Starfish are creatures that destroy marine ecosystems due to their high reproductive rate and predatory nature. Instead of mass incineration, this study attempted to utilize them as functional adsorbents to control odorous organic compounds. This waste starfishbased adsorbent showed a high aldehyde capture efficiency of 91.1%. The maximum specific surface area of the prepared waste starfish adsorbent was 2.19m2/g, and the adsorption amount was 101.66mg/g. Therefore, it was confirmed that the waste starfish had the ability to perform well as an adsorbent.

Starfish, a species of Echinoderm, is widely known as a predator on benthic invertebrate. A series of fishing experiments was carried out in the western coastal waters of Korea from September, 2011 to November, 2012, using the drum–shaped pots of different mesh sizes (17.1, 24.8, 35.3, 39.8, and 48.3 ㎜) to describe the composition of the catch species and the mesh selectivity of the pot for starfish. Some species including fish, crab, and starfish were caught in the experimental pots. The SELECT (Share Each Length’s Catch Total) method was applied to describe the selectivity of the pot for starfish Asterina pectinifera. The master selection curve was estimated to be s(R) = exp(10.358R–4.086) / [1+exp(10.358R–4.086)], where R is the ratio of arm length to mesh size. The relative arm length of 50% retention was 0.395, and the selection range was 0.212. The results should be helpful to understand the relationship between the catch size of starfish and the mesh size of pot.

우리나라 연안 해역의 패류 양식장과 마을어장에 서식하는 불가사리를 효율적으로 구제하기위하여 자루걸레형과 썰매형 구제 기구를 설계, 제작하여 1995년 4월부터 5월까지 경상남도 거제시 장목면 유로리 연안에서 민간 형망어선 (복성호, 4.95톤)을 사용하여 구제 기구별 포획 성능과 예인 거리에 따른 포획 효율을 시험한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 자루걸레형과 썰매형 구제 기구는 해저의 암초에 걸리지 않고 계속 예인하면서 불가사리를 구제할 수 있었고, 적정 예인 거리는 300~500m였다. 썰매형에 의한 불가사리류의 포획비율은 57%로 자루걸레형의 43%보다 다소 우수 하였으나 어패류의 흔획 포획비율은 자루걸레형보다 21배 정도 높았다. 썰매형은 자갈인 암초가 산재된 마을어장에 적합한 밤년, 자루걸레형은 어패류의 흔획과 유용 패류에 상처를 입힐 수 있는 면적이 작아 패류 양삭장에 효과적이었다.

For developing calcium supplement from the harmful marine organism starfish, the physiochemical property of the powdered starfish skeletal plate and the hydrolysis condition of the starfish digestive enzyme were studied. The optimal hydrolysis condition of the starfish digestive enzymes was at 55℃ for 12 h. The bulk densities of the powdered starfish skeletal plates of Asterias amurensis and Asterina pectinifera were 1.1±0.0 and 1.2±0.0 g/cm3, respectively. As for the median size, the values were 10.738 and 11.799 μm, respectively. According to the added concentration of sodium polyacrylate, the dispersibility rate of the powdered starfish skeletal plate was shown to be 6h at 0.0%, 3 days at 0.1%, 20 days at 0.2%, and until 30 days at 0.4%. The elementary composition of the powdered starfish skeletal plates from A. amurensis and A. pectinifera mainly consisted of calcium, and it formed 98.95 and 98.52% of the powdered starfish skeletal plates, respectively. The results of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that they were present in the form of CaCO3. Based on these results, it is suggested that starfish skeletal plate can be utilized as a functional material for a calcium supplement.

This study was focused on the manufacturing method of a dewatering aid, which would reduce the water content of the sludge cake by enhancing the dewaterability of sewage sludge. The pretreatment technology for sludge by using radiation and among diverse discarded resources were starfish selected as the material to manufacture the dewatering aid. Starfish went through the process of washing, drying, and pulverizing. The starfish powder made in this process was applied to the digested sludge generated at the sewage treatment plant of D City, and its effects were investigated. The starfish powder that was 300 μm in particle size was added to the irradiated digested sludge. After the application of the condensation process, the sludge with the starfish powder added was dewatered using the belt press and centrifuge, which were the traditional pressure dewatering devices. As the result, it reduced the water content of the sludge 20% higher than the dewatered cake with no dewatering aid added and irradiation. When the powder was added, it contributed to less use of the coagulant added. The more irradiation dose, the lower water content did the dewatered cake have and the more coagulant was needed for condensation, which seems to be a disadvantage that can be compensated for by the starfish dewatering aid. A small-scaled treatment of the study to a radiation technology and dewatering aid using a discarded resource confirmed the potential of dewaterability. Based on the results saying that the dewatering aid and radiation technology can improve dewatering effects using the traditional dewatering devices, this pretreatment technology will be expected to be applied to sewage treatment plants.