• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.172-186
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• 2017

The effects of application of fuel-reduction treatment in wildfire management has not been tested in dry forests of Ghana. Therefore, the short-term ecological effects of prescribed burning and hand thinning treatments followed by experimental wildfire were investigated in degraded forests and Tectona grandis forest plantations in two forest reserves of different levels of dryness in Ghana. The results showed that more trees were killed in prescribed burning (average of 41% in degraded forest and 18% in plantations) than hand thinning (7.2% in degraded forests and 8% in plantation). More tree seedlings were also killed in prescribed burning (72%) than hand thinning (47%). The mortality of trees and seedlings were greater in Worobong South forest, a less dry forest reserve than the Afram Headwaters forest, a drier forest reserve. Fuel treatment especially prescribed burning compared to the control reduced wildfire effects on forest canopy particularly in the less dry forest and tree mortality especially in the drier forest. Prescribed burning temporarily increased pH, exchangeable potassium (52%) and available phosphorus (82%) in the surface soils of the entire plots. The two fuel treatment methods did not have much influence on basal area, organic matter and total nitrogen. Nevertheless, they were able to reduce the adverse wildfire effects on soil pH, exchangeable potassium, available phosphorus, organic matter and total nitrogen concentrations. Fuel treatments therefore have potential application in dry forest management in Ghana due to their ability to retain important forest ecological traits after a wildfire incidence.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2005

Tidal flats have been regarded to carry out transformation and removal of land-derived organic matter, and this purifying capability of organic matter by tidal flats is one of very important reasons for their conservation. However, integral biogeochemical studies on production and decomposition of organic matter by benthic microbes in tidal flats have been absent in Korea, although the information is indispensable to quantification of the purifying capability. Our major goals in this multidisciplinary research were to understand major biogeochemical processes and rates mediated by diverse groups of microbes dominating material cycles in the tidal flats, and to assess the contribution of benthic microbes to removal of organic matter and nutrients in the tidal flats. Our study sites were Ganghwa and Incheon north-port tidal flats that had been regarded as naturally well reserved and organically polluted, respectively. Our research group measured over 3 years primary production, biomass and community structure of primary producers, abundance and production of bacteria, enzyme activities, distribution of protozoa and protozoan grazing rates, rates of denitrification and sulfate reduction, early sediment diagenesis, primary production and respiration based on oxygen microelectrode. We analyzed major features of each biogeochemical process and their interactions. The results are compiled in the following articles in this special issue: An (2005), Hwang and Cho (2005), Mok et at. (2005), Na and Lee (2005), Yang et at. (2005), and Yoo and Choi (2005).

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 2020

Landfill waste decomposition generates a dark effluent named, leachate which is characterized by high organic matter content. To minimize these polluting effects, it becomes necessary to develop an effective landfill leachate treatment process. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of an innovative approach based on air stripping, anaerobic digestion (AD) and aerobic activated sludge treatment. A reduction of 80% of ammonia and an increase of carbon to nitrogen ratio to 25 were obtained, which is a suitable ratio for AD. This latter AD was performed in fixed bed reactor with progressive loading rate that reached 2 and 3.2 g COD/L/d for the raw and diluted leachate (1:2), respectively. The anaerobic treatment led to significant removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biogas production, especially for the diluted leachate. The COD removal was of 78% for the raw leachate and a biogas production of 4 L/d with 70% methane content. The use of the diluted leachate led to 81% of COD removal and 7 L/d biogas with 75% methane content. It allowed a removal of 77% COD and more than 97% of the organic compounds present in the initial leachate sample.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2017

This study applied microbubbles to reduce membrane fouling in wastewater reuse membrane processes, evaluated and compared the transmembrane pressure with or without the application of microbubbles and the cleaning efficiency with the application of aeration and microbubbles. In addition, this study analyzed foulants removed from the membrane surface. Changes in the transmembrane pressure of membranes with the presence or absence of microbubbles were observed. As a result, transmembrane pressure (TMP) increasing rate decreased twofold when applying microbubbles to realize stable operations. This study compared and evaluated cleaning efficiency applying aeration and microbubbles. As a result, the cleaning efficiency was 5% higher on average when applying microbubbles. In turbidity and total organic carbon (TOC), foulants were discharged when applying microbubbles twice as much as applying aeration. It is thought that particulate foulants precipitated on the membrane surface were more likely to desorb because the adhesion between the membrane surface and particle was weakened by microbubbles. Therefore, it is considered possible to effectively control membrane fouling because of the increase in cleaning efficiency when applying microbubbles to wastewater reuse membrane processes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.799-806
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• 2005

Applying coagulation process before membrane filtration showed not only reducing membrane fouling, but also improving the removal of dissolved organic materials that might otherwise not be removed by the membrane alone. Also, slow mixing didn't affect the reduction of membrane fouling, and rapid mixing using an in-line static mixer was more effective than using backmixer. In addition, only 11 percent of dissolved organic matter in raw water was the primary cause of fouling. Furthermore, tile primary foulant of UF membrane was hydrophobic substance, which can easily be removed by coagulation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.353-365
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• 2000

After their first appearance on Earth, bacteria have exerted significant influence on geochemical behavior of elements. Numerous evidence of their control on geochemistry through geologic history has been observed in a variety of natural environments. They have mediated weathering rate, formation of secondary minerals, redox transformation of metals and metalloids, and thus global cycling of elements. Such ability of bacteria receives so considerable attention from microbiologists, mineralogists, geologists, soil scientists, limnologists, oceanographers, and atmospheric scientists as well as geochemists that a new and interdisciplinary field of research called 'geomicrobiology' is currently expanding. Some recent subjects of geomicrobiology which are studied extensively are as follows: 1) Functional groups distributed on bacterial cell walls adsorb dissolved cations onto cell surfaces by electrostatic surface complexation, which is followed by hydrous mineral formation. 2) Dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria conserve energy to support growth by oxidation of organic matter coupled to reduction of some oxidized metals and/or metalloids. They can be effectively used in remediating environments contaminated with U, As, Se, and Cr. 3) Bacteria increase the rate of mineral dissolution by excreting proton and ligands such as organic acids into aqueous system. 4) Thorough investigation on the effects of biofilm on geochemical processes is needed, because most bacteria are adsorbed on solid substrates and form biofilms in natural settings.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.300-307
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• 2006

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation(ANAMMOX) is a novel process fur treatment of piggery waste with strong nitrogen. In this study, we investigated acid fermentation of organic matter, denitrificatiot reduction of sulfur compounds and P crystalization by hydroxyapatite during the treatment of wastewater with high strength of ammonium and organic matters by ANAMMOX process. Also, functions of hydroxylamine and hydrazine as intermedeates of ANAMMOX process were tested. This study reveals that various complex-reactions with anaerobic ammonium oxidation of piggery waste are happened and hydroxylamine and hydrazine play an important role in ANAMMOX reaction.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1107-1111
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential nutritive value of five legume forages (leaves and twigs) in West Sumatra during wet and dry seasons. The chemical composition, in vitro dry matter (IVDMD), organic matter (IVOMD) and crude protein digestibility (IVCPD), in vitro gas characteristics and estimated metabolizable energy (ME) showed variation among legume forages and between different seasons. Crude protein (CP) ranged from 14.2 to 27.8% DM in the wet season, with a significant (p<0.05) reduction in dry season. C. pubescens, G. maculata, L. leucocephala and P. phaseloides showed the least reduction in CP content. The NDF, ADF and lignin were about 39.0, 26.5 and 6.1% DM, respectively in the wet season, and significantly (p<0.05) increased in the dry season, except for NDF of C. mucunoides and C. pubescens. For IVDMD, IVOMD and IVCPD significantly increased in the wet season, but values remained as high as over 50.0% of DM. The in vitro gas characteristics and metabolizable energy were significantly (p<0.05) higher in wet season than the dry season. During both seasons, the rate of constant (c) for G. maculata and ME content for C. pubescens and P. phaseloides were not significantly (p<0.05). Results demonstrated that P. phaseloides and L. leucocephala have a good nutritive value during both wet and dry seasons. Further studies on feeding trials are needed to quantify the animal responses when offered these legume forages.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2016

Low impact development (LID) facilities are established for the purpose of restoring the natural hydrologic cycle as well as the removal of pollutants from stormwater runoff. Improved efficiency of LID facilities can be obtained through the optimized interaction of their major components (i.e., plant, soil, filter media, microorganisms, etc.). Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the performances of LID facilities in terms of runoff and pollutant reduction and also to provide an optimal maintenance method. The monitoring was conducted on four LID technologies (e.g., bioretention, small wetlands, rain garden and tree box filter). The optimal SA/CA (facility surface area / catchment area) ratio for runoff reduction greater than 40% is determined to be 1 - 5%. Since runoff reduction affects the pollutant removal efficiency in LID facilities, SA/CA ratio is derived as an important factor in designing LID facilities. The LID facilities that are found to be effective in reducing stormwater runoff are in the following order: rain garden > tree box filter > bioretention> small wetland. Meanwhile, in terms of removal of particulate matter (TSS), the effectiveness of the facilities are in the following order: rain garden > tree box filter > small wetland > bioretention; rain gardens > tree box filter > bioretention > small wetland were determined for the removal of organic matter (COD, TOC), nutrients (TN, TP) and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn). These results can be used as an important material for the design of LID facilities in runoff volume and pollutant reduction.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.554-561
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• 2017

Objective: This experiment was conducted as a $3{\times}2{\times}2$ factorial design to examine the effects of particle size (mean particle size of 331, 640, or $862{\mu}m$), evaluation method (direct vs indirect method) and adaptation duration (7 or 26 days) on the energy content and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of various chemical components in wheat when fed to finishing pigs. Methods: Forty-two barrows ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Yorkshire$) with an initial body weight of $63.0{\pm}0.8kg$ were individually placed in metabolic cages and randomly allotted to 1 of 7 diets with 6 pigs fed each diet. For the indirect method, the pigs were fed either a corn-soybean meal based basal diet or diets in which 38.94% of the basal diet was substituted by wheat of the different particle sizes. In the direct method, the diets contained 97.34% wheat with the different particle sizes. For both the direct and indirect methods, the pigs were adapted to their diets for either 7 or 26 days. Results: A reduction in particle size linearly increased the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) contents as well as the ATTD of gross energy, crude protein, organic matter, ether extract (EE) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (p<0.05), and had a trend to increase the ATTD of dry matter of wheat (p = 0.084). The DE, ME contents, and ATTD of gross energy, crude protein, dry matter and organic matter were higher (p<0.05) when determined by the direct method, but the ATTD of ADF, EE, and neutral detergent fiber were higher when determined by the indirect method (p<0.05). Prolongation of the adaption duration decreased the ATTD of neutral detergent fiber (p<0.05) and had a trend to increase the ATTD of EE (p = 0.061). There were no interactions between particle size and the duration of the adaptation duration. The ATTD of EE in wheat was influenced by a trend of interaction between method and adaptation duration (p = 0.074). The ATTD of ADF and EE in wheat was influenced by an interaction between evaluation method and wheat particle size such that there were linear equations (p<0.01) about ATTD of ADF and EE when determined by the direct method but quadratic equations (p = 0.073 and p = 0.088, respectively) about ATTD of ADF and EE when determined by the indirect method. Conclusion: Decreasing particle size can improve the DE and ME contents of wheat; both of the direct and indirect methods of evaluation are suitable for evaluating the DE and ME contents of wheat with different particle sizes; and an adaptation duration of 7 d is sufficient to evaluate DE and ME contents of wheat in finishing pigs.