• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.351-360
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• 2018

In this study, propylene/propane separation mechanism through NaY zeolite membrane was investigated. As permeation temperature increased, both propylene and propane permeances increased, saturated and decreased again, and a maximum selectivity was shown at around 50 to $60^{\circ}C$. Propane permeance in mixed gas experiment was much smaller than that in single gas experiment, and propylene/propane mixed gas selectivity was much larger than single gas permselectivity. As permeation time increased in transient permeation experiment, propylene permeance initially increased and saturated, while propane permeance decreased and saturated. All the experimental results announced that propylene/propane separation through NaY zeolite membrane was from preferentially adsorbed propylene molecules. The adsorbed propylene molecules efficiently prevented propane molecules from permeating through the membrane, and sufae diffused through the membrane. NaY zeolite capillary membrane prepared in the present study showed a high mixed gas selectivity of 12 and high propylene permeance of 497 GPU for a propylene/propane (89 : 11) mixture at $50^{\circ}C$ and 4 bar. Therefore, it was concluded that NaY zeolite membrane is one of promising membrane materials for propylene/propane separation due to the low cost and high separation performance.

• Clean Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.258-264
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• 2010

This study estimated the possibility of phosphate removal characteristics to utilize EAF(electric arc furnace) slag as submarine cover material. The major phosphate removal mechanism was a certain formation of HAP precipitation occurred by the ionization reaction between $Ca^{2+}$ and $OH^-$, which were leached from the EAF Slag. Another phosphate removal mechanism was the adsortion of EAF slag surface. As a result of $PO_4{^-}-P$ removal characteristics using continuous column reactor, $PO_4{^-}-P$ concentration decreased rapidly after 3 days and 10 days later, it show under 0.5 ppm. The result as applied in real sea water, shows that the phosphate removal effects were 93~98% by the subaqueous sediment removal using the EAF slag. In conclusion, EAF slag is useful in $PO_4{^-}-P$ removal and control and it is possible to use without additional process like crush and selection.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.344-350
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• 2004

This study was conducted to develop and assess the applicability of mixed-bed ion exchange resin capsules for water quality monitoring in small agricultural watershed. Recoveries of resin capsules for inorganic N and P ranged from 96 to 102%. The net activation energies and pseudo-thermodynamic parameters, such as ${\Delta}G^{o\ddag},\;{\Delta}H^{o\ddag},\;and\;{\Delta}S^{o\ddag}$ for ion adsorption by resin capsules, exhibited relatively low values, indicating the process might be governed by chemical reactions such as diffusion. However, those values increased with temperature coinciding with the theory. The reaction reached pseudo-equilibrium within 24 hours for $NH_4-N\;and\;NO_3-N$, and only 8 hours for $PO_4-P$, respectively. The selectivity of resin capsules were in the order of $NO_3\;^-\;>\;NH_4\;^+\;>\;PO_4\;^{3-}$, coinciding with that of encapsulated Amberlite IRN-150 resin. At the initial state of equilibrium, the resin adsorption quantity was linearly proportional to the mass of ions in the streams, but the rate of movement leveled off, following Langmuir-type sorption isotherm. The overall results demonstrated that the resin capsule system was suitable for water quality monitoring in small agricultural watershed, judging from the reaction mechanism(s) of the resin capsule and the significance of model in field calibration.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 1997

The constructed wetland system which is applicable to rural wastewater treatment was examined by pilot plant experiment. Removal rates of nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus and total coliform were evaluated. The $NH_4\;^+$ concentration of the influent was in the range of 91.57 to 275.88mg/l and the effluent concentration was about 40% lower than the influent. The decreasing of the $NH_4\;^+$ concentration might be due to volatilization, plant uptake, adsorption onto soil particles, and mainly nitrification. However, generally concentrations of $NO_2\;^-$ and $NO_3\;^-$ were increased in the effluents compared to the influent concentrations, which implies that nitrogen components in the system were nitrified. Overall, the average removal rate of the nitrogen was about 5% which seems inadequate as a wastewater treatment system, and this system needs improvement on nitrogen removal mechamism. The removal rate of the phosphorus was quite high and effluent concentration was very low. Reason for high removal rate of the phosphorus might be mainly strong adsorption characteristic onto soil particles. The average removal rate of the total coliforms was about 83%, and main removal mechanisms are thought to be adsorption onto soil and inability to compete against the established soil microflora. From the results of the study, the constructed wetland system needs to be improved in nitrogen removal mechanism for field application.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 2017

Graphene-based materials have been considered as a promising membrane material, due to its easy processability and atomic thickness. In this study, we studied on gas permeation behavior in few-layered GO membranes prepared by spin-coating method. The GO membrane structures were varied by using different GO flake sizes and GO solutions at various pH levels. The GO membranes prepared small flake size show more permeable and selective gas separation properties than large one due to shortening tortuosity. Also gas transport behaviors of the GO membranes are sensitive to slit width for gas diffusion because the pore size of GO membranes ranged from molecular sieving to Knudsen diffusion area. In particular, due to the narrow pore size of GO membranes and highly $CO_2$-philic properties of GO nanosheets, few-layered GO membranes exhibit ultrafast and $CO_2$ selective character in comparison with other gas molecules, which lead to outstanding $CO_2$ capture properties such as $CO_2/H_2$, $CO_2/CH_4$, and $CO_2/N_2$. This unusual gas transport through multi-layered GO nanosheets can explain a unique transport mechanism followed by an adsorption-facilitated diffusion behavior (i.e., surface diffusion mechanism). These findings provide the great insights for designing $CO_2$-selective membrane materials and the practical guidelines for gas transports through slit-like pores and lamellar structures.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 1998

Various Mn-oxides can oxidize Cr(III) to Cr(VI). Behaviors of chromium species in the oxidation system, especially on the oxide surface, are expected to control the reaction. During Cr(III) oxidation by birnessite and pyrolusite, Cr species in the reaction system were determined to elucidate their effects on the oxidation. Capacities of Cr oxidation of the two Mn-oxides were quite different. Solution pH and initial Cr(III) concentration also had significant effects on the Cr(III) oxidation by Mn-oxides. Chromium oxidation by pyrolusite was less than 5% of the oxidation by birnessite. The high crystallinity of pyrolusite could be one of the reasons and the difficulty of Cr (III) diffusion to the positive pyrolusite surface and Cr(VI) and Cr(III) adsorption seems to be other controlling factors. At pH 3, adsorption or precipitation of Cr species on the surface of birnessite were not found. Small amount of Cr(VI) adsorption was found on the surface of pyrolusite, but arty Cr precipitation on the oxide surface was not found. Therefore Cr(III) oxidation at pH 3 seems to be controlled mainly by the characteristics of Mn-oxides. Chromiun oxidation by Mn-oxides is thermodynamically more favorable at higher solution pH. However as solution pH increased Cr oxidation by birnessite was significantly inhibited. For Cr oxidation by pyrolusite, as pH increased the oxidation increased, but as Cr(III) addition increased the reaction was inhibited. Under these conditions some unidentified fraction of Cr species was found and this fraction is considered to be Cr(III) precipitation an the oxide surface. Chromium(III) precipitation on the oxide surface seems to play an important role in limiting Cr(III) oxidation by armoring the reaction surface on Mn-oxides as well as lowering Cr(III) concentration available for the oxidation reaction.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.332-344
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• 1996

The vertical profiles of the natural $^{210}Po,\;^{210}Pb\;and\;^{234}Th$, activities were measured at the upper 150 m or 200 m of water column from west-east intersection in the east-southern coastal area of the Korea Peninsula during the period from 26 to 29 April 1994 to compare the removal rates (residence time) and removal processes for $^{210}Po\;and\;^{234}Th$. At the inshore stations, the $^{210}Po$ activity was generally higher in the thermocline and its under layer than in the surface mixed layer, while represented the reversed pattern at the offshore stations. However, the $^{210}Pb$ activity decreased generally with depth. Also, the activity of $^{210}Po$ relative to its parent $^{210}Pb$ was deficient in the water column above the main thermocline, but was slightly excess or close to equilibrium in the thermocline and its under layer. The vertical profiles for the activity of $^{210}Pb$ relative to its parent $^{226}Ra$ showed the reversed pattern with the vertical variation of $^{210}Po$ excess (or deficiency). The $^{234}Th$ activity was significantly lower in the surface mixed layer and thermocline than in the deeper layer. The residence time of $^{210}Po$ ranged from 1 to 4 years at the five stations except station E8 that showed yet long residence time (approximately 10 years). The long residence time at the station E8 may resulted from the thicker surface mixed layer and subsequent the vertical mixing of $^{210}Po$ which was recycled in the lower surface mixed layer compared to at the other stations. Also, the residence time of $^{210}Po$ was shorter at the inshore stations than at the offshore stations. However, the residence time of $^{234}Th$ ranged from 52 to 74 days at all station without the significant variation, was very much shorter relative to the residence time of $^{210}Po$. The correlation between the removal rate of dissolved $^{234}Th$ and the concentration of total suspended matter (TSM) was generally positive. Therefore, it seems that the major route of the removal mechanism of $^{234}Th$ from seawater in the surface mixed layer is via adsorption onto suspended particle surfaces (most likely inorganic particles) and subsequent settling to the bottom layer. Between the removal rate of dissolved $^{210}Po$ and the concentration of chlorophyll-a was positively good correlation. Consequently, most likely the removal of $^{210}Po$ may be occurred by uptake to organisms (mainly such as planktonic debris or fecal pellets) and subsequent settling.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.211-224
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• 2008

Characteristics of the esterification reaction between free fatty acid in rice bran oil and methanol was investigated in the presence of catalysts, such as PTS(p-toluene sulfonic acid), Amberlyst 15 dry and SCX(silica gel based strong cation exchange resin). While reaction temperature was kept constant at $65^{\circ}C$, initial feed content of free fatty acid was varied from 100% to 1% by addition of pure free fatty acid which was previously made from rice bran oil. Also, the effect of mole ratio of methanol to fatty acid on the final conversion was examined. When esterification of pure free fatty acid was catalyzed by several acids, final conversions were increased in order of Amberlyst 15 dry, SCX and PTS. Using PTS catalyst, initially the reaction proceeded in homogeneous 2nd oder reaction mechanism. However, phase of reaction mixture changed from homogeneous to heterogeneous along the reaction time and then reaction rate was retarded by mass transfer resistance of methanol. Final conversion of free fatty acid in reaction mixture was depended on initial feed content of free fatty acid, and had maximum value at 30% of initial feed free fatty acid content for all kinds of catalysts used. And the final conversion was increased with mole ratio of methanol by the improvement of reaction rate. When initial feed free fatty acid content below 10% and the reaction was catalyzed by PTS, concentration of free fatty acid in reaction mixture was increased in the middle of reaction time by hydrolysis of triglyceride in reaction mixture. Also, if silica gel was added into the reaction mixture which had initial feed free fatty acid content below 50%, final conversion was increased by the adsorption of moisture produced. The SCX catalyst made the esterification reaction of free fatty acid to progress like in case of PTS catalyst. However, when initial feed free fatty acid content below 10%, concentration of free fatty acid in. reaction mixture was decreased monotonically and not increased in the middle of reaction time on the contrary to the case of PTS. Thus, SCX catalyst accomplished more high value of final conversion than PTS catalyst for the initial feed fatty acid content range from 50% to 5% In case of initial feed free fatty acid content of 1% and mole ratio of methanol was 2, concentration of free fatty acid in reaction mixture increased over the initial feed free fatty acid content for all kind of catalysts used. Although SCX catalyst was added into reaction mixture which had 1% of initial feed fatty acid content, final conversion was hardly raised by mole ratio of methanol.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate the biodegradation of gaseous trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in an activated carbon biofilter inoculated with phenol-oxidizing microorganisms and to study the effect of surfactant concentration below its critical micelle concentration (CMC) on the re-moval efficiency of TCE or PCE. The investigation was conducted using two specially built stainless steel biofilters, one for TCE and the other for PCE, at residence times of 1.5~7 min. The removal efficiency of gaseous TCE was 100％ at a residence time of 7 min and its average inlet concentration of 85 ppm. For gaseous PCE, 100％ removal efficiency was obtained at residence times of 4~7 min and its average concentrations of 47~84 ppm. It was found that adsorption by GAC was a minor mechanism for TCE and PCE removal in the activated carbon biofilters. Transformation yields of gaseous TCE and PCE were about 8~48 g of TCE/g of phenol and 6~25g of PCE/g of phenol, according to residence times. This values showed one or two orders of magnitude less than aqueous TCE degradation. The TCE and PCE activated carbon biofilter performances were observed to be a little enhanced but not significantly, when the surfactant was introduced at concentrations of 5~50 mg/L.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.81-100
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• 2002

While most of regulatory communities in abroad recognize ' 'natural attenuation " to include degradation, dispersion, dilution, sorption (including precipitation and transformation), and volatilization as governing Processes, regulators prefer "degradation" because this mechanism destroys the contaminant of concern. Unfortunately, true degradation only applies to organic contaminants and short- lived radionuclides, and leaves most metals and long-lived radionuclides. The natural attenuation Processes may reduce the potential risk Posed by site contaminants in three ways: (i)contaminants could be converted to a less toxic form througy destructive processes such as biodegradation or abiotic transformations; (ii) potential exposure levels may be reduced by lowering concentrations (dilution and dispersion); and (iii) contaminant mobility and bioavailability may be reduced by sorption to geomedia. In this review, authors will focus will focul on "sorption" among the natural attenuation processes of hazardous inorganic contaminants including radionuclides. Note though that sorption and transformation processes of inorganic contaminants in the natural setting could be influenced by biotic activities but our discussion would limit only to geochemical reactions involved in the natural attenuation. All of the geochemical reactions have been studied in-depth by numerous researchers for many years to understand "retardation" process of contaminants in the geomedia. The most common approach for estimating retardation is the determination of distrubution coefficiendts ($K_{d}$) of contaminants using parametric or mechanistic models. As typocally used in fate and contaminant transport calculations such as predictive models of the natural attenuation, the $K_{d}$ is defined as the ratio of the contaminant concentration in the surrounding aqueous solution when the system is at equilibrium. Unfortunately, generic or default $K_{d}$ values can result in significant error when used to predict contaminant migration rate and to select a site remediation alternative. Thus, to input the best $K_{d}$ value in the contaminant transport model, it is essential that important geochemical processes affecting the transport should be identified and understood. Precipitation/dissolution and adsorption/desorption are considered the most important geochemical processes affecting the interaction of inorganic and radionuclide contaminants with geomedia at the near and far field, respectively. Most of contaminants to be discussed in this presentation are relatively immobile, i.e., have very high $K_{d}$ values under natural geochemical environments. Unfortunately, the obvious containment in a source area may not be good enough to qualify as monitored natural attenuation site unless owner demonstrate the efficacy if institutional controls that were put in place to protect potential receptors. In this view, natural attenuation as a remedial alternative for some of sites contaminated by hazardous-inorganic components is regulatory and public acceptance issues rather than scientific issue.