• 환경생물
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.9-14
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• 2012

넓은 범위의 염분에 대한 망둑어 3종의 적응성을 파악하기 위하여 이들의 생존 및 성장에 대한 염분농도의 영향을 검토하였다. 두줄망둑은 0~33.6‰의 염분범위에서 유의한 생존율 차이가 없었고, 점망둑의 생존율은 염분농도 13.4‰ 이상에서 90% 이상을 나타내었으며, 3.4‰ 이하에서는 80% 이하로 유의하게 감소하였다. 또한, 날개망둑의 생존율은 염분농도 3.4‰ 이상에서 90% 이상을 나타내었으나, 담수에서는 87.5%로 유의한 감소가 관찰되었다. 두줄망둑은 염분농도 13.4 및 20.2‰에서 가장 높은 일일성장률은 나타냈고, 담수에서 유의한 감소가 관찰되었다. 점망둑의 일일성장률은 염분농도 20.2~33.6‰ 이상에서 가장 높았고, 10.1‰ 이하에서 가장 낮아 이들 사이의 유의한 차이를 나타냈다. 날개망둑의 일일성장률은 염분농도 10.1~27.4‰에서 가장 높았으나, 담수에서 유의한 감소가 나타났다. 이상의 결과는 3종의 망둑어, 특히 점망둑은 낮은 염분에 노출되었을 때, 그들의 생존 및 성장에 영향을 받는다는 것을 의미하고 있어 이들의 분포 및 개체수에 잠재적인 영향을 받을 수 있을 것으로 예상된다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.229-237
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• 2008

Recently, parabens have been believed to act as xenoestrogens, an identified class of endocrine disruptors (EDs). These environmental compounds are the most well-known as preservatives in many commercial products, including food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. It has been demonstrated that the human health risks of parabens result from a long-term exposure to skin in which this chemical group is rapidly absorbed through the skin. On the other hand, parabens are also completely absorbed from gastrointestinal tract. It has reported that these substances possess several biological effects in which inhibitory property involved in membrane transports and mitochondrial functions is considered to be important for their action. Testing of parabens has revealed that estrogen-like activities of these chemicals are much less potent than natural estrogen, $17{\beta}$ estradiol (E2). Additionally, the estrogenicity of individual paraben- compounds is distinct depending upon their biochemical structure. Recent findings of paraben-estrogenic activities have shown that these compounds may affect breast cancer incidence in women, suggesting adverse ecological outcomes of this environmental group on human and animal health. Although the biological and toxicological effects of parabens have been demonstrated in many previous studies, possible mechanism(s) of their action are required to be explored in order to bring the better understanding in the detrimental impacts of parabens in human and wildlife. There have several different types of parabens which are the most widely used as preservatives. These include methyl-paraben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, a major metabolite of parabens. In this review, we summarize current database based on in vitro and in vivo assays for estrogenic activities and health risk assessment of paraben- EDs which have been published previously.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.105-111
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• 2010

To understand the situation of water contamination with Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in the northern region of Portugal, we have established a long-term program aimed at pinpointing the sources of surface water and environmental contamination, working with the water-supply industry. Here, we describe the results obtained with raw water samples collected in rivers of the 5 hydrographical basins. A total of 283 samples were analyzed using the Method 1623 EPA, USA. Genetic characterization was performed by PCR and sequencing of genes 18S rRNA of Cryptosporidium spp. and $\beta$-giardin of Giardia spp. Infectious stages of the protozoa were detected in 72.8% (206 of 283) of the water samples, with 15.2% (43 of 283) positive for Giardia duodenalis cysts, 9.5% (27 of 283) positive for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, and 48.1% (136 of 283) samples positive for both parasites. The most common zoonotic species found were G. duodenalis assemblages A-I, A-II, B, and E genotypes, and Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium andersoni, Cryptosporidium hominis, and Cryptosporidium muris. These results suggest that cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis are important public health issues in northern Portugal. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report evaluating the concentration of environmental stages of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in raw water samples in the northern region of Portugal.

• 환경생물
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.507-512
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• 2004

This study was focused on the risk assessment of whether radiofrequency electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phone is cytogenetically toxic or not. We conducted the effects of 835-MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) on DNA strand breaks in mouse thymic lymphoma L5178Y $Tk^{+/1-}$ cells using alkaline comet assay. EMF frequency 835-MHz we chosen is one of the most popular communication frequency bands in Korean code-division multiple-access (CDMA) mobile phone system. The cells were exposed to 835-MHz EMF alone or 835-MHz EMF combined with cyclophosamide(CPA) or 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) at specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4.0 W $kg^{-l}$ for 24 and 48hrs. DNA damage expressed as tail moment was increased more than two-fold after exposure to 835-MHz EMF for 24 and 48hr. In particular, CPA for 48hr and 4NQO for 24 hr enhanced notably the tail moment to 9-fold and 16-fold in the presence of 835-MHz EMF, respectively, compared to each single treatment. From these results, it appears that exposure to CDMA-mobile phone radiation at 835-MHz frequency may potentiate DNA strand breaks of mouse thymic lymphoma L5178Y $Tk^{+/1-}$;cells under the defined conditions of this study.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.47-57
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• 2013

Studies evaluating the health effects of hazardous air pollutants assume that people's exposure to typical pollutant level is the same as specific regional pollutant level. However, depending on social and demographic factors, time-activity pattern of people can vary widely. Since most people live in indoor environments over 88% of the day, evaluating exposure to hazardous air pollutants is hard to characterize. Objective of this study was to estimate the exposure levels of university students of $NO_2$, VOCs(BTEX) and $PM_{10}$ using the scenarios with time-activity pattern and indoor concentrations. Using data from time-use survey of National Statistical Office in 2009, we investigated time-activity pattern of university students and hourly major action. A total of 1,057 university students on weekday and 640 on weekend spent their times at indoor house 13.04 hr(54.32%), other indoors 7.70 hr(32.06%), and transportation 2.36 hr(9.83%). Indoor environments in which university students spent their times were mainly house and school. Air pollutants concentrations of other indoor environments except house and school such as bar, internet cafe and billiard hall were higher than outdoors, indicating that indoor to outdoor ratios were above 1. According to three types of exposure scenarios, exposure to air pollutants could be reduced by going home after school.

• 지질공학
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.143-150
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• 2007

폐광산으로부터 발생하는 산성광산배수는 인근의 물환경과 토양환경을 오염시킴으로써 사람에게 건강상 유해성을 간접적으로 나타내는 오염원이다. 본 연구에서는 45일간의 연속용출실험을 통해 폐광산 인근 토양에 함유된 As, Mn 및 Zn의 용출 및 흡착반응을 명확히 밝혔다. 용출 및 흡착반응에는 용액의 pH와 산화환원전위가 함께 작용하여 물환경내에서의 중금속류의 화학적 존재형태를 지배하고 이것이 용출 및 흡착반응에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 매우 가까운 위치에서 시료를 채수한다 하더라도 함유되어 있는 중금속의 수준은 매우 다를 뿐 만 아니라 산화환원상태도 상이함을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 폐광산 및 광산주변의 토양으로부터 발생하는 산성배수가 미치는 환경오염의 영향을 평가하기 위해서는 pH뿐 만 아니라 산화환원상태도 함께 고려되어야 한다. 또한 경과시간에 따른 용출 및 흡착반응을 고찰하면서 적절한 산성배수의 관리를 시행한다면, 보다 경제적인 해결방안을 모색하는데 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.

• 해양환경안전학회:학술대회논문집
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• 해양환경안전학회 2003년도 추계학술발표회
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• pp.219-225
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• 2003

The present study intends to assess the long-term steric sea-level change and its prediction, and potential impacts to the sea-level rise due to the 21st global warming in the coastal zone of the Korea in which much socioeconomic activities have been occurred. The analysis of the 23 tide-gauge data near Korea reveals the overall mean sea-level trend of 2.31 mm/yr.In the satellite altimeter data (Topex/Poseidon and ERS), the sea-level trend in the East Sea is 4.6mm/yr. Both are larger than those of the global average value. However, it is quite questionable that the sea-level trends with the tide-gauge data on the neighboring seas of Korea relate to global warming because of the relatively short observation period and large spatial variability. It is also not clear whether the high trend of altimeter data in the East Sea is related to the acceleration of sea level rise in the Sea, short response time of the Sea, natural variability such as decadal variability, short duration of the altimeter. The coastal zone of Korea appears to be quite vulnerable to the 21st sea level rise such that for the I-m sea level rise with high tide and storm surge, the inundation area is 2,643 km2, which is about $1.2\%$ of total area and the population in the risk areas of inundation is 1.255 million, about $2.6\%$ of total population. The coastal zone west of Korea is appeared to be the most vulnerable area compared to the east and south. In the west of the Korea, the North Korea appears to be more vulnerable than South Korea. In order to cope with the future possible impact of sea-level rise to the coastal zone of Korea effectively, it is essential to improve scientific information in the sea-level rise trend, regional prediction, and vulnerability assessment near Korean coast.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.249-256
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• 2017

In this study, we evaluated the potential of 70% ethanol extract from Persicaria nepalensis (PNE) as a cosmetic ingredient by primary skin irritation, ocular irritation, and maximization tests for delayed hypersensitivity in New Zealand white rabbits and Hartley guinea pig. Skin safety study was performed to evaluate the potential toxicity of PNE using the primary irritation test. In the primary irritation test, 50% PNE was applied to the skin, and no adverse reactions such as erythema and edema were observed at the intact skin sites. Therefore, PNE was classified as a practically non-irritating material based on a primary irritation index of "0.0.". In the ocular irritation test, the 50% PNE applied did not show any adverse reactions in the different parts of rabbit eyes, including the cornea, iris, and conjunctiva. Thus, PNE was classified as a practically non-irritating material based on an acute ocular irritation index of "0.0.". Skin sensitization was tested by the Guinea Pig Maximization Test (GPMT) and Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) using an intradermal injection of 10% PNE. Edema and erythema were not observed 24 and 48 h after the topical application of PNE in skin sensitization test, which exhibited a sensitization score of "0.0.". Therefore, it can be suggested that P. nepalensis could be used as potential candidates for cosmoceutical ingredients, without any major side effects.

• 생태와환경
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.331-337
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• 2008

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) derived from leakage of fossil fuels and incomplete combustion of organic materials have been considered as harmful contaminants in environments. This study evaluated the effect of benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), one of the PAHs, using the multiple biomarkers and applied the integration model with those biomarker responses. After 10 days of the exposure at the measured concentrations of BkF (6, 25, and 45 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), the changes of the four biomarkers, that is, 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), DNA single-strand breaks (Comet), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and vitellogenin (VTG) in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were observed. The standardized values of four biomarker responses were computed and integrated as star plots, representing Integrated Biomarker Respnse (IBR) values. DNA damage was induced in a dose-dependent manner, and increased significantly compared with that in the control. EROD and VTG levels were significantly elevated at low concentrations of BkF. On the other hand, AChE activities were not altered by BkF. IBR values increased as the exposure concentrations increased. Thus, the metabolic, endocrine and genetic changes of the biomarker responses in the common carp exposed to BkF should be considered in the case of the ecological risk assessment of the BkF in fish and it can be used as a biomonitoring tool in aquatic ecosystems. In addition, star plots can be used as a useful analysis tool in multibiomarker integration approach.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.201-206
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• 2008

Exposure to formaldehyde(FA) is closely associated with adverse health effects such as irritation, inflammation, and squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal cavities. Owing to its rapid metabolism and elimination, exposure to FA does not always result in an increased concentration in blood or urine of animals and humans. Therefore, the development of biomarkers for FA exposure is necessary for risk assessment. In the present study, the effects of FA were investigated on the expression of genes involved in the MAPK pathway in vitro and results confirmed in rats exposed to FA by inhalation. Treatment of Hs 680.Tr human tracheal epithelial cells with FA induced gene expression for PDGFA, TNFSF11, SHC1, and HRAS. HRAS expression was also increased in tracheas of rats exposed to FA. In addition, FA exposure induced the expression of RASSF4, a member of the Rasassociation domain family of Ras effectors, in rat tracheas. In conclusion, data showed FA-inducible expression of genes involved in the MAPK pathway occurred and increased expression of HRAS and RASSF4 was noted in rat tracheas subchronically exposed to FA by inhalation. These genes may serve as molecular targets of FA toxicity facilitating the understanding of the toxic mechanism.