• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2005

A prototype surface flow constructed wetland was built in the upstream area of reclaimed tidal lands to improve the water quality of Lake Sihwa by treating severely polluted stream water. In this study, a tracer test using rhodamine-WT was performed to investigate the flow characteristics and to quantify the observed hydraulic residence time (HRT) for a high-lying cell in the Banwol wetland of the Sihwa constructed wetland. The tracer test indicated that even if flow was mainly observed in the open water area of the Banwol wetland, water flowed continuously in the vegetative area and there was no dead zone. The calculated HRT (51.3 hrs), calculated by dividing the wetland volume by the wetland inflow, exceeded the observed HRT (38.7 hrs), since the short-circuiting of flux resulting from irregular topography and vegetation was not reflected in the calculated HRT. The exit tracer concentration curves were reproduced well by both the plug flow with dispersion and tanks-in-series models, indicating that the performance of the Banwol wetland can be estimated accurately using these models.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.85-91
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• 2011

Three different types of wetlands (unplanted wetland, reed planted wetland, cattail planted wetland) were constructed at the mouth of Seokmoon reservoir with 910 $m^2$ each to examine the effects of wetland plant on pollutant removal rate in constructed wetland, and operated for 9 years (2002~2010). Water depth of the wetland was maintained at 0.3~0.5 m, flow rate was about 40~200 $m^3$/day, and retention time was managed at about 1~5 days. There was no difference in removal rate of SS, TN, and TP between reed wetland and cattail wetland. Removal rate of SS and TN in planted wetland with reed and cattail were higher than unplanted wetland, whereas removal rate of TP in unplanted wetland was higher then planted wetland. The monthly variation of removal rate in planted wetlands was high compared with unplanted wetland. From the long term monitoring results, SS and TN removal rates of period3 (2008~2010) were higher than period1 (2002~2004) in planted wetland, whereas TP removal rate was decreased as time goes on. Overall, pollutant removal rate in constructed wetland was more influenced by existence of plants than by plant species. Although constructed wetland is operated long term period, SS, TN, and TP removal rate (SS 90 %, TN 60 %, TP 40 %) can be maintained high values.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.390-396
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• 2018

This study investigated the transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in a free-water surface flow constructed wetland. Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) coupled with preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (prep-HPLC) was used to analyze the compositions of biopolymers (polysaccharides, amino sugars, proteins, polyhydroxy aromatics, lipids and lignin) in DOM according to the molecular size at three sampling points of the water flow: inflow, midflow, and outflow. The prep-HPLC results verified the decomposition of DOM through the decrease in the number of peaks from three to one in the chromatograms of the sampling points. The Py-GC/MS results for the degradable peaks indicated that biopolymers relating to polysaccharides and proteins gradually biodegraded with the water flow. On the other hand, the recalcitrant organic fraction (the remaining peak) in the outflow showed a relatively high concentration of aromatic compounds. Therefore, the ecological processes in the constructed wetland caused DOM to become more aromatic and homogeneous. This indicated that the constructed wetland can be an effective buffer area for releasing biochemically stable DOM, which has less influence on biological water quality indicators, e.g., biochemical oxygen demand, into an aquatic ecosystem.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.781-788
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• 2010

A pilot study was performed to examine the feasibility of multiple stage of constructed wetland (CW) for nutrient removal. The system is composed of six wetland cells connected with water-ways. The hydraulic of wetland cells is designed as free water surface flow. The treatment capacity was $25m^3d^{-1}$ at HRT of about one day for each cell. The magnitude of nutrient removal was related with the length of wetlands and plant density. Total N and P removal rates were 1353 and $246mg\;m^{-2}d^{-1}$ respectively. The pilot-scale reactor was model as continuous flow system containing contribution of CSTR and PFR typed-reactors. The $k-C^*$ model equation was applied to predict N and P reduction. The result indicated the equation was well guided to estimate reduction of $NO_3-N$ and $PO_4-P$.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2012

The performance data for eight years from a free-surface-flow constructed wetland system receiving agricultural tailwater were used to analyze denitrification rate and nitrogen treatment characteristics according to season and wetland design. Seasonal difference between growing season (March~November) and winter season (December~February) was shown in the concentration of all nitrogen species. Seasonal nitrogen treatment has similar trend with temperature and measured denitrification rate. The highest denitrification rate was measured in July, but treatment efficiency was most higher in May and June. Nitrogen absorption of vegetation could affect to these wetland performances, therefore dense population of wetland vegetation might be helpful. According to design of wetland, at least 25~50 m of wetland length was needed to decrease effluent T-N concentration to background concentration in growing season. In winter season, wetland needed much longer distance to reduce T-N concentration. Mass removal rate was continuously high through whole year because runoff coefficient was low in winter season. Applicability of constructed wetland was observed for the total maximum daily load that control T-N load.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.103-103
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• 2004

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2005

Total phosphorus(TP) removal was examined in a surface-flow wetland constructed in April 2003 during its initial operating stage from June to November 2003. Its dimensions were 87mL by 14mW. It was a part of a four-wetland-cell treatment system constructed near the Kohung Estuarine Lake located in the southern part of Korea. Effluent from a night soil treatment plant was discharged into the wetland and purified effluent from the wetland was discharged into Sinyang Stream flowing into the Lake. Cattails(Typha angustifolia ) from natural wetlands were cut at about 40 cm height and transplanted into the wetland. An average of 25.0$m^3$/day of effluent flowed from the plant into the wetland. Water depth was maintained about 0.2m and hydraulic detention time was about 5.2 days. Average heights of the cattail stems in June and October 2003 were 47.2 and 164.6cm, respectively. The average number of stems was 10.2 stems/$m^2$ in June 2003 and 18.8 stems/$m^2$ in October 2003. Average temperature of influent and effluent ranged 23.4 and $24.2^{\circ}C$, respectively. The average TP concentrations of influent and effluent were about 1.31, 0.50mg/L, respectively. TP loading rate of influent into the wetland averaged 26.81mg/$m^2$, day and average TP loading rate of effluent was 10.04mg/$m^2$, day. Monthly average TP removal by the wetland during the warm growing season of cattails(June to September) ranged 16.28~19.57mg/$m^2$, day and during the cold senescent period (October to November) ranged 12.62~13.90mg/$m^2$, day. TP removal in the wetland continued during the cold winter months and was primarily done by sedimentation and precipitation of phosphorus rather than phosphorus absorption by cattails and microorganisms.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.481-488
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• 2011

Various development activities have lead to the destruction of the ecosystem such as natural wetlands. In order to protect these natural wetlands, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) in Korea enacted the Wetland Conservation Act in 1999 and designated protected areas for wetland conservation. The MOE adapted the use of Best Management Practices (BMP) such as retention ponds and constructed wetlands to treat the polluted water before entering the water system. One of these projects was a free-water surface flow (FWS) constructed wetland built as a secondary treatment unit for piggery wastewater effluent coming from a livestock wastewater treatment facility. Water quality monitoring for the constructed wetland was conducted during rainfall events. The results showed that the average removal efficiencies of TSS, BOD, TN, TP were 86, 60, 45, 70%, respectively. It was observed that the removal efficiency of particulate matter and phosphorus was high compared to nitrogen. Therefore, a longer hydraulic retention time was needed in order to improve the treatment efficiency of nitrogen. The results of this study can contribute to the wetland design, operation and maintenance of constructed wetlands.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.100-106
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• 2004

$NO^3$-N removal was examined from July 2002 to December 2002 of a surface-flow constructed treatment wetland cell, which was a part of a treatment wetland system composed of four wetland cells and one distribution pond. The system was established on rice paddy near the Kohung Estuarine Lake located at the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The lake and the paddy were formed by a salt marsh reclamation project. Effluent from a secondary-level treatment plant was funneled into the system. The investigated cell was created in June 2002. Its dimensions were 87 m in length and 14 m in width. It had an open water zone at its center, which was equivalent to 10 percent of its total area. Reeds(Phragmites australis) were transplanted from natural wetlands into the cell and their stems were cut at about 40 cm height from their bottom ends. Average 25 $m^3$/day of effluent from the plant was funneled into the cell by gravity flow and average 24.2$m^3$/day of its treated effluent was discharged into the Sinyang Stream flowing into the lake. Its water depth was maintained about 0.2 m and its hydraulic detention time averaged 5.2 days. The average height of the reed stems was 45.2 cm in July 2002 and 80.5 cm in September 2002. The number of stems averaged 40.3 stems/$m^2$ in July 2002 and 74.5 stems/$m^2$ in September 2002. The reeds were established initially well. $NO_3$-N loading rate of influent and effluent averaged 173.7 and $93.5mg/m2{\cdot}day$, respectively. Removal of $NO_3$-N averaged $80.2mg/m2{\cdot}day$ and its removal rate by mass was about 50 %. Considering the initial operation of the cell and the inclusion of the cold months of November and December in the analysis period, the $NO_3$-N removal rate was good.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.251-254
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• 2003

Phosphorous removal rate and emergent plant growth were examined of a surface-flow constructed treatment wetland system, whose dimensions were 31 meter in length and 12 meter in width. The system was established on floodplain in the down reach of the Kwangju Stream in Korea in one and half months from May to June 2001. Cattails(Typha angustiflora) were transplanted in the system. They were dug out of natural wetlands and stems were cut at about 40 cm height from their bottom ends. Water of the Kwangju Stream were funneled into it via a pipe by gravity flow and its effluent were discharged back into it. The stems of cattails grew from 45.2 cm in July 2001 up to 186 cm in September 2001 and the number of cattail stems per square meter increased from 22 in July 2001 to 53 in September 2001. The early establishment of cattails was good. Volume and water quality of inflow and outflow were analyzed from July 2001 through December 2001. Inflow averaged $40\;m^3/day$ and hydraulic retention time was about 1.5 days. The concentration of total phosphorous in influent and effluent was 0.85 mg/L, 0.41 mg/L, respectively. The average removal rate of total phosphorous in the system was about 52%. The retention efficiency was slightly lower, compared with that in surface-flow wetlands operating in North America, whose retention efficiency was reported to be about 57%. The lower abatement rate could result from the initial stage of the system and inclusion of two cold months into the six-month monitoring period. Root rhizosphere in wetland soils and litter-soil layers on bottoms were not properly developed. Increase of standing density of cattails within a few years will establish both root zones and substrates beneficial to the removal of phosphorous, which may lead to increase of the phosphorous retention rate. The system was submerged one time by heavy storm during the monitoring period. The inundation, however, scarcely disturb its environment.