• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.31-38
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• 2003

A pilot scale biofilter pretreatment-microfiltration system (BF-MF) was operated to investigate the effect of biofilter treatment in fouling reduction of microfiltration. Biofiltration was expected to reduce the membrane fouling by removal of turbidity and metal oxides. The hollow-fiber MF module with a nominal pore size of 0.1$\mu$m and a surface area of 8m$^2$ was submerged in a filtration tank and microfiltration was operated at a constant flux of 0.5 m/d. Biofiltration using polypropylene pellets was performed at a high filtration velocity of 320 m/d. Two experimental setups composed of MF and BF/MF, i.e., without and with biofilter pretreatment, were compared. Throughout the experimental period of 9 months, biofilter pretreatment was effective to reduce the membrane fouling, which was proved by the result of time variations of trans-membrane pressure and backwash conditions. The turbidity removal rate by biofiltration varied between 40% to 80% due to the periodic washing for biofilter contactor and raw water turbidity. In addition to turbidity, metals, especially Mn, Fe and Al were removed effectively with average removal rates of 89.2%, 67.8% and 64.9%, respectively. Further analysis of foulants on the used membranes revealed that turbidity and metal removal by biofiltration was the major effect of biofiltration pretreatment against microfiltration fouling.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1027-1033
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• 2005

The treatment of styrene vapor was carried out using the biofilter packed with loess/polyurethane composite during continuous operation of 74 days. The microorganisms were adapted within 2-3 days under the experimental conditions of inlet concentration and empty bed contact time (EBCT). At 200 sec of EBCT, the removal efficiency of styrene was 100\% with 200 ppmv of inlet concentration, while $92\%$ with 400 ppmv of inlet concentration. The biofilter showed the stable removal efficiencies of over $74\%$ under the EBCT range from 300 to 75 sec at the 150 ppmv of inlet styrene concentration. The maximum capacity of styrene removal for the biofilter packed with loess/polyurethane was $29g/m^3/hr$. During continuous operation of 74 days, pH of the drain water changed slightly and the pressure drop through the biofilter column was below $45\;mmH_2O/m$.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.763-769
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• 2007

This study compared the performance of a bioscrubber, a biofilter, and a combined system of bioscrubber and biofilter employed being operated at the laboratory-scale. for the removal of hydrogen sulfide. The bioscrubber maintained 100% removal of hydrogen sulfide up to inlet load of $56\;g-S/m^3{\cdot}hr$, while the removal efficiency was decreased with the increase of inlet load. The biofilter showed 100% removal efficiency up to inlet load of $126\;g-S/m^3{\cdot}h$ and the maximum elimination capacity of $126\;g\;S/m^3{\cdot}h$ for the inlet load of $224\;g-S/m^3{\cdot}h$. On the other hand, the combined system of bioscrubber and biofilter showed 100% removal for an inlet hydrogen sulfide load of up to $85\;g-S/m^3{\cdot}h$ and the maximum elimination capacity of $153\;g-S/m^3{\cdot}h$ for inlet loads of $224\;g-S/m^3{\cdot}h$.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.179-194
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• 2021

Background and objective: Plant-based biofilter system has become a promising candidate for improving indoor air quality due to its eco-friendly and sustainable nature. However, it remains controversial whether indoor air purification using a biofilter is effective. Methods: This study used the one-group pre- and post-test design to analyze the effects of the operation of the plant-based biofilter system on indoor air quality, students' perception of indoor air quality, health effects, and subjective and objective attentiveness. Results: Results of this study show that the application of the plant-based biofilter system changed the air environment in the classroom. The operation of the plant-based biofilter system significantly decreased PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ and slightly increased temperature and humidity. Satisfaction with air quality and subjective attentiveness were significantly improved but objective attentiveness and health effects were not improved. Conclusion: Further studies need to be conducted for improving indoor air quality of schools and evaluating the health effects and attention of occupants to present the objective performance of the plant-based biofilter system.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.310-315
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• 1999

The feasibility of an absorbent biofilter system was examined for rural wastewater treatment. Hydraulic loading rates varied from 50 to 250 cm/day. Effluent of the septic tank was fed into the absorbent biofilter, and small ventilation fan was provided to supply air at the rate of 250 L/min to aerate the biofilter. The biofilter system demonstrated high removal rates for $BOD_5$ and TSS at the loading rate of 150 cm/day, generally meeting the Korean effluent water quality standard of 20 mg/L applicable to both. The nutrient removal was less satisfactory than the results of $BOD_5$ and TSS, but it was within the expected range of biological treatment processes. Considering the abnormally high influent concentration of nutrients during the experiment, better performance results could have been obtained if ordinary domestic wastewater was used. The system performance was not significantly affected by the hydraulic loading up to 150 cm/day, which is far more than the loading limit of the sand filter systems. Maintenance requirement was minimal, and no problems with noise, odor, flies or sludge arose. Since the biofilter system can be operated at a distance, operation in remote rural area and multi-system connected to one control office might be advantageous to the rural area. Overall, considering the cost-effectiveness, stable performance, and minimum maintenance, the biofilter system was thought to be a competitive alternative to treat wastewater in Korean rural communities.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.236-241
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• 2003

산업체 발생 VOC를 효과적으로 처리하는 Biofilter 시스템을 고안하였다. 재질과 다공성이 다른 3기의 시스템으로부터 황화수소, 벤젠, 톨루엔, 크실렌의 단일성분과 복합성분계의 성능을 고찰하였다 저 pH Biofilter(pH 2-3)의 장기운전이 가능하였고 벤젠의 경우 경쟁적 저해를 나타내었으나 일정기간의 순응 이후 혼합처리시 양호한 처리능력을 보여주었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.533-536
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• 2006

본 연구에서 biofilter를 이용하여 $H_2S$와 styrene의 혼합가스의 제거특성을 살펴본 결과, 먼저 biofilter의 담체로서 화산석이 충분히 활용될 수 있음을 보였고, 혼합가스의 수십 또는 수백배의 높은 농도에서 EBCT을 30 sec로 하여도 100%의 제거율을 보여 본 연구에 사용된 biofilter는 악취물질 제거에 효율적으로 적용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다. 또한 혼합가스의 운전으로 pH는 저하되었지만 제거효율이 감소하는 현상은 발생하지 않았으며, 장기간의 운전에도 압력손실이 낮아 역세척이나 nutrient 공급을 조절할 필요가 없었다.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.579-587
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• 2016

The final goal of this research is to develop a miniaturized botanical biofilter using a wick-typed automatic humidifier for stabilizing soil moisture content (SMC) and purifying indoor air pollutants by the biofilter. This new biofilter equipped with wick-typed automatic humidifier was manufactured as more compacted design removing an absorption tower-typed humidifier compared with the previous big-sized biofilter made in 2015. This study was performed to compare changes of SMCs among floors depending on the number of wicks installed on the humidifier within the novel biofilter, and to compare changes of SMCs and plant growth parameters before and after planting Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’ on the biofilter. SMCs among floors depending on the number of wicks were similar, and all regression lines of SMCs showed almost horizontal lines because of long-term stability on SMCs. Comparing plant growth parameters of S. wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’ before planting and at 30 days after planting on the biofilter, all growth parameters were not statistically significant. Thus, SMCs of the biofilter were more stabilized using this humidifying apparatus regardless of the number of wicks than the previous biofilter using absorption tower-typed humidifying apparatus.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.568-574
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• 2013

A semi-pilot biofilter packed with media with immobilized Thiobacillus sp. IW and return sludge, was operated under various operating conditions in order to treat malodorous waste air containing both hydrogen sulfide and ammonia which are major air pollutants emitted from composting factories and many publicly owned treatment works (POTW). At the incipient and middle stages of a semi-pilot biofilter operation, the hydrogen sulfide-removal efficiency behaves regardless of an inlet-load of ammonia. However, the ammonia-removal efficiency decreased as an inlet-load of hydrogen sulfide increased. Nevertheless, at the final stage of the semi-pilot biofilter operation, the ammonia-removal efficiency was not affected by the increase of hydrogen sulfide-inlet load. It is attributed to that a serious acidification of semi-pilot biofilter-media did not occur due to continuous injection of buffer solution at the final stage of the semi-pilot biofilter operation. When both hydrogen sulfide and ammonia contained in malodorous waste air were treated simultaneously by semi-pilot biofilter, the maximum elimination capacities of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia turned out to be ca. 58 and $30g/m^3/h$, respectively. These maximum elimination capacities were estimated to be ca. 39 and 46% less than those for lab-scaled biofilter-separate elimination of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, respectively. Thus, for the simultaneous biofilter-treatment of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, the maximum elimination capacity of ammonia decreased by 7% more than that of hydrogen sulfide.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.751-762
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• 2015

This study was performed to investigate the stability of soil moisture in controlling air ventilation rate within a horizontal biofilter, and to compare removal efficiency (RE) of indoor air pollutants including fine dust, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and formaldehyde (HCHO), depending on whether dieffenbachias (Diffenbachia amoena) were planted in the biofilter. The relative humidity, air temperature, and soil moisture contents showed stable values, regardless of the presence of D. amoena, and the plants grew normally in the biofilter. REs for number of fine dust particles (PM10 and PM2.5) within the biofilter filled with only soil were at least 30% and 2%, respectively. REs for number of fine dust particles (PM10 and PM2.5) within the biofilter including the plants were above 40% and 4%, respectively. RE for fine dust (PM10) weight was above 4% and 20%, respectively, in the biofilter containing only soil or soil together with plants. In the case of the biofilter filled with only soil, REs for xylene, ethylbenzene, toluene or total VOC (T-VOC) were each more than 63%; however, REs for benzene and formaldehyde (HCHO) were above 22% and 38%, respectively. In the biofilter with the plants, REs for xylene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and T-VOC were each above 72%, and REs for benzene and HCHO were above 39%. Thus, RE of the biofilter integrated with plants was found to be higher for volatile organic compounds than for fine dust. Hence, the biofilter was very effective for indoor air quality improvement and the effect was higher when integrated with plants.