• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.315-322
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biodegradability and performance of organic removal and methane production rate when treating piggery wastewater using a granule of two-phase anaerobic process applied UASB. BMP test was conducted as simple means to monitor relative biodegradability of substrate and to determine methane production of an organic material. The two-phase anaerobic process is consisted of a continuous flow stirred-tank reactor (CFSTR) for the acidification phase and an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor (UASB) for the methanogenesis. The acidogenic reactor played key roles in reducing the periodically applied shock-loading and in the acidification of the influent organics. A stable maximum biogas production rate was 400mL. The methane contents ranged from 73 to 80% during the experimental period. It is known that most of the removed organic matter was converted to methane gas, and the produced biogas might be high quality for its subsequent use.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.123-125
• /
• 2013

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ocean warming and acidification are accelerating as a result of the continuous increase in atmospheric $CO_2$. This may affect the function and structure of marine ecosystems. Recently, changes in marine environments/ecosystems have been observed (increase in SST, decrease in the pH of seawater, northward expansion of subtropical species, etc.) in Korean waters. However, we still don't understand well how climate change affects these changes and what can be expected in the future. In order to answer these questions with regard to Korean waters, the project named 'Assessment of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems in the South Sea of Korea' has been supported for 5 years by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and is scheduled to end in 2013. This project should provide valuable information on the current status of marine environments/ecosystems in the South Sea of Korea and help establish the methodology and observation/prediction systems to better understand and predict the impact of climate/marine environment changes on the structure and function of marine ecosystems. This special issue contains 5 research and a review articles that highlight the studies carried out during 2012-2013 through this project.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.1067-1074
• /
• 2014

Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) has been carried out to evaluate the environmental impacts of glass bottle recycle. The LCA consists of four stages such as Goal and Scope Definition, Life Cycle Inventory(LCI) Analysis, Life Cycle Impact Assessment(LCIA), and Interpretation. The LCI analysis showed that the major input materials were water, materials, sand, and crude oil, whereas the major output ones were wastewater, $CO_2$, and non-hazardous wastes. The LCIA was conducted for the six impact categories including 'Abiotic Resource Depletion', 'Acidification', 'Eutrophication', 'Global Warming', 'Ozone Depletion', and 'Photochemical Oxidant Creation'. As for Abiotic Resource Depletion, Acidification, and Photochemical Oxidant Creation, Bunker fuel oil C and LNG were major effects. As for Eutrophication, electricity and Bunker fuel oil C were major effects. As for Global Warming, electricity and LNG were major effects. As for Ozone Depletion, plate glasses were major effects. Among the six categories, the biggest impact potential was found to be Global Warming as 97% of total, but the rest could be negligible.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.502-505
• /
• 2007

To estimate the soil quality of Miryang area, soil analysis were conducted according to the city and out of city of soil expenses at according to analysis components and heavy metal pollution of irradiation sampling sites. The through soil components the principal element about the 71% $SiO_2\;and\;Al_2O_3$, the pH of field area near the city center was lower than that of the other field area, which indicated that this acidification was probably attributed to the acid rain caused by the traffic exhaust gas such as $SO_x\;and\;NO_x$. Acidification was more severe in the field area than in the farming land. The concentration of five heavy metals such as Cu, Cd, Pb, As and Cr were found to be lower than the standard of soil pollution. An assessment using the SPI(Soil Pollution Index), which was developed to estimate an overall soil quality, was performed. Each SPS(Soil Pollution Score) were evaluated with the results of the data from this study. The soil quality of most area of Miryang land was determined to Class 1, which indicated that the soil was healthy.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.351-353
• /
• 2013

Until recently, Pacific equatorial tropical island states were subject of only very limited interest by scientists, government officials, industry and policy makers of Korea. And, comprehensive information and data on these island regions is not very detailed to help better understand their social backgrounds as well as their natural environment. However, these island regions are now in the middle of diplomatic tug-of-war among super powers as well as becoming nucleus of various science-based ocean issues including marine biodiversity, shifting ecosystem, global environmental change including sea level rise and ocean acidification, fisheries, etc. Therefore, rising political and scientific importance of these areas call for better understanding of these regions, in social aspects as well as natural scientific knowledge of the region. To be provocatively prepared to more actively role in these regions, "A study on Establishing Research Infrastructures in the Tropical Pacific" has been supported during 2012-2013 as a mission-oriented in-house project of the KIOST. This project aims to provide various research infrastructure for Pacific island states, to reinforce cooperation with these nations, and to enhance Korea's national prestige. This special issue contains 10 research articles based on the studies conducted in 2012~2013.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.902-907
• /
• 2006

Freeze dried crude bacteriocin was encapsulated within an acid-soluble coating material, Eudragit EPO, using a surface modification technique through a hybridization system. The pH and titratable acidity of control yoghurt were 3.92 and 1.56%, respectively, after 24 hr of fermentation at $42^{\circ}C$, whereas yoghurt containing 500 AU/mL encapsulated bacteriocin exhibited a higher pH (4.37) and lower titratable acidity (1.2%). Yoghurt containing encapsulated bacteriocin had significantly lower titratable acidity when the duration of fermentation (to pH 4.5) and subsequent refrigerated storage ($4^{\circ}C$) was longer than 20 days. There were no significant differences in the viability of lactic acid bacteria after 15 hr of fermentation. This suggests that microencapsulated bacteriocin has the potential to control the excessive growth of yoghurt starters caused by temperature abuse or post-acidification.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.117-124
• /
• 1998

To clarify the effects of acid precipitates on histological damage, water status, and growth of Pinus densiflora green house experiment applyin simulated acid rain was carried out. Contact angle of water droplet on needles of P. densiflora seedlings treated with simulated acid rain of different pHs simulated acid rain was, the more rapid transpiration was. Leaf water potential after water withdrawal was also reduced rapidly in proportion to acidity of simulated acid rain. Height growth of P. densiflora seedlings treated with simulated acid rain of pH 2 decreased, while growth of seedlings treated with that of pH 3 and 4 increased comparing with that treated with normal rain of pH 5.6. pH of cultivated soil in pH 2 plot was acidified with the amount of simulated acid rain applied but that in pH 3 and 4 plots did not show any directional change. From those results, it could be interpreted that decrease of height growth in pH 2 plot was originated from multiple effects of water deficit from rapid transpiration and soil acidification. On the other hand, increased of height growth in pH 3 and 4 plots would be originated from the supply of N and S included in simulated acid rain.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.187-191
• /
• 2003

$Na^+/H^+$ exchanger (NHE) has a critical role in regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) in the renal proximal tubular cells. It has recently been shown that dopamine inhibits NHE in the renal proximal tubules. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of information on the effects of long-term (chronic) dopamine treatment on NHE activities. This study was performed to elucidate the pHi regulatory mechanisms during the chronic dopamine treatments in renal proximal tubular OK cells. The resting pHi was greatly decreased by chronic dopamine treatments. The initial rate and the amplitude of intracellular acidification by isosmotical $Na^+$ removal from the bath medium in chronically dopamine-treated cells were much smaller than those in control. Although it seemed to be attenuated in $Na^+$-dependent pH regulation system, $Na^+$-dependent pHi recovery by NHE after intracelluar acid loading in the dopamine-treated groups was not significantly different from the control. The result is interpreted to be due to the balance between the stimulation effects of lower pHi on the NHE activity and counterbalance by dopamine. Our data strongly suggested that chronic dopamine treatment increased intrinsic intracellular buffer capacity, since higher buffer capacity was induced by lower resting pHi and this effect could attenuate pHi changes under extracellular $Na^+$-free conditions in chronically dopamine-treated cells. Our study also demonstrated that intracellular acidification induced by chronic dopamine treatments was not mediated by changes in NHE activity.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.87-89
• /
• 2003

Although a forest damage of large area due to air pollution has not yet been found in Korea, declines of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.), the most common coniferous species, have been locally reported. To evaluate the effect of air pollution and acid deposition on the forests, SO$_2$ concentration, acid load, soil pH and tree decline were monitored for 13 years from 1988 to 2001 in Namsan, Doowang and Gyebangsan with the gradient of air pollution. During the study period, annual mean SO$_2$ concentration in Namsan, Doowang and Gyebangsan were 14 ppb, 13 ppb and 6 ppb, respectively. Annual mean acid loads in Namsan and Doowang were three to four times more than that in Gyebangsan. As respected, forest surface soils in Namsan and Doowang were acidified to pH 4.1 and 4.3, whereas that in Gyebangsan showed normal value as pH 5.4. On the other hand, decline degrees of Korean red pines in Namsan and Doowang in both 1996 and 2001 were higher than those in Gyebangsan. It is reasonable that the severer tree declines in Namsan and Doowang could be closely related with the higher air pollution, acid load, and the effects (possibly Ca deficit and Al toxicity) of soil acidification.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.790-795
• /
• 2000

To establish the optimum conditions for the extraction of anthocyanin pigment from purple-fleshed sweet potato, a suitable extraction solvent with the optimum citric acid concentration for acidification of the solvent, and the optimum extraction time and temperature were determined. Twenty percent ethanol solution acidified with citric acid was found to be a good solvent for the extraction of the pigment from purple-fleshed sweet potato. About 10 hour extraction at room temperature was appropriate for the extraction. pH of the extract was below 3 when more than 0.7% citric acid was added. The higher the concentration of citric acid added was, the higher the total optical density (TOD) of the extract was. However, the increase in TOD of the extract was insignificant when more than 1% of citric acid was added. Therefore, addition of 1% citric acid was determined for acidification of the extracting solvent. Though the initial rate of the pigment extraction increased as the extracting temperature increased, extraction at higher temperatures of 60 or 8$0^{\circ}C$ for an extended time caused a decrease in the extraction yield due to degradation of the pigment. The optimum extraction temperature for the anthocyanin pigment from purple-fleshed sweet potato with the solvent used was determined as 4$0^{\circ}C$.