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Chul Park

Assistant Professor

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College of Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Massachusetts Amherst
16A Marston Hall
130 Natural Resources Road
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
Tel: (413) 545-9456
Fax: (413) 545-2202

Email: park@ecs.umass.edu

 

Full Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

  • Activated sludge and membrane bioreactor processes
  • Anaerobic digestion
  • Algae-based wastewater treatment processes
  • Algal and bacterial bioflocculation
  • Metaproteomics
  • Reduction of excess sludge generation
  • Wastewater treatment effluents and estuarial eutrophication
  • Biological nutrient removal and recovery
  • Hazardous waste management

Education
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2007.
M.S. Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2002.
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Yeungnam University, 2000.
Study Abroad Scholar of Civil Engineering, Washington State University, 1999.

Experience

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts, September 2007 - present
  • Instructor, Virginia Tech, Spring 2007
  • Graduate Research Assistant, Virginia Tech, 2001 – 2006

Classes Taught

CEE 370 Environmental Engineering Principles
CEE 471 Water and Wastewater Treatment
CEE 575 Hazardous Waste Management
CEE 671 Biological Processes for Environmental Engineering

Recent Papers Published

Baek, K., McKeever, R., Rieber, K., Sheppard, D., Park, C., Ergas, S.J., Nüsslein, K. (2012) The potential for aerobic cometabolism of 1,2-dibromoethane in contaminated groundwater. Bioresource Technology, 123, 207-213.

Kim, Y.M., Chon, D.H., Kim, H.S., and Park, C. (2012) Investigation of bacterial community in activated sludge with an anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) to decrease the generation of excess sludge. Water Research 46, 4292-4300.

Yuan, X., Wang, M., Park, C., Sahu, A.K., and Ergas, S.J. (2012) Microalgae growth using high strength wastewater followed by anaerobic co-digestion. Water Environment Research 84(5), 396-404.

McKeever, R., Sheppard, D., Nüsslein, K., Baek, K., Rieber, K., Ergas, S.J., Forbes, R., Hilyard, M., and Park, C. (2012) Biodegradation of ethylene dibromide (1,2-Dibromoethane [EDB]) in microcosms simulating in situ and biostimulated conditions. Journal of Hazardous Materials 209-210, 92-98.

Chon, D.H., Rome, M., Kim, Y.M., Park, K.Y., and Park, C. (2011) Investigation of the sludge reduction mechanism in the anaerobic side-stream reactor process using several control biological wastewater treatment processes. Water Research 45, 6021-6029.

Chon, D.H., Rome, M., Kim, H.S., and Park, C. (2011) Investigating the mechanism of sludge reduction in activated sludge with an anaerobic side-stream reactor. Water Science and Technology 63 (1), 93-99.

Kim, J., Park, C., and Novak, J.T. (2011) Combination of coagulating agents, alum and cationic polymer, for sludge dewatering and odors. Korean Society of Civil Engineers Journal of Civil Engineering 15 (3), 447-451.

Kim, Y.M., Lee, D.S., Park, C., Park, D., and Park, J.M. (2011) Effects of free cyanide on microbial communities and biological carbon and nitrogen removal performance in the industrial activated sludge process. Water Research 45, 1267-1279.

Kim, Y.M., Cho, H.U., Lee, D.S., Park, C., Park, D., and Park, J.M. (2011) Response of nitrifying bacterial communities to the increased thiocyanate concentration in pre-denitrification process. Bioresouce Technology 102(2), 913-922.

Gu, A., Nerenberg, R., Sturm, B.M., Park, C., and Goel, R. (2010) Molecular methods in biological systems. Water Environment Research 82, 908-930.

Baek, K.H., Park, C., Oh, H.M., Yoon, B.D., and Kim, H.S. (2010) Diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in activated sludge treating different types of wastewater. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 20(7), 1128–1133.

Westgate, P. and Park, C. (2010) Evaluation of proteins and organic nitrogen in wastewater treatment effluents. Environmental Science and Technology 44, 5352–5357.

Park, C., Fang, Y., Murthy, S.N., and Novak, J.T. (2010) Effects of floc aluminum on activated sludge characteristics and removal of 17-α-ethinylestradiol in wastewater treatment systems. Water Research 44, 1335-1340.

Ostendorf, D., Park, C., Rotaru, C., and Pereira, M. (2009) A case study of steady oxygen concentration gradients in a groundwater plume from a highway infiltration basin. ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering 135, 1237-1243

Park, C. and Novak, J.T. (2009) Characterization of lectins and bacterial adhesins in activated sludge flocs. Water Environment Research 81, 755-764.

Park, C. and Helm, R.F. (2008) Application of metaproteomic analysis for studying extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in activated sludge flocs and their fate in sludge digestion. Water Science and Technology 57, 2009-2015. 

Park, C., Helm, R.F., and Novak, J.T. (2008) Investigating the fate of activated sludge exocelluar proteins in sludge digestion using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Water Environment Research 80, 2219-2227.

Park, C., Novak, J.T., Helm, R.F., Ahn, Y., and Esen, A. (2008) Evaluation of the extracellular proteins in full-scale activated sludges. Water Research 42, 3879-3889.

Novak, J.T., Park, C., Higgins, M.J., Chen, Y.-C., Morton, R., Gary, D., Forbes, R., and Erdal, Z. (2007)Impacts of the MicroSludge™ process on odor causing compoundsin anaerobically digested biosolids. Water Practice 1.

Park, C. and Novak, J.T. (2007) Characterization of activated sludge exocellular polymers using several cation-associated extraction methods. Water Research 41, 1679-1688. 

Park, C., Muller, C.D., Abu-Orf, M.M., and Novak, J.T. (2006) The effect of wastewater cations on activated sludge characteristics: effects of aluminum and iron in floc. Water Environment Research 78, 31-40. 

Park, C., Abu-Orf, M.M., and Novak, J.T. (2006) The digestibility of waste activated sludges. Water Environment Research 78, 59-68. 

Novak, J.T., Park, C., and Abu-Orf, M.M. (2005) Conditioning and dewatering of digested waste activated sludges-Closure. Journal of Residuals Science and Technology 2, 110-112.

Novak, J.T. and Park, C. (2004) Chemical conditioning of sludge. Water Science and Technology 49, 73-80.

Novak, J.T., Park, C., and Abu-Orf, M.M. (2004) Conditioning and dewatering of digested waste activated sludges. Journal of Residuals Science and Technology 1, 45-51.

Abu-Orf, M.M., Muller, C.D., Park, C., and Novak, J.T. (2004) Innovative technologies to reduce water content of dewatered municipal residuals. Journal of Residuals Science and Technology 1, 83-91.

Recent Conference Proceedings

Park, C., Sheppard, D., Yu, D., Dolan, S., Eom, H., Brooks, J., and Borgatti, D. (2012) Laboratory investigation on the influences of field BNR and CAS effluents on algal bloom in Connecticut River and Long Island Sound. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2012), New Orleans, LA.

Chon, D.H. and Park, C. (2012) Activated sludge with a novel high rate anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) for sludge reduction and biogas generation. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2012), New Orleans, LA.

Wang, M., Zhu, Z., Dolan, S., and Park, C. (2012) Investigation of algal cultivation and anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and algae at wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2012), New Orleans, LA.

Wang, M., Zhu, Z., Dolan, S., and Park, C. (2012) Cultivation and anaerobic co-digestion of microalgae for wastewater treatment systems. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA) Water Congress, Busan, Korea.

Chon, D.H., Rome, M., Park, K.Y., and Park, C. (2012) Investigation of a new anaerobic side-stream reactor process for sludge reduction in biological wastewater treatment. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA) Water Congress, Busan, Korea.

Wang, M. and Park, C. (2012) Improving the digestibility of green algae by anaerobic co-digestion with waste activated sludge. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 26th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Raleigh, NC.

Chon, D.H. and Park, C. (2012) Investigation of a new anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) process for sludge reduction in biological wastewater treatment. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 26th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Raleigh, NC.

Teague, P., Wang, M. and Park, C. (2011) Predicting the digestibility of sludge using EPS analysis, Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 84th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2011), Los Angeles, CA.

Chon, D.H., Rome, M., Park, K.Y., and Park, C. (2011) Investigation of sludge reduction in the activated sludge system with a high rate short SRT anaerobic side-stream reactor. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 25th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Sacramento, CA.

Chon, D.H., Rome, M., Kim, H.S., and Park, C. (2010) Biological solids reduction in activated sludge with an anaerobic side-stream reactor. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 83rd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2010), New Orleans, LA.

Wang, M., Teague, P., and Park, C. (2010) Effects of feeding patterns on extracellular polymer substances (EPS) and digestibility of activated sludge. Poster presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 83rd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2010), New Orleans, LA.

Yuan, X., Wang, M., Park, C., Sahu, A.K., and Ergas, S.J. (2010) Microalgae growth using high strength wastewater followed by anaerobic co-digestion. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 83rd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2010), New Orleans, LA.

Chon, D.H., Rome, M., Kim, H.S., and Park, C. (2010) Investigating the mechanism of sludge reduction in activated sludge with an anaerobic side-stream reactor. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA) Water Congress, Montreal, Canada.

Wang, M., Teague, P., and Park, C. (2010) Effects of activated sludge reactor and EPS on anaerobic digestion and sludge pretreatment. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 24th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Savannah, GA.

Chon, D.H., Kim, H.S., and Park, C. (2010) The comparison of biological sludge reduction processes. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 24th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Savannah, GA.

Park, C., Nüsslein, K., Teague, P, and Wang, M. (2009) Effects of feeding patterns on activated sludge characteristics and its digestibility in anaerobic digestion. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 82nd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2009), Orlando, FL.

Westgate, P. and Park, C. (2009) Evaluation of effluent proteins: toward characterizing effluent organic nitrogen. Poster presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 82nd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2009), Orlando, FL.

Park, C., Nüsslein, K., Zhang, C., Teague, P, and Wang, M. (2009) Effects of feeding conditions on activated sludge characteristics and anaerobic digestion. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 23rd Annual Residuals Biosolids Management Conference, Portland, OR.

Park, C. and Novak, J.T. (2008) Characterization of lectins and bacterial adhesins in activated sludge flocs. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 81th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2008), Chicago, IL.

Park, C. and Helm, R.F. (2008) Application of metaproteomic analysis for studying extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in activated sludge flocs and their fate in sludge digestion. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA) Water Congress, Vienna, Austria.

Park, C. and Novak, J.T. (2007) Investigating the fate of activated sludge exocelluar proteins in sludge digestion using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 80th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2007), San Diego, CA.

Novak, J.T., Park, C., Higgins, M.J., Chen, Y.-C., Morton, R., Gary, D., Forbes, R., and Erdal, Z. (2007) WERF Odor study phase III: Impacts of the microsludge process on odor causing compounds. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 21st Annual Residuals Biosolids Management Conference, Denver, CO.

Muller, C.D., Park, C., Verma, N., and Novak, J.T. (2007) The influence of anaerobic digestion on centrifugally dewatered biosolids odors. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 21st Annual Residuals Biosolids Management Conference, Denver, CO.

Verma, N., Park, C., Novak, J.T., Erdal, Z., Forbes, B., and Morton, R. (2006) Effects of anaerobic digester sludge age on odors from dewatered biosolids. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 79th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2006), Dallas, TX.

Park, C., Abu-Orf, M.M., and Novak, J.T. (2006) Investigation of extracellular polymeric substances in activated sludge flocs; their structural links with key floc cations and fates in sludge digestion. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA) Specialized Conference-Sustainable sludge management: state of the art, challenges and perspectives, Moscow, Russia.

Park, C., Abu-Orf, M.M., and Novak, J.T. (2005) Activated sludge extracellular polymeric substances extracted by different cation-targeted extraction methods: their key roles in floc structure and sludge digestibility. Poster presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA) 3rd Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Treatment Technology, Sapporo, Japan.

Park, C. and Novak, J.T. (2005) Characterization of floc structure using different extraction methods. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 19th Annual Residuals Biosolids Management Conference, Nashville, TN.

Park, C., Abu-Orf, M.M., and Novak, J.T. (2004) Analysis of floc structure and predicting sludge digestibility using different cation-associated EPS extraction methods. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 77th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2004), New Orleans, LA.

Abu-Orf, M.M., Laquidara, M., Muller, C.D., Park, C., and Novak, J.T. (2004) Adjusting floc cations to improve effluent quality: the case of aluminum addition at Sioux City wastewater treatment facility. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 77th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2004), New Orleans, LA.

Holbrook, R.D., Wagner, M., Mahoney, C., Wight, S., Park, C., and Novak, J.T. (2004) Investigating the structure of activated sludge flocs: morphologic and compositional characterization of surface and bulk components. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 77th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2004), New Orleans, LA.

Novak, J.T. and Park, C. (2003) Chemical conditioning of sludge. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, International Water Association (IWA)-International Conference on Wastewater Sludge as a Resource - Biosolids 2003, Trondheim, Norway.

Park, C., Abu-Orf, M.M., and Novak, J.T. (2003) Predicting the digestibility of waste activated sludges using cation analysis. Oral presentation and conference proceeding, Water Environment Federation 76th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2003), Los Angeles, CA.

Recent Research Contracts Funded

Anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food wastes. Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (subcontract through Fay, Spofford & Thorndike), PI, Oct 2012~Nov 2013, $47,108.

The impact of upgrading municipal wastewater treatment facilities for nitrogen removal on Long Island Sound. Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, PI, June 2012 ~ May 2013, $25,000.

Elucidating the impact of upgrading wastewater treatment for nitrogen removal on eutrophication and toxic algal bloom in Long Island Sound. U.S Geological Survey’s Water Resources Annual Institute Program from the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center, PI, Apr 2012 ~ Mar 2013, $5,000.

Assessing the effects of effluent nitrogen released from Western Mass WWTPs on Long Island Sound. Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, PI, June 2011 ~ May 2012, $30,000.

Enhanced natural attenuation of ethylene dibromide (1,2-Dibromoethane [EDB]) at MMR. The Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment, PI (Co-PI: Klaus Nüsslein), Apr 2011 ~ Mar 2012, $135,246.

Investigation of advanced adsorbent for arsenic and phosphorous removal. Korea Association of Industry, Academy, and Research Institute (subcontract to Dankook University), Co-PI (PI: John Tobiason), Aug 2010 ~ May 2012, $94,054.

Natural attenuation of ethylene dibromide (1,2-Dibromoethane [EDB]) at MMR. The Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment, PI (Co-PI: Klaus Nüsslein), Sep 2010 ~ Jan 2011, $53,971.

Assessing the effects of conventional and advanced nitrogen removal wastewater treatment on receiving water eutrophication. Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, PI, Jul 2010 ~ May 2011, $25,000.

Pilot-scale operation of algae photobioreactor and anaerobic digester at Frevar, Fedrikstad, Norway. Aquateam, PI, June 2010 ~ Sep 2010, $20,072.

A new sludge and nutrient reduction method for wastewater treatment. CVIP Technology Development Award, University of Massachusetts Amherst, PI, Apr 2010, $25,000.

Fate of non-regulated DBPs in distribution systems. Water Research Foundation, Co-PI (PI; Dave Reckhow, Co-PI; William Mitch), May 2010 ~ Apr 2012, $399,127.

A sustainable process to capture and store CO2 to increase production of renewable bioenergy. Norwegian Research Council (subcontract to Biowater Technology), PI (Co-PI: Sarina Ergas), Oct 2009 ~ Sep 2012, $144,771.

Natural attenuation of ethylene dibromide (1,2-Dibromoethane [EDB]) at MMR. The Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment, PI (Co-PIs; Sarina Ergas and Klaus Nüsslein), Jul 2009 ~ June 2010, $183,111.

Assessing the transport and fate of effluent organic nitrogen in the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound using mass-mapping proteomics technology. Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, PI, Apr 2009 ~ Mar 2010, $30,000.

Assessing the transport and fate of effluent organic nitrogen in the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound using mass-mapping proteomics technology. U.S Geological Survey’s Water Resources Annual Institute Program from the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center, PI, Apr 2009 ~ Mar 2010, $30,000.

Phenotypic characteristics of activated sludge generated under different feeding conditions and implications for wastewater treatment performance and sludge treatment. Faculty Research Grant/Healey Endowment Grant, University of Massachusetts, PI, Sep 2008 ~ Aug 2009, $15,000.

Characterization of wastewater effluent from Western Massachusetts publicly owned treatment works using metaproteomic analysis. U.S Geological Survey’s Water Resources Annual Institute Program from the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center, Graduate student project, PI (Graduate student: Pamela Westgate), Apr 2007 ~ Mar 2008, $5,000.

Recent Honors and Awards

  • CVIP Technology Development Awards, University of Massachusetts, 2010
  • Finalist, University Research & Entrepreneurship Symposium, Cambridge, MA 2009
  • Finalist, CVIP Technology Development Awards, University of Massachusetts, 2009
  • Graduate Research & Development Program Award, Virginia Tech, 2006
  • Sussman Fellowship, Edna Bailey Sussman Foundation, 2004
  • Paul E. Torgersen Research Excellence Award, Virginia Tech, 2003
  • International Exchange Program Scholarship, Yeungnam University, 1998
  • Best Academic Performance, Environmental Engineering, Yeugnam University, 1997