• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.445-455
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• 2009

Microbiological sulfate reduction is the transformation of sulfate to sulfide catalyzed by the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria using sulfate as an electron acceptor. Low solubility of metal sulfides leads to precipitation of the sulfides in solution. The effects of microbiological sulfate reduction on in-situ precipitation of arsenic and copper were investigated for the heavy metal-contaminated soil around the Songcheon Au-Ag mine site. Total concentrations of As, Cu, and Pb were 1,311 mg/kg, 146 mg/kg, and 294 mg/kg, respectively, after aqua regia digestion. In batch-type experiments, indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria rapidly decreased sulfate concentration and redox potential and led to substantial removal of dissolved As and Cu from solution. Optimal concentrations of carbon source and sulfate for effective microbial sulfate reduction were 0.2~0.5% (w/v) and 100~200 mg/L, respectively. More than 98% of injected As and Cu were removed in the effluents from both microbial and chemical columns designed for metal sulfides to be precipitated. However, after the injection of oxygen-rich solution, the microbial column showed the enhanced long-term stability of in-situ precipitated metals when compared with the chemical column which showed immediate increase in dissolved As and Cu due to oxidative dissolution of the sulfides. Black precipitates formed in the microbial column during the experiments and were identified as iron sulfide and copper sulfide. Arsenic was observed to be adsorbed on surface of iron sulfide precipitate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.421-433
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• 2023

The final disposal of spent nuclear fuel(SNF) from nuclear power plants takes place in a deep geological repository. The metal canister encasing the SNF is made of cast iron and copper, and is engineered to effectively isolate radioactive isotopes for a long period of time. The SNF is further shielded by a multi-barrier disposal system comprising both engineering and natural barriers. The deep disposal environment gradually changes to an anaerobic reducing environment. In this environment, sulfide is one of the most probable substances to induce corrosion of copper canister. Stress-corrosion cracking(SCC) triggered by sulfide can carry substantial implications for the integrity of the copper canister, potentially posing a significant threat to the long-term safety of the deep disposal repository. Sulfate can exist in various forms within the deep disposal environment or be introduced from the geosphere. Sulfate has the potential to be transformed into sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria(SRB), and this converted sulfide can contribute to the corrosion of the copper canister. Bentonite, which is considered as a potential material for buffering and backfilling, contains oxidized sulfate minerals such as gypsum(CaSO4). If there is sufficient space for microorganisms to thrive in the deep disposal environment and if electron donors such as organic carbon are adequately supplied, sulfate can be converted to sulfide through microbial activity. However, the majority of the sulfides generated in the deep disposal system or introduced from the geosphere will be intercepted by the buffer, with only a small amount reaching the metal canister. Pyrite, one of the potential sulfide minerals present in the deep disposal environment, can generate sulfates during the dissolution process, thereby contributing to the corrosion of the copper canister. However, the quantity of oxidation byproducts from pyrite is anticipated to be minimal due to its extremely low solubility. Moreover, the migration of these oxidized byproducts to the metal canister will be restricted by the low hydraulic conductivity of saturated bentonite. We have comprehensively analyzed and summarized key research cases related to the presence of sulfates, reduction processes, and the formation and behavior characteristics of sulfides and pyrite in the deep disposal environment. Our objective was to gain an understanding of the impact of sulfates and sulfides on the long-term safety of high-level radioactive waste disposal repository.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.229-240
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• 1993

This study investigated the behaviour of sulfur species after the early diegenetic reduction of sulfate from pore solution in an anoxic intertidal flat deposit in the Banweol area of Kyeong-gi Bay, west coast of Korea. A total of seven sediment cores were collected during 1990∼1992 and were analyzed for their solid-phase sulfur species (acid-volatile sulfur, element sulfur, pyrite sulfur) as well as for chemical components in the pore solution, such as sulfate, ammonium, hydrogen sulfide, phosphate and Fe ion. The pore water sulfate oncentration was found to decrease rapidly downward from the sediment surface, while that of hydrogen sulfide, ammonium and phosphate showed and increase. The dissolved iron concentration in pore water, on the other hand, was found high in the surface layer of sediment, but fell sharply below this layer. these characteristic profiles of pore water sulfide and iron concentrations suggest that some reaction occurs between dissolved iron and sulfide ions, leading to the formation of various sulfide minerals in the sedimentary phase. The amount of inorganic sulfur species in the sediment increased downward, and showed a maximum of up to 7.9 mg/g. among the three species analyzed, acid-volatile sulfur (AVS) was dominant comprising more than 50% of the total. The amount of pyrite sulfur was greater than that of element sulfur. This implies that the formation of pyrite was restricted in this environment. the limited amount of element sulfur in this deposit may have discouraged the active formation of pyrite.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1468-1475
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• 2010

Sulfate reduction rates (SRR) using $^{35}SO_4^{-2}$, sulfide producing rates (SPR) using gas chromatography, the number of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) using the most probable number (MPN) method, and soil components (moisture, ammonium, total nitrogen, total organic carbon, total carbon, total inorganic phosphorus, total phosphorus, and sulfate) using standard methods in the organic/conventional rice paddy soils, cleaned/polluted reservoir soils, and cleaned/polluted foreshore soils were studied with the change of seasons. The average SRR was more related to the number of SRB and soil components (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) than sulfate concentration. SRR was also recorded to be highest in October soil samples. However, SPR was higher in foreshore soils containing a high concentration sulfate than in fresh water soils, and it was also recorded to be higher in the polluted areas than in clean areas. From these results, we can conclude that the SRR and SPR of anaerobic environments were affected by the number of SRB, soil components and temperature.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2014

In this study, properties of adhesion between adhesion promoter-containing rubber compound and zinc coated steel cord was investigated. Cobalt salt, resorcinol formaldehyde resin (RF resin) and hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) were used to adhesion promoter. Since cobalt salts accelerate sulphidation rate of zinc at zinc coated steel cord surface, pullout force of rubber compound applying cobalt salts was increased compared to that of rubber compound without applying cobalt salts. Pullout force and rubber coverage of rubber compounds applying all adhesion promoters were superior because strong interlocking between rubber matrix increased modulus due to applying RF resin and HMMM and grown zinc sulfides at zinc coated steel cord surface.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2007

In hydrogen production for fuel cell by reforming city-gas, sulfur compounds, odorant in city-gas, are detrimental to reforming catalyst and fuel cell electrodes. We prepared metal salt impregnated ${\beta}-zeolite(BEA)$ to remove sulfur compound in city-gas by adsorption. The sulfur breakthrough adsorption capacity was changed depending on the concentration and species of metal salt. $AgNO_3$ impregnated BEA showed the highest sulfur breakthrough capacity among adsorbents used in this experiment(41.1 mg/g). But metal salt impregnated BEA such as $Ni(NO_3)_2/BEA$, $Fe(NO_3_)_3/BEA$, $Co(NO_3)_2/BEA$ showed a certain amount of sulfur adsorption capacity comparable to $AgNO_3/BEA$. Adsorption temperature effect, desorption study, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that the dominant interaction between metal impregnated adsorbent and sulfur compounds was not chemisorption but physisorption.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.223-224
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• 2000

대하 양식장과 같이 물의 유동이 작고, 폐쇄성이 강한 지역, 더구나 유기물 혹은 질소, 인등의 영양염류 농도가 높은 부영양화 지역에서는 저질 중의 유기물 분해에 따른 산소소비는 저질환경을 산화상태로부터 환원상태로 이동시켜 황산염 환원에 의한 황화수소가 발생한다. 따라서 황화수소의 발생은 용존산소의 저하를 나타냄과 동시에 그 자체가 강한 독성을 가지고 있으며, 질소화합물 중의 암모니아 및 아질산과 같은 형태도 양식장의 생산억제 요인으로 작용한다(Gavis and Grant, 1986; Thompson et al., 1989). 그러나, 지금까지의 이들 오염물질, 특히 황화수소에 대한 연구는 미비하며, 대부분의 연구도 성체를 중심으로 이루어지고 있다. (중략)

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3 s.49
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• pp.129-138
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• 2006

In this study, we identified the secondary precipitates from Samsan-jeil and Sambong mine, Goseong, Gyeongnam by means of scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis and X-ray powder diffraction analysis. Copper sulfide minerals had been produced from the mines during last few decades, however they are not worked. White and blue precipitates were found at the downstream of mine rock dump at Sambong mine and green one was at Samsan-jeil mine. The white precipitate covered the host rock surface with thickness of $30{\mu}m$, and is a kind of diatom with $10{\mu}m$ in length and $3{\mu}m$ in width. It is a species Fragilaria constuens, which is contained a order Pennales(pennate diatom) and lives in fresh water. The blue precipitate is the alteration product of chalcopyrite. It resultes in the increase in the ratio Cu:Fe from 5 to 13. The green precipitate has worm-like morphology with $10{\sim}20nm$ in diameter and $200{\sim}300nm$ in length. It is mainly composed of secondary copper sulfate such as woodwardite. However, it could be formed by the activity of microorganism, because the copper content is more than any secondary copper sulfate reported in copper sulfide mine. In order to identity the green precipitate exactly, the further research is needed.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2012

We observed characteristic oxidation and dissolution phenomena induced by dissolved oxygen for mackinawite that is produced via sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) living in anaerobic environments such as soils and groundwater. We tried to recognize the role of the sulfide minerals that usually coexist with some stabilized radionuclides (e.g., reduced uranium), which can be reoxidized and redissolved by an oxygen-rich groundwater invaded into a contaminated area. The mackinawite produced by 'Desulfovibrio desulfuricans', a sulfate-reducing bacterium, was conducted to be dissolved for 2 weeks by some oxidants such as 'hydrogen peroxide' and 'sodium nitrite'. Although mineralogical oxidation and dissolution characteristics were different from each other according to the oxidants, the initially oxidized solution was early stabilized through the oxygen consumption by ${\mu}m$-sized sulfide particles and the resultant increase of sulfate in solution. From these results, we can anticipate that the large amount of sulfide minerals generated by SRB can not only repress the anoxic environment to be disturbed by the consumption of oxygen in groundwater, but also contribute to stabilize the reduced/precipitated radionuclides as a buffer material for a long time.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.421-428
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• 2010

This paper reports on the experimental investigation carried out to evaluate the physical optimal conditions in the absorption column to remove odorous hydrogen sulfide gas. Hydrogen sulfide gas, as a highly undesirable contaminant, is most widely emitted from environmental treatment facilities. The absorbent mixed with natural second metabolites extracted from conifer trees and chemical absorbent of 2-aminoethanol was applied to remove it via chemical neutralization. The absorbent of natural second metabolites was achieved by a removal efficiency of 20-40% by itself depending on the treatment conditions, but the complex absorbent mixed with 0.1% amine chemical provides the removal efficiency of 98%. The optimal removal efficiencies have been examined against the two major parameters of temperature and pH. This study shows that the aqueous solution by natural second metabolites can be used as an appropriate absorbent in the column absorbed for the removal of hydrogen sulfide gas.