• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.139-144
• /
• 2003

Since water borne infection causes acute diseases and results in spread of diseases by secondary infection, the prevention is very important. Therefore, it is necessary to have a method that is rapid and effective to monitor pathogenic bacteria in drinking water. In this study, we employed a systematic method, Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, to develop an effective monitoring system for possible bacterial contaminants in drinking water. For this purpose, PCR primers were derived from 992 bp region of the 16s rRNA gene that is highly conserved through the different species of prokaryotes. To test whether the PCR primers designed are indeed useful for detecting all the possible microbial contaminants in the water, the primers were used to amplify 16s rRNA regions of different microbial water-borne pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Yersinia, Listeria, and Staphylococcus. As expected, all of tested microorganisms amplified expected size of PCR products indicating designed PCR primers for 16s rRNA indeed can be useful to amplify all different microbial water-borne pathogens in the water. Furthermore, to test whether these 16s rRNA based PCR primers can detect bacterial populations present in the water, water samples taken from diverse sources, such as river, tap, and sewage, were used for amplification. PCR products were for then subjected for cloning into a T-vector to generate a library containing 16s rRNA sequences from various bacteria. With cloned PCR products, RFLP analysis was done using PCR products digested with restriction enzyme such as Hae III to obtain species-specific RFLP profiles. After PCR-RFLP, the bacterial clones which showed the same RFLP profiles were regarded as the same ones, and the clones which showed distinctive RFLP profiles were subsequently subjected for sequence analysis for species identification. By this PCR-RFLP analysis, we were able to reveal diverse populations of bacteria living in water. In brief, in unsterilized natural river water, over 60 different species of bacteria were found. On the other hand, no PCR products were detected in drinking tap-water. The results from this study clearly indicate that the PCR-RFLP-sequence analysis can be a useful method for monitoring diverse, perhaps pathogenic bacteria contaminated in water in a rapid fashion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.242-246
• /
• 2004

Dissolved air flotation (DAF) is an effective solid/liquid separation process for low density particles, such as algal flocs, humus materials and clay particles produced from low turbidity water. The fraction of humic substances for natural organic matters (NOMs) are considered problematic in water because it can readily react with chlorine to form harmful by-products (trihalomethanes) and can be exposed to undesirable color, tastes and odors in drinking water. A broad class of NOMs includes fulvic acid, humic acid and humin. This paper will discuss the results from a study that performed with a DAF pump process using synthetic wastewater contained humic substance. Batch jar tests were performed to evaluate coagulant dose and recycle ratio on flotation efficiency.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 2010

In this study, primary investigation for evaluation of abandoned metal mine effect on watershed has been done. 64 abandoned mines have been selected for primary investigation through literature and field survey. 216 soil and 90 water samples were collected and metal pollution concentrations were analyzed. 24 mines have mine water in the pits and acid water below pH 5 was not observed. Soils from 35 mines were over the soil basis of concern and 16 mines were over the soil basis of action. Arsenic average concentration was 188 times of average concentration of the natural background. Drinking water samples from 3 mines were over the drinking water standard and surface water samples from 12 mines were over the river water standard. Integrated pollution index, which was resulted from the integration of field survey, soil and water pollution concentration, showed that, abandoned metal mines had affected on watershed greatly in the order of Samgeum, Daedeok, Cheongdalgeum, Heungsin, Yeongdae and Myeongbong mines.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2019

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a typical nitrogen disinfection by-product, which has posed a potential threat to human health during drinking water disinfection. Because of the well-known effects of mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and teratogenesis, the high detection rate in water engineering systems (such as coagulation, membrane filtration and biological systems), and difficulty to remove, it has received wide concern in the field of water engineering systems. The NDMA is a low molecular weight hydrophilic organic substance, which is difficult to remove. Also, the mechanism for NDMA formation is also recognized to be complex, and many steps still needed to be further evaluated. Therefore, the mechanistic knowledge on NDMA formation potential and their removal processes is of particularly interest. Few papers summarize the occurrence and control of NDMA in water engineering systems. It is for this reason that the content of this paper is particularly important for us to understand and control the amount of NDMA thus reducing the threat of disinfection by-products to drinking water. Four parts including the mechanisms for the NDMA formation potential, the factors affecting the NDMA formation potential, the technologies for removal of NDMA are summarized. Finally, some definite suggestions are given.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.113-117
• /
• 2001

The screening of various molecular descriptors for predicting carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic activities of chlorinated aliphatic compounds as drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) has been investigated for the application of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR). The present work embodies the study of relationship between molecular descriptors and toxicity parameters of the genotoxicity endpoints for the screening of relevant molecular descriptors. The toxicity Indices for 29 compounds constituting the testing set were computed by the PASS program and active values were chosen. We investigate feasibility of screening descriptors and of their applications among different genotoxic endpoints. The correlation to teratogenicity of all 29 compounds was significantly improved when the same analysis was done with 20 alkanes only without alkene compounds. The HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) energy and number of Cl parameters were dominantly contributed.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.15 no.5 s.72
• /
• pp.696-702
• /
• 2005

Ozonation is a disinfection technique of harmful mi-crobes commonly used in the treatment of drinking water. And Biological Activated Carbon (BAC) treatment also provides numerous benefits for drinking water utilities, including removal of micro- pollutants, improved treatment processes. The multiful-stage ozonation and BAC play roles as effective methods for removing several materials in raw water. Water quality variation in Nak dong river and the removal efficiency of viruses by ozonation-BAC process were investigated on pilot scale. During the period of survey, most of water quality parameters including $NH_{4}^{+}-N$ were highly improved after passing through the BAC. The removal efficiency of poliovirus type III in water treatment process using pilot-plant,$ 99.6\% $ of viruses were removed by pre-ozonation, sedimentation and sand filteration process, $ 100\% $ were removed after in BAC filteration step. In the removal survey of viruses by ozonation, ap-proximately $ 61.1\% $ or polioviruses were inactivated by ozone of 0.4 mg/l within 5 min. and $ 100\% $ were inactivated by ozone of 0.8 mg/l over 10 min.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.22 no.9
• /
• pp.1153-1160
• /
• 2013

While a range of natural organic matter (NOM) types can generate high levels of disinfection by-products (DBPs) after chlorination, there is little understanding of which specific compounds act as precursors. Use of eight model compounds allows linking of explicit properties to treatability and DBP formation potential (DBPFP). The removal of model compounds by various treatment processes and their haloacetic acid formation potential (HAAFP) before and after treatment were recorded. The model compounds comprised a range of hydrophobic (HPO) and hydrophilic (HPI) neutral and anionic compounds. On the treatment processes, an ozone oxidation process was moderate for control of model compounds, while the HPO-neutral compound was most treatable with activated carbon process. Biodegradation was successful in removing amino acids, while coagulation and ion exchange process had little effect on neutral molecules. Although compared with the HPO compounds the HPI compounds had low HAAFP the ozone oxidation and biodegradation were capable of increasing their HAAFP. In situations where neutral or HPI molecules have high DBPFP additional treatments may be required to remove recalcitrant NOM and control DBPs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2015

Recently, the production of taste and odor (T&O) compounds is a common problem in water industry. Geosmin is one of the T&O components in drinking water. However, geosmin is hardly eliminated through the conventional water treatment systems. Among various advanced processes capable of removing geosmin, adsorption process using granular activated carbon (GAC) is the most commonly used process. As time passes, however GAC process changes into biological activated carbon (BAC) process. There is little information on the BAC process in the literature. In this study, we isolated and identified microorganisms existing within various BAC processes. The microbial concentrations of BAC processes examined were $3.5{\times}10^5$ colony forming units (CFU/g), $2.2{\times}10^6CFU/g$ and $7.0{\times}10^5CFU/g$ in the Seongnam plant, Goyang plant and Goryeong pilot plant, respectively. The dominant bacterial species were found to be Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Novosphingobium rosa and Afipia broomeae in each plants. Removal efficiencies of $3{\mu}g/L$ geosmin by the dominant species were 36.1%, 36.5% and 34.3% in mineral salts medium(MSM) where geosmin was a sole carbon source.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.14-28
• /
• 2001

This study is to discuss the problems due to the maldevelopment occurred at the reserved areas of natural environments of the Ulleung Island, Gyeongsangbuk-do province, and it also suggests the ways of solving them The types of the maldevelopment practiced on the Ulleung Island consist of the change of land use, the opening of a round road, the destruction of mountains for the construction of harbor, the development of tourist areas, and the construction of military facilities. The decreased habitat of animals and the pollution of drinking water are occurred by the change of land use. The destruction of ecological system is due to the opening of a round road. The damage of natural landscape and the change of ocean eco-system is closely related to the construction of harbor and the destruction of mountains. Finally, the damage of rare plants and the pollution of drinking water are due to the development of tourist areas and the construction of military facilities. In the followings, the ways of solving the problems occurred by the various types of maldevelopment are suggested. First, the planning of pro-environmental development has to be established and practiced to preserve rare plants which are damaged due to the change of land use. Second, the destruction of natural landscape and resources has to be minimized by the implementation of environmental impact assesment when road and harbor are constructed. Third, the stones needed for the development of islands ought to be imported from mainland. Fourth, the established tourist areas are needed to rationally manage and the potential tourist areas has to be transferred to the reserved areas of natural environments. Fifth, military facilities should be constructed though the cooperation of autonomous local government. Finally, government officers' and residents' conscience of protecting and reserving natural environments is needed, and government has to give residents financial supports.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.61-76
• /
• 2011

This study was objected to provide suggestions for best management practices to restore the cultural and historical values of the wells in Palaces as well as their water qualities. Water resources in the five Palaces in Seoul Metropolitan, including Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Jongmyo Shrine, and Deoksugung, were surveyed for their physical flows and chemical compositions from April to July in 2010. Ground waters in most wells were found at depths within 5 m from the ground surface, showing typical water-table aquifer systems. Hydraulic gradients indicate water resources in Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Changgyeonggung flowing toward south, and toward east in Deoksugung area. Especially, water-level fluctuation data at S-10 in Deoksugung implied the influence of groundwater discharge facility. In Jongmyo Shrine, water was not detected in wells, indicating the water level was lower than the well depth. Based on the water chemistry and stable isotope analyses, water resources and their qualities appeared to be formed by the water-rock interaction along the groundwater paths. S-10 (Deoksugung) and S-14 (Changgyeonggung) samples were contaminated with nitrate ($NO_3$) in levels of higher than Korean drinking water standard, 10 mg/L as $NO_3$-N, but once in four sampling campaigns. In the situation that water resources in Palaces still maintain natural characteristics, the materials that will be used for the restoration and improvement of the Palace water supplies should be carefully selected not to disturb the natural integrity. In addition, because the wells are located in the center of metropolitan area, a systematic monitoring should be applied to detect and to manage the potential impacts of underground construction and various pollution sources.