The frequent detection and occurrence of micropollutants (MPs) in aquatic ecosystems has raised public health concerns worldwide. In this study, the behavior of 50 MPs was investigated in three different domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Furthermore, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess the geographical and seasonal variation of MPs in the WWTPs. The results showed that the concentrations of 43 MPs ranged from less than 0.1 to 237.6 μg L-1, while other seven MPs including 17-ethynylestradiol, 17-estradiol, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine, clofibric acid, simvastatin, and lovastatin were not detected in all WWTPs. Among the detected MPs, the pharmaceuticals such as metformin, acetaminophen, naproxen, and caffeine were prominent with maximum concentrations of 133.4, 237.6, 71.5, and 107.7 μg L-1, respectively. Most perfluorinated compounds and nitrosamines were found at trace levels of 1.2 to 55.3 ng L-1, while the concentration of corrosion inhibitors, preservatives (parabens), and endocrine disruptors ranged from less than 0.1 to 4310.8 ng L-1. Regardless of the type of biological treatment process such as MLE, A2O, and MBR, the majority of pharmaceuticals (except lincomycin, diclofenac, iopromide, and carbamazepine), parabens (except Methyl paraben), and endocrine disruptors were removed by more than 80%. However, the removal efficiencies of certain MPs such as atrazine, DEET, perfluorinated compounds (except PFHxA), nitrosamines, and corrosion inhibitors were relatively low or their concentration even increased after treatment. The results of statistical analysis reveal that there is no significant geographical difference in the removal efficacy of MPs, but there are temporal seasonal variations in all WWTPs.

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a potent carcinogen that is frequently detected nitrosamine from water chloramination. This study investigated the occurrence of NDMA and its potential precursor, ranitidine (RNT), in four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Additionally, the effects of chloramination methods and oxidative pretreatment on the NDMA formation potential (FP) were assessed. Concentration levels of NDMA in the WWTPs waters ranged from 2.5 (detection limit) to 72.6 ng/L, while RNT values ranged from 1.32 to 186.9 ng/L. Further study indicated that the NDMA-FPs from chloraminated wastewaters varied between 36.2 and 227.8 ng/L. Nonetheless, chloramination methods and oxidative pretreatment significantly impacted the NDMA-FP levels. For example, breakpoint chlorination and stepwise chloramination promoted NDMA-FP when compared to preformed chloramination, which could be attributed to the formation of dichloramine and chlorine species. In contrast, prechlorination was found to effectively mitigate NDMA-FP, based on integrated ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Notably, UV irradiation with free chlorine (UV/Cl2) or permanganate (UV/MnO4 -) reduced NDMA-FP by up to 70%. This study suggests that UV/MnO4 - and UV/Cl2 may be used as alternative mitigation strategies for reducing nitrosamine-FP in the water treatment process.

하⋅폐수 처리 기술은 종래 단순 오염물질 처리에서 에너지 및 자원 절약형의 고도처리 기술로 발전되고 있으며, 공공 수역으로의 오염 물질과 유독 물질 배출을 최소화하고 설치⋅운영의 효율성을 높이기 위해 IT 및 BT와 같은 다양한 기 술을 접목한 융합형 기술로 진화하고 있다. 국내 하⋅폐수 처리기술의 발전 추이를 살펴보기 위해 등록된 특허기술을 수집⋅ 조사하여 연도별⋅부문별로 분류하여 분석하였다. 본고에서 2010년~2017년 5월 간의 관련된 특허 등록 내용을 생물학적⋅ 물리화학적 처리공정, 장치 및 기기, 소재⋅제재, 슬러지처리, 분리막, 공정제어기술 등 10개 분야의 42개 세부 영역으로 나누 어 추세를 분석했다. 총 3,356건의 특허가 등록되었으며 2013년에 638건으로 최고치를 기록한 이후 다소 감소하여 연간 3~400여 건을 유지하고 있다. 등록된 특허 총 건수는 아직 다른 국가에 비해 적지는 않으나 공정 제어 및 기기 분야, 신개념 처리 기술과 같이 세계 시장을 선도할 수 있는 첨단 기술의 특허는 타 분야에 비해 미흡한 것으로 나타났다.

The sewage and wastewater (SAW) are a well-known major source of eutrophication and greentide in freshwaters and also a potential source of thermal pollution; however, there were few approaches to thermal effluent of SAW in Korea. This study was performed to understand the behavioral dynamics of the thermal effluents and their effects on the water quality of the connected streams during winter season, considering domestic sewage, industrial wastewater and hot spring wastewater from December 2015 to February 2016. Sampling stations were selected the upstream, the outlet of SAW, and the downstream in each connected stream, and the water temperature change was monitored toward the downstream from the discharging point of SAW. The temperature effect and its range of SAW on the stream were dependent not only on the effluent temperature and quantity but also on the local air temperature, water temperature and stream discharge. The SAW effects on the stream water temperature were observed with temperature increase by 2.1~5.8℃ in the range of 1.0 to 5.5 km downstream. Temperature effect was the greatest in the hot spring wastewater despite of small amount of effluent. The SAW was not only related to temperature but also to the increase of organic matter and nutrients in the connected stream. The industrial wastewater effluent was discharged with high concentration of nitrogen, while the hot spring wastewater was high in both phosphorus and nitrogen. The difference between these cases was due to with and without chemical T-P treatment in the industrial and the hot spring wastewater, respectively. The chlorophyll-a content of the attached algae was high at the outlet of SAW and the downstream reach, mostly in eutrophic level. These ecological results were presumably due to the high water temperature and phosphorus concentration in the stream brought by the thermal effluents of SAW. These results suggest that high temperature of the SAW needs to be emphasized when evaluating its effects on the stream water quality (water temperature, fertility) through a systematized spatial and temporal investigation.

평관형 알루미나 세라믹 멤브레인을 적용한 실험실 규모의 단독 혐기성 유동상 멤브레인 생물반응기 (Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Ceramic Membrane Bioreactor, AFCMBR) 하수처리 적용 가능성을 평가하였다. 단독 AFCMBR은 25℃에서 395일 간 합성폐수의 평균 유입 COD 260 mg/L에서 연속운전 되었다. 운전기간 동안 약 25 mg/L의 NaOCl 용액을 주입하여 주기적인 유지세정으로 멤브레인 투과플럭스 14.5-17 L/m².hr 달성이 되었다. 투과수의 용해성 COD는 1시간 HRT 에서 23 mg/L 이었고 고형물 발생량은 0.014 gVSS/gCODremoved였다. 단독 AFCMBR 운전 요구 전기에너지는 0.038 kWh/m³ 이었고 생산되는 메탄발생 전기에너지의 약 17%에 해당되었다.

Coagulation/precipitation process has been widely used for the removal of phosphate within domestic wastewater. Although Fe and Al are typical coagulants used for phosphate removal, these have some shortages such as color problem and low sedimentation velocity. In this study, both Fe and Al were used to overcome the shortages caused by using single one, and anionic polymer coagulant was additionally used to enhance sedimentation velocity of the precipitate formed. Batch experiments using a jar test were conducted with real wastewater, which was an effluent of the second sedimentation tank in domestic wastewater treatment plant. Response Surface Methodology was used to examine the responsibility of each parameter on phosphate removal as well as to optimize the dosage of the three coagulants. Economic analysis was also done on the basis of selling prices of the coagulants in the field. Phosphate removal efficiency of Fe(III) was 30% higher than those of Fe(II). Considering chemical price, optimum dosage for achieving residual phosphate concentration below 0.2 mg/L were determined to be 18.14 mg/L of Fe(III), 2.60 mg/L of Al, and 1.64 mg/L of polymer coagulant.

This study examined a feasibility of coagulation as post-treatment to remove sulfide and phosphorus for the effluent of anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) treating domestic wastewater. Removal efficiencies of sulfide, phosphorus and COD by coagulation were not affected by pH in the range of 5.9 to 7.2. Alkalinity requirement could be estimated by the amount of Fe3+ to form Fe(OH)3(S) and to remove sulfide and phosphorus. At coagulant aid dosage of 2 mg/L, anionic polymer showed best results regarding size and settleability of flocs. Sulfide removal for the AFBR effluent at the Fe3+/S2- ratio of 0.64, close to the theoretical value of 0.67 found with a synthetic wastewater, was only 75.2%. One of the reasons for this low sulfide removal is that the AFBR effluent contains, phosphorus, hydroxide and bicarbonate which can react with Fe3+ competitively. Concentrations of sulfide and phosphorous reduced to below 0.1 and 0.5 mg/L, respectively, at the Fe3+/S2- ratio of 2.0. Average effluent COD of 80 mg/L, mostly soluble COD, was obtained at the dosage 50 mg Fe3+/L (Fe3+/S2- ratio of 2.0) with corresponding COD removal of 55%. For better removal of COD, soluble COD removal at the AFBR should be enhanced. Coagulation with Fe3+ removed sulfide, phosphorus and COD simultaneously in the AFBR effluent, and thus could be an alternative process for the conventional wastewater treatment processes where relatively high quality effluent is not required.

The pilot plant experiment was performed to investigate phosphorus and nitrogen removal from domestic wastewater by MLE process combined with aluminum corrosion reactor. When operating 0.5Q and 1Q to internal recycle and sludge recycle in the MLE process, the effluent CODMn concentration of internal recycle 0.5Q were higher than internal recycle 1Q, the removal efficiency rates of NH3-N in the internal recycle 0.5Q were was higher than internal recycle 1Q. Denitrification rates were about 86.8% in internal recycle and sludge recycle 0.5Q. When operating 0.5Q to internal recycle and sludge recycle in the MLE process, the removal efficiency rates of total nitrogen was the highest. The removal efficiency rates of total phosphorus was about 91.5% in the aluminum corrosion reactor.

A laboratory experiment was performed to investigate nitrogen removal by the soil column. The addition of 20% waste oyster shell to the soil accelerated nitrification in soil column. The NO3--N concentration in the effluent decreased with the decrease of HRT(Hydraulic Retention Time). When methanol and glucose added as carbon sources, the average removal rates of T-N(Total Nitrogen) were 82% and 77.9%, respectively. The NO3--N removal by methanol supplementation in soil column can likely be attributed to denitrification. In continuous removal of nitrogen using the soil column, the COD(Chemical Oxygen Demand) and NH4+-N removed simultaneously in organic matter decomposing column. The greater part of NH4+-N was nitrified by the percolated through nitrification column, and the little NH4+-N was found in the effluent. The T-N of 87.4% removed at HRT of 36 hrs in denitrfication column. Because of nitrified effluents from nitrification column are low in carbonaceous matter, an external source of carbon is required.

The experiment was carried out to determine the distribution of total coliform the translocation of heavy metals and the salt accumulation in soils following the supply of ground water, the domestic wastewater and the ultraviolet treatment of domestic wastewater during the spinach and the chinese cabbage cultivation. There were not much changes in the Total-N, Total-P and cations in soils following the ultraviolet treatment of the domestic wastewater. However, the density of total coliform was dramatically reduced from 894MPN/100mL to 5MPN/100mL. The diagnosis of composition of soil after the harvest of chinese cabbages and spinach has shown that the concentration of Na+ was 3-4 times higher in plot using domestic wastewater than in plot using ground water. When domestic wastewater and ground water were used in growing spinach md chinese cabbage at 50% each, the application of chemical fertilizers reduced about 25% to 50% compared to the criteria set down by the Rural Development Administration and there was not significant difference in terms of harvest. Using non-ultraviolet treatment of domestic wastewater directly on spinach and chinese cabbage has resulted in excessive density of total coliform at 25,000MPN/100mL. Even when ultraviolet treatment, the density was still high at 2,000MPN/100mL. The high density of total coliform even following ultraviolet treatment of domestic wastewater is considered to be caused by photo-reactivation of micro-organism. When reusing domestic wastewater, the application of sterilization such as ultraviolet, ultrasonic and electron-beam for public health and hygiene reasons may provide safe supply of agricultural water.

The application of domestic wastewater on rice paddies results in the accumulation of sodium(Na+) to the soil. Excessive concentration of sodium may cause the deterioration of the physical characteristics of the soil, change in the osmosis of the soil, destruction of soil aggregates as well as ion toxicity due to sodium accumulation. Using domestic wastewater as irrigation water should be preceded by measures to prevent or control the soil salinization caused by sodium. Agricultural reuse of domestic wastewater were found not to cause serious problems with food safety due to heavy metals. However, pre-treatment using ultraviolet or ozone is recommended to reduce the number of bacteria and gem and for public health reasons. Using domestic wastewater has shown that reducing the standard application of chemical fertilizers by as much as 50% reduced the harvesting index by only 10%. This study has shown that it is feasible to reuse domestic wastewater on rice paddies. In order to facilitate the application, it is deemed necessary to establish wastewater treatment technologies in the future, to review criteria for recycling domestic wastewater for agricultural purposes such as conditions of soil and cropping system and to resolve conflicts with farmers and public health issues.