• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 1998.06a
• /
• pp.300-311
• /
• 1998

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), one of the most notorious toxic environmental pollutants, induces various toxic effects in many organs including testes and is regarded as an endocrine disruptor. Korean ginseng, on the other hand, has been well known for its preventive effects on lox- ins, diabetes melltus and hyperlipidemia. We investigated, histopathologically, the effect of Korean Red ginseng water extract (KR-WE) on guinea pig testes damaged by TCDD. Ninety guinea pigs were divided into 6 groups: normal control (NC) group received vehicle and saline; TCDD,1191kg b.w., was administered intraperitoneally to the single dose TCDD-treated (77) group; 100 mghg b.w.16 and 200mg1kg b.w./d KR-WE were injected intraperitoneally to the preventive groups (PIOO and P2OO, respectively) for 28 days from 1 week before TCDD injection, and to the therapeutic groups (CIOO and C2OO, respectively) for 14 days since 1 week after TCDD administration. Increment of body weight was retarded to a larger extent by TCDD. Moreover, body weight of the 77 group decreased significantly 7 days after TCDD exposure, while that of preventive groups kept increasing. Decrease in body weight was not observed in KR-WE-treated groups. Weight decrease in testes caused by TCDD was remarkably protected by KR-WE. Testicles in 77 group displayed decreased tubular size and maturation arrest at the primary or secondary spermatocyte stage. On the other hand, maturation arrest in germ cells by TCDD was improved in KR-WE treated groups. Almost complete protection of the testes was observed in PIOO and P2OO groups. In addition, the therapeutic effect was noticed in C 100 and C2OO groups. These results provided strong evidence that Korean Red ginseng might be a useful agent for the prevention and treatment of testicular damage induced by environmental pollutants.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.45-56
• /
• 2006

This study investigated primarily the toxic effects of bis(tributyltin)oxide (TBT) and DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) on the mortality of adult Acartia omorii and barnacle nauplii as well as the hatching rate of A. omorii. Subsequently, compound effects of TBT and DDT on the mortality of immature copepods were tested in order to assess whether or not synergistic influence existed in the mixture of sublethal concentration of two pollutants. Mortality of adult A. omorii increased as exposure concentration of DDT increased in the range of from 0.0001 to 1ppm. Egg hatching rate of the copepod showed no distinctive difference in the range between 0.1 and 10ppm, while barnacle nauplii showed abnormal motility of their appendages in the range of 0.0001 to 1 ppm. Mortality of adult A. omorii increased as TBT concentration increased within the range of 1 and 10 ppb, whereas egg hatching rate of the copepod showed no linear response to the same exposure range. Moreover, copepod nauplii were almost motionless even though copepod eggs hatched under the exposure condition of TBT $(0{\sim}10 ppb)$ and DDT $(0{\sim}10 ppm)$, respectively, suggesting that the nauplii are hard to develop into adult stage. On the basis of the sublethal concentration less than the 24-h $LC_{50}$, 0.001 ppm (DDT) and 2 ppb (TBT) were selected to confirm the compound effects of two pollutants on the mortality of immature copepods. Mortality of immature copepods under the condition of mixture of the two pollutants was higher than that in the single exposure condition. This result seems to indicate that synergistic effects of sublethal toxicants can make a more hazardous effect on the survival of immature copepods even though the concentration of single toxicant is not lethal to copepods in the marine environment.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.137-148
• /
• 2009

This study quantitatively investigated the emissions of indoor air pollutants associated with the utilization of air fresheners indoors, and evaluated individual exposure to five specified indoor air pollutants, which were chosen on the basis of selection criteria. An electrically-polished stainless steel chamber (50L) was employed to achieve this purpose. Test air fresheners were selected through three steps: first, on the basis of market sales; second, on the basis on a preliminary head-space study; and lastly, on the basis of emissions of toxic compounds (benzene, ethyl benzene, limonene, toluene, and xylene). The empirical mathematical model fitted well with the time-series concentrations in the environmental chamber (in most cases, determination coefficient, $R^2{\gtrsim}$0.9), thereby suggesting that the empirical model was suitable for testing emissions. The concentration equilibrium appeared 180 min after the introduction of sample air fresheners into the chamber. Both the chamber concentrations of emission rates or factors varied greatly according to air freshener type. It is noteworthy that although benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, and xylene were emitted from all test air fresheners, their exposure levels were not significant enough to result in any significant health risk. However, certain type of air fresheners were observed to emit significant amount of limonene, which is potentially reactive with ozone to generate secondary pollutants with oxidants such as ozone, hydroxyl radicals, and nitrogen oxides. The exposure levels to limonene associated with the utilization of three air fresheners were estimated to be 13 to 175 times higher than that of other air fresheners. This information can help consumers to select low-pollutant-emitting air fresheners.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.335-342
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the toxic effects of zinc in collembolan Paronychiurus kimi at the individual (survival and juvenile production) and population (population growth and age structure) levels after 28 days of exposure in artificially spiked soil. These toxic effects were interpreted in conjunction with the internal zinc concentrations in P. kimi. The EC₅₀ value for juvenile production based on the total zinc concentration was 457 mg Zn kg^-1 dry soil, while the LC₅₀ value for adult survival and r_i=0 value for population growth were within the same order of magnitude (2,623 and 1,637 mg Zn kg^-1 dry soil, respectively). Significant differences in adult survival, juvenile production, and population growth compared with the control group were found at concentrations of 1,500, 375, and 375 mg Zn kg^-1 dry or higher, respectively, whereas significant differences in the age structure, determined by the proportion of each age group in the population, were observed in all treatment groups. It appeared that the internal zinc level in P. kimi was regulated to some extent at soil zinc concentrations of ≤375 mg Zn kg^-1 dry soil, but not at high soil zinc concentrations. These results indicate that, despite zinc being regulated by P. kimi, excess zinc exceeding the regulatory capacity of P. kimi can trigger changes in the responses at the individual and population levels. Given that population dynamics are affected not only by individual level but also by population level endpoints, it is concluded that the toxic effects of pollutants should be assessed at various levels.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.193-200
• /
• 2017

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the neurototoxicity of the environmental pollutant lead acetate(LA) and the protective effect of the D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid(APV), N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor antagonist on LA-induced cytotoxicity in cultured C6 glioma cells. Materials and Methods: For this study, cell viability in cultured C6 glioma cells was assessed by XTT assay and antioxidative effect, such as lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity, by LDH detection kit. Results: LA significantly decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, and the XTT50 value was determined to be 33.3 uM of LA. The cytotoxicity of LA was deemed highly toxic according to Borenfreund and Puerner's toxic criteria. The vitamin E antioxidant significantly increased cell viability damaged by LA-induced cytotoxicity in these cultures. For the protective effect of APV on LA-induced cytotoxicity, APV significantly increased not only cell viability, but also inhibition of LDH activity. From these results, it is suggested that oxidative stress is involved in the neurotoxicity of LA, and APV effectively protected against LA-induced cytotoxicity via an antioxidative effect as an inhibotory activity of LDH. Conclusions: Natural resources like APV may be putative therapeutic agents for the toxic diminution of environmental pollutants such as LA correlated with oxidative stress.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.1 no.3
• /
• pp.209-215
• /
• 2005

Recently, a large number of clinical experiments have shown that exposure of organic pollutants lead to various cancers through the abnormal cell growth. Environmental pollutants, such as 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are carcinogen and are known to cause the cognitive disability and motor dysfunction in the developing of brain. The effects of these pollutants on neurodevelopmental disorder is well established, but the underlying mechanism(s) and similarity of gene expression profiles in human brain tumors with organic pollutants still remain unclear. In this study, we first examined the gene expression profiles in glioblastomas compared with meningioma that are kinds of primary human brain tumor by using human cDNA microarray. The results of cDNA microarray analysis revealed that 26 genes were upregulated (Z-ratio>2.0) and 14 genes were downregulated (Z-ratio<-2.0) in glioblastoma compared with meningioma. From the altered gene patterns, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling related genes, such as MAP2K3, MAP3K11 and jun activated domain binding protein, and transcription factors, such as UTF2 and TF12, were upregulated in glioblastoma. Also, we tried to investigate the relation between important genes up- and down-regulated in giloblastoma and various organic pollutants. Therefore, the identification of changes in the patterns of gene expression may provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in human primary brain tumors and of the relation between gene expression profiles and organic pollutants in brain tissue.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.789-795
• /
• 2010

Suspended Solid (SS) is one of the main pollutants and discharges with attached other pollutants such as heavy metal and toxic substance. It is very important to estimate and forecast the release characteristics of SS for water quality improvement. The current studies assumed that SS release rate is proportional to the rain intensity and suggested exponential washoff models. These models related to the shear force of flow. In this study, a new washoff model is suggested based on relation with SS release rate and mean flow rate of the basin surface which is closely related to the shear force. The proposed model is applied to the Goonja drainage district in Seoul, Korea. The new washoff model simulates the SS discharge more accurately in the various rainfall types. The model can be widely applied to the real problems such as the management of non-point source pollutant and the design of treatment facilities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.60-69
• /
• 1996

Along with rapid industrial development, toxic chemicals have been discharged extensively into the environment. Many of them have flowed into the soil which is final acceptor of environmental pollutants. As a result, they have deteriorated soil and groundwater environment. Once the soil and groundwater were contaminated by pollutants, these media can not be easily restored without artificial remediation. Foreign countries which accomplished earlier industrialization compared to our country have invested enormous capital for the remediation of contaminated sites and the development of relevant technology. In our country the reserch on the development of remediation technology has been conducted for several years, but it is still in its initial stage. This report represents remediation technologies, their adaptability and clean up procedure etc. which are being used for the managenent of contaminated site in advanced countries.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.179-192
• /
• 2001

In order to characterize the distribution patterns of PAHs between Yellow Sand (YS) and non-Yellow Sand(NYS) periods, we collected and analyzed aerosol samples for PAHs for the periods covering 28 March through 24 April 2000. The concentrations of TSP measured during the YS periods were approximately two times higher than the NYS periods. By contrast, the concentrations of PAHs during YS were higher than those of NYS by 140%. In ad-dition, their concentrations in PM 10 were larger than those TSP by 120% . Detailed inspections of our data indi-catd that three species including chrysene. benzo(b)fluoranthene, and benzo(k)fluoranthene were effeciently ad-sorbed by particles less than 10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ diameter and that there were dominating the distribution characterstics of PAHs during the YS periods. Results of correlation analysis also indicated that PAHs exhibited strong correlations with those pollutants originating from combustion sources. It is thus concluded that pollutants such as toxic PAHs that originate from diverse anthropogenic sources of China should be contributing to the degradation of the ambient air quality in Seoul.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2015

The biosorption process has been established as characteristics of dead biomasses of both cellulosic and microbial origin to bind metal ion pollutants from aqueous suspension. The high effectiveness of this process even at low metal concentration, similarity to ion exchange treatment process, but cheaper and greener alternative to conventional techniques have resulted in a mature biosorption technology. Yet its adoption to large scale industrial wastewaters treatment has still been a distant reality. The purpose of this review is to make in-depth analyses of the various aspects of the biosorption technology, staring from the various biosorbents used till date and the various factors affecting the process. The design of better biosorbents for improving their physico-chemical features as well as enhancing their biosorption characteristics has been discussed. Better economic value of the biosorption technology is related to the repeated reuse of the biosorbent with minimum loss of efficiency. In this context desorption of the metal pollutants as well as regeneration of the biosorbent has been discussed in detail. Various inhibitions including the multi mechanistic role of the biosorption technology has been identified which have played a contributory role to its non-commercialization.