• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.11-21
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• 2022

Sorption of phenanthrene (PHE) and pyrene (PYR) in several sorbents, i.e., natural soil, BionSoil^®, Pahokee peat, vermicompost and Devonian Ohio Shale and a surfactant (hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride)-modified montmorillonite (HDTMA-M) were investigated. Pyrene exhibited higher sorption tendency than phenanthrene, as predicted by its higher octanol to water partition coefficient (K_ow). Several sorption models: linear, Freundlich, solubility-normalized Freundlich model, and Polanyi-Manes model (PMM) were used to analyze sorption isotherms. Linear isotherms were observed for natural soil, BionSoil^®, Pahokee peat, vermicompost, while nonlinear Freundlich isotherms fitted for Ohio shale and HDTMA-M. The relationship between sorption model parameters, organic carbon content (f_oc), and elemental C/N ratio was studied. In the binary competitive sorption of phenanthrene and pyrene in natural soil, competition between the solutes caused reduction in the sorption of each solute compared with that in the single-solute system. The ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) coupled with the single-solute Freundlich model was not successful in describing the binary competitive sorption equilibria. This was due to the inherent nature of linear sorption of phenanthrene and pyrene in natural soil. The result indicates that the applicability of IAST for the prediction of binary competitive sorption is limited when the sorption isotherms are inherently linear.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.170-180
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• 1995

A carotennnoprotein from the skin of Ascidian(Halocynthia roretzi) was extracted by Triton X-100 and purified by ammonium sulfate fraction, SephadexG-200 charomatography and DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. The carotenoprotein was redwith broad $\lambda$$_{max}$ between 495, 467 and 318nm. The red carotenoprotein had an approximate molecular weight of 326KDa(gel filtration). SDS-PAGE indicated the presence of two polypeptodes of 84.1KDa and 74.4KDa, with different mobility in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the presence of denaturing agents such as organic solvent aand extreme pH, the red complex readily disociates to liberate the yellow carotenoid($\lambda$$_{max}$ 452nm) and a colourless apoprotein. The amino acid composition of carotenoprotein were mainly threonine(15.2%), aspartic acid(12.2%), glutamic acid(11.9%) and serine(9.6%), while proline was not found. The carotenoprotein consisted of lipids as structure units. Its major fatty acids composion were C$_{18:1}$, C$_{16:1}$, and C$_{16:0}$. The monounsaturated fatty acids(41.5%) contained abundant content compared to other fatty aacids(polyunsaturated fatty acids 37.4%, saturated fatty acids 20.6%).

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.318-323
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• 2023

The thermoelectric effect, which converts waste heat into electricity, holds promise as a renewable energy technology. Recently, bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3)-based alloys are being recognized as important materials for practical applications in the temperature range from room temperature to 500 K. However, conventional sintering processes impose limitations on shape-changeable and tailorable Bi₂Te₃ materials. To overcome these issues, three-dimensional (3D) printing (additive manufacturing) is being adopted. Although some research results have been reported, relatively few studies on 3D printed thermoelectric materials are being carried out. In this study, we utilize extrusion 3D printing to manufacture n-type Bi_1.7Sb_0.3Te₃ (N-BST). The ink is produced without using organic binders, which could negatively influence its thermoelectric properties. Furthermore, we introduce graphene oxide (GO) at the crystal interface to enhance the electrical properties. The formed N-BST composites exhibit significantly improved electrical conductivity and a higher Seebeck coefficient as the GO content increases. Therefore, we propose that the combination of the extrusion 3D printing process (Direct Ink Writing, DIW) and the incorporation of GO into N-BST offers a convenient and effective approach for achieving higher thermoelectric efficiency.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 2023

The skin is a dynamic ecosystem on which diverse microbes reside. The interkingdom interaction between microbial species in the skin microbiota is thought to influence the health and disease of the skin although the roles of the intra- and interkingdom interactions remain to be elucidated. In this context, the interactions between Malassezia and Staphylococcus, the most dominant microorganisms in the skin microbiota, have gained attention. This study investigated how the interaction between Malassezia and Staphylococcus affected the antifungal susceptibility of the fungus to the azole antifungal drug ketoconazole. The susceptibility was significantly decreased when Malassezia was co-cultured with Staphylococcus. We found that acidification of the environment by organic acids produced by Staphylococcus influenced the decrease of the ketoconazole susceptibility of M. restricta in the co-culturing condition. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that the significant increased ergosterol content and cell membrane and wall thickness of the M. restricta cells grown in the acidic environment may be the main cause of the altered azole susceptibility of the fungus. Overall, our study suggests that the interaction between Malassezia and Staphylococcus influences the antifungal susceptibility of the fungus and that pH has a critical role in the polymicrobial interaction in the skin environment.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2023

Carbon materials are widely used in many areas of our lives. A fiber having a carbon content of 90% or more obtained by heating an organic fiber precursor is referred to as a "carbon fiber". Carbon fibers are currently used in the medical market to manufacture radiation transmission device parts, artificial joints, and medical aids, as many developments have been made to utilize carbon fibers' characteristics such as light weight, radiation permeability, biocompatibility, high strength, high heat resistance, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity. In order to maintain body temperature and increase immunity in long-lasting nuclear medical examination and treatment through the idea of convergence of carbon materials and radiation technology, the quality of medical services can be improved by utilizing carbon materials. We should be aware of the domestic carbon-based medical device industry and make efforts to contribute to the development of medical devices. As a radiation expert, we should try to use our skills and experience to find items that can be fused with medical devices to develop various nuclear medical examination fields and radiographic examination fields that can be widely applied. We should actively engage in future technology development and carbon material research to strengthen the global competitiveness of the domestic medical device industry and improve the quality of medical services.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.308-314
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• 2009

In this study, we examined the composition of catechins, theaflavins and alkaloids in leaves during processing to fermented black tea, which is produced by withering, roll breaking, and fermentation of Korean Yabukida tea plant. In addition, we determined the optimal conditions for the production of fermented black tea. The average moisture content in fresh leaves was 70.85%, which dropped to 3.07% in fermented black tea at the last stage of production. When the leaves were analyzed by HPLC, seven types of catechins, four types of theaflavins and three types of alkaloids were identified. The levels of catechins, theaflavins, and alkaloids were then evaluated after being processed into fermented tea. From these experiments, we found that the level of theaflavins, which determines the property of the tea, increased during fermentation. This effect resulted from the change in EGCG, ECG, EGC, EC during the process of fermentation. We also found that the maximal amount of theaflavins was created after 1-2 hours of fermentation. Thus, our results imply that the best condition for producing fermented black tea would be to ferment for 1-2 hours.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.502-508
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• 2023

With the increasing demand for electronic products, the amount of multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) waste has also increased. Recycling technology has recently gained attention because it can simultaneously address raw material supply and waste disposal issues. However, research on recovering valuable metals from MLCCs and converting the recovered metals into high-value-added materials remains insufficient. Herein, we describe an electrospinning (E-spinning) process to recover nickel from MLCCs and modulate the morphology of the recovered nickel oxide particles. The nickel oxalate powder was recovered using organic acid leaching and precipitation. Nickel oxide nanoparticles were prepared via heat treatment and ultrasonic milling. A mixture of nickel oxide particles and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as the E-spinning solution. A PVP/NiO nanowire composite was fabricated via E-spinning, and a nickel oxide nanowire with a network structure was manufactured through calcination. The nanowire diameters and morphologies are discussed based on the nickel oxide content in the E-spinning solution.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.68-77
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• 2023

The effect of soil damage on the physicochemical characteristics and activity of the soil microbial community is not well known. This study investigates this relationship by analyzing 11 soil samples collected from various points of soil damage across Gyeonggi-do. Soil damage resulted from forest fires, landslides, and development areas, with their impacts most severe on the topsoil layer (0-30 cm). Dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activities were notably higher at locations damaged by forest fires compared to other sites. While enzyme activities in soils influenced by landslides and development areas were relatively low, sites with a pollution history exhibited elevated dehydrogenase activity, likely due to past microbial response to the pollution. Additionally, an assessment of carbon substrate usability by soil microorganisms indicated higher substrate availability in areas impacted by forest fires, contrasting with lower availability in landslide and development sites. Statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between organic content of sand and clay and microbial activity. These findings provide valuable insights into soil damage and associated restoration research, as well as management strategies.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.374-381
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• 2015

Occurrences of coastal dredged materials are ever increasing due to port construction, navigational course maintenance and dredging of polluted coastal sediments. Ocean dumping of the coastal dredged materials has become virtually prohibited as London Treaty will be enacted as of the year 2012. It will be necessary to treat and recycle the dredged materials that may carry organic pollutants and heavy metals in a reasonable and effective process: collection of the dredged materials, liquid and solid separation, and treatment of organic compounds and heavy metals. In this study we have developed a continuous bioreactor system that can treat a mixture of silt and particulate organic matter using a microbial consortium (BM-S-1). The steady-state operation conditions were: pH (7.4-7.5), temperature ($16^{\circ}C$), DO (7.5-7.9), and salt concentration (3.4-3.7%). The treatment efficiencies of SCOD, T-N and T-P of the mixture were 95-96%, 92-99%, and 79-97%. The system was also effective in removal of heavy metals such as Zn, Ni, and Cr. Levels of MLSS during three months operation period were 11,000-19,000 mg/L. Interestingly, there was little sludge generated during this period of operation. The augmented microbial consortium seemed to be quite active in the removal of the organic component (30%) present in the dredged material in association with indigenous bacteria. The dominant phyla in the treatment processes were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes while dominant genii were Marinobacterium, Flaviramulus, Formosa, Alteromonadaceae_uc, Flavobacteriaceae_uc. These results will contribute to a development of a successful bioremediation technology for various coastal and river sediments with a high content of organic matter, inorganic nutrients and heavy metals, leading to a successful reuse of the polluted dredged sediments.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2017

This experiment was conducted to test the suitability of various organic materials in order to reduce the use dependence of peatmoss as a soil pH regulator and to examine the effect of soil organic matter supply. A 2-year old northern-highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) 'Duke' plants were planted in the field at $2.0m{\times}2.5m$ spacing in spring. Before planting, organic materials were incorporated into the soil including the planting hole at 20 liter per plant, as the following mixtures: peatmoss only (20 L), peatmoss (10 L) + pine needle (10 L, PN), peatmoss (10 L) + rice hull (10 L, RH), and peatmoss (10 L) + sawdust (10 L, SD). The pH of organic materials was lowest in peatmoss (pH 4.3), followed by PN (pH 4.8), SD (pH 5.7) and RH (pH 7.8). Soil pH measured right after planting ranged from 5.3 to 5.9 and was lower in PM only and PM + PN than PM + RH and SD treatments. In the third year, the pH lowered to the range of 4.2 to 4.5, with PM and PM + PN still maintaining lower values. The early growth was good in the mixed treatment of PM and PN, and the plant height and width and the number of new shoots were good in the PM treatment. Soil water content was maintained highest in PM + PN, followed by PM, PM + SD and PM + RH. Vegetative growth was maintained better in PM and PM + PN, and the number of flower cluster and yield were also slightly higher in those treatments while mean fruit weight was similar among all treatments. Fruit quality indices such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity and firmness were not affected.