Abstract
Urbanization has been causing such new pollutants as micro-plastic, thus the environmental impact of new pollutants on ecosystem is rapidly increasing. When it comes to micro-plastic, a representative artificial trace pollutant, its risk has been increased at a much faster rate, however the depth study associated with stormwater sediment and wetland was relatively rare. In this research, soil samples from storm water sediment were analyzed for distribution characteristics of micro-plastics in the J wetland (registered as Ramsar wetland, May 2021 and a representative environmental site in South Korea). Analyzed soil samples found approximately 201 ± 93 particle/kg (based on unit weight, Total micro plastic particles / Total Sample weight) micro-plastics in the samples. When considering the total quantitative numbers in stormwater sediment in the entire area of the J wetland, over 15,000 micro-plastics were estimated to be contaminating such area. In addition, in terms of qualitative numbers, micro-plastics were contaminating the J wetland with 94.7 % ratio of styrofoam type (43.9%) and polyethylene type (50.8%). These research results can be used as base data sets for controlling micro-plastics in the J wetland.
Key Words
micro-plastic; sediment; stormwater; wetland
Address
Jiyeol Im: Department of Urban Policy Research, Goyang Research Institute, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang 10393, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Kyungik Gil: Department of Civil Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01811, South Korea
Abstract
Global climate change and urbanization have various demerits, such as water pollution, flood damage, and deterioration of water circulation. Thus, attention is drawn to Nature-based Solution (NbS) that solve environmental problems in ways that imitate nature. Among the NbS, urban wetlands are facilities that perform functions, such as removing pollutants from a city, improving water circulation, and providing ecological habitats, by strengthening original natural wetland pillars. Frequent monitoring and maintenance are essential for urban wetlands to maintain their performance; therefore, there is a need to apply the Internet of Things (IoT) technology to wetland monitoring. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to develop a real-time wetland monitoring device and interface. Temperature, water temperature, humidity, soil humidity, PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 were measured, and the measurements were taken at 10-minute intervals for three days in both indoor and wetland. Sensors suitable for conditions that needed to be measured and an Arduino MEGA 2560 were connected to enable sensing, and communication modules were connected to transmit data to real-time databases. The transmitted data were displayed on a developed web page. The data measured to verify the monitoring device were compared with data from the Korea meteorological administration and the Korea environment corporation, and the output and upward or downward trend were similar. Moreover, findings from a related patent search indicated that there are a minimal number of instances where information and communication technology (ICT) has been applied in wetland contexts. Hence, it is essential to consider further research, development, and implementation of ICT to address this gap. The results of this study could be the basis for time-series data analysis research using automation, machine learning, or deep learning in urban wetland maintenance.
Key Words
environmental maintenance; internet of things (IoT) technology; nature-based solution (NbS); patent; real-time monitoring; wetland
Address
Chaewon Kang and Kyungik Gil: Department of Civil Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, 232, Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 01811
Abstract
The presence of high amounts of organic and inorganic contaminants in textile wastewater is a major environmental concern. Therefore, the treatment of textile wastewater is an urgent issue to save the aquatic environment. The disposal of large quantities of untreated textile wastewater into inland water bodies can cause serious water pollution. In this study, synthetic dye wastewater samples were prepared using orange dye in the laboratory. The synthetic samples were then treated by a batch adsorption process using the prepared activated carbon (AC) from date pits. The wastewater parameters studied were the pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), electrical conductivity (EC) and salinity. The activated adsorption process showed that the maximum removal efficiencies of electric conductivity (EC), salinity, TDS and TSS were 65%, 92%, 89% and 90%, respectively. The removal efficiencies were proportional to the increase in contact time (30-120 min) and AC adsorbent dose (1, 3 and 5 g/L). The adsorption profile indicates that 5 g/L of adsorbent delivers better results for TDS, EC, TSS and salinity at contact time of 120 min. The adsorption characteristics are better suited to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model than to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were well suited for describing the adsorption or contact behavior of EC and TSS within the studied system.
Address
A. Ahsan: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Islamic University of Technology, Gazipur 1704, Bangladesh/ Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
I.K. Erabee: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq
F.B. Nazrul: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Islamic University of Technology, Gazipur 1704, Bangladesh
M. Imteaz: Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
M.M. El-Sergany: School of Health and Environmental Studies, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai 71400, UAE
S. Shams: Civil Engineering Programme Area, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE1410, Brunei Darussalam
Md. Shafiquzzaman: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) can be a promising alternative for the solution of dye removal from coloured effluents. Polymeric membranes are widely used due to their good film-forming ability, flexibility, separation properties, and cost. However, they have low mechanical, chemical, and thermal resistances. Moreover, the fouling of polymeric membranes is high because of their hydrophobic nature. Hence, there is an increasing interest in organic-inorganic hybrid membranes as a new-generation membrane material. It has been shown that carbon nanotubes have the potential to increase the material properties of polymers with their low density, high strength, hardness, and exceptional aspect ratio. In this work, carbon nanotubes blended MMMs were prepared and methyl orange removal efficiency of them was investigated. Compared to the bare membranes, MMMs showed not only increased hydrophilicity, water content, and pure water flux but also increased methyl orange rejection and flux recovery
Address
Evrim Celik-Madenli: Department of Environmental Engineering, Suleyman Demirel University, 32260 Isparta, Turkiye/ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Liverpool, L69 3GQ, Liverpool, UK
Dilara Kesiktas: Department of Environmental Engineering, Suleyman Demirel University, 32260 Isparta, Turkiye
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has increased demand for chlorine-based sanitizing solutions, most of which contain hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as an active agent. Free chlorine (HOCl) in these sanitizers is crucial for their efficacy. Disposable test strips are affordable and convenient tools for determining various qualitative and quantitative parameters. In this study, disposable opto-chemical test strips were developed by physically immobilizing 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and o-dianisidine (o-D) reagents on chromatography and filter paper-based test strips for the visualization and detection of free chlorine in the form of HOCl. The reagents undergo a rapid color change upon reaction with chlorine through a redox reaction. The paper-based test strips showed rapid color change within a minute and a low sample volume requirement (1 ml). This portable, disposable paper-based test strip is a simple and cost-effective way to rapidly detect the presence of HOCl sanitizers for home and field applications. Both TMB and o-D successfully detected chlorine. Chromatography paper proved to be the more efficient option among the two papers used as substrates for the reagents (TMB and o-D). It exhibited high retention capacity and high performance in terms of color transformation when reacting with HOCl, even after two months of storage.
Key Words
chromogenic reagents; chlorine; disinfectant; hypochlorous acid; paper test strip; sanitizer
Address
Rita E. Ampiaw, Muhammad Yaqub, Changyeon Woo and Wontae Lee: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, 61, Daehak–ro, Gumi 39177, Republic of Korea
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