• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.581-588
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• 2021

In this study, soil slurry bioreactors were used to treat soils containing 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for 35 days. Five different soil samples were taken from manufactured gas plant (MGP) and coal tar disposal sites. Soil properties, such as carbon content and particle distribution, were measured. These properties were significantly correlated with percent biodegradation and degradation rate. The cumulative amount of PAH degraded (P), degradation rate (K_m), and lag phase (𝜆) constants of PAHs in different MGP soils for 16 PAHs were successfully obtained from nonlinear regression analysis using the Gompertz equation, but only those of naphthalene, anthracene, acenaphthene, fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, and benzo(g,h,i)perylene are presented in this study. A comparison between total non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic PAHs indicated higher maximum amounts of PAH degraded in the former than that in the latter owing to lower partition coefficients and higher water solubilities (S). The degradation rates of total non-carcinogenic compounds for all soils were more than four times higher than those of total carcinogenic compounds. Carcinogenic PAHs have the highest partitioning coefficients (K_oc), resulting in lower bioavailability as the molecular weight (MW) increases. Good linear relationships of K_m, 𝜆, and P with the octanol-water partitioning coefficient (K_ow), MW, and S were used to estimate PAH remaining, lag time, and biodegradation rate for other PAHs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.211-214
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• 2005

Bench-scale experiments conducted to evaluation of the biostimulation and bioaugmentation techniques in treatment of petroleum contaminated soil. The soil bioreactors were operated for a 52 day-period. PDB population in the stimulated treatments increased from $7{\times}10^4MPN/g$ soil in zero day to $7{\times}10^7MPN/g$ soil after 23 days. However, despite the initially higher PDB population in the augmented treatments, it was decreased PDB population with respect to time. The average biodegradation rate in the augmented treatments were greater than of the stimulated treatment in the early stage, but the average biodegradation rate in the latter stage were calculated $3{\sim}5mg/kg-day$ in the augmented treatments and 10.38mg/kg-day in the stimulated treatments. The TPH removal rate was calculated $20{\sim}30%$ in the augmented treatments and 53% in the stimulated treatments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2008

Biological removal capacities for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were determined using a yeast strain, Candida tropicalis. In this study, VOCs including toluene, benzene, p-xylene, and styrene as single substrates or mixtures were tested in the batch culture of the yeast strain. In addition, a kinetic model was applied to evaluate substrate interactions between the VOCs. The yeast strain was able to biodegrade each VOC effectively as a growth substrate, implying it could applied to wide range of VOCs. When the yeast strain was subjected to VOCs in mixtures, the biodegradation rate of one substrate were either increased (stimulated) or decreased (inhibited) by the presence of the others. Both benzene and toluene were inhibited by the other VOCs, and substrate interaction parameters estimated in the model indicated that styrene was the strongest inhibitor for the benzene and toluene biodegradation. Meanwhile, the biodegradation of p-xylene and styrene was stimulated by the presence of either benzene or toluene. The biodegradation rate of p-xylene was significantly increased especially by the presence of toluene, and the styrene biodegradation was enhanced greatly by the benzene addition. The results of the substrate interaction by the yeast strain suggest that the biodegradation rates for the VOCs in mixtures should be carefully evaluated. Furthermore, the competitive inhibition coefficient could be applied as a useful index to determine the substrate interaction

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.195-198
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• 2001

Bioremediation of hazardous hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), is a major environmental concern due to their toxic and carcinogenic properties. Bue to their low solubility in water, the compounds are microbiologically persistent. This work investigates optimal conditions to enhance the biodegradation of phenanthrene in water and soil-slurry systems. Biodegradation tests were performed with three different types of supplements: glucose as a general carbon source, salicylate as an enzyme inducer, and Triton X-100 as a surfactant. The tests indicate that glucose and Triton X-100 were not very effective to increase biodegradation rate, even though the number of microorganisms are highly increased in the case of glucose addition. Salicylate accelerated biodegradation of phenanthrene, but the addition above optimal concentration inhibited microbial growth. Salicylate is considered to be an attractive alternative for the successful bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mixing methods on the biodegradation of sorbed naphthalene and phenanthrene in soils. Biodegradation was initiated by inoculating Pseudomonas sp. KM1 into equilibrated soil slurry vials. Four different mixing methods, including no mixing, orbital shaking, rolling and rotating were utilized to enhance the biodegradation of both naphthalene and phenanthrene. The experimental results showed that the sorbed compounds were more effectively biodegraded with rolling and rotating mixing methods. The sorbed naphthalene concentrations were reduced to 0 mg/kg via the rolling and rotating methods. However, with no mixing and the orbital shaking methods, the sorbed naphthalene concentrations were comparatively high, ranging from 2.59 to 20.45 mg/kg. Similar trends were observed for the biodegradation of phenanthrene, but the concentrations remaining were higher than those of naphthalene, due to the limited bioavailability of the sorbed phenanthrene. The rolling and rotating mixing methods are suggested can distribute bacteria uniformly in the slurry system; improve the mass transfer rate and the probability of physical contact between bacteria and the sorbed contaminants, resulting in higher bioavailability of the contaminants.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.418-421
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• 2000

A model was developed to describe the microbial decontamination of diesel contaminated soil in a soil column. The biodegradation rate of diesel in nature depends on temperature and the pH of soil, availability of nutrients, oxygen and water. The soil moisture content is one of the essential factors because it characterizes the availability not only of water to microorganisms but also of oxygen and nutrient dissolved in soil. In this work, the rate of biodegradation was modeled by coupling Michaelis-Menten kinetics for the aqueous-phase solute with adsoption-desoption equation for diesel sorption and desorption from soil.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.137-140
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to see the effect of SVE (Soil Vapor Extraction) and Bioventing (biostimulation) hydrocarbon contaminated areas. The removal rate of VOC for three weeks were 17.43 kg on 3.6 ㎥/hr at steady-state. In the application of Bioventing, every flow rate were tested, and it was found that 4.0 ㎥/hr were adequate for best control of the system. At this stage, the addition of microbial agent accelerated the biodegradation of the hydrocarbon.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.24-33
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• 2010

This study focused on the groundwater quality, biodegradability and attenuation rate at the petroleum contaminated sites of Kangwon and Gyeonggi Provinces, Korea. For groundwater quality, Kangwon site showed chemical compositions of $Ca-SO_4+Cl$, $Ca-HCO_3$ and $Na+K-HCO_3$ types, while Gyeonggi site showed chemical compositions of $Ca-SO_4$, $Ca-HCO_3$ and $Na-HCO_3$ types. $Na+K-HCO_3$ and $Na-HCO_3$ types were detected only in February. Among many biodegradation processes, the majority was attributed to biodegradation from denitrification in both area. In Kangwon site, biodegradation from denitrification occupied 63.5%, and in Gyeonggi site it was 39.45%. Biodegradation from the most efficient aerobic respiration occupied 7.12% in Kangwon site, while Gyeonggi site in it did 27.29%. Point attenuation rate of BTEX in Gyeonggi site (GW-22) was 0.0182 $day^{-1}$, half life of BTEX was 84 days, and thus 124 days (0.34 year) would be required to clean up this site. Mean of point attenuation rate of TPH in Kangwon site was 0.0088 $day^{-1}$, mean of half life was 257 days, and thus 462 days would be required to clean up the site. Mean of point attenuation rate of TPH in Gyeonggi site was 0.0387 $day^{-1}$, mean of half life was 55 days, and thus remediation time was calculated as 99 days.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.364-369
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• 1993

The biodegradability of some anionic surfactants were investigated using biological oxygen consumption measurement at different temperatures. As test surfactants, soap, alkyl sulfate (AS), alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS), alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate (AES), linear alkylbezene sulfonate(LAS), microbial surfactants such as sophorose lipid (sopholipid) and spiculisporic acid (S-acid), were used. The test solution were incubated at $5^{\circ}C$, $18^{\circ}C$ and $32^{\circ}C$, respectively. The comparative rates of biodegradation were in accordance with the results obtained from the surface tension measurement and methylene blue method. The results of comparative blodegradabilities of the surfactants were as follows; soap, AS>AES>AOS>LAS at $18^{\circ}C$ and $32^{\circ}C$. However, at$ 5^{\circ}C$, the biodegradation rate of soap was better than other surfactants. Considering the actual environment of the river, it was concluded that the biological oxygen consumption rate method at lower temperature was more practical than the current method such as methylene blue assay with adapted shaking flask culture at $25^{\circ}C$

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.415-422
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• 1994

The biodegradation of aromatic compounds by a mixed culture GE1 was investigated in an artificial wastewater containing 250 mg/l of benzene, toluene, and phenol in semicontinuous culture. In the control group (no strains) with an aeration rate of 75 ml/l/min, 37% of phenol and 83% of benzene were volatilized during early 24 hrs and toluene was disappeared from the medium within 12 hrs. The biodegradation of benzene and toluene was effective in SB (strains + biofilm) treatment, while phenol was degraded more quickly in SG (strains + glucose) treatment including glucose as an additional carbon source. aromatic compounds added at a concentration of 250 mg/l were completely removed by SG treatment after 16 hrs or 32 hrs, respectively. The removal rate of COD was high as much as 80 mg/l/h in SG treatment during early period, but COD revealed a stable value of 116~140 mg/l after 12 hrs caused by increased biomass. Therefore, it is concluded that the mixed GE1 could be used for the wastewater treatment including aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and phenol.