• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.247-257
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• 2021

In this work, Iron Nano-Particles Impregnated BioChar/bead (INPBC/bead) soil amendment was developed to increase biochar's reactivity to As in soil and preventing possible wind loss. Prior to preparation of INPBC/bead, INPBC was produced utilizing lignocellulosic biomass and Fe(III) solution in a hydrothermal method, followed by a calcination process. Then, the bead type amendment, INPBC/bead was produced by cross-linking reaction of alginate with INPBC. FT-IR, XRD, BET, and SEM-EDS analyses were utilized to characterize the as-synthesised materials. The particle size range of INPBC/bead was 1-4 mm, and different oxygen-containing functional groups and Fe3O4 crystalline phase were produced on the surface of INPBC/bead, according to the characterization results. The soil cultivation test was carried out in order to assess the stabilization performance of INPBC/bead utilizing As and Pb-contaminated soil obtained from an abandoned mining location in South Korea. After 4 weeks of culture, TCLP and SPLP extraction tests were performed to assess the stabilization efficacy of the amendment. The TCLP and SPLP findings revealed that raising the application ratio improved stabilizing efficiency. The As stabilization efficiency was determined to be 81.56 % based on SPLP test findings for a 5% in (w/w) INPBC/bead treatment, and the content of Pb in extracts was reduced to the limit of detection. According to the findings of this study, INPBC/bead that can maintain pH of origin soil and minimize wind loss might be a potential amendment for soil polluted with As and heavy metals.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2020

Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles with the mixed structure of cubic and nanorod were synthesized by precipitation, hydrothermal, sol-gel method, etching process and heat treatment. Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ core-shell (CS) of type Fe₂O₃@TiO₂ composite was fabricated on a 20 nm nanolayer of TiO₂ coated on the surface of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ yolk-shell (YS) composite was prepared by chemical etching and heat treatment of Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ CS nanoparticles. Physical properties of Fe₂O₃, Fe₂O₃@TiO₂ CS and Fe₂O₃@TiO₂ YS nanoparticles were characterized by FE-SEM, HR-TEM and X-ray diffraction. The solar reflectance, commission internationale de l'Elcairage (CIE) color coordinate and heat shield temperatures of Fe₂O₃, CS and YS type Fe₂O₃@TiO₂ pigments filled with poly acrylate (PA) paints were investigated by UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer and homemade heat shield temperature measuring device. The Fe₂O₃@TiO₂ YS red pigment filled PA composite exhibited excellent near infrared light reflecting performance and also reduced the heat shield temperature of 13 ℃ than that of Fe₂O₃ filled counterparts.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.667-675
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• 2020

An Alum-sludge based adsorbent (ASBA) was synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of alum sludge obtained from settling basin in water treatment plant. ASBA was applied to remove fluoride and arsenic in artificially-contaminated aqueous solutions and mine drainage. The mineralogical crystal structure, composition, and specific surface area of ASBA were identified. The result revealed that ASBA has irregular pores and a specific surface area of 87.25 ㎡ g-1 on its surface, which is advantageous for quick and facile adsorption. The main mineral components of the adsorbent were found to be quartz(SiO2), montmorillonite((Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·4H2O) and albite(NaAlSi3O8). The effects of pH, reaction time, initial concentration, and temperature on removal of fluoride and arsenic were examined. The results of the experiments showed that, the adsorbed amount of fluoride and arsenic gradually decreased with increasing pH. Based on the results of kinetic and isotherm experiments, the maximum adsorption capacity of fluoride and arsenic were 7.6 and 5.6 mg g-1, respectively. Developed models of fluoride and arsenic were suitable for the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Moreover, As for fluoride and arsenic, the increase rate of adsorption concentration decreased after 8 and 12 hr, respectively, after the start of the reaction. Also, the thermodynamic data showed that the amount of fluoride and arsenic adsorbed onto ASBA increased with increasing temperature from 25℃ to 35℃, indicating that the adsorption was endothermic and non-spontaneous reaction. As a result of regeneration experiments, ASBA can be regenerated by 1N of NaOH. In the actual mine drainage experiment, it was found that it has relatively high removal rates of 77% and 69%. The experimental results show ASBA is effective as an adsorbent for removal fluoride and arsenic from mine drainage, which has a small flow rate and acid/neutral pH environment.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2020

Magnesium silicate minerals such as serpentine [Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄] have a high potential for the sequestration of CO₂; thus, their reactivity toward dissolution under CO₂-free and CO₂-containing conditions in acidic solvents is a critical process with respect to their carbonation reactions. To examine the carbonation efficiency and dissolution mechanism of serpentine, hydrothermal treatment was performed to the starting material via a modified direct aqueous carbonation process at 100 and 150℃. The serpentine dissolution experiments were conducted in H₂SO₄ solution with concentration range of 0.3-1 M and at a CO₂ partial pressure of 3 MPa. The initial pH of the solution was adjusted to 13 for the carbonation process. Under CO₂-free and CO₂-containing conditions, the carbonation efficiency increased in proportion to the concentration of H₂SO₄ and the reaction temperature. The leaching rate under CO₂-containing conditions was higher than that under CO₂-free conditions. This suggests that shows the presence of CO₂ affects the carbonation reaction. The leaching and carbonation efficiencies at 150℃ in 1 M H₂SO₄ solution under CO₂-containing conditions were 85 and 84%, respectively. The dissolution rate of Mg was higher than that of Si, such that the Mg : Si ratio of the reacted serpentine decreased from the inner part (approximately 1.5) to the outer part (less than 0.1). The resultant silica-rich layer of the reaction product ultimately changed through the Mg-depleted skeletal phase and the pseudo-serpentine phase to the amorphous silica phase. A passivating silica layer was not observed on the outer surface of the reacted serpentine.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.543-553
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• 2023

The current status of domestic a agalmatolite mines in South Korea was investigated with a view to establishing a stable supply of agalmatolite and managing its demand. Most mined agalmatolite deposits were formed through hydrothermal alteration of Mesozoic volcanic rocks. The physical characteristics of pyrophyllite, the main constituent mineral of agalmatolite, are as follows: specific gravity 2.65~2.90, hardness 1~2, density 1.60~1.80 g/cm³, refractoriness ≥29, and color white, gray, grayish white, grayish green, yellow, or yellowish green. Among the chemical components of domestic agalmatolite, SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ contents are respectively 58.2~67.2 and 23.1~28.8 wt.% for pyrophyllite, 49.2~72.6 and 16.5~31.0 wt.% for pyrophyllite + dickite, 45.1 and 23.3 wt.% for pyrophyllite + illite, 43.1~82.3 and 11.4~35.8 wt.% for illite, and 37.6~69.0 and 19.6~35.3 wt.% for dickite. Domestic agalmatolite mines are concentrated mainly in the southwest and southeast of the Korean Peninsula, with some occurring in the northeast. Twenty-one mines currently produce agalmatolite in South Korea, with reserves in the order of Jeonnam (45.6%) > Chungbuk (30.8%) > Gyeongnam (13.0%) > Gangwon (4.8%), and Gyeongbuk (4.8%). The top 10 agalmatolite-producing mines are in the order of the Central Resources Mine (37.9%) > Wando Mine (25.6%) > Naju Ceramic Mine (13.4%) > Cheongseok-Sajiwon Mine (5.4%) > Gyeongju Mine (5.0%) > Baekam Mine (5.0%) > Minkyung-Nohwado Mine (3.3%) > Bugok Mine (2.3%) > Jinhae Pylphin Mine (2.2%) > Bohae Mine. Agalmatolite has low thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, thermal deformation, and expansion coefficients, low bulk density, high heat and corrosion resistance, and high sterilization and insecticidal efficiency. Accordingly, it is used in fields such as refractory, ceramic, cement additive, sterilization, and insecticide manufacturing and in filling materials. Its scope of use is expanding to high-tech industries, such as water treatment ceramic membranes, diesel exhaust gas-reduction ceramic filters, glass fibers, and LCD panels.