• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2022

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and emerging pollutants (EP) are characterized by their difficulty to be removed through biological oxidation processes (BOPs); they persist in the environment and could have adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem and human health. The electro-oxidation (EO) process has been successfully used as an alternative technique to oxidize many kinds of the aforementioned pollutants in wastewater. However, the EO process has been criticized for its high energy consumption cost and its potential generation of by-products. In order to decrease these drawbacks, its combination with biological oxidation processes has been reported as a solution to reduce costs and to reach high rates of recalcitrant pollutants removal from wastewaters. Thus, the location of EO in the treatment line is an important decision to make, since this decision affects the formation of by-products and biodegradability enhancement. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of EO as a pre and post-treatment in combination with BOPs. A perspective of the EO scale-up is also presented, where hydrodynamics and the relationship of A/V (area of the electrode/working volume of the electrochemical cell) experiments are examined and discussed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.2
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• pp.183-187
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• 2006

This study investigated concentrations of the several air pollutants and compared antioxidative enzyme activities on Platanus occidentalis because this tree species is one of the widespread street trees in Korea. This species has been emerging the ambient air pollutants during its growing periods. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between air pollution on the tree species and antioxidant enzyme activities on the trees. $O_3$, $NO_2$, CO and $SO_2$ concentrations of several cities in Korea were compared for last decades. Among the air pollutants, $O_3$ and $NO_2$ concentrations in six big cities in Korea showed similar increasing trends during this period. In contrast, $SO_2$ and CO concentrations in the same cities dramatically decreased between 1994 and 2005. Platanus occidentalis trees were controlled to investigate, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activity. Ozone exposure generally increased APX and GR activities of tree seedlings. It is a typical compensatory strategy of stressed trees.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2021.11a
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• pp.86-87
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• 2021

As non-road mobile pollutants such as construction equipment are emerging as the main cause of air pollutants emission, construction equipment regulations are gradually strengthening. Research was conducted by correcting the emission coefficient to calculate and predict air pollutant emissions of construction equipment, but it did not reflect site variables such as field and equipment conditions that affect actual emissions. This study derived an Artificial Neural Network emission prediction model based on the actual emission data of excavators and trucks measured at the site and proposed a platform to predict the emission of air pollutants at the site according to the working size and conditions. Through this, it is possible to establish an eco-friendly process plan using a model from the construction plan.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.502-522
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• 2022

Clay minerals are natural materials that show widespread applications in various branches of science, including environmental sciences, in particular the remediation of water contaminated with various water pollutants. Modified clays and minerals have attracted the attention of researchers in the recent past since the modified materials are seemingly more useful and efficient for removing emerging water contaminants. Therefore, modified engineered materials having multi-functionalities have received greater interest from researchers. The advanced clay-based materials are highly effective in the remediation of water contaminated with organic and inorganic contaminants, and these materials show enhanced selectivity towards the specific pollutants. The review inherently discusses various methods employed in the modification of clays and addresses the challenges in synthesizing the advanced engineered materials precursor to natural clay minerals. The changes in physical and chemical properties, as investigated by various characterization techniques before and after the modifications, are broadly explained. Further, the implications of these materials for the decontamination of waterbodies as contaminated with potential water pollutants are extensively discussed. Additionally, the insights involved in the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants are discussed in the review. Furthermore, the future perspectives and specific challenges in the scaling up of the treatment methods in technology development are included in this communication.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 1997

Phytoremediation, using plants to remediate toxic organic and inorganic pollutants in contaminated soils, is an emerging technology for environmental cleanup. Three strategies of this technology are applicable to the remediation of toxic heavy metals, radionuclides, and toxic organic pollutants: They are (1) phytoextraction, in which plants anumulate the contaminants and are harvested for the downstream processing; (2) phytodegradation, in which plant-released enzymes or plant-associated microorganisms convert toxic pollutants into non-toxic materials; and (3) phytostabilization, in which toxic pollutants are precipitated from solution or absorbed in either the plant tissue or the soil matrix. Phytoremediation is more effective and less expensive than other current treatment technologies.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2018

Environmental contaminants are one of the important causal factors for development of various human diseases. In particular, the perinatal period is highly vulnerable to environmental toxicants and resultant dysregulation of fetal development can cause detrimental health outcomes potentially affecting life-long health. Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs), emerging environmental pollutants, are man-made organic molecules, which are widely used in diverse industries and consumer products. PFCs are non-degradable and bioaccumulate in the environment. Importantly, PFCs can be found in cord blood and breast milk as well as in the general population. Due to their physicochemical properties and potential toxicity, many studies have evaluated the health effects of PFCs. This review summarizes the epidemiological and experimental studies addressing the association of PFCs with neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. While the relationships between PFC levels and changes in neural and immune health are not yet conclusive, accumulative studies provide evidence for positive associations between PFC levels and the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and reduced immune response to vaccination both in children and adults. In conclusion, PFCs have the potential to affect human health linked with neurological disorders and immunosuppressive responses. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanism of the effects of PFCs on human health is still in its infancy. Therefore, along with efforts to develop methods to reduce exposure to PFCs, studies on the mode of action of these chemicals are required in the near future.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.182-195
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• 2018

Increasing prevalence of childhood obesity poses threats to the global health burden. Because this rising prevalence cannot be fully explained by traditional risk factors such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, early-life exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is recognized as emerging novel risk factors for childhood obesity. EDCs can disrupt the hormone-mediated metabolic pathways, affect children's growth and mediate the development of childhood obesity. Many organic pollutants are recently classified to be EDCs. In this review, we summarized the epidemiological and laboratory evidence related to EDCs and childhood obesity, and discussed the possible mechanisms underpinning childhood obesity and early-life exposure to non-persistent organic pollutants (phthalates, bisphenol A, triclosan) and persistent organic pollutants (dichlorodip henyltrichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Understanding the relationship between EDCs and childhood obesity helps to raise public awareness and formulate public health policy to protect the youth from exposure to the harmful effects of EDCs.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.574-580
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• 2013

Green technology encompasses a growing group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy and alternative resources to non-toxic cleaning products. Green technology is expected to solve current problems in atmospheric environment such as climate changes due to green house gases and hazardous air pollutants. This paper provides a review on the status of green technology and policy guidelines in Korea as well as the green technology for air pollutants. It presents the R&D projects and future direction in atmospheric environment, and the green technology in mobile source air pollution. Emerging green technology contributes to sustainable growth and development of atmospheric environmental industry for better air quality.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.132-136
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• 1993

Attempt was made to identify potential pollutants in Korean Sean and to assess their environmental qualities. Existing pollution data for these Seas so scarce that environmental quality assessment was not possible. However, numerous pollutants were identified. Among them, heat and radioactivity from electric power plants, organic wastes from ocean dumping and land based sources, and accidentally spilled oils are suspected to be of most concern.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.445-460
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• 2018

Exposure to indoor air pollution is an emerging world-wide problem, with growing evidence that it is a major cause of morbidity worldwide. Whilst most indoor air pollutants are of outdoor origin, these combine with a range of indoor sourced pollutants that may lead to high pollutant levels indoors. The pollutants of greatest concern are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM), both of which are associated with a range of serious health problems. Whilst current buildings usually use ventilation with outdoor air to remove these pollutants, botanical systems are gaining recognition as an effective alternative. Whilst many years research has shown that traditional potted plants and their substrates are capable of removing VOCs effectively, they are inefficient at removing PM, and are limited in their pollutant removal rates by the need for pollutants to diffuse to the active pollutant removal components of these systems. Active botanical biofiltration, using green wall systems combined with mechanical fans to increase pollutant exposure to the plants and substrate, show greatly increased rates of pollutant removal for both VOCs, PM and also carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). A developing body of research indicates that these systems can outperform existing technologies for indoor air pollutant removal, although further research is required before their use will become widespread. Whilst it is known that plant species selection and substrate characteristics can affect the performance of active botanical systems, optimal characteristics are yet to be identified. Once this research has been completed, it is proposed that active botanical biofiltration will provide a cheap and low energy use alternative to mechanical ventilations systems for the maintenance of indoor environmental quality.