• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.506-511
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• 1999

The pilot system for radioactive liquid laundry waste was developed with treatment capacity, 1ton/hr and set up in the Yong Kwang unit #4. The system is composed of tank module, RO systems and a UV/$H_2O$$_2$photo-oxidation unit. The RO system consists of the BW unit (low-pressure RO for brackish water desalination) and the SW unit (high-pressure RO for seawater desalination). The BW unit possesses 4 RO membranes and it can reduce the feed water volume down to 1/10. This concentrated feed water can be reduced again up to 1/10 in its volume in the SW unit composed of 4 RO membranes. The UV/$H_2O$$_2$ photo-oxidation process unit was used for the detergent degradation. The operation of the pilot system was carried out and verified in its capability through the continuous operation and concentration operation using the actual liquid waste from the power plant. The design criteria and data for industrialization were yielded. The efficiency of the UV/$H_2O$$_2$ photo-oxidation process and the optimum operational procedure were evaluated. The decontamination factors for radioactive cobalt and cesium were measured. This on-site test showed the experimental result in the DF$\geq$300 and volume reduction factor$\geq$100.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2014

After the nuclear accident of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants (FDNPPs) on 11 March 2011, a large amount of radioactive materials has been released into the atmosphere and the ocean. A compartment model is used to evaluate the circulation characteristics and the spatiotemporal concentration distributions of radionuclides in the ocean. In the comparison with observed concentrations of $^{137}Cs$ in seawater, calculated concentrations by the compartment model were well agreed with them. On the basis of these results, we performed evaluation of the effective dose and the cancer risk. In the early stage of the accident, the effective doses from ingestion of the seafood near the Fukushima region were much higher than 1 mSv which is the value of the annual effective dose limit to individual recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). However, the effective doses by ingestion of the seafood decreased below 1 mSv as distance from the FDNPPs increased and time passed. In addition, it was estimated that the cancer risks by intake of the contaminated marine products were less than natural occurrence probability of cancer. Consequently, it was inferred that the health risk due to the $^{137}Cs$ was low after since mid-term period of the accident.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2021

Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii, a keystone species with significant ecological and commercial importance, is declining globally throughout much of its range. While traditional fishing equipment methods remain limited, new sensitive and rapid detection methods should be developed to monitor fisheries resources. To monitor the presence and quantity of C. pallasii from environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from seawater samples, a pair of primers and a TaqMan^® probe specific to this fish based on mitochondrial cytochrome b (COB) sequences were designed for the real-time PCR (qPCR) assay. The combination of our molecular markers showed high specificity in the qPCR assay, which affirmed the success of presenting a positive signal only in the C. pallasii specimens. The markers also showed a high sensitivity for detecting C. pallasii genomic DNA in the range of 1 pg~100 ng rxn^-1 and its DNA plasmid containing COB amplicon in the range of 1~100,000copies rxn^-1, which produced linear standard calibration curves (r²=0.99). We performed a qPCR assay for environmental water samples obtained from 29 sampling stations in the southeastern coastal regions of South Korea using molecular markers. The assay successfully detected the C. pallasii eDNA from 14 stations (48.2%), with the highest mean concentration in Jinhae Bay with a value of 76.09±18.39 pg L^-1 (246.20±58.58 copies L^-1). Our preliminary application of molecular monitoring of C. pallasii will provide essential information for efficient ecological control and management of this valuable fisheries resource.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.244-254
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• 2018

The first geophysical technique applied to the agricultural sector in Korea was electrical resistivity sounding and conducted in purpose of groundwater exploitation in the 1970s. According to the diversity of agricultural activities since the 1990s, various geophysical methods including electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and self-potential method were applied to several agricultural fields such as soil characterization with saline concentration in vast reclaimed area, delineation of seawater intrusion regions in costal aquifer, safety inspection of embankment dikes with leakage problem, detection of ground subsidence from overpumping and tracing of groundwater aquifer contamination by leachate from livestock mortality burial or waste burial site. This paper introduces representative geophysical techniques that have been utilized in various agricultural fields and suggests several ways to develop the geophysical methods required for the precision agriculture field in the near future based on the past achievements.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2021

In order to evaluate the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM), as indicators of organic matter in the coastal environments, we measured the concentrations of DOC, FDOM, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in saline groundwater (Woljeong, Pyoseon, and Hwasun beaches) and coastal seawater (Haengwon, Gwideok, Pyoseon, and Yeongnak) in Jeju, Korea. The highest concentrations of DOC and COD in groundwater were found in Woljeong and Pyoseon, and those in coastal water were observed in Haengwon and Pyoseon, indicating that the higher concentrations of DOC and COD seem to be associated with saline groundwater-driven dissolved organic matter (DOM) and/or biogeochemical processes. According to origin and optical properties of DOM using FDOM as a tracer, proportion of humic-like FDOM, more refractory DOM, was relatively greater in the groundwater than in the coastal water. With regard to this result, there was no relationship between DOC and COD in groundwater, while DOC showed a good positive correlation (r² = 0.66) with COD in coastal water. This result indicates that COD as an indicator of assessment of DOM has a limitation in which it is difficult to quantify refractory DOM. Although DOC is a potential alternative to COD in the coastal environments, particulate organic carbon cannot be negligible due to relatively higher concentration compared to the open ocean. Therefore, the use of total organic carbon (TOC) as a replacement of COD in the coastal ocean is important, and the evaluation criterion of the TOC is necessary in order to evaluate of organic matter indicator in the various coastal environments.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.425-432
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• 2021

A tidal power plant (TPP) has been in operation since the end of 2011 to improve the water quality of Shihwa Coastal Reservoir (SCR). Tidal mixing rate increased 5.6 times after the TPP operation so that in this study, its effects on water quality was assessed through statistical analysis of long-term water quality monitoring data. It was found that the increased tidal mixing contributed to solving the hypoxia problem in the bottom water by preventing the summer stratification. The analysis also showed that the increased tidal mixing had different effects depending on the relative concentration difference for each water quality substances between the SCR and the outside of SCR. The average concentrations of some substances (chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a) with higher concentrations than the outside of SCR decreased due to the dilution effect, but the other substances (total nitrogen, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphorus) with lower concentrations compared to the outside ones increased on the contrary. Factor analysis also showed a consistent result that the first factor accounting for the water quality was changed from the organic-related substances to the nutrient-related substances after the increased tidal mixing. These results imply that the focus of future water quality management needs shifting from the organic substances to the nutrients, particularly dissolved inorganic nutrients. Considering the effect of inflow seawater on the nutrients, the management area should be extended to cover not only SCR but also a certain area outside of SCR.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.336-347
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• 2022

Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is one of the promising eco-friendly renewable energy technologies which can generate electricity from the concentration difference between seawater and freshwater by using ion-exchange membranes as a diaphragm. The ion-exchange membrane is a key component that determines the performance of RED, and must satisfy requirements such as low electrical resistance, high permselectivity, excellent durability, and low manufacturing cost. In this study, pore-filled anion-exchange membranes were fabricated using porous polymer substrates having various thicknesses and porosity, and the effects of ion-exchange polymer composition and membrane thickness on the power generation performance of RED were investigated. When the electrical resistance of the ion-exchange membrane is sufficiently low, it can be confirmed that the RED power generation performance is mainly influenced by the apparent permselectivity of the membrane. In addition, it was confirmed that the apparent permselectivity of the membranes can be improved through IEC, crosslinking degree, membrane thickness, surface modification, etc., and the optimum condition must be found in consideration of the trade-off relationship with electrical resistance.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.4A
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• pp.365-371
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• 2009

It is time-consuming to estimate chloride diffusivity of concrete by concentration difference test. For the reason chloride diffusivity of concrete is mainly tested by electrically accelerated method, which is accelerating the movement of chloride ion by potential difference. In this study, portland cement concrete and concrete containing with ground granulated blast-furnace slag (40 and 60% of cement by weight) with water-cementitious material ratio 40, 45, 50 and 60% were manufactured. To compare with chloride diffusivity calculated from the electrically accelerated test and immersed test in artifical seawater, chloride diffusivity tests were conducted. From the results of regression analysis, regression equation between accelerated chloride diffusivity and immersed chloride diffusivity was linear function. And the determinant coefficient was 0.96 for linear equation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4 s.105
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• pp.455-462
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• 2003

This study evaluated the change of water quality and chlorophyll - a at the birth stage of a large reclaimed estuarine lake (Lake Hwaong) of which the dike was finally constructed in March, 2002. Physico -chemical parameters and chlorophyll - a were investigated along a longitudinal transect, including 3 in-lake sites and 1 out-lake site from June to November, 2002. Salinity at all in-lake sites was over 21 psu during the study period, indicating that lake is still in the seawater phase. Salinity was periodically diluted at times when precipitation was high, especially in August. Chemocline was established in July near the dam site, and correspondingly vertical profile of dissolved oxygen was very clear during that Period. Total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations at all lake sites were in the eutrophic range, and they were especially high at the stream inlet site. Nutrients concentration was not much varied vertically but significantly varied temporally, and correlated significantly with precipitation and chlorophyll-a concentration, indicating that inflowing water from the watershed seemed not to improve lake water by dilution but cause eutrophication of the lake, and thereby stimulate phytoplankton development. Based on the analyses of nutrient ratio (N/P) and trophic state deviation, both phosphorus and nitrogen appeared to limit phytoplankton growth in the lake. Phosphorus limitation appeared to be probable at all in-lake sites with being most severe at the stream inlet site. Nitrogen limitation seemed to occur at both in-lake and out-lake sites. These results indicate that in Lake Hwaong experiencing the very early stage of a reclaiming lake, water quality and phytoplankton development appear to be affect-ed largely by salinity and hydrology and nutrients from the inflowing water. Lake biogeochemistry is still very unstable, and thus further long-term study is necessary to understand the effects of seawater to freshwater conversion on lake biology and water chemistry.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 1996

To examine the contamination in Ulsan coastal area, some heavy metal concentrations in sea water and Mytilus coruscus have been measured. Sea water samples were collected on April 6 in 1995 and Mytilus coruscus samples were collected on April 2 in 1995. Total number of sea water samples was 26 and that of Mytilus coruscus was 54. The sites where the samples collected were same in sea water and Mytilus coruscus. The method of analysis was atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicated that the heavy metal concentrations of sea water were varied according to the sampling stations. The concentrations of cadmium, manganese, zinc in sea water collected in the coastal area near Mipo complex were higher than those of other coastal areas, and the concentrations of lead in sea water collected in the coastal area near petrochemical complex were higher than those of others. In general the concentrations of lead, zinc, copper in sea water were proportionate to those in Mytilus coruscus. The mean concentration rates of lead, cadmium, manganese in Mytilus coruscus inhabiting in Ulsan coastal area were similar, 1070, 1370 and 1300, respectively. The concentration rate of mercury was 80, the lowest value of other heavy metals, and that of copper was 6940, the highest value. Consequently it seems to be more desirable to use Mytilus coruscus as a sample to examine the contamination of coastal area than sea water.