The emergence of micropollutants in natural water sources due to the overuse of anthropogenic chemicals in industry and households has threatened the production of clean and safe tap water in drinking water treatment plants. Conventional physicochemical processes such as coagulation/flocculation followed by sand filtration are not effective for the control of micropollutants, whereas chemical oxidation processes (applying chlorine, permanganate, ozone, etc.) are known to be promising alternatives. Determining the optimum oxidant dose is important issue related to the production of disinfection by-products as well as unnecessary operating cost, and is made possible by simulations of target-micropollutant abatement based on kinetic model equation consisting of second-order rate constant (between the oxidant and the target) and oxidant exposure. However, the difficulty in determining oxidant exposure as a function of complex water quality parameters limits the field application of kinetic model equation. With respect to representative oxidants used in drinking water treatment plants, this article reviews two main approaches for determining oxidant exposure: i) direct measurement in situ and ii) prediction by empirical models based on key water quality parameters. In addition, we discussed research requirements to improve the predictive accuracy of the empirical models for oxidant exposure and to develop a rational algorithm to determine optimal oxidant dose by considering the priority of the target pollutants to be treated.

국내 Y정수처리시설에 20-40 m3/m2/h의 표면부하율을 갖는 고속 용존공기부상공정을 도입하였다. 우선, 용존공기부상공정과 입상활성탄 공정이 결합된 반응기를 일처리용량 500 m3/day의 조건으로 운전하였다. 운전결과는 두 공정이 원수내 탁도, 조류, 지오스민, 2-MIB를 감소시킬 수 있음을 증명하였다. 도출된 최적 설계요소를 활용하여 현장규모의 공정(5,000 m3/day)에 용존공기부상공정을 도입하였다. 여름철 56일간 조류와 탁도 제거율을 평가하였다. 처리수 내 조류의 개체수는 20-30 cells/mL 이하로 유지되었으며, 조류 제거효율은 80-89%를 기록하였다. 침전법 및 용존공기부상공정 처리수질의 탁도 제거효율을 비교한 결과 평균 탁도 제거효율은 77%를 나타냈다. 이러한 결과들은 고속 용존공기부상공정이 여름철 음용수의 탁도 및 조류와 같은 저밀도 고형물을 제거하는데 유의미한 방법임을 나타냈으며, GAC는 맛･냄새를 유발하는 화합물(지오스민, 2-MIB)를 제거할 수 있는 공정 옵션인 것을 확인하였다.

Microplastics have become a rising issue in due to its detection in oceans, rivers, and tap water. Although a large number of studies have been conducted on the detection and quantification in various water bodies, the number of research conducted on the removal and treatment of microplastics are still comparatively low. In the current research, the inflow and removal of microplastics were investigated for various drinking water treatment plants around the world. Addition to the investigation of filed research, a survey was also conducted on the current research trend on microplastic removal for different treatment processes in the drinking water treatment plants. This includes the researches conducted on coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation, dissolved air flotation, sand filtration and disinfection processes. The survey indicated mechanisms of microplastic removal in each process followed by the removal characteristics under various conditions. Limitations of current researches were also mentioned, regarding the gap between the laboratory experimental conditions and field conditions of drinking water treatment plants. We hope that the current review will aid in the understanding of current research needs in the field of microplastic removal in drinking water treatment.

So many drinking water treatment plants are under various difficulties by new reinforced effluent standards. Since the target turbidity, much higher than annual average, for designing sludge thickener have to be set to confront high turbidity season, the sludge at thickener should be put up for a long time during usual days. So the soluble manganese and chloroform may be formed under the anaerobic environment in the sludge thickener when the sludge retention time is longer with low turbidity. This phenomenon results in difficulties to keep regulatory level of the discharged effluent. For an effort to overcome the problems, a sludge aeration was successfully implemented into the thickening process. As a result, the final effluent quality and sludge volume were much improved; 41 % of manganese, 62 % of chloroform and 35 % of sludge volume. Additionally, effluent quality was improved ; 61 % of Manganese on aeration with pH control and we could make sure of stability effluent quality despite a long sludge retention time. We recommended the standard of installation sludge aeration equipment to nationally supply water treatment plant under effluent water quality problem ; Manganese, Chloroform, etc.

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.