• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1173-1178
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• 2012

Water competition among domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors has been gradually heightened recently in Korea as the lack of water supply is expected in the near future. About 46% of nation's water use is consumed in paddy farming to produce rice. And the conservation of water resource and quality in agricultural sector is a pending issue in the nation's long term water management plan. New paddy rice farming techniques that use significantly less irrigation water are urgently required. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) that is now well known to produce more rice with less water consumption has not been tried in Korea yet. And environmental effect of SRI on greenhouse gases (GHGs) has not been well investigated. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of SRI on GHGs as well as water use and rice yield in a Korean paddy condition. Three experimental runoff plots $5{\times}15m$ in size were prepared at an existing paddy field. Runoff, GHGs emission and water quality were measured during the 2011 growing seasons while a Japonica rice variety was cultivated. Rice plants grew better and healthier in SRI plots than in continuously flooded (CF) and intermittently drained (ID) plots. Rice yield from SRI plots increased 112.8 (ID)~116.1 (CF)% compared with CF and ID plots. Irrigation requirement of SRI plots compared to CF plot reduced by 52.6% and ID plot reduced by 62.0%, meaning that about 37.9~47.4% of irrigation water could be saved. GHGs emission from SRI plots reduced by 71.8% compared to that from CF plot and by 18.4% compared to that from ID plot, meaning that SRI could help contribute to ease the greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere. It was believed that SRI is a promising paddy farming technique that could increase rice yield, and reduce irrigation water requirement and GHGs emission not just in Korea but also other rice farming countries all over the world. However, it was recommended that long term studies under different conditions including rice variety, soil texture, water source, climate need to be conducted for reliable data for the development of environmental policies related to GHGs emission control and management.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1143-1152
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• 2012

We established a top-down methodology to estimate carbon footprint as national mean value (reference) with the statistical data on agri-livestock incomes in 2007. We also established LCI (life cycle inventory) DB by a bottom-up methodology with the data obtained from interview with farmers from 4 large-scale farms at Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do province to estimate carbon footprint in 2011. This study was carried out to compare top-down methodology and bottom-up methodology in performing LCA (life cycle assessment) to analyze the difference in GHGs (greenhouse gases) emission and carbon footprint under conventional rice cultivation system. Results of LCI analysis showed that most of $CO_2$ was emitted during fertilizer production and rice cultivation, whereas $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ were mostly emitted during rice cultivation. The carbon footprints on conventional rice production system were 2.39E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ by top-down methodology, whereas 1.04E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ by bottom-up methodology. The amount of agro-materials input during the entire rice cultivation for the two methodologies was similar. The amount of agro-materials input for the bottom-up methodology was sometimes greater than that for top-down methodology. While carbon footprint by the bottom-up methodology was smaller than that by the top-down methodology due to higher yield per cropping season by the bottom-up methodology. Under the conventional rice production system, fertilizer production showed the highest contribution to the environmental impacts on most categories except GWP (global warming potential) category. Rice cultivation was the highest contribution to the environmental impacts on GWP category under the conventional rice production system. The main factors of carbon footprints under the conventional rice production system were $CH_4$ emission from rice paddy field, the amount of fertilizer input and rice yield. Results of this study will be used for establishing baseline data for estimating carbon footprint from 'low carbon certification pilot project' as well as for developing farming methods of reducing $CO_2$ emission from rice paddy fields.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2013

To know the emission amount of greenhouse gases from bedding materials of cowshed floor, the emission rates of methane ($CH_4$) and nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) gases from a simulated cowshed floor (SCF) with sawdust that manure loading rate into the bedding material could be accurately controlled were assessed in this study. The manure loading rates of Korean beef and Holstein dairy cattle into the SCF of $0.258m^2$ surface area with 10 to 15 cm height sawdust were $1.586kg/m^2/d$ and $3.588kg/m^2/d$, respectively, and those were calculated on the basis of "Standard model for sustainable livestock" and "Data for excretion amount of manure from livestock". All experiments were done in triplicates in three different seasons (May to July, Sep. to Nov., and Feb. to Apr.) using 12 SCFs. The effects of bedding material thickness on $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ emission from SCFs for both Korean beef cattle and Holstein dairy cattle were not statistically significant (p<0.05). Emission amount of $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ per square meter of SCF for Holstein dairy cattle was 7.5 and 1.2 times higher than that of Korean beef cattle, respectively. The yearly $CH_4$ amount per head was 17.7 times higher in Holstein dairy cattle, obtaining 130.4 g/head/year from SCF for Holstein dairy cattle and 7.4 g/head/year from SCF for Korean beef cattle, and $N_2O$ was also 3.8 times higher in Holstein dairy cattle (3,267 g/head/year in Korean beef cattle and 14,719 g/head/year in Holstein dairy cattle). However, the $N_2O$-N per loaded nitrogen into SCF was higher in Korean beef cattle, having 0.2148 and 0.1632 kg $N_2O$-N/kg N in Korean beef cattle and Holstein dairy cattle, respectively, and those values were 3.07 and 2.33 times higher than that of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2006 guideline (GL) (0.07 kg $N_2O$-N/kg N).

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.163-170
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigate greenhouse gas (GHG), $CH_4$ and $N_2O$, emission from liquid swine manure according to aeration levels in summer. To evaluate the influence of operation methods on GHG emissions, liquid swine manure were applied with different rates of aeration (store without aeration, $1m^3/ton/h$, $2.5m^3/ton/h$, and $5m^3/ton/h$). Following are the results of this study. The liquid swine manure applied no aeration, $1m^3/ton/h$, $2.5m^3/ton/h$, and $5m^3/ton/h$ aeration rates released 315.6, 13.9, 17.9 and $9.6{\mu}g/m^2/s$ of $CH_4$ and 0.173, 0.157, 0.131, and $0.241{\mu}g/m^2/s$ of $N_2O$, respectively. Liquid swine manure applied no aeration released the most amount of GHG ($6,681.4{\mu}g/m^2/s$ $CO_2$-Eq.) and followed by $5m^3/ton/h$ ($276.4{\mu}g/m^2/s$ $CO_2$-Eq.), $2.5m^3/ton/h$ ($416.0{\mu}g/m^2/s$ $CO_2$-Eq.), and $1m^3/ton/h$ ($340.8{\mu}g/m^2/s$ $CO_2$-Eq.). Our results reveal that the aerated system may reduce GHG emissions compared to no aeration. Consequently, aeration and mixing were effective at reducing GHG emissions during liquid swine manure storage.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1195-1206
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• 2011

This study was conducted to apply LCA (Life cycle assessment) methodology to lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production systems in Namyang-ju as a case study. Five lettuce growing farms with three different farming systems (two farms with organic farming system, one farm with a system without agricultural chemicals and two farms with conventional farming system) were selected at Namyangju city of Gyeonggi-province in Korea. The input data for LCA were collected by interviewing with the farmers. The system boundary was set at a cropping season without heating and cooling system for reducing uncertainties in data collection and calculation. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to find out the effect of type and amount of fertilizer and energy use on GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission. The results of establishing GTG (Gate-to-Gate) inventory revealed that the quantity of fertilizer and energy input had the largest value in producing 1 kg lettuce, the amount of pesticide input the smallest. The amount of electricity input was the largest in all farms except farm 1 which purchased seedlings from outside. The quantity of direct field emission of $CO_2$, $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ from farm 1 to farm 5 were 6.79E-03 (farm 1), 8.10E-03 (farm 2), 1.82E-02 (farm 3), 7.51E-02 (farm 4) and 1.61E-02 (farm 5) kg $kg^{-1}$ lettuce, respectively. According to the result of LCI analysis focused on GHG, it was observed that $CO_2$ emission was 2.92E-01 (farm 1), 3.76E-01 (farm 2), 4.11E-01 (farm 3), 9.40E-01 (farm 4) and $5.37E-01kg\;CO_2\;kg^{-1}\;lettuce$ (farm 5), respectively. Carbon dioxide contribute to the most GHG emission. Carbon dioxide was mainly emitted in the process of energy production, which occupied 67~91% of $CO_2$ emission from every production process from 5 farms. Due to higher proportion of $CO_2$ emission from production of compound fertilizer in conventional crop system, conventional crop system had lower proportion of $CO_2$ emission from energy production than organic crop system did. With increasing inorganic fertilizer input, the process of lettuce cultivation covered higher proportion in $N_2O$ emission. Therefore, farms 1 and 2 covered 87% of total $N_2O$ emission; and farm 3 covered 64%. The carbon footprints from farm 1 to farm 5 were 3.40E-01 (farm 1), 4.31E-01 (farm 2), 5.32E-01 (farm 3), 1.08E+00 (farm 4) and 6.14E-01 (farm 5) kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ lettuce, respectively. Results of sensitivity analysis revealed the soybean meal was the most sensitive among 4 types of fertilizer. The value of compound fertilizer was the least sensitive among every fertilizer imput. Electricity showed the largest sensitivity on $CO_2$ emission. However, the value of $N_2O$ variation was almost zero.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.99-111
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to provide a design and operation technical guideline for meeting the appropriate design criteria to bio-gasification facilities treating organic wastes. Based on the results obtained during the field surveys, the overall design and operation guidelines for bio-gasification facilities, monitoring items, cycle and commissioning period were presented. According to the flow of anaerobic digestion process, Various design factors for bio-gasification facilities were proposed in this study. When designing the initial anaerobic digestion capacity, 10 ~ 30% of the treatment capacity was applied considering the discharge characteristics by the incoming organic wastes. At the import storage hopper process, limit concentration of transporting organic wastes was limited to TS 10 % or less, and limit concentration of inhibiting factor was suggested in operation of anaerobic digester. In addition, organic loading rate (OLR) was shown as $1.5{\sim}4.0kgVS_{in}/(m^3{\cdot}day)$ for the combined bio-gasification facilities of animal manure and food wastes. Desulfurization and dehumidification methods of biogas from anaerobic digestor and proper periods of liquifization tank were suggested in design guideline. It is recommended that the operating parameters of the biogasification facilities to be maintained at pH (acid fermentation tank 4.5~6.5, methane fermentation tank 6.0~8.0), temperature variation range within $2^{\circ}C$, management of volatile fatty acid and ammonia concentration less than 3,000 mg/L, respectively.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.305-321
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• 2006

Atmospheric Acid Deposition: Nitrogen Saturation of Forests: Volume weighted annual average wet deposition of nitroge at 33 sites in Korea during 1999-2004 ranged 7.28 to $21.05kgN{\cdot}ha^{-1}{\cdot}yr^{-1}$ with average $12.78kgN{\cdot}ha^{-1}{\cdot}yr^{-1}$, which values are similar level with nitrogen deposition of Europe and North America. The temperate forests that suffered long-term high atmospheric nitrogen deposition are gradually saturated with nitrogen. Such nitrogen saturated forest watersheds usually leach nitrate ion ($NO_3^-$) in stream water and soil solution. It may be likely that Korean forest ecosystems are saturated by much nitrogen deposition. In leaves with nitrogen saturation ratios of N/P, N/K and N/Mg are so enhanced that mineral nutrient system is disturbed, suffered easily frost damage and blight disease, reduced fine-root vitality and mycorrhizal activity. Consequently nitrogen saturated forests decrease primary productivity and finally become forest decline. Futhermore understory species are replaced the nitrophobous species by the nitrophilous one. In soil with nitrogen saturation uptake of methane ($CH_4$) is reduced and emission of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrous oxide ($N_{2}O$) are increased, which gases are greenhouse gas accelerating global warming.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.317-324
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• 2001

We have previously developed three stage methane fermentation system capable of digesting food wastes effectively and then releasing high organic wastewater as a final product. In this study, we tried to devise an ecological water treatment system, which can efficiently remove the nitrogen and phosphorus contained in the organic wastewater. The system was made of microbiological filters, algae, and waterfleas. Of two species of alga tested, Selenastrum capricornutum showed higher growth rate and more efficiently removed the nitrogen from the wastewater than by Chlorella sp. In addition, the highest growth rate and the nitrogen removal efficiency could be obtained when high concentrations of $Mg^{2+}\; and\; Ca^{2+}$ were added to the diluted wastewater and the molar ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus was adjusted to 10 : 1. In this study the population relationship between alga and water flea was also examined in a test tube. The initial number of algal cells decreased as the waterflea population increased. However, the number of algal cells gradually increased again when waterflea population decreased partly due to the environmental resistance. From these results, it was believed that the ecological water treatment system could be used for removing the nitrogen and phosphorus from organic wastewater very effectively. Moreover, the waterflea cultured by this system as a final predator could be used as a good foodstuff for fishes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.348-353
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• 2010

The current study investigated the fate of organic matter in piggery slurry under two different store systems(closed store system and open store system) in association with different temperature. Thirty days after storing in both systems at $20^{\circ}C$, it was observed that the content of organic matter remained in piggery slurry with closed store system was twice more than that with open store system implying more efficient degradation of organic matter with open store system. Temperature also influenced on the organic matter degradation in piggery slurry as shown decline in TS and VS contents as the temperature increased. With store at $35^{\circ}C$, 29% of initial organic matter was reduced while there was only 23% reduction of organic matter at $20^{\circ}C$. There was no difference in the type of organic fatty acids(VFAs) produced under the range of temperature(20, $35^{\circ}C$) simulating summer condition. Increases in organic fatty acids contents with hydrolysis and acid producing microbial was observed from 15 days after initiating store of the piggery slurry and the total organic acid amount produced 30 days after store was $2,829\;mg{\cdot}COD/L$ and $9,123\;mg{\cdot}COD/L$ at $20^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$, respectively. These corresponded to 5.4% and 17.4% of the initial organic matter contents in piggery slurry, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.612-617
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• 2007

This research was performed to evaluate the effect of 'Food Wastes (FW) Direct Landfilling Prohibition' on characteristics of landfill gas (LFG) and leachate and the appropriateness of current legislation. Approximately 45% (Exp.45) and 15% (Exp.15) of FW were filled in two lysimeters. During 570 days, 1400 L of LFG was generated from Exp.45%, which was much more than 906 L of Exp.15. There was no significant difference of LFG composition between Exp.15 and Exp.45. 2~30 ppmv of odorous hydrogen sulfide was detected in Exp.45, while 2~7 ppmv was in Exp.15. There was also no significant difference in the leachate generation between the two. On day 570, $BOD_5$ of Exp.45 and Exp.15 were 37000 mg/Land 25630 mg/L and $COD_{Cr}$ of Exp.45 and Exp.15 were 45480 mg/L, 30294 mg/L. TOC of Exp.45 was 2~3 times higher than Exp.15. Higher portion of FW in landfilling increased LFG generation. However, it generated more odor and made the quality of leachate. Therefore, 'FW direct Landfilling Prohibition' was evaluated as an appropriate legislation.