• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.190-203
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• 2021

Water quality, benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and other factors were investigated to explore the effects of the effluent discharge from a sewage treatment plant into Jwagwang stream in Busan in 2019. During the study period, the flow rate of this stream was in the range of 10,400 m³/day to 52,200 m³/day except for the discharge of about 24,000 m³/day of the effluent. After discharge, the flow velocity increased by about 65% and the water depth increased by about 40%. At sites downstream of the discharge point, BOD, COD, TOC, T-N, T-P, and other water quality values were worse than those of the upstream sites. The periphytic algal chlorophyll-a concentrations in the natural substrata were higher than those of the upstream sites, especially in May and August. However, at sites downstream of the discharge point, the individual numbers of Annelida were decreased and individual numbers of the insecta of arthropoda were increased. Also, species numbers and the diversity and dominance indexes were improved in the sites downstream of the discharge point. The functional feeding groups (FFGs) of collector-filterers were increased and the habitat orientation groups (HOGs) of sprawlers, burrowers, and clingers were especially increased at the sites with additional reclaimed wastewater effluent flow. Regardless of the effluent discharge, BMI, an indicator of ecological stream health using benthic macroinvertebrate species, did not show large gaps between the study points. Although the water quality of the sites downstream of the discharge point was much worse than those upstream, their ecosystem soundness was better than those of the upstream sites from an ecological perspective.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2015

The study on the improvement of discharge water quality from domestic wastewater treatment plant (DWTP) was performed in a filter type bioelectrochemical system. The COD removal efficiency for a synthetic discharge water was about 88%, and the effluent COD was less than 5mg/L. The nitrification efficiency of the bioelectrochemical system was over 97%, but a considerable amount of the nitrogen was remained as nitrate form in the effluent. The total nitrogen removal efficiency was only around 30%. There are no significant differences in the removal of COD and nitrogen at 0.6 and 0.8V of the applied voltages between anode and cathode. The removal of COD and nitrogen in the system were quite stable when the HRT ranged from 60 to 15 minutes, and at 10 minutes of HRT, the nitrification efficiency was slightly decreased. The performance of the bioelectrochemical system has quickly recovered from the shocks in the influent due to high concentration of COD and nitrogen. For the effluent that discharged from the DWTP, the removal efficiencies of COD and total nitrogen from the bioelectrochemical system were 50 and 30%, respectively. Thus the bioelectrochemical system was a feasible process for further polishing the effluent quality from DWTP.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.657-668
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• 2014

Under Korea's Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Environmental Policy amended in 2013, total organic carbon (TOC) is newly added as water quality parameter to assess organic pollution in water and aquatic ecosystem. To meet the TOC requirement and improve quality of effluent discharged into public watershed, it is also necessary to develop standards for TOC in effluent from public sewage treatment works (PSTWs). In this study, we reviewed the characteristics and removal efficiency of TOC in influent and effluent of PSTWs. The study found that phosphorus treatment process removed not only soluble phosphorus but also a portion of TOC remaining after the secondary treatment process. TOC concentration in effluent from PSTWs operated in tandem with industrial wastewater treatment work was higher due to influx of insoluble substances from the industrial wastewater treatment work. In order to lay a foundation for the management of TOC from PSTWs, it is necessary to carry out research on TOC from different perspectives. For example, studies on the generation mechanism of TOC and the impact of TOC on drinking water resources, assessment of effluent qualities through monitoring, and development of measures to control TOC for the preservation of aquatic ecosystem are needed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2011

Objectives: Industrial development in Korea results in a rapid increase in the number of chemicals, some of which may be responsible for toxicity to aquatic ecosystems. In addition, the types of hazardous chemicals included in industrial effluents have gradually increased. Therefore, chemical analysis alone is not enough to assess ecological effects of toxic chemicals in wastewater. Methods: In response to new regulations as whole effluent toxicity (WET) tests for effluent discharge of 15 publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and 25 industrial effluent treatment plants in Gyeonggi-do, which will be effective from 2011, a necessity of studies emerges that investigates toxicity levels. Results: In case of the public treatment plants, none of them had exceeded the criteria for ecotoxicity. As for individual wastewater discharge facilities, on the other hand, two types were found to exceed the criteria: pulp and paper manufacturing facilities and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. For the pulp and paper manufacturing facilities, monitoring results could not help determine the exact toxicant identification. However, Daphnia magna inhibition effect or death was found to leave white plums, suggesting that suspended solids treated and the polymer used in coagulant dose. In case of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, the general water quality parameters cannot affect Daphia magna. However, conductivity and salinity can have an effect to be 14,000 ${\mu}s/cm$, 8.1‰ by salts, respectively. Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) and Toxicity Reduction Evaluation (TRE) procedures results appeared to be effective for identifying toxic compounds in $Cl^{-}$ and $SO_4^{2-}$. Conclusions: It is necessary to develop control measures for water treatment chemicals and salts used for processes such as coagulation in individual wastewater discharge facilities in order to achieve the goal to protect aquatic ecosystems in public waters.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.608-614
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• 2012

The effluent limitation of industrial wastewater is based on uniform regulatory criteria for effluent discharge facilities of all in Korea. But, an individual effluent limitation on each effluent discharge facility is widely applicable for regulation of industrial wastewater in US.EPA. To decide an individual effluent limitation, TBEL (Technology-based effluent limitation) and WQBEL (Water quality-based effluent limitation) are used. TBEL is based on the capability of a treatment technology to reduce the pollutants. WQBEL is based on ambient water quality standards. In this study, TBEL were derived for the pulp, paper and paper board manufacturing based on best practicable control technology currently available. It was suggested that effluent limitations were $BOD_5$ 4.7 mg/L, $COD_{Mn}$ 44.3 mg/L, SS 13.2 mg/L, TN 1.4 mg/L, TP 0.15 mg/L and best practicable control technology currently available (BPT) was neutralization, activated sludge treatment and coagulation and sedimentation for the pulp, paper and paper board manufacturing.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.439-446
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• 2006

The effluent discharge standards of industrial wastewater has become more stringent since 2003. Many industrial wastewater treatment plants has been upgraded to advanced treatment facilities. There are high concentrations of nitrate(>200 mg/L) and ammonium(>50 mg/L) nitrogen in the acrylic fiber wastewater of H textile Co. Wastewater from acrylic fiber industry containing acrylonitrile, which may affect the subsequent biological treatment process. Manufacturing of acrylic fiber also produces shock loadings. Excessive acrylonitrile and polymer debris produced in the polymerization process was screened, coagulated with CaO and settled down. A preaeration system was added to treat this high pH effluent to remove volatile organic compound and ammonia nitrogen by the air stripping effect. it was found that nitrification rate was not sufficient in the Anoxic/Oxic(AO) process. One denitrification tank was converted to nitrification reactor to extend HRT of nitrification. Nitrification rate of ammonia nitrogen was promoted from 32% to 67% by this modification and effluent nitrogen concentration was well satisfied with the effluent standards since then.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.500-507
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• 2020

This study examined the wastewater at a livestock farm, and found that the dairy wastewater from the milking parlor had a lower concentration than the piggery wastewater, and that it was produced at a rate under 1.3 ㎥/day in a single farmhouse. The amount of dairy wastewater was determined based on the performance of the milking machine, the maintenance method of the milking parlor, and the amount of milk production allocated for each farmhouse, not by the area. The results confirmed that both dairy wastewater treatment processes, specifically those using Hanged Bio-Compactor (HBC) and Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), can fully satisfy the water quality standards of discharge. The dairy wastewater has a lower amount and concentration than piggery wastewater, meaning it is less valuable as liquid fertilizer, but it can be easily degraded using the conventional activated sludge process in a public sewage treatment plant. Therefore, discharging the dairy wastewater after individual treatment was expected to be a more reasonable method than consigning it to the centralized wastewater treatment plant. The effluent after the SBR process showed a lower degree of color than the HBC effluent, which was attributed to biological adsorption. In the case of the milking parlor in the livestock farm, the concentrations of the effluents obtained after HBC and SBR treatments both satisfied water quality standards for the discharge of public livestock wastewater treatment plants at 99% confidence intervals, and the concentrations of total nitrogen and phosphorous in untreated wastewater were even lower than the water quality standards of discharge. Therefore, we need to discuss strengthening the water quality standards to reduce environmental pollution.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.804-812
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• 2012

This study contemplated domestic and other country's effluent limitation standards and suggested a methodology to establish technology-base limitation value. Current effluent limitation regulates industrial point sources discriminated by discharge flow rate and by regional distinction in Korea. Discharged $BOD_5$ load from large-scale plants(flow rate above $2,000\;m^3/day)$ exceeds 50% of overall industrial wastewater, which present rationale for discrimination based on plant size. However, regional distinction and pollutant- specific regulation might be insufficient to meet practical effectiveness of wastewater management policy, due to the nearly same limitation. Water quality data and treatment methods were investigated in hospital industry. And their distribution of effluent $BOD_5$ concentrations was statistically analyzed to suggest limitation value. Effluent $BOD_5$ concentrations showed lognormal distribution and $95^{th}$ percentile was corresponded to 87.9 mg/L, which could be suggested as tentative effluent limitation in hospital industry. The $95^{th}$ percentile of log-transformed distribution showed similar value of 86.5 mg/L. This study demonstrated reasonable methodology for establishing effluent limitation reflecting wastewater characteristic and treatment technology in separately categorized industry.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.377-386
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• 2010

Introduction of TBELs into Korean environmental regulatory system for wastewater may require very careful considerations and appropriate modifications of the TBELs applied in US. The Korean regulations for wastewater are based on uniform regulatory criteria for wastewater effluent discharge and are quite different from the individual permit system in US. In addition, the toxic pollutants regulated in Korea are much less than those in US. Therefore, the effects of TBELs application on the pollutants reduction and the economic feasibility should be carefully assessed for different categories of wastewater sources. In this study, the applicability of TBELs for the industrial categories of Korea was discussed. The TBELs were derived for a sample category, the pulp paper paperboard manufacture, based on the previously reported analytical data from 52 facilities of the domestic pulp paper paperboard manufacture in Korea. It was suggested that the BAT effluent limitations were BOD 30 mg/L, $COD_{Mn}$ 40 mg/L, SS 40 mg/L, T-N 30 mg/L and T-P 4 mg/L and that the allowable effluent loads were $0.31{\sim}1.75kgCOD_{Mn}/ton$-products. Due to the limitation of insufficient data, there were difficult to obtain the important factors to derive more systematic and accurate limitation standards for the pollutants such as the 'Long Term Average (LTA)', the 'Product Normalized Discharge Flow (PNDF)', and the 'Variability Factor (VF)'. However, as the first trial of TBELs determination based on the all available analytical data reported, the procedure and the outcome of the study may provide valuable insight on application of TBELs in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.305-313
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• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this study is to identify toxicants causing acute toxicity in effluents from the aluminum rolling industry that violate the discharge limits in Korea. Methods: Whole effluent toxicity tests (WET) were conducted on effluent discharged from the aluminum rolling industry following the US EPA WET test methods. We collected effluent samples three times and evaluated acute toxicity by using Daphnia magna. We employed toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedures to identify toxicants causing toxicity in the effluent. Results: No specific chemical groups were identified in the seven different manipulations applied to the of wastewater effluent samples showing 1.3 toxic units (TU) according to the TIE phase I procedures. Water quality parameters for water hardness, electric conductivity and heavy metals (Mn) were 4,322 mg/l as $CaCO_3$, 11.39 mS/cm, and $5,551{\mu}g/l$, respectively. Considering water hardness and reference toxicity, high concentrations of Mn can be disqualified from the causative toxicants. Consequently, high ionic concentrations of $Na^+$(1,648 mg/l), $Ca^{2+}$(1,048 mg/l), $Mg^{2+}$(1,428 mg/l) and $SO_4{^{2-}}$(7,472 mg/l) were identified to be causative toxicants. Water hardness and electric conductivity exceed the $EC_{50}$ value obtained by biological toxicity tests using Daphnia magna. Conclusion: According to TIE procedures, high salt concentration is determined to be a major toxicant in the effluent of agro-industrial wastewater treatment plants receiving wastewater from the aluminum rolling industry.