A comprehensive fractionation technique was applied to a set of water samples obtained along drinking water treatment process with ozonation and biological activated carbon (BAC) process to obtain detailed profiles of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and to evaluate the haloacetic acid (HAA) formation potentials of these DOM fractions. The results indicated that coagulation-sedimentation-sand filtration treatment showed limited ability to remove hydrophilic fraction (28%), while removal of hydrophobic and transphilic fraction were 57% and 40%, respectively. And ozonation and BAC treatment showed limited ability to remove hydrophobic fractions (6%), while removal of hydrophilic and transphilic fractions were 25% and 18%. The haloacetic acid formation potential (HAAFP)/dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of hydrophilic fraction was the highest along the treatment train and HAAFP/DOC of hydrophilic fraction was higher than hydrophobic and transphilic fraction as 23% 30%, because of better removal for hydrophobic fraction both in concentration and reactivity.

In this study we followed biofilm formation and development in a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter on pilot-scale during the 12 months of operation. GAC particles and water samples were sampled from four different depths (-5, -25, -50 and –90 cm from surface of GAC bed) and attached biomass were measured with adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) analysis and heterotrophic plate count (HPC) method. The attached biomass accumulated rapidly on the GAC particles of top layer throughout all levels in the filter during the 160 days (BV 23,000) of operation and maintained a steady-state afterward. During steady-state, biomass (ATP and HPC) concentrations of top layer in the BAC filer were 2.1 μg·ATP/g·GAC and 3.3×108 cells/g·GAC, and 85%, 83% and 99% of the influent total biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOCtotal), BDOCslow and BDOCrapid were removed, respectively. During steady-state process, biomass (ATP and HPC) concentrations of middle layer (-50 cm) and bottom layer (-90 cm) in the BAC filter were increased consistently. Biofilm development (growth rate) proceed highest rate in the top layer of filter (μATP = 0.73 day-1; μHPC = 1,74 day-1) and 78%∼87% slower in the bottom layer (μATP = 0.14 day-1; μHPC = 0.34 day-1). This study shows that the combination of different analytical methods allows detailed quantification of the microbiological activity in drinking water biofilter.

Adsorption and biodegradation performance of tetracycline antibiotic compounds such as ttetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), minocycline (MNC), chlortetracycline (CTC), doxycycline (DXC), meclocycline (MCC), demeclocycline (DMC) on granular activated carbon (GAC) and anthracite-biofilter were evaluated in this study. Removal efficiency of seven tetracycline antibiotic compounds showed 54%∼97% by GAC adsorption process (EBCT: 5∼30 min). The orders of removal efficiency by GAC adsorption were tetracycline, demeclocycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, doxytetracycline, meclocycline and minocycline. Removal efficiencies of seven tetracycline antibiotic compounds showed 1%∼61% by anthracite biofiltration process (EBCT: 5∼30 min). The highest biodegradable tetracycline antibiotic compound was minocycline, and the worst biodegradable tetracycline antibiotic compounds were oxytetracycline and demeclocycline.

While a range of natural organic matter (NOM) types can generate high levels of disinfection by-products (DBPs) after chlorination, there is little understanding of which specific compounds act as precursors. Use of eight model compounds allows linking of explicit properties to treatability and DBP formation potential (DBPFP). The removal of model compounds by various treatment processes and their haloacetic acid formation potential (HAAFP) before and after treatment were recorded. The model compounds comprised a range of hydrophobic (HPO) and hydrophilic (HPI) neutral and anionic compounds. On the treatment processes, an ozone oxidation process was moderate for control of model compounds, while the HPO-neutral compound was most treatable with activated carbon process. Biodegradation was successful in removing amino acids, while coagulation and ion exchange process had little effect on neutral molecules. Although compared with the HPO compounds the HPI compounds had low HAAFP the ozone oxidation and biodegradation were capable of increasing their HAAFP. In situations where neutral or HPI molecules have high DBPFP additional treatments may be required to remove recalcitrant NOM and control DBPs.

The Nakdong River being used as drinking water sources for the Busan metropolitan city has the vulnerability of water management due to the fact that industrial areas are located in the upper Nakdong River. This study used emergy analysis method to evaluate ecological-economics of water treatment systems of D water treatment plant (WTP) where located in the downstream of the Nakdong River. The emergy methodology is a system evaluation tool that uses energy as the common currency to compare different resources on a common basis. Emergy yield ratio (EYR) and emergy sustainability index (EmSI) of D WTP were 1.16 and 0.18, respectively. It means not resources and sustainable system but consumer goods and not sustainable system. Ratio of emergy benefit to the purchaser (EBP) shows 2.7 times higher than economic costs. To change the weak water source and situations we need to diversity water intake.

The concentration of organic compounds was analyzed at each step of BAC process though BDOCtotal/rapid/slow. Further, bacteria communities and biomass concentrations measured FISH and ATP methods were analyzed. The bed volume (BV) of steady state is different from that of based on assessment of organic compounds removal. Bed volumes in DOC, BDOCrapid and BDOCtotal/slow removal at steady state were around 27,500 (185.8 day), 15,000 (101.4 day) and 32,000 (216.2 day), respectively. A biomass didn't change after the bed volume reached 22,500 (152.0 day) according to analyzing ATP concentration of bacteria. The concentration of ATP was 2.14 μg/g in BV 22,500 (152.0 day). The total bacterial number was 4.01±0.4×107 cells/g at the bed volume 1,150 (7.8 day) (the initial operation) and the number of bacteria was 9.27±0.2×109 at the bed volume 58,560 395.7 day) that increased more than 200 times. Bacterial uptrend was reduced and bacterial communities were stabilized since BV 18,720 (126.5 day). When BV were 1,150 (7.8 day), 8,916 (60.2 day), 18,720 (126.5 day), 31,005 (209.5 day), 49,632 (335.3 day), 58,560 (395.7 day), a proportion of total bacteria for the Eubacteria were 60.1%, 66.0%, 78.4%, 82.0%, 81.3% respectively. γ-Proteobacteria group was the most population throughout the entire range. The correlation coefficient (r2) between Eubacteria biomass and ATP concentration was 0.9448.

The bacterial community structure in biological activated carbon (BAC) process in drinking water treatment plant was investigated by Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) with rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probe. Samples were collected at different three points in BAC process every month for one year. They were hybridized with a probe specific for the alpha, beta, gamma subclass of the class Proteobacteria, Cytophaga- Flavobacteria group and Gram-positive high G+C content (HGC) group. Total numbers of bacteria in BAC process counted by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining were 5.4×1010 (top), 4.0×1010 (middle) and 2.8×1010 cells/ml (bottom). The number of the culturable bacteria was from 1.0×107 to 3.6×107 cells/ml and the culturability was about 0.05%. The faction of bacteria detectable by FISH with the probe EUB338 was about 83% of DAPI counts. Gamma and alpha subclass of the class Proteobacteria were predominant in BAC process and their ratios were over 20% respectively. In top and middle, alpha, beta and gamma subclass of the class Proteobacteria competed with each other and their percentages was changed according to the season. In bottom, gamma subclass of the class Proteobacteria was predominant all through the year. It could be successfully observed the seasonal distribution of bacterial community in biological activated carbon process using FISH.

Feathers are produced in huge quantities as a waste product at commercial poultry processing plants. Since feathers are almost pure keratin protein, feather wastes represent an alternative to more expensive dietary ingredients for animal feedstuffs. Generally they become feather meal used as animal feed after undergoing physical and chemical treatments. These processes require significant energy and also cause environmental pollutions. Therefore, biodegradation of feather by microorganisms represents an alternative method to prevent environment contamination. The aim of this study was to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic protease production by Bacillus pumilus RS7. We also assessed the nutritive value of microbial and alkaline feather hydrolysates. The composition of optimal medium for the keratinolytic protease was fructose 0.05%, yeast extract 0.3%, NaCl 0.05%, K2HPO4 0.03%, KH2PO4 0.04% and MgCl2ㆍ6H2O 0.01%, respectively. The optimal temperature and initial pH was 30℃ and 9.0, respectively. The keratinolytic protease production under optimal condition reached a maximum after 18 h of cultivation. Total amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was 113.8 ㎍/ml and 504.9 ㎍/ml, respectively. Essential amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was 47.2 ㎍/ml and 334.0 ㎍/ml, respectively. Thus, feather hydrolysates have the potential for utilization as an ingredient in animal feed.