• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.239-247
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• 2005

In this study, an experimental study on the sorption properties of uranium(VI) onto bentonite colloids generated from a domestic calcium bentonite (called as Gyeongju bentonite). Gyeongju bentonite has been considered as a potential candidate buffer material in the Korean disposal concept for high-level radioactive wastes. The size and concentration of the bentonite colloids used in the sorption experiment were measured by a filtration method. The result showed that the concentration of the synthesized bentonite colloid suspension was 5100ppm and the size of the most of bentonite colloids(over $98\%$) was in the range of 200-450nm in diameter. The amount of uranium lost by the sorption onto bottle walls, by precipitation, and by ultrafiltration or colloid formation was analyzed by carrying out some blank tests. The loss of uranium by the ultrafiltration was significant in the lower ionic strength(i.e., in the case of 0.001M $NaClO_4$) due to the cationic sorption effect onto the ultrafilter by a surface charge reversion. The distribution coefficient (or pseudo-colloid formation constant) for the sorption of uranium(VI) onto bentonite colloids was $10^4^{\sim}10^6$ mL/g depending upon pH and the distribution coefficient was highest in the neutral pH around 6.5.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.393-400
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• 2006

In design of a deep geological repository for the high level wastes, it is very important that the temperature of the bentonite block should not be over $100^{\circ}C$ to maintain the integrity of the bentonite buffer block from the decay heat. In this study, for the layout of the repository to meet the requirement, the analysis of the disposal tunnel and disposal pit spacing was carried out. To do this, based on the reference repository concept, several cases of cooling times and disposal tunnel and disposal pit spacing were compared. The thermal stabilities of the disposal systems were analyzed in terms of the cooling time and spacing. The results showed that it was more desirable to determine the layout of the repository in terms of disposal pit spacing than the disposal tunnel spacing. The results of these analyses can be used in the deep geological repository design. The detailed analyses with the exact site characteristics data will reduce the uncertainty of the results.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.474-484
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• 2005

Biological treatment is a promising alternative to conventional air pollution control methods. Bioreactors for air pollution control have found most of their success in the treatment of dilute and high flow waste air streams containing volatile organic compounds and odor compounds. They offer several advantages over traditional technologies such as incineration or adsorption. These include lower treatment costs, absence of formation of secondary pollutants, no spent chemicals, low energy demand and low temperature treatment. The most widely used bioreactor for air pollution control is biofilter, but it has several limitations. In the past years major progress has been accomplished in the development of vapor phase bioreactor, in particular biotrickling filters. Biotrickling filters are more complex than biofilters, but are usually more effective, especially for the treatment of compounds which are difficult to degrade or compounds that generate acidic by-products. While the level of understanding of biotrickling filtration process for VOCs still remains limited, the evident success of biotreatment of VOC in air stimulated the pursue of acitve research. This paper presents fundamental and theoretical/practical aspect of air pollution control in biotrickling filter. Special emphasis is given to the operating parameters and the factors influencing performance for air pollution control in biotrickling filter.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1138-1142
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• 2002

Slag cement and supersulfated slag cement were fabricated by mixing blast furnace slag and ordinary portland cement and adapted to solidify/stabilize heavy metal contained hazardous waste sludge. In case of slag cement, it showed continuous increase of their compressive strengths, which is attributed to the formation of the C-S-H, ettringite and monosulfate with STS sludge. However, BF and COREX sludge has a different shape and composition. therefore, adequate compressive strength could not be achieved with this slag cement. In case of the mixture of the each sludge like the STS-BF or the STS-COREX, the compressive strength over the standard level for disposing the wastes could be obtained with slag cement. The supersulfated slag cement that contain accelerators was very effective in solidifying the COREX sludge, which was difficult to solidify using different cement and obtained high compressive strength only for 3 days.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 2011

Fermented compost made from medicinal herb wastes (MHWC) as an environment-friendly manure resource was applied to determine physiological activities of Rubus coreanus Miquel (Bokbunja). MHWC, poultry manure compost (PMC), and MHWC+PMC (1:1, w/w) were applied to 2 year-old Bokbunja plant at levels of 0, 20, 40 Mg/ha, respectively. Physiological activities of Bokbunja were investigated at 15, 20 and 25 days after flowering (DAF). Content of total phenolics in fruit was high in order of 25 > 20 > 15 DAF, showing highest value in fruit treated with MHWC at 40 Mg/ha. The flavonoid level showed same pattern to total phenolics. Electron donation abilities at fruits at 15 and 20 DAF were higher than at 25 DAF. Nitrite scavenging ability (NSA) was increased on in order of pH 1.2 > 4.2 > 6.0. NSA in fruit at 15 and 20 DAF was higher than at 25 DAF. Tyrosinase inhibition ability at fruits treated with MHWC showed the highest value among all composts. Xanthine oxidase inhibition ability in fruit treated with MHWC at 25 DAF was the highest. In conclusion, physiological activities of Rubus coreanus Miquel (Bokbunja) were improved in MHWC group.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.321-328
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• 2019

The detection performances of the NaI(Tl), $LaBr_3$(Ce) and $CeBr_3$ scintillation detectors, which can be used to rapidly evaluate the major artificial radionuclides deposited on the soil surface in a nuclear accident or radiological emergency, were compared. Detection performance was assessed by calculating the minimum detectable activity (MDA). The detection efficiency of each detector for artificial radionuclides was semi-empirically determined using mathematical modelling and point-like sources having certified radioactivity. The background gamma-ray energy spectrum for MDA evaluation was obtained from relatively wide and flat grassland, and the MDA values of each detector for the major artificial radionuclides that could be released in nuclear accidents were calculated. As a result, the relative MDA values of each detector regarding surface deposition distribution at normal environmental radiation level were evaluated as high in the order of the NaI(Tl), $LaBr_3$(Ce), and $CeBr_3$ detectors. These results were compared based on each detector's intrinsic and measurement environment background, detection efficiency, and energy resolution for the gamma-ray energy region of the radionuclide of interest.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.42-51
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• 2022

Aggregate resources in Korea are expected to run out owing to an increase in development demand and construction investment. Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), extracted from waste concrete, have a lower quality than natural aggregates. However, RCA can produce concrete similar in quality to the normal concrete by aggregate pretreatment, use of admixtures, and quality control. RCA are most suitable for use in precast concrete products such as sidewalk blocks and revetment blocks. Herein, the feasibility of producing revetment blocks using recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), similar in quality to normal concrete, was analyzed. The amount of RCA was varied, and moderate high early strength cement and steam curing were used to produce the concrete test blocks. In the block test, the load resistance characteristics of the blocks were evaluated to determine optimal RAC and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebar compositions. Thus, the variable that reduced the cement content was determined at the same level as that of natural aggregate concrete by the control of steam curing. In the concrete block test, although this depends on the reinforcement ratio, the RAC block exhibited the same or better performance than a normal concrete block. Therefore, the low quality of RCA in RAC is no longer a problem when concrete mixing and curing are controlled and appropriate reinforcement is used.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.104-126
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• 2024

Buffer and backfill play an essential role in isolating high-level radioactive waste and retard the migration of leaked radionuclides in deep geological disposal system. A bentonite mixture, which exhibits a swelling property, is considered for buffer and backfill materials, and excessive groundwater inflow from surrounding rock mass may affect stability and efficiency of their role as an engineered barrier. Therefore, stringent quality control as well as in-situ installation management and inflow water constrol for buffer and backfill are required to ensure the safety of deep disposal facilities. In this study, we analyzed the design requirements of buffer and backfill by examining various laboratory tests and a field study of the Steel Tunnel Test at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory in Sweden. We introduced how to control the quality of buffer and backfill construction in-field, and also presented how to handle excessive groundwater inflow into disposal caverns, validating the groundwater retention capacity of bentonite pellets and the effectiveness of geotexile use.

• Korean Educational Research Journal
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.167-188
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to suggest safety education on life science inquiry activity, which subjects on the exploration and autonomous research to the relevant topics, mainly done by the science high school students. Investigation was made on subjects of research activity proposed from Life science and autonomous research from science high school students by examine thoroughly 2009 revised education curriculum. To prevent school laboratory accidents, education of basic safety regulations and general precautions should be repeatedly notified by clear statements and expression to each topic. Expressing the safety factors considering the themes of autonomous inquiry and activities presented in the course of education should be done, so that students should not experience laboratory accidents by reason of ignorance. From the beginning of organization to performing research, safety rules about disposing chemicals and tools wastes occurring during research should be noticed and expressed in precautions following waste disposal system should be adopted. It is necessary to level up the accessibility of information about the laboratory safety rules to confirm to the every student, and also ensure the takeover of the clean-up and use of utilities at the time of search end in order to prevent the incidence of laboratory accidents during the thorough stages of biological inquiry activities.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2011

Biodiesel, mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids, is one of the alternative fuels derived from renewable lipid feedstock, such as vegetable oils or animal fats. For decade, various lipases have been used for the production of biodiesel. However, the production of biodiesel by enzymatic catalyst has profound restriction in industry application due to high cost. To overcome these problems, many research groups have studied extensively on the selection of cheap oil sources, the screening of suitable lipases, and development of lipase immobilization methods. In this study, we produced biodiesel from plant oil using Proteus vulgaris lipase K80 expressed in Escherichia coli cells. The recombinant lipase K80 was not only expressed in high level but also had high specific lipase activity and high stability in various organic solvents. Lipase K80 could produce biodiesel from olive oil by 3-stepwise methanol feeding method. The immobilized lipase K80 also produced biodiesel using the same 3-stepwise method. The immobilized lipase could produce biodiesel efficiently from various plant oils and waste oils.