Si-Jin Lee

Phytoremediation of Atrazine by Poplar Trees: Toxicity, Uptake, and Transformation

Toxicity, uptake, and transformation of atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine] by three species of poplar tree were assessed. Poplar cuttings were grown in sealed flasks with hydrophonic solutions and exposed to various concentrations of atrazine for a period of two weeks. Toxicity effects were evaluated by monitoring transpiration and measuring poplar cutting mass. Exposure to higher atrazine concentrations resulted in decrease of biomass and transpiration accompanied by leaf chlorosis and abscission. However, poplar cuttings exposed to lower concentrations of atrazine grew well and transpired at a constant rate during experiment periods. Poplar cuttings could take up, hydrolyze, and dealkylate atrazine to less toxic metabolites. Metabolism of atrazine occurred in roots, stems, and leaves and became more complete with increased residence time in tissue. These results suggest that phytoremediation is a viable approach to removing atrazine from contaminated water and should be considered for other contaminants.

Optimal Condition of Operation Parameter for Livestock Carcass Leachate using Fenton Oxidation Process

Outbreak of animal infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza are becoming prevalent worldwide. For prevent the further infection, tremendous numbers of the infected or culled stocks are buried around farm. This burial method can generate a wide range of detrimental components such as leachate, nutrient, salt, and pathogenic bacteria, consequently. In this study, for the stabilization of livestock carcasses leachate, advanced oxidation processes utilizing the Fenton reaction was investigated in lab-scale experiments for the treatment for CODCr of livestock carcass leachate. CODCr reduction by the Fenton oxidation was investigated response surface methodology using the BoxBegnken methods were applied to the experimental results. A central composite design was used to investigate the effects of the independent variables of pH (x1), dosage of FeCl2· 4H2O (x2) and dosage of H2O2 (x3) on the dependent variables CODCr concentration (y1). A 1 M NaOH and H2SO4 was using for pH control, FeCl2·4H2O was used as iron catalyst and NaOH was used for Fenton reaction. The optimal conditions for Fenton oxidation process were determined: pH, dosage of FeCl2·4H2O and dosage of H2O2 were 3, 0.6 g (0.0151 M) and 7 mL(0.259 M), respectively. Statistical results showed the order of significance of the independent variables to be pH > initial concentration of ferrous ion > initial concentration of hydrogen peroxide.

NADH Variation and Process Control with NADH Fluorometer in Full Scale Biological Nutrient Removal Process

In this study, we investigated the possibility of auto control and the proper operating factors in the BNR(Biological Nutrient Removal) process using an NADH(Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) fluorometer, which characterized the emitted fluorescence when activated by flashes of UV light at 460 nm. In terms of finding adequate operating parameters, results indicted that nitrification efficiency decreased in the controlled DO while denitrification efficiency decreased in the controlled pH. The above results indicated that controlled operating condition after combination with NADH, DO and pH was resonable. Result obtained from the correlation between NADH and pH showed that variation trend of influent loading was similar to those of NADH and pH, and also the variation cycle was repeated on a daily basis. Consequently, this result showed the increase of BOD loading caused the nitrification efficiency to decrease because air-flow, required for nitrification, was reduced, and so the NADH value was increased. From these results, it is possible to use NADH flourimetry to assess the variation of organic load and nitrification efficiency in the case of small change in influent pH such as in sewage and also to handle and operate the load variation in the auto control system using the NADH fluorometer.