• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.57-62
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• 2011

This study investigated the effects of various inorganic anions($Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$, $HCO_3{^-}$) on the Methyl tert Butyl Ether(MTBE) degradation by photocatalysis using statistical method. Generally, this process in general demands the generation of hydroxyl radicals(OH radical) in solution in the presence of UV light. The generation of radicals were affected by inorganic anions in solution that inhibited the photodegradation by their trapping hydroxyl radicals. The effects of inorganic anions were mathematically described as the independent variables such as $Cl^-$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $HCO_3{^-}$, and these were designed by mixture analysis that was one of the response surface methodology(RSM). Regression analysis on ANOVA showed significant p-value(p<0.0001) and high coefficients for determination value($R^2$=99.28%, ${R^2}_{adj}$=98.91%). Contour and response surface plots showed that the effects of inorganic anions for MTBE photodegradation based on $UV/H_2O_2$ process. In the result, $Cl^-$ and $HCO_3{^-}$ inhibited the photodegradation of the MTBE by their trapping hydroxyl radicals, and the interaction by these two factors was observed.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-28
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• 2014

Advanced oxidation processes using UV and catalysts like $TiO_2$ and ZnO have been recently applied for the photocatalytic degradation of MTBE in water. Attempts have been made to replace the UV radiation by the solar spectrum. This review intends to shed more light on the work that has been done so far in this area of research. The information provided will help in crystallizing the ideas required to shift the trend from UV photocatalysis to sunlight photocatalysis. The careful optimization of the reaction parameters and the type of the dopant employed are greatly responsible for any enhancement in the degradation process. The advantage of shifting from UV photocatalysts to visible light photocatalysts can be observed when catalysts like $TiO_2$ and ZnO are doped with suitable metals. Therefore, it is expected that in the near future, the visible light photocatalysis will be the main technique applied for the remediation of water contaminated with MTBE.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.874-882
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• 2017

As the interest on the air-pollution is gradually rising up at home and abroad, automotiv e and fuel researchers have been working on the exhaust emission reduction from vehicles through a lot of approaches, which consist of new engine design, innovative after-treatment systems, using clean (eco-friendly alternative) fuels and fuel quality improvement. This research has brought forward three main issues : evaporative, performance, air pollution. In addition, researcher studied the environment problems of the bio-ethanol, bio-butanol, bio-ETBE (Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether), MTBE (Methyl Tert iary Butyl Ether) fuel contained in the fuel as octane number improver. The researchers have many dat a about the health effects of ingestion of octane number improver. However, the data support the con clusion that octane number improver is a potential human carcinogen at high doses. Based on the bio-fuel and octane number improver types (bio-ethanol, bio-butanol, bio-ETBE, MTBE), this paper dis cussed the influence of gasoline fuel properties on the evaporative emission characteristics. Also, this p aper assessed the acceleration and power performance of gasoline vehicle for the bio-fuel property. As a result of the experiment, it was found that all the test fuels meet the domestic exhaust gas standards, and as a result of measurement of the vapor pressure of the test fuels, the bio - ethanol : 15 kPa and the biobutanol : 1.6 kPa. thus when manufacturing E3 fuel, Increasing the biobutanol content reduces evaporation gas and vapor pressure. In addition, Similar accelerating and powering performance was shown for the type of biofuel and when bio-butanol and bio-ethanol were compared accelerated perf ormance was improved by about 3.9% and vehicle power by 0.8%.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.27-36
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• 2007

A recent study showed that MTBE can be degraded by Fenton's Reagent (FR). The treatment of MTBE with FR, however, has a definite limitation of extremely low pH requirement (optimum pH $3{\sim}4$) that makes the process impracticable under neutral pH condition on which the ferrous ion precipitate forming salt with hydroxyl anion, which result in the diminishment of the Fenton reaction and incompatible with biological treatment. Consequently, this process using only FR is not suitable for in-situ remediation of MTBE. In order to overcome this limitation, modified Fenton process using NTA, oxalate, and acetate as chelating reagents was introduced into this study. Modified Fenton reaction, available at near neutral pH, has been researched for the purpose of obtaining high performance of oxidation efficiency with stabilized ferrous or ferric ion by chelating agent. In the MTBE degradation experiment with modified Fenton reaction, it was observed that this reaction was influenced by some factors such as concentrations of ferric ion, hydrogen peroxide, and each chelating agent and pH. Six potential chelators including oxalate, succinate, acetate, citrate, NTA, and EDTA were tested to identify an appropriate chelator. Among them, oxalate, acetate, and NTA were selected based on their remediation efficiency and biodegradability of each chelator. Using NTA, the best result was obtained, showing more than 99.9% of MTBE degradation after 30 min at pH 7; the initial concentration of hydrogen peroxide, NTA, and ferric ion were 1470 mM, 6 mM, and 2 mM, respectively. Under the same experimental condition, the removal of MTBE using oxalate and acetate were 91.3% and 75.8%, respectively. Optimum concentration of iron ion were 3 mM using oxalate which showed the greatest removal efficiency. In case of acetate, $[MTBE]_0$ decreased gradually when concentration of iron ion increased above 5 mM. In this research, it was showed that modified Fenton reaction is proper for in-situ remediation of MTBE with great efficiency and the application of chelatimg agents, such as NTA, was able to make the ferric ion stable even at near neutral pH. In consequence, the outcomes of this study clearly showed that the modified Fenton process successfully coped with the limitation of the low pH requirement. Furthermore, the introduction of low molecular weight organic acids makes the process more available since these compounds have distinguishable biodegradability and it may be able to use natural iron mineral as catalyst for in situ remediation, so as to produce hydroxyl radical without the additional injection of ferric ion.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.45-52
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• 2003

A gas-substrate degrading bacterium, Nocardia SW3, was isolated from the gasoline contaminated aquifer using propane and butane as carbon and energy sources. We have examined the effects of substrate concentration, temperature and pH on the gas substrate degradation as well as MTBE cometabolic degradation. The result for the effect of substrate concentration showed that the maximum degradation rates of propane and butane were 30.6 and 25.4 (n㏖/min/mg protein) at 70 $\mu$㏖, respectively. The optimum temperature and pH for the degradation of gas substrate were $30^{\circ}C$ and 7, respectively. Substrate degradation activity, however, was still active in broad range of pH from 5 to 8 and temperature between $15^{\circ}C$and$35^{\circ}C$. The degradation activity of Nocardia SW3 for the MTBE was similar to the both substrates. The observed maximal transformation yields ($T_y$) were 46.7 and 35.0 (n㏖ MTBE degraded $\mu$㏖ substrate utilized), and the maximal transformation capacities ($T_c$) were 320 and 280 (n㏖MTBE degraded/mg biomass used) for propane and butane oxidizing activity on MTBE, respectively. And also, TBA was detected as by-product of MTBE and it was continuously degraded further.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 1998

Pervaporation separation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and methanol (MeOH) mixture, of which the former compound is well known as the octane booster was carried out. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes crosslinked with poly(acrylic acid) which have been successfully applied on the water-alcohol mixtures were used in this study. The PVA/PAA ratio in the crosslinked membranes was 95/5, 90/10, 85/15, 80/20, and 75/25 by weight. The operating temperatures were 30, 40, and 50$\circ$C, and the compositions of MTBE and MeOH to be separated were 95/5, 90/10, and 80/20 (MTBE/MeOH) solutions. PVA/PAA=85/15 membrane showed the separation factor $\alpha_{MeOH/MTBE}$=4000 and the permeation rate of 10.1 g/m$^2$hr for MTBE/MeOH=80/20 solution at 50$\circ$. When the same membrane was used, the separation factor and permeation rate for MTBE/MeOH=90/10 solution at 40$\circ$C were $\alpha_{MeOH/MTBE}$=6000 and 8.5 g/m$^2$hr, respectively. Also, the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the membranes would take an important role in the relationships between the membranes and separation performances in terms of the flux and the separation factor.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.39-46
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• 2014

The objectives of this study were to determine biodegradation and characteristics of BTEX and MTBE under aerovic-anaerobic conditions and evaluate the potential of natural attenuation method in denitrifying condition.. In the single-substrate experiments, all of the BTEX compounds were degraded under all the conditions. but, lower degradation of benzene and p-xylene were observed under aerobic condition due to the lack of oxygen initially supplied. In the mixed-substrate experiments, BTEX degradation was delayed compared to that in the single-substrate experiments due to a competition of the substrates. Biodegradation of MTBE was observed only under denitrifying conditions and we expected that MTBE mineralized to $CO_2$ without the accumulation of TBA. We also conducted to determine the effect of initial nitrate concentration on BTEX and MTBE degradation. At low nitrate concentration (<50 mg/L), BTEX degradations were limited by the lack of electron acceptor and BTEX degradation was inhibited at high nitrate concentration (>200 mg/L). The results in this study indicated that biotransformation could be applied to the gasoline-contaminated region under aerovic-anaerobic.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.89-110
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• 2003

The limitations of conventional soil and groundwater contamination remediation technologies have motivated a search for innovative technologies; particularly in situ technologies that do not require extraction of contaminants from the subsurface. All engineered in situ remediation systems require that the contaminant be mixed with a remedial compound. Horizontal flow treatment wells (HFTWs), an innovative technology that consists of a pair of dual-screened treatment wells, were used at a trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated site to efficiently achieve this mixing of contaminant and remedial compound in order to effect in situ bioremediation (McCarty et al., 1998). In this paper, the potential of HFTWs to treat chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) as well as other soil and groundwater contaminants of concern, such as nitroaromatic compounds (NACs), perchlorate, and methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), is examined. Through a combination of laboratory studies, model analyses, and field evaluations, the effectiveness of this innovative technology to manage these contaminants is investigated.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 1996

Clay soils typically have low hydraulic conductivities in the presence of high polarity pore fluid, such as water. Low polarity fluids, such as hydrocarbon fuels and halogenated organic solvents, typically cannot migrate into clay pores because they cannot displace the pore water. Oxygenated additives in gasoline, such as alcohols and methyl-tert-butyl ether, are increasingly used to control air pollution emissions. These relatively polar and highly water-soluble compounds may facilitate displacement of pore water and enhance migration of fuels and solvents through clay-rich soil strata. In the reported research, the migration of gasoline-alcohol fuel mixtures (gasohol) through consolidated clay was examined. Prepared kaolinite clay samples were consolidated from slurry, and various combinations of gasoline, alcohol, and water were applied to the clays under 152 Pa gauge pressure. Movement of the fluids into the clay samples was monitored by measur ing displaced pore fluid and by magnetic resonance imaging of the samples. The structures of selected samples were examined using environmental scanning electron microscopy. Results of the research suggest that alcohol added to hydrocarbon fuels can enhance migration through some clays significantly. Gasoline did not migrate appreciably into water saturated clay, even after 14 days under pressure. The gasohol mixture migrated readily into the clay in only 20 minutes. Increased hydraulic conductivity of the clay in the presence of gasohol is hypothesized to be due to the collapse of the clays pore structure when ethanol is present, creating larger pores. Increasing pore diameter decreases the capillary pressure needed for the gasohol to replace water and allows gasohol to migrate through the clay.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.159-169
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• 2016

In this study, the effects of MTBE contents as oxygenates in gasoline on exhaust emissions and fuel economy in MPI and GDi vehicles have been investigated. Various oxygen contents have been selected such as 0, 1.0, 2.3 and 2.7 wt%. FTP-75 and HWFET modes as fuel economy test methods which are widely used in Republic of Korea and US were applied to investigate exhaust emissions from the test vehicles. Emissions of CO, NMHC and NOx did not show significant correlation with oxygen contents in gasoline fuels, although having slight difference with these contents. In addition, CO2 emissions were not significantly changed with respect to oxygen content. But in case of warm-up and FTP-75 and HWFET modes including high speed regimes, CO2 emissions showed inverse correlation with oxygen contents. Particulate number concentration was inversely proportional to the oxygen contents, having the minimum value at the condition of 2.3 wt%. In case of fuel economy through carbon balance method, the highest value has been obtained at 2.3 wt% and there was positive correlation with oxygen contents and fuel economy.