In this work, α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals are synthesized by co-precipitation method and used as adsorbent to remove Cr6+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ from wastewater at room temperature. The prepared sample is evaluated by XRD, BET surface area, and FESEM for structural and morphological characteristics. XRD patterns confirm the formation of a pure hematite structure of average particle size of ~ 40 nm, which is further supported by the FESEM images of the nanocrystals. The nanocrystals are found to have BET specific surface area of ~ 39.18 m2 g−1. Adsorption experiments are carried out for the different values of pH of the solutions, contact time, and initial concentration of metal ions. High efficiency Cr6+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ removal occur at pH 3, 7, and 5.5, respectively. Equilibrium study reveals that the heavy metal ion adsorption of the α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals followed Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The Cr6+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ adsorption equilibrium data are best fitted to the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacities of α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals related to Cr6+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ are found to be 15.15, 11.63, and 20 mg g−1, respectively. These results clearly suggest that the synthesized α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals can be considered as potential nano-adsorbents for future environmental and health related applications.

In this study, a pilot-scale (3 m3/day) membrane distillation (MD) process was operated to treat digestate produced from anaerobic digestion of livestock wastewater. In order to evaluate the performance and energy cost of MD process, it was compared with the pilot scale (10 m3/day) reverse osmosis (RO) process, expected competitive process, under same feed condition. As results, MD process shows stable permeate flux (average 10.1 L/m2/hr) until 150 hours, whereas permeate flux of RO process was decreased from 5.3 to 1.5 L/m2/hr within 24 hours. In the case of removal of COD, TN, and TP, MD process shows a high removal rate (98.7, 93.7, and 99% respectively) stably until 150 hours. However, in the case of RO process, removal rate was decreased from 91.6 to 69.5% in COD and from 93.7 to 76.0% in TP during 100 hours of operation. Removal rate of TN in RO process was fluctuated in the range of 34.5-62.9% (average 44.6%) during the operation. As a result of energy cost analysis, MD process using waste heat for heating the feed shows 18% lower cost compare with RO process. Thus, overall efficiency of the MD process is higher then that of the RO process in terms of permeate flux, removal rate of salts, and operating cost (in the case of using waste heat) in treating the anaerobic digestate of livestock wastewater.

When domestic sewage and rainwater runoff are discharged into a single sewer pipe, it is called a “combined sewer system.” The sewage design standards in Korea specify the flow velocity based only on the volume of rainfall; therefore, sedimentation occurs on non-rainy days owing to the reduced flow rate and velocity. This sedimentation reduces the discharge capacity, causes unpleasant odors, and exacerbates the problem of combined sewer overflow concentration. To address this problem, the amount of sewage on non-rainy days, not just the volume of rainfall, should also be considered. There are various theories on sedimentation in sewer movement. This study introduces a self-cleansing velocity based on tractive force theory. By applying a self-cleansing velocity equivalent to the critical shear stress of a sand particle, sedimentation can be reduced on non-rainy days. The amount of sewage changes according to the water use pattern of citizens. The design hourly maximum wastewater flow was considered as a representative value, and the velocity of this flow should be more than the self-cleansing velocity. This design method requires a steeper gradient than existing design criteria. Therefore, the existing sewer pipelines need to be improved and repaired accordingly. In this study, five types of improvement and repair methods that can maximize the use of existing pipelines and minimize the depth of excavation are proposed. The key technologies utilized are trenchless sewer rehabilitation and complex cross-section pipes. Trenchless sewer rehabilitation is a popular sewage repair method. However, it is complex because the cross-section pipes do not have a universal design and require continuous research and development. In an old metropolis with a combined sewer system, it is difficult to carry out excavation work; hence, the methods presented in this study may be useful in the future.

축산 폐수는 고농도의 영양염류와 중금속을 함유하고 있어, 배출될 때 수질을 악화시킨다. 기존 처리 기술과 비교하여 bioremediation은 축산 폐수 처리에 유능하다. 특히, 미세조류는 오염물질 제거에 잠재력을 가지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 Ankistrodesmus bibraianus를 이용하여 축산 폐수 내 영양염류 (질소 (N), 인 (P))와 중금속 (구리 (Cu), 아연 (Zn))의 제거 가능성을 평가하고, A. bibraianus의 최적배양조건을 확립하였다. 연구결과, 최적 배양조건은 28°C, pH 7, 광주기는 14 : 10 h로 설정되었다. N과 P의 단일 처리구 (500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 mg L-1)에서 제거효율은 각각 22.9~80.6%와 11.9~50.0%였다. 또한, N과 P의 복합 처리구에서 제거효율은 각각 16.4~58.3%와 7.80~49.8%였다. Cu와 Zn의 단일 처리구 (10, 30, 50 mg L-1)에서 제거효율은 각각 15.5~81.5%와 6.28~34.3%였다. 유사하게, Cu와 Zn의 복합 처리구에서 제거효율은 각각 16.7~74.5%와 5.58~27.5%였다. 또한 영양염류 (N 및 P)와 중금속 (Cu 및 Zn)의 성장 및 제거효율을 축산 폐수에 적용할 수 있음을 나타냈다. 본 연구의 결과에 따르면 A. bibraianus는 축산 폐수 내 영양염류와 중금속 제거에 이용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

The proper operation and safety management of water and wastewater treatment systems are essential for providing stable water service to the public. However, various natural disasters including floods, large storms, volcano eruptions and earthquakes threaten public water services by causing serious damage to water and wastewater treatment plants and pipeline systems. Korea is known as a country that is relatively safe from earthquakes, but the recent increase in the frequency of earthquakes has increased the need for a proper earthquake management system. Interest in research and the establishment of legal regulations has increased, especially since the large earthquake in Gyeongju in 2016. Currently, earthquakes in Korea are managed by legal regulations and guidelines integrated with other disasters such as floods and large storms. The legal system has long been controlled and relatively well managed, but technical research has made limited progress since it was considered in the past that Korea is safe from earthquake damage. Various technologies, including seismic design and earthquake forecasting, are required to minimize possible damages from earthquakes, so proper research is essential. This paper reviews the current state of technology development and legal management systems to prevent damages and restore water and wastewater treatment systems after earthquakes in Korea and other countries. High technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles, wireless networks and real-time monitoring systems are already being applied to water and wastewater treatment processes, and to further establish the optimal system for earthquake response in water and wastewater treatment facilities, continuous research in connection with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including information and communications technologies, is essential.

원전 일차계통 HyBRID 제염공정에서 발생되는 제염폐액에는 황산이온과 방사성 핵종을 포함한 금속이온 및 발암성 물질의 하이드라진을 포함하고 있어 이를 안전한 수준으로 처리할 수 있는 기술개발이 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 모의 제염폐액 내 황산 및 금속이온의 제거와 하이드라진의 분해시험을 실시하여 황산이온, 금속이온 및 하이드라진을 효과적으로 제거할 수 있는 HyBRID 제염폐액 처리공정을 도출하였으며, 1 L 규모에서의 반복실험과 Pilot 규모(300 L/batch)에서의 평가시험을 통해 도출한 HyBRID 제염폐액 처리공정의 성능 재현성과 적용성을 검증하였다.

Sulfide dissolved in wastewater is a potential source of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is an odorous substance that causes civil complaints and is a dangerous substance that threatens the corrosion of structures and the safety and health of workers. The removal efficiencies of the chemical oxidant and the coagulants were compared to evaluate the removal of dissolved sulfide. Since the effectiveness may vary depending on the characteristics of the wastewater, water was used as a control, and 5 mg/L of dissolved sulfide was dissolved in water and sewage wastewater. When oxidant was used, the results showed a high sulfide removal rate in sewage wastewater than water, and the removal efficiency was enhanced with increasing oxidant concentration. Sulfide removal efficiencies after one hour after injecting oxidants H2O2, NaOCl, NaClO2 to sewage wastewater were 70%, 90%, and 100%, respectively. After the oxidants were administered four times, the removal was 90%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. In the case of sulfide removal with the oxidizing agent, the removal efficiency was NaClO2, NaOCl, H2O2 (highest - lowest). NaClO2 showed 100% removal efficiency within 10 minutes under all conditions (A condition, B condition), making it the most sewage effective agent in this study. In the case of the coagulants, 100% of the sulfides dissolved in water were removed in the first 10 minutes under all conditions. In sewage wastewater, FeCl2 and FeSO4 also showed 100% removal efficiency under all conditions after one hour, and FeCl3 showed 90% and 99% removal rates under A and B conditions, respectively. That is, the monovalent iron coagulants (FeCl2, FeSO4) were found to be somewhat more effective in the removal of sulfides in sewage wastewater than the divalent iron (FeCl3) coagulants. When the sulfides were removed with coagulants, FeCl2 had the highest removal efficiency followed by FeSO4 and FeCl3. Moreover, it was found that NaClO2 has the best reaction efficiency at the minimum reaction time and the reaction concentration.

The physical treatment such as chemical precipitation or adsorption was usually added after biological treatment in wastewater treatment process since it was enforced to reduce the concentration of phosphate for wastewater effluent to 0.2 mg/L as P which was well known as one of main nutrient causing eutrophication in waterbody. Therefore, the new material functioned for both adsorption and disinfection was prepared with Fe and Cu, and TiO2, respectively, by changing the ratio of concentration referred to tri-metal (TM). According to SEM-EDS, TiO2 was 30~40% composition for any TM regardless of any synthesis condition. However, the ratio of composition for Fe and Cu was dependent on the initial Fe and Cu concentration, respectively. The removal efficiency of phosphate was obtained to 15% at low initial concentration and the maximum uptake (Q) was calculated to ~11 mg/g through Langmuir isotherm model using TM1 which was synthesized at 1000 mg/L, 1000 mg/L, and 2 g (10 g/L) for Fe(NO3)3, Cu(NO3)2, TiO2, respectively. In disinfection test, the efficiency of virus removal using TM was increased with increase of dosage of TM and can be reached 98% at 0.2 g.

전기화학적 처리를 통해 합성폐수 내의 질산성 질소, 인을 제거하는 새로운 폐수처리 공정 시스템 개발을 위한 연구를 수행하였다. 전류밀도에 따른 제거율은 전류밀도가 높아질수록 질산성 질소의 높은 제거효율을 얻었고, 전극 스위칭시간에 따른 N03-제거율은 스위칭 간격이 1 min일 때 높은 질산성 질소 제거효율을 얻었다. 전류밀도에 따른 총인 제거율은 전류밀도와 간격의 변화에 크게 영향을 받지 않으면서 90%이상 처리되는 것으로 나타났고, 스위칭시간(1 min간격)의 증가에 따른 총인 제거율은 증가 한 것으로 나타났다. 반면 COD의 경우는 전기화학적 처리를 통해서는 처리되지 않는 것으로 나타났으며 오히려 전극이 용출되면서 증가하는 결과를 얻었다. 또한, 전극의 소모율은 스위칭 간격이 짧을수록 적은 것으로 나타났다. 최종적으로 전기화학적 처리(전류밀도 50 mA/cm2, 스위칭 간격 1 min, 유량 540 mL/min)를 통해 질소 98.1%, 인 90% 이상의 제거 효율을 얻을 수 있었다.

가속화되는 산업화로 인해 중금속 이온의 침출이 환경문제로 떠오르고 있다. 수질 정화를 위한 몇 가지 방법 중 기능성 고분자 섬유를 이용한 흡착은 효율적이며 경제적이라는 장점이 있다. 특히, 폴리아크릴로나이트릴(polyacrylonitrile, PAN)은 금속 이온을 흡착할 수 있는 작용기가 많아 관심을 끌고 있다. PAN은 쉽게 전기방사를 통해 고분자 나노 섬유화될 수 있으며 높은 표면적을 가질 수 있다. 본 총설에서 다룰 복합 PAN 섬유는 폐수 처리를 위한 또 다른 유형의 고분자이다.