• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2022

The semiconductor process currently emits various by-products and unused gases. Emissions containing pollutants are generally classified into categories such as organic, acid, alkali, thermal, and cabinet exhaust. They are discharged after treatment in an atmospheric prevention facility suitable for each exhaust type. The main components of organic exhaust are volatile organic compounds (VOC), which is a generic term for oxygen-containing hydrocarbons, sulfur-containing hydrocarbons, and volatile hydrocarbons, while the main components of alkali exhaust include ammonia and tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The purpose of this study was to determine the combustion characteristics and analyze the NO_X reduction rate by maintaining a direct combustion and temperature to process organic and alkaline exhaust gases simultaneously. Acetone, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA) were used as VOCs and ammonia was used as an alkali exhaust material. Independent and VOC-ammonia mixture combustion tests were conducted for each material. The combustion tests for the VOCs confirmed that complete combustion occurred at an equivalence ratio of 1.4. In the ammonia combustion test, the NO_X concentration decreased at a lower equivalence ratio. In the co-combustion of VOC and ammonia, NO was dominant in the NO_X emission while NO₂ was detected at approximately 10 ppm. Overall, the concentration of nitrogen oxide decreased due to the activation of the oxidation reaction as the reaction temperature increased. On the other hand, the concentration of carbon dioxide increased. Flameless combustion with an electric heat source achieved successful combustion of VOC and ammonia. This technology is expected to have advantages in cost and compactness compared to existing organic and alkaline treatment systems applied separately.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.737-760
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• 2022

For the geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW), an understanding of deep subsurface environment is essential through geological, hydrogeological, geochemical, and geotechnical investigations. Although South Korea plans the geological disposal of HLW, only a few studies have been conducted for characterizing the geochemistry of deep subsurface environment. To guide the hydrogeochemical research for selecting suitable repository sites, this study overviewed the status and trends in hydrogeochemical characterization of deep groundwater for the deep geological disposal of HLW in developed countries. As a result of examining the selection process of geological disposal sites in 8 countries including USA, Canada, Finland, Sweden, France, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland, the following geochemical parameters were needed for the geochemical characterization of deep subsurface environment: major and minor elements and isotopes (e.g., ³⁴S and ¹⁸O of SO₄^2-, ¹³C and ¹⁴C of DIC, ²H and ¹⁸O of water) of both groundwater and pore water (in aquitard), fracture-filling minerals, organic materials, colloids, and oxidation-reduction indicators (e.g., Eh, Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺, H₂S/SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺/NO₃^-). A suitable repository was selected based on the integrated interpretation of these geochemical data from deep subsurface. In South Korea, hydrochemical types and evolutionary patterns of deep groundwater were identified using artificial neural networks (e.g., Self-Organizing Map), and the impact of shallow groundwater mixing was evaluated based on multivariate statistics (e.g., M3 modeling). The relationship between fracture-filling minerals and groundwater chemistry also has been investigated through a reaction-path modeling. However, these previous studies in South Korea had been conducted without some important geochemical data including isotopes, oxidationreduction indicators and DOC, mainly due to the lack of available data. Therefore, a detailed geochemical investigation is required over the country to collect these hydrochemical data to select a geological disposal site based on scientific evidence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.103-115
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• 2000

The formation of brown-colored precipitates is one of the serious problems frequently encountered in the development and supply of groundwater in Korea, because by it the water exceeds the drinking water standard in terms of color. taste. turbidity and dissolved iron concentration and of often results in scaling problem within the water supplying system. In groundwaters from the Pajoo area, brown precipitates are typically formed in a few hours after pumping-out. In this paper we examine the process of the brown precipitates' formation using the equilibrium thermodynamic and kinetic approaches, in order to understand the origin and geochemical pathway of the generation of turbidity in groundwater. The results of this study are used to suggest not only the proper pumping technique to minimize the formation of precipitates but also the optimal design of water treatment methods to improve the water quality. The bed-rock groundwater in the Pajoo area belongs to the Ca-$HCO_3$type that was evolved through water/rock (gneiss) interaction. Based on SEM-EDS and XRD analyses, the precipitates are identified as an amorphous, Fe-bearing oxides or hydroxides. By the use of multi-step filtration with pore sizes of 6, 4, 1, 0.45 and 0.2 $\mu\textrm{m}$, the precipitates mostly fall in the colloidal size (1 to 0.45 $\mu\textrm{m}$) but are concentrated (about 81%) in the range of 1 to 6 $\mu\textrm{m}$in teams of mass (weight) distribution. Large amounts of dissolved iron were possibly originated from dissolution of clinochlore in cataclasite which contains high amounts of Fe (up to 3 wt.%). The calculation of saturation index (using a computer code PHREEQC), as well as the examination of pH-Eh stability relations, also indicate that the final precipitates are Fe-oxy-hydroxide that is formed by the change of water chemistry (mainly, oxidation) due to the exposure to oxygen during the pumping-out of Fe(II)-bearing, reduced groundwater. After pumping-out, the groundwater shows the progressive decreases of pH, DO and alkalinity with elapsed time. However, turbidity increases and then decreases with time. The decrease of dissolved Fe concentration as a function of elapsed time after pumping-out is expressed as a regression equation Fe(II)=10.l exp(-0.0009t). The oxidation reaction due to the influx of free oxygen during the pumping and storage of groundwater results in the formation of brown precipitates, which is dependent on time, $Po_2$and pH. In order to obtain drinkable water quality, therefore, the precipitates should be removed by filtering after the stepwise storage and aeration in tanks with sufficient volume for sufficient time. Particle size distribution data also suggest that step-wise filtration would be cost-effective. To minimize the scaling within wells, the continued (if possible) pumping within the optimum pumping rate is recommended because this technique will be most effective for minimizing the mixing between deep Fe(II)-rich water and shallow $O_2$-rich water. The simultaneous pumping of shallow $O_2$-rich water in different wells is also recommended.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.542-548
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• 2014

Effects of bromide ($Br^-$) and iodide ($I^-$) concentrations, chlorine ($Cl_2$) doses, pH, temperature, ammonia nitrogen concentrations, reaction times and water characteristics on formation of iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs) during oxidation of iodide containing water with chlorine were investigated in this study. Results showed that the yields of I-THMs increased with the high bromide and iodide level during chlorination. The elevated pH significantly increased the yields of I-THMs during chlorination. The formation of I-THMs was higher at $20^{\circ}C$ than $4^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$. In chloramination study, addition of ammonium chloride ($NH_4Cl$) markedly increased the formation of I-THMs. Among the water samples collected from seven water sources including wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent water (EfOM water), prepared humic containing water (HA water) and algal organic matter (AOM) containing water (AOM water), EfOM water generated the highest yields of I-THMs ($12.31{\mu}g/mg$ DOC), followed by HA water ($4.96{\mu}g/mg$ DOC), while AOM water produced the lowest yields of I-THMs ($0.99{\mu}g/mg$ DOC). $SUVA_{254}$ values of EfOM water, HA water and AOM water were $1.38L/mg{\cdot}m$, $4.96L/mg{\cdot}m$ and $0.97L/mg{\cdot}m$, respectively. The I-THMs yields had a low correlation with $SUVA_{254}$ values ($r^2$ = 0.002).

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

Objectives: This study is to confirm the effect of combined extract and individual extract of Samjunghwan (SJH) in anti-oxidative and anti-obesity effect. Methods: Combined ethanol extract of readily made SJH and individual ethanol extract of Atractylodes japonica, Cortex lycii radicis, and Morus alba Linne was combined after the extraction. To evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of SJH, total phenol compound and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging ability were conducted. Real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction analysis of transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptror ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-${\alpha}1$, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reducatase (HMG-CoA reductase) were done with 3T3-L1 cells to investigate the ant-obesity effect. Also, cell viability analysis were done to see to toxicity of SJH. Results: Individual extract of SJH showed significant decrease in $TNF{\alpha}$ and AMPK transcription while $PPAR{\gamma}$ showed significant increase. Combined extract and individual extract of SJH both showed decrease in HMG-CoA reductase. DPPH free radical scavenging ability and total phenol compound was analogous between two groups. Conclusions: Individual extract of SJH appears to be more effective in anti-oxidation and anti-obesity effect compared to combined extract of SJH.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.292-298
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• 2003

In this study, the photooxidation and ozonation of humic acid (HA) in aqueous solution were conducted and the treated HA samples at different reaction time were analyzed using ultrafiltration techniques to evaluate the change of their molecular size distributions with its DOC removal. Molecular size distribution of untreated HA showed 41.5% in higher molecular size fractions (>30,000 daltons) and 15.2% in much smaller molecular size fraction (<500 daltons). As UV irradiation time was increased, it was observed that the degradation of the large molecules of the fraction of >30,000 daltons into much smaller molecules was increased. In UV system, the HA molecules of the fraction of <500 daltons became significantly more and its percentage was increased from 35.3% (UV only irradiation) to 58.9% ($UV/TiO_2$) and 87.8% ($UV/H_2O_2$) in the presence of the photocatalysis. Otherwise, ozonation of HA produced mainly the fraction of medium molecular size ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 daltons with much lower portion (<~7%) in the fraction of <500 daltons. In ozone only system, the fraction of 30,000~10,000 daltons occupied in 41.5% at 60 min of ozonation time. In $O_3/H_2O_2$ system, the fraction of 30,000~10,000 daltons and 10,000~3,000 daltons occupied in 38.9% and 36.2% respectively. Based on these results, we suggested applicable treatment process which could be combined with $UV/H_2O_2$, $UV/TiO_2$ and $O_3$, $O_3/H_2O_2$ system for more effective removal of humic acid in water treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.25-38
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• 2020

Photoelectrochemical water splitting has been considered as the most promising technology for generating hydrogen energy. Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) compounds have currently attracted tremendous attention due to their outstanding ability towards the catalytic water-splitting hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we report the synthesis method of various transition metal dichalcogenide including MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂, and WSe₂ nanosheets as excellent catalysts for solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution. Photocathodes were fabricated by growing the nanosheets directly onto Si nanowire (NW) arrays, with a thickness of 20 nm. The metal ion layers were formed by soaking the metal chloride ethanol solution and subsequent sulfurization or selenization produced the transition metal chalcogenide. They all exhibit excellent PEC performance in 0.5 M H₂SO₄; the photocurrent reaches to 20 mA cm^-2 (at 0 V vs. RHE) and the onset potential is 0.2 V under AM1.5 condition. The quantum efficiency of hydrogen generation is avg. 90%. The stability of MoS₂ and MoSe₂ is 90% for 3h, which is higher than that (80%) of WS₂ and WSe₂. Detailed structure analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for before/after HER reveals that the Si-WS₂ and Si-WSe₂ experience more oxidation of Si NWs than Si-MoS₂ and Si-MoSe₂. This can be explained by the less protection of Si NW surface by their flake shape morphology. The high catalytic activity of TMDs should be the main cause of this enhanced PEC performance, promising efficient water-splitting Si-based PEC cells.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of a gamma irradiation to decompose 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene(TNT) in an aqueous solution. The decomposition reaction of TNT by gamma irradiation was a pseudo first-order kinetic over the applied initial concentrations($25{\sim}100mg/L$). The dose constant was strongly dependent on the initial TNT concentration. The removal of TNT was more efficient at pH below 3 and at pH above 11 than at neutral pH(pH 5-9). The required irradiation dose to remove over 99% of TNT was 40, 80 and 10 kGy, individually at pH 2, 7 and 13. The dose constant was increased by 1.6 fold and over 15.6 fold at pH 2 and 13, respectively, when compared with that at pH 7 When irradiation dose of 200 kGy was applied, the removal efficiencies of TOC were 91, 46 and 53% at pH 2, 7 and 13, respectively. Ammonia and nitrate were detected as the main nitrogen byproducts of TNT and glyoxalic acid and oxalic acid were detected as organic byproducts. The results showed that a gamma irradiation was an attractive method for the decomposition of TNT in an aqueous solution. However, regarding the application of high energy radiation for the TNT decomposition and mineralization, an application of an acidic pH below 3 to the solution before irradiation should be considered.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.423-430
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• 2003

The teeth bleaching with bleaching agent is widely used at recent times. Until yet the exact mechanism of the bleaching agent isn't known but it is thought that is by the complex reduction-oxidation reaction of the decomposed free radical from bleaching agent through various ways. In other words, it is supposed that the teeth are whitened by agent's changing chemical structures of stain-causing materials. The purpose of this study is to exam the change of the dentinal character by bleaching agent and to evaluate the safety of this agent. For this study, after applying 10% carbamide peroxide to enamel of human premolar for 6 hours a day for 2 weeks we examined changes of surface morphology, microhardness, composition and contents of minirals in human dentin using SEM, microhardness tester, FT-Raman spectrometer and EPMA and got following results. There was no significant difference in surface morphologic change when we examined the effect of 10% carbamide peroxide which penetrated into dentin after applied on enamel surface comparing with result from specimen in distilled water No change was shown on the surface of peritubular and intertubular dentin within the nanometeric range. The microhardness between bleached teeth and teeth stored in distilled water showed no statistically significant difference FT-Raman spectra of dentin exhibited no change of the component in human dentin. Only the least change in peaks of organic and inorganic materials were detected in Raman intencity. The total content of mineral elements in dentin with no treatment, stored only in distilled water and stored in distilled water after bleaching were $98.73{\pm}1.89,\;98.56{\pm}2.11\;and\;97.47{\pm}2.51$ respectively. Also they showed no statistically significant difference. From above results, the effect of 10% carbamide peroxide bleaching on structure of dentin is very low and the results may confirm the safety of this bleaching agent.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.92-100
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• 2016

Low-temperature conversion of nitrogen oxides using plasma-assisted hydrocarbon selective catalytic reduction of (HC-SCR) was investigated. Plasma was created in the catalyst-packed bed so that it could directly interact with the catalyst. The effect of the reaction temperature, the shape of catalyst, the concentration of n-heptane as a reducing agent, the oxygen content, the water vapor content and the energy density on $NO_x$ removal was examined. $NO_x$ conversion efficiencies achieved with the plasma-catalytic hybrid process at a temperature of $250^{\circ}C$ and an specific energy input (SIE) of $42J\;L^{-1}$ were 83% and 69% for one-dimensional Ag catalyst ($Ag\;(nanowire)/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$) and spherical Ag catalyst ($Ag\;(sphere)/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$), respectively, whereas that obtained with the catalyst-alone was considerably lower (about 30%) even with $Ag\;(nanowire)/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ under the same condition. The enhanced catalytic activity towards $NO_x$ conversion in the presence of plasma can be explained by the formation of more reactive $NO_2$ species and partially oxidized hydrocarbon intermediates from the oxidation of NO and n-heptane under plasma discharge. Increasing the SIE tended to improve $NO_x$ conversion efficiency, and so did the increase in the n-heptane concentration; however, a further increase in the n-heptane concentration beyond $C_1/NO_x$ ratio of 5 did not improve the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency any more. The increase in the humidity affected negatively the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency, resulting in lowering the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency at the higher water vapor content, because water molecules competed with $NO_x$ species for the same active site. The $NO_x$ conversion efficiency increased with increasing the oxygen content from 3 to 15%, in particular at low SIE values, because the formation of $NO_2$ and partially oxidized hydrocarbon intermediates was facilitated.