• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.283-294
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• 2020

This work aims at studying the feasibility of continuous removal of mixed heavy metal ions from simulated zinc plating wastewaters by coupling a microbial fuel cell and a microbial electrolysis cell in batch and continuous modes. The discharging voltage of MFC increased initially from 0.4621 ± 0.0005 V to 0.4864 ± 0.0006 V as the initial concentration of Cr⁶⁺ increased from 10 ppm to 60 ppm. Almost complete removal of Cr⁶⁺ and low removal of Cu²⁺ occurred in MFC of the MFC-MEC-coupled system after 8 hours under the batch mode; removal efficiencies (REs) of Cr⁶⁺ and Cu²⁺ were 99.76% and 30.49%. After the same reaction time, REs of nickel and zinc ions were 55.15% and 76.21% in its MEC. Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺ removal efficiencies of 54.98%, 30.63%, 55.04%, and 75.35% were achieved in the effluent within optimum HRT of 2 hours under the continuous mode. The incomplete removal of Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions in the effluent was due to the fact that the Cr⁶⁺ was almost completely consumed at the end of MFC reaction. After HRT of 12 hours, at the different sampling locations, Cr⁶⁺ and Cu²⁺ removal efficiencies in the cathodic chamber of MFC were 89.95% and 34.69%, respectively. 94.58%, 33.95%, 56.57%, and 75.76% were achieved for Cr⁶⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ in the cathodic chamber of MEC. It can be concluded that those metal ions can be removed completely by repeatedly passing high concentration of Cr⁶⁺ through the cathode chamber of MFC of the MFC-MEC-coupled system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.727-733
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• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the physical characteristics like compressive strength, permeability, porosity and the water quality removal characteristics of permeable concrete pavement filled with microbial-soil sheet to remove SS, organic matter and nutrients in artificial rainfall. As a result, it can show the removal efficiency is SS 90~95%, COD 85~93%, BOD 80~83%, T-N 61~75%, T-P 71~78% on WAPS I(W1) and WAPS II(W2). Therefore, permeable concrete pavement filled with microbial-soil sheet shows higher removal efficiency(SS 10%, organic matter and nutrients 30%) than a conventional porous concrete(W3). By filling microbial-soil sheet to permeable concrete pavement, we confirm that the function and efficiency are improved significantly and that a naturally-friendly facility can be developed and applied to treat non-point sources.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to investigate microbial removal using layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and iron (hydr)oxides (IHs) immobilized onto granular media. Column experiments were performed using calcium alginate beads (CA beads), LDHs entrapped in CA beads (LDH beads), quartz sand (QS), iron hydroxide-coated sand (IHCS) and hematite-coated sand (HCS). Microbial breakthrough curves were obtained by monitoring the effluent, with the percentage of microbial removal and collector efficiency then quantified from these curves. The results showed that the LDH beads were ineffective for the removal of the negatively-charged microbes (27.7% at 1 mM solution), even though the positively-charged LDHs were contained on the beads. The above could be related to the immobilization method, where LDH powders were immobilized inside CA beads with nano-sized pores (about 10 nm); therefore, micro-sized microbes (E. coli = 1.21 ${\mu}m$) could not diffuse through the pores to come into contact with the LDHs in the beads, but adhere only to the exterior surface of the beads via polymeric interaction. IHCS was the most effective in the microbial removal (86.0% at 1 mM solution), which could be attributed to the iron hydroxide coated onto the exterior surface of QS had a positive surface charge and, therefore, effectively attracted the negatively-charged microbes via electrostatic interactions. Meanwhile, HCS was far less effective (35.6% at 1 mM solution) than IHCS because the hematite coated onto the external surface of QS is a crystallized iron oxide with a negative surface charge. This study has helped to improve our knowledge on the potential application of functional granular media for microbial removal.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.206-209
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• 2004

MY microbial consortium were obtained from sludges of wastewater to degrade benzene effectively and Rhodococcus ruber DSM 43338T was identified as major microorganism. The fluidized bed biofilter including MY microbial consortium showed critical removal rate of benzene at 32 g/㎥ h, and maintained stable removal efficiency for 17 days of continuous operation.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.173-180
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• 2006

Autotrophic nitrogen removal and its microbial community from a laboratory scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor were characterized with dynamic behavior of nitrogen removal and sequencing result of molecular technique (DNA extraction, PCR and amplification of 16S rDNA), respectively. In the experiment treating inorganic wastewater, the anaerobic granular sludge from a full-scale UASB reactor treating industrial wastewater was inoculated as seed biomass. The operating results revealed that an addition of hydroxylamine would result in lithoautotrophic ammonium oxidation to nitrite/nitrate, and also hydrazine would play an important role for the success of sustainable nitrogen removal process. Total N and ammonium removal of 48% and 92% was observed, corresponding to nitrogen conversion of 0.023 g N/L-d. The reddish brown-colored granular sludge with a diameter of $1{\sim}2\;mm$ was observed at the lower part of sludge bed. The microbial characterization suggests that an anoxic ammonium oxidizer and an anoxic denitrifying autotrophic nitrifier contribute mainly to the nitrogen removal in the reactor. The results revealed the feasibility on development of high performance lithoautotrophic nitrogen removal process with its microbial granulation.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.707-713
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• 2012

There are a lot of parameters affecting microbial acclimation/cultivation characteristics such as dynamic conditions, F/M ratio and substrate affinity. From the process control point of view, the effect of high salinity on the removal efficiencies of BOD and SS have been documented by few researchers. In this research, lab-scale CAS(Conventional Activated Sludge) process and modified $A_2O$(Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic) process were operated and monitored to evaluate the characteristics of microbial acclimation and cultivation under high salinity wastewater during the period of three weeks. As a result of acute microbial activity test(6hr) at various $Cl^-$ concentration, the appropriate $Cl^-$ concentration for microbial growth and acclimation ranged under 3,100 mg/l. As a result of acclimation/cultivation test, the trend of COD removal efficiency reduced gradually as time elapsed. It is considered that $NH_4$-N removal phenomenon of the conventional pollutants removal mechanisms gave little effect to the microbial acclimation/cultivation under high salinity wastewater.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2011

The effects of coagulants on the microorganisms when they are injected directly into the biological treatment facility for T-P removal have been easily observed from the results of past experiments. As such this study is set out to derive the effective plans for the coagulant dosage by analyzing the effects of the injected coagulant on the microbial activity during the chemical treatment for T-P removal. The research methods entailed the assessment of removal efficiency of T-P according to the coagulant dosage while changing the molar ration between Alum and influent phosphorus. At the same time Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR) according to the coagulant dosage was measured. SOUR was used as a method for indirect assessment of the microbial activity according to the coagulant dosage. The results from the study showed that with the increase in the alum dosage, the removal efficiency T-P tended to increase. On the other hand, the increase in coagulant dosage resulted in the decrease in SOUR, which indicates the decrease in the microbial activity. Such reduction in the activity could be explained by the increase in the concentration of removal efficiency of $TBOD_5$. Based on experiment results from the study, it is determined that coagulant dosage affects the microbial activity. Moreover, the indirect assessment on the microbial activity using SOUR is considered possible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.345-356
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• 2020

The removal of organic carbon and nutrients (i.e. N and P) from wastewater is essential for the protection of the water environment. Especially, nitrogen compounds cause eutrophication in the water environment, resulting in bad water quality. Conventional nitrogen removal systems require high aeration costs and additional organic carbon. Microbial electrochemical system (MES) is a sustainable environmental system that treats wastewater and produces energy or valuable chemicals by using microbial electrochemical reaction. Innovative and cost-effective nitrogen removal is feasible by using MESs and increasing attention has been given to the MES development. In this review, recent trends of MESs for nitrogen removal and their mechanism were conclusively reviewed and future research outlooks were also introduced.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 1999

A biological filter for treatment of toluene among volatile organic compounds was studied. The investigation was conducted using specially built stainless steel columns packed with granular activated carbon and cold for removal of toluene. The G.A. and mold as filter material was also coated with Pseudomonas putida microorganisms.The biofilter unit was operated in the condition of moisture content vairation at gas loading rate of 12.5 l/min. Gaseous toluene taken from tedlar bag was analyzed by the use of G.C equipped with F.I.d detector. The removal efficiency of gaseous toluene was 95% at average inlet concentration of 950 ppm during bio-degradation operating condition. Effective removal efficiency was obtained with moisture content 27.5% at activated carbon and 32% at mold in this study. The effective operating condition were obtained with pH 6-8, temperature 28-42℃ for microbial degradation at gas loading rate of 12.5 l/min in packed material.

• The Microorganisms and Industry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.2-13
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• 1993

Some microorganisms, including actinomycetes, cyanobacteria, and other bacteria, algae, fungi, and yeast, can accumulate and retain relatively high quantities of heavy metals and radionuclides from their external environments (1-4). Both living and dead cells can be used for biosorptive metal/radionuclide removal from solution. Thus microorganisms and products excreted by or derived from microbial cells (2) may provide an alternative or adjunct to conventional techniuqes of metal removal and recovery. Recent approaches have separated the microbial growth and metal removal process to manipulate production of metal-adsorptive capacity of bacteria and metal removal process. If pre-grown cells are immobilized and used for metal removal, mathematical modeling can be applied to predict immobilized cell reactor behavior under specific process conditions. Waste and microbial adsorbent could be separated from the treated flow in one step. Once treated, the metal waste is concentrated in a small volume of sorbed form for easy metal disposal or recovery.