• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.87-87
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• 2013

Sample concentration and purification processes are essential in the bio-analytical and pharmaceutical fields because most bio samples or media are extremely sophisticated. To concentrate and purify specific substances, passive membrane type filters have been utilized, which is driven by size or charge differences between target and others. The traditional and representative method to identify nucleic acid sequences in the complex biosample is gel electrophoresis, which has been worked by size and net charge of molecules. The adsorption phenomena have been also utilized to concentrate and purify biomolecules. This adsorption of biomolecule can be controlled under specific salts and surfaces as well as surface area. To utilize the differences of physical properties of molecules or bio-targets such as virus, bacteria, and cells, the nanotechnologies can be introduced in target concentration, purification, and isolation processes. In here, I'd like to briefly survey typical examples of nanobiotechnologies which are introduced in sample treatment. Also I specifically demonstrate two different simple techniques to concentrate and detect bacteria from the samples using multifunctional silica nanotube (SNT).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.188-198
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• 2008

Since 2003, the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) of Korea has been conducting "The monitoring study on exposure level and biomarkers of environmental pollutants" in the Ulsan industrial complex with the goals to establish a surveillance system for residents, to evaluate the health effects associated with chronic exposure to environmental pollutants and to develop the environmental health indicators in Ulsan industrial complex. This program consists of three phases an initial or foundation phase in which the program is developed, made operational and extended to the community, followed by an evaluation and accountability assessment of the surveillance system and finally an improvement in the quality of life and the maintenance of good health for Ulsan residents. In the period 2003 to 2008, the study program developed the surveillance system which will be used for the full-length survey. All participants in this study were contacted at a presentation meeting for residents, introduced to the objectives and protocols of the survey, and asked to participate. Informed consent was obtained from each participant. The study is now underway and includes questionnaires, health examinations and the analysis/collection/banking of bio-sample such as blood and urine. To date 828 subjects have participated and already 588 subjects have been followed up. We are committed to complete health examinations and to arrange storage of biosample for all participants. During the current year, we will analyze metals (Pb in blood and Cd, inorganic As and Hg in urine) in 1,972 samples and VOCs (11 species) and PARs (18 species) in 300 samples (blood sample). Moreover, the summary of the first step and the further preparation of the second step are currently underway. In this article, we introduce the study and its protocols and the distribution and size of the study participants. In conclusion, this survey will be continuously conducted on the established cohort and will enable the identification of relationship between environmental pollutant exposures and the health status of residents in Ulsan industrial complex.