• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.535-543
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• 2019

Building on/with expansive soils with no treatment brings complications. Compacted expansive soils specifically fall short in satisfying the minimum requirements for transport embankment infrastructures, requiring the adoption of hauled virgin mineral aggregates or a sustainable alternative. Use of hauled aggregates comes at a high carbon and economical cost. On average, every 9m high embankment built with quarried/hauled soils cost $12600MJ.m^{-2}$ Embodied Energy (EE). A prospect of using mixed cutting-arising expansive soils with industrial/domestic wastes can reduce the carbon cost and ease the pressure on landfills. The widespread use of recycled materials has been extensively limited due to concerns over their long-term performance, generally low shear strength and stiffness. In this contribution, hydromechanical properties of a waste tyre sand-sized rubber (a mixture of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, elastomers, and styrene-butadiene) and expansive silt is studied, allowing the short- and long-term behaviour of optimum compacted composites to be better established. The inclusion of tyre shred substantially decreased the swelling potential/pressure and modestly lowered the compression index. Silt-Tyre powder replacement lowered the bulk density, allowing construction of lighter reinforced earth structures. The shear strength and stiffness decreased on addition of tyre powder, yet the contribution of matric suction to the shear strength remained constant for tyre shred contents up to 20%. Reinforced soils adopted a ductile post-peak plastic behaviour with enhanced failure strain, offering the opportunity to build more flexible subgrades as recommended for expansive soils. Residual water content and tyre shred content are directly correlated; tyre-reinforced silt showed a greater capacity of water storage (than natural silts) and hence a sustainable solution to waterlogging and surficial flooding particularly in urban settings. Crushed fine tyre shred mixed with expansive silts/sands at 15 to 20 wt% appear to offer the maximum reduction in swelling-shrinking properties at minimum cracking, strength loss and enhanced compressibility expenses.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.184-192
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• 2023

Microplastics are generated by the breakdown of plastic wastes in agricultural soil and residual pesticides in agricultural soil can adsorb on microplastics. In this study, the sorption characteristics of procymidone (PCM) and one of its metabolites, 3,5-dichloroaniline (DCA), on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics were investigated. The sorption and desorption tests were carried out for 72 h using LDPE or PVC microplastic films to study the sorption isotherms of PCM and DCA and kinetics for sorption and desorption of PCM. The results show that the sorption data of PCM and DCA were better described by the Freundlich isotherm model (R²=0.7568-0.9915) than the Langmuir isotherm model (R²=0.0545-0.5889). The sorption potential of PVC for both PCM and DCA was greater than that of LDPE. The sorption data of PCM on PVC and LDPE were fitted better to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The PCM sorption on LDPE was about three times faster than that on PVC. Both microplastic films released the sorbed PCM back to water, and more PCM was released from PVC than LDPE, but the desorption rate was faster with LDPE than PVC. Overall, the results show that different microplastics have different sorption characteristics for different chemicals. Also, the sorbed chemicals can be released back to environment suggesting the potential of contaminant spread by microplastics. Thus, the management practices of microplastics in agricultural soil need to consider their interaction with the chemical contaminants in soil.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.421-428
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• 2012

In this study, PCDD/PCDFs, PAHs and PCBs in wastes from metal, plastic and wastewater treatment facilities were analyzed. The concentrations of PCDD/PCDFs ranged from 7.37~432.20 ng-TEQ/kg in fly ash, 0.51~855.01 ng-TEQ/kg in incinerated ash and 0.37~385.81 ng-TEQ/kg in dust. Dioxin content was lower, compared to data in foreign countries. PAHs concentration was in the range of 0.0075~2.9225 mg/kg for process sludge and 0.0035~1.6716 mg/kg for wastewater sludge, which satisfied all of the two standards (Nap, Ant, B(a)F:4/0.8, Phen, B(a)A:5/1, Flt:10/2.5, B(a)P:4.5/0.9) of the Marine Environment Management Act. PAHs concentration in process sludge and wastewater sludge were slightly lower than those abroad. According to the analysis of seven types of PCBs (in comparison with the first standard, 0.15 mg/kg), concentration was found in the range of 0.0~0.65 mg/kg, while PCB-52, PCB-101, PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180 isomers were detected in excessive value in some machine oil and hydraulic fluid.

• Design Convergence Study
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.119-132
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• 2015

The enforcement of volume-rate disposal system which has been resulted in reducing the household waste and increasing the amount of recycled contents is showing positive effects that are generating social and economic benefits, However due to the lack of user's perception about how to separate and dispose of recycling wastes, some problems are constantly raised, like food waste is disposed in the standard volume-rate garbage bag. By rearranging visual information printed on standard plastic garbage bags (SPGB), this study attempted to find ways to deliver the information regarding how to use them properly. In order to achieve this, from the perspective of visual information design, the study examined the cases of visual information printed on nine SPGB from domestic and overseas. Among these, this study conducted a survey on user's awareness of visual information printed on SPGB in three districts of Seoul, Korea. As a result, user-preferred items were identified. Based on the result, this study selected information to be printed on SPGB, established the hierarchical order of the selected information, and proposed a guideline for using SPGB with informative graphics; therefore, the effectiveness of information delivery was improved. In addition, this study also examined the external validity of the guideline by comparing a survey on user's awareness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1273-1273
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• 2001

The efficiency of the luminal fermentation process influences overall efficiency of luminal production, animal health and reproduction. Ruminant production systems have a significant impact on the global environment, as well. Animal wastes contribute to pollution of the environment as ammonia volatilized to the air and nitrate leached to ground water. Microbial protein synthesis in the rumen satisfies a large proportion of the protein requirements of animals. Quantifying the microbial synthesis is possible by using markers for lumen bacteria and protozoa such as nucleic acids, purine bases, some specific amino acids, or by isotopic $^{15}N,^{32}P,\;and\;^{35}S$ labelled feeds. All those methods require cannulated animals, they are time-consuming and some methods are very expensive as well. Many attempts have been made to find an alternative method for indirect measurement of microbial synthesis in intact animals. The present investigations aimed to assess possibilities of NIRS for prediction of purine nitrogen excretion and ruminal microbial nitrogen synthesis by NIR spectra of urine. Urine samples were collected from 12 growing sheep,6 of them male, and 6- female. The sheep were included in feeding experiment. The ration consisted of sorghum silage and protein supplements -70:30 on dry matter basis. The protein supplements were chosen to differ in protein degradability. The urine samples were collected daily in a vessel containing $60m{\ell}$ 10% sulphuric acid to reduce pH below 3 and diluted with tap water to 4 liters. Samples were stored in plastic bottles and frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$ until chemical and NIRS analysis. The urine samples were analyzed for purine derivates - allantoin, uric acid, xantine and hypoxantine content. Microbial nitrogen synthesis in the lumen was calculated according to Chen and Gomes, 1995. Transmittance urine spectra with sample thickness 1mm were obtained by NIR System 6500 spectrophotometer in the spectral range 1100-2500nm. The calibration was performed using ISI software and PLS regression, respectively. The following statistical results of NIRS calibration for prediction of purine derivatives and microbial protein synthesis were obtained.(Table Omitted). The result of estimation of purine nitrogen excretion and microbial protein synthesis by NIR spectra of urine showed accuracy, adequate for rapid evaluation of microbial protein synthesis for a large number of animals and different diets. The results indicate that the advantages of the NIRS technology can be extended into animal physiological studies. The fast and low cost NIRS analyses could be used with no significant loss of accuracy when microbial protein synthesis in the lumen and the microbial protein flow in the duodenum are to be assessed by NIRS.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.63-71
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• 2009

Recyclable wastes coming into material recovery facilities(MRFs) is mostly packed by plastic bag or sack bag. Bag rupturing device is essential to improve capacity and efficiency of MRFs. Bag opening works of MRFs is mostly done by numerous workers and shredder-type bag rupturing device. It often makes a problems; decreased capacity, shredded recyclables, worker safety by explosion and broken glasses, etc. In the present work, bag rupturing device with octagonal rotating blade drums has been developed to solve the existing problems and environment assessment is also performed during operation of the device. Capacity of the device was about 5.6 ton/hr at 8.2 rpm of drum revolution speed and 1.25 m/min of belt conveyor speed. It satisfied initial designed capacity(5.0 ton/hr) and max. capacity 8.8 ton/hr was achieved at 12.5 rpm of drum revolution speed and 1.50m/min of belt conveyor speed. Bag rupturing efficiencies on outer and inner bag were obtained at 100% and about 95.6% as average, respectively and original form of glass bottles in the bag was maintained without broken by about 96.5%. This result shows that the safety in hand sorting by the workers could be improved. As result of environmental assessment on the noise, vibration and particulates, the measured levels on noise, vibration and particulates show the below standard regulatory limits. It could be concluded that the problems of existing devices in MRFs could be solved by adopting the bag rupturing device with octagonal rotating blade drums in on-site operation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.4679-4688
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• 2011

This study was performed to the municipal waste generation amounts and characteristics for B city in Gangwon province, predicted the methane gas generation rate emitted from landfill, and analyzed the possibility of energy recovery to RDF(Refuse Derived Fuel) using combustible waste. The study results showed that the average bulk density of municipal waste for B city was 144.0 kg/$m^3$, and the average ratios of combustible waste were 36.0 % of paper, 21.6 % of vinyl, and 19.7 % of food waste. respectively. In the experiment for heating value, high and low heating value(moisture) was measured to 3,471 $kca{\ell}$/kg and 2,941 $kca{\ell}$/kg, respectively. After the prohibition of burying of food waste in landfill, the heating value of municipal waste was dramatically increased due to increase of the ratio of paper, vinyl, and plastic waste. The prediction results of methane gas generation rate emitted from landfill showed that the gas generation rate is increasing to 2,505.7 CH4 ton/year in 2021. After then, the rate is decreasing gradually. When the RDF facility is installed, the rate is decreasing after peaking at 1,956.9 CH4 ton/year in 2013. The generation rate of LFG emitted from waste landfill of B city was analyzed to 9.92 $m^3$/min, similar to 10.11 $m^3$/min for other city.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.47-58
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• 2001

For finding both ways of recycling the wood and plastic wastes and solving the problem of free formaldehyde gas emission through manufacturing wood particle-polypropylene fiber composite board without addition of formaldehyde-based thermosetting resin adhesive, control particleboards and nonwoven web composite boards from wood particle and polypropylene fiber formulation of 50 : 50, 60 : 40, and 70 : 30 were manufactured at density levels of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8 g/$cm^3$, and were tested both in the physical and mechanical properties according to ASTM D 1037-93. In the physical properties, control particleboard had significantly higher moisture content than composite board. In composite board, moisture content decreased with the increase of target density only in the board with higher content of polypropylene fiber and also appeared to increase with the increase of wood particle content at a given target density. Control particleboard showed significantly greater water absorption than composite board and its water absorption decreased with the increase of target density. In composite board, water absorption decreased with the increase of target density at a given formulation but increased with the increase of wood particle content at a given target density. After 2 and 24 hours immersion, control particleboard was significantly higher in thickness swelling than composite board and its thickness swelling increased with the increase of target density. In composite board, thickness swelling did not vary significantly with the target density at a given formulation but its thickness swelling increased as wood particle content increased at a given target density. Static bending MOR and MOE under dry and wet conditions increased with the increase of target density at a given formulation of wood particle and polypropylene fiber. Especially, the MOR and MOE under wet condition were considerably larger in composite board than in control particleboard. In general, composite board showed superior bending strength properties to control particleboard, And the composite board made from wood particle and polypropylene fiber formulation of 50 : 50 at target density of 0.8 g/$cm^3$ exhibited the greatest bending strength properties. Though problems in uniform mixing and strong binding of wood particle with polypropylene fiber are unavoidable due to their extremely different shape and polarity, wood particle-polypropylene fiber composite boards with higher performance, as a potential substitute for the commercial particleboards, could be made just by controlling processing variables.

• Composites Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.168-175
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• 2015

Recently, the applications of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) have become broader than ever when it comes to such industries as automotive, ships, aerospace and military because of their lightweight-ness and high mechanical properties. Thermosetting plastics like epoxy are frequently used as the binding matrix in CFRPs due to their high hardness, wetting characteristics and low viscosity. However, they cannot melted and remolded. For this reason, thermosetting plastic wastes have caused serious environmental problems with the production of fiber reinforced plastics. Thus, many studies have focused on the carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) and recycling carbon fiber. In this study, recycled carbon fiber (RCF) was prepared from CFRPs using a pyrolysis method, which was employed to separate resin and carbon fiber. The degree of decomposition for epoxy resin was confirmed from thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The RCF was cut and ground to prepare a carbon fiber composite sheet (CFCS). CFCS was manufactured by applying recycled carbon fibers and various thermoplastic fibers. Various characterizations were performed, including morphological analyses of surface and cross-section, mechanical properties, and crystallization enthalpy of CFCS at different cooling conditions.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.20-28
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• 2013

This study was carried out to evaluate the possibility of resource recovery for municipal solid waste(MSW) that sorted by a MBT system. First, physical property of MSW was similar to wastes carried into Sudokown landfill site. However, moisture of MSW was little higher than that. As a result of BMP test using organic fraction of MSW(OFMSWs), approximately 60 ~ 80 mL $CH_4/g$-VS of methane was occurred. Compared to the other studies, the value of methane is lower. It seems to be caused that high ratio of vinyl/plastic in OFMSWs. The other BMP test using sample of MBT system located in Sudokwon landfill was conducted each physical properties. According to the result of experiment, food waste makes 193 mL $CH_4/g$-VS, and paper is 102 mL $CH_4/g$-VS. However, there was not methane production in vinyl and rubber. Additionally, others that can't sort no more show 30 m $CH_4L/g$-VS of methane production. From the result of experimental data OFMSWs has high fraction of vinyl, rubber and other substance that difficult for biodegradation. Therefore it is need to sort of them.