• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2019

Total organic carbon(TOC) was introduced as the water quality index of the rivers and lakes in 2013. This paper evaluated factors affecting effluent TOC concentrations and treated and discharged loads of existing publicly owned treatment works(POTWs). For selected POTWs with greater treatment capacity than $500m^3/day$, factorial analysis was used to consider effects of kinds of biological treatment processes, inflow of other types of wastewater(industrial, livestock, landfill leachate wastewater, etc.) with domestic wastewater, sewer separation rate, and effluent discharging zones in which different effluent criteria applied. As a result, those factors did not show significant effect on effluent TOC concentration of POTWs in effluent discharging zone I and II. However, In effluent discharging zone III and IV, kinds of biological treatment processes, the inclusion of other waste in influent of domestic wastewater, and the sewer separation rate were significant factors. The treated TOC load in POTWs was also not affected significantly by the variables set in this study. On the other hand, those three factors influenced significantly on the TOC load discharged to water bodies. The sum of factorial effects and the contribution rate of three factors to the discharged TOC load was 60.23 and 41%, 59.57 and 41%, and 42.04 and 18%, respectively.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2016

In this study, design and performance of infiltration trench using woodchip as media for treating stormwater from highway were examined through field monitoring. Average reduction efficiency for TSS, COD, BOD, TN, and TP was 88%, 94%, 85%, 80%, and 75% respectively, which is similar to values reported by other studies and design manuals even though direct comparison is not possible due to different monitoring and design conditions. Mean field infiltration rate estimated by measuring the change of water depth inside the observation well was about 40mm/hr, and the time taken for complete infiltration was about 0.83days, which corresponds well with design criteria recommended by MOE guidelines in Korea. In addition, according to analysis of infiltration rate and reduction efficiency, effective rainfall depth applied for determining water quality volume(WQv), 5mm was found to be properly established as design criteria. Woodchip must be considered and included as an alternative media together with crushed rock and gravel into the design guidelines because it has more advantages in terms of weight, porosity, cost, and easiness of management than other media materials.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.166-171
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• 2003

A total of 498 agricultural reservoirs ranging from $164{\times}10^3\;m^3$ to $253{\times}10^6\;m^3$ in storage volume were investigated from 1990 to 2001 with respect to Chl-${\alpha}$, COD concentration and pollutant loading of BOD, TN, and TP. The lakes and reservoirs could be classified to 4 types using the relationships between the ratio of storage volume per water surface area(ST/WS) and Chl-${\alpha}$ concentration. It is recommended that the improvement of polluted lakes should be performed in the order of integrated consolidation type ${\rightarrow}$ watershed consolidation type ${\rightarrow}$ in-lake consolidation type ${\rightarrow}$ Management type and reservoir should be constructed to be over $5{\sim}6\;m$ in depth(ST/WS ratio) for preventing the eutrophication of agricultural reservoirs. We propose that water quality criteria for agricultural water is changed from less than 8 mg/L to less than 6 mg/L for safety value, $6{\sim}10\;mg/L$ for concern value, and more than 10 mg/L for countermeasure value in COD concentration, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.46-56
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• 2017

The Youngsan River estuary was physically changed by the construction of a sea embankment at near the mouth of estuary. Weirs were also constructed recently in the freshwater zone and it was reported that algal blooms occur more frequently. The freshwater introduced into saltwater zone from sluice gates of the embankment affects water quality but it has not been addressed that how the freshwater inputs influence the health of marine ecosystem. In this study, we used the data of water properties and phytoplankton communities collected at three stations for 4 days including before the freshwater discharge, during the discharge and after 1 and 2 days of discharge events. WQI(water quality index), TRIX (trophic status index) and P-IBI(phytoplankton index of biotic integrity) were used to evaluate the ecosystem health and long-term data were also utilized to determine the criteria for P-IBI. The results showed that grades of the ecosystem health assessed by the indices were low at the station near the gates and increased as downstream. However, the temporal pattern of grades was different depending on methods. Grades of WQI and TRIX decreased during the discharge and restored after the discharge whereas the grades of P-IBI decreased slightly even after the discharge. This suggests that P-IBI is more applicable to estuarine systems where experience extreme change of water properties than WQI and TRIX since P-IBI includes phytoplankton that can respond quickly to the change.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2024

The term ecosystem services refers to natural ecosystems' benefits to humans. Various models have been developed and applied to quantify ecosystem services. Habitat quality assessment is a widely used leading InVEST ecosystem service model. In Korea, habitat quality assessment is conducted for national parks. For habitat quality assessment, the initial value of habitat quality must be used to assess the sensitivity to threats, which varies depending on the country and application field. Therefore, an expert survey (AHP) was conducted based on previous habitat quality assessments in national parks to adjust the sensitivity, the initial value for the habit quality assessment. As a result of the AHP, 18 items were adjusted, including 10 items, such as natural grassland and unarranged fields, upward and 8 items, such as rivers and ponds, downward. Based on the adjusted sensitivity results, the habitat quality of Bukhansan National Park and Gyeryongsan National Park (urban type), Gyeongju National Park (historic type), Hallyeohaesang National Park (ocean type), and Jirisan National Park and Seoraksan National Park (mountain type) were adjusted. The results of the analysis showed that the habitat quality of urban dry areas and water bodies distributed in the national parks was reflected in the habitat quality assessment. In the future, it will be possible to evaluate the habitat quality of natural parks using this standard.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2010

This study was performed to compare international analytical methods of bromate and applied to determine bromate in bottled mineral water in Korea. Bromate in bottled mineral water was eluted by 10~50 mM potassium hydroxide (KOH) and determined by ion chromatograph-suppressed conductivity detector (ICCD). Sample was purified with on guard Ba-, Ag- and H-cartridges and $0.2\;{\mu}m$ membrane filter. The method detection limit (MDL) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of bromate were 0.1 and $0.5\;{\mu}g/L$, respectively. The calibration curve showed good lineality above 0.9998 in the ranges of the $0.5\sim40\;{\mu}g/L$. Bromate from 33 samples among total 157 bottled mineral water samples was detected in the concentration range of $0.5\sim6.5\;{\mu}g/L$. The detected concentrations were within bottled mineral water quality criteria ($10\;{\mu}g/L$) in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.776-783
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• 1997

Response surface methodology was applied to determine the optimum roasting conditions (roasting temperature and time) for the high-quality Polygonatum odoratum tea which has been roasting with a traditional means. As quality criteria of Polygonatum odoratum tea, water-soluble solids, browning color, total phenolic compounds and electron-donating ability were proportionally increased with increased temperature and time of roasting conditions up to around $145^{\circ}C$ and 55 min, respectively, while they were decreased under the extended-roasting conditions. The optimum roasting temperature and time based on the organoleptic overall acceptability were $146^{\circ}C$ and 52 min, respectively. On the basis of superimposed contour maps for the tea characteristics, the optimum range of roasting conditions were $135{\sim}140^{\circ}C$ and $58{\sim}64$ min. Predicted values at the optimum conditions $(137^{\circ}C,\;60\;min)$ were in good agreement with experimental values.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.94-103
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• 2017

Surface soil is one of the most important resources that have many functions for human needs such as conservation of water resource, purification of contaminated materials, and productivity of food or energy. However, the surface soil is a limited resource that cannot be recovered readily for a long time once it is lost by erosion. In Korea, the Ministry of Environment enacted the notification on the investigation of surface soil erosion and corresponding countermeasures. As the results, database of soil quality assess criteria (biomass, groundwater recharge, habitat, carbon storage, buffer, and soil loss) was established, and the web-based system that can evaluate surface soil conditions was developed. However, non-experts have difficulties in using the system because the system requires in-depth knowledge about soil qualities. In this study, the Web Geographic Information System (GIS) watershed-based surface soil information system was developed to improve usability of the system and accessibility of soil quaility database. The system provides the current condition of surface soil characteristics and GIS-based soil data at selected locations. The users are able to download soil quality data in different districts, watersheds, and special regions allocated by TauDEM module. The system developed in this study would valuable surface soil information for studies of soil quality and its environmental effects, and thereby contributing to establishing more appropriate and robust soil conservation laws.

• CELLMED
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• v.13 no.14
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• pp.18.1-18.13
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• 2023

Background and objectives: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is recognized as the most prevalent type of vaginal infection, impacting approximately 19-24% of women in their reproductive years. The recurrence rate of BV is significant, negatively impacting the well-being of affected women. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of a polyherbal Unani formulation and metronidazole in treating bacterial vaginosis. Methodology: In this prospective patient blinded standard controlled trial, a total of 40 individuals with a clinical diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis were randomly assigned to receive either an active control treatment (n = 20) or a test drug (n = 20). In the test drug combination of Acacia catechu, Azadirachta indica and Quercus infectoria in tablet (1g) form in the dose of 2 tablets orally twice daily with water was administered for 3 weeks. In the active control standard drug, metronidazole 400 mg tablet, orally twice daily was given for one week. The primary outcome measure was clinical cure; H. negative Amsel's criteria and a reduction in subjective symptoms, while the secondary outcome measure was an improvement in SF-36 quality of life (QOL). Results and conclusion: Both the experimental treatment and the metronidazole demonstrated a significant clinical cure for bacterial vaginosis as well as an increase in health-related quality of life. Based on these findings, it appears that the test medication is a potent Unani formulation for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. A well conducted trial with a bigger sample size is required to corroborate these findings.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.250-257
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• 2006

The objective of this study is to propose an alternative process for the small sewage treatment plants in rural communities. A biofilter has been used for biological wastewater treatment, which is becoming the alternative to the conventional activated sludge system. The proposed process used in this study, which is packed with floating media (i.e. expanded polystylene), has advantages of biofilter system and alternative flow system and they are incorporated into one process. Pilot and bench scale studies were performed using domestic wastewater. In the results of pilot plant study, it was observed that the stable effluent water quality was achieved and it met the present effluent criteria of suspended solid (SS), organic matters, T-N and T-P. In the study for determination of the cycle of backwashing, it was observed that the cycle of backwashing depended on BOD loading rates of influents. In the BOD loading rates of $0.5kg\;BOD/m^3{\cdot}day$ and $1.0kg\;BOD/m^3{\cdot}day$, the backwashing cycle of 28 hour and 16 hour were needed, respectively. The optimum backwashing time was 120~80 seconds at the media expansion rate of 50%. In the removal of SS, organic matters, T-N and T-P, SS removal was rather achieved by physical filtration than biological mechanism and the removal of organic matters except for SS, T-N and T-P were mainly rather achieved by biological mechanism than physical filtration. In bench-scale study, the effects of recirculation rate was investigated on removal of SS, TCOD, T-N and T-P. It was observed that the recirculation made removal efficiencies of SS, TCOD, T-N and T-P increased. Especially, in T-N removal, the increase of T-N removal efficiency of 40% was observed in the reicirculation rate of 1Q compared with 0Q.