• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.504-511
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• 2016

Lactulose, a synthetic disaccharide, has received increasing interest because of its role as a prebiotic that can increase the proliferation of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp. and enhance the absorption of calcium and magnesium. While the industrial production of lactulose is still mainly achieved by the chemical isomerization of lactose in alkaline media, this process has drawbacks including the need to remove catalysts and by-products, as well as high energy requirements. Recently, the use of cellobiose 2-epimerase (CE) has been considered an interesting alternative for industrial lactulose production. In this study, to develop a process for enzymatic lactulose production using CE, we screened improved mutant enzymes ($CS-H^RC^E$) from a library generated by an error-prone PCR technique. The thermostability of one mutant was enhanced, conferring stability up to $75^{\circ}C$, and its lactulose conversion yield was increased by 1.3-fold compared with that of wild-type CE. Using a recombinant Escherichia coli strain harboring a CS35 $H^RC^E$-expressing plasmid, we prepared cell beads immobilized on a Ca-alginate substrate and optimized their reaction conditions. In a batch reaction with 200 g/l lactose solution and the immobilized cell beads, lactose was converted into lactulose with a conversion yield of 43% in 2 h. In a repeated 38-plex batch reaction, the immobilized cell beads were relatively stable, and 80% of the original enzyme activity was retained after 4 cycles. In conclusion, we developed a reasonable method for lactulose production by immobilizing cells expressing thermostable CE. Further development is required to apply this approach at an industrial scale.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.221-234
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• 2013

Laboratory experiments for the reaction with supercritical $CO_2$ under the $CO_2$ sequestration condition were performed to investigate the mineralogical and geochemical weathering process of the sandstones and mudstones in the Pohang basin. To simulate the supercritical $CO_2$-rock-groundwater reaction, rock samples used in the experiment were pulverized and the high pressurized cell (200 ml of capacity) was filled with 100 ml of groundwater and 30 g of powdered rock samples. The void space of the high pressurized cell was saturated with the supercritical $CO_2$ and maintained at 100 bar and $50^{\circ}C$ for 60 days. The changes of mineralogical and geochemical properties of rocks were measured by using XRD (X-Ray Diffractometer) and BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller). Concentrations of dissolved cations in groundwater were also measured for 60 days of the supercritical $CO_2$-rock-groundwater reaction. Results of XRD analyses indicated that the proportion of plagioclase and K-feldspar in the sandstone decreased and the proportion of illite, pyrite and smectite increased during the reaction. In the case of mudstone, the proportion of illite and kaolinite and cabonate-fluorapatite increased during the reaction. Concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ dissolved in groundwater increased during the reaction, suggesting that calcite and feldspars of the sandstone and mudstone would be significantly dissolved when it contacts with supercritical $CO_2$ and groundwater at $CO_2$ sequestration sites in Pohang basin. The average specific surface area of sandstone and mudstone using BET analysis increased from $27.3m^2/g$ and $19.6m^2/g$ to $28.6m^2/g$ and $26.6m^2/g$, respectively, and the average size of micro scale void spaces for the sandstone and mudstone decreased over 60 days reaction, resulting in the increase of micro pore spaces of rocks by the dissolution. Results suggested that the injection of supercritical $CO_2$ in Pohang basin would affect the physical property change of rocks and also $CO_2$ storage capacity in Pohang basin.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.226-233
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• 2023

In this study, the basic physical properties and microstructure of concrete interlocking blocks with amount of different CO₂ gas injection were analyzed according to determine the applicability of In-situ carbonation technology to construction secondary products. The amount of carbon dioxide gas injection was selected as 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 wt.% compared to cement amount. A lab-scale press equipment was designed to apply developed carbonation technology to real construction site. And mixer for stable CO₂ gas injection was designed. Using the designed devices, CO₂ gas injected samples were created and physical property of samples were performed. As a result of the physical property test, as the CO₂ injection amount increased to 0.3 %, it showed higher strength behavior compared to the original mix. And more than 0.5 % samples showed lower strength behavior than original sample, but they satisfied the standard of concrete interlocking block. This results were determined that CO₂ injection contributed to the creation of hydrates such as C-S-H. Therefore, the possibility of applying carbonation technology, which injects CO₂ during mixing, to various secondary construction products was confirmed.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.580-586
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• 2009

In this study, co-combustion characteristics of Chinese bituminous coal and North Korean anthracite were investigated using a 2 MWe scale circulating fluidized bed power plant. At first, the combustion efficiency of bituminous coal of China and Australia as a function of excess air ratio and temperature were observed. The results showed that the combustion efficiency was influenced by particle size and volatile content of coal, the combustion efficiency of Chinese bituminous coal was over 99.5%. The unburned carbon particles from fly ash and bottom ash were a content 5~7% and 0.3%, respectively. The combustion efficiency with the mixture ratio 20% of bituminous coal and anthracite decreased over 5% because of the increase of entrained particles by a small average particle size of anthracite in the combustor. However, the outlet concentration of $SO_2$ and $NO_x$ was not changed remarkably. The concentrations of the typical air pollutants such as $NO_x$ and $SO_2$ were 200~250 ppm($O_2$ 6%), 100~320 ppm($O_2$ 6%) respectively. The outlet concentration of $NO_x$ was decreased to 30~65% with $NH_3$ supplying rate of 2~13 l/min in SCR process. The $SO_x$ removal efficiency was up to 70% by in-furnace desulfurization using limestone with Ca/S molar of approximately 6.5. With wet scrubbing using $Mg(OH)_2$ as absorbent, the $SO_x$ removal efficiency reached 100% under near pH 5.0 of scrubbing liquid.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.313-327
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• 2006

This study investigated the geochernical characteristics of Mn scale formed in groundwater wells at the Damyang area. The composition of Mn scale consists mainly of MnO and $SiO_2$. The content of Mn ranges from56.61wt.% to 68.69wt.%, and $SiO_2$ content ranges from 1.56wt.% to 10.45wt.%. The contents of Mo and Ba in Mn scale increased with increased depth; whereas, the content of Zn and Pb decreased with increased depth. Birnessite, quartz and feldspars were identified in Mn scales using x-ray powder diffraction studies. The IR absorption bands for Mn scales show major absorption band due to OH stretching, adsorbed molecular water, and birnessite stretching, respectively. In the SEM and EDS analysis, the Mn scale consists of botryoidal, spherical, spherulite, and empty straw structure. Those structure may be precipitated simply due to oversaturation with concentrated Mn content or may be formed through biogenic precipitation by Lepthothrix discophora. Under microanalysis using EDS on those structure surface of Mn scales, the Mn atomic percent range from 28 to 44, and such elements revealed the presence of Si, K, Na, Ca, Cl, Cu, Zn, and Ba.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.465-476
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• 2021

Scale and rust generation in water pipes is a common phenomenon when cast iron water pipes have been used for a long time. A physical water treatment device is known among various means for suppressing rust in a water pipe, and a zinc ionization device for putting zinc metal into a pipe and emitting the zinc cation into water is one of such devices. This research measured the amount of zinc ion generated, which is known to exhibit an effect of inhibiting rust and scale generation in a pipe, and examined the scale and rust inhibition effect of the ionization device installed for ground or building water supply. In the case of distilled water, the concentration of zinc ion increased by circulating water in the ionization device several times, and it was verified to be hundreds of ㎍/L, and in the case of discharging ground or tap water, it was verified to be tens of ㎍/L. In addition, a verification pipe was installed to confirm the change inside the pipe before and after installation of the zinc ionization device, and the internal condition of the pipe was observed 3 months to several years after installation. It was confirmed that the corrosion area of the surface of the pipe was no longer increased by installing a corrosion inhibitor, and if the pipe was already filled with corrosion products, the amount of corrosion products gradually decreased every year after installation. The phenomenon of fewer corrosion products could be interpreted as expanding the space in the pipe due to the corrosion product as Fe₂O₃ adhered to the inner surface of the pipe and turned into a smaller black Fe₃O₄. In addition, we found that scale such as CaCO₃ together in the corrosion by-products gradually decreased with the attachment of the ionization device.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.661-672
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• 2012

Lab scale experiments to investigate the dissolution reaction among supercritical $CO_2$-sandstone-groundwater by using sandstones from Gyeongsang basin were performed. High pressurized cell system (100 bar and $50^{\circ}C$) was designed to create supercritical $CO_2$ in the cell, simulating the sub-surface $CO_2$ storage site. The first-order dissolution coefficient ($k_d$) of the sandstone was calculated by measuring the change of the weight of thin section or the concentration of ions dissolved in groundwater at the reaction time intervals. For 30 days of the supercritical $CO_2$-sandstone-groundwater reaction, physical properties of sandstone cores in Gyeongsang basin were measured to investigate the effect of supercritical $CO_2$ on the sandstone. The weight change of sandstone cores was also measured to calculate the dissolution coefficient and the dissolution time of 1 g per unit area (1 $cm^2$) of each sandstone was quantitatively predicted. For the experiment using thin sections, mass of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ dissolved in groundwater increased, suggesting that plagioclase and calcite of the sandstone would be significantly dissolved when it contacts with supercritical $CO_2$ and groundwater at $CO_2$ sequestration sites. 0.66% of the original thin sec-tion mass for the sandstone were dissolved after 30 days reaction. The average porosity for C sandstones was 8.183% and it increased to 8.789% after 30 days of the reaction. The average dry density, seismic velocity, and 1-D compression strength of sandstones decreased and these results were dependent on the porosity increase by the dissolution during the reaction. By using the first-order dissolution coefficient, the average time to dissolve 1 g of B and C sandstones per unit area (1 $cm^2$) was calculated as 1,532 years and 329 years, respectively. From results, it was investigated that the physical property change of sandstones at Gyeongsang basin would rapidly occur when the supercritical $CO_2$ was injected into $CO_2$ sequestration sites.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2022

Mulching film was produced by LDPE and LLDPE adding biomass byproducts and MA(maleic anhydride), talc/clay/CaO/CaCO₃. And also surveyed to tensile strength, elongation, TGA and DSC according to the UV irradiation time. The tensile strength and elongation showed 20 N/cm² and 5% after UV irradiation 100 hours, and those was nearly 0 N/cm² and 0% after 200 hours, respectively. TGA of film was showed to peak of polymer itself, and DSC was slightly higher than that of initial value. At the pilot scale test, we were able to see the differentiate of degradation between control and developed film after 12 weeks, and also torn off at several part of mulching film. The degradation of mulching film after growing corn showed similar to a pilot scale test. Above the results, the developed mulching film adding biomass will be to used for agricultural farming.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.916-922
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• 2018

Recently, power plant effluent condensers received a Renewable Energy Certificate as components of hydrothermal energy (weighted 1.5 times) as one target item of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) policy. Accordingly, more attention is being paid to the value of thermal wastewater as a heat source. However, for utilization of thermal wastewater from power plants in high-turbidity areas like the West Sea of Korea, a turbidity reducing system is required to reduce system contamination. In this study, an experimental test was performed over a month on thermal wastewater from power plants located in the West Sea of Korea. It was found that water turbidity was reduced by more than 80 % and that the concentration of organic materials and nutrient salts was partially reduced due to the reduction of floating/drifting materials. To conduct a comparative analysis of the level of contamination of the heat exchanger when thermal wastewater flows in through a turbidity reducing system versus when the condenser effluent flows in directly without passing through the turbidity system, we disassembled and analyzed heat exchangers operated for 30 days. As a result, it was found that the heat exchanger without a turbidity reducing system had a higher level of contamination. Main contaminants (scale) that flowed in to the heat exchanger included minerals such as $SiO_2$, $Na(Si_3Al)O_8$, $CaCO_3$ and NaCl. It was estimated that marine sediment soil flowed in to the heat exchanger because of the high level of turbidity in the water-intake areas.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.700-707
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• 2002

To study the characteristics of organic and nutrient removal by Bacillus species at high COD concentration of influent, three lab-scale batch reactors(R1, R2, R3), each of which has different substrate composition, were operated. More than 95% of $NH_4^+$-N and $COD_{cr}$, concentrations were removed under an aerobic condition, and their removal efficiencies were found to be 22.6 and 90.5%(R1), 23.9 and 65.8%(R2), 30.2 and 86.4%(R3), respectively. The removal efficiency of $NH_4^+$-N was high when an enough amount of $NO_3^{-}$-N was supplied, and that of $COD_{cr}$. was low when a high concentration of initial $NO_2^{-}$-N was added. The amount of carbon utilized in denitrification was a little. In all reactors,$NO_3^{-}$-N was removed under an anoxic condition, but in the R3 reactor, 10% of $NO_3^{-}$-N could be removed even undo, an aerobic condition. The removal efficiencies of TN and TP were 41.8 and 49.5%(R1), 40.1 and 35.8%(R2), 47.0 and 57.6%(R3), respectively. Alkalinities destructed under an aerobic condition for each reactor were 4.96, 5.41 and 3.93 mg/L (as $CaCO_3$) per each gram of $NH_4^+$-N oxidized, respectively, while 3.06, 3.17 and 2.60 mg/L (as $CaCO_3$) of alkalinities were produced for each gram of ,$NO_3^{-}$-N reduced to $N_2$. The SOUR were found to be 38.5, 52.7 and 42.0 mg $O_2$/g MLSS/hr, which indicated that Bacillus sp. had a higher cell activity than activated sludge. The OLR and sludge production were estimated to be 0.69 and 0.28(Rl), 0.77 and 0.20(R2), 0.61 kg COD/$m^3$/day and 0.25 kg MLSS/kg COD(R3), respectively. From the N-balance, the highest percentage(40.9%) of nitrogen lost to $N_2$ was obtained in the R3 reactor. From all the results, the possibility of aerobic denitrification Bacillus sp. has been shown and the B3 process seemed to have two advantages: a little amount of carbon was required in denitrification and not much amount of alkalinity was destructed under an aerobic condition.