• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.359-366
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• 2014

For an efficient and reasonable management scheme for protecting the soil environment, a soil ecological risk assessment (ERA) method should be developed prior to utilization, based on the contemporary uses and situations of each country. The Korean environmental policy focusing on soil protection is currently accelerating the development of the soil ecological risk assessment method. The soil ERA requires toxicological data on various trophic levels in the soil environment, and ultimately uses PNEC (Predicted No Effect Concentration), which is derived from collected toxicological data. Therefore, test species that are used to generate toxicity data are essential for conducting reliable ERA. This study aimed to select domestic test species for potential use in a reliable Korean ERA. Copper (Cu) and Nickel (Ni) were identified as target substances, with toxicity data (Cu, Ni) and standard test methods being collected to determine candidate species. The candidate species were first classified by soil trophic level, and then sorted into final domestic species. Forty out of 166 domestic species were determined as potential standard test species, whereas 17 out of 120 species were determined as potential Cu and Ni test species. Finally, this study presented potential soil test species based on the characteristics of the domestic soil environment, and established a preliminary step toward developing a reliable Korean soil ERA method.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: To assess and prevent the environmental impacts and risks by veterinary pharmaceuticals, Guidance on Estimating Soil Persistence and Degradation Kinetics from Environmental Fate Studies on Veterinary Pharmaceuticals for Environmental Risk Assessment was proposed. METHODS AND RESULTS: Proposed guidance was coined by VICH, EU guideline, OECD guideline and soil dissipation studies for the purpose of international harmonizing. Guidance was also modified from pesticide soil persistence testing guidelines of US, EU, and Korea, with practical approaches adopting in-use test guideline for Korea. CONCLUSION(S): Proposed guidance are consisted of three parts; Laboratory Soil Experiment, Field Soil Dissipation Study, and Estimation of $DT_{50}/DT_{90}$. Proposed guidance is to be available for the requirement for registration of veterinary pharmaceuticals with fit for purpose in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.321-333
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• 2008

Considering risks and artificial enrichments of metals in the soils of the study area, the study aims to analyze geology, grain size and geochemistry. Geology is mainly composed of gneisses and phyllites of metamorphic rocks, sandstones, siltstones, shales, tuffs of sedimentary ones and granites and andesites of igneous ones in the area. In the area, mean contents of metals are not meaningful in accordance with petrogenesis. The soil textures of the area are of S, lS and sL of sandy soil, L, scL, cL of loam and C, zC and sC of clayey soil. Mean contents of Ni, Cr, Co and Cu are meaningfully high in loam and clayey soil relative to sandy soil, whereas Ni, Zn, Cd contents are higher in clayey soil than in loam. Those differences imply the metallic contents are dependent to grain size. Based on the metal contents in the soils of the study area, Cu and Zn in loams and Pb in sandy soils are corresponded to soil contamination warning standards, and As showing 75mg/kg of maximum content in loams is assigned to soil contamination countermeasure standards, respectively. Artificial enrichment factor minimized wall rock and grain size relations is over 1 in Cr, Ni and Cu, but the factor is below 1 in average of other metals.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.451-459
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• 2012

PCDDs(Polychlorinated dibenzo-$p$-dioxins) and PCDFs(polychlorinated dibenzofurans) are measured in soil of Yeungju and Sangju on North Gyeongbuk to investigate the risk assessment of dioxins. Dioxins are analyzed by HRGC/HRMS(high resolution gas chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometer). 2,3,7,8-T4CDD and 1,2,3,7,8-Pe5CDD in soil on Yeungju and Sangju are not detected. Also, 2,3,7,8-T4CDF is not detected in soil on Yeungju and Sangju. PCDDs and PCDFs in Yeungju soil are 1.957 pg/g and 0.294 pg/g, respectively. Total of dioxins in Yeungju soil are 2.251 pg/g. PCDDs and PCDFs in Sangju soil are 1.220 pg/g and 0.420 pg/g, respectively. Total of dioxins in Sangju soil are 1.640 pg/g. PCDDs and PCDFs in Yeungju soil are 0.0049 pg WHO-TEQ/g and 0.0123 pg WHO-TEQ/g, respectively. Total of dioxins with PCDDs and PCDFs in Yeungju soil are 0.0172 pg WHO-TEQ/g. PCDDs and PCDFs in Sangju soil are 0.0065 pg WHO-TEQ/g and 0.0213 pg WHO-TEQ/g, respectively. Total of dioxins with PCDDs and PCDFs in Sangju soil are 0.0278 pg WHO-TEQ/g. Amount for pg/g concentration unit of PCDDs is higher than amount of PCDFs in soil. But, WHO-TEQ of PCDFs is higher than WHO-TEQ of PCDDs in soil.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 1997

Governments and industry have a growing interest in the harmonization of environmental test methods and risk assessment procedures. OECD are currently producing a set of harmonised test guidelines for studying the environmental fate and ecological effects of pesticides. FAO has published an environmental risk assessment procedure. This procedure, which is similar to those used in US and Europe, is based on calculating the ratio of the toxicity of a pesticide to indicator organisms to their level of exposure to the pesticide. The exposure depends on both the concentration of the pesticide and its bioavailability. Ratios which indicate a pesticide will not produce a harmful effect have been established using ecological field studies. Examples are presented for assessing the risk to aquatic ecosystems, earthworms and honeybees. Long-term field studies(up to 20 years) have also shown that pesticides can be used indefinitely without harming soil fertility. Herbicides can be used to avoid the ecologically damaging effects of using soil cultivations excessively for weed control.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

Monitoring toxicity levels in specific biological compartments is necessary to evaluate the ecotoxicological risk associated with soil environmental pollution. Gene expression, as potential biomarker, is increasingly used as rapid early warning systems in environmental monitoring and ecological risk assessment procedures. Various representative species are currently used for the purpose of assessing soil toxicity, however, investigations on toxicological assessments using endpoint based on gene-level have been limited. In this review, we will present the current trends in organisms and endpoints used in soil toxicity study and report gene expression related to toxicity using soil organism, and C. elegans as promising organisms for this approach.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.23-30
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• 2011

Risk based pollution level of Pb and Cd in metal contaminated soils depending on physicochemical properties of soil in a target site was assessed using biotic ligand model. Heavy metal activity in soil solution defined as exposure activity (EA) was assumed to be toxic to Vibrio fischeri and soil organisms. Predicted effective activity (PEA) determined by biotic ligand model was compared to EA value to calculate risk quotient. Field contaminated soils (n = 10) were collected from a formes area and their risk based pollution levels were assessed in the present study using the calculated risk quotient. Concentrations of Pb determined by aqua regia were 295, 258, and 268 mg/kg in B, H and J points and concentrations of Cd were 4.73 and 6.36 mg/kg in G and I points, respectively. These points exceeded the current soil conservation standards. However, risk based pollution levels of the ten points were not able to be calculated because concentrations of Pb and Cd in soil solution were smaller than detection limits or one (i.e., non toxic). It was because heavy metal activity in soil solution was dominant toxicological form to organisms, not a total heavy metal concentration in soil. In addition, heavy metal toxicity was decreased by competition effect of major cations and formation of complex with dissolved organic carbon in soil solution. Therefore, it is essential to consider site-specific factors affecting bioavailability and toxicity for estimating reliable risk of Pb and Cd.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2002

Disodium disulphite, the HPV chemical, was assigned to Korea in order to implement OECD SIDS program in 1999. It was produced about 3,200 ton/year in 1998. This report evaluates the toxic potency of disodium disulphite based on the environmental and mammalian effects as well as human exposure. Oral $LD_{50}$ in rats is 1,540 mg/kg b.w. and effects was observed to the stomach, liver and the GI track that was filled with blood. For repeated dose toxicity, the predominant effect was the induction of stomach lesion due to local irritation. The no observed adverse effect lever for local (stomach irritation) was about 217 mg/kg bw/day. There is no evidence that disodium disulphite is genotoxic in vivo. No reproductive or developmental toxicty of disodium disulphite was observed for the period up to 2 yr and over three generation. In humans, urticaria and asthma with itching, edema, rhinitis, and nasal congestion were reported. Disodium disulphite is unlikely to induce respiratory sensitization but may enhance symptom of asthma in sensitive individuals. This chemical would be mainly transported to water compartment when released to environmental compartments since it is highly water soluble (470 g/l at 20). Low K oc (2.447) indicates disodium disulphite is so mobile in soil that it may not stay in the terrestrial compartment. The chemical has been tested in a limited number of aquatic species. hem acute toxicity test to fish, 96 hr-$LC_{50}$ was > 100 mg/1. For algae, 72 hr-$XC_{50}$ was 48.1 mg/1. For daphnid, the acute toxicity value of 48 hr-$EC_{50}$ was 88.76 mg/1, and chronic value of 21day-NOEC was > 10 mg/1. Therefore, PNEC of 0.1 mg/l for the aquatic organism was obtained from the chronic value of daphnid using the assessment factor of 100. Based on these data the disodium disulphite was recommended as low priority for further post-SIDS work in OECD.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.65-73
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• 2020

Exposure assessment methodology for outdoor air inhalation pathways (i.e., inhalation of volatile compounds and fugitive dust in outdoor air) was investigated. Default values of several parameters currently used in Korea (e.g., Q/C; inverse value of concentration per unit flux, and frs; soil fraction in PM10) may not be suitable and lack site-specificity, as they have been adopted from the risk assessment guidance of the United States or the Netherlands. Such limitation can be addressed to a certain degree by incorporating the volatilization factor (VF) and the particulate emission factor (PEF) with Box model. This approach was applied to an exposure assessment of a site contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons in Korea. The result indicated that the suggested methodology led to more accurate site-specific exposure assessment for outdoor inhalation pathways. Further work to establish methodology to determine site-specific Q/C values in Korea needs to be done to secure the reliability of the exposure assessment for outdoor air inhalation pathways.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.181-186
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• 2010

Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) are anthropogenic compounds found in trace amounts in many environmental compartments far from areas of production. Along with the highly persistent nature of PFCs, there are increasing concerns over the potential adverse effects of them on the ecosystems. Most of highly fluorinated compounds degrade into PFOS and PFOA that are very stable compounds hard to break down. So, in this study, we tried to determine the toxicity of PFOS and PFOA in the terrestrial invertebrate. Acute toxicity test using earthworm, Eisenia fetida, was performed according to the OECD test guideline 207 (Earthworm, Acute Toxicity Tests). In the 14 day acute toxicity tests, the highest concentration causing no mortality and the lowest concentration causing 100% mortality of PFOS were 160 and 655 mg/kg (dry weight), respectively. And the highest concentration causing no mortality and the lowest concentration causing 100% mortality were 500 and 1,690 mg/kg (dry weight), respectively in the PFOA-exposure group. 14 day-LC50 values were estimated at the level of 365 and 1,000 mg/kg (dry weight) in the PFOS and PFOA-exposed group. These results indicate that under laboratory conditions PFOS is about 3 times more toxic to earthworms than PFOA. Based on known environmental concentrations of PFOS in the soil of Korea, which occur in the 0.42~0.73 ng/L range, there is no apparent risk to terrestrial invertebrate, earthworms. However, further work is required to investigate long-term effects on these and other terrestrial organisms.