• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.450-459
• /
• 2011

Objectives: Biomarkers in urine are important in assessing exposures to environmental or occupational chemicals and for evaluateing renal function by exposure from these chemicals. Spot urine samples are needed to adjust the concentration of these biomarkers for variations in urine dilution. This study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of adjusting the urinary concentration of cadmium (uCd) and arsenic (uAs) by specific gravity (SG) and urine creatinine (uCr). Methods: We measured the concentrations of blood cadmium (bCd), uCd, uAs, uCr, SG and N-acetyl-${\beta}$-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity, which is a sensitive marker of tubular damage by low dose Cd exposure, in spot urine samples collected from 536 individuals. The value of uCd, uAs and NAG were adjusted by SG and uCr. Results: The uCr levels were affected by gender (p < 0.01) and muscle mass (p < 0.01), while SG levels were affected by gender (p < 0.05). Unadjusted uCd and uAs were correlated with SG (uCd: r = 0.365, p < 0.01; uAs: r = 0.488, p < 0.01), uCr (uCd: r = 0.399, p < 0.01; uAs: r = 0.484, p < 0.01). uCd and uAs adjusted by SG were still correlated with SG (uCd: r = 0.360, p < 0.01, uAs: r = 0.483, p < 0.01). uCd and uAs adjusted by uCr and modified uCr ($M_{Cr}$) led to a significant negative correlation with uCr (uCd: r = -0.367, p < 0.01; uAs: r = -0.319, p < 0.01) and $M_{Cr}$ (uCd: r = -0.292, p < 0.01; uAs: r = -0.206, p < 0.01). However, uCd and uAs adjusted by conventional SG ($C_{SG}$) were disappeared from these urinary dilution effects (uCd: r = -0.081; uAs: r = 0.077). Conclusions: $C_{SG}$ adjustment appears to be more appropriate for variations in cadmium and arsenic in spot urine.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.227-233
• /
• 2014

Background: The aims of this study were to determine hippuric acid levels in urine samples, airborne toluene levels, acute and chronic neurological symptoms, and to describe any correlation between urinary hippuric acid and airborne toluene. Methods: The hippuric acid concentration in the urine of 87 paint workers exposed to toluene at work (exposed group), and 87 nonexposed people (control group) was studied. Study participants were selected from similar factories in the same region. Urine samples were collected at the end of a shift and analyzed for hippuric acid by high performance liquid chromatography. Air samples for the estimation of toluene exposure were collected with diffusive personal samplers and the toluene quantified using gas-liquid chromatography. The two groups were also interviewed and observed about their work practices and health. Results: The median of the 87 airborne toluene levels was 55 ppm (range, 12-198 ppm). The median urinary hippuric acid level was 800 mg/g creatinine (range, 90-2547 mg/g creatinine). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between airborne toluene exposure and urine hippuric acid levels (r = 0.548, p < 0.01). Workers with acute symptoms had significantly higher hippuric acid levels than those who did not (p < 0.05). It was concluded that there was a significant correlation between toluene exposure, hippuric acid levels, and health (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There appears to be a significant correlation between workers exposure to toluene at work, their urine hippuric acid levels, and resulting symptoms of poor health. Improvements in working conditions and occupational health education are required at these workplaces. There was good correlation between urinary hippuric acid and airborne toluene levels.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.36 no.7
• /
• pp.720-728
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to evaluate changes in plasma concentration and urinary excretion of carnitine, as well as plasma lipid level and fatty acid composition, caused by short term supplementation of carnitine in humans. Ten healthy male subjects (21.2 $\pm$ 0.5 years old) received oral carnitine supplementation (4 g/day) as tablets for two weeks. Fasting blood and random urine samples were collected from each subject both prior to and at the end of carnitine supplemention program. Following the 2 weeks of carnitine supplementation, plasma total carnitine (TCNE) concentration increased 20% (85.1 $\pm$ 7.4 vs 67.3 $\pm$ 9.1 $\mu$ mol/1, p> 0.05), while urinary excretion of total carnitine increased ten times compared to the value measured prior to the supplementation (3051 $\pm$ 692 vs 278 $\pm$ 90.1 $\mu$ mol/g creatinine, p < 0.01). Non-esterified carnitine (NEC) comprised from 71 to 88% of TCNE in plasma, and from 32 to 40% of TCNE excreted in the urine. Two weeks of carnitine supplementation in healthy adults significantly elevated plasma level of acid soluble acylcarnitine (ASAC) which is esterified mostly with short chain fatty acids (21.6 $\pm$ 1.6 $\mu$ mol/l) compared to the value measured prior to the supplementation (6.4 $\pm$ 0.8 $\mu$ mol/l) (p < 0.05). Carnitine supplementation significantly increased plasma HDL-cholesterol level (p < 0.05), and decreased the atherogenic index (p < 0.05), but failed to cause any significant change in plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and free fatty acids. Plasma triglyceride and phospholipid fatty acid compositions were not significaly affected as well by the oral supplementation of carnitine in subjects with normal range of blood lipid levels.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.33 no.8
• /
• pp.848-856
• /
• 2000

The study was designed to assess the zinc nutritional status by gestational age of pregnant women visiting in public health centers in Ulsan. The subjects were divided into 3 trimester by last menstrual period(LMP). Interview for dietary zinc intake and general characteristics of each subjects was given and biochemical analysis of blood and urine was performed. Serum zinc concentration and urinary zinc excretion were analyzed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity was analyzed by Bowers & McComb\\`s method with Schimadzu automatic analyser. Also urinary creatinine was analyzed by Hawk\\`s method. Mean intake of zinc was 6.61${\pm}$1.57mg and did not meet the RDA(44.1% of RDA) for pregnant women by gestational age. Zn intake of 3rd trimester was significantly increased but dietary zinc was almost supplied with cereal and grain (47.30%) which were reported with low zinc availability due to phytate. Mean concentration of serum Zn in 1st trimester was 86.4${\pm}$10.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, was 72.4${\pm}$10.3$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl in trimester and 65.1${\pm}$10.8$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl in 3rd trimester and was declined significantly by gestational age during pregnancy. In was concluded that a decline in serum Zn by gestional age was not influenced by amount of Zn intake. However ALP activity and urinary zinc excretion increased significantly by gestational age. Zinc nutritional status of pregnant women was not confirmed yet due to the physiological changes during pregnancy. However, the pregnant woman may be in a marginal zinc deficient status because of low amount of Zn intake and low bioavailability of Zn from dietary sources. (Korean J Nutrition 33(8) : 848-856, 2000)

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.134-140
• /
• 2006

Because shipyard workers are involved with various manufacturing process in shipyard industry, and they are exposed to many kinds of hazardous materials. Especially, painting workers were exposed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). This study was conducted to assess the exposure status of PAH based on job-exposure matrix. We investigated the effect of genetic polymorphism of xenobiotic metabolism enzymes involved in PAH metabolism on levels of urinary metabolite. A total of 93 shipbuilding workers were recruited in this study. Questionnaire variables were age, sex, use of personal protective equipment, smoking, drinking, and work duration. The urinary metabolite was collected in the afternoon and corrected by urinary creatinine concentration. The genotypes of CYP1A1, CYP2E1, GSTM1, GSTT1 and UGT1A6 were investigated by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods with DNA extracted from venous blood. Urinary 1-OHP levels were significantly higher in direct exposured group (spray and touch-up) than indirect exposed group. Urinary 1-OHP, concentration of the high exposure with wild type of UGT1A6 was significantlyhigher than that of the high exposure with other UGT1A6 genotype. In multiple regression analysis of urinary 1-OHP, the regression coefficient of job grade was statistically significant (p<0.05) and UGT1A6 was not significant but a trend (p<0.1). The grade of exposure affected urinary PAH concentration was statistically significant. But genetic polymorphism of xenobiotics metabolism enzymes was not statistically significant. Further investigation of genetic polymorphism with large sample size is needed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.54 no.6
• /
• pp.644-663
• /
• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the safety of iodine intake based on ingestion levels and urinary iodine excretion of women of childbearing age (15-45 years old) using data from the 2013-2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: Iodine intake was calculated using the 24 hours dietary recall method and urinary iodine excretion. The iodine nutrition database for the analysis of dietary iodine intake was constructed using the food composition database of the Rural Development Administration (RDA), the Korean Nutrition Society (KNS), the Ministries of Food and Drug Safety, China and, Japan. The World Health Organization (WHO) evaluation criteria and hazard quotient (HQ) calculated using biomonitoring equivalents (BE) were applied to evaluate the safety of the iodine intake. Results: Of the study subjects, 15.22% had a urinary iodine concentration level of less than 100 ㎍/L, which was diagnosed as deficient, and 48.16% had an excessive iodine concentration of over 300 ㎍/L. Urinary iodine concentration was 878.71 ㎍/L, iodine/creatinine was 589.00 ㎍/g, and iodine/creatinine was significantly higher at the age of 30-45 years. The dietary iodine intake was 273.47 ㎍/day, and the iodine intake calculated from the urinary iodine excretion was 1,198.10 ㎍/day. Foods with a high contribution to iodine intake were vegetables, seafood, seaweed and processed foods. The HQ was 1.665 when the urinary iodine content was > 1,000 ㎍/L. Conclusion: The results of this study implicate that the urinary iodine concentration, rather than the dietary iodine intake, is more appropriate to evaluate the iodine status under the current situation that a comprehensive iodine database for Koreans has not been established.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.9
• /
• pp.1291-1297
• /
• 2006

The potential of the spot urine sampling technique as an alternative to performing a total urine collection to predict the microbial nitrogen supply was evaluated in crossbred bulls. In a completely randomized design, 20 growing crossbred bulls were assigned four levels of feed intake (120, 100, 80 and 60% of voluntary dry matter intake) on diets comprised of wheat straw and concentrate mixture (50:50). After three months of experimental feeding, a metabolism trial was conducted for ten days, during which spot urine collections were performed every 6 h post feeding on days 9 and 10. The daily urinary excretion of allantoin (A) and purine derivatives (PD) decreased with the reduction in feed intake while creatinine (C) excretion remained similar in animals fed at different levels. The microbial nitrogen (MN) supply calculated from the PD excreted in total urine (35.08 to 72.08 g/d) was higher at increased levels of feed intake. PD concentration in spot urine samples had poor correlation with feed intake except at 12 h post feeding. A/C ratio and PD/C ratio in spot urine samples remained similar irrespective of sampling time and significantly (p<0.01) correlated with daily urinary PD excretion, digestible organic matter intake and dry matter (DM) intake. However, no significant differences were evident in these ratios among animals fed at levels 120, 100 and 80% of voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) at different times post feeding. These results suggests that the spot urine sampling technique to predict the microbial protein supply is not suitable for detecting small differences in MN supply and hence, estimation of PD excreted in total urine (mmol/d) is necessary to assess precisely the MN supply in crossbred bulls.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.280-297
• /
• 2017

Objectives: We assessed pesticide exposure levels according to cultivation and crop type and investigated agricultural factors related to exposure. Methods: The participants, 341 male and 127 female farmers, were divided into three groups by cultivation crop type: chili greenhouse, cucumber greenhouse, and orchard. We collected questionnaires, socioeconomic characteristics and agricultural factors, and spot urine. Pesticide exposure was examined using four organophosphate and four pyrethroids urinary metabolites: dimethylphosphate, dimethylthiophosphate, diethylphosphate, diethylthiophosphate, Cis and Trans-3-(2-2dichlorovinyl)-2, 2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), Cis-3-(2-2dibrmovinyl)-2, and 2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid. Each metabolite was summed ${\Sigma}DAP$ and ${\Sigma}PY$ according to the chemical class. Results: Urinary metabolite detection rates and concentrations were similar between the greenhouse groups, but the orchard group was different. Similar 3-PBA detection rates were found in the three groups, but the geometric mean was very high in the orchard group compared to the two greenhouse groups. 3-PBA concentration in the orchard group was $4.11{\mu}g/g$ creatinine; the chili and cucumber greenhouse groups were 1.27 and $1.16{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, respectively. ${\Sigma}DAP$ was significantly associated with cultivation crop type and seasonal variation, but ${\Sigma}PY$ was not relevant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that cultivation and crop type may be correlated with different pesticide types and exposure levels. Furthermore, seasonal factors were related as potential factors influencing the level of organophosphate metabolites, but not for pyrethroid metabolites.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.27 no.7
• /
• pp.699-708
• /
• 1994

This study aimed to verify the nutritional and curative effects of protein hydrolysate in rats with cysteamine-induced duodenal uncer. Duodenal ulcer rat model was established by intraperitoneal injections of cysteamine. Sprague-Dawley, female rats weighing approximately 200g were intraperitoneally injected twice cysteamine(13mg/100g BW) at intervals of 3h per day. This procedure was repeated 3$\times$at intervals of 3d. Animals fed on 10% casein diet for infection periods. After last injection, 4 kinds of diets(10% casein, 20% casein, 10% casein hydrolysate, 20% casein hydrolysate) were given. Gastric montility, trypsin activity in gastrointestinal content, retention rate of nitrogen, plasma total protein, albumin, amino-N, urinary urea nitrogen, creatinine and hydroxyproline were analyzed for nutritional effects of dietary nitrogen levels(10%, 20%) and sources(casein, casein hydrolysate). In duodenal ulcer rat model, there was no differences between 20% casein diet and 20% casein hydrolysate in the view of severeness of ulcer, gastric emptying rate, serum total protein, serum albumin, plasma $\alpha$-amino-N, UUN, creatinine excretion, GFR, nitrogen retention. On the other hand, rats on 10% casein hydrolysate diet group had more curative effect of the ulcer, higher plasma albumin concentration and nitrogen retention than 10% casein diet group. The casein hydrolysate diet group was lower trypsin activity in small intestinal content than the casein diet group, at both nitrogen levels(10%, 20%). The results suggest that protein hydrolysate be applied in diet therapy for the patients with gastrointestinal ulcer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 1996

The study was performed to investigate the effects of administration of aluminum compound in Kidney metabolism and plasma hormone of rats. Seventy frve male Sprague-Dawley strains rats were divided into five groups consisting of the control, 250ppm AlCl$_3$group, 500ppm AlCl$_3$ group, 250ppm $Al_2$(SO$_4$)$_3$group, 500ppm $Al_2$(SO$_4$)$_3$group and kept on the diet for 2 weeks. The body weight gain was increased by the administration of AlCl$_3$ but decreased by the administration of $Al_2$(SO$_4$)$_3$as compared to the control. The urinary excretion of sodium and creatinine were increased and free water clearance and urine volume were decreased significantly after AlCl$_3$adminstration group as compared to the control. The water balance, free water clearance, excretion of sodium and creatinine were increased and the excretion of chlorine was decreased after $Al_2$(SO$_4$)$_3$ administration as compared to the control. Plasma renin activity was increased and plasma aldosterone content was compared to the control. Plasma renin activity was increased and plasma aldosterone content was significantly decreased after adminstration of aluminum compounds as compared to the control.