• Resources Recycling
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.59-64
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• 2019

This study suggests a conceptual strategy and methodology for the risk assessment of the domestic abandoned mine fillers with fly ash. The fillers are composed of coal fly ash and solidification materials, and contain little toxic substances such as carbonates but also some heavy metals; therefore, those requires a risk assessment. The risk assessment should primarily focus on estimation of the effects to human health both on carcinogen and non-carcinogen aspects. The significant data such as toxicity and partition coefficients can be obtained from the national soil or mine environmental risk assessment guidelines. Accurate risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in the fillers may consume lots of time and efforts through site survey and instrumental analyses, etc. Moreover, it is inefficient to explore all of the factors as concentrations and categories in every heavy metal in the fillers, due to a high variety and complexity. Therefore, implementation of a preliminary risk assessment is suggested by using the literature data and the basic characteristics of the filler samples prior to the detailed risk assessment. Certainly, this presumes a thorough understanding of reliable sample analysis methods, exposure pathways, and relevant physicochemical and biological mechanisms.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.67-77
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• 2019

The grouting method is utilized to reinforce and waterproof poor grounds, enhance the bearing capacity of structures damaged resulting from settlement due to elevation and vibration or differential settlement, and for cutoff. The purpose of this research is to enhance the compressive strength of grout materials by using aramid fiber and develop a high-strength ground improvement method by using blast furnace slag powder. In this regard, this study has conducted a uniaxial compression test after checking the high charge (higher than 50%) of the ratio of blast furnace slag powder and cement at 100:0, 70:30 and 40:60%, adding the aramid mixture based on 0, 0.5 and 1.0% of the cement and furnace slag powder weight and creating sand gels based on surface oiling rate of 0.7 and 1.2%. For the environmental review evaluation, a heavy metal exudation test and a pH test measurement have been conducted. The experiment results showed that 1% increase of aramid fiber led to 1.3 times greater uniaxial compression intensity. As for the hexavalent chrome, a 30% increase in blast furnace slag powder led to approximately 50% decrease in heavy metal exudation. However, the pH test revealed that a 30% increase in blast furnace slag powder resulted in approximately 0.5 increase in pH. Further research on the pH part is needed in the future.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.685-696
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• 2022

Although the use of pottery-making soils has a long history, its use in the pottery industry requires that physical and geotechnical properties of the materials be established to define the suitability for various purposes. The main purpose of this study is to identify the different types of clays and mineral composition and to perform the geotechnical evaluation of the clays for making pottery products. Soils investigated in this study include raw materials used for making Baekja (white porcelains), Chungja (celadons), Buncheong, Sancheong, and Johyung. Pottery-making soils are manufactured by using different types of soils and sold by individual ceramic clay company. This study includes physical tests of soil and chemical analysis of major elements using XRF and XRD instrumentation. Grain size distributions, mineralogical composition, and a range of plasticities of soils for making different types of potteries are presented. Correlations between specific type of pottery clays and geotechnical and mineralogical characteristics are determined by comparing the test results. Since quantitative research using laboratory tests for pottery-making soils are rarely performed in Korea, further research should be done in the future to improve the Korean pottery industry.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.75-86
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• 2009

Salt, one of the most common soluble materials in engineering soil, may have an effect on mechanical behaviors of soils under its cementation process. In order to investigate this natural phenomenon, non-soluble material by using glass beads is mixed with salt electrolyte and cemented by using oven to evaporate water. Three different sizes of glass bead particles, 0.26, 0.5, and 1.29 mm, with different salt concentration, 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0M, are explored by using P- and S-waves, excited by bender elements and piezo disk elemets, respectively. The velocities of the P-wave and S-wave of the particulate medium cemented by salt show three stages with the degree of saturation: 1) S-wave velocities increase while P-wave velocities reduce with degree of saturation changing from 100% to 90%; 2) Both velocities are stable with degree of saturation varying from 90% to 10%; 3) The velocities change enormously when the specimens are nearly dry with degree of saturation from 10% to 0%. Besides, the resonance frequencies of S-wave show similar stages to the S-wave velocities. This study demonstrates meaningful trends of elastic wave characteristics of geo-materials according to the cementation of dissolved salt.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.368-376
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• 2022

Spontaneous ignition occurs in industrial sites or anywhere in our lives, and is a phenomenon in which a substance ignites itself without an ignition source in the atmosphere. As the rate of chemical reaction increases, the heat generated increases, and the risk of spontaneous ignition increases. In this study, safe raw materials used for food and cosmetics were mixed to prepare coal spontaneous ignition prevention agents specifically among various spontaneous ignition phenomena. The effect of suppressing spontaneous combustion of coal was confirmed through lab and field tests with low-calorie, low-grade coal from Indonesia. As a result of the outdoor field test, the ignition prevention agent manufactured in this study compared with the control group(Fire after 90 days) showed excellent ignition inhibitors for more than 120 days. In addition, CO concentration control was confirmed by comparing the concentration of carbon monoxide for 50 days at the indoor coal yard. It was confirmed that the results were better than the comparative group coal and the existing anti-firing method. In addition, the possibility of coal fire prevention agents for indoor coal farms will be applied from 2024 was confirmed by studying the environment and safety of workers' working environments through official test such as soil and water quality test, MSDS of coal fire prevention agents in consideration of working workers, water quality, and eye irritation tests.

• Korean Journal of Hazardous Materials
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2014

We analyzed the demand of competent authorities requiring adequate technical information for initial investigation of chemical accidents. Reflecting technical reports on chemical accident response by environmental agencies in the U.S. and Canada, we presented information on environmental diffusion and toxic effects available for the first chemical accident response. Hydrogen fluoride may have the risk potential to corrode metals and cause serious burns and eye damages. In case of inhalation or intake, it could have severe health effects. The substance itself is inflammable, but once heated, it decomposes producing corrosive and toxic fume. In case of contact with water, it can produce toxic, corrosive, flammable or explosive gases and its solution, a strong acid, may react fiercely with a base. In case of hydrogen fluoride leak, the preventive measures are to decrease steam generation in exposed sites, prevent the transfer of vapor cloud and promptly respond using inflammable substances including calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, ground limestone, dried soil, dry sand, vermiculite, fly ash and powder cement. The method for fire fighting is to suppress fire with manless hose stanchions or monitor nozzles by wearing the whole body protective clothing equipped with over-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus from distance. In case of transport accident accompanied with fire, evacuation distance is 1,600m radius. In cae of fire, fire suppression needs to be performed using dry chemicals, CO₂, water spray, water fog, and alcohol-resistance foam, etc. The major symptoms by exposure route are dyspnoea, bronchitis, chemical pneumonia and pulmonary edema for respiration, skin laceration, dermatitis, burn, frostbite and erythema for eyes, and nausea, diarrhea, stomachache, and tissue destruction for digestive organs. In atmosphere, its persistency is low, and its bioaccumulation in aquatic organism is also low.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 1999

This study was performed to examine the effect of initial composition ratio and various reaction conditions on CEC and crystallinity of the product in hydrothermal synthesis of zeolitic materials from fly ash. Na-P1 zeolite was formed from the mixture with $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ ratio above 2.55, however from the mixture with $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ ratio below 2.25 hydroxy sodalite was formed. The CEC of reaction product(Na-P1 zeolite) treated with 3N-NaOH, $Na_2O/Al_2O_3$ ratio 2.55 and $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ ratio 2.0 for 12 hours at $103^{\circ}C$ was about $285cmol^+kg^{-1}$, which was higher than those of the products of other reaction condition. The crystallinity of Na-P1 zeolite as high as 45.1% was attained at the optimum reaction condition of 2N-NaOH, $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ ratio 2.55, $Na_2O/Al_2O_3$ ratio 1.5 for 12 hours at $103^{\circ}C$. The XRD peak of the reaction product could be measured at 7.16, 5.04, 4.12, 3.18, $2.69{\AA}$ and tetragonal pillar shape observed by SEM image be characteristic for Na-P1 zeolite. Judging from the result, it should be considered the optimum synthesis condition for Na-P1 zeolite from fly ash was 2~3N NaOH, $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ ratio 2.55 and $Na_2O/Al_2O_3$ ratio 1.5~2.0 for 12 hours at $80{\sim}103^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.526-533
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate hazardous microorganisms in mixed baby leafy vegetables and various baby leafy vegetables used as raw materials for fresh-cut produce in spring and summer. To estimate microbial loads, a total of 298 samples including 181 samples of mixed baby leafy vegetables purchased in a Korean market and 117 samples of various baby leafy vegetables from distribution companies were collected. Fecal indicators (coliform and Escherichia coli) as well as food-borne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus) were enumerated. As a result, the mixed baby leafy vegetable samples showed significantly higher (P<0.05) coliform bacteria numbers in summer (5.59±1.18 log CFU/g) compared to spring (3.60±2.53 log CFU/g). E. coli was detected in 1.3% (1/79) and 42.2% (43/102) of samples collected in spring and summer, respectively. Only one sample collected from a market in spring was contaminated with S. aureus. In the experiment with baby leafy vegetables, the number of coliforms detected in baby leafy vegetables cultivated in soil in spring was 1.15±1.95 log CFU/g, and that in summer was 4.09±2.52 log CFU/g. However, the number of coliforms recovered from baby leafy vegetables cultivated in media was above 5.0 log CFU/g regardless of season. Occurrences of E. coli were 44.4% (12/27) and 19.0% (4/21) for baby leafy vegetables cultivated in soil and media, respectively. However, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. were not detected. These results are in relation to microbial loads on mixed baby leafy vegetables associated with raw materials. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and implement hygienic practices at baby leafy vegetable farms to enhance the safety of fresh produce.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.403-418
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• 2007

The objective of this research was to characterize the fate and transport of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater in the Daejeon industrial area. Five subsidiary monitoring wells were newly installed and two existing wells were utilized for the investigation and the reduction process of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater of the Daejeon(Mun-pyeong) national groundwater monitoring station. The Cr(VI) concentrations at the shallow aquifer well of the station were in the range of 3.2-4.5 mg/L indicating continuous contamination. However, Cr was not detected at the deep bedrock well and the other monitoring wells except MPH-1 and 3. The Cr(VI) concentrations of MPH-1 and MPH-3 were below the drinking water guideline value (0.05 mg/L). Therefore, the plume of the Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater was predicted to be confined within the narrow boundary around the station. The soluble/exchangeable Cr(VI) concentrations were below the detection limit in all core and slime samples taken from the five newly installed wells. Although the exact source of contamination was not directly detected in the study area, the spatial Cr(VI) distribution in groundwater and characteristics of the core samples indicated that the source and the dispersion range were confined within the 100 m area from the monitoring station. The contamination might be induced from the unlined landfill of industrial wastes which was observed during the installation of an subsidiary monitoring well. For the evaluation of the natural attenuation of Cr(VI), available reduction capacities of Cr(VI) with an initial concentration of 5 mg/L were measured in soil and aquifer materials. Dark-gray clay layer samples have high capacities of Cr(VI) reduction ranging from 58 to 64%, which is obviously related to organic carbon contents of the samples. The analysis of reduction capacities implied that the soil and aquifer materials controlled the dispersion of Cr(VI) contamination in this area. However, some possibilities of dispersion by the preferential flow cannot be excluded due to the limited numbers of monitoring wells. We suggest the removal of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater by periodical pumping, and the continuous groundwater quality monitoring for evaluation of the Cr(VI) dispersion should be followed in the study area.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1143-1152
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• 2012

We established a top-down methodology to estimate carbon footprint as national mean value (reference) with the statistical data on agri-livestock incomes in 2007. We also established LCI (life cycle inventory) DB by a bottom-up methodology with the data obtained from interview with farmers from 4 large-scale farms at Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do province to estimate carbon footprint in 2011. This study was carried out to compare top-down methodology and bottom-up methodology in performing LCA (life cycle assessment) to analyze the difference in GHGs (greenhouse gases) emission and carbon footprint under conventional rice cultivation system. Results of LCI analysis showed that most of $CO_2$ was emitted during fertilizer production and rice cultivation, whereas $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ were mostly emitted during rice cultivation. The carbon footprints on conventional rice production system were 2.39E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ by top-down methodology, whereas 1.04E+00 kg $CO_2$-eq. $kg^{-1}$ by bottom-up methodology. The amount of agro-materials input during the entire rice cultivation for the two methodologies was similar. The amount of agro-materials input for the bottom-up methodology was sometimes greater than that for top-down methodology. While carbon footprint by the bottom-up methodology was smaller than that by the top-down methodology due to higher yield per cropping season by the bottom-up methodology. Under the conventional rice production system, fertilizer production showed the highest contribution to the environmental impacts on most categories except GWP (global warming potential) category. Rice cultivation was the highest contribution to the environmental impacts on GWP category under the conventional rice production system. The main factors of carbon footprints under the conventional rice production system were $CH_4$ emission from rice paddy field, the amount of fertilizer input and rice yield. Results of this study will be used for establishing baseline data for estimating carbon footprint from 'low carbon certification pilot project' as well as for developing farming methods of reducing $CO_2$ emission from rice paddy fields.