Jong-Su Park, Jae-Ho Ryu, Tae-Ik Choi, Young-Ki Bae, Suman Lee, Hae Jin Kang, and Cheol-Hee Kim. Mol. Cells 2016;39:750-5. https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0173

Acrylamide is a commonly used industrial chemical that is known to be neurotoxic to mammals. However, its developmental toxicity is rarely assessed in mammalian models because of the cost and complexity involved. We used zebrafish to assess the neurotoxicity, developmental and behavioral toxicity of acrylamide. At 6 h post fertilization, zebrafish embryos were exposed to four concentrations of acrylamide (10, 30, 100, or 300 mg/L) in a medium for 114 h. Acrylamide caused developmental toxicity characterized by yolk retention, scoliosis, swim bladder deficiency, and curvature of the body. Acrylamide also impaired locomotor activity, which was measured as swimming speed and distance traveled. In addition, treatment with 100 mg/L acrylamide shortened the width of the brain and spinal cord, indicating neuronal toxicity. In summary, acrylamide induces developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity in zebrafish. This can be used to study acrylamide neurotoxicity in a rapid and cost-efficient manner.

The purpose of this study is to understand the current status and cause of the distribution of odor substances in the Yeosu National Industrial Complex and its surrounding areas. Samples were analyzed by collecting 90 samples at dawn, daytime and night from a total of 15 points, 9 points in the management area, 2 points in the boundary area, and 4 points in the affected area. The analysis items include 5 meteorological factors, complex odor, 22 types of the designated odors and other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). At the MA3 (Fig. 1) point in the management area, the strict emission allowance standard for complex odors was exceeded three times, Ammonia, two types of sulfur compounds, two types of aldehydes, and six types of VOCs were detected, but they were within the standard. As a result of by calculating the odor contribution, the contribution of 74.9 % or more was found at the point where butyraldehyde was detected. Therefore, in order to prevent odors at the Yeosu Industrial Complex, measures to reduce aldehydes with high odor contribution should be prioritized, and it is necessary to simultaneously investigate through real-time harmful atmospheric measurement vehicles. Based on the contents presented in this study, if the system and policies reflecting the results of the odor occurrence survey of Yeosu National Industrial Complex and surrounding areas are supplemented, the odor environment of Yeosu National Industrial Complex will be sufficiently improved.