2013년 1월 1일에 최종 개정된 수질기준에 의하면, 1일 하수처리용량이 500 m³ 이상인 하수처리장이 I 지역에 처리수를 방류하는 경우의 총 질소 기준은 20 mg˗N/L, 총인 기준은 0.2 mg˗P/L로, 총인 규제농도가 특히 낮다고 할 수 있다. 이러한 방류수 수질기준을 만족시키기 위해 공공하수처리시설에서는 다양한 고도처리 공법들을 시행하고 있는데, 그 중에서 생물학적 고도처리(Biological Nutrient Removal : BNR) 공법이 가장 일반적으로 사용되고 있다. 대표적인 BNR 공법인 A2O 공법은 혐기조와 무산소조, 호기조를 통해 유기물 뿐 아니라, 질소 및 인까지 동시에 제거 가능하다(Xiang et al. 2014). BNR 공법의 질소 및 인 처리율은 약 70% 정도 밖에 되지 않는다. 기존의 BNR 공법 보다 질소와 인의 제거효율을 높이고, 나날이 강화되는 방류수 수질기준을 만족시킬 수 있는 새로운 기술로써, 미세조류와 박테리아의 공배양(co˗culture)에 대한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 이는 유기물 및 질소와 인에 대한 제거능력이 뛰어나다고 알려진 미세조류를 기존의 박테리아를 이용한 하수처리 공법에 적용함을 의미한다. 미세조류와 박테리아의 공배양은 autotrophic 조건이나 heterotrophic 조건 보다 mixotrophic 조건에서 성장수율이나 N, P 제거율이 우수하다고 알려져 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 mixotrophic 조건에서 미세조류와 박테리아의 co-culture 과정에서 pH의 변화에 따른 N, P 제거능을 알아보고, 최적의 pH를 도출하고자 하였다.

This study investigated the effect of NH4 + concentrations on microalgae growth by appling mixotrophic microalgae chlorella vulgaris in order to treat anaerobic digested food waste leachate. The growth rate and final microalgae growth were an order as 400 > 100 > 800 > 1300 mg-N/L. As results, The growth rate and final growth of microalgae were highest at ammonia concentration of 400 mg-N/L, On the other hand microalgae growth was inhibited when ammonia concentrations were over 800 mg-N/L. high concentrations of nitrogen over 800 mg-N/L interrupt the growth of microalgae. All of nitrogen and phosphorus were removed by microalgae at the ammonia concentration of 100~400 mg-N/L. In addition, when ammonia concentration was over 800 mg-N/L, the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus was limited mainly due to the microalgae growth limit. It was possible to treat anaerobic digested food waste leachate with mixotrophic microalgae when the ammonia concentration was controlled below 400 mg-N/L.

There is about 80% organic acid in the Food wastes leachate and organic acid can be used as organic carbon source for mixotrophic microalgae. The mixotrophic cultivation is that the combination of autotrophic and heterotrophic cultivation, where inorganic and organic carbon sources are used in their methabolism simultaneously. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of various organic acid on the microalgae when Food wastes leachate treatment. Chlorella vulgaris was used in this study, also NaHCO3 is supplied at all conditions as inorganic carbon source. In order to see the effect of organic carbon sources centrally, the carbon source conditions was set in 5 conditions - glucose known to have excellent effectiveness to increase of biomass productivity 1500 mg-COD/L, acetate 1500 mg-COD/L, isobutyrate 1500 mg-COD/L, propionate 1500mg-COD/L and the mixed organic acid (acetate, isobutyrate, propionate each 500 mg-COD/L). This study evaluated final biomass production, consumption of organic carbon, and N,P removal. In the result, the final biomass productivity by using glucose, acetate and isobutyrate is the highest level, followed by mixed organic acid and propionate. This is same aspect in N,P removal; the more rapid growth rate is, the more rapid N,P removal rate is. In the view of consumption of organic carbon, acetate make best use among organic acid.

This study aims to increase the organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies than the conventional method and meet higher effluent water quality standards by co-culture with bacteria in activated sludge in the aeration tank. By the co-culture in mixotrophic conditions through metabolic characterization of Scenedesmus dimorphus and bacteria in the aeration activated sludge, assessed how the impact on the organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus removal rate. In addition, the study was to determine if it is possible to supply the oxygen necessary for the bacteria through the photosynthesis of algae without aeration. To test the synergistic effects of the co-culture, we compared co culture with S. dimorphus - only, Bacteria - only as a controls. In the co-culture condition inoculation ratio is based on the TSS concentration S. dimorphus and bacteria 1 : 5 (w / w), 5 : 5 (w / w) at a ratio. The growth rate of S. dimorphus - only condition was higher, which was 10 times and 2 times lower compared to B : A (5 : 1), B : A (5 : 5) respectively. Organic carbon removal rate of S. dimorphus - only condition was lower than other conditions, the remaining conditions were consumed at a similar rate. In the co-culture of Mixed bacteria and S. dimorphus, ammonium and phosphate removal rate has been high. But, nitrate removal rate showed a tendency to decrease compared to the Bacteria-only condition. When considering the Ammonium, nitrate and phosphate removal rate, N, P removal efficiency which is most excellent in terms of bacteria, such as S. dimorphus ratio (5 : 5) were co-cultured in the conditions. DO was maintained at 3 mg/L or more under all conditions. So, implying co-culture has the potential to decrease aeration costs.

This study investigated the semi-continuous and continuous cultivation of microalgae-sludge for artificial digested food wastes leachate treatment, and the effect of hydraulic retention times(HRT) on microalgae growth and nutrient removal. In this study, two reactors were examined the HRTs from 4 to 1 day, the Chlorella vulgaris cell density of semi-continuous and continuous cultivation reached a maximum value at HRT 3 day, then decreasing HRT to 2 day and 1 day the Chlorella vulgaris cell density was decreased. The maximum Chlorella vulgaris cell density in semi-continuous cultivation was 1.4 times higher than continuous cultivation. The maximum NH4-N, PO4-P removal efficiency was 100%, 75.7% with HRT of 3 day in semi-continuous cultivation, while 96.5%, 65.7% with HRT of 4 day in continuous cultivation. These results indicate that semi-continuous cultivation is more suitable than continuous cultivation. And the effect of increased light intensity from 100 μmol/m²/s to 400 μmol/m²/s was also evaluated, as the result, increased light intensity improved Chlorella vulgaris cell growth and nutrient removal.

The effects of NaCl concentration on bio-hydrogen production and microbial community by dark-fermentation were evaluated. The examined NaCl concentration was varied from 0 to 5%. When NaCl concentration ranged from 0 to 3%, the hydrogen production was insignificantly affected. 4% or more NaCl concentration decreased accumulated hydrogen production and the lag time was longer. In addition, the metabolite pathway of the bacteria were shifted from butyrate to acetate by microbial community changes with high concentration of NaCl. FISH analysis was achieved to analyze the microbial community after the dark-fermentation performance. Hydrogen producing bacteria, Clostridium sp. Cluster I and Cluster XI, was dominated with 0 ~ 3% of NaCl, while Eubacteria, general bacteria, was dominated with 4 ~ 5% of NaCl. Therefore, the growth and hydrogen production of the hydrogen producing bacteria were inhibited with over 4% of NaCl.

The most effective chemical pretreatment method for Scenedesmus dimorphus was evaluated based on solubilization rate and saccharification yield. When 1% of S. dimorphus with 0.5 N of chemicals such as HCl, H2SO4, HNO3, NaOH and KOH was autoclaved at 120oC and 1.1 atm for 60 min, the solubilization rate was high with alkali chemicals while the saccharification yield was low compared to that with acid chemicals. The pretreatment efficiency was significant in order in HNO3, HCl and H2SO4, however, HCl would be effective for field application considering the cost. The proper concentration and time to treat with HCl were concluded in 1 N and 10 min. In the conditions with 1 : 1 mixed acid chemicals such as H2SO4+ HNO3, HCl + HNO3 and HCl + H2SO4, the solubilization rate was similar to that with single acid treatment, while the saccharification yield was enhanced about 34% in the mixed condition with H2SO4 and HNO3 compared to that treated with H2SO4.