Bentonite is a promising buffer material for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal due to the high nuclides sorption capacity and swelling property. However, bentonite has the potential to generate colloid particles, with small particle sizes less than 1,000 nm when in contact with groundwater. The bentonite colloids easily form pseudo-colloid with the released nuclides and migrate through the water-conducting rock to the biosphere. Therefore, understanding the generation and migration of bentonite colloids is crucial in assessing the safety of the HLW repository. In this study, an artificial fracture system was prepared to investigate colloid release from compacted bentonite. A 250 mm diameter acrylic artificial fracture system was used, with 30 mm of compacted calcium bentonite installed. Artificial groundwater flow was injected into the system at a flow rate of 250 μL/h, and every 6 mL of leachate was collected by a fraction collector. A film-type pressure sensor was equipped to monitor the swelling pressure, and the swelling was observed using a digital microscope. The results indicate that the compacted bentonite formed a mineral ring originating from the swelling of the bentonite, and the end of the ring generated colloid particles due to chemical erosion. Although the release rate of colloids increased with increasing flow rate, the colloid ratio depended on the low ionic strength of the injected artificial groundwater. This work contributes to the understanding of the chemical erosion and colloid release mechanism of compacted bentonite.

This study aims to measure sedimentation status change with the changes in internal pressure for dry chemical extinguishers of various use periods and analyze the suitability of the fire extinguishers' performance criteria. When the internal pressure of the fire extinguisher is 0%, 2 out of 10 new dry chemical powders for the 5 elapsed years were noted to be suitable, including 3 recycled dry chemical powders with 5 elapsed years that were found eligible. One out of 10 new dry chemical powders for 10 elapsed years was shown as suitable. Also, one new dry chemical powder for 13 elapsed years was suitable. When the internal pressure of the fire extinguisher was 50%, all 10 out of 10 new dry chemical powders for 5 years, recycled one with 5 elapsed years, and a new one with 10 elapsed years were found to be suitable, while 9 new dry chemical powders for 13 years were shown as suitable. When the internal pressure of the fire extinguisher was normal, new ones with 5 elapsed years, recycled ones with 5 elapsed years, new ones with 10 elapsed years, and new ones with 13 elapsed years were all 10 out of 10 samples noted as suitable. In summarizing the experiment results, it was found that the sedimentation status, one of the fire extinguisher's physical properties experiments, affects the fire extinguisher's performance criteria rather than the change with use periods.

The present study investigated the effects of forage cutting and baler mixing on the chemical compositions, fermentation indices, and aerobic stability of whole crop rice (WCR) haylage. The WCR (“Youngwoo”) was harvested at 48.4% dry matter and ensiled into a 300 kg bale silo with forage cutting (whole crop without cutting vs. 5 cm of cutting length). The WCR forages were ensiled without baler mixing process (CON) or with (MIX). The concentrations of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude ash, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber of whole crop rice before ensiling were 48.4, 9.70, 2.57, 6.11, 41.2, and 23.5%, respectively. The forage cutting did not affect the chemical compositions, fermentation indices, microbes, and aerobic stability of WCR haylage (p>0.05). The CON haylages tend to be higher in NDF content (p<0.10). The MIX haylages had lower in lactate (p=0.019), and lactate:acetate ratio (p<0.001). The MIX haylages had higher in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (p=0.010). Therefore, this study concluded that the fermentation quality of WCR haylage improved by baler mixing, but had no effects by forage cutting.

PURPOSES : In this study, the alkali aggregate reactivity and expansion characteristics of mortar mixed with waste glass (a recycled aggregate) were confirmed to verify the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) stability and review the appropriateness of the alkali aggregate reactivity test method following the replacement of recycled aggregate. METHODS : The alkali-aggregate reactivity of waste glass aggregates was measured using the chemical and physical methods described in KS F 2545 and ASTM C 1260, respectively. The reactivity was classified by comparing the results. Cement with a high-alkali content was used to simulate an environment that can induce ASR. Non-reactive fine aggregates, waste glass fine aggregates, reactive general aggregates, and Ferronickel slag aggregates were used as control groups. RESULTS : Waste glass fine aggregates were classified as reactive when applying the chemical method. In the physical method, they were classified as reactive at 100% and latent reactive at 1%, based on the mixing ratio. Additionally, we discovered that the reliability of the chemical method was low since the ASR of the aggregates was classified differently based on the evaluation method, while the results of the chemical and physical test methods were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS : To determine the alkali reactivity of recycled aggregates, the complex use of chemical and physical methods and analysis based on the mixing ratio of the reactive aggregates are required. Small amounts of waste glass aggregate replacements affected the ASR. Because ASR reaction products can affect the long-term thermal expansion of the structure, further research is needed to use ASR aggregates in structures.

This study was conducted to compare the quality characteristics of commercial tofu products from the market in Korea. Seventeen types of commercial tofu samples were taken and their physicochemical properties, including soluble solid contents, salinity, pH, total acidity and moisture (total solid contents), were analyzed. The hardness of tofu was negatively correlated with the moisture contents of tofu (r=－0.667**). The commercial tofu showed pH 5.80~6.24, total acidity of 0.016~0.034%, soluble solids of 1.50~3.45 °Brix, salinity of 1.20~2.30%, and moisture content of 79.91~87.57%, respectively. All 17 tofu samples sold in the Korean market were prepared using crude MgCl2 and sea water as a coagulant. The quality characteristics vary depending on the constituent’s of soybeans, and the ratio and amount of coagulants of tofu used. The origin of soybean seeds affected the yellowness of tofu; tofu made from imported soybean showed a higher b value than domestic soybean. These results are expected to be useful for understanding trends in the domestic tofu industry.

Despite the consumption of disinfectants have been increased by COVID-19 pandemic, the fate of the chemicals in aquatic food webs are still unclear. In order to understand the trophic transfer of the chemicals, the concentration of disinfectants including six benzalkonium chloride (BACs) and five didecyldimethylammonium chlorides (DDACs) were measured at the Geum (2020), Han (2021), and Yeongsan River (2021), before and after rainfall. The highest concentration of ΣBACs (mainly C12 and C14) and ΣDDACs (mainly C10 and C14) were observed in the Han River, followed by Yeongsan River, Geum River Estuary, and Gapcheon. After rainfalls, both concentration and detection frequency were decreased in all sites. Although the BAC and DDAC seems to be accumulated in organisms, they were bio-diluted rather than magnified in the aquatic food web with the biomagnification factor (BMF) of less than 1, trophic magnification slope (TMS) from - 0.236 to 0.001, and trophic magnification factor (TMF) from 0.85 to 1.01.