• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.913-917
• /
• 2008

Since the difficulty of analysis at low concentration and the uncertainty of the removal mechanism for Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) have been reported, this study has detected extremely low concentration $^{14}$C-NDMA using the LSC(Liquid Scintillation Counter) and tested NDMA removal by Powdered Activated Carbon(PAC). The results showed the highest correlation over 99% when samples were measured with the mixture ratio of sample to scintillation liquid of 10 : 10 and at the detection time of 10 min. For $^{14}$C-NDMA removal by the PACs(S-A(Sigma-Aldrich co.) and Dj(Daejung co.)) raging from 50$\sim$10,000 mg/L, $^{14}$C-NDMA was removed over 90% by adsorption treatment. In addition, S-A showed twice greater adsorption capacity than that of Dj. However, the required PAC amount for $^{14}$C-NDMA removal was higher than that of other amine compounds.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2011

NDMA(N-Nitrosodimethylamine) has been considered as a carcinogenic pollutant even at extremely low-concentration (10ng/L). However, previous researches on NDMA have focused on mainly high concentration due to a difficulty of analysis. In this study, removal efficiencies were evaluated for individual or combined methods with PAC(Powder Activated Carbon), GS(Granular Sludge), MF(Microfiltration), UF(Ultrafiltration) and Silica gel(MCM-41, Diatomite, Spherical silica gel) at both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Combined method of GS, PAC and UF membrane at anaerobic condition showed the highest removal efficiency of 65% while Silica gel showed the lowest removal efficiency of 6%. The outcomes of this study could be used further study of extremely low-concentration NDMA removal.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.59-79
• /
• 2022

Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) do not fully remove micropollutants. Enhanced treatment of sewage effluents is being considered or implemented in some countries to minimize the discharge of problematic micropollutants from WWTPs. Representative enhanced sewage treatment technologies for micropollutant removal were reviewed, including their current status of research and development. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as ozonation and UV/H₂O₂ and adsorption processes using powdered (PAC) and granular activated carbon (GAC) were mainly discussed with focusing on process principles for the micropollutant removal, effect of process operation and water matrix factors, and technical and economic feasibility. Pilot- and full-scale studies have shown that ozonation, PAC, and GAC can achieve significant elimination of various micropollutants at economically feasible costs(0.16-0.29 €/m³). Considering the current status of domestic WWTPs, ozonation and PAC were found to be the most feasible options for the enhanced sewage effluent treatment. Although ozonation and PAC are all mature technologies, a range of technical aspects should be considered for their successful application, such as energy consumption, CO₂ emission, byproduct or waste generation, and ease of system construction/operation/maintenance. More feasibility studies considering domestic wastewater characteristics and WWTP conditions are required to apply ozonation or PAC/GAC adsorption process to enhance sewage effluent treatment in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1123-1128
• /
• 2005

NIB(methylisoborneol) is an earthy/musty odor compound produced as a second metabolite by cyanobacteria and actinomycetes. MIB is not removed by conventional water treatment(coagulation, sedimentation, filtration) and its presence in tap water, even at low ng/L levels, can result in consumer complaints. PAC(powdered activated carbon) can effectively remove MIB when the correct dose is applied. But, since most operators in water treatment plants apply a PAC dose and then adjust that dose depending on direct observation (odor detection) after treatment, the result is often under-dose or eve,-dose. In this study, kinetic and isotherm tests using $^{14}C$-radiolabeled MIB were performed to determine coefficients for the HSDM(homogeneous surface diffusion model), including liquid film mass transfer coefficient($K_f$) and surface diffusion coefficient ($D_s$). The HSDM gave a reasonable fit and allowed prediction with the experimental data. Base on the HSDM, the authors developed an optimum PAC dose prediction program using the Excel spreadsheet. When the developed program was applied at two water treatment plants, the PAC dose based on the experience of operators in the water treatment plant was significantly different from that recommended by the newly developed program. If operators are willing to use the optimum PAC dose prediction program, it should solve dosing problems.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.209-215
• /
• 2012

The performance and removal efficiencies of a pilot scale biofilter were estimated by using ammonia and hydrogen sulfide as the odorous gases. Expanded polyurethane foam coated with powdered activated carbon and zeolite was used as a biofilm supporting medium in the biofilter. Odorous gases from the sludge thickener of a municipal wastewater treatment plant were treated in the biofilter for 10 months and the inlet ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations were 0.1-1.5 and 2-20 ppmv, respectively. The removal efficiencies reached about 100% at the empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 3.6-5 seconds except for the adaptation periods. The pressure drop of the biofilter caused by the gas flow was also low that the maximum attained was 31 mm $H_2O$ during the operation. Its stability was confirmed in the long term due to the fact that the biofilter and the polyurethane medium had a minimum plugging and compression. The microbial community on the medium is critical for the performance of the biofilter especially the distribution of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB). The distribution of Nitrosomonas sp. (AOB) and Thiobacillus ferroxidans (SOB) was confirmed by FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) analysis. The longer the operation time, the more microbial population observed. Also, the medium close to the gas inlet had more microbial population than the medium at the gas outlet of the biofilter.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2019

In order to measure the filtration characteristics of a cotton ball shape filter, the experiments of suspended solids(SS) surrogate material selection and filtration performance have been carried out in this study. Between the two materials of powdered activated carbon(PAC) and powdered red-clay, PAC is more suitable surrogate material in terms of experimental criteria and particle size distribution in the non-point source pollutants removal system. As a result of the filtration experiments with the cotton ball shape filter, the initial headloss was about 8 cm, and the headloss slightly increased over filtration time. The Kozeny-Carman equation was used to analyze the changes of pressure and porosity during the filtration. The initial porosity was calculated as 0.945 and it decreased to 0.936 at the end of design filtration time. As the filtration continued, the SS concentration of the filtered water gradually increased and the SS removal rate gradually decreased. When the SS target removal efficiency is assumed to be 80%, the cumulative SS removal capacity is expected as $28.8kg/m^2$. This means the volume loading rate of the cotton ball shape filter can be $115m^3/m^2$ when the typical SS concentration of non-point source water pollution is assumed as 250 mg/L.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.36 no.11
• /
• pp.747-752
• /
• 2014

Iodine-131, an artificial radionuclide, mostly exists as iodide ion ($^{131}I^-$) and iodate ion ($^{131}IO_3{^-}$) in the water, and When a short time contacted, it could not be removed by poly aluminum chloride (PACl) and powdered activated carbon (PAC). Although the removal rate of iodine-131 was not related with turbidity of raw water, it showed linear relationship with contact time with PAC. With the mixture of PACl (24 mg/L or more) and PAC (40 mg/L or more), about 40% of iodine-131 could be removed. Iodine-131 could be removed little by sand filtration, but approximately 100% by granular activated carbon (GAC), both virgin-GAC and spent-GAC. Microfiltration process could remove little iodine-131 while reverse osmosis process could remove about 92% of iodine-131.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.28 no.11
• /
• pp.1141-1147
• /
• 2006

In order to applicate a newly method for powdered activated carbon(PAC) selection based on economic efficiency, PAC adsorption tests were performed for removal of MIB and dissolved organic carbon(DOC) in drinking water supplies. The removal rate of MIB increased when the PAC dose increased. The Coal-based PACs were superior for adsorption of MIB compared to wood-based PACs. PAC adsorption of DOC and $UV_{254}$ were a little different for different PACs and types of raw water, but both were lower than adsorption of MIB. Among the tested PACs, the one called P-1000 was most effective for removal of MIB, DOC and $UV_{254}$. Most of the organics in the tested samples were proven by excitation emission matrix(EEM) results to be fulvic-like materials. Especially, fulvic-like materials, humic-like materials, and soluble microbial byproduct(SMP)-like materials decreased after contact with PAC. P-1000 which had the lowest MIB cost index(MCI) was selected as the optimum PAC for the target water. PAC efficiency and treatability, particle size and distribution, and the cost associated with PAC dosing for MIB removal according to DOC concentration should all be considered before making the final selection of the best PAC for the target water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.517-522
• /
• 2008

This study aims at an assessment of the effectiveness of taste & odor removal and transmembrane pressure changes in a pilot membrane plant(500m3/day) by adding PAC to MF process, and at providing a basis for applying it to the advanced water treatment process. The transmembrane pressure showed, in low turbidity of raw water, a tendency to decrease when PAC was injected at the Flux of 1, $1.5m^3/m^2{\cdot}d$, while it increased in high Flux($1.5m^3/m^2{\cdot}d$) in high turbidity of raw water. in addtion, it is shown that the fouling could be reduced more when PAC is injected together with appropriate amount of coagulant, than when PAC is solely injected. Taste & Odor-causing 2-MIB may not be detected in membrane filtered water, if the amount of PAC injection is increased in accordance with the increasing concentration of 2-MIB. Hence, PAC injection, as a pre-treatment process in MF membrane filtering, is supposed to be a suitable process for reducing fouling as well as for improvement effectiveness of taste & odor treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
• /
• 2004.04a
• /
• pp.380-383
• /
• 2004

Heavy metal release from wastewater is a serious environmental problem, and therefore, various wastewater treatment techniques have been developed. Among the techniques, sorption technique is most attractive. Considerable researches have been recently focused on finding out inexpensive sorbents, especially from various natural materials. In order to evaluate the applicability of the scoria taken from the Jeju Island, Korea to remove heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd) from aqueous solutions, equilibrium sorption experiments were conducted in this study. In equilibrium tests, powdered activated carbon (PAC), one of the most commonly used sorbents, was also tested to compare the effectiveness of the Jeju scoria with that of PAC. The Jeju scoria had larger adsorption capacity and affinity for metal ions (Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)) than PAC. The sorption parameters of the two sorbents were evaluated by using both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and the sorption data were better fitted to the Freundlich isotherm. In addition, the sorption behavior of metal ions (Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)) onto the scoria displayed a typical characteristic of the cation sorption. The removal of metal ions decreased at a lower pH condition due to competition with hydrogen ions for the sorption sites of Jeju scoria, while the removal increased at a high pH condition due to hydroxide precipitation.