• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.347-351
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• 2002

Benzoate produced from the degradative pathways of various aromatic chemicals is generally recognized as a pollutant compound. However, various bacterial strains isolated as benzoate degraders have exhibited certain limits to their functions, including a loss of viability and degradability when cultivated in a broth medium for a longer time. Accordingly, immobilization techniques have been utilized to overcome such problems, and the current study examined the use of alginate and polyurethane for immobilizing Klebsiella oxytoca C302 to extend its viability and degradability of benzoate. The organism was well encapsulated by both matrices and the immobilized cells showed a high stability as regards their viability and degradability of 2 mM benzoate in a MM2 broth medium during cultivation for longer than 60 h in a semicontinuous batch system.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.394-402
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• 2014

High-voltage dielectric discharges are an emerging technique in environmental pollutant degradation, which are characterized by the production of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation species. The initiation and propagation of the electrical discharges depends on several physical, chemical, and electrical parameters such as 1st and 2nd voltage of power, gas supply, conductivity and pH. These parameters also influence the physical and chemical characteristics of the discharges, including the production of reactive species such as OH, $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$. The experimental results showed that the optimum 1st voltage and oxygen flow rate for RNO (N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline, indicator of the generation of OH radical) degradation were 160 V (2nd voltage of is 15 kV) and 4 L/min, respectively. As the 2nd voltage (4 kV to 15 kV) was increase, RNO degradation was increased and, generated $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$ concentration were increased. The conductivity of the solution was not influencing the RNO degradation, $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$ generation. The pH effect on RNO degradation was not high. However, the lower pH and the conductivity, the higher $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$ generation were observed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.863-871
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• 2013

Dielectric discharges are an emerging technique in environmental pollutant degradation, which that are characterized by the production of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation species. For practical application of the plasma reactor, reactor that can handle large amounts of water are needed. Plasma research to date has focused on small-scale water treatment. This study was carried out basic study for scale-up of a single DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) plasma reactor. The degradation of N, N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO, indicator of the generation of OH radical) was used as a performance indicator of multi-plasma reactor. The experiments is divided into two parts: design parameters [effect of distance of single plasma module (1~14 cm), arrangement of ground electrode (single and multi), rector number (1~5) and power number (1~5)]; operation parameter [effect of applied voltage (60~220 V), air flow rate (1~5 L/min), electric conductivity of solution ($1.4{\mu}S/cm$, deionized water)~18.8 mS/cm (addition of NaCl 10 g/L) and pH (5~9)]. Considering the electric stability of the plasma reactor, optimum spacing between the single plasma module was 2 cm. Multi discharge electrodes - single ground electrode array was selected. Combination of power 3-plasma module 5 was the optimal combination for maximum RNO degradation. The optimum 1st voltage and air flow rate for RNO degradation were 180 V and 4 L/min, respectively. The pH and conductivity of the solution was not influencing the RNO degradation.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.3535-3541
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• 2014

Bisphenol A is considered as pollutant, because it is toxic and hazardous to living organisms even at very low concentrations. Biological oxidation used for removing this organic from waste water is not suitable and consequently application of catalytic wet oxidation has been considered as one of the best options for treating bisphenol A. We have developed Fe/SBA-15, Ni/SBA-15 and Fe-Ni/SBA-15 as heterogeneous catalysts using the advanced impregnation method for oxidation of bisphenol A in water. The catalysts were characterized with physico-chemical characterization methods such as, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FT-IR measurements, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis. This work illustrates activity of the catalysts for heterogeneous catalytic degradation reaction revealed with excellent conversion and recyclability. The degradation products identified were not persistent pollutants. GC-MS analysis identified the products: 2,4-hexadienedioic acid, 2,4-pentadienic acid and isopropanol or acetic acid. The leachability study indicated that the catalysts release very little metals to water. Therefore, the possibility of water contamination through metal leaching was almost negligible.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2008

1,4-Dioxane is an EPA priority pollutant often found in contaminated ground waters and industrial effluents. Conventional water treatment techniques are limited to decompose this compound effectively. Therefore, an advanced oxidation process system (AOP) was used for the degradation of 1,4-dioxane. This research investigates the effect of adding oxidants, such as ozone, air, and $H_2O_2$ during the UV irradiation of 1,4-dioxane solution. In order to analyze 1,4-dioxane, a modified 8270 method, which is an improved method of U.S EPA 8720, was used. Degradation efficiencies of 1,4-dioxane by only UV irradiation at various temperatures were not significant. However, The addition of oxidants and air bubbling in the UV irradiation system for 1,4-dioxane decomposition showed the higher 1,4-dioxane degradation rate. And, during AOP treatment the tendency of TOC changes was similar to that of 1,4-dioxane decomposition rate.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 1991

In order to investigate the possibility of the microbial degradation of the persistent pollutant 3, 3', 4, 4'-tetrachloroazobenzene (TCAB) in our environment, four strains of microorganisms were isolated from industrial wastes by the enrichment technique. They were identified as Achromobacter group VD, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Moraxella spp., and Alcaligenes faecalis, respectively. These microorganisms utilized TCAB as a sole carbon source in the $MM_2$ salt medium.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2009

Chemotaxis is the movement of an organism toward chemical attractant and away from chemical repellents. Several bacteria are known to cometabolically degrade some pollutants and attracted to the pollutants. The chemotactic responses to these compounds influence the efficiency of bioremediation because the first precondition of pollutant degradation is definitely confrontation between microorganisms and pollutants. In this review, we summarize present knowledge of about the chemotactic mechanism to environmental pollutants of Pseudomonas species.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.137-151
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• 2004

Many of today's environmental problems are regional in scope and their effects overlap and interact. The purpose of this paper is to developed a simple method for an integrated assessment of environmental conditions across the Mid-Nakdong River Region, by combining data on land use, impervious cover, roads, streams, riparian areas, forest patches, population, pollutant loadings, soil erosion and topography. A cluster analysis was used to identify groups of sub-watersheds with similar environmental characteristics. The mean value for each group was used to find watershed that may be more vulnerable to future environmental degradation. Watersheds in cluster I and II had high amount of forest, but the amount of riparian vegetation was low. Watersheds in cluster III, which located in the middle Geumho River and the main course of Nakdong River, had a greater proportion of their agriculture, a greater proportion of agriculture on steep slopes, and less forest adjacent to streams. Watersheds in cluster IV and V were in the most urbanized areas of the region. The principal adverse impacts for watersheds in this group were high scores for urban area, impervious cover, pollutant loadings, population density, forest fragmentation, and low amounts of forest and riparian forest cover. Notwithstanding the exploratory nature of cluster analysis, it appears to be a useful tool for grouping watersheds with similar environmental characteristics.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.424-431
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• 2018

Stormwater runoff containing considerable amounts of pollutants such as particulates, organics, nutrients, and heavy metals contaminate natural bodies of water. At present, best management practices (BMP) intended to reduce the volume and treat pollutants from stormwater runoff were devised to serve as cost-effective measures of stormwater management. However, improper design and lack of proper maintenance can lead to degradation of the facility, making it unable to perform its intended function. This study evaluated an infiltration trench (IT) that went through a series of maintenance operations. 41 monitored rainfall events from 2009 to 2016 were used to evaluate the pollutant removal capabilities of the IT. Assessment of the water quality and hydrological data revealed that the inflow volume was the most relative factor affecting the unit pollutant loads (UPL) entering the facility. Seasonal variations also affected the pollutant removal capabilities of the IT. During the summer season, the increased rainfall depths and runoff volumes diminished the pollutant removal efficiency (RE) of the facility due to increased volumes that washed off larger pollutant loads and caused the IT to overflow. Moreover, the system also exhibited reduced pollutant RE for the winter season due to frozen media layers and chemical-related mechanisms impacted by the low winter temperature. Maintenance operations also posed considerable effects of the performance of the IT. During the first two years of operation, the IT exhibited a decrease in pollutant RE due to aging and lack of proper maintenance. However, some events also showed reduced pollutant RE succeeding the maintenance as a result of disturbed sediments that were not removed from the geotextile. Ultimately, the presented effects of maintenance operations in relation to the pollutant RE of the system may lead to the optimization of maintenance schedules and procedures for BMP of same structure.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.711-717
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• 2017

Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma is a new technique for use in environmental pollutant degradation, which is characterized by the production of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation species. Due to the short lifetime of the chemically active species generated during the plasma reaction, the dissolution of the plasma gas has a significant effect on the reaction performance. The plasma reaction performance can be enhanced by combining the basic plasma reactor with a homogenizer system in which the bubbles are destroyed and turned into micro-bubbles. For this purpose, the improvement of the dissolution of plasma gas was evaluated by measuring the RNO (N-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline, an indicator of the generation of OH radicals). Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of the diameter, rotation speed, and height of the homogenizer, pore size, and number of the diffuser and the applied voltage on the plasma reaction. The results showed that the RNO removal efficiency of the plasma reactor combined with a homogenizer is two times higher than that of the conventional one. The optimum rotor size and rotation speed of the homogenizer were 15.1 mm, and 19,700 rpm, respectively. Except for the lowest pore size distribution of $10-16{\mu}m$, the pore size of the diffuser showed little effect on RNO removal.