A large amount of 2.1×106 m3 of polluted sediment was dredged from the Masan Bay and deposited in Gapo confined area, Masan, Korea. The six representative sediments were obtained and analyzed for issue components. The data was discussed with the species of benthos and their distribution. It was judged that toxicological effects of sediment analyzed ranged from ERL to ERM with copper and zinc, and ERL with cadmium, chrome, lead and nickel by the Adverse Biological Effects. The dredging index (DI) of sediments stabilized for 10 years since dumping the confined site was calculated and compared with the DI values of dredged sediment itself. DI values decreased from 0.67 to 0.07 ~ 0.18, which reflects DI value less than 0.2 is good for benthos in the sediment by the natural recovery of dredged materials. The ecological recovery was confirmed in this confined area as a habitat of benthic organisms.
The water flea has been used as a test organism of toxicity test for surface water. Toxicity test with water flea is categorized into two parts. One is acute toxicity test with observing immobility and mortality and the other is chronic toxicity test determined by survival and reproduction of water flea. Heartbeat measurement of water flea was designed as a short-term toxicity test in this study. Direct measurement of heartbeat under microscope by aid of video camera gives and early diagnosis of mortality in short time. Therefore, the effects of measuring illumination, measuring time, and non-feeding during the test on heartbeat of water flea was evaluated to establish a new test approach. Test organisms used in this study are Daphnia magna, a well standardizes toxicity test organism, and Simocephalus mixtus, a newly refined organism. IC50 values of these test organism by heartbeat measurement were compared and discussed. It was found that toxicity test by heartbeat measurement was a reproducible, easy and simple method accomplished in a few hours.
There are concerns that chemical residues could harm the consumer on the environment, although 50 to 80% of the crops would be destroyed by pests and others without agrochemicals. Environmental fate and ecotoxicity studies are usually carried out to assess the impact on the human and the environment.
A comparision of the Daphnia magnia and Simocephalus mixtus toxicity was performed to study the relative sensitivities and discrimination abilities to agriculture chemicals.
The species of Simocephalus mixtus was more sensitive to agriculture chemicals than Daphnia magnia. Simocephalus mixtus was approved to be a water flea in determining insecticide and pesticide toxicity by heartbeat rate in a consistency and repeatability.
The order of acute toxicity to water flea Daphnia magnia for ecotoxicity test was carbaryl>benomyl>amtirole with both Daphnia magnia and Simocephalus mixtus. The heartbeat pattern after the exposure to agrochemicals was different from that of exposure to heavy metals.
Agrochemical leathal concentration test with heartbeat rate measurement was found to be more appropriate than inhibition concentration test with respect to toxicological endpoint.
The effluent discharge standards of industrial wastewater has become more stringent since 2003. Many industrial wastewater treatment plants has been upgraded to advanced treatment facilities. There are high concentrations of nitrate(>200 mg/L) and ammonium(>50 mg/L) nitrogen in the acrylic fiber wastewater of H textile Co. Wastewater from acrylic fiber industry containing acrylonitrile, which may affect the subsequent biological treatment process. Manufacturing of acrylic fiber also produces shock loadings. Excessive acrylonitrile and polymer debris produced in the polymerization process was screened, coagulated with CaO and settled down. A preaeration system was added to treat this high pH effluent to remove volatile organic compound and ammonia nitrogen by the air stripping effect. It was found that nitrification rate was not sufficient in the Anoxic/ Oxic(AO) process. One denitrification tank was converted to nitrification reactor to extend HRT of nitrification. Nitrification rate of ammonia nitrogen was promoted from 32% to 67% by this modification and effluent nitrogen concentration was well satisfied with the effluent standards since then.
There is a need to improve the efficiency of the existing sanitary treatment facilities, because the effluent standard becomes more stricter and septic sludge increased. Thus, operating processes of sanitary treatment system in M city changed with installation of additional facilities. Process modifications were as follows: Dilution water was added to the next process after primary aeration tank. Some secondary sedimentation sludge was recycled to primary aerator so that most of the organics were stabilized in primary aeration tank under automatic control of dissolved oxygen. The line of effluent from dewatering process flowing to the activated sludge tank was changed to the primary aerator. The primary sedimentation sludge line was linked to a thickener. Polymer was added to the activated sludge tank. The effluent of primary aerator and aerobic digester was recycled from the 5th to the 1st sector. As consequencies of above process modifications, the improvement of removal efficiency was achieved as BOD 54%, COD 42%, SS 61%, T-N 39%, and T-P 12%, respectively.
A comparison of Daphnia magna, Ceriodaphnia dubia and Simocephalus mixtus toxicity test was performed to study the relative sensitivities and discrimination abilities with both pore and elutriate water of Woopo wetland sediments. Sediment risk assessment has been done by standardized preparation method of pore and elutriate water described in the joint US EPA-US Army Crops of Engineers manual. Simocephalus mixtus which was obtained from Woopo wetlands in Korea was cultured and applied to sediment toxicity test. Water quality in Woopo wetland had great site and seasonal variations. S. mixtus was more sensitive than D. magna in heavy metal toxicity test. The toxicity results with S. mixtus reflected the water quality of elutriate and pore water. The results also suggested that S. mixtus could be used as a test organism in estimating potential risk of contaminated sediments.
The analysis of groundwater quality in Kyungnam Province was conducted using monitoring results obtained during 1994. According to the analysis, most heavy metals and pesticides listed in Korean drinking water standards were not detected in Kyungnam Province groundwater, but arsenic and volatile organics such as TCE and PCE were detected. Four inorganic contaminants were detected and frequency of violating the standards was in order of NO_3-N, F^+, As, NH_3-N. Of organics, TCE and PCE were the only contaminants detected. TCE more frequently violated the standards than PCE. Correlation was investigated among contaminants detected in Kyungnam Province groundwater. The correlation results showed that high correlation existed among dissolved solids, hardness, and SO_4^2-.