Acute and chronic toxicities of methyl ethyl ketone and methanol were investigated on Paronychiurus kimi (Collembola), for evaluating the potential effects of accidental exposures of these chemical substances on the terrestrial environments. This study was undertaken to establish a toxicity database for these chemical substances, which was required for the preparation of the response compensation and liability act for agricultural production and environmental damage. The 7-d acute toxicity and 28-d chronic toxicity were conducted using the OECD artificial soil spiked with varying, serially diluted concentrations of methyl ethyl ketone and methanol. Mortality was recorded after 7-d and 28-d of exposures, and the number of juveniles were determined after 28-d of exposure in the chronic toxicity test. In both assessments, methanol was more toxic than methyl ethyl ketone in terms of mortality (LC50) and reproduction (EC50). The 7-d LC50 of methyl ethyl ketone and methanol were 762 and 2378 mg kg-1 soil dry wt., respectively, and the 28-d LC50s were 6063 and 1857 mg kg-1 soil dry wt., respectively. The 28-d EC50 of methyl ethyl ketone and methanol were 265 and 602 mg kg-1 soil dry wt., respectively. Comparison of results obtained in this study with literature data revealed that P. kimi was more sensitive to methanol than other soil invertebrates. However, given the high volatility of the chemicals tested in this study, further studies are necessary to improve the current test guideline, or to develop new test guidelines for an accurate assessment of chemicals that require toxicity databases for chemical accidents.

The photocatalytic decomposition characteristics of single n-pentane, n-pentane mixed with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and n-pentane mixed with ethyl acetate (EA) by cylindrical UV reactor installed with TiO2-coated perforated plane were studied. The effects of the residence time, the inlet gas concentration, and the oxygen concentration were investigated. The removal efficiency of n-pentane was increased with increasing the residence time and the oxygen concentration, but decreased with increasing the inlet concentration of n-pentane. The photocatalytic decomposition rates of single n-pentane, n-pentane mixed with MEK, and n-pentane mixed with EA fitted well on Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics equation. The maximum elimination capacities of single n-pentane, n-pentane mixed with MEK, and n-pentane mixed with EA were obtained to be 465 g/m3․day, 217 g/m3․day, and 320 g/m3․day, respectively. The presence of coexisting MEK and EA vapor had a negative effect on the photocatalytic decomposition of n-pentane and the negative effect of MEK was higher than that of EA.

Unlike many laboratory-scale studies on absorption of organic compounds (VOCs), limited pilot-scale studies have been reported. Accordingly, the present study was carried out to examine operation parameters for the effective control of a hydrophilic VOC (methyl ethyl ketone, MEK) by applying a circular pilot-scale packed-absorption system (inside diameter 37 cm × height 167 cm). The absorption efficiencies of MEK were investigated for three major operation parameters: input concentration, water flow rate, and ratio of gas flow-rate to washing water amount (water-to-gas ratio). The experimental set-up comprised of the flow control system, generation system, recirculation system, packed-absorption system, and outlet system. For three MEK input concentrations (300, 350, and 750 ppm), absorption efficiencies approached near 95% and then, decreased gradually as the operation time increased, thereby suggesting a non-steady state condition. Under these conditions, higher absorption efficiencies were shown for lower input concentration conditions, which were consistent with those of laboratory-scale studies. However, a steady state condition occurred for two input concentration conditions (100 and 200 ppm), and the difference in absorption efficiencies between these two conditions were insignificant. As supported by an established gas-liquid absorption theory, a higher water flow rate exhibited a greater absorption efficiency. Moreover, as same with the laboratory-scale studies, the absorption efficiencies increased as water-to-gas ratios increased. Meanwhile, regardless of water flow rates or water-to-gas ratios, as the operation time of the absorption became longer, the pH of water increased, but the elevation extent was not substantial (maximum pH difference, 1.1).