• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.127-133
• /
• 2018

Background: The demand of recycling renewable agricultural by-products is increasing. Radiation breeding is a method used to improve saccharification efficiency. Thus, we investigated the effect of gamma ray irradiation on the pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of the stalks of Senna tora, an important medicinal plants. Methods and Results: S. tora seeds were irradiated with gamma ray at doses of 100, 200, 300, and 400 Gy. In the pretreated biomass, glucan and lignin content were higher in the M1 ($1^{st}$ generations of irradiation) S. tora stalks than in the M2 ($2^{nd}$ generations of irradiation) stalks, this can be explained by the higher degradation rate in M1. After oxalic acid pretreatment, the concentration of total phenolic compounds (TPCs) in the hydrolysate increased in the gamma ray treated seeds. The highest relative increase rate in crystallinity in the pretreated biomass was observed in M1-400 Gy and M2-100 Gy. The cellulose conversion rate was higher in M1 than in M2, except for 200 Gy. Conclusions: Gamma ray irradiation at an appropriate dose can be used to improve the efficiency of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby increasing biomass availability.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.261-268
• /
• 2002

Biodegradation of monochlorophenols by wood rot fungi such as Daldina concentrica, Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus ostreatus was evaluated by determining their resistance or toxic test and biodegradability. The metabolites of monochlorophenols were also analyzed. Among the three fungi, T. versicolor was the most resistant to 200 ppm of 2-, 3- and 4-chlorophenols, and did not show any inhibitory mycellium growth. But D. concentrica had a little inhibition effect at more than 100 ppm of 3- or 4-chlorophenol. Control cultures of P. ostreatus took even 14 days far the completion of mycellium growth, but the hyphal growth was improved when 2- or 3-chlorophenol were added to the culture. In biodegradation analysis, P. ostreatus showed the highest degradation of 2- or 3-chlorophenol, while T. versicolor was the most effective in 4-chlorophenol. D. concentrica and P. ostreatus slowly degraded 4-chlorophenol. However, T. versicolor had similar degradation capability in the three monochlorophenols, suggesting that the biode- gradation nude is dependent on the fungi as well as the type of monochlorophenol. Several metabolites such as 1,3,5-trihydroxyl benzene, 1-ethyl-1-hydroxyl pentane, 2-propenoicacid, methylmalonic acid and 2-methyl-4-keto-pentan-2-ol were found as products of primary oxidation of 2-, 3- and 4-chlorophenols by intact fungal cultures. fatty acids including tetradecanoic, heptadecanoic and octadecanoic acids were also detected The order of increase of mycellium weight during incubation were P. ostreatus > T. versicolor > D. concentrica. The pH in the culture was not constantly changed depending on incubation days, but the mycellium weight was slightly increased, indicating that the biodegradation of monochlorophenol might have low relationship with the mycellium growth Laccase activities of T. versicolor and P. ostreatus were continuously increased depending on the incubation days, suggesting that the ligninolytic enzyme activity play an important role in the biodegradation of monochlorophenol.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.344-356
• /
• 2013

This study is a continuation of the 22 year consecutive study (1972~1993) to monitor community dynamics of forest in Mt. Kwanak. This study was intended to provide basic data for urban forest management in the future by analyzing actual changes in vegetation structure of forest in Mt. Kwanak caused by urban environmental changes. For the past 39 years (1972~2010), average temperature increased by approximate between 1.1 and $1.7^{\circ}C$ and soil acidification (pH $5.40{\rightarrow}4.50$) and contents of $K^+$ ($0.67{\rightarrow}0.25$) and $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ ($3.20{\rightarrow}0.87$) apparently tended to decrease. According to analysis importance percentage and DBH class of community types classified based on DCA, the succession stopped at Quercus mongolica for 39 years. In addition, the succession was expected to be held at Q. mongolica or to shift from Pinus densiflora to Q. mongolica and from Q. acutissima to Q. serrata. Size of trees growing in forest of Mt. Kwanak increased but the number of species and population of trees showed a downward trend for the 39 years and Styrax japonica and Sorbus alnifolia, which are indicator species, increased their dominance continuously. Decrease in contents of $K^+$, $Ca^{{+}{+}}$, and $Mg^{{+}{+}}$ and soil acidification for the past 39 years was found to affect degradation of vegetation structure in Mt. Kwanak.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.204-211
• /
• 2012

In this study, fast pyrolysis of pitch pine (Pinus rigida) was performed in a fluidized bed reactor under the temperature ranges between 400 and $550^{\circ}C$ at the residence time of 1.9 sec. Essential pyrolytic products (bio-oil, biochar, and gas) were produced and their yield was clearly influenced by temperature. The maximum yield of bio-oil was observed to 64.9 wt% (wet basis) at the temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. As pyrolysis temperature increased, the yield of biochar decreased from 36.8 to 11.1 wt%, while gas amount continuously increased from 16.1 to 33.0 wt%. Water content as well as heating value of bio-oils were obviously sensitive to the pyrolysis temperature. The water contents in the bio-oil clearly decreased from 26.1 ($400^{\circ}C$) to 11.9 wt% ($550^{\circ}C$), with increasing the fast pyrolysis temperature, while their higher heating values were increased from 16.6 MJ/kg to 19.3 MJ/kg. According to GC/MS analysis, 22 degradation compounds were identified from the bio-oils and 10 compounds were derived from carbohydrate, 12 compounds were derived from lignin.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.304-310
• /
• 2015

The moisture content of sawdust must be measured accurately and controlled appropriately during storage and transportation because biological degradation could be caused by improper moisture. In this study, to measure the moisture contents of Larix kaempferi sawdust, the near-infrared reflectance spectra (Wavelength 1000-2400 nm) of sawdust were used as detection parameter. After acquiring the NIR reflection spectrum of specimens which were humidified at each relative humidity condition ($25^{\circ}C$, RH 30~99%), moisture content prediction model was developed using mathematical preprocessings (e.g. smoothing, standard normal variate) and partial least squares (PLS) analysis with the acquired spectrum data. High reliability of the MC regression model with NIR spectroscopy was verified by cross validation test ($R^2$ = 0.94, RMSEP = 1.544). The results of this study show that NIR spectroscopy could be used as a convenient and accurate method for the nondestructive determination of moisture content of sawdust, which could lead to optimize wood utilization.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2005

After manufacturing fermentation system for degrading pig manure using environmentally friendly technique, performance of the system and characteristics of wood chips and pig manure fermented in the system were analyzed. Results from this study shows that proper fermentation temperature($55{\sim}60^{\circ}C$) reached 3days after the system started and degradation rate, which expresses fermentation performance of system, was $180{\iota}$/day. Even as progressing the fermentation of wood chips and pig manure mixture, the amount of extractives drawn out by alkali, and alcohol-benzene and lignin content was not varied. However, ash content in wood was increased. The inorganic compounds in pig manure seem to be transferred into wood chip. On the other hand holocellulose contents in wood were decreased a little. Holocellulose seems to be consumed as the second carbon source in fermentation process. Results through analysis of inorganic- and heavy metal elements contents in wood chips and pig manure fermented in long term process shows that inorganic elements($Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;K^+,\;Na^+$ etc.) contents were increased with fermentation time and heavy metal elements(Cd, As, Cu etc.) which cause environmental pollution were not detected. Number of microorganisms including bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, the number of C.F.U(Colony Forming Unit) was increased while temperature in fermentation system was abruptly increased.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2016

As the deforestation in North Korea gets severed, the interest for REDD+ is also increasing. This study analyzed historical land cover changes of the study area which is 10,000 ha in Hwanghaebukdo of North Korea for assessing change in landcover and carbon storage. The result showed that the forest area had decreased from 7,035 ha to 4,293 ha which is approximately 39% of total forest area between 1989 and 2013. The deforestation caused that forest carbon storage had decreased approximately $284,399tCO_2$. Set the baseline and analysed the potential reduction amount of carbon emission, it was estimated that REDD+ project could store approximately $364,704tCO_2$ for next 30 years. This study still has limitations such as lacking in direct field survey and the data of stand volume of each tree species which was replaced with the data of stand volume in South Korea. But, study can be applied for future REDD+ projects in North Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.1 s.129
• /
• pp.77-86
• /
• 2005

In order to investigate the ability of log wood for oak mushroom production as a source of an alternative energy, both chemical and physical characteristics of log wood were investigated according to the cultivation periods. Also, both chemical and physical characteristics of material that treated by steam explosion were investigated to confirm the pretreatment effect by remaining enzyme as a control. The contents of ash, water-, alkali- and organic soluble extracts have been increased after the inoculation. It appeard that holocellulose contents substantially decreased and the contents of lignin as another main component of wood remained constant after the inoculation. However this result implied that indeed, a sufficient amount of lignin has been degraded paritially by enzymes of oak mushroom Lentinus edodes if we consider that the amount of holocelulose was substantially reduced. It also indicated that the degree of degradation gradually progressed but crystallinity decreased after the inoculation. The contents of water-, alkali- and organic soluble extracts have been increased by steam explosion. Holocellulose contents increased within narrow limits and lignin contents remained constant. However the contents of holocellulose and lignin have been decreased by steam explosion, considering that the amount of other extractives was relatively increased. The degree of crystallinity and lignin contents reduction by steam explosion was almost similar to the result obtained by increasing cultivation periods. According to the results, log woods for mushroom production have a potential as material for developing alternative energy.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.1 s.129
• /
• pp.48-57
• /
• 2005

Phthalate esters are known as plasticizers and some of them suspected as endocrine disrupting chemicals. In this study, in order to identify the mechanism of phthalate esters degradation by white rot fungus, phthalic acid, which is major metabolite in the biodegradation of phthalate esters, was used. Phthalic acid 50 ppm was treated in culture medium with Polyporus brumalis. The availability of ABTS oxidation was different from control and phthalic acid treated group after 4 days of incubation. The activity was gradually increased in control group, but not in phthalic acid treated group. Especially, esterase activity of control group was maximized at 10 days of incubation, and then decreased while the activity of phthalic acid treated group was increased. Glucose was used as a carbon source, and the difference of glucose consumption by control and phthalic acid treated group was not significant. However, after 6 days of incubation the residual glucose in culture medium was rapidly decreased. The consumption rate of phthalic acid treated group was lower than control. These results might indicate that the absorption of phthalic acid in culture medium was occurred by mycelium and metabolized through some pathways as that of glucose was. To clearify the chemical modification of phthalic acid in culture medium, phthalic acid was reacted under in vitro condition which mycelium was excluded. The metabolites were analyzed by GC/MS. The results showed that phthalic acid was converted to phthalic acid anhydride by the extracellular enzymes of P. brumalis.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.63-67
• /
• 2018

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or the DPRK, is one of the poorest country in world facing chronic economic, energy and food security issues. Prolonged improper management of economic and natural resources has led to extreme poverty, malnutrition and critically vulnerability to nature's forces. Presistent deforestation and forest degradation in the DPRK has national and global consequences which has attracted attention from international community, whose offering financial and technical assistance for targeted interventions. Through REDD+ programs, the DPRK has the opportunity to establish its credentials as a responsible nation while improving the quality of life of its population. This study offers an enabling context under which suitable climate change action related to forestry can be identified and implemented in the DPRK.