• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.22-37
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• 2006

The applicability of biobarrier or in situ microbial filter technology for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvent was investigated through batch microcosm study. The efficiency and rates of reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are known to be highly dependent on hydrogen concentration. In this study, the effect of electron donors on the reductive dechlorination of PCE was investigated using vermicompost (or worm casting) and peat as a biobarrier medium. The effect of organic acids (lactate, butyrate and benzoate), yeast extract and vitamin $B_{12}$ on the reductive dechlorination was investigated. In the absence of biobarrier medium (adsorbent), addition of electron donors stimulated the dechlorination rate of PCE compared to the control experiment (i.e., no electron donor added). Among the treatments, addition of lactate or lactate/benzoate as hydrogen donor exhibited the highest dechlorination rate ($k_1=0.0260{\sim}0.0266\;day^{-1}$). In case of using vermicompost as a biobarrier medium, amendment of lactate/benzoate exhibited the highest dechlorination rate following with a pseudo-first-order degradation rate constant of $k_1=0.0849\;day^{-1}$. In contrast, when Pahokee peat was used as a biobarrier medium, either butyrate or lactate addition exhibited the highest dechlorination rate with $k_1$ values of 0.1092 and $0.1067\;day^{-1}$, respectively. The results of this study showed the potential applicability of in situ biobarrier technology using vermicompost or peat as a barrier material for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvent.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2004

Salt occlusion in Zeolite is a unique phenomenon that takes place only when the salt size is similar to the window size of host zeolite. $KCIO_3$-occluded Zeolite, as an environment-friendly oxidant, has a high potential for effective removal of various organic pollutants. This study was carried to investigate the characteristics and the removal kinetics of fungicide chlorothalonil by zeolite-$KCIO_3$ complex. About 10% of $KCIO_3$ was occluded in zeolite pores synthesized by salt-thermal method from fly ash, although the occlusion amount was relatively less compared to that of nitrate salts. By occlusion with $KCIO_3$, no remarkable changes were found in X-ray diffraction patterns of cancrinite, whereas some decrease of overall peak intensities was found with those of sodalite. Different releasing kinetics of $CIO_3^-$ ion were observed in distilled water and soil solution from zeolite-$KCIO_3$ complex. Two reactions, hydration and diffusion, seem to be related with the release of $KCIO_3$. Therefore, the release isotherm of $CIO_3^-$ ion well fitted to the power function model which indicate the release was made by hydration and diffusion. The removal of chlorothalonil by zeolite and $KCIO_3$ reached at reaction equilibrium within 6 hours by 18% and 47% respectively. However, the chlorothalonil removal by the zeolite-$KCIO_3$ complex increased slowly and steadily up to 92% in 96 hours. These findings suggested that zeolite-$KCIO_3$ complex could be applied for effective removal of organic contaminants in the soil and aqueous environment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.36-43
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• 1999

The present study was performed to investigate biodegradation rate of dichlorvos and methidathion. In the biodegradation test of two pesticides by the modified river die-away method from June 17 to August 22, 1998, the biodegradation rate constants and half-life were determined in Nakdong(A) and Kumho River(B). Biodegradation rate of dichlorvos was 4.51% in A sampling point, 6.88% in B sampling point after 7 days. Biodegradation rate constants and half-life of dichlorvos were 0.0066 and 105 days in A sampling point, 0.0102 and 67.9 days in B sampling point, respectively. Biodegradation rate of methidathion was 23% in A sampling point, 36% in B sampling point after 7 days. Biodegradation rate constants and half-life of methidathion were 0.0377 and 18.4 days in A sampling point, 0.0641 and 10.8 days in B sampling point, respectively. Biodegradation rate of methidathion was faster than that of dichlorvos. This suggested that the difference in biodegradation of pesticides was due to difference in the water quality and standard plate counts in the Nackdong and Kumho Rivers. The result of correlation analysis between biodegradation rate constants of the pesticides and water quality(DO, BOD, SS, ABS, NH$_3$-N, and NO$_3$-N) showed significant correlation with BOD, SS and NH$_3$-N at the 5% significant level. A significant linear equation was obtained from regression analysis at the 5% significant level, whereas, dependent variables were BOD, SS and NH$_3$-N, and the biodegradation rate constant was independent variable. It is suggested that dichlorvos will be mainly degraded by hydrolysis, and for methidathion was both hydrolysis and biodegradation. A significant QSAR equation was obtained from regression analysis at the 10% significant level, whereas, dependent variable is biodegradation rate constants of BPMC, chlorothalonil, dichlorvos and methidathion, vapor pressures, partition coefficients and water solubilities of the pesticides are independent variables. Also, a significant linear equation was obtained from regression analysis at the 1% significant level, whereas, dependent variable is biodegradation rate constants of BPMC, chlorothalonil, dichlorvos and methidathion, hydrolysis rate constants of the pesticides are independent variables. It is suggested that the pesticides will be degraded by main degradation factor when the pesticides was affected both hydrolysis and biodegradation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4 s.105
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• pp.434-446
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• 2003

The fate and transport of many trace metals, metalloids, and radionuclides in porous media is closely linked to the biogeochemical reactions that occur as a result of organic carbon being sequentially degraded by different microorganisms using a series of terminal electron acceptors. The spatial distribution of these biogeochemical reactions is affected by processes that are often unique and/or characteristic to a specific environment. Generic model formulations have been developed and applied to simulate the fate and transport of arsenic in two hydrologic settings, permanently flooded freshwater sediments, namely non-vegetated wetland sediments and vegetated wetland sediments. The key physical processes that have been considered are sedimentation, effects of roots on biogeochemistry, advective transport, and differences in mixing processes. Steady-state formulations were applied to the sedimentary environments. Results of numerical simulations show that these physical processes significantly affect the chemical profiles of different electron acceptors, their reduced species, and arsenate as well as arsenite that will result from the degradation of an organic carbon source in the sediments. Even though specific biological transformations are allowed to proceed only in zones where they are thermodynamically favorable, the results show that mixing as well as abiotic reactions can make the profiles of individual electron acceptors overlap and/or appear to reverse their expected order.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.344-356
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• 2013

This study is a continuation of the 22 year consecutive study (1972~1993) to monitor community dynamics of forest in Mt. Kwanak. This study was intended to provide basic data for urban forest management in the future by analyzing actual changes in vegetation structure of forest in Mt. Kwanak caused by urban environmental changes. For the past 39 years (1972~2010), average temperature increased by approximate between 1.1 and $1.7^{\circ}C$ and soil acidification (pH $5.40{\rightarrow}4.50$) and contents of $K^+$ ($0.67{\rightarrow}0.25$) and $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ ($3.20{\rightarrow}0.87$) apparently tended to decrease. According to analysis importance percentage and DBH class of community types classified based on DCA, the succession stopped at Quercus mongolica for 39 years. In addition, the succession was expected to be held at Q. mongolica or to shift from Pinus densiflora to Q. mongolica and from Q. acutissima to Q. serrata. Size of trees growing in forest of Mt. Kwanak increased but the number of species and population of trees showed a downward trend for the 39 years and Styrax japonica and Sorbus alnifolia, which are indicator species, increased their dominance continuously. Decrease in contents of $K^+$, $Ca^{{+}{+}}$, and $Mg^{{+}{+}}$ and soil acidification for the past 39 years was found to affect degradation of vegetation structure in Mt. Kwanak.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.81-91
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• 2012

This paper mainly deals with the analysis of probabilistic characteristics of the disturbed function proposed to predict dynamic behavior of Geosynthetic-soil interface as the lining and cover systems used in waste landfills. Calibration and statistical property estimation of the parameters in the disturbed function model were first performed using many experimental data obtained from a new multi-purpose interface apparatus (M-PIA). In order to analyze the effect due to changes in chemical degradation and normal loads condition, probabilistic properties such as mean, coefficient of variation and distribution type of the disturbed function were evaluated using both the LHS method known to be a very efficient sampling scheme and the estimated statistical property of A and Z. As a result, variation of the disturbed function is found to range approximately from 10~28% according to the level of ${\xi}_D$ and Weibull appears to be the most adequate distribution type at almost all levels of ${\xi}_D$. It is concluded that a probabilistic safety assessment method for Geosynthetic-soil interface considering uncertainty in shear strength can be developed by utilizing probabilistic properties of the disturbed function obtained in this study.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1473-1480
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• 2011

Perchlorate ($ClO_4^-$) is a contaminant found in surface water and soil/ground water. Microbial removal of perchlorate is the method of choice since microorganisms can reduce perchlorate into harmless end-products. Such microorganisms require an electron donor to reduce perchlorate. Conventional perchlorate-removal techniques employ heterotrophic perchlorate-reducing bacteria that use organic compounds as electron donors to reduce perchlorate. Since continuous removal of perchlorate requires a continuous supply of organic compounds, heterotrophic perchlorate removal is an expensive process. Feasibility of autotrophic perchlorate-removal using elemental sulfur granules and activated sludge was examined in this study. Granular sulfur is relatively inexpensive and activated sludge is easily available from wastewater treatment plants. Batch tests showed that activated sludge microorganisms could successfully degrade perchlorate in the presence of granular sulfur as an electron donor. Perchlorate biodegradation was confirmed by molar yield of $Cl^-$ as the perchlorate was degraded. Scanning electron microscope revealed that rod-shaped microorganisms on the surface of sulfur particles were used for the autotrophic perchlorate-removal, suggesting that sulfur particles could serve as supporting media for the formation of biofilm as well. DGGE analyses revealed that microbial profile of the inoculum (activated sludge) was different from that of the biofilm sample obtained from enrichment culture that used sulfur particles for $ClO_4^-$-degradation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2013

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a widely used substance in commercial and industrial applications, yet it must be removed from the contaminated soil and groundwater environment due to its toxic and carcinogenic nature. We investigated bacterial community structure, dominant bacterial strain, and removal efficiency in a TCE contaminated groundwater treatment system using immobilized carrier. The microbial diversity was determined by the nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA gene library. The major bacterial population of the contaminated groundwater treatment system was belonging to BTEX degradation bacteria. The bacterial community consisted mainly of one genus of Pseudomonas (Pseudomonas putida group). The domination of Pseudomonas putida group may be caused by high concentration of toluene and TCE. Furthermore, we isolated a toluene and TCE degrading bacterium, named Pseudomonas sp. DHC8, from the immobilized carrier in bioreactor which was designed to remove TCE from the contaminated ground water. Based on the results of morphological and physiological characteristics, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain DHC8 was identified as a member of Pseudomonas putida group. When TCE (0.83 mg/L) and toluene (60.61 mg/L) were degraded by this strain, removal efficiencies were 72.3% and 100% for 12.5 h, respectively. Toluene removal rate was 2.89 ${\mu}mol/g$-DCW/h and TCE removal rate was 0.02 ${\mu}mol/g$-DCW/h. These findings will be helpful for maintaining maximum TCE removal efficiency of a reactor for bioremediation of TCE.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.1052-1060
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• 1999

Tire and raw material of tire, i.e., SBR were degraded using pyrolysis process. The yield of pyrolytic oil was increased and that of gas was decreased with increase of operating temperature in pyrolysis. And the yield of pyrolytic oil was increased and that of gas and char was decreased with increase of heating rate. The maximum oil yields of SBR and tire were 86% and 55% each at $700^{\circ}C$ with a heating rate of $20^{\circ}C/min$. The number average molecular weight ranges of SBR and tire were 740~2486, 740~1719, and the calorific value of SBR and tire was 39~40 kJ/g. The oil components were consisted of mostly 50 aromatic compounds. The particle size was decreased and the surface area was increased with increase of operating temperature, and the BET surface area was $47{\sim}63m^2/g$. The optimum condition of pyrolysis was the temperature of $700^{\circ}C$ with heating rate of $20^{\circ}C$, and the reactor was continuously purged with inert gas to sweep the evolved gases from the reaction zone.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.54-62
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• 1999

2,4-Dichlorophenol was known pollutants caused by the endocrine disruptor into the refractory substances of environment and this is difficult to be degradable by conventional methods. Therefore, a considerable interest has been devoted to developing new process where 2,4-Dichlorophenol can easily decomposed. In this study, the series of ultrasonic irradiation for removal of 2,4-Dichlorophenol has been selected as a model reaction in the batch reactor system in order to obtain the basic data investigate the influence of various experimental parameters such as concentration, pH, reaction temperature, acoustic intensity. The products obtained form the ultrasonic irradiation were analysed by GC/MS and HPLC. The formation of $H_2O_2$, a well-known the strong oxidant was found proportionally to increase with irradiation time. The intermediates of ultrasonic irradiation of 2,4-Dichlorophenol were identified as HCl, catechol, hydroquinone, o,p-benzoquinone, muconic acid, and maleic acid. The final products of this was $CO_2$ and $H_2O$. As the decomposition of 2,4-Dichlorophenol proceeds by the ultrasonic irradiation, the pH of 2,4-Dichlorophenol containing aqueous solution increases slowly, The decomposition of 2,4-Dichlorophenol was found to be occured fast in the basic medium. In general, the rate of reaction is proportional to the reaction temperature obeying the Arrhenius' law. However, in the ultrasonic irradiation, this suggests as the reaction temperature increase the decomposition rate of the reactant decreases. This result meant that the increase of reaction temperature due to the increase of vapor pressure of water accelerated the decrease of acoustic intensity which was can be proportional to the decomposition rae of these compounds. It was found that more than 80% of phenol solution was removed within hours in all reaction conditions. The reaction order in the degradation of the 2,4-Dichlorophenol compounds was verified as the Pseude-first order. From the fore-mentioned results, it can be concluded that the refractory organic compounds caused by endocrine disruptor as 2,4-dichlorophenol could be removed by the ultrasonic irradiation with radicals, such as $H{\;}{\cdot}{\;}and{\;}OH{\;}{\cdot}$ radical causing the high increase of pressure and temperature. Finally, it apeared that the technology using ultrasonic irradiation can be applied to the treatment of refractory substances caused by endocrine disruptor which are difficult to be decomposed by the conventional methods.