• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.174-177
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• 1998

The effects of surfactants affecting polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon(PAHs) solubility and biodegradation in soil slurry were investigated. The critical micelle concentration(CMC) values of surfactants used in this study were 12.7mg/L(Brij 30), 13.4mg/L(Tween 80), 13.6mg/t(Triton X-100). The solubility of PAH increased as the Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance(HLB) value of surfactant decrease. At surfactant biodegradation and toxicity experiement using respirometer, Brij 30 did not show any toxic effect and substrate inhibition upon the level of 1.5g/L. Also, biodegradation of Brij 30 gave no reduction on the phenanthrene biodegradation rate. When the desorption rate of phenanthrene between sand and clay is compared, lower percentage of phenanthrene was desorbed at clay because of the larger surface aera and higher organic content of clay. At the biodegradation experiments of phenanthrene in soil slurry phase, more than 90% of initial phenanthrene adsorbed onto both sand and clay were biodegraded by phenanthrene- acclimated cultures.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.246-252
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• 2002

In recent years, the safety of sunscreens has been challenged based on the reports of their adverse effect on users; dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and photo allergic contact dermatitis. The unscientific idea that higher SPF sunsreen is good for health mealeads many users to tend to prefer higher SPF sunscreen. In the toxicological aspect, the need to investigate the safety of sunscreens is steadily increasing. However, there were few studies on the correlation between sun protection factor (SPF) and the safety of sunscreens. The objective of this study was to assess whether there was a correlation between SPF and the safety of sunscreens. We measured in vitro SPF index using homosalate as a standard and examined the toxicity tests such as primary skin irritation tests, ocular irritation test and skin sensitization test. Homosalate (HS), octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), octyl salicylate (OS), octocrylene (OC) as UVB organic filter and benzophenone-3 (BP3), butyl methoxy dibenzoil methane (BMDM) as UVA organic filter, and titanium dioxide (TD), zinc oxide (ZO) as inorganic filters were used. The skin irritation indexes in rabbits treated with HS, OMC, OS, BP3, and BMDM were significantly increased as SPF indices were increased. Neither ocular irritation in rabbits nor skin sensitization in guinea pigs were increased. It suggests that there might be a good correlation between SPF and the skin irritation indices of organic UV filters and skin irritation might be one of most sensitive index to assess the safety of sunscreens.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.235-242
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• 1992

Organic ligands in the environments are expected to play an important role in regulating the biotoxicity and fate of pesticides. Influences of dissolved humic and fulvic acids on the phytotoxicity of Paraquat were investigated using a bioassay with hydroponically grown rye as indicator species. Levels of Paraquat in water culture media were ranged from 0 to $12_{{\mu}M}$ and those of humic or fulvic acid were 1.0mM as a soluble carbon. Media were prepared in a factorial combination with pHs of 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5, Standard curves of necrosis days, fresh weight, and growth rates, as Phytotoxicity Indices, versus Paraquat concentrations were employed to evaluate the effects of organic ligands on phytotoxicity of paraquat. Organic ligand itself had little effect on rye growth, but Paraquat showed a high degree of toxicity. Paraquat started to show an intensive injury to rye at $0.4{\sim}0.6{{\mu}M}$ and upper critical phytotoxic concentration was estimated to be 11.0${{\mu}M}$ In the presence of organic ligands, times required to cause necrosis due to Paraquat were delayed upto 40%. Fresh weights and growth rates were upto 20% higher in treatments of organic ligands plus Paraquat than that of Paraquat alone. Results demonstrated that complexation of organic ligand with Paraquat reduced the bioabailability of Paraquat to rye.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2015

Acute toxicity tests for 5 organic solvents were conducted using Euglena agilis carter (E. agilis), a Korean domestic organism. Organic solvents decreased the growth rate of E. agilis in a dose dependent manner. The toxicity to E. agilis was increased in the order of chloroform>acetone${\geq}$ethanol${\geq}$methanol>DMSO based on $EC_{50}$ values from growth test. Organic solvents also induced cell motility and morphological changes of E. agilis. Especially significant effects on the cell swimming velocity, motility, and compactness were observed for chloroform at the concentration of $EC_{50}$ calculated from 96 hr growth test. Overall, toxic responses of E. agilis to test substances are comparable to or more sensitive than D. magna, M. macrocopa and V. fischeri. Our study demonstrates that E. agilis can be a putative ecotoxicity test model organism to assess domestic water quality. Results obtained from this study can be applied to establish the standard test guidelines for ecotoxicity test using E. agilis.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.274-279
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• 2007

The toxicitiy of organic sludge such as municipal sewage sludge (MSS), industrial sewage sludge (ISS), alcohol fermentation processing sludge (AFPS) and leather processing sludge (LPS) were evaluated with three environmental biomarkers as acetylcholinesterase, cytochrome P450, and heat shock protein 70 extracted from earthworm (Eisenia fetida). Their toxicities were compared with those of pig manure compost (PMC). MSS, ISS, LPS, and AFPS did not significantly affect the acetylcolinesterase activity, whereas only the elutriate of PMC slightly was increased the activity. MSS, AFPS, and PMC tended to slightly inhibit the cytochrome $P_{450}$ activity, but ISS and LPS showed significantly the inhibitory effect on cytochrome $P_{450}$. The hsp70 expression began to increase after treatments and showed high induction at 6 hour, followed by zero level at around 12 hour. The quantity of the hsp70 expressed by elutriate treatments of PMC, AFPS, MSS, ISS, and LPS was 1.9, 3.0, 3.3, 4.4, and 4.7 fold higher than that of distilled water. These results indicate that in toxicity tests of five organic waste materials, four kinds of sludge materials appeared more toxic than PMC. Results of AChE, P450, and hsp70 of earthworm might be useful for expecting or assessing an effect by exposure of organic wastes to earthworms in soil.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.241-250
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• 2012

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), butyltins (BTs), nonylphenol (NP), and fecal sterols concentrations in sediments were investigated from Gunsan coast of Korea to evaluate organic pollution from anthropogenic activities. Sediment toxicity was also examined by bacterial bioluminescence toxicity test (Vibrio fischeri). The concentrations of 16 PAHs in sediments ranged from 67.9 to 425 ng/g dry wt; BTs ranged from 2.79 to 14.1 ng Sn/g dry wt; NP ranged from 20.7 to 2171 ng/g dry wt; and coprostanol, a fecal sterol, ranged from 7.60 to 245 ng/g dry wt. Effective concentration 50% ($EC_{50}$) of sediments ranged from 0.38 to 23.8 mg/mL. Most of the chemicals were present at levels lower than or comparable to the previously reported values from Korea. However, NP levels in the present study were in the high range of levels reported from the Korean coast, and 40% of the measured samples exceeded screening and ecotoxicological values of NP suggested by the Netherlands and Canada. This suggests that an ongoing source of NP is a serious concern in the Gunsan coast. High levels of contaminants were found in the proximity of potential sources, such as the outfall of a wastewater treatment plant for NP, an anthracite-fired power plant for PAHs, and ports for BTs, fecal sterols, and sediment toxicity. This indicates that Gunsan coast has various potential sources of marine sediment contaminants.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2011

We studied the acute oral toxicity of black ginseng (BG) produced by heat process in rats. Single acute BG extract doses of 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/kg dissolved in saline were administered by oral gavage and the animals were kept under observation for 14 days. The single administration of BG extract up to 15 g/kg did not produce mortality, behavioral change or abnormal clinical signs in the rats. These results indicated that the oral $LD_{50}$ of the BG extract in the rats is higher than 15 g/kg. Compared to the control group, no treatment-related biologically significant effects of BG extract were noted in the measurements of the body weight or food intake. At the end of the period, the biochemical parameters and hematological parameters were analyzed in the plasma and blood. A histopathological examination of the liver and kidney was also conducted. Only the blood nitrogen urea and potassium levels in the biochemical indices showed significant differences at 10 and 15 g/kg doses of BG extract compared to the control group. These changes were not considered to be due to the toxicity. None of the other clinical chemistry parameters were affected. Therefore, these results indicate that the BG by heat processing is virtually nontoxic.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2007

Ecological risk assessment(ERA) to 5 abandoned mine drainage was investigated by using chemical measurement and bioassay experiment. From the results of chemical analysis, the high concentration of heavy metals are detected in most area. The Arsenite were mostly detected in Songcheon, Nakdong, and Dukum abandoned mine area, and various heavy metals were highly dispersed in Nakdong area. The study area have also high biological toxicity, resulted from the bioassay based on WET(Whole Effluent Toxicity) test by using Vibrio fisheri, Selenastrum copricornutum, and Daphnia magna. The maximum toxicity was shown in the point where the mine waters start to flow. The sensitivity of toxicity by S. capricornutum was relatively high considering the values of toxicity in all samples, from 1.3 to 32.0 TU. The different sensitivities of toxicity recommends the use of battery system, resulted from at least two test species for bioassay or ecological risk assessment of mine drainage. Besides, the results showed high hazard quotient(i.e., greater than 1 HQ value indicating potentially significant toxic risks) with regard to abandoned mine drainage area in this study. On the other hand, the biological toxicity results were sharply decreased by attenuation along further distance from discharging of mine waters. Therefore, environmental parameters including the dilution factor, dissolved organic matter, and hardness should be considered when the remediation and ERA of abandoned mine drainage is planned.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 1991

The present study was performed to explore the antioxidant effect of selenium on damaged brain induced by organic mercury. Male ICR mice were given consecutively 7 injections for 7 days of : (I) sodium selenite 1 mg/kg s.c. alone, (2) methylmercuric chloride 10mg/kg s.c. alone, (3) methylmercuric chloride simultaneously in combination with sodium selenite, and (4) saline alone as control respectively. Based on the above protocol, we monitored various oxyradical scavenging system as well as the finding of electron microscopy. The results from brain tissues were as follows` 1. Selenium inhibited the rate of generation of superoxide radical.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.273-287
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• 2016

Accumulation of excessive salt in Reclaimed coastal tidelands can reduce crop yields, reduce the effectiveness of irrigation, degradation of soil structure, and affect other soil properties. These salts has shown to cause specific ions in the plant over a period of time leads to ion toxicity or ion imbalance and a continuous osmotic phase that prevents water uptake by plants due to osmotic pressure of saline soil solution. This review focuses on the characteristics of salt-affected soils, mechanisms of salt-tolerance plants, desalinization technology, and soil management to maintain sustainable agro-ecosystem in salt-affected soils.