• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2019

In order to understand the effects of the main components of antifoaming agents on the marine benthic ecosystem when silicone-based antifoaming agents are discharged into marine environments, eco-toxicity testing was performed on silicone and alcohol-based antifoaming agent by using benthic amphipod (Monocorophium acherusicum) and luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri). The toxic effects of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a main component of silicone-based antifoaming agents on aquatic organisms were also researched. In the results of the eco-toxicity test, luminescent bacteria showed a maximum of 9 times more toxic effects than benthic amphipod for alcohol-based antifoaming agents, and silicone-based antifoaming agents showed a maximum of 400 times more toxic effects than alcohol-based. The $LC_{50}$ and $EC_{50}$ values of PDMS ranged from 10 to $44,500{\mu}g/L$ in phytoplankton, invertebrate, and fish. In the results of applying PBT (P: persistency, B: bioaccumulation, T: toxicity) characteristics as an index showing the qualitative characteristics of PDMS, persistency (P) and bioaccumulation (B) were confirmed. Thus, when PDMS is discharged to marine environments, it could accumulate in the upper trophic level through bioaccumulation and the food chain, which could have negative effects on benthic organisms. The results of this study may be used for objective and scientific risk assessment, considering the major components of antifoaming agents when investigating the effects of various discharged antifoaming agents in marine ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.366-372
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• 2009

This study looked at toxicity of Mediterranean mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, which had accumulated paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) from early March to late May 2005 at Jinhae Bay, Korea. Alexandrium sp. was observed in low densities (< 1,000 cells/L) at the beginning of the study in March, increased rapidly in April, declined rapidly and disappeared in May. Although low densities of Alexandrium sp. were observed in March, mussel toxicity exceeded regulation level ($80{\mu}g$ STXeq. /100 g). Peak PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) toxicity in the mussels occurred during high Alexandrium sp. cell densities in April. Mussels toxicity decreased with decline of Alexandrium sp. cell density. Major toxin components identified were $GTX_1$, $GTX_4$, followed by $C_1$, $C_2$, $GTX_2$, $GTX_3$ and neoSTX. Trace or sporadic toxin components were STX, $GTX_5$, $dcGTX_2$, $dcGTX_3$ and dcSTX. Toxin component analysis from the middle to end of the study showed that $11{\beta}$-epimers ($GTX_{3,4}$, $C_2$) were converted into $11{\alpha}$-epimers ($GTX_{1,2}$, $C_1$) and started to determine STX.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.52-61
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• 2019

Over the past few decades, microalgae-based biotechnology conjugated with innovative CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic engineering has been attracted much attention for the cost-effective and eco-friendly value-added compounds production. However, the discharge of reproducible living modified organism (LMO) into environmental condition potentially causes serious problem in aquatic environment, and thus it is essential to assess potential environmental risk for human health. Accordingly, in this study, we monitored discharged genetically modified microalgae (GMM) near the research complex which is located in Daejeon, South Korea. After testing samples obtained from 6 points of near streams, several green-colored microalgal colonies were detected under hygromicin-containing agar plate. By identification of selection marker genes, the GMM was not detected from all the samples. For the lab-scale environmental risk assessment of GMM, acute toxicity test using rotifer Brachionus calcyflorus was performed by feeding GMM. After feeding, there was no significant difference in mortality between WT and transformant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. According to further analysis of horizontal transfer of green fluorescence protein (GFP)-coding gene after 24 h of incubation in synthetic freshwater, we concluded that the GFP-expressed gene not transferred into predator. However, further risk assessments and construction of standard methods including prolonged toxicity test are required for the accurate ecological risk assessment.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2016

Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology can be used to assess impacts on the environment that might be generated during treatment of wastewater and sludge treatment. In this work, LCA methodology was suggested to evaluate monthly environmental impact of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Two field scale WWTPs, A2/O process and conventional activated sludge process (CAS), were selected as target plants and the operational data were collected from those plants. As the function units, the unit volume of treated wastewater of $1m^3$ and 1 kg T-N eq. removed were selected. The environmental effect of target WWTPs operation were assessed as impact categories such as global warming potential, eutrophication potential, and so on. From monthly profiles of each index, it was shown that the environmental impact of WWTPs has seasonal patterns influenced by the influent flow rate variation causing higher impacts in winter than summer. This is due to the fact that there were no significant increase in the electricity consumption and chemical usage during the summer while the treated volume of wastewater was increased.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.41-49
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• 2000

When sewage and industrial wastewater are treated to improve the coastal water quality, we usually consider the reduction of BOD and/or COD. Due to the inflow of untreated nitrogen and phosphorus, however, the coastal water has eutrophicated. Thus, to improve the water qualify, it is necessary to treat and reduce nitrogen and phosphorus which are the factors limiting algal growth. Hence, with regard to the adaption of Ocean Outfall for the treatment of wastewater in Suyoung Bay, we studied the effectiveness and environmental assessment of Ocean Outfall of which cost is lower than that of advanced treatment, The effectiveness of Ocean Outfall of the second treatment effluent in Nambu S.T.P. was simulated, using the eco-hydrodynamic model as far field model the result showed that the water quality of coastal area receiving wastewater on the surface sea has improved. But the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus around the diffuser of Ocean Outfall system can cause many problems on estuary, such as red tide, eutrophication and aquatic toxicity.

• Clean Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2018

In this study, Material life cycle evaluation was performed to analyze the environmental impact characteristics of TiN-Zr membrane manufacturing process. The software of MLCA was Gabi. Through this, environmental impact assessment was performed for each process. Transition metal nitrides have been researched extensively because of their properties. Among these, TiN has the most attention. TiN is a ceramic materials which possess the good combination of physical and chemical properties, such as high melting point, high hardness, and relatively low specific gravity, high wear resistance and high corrosion resistance. With these properties, TiN plays an important role in functional materials for application in separation hydrogen from fossil fuel. Precursor TiN was synthesized by sol-gel method and zirconium was coated by ball mill method. The metallurgical, physical and thermodynamic characteristics of the membranes were analyzed by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermo Gravimetry/Differential Thermal Analysis (TG/DTA), Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) and Gas Chromatograph System (GP). As a result of characterization and normalization, environmental impacts were 94% in MAETP (Marine Aquatic Ecotoxicity), 2% FAETP (Freshwater Aquatic Ecotoxicity), 2% HTP (Human Toxicity Potential). TiN fabrication process appears to have a direct or indirect impact on the human body. It is believed that the greatest impact that HTP can have on human is the carcinogenic properties. This shows that electricity use has a great influence on ecosystem impact. TiN-Zr was analyzed in Eco-Indicator '99 (EI99) and CML 2001 methodology.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2022

The development of the electrical, electronic, and telecommunication industries has increased the share of electricity in total energy consumption. With the enforcement of the Act on the Promotion of the Development, Use, and Diffusion of New and Renewable Energy in 2021, the mandatory supply ratio of new and renewable energy is expected to expand, and the amount of waste cables generated in the stage of replacing and discarding cables used in the industry is also expected to increase. The purpose of this study was to quantify the environmental burden of waste cable recycling through the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The results showed that the higher the amount of glue contained in the waste cable, the greater was the amount of fine dust and greenhouse gases generated. In addition, by assigning weights to 10 environmental burden items, it was confirmed that the marine aquatic eco-toxicity potential (MAETP) and human toxicity potential (HTP) had the greatest environmental burden. The main causes were identified as heptane and ethanol, which were the glue contained in the waste cable and the cleaning solutions used to remove them. Therefore, it is necessary to refrain from using glue in the cable production process and reduce the environmental burden by reducing the use of waste cable cleaning solutions used in the recycling process or using alternative materials.