• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.50 no.6
• /
• pp.545-554
• /
• 2017

Birnessite is one of the dominant Mn (oxyhydr)oxide phases commonly found in soil and deep ocean environments. It typically occurs as nano-sized and poorly crystalline aggregates in the natural environment. It is well known that birnessite participates in a wide variety of bio/geochemical reactions as a reactive mineral phase with structural defects, cation vacancies, and mixed valences of structural Mn. These various bio/geochemical reactions control not only the fate and transport of inorganic and organic substances in the environment, but also the formation of diverse Mn (oxyhydr)oxides through birnessite transformation. This review assessed and discussed about the phase transformation of birnessite under a wide range of environmental conditions and about the potential geochemical factors controlling the corresponding reactions in the literature. Birnessite transformation to other types of Mn (oxyhydr)oxides were affected by dissolved Mn(II), dissolved oxygen, solution pH, and co-existing cation (i.e., $Mg^{2+}$). However, there still have been many issues to be unraveled on the complex bio/geochemical processes involved in the phase transformation of birnessite. Future work on the detail mechanisms of birnessite transformation should be further investigated.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.853-860
• /
• 2010

The DevSR two-component system is a major regulatory system involved in redox sensing in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The DevSR system consists of the DevS histidine kinase and its cognate DevR response regulator. When exposed to hypoxic conditions, the DevS histidine kinase is activated to phosphorylate the DevR response regulator, leading to the transcriptional activation of the DevR regulation. The ligand-binding state of the heme embedded in the N-terminal GAF domain of DevS determines the kinase activity of DevS. In this study, we demonstrated that the redox-responsive cysteine (C547) in the C-terminal kinase domain is involved in the redox-dependent control of DevS kinase activity. The formation of an intersubunit disulfide bond between the C547 residues in the presence of $O_2$ led to inactivation of DevS kinase activity. The reduction of the oxidized DevS with reductants such as $\beta$-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol resulted in the restoration of DevS kinase activity. It was demonstrated in vivo by complementation test that the substitution of C547 to alanine partially impaired the sensory function of DevS in M. smegmatis.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.1113-1118
• /
• 2008

Characteristics of reduction properties and carbon deposition of $CuFe_2O_4$ and $Fe_3O_4$ were investigated by using TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM and gas analysis at $900^{\circ}C$. XRD analyses indicated that the reduced $Fe_3O_4$ was composed of Fe, graphite and $Fe_3C$ phases. In contrast, the reduced $CuFe_2O_4$ did not show the graphite or $Fe_3C$ phases. It was observed by SEM analysis that the surface of the $Fe_3O_4$ was completely covered with carbon, after methane partial oxidation. From gas analysis, $CuFe_2O_4$ showed much higher methane conversion and reduction kinetics as compared to the $Fe_3O_4$ under the same reaction conditions and the estimated carbon deposition amounts on the reduced $CuFe_2O_4$ was much lower than those on the reduced $Fe_3O_4$ during the syngas production process. It was found by TEM that carbon on the reduced $Fe_3O_4$ particles has a platelet shape.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.279-286
• /
• 1983

An apparatus was made for the electrodeposition of alpha emitting actinide nuclides, $^{207}Bi$ and $^{210}Po$. The electrodeposition was made on a polished stainless steel plate cathode. The anode was made of platinum wire and to stir the solution. With the ammonium chloride as electrolyte initial pH = 4, chloride concentration = 0.6M and solution volume = 15ml, a current of 1.5 ampere(current density = 0.59A/$cm^2$) was flowed for 100 minutes for the quantitative recovery of electrodeposition and on average recovery of 98.3% was obtained within ${\pm}$0.7% uncertainty. Alpha spectrometry of the electrodeposited sample showed alpha peaks from $^{210}Po, ^{234}U$ and $^{239}Pu$ having energy resolution (FWHM) of 18.3, 21.8 and 36.0 keV respectively. The electrodeposition and alpha spectrometry for a natural uranium sample of domestic origin gave $^{238}U : ^{234}U = 1 : 6.1{\times}10^{-5}$ and for a neutron-irradiated uranium sample did $^{238}U : ^{239}Pu : ^{241}Am = 100 : 0.0263 : 5.20{times}10^{-5}$. The result of $^{238}U$ determination in the irradiated sample by electrodeposition-alpha spectrometry was in accord within ${\pm}1.6%$ of relative error with the results of solid fluorimetry and mass spectrometry. For $^{239}Pu$ the result of electrodeposition-alpha spectrometry was in accord within ${\pm}$4.0% of relative error with the results of anion exchange separation and the thenoyltrifluoroacetone(TTA) extraction both followed by alpha spectrometries.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.363-377
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to improve the problems of the voltaic cell described in the science textbooks of secondary schools. For this purpose, the contents of science textbooks which are related to the voltaic cell were analyzed and the problems which were not explained clearly by theorems were tried to be explained by experiments, and lastly sug-gestions were made toward the improvements regarding the voltaic cell in the science textbooks. The findings are that there are problems on the ways of ensuring whether the voltaic cell operates properly as a chemical battery, on the explanation of why the hydrogen bubbles form at the zinc electrode, on the cell potential, on the unification of the electrode terminology used, and on the mention of the current. Solutions to the problems except the cell potential were suggested. According to the experiment, the theoretical potential was calculated by considering the potentials of redox reactions at the two electrodes of the cell and by taking into account the characteristics of the electrodes such as the work function, ionization energy, stan-dard reduction potential, and electronegativity.The cell potential of the voltaic cell is explained by several factors. In the improved version of the textbook's introduction section to the voltaic cell, it is necessary to describe the voltaic cell his-torically.For the conceptual section, it should be explained in terms of the Daniel cell.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.516-521
• /
• 2004

The study was intended to develop a yam snack to increase the consumption and the added value of the yam which has many kinds of medicinal effects and functions. Moisture content of a freeze-drying yam snack was higher than those of hot wind drying and vacuum drying yam snack. However, carbohydrate content was opposed to it. The content of soluble proteins in freeze drying yam snack was 6.43 mg/100g, and lower than that those in hot wind drying and vacuum drying yam snack. The contents of total sugar and reducing sugar were not noticeably different by processing methods. The major organic acids of yam snack were malic, acetic, acids, and acetic acid. Citric acid were rich contented in hot wind and vacuum dried yam snack, but the content of malic acid in freeze dried yam snack was higher than those in hot wind and vacuum dried yam snack. The contents of the amino acids and total amino acids showed the highest contents in vacuum dried snack and the next came in hot wind dried snack and freeze dried snack order. The content of free amino acids were not different by processing methods. Total content of vitamin C were not different by processing methods, but a ascorbic acid was higher in freeze dried yam snack than those in other. The dehydroascorbic acid contents of the hot-air and vacuum dried snack was higher than those of the freeze dried snack, Potassium, sodium and magnesium were the main minerals of the yam snacks.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.121-132
• /
• 2017

The increase of greenhouse gases and the concern of global warming instigate the development and spread of renewable energy and hydrogen is considered one of the clean energy sources. Hydrogen is one of the most elements in the earth and exist in the form of fossil fuel, biomass and water. In order to use hydrogen for a clean energy source, the hydrogen production method should be eco-friendly and economic as well. There are two different hydrogen production methods: conventional thermal method using fossil fuel and renewable method using biomass and water. Steam reforming, autothermal reforming, partial oxidation, and gasification (using solid fuel) have been considered for hydrogen production from fossil fuel. When using fossil fuel, carbon dioxide should be separated from hydrogen and captured to be accepted as a clean energy. The amount of hydrogen from biomass is insignificant. In order to occupy noticeable portion in hydrogen industries, biomass conversion, especially, biological method should be sufficiently improved in a process efficiency and a microorganism cultivation. Electrolysis is a mature technology and hydrogen from water is considered the most eco-friendly method in terms of clean energy when the electric power is from renewable sources such as photovoltaic cell, solar heat, and wind power etc.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.197-203
• /
• 1993

Screenings were performed on edible plants to examine their complement-system activating ability (anti-complementary activity) by hemolytic complement assay $(TCH_{50})$. Among 38 kinds of plant extracts, 5 kinds showed relatively strong anti-complementary activity which decreased $TCH_{50}$ more than 60% comparison with control and the order of activity was Zingiber officinale>Colocasia antiquorum>Capsella bursapastoris>Ginkgo biloba>Alium monanthum in $1000{\mu}g/ml$. The anti-complementary activity of ZR-1 prepared from the root of Zingiber officinale which was showed the most potent activity, did not change by pronase treatment, but decreased greatly by periodate oxidation. These results indicate that not protein moiety but carbohydrate moiety in ZR-1 fraction may also contribute to the anti-complementary activity. Also, the anti-complementary activity of ZR-1 was reduced partially in the absence of the $Ca^{2+}$ ion. When crossed immunoelectrophoresis using anti-human C3 serum was carried out after incubation of normal human serum with the ZR-1 in $Ca^{2+}$ free condition, a cleavage of C3 precipitin line was observed. Furthermore this polysaccharide fraction considerably inhibited $ACH_{50}$. These results also indicate that the mode of complement activation by polysaccharide from Zingiber officinale is via not only the classical pathway but also the alternative pathway.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.405-412
• /
• 2001

Corrosion tests were carried out in $360^{\circ}C$ water and $360^{\circ}C$ 70ppm LiOH solution to investigate the corrosion behavior of new zirconium alloys (Zr-0.4Nb-0.8Sn-xFeCrMn, Zr-0.2Nb-1.1Sn-xFeCrMn, Zr-1.0Nb-xFeCu). Microstructures of tested alloys were analyzed by optical microscope and TEM. The cross-sectional surface and crystalline structure of the oxide layer were analyzed by SEM and XRD. From the results of corrosion test, all the alloys showed higher corrosion rates in $360^{\circ}C$ 70ppm LiOH aqueous solution thats in $360^{\circ}C$ water. Especially, high Nb-containing alloy exhibited the acceleration of corrosion rate in LiOH solution. The low Nb- and Sn-added alloys showed better corrosion resistance than the Sn- free high Nb alloy. from the effect of final annealing on the corrosion, it was observed that the partially recrystallized alloys showed better corrosion resistance than fully recrystallized alloys. This would be related to the size and distribution of the second phase particles.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 1999

Acid mine drainage (AMD) results from sulfuric acid produced by the oxidation of pyrite, and contains large amounts of toxic elements. In the neutralization of AMD, iron and aluminum hydroxides are the major precipitates and those two can be separated with two-phase neutralization. In this study, removal of toxic elements by the two phases of neutralization was investigated using an AMD collected from the abandoned antimony mine in Gachang, Taegu. Contents of As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in the AMD were higher than the criteria of river water quality or permissible waste water discharge. In the first phase, the AMD was neutralized to several % (25, 50, 75, 100, and 125) of $Fe(OH)_3$ equivalence point with solid $Ca(OH)_2$. In the second phase, the supernatant of the first phase neutralization was titrated to pH 7.5. After neutralization of the AMD to 100% of the $Fe(OH)_3$, equivalence point, most of Fe and Pb were removed but levels of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Mn, and Zn were not reduced in the supernatant solution. In the second phase neutralization, levels of those toxic elements in the supernatants dropped below the wastewater discharge or river water quality criteria. This result suggests that the precipitate formed in the first phase of the neutralization process may be disposed without any special cares. Thus the two-phase neutralization scheme can reduce the cost of disposing precipitates containing toxic metals in comparison with the monophase neutralization scheme.