• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.263-270
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• 2024

In this study, impact factors for dehydration with KOMIR-Tube system using flocculant and dewatering tube were evaluated for mine drainage sludges. The experiments were conducted on semi-active facility sludges with water contents above 90 % using KOMIR-Tube system. The flocculant and input amount were determined from laboratory experiment and the dewatering efficiency was verified onsite experiment. The sludge characteristics were identified by instrumental analysis such as zeta potential measurement, particle size analysis, XRD, XRF and SEM-EDS. Selection of flocculants for sludge dewatering treatment need to consider not only precipitated rate but also filterated rate. Floc size has to keep at least 0.7 mm. From on-site experiments, sludge dewatering using KOMIR-Tube system suggests to carry out April and May that is low rainfall and humidity considering to climate conditions. Also, dewatering rate depends on the crystal degree of mineral that mainly makes up sludges. Particularly, goethite of the iron hydroxides has better dewatering rate than ferrihydrite. Ferrihydrite is low degree of crystallinity and uncleared or broad shaped crystal, goethite is good crystallinity with needle shaped crystal so that the effect of flocculation and dewatering showed to depend on the crystal. In results, impact factors of dewatering for mine drainage sludges are related to flocculant, climate, crystallinity and shape of iron hydroxides.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.35
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• pp.33-39
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the dose variation according to thickness of the air gap between the patient's body surface and immobilization device in the treatment plan. Materials and Methods : Four conditions were created by adjusting the air gap thickness using 5 mm bolus, ranging from 0 mm to 3 mm bolus. Immobilization was placed on top in each case. And computed tomography was used to acquire images. The treatment plan that 430 cGy (Relative Biological Effectiveness,RBE) is irradiated 6 times and the dose of 2580 cGy (RBE) is delivered to 95% of Clinical Target Volume (CTV). The dose on CTV was evaluated by Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) of the lateral dose profile and skin dose was evaluated by Dose Volume Histogram (DVH). Result: Results showed that the FWHM values of the lateral dose profile of CTV were 4.89, 4.86, 5.10, and 5.10 cm. The differences in average values at the on the four conditions were 3.25±1.7 cGy (RBE) among D_95% and 1193.5±10.2 cGy (RBE) among D_95% respectively. The average skin volume at 1% of the prescription dose was 83.22±4.8%, with no significant differences in both CTV and skin. Conclusion: When creating a solid-type immobilization device for carbon particle therapy, a slight air gap is recommended to ensure that it does not extend beyond the dose application range of the CTV.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2024

In this study, recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) were treated in a 5-kg-scale prototype reactor with carbon dioxide (CO₂) to enhance their material quality and geotechnical performance. The aggregate crushing value (ACV) and California bearing ratio (CBR) were measured on untreated RCAs and CO₂-treated RCAs. After CO₂ treatment, the ACV decreased from 35.6% to 33.2%, and the CBR increased from 97.5% to 102.4%. The CO₂ treatment caused a reduction of fine particle generation and an increase in bearing capacity through carbonation. When CO₂ treatment was performed with mechanical agitation, which provided additional enhancement in mechanical quality, the ACV was reduced further to 30.3%, and the CBR increased to 137.7%. If upscaled effectively, the proposed CO₂ treatment technique would be an effective method to reduce carbon emissions in construction industries.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.457-466
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• 2023

Background: During hot environment work tasks with whole-body enclosed anti-bioaerosol suit, the combined effect of heavy sweating and exhaled hot humid air may cause the N95 medical respirator to saturate with water/sweat (i.e., water-blocking). Methods: 32 young male subjects with different body mass indexes (BMI) in whole-body protection (N95 medical respirator + one-piece protective suit + head covering + protective face screen + gloves + shoe covers) were asked to simulate waste collecting from each isolated room in a seven-story building at 27-28℃, and the weight, inhalation resistance (R_f), and aerosol penetration of the respirator before worn and after water-blocking were analyzed. Results: All subjects reported water-blocking asphyxia of the N95 respirators within 36-67 min of the task. When water-blocking occurred, the R_f and 10-200 nm total aerosol penetration (P_t) of the respirators reached up to 1270-1810 Pa and 17.3-23.3%, respectively, which were 10 and 8 times of that before wearing. The most penetration particle size of the respirators increased from 49-65 nm before worn to 115-154 nm under water-blocking condition, and the corresponding maximum size-dependent aerosol penetration increased from 2.5-3.5% to 20-27%. With the increase of BMI, the water-blocking occurrence time firstly increased then reduced, while the R_f, P_t, and absorbed water all increased significantly. Conclusions: This study reveals respirator water-blocking and its serious negative impacts on respiratory protection. When performing moderate-to-high-load tasks with whole-body protection in a hot environment, it is recommended that respirator be replaced with a new one at least every hour to avoid water-blocking asphyxia.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.519-526
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• 2023

Present study explored immunostimulatory effects of Astragalus membranaceus and Zanthoxylum schinifolium 1:1 (w:w) mixture (AZM-1:1) in Raw264.7 cells, mouse macrophage derived cells. Treatment with 100-400 ㎍/mL of AZM-1:1 in Raw264.7 cells significantly increased nitric oxide production in parallel with inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression without affecting cytotoxicity. In addition, AZM-1:1 dose-dependently increased prostaglandin E₂ production in conditioned medium along with cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA induction. Moreover, AZM-1:1 induces the transcription of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Immunoblot analyses revealed that AZM-1:1 significantly increased the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, provoked phosphorylation-mediated degradation of inhibitory-κBα, and phosphorylated p65. Furthermore, treatment with AZM-1:1 promoted phagocytosis of Escherichia coli particle labeled with green fluorescence. Taken together, AZM-1:1 may be a promising nutraceutical for stimulation the innate immune system, including macrophages.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2024

To synthesize the Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase, a crucial precursor for generating the two-dimensional material MXene, the use of Ti scrap as an initial material is an economically feasible approach. This study aims to optimize the synthesis conditions for the phase fraction of the Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase utilizing Ti scrap as the Ti source. The deoxidation of Ti powders, prepared through the hydrogenation-dehydrogenation process from Ti scrap, was effectively accomplished using the deoxidation in solid-state (DOSS) process. The optimal synthesis conditions were established by blending DOSS-Ti, Al, and graphite powders with particle sizes ranging from 25 ~ 32 ㎛ in a molar ratio of 3:1.1:2. The resulting phase fractions were as follows: Ti₃AlC₂ at 97.25 wt.%, TiC at 0.93 wt.%, and Al₃Ti at 1.82 wt.%. Furthermore, the oxygen content of the Ti₃AlC₂ MAX powder, spanning from 25 ~ 45 ㎛, was measured at 4,210 ppm.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.38-49
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• 2024

Wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactors has been extensively used to alleviate water shortage and pollution by improving the quality of the treated water discharged into the environment. However, membrane biofouling persistently holds back an MBR process by reducing the process efficiency. Herein, we synthesized carbon nanospheres (CNSs) with many hydrophilic oxygen groups and utilized them as an additive to prepare high-performance ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with hydrophilicity and porous pore structure. CNSs were found to form crescent-shaped pores on the membrane surface, increasing the mean surface pore size by about 40% without causing significant defects larger than bubble points, as the CNS content increased by 4.6 wt%. In addition, the porous pore structure of CNS composite membranes was also attributable to the CNS's isotropic morphologies and relatively low particle number density because the aforementioned properties contributed to preventing the polymer solution viscosity from soaring with the loading of CNS. However, too porous structure compromised the mechanical properties, such that CNS2.3 was the best from a comprehensive consideration including the pore structure and mechanical properties. As a result, CNS2.3 showed not only 2 times higher water permeability than CNS0 but also 5 times longer operation duration until membrane cleaning was required.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.325-340
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• 2024

There are several novel uses for dispersing many nanoparticles into a conventional fluid, including dynamic sealing, damping, heat dissipation, microfluidics, and more. Therefore, melting heat and mass transfer characteristics of a 3-D MHD Hybrid Nanofluid flow over a rotating disc with presenting dufour and soret effects are assessed numerically in this study. In this instance, we investigated both ferric sulfate and molybdenum disulfide as nanoparticles suspended within base fluid water. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into linked higher-order non-linear ordinary differential equations by the local similarity transformation. The collection of these deduced equations is then resolved using a Chebyshev spectral collocation-based algorithm built into the Mathematica software. To demonstrate how different instances of hybrid/ nanofluid are impacted by changes in temperature, velocity, and the distribution of nanoparticle concentration, examples of graphical and numerical data are given. For many values of the material parameters, the computational findings are shown. Simulations conducted for different physical parameters in the model show that adding hybrid nanoparticle to the fluid mixture increases heat transfer in comparison to simple nanofluids. It has been identified that hybrid nanoparticles, as opposed to single-type nanoparticles, need to be taken into consideration to create an effective thermal system. Furthermore, porosity lowers the velocities of simple and hybrid nanofluids in both cases. Additionally, results show that the drag force from skin friction causes the nanoparticle fluid to travel more slowly than the hybrid nanoparticle fluid. The findings also demonstrate that suction factors like magnetic and porosity parameters, as well as nanoparticles, raise the skin friction coefficient. Furthermore, It indicates that the outcomes from different flow scenarios correlate and are in strong agreement with the findings from the published literature. Bar chart depictions are altered by changes in flow rates. Moreover, the results confirm doctors' views to prescribe hybrid nanoparticle and particle nanoparticle contents for achalasia patients and also those who suffer from esophageal stricture and tumors. The results of this study can also be applied to the energy generated by the melting disc surface, which has a variety of industrial uses. These include, but are not limited to, the preparation of semiconductor materials, the solidification of magma, the melting of permafrost, and the refreezing of frozen land.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.143-154
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• 2024

In this study, we improved the vitamin C test method and reviewed data on the adjustable range of chromatography conditions for quantification. First, we adjusted the mobile phase conditions such as solvent composition, salt concentration, pH and column temperature and in particular, it was confirmed through an improved test method that the peak derived from the buffer solution could be clearly separated from the target component, vitamin C by adjusting the pH. The retention time of vitamin C was partially changed by adjusting the column diameter, length and particle size but the number of theoretical plates indicated similar values and did not affect the separation and quantitative analysis of the target component. The flow rate according to the column specifications was derived from the equation proposed by the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug administration) and the Korean MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety), and evaluation of the applicability to vitamin complexes showed high selectivity for vitamin C even with altered stationary phase conditions and flow rates. In conclusion, vitamin C can be optimally separated and detected by changing the chromatographic method conditions and it was confirmed that the mobile and stationary phase conditions of liquid chromatography can be slightly adjusted in case the assay method uses an isocratic elution.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2009

In order to determine organic carbon oxidation by manganese and iron oxides, six core sediments were obtained in slope and basin sediments of Ulleung Basin in East Sea. The basin sediments show high organic carbon contents (>2%) at the water depths deeper than 2,000 m; this is rare for deep-sea sediments, except for those of the Black Sea and Chilean upwelling regions. In the Ullleung Basin, the surface sediments were extremely enriched by Manganese oxides with more than 2%. Maximum contents of Fe oxides were found at the depth of $1{\sim}4cm$ in basin sediments. However, the high level of Mn and Fe oxides was not observed in slope sediment. Surface manganese enrichments (>2%) in Ulleung Basin may be explained by two possible mechanisms: high organic carbon contents and optimum sedimentation rates and sufficient supply of dissolved Manganese from slope to the deep basin. Reduction rates of iron and manganese oxides ranged from 0.10 to $0.24\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$ and from 0.30 to $0.57\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, respectively. In Ulleung Basin sediments, $13{\sim}26%$ of organic carbon oxidation may be linked to the reduction of iron and manganese oxides. Reduction rates of metal oxides were comparable to those of Chilean upwelling regions, and lower than those of Danish coastal sediments.