• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.163-169
• /
• 2015

In this study, we attempted to solubilize protein in slaughter blood (SB) using ultrasonic technology. The application of ultrasonic technology can make enzymatic degradation of SB more effective, which has no comparable alternative for treatment. The SB was homogenized by grinding it for 10 minutes at 10,000 rpm as a pretreatment for preventing its clotting, and then ultrasonic treatment was attempted to solubilize protein in SB. To maximize the efficiency of ultrasonic treatment for SB, the optimum condition of ultrasonic frequency (UF) was determined to be 20 kHz. To optimize the operation conditions of ultrasonification with 20 kHz of frequency, we used response surface methodology (RSM) based on ultrasonic density (UD) and ultrasonification time (UT). The solubilization rate (SR) of protein (%) was calculated to be $101.304-19.4205X_1+0.0398X_2+7.9411X_1{^2}+0.0001X_2{^2}+0.0455X_1X_2$. From the results of the RSM study, the optimum conditions of UD and UT were determined at 0.5 W/mL and 22 minutes, respectively, and SB treated under these conditions was estimated to have a 95% SR. Also, experimentally, a 95.53% SR was observed under same conditions, accurately reflecting the theoretical prediction of 95%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.724-730
• /
• 2004

Effects of the biosurfactant produced by Rhodococcus erythropolis on the solubilization and biodegradation of phenanthrene were investigated. Based on surface tension measurements, the average critical micelle concentration of the biosurfactant was estimated to be about 16mg TOC/L. The apparent solubility of phenanthrene increased linearly with the addition of biosurfactants above the CMC, and the concentration of solubilized phenanthrene was 38.9mg/L in 322mg TOC/L biosurfactant solution. The weight-solubilization ratio of biosurfactants for phenanthrene was approximately 118.8mg/g, this value was over 5 times greater than that of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Using a known phenanthrene degrader, batch phenanthrene biodegradation experiments were conducted with and without biosurfactants in liquid culture. The rate and extent of phenanthrene mineralization by the phenanthrene degrader with biosurfactants were much greater than those without biosurfactants. The greater phenanthrene mineralization observed in the presence of biosurfactants is attributed to the increased phenanthrene concentration in the aqueous culture due to the partitioning of the compound to biosurfactant micelles. The biosurfactant did not exhibit any toxic effect on mineralization of glucose by the phenanthrene-degrader.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.121-129
• /
• 2024

The study investigated the effect of thermo-alkaline pretreatment on the solubilization of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and its potential to enhance of thermophilic anaerobic digestion, focusing on biochemical methane potential (BMP) and methane production rate, using two different particle sizes of PHB (1500 ㎛ and 400 ㎛). Thermo-alkaline pretreatment tests were conducted at 90 ℃ for 24 hours with varying NaOH dosages from 0-80% (w/w). BMP tests with untreated PHB exhibited methane production ranging from 150.4~225.4 mL CH₄/g COD and 21.5~24.2 mL CH₄/g VSS/d, indicating higher methane production for smaller particle sizes of PHB, 400 ㎛. Thermo-alkaline pretreatment tests achieved a 95.3% PHB solubilization efficiency when 400 ㎛ PHB particles were treated with 80% NaOH dosage at 90 ℃ for 24 hours. BMP tests with pretreated PHB showed substantial improvement in thermophilic anaerobic digestion, with an increase of up to 112% in BMP and up to 168% in methane production rate. The results suggest that a combined pretreatment process, including physical (400 ㎛ PHB particles) and thermo-alkaline (90 ℃, 40-80% NaOH dosage, and 24 hours reaction time), is required for high-rate thermophilic anaerobic digestion of PHB with enhanced methane production.

• New & Renewable Energy
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.20-29
• /
• 2014

The present study investigated the effects of thermal pre-treatment on the enhancement of anaerobic biodegradability of waste activated sludge at varied TS concentration levels. The activated sludges were thermally oxidized for 30 minutes at $80{\sim}200^{\circ}C$ with varied TS concentrations (2%, 4% and 6%). and then, sludge characteristics, solubilization efficiency and methane production yield of thermally pre-treated sludges were analyzed. The higher the temperature in the thermal pre-treatment, the higher the concentration levels of dissolved matters such as $SCOD_{Cr}$, $NH_4{^+}$ and VFAs, which indicates that the thermal pre-treatment facilitates the hydrolysis and acid fermentation. Furthermore, the solubilization efficiency was increased in proportion to the temperature rise at all TS concentrations and was reached at 68.9%, 55.6% and 53.1%, respectively, at $200^{\circ}C$. In the BMP test of the pre-treated sludges, higher methane production yields were observed as 0.313. 0.314 and $0.299m^3\;CH_4/kg\;VS_{add}$ at the condition of TS 2% ($160^{\circ}C$), 4% ($160^{\circ}C$) and 6% ($180^{\circ}C$), respectively, and degradation rate was increased by 84%, 79% and 65% compared with non-pretreated waste activated sludge. These findings suggest the effectiveness of thermal pre-treatment of waste activated sludge for anaerobic biodegradable process.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 1999

The bioleaching of heavy metals from fly ash was performed by Thiobacillus thiooxidans MET isolated from the enrichment culture of an anaerobically digested sludge. The effect of solid concentrations on the efficiency of metal leaching was studied in shaken flasks. In the range of solid concentrations 20 g.L­$^1$to 100 g.L­$^1$T. thiooxidans MET oxidized S$^{0}$ to sulfate without any lag period. The final pH of slurry solution was decreased to below pH 1, and the final oxide-redox potential (ORP) was increased to over 420 mV in the solid concentrations below 100 g.L­$^1$. However, the initial lag period of 4 to 8 days was required to obtain the pH reduction and ORP increase of the slurry solutions in the range of solid concentrations 150 g.L­$^1$to 300 g.L­$^1$. The sulfur oxidation rate of T. thiooxidans MET in 20~100 g.L­$^1$solid concentrations was 0.70~0.75 g-S.L­$^1$ㆍ d­$^1$, but its sulfur oxidation activity was remarkably inhibited with increasing solid concentration over 150 g.L­$^1$. Increasing fly ash solids concentration in the range of solids concentration 20 g.L­$^1$ to 200 g.L­$^1$decreased the removal efficiency of Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr and Pb. The solubilization of heavy metals from fly ash was strongly correlated with the pH value of slurry solution. When the pH of slurry solution was reduced to 3, the solubilization process of Zn, Cu and Mn started, and their solubilization efficiency of Zn, Cu and Mn was progressively increased below pH 2. However, the solubilization process of Cr and Pb started at pH 2.5 and 2.0, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.95-102
• /
• 2022

Studies for improving the efficiency of the traditional anaerobic digestion process are being actively conducted. To improve anaerobic digestion efficiency, this study tried to derive the optimal pretreatment conditions and mixing conditions by integrating the heat solubilization pretreatment of sewage sludge, livestock manure, and food waste. The soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) increase rate of sewage sludge before and after heat solubilization pretreatment showed an increased rate of 224.7% compared to the control group at 170℃ and 25 min and showed the most stable increase rate. As a result of the biomethane potential test of sewage sludge before and after heat solubilization pretreatment, the total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) and SCOD removal rates increased as the heat solubilization temperature increased, but did not increase further at temperatures above 170℃. In the case of methane generation, there was no significant change in the cumulative methane generation from 0.134 to 0.203 Sm³-CH₄/kg-COD at 170℃ for 15 min. As a result of the integrated digestion of organic waste, the experimental condition in which 25% of the sewage sludge, 50% of the food waste, and 25% of the livestock manure were mixed showed the highest methane production of 0.3015 m³-CH₄/kg-COD, confirming that it was the optimal mixing ratio condition. In addition, under experimental conditions mixed with all three substrates, M4 conditions mixed with 25% sewage sludge, 50% food waste, and 25% livestock manure showed the highest methane generation at 0.2692 Sm³-CH₄/kg-COD.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.89-97
• /
• 2007

In this study, thermalpretreatment was used to solubilize organic matter contained in sewage sludge before acid fermentation. By thermal pretreatment, solubilization of particulate CODcr, carbohydrate and protein increased. By thermal treatment at $120^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes, CODcr solubilization efficiency of the primary sludge reached 8.3%. Meanwhile, for the secondary sludge, CODcr solubilization efficiency reached 16.5% because of high solubilization ratio of protein under the same pretreatment conditon. The results of anaerobic biodegradability test showed that both VFAs conversion ratio and hydrolysis rate of organic compounds in sewage sludge were improved by thermal pretreatment. Meanwhile, the optimum thermal pretreatment condition was varied with composition of organic compounds in sludge. In this study, the optimun thermal pretreatment condition of the primary sludge, containing high concentration of carbohydrate, was $80^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, for the secondary sludge, mainly composed of protein, the sludge treated at $120^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes showed the effective organic removal and VFAs production.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.165-170
• /
• 2013

Pilot scale study was carried out to produce Volatile Fatty Acids with primary sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant. An acid fermenter was operated at pH 9, $35^{\circ}C$, SRT of 3.5-4.25d, using a final effluent as elutriating water(Mode-I) and pH 9, SRT 5d, temperature of $35^{\circ}C$(Mode-II), $55^{\circ}C$(Mode-III), using a primarily treated water as elutriating water. Although solubilization rate was enhanced with the increase of temperature, the VFAs production rate was decreased. The VS reduction was shown approximately 56%, and the sludge volume reduction was 93%. The optimal conditions for solubilization was obtained at pH 9, $35^{\circ}C$ and SRT of 5d.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.327-332
• /
• 2004

This study was carried out to examine the effect of gamma irradiation on the physico-chemical characteristics and ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of sewage sludge. The results found that the solubilization rates of SCOD in wasted activated sludge(WAS) and thickened sludge(T-S) with gamma irradiation of 3kGy were 8 times and 7 times greater than these of the raw WAS and T-S without the irradiation, respectively; each soluble concentration protein were 4 times and 3 times greater than these of the raw WAS and T-S; each soluble carbohydrate concentration was 8 times and 6 times greater than these of the raw WAS and T-S. The ultimate anaerobic biodegradabilities of WAS and T-S with gamma irradiation were 51 % and 50%, which corresponds to each 8% and 10% greater than these of the raw sludges. Approximately 83% and 81% of the each biodegradable substrates in the irradiated WAS and the T-S were degraded within 11 days with the first order decay rate coefficients, $k_1$ that ranged $0.143{\sim}0.164day^{-1}$ for WAS and $0.134{\sim}0.152day^{-1}$ for T-S. Based on the results, it can be concluded that when irradiated with gamma the solubilization of sewage sludge greatly increases resulting in substrates suitable for the subsequent biological treatment processes.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.31 no.7
• /
• pp.609-616
• /
• 2022

In this study, the effect of different reaction times for thermal-alkaline pretreatment on the solubilization and biogasification of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) were evaluated. Thermal-alkaline pretreatment tests were performed at 73 ℃ and pH 13 at 0-120 h reaction times. The mesophilic anaerobic batch tests were performed with untreated and pretreated PHB samples. The increase in the pretreatment reaction time results in a 52.8-98.8% increase of the abiotic solubilization efficiency of the PHB samples. The reaction time required to achieve solubilization efficiencies of 50%, 90%, and 95% were 10.5, 52.0, and 89.6 h, respectively. The biogasification of the untreated PHB samples achieved a specific methane production rate of 3.6 mL CH₄/g VSS/d and require 101.3 d for complete biogasification. The thermal-alkaline pretreatment significantly improved specific methane production rate (10.2-16.0 time increase), lag time (shortened by 76-81%), and time for complete biogasification (shortened by 21-83%) for the biogasification of the PHB samples when compared to those of the untreated PHB samples. The improvement was higher as the reaction time of the thermal-alkaline pretreatment increased. The findings of this study could be used as a valuable reference for the optimization of the biogasification process in the treatment of PHB wastes.