• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.414-422
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• 2022

The objective of this work was to investigate the feasibility of acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation for maximum solubilization of the hemicellulosic portion of two typical agricultural residues. The fractionation conditions converted into combined reaction severity (CS) in the range of 1.2-2.9 was used to establish a simple reaction criteria at glance. The hemicellulosic sugar yield of 56.6% was shown when rice straw was fractionated at the conditions at the conditions; 160 ℃ of temperature 0.75% (w/v) of H₂SO₄, 20 min of reaction time, 1:15 solid/liquid ratio. The hemicellulosic sugar yield of 83.0%, however, was achieved when barley straw was fractionated at the conditions at the conditions; 150 ℃ of temperature 0.75% (w/v) of H₂SO₄, and 15 min of reaction time, 1:10 solid/liquid ratio. For barley straw, acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation could be effectively performed. After the fractionation process, the remaining fractionated solids were 48.5% and 57.5% from raw rice and barley straws, respectively. The XMG contents in the solid residues decreased from 17.3% and 17.6% to 6.0% and 2.6%, which corresponded to 16.7% and 8.5% on the basis of the raw straws, respectively. In another way, only 5.6% of cellulose and 8.5% of XMG were lost due to excessive decomposition during the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation of barley straw, compared to cellulose and XMG losses of 6.4% and 26.6% in rice straw. Hemicellulosic sugars from the rice straw were considered more over-decomposed due to the somewhat higher reaction severity at the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.297-302
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• 2022

An exothermic oil absorbent sheet with calcium chloride crystals can be fabricated, by dipping a clean polypropylene fabric in calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid solution and drying it. The exothermic oil absorbent sheet applied to the seawater surface, releases heat by the dissociation of calcium chloride. The dissociation heat liquefies the solidified low-sulfur fuel oil at a low temperature, and converts it to a state at which it can be absorbed. The optimum mole concentrations of calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid required for the exothermic oil absorbent sheet, are 0.25 M and 0.5 M, respectively. The oil absorption capacity of the exothermic oil absorbent sheet for low sulfur fuel oil depends on the seawater temperature. But, it is highly excellent at 4.5-7.08 g/g at 10℃, the average seawater temperature during the winter in Korea. The exothermic oil absorbent sheet is an excellent alternative in absorbing low-sulfur fuel oil in winter and removing it from seawater.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.276-282
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• 1982

To estimate the responses of sesame plant in growth and yielding traits to different soil drainage conditions, a pot trial was conducted by using of sesame variety "Suweon-9" were introduced with 5 different mixing combinations of clay and sea-sand soils as 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0 percents in volumetric ratio. Also two irrigation methods as 20mm/6 days interval and 10mm/3 days interval were detected. As a result, water drainage was linearly decreased with increament of clay contents. And the excess drainage condition(such as pure sand soil) required more irrigation, however in crop growths, no significant differences among various soil drainage conditions except the pure sand were recognized. On the other hand, number of capsules per plant, among other yielding components, was most contributed factor to the yield, which was effectively given from the soil mixed with clay and sea-sand as 75% and 25%, respectively. Therefore, much similar responses were also detected from the seed yields per a sesame plant. However, the number of seeds per capsule and maturity function were more effectively composed under the soil mixed with clay and sea-sand as 25% and 75% respectively better than under the soil of 75% and 25%. As a conclusion, the yielding responses of sesame plant was advanced more effectively at the soil conditions of water conserved type (e.g. 25%/75% in clay/sand ratio) than of water-draining type (e.g. 75%/25% in clay/sand ratio).nd ratio).

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2023

Because of the global pollution caused by plastic disposal, demand for eco-friendly transformation in the packaging industry is increased. As part of that, the utilization of polylactic acid (PLA) as a food packaging material is increased. However, it is necessary to improve the crystallinity of PLA by adding nucleating agents or to improve the modulus by adding fillers because of the excessive brittleness of the PLA matrix. Thus, the cellulose nanofiber (CNF) was fabricated and dried to obtain a powder form and applied to the CNF/PLA nanocomposite. The effect of CNF on the morphological, thermal, rheological, and dynamic mechanical properties of the composite was analyzed. We can confirm the impregnated CNF particle in the PLA matrix through the field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed that the crystallinity of not annealed CNF/PLA nanocomposite was increased approximately 2 and 4 times in the 1st and 2nd cycle, respectively, with the shift to lower temperature of cold crystallization temperature (T_cc) in the 2nd cycle. Moreover, the crystallinity of annealed CNF/PLA nanocomposite increased by 13.4%, and shifted T_cc was confirmed.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.291-300
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• 2022

In this study, the physical properties of the medium and changes in the wood chemical composition of the sawdust were investigated during the cultivation of oak mushroom sawdust bags, and the following results were obtained. After inoculation, the weight of the medium decreased during the incubation period. It is determined that this is not due to evaporation of moisture containing the medium or decomposition of sawdust, but to decomposition of rice bran, a low molecular substance added to the medium. It was confirmed that the moisture content of the medium was steadily increased during incubation, and it was estimated that the organic substrates such as rice brane in the medium was decomposed by mycelium, and water, one of the decomposition products of organic substrates, caused an increase in the moisture content of the medium. Along with the increase in the harvest of oak mushrooms, the proportion of organic substances such as holocellulose and lignin, the main components of the wood cell wall of sawdust, steadily decreased. In particular, the degradation characteristics of the wood cell wall component of shiitake, which is a white rot fungi, were confirmed by higher lignin reduction rate than that of holocellulose. On the other hand, ash, which is an inorganic material, increased with an increase in the number of mushroom harvests. The increase in the amount of ash in the medium may have been due to the decrease in the organic matter content such as holocellulose and lignin.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.245-257
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• 2023

The representative crop in the Republic of Korea, rice, is cultivated over extensive areas every year, which resulting in reduced resistance to pests and diseases. One of the major rice diseases, rice blast disease, can lead to a significant decrease in yields when it occurs on a large scale, necessitating early detection and effective control of rice blast disease. Drone-based crop monitoring techniques are valuable for detecting abnormal growth, but frequent image capture for potential rice blast disease occurrences can consume significant labor and resources. The purpose of this study is to early detect rice blast disease using remote sensing data, such as drone and satellite images, along with weather data. Satellite images was helpful in identifying rice cultivation fields. Effective detection of paddy fields was achieved by utilizing vegetation and water indices. Subsequently, air temperature, relative humidity, and number of rainy days were used to calculate the risk of rice blast disease occurrence. An increase in the risk of disease occurrence implies a higher likelihood of disease development, and drone measurements perform at this time. Spectral reflectance changes in the red and near-infrared wavelength regions were observed at the locations where rice blast disease occurred. Clusters with low vegetation index values were observed at locations where rice blast disease occurred, and the time series data for drone images allowed for tracking the spread of the disease from these points. Finally, drone images captured before harvesting was used to generate spatial information on the incidence of rice blast disease in each field.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2024

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth and nutrient dynamics in response to fertilization of four tree species (LT: Liriodendron tulipifera L.; PY: Prunus yedoensis Matsumura; QA: Quercus acutissima Ca rruth; a nd PT: Pinus thunbergii Parl.) planted in a fire-disturbed urban forest in Bongdaesan (Mt.), Ulsan Metropolitan Area, South Korea. The trees were planted in 2009, and compound fertilizers (N₆P₄K₁) were applied in April 2013 and March 2014. Tree growth, soil, and foliage nutrients were examined from March 2013 to October 2016. The regression coefficients for the increment of the diameter at breast height (DBH) significantly differed between the fertilized and unfertilized plots, suggesting the significant effects of fertilization. By contrast, fertilization did not affect the coefficients for height increments. Regarding soil nutrient contents, organic carbon and total nitrogen concentrations were lower in the fertilized plots than in the unfertilized plots, whereas available phosphorus, exchangeable calcium, and magnesium concentrations were higher in the fertilized plots than in the unfertilized plots. In foliage, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were higher in the fertilized plots than in the unfertilized plots, whereas potassium, calcium, and magnesium concentrations were not affected by fertilization. Nutrient concentration of foliage among the tree species were higher in LT and PY than in QA and PT. These results suggest that fertilizers may be used to enhance soil fertility and the growth and nutrient status of tree species planted in a fire-disturbed urban forest.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2024

The key components of a Phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) are an electrode catalyst, an electrolyte matrix and a gas diffusion layer (GDL). In this study, we introduced a microporous layer on the GDL of PAFC to enhance liquid electrolyte management and overall electrochemical performance of PAFC. MPL is primarily used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells to serve as an intermediate buffer layer, effectively managing water within the electrode and reducing contact resistance. In this study, electrodes were fabricated using GDLs with and without MPL to examine the influence of MPL on the performance of PAFC. Internal resistance and polarization curves of the unit cell were measured and compared to each other to assess the impact of MPL on PAFC electrode performance. As the results, the application of MPL improved power density from 170.2 to 192.1 mW/cm². MPL effectively managed electrolyte and water within the matrix and electrode, enhancing stability. Furthermore, the application of MPL reduced internal resistance in the electrode, resulting in sustained and stable performance even during long-term operation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.712-719
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• 2023

This study investigated the diversity of butterfly communities inhabiting agroecosystems and examined the effect of latitude and longitude. The ecological characteristics of butterflies inhabiting rural ecosystems, such as habitat preference and food plant range, were also examined. This study was conducted from 2019 to 2022, selecting 10 locations nationwide and conducting line transect surveys every two weeks for four years, confirming a total of 112 species and 21,901 individuals. There was no difference in the number of species and individuals by region, but there was a clear difference in community composition. The most abundant species in rural ecosystems were Pieris rapae, Polygonia c-aureum, Zizeeria maha, and Colias erate, in that order. There was no significant difference in the number of species and individuals by latitude and longitude, indicating no peninsula effect. Habitat preference showed that butterflies preferring grasslands and forest edges were much more common than those preferring the forest interior, and the food breadth was mostly oligophagous, followed by monophagous and polyphagous. Butterflies inhabiting agroecosystems had ecological characteristics that preferred open spaces such as grasslands and forest edges or relatively diverse foods, due to the similarity of the environmental characteristics of the survey points. Through this study, we believe that continuous monitoring is necessary to determine whether climate change, which is currently underway and habitat change are affecting butterflies in agroecosystems.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.612-622
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• 2024

We examined the physicochemical properties and microbial safety of Enoki mushrooms during storage at 5℃ for 9 weeks, with different packaging containers that are corrugated, Al-coated, and without packaging (control). The weight change of Enoki mushrooms in the different containers due to moisture loss was 1.9%, 0.9%, 0.6% for control, corrugated, and Al-coated packaging, respectively. The degree of browning rapidly increased as the storage period increased in the control sample. However, corrugated and Al-coated packaging suppressed the browning degree. The changes of color L-, a-, and b-vlaues were minimal changes in Al-coated packaging. There was no significant difference in the total amino acids, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase in corrugated packaging and Al-coated packaging, regardless of the storage period. The microbial growth such as total aerobic bacteria, yeast, and mold of Enoki mushroom during the storage period, were significantly suppressed in Al-coated packaging samples as compared to the control and corrugated packaging. In conclusion, Al-coated packaging has beneficial effects such as preventing moisture loss, maintaining browning degree, inhibiting oxidative enzyme reaction, and ensuring microbial safety of Enoki mushrooms during the storage period. Al-coated packaging is considered effective for extending the shelf-life and improving the storage and distribution of mushrooms.