• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1966-1974
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• 2008

A typical tropical soil from the northeast of Brazil, where an important terrestrial oil field is located, was accidentally contaminated with a mixture of oil and saline production water. To study the bioremediation potential in this area, molecular methods based on PCR-DGGE were used to determine the diversity of the bacterial communities in bulk and in contaminated soils. Bacterial fingerprints revealed that the bacterial communities were affected by the presence of the mixture of oil and production water, and different profiles were observed when the contaminated soils were compared with the control. Halotolerant strains capable of degrading crude oil were also isolated from enrichment cultures obtained from the contaminated soil samples. Twenty-two strains showing these features were characterized genetically by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) and phenotypically by their colonial morphology and tolerance to high NaCl concentrations. Fifteen ARDRA groups were formed. Selected strains were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing, and Actinobacteria was identified as the main group found. Strains were also tested for their growth capability in the presence of different oil derivatives (hexane, dodecane, hexadecane, diesel, gasoline, toluene, naphthalene, o-xylene, and p-xylene) and different degradation profiles were observed. PCR products were obtained from 12 of the 15 ARDRA representatives when they were screened for the presence of the alkane hydroxylase gene (alkB). Members of the genera Rhodococcus and Gordonia were identified as predominant in the soil studied. These genera are usually implicated in oil degradation processes and, as such, the potential for bioremediation in this area can be considered as feasible.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.411-415
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• 2016

In this preliminary study, we assessed the toxicity of domestic bentonites using environmental toxicity testings of seed germination and bacterial bioluminescence. In cases of tested bulk bentonite samples, following ranges of toxicity were observed: -3 ~ 95% bioluminescence, 7.1 ~ 92.1% Lactuca germination. Similar results were also observed among tested other seeds, except seed Raphanus. No significant correlations between toxicity and metals contents of bentonite extractants were observed throughout this investigation. Interestingly, distinct different effects were observed according to bentonite colors (blue $67{\pm}8.7%$, pink $27{\pm}10.4%$, brown $58{\pm}14.5%$).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.179-188
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• 2000

Trace elements in air samples artificially loaded on filters with urban dust and the bulk material of urban dust as an environmental sample were determined non-destructively using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Standard reference material (Urban Dust, SRM 1648) of the National Institute of Standard and Technology was used for the analytical quality control. The relative error for 37 elements was less than 15% and the standard deviation was less than 10%. 29 elements in the urban dust and 21 elements in the loaded filter sample were determined respectively. To evaluate the proficiency and reliability of the measurement, data intercomparison was performed and 39 analytical laboratories participated in the analysis using different analytical methods; neutron activation analysis, particle induced X-ray emission analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry. Z-scores were calculated using the standard deviation of the laboratorie's mean as target standard deviation, and a good result was obtained that the values fall between -1 and +1 except some elements.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.423-423
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• 2011

Zinc oxide is metal oxide semiconductor with the 3.37 eV bandgap energy. Zinc oxide is very attractive materials for many application fields. Zinc Oxide has many advantages such as high conductivity and good transmittance in visible region. Also it is cheaper than other semiconductor materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Therefore, ZnO is alternative material for ITO. ZnO is attracting attention for its application to transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films, surface acoustic wave (SAW), films bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), piezoelectric materials, gas-sensing, solar cells and photocatalyst. In this study, we synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and defined their physical and chemical properties. Also we studied about the application of ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst and try to find a enhancement photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorticles.. We synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using spray-pyrolysis method and defined the physical and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles in experiment I. When the ZnO are exposed to UV light, reduction and oxidation (REDOX) reaction will occur on the ZnO surface and generate O2- and OH radicals. These powerful oxidizing agents are proven to be effective in decomposition of the harmful organic materials and convert them into CO2 and H2O. Therefore, we investigated that the photocatalytic activity was increased through the surface modification of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. In experiment II, we studied on the stability of ZnO nanoparticles in water. It is well known that ZnO is unstable in water in comparison with TiO2. Zn(OH)2 was formed at the ZnO surface and ZnO become inactive as a photocatalyst when ZnO is present in the solution. Therefore, we prepared synthesized ZnO nanoparticles that were immersed in the water and dried in the oven. After that, we measured photocatalytic activities of prepared samples and find the cause of their photocatalytic activity changes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.183-183
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• 2011

Multiferroic materials have been widely studied in recent years, because of their abundant physics and potential applications in the sensors, data storage, and spintronics. $BiFeO_3$ is one of the well-known single-phase multiferroic materials with $ABO_3$ structure and G-type antiferromagnetic behavior below the Neel temperature $T_N$ ~ 643 K, but the ferroelectric behavior below the Curie temperature $T_c$~1,103 K. In this study, the $BiFe_{1-x}Ni_xO_3$ (x=0 and 0.05) bulk ceramics were prepared by solid-state reaction and rapid sintering with high-purity $Bi_2O_32$, $Fe_3O_4$ and NiO powders. The powders of stoichiometric proportions were mixed, as in the previous investigations, and calcined at 450$^{\circ}C$ for $BiFe_{1-x}Ni_xO_3$ for 24 h. The obtained powders were grinded, and pressed into 5-mm-thick disks of 1/2-inch diameter. The disks were directly put into the oven, which has been heated up to 800$^{\circ}C$ and sintered in air for 20 min. The sintered disks were taken out from the oven and cooled to room temperature within several min. The phase of samples was checked at room temperature by powder x-ray diffraction using a Rigaku Miniflex diffractometer with Cu K${\alpha}$ radiation. The Raman measurements were carried out by employing a hand-made Raman spectrometer with 514.5-nm-excitation $Ar^+$ laser source under air ambient condition on a focused area of 1-${\mu}m$ diameter. The field-dependent magnetization measurements were performed with a superconducting quantum-interference-device magnetometer.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 1992

$Bi_2Sr_2Ca_2Cu_3Oy$-based superconductor phases were synthesized by the wet process using acetate precursors. Superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$) was determined from both measurements of electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility for the samples which were sintered at the temperatures of $850^{\circ}C$, $860^{\circ}C$, and $870^{\circ}C$ for 40 hours, respectively. The values of carrier concentration from Hall measurements were compared with $T_c$ data as a function of the sintering temperature. The formation mechanism of the superconducting phase was tentatively discussed on a basis of the distribution profile concept of the carrier concentration and the amount of superconducting phases in a ceramic bulk. This explanation may be supported by the experimental results of correlation between the relative amount of superconducting phases and the difference of $T_c$ values between superconducting onset temperature and cutoff temperature at each sintering temperature.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.144-156
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• 1999

Thermal Barrier Coating with Functional Gradient Materials (FGM-TBC) can play an important role to protect the parts from harmful environments in high temperatures such as oxidation, corrosion, and wear and to improve the efficiency of aircraft engine by lowering the surface temperature on turbine blade. FGM-TBC can increase the life spans of product and improve the operating properties. Therfore, in this study the evaluations of mechanical and thermal properties of FGM-TBC such as fatigue, oxidation and wear-resistance at high temperatures have been conducted. The samples of both the TBC with 2, 3, 5 layers (YSZ/NiCrAlY) to be produced by Air Plasma Spray method (APS) and the bulk TBC with 6 layers to be produced by Plasma Assisted Sintering method (PAS) were used. Furthermore, residual stress, bond strength, and thermal conductivity were evaluated. The average thickness of the APS was 500$\mu\textrm{m}$ to 600$\mu\textrm{m}$ and the average thickness of the PAS was 3mm. The hardness number of the top layer of APS was 750 Hv to 810Hv and that of PAS was 950 Hv to 1440Hv. The $ZrO_2$ coating layer of APS was composed of tetragonal structure after spraying as the result of XRD analysis. As shown in the results of the high temperature wear test, the 3 layer coating of APS had the best wear resistance at $800^{\circ}C$ and the 5 layer coating of APS had the best wear resistance at $600^{\circ}C$. But, these coatings had the tendency of the low-temperature softening at $300^{\circ}C$. The main mechanism of wear was the adhesive wear and the friction coefficient of coatings was increased as increasing the test temperatures. A s results of thermal conductivity test, the ${\Delta}T$ of the APS coating was increased as number of layer and the range of thermal conductivity of the PAS was $800^{\circ}C$ to $1000^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.03a
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• pp.805-812
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• 2009

Permeation water resulting in the reclaimed land of waste can possibly cause the second pollution, such as the underground water and environmental pollution. Accordingly, Liner layer has been installed in the reclaimed land of waste to block and purify permeation water and prevent this second pollution. The material used as Liner layer is the one for water resistance and that of less than permeability coefficient $1{\times}10^{-7}cm/sec$ is widely used. As it is very difficult to secure in bulk this natural clay with low permeability around the field, the suitable way to secure low permeable material is that we use blend with good watertighness by mixing it with natural soil which is spread in the site. While this mixed soil which can resist water is commonly used in the site, bentonite mixed soil which is widely used as Liner layer in the reclaimed land of waste is recognized in Liner and durability. In this study, the engineering characteristics of soil-bentonite mixed liner are investigated using the laboratory hydraulic conductivity and uni-axial strength tests. The soil used for the liner is the clay soil located near the site. Mixing ratio of the bentonite which satisfies the requirement of hydraulic conductivity is determined and the optimum mixing ratio of bentonite is recommended for the landfill. After the mixed liner is constructed using the optimum mixing ratio of bentonite, the block samples of the constructed liner are obtained and the strength tests were performed. The hydraulic and strength properties of the liner for construction of the waste landfill were both satisfactory.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1350-1355
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• 1999

Sintering characteristics and dielectric properties of low temperature sinterable Glass/Ceramic dielectric materials were investigated. The dielectric materials which were developed for microwave frequency applications consist of SiO2-TiO2-Bi2O3-RO system(RO:BaO-CaO-SrO) crystallizable glass and Al2O3 as a ceramic filler. Sintering experiments showed that no more densification occurred above 80$0^{\circ}C$ and bulk density and shrinkage depended on Al2O3 content only. Results of dielectric measurements showed that $\varepsilon$r Q$\times$f and $\tau$f of the material containing 30wt% Al2O3 were 17.3, 600 and +23 ppm respectively. Those values for 45 and 60wt% Al2O3 samples were 11.6, 1400, +0.7 ppm and 7.2, 2000, -8.5 ppm, repectively. The results clearly showed that the Glas/Ceramic materials of present experiment decreased in $\varepsilon$r and increased in $\times$f value and changed from positive to negative value in $\tau$f value with the increasement of Al2O3 content.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.545-552
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• 2002

We developed an ultra low background gamma ray spectrometer particularly suitable for experiment which require lower detection limit. The background of a germanium spectrometer is suppressed by applying active and passive shielding technique at the same time. The active shielding devices consist of plastic scintillating plates of 50 mm thick and anti-coincidence electronic system. The shielding is made of 150 mm thick walls of very low activity lead,20 mm with activity of <10 Bq/kg and 130 mm with activity of <50 Bq/kg. The observed background count rates are 1.2 $s^{-1}$ and 0.36 $s^{-1}$ without and with the active shielding, respectively, overall the energy regions from 30 keV to 3 MeV The cosmic ray induced background is suppressed by a rate of 0.8 $s^{-1}$ at the present work. The detection efficiency curve necessary to obtain the radioactivity of environmental samples has been precisely determined on the energy regions from 80 to 2000 keV with a 10$^3$ ml marinelli beaker sample, consisting of the calibrated radionuclides $^{109}$ Cd, $^{57}$ CO, $^{139}$ Ce, $^{203}$ Hg, $^{113}$ Sn, $^{85}$Sr, $^{137}$ Cs, $^{60}$ Co and $^{88}$ Y. Virtues Of the method are demonstrated by measuring the activity of $^{137}$ Cs contained in the powdered milk.