• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 2023

Arsenic is a highly toxic element, and its contamination is widespread around the world. The natural materials with high selectivity and efficiency toward pollutants are important in wastewater treatment technology. In this study, the mesoporous synthetic hectorite was synthesized by facile hydrothermal crystallization of gels comprising silica, magnesium hydroxide, and lithium fluoride. Additionally, the naturally available clay was modified using zirconium at room temperature. Both synthetic and modified natural clays were employed in the removal of arsenate from aquatic environments. The materials were fully characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) analyses. The synthesized materials were used to remove arsenic (V) under varied physicochemical conditions. Both materials, i.e., Zr-bentonite and Zr-hectorite, showed high percentage removal of arsenic (V) at lower pH, and the efficiency decreased in an alkaline medium. The equilibrium-state sorption data agrees well with the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms, and the maximum sorption capacity is found to be 4.608 and 2.207 mg/g for Zr-bentonite and Zr-hectorite, respectively. The kinetic data fits well with the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Furthermore, the effect of the background electrolytes study indicated that arsenic (V) is specifically sorbed at the surface of these two nanocomposites. This study demonstrated that zirconium intercalated synthetic hectorite as well as zirconium modified natural clays are effective and efficient materials for the selective removal of arsenic (V) from aqueous medium.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.58-70
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• 2023

The improper management of radioactive waste or accidents caused by natural disasters can result in the release of radioactive materials into the surrounding environment, potentially leading to soil and groundwater contamination by radionuclides. In this study, adsorption-desorption behaviors of the radionuclides (cobalt and strontium) in natural soil, montmorillonite, Mn-PILC, Fe-PILC, and fishbone were investigated. Several models were used to predict adsorption isotherms of radionuclides on various absorbents. Adsorption isotherms of cobalt and strontium in several adsorbents were examined at pH 5.5. The amount of sorbed cobalt and strontium were represented fishbone > natural soil > Mn-PILC > Fe-PILC > montmorillonite and natural soil > Mn-PILC > fishbone > Fe-PILC > montmorillonite, respectively. Adsorption datas were fitted with several models such as Freundlich, Langmuir, Sips, Redlich-Peterson, Khan, and Generalized model. The results of curve fitting showed R²> 0.98 in all of adsorption models, except Sr²⁺ adsorption onto montmorillonite. For modified clays (Mn-PILC, Fe-PILC), it is suggested that, unlike natural soils and fish bones, there are not only single adsorption mechanisms but also adsorption mechanisms based on chemical adsorption and surface charge. In the case of fish bones, due to the relatively higher adsorption capacity than modified clays and its characteristic of significant desorption, it is expected more suitable for the removal of radionuclides in aquatic environments than for the immobilization of radionuclides in soil.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2022

The mobility and transport of radioactive cesium are crucial factors to consider for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal sites in granite. The retardation of radionuclides in the fractured crystalline rock is mainly controlled by the hydrochemical condition of groundwater and surface reactions with minerals present in the fractures. This paper reports the experimental results of cesium sorption to the Wonju Granite, a typical Mesozoic granite in Korea, performed in an anaerobic chamber that mimics the anoxic environment of a deep disposal site. We measured the rates and amounts of cesium (¹³³Cs) removed by crushed granite samples in different electrolyte (NaCl, KCl, and CaCl₂) solutions and a synthetic groundwater solution, with variations in the initial cesium concentration (10^-5, 5×10^-6, 10^-6, 5×10^-7 M). The cesium sorption kinetic and isotherm data were successfully simulated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (r²= 0.99) and the Freundlich isotherm model (r²= 0.99), respectively. The sorption distribution coefficient of granite increased almost linearly with increasing biotite content in granite samples, indicating that biotite is an effective cesium scavenger. The cesium removal was minimal in KCl solution compared to that in NaCl or CaCl₂ solution, regardless of the ionic strength and initial cesium concentration that we examined, showing that K⁺ is the most competitive ion against cesium in sorption to granite. Because it is the main source mineral of K⁺ in fracture fluids, biotite may also hinder the sorption of cesium, which warrants further research.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.568-576
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• 2018

In order to investigate the adsorption characteristics of the antibiotics trimethoprim (TMP) by activated carbon (WCAC) prepared from waste citrus peel, the effects of operating parameters on the TMP adsorption were investigated by using a response surface methodology (RSM). Batch experiments were carried out according to a four-factor Box-Behnken experimental design with four input parameters : concentration ($X_1$: 50-150 mg/L), pH ($X_2$: 4-10), temperature ($X_3$: 293-323 K), adsorbent dose ($X_4$: 0.05-0.15 g). The experimental data were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation by the multiple regression analysis and examined using statistical methods. The significance of the independent variables and their interactions was assessed by ANOVA and t-test statistical techniques. Statistical results showed that concentration of TMP was the most effective parameter in comparison with others. The adsorption process can be well described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The experimental data of isotherm followed the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption amount of TMP by WCAC calculated from the Langmuir isotherm model was 144.9 mg/g at 293 K.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.210-217
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• 2003

An alternative method to the empirical approach such as Langmuir and Freundlich model, surface complexation model using thermodynamic database is used to simulate adsorption behavior of cadmium for oxide minerals. Sorption of cadmium onto amorphous silica ($SiO_2$) and synthetic goethite (${\alpha}$-FeOOH) at various conditions of pH, initial cadmium loading, oxide concentration, and ionic strength, were investigated. For both oxide minerals, increasing cadmium concentration resulted in right shifting of the sorption curve of cadmium as the function of pH. The $pH_{50}$, where 50% of cadmium sorbed, of goethite (pH 5.25) was much smaller than that of the silica (pH 7.83). The sorption of cadmium onto both minerals were not affected by the background ion strength from $10^{-1}$ to $10^{-2}$ M of $KNO_3$. It indicated that the binding affinity of goethite surface for cadmium is much stronger than that of silica. The strong affinity of oxide mineral for cadmium can be explained by the existence of coordination or covalent bond between cadmium and surface of it.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to examine the phosphate (P) removal by quintinite from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were performed to examine the effects of reaction time, temperature, initial phosphate concentration, initial solution pH and stream water on the phosphate adsorption to quintinite. Kinetic, thermodynamic and equilibrium isotherm models were used to analyze the experimental data. Results showed that the maximum P adsorption capacity was 4.77 mgP/g under given conditions (initial P concentration = 2-20 mgP/L; adsorbent dose = 1.2 g/L; reaction time = 4 hr). Kinetic model analysis showed that the pseudo second-order model was the most suitable for describing the kinetic data. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that phosphate sorption to quintinite increased with increasing temperature from 15 to $45^{\circ}C$, indicating the spontaneous and endothermic nature of sorption process (${\Delta}H^0=487.08\;kJ/mol$; ${\Delta}S^0=1,696.12\;J/(K{\cdot}mol)$; ${\Delta}G^0=-1.67$ to -52.56 kJ/mol). Equilibrium isotherm analysis demonstrated that both Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson models were suitable for describing the equilibrium data. In the pH experiments, the phosphate adsorption to quintinite was not varied at pH 3.0-7.1 (1.50-1.55 mgP/g) but decreased considerably at a highly alkaline solution (0.70 mgP/g at pH 11.0). Results also indicated that under given conditions (initial P concentration=2 mgP/L; adsorbent dose=0.8 g/L; reaction time=4 hr), phosphate removal in the stream water (1.88 mgP/g) was lower than that in the synthetic solution (2.07 mgP/g), possibly due to the presence of anions such as (bi)carbonate and sulfate in the stream water.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.450-459
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• 2014

Crushed pinewood and oakwood were studied as an adsorbent for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solution. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to describe the effects of contact time, initial Pb(II) concentration, pH, competing cations, and adsorbent dosage on the Pb(II) adsorption process. Kinetic studies revealed that the Pb(II) adsorption process for pinewood and oakwood followed both pseudo first and pseudo second order model. The Fruendlich model best described equilibrium adsorption data with correlation coefficients ($R^2$) of 0.956 and 0.950 for pinewood and oakwood. The maximum adsorption capacity of Pb(II) onto pinewood and oakwood was found to be 16.853 and 27.989 mg/g, respectively. The Pb(II) adsorption onto both pinewood and oakwood was increased as pH increased in the pH range 3-9. The presence of cations such as $Na^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Al^{3+}$ decreased Pb(II) adsorption. The Pb(II) removal was greater in seawater than deionized water, resulting from the presence of $CO{_3}^{2-}$ and $OH^-$ ions in seawater. This study showed that pinewood and oakwood have a potential application in the remediation of Pb(II) contaminated water.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.209-218
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• 1993

The behaviour of insectcide ethoprophos (O-ethyl S,S-propyl phosphorodithioate) in soil was investigated. In a laboratory study, the degradation of ethoprophos in soil followed first-order reaction kinetics. The half-life of the insecticide in the soil incubated with 10, 18 and $25^{\circ}C$ was 12.4, 5.5 and 2.5 days, respectively. Arrhenius activation energy was 73.8 KJ/mole. The half-life was 46.4, 17.6 and 6.9 day in the soil with 7, 14 and 19% of soil water content, respectively. The moisture dependence B value in empirical equation was 1.67. The adsorption isotherm for ethoprophos in the soil agreed with freundlich equation. The adsorption distribution coefficient (Kd) was 0.27. In a field study prepared in autumn with undisturbed soil column in a mini-lysimeter system, ethoprophos residues were largely distributed in the top $0{\sim}2cm$ soil layer and moved down to the top 6cm soil layer. Persistence of ethoprophos in field soil was correlated with variation in weather pattern during the period of experiments. The half-life of ethoprophos treated at March and October was about 17 and 5 days, respectively. The ethoprophos woil was degraded up to 90% at 37day after the both treatment. In persistence and mobility of ethoprophos in field soil, the observed data were reasonably corresponded with predicted data by some computer model of pesticide behaviour.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.249-258
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• 2005

A two-column six-step pressure swing adsorption(PSA) process was to study separation of hydrogen from hydrogen and methane($60_{vol}%/40_{vol}%$) binary system onto activated carbon adsorbent. The effects of the feed gas pressure, the feed flowrate and the P/F(purge to feed) ratio on the process performance were evaluated. The cyclic steady-states of PSA process were reached to after 15 cycles. $H_2$ purity increases according as the P/F ratio and pressure increase and the feed flow rate decreases; however, $H_2$ recovery shows an opposite phenomena to the purity. PSA process simulation studied to find optimum operation condition. In the results, 22 LPM feed flowrate, 11 atm adsorption pressure and 0.10 P/F ratio might be optimal values to obtain more than 75% recovery and 99% purity hydrogen. In this study was non-isothermal and non-adiabatic model considering linear driving force(LDF) model and Langmuir-Freundlich adsorption isotherm considered to compare between prediction and experimental data.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.897-905
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• 2013

In this study, sorption coefficients (${\log}K_{OC}$, n) for the binding of phenanthrene (PHE) to soil humins, insoluble fraction of soil humc substances (HS), were determined and relationship between the sorption coefficients and structural characteristics of the soil humins were investigated. The soil humins used in the present study were isolated from 7 different soils including 5 domestic soils, an IHSS standard and a peat soil, and characterized by elemental analysis and CPMAS $^{13}C$ NMR method. $^{13}C$ NMR spectral features indicate that the soil humins are mainly made up of aliphatic carbons (57.1~72.3% in total carbon) with high alkyl-C moiety, and the alkyl-C contents ($C_{Al-H,C}$, %) was in order of granite soil Hu (26~42%) > volcanic ash soil, HL Hu (23.9%) > Peat Hu (14.0%). The results of correlation study show that a positive relationship ($r^2$ = 0.77, p < 0.05) between organic carbon normalized-sorption coefficients ($K_{OC}$, mL/g) and alkyl-C contents($C_{Al-H,C}$, %), while negative relationship ($r^2$ = (-)0.74, p < 0.05) between Freundlich sorption parameter (n) and H,C-substituted aromatic carbon contents ($C_{Ar-H,C}$, %). The magnitude of $K_{OC}$ values are also negatively well correlated with polarity index (e.g., PI, N + O)/C) ($r^2$ = (-)0.74, p < 0.1). These results suggest that the binding capacity (e.g., $K_{OC}$) for PHE is increased in soil humin molecules having high contents of alkyl-C or lower polarity, and nonlinear sorption for PHE increased as the H,C-substituted aromatic carbon contents ($C_{Ar-H,C}$, %) in the soil humins increased. The PHE sorption characteristics on soil humins are discussed based on the dual reactive mode of sorption model.