• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.588-597
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• 2016

In this study, we attempted to improve the biogas production efficiency by varying the mixing ratio of the mixed sludge of organic wastes in the improved single-phase anaerobic digestion process. The types of organic waste used in this study were raw sewage sludge, food wastewater leachate and livestock excretions. The biomethane potential was determined through the BMP test. The results showed that the biomethane potential of the livestock excretions was the highest at $1.55m^3CN4/kgVS$, and that the highest value of the composite sample, containing primary sludge, food waste leachate and livestock excretions at proportions of 50%, 30% and 20% respectively) was $0.43m^3CN4/kgVS$. On the other hand, the optimal mixture ratio of composite sludge in the demonstration plant was 68.5 (raw sludge) : 18.0 (food waste leachate) : 13.5 (livestock excretions), which was a somewhat different result from that obtained in the BMP test. This difference was attributed to the changes in the composite sludge properties and digester operating conditions, such as the retention time. The amount of biogas produced in the single-phase anaerobic digestion process was $2,514m^3/d$ with a methane content of 62.8%. Considering the value of $2,319m^3/d$ of biogas produced as its design capacity, it was considered that this process demonstrated the maximum capacity. Also, through this study, it was shown that, in the case of the anaerobic digestion process, the two-phase digestion process is better in terms of its stable tank operation and high efficiency, whereas the existing single-phase digestion process allows for the improvement of the digestion efficiency and performance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.275-282
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• 2009

PAHs(Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) compounds may enter into the marine environment in a number of ways, and PAHs in coastal area and estuary adjacent to urban area and industrial activities region are mainly introduced into marine environment via atmosphere or river. The field surveys to evaluate the pollution of PAHs in rivers of Jinhae bay were carried out in August, 2008. The water samples collected from seven main rivers and Deokdong WWTP(Waste water Treatment Plant) which lead to Jinhae bay. 16 PAHs which had been selected as priority pollutants by EPA were analyzed. The range and mean of dissolved Total PAHs concentrations in the rivers and Duckdong WWTP that lead to Jinhae bay were shown to be 9.79~128.25(mean 36.94)ng/L, while the range and mean of Total PAHs concentrations in SPM(Suspended Particulate Matter) were shown to be 1,81434~8,893.37(mean 4,657.73)${\mu}g$/kg dry wt. The dissolved Total PAHs and Total PAHs in SPM were shown to be high concentrations in the Semhocheon which leads to Masan bay that is the most polluted area of Jinhae bay, while those were shown to be low concentrations at rivers which lead to the west area of the bay. The ranges and means of the loading fluxes from rivers and Duckdong WWTP were calculated at 0.06~12.05(mean 1.86)g/day for dissolved Total PAHs and at 0.12~16.00(mean 2.41)g/day tor Total PAH in SPM. The loading flux of Total PAHs from Duckdong WWTP was shown to be the greatest, occupying more than 80% of Total loading flux from all rivers and WWTP to Jinhae bay. The composition patterns of PAHs compound by the number of benzene ring between dissolved PAHs and PAHs of SPM were different each other. Low molecuar weight PAHs of dissoloved compounds were in high concentration, while high molecular weight PAHs of SPM were in high concentration. These results were due to physical and chemical characteristics of PAHs and were similar to those of other studies. The total PAHs concentrations of dissolved and SPM in this study are lower than those of other studies. The extent of PAHs pollution appeared to be not serious in reverine waters of Jinhae bay.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.348-356
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• 2007

Statistical and probabilistic method was used in the analysis of data, which is the most effective one in describing the various natures, and the methodology relating the results with the design was developed. Influents and effluents of three treatment plants were analyzed and the focus was made on BOD, COD, SS, IN, TP The fluctuations of influent such as BOD, COD, SS were extremely large and their standard deviations(st.dev) were more than 10 mg/L. but those of TN, TP were small; the st.dev was 6.6 mg/L for TN, 0.6 mg/L for TP, respectively. But, effluent concentration showed consistent pattern regardless of the influent fluctuations, the st.dev was ranged between 0.28 and 4.48 mg/L. Effluent distributional characteristics were as follows; BOD, COD were distributed normally, but SS, TN, and TP, log-normally; unsymmetric and skewed to the right. The coefficient of reliability(COR) based on the results of statistics of data was introduced to evaluate the process performance an4 to reflect the process performance to the process design. The coefficient of reliability relates the design value(the goal) with the standards and it can be used in operating treatment facilities under a certain reliability level and/or in evaluating the reliability of the treatment facilities on operation. Each treated water quality of effluent showed the half of water quality standards in the level of 50% percentile and all treatment plant was achieved 100% probability of water quality standards. It was concluded that the variability of the process performance should be reflected to the design procedure and the standards through the analysis based on the statistics and the probability.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2014

Estrogen can promote or inhibit cellular proliferation depending on tissue cell types and physiological condition and acts through the signal transduction pathways mediated primarily by estrogen receptors. This study examined the effects of fulvestrant (Ful), a well-known antagonist for the estrogen receptor, on the action of $17{\beta}$-estradiol (E2) with respect to the proliferation and apoptosis of Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells. We used different concentrations of E2, Ful, and E2 plus Ful during different treatment durations. Treatment with 15-40 ${\mu}M$ E2 significantly inhibited proliferation in a time-dependent manner, although it had no influence in concentrations up to 1 ${\mu}M$. Interestingly, Ful at 10-40 ${\mu}M$ also inhibited cellular proliferation in both a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In addition, Ful enhanced rather than decreased the inhibitory effect on cellular proliferation by E2 in combined treatment for 10 days. Thus, Ful does not appear to have an antagonistic effect on estrogen's anti-proliferative action in CHO cells. In TUNEL assays to confirm DNA fragmentation by E2 and/or Ful, CHO cells treated with 20 ${\mu}M$ E2 showed a TUNEL-positive reaction in most DAPI-stained nuclei, and cells treated with either 40 ${\mu}M$ Ful or 40 ${\mu}M$ Ful plus 20 ${\mu}M$ E2 also exhibited a TUNEL-positive reaction but at a lower rate compared to the E2-treated cells. These results indicate that Ful does not have an antagonistic effect on estrogen's anti-proliferative action in CHO cells, suggesting that the anti-proliferative and apoptosis-related mechanism(s) through DNA fragmentation by E2 and Ful may be mediated by different signal transduction pathways.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2004

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the application of green manure in the form of either green barley and Chinese milkvetch in reducing the amounts of N fertilizers and conventional fertilizers needed for paddy rice. Prior to rice transplanting, the green barley and Chinese milkvetch as a green manure produced respectively $668kg\;10a^{-1}$ and 3,492kg\;$10a^{-1}$ in fresh shoot weight basis. Calculated nitrogen content from harvested green manures was 3.9 and $17.8kg\;10a^{-1}$, respectively. Plant height and tiller number of rice increased when two kinds of green manure incorporated into soil. Above mentioned parameters also increased with increasing amounts of N fertilizers at both ear formation and heading stage of rice. Rice grain number was not affected by green manures treatment but increased when N fertilizers were applied. Although rice panicle and grain number increased with green manure treatments and fertilizer applications, whereas the percentage of ripened grain decreased. Chinese milkvetch with additional N fertilizer applications increased brown rice yield from 1 to 5% compared to rice yields in plots where non-green manure with the conventional amount of fertilizer application was applied. Rice treated with Chinese milkvetch and 30% of the conventional N fertilizer rate yielded the same as rice fertilized conventionally. During the rice growing season, $NH_4-N$ content of paddy soil was higher in green manures treatment than non-green manure one. Average $NH_4-N$ content in paddy soil drastically decreased after heading stage below $5.7mg\;kg^{-1}$ in non-green manure treated plots. While on the other, $NH_4-N$ content in soil slowly decreased in plots those were treated with green manures at harvesting stage, average $NH_4-N$ content was still greater than $5.5mg\;kg^{-1}$. Nitrogen content of rice shoot and brown rice seed was higher in green manure treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2014

Ecological parks enable the sustainable use of natural resources and can be used as a place for site based environmental education. This study presented an opportunity to expand the scope of user perceptions and leisure benefits into urban ecological parks. However, in-depth studies which are aimed at eco-park visitors seeking the leisure benefits of the eco experience programs are lacking. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the urban ecological park user' characteristics which were derived by analyzing the leisure benefits and attitudes for the environment. Also, the attitudes about the environment, and the leisure benefits of visiting urban ecological parks was found to influence visitors' overall satisfaction. To accomplish the purposes of this study, a questionnaire survey with 282 samples was carried out on the urban ecological park(Gildong ecological park, Yeouido tributary ecology park). The results of the analyses are as following: urban ecological park visitors had a positive attitude about the environment, and felt satisfied by the visitors' leisure benefits. The study also examined the relationships between visitors' expectations of the leisure benefits both before visiting and after visiting. The results showed that ecological park visitors had greater expectations regarding the leisure benefits of the ecological program. Leisure benefits have a positive influence on overall satisfaction, and a positive attitude for the environment does not affect satisfaction. This study reaches the conclusion that the ecology experience program utilizing ecological parks is very effective with regard to overall satisfaction in urban areas toward the general environment and ecological parks. One of the major implications of this study is to offer a way to improve user leisure benefits and promote ecological programs by developing ecological parks for the future.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.649-656
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• 2012

To obtain the basic information for agricultural utilization of germanium (Ge), the growth characteristics and Ge absorption in rice plant were investigated under different Ge concentrations by foliar spray application. The Ge concentrations were treated with 0 (control), 10, 20, 40 and $80mg\;L^{-1}$ in pot (1 5000$^{-1}$ a), respectively. The Ge absorption rate in rice by foliar spray application with $80mg\;L^{-1}$ in pot was higher in the order of leaf (5.75%) > stem (4.52%) > root (<0.01%). By foliar spray application, the Ge content in rice was higher in the order of $80mg\;L^{-1}$ > $40mg\;L^{-1}$ > $20mg\;L^{-1}$ > $10mg\;L^{-1}$. When rice was treated with $80mg\;L^{-1}$ of Ge, the Ge content in rice grain was higher in the order of rice bran ($0.21mg\;pot^{-1}$) $\gg$ brown rice ($0.04mg\;pot^{-1}$) ${\geq}$ polished rice ($0.03mg\;pot^{-1}$). By foliar spray application, the Ge uptake in rice bran was higher than that in other parts. Therefore, optimum Ge concentration by foliar spray application was $80mg\;L^{-1}$ in pot based on the results from the Ge treatments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1381-1389
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• 2007

Wastewater discharged by industrial activities of metal finishing and electroplating units is often contaminated by a variety of toxic or otherwise harmful substances which have a negative effects on the water environment. The treatment method of heavy metal-cyanide complexes wastewater by alkaline chlorination have already well-known($1^{st}$ Oxidation: pH 10, reaction time 30 min, ORP 350 mV, $2^{nd}$ Oxidation: ORP 650 mV). In this case, the efficiency for the removal of ferro/ferri cyanide by this general alkaline chlorination is very high as 99%. But the permissible limit of Korean waste-water discharge couldn't be satisfied. The initial concentration of cyanide was 374 mg/L(the Korean permissible limit of cyanide is 1.0 mg/L max.). So a particular focus was given to the treatment of heavy metal-cyanide complexes wastewater by $Zn^{+2}/Fe^{+2}$ ion and coprecipitation after alkaline chlorination. And we could meet the Korean permissible limit of cyanide(the final concentration of cyanide: 0.30 mg/L) by $Zn^{+2}/Fe^{+2}$ ion and coprecipitation(reaction time: 30 min, pH: 8.0, rpm: 240). The removal of Chromium ion by reduction(pH: 2.0 max, ORP: 250 mV) and the precipitation of metal hydroxide(pH: 9.5) is treated as 99% of removal efficiency. The removal of Copper and Nickel ion has been treated by $Na_2S$ coagulation-flocculation as 99% min of the efficiency(pH: $9.09\sim10.0$, dosage of $Na_2S:0.5\sim3.0$ mol). It is important to note that the removal of ferro/ferri cyanide of heavy metal-cyanide complexes wastewater should be employed by $Zn^{+2}/Fe^{+2}$ ion and coprecipitation as well as the alkaline chlorination for the Korean permissible limit of waste-water discharge.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.961-972
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• 2008

In 2004, total emissions of Greenhouse Gases(GHGs) in Korea was estimated to be about 590 million metric tons, which is the world's 10th largest emissions. Considering the much amount of nation's GHG emissions and growing nation's position in the world, GHG emissions in Korea should be reduced in near future. The CO$_2$ emissions from two sub-sections of energy sector in Korea, such as thermal power plant and industry section(including manufacturing and construction industries), was about 300 million metric tons in 2004 and this is 53.3% of total GHG emissions in Korea. So, the mitigation of CO$_2$ emissions in these two section is more important and more effective to reduce the nation's total GHGs than any other fields. In addition, these two section have high potential to qualitatively and effectively apply the CCS(Carbon Capture and Storage) technologies due to the nature of their process. There are several CCS technologies applied to these two section. In short term, the chemical absorption technology using amine as a absorbent could be the most effectively used. In middle or long term, pre-combustion technology equipped with ATR(Autothermal reforming), or MSR-$H_2$(Methane steam reformer with hydrogen separation membrane reactor) unit and oxyfuel combustion such as SOFC+GT(Solid oxide fuel cell-Gas turbine) process would be the promising technologies to reduce the CO$_2$ emissions in two areas. It is expected that these advanced CCS technologies can reduce the CO$_2$ avoidance cost to $US 8.5-43.5/tCO$_2$. Using the CCS technologies, if the CO$_2$ emissions from two sub-sections of energy sector could be reduced to even 10% of total emissions, the amount of 30 million metric tons of CO$_2$ could be mitigated.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

This study has been focused on determining the chemical composition of $^{14}C$ - in terms of both organic and inorganic $^{14}C$ contents - in reactor coolant from 3 different PWR's reactor type. The purpose was to evaluate the characteristic of $^{14}C$ that can serve as a basis for reliable estimation of the environmental release at domestic PWR sites. $^{14}C$ is the most important nuclide in the inventory, since it contributes one of the main dose contributors in future release scenarios. The reason for this is its high mobility in the environment, biological availability and long half-life(5730yr). More recent studies - where a more detailed investigation of organic $^{14}C$ species believed to be formed in the coolant under reducing conditions have been made - show that the organic compounds not only are limited to hydrocarbons and CO. Possible organic compounds formed including formaldehyde, formic acid and acetic acid, etc. Under oxidizing conditions shows the oxidized carbon forms, possibly mainly carbon dioxide and bicarbonate forms. Measurements of organic and inorganic $^{14}C$ in various water systems were also performed. The $^{14}C$ inventory in the reactor water was found to be 3.1 GBq/kg in PWR of which less than 10% was in inorganic form. Generally, the $^{14}C$ activity in the water was divided equally between the gas- and water- phase. Even though organic $^{14}C$ compound shows that dominant species during the reactor operation, But during the releasing of $^{14}C$ from the plant stack, chemical forms of $^{14}C$ shows the different composition due to the operation conditions such as temperature, pH, volume control tank venting and shut down chemistry.