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.

Waterborne fluorinated acrylate copolymer (WFAC) for surface modification of textile was synthesized from perfluoroalkyl ethyl acrylate, octadecyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, surfactant and 3,3 methyl-methoxy butanol. The structures of the synthesized WFAC were determinated by FT-IR and 19F-NMR analysis. The thermal stability investigated with DSC and TGA was decreased with increasing the content of fluorinated acrylate in the copolymer. However, the particle sizes of WFAC were increased with increasing the content of fluorinated acrylate in the copolymer. The surface energies calculated by contact angles of WFAC were in the range of 29.80～13.41 dyne/cm. On the observing SEM of the textile surface treated with WFAC, the textile was swollen and compacted with increasing the concentration of water repellency agent. WFAC synthesized in this study showed a good water repellency.

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).

An experimental study on the preparation of monolithic porous polymers by environmentally friend process in supercritical carbon dioxide has been carried out. Polymerization mixture composed of a cross-linking monomer, initiator and functional co-polymer was charged in the reactor with sapphire window. After the system was purged with a flow of CO2 for 15 min, the reactor was pressurized with liquid CO2 up to 100 bars. The reactor was isolated from and placed back to the system via quick connector for shaking until the mixture had become fully homogeneous. The reactor was then heated and pressurized to the required reaction conditions and left overnight. After cooling and CO2 evacuation, the polymer was removed from the reactor as dry, white, continuous monoliths. The effect of experimental conditions on the physical properties of porous polymer was systematically examined, and it was found that monomer content had a major effect on the physical properties of the polymers.

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.

The photodegradations of pyrene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene that were similar in structure among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated with a low-pressure mercury lamp(the wavelength of 253.7 nm and UV output of 1.35x10-3 J/s). The optimum concentrations of TiO2 and H2O2 on the photodegradation of pyrene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene were 1 g/L and 1.5 x 10-3 M, respectively. By these optimum concentrations, their rates increased with increasing the concentration of TiO2 and H2O2 because the amounts of OH radical formed increased, but for the higher concentrations than the optimum, their rates decreased with increasing those concentrations because the white turbidity phenomena occurs in case of TiO2 and H2O2 acts as an OH radical inhibitor. The photodegradation rates among the photodegradation processes such as UV, UV/TiO2, UV/H2O2, and UV/H2O2/TiO2 decreased in the following sequences: UV/H2O2/TiO2> UV/H2O2> UV/TiO2> UV.

Butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were measured in surface sediments collected in 2001 inside Hallim Harbor where a lot of shipping occurs as one of major harbors of Jeju Island, in order to evaluate their distribution. BTs were detected in surface sediments of all stations and their concentrations were comparable to those in surface sediments of other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The main species among BTs was MBT, although there was a little difference with a survey site. No correlations were obtained between organic matter or particles size of surface sediments and total BTs, indicating that these factors did not affect on the distribution of BTs. It was estimated that more complex factors including BTs loads and surrounding sedimentary environments, affected on 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 indexes ([DBT] + [MBT]/[TBT]) were in the range of 1.5～3.3 (mean 2.5), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, were inflowed into the surface sediments a long years ago and degraded.

A recycling process for the waste FRP from boats was developed. The recycling process is composed of decomposition of waste FRP with propylene glycol and synthesis of recycled unsaturated polyester resin from the decomposed liquid material. Prior to the decomposition, waste FRP was cut into 2cm x 5cm segments and mechanical impact was applied by press roller to give gaps between cumulated laminates. Propylene glycol effectively decomposed the waste FRP segments and glass fibers were easily separated from decomposed liquid material. Recycled unsaturated polyester resin could be made from the decomposed liquid material by reaction with maleic anhydride and phthalic anhydride.

The photodegradation of pyrene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene, that were similar in structure among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were investigated in water irradiated with a low-pressure mercury lamp (wavelength of 253.7nm and UV output of 1.35×10-3J/s). The effects of several factors (t-BuOH, HCO3- and pH) on photodegradation of above three PAHs were also examined. The photodegradation rates of PAHs decreased with increasing the concentration of t-BuOH, but decreased little with increasing the concentration of HCO3- under the concentrations used in this study. The photodegradation rates of PAHs decreased with increasing pH, but their change were greater in case of pH increase from acid to neutral and were little in case of pH increase from neutral to base. The photodegradation rates of PAHs fitted a first-order kinetic model and their photodegradation rates decreased in the following sequences: pyrene>chrysene>benzo[a]pyrene among the PAHs used.

Waste paper cup was sulfonated to be used as ion exchanger. Removal characteristic of copper and lead ion by prepared ion exchanger was investigated. The sulfonation was conformed by the high intensity band of SO3H group around 1100～1160cm-1. The synthesized ion exchanger had greater removal ability for copper and lead ion than the original waste paper cup. Ion exchange system reached the final equilibrium plateau within 30min. The maximum removal capacities (qmax) were calculated as 9.79mg/g for copper and 15.95mg/g for lead, respectively. The affinity of lead based on a weight was higher than that of copper. The ion exchange phenomena appeared to follow a typical Freundlich isotherm.