Geun-Hyoung Choi

Development of Easy and Efficient Methods for Quantitative Analysis of Ethyl Carbamate Using GC-MS in Various Fermented Foods

To develop more efficient quantitative analysis of ethylcarbamate in fermented food, the major disturbance was identified as diethyl succinate on GC-MS through matching with mass fragmentation pattern on mass library and comparison of retention time. And the clean-up method was developed based on the difference of partition coefficient between ethyl carbamate and diethyl succinate. Finally, a washing step was added with 1% dichloromethane in n-hexane on diatomaceous earth cartridge, and successfully applied to remove diethyl succinate from the matrix. The developed method showed acceptable recovery rate (69.5–88.4%) and limit of quantitation (1.0–1.2 ng/mL) on several fermented foods.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Residues in Greenhouse Soil and Strawberry–Organochlorine Pesticides

BACKGROUND: Residual organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effect to human health and the environment. They were designated as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by Stockholm Convention. Greenhouse strawberry is economic crop in agriculture, and its cultivation area and yield has been increased. Therefore, we tried to investigate the POPs residue in greenhouse soil and strawberry.METHODS AND RESULTS: Extraction and clean-up method for the quantitative analysis of OCPs was developed and validated by gas chromatography (GC) with electron capture detector (ECD). The clean-up method was established using the modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe(QuEChERS) method for OCPs in soil and strawberry. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) and recovery rates of OCPs in greenhouse soil and strawberry were 0.9-6.0 and 0.6-0.9 μg/kg, 74.4-115.6 and 75.6-88.4%, respectively. The precision was reliable sincerelative standard deviation (RSD) percentage (0.5-3.7 and 2.9-5.2%) was below 20, which was the normal percent value. The residue of OCPs in greenhouse soil was analyzed by the developed method, and dieldrin, β-endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate were detected at 1.6-23, 2.2-28.4 and 1.8-118.6 μg/kg, respectively. Those in strawberry were not detected in all samples.CONCLUSION: Dieldrin, β-endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate in a part of investigated greenhouse soil were detected. But those were not detected in investigated greenhouse strawberry. These results showed that the residue in greenhouse soil were lower level than bioaccumulation occurring.

Residual perfluorochemicals in the biochar from sewage sludge

Biochar has been recently considered as a candidate for soil amendment and soil remediation. Some pollutants have been screened in the biochar for safety purposes except for perfluorochemicals (PFCs). In this study, the contamination of biochars from plant residues and sewage sludge with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was examined. The total residual concentrations of PFOA and PFOS in the sludge biochar were 15.8-16.9 ng/g and these values did not decrease significantly after pyrolysis. On the other hand, these PFCs were not found in the biochar from plant sources. In conclusion, the use of the sludge biochar in the agricultural environment should be re-evaluated, since the concentrations of PFCs in the sewage sludge showed no significant decrease after thermal process.

Quantitative Analysis of Cinnamaldehyde, Cinnamylalcohol and Salicylaldehyde in Commercial Biopesticides Containing Cinnamon Extract Using Gas Chromatography - Flame Ionization Detector

BACKGROUND: In an environment-friendly agriculture, plant extracts have been perceived as alternatives of synthetic pesticides. The Environment-friendly Agriculture Promotion Act of Korea has approved cinnamon extract as a matter for the production of commercial biopesticides. Thirteen commercial biopesticides containing cinnamon extract have been marketed locally. However, the analytical method for the quality control of these biopesticides containing cinnamon extract has not been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cartridge clean-up method for the determination of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamylalcohol and salicylaldehyde in biopesticides containing cinnamon extract was developed and validated by gas chromatography (GC). The clean-up method was optimized with HLB SPE cartridges for the bioactive substance in biopesticides containing cinnamon extract, and the eluate was analyzed by GC. The developed method was validated, and the LOQ and recovery rates of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamylalcohol and salicylaldehyde were 0.139, 0.067 and and 84.2, 86.5 and 82.1%, respectively. The contents of cinnamaldehyde, cinnamylalcohol and salicylaldehyde were analyzed using the developed method in the 13 commercial biopesticides. Results showed 0.06-17.37%,

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations in the South Korean agricultural environment: A national survey

Abstract Research on the occurrence of perfluorochemicals (PFCs) such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the agricultural environment is lacking, in spite of their potential risk via food chain transfer from aquatic and soil-plant systems to animals and/or humans. In the present study, for the first time, soil and water samples collected from 243 different agricultural sites adjacent to waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) belonging to 81 cities and 5 provinces with different levels of industrialization in South Korea were monitored for concentrations of PFOS and PFOA by use of solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). Significant mean concentrations of PFOA (0.001–0.007 µg L −1 water and −1 soil) and PFOS (0.001–0.22 µg L −1 water and −1 soil) were found in all samples. Concentrations of PFCs in soils were high, highlighting that soil is an important sink for PFCs in the agricultural environment. Samples from near WWTPs in Gyeongsang Province contained the highest concentrations of PFOS and PFOA, reflecting the concentration of heavy industry in the province. The concentrations of PFCs in agricultural water (most samples −1 ) and soils (most samples −1 ) from South Korea were less than acceptable guideline values, indicating that South Korea is not a hotspot of PFOS and PFOA contamination and that there is negligible risk to human and ecological health from these chemicals. However, further studies investigating the seasonal variation in PFOA, PFOS and other perfluorochemical concentrations in the agricultural environment are needed.

Stability of Matrine and Oxymatrine from the Biopesticide from Sophora flavescens under Aquatic and Soil Environment

Received: 7 November 2014 / Revised: 2 December 2014 / Accepted: 6 January 2015 Copyright c 2015 The Korean Society of Environmental Agriculture This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Determination of Dimethyl Disulfide, Diallyl Disulfide, and Diallyl Trisulfide in Biopesticides Containing Allium Sativum Extract by Gas Chromatography

BACKGROUND: Garlic (Allium sativum) extract has been allowed as commercial biopesticide material for pesticidal activity in the Environmentally-friendly Agriculture Promotion Act. Nine commercial biopesticides containing A. sativum extract have been marketed in Korea. However, the analytical method of the active substances in these materials has not been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cartridge clean-up method for the determination of dimethyl disulfide(DMDS), diallyl disulfide(DADS), and diallyl trisulfide(DATS) in biopesticides containing A. sativum extract was developed and validated by gas chromatography(GC). The clean-up method was optimized using hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) solid phase extraction(SPE) cartridges for the bioactive sulfides in biopesticides containing A. sativum extract, and the eluate was analyzed to quantify the DMDS, DADS, and DATS using the GC. The developed method was validated, and the LOQ and recovery rates of DMDS, DADS, and DATS were 0.226, 0.063, and 0.051 mg L -1 and 80.6, 84.8, and 73.1%, respectively. From the nine commercial biopesticide samples, contents of DMDS, DADS, and DATS were analyzed using the developed method and results showed <LOQ, <LOQ-113.4, and <LOQ-2.3 mg L -1 , respectively. CONCLUSION: The developed method could be used in determining the quality of biopesticides for the manufacture of commercial biopesticides containing A. sativum extract.

Quantitative Analysis of Rotenone and Deguelin in Biopesticides Containing Derris Extract by Ultra performance Liquid Chromatography

Received: 12 January 2015 / Revised: 26 January 2015/ Accepted: 16 February 2015 Copyright c 2015 The Korean Society of Environmental Agriculture This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Effect of Ethanol Extract of Herbal Medicine on Crop Growth Inhibitor

BACKGROUND: Herbal extracts have been screened for their inhibitory effect of seed germination and root development on weeds, but there is a scarcity of reports for crop growth regulation. The objective of this research was to develop a growth inhibitor on Brassica campestris, and its effective extraction method from herbal medicine extract. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty four herbal medicine extracts were tested for their plant growth inhibition activity on B. campestris. The alcohol extracts of Artemisia annua, Cinnamomum cassia, and Mentha arvensis inhibited over 30% of germination and the extract of A. annua, and C. cassia inhibited over 70% of radicle growth at 0.1 % w/w treatment. The partially purified extracts of A. annua, and C. cassia with dichloromethane and hexane showed stronger radicle growth inhibition than the crude extracts on B. campestris. The diethyl ether extract of A. annua showed a similar 50% radicle growth inhibition (RI50 = 45 mg/L) to its partially purified extract with dichloromethane or hexane, but the diethyl ether extract of C. cassia showed a worse RI50 than the purified extract. CONCLUSION: The alcohol extracts of A. annua, and C. cassia showed potent radicle growth inhibition properties on B. campestris. Diethyl ether proved to be a good solvent for simple extraction from A. annua.

Diminution of mycotoxins from Fusarium sp. in barley and wheat through post-harvest processing methods

The objective of this study was to analyze mycotoxin contents in Korean barley and wheat infected with Fusarium sp. The major contaminant was determine among deoxynivalenol, nivalenol (NIV), and zearalenone, as well as diminution rate of mycotoxin contents by milling, washing, and boiling processes. NIV was found as a major mycotoxin contaminant in Korean barley and wheat, and bran showed higher contamination level than the inner part in whole infected cereal. The results indicate that the milling process of the diseased barley and wheat showed dramatic diminution rate of 84.4%. Furthermore, the washing on barley reduced mycotoxin infection up to 81.0%, and boiling showed 82.7% diminution effect.