Search

Highlights: [•] We monitored toxicity of intertidal sediments for 5years after Hebei Spirit oil spill. [•] Toxicity of sandy beaches decreased within 8months after the spill. [•] Sediment toxicity remained at heavily contaminated sites 5years after the spill. [•] Ecological impact and weathering process of residual oils are ongoing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: For the first nationwide representative survey on the environmental health of children and adolescents in Korea, we designed the Korean Environmental Health Survey in Children and Adolescents (KorEHS-C) as a two-phase survey and planned a sampling strategy that would represent the whole population of Korean children and adolescents, based on the school unit for the 6-19 years age group and the household unit for the 5 years or less age group. A pilot study for 351 children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years in elementary, middle, and high school of two cities was performed to validate several measurement methods and tools, as well as to test their feasibility, and to elaborate the protocols used throughout the survey process. Selected exposure biomarkers, i.e., lead, mercury, cadmium in blood, and bisphenol A, metabolites of diethylhexyl phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate and cotinine in urine were analyzed. We found that the levels of blood mercury (Median: 1.7 ug/L) and cadmium (Median: 0.30 ug/L) were much higher than those of subjects in Germany and the US, while metabolites of phthalates and bisphenol A showed similar levels and tendencies by age; the highest levels of phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A occurred in the youngest group of children. Specific investigations to elucidate the exposure pathways of major environmental exposure need to be conducted, and the KorEHS-C should cover as many potential environmental hazards as possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) concentrations were monitored in wild and cultured fish collected from fresh and coastal waters in the Korean peninsula from April 2006 to August 2008 nationwide. Total Hg concentrations were reported for 5043 fish samples, including 78 species from 133 locations. Significant interspecies variation was noted in the Hg levels. The average Hg concentration in each fish species ranged from 6.31μgkg−1 for mullet (Mugil cephalus) to 200μgkg−1 for mandarin fish (Siniperca scherzeri). Among the species collected, the maximum concentration of Hg, 1720μgkg−1, was measured in an Amur catfish (Silurus asotus). Only wild freshwater fish exceeded the WHO ingestion standard. Wild freshwater piscivorous fish samples from a large artificial upstream lake contained the highest Hg levels. Hg concentrations were compared between fish groups categorized as wild and farmed fish from freshwater and coastal waters. Although the wild freshwater fish had similar size ranges, their Hg concentrations were higher than those of the other groups. Compared to the feed of farmed marine and freshwater fishes, the prey of wild freshwater fish had a higher Hg concentration, and the total Hg concentrations in freshwater and associated sediment samples were higher than those in coastal water and associated sediment samples. In the freshwater environment, piscivorous fish bioaccumulated two times more Hg than carnivorous and omnivorous fish and four times more than planktivorous fish. The difference in Hg concentrations among trophic groups might have been due to differences in the size of fish, in addition to the variations among different trophic groups. These data will be useful for developing the fish consumption advisory as a management measure to reduce Hg exposure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ehrlichia chaffeensis is one of the causative agents of canine ehrlichiosis and human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME). Canine ehrlichiosis caused by E. chaffeensis was diagnosed in two dogs in South Korea based on clinical findings, and the diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. A 5-year-old intact male American Pit bull terrier allowed outdoors was found to be concurrently infected with Babesia gibsoni and E. chaffeensis. The major clinical findings were lethargy and reddish urine, and laboratory analysis revealed severe hematuria and thrombocytopenia. In addition, a 3-year-old neutered male Shih-tzu was also found to be infected with E. chaffeensis. Although this dog was an indoor companion animal, he was frequently allowed outside for exercise. The clinical signs observed in this dog included generalized purpura with petechiae and ecchymoses due to thrombocytopenia. A 390-bp partial portion of E. chaffeensis 16S rRNA gene was amplified in both cases, and nucleotide sequence analysis revealed 99% homology of this fragment with other E. chaffeensis isolates. These findings demonstrate the presence of E. chaffeensis infection in dogs in South Korea, and this is the first report to confirm clinical cases of E. chaffeensis infection in dogs.