Cobalt (Co) is mainly used to prepare cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and binder metals for WC-Co hard metals. Developing an effective method for recovering Co from WC-Co waste sludge is of immense significance. In this study, Co is extracted from waste cemented carbide soft scrap via mechanochemical milling. The leaching ratio of Co reaches approximately 93%, and the leached solution, from which impurities except nickel are removed by pH titration, exhibits a purity of approximately 97%. The titrated aqueous Co salts are precipitated using oxalic acid and hydroxide precipitation, and the effects of the precipitating agent (oxalic acid and hydroxide) on the cobalt microstructure are investigated. It is confirmed that the type of Co compound and the crystal growth direction change according to the precipitation method, both of which affect the microstructure of the cobalt powders. This novel mechanochemical process is of significant importance for the recovery of Co from waste WC-Co hard metal. The recycled Co can be applied as a cemented carbide binder or a cathode material for lithium secondary batteries.

Zirconium(Zr) nuclear fuel cladding tubes are made using a three-time pilgering and annealing process. In order to remove the oxidized layer and impurities on the surface of the tube, a pickling process is required. Zr is dissolved in HF and HNO3 mixed acid during the process and pickling waste acid, including dissolved Zr, is totally discarded after being neutralized. In this study, the waste acid was recycled by adding BaF2, which reacted with the Zr ion involved in the waste acid; Ba2ZrF8 was subsequently precipitated due to its low solubility in water. It is very difficult to extract zirconium from the as-recovered Ba2ZrF8 because its melting temperature is 1031 oC. Hence, we tried to recover Zr using an electrowinning process with a low temperature molten salt compound that was fabricated by adding ZrF4 to Ba2ZrF8 to decrease the melting point. Change of the Zr redox potential was observed using cyclic voltammetry; the voltage change of the cell was observed by polarization and chronopotentiometry. The structure of the electrodeposited Zr was analyzed and the electrodeposition characteristics were also evaluated.

공단지역과 일반지역의 대기오염 및 산성비가 수목피해에 미치는 영향을 파악하기 위하여 경남, 울산지역을 중심으로 산림내 유입되는 강우에 대한 오염물질의 이온특성을 분석하고, 대기중 S O2농도와 수목의 쇠퇴도를 비교하였다. 강우의 pH는 공단지역이 일반지역보다 낮아 산성비가 내리고 있었고, EC는 pH와 강한 부의 상관(r=-.7861** )이었다. 용존성분중 양이온과 음이온 농도는 공단지역이 높았으며, 음이온에서는 S O42- 와 N O3- 가 높았다. 대기중 S O2농도는 공단지역이 높고, 계절별로는 겨울과 봄이 높았다. 수목쇠퇴와 변수들의 상관분석결과 편상관계수는 S O42- ＞ pH ＞ EC(Electrical conductivity) ＞ N O3- ＞ S O2＞ C l- 순이었으며, 추정회귀식은 Y = 5.1007-0.7811 X2(pH) + 0.0253 X5 (S O42- ) + 0.0275 X6(NON O3-)로서, 대기오염과 산성비가 함께 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타나 산림생태계 쇠퇴 및 토양산성화는 계속될 것으로 생각된다.

산성광산배수에서 철광물의 침전 및 상전이 과정은 배수 내의 미량원소의 거동에 많은 영향을 미친다. 그러나 자연에서 일어나는 이러한 과정을 정확하게 추적하기는 쉽지 않아 많은 연구들이 산성광산배수에서 일어나는 광물의 침전 및 상전이에 대하여 실내 실험에 의존하는 경우가 많았다. 본 연구에서는 달성광산에서 채취한 배수를 대상으로 실제 산성광산배수에서 서로 다른 pH 값을 갖는 조건에서 시간이 지남에 따라 일어나는 광물의 침전과 이에 따른 배수 내의 미량 원소 변화를 살펴보았다. 침전된 광물의 양이 많지 않아 동정이 어려운 경우도 있었지만 침전된 광물들의 정보를 종합해보면 대체적으로 비정질의 광물 먼저 형성된 후 아마도 슈베르트마나이트를 거쳐서 추후에 침철석이 침전된 것으로 사료된다. 그러나 시료 중 pH가 높은 경우(10)에는 계속적으로 비정질 상태로 남아있었다. 시간이 지남에 따라 광물의 침전 및 전이에 의하여 배수의 pH는 계속적으로 낮아지는 경향을 보였다. 모든 원소들이 높은 pH (8, 10)에서 낮은 농도를 보였는데 이는 높은 pH에서의 광물의 침전과 표면전하의 영향으로 판단되며 각 원소의 농도는 시간이 지남에 따라 조금씩 증가하였다. 황의 농도는 슈베르트마나이트에서 침철석으로의 전이의 영향으로 배수 내에서 역시 증가하였다.

We are motivated by both the accumulating evidence for the connection of solar variability to the chemistry of nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere and recent finding that the Galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) influx is associated with the solar northsouth asymmetry. We have analyzed the measured pH in precipitation over the 109 stations distributed in the United States. We have found that data of pH in precipitation as a whole appear to be marginally anti-correlated with the solar asymmetry. That is, rain seems to become less acidic when the southern hemisphere of the Sun is more active. The acidity of rain is also found to be correlated with the atmospheric temperature, while not to be correlated with solar activity itself. We have carried on the analysis with two subsamples in which stations located in the east and in the west. We find that the pH data derived from the eastern stations which are possibly polluted by sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are not correlated with the solar asymmetry, but with the temperature. On the contrary, the pH data obtained from the western stations are found to be marginally anti-correlated with the solar asymmetry. In addition, the pH data obtained from the western stations are found to be correlated with the solar UV radiation. We conclude by briefly pointing out that a role of the solar asymmetry in the process of acidification of rain is to be further examined particularly when the level of pollution by sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides is low.

Incinerated sewage sludge ash (ISSA) is regarded as a valuable resource having great potential for the recycling ofphosphorus. The P content of ISSA is known as around 10% as a P. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigatethe precipitation and separation characteristics of phosphorus from the acid-extracted solution of ISSA. The incineratedsewage sludge ash was leached by 1N sulfuric acid with solid/liquid ratio of 10 for 30min. The extracted solutioncontained about 1.1% of P and other metals, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg, with over than 1,000mg/L. Some heavy metals suchas Cu, Pb and Cr are presented as impurities as well. Most of Al and Fe in the extracted solution were precipitated withP when titrating it to pH 3.6. The precipitated form were assumed to AlPO4, FePO4·2H2O respectively, and Pb and Crwere precipitated in this stage as well. At this experiment, about 62.9% of the initial P was precipitated and removedfrom the solution. It was also find that all of the P extracted can not be recovered as a precipitate with a simple additionof NaOH, even though titrated to pH 11.6. The precipitated P also contained some impurities such as Al, Fe, and someheavy metals, which means that further researches are needed for the efficient separation and recovery of P from ISSA.

The analyzed results of observed precipitation and its pH in Kwangju for 262 days from Jan. 1, 1991 to Dec. 31, 1995 are as follows. The annual mean pH was 5.7, and the monthly mean pH values of January-May and November were less than 5.6 in Kwangju. The ratio of acid rain for these periods was about 48.1 %, almost half that of the total observed days. In March, the pH was 5.4 and the ratio of acid precipitation was 69%, an especially serious situation. In the spring, the pH value was 5.5 thus weak acidic. The pH of precipitation tended to decrease with greater precipitation. The relation between persistent time and pH of precipitation is variable, but if the persistent time is long, the pH is constant and low. It is fortunate that there is an increasing trend of pH in interannual variation, but it is thought important that the amplitude of variation of pH in 1995 was high and the pH value was 4.1 in October and November. Because heavy and persistent precipitation effects the accumulation of acidity, more concern about acid rain is needed.