• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.407-421
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• 2014

The benthic environmental impact experiment addresses environmental impacts at a specific site related to deep-sea mineral resource development. We have acquired several tens of multi- or box core samples at 31 sites within the Benthic environmental Impact Site (BIS) since 2010, aiming to examine the basic properties of surficial deep-sea sediment as a potential source for deep-water plumes. In this study, we present the geochemical properties such as major elements, rare earth elements (REEs), and heavy metal contents at the BIS. Such proxies vary distinctly according to the Facies association. The lithology of all core sediments in the BIS corresponds to both Association Ib and Association IIIb. The vertical profiles of some major elements ($SiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, CaO, $P_2O_5$, MgO, MnO) show noticeable differences between Association Ib and IIIb, while others ($Al_2O_3$, $TiO_2$, $Na_2O$, and $K_2O$) do not vary between Association Ib and IIIb. REEs are also distinctly different for Associations Ib and IIIb; in Association Ib, REY and HREE/LREE are uniform through the sediment section, while they increase downward in Association IIIb like the major elements; below a depth of 8 cm, REY is over 500 ppm. The metal enrichment factor (EF) evaluates the anthropogenic influences of some metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cd) in marine sediments. In both Associations, the EF for Cu is over 1.5, the EF for Ni and Pb ranges from 0.5 to 1.5, and the EF for Zn and Cd are less than 0.5, indicating Cu is enriched but Zn and Cd are relatively depleted in the BIS. The vertical variations of geochemical properties between Association Ib and IIIb are shown to be clearly different, which seems to be related to the global climate changes such as the shift of Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.279-293
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• 2014

Objectives: Children are more susceptible to heavy metal toxicity than adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate heavy metal concentrations in the blood of Korean preschoolers and investigate the association between metals in blood and related factors. Methods: A total of 512 subjects from 36 to 83 months of age were sampled. A questionnaire survey was performed and the levels of lead, mercury and cadmium were measured in the blood samples of all subjects. Their parents were interviewed in order to obtain information on basic characteristics, dietary patterns, socio-economic factors, and indoor/outdoor environment of the preschoolers. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between the above factors and lead, mercury or cadmium concentrations. Results: The geometric mean concentrations of lead, mercury and cadmium in the blood were $1.45{\pm}1.58{\mu}g/dL$, $2.14{\pm}1.74{\mu}g/dL$ and $0.23{\pm}1.91{\mu}g/dL$, respectively. Results from multiple linear regression analysis showed that blood lead levels were associated with birth weight and paternal smoking status. Daily mercury intake from food and maternal education were also shown to influence mercury concentrations in blood. Also, blood cadmium concentrations were associated with maternal age and having a bus garage near the place of residence. Conclusion: This study suggests that smoking status, dietary patterns and the environmental status near the residence should be considered as important factors for preventable sources of heavy metal exposure in preschoolers.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.702-707
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• 2017

Insects and their extract have been traditionally used as medicinal resources in Asia. Recently, Gryllus bimaculatus and the larva of Tenebrio molitor, Protaetia brevitarsis, and Allomyrina dichotoma were enlisted as general food ingredients by Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. As the interest in these insects is growing, the detailed investigation is needed for the standardization of suitable and safe rearing techniques. This survey was conducted via personal interviews about edible insect rearing farms in Korea. The basic feed is fermented oak sawdust for P. brevitarsis and A. dichotoma and wheat bran for T. molitor. The various feed additives are blended with each farm's own recipes. The overall growth condition, including sawdust fermentation method, feeding period, and rearing density, varies among the investigated farms. It seems that weight of last instar larva was correlated with the rearing density and duration of the larval period. The heavy metal contents were analyzed after 48 hour starvation and they were very small amount or not detected in investigated insects. We believe that the present data will contribute to develop and standardize the safe rearing techniques of edible insects in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.197-208
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• 2014

The present study was conducted to provide basic data for efficient vermicomposting of swine manure by investigating the effect of sawdust mix on growth and reproduction of earthworms, amount of earthworm cast produced, and its chemical composition when mixing swine manure in different levels (0(SSD0), 10(SSD10), 20(SSD20), 30(SSD30), and 40%(SSD40)) with sawdust commonly used as moist control in manure composting. The C/N ratio of the feed and the survival rate of earthworms for the SSD0 treatment (10.19, 35.2%), The C/N ratio of the feed was 11.09-16.44 and increased with higher level of sawdust mixed, and the survival rate of earthworms during the experiment period was 35.2-100%. The number of earthworms was 16.6 in the SSD40 treatment, and young worms were not found in the SSD0 treatment or the treatment with less than 30% sawdust in the mix. The number and the weight of cocoons in SSD30 and SSD40 treatments were found to be in the ranges of 23.8-59.8 and 256-660 mg respectively. The production of earthworm cast and digested amount were higher with the higher level of mixed sawdust (p<0.05), and the C/N ratio of cast increased with the mixed sawdust ratio, being significantly higher ratio in SSD30 and SSD40 than other treatments (p<0.05). Heavy metals content tended to decrease with the mixed sawdust level. To summarize, the higher level of mixed sawdust was associated with improvement in growth and reproduction of earthworms, and 30-40% sawdust mix in particular could result in efficient vermicomposting.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.549-560
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• 2015

The priorities of siting restriction was derived from quantification of environmental hazard according to industrial classification based on 'Chemical Ranking and Scoring System(CRS)' which is handling the discharge characteristics of 31 industrial classifications regulated from locating at 'Industrial Complex in Rural Area(ICRA)'. CRS that is utilizing the data of 'Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers(PRTR)' is applied to determine human health risk and ecological risk which are calculated by discharged amount and materials $LC_{50}$ according to water, soil and air media based on industrial classification. From this process, exposure assessment and toxicity assessment for integrating the adverse environmental impact and the mitigation effect of environmental risk according to the development of environmental technologies into establishing the rational landuse management method for the 31 industrial classifications regulated from locating at ICRA was analyzed. From the assessment result of the siting restriction removal at ICRA for 31 industrial classifications, based on 2012 year reference 6 industries that includes Manufacture of Guilt Coloration Surface Processing Steel Materials, Manufacture of Biological Product, Manufacture of Smelting Refining and Alloys of Copper, Dyeing and Finishing of Fibers and Yarns, Manufacture of Other Basic Iron and Steel n.e.c., Rolling Drawing and Extruding of Non-ferrous Metals n.e.c. are calculated as having relatively lower environmental hazards, thus it is judged that the siting restriction mitigation at ICRA is possible for the 6 industrial classifications that are not discharging the specific hazardous water contaminants during manufacturing process.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2013

In this study the nanofiltration (NF) membrane treatment of a sulfuric acid waste solutions containing copper ion ($Cu^{+2}$) discharging from the etching processes of the printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing industry has been studied for the recycling of acid etching solution. SelRO MPS-34 4040 NF membrane from Koch company was tested to obtain the basic NF data for recycling of etching solution and separation efficiency (total rejection) of copper ion. NF experiments were carried out with a dead-end membrane filtration laboratory system. The pure water flux was increased with the increasing storage time in sulfuric acid solution and lowering pH of acid solution because of the enhancement of NF membrane damage by sulfuric acid. The permeate flux of acid solution was decreased with the increasing copper ion concentration. Total rejection of copper ion was decreased with the increasing storage time in sulfuric acid solution and copper ion concentration, and lowering the pH of acid solution. The total rejection of copper ion was decreased from initial 37% to 15% minimum value.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.191-196
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• 2019

The edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom Amanita javanica is a valuable species protected by forest law in Korea. However, basic characterization data on its use as an important forest resource has been limited. This study was performed to determine mycelia growth characteristics of the domestically isolated Amanita javanica strain NIFoS 1267 on potato dextrose agar media under diverse culture conditions. Physical factors temperature, pH, and light, as well as chemical factors salts, heavy metals, and pesticides were examined for their effects on the growth of the mushroom strain. The mycelia of A. javanica strain exhibited optimal growth when cultured in dark at 30℃ in media with a pH of 5-6. Normal levels of growth were observed in media containing up to 2% saline. At a heavy metal ion content of 50 ppm, mycelial growth was not affected by arsenic ion but was affected by cadmium and lead ions. In the tests performed with two pesticides used in Korean forests, the growth of the mushroom strain was not affected by the presence of abamectin, but was inhibited in media containing acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, or thiacloprid. These results are expected to facilitate artificial cultivation of A. javanica as a new commercial product.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2011

Charcoal burning in the process of manufacture and ordinary use often release many constituent chemical species. As a result of open burning, the chemical composition as well as the physical properties of original material changes through the modification of surface properties of charcoal. Surface modification could be more responsible toward the outside elements for surface adsorption, it becomes easy to adsorb more toxic elements through surface adsorption. In this study, four kinds of commercially available charcoal were studied against the chemical and thermal stability along with the heavy metals and organic hazardous substances. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry, from room temperature to $400^{\circ}C$, were performed to study the weight loss and the changes in the behavior of those substances. According to TGA analysis, about 10% of weight loss was happened before $200^{\circ}C$. It was found that related weight loss of this temperature region may responsible to the gas phase organic matter. Natural charcoal, K1 and C1 show 15% of loss during the reaction heated to $400^{\circ}C$, while the artificial charcoal K2, C2 show the weight loss of about 20% was found. This is consistent with the main organic matter and VOC analysis results shown. Chemical composition based on the x-ray diffraction analysis was carried out. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the existence of chemical additive in the forms of $Ba(NO_3)_2$, $BaCO_3$, and $NaNO_3$.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.90-97
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• 1983

Water pollution status of the sewage in Jinju City was investigated to provide the basic information for the conservation of the Nam River. Physicochemical characteristics of the sewage were examined at five sites of sewage ditches, Jinyang Lake and Nam River. The results are as follows; 1) Average value of analyzed components of the sewage at five sampling sites were pH 7.1, DO 2.3 ppm, BOD 126.2 ppm, COD 123.7 ppm, turbidity 22.3 ppm, $NH_4^+-N 9.30 ppm$, alkalinity 121 ppm, hardness 121 ppm, Cl 44.3 ppm, $SO_4--$ 88.9 ppm, Pb 0.0052 ppm, Zn 0.0079 ppm, Cu 0.0124 ppm, Mn 0.0050 ppm, respectively. 2) Discharged amount of sewage in Jinju City was $38,720 m^3/day$. BOD loading of the Nam River discharged from the sewage ditches was 4.93 ton/day, and her BOD loading discharged from the Jinyang Lake was 6.94 ton/day. 3) Heavy metals content of the sewage were comparatively low, and then it would not influence the water quality of the Nam River. But $NH_4+$ contents were very high at all sewage ditches. Therefore, the sewage would not suitable for the agricultural irrigation water.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2000

This study was carried out to get the basic data on the efficient processing method of food wastes for utilizing as the resources of swine feeds composition, mineral and toxic elements of food waste were estimated in relation to the steps of processing and fermentation with MS (Miraculous soil-bacteria) microorganism complex. The chemical composition of food wastes was largely varied according to disposing sites, collection time and season. Offensive odor was reduced by anaerobic fermentation with MS microorganism complex. Food wastes fermented with MS microorganism complex have high contents in crude protein (24.1% D.M) and crude fat (12.9% D.M). Mineral composition was to be relatively well balanced compared to other plant or animal feed resources. Particularly the content of sodium was slightly higher than that of grains or agricultural byproducts. In food wastes fermented with MS microorganism complex, heavy metals such as Hg, As or F were not detected. Pb or Cd were detected in small quantities but their levels were below the dose s-permitted feeding standard of permitted dose in feeding standard. These results indicated that food wastes could be efficiently used for the resources of swine feeds through proper processing and fermentation.