• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.324-334
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• 2020

Tannery wastewater is known to contain high concentrations of organic compounds, pathogens, and other toxic inorganic elements such as heavy metals, nitrogen, sulfur, etc. Biological methods such as aerobic and anaerobic processes are unsuitable for tannery wastewater treatment due to its high salinity, and electrochemical oxidation offers a promising method to solve this problem. In this study, raw tannery wastewater treatment using DSA® Ti/RuO₂, Ti/IrO₂ and Ti/BDD electrodes with continuous flow systems was examined. Effects of current densities and electrolysis times were investigated, to evaluate the process performance and energy consumption. The results showed that a Ti/BDD electrode is able to reach higher treatment efficiency than Ti/IrO₂, and Ti/RuO₂ electrodes across all parameters, excluding Total Nitrogen. The main mechanism of tannery wastewater oxidation at a Ti/BDD electrode is based on direct oxidation on the electrode surface combined with the generation of oxidants such as °OH and Cl₂, while at DSA® Ti/RuO₂ and Ti/IrO₂ electrodes, the oxidation mechanisms are based on the generation of chlorine. After treatment, the effluents can be discharged to the environment after 6-12 h of electrolysis. Electrooxidation thus offers a promising method for removing the nutrients and non-biodegradable organic compounds in tannery wastewater.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.301-306
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• 2017

The discovery of new luminescent materials for use in light-emitting diodes(LEDs) has been of great interest, since LED-based solid state lighting applications are attracting a lot of attention in the energy saving and environmental fields. Recent research trends have centered on the discovery of new luminescent materials rather than on fine changes in well-known luminescent materials. In a sense, the novelty of our study beyond simple modification or improvement of existing phosphors. A good strategy for the discovery of new fluorescent materials is to introduce activators that are appropriate for conventional inorganic compounds, that have well-defined structures in the crystal structure database, but have not been considered as phosphor hosts. Another strategy is to discover new host compounds with structures that cannot be found in any existing databases. We have pursued these two strategies at the same time using composite search technology with particle swarm optimization(PSO). In this study, using PSO, we have tracked down a search space composed of Sr-Al-Si-O-N and have discovered a new phosphor structure with yellow luminescence; this material is a potential candidate for UV-LED applications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.596-602
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• 2006

The effects of resin additives and inorganic compounds addition on the thermal decomposition of low density polyethylene(LDPE) resin have been studied in a thermal analyzer(TGA, DSC) and a small batch reactor. The silica-alumina type compounds tested were kaolinite, bentonite, perlite, diatomaceous earth, activated clay and clay. The resin additives were antiforgging-agent and longevity-agent. As the results of TGA experiments, addition of antifogging-agent, longevity-agent and clay increased the temperature of the maximum reaction rate($T_{max}$). The silica-alumina type inorganic materials increased the pyrolysis reraction rate in the order of activated clay, diatomaceous earth, bentonite, perlites, and kaolinite. In the DSC experiments, addition of antifogging-agent and clay decreased the heat of fusion and the heat of pyrolysis reaction. Bentonite decreased 20% of the heat of fusion and 25% of the heat of pyrolysis reaction. In the batch system experiments, the mixing of clay retarded the initial producing rate of fuel oil, but increased the yield of fuel oil. Addition of bentonite increased the yield of fuel oil from LDPE resin. Mixing of antifogging-agent and longevity-agent produced the fuel oil having lower carbon number. The amounts of the carbon number below 12 in fuel oil decreased with adding the clay. That below 23 in fuel oil increased with mixing of bentonite, perlite, kaolinite, and activated clay. But the mixing of diatomaceous earth did not affect the carbon contents of fuel oil from pure LDPE resin. In the silica-alumina type inorganic material used in this experiments, bentonite was the most effective from the pyrolysis heat, yields, and the characteristics of fuel oil.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to survey chemical distribution of inorganic elements and ions in the submicron particles, to characterize qualitatively emitting sources by factor analysis, and finally to reveal existing patterns in terms of chemical compounds by a stepwise multiple regression analysis. Total of 141 samples were collected by a cascade impactor from 1989 to1996. Fifteen chemical species (Al, Ba, Cd, K, Pb, Cu, Fe, Ni, $Cl^-, NO_3^-, SO_4^{2-}, K^+, Mg^{2+}, Ca^{2+}, and Na^+$) were characterized by AAS and IC. The study showed that average seasonal levels of submicron particulate matters $(d_p<0.43 \mum)$ were 18.7 $\mug/m^3$ in spring, 15.5 $\mug/m^3$ in summer, 15.7 $\mug/m^3$ in fall, and 24.5 $\mug/m^3$ in winter, respectively. All of the anion concentrations in the particle were highest in the winter season. By applying a factor analysis, 5 source patterns were qualitatively obtained, such as sulfate related source, nitrate related source, oil burning source, calcium related source, and coal combustion source. Finally, when applying a stepwise multiple regression analysis, the results clearly showed that $Na^+ and Ca^{2+}, K^+ and Ca^{2+}, NO_3^-$ and relative humidity, $Cl^-$ and ambient temperature, $Ca^{2+} and Cl^-, Mg^{2+} and SO_4^{2-}, Na^+ and NO_3^-, and Ca^{2+} and NO_3^-$, respectively, are negatively contributed to each other. As a result of those statistical analysis, we could suggest that some chemical compounds in the submicron particles such as$NaNO_3, MgSO_4, Ca(NO_3)_2, and CaCl_2$ may not exist on the filter as final composing products; however, other compounds may possibly exist in the form of $Mg(NO_3)_2, CaSO_4, Na_2SO_4, K_2SO_4, MgCl_2, NaCl, and KCl$. Thus, it must be necessary to identify differences between the results of above statistical analysis and of the real world by laboratory experiments.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.164-169
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• 2003

Organotins are widely used organometals in various agricultural and industrial purposes. After introduction of these chemicals to the aquatic environment, they are degraded by abiotic and biotic precesses. The triorganotin compounds are sequentially degraded to di-organotin, mono-organotin and then finally inorganic tin. Although the effects of trialkyltin an marine organisms have been intensively studied, little has been known on plankton as a producer of ecosystem. In this paper, the toxicities of dibutyltin (DBT), monobutyltin (MBT), diphenyltin (DPT), monophenyltin (MPT), trimethyltin (TMT) and dimethyltin (DMT) to rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were measured, and their potencies were compared based on 96 hr-$LC_{50}$ value. The results showed that DPT (13.8 ppb) was the highest toxic, which was followed by TMT (42.9), DBT (80.6), MPT (262.2), MBT and DMT (>1,000) in order. Thus, in tri- and diorganotins, the toxicity was observed phenyltins > butyltins > methyltins, and in mono-organotins phenyltins was more toxic than butyltins. Considering the order of 96 hr--$LC_{50}$ with octanol-water eoefficients ($K_{ow}$) in organotins together, it was considered that the toxicity of organotins seems to be related to the lipophilicity of the compounds.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.307-315
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• 2017

Background: Red-skin root disease has seriously decreased the quality and production of Panax ginseng (ginseng). Methods: To explore the disease's origin, comparative analysis was performed in different parts of the plant, particularly the epidermis, cortex, and/or fibrous roots of 5-yr-old healthy and diseased red-skin ginseng. The inorganic element composition, phenolic compound concentration, reactive oxidation system, antioxidant concentrations such as ascorbate and glutathione, activities of enzymes related to phenolic metabolism and oxidation, and antioxidative system particularly the ascorbate-glutathione cycle were examined using conventional methods. Results: Aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), magnesium, and phosphorus were increased, whereas manganese was unchanged and calcium was decreased in the epidermis and fibrous root of red-skin ginseng, which also contained higher levels of phenolic compounds, higher activities of the phenolic compound-synthesizing enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and the phenolic compound oxidation-related enzymes guaiacol peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase. As the substrate of guaiacol peroxidase, higher levels of $H_2O_2$ and correspondingly higher activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were found in red-skin ginseng. Increased levels of ascorbate and glutathione; increased activities of $\text\tiny L$-galactose 1-dehydrogenase, ascorbate peroxidase, ascorbic acid oxidase, and glutathione reductase; and lower activities of dehydroascorbate reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione peroxidase were found in red-skin ginseng. Glutathione-S-transferase activity remained constant. Conclusion: Hence, higher element accumulation, particularly Al and Fe, activated multiple enzymes related to accumulation of phenolic compounds and their oxidation. This might contribute to red-skin symptoms in ginseng. It is proposed that antioxidant and antioxidative enzymes, especially those involved in ascorbate-glutathione cycles, are activated to protect against phenolic compound oxidation.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.306-313
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• 2020

To investigate the reinforcing effects of functional fillers in nitrile rubber (NBR) materials, high-structure carbon black (HS45), coated calcium carbonate (C-CaCO3), silica (200MP), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as functional filler, and carbon black (SRF) as a common filler were used for oil-resistant rubber. The curing and mechanical properties of HS45-, 200MP-, and MWCNT-filled NBR compounds were improved compared to those of the SRF-filled NBR compound. The reinforcing effect also increased with a decrease in the particle size of the fillers. The C-CaCO3-filled NBR compound exhibited no reinforcing effect with increasing filler concentration because of their large primary particle size (2 ㎛). The reinforcing behavior based on 100% modulus of the functional filler based NBR compounds was compared by using several predictive equation models. The reinforcing behavior of the C-CaCO3-filled NBR compound was in accordance with the Smallwood-Einstein equation whereas the 200MP- and MWCNT-filled NBR compounds fitted well with the modified Guth-Gold (m-Guth-Gold) equation. The SRF- and HS45-filled NBR compounds exhibited reinforcing behavior in accordance with the Guth-Gold and m-Guth-Gold equations, respectively, at a low filler content. However, the values of reinforcement parameter (100Mf/100Mu) of the SRF- and HS45-filled NBR compounds were higher than those determined by the predictive equation model at a high filler content. Because the chains of SRF composed of spherical filler particles are similarly changed to rod-like filler particles embedded in a rubber matrix and the reinforcement parameter rapidly increased with a high content of HS45, the higher-structured filler. The reinforcing effectiveness of the functional fillers was numerically evaluated on the basis of the effectiveness index (��SRF/��f) determined by the ratio of the volume fraction of the functional filler (��f) to that of the SRF filler (��SRF) at three unit of reinforcing parameter (100Mf/100Mu). On the basis of their effectiveness index, MWCNT-, 200MP-, and HS45-filled compounds showed higher reinforcing effectiveness of 420%, 70%, and 20% than that of SRF-filled compound, respectively whereas C-CaCO3-filled compound exhibited lower reinforcing effectiveness of -50% than that of SRF-filled compound.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.196-208
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• 1998

To improve the quality of environmental measurements and evaluation of the workplace air in the pigment manufacturing industries, we analyzed metal(chromium, cadmium, lead, iron, cobalt, manganese, antimony, titanium, arsenic, and selenium) concentrations by ICP-AES in sixty seven samples of inorganic bulk pigments which are produced and/or used in Korea. We also collected MSDS which has to be supplied by manufacturer and/or supplier and posted in the workplace according to the Hazard Communication Standards, and compared the number of metals listed in each MSDS with the number of metals determined by ICP-AES. Results were as followed; 1. Among seventeen yellowish-colored samples, chromium(2~19%) and lead(0.1~61%) were the two major metals. In thirteen reddish-colored samples, iron was the major component with 37~81%. Cobalt and manganese were detected in blue-colored samples with less than 1%, while antimony and titanium were the major two metals in white-colored pigments with 178~300 ppm and with 36~65%, respectively. 2. In area samples collected in workplace air(one pigments producing factory and five retailer stores), iron and manganese were detected but the concentrations not exceeded the TLVs(1 and $5mg/m^3$, respectively). In three of fifteen samples, the concentrations of lead exceeded the TLV ($0.05mg/m^3$). 3. Two out of seven companies provided MSDS, and the average provision rate was 22.4%. And the coincidence rate of the number of metals referenced in MSDS and determined by ICP-AES mostly accorded, but in one sample, different metal was detected from MSDS. In summary, metals have to be concerned in evaluation of the workplace air dealing with compounds of inorganic pigments dust are cobalt, chromium, iron, manganese, lead and antimony, and these are simultaneously determined by ICP-AES. Taking this opportunity, it is needed to reinforce that the personnel is to be concerned about prevention of workers' ill health regarding to provision of MSDS.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.276-286
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• 2013

The goal of this study was to investigate change of thermal decomposition feature of miscanthus (Miscanthus sacchariflorus) after removal of inorganic constituents using distilled water (D.I-w; 30, 60 and $90^{\circ}C$). The carbon content was increased whereas the oxygen content was decreased with the temperature of D.I-w treatment. Moreover, ash content was slightly decreased from 4.6% of control to 3.2% of $90^{\circ}C$ D.I-w treated sample. Results of total monomeric sugar contents and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that structural changes of cellulose/hemicellulose regions did not occurr during D.I-w treatment. Results of inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (ICP-ES) showed that miscanthus has the largest amount of inorganic constituents such as potassium (5,644 ppm), phosphorus (3,995 ppm), magnesium (1,403 ppm) and calcium (711 ppm). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that the yield of char slightly decreased whereas the yield of volatiles increased with increasing D.I-w treatment temperature. In addition, differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA) indicated that the maximum decomposition rate ($V_M$) and temperature ($T_M$) corresponding to VM were varied from $0.82%/^{\circ}C$, $360.60^{\circ}C$ of control to $1.17%/^{\circ}C$, $362.62^{\circ}C$ of $90^{\circ}C$-D.I-w treated sample.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2000

Proton extrusion by hairy roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer was enhanced by iron-deficiency or single salt solutions of nitrate or ammonium salts. The enhancement effect of iron-deficiency was confined to the apical zones, whereas that of nitrate and ammonium was confined to the basal root zones. tinder iron-deficiency medium, the proton extrusion of ginseng hairy roots was higher at two times than that grown in the medium of iron-sufficiency. According to pH in the medium, uptake of inorganic elements showed various patterns for the kind of inorganic elements. $Ca^{2＋}$, $Mg^{2＋}$ and Fe$^{2＋}$ were highest uptake at the pH 4.8 and Mn$^{2＋}$, Zn$^{2＋}$ and Cu$^{2＋}$ were highest uptake at the pH 3.8. Free sugars and ginsenosides were analyzed by HPLC. Five kinds of free sugars were indentified in ginseng hairy roots. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were a major sugar in ginseng hairy roots and contents of free sugars were highest at pH 6.8 and pH 4.8, respectively. The contents of ginsenosides and phenolic compounds were highest at pH 5.8. This physiological responses in ginseng hairy root indicated that it may well be a good model system for the study of mechanism of mobilization and uptake of inorganic elements related with the red-colored phenomenon in ginseng roots.