Microplastics and nanoplastics (NMPs) are considered one of hazardous contaminants in marine ecosystems due to their toxic effects, such as reproduction disorder and oxidative stress, on marine organisms. Although water temperature is rising due to global climate change, little information on the toxicological interaction between NMPs and temperature is available. Therefore, in this study, we confirmed the toxicity of NMPs (polystyrene [PS] beads; 0.05- and 6-μm) on brackish water fleas (Diaphanosoma celebensis) depending on increased temperature (30°C and 35°C) at individual and molecular levels. In the chronic toxicity test, the group exposed to high temperatures showed an earlier first reproduction time compared to the normal temperatures group, but it was delayed by co-exposure to NMPs at 35°C. Notably, the total reproduction decreased significantly only after 0.05-μm PS beads exposure at 30°C. Interaction analysis showed that first reproduction time, modulation of the antioxidantrelated gene (GSTS1), heat shock gene (Hsp70), and ecdysteroid pathway-related genes (EcR_A, EcR_B, and CYP314A1) were closely related to temperature and PS beads size. These results indicate that microplastics have size-dependent toxicity, and their toxicity can be enhanced at high temperatures. In addition, higher temperatures and PS beads exposure may have negative effects on reproduction. This study suggests that various factors such as water temperature should be considered when evaluating the toxicity of microplastics in marine ecosystems, and provides an understanding of the complex toxic interaction between water temperature and microplastics for marine zooplankton.

플라스틱은 전세계적으로 사용량이 증가함에 따라 해양 환경으로 유입되는 플라스틱 쓰레기의 양도 꾸준히 증가하고 있으며, 미세플라스틱은 해양 생물에 의해 섭취되어 소화관에 축적됨에 따라 성장과 생식에 유해한 영향을 미친다. Cytochrome P450 (CYP)는 환경 오염물질을 대사하 는 해독효소로 알려져 있으나 지각류에서는 그 기능에 대해서는 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 본 연 구에서는 기수산 물벼룩 Diaphanosoma celebensis에서 clan 2, 3, 4에 각각 속하는 CYP 유전자 9종(clan 2: CYP370A4, CYP370C5; clan 3: CYP350A1, CYP350C5, CYP361A1; clan 4: CYP4AN-like, CYP4AP2, CYP4AP3, CYP4C33-like1)의 서열에 대해 진화적으로 보존된 서열의 유사도를 분석 하고 계통분석을 실시하였다. 또한 3종류의 서로 다른 크기의 polystyrene beads (0.05-, 0.5-, 6-μm PS beads; 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L)에 48시간 노출된 기수산 물벼룩에서 이들 9종의 CYP 유 전자의 발현을 real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)로 분석하였 다. 결과적으로 기수산 물벼룩 CYP 유전자는 모두 진화적으로 보존된 motif를 가지고 있으며 계통분석 결과 각각 clan 2, 3, 4에 속하는 것으로 확인되었다. 이는 기능적으로 보존되어 있음 을 의미한다. CYP 유전자 중 clan 2에 속하는 CYP370C5와 clan 3에 속하는 CYP360A1, 그리고 clan 4에서는 CYP4C122 유전자의 발현이 0.05-μm PS beads에 노출되었을 때 유의하게 증가 하는 양상을 보였으며, 이는 이들 유전자가 PS 대사에 관여한다는 것을 의미한다. 본 연구는 미세플라스틱이 해양 무척추 동물에 미치는 생물 영향을 분자적 수준에서 이해하는데 도움이 될 것이다.

Graphene, a new material with various advantageous properties, has been actively used in various fields in recent years. Applications of graphene oxide are increasing in combination with other materials due to the different properties of graphene oxide, depending on the number of single and multiple layers of graphene. In this study, single-layer graphene oxide and multi-layer graphene oxide are spray coated on polystyrene, and the physicochemical properties of the coated surfaces are characterized using SEM, Raman spectroscopy, AFM, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and contact angle measurements. In singlelayer graphene oxide, particles of 20 μm are observed, whereas a 2D peak is less often observed, and the difference in surface height increases according to the amount of graphene oxide. Adhesion increases with an increase in graphene oxide up to 0.375 mg, but decreases at 0.75 mg. In multi-layer graphene oxide, particles of 5 μm are observed, as well as a 2D peak. According to the amount of graphene oxide, the height difference of the surface increases and the adhesive strength decreases. Both materials are hydrophilic, but single-layer graphene oxide has a hydrophilicity higher than that of multi-layer graphene oxide. We believe that multi-layer graphene oxide and single-layer graphene oxide can be implemented based on the characteristics that make them suitable for application.

Larvae from the marine medaka fish Oryzias javanicus were exposed with polystyrene microplastics (MPs) for 24 h. Exposure to waterborne fluorescent MPs showed clear ingestion and egestion in feces. Under constant MPs, the concentration of dissolved oxygen significantly decreased in 24 h compared to the control. Significant intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde contents were detected in larvae, indicating oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Significant elevations in mRNA expressions of heat shock protein 70 and antioxidant defense system genes (glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) were measured with increases in enzymatic activity of oxidative stress-related proteins. Taken together, the alterations to the molecular and biochemical components suggested that waterborne MPs had an oxidative stress effect on marine medaka larvae.

Synergetic effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/nanoclays hybrid was investigated on the properties of highimpact polystyrene (HIPS) nanocomposite foams. The glass transition temperature and the cellular structure including the cell size and cell density were studied in details. Adding MWCNT and nanoclay increased the glass transition temperature of HIPS by 8.5 °C and 1.5 °C, respectively. The experimental results indicated that the cell size of HIPS foams was reduced from 84.05 to 60.97 μm and 40.22 μm using MWCNTs and nanoclays, respectively. The synergetic effect of MWCNT/nanoclay was more significant by reducing the cell size to 13.69 μm. The cell density was improved from 5.79 × 104 to 1.77 × 105 cell/ cm3 using MWCNTs and to 9.39 × 106 cell/cm3 using nanoclays. The cell density reached to 2.90 × 107 cell/cm3 using the synergetic effect of MWCNT/nanoclay.

The purpose of this study is to enhance heat insulation effect and to decrease fire hazard by attaching aluminum foil to expanded polystyrene, which is mainly used for insulating materials, to have fire retardant. The result of the test confirmed that the insulating materials, expanded polystyrene of 10 kg/m3 and 14 kg/m3 of density attached aluminum foil on both sides, showed 12%, 14% of improved heat transfer coefficient respectively compared to existing expanded polystyrene of the same density. Besides, they met all the standards for the testing of heat release and gas hazard. On the other hand, the one made of general expanded polystyrene could not meet the standards of the heat release test and the gas hazard test.

Commercial polystyrene-based ion exchange membranes have simple manufacturing processes, they also possess the poor durability due to their brittleness. Poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate with hydrophilic side chain of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was used as a co-monomer to make the membranes have improved flexibility. Hydrophilicity of the anion exchange membrane was able to be adjusted by varying the chain lengths of the PEG polymers. For the preparation of the anion exchange membranes, a porous PE substrate was immersed into monomer solutions and thermally polymerized and crosslinked. The prepared membranes were then subsequently post-aminated using trimethylamine(TMA). The prepared pore-filled anion exchange membranes were evaluated in terms of ion exchange capacity(IEC), electric resistance(ER) and water uptake.