• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2007

Ecological risk assessment(ERA) to 5 abandoned mine drainage was investigated by using chemical measurement and bioassay experiment. From the results of chemical analysis, the high concentration of heavy metals are detected in most area. The Arsenite were mostly detected in Songcheon, Nakdong, and Dukum abandoned mine area, and various heavy metals were highly dispersed in Nakdong area. The study area have also high biological toxicity, resulted from the bioassay based on WET(Whole Effluent Toxicity) test by using Vibrio fisheri, Selenastrum copricornutum, and Daphnia magna. The maximum toxicity was shown in the point where the mine waters start to flow. The sensitivity of toxicity by S. capricornutum was relatively high considering the values of toxicity in all samples, from 1.3 to 32.0 TU. The different sensitivities of toxicity recommends the use of battery system, resulted from at least two test species for bioassay or ecological risk assessment of mine drainage. Besides, the results showed high hazard quotient(i.e., greater than 1 HQ value indicating potentially significant toxic risks) with regard to abandoned mine drainage area in this study. On the other hand, the biological toxicity results were sharply decreased by attenuation along further distance from discharging of mine waters. Therefore, environmental parameters including the dilution factor, dissolved organic matter, and hardness should be considered when the remediation and ERA of abandoned mine drainage is planned.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.4B
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• pp.377-382
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• 2011

In this study, hydrogen peroxide is stabilized in modified Fenton reaction to improve the soil remediation. Phenanthrene, which is the typical compound in PAHs, was spiked into soil samples to copy the original contaminated site. Anionic surfactant, SDS (Sodium dodecyl sulfate) was used for hydrogen peroxide stabilizer. 4 mM of Fe(II), 5~50 mM of SDS and 102.897 mM of $H_2O_2$ was injected into soil samples which is contaminated by 125 mg/kg of phenanthrene to analyze decomposition rate of phenanthrene in modified Fenton reaction. In condition which SDS was injected 30 mM, decomposition rate of phenanthrene has best efficiency as 95% and in condition which SDS was injected over 30 mM, decomposition rate is lower than SDS 30 mM because SDS enacted as scavenger in the system. Results which assess the change of hydrogen peroxide concentration after injecting hydrogen peroxide stabilizer showed that hydrogen peroxide concentration was 14.6995 mM so that is stabilized at Fe(II) 2 mM condition in 48 hours. On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide is not stable in Fe(III) condition. SDS concentration was fixed and iron concentration was changed 2~8 mM to find out optimize proportion between iron concentration and SDS concentration in modified Fenton reaction. Consequentially, in condition of which Fe(II) 4 mM and SDS 30 mM, reaction has the highest removal rate as 95%.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.77-86
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• 1999

Partitioning of two hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), phenanthrene and naphthalene, to kaolinite and sorbed surfactants was studied to evaluate the feasibility of surfactant-enhanced remediation (SER) of contaminated subsurface systems. Sorbed surfactant partition coefficients. $K_ss$, showed a strong dependence on the surfactant sorption isotherms at low sorbed surfactant levels $K_ss$ values were at their highest and then decreased with increasing surfactant sorption densities. $K_ss$ values for SDS were always larger than corresponding $K_mic$values. For Tween 80, however. $K_ss$ values $K_mic$ were higher than $K_mic$ values only at the lower sorbed surfactant densities. HOC distribution between immobile and mobile phases varied with surfactant dose distribution coefficients increased initially with increasing surfactant concentrations and then decreased at higher doses. This observation shows directly the competition between sorbed and micellar surfactants for HOC partitioning. Overall results of this study demonstrate that surfactant sorption to the solid phase can lead to increases in HOC retardation in some SER applications. Therefore, before an SER process is selected, appropriate consideration of surfactant sorption and HOC partitioning to immobile versus mobile phases pertinent to a specific subsurface system must be contemplated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.525-534
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• 2005

A column experiment was performed to investigate the influence of the sludge cake development on the riverbed and the hydraulic gradient imposed by the drawdown at the well on the filtrate quality in order to offer a guideline in the design and operation of the riverbed filtration. Results show that the sludge cake on the riverbed plays an important role in the removal of the organic matter. Under the conditions of this study the COD removal rate increased from 17% to 50% along with the sludge cake development, which was equivalent to the BCOD removal of 22% and 67%, respectively. The active removal of the organic matter took place in the sludge cake and the upper 40 cm of the riverbed. As the flow rate increased owing to the increase in the head difference imposed on the column, the slope of the COD profile near the column inlet decreased, however, the profiles converged in about 40 cm from the inlet. In 10 days of sludge cake formation the dissolved oxygen was depleted at the depth of 70 cm, which suggests the denitrification can take place beyond the depth. This depth was further reduced to $20{\sim}40\; cm$ as the sludge cake developed. From this study the removal of organic matter can be expected through the riverbed filtration even with the depth of as shallow as 3 m, which is frequently met in Korea, while the removal of nitrogen through denitrification is not expected to be active under the condition.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 1998

To enhance the washing efficiency of soil polluted by hydrophobic organic compounds, the effects of electrolytes and monomeric organic additives on micelle formation and washing efficiency of mixed surfactant solutions were investigated in this study. The surface tensions and critical micelle concentrations(CMCs) of the single and mixed surfactant solutions[$POE_5$/SDS] supplemented by NaCl were measured to investigate the effects on washing efficiency, and the composition ratios of surfactants and NaCl were optimized for the efficient soil washing system. As the mixing ratio of $POE_5$/SDS was increased to 80%, the mixed surfactant with 0.01M NaCl showed more proportional increase of washing efficiency than the mixed surfactant without any salts. The 3% solution of $POE_5$ and SDS(80%/2o%) with 0.01M NaCl showed the washing efficiency of 90%. However, the washing efficiency was not enhanced by NaCl addition to the single surfactant solution of $POE_5$. The CMC of SDS(0.049%) was higher than that of $POE_5$(0.016%), but the CMCs of mixed surfactants were decreased as the mixing ratio of $POE_5$ was increased. Alcohols having longer chain and branched carbon chain were found to be desirable for the soil washing additives.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.8-14
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• 2008

The effects of surfactant types and the ratio of nonionic and anionic surfactants on the washing of diesel contaminated soil were investigated. In batch tests, the nonionic surfactant, which has HLB within 12-13, showed a high diesel removal efficiency and Tergitol 15-S-7 (T15S7) with 20 g/L concentration exhibited the highest removal efficiency of 79-88% among the tested nonionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants, in general, showed lower removal efficiency than nonionic surfactants. In case of mixed surfactant system, the removal efficiency increased with nonionic surfactant concentration. With mixed surfactants of T15S7 and SDS as 3 : 1 ratio, diesel removal was enhanced to 76% with 10 g/L of the mixed surfactants. These results could be used in the selection of proper surfactants for remediation of diesel contaminated soils.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.511-519
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• 2022

In order to develop an air-stripping based remediation process to remove the TOC (Total Organic Carbon) in groundwater around the underground LPG storage cavern, the laboratory scale experiments at various conditions (change of air injection volume and temperature, the application of ultrasonic treatment, etc.) for two types of groundwater (initial TOC concentration of 608 mg/L and 153 mg/L, respectively). From results of experiment, as the air injection rate for stripping into groundwater increased from 2 L/min to 11 L/min and as the air-stripping time increased from 1 hour to 24 hour, the TOC removal efficiency of air-stripping increased. However, the TOC concentration of treated groundwater was higher than the discharge tolerance limit (100 mg/L) even after 24 hour stripping at the maximum air injection rate of 11 L/min. The main compounds of the TOC in groundwater were identified as methanol and propane and the long stripping time (more than 24 hour) was needed to separate the methanol from groundwater because of the affinity between water and methanol. At 20℃ and 4 L/min of air injection, the TOC removal efficiency increased to 59.1% after 24 hour air-stripping. When the temperature of groundwater increased to 30℃ and 40℃, the TOC removal efficiency increased up to 80.0% and 82.8%, suggesting that more than 24 hour air-stripping at 40℃ is needed to lower the TOC concentration to below 100 mg/L and the additional TOC removal process as well as the air-stripping is necessary. When the temperature increased to 60℃ and the ultrasonic treatment was conjugated with the air-stripping, the TOC removal efficiency increased to 87.8% within 5 hour stripping and the final TOC concentration (72.4 mg/L) was satisfied with the TOC discharge tolerance limit. The TOC removal efficiency for groundwater having low TOC concentration (153 mg/L) also showed similar removal efficiency of 89.7% (the final TOC concentration: 18.9 mg/L). Results in this study supported that the air-stripping conjugated with the ultrasonic treatment could remove successfully the TOC in groundwater around the underground LPG strorage cavern.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.153-160
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• 2005

There have been large areas of soil contaminated with high levels of explosives. For this experimental work, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) was tested as a representative explosive contaminant of concern in both aqueous and soil samples and its removal was evaluated using three different chemical treatment methods: 1) the classical Fenton reaction which utilizes hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and soluble iron at pH less than 3; 2) a modified Fenton reaction which utilizes chelating agents, $H_2O_2$, and soluble iron at pH 7; and 3) a Fenton-like process which utilizes iron minerals instead of soluble iron and $H_2O_2$, generating a hydroxyl radical. Using classic Fenton reaction, 93% of TNT was removed in 20 h at pH 3 (soil spiked with 300 mg/L of TNT, 3% $H_2O_2$ and 1mM Fe(III)), whereas 21% removed at pH 7. The modified Fenton reaction, using nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), oxalate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), acetate and citrate as representative chelating agents, was tested with 3% $H_2O_2$ at pH 7 for 24 h. Results showed the TNT removal in the order of NTA, EDTA, oxalate, citrate and acetate, with the removal efficiency of 87%, 71%, 64%, 46%, and 37%, respectively, suggesting NTA as the most effective chelating agent. The Fenton-like reaction was performed with water contaminated with 100 mg/L TNT and soil contaminated with 300 mg/L TNT, respectively, using 3% $H_2O_2$ and such iron minerals as goethite, magnetite, and hematite. In the goethite-water system, 33% of TNT was removed at pH 3 whereas 28% removed at pH 7. In the magnetite-water system, 40% of TNT was removed at pH 3 whereas 36% removed at pH 7. In the hematite-water system, 40% of TNT was removed at pH 3 whereas 34% removed at pH 7. For further experiments combining the modified Fenton reaction with the Fenton-like reaction, NTA, EDTA, and oxalate were selected with the natural iron minerals, magnetite and hematite at pH 7, based on the results from the modified Fenton reaction. As results, in case magnetite was used, 79%, 59%, and 14% of TNT was removed when NTA, oxalate, and EDTA used, respectively, whereas 73%, 25%, and 19% removed in case of hematite, when NTA, oxalate, and EDTA used, respectively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 1996

Sulfate reduction and the precipitation of metal sulfides may have great potential to improve water quality of mine effluents in wetland treatment systems. Laboratory experiments using sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and limestone to treat effluents from the abandoned Dalsung tungsten-copper mine show that encouraging results, that have been attributed to sulfate reduction. Fe, Al, Cd, Cu and Zn are reduced to below detection limits with $99{\sim}100%$ metal removal rates, Mn is reduced by at least 90% to below 8.0 mg/l, and the pH is raised from 5.12 to 7.60 after 53 days of experiments. In the staged design, laboratory experiments are initiated to determine what would be reasonable substrate materials for remediation of the mine effluents. A substrate mixture containing 70% oak compost and 30% mushroom compost maintains $0.03{\sim}0.04mM$ of lactate, which provides good condition for the SRB granule. A downflow SRB wetland system is proposed as follows : 1) The lower part of the treatment system consists with a 25 cm thick layer of high quality (above 95% of $CaCO_3$) of limestone; 2) The geotextile (geonet) is recommended to be spread on the limestone bed to prevent clogging the limestones with the substrates; 3) The mixture of substrates with 70% oak and 30% spent mushroom composts, and SRB granules overlain on top of the geonet with 25 cm height. The sizes of the passive treatment systems are calculated according to metal loading and permeability criteria : 1) $220m^3$ ($15{\times}15{\times}1m$) for -1 level effluents; 2) $28m^3$ ($5.3{\times}5.3{\times}1m$) for -2 level; and 3) $2700m^3$ ($52{\times}52{\times}1m$) for the -3 level. The -3 level system needs to be broken down into 5 to 15 cells.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.374-381
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• 2015

Occurrences of coastal dredged materials are ever increasing due to port construction, navigational course maintenance and dredging of polluted coastal sediments. Ocean dumping of the coastal dredged materials has become virtually prohibited as London Treaty will be enacted as of the year 2012. It will be necessary to treat and recycle the dredged materials that may carry organic pollutants and heavy metals in a reasonable and effective process: collection of the dredged materials, liquid and solid separation, and treatment of organic compounds and heavy metals. In this study we have developed a continuous bioreactor system that can treat a mixture of silt and particulate organic matter using a microbial consortium (BM-S-1). The steady-state operation conditions were: pH (7.4-7.5), temperature ($16^{\circ}C$), DO (7.5-7.9), and salt concentration (3.4-3.7%). The treatment efficiencies of SCOD, T-N and T-P of the mixture were 95-96%, 92-99%, and 79-97%. The system was also effective in removal of heavy metals such as Zn, Ni, and Cr. Levels of MLSS during three months operation period were 11,000-19,000 mg/L. Interestingly, there was little sludge generated during this period of operation. The augmented microbial consortium seemed to be quite active in the removal of the organic component (30%) present in the dredged material in association with indigenous bacteria. The dominant phyla in the treatment processes were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes while dominant genii were Marinobacterium, Flaviramulus, Formosa, Alteromonadaceae_uc, Flavobacteriaceae_uc. These results will contribute to a development of a successful bioremediation technology for various coastal and river sediments with a high content of organic matter, inorganic nutrients and heavy metals, leading to a successful reuse of the polluted dredged sediments.