• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.2037-2046
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• 2000

It has been reported that the inhibition effect of pH on activated sludge follows noncompetitive inhibition kinetics. However. the noncompetitive inhibition kinetic equation can not be directly applied to pH inhibition because of the difficulty in quantification of pH in terms of inhibitor concentration. So, many empirical equations have been developed to describe the pH inhibition effect especially for acidic condition. In this research. the pseudo toxic concentration ($C_{PT}$) concept model to quantify pH inhibition effect on activated sludge was proposed and compared to other existing models. The $C_{PT}$ concept model can explain the reduction of the maximum specific growth rate (${\mu}_{max}$) caused by the pH inhibition more accurately than any other models, at a wide range of pH. The only model parameter. $K_I$ can be easily estimated by Lineweaver-Burk linearization method.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.318-324
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• 2006

The higher valence state of iron i.e., Fe(VI) was employed for the oxidation of one of an important toxic ion, cyanide in the aqueous medium. Cyanide was oxidized into cyanate, which is 1,000 times less toxic to cyanide and often accepted for its ultimate disposal. It was to be noted that Fe(VI) is a very powerful oxidizing agent and can oxidize most of the cyanide within few minutes i.e., ca 5 mins of contact. The data was obtained by the UV-Visible measurements for the Fe(VI) decomposition. The UV-Visible data was used to evaluate the overall rate constant for second order redox reaction between ferrate(VI) and cyanide. Also the pseudo first order rate constant was calculated as keeping the cyanide concentration in excess.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.227-233
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• 2022

The objective of the study, to develop adsorbent based purifier for removal of radiological and nuclear contaminants from contaminated water. In this regard, 3-aminopropyl silica functionalized with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (APS-EDTA) adsorbent prepared and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Prepared APS-EDTA used for adsorptive studies of Cs(I), Co(II), Sr(II), Ni(II) and Cd(II) from contaminated water. The effect on adsorption of various parameters viz. contact time, initial concentration of metal ions and pH were also analyzed. The batch method has been employed using metal ions in solution from 1000-10000 ㎍/L, contact time 5-60 min., pH 4-10 and material quantities 50-200 mg at room temperature. The obtained adsorption data were used for drawing Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms model and both models were found suitable for explaining the metal ions adsorption on APS-EDTA. The adsorption data were followed pseudo second order reaction kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained 1.3037-1.4974 mg/g for above said metal ions. The results show that APS-EDTA have great potential to remove Cd(II), Co(II), Cs(I), Ni(II) and Sr(II) from aqueous solutions through chemisorption and physio-sorption.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.6958-6965
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• 2014

This study examined the occurring pattern of potential risky species and the related abiotic factors for port-specific environmental management considering the control of ballast water-induced foreign species at Incheon seaport. From a total of 62 species observed during the study, 13 red-tide and 7 toxic phytoplankton, normally occurring species in Korean waters, occurred from the seasonal investigation at the inner and outer sites of the Incheon seaport from 2007 to 2009. The number of potential risky phytoplankton was relatively high at the outer site of the port during summer and winter. Red-tide species, such as Skeletonema spp., Thalassiosira nordenskioldii, and Paralia sulcata, dominated the total standing crops at the inner site (avg. 72.4%) and outer site (avg. 77.6%) in spring and summer, being positively correlated with the concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and pH (p<0.05). In summer, the red-tide species (Skeletonema spp.) and toxic species (Alexandrium catenella, A. tamarense, Dinophysis acuminata and Pseudo-nitzschia spp.) co-dominated (avg. 74.2%) at the inner site, while Skeletonema spp. and P. sulcata predominated (avg. 67.2%) at the outer site. During the study periods, the toxic species were significantly and positively correlated with the chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved inorganic nitrogen, silicate and phosphate (p < 0.05). The chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration of phytoplankton at the outer site ranged from 1.49 to $5.46{\mu}g/L$ on average, which was 3-5 times higher than that at the inner site in spring, summer and autumn, whereas there was no difference in the concentration between inner (avg. $0.94{\mu}g/L$) and outer (avg. $0.95{\mu}g/L$) sites in winter. In summary, diverse red-tide species dominated and a relatively high chl-a concentration existed at the outer site, whereas a relatively high number of toxic species and low chl-a concentration was observed at the inner site in summer. The potential risky species can outbreak in association with the concentration of nutrients, COD and TSS, suggesting that distinctive management of potential risky species is needed considering the environmental characteristics of Incheon seaport.

• Carbon letters
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• v.20
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• pp.10-18
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• 2016

Nanoporous carbon structures were synthesized by pyrolysis of grass as carbon precursor. The synthesized carbon has high surface area and pore volume. The carbon products were acid functionalized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, transmission electron microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Acid functionalized nanoporous carbon was explored for use in removal of toxic Cr(VI) ions from aqueous media. An adsorption study was done as a function of initial concentration, pH, contact time, temperature, and interfering ions. The experimental equilibrium data fits well to Langmuir isotherm model with maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 35.335 mg/g. The results indicated that removal obeys a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and that equilibrium was reached in 10 min. A desorption study was done using NaOH. The results of the present study imply that acid functionalized nanoporous carbon synthesized from grass is an efficient, renewable, cost-effective adsorbent material for removal of hexavalent chromium due to its faster removal rate and reusability.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.221-230
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• 2013

We demonstrated the efficacy of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) produced from a low grade iron ore as an adsorbent for the removal of Cr(VI), a toxic heavy metal anion present in wastewater. The adsorption of Cr(VI) by these MNPs strongly depended on the dosage of MNPs, the initial concentration of the Cr(VI) solutions, and pH. The highest Cr(VI) adsorption efficiency of 22.0 mg/g was observed at pH 2.5. The adsorption data were best fit with the Langmuir isotherm and corresponded to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The used adsorbent was regenerated by eluting in highly alkaline solutions. Sodium bicarbonate showed the highest desorption efficiency of 83.1% among various eluents including NaOH, $Na_2HPO_4$, and $Na_2CO_3$. Due to the high adsorption capacity, the simple magnetic separation, and the high desorption efficiency, this nano-adsorbent produced from inexpensive and abundant resources may attract the attention of the industries to apply for removing various metal anionic contaminants from wastewater.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.474-483
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• 2019

In this study, iron (Fe) impregnated granular activated carbon (Fe-GAC) has been synthesized and characterized for various properties. Comparative studies have been performed for use of Fe-GAC as an adsorbent as well as a catalyst during catalytic oxidation of hydroquinone (HQ). In the batch adsorption study, effect of process parameter like initial HQ concentration ($C_o=25-1,000mg/L$), pH (2-10), contact time (t: 0-24 h), temperature (T: $15-45^{\circ}C$) and adsorbent dose (w: 5-50 g/L) have been studied. Maximum HQ adsorption efficiency of 75% was obtained at optimum parametric condition of: pH = 4, w = 40 g/L and t = 14 h. Pseudo-second order model best-fitted the HQ adsorption kinetics whereas Langmuir model best-represented the isothermal equilibrium behavior. During oxidation studies, effect of various process parameters like initial HQ concentration ($C_o:20-100mg/L$), pH (4-8), oxidant dose ($C_{H2O2}:0.4-1.6mL/L$) and catalyst dose (m: 0.5-1.5 g/L) have been optimized using Taguchi experimental design matrix. Maximum HQ removal efficiency of 83.56% was obtained at optimum condition of $C_o=100mg/L$, pH = 6, $C_{H2O2}=0.4mL/L,$ and m = 1 g/L. Overall use of Fe-GAC during catalytic oxidation seems to be a better as compared to its use an adsorbent for treatment of HQ bearing wastewater.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2015

Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution was investigated using $TiO_2$ nanoparticles (Degussa P25) in this study. After a 3 hr photocatalytic reaction (${\lambda}=365nm$ and $I=3mW\;cm^{-2}$, $[TiO_2]=2.0g\;L^{-1}$), 98% of BPA ($1.0{\times}10^{-5}M$) was degraded and 89% of the total organic carbon was removed. In addition, BPA degradation by photolytic, hydrolytic and adsorption reactions was found to be 2%, 5% and 13%, respectively. The reaction rate of BPA degradation by photocatalysis decreased with increasing concentration of methanol that is used as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. This indicates that the reaction between BPA and hydroxyl radical was the key mechanism of BPA degradation. The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant for this reaction was determined to be $7.94{\times}10^{-4}min^{-1}$, and the time for 90% BPA removal was found to be 25 min. In addition, acute toxicity testing using Daphnia magna neonates (< 24 h old) was carried out to evaluate the reduction of BPA toxicity. Acute toxicity (48 hr) to D. magna was decreased from 2.93 TU (toxic unit) to non-toxic after photocatalytic degradation of BPA for 3 hr. This suggests that there was no formation of toxic degradation products from BPA photocatalysis.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.3319-3326
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• 2014

Eosin yellow is used a dye and colorant but it is harmful toxic substance. In this paper, batch adsorption studies were carried out for equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic parameters for eosin yellow adsorption by activated carbon with varying the operating variables like pH, initial concentration, contact time. Equilibrium adsorption data were fitted into Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms. By estimated Langmuir constant value, $R_L$=0.067-0.083, and Freundlich constant value, $\frac{1}{n}=0.237-0.267$, this process could be employed as effective treatment for removal of eosin yellow. From calculated Temkin constant, value, B=1.868-2.855 J/mol, and Dubinin-Radushkevich constant, value, E=5.345-5.735 kJ/mol, this adsorption process is physical adsorption. From kinetic experiments, the adsorption process were found to confirm to the pseudo second order model with good correlation coefficient($r^2$=0.995-0.998). The mechanism of the adsorption process was determined two step like as boundary and intraparticle diffusion.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1138-1149
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• 2017

The use of microalgal biomass is an interesting technology for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions owing to its high metal-binding capacity, but the interactions with bacteria as a strategy for the removal of toxic metals have been poorly studied. The goal of the current research was to investigate the potential of Burkholderia tropica co-immobilized with Chlorella sp. in polyurethane discs for the biosorption of Hg(II) from aqueous solutions and to evaluate the influence of different Hg(II) concentrations (0.041, 1.0, and 10 mg/l) and their exposure to different contact times corresponding to intervals of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 h. As expected, microalgal bacterial biomass adhered and grew to form a biofilm on the support. The biosorption data followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the adsorption equilibrium was well described by either Langmuir or Freundlich adsorption isotherm, reaching equilibrium from 1 h. In both bacterial and microalgal immobilization systems in the co-immobilization of Chlorella sp. and B. tropica to different concentrations of Hg(II), the kinetics of biosorption of Hg(II) was significantly higher before 60 min of contact time. The highest percentage of biosorption of Hg(II) achieved in the co-immobilization system was 95% at pH 6.4, at 3.6 g of biosorbent, $30{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, and a mercury concentration of 1 mg/l before 60 min of contact time. This study showed that co-immobilization with B. tropica has synergistic effects on biosorption of Hg(II) ions and merits consideration in the design of future strategies for the removal of toxic metals.