• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2011

The main objective of this research was to estimate Nitrogen budget of South Korea in 2008. Input-output budgets for nitrogen fluxes were categorized into three sections: cities, agricultural area, and forest. Chemical and biological fixation, dry and wet deposition, imported food and feed were used as the nitrogen input. Crop uptake, volatilization, denitrification, leaching, runoff, and forest consumption were used as the nitrogen outputs. Annual total nitrogen input was 1,294,155 ton/yr, and output was 632,228 ton/yr. Comparison with a previous research in 2005 indicates that nitrogen input was decreased by 1.9% due to the decrease in nitrogen fertilizer while nitrogen output was decreased by 6.3%. Non-point source (NPS) pollution was also estimated by mass balance approach, which increased by 22% than the previous research in 2005. The emission of nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) caused by denitrification was newly examined in this research. About 8,289 ton/yr of $N_2O$ was released from agriculture area and domestic wastewater treatment plant.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2014

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are formed as a results of the reaction of residual chlorine, used as a disinfectant in drinking water, with the organic matter in raw water. Although chlorinated and brominated THMs are the most common disinfection byproducts (DBPs) reported, iodinated THMs (I-THMs) can be formed when iodide is present in raw water. I-THMs have been usually associated with several medicinal or pharmaceutical taste and odor problems and is a potential health concern since they have been reported to be more toxic than their brominated and chlorinated analogs. Currently, there is no published standard analytical method for I-THMs in water. An automated headspace-gas chromatography/electron capture detector (GC/ECD) technique was developed for routine analysis of 10 THMs including 6 I-THMs in water samples. The optimization of the method is discussed. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) range from 12 ng/L to 56 ng/L and from 38 ng/L to 178 ng/L for 10 THMs, respectively. Matrix effects in river water, sea water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) final effluent water were investigated and it was shown that the method is suitable for the analysis of trace levels of I-THMs, in a wide range of waters. The method developed in the present study has the advantage of being rapid, simple and sensitive.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.317-330
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• 2009

To diminish the levels of organic matters, a novel S-CROM (continuous removal of organic matters in the stream system using freshwater bivalve), was developed and applied to the polluted stream discharging from the wastewater treatment plant, Pocheon stream, Pocheon city (Korea). Major pollutants of the stream were human population and industrial wastewaters. The study was conducted at a small dam constructed within the stream, often called 'bo', and designed with four tanks; no mussels and no sediment (negative control), no mussels and sediment (positive control), 30 mussels and sediment (D1), and 60 mussels and sediment (D2). Physicochemical and biological parameters were measured at 12 hours interval (day and night) after mussel stocking. Results indicated that Anodonta woodiana Lea (D2) clearly removed approximately 72% of chl-$\alpha$ and 57% of suspended solids on second day, however, there were no differences in removal activities between animal densities (P>0.5). Dislike a laboratory CROM system, which previously developed, there were no huge release of nutrient ($NH_3$-N and SRP), due perhaps to the higher flow rate and the lower animal density. Therefore, we may suggest that if we can determine the relevant current and the animal density considering the stream state, an S-CROM system has a strong potential to water quality improvement of eutrophic streams. Some characteristics on both CROM and S-CROM were compared.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2001

The effect of phenol on the change of bacterial community in the effluent water from a wastewater treatment plant was analyzed by PCR and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). The fragments of 16S rDNA were amplified by PCR with bacterial primers, where one of the primers was biotinylated at the 5'-end. After digestion with restriction enzymes, HaeIII and AluI, the biotinylated terminal restriction tragments (T-RFs) of the digested products were selectively isolated by using streptavidin paramagnetic particles. The single-stranded DNA of T-RFs was separated by electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gel and detected by silver staining technique. When 10 standard strains were analyzed by our method, each strain had a unique T-RF which corresponded to the calculated size from the known sequences of RDP database. The T-RFLP fingerprint generated from the effluent water was very complex, and the predominant T-RFs corresponded to members of the genus Acinetobacter, Bacillus and Pseudomonas. In addition, the perturbation of bacterial community was observed when phenol was added to the sample at the final concentration of 250 $l^{-1}$. The number of T-RFs increased and the major bacterial population could be assigned to the genus Acinetobacter, Comamonas, Cytophaga and Pseudomonas. A intense band assigned to the putative genera of Acinetobacter and Cytophaga was eluted, amplified, and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of the T-RF showed close relationship with the sequence of Acinetobacter junii.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2001

Among the biodegradability tests, TOC-HANDAI and OECD method were utilized to examine the degree of biodegradation of endocrine disruptors, Bisphenol A (BPA) and Nonylphenol. Both methods used natural water microcosms and measured their biodegrada-bilities of BPA and Nonylphenol, in terms of TOC or DOC degradation with time for 28 days. Biodegradabilities for BPA, 73-78% with TOC-HANDAI method and 77-81% with OECD method were obtained respectively at the end of experiment. There was no difference in BPA degradation between two methods. BPA degradation was described by two distinct first order decay rates (k$_1$ and k$_2$) which could be separated by a simple visual fitting. Most of the initial decay reaction accelerated within 1-7 days with k$_1$of 0.24-0.34 $day^{-1}$. And the following another long term first order decay coefficient (k$_2$) showed 0.02-0.05 day$^{-1}$ with much flat slope. About 20-25% of initial BPA remained at the end of experiment. It suggests that the remaining TOC components in BPA biodegradation considered to be refractory metabolites of BPA. Nonylphenol at each sampling point was appeared to be mineralized 20-48% of initial TOC concentration. Consequently Nonylphenol seems more recalcitrant against biodegradation. BPA was not detected in the detection limit of ppb in the watershed of Daechung reservoir and Kum river. However 25 ppb concentration of BPA was detected at the influent of industrial wastewater treatment plant in Taejon.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.444-450
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• 2011

Perchlorate ($ClO_4^-$) is a contaminant found in surface water and soil/ground water. Autotrophic perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) use hydrogen gas ($H_2$) as an electron donor to remove perchlorate. Since iron corrosion can produce $H_2$, feasibility of autotrophic perchlorate-removal using zero-valent iron (ZVI) was examined in this study using activated sludge that is easily available from a wastewater treatment plant. Batch test showed that activated sludge microorganisms could successfully degrade perchlorate in the presence of ZVI. The perchlorate biodegradation was confirmed by molar yield of $Cl^-$ as perchlorate was degraded. Scanning electron microscope revealed that rod-shaped microorganisms on the surface of iron particles used for the autotrophic perchlorate-removal, suggesting that iron particles could serve as supporting media for the formation of biofilm as well. DGGE analyses revealed that microbial profile of the inoculum (activated sludge) was different from that of biofilm sample obtained from the ZVI-added enrichment culture used for $ClO_4^-$-degradation. A major band of the biofilm sample was most closely related to the class Clostridia.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.209-215
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• 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 Life Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.676-681
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• 2013

Perchlorate (${ClO_4}^-$) is an emerging contaminant found in surface water and soil/groundwater. Microbial removal of perchlorate is the method of choice since perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) can reduce perchlorate to harmless end-products. A previous study [3] showed experimental evidence of autotrophic perchlorate removal using elemental sulfur granules and activated sludge. The granular sulfur is a relatively inexpensive electron donor, and activated sludge is easily available from a wastewater treatment plant. A batch test was performed in this study to further investigate the effect of various environmental parameters on the perchlorate degradation by sludge microorganisms when elemental sulfur was used as electron donor. Results of the batch test suggest optimum conditions for autotrophic perchlorate degradation by sludge microorganisms. The results also show that sulfur-oxidizing PRB enriched from activated sludge removed perchlorate better than activated sludge. Taken together, this study suggests that autotrophic perchlorate removal using elemental sulfur and activated sludge can be improved by employing optimized environmental conditions and enrichment culture.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2015

PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ehters) are rarely dissolved in water due to their strong hydrophobicity and large molecular mass so not many researches were done in aqueous environment compared to other environmental compartments. However, the mass loading from wastewater treatment plant into aquatic environment, re-suspension from bottom sediment and partitioning from floating particles and colloids may not be negligible. It is, therefore, important but also difficult to investigate PBDEs in water environment. Recent overcoming resolution towards this barrier to monitor hydrophobic organic compounds in aquatic environment is using passive sampling technique like semipermeable membrane device. By using passive sampling, it might be possible to obtain long-term reproducible monitoring result and detect the trace amounts of PBDEs, with controlling fluctuation of surrounding environmental factors during the sampling event. So therefore, this study is purposed to confirm the possibility of using SPMD (semi-permeable membrane device) as water monitoring tool. Grab samples, composite samples and SPMDs were applied in river bank to evaluate the concentration difference and temporal fluctuation by various water sampling method, and to assess the water concentration prediction capability of SPMD for the PBDEs.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.149-159
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• 2002

The monthly water quality data measured at 19 stations located in the Sapkyo reservoir watershed were clustered into 2 to 7 clusters and factor analysis was conducted to characterize the water quality, using the information obtained from cluster analysis. The result of cluster analysis shows that Sapkyo reservoir and each stream (Sapkyo stream, Muhan stream and Kokkyo stream) in Sapkyo reservoir watershed hove their own water quality characteristics. The result of water quality analysis indicates that the concentration of suspended solids from Sapkyo reservoir is much higher than those of other streams, and which is probably because of increment of phytoplankton biomass with rich nutrient flowing Into Sapkyo reservoir from the upper stream of watershed. Furthermore, the concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were 3.5 to 4.8 times and 1.7 to 2.5 times those of other streams, respectively. The overall water quality of Sapkyo reservoir watershed was considered to exceed eutrophic condition. Based on factor analysis, the water quality characteristics of Sapkyo stream and Muhan stream were closely related with farm land and residence. The water quality of Kokkyo stream was influenced by superabundant organic matter flowing from Chonan city and district wastewater treatment plant located in the upper stream of Kokkyo stream. The water quality factor influencing Sapkyo reservoir was closely related with water quality factors of other three streams.