• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2016

In this new energy economy era, the importance of renewable energy resource needs to be highly addressed, as the demand of energy dramatically increases and fossil fuel is being exhausted. Lignocellulosic biomass is considered as the sustainable and renewable feedstock to produce biochemicals and biofuels that are the alternative for petroleum derived products. Furfural is a natural precursor for the range of furan based chemicals and solvents such as methylfuran, tetrahydrofuran, methyltetrahydrofuran, ethyltetrahydrofuryl ether, ethyl levulinate, levulinic acid, and alkanes. Thus, furfural should be a renewable platform chemical for biochemicals and renewable biofuels. In this paper, the concept of biorefinery, furfural production and its applications are briefly reviewed.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 1999

In search of a method to achieve sustainable agricultural practices, a trickling filter was employed for the piggery wastewater treatment, where rice straw was the support medium in place of more commonly used materials. The filtrate from the trickling filter were applied to a soil, on which orchard grass (Dactylic glomerata L.) was grown followed by amendment of the treated straw medium. Orchard grass was cut twice, and growth parameters and yields were measured. Soil chemical properties before and after harvesting orchard grass were analyzed. Development of the forage crop was greatly enhanced by the application of the filtrate in terms of fresh weight, dry weight, and the absorption of nutrients. Better growth and higher nutrient uptake were found in the second cutting of the orchard grass. Organic matter content, ionic intensity, exchangeable cations, and phosphate of the soil increased with the application of the filtrate. The relative high concentrations of salts in the piggery trickling filtrate, expressed in electrical conductivity and content of sodium, exerted no detrimental effect on the crop and soil.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.243-253
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• 2005

In agricultural ecosystem, soils which play important roles of storage and cycling of substances become a crtitical social problem due to rapid increase of contaminants with respect to our health. Soil as productivity should be interpreted as soil quality, that is important criteria in maintaining sustainable agriculture for production of safe food. Therefore, it needs to set the criteria of soil quality by considering environmental factors including relevant parameters which are involved in soil quality soil health because soils are widely distributed and have various characteristics such as physical, chemical, and biological propevties. Therefore, it requires intensive investigation of evaluation methods and development of related parameters for environmentally sound agriculture and safe soil management.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

Microalgae is considered as one of environmentally sustainable and potential feedstocks to produce biodiesels. However, recent studies on life cycle assessments (LCA) of microalgal buidiesels have shown that energy requirement is not small to produce biodiesel from microalgae, especially during cultivation stage. The costs for carbon sources, nutrients like nitrogen or phosphorous, and water for cultivation can contribute up to 80% of the total medium costs. In the present article, recent trends on the utilization of several promising nutrient sources such as municipal wastewaters, organic fertilizers, combustion exhaust emissions and organic solid wastes were reviewed, and the potential strategies to be used as substitutes of artificial culture media, especially for the biodiesel production, were discussed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 2010

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) in combustion flue gas are currently mitigated by chemical processes such as catalytic reduction, absorption and adsorption. However, development of environmentally sustainable biological processes is necessary in the near future. In this paper, the up-to-dated R&D trend of biological methodologies regarding NOx removal was reviewed, and their advantages and disadvantages were discussed. The principles and applications of bacterial system including nitrification and denitrification and photosynthetic microalgae system were compared. In order to enhance biological treatment rate and performance, the insoluble nitric oxide (NO) should be first absorbed using a proper solubilization agent, and then microbial degradation or fixation is to be followed. The use of microalgal system has a good prospect because it can fix $CO_2$ and NOx simultaneously and requires no additional carbon for energy source.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.475-491
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• 2012

Green Chemistry emerged at the end of 20th century, which aims the development of the technologies for the sustainable society at the molecular level. Most products we consume in everyday life are produced through chemical processes, and we often oversee the fact that huge amount of solvents are used and disposed. At the present time most solvents used in laboratories as well as industries are volatile organic compounds(VOC), which gives health and environmental problems. Therefore scientists are seeking new materials which have equivalent properties of VOCs as solvent, and at the same time gives no health and environmental problems. In this brief review, the author describes the present status of research and development activities of green solvent materials throughout research societies worldwide. At present the most attractive green solvent candidates are water, glycerol, supercritical carbon dioxide and ionic liquids. In order to give the pictures of these materials, the author tried to introduce the overall aspects of green solvents in various chemical reaction as well as catalytic roles.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.68
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• pp.196-208
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• 2018

The effect of channel-system of zeolite on methanol-to-DME reaction was studied. Results revealed that channels size and topology affect catalyst lifetime, type and location of coke precursors. FER and MFI showed the best resistance towards coke deposition, whilst fast deactivation was observed on MOR. Although the higher concentration and strength of acid sites, FER structure formed a lower coke amount, preferably located within the pores, while coke cluster deposited on the external surface of MOR. Analysis of acid sites distribution and strength was performed during deactivation-regeneration process. Coke location assessment was also supported by molecular simulations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.194-202
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: Towards achievement of sustainable agriculture, using microbial inoculants may present promising alternatives without adverse environmental effects; however, there are challenging issues that should be addressed in terms of effectiveness and ecology. Viability and stability of the bacterial inoculants would be one of the major issues in effectiveness of microbial pesticide uses, and the changes within the indigenous microbial communities by the inoculants would be an important factor influencing soil ecology. Here we investigated the stability of the introduced bacterial strains in the soils planted with barley and its effect on the diversity shifts of the rhizosphere soil bacteria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two different types of bacterial strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 were inoculated to the soils planted with barley. To monitor the stability of the inoculated bacterial strains, genes specific to the strains (XRE and mtrA) were quantified by qPCR. In addition, bacterial community analyses were performed using v3-v4 regions of 16S rRNA gene sequences from the barley rhizosphere soils, which were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq system and Mothur. Alpha- and beta-diversity analyses indicated that the inoculated rhizosphere soils were grouped apart from the uninoculated soil, and plant growth also may have affected the soil bacterial diversity. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the survival of the introduced non-native microbes, non-indigenous bacteria may influence the soil microbial community and diversity.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.67
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• pp.175-186
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• 2018

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), particularly carbon nanotube and graphene-based materials, are rapidly emerging as one of the most effective adsorbents for wastewater treatment. CNMs hold great potential as new generation adsorbents due to their high surface to volume ratio, as well as extraordinary chemical, mechanical and thermal stabilities. However, implementation of pristine CNMs in real world applications are still hindered due to their poor solubility in most solvents. Hence, surface modification of CNMs is essential for wastewater treatment application in order to improve its solubility, chemical stability, fouling resistance and efficiency. Numerous studies have reported the applications of functionalized CNMs as very promising adsorbents for treating organic and inorganic wastewater pollutants. In this paper, the removal of organic dye and phenol contaminants from wastewater using various type of functionalized CNMs are highlighted and summarized. Challenges and future opportunities for application of these CNMs as adsorbents in sustainable wastewater treatment are also addressed in this paper.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.379-384
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• 2024

Industrial wastewater contains various harmful pollutants, and effectively treating these pollutants is crucial for environmental protection and public health. This review paper examines various adsorbent materials used in industrial wastewater treatment. The characteristics and applications of key adsorbents, such as activated carbon, zeolite, nanomaterials, and bioadsorbents, are introduced, and the advantages and disadvantages of each material are discussed. Furthermore, the paper suggests directions for the improvement of adsorbent materials and future research, emphasizing the importance of developing sustainable materials and utilizing nanotechnology. The need for modeling and optimization of adsorption processes is also highlighted. This paper underscores the significance of adsorbent materials in industrial wastewater treatment and provides a guide for future research directions.