• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2005

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an environmental contaminant provoking genetic mutation and damages to liver and central nerve system even at low concentrations. A practical scheme is reported using toluene as a primary substrate to revitalize the biofilter column for an extended period of TCE degradation. The rate of trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation by Pseudomonas putida F1 at $25^{\circ}C$ decreased exponentially with time, without toluene feeding to a biofilter column ($11\;cm\;I.D.{\times}95\;cm$ height). The rate of decrease was 2.5 times faster at a TCE concentration of $970\;{\mu}g/L$ compared to a TCE concentration of $110\;{\mu}g/L$. The TCE itself was not toxic to the cells, but the metabolic intermediates of the TCE degradation were apparently responsible for the decrease in the TCE degradation rate. A short-term (2 h) supply of toluene ($2,200\;{\mu}g/L$) at an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 6.4 min recovered the relative column activity by $43\%$ when the TCE removal efficiency at the time of toluene feeding was $58\%$. The recovery of the TCE removal efficiency increased at higher incoming toluene concentrations and longer toluene supply durations according to the Monod type of kinetic expressions. A longer duration ($1.4{\sim}2.4$ times) of toluene supply increased the recovery of the TCE removal efficiency by $20\%$ for the same toluene load.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2010

The values of the AIT (autoignition temperature) for fire and explosion protection are normally the lowest reported. The MAITB (Minimum Autoignition Temperature Behavior) of flammable liquid mixture is exhibited when the AITs of mixture is below the AIT of the individual components. The MAITB is an interesting experimental features, which can be significant from the perspective of industrial fire safety. In this study, the AITs of toluene + iso-propanol(IPA) and p-xylene + n-butanol systems were measured using ASTM E659-78 apparatus. The AITs of toluene, iso-propanol (IPA), pxylene and n-butanol which constituted two binary systems were $547^{\circ}C,\;463^{\circ}C,\;557^{\circ}C$ and $340^{\circ}C$ respectively. The toluene + iso-propanol(IPA) system is exhibited MAITB at 0.3 mole fraction of toluene, and its minimum autoignition temperature was $460^{\circ}C$.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.227-233
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• 2014

Background: The aims of this study were to determine hippuric acid levels in urine samples, airborne toluene levels, acute and chronic neurological symptoms, and to describe any correlation between urinary hippuric acid and airborne toluene. Methods: The hippuric acid concentration in the urine of 87 paint workers exposed to toluene at work (exposed group), and 87 nonexposed people (control group) was studied. Study participants were selected from similar factories in the same region. Urine samples were collected at the end of a shift and analyzed for hippuric acid by high performance liquid chromatography. Air samples for the estimation of toluene exposure were collected with diffusive personal samplers and the toluene quantified using gas-liquid chromatography. The two groups were also interviewed and observed about their work practices and health. Results: The median of the 87 airborne toluene levels was 55 ppm (range, 12-198 ppm). The median urinary hippuric acid level was 800 mg/g creatinine (range, 90-2547 mg/g creatinine). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between airborne toluene exposure and urine hippuric acid levels (r = 0.548, p < 0.01). Workers with acute symptoms had significantly higher hippuric acid levels than those who did not (p < 0.05). It was concluded that there was a significant correlation between toluene exposure, hippuric acid levels, and health (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There appears to be a significant correlation between workers exposure to toluene at work, their urine hippuric acid levels, and resulting symptoms of poor health. Improvements in working conditions and occupational health education are required at these workplaces. There was good correlation between urinary hippuric acid and airborne toluene levels.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 1999

A biological filter for treatment of toluene among volatile organic compounds was studied. The investigation was conducted using specially built stainless steel columns packed with granular activated carbon and cold for removal of toluene. The G.A. and mold as filter material was also coated with Pseudomonas putida microorganisms.The biofilter unit was operated in the condition of moisture content vairation at gas loading rate of 12.5 l/min. Gaseous toluene taken from tedlar bag was analyzed by the use of G.C equipped with F.I.d detector. The removal efficiency of gaseous toluene was 95% at average inlet concentration of 950 ppm during bio-degradation operating condition. Effective removal efficiency was obtained with moisture content 27.5% at activated carbon and 32% at mold in this study. The effective operating condition were obtained with pH 6-8, temperature 28-42℃ for microbial degradation at gas loading rate of 12.5 l/min in packed material.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.173-182
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• 2002

We investigated the effects of operating variables, such as electrical. reactor and gas parameters on toluene removal and discharge property in the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) process. The toluene removal was initiated with the energy transfer to the reactor by loading of voltages higher than the discharge onset value. The energy transfer and toluene removal increased with the applied voltage. Higher removal rate was observed with smooth surface electrode despite of lower energy transfer compared with the coarse electrode, because more uniform discharge can be obtained on smooth surface state. The decrease of dielectric material thickness enhanced the removal efficiency by increasing the discharge potential. The toluene removal efficiency decreased with the increase of the inlet concentration. The increase of gas retention time enhanced the removal efficiency by the increase of energy density. The oxygen and humidity contents seem to exert significant influences on the toluene removal by dominating the generation of electrons, ions, and radicals which are key factors in the removal mechanism.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 1995

Biodegradation of toluene in liquid effluent stream was carried out using biofilms of Pseudomonas putida formed on celite particles in the bubble column bioreactor. Silicon rubber tubing was installed at the bottom of the bioreactor and liquid toluene was circulated within the tubing. Toluene diffused out of the tube wall and was transferred into the culture broth where degradation by biofilms occurred. The operating variables affecting the formation of biofihns on celite particles were investigated in the bubble column bioreactor, and it was found that formation of bifilm is favored by high dilution rate and supply rate of carbon source which stimulate the growth of initially attached cells. Continuous biodegradation of toluene using biofilms was stablely conducted in the bioreactor for more than one month without any significant fluctuation, showing a removal efficiency higher than 95% at the toluene transfer rate of 1.2 g/L/h.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 1999

In this study, the incineration of MEK and toluene was studied on a Pt supported alumina catalyst at temperature range from 200 to $350^{\circ}C$. An approach based on the Mars-van Krevelen rate model was used to explain the results. The object of this study was to study the kinetic behavior of the platinum catalyst for deep oxidation. The conversions of MEK and toluene were increased as the inlet concentration was decreased and the reaction temperature was increased. The maximum deep conversion of MEK and toluene were 91.81% and 55.69% at $350^{\circ}C$, respectively. The ${\kappa}_3$ constant increases with temperature faster than the ${\kappa}_1$ constant, that is, the surface concentration of ($VOCs{\cdots}O$) is higher than that of (O) at higher temperature according to the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism. Also the activation energy of toluene was larger than MEK for toluene is aromatic compound which have stronger bonding energy.Therefore, the catalytic incineration kinetics of MEK and toluene with Mars-van Krevelen mechanism could be used as the basic data for industrial processes.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.356-359
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• 2001

The ability of Pseudomonas putida to degrade toluene was studied in toluene-containing vials. The strain grows anaerobically in toluene as a sole source of carbon. When the initial toluene concentrations injected in the vial are varied, the changes of headspace toluene concentration and cell density are observed. We set a model for this vial and simulated the vial reactor using Matlab. With a variation of model parameters, simulated results were compared with the experiment.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.4 s.28
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• pp.480-485
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• 1989

The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between personal exposure of toluene at workplace and the concentration of hippuric acid in urine of male solvent workers. The study groups are 60 toluene exposed workers who worked at video tape factory and printing factory. The results are as follows : 1. The coefficient of correlation between toluene concentration of personal exposure and concentration of urinary hippuric acid was 0.649 (regression equation Y=0.015X+0.936, Y=urinary hippuric acid concentration, X=Toluene concentration of personal exposure). 2. Urinary hippuric acid concentration of workers with TLV 100 ppm of toluene was calculated 2.44 g/L by the regression equation (Y=0.015X+0.936).

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.117-125
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• 2006

A microorganism capable of degrading toluene was isolated from crude oil contaminated soil and identified as Pseudomonas fluorescence. The effects of environmental factors on the degradation of toluene were investigated. The optimum temperature for toluene degradation was $30^{\circ}C$ and the maximum specific cell growth and toluene degradation rates were $0.76hr^{-1}$ and $0.36hr^{-1}$, respectively. Although the wild cells were not able to degrade toluene at $10^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$, the cells adapted to toluene at $30^{\circ}C$ degraded 100mg/L of toluene completely at $10^{\circ}C$ and 80% of the toluene at $40^{\circ}C$. The wild cells were not able to degrade more than 200mg/L of toluene but the toluene-adapted cells degraded up to 300mg/L of toluene. Although the optimum pH was 7.0, the degradation rates were not much different in the range of 5.5 to 9.0. When nitrate was used as a nitrogen source instead of ammonium, the adaptation period became longer by 2~10 hours and the cell growth yield became lower by 45%. The toluene degradation rates after adaptation period, however, were almost same in both cases. The observations in this study will be used in the future biofilter design and operation.