Worldwide there is concern about the continuing release of a broad range of environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and other halogenated organochlorines persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the environment. They are condemned for health adverse effects such as cancer, reproductive defects, neurobehavioral abnormalities, endocrine and immunological toxicity. These effects can be elicited via a number of mechanisms among others include disruption of endocrine system, oxidation stress and epigenetic. However, most of the mechanisms are not clear, thus several number of studies are ongoing trying to elucidate them in order to protect the public by reducing these adverse effects. In this review, we briefly limited review the process, the impacts, and the potential mechanisms of dioxin/dioxin like compound, particularly, their possible roles in adverse developmental and reproductive processes, diseases, and gene expression and associated molecular pathways in cells.

환경호르몬으로 독성이 강하기로 유명한 TCDD는 간을 포함한 각 조직에 손상을 주고, 내분비의 붕괴를 야기시킨다. 본 연구는 TCDD로 처리한 rat의 간과 혈장을 사용하여, 어성초의 생화학적 효과를 연구하였다. TCDD를 투여한 지 일주일 후부터 어성초 200 ㎎/㎏을 4주간 격일로 투여하고 TCON군과 NO군은 saline을 투여하였다. 혈청에서 total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total lipid, triglyceride(7G)를 간조직중에서 MDA를 측정함으로써 과산화지질 활성도와 콜레스테롤의 양을 조사하였다. TCDD로 처치한 rat에 어성초 추출물을 투여했을 때, 과산화지질 및 콜레스테롤이 유의적인 수준으로 억제되었다.

Concentrations of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were determined in crucian carp collected from eight locations mainly along the Nakdong River during 2004. Total dioxin concentrations which include concentrations of dioxins, furans and DL-PCBs ranged from 0.053 to 0.614 pg WHO-TEQ g-1 wet wt. with a mean of 0.342±0.213 pg WHO-TEQ g-1 wet wt. The proportions of dioxins, furans and DL-PCBs to total dioxin TEQ were 4%, 12% and 84%, respectively. The results suggest that concentrations of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls should be determined when total dioxin TEQ accumulated in freshwater fish is investigated.

Atmospheric bulk (wet and dry) samples were monthly collected in an urban environment (Daeyeon-dong) of Busan over a year, to assess the deposition flux and seasonality of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DLPCBs) using stainless steel pots. Deposition fluxes of DLPCBs in bulk samples were determined using high resolution gas chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Particle deposition fluxes in the urban environment varied from 23 to 98 g/m2/year (mean 41 g/m2/year). DLPCB deposition fluxes in atmospheric bulk samples ranged from 0.09 to 0.77 ng-TEQ/m2/year (mean 0.35 ng-TEQ/m2/year). Seasonal atmospheric deposition fluxes of DLPCBs were high in winter and low in summer. Atmospheric deposition fluxes of particles and DLPCBs in this study were comparable to or slightly lower values than those of different locations in the world. Monthly DLPCB profiles in deposition bulk samples were similar over a year. Non-ortho PCBs were higher contributions to the total DLPCBs fluxes than mono-ortho PCBs. In particular, PCB 126 had the highest concentrartion (>75%) in all deposition samples, followed by PCB 169 and PCB 156. A highly positive correlation was found among the deposition fluxes of DLPCB species, suggesting the possibility of that the DLPCB contamination originated from one source. The deposition fluxes of DLPCBs were not significantly correlated with temperature and the amount of precipitation even though the summer season with the highest temperature and the largest amount of precipitation showed the lowest DLPCB deposition flux.