• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 1999

Ammonia gas sensors were fabricated with ZnO-based thin films grown by RF-magnetron sputtering method. The films which were doped with $MoO_3$ catalysts of various weight percents were grown in different sputtering gases to fabricate the sensors with a high sensitivity, low working temperature and rapid response time. To improve electrical stability, the films were aged in various conditions. The sensors doped with the catalysts and grown in oxygen sputtering gas showed the improvement of sensitivity. These exhibited the increase of surface carrier concentration and electron mobility. The sensor with 0.875wt.% $MoO_3$ catalysts showed the maximum sensitivity of 70 in ammonia gas concentration of 160 ppm at a working temperature of $300^{\circ}C$. The sensor which is aged at $330^{\circ}C$ for 72hrs in oxygen ambient exhibited tourer sensitivity of 57, but more stable properties, excellent linearity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.530-539
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• 2016

Bacterial light-oxygen-voltage-sensing photoreceptor-derived flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-based fluorescent proteins act as a promising distinct class of fluorescent proteins utilized for various biomedical and biotechnological applications. The key property of its independency towards oxygen for its chromophore maturation has greatly helped this protein to outperform the other fluorescent proteins such as GFP and DsRed for anaerobic applications. Here, we describe the feasibility of FMN-containing fluorescent protein FbFP as a metal-sensing probe by measuring the fluorescence emission changes of a protein with respect to the concentration of metal ions. In the present study, we demonstrated the mercury-sensing ability of FbFP protein and the possible amino acids responsible for metal binding. A ratiometric approach was employed here in order to exploit the fluorescence changes observed at two different emission maxima with respect to Hg²⁺ at micromolar concentration. The engineered variant FbFP_C56I showed high sensitivity towards Hg²⁺ and followed a good linear relationship from 0.1 to 3 μM of Hg²⁺. Thus, further engineering with a rational approach would enable the FbFP to be developed as a novel and highly selective and sensitive biosensor for other toxic heavy metal ions as well.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.8
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• pp.25-32
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• 2010

Contamination of soil and groundwater by the compounds of hydrocarbon petroleum has been widely accepted as the main cause that harms the environments and health. To remove those pollutants, absorbing clothes, activated carbons, or oil-water separation devices with the gravity method are employed for treatment. However, those materials and devices cannot remove the emulsion pollutants despite of their efficiency for removing free products. Therefore, we investigated the problems which occur during the groundwater treatment for the highly concentrated suspended solid particles, which can be resulted from excavation, and to propose methods to remove TPH(Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon). After coagulation experiment with high molecular polymers, the concentration of SS(Suspended Solids) and COD(Chemical Oxygen Demand) turned to satisfy the groundwater quality criteria within 5 minutes while the concentration of TPH failed to meet the water quality standard of effluent. Consequently, the water quality criteria for effluent could not be met by single DAF(Dissolved Air Flotation) process. However all water quality criteria could be satisfied after 20 minutes when coagulation reactions are carried out simultaneously in the DAF reactor.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2014

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) are implicated in cellular signaling processes and as a cause of oxidative stress. Recent studies indicate that ROS and RNS are important signaling molecules involved in nociceptive transmission. Xanthine oxidase (XO) system is a well-known system for superoxide anions ($O{_2}^{{\cdot}_-}$) generation, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is a representative nitric oxide (NO) donor. Patch clamp recording in spinal slices was used to investigate the role of $O{_2}^{{\cdot}_-}$ and NO on substantia gelatinosa (SG) neuronal excitability. Application of xanthine and xanthine oxidase (X/XO) compound induced membrane depolarization. Low concentration SNP ($10{\mu}M$) induced depolarization of the membrane, whereas high concentration SNP (1 mM) evoked membrane hyperpolarization. These responses were significantly decreased by pretreatment with phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN; nonspecific ROS and RNS scavenger). Addition of thapsigargin to an external calcium free solution for blocking synaptic transmission, led to significantly decreased X/XO-induced responses. Additionally, X/XO and SNP-induced responses were unchanged in the presence of intracellular applied PBN, indicative of the involvement of presynaptic action. Inclusion of GDP-${\beta}$-S or suramin (G protein inhibitors) in the patch pipette decreased SNP-induced responses, whereas it failed to decrease X/XO-induced responses. Pretreatment with n-ethylmaleimide (NEM; thiol-alkylating agent) decreased the effects of SNP, suggesting that these responses were mediated by direct oxidation of channel protein, whereas X/XO-induced responses were unchanged. These data suggested that ROS and RNS play distinct roles in the regulation of the membrane excitability of SG neurons related to the pain transmission.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.20-27
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• 2005

The seasonal variation of water quality was studied in the Hwabongcheon. It runs though a small catchment where shallow groundwater was contaminated with $NO_3-N$ by intensive livestock facilities. A direct inflow of animal waste and incoming of contaminated groundwater affected its water quality. In the dry season, an important factor of water quality in the Hwabongcheon was direct inflow of animal waste. In the wet season, concentrations of $NO_3-N$ in the Hwabongcheon were elevated in spite of being diluted by precipitation. It could be explained by the effect of increased incoming of contaminated groundwater and showed by oxygen and hydrogen isotope values. $NO_3-N$ concentration in the Cheongmicheon was lower than that in the Hwabongcheon, so it increased next a junction. This effect was intense in wet season because $NO_3-N$ concentration in the Hwabongcheon was high.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.328-343
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: For effective subwatershed management, it is very important to select the tributaries for improving water quality and understand the characteristics of tributaries. Until now, however, the case study of main streams has been managed. 17 tributaries in Geum river subwatershed were monitored to regulate the source of water contaminations and identify their current situations in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: As pollution indicators, such as biological oxygen demand($BOD_5$), chemical oxygen demand($COD_{Mn}$), suspended solid(SS), total nitrogen (T-N), total phosphate(T-P) and total organic carbon(TOC) in Geum river were examined from January to December in 2011. The results were as follows : The annual average concentration of nutrients in Yongdam reservoir upsteam was 0.7 mg/L for BOD, 3.0 mg/L for COD, 8.4 mg/L for SS, 2.905 mg/L for T-N, 0.035 mg/L for T-P and 1.6 mg/L for TOC. Water quality of Daechung reservoir upstream was mostly similar tendency in comparison to Yongdam reservoir upstream. Among the 22 tributaries, water quality in Daechung reservoir downstream was more polluted. T-N contents were significantly high in Miho B4 located Daechung reservoir downstream(annual average concentration: 13.53 mg/L). In cases of Miho A1, A2 and C1, pollution degree was worsened during rainy season expecially. CONCLUSION(S): For improving water quality of Geum river subwatershed, the tributaries in the Mihocheon area should be preferentially considered. Mihocheon tributary is the highest in pollution site, and thus a study on long-term effects should be research.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2019

In this study, the surveys were carried out from October (2016) to October (2017) along the tidal flat of Geunso Bay, Taean Peninsula of the western edge of Korea. The sampling trips were carried out for a total of 16 times, once or twice a month. In order to investigate the monthly variation of the microphytobenthos (MPB) biomass, community composition and photo-physiology were analyzed by HPLC (High performance liquid chromatography). The total chlorophyll a (TChl a) concentrations used as an indicator of biomass of MPB in the upper 1 cm sediment layer ranged from 40.4 to $218.9mg\;m^{-2}$ throughout the sampling period. TChl a concentrations showed the maximum level on $24^{th}$ of February and remained high throughout March after which it started to declined. The biomass of MPB showed high values in winter and low values in summer. The monthly variations of Phaeophorbide a concentrations suggested that the low grazing intensity of the predator in the winter may have partly attributed to the MPB winter blooming. As a result of monthly variations of the MPB community composition using the major marker pigments, the concentrations of fucoxanthin, the marker pigment of benthic diatoms, were the highest throughout the year. The concentrations of most of the marker pigments except for chlorophyll b (chlorophytes) and peridinin (dinoflagellates) increased in winter. However, the concentrations of fucoxanthin increased the highest, and the relative ratios of the major marker pigments to TChl a except fucoxanthin decreased during the same period. The vertical distribution of Chl a and oxygen concentrations in the sediments using a fluorometer and an oxygen micro-optode Chl a concentrations decreased with oxygen concentrations with increasing depth of the sediment layers. Moreover, this tendency became more apparent in winter. The Chl a was uniformly vertical down to 12 mm from May to July, but the oxygen concentration distribution in May decreased sharply below 1 mm. The increase in phaeophorbide a concentration observed at this time is likely to be caused by increased oxygen consumption of zoobenthic grazing activities. This could be presumed that MPB cells are transported downward by bioturbation of zoobenthos. The relative ratios (DT/(DD+DT)) obtained with diadinoxanthin (DD) and diatoxanthin (DT), which are often used as indicators of photo-adaptation of MPB, decreased from October to March and increased in May. This indicated that there were monthly differences in activity of Xanthophyll cycle as well.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.340-349
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• 2016

Electro oxidation system was designed in this study for the reduction of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) from high-strength wastewater, produced during refinery turnaround period. First, BDD (Boron Doped Diamond) electrode was synthesized and electro oxidation system of actual industrial wastewater was developed by adopting the synthesized BDD electrode. The experiments were carried out under various operating conditions under certain range of current density, pH, electrolyte concentration and reaction time. Secondly, reaction kinetics were identified based on the experimental results, and the kinetics were embedded into a genetic mathematical model of the electro oxidation system. Lastly, design and operating parameters of the process were optimized to maximize the efficiency of the pretreatment system. The coefficient of determination ($R^2$) of the model was found to be 0.982, and it proved high accuracy of the model compared with experimental results.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2021

In this study, high temperature wetting analysis and AZ80/Ti interfacial structure observation are performed for the mixture of AZ80 and Ti, and the effect of Al on wetting in Mg alloy is examined. Both molten AZ80 and pure Mg have excellent wettability because the wet angle between molten droplets and the Ti substrate is about 10° from initial contact. Wetting angle decreases with time, and wetting phenomenon continues between droplets and substrate; the change in wetting angle does not show a significant difference when comparing AZ80-Ti and Mg-Ti. As a result of XRD of the lower surface of the AZ80-Ti sample, in addition to the Ti peak of the substrate, the peak of TiAl3, which is a Ti-Al intermetallic compound, is confirmed, and TiAl3 is generated in the Al enrichment region of the Ti substrate surface. EDS analysis is performed on the droplet tip portion of the sample section in which pure Mg droplets are dropped on the Ti substrate. Concentration of oxygen by the natural oxide film is not confirmed on the Ti surface, but oxygen is distributed at the tip of the droplet on the Mg side. Molten AZ80 and Ti-based compound phases are produced by thickening of Al in the vicinity of Ti after wetting is completed, and Al in the Mg alloy does not affect the wetting. The driving force of wetting progression is a thermite reaction that occurs between Mg and TiO2, and then Al in AZ80 thickens on the Ti substrate interface to form an intermetallic compound.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate runoff characteristics of non-point pollutant sources in an agricultural area watershed in Boeun area, Chungbuk Province. The monitoring site represented 1.56 $km^2$, about 44.4% of which was covered with paddy fields. The monitoring was conducted for six events in a period of 5 month. Event Mean Concentration (EMC) and Site Mean Concentration (SMC) of suspended solids (SS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorus (T-P) were calculated using the results of the water quality parameters. A comparison between arithmetic mean concentration and EMC revealed that nearly all EMCs were higher than the corresponding arithmetic mean concentrations. First-flushing effects were exhibited for SS, BOD, and T-P, with relatively high concentrations in early-stage storm events.