A high-pressure in-situ permeation measuring system was developed to evaluate the hydrogen permeation properties of polymer sealing materials in hydrogen environments up to 100 MPa. This system employs the manometric method, utilizing a compact and portable manometer to measure the permeated hydrogen over time, following high-pressure hydrogen injection. By utilizing a self-developed permeation-diffusion analysis program, this system enables precise evaluation of permeation properties, including permeability, diffusivity and solubility. To apply the developed system to high-pressure hydrogen permeation tests, the hydrogen permeation properties of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) materials containing silica fillers, specifically designed for gas seal in high-pressure hydrogen environments, were evaluated. The permeation measurements were conducted under pressure conditions ranging from 5 MPa to 90 MPa. The results showed that as pressure increased, hydrogen permeability and diffusivity decreased, while solubility remained constant regardless of pressure. Finally, the reliability of this system was confirmed through uncertainty analysis of the permeation measurements, with all results falling within an uncertainty of 11.2 %.

In the pursuit of achieving in-situ real-time detection of methanol production rate during the photocatalytic reduction of CO2, we developed a methanol sensor using a copolymer-coated fiber Bragg gratings. The theoretical model of methanol measurement by sensor was established. The effect of methanol-selective sensitive material and its thickness on the performance of the sensor were investigated. Humidity and temperature interference to sensor measurements was compensated. Furthermore, TiO2 photocatalyst was prepared and the photocatalytic reactor was constructed. The methanol production rate in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction process was monitored by the prepared sensor in-situ. The results highlight that the fiber Bragg grating methanol sensor with 600 nm-thick poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/polymethyl-methacrylate coating showed a high sensitivity, lower limit of detection, fast response and recovery speed, and high selectivity. The methanol generation rate of TiO2 photocatalytic reduction of CO2 measured by gas chromatograph and prepared fiber Bragg grating methanol sensor was 1.42 and 1.53 μmol/g-cat·h, respectively, the error of the two detection methods was 7.86%. This highlights the efficacy of the developed fiber Bragg grating methanol sensor for real-time in-situ detection of the methanol production rate during the photocatalytic reduction of CO2.

This study aimed to measure the in-situ target strength (TS) of the moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) using a 200 kHz scientific echo sounder in a natural coastal environment. The acoustic survey was conducted in the coastal waters of Soho Port, Yeosu, Korea, from June 4 to 5, 2024. TS measurements were performed by installing the transducer in both horizontal and vertical orientations, and the TS distribution characteristics were analyzed. The measured TS values ranged from -89.8 to -64.8 dB in the horizontal direction and from -90.0 to -59.1 dB in the vertical direction, showing no significant difference between detection orientations (p<0.05). Additionally, a bell diameter-wet weight relationship for Aurelia coerulea was derived based on the specimens collected at the survey site. The empirical TS model proposed by Mutlu (1996) was applied to estimate TS values using the measured morphological data, and the results exhibited a similar trend to the field-measured TS distribution. These findings provide fundamental data for acoustic monitoring and stock assessment of jellyfish populations in natural environments.

최근 한반도 주변 해역에서 해상사고로 인한 인명피해가 증가함에 따라 실종자 수색 및 구조 활동을 지원하기 위한 수중환경 정보 산출 기술 개발의 필요성이 대두되고 있다. 끊임없이 변화하는 해양환경 속에서 수중시야를 예측하는 것은 매우 중요한 과제이다. 본 연구에서는 인공위성 영상과 현장실험 자료를 활용하여 탁도와 수중시야 간의 상관 성을 분석하고, 한반도 서해 연안에 적합한 수중시야 산출 알고리즘을 제시하고자 한다. 이를 위해 대천항 인근 해역의 두 정점을 선정하여 탁도 센서와 세키디스크를 이용해 깊이에 따른 탁도 및 수중시야를 측정하였으며, 동시에 고해상도 인공위성 영상을 수집하여 표층 원격반사도 자료를 획득하였다. 또한 서해 연안에서의 탁도 변화에 따른 수중시야의 공 간 분포를 비교하기 위해 Sentinel-2 위성의 560 nm 반사도를 활용하여 연구 해역의 탁도를 산출하고, 실측 탁도와 수 중시야 간의 상관성을 분석하였다. 연구 결과, 서해 연안에서는 2 .0- 3.0NTU 범위의 탁도가 분포하였으며, 수중거리는 1.5-3.5 m 사이의 값을 나타냈다. 특히, 만 지형이나 섬 주변에서는 상대적으로 낮은 수중시야가 관측된 반면, 대천해수 욕장 해안선을 따라서는 약 3.0m 이상의 높은 수중시야를 보였다. 본 연구를 통해 실측 및 원격탐사 자료를 활용한 수중시야 산출 가능성을 확인하였으며, 위 결과는 향후 해상 실종자 수색 지원을 위한 기초 자료로 활용될 것으로 기 대된다.

There are now many seismic observatory stations, excluding the acceleration monitoring network for infrastructures, of more than 300 operated by several public and governmental organizations across South Korea. The features of the site and properties of the stations were not investigated, and they have been assumed or guessed to estimate the site-specific seismic responses during the 2016 Gyeongju and 2017 Pohang earthquake events. For these reasons, various and intensive geotechnical and geophysical investigations have been conducted to quantify the site characteristics at 15 seismic stations selected in southeastern Korea. The VS profiles were, at first, obtained by performing only a downhole seismic test (DHT) at 7 stations, and were compared with those from a surface wave method. Then, the shear wave velocity (VS) profiles were deduced by combining three types of in situ seismic methods composed of a cross-hole seismic test, DHTs, and full-waveform sonic loggings at the 8 other stations, especially to complement the application limits of DHT and reduce the depth-dependent uncertainty in VS profile. The representative site characteristic profiles for each station regarding VS and VP with borehole stratigraphy and density were determined based on robust investigations. Various site parameters related to seismic responses at the seismic stations of interest were obtained for the site-specific geotechnical information, which would be useful to earthquake engineering practices.

A 17-year-old spayed female Shih Tzu dog, weighing 5.0 kg, presented with frequent coughing and respiratory distress. Blood tests revealed mild thrombocytosis, and thoracic ultrasonography and radiography confirmed a significant amount of pleural effusion. However, the thoracic radiographs showed no radiopaque nodules or interstitial patterns indicative of thoracic tumors. Thoracentesis was performed to relieve effusion-induced thoracic pressure, yielding a hemorrhagic serosanguinous pleural fluid. The cytological analysis of this fluid revealed mesothelial cells, supporting the clinical diagnosis of mesothelioma in situ. To address the patient’s clinical symptoms, an aggressive management approach was implemented with chest tube placement to address recurrent pleural effusion after initial thoracentesis. During treatment, the patient exhibited stable health and adapted well to daily life. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of mesothelioma in situ with hemorrhagic malignant pleural effusion in South Korea. Using a chest tube as an aggressive treatment successfully alleviated dyspnea symptoms and provided symptomatic relief in a patient with mesothelioma in situ.

Building step-scheme (S-scheme) heterojunctions has recently emerged as a highly effective approach for developing superior photocatalysts for water purification. Herein, a C3N5/ Ag3PO4 (CA) S-scheme heterojunction was prepared by in situ growth of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles on 2D C3N5 nanosheets. Notably, under visible-light irridiation, CA exhibited significantly higher activity in the photodegradation of LEVO, which is about 28.38, 2.41, and 2.14 times higher than the rates for C3N5, Ag3PO4, and the mixture, respectively. Based on the radical scavenging experiments, the mechanism for enhanced photocatalytic performance has been analyzed, is attributed to improved interfacial charge separation, the elevated redox potential of photon-generated electrons and holes, and the increased generation of active species resulting from the S-scheme transfer of photoinduced carriers. Additionally, CA demonstrates greater stability than either C3N5 or Ag3PO4 alone in the photo-oxidation of LEVO and the photodegradation of RhB. In essence, this study not only deepens our comprehension of the photocatalytic mechanism of CA, but also pioneers a novel concept for the development of highly effective and stable S-type heterojunction photocatalysts.

Recently, domestic fishing production of Japanese horse mackerel has been continuously decreasing. To achieve sustainable fishing of this species, it is essential to acquire its target strength (TS) for accurate biomass estimation and to study its ecological characteristics. To date, there has been no TS research using a broadband echosounder targeting Japanese horse mackerel. In this study, for the first time, we synchronized an underwater camera with a broadband frequency (nominal center frequency of 200 kHz, range: 160-260 kHz) to measure the TS according to the body size (16.8-35.5 cm) and swimming angle of the species. The relationship between Japanese horse mackerel length and body weight showed a general tendency for body weight to increase as length increased. The pattern of the frequency spectra (average values) by body length exhibited a similar trend regardless of body length, with no significant fluctuations in frequency observed. The lowest TS value was observed at 243 kHz while the highest TS values were recorded at 180 and 257.5 kHz. The frequency spectra for the swimming angles appeared to be flat at angles of –5, 0, 30, 60, 75, and 80° while detecting more general trends of frequency spectra for swimming angle proved challenging. The results of this study can serve as fundamental data for Japanese horse mackerel biomass estimation and ecological research.

Integration of noble metals on graphene is renowned for their catalytic and antioxidant prowess. However, utilization of toxic chemicals in the synthesis creates environmental pollution and poisonous nature of chemically synthesized materials. To address this, an economical and eco-friendly method for synthesizing graphene-gold (BRG-Au) nanocomposite by anchoring gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) onto reduced graphene oxide sheets using betel leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent is presented. Comprehensive structural characterizations through UV–Visible, Raman, FT-IR, and XRD analyses confirm the successful formation of the BRG-Au nanocomposite. Morphological assessments utilizing FE-SEM and TEM techniques revealed the presence of transparent, twinkling graphene sheets embellished with 20 to 60 nm of Au NPs in various shapes, including spherical, triangular, pentagonal, circular, and trapezoids. The catalytic and antioxidant activities of the BRG-Au nanocomposite were thoroughly evaluated. In catalytic trials, the nanocomposite exhibited remarkable efficiency in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, accomplishing this transformation within a mere 30 min during the initial cycle and maintaining stable catalytic performance over three consecutive cycles. Additionally, antioxidant analyses employing Total Antioxidant Activity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl methods demonstrated that BRG-Au nanocomposite possessed equal or superior antioxidant activity than the ascorbic acid standard. This research thus underscores the promising potential of environmentally benign synthesis method for graphene-gold nanocomposite with enhanced catalytic and antioxidant properties.