High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have been reported to have better properties than conventional materials; however, they are more expensive due to the high cost of their main components. Therefore, research is needed to reduce manufacturing costs. In this study, CoCrFeMnNi HEAs were prepared using metal injection molding (MIM), which is a powder metallurgy process that involves less material waste than machining process. Although the MIM-processed samples were in the face-centered cubic (FCC) phase, porosity remained after sintering at 1200°C, 1250°C, and 1275°C. In this study, the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process, which considers both temperature (1150°C) and pressure (150 MPa), was adopted to improve the quality of the MIM samples. Although the hardness of the HIP-treated samples decreased slightly and the Mn composition was significantly reduced, the process effectively eliminated many pores that remained after the 1275°C MIM process. The HIP process can improve the quality of the alloy.

Bangladeshi medicinal plants (BMP) have a history of traditional use in treating chronic inflammatory diseases, but a BMP bark’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects remain largely unexplored. This study assessed methanolic extracts’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties from the bark of 15 medicinal plant species native to Bangladesh. The methanol extracts of BMP bark were evaluated for their total antioxidant activity and ability to counteract inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Among the 15 bark extracts from BMP, Albizia odoratissima (A. odoratissima), Engelhardia spicata (E. spicata), and Shorea robusta (S. robusta) showed the highest total phenolic contents and total antioxidant capacity by effectively scavenging free radicals. In particular, these three bark extracts significantly reduced the mRNA expression of LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines and enzymes inducible by inflammation in macrophages. Also, the mRNA expression of NADPH oxidase 2 was significantly suppressed by the three bark extracts in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. These results suggest that out of the 15 bark extracts obtained from medicinal plants in Bangladesh, the extracts from A. odoratissima, E. spicata, and S. robusta exhibit substantial total antioxidant capacity by efficiently scavenging free radicals and also inhibit LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages.

KORAD (Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, http://www.korad.or.kr) has stored slightly contaminated ascon (asphalt coated concrete mixture) that was introduced to Gyeongju repository about a decade ago waiting for a final disposal. It is believed to be mainly contaminated by radioisotope 137Cs due to impurities introduced from the outside during the ascon manufacturing process. We studied characteristics of the radioactive waste to see whether this material would be proper enough to be disposed in Gyeongju LILW repository or be other ways to reduce the disposal volume including self-disposal before its final disposal otherwise. KORAD looked into the properness of characteristics of ascon in terms of WAC (Waste Acceptance Criteria) documented by KORAD that includes general chemical and physical properties of asphalt, density, size of grains, content of organic material and possibility of existence of chelate materials that qualitatively limited to be disposed by the criteria. And other associated characteristics such as gas generation and bio degradation were also investigated. Based on the data obtained from the study, we proposed various plausible solutions in associated with operational and disposal safety and economic view points. This study will be used for KORAD’s decision on how to control and safely dispose the spent ascon within a reasonable time period. And also those experiences may be applied for other LILW issues that require treatment or conditioning of radioactive wastes in the future.

As an initial part of Kori-1 & Wolsung-1 Unit decommissioning planning, a characterization plan is developed to define the nature, extent and location of contaminants, determine sampling locations and protocols, determine quality assurance objectives for characterization, and define documentation requirements. The actual characterization of a facility is an iterative process that involves initial sampling according to the characterization plan, field management (such as labeling, packaging, storing, and transport) of the samples, laboratory analysis, conformance to the data quality objectives (DQOs), and then identifying any additional sampling required, refining the DQOs, and modifying the characterization plan accordingly. The final product of the facility characterization is a document that describes the type, amount, and location of contaminants that will require consideration and removal during the decommissioning operations sufficient to prepare a decommissioning plan. In this study, implementing a characterization plan, developed in accordance with this standard, will result in obtaining or deriving the above information.

Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, which began operating in 1978, is Korea’s oldest commercial nuclear reactor. The reactor was permanently shut down in June 2017, and now the decommissioning process has begun. The decommissioning process will generate a significant amount of waste that requires appropriate management to minimize the impact on the environment and human health. And the waste routing, i.e. the activities and logistics for managing the material generated, is a key point in a decommissioning project. It determines the routes from the material inventory to the envisaged material end states. In this study, we review on several factors for the selection of the waste routes in a decommissioning project. In terms of sustainability, the ‘waste hierarchy’ should be applied to routing materials from nuclear facilities. According to the waste hierarchy, the preferred end state is reuse or recycling of the waste as material or, more preferably, the avoidance of waste generation. In addition, treatments (such as decontamination and thermal treatment) that can reduce the volumes requiring disposal as radioactive waste should be considered. Another important parameter is the need to secure availability and capacity of waste routes. Short-term bottlenecks or any delay in the removal of the waste from the site often has an impact on other site activities. If possible, at least two alternative waste routes should be identified for the main categories of waste and kept available throughout the decommissioning project. All routes should be direct to the material end state if possible, but it is more important that waste is removed from the site so that other site operations are not impeded.

본 연구는 국내 플라워숍에서 절화의 판매가격표시제도를 활용하는 것에 대한 소비자와 판매자의 인식 및 만족도를 알 아보고 국내 화훼시장에서의 효과적인 판매가격표시제도의 활용방안을 모색하고자 국내 소비자 237명, 판매자 32명을 대상으로 설문을 진행하였다. 소비자와 판매자 모두 절화의 가격이 절화 상품의 포장법과 함께 가장 높은 구매 결정 요인 으로 나타났다. 플라워숍의 절화 판매가격표시제도 활용 장점 에 대해 소비자가 판매자보다 높게 인식하고 있었으며, 소비 자와 판매자 모두 판매가격표시제도를 활용함으로써 소비자 의 합리적인 절화 소비 및 절화 가격 신뢰에 가장 큰 도움을 준다고 응답하였다. 소비자는 절화 판매가격표시제도에 대한 불편한 점이 모두 보통(3.00) 이하로 나온 것에 비해, 판매자 의 경우 매번 바뀌는 가격(4.25) 및 가격 표기 기준의 애매함 (3.78), 가격 표기의 번거로움(3.69)을 불편한 요인으로 인식 하였다. 효과적인 판매가격표시제도 방법에 대한 설문에서 소 비자는 한 송이, 한 단 보다는 3~4줄기의 한 묶음씩 판매를 선호하였고, 판매자는 판매 단위에 따른 선호 차이가 없었다. 가격 표시 방법에는 소비자와 판매자 모두 화병에 가격을 표 시하는 것을 가장 선호하였다. 전반적인 절화 판매가격표시제 도에 대하여 소비자들은 판매자들이 기대하는 이상으로 만족 도가 높았으며(P<0.001), 특히 절화 품질(3.75)보다도 절화 가격(3.97)에 대한 만족도가 더 높아지는 것으로 나타났다. 이 를 통해, 절화 판매가격표시제도가 활성화된다면 소비자들의 절화 가격에 대한 신뢰도와 만족도를 높여줄 것이며 국내 화 훼산업 활성화에 도움이 될 것으로 판단한다.

본 연구는 장미 ‘Bubble Gum’에 대한 수확 후 LED 광 환경 과 살균제 Azoxystrobin 보존용액 처리 시 절화품질에 미치는 영향을 구명하고자 수행되었다. 광은 백색 LED와 유색 LED (red:blue=5:1)로 처리하였고, 보존용액은 수돗물(tap water, TW)과 Azoxystrobin 0.05 mL･L-1를 처리하였다. 백색 LED처 리의 절화수명은 TW, Azoxystrobin처리구 각각 9.6일, 9.7일 로 LED 광과 보존용액 처리 간의 유의차가 없었다. 유색 LED 처리의 절화수명은 TW처리구가 13.6일, Azoxystrobin처리구 가 9.8일로, 유색 LED 처리구가 대조구(백색 LED + TW)에 비해 절화수명을 4일 연장시켰다. 절화수명 종료 증상은 LED 광 조건과 관계없이 Azoxystrobin처리구는 꽃잎 위조와 청변 화 증상을 감소시켰다. 모든 처리구에서 상대생체중과 수분흡 수율은 각각 처리 후 2일, 4일까지 증가하다 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 수확 직후 대비 처리 6일 후 화색 변화율과 잎의 엽록 소 함량은 수확 직후와 모든 처리구에서 차이가 없었으며, 화 폭증가율도 처리 간 차이가 없었다. 결론적으로 백색 LED + Azoxystrobin 보존용액처리는 절화장미의 꽃잎 위조와 청변화 증상을 감소시키지만, 절화수명 연장효과가 없었으며, 적색 +청색 LED 처리는 장미의 절화수명 연장효과에 효과적이었다.

The genus Chroomonas is a group of blue-green colored cryptomonads. This study describes two freshwater Chroomonas species for the first time in South Korea: Chroomonas nordstedtii Hansgirg and Chroomonas coerulea (Geitler) Skuja. We examined the morphology and ultrastructure of these species by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. These two Chroomonas species were blue-green colored and ovate to oval-shaped. Chroomonas nordstedtii was characterized by two Maupas ovals with hexagonal periplast plates, whereas C. coerulea was characterized by one eyespot with rectangular periplast plates. A molecular phylogeny with data from nuclear SSU rRNA and chloroplast rbcL genes revealed that Korean C. nordstedtii formed a distinct clade with NIES-708, NIES-1004 from Japan, and UTEX 2779 from Colorado, USA, while C. coerulea formed a clade with ACOI 1366 from Portugal.