• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.9-10
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• 2019

순천만은 순천시의 남쪽에 위치하여 여수반도와 고흥반도의 사이에 있는 만 지형 형태로 만 전체를 순천만이라고도 하나, 보통 고흥군반도와 여수반도 사이의 만을 여자만이라 하고 만내부에 위치한 여자도라는 섬의 위쪽으로 순천시의 해안하구에 형성된 지역을 순천만이라 일컫는다. 순천만은 순천시에서 유입되는 동천과 이사천 및 해룡천의 하류에 형성되어 있어서 육지부에서 유입되는 퇴적물과 유기물로 인하여 갯벌과 갈대등이 잘 형성된 습지로서 2003년 12월 31일 해양수산부 갯벌 습지보존지역으로 지정되어 관리되고 있으며, 2004년에는 동북아 두루미 보호 국제네트워크에 가입하였고, 2006년 1월 국내 연안습지로는 최초로 람사르협약에 "Suncheon Bay"로 등록되었으며, 2016년 6월에는 람사르습지로 지정된 국내외적으로 중요한 습지이다. 순천만습지에 형성되어 있는 갯벌($28.0km^2$)은 세계 5대 연안습지 중 하나로서, 넓은 사니질 갯벌과 갈대군락이 잘 발달되어 있는 생태계의 보고(寶庫)이자 소중한 생태자원으로서, 순천시에서는 순천만을 자연생태공원으로 지정하여 보호 관리하고 있으며, 각종 자연학습자료들과 영상물들을 갖춘 생태전시관과 갈대숲 탐방로, 용산전망대, 야생화 정원, 담수습지, 갈대정자, 갯벌관찰대 등 사계절 생태체험을 위한 각종 시설들을 잘 갖춰놓고 많은 관광객의 이용할 수 있도록 하고 있다. 갯벌은 바닷가의 넓은 벌판이란 뜻으로서 삼면이 바다인 우리나라는 갯벌의 전체 면적이 약 $2,500km^2$에 달하는데 여기에는 많은 종류의 다양한 생물들이 살아가고 있으며 어민들의 생계에 지대한 영향을 주고있다. 이러한 갯벌은 퇴적된 입자의 구성에 따라 펄갯벌, 모래갯벌, 혼합갯벌 등으로 구별되는데 이에 따라 갯벌 생태계를 구성하고 있는 생물들의 종류도 바뀌게 된다. 순천만갯벌과 여기에 조성되어 있는 습지환경에 따라 확인되고 있는 수산자원으로는 새꼬막, 꼬막, 눈알고둥, 갯고둥, 비툴이고둥, 돌조개, 접시조개, 새알조개, 가무락조개, 바지락, 우럭, 가재붙이, 방게, 칠게, 농게 등의 저서 생물들과 짱뚱어, 문절망둑 등의 어류가 있으며, 해조류로 우뭇가사리 등이 있고, 인근의 어민들의 어업형태는 꼬막 등 패류의 채취나 종패를 뿌려 일정기간 양성하여 수확하는 양식업, 육상부에서 폐염전 등을 활용한 전어나 새우 등을 양식하는 양식업, 수산물을 직접 손이나 간단한 도구를 이용하여 잡는 맨손 어업 형태가 주를 이루고 있는 것으로 나타나고 있다. 이와 같이 국내외적으로 중요할 뿐만 아니라 인근의 어민들의 생계에도 지대한 영향을 미치고 있는 순천만의 습지는 뻘층이 깊고, 분해성 미생물이 다양하게 서식하여 유기물 분해능력이 뛰어나며, 유기영양분이 풍부하여 우리나라에서 가장 질이 좋은 습지로 평가되고 있으나, 순천시 등 순천만 인근에 거주하고 있는 인간의 활동에 따른 간섭에 많은 영향을 받고 있으며, 이에 따라 끊임없는 생태환경이 변화하고 있어서 순천만의 효율적인 보전 및 지속가능한 이용을 위해서는 생태계에서 가장 기본적인 요소인 수 저질 환경의 지속적이고 체계적인 조사 및 관리가 필요하다. 한편, 오염물질의 70% 이상은 하천이나 강을 통해서 해역으로 유입된다고 알려져 있기 때문에 생태계의 보고(寶庫)라고 알려진 순천만의 지속적인 보존 및 관리를 위해서는 유입수계 하천의 수질현황 및 오염물질의 주요 배출원을 파악하고, 이에 대한 저감대책을 수립할 필요가 있다. 따라서 본 연구는 순천만의 수저질 특성과 여기에 유입되는 하천의 수질환경 현황 및 오염원을 파악함으로써 순천만의 보전을 위한 효율적 관리방안을 제시하는 것을 목적으로 수행되었다. 연구의 결과에 따르면, 순천만의 수질평가지수에 의한 등급(WQI)은 III등급으로 나타나고 있으며, 득량만, 광양만 등에 비해 비교적 높은 유기물 및 T-N, T-P의 농도 분포를 보이고 있는 것으로 조사되었다. 이는 순천만에 유입되는 하수종말처리장의 방류수와 도시하수가 유입되어 그대로 방류되고 있는 해룡천 및 연안에 위치한 어촌으로부터 직접 방류되고 있는 일부 정화조 유출수 등, 다양한 원인에 의한 것으로 판단되며 이들의 관리가 부실할 경우 순천만의 갯벌과 습지의 지속가능한 생태환경유지는 쉽지 않다. 따라서 이를 효율적으로 관리하기 위해서는 순천만 연안의 오염물질 방류를 총량관리로 전환하여 철저히 관리하는 것이 필요할 것으로 판단된다.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.109-125
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• 2023

This study was conducted to select target fish species as baseline research for accumulation analysis of major hazardous chemicals entering the aquatic ecosystem in Korea and to analyze the impact on fish community. The test bed was selected from a sewage treatment plant, which could directly confirm the impact of the inflow of harmful chemicals, and the Geum River estuary where harmful chemicals introduced into the water system were concentrated. A multivariable metric model was developed to select target candidate fish species for hazardous chemical analysis. Details consisted of seven metrics: (1) commercially useful metric, (2) top-carnivorous species metric, (3) pollution fish indicator metric, (4) tolerance fish metric, (5) common abundant metric, (6) sampling availability (collectability) metric, and (7) widely distributed fish metric. Based on seven metric models for candidate fish species, eight species were selected as target candidates. The co-occurring dominant fish with target candidates was tolerant (50%), indicating that the highest abundance of tolerant species could be used as a water pollution indicator. A multi-metric fish-based model analysis for aquatic ecosystem health evaluation showed that the ecosystem health was diagnosed as "bad conditions". Physicochemical water quality variables also influenced fish feeding and tolerance guild in the testbed. Eight water quality parameters appeared high at the T1 site, indicating a large impact of discharging water from the sewage treatment plant. T2 site showed massive algal bloom, with chlorophyll concentration about 15 times higher compared to the reference site.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2023

Due to water shortages caused by water pollution and climate change, total organic carbon (TOC) standards have been implemented for wastewater discharged from public sewage treatment facilities. Furthermore, there is a growing interest and body of research pertaining to the reuse of sewage treatment water as a secure alternative water resource. The membrane bio-reactor (MBR) method is commonly used for advanced wastewater treatment because it can remove organic and inorganic ions and it does not require or emit any chemicals. However, the MBR process uses a separation membrane (MF), which requires frequent film cleaning due to fouling caused by a high concentration of mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS). In this study, process improvement and microbubble cleaning efficiency were evaluated to improve the differential pressure, water flow, and MF fouling, which are the biggest disadvantages of operating the MF. The existing MBR method was improved by installing a precipitation tank between the air tank and the MBR tank in which raw water was introduced. Microbubbles were injected into a separation membrane tank into which the supernatant water from the precipitation tank was introduced. The microbubble generator was operated with a 15 day on, 15 day off cycle for 5 months to collect discharged water samples (4L) and measure TOC. As the supernatant water from the precipitation tank flowed into the separation membrane tank, about 95% of the supernatant water MLSS was removed so the MF fouling from biological contamination was prevented. Due to the application of microbubbles to supernatant water from the precipitation tank, the differential pressure of the separation membrane tank decreased by 1.6 to 2.3 times and the water flow increased by 1.4 times. Applying microbubbles increased the TOC removal rate by more than 58%. This study showed that separately operating the air tank and the separation membrane tank can reduce fouling, and suggested that applying additional microbubbles could improve the differential pressure, water flow, and fouling to provide a more efficient advanced treatment method.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.281-302
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• 2023

Carbon is not only an essential element for life but also a key player in climate change. The radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a powerful tool not only to understand the carbon cycle but also to track pollutants derived from fossil carbon, which have a distinct radiocarbon isotope ratio (Δ¹⁴C). Many studies have reported Δ¹⁴C of carbon compounds in streams, rivers, rain, snow, throughfall, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), and wastewater treatment plant effluents in South Korea, which are reviewed in this manuscript. In summary, (1) stream and river carbon in South Korea are largely derived from the chemical weathering of soils and rocks, and organic compounds in plants and soils, strongly influenced by precipitation, wastewater treatment effluents, agricultural land use, soil water, and groundwater. (2) Unprecedentedly high Δ¹⁴C of precipitation during winter has been reported, which can directly and indirectly influence stream and river carbon. Although we cannot exclude the possibility of local contamination sources of high Δ¹⁴C, the results suggest that stream dissolved organic carbon could be older than previously thought, warranting future studies. (3) The ¹⁴C analysis has also been applied to quantify the sources of forest throughfall and PM_2.5, providing new insights. The ¹⁴C data on a variety of ecosystems will be valuable not only to track the pollutants derived from fossil carbon but also to improve our understanding of climate change and provide solutions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2016

The radioactive iodine ($^{131}I$) presents in the environment through the excrete process of nuclear medicine patients. In the detecting of low level of $^{131}I$ in the public water, the counting uncertainty has an effect on the accuracy and reliability of detecting $^{131}I$ radioactivity concentration. In this study, the contribution of sample amount, radioactivity concentration and counting time to the uncertainty was investigated in the case of public water sample. Sampling points are public water and the effluents of a sewage treatment plant at Sapkyocheon stream, Geumgang river. In each point, 1, 10 and 20 L of liquid samples were collected and prepared by evaporation method. The HPGe (High Purity Germanium) detector was used to detect and analyze emitted gamma-ray from samples. The radioactivity concentration of $^{131}I$ were in the range of 0.03 to 1.8 Bq/L. The comparison of the counting uncertainty of the sample amount, 1 L sample is unable to verify the existence of the $^{131}I$ under 0.5 Bq/L radioactivity concentration. Considering the short half-life of $^{131}I$ (8.03 days), a method for measuring 1 L sample was used. However comparing the detecting and preparing time of 1, 10 L respectively, detecting 10 L sample would be an appropriate method to distinguish $^{131}I$ concentration in the public water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.673-678
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• 2009

High-rate phosphorous removal by PAC (poly aluminum chloride) coagulation of A2O effluent was investigate to meet the stringent requirement of wastewater discharge from municipal wastewater treatment plant. A series of jar tests were conducted to find optimum coagulation condition and to enhance removal efficiency. The optimum volumetric concentration of PAC was 30 ppm (2.81mol Al/mol P by mol ratio). Only 17.2% of soluble P was removed for 30 minutes' settling without PAC addition, while this increased to 30.3% by dosing 10ppm PAC. It even increased conspicuously from 49.3% to 88.4% by increasing PAC dose from 20 ppm to 30 ppm. 92.4% of total P was removed by 30 ppm PAC, and the effluent concentration (0.3 mg/L) was acceptable for discharge. The optimum value of coagulation time, settling time, and pH were 4minutes, 20 minutes, and 7.0, respectively. It was not necessary to control pH of raw sample whose pH was 7.0. Soluble P removal was remarkably enhanced at pH 7.0. This implied that sweep floc formation by $Al(OH)_3$ was the main mechanism of coagulation for soluble P removal. Influent and effluent of secondary clarifier were tested for coagulation, and the effluent was better for high-rate P removal. It resulted in 0.18 mg/L of P and 95.4% of P removal by coagulation. It was favorable to recycle the treated water to coagulation tank and the optimum recycle ratio was 0.3.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2005

This study was accomplished using attached $A^2/O$ process that contains nonsurface-modified and surface-modified polyethylene media inside the Anaerobic/Anoxic, Oxic tank, respectively. We could make the hydrophobic polyethylene media have hydrophilic characteristics by radiating ion beam on the surface of the media. The objectives of this study is to investigate the removal efficiencies of the organics and nitrogen when the step feed ratio of raw wastewater into anaerobic and anoxic tank is changed. In this case, we assumed that the denitrification rate can be improved because the nitrifiers in anoxic tank can perform denitrification using RBDCOD instead of artificial carbon sources (for example, methanol, etc.). The wastewater injection rate into anaerobic/anoxic tank was set up by the ratio of 10 : 0, 9 : 1, 8 : 2, 6 : 4, and the results of BOD removal efficiency showed similar trends with $93.3\%,\;92.6\%,\;92.4\%\;and\;91.6\%$, respectively. But the BOD removal efficiency (utilization of the organics) in the anoxic tank was in the order of 9 : 1 $(84.8\%)$, 10 : 0 $(77.0\%)$, 8 : 2 $(75.3\%)$, and 6 : 4 $(61.1\%)$. The T-N removal efficiency was most high when the ratio is 9 : 1 $(67.4\%)$, and other conditions, 10 : 0, 8 : 2, 6 : 4, showed $61.3(\%),\;60.7\%,\;55.5\%$, respectively; the ratio 6 : 4 was found to be lowest T-N removal efficiency, lower than the ratio 9 : 1 by $12\%$. Though the nitrification rate of the ratio 10 : 0, 9 : 1, and 8 : 2 showed similar levels, the ratio 6 : 4 showed considerable inhibition of nitrification, ammonia was the great portion of the effluent T-N. The advantages of this process is that this process is cost-saving, and non-toxic methods than injecting the artificial carbon source.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.29-45
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• 2017

This study explored spatiotemporal variability of water quality in correspondence with hydro-meteorological factors in the four stations of Euiam Reservoir located in the upstream region of the North-Han River from May 2012 to December 2015. Seasonal effect was apparent in the variation of water temperature, DO, electric conductivity and TSS during the study period. Stratification in the water column was observed in the near dam site every year and vanished between August and October. Increase of nitrogen nutrients was observed when inflowing discharge was low, while phosphorus increase was distinct both during the early season with increase of inflowing discharge and the period of severe draught persistent. Duration persisting high concentration of Chl-a (>$25mg\;m^{-3}$: the eutrophic status criterion, OECD, 1982) was 1~2 months of the whole year in 2014~2015, while it was almost 4 months in 2013. Water quality of Euiam Reservoir appeared to be affected basically by geomorphology and source of pollutants, such as longitudinally linked instream islands and Aggregate Island, inflowing urban stream, and wastewater treatment plant discharge. While inflowing discharge from the dams upstream and outflow pattern causing water level change seem to largely govern the variability of water quality in this particular system. In the process of spatiotemporal water quality change, factors related to climate (e.g. flood, typhoon, abruptly high rainfall, scorching heat of summer), hydrology (amount of flow and water level) might be attributed to water pulse, dilution, backflow, uptake, and sedimentation. This study showed that change of water quality in Euiam Reservoir was very dynamic and suggested that its effect could be delivered to downstream (Cheongpyeong and Paldang Reservoirs) through year-round discharge for hydropower generation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1031-1037
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• 2006

The main purposes of this study were to compare the characteristics of fractionated natural organic matters(NOM) from Han River water and Wangsuk(W) stream water, and to investigate the relationships between NOM and the formation of disinfection by products(DBPs). Three types of resin such as XAD-4, XAD-7HP and IRC-50 were used to isolate the water samples into three organic fractions. The DOC concentrations of raw waters were relatively low($1.5{\sim}3.3$ mg/L) at all seasons. The hydrophilic was the major constituent, contributing $44{\sim}63%$ of the total NOM and hydrophobic $21{\sim}33%$, transphilic $16{\sim}31%$, respectively. The formation of trihalomethans(THMs) was highly influenced by particulated NOM especially in the rainy season, whereas haloaceticacid forming potentials(HAAFPs) depended more on the hydrophilic fraction of dissolved NOM which is known to be difficult to be removed through conventional processes. The NOM of W stream was characterized as 15% hydrophobic, 9% transphilic, and 76% hydrophilic. In the fractionation of NOM using resins, $20{\sim}40%$ of the NOM in W tributary water could not be clearly isolated, whereas, 85% of the NOM in the raw water was recovered. Although the DOC concentration of tributary water was higher than the raw waters from the Han River, the DBPFPs was approximately 40% of the raw waters. In DBPFPs aspect, W stream has less effect than Han River water itself. Bromide in tributary waters discharged from waste water treatment plants has been found to shift the distribution of THMs and HANs to the more brominated DBPs.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.147-152
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• 2015

Nitrogen (N) loading from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources can lead to excessive growth of macrophytes or phytoplankton in aquatic environment. Many studies have used nitrogen stable isotope ratios to identify anthropogenic nitrogen in aquatic systems as a useful method for studying nitrogen cycle. In this study to evaluate the precision and accuracy of Kjeldahl processes, two reference materials (IAEA-NO-3, N-1) were analyzed repeatedly. Measured the ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{15}N-NH_4$ values of IAEA-NO-3 and IAEA-N-1 were $4.7{\pm}0.2$‰ and $0.4{\pm}0.3$‰, respectively, which are within recommended values of analytical uncertainties. Also, we investigated spatial patterns of ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{15}N-NH_4$ in effluent plumes from a waste water treatment plant in Han River, Korea. ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{15}N-NH_4$ values are enriched at downstream areas of water treatment plant suggesting that dissolved nitrogen in effluent plumes should be one of the main N sources in those areas. The current study clarifies the reliability of Kjeldahl analytical method and the usefulness of stable isotopic techniques to trace the contamination source of dissolved nitrogen such as nitrate and ammonia.