• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.511-519
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• 2022

In order to develop an air-stripping based remediation process to remove the TOC (Total Organic Carbon) in groundwater around the underground LPG storage cavern, the laboratory scale experiments at various conditions (change of air injection volume and temperature, the application of ultrasonic treatment, etc.) for two types of groundwater (initial TOC concentration of 608 mg/L and 153 mg/L, respectively). From results of experiment, as the air injection rate for stripping into groundwater increased from 2 L/min to 11 L/min and as the air-stripping time increased from 1 hour to 24 hour, the TOC removal efficiency of air-stripping increased. However, the TOC concentration of treated groundwater was higher than the discharge tolerance limit (100 mg/L) even after 24 hour stripping at the maximum air injection rate of 11 L/min. The main compounds of the TOC in groundwater were identified as methanol and propane and the long stripping time (more than 24 hour) was needed to separate the methanol from groundwater because of the affinity between water and methanol. At 20℃ and 4 L/min of air injection, the TOC removal efficiency increased to 59.1% after 24 hour air-stripping. When the temperature of groundwater increased to 30℃ and 40℃, the TOC removal efficiency increased up to 80.0% and 82.8%, suggesting that more than 24 hour air-stripping at 40℃ is needed to lower the TOC concentration to below 100 mg/L and the additional TOC removal process as well as the air-stripping is necessary. When the temperature increased to 60℃ and the ultrasonic treatment was conjugated with the air-stripping, the TOC removal efficiency increased to 87.8% within 5 hour stripping and the final TOC concentration (72.4 mg/L) was satisfied with the TOC discharge tolerance limit. The TOC removal efficiency for groundwater having low TOC concentration (153 mg/L) also showed similar removal efficiency of 89.7% (the final TOC concentration: 18.9 mg/L). Results in this study supported that the air-stripping conjugated with the ultrasonic treatment could remove successfully the TOC in groundwater around the underground LPG strorage cavern.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.207-214
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• 2013

A concerted effort to develop alternative forms of energy is underway due to fossil fuel shortages and its deleterious effects. Recently, bioenergy from microalgae has gained prominence and the use of municipal wastewater as a low cost alternative for a nutrient source has significant advantages. In this study, we have employed municipal wastewater directly after primary treatment (primary settling basin) in a small scale raceway pond (SSRP) for microalgal growth. Indigenous microalgae in the wastewater were encouraged to grow in the SSRP under optimal conditions. The mean removal efficiencies of TN, TP, and $NH_3-N$ after 6 days were 77.77%, 63.55%, and 89.02%, respectively. The average lipid content of the microalgae was 19.51% of dry cell weight, and linolenate and linoleate (18:n) were the predominant fatty acids. The 18S rRNA gene analysis and microscopic observations of the indigenous microalgae community revealed the presence of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus as the dominant microalgae. These results indicate that untreated municipal wastewater, serving as an excellent nitrogen and phosphate source for microalgal growth, could be treated using microalgae in open raceway ponds. Moreover, microalgal biomass could be further profitable by the extraction of biodiesel.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.3-11
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• 2001

To know the seawater infiltration into tidal flat sediment in coastal area is very important, because it is significantly correlated with the infiltration and transportation of pollutants in soil, the supply of dissolved oxygen, nutrients and organic matter to benthic organisms for survival of benthic organisms and the seawater purification. So, we set up purpose to clarify the infiltration behavior of seawater by wave action in tidal flat, to clear the effects of slope of tidal flat and breaking wave height on seawater infiltration and to quantify the infiltration volume of seawater. For purpose, the seawater infiltration was studied with visualization method by using coloring tracer and transparent glass beads replaced as natural sediment in model tidal flat. Specific conclusions derived from this study are as follows. The semi-circular type infiltration of seawater by wave action into saturated sediment was a new infiltration behavior that was not considered in previous studies. The infiltration rate of seawater was increased with increasing of breaking wave height and slope of tidal flat. However, the effects of the slope was bigger than that of breaking wave height on seawater infiltration into tidal flat sediments. It was possible to calculate the infiltration volume of seawater by wave action in natural tidal flat sediment and in fields. Therefore, we can point out that wave action play an important role in the supply of dissolved oxygen, nutrients and organic matter to benthic organisms, transportation or diffusion of pollutants and seawater purification. So, we hope to be studied the supply of food to benthic organism, pollutant transport and seawater purification on the base of these results.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 2012

Microalgal biotechnology has gained prominence because of the ability of microalgae to produce value-added products including biodiesel through photosynthesis. However, carbon and nutrient source is often a limiting factor for microalgal growth leading to higher input costs for sufficient biomass production. Use of municipal wastewater as a low cost alternative to grow microalgae as well as to treat the same has been demonstrated in this study using mini raceway open ponds. Municipal wastewater was collected after primary treatment and microalgae indigenous in the wastewater were encouraged to grow in open raceways under optimum conditions. The mean removal efficiencies of TN, TP, COD-$_{Mn}$, $NH_3$-N after 6 days of retention time was 80.18%, 63.56%, 76.34%, and 96.74% respectively. The 18S rRNA gene analysis of the community revealed the presence of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus as the dominant microalgae. In addition, 16S rRNA gene analysis demonstrated that Rhodobacter, Luteimonas, Porphyrobacter, Agrobacterium, and Thauera were present along with the microalgae. From these results, it is concluded that microalgae could be used to effectively treat municipal wastewater without aerobic treatment, which incurs additional energy costs. In addition, municipal wastewater shall also serve as an excellent carbon and nitrogen source for microalgal growth. Moreover, the microalgal biomass shall be utilized for commercial purposes.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.428-435
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• 2015

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been accepted as an attractive and economic alternative to a variety of pollution control and provided potentially valuable wildlife habitat in urban and suburban areas, as well as esthetic value within the local natural environment. CWs are known eco-friendly technology to solve the problem of the climate change and urbanization issues. Numerous studies have been published on the various aspects of a CW. However, there are current limitations about the CW operations such as few design guidelines, poor performance results regarding the simple construction. Therefore, the objective of this research was to suggest an appropriate design and maintenance guidelines for a CW by thorough investigation of site monitoring results. The research also concentrated in redefining and reclassifying CWs, based on literatures made by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) and other organizations. Investigation at 43 CWs in Korea was performed by using collected data and by performing site survey from 2013 to 2014. Based on the results, the best practices among the investigated CWs provided water treatment, wildlife habitat, environmental education, and leisure. Also these CWs conducted a regular maintenance such as vegetation, sediment dredging and cleaning of facilities. Results obtained are intended for use by academics and any organizations involved in CW management.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.409-419
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• 2023

Acid mine drainage(AMD) treatment is classified as both passive and active treatment. During the treatment, about 5,000 tons of neutralization sludge is generated as a by-product per year in Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of sludge generated from physico·chemical treatment processes as an active treatment from 5 different sources (D, H, S, T, Y) and the possibility of the sludges being recycled. The sludges have a pH range of 5.86 ~ pH 7.89, and a water content range of 51% ~ 82%. Most of particle sizes were less than 25 ㎛. In analysis of inorganic elements, the concentration of Al, Fe, and Mn were between 1,189 mg/kg ~ 129,344 mg/kg, 106,132 mg/kg ~ 338,011 mg/kg, and 3,472 mg/kg ~ 11,743 mg/kg, respectively. The concentration of As and Zn in sludge-T, Cd in sludge-D, Ni in sludge-H, Zn in sludge-S, and Cd in sludge-Y exceeded the soil contamination standards of Korea. The results from 2 separate kinds of leaching test, the Korea Standard Leaching Test(KSLT) and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure(TCLP), showed that all the sludges met the Korea groundwater standards. From the XRD and SEM-EDS analysis, the peaks of calcite and quartz were found in the sludges. The sludge also had a high proportion of Fe and O, and the majority of the composition was amorphous iron hydroxide.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.2
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• pp.142-148
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• 2011

This study was carried out to clarify the change characteristics of stream water quality by type of forest from June to August, 2009 in three stands (Castanea crenata, Pinus densiflora and Plantation Land) of Samgye-ri Naedong-myeon Jinju-si Gyeongsangnam-do. The pH of stream water in three stands was highest in Pinus densiflora (pH 7.18) followed by Castanea crenata (pH 6.90) and Plantation land (pH 6.90) while the electrical conductivity of stream water was highest in Plantation land followed by Castanea crenata stand and Pinus densiflora stand was the lowest. Cations contents of stream water in three stands were high in order of $Ca^{2+}$, $Na^{+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^{+}$, and $NH_{4}{^{+}}$. But anions of stream water in Castanea crenata stand and Pinus densiflora stand were high in order of $SO_{4}{^{2-}}$, $Cl^{-}$ and $NO_{3}{^{-}}$ while those of stream water in Plantation land were high in order of $SO_{4}{^{2-}}$, $NO_{3}{^{-}}$ and $C\lambda^{-}$. The stream water in three stands was significant at pH, EC, $NO{^{3-}}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^{+}$, $Cl^{-}$, TNU and Color by duncan test. These results indicate that quality of stream water have a difference among three stands. The level of pH, $NH_{4}{^{+}}$, $Cl^{-}$, $SO_{4}{^{2-}}$ and $NO_{3}{^{-}}$ of stream water in three stands were within the domestic use standard for drinking water. but turbidity and color of stream water were more than that of domestic use standard for drinking water. Therefore, non-point sources like urban forest watersheds which are soil erosion and fertilizer application lands should be taken to the appropriate mitigation measures if they are to be used as source of drinking water.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4 s.105
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• pp.447-454
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• 2003

Aluminum coagulant was applied to two eutrophic lakes (Lake Sukchon, in Seoul, and a pond on the campus of Kangwon National University), to precipitate suspended particles and phosphate from the water column. Aluminum sulfate (alum) was used for seven treatments and polyaluminum chloride (PAC) was used for one treatment. The effect of treatment varied depending on the dose of alumium coagulant. Particles and phosphate were completely precipitated from the water column with a dose of 10.0 mgAl/l. Partial removal was observed at doses of 3.3 and 1.8 mgAl/l, but not at 0.45 mgAl/l. Therefore, coagulant should be applied at a dose over the threshold in order to remove particles effectively, which seems to be between 1.8 and 10.0 mgAl/l. The length of treatment effect was determined by new inputs of nutrients and particles from external sources. Renewal of pond water by stream water caused recovery of algal growth in Lake Sukchon, and rainfall runoff and ground water pumping caused a return of turbid water in the campus pond. During treatment there was no sign of decreasing pH, or harmful effects on fish or mussels. Aluminum coagulant may be an economically feasible alternative for water quality improvement when the external control of pollutant sources is difficult. However, repeated application is required when there is a renewal of lake water or new input of nutrients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1013-1020
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• 2008

To evaluate the pollutant removal efficiency and clarify the cause of low removal efficiency of the wetland, temporal and spacial distributions of water quality were investigated at 16 sites in the Sihwa constructed wetland. The removal efficiency showed a tendency to decrease since the construction of the wetland, except for TN. In addition, the efficiency was largely varied with season, especially BOD and TP. No removal efficiency of BOD was observed in April and July when algal bloom was occurred in lower part open water of the wetland. On the other hand, TP showed no removal efficiency from April to August showing -291% of removal efficiency in August. From the horizontal distribution in closed water regions, SS concentration for the central area was significantly higher than for left and right areas(p = 0.013, center > left > right areas). From the results of this study, we infer that anaerobic condition due to the excessive accumulation of organic matters and lack of uniformity of water flow distribution are major factors of the low removal efficiency of the wetland.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.177-183
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• 2005

The effluent quality is directly affected by the separation of biological solids in a final clarifier because the majority of discharged $BOD_5$ and SS are virtually dependent on the results of biological solids in the sedimentation tank effluent. If a final clarifier is effectively designed and operated, the desired goal of clarification for wastewater can be achieved together with the cost reduction in the treatment of wastewater. To this end flow characteristics and the removal efficiency of SS are numerically investigated especially by the change of the inlet position and the installation of baffle to improve the performance of a rectangular final clarifier. The 2-D computer program developed in a rectangular coordinates has been successfully validated against experimental residence time distribution(RTD) curves obtained by tracing radio-isotope. The lowering of the inlet position weakens the density current and induces the settling of SS in the front zone of a clarifier. Thus the decreased traveling distance of the sludge increases the removal efficiency of SS in the effluent. The inlet baffle installed in the front region of clarifier prevents the short circuiting flow and induces to flow into the dense underflow, which eventually improves the effluent quality. In the case of lower inlet position, however, installation of baffle results in degradation of effluent quality. Consequently it is strongly recommended that in-depth numerical study be performed in advance for optimizing a clarifier design and retrofitting to improve effluent quality in a final clarifier.