The biodegradable oil absorption resin was prepared by the suspension polymerization of the modified starch and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA). The highest oil-absorption capacity of B-PEHA prepared showed at the condition of the modified starch content of 10 g and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) of 0.133 wt%. Its maximum oil absorption capacity per g of oil absorber was chloroform 30.88 g, toluene 19.75 g, xylene 18.78 g, tetrahydofuran (THF) 15.96 g, octane 11.43 g, hexane 9.5 g diesel oil 12.80 g, and kerosene 13.79 g, respectively. The biodegradation of poly-2-ethylhexylacrylate (B-PEHA) determined by enzymatic hydrolysis showed approximately 17∼20%. The results showed that the preparation of the biodegradable oil absorption resin is available using the modified starch.

The surface properties and adsorption rates of activated carbon modified with acid and base were compared. The distribution ratio of C and C-H on the surface of activated carbon were decreased by modification with acid and base, but the distribution ratio of C-O, C=O, and O=C-O were increased. Base modification damaged the surface of activated carbon more than acid modification, it caused the effect of 6 percent increments of surface area. Adsorption rate model was more suitable to second order equation than first order equation. Adsorption rate was controlled by adsorption in pore better than in surface.

Using high voltage electric fields induced by high voltage AC (10-12 kV/cm, 20 kHz) and pulsed (20-30 kV/cm, 40 Hz) electric field generator as a semipermanent and environment-friendly disinfecting apparatus, the disinfection effect of coliform group in the effluent of sewage plant was investigated. The effects of electric field strength, treatment time, discharge area of a discharge tube, water quality factors (electric conductivity, pH and SS) on its death rate were examined. The death rate of coliform group was increased with increasing electric field strength and treatment time. For AC and pulsed electric field generator, the critical electric field strength was 6 kV/cm and 2 kV/cm, respectively, and the critical treatment time was 5 min and 2 min, respectively, regardless of electric field strength. Comparing the death rate of coliform group by AC and pulsed electric fields used in this study, its death rate was higher for the latter than the former, but did not increase linearly with increasing electric field strength. The results obtained for the effects of discharge area, electric conductivity, pH and SS on the death rate of coliform group using AC electric field (12 kV/cm, 20 kHz) were as follows: its death rate showed the trend to increase linearly with increasing discharge area; for the effect of electric conductivity, its death rate was increased with increasing electric conductivity, regardless of ionic species, increased with increasing cationic valency, but was similar between the same cationic valency; the pH 5～9 used in this study did not affect its death rate; its death rate was decreased with increasing SS concentration.

The floc formation, breakage and reformation of humic acid by inorganic (alum and PAC) and organic coagulants (cationic polyelectrolytes) at several conditions (pH, ionic strength and floc breakage time) were examined and compared among the coagulants at different conditions using a continuous optical monitoring method, with controlled mixing and stirring conditions. For alum, the shapes of formation, breakage and reformation curves at different pH (5 and 7) were different, but the shapes and the sizes of initial floc and reformed floc were nearly the same in the absence and presence of electrolytes at pH 7. For PAC, similar shapes of the curves were obtained at different pH and ionic strength, but the sizes were different, except for those of reformed flocs at different pH. However, for these coagulants, reformed flocs after floc breakage, occurred irreversibly for all the conditions used in this study. For organic coagulants, the time to attain the initial plateau floc size, the extent of floc strength at high shear rate and reversibility of reformed flocs were different, depending floc formation mechanism. Especially, for the cationic polyelectrolyte forming humic flocs by charge neutralization or electrostatic patch effect mechanism, reformed flocs occurred reversibly, regardless of pH and floc breakage time, but occurred irreversibly in the presence of electrolytes.

Butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were measured in surface and core sediments collected in 2001 inside Seogwipo Harbor, in order to evaluate their distribution characteristics. Seogwipo Harbor is one of major harbors of Jeju Island where a lot of shipping occurs and is designated as a trade port by the Korea Maritime and Port Law. BTs were detected in surface and core sediments of all stations and their concentrations in surface sediments were low, compared with to those in other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The main species among BTs was MBT, although there was a little difference with a survey site in surface sediments and in core sediments with depth. No or low correlations were obtained between organic matter or particles size of surface and core sediments and total BTs, indicating that these factors did not affect the distribution of BTs. It was estimated that more complex factors including BTs loads and surrounding sedimentary environments, affect the distribution of BTs. The high correlations between BTs indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints of vessel etc. and other sources, such as DBT and MBT, could be ignored. The butyltin degradation indices ([DBT] + [MBT]/[TBT]) in surface sediments were in the range of 2.0～3.8 (mean 3.0), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, were inflowed into the surface sediments a long years ago, degraded and deposited. The sedimentation age of BTs contaminated core sediments could not estimated because the content of 210Pb activity were nearly all the same and so the sedimentation rate could not obtained.

The treatment of styrene vapor was carried out using the biofilter packed with loess/polyurethane composite during continuous operation of 74 days. The microorganisms were adapted within 2-3 days under the experimental conditions of inlet concentration and empty bed contact time (EBCT). At 200 sec of EBCT, the removal efficiency of styrene was 100% with 200 ppmv of inlet concentration, while 92% with 400 ppmv of inlet concentration. The biofilter showed the stable removal efficiencies of over 74 % under the EBCT range from 300 to 75 sec at the 150 ppmv of inlet styrene concentration. The maximum capacity of styrene removal for the biofilter packed with loess/polyurethane was 29 g/m3/hr. During continuous operation of 74 days, pH of the drain water changed slightly and the pressure drop through the biofilter column was below 45 mmH2O/m.

The effects of pH (5, 7 and 9) and ionic strength of different salts on the flocculation characteristics of humic acid by inorganic (alum, polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with degree of neutralization, r=(OH/Al) of 1.7) and organic (cationic polyelectrolyte) coagulants, have been examined using a simple continuous optical technique, coupled with measurements of zeta potential. The results are compared mainly by the mechanisms of its destabilization and subsequent removal. The destabilization and subsequent removal of humic acid by PAC and cationic polyelectrolyte occur by a simple charge neutralization, regardless of pH of the solution. However, the mechanism of those by alum is greatly dependent on pH and coagulant dosage, i.e., both mechanisms of charge neutralization at lower dosages and sweep flocculation at higher dosages at pH 5, by sweep flocculation mechanism at pH 7, and little flocculation because of electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged humic acid and aluminum species at pH 9. The ionic strength also affects those greatly, mainly based on the charge of salts, and so is more evident for the salts of highly charged cationic species, such as CaCl2 and MgCl2. However, it is found that the salts have no effect on those at the optimum dosage for alum acting by the mechanism of sweep flocculation at pH 7, regardless of their charge.

Polyelectrolyte titration, which was called colloid titration is based on the stoichiometric reaction between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. This can be used, for instance, to determine the charge density of a cationic polyelectrolyte, using an anionic polyelectrolyte of known charge density, such as potassium polyvinyl sulfate (PPVS). The technique requires a suitable method of end-point detection and there are several possibilities. In this work, two methods have been investigated: visual titrimetry based on the color change of a cationic dye (o-toluidine blue, o-Tb) and spectrophotometry based on the absorbance change corresponding to the color change of the same dye. These have been applied to several cationic polyelectrolytes with different charge density and molecular weight. In all cases, the cationic charge was due to quaternary nitrogen groups. In the case of cationic dye, it was shown that the sharpness depends on the charge density of cationic polyelectrolyte. With the polyelectrolytes of lower charge density, the binding to PPVS is weaker and binding of the dye to PPVS can occur before all of the polyelectrolyte charge has been neutralized. However, by carrying out titrations at several polyelectrolyte concentrations, good linear relationships were found, from which reliable charge density values could be derived. Effects of pH and ionic strength were also briefly investigated. For cationic polyelectrolytes (copolymers of acrylamide and dimethylaminoethyl acrylate), there was some loss of charge at higher pH values, probably as a result of hydrolysis. Increasing ionic strength causes a less distinct color change of o-Tb, as a result of weaker electrostatic interactions.

Starch was crosslinked with epichlorohydrin. Crosslinked starch-filled waterborne acrylate (CSWAC) films were prepared by blending this crosslinked starch with waterborne acrylate. The thermal and mechanical properties of these films were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile strength and elongation test. The biodegradability was also studied by determination of reduced sugar products after enzymatic hydrolysis and the surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The CSWAC film showed significantly higher tensile strength and elongation than those of starch-filled waterbonre acrylate (SWAC). The biodegradability of this film was higher than that of native starch-filled acrylate film, and was increased by the addition of crosslinked starch to the acrylate film.

The surface sediments inside Songsanpo and Seogwipo Harbors, major harbors of Jeju Island, were collected three times (June, September and December, 2001) and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) recommended by US-EPA as priority pollutants to assess their distribution levels and their biological effects on the marine organisms, and to suggest their possible origins. The concentrations of total PAHs inside Songsanpo and Seogwipo Harbors ranged from 41 to 288 ng/g on a dry weight basis with a mean value of 121 ng/g and from 14 to 268 ng/g with a mean value of 119 ng/g, respectively, and the levels were low as compared with those in other areas of the world. The sedimentary PAHs may be correlated with organic carbon and mud content to some extent. Based on comparisons of individual and total concentrations with effects-based sediment quality guidelines, the potential for the biological effects on the marine organisms were expected to be very low. From the examinations of the four PAH origin indices, such as LMW/HMW (low molecular weight 2-3 ring PAHs over high molecular weight 4-6 ring PAHs), phenanthrene/anthracene ratio, fluoranthene/pyrene ratio, chrysene/benzo[a]anthracene ratio, it can be concluded that the sediment PAH contaminations were ascribed to both of pyrolytic and petrogenic origins.

Adsorption characteristics of toluene vapor, which is one of important source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), by activated carbon were investigated using a fixed bed adsorption column. The operating parameters such as breakthrough curve, adsorption capacity, mass transfer zone (MTZ), and length of unused bed (LUB) were studied. The experimental results showed that the breakthrough time decreased with increasing inlet toluene concentration and gas flow rate. MTZ and LUB increased with the increase of inlet concentration, gas flow rate, and particle size of activated carbon. The adsorption capacity increased with the increase of inlet toluene concentration, while it decreased with increasing particle size. However, it was kept at constant value regardless of the increase of gas flow rate. Adsorption isotherm of toluene vapor could be represented by the Freundlich adsorption equation fairly well. From the adsorption experiments using some VOC gases such as toluene, xylene, butyl acetate. butanol and acetone, it was also found that the adsorption capacity was higher in the case of gas with higher boiling point and lower vapor pressure.

The starch-filled waterborne acrylate (SWAC) films were prepared. The structures and properties of SWAC films were investigated by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and strength test. The biodegradability of SWAC film was also studied by determination of reduced sugar products after enzymatic hydrolysis. The surface morphology of the SWAC film was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the tensile strength and elongation of SWAC film decreased with the increase of starch content. The SWAC film showed significantly higher water absorbed content than waterbonre acrylate film. The biodegradability of SWAC film increased as the content of starch increased. The biodegradation of starch in SWAC film by α-amylase was about 77% of that of pure starch.

The biodegradability of vinyl acetate acrylate resin and corn starch blend was studied by determination of the reduced sugars produced after enzymatic hydrolysis. The starch hydrolysis reaction by α-amylase was achieved within 5 minutes. Optimal ranges of temperature and pH for the starch hydrolysis by α-amylase were around 80 oC and 6.5-7.2, respectively. The biodegradability of the starch-filled acrylate films increased as the content of starch increased. The biodegradation of starch in the starch-filled acrylate film by α-amylase was about 48.6% of that of pure starch. This value of biodegradable starch-filled acrylate film gave a good result with enzymatic shortcut test. The surface morphologies of the starch-filled acrylate film after enzymatic hydrolysis were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

A biofiltration system using activated carbon/polyurethane composite as solid support inoculated with Bacillus sp. was developed for treating a gaseous stream containing high concentrations of H2S. The effects of operating condition such as the influent H2S concentration and the empty bed contact time (EBCT) on the removal efficiency of H2S were investigated. The biofilter showed the stable removal efficiencies of over 99 % under the EBCT range from 15 to 60 sec at the 300 ppmv of H2S inlet concentration. When the inlet concentration of H2S was increased, the removal efficiencies decreased, reaching 95 and 74%, at EBCTs of 10 and 7.5 sec, respectively. The maximum elimination capacity in the biofilter packed with activated carbon/polyurethane composite media was 157 g/m3/hr.

The surface sediments inside Hallim Harbor, one of the major harbors of Jeju Island, were sampled three times (June, September and December, 2001) and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), recommended by US-EPA as priority pollutants, to assess their distribution levels and to suggest their possible origins. The concentrations of PAHs ranged from 19 to 496 ng/g on a dry weight basis with a mean value of 245 ng/g, and the levels were low to moderate in comparison with other areas in the world. Based on comparisons of individual and total PAH concentrations with effects-based and equilibrium partitioning-based on sediment quality guidelines, the potential for the biological effects were expected to be low. The sedimentary PAHs may be correlated with organic carbon and mud contents to some extent. From the examinations of the four PAH origin indices, such as LMW/HMW (low molecular weight 2-3 ring PAHs over high molecular weight 4-6 ring PAHs), phenanthrene/anthracene ratio, fluoranthene/pyrene ratio, chrysene/benzo[a]anthracene ratio, it can be concluded that the sediment PAH contaminations were ascribed to both pyrolytic and petrogenic origins.

The adsorption behaviors of strontium and cesium ions on fly ash, natural zeolites, and zeolites synthesized from fly ash were investigated. The zeolites synthesized from fly ash had greater adsorption capabilities for strontium and cesium ions than the original fly ash and natural zeolites. The maximum adsorption capacity of synthetic zeolite for strontium and cesium ions was 100 and 154 mg/g, respectively. It was found that the Freundlich isotherm model could fit the adsorption isotherm. The distribution coefficients (Kd) for strontium and cesium ions were also calculated from the adsorption isotherm data. The distribution coefficients decreased with increasing equilibrium concentration of strontium and cesium ions in solution. By studying the removal of cesium and strontium ions in the presence of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, and EDTA (in the range of 0.01 - 5 mM) it was found that these coexistence ions competed for the same adsorption sites with strontium and cesium ions.

Adsorption on goethite of individual component from a solution containing phosphate, sulfate, or copper ion was investigated. Competitive adsorption in the binary and ternary solution systems composed of phosphate, sulfate, and copper ions was also investigated. In competitive adsorption systems with phosphate and sulfate ions, the presence of phosphate ion reduced the adsorption of sulfate ion largely. On the other hand, the presence of sulfate ion caused only a small decrease in phosphate adsorption. This result suggests that phosphate ion is a stronger competitor for adsorption on goethite than sulfate ion, which is consistent with the higher affinity of phosphate for the surface compared to sulfate ion. Compared to the results from single-sorbate systems, adsorption of copper ion in the binary system of sulfate ion and copper ion was found to be enhanced in the presence of sulfate ion. Addition of sulfate ion to the binary system of copper ion and phosphate ion resulted in a small enhancement in copper sorption. This result implies that the presence of sulfate ion promotes adsorption of the ternary complex FeOHCuSO4. The adsorption isotherms could be well described by the Langmuir adsorption equation.

Adsorption of phosphate, sulfate, and copper ion to goethite was investigated. Goethite was prepared in the alkaline solution. In the single adsorbate systems, the final equilibrium plateau reached within 20 min. The adsorption isotherms of the individual ions could be well described by the Langmuir equation. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) were calculated as 0.483 mmol/g and 0.239 mmol/g at pH 3 for phosphate and sulfate ion, and 0.117 mmol/g at pH 6 for copper ion, respectively. In competitive adsorption system with phosphate and sulfate, phosphate ion was a stronger competitor for adsorption on goethite than sulfate ion, which was consistent with higher affinity of phosphate ion for the surface compared to sulfate ion. The existence of sulfate ion enhanced the adsorption of copper ion but the adsorption of sulfate was inhibited when copper ion was present.

Various kinds of zeolites, such as analcime (ANA), cancrinite (CAN), Na-P1 and sodalite octahydrate (SOD) could be synthesized from Hwangto by hydrothermal reaction in a high-pressure vessel. The adsorption characteristics of Cu(II) and Cd(II) by Hwangto and its synthetic zeolites were investigated using the chemical and electrochemical surface parameters of these adsorbents. The heavy metal adsorptivity among the adsorbents decreased in the following sequences: Na-P1>SOD>ANA>CAN>Hwangto. This sequence was the same with the values of surface site density (Ns) of these adsorbents and was correlated inversely with the values of pHpzc (pH of the point of zero charge) and the values of Ka2(int) (intrinsic surface deprotonation constant) of the adsorbents for synthetic zeolites, i.e., the adsorbents with higher values of Ns and with lower values of pHpzc and Ka2(int) for synthetic zeolites showed higher heavy metal adsorptivity. With increasing pH, the heavy metal adsorptivity increased greatly between pHpzc and pH 6 or 7 because of the steep increase of negatively charged sites for synthetic zeolites, but for Hwangto, it increased broadly because of slow increase of negatively charged sites based on its lower surface sites.