• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.329-335
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• 2004

Acid deposition in forest adjacent to the industrial complexes causes soil acidification resulting in the leaching of cations, decreases of buffering capacity and increases of toxic metal concentrations such as Al, Fe, Mn and Cu in soil solution. Changes of nutrient availability equilibria by acid deposition have been known to retard the growth of pine trees. Objective of this research was to assess the critical ratios of Ca/Al and Mg/Al limiting the growth of Pinus thunbergii in the hydroponic culture. The Ca concentration and Ca/Al ratio in stalks of pine tree were increased as increasing Ca/Al molar ratio in the nutrient solution, but were not changed when the Ca/Al molar ratio was adjusted to greater than 1. Growth of Pinus thunbergii was inhibited at the Ca/Al molar ratio lower than l due to the Ca deficiency. The molar ratios of Ca/Al in the needles of Pinus thunbergii showed the similar tendency with the stalks. This indicated that Ca/Al molar ratio of 1 in the growth media was the critical level limiting the growth of Pinus thunbergii. Concentration of Mg and Mg/Al molar ratios in the stalks of pine tree were increased as increasing Mg/Al molar ratio in nutrient solution. Molar ratios of Mg/Al in the needles were increased as increasing Mg/Al ratios in nutrient solution up to 0.83, which was the critical level limiting the growth of Pinus thunbergii.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.8-11
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• 1997

Current methods of evaluating soil contamination by heavy metals rely on analyzing samples for total contents of metals or quantities recovered in various chemical extracting solutions. Results from these approaches provide only an index for evaluation because these methodologies yield values not directly related to bioavailability of soil-borne metals. In addition, even though concentrations of metals may be less than those required to cause toxic effects to biota, they may cause substantial effects on soil chemical parameters that determine soil quality and sustainable productivity. The objective of this research was to characterize effects of Cu or Cd additions on soil solution chemistry of soil quality indices, such as pH, EC, nutrient cation distribution and quantity/intensity relations (buffer capacity). Metals were added at rates ranging from 0 to 400 mg/kg of soil. Soil solution was sequentially extracted from saturated pastes using vacuum. Concentrations of Cu or Cd remaining in soil solutions were very low as compared to those added to the soils, warranting that most of the added metals were recovered as nonavailable (strongly adsorbed) fractions. Adsorption of the added metals released cations into soil solution causing increases of soluble cation contents and thus ionic strength of soil solution. At metal additions of 200~400 mg/kg, EC of soil solution increased to as much as 2~4 dS/m; salinity levels considered high enough to cause detrimental effects on plant production. More divalent cations (Ca+Mg) than monovalent cations (K+Na) were exchanged by Cu or Cd adsorption. The loss of exchangeable nutrient cations decreased long-term nutrient supplying capacity or each soil. At 100 mg/kg or metal loading, the buffering capacity was decreased by 60%. pH of soil solution decreased linearly with increasing metal loading rates, with a decrement of up to 1.3 units at 400 mg Cu/kg addition. Influences of Cu on each of these soil quality parameters were consistently greater than those of Cd. These effects were of a detrimental nature and large enough in most cases to significantly impact soil productivity. It is clear that new protocols are needed for evaluating potential effects of heavy metal loading of soils.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2005

Waste of the hydroponic solution from the plastic film house cultivation was recycled to grow the red pepper(Capsicum annum L.) in upland fields as supplement for plant nutrients and irrigation sources. Application of hydroponic waste solution increased the pH and EC of the soils, coupled with the increases in the concentrations of exchangeable cations(Ca, Mg, and K), total nitrogen, $NH_4-N,\;and\;NO_3-N$. Growth and yield of red pepper were highest when the treatment of chemical fertilizer(70%) was combined with hydroponic waste solution(30%). Amounts of the daily producing hydroponic waste solution were 2,880 L $ha^{-1}\;day^{-1}$ from the experimental facilities and this could irrigate $409.86m^2$ of area to compensate for the amount of water loss by evapotranspiration(3%). The overall results demonstrated that hydroponic waste solution could be recycled as plant nutrients and irrigation water resources for enhancing soil fertility and environmental quality.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2005

Objective of this research was to evaluate the fate of nitrogen and phosphorous in hydroponic waste solution from the plastic film house cultivation applied to the upland soil by column leaching and field experiment. The pH and EC of leachate were decreased by the reaction with the upland soil in the column leaching experiment. The EC and concentrations of $H^+,\;K^+,\;and\;{NH_4}^+$ of leachate were decreased as the column length (soil depth) was increased. But these were increased as the amounts of the hydroponic waste solution were increased field experiment growing red pepper (Capsicum annum L.) to monitor the nutrients movement using ion exchange resin capsule demonstrated that the nutrient concentration of soil solution was increased in the orders of $PO_4-P. Nitrate concentration of resin capsule inserted into the soil was relatively higher than other nutrients $(NH_4-N\;and\;PO_4-P)$ at the 45 cm of soil depth. The overall results demonstrated that the hydroponic waste solution could be recycled as plant nutrients to enhance fertility of soils. But nitrate leaching was a major factor for safe use of the hydroponic waste solution in soil.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.741-745
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• 2005

Pectin was dissolved in HCl, citric acid, and deionized distilled water (DW, 2%, v/v) and irradiated at different irradiation doses (2.5-50 kGy) by gamma ray to investigate its physicochemical characteristics and biological activity. Viscosity of pectin solution was significantly decreased by irradiation up to 10 kGy, then remained constant thereafter. Gamma-irradiation increased monosaccharide and polysaccharide levels up to 30-40 kDa. Electron donating ability of pectin solution was highest when DW was added and was increased by increasing irradiation dose (p<0.05). ${\beta}-Carotene$ bleaching assay revealed irradiation resulted in development of antioxidantive activity in pectin solution. Growth inhibition of cancer cell lines was observed in irradiated pectin solution in dose-dependent manner, with G36l showing the highest. Results suggested irradiation of pectin solution could be effective for preparation of functional pectin oligomer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2001

Objective : This study was conducted to examine the effect of vitrification on the survival and in vitro development of mice 1-cell zygotes. Method: Effects of exposure to vitrification solution and vitrification, with different concentrations of the cryoprotectant solution, were examined. The 1-cell zygotes were also subjected to a slow freezing-thawing method to compare with vitrification method. Solution composed of ethylene glycol (6.0 M, 5.0 M, 4.0 M) and sucrose (1.0 M) were used as cryopropectant. The experiments employed the method loading the embryos on electron microscope grids. Results: I. The effects of exposure in vitrification solution. 1-cell zygotes were non-toxic at all concentrations of the vitrification solution showing the survival rate between 88.1% and 97.5%. Development into 2-cell was more successful in the higher concentrations of the vitrification solution. Therefore, higher concentrations of the vitirification solution do not seem to cause any problems in vitrification procedure. II. The effects of vitrification method. 1-cell zygotes showed the survival rate between 78.8% and 92.4%. The lowest and the highest survival rate was observed in the 6.0 M and 4.0 M vitrification solution, respectively. 2-cell development rates varied from 77.6% to 91.3%. Blastocyst development rate was shown highest in 5.0 M and the lowest in 4.0 M solution. Therefore, the highest 2-cell and blastocyst development rate was observed in 5.0 M solution. III. Comparison of vitrification and slow freezing-thawing method on 1-cell zygotes. This experiment showed that 1-cell zygotes had the highest survival and development rates in 5.0 M vitrification solution. Vitrified group of 1-cell zygotes, in the 5.0 M vitrification solution, were compared with the group processed in slow freezing-thawing method. The development rate into 2-cell and blastocyst as well as the survival rate were higher in the vitrified group than in the slowly freezed group. Conclusion: 1. The results demonstrate that the best cryoprotectant is a 5.0 M vitrification solution for 1-cell zygotes. 2. Vitrification method significantly increases the survival rate of the 1-cell zygote and its development into 2-cell and blastocyst. Equilibration and exposure time during the vitrification was remarkerbly short in this experiment. Total time, from the exposure to vitirification solution to storage in the liquid nitrogen, was taken only 90 seconds. In contrast, the slow freezing-thawing method have taken more than four hours. Taken together, we presume that the overall time used for the procedure contributes to the results as an important parameter. 3. The loading of 1-cell zygotes on the EM grid is technically more simple and takes less time than the straw or cryo vial method.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.3265-3268
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• 2012

Nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly used in consumer products, which have aroused many concerns and debates regarding their fate in biological systems from a point of their safety/toxicity. Although a number of studies on the biological effects of NPs have been published, these are often complicated by the possible toxicity of conventional NPs, caused by contamination with chemical precursors or additives during their synthesis and/or purification procedures. To explicitly understand the toxicity basis of NPs, it is necessary to directly address a main problem related to their intrinsic/inherent toxicity and/or incompatibility with biological objects. The present study is designed to take advantage of a novel laser-assisted method called laser ablation to generate Ag, Au, Co, and Cu NPs in biocompatible aqueous solution, and to evaluate the toxicity of the resulting ultra-pure NPs. Our results show that the ultra-pure NPs with nascent surfaces possess moderate cytotoxicity to human cells in a cell-dependent manner.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2004

In this study, Anaerobic sewage sludge in a batch reactor operation at $35^\circ{C}$ was used as the seed to investigate the effect of pretreatments of waste activated sludge and to evaluate its hydrogen production potential by anaerobic fermentation. Various pretreatments including physical, chemical and biological means were conducted to utilize for substrate. As a result, SCODcr of alkali and mechanical treatment was 15 and 12 times enhanced, compared with a supernatant of activated sludge. And SCODcr was 2 time increase after re-treatment with biological hydrolysis. Those were shown that sequential hybridized treatment of sludge by chemical & biological methods to conform hydrogen production potential in bath experiments. When buffer solution was added to the activated sludge, hydrogen production potential increased as compare with no addition. Combination of alkali and mechanical treatment was higher in hydrogen production potential than other treatments.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2005

Aqueous mixtures of hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) system and hydrogels thereof were introduced to obtain new bioartificial materials that have excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and enhanced rheological properties. The interactions between hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) and/or borax were investigated by rheological measurements. Preparation parameters of the aqueous mixtures were mixture composition, the degree of hydrolysis of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax concentration. From the rheological behavior, it could be deduced that the key factor of the interaction between hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) was the hydrogen bonding between them and the effect was pronounced with borax. Enhanced viscosity was observed at the composition of $20wt\%$ of hyaluronic acid solution and $80wt\%$ of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax solution. Rheological properties were influenced by the degree of hydrolysis of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax concentration. As the degree of hydrolysis and borax concentration increased, rheological properties increased due to the increased hydrogen bonding and networking of hyaluronate aggregates. Physical hydrogels from hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) were prepared and the composition dependence of the gels was rheologically investigated as well.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.230-235
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• 2001

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) containing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was synthesized using PDMS as crosslinking agent, and characterized by IR and DSC. It seems that the copolymer has separated phases, PNIPAAm and PDMS. The $T_g$ of PNIPAAm was decreased in accordance with the increase of PDMS-contents. The swelling behavior of polymer in water was examined with the function of temperature and PDMS-contents as well. The equilibrium swelling ratio of polymer in water was decreased with increasing PDMS-contents, but lower critical solution temperature (LCST) was not significantly affected by the incorporated PDMS-contents.