• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.413-418
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• 2011

This survey was conducted to monitor the safety of red ginseng products in Gwangju, in 2010. Among 100 samples, 37 were beverages, 5 were functional health foods on the market, and 58 were beverages from a tailor-made shop. All samples were negative for coliform bacteria. Aerobic plate counts were detected from 13 samples in the 58 tailor-made products but not detected in the other types of products. Benzoic acid was detected in 5 samples (range, 19.2-543.0 mg/kg). Among heavy metals, lead was detected, ranging from 28.8-62.3 ${\mu}g/kg$, cadmium, from 1.15-4.18 ${\mu}g/kg$, and mercury from 0.10-0.18 ${\mu}g/kg$. Benzopyrene was not detected in any samples. Ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1 were detected in 0.1-23.4 mg/90 mL of beverages and 12.1-66.8 mg/90 mL of functional health foods. These results indicate that red ginseng products are safe in terms of microbial contaminants and hazardous chemical compounds such as heavy metals and benzopyrene.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2007

This study was carried out to estimate the contents of heavy metals (Hg, Pb, and Cd) in seaweeds (n=169) which are closely related to food resources. The contents of heavy metals in the laver were found as follows; Hg was highly detected in the east coastal area ($0.0509{\pm}0.0635mg/kg$), Pb in the south coastal area ($0.0509{\pm}0.0635mg/kg$), Cd in the south coastal area ($1.3785{\pm}0.7754mg/kg$). In the sea mustard, Hg was highly detected in the south coastal area ($0.0152{\pm}0.0116mg/kg$), Pb in the east coastal area ($0.1633{\pm}0.2888mg/kg$), Cd in the south coastal area ($0.7141{\pm}0.4952mg/kg$). In the sea tangle, Hg was highly detected in the south coastal area ($0.0177{\pm}0.0118mg/kg$), Pb in the east coastal area ($0.0728{\pm}0.1025mg/kg$), Cd in the south coastal area ($0.1640{\pm}0.1253mg/kg$). In the sea lettuce, Hg, Pb, and Cd were highly detected from the west coastal area. In the fusiforme, Hg and Cd were highly in the west coastal area, Pb in the south coastal area. In general brown algae showed the highest level of Hg, Pb, and green algae showed the highest level of Cd Additionally, the significant correlation was observed between Hg and Cd (r=0.513, p<0.01), between Cd and Pb (r=0.420, p<0.05). The weekly average intakes of Hg, Pb and Cd from seaweeds takes about 0.17~10.30 % of PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes) that FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee has set to evaluate their safeties.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.336-344
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• 2009

This survey was carried out to estimate the contents of heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, and As) in 10 kinds of dried marine products (n=189) which are closely related to food resources. The contents of heavy metals were estimated by inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (ICP) and mercury analyzer. The values of heavy metals in dried marine products were as follows (Mean${\pm}$SD (range), mg/kg). The average contents of heavy metals in the dried marine products were Hg $0.058{\pm}0.069$ (0.002~0.502) mg/kg, Pb $0.178{\pm}0.598$ (ND~5.130) mg/kg, Cd $0.306{\pm}0.610$ (ND~6.802) mg/kg, As $5.282{\pm}6.158$ (ND~71.760) mg/kg. The range of heavy metal contents in dried marine products are low level, except of lead contents (n=2). In the comparison of heavy metal content by anchovy size, it was shown that cadmium, mercury and arsenic were meaningfully different. The contents of heavy metals by the shape of shrimp and Alaska Pollack were shown that the result of each group was meaningless. In the comparison imported production with domestic production, in the case of common squid, cadmium and arsenic were meaningfully different. The weekly average intakes of Hg, Pb and Cd from dried marine products takes about 1.17~11.52% of PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes) that FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee has set to evaluate their safeties.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate a relationship between the blood concentrations of toxic metals and the blood pressure in people living near the copper smelter. Methods: The study included 570 adults living within 4km of the smelter. We compared systolic and diastolic blood pressure between tertiary groups for blood cadmium, mercury and lead levels, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors affecting systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Results: In male subjects, there is a significant difference in the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between tertiary groups of blood cadmium and mercury levels, but in women, there was no significant difference in the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures in all tertiary groups of heavy metals. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that age, BMI, and cadmium concentration in men were risk factors for blood pressure. In women, age and BMI, drinking and smoking, and blood mercury were significantly influenced to blood pressure. Conclusions: Residents living near the Janghang smelter showed high concentrations of blood lead and cadmium, suggesting that they were exposed to high concentrations of heavy metals released from the smelter in the past. Such exposure may have caused some blood pressure increase. Especially, the concentration of cadmium in the case of men and the concentration of mercury in blood in the case of women were found to be significantly related to the increase of blood pressure. The local population should be advised to make efforts to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, in order to minimize cardiovascular disease, and to pay close attention to any health problems possibly related to toxic metal exposure.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.78-99
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• 2020

The Buddha triad and 16 Arhat statues carved on the rock surface at Seongbulsa temple is the only domestic remaining example of all 16 Arhats, so its academic value is very high. However, it is severely damaged and so required a stability evaluation through study of digital documentation and precise diagnosis for the purpose of comprehensive conservation. This process established that the Buddha statues were of similar scale, while the Arhats showed a wide variety of sizes, and the two kith and kin in the volume were larger than the Arhats. It was estimated that the statues of food for Buddha are similar to the Arhat statues, and most of the statues are well-formed. The rock used to carve the Buddha statues is banded gneiss with distinct foliation, alternating between white bands of quartz and feldspar and black bands composed of biotite. The Buddha statues have been damaged by physical weathering, discoloration, and biological contamination. In damage evaluations, joint (3.6 crack index), peeling (5.2%), exfoliation (1.7%), and falling off (0.1%) were observed on the rock surface of the Buddha statues. In particular, due to severe biological weathering, stage 9 and 10 biological coverage of the rock surface accounted for 57.5% of the total area, and stages 5 to 8 also accounted for a high share at 22.3%. The discoloration factors were shown to be dark brown and white with Fe, Ca, and S, and a large amount of C detected in the blackened contaminants, and the damage weight high in all areas. Discontinuities in different directions were identified in the rock surface. Analysis of potential rock failure types indicated that there is a possibility of plane and toppling failure, but wedge failure is unlikely to occur. The mean ultrasonic velocity of the main rock surface was 2,463m/sec, the lower part of the left side with a large number of joints was relatively low, and the highly weathered (HW) type to the completely weathered (CW) type concentrated distribution, showing weak properties. For the Buddha statues, conservation treatment is required for about 14.9% of micro cracks and 58.9% of exfoliation cracks. In addition, in order to improve the conservation environment of the Buddha statues, maintenance of drainage and ground preparations for the rock surface gradient and plants are necessary, and protection facilities should be reviewed for long-term conservation and management purposes.