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Investigation of Microplastics Behavior and Properties in Public Sewage Treatment Plant and Pre-treatment with Microbubbles
Summary
Korean researchers tracked microplastics through different stages of a public sewage treatment plant and tested microbubble pre-treatment to improve removal. Microplastic concentrations dropped from 719 particles per liter in raw sewage to 16 per liter after tertiary treatment, and microbubble aeration further enhanced early-stage removal.
강우 유출수와 생활하수에 함유된 미세플라스틱(Microplastics, MPs)은 하수관거를 통하여 공공하수처리시설에서 포집된다. 하수처리시설의 처리공정별 미세플라스틱의 거동과 성상을 분석하고, 미세플라스틱의 물리적 특성을 고려하여 미세기포를 이용한 전처리 방안을 알아보았다. 하수처리시설에서 처리공정별 미세플라스틱의 함량과 성상을 조사·분석한 결과, 1차 침전조, 포기조, 2차침전조 그리고 3차 처리조 유출수의 MPs 농도는 각각 719 MP/L, 152 MP/L, 44 MP/L 그리고 16 MP/L로 분석되었다. 1차와 2차 침전조의 침전슬러지는 슬러지 처리공정인 농축조로 이송된다. 슬러지 농축조Ⅰ(1차슬러지), 농축조Ⅱ(2차슬리지), 그리고 슬러지 가용화조의 미세플라스틱 농도는 각각 122 MP/g, 213 MP/g, 그리고 1,363 MPs/g로 나타났다. 수처리 공정의 슬러지와 흡착된 MPs가 슬러지 농축조로 물리적으로 이동되고, 고농도로 농축되어 MPs 농도가 높게 나타난 것으로 분석된다. 하수처리시설에 유입된 MPs 형태는 섬유 형태가 55% 이상으로 가장 많았으며, 다음으로 플라스틱 조각과 필름 형태가 각각 25%, 16%로 나타났다. 이는 생활하수(세탁폐수)중에 함유된 섬유에 기인한다. 따라서 하수처리시설에서 MPs가 슬러지 처리공정으로 이동을 줄일 수 있는 처리 방법이 요구된다. 전처리 공정으로 미세 기포에 의한 MPs의 부상 분리를 검토하였으며, 섬유 성분이 대부분인 세탁폐수를 대상으로 미세기포 부상공정을 이용하여 처리실험 결과, 60% 이상 저감되어 전처리 공정으로 적용을 기대할 수 있다.
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