• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 2023

Increased nitrogen in the water system has become an important environmental problem around the world, as it causes eutrophication, algae bloom, and red tide, destroys the water system, and undermines water's self-purification. The most common form of nitrogen in the water system is ammonium ion (NH₄⁺), and the largest portion of ammonium ions comes from wastewater. NH₄⁺ is a major contributor to eutrophication, which calls for appropriate treatment and measures for ammonium removal. This study produced biochar by applying Sorghum × drummondii, a type of biomass with a great growth profile, analyzed the adsorption capacity of Sorghum × drummondii biochar produced from the changing carbonization temperature condition of 200 to 400℃ in the ammonium ion range of 10 to 100 ppm, and used the results to evaluate its potential as an adsorbent. Carbonization decomposed the chemical structure of Sorghum × drummondii and increased the content of carbon and fixed carbon in the biochar. The biochar's pH and electrical conductivity showed high adsorption potential for cations due to electrical conductivity as its pH and electrical conductivity increased along with higher carbonization temperature. Based on the results of an adsorption experiment, the biochar showed 54.5% and 17.4% in the maximum and minimum NH₄-N removal efficiency as the concentration of NH₄-N increased, and higher carbonization temperature facilitated the adsorption of pollutants due to the biochar's increased pores and specific surface area and subsequently improved NH₄-N removal efficiency. FT-IR analysis showed that the overall surface functional groups decreased due to high temperature from carbonization.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.2 s.103
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• pp.181-190
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• 2003

An investigation was conducted on the aquatic environment of the Okchon Stream watershed six times from May to September 2002. The results of investigation revealed that variation of environmental factors were quite significant for each stream and reach, showing a significant difference between running water and stagnant water. Aquatic nutrients were relatively low in the upstream, gradually increasing as the influx of treated wastewater into the stream increased. This suggests that the point source definitely affected the nutrient content of the stream. In particular, the variations of SRP and $NH_4$ were very distinct in the watershed compared to other nutrients. Thus, it can be considered as a major factor in evaluating the effect of treated wastewater. Immediately after the influx of treated waste-water, the average content of SRP rose to 919.3 ${\mu}g$ P/l. This was a very effective level in the watershed, suggesting that the percentage of the nutrients in the water was controlled by the content of P. The constant supply of treated wastewater was found to be a critical factor in triggering the increase in chl-a in the embayment of the stream. With the proliferation of the blue-green algae, the content of chl- a ranged 234.5${\sim}$1,692.2 ${\mu}g/l$. The maximum standing crops exceeded $1.0{\times}10^6$ cells/ml in August, which was more than 200 times the level for red tide in the freshwater. This result was well reflected in other environmental factors, with 100% of AFDM/TSS reflecting the severity of water pollution by algae. Therefore, the reduction of P and N con-tents in the treated wastewater is critical in improving the aquatic environment of the stream as well as water quality management for the reservoir.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.268-286
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• 2018

The eutrophication and algal blooms by harmful cyanobacteria (CyanoHAs) and freshwater redtide (FRT) that severely experiencing in typical regulated weir system of the Nakdong River are one of the most rapidly expanding water quality problems in Korea and worldwide. To compare with the factors of rainfall, hydrology, and dominant algae, this study explored spatiotemporal variability of the major water environmental factors by weekly intervals in eight weir pools of the Nakdong River from January 2013 to July 2017. There was a distinct difference in rainfall distribution between upstream and downstream regions. Outflow discharge using small-scale hydropower generation, overflow and fish-ways accounted for 37.4%, 60.1% and 2.5%, respectively. Excluding the flood season, the outflow was mainly due to the hydropower release through year-round. These have been associated with the drawdown of water level, water exchange rate, and the significant impact on change of dominant algae. The mean concentration (maximum value) of chlorophyll-a was $17.6mg\;m^{-3}$ ($98.2mg\;m^{-3}$) in the SAJ~GAJ and $29.6mg\;m^{-3}$ ($193.6mg\;m^{-3}$) in the DAS~HAA weir pools reaches, respectively. It has increased significantly in the downstream part where the influence of treated wastewater effluents (TWEs) is high. Indeed, very high values (>50 or $>100mg\;m^{-3}$) of chlorophyll-a concentration were observed at low flow rates and water levels. Algal assemblages that caused the blooms of CyanoHAs and FRT were the cyanobacteria Microcystis and the diatom Stephanodiscus populations, respectively. In conclusion, appropriate hydrological management practices in terms of each weir pool may need to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.2 s.116
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• pp.271-283
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• 2006

A systematic water quality survey was conducted in August, 2005 for a drinking water supply reservoir (the Jeolgol reseuoir located in an island), which is at an early stage of impoundment, to investigate the causes of water color deterioration of the reservoir and the clogging of filter beds of a water treatment plant. The reservoir shape was simple and its average depth was 5.5 m, increasing from upreservoir toward the downreservoir end near the dam. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and chloropllyll-a (chi-a) showed a large variation while water temperature had a smaller range. Transparency ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 m (average 0.7 m). The average value of turbidity was 9.3 NTU, ranging from 8.0 ${\sim}$ 12.1 NTU. The transparency and the turbidity appear to be affected by a combination of biological and non-biological factors. The poor transparency was explained by an increase of inorganic colloids and algal bloom in the reservoir. The blockage of the filter bed was attributed to the oversupply of phytoplanktons from the reservoir. The range and the average concentration of chi-a within the reservoir were 31.6 ${\sim}$ 258.9 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, 123.6 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for the upper layer, and 17.0 ${\sim}$ 37.4 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, 26.5 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for the bottom layer, respectively. A predominant species contributing the algal bloom was Dinophyceae, Peridinium bipes f. occultatum. The distribution of Peridinium spp. was correlated with chi-a concentrations. The standing crop of phytoplankton was highest in the upreservoir with $8.5\;{\times}\;103\;cells\;mL^{-1}$ and it decreased toward the downresevoir. Synedra of Bacillariophyceae and Microcystis aeruginosa of Cyanophyceae appeared to contribute to the algal bloom, although they are not dominated. It is mostly likely that sloped farmlands located in the watershed of the reservoir caused water quality problems because they may contain a significant amount of the nutrients originated from fertilizers. In addition, the aerators installed in the reservoir and a shortage of the inflowing water may be related to the poor water quality. A long-term monitoring and an integrated management plan for the water quality of the watersheds and the reservoir may be required to improve the water quality of the reservoir.