• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.12.1-12.8
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• 2014

Objectives Cohort studies of associations between air pollution and health have used exposure prediction approaches to estimate individual-level concentrations. A common prediction method used in Korean cohort studies is ordinary kriging. In this study, performance of ordinary kriging models for long-term particulate matter less than or equal to $10{\mu}m$ in diameter ($PM_{10}$) concentrations in seven major Korean cities was investigated with a focus on spatial prediction ability. Methods We obtained hourly $PM_{10}$ data for 2010 at 226 urban-ambient monitoring sites in South Korea and computed annual average $PM_{10}$ concentrations at each site. Given the annual averages, we developed ordinary kriging prediction models for each of the seven major cities and for the entire country by using an exponential covariance reference model and a maximum likelihood estimation method. For model evaluation, cross-validation was performed and mean square error and R-squared ($R^2$) statistics were computed. Results Mean annual average $PM_{10}$ concentrations in the seven major cities ranged between 45.5 and $66.0{\mu}g/m^3$ (standard deviation=2.40 and $9.51{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively). Cross-validated $R^2$ values in Seoul and Busan were 0.31 and 0.23, respectively, whereas the other five cities had $R^2$ values of zero. The national model produced a higher cross-validated $R^2$ (0.36) than those for the city-specific models. Conclusions In general, the ordinary kriging models performed poorly for the seven major cities and the entire country of South Korea, but the model performance was better in the national model. To improve model performance, future studies should examine different prediction approaches that incorporate $PM_{10}$ source characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.406-425
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• 2019

To observe the seasonal fluctuation of the meiobenthic fauna community around the coastal area of Jeju island, 20 stations were selected and seasonal surveys were conducted. Three-replicate meiobenthic samples were collected from each station in April, July, and November 2017; February, May, August, and November 2018; and February in 2019, in a total of eight months from 2017 to 2019. The total density of meiobenthos at each station ranged from 733 to 2,505 ind. 10 cm^-2. The month in which the highest habitat density appeared in most stations was April 2017 and the month in which the lowest habitat density was seen was February 2019. Nematodes were the most dominant faunal group among the representative 13 meiofaunal groups at all stations. The subdominant groups were benthic harpacticoid copepods and nauplius. The nematode/copepod (N/C) ratio, reflecting the health indices within the ecosystem, varied from 0.02 to 87.40 over the entire season and the average station values ranged from 2.00 to 16.80. The lowest N/C ratio value was found in April 2017 (0.02) and the highest N/C ratio was found at Station 11 in February 2019, which was 87.40, indicating the highest level of pollution. Seasonal and regional meiobenthos community structure similarity was divided into three groups through group analysis and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis, which showed that the meiobenthos community structure was affected by seasonal variations, rather than by regional differences.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.189-201
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• 2013

To study characteristics of the water quality in the Hansan-Geoje bay, we analyzed the long term monitoring data collected at the two sites during the period of 1987~2010. The trophic state of the waters in Hansan-Geoje bay was the mesotrophic level by the classification of Wasmud et al.[2001]. The water nutrients increased steadily from a wet season (Aug.), it reached the maximum concentration peak in a dry season (Nov.), and then decreased steadily to the winter, it reached at the minimum value in May in the next year. The result of factor analysis divided the waters of Hansan-Geoje bay into the five factors (nutrient, season, inflow land water, pollution, internal production) and the factors represented the 76.82% on the status of the waters. According to time series analysis, temperature, DO and bottom DIP were increased, and pH and COD were decreased during the period of 1987~2010. In particular, the fluctuation trend of DIN has been turned from oversupply to shortage by the N/P ratio since before and after 1990's. The water quality of the Hansan-Geoje bay has been recovered except DIP since 1987, despite of its geographical characteristic which is a general semi-closesd bay and a massive aqua-culture ground. To preserve the waters in Hansan-Geoje bay, we need to know on the cause of the increase or accumulation of DIP, and we should continue to study on the interrelation between the aqua-culture and water environment.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.373-378
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of application of the dolomite particles and the shell powder on soil characteristics, dry matter yield and nutritive value of forage in sandy loam soil at the Experimental Field of National Livestock Research Institute, Suweon, from 1994 to 1996. This was compared with control, lime, dolomite 0.5mm, 2.0mm, 4.0mm, and shell powder in mixed pasture. Although there was no significant difference, average dry matter yield for 3 years was increased with the application of lime, dolomite 2.0mm, 0.5mm, control, 4.0mm and shell powder in order. Average crude protein yield of forages was increased with the application of dolomite 2.0mm, 0.5mm, control, lime, shell powder and 4.0mm in order. Lime requirement was slightly increased from 2,410 to 4,853kg per ha with the lapse of time. Although soil hardness was optimum level by second year, it was apt to become hard little by little. Solid phase of soil was lowered with dolomite 0.5mm treatment. The results demonstrated that dolomite and shell powder could be settled a dust problem in farms and a coast pollution as lime substitutes for soil improvement. Therefore, it is desirable for dry matter yield and crude protein yield to applicate the dolomite 2.0mm every 3 years and the shell powder more frequently in sandy loam soil.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.915-921
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• 2001

Phytase improves the bioavailability of phytate phosphorus in plant foods to humans and animals, and reduces the phosphorus pollution of animal waste. In order to express a high level of fungal phytase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, various expression vectors were constructed with different combinations of promoters, translation enhancers, signal peptides, and terminator. Three different promoters fused to the phytase gene (phyA) from Aspergillus niger were tested: a galactokinase (GAL1) promoter, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) promoter, and yeast hybrid ADH2-GPD promoter consisting of alcohol dehydrogenase II (ADH2) and a GPD promoter. The signal peptides of phytase, glucose oxidase (GO), and rice amylase 1A(RAmy1A) were included. Plus, the translation enhancers of the ${\Omega}$ sequence and UTR70 from the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and spinach, respectively, were also tested. Among the recombinant vectors, pGphyA06 containing the GPD promoter, the ${\Omega}$ sequence, RAmy1A, and GAL7 terminator expressed the highest phytase activity in a culture filtrate, which was estimated at 20 IU/ml. An intracellular localization of the expressed phytase activity in a culture filtrate, which was estimated at 20 IU/ml. An intracellular localization of the expressed phytase was also performed by inserting an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal, KDEL sequence, into the C-terminus of the phytase within the vector pHphyA-6. It appeared that the KDEL sequence directed most of the early expression of phytase into the intracellular compartment yet more than $60\%$ of the total phytase activity was still retained within the cell even after the prolonged (>3 days) incubation of the transformant. However, the intracellular enzyme activity of the transformant without a KDEL sequence was as high as that of the extracellular one, thereby strongly suggesting that the secretion of phytase in S. cerevisiae appeared to be the rate-limiting step for the expression of a large amount of extracellular recombinant phytase, when compared with other yeasts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1433-1441
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• 2015

Pollution resulting from the discharge of textile dyes into water systems has become a major global concern. Because peroxidases are known for their ability to decolorize and detoxify textile dyes, the peroxidase activity of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) has recently been studied. It is found that VHb and variants of this enzyme show great promise for enzymatic decolorization of dyes and may play a role in achieving their successful removal from industrial wastewater. The level of VHb peroxidase activity correlates with two amino acid residues present within the conserved distal pocket, at positions 53 and 54. In this work, sitedirected mutagenesis of these residues was performed and resulted in improved VHb peroxidase activity. The double mutant, Q53H/P54C, shows the highest dye decolorization and removal efficiency, with 70% removal efficiency within 5 min. UV spectral studies of Q53H/P54C reveals a more compact structure and an altered porphyrin environment (λ_Soret = 413 nm) relative to that of wild-type VHb (λ_Soret = 406), and differential scanning calorimetry data indicate that the VHb variant protein structure is more stable. In addition, circular dichroism spectroscopic studies indicate that this variant's increased protein structural stability is due to an increase in helical structure, as deduced from the melting temperature, which is higher than 90℃. Therefore, the VHb variant Q53H/P54C shows promise as an excellent peroxidase, with excellent dye decolorization activity and a more stable structure than wild-type VHb under high-temperature conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2005

To understand the pollution level by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in ambient air of industrial area, PCBs concentrations were measured at Sihwa and Banwol industrial region, Korea. The concentrations of total PCB and WHO-TEQ ranged from 2,080 to $5820\;pg/m^3$ (median value is 2,760) and from 0.19 to $1.01\;pgTEQ/m^3$ (median value is 0.42), respectively. In terms of homologues composition the fraction of highly chlorinated biphenyls(from hexa-CB to deca-CB) were higher than the air samples of other regions such as jeonju and yokohama area. The cluster analysis was conducted to study the relation between the air samples and sources such as incinerator flue gases and Aroclor samples. The isomer fractions in the homologue were used as input variables. Based on the results, the industrial ambient air samples were divided from source samples with long Euclidian distance. This suggest that the ambient air samples of Sihwa and Banwol were not on the influence of Aroclor and incinerators. Therefore, further investigation on systematical air monitoring will be required to estimate the sources of PCBs in the above industrial areas.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-132
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• 1992

This study was conducted to clarify the distribution pattern of macrobenthic soft-bottom dwelling animals near the shellfish farming ground in Chinhae Bay, Korea Sampling was seasonally performed with van Veen grab$(0.1m^2)$ from October 1990 to July 1991. Benthic animals collected during the study comprised 107 species which amounted to 6,978 individuals: 52 species from polychaetes$(48.6\%)$, 34 species from crustaceans$(31.8\%),$ 14 species from molluscs$(13.1\%)$ and 7 species from other faunal groups$(6.5\%)$. The dominant species were four polychaetes and one amphipod: Lumbrineis longifolia, Capitella capitate, Mediomastus sp., Sigambra tentaculata and Erictonius pugnax. The study area could be divided into 3 regions based on the faunal similarity which was closely related to the content of organic matter in the surface sediment. The benthic community located near the shellfish farming ground showed large spatial and seasonal variations in species diversity and evenness in contrast to the stable values off the farming area. The oxygen deficient water mass below 2 ml/l In thi bottom layer during the summer stressed and depauperated the benthic community in the autumn of 1990. However, the benthic community did recover during the winter. It is postulated that the cyclic phenomenon of summer mortality followed by winter recovery may be a common characteristic in benthic communities subjected to a high level of organic pollution.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.6447-6454
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• 2013

Seawater intake systems have significant problems due to seawater pollution, suspended solids, unstable intake and maintenance etc. An underground type seawater intake system was newly developed to overcome the existing weaknesses and was facilitated in Gyukpo port. In this study, to check the performance of the new system, the samples for water quality and the 3-D numerical modeling test were conducted. The five times test included the COD, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, pH, and suspended solid for the intake system. The analyses show that the COD, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, PH showedminor changes before and after. On the other hand, the change in suspended solids was significant and water was purified below 5 mg/l, first level fisheries water, after. The numerical model adopted the RNG $k-{\epsilon}$ algorithm and the CFX model based on the finite volume method. The porosity algorithm was used to reproduce filtered-sand, outer diameter, and thickness. The numerical results showed that the double pipe is advantageous in that it provides a uniform pressure between the inner and outer pipe for the flow to be stable. In addition, the use of multiple intake pipes did not interfere with the discharge reduction of 0.98 at the both intake pipes compared with the central intake pipe.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.717-722
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• 2011

Currently, melamine is being used variously in our lives such as resins, flame retardants, adhesive, laminate etc. And understandably sewer of stream of wastewater containing Melamine has also increased. GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) of EU safety guidelines says that it can cause cancer. Still, study on toxicity of Melamine is going on. In this research, melamine contamination level of the Han River and River Basin was analyzed by HPLC/UV. And the experiments of GAC adsorption were conducted and the model was studied. We collected the 3 same samples at the suburbs of Paldang Dam located in the relative upstream in Han River and Ttukseom amusement park, the downstream region and collected samples equally at the Hongreung stream, Wangsuk stream, Cheonggye stream among streams flowing into Han River and then measured Melamine concentration after purification. As a result, melamine was not detected at the suburbs of Paldang Dam and it was detected at Ttukseom amusement park, the downstream of it, in the concentration of $0.312{\mu}g/L$. The Wangsuk stream with $0.578{\mu}g/L$ highest Cheonggye stream and Hongreung stream was detected with each $0.197{\mu}g/L$ and $0.325{\mu}g/L$. Although the concentration was low in general, melamine detection could be checked at most point. In 1970, the world capacity of Melamine was estimated at 200,000 ton, with current production estimated to be 1,400,000 ton. Melamine of Han River and rivers flowing into Han River is present at low concentration but pollution will increase in the future due to increase of use. Depending on the size of activated carbon in the experiment were slightly different. But the breakthrough model is almost identical.