• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2001

There are several ways to remove and treat toxic heavy metals in the environment: chemical, physical and biological ways. The biological treatment utilizes the natural reactions of microorganisms living in the environments. These reactions include biosorption and bioaccumulation, oxidation and reduction, methylation and demethylation, metal - organic complexation and insoluble complex formation. The biological reactions provide a crucial key technology in the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils and waters. According to recent reports, various kinds of heavy metal species were removed by microorganisms and the new approaches and removal conditions to remediate the metals were also tried and reported elsewhere. This was mostly carried out by microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria and alga. In addition, a recent development of molecular biology shed light on the enhancing the microorganism's natural remediation capability as well as improving the current biological treatment.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.3-3
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• 2010

소나무에서 추출해낸 천연유기유황(Natural Sulfur)의 의학적 가치는 1972년 Jacob 박사와 Herschler 박사가 오래곤 과학대학에서 천연식이유황(Natural Sulfur/MSM)을 가지고 표피조직에 미치는 영향을 구명하면서 keratin 단백질에 대한 연구가 활성화 되기 시작하였다. 세포내 골격물질은 크게 형태와 조성에 따라서 actin microfilament, microtubule, 그리고 intermediate filament(IF)로 구분된다. keratin의 특성은 keratin intermediate family중에서 K17 IF가 새로운 기능을 나타내는데 피부세포의 성장에 핵심적인 조절 역할을 한다는 사실이 밝혀 지면서 Dr. Pierre A. Coulombe(The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)연구실은 브로컬리와 같은 십자화과 식물 등에 과량 존재하는 항산화 및 항암물질인 sulforaphane이 K17의 발현을 특이적으로 증가시킨다는 것을 알아내어 피부박리와 같은 피부손상을 기능적으로 복구시킬수 있음을 확인하였다. 현재는 수포성 표피박리증 환자군의 많은 부분을 차지하는 K14 돌연변이와 동일한 유전적 변형을 일으킨 생쥐모델을 이용한 약물 효과 검증과 전 임상단계의 인체실험을 함께 진행중에 있다. Mark E. Van Dyke 박사(Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Medical Center)는 인간의 머리털에서 유래된 keratin으로 외상에 의한 신경 절단이나 압좌(압박손상)는 현재 다른 부위의 신경을 잘라 이식하거나 절단된 신경 양끝을 인공도관(conduit)으로 연결해 신경재생을 유도하는 미세수술을 시행하게 되는데, 신경재생을 유도하는 도관에 keratin을 주입하면 신경이식과 맞먹는 신경재생 성공률을 기대할 수 있다고 하였다. 앞으로는 동물성 keratin뿐만 아니라 식물성 keratin도 함께 연구할 필요가 있다. 동물성 keratin의 농업적 이용은 가금류 깃털의 keratin을 축출하여 친환경 육묘용 용기를 만드는데 있다. 이 용기는 자연조건에서 생분해될 수 있는 특성을 갖고 있다.

• Environmental engineer
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• s.181
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• pp.70-75
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• 2001

본 연구는 '99년 7월에 벤처형 중소기업 기술개발 지원사업으로 신규 계약된 과제로서 상수원수의 전처리 및 하수 2차 침전수의 재처리 공정에 활용될 생물 산화 여과지를 개발하는 것이다. 생물 산화 여과 system은 상수 원수의 전처리, 상수도의 고도정수 처리, 하수 및 폐수처리에 이용될 수 있는 것으로, 특히 물리적 여과기능과 포기 과정을 통한 산화 기능을 포함하는 생물학적 분해 및 자연정화처리환경을 유지하여 수질이 악화된 상수도의 전·후처리나 하.폐수의 3차 처리에 적용하기 위한 것이다. 생물 산화 여과 시스템은 여과지의 하부 장치에 균등한 공기(산소)공급시설을 하여 여과층에 연속적으로 공기를 공급하면서 여과를 함으로서 생물막 여과 및 산화 기능으로 유기물질, 철, 망간 등을 제거하고 공기의 부상력에 의하여 조류, 부유물질, 냄새 등을 동시에 제거하는 System이다. 현재 상수처리 공정으로서의 생물 산화 여과지 개발을 위해 Bench-scale과 semi-pilot plant를 거쳐 Y시 M취수장애 pilot plant를 설치하여 연구를 진행중에 있으며, 또한, G시 G하수처리장에 하수처리 공정에 관한 연구를 위해 pilot plant를 설치하고 하수 3차 처리와 저농도 하·폐수 처리를 중심으로 연구중에 있다. 아래의 연구 결과는 정수처리 공정 연구를 위한 Bench-scale plant실험을 통해 얻은 결과치이며 현재까지 진행된 연구는 주로 정수처리 공정 중심으로 이루어 졌으나 pilot plant에서는 정수 및 하수처리에서의 생물산화여과공정의 연구가 진행중이다. 현재 연구가 진행중이므로 각 인자별 최적운전조건 등은 계속적인 실험과 연구를 통해 찾아지겠으나 현재까지 수행된 연구자료를 기반으로 볼 때 생물산화 여과장치는 탁도, SS, VSS 등의 제거에 탁월한 효능을 보이고 있다. 수처리용 장치로서의 이러한 기본적인 기능 이외에 NPOC, DOC 제거에도 뛰어난 효능을 보이고 있으며 특히 정수처리 공정에서 문제시 되고 있는 동절기 암모니아성 질소제거 또한 큰 가능성을 보여주고 있다. 그 동안 외국기술에 전면 의존해 오던 생물 산화 여과방식의 국내개발은 비용 절감뿐만 아니라 국내 실정에 맞는 기술개발이라는 점에서 향후 그 적용 범위를 넓혀 갈 수 있을 것이다.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.326-331
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• 2012

In this study, rejection behavior of 2-MIB (methylisoborneal) and geosmin which are known as taste-and-odor (T & O) causing micropollutants in drinking water source was investigated using hydrophobic polyethersulfone (PES) nanofiltration "loose" membrane (MWCO : 400 Da). It was found that the rejection of the geosmin was higher than that of the 2-MIB in all experimental conditions tested. This study also showed that the rejections of 2-MIB and geosmin were increased by increasing solution pH due to enhancing electrostatic repulsions between micropollutants and membrane surface. The presence of natural organic matter led to increase the rejection of the hydrophobic 2-MIB and geosmin and the effectiveness was more pronounced at higher solution pH. Increasing hydrophilicity of the hydrophobic membrane surface by coating with $TiO_2$ particles resulted in the significant increase in the rejection of 2-MIB and geosmin. In addition to the charge repulsion, this result suggests that hydrophobic-hydrophobic interaction should be one of main rejection mechanisms of T & O compounds by NF membrane.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.111-124
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• 2003

Processes that cause immobilization of contaminants in soil are of great environmental importance because they may lead to a considerable reduction in the bioavailability of contaminants and they may restrict their leaching into groundwater. Previous investigations demonstrated that pollutants can be bound to soil constituents by either chemical or physical interactions. From an environmental point of view, chemical interactions are preferred, because they frequently lead to the formation of strong covalent bonds that are difficult to disrupt by microbial activity or chemical treatments. Humic substances resulting from lignin decomposition appear to be the major binding ligands involved in the incorporation of contaminants into the soil matrix through stable chemical linkages. Chemical bonds may be formed through oxidative coupling reactions catalyzed either biologically by polyphenol oxidases and peroxidases, or abiotically by certain clays and metal oxides. These naturally occurring processes are believed to result in the detoxification of contaminants. While indigenous enzymes are usually not likely to provide satisfactory decontamination of polluted sites, amending soil with enzymes derived from specific microbial cultures or plant materials may enhance incorporation processes. The catalytic effect of enzymes was evaluated by determining the extent of contaminants binding to humic material, and - whenever possible - by structural analyses of the resulting complexes. Previous research on xenobiotic immobilization was mostly based on the application of $^{14}$ C-labeled contaminants and radiocounting. Several recent studies demonstrated, however, that the evaluation of binding can be better achieved by applying $^{13}$ C-, $^{15}$ N- or $^{19}$ F-labeled xenobiotics in combination with $^{13}$ C-, $^{15}$ N- or $^{19}$ F-NMR spectroscopy. The rationale behind the NMR approach was that any binding-related modification in the initial arrangement of the labeled atoms automatically induced changes in the position of the corresponding signals in the NMR spectra. The delocalization of the signals exhibited a high degree of specificity, indicating whether or not covalent binding had occurred and, if so, what type of covalent bond had been formed. The results obtained confirmed the view that binding of contaminants to soil organic matter has important environmental consequences. In particular, now it is more evident than ever that as a result of binding, (a) the amount of contaminants available to interact with the biota is reduced; (b) the complexed products are less toxic than their parent compounds; and (c) groundwater pollution is reduced because of restricted contaminant mobility.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.101-107
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• 2009

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as stabilizer is expected to facilitate in-situ delivery of zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles in a contaminated aquifer because it increases dispersity of ZVI nanoparticles. This work investigated the transport of CMC-stabilized ZVI nanoparticles (CMC-Fe) using column breakthrough experiments. The ZVI nanoparticles (100 mg/L Fe) were transportable through sand porous media. In contrast, non-stabilized ZVI nanoparticles rapidly agglomerate in solution and are stopped in sand porous media. At pH 7 of solution approximately 80% CMC-Fe were eluted. When the pH of solution is below 5, 100% CMC-Fe were eluted. These results suggest that the mobility of CMCFe was increased as pH decreases. In the mobility test under different ionic strengths using $Na^+$ and $Ca^{2+}$ ions, there was no signigficant difference in the mobility of CMC-Fe. Also, in the experiments of effect of clay and natural organic mater (NOM) on the mobility of ZVI, there was no significant difference in the mobility of CMC-Fe not only between 1 and 5% clay, but 100 and 1000 mg/L NOM. The results from this work suggests that the CMC-Fe nanoparticles could be easily delivered into the subsurface over a broad range of ionic strength, clay and NOM.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2012

In order to making resources for the organic wastes, it is very important to understand for the life cycle of wastes before the physicochemical analysis and engineering technology. Therefore we try to fine the solution through the interdisciplinary consilience between natural science and social science for the management of refuge in summer resort. Summer visitors of beach answered that fly tipping of refuse was 65.56% and insufficient separation was 17.78% about the survey. But insufficient separation was 42.5% and fly tipping was 37.5% in valley. The survey for the effective methods at reducing refuse was represented that campaign and teaching was 47.78%, fine was 23.33% and using the standard bags was 18.89% in beach. Campaign and teaching was 37.5%, using the standard bags was 37.5% and fine was 15% in valley. Bulk density of refuse in gyeongpo beach was measured in $74kg/m^{3}$. This value was three times as much low than municipal solid wastes. Moreover, the composition of refuses in beach showed that combustible materials was 81.1% and incombustible materials was 18.9%. Moisture, ash and combustibles were analyzed 19.0%, 9.2% and 91.8% respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.413-419
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• 2011

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles were tested as remediation media for groundwater contaminated by organic pollutants (e.g., TCE, trichloroethylene). The contaminated groundwater contained anions ($NO_3^-$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4^{2-}$, and $HCO_3^-$) and natural organic matter (NOM). Treatability of commercial NZVI particles (NANOFER 25, Nanoiron, Czech) was tested by using a synthetic groundwater and the field groundwater samples. More than 95% of 1.8 mM TCE was removed within 20 hours with a NZVI dosage of 25 g/L ($k=0.15hr^{-1}$). Repetitive degradation experiments revealed that the removal capacity of NANOFER 25 was 0.19 mmole TCE/g NZVI. TCE degradation reactions were not substantially affected by the presence of each anion with concentrations as high as 100 times the average field concentrations. However, when the four anions ($NO_3^-$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4^{2-}$, $HCO_3^-$) were present simultaneously. the degradation reactivity and removal capacity were decreased by 60% ($k=0.069hr^{-1}$) and 10%, respectively. The k value of TCE degradation in the presence of NZVI (25 g/L) with dissovled organic carbon of 2.5 mg/L was also decreased by 84% ($k=0.025hr^{-1}$). In the experiments with the field groundwater, more than 90% of $1.8{\mu}M$ TCE, which is the concentration of TCE at the source zone, was removed within 10 hours with a NANOFER 25 dosage of 25 g/L. The results imply that the contaminated groundwater can effectively be treated by NANOFER 25 with more information on the hydrogeology of the site.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.3 s.104
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• pp.295-303
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• 2003

Sorption kinetics of hydrophobic organic compounds (chlorobenzene and phenanthrene) in natural wetland soils was investigated using laboratory batch adsorbers. One -site mass transfer model (OSMTM) and two compartment first-order kinetic model (TCFOKM) were used to analyze sorption kinetics. Analysis of OSMTM reveals that apparent sorption equilibria were obtained within 10 to 75 hours for chlorobenzene and 2 hours for phenanthrene, respectively. For chlorobenzene, the sorption equilibrium time for surface soil was longer than that of deeper soil presumably due to physico-chemical differences between the soils. For phenanthrene, however, no difference in sorption equilibrium time was observed between the soils. As expected from the number of model parameters involved, the three-parameter TCFOKM was better than the two-parameter OSMTM in describing sorption kinetics, The fraction of fast sorption ($f_1$) and the first-order sorption rate constants for fast ($k_1$)and slow ($k_2$) compartments were determined by fitting experimental data to the TCFOKM. The results of TCFOKM analysis indicate that the sorption rate constant in the fast compartment($k_1$) was much greater than that of slow fraction($k_2$) . The fraction of the fast sorption ($f_1$) and the sorption rate constant in the fast compartment($k_1$) were increasing in the order of increasing $k_{ow}$, phenanthrene > chlorobenzene. The first-order sorption rate constants in the fast ($k_1$) and slow ($k_2$) compartments were found to vary from $10^{-0.1}\;to\;-10^{1.0}$ and from $10^{-4}\;to-10^{-2}$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.191-196
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• 2007

Indoor air differs from outdoor atmosphere since it contains chemical and physical contaminants from building materials. This study deals with the biological effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from synthetic fiber carpet materials. One group of Tradescantia inflorescence was exposed to VOCs from the carpet sample in the environmental test chamber, while the other inflorescence group was exposed to a TO-14 standard gas mixture (1 ppm) for comparison. After the exposure, VOCs from the carpet were analysed by the desorber/GC/MS method, and micronuclei in the pollen mother cells of Tradescantia were scored under a microscope $({\times}400)$ to evaluate the genotocixicity induced by the exposure to VOCs. The chemical analysis confirmed that a total of 12 VOCs were released from the carpet materials, among which stylene $(71.9{\mu}g\;m^{-3})$ and toluene $(49.6{\mu}g\;m^{-3})$ were in the highest concentration. Twenty four hours of exposure to VOCs from the carpet in the environmental test chamber resulted in a micronucleus frequency as high as $7.73{\pm}0.75MCN$ per 100 tetrads, which was similar to that induced after exposure to the TO-14 standard gas mixture (1 ppm) for 4 hours. Meanwhile, two hours of exposure to the standard gas mixture did not cause a significant increase in the genotoxicity compared to the spontaneous micronucleus frequency. This result indicates that exposure for a long time to the air contaminated with VOCs from the carpet materials causes a genotoxic effect. The biological-chemical combination analyses in the study proved to be an effective tool for monitoring the indoor air contaminants.