• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2022

In the process of long-term use of PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells), chemical degradation of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) occurs due to corrosion of stack elements and contamination of supply gas. In this study, we investigated whether chemically degraded MEA can be recovered by acid washing. The performance was measured and compared in a PEMFC cell after contamination with iron ions and washing with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The performance was reduced by about 25% by 0.5 ppm iron ion contamination, and 97.1% performance recovery was possible by washing of 0.15 M sulfuric acid. The membrane resistance was increased due to iron ion contamination of the polymer membrane, and the ionic conductivity was restored by washing the iron ions from the membrane while minimizing the loss of the electrode catalyst by washing with a low-concentration sulfuric acid aqueous solution. The possibility of solving the decrease in durability caused by chemical contamination of PEMFC MEA by the acid washing was confirmed.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2017

Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis (PEMWE) is one of the most popular and widely used methods for hydrogen production. PEMWE contributes to eco-friendly system via its energy storage system application, hence making it environmentally friendly to use. However, its main drawback is contamination of proton exchange membrane during water electrolysis. Existing cation such as magnesium, calcium and the likes are the cause for membrane contamination. As a result, the cation contamination give rise to degradation of performance of electrolysis and the reverse electrolysis is effective method to remove cation.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.133-142
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• 1996

Ten intrabony defects in 10 patients were treated by flap surgery including root surface debridement and placement of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene(ePTFE) membrane. The membranes were removed after 4-6 weeks. This study was performed to examine the retrived ePTFE membrane by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) for bacterial contamination and adherent connective tissue elements, and to compare it with clinical conditions. The cervical portion of the membrane, which in most cases had become partially exposed to the oral cavity, had a bacterial deposit. Small bacterial colonies and a scatter of single cells in some instances extended into the apical portion of the membrane. Fibroblast-like cells, erythrocytes and fibrous structures were seen in the apical portion of the membrane. Outer surface of membrane tends to more bacterial contamination than inner surface(p<0.01), and upper portions more than lower portions(P<0.01). Comparison of ultrastructural findings and clinical conditions revealed that extent of bacterial contamination of the membrane correlated with gingival inflammation and extent of membrane exposure, but it was not significant statistically. The results suggested that gingival inflammation and membrane exposure affect periodontal regeneration by the use of ePTFE membrane.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.103-116
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• 1996

This study was performed to observe the bacterial adhesion and penetration to e-PTFE membrane following guided tissue regeneration(GTR) procedure and to evaluate the association of the membrane exposure and bacterial contamination with the clinical outcome. For the study, ten infrabony defects in 9 patient were treated by mucoperiosteal flap operation including placement of the e-PTFE membrane. The treated teeth were monitored weekly for the membrane exposure, gingival recession and gingival inflammation. The membranes were retrieved after 4 to 6 weeks, examined by SEM for bacterial contamination and adherent connective tisue elements, and observed under LM for the bacterial penetration into membrane. Three months postsurgery, the defect sites were clinically reexamined for the changes in attachment level and probing depth. Comparison of the ultrastuctural findings and clinical outcome revealed that extent of membrane exposure and bacterial contamination of the membrane was inversely associated with clinical attachment gain. From this finding, the extent of membrane exposure and the bacterial contamination on the apical portion of the e-PTFE membrane at the time of removal seemed to be a critical determinant on the clinical outcome of GTR and the membrane exposure needs to be controlled for optimal results.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.07c
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• pp.2211-2213
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• 2005

Recently, the membrane technology has actively been applied to make generating water because the convention; chemical treatment technology for purifying water has caused second environmental pollution. In spite of its ecological advantages, this membrane technology has some drawbacks such as ease of membrane contamination, efficiency and running cost. The purpose of this research is reduction of membrane contamination by applying high voltage pulsed electric field to the water prior to its penetrating membrane.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.104-107
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• 2017

Among many methods in solving the organic contamination in the reverse osmosis operation, caustic soda (NaOH) wash method is efficient and commercially affordable. In continuation of our many organic pollution removal works, this study focused mainly on caustic soda wash with micro-bubble to removal the organic contamination of the spent membrane from reverse osmosis process. First, the membrane was forced the pollute using known organic pollutants such as Humic acid, Bovine serum albumin, Sodium alginate drug. The organic contamination on the membrane was monitored flux. The decontamination of organic contaminants was derived flux variation at individual caustic soda was injected micro-bubble methods and combined method as well. the found results explain removal of organic contaminants effective only by combined caustic soda wash with micro-bubble methods.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.187-190
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• 2012

Contamination of ion from cathode air on the membrane and electrode assembly (MEA) is the serious degradation source in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). In this study, concentration of ions in air at industry region, street and seaside were measured. There were comparably high concentration of $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$ and $Fe^{3+}$ in this regions. This paper shows the effects of MEA contamination by these ions generated from humidification water. After 170 hours of fuel cell operation using city water as humidification water, the performance of unit cell decrease to 11% of initial performance. The electrolyte membrane easily absorbed foreign contaminant cations due to the stronger affinity of foreign cations with the sulfonic acid group compared to $H^+$. The contaminant ions existing in the interface between the platinum catalyst and ionomer layer turn out to be the most serious factor to decrease cell performance.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2006

Concentration and distribution of Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Mn, Pb, Ni among subcellular fractions (cellular membrane structures and cytosol) and Zn, Cu, Cd among cytoplasmic proteins in the kidney and digestive gland of mussel Modiolus modiolus living along a polymetallic concentration gradient were studied. It was found in the kidney of M. modiolus from contaminated sites that the Fe percent increased in the "membrane" fraction, whereas Zn, Pb, Ni and Mn percent increased in the cytosol compared to the kidney of the control mussel. Note kidney cytosol of M. modiolus from clean and contaminated sites sequestered major parts of Cu and Cd. In the digestive gland of M. modiolus from contaminated sites Fe, Zn, Cd, Mn, Ni percent increased in the "membrane" fraction, whereas Cu, Pb percent increased in the cytosol compared to digestive gland of control mussel. Gel-filtration chromatography shows kidney of M. modiolus contains increased metallothionein-like protein levels irrespective of ambient dissolved metal concentrations. It was shown that the metal detoxification system in the kidney and digestive gland of M. modiolus was efficient under extremely high ambient metal levels. However, under complex environmental contamination in the kidney of M. modiolus, the metal detoxification capacity of metallothionein-like proteins was damaged.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1991.10a
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• pp.17-26
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• 1991

It can be said that the current ULSI technology has been supported and/or accomplished by a major challenge to the clean room environment and the ultrapure water equipment manufacturers as to contamination control. The required improvement in ultrapure water quality, which is shown in Figure 1, would not have been possible without significant improvements in membrane performance and enhancements in analytical capabilities.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.18-21
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• 1996

Virus and DNA removal in bio-drug manufacturing processes has received a great deal of attention in recent years. Removing of a virus using a membrane process is a promising method, because inactivated virus can be removed from the bio-drug and the process can be used as an additional and security inactivation after the method of general heat-inactivation of the virus in the bio-drug. The FDA and the biopharmaceutical industry have recently announced strict guidelines for impurities of virus and DNA contamination. The regulatory guidelines on residual amounts of DNA in mammalian cell culture products require DNA contamination of less than 100 pg/dose. Therefore, permeation and rejection of DNA through the porous membranes have become important in the application of DNA removal in bio-drug manufacturing using membrane technology. In this study, the permeation of DNA and chromatin through regenerated cellulose hollow fibers that have a mean pore diameter of 15 nm was investigated.