• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.587-604
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• 2007

In order to investigate the vertical variations and speciations of trace elements, and their correlations in Hoidong reservoir, sediment cores (21-41 cm below surface) and interstitial water samples were collected from five sampling locations. The total average concentrations of trace metals in sediment core samples were $232{\pm}30.8mg/kg$ for Zn, $119{\pm}272mg/kg$ for Cu, $58.4{\pm}4.1mg/kg$ for Pb, $15.7{\pm}3.3mg/kg$ for Ni and $1.6{\pm}0.3mg/kg$ for Cd. The total concentrations of trace metals in core sediments generally decreased toward the center of the Hoidong reservoir. The total concentrations of Mn, Pb and Zn decreased with depth for all the sample locations, while Cu and Fe concentrations increased. The trace metal concentrations of interstitial water sample were in the order of Fe>Mn>Cu>Zn, but Cd, Ni and Pb were not detected. The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn in the interstitial water samples showed a tendency of increasing toward the bottom of the core, suggesting a possible upward diffusion. This migration of trace metals may lead to their transfer to the sediment-water interface. These trace elements would be subsequently fixed onto amorphous Fe and Mn-oxides and carbonates in the topmost layer of sediment. Based on the $K_D$ values, the relative mobilities of the studied metals were in the order of Mn>Cu>Zn>Fe. Geochemical partitioning confirmed that surface enrichment by trace metals mainly resulted from a progressive increase of the concentrations in the fractions II and III. Copper, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations of interstitial water were closely correlated with their exchangeable fractions of sediments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.341-352
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• 2017

Along with Cs-137 (half-life: 30.17 years), Sr-90 (half-life: 28.8 years) is one of the most important environmental monitoring radioactive elements. Rapid and easy monitoring method for Sr-90 using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has been studied. Strontium belongs to a bivalent alkaline earth metal such as calcium and has similar electron arrangement and size. Due to these similar chemical properties, it can easily enter into the human body through the food chain via water, soil, and crops when leaked into the environment. In addition, it is immersed into the bone at the case of human influx and causes the toxicity for a long time (biological half-life: about 50 years). It is a very reductive and related with the specific reaction that makes wet analysis difficult. In particular, radioactive strontium should be monitored by nuclear power plants but it is very difficult to be analysed from high-cost problems as well as low accuracy of analysis due to complicated analysis procedures, expensive analysis equipment, and a pretreatment process of using massive chemicals. Therefore, we introduce the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis method that analyzes the elements in the sample using the inherent spectrum by generating plasma on the sample using pulse energy, and it can be analyzed in a few seconds without preprocessing. A variety of analytical plates for samples were developed to improve the analytical sensitivity by optimizing the laser, wavelength, and time resolution. This can be effectively applied to real-time monitoring of radioactive wastewater discharged from a nuclear power plant, and furthermore, it can be applied as an emergency monitoring means such as possible future accidents at a nuclear power plants.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: This experiment was conducted to investigate the distribution and burden characteristics of heavy metal in the rainwater sampled at Taean area, in the middle part of Korea, from April 2002 to October 2003. METHODS AND RESULTS: The relationship between concentration of heavy metal and other chemical properties in the rainwaters was also evaluated. Chemical properties in the rainwater were various differences with raining periods and years. It appeared that a weighted average pH values of rainwater was ranged from 5.0 to 5.1. Heavy metal concentrations in the rainwater were ranked as Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > As > Cr > Cd. As compared with heavy metal concentrations of rainwater in 2002, Cu, Pb, and Zn were higher than other elements in 2003. There were positive correlation between major ionic components, such as ${NH_4}^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, $Na^+$, ${SO_4}^{2-}$ and ${NO_3}^-$, and As, Cd, Zn, Cr, and Ni concentrations in rainwater. For heavy metal distribution of rainwater, the order of average enrichment factor was Cd > Pb > As > Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr, and these were relatively higher than the natural components such as Fe, Mg and Ca. The monthly enrichment factor were relatively high, from August to October at Taean. The monthly amount of heavy metal precipitation was high in the rainy season from July to August because of great influence of rainfall. CONCLUSION(s): The results of this study suggest that the heavy metals(Cd, Pb, As, Cu, and Zn) of rainwater is strongly influenced by anthropogenic sources rather than natural sources.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: In this study, 5 different treatments such as non-treatment, mixed expeller cake 1.0 N (standard nitrogen fertilizer), rice straw, rice straw+mixed expeller cake 0.5 N, rice straw+mixed expeller cake 1.0 N were performed over 4 cropping seasons over 2 years in order to identify the optimal application rate of mixture of rice straw and mixed expeller cake, organic source in organic cultivation of tomatoes. METHODS AND RESULTS: There was no difference in all treatments in case of 200 mg/kg in the nitrate nitrogen content in soil prior to the first cropping season test under the criteria for nitrogen nutrient based on yield of crops, cultivation without fertilizers seems possible. But in the second cropping season, no treatment and rice straw showed the reduction of yield and in the third cropping season, rice-straw+mixed expeller cake 0.5 N treatment showed the significant difference. The content of nitrate nitrogen in soil prior to cropping seasons was evaluated in 160 mg/kg and standard fertilization such as mixed expeller cake, source of nitrogen, are needed due to the deficiency of nitrogen. In terms of application of organic resources, rice straw showed the effects of improvements on physical properties of soil such as bulk density, cation exchange capacity and humus contents, but the mixed expeller cake did not show any significant differences in improvements on physical properties of soil. CONCLUSION(s): Fertilizer management in organic cultivation of tomatoes is thought to produce the reliable quantity of crops as well as keep the high quality of soils by using the optimal application rate of mixed expeller cake according to the contents of nitrate nitrogen in soil and rice straw which improves the physical properties of soil.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2009

Water shortages are expected to be a major impact of climate change. This study examined the growth of Chinese cabbage seedling using reclaimed wastewater and waste nutrient solution as alternative irrigation resources. Generally, the concentration of nutrients, such as $K^+$, $NH_4^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Cl^-$,$NO_3^-$, $PO_4^-$ and $SO_4^{2-}$, in waste nutrient solution was higher than that in wastewater. However, Chinese cabbage seedling irrigated with wastewater was supplied a higher concentration of $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ than waste nutrient solution. The growth of Chinese cabbage seedling irrigated with waste nutrient solution was similar or higher than those irrigated with groundwater as control, while the growth of those irrigated with wastewater was similar to those irrigated with groundwater. The total nitrogen uptake in Chinese cabbage seedling irrigated with groundwater, waste nutrient solution from organic and inorganic hydroponic cultures, and wastewater was 5.47, 10.02, 5.20, and 4.59 mg/plant, respectively. The nitrogen uptake of Chinese cabbage seedling irrigated with waste nutrient solution from organic hydroponic substrates in a 50% lower dose than recommended was 8.34 mg/plant, which is higher than that of the cabbage irrigated with groundwater. Overall, the results suggest that waste nutrient solution and wastewater can be used as alternate water resources, and can allow a reduction in the amount of fertilizer needed to raise Chinese cabbage seedling.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2004

Experiment was carried out to find the fertilizing effects of 8 different application rates of swine compost fermented with sawdust(SCS) including Chemical fertilizer(CF) on forage yield and soil chemical characteristics of mixed pastures sown in Sep. 1993 at National Livestock Research Institute, RDA., in Suwon during low years. It was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Dry matter yield were shown at similar among treatments except Control and $50\%$ SCS of standard amount plot. In botanical composition, the legume and weeds percentages of each treatment were increased as advancing year. The final year's legume percentage were high in line with SCS fertilizing plots($39\%{\sim}43\%$), SCS + CF plots($30\%{\sim}41\%$) and CF plot($32\%$). In productions of TDN, NE and crude protein yield, SCS or SCS($75\%$) + CF($25\%$) were nearly same comparing those of CF, respectively. Phosphate, potassium, magnesium contents and K/(Ca + Mg) except calcium contents of those SCS fertilizing plots in plant were generally high with comparing CF. Those contents were proportional according to the fertilizing amount These result indicate the possibility to substitute chemical fertilizer for SCS($75\%$, 25ton/ha) + CF, $25\%$) as manure-N 210 kg/ha, but might be considered accumulation phosphate in the soil.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 1999

Of all the nutrients in liquid manure, N has the greatest potential both for the environment and for increasing forage yields. This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of different types and N rates of liquid manure on mineral content and nitrate-N of oats(Avena sativa L.), soil chemical characteristics in Suweon. Seven treatments consisting of chemical fertilizer $120kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$, liquid cattle manure 120, 240 and $360kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$, liquid swine manure 120, 240 and $360kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Compared with the plot of chemical fertilizer, increasing liquid manure N rates increased mineral contents of oats. Nitrate-N contents of oats were ranged from 1,881 to $2,605mg\;kg^{-1}$ in all treatments, which was orderly ranked as chemical fertilizer>liquid cattle manure $360kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$> liquid swine manure $240kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$. Contents of exchangeable cation of the soil were appeared to be higher with increasing liquid manure N rates. Amount of total-N and inorganic-N in soil affected by increasing liquid manure N rates, and there was the highest at liquid swine manure $360kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ among the treatments. Nitrate-N concentration in infiltration water was not remarkably variable during the experimental period. Based on the results of this experiment, it is suggested that the amount of nitrogen in soil was orderly ranked as liquid swine manure $360kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$, followed by liquid swine manure $240kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2008

This study was performed to establish analysis methods, and evaluated for grayanotoxin in domestic/foreign honey and wild honey. The molecular weight of grayanotoxins I, II and III, excluding grayanotoxin III that has been commercialized, were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Then, the molecular structure of grayanotoxins I and II were analyzed by NMR. A total 111 samples (25 Korean honey, 21 Korean wild honey, 13 Korean honeycomb honey, 44 foreign honey, 8 foreign wild honey) were examined to determined whether or not each sample contained grayanotoxins I, II, and III. The honey samples were mixed with methanol and loaded into a tC18 cartridge, the filtrate was diluted with water, and the mixture was then analyzed by ESI triple-quadrupole LC-MS/MS. Grayanotoxins were only found in the foreign wild honey and were not detected in Korean honey, Korean honeycomb honey, or Korean wild honey. Three of the samples contained grayanotoxin I, II, and III, and one sample contained only grayanotoxins I and III. The lowest level for grayanotoxin I was 3.13 ${\pm}$ 0.00 mg/kg, and the highest level was 12.93 ${\pm}$ 0.01 mg/kg. The levels of grayanotoxin II were 0.84 ${\pm}$ 0.01 mg/kg, 0.92 ${\pm}$ 0.00 mg/kg and 1.08 ${\pm}$ 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The lowest level of grayanotoxin III was 0.25 ${\pm}$ 0.01 mg/kg and the highest level was 3.29 ${\pm}$ 0.74 mg/kg. Through this study, safety management for foreign wild honey has been enabled.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.1078-1086
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• 1996

The peroxo-polytungstic acid was formed by the direct reaction of tungsten powder with the hydrogen peroxide solution. Peroxo-polytungstic powder were prepared by rotary evaporator using the fabricated on to ITO coated glass as substrate by dip-coating method using $2g/10mL(W-IPA/H_2O)$ sol solution. A substrate was dipped into the sol solution and after a meniscus had settled, the substrate was withdrawn at a constant rate of the 3mm/sec. Thicker layer could be built up by repeated dipping/post-treatment 15 times cycles. The layers dried at the temperature of $65{\sim}70^{\circ}C$ during the withdrawn process, and then tungsten oxides thin film was formed by final heating treatment at the temperature of $230{\sim}240^{\circ}C$ for 30min. A linear rotation between the thickness of thin film and the number of dipping/post-treatment cycles for tungsten oxides thin films made by dip-coating was found. The thickness of thin film had $60{\AA}$ after one dipping. From the patterns of XRD, the structure of tungsten oxides thin film identified as amorphous one and from the photographs of SEM, the defects and the moderate cracks were observed on the tungsten oxides thin film, but the homogeneous surface of thin films were mostly appeared. The electrochemical characteristic of the $ITO/WO_3$ thin film electrode were confirmed by the cyclic voltammetry and the cathodic Tafel polaization method. The coloring bleaching processes were clearly repeated up to several hundreds cycles by multiple cyclic voltammetry, but the dissolved phenomenon of thin film revealed in $H_2SO_4$ solution was observed due to the decrease of the current densities. The diffusion coefficient was calculated from irreversible Randles-Sevick equation from the data obtained by the cyclic voltammetry with various scan rates.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.227-249
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• 2016

Arsenic and its compounds vary in their toxicity according to the chemical forms. Inorganic arsenic is more toxic and known as carcinogen. The provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of $15{\mu}g/kg$ b.w./week established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has been withdrawn, while the EFSA panel suggested $BMDL_{0.1}$ $0.3{\sim}8{\mu}g/kg\;b.w./day$ for cancers of the lung, skin and bladder, as well as skin lesions. Rice, seaweed and beverages are known as food being rich in inorganic arsenic. As(III) is the major form of inorganic arsenic in rice and anaerobic paddy soils, while most of inorganic arsenic in seaweed is present as As(V). The inorganic arsenic in food was extracted with solvent such as distilled water, methanol, nitric acid and so on in heat-assisted condition or at room temperature. Arsenic speciation analysis was based on ion-exchange chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. However, there has been no harmonized and standardized method for inorganic arsenic analysis internationally. The inorganic arsenic exposure from food has been estimated to range of $0.13{\sim}0.7{\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for European, American and Australian, and $0.22{\sim}5{\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for Asian. The maximum level (ML) for inorganic arsenic in food has established by EU, China, Australia and New Zealand, but are under review in Korea. Until now, several studies have conducted for reduction of inorganic arsenic in food. Inorganic arsenic levels in rice and seaweed were reduced by more polishing and washing, boiling and washing, respectively. Further research for international harmonization of analytical method, monitoring and risk assessment will be needed to strengthen safety management of inorganic arsenic of foods in Korea.