Activated carbons (ACs) were prepared by activation of coal tar pitch (CTP) in the range of 700°C-1000°C for 1-4 h using potassium hydroxide (KOH) powder as the activation agent. The optimal activation conditions were determined to be a CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of 900°C, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained ACs showed increased pore size distribution in the range of 1 to 2 nm and the highest specific capacitance of 122 F/g in a two-electrode system with an organic electrolyte, as measured by a charge-discharge method in the voltage range of 0-2.7 V. In order to improve the performance of the electric double-layer capacitor electrode, various mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated at the optimal activation conditions previously determined for CTP. Although the specific capacitance of AC electrodes prepared from CTP only and the mixtures of CTP and PP was not significantly different at a current density of 1 A/g, the AC electrodes from CTP and PP mixtures showed outstanding specific capacitance at higher current rates. In particular, CTP-PP61 (6:1 mixture) had the highest specific capacitance of 132 F/g, and the specific capacitance remained above 90% at a high current density of 3 A/g. It was found that the high specific capacitance could be attributed to the increased micro-pore volume of ACs with pore sizes from 1 to 2 nm, and the high power density could be attributed to the increased meso-pore volume.

In this study, we investigated the growth of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) and kelp (Saccharina japonica) farmed under the IMTA (integrated multi-trophic aquaculture) system developed by national institute of fisheries science (NIFS). The farmed striped mullets grew from an initial length and weight of 152.5±12.1 and 41.6±7.8 g in October 2013 to 154.2±5.6 and 47.5±8.6 g in November, 160.2±8.7 and 55.9±9.1 g in December and 168.4±9.6 and 58.4±8.7 g in January. The fish continued to grow and reached 190.2±9.4 in length and 87.5±8.9 g in weight in April and 256.4±9.7 and 156.7±6.7 g in October 2014. The daily growth rate (DGR) for total fish length was 0.015 0.1 /day during the periods of fast growth and attained 0.038 0.1 /day during February March. The kelp grew from an initial blade length and wet weight of 1.19±0.2 and 0.0028±0.0012 g in January 2014 to 3.3±0.8 and 2.5±0.9 g in February and 126.5±11.6 and 107.4±22.6 g in March, after which, erosion occurred and slowed the growth. The DGRs for kelp length ranged 0.03 1.9 /day in January 2014 and increased to 0.88 1.9 /day during March April. Increasing water temperatures beginning in April lowered the DGR to 0.03 /day. Yesso scallops grew from an initial shell length, shell height and wet weight of 11.83±0.6 , 12.68±0.7 and in September 2013 to 19.9±2.5 , 20.8±2.6 and 0.9±0.04 g in November 2013. They continued to grow to 45.91±0.71 in shell length, 42.55±0.8 in shell height and 12.7±1.3 g in wet weight by May 2014 and 60.2±2.51 , 554.6±2.61 and 24±2.70 g by October 2014. The DGRs for shell length of Yesso scallop ranged from 0.02 to 0.256 /day with higher values of 0.256 0.27 /day during November December 2013 and March April 2014.