• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.630-638
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• 2019

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 310 times higher than that of carbon dioxide. In this study, an N₂O-reducing consortium was obtained by enrichment culture using advanced treatment sludge as the inoculum. The dominant bacteria in the consortium were Sulfurovum (17.95%), Geobacter (14.63%), Rectinema (11.45%), and Chlorobium (8.24%). The consortium displayed optimal N₂O reducing activity when acetate was supplied as the carbon source at a carbon/nitrogen ratio (mol·mol^-1) of 6.3. The N₂O reduction rate increased with increasing N₂O concentration at less than 3,000 ppm. Kinetic analysis revealed that the maximum N₂O reduction rate of the consortium was 163.9 ㎍-N·g-VSS^-1·h^-1. Genes present in the consortium included nosZ (reduction of nitrous oxide to N₂), narG (reduction of nitrate to nitrite), nirK (reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide), and norB (reduction of nitric oxide to nitrous oxide). These results indicate that the N₂O-reducing consortium is a promising bioresource that can be used in denitrification and N₂O mitigation.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2021

Background: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic effects. However, neurological and psychiatric manifestations of N₂O abuse have been increasingly reported among Korean adults. The aim of this study was to demonstrate laboratory findings of N₂O abuse in Korean patients. Methods: Patients diagnosed with N₂O-induced neuropathy or myelopathy from August 2018 to December 2019 were enrolled. Their clinical presentations and laboratory and imaging findings were analyzed. Results: Sensory changes and limb weakness were present in nine of the enrolled patients. The laboratory findings revealed that seven patients had high homocysteine levels and five had high methylmalonic acid levels in their blood. Nerve conductions studies indicated that axonal neuropathy was present in four cases and longer F-wave and Hoffman's-reflex latencies were present in two cases. Signal changes in cervical spine imaging occurred in five patients, while two had normal results. Conclusions: Chronic N₂O abuse can cause neurological damage or psychiatric problems. Because N₂O is illegal for recreational use in Korea, patients tend to hide their history of use. Even though the spinal imaging results were normal, clinicians should consider the possibility of N₂O use, and further electrophysiological tests should be applied for precise evaluations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.309-316
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• 2019

Cropland is a major source of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N₂O) and we need technologies in the field of agriculture that can reduce the presence of N₂O. In this study, a field experiment encompassing six treatments was conducted to determine the efflux of N₂O in cropland during the growing season. An experimental plot was composed of two main sectors, no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT), which were subdivided into three plots according to types of nitrogen (N) sources: CF, chemical fertilizer; HV, hairy vetch+chemical fertilizer; and RY, rye+chemical fertilizer. The cumulative N₂O emissions were 179.8 mg N₂O m^-2 for CF-CT, 108.1 mg N₂O m^-2 for HV-CT, 303.5 mg N₂O m^-2 for RY-CT, 86.7 mg N₂O m^-2 for CF-NT, 73.8 mg N₂O m^-2 for HV-NT, and 122.7 mg N₂O m^-2 for RY-NT during the fallow season. The CT, HV, and RY of no-tilled soils were reduced by 51.8, 31.7 and 59.6%, respectively (p<0.001). Our results indicate that the use of no-tillage and hairy vetch practice rather than conventional tillage and chemical fertilizer practice can decrease N₂O emission.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.755-765
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• 2011

Nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) is one of six greenhouse gases listed up in the Kyoto Protocol, and it effects a strong global warming because of its much greater global warming potential (GWP), by 310 times over a 100-year time horizon, than $CO_2$. Although such $N_2O$ emissions from both natural and anthropogenic sources occur, the latter can be controlled using suitable abatement technologies, depending on them, to reduce $N_2O$ below acceptable or feasible levels. This paper has extensively reviewed the anthropogenic $N_2O$ emission sources and their related compositions, and the state-of-the-art non-catalytic and catalytic technologies of the emissions controls available currently to representative, large $N_2O$ emission sources, such as adipic acid production plants. Challengeable approaches to this source are discussed to promote establishment of advanced $N_2O$ emission control technologies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1074-1081
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• 2021

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is one of the six major greenhouse gases and is known to produce a greenhouse ef ect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere. In particular, its global warming potential (GWP) is 310 times higher than that of CO₂, making N₂O a global concern. Accordingly, strong environmental regulations are being proposed. N₂O reduction technology can be classified into concentration recovery, catalytic decomposition, and pyrolysis according to physical methods. This study intends to provide information on temperature conditions and reaction time required to reduce nitrogen oxides with cost. The high-temperature ranges selected for pyrolysis conditions were calculated at intervals of 100 K from 1073 K to 1373 K. Under temperatures of 1073 K and 1173 K, the N₂O reduction rate and nitrogen monoxide concentration were observed to be proportional to the residence time, and for 1273 K, the N₂O reduction rate decreased due to generation of the reverse reaction as the residence time increased. Particularly for 1373 K, the positive and reverse reactions for all residence times reached chemical equilibrium, resulting in a rather reduced reaction progression to N₂O reduction.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 1995

Experiments have been conducted to investigate the characteristics of formaldehyde and nitrous oxide formation from the catalytic reaction of methane. Catalysts used in the experiment were Pd. Pd/Pt/Rh loaded on ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ and ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3-La_2O_3$ monolith. In the catalytic reaction of methane. as the concentration of NO, $O_2$ and $CH_4$ increased, the formaldehyde emission was increased. The concentration of $N_2O$ increased as NO and CO increased. It was also found that the formaldehyde emission was produced by the gas reaction of methane in high temperature above 950K.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Impact of incorporating hairy vetch into soil on mitigating nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from maize field in South Korea has not been investigated, whereas impacts on soil properties and nutrients for crops have been investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine N₂O emission from upland soil incorporated with hairy vetch for one year in maize field. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hairy vetch was grown in an upland soil from November, 2017 to May, 2018 and incorporated into soil on May 25 of 2018. Control and conventional treatment (NPK) were included for comparison. Gas samples were collected weekly for a year to examine N₂O emissions from the soil. Chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer stimulated N₂O emission in short term resulting in the greatest cumulative N₂O emission in NPK (6.72 kg N₂O ha^-1) compared to the control (4.04 kg N₂O ha^-1) and hairy vetch-incorporated field (5.43 kg N₂O ha^-1), and the greatest yield of maize from NPK, because total N input was much greater by NPK (186 N kg ha^-1) than by hairy vetch (81.6 N kg ha^-1). CONCLUSION: Incorporation of hairy vetch reduced N₂O emissions from the maize compared to the NPK-treated field. However, further research on improving crop productivity with incorporation of hairy vetch is needed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin B12 treatment in subacute combined degeneration (SCD) caused by nitrous oxide (N₂O) abuse. Methods: Relevant literature was accessed through PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and KoreaMed. All the literature that was relevant to human use of vitamin B12 treatment for SCD caused by N₂O abuse was included. Case reports were excluded if the treatment regimens were not precisely described. The literature search was conducted by two investigators during September 2019 for the final publication period. The languages of the publications were restricted to English and Korean. Results: Twenty-three published articles that contained 24 cases were included. Sixteen cases among them were treated with intramuscular vitamin B12 of 1 mg/day and the rest received different doses or routes. Although most cases described significant clinical improvements, one case showed no beneficial effect due to the patient's noncooperation. Another case showed adverse events, including spinal myoclonus, following vitamin B12 therapy. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 has been broadly used for the treatment of SCD caused by N₂O abuse. However, most of the relevant studies were case reports that reported various regimens of vitamin B12 administration. Further studies are needed to establish a standard regimen of vitamin B12 because the incidence of N₂O abuse may increase in South Korea.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.132-138
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• 2020

N₂O is hazardous atmosphere pollution matter which can damage the ozone layer and cause green house effect. There are many other nitrogen oxide emission control but N₂O has no its particular method. Preventing further environmental pollution and global warming, it is essential to control N₂O emission from industrial machines. In this study, the thermal decomposition experiment of N₂O gas mixture is conducted by using cylindrical reactor to figure out N₂O reduction and NO formation. And CHEMKIN calculation is conducted to figure out reaction rate and mechanism. Residence time of the N₂O gas in the reactor is set as experimental variable to imitate real SNCR system. As a result, most of the nitrogen components are converted into N2. Reaction rate of the N₂O gas decreases with N₂O emitted concentration. At 800℃ and 900℃, N₂O reduction variance and NO concentration are increased with residence time and temperature. However, at 1000℃, N₂O reduction variance and NO concentration are deceased in 40s due to forward reaction rate diminished and reverse reaction rate appeared.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.624-628
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• 2008

Nitrous oxide ($N_2O$), known as one of the major greenhouse gases, is an important component of the earth's atmosphere, and gives rise to precursor of acid rain and photochemical smog. For the removal of $N_2O$ and other nitrogen oxides, the SCR reaction system with various reductants is widely used. This study is based on the results of experimental and theoretical examinations on the catalytic decomposition of sole nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) and selective catalytic reduction of $N_2O$ with $CH_4$ in the presence of oxygen using mixed metal oxide catalysts obtained from hydrolatcite-type precursors. When $CH_4$ is fed together with a reductant, it affects positively on the $N_2O$ decomposition activity. At an optimum ratio of $CH_4$ to $O_2$ mole ratio, the $N_2O$ conversion activity is enhanced on the SCR reaction with partial oxidation of methane.