• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1035-1043
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• 2007

A leachate containing an elevated concentration of organic and inorganic compounds has the potential to contaminate adjacent soils and groundwater as well as downgradient areas of the watershed. Moreover high-strength ammonium concentrations in leachate can be toxic to aquatic ecological systems as well as consuming dissolved oxygen, due to ammonium oxidation, and thereby causing eutrophication of the watershed. In response to these concerns landfill stabilization and leachate treatment are required to reduce contaminant loading sand minimize effects on the environment. Compared with other treatment technologies, leachate recirculation technology is most effective for the pre-treatment of leachate and the acceleration of waste stabilization processes in a landfill. However, leachate recirculation that accelerates the decomposition of readily degradable organic matter might also be generating high-strength ammonium in the leachate. Since most landfill leachate having high concentrations of nitrogen also contain insufficient quantities of the organic carbon required for complete denitrification, we combined a shortcut biological nitrogen removal (SBNR) technology in order to solve the problem associated with the inability to denitrify the oxidized ammonium due to the lack of carbon sources. The accumulation of nitrite was successfully achieved at a 0.8 ratio of $NO_2^{-}-N/NO_x-N$ in an on-site reactor of the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) type that had operated for six hours in an aeration phase. The $NO_x$-N ratio in leachate produced following SBR treatment was reduced in the landfill and the denitrification mechanism is implied sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification and/or heterotrophic denitrification. The combined leachate recirculation with SBNR proved an effective technology for landfill stabilization and nitrogen removal in leachate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2006

Objectives: Mercury is a hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminant. It exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states, each of which has unique characteristics for the target organ specificity. Exposure to mercury vapor and to organic mercury compounds specifically affects the CNS, while the kidney is the target organ for inorganic Hg compounds. Methods: In this study, mercury chloride $(HgCl_2)$ was studied in a renal derived cell system, i.e., the tubular epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line, which has specific sensitivity to the toxic effect of mercury. MDCK cells were cultured for 6-24 hr in vitro in various concentrations (0.1-100 M) of $HgCl_2$, and the markers of apoptosis or cell death were assayed, including DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activity andwestern blotting of cytochrome c. The influence of the metal on cell proliferation and viability were evaluated by the conventional MTT test. Results: The cell viability was decreased in a time and concentration dependent fashion: decreases were noted at 6, 12 and 24 hr after $HgCl_2$, exposure. The increases of DNA fragmentation were also observed in the concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M of $HgCl_2$ at 6 hr after exposure. However, we could not observe DNA fragmentation in the concentrations more than 25 M because the cells rapidly proceeded to necrotic cell death. The activation of caspase-3 was also observed at 6 hr exposure in the $HgCl_2$ concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, which is an initiator of the activation of the caspase cascade, was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that the activation of caspase-3 was involved in $HgCl_2-induced$ apoptosis. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. These findings indicate that in MDCK cells, $HgCl_2$ is a potent inducer of apoptosis via cytochrome c release from the mitochondria.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.353-364
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• 2016

The materials of sculptured stone property around the Hyeonleung Royal Tomb in Guri consist mainly of high weathered of granitic rocks with magnetite-series. Deterioration characteristics occurred highly with microorganism, soil inflow and black contaminants at the burial mound zone. As a result of deterioration evaluation, stone surface around the burial mound zone show serious comprehensive damage of soil inflow (50.5%) and lichen coverage (47.6%) which are the major damaging factors, and there are about 8.6% of biological growth noticeably in the north side. Surface contaminants and the discoloration had the complex causes. Gypsum occurred between joints of stones and the major contaminant type, darkening which was analyzed organic bodies caused discoloration. From result of ultrasonic velocity measurements, there are mean value of 2,195 m/s with highly weathered (HW) grade. Most of the stone properties showed 4 to 5 weathered grade. Therefore, it turned out that sculpture stone properties require conservation treatments. To remove soil accelerating damage factors and lichen occupying high percents, the cleaning process is necessary and consolidation, rejoining and filling are needed as well. Also, consideration on removing conservation materials containing Ca and e fflorescence is required and retreatments need to be considered.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2012

Nondestructive deterioration diagnosis has been carried out for the former ore dressing plant of the Yongwha mine in Yeongyang (Registered Cultural Property No. 255). Deterioration rates about organic contaminant and soil of the upper part (7 to 13 layer) indicate higher than the lower part (1 to 6 layer) of the ore dressing plants. By contrast, deterioration rates such as crack, break out and discoloration of the lower part indicate very higher than the upper part. It is estimated that the plants of the lower part that mechanical and chemical process had been done for flotation were damaged severely by physicochemical weathering with reaction of concrete and chemical solution. As results of ultrasonic velocity measurement, average p-wave velocity of plants were measured 2,462m/s (compressive strength $529kgf/cm^2$). As for the analytical results of surface contaminants and soil compositions using P-XRF, they were identical with major elements (Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe and As) of ore minerals from the Yongwha mine. Therefore, the ore dressing plant should be treated by phytoremediation with conservation because heavy metals could impinged upon plants and natural environment.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2007

Phytoremediation is an economic and environmentally friendly technique to remediate contaminated-soil. In this study, the effects of plants, rhizobacteria and physicochemical factors on phytoremediation have been reviewed. For successful phytoremediation, the selection of plants is primarily important. To remediate soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon, raygrass (Lolium multiflorum lam), white mustard, vetch (Vicia villosa), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), legumes, poplar, and Pine (Pinus densiflora) were mainly applied, and the removal efficiency of petroleum hydrocarbon were ranged 68 to 99%. Corn (Zea mays), raygrass (Lolium multiflorum lam), vetch (Vicia villosa), mustard, clover (Trifolium repens), and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) were used for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and their removal efficiencies were 50-98%. Rhizobacteria play significant roles for phytoremediation because they can directly participate in the degradation of contaminant as well as promoting plants growth. The following rhizobacteria were preferred for phytoremediation: Azospirillum lipoferum, Enterobactor cloacae, Azospirillum brasilense, Pseudomonas putida, Burkholderia xenovorans, Comamonas testosterone, Pseudomonas gladioli, Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus megaterium, and Bacillus subtilis. Pysicochemical factors such as pH, temperature, nutrient, electron acceptor, water content, organic content, type of contaminants are consequential limiting factors for phytoremediation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.201-212
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• 2014

This study was performed to discover the optimum operation conditions for the advanced water treatment using the ceramic membrane, introduced the first in the nation at the Y water treatment plant (WTP). The result of investigation to find the optimum operation conditions which can continue preserving the filtration performance as well as satisfying both the economics and the water quality is as follows. In the ordinary water quality condition of the Y WTP, the optimum filtration time(the backwash period), which can minimize the production of backwash waste and preserve the membrane performance was examined to be 4.0 hours on basis of institution capacity ($16,000m^3/day$). Examining the recovery rate of TMP from the chemical cleaning (CIP) discovered that the inorganic contaminants, which cause membrane fouling, such as iron, manganese, aluminum, were removed through the acidic cleaning using citric acid, whereas the membrane recovery rate was found to be low. But, on the other hand, the TMP was recovered to the initial value from the alkali cleaning using the NaOCl. Therefore, the main contaminant causing the fouling was determined to be hydrophilic organic compound( biopolymer). The membrane recovery rate is highly influenced by the temperature of the cleaning chemical. That is, the rate increased with increasing temperature.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.745-754
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• 2013

This study evaluated the optimal soil washing conditions for toxic metals considering the removal efficiency of toxic metals from contaminated soils as well as from soil washing effluents. In the contaminated soils, As was the major contaminant and extracted by sodium hydroxide solution better than by sulfuric acid. However, in the case of the treatment of soil washing effluents, sodium hydroxide was less effective extractant because soil organic matter extracted by sodium hydroxide prevented the solid-liquid phase separation and toxic metal removal. In the treatment of soil washing effluents with sulfuric acid, toxic metals in the effluents were mostly precipitated at the pH above 6.5. In addition, granular ferric oxide (GFO) as an adsorbent enhanced the removal of As and Pb indicating that toxic metals in the washing effluents can be removed almost completely by the use of combined adsorption-neutralization process. This study suggests that soil washing techniques for toxic metals should be optimized based on the physical and chemical properties of the contaminated soils, the nature of chemical extractant, and the removal efficiency and effectiveness of toxic metals from the soils as well as soil washing effluents.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-35
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• 2007

In the last decades, the decrease in biological or chemical availability of sorbed contaminants as contact time passed, is generally accepted. This phenomenon so called as "aging" or "sequestration" is known to directly affect risk of the contaminats. This was observed for mainly for hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs), but also reported for heavy metals. Aging is known to be directly related to sorption-desorption hysteresis, irreversible sorption, desorption-resistance, nonequilibrium sorption, etc. The decrease in bioavailability due to aging or sequestration indicates realistic decrease in risk potential. Recently a risk-based management concept by scientific evidences but not the simple measurement of contaminant concentration has been attempted to determine environmentally acceptable remedial endpoint. This is because selection of remedial endpoint based on not total concentration but the bioavailability and toxicity of contaminants can reduce both the treatment cost and remedial activities of the contaminated sites. The bioavailability and toxicity of the residual contaminants are highly affected by the fate and transport and also directly affect the exposure pathways and bioaccumulation of contaminants in the living biota. In this paper, scientific feasibility on the risk-based clean-up and management of contaminated sites is reviewed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2003

Treatment of secondary effluent was investigated using sandy soil as a possible alternative to the tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater. Secondary effluent was applied with three different flow rates to the surface of pilot scaled lysimeters, which were filled with sandy soil. Some of the lysimeters were covered with osd, while others were kept bare in order to investigate the role of plantation on the treatment. The concentration changes in COD and nitrogen were measured along the unsaturated soil depth. The same set of experiment as with the secondary effluent was performed using tap water to investigate the dissolution of the contaminants from the soil. from the results it was found that when sandy soil was used for tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater COD removal efficiency reached about 70% regardless of the application rate. The soil depth needed to obtain such efficiency increased along with the application rate, which was about 60 cm at the application rate of 50 L/day. Results also showed that nitrification occurred rapidly. The process was completed in soil depth of first $10{\sim}20\;cm$. Nitrogen removal efficiency was as low as about 20% regardless of the application rate. Some supplementary means should be considered to improve the efficiency. Sod on the soil surface had no significant influence on the contaminant treatment but was helpful to keep the infiltration rate undiminished. Finally, the organic soil was found to release significant amount of contaminants when it was in contact with soil water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.549-556
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• 2009

In situ chemical oxidations (ISCO) are technologies for destruction of many contaminants in soil and groundwater, and persulfate has been recently studied as an alternative ISCO oxidant. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were chosen for target organic compounds. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the influence of initial pH (3, 6, 9, 12), oxidant concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 M), and contaminants concentrations (10, 30, 50, 70, 100 mg/L) on TCE/PCE degradation by persulfate oxidation. The maximum TCE/PCE degradation occurred at pH 3, and the removal efficiencies with this pH condition were 93.2 and 89.3%, respectively. The minimum TCE/PCE degradation occurred at pH 12, and the removal efficiencies were 55.0 and 31.2%, respectively. This indicated that degradation of TCE/PCE decreased with increasing the initial pH of solution. Degradation of TCE/PCE increased with increasing the concentration of persulfate and with decreasing the concentration of contaminants (TCE/PCE). The optimum conditions for TCE/PCE degradation were pH 3, 0.5 M of persulfate solution, and 10 mg/L of contaminant concentration. At these conditions, the first-order rate constants ($k_{obs}$) for TCE and PCE were 1.04 and 1.31 $h^{-1}$, respectively.