• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.682-689
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to find out the variation between molecular size distribution (MSD) of natural organic matter (NOM) in raw waters after different water treatment processes like conventional process (coagulation, flocculation, filtration) followed by advanced oxidation process (ozonation, GAC adsorption). The MSD of NOM of Suji pilot plant were determined by Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD) which is a kine of high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with nondispersive infrared (NDIR) detector and $UV_{254}$ detector. Five distinct fractions were generally separated from water samples with the Toyopearl HW-50S column, using 28 mmol phosphate buffer at pH 6.58 as an eluent. Large and intermediate humic fractions were the most dominant fractions in surface water. High molecular weight (HMW) matter was clearly easier to remove in coagulation and clarification than low molecular weight (LMW) matter. Water treatment processes removed the two largest fractions almost completely shifting the MSD towards smaller molecular size in DW. No more distinct variation of MSD was observed by ozone process after sand filtration but the SUVA value were obviously reduced during increase of the ozone doses. UVD results and HS-Diagram demonstrate that ozone induce not the variation of molecular size of humic substance but change the bond structure from aromatic rings or double bonds to single bond. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration removed 8~9% of organic compounds and showed better adsorption property for small MSD than large one.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.355-362
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• 2021

This study investigated the fate of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in a water reclamation facility (WRF) in Korea. The WRF consists of coagulation, sedimentation, microfiltration, and reverse osmosis (RO) components. The production capacity of WRF is 90,000 m³/day. The reclaimed water is reused as industrial water. We also characterized DOM in raw, processed, and finished waters based on analysis of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UVA₂₅₄), fluorescence excitation emission matrix (FEEM), and DOC fractions via liquid chromatography-organic carbon detection (LC-OCD). Based on the results of DOC, UVA₂₅₄, and FEEM analyses, neither the coagulation/sedimentation nor the microfiltration at the WRF effectively removed DOM. The RO process removed more than 94% of DOM. The raw water (i.e., secondary treated effluent obtained from a wastewater treatment plant) exhibited tryptophan-like peaks, which are a promising marker of wastewater, in the FEEM analysis. Coagulation and microfiltration failed to eliminate the wastewater marker, whereas RO completely removed it. The raw water also carried high levels (89.4%) of hydrophilic and low-molecular weight substances, which are difficult to remove via coagulation-sedimentation or microfiltration. Humic substance was a major component of the hydrophilic fractions. Based on the LC-OCD analysis, RO effectively removed the humic and polymeric materials from DOM.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.194-205
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• 2020

The characteristics and behavior of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were determined by analyzing the molecular weight fractions and fluorescence properties of water samples in the downstream Nakdong River. Biogeochemical water quality parameters and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) were analyzed at five sampling points in the downstream area of the Nakdong River January-August 2019. The molecular weight fractions of the DOM were separated by the Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD). The DOM predominantly comprised humic substances, followed by the building blocks, low molecular weight neutrals and biopolymers. The hydrophobic (aromatic) and hydrophilic properties were shown as coexisting, as most of the SUVA_254nm values were under four. The FDOM was characterized as humic-like (FDOM_H) with allochthonous origin and protein-like (FDOM_P) with autochthonous origin; the FDOM_H with autochthonous origin was also identified. The FDOM_H relies on the aromaticity of the allochthonous organic matter and increases during summer. The FDOM_H and FDOM_P, which depend on the biodegradable dissolved organic matter from phytoplankton, were highly fluorescent in winter. The allochthonous organic matter was the dominant factor contributing to the behavior of the DOM, externally introduced to the river by rainfall. The FDOM only minimally contributed to the behavior of the DOM. It can be explained as the seasonal characteristics of the DOM, varied by the source of the organic matter.