The primary objective of this study is to evaluate a systematic design’s effectivity in remediating actual uranium-contaminated soil. The emphasis was placed on practical and engineering aspects, particularly in assessing the capabilities of a zero liquid discharge system in treating wastewater derived from soil washing. The research method involved a purification procedure for both the uranium-contaminated soil and its accompanying wastewater. Notably, the experimental outcomes demonstrated successful uranium separation from the contaminated soil. The treated soil could be self-disposed of, as its uranium concentration fell below 1.0 Bq·g−1, a level endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency for radionuclide clearance. The zero liquid discharge system’s significance lay in its distillation process, which not only facilitated the reuse of water from the separated filtrate but also allowed for the self-disposal of high-purity Na2SO4 within the residues of the distilled filtrate. Through a comparative economic analysis involving direct disposal and the application of a remediation process for uranium-contaminated soil, the comprehensive zero liquid discharge system emerged as a practical and viable choice. The successful demonstration of the design and practicality of the proposed zero liquid discharge system for treating wastewater originating from real uranium-contaminated soil is poised to have a lasting impact.

In the case of dry storage facilities, slipping of the cask or tip-over are dangerous phenomena. For this reason, in dry storage facilities, measures against slipping and tip-over or related safety evaluations are important. Accidental conditions that can cause cask slippage and tip-over in dry storage facilities include natural phenomena such as floods, tornadoes, tsunamis, typhoons, earthquakes, and artificial phenomena such as airplane crashes. However, among natural phenomena, earthquakes are the most important natural phenomenon that causes tip-over. Also, many people had the stereotype that Korea is an earthquake-safe zone before 2016. However, earthquakes become a major disaster in Korea due to the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake and the 2017 Pohang earthquake, followed by the Goesan earthquake in October 2022. In this paper, seismic analysis was performed based on dry storage facilities including multiple casks. Design variables for the construction of an analysis model for dry storage facilities were investigated, and seismic analysis was performed. To evaluate tip-over accident during earthquake, seismic load was used from 0.2 g PGA to 0.8 g PGA and these earthquakes were followed Design Response Spectrum (DRS) in RG 1.60. The friction coefficient of concrete pad was used from 0.2 to 1.0. As a result of the analysis, tip-over accident could not find in the analysis from 0.2 g to 0.6 g. However, tip-over was appeared at friction coefficients of 0.8 and 1.0 at 0.8 g PGA. Tip-over angular velocity of cask was derived by seismic analysis and was compared with formula and tip-over analysis results. As a result, a generalized dry storage facility analysis model was proposed, and dry storage facility safety evaluation was conducted through seismic analysis. Also, tip-over angular velocity was derived using seismic analysis for tip-over analysis.

Non-structural elements, such as equipment, are typically affixed to a building’s floor or ceiling and move in tandem with the structure during an earthquake. Seismic forces acting upon non-structural elements traverse the ground and the building’s structure. Considering this seismic load transmission mechanism, it becomes imperative to account for the interactions between soil, structure, and equipment, establishing seismic design procedures accordingly. In this study, a Soil-Structure-Equipment Interaction (SSEI) model is developed. Through seismic response analysis using this model, how the presence or absence of SSEI impacts equipment behavior is examined. Neglecting the SSEI aspect when assessing equipment responses results in an overly conservative evaluation of its seismic response. This emphasizes the necessity of proposing an analytical model and design methodology that adequately incorporate the interaction effect. Doing so enables the calculation of rational seismic forces and facilitates the seismic design of non-structural elements.

This study analyzes the seismic response of traffic light poles, considering soil-foundation effects through nonlinear static and time history analyses. Two poles are investigated, uni-directional and bi-directional, each with 9 m mast arms. Finite element models incorporate the poles, soil, and concrete foundations for analysis. Results show that the initial stiffness of the traffic light poles decreases by approximately 38% due to soil effects, and the drift ratio at which their nonlinear behavior occurs is 77% of scenarios without considering soil effects. The maximum acceleration response increases by about 82% for uni-directional poles and 73% for bi-directional poles, while displacement response increases by approximately 10% for uni-directional and 16% for bi-directional poles when considering soil-foundation effects. Additionally, increasing ground motion intensity reduces soil restraints, making significant rotational displacement the dominant response mechanism over flexural displacement for the traffic light poles. These findings underscore the importance of considering soil-foundation interactions in analyzing the seismic behavior of traffic light poles and provide valuable insights to enhance their seismic resilience and safety.

For appropriate nutrient management and enhanced plant growth, soil sensors which reflect soil nutrient levels are required. Because there is no available sensor for nutrient monitoring, electrical conductivity (EC) sensor can be used to evaluate soil nutrient levels. Soil nutrient management using EC sensors would be possible by understanding the relationship between sensor EC values and soil temperature, moisture, and nutrient content. However, the relationship between soil sensor EC values and plant available nutrients was not investigated. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to evaluate effect of different amount of urea on soil EC monitored by sensors during pepper and broccoli cultivation and to predict the plant available nutrient contents in soil. During the cultivation period, soil was collected periodically for analyzing pH and EC, and the available nutrient contents. The sensor EC value increased as the moisture content increased, and low fertilizer treated soil showed the lowest EC value. Principal component analysis was performed to determine the relationship between sensor EC and available nutrients in soil. Sensor EC showed a strong positive correlation with nitrate nitrogen and available Ca. In addition, sum of available nutrients such as Ca, Mg, K, P, S and N was positively related to the sensor EC values. Therefore, EC sensors in open field can be used to predict plant available nutrient levels for proper management of the soil.

In this study, in order to develop a method to efficiently inject essential nutrients necessary for plant growth into wood chips, which are simply used as soil covering materials in the agriculture, landscaping and horticultural industries, the atmospheric pressure dipping method and the vacuum pressure impregnating method are used to improve the plant nutrients injectability and impregnation amount were comparatively analyzed. Nutrient ingredients and 8 major heavy metal contents of wood chips injected with nutrients were analyzed, and soil covering effects were examined by covering wood chips injected with nutrients on soil. Comparing the dipping method and the vacuum pressure impregnation method, it took about 48 hours or more to inject 1,500 g or more of the nutrient aqueous solution into 1 kg of wood chips in the dipping method, but the vacuum pressure impregnation method could be impregnated in about 5 minutes. Components of the impregnated nutrients were detected in proportion to the diluted concentration. As a result of covering the wood chips developed in this study on soil, they showed weakly acidic pH, and the heat insulation and moisturizing effects during the winter season were evaluated to be superior to those of uncovered soil. In the future, wood chips impregnated with nutrients are expected to contribute to the more efficient use of waste wood resources and the long-term supply of nutrients essential for plant growth, reducing excessive use of chemical fertilizers and reducing costs.

Root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, inflicts significant greenhouse crop damage, causing over 40% economic losses. While chemical agents effectively control RKN, they leave harmful residue in soil and crops. To address this issue, we investigated soil-derived entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in this study. We assessed the nematicidal impact of ten EPF species through in vivo and in vitro tests. Beauveria bassiana JEF-503 exhibited nematicidal effectiveness exceeding 65% in both experimental settings. In a semi-field test using greenhouse pots, we experimented with the application of B. bassiana JEF-503 suspension during tomato growth, which is an uncommon practice in comparison to chemical treatments due to residue concerns. B. bassiana JEF-503 was applied during transplantation, and the same application was repeated four weeks later. JEF-503 One-time and abamectin treatments were used as control groups. The JEF-503 two-time application notably reduced root damage compared to single JEF-503 or abamectin treatment. In conclusion, JEF-503 offers a promising, residue-free, and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical agents for RKN management.

본 연구에서는 영종도에 위치한 인천과학고등학교 주변에 서식하는 개미와 개미집 근권토양을 두 차례에 걸쳐 채취한 것을 활용하여 토양미생물 순수분리 및 동정을 진행하였다. 채취된 개미의 더듬이의 모양, 털의 위치 및 분포 등의 형태학적 동정 및 DNA extraction을 통한 분자생물학적 동정을 통하여 채취한 개미를 Camponotus japonicus으로 결론하였다. 토양미생물을 연속희석법을 이용하여 확인한 결과 채취한 개미집 세 곳에서 각각 12, 18, 10개의 종이 동정되었다. 개미집 근권토양의 비옥도가 상대적으로 높다는 선행연구를 바탕 으로 ‘분리한 토양미생물이 다양한 유기물 분해 효소활성을 보일 것’이라는 가설을 세웠고, 이를 확인하기 위해 분별배지를 제작하여 디스크 확산법을 진행하였다. 실험 결과 개미집 근권 토양에서 분리된 균주가 일반 토양에 서 분리된 균주에 비해 높은 효소활성을 보임을 확인하였으며 개미집 근권 토양 미생물의 불용성인산 가용화능 이 우수함을 확인하였다. 이후 위 실험들을 바탕으로 개미집 근권 토양 미생물이 식물 생장을 촉진시켜 미생물을 접종한 토양에서의 식물의 건조 질량이 증가하였음을 확인하였다.

In 2022, research for native prokaryotic species in Korea reported 10 unrecorded bacterial strains affiliated to phyla Actinomycetota, Bacillota, and Pseudomonadota. The strains formed monophyletic clades with the most closely related species (with ≥98.7% sequence similarity) in the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among them, four species of the phylum Actinomycetota, two species of the phylum Bacillota, and four species of the phylum Pseudomonadota have not been reported in Korea, suggesting unrecorded species in Korea. Information on strains such as Gram staining reaction, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, and isolation sources were provided in the species description.

Yellow-fleshed "Sweet Gold" kiwifruit on Jeju Island were studied to examine how irrigation and soil moisture control affected changes in photosynthetic traits and fruit quality during fruit maturation (120 to 170 days after full bloom). Concerning photosynthetic characteristics, the photosynthetic rate decreased by 10-19%, stomatal conductance by 24-47%, and transpiration rate by 8-25%, when compared to conventional irrigation, as irrigation was reduced and soil moisture content decreased. Fruit weight showed a tendency to increase until harvest, and while a lower soil moisture content led to a less pronounced increase in fruit weight, this difference was not statistically significant. The dry matter rate exhibited a similar trend to the change in fruit weight. Sugar content demonstrated a continuous increase after 130 days, with lower irrigation amounts resulting in higher levels of sugar content due to decreased soil moisture. The Hue value (h°) exhibited a continuous decrease after 140 days from full bloom, correlating with declining soil moisture content. After 130 days from full bloom, soluble sugar content increased rapidly while starch content gradually decreased after 150 days from full bloom. However, with conventional irrigation, the increase in soluble sugar content tended to be less noticeable. This study confirmed that in yellow-fleshed ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit, managing irrigation and soil moisture reduction during the ripening period can lead to decreased fruit weight but increased dry matter, sugar content, and expression of flesh color, ultimately enhancing fruit quality and expediting ripening.

In this paper, a dynamic centrifuge model test was conducted on a 24.8-meter-deep excavation consisting of a 20 m sand layer and 4.8 m bedrock, classified as S3 by Korean seismic design code KDS 17 10 00. A braced excavation wall supports the hole. From the results, the mechanism of seismically induced earth pressure was investigated, and their distribution and loading points were analyzed. During earthquake loadings, active seismic earth pressure decreases from the at-rest earth pressure since the backfill laterally expands at the movement of the wall toward the active direction. Yet, the passive seismic earth pressure increases from the at-rest earth pressure since the backfill pushes to the wall and laterally compresses at it, moving toward a passive direction and returning to the initial position. The seismic earth pressure distribution shows a half-diamond distribution in the dense sand and a uniform distribution in loose sand. The loading point of dynamic thrust corresponding with seismic earth pressure is at the center of the soil backfill. The dynamic thrust increased differently depending on the backfill's relative density and input motion type. Still, in general, the dynamic thrust increased rapidly when the maximum horizontal displacement of the wall exceeded 0.05 H%.

본 연구는 차나무식재지 토양에서 LB-CMC 한천배지를 이용하여 목질계 바이오매스 분해능이 우수한 미생물을 분리하고자 실시하였다. 그 결과 목질계 바이오매스분해에 우수한 활성을 보이는 3종의 박테리아를 분리하였다. 16S rRNA 유전자를 이용하여 3종의 박테리아를 동정한 결과 모두 Bacillus속에 속하였다. CMC zymogram 분석결과 Bacullus 3종 모두 약 44kDa의 셀룰레이즈가 존재하였다. Bacillus sp. CS1의 최적생장 온도는 37℃였으며, CMCase의 최대활성은 배양 36시간 후였고, xylanase는 배양 후 12시간에 최대활성을 보였다. CMCase와 xylanase의 최적 pH는 각각 5.0이었다. CMCase의 열안정성은 높았지만, xylanse는 열에 불안정한 것을 보였다. Bacillus sp. CS2의 최적 생장온도는 37℃였으 며, CMCase와 xylanaase의 활성은 배양 후 36시간이 가장 높았다. CMCase의 최적 온도와 pH는 각각 37℃와 pH 4.0이었지만, xylanaase의 최적 온도와 pH는 50℃와 pH 5.0이었다. CMCase와 xylanase는 비교적 열에 안정적이었다. Bacillus sp. CS3 최적 생장 온도는 37℃였으며, CMCase와 xylanase의 활성은 배양 후 36시간이 가장 높았다. CMCase 및 xylanase에 대한 최적의 온도와 pH는 37℃와 4.0이었다. CMCase의 열안정성을 보였지만, xylanase는 열에 불안정한 것을 보였다.

본 연구는 임해 매립지에 조성되는 골프장 부지의 자연적 장해요인을 분석하고 개선 요소를 검토하 여 향후 매립지에 조성되는 식재공사 등의 시행착오를 줄이고 경제성을 향상시키고자 한다. 선행 연 구자들의 임해 매립지 토양 환경의 이화학적 연구 결과를 토대로 영종도 국제공항 내 골프장의 토양 환경을 개선하는 방법을 배수 처리 체계와 함께 연구하였다. 그 결과로 사업 초기 단계에서부터 수목 또는 식물의 생장을 고려한 계획을 통해 경제적이며, 장기적으로 정상적인 식물 또는 수목의 생장에 도움을 꾀하고자 하였다. 연구결과로서 임해 매립지에서 식물 생육에 영향을 주는 요인 중 염분 상승 또는 식생 지반의 염분 과다는 식물 생육에 직접적인 영향이 있는 것으로 분석되었고 따라서 임해 매립지의 경우 탈염 과정을 거쳐 식물 생육에 적합한 토양으로 개선하여야 될 필요가 있으며, 이 과정 에서 염분 상승의 차단을 위한 차단층의 설치가 필요하다. 특히 모세관 상승의 차단은 입도가 큰 재료 일수록 차단 효과가 컸으며, 실험 결과를 미루어 볼 때 차단층의 두께가 클수록 확실한 모세관 상승 차단 효과가 있을 것이라 판단된다. 본 연구는 임해 매립지 조성 시 염분 상승에 의한 식물 생육 저해 요소를 감소시키기 위한 방법으로 식재기반 조성 시 매립 방법을 달리하여 지하수위를 저하 시킴으로써 모세관 상승에 의한 염분 상승을 근본적으로 차단하고자 실험적인 방법을 통해 차단층의 재료 선정 및 차단층의 두께를 결정하는데 연구의 의의를 두고 있다. 그러나 식재 단면층의 조성 두께 등 의 설정은 실내시험으로 인한 한계를 보이고 있다. 특히 서남해안의 경우 환경적 영향(밀물과 썰물의 조위 차, 일조량, 풍향, 풍량 등 염분 상승)이 되는 인자들의 변수 조건에 대한 미적용의 한계성과 염분 차단층 설치 시 염분 상승은 기대할 수 있으나 모관수 차단으로 인한 건조피해에 대한 대책은 연구과 정에서 부족했던 부분이다 추후 부족한 부분에 대한 연구는 향후 지속적으로 계속되어야 할 것이다.

Natural uranium-contaminated soil in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) was generated by decommissioning of the natural uranium conversion facility in 2010. Some of the contaminated soil was expected to be clearance level, however the disposal cost burden is increasing because it is not classified in advance. In this study, pre-classification method is presented according to the ratio of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and contaminated uranium in the soil. To verify the validity of the method, the verification of the uranium radioactivity concentration estimation method through γ-ray analysis results corrected by self-absorption using MCNP6.2, and the validity of the pre-classification method according to the net peak area ratio were evaluated. Estimating concentration for 238U and 235U with γ-ray analysis using HPGe (GC3018) and MCNP6.2 was verified by 􀟙-spectrometry. The analysis results of different methods were within the deviation range. Clearance screening factors (CSFs) were derived through MCNP6.2, and net peak area ratio were calculated at 295.21 keV, 351.92 keV(214Pb), 609.31 keV, 1120.28 keV, 1764.49 keV(214Bi) of to the 92.59 keV. CSFs for contaminated soil and natural soil were compared with U/Pb ratio. CSFs and radioactivity concentrations were measured, and the deviation from the 60 minute measurement results was compared in natural soil. Pre-classification is possible using by CSFs measured for more than 5 minutes to the average concentration of 214Pb or 214Bi in contaminated soil. In this study, the pre-classification method of clearance determination in contaminated soil was evaluated, and it was relatively accurate in a shorter measurement time than the method using the concentrations. This method is expected to be used as a simple pre-classification method through additional research.

During decommissioning and site remediation of nuclear power plant, large amount of wastes (including radioactive waste) with various type will be generated within very short time. Among those wastes, soil and concrete wastes is known to account for more than 70% of total waste generated. So, efficient management of these wastes is very essential for effective NPP decommissioning. Recently, BNS (Best System) developed a system for evaluation and classification of soil and concrete wastes from the generation. The system is composed of various modules for container loading, weight measurement, contamination evaluation, waste classification, stacking, storage and control. By adopting modular type, the system is good for dealing with variable situation where system capacity needs to be expanded or contracted depending on the decommissioning schedule, good for minimizing secondary waste generated during maintenance of failed part and also good for disassemble, transfer and assemble. The contamination evaluation module of the system has two sub module. One is for quick measurement with NaI(Tl) detector and the other is for accurate measurement with HPGe detector. For waste transfer, the system adopts LTS (Linear Transfer System) conveyor system showing low vibration and noise during operation. This will be helpful for minimizing scattering of dust from the waste container. And for real time positioning of waste container, wireless tag was adopted. The tag also used for information management of waste history from the generation. Once a container with about 100 kg of soil or concrete is loaded, it is moved to the weight measurement module and then it transfers to quick measurement module. When measured value for radioactivity concentration of Co- 60 and Cs-137 is more than 1.0 Bq/g, then the container is classified as waste for disposal and directly transferred to stacking and storage rack. Otherwise, the container is transferred to accurate measurement module. At the accurate module, the container is classified as waste for disposal or waste for regulatory clearance depending on the measurement result of 0.1 Bq/g. As the storage rack has a sections for disposal and regulatory clearance respectively, the classified containers will be positioned at one of the sections depending on the results from the contamination evaluation module. The system can control the movement of lots of container at the same time. So, the system will be helpful for the effective nuclear power plant decommissioning in view of time and budget.