• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 2023

Arsenic is a highly toxic element, and its contamination is widespread around the world. The natural materials with high selectivity and efficiency toward pollutants are important in wastewater treatment technology. In this study, the mesoporous synthetic hectorite was synthesized by facile hydrothermal crystallization of gels comprising silica, magnesium hydroxide, and lithium fluoride. Additionally, the naturally available clay was modified using zirconium at room temperature. Both synthetic and modified natural clays were employed in the removal of arsenate from aquatic environments. The materials were fully characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) analyses. The synthesized materials were used to remove arsenic (V) under varied physicochemical conditions. Both materials, i.e., Zr-bentonite and Zr-hectorite, showed high percentage removal of arsenic (V) at lower pH, and the efficiency decreased in an alkaline medium. The equilibrium-state sorption data agrees well with the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms, and the maximum sorption capacity is found to be 4.608 and 2.207 mg/g for Zr-bentonite and Zr-hectorite, respectively. The kinetic data fits well with the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Furthermore, the effect of the background electrolytes study indicated that arsenic (V) is specifically sorbed at the surface of these two nanocomposites. This study demonstrated that zirconium intercalated synthetic hectorite as well as zirconium modified natural clays are effective and efficient materials for the selective removal of arsenic (V) from aqueous medium.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.58-70
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• 2023

The improper management of radioactive waste or accidents caused by natural disasters can result in the release of radioactive materials into the surrounding environment, potentially leading to soil and groundwater contamination by radionuclides. In this study, adsorption-desorption behaviors of the radionuclides (cobalt and strontium) in natural soil, montmorillonite, Mn-PILC, Fe-PILC, and fishbone were investigated. Several models were used to predict adsorption isotherms of radionuclides on various absorbents. Adsorption isotherms of cobalt and strontium in several adsorbents were examined at pH 5.5. The amount of sorbed cobalt and strontium were represented fishbone > natural soil > Mn-PILC > Fe-PILC > montmorillonite and natural soil > Mn-PILC > fishbone > Fe-PILC > montmorillonite, respectively. Adsorption datas were fitted with several models such as Freundlich, Langmuir, Sips, Redlich-Peterson, Khan, and Generalized model. The results of curve fitting showed R²> 0.98 in all of adsorption models, except Sr²⁺ adsorption onto montmorillonite. For modified clays (Mn-PILC, Fe-PILC), it is suggested that, unlike natural soils and fish bones, there are not only single adsorption mechanisms but also adsorption mechanisms based on chemical adsorption and surface charge. In the case of fish bones, due to the relatively higher adsorption capacity than modified clays and its characteristic of significant desorption, it is expected more suitable for the removal of radionuclides in aquatic environments than for the immobilization of radionuclides in soil.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.67-78
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• 2024

The introduction of a significant amount of phosphorous into aquatic environments can lead to eutrophication, which can in turn result in algal blooms. For the effective management of watersheds and the prevention of water quality problems related to nonpoint organic matter (OM) sources, it is essential to pinpoint the predominant OM sources. Several potential OM sources were sampled from upper agricultural watersheds, such as fallen leaves, riparian reeds, riparian plants, paddy soil, field soil, riparian soil, cow manure, and swine manure. Stream samples were collected during two storm events, and the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and phosphorous (DOP) from these OM sources and stream samples were assessed. DOM indicators using fluorescence spectroscopy, including HIX, FI, BIX, and EEM-PARAFAC, were evaluated in terms of their relevance in discerning DOM sources during storm events. Representative DOM descriptors were chosen based on specific criteria, such as value ranges and pronounced differences between low and high-flow periods. Consequently, the spectral slope ratio (S_R) paired with fluorescence index (FI) using end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) proved to be suitable for estimating the contribution of organic carbon (OC). The contribution of each organic phosphorous (OP) in stream samples was determined using the phosphorous-to-carbon (P/C) ratio in conjunction with the OC contribution. Notably, OP derived from swine manure in stream samples was found to make the most dominant contribution, ranging from 61.3% to 94.2% (average 78.1% ± 12.7%). The results of this research offer valuable insights into the selection of suitable indicators to recognize various OM sources and highlight the main sources of OP in forested-agricultural watersheds.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2024

Light is a major external environmental factor that influences the circadian rhythm of photosynthetic organisms and various physiological phenomena, such as growth, maturation, and behavior. The number of light-reaching organisms changes depending on the season and atmospheric conditions, and the intensity and wavelength of light differ depending on the organisms inhabiting the environment. Altered light changes the circadian rhythm of fish, which is controlled by clock genes, such as period 2 (Per2), cryptochrome 1 (Cry1), and melatonin. In this study, we set the zeitgeber time (ZT; 14 light-10 dark, LD) based on the actual sunrise and sunset times and examined Per2 and Cry1 activities, levels of aralkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT), and melatonin in Pholis nebulosa, a drifting seaweed species exposed to irregular light. Per2 and Cry1 levels increased during the daytime and decreased after sunset. The AANAT levels decreased during the daytime and increased during the night. Melatonin concentration was highest around midnight (ZT21, 23:30), but exhibited similar concentrations during the daytime. While the activity of Per2, Cry1, and AANAT levels exhibited a typical circadian rhythm observed in most vertebrates, melatonin concentrations did not show a significant difference between the daytime and nighttime. These findings provide insights into the circadian rhythm patterns of organisms exposed to irregular light environments, such as P. nebulosa, which differ from those of typical fish species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.153-167
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• 2015

In order to understand the relationship between the distribution of epilithic diatoms and the habitual environments, land-use, water qualities, and epilithic diatoms were studied at 141 sampling sites in the midwestern stream of Korean peninsula (Geum river, Mangyeong river, Dongjin river, and Sapgyo river). The total 183 diatom taxa was appeared in the study, while the dominant species were found to be Nitzschia palea (10.9%) and Achnanthes convergens (8.4%). Based on the abundance of epilithic diatoms, a cluster analysis results indicate that the sampling sites divided the sampling sites into 4 groups (G) at the 25% level. In term of geographic and aquatic environments, G-I and -II accounted for the upper and mid streams of the Geum river, and had large forest areas and good in water quality. G-III accounted for farmland and urban, and high concentration nutrient levels (TN and TP) and electric conductivity. G-IV accounted for mostly farmland, and high levels in turbidity, BOD, nutrient and electric conductivity. CCA results showed that the saproxenous taxa Meridion circulare was the indicator species of G-I, which strongly influenced by altitude and forests. In G-II, the indifferent taxa Navicula cryptocephala was influenced by Chl-a, AFDM, and DO. In G-III and -IV, the indifferent taxa Fragilaria elliptica and saprophilous taxa Aulacoseira ambigua were influenced by electric conductivity, turbidity, and nutrient counts. Meanwhile, random forest results showed that the predicting factor of indicator species appearance in G-I, -II, and -III was found to be electric conductivity whereas in G-IV it was found to be turbidity. Collectively, the distribution of diatoms in the midwestern of Korean peninsula was found to depend more on the land-use and its subsequent water qualities than the inherent characteristics of the aquatic environment.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.537-548
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the species composition and the aquatic environment of Jojong Stream and Sudong Stream, which were the original habitats of Zacco koreanus population and restored population re-introduced in Bongseonsa Stream. It also compared and analyzed the states of the growth and reproductive ability of Z. koreanus habiting in each of the three streams. The investigation was conducted in June 2016 which was known as the spawning season of Z. koreanus. The results of the physical aquatic environments showed the slight differences in altitude, width and depth of water among three streams, but the bottom structure was found to be quite different in the composition of the boulder, cobble, and pebble among the streams. The result of the physicochemical aquatic environment analysis showed that there were no significant differences in water temperature, pH, DO, BOD, and EC among the three stream. In the fish fauna investigation, 530 individuals of 11 species of 3 families were collected in Bongseonsa Stream, 293 individuals of 12 species of 4 families were collected in Jojong Stream, and 361 individuals of 11 species of 4 families were collected in Sudong Stream. All three streams were dominated by Z. koreanus and Z. platypus. Six Korean endemic species appeared in each of the three streams, showing the high occurrence rate of indigenous species of 50.0% or more. The aggregation index analysis revealed that the mean dominance index ranged from 0.63 (${\pm}0.05$, BS) to 0.72(${\pm}0.01$, JJ), mean diversity index from 1.55 (${\pm}0.06$, JJ) to 1.78 (${\pm}0.11$, BS), mean evenness index from 0.71 (${\pm}0.03$, JJ) to 0.76 (${\pm}0.02$, BS), and mean richness index from 1.61 (${\pm}0.33$, JJ) to 1.73 (${\pm}0.24$, SD). The result indicated that the observed differences between the stream community indices were statistically nonsignificant. The similarity analysis showed that 75.4% similarity was divided into two groups of A and B and that the fish fauna on each analyzed point was similar. The quantitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) analysis showed that the average value of QHEI was 151.0 (${\pm}46.0$), which means that it was a suboptimal habitat environment. The result of length-weight analysis of Z. koreanus populations showed that the regression coefficient b of the restoration population and the original habitat population were at 3.0 or higher while the condition factor had a positive slope. Moreover, it was found that the slopes of the regression coefficient b and condition factor of the original habitat population were larger than the restored population. The analysis of the length frequency distribution of the Z. koreanus population revealed that all three streams maintained the stable life cycle although it was found that the growth rate of the original habitat population was faster than the restored population in the one-year-old class. The result of the gonadosomatic index (GSI) analysis showed that the GSI median value of the Z. koreanus population in the restored habitat Bongseonsa Stream was higher than the population in the original habitat Jojong Stream and Sudong Stream for both of males and females.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.132-139
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• 2017

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with endocrine system in organisms, and have different mode of actions compared to conventional chemicals. Therefore, EDCs specific ecotoxicity tests and assessments have been globally developed by some organizations such as OECD, ASTM, and USEPA. In Korea, researches on EDCs and monitoring of EDCs in domestic environments were also continued. However, Korean ecotoxicity test guidelines for EDCs are not suggested till date. The purpose of this study is to review and analyze international ecotoxicity test guidelines for EDCs and the compare ecotoxicity methods and toxicity endpoints among standard test guidelines. We found that there are very limited EDCs specific soil ecotoxicity test guidelines (only in ASTM) compared to aquatic ecotoxicity test guidelines. Currently, fish, amphibian, waterflea, copepoda, earthworm, white worm, springtail, nematode, mite, and midge are suggested as standard ecotoxicity test species for EDCs. Reproduction, hormones, growth, vitellogenin, sex retio and development were proposed as endpoints for EDCs ecotoxicity. This study provided the comparison of EDCs specific ecotoxicity methods and endpoints between standard test guidelines, and suggested the further research to develop the method for assesseing ecotoxicity of EDCs.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.307-316
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• 1995

Jicon scallop (Chlamys farreri), as one of new culture species, has been taken a growing interest in Korea recently. Artificial seeds are needed since seeds in natural waters are absolutely short. To develop the better methods for the artificial spawning and the rearing larvae on a large scale, experiments were carried out from July 1993 to May 1994. Mother shells were collected from the area near Tong-yeong and Geoje-do, the southern part of the Korean Penninsula. It was estimated that a period of 2-years was needed to be mother shells after the fertilization. Generally, spawning occourred intermittently from March to August and the maximum occurred in July. A best way for the artificial spawning was a chemical incentive, a 'serotonin injection' in parallel with the exposure and the temperature stimulation. Densities of the fertilized eggs for the normal development was from 30 to 40 per mililiter. It took 27-days from the fertilization to the settling larva averaging $155{\mu}m$ in size with water temperature 11.5\~13.0^{\circ}C$. Isochrysis galvana and Chaetoceros calcitrans with a density of $1,500\times10^4$ cells per ililiter were supplied for rearing the larvae. A proper density of larvae was 10 individuals per mililiter, and the survival rate of larvae from the flowing water system was much better than that of larvae from the still water.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.466-476
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• 2014

In this study, 10 species of plants with high adaptability to aquatic environments were compared for selecting plant species suitable for vegetation-based low impact development (LID) facilities. The flooding tolerances of the plants were tested by analyzing their growth status under half-immersion and full-immersion conditions, with varying durations of immersion. In decreasing order of flooding tolerance, the comparative analysis of plant height and leaf width is as follows: Hemerocallis fulva, Juncus effusus var. decipiens, Iris pseudoacorus, Phragmites communis TRIN, Typha orientalis C.Presl, Aster koraiensis Nakai, Iris sanguinea, Equisetum hyemale, Acorus calamus. Specifically, Hemerocallis fulva, Juncus effusus var. decipiens. Iris pseudoacorus showed excellent growth status under both immersion conditions. Iris sanguinea and Equisetum hyemale. withered to death by around day 27 of the experiment, but their flooding tolerance was confirmed to be relatively high. Iris pseudoacoru showed flooding tolerance under the half-immersion condition unlike under the full-immersion condition, when compared on day 21 of the experiment. Aster koraiensis Nakai also thrived better under the half-immersion condition, proving to be a highly immersion-resistant species. On the basis of the results of this experiment, Hemerocallis fulva, Juncus effusus var. decipiens and Iris pseudoacorus, Typha orientalis C.Presl were selected as species suitable for vegetation-based LID facilities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.418-425
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• 2017

ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are mainly used in semiconductors, solar cells, biosensors, and cosmetics (sunscreen). In this study, we investigated the behavior of ZnO NPs in aquatic and soil environments and their effects on plants (Artemisia annua L.) in hydroponic cultivation. It was confirmed that the ZnO NPs size increased and their dissolution decreased with increasing in pH. Leaching distance of ZnO NPs was less than 2.5 cm, indicating that ZnO NPs had a little potential to leach into deeper soil layers. When ZnO NPs were exposed to plant, the total weights of plants decreased. The effects on the length of root and shoot were not observed. In addition large amount of ZnO NPs were adsorbed on the surface of plant root and didn't translocate into shoot. These results suggest that ZnO NPs block the pores of the root cell wall and decrease the bioavailability of plant nutrients. Therefore it can be speculated that the particles increase in size and settle down in the water environment and may adversely affect the plant growth by firmly adhering to the root surface when the ZnO NPs are exposed to the environment.