• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.636-647
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• 2016

Magnetite nanoparticles ($Fe_3O_4$ NPs) were synthesized by co-precipitating method under optimized condition. The $Fe_3O_4$ NPs coated with sodium dodecyl sulfate-thenoyltrifluoroacetone ($Fe_3O_4$ NPs-SDS-TTFA) were then exerted as the magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the extraction process prior to introducing to a flame atomic adsorption spectrometry (FAAS). The synthesized $Fe_3O_4$ NPs-SDS-TTFA were applied for the extraction of Pb(II) ions from different water samples. The characterization studies of nanoparticles were performed via scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive micro-analysis (SEM-EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. The substantial parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were surveyed and optimized. A dynamic linear range (DLR) of $10-400{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ was obtained and the limit of detection (LOD, n=7) and relative standard deviation (RSD%, n= 6, $C=20{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) were found to be $2.3{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ and 1.9%, respectively. According to the results, the proposed method successfully applied for the extraction of Pb(II) ions from different environmental water samples and satisfactory results achieved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.73-73
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• 2010

Various organic- and bio-conjugated nanoparticles have been studied extensively for biological applications in medical diagnoses and drug delivery systems. Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) are known biocompatible materials to be used in vivo and are becoming increasingly important in biomedical applications. In this work, we investigated the stability of PEG-conjugated AuNPs, dialysis and centrifuge effects after synthesis or pegylation of AuNPs as a function of elapsed time by using ToF-SIMS imaging technique along with dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible absorption spectroscopic and statistical analyses. Roughly 15-nm-sized AuNPs were synthesized in a citrate-conjugated form, and then converted into the thiol-terminated PEG (O-[2-(3-Mercaptopropionylamino)ethyl]-O'-methylpolyethyleneglycol, M.W.=5 kDa) form. Based on our data, we will show that ToF-SIMS imaging analysis along with DLS, UV-visible absorption and statistical analyses would be a useful method to evaluate stability of PEG-conjugated AuNPs in various environmental conditions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.188-196
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• 2013

We have investigated the effects of formalin on the assembly of colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) prepared by laser ablation of a solid gold target in deionized water. Upon addition of formalin, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 519 nm for pure AuNPs decreases and shifts to red while a new broad SPR band appears at ~700 nm. The red-shift is prominent with increase in the incubation time. The average size of the initial AuNPs is around 12 nm but it increases to 23 nm after addition of formalin. It turns out that formalin acts as a cationic surfactant for AuNPs with negative surface charge in the colloidal solutions. Furthermore, through analysis of the Raman spectrum of formalin and the density functional theory calculations, we confirm that methanediol is the main species in formalin which is in charge of the aggregation of AuNPs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 2012

Silver(I) [bis(alkylthio)methylene]malonates were synthesized from the reaction of silver nitrate and potassium [bis(alkylthio)methylene]malonates. The structures of the Ag complexes were characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and elemental analysis. Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained from the decomposition of the Ag complexes in 1,2-dichlorobenzene at $110^{\circ}C$ without an additional surfactant. The average sizes of the Ag NPs are in the range of 5.1-6.3 nm and could be controlled by varying the length of the alkyl chain. The optical properties, crystalline structure and surface composition of Ag NPs were characterized with ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA).

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2012

Fifty three fungi isolated from soils of different microhabitats of eastern Himalayan range (3,400-3,600 msl) were screened for mycosynthesis of silver nanaoparticles (AgNPs) and their efficacy as antimicrobials were assessed in combination with commonly used antibiotics. Three isolates $Aspergillus$ $terreus$ SP5, $Paecilomyces$ $lilacinus$ SF1 and $Fusarium$ sp. MP5 identified based on morphological and 18S rRNA gene sequences were found to synthesize AgNPs. These nanoparticles were characterized by visual observation followed by UV-visible spectrophotometric analysis. The AgNPs synthesized by $Aspergillus$ $terreus$ SP5, $Paecilomyces$ $lilacinus$ SF1 and $Fusarium$ sp. MP5 showed absorbance maxima at 412, 419, and 421 nm respectively in the visible region. Transmission electron microscopy micrograph showed formation of spherical AgNPs of 5-50 nm size. The antimicrobial activity of the mycosynthesized nanoparticles were investigated alone and in combination with commonly used antibiotics for analysis of growth inhibition zone against test organisms, namely, $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$ MTCC96, $Streptococcus$ $pyogenes$ MTCC1925, $Salmonella$ $enterica$ MTCC735 and $Enterococcus$ $faecalis$ MTCC2729. The mycosynthesized nanoparticles showed potent antibacterial activity and interestingly their syngergistic effect with erythromycin, methicillin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin was significantly higher as compared to inhibitions by AgNPs alone. The present study indicates that silver nanoparticles synthesized using soil borne indigenous fungus of high altitudes show considerable antimicrobial activity, deserving further investigation for potential applications.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.756-767
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• 2007

For the combination of phosphor screens having various thicknesses and a photodiode array manufactured by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, we report the observation of image-quality degradation under the irradiation of 45-kVp spectrum x rays. The image quality was assessed in terms of dark pixel signal, dynamic range, modulation-transfer function (MTF), noise-power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE). For the accumulation of the absorbed dose, the radiation-induced increase both in dark signal and noise resulted in the gradual reduction in dynamic range. While the MTF was only slightly affected by the total ionizing dose, the noise power in the case of $Min-R^{TM}$ screen, which is the thinnest one among the considered screens in this study, became larger as the total dose was increased. This is caused by incomplete correction of the dark current fixed-pattern noise. In addition, the increase tendency in NPS was independent of the spatial frequency. For the cascaded model analysis, the additional noise source is from direct absorption of x-ray photons. The change in NPS with respect to the total dose degrades the DQE. However, with carefully updated and applied correction, we can overcome the detrimental effects of increased dark current on NPS and DQE. This study gives an initial motivation that the periodic monitoring of the image-quality degradation is an important issue for the long-term and healthy use of digital x-ray imaging detectors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2023

In many industrial sectors, workers are exposed to manufactured or unintentionally emitted airborne nanoparticles (NPs). To develop prevention and enhance knowledge surrounding exposure, it has become crucial to achieve a consensus on how to assess exposure to airborne NPs by inhalation in the workplace. Here, we review the literature presenting recommendations on assessing occupational exposure to NPs. The 23 distinct strategies retained were analyzed in terms of the following points: target NPs, objectives, steps, "measurement strategy" (instruments, physicochemical analysis, and data processing), "contextual information" presented, and "work activity" analysis. The robustness (consistency of information) and practical aspects (detailed methodology) of each strategy were estimated. The objectives and methodological steps varied, as did the measurement techniques. Strategies were essentially based on NPs measurement, but improvements could be made to better account for "contextual information" and "work activity". Based on this review, recommendations for an operational strategy were formulated, integrating the work activity with the measurement to provide a more complete assessment of situations leading to airborne NP exposure. These recommendations can be used with the objective of producing homogeneous exposure data for epidemiological purposes and to help improve prevention strategies.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

As a result of climate change, non-point source pollution (NPS) from farmland with the steep slope during the rainy season is expected to have a significant impact on the water system. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of furrow mulching using alfalfa and PAM (Polyacrylamide) materials for each rainfall event, while considering the load characteristics of NPS. The study was conducted in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, in 2022, with a testbed that had a slope of 13%, sandy loam soil, and maize crops. The testbed was composed of four plots: bare soil (Bare), No mulching (Cont.), Vegetation mulching (VM), and PAM mulching (PM). Runoff was collected from each rainfall event using a 1/40 sampler and the NPS load was calculated by measuring the concentrations of SS, T-N, T-P, and TOC. During farming season, the reduction efficiency of NPS load was 37.1~59.5% for VM and 38.2~75.7% for PM. The analysis found that VM had a linear regression correlation (R²=0.28~0.86, P-value=0.01~0.1) with elapsed time of application, while PM had a quadratic regression correlation (R²=0.35~0.80, P-value=0.1). These results suggest that the selection of furrow mulch materials and the appropriate application method play a crucial role in reducing non-point pollution in farmland. Therefore, further studies on the time-series reduction effect based on the application method are recommended to develop more effective preemptive reduction technologies.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.199-208
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• 2013

This study intended to develop an integrated governance model and find measures to manage nonpoint source (NPS) pollutions in watershed management. To reach this goal, this study has analyzed NPS pollution management policies in Korea and has employed statistical methods such as expert Delphi survey, analysis of variance, and factor analysis. As a result, this study has found that the favored basic organization form was a private-public cooperative council. The necessary governance-based NPS pollution management measures determined through this study are as follows: to build collaboration mechanisms including those related to motivation provision, trust building, capacity building, and making optimal regulations; to employ financial resources based on principles such as 'polluter-pays', 'recipient-pays', and 'general-tax-source'; and to develop several programs, including system improvement, pilot and management projects, and publicity.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.89-99
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• 2012

An upland monitoring was conducted for about 4 years with respect to the water and quality of rainfall-runoff. The objective was to characterize of runoff and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution from a sandy field with 4.5 % in slope under balloonflower (2008-2010) and potato (2011) cultivation. Balloonflower was cultivated without any surface cover but potato was grown under plastic mulching. Runoff rate, EMCs and NPS pollution loads were estimated. The first flush effect was evaluated, and the correlation coefficient among the selected water quality indices were analyzed. Average rainfall size was higher by 2.3 mm when balloonflower was cultivated but average runoff rate was higher by 0.02 when potato was cultivated due to the plastic mulching. EMCs monitored from balloonflower field were higher than potato field except SS and TN, but all NPS pollution loads of potato field were 2.1~22.9 times greater than balloonflower field because of larger runoff volume. As a result of first flush effects, balloonflower and potato field were more influenced by increasing of accumulated rainfall and rainfall intensity rather than first flush. In the result of correlation analysis, there were no evident correlations between runoff and water quality indices. However, there were obvious correlations between SS and the other indices except TN. As a result of this study, it was thought that perennial balloonflower crop could help reduce runoff and NPS pollution loads but annual crop with plastic mulching increase them.