• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.15-19
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• 2012

Wood wastes could be renewable resources by recycling as particleboard manufacturing or energy production. Particle board is the most common item of wood waste recycling and energy production from wood wastes has highlighted for energy recovery to reduce greenhouse gas generation in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental benefits of the processes for particle board manufacturing and energy production. The functional unit was one ton of wood wastes and the environmental impact was analyzed by life cycle assessment methodology. The result was that 112kg of carbon dioxide equivalent was produced from particle board manufacturing process and 382kg of carbon dioxide equivalent was produced from combined heat and power generation process. The concept of temporary biomass carbon storage was to applied to this study.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2005

In order to recycle the waste material and to develop the thickening unit of waste activated sludge from wastewater treatment facilities, the filtration bio-reactor equipped with a shadow mask filter module was employed for this work from which the operating properties and parameters were drawn. The sludge thickening and filtration unit is made of cylindrical acryl tank(12cm i.d. ${\times}$ 58cm height: working volume of 6L), where the flat-sheet type of shadow mask filter module(pore size: 220~250um, opening area: 34.8~39.6%) was installed and the effluent was withdrawn from the effluent port at the lowest point of the reactor, and the filtration was performed only by the hydraulic pressure. For evaluating the operating performance of this reactor, some parameters such as the solid-liquid separation of different biomass concentrations, the water quality of filtrate, the aeration cleaning time and the cleaning effect were investigated. Depending on the MLSS concentrations, the different time to withdraw 3L of filtrate was required in which the longer filtration time was necessary for the higher MLSS concentrations caused by the thicker formation of cake layer: 40 minutes for 5,000 mg/L, 70 minutes for 10,000 mg/L and 100 minutes for 15,000 mg/L, where the concentrations of SS were 8.9, 6.7 and 6.5 mg/L, respectively. Under the same operating conditions (the intensity of aeration cleaning: 80 L/min, MLSS: 10,000 mg/L), the proper aeration cleaning time was revealed 30 seconds, and the stable formation of cake layer was in the range of 10 to 15 minutes. Therefore, the shadow mask considered as a waste material can be of use as a filter material for the sludge thickening system.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.19-35
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• 2016

The phytoextraction of some toxic heavy metals from municipal waste dump soil by castor plant (Ricinus communis) was tested under natural and single or mixed chelant-assisted scenarios in pot microcosms. A sandy loam with total metal contents (mg/kg): Cd (84.5), Cu (114.5), Ni (70.3), Pb (57.8), and Zn (117.5), was sampled from an active dumpsite in Calabar, Nigeria and used for the study. Castor (small seed variety) was grown under natural phytoextraction or single/binary chelant (citric acid, oxalic acid, and EDTA) applications (5-20 mmol/kg soil) for 63 days. Castor exhibited no visual phytotoxic symptoms with typically sigmoid growth profiles at the applied chelant doses. Growth rates, however, decelerated with increase in chelant dose. Post-harvest biomass yields were higher under chelant application than for natural phytoextraction. Both root and shoot metal concentrations (mg/kg) increased quasilinearly and significantly ($p{\leq}0.05$) with increase in chelant dose, furnishing maximum levels as: Cd (55.6 and 20.9), Cu (89.5 and 58.4), Ni (49.8 and 19.6), Pb (32.1 and 12.1), and Zn (99.5 and 46.6). Ranges of translocation factors, root and shoot bioaccumulation factors were 0.21-3.49, 0.01-0.89 and 0.01-0.51, respectively. Overall, the binary chelant treatments were less toxic for R. communis growth and enhanced metal accumulation in shoots to a greater extent than the single chelant scenarios, but more so when EDTA was present in the binary combination. This suggests that the mixed chelants could be considered as alternative treatments for enhanced phytoextraction and revegetation of degraded waste dump soils.

• Clean Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.164-170
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• 2015

In this study, polysulfone-Escherichia coli biomass composite fiber (PSBF) was prepared by spinning the suspension of PS and E. coli biomass and amine-methylated PSBF (AM-PSBF) was fabricated through the methylation of amine groups in PSBF. As comparing the adsorption characteristics of basic dye, Basic Blue 3 (BB3) by the PSBF and AM-PSBF, the effect of the methylation of amine groups on BB3 adsorption was confirmed. pH edge experiments showed that the BB3 uptake of PSBF and AM-PSBF increased as pH was increased and the BB3 uptake of AM-PSBF was higher than that of PSBF at the same pH. Both of PSBF and AM-PSBF was reached at equilibrium within 5 h and kinetic experimental data were well fitted by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. By the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacities of PSBF and AM-PSBF at pH 8 were evaluated to be 28.9 and 20.7 mg/g, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of AM-PSBF was enhanced 1.4 times comparing that of PSBF. These results indicate that the methylation of amine groups in PSBF leads to the improvement of BB3 adsorption capacity. In addition, the results of desorption experiments revealed that AM-PSBF was repeatedly reusable.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.542-547
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• 2005

Biosorption is considered to be a promising alternative to replace or supplement the present methods for the treatment of dye-containing wastewater. In this study, the protonated biomass of Corynebacterium glutamicum was evaluated for its potential to remove two types of reactive dyes (Reactive Red 4, Reactive Blue 4) from aqueous solution. The uptakes of dyes were enhanced with decrease in the solution pH, which was likely because the biomass functional groups increased at acidic pH and the positively charged sites could bind the negatively charged sulfonate group ($dye-SO_3^-$) of dye molecules. An equilibrium state was practically achieved in 10 hr. The Langmuir sorption model was used for the mathematical description of the sorption equilibrium. The maximum sorption capacities of C. glutamicum biomass for Reactive Red 4 and Reactive Blue 4 were estimated to 112.36 mg/g and 263.16 mg/g at pH 1, and 71.94 mg/g and 155.88 mg/g at pH 3.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.356-362
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• 2010

This research studied the bio-methane potential of several waste biomass materials as alternative sources for biogas production, and the laboratory procedure for measuring the biochemical methane potential was described. The wastes from four agro-industries (sewage, livestock, food wastewater treatment sludge and cattle rumen substance generating in slaughter house) were evaluated as substrates for the assay of biochemical methane potential. In order to estimate the ultimate methane yield, two empirical equations (modified Gompertz equation and exponential equation) was investigated. The ultimate methane yield of sewage, livestock, food sludge and lumen substance estimated by the modified Gompertz equation were 0.086, 0.147, 0.146, and 0.121 L $CH_{4}\;g^{-1}\;VS_{added}$, respectively. The ultimate methane yield estimated by the exponential equation were 0.109, 0.246 and 0.174 L $CH_{4}\;g^{-1}\;VS_{added}$ in sewage, livestock sludge and lumen substance. And the ultimate methane yield estimated by the exponential equation showed more high values in the range of 26.7 ~67.3% than the ultimate methane yield estimated by the modified Gompertz equation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.362-367
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• 2006

Waste activated sludge(WAS) collected from domestic wastewater treatment plant is biomass that contains large quantities of organic matter. However, relevant literature show that the bio-hydrogen yield using WAS was too low. In this study, the effect of pretreatment of WAS on hydrogen yield was investigated. Pretreatment includes acid and alkali treatments, grinding, heating, ozone and ultrasound methods. After pretreatment organic matters of WAS were solubilized and soluble chemical oxygen demand(SCOD) was increased by 14.6 times. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of pre-treatment methods and buffer solution, hydrogen partial pressure, and sodium ion on hydrogen production from WAS by using heated anaerobic mixed cultures. Experimental results showed that addition of buffer solution, efficient pre-treatment method with alkali solution, and gas sparging condition markedly increased the hydrogen yield to 0.52 mmol $H_2/g$-DS.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.15.1-15.7
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• 2014

Objectives This paper tried to review a recent research trend for the environmental exposure of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and its removal efficiency in the nanowaste treatment plants. Methods The studies on the predicted environmental concentrations (PEC) of ENMs obtained by exposure modeling and treatment (or removal) efficiency in nanowaste treatment facilities, such as wastewater treatment plant (WTP) and waste incineration plant (WIP) were investigated. The studies on the landfill of nanowastes also were investigated. Results The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology group has led the way in developing methods for estimating ENM production and emissions. The PEC values are available for surface water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, biosolids, sediments, soils, and air. Based on the PEC modeling, the major routes for the environmental exposure of the ENMs were found as WTP effluents/sludge. The ENMs entered in the WTP were 90-99% removed and accumulated in the activated sludge and sludge cake. Additionally, the waste ash released from the WIP contain ENMs. Ultimately, landfills are the likely final destination of the disposed sludge or discarded ENMs products. Conclusions Although the removal efficiency of the ENMs using nanowaste treatment facilities is acceptable, the ENMs were accumulated on the sludge and then finally moved to the landfill. Therefore, the monitoring for the ENMs in the environment where the WTP effluent is discharged or biomass disposed is required to increase our knowledge on the fate and transport of the ENMs and to prevent the unintentional exposure (release) in the environment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.674-683
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• 2012

A new strain, SD12, was isolated from tannery waste polluted soil and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the basis of phenotypic traits and by comparison of 16S rRNA sequences. This bacterium exhibited broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against phytopathogenic fungi. The strain produced phosphatases, cellulases, proteases, pectinases, and HCN and also retained its ability to produce hydroxamate-type siderophore. A bioactive metabolite was isolated from P. aeruginosa SD12 and was characterized as 1-hydroxyphenazine ((1-OH-PHZ) by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral analysis. The strain was used as a biocontrol agent against root rot and wilt disease of pyrethrum caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The stain is also reported to increase the growth and biomass of Plantago ovata. The purified compound, 1-hydroxyphenazine, also showed broad-spectrum antagonistic activity towards a range of phytopathogenic fungi, which is the first report of its kind.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2012

Pyrolysis/gasification technology utilizes an energy conversion technique from various waste resources, such as biomass, solid waste, sewage sludge, and etc. to generating a syngas (synthesis gas). However, one of the major problems for the pyrolysis gasification is the presence of tar in the product gas. The tar produced might cause damages and operating problems on the facility. In this study, a gliding arc plasma reformer was developed to solve the previously acknowledged issues. An experiment was conducted using surrogate benzene and naphthalene, which are generated during the pyrolysis and/or gasification, as the representative tar substance. To identify the characteristics of the influential parameters of tar decomposition, tests were performed on the steam feed amount (steam/carbon ratio), input discharge power (specific energy input, SEI), total feed gas amount and the input tar concentration. In benzene, the optimal operating conditions of the gliding arc plasma 2 in steam to carbon (S/C) ratio, 0.98 $kWh/m^3$ in SEI, 14 L/min in total gas feed rate and 3.6% in benzene concentration. In naphthalene, 2.5 in S/C ratio, 1 $kWh/m^3$ in SEI, 18.4 L/min in total gas feed rate and 1% in naphthalene concentration. The benzene decomposition efficiency was 95%, and the energy efficiency was 120 g/kWh. The naphthalene decomposition efficiency was 79%, and the energy yield was 68 g/kWh.