• Advances in environmental research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.49-68
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• 2015

Chemically activated and carbonized adsorbents were prepared from Moringa oleifera pod husks (MOP), characterized and evaluated for their ability to remove a common antibiotic - ofloxacin (OFX) from aqueous solution. The pulverized precursor was steeped in a saturated ammonium chloride solution for a day to give the chemically activated adsorbent (AMOP). A portion of AMOP was pyrolyzed in a muffle furnace at 623 K for 30 min to furnish its carbonized analogue (CMOP). The adsorbents showed favorable physicochemical attributes. The effects of operational parameters such as initial OFX solution pH and concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature and contact time on OFX removal were investigated. At equilibrium, optimal removal efficiencies of 90.98% and 99.84% were achieved at solution pH 5 for AMOP and CMOP, respectively. The equilibrium adsorption data fitted into both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Gibbs free energy change (${\Delta}G^o$), enthalpy change (${\Delta}H^o$) and entropy change (${\Delta}S^o$) indicated that the adsorption of OFX was feasible, spontaneous, exothermic and occurred via the physisorption mode. Adsorption kinetics obeyed the Blanchard pseudo-second-order model. The results may find applications in the adsorptive removal of micro-contaminants of pharmaceutical origin from wastewater.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.304-313
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• 2022

There is evidence that the presence of active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs) are a danger for aquatic ecosystems and the human health. The presence of APIs such as tetracycline, an antibiotic, in water causes antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microorganisms inflicting enormous costs on individuals and society. Membranes embedded with catalysts such as TiO₂ or bismuth based catalysts degrade and separate the organic effluents from wastewater. The photocatalytic activity of the catalysts can be enhanced with noble metal doping and addition of carbonaceous materials and formation of heterojunction with other semiconductors. The recollection of photoctalysts is possible through the immobilization of the photocatalysts in polymeric membranes. In this review, the degradation of antibiotics in water is discussed.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.425-433
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• 2011

In order to obtain optimum pre-treatment methods and improve T-N and T-P removal efficiencies, removal rates of pollutants in small-scale livestock wastewater treatment apparatus with water plant filtration bed or activated sludge tank were investigated. Based on the results from the optimum pre-treatment in small-scale livestock wastewater treatment apparatus, removal efficiencies of pollutants in livestock wastewater treatment plant with water plant filtration and activated sludge beds. The removal rates of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P in effluent were 83, 89, 63 and 87% in small-scale livestock wastewater treatment apparatus with water plant filtration bed, respectively. The removal rates of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P in effluent were 96, 95, 86 and 92% in small-scale livestock wastewater treatment apparatus with activated sludge tank, respectively. For increasing the COD, SS, T-N, and T-P removals in small-scale livestock wastewater treatment apparatus, the water plant filtration and activated sludge beds are recommended. In livestock wastewater treatment plant with water plant filtration ($1^{st}$ treatment) and activated sludge ($2^{nd}$ treatment) beds, the concentrations of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P in effluent were 39, 15, 42 and $1mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. It was shown that the concentrations of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P met acceptable effluent quality standard for livestock wastewater. Based on the above results, the removal rates of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P in effluent were over 99.8, 99.9, 99.2, and 99.9% in livestock wastewater treatment plant, respectively.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.390-400
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• 2022

Nanofiltration (NF) membranes are more popular than reverse osmosis (RO) membranes as they can be operated at much lower pressures for applications in treatment of wastewater from industries like food processing and pharmaceutical as well as municipal sewage water. The separation mechanism in case of NF membranes is based on solution diffusion as well as sieving, for which the crosslinking density of the thin film of the composite membrane is less then RO membrane. Unlike ceramic membranes, membrane fouling is one of the chronic problems that occur during the nanofiltration process in polymeric membranes. Membrane cleaning is done to get rid of reversible as well as irreversible fouling by treatment with sodium hypochlorite. Compared to polymeric membranes, ceramic membranes show higher stability against these agents. In this review different types of ceramic membrane applied wastewater treatment by NF process are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2004

This study was conducted to assessment organic compound and bioassay (density of inhabited animal, fluctuation of predominant fungi, and survival ratio of earthworm) for finding damage on red pepper by heavily amount application of sludges in soil, which was treated with 3 pharmaceutical byproducts and a cosmetic industry wastewater sludge as raw materials of compost, and for establishing estimation method. HEM contents in the soil treated with pharmaceutical byproducts sludge2 (PS2) and cosmetic sludge (CS) were 0.51, 1.10 mg/kg respectively. PAHs content of PS2 treatment in the soil was 3406.8 ug/kg on July 8. In abundance of soil faunas, the pharmaceutical byproducts sludge2 treatment was the most highest. The next was decreased in the order of pig manure (PM) and the cosmetic sludge treatment. However the other pharmaceutical sludge treatments were remarkably reduced populations of soil inhabited animals. In upland soil treated with organic sludges, the numbers of bacteria and fungi of the pharmaceutical sludge treatment were 736, 909 cfu/g and those of the cosmetic sludge treatment were 440, 236 cfu/g, respectively. The pharmaceutical sludge treatments and the cosmetic sludge treatment in identification of predominant bacteria were not any tendency to compare with non fertilizer and pig manure treatments, but they had diverse bacteria than NPK treatment. In microcosm tests, the survival of the tiger earthworm in five soil samples was hardly affected against the soil of PSI (20%) after three months treated in the upland But after six months, survival of PS1 was 80%. At present, raw material of compost was authorized by contents of organic matter, heavy metal (8 elements), and product processing according to 'The specified gist on possible materials of using after analysis and investigation among raw materials of compost', however, for preparing to change regulation of raw material of compost and for considering to possibility of application, this study was conducted to investigate toxic organic compound and bioassay methods using inhabited animal, fungi, and earthworm without current regulation.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2007

The bacterial diversity inherent to the biofilm community structure of a modified rotating biological contactor wastewater treatment process, referred to as the Rotating Activated Bacillus Contactor (RABC) process, was characterized in this study, via both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. On the basis of culture-dependent methods, Bacillus sp. were found to exist in large numbers on the biofilm (6.5% of the heterotrophic bacteria) and the microbial composition of the biofilms was quite simple. Only three phyla were identified-namely, the Proteobacteria, the Actinobacteria (High G+C Gram-positive bacteria), and the Firmicutes (Low G+C Gram-positive bacteria). The culture-independent partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed a considerably more diverse microbial composition within the biofilms. A total of eight phyla were recovered in this case, three of which were major groups: the Firmicutes (43.9%), the Proteobacteria (28.6%), and the Bacteroidetes (17.6%). The remaining five phyla were minor groups: the Planctomycetes (4.4%), the Chlorobi (2.2%), the Actinobacteria (1.1%), the Nitrospirae (1.1%), and the Verrucomicrobia (1.1%). The two most abundant genera detected were the endospore-forming bacteria (31.8%), Clostridium and Bacillus, both of which are members of the Firmicutes phylum. This finding indicates that these endospore-forming bacteria successfully colonized and dominated the RABC process biofilms. Many of the colonies or clones recovered from the biofilms evidenced significantly high homology in the 16S rDNA sequences of bacteria stored in databases associated with advanced wastewater treatment capabilities, including nitrification and denitrification, phosphorus accumulation, the removal of volatile odors, and the removal of chlorohydrocarbons or heavy metals. The microbial community structures observed in the biofilms were found to correlate nicely with the enhanced performance of advanced wastewater treatment protocols.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.434-441
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• 2011

To improve T-N and T-P removal efficiencies, removal efficiencies of pollutants in full-scale livestock wastewater treatment plant by natural purification method with water plant filtration and activated sludge beds were investigated under different re-injection rates and injection methods of livestock wastewater. The removal rates of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P in effluent in full-scale livestock wastewater treatment plant were in the order of 30% < 70% ${\leq}$ 100 % at different re-injection rates. The removal rates of pollutants in effluent in full-scale livestock wastewater treatment plant were higher as re-injection rate of livestock wastewater increased. Removal rates of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P by continuous injection were slightly higher than those by intermittent injection method in full-scale livestock wastewater treatment plant. Removal rates of COD, SS, T-N, and T-P by continuous injection method in full-scale livestock wastewater treatment plant with water plant filtration and activated sludge beds were 99.5, 99.8, 99.0 and 99.8%, respectively.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.533-536
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• 2001

In this study, biological activity in activated sludge process for pharmaceutical wastewater was analyzed by using respirometer. For various amounts of BOD loadings. oxygen uptake rate was measured and kinetic paramelers were evaluated. By repetition of experiments, optimal operating conditions (eg. MLSS. BOD loadings. oxygen concentration, etc) were decided for the enhancement of activated sludge process.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.351-358
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment are vegetated by wetland plants. Wetland plants are an important component of wetlands, and the plants have several roles in relation to the livestock wastewater treatment processes. The objectives of this study were to investigate the growth characteristics and nutrient absorption of water plants in constructed wetlands for treating livestock wastewater. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, livestock wastewater treatment plant by constructed wetlands consisted of $1^{st}$ water plant filtration bed, $2^{nd}$ activated sludge bed, $3^{rd}$ vertical flow(VF), $4^{th}$ horizontal flow(HF) and $5^{th}$ HF beds. Phragmites communis TRINIUS(PHRCO) was transplanted in $3^{rd}$ VF bed, Iris pseudoacorus L(IRIPS) was transplanted in $4^{th}$ HF bed and PHRCO, IRIPS and Typha orientalis PRESEL(THYOR) were transplanted in $5^{th}$ HF. Growth of water plants in constructed wetlands were the highest in October. The IRIPS growth was higher than other plant as 264 g/plant in October. The absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus by IRIS were 3.38 g/plant and 0.634 g/plant, respectively. The absorption of K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn by water plants were higher in the order of IRIPS > THYOR > PHRCO. CONCLUSION(S): The absorption of nutrients by water plants were higher on the order of IRIPS > THYOR > PHRCO in constructed wetlands for treating livestock wastewater.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.574-579
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• 2019

As interest in health issues increases, it is imperative to ensure good water quality from wastewater treatment plant effluent to preserve environmental health. In particular, currently there is a lack of water ecosystem risk assessment on pharmaceutical substances remaining in effluent. In this study, antidepressant escitalopram (ESC), antiepileptic carbamazepine (CBZ) and lead, which impact the behavior of aquatic organisms, were used to test their impact on the potential behavior of zebrafish. Zebrafish have been widely used in toxicological assessment studies due to the ease of handlinggenerically and genetically. It was possible to observe changes in the growth of organisms through monitoring the embryos' cognitive and behavior assessment. In this study, the embryo lethal dose test showed that the lethal concentration of ESC and CBZ was at 10 ppb, which is below the water quality criterion (100 ppb), increased by 32.5 % and 40 %, respectively. In the cognitive test, it was found that the cognitive ability function decreased by 22 % and 17% for ESC(500 ppb) and CBZ(1,000 ppb) respectively relative to control. Based on these results, it is necessary to initiate efforts to remove these trace pollutants from sewage treatment facilities to protect the health of aquatic organisms.