• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.447-454
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• 2018

Although flotation techniques are often used for the removal of algal particles, the practicality of algae-harvesting technologies is limited owing to the complex and expensive facilities and equipment required for chemical coagulation. Here, we examined the feasibility of an approach to separating algal particles from water bodies without the need for chemical coagulants, depending on the condition of the algae, and to determine the optimal conditions. Using Anabaena sp., a cyanobacterium causes algal blooms in lakes, we stimulated auto-flocculation in algal particles without coagulants and conducted solid-liquid separation experiments of algal particles under various conditions. The six cultivation columns included in our analysis comprised four factors: Water temperature, light intensity, nutrients, and carbon source; auto-flocculation was induced under all treatments, with the exception of the treatment involving no limits to all factors, and algal particles were well-settled under all conditions for which auto-flocculation occurred. Meanwhile, flotation removal of auto-flocculated algal particles was attained only when nutrients were blocked after algae were grown in an optimal medium. However, no significant differences were detected between the functional groups of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) of floated and settled algal particles in the FT-IR peak, which can cause attachment by collision with micro-bubbles.

• 환경위생공학
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.7-13
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• 2000

To develop the removal technique of algal bloom the efficiencies of algal flocculation/ autoflotation by the kinds of coagulant and oversaturated oxygen concentration were investigated. The summarized results are as follow. 1. In the algae flocculation test with alum[$Al_2(SO_4)_3{\cdot}18H_2O$], optimum pH was 5.5 and, with chitosan optimum pH was 7.0. 2. Chitosan which was natural polymer showed the 5~10 times higher algal biomass flocculation efficiency than alum in the condition of same algal concentration. 3. For the each coagulant, the higher ${\Delta}DO$(oversaturated dissolved oxygen concentration - saturated dissolved oxygen) was, the faster the rising velocity of the algal floc was. 4. In the condition of about 4mg/L ${\Delta}DO$, the rising velocity of chitosan is about 2 times higher than that of alum, and chitosan formed the stronger algal floc.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.432-438
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• 2018

Microalgae hold promise as a renewable energy source for the production of biofuel, as they can convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. However, cost-efficient harvest of microalgae remains a major challenge to commercial-scale algal biofuel production. We first investigated the potential of electrolytic water as a flocculant for harvesting Tetraselmis sp. Alkaline electrolyzed water (AEW) is produced at the cathode through water electrolysis. It contains mineral ions such as $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ that can act as flocculants. The flocculation activity with AEW was evaluated via culture density, AEW concentration, medium pH, settling time, and ionic strength analyses. The flocculation efficiency was 88.7% at 20% AEW (pH 8, 10 min) with a biomass concentration of 2 g/l. The initial biomass concentration and medium pH had significant influences on the flocculation activity of AEW. A viability test of flocculated microalgal cells was conducted using Evans blue stain, and the cells appeared intact. Furthermore, the growth rate of Tetraselmis sp. in recycled flocculation medium was similar to the growth rate in fresh F/2 medium. Our results suggested that AEW flocculation could be a very useful and affordable methodology for fresh biomass harvesting with environmentally friendly easy operation in part of the algal biofuel production process.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.220-224
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• 2014

Flocculation is known one of the effective methods for harvesting microalgae. This study was aimed to optimize the flocculation condition for decreasing the amounts of flocculant and obtaining the highest yield of algal biomass. To achieve this goal, it was optimized the flocculant concentration, reaction pH and the concentration of cell density for harvest using response surface methodology (RSM). The flocculation of microalgae, Spirogyra varians, was carried out using inorganic flocculant polyaluminium chloride. By the RSM result, the optimal flocculation condition was calculated 5 ppm of polyaluminum chloride, pH 7.5 and 0.33 of optical cell density at $OD_{640}$. The obtained recovery yield of S. varians was 97.6% at the optimal condition.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.77-83
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• 2023

As a result of algal bloom, algal organic matters (AOMs) are rapidly increased in surface water. AOMs can act as precursors for the formation of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are serious problems in water treatment and human health. The main aim of this study is to characterize the formation of DBPs from AOMs produced by three different algae such as Oscillatoria sp., Anabaena sp., and Microcystis aeruginosa under different algal growth phases. In an effort to examine formation of DBPs during chlorination, chloroform (TCM), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) were determined under various CT (product of disinfectant concentration and contact time, mg·min/L) values. Generally, the amounts of DBPs tended to increase with increasing CT values at the most growth phases. However, there was a significant difference between the amounts of DBPs produced by the three algal species at different growth phases. This result is likely due to the chemical composition variability of AOM from different algae at different growth phases. In addition, the effect of pre-ozonation on coagulation for the removal of AOMs from three algal species was investigated. The pre-ozonation had a positive effect on the coagulation/flocculation of AOMs.

• 상하수도학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.63-69
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• 2021

Microalgae are primary producers of aquatic ecosystems, securing biodiversity and health of the ecosystem and contributing to reducing the impact of climate change through carbon dioxide fixation. Also, they are useful biomass that can be used as biological resources for producing valuable industrial products. However, harvesting process, which is the separation of microalgal biomass from mixed liquor, is an important bottleneck in use of valorization of microalgae as a bioresource accounting for 20 to 30% of the total production cost. This study investigates the applicability of sewage sludge-derived extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) as bioflucculant for harvesting microalgae. We compared the flocculation characteristics of microalgae using EPSs extracted from sewage sludge by three methods. The flocculation efficiency of microalgae is closely related to the carbohydrate and protein concentrations of EPS. Heat-extracted EPS contains the highest carbohydrate and protein concentrations and can be a best-suited bioflocculant for microalgae recovery with 87.2% flocculation efficiency. Injection of bioflocculant improved the flocculation efficiency of all three different algal strains, Chlorella Vulgaris, Chlamydomonas Asymmetrica, Scenedesmus sp., however the improvement was more significant when it was used for flocculation of Chlamydomonas Asymmetrica with flagella.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.79-88
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• 2024

This study employed field measurements and biogeochemical analysis to examine the effects of seasonal conditions (e.g., temperature and precipitation) and human intervention (e.g., dam or weir construction) on the chemical composition of dissolved organic matter, flocculation kinetics of suspended particulate matter, and formation of the fluid mud layer on riverbeds. The results indicated that a water environment with a substantial amount of biopolymers offered favorable conditions for flocculation kinetics during an algal bloom period in summer; a thick fluid mud layer was found to be predominated with cohesive materials during this period. However, after high rainfall, a substantial influx of terrigenous humic substances led to enhanced stabilization of the particulate matter, thereby decreasing flocculation and deposition, and the reduced biopolymer composition served to weaken the erosion resistance of the fluid mud on the riverbed. Moreover, a high-turbulence condition disaggregated the flocs and the fluid mud layer and resuspended the suspended particulate matter in the water column. This study demonstrates the mutual relationship that exists between biogeochemistry, flocculation kinetics, and the formation of the fluid mud layer on the riverine area during different seasons and under varying hydrological conditions. These findings are expected to eventually help inform the more optimal management of water resources, which is an urgent task in the face of anthropogenic stressors and climate change.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.223-230
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• 2023

Harmful algae blooms have become a serious environmental problem in major river basins in Korea. They are known to produce various algal organic matters (AOMs) including intracellular organic matters (IOMs) and extracellular organic matters (EOMs). Generally AOMs cannot be easily removed by coagulation/flocculation process in conventional drinking water plants. AOMs produced by blue-green algae also include various toxins such as Microcystins, Anatoxin-a, and Saxitoxin known to have harmful effects on living organisms in aquatic environment. In this study, toxic effects of EOMs produced by three different algae species (Microcystis sp., Anabaena sp., and Oscillatoria sp.) on zebrafish were investigated using electroencephalography (EEG) recording method, a technology for recording brain activity. Electroencephalographic changes in zebrafish revealed that a low EOM had a negative effect on zebrafish compared to both Anabaena sp. and Oscillatoria sp. at 30 ppm EOM exposures. This result might be due to Microcystins present in EOMs produced by Microcystis sp. As a result of power spectrum density anallysis, exposure to EOMs produced by Microcystis sp. caused a state of vigilance in zebrafish. This EEG based toxicity test can be used to examine effects of harmful materials at low levels on living organisms in an aquatic system.

• 환경생물
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.129-135
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• 2001

부영양화된 연못에서 규산질다공체(CelICaSi)와 미생물응집제를 이용한 녹조제어의 효과를 조사하였다. 녹조 발생 남조류인 Microcystis aeruginosa에 대한 응집능이 우수한 S-2 균주가 생산한 미생물응집제를 선정하여 현장의 조류응집에 적용하였다. 초기의 인산염농도는 대조구에서 $131\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$를 기록하였음에 비해서, CelICaSi가 첨가된 3개의 처리구에서는 $1-14\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$를 기록하며 크게 감소하였다. 엽록소$-\alpha$ 농도는 현장에 설치한 en-closure에서 초기에 $215\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$ 이었으나 CellCaSi $(1g\ell^{-1}$, 미생물응집제 $(2ml\ell^{-1})$, 보조응집제 $(1g\ell^{-1})$, 염화제이철 $(2mg\;Fe\ell^{-1})$을 함께 처리한 처리구에서 $59\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$로 가장 많이 감소하였다. 실험용 쥐 및 금붕어를 이용한 독성실험에서 녹조제거에 이용되는 성분들과 미생물응집제에 대한 독성은 없는 것으로 조사되었다. 따라서, CellCaSi와 미생물응집제는 인 제거 및 엽록소-$\alpha$ 농도 감소에 의한 녹조제거에 효과적인 것으로 판단되었다.

• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.279-289
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• 2000

본 연구에서는 정수공정에서 응집제 종류와 고액분리방법이 조류제거에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 따라서, 원수의 특성을 탁도, $KMnO_4$ 소비량, UV-254, chlorophyll-a 등으로 파악하고 이들 수질인자간의 상관관계를 분석하였다. 또한 시판중인 Alum계열 응집제(Alum, PAC, PACS)가 조류제거에 미치는 영향을 실험실 쟈테스트를 이용하여 탁도 및 유기물제거, pH 저하특성 및 알카리도 소모특성 및 개체수 제거율 등으로 연구하였다. 상관관계 분석에 의하면 유기물항목인 UV-254, $KMnO_4$ 소비량, chlorophyll-a와 탁도의 상관계수는 각각 0.775, 0.674 및 0.623으로 상관성이 매우 높은 것으로 나타났다. 조류발생시 응집제 종류별 응집침전에서 유기물 제거특성은 조류의 농도가 적을 경우에는 유사한 효율을 보였으나 조류농도 증가에 의한 높은 유기물 농도($KMnO_4$ 소비량 20mg/l 이상)와 높은 탁도(100NTU 이상)에서는 PAC, PACS와 같은 무기고분자 응집제가 Alum보다 제거효율이 우수하였다. 조류번성시 응집공정을 거친 후 침전과 부상공정의 비교실험에서 부상분리공정을 사용할 경우 Alum이 모든 분석항목에서 고분자 응집제인 PAC, PACS보다 우수하였으며, 95% 이상의 제거율을 나타내었다. 반면에 PAC와 PACS의 경우는 침전공정이 부상공정보다 효율이 높았으며, $KMnO_4$ 소비량의 경우 부상법 제거율의 2배 이상 효율을 보여주었다. 따라서 조류제거를 향상시키기 위해서는 Alum을 사용할 경우 부상분리, PAC, PACS를 사용할 경우 침전공정이 바람직한 것으로 나타났다. 대상원수에서는 남조식물문의 Microcystic와 녹조식물문의 pediastrum simplex 등 두 가지의 속이 다수 속으로 출현하였으며, Alum, PAC, PACS의 투입후 침전실험에서 27%, 45%, 22%의 조류개체수의 제거율을 보였으나, 용존공기부상법(DAF)을 적용한 경우에는 모든 응집제에서 동, 식물플랑크톤 모두가 100%에 가까운 제거율을 보여주었다.