• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.211-217
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• 2004

A Li recovery technology has been developed and related experimental verification efforts were carried out to improve the economical viability and environmental friendliness of the 'Advanced Spent Fuel Conditioning Process' being developed at KAERI. This technology is characterized by the combination of 1) the electrolysis of $Li_2O$ in a molten salt by using a porous non-conducting magnesia container at the cathode, 2) the separation of the Li in the container from the molten salt by elevating the container above the level of a molten salt, 3) the transport of the Li in the container by using a vacuum siphon to a separated reservoir. Li was semi-continuously recovered from a LiCl-$Li_2O$ molten salt with a more than 95% yield by using the developed technology.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2024

Bats serve as vectors and natural reservoir hosts for various infectious viruses, bacteria, and fungi. These pathogens have also been detected in bat feces and can cause severe illnesses in hosts, other animals, and humans. Because pathogens can easily spread into the environment through bat feces, determining the bacterial communities in bat guano is crucial to mitigate potential disease transmission and outbreaks. This study primarily aimed to examine bacterial communities in the feces of insectivorous bats living in South Korea. Fecal samples were collected after capturing 84 individuals of four different bat species in two regions of South Korea, and the bacterial microbiota was assessed through next generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results revealed that, with respect to the relative abundance at the phylum level, Myotis bombinus was dominated by Firmicutes (47.24%) and Proteobacteria (42.66%) whereas Miniopterus fuliginosus (82.78%), Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (63.46%), and Myotis macrodactylus (78.04%) were dominated by Proteobacteria. Alpha diversity analysis showed no difference in abundance between species and a significant difference (p < 0.05) between M. bombinus and M. fuliginosus. Beta-diversity analysis revealed that Clostridium, Asaia, and Enterobacteriaceae_g were clustered as major factors at the genus level using principal component analysis. Additionally, linear discriminant analysis effect size was conducted based on relative expression information to select bacterial markers for each bat species. Clostridium was relatively abundant in M. bombinus, whereas Mycoplasma_g10 was relatively abundant in R. ferrumequinum. Our results provide an overview of bat guano microbiota diversity and the significance of pathogenic taxa for humans and the environment, highlighting a better understanding of preventing emerging diseases. We anticipate that this research will yield bioinformatic data to advance our knowledge of overall microbial genetic diversity and clustering characteristics in insectivorous bat feces in South Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.710-724
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• 2024

Flavobacterium can synthesize xanthophyll, particularly the pigment zeaxanthin, which has significant economic value in nutrition and pharmaceuticals. Recently, the use of carotenoid biosynthesis by bacteria and yeast fermentation technology has shown to be very efficient and offers significant advantages in large-scale production, cost-effectiveness, and safety. In the present study, JSWR-1 strain capable of producing xanthophyll pigment was isolated from a freshwater reservoir in Wanju-gun, Republic of Korea. Based on the morphological, physiological, and molecular characteristics, JSWR-1 classified as belonging to the Flavobacterium species. The bacterium is strictly aerobic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and psychrophilic. The completed genome sequence of the strain Flavobacterium sp. JSWR-1 is predicted to be a single circular 3,425,829-bp chromosome with a G+C content of 35.2% and 2,941 protein-coding genes. The optimization of carotenoid production was achieved by small-scale cultivation, resulting in zeaxanthin being identified as the predominant carotenoid pigment. The enhancement of zeaxanthin biosynthesis by applying different light-irradiation, variations in pH and temperature, and adding carbon and nitrogen supplies to the growth medium. A significant increase in intracellular zeaxanthin concentrations was also recorded during fed-batch fermentation achieving a maximum of 16.69 ± 0.71 mg/l, corresponding to a product yield of 4.05 ± 0.15 mg zeaxanthin per gram cell dry weight. Batch and fed-batch culture extracts exhibit significant antioxidant activity. The results demonstrated that the JSWR-1 strain can potentially serve as a source for zeaxanthin biosynthesis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.343-348
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• 2008

To investigate the effects of incorporation of green manures (GM) into a sandy loam soil on growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of tomato (Lycoperiscon esculentum Mill.) and nutrient balances (input minus offtake of nutrients), five tomato production systems were compared under the condition of plastic film house: 1) a no input system (no additional amendment or inputs, 0-To-0-To); 2) a conventional system (application of N-P-K chemical fertilizers, Cf-To-Cf-To); 3) a leguminous GM-containing system (hairy vetch-tomato-soybean-tomato, Hv-To-Sb-To); 4) a graminaceous GM-containing system (rye-tomato-sudan grass-tomato, Ry-To-Sd-To); and 5) system mixed with leguminous and graminaceous GMs (rye-tomatosoybean- tomato, Ry-To-Sb-To). Here, hairy vetch and rye were cultivated as winter cover crops during late $Dec{\sim}late$ Feb and soybean and sudan grass were cultivated as summer cover crops during late $Jun{\sim}mid$ Aug. All of them cut before tomato planting and then incorporated into soil. Biomass of GMs was greater in summer season than that of winter season. Nitrogen amount fixed by a leguminous plants was about $126\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ per a cropping season, corresponding to 60% N level needed for tomato production, which was comparable to 50 and $96\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ fixed by rye and sudan grass. As a result, tomato yield of Hv-To-Sb-To system (legume GM treatment) was similar to Cf-To-Cf-To (conventional), but that in Ry-To-Sd-To system (graminaceous GM treatment) was not attained to a half level of conventional treatment. Nutrient budgets for N, P and K on the conventional farm were balanced or somewhat positive exception for minus-balanced K. Ry-To-Sd-To system showed a positive N, P and K budgets due to the depressed growth of tomato which is caused by high C/N ratio and low N-fixing capacity of the GMs. Inversely, those of Hv-To-Sb-To system were negative in all of N, P and K budgets because of increased growth and yield of tomato with high nitrogen-supplying capacity as well as low C/N ratio of leguminous GM. In conclusion, although conventional cultivation has an advantage in relation to N, P and K nutrient budgets rather than GM-incorporated systems, a leguminous GMs could be recommended as nitrogen reservoir and soil amendment because the yield of tomato between use of leguminous GM and conventional cultivation was not only significantly difference, but also GMs commonly reduce nutrient loss and improve microbial communities.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.329-340
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• 2013

A geologic survey of the Bukpyeong and Pohang basins, as candidate basins for the geological storage of $CO_2$, was performed to evaluate storage capacity and security. To analyze the mechanical stability of the storage reservoir and cap rocks, we measured the porosity, seismic velocity, uniaxial strength, internal frictional angle, and Young's modulus of core samples recovered from the two basins. It is costly and sometimes impossible to conduct tests over the entire range of drill holes, and continuous logging data do not yield the mechanical parameters directly. In this study, to derive the mechanical properties of geologic formations from the geophysical logging data, we determined the empirical relations between the physical properties (seismic velocity, porosity, and dynamic modulus) and the mechanical properties (uniaxial strength, internal friction angle) of the core samples. From the comparison with our core test data, the best fits to the two basins were selected from the relations suggested in previous studies. The relations between uniaxial strength, Young's modulus, and porosity of samples from the Bukpyeong and Pohang basins are more consistent with certain rock types than with the locality of the basins. The relations between the physical and mechanical properties were used to estimate the mechanical rock properties of geologic formations from seismic logging data. We expect that the mechanical properties could also be used as input data for a modeling study to understand the mechanical instability of rock formations prior to $CO_2$ injection.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2010

For the determination of chlorine in uranium compound, analytical methods by using a steam distillation and a pyrohydrolysis have been developed. The steam distillation apparatus was composed of steam generator, distilling flask and condenser etc. The samples were prepared with an aliquot of LiCl standard solution and a simulated spent nuclear fuel. A sample aliquot was mixed with a solution containing 0.2 M ferrous ammonium sulfate-0.5 M sulfamic acid 3 mL, phosphoric acid 6 mL and sulfuric acid 15 mL. The chloride was then distilled by steam at the temperature of $140^{\circ}C$ until a volume of $90{\pm}5\;mL$ is collected. The pyrohydrolysis equipment was composed of air introduction system, water supply, quartz reaction tube, combustion tube furnace, combustion boat and absorption vessel. The chloride was separated from powdered sample which is added with $U_3O_8$ accelerator, by pyrohydrolysis at the temperature of $950^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in a quartz tube with a stream of air of 1 mL/min supplied from the water reservoir at $80^{\circ}C$. The chlorides collected in each absorption solution by two methods was diluted to 100 mL and measured with ion chromatography to determine the recovery yield. For the ion chromatographic determination of chlorine in molten salt retained in a metal ingot, the chlorine was separated by means of pyrohydrolysis after air and dry oxidation, and grinding for the sample.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.687-700
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• 2022

For comprehensively assessment the water resources performance of multi-purpose dams and water supply dams in South Korea, a methodology was proposed to utilize the durational reliability along with the integrated auxiliary indicators including resiliency, dimensionless vulnerability, water resource efficiency, specific inflow, and specific water supply. In addition, for the purpose of sustainable dam operation in the future, a plan to grade the water resources performance was presented to periodically evaluate the performance and determine the priority of each dam's structural or non-structural planning according to the evaluation results. As major results, in the case of Sumjingang Dam, the durational reliability was 99.0%, but the integrated auxiliary index was the lowest of 44 points, which was 5th grade. This means that despite the current high reliability, hydrological changes due to future climate change or regional change of water demand-supply balance can have significant impacts on the water resources performances. In contrast, the Chungju Dam with a durational reliability of 93.0%, which is below the average among all multi-purpose dams, shows the 76 points of the integrated auxiliary index, which is 3^rd highest following the Soyanggang Dam and the Namgang Dam. Nevertheless, due to the size of the basin, the specific inflow is sufficiently high as 185%, so the actual performance could be evaluated relatively high. The water supply dams designed for a single purpose tend to be evaluated relatively high because they have a high proportion of industrial and municipal water supply and have enough room for the supply capacity.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.2191-2205
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• 1971

In this research, Nong-rim No. 6 was adopted as a test variety of rice. Rice seedlings were transplanted on June 14, 1970. Roots were settled into soil on June 20 and a total number of days irrigated of $21cm{\times}21cm$ and an area of $9.9m^2$ for a test plot were accepted, planting 70 stumps of rice in a test plot. The soil in test plots are classified by soil test as oam, and its chemical contents are as shown in Table 3. Irrigation water was secured by pumping from the Sudun stream that originates at the Suho reservoir. Accordingly, the qualities of irrigation. water are considered to be the same as those of water stored in the Suho reservoir. There were 54 days of intermittent rainfalls in total during the whole 110-day period of irrigation. As a result, it is likely that the growth of rice plants was influenced by rainfall at a comparatively great degree. In order to measure the amounts of water consumption, infiltrometers, measuring devices for the decreases of water depths and lycimeters were provided. As a result of measurements, an average daily rate of infiltration was observed to be 14mm/day. It is expected from this research that the effect of increased yield will be secured by supplying optimum amounts of water for irrigation on proper times, and that the amounts of water consumption for irrigation can be saved by applying suitable irrigation methods. The test results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Yields produced in the test plots of continuous irrigation are lower than those in the test plots of rotational irrigation, i.e., yields produced at the test plots irrigatied once in a period of 8 days are higher by 27% in average than those produced at test plots of continuous irrigation. 2. The amounts of irrigation water for test plots, which have a clay layer of 9cm in thickness and vynil diaphragm without holes, are saved by about 52% in comparison with ordinary test plots. 3. Ears are sprouted 5 days earlier at continuous irrigation plots as compared with other test plots. 4. It seems that there are growing stages of rice plants such as those of forming and sprouting of ears, in which the amounts of irrigation water are consumed more in comparison with the other stages. Therefore, it may be possible to increase of decrease the amount of irrigation water, according to the growing stage of rice plant, so as to save irrigation water.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.51-67
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• 1996

There are three main rice-growing regions in the United States: the prairie region along the Mississippi River Valley in eastern Arkansas; the Gulf Coast prairie region in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas; and the Central Valley of California. The Central Valley of California is producing about 23% of the US rice(Fig. 1). In California. most of the crop has been produced in the Colusa, Sutter, Butte, Glenn Counties of the Sacramento Valley since 1912, when rice was commercially grown for the first time in the state(Fig. 2). Roughly speaking, the average annual area sown to rice in California is about 300,000 acres to 400,000 acres during the last forty years(Fig. 3). California rice is grown under a Mediterranean climate characterized by warm, dry, clear days, and a long growing season favorable to high photosynthetic rates and high rice yields. The average rice yield per acre is probably higher in California than in any other rice-growing regions of the world(Fig. 4). A dependable supply of irrigation water must be available for a successful rice culture. Most of the irrigation water for California rice comes from the winter rain and snow-fed reservoir of the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. Less than 10 percent of rice irrigation water is pumped from wells in areas where surface water is not sufficient. It is also essential to have good surface drainage if maximum yields are to be produced. Rice production in California is highly mechanized, requiring only about four hours of labor per acre. Mechanization of rice culture in California includes laser-leveler technology, large tractors, self-propelled combines for harvesting, and aircraft for seeding, pest control, and some fertilization. The principal varieties grown in California are medium-grain japonica types with origins from the cooler rice climates of the northern latitudes (Table 1). Long-grain varieties grown in the American South are not well adapted to California's cooler environment. Nearly all the rice grown recently in California are improved into semidwarf varieties. Choice of variety depends on environment, planting date, quality desired, marketing, and harvesting scheduling. The Rice Experiment Station at Biggs is owned, financed, and administered by the rice industry. The station was established in 1912, as a direct result of the foresight and effort of Charles Edward Chambliss of the United States Department of Agriculture. Now, The station's major effort is the development of improved rice varieties for California.