In this study, chemically enhanced steam cleaning(CESC) was applied as a novel and efficient method for the control of organic and inorganic fouling in ceramic membrane filtration. The constant filtration regression model and the resistance in series model(RISM) were used to investigate the membrane fouling mechanisms. For total filtration, the coefficient of determination(R2) with an approximate value of 1 was obtained in the intermediate blocking model which is considered as the dominant contamination mechanism. In addition, most of the coefficient values showed similar values and this means that the complex fouling was formed during the filtration period. In the RISM, Rc/Rf increased about 4.37 times in chemically enhanced steam cleaning compared to physical backwashing, which implies that the internal fouling resistance was converted to cake layer resistance, so that the membrane fouling hardly to be removed by physical backwashing could be efficiently removed by chemically enhanced steam cleaning. The results of flux recovery rate showed that high-temperature steam may loosen the structure of the membrane cake layer due to the increase in diffusivity and solubility of chemicals and finally enhance the cleaning effect. As a consequence, it is expected that chemically enhanced steam cleaning can drastically improve the efficiency of membrane filtration process when the characteristics of the foulant are identified.

Humic acid (HA) is known to consist of various kinds of polymeric organics, their detailed structures can vary depend on sample sources such as organic manure, composts, peat, and lignite brown coal, and largely exists in grassland soils. HA possesses diverse positive effects that not only increase plant growth but also improve soil fertility. Recently, we have manufactured a co-polymeric product of catechol and vanillic acid (CAVA) synthesized artificially, and found that CAVA as a HA mimic increases seed germination and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. In this study, we examined whether HA or CAVA affects to seedling growth in alfalfa. Foliar application of HA or CAVA increased alfalfa seedling growth including aerial and in root parts. HA or CAVA dramatically enhanced size of leaf and root, whereas HA significantly displayed higher bioactivity than CAVA. Taken together, CAVA acts like as a HA mimic in alfalfa that could apply as an alternation supplement to enhance plant growth and productivity.

Humic acid (HA) is a complex organic matter found in the environments, especially in grassland soils with a high density. The bioactivity of HA to promote plant growth depends largely on its extraction sources. The quality-control of HA and the quality improvements via an artificial synthesis are thus challenging. We recently reported that a polymeric product from fungal laccase-mediated oxidation of catechol and vanillic acid (CAVA) displays a HA-like activity to enhance seed germination and salt stress tolerance in a model plant, Arabidopsis. Here, we examined whether HA or CAVA enhances the growth of Italian ryegrass seedling. Height and fresh weight of the plant with foliar application of HA or CAVA were bigger than those with only water. Interestingly, enhanced root developments were also observed in spite of the foliar treatments of HA or CAVA. Finally, we proved that HA or CAVA promotes the regrowth of Italian ryegrass after cutting. Collectively, CAVA acts as a HA mimic in Italian ryegrass cultivation, and both as a biostimulant enhanced the early growth and regrowth after cutting of Italian ryegrass, which could improve the productivity of forage crops.

고도정수처리를 위한 관형 탄소 한외여과 및 PP구의 혼성 수처리 공정에서 질소 역세척 시 막오염에 의한 저항(Rf) 및 투과선속(J), 총여과부피(VT) 등을 활용하여 휴믹산의 영향을 고찰하였다. 사용한 막은 프랑스 Tech-Sep사에서 제조하였으며 탄소 지지층에 산화지르코늄으로 코팅한 것이다. 실험에 사용한 모사용액은 유기물 중 상당부분을 차지하는 휴믹산과 점토 무기물과 같은 미세 무기입자인 카올린을 순수에 첨가하여 제조하였다. 휴믹산의 농도가 증가함에 따라 급격한 막오염으로 인해 Rf가 증가하는 경향을 보였고, 투과선속 J는 감소하는 결과를 나타냈다. 유기물질 처리효율은 증가하는 추세를 보였으며, 탁도 처리효율은 98%로 일정한 경향을 나타냈다.

UV-Vis 분광광도법과 시간분해 레이저 유도 형광분광법(TRLFS)을 이용하여 흄산의 모사 리간드로 사 용한 2,6-Dihydroxybenzoate(DHB)와 U(VI)의 착물형성반응을 조사하였다. U(VI)-DHB 착물 고유의 전 하이동 흡수 스펙트럼을 분석한 결과, 착물형성반응은 우라늄-리간드 비가 1:1 또는 1:2 착물을 형성하는 이중 평형반응이며, 산도에 따라 착물종의 분포가 변한다는 것을 밝혔다. 계산된 착물형성상수 (log K1and log K2)는 12.4±0.1과 11.4±0.1이다. 이에 더하여, TRLFS 방법으로 조사한 결과, DHB는 U(VI) 화 학종들의 형광 소광제(quencher)로서 역할을 한다는 것을 확인하였다. 특히, 확인된 U(VI) 화학종 모두 (UO2 2+, (UO2)2(OH)2 2+과 (UO2)3(OH)5 +)에서 정적 (static) 및 동적 (dynamic) 소광작용이 공존하는 것으 로 관찰되었다. 시간분해 형광 스펙트럼으로부터 리간드 농도에 따른 U(VI) 화학종의 형광세기와 형광수 명을 측정하였으며, Stern-Volmer 식을 이용하여 분석하였다. 결정된 정적소광계수(KS)는 UO2 2+, (UO2)2(OH)2 2+ 과 (UO2)3(OH)5+에 대하여 각각 4.2±0.1, 4.3±0.1 과 4.34±0.08이다. Stern-Volmer 식 을 이용한 분석 결과, 단일 또는 이중 배위자 구조(mono- and bi-dentate)의 U(VI)-DHB 착물이 모두 정 적소광효과에 관여하는 바닥상태 착물임을 확인하였다.

본 연구에서는 pH 변화에 따른 카올리나이트-휴믹산, 카올리나이트-아메리슘 및 휴믹산-아메리슘 등의 이성분계 흡착반응을 조사하였다. 카올리나이트의 물리화학적 특성을 조사한 후, 휴믹산농도, 이온강도 및 pH 변화에 따른 카올리나이트에 휴믹산의 흡착실험을 하였다. pH 및 HA 농도가 증가함에 따라 KA에 대한 HA의 흡착율이 감소하였으나, 이온강도가 증가함에 따라 HA의 흡착율이 증가하였다. 또한 pH 변화에 따른 카올리나이트와 아메리슘과 흡착반응 및 아메리슘과 휴믹산과의 흡착반응도 연구하였다. 산성 및 중성영역에서는 Am이 HA에 쉽게 흡착되었으나, 염기성 영역에서는 정전기적 반발력으로 HA에 대한 Am 흡착이 감소되었다. 본 연구 결과는 수환경에서 휴믹산에 의한 아메리슘 흡착거동 특성을 이해하는데 활용이 가능하다

토양 유기물에서 생물학적 난분해성인 부식물질을 알카리에서 추출하고 산성영역에서 침전되는 성분인 부식산을 정제, 추출하였다. 부식산의 주성분인 카르복실기가 이온교환 능력을 가지고 있는 것을 이용하여 PVA와의 불균질한 이온교환막을 제조하여 생리활성 이온인 K+, Na＋의 이동 및 이동속도를 검토하여 보았다. 그 결과 수소이온 농도가 높을수록 이동속도는 빠르게 나타나고, 특히 10-1,100영역에서 급격한 변화를 보였다. 또한 K+, Na＋의 농도가 증가함에 따라 그 선택성이 나타났으며, 특히 수소이온농도 100 일때는K+이 2배정도 빠르게 이동되고 있다. 따라서 이러한 생리활성 이온의 선택성 및 이동속도의 향상으로 부식산이 이온교환막의 새로운 재료로서의 그 가능성을 나타내었다.

본 연구에서는 지반공학적 문제를 발생시키는 고유기질토의 역학적 특성을 알아보고자 실내 시험을 실시하였다. 사용된 고화제는 산업부산물을 재이용한 고화제(NSB)이며 역학적 특성을 비교하고자 고로슬래그시멘트(GSC)를 이용하였다. 사용된 점토는 카오리나이트이며, 휴믹산을 유기물로 이용하여 혼합하였다. 시험 결과 pH는 유기물의 함량이 증가할수록, 양생일이 증가할수록 감소하였다. 일축압축강도는 휴믹산이 증가될수록 감소하였으며, 파괴시 축 변형률은 휴믹산이 증가할수록 증가되는 경향을 나타내었다.

Coagulation, flocculation, and dissolved air flotation (DAF) experiments were performed with humic acid to evaluate the influence of operational conditions on removal efficiencies. We investigated coagulation, flocculation, and flotation conditions of humic acid removal using a laboratory-scale DAF system. This paper deals with coagulant type (aluminum sulfate and PSO-M) and the most relevant operational conditions (velocity gradients for coagulation and flocculation, retention time and recycle ratio and flotation time). Results showed that optimal conditions for removing humic acid, yielding CHA removal efficiencies of approximately 85 %, are a recycle ratio of 40 %, coagulant dosages of 0.15 – 0.20 gAl/gHA as aluminum sulfate and 0.03 – 0.12 gAl/gHA as PSO-M, coagulation(400s-1 and 60s), flocculation(60s-1 and 900s or more), and flotation(490 kPa or more and at least 10 min).

We studied to determine quantitatively the radical species generated from humic acid (HA) solutions by irradiation(>400 nm). The formation of radical species from HA solutions was investigated with ESR spectroscopy. We gave ESR spectrum with g-value 2.0048 and line width 0.559mT, coincided with those of the semiquinone radical. 0.1 mg/L HA solution generated the radicals of 1.2×10-6M, increased with increasing HA concentration. Also, pH and ionic strength effect of the amount of the semiquinone radical generate from HA solution. In this study, we have found that the singlet oxygen affects the semiquinone radicals generation in HA solution.

The effects of pH (5, 7 and 9) and ionic strength of different salts on the flocculation characteristics of humic acid by inorganic (alum, polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with degree of neutralization, r=(OH/Al) of 1.7) and organic (cationic polyelectrolyte) coagulants, have been examined using a simple continuous optical technique, coupled with measurements of zeta potential. The results are compared mainly by the mechanisms of its destabilization and subsequent removal. The destabilization and subsequent removal of humic acid by PAC and cationic polyelectrolyte occur by a simple charge neutralization, regardless of pH of the solution. However, the mechanism of those by alum is greatly dependent on pH and coagulant dosage, i.e., both mechanisms of charge neutralization at lower dosages and sweep flocculation at higher dosages at pH 5, by sweep flocculation mechanism at pH 7, and little flocculation because of electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged humic acid and aluminum species at pH 9. The ionic strength also affects those greatly, mainly based on the charge of salts, and so is more evident for the salts of highly charged cationic species, such as CaCl2 and MgCl2. However, it is found that the salts have no effect on those at the optimum dosage for alum acting by the mechanism of sweep flocculation at pH 7, regardless of their charge.

This study aimed at improving the TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of HA. ·In this study, the Degradation of Humic Acid using Jeju Scoria Coated with WO3/TiO2 in the presence of UV irradiation was investigated as a function of different experimental condition : photocatalyst dosage, Ca2+ and HCO3- addition and pH of the solution. Photodegradation efficiency increased with increasing photocatalyst dosage, the optimum catalyst dosage is 2.5 g/L and Photodegradation efficiency is maximized to WO3/TiO2=3/7. This indicates that WO3 retains a much higher Lewis surface acidity than TiO2, and WO3 has a higher affinity for chemical species having unpaired electrons. The addtion of cation(Ca2+) in water increased the photodegradaion efficiency. But the addtion of HCO3- ion in water decreased a photodegradation efficiency. Photodegradation efficiency increased with decreasing pH. At pH < pzc, the electrostatic repulsion between the HA and the surface of TiO2 decreased.

This study aimed at improving the TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of HA. A set of tests was first conducted in the dark to study the adsorption of HA at different coexisting material concentration. Adsorption rate increased with adding cation ion but decreased with adding bicarbonate ion. The photodegradation of HA in the presence of UV irradiation was investigated as a function of different experimental condition : initial concentration of HA, TiO2 weight, pH, air flow rate and coexisting material. It was increased either at low pH or by adding cation ion. The increase of cation strength in aqueous solution could provide a favorable condition for adsorption of HA on the TiO2 surface and therefore enhance the photodegradation rate. It was found that bicarbonate ions slowed down the degradation rate by scavening the hydroxyl radicals.

Adsorption process using granular activated carbon(GAC) has been considered as one of the most effective water treatment technologies to remove humic acid which is recognized as trihalomethane(THM) precursor in chlorination. To design the most effective GAC process, it is necessary to conduct the test of adsorption performance by means of isothem, batch rate and column studies and to select the most effective activated carbon according to raw materials of GAC-lignite and coconut shell. The objective of this study is to investigate the adsorption performance of humic acid on two activated carbons- lignite activated carbon(LAC) and coconut shell activated carbon(CAC) made in Korea. It is available to represent UV-abs and trihalomethane formation potential(THMFP) as concentration of humic acid due to good relationship. The adsorption capacity of humic acid is not concerned with surface area of activated carbon but with pore size related to about 100 A, and then LAC forming at the extent of mesopore is found to be eight times more effective in adsorption capacity than CAC forming at micropore. The adsorption capacity of LAC and CAC is better at pH 5.5 than at pH 7. Pore and surface diffusion coefficients calculated from the diffusion model are 7.61×10 exp (13)㎡/sec, 3.52×10 exp(-15) ㎡/sec for CAC, and 3.38×10 exp (-12)㎡/sec and Ds=1.48×10 exp (-15)㎡/sec for GAC respectively. From the results of column test it shows that the performance of LAC is also better than CAC and the optimal EBCT(Empty Bed Contact Time) is 4.52min. and activated carbon removes selectively the components of humic acid to be easily formed to THM.