• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.275-285
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• 2008

The floc formation, breakage and reformation of humic acid by inorganic (alum and PAC) and organic coagulants (cationic polyelectrolytes) at several conditions (pH, ionic strength and floc breakage time) were examined and compared among the coagulants at different conditions using a continuous optical monitoring method, with controlled mixing and stirring conditions. For alum, the shapes of formation, breakage and reformation curves at different pH (5 and 7) were different, but the shapes and the sizes of initial floc and reformed floc were nearly the same in the absence and presence of electrolytes at pH 7. For PAC, similar shapes of the curves were obtained at different pH and ionic strength, but the sizes were different, except for those of reformed flocs at different pH. However, for these coagulants, reformed flocs after floc breakage, occurred irreversibly for all the conditions used in this study. For organic coagulants, the time to attain the initial plateau floc size, the extent of floc strength at high shear rate and reversibility of reformed floes were different, depending floc formation mechanism. Especially, for the cationic polyelectrolyte forming humic flocs by charge neutralization or electrostatic patch effect mechanism, reformed flocs occurred reversibly, regardless of pH and floc breakage time, but occurred irreversibly in the presence of electrolytes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.397-406
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• 2009

This study was conducted to monitor the floc sizes forming in the mixing zone in the water treatment plant. The dosing amount of poly aluminium chloride(PAC) was determined by particle dispersion analyzer(iPDA) in the lab and field scale test. During a field test period, PAC coagulant was used and the raw water was taken from Nakdong river. PAC wad diluted to activate the coagulant, leading to bring the more homogeneous dispersion in the shorter time. To monitor the floc sizes, the unit of floc size index(FSI) was used. With increasing of raw water turbidity, FSI value was increased. Also, the increased dosing amount of PAC brought the increased FSI and with overdosing of coagulant was in turn decreased. When the PAC was fed into the raw water after dilution in a field scale test, the width of FSI was narrower compared with the feeding of the mother liquor of PAC, implying that the formed flocs are denser and more uniform sizes. The width of FSI in average was varied on depending on the basicity of coagulant. Also, dF value, fractal dimension was evalued with the different coagulants, showing from 2.01 to 2.03. On-line floc monitor was effective for the optimal dosing in the drinking water plant.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

Aerobic floc-like sludge was formed in a batch reactor and the effect of cations on the formation of aerobic floc-like sludge was studied. In order to enhance the formation (rate) of aerobic floc-like sludge, cations such as $K^+$, $Na^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were added to the seed sludge. It was found that $Ca^{2+}$ had positive effect on the formation of floc-like sludge, as measured by sludge volume index (SVI) for settle ability. The formation of floc-like sludge was confirmed by the microscopic observation after DAPI staining. The scattered forms of sludge samples at the initial stage became aggregated to form floes after $Ca^{2+}$ addition. To ensure the functions of sludge floes in a treatment plant, the gradient of ionic species around the surfaces of floc-like sludge was monitored by ion selective microelectrodes for ${NH_4}^+,\;{NO_3}^-$, and pH. The effective concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ ion to form floc-like sludge was determined to be 750 mg/L (0.15 mg $Ca^{2+}/mg$ MLSS). Under the effective $Ca^{2+}$ condition, the SVI value was the lowest and large distribution of nitrifying bacteria at the outer surface was observed in the aerobic floc-like sludge. From the results, it was found that the calcium ion functioned as an agent for the formation of aerobic floc-like sludge, resulting in the enhanced nitrification.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.715-722
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• 2014

Effects of coagulation types on flocculation were investigated by using a photometric dispersion analyzer (PDA) as an on-line monitoring technique in this study. Nakdong River water were used and alum and ferric chloride were used as coagulants. The aim of this study is to compare the coagulation characteristics of alum and ferric chloride by a photometric dispersion analyzer (PDA). Floc growing rates ($R_v$) in three different water temperatures ($4^{\circ}C$, $16^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$) and coagulants doses (0.15 mM, 0.20 mM and 0.25 mM as Al, Fe) were measured. The floc growing rate ($R_v$) by alum was 1.8~2.8 times higher than that of ferric chloride during rapid mixing period, however, for 0.15 mM~0.25 mM coagulant doses the floc growing rate ($R_v$) by ferric chloride was 1.1~2.3 times higher than that of alum in the slow mixing period at $16^{\circ}C$ water temperature. Reasonable coagulant doses of alum and ferric chloride for turbidity removal were 0.1 mM (as Al) and 0.2 mM (as Fe), respectively, and the removal efficiency of those coagulant doses showed 94% for alum and 97% for ferric chloride. The appropriate coagulant dose of alum and ferric chloride for removing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) showed about 0.3 mM (as Al, Fe) and at this dosage, DOC removal efficiencies were 36% and 44%, and ferric chloride was superior to the alum for removal of the DOC in water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.235-241
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• 2004

The dissolved air flotation (DAF) process has been widely used for removing suspended solids with low density in water. It has been known as measuring the size of microbubbles precisely which move upward rapidly in contact zone is difficult. In this study particle counter monitoring (PCM) method is used to measure the rising microbubble after injection from a nozzle. Size and distribution curve of microbubbles are evaluated at different conditions such as pressure drop at intermediate valve, length of pipeline between saturation tank and nozzle and low pressure. And the efficiency is also checked when it collides with different size floc. The experimental results show the following fact. As the final pressure drop occurred closer to a nozzle, the bubble size became smaller. And small bubble collides with large floc as well as small one because of its physical characteristic. However large bubble collides well with large floc rather than small one since hydrodynamic flow in streamline interferes to collide between two. With performing computational process by mathematical model we have analyzed and verified the size effect between bubble and floc. Collision efficiency is the highest when P/B ratio shows in the range of 0.75 < P/B ratio ($R_{particle/Rbubble}$) < 2.0.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.263-271
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• 2009

This study evaluated the flocs forming characteristics in the mixing zone to increase the coagulation effect in the drinking water plant. As a measuring tool of formed flocs, on-line particle dispersion analyzer (iPDA) was used in Y drinking water plant. To evaluate the forming flocs, many parameters such as poly amine, coagulant dosing amount, raw water turbidity, and pH was applied in this study. During the periods of field test, poly aluminium chloride (PACl) as a coagulant was used. With the increase of the raw water turbidities, poly amine was also added as one of aids for increasing in coagulation efficiency. The turbidity and pH of raw water was ranged from 7 to 9 and from 25 to 140 NTU, respectively. The increasing of raw water turbidity brought the bigger floc sizes accordingly. From a regression analysis, $R^2$ value was 0.8040 as a function of T, raw water turbidity. Floc size index (FSI) was obtained from a correlation equation as follows; FSI = 0.9388logT - 0.3214 Also, polyamine gave the bigger flocs the moment it is added to the coagulated water in the rapid mixing zone. One of parameters influencing the floc sizes was the addition of powdered active carbon(PAC) in the mixing zone. In case of higher turbidity of raw water, $R^2$ value was 0.9050 in the parameters of [PACl] and [PAC]; FSI = $0.0407[T]^{0.324}[PACI]^{0.769}[PAC]^{0.178}$ On-line floc monitor was beneficial to evaluate the flocs sizes depending on the many parameters consisting raw water properties, bring the profitable basic data to control the mixing zone more effectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2016

Micro-algae, one of the biological resources for alternative energy, has been heavily studied. Among various methods to analyze the status of the micro-algae including counting, screening, and flocculation, the flocculation approach has been widely accepted in many critical applications such as red tide removal study or microalgae resource study. To characterize the flocculation status of the micro-alga. A traditional optical modality, i.e., photospectrometry, measuring the optical density of the flocs has been frequently employed. While this traditional optical method needs shorter time than the counting method in flocculation status analysis, it has relatively lower detection accuracy. To address this issue, a novel real-time micro-algae flocculation analysis method based on the lens-free shadow imaging technique (LSIT) is introduced. Both single cell detection and floc detection are simultaneously available with a proposed lens-free shadow image, confirmed by comparing the results with optical microscope images. And three shadow parameters, e.g., number of flocs, effective area of flocs, and maximum size of floc, enabling quantification of the flocculation phenomenon of micro-alga, are firstly demonstrated in this article. The efficacy of each shadow parameter is verified with the real-time flocculation monitoring experiments using custom developed cohesive agents.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2011

A simple and rapid method was developed for monitoring of Gram-positive bacteria in the wastewater treatment system. Culture suspensions of 4 Gram-positive and 4 Gram-negative strains were filtrated and stained with a polyethersulfone membrane filter and Toluidine Blue-O. To establish quantitative color image analysis, the intensity value of RGB (red-green-blue) color of a scanned filter image was analyzed with a photographic program. Red and green color values of Gram-positive bacteria were higher than those of Gram-negative bacteria. This method was applied to the activated sludge mixed with the Gram-positive bacteria. Although evaluation was difficult due to the irregular size and shape of flocs, the population of Gram-positive bacteria in the activated sludge could be monitored with floc dispersion technique. The more amounts of Gram-positive bacteria in the activated sludge led to the increase of red and green color values. This method provides a rapid and quantitative measurement of Gram-positive bacteria within the wastewater treatment systems.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2019

Juvenile Paralichthys olivaceus (mean weight 685.3±36.7 g) were raised in different and closed recirculating bio-floc system (control, bio-ball, and shelter) for 7 months. The water environment such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, and alkalinity according to the difference of closed recirculating system remained stable during the rearing period. No significant changes were observed in dissolved inorganic nitrogen such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were observed in different closed recirculation system. The final weights according to the difference of closed recirculating were 1,524 g (control), 1,674 g (bio-ball), and 1,630 g (shelter). The survival rate was higher than 98%, and the final FCRs (Feed coefficient ratio) were 1.2, 1.1, and 1.2. The results of this study indicated high growth and survival rate in all systems.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 2007

Effects of alum dosage on the particle growth were investigated by monitoring particle counts in a rapid mixing process. Kaolin was used for turbid water sample and several other chemicals were added to adjust pH and ionic strength. The range of velocity gradient and mixing time applied for rapid mixing were $200{\sim}300sec^{-1}$ and 30~180 sec, respectively. Particle distribution in the synthetic water sample was close to the natural water where their turbidity was same. The number of particles in the range of $10.0{\sim}12.0{\mu}m$ increased rapidly with rapid mixing time at alum dose of 20mg/L, however, the number of $8.0{\sim}9.0{\mu}m$ particles increased at alum dose of 50mg/L. The number of $14.0{\sim}25.0{\mu}m$ particles at alum dose of 20mg/L was 10 times higher than them at alum dose of 50mg/L. Dominant particle growth was monitored at the lower alum dose than the optimum dose from a jar test at an extended rapid mixing time(about 120 sec). The number of $8.0{\sim}14.0{\mu}m$ particles was lower both at a higher alum doses and higher G values. At G value of $200sec^{-1}$ and at alum dose of 10-20mg/L, residual turbidity was lower as the mixing time increased. But at alum dose above 40mg/L and at same G value, lower residual turbidity occurred in a short rapid mixing time. Low residual turbidity at G value of $300sec^{-1}$ occurred both at lower alum doses and at shorter mixing time comparing to the results at G value of $200sec^{-1}$.