• Journal of Appropriate Technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2020

Medical waste is any kind of waste that contains infectious material and recommended not to be transferred for infection control. As a means of disposal, incineration has better points than dumping or landfill in the quantity reduction, odorless and nonhazardous. However, open burning and incineration of health care wastes under bad circumstances, can result in the emission of environmental pollutants to air. A burial of biological waste brings pollution of soil and water. Most of sub divisional hospitals in Fiji transfer their medical wastes to divisional hospitals for incineration. In 2011, 62,518 kg of medical waste was incinerated in the three divisional hospitals. However, some medical wastes are considered as general waste and burnt or sent to landfill site, some are buried on site in some sub-divisional hospitals. In this regards, urgent education is necessary for awareness promotion to relevant personnel in medical waste treatment. On site incineration using small scale incinerator is more recommended than transportation of medical wastes treatment in Fiji. Moreover, remotely controllable and fixable small scale of incinerator is more desirable in sub-divisional hospitals. It is recommended that Fiji government to set up a legal framework for medical waste management (MWM), to develop specific guidelines for MWM, to set up a training system for MWM to ensure that all relevant personnel are trained, to develop a monitoring and supervision system for MWM, to clarify the future financing of MWM activities, and to improve the MWM infrastructure.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2021

In 2012, the National Park Service conducted an ecological health assessment to efficiently preserve and manage the ecosystem. The need for improving pre-existing management indicators was recognized from the revised Natural Park Act because, while the indicators of the existing evaluation system focused on endangered species, ecosystem disturbance, diversity, water quality (BOD, DO), and habitat fragmentation, they did not reflect the lack of indicators for marine ecological assessment, policy changes, and the time demands. The evaluation results comprised a five-point grading system, which made the analysis of immediate changes, difficult. Therefore, the benthic pollution index (BPI) and habitat restoration indicators were added to improve the evaluation system. The National Park was assessed using 10 classifications, however, only four classifications were evaluated. The ratings were divided into five states, and ten classes were presented as pictograms. The assessment results showed a similar trend as the indicators were improved, increasing from level 3 to level 5. However, the results of the Wolaksan National Park after improvement in the indicators were lower than that before the improvement, whereas, for the Juwangsan National Park, it was higher. This study aims at contributing to the scientific and systematic management of the national park ecosystem by improving the ecological health assessment system.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.29-39
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• 2022

Objective : This study is aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Rehmanniae Radix, Mori Folium, and Liriopie Tuber mixture (RML) on lung injury of Particulate matter less than 10 um in diameter and diesel exhaust particles (PM10D) mice model. Methods : To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of RML, PM10D was diluted in aluminum hydroxide (Alum) in 7-week-old male mice and induced by Intra-Nazal-Tracheal (INT) injection method. Animal experiments were divided into 5 groups. Nor (normal mice), CTL (PM10D-induced mice with the administration of distilled water), DEXA (PM10D-induced mice with the administration of 3 mg/kg Dexamethasone), RML 100 (PM10D-induced mice treated with RML 100 mg/kg weight), and RML 200 (PM10D-induced mice treated with RML 200 mg/kg body weight). After 11 days administration, mice were sacrificed and inflammation-related immune cells in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed. Inflammation-related biomarkers were also analyzed in blood and lungs. Lung tissue was observed through histological examination. Results : In the PM10D induced model, the PML showed decreases in CXCL-1 and IL-17A in BALF. Expression of inflammatory cytokines and cough-related mRNA genes was significantly decreased in serum and lung tissue. The mixture treatment of RML significantly improved the immune related cells in the serum. In addition, histological observations showed a tendency to decrease the severity of lung injury. Conclusions : Overall, these results confirmed the respiratory protective effect of the RML mixture in a model of lung injury induced by air pollution (PM10+DEP), suggesting that it is a potential treatment for respiratory damage.

• Journal of Cadastre & Land InformatiX
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.83-106
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• 2021

Interests in clean fuels have been soaring because of environmental problems such as air pollution and global warming. Unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen obtains public attention as a eco-friendly energy source because it releases only water when burned. Various policy efforts have been made to establish a hydrogen based transportation network. The station that supplies hydrogen to hydrogen-powered trucks is essential for building the hydrogen based logistics system. Thus, determining the optimal location of refueling stations is an important topic in the network. Although previous studies have mostly applied optimization based methodologies, this paper adopts machine learning to review spatial attributes of candidate locations in selecting the optimal position of the refueling stations. Machine learning shows outstanding performance in various fields. However, it has not yet applied to an optimal location selection problem of hydrogen refueling stations. Therefore, several machine learning models are applied and compared in performance by setting variables relevant to the location of highway rest areas and random points on a highway. The results show that Random Forest model is superior in terms of F1-score. We believe that this work can be a starting point to utilize machine learning based methods as the preliminary review for the optimal sites of the stations before the optimization applies.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.227-235
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• 2022

Background: Abandoned metal mines are classified as vulnerable areas with the highest level of soil contamination among risk regions. People living near abandoned metal mines are at increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between soil contamination levels in areas around abandoned metal mine and the blood lead levels of local residents. Moreover, we assess the possibility of using soil contamination levels as a predictive indicator for human exposure level. Methods: Data from the Survey of Residents around Abandoned Metal Mines (2013~2017, n=4,421) and Investigation of Soil Pollution in Abandoned Metal Mines (2000~2011) were used. A random coefficient model was conducted for estimation of the lower level (micro data) of the local resident unit and the upper level (macro data) of the abandoned metal mine unit. Through a fitted model, the variation of blood lead levels among abandoned metal mines was confirmed and the effect of the operationally defined soil contamination level was estimated. Results: Among the total variation in blood lead levels, the variation between abandoned mines was 18.6%, and the variation determined by the upper-level factors such as soil contamination and water contamination was 8.1%, which was statistically significant respectively. There was also a statistically significant difference in the least square mean of blood lead concentration according to the level of soil contamination (p=0.047, low: 2.32 ㎍/dL, middle: 2.38 ㎍/dL, high: 2.59 ㎍/dL). Conclusions: The blood lead concentration of residents living near abandoned metal mines was significantly correlated with the level of soil contamination. Therefore, in biomonitoring for vulnerable areas, operationally defined soil contamination can be used as a predictor for human exposure level to hazardous substances and discrimination of high-risk abandoned metal mines.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.181-190
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• 2023

Wastewater purification is one of the most important techniques for controlling environmental pollution and fulfilling the demand for freshwater supply. Various technologies, such as different types of distillations and reverse osmosis processes, need higher energy input. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an alternative method in which power consumption is deficient and works on the supercapacitor principle. Research is going on to improve the electrode materials to improve the efficiency of the process. A reverse electrodialysis (RED) is the most commonly used desalination technology and osmotic power generator. Among many studies conducted to enhance the efficiency of RED, MXene, as an ion exchange membrane (IEM) and 2D nanofluidic channels in IEM, is rising as a promising way to improve the physical and electrochemical properties of RED. It is used alone and other polymeric materials are mixed with MXene to enhance the performance of the membrane further. The maximum desalination performances of MXene with preconditioning, Ti₃C₂T_x, Nafion, and hetero-structures were respectively measured, proving the potential of MXene for a promising material in the desalination industry. In terms of osmotic power generating via RED, adopting MXene as asymmetric nanofluidic ion channels in IEM significantly improved the maximum osmotic output power density, most of them surpassing the commercialization benchmark, 5 Wm^-2. By connecting the number of unit cells, the output voltage reaches the point where it can directly power the electronic devices without any intermediate aid. The studies around MXene have significantly increased in recent years, yet there is more to be revealed about the application of MXene in the membrane and osmotic power-generating industry. This review discusses the electrodialysis process based on MXene composite membrane.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.112-122
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• 2023

To restore the ecological function of contaminated soil and maximize the ecological services provided by the soil, besides the toxicity orrisk caused by pollutants, the functional aspects of the soil ecosystem should be considered. In this study, a method for evaluating the health of cleaned soil was presented, and the applicability of the proposed evaluation method was examined by applying it to soil treated with washing and landfarming. Productivity, habitat, water retention capacity, nutrient cycling, carbon retention capacity, and buffering capacity were used as soil health evaluation indicators. The results showed that the soil health was not completely recovered after remediation, and even in the case of the washed soil, the health was lower than before remediation. On the other hand, there was no significant change in soil quality due to oil pollution, but soil health deteriorated. Unlike the slightly improved soil quality after landfarming treatment, soil health was not completely restored. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that it is desirable to consider both soil quality and health when evaluating the remediation effect. The soil health evaluation method proposed in this study can be usefully utilized for the sustainable use of cleaned soil and to promote ecosystem services.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.127-138
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• 2023

A variety of decarbonized energy sources are being developed globally to realize carbon neutrality (Net Zero) by 2050 as a measure to address the global climate crisis. As the Korean government has also established a Renewable Energy 3020 policy and promoted energy development plans using solar or wind power, large-scale offshore development projects not present before in coastal waters, such as offshore wind farms, are being promoted. From ships' point of view, offshore facilities present obstacles to safe navigation, and with the installation of marine facilities, ship collisions or contact accidents between ships and marine facilities may occur in the narrowed water areas. In addition, there are concerns about environmental pollution and human casualties caused by marine accidents. Accordingly, we review overseas and domestic offshore wind farm development plans, analyze whether institutional devices are in place to ensure the safe passage of ships in wind farm areas, and study the safe operation of large-scale offshore wind farms and safe passage of ships along the Korean coast by comparing overseas legislative cases with domestic laws and presenting a proposal to illuminate the legal blind sectors.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.2B
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• pp.225-231
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• 2006

The nonpoint source control is based on TPLMS (Total Pollution Load Management System) program. Recently, the Ministry of Environment in Korea has programed TPLMS for 4 major large rivers to improve the water quality in rivers by controling the total pollutant loadings from the watershed area. Usually the urbanization is the main pollutant sources, particularly for nonpoint pollutants, because of high imperviousness and high pollutant mass emissions. The stormwater runoff from urban areas is containing various pollutants such as sediments, metals and toxic chemicals due to human and vehicle activities. Of the various landuses, the highways are highly polluted landuses because of high pollutant accumulation rate by vehicle activities during dry periods. Therefore, this research is achieved to provide pollutant EMCs (Event Mean Concentrations) and mass loadings washed-off from highways during rainfall periods. Five monitoring locations were equipped with an automatic rainfall gage and an flow meter. The results show that the EMC ranges for 95% confidence intervals in highway land use are 45.52-125.76 mg/L for TSS, 52.04-95.48 mg/L for COD, 1.77-4.48 mg/L for TN, 0.29-0.54 mg/L for TP. The ranges of washed- off mass loading are $712.7-2,418.4mg/m^2$ for TSS and $684.1-1,779.6mg/m^2$ for COD.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.33-50
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• 2023

This study is to propose the ecosystem service valuation method as a complementary or alternative tool to overcome the limitations of the contingent valuation method(CVM), typically used to assess social benefits in preliminary feasibility studies. With an increasing interest in natural and environmental restoration projects, we assessed social benefits with theses CVM and ecosystem service valuation method from a case of Janghang wetland restoration project and compared the extent of the two social benefits. For quantitative evaluation of ecosystem services, the biophysical quantity for each ecosystem service indicator was calculated and then converted into currency (KRW) units to estimate the economic value of ecosystem services. The four ecosystem regulating service indicators were selected including greenhouse gas capture/storage, air pollution, water quantity and quality regulation. The amounts of CO₂ sequestration and storage as a ecosystem's greenhouse gas regulating service in the study area were 73.04 tCO₂/yr and 5,867.53 tCO₂/yr respectively. The reduction of SO₂, one of air pollutant gases by ecosystems was calculated to be 180.27 kg/yr, the reduction of NO₂ to be 378.90 kg/yr, and the reduction of fine dust (PM10) to be 9,713.92 kg/yr. The amount of freshwater regulating service by the ecosystem was estimated to be 459,394,319ℓ/yr, and the amount of nitrogen in freshwater removed by the ecosystem was 78.00kg/yr. Study results show that the benefits derived from the CVM were KRW 227.8 billion over the 30-year analysis period and those from the ecosystem service valuation method were KRW 41.4 billion for regulatory services and KRW 148.8 billion for cultural services, totaling KRW 189.5 billion. With KRW 184.8 billion of the total costs, the benefit/cost ratio using the CVM was 1.23 and that with the ecosystem service valuation method was 1.03. This study implications include that the CVM and ecosystem service valuation method can be applied together to assess and compare social benefits for natural and environmental restoration projects.