CNU Professor Seongjin Hong Publishes a Paper in the Journal of Hazardous Materials
- Writer김가은
- Date2024-10-04 14:07:39
- Hit17
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[First characterization of the spatiotemporal distribution of the uncontrolled neurotoxin “BMAA” on the South Sea Coast of Korea and identification of the causative microalgae]
A research team led by Prof. Seongjin Hong, Department of Marine Environmental Science, Chungnam National University, has identified for the first time the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of the neurotoxin “β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)” on the South Sea Coast of Korea and the microalgae that are potential sources of the toxin.
The study was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, a leading international journal in the field of environmental science (IF: 12.2) on October 5, with Sea-Yong Kim, a research professor at Chungnam National University’s Marine Research Institute, as the lead author and Prof. Seongjin Hong as the corresponding author.
□ Paper title: First Investigation of the Temporal Distribution of Neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and the Candidate Causative Microalgae along the South Sea Coast of Korea
In this study, Prof. Hong’s research team found that the uncontrolled neurotoxin BMAA, a known Alzheimer’s disease–causing neurotoxin, is detected at relatively high concentrations in phytoplankton off the South Sea Coast of Korea during the fall and winter seasons.
Specifically, the team identified for the first time four species of domestic candidate microalgae—Bacillaria, Hemialus, Odontella, and Pleurosigma—as potential causes of the uncontrolled neurotoxin BMAA in the phytoplankton collected.
The team also characterized for the first time that the neurotoxin BMAA accumulates in the bodies of mussels living in phytoplankton sampling sites and that BMAA accumulated in mussels does not excrete rapidly from the body, allowing accumulation for about 1–2 months.
The results of this study indicate the need for biotoxin monitoring along the Korean coast and are expected to contribute to the preemptive management of biotoxins in seafood in the future.
“Research on emerging biotoxins in marine ecosystems remains an important challenge, and further studies are needed to identify the microalgae sources that produce toxins,” said Prof. Hong.
□ Link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135486