• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 2008

Free ammonia ($NH_3$-N) inhibition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) has been widely studied for partial nitrification (or nitrite accumulation) and denitrification via nitrite ($NO_2^-$-N) as a low-cost treatment of ammonium containing wastewater. The literature on $NH_3$-N inhibition of NOB, however, shows disagreement about the threshold $NH_3$-N concentration and its degree of inhibition. In order to clarify the confusion, a simple and cheap respirometric method was devised to investigate the effect of free ammonia inhibition of NOB. Sludge samples from an autotrophic nitrifying reactor were exposed to various $NH_3$-N concentrations to measure the maximum specific nitrite oxidation rate ($\hat{K}_{NO}$) using a respirometer. NOB biomass was estimated from the yield values in the literature. Free ammonia inhibition of nitrite oxidizing bacteria was reversible and the specific nitrite oxidation rate ($K_{NO}$) decreased from 0.141 to 0.116, 0.100, 0.097 and 0.081 mg $NO_2^-$-N/mg NOB h, respectively, as the $NH_3$-N concentration increased from 0.0 to 1.0, 4.1, 9.7 and 22.9 mg/L. A nonlinear regression based on the noncompetitive inhibition mode gave an estimate of the Inhibition concentration ($K_I$) of free ammonia to be 21.3 mg $NH_3$-N/L. Previous studies gave $\hat{K}_{NO}$ of Nitrobacter and Nitrospira as 0.120 and 0.032 mg/mg VSS h. The free ammonia concentration which inhibits Nitrobacter was $30{\sim}50\;mg$ $NH_3$-N/L and Nitrospira was inhibited at $0.04{\sim}0.08\;mg$ $NH_3$-N/L. The results support the fact that Nitrobacter is the dominant NOB in the reactor. The variations in the reported values of free ammonia inhibition may be due to the different species of nitrite oxidizers present in the reactors. The respirometric method provides rapid and reliable analysis of the behavior and community of the nitrite oxidizing bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.903-915
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• 2011

Recently, anaerobic methane production of agricultural waste biomass has received increasing attention. Until now domestic BMP (Biochemical methane potential) studies concerned with agricultural waste biomass have concentrated on the several waste biomass such as livestock manure, food waste, and sewage sludge from WWTP (Waste water treatment plant). Especially, the lack of standardization study of BMP assay method has caused the confused comprehension and interpretation in the comparison of BMP results from various researchers. Germany and USA had established the standard methods, VDI 4630 and ASTM E2170-01, for the analysis of BMP and anaerobic organic degradation, respectively. In this review, BMP was defined in the aspect of organic material represented as COD (Chemical oxygen demand) and VS (Volatile solid), and the influence of several parameters on the methane potential of the feedstock was presented. In the investigation of domestic BMP case studies, BMP results of 18 biomass species generating from agriculture and agro-industry were presented. And BMP results of crop species reported from foreign case studies were presented according to the classification system of crops such as food crop, vegetables, oil seed and specialty crop, orchards, and fodder and energy crop. This review emphasizes the urgent need for characterizing the innumerable kind of biomass by their capability on methane production.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.331-340
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• 2000

The existing two-phase biological fluidized bed has some problems such as limit of oxygen transfer and blockade of fluidized distributor. In this study, three-phase swirl flow biological fluidized bed has designed to solve the problems and to investigate its running characteristics. TOC of influent synthetic wastewater was approximately $70mg/{\ell}$. HRT of reactor was 1.6 hours. Mean particle size of sand, as packing media, was 0.397mm and packing volume was varied from $200m{\ell}/{\ell}$ to $600m{\ell}/{\ell}$ by stages in the bed. The amount of biomass and effluent water quality was throughly investigated in the bed. Showing experiment results from the above conditions, it was possible to solve the problems of existing fluidized bed and to keep DO of $3mg/{\ell}$ or more. And it was also TOC removal rate of 91 to 94 %, MLVSS of 2,360 to $3,860mg/{\ell}$, MLVSS per g-media of 8.4 to 17.3 mg/g, F/M ratio of 0.59 to $1.04kg-TOC/kg-MLVSS{\cdot}day$, biofilm thickness of $35{\sim}71{\mu}m$ and sludge productivity of 1.03 to $2.35kg-SS/m^3{\cdot}day$. Optimal conditions in this experimental were as follows.; those were biofilm thickness of approximately $54{\mu}m$. MLVSS per g-media of 13 mg and media packing volume of 350 to $400m{\ell}/{\ell}$ when F/M ratio was low, treatment efficiency was high and sludge productivity was low. Showing the media with optics microscope in this optimal condition, attached microbes such as Epistylis sp. were observed. From SEM photographs, it showed that Coccus adhere to and grow on the media surface.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2022

The quarrying and utilization of natural building stones such as granite and marble are rapidly emerging in developing countries. A huge amount of wastes is being generated during the processing, cutting and sizing of these stones to make them useable. These wastes are disposed of in the open environment and the toxic nature of these wastes negatively affects the environment and human health. The growth trend in the world stone industry was confirmed in output for 2019, increasing more than one percent and reaching a new peak of some 155 million tons, excluding quarry discards. Per-capita stone use rose to 268 square meters per thousand persons (m²/1,000 inh), from 266 the previous year and 177 in 2001. However, we have to take into consideration that the world's gross quarrying production was about 316 million tons (100%) in 2019; about 53% of that amount, however, is regarded as quarrying waste. With regards to the stone processing stage, we have noticed that the world production has reached 91.15 million tons (29%), and consequently this means that 63.35 million tons of stone-processing scraps is produced. Therefore, we can say that, on a global level, if the quantity of material extracted in the quarry is 100%, the total percentage of waste is about 71%. This raises a substantial problem from the environmental, economical and social point of view. There are essentially three ways of dealing with inorganic waste, namely, reuse, recycling, or disposal in landfills. Reuse and recycling are the preferred waste management methods that consider environmental sustainability and the opportunity to generate important economic returns. Although there are many possible applications for stone waste, they can be summarized into three main general applications, namely, fillers for binders, ceramic formulations, and environmental applications. The use of residual sludge for substrate production seems to be highly promising: the substrate can be used for quarry rehabilitation and in the rehabilitation of industrial sites. This new product (artificial soil) could be included in the list of the materials to use in addition to topsoil for civil works, railway embankments roundabouts and stone sludge wastes could be used for the neutralization of acidic soil to increase the yield. Stone waste is also possible to find several examples of studies for the recovery of mineral residues, including the extraction of metallic elements, and mineral components, the production of construction raw materials, power generation, building materials, and gas and water treatment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1277-1284
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• 2005

Alkylphenol Polyethoxylate(APEs) and their metabolites were determined in the aquatic environment in the central Nakdong river basin. The concentrations of APE's ranged between $0.62{\sim}11.70\;{\mu}g/L$ from the Nakdong and the Kumho rivers, and were $70.00{\sim}212.50\;{\mu}g/L$ in the samples from the 3rd industrial complex stream and the Dalseo stream, which are both heavily polluted by industrial wastewater and domestic wastewater. The APEs revealed a removal rate of more than 87% by biodegradation and adsorption etc. in the wastewater treatment plant. Nonylphenol polyethoxylates(NPnEO) and Nonylphenol carboxylic acid(NPnEC) consisted of APE metabolites shifted from NP($n=4{\sim}10$)EO and NP($n=4{\sim}10$)EC to NP($n=1{\sim}3$)EO and NP($n=1{\sim}3$)EC or removed by the adsorption of activated sludge during the biological wastewater treatment process. Upper streams have a higher distributed rate of NP($n=7{\sim}10$)EO than water downstream. Continuous monitoring is necessary for non-point sources as well as point sources, such as a wastewater treatment plant. Effluent concentrations of nonylphenol(NP) in industrial wastewater and domestic wastewater averaged about 4.33 and $1.70\;{\mu}g/L$, respectively. In addition, the removal rate average was 90% in the wastewater treatment plant. NP concentrations in the rivers did not exceed $1.0\;{\mu}g/L$, which are prescribed by environmental risk concentration in the USA and Europe. However, NP required continuous monitoring, which detected over $0.1\;{\mu}g/L$ in all river areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2006

In this study, the feasibility of simultaneous removal of organic materials and nitrogen in the waste-water from fisheries processing plant was evaluated using entrapped mixed microbial cell technique(EMMC) process. The experiment was performed using activated sludge from municipal sewage treatment plant which was immobilized with gel matrix by cellulose triacetate. It was found that the stable operation at the treatment system which is composed of anoxic and oxic tank, was possible when the organic and nitrogen loading rates were increased stepwise. The organic and nitrogen loading rates were applied from 0.65 to $1.72kgCOD/m^3/d$ and from 0.119 to $0.317kgT-N/m^3$ with four steps, respectively. The maximum nitrogen loading rate which could satisfy the regulated effluent standard of nitrogen concentration, was $0.3kgT-N/m^3/d$. The removal efficiency of total nitrogen was decreased apparently as increasing nitrogen loading rates, whereas the removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen was effective at the all tested nitrogen loading rates. Therefore, it was concluded that nitrification was efficient at the system. Nitrate removal efficiency ranged from 98.62% to 99.51%, whereas the nitrification efficiency at the oxic tank ranged 94.0% to 96.9% at the tested loading rates. The removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand(COD) and those of total nitrogen at the entire system ranged from 94.2% to 96.6% and 73.4% to 83.4%, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.419-430
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• 2023

In response to the periodic occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms in Korean freshwaters, various types of cyanobacteria removal technologies are being developed and implemented. Due to the differing principles behind these technologies, it is difficult to compare and evaluate their removal efficiencies. In this study, a standardized method for evaluating cyanobacteria removal efficiency was proposed by utilizing the results of removal operations using a mobile cyanobacteria removal device in the Seohwacheon area of Daechung Reservoir. During removal operations, the decrease in chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration (ΔChl-a) in the working area was calculated based on the amount of collected sludge, the efficiency rate, and the concentration of chl-a. Additionally, the required working days (WD) to reduce the chl-a concentration to 1 mg/m³ in the target area was calculated based on the area of the target zone, the maximum daily working area, and the efficiency rate. A method for calculating the cyanobacteria removal capacity was proposed based on the reduction rate of chl-a concentration in the water before and after the operation, the treatment capacity of the removal technology, and the water volume of the target area. The cyanobacteria removal capacity of the mobile cyanobacteria removal device used in this study was 6.64%/day (targeting the Seohwacheon area of Daechung Reservoir, approximately 500,000 m²), which was higher compared to other physical or physicochemical cyanobacteria removal technologies (0.02~4.72%/day). Utilizing the evaluation method of cyanobacteria removal efficiency presented in this study, it will be possible to compare and evaluate the cyanobacteria removal technologies currently being applied in Korea. This method could also be used to assess the performance and efficiency of physical or physicochemical combined cyanobacteria removal techniques in the "Guidelines for the Installation and Operation of Algae Removal Facilities and the Use of Algae Removal Agents" operated by the National Institute of Environmental Research.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.485-492
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• 2011

Sorption of cyanide on granular activated carbon and attenuation of the cyanide by UV-light over a wide range of conditions such as pH and concentration were investigated through batch experiments. Cyanide uptake by activated carbon is much effective at $[CN]_{ini}$ < 2 mg/L. The sorption of cyanide on activated carbon at pH 7.0 is greater than that of pH 9.0. It is found that the ratio of CN uptake to CN in solution increases at pH 9.0 whereas at pH 7.0 the ratio decreases, suggesting that reactivity of activated carbon increases as a function of pH. The sorption of cyanide rapidly increases during the first 30 min, followed by sharp desorption until 3hr, and then the sorption increases and reaches the maximum sorption during the duration of experiments, implying that the sorption mode could be changed through conformational change during the initial stage of the cyanide uptake by activated carbon. Total amount of cyanide desorbed from the activated carbon during the period of desorption experiments is less than 1.5% of total sorbed cyanide, indicative of strong and stable sorption of cyanide on the activated carbon. The sorption with mixture of activated carbon and Ham-Baek sludge shows less effective on the removal of the cyanide. It is noted that UV-light is much effective on the removal of cyanide but also the attenuation is achieved until $[CN]_{tot}$ is up to 10 mg/L. Our findings demonstrate that both activated carbon and UV-light are very effective on the attenuation of cyanide over a wide range of environmental conditions.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.359-366
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• 2021

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), the multiwalled clay mineral with the composition of Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄·nH₂O, have been highlighted as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of dyes from wastewater. Although a powder of halloysite presents a high specific surface area, forming media are significantly considered due to sludge-clogging induced by the water-bound agglomeration. However, higher firing temperature to achieve the structural durability of the media and lower utilization rate due to longer penetration depth into the media act as hurdles to increase the dye-adsorption capacity. In this work, the retention of the adsorption capacity of halloysite was evaluated with methylene blue solution after the heat treatment at 750 ℃. In order to improve the utilization rate, tubular media were fabricated by extrusion. The images taken by transmission electron microscopy show that HNTs present excellent structural stability under heat treatment. The HNTs also provide superb capacity retention for MB adsorption (93%, 18.5 mg g^-1), while the diatomite and Magnesol^® XL show 22% (7.65 mg g^-1) and 6% (11.7 mg g^-1), respectively. Additionally, compositing with lignin enhances adsorption capacity, and the heat treatment under the hydrogen atmosphere accelerates the adsorption in the early stage. Compared to the rod-type, the tubular halloysite media rapidly increases methylene blue adsorption capacity.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.307-312
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• 2005

Since alpine upland in Pyungchang-gun has been typically applied every two or three years with saprolite, agricultural by-products are inputted to raise soil properties. Therefore, the effect of saprolite application on water quality in runoff and leachate should be monitored. To investigate water quality in runoff and leachate with various treatments of agricultural by-product, lysimeter with dimension of $0.85m{\times}1.75m{\times}0.30m$ was installed in Kangwon National University. Control, mixed compost with cow, chicken and sawdust by-product (CCSC), chicken manure by-product compost (CC), food waste by-product compost (FWC), and beer sewage sludge by-product compost (BSSC) at the rate of $10Mg\;ha^{-1}$ were mixed with soil in 25 cm depth, and water qualities in runoff and leachate were monitored from Jun. 4, 2004 to Oct. 18, 2004. EC ($0.8-2.2dS\;m^{-1}$) and concentrations of total N ($25-75mg\;L^{-1}$) and total P ($0.12-0.43mg\;L^{-1}$) were highest in both runoff and leachate of CC treatment. EC values in CC and FWC treatments continuously increased during lysimeter experiment, while total N and total P concentrations continuously decreased. Average total N concentrations in runoff taken from CCSC, FWC and BSSC treatments were 41, 34 and $37mg\;L^{-1}$, and in leachate were 35, 28 and $34mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. Average total P concentrations were not different with different treatments. EC values in leachate were higher than those in runoff, and total N concentrations in runoff were higher than those in leachate.