Characteristics and sources of potentially toxic elements in road-deposited sediments at the Port of Busan, South Korea: A key contributor to port sediments pollution.

This study investigated the spatial distribution and chemical characteristics of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in road-deposited sediments (RDS) at the Port of Busan by size fraction. Enrichment factor (EF) values for Zn, Cd, and Sb in fine RDS <250 μm were 52-69, 49-78, and 46-44, respectively, indicating 'extremely high enrichment'. Various statistical analyses, including PCA and PMF models, revealed a strong correlation between pollution levels in RDS <250 μm and vehicle type, identifying non-exhaust emissions (NEE) of vehicles as a primary source of PTEs in RDS from the port.

Significant CO emission in the shallow inshore waters of the southeastern Yellow Sea in 2020.

This study investigated the carbonate system and air-sea CO exchange in the inshore waters along South Korea's western coastline in 2020. Overlooking these waters might introduce significant errors in estimating air-sea CO fluxes of the southeastern Yellow Sea, given their interaction with land, offshore regions, and sediments. During periods other than summer, seasonal variations in seawater CO partial pressure (pCO) could be generally explained by thermal effects.

Identifying the external N and Hg inputs to the estuary ecosystem based on the triple isotopic information (δN, ΔO and δO).

The supply and sources of N and Hg in the Geum estuary of the western coast of Korea were evaluated. Triple isotope proxies (δN, ΔO and δO) of NO combined with conservative mixing between river and ocean waters were used to improve isotope finger-printing methods. The N pool in the Geum estuary was primarily influenced by the Yellow Sea water, followed by riverine discharge (821 × 10 mol yr) and atmospheric deposition (51 × 10 mol yr).

Acidity in rainwater and airborne suspended particles in the southwestern coast of the East Sea (Sea of Japan): Their potential impact on seawater total alkalinity.

Our understanding of the impact of atmospheric acid deposition on marine carbonate system remains limited, largely due to a lack of data regarding acidity present in atmospheric particles and precipitation. Previous research has relied on the electroneutrality-based ion balance method for indirect estimation of atmospheric acidity. In this study, atmospheric samples collected at a coastal site of South Korea were mixed with seawater to measure the change in seawater total alkalinity (ΔTA) associated with atmospheric proton loading.

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nutrients to the Western North Pacific Ocean.

We evaluated the potential impacts of atmospheric deposition on marine productivity and inorganic carbon chemistry in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (8-39°N, 125-157°E). The nutrient concentration in atmospheric total suspended particles decreased exponentially with increasing distance from the closest land-mass (Asia), clearly revealing anthropogenic and terrestrial contributions. The predicted mean depositional fluxes of inorganic nitrogen were approximately 34 and 15 μmol m d to the west and east of 140°E, respectively, which were at least two orders of magnitude greater than the inorganic phosphorus flux.

Atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic inorganic nitrogen in airborne particles and precipitation in the East Sea in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

The atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic nitrogen is an increasingly important new source of nitrogen to the ocean. Coastal areas east of the Korean Peninsula are suitable for the investigation of the effects of atmospheric anthropogenic nitrogen on the ocean nutrient system because of the low riverine discharge rates and the prevailing influence of the East Asian outflow. Thus, we measured the concentrations of nitrate (NO) and ammonium (NH) in airborne particles and in precipitation from March 2014 to February 2016 at a coastal site (37.

Physical and biological control of aragonite saturation in the coastal waters of southern South Korea under the influence of freshwater.

We investigated the aragonite saturation state (Ω) during all four seasons in a coastal region of southern Korea that receives considerable freshwater input. The surface Ω values were higher during productive seasons with enhanced freshwater influences, likely due to an increased net removal of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from the water column (i.e.

Bioconversion of Scutellaria baicalensis extract can increase recovery of auditory function in a mouse model of noise-induced hearing loss.

In noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), noise exposure damages cochlear sensory hair cells, which lack the capacity to regenerate. Following noise insult, intense metabolic activity occurs, resulting in a cochlear free radical imbalance. Oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme alterations, including lipoxygenase upregulation, have been linked to chronic inflammation, which contributes to hearing impairment.