• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.131-140
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• 2008

The application of magnetic ion exchange resin($MIEX^{(R)}$) is effective for natural organic matter(NOM) removal and for control of the formation of disinfection byproducts(DBPs). NOM removal is also enhanced by adding $MIEX^{(R)}$ with coagulant such as polyaluminium chloride(PACl) in conventional drinking water treatment systems. In the application of $MIEX^{(R)}$, it is important to understand changes of NOM characteristics such as hydrophobicity and molecular weight distributions with $MIEX^{(R)}$ or $MIEX^{(R)}$+coagulant treatment.To observe characteristics of NOM by treatment with $MIEX^{(R)}$ or $MIEX^{(R)}$+coagulant, four major drinking water sources were employed. Results showed that the addition of $MIEX^{(R)}$ to coagulation significantly reduced the amount of coagulant required for the optimum removal of dissolved organic matter(DOC) and turbidity in the all four waters. The DOC removal was also increased approximately 20%, compared to coagulant treatment alone. The process with $MIEX^{(R)}$ and coagulant showed that complementary removal of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fraction of DOC. The combined processes preferentially removed the fractions of intermediate (3,000-10,000 Da) and low (< 500 Da) molecular weight. The microfiltration test showed that membrane cake resistance was decreased for waters with flocs from $MIEX^{(R)}$+coagulant. A porous layer was formed to $MIEX^{(R)}$ on the membrane surface and the layer consequently inhibited settling of coagulant flocs, which could act on a foulant.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.148-156
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• 2012

In this research, the application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modified PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) membrane was tested as a simply and beginning attempt to overcome membrane fouling because CNTs importantly affect the transport of natural organic matter (NOM). Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA) as the representative of NOM was selected and its sorption results with single-walled CNT (SWCNT), multi-walled CNT (MWCNT), and oxidized MWCNT (O-MWCNT) were obtained through the batch experiment. SRFA sorption isotherms had a strong nonlinearity and its sorption capacity followed the order O-MWCNT < MWCNT < SWCNT. The adsorbed mass of SRFA on each CNT decreased as a function of pH due to their charge repulsion. For the CNT-PVDF membrane filtration experiments, the suspended CNT solution (10 mg/40 mL) was incorporated into $0.45{\mu}m$-PVDF membrane and 5 mg/L of SRFA solution was monitored using UV detector connected with high pressure pump after passing through CNT-PVDF membrane. The SRFA removal efficiency by MWCNT-PVDF membrane was the strongest among other modified membranes. This suggests that the CNT modified microfiltration (MF) membrane might effectively and selectively apply to treat the contaminated water including organic compounds in the presence of NOM.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2007

A feasibility test was conducted to evaluate the addition of turbidity substance in a coagulation process to remove natural organic matters (NOM), the precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The experimental water sources were synthetic water containing 5 mg/L of humic acid and 50 mg/L of NaHCO3 and drinking water resource of Ulsan city (S Dam water, D Dam water and Nak-Dong raw water). The examined turbidity substances were kaolin, acid clay, and modified clay (0.38 meq $NH_4{^+}-N/g$ clay). In Jar tests at different concentrations of the turbidity substances (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 mg/L) using the synthetic water, the turbidity substances improved the removal of turbidity, UV-254 absorbance and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by 23.8-38.1%, 17.0-24.5% and 2.5-44.5%, respectively. The modified clay showed higher removal efficiencies than other substances. In Jar tests using the drinking water, 10 and 20 mg/L of modified clay enhanced the removal efficiencies of turbidity, UV-254 absorbance, DOC, trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP), and haloacetic acid formation potential (HAAFP) by 3.0~4.3%, 19.1~29.0%, 12~34.9%, 4.9~36.7%, and 1.6~30.2%, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.843-849
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• 2007

Monitoring of NOM characteristics is important for improving removal efficiency of natural organic matter (NOM) in water treatment processes. In this study, several NOM characteristics, which include specific UV absorbance (SUVA), total carbonate content, molecular weight distribution, and fluorescence properties, were measured using samples collected from a pilot-scale water treatment plant consisting of coagulation/flocculation (C/F), filtration, ozonation and granular activated carbon (GAC) processes. The highest removal of NOM was observed in C/F and filtration processes as demonstrated by the reduction of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by 25% and 21%, respectively. Despite nearly no change in DOC, however, the lowest SUVA value and the highest total carbohydrate content were observed in the sample from ozonation process. This indicates that non-degradable aromatic compounds become depleted and biodegradable organic compounds are enriched during the process. Comparison of synchronous fluorescence spectra of the samples showed that ozoation process increased protein-like fluorescence while it decreased fulvic-like and terrestrial humic-like fluorescence. Consistently, a slight peak of protein-like fluorescence was observed in the sample from ozonation process. The greatest change in molecular weight distributions of the samples was observed in C/F process. Comparison of size exclusion chromatogram of the samples revealed that NOM fractions with the molecular weight greater than 2000 Da were reduced by over 90% after C/F process. SUVA values and total carbohydrate content of the samples were well correlated with a ratio of protein-like fluorescence and terrestrial humic-like fluorescence intensities with the correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.91, respectively. This suggests that synchronous fluorescence properties of NOM could be used as useful tolls for monitoring changes of some NOM characteristics during water treatment processes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.395-407
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• 2007

Disinfection by-products(DBPs) are formed through the reaction between chlorine and natural organic matter(NOM) in water treatment. For reducing the formation of chlorinated DBPs in the drinking water treatment, there is a need to evaluate the behavior of NOM fractions and the occurrence of DBPs for each fraction. Among the six fractions of NOM, the removal of HPOA and HPIN got accomplished through coagulation and sedimentation processes. Advanced water treatment processes were found to be most significant to remove the HPOA and HPON. It was found that HPOA made the most THMFP level than any other fractions and HPIA and HPOA formed higher HAAFP. The fraction of NOM with MW less than 1k Da was 32.5~54.3% in intake raw water. Mostly the organic matter with MW more than 1k Da was removed through coagulation and sedimentation in the drinking water treatment processes. In case of advanced water treatment processes, the organic matter with MW 1k~100k Da decreased by means of ozone oxidation for high molecular weight substances. As the result low molecular organic matter increased. In the BAC and GAC processes, the organic matter with MW less than 100k Da decreased.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1337-1344
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• 2007

In this research, we synthesized potassium ferrate(VI) acting as an oxidant, disinfectant, and coagulant, and used it to treat natural organic matter(NOM, HA and FA) in river water. The removal efficiencies obtained by $UV_{254}$ ranged from 20.7 to 73.6% for 10 mg/L HA and from 52.6 to 77.5% for 10 mg/L FA in Nakdong river sample as the ferrate dose varied from 2 to 46 mg/L(as Fe). However, the removal efficiencies by TOC analysis ranged from 0 to 20.3% for HA and from 0 to 26.6% for FA at the same ferrate doses. The removal efficiencies of NOM increased either with decreasing pH or with increasing temperature. The removal efficiency of HA by ferrate was comparable to those by traditional coagulants such as $Al_2(SO_4)_3{\cdot}18H_2O$, $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, and FeO(OH). The reaction between ferrate and HA reached a steady state within 60 seconds, showing first-order with respect to the reaction time. The removal efficiencies of HA by traditional coagulants were improved by pretreatment of HA using a small amount of ferrate.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1253-1261
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• 2000

Natural organic matter (NOM) which occurs ubiquitously in both surface and ground waters, consists of both humic (i.e., humic and fulvic acids) and nonhumic components. NOM in general as well as certain constituents are problematic in water treatment. From a regulatory perspective, concerns focus upon the role of NOM constituents as disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors. The fractionation of NOM through water treatment processes can provide insight into treatment process selection and applicability. Problematic NOM fractions can be targeted for removal or transformation. Significant source-related differences in NOM were observed among various source waters. This study found that bulk Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) concentration was hardly removed by oxidation process. Oxidation transformed high Molecular Weight (MW) hydrophobic fraction into low MW hydrophilic fraction. Ozone reduced s-pecific Ultraviolet Absorbance (SUVA) value more than chlorine. High MW hydrophobic fraction was effectively removed by coagulation process. About 50% of Trihalomethane Formation Potential (THMFP) was removed by coagulation process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.237-246
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• 2010

This study was carried out to compare the performances of hydrophobic and hydrophilic membranes in the filtration of the pretreatment waters using coagulants such as PAC and PAHCs, and to investigate the influence of NOM characteristics on the fouling of membranes. As a result, the hydrophobic fraction was more effectively removed by PAHCs, however the transphilic and hydrophilic fraction were more effectively removed by PAC on NOM removal. Raw water showed the highest response in the range of humic substances, and pre-coagulated waters with PAC and PAHCs followed. It was also observed that the fouling effect for a hydrophobic membrane was greater than that of a hydrophilic membrane with a similar pore size, due to fouling caused by adsorption. Foulants causing significant flux decline were alcoholic compounds (polysaccharide-like) and humic substances including aromatic groups. Especially, it appeared that alcoholic compounds such as polysaccharide-like substances which mostly remained after coagulation pretreatment had most influence on fouling. It was found that fouling were influenced by each fraction NOM components depending on coagulants used. And PAHCs was more efficient for membrane fouling than PAC.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.332-336
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• 2001

This paper is intended as an application of the biological rope media sedimentation tank using biodegradability of BAC(Biological activated carbon) to the drinking water treatment system for the removal of NOM. The removal of DOC(Dissolved organic carbon), UV absorbance(UV$\_$254/), and turbidity were evaluated under various operation condition of a biological rope media sedimentation tank such as raw water-media process (Media 1), ozonation-media process (Media 2), and ozonation-coagulation/sedimentation-media process (Media 3). The raw water had DOC concentration of 1.3∼3.4 mg/L, UV$\_$254/ of 0.027∼0.039 cm$\^$-1/, and turbidity of 0.3∼4.5 NTU, respectively. The average DOC concentration were 2.2 mg/L in media 1, 1.8 mg/L in media 2, and 1.3 mg/l in media 3 from raw water, respectively. On the other hand, the DOC concentration in conventional sedimentation tank was 1.5 mg/l. Higher removal of the DOC was noted in media 3 than media 1 and media 2. The UV$\_$254/ of the treated water were 0.037 cm$\^$-1/ in media 1, 0.027 cm$\^$-1/ in media 2, and 0.014 cm$\^$-1/ in media 3 from raw water, respectively The UV$\_$254/ in conventional sedimentation tank was 0.014 cm$\^$-1/ which is similar to that of media 3. Average turbidity of the treated water was 1.1 NTU in media 1, 0.9 NTU in media 2, and 0.5 NTU in media 3, respectively. It is expected that the biological rope media sedimentation tank is a good alternative over the conventional sedimentation process from these results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.653-661
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• 2007

The Disinfectants/Disinfection By-products (D/DBP) Rule proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency requires the implementation of enhanced coagulation as a control strategy for natural organic matter (NOM) removal and as a means of limiting the formation of all DBPs, i.e., not just the trihalomethanes and haloacetica acids. To control DBP formation, several best available technologies (BATs) were determined for removal of DBPs and DBP precursors. The enhanced coagulation is one of the BATs for DBP precursors removal. Treatment facilities that achieve a specified percent removal of total organic carbon (TOC) prior to the application of a continuous disinfectant or that achieve a residual TOC concentration < 2mg/L prior to the application of a continuous disinfectant are considered to be in compliance with enhanced coagulation. The enhanced coagulation was applied to raw water in Korea, the Han River. Raw water were examined and effects of different raw water qualities on enhanced coagulation were investigated. Three analyses were used for raw water characteristics, water quality measurement, molecular weight distributions, hydrophobic/hydrophilic fractionation. The Han River had the relatively low alkalinity and low organic carbon concentration. The results of molecular weight distributions showed significant portions of low molecular weight organics, which is very different from most water in USA. The alum doses for the required TOC removal guided from USEPA manual were quite low (i.e. 10~30 mg/L alum) for the water, probably due to the specific water quality of the Han River.