• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.84-95
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• 1996

Environmental pollution has recently been progressed in the metropolitan and industrial areas of Korea and concerns have been evolved against the chronic effects of the pollution on natural ecosystem. This study was carried out to investigate the environmental pollution impacts on ion input into forest ecosystems and soil environmental changes. Study plots were established at Seoul, Ulsan, Yeochon, and Seosan for pollution sites and at Pyungchang for a non-pollution site. Atmospheric deposition was measured with rain, throughfall, and stem flow samples collected in the forest areas. Soil chemical properties were investigated to compare the pollution impacts on the sites. Precipitation acidity in the metropolitan and industrial areas ranged from pH 4.5 to 5.5, showing the levels lower than pH 5.8 of mountain area. Ion concentrations in the precipitation had increased significantly while passing the crown layer in the metropolitan and industrial areas, showing the increase by 4 times at the maximum. Total ion input in the metropolitan and industrial areas was greater than that in mountain area by approximately 2-3 times. Soil acidification caused by acidic ion input seemed to be greatest at Seoul, showing pH 1 decrease compared to that of Pyungchang. Soil canon contents were relatively high in the metropolitan and industrial areas. Although the canon leaching loss was not apparent, soil acidification process seemed to be continued by acidic ion input. Environmental pollution in the metropolitan and industrial areas exerted changes in ion input into the forest ecosystems and soil conditions. The chronic effects of environmental pollution should be monitored and investigated further to explain the processes of ecosystem change and the impacts on plant growth.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2003

Korea has plentiful precipitation but rainfall events concentrate on several months of rainy season in her weather condition. Korea, therefore, experiences drought for a given period every year. Moreover the soil has usually low water holding capacity, as it is composed coarse particles originated from the granite. Response of several oaks and the Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) on water stress showed that water budget was significant factor determining vegetation distribution. In addition, dehydration level due to cold resistance mechanism of several evergreen plants during the winter season was closely related to their distribution in natural condition. Experimental result under water stress showed that the Korean red pine was very tolerant to desiccation but the seedlings showed high mortality during the dry season. The mortality tended to proportionate to soil moisture content of each site. A comparison between soil moisture content during June when it is severe dry season and moisture content of the culture soil when the pine seedlings reached the permanent wilting point due to water withheld proved that high mortality during the dry season was due to water deficit. Water potential of sample plants measured during the exposure experiment to the air pollutant showed a probability that water related factors would dominate the occurrence of visible damage and the tolerance level of sample plants. In both field survey and laboratory experiment, plants exposed to air pollution showed more rapid transpiration than those grown in the unpolluted condition. The result would due to injury of leaf surface by air pollutants. Aluminum (Al/sup 3+/) increased in the acid soil not only inhibits root growth but also leads to abnormal distribution of root system and thereby caused water stress. The water stresses due to air pollution and soil acidification showed a possibility that they play dominating roles in inducing forest decline additionally to the existing water deficit due to weather and soil conditions in Korea. Sludge, which can contribute to improve field capacity, as it is almost composed of organic matter, showed an effect ameliorating the retarded growth of plant in the acidified soil. The effect was not less than that of dolomite known in widely as such a soil ameliorator. Litter extract contributed also to mitigate the water stress due to toxic Al/sup 3+/. We prepared a model showing the potential interaction of multiple stresses, which can cause forest decline in Korea by synthesizing those results. Furthermore, we suggested restoration plans, which can mitigate such forest decline in terms of soil amelioration and vegetation restoration.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.118-123
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• 2000

Food waste results in various problems such as decay, odors and leachate in collection, transportation and landfill due to the high volatile solids and moisture content. Acidogenic fermentation of food waste is influenced by the environmental conditions such as pH, retention time, etc. Each component of food waste is degraded under the different environmental conditions. Starch, cellulose and protein have their own optimum pHs and retention times for degradation. The degradation of starch increases at low pH, cellulose with increasing retention time, and protein with increasing retention time as well as approaching neutral pH. These mean that the degradation of food waste can be enhanced by adjusting the environmental conditions of acidogenic fermentation. The efficiency of acidification increased from 71.2 to 81.1% by controlling dilution(D) rate from 3.0 to $1.0d^{-1}$ depending on the state of the fermentation. The main component of the acidified product was shifted from butyric to acetic acid, indicating that the increase of acidification was mainly caused by the enhanced degradation of vegetables and meats.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.410-416
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• 2003

Three varieties of soybean were acidified by soaking in two kinds of vinegar which were persimmon vinegar and brewed vinegar. Chemical properties of soaking solution and physical and organoleptic properties of soybean during soaking at room temperature for 8 days were studied. The soybeans were acidified in vinegar solution at room temperature for 8 days. The results showed that soybean weight was rapidly increased until first two days and then gradually increased thereafter. Increase in total acidity and sugar concentration and decrease in pH of vinegar solution were also measured during initial soaking stage. The changes in pH and acidity were more significant in brewed vinegar than those in persimmon vinegar, The L values of persimmon vinegar solution after soaking the soybean were relatively lower than that of brewed vinegar. The a values of the vinegar solution used for black beans were increased while that of the vinegar solution used for white beans were decreased, The flavor and texture of acidified bean in persimmon vinegar were more soft and less benny than those acidified in vinegar. However sourness of the acidified beans in persimmon vinegar was much softer higher to those values of brewed vinegar.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.603-613
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• 2011

The collection of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ samples was made at Gosan site of Jeju Island. Their ionic compositions of both inorganic and organic phases were then analyzed to examine their acidification and neutralization characteristics in atmospheric aerosols. The mass concentrations of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ at Gosan site were $37.6{\pm}20.1$ and $22.9{\pm}14.3{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively, showing the content ratio of $PM_{2.5}$ to $PM_{10}$ as 61.0%. In the evaluation of ionic balance, the correlation coefficients (r) between the sums of cationic and anionic equivalent concentrations were excellent with 0.982 ($PM_{10}$) and 0.991 ($PM_{2.5}$). The concentration ratios of $PM_{2.5}/PM_{10}$ derived for nss-$SO_4^{2-}$, $NO_3^-$, and $NH_4^+$ were 0.94, 0.56, and 1.02, respectively, indicating the relative dominance of fine fractions. The acidifying capacity of inorganic anions ($SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$) in $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ were 96.5% and 97.3%, while those of organic anions ($HCOO^-$ and $CH_3COO^-$) in each fraction were 2.9% and 2.0%, respectively. On the other hand, the neutralizing capacity of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ by $NH_3$ were 72.8% and 82.3%, while their $CaCO_3$ counter parts were 22.5% and 13.3%, respectively.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.74-83
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• 2018

This study conducted the Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) on waste rubber recycling technology for recovering rubber product from the waste tires. Environmental impacts were assessed for the five categories of impacts: global warming, resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical oxide production, and ozone layer depletion. When recycling 1ton of waste tire containing rubber, global warming impact was 1.77E+02 kg $CO_2-eq.$, resource depletion impact was 1.23E+00 kg Sb-eq., acidification impact was 5.92E-01 kg $SO_2-eq.$, eutrophication impact was 1.23E-01 kg $PO{_4}^{3-}-eq.$, photochemical oxide production impact was 3.42E-01 kg $C_2H_4-eq.$, and ozone layer depletion impact was 1.87E-04 kg CFC11-eq. In terms of overall environmental impacts, carbon, softener and electricity the greatest impact, so it is necessary to compare the environmental impacts of the raw materials to replace carbon and softener, and a method to reduce the filler usage in the process is needed. In addition, it is necessary to improve energy efficiency, change to low-energy sources, and apply renewable energy.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.473-481
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• 2016

We examined the effects of ocean acidification (OA) and eutrophication on the physiology of a red alga, Gracilariopsis chorda, using specimens collected at Wando Island, Korea, in July of 2015. The samples were transported to a laboratory and placed on growth media for treatments involving low or high levels of ammonium ($4{\mu}M$ or $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$) and low or high pH(7.5 or 8.2). The control treatment used filtered seawater (pH 8.2 and $4{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$). All experiments were conducted at $20^{\circ}C$ and under a lighting intensity of $80{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$, with or without an injection of $CO_2$ (pH 7.5). In addition, we calculated rates of respiration under darkness, at a pH of 7.5 and $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$. Fluctuations in pH as well as the evolution of photosynthetic oxygen and $NH_4{^+}$ uptake rates were monitored for 6 h. The greatest increase in pH levels, from 7.50 to 8.65, occurred in response to $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$, whereas the largest decrease, from 7.50 to 7.42, was associated with elevated respiration rates. At a pH of 7.5, rates of oxygen evolution were higher (236% saturation) for samples treated with $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$ than for the control (121% saturation). Ammonium uptake was highest at pH 7.5 and $60{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$, with a rate of $0.526{\pm}0.002{\mu}mol\;g^{-1}\;FW\;h^{-1}$, followed in order by the treatments of $pH\;8.2/60{\mu}\;NH_4{^+}$, $pH\;7.5/4{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$, and the control ($pH\;8.2/4{\mu}M\;NH_4{^+}$). We speculated that the rates of photosynthesis and $NH_4{^+}$ uptake could be enhanced at a higher ammonium concentration and lower pH because $CO_2$ concentrations were increased through greater photosynthetic activity. Therefore, these findings suggest that the physiology of G. chorda populations can be improved by the interaction of optimized $CO_2$ concentrations and an adequate supply of essential nutrients such as ammonium.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2014

A lab-scale Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) was applied to treat a primary sludge taken from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. In this experiment, acidogenic reaction was promoted by operating the ABR with short hydraulic retention time (HRT) to produce sufficient volatile fatty acids (VFA) instead of production of methane. The performance of ABR on the VFA production and total solids reduction was observed with different operating conditions with 2, 4, 6, and 8 days of HRT. Corresponding organic loading rates were 6.7, 3.4, 2.2, and $1.6kgCOD_{cr}/m^3{\cdot}day$. As HRT increased the removal rate of TCOD was also increased (82.5, 84.2, 96.9, and 95.9 % in average for HRT of 2, 4, 6, and 8 days, respectively) because the settlement of solids was enhanced in the baffle by the decrease of upflow velocity. At HRT of 2 days the average concentration of VFA in the effluent was measured at $1,306{\pm}552$ mgCOD/L corresponding to 107 % increment as compared to the VFA concentration in the influent. However, as HRT increased VFA concentraiotn was decreased to $143{\pm}552$ mgCOD/L at HRT of 8 days. The reduction rates of total solids were 12.2, 26.5, 24.8, and 43.0 % for HRT of 2, 4, 6, and 8 days. As HRT increased the hydrolysis of organic particulate matters in the reactor was enhanced due to the increasing of solids retention time in the baffle zone with low upflow velocity in long HRT condition. Consequently, we found that a primary sludge became a good source of VFA production by the application of ABR process with HRT less than 4 days and the 12-26 % of total solids reduction was expected at these conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.487-498
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• 2006

Total 438 precipitation samples were collected in Jeju City between 1997 and 2005, and their major ionic components were analyzed. The comparison tests using ion balance, electric conductivity and acid fraction were performed. It was found their correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.977$\sim$0.994, indicating the good quality of collected dam. The volume-weighted mean pH and electric conductivity were 4.8 and 23.0 $\mu$S/cm, respectively. with the ionic strength of 0.23$\pm$0.20 mM. The marine ($Na^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, and $CI^-$), anthropogenic (nss$SO_4{2-}$, $NO_3^-$, and $NH_4^+$) and soil (nss-$Ca^{2+}$) species have contributed to the ionic components of precipitation samples with 43$\sim$74%, 16$\sim$37% and $\sim$5%, respectively. The seasonal variations of $NO_3^-$ and nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ showed a distinct seasonality with higher concentrations in winter than summer, indicating an increase of fossil fuel consumption and a possibility of long-range transport of those pollutants from continental area along the dominant winter westerly. The levels of nss-$Ca^{2+}$ also were appeared the highest in winter and increased comparatively in spring season. possibly due to the soil influences including the Asian Dust. The acidification contribution of nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$ showed 88$\sim$96%, and the free acidity was in the range of 6.0$\sim$40.1%. Interestingly, the backward trajectories for the case of upper 10% nss-$SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$ levels have passed through the China continent before their arrival to Jeju. The precipitation of pH below 4.5 has been occurred frequently when the trajectory's path lied over the China continents. On the other hand, the air masses from the North Pacific area were characterized by lower 10% of nss-$SO_4^{2-}$- and $NO_3^-$ concentration, which demonstrated that air mass from the North Pacific was the cleanest among air masses moved to Jeju.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2002

Buffer capacities for two Bo horizon soils or Andisols developed from different parent materials have been investigated. The titration curves from column leaching experiment show that buffering occurred at pH 4.0 and 6.0. The buffer intensity or soil developed from pyroclastic materials (P-soil) is higher than that from basalts (B-soil). From batch test we have found that proto-imogolite and/or imogolite may control Al solubility as well as $Al(OH) _3$in the moderate acid condition. The buffer intensities ($\beta$) of P-soils were plotted on the theoretical buffering curve of $Al(OH)_3$, while $\beta$ of B-soils approached to that of proto-imogolite, which shows the solubility of short-range-order materials in P-soil control the buffer capacity. Buffering at pH 6.0 is thought to be the result of dissolution of some silicate clays and exchange reactions between $H^{+ }$and base-forming cations. Considering the amount of annual acid precipitation, aluminum solubility of Andisols, and the low BS (Base Saturation percentage), it can be predicted that prolonged acid precipitation will reduce the buffer capacity of soils and lead to soil acidification.