• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2016

The reuse of spent coffee powder has been researched for environmental engineering applications such as adsorbents of organic/inorganic pollutants. In this study adsorption equilibrium tests and adsorption kinetics tests for the removal of aqueous organic pollutant (methylene blue) were conducted using spent coffee powder, granular activated carbon, and powdered activated carbon. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacity of three adsorbents followed the order of powdered activated carbon (178.6 mg/g) > spent coffee powder (60.6 mg/g) > granular activated carbon (15.6 mg/g). The results of adsorption kinetics tests also indicated that spent coffee powder had higher kinetic parameters than granular activated carbon for pseudo 1st and 2nd order kinetics. The high performance of spent coffee powder might be due to its porous surface like those of granular and powdered activated carbons and smaller particle size comparing with granular activated carbon.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.639-646
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• 2004

Metal treated activated carbons are prepared using various metals. Adsorption behaviors, morphologies, as well as antibacterial effects of metal treated samples are compared before and after solvent washing. Adsorption isotherms are used to characterize the porous structure of metal treated activated carbons before and after the solvent washing with acetone or ethyl alcohol. From these data, it is noticed that the changes in physicochemical properties of metal treated activated carbons depend on the solvents employed. Similar results are observed from BET data obtained from nitrogen adsorption isotherms. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies, the changes in shape and size of metal particles are observed after the samples are washed with solvents. These changes result in different blocking effects, which, in turn, affect the adsorption behavior of metal treated activated carbons. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples treated with different metals are different each other. High intense sharp peaks attributed to metals are observed from silver treated samples, while the peaks are not observed from copper treated samples. To compare thermodynamic behavior of metal treated activated carbons washed with different type of solvents, differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis is carried out. The analysis shows similar endothermic curves for all of the samples. Finally, antibacterial effects of metal treated activated carbon against Escherichia coli are discussed. Comparing the effects among the metals employed, highest effects are obtained from Cd, while lowest effects are obtained from Cu. Antibacterial activity becomes higher with the increase of the amount of metals treated, Optimum concentrations of metals to treat activated carbons, obtained from a shake flask test, are known to be 0.4, 0.1, and 0.6 moles for Ag, Cd, and Cu, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2003

The impregnated activated carbons were prepared by the incipient wetness method with the contents of $KIO_3$ varied from 1.0${\sim}$10 wt% as the impregnation material. The specific surface area and micropore volume of the rice hulls activated carbon were $2,600{\sim}2,800$ $m^2$/g and 1.1${\sim}$1.4 cc/g, respectively. With increasing the contents of impregnation materials, the surface area and micropore volume decreased by 3${\sim}$21%. However, The amounts of hydrogen sulfide adsorbed increased by 2.1${\sim}$2.8 times depending on the impregnation content. The optimum contents of $KIO_3$ were 2.4 wt%. Although the breakthrough time and adsorption capacity of hydrogen sulfide decreased with increasing temperature in the case of the unimpregnated activated carbons, they increased by 1.2${\sim}$ 3.2 times for the case of the impregnated activated carbons. The optimum aspect ratio(L/D) was 1.0 and the adsorption amount of hydrogen sulfide enhanced with increasing the gas flow rate. The regeneration temperature was determined as 400$^{\circ}C$ from the TGA experiment. The adsorption capacity of hydrogen sulfide with the impregnated activated carbon decreased gradually as the regeneration continued. The hydrogen sulfide adsorption amount of the regenerated activated carbon up to 4 times was still higher than that of the unimpregnated activated carbon.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.628-636
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• 2012

Raw-starch-digesting enzyme (RSDA) was immobilized on Amberlite beads by conjugation of glutaraldehyde/polyglutaraldehyde (PG)-activated beads or by crosslinking. The effect of immobilization on enzyme stability and catalytic efficiency was evaluated. Immobilization conditions greatly influenced the immobilization efficiency. Optimum pH values shifted from pH 5 to 6 for spontaneous crosslinking and sequential crosslinking, to pH 6-8 for RSDA covalently attached on polyglutaraldehyde-activated Amberlite beads, and to pH 7 for RSDA on glutaraldehyde-activated Amberlite. RSDA on glutaraldehyde-activated Amberlite beads had no loss of activity after 2 h storage at pH 9; enzyme on PG-activated beads lost 9%, whereas soluble enzyme lost 65% of its initial activity. Soluble enzyme lost 50% initial activity after 3 h incubation at $60^{\circ}C$, whereas glutaraldehyde-activated derivative lost only 7.7% initial activity. RSDA derivatives retained over 90% activity after 10 batch reuse at $40^{\circ}C$. The apparent $K_m$ of the enzyme reduced from 0.35 mg/ml to 0.32 mg/ml for RSDA on glutaraldehyde-activated RSDA but increased to 0.42 mg/ml for the PG-activated RSDA derivative. Covalent immobilization on glutaraldehyde Amberlite beads was most stable and promises to address the instability and contamination issues that impede the industrial use of RSDAs. Moreover, the cheap, porous, and non-toxic nature of Amberlite, ease of immobilization, and high yield make it more interesting for the immobilization of this enzyme.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 1993

Adsorption process using granular activated carbon(GAC) has been considered as one of the most effective water treatment technologies to remove humic acid which is recon- niEed as trihalomethane(THM) precursor in chlorination. To design the most effective GAC process, it is necessary to conduct the test of adsor- ption performance by means of isothem, batch rate and column studies and to select the most effective activated carbon according to raw materials of GAC - lignite and coconut shell. The objective of this study is to investigate the adsorption performance of humid acid on two activated carbons - lignite activated carbon(LAC) and coconut shell activated car- bon(CAC) made in Korea. It is available to represent UV-abs and trihalomethane formation potential(THMFP) as concentration of humic acid due to good relationship. The adsorption capacity of humid acid is not concerned with surface area of activated carbon but with pore size related to about $100{\AA}$, and then LAC forming at the extent of mesopore is found to be eight times more effective in adsorption capacity than CAC forming at micropore. The adsorption capacity of LAC and CAC is better at pH 5.5 than at pH 7. Pore and surface diffusion coefficients calculated from the diffusion model are $7.61\times10^{-13}m^2/sec$, $3.52\times10^{-15}m^2/sec$ for CAC, and $3.38\times10^{-12}m^2$/sec and $Ds=1.48{\times}10^{-15}m^2/sec$ for GAC respectively. From the results of column test it shows that the performance of LAC is also better than CAC and the optimal EBCT(Empty Bed Contact Time) is 4.52min. and activated carbon removes selectively the components of humic acid to be easily formed to THM.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.321-328
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• 2019

This study aimed to analyze the growth and physical responsees of Dracaena braunii in response salt accumulation in ornamental water culture and to examine the effect of activated carbon on this growth response. The experiment was conducted in a plant growth chamber and the indoor environmental conditions of the chamber were set at $23{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ temperature, $70{\pm}3%$ humidity, and 1,000 lux brightness. The observation of the growth response of plants in the presence of activated carbon showed that the pH with activated carbon maintained sub-acidic to neutral (6.27~7.32) conditions and showed decreased electric conductivity in the media. As the treatment with added activated carbon showed good growth and physical responses, this indicated that absorption effect of activated carbon had a positive influence on the growth of plants. However, as the absorption effect of activated carbon may decrease over time and the use of high concentrations of activated carbon might cause nutrition shortage, various concentration of activated carbon and their absorption effects need to be investigated in the future.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 2019

Background: This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of bee venom (BV) through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa beta ($NF-{\kappa}B$) expression in macrophages and keratinocytes. Methods: Cell viability assays were performed to investigate the cytotoxicity of BV in activated macrophages [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] and keratinocytes [interferon-gamma/tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($IFN-{\gamma}/TNF-{\alpha}$)]. A luciferase assay was performed to investigate the cellular expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ in relation to BV dose. The expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitors ($p-I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$, $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$, and p50 and p65) were determined by Western Blot analysis, and the electromobility shift assay. A nitrite quantification assay was performed to investigate the effect of BV, and $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor on nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages. In addition, Western Blot analysis was performed to investigate the effect of BV on the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in activated macrophages and keratinocytes. Results: BV was not cytotoxic to activated macrophages and keratinocytes. Transcriptional activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$, and p50, p65, and $p-I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ expression was reduced by treatment with BV in activated macrophages and keratinocytes. Treatment with BV and an $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor, reduced the production of NO by activated macrophages, and also reduced $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activity in activated keratinocytes (compared with either BV, or $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor treatment). Furthermore, BV decreased p38, p-p38, JNK, and p-JNK expression in LPS-activated macrophages and $IFN-{\gamma}/TNF-{\alpha}$-activated keratinocytes. Conclusion: BV blocked the signaling pathway of $NF-{\kappa}B$, which plays an important role in the inflammatory response in macrophages and keratinocytes. These findings provided the possibility of BV in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.537-544
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• 2020

Background and objective: Artemisia argyi has a long history as an effective treatment for various diseases. The detection of environmental pollutant benzo(a)pyrene, a known human carcinogen, in the leaves of Artemisia argyi is cause for concern. For medicinal plant extracts, both a reduction of benzo(a)pyrene as well as the maintained effectiveness of the compound are important. Therefore, in this study, we propose an optimized process for the addition and filtration of activated carbon to reduce benzo(a)pyrene and change the contents of the indicating substance(jaceosidine and eupatilin). Methods: Artemisia argyi EtOH extract containing 36 ppb of benzo(a)pyrene was added to 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% (w/w) of activated carbon for 120 min and filtered using an activated carbon filter 1, 2, 3, and 5 times respectively. The content of benzo(a)pyrene and indicating substances in Artemisia argyi extract were then measured with high performance liquid chromatography (fluorescence and UV detectors). Results: As the amounts of activated carbon powder and filtering cycles increased, the content of benzo(a)pyrene in the Artemisia argyi extract decreased. However, when activated carbon powder 1.5% was added to the extract, and when the activated carbon filter was filtered five times, the results were reduced by 15% and 30~40% respectively. The optimal extraction condition for reducing benzo(a)pyrene was adding 1.5% of activated carbon powder. This resulted in reducing benzo(a)pyrene by 83% and indicating substances by about 4%. Conclusions: Here we present a process for reducing benzo(a)pyrene in Artemisia argyi extract using activated carbon to reduce toxicity and minimize the loss of active ingredients. This approach has potential application within a manufacturing process of various medicinal plant extracts.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2023

The Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences plans to produce ²²⁵Ac, a therapeutic radio-pharmaceutical for precision oncology, such as prostate cancer. Radon, a radioactive gas, is generated by radium, the target material for producing ²²⁵Ac. The radon concentration is expected to be about 2000 Bq·m^-3. High-concentration radon-generating facilities must meet radioactive isotope emission standards by lowering the radon concentration. However, most existing studies concerning radon removal using activated carbon filters measured radon levels at concentrations lower than 1000 Bq·m^-3. This study measured ²²²Rn removal of coconut-based activated carbon filter under a high radon concentration of about 2000 Bq·m^-3. The ²²²Rn removal efficiency of activated carbon impregnated with triethylenediamine was also measured. As a result, the ²²²Rn removal amount of the activated carbon filter showed sufficient removal efficiency in a ²²²Rn concentration environment of about 2000 Bq·m^-3. In addition, despite an expectation of low radon reduction efficiency of Triethylenediamine-impregnated activated carbon, it was difficult to confirm a significant difference in the results. Therefore, it is considered that activated carbon can be used as a radioisotope exhaust filter regardless of whether or not Triethylenediamine is impregnated. The results of this study are expected to be used as primary data when building an air purification system for radiation safety management in facilities with radon concentrations of about 2000 Bq·m^-3.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2000

Objective: In order to investigate the functional brain anatomy associated with verbal and visual working memory, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed. Materials and Methods: In ten normal right handed subjects, functional MR images were obtained using a 1.5-T MR scanner and the EPI BOLD technique. An item recognition task was used for stimulation, and during the activation period of the verbal working memory task, consonant letters were used. During the activation period of the visual working memory task, symbols or diagrams were employed instead of letters. For the post-processing of images, the SPM program was used, with the threshold of significance set at p < .001. We assessed activated brain areas during the two stimulation tasks and compared the activated regions between the two tasks. Results: The prefrontal cortex and secondary visual cortex were activated bilaterally by both verbal and visual working memory tasks, and the patterns of activated signals were similar in both tasks. The superior parietal cortex was also activated by both tasks, with lateralization to the left in the verbal task, and bilaterally without lateralization in the visual task. The inferior frontal cortex, inferior parietal cortex and temporal gyrus were activated exclusively by the verbal working memory task, predominantly in the left hemisphere. Conclusion: The prefrontal cortex is activated by two stimulation tasks, and this is related to the function of the central executive. The language areas activated by the verbal working memory task may be a function of the phonological loop. Bilateral prefrontal and superior parietal cortices activated by the visual working memory task may be related to the visual maintenance of objects, representing visual working memory.