60+ Years of nuclear power generation has led to a significant legacy of radioactively contaminated land at a number of nuclear licenced “mega sites” around the world. The safe management and remediation of these sites is key to ensuring there environmental stewardship in the long term. Bioremediation utilizes a variety of microbially mediated processes such as, enzymatically driven metal reduction or biominerialisation, to sequester radioactive contaminants from the subsurface limiting their migration through the geosphere. Additionally, some of these process can provide environmentally stable sinks for radioactive contaminants, through formation of highly insoluble mineral phases such as calcium phosphates and carbonates, which can incorporate a range of radionuclides into their structure. Bioremediation options have been considered and deployed in preference to conventional remediation techniques at a number of nuclear “mega” sites. Here, we review the applications of bioremediation technologies at three key nuclear licenced sites; Rifle and Hanford, USA and Sellafield, UK, in the remediation of radioactively contaminated land.

Based on the importance of coastal saline-alkali soil remediation in Yellow River Delta, China, the Cl-、Na+ transferring tendency in soil and the saline-alkali soil eco-remediation effects were researched by measuring soil Cl-、Na+ 、soluble salt、soil respire rate and dry biomass weight of reed, etc. periodically. The results shows: the concentration of irrigated soil Cl-、Na+ and soluble salt were decreased 57.7-70%、45.7-47.1% and 53.2-59.7%, respectively, and soil salt decreasing level were little influenced by the hydraulic load, inundation depth varies in some degree, but it was influenced by dry-wet alternative irrigating mode The concentration of soil total nitrogen、organic mass、microbial respire rate, and the reed biomass above ground were increased averagely to 2.17、1.20、1.46 and 1.34 multiple respectively afterirrigation with wastewater, which have complex remediation effects on the coastal saline-alkali wetland, but there are some differences among the different irrigating crafts.

The application of membrane bioreactors for the depuration of wastewater coming from the washing of mineral oil storage tanks is described. Microfiltration hollow-fibre membranes were used in the submerged configuration. Filtration tests were carried out with a biomass concentration of about 15 g/L in order to assess the critical flux of the hollow fibre membrane used. Then particular care was taken in carrying out the performance runs in the sub-critical flux region. The reactor performance was very high, with removal efficiencies ranging between 93% and 97% also when the concentration of hydrocarbon was very high. Some kinetic parameters for the COD and the hydrocarbon removal were estimated.

For the biological treatment of industrial wastewater containing high concentration of phenol, isolation and characterization of phenol - degrading bacterium were carried out. A bacterial strain P2 capable of degrading phenol was isolated from contaminate

실험실 규모의 관 실험을 통하여 연안오염퇴적물의 생물정화 효능에 대한 생물활성촉진제 주입 깊이의 영향을 평가하였다. 생물활성 촉진제를 실험관에 충진 된 오염퇴적물의 표면과 표면으로부터 3cm, 6cm, 10cm 위치에 주입한 후 1개월 및 3개월 후 퇴적물의 유기물 및 중금 속의 특성 변화를 조사하였다. 시험 오염퇴적물의 화학적 산소요구량, 총고형물 및 휘발성고형물 함량은 생물활성촉진제를 주입하지 않은 대조 구에 비해 1개월 후 및 3개월 후에서 크게 감소하였으며, 생물활성촉진제 주입 깊이 3cm에서 최대값을 보였다. 그러나, 오염퇴적물에 주입한 생물활성촉진제의 깊이를 6cm 및 10cm로 증가하였을 때 유기오염물질 감량정도는 점차 감소하였다. 중금속 존재형태변화는 생물활성촉진제 주입 깊이 3cm에서 안정한 형태인 유기물 결합분율과 광물내 잔류분율이 현저하게 증가하였다. 오염퇴적물의 현장생물정화를 위한 최적의 생 물활성촉진제 주입 깊이는 퇴적물의 상부 표면으로부터 3cm로 평가되었다.

자생하는 미생물의 활성을 촉진시킴으로써 오염된 연안퇴적물을 현장생물정화하기 위하여 사용하는 미생물활성촉진제의 용출특성에 대한 연구를 수행하였다. 미생물의 생리활성을 촉진하는 황산염, 질산염을 오염되지 않은 연안퇴적물과 혼합하였으며, 혼합물을 볼 형태로 만 든 뒤 셀룰로스 아세테이트 및 폴리설펀으로 각각 표면을 코팅하여 볼 형태의 미생물활성촉진제 2종을 제작하였다. 또한, 황산염과 질산염이 용해된 생리활성물질 용액에 입상활성탄을 침지시켜 입자상 미생물활성촉진제를 별도로 준비하였다. 셀룰로스 아세테이트로 코팅한 미생물활 성촉진제를 전자현미경으로 관찰한 결과 코팅층 내부는 다소 큰 공극이 불규칙적으로 존재하였으나 코팅층 외부는 촘촘한 벌집모양의 공극들 이 분포되어있었다. 폴리설펀으로 코팅한 미생물활성촉진제의 경우는 코팅층의 내부와 외부 모두 공극이 없는 치밀한 구조를 보였다. 셀룰로스 아세테이트로 코팅한 미생물활성촉진제의 생리활성물질 용출율은 폴리설펀으로 코팅한 미생물활성촉진제에 비해 증류수와 해수에서 모두 높 았으며, 입자상 미생물활성촉진제로부터의 생리활성물질의 용출율은 폴리설펀으로 코팅한 미생물활성촉진제에 비해 약 9배 이상 높았다. 미생 물활성촉진제로부터 생리활성물질들의 용출속도는 정체조건에 비해 난류조건에서 약 3배 이상 빠른 것으로 평가되었으며, 생리활성물질들 중 에서 질산염은 황산염에 비해 빠르게 용출되는 특성을 보였다.

The aim of this research is to enhance the bottom environment of Geoje fish farm that has been severely contaminated. Treatment of microbial agent and/or calcium oxide significantly changed that environment: in ignition loss, either treatment (25% or 21%)showed better than mixed treatment (13.2%). In COD, the oxygen releasing agent or mixed treatment reduced the index by more than 20%. In T-P and T-N, the effects of CaO2 on them were overwhelming (50% or more) meanwhile that of the microbial agent on them was less than 20%. Also, CaO2 influenced on the microbial flora: Desulfobvibrio thermophilus, a sulfate reducing bacterium decreased in number, considering the increase of pH and rise of redox potential. In contrast, Pseudomonas sp., Pseudoalteromonas sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa were remarkably dominant over other species with mixed treatment as a PCA analysis confirmed it.

We have studied bioremediation of effective microorganisms on crude oil spill in Taean, west-coast of Korea. Oil contaminated soil samples were collected on December 14, 2007, seven days after the Hebei Spirit oil-spilled accident. Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was measured to evaluate the effectiveness of effective microorganisms (EM) which were composed with yeast, photosynthetic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria on oil degradation. TPH concentration before EM treatment was 323.8 mg/kg, whereas TPH concentrations on 2 days after EM treatment and that of control (without EM) was 102.1 mg/kg and 170.6 mg/kg, respectively. On six days after EM treatment TPH was 91.3 mg/kg and that of control was 127.7 mg/kg. Percentages of degraded crude oil were 47.3% without EM and 68.5% with EM, 60.6% without EM and 71.8% with EM on 2 and 6 days after EM treatment, respectively. These results clearly showed that the application of effective microorganisms toward oil-contaminated soil was quite useful to degrade crude oil spill. These results were derived from the effects of biostimulation of microbial media nutrients and bioaugmentation of effective microorganisms. If we carefully apply these effective microorganisms, it can be a useful bioremediation method to recover oil-contaminated marine ecosystems.

This study examined the contaminated soils with an indicator of TPH using SVE (Soil Vapor Extraction) and biological treatments. Their results are as follows. Water content in the polluted soils slowly decreased from 15% during the initial experimental condition to 10% during the final condition. Purification of polluted soils by Bioventing system is likely to hinder the microbial activity due to decrease of water content. Removal rate of TPH in the upper reaction chamber was a half of initial removal rate at the 25th day of the experiment. The removal rate in the lower reaction chamber was 45% with concentration of 995.4 mg/kg. When the Bioventing is used the removal rate at the 14th day of the experiment was 53%, showing 7 day shortenting. Since the Bioventing method control the microbial activity due to dewatering of the polluted soil, SVE mehtod is likely to be preferable to remove in-situ TPH. The reactor that included microbes and nutrients showed somewhat higher removal rate of TPH than the reactor that included nurtients only during experimental period. In general, the concentration showed two times peaks and then decreased, followed by slight variation of the concentration in low concentration levels. Hence, in contrast to SVE treatment, the biological treatment tend to show continuous repetitive peaks of concentration followed by concentration decrease.

Laboratory experiments for the removal efficiency of heavy metals in land application of sludge, the accumulation and translocation of heavy metals in x plants after transplanting, and the responses of Minari growth with different ratio of land application of sludge were conducted to determine the potential ability of bioremediation with Minari plants. The removal rate and translocation of copper. zinc. lead. and cadmium in soil and plants were compared after transplanting the Minari plants to soil treated with different ratio of sludge. The removal efficiency of heavy metals in soil incorporated with sludge was different with application ratio, but increased with growing periods of Minari plants. The removal efficiency of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd ranged from 67 to 74% from 51% to 63%, from 37% to 71%. and from 15% to 25% after 45 days of transplanting. respectively. The amount removed the copper value. 65.9 mg/kg, observed to be highest in soil incorporated 3% sludge after 45 days. The translocation of Cu. Zn. Pb. and Cd from shoots to roots ranged from 18 to 53%, from 17 to 32%, from 14 to 49%, and from 23 to 38% over growing periods. respectively. In plant responses it appeared to be inhibited the plant growth in the treatment compared with the control at early stage of growth. However, the fresh weights of Minari plant increased from 12.5 to 62.5% in the sludge application after 45 days relative to the control. Therefore the Minari might play a useful role in bioremediation of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd in the land application of sludge.

Microorganisms producing bioemulsifier were isolated from the sea water in Pusan coastal area. The isolated strain which had the highest emulsification activity and stability was identified as the genus Acinetobacter from the results of morphological, cultural and biochemical tests and named Acinetobacter sp. EL-C6 for convenience. The compositions of optimum medium for emulsification of crude oil by Actnetobacter sp. EL-C6 were crude oil 2.0%, NH_4NO_3 0.2%, K_2HPO_4 0.01%, MgSO_4·7H_2O 1.0%, CaCl_2·2H_2O 0.1% and NaCl 3.0% at initial pH 7.5 and 30℃, respectively. The cultivation for emulsification of crude oil was carried out in 500㎖ shaking flask containing 100㎖ of the optimum medium at 30℃. The highest emulsification was observed after 5 days. The utilization on the various hydrocarbon of the Acinetobacter sp. EL-C6 showed that utilization of n-alkane compounds were better than that of aromatic compounds. Among the petroleum compounds, crude oil was best utilized by the Actnetobacter sp. EL-C6.