• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.156-160
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• 2016

Background: Workers in pesticide manufacturing industries are constantly exposed to pesticides. Genetic biomonitoring provides an early identification of potential cancer and genetic diseases in exposed populations. The objectives of this biomonitoring study were to assess DNA damage through comet assay in blood samples collected from industry workers and compare these results with those of classical analytical techniques used for complete blood count analysis. Methods: Samples from controls (n = 20) and exposed workers (n = 38) from an industrial area in Multan, Pakistan, were subjected to various tests. Malathion residues in blood samples were measured by gas chromatography. Results: The exposed workers who were employed in the pesticide manufacturing industry for a longer period (i.e., 13-25 years) had significantly higher DNA tail length ($7.04{\mu}m$) than the controls ($0.94{\mu}m$). Workers in the exposed group also had higher white blood cell and red blood cell counts, and lower levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration, and mean corpuscular volume in comparison with normal levels for these parameters. Malathion was not detected in the control group. However, in the exposed group, 72% of whole blood samples had malathion with a mean value of 0.14 mg/L (range 0.01-0.31 mg/L). Conclusion: We found a strong correlation ($R^2=0.91$) between DNA damage in terms of tail length and malathion concentration in blood. Intensive efforts and trainings are thus required to build awareness about safety practices and to change industrial workers' attitude to prevent harmful environmental and anthropogenic effects.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2018

An apartment complex is a building use with great potential to contribute to solving problems related to urban ecological environment and climate change. The first goal of this study is to grasp the current situation of application and limitations of the ecological area rate, which is a representative evaluation index used to evaluate the environmental performance of the external space of an apartment complex in Green Standard for Energy and Environmental Design (G-SEED). The second goal is to propose a prototype of the evaluation index for evaluating greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction performance in order to supplement the evaluation index for the environmental performance of the external space in terms of response to climate change. We analyzed 43 cases of apartment complexes certified according to G-SEED, which was enforced since July 1, 2010, and found application characteristics of each space type and the limitations of ecological area rate. We analyzed overseas green building certification systems such as LEED and BREEAM that derived implications for supplementing the limitations of ecological area rate, which is focused on the evaluation of soil and water circulation function, and set up a development direction of complementary measures. Through analysis of previous studies, relevant regulations and standards, and technical documents of the manufacturer, the heat island mitigation performance of the pavement and roof surfaces of the apartment complex and the carbon uptake performance of the trees in the apartment complex was selected as parameters to yield the GHG reduction performance of the external space of the apartment complex. Finally, a quantitative evaluation method for each parameter and a prototype of the evaluation index for the GHG reduction performance were proposed. As a result of applying the prototype to an apartment complex case, the possibility of adoption and applicability as an evaluation index of G-SEED were proved.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.51-57
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• 2011

The calcium hydroxide($Ca(OH)_{2}$) which is flowed into the deteriorated tunnel by groundwater is reacted with carbon dioxide($CO_{2}$) and the vehicle's exhaust gas ($SO_{3}$). So its by-products are precipitated at the drainage pipe and these cause the drainage clogging. Most by-products are composed of $CaCO_{3}$ with calcite from a chemical experiment. The purpose of this study is mainly focused on comparison of attachment on each material of drainage pipe (teflon-coated steel pipe, silicon-Oil coated pipe, acrylic pipe and PVC pipe). The test was progressed to disembogue the CaO aqueous solution and tunnel outflow into each of the pipes. The experimental results show that the most produced scale pipe is PVC material and the followings are Acrylic pipe, Silicon-Oil coating pipe and Teflon coating pipe. But the long-term test results showed that teflon-coated steel pipe had a problem with durability because soil which was contained in the tunnel outflow occurred detachment of coating and corrosion of the steel pipe.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.256-266
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• 2022

It is important to determine the concentration of long-lived radionuclides (e.g., ¹²⁹I) in nuclear waste to ensure safety when handling it. To analyze nuclides in a solid sample (e.g., concrete and soil), it is essential to effectively separate and purify the nuclides of interest in the sample. This study reports the comprehensive efforts made to validate the analytical procedure for ¹²⁹I detection in solid samples, using a high-temperature combustion furnace. ¹²⁹I volatilized from the sample collected in 0.01 M HNO₃ solution with a reducing agent (e.g., NaHSO₃) and was rapidly measured by ICP-MS. Analytical conditions, such as pyrolysis temperature and types of mobile phase gas, catalyst, and trapping solution, were optimized to obtain a high recovery rate of spiked ¹²⁹I. Finally, the optimized method was applied for the simultaneous analysis of other volatile radionuclides, such as ³H and ¹⁴C. The performance test results for the optimized method confirmed that the LSC (for ³H and ¹⁴C) and ICP-MS (for ¹²⁹I) measurements, with the separation of volatile nuclides using a high-temperature combustion furnace, were reliable.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.124-132
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• 2022

Through scientific analysis, this study identified the material characteristics of metal foil decorating the border line and knotting of the National Folklore Cultural Heritage 'Pouch for the Sutra Embroidered with a Sun and Moon Design'. Through Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy results, it was estimated that silver (Ag) and sulfur (S) were present in the metal foil, and silver leaf was also attached to the medium. S may discolor Ag from yellow to black depending on its concsentration and contact time. Yellow color could not be identified in metal foil at present. But there existed an example of the preparation of a gold-colored flat silver thread; therefore, further research is needed to estimate the original color. The lamella was reddish brown on the back. Aluminum, silicon, and iron were also detected and were the main components found in red soil. This is believed to be the red adhesive in traditional flat gold thread and is considered to be an adhesive-related component of the metal foil. From the gas chromatography mass spectrometry results, the adhesive component was confirmed to be animal glue.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.228-235
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• 1997

This experiments were conducted to determine the effect of allelopathy and autotoxicity in alfalfa. Among several alfalfa cultivars, the substances exudated from seven cultivars including Medicago sativa, c.v. Luna, Sparta, Magnum, Husky, Milkmaker, Challenger and Anchor inhibited the germination and seedling growth of radish, ranging from 60 to 80％. When allelopathic substances were exudated from the soil of the alfalfa-cultivated field, the increased levels of substance retarded the germination rate and seedling growth of radish and alfalfa. The inhibition rate was about 80％, compared with that of control. Thus, this study indicates that the allelopathy and autotoxicity substances of alfalfa influenced the germination and seedling growth in alfalfa itself and radish. When allelopathic substances were analysed by using gas chromatograph, several kinds of phenol compounds were detected as follows; Salicylic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.43-53
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• 2023

This batch experiment evaluated the impacts of major plant nutrient releases by applying the modified Hyperbola model on the leachates and N₂O emissions from incorporated rice hull biochar with organic fertilizer materials. The treatments consisted of the control as incorporated with organic fertilizer materials, the incorporated rice hull biochar with organic fertilizer materials, and the incorporated plasma-activated rice hull biochar with organic fertilizer materials under redox conditions. The results indicated that the maximum release amount of NH₄-N was 3486.3 mg L^-1 in the control, and their reduction rates of NH₄-N, NO₃-N, PO₄-P, and K were 8.0%, 17.5% 44.3.0% and 8.7%, respectively, relative to the control. In the control, the highest soluble amount of PO₄-P was 681.0 mg L^-1. The estimations for accumulated NH₄-N, NO₃-N, PO₄-P, and K-releases in all the treatments were significantly (p<0.01) fitted with a modified Hyperbola model. For greenhouse gas emissions, the lowest cumulative N₂O was 340.4 mg kg^-1 in the soil incorporated with plasma-activated rice hull biochar, and the reduction rates were 27.8% and 86.4% in the rice hull biochar and plasma-activated rice hull biochar treatments, respectively, compared to the control. Therefore, it concluded that the incorporated rice hull biochar can be especially useful for controlling PO₄-P release and N₂O emissions for bio-fertilizer applications.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2023

Hydrogen has gained attention as an environmentally friendly energy source among various renewable options, however, its application in agriculture remains limited. This study aims to apply the hydrogen fuel cell triple heat-combining system, originally not designed for greenhouses, to greenhouses in order to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This system can produce heating, cooling, and electricity from hydrogen while recovering waste heat. To implement a hydrogen fuel cell triple heat-combining system in a greenhouse, it is crucial to evaluate the greenhouse's heating and cooling load. Accurate analysis of these loads requires considering factors such as greenhouse configuration, existing heating and cooling systems, and specific crop types being cultivated. Consequently, this study aimed to estimate the cooling and heating load using building energy simulation (BES). This study collected and analyzed meteorological data from 2012 to 2021 for semi-enclosed greenhouses cultivating tomatoes in Jeonju City. The covering material and framework were modeled based on the greenhouse design, and crop energy and soil energy were taken into account. To verify the effectiveness of the building energy simulation, we conducted analyses with and without crops, as well as static and dynamic energy analyses. Furthermore, we calculated the average maximum heating capacity of 449,578 kJ·h^-1 and the average cooling capacity of 431,187 kJ·h^-1 from the monthly maximum cooling and heating load analyses.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.722-727
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• 2010

This study was conducted to estimate the carbon footprint and to establish the database of the LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) for barely cultivation system. Barley production system was separated into the naked barley, the hulled barley and the two-rowed barley according to type of barley species. Based on collecting the data for operating LCI, it was shown that input of fertilizer was the highest value of 9.52E-01 kg $kg^{-1}$ for two-rowed braley. For LCI analysis focussed on the greenhouse gas (GHG), it was observed that carbon footprint were 1.25E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ naked braley, 1.09E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ hulled braley and 1.71E+00 $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ two-rowed barley; especially two-rowed barley cultivation system had highest emission value as 1.09E+00 kg $CO_2$ $kg^{-1}$ barley. It might be due to emit from mainly fertilizer production for barley cultivation. Also $N_2O$ was emitted at 7.55E-04 kg $N_2O\;kg^{-1}$ barley as highest value from hulled barley cultivation system because of high N fertilizer input. The result of life cycle impcat assessment (LCIA), it was observed that most of carbon emission from barely cultivation system was mainly attributed to fertilizer production and cropping unit. Characterization value of GWP was 1.25E+00 (naked barley), 1.09E+00 (hulled barley) and 1.71E+00 (two-rowed barely) kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.728-733
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• 2010

This study was carried out to estimate carbon emission using LCA and to establish LCI database of potato production system. Potato production system was categorized into the fall season potato and the spring season potato according to potato cropping type. The results of collecting data for establishing LCI D/B showed that input of fertilizer for fall season potato production was more than that for spring season potato production. Input of pesticide for spring season potato production was much more than that for fall season potato production. The value of field direct emission ($CO_2$, $CH_4$, $N_2O$) were 2.17E-02 kg $kg^{-1}$ for spring season potato and 2.47E-02 kg $kg^{-1}$ for fall season potato, respectively. The result of LCI analysis focussed on the greenhouse gas (GHG), it was observed that carbon footprint values were 8.38E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for spring season potato and 8.10E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for fall season potato; especially for 90% and 6% of $CO_2$ emission from fertilizer and potato production, respectively. $N_2O$ was emitted from the process of N fertilizer production (76%) and potato production (23%). It was observed that characterization of values of GWP were 8.38E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for spring season potato and 8.10E-01 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ for fall season potato.