Radiation Treatment of Sewage Effluent

“Creating Expertise in the Use of Radiation Technology for Improving

Industrial Performance, Developing New Materials and Products, and
Reducing the Environmental Impact of the Industry”, 10~21 July 2017,
Santiago, Chile
What is the Sewage Effluent?

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Why Sewage effluent has to be interested?

Is it safe
on eco
system?

Toxicity?
Antibiotics?
Pharmaceuticals?
Coli form?
Endocrine disruptor?

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 Our country(Korea)

Environmental Law

• Starting to regulation of integrated eco-toxicity from 2011 : effluent from sewage and
wastewater treatment
• Enforcement of regulation for coli form contained effluent
(3,000 CFU/㎖ to 1,000 CFU/㎖)

Social Acceptance
• Environmental protection from increase of environmental toxic chemicals usage
• Distrust on existing UV sterilization technology by the regrowth of coli form

Technical Aspects
• Necessity of technology which can remove toxic chemicals and do complete
sterilization by the same time within short time of reaction

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Situation on sewage in Korea (Uncommon case)

Livestock
wastewater
Sewage
teatment
treatment

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Monitoring of antibiotics detected in influent of livestock wastewater
treatment plant

Compounds Concent. Compounds Concent. Frequency

Frequency
(1 차) (ng/mL) (2 차) (ng/mL)
Acetaminophen 62.41~1352.90 5/18 (27.8%) Acetaminophen 7.32~97.7 2/19 (10.5%)

Sulfamethoxazole - 0/18 (0 %) Sulfamethoxazole - 0/19 (0%)

Sulfathiazole 105.22~146.45 3/18 (16.7%) Sulfathiazole 3.86~1082.60 13/19 (68.4%)

Sulfamethazine 1.23~58.68 4/18 (22.2%) Sulfamethazine 0.40~299.82 9/19 (47.4%)

Trimethoprim - 0/18 (0%) Trimethoprim 0.43 1/19 (5.3%)

Lincomycin 16.09~511.46 11/18 (61.1%) Lincomycin 0.50~333.77 13/19 (68.4%)

Oxytetracycline 515.36~12171.89 9/19 (47.4%)

Oxytetracycline 728.84~7413.10 12/18 (66.7%)
Chlortetracycline 0.12~34111.47 19/19 (100.0%)
Chlortetracycline 420.68~70866.50 14/18 (77.8%)

Acetyl Acetyl
0.21~294.02 16/18 (88.9%) 0.04~690.43 18/19 (94.7%)
salicylic acid salicylic acid
Erythromycin-H2O - 0/18 (0%) Erythromycin-H2O - 0/19 (0%)

Tylosin 0.48~16.20 10/18 (55.6%) Tylosin 0.46~8.03 12/19 (63.2%)

Formaldehyde 0.70~346.22 18/19 (94.7%)

Formaldehyde 2.78~257.36 17/18 (94.4%)
Glutaraldehyde 0.75~9.61 15/19 (78.9%)
Glutaraldehyde 1.13~13.24 10/18 (55.6%)

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 lincomycine
chlortetracycline

oxytetracycline
sulfamethoxazole

Are there
proper methods
for control
these pollutants?

Coli form

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Is EB Possible?

-Easy to destroy for chemicals

-Effective on toxicity reduction

(uncommon)

-Easy to cell destroying

(not regrowth)

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Research Plan
MEB Certi.
2011 NET
Acquire of certification on NEW ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
for advanced technology which use electron beam for treatment

2010 of sewage and wastewater approved by Korea government

Field study on treatment of chemicals and sterilization in effluent with

- Feasibility test with MEB

2009 - Treatment of organic toxic chemicals and sterilization in effluent

- Study on the eco safety before and after MEB treatment

Mineralization of endocrine disrupter by radiation and evaluation of genetic safety

- Minimization of endocrine disrupter by radiation

2008
- Evaluation of organic toxic chemical behavior after irradiation
- Study on radiation technology in terms of evaluation of genetic variation

Radiation treatment of organic toxic chemicals and evaluation of eco toxicity

- Analysis of organic toxic chemicals distribution in effluent
- Mineralization of antibiotics and trace amount of organic toxic chemicals by radiation
2007 -
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Evaluation of eco safety for irradiated effluent by toxicity evaluation
Evaluation of genetic variation by organic toxic chemicals in effluent

Radiation treatment of microorganism contained in effluent of sewage

- Analysis of chemical destruction in each unit process
- Analysis of pathogenic microbes in effluent
- Evaluation of sterilization by electron beam and gamma rays

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2. Batch type research

• Decomposition of Antibiotics
• Decomposition of Endocrine disrupters
• Sterilization
• Toxicity Reduction
• Evaluation of mutation Possibility

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Experimental work

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Radiation destruction of antibiotics

EB treatment UV treatmet

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Radiation destruction of antibiotics

destruction of
antibiotics by
radiation

Amoxicillin Sulfamethoxazole Oxytetracycline

/Sulfamethazine /Tetracycline /Lincomycin

Radical scavenger gas effect

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Radiation destruction of endocrine disrupters

destruction of
endocrine
disruptors by
radiation

Alachlor / Methomy Bisphenol-A

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Reduction of eco-toxicity on antibiotics by radiation

The changes of acute toxicity for radiation treated antibiotics

according to dose by algae.

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Biodegradability on antibiotics by radiation

Increase of biodegradability by radiation treatment of antibiotics

Lincomycin Sulfamethoxazole
/ Tetracycline / Alachlor

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Evaluation on genetic safety for radiation treated antibiotics

Evaluation of RGA(relative β-galactosidase activity)

∗ B.C; Background control (D.W),

2-6 ~20; Tetracycline (1.7 ㎍/㎖),
Amoxicillin (2.9 ㎍/㎖), Cephradine
(2.4 ㎍/㎖), Lincomycin (2.0 ㎍/㎖),
4-NQO (1 ㎍/㎖)

antibiotics were irradiated by 0.4 kGy

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Sterilization of coli form

Comparison of sterilization of coli form by radiation and UV

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Restrain of coli form regrowth after radiation sterilization

Comparison of regrowth of coli form after sterilization by radiation and UV

Before EB after EB
treatment treatment

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3. PAPER PUBLISHED

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2. Field demonstration

• Decomposition of Antibiotics
• Decomposition of Endocrine disrupters
• Toxicity Reduction
• Sterilization

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Establishment of Mobile Electron
Accelerator(MEB)

Weight
Dimension, m Facilities
(ton)

1st Con 11ⅹ2.5ⅹ4 31 EB, generator, radiation instruments

2nd Con 13ⅹ2.5ⅹ4 14 control room. experimental appatus

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Installation of MEB and Experiment in Sewage Treatment Plant

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Process

Effluent

storage

WW treatment Flow rate determination

Dose determination

Irradiation

Analysis

Discharge

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Field demonstration and experiment

Field experiment

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 Results of Field
Demonstration Test

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 Table.1. Characteristics of effluent
(unit : mg/L)
Items Max. Min. Average
Temp.(℃) 11.7 25.7 18.5

pH 6.2 7.7 7.0

DO 3.4 11.4 6.2

BOD5 1.5 10.5 4.2

CODMn 7.5 26.1 11.6

CODCr 13.0 26.5 18.9

SS 0.9 5.0 2.5

T-N 9.0 13.5 11.5

T-P 0.2 1.4 0.8

TOC 6.8 13.7 10.0

Coli form(CFU/mL) 13.0 3.4 × 105 2.2 × 104

microorganism(CFU/mL) 8.0 × 102 5.7 × 105 7.8 × 104

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 Table 2. Operating conditions of MEB

Power of MEB
Item
Min. Max. Average

Energy (MeV) 0.6 0.6 0.6

Beam current (mA) 20.0 28.1 20.6

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Table 3. Characteristics on removal of organic matters, suspended solid and nutrients by MEB
(Irradiation dose : 1.5 kGy)

Concentration of influent(mg/L) Concentration of Irradiated WW(mg/L) Removal efficient(%)

Item

range average range average range average

BOD5 1.5∼10.5 4.2 0.9∼6.1 2.9 0.0∼60.9 26.4

CODMn 7.5∼26.1 11.6 6.9∼13.2 9.8 0.0∼56.7 12.0

CODCr 13.0∼26.5 18.9 10.0∼23.5 16.1 0.0∼46.8 14.3

SS 0.9∼5.0 2.5 0.1∼4.9 2.1 0.0∼90.9 20.4

T-N 9.0∼13.5 11.5 8.6∼13.4 11.3 0.7∼9.3 2.5

T-P 0.2∼1.4 0.8 0.2∼1.3 0.7 0.0∼29.1 3.9

TOC 6.8∼13.7 10.0 6.1∼13.4 9.0 0.8∼26.3 10.1

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 Table 4. Removal of Lincomysin by MEB(Dose : 1.5 kGy)
【max～min (average)】

Lincomycin (mg/L)
Removal efficient
Item
(%)
Before irradiation After irradiation

Concentration(mg/l) 0.468(0.329～0.586) 0.001(0.0∼0.005) 99.8(99.0∼100.0)

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 Table 5. Removal of Tetracycline by MEB(dose : 1.5 kGy)

【max～min (average)】

Tetracycline (mg/L) Removal efficient

Item
Before irradiation After irradiation (%)

Concentration(mg/l) 0.464(0.332～0.665) 0.005(0.000～0.008) 98.8(97.9∼100.0)

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 Table 6. Removal of Bisphenol-A by MEB(Dose : 1.5 kGy)

【max～min (average)】

Bisphenol-A (mg/L) Removal efficient

Item
(%)
Before irradiation After irradiation

Concentration(mg/l) 0.437(0.410∼0.454) 0.004(0.000∼0.007) 99.1(98.3∼100.0)

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 Table 7. Removal of coli form by MEB(Dose : 1.5 kGy)
【max～min (average)】

Coli form(CFU/ml) Removal efficient

Item
(%)
Before irradiation After irradiation

Concentration 2.2 × 104(13～3.4 × 105) ND 100

Table 8. Removal of microorganisms by MEB

【max～min (average)】

Microorganism(CFU/ml) Removal efficient

Item
(%)
Before irradiation After irradiation

Concentration 7.8 × 104(8.0 × 102～5.7 × 105) 1.1 × 102(20～6.5×102) 98.3(78.3～100)

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 Table 9. Reduction of toxicity(Dose : 1.5 kGy)
Before irradiation After irradiation

Toxicity (TU) 15.0 1.8

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 Table 10.Comparison of removal of pollutants in each seasons(Dose : 1.5 kGy)
Autumn (’11.9～’11.11) winter (’11.12)
Item influent effluent Removal influent effluent Removal
(mg/L) (mg/L) (%) (mg/L) (mg/L) (%)
range 1.9∼5.8 0.9∼3.9 0.0∼53.8 1.5∼10.5 0.9∼6.1 46.7∼60.9
BOD average 3.6 2.6 27.5 5.4 3.5 24.2

range 8.7∼26.1 8.2∼13.2 0.0∼56.7 7.5∼12.9 6.9∼10.9 0.0∼17.1

CODMn average 12.4 10.1 13.7 10.2 9.2 8.5

range 13.0∼26.0 10.0∼21.0 0.0∼46.8 17.5∼26.5 13.0∼23.5 0.0∼29.7

CODCr average 17.8 14.9 15.5 21.0 18.7 11.8

range 1.0∼5.0 0.4∼3.6 0.0∼71.4 0.9∼4.9 0.1∼4.9 0.0∼90.9

SS average 2.4 2.0 19.6 2.7 2.3 22.2

range 9.0∼13.5 8.6∼13.4 0.7∼4.8 10.0∼13.2 9.9∼12.9 0.9∼9.3

T-N average 11.4 11.2 2.2 11.8 11.4 3.1

range 0.4∼1.2 0.4∼1.2 0.0∼7.1 0.2∼1.4 0.2∼1.3 0.8∼29.1

T-P average 0.7 0.7 2.7 0.9 0.8 6.3

range 6.8∼12.4 6.1∼11.7 0.8∼26.3 10.2∼13.7 7.6∼13.4 1.6∼25.1

TOC average 9.2 8.3 10.0 11.7 10.5 10.4

Coli form range 13.0∼3.4×105 ND 100.0 1.9×102∼1.2×104 ND 100.0

(CFU/mL) average 3.1×104 ND 100.0 2.8×103 ND 100.0

Micro range 8.0×102∼5.7×105 22∼6.5×102 78.3∼100.0 3.0×103∼6.4×104 20.0∼70.0 99.3∼99.9

organism
average 1.0×105 1.4×102 97.6 2.6×104 41.4 99.7
(CFU/mL)
range 0.329∼0.495 0.0 100.0 0.478∼0.586 0.0∼0.005 99.0∼100.0
Lincomycin
average 0.426 0.0 100.0 0.532 0.003 99.5

range 0.382∼0.665 0.005∼0.008 97.9∼99.2 0.332∼0.477 0.000∼0.007 97.9∼100

Tetracycline
average 0.524 0.007 98.6 0.405 0.004 98.9

range 0.410∼0.452 0.005∼0.007 98.3∼98.9 0.423∼0.454 0.0 100.0

Bisphenol-A
average 0.436 0.006 98.5 0.439 0.0 100.0

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Conclusions

The irradiation on Sewage Effluent by 1.5 kGy

 Antibiotics and endocrine disruptors could be
decomposed easily.
 Coli form and microorganisms were controlled
 Both characteristics were not influenced by seasons.
 Toxicity was reduced in case of algae test.
 Other kind of organic pollutants were not decreased.
 Nutrient such as N and P were not removed.

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Acquirement of NET

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