• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4 s.96
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• pp.319-326
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• 2001

The biological and physicochemical factors and geosmin concentration were monitored in the Daechung Reservoir for 25 weeks from April to October in 1999. Geosmin was detected 5 times within a range of $1.16{\sim}5.28\;ng\;L^{-1}$, mostly in the late summer. The highest geosmin concentration was recorded on August 31, which also overlapped with the peaks of phycocyanin concentration, cyanobacterial density, and Anabaena spiroides density. A correlation analysis indicated that geosmin production was closely related with a high water temperature, pH, total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and A. spiroides density. A water temperature of $27^{\circ}^C$, pH of 8.5, and TDP of $0.06\;mg\;L^{-1}$ were identified as the prerequisite environmental condition sand threshold values for geosmin production. Accordingly, under such conditions, an A. spiroides density above $10,000\;cells\;mL^{-1}$ indicates imminent geosmin occurrence.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2009

Musty and earth odors caused by geosmin and 2-MIB are the major complaints from the drinking water consumers. Therefore, early detection of geosmin and 2-MIB is the key to prevent off-flavor occurrence. In this study, a rapid method using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) in combination with the GC/MS was investigated to analyze geosmin and 2-MIB in water. The SBSE method, a solventless extraction technique, was optimized and then applied to the analysis of geosmin and 2-MIB in water. The SBSE technique was found to be a simple and fast procedure that allows many samples to be extracted simultaneously using very small volume (10~20 mL). In addition, the SBSE method offered high recovery and good linear regression coefficient for the geosmin and 2-MIB. The good repeatability of this method can be deduced from the low RSD (7.2~7.6%) at 10 ng/L for geosmin and 2-MIB. The limit of detection was determined 1~2 ng/L and the limit of quantitation was 3~6 ng/L. Above all, the SBSE method proved to be a very practical technique for the analysis of geosmin and 2-MIB in water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2015

In this study, the effective treatment reducing geosmin and dosage of PAC was suggested when taste & odor compounds flow in. The removal efficiency of geosmin was evaluated with types of chlorination. In case of low geosmin concentration below 25 ng/L, removal efficiency of geosmin was estimated at 46% by combined treatment of pre and intermediate-chlorination. But, in the exclusive intermediate-chlorination treatment, removal efficiency of geosmin was increased to 57%. In the medium geosmin concentration (25~79 ng/L), removal efficiency of geosmin was estimated at 59% by combined treatment. But, in the exclusive intermediate-chlorination treatment, removal efficiency of geosmin was increased to 87%. When high geosmin concentration above 80 ng/L flows in, removal efficiency of geosmin was estimated at 69% by combined treatment. However, in the exclusive intermediate-chlorination treatment, removal efficiency of geosmin was increased to 95%. Then, the exclusive intermediate-chlorination has an important effect on removal of geosmin. After correlation of geosmin concentration and dosage of PAC was analyzed, the coefficient of determination was estimated at 0.96. And, the proper PAC dosage chart was proposed. Also, at a initial occurrence of geosmin, when the combined treatment by intermediate-chlorination and PAC was applied, particle-bound geosmin should be removed continuously. Finally, it is proved that the combined treatment was effective to remove the geosmin by threshold levels as well as to reduce the dosage of PAC.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 1999

The effects of bicarbonate concentration, atmospheric carbon dioxide level, and reduced atmospheric oxygen on biomass and geosmin production and geosmin/biomass (G/B) values for Streptomyces halstedii, a producer of the off-flavor compound geosmin, were determined. In addition, a study was performed to determined possible synergistic relationships between a cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria tenuis UTEX #1566, and S. halstedii in the enhancement of actinomycete growth and/or geosmin production. These studies took into consideration those conditions that can occur during cyanobacterial bloom die-offs. Increasing bicarbonate concentration caused slight decreases in geosmin production and G/B for S. halstedii. Increasing atmospheric oxygen promoted geosmin production and G/B while lower oxygen levels resulted in a decrease in geosmin production and G/B by S. halstedii. Biomass production by S. halstedii was adversely affected by reduced oxygen levels while changes in bicarbonate concentration and atmospheric carbon dioxdie levels had little effect on biomass production. Sonicated cells of O. tenuis UTEX #1566 promoted biomass production by S. halstedii, and O. tenuis culture (cells and extracellular metabolites) and culture supernatnat (extracellular metabolites) each promoted geosmin and G/B yields for S. halstedii. In certain aquatic systems, environmental conditions resulting from cyanobacterial blooms and subsequent bloom die-offs could favor actinomycete growth and off-flavor compound by certain actinomycetes.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2000

A method for quantitative and qualitative analysis of geosmin, odorant produced by several actinomycetes and cyanobacteria, was established and optimized. The effects of environmental conditions on the growth of Phormidium sp. NIVA-CYA7 were examined and the production and release of geosmin by the species was analyzed by using the purge and trap-gas chromatographic technique. One of the major advantages of the technique established in the present study is that the preparation of sample is simpler and purge time is shorter. Under the culture conditions (pH 7.9, $20^{\circ}C$, 120-140 $\mu$E/$m^2$/s and Z8 medium), Phormidium showed growth characteristics with a lag phase for 8 days and an exponential phase for 14 days followed by a stationary phase. Reduction of inorganic nitrogen concentrations in the culture medium from 250 to 100 or 25 $\mu$M brought no significant effect on the cell growth. However, the cell growth was significantly inhibited with decreasing concentrations of inorganic phosphorus from 25 to 10 or 2.5 $\mu$M. When the inorganic phosphorus concentration in the medium was lowered from 25 to 10 $\mu$M, the levels of geosmin in the organism expressed as percentages per unit TOC and chlorophyII-$\alpha$ increased by 35% and 68%, respectively. When the initial pH of the medium was 9.4, geosmin content was 0.0824 $\mu$g/mg C, which was 2-fold higher than that at pH 7.9 Consequently, the level of geosmin in Phormidium was found to vary with growth phases of the culture, external inorganic phosphorus concentration and external pH, while the release of geosmin was not significantly affected by the factors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.99-109
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• 2016

We investigated the relation between the presence of geosmin in water and the bacterial community structure within the granular activated carbon (GAC) system of water treatment plants in South Korea. GAC samples were collected in May and August of 2014 at three water treatment plants (Sungnam, Koyang, and Yeoncho in Korea). Dissolved organic carbon and geosmin were analyzed before and after GAC treatment. Geosmin was found in raw water from Sungnam and Koyang water treatment plants but not in that from Yeoncho water treatment plant. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the 16S rRNA clone library indicated that the bacterial communities from the Sungnam and Koyang GAC systems were closely related to geosmin-degrading bacteria. Based on the phylogenetic tree and multidimensional scaling plot, bacterial clones from GAC under the influence of geosmin were clustered with Variovorax paradoxus strain DB 9b and Comamonas sp. DB mg. In other words, the presence of geosmin in water might have inevitably contributed to the growth of geosmin degraders within the respective GAC system.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.244-251
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• 2001

This study was performed to investigate the recovery efficacy of 2-methylisobomeol (2-MIB) and Geosmin, odor contaminants produced by algae, by pretreatment techniques, and also to investigate both adsorption characteristics and removal efficiency to get some information for the effective removal of 2-MIB and Geosmin by batch experiments. In pretreatment experiments, the best recovery efficiency of both odorants at 0.2 and $2\;{\mu}g/L$ in raw water was 30 mL of sampling size, 9 g NaCl for salting out headspace of sampling phase and 40 minutes of adsorption. At the best condition, the recovery efficiency of 2-MIB was 85% at $0.2\;{\mu}g/L$ and 95% at $2\;{\mu}g/L$, whereas the efficiency of Geosmin was lower than that of 2-MIB : 61% at $0.2\;{\mu}g/L$ and 81% at $2\;{\mu}g/L$. In batch experiments, the removal efficiency of the Geosmin and 2-MIB by adsorbents using distilled water were increased in comparison with raw water, the efficiency in raw water was little different by their concentrations. When these results were applied to the Freundrich adsorption isotherm, the K value of 2-MIB for zeolite, coal activated carbon, and coconut activated carbon was 0.671, 1.811, and 1.340, respectively, and the value of Geosmin was 0.6125, 1.771, and 1.5191, respectively. Thus the adsorption efficiency of 2-MIB and Geosmin was in the order of zeolite, coconut activated carbon, coal activated carbon.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.754-760
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• 2010

Geosmin removal by biodegradation was investigated in lab-scale slow sand filtration column with different empty bed contact times (EBCTs) and water temperature. Schmutzdecke layer was built up after 30 days operation and biomass and activity were $4.5{\times}10^6\;CFU/g$ and $3.42\;mg{\cdot}C/m^3{\cdot}hr$, respectively. The attached bio-film microorganisms in schmutzdecke layer were isolated and identified. The dominant species was Pseudomonas sp. that had occupied 56%. Removal efficiencies of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and geosmin were 27% and 95% after 30 days operation. In lab-scale slow sand filtration column, geosmin and DOC removal efficiencies were 62% and 10% at $5^{\circ}C$, respectively. And increasing water temperature ($15^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$) increased the geosmin and DOC removal efficiencies (88~100% and 25~42%) in lab-scale slow sand filtration column. Geosmin and DOC biodegradation rates (k) in the schmutzdecke layer (in the upper 5 cm filter bed) were $1.842{\sim}15.965\;hr^{-1}$1 and $0.253{\sim}1.123\;hr^{-1}$, respectively. It were about 18~32 times and 20~51 times of the rates in the deeper filter bed (5~60 cm).

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 2009

Tastes and odor in water caused by geosmin and 2-MIB are the major customer complaints for water utilities. Therefore, control of geosmin and 2-MIB is a worldwide concern. In this study, the effects of biofilter media type (three different activated carbons and anthracite), empty bed contact time (EBCT) and temperature on the removal of geosmin and 2-MIB in BAC filters were investigated. Experiments were conducted at three different water temperatures (5, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$) and four different EBCTs (5, 10, 15, and 20 min). The experimental results indicated that the coal based BAC retained more bacterial biomass on the surface of the activated carbon than the other BACs, and increasing EBCT or increasing water temperature also increased the geosmin and 2-MIB removal in BAC filters. To achieve above 50% of removal efficiency for geosmin and 2-MIB in a BAC filter, above 10 min EBCT at $5^{\circ}C$ and 5 min EBCT at above $15^{\circ}C$ were required. The kinetic analysis for the biodegradation of geosmin and 2-MIB indicated a first-order reaction rate at various water temperatures. Data obtained from the BAC filters at various temperatures were also used to evaluate pseudo first-order rate constants for geosmin and 2-MIB. The half-lives evaluated at 5, 15, and $25^{\circ}C$ for geosmin and 2-MIB ranged from 2.39 to 10.31 min and 3.35 to 13.97 min, respectively, which can be used to assist water utilities in designing and operating BAC system.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.326-332
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• 2013

Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) are volatile organic compounds responsible for the majority of unpleasant taste and odor events in drinking water. Geosmin and 2-MIB are byproducts of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) with musty and earthy odors. These compounds have odor threshold concentration at ng/L levels. It is needed to develop a sensitive method for determination of geosmin and 2-MIB to control the quality of drinking water. In this study, geosmin and 2-MIB in water samples were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SMPE). The detection limits of this method were 1.072 ng/L and 1.021 ng/L for geosmin and 2-MIB, respectively. Good accuracy and precision was also obtained by this method. Concentrations of the two compounds were measured in raw waters from Nakdong River in the cyanobacterial blooming season. Water bloom formed by cyanobacteria has been occurred currently in Nakdong River. It is needed to investigate the concentrations of geosmin and 2-MIB to control the quality of drinking water from Nakdong River. Both geosmin and 2-MIB were detected in raw waters from Nakdong River at concentrations ranging from 4 to 24 ng/L and 6 to 16 ng/L, respectively.