• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2022

Al₂O₃ positively charged nanofiltration composite membrane was successfully prepared with aluminate coupling agent (ACA) as modifier, sodium bisulfite (NaHSO₃) and potassium persulfate (K₂S₂O₈) as initiator and methacryloyloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (DMC) as crosslinking monomer. The surface of the membrane before grafting and after polymerization were characterized by SEM and FT-IR. Three factor and three-level orthogonal experiments were designed to explore the optimal conditions for membrane preparation, and the optimal group was successfully prepared. The filtration experiments of different salt solutions were carried out, and the retention molecular weight was determined by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The results showed that the polymerization temperature had the greatest effect on the rejection rate, followed by the reaction time, and the concentration of DMC had the least effect on the rejection rate. The rejection rates of CaCl₂, MgSO₄, NaCl and Na₂SO₄ in the optimal group were 83.8%, 81.3%, 28.1% and 23.6% (average value), respectively. The molecule weight cut-off of 90% (MWCO) of the optimal group was about 460, which belongs to nanofiltration membrane.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2022

In the present study, we compared the adsorption capacity of Pb (II) from contaminated water of used cardboard (UC) and a commercial powdered activated carbon (PAC), the latter has been characterized by different techniques, namely X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), wavelength dispersion x-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and surface area B.E.T analyzer. The effect of various parameters, such as the pH, the contact time, the amount of adsorbent, and the temperature on the adsorption of Pb (II) on both materials was investigated. The Pb (II) adsorptions are perfectly described by a pseudo-second-order model, while the intraparticle diffusion is a decisive step after the first minutes of contact. The fit to the Langmuir and Redlich-Peterson models seems perfect for these adsorption reactions. (PAC) showed a greater affinity for Pb (II) compared to (UC) and the adsorption of Pb (II) ions is strongly pH-dependent, on the other hand, the increase in temperature doesn't have much influence on the two solids. This study showed that the capacity of (UC) to adsorb Pb (II) from an aqueous solution is greater than two-thirds of that of (PAC).

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2022

The regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have been steadily strengthened in ship emissions. Accordingly, there is a growing need for development of related technologies for the removal of contaminants that may occur during the treatment of SOx and NOx using a wet scrubber. However, this system also leads to wastewater production when the exhaust gas is scrubbed. In this research, we evaluated the performance of an ion selective resin process in accordance with scrubber wastewater discharge regulations, specifically nitrate discharge, by the IMO. Accelerated real and synthetic wastewater of wet scrubbers, contained high amounts of TDS with high nitrate, is used as feed water in lab scale systems. Furthermore, a pilot scale dissolved air flotation (DAF) using microbubble generator with ion exchange resin process was combined and developed in order to apply for the treatment of wet scrubber wastewater. The results of the present study revealed that operating conditions, such as resin property, bed volume (BV), and inlet wastewater flow rate, significantly affect the removal performance. Finally, through a pilot test, DAF with ion exchange resin process showed a noticeable improvement of the nitrate removal rate compared to the single DAF process.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2022

Seawater desalination is doubtlessly a viable option to supply fresh drinking water. Nevertheless, RO (reverse osmosis) desalination plants in specific areas may be intermittently operated to match the imbalance between water demand and supply. Although a handful of works have been done on other membrane systems, few studies have attempted to mitigate fouling in intermittent RO systems. Accordingly, the objectives of this paper were to examine the effect of the intermittent operation on RO fouling; and to compare four intermittent operation modes including feed solution recirculation, membrane storage in the feed solution, deionized water (DI) recirculation, and membrane storage in DI water. Results showed that intermittent operation reduced RO fouling under several conditions. However, the extents of fouling mitigation were different depending on the feed conditions, foulant types, and membrane lay-up methods. When the feed solution was recirculated during the lay-up, the restoration of the flux was less significant than that by the feed solution feed-up. The use of deionized water during the lay-up was effective to restore flux, especially when the feed solution contains scale-forming salts (CaSO₄) and/or colloidal silica.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the immediate effects of applying ankle eversion taping using kinesiology tape in chronic stroke patients-design: a randomized cross-over trial. METHODS: Seventeen stroke patients underwent three interventions in random order. The subjects were initially assigned randomly to an ankle eversion taping, placebo taping, or no taping for each intervention. Ankle eversion taping was used for mechanical correction and was involved in ankle dorsiflexion and eversion. The tape was stretched by 30-40%. Placebo tapping was applied in the same form as eversion tapping but was not stretched. The balance ability was assessed using the Y-balance test. The gait ability was assessed by maximum foot pressure and time of stance phase, and gait speed was assessed using a 10 m walk test (10MWT). All measurements were performed immediately after the intervention. RESULTS: The results showed that the dynamic balance and stance phase time in chronic stroke patients was improved after ankle eversion taping. The ankle eversion taping conditions increased significantly (p < .05) compared to the placebo and no taping conditions. CONCLUSION: The application of ankle eversion taping that uses kinesiology tape instantly increased the gait ability of chronic stroke patients. On the other hand, more research will be needed to identify the long-term effects of ankle eversion taping.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2024

Biological nutrient removal is gaining increasing attention in wastewater treatment plants; however, it is adversely affected by low temperatures. This study examined temperature effects on nutrient removal and morphological stability of the granular and denitrifying phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO and DPAO, respectively) using sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) at 5, 10, and 20 ℃. Lab-scale SBRs were continuously operated using anaerobic-anoxic and anaerobic-oxic cycles to develop the PAO and DPAO granules for 230 d. Sludge granulation in the two SBRs was observed after approximately 200 d. The average removal efficiency of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and PO₄^3--P remained >90% throughout, even when the temperature dropped to 5 ℃. The average removal efficiency of NO₃^--N remained >80% consistently in DPAO SBR. However, nitrification drastically decreased at 10 ℃. Hence, the removal efficiency of NH₄⁺-N was decreased from 99.1% to 54.5% in PAO SBR. Owing to the increased oxygen penetration depth at low temperatures, the influence on nitrification rates was limited. The granule in DPAO and PAO SBR was observed to be unstable and disintegrated at 10 ℃. In conclusion, morphological characteristics showed that changed conversion rates at low temperatures in aerobic granular sludge altered both nutrient removal efficiencies and granule formation.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2024

This study presents the characteristics of growth and morphology of Anabaena sp., a representative filamentous cyanobacterium, depending on temperature variation from 10 to 30 ℃. Both the filament density (or number) and its length of Anabaena were highly affected by temperature, as well as growth stage. Rapid growth at a higher temperature led to an increase in Anabaena filament density, as well as optical density at 680 nm (OD₆₈₀). However, the number of vegetative cells within a single filament of Anabaena grown at 30 ℃ was smaller than those grown at lower temperatures, due to the intercalary division of the filament. Of the three different cells comprising a single Anabaena filament, the vegetative cell marginally affects the growth of Anabaena. The main dimensions of the vegetative cell, i.e., length and width, depend on the temperature and growth stage. The length-to-width (L/W) ratios of vegetative cells and akinetes were relatively consistent regardless of the temperature. However, in vegetative cells with dichotomous growth, the L/W ratio shows clear differences depending on their growth stage. It has been demonstrated that the L/W ratio could be used as an indicator to indirectly predict the growth stage of on-sit Anabaena samples.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2024

The flow in a nanopore of filtration membrane is often multiscale and consists of both the adsorbed layer flow and the intermediate continuum fluid flow. There is a controversy on which interface the slippage should occur in the nanopore filtration: On the adsorbed layer-pore wall interface or on the adsorbed layer-continuum fluid interface? What is the difference between these two slippage effects? We address these subjects in the present study by using the multiscale flow equations incorporating the slippage on different interfaces. Based on the limiting shear strength model for the slippage, it was found from the calculation results that for the hydrophobic pore wall the slippage surely occurs on the adsorbed layer-pore wall interface, however for the hydrophilic pore wall, the slippage can occur on either of the two interfaces, dependent on the competition between the interfacial shear strength on the adsorbed layer-pore wall interface and that on the adsorbed layer-continuum fluid interface. Since the slippage on the adsorbed layer-pore wall interface can be designed while that on the adsorbed layer-continuum fluid interface can not, the former slippage can result in the flux through the nanopore much higher than the latter slippage by designing a highly hydrophobic pore wall surface. The obtained results are of significant interest to the design and application of the interfacial slippage in nanoporous filtration membranes for both improving the flux and conserving the energy cost.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2024

Presence of hazardous dyes in water cause considerable risks to the human health and environment due to their potential toxicity and ecological disruptions. Therefore, in the present research, to suggest an alternative method for the retention of toxic Azocarmine G (ACG) dye from aqueous media, natural and H₂SO₄-modified acacia sawdust were performed for the first time as low-cost and efficient adsorbents. Based on batch experiments, it was determined that the best conditions for the developed dye retention process were an initial pH of 2.0 and an equilibrium time of 240 min. Analysis of the data using both pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetic models showed that the retention of ACG onto the adsorbents predominantly occurred through chemical adsorption. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models were employed to provide insights into the interaction between the adsorbate and adsorbent and the mechanism of the adsorption process. Maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of natural and H₂SO₄-modified acacia sawdust were determined as 28.01 and 64.90 mg g^-1, respectively by Langmuir isotherm model. Results of the study clearly indicated that the modification of acacia sawdust with H₂SO₄ leads to a substantial increase in the adsorption performance of anionic dyes.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.181-189
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• 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased demand for chlorine-based sanitizing solutions, most of which contain hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as an active agent. Free chlorine (HOCl) in these sanitizers is crucial for their efficacy. Disposable test strips are affordable and convenient tools for determining various qualitative and quantitative parameters. In this study, disposable opto-chemical test strips were developed by physically immobilizing 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and o-dianisidine (o-D) reagents on chromatography and filter paper-based test strips for the visualization and detection of free chlorine in the form of HOCl. The reagents undergo a rapid color change upon reaction with chlorine through a redox reaction. The paper-based test strips showed rapid color change within a minute and a low sample volume requirement (1 ml). This portable, disposable paper-based test strip is a simple and cost-effective way to rapidly detect the presence of HOCl sanitizers for home and field applications. Both TMB and o-D successfully detected chlorine. Chromatography paper proved to be the more efficient option among the two papers used as substrates for the reagents (TMB and o-D). It exhibited high retention capacity and high performance in terms of color transformation when reacting with HOCl, even after two months of storage.