The adsorption behaviors of strontium and cesium ions on fly ash, natural zeolites, and zeolites synthesized from fly ash were investigated. The zeolites synthesized from fly ash had greater adsorption capabilities for strontium and cesium ions than the original fly ash and natural zeolites. The maximum adsorption capacity of synthetic zeolite for strontium and cesium ions was 100 and 154 mg/g, respectively. It was found that the Freundlich isotherm model could fit the adsorption isotherm. The distribution coefficients (Kd) for strontium and cesium ions were also calculated from the adsorption isotherm data. The distribution coefficients decreased with increasing equilibrium concentration of strontium and cesium ions in solution. By studying the removal of cesium and strontium ions in the presence of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, and EDTA (in the range of 0.01 - 5 mM) it was found that these coexistence ions competed for the same adsorption sites with strontium and cesium ions.

An experimental study of the absorption of CS2 in the secondary amine diethanolamine(DEA) was performed in this work. The primary objectives were to investigate an analogy between N2O and CS2, permitting estimation of the physical solubility and diffusivity of the sulfur gases in the reacting amine solutions. The solubilities of CS2 in water at 25, 40 and 60℃ has been measured. The data show fair agreement with previous literature values. The solubility of CS2 in 5-25 weight % polyethylene glycol has been measured in order to investigate a possible analogy between CS2 and N2O. The diffusivities of CS2 in water and the reaction rate between CS2 and DEA has been measured at 25 and 40℃, using a wetted sphere apparatus operated at approximately 1/3 atmospheres pressure, which is a previously untried method.

Proline is known as an osmotrotectant to enhance tolerance against both salt and dehydration stresses. A P5CS (δ1 -pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase) plays a major role in regulation of synthesis of proline. An overexpression of the mothbean P5CS gene in transgenic tobacco plant increased the levels of proline and osmotolerance. In an attempt to look for the possibility to use content of proline as well as a level of P5CS gene expression as molecular markers for salt tolerance, the amounts of proline and transcript levels of P5CS were measured as functions of either concentration of NaCl or length of treatment period among different species of zoysiagrass. Hybridzoysia showed the highest level of proline (329~mu~textrmg /g.f.w.) among five different species of zoysiagrass at 250 mM NaCl in 24 hours. The level of P5CS transcript was also the highest in the hybridzoysia at 250 mM NaCl in 24 hours. The transcriptions of P5CS gene were induced at the rates of 1.2, 1.2, 1.8, and 1.8, upon treatment of 250 mM NaCl in Z. japonica, Z. matrella, Z. sinica and hybridzoysia respectively. Based on a correlation between the level of P5CS transcript and the proline content among different species of zoysiagrass, a comparative structural analysis of the gene for P5CS from either Z. sinica or hybridzoysia may lead to an understanding of mechanism for salt tolerance shown differently among zoysiagrasses.

The adsorption of Cs-137 and Sr-90 onto kaolinite in prescence of major groundwater cations (Ca2+, K+, Na+) with different concentrations was simulated by using triple-layer surface complexation model (TL-SCM). The site density (8.73 sites/nm2) of kaolinite used for TL-SCM was calculated from it's CEC and specific surface area. TL-SCM modeling results indicate that concentrations dependence on 137Cs and 90Sr adsorption onto kaolinite as a function of pH is best modeled as an outer-sphere surface reaction. This suggests that Cs+ and Sr2+ are adsorbed at the β-layer in kaolinite-water interface where the electrolytes, Nacl, KCl and CaCl2, bind. However, TL-SCM results on Sr adsorption show a discrepancy between batch data and fitting data in alkaline condition. This may be due to precipitation of SrCO3 and complexation such as SrOH+. Intrinsic reaction constants of ions obtained from model fit are as follows: Kintcs=10-2.10, KintSr=10-2.30, KintK=10-2.80, KintCa=10-3.10 and KintNa=10-3.32. The results are in the agreement with competition order among groundwater ions (K+〉Ca2+〉Na+) and sorption reference of nuclides (Cs-137〉Sr-90) at kaolinite-water interface showed in batch test.

The three natural zeolites collected in Yungil-gun, Kyungsangbuk-do, Korea, were analyzed by means of chemical wet methods and X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that the primary species of those zeolites were clinoptilolite mixed with heulandite, feldspar, montmorillonite, and quartz. These zeolites were chemically treated with NaOH, Ca(OH)_2, and HCl solution and their differences were also studied with X-ray diffraction method. The capabilities of removing Cs^+ and Sr^2+ ions with chemically untreated zeolites, chemically treated zeolites, and also with synthetic zeolites were compared. The effect of other cations in removing Sr^2+ ions was also studied. The experimental results showed that Cs+ and Sr^2+ ions could be removed up to 98% and 95% respectively out of 5 ppm with chemically untrearted natural zeolites. The treatment of 0.02N-Ca(OH)_2 and that of 2N-NaOH were most effective in removing Cs^+ and Sr^2+ ions, respectively. It was found that the mountaintop of Sangjung 1-dong natural zeolite treated with 2N-NaOH was most efficient in removing Sr^2+ ions mixed with other cations, compared with any other chemically treated and untreated natural zeolites in this work.