• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.393-399
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• 2013

To control organic matters, it needs to manage not only biodegradable organic matters but also refractory organic matters. Refractory organic matters from municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater, non-point sources and etc., have been continuously discharged to the near watersheds. It is estimated that the refractory organic matter ratios are continuously increased in waterbody. In watersheds of the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), it was investigated that COD/BOD ratios increased in many unit watersheds of the 4 major river basins. The portions COD/BOD ratios increased were found to be a 97% of Geum River unit watersheds, a 81% of Yeongsan/Seumjin River unit watersheds, a 78% of Nakdong River unit watersheds, a 70% of Han River unit watersheds, respectively. Therefore, it has become important for establishment of effective management strategies to control refractory organic matter in watersheds of the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). In order to properly manage organic matters including refractory organic matters, the present organic indicator (BOD) has to be converted to TOC (or COD). Compared to COD and BOD, TOC, as a organic matter indicator, is evaluated more appropriate.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.306-313
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• 2011

In this paper, runoff characteristics of South-Han river watershed in terms of refractory organic matters were investigated. The concentrations of DOC, POC, R-DOC, R-POC in runoff and flow rates were determined by monitoring 27 times in dry season and 4 times in rainy season. The concentrations of the dissolved refractory organic matter, R-DOC was the lowest in fall and similar in the other dry seasons. The particulate refractory organic matter, R-POC showed less fluctuation than R-DOC. In summer, mass loading was the highest than other dry seasons. The concentrations of R-DOC, R-POC were showed to be affected by runoff volume. The mass loading grows higher as runoff volume gets higher.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.397-404
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• 2011

This research investigates the runoff characteristics of refractory organic matters from Kyongan river watershed. Samples were taken 27 times during dry season, 4 times during rain events and analyzed into flow rate, Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), Refractory Dissolved Organic Carbon (R-DOC), Refractory Particulate Organic Carbon (R-POC). R-DOC during dry season was the lowest in winter and showed a rising tendency in spring and R-POC changes less than R-DOC. The mass loading of Refractory Total Organic Carbon (R-TOC) in summer takes approximately 80% of 1 year mass loading. During rainy season, EMC of R-DOC was similar to R-DOC in dry season. But maximum EMC of R-POC was 12 times higher than that of R-POC in dry season. Results of the survey show that enhanced management of R-DOC in dry season and R-POC in rainy season is needed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.26-26
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• 2004

This study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of dissolved orgamc matters based on their origins. The dissolved organic carbon(DOC) represents an index for dissolved organic matter and basically regarded as a source of organic pollution. The monthly variations and vertical profiles of dissolved organic carbon(DOC) in Kumoh reservoir were surveyed from May 2001 to April 2002. In addition, other areas such as river, reservoir, sewage and industrial wastewater were also surveyed in summer 2001. Kumoh reservoir was divided with depth into three layers .: epilimnion, metalimnion and hypolimnion. The proportion of total DOC(T-DOC) was classified by labile DOC(L-DOC) and refractory DOC(R-DOC) on the basis of long-term incubation. DOC of freshwater and Kumoh reservoir was ranged to be 1.6~4.1 mgC/L and 2.1~4.0 mgC/L, respectively. L-DOC accounted for 3~30% of DOC from watershed. Therefore, refractory dissolved organic carbon(R-DOC) was major component of DOC in the watershed. The decomposition rate(k) ranged from 0.008 $d^{-1}$ to 0.083 $d^{-1}$ in Kumoh reservoir. The highest decomposition rate(k) was observed at River Hoein III freshwater. Therefore, modified total organic carbon analyzer is needed to be applied for effective management of dissolved organic matter.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.353-358
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• 2017

As a drinking water source of 26 millions people of Seoul metropolitan region, Han river is one of the most important basin. Managing the Non-point source pollution which is regarded as the main cause of water pollution including refractory organic matter is important thing. This research investigates the runoff characteristics of organic matters from main 3 rivers (South Han, North Han, Kyungan). Water quality measurement items include not only carbon-based TOC (Total Organic Carbon), DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon), POC (Particulate Organic Carbon) but also R-TOC (Refractory Total Organic Carbon), R-DOC (Refractory Dissolved Organic Carbon), R-POC (Refractory Particulate Organic Carbon) is researched. The research shows that R-TOC takes approximately 61~83% of TOC. Most of the R-TOC is consist of R-DOC (72~77%). Refractory organic matter have a stable runoff characteristics compared to other organic matter. The organic matter concentrations of South Han river and Kyungan river are the highest in spring time and show a gradual decline. The concentrations of Kyunan river is the highest. Kyungan river's small area and the high city land use ratio seem to be the reason. Loading of organic matter in summer time takes the most loading (62~84%). TOC loadings per unit area of each river is Kyungan river ($1.22ton/km^2$), South Han river ($1.01ton/km^2$), North Han river ($0.91ton/km^2$).

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.409-422
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to find the characteristics of organic matters based on the distribution and oxidation rates, as noted according to the spatial and temporal variations from 2008 to 2016. Generally speaking, the Han River system is separated into one lower course and two upper courses which are the Namhan River and Bukhan River. The seasonal factor is one of the most important causes of water quality changing in both of the upper courses as a result of a few pollution sources. The concentration of organic matter was measured as higher in the lower course into which great streams with point and non-point sources were identified. According to seasonal variations, however, the change of the organic matter in the lower course is comparatively slighter than that of organic matters in the upper courses. The oxidation rates related to the BOD were 15 %, 17 % and 26 % in the Bukhan River, Namhan River and the lower course, respectively. These results could be explained that more biodegradable organic matter were seen to have existed in the lower courses comparing to the activity in the upper course. The oxidation rates of the BOD were noted as relatively higher in the eutrophicated places with phytoplankton. Therefore the BOD is one of the good index models to find the characteristic of the eutrophicated water. On the other hand BOD would not be enough to estimate concentration of refractory organic matters in the Bukhan and Namhan river. Consequently, both of the TOC and BOD are necessary indices to understand the identified refractory and/or biodegradable characteristics of organic matter.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2012

This study investigated the water quality of effluents from the wastewater treatment plants, located at the Gumi Complex 4, Gumi, and Wonpyong, in Gumi. DOC accounted for higher than 70% of TOC, and oxidation efficiencies, calculated from carbon, were 13~43% for BOD and 37~73% for CODMn, respectively. Based on the biological decomposition experiments, R-DOC account for higher than 70% of DOC, mostly being occupied by refractory organic matters. This indicated that the biodegradable organics occupied more proportions of organic loadings than the refractory organics. The effect of the organics from a discharge of a sewage treatment plant on rivers, Gumi industrial Complex 4, Gumi, and Wonpyong on lower streams of the Nakdong River were found to be 15%, 6% and 16% respectively. The ratio of 15% suggests that comparatively, no large portions of TOC loadings are occupied, but the problem is that the biodegradable organic matters occupy a lot more proportions than that of the refractory organic matters. Thus, it is highly estimated that the refractory organics can gradually increase the pollution level of organics and precursors of disinfection by-products to the down-stream water treatment plants.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.221-229
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• 2023

Extracted from the metropolitan area, the Paldang Lake, which supplies approximately 8 million tons of water, has achieved a BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of 1.1 mg/L as a result of water quality preservation policies. However, concerning the COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) component that encompasses refractory organic matter, there has been an observable upward trend in concentration. The introduction of refractory organic matter into the water source of Paldang Lake brings potential increments in BOD, generates off-putting tastes and odors in tap water, increases THM (Trihalomethane) formation, and triggers algae proliferation. Moreover, if residual hazardous refractory pollutants persist in aquatic environments, they may induce endocrine disruption and phenomena such as antibiotic resistance. In this study, a monitoring campaign was executed to discern the concentration of refractory organic matter emissions from point and non-point sources within Paldang Lake and its upstream region, with the aim of managing refractory organic matter in Paldang Lake. By comparing refractory organic matter emission concentrations across monitored areas, the elimination efficiency at wastewater treatment plants was assessed. Additionally, employing the Pearson correlation correlation analysis technique, correlations among refractory organic matter indices, antecedent wet days, and antecedent dry days were explored. The concentrations of refractory organic matter in rivers and Paldang Lake exhibited a similar pattern. Wastewater treatment plant effluents exhibited higher concentrations compared to rivers and Paldang Lake. The assessment of refractory organic matter removal at wastewater treatment plants indicated a removal efficiency of 65.73%. However, no significant correlation emerged between refractory organic matter emission concentration and antecedent wet days or priory antecedent dry days. This absence of correlation is attributed to data scarcity, underscoring the need for long-term monitoring and data accumulation.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.720-726
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• 2006

Long-term monitoring results of water qualities at major lakes in Korea showed COD (chemical oxygen demand) concentrations have been increasing while BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) concentrations have been decreasing during last decades. This was mainly due to refractory organic matters have been accumulated in the water body. In this study, the possible causes of COD concentration increase were evaluated. From the statistics, it can be understood that potent pollutant sources including fertilizer consumption, population, livestock, and carbon uptake have increased. Leaching tests were carried out with soils and biomasses sampled at agricultural-forestry area. From the leaching experiments, leachate qualities as a ratio of $COD_{Cr}/BOD$ were in the range of 2.5-5.0, implying that NOM (natural organic matters) discharged from the forestry area was mainly responsible for the COD accumulation. It can be understood from this research that diffuse pollutants from forestry areas should be controlled properly to reduce COD accumulation in the lakes.