• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.597-604
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• 2011

This study was performed to compare finished water quality among three different processes. A detailed assessment of performance was carried out during the five months of operation. Finished water quality was evaluated on the basis of parameters such as Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), $UV_{254}$ absorbance, haloacetic acid formation potential (HAAFP), geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), heterotrophic bacteria and total coliform bacteria. The treatment processes were Process 1 (coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation-sand filtration-ozone-GAC), Process 2 (coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation -microfiltration-ozone-GAC), and Process 3 (coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation- sand filtration-GAC), compared side by side in the pilot testing. Process 2 was found to have better removal efficiency of DOC, $UV_{254}$ absorbance, HAAFP and heterotrophic bacteria in comparison with process 1 and process 3 under identical conditions. Geosmin, 2-MIB and total coliform bacteria were not detected in finished water from each process.

• 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 Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.251-260
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study was evaluating the applicability of the circulation dielectric barrier plasma process (DBD) for efficiently treating non-biodegradable wastewater, such as phenol. Methods: The DBD plasma reactor system in this study consisted of a plasma reactor (discharge, ground electrode and quartz dielectric tube, external tube), high voltage source, air supply and reservoir. Effects of the operating parameters on the degradation of phenol and $UV_{254}$ absorbance such as first voltage (60-180 V), oxygen supply rate (0.5-3 l/min), liquid circulation rate (1.5-7 l/min), pH (3.02-11.06) and initial phenol concentration (12.5-100 mg/l) were investigated. Results: Experimental results showed that optimum first voltage, oxygen supply rate, and liquid circulation rate on phenol degradation were 160 V, 1 l/min, and 4.5 l/min, respectively. The removal efficiency of phenol increased with the increase in the initial pH of the phenol solution. To obtain a removal efficiency of phenol and COD of phenol of over 97% (initial phenol concentration, 50.0 mg/l), 15 min and 180 minutes was needed, respectively. Conclusions: It was considered that the absorbance of $UV_{254}$ for phenol degradation can be used as an indirect indicator of change in non-biodegradable organic compounds. Mineralization of the phenol solution may take a relatively longer time than that required for phenol degradation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.289-299
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• 2013

Objectives: For the field application of the dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor, scale-up of the plasma reactor is needed. This study investigated the possibility of inactivation of microorganisms in sewage using pilot multi-plasma reactor. We also considered the possibility of degradation of total organic carbon (TOC) and nonbiodegradable matter ($UV_{254}$) in sewage. Methods: The pilot plasma reactor consists of plasma reactor with three plasma modules (discharge electrode and quartz dielectric tube), liquid-gas mixer, high voltage transformers, gas supply equipment and a liquid circulation system. In order to determine the operating conditions of the pilot plasma reactor, we performed experiments on the operation parameters such as gas and liquid flow rate and electric discharge voltage. Results: The experimental results showed that optimum operation conditions for the pilot plasma reactor in batch experiments were 1 L/min air flow rate), 4 L/min liquid circulation rate, and 13 kV electric discharge voltage, respectively. The main operation factor of the pilot plasma process was the high voltage. In continuous operation of the air plasma process, residual microorganisms, $UV_{254}$ absorbance and TOC removal rate at optimal condition of 13 kV were $10^{2.24}$ CFU/mL, 56.5% and 8.6%, respectively, while in oxygen plasma process at 10 kV, residual microorganisms, $UV_{254}$ absorbance and TOC removal rate at optimal conditions were $10^{1.0}$ CFU/mL, 73.3% and 24.4%, respectively. Electric power was increased exponentially with the increase in high voltage ($R^2$ = 0.9964). Electric power = $0.0492{\times}\exp^{(0.6027{\times}lectric\;discharge\;voltage)}$ Conclusions: Inactivation of microorganisms in sewage effluent using the pilot plasma process was done. The performance of oxygen plasma process was superior to air plasma process. The power consumption of oxygen plasma process was less than that of air plasma process. However, it was considered that the final evaluation of air and oxygen plasma must be evaluated by considering low power consumption, high process performance, operating costs and facility expenses of an oxygen generator.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2000

The experiments were performed using both batch and continuous column reactors. Batch biodegradation studies were performed under aerobic conditions to determine the biodegradable fraction of the natural organic matter (NOM) source. NOM source was evaluated for its biodegradability at three different UV irradiation conditions and compared to its biodegradability without UV irradiation. In continuous experiments, system operating parameters of empty bed contact time (EBCT), recycle ratio, and influent concentration affected the extent of biofiltration in the biofilters. The effluent UV254/DOC ratios fro the biologically active columns were consistently lower than the influent values, which indicated that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removed by biodegradation was not a significant part of the UV-absorbable material. The increase in UV254/DOC ratio was caused by the DOC decrease across the biofilter because there was essentially no difference between the feed and effluent UV254 absorbance values over time. The results of this research showed that biofiltration was an effective method for removing the biodegradable fraction of NOM from water supplies.

• 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 Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2013

Objectives: For the practical application of the dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor, a plasma reactor able to manage large volumes of water is needed. This study investigated the possibility of the practical application of a multi-plasma reactor which is a scaled-up version of a single plasma reactor. Methods: The multi-plasma reactor consists of several high-voltage transformers and plasma modules (discharge, ground electrodes and quartz dielectric tubes). The effects of water characteristics such as voltage (30-120 V), air flow rate (1-5 l/min), number of high-voltage transformers and plasma modules, and water quality on Escherichia coli (E. coli) disinfection and decrease of COD and $UV_{254}$ absorbance were investigated. Results: The experimental results showed that at a voltage of over 80 V, most of the E. coli were disinfected within 90 seconds. E. coli inactivation was not affected by the air flow rate. E. coli disinfection in the multiplasma process showed the traditional log-linear form of the disinfection curve. E. coli inactivation performance by transformer 3-Reactor 5 and transformer 3-Reactor 3 were similar. The disinfection performance of the UV process was affected by artificial sewage water. However, the plasma process was less affected by the artificial sewage within the standards for effluent water quality. Conclusions: Disinfection performance with several low voltages and plasma modules of three to five in number applied to the plasma process was higher than that concentrating a small amount of high voltage through a single plasma reactor. Removal of COD, $UV_{254}$ absorbance, and E. coli disinfection with the plasma process were better than with the UV process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.195-201
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• 2007

A submerged flat-sheet membrane separation system integrated with PAC (powdered activated carbon) was used in this research in order to investigate the effects of PAC on the efficiencies of operation and treatment and to evaluate the performance of the system. The experiments were carried out under operating conditions of a filtration rate of 0.38 m/d, water temperature of $20-28^{\circ}C$, and PAC dose of 0 g/L (Run-A) and 20 g/L (Run-B). The influent concentrations of TOC (total organic carbon), $NH_4{^+}-N$ (ammonia nitrogen) and $UV_{254}$ (UV absorbance at 254 nm) were 2.48 mg/L, 1.4 mg/L and 2.53 1/m, respectively. TOC removal of 43.2 and 73.6%, ammonia nitrogen removal of 4.9 and 15.9%, and $UV_{254}$ removal of 20.6 and 31.6% were obtained for Run-A and Run-B, respectively. During an experimental period of 33 days, no change was found in TMP (Run-B), but the TMP in Run-A increased by 5 kPa after 29 days. This research showed that the filtrate quality and the performance efficiency were enhanced when PAC was introduced into the filtration system.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2011

For advanced drinking water treatment of high turbidity water, we used the hybrid process that was composed of photocatalyst packing in space of between outside of multi-channel ceramic microfiltration membrane and membrane module inside. Photocatalyst was polypropylene (PP) beads coated $TiO_2$ powder by CVD (chemical vapor deposition) process. Instead of natural organic matters (NOM) and fine inorganic particles in natural water source, standard NOM solution was prepared with humic acid and kaolin. Water-back-flushing of 10 sec was performed per every period of 10 min to minimize membrane fouling. Resistance of membrane fouling ($R_f$) increased and J decreased as concentration of humic acid changed from 2 mg/L to 10 mg/L, and finally the highest total permeate volume ($V_T$) could be obtained at 2 mg/L. Then, treatment efficiency of turbidity and $UV_{254}$ absorbance were above 96.4% and 78.9%, respectively. As results of treatment portions by membrane filtration, photocatalyst adsorption, and photo-oxidation in (MF), (MF + $TiO_2$), (MF + $TiO_2$ + UV) processes, turbidity was treated little by photocatalyst adsorption, and photo-oxidation. However, treatment portions of $UV_{254}$ absorbance by adsorption (MF + $TiO_2$) and photo-oxidation (MF + $TiO_2$ + UV) at humic acid of 4 mg/L and 6 mg/L were above 9.0, 9.5 and 8.1, 10.9%, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.99-107
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• 1995

Various humic substances are widely distributed in natural water body, such as rivers and lakes and cause the yellowish or brownish color to water. The evidence that humic substances are precursors of THMs formation in chlorinated drinking water has been reported m the Jiteratures. For the reason of public health as well as aesthetics, needs for humic substances removal have been increased in the conventional water treatment processes. In this research, the characteristics of aluminium coagulation of humic acids and humic acids were investigated. The optimum pH and coagulants dosage to remove these materials simultaneously by coagulation were alto studied. The results are as followed; 1. UV-254 absorptiometry for measuring the concentration of aquatic humic acids showed good applicability and stable results. 2. The optimal pH range for humic acids removal by aluminium coagulation was 5 to 5.5, however, an increase in aluminium coagulant dosage could enhance the removal rate of humic acids in the wide pH range. 3. Coprecipitation of humic acids in the typical pH range of 6.5 to 8 in water treatment processes may require the sweep coagulation mechanism with the excess aluminium coagulant dosage. 4. Using PAC(poly aluminium chloride) or PASS(poly aluminium silica sulfate) as coagulants was able to expand the operating range for removing humic acids. 5. From the coagulation of humic substances(UV-254) and turbidity at pH range of 5.5 - 6.0 and alum dose of 86 ppm, the removal efficiency of turbidity from the reservoir water was above 90% and that of UV-254 was above 70%. 6. By using the reservoir water, the optimum condition of rapid mixing for simultaneous removal of turbidity and UV-254 absorbance was pH of 5.8 and LAS dose of 86 ppm, in this study.