Biocide dichlofluanid breaks down quickly and accumulates easily in sediment, potentially causing a persistent impact on various marine organisms. We analyzed the potential toxicity of dichlofluanid on major aquaculture species in Korea, Undaria pinnatifida. Female gametophytes of U. pinnatifida were exposed to dichlofluanid at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg L-1, and their survival and relative growth rate were analyzed. The no observed effect concentration (NOEC), lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC), and median lethal concentration (LC50) for female gametophyte survival were determined as 1, 2, and 10.82 (95% CI: 8.87-13.23) mg L-1, respectively. The NOEC, LOEC, and median effective concentration (EC50) for relative growth rate were 1, 2, and 6.58 (95% CI: 6.03-7.17) mg L-1, respectively. Female gametophytes of U. pinnatifida were expected to experience toxic effects at concentrations above 2 mg L-1 of dichlofluanid. These research findings are expected to serve as important reference data for evaluating the toxicity effects of U. pinnatifida in its early life stages when exposed to dichlofluanid.

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.

본 실험은 붕어(Crucian carp, Carassius carassius)(무게 39.7±3.1 g, 전장 14.8±0.5 cm)의 수인 성 니켈 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 및 160 mg Ni2+/l 농도로 96시간 급성 노출을 실시하였다. 수인성 니 켈에 노출된 붕어의 반수치사농도(LC50)는 117.69 mg Ni2+/l으로 나타났다. 혈액학적 성상에서 RBC count는 수인성 니켈 96시간 급성 노출 중 48시간에서 유의적으로 증가한 반면, 96시간에 서 유의적 감소가 나타났다. MCV와 MCH는 96시간에서 80 mg Ni2+/l 농도에서 유의적으로 증 가했다. Calcium, magnesium, glucose, cholesterol, total protein, AST, ALT 및 ALP 와 같은 혈장 성분은 수인성 니켈 노출에 의해 유의적 변화가 나타났다. 이 연구의 결과는 수인성 니켈 노출 에 따른 붕어의 생존율, 혈액학적 성상 및 혈장 성분의 변화를 확인하고 이는 수인성 니켈의 독성에 의한 것으로 판단했다.

배양실험을 바탕으로 다양한 수온과 염분 조건에서 유독 와편모조류 Alexandrium pacificum (LIMS-PS-2611)의 생장속도와 마비성 패독(PST)의 변화를 조사하였다. A. pacificum는 수온 25℃, 염분 30 psu 조건에서 최대생장속도를 보였으며, 최대생장속도의 70% 이상은 수 온 20~25℃, 염분 25~35 psu 구간에서 나타났다. A. pacificum 체내의 PST 주요성분은 N-sulfocarbamoyl계의 C1+2와 GTX5이었으며, 미량성분 은 carbamate계의 neoSTX이었다. 수온과 염분에 따른 독함량의 변화를 보면, A. pacificum는 수온 20℃, 염분 30 psu의 조건에서는 비교적 낮 은 독 함량을 보였다. 염분의 증가에 따라 독 함량이 증가하는 경향을 나타냈다. 그러나 최대생장속도를 보였던 수온과 염분 조건에서는 낮은 독 함량을 보였다. 따라서 6월 수온이 20-25℃ 범위일 때 발생하는 이매패류 독화현상은 A. pacificum에 의한 영향일 가능성이 있다.

Fescues, which are widely cultivated as grasses and forages around the world, are often naturally infected with the endophyte, Epichloë. This fungus, transmitted through seeds, imparts resistance to drying and herbivorous insects in its host without causing any external damage, thereby contributing to the adaptation of the host to the environment and maintaining a symbiosis. However, some endophytes, such as E. coenophialum synthesize ergovaline or lolitrem B, which accumulate in the plant and impart anti-mammalian properties. For example, when livestock consume excessive amounts of grass containing toxic endophytes, problems associated with neuromuscular abnormalities, such as convulsions, paralysis, high fever, decreased milk production, reproductive disorders, and even death, can occur. Therefore, pre-inoculation with non-toxic endogenous fungi or management with endophyte-free grass is important in preventing damage to livestock and producing high-quality forage. To date, the diagnosis of endophytes has been mainly performed by observation under a microscope following staining, or by performing an immune blot assay using a monoclonal antibody. Recently, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular diagnostic method is gaining importance in the fields of agriculture, livestock, and healthcare given the method’s advantages. These include faster results, with greater accuracy and sensitivity than those obtained using conventional diagnostic methods. For the diagnosis of endophytes, the nested PCR method is the only available option developed; however, it is limited by the fact that the level of toxic alkaloid synthesis cannot be estimated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to develop a triplex real-time PCR diagnostic method that can determine the presence or absence of endophyte infection using DNA extracted from seeds within 1 h, while simultaneously detecting easD and LtmC genes, which are related to toxic alkaloid synthesis. This new method was then also applied to real field samples.

By polymerizing acrylonitrile in the presence of ammonium persulfate as an initiator and Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon (P-AC) as a filler, a composite material polyacrylonitrile/Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon (PAN/P- AC) was developed. By reacting hydroxylamine with the composite's nitrile groups, the prepared composite was functionalized by amidoximation. FTIR spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis were all applied to thoroughly characterize the fabricated adsorbent. For the treatment of Cr(VI) ions from synthetic solutions, the adsorption properties of amidoximated polyacrylonitrile/Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon (PAO/P-AC) were investigated. The pH effect, uptake kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and thermodynamics studies were used to characterize adsorption properties. As a kinetic model analysis, the data confirmed that the pseudo-second-order rate equation matched well the adsorption process. With coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.9998, the Tempkin isotherm model had the lowest error, suggesting that it is the best fitted model to describe this adsorption mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters demonstrated that Cr(VI) adsorption was endothermic.

Herein, a new and generic strategy has been proposed to introduce uniformly distributed graphitic carbon into the nanostructured metal oxide. A facile and generic synthetic protocol has been proposed to introduce uniformly distributed conducting graphitic carbon into the Co3O4 nanoparticles ( Co3O4 NPs@graphitic carbon). The prepared Co3O4 NPs@graphitic carbon has been drop casted onto the portable screen-printed electrode (SPE) to realize its potential application in the individual and simultaneous quantification of toxic Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions present in aqueous solution. The proposed Co3O4 NPs@graphitic carbon-based electrochemical sensor exhibits a wide linear range from 0 to 120 ppb with limit of detection of 3.2 and 3.5 ppb towards the simultaneous detection of Pb(II) and Cd(II), which falls well below threshold limit prescribed by WHO.

The concentrations of four potentially toxic elements were analyzed in 70 spraint samples of Eurasian otters from the Daechung Lake area. The median concentrations of As, Hg, Ni, and Pb were 1.19, 1.06, 9.95, and 0.37 μg/g dry weight, respectively. A moderate negative correlation was observed between the levels of Hg and Pb (rs = -0.47). The Hg levels showed a weak negative correlation with the distances of the sampling locations from the Daechung Dam (rs = -0.35). This study provides baseline information on the health risks associated with the hazardous elements in otter species.

어류 치어기의 주요 먹이로 생물로 사용되는 해산 로티퍼 (Brachionus plicatilis)의 생존율 및 개체군 성장률을 이용하여, 국내 연안에 잔류하고 있는 것으로 알려진 신방 오물질인 chlorothalonil의 독성을 평가하고자 하였다. B. plicatilis의 생존율은 0.039 mg L-1에서 유의하게 감소하기 시작하여, chlorothalonil의 농도가 증가할수록 감소하는 농도의존성을 나타냈다. 생존율의 무영향농도는 0.020 mg L-1, 최소영향농도는 0.039 mg L-1, 반수영향농도는 0.057 mg L-1로 나타났다. 개체군 성장률 또한 생존율과 마찬가지로 0.313 mg L-1에서부터 농도의존적으로 감소하는 경향을 나타냈다. 개체군 성장률의 무영향농도는 0.156 mg L-1, 최소영향농도는 0.313 mg L-1, 반수영향농도는 0.506 mg L-1 로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과, 해양 생태계 내에서 신방오물질인 chlorothalonil의 잔류 농도가 0.039 mg L-1 이상일 경우 B. plicatilis에게 독성영향을 줄 것으로 예상되며, 본 연구의 생태독성 시험결과를 바탕으로 해양환경 내 chlorothalonil 의 독성을 평가하기 위한 기초연구자료 및 다른 방오물질과의 독성영향을 비교평가할 수 있는 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

The purpose of this study was to remove lead and arsenic ions from aqueous solutions using the activated carbon prepared from Citrus limon tree leaves. Characteristics of the prepared adsorbent were studied thoroughly using BET, SEM, EDS and mapping, XRD, and RAMAN analyses. The results of experiments showed that the highest adsorption efficiencies were 97.67% and 95.89% for Pb (II) and As (III), respectively. Additionally, the adsorbent was successfully regenerated four times and therefore it was able to perform the adsorption and desorption processes well. Moreover, the results of adsorption kinetics showed that the pseudo second-order kinetic model was more effective for the description of adsorption mechanism of both metals. Furthermore, the equilibrium studies indicated that Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were desirable for lead and arsenic ions, respectively.