In this study, we compared the MZVI (Microscale Zero-Valent Iron) and NZVI (Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron) for reactivity and mobility in a column to reduce nitrate, which is a major pollutant in Korea, and investigated the effect of operational parameters on the NZVI filled column. For the comparison of MZVI and NZVI, samples were collected for 990 minutes using fractionator in the similar operation conditions (MZVI 10g, NZVI 2g). The nitrate reduction efficiency of NZVI was about 5 times higher than that of MZVI, which was about 7.45% and 38.75% when using MZVI and NZVI, respectively. In the mobility experiment, the MZVI descended due to gravity while NZVI moved up with water flow due to its small size. Furthermore, the optimum condition of NZVI filled column was determined by changing the flow rate and pH. The amount of Fe ions was increased as the pH of the nitrate solution was lowered, and the nitrate removal rate was similar due to the higher yield of hydroxyl groups. The removal rate of nitrate nitrogen was stable while flow rate was increased from 0.5 mL/min to 2.0 mL/min (empty bed contact time: 2.26 min to 0.57 min). NZVI has a high reduction rate of nitrate, but it also has a high mobility, so both of reactivity and mobility need to be considered when NZVI is applied for drinking water treatment.

The waste casting sands generated from foundry is about 4,000 tons/day and the great part of them is handled by the method of reclamation and just 10% of them is recycled as a sand. This study is to produce the iron lump of high quality material through melting iron particle which is obtained from the waste casting sands. By using the high frequency inductive melting furnace after separating iron particle from casting sand by collision and vibrating classifier, iron lump is produced from melting iron particles. The iron lump of iron content of 96.95% is produced from iron particle of 68.05% through this process. It was investigated that the cost of iron lump is four times higher than the one of iron particle and to produce iron lump is worth to 325 won per kg against iron particle with considering the consumed power(electric energy). Therefore, to produce iron lump from waste casting sands is not only to be economical worth but also to strengthen the ground resources system.

Iron(Fe)-Molybdenum(Mo) alloyed nanoparticles and nanowires were produced by the chemical vapor condensation(CVC) process using the pyrolysis of iron pentacarbonyl() and Molybdenum hexacarbonyl(). The influence of CVC parameter on the formation of nanoparticle, nanowire and size control was studied. The size of Fe-Mo alloyed nanoparticles can be controlled by quantity of gas flow. Also, Fe-Mo alloyed nanowires were produced by control of the work chamber pressure. Moreover, we investigated close correlation of size and morphology of Fe-Mo nanoparticles and nanowires with atomic quantity of inflow precursor into the electric furnace as the quantitative analysis. Obtained nanoparticles and nanowires were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.

In order to treat groundwater containing high levels of nitrate, nitrate reduction by nano sized zero-valent iron (nZVI) was studied using batch experiments. Compared to nitrate removal efficiencies at different mass ratios of nitrate/Fe0, the removal efficiency at the mass ratio of 0.02% was the highest(54.59%). To enhance nitrate removal efficiency, surface modification of nZVI was performed using metallic catalysis such as Pd, Ni and Cu. Nitrate removal efficiency by Cu-nZVI (at catalyst/Fe0 mass ratio of 0.1%) was 66.34%. It showed that the removal efficiency of Cu-nZVI was greater than that of the other catalysts. The observed rate constant (kobs) of nitrate reduction by Cu-nZVI was estimated to 0.7501 min-1 at the Cu/Fe mass ratio of 0.1%. On the other hand, TEM images showed that the average particle sizes of synthetic nZVI and Cu-nZVI were 40~60 and 80~100 nm, respectively. The results imply that catalyst effects may be more important than particle size effects in the enhancement of nitrate reduction by nZVI.