• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2006

Objectives: We wanted to evaluate the main route of exposure to lead and cadmium for the general population in Korea by using multi-route and multi-media exposure assessment Methods: Samples of air at the homes, samples of the food and water and peripheral blood samples were collected from thirty volunteers living in Seoul (the metropolitan area), Yong-in (the suburban area) and Ansan (the industrial area) in 2001. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric methods were used for the determination of the Pb and Cd levels in the air, food, water and blood samples. Results: The average intake of lead through the air, drinking water and food were $5.06{\mu}g/day\;(26.3%)\;0.002{\mu}g/day\;(0.1%),\;and\;16.4{\mu}g/day\;(73.6%)$, respectively. The average intake of cadmium through the air, drinking water and food were $0.082{\mu}g/day\;(0.9%),\;0.001{\mu}g/day\;(0.007%),\;and\;12.61 {\mu}g/day\;(99.0%)$, respectively. The blood lead level was statistically higher in the male subjects than in the female subjects (3.39 and $2.22{\mu}g/dl$, respectively), and only gender was a significant variable on the multiple regression analysis for blood lead. Conclusions: This study showed that the intake of lead and cadmium through food was the major route of exposure. A policy to reduce the pollutants according to the exposure routes should be established. However, more studies will be needed to support these data for the general population.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.329-337
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• 2005

This study investigated prevalence of color vision loss different from children's residence. The study subjects are 3 to 6 grade's children of elementary school in four areas. The blood lead and urinary mercury were analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. All of participations' blood lead and urine mercury concentration were below suggested level of concern such as criteria by CDC and ATSDR. Color vision was assessed by the Lanthony D-15 desaturated panel. Color vision loss was quantitatively established by the Color Confusion Index (CCI) and qualitatively classified by type of acquired dyschromatopsia according to Verriest's classification. The prevalence of color vision loss and CCI value for children in industrial area was significantly higher than other areas(p<0.05). However blood lead and urinary mercury concentration level was not correlated to the color vision loss. Therefore we believed that other environmental neurotoxic substance except metal had an effects on color vision loss for children in industrial area.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.336-346
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• 2009

As a follow-up survey of A Study of Monitoring Method on Exposure Level and Biomarkers of Environmental Pollutants-Focused on Ulsan Industrial Comlpex Area, published in 2005, a close examination of the health status was conducted for selected Ulsan residents. Based on the previous study, a total number of 129 subjects were divided into two groups: the exposure group consisted of 39 residents whose blood levels of lead, mercury and/or cadmium were higher than international reference values, and 90 residents of control group with normal levels. Environmental exposure level and its association with health condition were examined by various methods such as questionnaire, analyses of lead, mercury and cadmium in blood and medical examinations. The geometric mean concentrations of lead, mercury and cadmium in blood were respectively $2.07{\mu}g/d{\ell}$ (exposure $2.54{\mu}g/d{\ell}$, control $1.90{\mu}g/d{\ell}$), $5.94{\mu}g/L$ (exposure $8.57{\mu}g/L$, control $5.07{\mu}g/L$), $1.32{\mu}g/L$ (exposure $1.30{\mu}g/L$, control $1.33{\mu}g/L$). The concentrations of the three heavy metals in blood showed lower levels than internationally recommended values except for blood mercury. Also, any abnormal or, peculiar disease, or target tissue damage related to the heavy metals was not observed among the all subjects. Therefore, it can be said that no significant difference of heavy metal concentrations and health conditions was found between the two groups.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.485-496
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• 1989

This study was performed to investigate nutritional effect of various dietary fibers on lead absorption and metabolism of protein and lipid in growing rats. Forty eight male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 75.7$\pm$0.7g were blocked into six groups according to body weight and fed six kinds of diet different with fiber source(non-fiber, cellulose, pectin) and lead level(0%, 1% ) for 4 weeks. Results are summerized as follows: 1) Food intake, weight gain, FER and PER were remarkably decreased in lead(Pb) added groups, and FER and PER in Pb-added pectin group were significantly lower than those in Pb-added non-fiber group. 2) Weight of liver, kidney and epididymal fat pad, bone weight and length, hematocrit, and hemoglobin content were decreased in Pb-added groups. 3) Total protein content in serum was tended to be decreased in Pb-added groups, but total lipid and cholesterol contents in serum were not different with dietary Pb level and fiber source. 4) Nitrogen, lipid and cholesterol content in liver were tended to be deceased in Pb-added groups, and especially those of the Pb-added pectin group were the lowest among groups. 5) Daily urinary and fecal excretions of nitrogen, lipid and cholesterol were decreased in Pb-added groups. Especially fecal excretions of nitrogen, lipid and cholesterol in Pb-free groups were significantly increased by dietary cellulose and pectin. 6) Pb content in blood was significantly increased in Pb-added pectin group. There was no significant decrease in Pb contents of liver, kidney and tibia, and increase in excretion of Pb by feeding dietary fibers. In conculsion, dietary fibers had no effect on the absorption of Pb, and dietary pectin seemed to increase Pb poisoning by decreasing bioavailibility of protein, lipid and other nutrients in the diet.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2020

Objectives: The study was evaluated exposure variation and daily absorption level of cadmium, lead concentration of ambient air of monthly data from 1999 to 2017 for main exposure factor in outdoor workers. Methods: Based on the monthly data from 'The annual report of air quality in Korea from 1999 to 2018' in 'Air Korea' website in the Korean Ministry of Environment. The monthly data of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, cadmium, lead concentration of ambient air were recalculated to average, minimum, and maximum. And these data were combined to Asian-dust exposure data from 'The annual report of Asian-dust·smog in 2017' of National Institute of Meteorological Sciences in Korea. Results: Geometric mean(minimum-maximum) concentration in ambient air of monthly data were 0.0017 (ND-0.2015) mg/㎥ in cadmium and 0.0467(ND-0.8554) mg/㎥ in Pb from 1999 to 2017. Both of Cd and Pb concentration in ambient air showed the highest concentration in January and the lowest in August among annual variation from 1999 to 2017. PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 level showed the highest in March(PM₁₀) and February (PM_2.5) the lowest in August both of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5. Discussion: Based on exposure data and prior reports, daily Cd absorption was estimated to 0.013(ND-1.511) mg/day from respiration and 1.89 mg/day from daily food(25.2 mg/day of daily Cd intake). In case of Pb, daily absorption was estimated to 0.350(ND-6.416) mg/day from respiration and 1.38-1.71 mg/day from daily food intake. Conclusion: Cd and Pb with Asian-dust have high influential factor to increase the Cd and Pb exposure at Winter and Spring season in outdoor workers.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 1996

This study was carried out to investigate the removal rates of Cd and Pb of the litters in the Phragmites communis. Miscanthus sacchariflorus, Typha angustata, Scirpus tabernaemontani grassland aquatic ecosystem in the lake Paldangho. The annual production of Cd and Pb were 0.005g /$m^2$ , 0.21g /$m^2$in P. commumis, 0.004g /$m^2$, O.08g /$m^2$ in M. sacchariflorus, 0.023g /$m^2$, 0.42g /$m^2$ in T. angustata and 0.020g /$m^2$, 0.23g /$m^2$ in S. tabernaemontani respectively. The removal rates of Cd and Pb of the litters were 0.83, 0.85 in P. communis. 0.36, 0.54 in M. sacchariflorus, 0.61, 0.51 in T. angustata and 0.76, 0.71 in S. tabernaemontani, respectively. The times required to decay 50, 95, 99 percent of the steady state level and turnover values of cadmium on the grassland floor were 0.83, 3,60, 6.00 years in P. communis. 1.90, 8.24, 13.74 years in M.sacchariflorus, 1.15, 4.96, 8.27 years in T. angustata and 0.91, 3.95, 6.58 years in S. tabernaemontani The times required to decay 50, 95, 99 percent of the steady state level and turnover values of lead on the grassland floor were 0.81, 3.51, 5.86 years in P. communis. 1.28, 5.56, 9.26 years in M. sacchariflorus, 1.37, 5.94, 9.90 years in T. angustata and 0.97, 4.21, 7.02 years in S. tabernaemontani. Key words: Removal rate, Accumulation, Paldangho, Cadmium, Lead, Phragmites communis Miseanthus sacchariflorus, Typha angustata, Scirpus tabernaemontani.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.987-998
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• 2014

The primary purpose of this paper is to derive a benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL) of lead for the attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) based on a longitudinal cohort data set which is referred to as CHEER data set. The CHEER data were recently recruited from the Ministry of Environment of S. Korea to investigate the effect of environment on children's health We first confirm the correlation of ADHD with the blood lead level using a linear mixed effect model. We report from the longitudinal characteristic of CHEER data that ADHD scores tend to have "regression to the mean". A dose-response curve of blood lead level with ADHD being the end point is derived and from this dose-response curve a few BMDLs are derived based on corresponding assumptions on the benchmark region.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.724-734
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• 2019

This study selected a representative small arm firing range and analyzed the distribution of heavy metal pollutants such as Pb, Cu, Zn, etc. For this the concentrations of heavy metals in soils, roots and leaves of plants, and water of the small arm firing range were measured. The concentrations of heavy metals in the effluent were also checked during precipitation. The concentration of lead in the samples collected from the top soil(0-5 cm) and sub soil(5-50 cm) near the target in the small arm firing range exceeded the concern level of the Soil Environment Conservation Act of Korea, but not in other soil samples. Plants that grow in soil heavily contaminated with lead showed a high lead concentration, especially in roots. However, the concentration of lead in effluent from the small arm firing range was less than 0.02 ppm. The concentration of copper and zinc in the small arm firing range did not surpass the concern level of the Soil Environment Conservation Act of Korea. Through this study more accurate information on the distribution of heavy metal pollution in the soil of the small arm firing range was obtained. Based on this research, we can conclude that some facility improvements can reduce the spreading of pollutants in the currently used small arm firing range and contribute to the design and operation of advanced small arm firing ranges.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the level of physical exposure to heavy metals among residents who live around a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex and to provide baseline data on the effects and harms of heavy metals on the human body by comparing their exposure levels to those of people from control regions. Methods: We measured blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury and chromium levels and conducted a survey among 559 residents from the affected area and 347 residents of other areas. Results: Blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury levels were significantly higher in the case region than among those in the control region (p=0.013, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the thermoelectric power plant area, blood cadmium and urine mercury levels were significantly higher than in the control region (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the steel mill and petrochemical industry areas, blood cadmium level was significantly higher than that in the control region (p<0.001). Dividing groups by the reference level of blood cadmium ($2{\mu}g/L$), the odds ratios between the case and control regions were 2.56 (95% CI=1.83-3.58), 3.11 (95% CI=2.06-4.71) for the thermoelectric power plant area, 1.78 (95% CI=1.19-2.65) for the steel mill area and 4.07 (95% CI=2.40-6.89) for petrochemical industry area. Conclusion: This study showed that the levels of exposure to heavy metals among residents living near a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex were significantly higher than those in the control region. This seems to be attributable to exposure to heavy metals emissions from the industrial complex. Further research and safety measures are required to protect residents' health.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.479-484
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• 2007

Bacterial communities at 10 cm, 100 cm, and 200 cm depths in a 100-year-old lead-zinc tailing heap were evaluated by constructing 16S rRNA gene libraries. In total, 98 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from 193 clones at a 3% sequence difference level. The OTU number and species richness decreased with the depth. Species composition was significantly different between the three libraries. Fifty-seven percent of the examined clones were Acidobacteria and 27% belonged to Proteobacteria. Other sequences included Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Chlamydiae, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospira, and three unclassified OTUs. Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were mainly distributed in the rhizosphere of naturally colonizing plants; however, Deltaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi tended to inhabit the deeper tailings (below the 100 cm-depth).