• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2004

The soil samples were collected from the paddy field near the mine tailing dumps in the abandoned Duckum mine in Korea. In the laboratory, the soil solution was extracted from the soil using centrifuge, and analysed for the chemical composition. Physical and chemical soil properties were also analysed. Kaolinite is the main clay minerals in the paddy soil and the CEC value is therefore relatively low. Nearly all soil samples show enrichment in their trace elemental concentrations(Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) compared with natural background level. Some soil samples exceed the soil remediation intervention values for Cd, Pb and Zn and target value for Cu, when compared with Dutch standard, whereas As, Ni and Cr are in normal range. Lead concentrations in some samples near the mine tailing dumps also exceed the standard for remediation act for agricultural area set by Korean soil conservation law. The trace elemental concentrations are higher in the paddy soil nearer the mine tailing dumps and lower for the samples from distance. Similar trend with distance is found for the soil solution chemistry but the decrease with distance from the mine tailing dumps are sharper than the changes in soil chemistry. Cadmium, Cu and Pb concentrations in the soil solution are very low, ranging from a tenth and hundredths to a maximum of several mg/l, whereas their concentrations in soils are highly enriched for natural background. Most of the trace elements are thought to be either removed by reduced iron sulphides or iron oxides, depending on the redox changes. Geochemical equilibrium modelling indicate the presence of solubility controlling solid phases for Cd and Pb, whereas Zn and Cu might have been controlled by adsorption/desorption processes. Although pollutants migration through solution phase are thought to be limited by adsorption onto various Fe, Mn solid phases, the pollutants exist as easily releasable fractions such as exchangeable site. In this case, the paddy soil would act as pollutant pool, which will supply to plants in situ. whenever the geochemical conditions favour.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.875-879
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• 1999

Eighty corn samples, which imported from U.S.A between 1995 and 1996, were analyzed for fumonisin $B_{1}\;(FB_{1})$ and $B_{2}\;(FB_{2})$ contamination. The total fumonisin level and mean from 80 imported samples showed 0(limited detection level)-$65.9\;{\mu}g/g$ mgand $6.9\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively. $FB_{1}$ was detect in 57 (71.3%) from 80 samples at the concentrations ranging from 0 to $48.8\;{\mu}g/g$, while $FB_{2}$ was detected in 49(61.3%) at concentrations ranging from 0 to $17.1\;{\mu}g/g$. The total fumonisin incidence analyzed from 80 samples were 37.5%, 42.6 and 19.9% for concentrations ranging from below $1\;{\mu}g/g$, between 1.1 and $10\;{\mu}g/g$ and above $30\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively. The total fumonisin level containing below $1\;{\mu}g/g$ from samples imported in 1995 and 1996 was 47.7% (21/44) and 29.4 (10/34), while total fumonisin level containing above $10{\mu}g/g$ was 47.77% (21/44) and 29.4 (10/34), respectively. In the meanwhile, the fumonisin $B_{1}$ and $B_{2}$ containing below $1\;{\mu}g/g$ from 80 samples imported between 1995 and 1996 was 38.8% and 67.5%, while fumonisin $B_{1}$ and $B_{2}$ containing above $10{\mu}g/g$ was 12.5% and 5%, respectively.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.361-367
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• 2017

Production cost as well as environmental contamination can be reduced by reuse of drained nutrient solution in hydroponic. This research was conducted to obtain the information in changes in inorganic elements concentration of supplied and drained nutrient solution as well as of plant leaves. To achieve the objective, the samples of supplied and drained solution and cherry tomato leaf tissues were periodically collected and analyzed during the hydroponic cultivation. The electrical conductivity (EC) of supplied and drained nutrient solution in early growth stage of cherry tomato were measured as around $2.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, but those values move up with the passage of time reaching to $2.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ at flowering stage of 9th fruiting node. The pHs of drained solution in early growth stage were 6.4 to 6.7, however those showed a tendency to get lowered to 5.9 to 6.1 as time passed during the crop cultivation. The concentration differences of $NO_3-N$, P, K, Ca, and Mg between supplied and drained solution were not distinctive until flowering stages of 4th fruiting nodes, while those in drained solution moved up after the stage. The tissue N contents of leaves decrease gradually and those of K and Ca increased as crops grew. However, Tissue P and Mg contents were maintained similarly from transplant to end-crop. The above results would be used in correction of drained nutrient solution when element compositions are varied compared to supplied solution in hydroponic cultivation of tomatoes.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.700-705
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality changes and contamination of microorganisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in cherry tomatoes and head lettuces during the storage of different temperatures and periods. This study determines the pH levels, color changes and the growth patterns of microorganisms in cherry tomatoes and head lettuces during storage of 14 days at $5^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$. According to the results, the pH level is being reduced with storage periods in cherry tomatoes and head lettuces. The $L^*$, $a^*$ and $b^*$ values of cherry tomatoes are decreased with storage period, whereas the $a^*$ and $b^*$ values have increased with storage of the head lettuces. With regards to the types of microorganisms, the aerobic count plate (ACP), coliform count (CC), mold and yeast are being detected when cherry tomatoes and head lettuces are stored at $5^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$, whereas the S. aureus and E. coli are not being detected at 14 days of storage. The ACP, CC and yeast of cherry tomatoes increase with storage period, whereas the mold of cherry tomatoes was decreased after 14 days of storage. For the head lettuces, APC and CC have significantly increased with storage, whereas the mold stored at $5^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$ decreased after 21 days of storage. From these studies, we can confirm that changes in quality characteristics and the types of microorganisms existed in cherry tomatoes and head lettuces during storage were the ACP, CC, mold and yeast, whereas the E. coli and S. aureus are not detected.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.875-880
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the level of contamination of pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli in 50 types of red pepper powders collected domestically. Pathogenic E. coli was confirmed using real-time PCR to confirm the 4 types of EAEC, EPEC, EHEC and ETEC. One sample out of 50 was contaminated with pathogenic E. coli. The type of pathogenic E. coli detected in the sample was EAEC. This study was also conducted to determine the effect of alcohol treatment on the reduction of E. coli populations in red pepper powder. The amount of E. coli in the control was $1.2{\times}10^6$ cfu/mL. The amount of E. coli in 10 minutes immersion treatment with 10% alcohol was $1.1{\times}10^6$ cfu/mL. In samples treated with over 20% alcohol, E. coli was not detected. This showed that 10 minutes of immersion in over 20% alcohol might be effective to reduce E. coli. This study was also conducted to determine the effect of UV irradiation on E. coli reduction. The number of E. coli in the control group was $5.0{\times}10^5$ cfu/mL. However, the number of E. coli in 45 min of the UV irradiated sample decreased to $1.0{\times}10^3$ cfu/mL, by $10^2$ cfu/mL. In contrast, E. coli was not detected in an over 60 min UV irradiated sample in $10^{-2}dilution$. This study showed that over 20% alcohol treatment and UV irradiation for 60 min was effective to control E. coli in red pepper powder.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2016

The effects of freezing and thawing conditions on microbiological quality and microstructure change of inoculated (Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni) and non-inoculated chicken breasts were investigated. Chicken breasts were frozen with air blast freezing (-20, -70, and $-150^{\circ}C$), ethanol ($-70^{\circ}C$) and liquid nitrogen ($-196^{\circ}C$) immersion freezing. There were no significant differences on the populations of L. monocytogenes inoculated with chicken breasts under different freezing conditions. However, air blast freezing ($-20^{\circ}C$) resulted in significant reductions for total aerobic bacteria and C. jejuni compared to the control and other freezing treatments. The frozen samples were thawed with (hot or cold) air blast, water immersion, and high pressure thawing at $4^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$. the populations of total aerobic bacteria, and yeast and mold in the frozen chicken breast increased by 5.78 and 4.05 log CFU/g after water immersion thawing ($25^{\circ}C$) treatment. After five freeze-thaw cycles, the populations of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, and C. jejuni were reduced by 0.29~1.40 log cycles, while there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the populations of L. monocytogenes depending on the freeze-thaw cycles. In addition, the histological examination of chicken breasts showed an increase in spacing between the muscle fiber and torn muscle fiber bundles as the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased. These results indicate that freezing and thawing processes could affect in the levels of microbial contamination and the histological change of chicken breasts.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 1986

Because of the drastic development of nuclear industries, the contamination of natural environments by the disposal of radioactive materials which are released from nuclear facilities have aroused a considerable concern in relation to agricultural practices. Therefore the present investigation, through pot experiment, was performed to find out the aspect of the uptake of $Sr^{90}$ by rice plants and its distribution in them in five different types(physicochemical and minerallogical properties) of paddy soils. The results obtained were as follows; 1) Visual toxic symptoms on the growth of rice plant due to treatment of $Sr^{90}$ up to $40{\mu}Ci/10㎏$ in a pot were not observed even though uptake of $Sr^{90}$ by rice plant was proportionally increased with the $Sr^{90}$ treatment. 2) Distribution of $Sr^{90}$ in the rice plant was the highest in the leaves (84.5%) followed in the order by stems (13.5%) and rough grain (2.0%). The ratio of $Sr^{90}$ to Ca was higher in the leaves (872) and stems (667) than in the rice grain (89). 3) $Sr^{90}$ absorption in the rice plant ranged $0.15{\sim}0.30%$ at harvesting time. Uptake of $Sr^{90}$ by rice plants decreased by the increase of soil pH and exchangeable canons in the soils, but $Sr^{90}$ uptake increased when nitrogen, organic matter and clay content in soil was high, and uptake of this nuclide in the rice plant was higher with low Illite and Vermiculite content in the soils.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.949-955
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• 2009

Mucosal epithelia sense external stress signals and transmit them to the intracellular cascade responses. Ribotoxic stress-producing chemicals such as deoxynivalenol (DON) or other trichothecene mycotoxins have been linked with gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases by Fusarium-contamination. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that DON evokes the epithelial sentinel signals of RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and early growth response gene 1 (EGR-1), which together contribute to the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 8 (IL-8) in human intestinal epithelial cells. PKR suppression by the dominant negative PKR expression attenuated DON-stimulated interleukin-8 production. Moreover, 1L-8 transcriptional activation by DON was also reduced by PKR inhibition in the human intestinal epithelial cells. Treatment with the PKR inhibitor also suppressed EGR-1 promoter activity, mRNA and protein induction, although mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases such as extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1/2, p38, c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (INK) were little affected or even enhanced in presence of a PKR inhibitor. These patterns were also compared in the EGR-1-suppressed cells, which showed much more suppressed production of 1L-8. All things taken into consideration, DON-activated sentinel signals of EGR-1 via PKR mediated interleukin-8 production in human intestinal epithelial cells, which provide insight into the possible general mechanism associated with mucosal inflammation as an intestinal toxic insult by ribotoxic trichothecene mycotoxins.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.295-303
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• 1997

To investigate the transformation characteristics of nitrogen and carbon from cow manure compost amended in soil under different moisture conditions, dynamics of nitrogen and carbon were determined periodically for 15 weeks of aerobic incubation at room temperature during July${\sim}$November, 1996. Cow manure compost matured with mixing saw dust was amended with the 4 ratios (0, 2, 4, 6%(wt/wt)) in Ap horizon soil, which collected from green house in Yesan, Chungnam. Moisture was controlled with 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 of mass water conte nt (${\theta}$m) to air dried soil, and water loss was compensated at every sampling. During incubation, soil pH was decreased continuously, that was caused by hydrogen generated from nitrification of ammonium nitrogen. And pH became higher with inclining cow manure compost amendment and water treatment, that meaned the increase of mineralization of organic-N to $NH_4\;^+-N$. Total nitrogen was reduced with increasing water content, but total carbon showed the contrast tendency with that of nitrogen. Therefore, C/N ratio slightly decreased in the low water condition (${\theta}$m 0.2) during incubation, but increased continuously in high water condition over ${\theta}$m 0.4. As a result, it was assumed that soil fertility is able to be reduced in the high water content over available water content. Nitrate transformation rate increased lasting in the low water content less than ${\theta}$m 0.3. Itdropped significantly in the first $2{\sim}3$ weeks of incubation over ${\theta}$m 0.4. In particular, nitrate was not detected in ${\theta}$m 0.5 of water content after the first $2{\sim}3$ weeks. In contrast, ammonium transformation was inclined with increasing water treatment. Nitrogen mineralization rate, which calculated with percentage ratio of (the sum of ex.$NH_4\;^+-N$ and $NO_3\;^--N$)/total nitrogen, was continuously increased in the low water content of ${\theta}$m 0.2 and 0.3. But it saw the different patterns in high water content over ${\theta}$m 0.4 that was drastically declined in the initial stage and then gradually inclined . From the above results, nitrogen transformation patterns differentiated decisively in water content between ${\theta}$m 0.3 and 0.4 in soil. Thus, it is very important for the maintain of suitable soil water content to enhance fertility of soil amended with manure compost. However, excess treatment of manure compost might enhance the possibility of contamination of small watershed and ground water around agricultural area.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.316-329
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• 2005

Mobility of pesticides can be occurred by run-off and leachate or soil erosion. It is one of the most important factors for environmental contamination, particularly in steep sloped-land as Gangwon alpine region. In this study, the mobility of seven pesticides in different slopes and soil textures was investigated by simulated rainfall under controlled conditions. Simulated rainfall subjected to 60 mm $hr^{-1}$ was treated using rainfall simulator after 12 hr of pesticide treatment. Amounts of the pesticides were measured in run-off and leachate samples. The soil samples collected after rainfall from upper and lower parts and three different depths of sloped-plot were also analyzed. At result, all pesticides from the un-off samples collected from Taebaek(silty clay loam) and Heongseong(sandy loam) soils were detected maximum 96% within 60 minutes after first collection except carbendazim and cypermethrin which have the lowest water solubilities. From the leachate samples, a similar pattern was shown as run-off samples but amount of pesticides was lower than those of run-off samples. In soil samples, the order of the amount of pesticide residues was $0{\sim}5$ > $5{\sim}10$ > $10{\sim}15$ cm of soil depth and no pattern was shown in upper and lower, and different slopes. Comparing to mobility of pesticides in water and soil samples, pesticides in soil samples were higher than those of water samples in Taebaek soil. However, the results using Heongseong soils were in contrast to those of Taebaek soil. These results revealed that mobility of pesticides can be dependant mainly on soil textures and physicochemical properties of pesticides. Therefore, it can be suggested that selection of pesticides should be considered for soil texture and properties of pesticide in the alpine and sloped-land.