• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1046-1051
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• 2012

In order to investigate the changes in bioactive materials induced in goldfish brains by $^{18}F$ irradiation, the variations in the neurotransmitter levels in the whole brain were studied. The distance between the goldfish and 580 mCi of $^{18}F$ was about 4 cm, and the exposure lasted for 4 hrs. The absorption level calculated based on the distance, exposure time, and half-life of $^{18}F$ was approximately 2 Gy. After sacrifice by $^{18}F$ irradiation or untreated conditions, ten brains were dissected or immediately frozen, respectively. The tissues were extracted in acetic acid. After lyophilization, the samples were dissolved in distilled water and were further purified on a reverse-phase HPLC column. There were no differences in the intensities of the bioactive materials between $^{18}F$-exposed goldfish and control goldfish, while the only peak corresponded to 13 min, which indicated a significant increase in the irradiated brains. Our analysis has found that this compound is tryptophan. This result suggests that $^{18}F$ leads to changes in a classical neurotransmitter, tryptophan, in both the brains of control goldfish and goldfish contaminated by irradiation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.845-850
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• 2011

Norovirus (NoV) causes major acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. NoV genus is a member of the family Caliciviridae, which is transmitted by contaminated food and water or from human to human. Many genotypes of genogroups I and II have been reported because of their high genetic diversity. To obtain molecular epidemiological information on gastroenteritis sporadic cases in Busan, Korea, we analyzed the nucleotide sequences of NoV strains detected during 2008~2010. We performed one step RT-PCR amplifying the open reading frame (ORF) 2 (capsid region) followed by semi-nested PCR. Fecal samples were collected from 4,071 acute gastroenteritis, and genotypes of the 421 positive samples were determined by sequence analysis. Based on partial sequence of capsid region, 7 NoV were categorized into genogroup I and 13 into genogroup II. Prevalent genotypes among gastroenteritis patients within Busan were GII.4, GI.6, GII.5 in 2008~2010. The results of this study will contribute to the currently available epidemiological data and improve public health and hygiene via development of diagnostic methods and sustainable surveillance.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.43-52
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• 2006

Effectiveness of activated soil containing directly enriched atrazine-degrading soil microorganisms as an inoculant to bioaugment degradation of atrazine in soils was investigated. A Wooster silt loam (Typic Fragiudalf) was spiked with atrazine at a rate of 4 mg/kg soil three successive times to create activated soil. Atrazine degradation was significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) after the first treatment. After the second treatment, there was an increase in the number, based on MPN, of microorganisms utilizing atrazine as a C- and N-source by 3 logs and 1 log of magnitude, respectively. Inoculation of typical agricultural soils collected from Ohio with activated soil at a rate as low as 0.5% reduced the extractable atrazine remaining in soils to the level below 2% of that initially recovered (initially added at a rate of 4 mg/kg soil) after 4 days. Inoculation at a higher rate was required to achieve the same result in soils with non-typical properties (pH of 4.5 or organic matter of 43% w/w). Activated soil was stable, in terms of atrazine degradation activity, at least up to 6 months when it was kept at low temperature (< $10^{\circ}C$) and moistened (water content above 15%). The results of this study indicate that microorganisms capable of degrading atrazine are relatively easily enriched in soil to create activated soil. Use of activated soil can be a practical option for bioremediation of contaminated soils.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2007

Soil risk assessment models were used to determine the goals of soil remediation and to establish the soil quality standards in developed countries. Recently, Korean Ministry of Environment prepared the guideline for soil risk assessment. Soil risk assessment model applicable to Korean situation will be needed in the near future. In this study, three models for soil risk assessment were extensively compared to suggest the fundamental components that required for the soil risk assessment in Korea. The models considered in this study were CalTOX in the United States, CLEA (Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment) in the United Kingdom, and CSOIL in the Netherlands. The major exposure routes and the intake estimation equations suitable for Korean situation were suggested. The exposure routes suggested were intake of the crops, underground water, indoor outdoor soil ingestion, dust inhalation and a volatile matter inhalation. The equations for intake estimation used in CalTOX and CSOIL seem to be applicable for the calculation of the human intake in Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.209-222
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• 1997

The Hoenam area, up the Taecheong lake, composed mainly of low grade coal-bearing metapelites within the Ogcheon Supergroup. These coal formations are developed discontinuously several hundred meters and swelling from 10 to 300 cm along the host metapelites. Although the formations have been mined for coal, but already mined out, and the formations were higher content (mean value of 42 samples) of environmental toxic elements as As (13 ppm). Ba (1.81 wt. %), Cd (2 ppm), Cr (188 ppm), Cu (87 ppm), Mo (214 ppm), Pb (25 ppm), Sb (3 ppm), Se (12 ppm), U (55 ppm), V (2124 ppm) and Zn (234 ppm) than the host metapelites and the NASC. The Al, Ti, Mg, K and Na contents in stream sediments derived from the Hando and Bugook mine area were highly concentrations than the samples from the Samseongjeil mine area. The mean value (wt. %) of Fe (10.07), Mn (0.15), Ca (0.84), P (0.18) and Ba (0.77) influenced by the Samseongjeil mine were higher than the other mine drainage sediments. The mean content (ppm) of environmental toxic elements in drainage sediments from the Samseongjeil mine were taken As (2083), Cu (447), Mo (202), Ni (720), Pb (42), U (250), V (1070) and Zn (2632), which are extremely high concentrations against NASC and EPA. Characteristics of elemental behavior and dispersion of the all toxic elements are the same as increased with increasing U, V, and Cu. Rare earth elements in the sediments are enriched with LREE (La, Ce and Nd) from the drainage on strong concentration of toxic elements. The pH of stream water is neutral, but pH of the sediments ranged from 4.92 to 6.93 (mean 6.22), those are slightly acid in the Hando mine area. Major elements in the host rocks at the Hoenam area are mostly depleted especially Ca, excepting Ti and Ba, normalized with NASC. The sediments were highly enriched of Ti, Fe, Mg, Mn and Ba, but depleted of Al, K, Ca, Na and P on the basis of host rocks and NASC. Minor and environmental toxic elements in the host rocks were strongly enriched all elements (As, Cd, Mo, Se, D, V and Zn), excepting Co, Ni and Sr. Enrichment index (mean value) about toxic elements (As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) of the sediments in this area have taken 41.35 (Hando mine drainage; 2.73, Samseongjeil mine drainage; 113.14 and Bugook mine drainage; 8.19), those are seriously contaminated by environmental toxic elements.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.292-297
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• 1999

This study was performed to estimate the possibility of use of plant materials as catalytic agents fur the decontamination of waste waters contaminated with organic pollutants by using 2,4-dichlorophenol(2,4-DCP) as a model pollutant. Plant materials containing high peroxidase activity were selected as catalysts for the removal of 2,4-DCP. Peroxidase activity, which plant materials were containing, was measured, and the greatest peroxidase activity was observed in shepherd's purse, followed by turnip, sweet potato, Chinese cabbage and white radish. The peroxidase activity in shepherd's purse was four times higher than that of horseradish purchased in U.S.A. Using shepherd' s purse and turnip, it was investigated the effect of various factors on the decontamination of 2,4-DCP through oxidative coupling. The removal of 2,4-DCP was extremely fast, and a maximal removal could be achieved within 3 min for shepherd' s purse and 15min for turnip. The pH range was from 3.0 to 8.0 and the amount of $H_2O_2$ added was 9mM when maximal removal was achieved(over 90%). No increasing removal of 2,4-DCP was observed due to increasing the amount of $H_2O_2$ added (over 9mM). The initial concentration affected the transformation of 2,4-DCP incubated with plant materials. When turnip was used as catalytic agent, it was observed decreasing transformation of 2,4-DCP due to increasing initial concentration.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2005

Objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the different sources of the zero-valent irons (ZVIs) on the reduction of the toxic Cr(VI) to the nonhazardous Cr(III) in an aqueous solution. The physical and chemical properties of the six ZVIs were determined. Particle size and specific surface area of the ZVIs were in the ranges of $85.55{\sim}196.46{\mu}m\;and\;0.055{\sim}0.091m^2/g$, respectively. Most of the ZVIs contained Fe greater than 98% except for J (93%) and PU (88%). Reduction efficiencies of the ZVI for Cr(VI) reduction were varied with kinds of ZVIs. The J and PU ZVIs reduced 100% and 98% of Cr(VI) in the aqueous solution, respectively, within 3 hrs of reaction. However, PA, F, Sand J1 reduced 74, 65, 29 and 11% of Cr(VI), respectively, after 48 hrs. The pH of the reacting solution was rapidly increased from 3 to $4.34{\sim}9.04$ within 3 hrs. The oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) of the reacting solution was dropped from 600 to 319 mV within 3 hrs following addition of ZVIs to the Cr(VI) contaminated water. The capability of ZVIs for Cr(VI) reduction was the orders of PU > J > PA > F > S > J1, which coincided with the capacities to increase the pH and decrease the redox potentials. Results suggested that the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was derived from the oxidation of the ZVI in the aqueous solution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2012

We study on the distribution characteristics of antifouling agents such as Sea-nine 211, Irgarol 1051, Diuron using HS-SPME method in southwestern coast of Korea. Short half-life of Sea-nine 211 was distributed in very low concentrations and/or below detection limits in all of the sampling points, both water and sediments samples. Irgarol 1051 was detected to have the highest concentration respectively $6.98{\mu}g/L$, 28.50 ng/g-dry wt in the seawater and sediments, and regional distribution characteristics did not appeared. Strong bioaccumulation and long half-life of Diuron was distributed higher concentration than in all sampling point and was analyzed to have the highest concentration(3882.22 ng/g-dry wt) Mo7(Mokpo)'s sediment. Irgarol 1051 and Diuron distributed in the shipbuilding industry and ship marina are located just at the point to found in high concentrations. In addition, the distribution of the antifouling agent materials were lower in concentration than in inner bay to outter bay in sediments. Antifouling agent materials from these results were contaminated high potential from port and shipbuilding industry located in inner bay.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.606-611
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• 2008

Myungran Jeotkal, Korean fermented seafood, and its ingredients(hot red pepper powder, ginger, garlic, and seasoning mix) were irradiated with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 kGy of gamma rays and stored at 4C for 4 weeks to determine changes in microbiological and sensory characteristics. Water activities of Myungran Jeotkal, hot red pepper powder, ginger, garlic, and seasoning mix were 0.89 0.56, 0.98, 0.99, and 0.07, respectively. Myungran Jeotkal was observed to be initially contaminated. Total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, and coliform levels were 6.7, 4.3, and 3.6 log CFU/g, respectively. Irradiation at 2 kGy afforded approximately a 4 log reduction in total aerobic bacteria, and a 3 log drop in both yeast and mold levels and coliform bacteria(P<0.05). No viable microbial cells were detected in Myungran Jeotkal after 5 kGy of irradiation(at a detection limit of 101 CFU/g). The total aerobic bacterial level in red pepper powder was 6.3 log CFU/g and this component, of the tested ingredients, contributed most to the microbial contamination of Myungran Jeotkal. The initial count of total aerobic bacteria, 6.3 log CFU/g, was significantly reduced to 4.5 log CFU/g after irradiation(P<0.05). Sensory evaluation showed that gamma irradiation of up to 5.0 kGy did not adversely affect overall acceptability of Myungran Jeotkal or its ingredients during cold storage. Therefore, gamma irradiationwas effective to extend the shelf-life of Myungran Jeotkal.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.887-894
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• 2014

The screening of the microorganisms degrading chlorinated organic compounds such as PCP (pentachlorophenol) and TCE (trichloroethylene) was conducted with soil and industrial wastewater contaminated with various chlorinated organic compounds. Isolates (GP5, GP19) capable of degrading PCP and isolates (GA6, GA15) capable of degrading TCE were identified as Acetobactor sp., Pseudomonas sp., Arthrobacer sp., Xanthomonas sp. and named Acetobacter sp. GP5, Pseudomonas sp. GP19, Arthrobacer sp. GA6 and Xanthomoas sp. GA15, respectively. The microbial augmentation, OC17 formulated with the mixture of bacteria including isolates (4 strains) degrading chlorinated organic compounds and isolates (Acinetobacter sp. KN11, Neisseria sp. GN13) degrading aromatic hydrocarbons. Characteristics of microbial augmentation OC-17 showed cell mass of $2.8{\times}10^9CFU/g$, bulk density of $0.299g/cm^3$ and water content of 26.8%. In the experiment with an artificial wastewater containing PCP (500 mg/l), degradation efficiency of the microbial augmentation OC17 was 87% during incubation of 65 hours. The degradation efficiency of TCE (300 uM) by microbial augmentation OC17 was 90% during incubation of 50 hours. In a continuous culture experiment, analysis of the biodegradation of organic compounds by microbial augmentation OC17 in industry wastewater containing chlorinated hydrocarbons showed that the removal rate of COD was 91% during incubation of 10 days. These results indicate that it is possible to apply the microbial augmentation OC17 to industrial wastewaters containing chlorinated organic compounds.