Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were investigated in soil and pine needle samples taken from 16 sites of industrial and residential areas in Changwon, Korea to assess their distribution levels and to suggest the influence of industrial activities. PCDDs/DFs levels in the soil samples ranged from 0.57 to 20.79 pg I-TEQ/g dry weight with a mean value of 4.20 pg I-TEQ/g dry weight. PCDDs/DFs levels in the pine needle samples ranged from 0.39 to 8.75 pg I-TEQ/g dry weight with a mean value of 4.09 pg I-TEQ/g dry weight. In both soil and pine needle samples, the PCDDs/DFs concentrations in the industrial area sites were higher than those in the residential area sites. Homologue profiles in pine needle samples showed different patterns compared with soil samples. Based on the results of principal component analysis (PCA), it was confirmed that pine needles reflected a direct influence from local potential sources of PCDDs/DFs, showing a much higher degree of reflection than in soils. Pine needles are very useful as an indicator for monitoring or estimating the contamination of PCDDs/DFs in other areas which have been impacted by point pollution sources.
The aim of this study is to determine the outbreaks of nontoxic Gonyaulax polygramma Stein in Yeosu waters in place of harmful Cochlodinium polykrikoides Margalef, which has occurred annually in the same region since 1995. The observation of cellular arrangement and structure by electron microscopy showed that G. polygramma isolated from Yeosu waters had a few spines connecting with membranes and prominent longitudinal ridges on the cell surface, with a cingular displacement 1.5 times their cell width. Furthermore, the location of the nucleus was posterior of large oval formation according to electron microscopy. On 6 August, 2004, the first bloom of G. polygramma occurred, the date of its disappearance was with a maximum cell density of 8,000 cells ml-1 on 21 August, 2004. During the period of this study, the horizontal distribution of sea water temperature and salinity showed a strong coastal front, whereas the front of DIN (Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen) was significantly different between the occurrence and disappearance of G. polygramma blooms. These results suggested that the process of the breakdown of stratification by wind and a low level of inorganic nitrogen play important roles in the rapid growth of G. polygramma, which is associated with a greater robustness in growth against DIN than that of C. polykrikoides in nature.
Microcystis aeruginosa is common form of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) capable of producing toxic heptapeptide (microcystin) that cause illness or death. The comparison of molecular genetic method with the morphological characteristics of cyanobacteria was conducted. We have designed PCR primers (JJM98F, JJM1141R) for cyanobacterial 16S rRNA and phycocyanin intergenic spacer (PC-IGS) gene domain. To confirm the production of microcystins, PCR primers for the N-methyltransferase (NMT) domain of microcystin synthetase gene mcyA were designed using 21 cyanobacteria strains Most of isolated strains from the Nakdong River was classified as Microcystis aeruginosa and the similarities were 99% with M. aeruginosa AF 139292. 38.1% of isolated strains contained microcystin synthesis gene. NMT (N-methyltransferase) were not detected in isolated strain in several strains, which means non-toxic. However, the NMTs of the strains were detected during the cultivation.
In this study, we focused on the improvements in the simulation of sea surface wind over the complex coastal area. MM5 model being currently used to predict sea surface wind at Korea Meteorological Administration, was used to verify the accuracy to estimate the local wind field. A case study was performed on clear days with weak wind speed(4 m/s), chosen by the analysis of observations. The model simulations were conducted in the southeastern area of Korea during the selected periods, and observational data such as AWS, buoy and QuikSCAT were used to compare with the calculated wind components to investigate if simulated wind field could follow the tendency of the real atmospheric wind field.
Results showed that current operational model, MM5, does not estimate accurately sea surface wind and the wind over the coastal area. The calculated wind speed was overestimated along the complex coastal regions but it was underestimated in islands and over the sea.
The calculated diurnal changes of wind direction could not follow well the tendency of the observed wind, especially at nighttime. In order to exceed the limitations, data assimilation with high resolution data and more specificated geographical information is expected as a next best policy to estimate accurately the environment of local marine wind field.
Catalytic combustion of toluene was investigated on CuOx/SnO2-ZrO2, CuOx/SnO2, CuOx/ZrO2 catalysts prepared by impregnation. Characteristics of catalysts loaded on binary support and single support were observed by TPR, TPO, XRD, XPS techniques. The results on catalytic combustion showed that binary supports improve the activity of copper in the combustion of toluene. The reason for high catalytic activity on toluene combustion of CuOx/SnO2-ZrO2 catalyst was ascribed to oxidation·reduction activity at low temperatures and stability of oxidation state after reduction.
A laboratory experiment was performed to investigate phosphorus and nitrogen removal from synthetic wastewater by intermittently aerated activated sludge process packed with aluminum and silver plate. Three continuous experimental processes, i. e. an intermittently aerated activated sludge process(Run A), an intermittently aerated activated sludge process with an aluminum and silver plate packed into the reactor(Run B), and a reactor post stage(Run C) were compared. In the batch experiments, the phosphorus removal time in the reactor packed with aluminum and silver plate simultaneously was faster than that of the reactor packed with only an aluminum plate. More phosphorus was removed with an increase of NaCl concentration. The pitting corrosion of aluminum does not affect the performance of the biological treatment. The total nitrogen removal efficiency in Run B was 57% and 43.6% at the HRT of 12 and 6 hours respectively. The effluent PO4-P concentration as low as 1.0 mg/L could be obtainable through the continuous experiment in Run B at HRT of 6 hours.
The consecutive combination process of a biological process as the pre-treatment and a chemical process as the post-treatment is applied for the dyeing wastewater. The poor efficiency of biological treatment using pure oxygen makes the chemical treatment cost high. It is necessary to improve the efficiency of biological treatment in order to reduce the cost of chemical treatment. The purpose of this paper is to find the minimum dose of chemical reagent to fit the Discharged Water Quality Standards for the different biological treatment effluents. Results revealed that the minimum dosage of Fenton's reagent lead to save the cost of chemical treatment based on the guideline dose in the treatment plant. The possible maximum saving reagents was up to 70% for the effluent of the pilot plant packed with the carrier imbedded microorganisms which were selected from the present treatment plant.
Waste sludge may be used to recovery wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The waste sludge is an inexpensive readily available source of biomass for biosorption with metal-bearing wastewater. The biosorption of heavy metals such as Pb(II), Cu(II), Cr(II), and Cd(II) onto waste sludge was investigated in batch experiments and waste sludge loaded heavy metals was separated by dissolved air flotation. The biosorption equibria of heavy metals could be described by Langmuir and Freundich isotherms. The adsorption capacity for waste sludge was in the sequence of Pb(II)>Cr(II)>Cu(II)>Cd(II). The system attained equilibrium about 20 min. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption model effectively described the biosorption equilibrium of Cu(II) and Cr(II) ions on waste sludge. Maximum adsorption capacity of Cu(II) and Cr(II) were 196.08 and 158.73 mg/g, respectively. Solid-liquid separation efficiencies were kept above 95% on waste sludge loaded heavy metals, and were decreased with pH increasing.
This study aimed at improving the TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of HA. ·In this study, the Degradation of Humic Acid using Jeju Scoria Coated with WO3/TiO2 in the presence of UV irradiation was investigated as a function of different experimental condition : photocatalyst dosage, Ca2+ and HCO3- addition and pH of the solution. Photodegradation efficiency increased with increasing photocatalyst dosage, the optimum catalyst dosage is 2.5 g/L and Photodegradation efficiency is maximized to WO3/TiO2=3/7. This indicates that WO3 retains a much higher Lewis surface acidity than TiO2, and WO3 has a higher affinity for chemical species having unpaired electrons. The addtion of cation(Ca2+) in water increased the photodegradaion efficiency. But the addtion of HCO3- ion in water decreased a photodegradation efficiency. Photodegradation efficiency increased with decreasing pH. At pH < pzc, the electrostatic repulsion between the HA and the surface of TiO2 decreased.
A magenta azomethine dye(D) was synthesized from the reaction of 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazoline-5-one with N,N-diethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine. The magenta azomethine dye was identified on the basis of elemental analysis, 13C-NMR, infrared, and GC/MS studies. The magenta azomethine dye was decomposed in a basic solution. Rate constants of the fading reaction of magenta azomethine dye in ethanol-water solvent were measured spectrophotometrically at 540 nm. Reaction rate was increased with the increase of [OH-] and [H2O] in the region of [H2O]= 11~40 M. The reaction was governed by the following rate law.
-d[D]/dt = {ko + kOH[OH-][H2O]}[D]
A possible mechanism consistent with the empirical rate law has been proposed.