• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.310-317
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: The salt in soil interrupts crop growth. Therefore, water resources are used to remove any salt found in the soil. However, water resources have been reduced by global warming; thus, a new study is required into reducing the salt in soil. Recently, the bottom ash (BA) of a biomass power plant was found to be similar to biochar. Hence, it can be used to remove heavy metals and wastewater through the adsorption characteristics of BA. The objective of this study was to evaluate the improvement effects on crop growth in saline soil containing the BA from biomass power plants. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect on crop growth in the saline soil supplemented with BA was studied with the crop-planted pots, which were packed by reclaimed greenhouse soils collected from Byolyang, Suncheon. The BA application level was 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 kg/10a (referred as BA25, BA50, BA100, BA200, and BA400, respectively). The BA increased the fresh weights of the leaf and root, while nitrogen uptake increased by approximately 24-102% and 54-77%, respectively for the lead and root. The phosphorous uptake increased by 38%, although only in the leaf of the lettuce. In the case of soil, BA increased water content, pH, EC, CEC, and NH₄⁺ and the SAR of the soil decreased by 5-15%. The bottom ash increased the contents of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, and fixed the amount of Na⁺. CONCLUSION(S): It was confirmed the bottom ash of a biomass power plant, based on wood pellets, improved crop growth, and increased the nutrient uptake of crops in saline soil. In addition, bottom ash, which has a wide range of porosity and high values of pH and EC, improved properties of the saline soil. However, the BA has a large amount of B, As, and heavy metals. Finally, it may require a study on the safety and contamination of heavy metals contained in the bottom ash, which would be applied in soil for a long time.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2007

Sweat contents were investigated for using those data to forensic purpose. The experiments of identifying sweat contents were as follow: 1) measurement of amino acids (aspartic acid, serine, glycine etc) by HPLC, 2) anions ($Cl^-$, $F^-$, and $SO{_4}^{2-}$) by IC and 3) trace elements (Cu, Zn, Li, B, etc.) by ICP-MS. Amino acid contents in sweat are varied with individual samples and glycine, threonine, alanine, valine and histidine are detected as the prime one. The detected anions are $Cl^-$(2167~4073 ppm) and $F^-$(454~582 ppm) mostly. Trace elements of Rb, Zn and Cu are detected and those concentrations are relatively very high. The compositions of sweat can be influenced by various factors (diet, anthropometric, characteristics, physical fitness, age, gender and the state of the health).

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.629-642
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• 2023

Currently, low and intermediate level radioactive waste is being disposed of at the Gyeongju disposal site for permanent isolation. Since 2006, the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency has been conducting site characteristics surveys continuously verifying changes in the site based on the site monitoring and investigation plan. The hydrogeochemical environment of the disposal site is considered for the evaluation of natural barriers. However, the seawater must be considered because of the regional characteristics of Gyeongju, which is near the East Sea. Therefore, this study, collected 30 samples for deriving the groundwater quality data from seven wells and compared with two seawater samples collected from October 2017 to June 2022. Additionally, the study explores the groundwater monitoring method using statistical tools such as clustering and background concentration analysis. The groundwater samples in the study area were classified into two to four clusters depending on their chemical constituents-especially, EC, HCO₃, Na, and Cl-using statistical analysis, molar ratio, and K-means clustering.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.251-261
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• 2023

Background: This paper deals with the study of natural radioactivity in rocks from Ogun State in Southwestern Nigeria. The aim is to determine radiation emissions from rocks in order to estimate radiation hazard indices. Objectives: The following objectives were targeted: 1. To determine radiation emissions from each type of rocks; 2. To estimate radiation hazard indices based on the rocks; 3. To correlate the activity concentrations of radionuclides with major oxides. Methods: The samples were analyzed using a NaI (Tl) gamma ray spectrometric detector and PerkinElmer AAnalyst 400 AAS spectrometer. Results: The activity of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, and ²³²Th were found in order of decreasing magnitude from pegmatite>granite>migmatite. In contrast, lower concentrations were found in shale, phosphate, clay stone, sandstone and limestone. The mean absorbed doses were 125±23 nGyh^-1 (migmatite), 74±13 nGy/h (granite), 72±13 nGyh^-1 (pegmatite), 64±09 nGyh^-1 (quartzite), 45±16 nGyh^-1 (shale), 41±09 nGyh^-1 (limestone), 41±11 nGyh^-1 (clay stone), 24±03 nGyh^-1 (phosphate), and 21±10 nGyh^-1 (sandstone). The outdoor effective dose rates in all rock samples were slightly higher than the world average dose value of 0.34 mSvy^-1. The percentage composition of SiO₂ in the rock samples was above 50 wt% except for in the limestone, shale and phosphate. Al₂O₃ ranged from 4.10~21.24 wt%, Fe₂O₃ from 0.39~7.5 wt%, and CaO from 0.09-46.6 wt%. In addition, Na₂O and K₂O were present in at least 5 wt%. Other major oxides, including TiO₂, P₂O₅, K₂O, MnO, MgO and Na₂O were depleted. Conclusions: The findings suggest that Ogun State may be described as a region with elevated background radiation. It is recommended that houses should be constructed with good cross ventilation and residences should use home radiation monitoring instruments to monitor radon emanating from walls.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.799-816
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• 2023

Mineralogical and geochemical studies of shales within the Lower Anambra Basin was conducted to unravel the depositional environment, provenance, maturity, paleo-weathering conditions, and tectonic settings. Mineralogical studies conducted using X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the samples were composed of kaolinite, montmorillonite, chlorite, and illite. KaolinIite is the dominant mineral, constituting approximately 41.5% of the bulk composition, whereas the non-clay minerals are quartz, ilmenite, and sillimanite. Geochemical analysis showed a predominance of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₂O₃ contents of the shale samples with mean values of 52.29%, 14.09%, and 6.15% for Imo Shale (IS); 52.31%, 16.70%, and 7.39% for Mamu Shale (MS); 43.21%, 21.33%, and 10.36% for Enugu Shale (ES); 53.35%, 15.64%, and 7.17% for Nkporo Shale (NS); and 51.24%, 17.25%, and 7.78% for Agwu Shale (AS). However, the shales were depleted in Na₂O, MgO, K₂O, MnO, TiO₂, CaO, and P₂O₅. The trace element ratios of Ni/Co and Cu/Zn of the shale suggest an oxic depositional environment. The average SiO₂ vs. Al₂O₃ ratio of the shales indicated textural maturity. Compared to the PAAS standard, the shales plot below the PAAS value of 0.85, suggesting a high degree of maturity and intensive chemical weathering, further confirmed on a CIA vs. PIA plot. On log (K₂O/Na₂O) against SiO₂ and tectonic setting discriminant function diagrams, the shales plot mostly in the field of passive continental margin tectonic setting. The discriminant function diagrams as well as Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ratio of the shales showed that they were derived from a mixed source (mafic and intermediate igneous rocks).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2023

Physiological disorders in pear fruit are mainly caused by problems during the growing season, such as lack of calcium in the soil, poor drainage, low porosity, vigorous pruning, and excessive fruiting. In this study, soil physicochemical properties and leaf characteristics were analyzed in pear orchards in four regions of Korea where chlorosis symptoms occurred to determine the causes of chlorosis. The color of chlorotic leaves was diagnosed using the naked eye or SPAD and Hunter values. The soil of the chlorotic orchard had a significantly higher soil pH than that of the regular orchard. Although adequate soil depth was not significantly associated with chlorosis, combined with over-fertilization of the soil with lime, it could potentially impair plant iron uptake. Chlorotic leaves had significantly lower iron and calcium contents and significantly higher magnesium contents than those of regular leaves. Therefore, the intensive occurrence of chlorosis during secondary shoot development around June and July when it is hot and humid may be due to impaired iron and calcium absorption, leading to physiological disorders. To solve this problem, avoiding the over-application of lime and applying foliar fertilizers containing chelated iron is recommended.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.56-62
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• 2023

Transgenic lilies have been obtained using Agrobacterium tumefaciens (AGL1) with the plant scale explants, followed by DL-phosphinothricin (PPT) selection. In this study, scales of lily plants cv. "red flame" were transformed with the pCAMBIA3301 vector containing the gus gene as a reporter and the blpR gene as a selectable marker, as well as a gene of interest showing herbicide tolerance, both driven by the CaMV 35S promoter. Using a 20-minute infection time and a 5-day cultivation period, factors that optimized and demonstrated a high transformation efficiency were achieved. With these conditions, approximately 22-27% efficiency was observed for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in lilies. After transformation with Agrobacterium, scales of lilies were transferred to MS medium without selective agents for 2 weeks. They were then placed on selection MS medium containing 5 mg/L PPT for a month of further selection and then cultured for another 4-8 weeks with a 4-week subculture regime on the same selection medium. PPT-resistant scales with shoots were successfully rooted and regenerated into plantlets after transferring into hormone-free MS medium. Also, most survived putatively transformed plantlets indicated the presence of the blpR gene by PCR analysis and showed a blue color indicating expression of the gus gene. In conclusion, when 100 scales of lily cv. "red flame" are transformed with Agrobacterium, approximately 22-27 transgenic plantlets can be produced following an optimized protocol. Therefore, this protocol can contribute to the lily breeding program in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.425-435
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• 2023

Organoleptic parameters such as color, odor, and flavor influence consumer perception of drinking water quality. This study aims to evaluate the taste of the selected bottled and tap water samples using an electronic tongue (E-tongue) instead of a sensory test. Bottled and tap water's mineral components are related to the overall preference for water taste. Contrary to the sensory test, the potentiometric E-tongue method presented in this study distinguishes taste by measuring the mineral components in water, and the data obtained can be statistically analyzed. Eleven bottled water products from various brands and one tap water from I city in Korea were evaluated. The E-tongue data were statistically analyzed using multivariate statistical tools such as hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The results show that the E-tongue method can clearly distinguish taste discrimination in drinking water differing in water quality based on the ion-related water quality parameters. The water quality parameters that affect taste discrimination were found to be total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), sulfate (SO₄^2-), chloride (Cl^-), potassium (K⁺) and pH. The distance calculation of HCA was used to quantify the differences between 12 different types of drinking water. The proposed E-tongue method is a practical tool to quantitatively evaluate the differences between samples in water quality items related to the ionic components. It can be helpful in quality control of drinking water.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

The present study aimed to screen unrecorded wild yeasts from Jeju lsland and Jangsado on the southern coast of Korea, and to investigate their microbiological characteristics. To date, Coniozyma leucospermi JJD37-2, Hanseniaspora thailandica JJD44-1, Kluyveromyces nonfermentans JJD15-1, Kockovaella fuzhouensis JJD47-3, Vishniacozyma heimaeyensis JJD8-4, Candida carpophila JSDH24-1, Wickerhamomyces strasburgensis JSDH34-2, Candida savonica HJD6-4, and Candida karawaiewii YP23-3 have not been previously recorded in Korea. In the present study, we investigated the microbiological characteristics of these previously unrecorded yeasts. Except for W. strasburgensis JSDH34-2 strain, none of the strains formed spores, and only the C. leucospermi JJD37-2 strain formed pseudomycelia. Almost all strains grew well in yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) medium, potato dextrose (PD) medium and yeast extract-malt extract (YM) media. C. carpophila JSDH24-1 and W. strasburgensis JSDH34-2 also grew well in YPD medium containing 10% NaCl. H. thailandica JJD44-1 is fermented to produce glucose, fructose and mannose.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.561-569
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• 2014

This study was carried out to get the characteristics of anaerobic digestion for chemical/biological sludge produced from municipal sewage treatment plant for phosphorus. Anaerobic mesophilic batch tests showed that the ultimate biodegradability of waste activated sludge showed 31%, PACl sludge 24%, Alum sludge 26%, respectively. At the S/I 1.0, 75% of total biodegradable volatile solids (TBVS) of waste activated sludge was degraded with an initial rapid decay coefficient, k1 of $0.1129day^{-1}$ and 74% of TBVS of PACl sludge with k1 of $0.0998day^{-1}$, and 76% of TBVS of Alum sludge with k1 of $0.1091day^{-1}$ for 20 days. During the operation of SCFMRs, the 3 reactor (Control, PACl, Alum) pH maintained 6.7~7.0 and the reactor alkalinity maintained 1,800~ 2,200 mg/L as $CaCO_3$. The average biogas production rates of SCFMRs fed with PACl sludge and Alum sludge were 0.089 v/v-d and 0.091 v/v-d, respectively, which was 27~28% lower than that of the control (0.124 v/v-d) at an HRT (hydraulic retention times) of 20 days. And the methane content during the operation ranged 70~76% in 3 reactor. The average TVS removal efficiency of SCFMRs fed with PACl sludge and Alum sludge were 19.6% and 19.9%, respectively, at an HRT of 20 days, which showed 4% lower than that of the control (23.8%). The average BVS removal efficiency of SCFMRs fed with PACl sludge and Alum sludge were 25.8% and 26.9%, respectively, at an HRT of 20 days, which was 8~9% lower than that of the control (34.5%).