• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

Down Stream K River has high COD (4-10 mg/L) and high $NH_3$-N concentration (3.5 mg/L during winter period). Although $NH_3$-N itself is not reported harmful at this level, it must be removed to meet drinking water standard (0.5 mg/L). We constructed a pilot plant modifying the processes of conventional drinking water facilities. Prechlorination and powdered activated carbon (PAC) dechlorination was adopted prior to a flocculation tank to remove ammonia and prevent disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formation. Also, GAC processes was included after sand filter to remove residual DOC. This pilot having a capacity of 36 ton/day was operated for one year. The GAC processes were successful to remove ammonia and many organic pollutants (DOC, MBAS, UV-254 nm absorbance, etc). Influent DOC concentrations were very high as 3~6 mg/L throughout the plant operation. It was impossible to achieve 1.0 mg/L effluent DOC, indicating that bed depth (2 m) should be increased to achieve more strict DOC quality standards. When $Cl_2$ dose was well controlled ($Cl_2/NH_3$-N ratio 10~11 on a weight basis), $NH_3$-N removal was 98% and THMs was very low possibly due to low free residual chlorine and PAC dechlorination.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2016

This study investigated the removal of a radioactive cesium ($Cs^+$) in the water at the water treatment processes. Since cesium is mostly present as the $Cs^+$ ion state in water, it is not removed by sand filtration, and coagulation with polyaluminum chloride (PACl), powdered activated carbon (PAC) and mixture of PACl and PAC. However, it is known that the removal rate of cesium increases as the turbidity increases in raw water. As the turbidity was adjusted by 74 NTU and 103 NTU using the surrounding solids near G-water intake and yellow soils, removal rate of cesium was about 56% and 51%, respectively. In case of a GAC filtration with supernatants after jar-mixing/setting was conducted, 80% of cesium is approximately eliminated. The experimental results show that it is efficient to get rid of cesium when the turbidity of the raw water is more than 80 NTU. In case of a GAC filtration, about 60% of cesium is removed and it is considered by the effect of adsorption. Cesium is not eliminated by microfiltration membrane while about 75% of cesium is removed by reverse osmosis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2019

The algal blooms in stagnant streams and lakes have caused many problems. Excessive algae leads to disturbance of ecosystem and overload of water treatment processes. Therefore, phosphorus(P), source of algal blooms, should be controlled. In this study, a filtration trench has been developed to convert dissolved phosphorus into hydroxyapatite(HAP) so that it could be crystallized on the surface of 'phosphorus removal granular material'; and residual particulate phosphorus could be removed by additional precipitation and filtration. The front and rear parts of filtration trench consisted of 'phosphorus removal granular material contact bed' and 'limestone filtration bed', respectively. As a result of the column test using phosphorus removal granular material and limestone serially, $PO_4-P$ was removed more than 90% when EBCT(empty bed contact time) of the contact bed was over 20 minutes; and T-P represented 60% of removal efficiency when total EBCT was over 1.5 hours. The results of column tests to figure out the sedimentation characteristics showed that more than 90% of particulate phosphorus could be removed within 24 hours. It was necessary to optimize the filtration part in order to increase removal efficiency of T-P additionally. Also, it was confirmed through the simulation of Visual MINTEQ that most of particulate phosphorus in the column tests is the form of HAP. Based on the results of the study, it could be suggested that the design parameters are over 0.5 hour of EBCT for phosphorus removal granular material contact bed and over 1.5 hours of EBCT for limestone filtration bed.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.481-491
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• 2022

This study investigates the characteristics of the GAC adsorption behavior during the operation of a multi-stage cross-flow filtration and GAC adsorption process for the purpose of devising an advanced treatment of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and evaluates the regeneration efficiency of spent GAC that has reached the design breakpoint. During the filtration process, suspended substances are easily removed, but dissolved organic substances are not removed, necessitating a process capable of removing dissolved organic substances for the advanced treatment of CSOs. In general, GAC adsorption has been applied under low-concentration organic conditions, such as for water purification and tertiary treatments of sewage, and has rarely been applied under conditions with high organic concentrations, such as with sewage or CSOs. Accordingly, this study will provide a new and interesting experience. Also in this study, the continuous operation and breakthrough characteristics of GAC according to the strength of the inflow organic matter were investigated, electrochemical regeneration was applied to the used GAC, and the regeneration efficiency was evaluated through desorption and re-adsorption tests. The results showed that the breakthrough period was 21 days under high concentration conditions, 28 days at medium concentrations, and 32 days under low concentration conditions. The desorption of adsorbed organic matter through electrolysis occurred in the range of 188 to 609 mgCOD/L depending on the electrolysis conditions, and the effect of the electrolyte type led to the finding that NaOH was slightly higher than H₂O₂.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 1997

This research aims to remove the heavy metals, nonbiodegradable COD(NBDCOD), and color using the coal waste. The experimental by heat treatment was performed to advance the adsorption capacity. The results are as follows ; i) The coal waste had the adsorption capacity of heavy metals and the rates were in the range of 20 to 30 percents. ii) The heat treatment was the optimum condition that the reaction time was 6 hours at $500^{\circ}C$, , iii) In the column experimen, non-treated coal waste removed the COD and color in the range of 20 to 60 percents. iv) Heat-treated coal waste showed higher removal rate of the color in biological effluent, and heavy metal and COD removal rates were changed by the filteration rates.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.720-727
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• 2005

This study was performed to advance nitrogen removal efficiency by employing an single biofilter packed with granular sulfur, which consists of nitrification occurring at upper part and denitrification at lower part of the reactor. Continuos nitrification/denitrification was carried out with different alkalinity sources, which were $NaHCO_3$ and $CaCO_3$(limestone). In the downflow nitrification/denitrification biofilter packed with granular sulfur, first, terms for nitrogen removal was decided. As results, nitrification and denitrification rate with NaHCO3 at 0.85 kg $NH_4^+-N/m^3{\cdot}d$ were accomplished $0.80kg\;N/m_3{\cdot}d$, $0.43kg\;N/m^3{\cdot}d$, respectively. In the sulfur/limestone packed downflow nitrification/denitrification biofilter, sulfur and limestone were mixed packed, preliminary test showed sulfur/limestone mixing ratio was 3:1 and that was ideal. In the result, nitrification and denitrification rate at $0.7kg\;NH_4^+-N/m^3{\cdot}d$ were accomplished$0.65kg\;N/m^3{\cdot}d$, $0.34kg\;N/m^3{\cdot}d$, respectively. In general, employing granular sulfur can be implemented for only denitrification, but this system can accomplish nitrification as well as denitrification in a single reactor even though low carbon concentration was present in influent limiting to nutrient removal process. This biofilter system of limestone and granular sulfur packed together can successfully apply for nutrient removal effectively.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.196-204
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• 2018

The anaerobic fluidized bed bioreactor (AFBR) treating synthetic wastewater to simulate domestic sewage was operated under GAC fluidization to provide high surface area for biofilm formation. Although the AFBR achieves excellent COD removal efficiency due to biological activities, concerns are still made with nutrient such as nitrogen remaining in the effluent produced by AFBR. In this study, forward osmosis membrane was applied to treat the effluent produced by AFBR to investigate removal efficiency of total nitrogen (TN) with respect to the draw solution (DS) such as NaCl and glucose. Permeability of FO membrane increased with increasing DS concentration. About 55% of TN removal efficiency was observed with the FO membrane using 1 M of NaCl of draw solution, but almost complete TN removal efficiency was achieved with 1 M of glucose of draw solution. During 24 h of filtration, there was no permeate flux decline with the FO membrane regardless of draw solution applied.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.573-583
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• 2000

Activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared from various precursors of plantic, synthetic, and mixed fabrics of viscous rayon and cotton. Their adsorption performances of phenol and methylene blue in aqueous phase were evaluated through their adsorption isotherms, adsorption rates and breakthrough curves. The two adsorbates showed type I adsorption isotherm on ACFs. Adsorption rates to ACFs were 100 fold faster than to GAC. The effective diffusion coefficients of the adsorbates in ACFs were twenty fold greater than in GAC. The ACFs removed completely ten organic pollutants from a prepared water specimens through the 2nd column of a natural filtration method where 50 L of the water samples were treated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 2007

Coal-, coconut- and wood-based activated carbons and anthracite were tested for an adsorption and biodegradation performances of nitrogenous chlorinated by-products such as chloropicrin, DCAN, DBAN and TCAN. In early stage of operations, an adsorption performance was a main mechanism for removal of nitrogenous chlorinated by-products, however as increasing populations of attached bacteria, the bacteria played a major role in removing nitrogenous chlorinated by-products in the activated carbon and anthracite biofilter. It was also investigated that the compounds were readily subjected to biodegrade. Whilst the coal- and coconut-based activated carbons were found most effective in adsorption of the compounds, the anthracite was worst in adsorption of the compounds. Highest populations and activity of attached bacteria were shown in the coal-based activated carbon. The populations and activity of attached bacteria decreased in the order: coconut-based activated carbon > wood-based activated carbon > anthracite. The attached bacteria were inhibited for removal of the compounds at temperatures below $10^{\circ}C$. The attached bacteria were more active at higher water temperatures$(20^{\circ}C\;<)$ but less active at love. water temperature$(10^{\circ}C\;>)$. The removal efficiencies of the compounds obtained using coal-, coconut- and wood-based activated carbons and anthracite were directly related to the water temperatures. In particular, water temperature was the most important factor for removal of the compounds in the anthracite biofilter because the removal of the compounds depended mainly on biodegradation. Therefore, the main removal mechanism of the compounds the main mechanism on the removal of the compounds using activated carbon was both adsorption and biodegradation by the attached bacteria. The observation suggests that using coal-based activated carbon is the best for removal of nitrogenous chlorinated by-products in the water treatment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.457-463
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• 2013

The removal of sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) by activated carbon was investigated by using granular activated carbon (GAC) tests and density functional theory (DFT) simulations. The GAC absorption tests show the removal efficiency of 68.4~90.7% and 99.0~99.9% in 1 and 24 hours, respectively. In both GAC tests, the removal efficiency of sulfamethazine (SMZ) was the highest followed by those of sulfathiazole (STZ) and sulfamethoxazole (SMTZ): SMZ > STZ > SMTZ. In DFT adsorption simulations, we found that the 4-aminobenzenesulfonamide parts of SMZ and STZ and the 3-methyl-1,2-oxazol-5-amine part of SMTZ are preferentially adsorbed on the edges of graphene model, provided that the adsorbates keep their structures without dissociation upon adsorption process. The adsorption energies of SMZ, STZ, and SMTZ are -4.91, -4.64, and -4.62 eV, respectively. This adsorption strength (SMZ > STZ > STMZ) agrees with the trend of the removal efficiency of SAs by GAC. In addition, dissociative adsorption configurations of SAs are discussed.