• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1147-1155
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• 2007

The applicability of in situ biobarrier or microbial filter technology for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvent was investigated through column study. In this study, the effect of packing materials on the reductive dechlorination of PCE was investigated using Canadian peat, Pahokee peat, peat moss and vermicompost (or worm casting) as a biobarrier medium. Optimal conditions previously determined from a batch microcosm study was applied in this column study. Lactate/benzoate was amended as electron donors to stimulate reductive dechlorination of PCE. Hydraulic conductivity was approximately $6{\times}10^{-5}-8{\times}10^{-5}\;cm/sec$ and no difference was found among the packing materials. The transport and dispersion coefficients determined from the curve-fitting of the breakthrough curves of $Br^-$ using CXTFIT 2.1 showed no difference between single-region and two-region models. The reductive dechlorination of PCE was efficiently occurred in all columns. Among the columns, especially the column packed with vermicompost exhibited the highest reductive dechlorination efficiency. The results of this study showed the promising potential of in situ biobarrier technology using peat and vermicompost for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2001

Eight vermiculite-based root media prepared with addition of complete fertilizer (2 g/L; N-$P_2$$O_5$-$K_2$O, 10-10-14) for potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) and a commercial root medium were evaluated in 2000 to develop the root media suitable for potato plug seedling production. The eight media consisted of various ratios of vermiculite, perlite, peatmoss, and compost. In addition, four rates (0, 1, 2, or 4 g/L) of the complex fertilizer for potato were added to a root medium (70% vermiculite, 10% perlite, 10% peat moss, and 10% compost by volume) to determine the optimum addition rate of the complex fertilizer for plug seedlings. Compost addition to the media increased plant height, the number of leaves per plant, and top and root fresh weight of 15-day old plug seedlings. The seedlings raised in root media containing compost produced significantly higher total tuber yield. Addition of the complex fertilizer to root media enhanced seedling growth and increased the number of tubers per plant and tuber yields. The results suggest that root media containing 50% vermiculite, 0 to 20% peat moss, 10% perlite, 20 to 40% compost, and 2 g/L complex fertilizer for potato appear suitable for potato plug seedling production.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2010

In this study, recovering agent was produced with organic sludge and modified peat moss (MPM) in pilot plant mixer to recover oil contaminated soil, and field test of it was estimated using landfarming method. Oil contaminated soil recovering agent was thought to contain more microorganisms than raw waste sludge and was no problem to come onto the market because there were not any items of specified wastes. According to the results of TPH variation with time, it was observed the initial degradation velocity of oil with produced recovering agent was rapid up to 50% after 4 days, remarkably. Because the microorganisms in the organic sludge discharged from chemical plant already acclimated with oil, therefore, it could be estimated initial degradation velocity of recovering agent might be rapid. It was concluded that the oil contaminated soil recovering agent produced in this study have high marketability because of its two aspects on recycling of wastes and initial rapid degradation capacity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.535-541
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• 2005

Peat humin(p-Humin) extracted from Canadian Sphagnum peat moss was packed in a column and removal of heavy metal ions such as Cd, Cu and Pb from aqueous solution under flow conditions was studied. The metal ions were removed not only from single-element solutions but also from a multi-metal solution. Column kinetics for metal removal were described by the Thomas model. For single-component metal solutions, the maximum adsorption capacities of the p-Humin for Pb, Cu and Cd were 138.8, 44.66 and 41.61 mg/g, respectively. The results of multi-component competitive adsorption showed that adsorption affinity was in the order of Pb $\gg$ Cu > Cd. The adsorbed metal ions were easily deserted from the p-Humin with 0.05 N $HNO_3$ solution. It is apparent that 95% of the heavy metal ions were recovered from the saturated column. This investigation provides possibility to clean up heavy-metal contaminated waste waters by using the natural biomass, p-Humin as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective new biosorbents.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.556-562
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• 2013

The blueberry eco-friendly farming requires the soil condition of pH 4.2 ~ 5.2 and high in organic matters for stable growth. Most of soil types of blueberry-growing land in Korea, however, belongs to alkaline soils with low organic matter content. As a result, the eco-friendly blueberry growers use peat moss and sulfur powder heavily to improve the soil condition, but the guideline on the effective use of organic materials was not established yet. Therefore, this sturdy was performed to investigate the effect of increasing soil acidity and organic matters by using organic materials. Among 5 organic materials, the pH of soil was lowest in degradable sulfur + bentonite (pH 4.1) and followed by Peat moss+Chaff+Pine Needlesmixtures(pH 4.5), OrganicAcid +vinegar (pH 4.7), Sulfur powder (pH 4.8), Temperature response Elutioner (pH 5.2). The soil organic matter content were increased in the following order: Peat moss+Chaff+Pine Needlesmixtures (8.4%) > degradable sulfur + bentonite (7.8%) > Organic Acid + vinegar (7.2%) > Sulfur powder ${\fallingdotseq}$ Temperature response Elutioner (6.3%). Although different in the degree, all organic materials treated was recognized a good material for improving soil pH and organic matter content. The plant height and stem diameter of blueberry were no clear difference among 5 organic materials. Another study was carried out to investigate amending soils with organic matter by soil mulching with pine needles for soil surface management in blueberry organic cultivation. The effect of increasing the soil pH by pine needle mulching in blueberry eco-friendly farming was recognized in four test fields. Pine needle mulching for soil surface management in blueberry appeared several advantages, such as improving of soil pH and organic matter content. Therefore, pineneedle mulching in blueberry organic farming is considered as the most efficient means of mulching cultivation for amending soil pH, weed suppression and moisture conservation among mulching materials.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.45-54
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• 2017

Poultry manure compost (PMC) as the organic fertilizer sources has a high nutrient content such as nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, and its properties been affected by bulking agent. This study was conducted to evaluate properties of mixed organic fertilizer (MOF) containing PMC composting with sawdust and peat moss as bulking agent, and to measure a characteristics of plant growth by their application. The MOF containing 10~30 % PMC had a coincidency with its guideline in Korea. As applied with MOF containing PMC composting with sawdust (PMCS) or MOF containing PMC composting with peat moss (PMCP), dry weight of plant was increased in MOF treatments blending with 10~30 % PMCS or 10~30 % PMCP. In correlation coefficient between blending ratio of PMC in MOFs and plant growth indexes, PMCS was not significantly different, but its PMCP a positive effect (P<0.05). These results indicated that PMC was able to blend about 10~30 % as mixed organic fertilizer source, and its application increased in plant growth.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.289-299
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of replacing perlite (PL) with pellets processed with poultry feather fiber as an inert material to prepare growing medium. The growth and flowering of Salvia splendens 'Vista Red' grown in individual growing medium $Biosangto^{(R)}$, peat moss (PM), PL, and two pellets (P45-1 and P45-2) were evaluated. Peat moss was mixed with PL, P45-1, or P45-2 at various ratios (1:0 to 1:3 or 3:1 by volume) to investigate the feasibility of replacing PL with pellets. Nutrient composition of the growing medium and leaf tissues was analyzed. The number of florets, inflorescence length, plant height, and fresh weight of plants grown in media containing P45-1 or P45-2 were reduced compared to those grown in individual growing medium PM or PL. As the mixing ratio of P45-1 or P45-2 to PM was higher, the growth of salvia, such as inflorescence length, plant height, number of leaves, and fresh weight was inhibited. Our results indicate that mixing three parts PM with one part of P45-1 (PM/P45-1/3:1) or P45-2 (PM/P45-2/3:1) accelerated flowering and increased the number of florets and leaves compared to other mixing ratios of PM and pellets media. The concentrations of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), boron (B), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu) in individual growing medium PL, P45-1, and P45-2 were significantly lower than those in PM. The concentration of N was the highest in leaves of plants grown in P45-1 or P45-2 amended media, and the concentrations of P, Ca, and zinc (Zn) in leaves were lower in individual growing medium P45-1 or P45-2 than in PM and PL. The pH of PM/P45-1/3:1 or PM/P45-2/3:1 media was maintained at optimal level (5.8-5.9) and the concentrations of macro- and micro-elements in the media and leaves were considered to be optimal levels. Therefore, mixing three parts PM with one part P45-1(PM:P45-1/3:1) or P45-2 (PM:P45-2/3:1) is recommended for improved growth and flowering in salvia. This suggests that P45-1 or P45-2 can replace PL as an inert material to prepare growing medium.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2017

This study was conducted to determine the effects of various growth substrates on the growth and flowering of hydroponically grown Freesia hybrid 'Gold Rich'. Perlite, peat moss and a perlite: peat moss mixture (1 : 1 ratio, v / v) were used as the growing media. The greatest plant height before flower bud differentiation was attained using mixed medium compared to the others. The type of medium used did not influence leaf number, mineral content or SPAD value in leaves. Flowering began at 137 days after planting in mixed medium, which was 13 days earlier than in perlite medium. The whole plant fresh weight was 21.3 g heavier in mixed medium than in perlite medium (40.9 g). A similar result was obtained for shoot length, with the highest value (96.6 cm) obtained in mixed medium, i.e., 20 cm higher than in perlite medium (76.6 cm). Floret number per plant was also the highest in mixed medium (14.4), i.e., 1.7 - times higher than in perlite medium. Therefore, among the substrates tested in this experiment, we recommend using mixed perlite: peat moss medium (1 : 1 ratio, v / v) for hydroponic culture of freesia, as the use of this medium improved the physical properties of the plants, producing the best results in terms of plant growth and cut-flower quality.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.169-179
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• 2001

This study was conducted to determine the effect of root zone cooling on growth and quality of turfgrasses including Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.‘Nuglade’), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.‘Accent’), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.‘Pixie’), and Japanese lawngrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) in simulated athletic field during summer season in Korea. Mineral contents in clippings of turfgrasses grown at different soil mixtures and temperatures were also analyzed. Root zone cooling (approximately 4~6$^{\circ}C$ lower than that of untreated-control) resulted in good uniformity, little disease incidence and higher level of chlorophyll contents in cool-season turfgrasses. The effectiveness of root zone cooling in protecting disease incidence from high temperature stress was the most manifest in perennial ryegrass compared to others. Fresh clipping weight in treatment of root zone cooling was increased approximately 2 times in Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, and 2.5 times in tall fescue compared to those of control. There was higher growth rate in a soil mixture composed of 80% peat moss ＋10% sand ＋10% soil (v/v/v) than in that of 80% pea moss ＋20% sand (v/v), Mineral contents of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in clippings of three species of cool-season turfgrasses were significantly increased in treat-ment of root zone cooling but this was not found in Japanese lawngrass. Results showed that root zone cooling has a benefit in keeping good quality and growth of cool-season turfgrasses in sports field under supraoptimal ambient temperature during summer season.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.879-884
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• 2012

In this present study, Aspergillus niger NRRL 567 was cultivated on an inert support material and the effects of various fermentation parameters including temperature, nutrient solution pH, inoculation level, and moisture content were observed and optimized by one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and response surface methodology (RSM), sequentially. It was found that the incubation temperature of $30^{\circ}C$ with 75% moisture content, nutrient solution pH of 7.1 and inoculation level of $4.0{\times}10^6$ spores/ml were the most favorable. Again, fermentation parameters were optimized using RSM. The determined optimum condition is $26.5^{\circ}C$, pH 9.9, 75.1%, and $6.0{\times}10^6$ spores/ml. Under this optimized condition, A. niger NRRL 567 produced 118.8 g citric acid/kg dry peat moss at 72 hr. Maximum citric acid production of optimized condition by RSM represented a 1.6-fold increase compared to that obtained from control experiment.