• Journal of odor and indoor environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.381-388
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• 2018

In this study, various conditions and phenomena that occur in the process of removing odorous VOCs by using electrolyzed oxidant were examined. The formation of hypochlorous acid, which is an oxidant produced by electrolysis, was investigated and the properties of the oxidizing agent used to decompose toluene, xylene, and cyclohexane were investigated. As a result, it was found that the production rate and the final concentration of the oxidizing agent increased with the current density. It was found that the degree of removal varies depending on the property of each pollutant. Interestingly, in the batch experiments in which the pH of the produced oxidant was controlled, it was found that the degree of elimination varied depending on the pH of the substance. These results suggest that the difference in the concentration and distribution of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ($OCl^-$) due to the pH change leads to the difference in oxidizing power on the oxidation characteristics of each substance. Styrene and terpineol showed better degradation characteristics than toluene and xylene in odorous VOC removal experiments by spraying electrolytic oxidant using a lab-scale continuous reactor. In conclusion, the removal of odorous VOCs by the electrolytic oxidant can have various applications in that it can oxidize pollutants of various spectra.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2001

The effect of major operating parameters in spray drying sorber(=SDS) for automatic control for the simultaneous removal of acidic and organic gaseous pollutants from solid waste incinerator was performed. The field experiment was carried out in pilot scale test for the quantification of major operating parameters of hydrophilic and the hydrophobic pollutants. The removal efficiencies of $SO_2$and HCI in the 5wt% slurry condition were being increased with the increase of the stoichiometric ration which is the molecular ratio of lime to the pollutant concentration, and with the decrease of inflow flue gas temperature in the pilot SDS reactor. The removal efficiency along the height of spray drying sorber was closely related to the temperature profile, and more than 90% of total removal efficiency was achieved in an absorption region. For the removal of acidic gas the optimum operating condition considering the economics and a stable operation is the 5wt% of slurry concentration, 1.2 of stoichiometric ratio and 25$0^{\circ}C$ of inflow flue gas temperature. For the organic gases of benzene and toluene the removal efficiencies were 20-60% which is much lower than that of acidic gas. The best removal efficiency was obtained at 1.5 of stoichiometric ratio and 25$0^{\circ}C$ of inflow flue gas temperature. The organic\`s removal efficiency along the height of spray drying sorber was quite different from that of acidic gas, that is, more than 60% of the total removal efficiency for benzene and 90% of the total removal for toluene were achieved in the dried adsorption region, which was formed at the lower or exit part of the reactor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.603-610
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• 2009

This research was performed to improve removal efficiency of toluene and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) using Candida tropicalis, one of the yeast species. An airlift loop bioreactor (ALB) was employed to enhance the capability of mass transfer for toluene and MEK from the gas phase to the liquid, microbial phase. Polymer gel media made from PAC, alginate and PEG was applied for the effective immobilization of the yeast strain on the polymer gel media. The experimental results indicated that the mass transfer coefficient of toluene without polymer gel media was 1.29 $min^{-1}$ at a gas retention time of 15 sec, whereas the KLa value for toluene was increased to 4.07 $min^{-1}$ by adding the media, confirming the enhanced mass transfer of volatile organic compounds between the gas and liquid phases. The removal efficiency of toluene and MEK by using yeast-immobilized polymer gel media in the ALB was greater than 80% at different pollutant loading rates (5, 10, 19 and 37 g/$m^3$/hr for toluene, 4.5, 8.9, 17.8 and 35.1 g/$m^3$/hr for MEK). In addition, an elimination capacity test conducted by changing inlet loading rates stepwise demonstrated that maximum elimination capacities for toluene and MEK were 70.4 and 56.4 g/$m^3$/hr, respectively.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.415-422
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• 1994

The biodegradation of aromatic compounds by a mixed culture GE1 was investigated in an artificial wastewater containing 250 mg/l of benzene, toluene, and phenol in semicontinuous culture. In the control group (no strains) with an aeration rate of 75 ml/l/min, 37% of phenol and 83% of benzene were volatilized during early 24 hrs and toluene was disappeared from the medium within 12 hrs. The biodegradation of benzene and toluene was effective in SB (strains + biofilm) treatment, while phenol was degraded more quickly in SG (strains + glucose) treatment including glucose as an additional carbon source. aromatic compounds added at a concentration of 250 mg/l were completely removed by SG treatment after 16 hrs or 32 hrs, respectively. The removal rate of COD was high as much as 80 mg/l/h in SG treatment during early period, but COD revealed a stable value of 116~140 mg/l after 12 hrs caused by increased biomass. Therefore, it is concluded that the mixed GE1 could be used for the wastewater treatment including aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and phenol.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.65-70
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• 2015

This research examines the removal efficiency of benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) by flowing VOCs, which are generated at a petrochemical complex in the Ulsan area, in a sliding arc plasma (SAP) reactor. The SAP reactor process is composed of 5 steps and the analysis was conducted using a BTX detector and TVOC measuring instrument. The removal efficiency of BTX was better at high concentration than at low concentration and the emitted TVOC concentration increased in later steps of the reactor. In addition, the removal efficiency improved, as the flow velocity increased. The maximum permissible concentration of TVOCs in the first step was about 481 ppm and showed over 94.83% efficiency when it was operated in the 2nd step at concentrations beyond 481 ppm. Therefore, there are many factors for improving the removal efficiency of SAP reactors at low concentration and measures should be prepared according to the application method for the various types of industrial reactors.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.23-30
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• 2001

Column tests were carried out to examine the effect of surfactant solution conditions on the surfactant-enhanced remediation of soil columns contaminated by toluene. The conditioned parameters of the surfactant solution for the column tests were concentration, pH, temperature and flow rate. The test results revealed that an optimum condition was achieved for 4% (v/v) of concentration, 10 of pH, $20^{\circ}C$ of temperature and 4 mL/min of flow rate respectively. The removal of 95% of toluene was obtained when optimal conditions of each surfactant solution parameter were simultaneously met. This was a marked improvement and removal efficiency increased by 6-19% compared to that with unadjusted conditions. The optimum range of these parameters may be useful for a surfactant-based remediation in the aquifer contaminated by toluene.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.339-347
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• 2012

This study focuses on developing catalysts for the removal of toluene produced from paint booth. Toluene is one of the major VOC in painting, coating process. Pd catalysts have been used in hydrogenation oxidation and low temperature combustion reaction for toluene removal. Pd catalysts, even though it is very precious and expensive. Therefore, the prepared catalysts from minimizing the amount of Pd ratio (0.1~1.0wt%) were measured. As a result, 1.0wt% Pd(R) catalyst under all conditions showed the highest activity. These results may suggest that the catalytic activity is related to Pd dispersion according sintering atmosphere and Pd ratio in the manufacturing process through the analysis of SEM, XRD.

• Clean Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2010

This study focuses on the removal of water-suspended toluene of a representative sick house compounds in a liquid photo-system using nanometer-sized Sn-incorporated $TiO_2$ which was synthesized by a solvothermal method. The characteristics of the synthesized Sn-$TiO_2$ were analyzed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). To estimate the photocatalytic activity of Sn-$TiO_2$, the photodegradation of water-suspended toluene was performed, and the remaining concentration was determined using UV-visible spectroscopy. The water-suspended toluene photodegradation over Sn-incorporated $TiO_2$ catalyst was better than that over pure $TiO_2$ (anatase). The water-suspended toluene of 500 ppm was perfectly decomposed within 300 minutes over 0.01 mol% Sn-$TiO_2$.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.588-591
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• 2004

Generally, $TiO_2$ powders absorb ultraviolet rays and make oxidation/reduction reactions on its surface. Hydroxide radical(OH), a product of photocatalyst reactions, has so strong oxidation/reduction electric potential that it can oxidize noxious gas like VOCs(Volatile Organic Compounds) and NOx. In this study, $TiO_2$ was substituted for exposed concrete to investigate the purifying degree of VOCs(Benzene, Toluene) and NOx. Anatase types of $TiO_2$ were used as photocatalyst. The sun rays and the ultraviolet were used as a light source. Anatase type $TiO_2$ was better than rutile type in purifying performance. The sunray showed the best purifying performance among the light sources. $3\%$ substitution of $TiO_2$ with the sunray was enough to purify VOCs(Benzene, Toluene) and NOx efficiently.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.454-457
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• 2003

A new approach for groundwater treatment combines a permeable Fe(0) barrier to breakdown higher chlorinated solvents like PCE and TCE with a downgradient aerobic biological treatment system to biotransform less chlorinated solvents, such as DCE and vinyl chloride (VC). The expected bacterial performance downgradient of an Fe(0) barrier was evaluated through laboratory batch experiments with a toluene-degrading mixed culture that cometabolically transforms cis-1,2-DCE and VC. The amount of cis-1,2-DCE (initially at 2,000 ppb) and VC (initially at 2,000 ppb) transformed was controlled by the initial toluene (20,000 ppb) concentration. VC was removed much more effectively than Cis-1,2-DCE, and a higher toluene concentration in comparison to the co-substrate concentrations was needed for complete co-substrate removal. Overall, the coupling of an Fe(0) barrier and subsequent biodegradation appears feasible for remediation of complex mixtures of chlorinated solvents and petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater