• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.95-111
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• 2004

This research sought to determine the status of the installation and operation of composting facilities of domestic public resource-making facilities and come up with corresponding improvement measures. The composting facilities were the most extensively installed of related facilities with over a 0.5 ton treated volume per day. The monthly and yearly carry-in volume of food waste were found to stand at 1,101.7 tons per day and 930.9 tons per day, thus falling short of the average planned volume of 1,270.9 tons. Many composting facilities, which were installed in areas for which factory registration were not approved, did not get approvals. Composting facilities underwent operation stoppage mainly due to faulty fermentation and crushing equipment. Mainly metals contained in food waste caused faults to the crushing equipment, thus requiring a facility designing against faults and corrosion. The initial water content was found to stand at 50-60%, thus complying with the requirement. However, since the composting food waste had an appropriate mixture of sawdust, food waste, and returned compost, it should meet the initial conditions. For fermentation facilities, the duration time for fermentation was 15 days, and post-fermentation tanks required 21 days of duration time, thus establishing the minimum criteria. However, some facilities did not meet the requirements, taking more time in decomposition, thus suggesting a need to determine the duration time according to facilities. In composting food waste, microorganism-based thermal oxidizer-operated fermentation tanks should be used to ensure an economic operation. On the contrary, 14 out of 25 survey targets heated fermentation tanks in any form. These thermal facilities contain the growth of bacteria, lowering chemical reaction in composting; thus composting facilities should be basically designed to use microorganism-based thermal oxidizers in drying water. An average daily volume of food waste and supplementary materials that was injected in producing compost was 22.8 tons. This volume produced 7.3 tons of compost per day, decreasing 68%. Properties of produced compost were analyzed by its color, absence or presence of remaining decomposition heat, and smell, to assess the quality. As a result, the composting process was not properly installed nor operated in about 50% of composting facilities. Compost should be produced to be soil-friendly.

• Clean Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.123-128
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• 2005

Among various metal oxides semiconductors, $TiO_2$ is the most studied semiconductor for environmental clean-up applications due to its unique ability in photocatalyzing various organic contaminants, its chemical inertness, and nontoxicity. $TiO_2$, however, has a few drawbacks to be solved such as reactivity mainly working under ultraviolet irradiation (${\lambda}$ < 387 nm) and electron - hole recombination on $TiO_2$. In this study, to extend the absorption range of $TiO_2$ into the visible range and enhance electron - hole separation, we synthesized platinum (Pt) deposited $C-TiO_2$. The presence of Pt as an electron sink has been known to snhance the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and induce the thermal decomposition. The characterization of as-synthesized $Pt-C-TiO_2$ was performed by Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM), the Brunuer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), UV-vis spectrometer (UV-DRS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). In order to estimate the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized materials, the photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). In order to estimate the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized materials, the photodegradation experiment of an azo dye (Acid Red 44; $C_{10}H_7N=NC_{10}H_3(SO_3Na)_2OH$)was carried out by using an Xe arc lamp (300 W, Oriel). A 420 nm cut-off filter was used for visible light irradiation. From the results, Pt-deposited $C-TiO_2$ showed a far superior phothdegradation activity to Degussa P25, the commercial product under the irradiation of visible light and enhanced photocatalytic activity of visible-working $C-TiO_2$. This is a useful result into the application for the purification system of dye wastewater using visible energy of sun light.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.645-655
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• 2008

The Cr(VI) concentrations at the shallow aquifer well (MPH-0-1) of the Moonpyung groundwater monitoring station were in the range of 0.5 to 3.1 mg/L exceeding 10 to 62 times the guideline for drinking-water quality, indicating continuous contamination. However, Cr was not detected at the deep bedrock well and the other subsidiary monitoring wells except for MPH-1 and 6. Cross-correlation analyses were conducted for rainfall and groundwater level time series, resulting in the mean time of recharge after precipitation events to be 5.6 days. For rainy season, the water level was raised and the Cr(VI) concentration was several times lower than that during dry season at well MPH-0-1 well. Correlation of the Cr(VI) concentration with the groundwater-level showed that the Cr(VI) reduction was closely related with the groundwater-level rise in the well. However, the groundwater level rise during high water season induced the lateral migration of the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater at well MPH-4. We enriched and isolated a chromium reducing bacteria, Enterobacter aerogenes, from the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater in the wells MPH-0-1 and MPH-1. The bacteria may play an important role for immobilizing Cr(VI) in the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater. Therefore, the migration of the contaminant (Cr(VI) must has been restricted because of the natural attenuation by microbial reduction of Cr(VI) in the groundwater. This research suggests that the bioremediation of the Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater by the indigenous bacteria may be feasible in the Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Wicheon watershed has the largest irrigation area among the mid-watershed of Nakdong river. However, no investigation of irrigation water quality has been conducted on the Wicheon watershed, which evaluates the effects on the soil quality and crop cultivation. Therefore, this study aims to provide various assessments of water quality of Wicheon watershed as the scientific basic data for efficient agricultural activities. METHODS AND RESULTS: Water sampling was performed in five locations of the first tributaries of Wicheon. Wicheon watershed showed clean water quality with very low organic matters and safe water quality from metals at all points of investigation. It was estimated that the natural chemical components of Wicheon watershed were originated from water-rock interaction in Gibbs diagram. All samples were concentrated in the type of Ca-HCO₃-Cl in the Piper diagram. The quality of irrigation water was evaluated with sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), permeability index (PI), and percent sodium (%Na). The values of these water quality indices were in the range of 0.37-0.67, -2.11--0.24, 41.13-84.52% and 11.28-21.84%, respectively, and were classified as good grades at all sites. CONCLUSION: The water quality of Wicheon watershed was very low in salt, indicating good irrigation water suitable for growing agricultural products. We hope that the results of this study will be used as the basic data for the cultivation of agricultural products and promotion of their excellence.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.805-811
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• 2017

In the previous paper, we isolated a bacterium that can hydrolyze various organic materials from soybean paste, including cellulose, lipids, starch, and protein. The activity and chemical properties of the crude enzymes produced by the isolate Bacillus subtilis CK-2 were further investigated. Cellulase showed the highest activity at pH 5.0 and $55^{\circ}C$. The stability of cellulase was maintained within the ranges of pH 5.0~10.0 and $20{\sim}50^{\circ}C$. Cellulolytic enzymes were activated by a $Co^{2+}$ ion, demonstrating the highest activity at a 0.45%(w/v) concentration of $Co^{2+}$. The optimal conditions for amylase were pH 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. The activity of amylase was stable within the ranges of pH 4.0~5.0 and $20{\sim}50^{\circ}C$. The $Co^{2+}$ ion was also necessary for amylase activity, which was the highest at a 0.2%(w/v) concentration of $Co^{2+}$. The optimal pH and temperature conditions of protease were pH 8.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. The activity of protease was stable within the ranges of pH 7.0~8.5 and $20{\sim}50^{\circ}C$. Protease activity was catalyzed by $Mn^{2+}$, which was the highest at a 0.125%(w/v) concentration of $Mn^{2+}$. The isolate B. subtilis CK-2 demonstrated a high activity of autolysin. Based on these results, we identified and suggested the optimal pH, temperature, and metal ion concentration in the use of the hydrolytic enzymes of B. subtilis CK-2 for industrial purposes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.613-625
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• 2017

For two agricultural reservoirs that are rented for fishing spots, benthic nutrient fluxes experiment were performed two times with two sediments from fishing-effective zone and one sediment from fishing-ineffective zone using laboratory core incubation in oxic and anoxic conditions. During benthic nutrient fluxes experiment, the changes in DO, EC, pH, and ORP in the supernatant were not significantly different between fishing-effective zone and fishing-ineffective zone, and were similar to the sediment-hypolimnetic diffused boundary layer in agricultural reservoir. Except for $NO_3{^-}-N$, more benthic nutrient fluxes of $NH_4{^+}-N$, T-P, and $PO{_4}^{3-}-P$ from sediment to hypolimnetic was measured in anoxic than in oxic conditions (p<0.05). As the DO concentration in hypolimnetic decreases, the microorganism-mediated ammonification is promoted, the nitrification is suppressed, and finally the $NH_4{^+}-N$ diffuses out from sediment to hypolimnetic. Also, the diffusion of T-P and $PO{_4}^{3-}-P$ from sediments to hypolimnetic is accelerated through the dissociation of the phosphorus bound to both organic matters and metal hydroxides. The difference in the benthic nutrient diffusive fluxes between fishing-effective zone and fishing-ineffective zone was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Therefore, it was found that fishing activities did not increase the benthic nutrient diffusive fluxes to a statistically significant level. Due to the short fishing activities of 10 years and the rate-limited diffusion of the laboratory core incubation, the contribution of fishing activities on sediment pollution is estimated to be low. No significant correlation was found between the total amount of nutrients in sediment and the benthic nutrient diffusive fluxes in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Therefore, nutrients input from various nonpoint sources of watersheds are considered to be a more dominant factor rather than fishing activities in water quality deterioration, and both aeration and water circulation in hypolimnetic were required to suppress the anoxic environment in agricultural reservoirs.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.62-72
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• 1998

This study was performed to characterize the trace organic pollutants in the industrial wastewater and to establish the database of the trace organic pollutants. The four manufacturing industries, which are refined petroleum, industrial chemicals, rubber & plastics and fabricated metals, were surveyed. The wastewater and discharging water of these 30 factories are analyzed to characterize the trace organic pollutants. In industrial chemicals, the kinds of products and organic pollutants are very various. Therefore to select the characteristic organic pollutants in this categories are also very difficult. In industrial chemicals, the gas chromatograpic peak patterns of wastewater are represented the various type according to their products, therefore the typical patterns of the characteristic organic pollutants could not be obtained because the kinds of manufactured goods and organic pollutants are very various. In refined petroleum, the effluent is discharged in the distillatory process of atmosphere pressure and contained the saturated hydrocarbons, phenol compounds, benzene compounds and naphtalene compounds. The saturated hydrocarbons peaks from $C_{15}$ to $C_{35}$ are represented the typical oil patterns by the uniform intervals therefore the peak can be easily distinguished. In rubber & plastics, the wastewater is discharged in the washing process which contains the additives. The problem of wastewater is not serious because the manufacturing process is not produced the effluent or the produced cooling water is recycled in that process.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.15-25
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• 2023

In this study, silicon sludge from semiconductor dicing process is recycled to fabricate silica nanoparticles, which are applied as dispersing materials for electro-responsive (ER) smart fluid. In specific, metal impurities are removed from silicon sludge by acid washing to obtain the high-purity silicon powder. And then, silica nanoparticles are synthesized by facile hydrothermal method employing the silicon powder as reactant material. To control the size of silica nanoparticles, the reaction time of hydrothermal method is varied as 8, 15, 20, and 30 hours are applied to control the size of silica nanoparticles. Sizes of silica nanoparticles are increased proportionally to the reaction time owing to the increased numbers of hydrolysis and condensation reactions. As-synthesized silica nanoparticles are prepared as electro-responsive smart fluids by dispersing into silicon oil. Silica nanoparticles synthesized by 30 hours of hydrothermal reaction (SiO₂-H30) exhibit the highest shear stress of 21.4 Pa under an applied electric field strength of 3.0kV mm^-1. Such enhancement in ER performance of SiO₂-H30 among various silica nanoparticles are attribute to the reinforcing effect originated from the mixed particle size, which allowing the formation of rigid chain-like structures. Accordingly, this study successfully propose a recycling method of silicon sludge to synthesize silica nanoparticles and their derived ER fluids, which may suggest new possibility to ESG management emphasizing the eco-friendliness.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.306-314
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• 2023

Stream sediments are an important component of water quality management because they are receptors of various pollutants such as heavy metals and organic matters emitted from upland sources and can be secondary pollution sources, adversely affecting water environment. To effectively manage the stream sediments, identification of primary sources of sediment contamination and source-associated control strategies will be required. We evaluated the performance of machine learning models in identifying primary sources of sediment contamination based on the physico-chemical properties of stream sediments. A total of 356 stream sediment data sets of 18 quality parameters including 10 heavy metal species(Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, As, Zn, Cr, Hg, Li, and Al), 3 soil parameters(clay, silt, and sand fractions), and 5 water quality parameters(water content, loss on ignition, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous) were collected near abandoned metal mines and industrial complexes across the four major river basins in Korea. Two machine learning algorithms, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were used to classify the sediments into four cases of different combinations of the sampling period and locations (i.e., mine in dry season, mine in wet season, industrial complex in dry season, and　industrial complex in wet season). Both models showed good performance in the classification, with SVM outperformed LDA; the accuracy values of LDA and SVM were 79.5% and 88.1%, respectively. An SVM ensemble model was used for multi-label classification of the multiple contamination sources inlcuding landuses in the upland areas within 1 km radius from the sampling sites. The results showed that the multi-label classifier was comparable performance with sinlgle-label SVM in classifying mines and industrial complexes, but was less accurate in classifying dominant land uses (50~60%). The poor performance of the multi-label SVM is likely due to the overfitting caused by small data sets compared to the complexity of the model. A larger data set might increase the performance of the machine learning models in identifying contamination sources.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.27-39
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• 2009

The main objective of this study is to investigate the characteristics of combustion by analyzing fuel gases from a combustion equipment with various combustion conditions for refuse-derived fuels (RDFs). CO gas is a parameter for indicating of incomplete combustion during a combustion process. The lowest CO gas was produced when the experiment conditions were m=2 under air-fuel condition and $800^{\circ}C$. $CO_2$ gas is a final product after complete combustions. The highest amount of $CO_2$ gas was produced when the experiment conditions were m=2 under air-fuel condition and $800^{\circ}C$. The highest level of $SO_2$ gas was produced in S.1 sample containing the highest sulfur. The highest level of NOx gas was produced in S.1 sample with the highest nitrogen content and air-fuel condition of m=2 under temperature of $800^{\circ}C$. HCl gas that is generated by reacting with metals catalyst through oxygen catalyst reaction during combustion process is a precursor of dioxin formation. The higher level of HCl gas was produced in the sample with higher chlorine content. The lowest level of HCl gas was produced when the experiment conditions were air-fuel condition of m=2 and $800^{\circ}C$. The lowest level of $NH_3$ gas was generated when the experiment condition was m=2 under air-fuel condition and after 3 minutes. Air-fuel condition is more important to create $NH_3$ gas than operating temperatures. Higher level of $H_2S$ gas was generated in S.1 sample with the higher sulfur content and was created in RDFs that contain higher mixture ratios of sewage sludge and food wastes. A result of combustion, gases and gases levels from the combustion of S.1 and S.2 were very similar to the combustion of a stone coal. As results of this research, when evaluating the feasibility of the RDFs, the RDFs could be used as auxiliary and main fuels.