• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2001

Legal permissible limit of herbal drugs metal level in Korea is define 'less 30.0ppm in total(except mineral drugs)' including Pb Hg Cd As Cr Ni etc. This limit has a lot of problems in several factors, that is, not divide hazard and essential elements, not consider high and low toxic effect in each metal, not calculate dose-response relationship and average health behavior in Korean etc. As a that result, It has strong limits and weakness in the basic toxicology and Oriental medicine. To improve and correct these factors, We need to several new approach as like below. It must be radical study following problems in short and middle-long period in the future, toxic metal and essential element must be divide to basic toxicology and also be diverse toxic effect. But mineral drugs that included a amount of severe toxic metals is being used as active prescription drug until now. If toxic, safety and side-effect of metals will be considered, mineral drugs must prohibit instantly or use at least after examined toxic effect. But one of the most important things about herbal drugs contamination, all people and department (government, farmer and trader, oriental medicine doctors and association) will be participate cooperative and collection for preventive or the least contamination in herbal drugs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.175-182
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• 1993

Volatilization of toxic heavy metals, especially, metal chlorides at elevated temperatures in oxidation conditions was observed using a thermogravimetric furnace since such metal chlorides used to be a cause for the disease of industrial workers by their toxicity and high volatile extent. Most of tested metal chloride compounds were evaporated or decomposed into gas phase at elevated temperatures ranged from 200~90$0^{\circ}C$, while CrCl$_3$ and NiC1$_2$became stable with converting into oxide forms. A kinetic model for evaporation/condensation could predict maximum evaporation flux and the calculated values were compared with real evaporation flux. The ratio of two fluxes could be explained as the fraction of impinging gas molecules to the condensing surface( $\alpha$ ) and obtained in the range of 10$^{-3}$ ~10$^{-9}$ for the experimented toxic heavy metal chlorides. This ratio might be used to define the volatile extent or toxicity of such toxic metal compounds. The schemes to avoid volatilization of toxic heavy metals Into the atmosphere were suggested as follows ; 1 ) controlling the compositions of metals and Chlorine produced substances( such as PVC ) in the treated materials using a reverse estimation from regulatory limit and characteristics of a processing facility, 2) Installation of wet type devices such as a scrubber for condensing the metal compounds.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1591-1600
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• 2015

The response of the freshwater microalga, Chlorella vulgaris, to heavy metal stress was examined based on chlorophyll fluorescence analysis to assess the toxic effects of heavy metals in freshwater ecosystems. When toxic effects were analyzed using regular chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, photosystem II activity($F_v/F_m$) decreased significantly when exposed to $Cu^{2+}$ and $Hg^{2+}$ for 12 h, and decreased in the order of $Hg^{2+}>Cu^{2+}>Cd^{2+}>Ni^{2+}$ when exposed for 24h. The effective photochemical quantum yield(${\phi}{\prime}_{PSII}$), chlorophyll fluorescence decrease ratio($R_{Fd}$), minimal fluorescence yield($F_o$), and non-photochemical quenching(NPQ), but not photochemical quenching(qP), responded sensitively to $Hg^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Cd^{2+}$. These results suggest that $F_v/F_m$, as well as ${\phi}{\prime}_{PSII}$, $R_{Fd}$, $F_o$, and NPQ could be used to assess the effects of heavy metal ions in freshwater ecosystems. However, because many types of heavy metal ions and toxic compounds co-occur under natural conditions, it is difficult to assess heavy metal toxicity in freshwater ecosystems. When Chlorella was exposed to heavy metal ions for 12 or 24h, $F_v/F_m$ and maximal fluorescence yield($F_m$) changed in response to $Hg^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ based on image analysis. However, assessing quantitatively the toxic effects of several heavy metal ions is challenging.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.116-123
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• 2016

The ecotoxicity tests for metal plating wastewater were conducted using Daphnia magna (D. magna) and Euglena agilis (E. agilis). Evaluation for sources of toxicity was performed by 1) Correlation analysis between the concentration of individual metals in the metal plating wastewater and the toxic effects on D. magna, 2) Toxicant identification evaluation methods including graduated pH method, EDTA procedure and sodium thiosulfate procedure, 3) Comparison of toxic effect value ($EC_{50}$ or $LC_{50}$) of individual metal on D. magna and it's concentration in the metal plating wastewater. To evaluate the possibility of E. agilis, a Korean domestic organism, as a test model organism for metal plating waste water, E. agilis toxicity test was also assessed using on-line euglena ecotoxicity system (E-Tox system). Based on toxicant characterization test using D. magna, it was expected that SS, oxidants and heavy metals are responsible for toxicity of metal plating waste water. Especially Cu, Hg, and Ag were the major cationic metals that caused toxicity. E. agilis is less sensitive than D. magna based on the $EC_{50}$ value however it shows prompt response to toxic test substances. E. agilis shows even a significant effect on the cell swimming velocity within 2 min to toxic metal plating wastewater. Our study demonstrates that E. agilis test can be a putative ecotoxicity test for assessing the quality of metal plating waste water.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Environmental toxicants such as toxic metals can alter epigenetic regulatory features such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA expression. Heavy metals influence gene expression by epigenetic mechanisms and by directly binding to various metal response elements in the target gene promoters. Given the role of epigenetic alterations in regulating genes, there is potential for the integration of toxic metal-induced epigenetic alterations as informative factors in the risk assessment process. Here, we focus on recent advances in understanding epigenetic changes, gene expression, and biological effects induced by toxic metals.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.156-163
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• 2001

Vanadium has been known as environmental polluants resulted from the burning of fossil fuels in nature. It led to toxic responses by prooxidant activity, inducing free radicals and the accumulation in the tissues. Recently, there has been growing interest in an essential nutritional requirement of vandium and especially the treatment of diabetes. But because of its strong toxicity, thease chemicals have narrow safety margin. In order to reduce metal toxicity, and increase absorption and biological activities, metal ions such as selenium and chromium were uptaken in yeast cells. In this study, Vanadium yeast was prepared by uptaking vanadate in yeast cells. Vanadate induced hematological and biochemical changes in the experimental rat blood were inhibited by the treatments of vanadium yeast. Lipid peroxidation and catalase activity were significantly increased in kidney and liver after a single intraperitoneal injection of vanadate to rats. However, these observations were apparently reduced in the vanadium yeast treated group. Vanadium amount in blood, kidney and liver after a single intraperitoneal injection of vanadium yeast was significantly reduced than that of vanadate treated group. In conclusion, vanadium yeast uptaken vanadate in yeast cells could reduce toxic effects of vanadate.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2009

Recent publications showed that metal nanoparticles which are made from $TiO_2,\;CeO_2,\;Al_2O_3,\;CuCl_2,\;AgNO_3$ and $ZnO_2$ induced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory effects in cultured cells and the responses seemed to be common toxic pathway of metal nanoparticles to the ultimate toxicity in animals as well as cellular level. In this study, we compared the gene expression induced by two different types of metal oxide nanoparticles, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TNP) and cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CNP) using microarray analysis. About 50 genes including interleukin 6, interleukin 1, platelet-derived growth factor $\beta$, and leukemia inhibitory factor were induced in cultured BEAS2B cells treated with TNP 40 ppm. When we compared the induction levels of genes in TNP-treated cells to those in CNP-treated cells, the induction levels were very correlated in various gene categories (r=0.645). This may suggest a possible common toxic mechanism of metal oxide nanoparticles.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.169-174
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• 1999

Arabidopsis AHL gene contains 4 exons encoding a putative protein highly homologous to the yeast salt-sensitive enzyme HAL2, a 3'(2'),5'-bisphosphate nucleotidase involving in reductive sulfate assimilation. AHL cDNA complemented yeast met22 (hal2) mutant. AHL fusion protein expressed in E. coli exhibited $Mg^{2+}$-dependent, 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP)-specific phosphatase activity. $Li^+,\;Na^+,\;K^+$ and $Ca^{2+}$ ions inhibit the enzyme activity by competing with $Mg^{2+}$ for the active site of the enzyme. The enzyme activity was also sensitive to ${\mu}M$ concentrations of toxic heavy metal ions such as $Cd^{2+},\;Cu^{2+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$, but was not recovered by addition of more $Mg^{2+}$ ions, suggesting that these ions inactivate the enzyme with a mechanism other than competition with $Mg^{2+}$ ions. Inhibition of the AHL enzyme activity may result in accumulation of PAP, which is highly toxic to the cell. Thus, the AHL enzyme could be one of the intial targets of heavy metal toxicity in plants.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.307-312
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• 2001

Adsorption capacities of toxic heavy metal ions using as-received carbon(AC), single and double surface-modified activated carbon(OAC and DSMC) in wide pH ranges are extensively evaluated. Physical and chemical properties of surface-modified activated carbons are evaluated through BET analysis, surface acidity and oxides measurements. Based oil tile adsorption isotherms of Pb, Cd and Cr ions by AC, OAC and DSMC, the adsorption amount on DSMC was obviously higher than that on the other carbons. Breakthrough behaviors of ternary metal ions in a column packed with three kinds of carbon were also characterized with respect to the variations of the influent pH and concentration. The adsorption capacity of DSMC in a fixed bed stood a favorable comparison with that of as-received carbon.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.556-562
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• 2017

Heavy metals in water systems are being managed on the concentration-based guidelines in Korea. However, various chemicals present in water can interact with heavy metals affecting their toxicity. Such interactions are not considered in the concentration-based guidelines. This study investigated the effect of hardness and coexisting heavy metals on heavy metal toxicity to emphasize the importance of having the effect-based guidelines together with the concentration-based guidelines in water management. The toxic effects of Cd, Zn, or mixtures of Cd and Zn were studied with Daphnia magna as a test species following the standard test method at different hardness conditions (100, 200, and $300mg\;L^{-1}$ as $CaCO_3$). The toxicities of single metal solutions and mixtures showed a decreasing trend with increasing hardness, and this can be attributed to the competition between heavy metals and cations such as calcium ions ($Ca^{2+}$) that cause hardness. The predicted toxicities of the heavy metal mixtures from the single metal toxicity deviated from the measured toxicities, and the predicted toxic effects tend to be greater than the measured toxic effects suggesting that Cd and Zn are in competition. This shows the limitations of using predicted toxic effects and the needs for further studies on mixture toxicities. Overall, this study shows that the management of heavy metals in waters needs to employ the effect-based guidelines together with the concentration-based guidelines.