Metabolic response under different salinity and temperature conditions for glass eel Anguilla japonica

Diadromous fish often enter freshwater directly from seawater via fish ladders or channels built in estuarine dams. The oxygen consumption rates (OCR) of glass eel, Anguilla japonica, were determined using an automatic intermittent flow respirometer under various salinity and temperature regimes to physiologically explain this direct movement. The endogenous rhythm of the OCR in wild glass eels, freshly collected from estuaries, was nearly synchronous with the tidal pattern at the estuarine collection site. When the salinity was changed from 20 psu (12°C) at a constant temperature to that of freshwater, the OCR of the glass eels decreased by 21.6±7.0% (mean ± SD) (P<0.05), showing a dampened rhythm for about 48 h. After this period of impediment, the glass eels resumed normal metabolic activity. Direct migration from seawater to freshwater under constant temperature would result in a severe physiological stress for these glass eels for about two days. When the glass eels were exposed to a cyclic change in water temperature of 2°C 26 h⁻¹, as they encounter in estuaries, and then were introduced to freshwater abruptly, the OCR rhythm corresponded to the cyclic changes in water temperature after exposure to freshwater. Under these conditions, the mean OCR of the glass eels had a small difference before and after exposure to freshwater. These data explained how glass eels can directly move from sea water into the freshwater without any apparent metabolic stress in the estuaries showing cyclic change in water temperature (Δt=2°C).     

Mechanical Properties with the Functional Group of Additives for Starch/PVA Blend Film

This paper deals with the mechanical properties and degree of swelling (DS) of starch/PVA blend film with the functional groups i.e., hydroxyl and carboxyl group, of additives. Starch/PVA blend films were prepared by using the mixing process. Glycerol (GL) with 3 hydroxyl group, sorbitol (SO) with 6 hydroxyl group, succinic acid (SA) with 2 carboxyl group, malic acid (MA) with 1 hydroxyl and 2 carboxyl group, tartaric acid (TA) with 2 hydroxyl and 2 carboxyl group and citric acid (CA) with 1 hydroxyl and 3 carboxyl group were used as additives. The results of measured tensile strength (TS) and elongation (%E) verified that both hydroxyl and carboxyl group as a functional groups increased the flexibility and strength of the film. Values of DS for GL-added and SA-added films were low. However, DS values of the films added MA, TA or CA with both hydroxyl and carboxyl group were comparatively high. When the film was dried at low temperature, the properties of the films were evidently improved. The reason is probably because the hydrogen bonding was activated at low temperature.     

An empirical analysis of energy efficiency measures applicable to cities,regions, and local governments,based on the case of South Korea’s local energy saving program

As highlighted in the outcome of the Paris Agreement at the 21st Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change there has been a recent push for the stronger mitigation actions of cities, regions, and local governments. Energy efficiency is a tool that can be leveraged by not only industry or national governments but also cities, regions, and local governments for mitigation purposes. However, studies on energy efficiency as a mitigation tool thus far have focused on the national or transnational scale, and on certain sectors of industry. The purpose of this paper is to find the most cost-efficient energy efficiency measures (EEMs) at the city, region, and local government level. To that end, this paper examines the yearly energy savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction intensity, as well as energy savings and GHG reduction efficiency, in the case of EEMs conducted by South Korean local governments. Yearly energy savings intensity and GHG reduction intensity are estimated to be in the range of 0.094～0.375 tonne of oil equivalent (TOE)/M-KRW (million Korean won) and 0.287～1.180 tCO2e/M-KRW. Results show that inverter installation at water and sewage treatment plants and improvement of pump efficiency are the most cost-efficient EEMs. Moreover, energy savings efficiency and GHG reduction efficiency are within the range of 18.29～45.31 %, at an average of 30.5 % GHG reduction potential. If this reduction potential is applied to the buildings and facilities regulated and run by cities/local governments, there is a worldwide reduction potential of 1.023 billion tCO₂ compared to 2020 business as usual levels.     

Ambient air monitoring of PCDD/Fs and co-PCBs in Gyeonggi-do, Korea

We started the monitoring for PCDD/Fs in ambient air and soil in August 2001, and co-PCBs in January 2002. Decreasing of PCDD/Fs and co-PCBs levels in ambient air were observed. The higher PCDD/Fs levels were found in winter and lower in autumn. We found that the industrial incinerators influenced the PCDD/Fs levels in ambient air. In the 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs concentration profiles, the three major congeners occupied 67% of the total mass. In case of co-PCBs, PCB#118, #105 and #77 were observed as the main congeners. Five cluster groups discriminated by ratio of four components, O(8)CDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-H(7)CDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-H(7)CDF and O(8)CDF, were obtained from HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis).     

Effect of soil moisture dynamics on dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) spill zone architecture in heterogeneous porous media

The amount, location, and form of NAPL in contaminated vadose zones are controlled by the spatial distribution of water saturation and soil permeability, the NAPL spill scenario, water infiltration events, and vapor transport. To evaluate the effects of these processes, we used the three-phase flow simulator STOMP, which includes a new permeability-liquid saturation-capillary pressure (k-S-P) constitutive model. This new constitutive model considers three NAPL forms: free, residual, and trapped. A 2-D vertical cross-section with five stratigraphic layers was assumed, and simulations were performed for seven cases. The conceptual model of the soil heterogeneity was based upon the stratigraphy at the Hanford carbon tetrachloride (CT) spill site. Some cases considered co-disposal of NAPL with large volumes of wastewater, as also occurred at the Hanford CT site. In these cases, the form and location of NAPL were most strongly influenced by high water discharge rates and NAPL evaporation to the atmosphere. In order to investigate the impact of heterogeneity, the hydraulic conductivity within the lower permeability layer was modeled as a realization of a random field having three different classes. For six extreme cases of 100 realizations, the CT mass that reached the water table varied by a factor of two, and was primarily controlled by the degree of lateral connectivity of the low conductivity class within the lowest permeability layer. The grid size at the top boundary had a dramatic impact on NAPL diffusive flux just after the spill event when the NAPL was present near the ground surface. NAPL evaporation with a fine grid spacing at the top boundary decreased CT mass that reached the water table by 74%, compared to the case with a coarse grid spacing, while barometric pumping had a marginal effect for the case of a continuous NAPL spill scenario considered in this work. For low water infiltration rate scenarios, the distribution of water content prior to a NAPL spill event decreased CT mass that reached the water table by 98% and had a significant impact on the formation of trapped NAPL. For all cases simulated, use of the new constitutive model that allows the formation of residual NAPL increased the amount of NAPL retained in the vadose zone. Density-driven advective gas flow from the ground surface controlled vapor migration in strongly anisotropic layers, causing NAPL mass flux to the lower layer to be reduced. These simulations indicate that consideration of the formation of residual and trapped NAPLs and dynamic boundary conditions (e.g., areas, rates, and periods of different NAPL and water discharge and fluctuations of atmospheric pressure) in the context of full three-phase flow are needed, especially for NAPL spill events at the ground surface. In addition, NAPL evaporation, density-driven gas advection, and NAPL vertical movement enhanced by water flow must be considered in order to predict NAPL distribution and migration in the vadose zone.     

Performance of an electrochemical COD (chemical oxygen demand) sensor with an electrode-surface grinding unit

An electrochemical COD (chemical oxygen demand) sensor using an electrode-surface grinding unit was investigated. The electrolyzing (oxidizing) action of copper on an organic species was used as the basis of the COD measuring sensor. Using a simple three-electrode cell and a surface grinding unit, the organic species is activated by the catalytic action of copper and oxidized at a working electrode, poised at a positive potential. When synthetic wastewater was fed into the system, the measured Coulombic yields were found to be dependent on the COD of the synthetic wastewater. A linear correlation between the Coulombic yields and the COD of the synthetic wastewater was established (10-1000 mg L(-1)) when the electrode-surface grinding procedure was activated briefly at 8 h intervals. When various kinds of wastewater samples obtained from various sewage treatment plants were measured, linear correlations (r(2)> or = 0.92) between the measured EOD (electrochemical oxygen demand) value and COD of the samples were observed. At a practical wastewater treatment plant, the measurement system was successfully operated with high accuracy and good stability over 3 months. These experimental results show that the application of the measurement system would be a rapid and practical method for the determination of COD in water industries.     

Waste polyvinylchloride derived pitch as a precursor to develop carbon fibers and activated carbon fibers

Polyvinylchloride (PVC) was successfully recycled through the solvent extraction from waste pipe with an extraction yield of ca. 86%. The extracted PVC was pyrolyzed by a two-stage process (260 and 410 degrees C) to obtain free-chlorine PVC based pitch through an effective removal of chlorine from PVC during the heat-treatment. As-prepared pitch (softening point: 220 degrees C) was spun, stabilized, carbonized into carbon fibers (CFs), and further activated into activated carbon fibers (ACFs) in a flow of CO2. As-prepared CFs show comparable mechanical properties to commercial CFs, whose maximum tensile strength and modulus are 862 MPa and 62 GPa, respectively. The resultant ACFs exhibit a high surface area of 1200 m2/g, narrow pore size distribution and a low oxygen content of 3%. The study provides an effective insight to recycle PVC from waste PVC and develop a carbon precursor for high performance carbon materials such as CFs and ACFs.     

A measurement of community disaster resilience in Korea

Building a community that is resilient to disasters has become one of the main goals of disaster management. Communities that are more disaster resilient often experience less impact from the disaster and reduced recovery periods afterwards. This study develops a methodology for constructing a set of indicators measuring Community Disaster Resilience Index (CDRI) in terms of human, social, economic, environmental, and institutional factors. In this study, the degree of community resilience to natural disasters was measured for 229 local municipalities in Korea, followed by an examination of the relationship between the aggregated CDRI and disaster losses, using an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression method and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) method. Identifying the extent of community resilience to natural disasters would provide emergency managers and decision-makers with strategic directions for improving local communities' resilience to natural disasters while reducing the negative impacts of disasters.     

Carbonization of waste PVC to develop porous carbon material without further activation

Efficient removal of chlorine from PVC achieved by two-stage heat-treatment (280 and 410 degrees C) provided chlorine-free isotropic pitch containing additive. The pitch was stabilized and carbonized into porous carbons with surface areas of approximately 300 m2/g. Resultant porous carbons showed three pore structures of supermicropore, micropore and mesopore. The generation of CO2 from the decomposition of the CaCO3 additive in waste PVC is responsible for the development of porous structures. The surface area of the carbonized product increased after the removal of CaO.     

Distribution features of biological hazardous pollutants in residential environments in Korea

This research has been conducted continuously since 2009 as part of a cohort of studies examining relationships between asthma and genetic factors, dietary habits, and environmental factors. Based on data from environmental research on house dust mites and endotoxins, which are widely known as pollutants in bedding that cause asthma in pregnant women and children, this work was conducted to obtain basic data that can be used in future cohort studies that analyze links between distribution of biological hazards and physical features of residential environments. The detection rates of house dust mite allergens, Der p1 and Der f1, were 52.7 and 86.5 %, respectively, indicating that Der f1 is a dominant species in domestic indoor environments. According to comparisons between concentrations of house dust mites and endotoxins in bedding of pregnant women and children, Der p1 and endotoxins showed significantly lower concentrations in bedding of pregnant women compared with those in bedding of children, whereas Der f1 showed no significant difference in concentration according to bedding.