• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.515-525
• /
• 2023

The most common heart valve disorder is calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS), which is characterized by a narrowing of the aortic valve. Treatment with the drug molecule, in addition to surgical and transcatheter valve replacement, is the primary focus of researchers in this field. The purpose of this study is to determine whether niclosamide can reduce calcification in aortic valve interstitial cells (VICs). To induce calcification, cells were treated with a pro-calcifying medium (PCM). Different concentrations of niclosamide were added to the PCM-treated cells, and the level of calcification, mRNA, and protein expression of calcification markers was measured. Niclosamide inhibited aortic valve calcification as observed from reduced alizarin red s staining in niclosamide treated VICs and also decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of calcification-specific markers: runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteopontin. Niclosamide also reduced the formation of reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase activity and the expression of Nox2 and p22^phox. Furthermore, in calcified VICs, niclosamide inhibited the expression of β-catenin and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3β), as well as the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. Taken together, our findings suggest that niclosamide may alleviate PCM-induced calcification, at least in part, by targeting oxidative stress mediated GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway via inhibiting activation of AKT and ERK, and may be a potential treatment for CAVS.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.406-411
• /
• 1998

Representive cured products such as ham and sausage produced in Korea were purchased at retail and cooked using heating tools such as a gas range (GR), an electric range (ER) and electric range after boiled (BE). Changes of N-nitrosamine (NA), nitrate and nitrite in the cured meats containing< $2.0\;\mu\textrm{g}/kg$ of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) were checked and analyzed during their cooking process. Contents of nitrate and nitrite in ham products prior to cooking were 2.0 and 1.8 mg/kg, respectively; their contents in regular hams were slightly increased, but those of nitrate in press hams were decreased while those of nitrite were increased during its cooking process. Their contents in sausage products were 1.8 and 0.9 mg/kg; those of nitrate were decreased, while nitrite were slightly increased during its cooking process. NDMA detected only NA in all the collected cured products. Changes of NDMA, regardless of cooking methods, tend to drastically increase in all samples after their cooking; Its contents were increased by average 6.0~70.7 times in the GR samples, by average 2.4~39.2 times in the ER samples and by average 7.0~56.3 times in the BE samples. Virtually, the fact that all of this nitrosamine appeared to arise by the action of precursor such as NOx was produced during the cooking of cured products.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.330-334
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND: More recently, it has been shown that atmospheric ammonia (NH₃) plays a primary role in the formation of secondary particulate matter by reacting with the acidic species, e.g. SO₂, NOx, to form PM2.5 aerosols in the atmosphere. The Jeonbuk region is an area with high concentration of particulate matter. Due to environmental changes in the Saemangeum reclaimed land with an area of 219 km², it is necessary to evaluate the impact of the particulate matter and atmospheric ammonia in the Jeonbuk region. METHODS AND RESULTS: Atmospheric ammonia concentrations were measured from June 2020 to May 2021 using a passive sampler and CRDS analyzer. Seasonal and annual atmospheric ammonia concentration measured using passive sampler was significantly lower in Jangjado (background concentration), and the concentration ranged from 11.4 ㎍/m³ to 18.2 ㎍/m³. Atmospheric ammonia concentrations in Buan, Gimje, Gunsan, and Wanju regions did not show a significant difference, although there was a slight seasonal difference. The maximum atmospheric ammonia concentration measured using the CRDS analyzer installed in the IAMS near the Saemangeum reclaimed land was 51.5 ㎍/m³ in autumn, 48.0 ㎍/m³ in summer, 37.6 ㎍/m³ in winter, and 32.7 ㎍/m³ in spring. The minimum concentration was 4.9 ㎍/m³ in spring, 4.2 ㎍/m³ in summer, and 3.5 ㎍/m³ in autumn and winter. The annual average concentration was 14.6 ㎍/m³. CONCLUSION(S): Long term monitoring of atmospheric ammonia in agricultural areas is required to evaluate the formation of fine particulate matter and its impact on the environment. In addition, continuous technology development is needed to reduce ammonia emitted from farmland.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.313-318
• /
• 2013

In order to investigate the effect of $V_2O_5$ loading of $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalyst on the NO reduction and the formation of $N_2O$, the experimental study was carried out in a differential reactor using the powder catalyst. The NO reduction and the ammonia oxidation were, respectively, investigated over the catalysts compose of $V_2O_5$ content (1~8 wt%) based on the fixed composition of $WO_3$ (9 wt%) on $TiO_2$ powder. $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalysts had the NO reduction activity even under the temperature of $200^{\circ}C$. However, the lowest temperature for NO reduction activity more than 99.9% to treat NO concentration of 700 ppm appeared at 340 with very limited temperature window in the case of 1 wt% $V_2O_5$ catalyst. And the temperature shifted to lower one as well as the temperature window was widen as the $V_2O_5$ content of the catalyst increased, and finally reached at the activation temperature ranged $220{\sim}340^{\circ}C$ in the case of 6 wt% $V_2O_5$ catalyst. The catalyst of 8 wt% $V_2O_5$ content presented lower activity than that of 8 wt% $V_2O_5$ content over the full temperature range. NO reduction activity decreased as the $V_2O_5$ content of the catalyst increased above $340^{\circ}C$. The active site for NO reduction over $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalysts was mainly related with $V_2O_5$ particles sustained as the bare surface with relevant size which should be not so large to stimulate $N_2O$ formation at high temperature over $320^{\circ}C$ according to the ammonia oxidation. Currently, $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalysts were operated in the temperature ranged $350{\sim}450^{\circ}C$ to treat NOx in the effluent gas of industrial plants. However, in order to save the energy and to reduce the secondary pollutant $N_2O$ in the high temperature process, the using of $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalyst of content $V_2O_5$ was recommended as the low temperature catalyst which was suitable for low temperature operation ranged $250{\sim}320^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.688-693
• /
• 2014

For investigating NO reduction activity of an catalytic filter, the catalytic performance was measured under the presence of $SO_2$ and $H_2O$, respectively or simultaneously in the simulation gas composed of NO, $NH_3$, and air. The catalytic filter was prepared by coating $V_2O_5-WO_3/TiO_2$ catalyst on the pore surface of SiC filter element of which the superior performance for the particulate removal was well known. At the temperature below $260^{\circ}C$, the catalytic activities were enormously decreased under the presence of $SO_2$ and $H_2O$, respectively or simultaneously, compared with those under the cases of the absence of $SO_2$ and $H_2O$. However, the presence of $SO_2$ promoted the performance of the catalytic filter above $320^{\circ}C$ with showing the NO conversion better than 99.8% for the NO inlet concentration of 500 ppm and at the face velocity of 2 cm/s. In particular, the presence of water showed high NO conversion higher than 99% up to high temperature of $380^{\circ}C$. This effect of water was explained by the reason that it retarded the ammonia oxidation which is the main step into the formation of $N_2O$. The initial NO reduction activity of the catalytic filter maintained for the duration of 100 hours in the presence of $SO_2$ and $H_2O$. Therefore, it was concluded that the catalytic filter was promisingly useful for the industrial NOx reduction catalyst in order to treat the particulate and NO simultaneously.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.297-303
• /
• 2007

Orimulsion, a bitumen-in-water emulsified fuel, has been used throughout the world as a substitute fuel for heavy oil and coal. Orimulsion has relatively high levels of sulfur, nickel, and vanadium, compared to other fuel oils and coals, and has been the subject of much debate regarding the environmental impacts. In Korea, Y power plant has operated boilers with Orimulsion as a fuel, and they has some drawbacks during the plant operation, such as plume opacity. In this study, we investigated the cause of formation mechanism and factors for the plume opacity by investigating the operation data, and measuring the particle size distribution at EP(Electrostatic Precipitator), FGD(Fuel Gas Desulfurization) and TMS(Telecommunications Management System) units. Resulting data showed the primary particles below 1 ${\mu}m$ formed were regrown by the recombination of $SO_3$ in wet-limestone FGD process, and thus the secondary particles are induced to cause the plume opacity.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.213-218
• /
• 2014

An investigation of the influence of $WO_3$ addition with different precursors and preparation methods on the phase formation and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) efficiency of anatase-$TiO_2$ powders has been carried out. An anatase-$TiO_2$ synthesized by precipitation process was used as a catalyst support. For $WO_3(10wt%)/TiO_2$, the W loading to the $TiO_2$ support led to the lower in anatase to rutile transition temperature to ${\sim}900^{\circ}C$ from $1200^{\circ}C$ of the $TiO_2$ support alone. In the case of $WO_3(10wt%)/TiO_2$ SCR powders obtained from a wet process with ammonium meta-tungstate (AMT) precursor, the highest $NO_X$ conversion efficiency was achieved at $450^{\circ}C$ remaining high efficiency at $500^{\circ}C$, while the same composition prepared from a dry process with $WO_3$ addition showed the lowered efficiency with temperature after reaching the efficiency maximum at $350^{\circ}C$. The same tendency has been found that the $V_2O_5(5wt%)-WO_3(10wt%)/TiO_2$ SCR powders obtained from the wet process with AMT precursor has shown the superior $NO_X$ conversion efficiency over 90 % in a wider temperature range of $300{\sim}500^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.191-196
• /
• 2006

The injection of ozone, produced by dielectric barrier discharge, into the exhaust gas gives rise to a rapid oxidation of NO that is the main component of nitrogen oxides($NO_x$) in most practical exhaust gases. Once NO is converted into $NO_2$, it on readily be reduced to $N_2$ in the next step by a reducing agent such as sodium sulfide and sodium sulfite. The reducing agents used ca also remove $SO_2$ effectively, which makes it possible to treat $NO_x\;and\;SO_2$ simultaneously. The present two-step process made up of an ozonizing chamber and an absorber containing a reducing agent solution was able to remove about 95% of the $NO_x$ and 100% of the $SO_2$, initially contained in the simulated exhaust gas. The formation of $H_2S$ from sodium sulfide was prevented by using a strong basic reagent(NaOH) together with the reducing agent. The removal of $NO_x$\;and\;SO_2$ was more effective for $Na_2S$ than $Na_2SO_3$.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.357-364
• /
• 2021

The present study investigated the hydration properties and NO_x-removal performances of the cement pastes containing three different types of TiO₂. Two commercially available TiO₂ (P-25 and NP-400) and refined TiO₂ (GST) obtained from waste sludge were incorporated to cement paste at levels of 0, 5, 10, and 20 wt%. Isothermal calorimetry test results indicated that the TiO₂ incorporation induced a notable influence on the reaction kinetics of cement paste, showing the highest cumulative heat release in the samples containing P-25, followed by NP-400 and GST. Quantitative X-ray diffractometry as calculated by the Rietveld method identified that the incorporated TiO₂ promoted the formation of C-S-H, ultimately leading to the enhancement in the 28 day-compressive strength of cement pastes. As revealed by SEM/EDS analysis, the content of distributed Ti elements on the surface of the samples was in the order of P-25, GST, and NP-400. Regardless, the NO_x-removal performance was the highest in the sample containing P-25, followed by NP-400 and GST.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.64 no.3
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 2022

To understand the distribution characteristics of PM_2.5 concentration in the Saemangeum Reclamation Area and nearby areas, three points of the background area, the occurrence area, and the affected area were selected and samples were collected for each season. The chemical composition was determined. As a result of analyzing the chemical composition contained in PM_2.5, NO₃^- (7.2 ㎍/m³), SO₄^2- (4.3 ㎍/m³), NH₄+ (4.3 ㎍/m³), OC (2.5 ㎍/m³), Si (1.3 ㎍/m³) m³) and EC (0.5 ㎍/m³) seemed to be the main components, and NO₃-, SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺, which are components that form secondary particles, occupied a large proportion. The composition ratio of PM_2.5 was investigated in the order of ion component (56.8%) > Unknown (27.4%) > carbon component (11.8%) > heavy metal component (4.0%). During the PM_2.5 high concentration case days, the ionic component accounted for 90.7% during atmospheric stagnation cases, whereas the chemical composition ratio was in the order of ionic component (51.7%) > heavy metal component (41.5%) > carbon component (6.8%) during yellow dust cases. It was found that the characteristic of PM_2.5 in the Saemangeum reclaimed land and surrounding areas is mainly influenced by outside (domestic and overseas) throughout the year. Ion components accounted for the largest portion of PM_2.5 components in this area, but there were few sources of SOx and NOx emission in the Seamangeum area, which are precursors for secondary particle formation. Therefore, it is judged that most of these are generated and influenced as a secondary reaction in the atmosphere from the outside.