and imprecise variables in the data. For coal fire prediction, CO, O₂, N₂, and temperature were used as input variables whereas fire intensity was considered as the output variable.The simulation of the model is carried out using the Mamdani inference system and run by the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox in MATLAB. Results: The results showed that the fuzzy logic system is more reliable in predicting fire intensity with respect to uncertainties and nonlinearities of the data. It also indicates that the 1409 and 610/2B gas station points have a greater chance of causing spontaneous combustion and therefore require a precautional measure. Conclusion: The fuzzy logic model shows higher probability in predicting fire intensity with the simultaneous application of many variables compared with Graham's index.