• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2022

Electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction technology, one of the promising solutions for climate change, can convert CO₂, a representative greenhouse gas (GHG), into valuable base chemicals using electric energy. In particular, carbon monoxide (CO), among various candidate products, is attracting much attention from both academia and industry because of its high Faraday efficiency, promising economic feasibility, and relatively large market size. Although numerous previous studies have recently analyzed the GHG reduction potential of this technology, the assumptions made and inventory data used are neither consistent nor transparent. In this study, a comparative life cycle assessment was carried out to analyze the potential for reducing GHG emissions in the electrochemical CO production process in a more transparent way. By defining three different system boundaries, the global warming impact was compared with that of a fossil fuel-based CO production process. The results confirmed that the emission factor of electric energy supplied to CO₂-electrolyzers should be much lower than that of the current national power generation sector in order to mitigate GHG emissions by replacing conventional CO production with electrochemical CO production. Also, it is important to disclose transparently inventory data of the conventional CO production process for a more reliable analysis of GHG reduction potential.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.64-72
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• 2014

This study quantified the storage and annual uptake of carbon by apple trees in orchards as a production-type greenspace, and computed the annual carbon emissions from apple cultivation. Tree individuals in the study orchards were sampled to include the range of stem diameter sizes. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees through a direct harvesting method to compute total carbon storage per tree. Annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing the radial growth rates of stem samples at ground level. Annual carbon emissions from management practices such as pruning, mowing, irrigation, fertilization, and use of pesticides and fungicides were estimated based on maintenance data, interviews with managers, and actual measurements. Regression models were developed using stem diameter at ground level (D) as an independent variable to easily estimate storage and annual uptake of the carbon. Storage and annual uptake of carbon per tree increased as D sizes got larger. Apple trees with D sizes of 10 and 15 cm stored 9.1 and 21.0 kg of carbon and annually sequestered 1.0 and 1.6 kg, respectively. Storage and annual uptake of carbon per unit area in study orchards were 3.81 t/ha and 0.42 t/ha/yr, respectively, and annual carbon emissions were 1.30 t/ha/yr. Thus, the carbon emissions were about 3 times greater than the annual carbon uptake. The study identified management practices to reduce the carbon footprint of production-type greenspace, including efficient uses of water, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers. It breaks new ground by including measured biomass of roots and a detailed inventory of carbon emissions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.45-59
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• 2023

The global focus on mitigating climate change has traditionally centered on carbon dioxide, but recent attention has shifted towards methane as a crucial factor in climate change adaptation. Natural settings, particularly aquatic environments such as wetlands, reservoirs, and lakes, play a significant role as sources of greenhouse gases. The accumulation of organic contaminants on the lake and reservoir beds can lead to the microbial decomposition of sedimentary material, generating greenhouse gases, notably methane, under anaerobic conditions. The escalation of methane emissions in freshwater is attributed to the growing impact of non-point sources, alterations in water bodies for diverse purposes, and the introduction of structures such as river crossings that disrupt natural flow patterns. Furthermore, the effects of climate change, including rising water temperatures and ensuing hydrological and water quality challenges, contribute to an acceleration in methane emissions into the atmosphere. Methane emissions occur through various pathways, with ebullition fluxes-where methane bubbles are formed and released from bed sediments-recognized as a major mechanism. This study employs Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests to analyze and quantify the factors influencing methane gas emissions. Methane production rates are measured under diverse conditions, including temperature, substrate type (glucose), shear velocity, and sediment properties. Additionally, numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the relationship between fluid shear stress on the sand bed and methane ebullition rates. The findings reveal that biochemical factors significantly influence methane production, whereas shear velocity primarily affects methane ebullition. Sediment properties are identified as influential factors impacting both methane production and ebullition. Overall, this study establishes empirical relationships between bubble dynamics, the Weber number, and methane emissions, presenting a formula to estimate methane ebullition flux. Future research, incorporating specific conditions such as water depth, effective shear stress beneath the sediment's tensile strength, and organic matter, is expected to contribute to the development of biogeochemical and hydro-environmental impact assessment methods suitable for in-situ applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.25 no.4_2
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• pp.549-563
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• 2022

Continuous global warming is causing ecosystem destruction and direct damage to human life. The main cause of global warming is greenhouse gases, which account for more than 90 % of carbon dioxide. The leaders of each country signed the Paris Agreement at the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, the total amount of CO₂ emitted from South Korea is 664.7 million tons as of 2018, ranking eighth in the world. 37 % of South Korea's total CO₂ emissions come from the construction & building field, especially the cement production, which is a construction material. Carbon reduction technologies can be largely divided into four types: carbon reduction (CC), carbon reduction and storage technology (CCS), carbon reduction and utilization technology (CCU), and carbon reduction, storage and utilization technology (CCUS). Overseas, CCUS technology is mainly applied to reduce and store CO₂ emitted from construction and construction field. A technology for permanently storing CO₂ through mineralization by capturing CO₂ and utilizing CO₂ into a cement production process was developed, and this technology is applied to the entire cement industry. However, the development of CCUS technology applicable to the cement industry is still insignificant in South Korea. In this study, carbon dioxide reduction technology and methods for reducing carbon dioxide emitted during the cement manufacturing process, which is the main component of concrete mainly used in civil engineering construction, were investigated. Overseas, it has reached the commercialization stage beyond the demonstration stage as a way to reduce carbon dioxide by vomiting carbonation reactions. Accordingly, if carbon dioxide reduction plan technology generated during cement manufacturing is developed based on domestic technology differentiated from foreign technology, it is expected to contribute one more step to the carbon neutrality policy.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.375-384
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• 2016

Objectives: This paper analyzes the intersection of tort law and environmental health in a recent court decision. Methods: This paper analyzes Supreme Court Decision 2011Da7437, Decided on September 4, 2014 and related lower court decisions. Results: The plaintiffs sought financial compensation from the defendants, arguing that air pollutants in gases emitted by vehicles produced by the defendants had caused them to acquire respiratory diseases. The district court highlighted the need to mitigate the burden of proof for the plaintiffs, but proceeded to review whether the plaintiffs proved the actual toxicity levels of the air pollutants, whether the defendant's vehicles were the main source of the emissions, the plaintiff's level of exposure to the pollutants, and causation between the emissions and the injury. By doing so, the district court required the plaintiffs to prove both indirect and direct facts of causation, increasing burden of proof for plaintiffs. The appellate court upheld the district court's decision, adding that the defendant's conduct did not constitute an illegal act because it did not violate the emissions standards set by environmental law. The Supreme Court upheld the appellate court's decision, reasoning that the epidemiological evidence cannot establish a direct causation for diseases that lack specificity. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that discussions in environmental health have significance in tort lawsuits. For each fact that the plaintiffs and defendants attempted to prove, environmental health research studies were offered as evidence. In addition, the courts decided the legality of the defendant's conduct based on emission standards set by environmental law.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.97-105
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• 2021

Most of the rural development projects for the welfare of residents are mainly new construction and remodeling projects for community buildings such as village halls and senior citizens. However, in the case of the construction industry, it has been studied that 23% of the total carbon dioxide emissions generated in Korea are generated in the building-related sector. (GGIC, 2015) In order to reduce the emission of environmental pollutants resulting from construction of rural community buildings, there is a need to establish a system for rural buildings by predicting the environmental impact. As a result of this study, the emissions of air pollutants from buildings in rural communities were analyzed by dividing into seven stages: material production, construction, operation, maintenance, demolition, recycling, and transportation activities related to disposal. As a result, 12 kg of carbon dioxide (CO), 0.06 kg of carbon monoxide (CO), 0.02 kg of methane (CH), 0.04 kg of nitrogen oxides (NO), 0.02 kg of sulfurous acid gas (SO), and non-methane volatile organics per 1m of buildings in rural communities It was analyzed that 0.02 kg of compound (NMVOC) and 0.00011 kg of nitrous oxide (NO) were released. This study proved that environmentally friendly design is possible with a quantitative methodology for the comparison of operating energy and air pollutant emissions through the design specification change based on the statement of the rural community building. It is considered that it can function as basic data for further research by collecting major structural changes and materials of rural community buildings.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been proposed for sustainable agriculture and food security in an agricultural ecosystem disturbed by climate change. However, scientific approaches to local agricultural ecosystems to realize CSA are rare. This study attempted to evaluate the weather condition, rice production, and greenhouse gas emissions from the rice cultivation in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do to fulfill CSA of the rice cultivation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Over the past 3 years (2017~2019), Chucheong rice cultivar yield and methane emissions were analyzed from the rice field plot (37°13'15"N, 127° 02'22"E) in the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services located in Gisan-dong, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. Methane samples were collected from three automated closed chambers installed in the plot. The weather data measured through automatic weather station located in near the plot were analyzed. CONCLUSION(S): The rice productivity was found to vary with weather environment in the agricultural ecosystem. And methane emissions are high in a favorable weather condition for rice growth. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the trade-off between the greenhouse gas emission target for climate change mitigation and productivity improvement for CSA in a local rice cultivation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.437-446
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• 2023

As the interest in sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture continues to grow, there is a corresponding increase in organic fertilizers utilization. However, studies on ammonia (NH₃) emissions, which are primarily generated in the agricultural sector, by organic fertilizers are lacking. Additionally, the reliance on imported ingredients in the production of organic fertilizers hinders the widespread adoption of organic fertilizers. This study aims to evaluate NH₃ volatilization by incorporating rice husk biochar into organic fertilizers. The study also aims to assess whether domestically produced rice husk biochar can serve as a viable substitute for imported ingredients. Here, the dynamic chamber method was used under controlled conditions. Results show that inorganic fertilizers readily undergo hydrolysis, thereby rapidly generating significant amounts of NH₃, particularly in the initial stages. In contrast, organic fertilizers decompose gradually, leading to relatively long-term NH₃ emissions. The incorporation of rice husk biochar into organic fertilizers demonstrated diminished daily NH₃ emissions compared to those from commercial organic fertilizers, resulting in decreased total NH₃ volatilization. These findings show that the combination of rice husk biochar can reduce NH₃ volatilization and serve as an alternative to imported ingredients for organic fertilizers. The results of this study can be utilized as fundamental information for the assessment of biochar as a potential ingredient for organic fertilizers.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 2022

To abate the environmental burdens arising from CO₂ emissions, biochar offers a strategic means to sequester carbons due to its recalcitrant nature. Also, biochar has a great potential for the use as carbon-based adsorbent because it is a porous material. As such, developing the surface properties of biochar increases a chance to produce biochar with great adsorption performance. Given that biochar is a byproduct in biomass pyrolysis, characteristics of biochar are contingent on pyrolysis operating parameters. In this respect, this work focused on the investigation of surface properties of biochar by controlling temperature and reaction medium in pyrolysis of pine sawdust as case study. In particular, CO₂ was used as reaction medium in pyrolysis process. According to pyrolytic temperature, the surface properties of biochar were indeed developed by CO₂. The biochar engineered by CO₂ showed the improved capability on CO₂ sorption. In addition, CO₂ has an effect on energy recovery by enhancing syngas production. Thus, this study offers the functionality of CO₂ for converting biomass into engineered biochar as carbon-based adsorbent for CO₂ sorption while recovering energy as syngas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.151-152
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• 2012

Recently, there are growing interests in building LCCO₂ Assessment to reduce carbon emissions. However, existing methods of assessment system include inefficiency in the process of CO₂ calculation requiring considerable data input. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop an efficient building assessment system appropriate to material production in construction stage. To that end, quantity input technology was limited to data mapping. Also quantity calculation based on work breakdown structure and item codes consisted of hierarchical structure that is based on facet classification were analyzed. As a result, connectivity links of quantity calculation and CO₂ functional units through item codes for data mapping, and assessment system including calculation and database parts were developed.