• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.382-389
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• 2013

Propionate is an important intermediate product during the methane fermentation of organic matter, and its degradation is crucial for maintaining the performance of an anaerobic digester. In order to understand the effect of temperature on propionate degradation, an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor with synthetic wastewater containing propionate as a sole carbon source was introduced. Under the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10 h and influent propionate of 2,000 mg/l condition, propionate removal was above 94% at 30-$35^{\circ}C$, whereas propionate conversion was inhibited when temperature was suddenly decreased stepwise from $30^{\circ}C$ to $25^{\circ}C$, to $20^{\circ}C$, and then to $18^{\circ}C$. After a long-term operation, the propionate removal at $25^{\circ}C$ resumed to the value at 30- $35^{\circ}C$, whereas that at $20^{\circ}C$ and $18^{\circ}C$ was still lower than the value at $35^{\circ}C$ by 8.1% and 20.7%, respectively. Microbial community composition analysis showed that Syntrophobacter and Pelotomaculum were the major propionate-oxidizing bacteria (POB), and most POB had not changed with temperature decrease in the UASB. However, two POB were enriched at $18^{\circ}C$, indicating they were low temperature tolerant. Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum were the dominant methanogens in this UASB and remained constant during temperature decrease. Although the POB and methanogenic composition hardly changed with temperature decrease, the specific $COD_{Pro}$ removal rate of anaerobic sludge (SCRR) was reduced by 21.4%-46.4% compared with the control ($35^{\circ}C$) in this system.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.10 no.S_1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2001

Effect of the addition of an enzyme/microbial additive(EMA) to enhance anaerobic digestion of the primary sludge was investigated. Two laboratory scale anaerobic digester were operated with primary sludge taken from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The digester receiving EMA with the sludge feed performed better than the control digester, when both were operated at 10-days and 15-days Solid Retention Time(SRT). Addition of EMA to the experimental digester provided 7%(10-days SRT) and 16%(15-days SRT) higher gas production compared to the control digester when both were fed with the same amount of volatile solids. The reduction in volatile solids was 24% better in the experimental digester compared to the control ar 10-days SRT, and the improvement 10% at 15-day SRT. Improvement in COD reduction, and fecal coliform density reduction were also seen in the experimental digester due to EMA addition compared to the control both ar 10-days SRT and 15-day SRT operation. Preliminary cost benefit analysis for a wastewater treatment plant showed that approximately $115/day in gas production improvements can be realized upon addition of EMA to primary sludge anaerobic digesters operating at 10-day SRT. The value of increased gas production was $172/day if the same digesters are operated with EMA addition at 15-day SRT.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.117-127
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• 1993

When incineration method is utilized as a disposal process of sludge, the treatment generally consists of thickening, dewatering and incineration, implying that sludge dewaterability has a colose relationship with operating condition of a thickener. Dewatering factors should be, therefore investigated for achieving effective sludge treatment. No research on this has been performed in Korea. This study has focused on the evaluation on the effects of thickener operating variables on sludge dewatering, including sludge feed types and retention time. Mixing ratio of the first and the second sludge and operation time were varied in order to observe the change of dewaterability and optimum input of chemical conditioner.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.220-226
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• 1997

To study the possibility of agricultural utilization of the municipal sewage and the industrial wastewater sludges, the chemical properties of soil, the growth response of corn plant and uptake of inorganic nutrients in plant tissues were investigated by application of the composts made of the sludges to the pots at the rate of 2,000kg/10a. The contents of organic matter, T-N, $P_2O_5$ and K in soil were increased by application of the composts. Each heavy metals contents in soil were increased very slightly by application of the composts. The fresh weights of corn plant were increased with $9{\sim}19%\;and\;60{\sim}79%$ at the plot of compost and NPK+composts in comparing with the plot of NPK, respectively. Uptake of N, $P_2O_5,\;K_2O$, CaO and MgO in stem and leaf of corn plant were increased by applications of the composts.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2016

Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology can be used to assess impacts on the environment that might be generated during treatment of wastewater and sludge treatment. In this work, LCA methodology was suggested to evaluate monthly environmental impact of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Two field scale WWTPs, A2/O process and conventional activated sludge process (CAS), were selected as target plants and the operational data were collected from those plants. As the function units, the unit volume of treated wastewater of $1m^3$ and 1 kg T-N eq. removed were selected. The environmental effect of target WWTPs operation were assessed as impact categories such as global warming potential, eutrophication potential, and so on. From monthly profiles of each index, it was shown that the environmental impact of WWTPs has seasonal patterns influenced by the influent flow rate variation causing higher impacts in winter than summer. This is due to the fact that there were no significant increase in the electricity consumption and chemical usage during the summer while the treated volume of wastewater was increased.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.238-244
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• 2005

This study performs the pilot-plant experiments to evaluate the effect of the oxygen enrichment on the co-incineration of municipal solid waste and organic sludge from a wastewater treatment facility. The design capacity of the stoker-type incinerator pilot-plant is 150 kg/h. Combustion chamber temperatures were measured as well as the stack gas concentrations, i.e., NOx, CO, and the residual oxygen. The maximum ratio of organic sludge waste to the total waste input is 30%. Also the oxygen-enriched air with 23% of oxygen in supplied air is used for stable combustion. As the co-incineration ratio of the sludge increased up to 30% of the total waste input, the primary and the secondary combustion chamber temperature was decreased $to900^{\circ}C$ (primary combustion chamber), $750^{\circ}C$(secondary combustion chamber), respectively, approximately $200^{\circ}C$ below the incineration temperature of the domestic waste only (primary: $1,100^{\circ}C$, secondary: $950^{\circ}C$). However, if the supplied air was enriched to 22% oxygen content in air, the incinerator temperature was high enough to burn the waste mixture with 30% sludge, which has the heating value of 1,600 kcal/kg.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.9-14
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• 2000

In this study, the removal efficiencies of organics, nitrogens and phosphorus from municipal wastewater using $A^2$/O process were investigated. BO $D_{5}$ removal efficiencies were indicated 95% and 94% with HRT of 12 hr and 10 hr, respectively. CO $D_{Cr}$ average removal efficiency and concentration of effluent were indicated 87% and 34mg/$\ell$. SS average removal efficiency and concentration of effluent were indicated 93% and 4~17mg/$\ell$. T-N removal efficiency and concentration of effluent were shown as 60~80% and below 15mg/$\ell$. In aerobic basin, removal efficiency of N $H_4$-N was shown over 97% with N $H_4$-N volume load 0.16kg N $H_4$-N/㎥.d and in anoxic basin, denitrification efficiency was indicated over 80% with return sludge rate 0.5Q and internal recirculation rate 2.5Q. Removal efficiency and effluent concentration of phosphorus were shown over 80% and below 2 mg/$\ell$ with return sludge rate 0.5Q.Q.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.551-558
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• 2007

From the view point of biological wastewater treatment, C/N ratio is one of the most important factor in biological nutrient removal process. However, municipal sewage in Korea is characterized by extremely low content of carbon source and relatively higher portion of N source. Accordingly, it is necessary to dose external carbon source in order to obtain higher degree of carbon source within the process. In this study, the effects of pH pretreatment as an alternative plan for increasing carbon source on the cell disruption and COD solubility of waste activated sludge were conducted under well defined experimental conditions. During 5 hours, the value of COD solubilization rate ($S_R$) at pH 11.5 is approximately 4.4 times higher than the value of $S_R$ at pH 9.5. It is expected that the level of SCOD increased due to the result from cell disruption. However, VSS/TSS ratio was not significantly changed after 5 hours. As Alkalinity changes gradually from less than 15, 30 and 60 meq NaOH/L, average RBCOD/SCOD fraction showed 34, 36 and 45%,respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.791-799
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• 2005

The phased isolation intra-clarifier ditch system used in this study is a simplified novel process enhancing simultaneous removal of biological nitrogen and phosphorus in municipal wastewater in terms of elimination of additional pre-anaerobic reactor, external clarifier, recycle of sludge, and nitrified effluent recirculation by employing intrachannel clarifier. Laboratory-scale phased isolation ditch system was used to assess the treatability on municipal wastewater. When the system was operated at the HRTs of 6~12hours, SRTs of 9~31days, and cycle times of 2~8hours, the system showed removals of BOD, TN, and TP as high as 88~97%, 70~84%, and 65~90%, respectively. The rainfall in Korea is generally concentrated in summer because of site-specific characteristics. Especially, the wet season has set in on June to August. In combined sewers, seasonal variations are primarily a function of the amount of stormwater that enters the system. In order to investigate the effect of hydraulic shock loading on system performance, the laboratory-scale system was operated at an HRT of 6hours (two times of influent flowrate) during two cycles (8hours). The system performance slightly decreased by increasing of influent flowrate and decreasing of system HRT. Nitrification efficiency and TN removal were slightly decreased by increasing of influent flowrate (decreasing of system HRT), whereas, the denitrification was not affected by hydraulic shock loading. However, the higher system performance could be achieved again after four cycles. Thus, the phased isolation technology for enhanced biological nutrient removal in medium- and small-scale wastewater treatment plants suffering fluctuation of influent quality and flowrate.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.318-327
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• 2000

Sludge production from water treatment plants is increasing each year because water resources deterioration is proceeding and water supply facilities are growing due to water demand increase. Water treatment plant sludges can be modified to soil cover in sanitary landfilling site through the lime treatment and other alternatives. The compression strength of $1.0kg/cm^2$ is necessary for the dozer operation on soft son cover material at municipal landfilling site. Modified sludge was experimentally produced in this study with lime, bentonite, loess, and activated loess dosing. X-ray diffraction patterns of the limed water treatment plant sludge confirmed the presence of calcium carbonate and ettringite. Unconfined compression strength properties of modified sludges showed material property improvement applicable for soil cover alternatives. When adding 20-30% activated loess to water treatment plant sludges. the modified sludges could reach the compression strength for cover soil after 7 days solidification reaction, but decrease of compression strength was intentioned in 28 days reaction period. Solidification effect of the modified sludge with activated loess was observed through the scanning electron microscope.