• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the commercialized packaging status of tomato and paprika, and to investigate the effect of different packaging materials on the quality of tomato and paprika during storage. Packaging statuses were surveyed at a department store, wholesale market, and supermarket in Seoul, Korea. Materials used for packaging tomato and paprika were cartons, polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Tomato and paprika were packaged by using corrugated boxes, Styrofoam trays, PP film, and PVC film. The weight loss and hardness of non-packaged tomato and paprika were significantly different after 48 hr to the initial values (p<0.05). Box-packaged tomatoes had the lowest pH values and showed significantly higher soluble solid contents (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in among other packaging materials. For paprika, the ${\Delta}E$ values of PVC wrapping were higher than those of other packagings. Hence, the results demonstrated that a corrugated box with PP film and PP film bags with four holes plus wire-tying were most able to maintain the overall qualities of tomato and paprika, respectively, during storage.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 2020

Most studies defined microplastic (MP) as plastic particles less than 5 mm. The ubiquity of MP is raising awareness due to its potential risk to humans and the environment. MP can cause harmful effects to humans and living organisms. This paper review aimed to provide a better understanding of the sources, pathways, and impacts of MP in the environment. MP can be classified as primary and secondary in nature. Moreover, microplastic can also be classified as based on its physical and chemical characteristics. Stormwater and wastewater are important pathways of introducing MP in large water bodies. As compared to stormwater, the concentrations of MP in wastewater were relatively lower since wastewater treatment processes can contribute to the removal of MP. In terms of polymer distribution, wastewater contains a wider array of polymer varieties than stormwater runoff. The most common types of polymer found in wastewater and stormwater runoff were polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The continuous discharge and the increasing number of MP in the environment can pose greater hazards and harmful effects on humans and other living organisms. Despite the growing number of publications in relation to MP, further studies are needed to define concrete regulations and management strategies for mitigating the detrimental effects of MP in the environment.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.1100-1106
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• 2008

In this study, we presented rapid and simple fabrication method of functionalized surface on various substrates as a universal platform for the selective immobilization of cells. The functionalized surface was achieved by using deposition of polyelectrolyte such as poly(allyamine hydrochloride) (PAH), poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDAC), poly(4-ammonium styrene sulfonic acid) (PSS), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and fabrication of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) microstructure through micro-molding in capillaries (MIMIC) technique on each glass, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) substrate. The polyelectrolyte multilayer provides adhesion force via strong electrostatic attraction between cell and surface. On the other hand, PEG microstructures also lead to prevent non-specific binding of cells because of physical and biological barrier. The characteristic of each modified surface was examined by using static contact angle measurement. The modified surface onto several substrates provides appropriate environment for cellular adhesion, which is essential technology for cell patterning with high yield and viability in the micropatterning technology. The proposed method is reproducible, convenient and rapid. In addition, the fabrication process is environmentally friendly process due to the no use of harsh solvent. It can be applied to the fabrication of biological sensor, biomolecules patterning, microelectronics devices, screening system, and study of cell-surface interaction.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2013

This study investigated that anti-browning effects of Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract and L-cysteine combination. Mushrooms were dipped in solutions (0.1% Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract containing 0.05% L-cysteine) for 3 min. The dipped mushrooms were packaged in a polystyrene (PS) tray and wrapped with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, and stored for 14 days at $10^{\circ}C$. The browning inhibition activity (Hunter L, a, b color scale and tyrosinase inhibition activity) and quality changes (weight loss rate, gas composition, firmness and sensory evaluation) were analyzed during storage period. After 14 days, the Hunter L and ${\Delta}E$ value of mushrooms treated in 0.1% Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract containing 0.05% L-cysteine were 87.24 and 5.56, respectively. The mushrooms treated with 0.1% Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract containing 0.05% L-cysteine also showed higher firmness (13.31 N) and smaller weight loss rate (2.87%) than the untreated mushroom (11.42 N, 3.04%) on storage day 14. During storage period, the sensory evaluation showed that overall acceptability of mushrooms treated with 0.1% Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract containing 0.05% L-cysteine were higher than those of the untreated mushrooms, except those that were stored for five days. Overall, the mushrooms treated with 0.1% Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract containing 0.05% L-cysteine had a higher tyrosinase inhibition activity than the untreated mushrooms during storage period. This study suggests that the browning of the mushrooms treated with 0.1% Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba extract containing 0.05% L-cysteine solution were inhibited, and the that their shelf life was extended.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.158-165
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• 2013

This study aimed at investigating the quality changes of Yukwa during storage using the various item packaging methods present in the domestic market. The samples consisted of a self-adhesive-oriented polypropylene (OPP) film pouch (P1), a heat-sealed OPP film pouch (P2), and a polystyrene (PS) tray with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) lid (P3). These were stored at $25^{\circ}C$ up to eight weeks. Throughout the storage period, the acid values of all the study samples remained under the Korean hygiene regulation limit of 2.0 mg KOH/g. The P2 samples showed both the slowest decrease in water content and the slowest increase in hardness value during storage. Sensory evaluation also showed that the P2 samples were the only ones that maintained their market value of 5.0 throughout the eight-week assessment period.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.1167-1172
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• 2008

We investigated the glass transition temperatures ($T_g$) of dendrons consisting of conformationally mobile aliphatic polyether dendritic cores plus glassy peripheral polystyrenes (PSs), and linear PSs in the molecular weight range of 1000-8500 g/mol. We compared their $T_g$ behavior depending on their polymeric architecture. The linear PSs show a typical growth of $T_g$ up to 92.5 ${^{\circ}C}$ as the molecular weight increases to 8300 g/mol, while the dendrons display nearly constant $T_g$ values of 58-61 ${^{\circ}C}$, despite the increase of molecular weight with each generation. The striking contrast of Tg behavior would be mainly attributed to the fact that the dendrons keep the ratio of $N_e$/M ($N_e$: number of peripheral chain ends, M: molecular weight) over all the generations. Additionally, for the influence of dendritic spacers on glass transition temperature we prepared dimeric PSs with different linkage groups such as aliphatic ether, ester and amide bonds. We found that the dimer with the ether spacer exhibited the lowest glass transition at 55.4 ${^{\circ}C}$, while the amide linked dimer showed the highest glass transition temperature at 74.2 ${^{\circ}C}$. This indicates that the peripheral PS chains are effectively decoupled by the conformationally flexible ether spacer. The results from this study demonstrated that polymeric architecture and dendritic core structures play a crucial role in the determination of glass transition behavior, providing a strategy for the systematic engineering of polymer chain mobility.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2010

Dipyridine-terminated polystyrenes and polybutadienes were synthesized by the chain endfunctionalization reaction of polystyryllithium (PSLi) and polybutadienyllithium (PBDLi) with di(2-pyridyl) ketone(DPK) using a living anionic polymerization method in the Ar-glove box. Living polymeric lithiums with low molecular weights (Mw=1000~2000 g/mol) were used to investigate the chain end-functionalization yield with DPK and the degree of coupling reaction by the attack of organolithium to the pyridine ring in the presence of TMEDA using GPC, $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$ analysis. DPK-terminated PBD exhibited much higher functionalization yield and less amount of coupling reaction compared with DPK-terminated PS. 86% functionalization yield with 9% degree of coupling was obtained when the PBDLi was added dropwise to DPK solution at room temperature. The functionalization yield was increased as the reaction temperature decreased, however, no LiCl effect was observed in this chain end-functionalization reaction with DPK.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.498-505
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• 2007

This study demonstrated the in-situ functionalization with polymers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) via emulsion polymerization. Polystyrene-functionalized MWNTs were prepared in an aqueous solution containing styrene monomer, non-ionic surfactant and a cationic coupling agent ([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trime-thylammonium chloride (MATMAC)). This process produced an interesting morphology in which the MWNTs, consisting of bead-string shapes or MWNTs embedded in the beads, when polymer beads were sufficiently large, produced nanohybrid material. This morphology was attributed to the interaction between the cationic coupling agent and the nanotube surface which induced polymerization within the hemimicellar or hemicylindrical structures of surfactant micelles on the surface of the nanotubes. In a solution containing MATMAC alone without surfactant, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were not well-dispersed, and in a solution containing only surfactant without MATMAC, polymeric beads were synthesized in isolation from CNTs and continued to exist separately. The incorporation of MATMAC and surfactant together enabled large amounts of CNTs (> 0.05 wt%) to be well-dispersed in water and very effectively encapsulated by polymer chains. This method could be applied to other well-dispersed CNT solutions containing amphiphilic molecules, regardless of the type (i.e., anionic, cationic or nonionic). In this way, the solubility and dispersion of nanotubes could be increased in a solvent or polymer matrix. By enhancing the interfacial adhesion, this method might also contribute to the improved dispersion of nanotubes in a polymer matrix and thus the creation of superior polymer nanocomposites.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2005

The TEMPO-mediated living free-radical bulk and dispersion polymerization of styrene in the presence of camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) are investigated. In the absence of TEMPO and CSA in the bulk polymerization, a conversion of $93\%$ is achieved within 6 hr of polymerization. When only TEMPO is involved in this polymerization, the pseudo-living free-radical polymerization is well achieved, however, the polymerization rate becomes quite slow. This retardation of the polymerization rate is solved by the addition of a low concentration of CSA. In the TEMPO-mediated dispersion polymerization in the presence of CSA, similar trends in the conversion, kinetics, and PDI are observed as those observed in the case of bulk polymerization. When only TEMPO is used in the dispersion polymerization, the resulting particle size becomes quite broad, due to the prolonged polymerization time. However, when a 1.0 molar ratio of CSA to TEMPO is added to the TEMPO-mediated dispersion polymerization, fairly mono-disperse PS microspheres having an average size of 5.83 $\mu$m and a CV of 3.4$\%$ are successfully obtained, due to the narrow molecular weight distribution of the intermediate oligomers and shortening of the polymerization time. This result indicates that the addition of CSA to the TEMPO-mediated bulk and the use of dispersion polymerization not only shortens the polymerization time, but also greatly improves the uniformity of the microspheres.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 2010

Pure macroporous silica matrix using a template of polystyrene (PS) was prepared by the sol-gel method. Macroporous Ag-$SiO_2$ composite materials, which were homogeneously dispersed with Ag particles in the macropores, were successfully fabricated. The pure porous silica had ordered pore sizes of 100 nm and 200 nm, which was adjusted under consideration of the template size. The macroporous Ag-$SiO_2$ composite showed the ideal ordered distribution of the pore in case of the adding of 3 wt% $AgNO_3$ under consideration of controlling of the pore size as well as microstructural observation of $AgNO_3$concentration. The macroporous Ag-$SiO_2$ composites had ordered 100 nm and 200 nm pores, and the Ag particles within the matrix showed the size of 15~20 nm.