• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.391-407
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• 2013

Micropollutants emerge in surface water through untreated discharge from sewage and wastewater treatment plants (STPs and WWTPs). Most micropollutants resist the conventional systems in place at water treatment plants (WTPs) and survive the production of tap water. In particular, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors (ECDs) are micropollutants frequently detected in drinking water. In this review, we summarized the distribution of micropollutants at WTPs and also scrutinized the effectiveness and mechanisms for their removal at each stage of drinking water production. Micropollutants demonstrated clear concentrations in the final effluents of WTPs. Although chronic exposure to micropollutants in drinking water has unclear adverse effects on humans, peer reviews have argued that continuous accumulation in water environments and inappropriate removal at WTPs has the potential to eventually affect human health. Among the available removal mechanisms for micropollutants at WTPs, coagulation alone is unlikely to eliminate the pollutants, but ionized compounds can be adsorbed to natural particles (e.g. clay and colloidal particles) and metal salts in coagulants. Hydrophobicities of micropollutants are a critical factor in adsorption removal using activated carbon. Disinfection can reduce contaminants through oxidation by disinfectants (e.g. ozone, chlorine and ultraviolet light), but unidentified toxic byproducts may result from such treatments. Overall, the persistence of micropollutants in a treatment system is based on the physico-chemical properties of chemicals and the operating conditions of the processes involved. Therefore, monitoring of WTPs and effective elimination process studies for pharmaceuticals and ECDs are required to control micropollutant contamination of drinking water.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.555-563
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• 2015

Organic matter and trace metals were investigated in surface sediments of Gomso Bay, where there is dense Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum farming activity, to evaluate contamination of sediments in intertidal shellfish farming area. We measured mean grain size (Mz), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ignition loss (IL), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN), and trace metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn) in intertidal and sublittoral sediments. The intertidal sediments were mainly composed of coarser sediments (sand, silty sand, and sandy silt), with Mz values ranging from 2.61 to 4.79 Ø. Mz and the content of organic matter in sediments were lower in the intertidal zone than in the sublittoral zone. The mean metal concentrations in surface sediments decreased in the order Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > As > Cd > Hg. The metal concentrations in surface sediments showed a significant positive correlation with Mz and organic matter content, indicating that metal concentrations in the surface sediments of Gomso Bay are controlled by Mz and organic matter. The concentrations of organic matter and trace metals in the study region were lower than or similar to those in other intertidal zones in western coast and much lower than those reported in other shellfish farming areas in Korea. Our results suggest that intertidal Manila clam farming sediments from Gomso Bay are not contaminated by organic matter and trace metals.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.424-436
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• 2013

Organic enrichment was investigated in surface sediments from the Yeoja and Gangjin Bays of Korea, which contain dense shellfish farms, in order to evaluate the contamination status and temporal changes in shellfish farming along these coasts. The degree of organic enrichment was determined using geochemical indicators (chemical oxygen demand, ignition loss, acid volatile sulfide, total organic carbon in sediments, and total nitrogen in sediments, ammonium and nitrate in pore water, and bioluminescence inhabitation for sediments). Temporal changes in organic enrichment conditions were detected by comparing our 2012 data to those previously reported from a survey conducted in 1999/2000. Organic enrichment was significantly higher in September than in May and July, in Gangjin Bay than in Yeoja Bay, and significantly higher in shellfish farms than in reference sites not used to culture shellfish. Ammonium concentrations in pore water were two orders of magnitude greater than nitrate concentrations, suggesting that these bays represent nitrogen-reducing environments.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.739-744
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• 2010

As recent traffic policy focuses on reduction of congestion and environmental contamination, with a catch phrase, 'Green Traffic', Low Carbon Green Growth' and 'Sustainable Development', introducing the new eco-friendly transport means including railway has been emerging as critical issue. Included in the new transport means are BRT, Bimodal Tram and LRT, and this study was intended to evaluate and analyze Bimodal, among others, which generates less emission, noise and vibration thanks to hybrid type traction system employed by Bimodal Tram, which is considered a future-oriented system because of eco-friendly features and cost efficiency as well as punctuality and convenient accessibility to bus. Thus in this study, appropriateness of Bimodal Tram comparing to other system(BRT) was suggested, using conversion traffic from the road, traffic speed and CO2 emission at the metropolitan area and large provincial areas as the barometer in evaluation, and furthermore, the measures applicable to introduction strategy that will meet various functional aspects in urban area in the coming days were developed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.714-719
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• 2017

The contaminated engine oil by fuel can intimidate driver safety due to vehicle problems such as engine abrasion, fire and sudden unintended acceleration. In this study, we investigate various functional properties of the engine oil contaminated with fuel. The test results indicated that the engine oil contaminated with fuel had relatively low values of the flash point, pour point, density, kinematic viscosity and cold cranking simulator. Furthermore, a four ball test suggested that the contaminated engine oil increased wear scar due to the poor lubricity. Moreover, SIMDIST (simulated distillation) using ASTM D2887 was applied to analyze fuel characteristics in an engine oil. The SIMDIST analysis result showed a lower carbon number, and the fuel was detected at an earlier retention time than that of using engine oil in chromatogram. Also, it is possible to quantitatively analyze for fuel contents in the engine oil. The SIMDIST method for the diagnosis of oil conditions can be used whether the fuel was involved or not, instead of analyzing other physical properties that require various analytical instruments, large volumes of oil samples, and long analysis time.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.117-126
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• 2005

The chemical property analysis on the deposited clay using scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer were performed. Also, the triaxial compression tests and consolidation tests using NaCl aqueous solution and leachate as substitute pore (or saturated) water in samples were carried out to find out the behaviour characteristics of strength and deformation of contaminated deposited clay. from the chemical composition analysis results of clay samples, the magnitudes of composition ratio were revealed in the order of O, C, Si, Al, and Fe. Of these, why the ratio of carbon appeared to be large is estimated as due to the increase of the phyto-planktons after the construction of tide embankment. In the triaxial compression test and consolidation test results, the shear strength and compression properties have increased with the increase in concentration of contaminant (NaCl). This phenomenon is considered as to be caused by the changes of soil structure to flocculent structure owing to the decrease in the thickness of diffuse double layer in proportion to increase in the concentration of electrolyte.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1439-1446
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• 2009

Isocarbophos is a widely used organophosphorus insecticide that has caused environmental pollution in many areas. However, degradation of isocarbophos by pure cultures has not been extensively studied, and the degradation pathway has not been determined. In this paper, a highly effective isocarbophos-degrading strain, scl-2, was isolated from isocarbophos-polluted soil. The strain scl-2 was preliminarily identified as Arthrobacter sp. based on its morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties, as well as 16S rDNA analysis. The strain scl-2 could utilize isocarbophos as its sole source of carbon and phosphorus for growth. One hundred mg/l isocarbophos could be degraded to a non detectable level in 18 h by scl-2 in cell culture, and isofenphos-methyl, profenofos, and phosmet could also be degraded. During the degradation of isocarbophos, the metabolites isopropyl salicylate, salicylate, and gentisate were detected and identified based on MS/MS analysis and their retention times in HPLC. Transformation of gentisate to pyruvate and fumarate via maleylpyruvate and fumarylpyruvate was detected by assaying for the activities of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (GDO) and maleylpyruvate isomerase. Therefore, we have identified the degradation pathway of isocarbophos in Arthrobacter sp. scl-2 for the first time. This study highlights an important potential use of the strain scl-2 for the cleanup of environmental contamination by isocarbophos and presents a mechanism of isocarbophos metabolism.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2002

Several kinds of thermophilic, aerobic microorganisms (Bacillus genus), metal leaching microorganisms (Thiobacillus, T. ferooxidans), and other nondegradable chemical-degrading microorganisms (Pseudomonas genus) were utilized to study the effect on composting livestock manure. Under the Carbon-Nitrogen ratio (C/N) of 35∼40 and water content of 50∼65% conditions, the composting in the cycling drum reactor showed slower composting and lower temperature increase than that of the manual reactor. Element analysis after composting indicated relatively high levels of mineral contents with the substitutional effect of chemical fertilizer. Metal analysis before and after composting showed lower As in all, Cr in pig, Pb in cow, Hg in chicken, and Cu in cow manure compost than the regulation values. Compost maturity was ascertained by the several maturity tests. Salmonella and E. cozi detection test by SS or EMB agar plate confirmed the safety from the pathogenic microorganisms. The results suggest that the inoculation of metal and some other chemical degrading microorganisms during composting might decrease metal contamination and increase composting rate.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.338-344
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• 2010

The automatic water quality monitoring system (AWQMS) have been installed to immediately response to any pollution incident. It also make it possible to conduct the task efficiently regarding water quality control. The purpose of this study is to enhance reliability by securing accuracy of automatic water quality data through quality assessment (QA) for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electric conductivity (EC), total organic carbon (TOC). The result of comparison between manual and automatic data, relative accuracy of general items (temperature, pH, EC, DO) and TOC were mostly satisfied with guideline (i.e. less than 20%). On the other hand, relative accuracy of DO between sampling site and housing site was somewhat against the guideline. The contamination by attaching algae and microorganism in the pipeline is considered as main cause. After backwashing the pipeline, DO concentration was increased up to 53%. Therefore, pipeline management is recognizable as important thing to secure reliability of water quality data.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.93-96
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• 2000

To investigate the effect of inorganic nutrient supplement in oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), we have conducted some study on cultural and growth characteristics of fruitbody formation and chemical composition of media and fruitbody. When supplemented with slow releasing fertilizer, contamination rate was not different from non-supplemented medium, days for incubation time and first pinhead were faster than non supplemented medium. And fruitbody yield and biological efficiency were increased $10{\sim}28%,\;7{\sim}20%$ respectively, but biological efficiency was decreased when increased supplement ratio. The chemical compositions (total carbon, total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, potassium and phosphate) of slow releasing fertilizer supple mented medium and fruitbody were compared with non-supplemented.