• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.350-357
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• 2017

Purpose: In-situ monitoring of water quality is fundamental to most environmental applications. The high cost and long delays of conventional laboratory methods used to determine water quality, including on-site sampling and chemical analysis, have limited their use in efficiently managing water sources while preventing environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to develop an on-site water monitoring system consisting mainly of an Arduino board and a sensor array of multiple ion selective electrodes (ISEs) to measure the concentration of $NO_3$ ions. Methods: The developed system includes a combination of three ISEs, double-junction reference electrode, solution container, sampling system consisting of three pumps and solenoid valves, signal processing circuit, and an Arduino board for data acquisition and system control. Prior to each sample measurement, a two-point normalization method was applied for a sensitivity adjustment followed by an offset adjustment to minimize the potential drift that could occur during continuous measurement and standardize the response of multiple electrodes. To investigate its utility in on-site nitrate monitoring, the prototype was tested in a facility where drinking water was collected from a water supply source. Results: Differences in the electric potentials of the $NO_3$ ISEs between 10 and $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ $NO_3$ concentration levels were nearly constant with negative sensitivities of 58 to 62 mV during the period of sample measurement, which is representative of a stable electrode response. The $NO_3$ concentrations determined by the ISEs were almost comparable to those obtained with standard instruments within 15% relative errors. Conclusions: The use of the developed on-site nitrate monitoring system based on automatic sampling and two-point normalization was feasible for detecting abrupt changes in nitrate concentration at various water supply sites, showing a maximum difference of $4.2mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ from an actual concentration of $14mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2009

To investigate the possible use of plants for landscaping in reclaimed soil, a planting pilot system experiment was performed over the course of four years in reclaimed dredging area with four species: Alnus firma, Alnus hirsuta, Pinus thunbergii, and Pyrachantha angustifolia for 4 years. The physicochemical characteristics of the tested soil showed that it was sandy through coming from a reclaimed dredging area. The average pH of the tested soil was 7.16(slight alkali), and electric conductivity(EC) was relatively low, $294{\mu}S/cm$, even though it came from a saltwater area. To test the effect of planting density vs. phytomass by plant specie from a planting basin, the experiment was designed using four plant species with high and low planting densities over 4 years. The planting conditions of the growth of landscape tree species exhibited growth height as follows: A. hirsuta, A. firma, P. thunbergii, and P. angustifolia, whill the DBH followed the order of A. hirsuta, A. firma, and P. thunbergii. The total phytomass of each plant was higher at low density planting areas than high density planting area in terms of total phytomass production and growth distribution in the reclaimed dredging area. Total phytomass per unit area increased as follows: A. hirsuta, A. firma, P. thunbergii, and P. angustifolia. The total phytomass per each tested plant was 2 times higher in low density planting areas than high density planting areas. Total phytomass per unit area, however, was similar or slighty higher in high density planting areas compared to low density areas. Among the tested plants, A. hirsuta showed the highest phytomass, implying that A. hirsuta adapted very well to the reclaimed area and has the capability of a fast growth, nitrogen fixation tree, and utilizing insoluble nutrients through inoculated root nodule bacteria. The yield of phytomass per individual in low density Alnus species was greater than that of the high density. However, those per unit areas had no difference in the density-dependent planting. The ratio of belowground to aboveground was $0.21{\sim}0.26$. Thus, it could be concluded that the Alnus species are potential candidates for ornamental tree species in reclaimed dredging areas. This study offers baseline data for the use of ornamental tree species in reclaimed dredging areas. Additional research is required for different ornamental species in order to increase phytomass of a planting conditions based on reclaimed dredging areas.