• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.238-245
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• 2019

This study investigated the characteristic of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) process to treat the sewage having low carbon/nitrogen ratio (Biochemical oxygen demand ($BOD_5$):Total nitrogen (T-N), 4.5:1) in sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The removal efficiency of $BOD_5$, suspended solid (SS), T-N and phosphorus ($PO_4{^{3-}}$-P) were 92.6%, 64.3% and 90.1%. Concentration and size of AGS were changed in proportion to the organic matters and nitrogen concentration of the influent (Concentration and size of AGS: 1,700-3,000 mg/L, 0.5-1.0 mm). Mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) also changed with the concentration of AGS (MLSS: 2,000-3,500 mg/L). When the settling time was shortened from 15 min to 10 min, size and shape of AGS were maintained (Size of AGS: 1.0-1.5 mm). In addition, the concentration of AGS and MLSS increased (Concentration of AGS: 3,500 mg/L, MLSS: 4,000 mg/L). Concentration, size and shape of AGS were affected the settling time of the reactor more than the concentration of organic matter and nitrogen in the influent. In the results of removal efficiency and changes in AGS, we confirmed that the SBR process using AGS can be used to treat the sewage having low carbon/nitrogen ratio by applying short settling time.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.362-369
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• 2019

In this study, biodegradation efficiency improvement of mixed sludge for the anaerobic digestion process in wastewater treatment plant was investigated. In order to release the organic material contained in the sludge cell and promote the hydrolysis step, mixed sludge of 7% TS (Total Solids) was physically shear-treated at a shear strength of 1,000 ~ 4,000 rpm and a maximum of 120 mins. As a result of the comparison between mixed sludge before and after the treatment, the concentration of $SCOD_{Cr}$(Soluble Chemical Oxygen Demand-chromium method) was increased through the conversion of granular organic matter into dissolved organic matter as shear strength and treatment time increases. The solubilization efficiency increased rapidly after 30 min of solubilization application time, and they were 11.23 %, 20.10 %, 22.52 % and 25.43% at 120 min for each shear strength conditions, respectively. Additionally, the BMP(Biochemical Methane Potential) test was conducted with the optimized samples to determine the increase of methane production by the shear pre-treatment. Consequently, methane production of each samples were 0.275, 0.310, 0.323 and $0.335m^3/kg\;VS_{add}$, which indicates that methane production was increased to a maximum of 21.28% compared to the control without the solubilization process ($0.262m^3/kg\;VS_{add}$). As a result, the physical shear-treatment is a promising process for sewage sludge pre-treatment to reduce the organic waste and increase the energy production.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.339-352
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• 2019

Long term water quality change was analyzed to evaluate the effect of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) policy. A trend analysis was performed for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations data monitored at the outlets of the total 41 TMDL unit watersheds of the Nakdong River in the Republic of Korea. Because water quality data do not usually follow a normal distribution, a nonparametric statistical trend analysis method was used. The monthly mean values of BOD and TP for the period between 2004 and 2015 were analyzed by the seasonal Mann-Kendall test and the locally weighted scatterplot smoother (LOWESS). The TMDL policy effect on the water quality change of each unit watershed was analyzed together with the results of the trend analysis. From the seasonal Mann-Kendall test results, it was found that for BOD, 7.8 % of the 41 points showed downward trends, 26.8 % and the rest 65.9% showed upward and no trends. For TP, 51.2% showed no trends and the rest 48.8% showed downward trends. From the LOWESS analysis results, TP began to decrease in most of the unit watersheds from mid-2010s when intensive chemical treatment processes were introduced to existing wastewater treatment plants. Overall, for BOD, relatively more points were improved in the main stream compared to the points of the tributaries although overall trends were mostly no trend or upward. For TP, about half of the points were improved and the rest showed no trends.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.152-164
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• 2019

In this study, a Benthic Macroinvertebrates Family Index (BMFI) was developed using 100 indicator groups (99 families including Chironomidae with 2 phena). Families were assigned a score between 1 and 10 depending on their sensitivity to organic pollution. The BMFI was composed of the sensitivity and relative abundance of the indicator taxa. Sensitivity values of each group were generally similar to Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) scores or Walley, Hawkes, Paisley, Trigg (WHPT) scores of UK, Japanese BMWP scores, and the FBI tolerance values of North America. However, sensitivity values of some taxa were significantly different from those of foreign countries, which seemed to have resulted from discrepancy in species composition, difference of taxonomic classification system, or methodological difference for estimation of sensitivity. As an annual average level, BMFI showed significant correlation with concentration of 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) (correlation coefficient r = -0.80, n = 569 sites), total suspended solids (r = -0.68), and total phosphorus (r = -0.79). In addition, BMFI revealed strong correlation with Shannon-Weaver's species diversity (r = 0.85), Margalef's species richness (r = 0.85) and McNaughton's dominance (r = -0.84). Correlation between BMFI and water quality parameters or community indices such as species diversity did not show significant difference compared to that of species-level indices such as BMI (Benthic Macroinvertebrates Index). This means that BMFI is a more useful indicator in terms of easy identification of organisms. BMFI was used to assess the environmental status of 3,017 sites of Stream Ecosystem Survey conducted by the Korean Ministry of Environment between 2016 and 2018. As a result, about half of all sites appeared to be in good condition, and a quarter in poor condition.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.343-355
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• 2023

After the implementation of the total pollution load control system, the effect of improving river water quality by expanding investments in basic environmental facilities, inducing operational efficiency, and reducing the load of various pollutants was clear. However, since the implementation of the system, the management of non-point pollutants has been neglected; management focused on specific substances (biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (T-P)) and lacked specific cause analysis and action plans, failed to establish a relationship between water quality and pollution load, failed to reflect stakeholder demands for river water quality management, and failed to apply technical conditions. Therefore, to overcome the limitations raised and achieve a practical and efficient advanced total pollution system, the current system was partially improved and will continue to be improved. This study analyzed the performance and limitations of the total pollution system and introduced recent improvements and the contents that are being improved. The main contents included reducing emissions and reduction monitoring, using water quality tele-monitoring system (TMS) data and self-measurement data, adding population-inducing facilities, and adjusting regional development projects from 20 to 30 multi-family housing units, currentizing each pollutant source according to the roadmap. If the system is improved in a developmental direction and responds to various changes, it will be a more practical and effective policy.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.377-389
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• 2023

Chungcheongnam-do has been measuring the flow rate and water quality of streams in the province once a month since 2011 in order to water environment policies. Based on the results, after evaluating the coefficient of variation and the tendency of the water quality trend by using the Mann-Kendall test and Sen's Slope for each stream, the streams subject to priority introduction of Total Pollution Load Management at Tributaries were selected through the Stream Grouping Method. The water quality trend analysis results for 125 streams using the Mann-Kendall test and Sen's Slope were evaluated as streams showing a tendency of deteriorating water quality Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): 13 streams, Total Phosphorus (T-P): 16 streams). Streams with deteriorating water quality were classified into A-D groups using the Stream Grouping Method. Group A, which has a high flow rate and high water quality, is a stream that requires priority management, and was selected as a stream for introduction of Total Pollution Load Management at Tributaries. There are 7 streams that need to be introduced into the BOD category, and there are 7 streams that need to be introduced into the T-P category. In this study, based on flow and water quality monitoring data accumulated over a long period of time (2011-2022), statistical techniques are used to select watersheds in which water quality is deteriorating. Accordingly, it is expected that it will be useful in establishing a water quality improvement plan in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.281-288
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• 2023

This study was performed to evaluate the pollutants removal characteristics of two types of RBFs(Riverbank filtration, Riverbed filtration) intake facilities installed in Nakdong River and in Hwang River respectively. The capacity of each RBF is 45,000 m³/d for riverbank filtration intake facility and 3,500 m³/d for riverbed filtration intake facility. According to data collected in the riverbank filtration site, removal rate of each pollutant was about BOD(Biochemical Oxygen Demand) 52%, TOC(Total Organic Carbon) 57%, SS(Suspended Solids) 44%, Total coliforms 99% correspondingly. Furthermore, Microcystins(-LR,-YR,-RR) were not found in riverbank filtered water compared to surface water in Nakdong River. DOC(Dissolved Organic Carbon) and Humics which are precursors of disinfection byproduct were also reported to be removed about 59% for DOC, 65% for Humics. Based on data analysis in riverbed filtration site in Hwang River, removal rate of each contaminant reaches to BOD 33.3%, TOC 38.5%, SS 38.9%, DOC 22.2%, UV254 21.2%, Total coliforms 73.8% respectively. Additionally, microplastics were also inspected that there was no obvious removal rate in riverbed filtered water compared to surface water in Hwang River.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.82-90
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• 2009

Disintegration of sewage sludge (SS) was investigated by batch experiments using mechanical pre-treatment. Mechanical disintegration of SS increased the amount of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), protein and carbohydrate due to the break-up of cell walls. The mechanical disintegration incorporated with alkaline pre-treatment demonstrated higher amount of SCOD compared with mechanical one only. In terms of anaerobic biodegradability, mechanical pretreatment enhanced the anaerobic biodegradation of SS, leading to the methane production improvement. The improvement in BMP for SS treated with mechanical and alkaline-mechanical pre-treatments were 24.1% and 44.5%, respectively. This result suggested that disintegration of SS was effective for improving anaerobic biodegradability.

• 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 Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 2013

In this study, we report the water quality characteristics of pollutants for 4 major tributaries in the Yeongsan and Sumjin river basins using statistical analysis, such as regression equation and factor analysis. The flow rate and water qualtiy data collected from 4 sampling sites(Hwangryoung A, Jiseok A, Chooryeong A, Osu A) in the Yeonsan and Sumjin river basin during the past 3 years were analyzed for 11 parameters(flow rate, dissolved oxgen, pH, water temperature, electric conductivity, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen deman, total organic carbon, total nitorgen, total phosphorus, suspended solid). The results showed that the concentrations of BOD, COD, TOC, T-N, T-P in Hwangryoung A(HW) and Jiseok A(JS) of the Yeongsan river basin were decreased as the flow rate was increased. This means that rather than nonpoint soources, point sources affect water quality. In the cases of Chooryeong A(CR) and Osu A(OS) in the Sumjin river basin, howerever, nonpoint sources than point sources are an important factor that affects the water quality. Also, the factor analysis technique was employed to analyze principal component influencing on water quality. The results revealed that the first principal component in HW was correlated with EC, DO, T-N, water temperature. This "nitrogen influx according to seasonal pattern" factor may be interpreted. In JS, the first principal component was correlated with BOD, COD, TOC and is likely to represent "organic matter" processes. In CR and OS, BOD, COD, TOC, SS and T-P were significantly correlated and is considered as representing "Organic matter and adsorption of phosphorus on sediments influx". This study is expected to contribute to the effective pollution control/management of the surfac waters in the study sites.