Joung-Du Shin

Estimation of Biomass Resource Conversion Factor and Potential Production in Agricultural Sector

BACKGROUND: Currently, national biomass inventory are being established for efficient management of the potential energy sources. Among the various types of biomass, agricultural wastes are considered to take the biggest portion of the total annual biomass generated in Korea, implying its importance. However, the currently estimated amount is not reliable because the old reference data are still used to estimate total annual amount of agricultural wastes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Therefore, to provide reliable estimation data, a correct conversion factor obtained by taking into account the current situation is required. For this, the current study was conducted to provide the conversion factors for each representative 8 crop through a field cultivation study. Also conversion factors for 18 crops were calculated using the average amount of each crop produced during 2004 and 2008, subsequently; total amount of agricultural wastes generated in 2009 was estimated using these conversion factors. The total biomass of rice straw and rice husk generated in 2009 were 6.5 and 1.1 million tons, respectively, which consist 75% of the total agricultural based wastes, while the total biomass of pepper shoots and apple pruning twigs were 1.0 and 0.6 million tons, respectively. Despite the high amount of rice-based biomass, their applicability for bio-energy production is low due to conventional utilization of these materials for animal feeds and beds for animal husbandry. In addition to exact estimation of the total biomass, temporal variations in both generated amount and the type of agricultural biomass materials are also important for efficient utilization; fruit pruning twigs (January to March); barley-, been-, and mustard-related waste materials (April to June); rice-related waste (September to October). CONCLUSION(s): Such information provided in this study can be used to establish a master plan for efficient utilization of the agricultural wastes on purpose of bio-energy production.

Effects of ultrasonification and mechanical stirring methods for the production of biodiesel from rapeseed oil

This study was conducted to compare the effects of ultrasonic energy and mechanical stirring methods in bio-diesel production from rapeseed oil under base catalysis conditions. With the transesterification of rapeseed oil, the molar ratio of methanol to vegetable oil was 6: 1, and the amount of catalysts added to the vegetable oil was 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0% (wt/wt). The main components of methyl esters from the transesterification of rapeseed oil were oleic acid (48.5%, C18:1) and linoleic acid (18.1%, C18:2). In addition, the optimum conditions to produce fatty acid methyl esters (96.6%) were 0.5% KOH after 25 min of ultrasonification at 40 °C as compared to mechanical stirring at 60 °C. The maximum conversion ratio was 75.6% with 1.0% NaOH after 40 min of ultrasonification at 40 °C. These results indicate that ultrasonic energy could be a valuable tool for transesterification of fatty acids from rapeseed oil in terms of the reaction time and temperature.

Study on Characteristics of Biogas Production and Liquid Fertilizer with Anaerobic Co digestion of Livestock Manure and Food Waste

Objective of this research was to investigate the characteristics of biogas production in anaerobic digestion reactor with different mixing ratio of food waste and swine manure. It was observed that the highest removal efficiency of organic material was 80% at 60 : 40 of mixing ratio (livestock manure : food waste). And also biogas yield was varied due to different mixing ratio of them. The cumulative biogas yield was highest at 60 : 40 of mixing rate (livestock manure : food waste). For use of the liquefied fertilizer as effluent from anaerobic digester, it was the limited ratio for 30% of co-digested food waste based on its salt content.

Changes of Invertebrate Density in Rice Paddies of Different Fertilizer Managements in Demonstration Villages of Sustainable Agriculture

This study was conducted to survey and identify kinds and population of the freshwater invertebrate fauna according to the managements of paddy rice fields at Ok-Chun and Yang-Pyung. The experiment was conducted in 4 paddy plots; conventional fertilization plot (CF), fertilization by prescription with soil testing with (ST+A) or without soil amendment (ST), and no fertilization as the control. In addition, the freshwater invertebrate fauna was also surveyed at 3 sections of as upper, intermediate and down, in both Jitan and Bungsan stream. The total number of the freshwater invertebrates was higher in the order of ST>CF>ST+A>C and ST>ST+A>CF>C at Ok-Chun and Yang-Pyung, respectively. The population density of aquatic insects was higher in plots fertilized by prescription with soil testing than in the other plots at both demonstration villages. The freshwater invertebrates collected in Jitan and Bungsan stream were identified and classified into 59 families and 90 species, and their population density was highest in the downstream among.

Availability of Heavy Metals in Soils with Different Characteristics and Controversial Points for Analytical Methods of Soil Contamination in Korea

This experiment was conducted to investigate available extraction capacity and potential mobility of heavy metal according to the distribution property and contamination level of heavy metals in soils and to suggest a reform measure of soil environment assessment methodology applied with soil quality and the official soil heavy metal test methods in domestic and foreign countries. The soils were collected from the natural forest paddy with long-term application of same type fertilizer, and paddies near metal mine and industrial complex. The post-treatment methods of soil were partial extraction, acid digestion and sequential extraction methods. For the heavy metal contents with different soil properties, it was shown that their natural forest and paddy soil were slightly low and similar to the general paddy soil, while their paddies near metal mine and industrial complex were higher than the standard level of Soil Environment Protection Act. Heavy metal concentrations in the soils with different soil properties had difference between extractant by US-EPA 3051a method. There were highly significant positive relationships in both two methods. It was appeared that the higher extractable concentration ratio with 0.1N-HCl to total heavy metal content with extractant the greater total heavy metal content. There were highly significant positive correlationship between total heavy metal content and extractable content with 0.1N-HCl. For extractable capacity of soil extractable solution compared to the total heavy metal content it was appeared that it extractable method with 0.1N-HCl was higher than those with EDTA and DTPA. In extractable ratio with 0.1N-HCl in the contaminated paddy soils near mine and industrial complex, it was shown that the lower soil pH, the higher total heavy metal content. The order of a potential mobility coefficient by distribution of heavy metal content with ie different typies in the soil was Cd>Ni>Zn>Cu>Pb. It could be known that contamination characteristics of heavy metals with different types of soils were affected by different heavy metal components, contamination degree and soil chemical properties, and heavy metal concentration with different extractable methods had great variations with adjacent environment. To be compared with assessment methodology of soil environment impact at domestic and foreign countries with our results, it might be considered that there was necessary to make a single analysis method based on total heavy metal content with environmental overloading concept because of various analysis methods for total heavy metal content and present analysis method with great variation according to soil environment. In spite of showing higher concentration of heavy metal with acidic digestion than the extractable method, it might be considered that there is need to be adjusted the national standard of soil heavy metal contamination.

Characteristics of Greenhouse Gas Emission in the Upland Soil Applied with Agricultural Biomass

NH₄-N contents in the soil treated were relatively high in the initial stages, but rapidly decreased at 124 days after treatment. NO₃-N contents were shown to be opposite patterns of H₄-N contents. CO₂ emissions in the non-treatment and Carbonized rice hull treatment with application of NPK fertilizers decreased by 43.7 and 21.9% relative to the non-application of NPK fertilizer plot except 5.4% increasement in the pig manure compost treatment. N₂O emissions of the non-application, the Expander rice hull application, and bio-char treatment increased by 90, 25, and 21.4%, respectively, but decreased by 54.2% in the pig manure compost treatment applied with NPK fertilizers compared with the NPK fertilizer non-application plot.

Crude oil production and classification of organic compounds on super-critical liquefaction with rice hull

The liquefaction of rice hull (a typical agricultural waste) has been conducted with n-butanol solvent at various reaction temperatures ranging from 260 to 320°C. As a result, it was found that biomass conversion rates were increased with increasing temperature up to 320dgC. However, it was observed that its rate of conversion to liquid was about 83% at 320°C for 30 min. The crude oil yield with rice hull increased up to 1,273 mg/g/L at 300°C, but the yield of Fraction 1 at 280°C was raised suddenly, and peaked at 2 times that of the initial input amount of feedstock. Furthermore, the calorific values of crude oil and Fraction 1 from rice hull were about 5,843 and 8,061 kcal/kg and were enhanced 163 and 225%, respectively, relative to its feedstock as rice hull, respectively. Fraction 1 may be suitable as an alternative liquid fuel of gasoline, based on an engine performance test. Sixty species of organic compounds in crude oil were categorized into 8 classes of compounds, including acids, alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethers, esters, ketones, phenol, and aromatics, and others. In the crude oil from rice hull, the most common chemical types were esters and ethers accounting for 32.0 and 19.2% of the total extract, respectively. Analysis of Fraction 1 revealed that the main chemical components were C5H12O, C7H14O2, C8H16O2, and C12H26O2. Therefore, for producing clean and green fuel energy with plant biomass liquefaction it is necessary to further investigate crude oil and to further refine Fraction 1 through catalytic cracking or hydro-de-oxygenation (HDO).

Availability of Heavy Metals in Soil and Their Translocation to Water Dropwort (Oenanthe javanica DC.) Cultivated near Industrial Complex

This experiment was conducted to investigate heavy metal transition and bioavailability from soil to the edible pare of water dropwort near industrial complex. The soils were collected from the paddies cultivating water dropwort stream sediments, and background soils near industrial complex. The pH values, organic matter, Av. , Ex. Ca content of paddy soils were higher than those measured for nor-contaminated paddy fields in 2003. The contents of Cd and Cu was higher than those of standard level for soil contamination by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. The pollution index in stream sediments were higher than those of paddies cultivating water dropwort. The geoaccumulation index of heavy metals in paddy soils and stream sediment were in the order Cu>Cd>Ni>Zn>Pb. The rates of 0.1N-HCl extractable heavy metals to total contents in soils were in the order Cd>Cu>Zn>Ni>Pb. In case of Cd and Ni in paddy soils near industrial complex, 0.1N-HCl extractable heavy metals and total content were highly correlated with each other. Heavy metal contents in mot parts were higher than those in top pare of water dropwort. The Zn and Cu transfer factor from soil to the top pare of water dropwort were higher than those of other heavy metals. The bioavailability of water dropwort varied considerably between the different parts and heavy metals. Cd, Cu and Ni contents in water dropwort were correlated with each elements in paddy soils.

Assessment on the Content of Heavy Metal in Orchard Soils in Middle Part of Korea

Objectives of this study were to monitor the distribution of heavy metals, to compare extractable heavy metal with total content and to investigate the relationships between soil physico-chemical properties and heavy metals in orchard soil. Sampling sites were 48 in Gyeonggi, 36 in Gangwon, 36 in Chungbuk, and 44 in Chungnam, Soils were collected farm form two depths, 0 to 20 and 20 to 40 cm (here after referred to as upper and lower layers) from March to May in 1998. Total contents of heavy metal in soils were analyzed by ICP-OES after acid digestion (:HCl:) whereas extractable contents were measured after successive extraction of 0.1N-HCl, 0.05 M-EDTA, and 0.005 M-DTPA. Mercury was analysed by mercury atomizer. The average contents of Cd Cu, and Pb in the extractant with 0.1N-HCl at upper layer were 0.080, 4.23, and 3.42 mg/kg, respectively. As content in the extractant with 1N-HCl was 0.44 mg/kg, and total contents of Zn, Ni and Hg were 78.9, 16.1, and 0.052 mg/kg, respectively. The ratios of concentrations of heavy metals to threshold values (Cd 1.5, Cu 50, Pb 100, Zn 300, Ni 40, Hg 4 mg/ke in Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea (2001) were low in the range of in orchard soils. The ratios of extractable heavy metal to total content ranged for Cd, for Cu, % for Pb, for Zn, for Ni, and for Zn, respectively. Cu and Pb contents in 0.05 M-EDTA extractable solution were higher than those in the other extractable solution. Total contents of Cd, Ni and Ni in soils were negatively correlated with sand content but positively correlated with silt and clay contents. Ratios of extractable heavy metal to total content were negatively correlated with clay content but ai and Ni contents were positively correlated with soil pH, organic matter, and available phosphorous. Therefore, the orchard soil was safe because the heavy metal contents of orchard soil were very low as compared to its threshold value in the Soil Environmental Conservation Act. However, it need to consider the input of agricultural materials to the agricultural land for farming practices for assessment of heavy metals.

Adsorption Characteristics of Aqueous Ammonium Using Rice hull-Derived Biochar

Adsorption Characteristics of Aqueous Ammonium Using Rice hull-Derived Biochar Yong-Su Choi, Joung-Du Shin, Sun-Il Lee and Sung-Chul Kim* (Climate Change & Agroecology Division, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Korea, Bio Environmental Chemistry, College of Agriculture & Life sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea)