• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2009

This study was conducted to improve biological degradation efficiency of toluene as a model volatile organic compound (VOC) using yeast Candida tropicalis and to suggest an effective method for bioreactor operation. The yeast strain was immobilized with polyethylene glycol (PEG), alginate, and powdered activated carbon (PAC). The yeast-immobilized polymer media were used as fluidized materials in an airlift bioreactor. Polymer media without PAC were also made and operated in another airlift bioreactor. The two bioreactors showed toluene removal efficiencies ranging 80-96% at loading rates of $10-35 g/m^3-hr$, and the bioreactor containing the polymer media with PAC achieved higher removal efficiency. Protein contents in the liquid phase showed that the bioreactor using the yeast-immobilized polymer media with PAC had a higher rate of microbial growth initially than that without PAC. In addition, the microbial growth rate inside of the polymer media with PAC was five times higher than that without PAC. Consequently, the polymer media containing the yeast strain and PAC could enhance removal efficiencies for VOCs, and the immobilization method improve microbial activity and stability for a long-term operation of biological systems.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.741-750
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• 2011

A pilot-scale biofilter was constructed to discover degradation characteristics of the complex odor discharged from Ansan wastewater treatment plant. Candida tropicalis for volatile organic compounds, sulfur oxidizing bacteria(SOB) for hydrogen sulfide, and bacteria extracted from feces soil were immobilized on a polymer gel media. According to this study, the EBCT was varied from 36 sec to 18 sec. Toluene was removed as 80% along the variations, but it was recovered as 100% within 1 week. All benzene and xylene were removed during the operation while the efficiency of hydrogen sulfur was temporary decreased at 18 sec of EBCT, thereafter it was recovered to 100% within a week. The maximum elimination capacities of the benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen sulfur were 6.6 g/$m^{3}$/hr, 31.7 g/$m^{3}$/hr, 7.8 g/$m^{3}$/hr, and 133.6 g/$m^{3}$/hr, respectively. There were merits on removal both organic and inorganic complex odor using the pilot-scale biofilter embedded with microorganisms immobilized on polymer gel media.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 1978.10a
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• pp.207.2-207
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• 1978

Arthrobacter simplex (ATCC 6946) was cultured, induced and immobilized in acrylamide polymer. The characteristics of the immobilized whole-cell enayme were studied using hydrocortisone as the substrate. The enzyme activity was increased during the incubation of the gel particle in 0.5％ peptone media. The ennzyme reaction kinetics of the Δ'-dehydrogenase (3-oxosteroid Δ'-oxydo reductase, E. C. 1.3.99.4) foliowed the Michaelis-Menten type. Km and Vm values were different significantly after immobilization of the cell. The optimum pH and temperature were changed, too. Nitrogen sources such as casitone, peptone or tryptone were good media for the enzyme reaction. And there was no need to add cofactors of the enzyme in the pre-sence of energy sources used in the test. The effect of metal ions on the enzyme activity was insignificant. Organic solvents were used increase the substrate concentration and there was no optimum solvent concentration depending on the substrate concentration.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1010-1018
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• 2008

In this report, we describe the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) immobilized on pH. responsive, cross-linked poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) thin films, as a potential application for pH nanosensors. The methodology is based on the variation in surface plasmon resonance of immobilized AuNPs with changing the interparticle distances, caused by the swelling/deswelling of the pH responsive P4VP polymer films. The change in optical properties of the immobilized AuNPs in response to the pH of surrounding media was investigated by a simple yet powerful tool; UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The swelling of the P4VP chains at pH 2 causes an increase in the interparticle distances of immobilized AUNPS ($\sim20nm$) and hence leads to a blue shift of 48 nm in their surface plasmon resonance band peak. On the other hand, when the surrounding media was altered from pH 2 to 10, a red shift of absorption maxima was observed. The changes were rapid, and the effect was reversible. This system could prove to be useful in fabricating nanosensors for detecting the pH or pH changes of surrounding aqueous medium.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.603-610
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• 2009

This research was performed to improve removal efficiency of toluene and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) using Candida tropicalis, one of the yeast species. An airlift loop bioreactor (ALB) was employed to enhance the capability of mass transfer for toluene and MEK from the gas phase to the liquid, microbial phase. Polymer gel media made from PAC, alginate and PEG was applied for the effective immobilization of the yeast strain on the polymer gel media. The experimental results indicated that the mass transfer coefficient of toluene without polymer gel media was 1.29 $min^{-1}$ at a gas retention time of 15 sec, whereas the KLa value for toluene was increased to 4.07 $min^{-1}$ by adding the media, confirming the enhanced mass transfer of volatile organic compounds between the gas and liquid phases. The removal efficiency of toluene and MEK by using yeast-immobilized polymer gel media in the ALB was greater than 80% at different pollutant loading rates (5, 10, 19 and 37 g/$m^3$/hr for toluene, 4.5, 8.9, 17.8 and 35.1 g/$m^3$/hr for MEK). In addition, an elimination capacity test conducted by changing inlet loading rates stepwise demonstrated that maximum elimination capacities for toluene and MEK were 70.4 and 56.4 g/$m^3$/hr, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.345-350
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• 2006

This study investigated the removal of recalcitrant organics in dyeing wastewater using a fluidized bed reactor(FBR) that contained cell-immobilized pellets. The pellets were manufactured and condensing the gel phase by mixing PEG-polymer and cells to form micro-porous PEG-polymer pellets whose size were ${\Phi}\;4mm{\times}H\;4mm$ on average. An industrial activated sludge without any pre-adaptation was used for the cell immobilization because it gave an equivalent removal efficiency to a pre-adapted sludges. The feed was obtained from an effluent of a biological treatment plant, which contained $SCOD_{Cr}$ of 330 mg/L and $SBOD_5$ of 20 mg/L. The $SCOD_{Cr}$ removal efficiency was over 45% and the effluent $COD_{Mn}$ concentration was less than 100 mg/L at HRTs from 6 to 24 hrs. The optimum HRT in the FBR was determined as 12 hrs considering the removal efficiency and cost. When a raw wastewater containing 768 mg/L of $COD_{Cr}$ was fed to the FBR, the effluent $COD_{Cr}$ concentration increased only slightly, giving a 70% of $COD_{Cr}$ removal or a 97% of $BCOD_5$ removal. This indicated that the FBR had an excellent capability of biodegradable organics removal also. In conclusion, the FBR could be applied to textile wastewater treatment in place of an activated sludge process.