• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.153-160
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• 2005

There have been large areas of soil contaminated with high levels of explosives. For this experimental work, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) was tested as a representative explosive contaminant of concern in both aqueous and soil samples and its removal was evaluated using three different chemical treatment methods: 1) the classical Fenton reaction which utilizes hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and soluble iron at pH less than 3; 2) a modified Fenton reaction which utilizes chelating agents, $H_2O_2$, and soluble iron at pH 7; and 3) a Fenton-like process which utilizes iron minerals instead of soluble iron and $H_2O_2$, generating a hydroxyl radical. Using classic Fenton reaction, 93% of TNT was removed in 20 h at pH 3 (soil spiked with 300 mg/L of TNT, 3% $H_2O_2$ and 1mM Fe(III)), whereas 21% removed at pH 7. The modified Fenton reaction, using nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), oxalate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), acetate and citrate as representative chelating agents, was tested with 3% $H_2O_2$ at pH 7 for 24 h. Results showed the TNT removal in the order of NTA, EDTA, oxalate, citrate and acetate, with the removal efficiency of 87%, 71%, 64%, 46%, and 37%, respectively, suggesting NTA as the most effective chelating agent. The Fenton-like reaction was performed with water contaminated with 100 mg/L TNT and soil contaminated with 300 mg/L TNT, respectively, using 3% $H_2O_2$ and such iron minerals as goethite, magnetite, and hematite. In the goethite-water system, 33% of TNT was removed at pH 3 whereas 28% removed at pH 7. In the magnetite-water system, 40% of TNT was removed at pH 3 whereas 36% removed at pH 7. In the hematite-water system, 40% of TNT was removed at pH 3 whereas 34% removed at pH 7. For further experiments combining the modified Fenton reaction with the Fenton-like reaction, NTA, EDTA, and oxalate were selected with the natural iron minerals, magnetite and hematite at pH 7, based on the results from the modified Fenton reaction. As results, in case magnetite was used, 79%, 59%, and 14% of TNT was removed when NTA, oxalate, and EDTA used, respectively, whereas 73%, 25%, and 19% removed in case of hematite, when NTA, oxalate, and EDTA used, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.47-63
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• 1998

In order to compare species-specific calcium metabolism, we collected 127 species belonging to 40 different families grown on various habitats including saline, limestone, wetland during the 1996 vegetation period, and analyzed their inorganic ion contents. Plants investigated were divided into 5 groups according to their physiological properties: 1) Chenopodiaceae, Aizoaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Portulacaceae and Phytolaccaceae of Centrospermales and Polygonaceae (Polygonales had a little water-soluble $Ca^{2+}$ but contained high contents of insoluble $Ca^{2+}$ particularly as Ca-oxalate (Chenopodiaceae type), 2) Some plant species such as Rosaceae produced oxalate in amounts insufficient to precipitate all incoming $Ca^{2+}$ and thus contained a surplus of dissolved $Ca^{2+}$ (Rosaceae type), 3) The contents of water-soluble $Ca^{2+}$ in plant species of Crassulaceae. Plantaginaceae, Asclepiadaceae, and Zygophyllaceae were equal to or greater than those of K ($K/Ca{\leq}1$; Crassulaceae type), and 4) K/Ca ratios of Compositae were significantly fluctuated depending on species and soil $Ca^{2+}$ level of their habitats (Compositae type). 5) Certain monocots (Gramineae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae), in contrast to the dicotyledonous plant families mentioned above, showed a very distinct type of calcium metabolism, that is, the K/Ca ratios of 8~10 were maintained indifferently in the species and their habitat types (Graminae type). These results plants within the same taxon have similar physiological aspects as weel as morphological attributes. To understand calcium metabolism of certain plant species, therefore, it is desirable to approach on the basis of physiological concept (calciotroph or calciophobe) rather than the ecological one (calcicole or calcifuge).

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.339-342
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• 2004

Germination is a process which characterized with nescient synthesis of genes. Among the genes synthesized during the germination of wheat embryos, germin genes, proteins and their enzymatic activity were defined. Germin is a water soluble homopentameric glycoprotein which is remarkable resistant to degradation by a broad range of proteases including pepsin. Germin proteins found to have strong oxalate oxidase activity which produces hydrogen peroxide by degrading oxalic acid. The current study, aimed to localize the germin genes, proteins and enzymatic activities in developing coleoptiles which is a rapidly growing protective tissue of leaf primordium and shoot apex. Non-radioactively abeled germin riboprobes were employed to localize germin mRNAs in situ. FITC (Fluorescein isothiocyanate) and alkaline phosphatase linked anti-germin antibodies were used to localize germin proteins under the fluorescence and light microscopy and finally germin enzymatic activity was localized by using appropriate enzyme assay. The results revealed that in coleoptiles germin genes, proteins and their enzymatic activity were predominantly associated with the cells of epidermis and vascular bundle sheath cells.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.239-254
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• 2015

Little information on HUmic-Like Substances (HULIS) in ambient particulate matter has been reported yet in Korea. HULIS makes up a significant fraction of the water-soluble organic mass in the atmospheric aerosols and influence their water uptake properties. In this study 24-hr $PM_{2.5}$ samples were collected between December 2013 and October 2014 at an urban site in Gwangju and analyzed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble OC (WSOC), HULIS, and ionic species, to investigate possible sources and formation processes of HULIS. HULIS was separated using solid phase extraction method and quantified by total organic carbon analyzer. During the study period, HULIS concentration ranged from 0.19 to $5.65{\mu}gC/m^3$ with an average of $1.83{\pm}1.22{\mu}gC/m^3$, accounting for on average 45% of the WSOC (12~ 73%), with higher in cold season than in warm season. Strong correlation of WSOC with HULIS ($R^2=0.91$) indicates their similar chemical characteristics. On the basis of the relationships between HULIS and a variety of chemical species (EC, $K^+$, $NO_3{^-}$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and oxalate), it was postulated that HULIS observed during summer and winter were likely attributed to secondary formation and primary emissions from biomass burning (BB) and traffics. Stronger correlation of HULIS with $K^+$, which is a BB tracer, in winter ($R^2=0.81$) than in summer ($R^2=0.66$), suggests more significant contribution of BB emissions in winter to the observed HULIS. It is interesting to note that BB emissions may also have an influence on the HULIS in summer, but further study using levoglucosan that is a unique organic marker of BB emissions is required during summer. Higher correlation between HULIS and oxalate, which is mainly formed through cloud processing and/or photochemical oxidation processes, was found in the summer ($R^2=0.76$) than in the winter ($R^2=0.63$), reflecting a high fraction of secondary organic aerosol in the summer.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 1993

Among 294 Actinomycetes isolated from soil, a strain that had appeared to produce the highest level of chitinase selected for further studies. The selected strain was identified as a Streptomyces lydicus based on the data obtained from the morphological, biochemical and cultural experiments. The cultural conditions for the enzyme production were also examined, and the results obtained were as follows: the maximal enzyme production was attained when the cells were cultured at $30^{\circ}C$ for 6 days in the medium supplemented with 2% of colloidal chitin. The optimum initial pH of the medium was observed to be 8. It was also found that the most effective carbon and nitrogen sources were soluble starch and ammonium oxalate, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.468-474
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• 1997

The chemical composition and hypocholoesterolaemic effect of Nostoc commune were studied. Proximate analysis data, composition of dietary fiber and oxalic acid-ammonium oxalate soluble substance of Nostoc commune were presented. Thirty rats were fed with the one of the following diet for three weeks: The control diet contained 0.75% cholesterol, 0.25% sodium cholate and 5% cellulose powder, CF was cholesterol free, PNC, ONC and RNC diet contained 7.2% powder, 2.2% extracts and 5% residue of Nostoc commune respectively. The lipid components of serum were assayed. The concentration of the total cholesterol was significantly lower in PNC, ONC than the control. The concentration of the total cholesterol was significantly lower in PNC, ONC than the control. The concentration of HDL-choloesterol was significantly higher in PNC than the control. The concentration of LDL, VLDL and chylomicron were comparatively lower in CF and PNC. The concentration of seum triglyceride and phospholipid was lower in PNC group than in the other group.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.274-280
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• 2001

The chemical forms of calcium compounds in perilla leaves and their changes after harvest were investigated. The four types of calcium compounds extracted were as follows: water soluble calcium(F-I: mainly water soluble organic acid salts and calcium ion), IN-sodium chloride soluble calcium(F-II: calcium-pectate and calcium-carbonate), 2%-acetic acid soluble calcium(F-III: calcium-phosphate), and 5%-hydrochloric acid soluble calcium(F-IV: calcium-oxalate). The calcium content of perilla leaves was not found to vary with their age. Relatively high levels of F-l (28.4~39.5) and F-II (34.4~47.4) were found in young and mature leaves while the F-IV constituted 15.6~21.6% of the total calcium. The F-IV calcium contents of perilla. spinach and jaso were 16.8, 42.4 and 22.3%, respectively. In contrast to calcium. magnesium existed as water soluble magnesium at the highest content of 90.6% in spinach while 62.9% and 16.8% of the total magnesium existed as water soluble magnesium in perilla and jaso, repectively. The change in vitamin C and F-IV calcium content were examined for 7 days after harvest. Vitamin C content decreased slowly at the beginning but rapidly from the 4th day after harvest. On the other hand, the F-IV calcium content increased slowly at the beginning and rapidly from the 4th day of observation. This result suggests that the increase in F-IV calcium is related to the decrease in vitamin C content. This phenomena was more distinctly observed at 2$0^{\circ}C$ than 5$^{\circ}C$.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 1994

Some ammonium oxalate soluble pectic fragments prepared from cultured cell wall of Ephycla distrahya elicited the accumulation of p-coumarocylamino acids (p-CAA) in E. distachya cultures while water soluble and alkali soluble fractions had no activity. Partial purification of the pectic fragments fraction using DEAE-cellulose chromatography afforded two active fractions (PS-I and PS-II) which were composed of mainly uronic acids (98-99 w/w %). They elicited the accumulation of p-CAA in an amount of 52-60 nmol per gram fresh weight of cultures. The acidic sugar compositions of PS-I and PS-II were found to be galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid by TLC analysis. They were supposed to act as endogenous elicitors of p-CAA accumulation. In order to investigate the effect of ethylene on p-CAA accumulation, Ethrel, which is known as ethylene generator, and ACC(1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid), a direct precusor of ethylene biosynthesis, were added to the culture. However, they did not glycopeptide elicitor [(Con A-II)], either. Consequently, no relationships between ethylene and p-CAA accumulation were recognized. Several tentative elicitors were teted for their activity. Commercial yeast glucan, $CuCl_2$, laminarin and laminariheptaose had slight activity whereas ${\alpha}$-methylmannopyranoside and commercial yeast mannan had no elicitor activity. ${\alpha}$-methylmannopyranoside which has been known as a tentative inhibitor of glucan elicitor in Glycine max did not affect on the elicitor activity of Con A-II.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.421-426
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• 2001

The pneumatic classification and acidic leaching behaviors of phosphor sludge have been examined to establish the recycling system of rare earth components contained in waste fluorescent lamp. At first, separation characteristic of rare earth components and calcium phosphate in phosphor sludge was investigated by pneumatic classification. After pneumatic classification of phosphor sludge, rare earth components were leached in various acidic solutions and sodium hydroxide solution. For recovery of soluble component in leaching solution, rare earth components were separated as hydroxide and oxalate precipitations. The experimental results obtained are summarized as follows: (1) In classification process, rare earth components in phosphor sludge were concentrated to 29.3% from 13.3%, and its yield was 32.9%. (2) In leaching process, sulfuric acid solution was more effective one as a leaching solvent of rare earth component than other solutions. Y and Eu components in phosphor sludge were dissolved in sulfuric acid solution of 1.5 k㏖/㎥, and other rare earth components were rarely dissolved in leaching solution. Leaching degrees of Y and Eu were respectively 92% and 98% in the following optimum leaching conditions; sulfuric acid concentration is 1.5 k㏖/㎥ , leaching temperature 343 K, leaching time 3.6 ks and pulp concentration 30 kg/㎥. (3) Y and Eu components of phosphor sludge contained in waste fluorescent lamp were, effectively recovered by three processes of pneumatic classification, sulfuric acid leaching and oxalate precipitation methods. Their recovery was finally about 65 %, and its purity was 98.2%.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.397-406
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• 2000

In order to clarify the ecophysiological characteristics of Chenopodiaceae which widely distribute on saline and arid habitats, we collected 10 chenopodiaceous plant species, examined their inorganic and organic solute patterns, and confirmed several common physiological characteristics. In spite of high soil Ca/sup 2＋/ contents, chenopodiaceous plants had a little water-soluble Ca within cells, but contained high contents of acid-soluble Ca particularly as a result of Ca-oxalate formation. These plant species also showed accumulation of inorganic ions such as K/sup ＋/, NO₃/sup －/ and Cl/sup －/, and Na/sup ＋/especially in saline habitats instead of K/sup ＋/ Meanwhile, with respect to nitrogen metabolism they retained high N contents in leaves, but showed very low amino acid contents. Additionally, they contained very little proline known to act as a cytoplasmic osmolyte. To ascertain whether this physiological characteristics in the field also can be found under controlled conditions, 7 chenopodiaceous plants (Atriplex gmelini, Corispermum stauntonii, Salicornia herbacea, Suaeda aspayagoides, Suaeda japonica, Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum, C. serotinum) were selected and cultivated under salt treatments. As well as field-grown plants, selected plant species showed similar solute pattern in growth experiment. In summary, the family of Chenopodiaceae represents the following physiological properties; high storage capacity for inorganic ions (especially alkali cations, nitrate and chloride), oxalate synthesis to maintain lower soluble Ca contents within cytoplasm, and low contents of amino acids. In addition to some characteristics mentioned above, the physiological plasticities of Chenopodiaceae which can properly regulate their ion and solute pattern according to soil conditions may enable its representative to grow in dry sand dune and salt marsh habitats.