• Journal of Science Education
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.223-236
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate pre-service elementary teachers' awareness on the sources of microplastics. The participants were 75 male and 91 female undergraduates. A 15-item survey questionnaire was developed based on prior researches regarding microplastics emission sources and were modified through expert review and preliminary research. The survey results show that over 80% of the respondents had heard of microplastics before through news, internet, TV, etc. However, they tended not to be aware that things such as lab coats, wet tissue, dust protective mask, or paper cup were made of microplastics-causing substances. For the questions on the expected situation of microplastics contamination, the frequency of their choices were relatively low in 'Tires of cars running are worn out' and 'The gum stuck to the floor becomes smaller.' These results show that many of them were not aware that synthetic fiber or synthetic rubber was one of the microplastics emission sources. Gender differences were found in the attitudes toward microplastics problems. Female students are more interested in the issues and are more willing to participate in the solution, and recognize the need for more education on microplastics. The implications and future directions for science education were discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2020.10a
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• pp.52-52
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• 2020

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.104-114
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• 2023

As plastic usage increases globally, the amount of plastic waste entering the marine environment is steadily rising. Microplastics, in particular, can be ingested by marine organisms and accumulated in their digestive tracts, causing harmful effects on their growth and reproduction. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are known to metabolize various environmental pollutants as detoxification enzymes, but their role in crustaceans is not well understood. In this study, sequences of nine CYP genes (CYP370A4, CYP370C5 from clan 2; CYP350A1, CYP350C5, CYP361A1 from clan 3; CYP4AN-like, CYP4AP2, CYP4AP3, CYP4C33-like1 from clan 4) were analyzed using conserved domains in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis. Additionally, after exposure to three different sizes of polystyrene beads (0.05-, 0.5-, 6-㎛ PS beads; 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L) for 48 hours, the expression of these nine CYP genes were investigated using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that all CYP genes possessed conserved motifs, indicating that D. celebensis CYP has evolutionarily conserved functions. Among these CYP genes, the expression of CYP370C5, CYP360A1, and CYP4C122 showed a significant increase after exposure to 0.05-㎛ PS beads, suggesting their involvement in PS metabolism. This research will contribute to understanding the molecular mode of actions of microplastics on marine invertebrates.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.5-14
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• 2024

A study approached the development of a process for efficiently recycling discarded cigarette butts, reported as a major source of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. Cigarette butts were sorted to extract filters, and cellulose acetate, the raw material of the filters, was extracted to a high degree of purity. The sorting of filters from cigarette butts was conducted through both wet and dry processes, each with optimized sorting conditions. Wet stirring sorting considered factors such as solid-liquid ratio, stirring speed, and stirring temperature. The highest efficiency of wet stirring sorting, at 46.21%, was observed with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:45, stirring speed of 200 rpm, and stirring temperature of 50℃. Dry wind power sorting took into account moisture content and residence time. The filter sorting efficiency reached its peak at 57.10% with a moisture content of 20% and a residence time of 5 minutes. There was no significant difference in the recovery rate of cellulose acetate between the two sorting processes. Dry wind power sorting was deemed a more advantageous process in terms of energy and environmental considerations within the scope of this study.