• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.126-137
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• 2023

Paddy fields provide important habitats for biodiversity conservation within the agricultural ecosystem. Their importance is gradually increasing as their ecological value is better understood. Benthic macroinvertebrates dominate paddy fields. They play an essential role in maintaining the biodiversity of paddy ecosystems. This study aimed to analyze characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and main environmental factors affecting the distribution of golden apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata). Results showed that the diversity index (H') of the benthic macroinvertebrate community was the highest at the Sangju site (St. 12) but the lowest at the Sancheong site (St. 18). Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), salinity, and Electrical Conductivity (EC) values were the highest in Gimhae and Yeongam based on Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Numbers of P. canaliculata (m-2) were relatively low in Gunsan and Iksan where water temperatures were high. Therefore, changes in geographical characteristics and environmental factors might affect the distribution of P. canaliculata and characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Results of this study can be used as primary data for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service evaluation in agroecosystems.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.65-85
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• 2023

The use of TBM (Tunnel boring machine) has increased worldwide due to its performance together with the benefit of being safely and environmentally friendly compared to conventional tunneling. In particular, EPB (Earth Pressure Balanced) TBM is widely used because it can be applied to various grounds compared to Open TBM. Also EPB TBM has a simple mechanical structure and advantages in cost, requires less ground area than Slurry TBM. EPB TBM has advantages in soft ground, and more importantly, can extend its applicability by use of appropriate soil conditioning, which improves mechanical and hydrological properties of excavated soil and increases the excavation performance of EPB TBM. Various studies suggested the proper mixing ratio and injection ratio, but almost they are limited to laboratory test under atmospheric pressure such as slump test. Actual field conditions may differ depending on the ground and mechanical condition. In this study, first the amount of used soil conditioning used in the field with various grounds from hard rock to soft ground was estimated through laboratory tests and compared with the estimate in design stage. And also it was compared with the amount used during actual excavation. In addition, experience of soil conditioning for the problems of cutter head clogging and groundwater inrush that occurred during excavation is discussed. Finally, lesson learned for the use of soil conditioning in difficult ground condition such as mixed ground are reviewed.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2023

Oxalic acid has been traditionally obtained via the oxidation of carbohydrates using nitric acid and catalysts. However, this process produces a variety of nitrogen oxides during oxidation and requires a separation process due to its various intermediates. These products and additional steps increase the harmfulness and complexity of the process. Recently, the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into oxalic acid has been suggested as an environmentally friendly and efficient technology for the production of oxalic acid. In this electrochemical conversion system, zinc oxalate (ZnC₂O₄) is obtained by the reaction of Zn²⁺ ions produced by Zn oxidation and oxalate ions produced by CO₂ reduction. ZnC₂O₄ can then be converted to form oxalic acid, but this requires the use of a strong acid and heat. In this study, a system was proposed that can easily convert ZnC₂O₄ to oxalic acid without the use of a strong acid while also allowing for easy separation. In addition, this proposed system can also further convert the products into glycolic acid which is a high-value-added chemical. ZnC₂O₄ was effectively separated into Zn(OH)₂ powder and oxalate solution through a chemical treatment and a vacuum filtration process. Then the Zn(OH)₂ and oxalate were electrochemically converted to zinc and glycolic acid, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2008

A geothermal heat pump system is a preferable alternative energy system in Korea because it uses the heat energy of the earth, which is environmentally friendly and inexhaustible. In order to characterize the thermal conductivity and viscosity of grout materials used for backfilling ground heat exchangers, nine bentonite grouts, one marine clay from Boryung, and cement grouts adapted in the United State have been considered in this study. The bentonite grouts indicate that the thermal conductivity and viscosity increase with the content of bentonite or filler (silica sand). In addition, material segregation can be observed when the viscosity of grout is relatively low. The marine clay turns out to be unsuitable for backfilling the ground heat exchanger due to its insufficient swelling potential. The saturated cement grouts appear to possess much higher thermal conductivity than the saturated bentonite grouts, and the reduction of thermal conductivity in the cement grouts after drying specimens is less than that in the case of the bentonite grouts. Maintaining the moisture content of grouts is a crucial factor in enhancing the efficiency of ground heat exchangers.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.104-108
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• 2023

Because of recent expansion of the electric car market. it is highly growing that should be supplemented its performance and safely issue. The EMI problem due to the interlocking of electrical components that causes various safety problems such as fire in electric vehicles is emerging every time. We strive to achieve optimal charging efficiency by combining various technologies and reduce radioactive noise among the EMI noise of a weirless charging control module, one of the important parts of an electric vehicle was designed and tested. In order to analyze the EMI problems occurring in the wireless charging control module, the optimized wireless charging control module by applying the optimization design technology by learning the accumulated test data for critical factors by utilizing the Python-based script function in the Ansys simulation tool. It showed an EMI noise improvement effect of 25 dBu V/m compared to the charge control module. These results not only contribute to the development of a more stable and reliable weirless charging function in electric vehicles, but also increase the usability and efficiency of electric vehicles. This allows electric vehicles to be more usable and efficient, making them an environmentally friendly alternative.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.681-692
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• 2017

In recent years, large-scale construction projects such as road pavement construction and new city construction have been carried out nationwide with by the expansion of social overhead facilities and base on the economic development planning, resulting in a rapid increase in artificial slope damage. The existing vegetation-based re-installation method of the slope surface greening method reveals various problems such as lack of bonding force, drying, and lack of organic matter. In this study, research was carried out using vegetation-based material and environmentally friendly soil additives, were are used in combination with natural humus, Bark compost, coco peat, and vermiculite. Uniaxial compressive strength was measured according to the mixing ratio of soil additives and the strength was analyzed. Experiments were carried out on the characteristics of the soil material to gauge the slope protection properties by using the soil compaction test method wherein the soil and the soil additive materials are mixed in relation to the soil height, the number of compaction, the compaction method (layer) and the curing condition. As a result of the experiment, excellent strength performance was demonstrated in soil additives using gypsum cement, and it satisfied vegetation growth standards by using performance enhancer and pH regulator. It was confirmed that the strength increases with the mixing of soil and soil additive, and the stability of slope protection can be improved.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2023

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is commonly used in sunscreen formulations to protect the skin surface and prevent the penetration of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays by the physical scattering action of light. However, a disadvantage of using TiO₂ is that it can cause white turbidity when used on skin due to its inactive mineral ingredient. In addition, when TiO₂ particles are reduced to nanosize to eliminate opacity, they can increase the transmittance of visible light and reduce whitening, but may lead to serious skin problems, such as allergic inflammation. To overcome these issues, the bandgap of TiO₂ was controlled by adjusting the amount of oxygen defect and nitrogen amount, resulting in color TiO₂ tailored to the skin. This innovative technology can reduce the whitening phenomenon and effectively block blue light, which is known to cause skin aging by inducing active oxygen. The bandgap controlled TiO₂ compounds proposed in this study are hypoallergenic, broad-spectrum, and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, these compounds have been shown to significantly enhance sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreens, demonstrating their compatibility with blue light blocking products.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2023

Hydrogen has gained attention as an environmentally friendly energy source among various renewable options, however, its application in agriculture remains limited. This study aims to apply the hydrogen fuel cell triple heat-combining system, originally not designed for greenhouses, to greenhouses in order to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This system can produce heating, cooling, and electricity from hydrogen while recovering waste heat. To implement a hydrogen fuel cell triple heat-combining system in a greenhouse, it is crucial to evaluate the greenhouse's heating and cooling load. Accurate analysis of these loads requires considering factors such as greenhouse configuration, existing heating and cooling systems, and specific crop types being cultivated. Consequently, this study aimed to estimate the cooling and heating load using building energy simulation (BES). This study collected and analyzed meteorological data from 2012 to 2021 for semi-enclosed greenhouses cultivating tomatoes in Jeonju City. The covering material and framework were modeled based on the greenhouse design, and crop energy and soil energy were taken into account. To verify the effectiveness of the building energy simulation, we conducted analyses with and without crops, as well as static and dynamic energy analyses. Furthermore, we calculated the average maximum heating capacity of 449,578 kJ·h^-1 and the average cooling capacity of 431,187 kJ·h^-1 from the monthly maximum cooling and heating load analyses.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.911-922
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• 2022

To restore reclaimed land, it needs to be supplemented with organic matter; this is especially true for Korea, where organic matter constitutes only one-tenth of conventional agricultural soils. The giant Miscanthus, a perennial grass known for its extensive biomass, shows signs of being an excellent source of organic matter for restoring reclaimed land. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the feasibility of using the giant miscanthus as an organic resource within the context of re-using reclaimed land for agricultural purposes (i.e., potato cultivation), and (ii) determine the optimum fertilization rate for the potatoes while the giant miscanthus is being used as an organic resource. Our results show that after 180 days, giant miscanthus lost 23-47% of its original dry weight, with the extent of the loss dependent on soil salinity. Nutrient concentrations (Mg2+, Na+) continued to increase until the end of the study period. In contrast, potassium (K+) and the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) decreased until the end of the study period. Specifically, after 180 days, low salinity topsoil treatments had the lowest C/N ratio. In the first year, 150 % of standard N rates were required for the potatoes to achieve maximum productivity; however in the 2nd year, standard rates were sufficient to achieve maximum productivity. Overall, this implies that even though the application of giant miscanthus did eventually improve soil quality, increasing crop yields, N fertilization is still necessary for the best outcomes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.348-355
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• 2023

Biodiesel is known as an environmentally friendly neutral fuel, and a policy of obligatory mixing of a certain ratio is implemented on land. In this study, to verify the feasibility of using biodiesel as a ship fuel, component analysis, metal corrosion test, and storage stability test were performed on the mixing ratios of 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, and 20 % of marine diesel and biodiesel. Component analysis evaluated a total of eight factors including density, kinematic viscosity and flash point according to ISO 8217:2017 standards and the reliability of biodiesel through metal corrosion tests and storage stability tests under atmosphere temperature and harsh conditions (60 ℃) for 180 days. Results demonstrate that component analysis satisfied the ISO 8217:2017 standard in all biodiesel mixing ratios. Furthermore, as the biodiesel mixing ratio increased, the kinematic viscosity, density, and acid value increased and the sulfur content decreased. Metal corrosion rarely occurred in the case of carbon steel, iron, aluminum, and nickel, whereas in the case of copper, corrosion occurred under the influence of oxygen-rich biodiesel under the harsh conditions (60 ℃) of 20 % biodiesel mixture. As for storage stability, discoloration, sludge formation, and fuel separation were not visually confirmed.