• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2013

A preliminary investigation to establish the status of contamination of trace metals in the Western coast of Ghana was conducted prior to the commercial production of crude oil in the area. The study revealed the presence of heavy metals such as Pb (4.00-79.64 mg/kg), As (8.81-236 mg/kg), Cu (12.86-108.06 mg/kg), V (28.07-953.32 mg/kg), Zn (7.08-264.25 mg/kg), Cr (101.69-1366.62 mg/kg), Ni (42.41-451.43 mg/kg), Mn (16.77-1890.45mg/kg), Br (7.66-142.78 mg/kg), Ti (542.03-19960 mg/kg) and Fe (7472.88-97120 mg/kg) at six sites sampled along the coast. With the exception of Ti and Fe which showed no variation in metal concentration, the rest of the metals varied significantly among the sampled locations. Potential ecological risk of metals particularly of Co, As and Br which exhibited extreme enrichment of the sediments indicates considerable metal pollution in the studied areas. The degree of contamination is of particular concern especially to benthic biota that inhabit this environment for survival.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling Conference
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• 1999.09a
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• pp.1-63
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• 1999

Generation of abnormally large grains in the microstructure of small grains has been investigated on some ferrites. Some fractions of large grains were observed in the microstructure of sintered ZnFe$_2$O$_4$, Mn-ZnFe$_2$O$_4$, Fe$_3$O$_4$(in N$_2$) and MnFe$_2$O$_4$(in air). On the other hand, the large grains were not observed in NiFe$_2$O$_4$ and CoFe$_2$O$_4$, independent of calcining and sintering conditions. The large grains seem to be generated in such ferrites that are easy to vary their compositions or valencies at high temperatures. As the sintering proceeded, the number of large grains was increasing to form a continuous structure consisting of large grains, while the size of large grains did not increase remarkably. In addition, the growth of small grains was also very slow during the generation of the large grains. The large grains appeared to be suddenly generated after some induction periods. Avrami equation could be applied to the relation between net volume of large grains and sintering time. Thus, the grain boundaries may be strongly stabilized when the large grains are generated. The large grain in generated by the local activation of the stabilized grain boundaries, which is caused by the variation of compositions or valencies during sintering. It is concluded that the essence of the abnormal grain growth is not the generation of abnormally large grains, but the abnormal stabilization and the local activation of the grain boundaries.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.225-229
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• 2021

The digital image such as medical X-ray and nuclear medicine field mainly contains noise distribution. The noise degree in image degrades image quality. That is why, the noise reduction algorithm is efficient for medical image field. In this study, we confirmed effectiveness of application for median modified Wiener filter (MMWF) algorithm for noise reduction in PET/MR image compared with median filter image, which is used as conventional noise redcution algorithm. The Jaszczak PET phantom was used by using 18F solution and filled with NaCl+NiSO4 fluids. In addition, the radioactivity ratio between background and six spheres in the phantom is maintained to 1:8. In order to mimic noise distribution in the image, we applied Gaussian noise using MATLAB software. To evlauate image quality, the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and coefficient of variation (COV) were used. According to the results, compared with noise image and images with MMWF algorithm, the image with MMWF algorithm is increased approximately 33.2% for CNR result, decreased approximately 79.3% for COV result. In conclusion, we proved usefulness of MMWF algorithm in the PET/MR images.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 2021

Post-earthquake fire is a common disaster which causes serious safety issues to infrastructures. This study aims to investigate the residual loading capacities of circular concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns under post-earthquake fire experimentally and numerically. The experimental programme contains two loading steps - pre-damage cyclic loading at room temperature and transient state tests with constant compression loads. Three finite element models are developed and validated against the test results. Upon validation, a total of 48 numerical results were generated in the parametric study to investigate the effects of thickness and strengths of steel tube, axial compression ratio and damage degree on the fire resistance of circular CFST columns. Based on the analysis on experimental and numerical results, the loading mechanism of circular CFST columns is discussed. A design method is proposed for the prediction of fire resistance time under different seismic pre-damage and compression loads. The predictions by the new method is compared with the newly generated experimental and numerical results and is found to be accurate and consistent with the mean value close to the unity and a coefficient of variation around 1%.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.519-527
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• 2022

Shear failure in soil is the primary cause of most geotechnical structure failures or instability. Soil water content is a significant factor affecting soil shear strength. In this study, the shear strength of samples with different water contents was tested. The shear strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle decreased with increasing water content. Based on the variation of cohesion and internal friction angle, the water content zone was divided into a high-water content zone and low-water content zone with a threshold water content of 15.05%. Cohesion and internal friction angle have a good linear relationship with water content in both zones. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) test presented that the aggregates size of the compacted loess gradually increases with increasing water content. Meanwhile, the clay in the compacted loess forms a matric that envelops around the surface of the aggregates and fills the inter-aggregates pores. A quantitative analysis of bound water and free water under different water contents using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) test was carried out. The threshold water content between bound water and free water was slightly below the plastic limit, which is consistent with the results of shear strength parameters. Combined with the T2 distributions obtained by NMR, one can define a T2 relaxation time of 1.58 ms as the boundary point for bound water distribution without free water. Finally, the effects of bound water and free water on shear strength parameters were analyzed using linear regression analysis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.191-206
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• 2023

Ground cherry (Physalis pubescens) is the most prominent species in the Solanaceae family due to its nutritional content, and prospective health advantages. It is grown all over the world, but notably in northern China. In 2019 firstly bacterial leaf spot (BLS) disease was identified on P. pubescens in China that caused by both BLS pathogens Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria resulted in substantial monetary losses. Here, we compared whole genome sequences of X. euvesicatoria to other Xanthomonas species that caused BLS diseases for high similarities and dissimilarities in genomic sequences through average nucleotide identity (ANI) and BLAST comparison. Molecular techniques and phylogenetic trees were adopted to detect X. euvesicatoria on P. pubescens using recQ, hrpB1, and hrpB2 genes for efficient and precise identification. For rapid molecular detection of X. euvesicatoria, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and real-time PCR techniques were used. Whole genome comparison results showed that the genome of X. euvesicatoria was more closely relative to X. perforans than X. vesicatoria, and X. gardneri with 98%, 84%, and 86% ANI, respectively. All infected leaves of P. pubescens found positive amplification, and negative controls did not show amplification. The findings of evolutionary history revealed that isolated strains XeC10RQ, XeH9RQ, XeA10RQ, and XeB10RQ that originated from China were closely relative and highly homologous to the X. euvesicatoria. This research provides information to researchers on genomic variation in BLS pathogens, and further molecular evolution and identification of X. euvesicatoria using the unique target recQ gene through advance molecular approaches.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.57-79
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• 1993

Chuncheon nephrite, which was formed by the polymetasomatic alteration of dolomitic marble, can be classified into pale green, green, dark green, and grey types on the basis of their occurrence, mineralogical and textural characteristics. The nephrites consist obiefly of fibrous or hairlike(length/width ratio>10) cryptocrystalline(crystal width < $2{\mu}m$) tremolite, and include less amounts of micro-crystalline diopside, calcite, clinochlore, and sphene as impurities. The oriented and rather curved crystal aggregate, of nephritic tremolite are densely interwoven, resulting in a massive-fibrous texture which may explain the characteristic toughness of nephritic jade. The characteristic greenish color of the nephrite may be preferably related to Fe rather than Cr and Ni. However, the variation of color and tint in the Chuncheon nephrite also depends on the mineralogical and textural differences such as crystallinity, texture, and impurities. The chemical composition of the nephritic tremolite is not stoichiometric and rather dispersed especially in the abundances of Al, Mg, and Ca. Al content and Mg/Ca ratio for the nephritic tremolite are slightly increased with deepening in greenish color of the nephrite. Fe content in the nephritic tremolite is generally very low, but comparatively richer in the dark green nephrite. In nephritic tremolite, wide-chain pyriboles are irregularly intervened between normal double chains, forming a chain-width disorder. Most nephritic tremolites in the Chuncheon nephrite show various type of chain-width defects such as triple chain(jimthompsonite), quintuple chain (chesterite), or sometimes quadruple chain in HRTEM observations. The degree of chain-width disorder in the nephritic tremolite tends to increase with deepening in greenish color. Triple chain is the most common type, and quadruple chain is rarely observed only in the grey nephrite. The presence of pyribole structure in the nephritic tremolite is closely related to the increase of Al content and Mg/Ca ratio, a rather dispersive chemical composition, a decrease of relative intensity in (001) XRD reflection, and an increase in b axis dimension of unit cell. In addition, the degree and variation of chain-width disorder with nephrite types may support that an increase of metastability was formed by a rapid diffusion of Mg-rich fluid during the nephrite formation.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.614-618
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• 2003

$Sr_2Ru_{1-x}Cu_xO_{4-y}(0.0{\le}x{\le}0.5)$ compounds were prepared using a conventional solid state reaction. Based on the Rietveld refinements of X-ray diffraction results, it is revealed that $Sr_2Ru_{1-x}Cu_xO_{4-y}$ compounds are the single phases with K2NiF4 type tetragonal system in the range of 0=x=0.3, while the mixed phases of$Sr_2RuO_4$ and $Sr_2CuO_3$ in the range of $0.4{\le}x{\le}0.5$. By means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the valence states of Ru and Cu in $Sr_2Ru_{1-x}Cu_xO_{4-y}$, have been confirmed to 4+ and 2+, respectively. The bond length difference between $Ru-O_1 ({\times}4)\;and\;Ru-O_2 ({\times}2)\;in\;RuO_6$ octahedron is gradually decreased with increasing Cu content in $Sr_2Ru_{1-x}Cu_xO_{4-y}$, which results in the lower c/a ratio. So, it might be assured that the variation of local symmetry of $RuO_6$ octahedron is very closely related to the transporting property of $Sr_2Ru_{1-x}Cu_xO_{4-y}$ compounds. The behavior of resistivity discloses that the metallic property in $Sr_2RuO_4$ changes into the semiconducting one in proportion to the Cu content in $Sr_2Ru_{1-x}Cu_xO_{4-y}$.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 1997

To study the vertical variation of heavy metal and Rare Earth Element (REE) contents in deep-sea sediments, eighteen cores were sampled from the Korea Deep-sea Environmental Study (KODES)-96 area in the C-C zone (Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone), northeast equatorial Pacific. Sediment columns can be divided into three units based on sediment colors and geochemical characters; uppermost Unit I with brown color, middle Unit II with pale brown color and smaller Ni/Cu ratio than the ratio in Unit I, and lowermost Unit III with dark (brown) colors and higher contents of Mn, Ni, Cu, and REEs than those in Unit I and II. Unit II can be divided more into two layers of upper Unit IIa and lower Unit IIb. Unit IIb is characterized by high contents of Cu, 3+REEs (REEs except Ce), smectite, and severely deteriorated fossil tests. Unit III can also be divided into two units; upper Unit IIIa with dark brown color, and lower Unit IIIb with black color and enriched Mn and Fe. The KODES area was located near from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) When Unit III Sediments were deposited, considering the hiatus between Unit II and III (Quaternary-Tertiary boundary) and the spreading rate (10 cm/yr) and direction (north southern west) of the Pacific plate from the EPR. High contents of Mn and Fe in Unit IIIb may be related with hydrothermal influence from the EPR. Meanwhile, Unit IIb (about 2~3 Ma) and Unit III (11~30 Ma) layers were probably formed near (or under) the equatorial high productivity zone, and accordingly received a lot of organic materials. As a result, Cu and 3+REEs, closely associated with organic materials, are enriched in smectite and/or Ca-P composites (fish bone debrise, biogenic apatite) after decomposition and reprecipitation on the sea floor. Higher contents of Cu and 3+REEs in Unit IIb and III are suggested to be the result of abundant supply of organic substances in the equatorial high productivity zone.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.57-82
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• 2008

The volcanic sequence of the late Cretaceous Moonyu volcanic mass which distributed in the southwestern part of Ryeongnam massif, can be divided into felsic pyroclastic rocks, andesite and andesitic pyroclastic rocks, rhyolite in ascending order. The earliest volcanic activity might commence with intermittent eruptions of felsic magma during deposition of volcaniclastic sediments. Explosive eruptions of felsic pyroclastic rocks began with ash-falls, to progressed through pumice-falls and transmitted with dacitic to rhyolitic ash-flows. Subsequent andesite and andesitic pyroclastic rocks were erupted and finally rhyolite was intruded as lava domes along the fractures near the center of volcanic mass. Petrochemical data show that these rocks are calc-alkaline series and have close petrotectonic affinities with subduction-related continental margin arc volcanic province. Major element compositions range from medium-K to high-K. Petrochemical variation within the volcanic sequence can be largely accounted for tractional crystallization processes with subordinate mixing. The most mafic rocks are basaltic andesite, but low MgO and Ni contents indicate they are fractionated by fractional crystallization from earlier primary mafic magma, which derived from less than 20% partial melting of ultramafic rocks in upper mantle wedge. Based on the stratigraphy, the early volcanic rocks are zoned from lower felsic to upper andesitic in composition. The compositional zonation of magma chamber from upper felsic to lower andesitic, is interpreted to have resulted from fractionation within the chamber and replenishment by an influx of new mafic magma from depth. Replenishment and mixing is based on observations of disequilibrium phenocrysts in volcanic rocks. REE patterns show slight enrichment of LREE with differentiation from andesite to rhyolite. Rhyolite in the final stage can be derived from calc-alkaline andesite magma by fractional crystallization, but it might have underwent crustal contamination during the fractional crystallization.