• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.548-557
• /
• 2021

Cypripedium japonicum Thunb. is an endemic plant in East Asia, distributed only in Korea, China, and Japan. At the global level, the IUCN Red List evaluates it as "Endangered Species (EN)," and at the national level in Korea, it is evaluated as "Critically Endangered Species (CR)." In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the age structure and the sustainability of the population based on the data obtained by demographic monitoring conducted for seven years in the natural habitat. C. japonicum habitats were observed in 7 regions of Korea (Pochoen, Gapyeong, Hwacheon, Chuncheon, Yeongdong, Muju, Gwangyang), and 4,356 individuals in 15 subpopulations were identified. The population size and structure differed from region to region, and artificial management had a very important effect on the size and structural change of the population. Population viability analysis (PVA) based on changes in the number of individuals of C. japonicum showed a very diverse tendency by region. And the probability of population extinction in the next 100 years was 0.00% for Pocheon, 10.90% for Gwangyang, 24.05% for Chuncheon, and 79.50% for Hwacheon. Since the above monitored study sites were located within the conservation shelters, which restricted access by humans, unauthorized collection of C. japonicum, the biggest threat to the species, was not reflected in the individual viability. So, the risk of extinction in Korea is expected to be significantly higher than that estimated in this study. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect population information in several regions that may represent various threats to determine the extinction risk of the C. japonicum population objectively. In the future, we should expand the demographic monitoring of the C. japonicum population known in Korea.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.329-335
• /
• 2020

Methanol synthesized from renewable hydrogen and captured CO2 has recently attracted great interest as a sustainable energy carrier for large-scale renewable energy storage. In this study, molten carbonate fuel cell's performance was investigated with the direct conversion of methanol into syngas inside the anode chamber of the cell. The internal reforming of methanol may significantly improve system efficiency since the heat generated from the electrochemical reaction can be used directly for the endothermic reforming reaction. The porous Ni-10 wt%Cr anode was sufficient for the methanol steam reforming reaction under the fuel cell operating condition. The direct supply of methanol into the anode chamber resulted in somewhat lower cell performance, especially at high current density. Recycling of the product gas into the anode gas inlet significantly improved the cell performance. The analysis based on material balance revealed that, with increasing current density and gas recycling ratio, the methanol steam reforming reaction rate likewise increased. A methanol conversion more significant than 90% was achieved with gas recycling. The results showed the feasibility of electricity and syngas co-production using the molten carbonate fuel cell. Further research is needed to optimize the fuel cell operating conditions for simultaneous production of electricity and syngas, considering both material and energy balances in the fuel cell.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.306-314
• /
• 2023

Stream sediments are an important component of water quality management because they are receptors of various pollutants such as heavy metals and organic matters emitted from upland sources and can be secondary pollution sources, adversely affecting water environment. To effectively manage the stream sediments, identification of primary sources of sediment contamination and source-associated control strategies will be required. We evaluated the performance of machine learning models in identifying primary sources of sediment contamination based on the physico-chemical properties of stream sediments. A total of 356 stream sediment data sets of 18 quality parameters including 10 heavy metal species(Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, As, Zn, Cr, Hg, Li, and Al), 3 soil parameters(clay, silt, and sand fractions), and 5 water quality parameters(water content, loss on ignition, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous) were collected near abandoned metal mines and industrial complexes across the four major river basins in Korea. Two machine learning algorithms, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were used to classify the sediments into four cases of different combinations of the sampling period and locations (i.e., mine in dry season, mine in wet season, industrial complex in dry season, and　industrial complex in wet season). Both models showed good performance in the classification, with SVM outperformed LDA; the accuracy values of LDA and SVM were 79.5% and 88.1%, respectively. An SVM ensemble model was used for multi-label classification of the multiple contamination sources inlcuding landuses in the upland areas within 1 km radius from the sampling sites. The results showed that the multi-label classifier was comparable performance with sinlgle-label SVM in classifying mines and industrial complexes, but was less accurate in classifying dominant land uses (50~60%). The poor performance of the multi-label SVM is likely due to the overfitting caused by small data sets compared to the complexity of the model. A larger data set might increase the performance of the machine learning models in identifying contamination sources.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.195-207
• /
• 2000

Organic and inorganic characteristics including bacterial cell number, enzyme activity, nutrients, and heavy metals have been monitored in twelve acrylic experimental tanks for two weeks to estimate and compare self-purification capacities in two Korean wet-land environments, tidal flat and rice field, which are possibly different with the environments in other countries because of their own climatic conditions. FW tanks, filled with rice field soils and fresh water, consist of FW1&2 (with paddy), FW3&4 (without paddy), and FW5&6 (newly reclaimed, without paddy). SW tanks, filled with tidal flat sediments and salt water, are SW1&2 (with anoxic silty mud), SW3&4 (anoxic mud), and SW5&6 (suboxic mud). Contaminated solution, which is formulated with the salts of Cu, Cd, As, Cr, Pb, Hg, and glucose+glutamic acid, was spiked into the supernatent waters in the tanks. Nitrate concentrations in supernatent waters as well as bacterial cell numbers and enzyme activities of soils in the FW tanks (except FW5&6) are clearly higher than those in the SW tanks. Phosphate concentrations in the SW1 tank increase highly with time compared to those in the other SW tanks. Removal rates of Cu, Cd, and As in supematent waters of the FW5&6 tanks are most slow in the FW tanks, while the rates in SW1&2 are most fast in the SW tanks. The rate for Pb in the SW1&2 tanks is most fast in the SW tanks, and the rate for Hg in the FW5&6 tanks is most slow in the FW tanks. Cr concentrations decrease generally with time in the FW tanks. In the SW tanks, however, the Cr concentrations decrease rapidly at first, then increase, and then remain nearly constant. These results imply that labile organic materials are depleted in the FW5&6 tanks compared to the FW1&2 and FW3&4 tanks. Removal of Cu, Cd, As from the supernatent waters as well as slow removal rates of the elements (including Hg) are likely due to the combining of the elements with organic ligands on the suspended particles and subsequent removal to the bottom sediments. Fast removal rates of the metal ions (Cu, Cd, As) and rapid increase of phosphate concentrations in the SW1&2 tanks are possibly due to the relatively porous anoxic sediments in the SW1&2 tanks compared to those in the SW3&4 tanks, efficient supply of phosphate and hydrogen sulfide ions in pore wates to the upper water body, complexing of the metal ions with the sulfide ions, and subsequent removal to the bottom sediments. Organic materials on the particles and sulfide ions from the pore waters are the major factors constraining the behaviors of organic/inorganic elements in the supernatent waters of the experimental tanks. This study needs more consideration on more diverse organic and inorganic elements and experimental conditions such as tidal action, temperature variation, activities of benthic animals, etc.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.291-301
• /
• 1998

Purpose : A retrospective study was conducted comparing single daily fraction (SDF) thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) with twice daily (BID) TRT to determine the potential benefit of BID TRT in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Endpoints of the study were response. survival, pattern of failure, and acute toxicity. Materials and Methods : Between November 1989 to December 1996, 78 patients with histologically proven limited-stage SCLC were treated at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital. Of these, 9 were irradiated for palliative intent, and 1 had recurrent disease. Remaining 68 patients were enrolled in this study. There were 26 patients with a median age of 58 years, and 22 (85$\%$) ECOG performance score of less than 1 in SDF TRT. There were 42 patients with a median age of 57 years, and 36 (86$\%$) ECOG performance score of less than 1 in BID TRT By radiation fractionation regimen, there were 26 in SDF TRT and 42 in BID TRT. SDF TRT consisted of 180 cGy, 5 days a week. BID TRT consisted of 150 cGy BID, 5 days a week in 13 of 42 and 120 cGy BID, in 29 of 42. And the twice daily fractions were separated by at least 4 hours. Total radiotherapy doses were between 5040 and 6940 cGy (median, 5040 cGy) in SDF TRT and was between 4320 and 5100 cGy (median, 4560 cGy) in BID TRT. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) was recommended for patients who achieved a CR. The recommended PCI dose was 2500 cGy/10 fractions. Chemotherapy consisted of CAV (cytoxan 1000 mg/$m^2$, adriamycin 40 mg/$m^2$, vincristine 1 mg/$m^2$) alternating with VPP (cisplatin 60 mg/$m^2$, etoposide 100 mg/$m^2$) every 3 weeks in 25 (96$\%$) of SDF TRT and in 40 (95$\%$) of BID TRT. Median cycle of chemotherapy was six in both group. Timing for chemotherapy was sequential in 23 of SDF TRT and in 3 BID TRT, and concurrent in 3 of SDF TRT and in 39 of BID TRT Follow-up ranged from 2 to 99 months (median, 14 months) in both groups. Results : Of the 26 SDF TRT, 9 (35$\%$) achieved a complete response (CR) and 14 (54$\%$) experienced a partial response (PR). Of the 42 BID TRT, 18 (43$\%$) achieved a CR and 23 (55$\%$) experienced a PR. There was no significant response difference between the two arms (p=0.119). Overall median and 2-year survival were 15 months and 26.8$\%$, respectively. The 2-year survivals were 26.9$\%$ and 28$\%$ in both arm, respectively (p=0.51). The 2-rear survivals were 35$\%$ in CR and 24.2$\%$ in PR, respectively. The grade 2 to 3 esophageal toxicities and grade 2 to 4 neutropenias were more common in BID TRT (p=0.028 0.003). There was no difference in locoregional and distant metastasis between the two arms (p=0 125 and 0.335, respectively). The most common site of distant metastasis was the brain. Conclusion : The median survival and 2-year survival were 17 months and 20.9$\%$ in SDF TRT with sequential chemotherapy, and 15 months and 28$\%$ in BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy, respectively. We did not observe a substantial improvement of long-term survival in the BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy compared with standard schedules of SDF TRT with sequential chemotherapy. The grade 2 to 3 esophageal toxicities and glade 2 to 4 neutropenias were more common in BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy. Although the acute toxicities were more common in BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy than SDF TRT with sequential chemotherapy, a concurrent chemotherapy and twice daily TRT was feasible. However further patient accrual and long-term follow up are needed to determine the potential benefits of BID TRT in limited-stage SCLC.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.485-491
• /
• 2010

A certified reference material (CRM) of KRISS 109-03-SSD was developed for the analysis of hazardous elements in soil. The target elements were As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn being regulated by the Soil Environment Conservation Act. Starting material was collected from tailing dump of an unworked tungsten mine at Sangdong (Gangwon-do, Korea). The starting material under-went through a series of fabricating process steps of screening, drying, grinding, sieving, blending, bottling, sterilization and was certified according to the ISO Guide 35. Isotope dilution-inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ID-ICP/MS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) were used for the measurement. Homogeneity was tested according to ISO 13528 annex B. The certified values were determined using the results from two different methods or from two independent measurements using a method. Finally, certified values of seven elements of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc were determined. Mercury did not satisfied the criteria of homogeneity and the result would be provided for information only, together with iron and tungsten. It was also studied, the extractable fraction of elements by aqua regia according to the ISO 11466 protocol being frequently studied for the purpose of environmental monitoring. It was performed as a inter-laboratory study by 6 laboratories of a public institute and universities. Standard deviation among the laboratories was much bigger than the uncertainty of the certified value. The result of inter-laboratory study on the extractable fraction will be provided for information, only.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.168-177
• /
• 2007

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate whether hypercalciuria patients with hematuria show different renal indices compared to non-hypercalciuria patients with hematuria. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with gross or microscopic hematuria whose blood chemistry and 24 hour urine chemistry were examined. After excluding the patients with more than $4 mg/m^2/day$ proteinuria or the patients with urinary calcium excretion between 3 and 4 mg/kg/day, we divided the patients into two groups: a hypercalciuria group whose calcium excretion was more than 4 mg/kg/day(n=30) and a non hypercalciuria group whose calcium excretion was less than 3 mg/kg/day(n=41). The urinary excretion, clearance, and fractional excretion(FE) of Na, K, Cl, Ca, P, urea, and creatinine were calculated and compared between the two groups. Results : The hypercalciuria group had more calcium excretion($6.1{\pm}2.9$ vs $1.5{\pm}0.9 mg/kg/day$), more urea excretion($341{\pm}102$ vs $233{\pm}123 mg/kg/day$), greater glomerular filtration rate(GFR) ($93.7{\pm}31.1$ vs $79.5{\pm}32.0 mL/min$) but lower FENa($1.0{\pm}0.4%$ vs $1.3{\pm}0.6%$) than the nonhyper-calciuria group, although the urinary sodium excretion was similar between the two groups. Conclusion : The greater urea excretion and GFR in hypercalciuric patients suggest that they might be on a higher protein diet than the non-hypercalciuria group. The increased glomerular filtration of sodium and calcium induced by the higher GFR in hypercalciuria would have increased their delivery to the distal tubule, where sodium is effectively reabsorbed but calcium is not, which is suggested by the lower FENa but higher FECa in hyercalciuria. It is recommended that the diet of hematuria patients be reviewed in detail at initial presentation and during treatment.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.264-270
• /
• 2021

In this study we investigated the elution level of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), antimony (Sb), germanium (Ge), aluminum (Al) and hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺) from 69 home-cooking utensils into a food stimulants. The results of migration testing according to the Korea standards and specifications for utensils, containers and packages showed values the allowable migrantion limits. Al was detected in all 7 utensil materials with the average concentration ranging from 0.002-5.989 mg/L. According to the migration conditions for (180℃, 30 min), the average concentration of Al in paper was 7.2 times higher than 25℃, 10 min (P<0.05). The results of migration testing at 180℃, 30 min were also below the allowable migrantion limits. When comparing with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of Al, the estimated weekly intakes (EWI) accounted for 0.000-0.045% for Al.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.23-71
• /
• 1969

Sediment samples were taken at about half-mile intervals from all the inajor rivers draining the St. Austell granite mass. The minus 80 mesh(B.S.S.) fraction of each sample was analysed, using semiquantitative methods, for sodium, potassium, lithium, phosphorus, nickel, chromium, tin, tungsten, arsenic copper, zinc and lead. The work was carried out with the view to gaining further information as to the geographical distribution of such different granite facies as might axist, and to investigate the geochemical dispersion of these elements with relation to mineralisation in this area. The sesults confirm Exley's suggestion that the mass consists of two major granite intrusions, the earlier undifferentiated one is joined on the west by a later differentiated intrutive. During the work grid deviation maps proved particularly useful in obtaining data concerning the nature of the granite but frequency diagrams were not particularly helpful. All the known lode areas were associated with stream sediments containing anomalously high concentrations of lode metals and it is concluded that these high concentrations are due premarily to lode material transferred to the streams in the form of tailings lost during milling operations.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2010.11a
• /
• pp.197-197
• /
• 2010

음식물쓰레기의 삼성분은 수분, 휘발분, 회분이며 이들이 차지하는 비율은 계절, 지역별로 다소 상이하지만 수분 약 80%, 회분3%, 휘발분 17%이다. 음식물쓰레기 전처리과정으로 이물질제거, 탈수공정이 있으며 탈수공정에서 다량의 탈리액이 발생한다. 본 연구에서는 탈리액을 데칸타를 이용하여 1차로 원심분리하여 고.액 분리한 액을 실험대상으로 하였다. 실험대상 탈리액의 물성은 BOD 78,800[mg/l], COD 41,000[mg/l], 부유물질 25,900[mg/l], 총질소 928[mg/l]이었다. 탈리액에는 기름성분(육류, 식용유등), 입자상물질등이 포함되어 있으며 이들은 난분해성 유기물질로, 이를 제거하는데 기존의 처리방법으로 많은 어려움이 있어 주요한 수질오염 발생원이 되고 있다. 예를들면 하수처리장 폭기조 수면에 유막을 형성하여 산소공급을 방해함으로 미생물번식을 방해하는 요인이 된다. 본 연구는 음식물쓰레기 탈리액의 수분, 고형분, 유분으로의 삼상분리에 관한 것이다. 유분은 에멀젼형태로 안정되게 수층에 분산되어 존재한다. 미세기포를 이용한 부상법의 경우 미세기포 표면과 유분의 화학적친화력이 낮아 기포표면에 유분이 잘 부착되지 않으며, 원심분리 방법만으로는 유분 분리효율이 낮고, 추출에 의한 분리시 추출액이 다량 소요되고 처리시간이 길며 추출액 비용이 많이 소요된다. 탈리액을 유분, 슬러지, 수분으로 분리하면 환경오염을 일으키는 주요성분을 신재생에너지 원료로 활용할 수 있다. 유분의 주성분이 동식물성 유지이므로 전처리시 산촉매를 이용 수분과 유리지방산을 제거하고 염기성촉매를 이용하여 전이에스테르화 반응을 거치면 바이오디젤인 FAME과 글리세롤으로 변환하므로 글리세롤을 분리하면 바이오디젤을 얻을 수 있다. 슬러지는 입자상 물질로 착화가 잘 되고 건조하면 발열량이 높으며 중금속등에 오염되지 않아 청정연료로 활용이 가능하다. 실험실에서의 탈리액 삼상분리방법은 다음과 같다. 탈리액 30ml당 추출액으로 노말헥산을 1ml를 가한 다음 플라스크에서 $80^{\circ}C$로 가열 후 방냉한다. 가열중 노말헥산의 손실을 방지하기 위하여 증발가스를 콘덴서에서 응축하여 플라스크로 재순환한다. 탈리액을 플라스크에서 꺼내어 원심분리기 rack에 300-400g씩 병에 각각 넣고 4,000rpm으로 30분간 운전한다. 탈리액은 상부로부터 유분층, 미세입자층, 수층, 슬러지층으로 분리된다. 각 층의 계면에서 2종의 성분이 약간 섞일 수 있다. 유분을 분리한 후 유분층 잔존물과 미세입자층, 수층 상층부의 혼합물을 취하여 50g씩 병에 넣고 3,500rpm으로 10분간 운전한 후 유분을 분리한다. 마지막으로 미세입자층만을 3,500rpm으로 10분간 원심분리한 후 유분을 따로 분리한다. 얻어진 유분은 rotary evaporator에서 $120^{\circ}C$로 가열하여 유분과 노말헥산을 분리하며 분리효율을 제고하기 위하여 감압하에서 운전한다. 분리된 유분의 고위발열량이 9,450[Kcal/kg]이었으며 원소분석 결과 탄소 74.7%, 수소 12.55%, 질소 0.08%, 유황분 0.0003%이었다. 분리된 유분의 양은 계절별로 시료별로 다르며 가을철에는 1.6-1.9%, 여름철은 1.0-1.3%이었다. 분리된 슬러지로부터 Hg, As, Cr, Cd, Pb 중금속 성분이 검출되지 않았으며 수분 2.8%, 휘발분 76.85%, 회분 7.52%, 고정탄소 12.83%이었고 원소분석결과 탄소 45.25%, 수소 7.46%, 질소 5.05%, 산소 34.39%, 유황분 0.33%이었으며 저위발열량은 4,480[Kcal/kg]이었다. 분리된 슬러지 양은 11-19% 이었다.