• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.142-148
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• 1997

This study was performed to develop the biological treatment technology of wastewater polluted with heavy metals. Heavy metal-tolerant microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas putida, P. aeruginosa, P. chlororaphis and P. stutzeri possessing the ability to accumulate cadmium, lead, zinc and copper, respectively, were isolated from industrial wastewaters and mine wastewaters polluted with various heavy metals. The effect of competing ions and metabolic inhibitors on heavy metal accumulation in the cells was investigated. Heavy metal accumulation into cells was drastically decreased in the presence of competing cation, $Al^{3+}$, and also decreased, at a lesser extent, in the presence of competing anions, $CO_3\;^{2-}$ and $PO_4\;^{2-}$. But heavy metal accumulation was not influenced generally in the presence of the other rations and anions. The accumulation of Cd, Zn or Cu by Cd-, Zn- or Cu-tolerant microorganism was remarkably decreased in the presence of metabolic inhibitors, but the accumulation of Pb by Pb-tolerant microorganism was little affected in the presence of metabolic inhibitors. These results suggested that the accumulation of Cd, Zn or Cu by Cd-, Zn- or Cu-tolerant microorganism was concerned with the biological activity depending on energy, and the accumulation of Pb by Pb-tolerant microorganism depended on not the biological activity but the physical adsorption on the cell surface. Each heavy metal-tolerant microorganism also exhibited some ability to accumulate the other heavy metals in solution containing equal concentrations of cadmium, lead, zinc and copper, when measured at 48 hours after inoculation of the microorganisms, but the accumulation rates were somewhat low as compared to the accumulation rates of heavy metal fitting to each tolerance. These results suggested that the accumulation of each heavy metal by each heavy metal-tolerant microorganism was a selective accumulation process.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1 s.115
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• pp.62-72
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• 2006

Biological health in aquatic environments has been assessed by several approaches using various bio-taxa. Especially, fish has been identified as one of the best ecological indicators for an integrative health assessments in aquatic environments. In this preliminary study, the necropsy-based approach using the Health Assessment Index (Adams et al., 1993; HAI, Blazer, 2000), was employed for the assessments of aquatic environments influenced by effluent water from wastewater disposal plants (WDP) near a urban stream (i.e., Cap-Stream). For the impact analysis from the effluents, we developed 10 metric necropsy-based model including $M_l\;skin,\;M_2\;fin,\;M_3\;thymus,\;M_4\;spleen,\;M_5\;hindgut,\;M_6\;kidney,\;M_7\;liver.\;M_8\;eyes,\;M_9\;gill,\;and\;M_{10}$ pseudobranch. We set up duplicate controls (natural upstream water plus 5 fishes in each control tank) and duplicate treatments (effluent water from the WDP plus 5 fishes in each treatment tank) in the laboratory. Preliminary results showed that HAI values in the controls were zero, indicating an excellent condition by the criteria of HAI, while the HAI values in the treatments ranged between 40 and 150, indicating a poor condition. Also, various health conditions, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI), species richness, tolerance guilds, and trophic guilds supported the HAI approach. The HAI approach, not applied in Korea, not may be used as an surrogate fer ecological health assessment in lotic ecosystems.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.27-41
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• 2017

This study dealt with the characteristics and the interrelations of hydrogeological parameters such as hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity and effective porosity of unconsolidated sediments for providing the basic data necessary for the planning of the management and preservation of groundwater quality in the Nakdong River Delta of Busan City, Korea. Groundwater quality in this area has been deteriorated due to seawater intrusion, agricultural fertilizer and pesticide, industrial wastewater, and contaminated river water. The physical properties (grain size distribution, sediment type, sorting) and aquifer parameters (hydraulic conductivity, effective porosity, longitudinal dispersivity) were determined from grain size analysis, laboratory permeability test and column tracer test. Among 36 samples, there were 18 Sand (S), 7 Gravelly Sand (gS), 5 Silty Sand (zS), 5 Muddy Sand (mS), and 1 Sandy Silt (sZ). Hydraulic conductivity was determined through a falling head test, and ranged from $9.2{\times}10^{-5}$ to $2.9{\times}10^{-2}cm/sec$ (0.08 to 25.6 m/day). From breakthrough curves, dispersivity was calculated to be 0.35~3.92 cm. Also, effective porosity and average linear velocity were obtained through the column tracer test, and their values were 0.04~0.46 and 1.06E-04~6.49E-02 cm/sec, respectively. Statistical methods were used to understand the interrelations among aquifer parameters of hydraulic conductivity, effective porosity and dispersivity. The relation between dispersivity and hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity considered the sample length, because dispersivity was affected by experimental scale. The relations between dispersivity and hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity were all in inverse proportion for all long and short samples. The reason was because dispersivity was in inverse proportion to the groundwater velocity in case of steady hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient, and groundwater velocity was in proportion to the hydraulic conductivity or effective porosity. This study also elucidated that longitudinal dispersivity was dependent on the scale of column tracer test, and all hydrogeological parameters were low to high values due to the sand quantity of sediments. It is expected that the hydrogeological parameter data of sediments will be very useful for the planning of groundwater management and preservation in the Nakdong River Delta of Busan City, Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.417-426
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• 2010

In this study, ten different bio-adsorbents were prepared by immobilization of vegetable tannins such as mimosa(Catechol Tannin) and chestnut(Pyrogallol Tannin) on the collagen matrix which was derived from during leather manufacturing processing. Removal efficiency of Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Cr(III) by each bio-adsorbent in synthetic wastewater was evaluated by a laboratory-scale batch reactor at different reaction conditions. When mimosa was used as a vegetable tannin, the penetration efficiency of mimosa into the inner bundle of fiber depended on the dose of the naphthalene condensated penetrant; 3% ${\geq}$ 1.5% > 0%. For all bio-adsorbents, removal of heavy metal ions was not observed below pH 3.0 but was rapidly increased between pH 3.0 and 6.0, showing near complete removal of all heavy metal ions except Zn(II) above pH 6.0. Removal of Cr(III) was quite similar for all bio-adsorbents while removal of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) was higher by bio-adsorbents immobilized with chestnut than that by mimosa. Adsorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) by S10 bio-adsorbent was little affected by the presence of monovalent and divalent electrolytes as well as variation of 1000 times ionic concentration with $NaNO_3$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2010

This study was performed with the object in which it improves the nitrification by using RBC, that is one of the biological waste water treatment process. By applying the Modified Dephanox process to RBC in this research in order to evaluate the improvement of the nitrification by RBC a research was conducted. There is the most conspicuous feature of the process of using RBC. it is that the nitrification can be smoothly performed even if the suspended solid of the high concentration as the interference factor in the nitrification tank is flowed in. Moreover, as a result of experiment, TCOD removal efficiency of the process showed up more than about 90%. when influent TCOD loading rate was 0.04~0.1 kg / $day{\cdot}m^3$. and T-N removal efficiency is high at about 75% in spite of the process operating of the laboratory scale was observed. Also, As increasing influent ${PO_4}^{3-}$-P, T-P loading rate, ${PO_4}^{3-}$-P, T-P removal efficiency was increased. Finally, it was elucidated that the utilization of RBC in external nitrification system resulted in not only high nitrification performance but also stable system operation by minimizing inhibitory effect of overflowed suspended solid (SS).

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.453-458
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• 2008

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate disinfection as well as removal of color and residual organics from reclaimed municipal wastewater by electrochemical processes with Nb/Pt anode installed. RNO was rapidly bleached by OH$\cdot$ and the second order rate constants of RNO removal were $\frac{0.223l}{mg{\cdot}min}$, $\frac{1.679l}{mg{\cdot}min}$ and $\frac{2.322l}{mg{\cdot}min}$ with for 5 A, 10 A, and 15 A, respectively, with r$^2$ of > 96%. In batch electrochemical processes, after 15 min at currency of 15 A and initial pH of 5, 7,5 and 9, COD$_{Mn}$ was below 4 mg/L, color unit below 5 degree and general bacteria was not detected, the concentration of which are suitable for drinking water regulation. In the continuous electrochemical process, with HRT of 3.7$\sim$49.2 min, free chlorine were 0.2$\sim$0.7 mg/L, general bacteria was not detected, color unit below 5 degree and THMs was 0.017 mg/L. Therefore, electrochemical process with Nb/Pt anode was employed satisfactory to meet for reusing biologically treated water as well as disinfection.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.132-140
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• 1998

Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted using a three-stage rotating biological contactor unit followed by lime precipitation and sedimentation with effluent recycle to the first stage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of hydraulic loadings of 0.031-0.076 $m^3/m^2/d and recycle ratio of 1 to 3 on the simultaneous removal of organics and nutrients from domestic wastewater. Lime was added to maintain pH of 10.4-11.0 in the coagulation-flocculation reactor. Results showed that the highest nitrogen removal rate of 70.5% occurred at the lower hydraulic loading of 0.031 $m^3/m^2/d at a recirculation rate of 300%, and similarly, highest nitrification occurred at the same hydraulic loading and recycle ratio. Concentration of ammonia nitrogen in the effluent was less than 1 mg/l at the same operating conditions for higher nitrogen removal. Whereas, high BOD and COD removal was observed at hydraulic loading rate of 0.054 $m^3/m^2/d, and high removal of organic matter was evident from the consistent low COD and BOD value. Results obtained from the operating condition of higher loading rate, 300% of recycle rate showed the highest removals. Increasing in recycle rate and hydraulic loading rate increased the volatile solids fraction of the sludges generated to the extent of 47% at 0.076 $m^3/m^2/d hydraulic loading and 300% recirculation rate. Since pH in the flocculator was maintained at the pH of 10.4-11.0, above 90% removal of phosphorus was obtained. Average concentration of suspended solids was always maintained over 40 mg/l in the effluent. Therefore an RBC unit operating at a hydraulic loading near 0.031 $m^3/m^2/d with a recycle rate of 300% is a viable and feasible alternate conditions to produce an effluent with relative low organic matter and phosphorus, provided that there is a neutralization unit to control the pH and SS of the effluent.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to establish effective conditions for controlling $CH_4$, $N_2O$ emission from organic Waste / wastewater treatment processes. Continuous and batch experiments were conducted to treat the micro algae from polluted and eutrophicated lakes through the thermophilic oxic process. The microalgae used were mainly Microcystis sp.(collected from eutrophic lake) and Chlorella sp. (cultured in laboratory) Wasted cooking oil was added by aid-heating source. Physico-chemical components of sludges and microalgae were analyzed. In batch experiments, air supply was changed from 50ml/min to 150ml/min. The temperature. water content and drained water were affected by the air flow rate at initial stage. However, there was almost no influence of air flow rate on them in middle and last stages. At air flow rate of 100ml/min, the degradation rate of organic material was higher than that at other air flow rates. $CO_2$ concentration in exhaust was proportional to the strength of aeration, especially at initial stage when degradation was active. $CH_4$ with low concentration was detected only at starting stage when air diffusion was not enough. $N_2O$ production was not affected by variation of air supply. In continuous experiments no matter what the dewatering methods (with PAC and without PAC) and media (wood chip and reed chip) were changed, $N_2O$ was almost not affected by variation of injected air. Result showed that the reed chips using for lake purification could be used as media for thermophilic oxic process in lake and marshes area. $CO_2$ concentration was not so much affected by the change of dewatering methods and media types. $CH_4$ was not detected in the experimental period. So it can be shown that the thermophilic oxic process had been well operated in wide handling conditions regardless of media and dewatering methods.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 2003

Nitrification performance of fixed film biofilters using coarse sand, loess bead, or styrofoam beads in biofilter columns 1 meter high and 30cm in diameter were studied at different hydraulic and organic matter loading rates. Synthetic wastewater was supplied to the culture tank in order to maintain desired TAN concentrations in inlet water to biofilters. All the biofilters were conditioned 5 months before start of sampling. TAN and $NO_2-N$ conversion rates increased with an increase in the hydraulic loading rate (HLR). However, the improvement in biofilter performance was not linearly correlated to HLR in styrofoam bead filters. This is mainly due to the characteristics of the styrofoam beads used. TAN conversion rates of sand filters increased with the increase of HLR up to $200m^3/m^2$. per day. No increase in the TAN conversion rate was observed at the highest HLR since flooding on the media surface took place. HLR had a significant impact on the TAN conversion rates in loess bead filter up to the highest HLR tested (P<0.05). TAN conversion rates were much less at organic matter loading rates of 9 and 18kg $O_2/m^3$ per day than those without the addition of organic matter in styrofoam bead filters. The addition of glucose resulted in a reduction of the TAN conversion rate from 540 to 284g $TAN/m^3$ per day. No significant difference of TAN conversion rates between the two organic matter loading rates was found (p<0.05). This indicates that the impact of organic matter on nitrification becomes less and less sensitive with an increase in the COD/TAN ratio. At an organic matter loading rate of 9kg $O_2/m^3$. per day, a great reduction of TAN conversion rates was observed in sand filters and loess bead filters. Clearly, organic matter can be one of the most Important Impacting factors on nitrification. $NO_2-N$ conversion rates showed a similar trend for TAN. Based on the TAN and nitrite conversion rates, styrofoam beads showed the best performance among the three filter media tested. Also, the low gravity and price of styrofoam beads make the handling easier and more cost-effective for commercial application. The results obtained at the highest organic matter loading rates can be used in the biofilter design in recirculating aquaculture system.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.317-330
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• 2009

To diminish the levels of organic matters, a novel S-CROM (continuous removal of organic matters in the stream system using freshwater bivalve), was developed and applied to the polluted stream discharging from the wastewater treatment plant, Pocheon stream, Pocheon city (Korea). Major pollutants of the stream were human population and industrial wastewaters. The study was conducted at a small dam constructed within the stream, often called 'bo', and designed with four tanks; no mussels and no sediment (negative control), no mussels and sediment (positive control), 30 mussels and sediment (D1), and 60 mussels and sediment (D2). Physicochemical and biological parameters were measured at 12 hours interval (day and night) after mussel stocking. Results indicated that Anodonta woodiana Lea (D2) clearly removed approximately 72% of chl-$\alpha$ and 57% of suspended solids on second day, however, there were no differences in removal activities between animal densities (P>0.5). Dislike a laboratory CROM system, which previously developed, there were no huge release of nutrient ($NH_3$-N and SRP), due perhaps to the higher flow rate and the lower animal density. Therefore, we may suggest that if we can determine the relevant current and the animal density considering the stream state, an S-CROM system has a strong potential to water quality improvement of eutrophic streams. Some characteristics on both CROM and S-CROM were compared.