• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2017

Objectives: This on-site study was performed to evaluate the reduction efficiency of an air cleaner on particulate matters and biological agents in a swine facility. Materials and Methods: Particulate matter was measured using a real-time monitoring recorder and biological agents were sampled with a one-stage impactor and then analyzed based on the microbial culture method. An experimental process for the reduction effect on airborne pollutants through air cleaner operation consisted of three conditions: no treatment, wet scrapper by water spray and wet scrapper by disinfectant spray. Results: Geometric mean levels of particulate matter(TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_1$) were presented at $1,608{\mu}g/m^3$, $1,373.8{\mu}g/m^3$, $401.8{\mu}g/m^3$ and $144.5{\mu}g/m^3$ for no treatment; $1,503{\mu}g/m^3$, $1,017{\mu}g/m^3$, $159.4{\mu}g/m^3$ and $69.8{\mu}g/m^3$ for wet scrapper by water spray; and $1,222.17{\mu}g/m^3$, $477.17{\mu}g/m^3$, $33.2{\mu}g/m^3$ and $11.1{\mu}g/m^3$ for wet scrapper by disinfectant spray, respectively. In the case of biological agents, the geometric averaged concentrations of total airborne bacteria and fungi were as follows: $45,371cfu/m^3$ and $13,474cfu/m^3$ for no treatment, $43,286cfu/m^3$ and $8,610cfu/m^3$ for wet scrapper by water spray, and $2,440cfu/m^3$ and 1,867 cfu/ for wet scrapper by disinfectant spray, respectively. Regardless of particulate matter and biological agent, the highest concentrations were found for no treatment, while the lowest concentrations were found with wet scrapper by disinfectant spray. Conclusions: Based on the results obtained from this on-site evaluation, there was a significant reduction effect on particulate matter and biological agents through the application of an air cleaner in this study.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.251-260
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• 2004

The feasibility and stability of ORP, pH(mV) and DO as a real-time control parameter for SBR process were evaluated in this study. During operation, NBP(nitrogen break point) and NKP(nitrate knee point), which reveal the biological and chemical changes of pollutants, were clearly observed on ORP and pH(mV)-time profiles, and those control points were easily detected by tracking the moving slope changes(MSC). However, when balance of aeration rate to loading rate, or to OUR(oxygen uptake rate), was not optimally maintained, either false NBP was occurred on ORP and DO curves before the appearance of real NBP or specific NBP feature was disappeared on ORP curve. Under that condition, however, very distinct NBP was found on pH(mV)-time profile, and stable detection of that point was feasible by tracking MSC. These results might mean that pH(mV) is superior real-time control parameter for aerobic process than ORP and DO. Meanwhile, as a real-time control parameter for anoxic process, ORP was very stable and more useful parameter than others. Based on these results, a stable real-time control of process can be achieved by using the ORP and pH(mv) parameters in combination rather than using separately. A complete removal of pollutants could be always ensured with this real-time control technology, despite the variations of wastewater and operation condition, as well as an optimization of treatment time and capacity could be feasible.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.745-751
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• 2013

Environmental Specimen Banks (ESBs) have been established widely in the world since 1979 for monitoring long-term bio-accumulation of environmental pollutants. The ESBs perform the retrospective analysis of representative biological samples collected regularly and store them in cryogenic condition. In Korea, National Environmental Specimen Bank (NESB) was established in 2009. Since then, NESB had prepared the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the seven kinds of specimens (Red Pine (Pinus densiflora), Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), and etc.) for monitoring the effect of environmental pollution on the terrestrial ecosystem and river ecosystem. In 2012, NESB added Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris)'s eggs to the list of the environmental specimen for monitoring marine environmental pollution. In this study, we sampled the eggs of the Black-tailed Gull on two islands (Baekryeongdo of the West Sea and Hongdo of the South Sea). Especially, we selected eggs which remained in the early stages of embryo development for certifying the consistent and stable monitoring for environmental pollutants in egg contents. However, it was not considered to classify an order of eggs per clutch in this study. It is known that the concentration variations of pollutants exist among eggs in one clutch. Therefore, it is needed to consider the positions of eggs in the laying sequences to meet the objective of bioaccumulation monitoring. We collected 30 eggs in each site but the amount may be insufficient to achieve storage target (over 2,000 g). Therefore, we need to consider an optimal sampling size.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 1979

Environmental pollution or contaminations caused by various kinds of pollutants have become one of most serious problems of our time. Environ mental pollution is the unfavoralble alteration of our surroundings, through direct or indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, rediation levels, chemical and physical constitution and abundances of organisms. These changes may affect humans directly or through their supplies of water and of agicultural and other biological products, their physical objects or possessions, or their opportunities for recreation and appreciation of nature. Pollutants that meet the criteria of this definition of environmental pollution are numerous: gases (such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) and paniculate matter (such as smoke particles, lead aerosols, and asbestos) in the atmosphere; pesticides and radioactive isotopes in the atmosphee and in waterways; sewage, organic. chemicals, and phosphates in water; solid wastes on land; excessive heating (thermal pollution) of rivers and lakes; and many others. Some of these pollutants are introduced into the environment naturally, others by human actions, and most in both ways. Our major concer is with environmental pollution resulting wholly or largely as a by-product of human activities, because these can be controlled most readily. Environmental pollution cannot be solved by science and technology alone. It should be handled by an interdisciplinary approach with combined methods of science and technology as wen as social science disciplines for the better solution of this critical problem. In this respect, introducing "Environmental Science," a new scientific approach for the solution of environmental problems, which is now widely accepted by most developed countries of the world will be very helpful for systematization of theoretical basis for a new scientific approach to environmental pollution. Environmental science is "the study of all systems of air, land, water, energy, and life that surround Man. It includes all sciences directed to the system-level of understanding of the environment, drawing especially upon such disciplines as meteorology, geophysics, oceanography, and ecology, and utilizing to the fullest knowledge and techniques developed in such fields as physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering as well as many social science disciplines, such as economics, such as economics, law, political science and public administration." The components of this discipline are not new, for they are drawn from existing areas of science within biology chemistry, physics, and geoscience. What is really new about environmental science, however, is it siewpoint - its orientation to global problems, its conception of the earth as a set of interlocking, interacting systems, and its interest in Man as a part of these systems.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.25-25
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• 2016

Biological control has many advantages as a disease control method, particularly when compared with pesticides. One of the most important benefits is that biological control is an environmental friendly method and does not introduce pollutants into the environment. Another great advantage of this method is its selectivity. Selectivity is the important factor regarding the balance of agricultural ecosystems because a great damage to non target species can lead to the restriction of natural enemies' populations. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of several different bacterial isolates on the efficacy of biological control of soil borne diseases. White rot caused by Sclerotium cepivorum was reported to be severe disease of garlic and chive. The antifungal bacteria Burkholderia pyrrocinia CAB08106-4 was tested in field bioassays for its ability to suppress white rot disease. In field tests, B. pyrrocinia CAB08106-4 isolates suppressed white rot in garlic and chive, with the average control efficacies of 69.6% and 58.9%, respectively. In addition, when a culture filtrate of B. pyrrocinia CAB08106-4 was sprayed onto wounded garlic bulbs after inoculation with a Penicillium hirstum spore suspension in a cold storage room ($-2^{\circ}C$), blue mold disease on garlic bulbs was suppressed, with a control efficacy of 79.2%. These results suggested that B. pyrrocinia CAB08106-4 isolates could be used as effective biological control agents against both soil-borne and post-harvest diseases of Liliaceae. Chinese cabbage clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae was found to be highly virulent in Chinese cabbage, turnips, and cabbage. In this study, the endophytic bacterium Flavobacterium hercynium EPB-C313, which was isolated from Chinese cabbage tissues, was investigated for its antimicrobial activity by inactivating resting spores and its control effects on clubroot disease using bioassays. The bacterial cells, culture solutions, and culture filtrates of F. hercynium EPB-C313 inactivated the resting spores of P. brassicae, with the control efficacies of 90.4%, 36.8%, and 26.0%, respectively. Complex treatments greatly enhanced the control efficacy by 63.7% in a field of 50% diseased plants by incorporating pellets containing organic matter and F. hercynium EPB-C313 in soil, drenching seedlings with a culture solution of F. hercynium EPB-C313, and drenching soil for 10 days after planting. Soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum was reported to be severe disease to Chinese cabbage in spring seasons. The antifungal bacterium, Bacillus sp. CAB12243-2 suppresses the soft rot disease on Chinese cabbage with 73.0% control efficacy in greenhouse assay. This isolate will increase the utilization of rhizobacteria species as biocontrol agents against soft rot disease of vegetable crops. Sclerotinia rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has been reported on lettuce during winter. An antifungal isolate of Pseudomonas corrugata CAB07024-3 was tested in field bioassays for its ability to suppress scleritinia rot. This antagonistic microorganism showed four-year average effects of 63.1% of the control in the same field. Furthermore, P. corrugata CAB07024-3 has a wide antifungal spectrum against plant pathogens, including Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Sclerotium cepivorum, Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Phytophotra capsici, and Pythium myriotylum.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.16-29
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• 2009

This paper describes characteristics of pollutants in wastewater from the pulp and paper industry and biological technologies for the wastewater treatment. The wastewater from the pulp and paper industry contains high concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and shows high toxicity and strong black-brown color. In particular, organic chlorinated compounds such as dioxins and furans may be formed by the chlorination of lignin in wood chips. Thus the pulp and paper industry is recently trending toward total chlorine-free (TCF) bleaching processes. All biological technologies for pulp and paper wastewater treatment are based on the contact between wastewater and bacteria, which feed on organic materials in the wastewater, thus they reduce BOD concentration in it. Both aerobic and anaerobic treatments were found to be effective for the wastewater treatment. Furthermore, advanced technologies such as fungal application and combined biological-filtration process have been also introduced to the wastewater treatment field. These technologies would be useful for water recycling to reduce water consumption throughout pulp and paper making process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.743-752
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• 2009

One of the major problems associated with operation of domestic sewer lines involves hydraulic problems such as insufficient conveyance capacity, exceeding maximum velocity, and deficiency of minimum velocity. It has also been pointed out that influent concentration lower than design concentration of pollutants, which is mainly caused by unidentified inflow and infiltration, degrades the operational efficiency of many sewage treatment plants (STPs). A computer-added analysis method supporting a coupled simulation of sewage quality and quantity is essentially required to evaluate the status of existing STPs and to improve their efficiency by a proper sewer rehabilitation work. In this study, dynamic water quality simulations were conducted using MOUSE TRAP to investigate the principal parameters that governs the changes of BOD, ${NH_4}^+$, and ${PO_4}^{3-}$3- concentrations within the sewer networks based on data acquired through on-site and laboratory measurements. The BOD, ${NH_4}^+$ and ${PO_4}^{3-}$3- concentrations estimated by MOUSE TRAP was lower than theoretical pollution loads because of sedimentation and decomposition in the sewer. The results revealed that sedimentation is a most important factor than other biological reactions in decreasing pollutant load in the sewers of C-city. The sensitivity analysis of parameters pertaining to water quality changes indicated that the effect of the BOD decay rate, the initial DO concentration, the half-saturation coefficient of dissolved BOD, and the initial sediment depth is marginal. However, the influence of settling rate and temperature is relatively high because sedimentation and precipitation, rather than biological degradation, are dominant processes that affect water quality in the study sewer systems.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.565-571
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the tolerance of some resistant fungal strains from soils contaminated with heavy metals. Various fungal strains were isolated from soil samples collected from studied sites which heavy metals and other pollutants have been emitted in effluents for several years. Fungi isolated belong to different genera; however, Penicillium spp. showed the most frequent species. The microbial number was remarkably higher in the control soil than contaminated soil samples collected from mining areas. $Pb^{2+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ had the highest concentration in the polluted soils ranging from 89 - 3,521 ppm and 98 - 4,383 ppm, respectively. The minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of $Pb^{+2}$ and $Zn^{+2}$ showed the highest values against the fungal strains. $Ni^{+2}$ and $Co^{+2}$ were the lowest contaminants in the polluted soils with the concentration of 5 to 12.1 ppm and 1.8 to 4.8 ppm, respectively. The tested resistant strains showed the strongest inhibition for $Ni^{+2}$ and $Co^{+2}$ up to 200-400 ppm. Cadmium was the most highly toxic heavy metal for most of strains, however, 1 mM of $Cr^{3+}$, $Cu^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ accelerated the growth of Penicillium verrucosum KNU3. $Cu^{+2}$ and $Zn^{+2}$ at concentration of 1 mM did not affect the growth rate P. funiculosum KNU4. Tolerance of fungal species to heavy metals appears to be strain and origin dependent.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2017

Bioremediation is a technique using microorganisms to clean up contaminated pollutants including heavy metals. It is well known that yeasts have a high capacity to remove a wide range of metals by biosorption. Therefore, this study was focused on to obtain yeast mutant that has strong tolerance to zinc (Zn), one of representative heavy metals. The Zn resistant yeast mutant (ZnR) was induced and isolated by growing yeast cells in media containing 1 mM $ZnCl_2$ and gradually increasing the concentration until 80 mM $ZnCl_2$, in which cells were adapted and survived. The induced ZnR cells showed strong tolerance to Zn stress compared with control cells. Moreover, the ZnR cells showed increased tolerance to cadmium and nickel stress but decreased tolerance to copper stress. The increased tolerance of ZnR cells to Zn stress was due to mutation of genes. This study can be useful in bioremediation of heavy metals as the metal tolerant microorganism was artificially induced in short time.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.65-84
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• 2020

The potential use of Sargassum boveanum algae for the removal of uranium from aqueous solution has been studied by varying three independent parameters (pH, initial uranium ion concentration, S. boveanum dosage) using a central composite design (CCD) under response surface methodology (RSM). Batch mode experiments were performed in 20 experimental runs to determine the maximum metal adsorption capacity. In CCD design, the quantitative relationship between different levels of these parameters and heavy metal uptake (q) were used to work out the optimized levels of these parameters. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the proposed quadratic model revealed that this model was highly significant (R² = 0.9940). The best set required 2.81 as initial pH(on the base of design of experiments method), 1.01 g/L S. boveanum and 418.92 mg/L uranium ion concentration within 180 min of contact time to show an optimum uranium uptake of 255 mg/g biomass. The biosorption process was also evaluated by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models represented that the experimental data fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model of a suitable degree and showed the maximum uptake capacity of 500 mg/g. FTIR and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the biosorbent and implied that the functional groups (carboxyl, sulfate, carbonyl and amine) were responsible for the biosorption of uranium from aqueous solution. In conclusion, the present study showed that S. boveanum could be a promising biosorbent for the removal of uranium pollutants from aqueous solutions.