• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2010

Plutonium is by far the most important of the transuranic elements which have been released into the environment due to radio-toxicity and long term radiation effects on humans. And Pu isotope ratio ($^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$) is of great interest because this ratio is used as a fingerprint for different sources. Mass spectrometry has been used as an useful atom counting technique with several advantages over decay counting techniques for the determination of Pu isotopes. It enables a determination of Pu isotope ratio in the environmental samples with a low detection limit and a short determination time. An ICP-MS is the representative mass spectrometry for Pu determination. In this study, the precision of $^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$ isotope ratio was improved by using 4 multiple ion counters of MC-ICP-MS. The detection limit of $^{239}Pu$ and $^{240}Pu$ were $0.10\;fg\;ml^{-1}$ ($0.24\;{\mu}Bq\;ml^{-1}$), $0.12\;fg\;ml^{-1}$ ($0.97\;{\mu}Bq\;ml^{-1}$), respectively. The relative standard deviation of $^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$ isotope ratio was less than 1 % in trace level. The various reference materials (seawater, soil and sediment) were analyzed to verify this method and their analytical results were in good agreement with the certified (or recommended value) value.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2002

The concentrations and activity ratios of $^{137}Cs,\;^{90}Sr\;^{238}Pu$ and $^{239-240}Pu$ in sediment($0sim}20\;$cm) at 15 coastal stations of Korea were determined. The mean concentrations of $^{137}Cs,\;^{90}Sr\;^{238}Pu$ and $^{239-240}Pu$ are $2.24{\pm0.79\;Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry,\;0.20{\pm}0.04 Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry,\;0.009{\pm}0.005\;Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry}$ and $0.27{\pm}0.17\;Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$, respectively. The mean activity ratios of $^{137}Cs,\;^{90}Sr$, $^{239-240}Pu/^{137}Cs$ and $^{238}Pu/^{229-240}Pu$ and atomic ratio of $^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$ are $11.2{\pm}2.9,\;0.123{\pm}0.053$ and $0.033{\pm}0.017$ and $0.218{\pm}0.036$, respectively. The concentrations and activity ratios in sediment samples are similar to those reported from neighbouring country in the northern hemisphere. The correlation coefficient of $^{137}Cs$ and $^{239-240}Pu$ is 0.80. The correlation coefficient of $^{137}Cs$ and soil organic matter(SOM), and $^{239-240}Pu$ and clay content are 0.69 and 0.67, respectively.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2018

Aspergillosis is a life-threatening disease in individuals with compromised immune systems. Fungal invasion is a highly critical process during host cellular infection. Several papers have reported that transcription factors are responsible for the infection process. To investigate what transcription factors are involved in the process in an effort to inhibit fungal infection into cells, I checked the surfactant protein family and PU.1 transcription factor levels in A549 cells infected with A. fumigatus conidia. PU.1 and surfactant protein-D levels were reduced in cells infected with fungal conidia. I then observed an increase in surfactant protein-D on PU.1-overexpressed cells. Infection of A. fumigatus conidia was decreased in PU.1-overexpressed cells, whereas the suppression of PU.1 did not lead to any changes in cases of A. fumigatus conidia infection. These results indicate that PU.1 inhibits the infection of A. fumigatus conidia via the expression of surfactant protein-D, suggesting that PU.1 is a key transcription factor for protection against A. fumigatus invasion.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 1999

$^{239+240}Pu$ concentrations in precipitation were determined for the period of May 1994 to August 1996 in oder to describe current $^{239+240}Pu$ deposition at the mid-western coat of Korea (Ansan, 37$^{\circ}$17'N, $126^{\circ}$50'E). $^{239+240}Pu$ concentration in daily precipitation varied from 0.05 to 131$\mu$Bq $kg^{-1}$ with a geometric mean of $1.26\mu$Bq $kg^{-1}$. The concentration was high in the period of Yellow Sand Storm in spring and low in wet summer monsoon. The specific $^{239+240}Pu$ concentration in daily precipitation appears to be controlled by the $^{239+240}Pu$ input to the atmosphere in spring and washout effects by precipitation in the wet summer monsoon. Wet depositional flux of $^{239+240}Pu$ varied from 4 to 123$\mu$Bq $m^{-2}d^{-1}$ with a geometric mean of $33.8\mu$Bq $m^{-2}d^{-1}$ and with a maximum in the period of Yellow Sand Storm and a minimum in the period of wet summer monsoon. $^{238}Pu$/$^{239+240}Pu$ activity raios(0.04~0.31) in precipitation for March-June period suggested that one of the major sources of Pu isotopes falling in Ansan area is the arid region of the Chinese continent.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2006

In this study, conventional biofilters packed with flexible synthetic polyurethane (PU) foam carriers were operated to remove toluene from a contaminated air stream. PU foams containing various adsorbents (e.g., zeolite, sepiolite, dolomite and barite) were synthesized for the biofilter media and their adsorption characteristics of toluene were determined. Adsorption capacity of PU-adsorbent foam was in the order of PU-dolomite ${\approx}$ PU-zeolite > PU-sepiolite > PU-barite. During the biofiltration experiment, influent toluene concentration was in the range of 0-160 ppm and EBRT (i.e., empty bed residence time) was 45 seconds. Pressure drop of the biofilter bed was 4-5 mm $H_2O/m$ column height. The maximum removal capacity was in the order of PU-dolomite > PU-zeolite > PU-sepiolite > PU-barite, while the complete removal capacity was in the order of PU-dolomite > PU-sepiolite > PU-zeolite > PU-barite. The better biofiltration performance in PU-dolomite foam was because PU-dolomite foam had lower density and higher porosity than the others providing favorable conditions for microbial growth. The results of biodegradation kinetic analysis showed that PU-dolomite foam had higher maximum removal rate ($V_m\;=\;11.04\;g$ toluene/kg dry material/day) and saturation constant ($K_s\;=\;26.57\;ppm$) than the other PU foams. This supports that PU-dolomite foam was better than the others for biofilteration of toluene.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

The spectroscopic characteristics of Pu (III, IV, V, VI) in the HCl media were investigated by measuring Pu oxidation states using a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer (400-1200 nm) after adjusting Pu oxidation states with oxidation/reduction reagents. Pu in stock solution was reduced to Pu(III) with $NH_2OH$ HCl, and oxidized to Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) with $NaNO_2$ and $HClO_4$, respectively. Also, Pu(V) was adjusted in the Pu(VI) solution with $NH_2OH$ HCl. The major absorption peaks of Pu (IV) and Pu(III) were measured in the 470 m and 600 nm, respectively. The major absorption peaks of Pu (VI) and Pu(V) were measured in the 830 nm and 1135 nm, respectively. There was not found to be significant changes of UV-Vis absorption spectra for Pu(III), Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) with aging time, except that an unstable Pu(V) immediately reduced to Pu(III).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.18-30
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• 2006

This paper describes the cumulative deposition of fallout Pu in soil and lichen at the present time and give the characteristics of fallout Pu deposits in the soil. In the soil of the forest, the accumulated depositions of $^{239,240}Pu$ were estimated to be in the range of 34.0 to $101.2Bq\;m^{-2}$ with an average value of $65.3{\pm}21.6Bq\;m^{-2}$. The average inventory of $^{239,240}Pu$ in the forest was calculated to be two times higher than that in the hill. Also, the deposited activities of $^{239,240}Pu$ in cultivated soil were significantly lower than those in the hill or forest. However, the cumulative depositions of fallout Pu in the volcanic ash soil on Cheju Island were much higher than those in the forest and hill soils. The measured activity concentrations of Pu isotopes in lichens and mosses showed large variations, due to characteristics of species and life span of lichen and moss colonies. From depth profiles, it was found that most of the fallout Pu has been accumulated in upper 10 cm layer of soil. Except for a few cases, the concentrations of $^{239,240}Pu$ in soil tended to decrease exponentially with increasing soil depth. Among parameters affecting the cumulative deposition of fallout Pu, organic substances and rainfall play an important role in the retention and relative mobility of fallout Pu in the soil. However, pH showed a weak correlation with the deposition of fallout Pu in the soil. From sequential leaching experiments, Pu was found to be associated predominantly with the "organic" and "oxy-hydroxy" fractions. Both the activity ratios of $^{238}Pu/^{239,240}Pu$ and $^{241}Pu/^{239,240}Pu$ in soils, lichens and mosses and the atomic ratios of $^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$ in soils are close to those observed in the cumulative deposit global fallout from nuclear weapon testings. The results obtained from this research make it possible to interpret and predict the behavior of fallout Pu under natural conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2018

The 23 wt% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/15 wt% polyurethane (PU) fibers were electrospun using the conjugated nozzle at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/h and an electric field of 1 kV/cm. The formation of ${\beta}$ crystal phase in the PVDF and the PVDF/PU fibers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. After electrospinning, the asspun fibers were immersed in a boiling water and then dried at $100^{\circ}C$ in a convection oven to make a crimp phenomenon. The crimps with a diameter of $2.0{\pm}0.08{\mu}m$ were observed for the PVDF/PU fibers after hydrothermal treatment without sacrificing the extent of ${\beta}$ crystal phase. All the PU, PVDF and PVDF/PU fibers exhibited average cell viability of more than 98 %. The cell proliferation results suggested that L-929 cells adhered well to the PU, PVDF and PVDF/PU fibers and proliferated continuously with increasing time, indicating that the PVDF/PU fibers are highly applicable to the biomedical applications.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.35-40
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• 2008

Dyeing and washing fastness properties of polyurethane-impregnated polyester (PU-impregnated PET), and the distribution of two disperse dyes between PET and PU film were studied to investigate the effect of PU portion to exhaustion and washing fastness. Dyeing properties of PU-impregnated PET were quite different with those of PET: PU-impregnated PET absorbed disperse dye linearly from the early stage of dyeing to equilibrium, and it exhibited excellent build-up property up to 4 %owf dyeing. The absorbed dye on PU film at early dyeing stage migrated to more substantive PET at the temperature higher than $115^{\circ}C$. The amount of exhausted dye on PET portion was larger than on PU film and the distribution ratio was $2.08{\sim}2.34$. The grade of washing fastness of PU-impregnated PET was the same as or lower by $0.5{\sim}1$ grade than PU film whose washing fastness was lower by $0.5{\sim}1$ than PET.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.3-13
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• 2001

Dissolved /sup 137/Cs, /sup 239.240/Pu, /sup 238/Pu and /sup 90/Sr contents in winter and spring of the Yellow Sea were determined to describe the distribution of artificial radionuclides. Surface water samples (100 liter) were collected by using a submerged pump, and subsurface samples (>10m depth) were collected using a 10L Niskin water sampler mounted to the Rosette sampler. The levels in the surface water ranged between 1.78～3.38 mBq kg/sup -1/ for /sup 137/Cs, 2.17～13.35 μBq kg/sup -1/ for /sup 239,240/Pu, and 1.97～3.96 mBq kg/sup -1/ for /sup 90/Sr, respectively. In particular, the concentration of /sup 239.240/Pu were 1/10 of those in the vicinity of Changjiang estuary (61～83 μBq kg/sup -1/). The difference of /sup 238.240/Pu concentration between surface and bottom water was <3.0 μBq kg/sup -1/in the Yellow Sea. It suggests that in the Yellow Sea which has shallow and high suspended sediments, /sup 239.240/Pu is preferentially removed from the water columm. The water column inventory of /sup 239.240/Pu in the Yellow Sea constitute about 0.7～0.9 % of the estimated fallout input to the area. The activity ratios of /sup 239.240/Pu//sup 137/Cs and /sup 137/Cs//sup 90/Sr ranged between 0.001～0.005, 0.79～1.65, respectively, and similar to those of open ocean which global fallout is the only source of artificial radionuclides. Therefore, it suggests that most of these artificial radionuclides in the Yellow Sea may be controlled by the atmospheric input.