• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2009

The exposure of human beings to toxic trace metals (Cu, Zn) continues to be an important public health issue and concern. This study was conducted to assess the exposure to trace metals (Cu, Zn) in the general Korean population by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Serum samples were obtained from 40 healthy volunteers. Specimens were collected in special container and we applied sample processing to minimize contamination. We used ICP-MS and AAS to analyze simultaneously the concentration of metals including copper, zinc. Distribution of trace metal levels in the general healthy population showed lower values. The results in this study can provide background data for clinical studies associated with trace metal exposure in the korean population.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.240-244
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the efficiency of steel mill slag and sludge in removing heavy metals and cyanide in metal plating wastewater. Laboratory experiments were peformed with jar tester, The tests were peformed at ambient temperature. The results of tests showed that overall rates metals removed were greater than 90 %. Metals were removed from solution as the combined effects of adsorption and precipitation in alkaline condition. The removal efficiency of cyanide by steel mill wastes was above 90 % at optimum conditions. In view of the test results and other engineering characteristics of steel mill slag and sludge, these industrial by-products from steel industry have a high potential to be used in metal plating wastewater treament and were particularly beneficial.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.381-386
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• 2001

The dust generated from the electric arc furnace steel making process is classified as hazardous material by Korean Environmental Protection Acts, mainly because of the existence of water teachable Pb, Zn and Cd. Thus the treatment of EAF dust is being carried out to fulfill both the environmental aspect and recovery of valuable metals. To establish the proper process for recovering the valuable metals (Fe, Zn, Pb and Cd) and producing the non-toxic slag from EAF dust, using RAPID-10 system, feasibility study have been carried out. To find out the scale-up factor for designing the commercial scale EAF dust treatment process(capacity 50,000 ton EAF dust per year) entitled RAPID-50 system. The design and construction of RAPID-50 (RIST Arc Plasma Industrial Device) system for treating 50,000 ton of EAF dust per year is now undergoing. Overall plan for treating EAF dust generated in KOREA will be setup after successful operation (December, 2002) of RAPID-50 system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.73-77
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• 2003

Red mud is a waste material formed during the production of alumina when the bauxite ore is subjected to caustic leaching. It is a brick-red colored highly alkaline (pH 10-12) sludge containing mostly oxides of iron, aluminum, titanium, and silica. Red mud, due to its high aluminum, iron, and calcium contents, has been suggested as a cheap adsorbent for removal of toxic metals (e.g., As, Cr, Pb, Cd) as well as for water or wastewater treatment. The basic advantage of red mud is its versatility in application. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of red mud on stabilization and fixation of heavy metals (such as Pb, Cu, C $r^{6+}$, Cd, Zn) contained in the Al-coating sludge and soil. The results showed that the concentration of heavy metals leached from the treated sludge and soil was low, meeting the regulatory permit level.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.185-186
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• 2001

Recently, industrial activities have increased atmospheric concentration of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, resulting in acidification in the environments. In addition, acidification accelerates the mobilization of metals that are toxic to fish and increases their concentrations in the aquatic environment. Increased metals may interfere with reproductive physiology in fish. Al and Cd are such metals that impaired the preduction of Vitellogenin (VTG), a egg yolk precursor proteins. (omitted)

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.2 s.171
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• pp.135-142
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• 2005

In order to investigate the contamination level and seasonal variation of heavy metals and evaluate the bioavailability of toxic elements, environmental geochemical survey was undertaken at the Dogok Au-Ag-Cu mine area. The main pollution sources in the area were suggested as tailings, mine waste materials and mine water. Elevated levels of $140{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}As,{\;}107{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}Cd,{\;} 3017{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}Cu,{\;}12926{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}Pb,{\;}9094{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg$ Zn(before rainy season) were found in mine tailings. Concentrations of heavy metals in farmland soils exceeded normal level in nature soil (Bowen, 1979). The highest level of heavy metals was found in water samples near the mine tailing dumps regarded as a main pollution source of toxic elements in the area. These concentrations decreased to downstream due to the effect of dilution. From the results of sequential extraction analyses for tailings and soils, non-residual forms of heavy metals were found, which indicate the contamination to be progressing by continuing weathering and oxidation. Cadmium and Zn would be of the highest mobility in all samples. The bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Zn and As using SBET analysis from paddy soils was $53.3{\%},{\;}46.5{\%},{\;}41.0{\%}$ and $37.0\%$, respectively. The farmland soil sample(S3) showed the highest total concentration and bioavailability of heavy metals.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-82
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• 2002

Objectives: In recent years, extensive focus has been laid on adulteration of herbal medicine with heavy metals. This may be mainly due to soil contamination by environmental pollution. The objective of this study is to identify the contents of various heavy metals in the blood from Ohjeok-san (Wuji-san) Decoction (OD) treated-rats. Methods: For this study, 13 kinds of metals including essential and heavy metals, i.e. A1, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn were analyzed by a slight modification of EP A methods and the following results are obtained. Results: 1. There was no significant difference between the OD-treated groups and control group in liver, kidney, bone, brain and weight, especially no significant difference at the 5th and 10th days in weight and the amount of food intake. 2. The amount of each metal analyzed in the blood were as follows; A1: 2.3~3.07 mg/l, As: 2.90~3.66 mg/l, Cd: 0~0.001 mg/l, Co: 0~0.01 mg/l, Cr: 0.40~043 mg/l, Cu: 0.93~1.88 mg/l, Fe: 414.35~464.46 mg/l, Hg: 0.01 mg/l, Mn: 0.10~0.17 mg/l, Ni: 0.01 mg/l, Pb: 0.03~012 mg/l, Se: 0.73 mg/l, Zn: 3.41~4.13 mg/l by groups, respectively. In control and experimental group, Experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, and V groups, there were no significant differences. 3. The amount of non-toxic metals (A1, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn) were $64.1{\pm}7.71{\;}mg/l$ in the control group and 60.70~67.58 mg/l in the experimental groups I, II, III, IV and V. The amount of Toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Ag, Pb) were $0.68{\pm}0.21{\;}mg/l$ in the control group and 0.57 ~ 0.66mg/l in the experimental groups. The total amount of metals were 32.35 mg/l in the control group and 30.48~34.12 mg/l in the test groups I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. Conclusions: There was no significant difference of metal concentration in the blood from the OD-treated-rats compared to those of the control group even if higher dosage (1~8 times the dosage for a person) of OD was administered. This may be mainly due to a decoction treatment which contains only supernatants filtered from the herb-mass after boiling. This indicates the legal limitation for metal concentration in herbal medicine must be applied according to different treatment methods of herbal medicine.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2737-2740
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• 2012

The use of plants to remove toxic metals from soil (phytoremediation) is emerging as a cost-effective alternative to conventional methods for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soil. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) was used as the plant to accumulate high tissue concentrations of lead when grown in contaminated soil. For this study, the application of an electric field combined effectively with EDTA-enhanced phytoremediation. A stimulation of direct and alternating electric potential was compared and EDTA-enhanced phytoremediation of lead using Indian mustard has been performed. The effects of experimental parameters such as operating voltage with different concentration of EDTA, the number of graphite electrodes, and cultivation period on the removal of toxic metal were studied. Shoot lead accumulations in Indian mustard increased as the concentration of EDTA and dc electric potential was increased. Two to four folds was increased when EDTA plus a dc electric potential was applied, compared to an ac electric potential. The maximum lead accumulation in the shoots was achieved by applying EDTA plus dc electric potential with 6 graphite electrodes.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.175-179
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• 2014

Ti and Ti alloys have been extensively used in the medical and dental fields because of their good corrosion resistance, high strength to density ratio and especially, their low elastic modulus compared to other metallic materials. Recent trends in biomaterials research have focused on development of metallic alloys with elastic modulus similar to natural bone, however, many candidate materials also contain toxic elements that would be biologically harmful. In this study, new Ti based alloys which do not contain the toxic metallic components were developed using a theoretical method (DV-$X{\alpha}$). In addition, alloys were developed with improved mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Ternary Ti-Ag-Zr alloys consisting of biocompatible alloying elements were produced to investigate the alloying effect on microstructure, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The effects of various contents of Zr on the mechanical properties and biocompatibility were compared. The alloys exhibited higher strength and corrosion resistance than pure Ti, had antibacterial properties, and were not observed to be cytotoxic. Of the designed alloys' mechanical properties and biocompatibility, the Ti-3Ag-0.5Zr alloy had the best results.

• Clean Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2016

Field cultivation of corn and microbial cell viability tests using Pseudomonas putida K-5 were performed to assess the toxic effect of kelp seaweed biochar (KBC) and fir wood biochar (FBC) produced by pyrolysis. After 63 days growth, FBC increased corn growth by 4.9% without fertilizer and by 7.6% with fertilizer, while KBC decreased it by 20.2% without fertilizer and by 27.9% with fertilizer. Physico-chemical characterization of the biochars such as ICP, CHON, and proximate analyses showed that KBC contained large amount of metals and ashes which could be responsible for its inhibition to corn growth. Upon exposure of K-5 cells for 1 h to biochar extracts, the cell viability in KBC extracts was 48.2% and quite lower than that (78.6%) in FBC. Washed KBC biochar with water at 1:10 w/v % increased the cell viability to 54.0%. The results indicated that seaweed biochar may be careful to be used for plant growing additives due to its high concentrations of metals and ashes. This toxic effect could be reduced by proper washing method with water.