• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.109-117
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• 2000

Bacterial community structure composing enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) activated sludge was analyzed phylogenetically by cloning 165 rDNA after direct DNA extraction. Then, this result was compared with 165 rDNA sequences of randomly isolated bacterial species. The results clearly showed that there are no coincidence between the sequences retrieved directly from activated sludge and those of isolated strains, suggesting that many important bacteria are hidden in activated sludge because of the difficulty in isolation and culture of them.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.294-298
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• 2003

Endocrine-disrupting phenolic compounds in the water were degraded by laccase from Trametes sp. followed by activated sludge treatment. The effect of temperature on the degradation of phenolic compounds and the production of organic compounds were investigated using endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A, 2.4-dichlorophenol, and diethyl phthalate. Bisphenol A and 2.4-dichlorophenol disappeared completely after the laccase treatment, but no disappearance of diethyl phthalate was observed. The Michaelis-Menten type equation was proposed to represent the degradation rate of bisphenol A by the lacasse under various temperatures. After the laccase treatment of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the activated sludge treatment was attempted and it could convert about 85 and 75% of organic compounds produced from bisphenol A and 2.4-dichlorophenol into H$_2$O and CO$_2$, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.222-228
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• 2010

Biological degradation of nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds was investigated in activated sludge previously adapted to mineralize low concentrations of nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds. Normally, the time required for 95% degradation of 10 mg/l dinitrophenol (DNP) under aerobic conditions was less than 4 hours without any lag, and with mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) levels from 600 to 1,000 mg/l. However, when the initial DNP concentration was increased to 75 mg/l, lags and even complete inhibition of DNP degradation were observed. The length of the lag was found to increase proportionally with decreasing MLSS levels. When dilute activated sludge was incubated for extended periods (192 hours), degradation of 75 mg/l DNP did eventually occur after lag periods of 37 to 144 hours, depending on the MLSS concentration. DNP was degradable in high concentrations if MLSS concentrations were sufficiently high to allow growth of bacteria resistant to the toxic effects of DNP.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.213-218
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• 2011

The two-stage intermittent aeration activated sludge process (IAP) and dynamic-flow intermittent aeration activated sludge process (DFP) were investigated for the nutrient removal of domestic wastewater. Three sets of IAP and one set of DFP were operated. The fermented settled sludge taken from the primary settling tank was added to two IAP and one DFP as an external electron donor, with one IAP, in which an external carbon source was not added, as a control. All the systems were operated at a sludge retention time of 20 days and a hydraulic retention time of 12 hr. A Higher denitrification rate was observed with the fermented settled sludge for the denitrification compared to the process without the addition of the organic source. The result indicates that the fermented acid from the primary domestic sludge has been proved to be an excellent electron donor for denitrification and biological phosphorus removal with IAP and DFP in treating relatively low C/N ratio(Carbon / Nitrogen ratio) wastewater. Phosphate accumulating organisms have a capability of competing with denitrifiers in the presence of volatile organic acids under anoxic conditions.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.675-682
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• 2009

Sludge minimization from wastewater treatment plant is becoming more important to save disposal costs and to contribute to sustainable development. For the reduction of sludge production, solubilization and dewaterability of sludge are important factors in sludge processing. Ultrasonic treatment has been used to enhance sludge solubility and dewaterability with anaerobic digestion sludge, primary sludge, and activated sludge. At the ultrasonic power of 0.2 kW/L for 1 hour, anaerobic sludge and activated sludge showed higher solubilization efficiency than the primary sludge in terms of COD, proteins, and suspended solids. Ultrasonic treatment decreased sludge dewaterability and sludge settling characteristics up to 720 kJ/L of ultrasonic energy. In conclusion, ultrasonic treatment was effective for sludge solubilization but it deteriorate dewaterability (specific resistance) and settling characteristics (SVI) of sludge at the experimental conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.234-238
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• 2008

Coarse pore filter could be an alternative of membrane for solid-liquid separation in an activated sludge reactor because of inexpensive cost of the filter material and high flux at low filtration pressure. However such filter module has much less specific filtration area compared to the membrane. Therefore a certain effort is required to increase the specific filtration area in the module design of such coarse pore filter for solid-liquid separation in an activated sludge reactor. In this study, tubular type coarse pore filter was designed at various diameter and configuration. The filtration performance was investigated to separate solid in the activated sludge reactor for domestic wastewater treatment. Tubular type coarse pore filter module could be successfully applicable to solid separation in the activated sludge reactor. The design parameters were the tube diameter of 10mm and vertical installation. Smaller diameter of the tube caused faster increase of the filtration pressure because of the hydraulic head loss in the tube channel.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2014

The present study investigated the effects of thermal pre-treatment on the enhancement of anaerobic biodegradability of waste activated sludge at varied TS concentration levels. The activated sludges were thermally oxidized for 30 minutes at $80{\sim}200^{\circ}C$ with varied TS concentrations (2%, 4% and 6%). and then, sludge characteristics, solubilization efficiency and methane production yield of thermally pre-treated sludges were analyzed. The higher the temperature in the thermal pre-treatment, the higher the concentration levels of dissolved matters such as $SCOD_{Cr}$, $NH_4{^+}$ and VFAs, which indicates that the thermal pre-treatment facilitates the hydrolysis and acid fermentation. Furthermore, the solubilization efficiency was increased in proportion to the temperature rise at all TS concentrations and was reached at 68.9%, 55.6% and 53.1%, respectively, at $200^{\circ}C$. In the BMP test of the pre-treated sludges, higher methane production yields were observed as 0.313. 0.314 and $0.299m^3\;CH_4/kg\;VS_{add}$ at the condition of TS 2% ($160^{\circ}C$), 4% ($160^{\circ}C$) and 6% ($180^{\circ}C$), respectively, and degradation rate was increased by 84%, 79% and 65% compared with non-pretreated waste activated sludge. These findings suggest the effectiveness of thermal pre-treatment of waste activated sludge for anaerobic biodegradable process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.9-18
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• 1994

Activated sludge pilot plant testing was conducted to determine the ability of a well-designed activated sludge treatment system to remove chromic toxicity from the bleached kraft pulp mill effluent. Removals of conventional(BOD and SS) and nonconventional(resin and fatty acids, color, AOX) pollutants were estimated. The pilot plant was operated at steady state for about 10 weeks at an F/M of 0.28 and a sludge age of 8.4 days. The average MLSS concentration was 4,309mg/l, of which volatile fraction was 57%. During the operation period, the BOD removal reaction rate(k) was determined to be 8.2/day at $30^{\circ}C$. The BOD removal was 84 percent, which was 3 to 6 percent lower than expected for full-scale treatment. The chronic toxicity of the activated sludge effluent was tested by employing both Dinnel and the BML protocols. It was found that the pilot plant could achieve in excess of 90 percent reduction in chronic echinoderm toxicity. The data show slight reduction of color and AOX across the activated sludge system. The pilot system, however, demonstrated on excellent removal of resin and fatty acids.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2001

The effects of HRT and effluent time on removals of pollutants in the electrochemical pilot were investigated. COD removal after 8 hour electrochemical reaction time in HRT 30 and 60 minutes were higher than that of 15 minute HRT. Turbidity removal was 90% or greater regardless of conditions during effluent time. Removals of T-N and T-P during effluent time in HRT 30 and 60 minutes were $71{\sim}74%$ and $85{\sim}98%$, respectively. To evaluate the combination of activated sludge process and continuous electrochemical as pretreatment, the removal efficiencies of pollutants was investigated. In two treatment processes of a single activated sludge system and a electrolysis pilot plus activated sludge systems, SVI and MLSS during effluent time were kept with $82{\sim}112$ and $1,230{\sim}1,750$ mg/L, respectively. COD removal was approximately 90% at early effluent time for both treatment systems, but COD removal in a single activated sludge was slightly decreased as effluent time went by, compared with the single activated sludge COD removal was slightly increased in the early stage of the electrolysis plus activated sludge system. Turbidity removal during effluent time was higher than 95% for both treatment systems. T-N removals during effluent time in a single activated sludge system and a electrolysis pilot plus activated sludge systems were $62{\sim}74%$ and $72{\sim}86%$, respectively. T-P removal in a electrolysis pilot plus activated sludge systems was increased by 9% at early effluent time and 15% after 72 hours of effluent time in compared with a single activated sludge system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.676-681
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• 2013

Perchlorate (${ClO_4}^-$) is an emerging contaminant found in surface water and soil/groundwater. Microbial removal of perchlorate is the method of choice since perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) can reduce perchlorate to harmless end-products. A previous study [3] showed experimental evidence of autotrophic perchlorate removal using elemental sulfur granules and activated sludge. The granular sulfur is a relatively inexpensive electron donor, and activated sludge is easily available from a wastewater treatment plant. A batch test was performed in this study to further investigate the effect of various environmental parameters on the perchlorate degradation by sludge microorganisms when elemental sulfur was used as electron donor. Results of the batch test suggest optimum conditions for autotrophic perchlorate degradation by sludge microorganisms. The results also show that sulfur-oxidizing PRB enriched from activated sludge removed perchlorate better than activated sludge. Taken together, this study suggests that autotrophic perchlorate removal using elemental sulfur and activated sludge can be improved by employing optimized environmental conditions and enrichment culture.