• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.672-678
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• 2017

In the production of zirconium cladding tube, a pickling acid solution is used to remove surface contaminants, which generates tons of pickling acid waste. The waste pickling solution is a valuable resource of Hf-free Zr. Many studies have investigated separating the Hf-free Zr source from the waste pickling acid. The results showed that $Ba_2ZrF_8$ precipitates prepared from the waste pickling acid were useful as an electrolyte for the electrorefining of Zr in molten salt. In the present work, electrorefining was performed in a $Ba_2ZrF_8-LiF$ binary electrolyte to recover Zr from a Hf-free CuZr ingot anode prepared by electroreduction. Before electrorefining, two pretreatments are performed. First, electrolyte melting was carried out to determine the eutectic temperature, and second, the electrolyte was treated to eliminate impurities, mainly hydride. After electrorefining, the cathode deposits were analyzed by $O_2$ gas analyzer and SEM-EDX to explore the possibility of recovering nuclear-grade Zr metal. Moreover, the anode was analyzed by SEM-EDX to determine the Zr dissolution depth.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.271-278
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• 2021

In this study, a chlorination technique for recycling Li₂ZrO₃, a reaction product of ZrO₂-assisted rinsing process, was investigated to minimize the generation of secondary radioactive pyroprocessing waste. It was found that the reaction temperature was a key parameter that determined the reaction rate and maximum conversion ratio. In the temperature range of 400-600℃, an increase in the reaction temperature resulted in a profound increase in the reaction rate. Hence, according to the experimental results, a reaction temperature of at least 450℃ was proposed to ensure a Li₂ZrO₃ conversion ratio that exceeded 80% within 8 h of the reaction time. The activation energy was found to be 102 ± 2 kJ·mol^-1·K^-1 between 450 and 500℃. The formation of LiCl and ZrO₂ as reaction products was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The experimental results obtained at various total flow rates revealed that the overall reaction rate depends on the Cl₂ mass transfer rate in the experimental condition. The results of this study prove that the chlorination technique provides a solution to minimize the amount of radioactive waste generated during the ZrO₂-assisted rinsing process.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-41
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• 2023

Coupled thermo-hydraulic-mechanical (THM) processes are essential for the long-term performance of deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. In this study, a numerical sensitivity analysis was performed to analyze the effect of rock properties on THM responses after the execution of the heater test at the Kamaishi mine in Japan. The TOUGH-FLAC simulator was applied for the numerical simulation assuming a continuum model for coupled THM analysis. The rock properties included in the sensitivity study were the Young's modulus, permeability, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficients of crystalline rock, rock salt, and clay. The responses, i.e., temperature, water content, displacement, and stress, were measured at monitoring points in the buffer and near-field rock mass during the simulations. The thermal conductivity had an overarching impact on THM responses. The influence of Young's modulus was evident in the mechanical behavior, whereas that of permeability was noticed through the change in the temperature and water content. The difference in the THM responses of the three rock type models implies the importance of the appropriate characterization of rock mass properties with regard to the performance assessment of the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2001

Four newly isolated bacteria from soil were used to manufacture microbial inoculum to compost food waste. The bacteria, GM103, V25, V31, and V35, were identified as Bacillus licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. stearothermophilius, and B, subtilis, respectively. The bacterial strains were efficient to degrade protein and starch and also able to inhibit the growth of plant pathogenic fungus Rhizopus stronifer. The GM103 showed distinct capability in degrading starch, but grow only aerobically. The other three bacterial strains. V25, V31, and V35, could grow both aerobically as well as anaerobically, in 10%(w/v) salt, at $50^{\circ}C$, and had good viability and survival rate in soil. These characteristics of the bacterial strains are very adquate in Korean food composting containing high concentration of salt, especially at home. By mixing the 4 bacterial culture broth with molasses, beet pulp, zeolite, The bacterial inoculum for food waste composting-BIOTOP-CLEAN-was made. The performance of food waste composting by the BIOTOP-CLEAN was compared with that by control(not treated) and HS(other demestic company's inoculum product for food waste composting). The maximum temperature of the food waste during the composting with the BIOTOP-CLEAN was $50^{\circ}C$, while those of the control and HS were $30^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$, respectively. The BIOTOP-CLEAN gave the good smell and showed dark brown color, while the control gave bad smell and HS gave less bad smell. These indicates that the food waste composting by the BIOTOP-CLEAN had been well accomplished. The culture broth of V25, V31, V35 were sparyed to the plants of tomato, chinese cabbage, raddish, red pepper every month and the spraying the culture broth to these plant significantly improved the production yield of the crops, due to the control effect of the bacterial strains against the plant pathogens.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2023

The accumulation of spent carbide (YG8), not only pollutes the environment but also causes waste of tungsten, cobalt and other rare metal resources. To better address this issue, we proposed a combined electrochemical separation process of low-temperature aqueous solution and high-temperature molten salt for tungsten and cobalt. H₂WO₄ was obtained from spent carbide in an aqueous solution, and we calcined it to obtain WO₃, which was used as a raw material to obtain tungsten by using molten salt electrodeposition. The influence of the current efficiency and the electrochemical behavior of the discharge precipitation of W(VI) were also studied. The calcination results showed that the morphology of WO₃ was regular and there were no other impurities. The maximum current efficiency of 82.91% was achieved in a series of electrodeposition experiments. According to XRD and SEM analysis, the recovered product was high purity tungsten, which belongs to the simple cubic crystal system. In the W(VI) reduction mechanism experiments, the electrochemical process of W(VI) in NaCl-Na₂WO₄-WO₃ molten salt was investigated using linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry in a three-electrode system. The LSV showed that W(VI) was reduced at the cathode in two steps and the electrode reaction was controlled by diffusion. The fitting results of chronoamperometry showed that the nucleation mechanism of W(VI) was an instantaneous nucleation mode, and the diffusion coefficient was 7.379×10^-10 cm²·s^-1.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.137-146
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• 2011

In this research, food waste source reduction model for apartment was investigated. In spite of prohibition of direct landfill of food waste and continuous efforts made by government and local government, food waste production increases steadily. Recycling ratio of the food waste increases every year, but its products have many problems like low quality, stability, salt, odor etc. Household occupies 63.3% of whole food waste production and this is subject to be a key factor to control food waste. We surveyed S apartment in Kwangju city as a model case, in which administrative office and women's association adopted clean plate eating, separation of raw food waste and earth worm composting as a series of method for source reduction and recycling inside the apartment. With the help of residents' participation and practice, food waste production decreased 15.6% from 0.31 g/capita/day in 2007 to 0.26 g/capita/day in 2009 (domestic average 0.30 g/capita/day). Separation of raw food waste and its composting using earth worm were very effective, and were subject to resolve the problems of present food waste treatment technologies. And earth worm composting was very useful in environmental, economical, societal and educational aspects. Instead of economical incentive, educational programs about food value, environmental problem and critical method for food waste separation were more effective for promotion of source reduction. From the analyses on the process and success factors in this model, we could conclude that leader's role was one of the key factors for the settlement of source reduction, and that was to understand the seriousness of the food waste and to seek solution, to test techniques, and to practice by oneself. Furthermore, networking and collaboration among residents, local government, NGO and local press promoted residents' participation, and it was through various education and investigation. Finally, source reduction and self recycling model of food waste in the apartment, that applies separating raw food waste and earth worm composting based on the collaboration among residents, local government, NGO, and local press, should be disseminated, and environmental policy also should be changed to make it possible.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.319-327
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• 2007

Incineration has been regarded as the best developed technology available for organically hazardous waste. However, permitting and siting incinerators to treat hazardous waste such as a waste containing PCBs is very difficult due to the public concerns associated with toxic air emissions. Recently, a lot of alternatives to an incineration have been developed and these technologies have the potential of alleviating public concerns by decreasing emissions of hazardous materials such as dioxins and furans. This paper reviews currently available alternative incineration technologies for various hazardous waste streams. Various categories of non-thermal and thermal alternative incineration technologies have been evaluated in terms of their process operating condition, applicability of a waste stream and their emission of secondary waste. Detailed descriptions of operating principles of several technologies are also provided.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.90-95
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• 2008

In this study, a combined process of sequential anaerobic-aerobic digestion (SAAD), fluidized-bed bioreactor (FBBR), and ultrafiltration (UF) for the treatment of small scale food waste leachate was developed and evaluated. The SAAD process was tested for performance and stability by subjecting leachate from food waste to a two-phase anaerobic digestion. The main process used FBBR composed of aerators for oxygen supply and fluidization, three 5 ton reaction chambers containing an aerobic mesophilic microorganism immobilized in PE (polyethylene), and a sedimentation chamber. The HRTs (hydraulic retention time) of the combined SAAD-FBBR-UF process were 30, 7, and 1 day, and the operation temperature was set to the optimal one for microbial growth. The pilot process maintained its performance even when the CODcr of input leachate fluctuated largely. During the operation, average CODcr, TKN, TP, and salt of the effluent were 1,207mg/L, 100mg/L, 50 mg/L, and 0.01 %, which corresponded to the removal efficiencies of 99.4%, 98.6%, 89.6%, and 98.5%, respectively. These results show that the developed process is able to manage high concentration leachate from food waste and remove CODcr, TKN, TP, and salt effectively.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.294-301
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• 2016

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have described the importance of microbes and enzymes that can compost food waste. This study was carried out to improve production of protease of isolated microbes from food waste. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven bacteria isolated from various sources were screened for protease production by adding skim milk into the agar medium. About 7 microbes producing protease were tested, and strain JH-35 showed the highest protease activity among them. The strain was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JH-35 based on morphological, cultural, physiological characteristics and 16S rRNA. In the fermentation experiment, the assay B. amyloliquefaciens JH-35 showed the highest protease activity in the condition of 1% glucose, 1.5% yeast extract and 0.2%$ K_2HPO_4$. The optimal condition of culture with temperature $35^{\circ}C$, initial pH of 7 and shaking speed of 200 rpm and 24 hr. CONCLUSION: The protease of the B. amyloliquefaciens JH-35 had its activity at pH 7 and the optimal culture time was 24 hr. Also, B. amyloliquefaciens JH-35 was high salt tolerance. Our results suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens JH-35 from food waste may have the potential to degrade protein and carbohydrate in food waste.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.468-477
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• 2004

The polymer blends of waste poly(vinyl chloride) (RPVC) and waste polyethylene (RPE) were prepared by melt mixing. Various ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) and ethylene-methacrylic acid Na salt copolymer (ionomer) were used as compatibilizer. Their morphologies and mechanical properties were evaluated as a funtion of mixing sequence and time. EVA with high vinyl acetate contents showed a rapid increment of tensile properties when small amount was added. Tensile properties of the blends were gradually increased with the addition of ionomer. Morphologies of RPVC/RPE blends were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. FT-IR data showed that EVA was a good compatibilizer in RPVC/RPE blend compared to ionomer. Mechanical properties of the blends were highly enhanced when RPVC and compatibilizer were mixed and first RPE was added later.